Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

Sep 28, 2026

British Police Arrest Five Men With Explosives Near RAF Fairford, the Base U.S. Bombers Have Used to Strike Iran — Trump Says "They Were Looking to Do Big Damage" and "We Had Them Under View for a Long Time," Kat Cammack Says "Clearly Iran Was Involved," and Tehran Denies It

On Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, police in southern England arrested five British men in their twenties who allegedly approached RAF Fairford carrying explosives. The Gloucestershire base is owned by the United Kingdom and operated by the U.S. Air Force, and American bombers have flown strikes on Iran from it since March. The men were arrested under the Explosives Act and then on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Speaking to reporters in Chicago that day, President Trump praised the arrests and said U.S. and British authorities had had the suspects under surveillance. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) said on NewsNation that Iran was "clearly" involved. On Monday, Sept. 28, the five were released on bail, and counterterrorism detectives said they were pursuing "multiple lines of inquiry," including possible links to Iran, Russia or non-state militant groups. Iran's embassy in London "categorically" rejected any connection.

“I'm surprised that they released them, I wouldn't have done that. … We know everything about [the suspects]. We would not have released them. I would not have released them. [Asked whether the suspects were connected to Iran:] Might be.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · Sep 28, 2026

The House Votes a Third Time to End the Iran War, 220-204, as Three More Republicans Cross Over — and the Same Day Thomas Massie Files Eight Articles of Impeachment Against Pete Hegseth, Saying He "Is Breaking the Law and Must Be Held Accountable," Before GOP Leaders Cancel the Rest of the Week's Votes

On Sept. 15, 2026, the House passed a war powers resolution directing President Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran, 220-204 — its third such vote, after a failed attempt in March and passage in June and July. Seven Republicans voted yes, the largest GOP defection yet: Reps. Tom Barrett (Mich.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Warren Davidson (Ohio) and Thomas Massie (Ky.), who had backed earlier resolutions, joined for the first time by Nancy Mace (S.C.) and Iowa's Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn. The concurrent resolution does not go to the president; the Senate is to take it up by Oct. 2. Hours earlier, Massie rose on the House floor to introduce eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth without notifying party leaders. The 34-page resolution accuses Hegseth of waging the Iran war for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, defying Congress, causing needless civilian casualties, retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly for protected speech, and — in its seventh article — the "kidnapping of a sovereign foreign leader" in the January operation that seized Nicolás Maduro. Because Massie offered it as a privileged resolution, leadership had to act on it within days; Majority Whip Tom Emmer then announced that the week's last votes would be Wednesday afternoon, and Massie accused leaders of "canceling Congress" to avoid the vote. The Pentagon called Hegseth "a transformative leader," and Attorney General Todd Blanche said he "follows the law." The votes came the same week the Congressional Budget Office put the war's cost through August at $38.1 billion.

“It's a publicity stunt by someone who wants attention. … Secretary Hegseth has done an extraordinary job. … It will immediately be tabled, of course. But we probably won't do that today. … It's time for our members to go home to their districts and make the case to the American people.”
Mike Johnson (R-LA) · Sep 16, 2026

The Administration Moves to Sell Israel 40,000 of the 2,000-Pound Bombs Biden Once Paused — the Top House Foreign Affairs Democrat Places a Hold, Saying "I Therefore Will Not Clear This Sale at This Time," and Chris Van Hollen Vows to Stop Bombs Sent "to a Govt Led by a Wanted War Criminal"

On Sept. 15, 2026, the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration had informally notified Congress of a roughly $2.8 billion munitions package for Israel — 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, including MK-84 general-purpose bombs, BLU-117s and I-2000 penetrator warheads, largely paid for with U.S. Foreign Military Financing. The Biden administration had paused deliveries of 2,000-pound bombs in 2024 over concern about their use in densely populated parts of Gaza. On Sept. 16, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he would not clear the sale during the informal review, citing "grave, unresolved concerns" about the bombs' use in Gaza and Lebanon, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said he would work to block it. A hold is not binding: Secretary of State Marco Rubio can bypass congressional review with an emergency declaration, as the administration has done with earlier Israel sales. A senior White House official said only that "all foreign arms sales are moving through the appropriate process."

“Trump is sending $2.8 billion of bombs paid for by you, the American taxpayer, to a govt led by a wanted war criminal. … [We will work to stop it.]”
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) · Sep 16, 2026

The EU Invites Canada to Become Its First "Associate Member," and Trump Calls It "Laughable" — Warning That If It Is "at All a Hostile Act, I Will Put Very Serious Tariffs or Stop Trading With Europe on Many Things," as Susan Collins Says Canada's Turn to Europe "Doesn't Help Rebuild the Good Relationship That We Once Had"

On Sept. 16, 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used her annual State of the Union address in Strasbourg, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seated as her special guest, to propose "opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the European Union," along with a new partnership covering technology, critical raw materials, energy and defense. "Associate membership" does not exist under the EU treaties, and any such status would have to be created and ratified by member states. Speaking to reporters in North Carolina that evening, President Trump called the idea "laughable," said "Canada has been a terrible trade partner," and threatened "very heavy tariffs on Europe" — or to "stop trading with Europe on many things" — if he concluded the offer was made with "bad intention." The threat came as the U.S.-Canada trade war continues to escalate and would complicate the earlier U.S.-EU arrangement capping most tariffs on European goods at 15%. On Capitol Hill the same day, Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told CBC News that Canada's tilt toward Europe would make a U.S. trade deal harder, while also saying she does not support the tariff war.

“I think it's laughable. … If they do that, if I think it's at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · Sep 16, 2026

Sitting Next to the Taoiseach in Dublin, Trump Breaks Decades of American Neutrality on Northern Ireland — "I'd Love to See It Unified. It's Going to Happen Eventually" — as Unionists Answer That Their Future "Will Be Decided by the People of Northern Ireland, Not by Commentary in … Washington"

On Sept. 12, 2026, during a visit to Ireland built around the Irish Open at his Doonbeg golf resort, President Trump told reporters in Dublin — seated beside Taoiseach Micheál Martin — that he would "love to see" Northern Ireland and the Republic unified, calling it "a fantastic thing" that is "going to happen eventually." Later that day he called it "a very cool thing" and, at an event at the U.S. ambassador's residence, acknowledged the controversy: "I gave a nice answer, I think. We'll worry about it tomorrow." The remarks broke with Washington's long-standing neutrality on Northern Ireland's constitutional status, which under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement can change only through a referendum called at the British government's discretion. They came two weeks after new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said such a vote was "off the table"; his office responded that he would stick to the Good Friday Agreement. Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson and Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows condemned the comments, while Sinn Féin welcomed them. Martin urged a "calm perspective." In Washington, Rep. Brendan Boyle said bipartisan U.S. support for the Good Friday Agreement "is not going to change."

“It just seems to me that you have Northern Ireland and you have Ireland, and it would seem to me that one of the naturals of all time is put them together.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · Sep 13, 2026