Hahahahahahahahahahaha

nytimes.com

Trump is going to sit, uh sleep, for a full reading of the Bible. Sure. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/u... If it's paywalled for you, click this link: archive.ph/vvHiM?utm_so...

Rogan flanks Trump for new order promoting psychedelics research Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has joined the prominent podcaster in touting the drugs’ benefits, also joined the Oval Office signing.

Joe Rogan is still on his knees, sucking Trump's dick. Nothing has changed. Just two druggies cuddling up to one another.

The FBI Director Is MIA Kash Patel has alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.Michael M. Santiago / GettyApril 17, 2026, 6:20 PM ET On Friday, April 10, as FBI Director Kash Patel was preparing to leave work for the weekend, he struggled to log into an internal computer system. He quickly became convinced that he had been locked out, and he panicked, frantically calling aides and allies to announce that he had been fired by the White House, according to nine people familiar with his outreach. Two of these people described his behavior as a “freak-out.” Patel oversees an agency that employs roughly 38,000 people, including many who are trained to investigate and verify information that can be presented under oath in a court of law. News of his emotional outburst ricocheted through the bureau, prompting chatter among officials and, in some corners of the building, expressions of relief. The White House fielded calls from the bureau and from members of Congress asking who was now in charge of the FBI. It turned out that the answer was still Patel. He had not been fired. The access problem, two people familiar with the matter said, appears to have been a technical error, and it was quickly resolved. “It was all ultimately bullshit,” one FBI official told me. But Patel, according to multiple current officials, as well as former officials who have stayed close to him, is deeply concerned that his job is in jeopardy. He has good reasons to think so—including some having to do with what witnesses described to me as bouts of excessive drinking. My colleague Ashley Parker and I reported earlier this month that Patel was among the officials expected to be fired after Attorney General Pam Bondi’s ouster, on April 2. “We’re all just waiting for the word” that Patel is officially out of the top job, an FBI official told me this week, and a former official told my colleague Jonathan Lemire that Patel was “rightly paranoid.” Senior members of the Trump administration are already discussing who might replace him, according to an administration official and two people close to the White House who were familiar with the conversations. In response to a detailed list of 19 questions, the White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told me in a statement that under Donald Trump and Patel, “crime across the country has plummeted to the lowest level in more than 100 years and many high profile criminals have been put behind bars. Director Patel remains a critical player on the Administration’s law and order team.” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told me in a statement, “Patel has accomplished more in 14 months than the previous administration did in four years. Anonymously sourced hit pieces do not constitute journalism.” The FBI responded with a statement, attributed to Patel: “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court—bring your checkbook.” Read: Trump’s purge may be just beginning The IT-lockout episode is emblematic of Patel’s tumultuous tenure as director of the FBI: He is erratic, suspicious of others, and prone to jumping to conclusions before he has necessary evidence, according to the more than two dozen people I interviewed about Patel’s conduct, including current and former FBI officials, staff at law-enforcement and intelligence agencies, hospitality-industry workers, members of Congress, political operatives, lobbyists, and former advisers. Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information and private conversations, they described Patel’s tenure as a management failure and his personal behavior as a national-security vulnerability. They said that the problems with his conduct go well beyond what has been previously known, and include both conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences. His behavior has often alarmed officials at the FBI and the Department of Justice, even as he won support from the White House for his eager participation in Trump’s effort to turn federal law enforcement against the president’s perceived political enemies. Several officials told me that Patel’s drinking has been a recurring source of concern across the government. They said that he is known to drink to the point of obvious intoxication, in many cases at the private club Ned’s in Washington, D.C., while in the presence of White House and other administration staff. He is also known to drink to excess at the Poodle Room, in Las Vegas, where he frequently spends parts of his weekends. Early in his tenure, meetings and briefings had to be rescheduled for later in the day as a result of his alcohol-fueled nights, six current and former officials and others familiar with Patel’s schedule told me. On multiple occasions in the past year, members of his security detail had difficulty waking Patel because he was seemingly intoxicated, according to information supplied to Justice Department and White House officials. A request for “breaching equipment”—normally used by SWAT and hostage-rescue teams to quickly gain entry into buildings—was made last year because Patel had been unreachable behind locked doors, according to multiple people familiar with the request. Some of Patel’s colleagues at the FBI worry that his personal behavior has become a threat to public safety. An FBI director is expected to be available and focused on his job—especially when the nation is at war with a state sponsor of terrorism. Current and former officials told me that they have long worried about what would happen in the event of a domestic terrorist attack while Patel is in office, and they said that their apprehension has increased significantly in the weeks since Trump launched his military campaign against Iran. “That’s what keeps me up at night,” one official said. Patel arrived at the FBI in early 2025 as a deeply polarizing figure. He had risen from being a public defender in Miami to a congressional aide and, ultimately, a national-security official during the first Trump administration. During Patel’s confirmation hearing to be FBI director, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley, expressed optimism that Trump’s nominee would implement much-needed reforms. “He’s the right change agent for the FBI,” the senator said, adding that the bureau was in need of “a big shake-up.” Under questioning from skeptical Democrats, Patel vowed that “there will be no retributive actions” and that he was not aware of any plans to punish FBI staff who had been part of investigations into Trump. Democrats were not the only ones who were leery of Patel, who had a record of embracing far-fetched conspiracy theories—including the notion that the FBI and its informants had helped instigate the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol to sabotage the MAGA movement. Several Republicans wavered on whether to back him. But a pressure campaign by the White House and its allies ultimately prevailed, and Patel was confirmed by a vote of 51 to 49. Inside the FBI, which had been wounded by a number of scandals, many hoped that Patel could give the bureau a fresh start. But even many of those who had been enthusiastic about his arrival have since been disappointed. Officials said that Patel has been an irregular presence at FBI headquarters and in field offices, and that he has compounded the agency’s existing bureaucratic bottlenecks. Several current and former officials told me that Patel is often away or unreachable, delaying time-sensitive decisions needed to advance investigations. On several occasions, an official told me, Patel’s delays resulted in normally unflappable agents “losing their shit.” Read: ‘It’s a five-alarm fire’ Patel has also earned a reputation for acting impulsively during high-stakes investigations. He announced triumphantly on social media, for instance, that the FBI had “detained a person of interest” in the Brown University shooting in December. That person was soon released while agents continued to hunt for the killer. Still, Patel has his fans. The president has been pleased by Patel’s efforts to purge agents who worked on January 6 cases and other probes into Trump. The president has also indicated that he is relatively unbothered by grumblings about Patel from within the FBI, according to White House and other administration officials. That’s not surprising: Patel views many of the bureau’s veterans as anti-Trump “deep state” agents who have worked against him and his followers. But Patel has, on occasion, earned the president’s ire. Trump has complained that the FBI director has seemed unprepared for TV appearances and that some high-profile investigations that he directed Patel to pursue have not moved quickly enough. These include inquiries into former Biden-administration officials and other political opponents. Patel’s spotty attendance at the office and the eagerness with which he’s embraced the perks and travel that come with the job have also been sources of concern at the White House. Some in the West Wing have followed the headlines about Patel’s use of the FBI jet for personal matters—as well as the whispers about his love of partying—and said that they fear that Trump would react badly were he to focus on those storylines. DOJ’s ethics handbook states that “an employee is prohibited from habitually using alcohol or other intoxicants to excess.” The department’s inspector general has warned that off-duty alcohol consumption can not only impair employees’ judgment; it can also make them vulnerable to exploitation or coercion by foreign adversaries. Patel’s drinking is no secret. While on official travel to Italy in February, he was filmed chugging beer with the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team following their gold-medal victory. The incident prompted the president—who does not drink and whose brother died following a long struggle with alcoholism—to call the FBI director to convey his unhappiness, according to two officials familiar with the call. But officials told me that Patel’s alcohol use goes far beyond the occasional beer. FBI officials and others in the administration have privately questioned whether alcohol played a role in the instances in which he shared inaccurate information about active law-enforcement investigations, including following the murder of Charlie Kirk. Many of the people who spoke with me said that they have been afraid to reveal their concerns about Patel publicly or through traditional whistleblower channels, because he has been aggressive in cracking down on anyone he deems insufficiently loyal. At Patel’s direction, FBI employees are polygraphed in an effort to identify leakers. One former official told me that bureau employees have been asked in these sessions for opinions about Patel’s perceived “enemies,” as well as whether they have ever said anything disparaging about the director or the president. Patel has held on to his job in part because of his commitment to using the federal government to target political or personal adversaries of the president. In his 2023 book, Government Gangsters, Patel designated a list of government officials past and present that he alleged were corrupt or disloyal. In an interview that year on Steve Bannon’s podcast, Patel said that he planned to “come after” members of the media for their 2020-election coverage with criminal or civil charges. Patel has led a purge of people who he believes are anti-Trump “conspirators” or “enemies” within the FBI. This has included firing people, opening internal investigations, and pressuring agents to quit when they pushed back—or were perceived to have pushed back—against Patel’s demands or questioned their legality. Some at the FBI are concerned that Patel’s behavior has left the country more vulnerable. One former senior intelligence official told me that there is a lack of experience at FBI headquarters and that the turnover rate is high in field offices, because of both voluntary departures and Patel-ordered purges. The result is an FBI workforce being asked to accomplish more with fewer resources, and with less direction from the top. “The instinctive level of muscle memory or discernment that is necessary to identify and counter a terror attack is missing,” the former official said. A current official described people inside the bureau feeling besieged and disillusioned—or even angry. Read: ‘The Trust Has Been Absolutely Destroyed’ Days before the United States launched its war with Iran, Patel fired members of a counterintelligence squad that was devoted, in part, to Iran. The director said in testimony before Congress that the agents had been let go because their work investigating Trump’s handling of classified documents had placed them in violation of the bureau’s ethics rules. But multiple officials told me that they were concerned that the firings had been rushed and would leave the U.S. shorthanded at a crucial moment. Patel has publicly proclaimed that the FBI needs to demonstrate that it is “fierce,” and officials I spoke with said that he is fixated on that image in private as well. He recently expressed frustration with the look of FBI merchandise, complaining that it isn’t intimidating enough. Officials have grown accustomed to such behavior, and they have learned to roll their eyes at it. But they said that the absurdity masks real concerns about what Patel’s leadership has meant for an institution that the country relies on for national security and the safety of its citizens. “Part of me is glad he’s wasting his time on bullshit, because it’s less dangerous for rule of law, for the American public,” one official told me, “but it also means we don’t have a real functioning FBI director.” Jonathan Lemire, Isabel Ruehl, and Marie-Rose Sheinerman contributed reporting.

The FBI Director Is MIA

The FBI Director Is MIA Kash Patel has alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.

Grace under pressure only if his middle name is Grace. Otherwise, Ka$h Patel is a drug-addled nervous wreck. #KashPatel #FBI

Florida GOP Rep Anna Paulina Luna is all over Russian state TV attacking Ukraine. I’m not saying she’s a Putin asset, but I’m not not saying that.

How to get rid of RFKjr: next time he denies saying something you have on tape, say to him: “ok, if I produce the recording, will you resign?”

Iran reimposes 'strict control' over Strait of Hormuz, citing continued U.S. naval blockade The strait will not be fully reopened “until America allows full freedom of navigation for vessels traveling from Iran,” Iranian military officials indicated.

BREAKING

“Control over the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is now under strict management and control of the armed forces,” a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command headquarters said.

The Straight of Hormuz is blocked again!

You do realize The Strait of Hormuz is not going to remain open, right?

That Trump just made up THAT part too?

Speaker of the Iranian Parliament:

Iran War Live Updates: Iran’s Military Says It Has Reimposed ‘Strict Control’ of Strait of Hormuz

Trump is entirely full of shit.

There is no deal with Iran. Its leaders insist the strait is closed and will remain so until Trump stops the blockade of Iranian ports

The emperor not only has no clothes; he has no brain www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04...

NEW: Thanks to California’s Climate Credits, $520 million will be cut from utility bills this month — putting money back in Californians’ pockets and lowering monthly bills!

"At a time when Donald Trump is making life more expensive for every American … California is fighting back.”

Trump Budget Chief Grilled Over Childcare and War Spending The #MorningSixpackPodcast - 04/17/2026: Global Iran blockade, Europe’s Hormuz gamble, ICE shakeup, $1.5T defense fight, NJ shocker, nuclear mystery

Trump Budget Chief Grilled Over Childcare and War Spending

The #MorningSixpackPodcast - 04/17/2026: Global Iran blockade, Europe’s Hormuz gamble, ICE shakeup, $1.5T defense fight, NJ shocker, nuclear mystery

US Warns Iran-Linked Vessels: We’ll Board You Anywhere The Morning Sixpack - 04/17/2026: Iran blockade widens, Europe floats Hormuz force, ICE chief quits, $1.5T defense fight, NJ upset, nuclear mystery

US Warns Iran-Linked Vessels: We’ll Board You Anywhere

The Morning Sixpack - 04/17/2026: Iran blockade widens, Europe floats Hormuz force, ICE chief quits, $1.5T defense fight, NJ upset, nuclear mystery

LOL. Trump is lying. Assume that's always the case. He's a blowhard bull-shitter. Zero credibility. He's also completely off his rocker.

That the president of the United States is personally looting the treasury to the tune of literally billions of dollars and that he is not being immediately removed from office and tried for high crimes against this country is a devastating indictment of every part of our political system!

Macron and Starmer host allies for summit on Hormuz maritime security France and the United Kingdom are convening dozens of countries to advance plans for a multinational maritime force to secure the Strait of Hormuz, but Washington is not part of the discussions. The meeting is taking place at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris on Friday, chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with about 30 to 40 countries participating in person or by video conference.list of 3 itemsend of list German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni are also attending in person, but the full list of attendees has not been disclosed. The talks will focus on what has been formally branded the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative, a defensive mission to restore free passage through the waterway once a lasting ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran is in place. The strait has been closed since Iran imposed a blockade after the US and Israel launched their war on February 28. A fifth of the world’s oil usually passes through the chokepoint. The US has since compounded the disruption by imposing its own blockade on Iranian ports. European leaders warned that the ongoing closure threatened consumers with higher inflation, food shortages, and flight cancellations as jet fuel supplies ran thin. More than 20,000 seafarers were trapped on board hundreds of vessels caught in the blockade.‘Strictly defensive’ “The unconditional and immediate reopening of the strait is a global responsibility, and we need to act to get global energy and trade flowing freely again,” Starmer said in comments before the meeting, accusing Iran of “holding the world’s economy to ransom”. France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called the blockade’s economic consequences “major” for French citizens and businesses alike. The initiative mirrored Europe’s earlier efforts to assemble a security force for Ukraine, and carried similar conditions: Deployment only when the conflict ends and security conditions allow. A French presidential official speaking to the AFP news agency said allies would need “an Iranian commitment not to fire on passing ships and a US commitment not to block any ships leaving or entering the Strait of Hormuz” before any mission could proceed.Get instant alerts and updates based on your interests. Be the first to know when big stories happen. Washington’s absence from the table was deliberate. Macron said the mission to provide security for shipping through the strait would be “strictly defensive” and limited to non-belligerent countries. The operation was partly a response to Trump, who had berated European allies for failing to join the war, called NATO members “cowards”, and told the UK: “You don’t even have a navy.” Trump’s retaliatory US blockade of Iranian ports has raised the economic jeopardy even higher. Military planning is already under way. The UK has discussed deploying mine-hunting drones from the ship RFA Lyme Bay, while France sent its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier alongside a helicopter carrier and several frigates to the region. French military spokesman Colonel Guillaume Vernet cautioned that the mission remained “in construction”.

Macron and Starmer host allies for summit on Hormuz maritime security

Acting ICE chief Todd Lyons resigns, a year into Trump’s deportation campaign Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Todd M. Lyons submitted his resignation Thursday, capping his leadership of one of the agency’s most tumultuous eras, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. Lyons, a career ICE official, presided over the agency’s rapid expansion to implement President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign. ICE more than doubled its workforce and detention beds, deported people to countries where they are not citizens, and deployed officers to Democratic-led cities to arrest immigrants, which triggered often violent clashes with protesters. In January, an ICE officer fatally shot a U.S. citizen, Renée Good, a Minneapolis mother of three. ICU nurse Alex Pretti also was shot dead that month by Customs and Border Protection, which often teamed with ICE on the raids. “This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right one for me and my family at this time,” Lyons wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “I am confident that ICE will continue to fulfill its vital responsibilities with integrity and professionalism.” In a statement, Mullin called Lyons “a great leader of ICE and key player in helping the Trump administration remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities.” He said Lyons was moving on to a job in the private sector, though he did not provide details. Lyons’s last day will be May 31. “He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years,” Mullin said. “Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer.” Appearing frequently in the media, Lyons emphasized that officers and agents were also the targets of a rising number of attacks and abuse. During his tenure, many officers began wearing masks and refusing to identify themselves to the public, drawing protests from lawmakers. Lyons said they needed to shield their faces for protection and that protesters were posting their photos and identities online and sending them death threats. “I’m sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I’m not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line, their family on the line, because people don’t like what immigration enforcement is,” he said at a news conference in June in Boston. Lyons frequently defended the immigration raids and highlighted immigrants who committed crimes, including killing Americans, and said arresting and deporting them was the agency’s top priority. But federal data show that ICE officers continue to target large numbers of immigrants with no criminal record. “We do it for these individuals, these families who are no longer with their loved ones because they didn’t get the justice they deserved,” Lyons said at a recent news conference. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called Lyons “a phenomenal patriot and dedicated leader who has been at the center of President Trump’s historic efforts to secure our homeland.” Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, a former acting ICE director, said Lyons “has served selflessly” and deported a record number of immigrants in the first year of Trump’s second term, though far fewer than the administration’s goal of 1 million. Lyons, a U.S. Air Force veteran, began leading ICE in March 2025, under then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem, who was ousted last month. He has previously held management roles running field operations for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, which detains and deports immigrants, and served as the field office director for the Boston office. He joined the agency in 2007 as an immigration officer in Dallas. At a congressional hearing in February, Democrats criticized Lyons for ICE’s increasingly violent tactics. “I have a simple suggestion: If you don’t want to be called a fascist regime or secret police, then stop acting like one,” Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York) told Lyons at the hearing. Lyons remained defiant and said anti-ICE rhetoric had led to threats of violence against officers — and that his own family had been targeted. “Let me send a message to anyone who thinks you can intimidate us: You will fail,” Lyons said. “We will continue carrying out our mission.”

Acting ICE chief Todd Lyons resigns, a year into Trump’s deportation campaign

France, UK hosting summit on securing Strait of Hormuz The leaders of France and the UK will host an international summit to push forward plans to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Dozens of countries — but not, notably, the US — will be represented at the Paris meeting; President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to push for mine-clearance operations and other “purely defensive” means of protecting commercial shipping. The situation is urgent: The US and Iranian blockades are hitting energy supplies as well as key commodities, from semiconductors to fertilizer. Japanese doctors fear a looming shortage of medical equipment, and the country’s prime minister is planning a release of emergency reserves of latex gloves, while South Korea and Singapore are taking similar urgent health sector measures.

France, UK hosting summit on securing Strait of Hormuz

US military will target Iran-linked ships worldwide, broadening scope beyond blockade WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has widened its efforts beyond the blockade of Iran’s ports to allow its forces around the world to stop any ship tied to Tehran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government, from weapons to oil, metals and electronics. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, specifically pointed to operations in the Pacific, saying the U.S. would be targeting vessels that left before the blockade began earlier this week outside the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for energy and other shipments. U.S. forces in other areas of responsibility “will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” he told reporters at the Pentagon. The military also detailed an expansive lists of goods that it considers contraband, declaring that it will board, search and seize them from merchant vessels “regardless of location.” A notice published Thursday says any “goods that are destined for an enemy and that may be susceptible to use in armed conflict” are “subject to capture at any place beyond neutral territory.” The expansion of U.S. military efforts to target Iranian shipping is another pressure point for Tehran and comes as a ceasefire is set to expire in mere days. Mediators are pressing for an extension to a truce that has paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the U.S. and Iran. US military details items that could be seized from Iran-linked ships The military’s new list of banned materials includes products such as weapons, ammunition and military equipment that are classified as “absolute contraband.” However, it also lists items such as oil, iron, steel, aluminum and other goods as “conditional contraband” that it argues can be used both for civilian and military purposes. Otherwise innocuous items like electronics, power generation equipment or heavy machinery can be seized if “circumstances indicate intended military end-use,” the notice says. More than 10,000 American troops are helping enforce the blockade on Iranian ports. While no ships have yet been boarded, defense leaders say the military is warning Iran-linked ships that it could fire warning shots or escalate to other force if they try to outrun the Navy. In the first three days of the military action, 14 ships have turned around rather than confront the naval blockade, according to U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Iran war. Some Iran-linked or sanctioned vessels that left through the strait have appeared to halt their movements, turn off their radio transponders or head back toward Iran’s coast, shipping data firms say. Ships near th e blockade face US warnings Vessels that approach the blockade, which is being enforced in Iran’s territorial seas and international waters and not in the Strait of Hormuz, get a warning, Caine said. “Any ship that would cross the blockade would result in our sailors executing pre-planned tactics designed to bring the force to that ship — if need be, board the ship and take her over,” he said. U.S. Central Command has released a recording of a radio broadcast sent to vessels in the region that said the military was ready to use force if needed to compel compliance. “Vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian port,” the message said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that “less than 10% of America’s naval power” is being used to enforce the blockade. The Navy has 16 warships — 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier and a littoral combat ship — in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships. Also supporting the blockade are a series of aircraft as well as surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence operations designed to give the Navy the latest information on the vessels it is encountering. The Navy is likely tracking ships linked to Iran through satellites, drones and other forms of surveillance as well as each commercial vessel’s past history, said Kevin Donegan, a retired vice admiral and former commander of the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain. “It’s a pretty complex operation to make work,” said Donegan, who spoke Thursday during a webinar hosted by the Middle East Institute. “Not just from the intelligence standpoint, but positioning all the ships in the right way to make the intercepts if you have to.” Donegan stressed that the blockade is only one pressure point on Iran and that it won’t end the conflict on its own. “For it to be most effective, this military tool is added to the other operational tasks that were being done and paired with — hopefully, diplomacy,” Donegan said. “And if those two are scripted together in the right way, we can potentially get the outcomes we want.” US Central Command chief appears at the Pentagon As Hegseth and Caine discussed the blockade, Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, made a rare appearance in the Pentagon briefing room. He said that before the ceasefire took hold, American service members and troops from allied countries in the Persian Gulf had “fought together side by side.” “In creating the largest air defense umbrella in the world across the Middle East, we embedded specially trained U.S. military air defenders alongside our partner nation soldiers,” Cooper said, adding that Bahrain’s king and crown prince knew American soldiers by name.

US military will target Iran-linked ships worldwide, broadening scope beyond blockade

Trump has no plan to cut the $39 trillion national debt, but he does want to cut childcare. His budget director is scrambling to clarify White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought at a House Budget Committee hearing, April 15, 2026.Andrew Harnik—Getty Images The confrontation was inevitable. When White House budget director Russell Vought appeared before the House Budget Committee on Wednesday to defend President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget, the hearing erupted almost immediately—with protesters ejected from the chamber before Vought could finish his opening statement, and Democratic lawmakers waiting their turn to unload. The budget at the center of it all proposes $1.5 trillion in total defense spending—a roughly 44% increase over current levels—while cutting nondefense discretionary programs by 10% across the board. In dollar terms, that means a roughly $442 billion increase for the Pentagon, funded in part by reductions to Medicaid, housing assistance, childcare, and home energy aid for low-income seniors—a tradeoff that Democrats called a moral obscenity and Republicans called overdue. “The budget builds upon the historic $1 trillion fiscal year 2026 defense top line by requesting $1.5 trillion for 2027, a 42% increase, as promised by President Trump last year,” Vought told the committee. “The 2027 budget will ensure that the United States continues to maintain the world’s most powerful and capable military as we grapple with an increasingly dangerous world.” The backdrop to Vought’s testimony was a comment Trump made weeks earlier at a private White House Easter lunch, in which he said: “We’re fighting wars. We can’t take care of day care.” Trump went further, lumping in Medicaid and Medicare as things that should be pushed to states, which he said should raise their own taxes to cover the costs. Pressed on those remarks by Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), the committee’s ranking member, Vought pushed back—awkwardly. “No,” Vought said, when asked if the administration had taken any steps to turn Medicare over to the states. “The president doesn’t want to do that,” he continued. When Boyle noted Trump had not mentioned fraud in his Easter remarks—and that the comments plainly included Medicaid, Medicare, and childcare as programs the federal government simply shouldn’t fund—Vought sidestepped, saying Trump was “talking about fraud” in those programs. The exchange over childcare grew sharper when Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) asked Vought whether $350 billion for the ongoing U.S.-Iran war helped reduce costs for Americans. Vought replied childcare is “fully funded” in this budget. Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.) later challenged that claim directly, holding up page 164 of the budget document and citing a provision he said slashed the fruit and vegetable benefit for breastfeeding mothers under the WIC nutrition program from $52 to $13 a month. Vought again replied: “We fully fund the WIC program.” McGarvey cut him off: “No, you don’t. It’s right here.” The macro numbers looming over the debate were stark. The national debt already stands near $39 trillion, and the Congressional Budget Office has said the administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill—enacted last year—adds more to the deficit than any single piece of legislation in American history, stripping health care coverage from as many as 15 million to 17 million Americans, according to CBO and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Boyle asked Vought if he could seriously maintain, with a straight face, that all of those people were either in the country illegally or defrauding the system. “I didn’t say all of them are illegal,” Vought replied, adding, there’s “also the benefit of people returning to the workforce.” The committee also heard from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who noted the Department of Defense has now failed eight consecutive audits and remains the only federal agency that has never passed one—even as Vought requests a historic budget increase for the Pentagon. “You want to talk to me about fraud?” Jayapal asked. “There is over $10 billion in confirmed fraud within the Department of Defense, but you’re not going after any of that.” Meanwhile, energy prices rose nearly 11% last month, according to the Department of Labor’s own data—gas is up more than 21%, and home energy more than 30%—a backdrop that made the budget’s elimination of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program especially pointed. Consumer confidence has plunged to its lowest level ever in the long-running University of Michigan survey, dating back 74 years, hitting 47.6 in preliminary April readings, a 10.7% drop from March. Vought closed his opening remarks with a signature phrase, saying it’s “the end of fiscal futility.” Whether Congress agrees—and whether it can pass a budget before the fiscal year deadline—remains an entirely open question. For this story, Fortune journalists used generative AI as a research tool. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing. The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.

Trump has no plan to cut the $39 trillion national debt, but he does want to cut childcare. His budget director is scrambling to clarify

So Iran bottom line:

Trump just paid $20 Billion for something which Obama paid $2 Billion and Trump called him a traitor

The Shart Of The Deal

Democrat Analilia Mejia wins special House election • New Jersey Monitor Congresswoman-elect Analilia Mejia (D) celebrates her victory over Joe Hathaway (R) in the 11th Congressional District special election at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) Progressive activist Analilia Mejia soundly defeated Republican Joe Hathaway in a special election Thursday in the 11th Congressional District, delivering a victory for Democrats in the runup to this fall’s midterm elections. “In November, when I jumped into this race, the odds were stacked against us. But you know — we did the impossible, and we won,” Mejia said in a crowded hall at the Montclair Art Museum Thursday evening. Mejia will fill the seat, vacated by Gov. Mikie Sherrill after Sherrill won the governorship in November, until Jan. 3, 2027. The Associated Press called the race just seven minutes after polls closed, prompting a raucous crowd of Mejia supporters to cheer and dance. Several attendees wore blue shirts that read “Defend our democracy.” With most of the votes in, Mejia leads Hathaway 60% to 40%, with more than 130,000 votes cast. Mejia, the former head of the state’s Working Families Party and the national political director for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential run, campaigned on attacking President Donald Trump’s mass detention and deportation agenda, characterizing Israel’s attacks in Gaza as a genocide, and advocating for policies like universal health care and raising the minimum wage. She defeated 10 other Democrats in February’s special primary, including former Rep. Tom Malinowski, a result that stunned many political observers. She will be the first Latina to represent the 11th District in Congress, and only the second Latina to represent New Jersey in D.C. Megan Gialianelli reacts to Analilia Mejia’s victory over Joe Hathaway on the evening of the NJ 11th Congressional District special election at Montclair Art Museum, Montclair, Thursday April 16, 2026. (Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)Congresswoman-elect Analilia Mejia (D) celebrates her victory over Joe Hathaway (R) in the 11th Congressional District special election at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)Montclair resident Noah Gale celebrates Analilia Mejia’s victory over Joe Hathaway on the evening of the NJ 11th Congressional District special election at Montclair Art Museum, Montclair, Thursday April 16, 2026. (Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)Megan Gialianelli and Laura Valente celebrate Analilia Mejia’s victory over Joe Hathaway in the 11th Congressional District special election at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)People dance to celebrate Analilia Mejia’s victory over Joe Hathaway in the 11th Congressional District special election at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)Congresswoman-elect Analilia Mejia dances with her mother, Luz Mejia, as she celebrates her victory over Joe Hathaway in the 11th Congressional District special election at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)Congresswoman-elect Analilia Mejia hugs her mother, Luz Mejia, as she celebrates her victory over Joe Hathaway in the 11th Congressional District special election at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) Hathaway, a Randolph councilman, held a private gathering with his family and close friends on Thursday. In a statement, he congratulated Mejia but noted that she won two elections “decided by a small share of the overall electorate.” “I still believe the broader electorate in NJ-11 is looking for balanced, pragmatic leadership, not the kind of far-left policies embraced by Ms. Mejia. That conversation is not over,” he said. “I’ve said from the beginning that we’re running through the tape, and I mean it. I’m looking forward to the rematch in November, when more voices will be heard and the full electorate will have its say.” Both Mejia and Hathaway are vying again to win election to the 11th District in November, for the two-year term that begins in January. Hathaway spent weeks on the campaign trail attacking Mejia as a dangerous socialist and antisemite for her comments on Israel and Gaza. He positioned himself as a moderate Republican, attempting to distance himself from Trump’s policies and vowing he wouldn’t be a rubber stamp for Republican policies. Independent Alan Bond was also on the ballot and came in a distant third. The 11th District, which includes parts of Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties, was formerly a Republican stronghold until Sherrill flipped it for Democrats in 2018. Its boundaries have since been redrawn in a way that makes it more difficult for Republicans to win. On Thursday, Mejia thanked her “former rivals turned amazing supporters.” Malinowski appeared at a campaign event for her last week. “No one makes it alone. No one. I am only here because of all of you,” she said. Congresswoman-elect Analilia Mejia (D) celebrates her victory over Joe Hathaway (R) in the 11th Congressional District special election at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) Mejia’s win represents a big loss for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which had spent millions in the February primary trying to defeat Malinowski because he said he would not unconditionally support providing foreign military aid to Israel, a campaign that inadvertently boosted Mejia. She won the endorsements of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Sherrill and Sen. Andy Kim also campaigned for her in the final days of the race. Attendees at her victory party included state Democratic Party chairman Leroy Jones and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “This moment is a good feeling tonight, but the work begins tomorrow. She is now the incumbent congressperson of the 11th Congressiona District, and we will continue to march with her,” Jones said. Several speakers at the victory party spoke in both Spanish and English. Chants of “Si, se puede” — “yes, we can” — broke out several times. Mejia also spoke in Spanish, saying she wanted to speak so her mother could understand her. “She helped me and my sister see that we could, in fact, have a rightful place not only in this country, not only in this state, but amongst community. That we could be different, but in fact, we share so much,” she said. Mejia is being challenged by three Democrats in June’s regular primary, while Hathaway is running unchallenged on the GOP side. “Don’t forget, in eight weeks we got to do it again,” Mejia said Thursday.

Democrat Analilia Mejia wins special House election • New Jersey Monitor

Trump Budget Chief Grilled Over Childcare and War Spending The #MorningSixpackPodcast - 04/17/2026: Global Iran blockade, Europe’s Hormuz gamble, ICE shakeup, $1.5T defense fight, NJ shocker, nuclear mystery

The #MorningSixpackPodcast - 04/17/2026: Global Iran blockade, Europe’s Hormuz gamble, ICE shakeup, $1.5T defense fight, NJ shocker, nuclear mystery

Missing nuclear official becomes TENTH person tied to US secrets Published: 19:37 BST, 11 April 2026 | Updated: 21:45 BST, 11 April 2026 Another person with links to America's nuclear secrets has gone missing as the disturbing list of deaths and disappearances in recent years continues to grow. Steven Garcia, 48, vanished without a trace on August 28, 2025. He was last seen leaving his Albuquerque, New Mexico home on foot, carrying only a handgun. An anonymous source told the Daily Mail that Garcia was a government contractor working for the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), a major facility in Albuquerque that plays a key behind-the-scenes role in America's national defense. Specifically, KCNSC manufactures more than 80 percent of all the non-nuclear components that go into building the military's nuclear weapons. Garcia allegedly served as a property custodian at KCNSC's New Mexico facility, giving him a top security clearance and broad access to the entire site's nuclear secrets. The source described Garcia's work as 'a very high-level, overseeing position for all the assets. Tens, maybe hundreds of millions of dollars in equipment and assets, some of which are not classified, others would be classified.' The government contractor's sudden disappearance marks the tenth person with ties to America's space or nuclear secrets who has died or mysteriously vanished in recent years, putting US national security experts on edge. Moreover, four of these officials have vanished without a trace in almost the same manner as Garcia, and all had a connection to US nuclear secrets or rocket technology. Steven Garcia (Pictured) was last seen on August 28, 2025. A source has revealed to the Daily Mail that Garcia worked as a government contractor at a key nuclear weapons facility The Daily Mail has reached out to KCNSC and the US Department of Energy, which owns and oversees the facility, to confirm Garcia's work at the site and for comment on his disappearance. According to police in Albuquerque, Garcia was last spotted on surveillance cameras walking out of his home on Cattail Court SW in a green camouflage shirt and shorts just after 9am local time. He was also seen carrying a handgun, and authorities warned that Garcia 'may be a danger to himself.' However, the anonymous source disputed any suggestions that the nuclear official may have been suicidal or was battling mental health issues. 'He was a very stable person,' they declared, adding that the possibility of Garcia being the target of foreign spies 'makes the most sense.' Former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker previously told the Daily Mail: ’Our scientists have been targeted for a long time, especially in the rocket propulsion area, by hostile foreign intelligence services.’ Days after Garcia's disappearance, KCNSC reportedly launched a desperate search for the missing contractor, including going through his work computers, emails and files for any clues to his whereabouts, but nothing has been found. 'It's a little strange that these people just keep disappearing. I mean, he literally just walked off into the desert with a firearm and a bottle of water and that was it,' the source said, comparing it to the disappearance of retired Air Force General William Neil McCasland. William Neil McCasland, 68, was last seen around 11am on February 27 near Quail Run Court NE in Albuquerque, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office said Steven Garcia (Pictured) was last seen leaving his New Mexico home with a handgun and no phone, keys or wallet McCasland, 68, who also lived in Albuquerque, vanished after leaving his home on February 27, 2026, with no phone, wearable devices or his prescription glasses. The Air Force veteran was only carrying a .38-caliber revolver. Two other individuals in New Mexico with a connection to US nuclear facilities disappeared under identical circumstances in 2025. Anthony Chavez and Melissa Casias both worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), one of the nation's most important nuclear research sites. Chavez, 79, worked at the lab until his retirement in 2017, although his role there has not been made clear. Casias, 54, was an active administrative assistant at the facility and is believed to have had top security clearance. Both were last seen leaving their homes in New Mexico on foot, leaving behind their cars, keys, wallets and phones before disappearing without a trace less than four months before Garcia vanished. All three, Garcia, Chavez and Casias, have been tied to General McCasland, who was the former commander of the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and oversaw research at Kirtland Air Force Base from 2001 to 2004. Kirtland, KCNSC and LANL work closely together on national security projects, especially research involving America's nuclear capabilities. Anthony Chavez (Left) and Melissa Casias (Right) were both employees at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Both disappeared within weeks of each other in 2025 'That entire mission runs out of Kirtland Air Force Base. A big part of it, including the technology and the production of the technology that they use, is all built in Albuquerque. So McCasland would have absolutely known and been to these facilities,' a source revealed.Read More Fearing that a foreign power may be taking aim at America's nuclear program again, Swecker noted: ’I think we’ve even seen instances where nuclear scientists have been taken out. They've been assassinated.’ Meanwhile, NASA scientist Monica Jacinto Reza, 60, disappeared while hiking with friends in California on June 22, 2025. The director of the Materials Processing Group at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has also been directly tied to General McCasland through her work to invent a space-age metal called Mondaloy. The project was funded directly by AFRL while McCasland was overseeing her lab from 2011 to 2013. In addition to the string of disappearances in the Southwest, five scientists in key areas of research have died over the last three years, including two who were murdered in their own homes. Nuno Loureiro, 47, was assassinated at his home in the Boston suburb of Brookline on December 15, 2025. Authorities said the gunman was Claudio Neves Valente, a former classmate from Portugal. However, a former FBI official and independent investigators have noted that Loureiro's revolutionary work in nuclear fusion may have made him a target of a greater conspiracy against US scientists. Astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, 67, was shot to death on the front porch of his home on February 16, 2026. The California Institute of Technology researcher's work had been heavily supported by NASA's JPL, including major space telescope missions led by NASA. Grillmair's work with the NEOWISE and NEO Surveyor has also been linked to the Air Force, as the NASA telescopes used the same systems the military relies on to track satellites and hypersonic missiles. Two other men with deep ties to NASA JPL died recently, with the circumstances surrounding their passings remaining a mystery. NASA scientist Frank Maiwald reportedly died on July 4, 2024 in Los Angeles at the age of 61, but the cause of death has never been made public, and officials confirmed that an autopsy was never performed. In June 2023, just 13 months before his death, he was the lead researcher on a breakthrough that could help future space missions detect clear signs of life on other worlds, including Jupiter’s moon Europa, Saturn’s moon Enceladus, or the dwarf planet Ceres. Michael David Hicks, a research scientist at NASA JPL, passed away on July 30, 2023 at the age of 59, but the cause of death was never made public, and no record of an autopsy being performed could be found. Hicks had been involved with the DART Project, NASA’s test to see if humans could deflect dangerous asteroids away from Earth. He also worked on the Deep Space 1 Mission, which tested new spacecraft technology that flew by a comet in 2001. NASA JPL has not commented on the deaths of Maiwald or Hicks, and did not reply to Daily Mail's inquiries into the nature of the scientists' work before their deaths. In another mysterious incident, Jason Thomas, a pharmaceutical researcher testing cancer treatments at Novartis, was found dead in a Massachusetts lake on March 17, 2026, after disappearing without a trace three months earlier.

Missing nuclear official becomes TENTH person tied to US secrets

US Warns Iran-Linked Vessels: We’ll Board You Anywhere The Morning Sixpack - 04/17/2026: Iran blockade widens, Europe floats Hormuz force, ICE chief quits, $1.5T defense fight, NJ upset, nuclear mystery

The #MorningSixpack - 04/17/2026: Iran blockade widens, Europe floats Hormuz force, ICE chief quits, $1.5T defense fight, NJ upset, nuclear mystery

Turkey brands Netanyahu 'Hitler' after post accusing Erdogan of 'slaughter' Netanyahu has been labelled the “Hitler of our time”(Image: AP) Turkey has strongly criticised Benjamin Netanyahu, describing him as the "Hitler of our time". It came after the Israeli Prime Minister shared a post on X criticising Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He wrote: "Under my leadership, Israel will continue to fight against Iran's terrorist regime and its proxies, in contrast to Erdogan who aids them and even slaughters his Kurdish citizens." In response, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement in which it referred to Netanyahu as the "Hitler of our time". It accused Israel of "undermining ongoing peace negotiations" and pursuing "expansionist policies in the region". The ministry said: "Netanyahu, who has been described as the Hitler of our time due to the crimes he has committed, is a well-known figure with a clear track record. Content cannot be displayed without consent READ MORE: Iran war live: Ex-Trump ally slams 'Antichrist spirit' as Hormuz blockade looms "An arrest warrant has been issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under Netanyahu’s administration, Israel is facing proceedings before the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide. "Netanyahu’s current objective is to undermine ongoing peace negotiations and continue his expansionist policies in the region. Failing this, he risks being tried in his own country and is likely to be sentenced to imprisonment. "The fact that our President has been targeted by Israeli officials with baseless, brazen, and false allegations is a result of the discomfort caused by the truths we have consistently voiced on every platform. "Türkiye will continue to stand by innocent civilians and will further its efforts to ensure that Netanyahu is held accountable for the crimes he has committed." Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (file)(Image: GETTY ) The latest tension between the countries comes as Erdoğan warned Donald Trump of possible “provocations and sabotage” following the US-Iran ceasefire. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the ceasefire could be extended for 45 to 60 days to allow the negotiations to continue. Fidan, whose country has supported mediations efforts, said the US and Iranian delegations presented initial "maximalist" positions during the talks in Pakistan, adding that Iran is expected to review US proposals and respond. "If the parties make good progress, an additional ceasefire could be introduced - lasting 45 to 60 days - so that negotiations can continue," he said in an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency. He cautioned however, that Israel remains "a factor" that could disrupt the negotiations. The nuclear issue could also become a sticking point, he said. "If the nuclear matter turns into an all-or-nothing situation, especially regarding enrichment, we could face a serious obstacle," Fidan said. "But hopefully, with the support of mediators and other countries, we will try to overcome this as well."

Turkey brands Netanyahu 'Hitler' after post accusing Erdogan of 'slaughter'

Iran war's global energy crisis sharpens China’s advantage in clean tech Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. HONG KONG (AP) — China is poised to benefit from the Iran war as global energy disruptions accelerate a shift away from fossil fuels and toward clean technologies and renewable power, industries that China dominates, experts say. Most of the oil and gas from the now mostly shut Strait of Hormuz was Asia-bound. Asian nations are scrambling to conserve energy and bolster dwindling reserves. As a temporary ceasefire teeters, gasoline prices in the U.S. and Europe are spiking. While most of Asia is hit hard, China will likely benefit from the fossil fuel disruptions despite being the biggest purchaser of Iranian oil. China leads the world in battery, solar and electric vehicle exports, and its industries are forecast to face a rise in demand for renewable products. Electric vehicle charging stations are seen in Beijing, on Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Caroline, File) Before the start of the Iran war in late February, China’s lead in clean technologies was lengthening. The U.S. under President Donald Trump scaled back on renewable energy and leaned on its vast oil and gas resources, promoting energy exports to achieve what Trump described as “energy dominance.” Now Chinese industry giants like vehicle-maker BYD and battery-producer CATL are well-positioned to capitalize on growing interest in low-emissions energy products as the world confronts the fragility of fossil fuels. “China’s approach to energy sector development and geopolitics has been completely validated by the Iran conflict,” said Sam Reynolds with the U.S.-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Dueling visions for energy future FILE- Tibetan sheep graze at a solar farm in Hainan prefecture of western China’s Qinghai province on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) Over a decade ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping merged energy security with national security. China has since stepped up its focus on renewable energy, even though fossil fuels still dominate its domestic energy mix. China makes up over 70% of EV manufacturing and about 85% of battery cell production globally, according to the International Energy Agency. Its current five-year plan until 2030 continues to prioritize these industries. “They are at the very forefront of this, more so than any other countries in the world, certainly more so than the United States,” said Li Shuo, director of the Asia Society Policy Institute’s China Climate Hub. The U.S. is the world’s top oil producer and has pushed liquefied natural gas. The American approach — summed up by Trump as “ drill, baby, drill ” — favors fossil fuels over renewables. The Norco oil refinery is seen behind train tracks and residences in Norco, La., on April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) Markets were witnessing a “bifurcation” before the war, Reynolds said, with the superpowers pushing very different energy futures, leaving other countries with complex choices on which approach to back. Investors bet on renewables’ growth The Iran war is driving demand for Chinese technology, whose exports of items such as solar panels, batteries and electric cars hit a record of almost $22.3 billion in December. That was up about 47% from the year before, with much going to Southeast Asia and Europe, according to the think tank Ember. Investment in renewable power and battery storage — designed to save energy when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing — is expected to increase in nations heavily dependent on energy imports, including European countries, according to the credit rating firm Fitch Ratings. Investors are betting the war will boost demand for renewables. In March, CATL and BYD’s Hong Kong traded shares rose roughly 24% and 11%, respectively. A man looks at the electric Han EV sedan from Chinese automaker BYD during the Auto Shanghai 2023 show in Shanghai, on April 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) Over the past few years, Chinese automakers were already expanding EV development and production while growing exports faster than American or European rivals, offering cheaper models and gaining ground in regions like Southeast Asia. These trends are expected to accelerate. The energy shock is “going to help the Chinese industry globally and hurt the American car industry globally,” said Amy Myers Jaffe of New York University’s Center for Global Affairs. Meanwhile, high U.S. tariffs have largely shut Chinese EVs out of the American market. Rising fuel prices also may boost BYD growth in China, said Chris Liu with the research and advisory firm Omdia. Even the world’s largest coal exporter makes a shift Households facing higher energy costs are likely to move to clean power, said James Bowen of the Australia-based consultancy ReMap Research. Pakistan offers an early example. Its renewable rollout in 2017 led to more than 50 gigawatts of Chinese solar panels imported by December 2025. Pakistan still imports a third of its energy. About 80% of its oil flowed through the Strait of Hormuz, and Qatar had been supplying a quarter of its LNG. But “the shock isn’t as big as it would have been without solar,” said Nabiya Imran of Renewables First. If prices remain high, solar could save Pakistan $6.3 billion in fossil fuel imports over the next year, according to think tanks Renewables First and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. In the United Kingdom, EV leasing demand jumped by more than a third in the first three weeks of March compared to a similar period in February before the war, according to Octopus Energy, a renewable group. Octopus also reported increases in rooftop solar sales and solar-related inquiries. In Southeast Asia, Vietnamese EV maker VinFast is offering discounts to offset fuel price shocks. FILE - A worker examines a car frame at a Vinfast factory in Hai Phong, Vietnam, Sept. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh, File) Prolonged fuel spikes may act as a future catalyst for EVs, but it will take time to see the trend reflected in purchases, partly because customers are likely waiting to see how the conflict plays out, said Patrick Tan, with the energy consultancy Aurora Research. Even Indonesia, the world’s largest coal exporter, is recalibrating in ways that could make it a bigger customer for China’s clean energy technology. In March, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced a push into EVs, including plans to produce electric cars and expand charging infrastructure. The dream of electrified transportation is gaining renewed attention, said Putra Adhiguna of the Jakarta-based think tank Energy Shift Institute. Chinese firms play a major role in Indonesia’s clean energy supply chain. They signed more than $54 billion dollars’ worth of deals with the state utility in 2023 and added a $10 billion pledge during Prabowo’s visit to Beijing in 2024. “There will be direct financial benefits to Chinese companies,” said Reynolds of IEEFA. ___ Ghosal reported from Hanoi, Vietnam. Delgado reported from Bangkok. AP Business Writer Paul Wiseman contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Iran war's global energy crisis sharpens China’s advantage in clean tech

It will take 2 YEARS to recover from Iran war fuel shortages, energy chief says IT will take two years for the world to recover from energy shortages caused by the war in Iran as a huge fuel crisis looms, an energy chief has warned. Oil and gas supplies will take two years “to reach pre-war levels again”, according to Head of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol. Energy supplies will take two years to recover after the effects of the war in Iran Credit: Getty It comes after IEA chief Fatih Birol warned yesterday that Europe has just six weeks of jet fuel left Credit: Alamy Markets are underestimating the effects of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz Credit: Reuters It comes after the energy chief warned yesterday that Europe has just six weeks of jet fuel left. Birol warned that the world needs to prepare for “significantly higher” energy prices if the crucial oil choke point is not unblocked soon. Energy prices have soared since the start of March after Iran closed off the Strait of Hormuz in response to US-Israeli blitzes of the rogue nation. Iranians refused to re-open the Strait last week, even though free flow through the shipping lane was a key plank in a two-week ceasefire agreement. Now the US navy is enforcing a blockade of the shipping lane that applies to any ships visiting Iranian ports. But even if the conflict ends with upcoming peace talks, energy supplies may take two years to recover, the IEA warned. Energy chief Birol added that this “will vary from country to country – in Iraq, for example, it will take much longer than in Saudi Arabia”. He warned that markets are not taking seriously enough the effects of the Strait of Hormuz being shut for a long time. Birol told Neue Zurcher Zeitung: “We should prepare for volatile markets for some time.” Although many shipments were already out of the Middle East and on their way across the world when the war broke out, those tankers have now arrived at their destinations. Birol explained: “But no new tankers were loaded in March. There were no new deliveries of oil, gas or fuels to Asian markets. “This gap is now becoming apparent. If the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened, we must prepare for significantly higher energy prices.” He added that the IEA was ready to act immediately and decisively after it released a huge 400 million barrels of oil from its reserves last month. It comes as Birol warned yesterday that Europe has just six weeks of jet fuel left, as vital supplies remain blocked by the war in Iran. Mass flight cancellations will begin “soon” if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, he said. Birol’s deadline means airports could face critical fuel shortages by May, causing travel chaos for Brits heading abroad during the school May half-term holidays. Trump has Iran war is ‘close to over’, with hopes that a deal could be secured soon Credit: Getty It comes after a temporary ceasefire was agreed between Trump and Iran Credit: Shutterstock Editorial A number of airports in Italy have already warned that they were running out of fuel. And British Airways has announced it will permanently axe its service from London Heathrow to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from April 24. A number of airlines have had to reduce their flight schedule to avoid spiralling costs. United Airlines is the latest to confirm that it would be cutting five per cent of flights – around 250 a month – in the second and third quarters of 2026. It comes as a former government advisor warned Brits should be preparing for World War Two-style food rationing with shortages of supermarket staples such as beer and meat as well as common prescription drugs expected.

It will take 2 YEARS to recover from Iran war fuel shortages, energy chief says