All articles tagged with #iranwar
Senator Thom Tillis urged President Trump to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of inept leadership and creating a leadership void as the US fights Iran, contrasting him with Dan Driscoll’s resignation and arguing for a Pentagon chief who will modernize the force and retain talent amid war, stockpile strains, and mounting political pressure.
A Washington Post report details mounting concerns among U.S. military brass that sustaining operations against Iran could erode readiness and homeland defense, prompting friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigns amid disputes with Hegseth; and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine confirms there are no plans to deploy federal troops to polling places in the November 2026 elections, stressing that election administration remains with state and local officials.
President Trump directed a substantial cut to the Korea-U.S. joint drills, publicising the order on Truth Social and reducing the exercises from 11 days to five, a move that surprised Seoul and rekindled worries about the reliability of the long-standing alliance as Washington shapes its Iran policy. Seoul is weighing its posture, with President Lee urging continued alliance value while advocating stronger self-reliant defense and possible practical contributions, amid editorials and public debate over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and broader security commitments.
BBC international affairs editor Jeremy Bowen called the February air strikes on Iran a gross miscalculation and described the Iran war as a severe blunder by the US and Israel, arguing that further strikes won’t force concessions and a memorandum of understanding to keep peace talks alive is the best path forward; he also warned that not reopening the Strait of Hormuz would be economically disastrous for much of the world, including the UK, while criticizing Trump’s limited attention span and desire for quick victories.
Euro zone inflation rose to 2.5% in March, above the ECB's 2% target, driven by a sharp energy-price increase tied to the Iran-Israel/U.S. conflict; energy inflation about 4.9% while services and food rose more modestly. ECB President Lagarde signaled possible rate hikes if needed, and the central bank updated its forecasts to show 0.9% growth in 2026 with inflation averaging about 2.6% that year.
The BBC reports that the Iran-war–driven disruption of the Strait of Hormuz could dwarf the 1970s oil shocks, with about 20% of world oil supply affected and the risk of sharp price spikes and inflation—potentially deepening recession concerns—though many analysts say today’s market is more diversified and buffered, which could limit the hit if the conflict ends quickly.
In hearings, Tulsi Gabbard failed to justify Trump’s Iran war, while Republicans pressed Markwayne Mullin on past conduct during his Homeland Security secretary confirmation, highlighting intraparty tensions.
Markets expect the Fed to hold rates at this week’s meeting, but February’s producer price index jumped 3.4% year over year and oil surged on the Iran conflict, adding hawkish risk to the inflation outlook. Oil traded above $109 a barrel, stocks were modestly lower ahead of the decision, and gas prices rose as energy supply concerns persist. February payrolls fell 92,000 and Q4 GDP growth was revised to 0.7%, underscoring a fragile economy. With Powell’s term ending in May and Trump weighing Warsh as successor, Fed independence remains a political issue; markets price in a near-certain hold, though messaging could tilt hawkish if energy inflation accelerates.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr said broadcasters must serve the public interest or risk losing their licenses, escalating a dispute sparked by Trump’s criticism of Iran coverage. Democrats call the postura unconstitutional, while the FCC argues its authority over broadcast content is limited and licenses are issued to stations (not networks) with a mandate to operate in the public interest.