Top Items:
Barak Ravid / Axios:
U.S. fighter jet shot down in Iran, search underway for crew — Iran has shot down a U.S. fighter jet, per Iranian media and a source familiar with the incident, and a search and rescue effort is underway to locate two crew. … - The U.S. military and the White House didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Discussion:
CNBC, HotAir, Bloomberg, CBS News, RedState, TMZ.com, The Intercept, The Daily Caller, Zeteo, The National Pulse, Blaze Media, Mediaite, Middle East Monitor, Raw Story, The US Sun, NPR, NewsMax.com, Al Jazeera, Forbes and WTOP News
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Associated Press:
Live updates: Iran launches missiles at Israel and Gulf states as explosions heard around Tehran — EDITED BY VERDA SUBZWARI, BRIAN P. D. HANNON AND HRVOJE HRANJSKI — Israel says it will occupy new positions inside Lebanon in coming days — Israel's military said Friday it will soon …
Discussion:
Reuters, Straight Arrow News, Al Jazeera, Military and Veteran …, Associated Press, NPR, Radio Free Europe/Radio … and New Republic
Associated Press:
Affiliate of Iranian state TV claims a US pilot ejected from their aircraft over southwestern Iran — A local channel of Iranian state television claimed Friday that a U.S. fighter pilot ejected from their aircraft over southwestern Iran. The U.S. did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Discussion:
New York Post, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times and WXIA-TV
BBC:
American fighter jet shot down over Iran, US and Iranian media report — Summary — Iranian media claims the US is searching for one of its pilots after a jet was reportedly downed over Iran - the BBC has contacted US Central Command — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims Israeli strikes …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Military and Veteran … and Metro.co.uk
Agence France-Presse:
Iran War Live Updates: Drone Hits Kuwaiti Oil Refinery in New Attack on Gulf Energy Sites
Discussion:
UPI, The Daily Wire, Lawyers, Guns & Money, WTOP News and The Moderate Voice
CNN:
Exclusive: US intelligence assesses Iran maintains significant missile launching capability, sources say
Exclusive: US intelligence assesses Iran maintains significant missile launching capability, sources say
Tasnim News Agency:
US Effort to Recover Downed Fighter Pilot Fails
US Effort to Recover Downed Fighter Pilot Fails
Discussion:
Politico, The Hill, Ace of Spades HQ and The American Conservative
Eleanor Watson / CBS News:
American fighter jet downed over Iran, 1 crew member rescued, U.S. officials say
American fighter jet downed over Iran, 1 crew member rescued, U.S. officials say
Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Conducting Rescue Operation After Jet Went Down Over Iran
U.S. Conducting Rescue Operation After Jet Went Down Over Iran
Discussion:
CNN, New York Post, Straight Arrow News, New York Magazine, The Guardian, The Floridian and The Gateway Pundit
The Guardian:
US F-15E jet confirmed shot down over Iran as Tehran releases wreckage images
US F-15E jet confirmed shot down over Iran as Tehran releases wreckage images
Discussion:
Air & Space Forces Magazine, Washington Examiner, The War Zone, Breitbart and Daily Mail
Phil Stewart / Reuters:
US fighter jet shot down over Iran, search underway for crew, US official says
US fighter jet shot down over Iran, search underway for crew, US official says
Discussion:
CBS News, Algemeiner.com, WAGA-TV, New Republic and The Gateway Pundit
Yaroslav Trofimov / Wall Street Journal:
Control Over Strait of Hormuz Will Determine Who Wins the War
Control Over Strait of Hormuz Will Determine Who Wins the War
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Hill, France 24, Semafor, Bloomberg, The Times of Israel, Los Angeles Times and New York Times
New York Times:
Pam Bondi Wanted a Graceful Exit. But Trump Wanted Her Gone. — Pam Bondi had a feeling her days as attorney general were numbered. But she didn't expect President Trump to drop the curtain quite so soon. — Attorney General Pam Bondi had a pretty good idea her days were numbered.
Discussion:
Salon, Salt Lake Tribune, CBS News, No More Mister Nice Blog, Reuters, Associated Press, Washington Examiner, Raw Story, The Free Press, America, America, MS NOW, France 24, NOTUS, New Republic, Bloomberg, Newsweek, The Federalist, Advocate, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Al Jazeera, Federal News Network, Reason and NewsMax.com
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Wall Street Journal:
'I Think It's Time': The Inside Story of Pam Bondi's Ouster — The attorney general was always on the ropes but thought she was finally on safer footing. She wasn't. — WASHINGTON—On Wednesday morning, Attorney General Pam Bondi descended the sun-splashed steps of the White House with President Trump …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, WNYW-TV, MS NOW, The Hill, New York Post, Wonkette, The Independent, Raw Story, Just Jared, Mediaite, National Review, Washington Post, NPR and The 19th
The Atlantic:
Trump's Purge May Be Just Beginning
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Dispatch, Raw Story, The US Sun, Blaze Media, The Independent, NewsMax.com, Fox News, MS NOW and Vox
Moira Donegan / The Guardian:
Pam Bondi's firing won't have the effect Trump desires
Pam Bondi's firing won't have the effect Trump desires
Discussion:
MeidasTouch News, Washington Examiner, Robert Reich, MS NOW, Associated Press, Fox News, New York Times, Politico, Mediaite, Washington Post, Raw Story, MercoPress, The Daily Caller, CNBC, Bloomberg, Newsweek, HuffPost, NBC News, TheGrio, The Daily Wire, Palm Beach Post, Metro.co.uk, Scripps News, WAGA-TV, The US Sun, LGBTQ Nation, The Daily Signal, CBS News, Zeteo and Deadline
Dasha Burns / Politico:
Trump weighs more Cabinet changes after Bondi ouster
Trump weighs more Cabinet changes after Bondi ouster
Discussion:
Fox News, New Republic, The Spectator, CBS News, TMZ.com, The Independent, Metro.co.uk, Raw Story, Washington Post, IJR, Newsweek, The Atlantic, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Mediaite, Rolling Stone and The Guardian
Adam Wren / Politico:
The Kamala flex — With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray — Happy Friday.
Kimberly Leonard / Politico:
When the Bond(i) breaks — Presented by Good morning and happy Friday.
When the Bond(i) breaks — Presented by Good morning and happy Friday.
Discussion:
The Hill, Civil Discourse …, Advocate, Raw Story, Washington Examiner, Palm Beach Post and Washington Blade
NBC News:
Hegseth has intervened in military promotions for more than a dozen senior officers — The defense secretary's efforts to block or delay promotions to general or admiral for some officers has raised concerns that he may be targeting them because of race, gender or affiliation with the Biden administration, sources say.
Discussion:
Axios, TheGrio, New Republic, Mediaite, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Eschaton
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New York Times:
Hegseth Fires Army Chief Amid Battle With Its Leaders — Senior Army officers reacted with anger and frustration to news of Gen. Randy George's dismissal, characterizing it as the latest blow to the service. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Gen. Randy George, the Army's chief of staff …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, The Nation, MS NOW, The Japan Times and Newsweek
Garrett Graff / Doomsday Scenario:
The Mythology of Pete Hegseth — The Iran War cheerleader-in-chief embraces a dangerous alternate history of the 21st Century … I didn't begin this week thinking I would be writing about the Iran War, Chuck Norris, and Kid Rock, but one of the “joys” of living through the Trump era …
Tom Nichols / The Atlantic:
Hegseth's War on America's Military
Hegseth's War on America's Military
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, Military Times, The Hill and Raw Story
Jennifer Jacobs / CBS News:
Hegseth ousts Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George
Hegseth ousts Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George
Discussion:
The Hill, Letters from an American, Washington Post, Straight Arrow News, Associated Press, Raw Story, NBC News, Axios, The American Conservative, Military and Veteran …, USA Today, CNN, Breaking Defense, The Daily Wire, MPR News, Los Angeles Times, RedState, Task & Purpose, The Preamble, Defense One, France 24, Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, MS NOW, DefenseScoop, ABC News, Reuters, NOTUS, Politico, The Independent, UPI, NPR, Middle East Monitor and Mediaite
Tony Romm / New York Times:
White House Seeks $1.5 Trillion for Defense in New Budget Request — The massive, proposed increase would be offset in part by steep cuts to domestic programs, some of which the administration describes as wasteful. — With the United States at war with Iran and embroiled in conflicts around the world …
Discussion:
Stars & Stripes, Axios, Washington Post, NOTUS, ABC News, Wall Street Journal, Scripps News, Federal News Network, Forbes, The National Pulse, NPR and New Republic
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Politico:
Trump asks Congress to supersize military budget, slash domestic programs … While calling for a historic increase in the military's budget, the White House is also seeking a 10 percent cut to nondefense spending, with a proposed reduction of $73 billion from federal programs outside the military.
Discussion:
Daily Mail, UPI, Washington Examiner, CBS News and Colorado Politics
New York Times:
Is It Legal to Bully the Supreme Court? — Emily Bazelon: Hi David. I should start on a light and friendly note, I know, but I confess that the birthright citizenship case is making me feel trolled. President Trump began his term with an executive order professing to end the right …
Discussion:
CNN, The Guardian, The Bulwark, The Daily Caller, Reuters and El País
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Reid J. Epstein / New York Times:
Liberal Group Warns That Trump Could Have Two More Supreme Court Picks
Annabella Rosciglione / The Daily Beast:
White House Scrambles to Wipe Trump Meltdown Footage
White House Scrambles to Wipe Trump Meltdown Footage
Discussion:
WTTG-TV, The Moderate Voice, New Republic, The Gateway Pundit, MS NOW, The Hill, MeidasTouch News, Mediaite and Politico
Liliana Segura / The Intercept:
Grandmother Faces Trial in Alabama for Wearing Penis Costume to No Kings Protest — In the body camera footage, a police officer parks his black SUV on the grass, a rosary swinging from the rearview mirror. He exits his car, moves briskly past a pair of protesters, and points an accusatory finger …
CNN:
A new CNN poll reveals how people mad at both parties see the midterms — Americans' views of both the Democratic and Republican parties remain deeply negative, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. And in an election year that may turn on which party voters see as the lesser of two evils …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Newsweek and Grabien
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Matthew Chapman / Raw Story:
GOP governor candidate explodes at Black voter: ‘You should be lynched!’ — A viral clip posted to X on Thursday showed Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback blowing up at a Black voter and telling him he should be “lynched” for asking about the allegations of inappropriate behavior with teenagers.
Discussion:
Tampa Bay Times
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
The bizarre reason Hegseth's right-hand man is spreading damaging rumors about the Secretary of War — WASHINGTON — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's top aide Ricky Buria told colleagues last year that he and his boss donned disguises and went out drinking together — a juicy bit …
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
The six big events that have dragged down Donald Trump's approval rating — Note: This article is free to read, but it was not free to produce. To help grow this newsletter business (doing so incurs costs like paying for polling data and modeling infrastructure, experimenting on biz dev …
Discussion:
New Republic and Slate
Nicole Charky-Chami / Raw Story:
Tiger Woods called Trump between car flip and DUI arrest: report — Golf legend Tiger Woods called President Donald Trump after he flipped his Land Rover, according to body camera footage released by authorities in Jupiter Island, Florida, on Thursday. — In the video, a deputy …
Discussion:
Page Six
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Nicole Acevedo / NBC News:
Evangelicals widely backed Trump. Now pastors denounce his ICE crackdown after it hit their churches. — Amid ICE arrests and detentions, attendance has dropped and churches have closed. “You're deporting the future of American Christianity,” a Latino evangelical leader said.
Jeff Cox / CNBC:
U.S. payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, more than expected; unemployment at 4.3% … The U.S. labor market bounced back in March, with job creation much stronger than expected though the broader picture of a slow-growth labor market held intact. — Nonfarm payrolls rose …
RELATED:
Lydia DePillis / New York Times:
Live Updates: Strong Showing for Job Market in Latest Report
Live Updates: Strong Showing for Job Market in Latest Report
Discussion:
Axios, Politico, The Hill, Washington Examiner, NPR, WJBK-TV, Washington Times, Deadline, CBS News, Newsweek and The National Pulse

