Trump News for Thursday, March 19, 2026

US arts commission approves gold coin stamped with Donald Trump’s face

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

The gold coin comes in addition to Trump's efforts to have his face stamped on a $1 coin, in violation of federal law.

Mexican military says 11 killed in raid targeting Sinaloa cartel leader

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Omar Oswaldo Torres, the leader of the Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa criminal network, was detained in the raid.

Treasury taking over federal student loans amid dismantling of Dept. of Education

Arthur Jones II, Abcnews.com

The Trump administration is expected to send the nearly $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio to the Treasury Department, the Department of Education announced.

The people dying in ICE custody

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: People are dying in ICE custody at a record pace. What…

Progressive Jews Deeply Distressed by Rising Antisemitism on Own Side...

Jay Michaelson, Theunpopulist.net

Progressive Jews Deeply Distressed by Rising Antisemitism on Own Side... (Second column, 19th story, link) Related stories:Mamdani Wife Celebrated Terrorists, Including Plane Hijacker...

US states file lawsuit challenging Trump’s revocation of climate finding

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

The Trump administration revoked key scientific finding that formed a basis for regulations to address climate change.

US F-35 aircraft makes emergency landing after a combat mission over Iran

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

The F-35 fighter jet landed safely and the pilot is in stable condition, CENTCOM spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said.

Influential vaccine advisory panel ACIP may be ‘disbanded’ after lawsuit, says former vice chair

Claire Cameron, Scientific American

For years, ACIP has advised U.S. vaccine policy. But after changes to its membership made by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., were challenged in court, the Trump administration is apparently changing tack

Trump compares Iran strikes to Pearl Harbor as he meets Japan’s PM

Al Jazeera English

Donald Trump stunned Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi when he compared strikes on Iran to Pearl Harbor.

An Elegy for the Kennedy Center

Alex Ross, The New Yorker

A Washington, D.C., native says goodbye to the arts complex before Trump’s wrecking crew goes to work on it. Alex Ross writes.

US approves $16.5bn arms deal to Gulf states amid rising Iran tensions

Andy Hirschfeld, Al Jazeera English

The proposed deal includes the sale of drones, missiles and radars for Gulf allies, including UAE, Kuwait and Jordan.

Why the US Homeland Security shutdown is raising fears of airport delays

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Hundreds of TSA workers have resigned over unpaid wages, as Congress weighs funding the Department of Homeland Security.

“Who knows better about surprise?”: Trump cracks Pearl Harbor joke in front of Japanese PM

Alex Galbraith, Salon

Sitting next to the Japanese prime minister, Trump made a surprising joke about the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor

WATCH: President Trump compares U.S. strikes on Iran to Pearl Harbor

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Trump on Thursday, seated next to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Oval Office, compared U.S. strikes against Iran to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II.

Higher Oil Prices From Trump’s Iran War Risk Killing the AI Boom, WTO Says

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

President Deals seems to be setting the global economy on fire.

Who leads Iran? Assassinations leave leadership and command in question

Justin Salhani, Al Jazeera English

Analysts question Tehran’s power dynamics as younger hardliners may rise after killing of leaders Khamenei and Larijani.

Hungary’s Orban continues to block Ukraine loan at EU summit

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Viktor Orban obstructs the implementation of a key Ukraine loan as Russia's war continues for a fifth year.

Trump references Pearl Harbor during meeting with Japanese PM on Iran war

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

US president said that Japan was 'stepping up to the plate' to support the US war without offering details.

White South Africans would Rather Live In South Africa Than In The US Under Trump

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Shortly after Trump took office for a second time, his administration made it clear that it felt constitutional rights were merely privileges it would extend only to those who fully supported whatever the hell the administration happened to be doing. At the t…

19-year-old Mexican immigrant dies in ICE custody this week, agency says

Laura Romero, Abcnews.com

A 19-year-old Mexican immigrant died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this week, according to a notice sent to lawmakers.

US F-35 hit, forced to make emergency landing, IRGC takes credit...

DANYA SAPERSTEIN, The Jerusalem Post

US F-35 hit, forced to make emergency landing, IRGC takes credit... (First column, 4th story, link) Related stories:Vance is in a bind, supporting a conflict that could cost him politically... May skip presidential run? Trump struggles…

Top economist Steve Hanke says Iran is channeling Muhammad Ali — and could deal a 'knockout blow' to the US

Theron Mohamed, Business Insider

Steve Hanke said Iran's use of economic warfare in the face of US military might reminds him of Muhammad Ali's "rope-a-dope" strategy.

What Paul Ehrlich’s Fear of Scarcity Did to American Politics

Jacob Anbinder, The Atlantic

Ehrlich’s lurid predictions of imminent planetary doom captivated the public, but they did not come true.

US states sue Trump over his move to scrap greenhouse gases ruling

BBC News

The lawsuit seeks to overturn the Trump administration's reversal last month of the 2009 ruling that underpins all US policies aimed at lowering emissions.

Trump Makes Joke About Pearl Harbor In Meeting With Japanese Prime Minister

Ted Johnson, Deadline

When Donald Trump met in the Oval Office on Thursday with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, he was asked why he didn’t tell U.S. allies about plans to strike Iran. “You don’t want to signal too much,” Trump said. “We went in very hard, and we didn’t tel…

Pentagon seeking $200B more for Iran war, official says

Anne Flaherty, Allison Pecorin, Isabella Murray, Sarah Beth Hensley, Abcnews.com

"It takes money to kill bad guys," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday.

European nations, Japan to join ‘appropriate efforts’ to open Hormuz Strait

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Countries are looking for ways to contain record-high prices as oil, gas crisis deepens.

Sources: TP-Link told US federal agencies probing its China ties that CEO Jeffrey Chao applied for US permanent residency under the $1M Trump Gold Card program (Kate O'Keeffe/Bloomberg)

Techmeme.com

Kate O'Keeffe / Bloomberg: Sources: TP-Link told US federal agencies probing its China ties that CEO Jeffrey Chao applied for US permanent residency under the $1M Trump Gold Card program  —  The Chinese founder of the massive router maker facing national secu…

WATCH: Oil and gas prices surge as Iran escalates strikes on Gulf refineries

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Iranian attacks on significant energy infrastructure and refineries in several Gulf countries pushed oil and gas prices higher in volatile trading on Thursday.

WATCH: Jury sides with rapper Afroman in police music video case

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Grammy-nominated rapper Afroman won a defamation lawsuit filed by seven Ohio sheriff's deputies who sued him over music videos in which he used home security footage to mock their raid of his home.

Seth Moulton Saw Trans Rights as a Political Liability. It Could Doom His Senate Campaign.

Jessica Washington, The Intercept

The Massachusetts congressman is struggling to land his message of generational change with his past anti-trans comments haunting him. The post Seth Moulton Saw Trans Rights as a Political Liability. It Could Doom His Senate Campaign. appeared first on The In…

Hegseth says no ‘timeframe’ for war on Iran as Pentagon asks for $200bn

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hints war funding may change, leaving timeline decisions to President Trump.

We Finally Have Data to Show How Fast Trump Has Eroded American Democracy and Free Speech

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

In just about a year, Donald Trump has reduced American measures of democracy and free speech to around the level of the 1950s-1960s.

White House Ruthlessly Hits Back At Jamie Lee Curtis After Her Blunt Diversity Statement

Gabija Saveiskyte, Boredpanda.com

During a film festival, the actress and LGBTQ+ advocate slammed the Trump administration for "trying to erase" diversity and inclusivity.

Pentagon Now Claims Iran War Will Cost More than War in Ukraine Has Since 2022

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

Sounds like Pete Hegseth is planning the Iran War to go on for years, estimating a cost higher than four years of the Ukraine/Russia war.

JD Vance Proudly Confirms He Forced Usha to Have Another Kid

Danielle Han, Jezebel

The vice president will take any opportunity to brag about having sex with his wife.

Pete Hegseth Again Rages At Media Over Iran War Coverage: “They Want President Trump To Fail”

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth again raged over media coverage of the war in Iran, this time claiming that news outlets are reporting negative news because “the want President Trump to fail.” Hegseth’s Pentagon briefing marked only the latest in which he h…

The SAVE Act faces long odds in the Senate. GOP-led states are picking up the cause

Benjamin Swasey, NPR

Several Republican-led states are passing their own versions of the SAVE America Act, Trump-backed legislation that would introduce new proof-of-citizenship requirements to register to vote.

LOSING CONTROL

Katie-Ann Gupwell, Themirror.com

LOSING CONTROL (Main headline, 1st story, link) Related stories:SHOWDOWN: RUSSIA SENDS OIL TO CUBA IRAN HITS MULTIPLE GULF REFINERIES TRUMP THREATENS MAJOR GAS FIELD $112 BARREL Drudge Report Feed needs your support!   Beco…

Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'I'm Not a Political Person'

Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

In an interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan this week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook said he is "not a political person." Strahan said Cook has been criticized over his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. He noted that Cook attended Tru…

China’s silence on Iran reveals its true priorities

Yang Xiaotong, Al Jazeera English

Beijing's muted response shows that when core interests are at stake, even close partners are expendable.

Why are Iran’s South Pars gasfield, Qatar’s Ras Laffan, so significant?

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

Israel's strike on South Pars and Iran's attack on Ras Laffan escalate energy crisis, deepen regional tensions.

Shenzhen Express

Yi-Ling Liu, The New York Review of Books

In Shenzhen, the successes and failures of China’s remarkable new economy are on full display.

Possessing the Painful Parts

Omari Weekes, The New York Review of Books

Tyriek White’s We Are a Haunting traces the lives of Black Brooklynites dealing with the porous boundaries between the past and the present as they forge lives amid the detritus that others have discarded.

DHS Confirms It's Breaking Its Own Rules by Detaining Hundreds of Pregnant & Postpartum Women

Danielle Han, Jezebel

DHS on Wednesday released data on how many pregnant people ICE has unlawfully detained since 2025.

California And Other States Sue To Block Nexstar-Tegna Merger

Ted Johnson, Deadline

California and six other states filed suit to block Nexstar’s merger with Tegna, a transaction that will create a broadcast station giant. The $6.2 billion transaction would give the combined company 265 stations covering 80% of the country. Attorney General …

U.S. Warmongering Hits Historic Level as Trump Attacks 3 Continents in 3 Days

Nick Turse, The Intercept

Since World War II, the U.S. has rarely, if ever, attacked so many places. “All war. All the time. Everywhere,” one source put it. The post U.S. Warmongering Hits Historic Level as Trump Attacks 3 Continents in 3 Days appeared first on The Intercept.

WATCH: Epstein investigation in UK asks for United States cooperation

ABC News, Abcnews.com

ABC’s Aaron Katersky sits down with the head of Scotland Yard, Sir Mark Rowley, for help with investigating former Prince Andrew.

A new bill takes aim at retailers' sweetheart deals with suppliers — and would extend to apps like Uber Eats

Alex Bitter, Business Insider

A bill from Sen. Chris Murphy would make it harder for retailers and delivery services to strike special deals over price.

Barron Trump Reportedly Friends With Influencer Who Preaches Male Dominance

Yahoo Entertainment

Trump Is Kicking the Economy While It’s Down

Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic

How the war with Iran could lead to a recession

EU leaders slam Hungary’s Orban for blocking Ukraine aid package

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Hungarian leader fuels EU outrage with veto on $103bn Ukraine aid, citing pipeline dispute amid tense election campaign.

Gabbard says Pakistan missiles a future threat to US, but experts push back

Abid Hussain, Al Jazeera English

The US raises concerns but analysts say Pakistan’s missile programme focuses on India, which has longer-range missiles.

Will China Beat the US Back to the Moon?

Ellyn Lapointe, Gizmodo.com

NASA is under enormous pressure to return astronauts to the Moon before China achieves its first crewed landing, but experts question whether the Artemis program can overcome delays, technical hurdles, and budget constraints.

Trump Is Betraying Iran’s Pro-Democracy Protesters

Franklin Foer, The Atlantic

He toyed with their hopes, raising expectations he never meant to fulfill.

Splinter: It’s Not ‘the Epstein Class’, It’s the Capitalist Class

Jacob Weindling, Jezebel

When you imbue any group of people with a sense of power that truly does make them demigods among all of mankind, well, look around you. This is the world that capitalism has chosen.

Air Force Academy Prepares Ideological Overhaul, With Erika Kirk Bringing “Bold Christian Faith”

Austin Campbell, The Intercept

The academy’s oversight board records show leaders dismantling DEI to align with Trump directives. Critics warn the military is becoming “a Christian nationalist praetorian guard.” The post Air Force Academy Prepares Ideological Overhaul, With Erika Kirk Brin…

US East Asian allies in legal quandary as Trump seeks help in the Middle East

Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump is expected to discuss the Strait of Hormuz with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Trump started a war with no clear end in sight. They rarely end well for presidents

Domenico Montanaro, NPR

President Trump started a war with no clear end in sight. If his predecessors' experiences are an indication, conflicts don't bode well for presidential approval ratings.

Why Trump's attacks and threats to Iran's Kharg Island are a big deal

Saige Miller, NPR

If the U.S. follows through on its threats to bomb the oil assets on Kharg Island, the war would likely escalate and oil prices would increase exponentially.

As overseas terrorists regroup, is the Iran war increasing danger in the U.S.?

Odette Yousef, NPR

Investigators in the U.S. search for motives in three recent instances of targeted attacks, and whether they are related to the war in Iran.

College Republicans Cry Free Speech After Chapter Gets Shut Down for Nazi Salutes

Lauren Tousignant, Jezebel

Another day, another group of college Republicans revealed to be full of Nazis.

Trump denies knowledge of Israeli gas field attack

Al Jazeera English

Donald Trump said the US was unaware of Israel’s South Pars strike and warned Iran against targeting Qatar.

Iran war: What’s the Jones Act, and why has Trump suspended it for 60 days?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

The move allows foreign-flagged vessels to transport goods between US ports for the next 60 days.

Israel and Iran attack gas facilities, in a major escalation that rattles markets

NPR Staff, NPR

President Trump said that Israel acted alone when it struck the South Pars gas field in Iran. Trump threatened Iran to halt its attacks on Qatar's facilities, or face a "blow up" of their South Pars field.

US weighs sending thousands of troops to region as Iran war rages: Report

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The deployments could help provide Trump with additional options but would further entrench US in a foreign war.

War enters new phase as Israel attack on Iran gasfield sparks Gulf response

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Saudis have warned of 'military actions, if necessary', but Gulf states in 'diplomatic bind' as they mull response.

Trump attempts to distance US from Israeli strikes on key Iranian gasfield

David D. Lee, Al Jazeera English

Questions raised over US knowledge of Israeli plans to attack key Iranian gasfield as energy sites become targets.

Iran war: What is happening on day 20 of US-Israel attacks?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

The Iran war enters day 20 as Israeli and Iranian attacks hit energy infrastructure across region.

JD Vance deflects gas price concerns with criticism of Biden

Al Jazeera English

US Vice President JD Vance deflected concerns about high gas prices by criticising the Biden administration.

Trump Loses It After Key War Ally Goes Behind His Back

The Daily Beast, Daily Beast

President Donald Trump has slammed his war partner Israel for an attack on a vital facility in Iran, claiming he had no prior knowledge of the strike. On Wed...

Asia’s stock markets dive after attacks on energy facilities in Qatar, Iran

John Power, Al Jazeera English

Stocks tumble as attacks by Israel, Iran on critical energy infrastructure exacerbate fears for global energy supplies.

WATCH: TSA says nearly 10% of its officers called out sick Tuesday

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The TSA is warning some small airports might need to shut down due to staffing shortages because of the partial government shutdown.

U.S. District Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Against RFK, HHS For Its Vaccine Schedule Changes

Timothy Geigner, Techdirt

It was mere days ago that we were discussing an interesting lawsuit brought by the American Academy of Pediatrics, among others, challenging RFK Jr. and HHS for violating the Administrative Procedures Act in making changes to the CDC’s ACIP panel and immuniza…

As Cuba struggles with power cuts, how is the island holding up?

BBC News

The BBC's Will Grant reports from the island days after the entire national electric grid collapsed.

Ex-counterterrorism official says he wasn't allowed to share concerns about Iran war with Trump

DAVID KLEPPER, Yahoo Entertainment

Joe Kent, the former counterterrorism director who resigned this week over concerns about the Iran war, said Wednesday that he and other senior officials...

FUENTES: IMPEACH THE DON...

Mediamatters.org

FUENTES: IMPEACH THE DON... (Second column, 6th story, link) Related stories:RIP MAGA...

Anthropic's Claude claws its way towards the top of the AI market

Thomas Claburn, Theregister.com

Who knew questioning authority and signaling virtue would lead to growth? Anthropic has been killing it in the business market, success that appears to be at least partially attributable to pushback against the Pentagon.…

At least eight killed as Brazilian police carry out lethal favela raid

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Brazilian police say that raid in Rio de Janeiro targeted a leader of Red Command, a powerful criminal group.

China could be the world’s biggest public funder of science within two years

Ben Deighton, Nature.com

Forecast by science-policy researchers raises questions about where the epicentre of global research will shift to in the coming decade.