Intro

U.S. warships killed 11 people on a suspected Venezuelan smuggling craft on Tuesday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested they had drugs bound for the U.S., and said Trump planned to “wage war” on drug cartels. Idrees Ali, a Pentagon correspondent for Reuters, has been exploring whether the administration’s moves are legal.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparred with Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill yesterday in a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. Stat has the key takeaways.

Democrats are looking to regroup and make a plan for the midterms as Congress returns. The Washington Post’s Marianna Sotomayor details the party’s efforts to redefine itself.

Plus, Portugal is in mourning after 16 people died in a cable-car tragedy, Trump’s nominee for a role on the Federal Reserve board pledged to be independent, and how to buy Darth Vader’s lightsaber.

Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.