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March 16, 2026
Trump Claims 'Absolute Right' to Impose Tariffs as He Rages Against Courts in 950-Word Late Night Truth Social Tirade
(Mediaite) President Donald Trump launched a late-night attack on the U.S. Supreme Court and the “politicized” judiciary more generally on Sunday, insisting he retains “the absolute right” to impose tariffs despite a major ruling that struck down large parts of his administration’s trade policy. In a Truth Social screed approaching 1,000 words, the president accused the court of “hurting” the country and insisted his administration would pursue alternative legal routes to continue imposing import duties.
Go to discussionTrump says that he's asked 'about 7' countries to join coalition to police Iran's Strait of Hormuz
(AP) President Donald Trump said Sunday that he has demanded about seven countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but his appeals have brought no commitments as oil prices soar during the Iran war. The president declined to name the countries heavily reliant on Middle East crude that the administration is negotiating with to join a coalition to police the waterway where about one-fifth the world’s traded oil normally flows.
Go to discussionUS Allies Wary of Joining Trump's Strait of Hormuz Mission
(Bloomberg) US allies deflected President Donald Trump’s demands to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, expressing unease about getting pulled into the war in Iran. In Brussels, European Union foreign ministers stressed that they did not want to escalate the war, treading cautiously about even redirecting an existing Red Sea naval mission to the vital passage for energy shipments. In Japan, officials said there were no plans to dispatch ships to escort stalled tankers. The UK similarly wouldn’t commit to a full naval mission.
Go to discussionTrump was told before his war that Iran could and most likely would shut down the Strait of Hormuz
(Times of Israel) US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine warned President Donald Trump before the United States entered the war with Iran that Tehran could try to close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. Caine told the president in several briefings that US officials had long believed Iran might attempt to block the critical shipping lane using naval mines, drones and missiles if conflict erupted, according to the report. Trump reportedly acknowledged the risk but decided to move forward with the military campaign.
Go to discussionIranian foreign minister says "we don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans"
(CBS News) Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that "we don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans" as President Trump has claimed Iran is seeking a deal to end the war between the U.S. and Iran. "We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation," Araghchi said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." As the war entered its third week, Mr. Trump has claimed in recent days that Iran wants to reach a deal.
Go to discussionUS citizens: Trump had no 'backup' plan to help them leave Middle East after Iran strike
(The Guardian) US citizens living in the Middle East say they’re “angry” at the US state department, criticising the Trump administration for having no “backup plan” to help them leave the region in the hours and days after the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. One person, whose family voted for Trump for his anti-war stance, said she felt “betrayed” and what she perceived as the treatment of US citizens as “an afterthought”.
Go to discussionTrump team wants to make it easier for migrants to work on US farms - after targeting them in deportation raids
(The Independent) With deportation raids sending a chill across farm country, the Trump administration wants to make it easier for U.S. farms to hire migrant workers, angering critics across the political spectrum. On January 1, new emergency rules took effect, allowing U.S. farms to hire more workers and pay less in wages for migrants coming in on H-2A temporary labor visas. Speaking during a visit to Louisiana this week, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins framed the changes as a way to help farmers struggling to find U.S. workers in the absence of deeper congressional reforms.
Go to discussionTrump Nemesis Takes Brutal Swipes at CBS and Melania During Oscars
(Daily Beast) Jimmy Kimmel appeared at the Oscars on Sunday, where he made a series of harsh digs at Donald Trump and his wife’s movie Melania. “Oh man, is he going to be mad his wife wasn’t nominated for this,” Kimmel said, just before presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature. The first lady’s vanity documentary was skewered by critics just before it made its underwhelming box office run, during which it made only a fraction of its cost to make. The late-night host had more burns in his arsenal when he presented the award for Best Documentary Short.
Go to discussionNewsom says he'll run for president if Democrats win back the House
(My San Antonio) In a bombshell admission during the 2026 South by Southwest Conference & Festivals in Austin on Sunday, March 15, California Gov. Gavin Newsom dropped a Texas-sized gauntlet: If the Democratic Party can flip the House of Representatives during the November 2026 midterm election, he'll run for president in the November 2028 election. The revelation came during an hour-long featured session and live podcast recording with Vivian Tu, host of the personal wealth and financing podcast Networth and Chill.
Go to discussionHegseth ignored military officials when he slashed offices that limit risk to civilians
(Politico) The Defense secretary's decision to cut offices that mitigate civilian harm faces renewed attention as the Pentagon investigates a strike that killed hundreds of Iranian children. Top military officials warned the Pentagon unsuccessfully last year not to gut oversight offices that limit risk to civilian casualties and investigate responsibility for their deaths, such as the recent strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed hundreds of children.
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