Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

Apr 11, 2026

US-Iran Peace Talks in Islamabad

On April 11, 2026, the United States and Iran held their first direct face-to-face negotiations in 47 years in Islamabad, Pakistan — the highest-level meeting since 1979. After 21 hours of marathon talks, Vice President Vance announced no deal was reached, citing Iran's refusal to commit to not developing nuclear weapons. Key sticking points included control of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's frozen assets, the enrichment question, and whether Lebanon is covered by the ceasefire. Trump responded to the collapse by ordering a U.S. Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian delegation arrived dressed in black, mourning late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Pentagon vs. the Press

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's escalating crackdown on Pentagon press access — from requiring reporters to sign restrictive pledges in 2025, to closing the Correspondents' Corridor and mandating escorts in 2026 — has drawn a federal court ruling that the policy is unconstitutional. Over 30 major outlets forfeited their press credentials rather than comply. The New York Times sued in December 2025, and on March 20, 2026, Judge Paul Friedman ruled the policy violated the First and Fifth Amendments. The Pentagon then tried to reimpose restrictions under new rules; on April 9, 2026, the judge ruled the Pentagon was violating his court order.

Iran-US Ceasefire Unraveling Within Hours

The two-week ceasefire announced April 7, 2026 began breaking down almost immediately. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the U.S. of violating three of Iran's 10 conditions: Israel continued striking Hezbollah in Lebanon (which Iran considers covered by the truce), Trump publicly denied Iran's claim that the framework permits uranium enrichment, and "an intruding drone" was destroyed in Fars Province. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz again. The U.S. denied that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire and demanded the Strait be reopened immediately. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar all reported missile and drone attacks within hours of the agreement.

JD Vance Campaigns for Orbán Ahead of Hungary Election

Vice President JD Vance traveled to Budapest on April 7, 2026 to campaign for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of the April 12 election — an extraordinary move by a sitting U.S. vice president to openly support a foreign leader's reelection. At a joint press conference, Vance said Orbán's leadership "can provide a model for the continent" and accused the EU of "one of the worst examples of foreign election interference" he'd ever seen. Opposition leader Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party leads in polls, responded by asking Vance not to make Hungarian taxpayers foot the bill for his visit. The trip overlapped with Vance's role managing the Iran crisis, leading to the surreal moment where he learned of Trump's "civilization will die" threat from a reporter while onstage with Orbán.

US-Iran Two-Week Ceasefire (Pakistan-Brokered)

On April 7, 2026 — less than two hours before President Trump's deadline to "annihilate" Iran — the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The deal is built on a 10-point Iranian peace proposal, with talks to begin in Islamabad on April 10. The ceasefire was almost immediately complicated: the Farsi version of Iran's plan includes "acceptance of enrichment" while the English version omits it; Pakistan said Lebanon is included while Netanyahu insists it is not, with Israel launching its largest wave of strikes on Hezbollah hours into the truce; and explosions hit Iranian oil sites at Lavan and Sirri Islands the same day.

Trump Threatens 'Whole Civilization Will Die' in Iran Ultimatum

On April 7, 2026, hours before his 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump posted on Truth Social that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." The threat — his most extreme public rhetoric of the Iran war — drew condemnation from Democrats calling for the 25th Amendment, criticism from some Republicans, and accusations of a threat to commit genocide from Amnesty International. Iran called the statement "a sign of ignorance."

25th Amendment and Impeachment Calls Over Trump's Iran Threats

President Trump's escalating rhetoric — from his profanity-laced Easter post threatening to bomb civilian infrastructure to his April 7 declaration that "a whole civilization will die tonight" — triggered an unprecedented wave of calls for his removal. Over 85 House Democrats called for impeachment or the 25th Amendment. Rep. John Larson filed 13 articles of impeachment. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment. The push extended beyond Democrats: former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene posted "25TH AMENDMENT!!!" and called Trump "insane," Tucker Carlson called the threats "a war crime, a moral crime," and Alex Jones floated invoking the amendment. Despite the bipartisan criticism, removal remains unlikely with Republicans controlling both chambers and no signs of Cabinet cooperation.

Trump's Easter Threat to Bomb Iran's Civilian Infrastructure

On Easter Sunday morning, April 5, 2026, President Trump posted an expletive-laden ultimatum on Truth Social threatening to bomb Iran's power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened by Tuesday, writing "Open the F***in' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell" and signing off "Praise be to Allah." The post drew condemnation from across the political spectrum, with former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene declaring Trump "has gone insane" and Senator Bernie Sanders calling it "the ravings of a dangerous and mentally unbalanced individual."

Hegseth's War Prayer and the Pope's Rebuke

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a Pentagon prayer service on March 26, 2026, praying for "overwhelming violence of action" and asking that "every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness" in the name of Jesus Christ. Pope Leo XIV responded on Palm Sunday, declaring that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war." The confrontation escalated when the Pentagon excluded Catholics from Good Friday services. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the military's top Catholic leader, declared on Face the Nation that the Iran war does not meet Catholic just war criteria.

Hegseth Pentagon Purge of Senior Military Officers

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired or forced out more than a dozen senior military officers since taking office, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George. The purge, framed as removing "woke" generals and restoring a "warrior ethos," has drawn bipartisan concern — particularly after the firing of Gen. George in April 2026 during the active U.S.-Iran conflict. Five former defense secretaries condemned the firings as "reckless" in a joint letter to Congress.

Trump Fires Attorney General Pam Bondi

President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 2, 2026, after growing frustrated with her handling of the Epstein files and her failure to aggressively prosecute his political opponents. Deputy AG Todd Blanche was installed as acting AG, with EPA administrator Lee Zeldin under consideration as a permanent replacement.

2026 DHS Government Shutdown

The Department of Homeland Security entered a partial shutdown on February 14, 2026 after Congress failed to agree on DHS funding, with Democrats demanding reforms to ICE and CBP operations following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents. The shutdown — the longest in US history — left over 100,000 DHS employees working without pay, caused TSA staffing crises, and triggered competing House and Senate funding bills.

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