Trump’s alternate reality, sonic boom, OnlyFans ‘sin tax’: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Daniel Wine, CNN

👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Did you hear a loud bang this morning? A rare event triggered a sonic boom that caught people by surprise in parts of the eastern US.

Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day.

5 things

1️⃣ Alternate reality

President Donald Trump’s latest comments about the Iran war make him look out of the loop and unprepared, CNN’s Aaron Blake writes. It raises questions about whether the man who launched a war in the Middle East truly understood the implications.

2️⃣ Missing general

William McCasland is an experienced hiker and outdoorsman, but the retired Air Force major general hasn’t been seen since leaving his New Mexico home nearly three weeks ago. An unseasonably warm spring is making him harder to find.

3️⃣ Chemicals and kids

The potentially toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS are known to pose many threats, and a new study suggests they could harm bone health in children. Here’s what parents should know.

4️⃣ OnlyFans ‘sin tax’

A longshot candidate for Florida governor proposed a 50% tax on content creators. CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan talked to the people at the center of this very public debate.

5️⃣ Reservation wars

OpenTable and Resy have dominated the battle for restaurant bookings for more than a decade. Now a wave of fresh competition is upending the dining scene.

Watch this

❤️ The gift of life: A 100-year-old World War II veteran recently donated his liver after passing. That made him the oldest organ donor in US history, according to a Nebraska procurement agency.

Top headlines

• Trump-appointed intelligence official resigns over Iran war
• One-third of TSA employees at Atlanta’s airport didn’t show up as funding stalemate creates havoc
• House Oversight chair subpoenas Attorney General Pam Bondi for deposition in Epstein probe

Check this out

🐢 A warning for the future? Every winter, these turtles cluster together to hibernate in the water beneath a frozen lake. Then one year, their resting grounds revealed a sad discovery.

For CNN subscribers

• Inside Trump’s risky decision to attack Iran — and the scramble to contain the fallout
• He returned home as a war hero. Behind closed doors, he became a tyrant
• Rent now, pay later offers renters a little more power — at a price

Quiz time

🏀 Which of these teams did not receive a No. 1 seed in the men’s NCAA Tournament?
A. Duke
B. Arizona
C. Michigan
D. Houston
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Thanks for reading

✅ Most popular in yesterday’s newsletter: A Georgia teacher guided people through grief. Now his community is showing mercy for students involved in his death

🧠 Quiz answer: D. Houston is a No. 2 seed. Florida received the other No. 1.

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.

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Today’s edition of 5 Things PM was edited and produced by CNN’s Kimberly Richardson and Chris Good.