Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the Jattvibe News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In today’s edition, Kristen Welker previews her interview with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani that’s airing on “Meet the Press” this weekend. Plus, Steve Kornacki dives into yet another Democratic overperformance in a special election. And we have the latest updates from the Iran war.Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.The Iran war collides with Mamdani’s message on high costsAnalysis by Kristen WelkerIt’s not every day that a politician quotes Tupac in an interview. But that’s what happened this week when I sat down with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as he navigates his first year in office. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, and President Donald Trump, a Republican, arguably won their races with similar messages, promising to bring down costs. That resulted in some overlap between their supporters in their respective elections.With the war in Iran leading to rising gas prices, I asked Mamdani if there’s anything he could or would do to help bring down some of the high costs facing New Yorkers right now. And that’s where Tupac came in.“We are looking to deliver relief to New Yorkers, frankly even from before this war. Because while war has exacerbated a cost-of-living crisis, that is a crisis that existed from even before the time I was running for mayor. And it’s reflected in the fact that we are the most expensive city in the United States of America,” Mamdani told me. He said that the war with Iran should “not just be opposed on political grounds, on moral grounds, but even just on economic grounds. We are speaking about a federal administration that has spent upwards of $28 billion killing thousands of people all the way over in the Middle East, at the same time as we’re being told that this money cannot be found to invest in working-class Americans across this country.” “And I wish that the words of Tupac from the ’90s weren’t still prescient, but they continue to be true for too many, which is that ‘we always have money for war and not to feed the poor,’” Mamdani added.Mamdani’s opposition to the Iran war is in line with a majority of Americans, who have largely disapproved of the conflict in recent polling. A Reuters/Ipsos survey released this week found 60% of Americans disapproved of the strikes against Iran, while 35% approved. And a CBS/YouGov poll released last weekend found nearly two-thirds of Americans disapproved of the president’s handling of Iran, while 36% approved.Mamdani’s message on the Iran war comes as he’s tried to forge a productive relationship with Trump, an effort that has included two White House visits since his election last November. But Trump attacked Mamdani in a Truth Social post yesterday, saying he is “destroying” New York City with his tax policies.Tune in to “Meet the Press” this Sunday for the rest of my interview with Mamdani. We’ll also be joined by United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz and Steve Kornacki, who will break down the latest results of our Jattvibe News Decision Desk poll.For subscribers: How a traditionally Republican area helped deliver a progressive victory in New JerseySteve Kornacki breaks down Analilia Mejia’s victory last night in New Jersey’s 11th District — the latest overperformance by a Democratic candidate compared to the 2024 presidential results in a special House election.Read more →🔵 More for subscribers: Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin promised to conduct an autopsy of the party’s losing 2024 presidential campaign — and he did. But an increasing number of Democrats are calling on him to share the full results, warts and all, before the 2028 presidential race heats up, Natasha Korecki and Jonathan Allen report.Iran declares Strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’The Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” for commercial ships for the remainder of the ceasefire, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. President Donald Trump hailed the announcement but said the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports “will remain in full force” until the two sides reach a peace deal. Iran threatened to take “necessary measures” if the blockade is not lifted.Trump also said Iran would not close the strait again. Following news of the strait opening, the price of oil plunged sharply and two U.S. stock indexes hit all-time highs.Follow live updates →🗞️ Today’s other top stories🏛️On the Hill: Congress isn’t doing enough to protect staff from sexual misconduct, lawmakers say. Read more →🔎 I spy: The Senate approved a short-term renewal of a controversial surveillance program overnight after House Republicans refused Trump’s push for a longer extension. Read more →➡️ On the way in: Trump is expected to nominate Cameron Hamilton to serve as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, nearly a year after he was removed as its acting head. Read more →⬅️ On the way out: Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, who oversaw the agency during tumultuous immigration crackdowns, is leaving his post next month. Read more →☑️ Extreme makeover, D.C. edition: Trump’s planned triumphal arch cleared a key hurdle after its early designs secured approval from a federal arts panel whose members were handpicked by the president. Read more →That’s all From the Politics Desk for now. Today’s newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Owen Auston-Babcock.If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@Jattvibeuni.comAnd if you’re a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here.