Wednesday morning news: March 26, 2025

Ukraine ceasefire » Ukraine and Russia have reached a tentative agreement to end the fighting, but only on the water for now. And there is already some confusion surrounding the deal.

ZELENSKYY: [Speaking in Ukrainian}

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a maritime ceasefire was in effect “immediately.” The White House also announced a ceasefire agreement for the Baltic Sea.

But Russia later said the deal depended on, among other things, the West lifting sanctions on fertilizer and food companies.

Zelenskyy said it’s evidence that “the Russians have already begun to manipulate” ceasefire talks.

Trump election executive order »  President Trump just signed a sweeping executive order aimed at overhauling federal elections.

The order requires proof of citizenship for voter registration lists used in federal elections. And it requires states to only count ballots received by election day.

TRUMP: We gotta straighten out our election. This country is so sick because of the election, the fake elections and the bad elections.

It also calls on federal agencies to work with states on voter lists and threatens to pull funding for states that don't comply. President Trump has repeatedly alleged widespread election fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

The order is sure to spark a fresh legal battle in federal courts.

Signal national security chat kerfuffle » President Trump on Tuesday also went to bat for his National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

He has been under fire since a journalist claimed he was accidentally added to a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal that included plans for military strikes in Yemen.

Trump says Waltz is a good man who simply made a mistake.

TRUMP: No I don't think he should apologize. I think he is doing his best. It's equipment and technology that's not perfect.

The White House insists no classified information was released.

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday pointed a finger at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth:

SCHUMER: He does something really damaging to national security, and he blames the reporter who his people sent the information to. What gall. This is the secretary of defense.

Trump officials said they’re investigating how the journalist was added to the group.

Dems split on Schumer » Meantime, there are growing signs of political trouble for Chuck Schumer.

Some Democrats, especially on the hard left, have turned up the heat on the leader over the past couple of weeks, after he reluctantly backed a Republican-led funding bill to avert a government shutdown.

Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Pete Aguilar, dodged a question Tuesday about whether the party still has confidence in Schumer.

AGUILAR: I have confidence in the leadership in the House and Senate. I have confidence in the leadership of Hakeem Jeffries  guiding the House Democratic Caucus. Um, that's our focus. Uh, I'm elected by, by them.

 Some Democrats have raised the idea of new leadership after Schumer voted to break the filibuster on that GOP-led funding bill.

For the first time since that vote, Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with their caucuses on Tuesday.

Homan on Boston ICE raid » U.S. border czar Tom Homan says Immigration and Customs Enforcement — or ICE carried out a multi-day operation in Boston.

Homan said he promised that with or without the help of sanctuary cities, immigration law would be enforced.

HOMAN:  I kept my promise and we arrested 370 people, majority 'em, criminals, and as you said, murderers, child rapists. We seized guns; drug traffickers; gun traffickers.

He arrived last Tuesday kicking off a five day operation that reportedly included multiple agencies: the FBI, ATF, US Marshals, and the DEA.

And Homan added:

HOMAN:  We got a lot of work to do. We're not done. We're going back …

He slammed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for the city’s so-called sanctuary policies. Boston does not cooperate with immigration enforcement.

Tesla investigation » The head of the FBI says the bureau is cracking down on violence and vandalism against Tesla cars and properties. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: Protests aimed at Tesla CEO Elon Musk have boiled over in recent weeks, with criminal acts on the rise. Those have ranged from vandalism, such as spray-painting or “keying” Tesla vehicles to arson.

Multiple suspects face federal charges for firebombing charging stations or dealerships. One defendant allegedly even opened fire on a dealership.

And FBI Director Kash Patel says it is domestic terrorism, plain and simple, that the bureau will bring offenders to justice. The bureau has launched a task force to investigate related crimes.

Many on the political left have expressed anger over Elon Musk’s work with President Trump to audit government spending heading up the Department of Government Efficiency.

Some Democratic lawmakers and governors have publicly backed non-violent Tesla boycotts and protests. But Republican leaders are calling on them to publicly denounce the violence.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead on Washington Wednesday: more on the recent text chain leading to national security concerns. Plus, legal challenges over using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan gang members.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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