Trump News for Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Government Registers Aliens.Gov Domain as Next Distraction From Everything Else

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

The truth is out there (on the internet).

“I would not participate”: Gabbard defends presence at FBI election center raid in Georgia

Garrett Owen, Salon

Gabbard said she oversaw "parts" of the raid on an election center, but avoided offering details.

Melania Trump Speaks Out On Barron Photo, Promises Consequences

Analice Couto, Boredpanda.com

Barron Trump’s Christmas photo leak led Melania to issue a stern warning to anyone who attempts to breach her son’s privacy.

GOP Senator Unveils Draft Of Sweeping AI Legislation Including Greater Protections For Copyrighted Works, Restrictions On Deepfakes

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has unveiled a draft legislative framework that targets some of the most hot button issues swirling around Hollywood and AI, including the use of copyrighted works in training models and the prevalence of unauthorized deepfakes of…

Leader of Ecuador-based criminal group Los Lobos arrested in Mexico City

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Angel Esteban Aguilar is suspected of masterminding the 2023 assassination of an Ecuadorian presidential candidate.

Mullin takes Senate grilling, makes case for top job at DHS

Garrett Owen, Salon

Lawmakers laid into the prospective DHS secretary over his past comments about ICE actions and fellow senators

Iranians burn Trump, Netanyahu effigies at warship victim rally

Al Jazeera English

Iranians in Tehran burned effigies of Israeli PM Netanyahu and US President Trump.

WATCH: TSA agent on working without pay: No ‘fuel to continue coming to work'

ABC News, Abcnews.com

TSA Agent Jill Dejanovich says the agents who are still working amid the shortage will only stop when they are financially unable to do so, adding that they are already getting to that point.

US Fed keeps interest rates steady amid economic, geopolitical uncertainty

Andy Hirschfeld, Al Jazeera English

The US Federal Reserve keeps rates steady at 3.5–3.75 percent amidst a cooling labour market and Iran pressures.

How people are making millions on the Iran war

Hady Mawajdeh, Sean Rameswaram, Vox

Bettors on prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi have wagered hundreds of millions of dollars on the current conflict in Iran. Which means lots and lots of folks are trying to get rich betting on wars.  In the lead-up to the United States and Israel’s…

Here's what to know about the Jones Act, a century-old shipping law Trump is waiving to shield Americans from surging oil prices

sobrient@insider.com (Samuel O'Brient), Business Insider

The Trump administration's move to waive the Jones Act for 60 days is meant to dull the impact of Iran-war disruptions. Here's how that works.

3 big takeaways from the Fed's March meeting

Allie Kelly, Business Insider

Inflation and steep oil prices were headlines at the Fed's March meeting. Powell hinted he may remain on the FOMC after his term as chair.

Delcy Rodriguez replaces Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

General Vladimir Padrino spent 11 years as the country's defence minister, acting as a key ally of Nicolas Maduro.

The Worst Sheriff You Know Just Made A Great Point (About Trump’s Anti-Migrant Actions)

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Obviously, this headline owes everything to The Onion, which generated this masterpiece years ago: And so it is here: someone you’d never think would oppose fascism and bigotry deciding to speak up, despite knowing he could have just kept his head down and ma…

Oil prices surge after Israeli strike on Iran’s South Pars gasfield

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

There are fears that a period of elevated oil and gas prices could trigger a damaging wave of global inflation.

Top US spy accused of omitting Iran intel that contradicts Trump

Al Jazeera English

Top US spy was accused of altering testimony on Iran, omitting details that contradict Trump’s threat claims.

Federal Cyber Experts Thought Microsoft’s Cloud Was Garbage. They Approved It Anyway.

Renee Dudley, with research by Doris Burke, ProPublica, Gizmodo.com

The government relies, in part, on third-party firms to vet cloud technology, but those firms are hired and paid by the company being assessed.

WATCH: Florida cops ride paddleboards to catch suspect who jumped into river

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Authorities riding paddleboards apprehended a suspect who attempted to evade arrest by jumping into the Halifax River near Daytona Beach, Florida.

WATCH: Florida deputy uses grappling gun to end pursuit

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Deputies in Florida ended a car chase by deploying a grappling gun attached to the front of their squad car.

Peter Thiel’s ‘Steroid Olympics’ Startup Wants to Sell You the Sketchy Peptides

Matthew Phelan, Gizmodo.com

The company behind the “Enhanced Games” plans to market eight out of the 14 experimental peptides currently banned by the FDA.

US intel chief Gabbard says Iran was not rebuilding enrichment prior to war

Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English

Gabbard's testimony contradicts one of several justifications Trump has given for launching war with Iran.

US to require up to $15,000 bond for visa applicants from 12 new countries

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Trump administration has introduced measures meant to restrict both legal and illegal immigration to the US.

BBC Close To Hiring Ex-Google Chief Matt Brittin As Next Director General

Jake Kanter, Deadline

The BBC is expected to hire former Google executive Matt Brittin as its next director general, according to insiders at the UK broadcaster. The Guardian reported on Wednesday that Brittin could be confirmed as Tim Davie’s replacement as early as next week. Th…

Trump’s Embrace of AI Is Blowing Up the Whole Reason He Wanted Tariffs in the First Place

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

Who could have seen this coming?

Tim Cook Riffs on Retirement Rumors, AI, Phone Addiction and Trump

Alex Valdes, CNET

The Apple CEO discussed a range of topics on Good Morning America.

These 20 airports don't use TSA screeners and are avoiding the travel chaos

Taylor Rains, Business Insider

Travelers at airports like San Francisco, Orlando Sanford, and Kansas City have not faced security delays due to the partial government shutdown.

'I shouldn't have said that': Mullin expresses regret for comments about Alex Pretti

Luke Barr, Sarah Beth Hensley, Ivan Pereira, Abcnews.com

If his nomination passes, he could be confirmed as soon as next week.

WATCH: Israel's Arrow air defense: Reporter's notebook

ABC News, Abcnews.com

ABC News' Tom Soufi Burridge was given rare access to an Israeli air force base to see the Arrow air defense system, Israel's longest-range air defense system.

WATCH: DNI Tulsi Gabbard provides intelligence assessment on Iran during Senate hearing

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Gabbard provided the latest intelligence community assessment on Iran on Wednesday, telling the Senate Intel Committee that Iran's regime "appears to be intact, but largely degraded due to attacks."

Trump threatens TV networks over unpatriotic Iran coverage

BBC News

And why has top counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigned?

Trump temporarily waives century-old shipping law amid rising fuel costs

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Lifting the Jones Act temporarily allows foreign ships to transport cargo across the US, but critics question efficacy.

NYC public school student detained by ICE has been released

Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist

Dylan Contreras, recently released from ICE detention, sits between Power Malu and Candice Braun, two immigration activists. Dylan Contreras, a Bronx high school student, had been living in a Pennsylvania detention facility for 10 months. [ more › ]

The Iran War’s Next Threat Is to Food and Water

Vivian Salama, The Atlantic

A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could unleash a humanitarian crisis.

President or Congress? Who in the US has the power to declare war?

Shola Lawal, Al Jazeera English

US presidents have long bypassed Congress's authority and dissenting lawmakers have often tried to fight back.

WATCH: Sen. Paul and DHS Sec. nominee Mullin exchange jabs during confirmation hearing

ABC News, Abcnews.com

During the Mullin's confirmation hearing, Paul spoke about a 2017 incident in which he was assaulted in his front yard, accusing Mullin of later saying he "completely approved of the assault."

Trump Has Racked Up At Least 157 Extrajudicial Boat Strike Murders In The Last 6 Months

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

The boat strike program the Trump administration is engaged in isn’t actually supported by law. Even his own in-house counsel can’t seem to agree on what justification to use. Shortly after being threatened with a little congressional oversight, the Office of…

The Military Is Ramping Up AI. Experts Say It’s Putting Civilians — And Troops — At Risk

Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone

A new report raises serious concerns with how few guardrails there are for advanced weaponry, as the Department of Defense demands billions for these systems

The Most Daunting Crisis in the Strait of Hormuz Is Food, Not Oil

Jacob Weindling, Jezebel

Since 2007, Jezebel has been the Internet's most treasured source for everything celebrities, sex, and politics...with teeth.

How Los Angeles’s Iranian diaspora is confronting the US war on Iran

Abraham Márquez, Al Jazeera English

Residents are divided between supporting and opposing the US and Israeli war against Iran, amid fears for loved ones.

What Could Go Wrong? An Election Denier Is About to Run Homeland Security

Danielle Han, Jezebel

When Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) asked Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), "Who won the 2020 election?" Mullin replied, "We know that President Joe Biden was sworn into office."

Confessions of the ICE Agent Whisperer

Vittoria Elliott, Wired

Federal immigration enforcement agents usually won't talk to the media—but they will talk to independent journalist Karl Loftus.

Trump wants to overthrow the Cuban president

Al Jazeera English

The Trump administration says it wants to remove Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel by the end of the year.

Trump temporarily waives the Jones Act to try to lower gas prices

Alana Wise, NPR

Experts say waiving the act will do little to dramatically lower gas prices.

Trump Prepares to Smash Through Historic Disapproval Ratings, Reeling from Iran War

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

With midterms on the horizon, Trump is picking a fine time to reach all new lows in his approval rating amid Iran War fallout.

The 10 states most reliant on federal funding — and the 10 least

James LaForge, Business Insider

A new study ranked US states based on how reliant they are on federal funding. See which states round out the top and bottom of the list.

The great EV pullback: all the obstacles, cancellations, and delays

Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge

The auto industry bet big on electric vehicles, but now those ambitious goals are falling apart. Demand was already slowing down when Donald Trump took office and took an ax to pro-EV policy: the elimination of the federal EV tax credit, kneecapping clean ene…

Ireland’s leader survives visit with cranky old guy in White House

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon

Trump misgenders Ireland's president, rants about "windmills," demands world's gratitude — all in all, it went OK

Spring break chaos in Florida...

Katie Hawkinson, The-independent.com

Spring break chaos in Florida... (Third column, 1st story, link) Related stories:'Takeovers' overwhelm beaches... Sheriff blames 'promoters' as arrests climb...

European groups join aid convoy to Cuba amid crippling oil blockade

Raphael McMahon, Al Jazeera English

Millions have been plunged into darkness in Cuba as the US's total blockade has meant no fuel shipments in three months.

WATCH: Beirut building levelled by Israeli strike

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Eyewitness video captured the moment a multi-story building was hit by an Israeli airstrike and collapsed.

Pete Hegseth: We Can’t Wait For Larry Ellison To Turn CNN Into Another Right Wing Propaganda Mill

Karl Bode, Techdirt

We’ve noted repeatedly how the U.S. authoritarian right is buying up all of our new and old media companies because they’re trying to mimic what Viktor Orban created in Hungary. Namely, a media where all the major outlets are owned by rich autocratic allies, …

More Public Humiliations for Tech Fascists, Please

Claire Guinan, Jezebel

Jeremy O. Harris drunkenly approached OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the Oscars after party and called him a Nazi…in front of Zendaya.

How ‘America First’ Became ‘America Alone’

Adam Serwer, The Atlantic

The dangerous fantasy of total independence

The Fed to meet about interest rates. And, Sen. Mullin faces DHS confirmation hearing

Brittney Melton, NPR

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold the benchmark interest rate steady today amid economic uncertainty. And, Sen. Mullin faces a confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

How Iran defied Trump threats to emerge as Strait of Hormuz gatekeeper

Virginia Pietromarchi, Al Jazeera English

Trump has called on other navies to help open the strait, but countries are instead striking deals with Iran.

Get This: Arizona Seems to Think That Kalshi Is Involved in GAMBLING

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

The Arizona AG makes the world's most obvious observation: Wagering large amounts of money on election results is indeed gambling.

US judge orders Trump administration to reopen Voice of America

BBC News

Some 85% of VOA staff were laid off by Trump who accused the international broadcaster of bias.

Democrats Have a ‘Slopulism’ Problem

Ben Ritz, The Atlantic

The party still refuses to prioritize the most important parts of its agenda and make the case that they’re worth paying for.

ICE “course correction”? Markwayne Mullin isn’t it

Amanda Marcotte, Salon

The department of homeland security shutdown shows Republicans still answer to Stephen Miller

Donald Trump Going to Quit Next Year, Predicts Political Strategist

Yahoo Entertainment

Trump is going all in on the SAVE America Act. It could make voting harder for millions

Jelinda Montes, Salon

Republicans are pushing to get historically restrictive voter ID bill to the president’s desk

10 Wednesday AM Reads

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

My mid-week morning train WFH reads: • The stock market looks wild under the surface: The S&P 500 appears relatively calm on the surface this year, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find some wild swings. Dispersion hiding beneath calm headline indices — sec…

A judge shot down RFK Jr.’s vaccine overhaul. The fight is far from over

Garrett Owen, Salon

Kennedy's critics celebrated the ruling, while the Trump administration vowed to overturn it

Gabbard testifies on Capitol Hill amid questions about Iran war, Kent's resignation

Beatrice Peterson, Abcnews.com

The hearing comes a day after top counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigned.

Why Donald Trump is losing the war at home

David Smith, Salon

Public opinion is staunchly opposed to Trump's actions in the Middle East.

The Iran War Is Another Reason to Quit Oil

Bill McKibben, The New Yorker

Bill McKibben on the U.S.’s increasing reliance on “greener” defense options, such as inexpensive small drones versus large, costly missiles.

'I'm not political': Tim Cook responds to backlash against his relationship with the Trump administration

Jordan Hart, Business Insider

Tim Cook discussed his political stance on "Good Morning America," saying he focuses on policy over politics.

Pro-Israel groups see mixed record in money-fuelled Illinois primaries

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, who took money from pro-Israel donors, won race to be Democratic Senate candidate.

Cuba’s lights begin to return, but its crisis is far from over

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Power supply slowly resuming in Havana; but the country's deeper crisis in relations with the US is endemic, long-term.

Sen. Mullin faces confirmation hearing to lead Homeland Security Department

Ximena Bustillo, NPR

Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin faces questions from his fellow senators at his confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Homeland Security,

The oil logic behind Trump’s war on Iran

Ilan Kapoor, Al Jazeera English

The Kharg Island strike shows how US force is calibrated to avoid disrupting global oil flows.

Iran war: What is happening on day 19 of US-Israel attacks?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Iran vows revenge after Israeli strikes kill security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani.

Nearly 150 retired judges take Anthropic's side in Pentagon fight

Aditi Bharade, Business Insider

They said the DOD was free to choose its contractors but should not punish Anthropic "on its way out the door."

Cuba restores power after 29-hour blackout amid US oil blockade

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The national power grid comes back on after Cuba's 10 million people were plunged into darkness overnight.

Trump confirms meeting with China’s Xi Jinping delayed as war on Iran rages

Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump delays his trip to Beijing while also seeking China's help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump administration defends Anthropic blacklisting in US court

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

US defence secretary designated Anthropic a 'supply chain risk' after it refused to remove guardrails on its technology.

‘We’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon’, Trump says

Al Jazeera English

While waging war on Iran, the US president and his secretary of state are demanding a leadership change in Cuba.

Iran allowing more ships through Strait of Hormuz, data show

John Power, Al Jazeera English

Number of ships transiting Strait of Hormuz has nearly doubled in recent days, maritime intelligence company says.

Over 200 Ukrainian military experts in Gulf region to counter Iran’s drones

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Ukraine President Zelenskyy says Moscow, Tehran 'brothers in hatred'; claims Iran's drones 'contain Russian components'.

Pentagon responds to Anthropic suit arguing the company is a 'substantial risk' to national security

Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert, Business Insider

In a Tuesday filing, the Department of Defense argued that Anthropic's refusal to accept the government's contractual terms is not protected speech.

WATCH: Winter storm snarls travel as strong winds lash Eastern US

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Over 5,800 flights have been canceled in just 48 hours, and thousands more were delayed.

Who is Joe Kent, and why did he resign as Trump’s counterterrorism chief?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Kent is the highest-level official to leave Trump administration over the US president's decision to wage war on Iran.

Arizona AG files criminal charges against Kalshi over 'illegal gambling'

Bobby Allyn, NPR

Arizona is the first state to allege the prediction market company has committed criminal violations, accusing it of running an unlicensed gambling operation.