J.D. Vance as Death going down a series of doors marked Pope Francis, Iran negotiations, Viktor Orban’s re-election and U.S. midterms.

Pope Leo XIV: "Often, the proclamation of truth is obscured by what we today call “fake news” — lies, insinuations, and unfounded accusations. Yet, in the face of such obstacles, the truth does not remain hidden; rather, it comes forth to meet us, living and radiant, illuminating even the deepest darkness."

America Is Now a Rogue Superpower Washington’s conduct in the Iran war is accelerating global chaos and deepening America’s dangerous isolation.

The Trump administration’s conduct in the Iran war is accelerating global chaos and deepening America’s dangerous isolation, Robert Kagan argues.

Pete Hegseth Just Revealed the Real Roots of His Sadism and Rage Does God want America to kill as many of our enemies as we can—in as violent a fashion as possible? We have a defense secretary who apparently thinks so.

"Hegseth’s tenure has been marked by open and unrestrained sadism and bloodlust," and "the roots of his bloodthirstiness lie in his particular brand of right-wing Christianity." Truly frightening from @gregsargent.bsky.social newrepublic.com/article/2083...

New U.S. Missile Hit Iranian Sports Hall and School, Analysis Shows

Since the headline is a bit confusing, the NYT is reporting that on the same day we hit the girl's school in Minab, we also sent a missile full of tungsten steel pellets at a girl's volleyball tournament hundreds of miles away in Lamerd. Twenty one dead.
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/w...

This is critical as 2 large QE efforts covered the shift.. rolling out

Without a strategy, a quagmire awaits in Lebanon Yair Golan, an Israeli politician and former army commander, explains how to convert military gains into long-term stability

“I have seen up close what the Lebanese mud does to soldiers, to families, and to a nation that convinces itself that enough firepower is the same thing as a strategy,” writes Yair Golan in a guest essay. “It is not”

Exclusive: US SEC's ex-enforcement chief clashed with bosses over Trump cases before leaving, sources say The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's top enforcement official, who left abruptly last week, had clashed with agency leaders over the direction of its enforcement program, including the handling of cases with ties to President ​Donald Trump and his family, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Exclusive: US SEC's ex-enforcement chief clashed with bosses over Trump cases before leaving, sources say reut.rs/4rWfULP

OPINION TODAY
Israel's standing plummets among Democrats | U.S. military action in Iran remains unpopular as 53% expect negative personal financial impacts | More Americans disapprove than approve of U.S. blocking oil shipments to Cuba ... & much more: opiniontoday.substack.com/p/260317-top...

Pentagon bars press photographers over ‘unflattering’ Hegseth photos Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s staff took issue with photos taken in a rare briefing last week and decided to shut out press photographers from two subsequent news conferences.

Scoop: The Pentagon barred press photographers from briefings on the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military conflict with Iran after they published photos of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that his staff deemed "unflattering."

EU scrambles to defend Spain from Trump’s embargo menace President Donald Trump’s threat to cut all ties with Spain after it opposed his war on Iran again puts the bloc’s unity to the test.

President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a trade embargo on Spain has delivered yet another jolt to the European Union, forcing European leaders to rally around Madrid.

The Coming Invasion of Iran The U.S. and Israel are arming Kurdish groups to stage an incursion. What could go wrong?

The U.S. and Israel are set to arm Kurdish groups to stage an incursion on Iranian territory, Arash Azizi reports: “Iranians have worried that their struggle might lead to civil war and chaos. That scenario now seems closer than ever.”

The Dangerous Incoherence of Trump’s War With Iran The president doesn’t have a clear goal in Iran but thinks he can end the war before that becomes a problem. But the problem is: He can’t.

It’s a foreign policy of reckless action and spectacular violence—and no clear strategic objectives beyond creating content for social media. trib.al/FD0H0zp

Health care, new cars and new homes feel unaffordable to most Americans, a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll shows.
(@laurenkaorigurley.bsky.social and Isabelle Gibson, Washington Post)
More, via Opinion Today:
opiniontoday.substack.com/p/260301

Ted Cruz: "I have no indication they were anywhere close to getting nuclear weapons"

Push from Saudis, Israel helped move Trump to attack Iran President Trump launched a wide-ranging attack on Iran after weeks-long lobbying by an unusual pair of U.S. allies in the Middle East: Israel and Saudi Arabia.

President Trump launched strikes on Iran after a weeks-long lobbying effort by Israel and Saudi Arabia, according to four people familiar with the matter.

U.S. intelligence assessments saw no imminent threat, but regional allies argued to strike.

Opinion | Will Trump’s Iran strikes end the regime — or put more time on the clock? Khamenei may be dead — but war with Iran isn’t over.

"What worries me most is that the conflict may put more time on the clock of an Iranian regime that was about to expire," David Ignatius writes.

Melania Trump, who we actually know met Epstein on several occasions because there are pictures of her with him, would make more sense.

Trump spent 2.9 minutes of his speech talking about affordability - slightly more time than he spent praising the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, but half the time he spent on crime, and one-third the time he spent on national security.
www.nbcnews.com/data-graphic...

Great Democratic commercial

A majority of Americans feel the nation is doing worse compared to a year ago
(CBS News / @today.yougov.com)
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-s...

Trump spinning the jobs numbers in SOTU. In fact, 2025 was the *worst* year for job creation outside of recent recessions in the past 20 years.

Second time after the Greenland crisis the EU Parliament puts the trade deal on ice.

Arguably the EP is currently more powerful than the US Congress on trade policy.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr suggested that news media could include pro-America segments during “regular news programming,” or start each broadcast with a rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” or Pledge of Allegiance. trib.al/XlngAnq

The initiative is a component of the White House's “Task Force 250.”

The Trump Administration Is Ending Aid That It Says Saves Lives The State Department will let lifesaving projects expire because “there is no strong nexus between the humanitarian response and U.S. national interests,” according to an internal email.

Exclusive: An internal State Department email obtained by @hana-kiros.bsky.social reveals that the U.S. plans to end all of its current lifesaving aid to seven African countries.

My latest: Susan Rice is right. Now Netflix must choose.

Support independent, pro-democracy media. subscribe to Democracy Docket now. bit.ly/4qmEiFz

EU Parliament puts US trade deal on ice after latest Trump tariff hit Trade MEPs punt a vote to implement the trade deal after Donald Trump sets new tariffs that they say violate the transatlantic accord.

The European Parliament froze ratification of the EU’s trade deal with the United States today amid concerns that President Donald Trump’s latest tariff broadside breaches the terms of the transatlantic accord struck last summer.

US Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariffs: Early analysis from Chatham House experts Chatham House analysts give their Initial reactions to the Supreme Court’s tariffs ruling, its likely impact on President Donald Trump’s economic agenda, and his angry response to the ruling.

The bottom line is that US protectionism will continue, and it may be even more chaotic, unpredictable and disruptive.

Read @brucestokes.bsky.social's early analysis on the US Supreme Court striking down Donald Trump's tariffs⤵️

A new @today.yougov.com survey asked Americans to rate 20 U.S. presidents on a scale from outstanding to poor. Half of Americans rate Donald Trump as "poor," the most who do for any of the 20 presidents.
More, via Opinion Today:
opiniontoday.substack.com/p/260215

Howard Lutnick faces bipartisan calls to resign over latest Epstein revelations Recently disclosed records suggest a closer relationship than the Commerce secretary previously indicated.

“It’s now clear that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been lying about his relationship with Epstein,” Rep. García posted on X. “Lutnick must resign or be fired. And he must answer our questions.”

www.politico.com/live-updates...