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Swalwell Resigns, Iran Wants a Deal & Trump Responds to Jesus Meme Controversy | 4/14/26 FIRST LOOK
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Good morning Everybody. It's Tuesday, April 14, 2026 and this is First Look. We've got a big packed show for you this morning. Here's what we're tracking. Iran now signaling it wants a deal After President Trump's naval blockade cuts off its ability to do business. Eric Swalwell resigns from Congress as the scandal surrounding him reaches a breaking point. Trump responds to backlash over that viral Jesus image while his feud with Pope Leo escalates. And later, a doordash delivery to the Oval Office turns into a real world policy moment on tax relief for workers. Let's get into it. We start with a major development in the Middle east, and this is moving fast. Just days after President Trump ordered a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is now signaling it wants to make a deal. Trump told reporters Monday that the US has already been contacted by what he called the right people in Iran, saying directly they would like to work a deal. This comes after negotiations over the weekend in Pakistan led By Vice President J.D. vance broke down and broke down over one issue, Iran's nuclear program. The administration's position has been clear, no deal unless Iran fully abandons nuclear weapons capability. And when those talks failed, Trump didn't hesitate. He moved immediately to a blockade, one of the most aggressive economic and military pressure tactics you can use short of full conflict. Now here's where it gets interesting. According to Trump, the blockade is already having a massive impact, he said. Iran is now doing absolutely no business, meaning oil exports, shipping and revenue streams are effectively frozen. US Warships have surged into the region, and the message is if you want to move through that water, you're dealing with the United States Navy. And the ripple effects are global. We're now seeing a major shift in oil traffic. Reports indicate over 100 more than 120 empty oil tankers are now heading toward the United States, particularly Texas and Louisiana, to load up on American oil instead of relying on Middle Eastern supply. Trump has openly encouraged this, telling countries affected by the disruption to turn to American energy. So this is more than just a military move. It's economic strategy. You cut off Iran's ability to sell oil, you redirect global demand to the US and you strengthen your leverage at the negotiating table. All at once. Trump even framed it as breaking what he called a global chokehold, repositioning America as the energy supplier for the world. And now Iran appears to be feeling that pressure. The big question is, what happens next? Do they come back to the table and accept stricter terms, or does this escalate further? For now, the White House is projecting confidence. This is the art of the deal meets art of the squeeze. Now back to the US Where a major political development just broke. Congressman Eric Swalwell has announced he will resign from Congress following the sexual misconduct allegations that rocked his campaign and triggered bipartisan pressure for him to step down. In a statement, Swalwell said, I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgment I've made in my past. I will fight the serious false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make. He went on to say that while he believes immediate expulsion without due process would be wrong, it would also be wrong for his constituents to have a distracted representative. So he says he's stepping down. This comes after a rapid collapse of support, not just from Republicans, but from Democrats as well, and the launch of a House ethics investigation. There was also growing momentum for a vote to expel him from Congress. Swalwell had already suspended his run for governor, but that wasn't enough to stop the pressure. Now he's leaving Congress entirely. He did not give a specific timeline for his departure, but a special election to fill his seat in California's 14th district could happen as soon as this summer. Now to a story that's been blowing up online and crossing into politics, religion and media all at once, President Trump is responding to backlash over a viral image he posted, one that many people interpreted as depicting him as Jesus Christ. The image showed Trump in a white tunic and red robe, appearing to heal a man in a hospital bed, with others around him in what looked like a religious setting. It spread quickly, and not all of the reaction was positive. Even some of Trump's Christian supporters called it inappropriate, even blasphemous. But Trump says that's not what it was. He told reporters Monday that he believed the image showed him as a doctor, not Jesus, saying it was meant to reflect healing and helping people, even tying it to the Red Cross. He pushed back on the criticism blaming what he called fake news for mischaracterizing the image. Still, the backlash was enough that the post was deleted. Now, this didn't happen in a vacuum. The image came just hours after Trump went after Pope Leo and and this feud is escalating. Trump criticized the pope as weak and very liberal, especially over disagreements on immigration policy and the US Military posture toward Iran. He even went as far as to say he prefers the pope's brother, calling him all maga, which gives you a sense of how personal this has gotten. For his part, Pope Leo has taken a different tone. He's avoided direct attacks, but he has criticized war and what he described as a delusion of omnipotence behind military action, clearly referencing the US Approach. He reiterated that his focus is on peace, dialogue, and diplomacy, not confrontation. So what you're seeing here is more than just a disagreement. It's a fundamental clash of worldview. On one side, a hardline approach to power, security, and leverage. On the other, a moral argument centered on peace and restraint. And that divide is now playing out very publicly. And finally, a moment that's getting a lot of buzz. President Trump took a doordash delivery at the White House. Yes, an actual delivery to the Oval Office and turned it into a policy moment. The driver, Sharon Simmons, ended up speaking with Trump about a new tax provision that allows tipped workers to deduct up to $25,000 in tips. She told the president that the policy saved her family nearly $12,000, money that helped cover medical expenses while her husband is battling cancer. Trump praised the impact, pulled out a $100 tip on the spot, and even brought her in to speak with reporters. Supporters are highlighting it as a real world example of tax relief helping working Americans. Critics say it looked staged. Either way, it definitely got people talking. That's your first look for this Tuesday. The stories you need to know to start your day. We'll keep tracking all of it and bring you more as it develops. I'm Dave Rubin. Thanks for starting your morning with First Look.
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