Trump News for Thursday, April 9, 2026

6 MAGA Voices Who Have Done A Complete 180 On Their Support For Trump...But Used To Defend Him With Their Whole Chest

Alana Valko, Buzzfeed

Just waiting for the "we told you so..." comment.View Entire Post ›

Ecuador hikes tariffs to 100-percent in feud with neighbour Colombia

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Daniel Noboa has accused Colombia's Gustavo Petro of failing to take 'effective measures' against drug trafficking.

Vance’s ‘Fraud Czar’ Title May Come Back to Haunt Him

Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic

The vice president’s ambitious new focus comes with some baggage.

Ceasefire or no ceasefire, the Middle East's reshuffling is not yet done

BBC News

Both sides have reason to end the war but share no common ground.

US-Iran ceasefire: Uncertainty over what’s next

Al Jazeera English

Two‑week US‑Iran ceasefire pauses war; “who won?” unresolved as Hormuz, Lebanon strikes, Iran capabilities persist.

“They’re stupid people”: Trump slams conservative MAGA critics like Carlson, Kelly

Alex Galbraith, Salon

The president took aim at Megyn Kelly, Alex Jones and other disloyal conservatives in a fiery social media rant

Judge bars Trump administration from nixing protected status for Ethiopians

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Ruling marks legal setback for administration's efforts to roll back protections for various groups of immigrants.

Democrats in US slam Pam Bondi for refusing to appear for Epstein hearing

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Lawmakers warn the former Justice Department chief that a congressional subpoena for her testimony remains in effect.

Volkswagen Shuts Down Tennessee Plant’s EV Production at the Worst Possible Time

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

The American EV industry continues to shrink, even while gas prices soar.

Melania Trump denies ‘relationship’ with Jeffrey Epstein

Al Jazeera English

First Lady Melania Trump denied any relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Immigrant advocates in North Carolina say family was deported without due process

Armando Garcia, Abcnews.com

Immigrant advocates in North Carolina are calling for justice after they say two children and their parents were swiftly deported to Honduras without due process.

US First Lady Melania Trump denies connection to Epstein in rare speech

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Melania calls for Congress to holding survivors' hearing but does not say why she chose to speak on the issue.

“Completely false”: Melania Trump denies any “relationship” to Jeffrey Epstein

Garrett Owen, Salon

The first lady denied allegations that she was introduced to Trump by the late sex criminal.

“Reasonable discussion”: Pentagon denies reports that official threatened Pope Leo

Garrett Owen, Salon

A new report claimed a Pentagon official threatened a representative of the Vatican during a tense meeting.

The First Person Has Been Convicted Under a New US Anti-Deepfake Law

Katelyn Chedraoui, CNET

Backers of the 2025 Take It Down Act said the conviction of an Ohio man for producing sexually explicit images and video is proof that the law "has teeth."

The Forever Spoiler: Netanyahu Has Been Blowing Up Diplomacy With Iran for Decades

Jamal Abdi, The Intercept

Israel’s vicious attack on Lebanon emerged as the biggest threat to the Iran ceasefire. That might be intentional. The post The Forever Spoiler: Netanyahu Has Been Blowing Up Diplomacy With Iran for Decades appeared first on The Intercept.

Melania Trump declares 'I am not Epstein's victim'

Nicholas Kerr, Abcnews.com

The first lady made a statement to the media at the White House.

Saudi Arabia says operational activities halted at several energy sites

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Attacks on energy facilities cause a reduced supply and slow recovery, a Saudi official tells state news agency.

Pete Hegseth preaches “maximum lethality.” What has that meant in Iran?

Ariana Aspuru, Sean Rameswaram, Vox

Even before the Trump administration went to war with Iran, it was talking differently about its approach to combat.  President Donald Trump relabeled the Department of Defense to something more in line with his values: the Department of War. His Defense secr…

US has let in 4,499 refugees since October - all but three were South African

BBC News

Trump has given priority to Afrikaners, a white minority group he says is being persecuted. South Africa has objected to his characterisation.

US fertility rate drops to all-time low, continuing a two-decade decline

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The United States fertility rate has now been in decline for two decades, dropping nearly 23 percent since 2007.

US led ‘historic’ foreign aid decline in 2025 amid Trump cuts: OECD

Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English

A forum of top economies in Europe and Americas says aid from members declined 23 percent as humanitarian needs grow.

WATCH: Melania Trump speaks at White House: ‘I've never been friends with Epstein’

ABC News, Abcnews.com

“I have never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity,” the first lady said in a televised statement from the White House.

The Trump Regime Really Wants You to Know About Its Cool Secret Agent Gadgets

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

But are they real?

What to know about changes to the US military draft registration

Ryan Pickrell, Business Insider

The US Selective Service registration process is changing to automatic enrollment. The agency says the move aims to streamline registration.

Iran says it ‘would be dumb’ for US to let Netanyahu kill diplomacy

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

In an implicit response to JD Vance, Iran's Abbas Araghchi warns of the repercussions of Israel's attacks on Lebanon.

‘Not some piece of ice’: Greenland hits back at Trump insult

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

PM Nielsen calls Greenland a proud nation seeking to maintain global order, after US president calls it 'piece of ice'.

Reasons to be Hopeful in Iran

Arash Azizi, The Atlantic

How a deal could change the country for the better.

Iran Thinks It’s Winning the War — as Trump Looks for a Way Out

Ryan Bort, Rolling Stone

Despite the chest-thumping declarations of victory from Washington and Tehran, there are only losers in this war — which may be far from over

US Democrats warn Trump that Iran ceasefire must apply to Lebanon

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Democratic lawmakers tell White House that allowing Israel to continue to bomb Lebanon could reignite the regional war.

Hawaii at risk of flooding, while dry conditions raise fire danger in the Northeast

Kenton Gewecke, Bill Hutchinson, Abcnews.com

Amid red-flag fire danger alerts issued for parts of New York and a forecast of potential flooding for Hawaii, conditions are a go for the Artemis II splashdown.

IMF warns of looming inflation crisis on back of US-Israel war on Iran

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The conflict has driven up prices of oil, natural gas, damaged refineries and other energy infrastructure.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer Straight-Up Asks MTG 'Do You Genuinely Believe' Trump Was Going to Kill 'Entire Population' of Iran

Mediaite, Yahoo Entertainment

CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer straight-up asked former Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene Do you genuinely believe that President Donald Trump would have killed Ir...

The Pentagon Threatened Pope Leo XIV's Ambassador with the Avignon Papacy

Christopher Hale, Thelettersfromleo.com

The Free Press has documented a closed-door Pentagon meeting in which a senior Trump official lectured Pope Leo XIV’s ambassador on American military supremacy.

Well, Well, Well, Look Who’s Too Scared to Defund Planned Parenthood Now

Danielle Han, Jezebel

With the GOP likely to lose its trifecta in November, House Speaker Mike Johnson is suddenly not worried about Medicaid money funding what he's called "big abortion."

WATCH: Artemis II reentry is 'riskier' than previous mission: Former astronaut

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Retired NASA astronaut Susan Kilrain discusses the crew's return and what they'll experience once back on Earth.

We have no idea if Iran can still build a bomb

Joshua Keating, Vox

The focus of the US-Iran war — and now the negotiations over the US-Iran ceasefire — has shifted to Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, to such an extent that the main original justification for the war (destroying Iran’s nascent nuclear program) can some…

Ivanka Trump Breaks Down When Talking About Mom’s Horrific Death

Yahoo Entertainment

WATCH: U.S.-Iran ceasefire tested amid conflicting message

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is being tested after Israel launched large-scale attacks across Lebanon on Wednesday.

WATCH: Halloween in April?

ABC News, Abcnews.com

ABC News' Elizabeth Schulze reports on The Home Depot's new releases and why the company says it's never too early.

Tesla is un-canceling its plan to build a smaller, cheaper EV: report

Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge

It looks like a smaller, cheaper Tesla is back on the menu. Today, Reuters is reporting that the electric automaker is calling around to suppliers about building an all-new - that is, not based on the Model 3 or the Model Y - electric SUV that would be more a…

Israeli attacks on Lebanon aimed to undermine ceasefire, critics say

Simon Speakman Cordall, Al Jazeera English

More than 250 people have been killed in a barrage of air strikes on Lebanon since the ceasefire was declared.

Furious President Launches Hunt Over Leaks...

Asawin Suebsaeng, Zeteo.com

A looming blockbuster book by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan of the New York Times has the president raging and demanding scalps, insiders tell Zeteo, even as the Iran ceasefire seems in doubt.

NASA warns 'there's no plan B' as Artemis II crew face most terrifying part of mission...

Reanna Smith, Themirror.com

NASA warns 'there's no plan B' as Artemis II crew face most terrifying part of mission... (Third column, 6th story, link) Related stories:FRIDAY: SPLASHDOWN...

Has Iran’s 10-point plan changed, as JD Vance claims?

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

The proposal fuels uncertainty as US officials offer conflicting interpretations of the plan to permanently end hostilities.

MAGA Media Seems to Have Hit Its Breaking Point Over Iran

Makena Kelly, Wired

"The online right wasn’t supportive and there wasn’t anything that was going to change that," says one person familiar with the Republican influencer pipeline.

A jury is about to decide the fate of Ticketmaster

Lauren Feiner, The Verge

Consumer complaints about Ticketmaster are so voluminous at state attorneys general offices that Pennsylvania's comes with an explicit plea for residents lodging a grievance about the company to be patient for a response. That kind of pressure has driven more…

American Real Estate Invasion: Buying Surge in Spain...

Reuters, Marketscreener.com

Home purchases in Spain by U.S. citizens rose 3% last year, even as total foreign purchases dipped, with real estate agents citing concerns over President Donald Trump's policies as one of the reasons...

'Butts kicked': Republicans reckon with Dem success ahead of midterms...

Scott Bauer, Jeff Amy, Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press

Republicans are facing setbacks in recent elections, with Democrats winning races in Wisconsin and Georgia. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is running for Wisconsin governor and admits Republicans got their "butts kicked." Democrats won a campaign for the Wisconsin Sup…

Trump is reshaping the look of Washington, DC. See some of the changes so far — and what could come next.

Kristine Villarroel, Business Insider

Trump is reshaping Washington, DC, with a $400 million White House ballroom, federal building banners, and new monument proposals.

Inside the Pro-Iran Meme Machine Trolling Trump With AI Lego Cartoons

David Gilbert, Wired

Since the beginning of the Iran war, the group Explosive Media has released over a dozen viral videos mocking Trump and the US.

What is Iran’s Strait of Hormuz protocol and will other nations accept it?

Shola Lawal, Al Jazeera English

Tehran's plans to tax ships passing through the strait and raise money to rebuild is already seeing pushback.

New acting AG plans to operate as Trump’s personal lawyer

Heather Digby Parton, Salon

In his first press conference, Todd Blanche made it clear he would do the president's bidding

US-Iran talks in Pakistan: Who’s attending, what’s on the agenda?

Abid Hussain, Al Jazeera English

Islamabad hosts negotiations as US and Iran seek off-ramp. But deep mistrust and regional tensions threaten talks.

Musk, Bezos, Both Cry To Trump’s FCC In Bid To Dominate Satellite Broadband

Karl Bode, Techdirt

Elon Musk is desperate to dominate the Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband market. So is Jeff Bezos. And now the two billionaires are engaged in proxy fights at Trump’s FCC over who’ll get the honor. Amazon’s LEO offering, Project Leo, is significantly …

WATCH: Gilgo Beach murders: Rex Heuermann admits to killing 8 women

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Accused Gilgo Beach, New York, serial killer Rex Heuermann admitted to the murders of eight women in court on Wednesday as he changed his plea to guilty.

JD Vance Won’t Let Usha Go Skydiving

Danielle Han, Jezebel

In a bizarre analogy about Iran enriching uranium, Vance said that while Usha “has the right to skydive,” she won’t because he doesn’t want his wife jumping out of an airplane. Wow!

So, the 'Open' Strait of Hormuz Lasted for What, 60 Minutes Total?

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

You won't believe this: The Trump administration may not have thought this ceasefire through, and the Strait of Hormuz is still closed.

Melania Trump Says She’s Never Had Botox or Injectables. Here’s Her Beauty Routine, Explained

Holden Desalles, Thoughtcatalog.com

Melania Trump is 55 and turns 56 on April 26. Donald Trump is 79. They have a 24-year age gap. She was discovered as a model at 16 in Slovenia, modeled in Milan and Paris, and moved to New York in …

China Watches Trump Blink

Simon Shuster, The Atlantic

A blockade of Taiwan would hurt the global economy more than Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Why Israel’s attacks on Lebanon could cripple US-Iran ceasefire

Usaid Siddiqui, Al Jazeera English

Ceasefire dispute escalates as US and Israel exclude Lebanon, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

Voting for Trump is costing Latinos their wealth

Chauncey DeVega, Salon

The president assembled a rainbow coalition of rage and resentment to win in 2024. They are now abandoning him

Trump’s race to the moon is about dominance over China, not discovery

Garrett Owen, Salon

Trump wants a geopolitical win in outer space, while cutting millions from NASA

Trump’s administration trying to sell war ‘wins’ to a sceptical US public

Al Jazeera English

Trump’s administration trying to sell war ‘wins’ to a sceptical US public

DOJ Wants to Scrap Watergate-Era Rule That Makes Presidential Records Public

Lauren Harper, The Intercept

Killing the Presidential Records Act would allow private individuals to hold the keys to American history, forever. The post DOJ Wants to Scrap Watergate-Era Rule That Makes Presidential Records Public appeared first on The Intercept.

Morning Brief: Where things stand with Iran

Hamza Shaban, Yahoo Entertainment

A two-week pause on hostilities sent oil back into the mid-90s and stocks up and to the right as the Strait of Hormuz creaked open and ships tried to figure ...

Arizona’s drop in SNAP participation signals potential nationwide impact of Trump legislation

Nicole Santa Cruz, Salon

Following requirements set out in Trump's "big, beautiful bill" has left hundreds of thousands without help.

Trump Is Wishcasting Victory in Iran

Adam Harris, The Atlantic

The president went from threatening that “a whole civilization will die” to claiming a “total and complete victory.” What does the already shaky cease-fire mean as he tries to steer his way out of the war?

An Interview with New York Times CEO Meredith Kopit Levien About Betting on Humans With Expertise

Ben Thompson, Stratechery.com

An interview with New York Times Company CEO Meredith Kopit Levien about human expertise as a moat against Aggregators and AI.

America Has Lost the Arab World

Amaney A. Jamal, Michael Robbins, Foreign Affairs

Wars in Gaza, Iran, and elsewhere have sunk Washington’s reputation—maybe for good.

The war on Iran: Nobody won, everyone paid

Mahjoob Zweiri, Al Jazeera English

The US-Israeli campaign has failed to achieve its goals. Iran has been badly hit, and the Gulf is paying the bill too.

1979 Is the Year That Explains Donald Trump

Jonathan Lemire, Isabel Ruehl, The Atlantic

And pretty much all of the 1980s do too.

The Democrats Don’t Know Who They’ll Be in 2028. Michigan May Offer an Answer.

Jonah Valdez, The Intercept

The outrage over Abdul El-Sayed’s appearance with Hasan Piker reveals a schism that runs deeper than his Senate primary race against Mallory McMorrow. The post The Democrats Don’t Know Who They’ll Be in 2028. Michigan May Offer an Answer. appeared first on Th…

Iran has been bloodied, but it is winning against the US-Israel axis

Andrew Mitrovica, Al Jazeera English

The US and Israel thought they could decimate Iran. But Iran's survival - despite massive human costs - is a victory.

Trump says US forces to stay near Iran, ready for ‘next conquest’

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

US threats against Iran and ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon cast doubt on fragile ceasefire efforts.

Iran war day 41: What’s happening in Lebanon, Middle East and beyond?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Lebanon has declared a national day of mourning after Israeli attacks killed at least 254 people in a single day.

For Gulf states, Hormuz uncertainty casts shadow over fragile US-Iran truce

Virginia Pietromarchi, Al Jazeera English

Experts say Gulf states are wary of the US agreeing to a deal that gives Iran leverage over vital energy route.

North Korea says its latest weapons tests included missiles with cluster-bomb warheads

The Associated Press, NPR

North Korea said its testing spree this week involved various new weapons systems, including ballistic missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads, as it pushes to expand nuclear-capable forces.

Trump slams NATO over Iran after meeting Rutte, renews Greenland threat

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

US president meets NATO chief, expresses disappointment over member states failing to back war on Iran.

Trump administration orders dismantling of the U.S. Forest Service

Hatchmag.com

Late Tuesday afternoon, with the subtlety of a wrecking ball and the morality of a foreclosure notice, the Trump administration announced the most devastating attack on the U.S. Forest Service in the agency’s 121-year history. Not a budget cut. Not a policy s…

The surprising truth about logging

Benji Jones, Vox

The value of forest ecosystems is hard to overstate. Blanketing roughly a third of the US, they supply clean water and air, absorb planet-warming carbon dioxide, and provide homes for imperiled wildlife and a tranquil place for Americans to hunt and fish. It’…