Trump News for Sunday, April 19, 2026

Outrage after photo shows Israeli soldier smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Social media users condemn Western silence on attacks on religious symbols and sites by Israeli soldiers and settlers.

US military seized Iranian-flagged container ship, Trump says

Express Global Desk, The Indian Express

Trump says cargo ship tried to get past US naval blockade near strait of Hormuz ‘and it did not go well for them’

What Drives the Administration’s Trend GDP Forecast?

Menzie Chinn, Econbrowser.com

Consider this graph, comparing the Administration’s forecast to the latest WSJ forecast, and an error correction model incorporating Census population forecast. Figure 1: Reported GDP (bold black), Administration’s forecast (red squares), WSJ April survey mea…

Rumor claims Trump's mom once called him an 'idiot' who'd be 'disaster' in politics. There's no proof

Caroline Wazer, Snopes.com

A screenshot that has circulated online for years shows the purported quote under a picture of Donald Trump and his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump.

Oil prices jump amid renewed tensions over the Strait of Hormuz

Steve Kopack, NBC News

The price of oil jumped sharply and stock futures tumbled Sunday evening as traders digested renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran over the critical Strait of Hormuz.U.S.

Oil prices climb as US-Iran peace talks stall

Lauren Edmonds, Business Insider

Brent crude oil futures rose by 7% when markets opened Sunday night amid signs the US-Iran peace talks had stalled.

Justice Department demands Michigan county turn over 2024 ballots

Gary Grumbach , Raquel Coronell Uribe, NBC News

The Justice Department has demanded that Wayne County, Michigan, turn over all ballots from the November 2024 election, another escalation in the Trump administration’s voting inquiries.

Trump Says U.S. Navy Intercepted Iranian Ship, Blew a 'Hole in the Engine Room' Amid Ongoing Blockade

Just Jared

President Donald Trump is giving an update amid the ongoing blockade near the Strait of Hormuz. The 79-year-old President of the United States revealed on his Truth Social account that the U.S. Navy intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on Sunday (April 1…

Middle East Troops Report Food Rationing, Low Morale As USPS Halts Delivery

NewsHound Ellen, Crooksandliars.com

We can chalk up food scarcity and depleted hygiene supplies as yet another fiasco to come out of Donald Trump’s disastrous war with Iran. Reporting from USA Today cites several family members of troops who were told of food and other shortages by their relati…

Canadian PM says close economic ties with US have become a ‘weakness’

Brian Osgood, Al Jazeera English

Mark Carney says Canada must build economic ties with other countries amid shifting relationship with the United States.

Lebanese people displaced by Israeli strikes return to what's left of their homes

Freddie Clayton, Zoya Awky, NBC News

“My house is demolished.”Imad Komeyha and his family spent 12 hours traveling from northern Lebanon back to Kfar Sir, a village in the south, only to find their house in ruins, laid to waste amid Israeli airstrikes

Trump says US seized Iran-flagged ship trying to get past Hormuz blockade

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

US president says his country's ​forces ⁠stopped cargo ⁠ship Touska by 'blowing a hole' in ‌its engine room.

Ceasefire Day 12: Trump Threatens Iran’s Civilian Infrastructure

Harrison Berger, The American Conservative

State of the Union: Israel continued to violate the ceasefire in Lebanon with mass demolitions The post Ceasefire Day 12: Trump Threatens Iran’s Civilian Infrastructure appeared first on The American Conservative.

MAGA Is Winning Its War Against U.S. Science

Paul Krugman, Substack.com

When a political movement believes that ignorance is strength

Donald's Pope Lies Are A One-Way Ticket To Hell

Chris capper Liebenthal, Crooksandliars.com

CNN's Kaitlan Collins questioned Trump about his feud with Pope Leo XIV. Like a little boy trying to stay out of trouble, Trump kept making up bullshit about the pope: No, no, I don't. I have to do what's right. The Pope has to understand that. Very simple. I…

The Supreme Court Ruled Against 'Informal Censorship' 6 Decades Ago but Officials Are Still Jawboning

Jacob Sullum, Reason

The Court's 1963 ruling in Bantam Books v. Sullivan is freshly relevant in light of recent efforts to restrict speech through government intimidation.

Previewing Consensus' Policy Summit: State of Crypto

Nikhilesh De, CoinDesk

Every year policy discussions get more important, and this year's even more so.

Cenovus Energy (CVE) – Among the 12 Most Undervalued Natural Gas Stocks to Buy Now

Sultan Khalid, Yahoo Entertainment

Cenovus Energy Inc. (NYSE:CVE) is included among the 12 Most Undervalued Natural Gas Stocks to Buy Now. Cenovus Energy Inc. (NYSE:CVE) is an integrated...

Canada's prime minister says economic ties with US are a weakness that must be corrected

JIM MORRIS, Yahoo Entertainment

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a video address released Sunday that Canada’s strong economic ties to the United States were once a strength but ...

Alex Jones calls on Americans to turn flag upside down...

Reanna Smith, Themirror.com

Alex Jones calls on Americans to turn flag upside down... (First column, 4th story, link) Related stories:Marjorie Taylor Greene Stokes Trump Assassination Plot Rumors... Former MAGA loyalists question president's sanity... IS DON WEAR…

11 US military draft rumors we've inspected

Jack Izzo, Snopes.com

Given uncertainty around the Iran war, we thought it might be a good idea to refresh everyone's memory on the military draft.

Waltz defends Trump’s threat to bomb ‘every single power plant’ in Iran

Nicholas Kerr, Abcnews.com

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended President Donald Trump’s threat to "knock out every single power plant" in Iran on "This Week" on Sunday.

Tucker Carlson's Son Buckley Carlson Exits JD Vance Office Amid Trump Attacks

Just Jared

Tucker Carlson’s son is exiting the JD Vance team. Buckley Carlson has exited the Office of the Vice President amid President Donald Trump‘s personal attacks against his father. Keep reading to find out more… Buckley was working as the deputy press secretary.…

DC cop feted as first gay union head allegedly solicited sex from 15-year-old boy

Chris Nesi, New York Post

The disgraced lieutenant repeatedly mentioned how "Nate'' was "young and inexperienced" during their conversations and asked him if he was a sophomore in high school.

Ibogaine: A Psychedelic Solution to the Opioid Epidemic?

Gail Serruya M.D., Psychology Today

President Trump signs a monumental executive order fast-tracking psychedelics for mental health treatment, and ibogaine is repeatedly highlighted. What is ibogaine?

Trump announces new Iran talks, warns ‘no more Mr. Nice Guy’

RT

The US negotiating team is heading to Pakistan for the next round of Iran peace talks on Monday, President Donald Trump says Read Full Article at RT.com

Trump Threatens More War Crimes After Iran Closes Strait

Heather, Crooksandliars.com

After the supposed deal to keep the Strait of Hormuz open fell apart over the weekend, Trump is back to threatening to commit genocide again. He called his favorite stenographer at Fox, Trey Yingst, who reported this after speaking to Trump this Sunday mornin…

FBI's Kash Patel Threatens Arrests For Trump's Big Voter Fraud Lie

John Amato, Crooksandliars.com

FBI director Kash Patel told Fox's Maria Bartiromo that he is continuing to investigate Trump's lies and unfounded election fraud accusations of 2020, and promises he has the information to prosecute and will be making arrests anytime now. This was the main r…

Tucker Carlson’s son exits JD Vance’s press team amid escalating feud between dad, Trump

Ryan King, New York Post

"I’ve always liked Trump and still feel sorry for him, as I do for all slaves," Tucker said earlier this month.

Satellite images reveal Israel expanding Gaza military sites

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Images show Israel building permanent military bases in Gaza as US-backed reconstruction plans stall.

MAGA lost big in Hungary — but the battle for Europe isn’t over

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon

Donald Trump has turned toxic and Viktor Orbán is toast. But the authoritarian threat isn't going away

Israel attacks three nations for alleged backing of Iran

RT

Israel’s UN envoy questioned France, China and Pakistan over the Strait of Hormuz as their vessels reportedly passed despite Iran’s blockade Read Full Article at RT.com

Trump’s Audacity Level: Suing The IRS For $10B Because His Tax Dodging Went Public

Conover Kennard, Crooksandliars.com

Donald J. Trump — the guy who spent years screaming “I’m under audit!” like a broken record while refusing to release his own tax returns — is now suing the IRS for $10 billion (that’s taxpayer money, you guys, our money) because some contractor leaked his re…

Colombian leader warns US of Latin American ‘rebellion’

RT

The US should rethink its approach to Latin America, or face pushback over its colonial policies, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro has warned

Trump tells ABC News peace agreement for Iran 'will happen one way or another'

Jonathan Karl, Abcnews.com

President Donald Trump spoke on Sunday to ABC News' Jonathan Karl.

Trump Still Pushing His Worthless 'Great Healthcare Plan'

Heather, Crooksandliars.com

Trump made an appearance at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix this weekend, and told the audience this: TRUMP: We will pass the great healthcare plan. We call it the great healthcare plan to stop all payments to big insurance companies and give the money.…

Trump's 'America First' Hits Sour Note With Ohio Workers

Chris capper Liebenthal, Crooksandliars.com

Conn Selmer, of Eastlake, Ohio, is America's biggest manufacturer of band instruments. Its owner, John Paulson, stood with Trump and helped him raise over $50 million. He even echoed Trump's false promises about putting America first, saying, "We can't have A…

What to know about US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Trump accuses Iran of violating the ceasefire as he announces plans to send US negotiators to Pakistan for more talks.

Trump says US-Iran peace talks will resume in Pakistan on Monday

Tristan Anthony, Business Insider

Peace talks to end the US-Iran war will resume on Monday in Pakistan, President Donald Trump has announced.

Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK): David Einhorn Remains Bullish on This Stock

Usman Kabir, Yahoo Entertainment

Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK) is featured on the David Einhorn Stock Portfolio: Top 10 Stock Picks. Graphic Packaging Holding Company...

Kash Patel Threatens To Sue The Atlantic Over Article Exposing His Drinking Problem

Heather, Crooksandliars.com

As we discussed here, "The Atlantic came out with a big, juicy exposé of Kash Patel’s unfitness Friday evening. The good news is that according to the article, senior members of the Trump administration “are already discussing who might replace him.” Now Pate…

Guest Contribution: “Is a Natural Resource Curse Crowding Out US Renewable Energy?”

Menzie Chinn, Econbrowser.com

Today, we present a guest post written by Jeffrey Frankel, Harpel Professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and formerly a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. A shorter version was published in Project Syndicate.  Thanks are due…

How the death of middlebrow culture led to Trump’s barbarism

Mike Lofgren, Salon

All the cool people hated middle-class suburban culture — but it looks a lot better compared to what came next

How Iranians View the War: ‘We Are All Exhausted’

Ryan Bort, Rolling Stone

The future is uncertain for Iranians caught in the middle of a conflict between forces that seem indifferent about their welfare

Iran war: 10 frequently used words and their meanings

Alma Milisic, Al Jazeera English

The US-Israel war on Iran nears two months. We break down some of the frequently used terminology in this war.

U.S.-Iran ceasefire expires this week with no deal in sight

NPR Staff, NPR

After briefly reopening the vital economic waterway, Iran has again closed the Strait of Hormuz, saying it will restrict ships from passing through as long as the U.S. continues its blockade.

The California Governor’s Race Is a Debacle

Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic

The capital of Blue America can’t find a Democrat to lead it.

Asking the Wrong Questions About Hasan Piker

Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic

The problem isn’t whether to engage with influencers, but how to.

Clarence Thomas’ attack on progressivism should alarm you

Heather Digby Parton, Salon

In a speech celebrating America's 250th, the Supreme Court justice gave a dishonest and dangerous read of history

Changes in the system prompt between Claude Opus 4.6 and 4.7

Simon Willison, Simonwillison.net

Anthropic are the only major AI lab to publish the system prompts for their user-facing chat systems. Their system prompt archive now dates all the way back to Claude 3 …

How working-class white Southerners can help defeat MAGA

Beth Howard, Salon

Rural whites can be fierce fighters for economic and racial justice — if they are welcomed by progressives

Just How Badly Could Republicans Lose the Midterms?

Ed Kilgore, New York Magazine

A more limited landscape for Democratic gains and an unshakable MAGA base both put limits on Republican midterm losses despite all the problems facing that party and an unpopular president.

Politics is shaken by a new wave of #MeToo reckonings

Grace Panetta, Salon

Eric Swalwell's downfall is driving a renewed focus on sexual misconduct and abuse in Washington.

Trump and FIFA Have Already Broken the 2026 World Cup

Alex Shephard, The New Republic

Take a random moment from Trump’s second term—his inauguration, a state visit to the Middle East, a meeting of the preposterous “Board of Peace,” even just a random day when cameras are allowed into the Oval Office—and there is a decent chance that Gianni Inf…

Iran war: What is happening on day 51 of the US-Iran conflict?

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Tehran will keep the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed until Washington ends the blockade of Iranian ports.

War Games

Jake Nevins, The New York Review of Books

At the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympics, held simultaneously at venues in Milan, Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo, the notion of the games as an occasion for international peace took the form of armonia, or “harmony” in Italian. It was a quality exhibited mo…

Iran, US still ‘far’ from breakthrough amid Strait of Hormuz impasse

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Tehran is 'fully prepared' for the US to resume hostilities at any moment, says Iran's parliament speaker Ghalibaf.

‘It’s more shouting’: Finland’s president says he’s not exactly a ‘Trump whisperer’

CBC News

Finnish President Alexander Stubb sat down with CBC News chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton to talk about trade, his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO’s role in a shifting global order.

Trump says US negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday for talks with Iran

Yahoo Entertainment

Iran Fires on Merchant Ships, Closing Hormuz again to Protest US Blockade

Juan Cole, Juancole.com

Then Trump shot his mouth off and announced that even though Iran might be opening the Strait, the US would continue to blockade Iranian ships

Gallipoli has 4 Lessons for the Strait of Hormuz Crisis

The Conversation, Juancole.com

British decision-makers underestimated Turkish defences and ignored intelligence. Turkish forces had set about reinforcing heavy artillery

The Final Chapter of the Unipolar Moment

Sumantra Maitra, The American Conservative

All things pass, but the Iran War is hastening the process. The post The Final Chapter of the Unipolar Moment appeared first on The American Conservative.

US delegation presses Cuba to transition to market economy – media

RT

US officials have pressed Cuba to move toward a market economy during a rare trip to Havana Read Full Article at RT.com

Did Trump cancel Pride Month? Here's the truth

Joey Esposito, Snopes.com

A video shows U.S. President Donald Trump declaring that Pride Month is canceled and will be replaced with "Confidence Month."

CNN's Harry Enten Delivers Bad News To Trump On His Suburban Voters

John Amato, Crooksandliars.com

After Progressive activist and organizer Analilia Mejia soundly defeated her Republican opponent in the special election for New Jersey's 11th seat, CNN's Harry Enten showed more bad polling for Trump, who is now massively underwater with another important vo…

North Korea launches ballistic missiles towards sea off its east coast

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Multiple ballistic missiles fired from eastern Sinpo area in seventh such test this year.

Ron Johnson: If Iranians Had Guns, They Wouldn't Nuke Us!

Chris capper Liebenthal, Crooksandliars.com

During a hearing about the Trumpstein-Iran war, Sen Ron Johnson started trolling legal expert Stephen Vladeck. All RoJo accomplished was to show himself to be the blithering idiot that he is. Keep in mind that this hearing was about whether Trump had the lega…