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Friday, March 20, 2026 · 7:00 a.m. ET
Federal Level
Iran Strikes Israeli Oil Refinery in Haifa; IDF Kills IRGC Spokesman in Overnight Airstrike
The war between the U.S.-Israel coalition and Iran intensified on Friday as Iran launched repeated missile barrages against central Israel and the Jerusalem area, while the Israeli Air Force killed the spokesman of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, General Ali Mohammad Naini, in an overnight airstrike inside Iran. Iranian state media confirmed Naini’s death, noting he had served as the IRGC’s top propagandist for two years. Separately, Iran’s Oil Refineries reported that an Iranian missile strike on its refinery complex in Haifa caused significant damage to critical infrastructure. The Health Ministry reported that over 4,000 people have been hospitalized since the war began on February 28, with 150 admitted in the past 24 hours alone. Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since the war began, issued a statement calling on Iran’s intelligence services to void the security of the country’s “internal and external enemies.” The IDF said it struck more than 200 targets across western and central Iran in the past 24 hours, including missile launch sites, air defense systems, and weapons production facilities.1,2,3
Pentagon Requests Over $200 Billion From Congress to Fund Iran War
The Pentagon has sent the White House a budget request exceeding $200 billion to fund the escalating military campaign against Iran, according to the Washington Post and multiple congressional sources. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the figure on Thursday during a press conference, though he cautioned that the number “could move.” Hegseth told reporters that it “takes money to kill bad guys” and that the administration is working with Congress to secure adequate funding. President Trump defended the request during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, saying that “we have a multitude of reasons for this request, beyond just the situation in Iran,” and that the world is “extremely unstable.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the proposed amount “outrageous and unacceptable.” No formal proposal has been submitted to Congress yet.4,5,6
Trump Invokes Pearl Harbor During Meeting With Japanese Prime Minister
President Trump created a diplomatic stir on Thursday when he referenced the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. When a Japanese journalist asked why the United States did not notify allies such as Japan before launching the strikes on Iran on February 28, Trump responded by asking Takaichi, “Why didn’t you inform me about Pearl Harbor? You believe in surprise far more than I do.” American presidents have generally avoided raising Pearl Harbor in diplomatic settings with Japan, preferring to focus on the countries’ strong postwar alliance. Takaichi, who condemned Iran’s actions during her visit, also expressed concern about the “severe security environment” the war has created and the economic consequences for energy-dependent nations like Japan.7,8,9
Trump Administration Approves $23 Billion in Emergency Arms Sales to Gulf States
The Trump administration moved forward with approximately $23 billion in arms sales to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Jordan, bypassing the standard congressional review process by invoking emergency authority. Secretary of State Marco Rubio certified that an emergency exists requiring the immediate sale of the military equipment. The publicly disclosed portion of the deal totals roughly $16.5 billion and includes air defense systems, radar technology, advanced missiles, drones, and F-16 fighter jet munitions. An additional $7 billion in weapons for the UAE was approved through channels that do not require public disclosure under U.S. arms export regulations, according to the Wall Street Journal. House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks accused the administration of abusing emergency declarations to bypass congressional oversight, calling the sales “another deeply troubling example of this administration’s contempt for Congress.”10,11,12
Mullin Clears Senate Committee for DHS Secretary; Full Senate Vote Expected Next Week
The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted 8-7 on Thursday to advance Senator Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to become Secretary of Homeland Security, one day after a contentious confirmation hearing. Committee Chairman Rand Paul was the sole Republican to vote against the nomination, while Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to vote in favor. During Wednesday’s hearing, Paul had accused Mullin of “anger issues” and played video of Mullin nearly brawling with a union leader during a 2023 hearing, but Paul ultimately chose not to use his authority as chairman to block the vote. Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that a full Senate vote could come as early as next week. Mullin has said he would support requiring judicial warrants for immigration home entries.13,14,15
Bipartisan Senate Group Meets With Homan on DHS Shutdown; Thune Threatens to Cancel Recess
A bipartisan group of senators met behind closed doors on Thursday with White House border czar Tom Homan, marking the first significant sign of progress in negotiations to end the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, now in its 34th day. The meeting included key appropriators from both parties, who said that while significant differences remain, the dialogue represented a positive step. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told the Washington Examiner that he plans to cancel the upcoming two-week Easter recess if the shutdown is not resolved by the end of next week. Senator Katie Britt said the next step would involve a new counterproposal from the White House. Democrats continued to push for policy changes at ICE, including warrant requirements, a ban on face masks during enforcement operations, body camera mandates, and restrictions on operations near schools and churches. In a separate move, Democrats again attempted to pass funding for agencies other than ICE and Border Patrol, but Republicans blocked it.16,17,18
Epstein Lawyer Darren Indyke Testifies He Had No Knowledge of Crimes
Darren Indyke, Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime personal attorney and a co-executor of his estate, testified in a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Thursday that he “had no knowledge whatsoever” of Epstein’s crimes. In his prepared opening statement, Indyke told investigators that no woman had ever accused him of committing, witnessing, or being informed of any sexual abuse by Epstein, and that his relationship with Epstein was professional rather than social. He described himself as “one of many attorneys whom Mr. Epstein regularly consulted,” listing former independent counsel Kenneth Starr among others. The testimony came one day after House Democrats walked out of a briefing with Attorney General Pam Bondi, who declined to commit to complying with a subpoena requiring her sworn testimony on the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files.19,20,21
U.S. National Debt Surpasses $39 Trillion
The gross national debt of the United States surpassed $39 trillion this week, a milestone that the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget called “embarrassing.” Committee President Maya MacGuineas said that “both parties have helped build” the debt over decades and that “neither seems particularly interested in addressing it before we hit $40 trillion.” Debt held by the public recently surpassed $31 trillion for the first time, annual deficits are approaching $2 trillion, and deficits as a share of the economy are roughly double the 3% target that many economists consider sustainable. The milestone comes as the administration is preparing a potential $200 billion supplemental spending request for the Iran war, which would further accelerate borrowing.22
State Level
24 States Sue EPA Over Repeal of Climate Endangerment Finding
A coalition of 24 states, along with several cities and counties, filed a lawsuit on Thursday challenging the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding, the scientific determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. The endangerment finding had served as the legal foundation for federal regulations on vehicle emissions and other climate-related rules. The EPA argued that the Clean Air Act permits regulation only of pollutants that cause direct harm, and that greenhouse gases, which accumulate in the atmosphere to trap heat, do not meet that standard. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the lawsuit in West Sacramento, accusing President Trump of siding with the oil industry for financial gain. Legal analysts widely believe the administration’s goal is to bring the case before the Supreme Court, where the conservative majority could overturn the landmark 2007 Massachusetts v. EPA ruling that established the government’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases.23,24,25
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Sources
The Times of Israel, https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-march-20-2026/
Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/20/iran-war-live-tehran-warns-of-intensified-strikes-if-energy-sites-targeted
Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iranian-attack-hits-israeli-oil-refinery-haifa-some-damage-reported-2026-03-19/
Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/18/iran-cost-budget-pentagon/
CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/19/hegseth-iran-war-budget.html
Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/3/19/us-approves-16-5bn-arms-deal-to-gulf-states-amid-rising-iran-tensions
CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/20/trump-pearl-harbor-japan-takaichi-iran-war.html
New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/us/politics/trump-japan-pearl-harbor-oval-office-takaichi.html
Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/19/trump-references-pearl-harbor-during-meeting-with-japanese-pm-on-iran-war
CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/20/us-arms-weapon-sales-middle-east-iran-israel-war.html
Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/3/19/us-approves-16-5bn-arms-deal-to-gulf-states-amid-rising-iran-tensions
House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats, https://democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/2026/3/meeks-calls-out-trump-admin-for-again-abusing-emergency-authorities-to-bypass-congress-on-arms-sales
CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/19/markwayne-mullin-dhs-immigration-senate-vote.html
Politico, https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/18/markwayne-mullin-dhs-secret-trip-00834484
Politico, https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/18/markwayne-mullin-confirmation-hearing-dhs-00834481
AP News, https://apnews.com/article/tsa-wait-homeland-security-funding-shutdown-congress-a7e829596aad5c9bdf3808790bfaa638
Washington Examiner, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/4497905/john-thune-no-senate-break-without-dhs-funding/
Politico, https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/03/19/congress/senate-recess-at-risk-if-dhs-shutdown-continues-thune-says-00836246
Politico, https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/03/19/congress/darren-indyke-house-oversight-testimony-00836132
CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/19/politics/darren-indyke-jeffrey-epstein-testimony
BBC News, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79jw8dx1pqo
GoLocalProv/Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, https://www.golocalprov.com/news/5-big-news-stories-overnight-thursday-march-19-2026
New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/climate/epa-endangerment-states-lawsuit.html
CalMatters, https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/02/endangerment-climate-policy-trump-lawsuit/
Courthouse News, https://www.courthousenews.com/states-shred-epa-rollback-of-key-environmental-protection/
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