Trump News for Friday, March 6, 2026

Cuba closes Quito embassy after Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa expels its diplomats

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Noboa's government gave Cuba's diplomats 48 hours to leave Ecuador, though it did not provide an explanation.

A bad news day for Trump’s economy, briefly explained

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: The fundamentals of the American economy are…starting …

Overthrow 'in weeks'...

George Grylls, Thetimes.com

Overthrow 'in weeks'... (Third column, 5th story, link) Related stories:Cuba next? Here's how it could play out...

US issues limited licence for Venezuelan gold following high-level visit

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The licence follows a push from US President Donald Trump to open Venezuela's resource sector to outside investment.

US and Israel attacking Iran at ‘record pace’, war monitor says

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Airwars says first days of US-Israeli Iran strikes 'hit significantly more targets than any campaign in recent decades'.

Nintendo Sues the U.S. Government to Get Refunds for Trump’s Ridiculous Tariffs

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

Nintendo isn't the first company to sue and it probably won't be the last.

Messi criticised for applauding Trump amid US attacks on Iran

Al Jazeera English

Lionel Messi has been criticised for meeting US President Donald Trump and applauding his latest brief on the Iran war.

Pentagon religious shift sparks troop complaints during Iran war...

, USA TODAY, USA Today

Pentagon religious shift sparks troop complaints during Iran war... (First column, 2nd story, link) Related stories:US national security offices, weakened by firings, confront Mideast war... From MAGA to MIGA... Drudge Report…

Iran’s future will be determined by Iranians, not Trump, officials say

Ali Harb, Al Jazeera English

Ghalibaf says Iran's fate will not be decided by 'Epstein's gang' as Trump pushes for role in choosing supreme leader.

Nintendo is suing the US government for a refund of Trump’s illegal tariffs

Jay Peters, The Verge

Nintendo of America is suing the US government over President Trump's tariffs and is demanding a "prompt refund, with interest" of any duties that it has paid, according to a complaint filed in the US Court of International Trade, as reported previously by Af…

Team USA Figure Skater Amber Glenn Says She Won't Visit White House

TMZ Staff, TMZ

USA figure skater Amber Glenn won't be taking her team gold medal to the White House any time soon ... as the 26-year-old said she would decline an invitation to meet President Donald Trump at the Oval Office. Glenn shared her stance in an…

US customs agency says it is not yet able to reimburse tariff costs

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Agency says process being worked out to mediate disbursement of $166bn in tariff costs to more than 330,000 importers.

Anthropic’s Statement To The ‘Department Of War’ Reads Like A Hostage Note Written In Business Casual

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

We’ve been covering the ongoing saga of the Trump administration’s attempt to destroy Anthropic for the sin of having modest ethical guidelines around its AI technology. The short version: Anthropic said it didn’t want its AI making autonomous kill decisions …

Zelenskyy visits front line as Ukraine and Russia swap 500 prisoners each

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Completion of two-day POW exchange one of few tangible results as peace talks stall amid Middle East turmoil.

Nintendo Suing United States Govt. Over Trump Tariffs

Zack Zwiezen, Kotaku

The Mario company wants its money back with interest according to a newly filed lawsuit

Surveillance, Propaganda, Intimidation: Dems Need to Wise Up That ICE Is a National Security Threat

Domenic Powell, The Intercept

DHS has built a national police force with massive surveillance capabilities — which it could use to interfere with our elections. The post Surveillance, Propaganda, Intimidation: Dems Need to Wise Up That ICE Is a National Security Threat appeared first on T…

WATCH: What to watch this weekend

ABC News, Abcnews.com

ABC News' Will Ganss breaks down the new movies and shows to look out for this weekend.

SEC Settles Case Against Investor in Trump-Linked Crypto Projects Amid Pay-to-Play Allegations

Kyle Torpey, Gizmodo.com

Justin Sun has been eager to promote crypto offerings related to the President.

‘Melania’ Sets Streaming Release Date At Prime Video

Denise Petski, Deadline

Amazon MGM Studios’ Melania will begin streaming on Prime Video on March 9, following its January 30 theatrical release. The documentary from director Brett Ratner, which featured “behind-the-scenes access to the first lady during the critical weeks before th…

Oregon Federal Judge Says ICE’s Warrantless Arrests Are Illegal

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

ICE has been telling itself all it needs to do is write its own paperwork and it can do whatever it wants. Memos — passed around secretively and publicly acknowledged by no one but whistleblowers — told ICE agents they don’t need judicial warrants to arrest p…

Has Donald Trump failed to sell the Iran war to the world?

Al Jazeera English

Some of Washington's allies have been critical and will not join the conflict.

Pentagon Reportedly Used Microsoft Workaround to Test OpenAI Models, Despite Ban

Bruce Gil, Gizmodo.com

The Defense Department alledgedly experimented with OpenAI models through Microsoft even when the company’s policies prohibited military use.

US job market stalls, unemployment rate rises before Fed decision

Andy Hirschfeld, Al Jazeera English

The healthcare sector was hit the hardest , while tariff-exposed sectors remained stagnant .

Trump and RFK Jr. Told Pregnant Women to Stop Using Tylenol. It’s Happening

Ed Cara, Gizmodo.com

Acetaminophen use among pregnant women in the ER dropped following the White House's autism announcement last September.

Phishing scammers weaponize ICE ragebait

Michael Crider, PCWorld

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with CBP, have been deployed as a dominating police force by the Trump administration. Since 2025 they’ve snatched both immigrants and US citizens and killed dozens of people. So when customers of a marketing syst…

Six Days of War, 10 Rationales

Marie-Rose Sheinerman, Isabel Ruehl, The Atlantic

The administration has laid out a buffet of reasons for Operation Epic Fury—take your pick.

Team Noem Fires Back at White House, Suggests Trump Lied About Ad Campaign

Yahoo Entertainment

US gas prices climb to the highest point in Trump's second term. He says, 'If they rise, they rise.'

Ben Shimkus, Business Insider

The average American paid $3.32 for a gallon of regular gas on Friday, according to AAA. That's the highest since August 2024.

Nobel economist Paul Krugman said this surging energy price should 'terrify Republicans'

Theron Mohamed, Business Insider

Paul Krugman said a spike in the price of wholesale gasoline futures is bad news for President Trump and his party ahead of the midterm elections.

Trump's war with Iran... what we still don't know

BBC News

Plus, has the president persuaded Americans to back his war?

Dow drops 650 points as Iran war sends oil prices surging

Max Zahn, Abcnews.com

U.S. crude oil prices soared 9% on Friday.

In a bid to counter China, Trump hosts a summit for Latin America leaders

Christina Noriega, Al Jazeera English

Experts say Trump must offer 'tangible economic benefits' to Latin America to curb China's growth in the region.

It's Officially Time to Worry About Trump's Economy

Jacob Weindling, Jezebel

We are now staring down the stagflationary barrel while the threat of recession rises. The jobs market is bad to mediocre, and Trump and Israel’s war with Iran has guaranteed us more inflation thanks to the oil shock.

Film is — and always will be — political

Coleman Spilde, Salon

With studios merging and slashers becoming controversy catalysts, cinema needs to be considered a political tool.

Kurdish opposition mulls whether to trust Trump after Iran uprising call

Simon Speakman Cordall, Al Jazeera English

Iranian Kurds weigh risks of fighting government, uncertain of US and Israeli support for any uprising.

‘No deal with Iran except unconditional surrender,’ Trump says

Faisal Ali, Al Jazeera English

US president stakes out maximalist war aims as conflict wreaks havoc across the region amid rising death toll.

Barry Blitt’s “War-a-Lago”

Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker

Françoise Mouly speaks with the artist Barry Blitt about his cover for the March 16, 2026, issue of The New Yorker.

WATCH: ABC News on the ground in Beirut amid Israeli bombing campaign

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Israel has been launching dozens of strikes across the country including in the Hezbollah stronghold in the city.

Anthropic sues US government after unprecedented national security designation

Connor Jones, Theregister.com

Brands Trump administration decision 'legally unsound' and has 'no choice but to challenge it in court' AI giant Anthropic says that it has "no choice" but to sue the US government after being officially designated a supply chain risk to national security.…

With Iran, confusion is the point

Brian Karem, Salon

The Trump administration's jumbled reasoning for war with Iran is part of the strategy

Washington reportedly moves to tighten leash on AI chip exports

Dan Robinson, Theregister.com

Draft rules could force Nvidia and AMD to seek government approval before selling abroad The Trump administration is reportedly planning new restrictions on GPU exports, aimed not only at controlling who gets them, but at driving AI investment back into the U…

Why have Europe, Australia sent military assets to the Middle East?

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

France, Spain and Australia are among the countries to deploy military assets to the Middle East after Cyprus attacks.

The Download: 10 things that matter in AI, plus Anthropic’s plan to sue the Pentagon

Thomas Macaulay, MIT Technology Review

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Coming soon: our 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now For years, MIT Technology Review’s newsroom has been ahead of the …

Anthropic and the Pentagon

Bruce Schneier, Schneier.com

OpenAI is in and Anthropic is out as a supplier of AI technology for the US defense department. This news caps a week of bluster by the highest officials in the US government towards some of the wealthiest titans of the big tech industry, and the overhanging …

Unsurprisingly, The Pokémon Company isn't a fan of the White House's use of a Pokopia meme for political means

Victoria Phillips Kennedy, Eurogamer.net

The Pokémon Company has released a statement objecting the use of a Pokémon Pokopia meme by the Trump administration. Read more

Iranian Kurd fighters ready for a ground operation ‘if opportunity arises’

Al Jazeera English

Iranian Kurd fighters ready for a ground operation ‘if opportunity arises' after Iran attack

Messi censured for meeting and applauding Trump amid US attacks on Iran

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Inter Miami and Messi were honoured at the White House, where Trump boasted the US military’s might.

‘We know Shaheds’: Ukraine touts drone expertise in US-Israel war with Iran

Audrey MacAlpine, Al Jazeera English

Ukraine, which has years of experience in downing Russia's Iran-made drones, wants to assist the US and Israel.

Trump fires Kristi Noem. And, DOJ releases some missing Epstein files

Brittney Melton, NPR

President Trump has fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and named Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her replacement. And, the Justice Department released some missing Epstein files.

What is the PrSM missile that the US used for the first time in Iran?

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

US CENTCOM said Precision Strike Missiles were used in Operation Epic Fury.

Mar-a-Lago face couldn’t save Kristi Noem

Amanda Marcotte, Salon

The former DHS secretary's firing shows women are disposable to Trump — no matter how hard they try to please him

WATCH: Johnson continues to argue the US is not at war

ABC News, Abcnews.com

House Speaker Mike Johnson continued to argue that the U.S. is not at war with Iran following the failed war powers resolution vote in the House on Thursday.

Trump voter whose son was killed by ICE is calling for an end to "abuse and impunity"

CBS News Videos, Yahoo Entertainment

Rachel Reyes' son, 23-year-old American citizen Ruben Ray Martinez, was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent nearly one year...

Iran’s Desperate, High-Risk Survival Strategy

Ishaan Tharoor, The New Yorker

Iran knows it likely cannot win the current war, but the regime in Tehran can certainly globalize the pain of the conflict. Ishaan Tharoor on Iran’s asymmetrical warfare.

Trump’s War to Nowhere

The Intercept Briefing, The Intercept

Intercept senior editor Ali Gharib discusses the human and political toll of the Israel–U.S. war on Iran with Séamus Malekafzali. The post Trump’s War to Nowhere appeared first on The Intercept.

WATCH: Attack on U.S. service members in Kuwait 'hits close to home'

ABC News, Abcnews.com

ABC News correspondent and veteran Stephanie Ramos says Kuwait "has always been known as the cush deployment," which is why the attack that killed six U.S. service members "hits close to home."

Pastors pray for Trump as strikes on Iran continue

Al Jazeera English

Video shows pastors praying over US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office amid US strikes on Iran.

Russian attacks on Kramatorsk escalate Ukraine war as Kyiv regains ground

John T Psaropoulos, Al Jazeera English

Ukraine has won back some territory this year for the first time since 2023 amid claims of soaring Russian losses.

Chart shows Claude's dethroning of ChatGPT in app downloads race

Brent D. Griffiths,Madison Hoff, Business Insider

Anthropic has dethroned OpenAI atop the US app stores on the heels of its CEO Dario Amodei's refusal to back down to the Pentagon.

Trump Lets Slip Why He Just Humiliated His Top Goon on TV

The Daily Beast, Daily Beast

A rambling Donald Trump let slip why he humiliated his secretary of state on live TV by comparing him to “handsome” soccer stars. The president, 79, welcomed...

Ken Paxton Wants to Implement Texas’ Abortion Ban...in Europe

Danielle Han, Jezebel

After losing multiple attempts to sue a New York–based doctor, the anti-abortion AG is now going after providers in Austria and the Netherlands.

Epstein files with claims against Trump released by US Justice Department

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Files summarise a woman's accusations against Trump over alleged sexual encounter when she was aged between 13 and 15.

Is BRICS bloc divided over US-Israel attacks on Iran?

Shola Lawal, Al Jazeera English

Since India took over as chair, the normally outspoken BRICS grouping appears to be more cautious.

Late-Night Hosts Celebrate Trump’s Firing of Kristi Noem: ‘Deport Her to El Salvador’

Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we wish Kristi luck in her brand new, completely made up job," Jimmy Kimmel said

Cost to US for war on Iran is $3.7bn in first 100 hours, says think tank

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Most of the costs are not budgeted for, meaning the Pentagon will need to request more funding soon, researchers say.

Tens of thousands in scramble for flights out of Middle East amid Iran war

John Power, Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English

Wealthy travellers are paying up to $200,000 to charter flights out of the region.

Dario Amodei says he's sorry for the 'tone' he took in a leaked internal message criticizing the Trump administration

Amanda Goh,Lee Chong Ming, Business Insider

"It was a difficult day for the company, and I apologize for the tone of the post," Dario Amodei said in a statement on Anthropic's website.

Why did Trump fire Kristi Noem as DHS secretary; who is Markwayne Mullin?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Trump said Mullin will lead the Department of Homeland Security while Noem assigned as special envoy.

Iran war: What is happening on day seven of US-Israel attacks?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

After six days of US-Israeli attacks on Iran, the conflict is escalating as regional tensions rise.

DOJ releases previously withheld FBI reports about allegation against Trump

Peter Charalambous, James Hill, Abcnews.com

The DOJ has released three previously withheld FBI interview reports from 2019 related to a woman who made uncorroborated allegations against President Donald Trump.

Pentagon labels AI company Anthropic a supply chain risk

The Associated Press, NPR

The Pentagon said in a statement Thursday that it has "officially informed Anthropic leadership the company and its products are deemed a supply chain risk, effective immediately."

Microsoft says Anthropic's products can stay on its platforms after lawyers 'studied' the Pentagon supply chain risk designation

Lee Chong Ming,Brent D. Griffiths, Business Insider

Microsoft says Anthropic's AI tools can remain on its platforms after lawyers reviewed the Pentagon's supply chain risk designation.

Zelenskyy said the US asked Ukraine for support in fighting off Iran's Shahed drones, so he's sending experts their way

Aditi Bharade, Business Insider

Zelenskyy said Ukraine will provide the US with specialists and resources to protect against the drones in its fight in the Middle East.

Trump Administration Using Gross Video Game Footage To Cheerlead Its War Efforts

Timothy Geigner, Techdirt

We should all know by now that this iteration of the Trump administration absolutely loves using pop culture imagery, including that of video games, to help message its horrible policies. Want to gloat about ICE terrorizing American cities and generally pissi…

US House joins Senate to vote down war powers resolution

Al Jazeera English

The US House of Representatives has joined the Senate in killing a war powers resolution for the war in Iran.

Justice Department publishes some missing Epstein files related to Trump

Stephen Fowler, NPR

The Justice Department has published additional Epstein files related to allegations that President Trump sexually abused a minor after an NPR investigation found dozens of pages were withheld.

Dario Amodei says Anthropic is having 'productive conversations' with the Pentagon despite being effectively blacklisted

Brent D. Griffiths, Business Insider

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said his company has had "productive conversations" with the Pentagon even as a lawsuit appears to be on the horizon.

WATCH: OpenAI can't 'make operational decisions' on military's use of tech, CEO says

ABC News, Abcnews.com

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees that the company doesn't "get to make operational decisions" about how its AI technology is used by the Pentagon, according to a source familiar with the meeting.

China’s rubber-stamp parliament rubber stamps tech independence plan

Simon Sharwood, Theregister.com

Call to do better with chips and put AI everywhere is more than rhetoric because China’s scientists are sprinting ahead China’s government has again made reducing reliance on imported digital technology a major goal.…<!--#include virtual='/data_centre/_whitep…

How US sinking of Iranian warship blew hole in Modi’s ‘guardian’ claims

Yashraj Sharma, Al Jazeera English

India sees itself a security provider in the Indian Ocean. On Wednesday, it couldn't save even its own guest.

Who is Ahmad Vahidi, the IRGC’s new commander?

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Ahmad Vahidi takes command of Iran's Revolutionary Guards as the country battles a devastating US-Israeli assault.

Iran live: Trump says Iran being ‘demolished’; Tehran keeps up Gulf attacks

Ted Regencia, Zaid Sabah, Al Jazeera English

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says 'no reason why we should negotiate with the US' as Washington is untrustworthy