Trump News for Friday, April 3, 2026

Lawyers search for Epstein survivors for Bank of America $72.5m settlement

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Bank of America has become the third major bank to settle with victims over allegations of facilitating Epstein crimes.

Ex-Nintendo Sales Lead Explains The Three Factors Making A Switch 2 Price Hike ‘Inevitable’

Ethan Gach, Kotaku

Trump's war on Iran could force the company's hand

Inside President's Search for Way Out of Iran War...

Eric Cortellessa, Time

Inside President's Search for Way Out of Iran War... (First column, 1st story, link) Related stories:Tehran Beefs Up Defenses, Recruits Children as It Preps for Ground War... Maintains significant missile launching capability... Surviv…

'No air defenses': Trump, Hegseth touted American dominance before jet was downed

Fritz Farrow, Isabella Murray, Abcnews.com

Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth repeatedly claimed Tehran’s anti-aircraft defenses were taken out by American forces.

Cuba releases over 2,000 prisoners amid mounting US pressure

Al Jazeera English

There have been emotional scenes in Cuba where 2,000 prisoners are being pardoned and released from jail.

White House pushes ahead on Golden Fleet and the new Trump-class battleship with a request for billions of dollars for shipbuilding

Chris Panella, Business Insider

The budget requests twice the number of ships from last year and supports the first Trump-class battleships for Golden Fleet.

Alex Jones Said Trump Needs A "Break," But The White House Told Us That's "Bullshit"

Bella Arnold, Buzzfeed

Receiving an email from someone on the national government's payroll that began with "bullshit" in the first five words was not on my bingo card today.View Entire Post ›

Two dozen Democrat-led states sue Trump over mail-in ballot limits

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Rights groups have raised concerns about Trump's efforts to change election administration before midterms.

US judge upholds decision to toss subpoenas into Fed Chair Jerome Powell

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Judge Boasberg says Trump administration's arguments 'do not come close to convincing Court' of subpoenas' legitimacy.

More than 20 attacks on Iranian healthcare facilities since March 1: WHO

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says 'multiple attacks' on Iranian healthcare facilities have been reported.

Fake Videos Are Already Spreading After Two US Air Force Planes Go Down Near Iran

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

Fake images are everywhere when big news breaks.

“An out-of-touch plea for more money”: Trump seeks $1.5 trillion for new defense budget

Garrett Owen, Salon

Massive cuts to domestic programs, with higher state taxes, would bolster the spending increase

Failed 'F*ckboy Island' Contestant Launches Senate Bid...

Amanda Harding, The Daily Wire

Former reality TV star Mark Moran has launched his U.S. Senate bid in Virginia, positioning himself as an independent challenger to incumbent Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and ripping both major parties.Moran, best known for appearing on the short-lived HBO Max dat…

Trump's ballroom fight sheds new light on an underground White House bunker

Rachel Treisman, NPR

The status of a decades-old bunker beneath the now-demolished East Wing is unclear, but the Trump administration has cited security concerns in its legal filings in favor of continuing construction.

The Trump Dictatorship Is Cracking Up

Greg Sargent, The New Republic

Almost without exception, those who enjoy the great honor of serving President Donald Trump have ultimately collided with two all-consuming dictums. The first is that Trump’s underlings must always elevate his personal interests above those of the institution…

WATCH: One crew member from downed jet over Iran is rescued

ABC News, Abcnews.com

One crew member aboard the downed fighter jet over Iran has been rescued, according to a U.S. official.

US unemployment rate drops despite economic uncertainty and Iran war

Andy Hirschfeld, Al Jazeera English

White House says March jobs report 'blew out expectations' with gains made in the healthcare and construction sectors.

The Surprisingly Hopeful Lesson From Pam Bondi’s Failed Tenure at DOJ

Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern, Slate Magazine

The real reason Pam Bondi was fired.

US fighter jet down in Iran: 1 crew member rescued as search continues, officials say

Luis Martinez, Steven Beynon, Abcnews.com

It appears that a U.S. fighter jet has been shot down by Iran and that the U.S. has launched a search and rescue effort, three U.S. officials confirmed to ABC News.

What we know about the US fighter jet shot down in Iran

Al Jazeera English

The White House has confirmed Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting down of a US fighter jet in Iran.

Trump Resurrects Dumbest Idea—and Wants to Cut Health Care to Fund It

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

The Trump administration is asking Congress for $152 million to transform Alcatraz into a “state-of-the-art secure prison facility,” as part of its 2027 budget proposal.That would cover just the first-year costs of the redevelopment, which has been roundly cr…

DHS Launches Massive “Less Lethal” Chemical Weapons Buying Spree

Sam Biddle, The Intercept

Federal agents’ indiscriminate use of tear gases and “less-lethal” projectiles has become a mainstay of protest crackdowns. The post DHS Launches Massive “Less Lethal” Chemical Weapons Buying Spree appeared first on The Intercept.

My Toddler Looks Different After a Few Days With My Parents. I’m OK With It, But My Wife Is Furious.

Jamilah Lemieux, Slate Magazine

It'll grow back!

President Trump expected to deliver new executive order attempting to regulate college sports: Sources

Ross Dellenger, Yahoo Entertainment

The order intends to limit athlete transfer movement, cap player eligibility, require funding requirements for women and Olympic sports, and regulate NIL...

ICE Arrested the Leader of Wisconsin's Biggest Islamic Group, Then Claimed His Green Card Was a Fraud

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

ICE is claiming that Sarsour, who has lived in the U.S. for 33 years, is a terrorist. His supporters say he's punished for criticizing Israel.

New Poll Spells Doom for the GOP With Key 'Double Hater' Voters

Jacob Weindling, Jezebel

Voters with negative views of both parties are now plus-thirty-freaking-one for the Democrats. That’s a 48-point swing from 2022. The kind of swing that can make a once impenetrable lead in the Senate with a friendly GOP map suddenly look vulnerable in red st…

Nancy Mace Just Proposed Banning Something VERY Bizarre, And You're REALLY Gonna Love This One

Kelley Greene, Buzzfeed

Honestly? I'd LOVE to see her try.

Trump Suggests Decimating NIH to Give Military Even More Money

Finn Hartnett, The New Republic

The Trump administration officially sent Congress its 2027 budget proposal on Friday, and while the largest story that emerged from the mammoth document was that the president is looking to increase defense spending over 40 percent to a staggering $1.5 trilli…

Inside the rise of Trump's favorite online brawler

Peter Gelling, Business Insider

Alex Bruesewitz has gone from a MAGA influencer to Donald Trump's celebrity ambassador, ushering a stream of stars to the president's side.

French-owned container ship transits Hormuz Strait in first since Iran war

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

CMA CGM's vessel becomes the first French-owned ship to traverse Hormuz since the US–Israel war on Iran began.

Trump’s Top Aide Freaks Out About What Trump’s Being Told on Iran War

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

The White House’s “Ice Maiden” has been unnerved by the lack of information reaching the president regarding the reality of the Iran war.Three weeks into the conflict—in mid-March—White House chief of staff Susie Wiles forced a meeting of Donald Trump’s most …

WATCH: EPA to study microplastics in drinking water

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The EPA proposed to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals on a list of contaminants in drinking water for the first time, a step that could lead to limits on those substances for water utilities.

Obama’s Lead Iran Negotiator Just Had Her Account Hacked

Malcolm Ferguson, The New Republic

Former President Obama’s lead Iran negotiator, Wendy Sherman, admitted her X account was hacked Friday after posting a strangely worded message against the Iran war.“We were promised strength. Instead, we are watching the greatest decline in our nation’s hist…

Iran Shoots Down F-15 Fighter Jet After Trump Bragged They Had No Capability

Nick Turse, The Intercept

Iran shot down a U.S. fighter jet as Trump threatened the country’s critical infrastructure and destroyed a bridge near Tehran. The post Iran Shoots Down F-15 Fighter Jet After Trump Bragged They Had No Capability appeared first on The Intercept.

Bondi’s firing won’t quell Trump’s discontent

Brian Karem, Salon

The president is spiraling over Iran and blaming everyone around him but himself

Trump Hasn’t Destroyed Nearly as Much of Iran’s Arsenal as He Claims

Edith Olmsted, The New Republic

The Pentagon has been misleading Americans about the destruction of Iran’s military arsenal, casting doubt on Donald Trump’s timeline for ending the war. After five weeks of military bombardment from the United States and Israel, roughly half of Iran’s missil…

WATCH: American fighter jet appears to have been shot down by Iran, U.S. official says

ABC News, Abcnews.com

An American fighter jet appears to have been shot down by Iran. A search and rescue is underway, a U.S. official said.

Trump seeks historic $1.5 trillion for military in Congress budget request

Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English

The request for defence spending is the largest in decades and accompanies cuts to domestic programmes.

There’s a Clear Pattern to Who Trump Throws Under the Bus

Jill Filipovic, Slate Magazine

These women’s ousters tell us something important about this president, his administration, and his movement.

Iranian forces launch search for pilot of downed US fighter jet

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The Fars news agency reports Iranian military launched a search operation to locate the pilot of the aircraft.

Trump says with more time, US can ‘take the oil’ in Iran

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Despite weeks long Iranian blockade on Strait of Hormuz, US president claims Washington can 'easily' reopen waterway.

Trump Prepares to Fire More Cabinet Members After Pam Bondi

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

A massive overhaul is in the cards among the higher echelons of the Trump administration.Donald Trump is “very angry” with his Cabinet thus far and is considering “moving” several officials, according to an administration official who spoke with Politico.Othe…

Woman's Lawsuit Over Criminalized Abortion Gets Tossed by Trump-Appointed Judge

Danielle Han, Jezebel

For the last year, Lizelle Gonzalez has been seeking $1 million in federal damages after officials tried to charge her with murder for self-inducing an abortion.

Iran Asks People to Hunt Down Reportedly Downed American Pilot

Malcolm Ferguson, The New Republic

A U.S. fighter jet was reportedly shot down by Iran on Friday. Iran is offering a “precious prize” to anyone who captures the pilot alive. Iranian state media reported that an American fighter jet was downed over southern Tehran, and photos and videos of the …

WATCH: Jobs report shows strong hiring in March, despite oil shock set off by Iran war

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The U.S. recorded strong job gains in March, rebounding from dismal losses, even as the nation weathered a global oil shock set off by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, a jobs report on Friday showed.

Pete Hegseth Blocks Promotions in Middle of War for Dumbest Reason

Edith Olmsted, The New Republic

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s rampant racism and sexism extends farther than we previously knew. Hegseth has made efforts to block or delay the promotion of more than one dozen female and Black officers across the Army, Air Force, Navy, and the Marines, ac…

WATCH: Secretary Hegseth ousts Army Chief of Staff General Randy George

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Hegseth has asked George, the service's top uniformed officer, to step down from his position and retire immediately, the Pentagon said Thursday.

Pam Bondi’s Legacy of Flattery and Destruction

Ruth Marcus, The New Yorker

Ruth Marcus on Donald Trump’s firing of Pam Bondi from her role as U.S. Attorney General, and why a successor could be even more dangerous.

Grandmother Faces Trial in Alabama for Wearing Penis Costume to No Kings Protest

Liliana Segura, The Intercept

When the viral video cooled off, people thought the case against the 62-year-old would be dropped. Prosecutors doubled down. The post Grandmother Faces Trial in Alabama for Wearing Penis Costume to No Kings Protest appeared first on The Intercept.

Pam Bondi’s Replacement Reveals He’s Worse on Epstein Than She Was

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

The man tapped to fill Pam Bondi’s shoes isn’t any better at handling the Epstein files than she was.Hours after Donald Trump named him as Bondi’s temporary successor on Thursday, acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche took to Fox News, weaving a bold-face…

Trump Tells Congress How He Plans to Give Military Largest Budget Ever

Malcolm Ferguson, The New Republic

President Trump is seeking the largest military budget in this country’s modern history for 2027, even as a multitude of domestic issues—from health care, to housing, to the general cost of living—continue to persist. The White House on Friday requested $1.5 …

Trump Threatens War Crimes in Iran After Double-Tap on Major Bridge

Edith Olmsted, The New Republic

President Donald Trump is bragging about committing war crimes in Iran—and promising to commit even more. The United States military executed a double-tap strike on a highway bridge outside of Tehran, according to a U.S. official who spoke anonymously to The …

The Trump Administration Is Trying To Steal $21 BIllion Earmarked For Better Broadband

Karl Bode, Techdirt

A quick refresher: there was originally $42.5 billion in broadband grants headed to the states thanks to the 2021 infrastructure bill most Republicans voted against (yet routinely try to take credit for among their constituents). But after taking office this …

This Proposed Bill Could Cause EV Owners To Pay A Lot More In Federal Taxes

staff@bgr.com (Alec Hively), BGR

A proposed federal EV fee is being sold as fair road funding, but critics say it would leave electric car owners paying much more than gas drivers.

War crimes are no longer shameful. That should terrify you

Philippe Bolopion, Al Jazeera English

In the latest escalation in the Middle East, warring sides have demonstrated complete disregard for civilian life.

Todd Blanche Also Botched the Epstein Files—Then Secured Ghislaine Maxwell VIP Prison Treatment

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Pam Bondi's replacement is a former personal lawyer of Trump’s, a big number-two (at the Justice Department), and, well...Maxwell’s biggest bitch.

What Is the Iran War Costing Us? How Does $1 Billion per Day Sound?

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

And all we have to cut in exchange for that Iran War spending is funds for education, housing and Medicare. It's almost TOO GOOD a deal.

President Trump vows to escalate attacks in Iran, no timeline discussed

WQAD, WQAD.com

Iranian media have reported that at least eight people were killed and 95 others were injured in a recent US-led attack.

Sorry, Pam Bondi. Trump has no loyalty

Amanda Marcotte, Salon

The attorney general's firing shows why even the most faithful MAGA acolytes are disposable

Trump is considering a ground war in Iran. Experts say he should walk away

Garrett Owen, Salon

Military experts say Trump could be walking into a trap and invasion would unleash needless carnage

Bondi’s ‘Emotional’ Reaction to Trump Humiliation Revealed

Yahoo Entertainment

States are resisting the Trump admin’s voter data power grab

John J. Martin, Salon

The Trump administration has asked states to hander over their voter info. Many are fighting back.

Trump’s Holy War Abroad and at Home

The Intercept Briefing, The Intercept

Journalist Sara Posner on how the Christian right’s end times views are shaping U.S. foreign and domestic policies. The post Trump’s Holy War Abroad and at Home appeared first on The Intercept.

After the release of the Epstein files, why have there been so few arrests?

Ava Berger, NPR

Legal experts tell NPR five possible reasons that, despite the accusations made against rich and powerful people in the files, the DOJ have made no additional arrests. The big one? Lack of evidence.

Trump Blurts Out Damning War Admission as GOP Panics: “What the Hell?”

The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, The New Republic

During Donald Trump’s speech on Iran this week, he revealed too much. In a line that sounded partly ad-libbed, he declared that the Strait of Hormuz “will open up naturally. It will just open up naturally.” This should be read as a straight-up admission that …

Kuwait desalination plant, oil refinery hit by missile and drone strikes

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Elsewhere, Oracle and Amazon Web Services data centres were targeted in the UAE, reports said.

Tiger Woods told police after car crash he was ‘talking to the president’

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Police body camera video shows how golfer appeared to be astonished as he was handcuffed for failing sobriety test.

Why did Trump fire Pam Bondi from Justice Department, who is Todd Blanche?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Pam Bondi was fired by Trump, with the president saying she would be 'transitioning' to a new role in the private sector

Iran condemns US-Israeli ‘moral collapse’ after attacks on civilian sites

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Strikes damage or destroy Iran’s tallest bridge and a century-old medical research centre fighting diseases.

"The only thing these towers are missing are feather boas" says commenter

Ariane Shah, Dezeen

In this week's comments update, readers are discussing Henriquez Partners Architects' designs for a trio of skyscrapers in Vancouver, including the city's first supertall skyscraper. Read more

Iran war: What is happening on day 35 of US-Israeli attacks?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

The US and Israel have hit a century-old medical research centre and a bridge near Tehran.

How China’s ‘teapot’ refineries are cushioning it from Iran war oil crisis

Priyanka Shankar, Al Jazeera English

Small independent refineries are helping China continue importing oil from Iran.

Cuba releasing 2,010 prisoners as the US pressures the island's government

The Associated Press, NPR

The Cuban government said the pardons were a "humanitarian gesture" in connection with Holy Week and didn't mention mounting pressures with the U.S.

Iran war live: Trump warns assault on infrastructure ‘hasn’t even started’

Erin Hale, Zsombor Peter, Al Jazeera English

Trump steps up threats after US strike on Iran's largest bridge, as Tehran launches attacks across the region.

Donald Trump fires loyalist Attorney General Pam Bondi

Al Jazeera English

President Trump has fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, a loyalist and tenacious Trump defender.

トランプ大統領｢認知症の検査(動物と家具を見分けられるか)を受けた｡難しかったが正答できた｣

dqnplus, Itainews.com

1 ：：2026/04/02(木) 15:55:28.77 ID:KKdw/CGn0.net Trump: I don't want a stupid person being president, you know, I'll say it right now. I'm the only president that ever took a cognitive test. I took it 3 times. It's actually a very hard test...

EPA Flags Microplastics, Pharmaceuticals As Contaminants In Drinking Water

BeauHD, Slashdot.org

An anonymous reader quotes a report from NPR: Responding to public health concerns about microplastics and pharmaceuticals in the nation's drinking water, the Trump administration for the first time has placed them on a draft list of contaminants maintained b…

DOGE Goes Nuclear: How Trump Invited Silicon Valley Into America’s Nuclear Power Regulator

Avi Asher-Schapiro, Techdirt

This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. Last summer, a group of officials from the Department of Energy gathered at the Idaho National Laboratory, a sprawling 890-square-mile complex in the eastern deser…

Hegseth’s War on America’s Military

Tom Nichols, The Atlantic

Someone needs to explain the Pentagon purges to the American people.

An Army Shake-Up in the Middle of a War

Missy Ryan, Nancy A. Youssef, Sarah Fitzpatrick, The Atlantic

A general is ousted and the Army secretary is in jeopardy, sources say.

WATCH: The translunar injection burn sending the Artemis II crew and Orion on its path toward the moon has been successfully completed.

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The translunar injection burn sending the Artemis II crew and Orion on its path toward the moon has been successfully completed.

Some TSA officers say they're still hurting after receiving backpay

Tesfaye Negussie, Sabina Ghebremedhin, Abcnews.com

Transportation Security Administration officers are still "in the hole" even though they received their backpay, according to TSA employees who spoke with ABC News.

Bahrain waters down UN proposal over opposition to allowing force to open Strait of Hormuz

EDITH M. LEDERER, Yahoo Entertainment

Bahrain has significantly watered down a proposed U.N. resolution on reopening the Strait of Hormuz amid opposition from China and Russia about allowing...

WATCH: Artemis II orbits Earth for full day, takes critical step in path towards the moon

ABC News, Abcnews.com

After a picture perfect lift-off and a full day of orbiting Earth, Artemis II has fired up the crucial translunar injection.

Apple sets Q2 2026 earnings release for April 30

Marcus Mendes, 9to5Mac

Apple will announce the results of its fiscal second quarter of 2026 on Thursday, April 30. Here’s what to expect. more…

WATCH: Hawaii doctor claims he acted in self defense during testimony

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The doctor who officials say tried to kill his wife while on a hike in Hawaii, took the stand for a second day.

WATCH: Body camera video shows Tiger Woods' field sobriety tests, DUI arrest after crash

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Newly released police body camera video shows the moments after Woods' rollover crash in Jupiter Island, Florida.

Massive budget cuts for US science proposed again by Trump administration

Max Kozlov, Dan Garisto, Edward Chen, Nature.com

Budget proposal would also curb federal payments for scientific publishing.