Top Items:
Axios:
Trump mulls risky Kharg Island takeover to force Iran to open strait — The Trump administration is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, four sources with knowledge of the issue tell Axios. … In the meantime, global energy prices are surging.
Discussion:
Wide World of News, New York Times, NewsMax.com and NPR
RELATED:
Financial Times:
Iran sets its price to end the war — Islamic regime is digging in for a protracted conflict as it seeks to ensure the US and Israel will not attack again — Donald Trump has said the US's war with Iran will end when he decides — when, as he put it, “I feel it, feel it in my bones”.
David E. Sanger / New York Times:
Trump's Complaint About Israeli Strike on Gas Field Exposes Divergent Strategies
Discussion:
Raw Story, Metro.co.uk, UPI, Associated Press, Semafor, Daily Mail, WISH-TV, Jewish Insider and The Guardian
Bloomberg:
Iran Leaves an Isolated Trump Grappling With Historic Oil Crisis
Iran Leaves an Isolated Trump Grappling With Historic Oil Crisis
Discussion:
New York Times, France 24, Politico, Fortune and NewsMax.com
Politico:
Strike on key Iranian gas field is a new phase of the war. Trump blames Israel.
Strike on key Iranian gas field is a new phase of the war. Trump blames Israel.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Modern Diplomacy, Associated Press, Reuters, GB News, NBC News, Daily Mail, New York Post, GZERO, Council on Foreign Relations, Mediaite, Los Angeles Times, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, The Gateway Pundit, KEYT-TV, New York Times, The Times of Israel, Middle East Monitor, The Week, Florida Politics, NPR and France 24
Scott Waldman / Politico:
Trump is poised to take Iran's Kharg Island. Here's what could unfold next.
Trump is poised to take Iran's Kharg Island. Here's what could unfold next.
Discussion:
Axios, The Hill and Responsible Statecraft
Darlene Superville / Associated Press:
US Mint can begin producing Trump commemorative gold coin after arts commission approves design — A federal arts commission on Thursday approved the final design for a 24-karat gold commemorative coin bearing President Donald Trump's image to help celebrate America's 250th birthday on July 4.
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, Reuters, The Independent, CNN, ABC News, Newsweek, Raw Story, Al Jazeera, The Hill, Washington Examiner, New Republic and New York Sun
RELATED:
Julianne McShane / MS NOW:
Fine arts panel urges Mint to make Trump gold coin ‘as large as possible’
Fine arts panel urges Mint to make Trump gold coin ‘as large as possible’
Discussion:
New York Post, NBC News and Washington Post
Richard Rubin / Wall Street Journal:
Trump Gold Coin Moves Forward
Trump Gold Coin Moves Forward
Discussion:
New York Times, Forbes and Newsweek
Marc Caputo / Axios:
James Comey subpoenaed in alleged “grand conspiracy” against Trump — Former FBI Director James Comey has been subpoenaed in the wide-ranging “grand conspiracy” case against the ex-officials who investigated and prosecuted President Trump, two sources with knowledge of the situation tell Axios.
RELATED:
Ryan J. Reilly / NBC News:
James Comey subpoenaed in Trump-appointed prosecutor's ‘grand conspiracy’ probe
James Comey subpoenaed in Trump-appointed prosecutor's ‘grand conspiracy’ probe
Discussion:
The Dispatch, Politico, Reuters, Townhall and Democracy Docket
Peter Nicholas / NBC News:
Father of service member killed in Iran war said he never told Pete Hegseth to ‘finish’ the job — Hegseth said “family after family” of service members killed urged the administration to “not stop until the job is done.” President Donald Trump made a similar claim earlier this month.
Discussion:
The Independent, New York Post, TMZ.com, Daily Mail, Fox News, Mediaite, The Daily Wire, The Floridian and Washington Examiner
Evan Mealins / The Tennessean:
Arrested Nashville journalist released from ICE custody on bond — Estefany Rodriguez, a Nashville Noticias journalist whose March 4 arrest drew nationwide attention, has been released from custody while the deportation case against her proceeds, according to an immigrants' rights group.
Discussion:
New York Times, Reuters, KEYT-TV and Scripps News
RELATED:
Mikeie Honda Reiland / Nashville Banner:
Nashville Journalist Estefany Rodríguez Released from Louisiana Detention Facility
Tom Schaller / Public Notice:
House Republicans are heading for the exits — The writing is on the wall ahead of the midterms. — PN is supported by paid subscribers. Become one ⬇️ — 📜 Subscribe to PN 📜 — Earlier this month, four more Republicans announced their pending retirements …
RELATED:
Scott Bauer / Associated Press:
Second top Republican retires in battleground Wisconsin, fueling Democratic hopes
Discussion:
Wisconsin Examiner
Financial Times:
Denmark was ready to blow up Greenland runways if US invaded — Danish soldiers sent to Arctic island in January were also given blood supplies in case of combat — The Danish military sent explosives and blood supplies to Greenland in January as part of contingency planning for a US attack …
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Bluesky announces $100M Series B after CEO transition — Social network Bluesky is gearing up for big changes with today's news that the company raised $100 million in Series B funding. The round, led by Bain Capital Crypto, was closed in April 2025 but had not been disclosed until now.
Discussion:
Bluesky and GeekWire, more at Techmeme »
Sophie Brams / The Hill:
TSA official: Airport security problem ‘going to get worse before it gets better’ — A senior Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official warned Thursday that the growing backlog at airport security checkpoints nationwide is likely “going to get worse before it gets better” …
Discussion:
Politico, NewsMax.com, Al Jazeera, Forbes, The Post Millennial, Reason and ABC News
Politico:
Republicans balk at going it alone on Iran war funding … “It's such a contortion to make things fit in reconciliation that there's probably a preference for regular order,” Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said in an interview. — The fresh doubts come on top …
Discussion:
Axios, CNN, Forbes and New Republic
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Told Inner Circle Some Mass Deportation Policies Went Too Far — President directs a new approach as some advisers believe immigration is no longer as strong a political issue for Trump — WASHINGTON—President Trump is seeking to lower the profile of his mass deportation effort …
Discussion:
The Independent, Raw Story, Newsweek and Washington Post
TMZ.com:
Chuck Norris Hospitalized After Medical Emergency — EXCLUSIVE — Chuck Norris has been hospitalized in Hawaii ... TMZ has learned. — Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... some medical emergency occurred in the last 24 hours on the island of Kauai that landed Chuck in the hospital.
Discussion:
twitchy.com, RedState, Breitbart, Washington Times, The Gateway Pundit, Page Six, The Post Millennial, Daily Mail, IJR, The Daily Caller, The US Sun, WNYW-TV and Not the Bee
Catherine Rampell / The Bulwark:
The Worst-Case Economic Outcome of Trump's Iran War — THE IRAN WAR HAS BROUGHT the dreaded r-word—recession—back into play amid a deeply fractured global energy market. To be clear, a massive downturn is not inevitable, nor can we even say it's more likely than not.
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, Raw Story, The Independent, Associated Press and The Atlantic
Tiffany Stanley / Associated Press:
Pete Hegseth's Christian rhetoric draws renewed scrutiny after the US goes to war with Iran — Since becoming defense secretary, Pete Hegseth has found no shortage of ways to bring his strand of conservative evangelicalism into the Pentagon. He hosts monthly Christian worship services for employees.
Discussion:
twitchy.com
Amy Harmon / New York Times:
Judge Rules That R.F.K. Jr. Overstepped on Transgender Care — The ruling provides temporary relief for 21 states seeking to stop the Trump administration from ending federal funding to hospitals that provide gender-transition care. — A federal judge in Oregon ruled on Thursday …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Politico, PinkNews, WKZO, NewsMax.com and STAT
CBS News:
People of Twin Cities awarded JFK Profile in Courage Award over resistance to ICE surge — Add CBS News on Google — The people of Minneapolis-St. Paul are being honored with a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for their response to the federal immigration enforcement operation this winter …
Discussion:
Daily Kos, The Hill, MPR News and FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
Fox News:
Sarah Sanders flipped off, kicked out of restaurant that claims employees were ‘uncomfortable’ — Both Sanders and the restaurant released statements about the incident — Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is speaking out over an incident in a restaurant in her home state …
Discussion:
RedState and The Independent
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
U.S. War Planes and Helicopters Kick Off Battle to Reopen Hormuz — Effort takes on new urgency nearly three weeks into the war with Iran as oil prices soar
Discussion:
Semafor
Reed Abelson / New York Times:
How New Mexico Became an Obamacare Success Story — Affordable Care Act enrollment has dropped across the United States since the enhanced federal subsidies expired. But New Mexico has record numbers of people signing up. — When Congress did not extend the Obamacare subsidies …
Discussion:
The Hill and Wall Street Journal
Punchbowl News:
3/20/26☀️ AM: … Everyone in the House Republican Conference is publicly confident that the GOP will keep the majority despite the many problems they face, including the Iran war. But privately, the candid assessment is much more grim — Republicans are likely to lose their razor-thin majority.
Steven Beynon / ABC News:
Pentagon plans to keep National Guard in DC into 2029, 2 US officials say — The plan is awaiting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's final approval. — Members of the National Guard respond to reports of a bomb threat near One Franklin Square on March 13, 2026, in Washington …
Discussion:
Washingtonian, DVIDS and The Independent
Bloomberg:
An Underdog Trump Ally in Latin America Becomes an Investor Magnet — Entrepreneurs flock to Paraguay from across the region as sleek towers rise above the once-sleepy capital and its conservative president cozies up to the US. — Wedged between South American heavyweights Argentina and Brazil …
Joshua Goodman / Associated Press:
Trade with Cuba collapses as Trump escalates pressure on Communist Party leadership — (NASA's Black Marble; AP Animation/Marshall Ritzel) — The Cuban Communist Party has shown an astonishing resilience over six decades in power. Whether it's the United States trade embargo …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, New York Times, Semafor, Bloomberg, Breitbart and WFMD AM
Alan Feuer / New York Times:
Lawsuit Accuses Justice Dept. Leadership of ‘Political Retribution’ — The suit filed by two fired F.B.I. agents aimed to hold the Trump administration accountable for the purge of personnel who had worked on the investigations of Mr. Trump or his allies. — Two former F.B.I. agents fired …
Discussion:
WKZO, Washington Examiner, Bloomberg, Associated Press and Newsweek
Axios:
White House eyes Friday rollout for AI framework — The White House is expected to send Congress its ideas for regulating AI on Friday, sources familiar with the matter told Axios, but policy disagreements on the Hill are far from resolved. … - Those include how to protect children online …
Discussion:
The Daily Signal and The Dispatch, more at Techmeme »
US Department of Justice:
Justice Department Disrupts Iranian Cyber Enabled Psychological Operations — For Immediate Release — A Court-Authorized Domain Seizure Removes Four Websites Facilitating the Islamic Republic of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security's Hacking Efforts Tied to Psychological Operations and Transnational Repression
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Axios, CBS News, NewsMax.com and NBC News

