Key Developments: Sen. Marco Rubio and President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff are publicly at odds over how to handle Ukraine diplomacy after a November incident in Geneva. The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing the sanctioned vessel Bella 1 off Venezuela — a potential third Caribbean interdiction tied to alleged Houthi financing. In Washington, lawmakers are pressuring the Justice Department to release Epstein-related files; in sports, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ upset of the Broncos reshapes the AFC race. Human-interest piece: Roya Karimi escaped child marriage and rebuilt her life as a bodybuilding champion.
Sen. Marco Rubio and Trump Envoy Clash Over Ukraine Diplomacy as U.S. Pursues Sanctioned Ship Near Venezuela — Morning Rundown
Steve Witkoff, US special envoy to the Middle East, during a dinner with US President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, not pictured, in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images file)
Senior U.S. officials are watching a widening rift between Sen. Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff — a disagreement that could shape how the U.S. approaches peace talks over Russia’s war in Ukraine and how allies and adversaries read American diplomacy.
Diplomatic Rift in Focus
One episode in November underscored the tensions: Rubio planned to attend talks with Ukrainian officials in Switzerland, but Witkoff reportedly departed earlier without notifying Rubio or State Department staff. Multiple U.S. officials described that move as an attempt to engage Kyiv on his own terms. Rubio arrived in Geneva, ensuring he would be at the table with Ukrainian representatives. Officials say the incident is the latest manifestation of long-standing friction between two senior figures with sharply different views on how to end the war and how much to trust Russian assurances.
Over the weekend, a U.S. delegation met with Ukrainian officials in Miami. Witkoff characterized both those meetings and separate discussions with Russian negotiators as productive.
High-Seas Pursuit Off Venezuela
The U.S. Coast Guard is "in active pursuit" of a sanctioned vessel in international waters off Venezuela, two U.S. officials told NBC News. The ship, identified as Bella 1, was added to the U.S. sanctions list in June 2024 under counterterrorism authorities for alleged ties to financial networks linked to Houthi facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal. If intercepted, Bella 1 would be the third vessel the U.S. has interdicted in the Caribbean; the Defense Department recently intercepted another tanker that the White House said carried sanctioned oil. Members of the Bolivarian Alliance condemned the interdiction as "theft and seizure," saying the move unlawfully deprived the crew of their liberty.
Security And International Developments
In Moscow, officials said a bomb that detonated beneath a car killed Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov; investigators are probing whether Ukrainian intelligence was involved. Separately, authorities reported that suspects in the Bondi mass shooting had thrown four homemade explosive devices at the crowd before the attack and had conducted prior training.
Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs for a third quarter touchdown against the Denver Broncos. (Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)
Washington: Justice Department And Epstein Files
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said they will press Justice Department officials to comply with a deadline to release eligible documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, and they have discussed accountability measures, including contempt proceedings for Attorney General Pam Bondi. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department intends to release the full set of files but that lawyers are methodically redacting victims' names and images to comply with the Transparency Act.
Sports And Culture
In the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention as the Jacksonville Jaguars upset the Denver Broncos 34-20 on the road, snapping Denver’s 11-game winning streak and improving Jacksonville to 11-3. Other developments: the Detroit Lions fell to 8-7 after a surprising loss to Pittsburgh; Lamar Jackson was ruled out of a game with a back injury as the New England Patriots clinched a playoff spot; and the league is reviewing video of a Pittsburgh receiver swinging at a Lions fan.
Entertainment and campus headlines included Bowen Yang’s final appearance on Saturday Night Live, the apparent suicide of actor James Ransone at 46, and Georgetown coach Ed Cooley’s one-game suspension after a water bottle he threw unintentionally struck a young fan.
Human-Interest Story: Roya Karimi
Roya Karimi’s journey — forced into an arranged marriage at 14, becoming a mother at 15, fleeing Afghanistan with her son, resettling in Norway, and ultimately becoming a bodybuilding champion — highlights resilience amid threats and online harassment. Karimi credits her mother’s help and says physical training was central to rebuilding her life.
This Morning Rundown was curated to summarize the day’s top developments across diplomacy, security, law, sports and human interest.
