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3:00 PM ET, March 16, 2026

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 Top Items: 
Axios:
Behind the Curtain: Trump's escalation trap  —  For five years in office, President Trump has operated with intuition, impulse and improvisation.  — The Iran war, now entering Week 3, is the first time Trump's style has made it impossible for him to easily talk or improvise his way out.
RELATED:
Paul Krugman:
No, America is Not Respected  —  Thanks to Trump, we're held in contempt even by our closest allies  —  There's a real Baghdad Bob feel to pronouncements from the Trump administration these days.  The war is going great!  We've been totally victorious!  Also, other countries …
Discussion: Raw Story
Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
The War Development(s) That Should Truly Scare Us  —  How Iran could speed up de-dollarization and how Trump could put boots on the ground in Iran—sort of.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Housekeeping: With travel and our Texas live shows this week I'm not sure what the Triad schedule will look like.
Discussion: Telegraph
Politico:
Trump's Sunday night crashout  —  With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray  —  Good Monday morning.  This is Jack Blanchard, loading up on bottled water and cans of beans and heading to the basement.  Good luck out there.  Get in touch.  —  Yes, we're still talking about the weather.
Reuters:
Iran War Live Updates: Israel Expands Lebanon Offensive; Trump's Oil-Route Demands Draw Cool Response
William Kristol / The Bulwark:   Trump's Fork in the Road to Tehran
Edward Luce / Financial Times:
Donald Trump warns Nato faces ‘very bad future’ if allies fail to help US in Iran
Politico:
‘I think she will be loyal’: Jeffrey Epstein's role in Peter Attia's rise
Discussion: Raw Story
Spencer Kimball / CNBC:
U.S. is allowing Iranian oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz, says Bessent
Reuters:
US allies rebuff Trump's request for support in Strait of Hormuz
Politico:
Trump demands ‘about 7’ countries join coalition to police Iran's Strait of Hormuz20 minutes ago
CNBC:
‘We will remember’: Trump warns countries to help secure Strait of Hormuz as shipping stalls20 minutes ago
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Trump is losing one battle after another.  Cue the posts. … Trump's Sunday night outburst took on all of them, but it was most notable for how he cast the Supreme Court — one that has staved off the destruction of his agenda and even his own criminal prosecution — as “a weaponized, and unjust Political Organization.”
RELATED:
Politico:
'We're going to have a problem': Republicans want Trump to move on from 2020 … “I'm always one to believe you should look forward, not backward,” said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania-based GOP strategist and Trump convention delegate who hosted a meeting of fake electors in 2020 at his Harrisburg-based public affairs firm.
Discussion: Raw Story
Jacob Knutson / Democracy Docket:
Trump blasts Supreme Court for not overturning 2020 election
Discussion: Election Law Blog, Lawfare and MS NOW
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Trump briefed that Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is probably gay — and president has priceless reaction  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump was stunned to learn last week that US intelligence indicates new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei may be gay — and that his father …
Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
Susie Wiles, Trump's White House Chief of Staff, Has Breast Cancer  —  Ms. Wiles said that the disease was caught in its early stages and that she would remain in her role.  —  Susie Wiles, President Trump's White House chief of staff and the first woman to ever hold that position …
RELATED:
Cheyenne Haslett / Politico:
Wiles announces cancer diagnosis, plans to stay in job … Wiles, a longstanding fixture of Trump's campaign orbit, has been his chief of staff since he took office for his second term in 2025.  Trump said Wiles had “early stage breast cancer” and an “excellent” prognosis.
Collin Binkley / Associated Press:
Trump says chief of staff Susie Wiles has breast cancer but will keep working through treatment
Discussion: CBS News and Associated Press
Dan Diamond / Washington Post:
Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff, has breast cancer, Trump says
Emanuel Fabian / The Times of Israel:
Gamblers trying to win a bet on Polymarket are vowing to kill me if I don't rewrite an Iran missile story  —  Bettors are using death threats to try to get The Times of Israel's military correspondent to change his report on a missile impact in central Israel.  This is his alarming account
Elizabeth Ginexi:
I Wrote Research Funding Announcements for NIH for 22 Years.  This Year They've Published 14  —  For decades, the National Institutes of Health published between 650 and 850 Notices of Funding Opportunities each year.  These announcements tell the research community which diseases need study …
Lauren Kaori Gurley / Washington Post:
Trump's cancellation of licenses for immigrant truckers takes effect  —  Around 200,000 people will start losing commercial licenses under a federal rule that takes effect Monday, a move that could mean higher prices for consumers.  —  Some 200,000 immigrant truck drivers will begin to lose …
Discussion: Straight Arrow News
Ben Kamisar / NBC News:
Poll: Israel's standing plummets among Democrats, fueling primaries on the left  —  More registered voters view Israel negatively than positively in the latest NBC News poll, driven by change among independents and especially Democrats.  —  American voters' feelings on Israel …
RELATED:
NBC News:
Live updates: Trump touts Kennedy Center renovation plans ahead of board vote
Discussion: CBS News
Gillian Brockell:
Video proves Delta flew Liam Ramos and his dad to ICE detention center  —  Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were flown to a Texas detention center via Delta Air Lines the day after they were captured by federal agents who allegedly used the 5-year-old boy as bait, according …
Discussion: Talking Points Memo
Gregory S. Schneider / Washington Post:
As states scrap for congressional seats, Virginia could tip the scales  —  The party's well-funded canvassing and advertising campaign for a referendum that could add four blue seats to Congress has Republicans scrambling to respond.  —  RICHMOND — Karen Taylor Dantzler heard the arguments …
Discussion: Washington Examiner and Axios
RELATED:
Matthew Yglesias / New York Times:
What Democrats Should Relearn From Obama
Discussion: Newsweek and IJR
Ilya Somin / Lawfare:
Slavery and Birthright Citizenship  —  The administration's rationale in the birthright citizenship case contradicts the central purpose of the 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause.  —  Meet The Authors  —  Trump v. Barbara, the birthright citizenship case, is currently before the Supreme Court.
New York Times:
Behind Mamdani's Smile, a Politician Who Can Be a Ruthless Operator  —  Mayor Zohran Mamdani, while charming in public, has thrown sharp elbows in private as he pushes his political brand and agenda among fellow Democrats.  —  Zohran Mamdani was on the brink of completing his buoyant ascent …
Jennifer Jett / NBC News:
Afghan asylum-seeker dies after less than 24 hours in ICE custody  —  Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, a father of six who worked with the U.S. military in Afghanistan, had no known health issues when he was detained in Texas, his family said.  —  An Afghan immigrant who worked with the U.S. military …
J.D. Wolf / MeidasTouch News:
Trump Begins Selling “Commander Circle” Advisor Spots Amid War in Iran  —  Funds to help Republicans keep Congress in the midterms  —  Amid escalating tensions with Iran, Donald Trump is offering supporters membership in a new donor tier called the “Commander's Circle,” …
Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money and WAMU
Mark Leibovich / The Atlantic:
A 79-Year-Old Freshman Senator?  —  “I'll share my lipid profile with anybody!”  Janet Mills, the governor of Maine, pledged to me.  —  These are the kinds of assurances that candidates make when everyone keeps harping on their age.  —  Mills, who is 78, is trying to dislodge Susan Collins …
Michael Bartiromo / The Hill:20 minutes ago
Why aren't TSA agents getting paid?  —  (NEXSTAR) - The U.S. Government is currently facing its second partial shutdown of the 2026 calendar year, albeit one that only affects the Department of Homeland Security.  —  Agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) include the Coast Guard …
 
 
 New Item Finder: 
20 minutes ago
Michael Bartiromo / The Hill:
Why aren't TSA agents getting paid?   Find
25 minutes ago
New York Times:
Why Republicans are Changing Course on Immigration   Find
 
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 More Items: 
The Hill:
Polls shows the US is divided on the Iran War but united on its goals15 minutes ago
Discussion: Florida Politics
New York Times:
Why Republicans are Changing Course on Immigration25 minutes ago
Discussion: The Gateway Pundit
Randy Clark / Breitbart:
Exclusive: Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino to Retire After Leading Largest Interior Immigration Operations in U.S. History
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Trump to formally name Vance chair of fraud task force — with California, New York among states in crosshairs
Discussion: NewsMax.com and The Independent
ProPublica:
The Trump Administration's “Disturbing” New Legal Strategy to Prosecute Border Crossers Is Taxing Courts and Testing the Law
Discussion: Truthout
 Earlier Items: 
Andrew Duehren / New York Times:
With Iran War, Trump Risks Stepping on Gains From His Own Tax Cuts
Steve Vladeck / One First:
216. Taking the TPS Cases Seriously
Jan Ransom / New York Times:
One of Epstein's Levers of Power: Access to Elite Private Schools
Noah Berlatsky / Public Notice:
The real affordability hoax
Washington Post:
Trump sold young voters on his vision. Many are having buyer's remorse.
Discussion: Raw Story
Becket Adams / The Hill:
‘Lobstergate’ shows just how far our media have sunk
Discussion: Townhall
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Max Tani / @maxwelltani:
Memo: Notus plans to “dramatically expand” its coverage of national politics with a “new version of NOTUS under a new name” and will double staff from 50 to 100

Catherine Shoard / The Guardian:
Warner Bros. won a record-tying 11 awards at the 98th Oscars, followed by Netflix's six; Apple, Disney, Focus, and Neon had one each, while Paramount had none

Karissa Waddick / USA Today:
After Trump said some outlets wanted the US to “lose the War”, FCC Chair Carr threatened broadcasters, saying they can lose their licenses over war coverage

 
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