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.

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

A top FEMA official has history of violent rhetoric and said he once teleported to Waffle House  —  Federal agencies Fighting disinformation Election security Media  —  As millions of Americans braced for a series of brutal storms this winter, the senior official in charge …

U.S. Prosecutors Investigate Colombia's President, a Onetime Trump Foe  —  The Justice Department is examining whether President Gustavo Petro of Colombia has ties to drug traffickers.  —  President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, who has had a volatile relationship with President Trump …

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 …

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.

The Trump Administration Is Turning the U.S. Census on Its Head  —  The changes could cloud the government's understanding of what the United States population looks like and the resources it needs.  — Copy  —  The 2030 U.S. census is poised to look very different than the one released in 2020.

As Trump Demands Voter Data, This Fiercely Independent Red State Says No  —  States were on notice from the U.S. Department of Justice that if they didn't fall in line, the federal government would force them into compliance.  —  It wasn't President Donald Trump's administration applying pressure.

Saudi Arabia Sees a Spike to $180 Oil if Energy Shock Persists Past April  —  Prices at such a level could trigger a recession or consumer changes that crush demand  —  Saudi Arabia's oil officials are working frantically to project how high oil prices might go if the Iran war and its disruption …

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.

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 …

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.

An immigration court few have heard of is quietly shaping policy behind the scenes  —  The Trump administration has reshaped a lesser-known corner of the Justice Department to set immigration policy and escalate mass detentions and deportations.  —  An administrative court known as the Board …

March 19, 2026  —  After yesterday's revelation that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is blocking the release of a memo related to a Drug Enforcement Agency investigation into sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and 14 co-conspirators, Attorney General Pam Bondi added more evidence to the idea …

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 …

House Republicans are heading for the exits  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  📜 Subscribe to PN 📜  —  Earlier this month, four more Republicans announced their pending retirements from the House of Representatives: Darrell Issa …

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 …

Trump Announces Extended 4-Day Weekend in Palm Beach  —  Trump will enjoy the amenities of his Mar-a-Lago resort as prices continue to rise  —  The White House announced that Donald Trump will depart Friday afternoon for another extended trip to Palm Beach, marking a four-day stretch away from Washington.

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 …

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.

Scoop: Moderate Senate Dems endorse Stevens in divisive Michigan primary  —  ModSquad, a group of nearly a dozen moderate Senate Democrats, is endorsing Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan's Democratic primary, Axios has learned. … - Honorary ModSquad, Sen. Chair Catherine Cortez Masto …

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.

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.

Oil rises to $110.  Goldman Sachs says we'll be in the triple digits for years  —  Your tax refund is likely bigger this year.  But Trump's war with Iran could take a bite out of it  —  America started a war.  The economic pain will be borne by countries that never asked for it  —  Hot Stocks

ICE Released Hundreds of Children from Immigration Detention  —  About 50 children were in federal detention in Dilley, Texas this week, down from about 500 in January.  It is unclear how many were deported, but some are back at their U.S. schools.  —  The number of children being held …

The pain from the Strait of Hormuz crisis will be felt far beyond the pump  —  The gas prices are unmissable.  —  Since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, Brent crude oil has surged past $100 a barrel for the first time in four years, briefly topping $119 on March 19.

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.

Scenes from the Death of the Pax Americana  —  No real post today.  I don't have it in me.  Just a few scenes from the accelerating collapse in America's reputation and influence.  —  Item: The Danish Broadcasting Corporation, roughly speaking Denmark's equivalent of the BBC …

New poll: 58% of voters say the war in Iran is a bad use of taxpayer dollars  —  This is a free article for Strength In Numbers, my newsletter on politics, polls, and election data.  If you enjoy it and want to support this type of independent, data-driven political journalism …

What everyday life is like for Iranians right now  —  The war in Iran will enter its fourth week on Saturday, with no real end in sight.  The Pentagon is reportedly requesting $200 billion to fund the ongoing military operation, even as it unsettles the world economy.