🚨 Axios PM: Trump gives his logic

🛰️ Plus: Satellite photo of Ayatollah's compound | Saturday, February 28, 2026

View in browser   Axios PM By Mike Allen · Feb 28, 2026 PM Extra! We're sending this special Saturday PM to bring you Barak Ravid's interview with President Trump + our latest reporting on the strike on Iran. Today's newsletter, orchestrated by Alex Fitzpatrick, is 676 words, a 2½-min. read. Thanks to Mickey Meece for copy editing.     1 big thing: ISRAEL SAYS SUPREME LEADER DEAD   Black smoke rises today from Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's heavily damaged compound in Tehran. Satellite image: Pléiades Neo/Airbus via Reuters Bulletin: Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike today as part of a massive joint military operation alongside the U.S., Israel's ambassador to Washington told U.S. officials, Axios' Barak Ravid and Avery Lotz report. An Israeli official confirmed that Khamenei is dead, according to Israeli intelligence. The 86-year-old Khamenei led Iran for 35 years, making him one of the world's longest-serving authoritarians. His death is a massive blow to the regime and could accelerate its collapse, which U.S. and Israeli officials say is their explicit goal. It also sets off an immediate succession crisis with no clear answer. (Khamenei: What to know) 📱 TRUMP INTERVIEW: President Trump has several "off ramps" from his extraordinary military campaign against Iran, he told Barak Ravid in a phone interview from Mar-a-Lago today. Trump tells Axios: "I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians: 'See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding'" nuclear and missile programs. "In any case, it will take them several years to recover from this attack." A photo obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency shows an Iranian man walking past debris in Tehran today following a missile strike. Photo: Amir Kholousi/ISNA/AFP via Getty Images Trump cited two main reasons for launching the strikes: the failure of negotiations this week and Iran's historical conduct. Trump said: "The Iranians got close and then pulled back — close and then pulled back. I understood from that that they don't really want a deal." ☢️ Trump also claimed that Iran had begun rebuilding some of the nuclear facilities that the U.S. and Israel struck last June. Independent analysts pointed to building activity taking place at some of those sites, but didn't conclude that Iran has resumed nuclear activity. Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a live interview from Tehran this morning. Image: NBC News What's next: The U.S.-Israeli plan envisions the massive bombing campaign against Iran lasting for at least five days, per a senior U.S. official. But, as Trump told Axios, that timeline could change based on developments on the ground — including Khamenei's death. Go deeper.     2. 🌐 World leaders react warily   People watch from their balcony amid explosions today in Doha, Qatar. The Defense Ministry says it has downed missiles targeting the country. Photo: Mohammed Salem/Reuters European leaders called for restraint and diplomacy, while U.S. adversaries condemned President Trump's decision to strike, Axios' Lauren Floyd reports. 🪧 Public demonstrations for and against the operation broke out in London, Munich, New York, Washington and elsewhere. In a joint statement, leaders of France, Germany and the U.K. reiterated their "commitment to regional stability" and called for a "resumption of negotiations." 🇫🇷 French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X: The "outbreak of war" between the U.S., Israel and Iran "carries grave consequences." The "ongoing escalation is dangerous for all," Macron added, calling for a UN Security Council meeting. 🇪🇺 Ursula von der Leyen, the European Union's chief executive, called on "all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law." An anti-war demonstrator during a protest in Parliament Square in London today. Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said the country successfully intercepted Iranian attacks. The Saudis called on the international community to "take all firm measures necessary" to secure the region. 🇷🇺 The other side: Russia's Foreign Ministry called the attack "a preplanned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent UN member state." 🇨🇳 China's state news agency posted a caricature of Uncle Sam captioned: "Hegemonism is the only language I know." Go deeper.     3. ⚡️ Catch me up   Iranian missiles fly over Hebron, the West Bank, today. Photo: Wisam Hashlamoun/Anadolu via Getty Images 🛢️ The strikes on Iran will likely increase oil prices by threatening supplies from a region that's home to a huge chunk of global output and transit, Axios' Ben Geman reports. Go deeper. 🇮🇷 Reza Pahlavi, the exiled former crown prince of Iran, is positioning himself as the "transitional" leader if the Islamic Republic collapses. Go deeper. 🏛️ Hawkish Democrats could doom party leaders' effort to force a vote reining in President Trump's war powers, Axios' Andrew Solender reports. Go deeper.     4. 📸 Pic to go: Seeking shelter as Iran retaliates   Photo: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images A person takes shelter in Jerusalem as sirens sound after today's U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran targeted Israel and other U.S. allies and bases across the Middle East in retaliation.   📬 Thanks for reading! Please invite your friends to join PM. 👆 Like this comms style and format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Bring it to your org — via hands-on training or internal comms software — to harness its power and impact.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Advertise with us. 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Global Entry chaos and ‘Should I go to Mexico?’

Also: Hyatt is drastically changing its award chart

February 28, 2026 View in browser         Together with     Together with

Global Entry shutdown and travel warnings by Brian Kelly It's been a big week in the news cycle — and in the travel world. We're dealing with yet another government shutdown, and this time, Global Entry, a consumer-funded program, is paused (although thankfully, TSA PreCheck, after a close call, is indeed functioning). The East Coast is dealing with a massive blizzard, which caused over 11,000 flights to be delayed or canceled, and cartel violence broke out in parts of Mexico, stranding Americans in certain areas, including Puerto Vallarta, and prompting shelter-in-place orders and flight cancellations. Facing any of these situations? The tips below can help you, now or in the future, when unexpected situations arise in the travel world. Book refundable travel I'm always an advocate of booking refundable travel, but when situations arise (and these can include civil unrest, blizzards and well beyond), being able to cancel without losing your money is key. Check your insurance; file claims If your travel isn't refundable, it never hurts to file a claim with your credit card travel insurance or regular travel insurance, even if you don't think that your particular situation will be covered. You can also call or email airlines and hotels and see what options they might be able to offer. You may not get anything at all, but you definitely won't if you don't ask. Contact your lawmakers Getting a refund for Global Entry is unlikely, but you can certainly contact your representatives and tell them to push the Department of Homeland Security to reopen Global Entry. It's a consumer-funded program, and it's completely unfair to charge for it, then suspend it. Get Clear+ Clear+, which uses biometrics (fingerprint or iris scans), offers expedited lanes at more than 55 U.S. airports for a faster security experience. Clear is currently partnering with the Transportation Security Administration to incorporate new e-gates that will help expedite identity verification at certain airports. Right now, we could certainly use a speedy airport experience, given that the government shutdown could cause slowdowns. The service costs $209 annually, but you can get Clear for free with certain credit cards that offer statement credits. Use TSA PreCheck If you have TSA PreCheck (whether you got it through Global Entry or on its own), this is the perfect time to use it. I expect the TSA lines to be long if the shutdown is prolonged and agents (who are working without pay) start calling out, so make sure to find these expedited lines. There are several credit cards that offer statement credits for TSA PreCheck. Download the Mobile Passport Control app As an alternative to the currently unusable Global Entry system, download the Mobile Passport Control app. You'll then have to answer some questions, scan your document and add your travel companions. When you arrive in the U.S., head to the Mobile Passport Control line, have your photo taken and (hopefully) speed through customs. Get Digital ID I can now breeze through over 250 security checkpoints with my digital, Real ID-compliant driver’s license stored on my phone. I've also added my passport to my iPhone digitally, though for now I'll still have to show it when I go through customs and travel internationally. Opt in for Touchless ID The Touchless ID program is a newer program from TSA PreCheck that has launched at some major airports (with more to come), where biometrics are used to verify your identity. You will need to opt in ahead of your flight, though. Do so by heading to your airline frequent flyer profile, uploading a photo of your passport and consenting to the facial recognition program. Touchless ID lines are an alternative when lines at Clear+ and TSA PreCheck are long — you may find there's no wait to use them. A note on travel to Mexico Mexico is a huge country, and the situation has returned to business as usual in many Mexican states. Airports in most parts of the country are operating as normal. As always, stay alert and keep up to date on local news when traveling abroad. I advise using the same level of caution as you normally would when traveling to a different country. Sign up for STEP The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program provides useful updates and information for Americans traveling abroad. Sign up and monitor the information to help you decide how to handle certain situations. If you're stranded in Mexico now, make sure to contact your airline, follow U.S. Department of State guidelines and check your travel insurance policies. And if you're in a really desperate situation? I learned from TPG readers this week that there's a nonprofit organization that helps extract Americans when they’re stranded abroad: Grey Bull Rescue. Safe travels, BK P.S. Thank you to everyone who wrote in and shared their own travel pet peeves last week. From half-glass shower doors to the lack of outlets in a hotel room – I read every one. Posts in this newsletter contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products, and this may impact how or where they appear. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. Photo Credit: JONNO RATTMAN.

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Required reading Hyatt is drastically changing its award chart — and many stays will be more expensive Read more Global Entry still shuttered, travel sector urges 'immediate' restoration Read more Clear's new 'e-gates' are now live at 37 airports — with more to come in 2026 Read more Coming soon: Use your Amex Resy credit at even more restaurants Read more Everything you need to know if you have a trip to Mexico coming up Read more

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