Trump News for Thursday, March 12, 2026

UN fact-finding mission warns of continued human rights abuses in Venezuela

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

In an address to the UN Human Rights Council, experts warned that the 'machinery' of repression was 'mutating'.

WATCH: How active shooter training helped thwart Michigan synagogue attack

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Retired FBI agent Brad Garrett discusses how an active shooter training in January helped prepare the West Bloomfield, Michigan, synagogue on how to respond to Thursday's vehicle ramming incident.

Here’s Which DOGE Goon Allegedly Took Social Security Data

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

The man accused of stealing sensitive social security data didn’t just potentially commit a massive security breach that could affect millions of Americans—he also has a serious conflict of interest.Earlier this week, it became clear that the Social Security …

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei strikes defiant tone in first public statement

Garrett Owen, Salon

Khamenei said Iran would "avenge the blood of [its] martyrs" and suggested opening new fronts in the war.

Netanyahu says Israel ‘stronger than ever’ in first speech since Iran war

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Prime minister says US-Israeli war prevented Iran from moving its nuclear and ballistic projects underground.

AIPAC Is Staying Out of Illinois Senate Race — But Its Donors Back Juliana Stratton

Akela Lacy, The Intercept

AIPAC is spending big in Tuesday’s Illinois House primaries. In the Senate race, its donors quietly lined up behind the lieutenant governor. The post AIPAC Is Staying Out of Illinois Senate Race — But Its Donors Back Juliana Stratton appeared first on The Int…

Trump Nominates Sarah B. Rogers As CEO Of U.S. Agency For Global Media After Judge Invalidated Layoffs And Cuts

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Donald Trump nominated a senior State Department official to lead the agency that oversees the Voice of America and other U.S. government broadcasters, after a federal judge invalidated layoffs and other actions taken by the president’s appointee, Kari Lake. …

DOJ Spent Months Emailing Wrong Address in Quest for 2020 Revenge

Edith Olmsted, The New Republic

Donald Trump’s Department of Justice spent weeks emailing its request for Oklahoma’s voter rolls to the wrong email address. Then it sued Oklahoma for not complying. It began in December, when Department of Justice officials wrote a letter demanding that Okla…

Advocates push for major probe as US boat strikes in Latin America kill 157

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is set to hold first hearing on US's alleged extrajudicial killings.

Wearing All Black at Protests Makes You Guilty of Terrorism, Prosecutors Tell Jury

Matt Sledge, The Intercept

The Prairieland case is a major test of the Trump administration’s push to label “antifa” protesters as terrorists. The post Wearing All Black at Protests Makes You Guilty of Terrorism, Prosecutors Tell Jury appeared first on The Intercept.

Which Cowardly Game Company Will Be The First To Stand Up To Trump?

Kenneth Shepard, Kotaku

The White House will not stop posting video game memes to spread fascism

NJ Transit opens new bridge over Hackensack River, enabling faster train speeds

Stephen Nessen, Ramsey Khalifeh, Gothamist

Reporters were given an early look at the new Portal North Bridge on Thursday. The new structure replaces the 116-year-old Portal Bridge, which had to swing open every time boats passed by in a maneuver that caused delays for train riders. [ more › ]

“A giant mess”: Trump’s war in Ecuador won’t slow the flow of drugs into the US

Garrett Owen, Salon

Joint drug enforcement operations in Ecuador provide little benefit to Americans or Ecuadorians

Fear of Iranian mines in the Strait of Hormuz could further slow the flow of oil

Scott Neuman, NPR

Attacks by Iran have already nearly halted the flow of oil through the vital waterway as commercial ship crews fear being hit by missiles, drones or mines.

Palantir CEO Insists He Doesn’t Support Regime Change Wars (But Supports Iran War)

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

"No one believes it, but Palantir is the most important protector of the Fourth Amendment..." said Alex Karp.

India preparing fresh manufacturing incentives as Apple shifts more iPhone production

Marcus Mendes, 9to5Mac

As India’s current phone manufacturing incentive program is about to expire, the country is planning fresh incentives to keep production growing. Here are the details. more…

White House Bashes ABC News Over “Unverified” Iranian Drone Attack Threat Against California; “No Such Threat From Iran To Our Homeland Exists”

Dominic Patten, Deadline

A FBI alert over an Iranian drone “surprise attack” on the West Coast has led to a war of words between the White House and ABC News. “Outlets like ABC have been playing fast and loose despite many Americans relying on them for solid, factual reporting during…

How will the war on Iran impact the US economy?

Meg Duff, Al Jazeera English

Outcomes depend on how quickly oil tankers can return to the Strait of Hormuz, experts said.

Does President Trump have an exit strategy for the war with Iran?

Al Jazeera English

United States officials are issuing contradictory statements on the war's timeline and objectives.

Trump Team Freaks Out Over CBS’s Newest Hire

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

The White House is weighing in on the internal affairs of private business—again.Trump administration officials are reportedly seething that CBS News hired Jeremy Adler, a communications executive who previously worked for former Wyoming Representative Liz Ch…

Iran vows to make Trump pay for ‘grave miscalculation’ if US escalates war

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Ali Larijani responds to US threat to hit Iran's power infrastructure, saying the 'whole region will go dark'.

Researchers Say AI Is Homogenizing Human Expression and Thought

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

For a "large" language model, the diversity of outputs is pretty small.

The Supreme Court’s Favorite New Excuse to Rule Against LGBTQ+ Kids

Naomi Cahn, Maxine Eichner, and Mary Ziegler, Slate Magazine

The push for parental rights doesn’t extend to all parents.

WATCH: US Navy jet refuels amid Operation Epic Fury

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The U.S. Air Force released video of a Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet refueling from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker during a mission in support of Operation Epic Fury.

Donald Trump discourages Iran from playing at 2026 FIFA World Cup: ‘For their own life and safety’

Express News Service, The Indian Express

Donald Trump's message appears to depart somewhat from what he relayed Tuesday at the White House to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Suspect in attack at Michigan synagogue is dead, officials say

NPR Staff, NPR

Security officers at Temple Israel had "engaged with the suspect" after a vehicle rammed into the building, according to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.

The Wyden Siren Goes Off Again: We’ll Be “Stunned” By What the NSA Is Doing Under Section 702

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

Senator Ron Wyden says that when a secret interpretation of Section 702 is eventually declassified, the American public “will be stunned” to learn what the NSA has been doing. If you’ve followed Wyden’s career, you know this is not a man prone to hyperbole — …

Rocket Companies Win as Feds Retreat on Orbital Debris Crackdown

Passant Rabie, Gizmodo.com

SpaceX opposed the agency's proposed rules, which would have required the safe removal of rocket parts from orbit.

Trump says not ‘appropriate’ for Iran to participate in the World Cup in US

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

US president, who won the FIFA Peace Prize says Iran would be welcome but should not come for its players' safety.

Trump Posts Most Unhinged Video Yet Showing Iran War as a Game

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

The White House is taking the current Middle East conflict very seriously.Rather than write a formal address about the president’s decision to start a war with Iran, White House staffers spent time and resources crafting a Wii Sports–themed social media video…

White House activates Yu-Gi-Oh's trap card by using anime clip for war comms

Connor Jones, Theregister.com

Franchise isn't the only one unhappy about its IP appearing in propaganda Anime mainstay Yu-Gi-Oh has criticized the White House for using a clip from the TV show in videos promoting US military action.…

I’ve Always Known What Kind of Person My Mother Is. Unfortunately, My 3-Year-Old Has Figured It Out, Too.

Nicole Chung, Slate Magazine

Now what?

Trump says it is not 'appropriate' for Iran to play at World Cup

Sky Sports

US President Donald Trump says he doesn't "believe it is appropriate" for Iran to play at this summer's World Cup "for their own life and safety".

If the House and Senate Quit Squabbling, We Could Actually Make Housing More Available

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

We can finally make housing cheaper and more affordable, if Congress can work together for two minutes and ignore Donald Trump.

Senate passes bipartisan housing bill targeting large investors and easing regulations

Stephan Bisaha, NPR

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would ban large investors from buying up single-family homes.

'Not appropriate' for Iran to be at World Cup - Trump

Emily Salley, BBC News

US president Donald Trump says Iran are "welcome" at the 2026 World Cup but it is not "appropriate" for them to be there.

"He's Rotting From The Inside Out": Trump's Rally In Kentucky Is Going Viral For All The Wrong Reasons Thanks To These 17 Extremely Cringe Moments

Megan Liscomb, Buzzfeed

Imagine actually going to one of these things.View Entire Post ›

Docs Expose CBP’s Use Of Ad Data To Track People’s Movements

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Every phone is a narc whether you realize it or not. The private sector certainly knows what information a cell phone can divulge and has leveraged the always-on nature of these devices to maximize profitability. The public sector — mainly law enforcement age…

WATCH: ISIS-inspired teens considered other targets before Gracie Mansion protest

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The two PA teens charged with attempting what authorities described as an ISIS-inspired attack in New York considered other targets before driving into Manhattan with homemade bombs, sources said.

Palantir CEO Makes Shocking Confession on Disrupting Democratic Power

Malcolm Ferguson, The New Republic

Palantir CEO Alex Karp thinks that his AI technology will lessen the power of “highly educated, often female voters, who vote mostly Democrat” while increasing the “power of vocationally-trained, working class, often male voters.” “This technology disrupts hu…

DOJ Quietly Pleads With Another State to STFU About Its Anti-Abortion Agenda

Danielle Han, Jezebel

The Trump Administration on Friday asked Missouri to pause or dismiss its lawsuit against the FDA over mifepristone. Sounds like someone's getting more and more concerned about the midterms.

Here’s How Much Just One Week of Trump’s Iran War Cost Us

Edith Olmsted, The New Republic

The Pentagon estimates that it spent more than $11.3 billion in the first week of Donald Trump’s illegal war in Iran. And every cent of that was spent without congressional approval. During a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Pentagon officials t…

Iran’s president sets terms to end the war: Is an off-ramp in sight?

Shola Lawal, Al Jazeera English

Iran is asking for 'reparations' and a guarantee that the US and Israel will not attack in the future.

US military ‘not ready’ to escort oil ships through Hormuz, official says

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei says strait should remain closed as Donald Trump claims US benefits from high oil prices.

AOC takes her brand of politics to New York's North Country

Jimmy Vielkind, Gothamist

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan spoke to a packed house in Glens Falls. Hundreds gathered in downtown Glens Falls to listen as U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan took questions about health care and DOGE cuts. [ more › ]

The Cost of a Few Weeks of the Iran War Would Have Saved a Million Lives Via USAID

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

The Pentagon spent more than $11 billion on the Iran War in its first six days. A few weeks of this would have fully funded USAID.

Russia Continues to Rake In Billions...

Micah McCartney, Newsweek

Russia Continues to Rake In Billions... (Top headline, 7th story, link) Related stories:Strait of Hormuz must remain closed, new supreme leader says... Ayatollah 'obsessed with end of days'... But is he in coma? No proof of life... T…

At The Money: Pursuing Alpha through Exchange-Traded Funds

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

     At The Money: Finding Alpha via Unique ETF Strategies  (March 12, 2026) If you want market performance (beta), you buy broad index funds. But what if you want to use a portion of your portfolio to try to beat the market (alpha)? One option is to pursue …

Can Iran’s asymmetric warfare hold US-Israeli military power at bay?

Priyanka Shankar, Al Jazeera English

Iran has resorted to unconventional tactics in its retaliatory strikes against the US and Israel.

Trump’s threats against the “radical left” echo a long history

Heather Digby Parton, Salon

Conservatives have often used the federal government to go after protesters and dissenters

Oil prices surge and stocks fall as Iran escalates shipping attacks

Max Zahn, Abcnews.com

Global oil prices spiked above $100 a barrel before settling slightly lower.

We heard the booms and felt gratitude, not fear: Living through a war under the UAE’s shield

Miniya Chatterji, The Indian Express

From storybooks for children to 24-hour anxiety helplines, the UAE’s response to regional aggression has redefined what it means to protect a global population

Trump’s ‘War-o-Meter’: From indirect talks with Tehran to decapitation strikes, track the US President’s fluctuating Iran timelines

Express Web Desk, The Indian Express

We track the many headways and about-turns taken by the US Commander-in-Chief as the fate of West Asia hangs in balance.

Anthropic doesn’t trust the Pentagon, and neither should you

Nilay Patel, The Verge

Today we’re talking about the messy, fast-moving situation at Anthropic, the maker of Claude that now finds itself in a very ugly legal battle with the Pentagon.  The back-and-forth is complicated, but as of a few days ago, the Pentagon had deemed Anthropic a…

David Ellison Pinky Swears CNN Will Retain Editorial Independence, Points To CBS

Karl Bode, Techdirt

We’ve already all seen what the Ellison family’s version of “editorial independence” looks like over at CBS, where contrarian troll Bari Weiss has turned the already very Republican friendly news giant into a safe space for right wing zealots and autocrats. A…

I Challenge Josh Hawley to a Duel

Lauren Tousignant, Jezebel

If he loses, he has to stop trying to ban the abortion pill. If I lose, then at least I'm spared from hearing him talk about it ever again.

The war of signals: How Russia and China help Iran see the battlefield

Jasim Al-Azzawi, Al Jazeera English

Electronic warfare and intelligence sharing are eroding decades of US-Israeli dominance in the Gulf.

WATCH: No deal in Homeland Security shutdown talks

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Travelers looking to escape for spring break are encountering long security lines and more widespread travel problems as the latest partial government shutdown drags on.

U.S. investigates strike on Iranian school as the war sparks a global oil crisis

Brittney Melton, NPR

Trump, who promised to lower gas prices, is tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as war drives prices up. And, the U.S. investigates the strike on an Iranian school that killed at least 165 people.

Right-wing media’s Mamdani outrage fuels GOP anti-Muslim rhetoric

Sophia Tesfaye, Salon

Mike Johnson refuses to condemn Republicans for turning attack at Mamdani’s home into Islamophobic campaign

BBC Orders Elon Musk Doc Sequel, Norma Percy’s Take On Brexit & Anne Frank Series

Jesse Whittock, Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC is returning to the subject of Elon Musk, with a sequel documentary four years after 72 Films first profiled the tech billionaire. Musk: The Next Chapter (working title) follows on from 2022’s The Elon Musk Show, and will track his life sin…

Trump’s immigration crackdown feeds on private data. It’s just getting started

Nicholas Liu, Salon

Private data might include anything from school enrollment information to physical locations and residenial address

10 Thursday AM Reads

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

My morning train WFH reads: • Iran tells world to get ready for oil at $200 a barrel as it fires on merchant ships: Tehran is targeting commercial shipping and warning of triple-digit oil. The Strait of Hormuz risk premium is no longer theoretical. (Yahoo New…

Oil price surges as Iran steps up attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf

NPR Staff, NPR

Markets seesawed on Day 13 of the war in the Middle East, as two oil tankers were struck by projectiles near Iraq's southern ports and attacks between Israel and Hezbollah intensified.

Here's how far the S&P 500 could drop before the bull rally resumes, according to Morgan Stanley's CIO

jsor@businessinsider.com (Jennifer Sor), Business Insider

Mike Wilson, Morgan Stanley's top strategist, said he's eyeing as much as 7% downside for the S&P 500 before stocks reverse course and rally.

‘Absolutely Shameful’: Trump White House Torched Over Bowling-Themed ‘AI Slop’ About Iran

Yahoo Entertainment

Trump's war with Iran is angering some swing voters who want money spent at home

Ashley Lopez, NPR

Swing voters who helped reelect President Trump in 2024 don't support his decision to go to war in Iran and instead want to see U.S. tax dollars spent tackling economic pressures facing Americans.

Trump’s Iran Blunders Suddenly Look Darker after Damning New Leaks Hit

The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, The New Republic

For Donald Trump, the news is getting worse on his war against Iran. The New York Times reports that the Trump team badly miscalculated Iran’s response to the American invasion, leading to a developing energy fiasco. The Times also reports that some officials…

Iran war: What is happening on day 13 of US-Israel attacks?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Cyberattacks, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and rising oil prices are deepening the global consequences of the war.

France walks ‘fine line’ as US-Israel war on Iran escalates

Sophie Stuber, Al Jazeera English

President Macron has criticised the onslaught and questioned the war's legality but ultimately blamed Iran.

Analysis: The war on Iran is at a crossroads

Ali Hashem, Al Jazeera English

Iran is raising the costs of a continued war, for the US and Gulf nations. But could it — and the US — escalate further?

Brent crude price breaches $100 mark again as Iran strikes ships in Gulf region; IEA to release 400 mn barrels oil to combat spike

Express Global Desk, The Indian Express

The latest attack on shipping in the Gulf region takes the total number of vessels struck to at least 16, with the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran showing so signs of slowing.

Post-IEEPA: Why the US has launched Section 301 investigation into India, 15 others

Ravi Dutta Mishra, The Indian Express

USTR said that it formally initiated the investigations on March 11 and on May 5, the Section 301 Committee will convene public hearings. Fresh tariffs could be imposed on India and other countries after May

There is only one person’ who can decide to end the war on Iran

Al Jazeera English

Israeli journalist and writer, Gideon Levy, says the decision to end the Iran war rests only with US President Trump.

Why historic oil reserves release may do little to bring down rising prices

John Power, Al Jazeera English

Oil prices continue to surge despite the International Energy Agency's plans to release 400m barrels into the market.

Kash Patel Confirms UFC Fighters Will Train FBI Agents This Week, Calling It A “Historic Opportunity”

Tomt, Deadline

Just weeks after joining the U.S Men’s Olympic hockey team in the locker room to celebrate their Gold Medal victory in Italy, FBI director Kash Patel is celebrating what he sees as another athletic milestone. “I’m thrilled to announce this historic seminar be…

Trump says Democrats must cheat to win. What do his supporters think?

Frank Langfitt, NPR

NPR spent several days traveling across a pair of swing districts in Pennsylvania to find out. The answers show how much has changed since the 2020 election.

Media Briefing: In the AI era, subscribers are the real prize — and the Telegraph proves it

Jessica Davies, Digiday

In an era where AI is eroding referral traffic and third-party distribution, a subscriber who pays directly has become the most valuable reader a publisher can own. Springer just bought over a million of them.

Five vessels attacked amid reports of Iranian drone boats, sea mines

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Two oil tankers hit by explosive-laden boats in Iraqi waters amid reports Iran may be using unmanned surface vessels.

First Week of Iran War Cost More Than $11.3 Billion: Report

Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone

News outlets reported that Pentagon officials said that the estimated cost of the conflict had exceeded $11.3 billion in the first six days.

US struggles to evacuate personnel from facilities under fire in Iraq: Officials

Shannon K. Kingston, Abcnews.com

Some U.S. staff were flown out by the British air force, officials said.

Who bombed the Iranian girls’ school, killing more than 170? What we know

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

The attack on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School quickly became a focal point of concern over civilian casualties.

Democrats Raise $2 Million For Midterms At Hakeem Jeffries-Nancy Pelosi L.A. Event Emceed By Jimmy Kimmel

Ted Johnson, Deadline

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi headlined a Los Angeles fundraiser on Tuesday evening that raised more than $2 million to boost Democrats in their efforts to win back the House, per organizers. Jimmy Kimmel emceed t…

Iran’s authorities warn against protests as Israel threatens Basij forces

Maziar Motamedi, Al Jazeera English

Police chief says protesters seen as acting at the behest of the US and Israel will be treated as enemies.