What can I say … Welcome to the octagon and take cover. For the first time in U.S. history, a United Fighting Championship cage match was hosted on the White House lawn Sunday night, coinciding with President Trump’s 80th birthday.

Officially, the event was part of programming for America’s 250th anniversary. Trump watched the matches from a cage-side seat, sitting between first lady Melania Trump and UFC CEO Dana White, who it so happens, is a close personal friend of Tump. Advocacy groups say the whole even was rife with conflicts of interest. Trump credited White for helping him win the 2024 election after White put him on podcasts popular with young men. The payback, you might say, is this event, which White told Time magazine is “an unparalleled marketing opportunity.”

And a lawsuit alleges the president and his friends all stand to make money off the spectacle. The fight will be streamed on Paramount+, which is owned by Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS News. And Trump purchased tens of thousands of dollars of stock in UFC’s parent company in March as he was promoting the event. Trump has acknowledged the fight is a bit of a gimmick. “Life is a gimmick, if you think about it, right? But it’s a good gimmick,” Trump told Time. You could also bet on the even on Polymarket, it seems, from the image above.

Also at the event were several high-profile business leaders and administration officials. The fight night generated enthusiasm among Trump supporters, but drew rebuke from critics and even skepticism from some Republicans. Protesters rallied outside the White House, while attendees flocked into fan zones.

But as for the main card, ESPN praised the fighters. “There were exponentially more obligations placed on them during this unique fight week. They had a delayed news conference at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday (the evening when they needed to cut weight), more media than usual and heightened security protocols, and then they had to perform inside the Octagon (after another weather delay). The pressure of the entire fight week had to be a lot, and they all made weight and delivered memorable bouts. This was an incredible statement by the athletes who compete in this sport.”

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a framework extending their ceasefire for 60 days, with a formal signing ceremony expected Friday and nuclear talks to follow. This is definitely good progress as the agreement could officially reopen the Strait of Hormuz, ease pressure on global energy markets and create a window for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made a similar announcement minutes before Trump’s statement.

“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!” Trump said on Truth Social, adding that he had agreed to end the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports in exchange for Iran’s reopening of the Strait and a continued halt to fighting. The agreement is designed to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which before the war handled about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas. But it leaves key nuclear issues to be negotiated over the next two months.

Of course, fully reopening the strait may not happen immediately. Mine-clearing, repairing infrastructure and guaranteeing security could take time before a full return to pre-war shipping volumes. And U.S. commitments under the memorandum would have to be met before negotiations for a final agreement could begin.

Gmail is free, but you pay with your data. Proton Mail is different.

We don’t scan your messages. We don’t sell your behavior. We don’t follow you across the internet.

Proton Mail gives you full-featured, private email without surveillance or creepy profiling. It’s email that respects your time, your attention, and your boundaries.

Email doesn’t have to cost your privacy.

Ditch the Gmail data grab

For the first time in 53 years, New York rules the NBA. Brunson scored 45 points, including 13 straight for New York in the fourth quarter, and the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night. The Knicks won the series 4-1, rallying from double-digit deficits in all four of those victories. The deficit was 16 on Saturday night. Brunson and the Knicks were never fazed.

And in their victory, the team gave their city something strangely new and refreshing. The New York Times called it “impossible joy … At long last, the team that New York City cares about the most has loved it back.” It is hugging strangers so hard they go airborne, fist-bumping cabbies as they crawl through concrete delirium, high-fiving kids on shoulders (and adults on shoulders), climbing stoplights and trees and scaffolding to wave the team flag higher, swiping utility cones and wearing them as hats because they are orange.

The Athletic called Jalen Brunson, NBA champion and finals MVP, the greatest Knick ever. “The man many believed to be too small to lead a city has taken its millions of antsy congregants to The Promised Land safe and sound. Now the-supposed-6-foot-2 point guard is a monument taller than any skyscraper, while overcoming the game’s greatest giant to get the job done. Brunson was born in South Jersey, went to high school in the Chicago suburbs and played college ball in Philly. But now he’s a New York legend.”