The Headlines
The Headlines

The New Deal That Could Lock in Iran’s Control of the Strait, and the $7 Billion Trump’s Not Spending

August 4, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In the Middle East, a deal is quietly taking shape to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but it could come at a steep price: effectively locking in Iran’s control over what has long been an open international waterway. That development leads today’s episode of The Headlines, which also covers a public rift between President Trump and his handpicked U.S. Attorney for D.C., a hidden $7 billion freeze on transit grants, and the end of greyhound racing in New Zealand.

The Strait of Hormuz Deal: A Ceasefire That Cements Iran’s Leverage

Officials familiar with the talks say Iran and Oman are negotiating an agreement to reopen the strait, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. Under the proposed setup, ships entering the strait would pass through a channel controlled by Iran, while ships exiting would use a channel controlled by Oman. Iranian officials have indicated those ships would be charged a service fee. The deal would give Iran vastly more leverage over the waterway than it had before the war.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:44) **Strait of Hormuz Deal: Iran Could Cement Control** - A new agreement being negotiated between Iran and Oman would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but could give Iran unprecedented control over the international waterway.
  • 2 (02:40) **Stranded Sailors in the Gulf** - Roughly 6,000 sailors remain trapped on ships in the Gulf, feeling abandoned and unprotected after months of war.
  • 3 (03:16) **Trump Rails Against His Own Appointed U.S. Attorney** - President Trump publicly criticized Janine Pirro, his own appointee as U.S. Attorney for D.C., for dropping vandalism charges in the "Reflecting Pool" case.
  • 4 (04:29) **$7 Billion in Transit Grants Frozen by Trump Administration** - The Trump administration is quietly refusing to allocate more than $7 billion in federally designated grants for public transit projects across the U.S.
  • 5 (06:23) **New Zealand Bans Greyhound Racing** - New Zealand held its last official greyhound race, joining most of the world in banning the sport due to high rates of animal injury and death.
  • 6 (07:59) **The Secret Practice Spots of NYC Bagpipers** - New York Times reporter Andrew Kay explores how bagpipers in New York City find hidden locations to practice their loud instrument without disturbing their neighbors.
  • 7 Mentioned Resources

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Plus, where are you supposed to practice the bagpipes?

Here’s what we’re covering:

An Emerging Deal Could Cement Iran’s Control of Strait of Hormuz, by David E. Sanger, Farnaz Fassihi and Eric Schmitt

The Iran War’s Forgotten Captives: Sailors Trapped in the Persian Gulf, by Jenny Gross and Peter Eavis

Pirro Meets With Trump at the White House After He Said She ‘Choked’ in Reflecting Pool Case, by Erica L. Green, Katie Rogers, Tyler Pager and Maggie Haberman

Congress Budgeted Billions for Big Transit Projects. Trump Isn’t Spending It., by Emily Badger and Alicia Parlapiano

New Zealand Has Ended Greyhound Racing. Now It Has to Manage the Aftermath., by Emanuel Stoakes

The Bagpiper’s Endless Quest for a Place to Practice, by Andrew Keh

Tune in, and tell us what you think at [email protected]. For corrections, email [email protected].

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