Former Defense Secretary James Mattis offered a sobering take Monday on the Strait of Hormuz, criticizing the Trump administration for what he saw as a failure to think strategically about Iran. "We're in a tough spot, ladies and gentlemen, and I can't identify a lot of good options," the retired Marine general told attendees at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference. If President Trump declares victory and pulls back the U.S. military, Iran "would now say we own the Strait." "I think that you could see a tax for any ship going through " something completely unsustainable in the international market," Mattis said.
The richest households have been rapidly multiplying their wealth over the past year. They're buying real estate and plowing money into the stock market, including high-risk, high-reward investments. The returns have them sitting comfortably, as new tax benefits help protect their gains. People with a tighter budget, on the other hand, have been struggling to get ahead. Prices for grocery store staples are going up, job opportunities are decreasing and once-stable careers, like those in manufacturing, are shrinking. The idea of doing better than your parents, for many, feels increasingly out of reach.
Some companies complained to the Trump administration that Lewandowski has stood to personally profit from the DHS contracting process. Lewandowski denies the allegations. read more
The Cuban government has refused a request by the U.S. Embassy in Havana to allow it to import diesel for its generators ... read more
Paolo Zampolli, a former modeling agent and a longtime Trump ally, was in a custody battle over his son. An ICE official agreed to help. read more
wow! Rand Paul begins Markwayne Mullin's confirmation hearing by confronting him about comments Mullin made describing Paul as a "freakin' snake" and "celebrating" Paul getting assaulted"I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the ... pic.twitter.com/Jx1u9ystbd" Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 18, 2026
MAGA might have driven the final nail in the coffin but the ground work for this was laid decades ago by Limbaugh and his ilk. Trump doesn't deserve credit for the work of his predecessors, he just did the one thing he's good at and co-opted someone else's movement and ran it into the ground.