The U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone that approached an aircraft carrier, marking a notable escalation in regional tensions (multiple sources). Jeff Bezos has ordered deep job cuts at The Washington Post, narrowing the publication's focus to politics and national security coverage.

Federal investigators confirmed that missing bolts caused the Boeing 737 Max 9 panel blowout incident (NTSB). A 19-year-old key member of Elon Musk's DOGE team has resigned amid the administration's sweeping federal bureaucracy cuts. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced he will seek a third term.