At a recent Mar-a-Lago gathering, Trump informally asked about 25 Republican donors and allies whether they would prefer Marco Rubio or JD Vance as the GOP presidential candidate in 2028.

According to attendees, the room overwhelmingly responded in favor of Rubio, with loud cheering when his name was mentioned.

Source: NBC News

The UK has no plans to send the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales to the Middle East, officials say.

The ship remains in high readiness but is instead being prepared for NATO operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic.

The clarification came after Trump mocked Keir Starmer, claiming Britain wanted to join the Iran conflict after it had already been “won.”

UK officials deny Trump influenced any decisions and say the ship’s readiness was simply to keep deployment options open.

Source: FT

NEW: Trump has told aides he would support killing Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, if he refuses U.S. demands such as ending Iran’s nuclear program.

Source: WSJ

The U.S. State Department has designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Moosavi:

From now on, no missile with a warhead lighter than one ton will be launched.

The wavelength of the launches and the wave levels will increase, and their range will become broader.

Security footage from Feb. 28 shows an explosion near Imam Reza Elementary School in Abyek, west of Tehran, after early U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran.

About 40 boys were playing outside when a blast hit a nearby communications tower less than 400 feet away, shattering windows and sending debris across the playground.

Iranian media said one student, Mahyar Zanganeh, was killed.

Satellite imagery suggests the tower was the intended target.

Source: NYT

Trump on Iran:

I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force.

Source: CBS News

Trump says he has someone in mind to replace Mojtaba Khamenei.

Source: CBS News

Trump on Mojtaba Khamenei:

I have no message for him. None, whatsoever.

Source: CBS News

NEW: Putin held a phone conversation with Trump.

Kremlin:

The conversation focused on the conflict around Iran and negotiations on a settlement in Ukraine.

Putin expressed a number of ideas aimed at achieving a swift political and diplomatic resolution to the conflict in Iran.

On the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said ships are “moving through now,” adding he is “thinking about taking it over.”

He also warned Iran: “They’ve shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute or it’s going to be the end of that country.”

Source: CBS News

Trump is now talking about “taking over” the Strait of Hormuz.

The Trump administration is considering further easing sanctions on Russian oil amid a surge in prices.

Source: Reuters

French President Macron visited the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Mediterranean during a trip linked to his visit to Cyprus.

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on gas prices:

This price increase is going to be temporary and it is a small price to pay for the idea that we're gonna get rid of a terrorist regime.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Turkish President Erdogan that Iran seeks to “reduce tensions in the region” and denied accusations of missile attacks on Türkiye, adding Tehran is ready to form a joint investigation team.

Erdogan said Ankara “never thinks of confronting Iran” and stressed that “more than ever, there is a need to open the doors of diplomacy.”

Source: Iranian Presidency readout

BREAKING: Oil drops to $85 per barrel following Trump's remarks.

BIG: Türkiye’s state lender Halkbank reached a deal with U.S. prosecutors to settle a long-running case over alleged Iran sanctions violations.

Under the agreement, the bank will avoid criminal charges but must halt Iran-related transactions and accept external compliance monitoring.

Source: Reuters

Iran’s IRGC says it destroyed the Haila satellite communications center south of Tel Aviv using attack drones, claiming the facility was a key node linking Israeli air bases with fighter jets and part of the military’s satellite control and communications network.

NEW: Iran’s deputy foreign minister says the first condition for a ceasefire is a halt to further attacks.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister says several countries, including China, Russia, and France, have contacted Tehran about a ceasefire.