Daily Recap: Politics — 12 August 2026

Political news is driven by leadership pressure and security brinkmanship, from a White House shake-up and Trump’s hardening rhetoric on Iran to challenges around campaign conduct and election legitimacy. Elsewhere, parties and authorities move to contain instability ahead of key...

Trump says the United States has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz and will maintain it as talks with Iran stall. He warns that any Iranian move would be met with force and describes a U.S. naval presence as a “wall of steel,” signaling a sharper posture in a strategic global shipping corridor.

Trump says White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her post at the end of the month. Her departure creates an opening in one of the administration’s most visible jobs, with the press secretary serving as the public face of White House messaging during a politically charged period.

Trump says the Secret Service ordered a covert plane swap in Turkey last month because of an assassination threat. He says he was moved between aircraft in a deception operation and later boarded a plane he considered even riskier, adding a dramatic new account to questions around presidential security abroad.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon survives a second leadership test after his National Party backs him in a confidence vote less than three months before a general election. The result steadies his position for now after urgent talks with party leaders and a closed-door meeting of lawmakers.

The New York City Council opens an investigation into how four prediction market platforms advertise to users. Letters from lawmakers seek details on marketing strategies amid concerns that the companies may use deceptive or predatory tactics and contribute to broader social harms through the promotion of event-based wagering.

Mike Lindell refuses to concede Minnesota’s Republican gubernatorial primary after the race is called for House Speaker Lisa DeMuth. Lindell claims vote anomalies and says he will wait for all remaining ballots to be counted, extending dispute around a contest that party officials and media organizations have already moved to close.

Police in Nigeria’s Osun State summon Senator Francis Fadahunsi over alleged remarks threatening Accord Party members before the governorship election. The move follows circulation of a video in which he is accused of telling supporters to kill opposition members seen in Ilesa during the campaign period.

The World Health Organization warns that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo could become the deadliest on record if transmission continues at its current rate. The alert raises the stakes for public health authorities as they try to contain a rapidly worsening emergency with major regional implications.