President Donald Trump's recent call to charge media outlets with "treason" for covering the war in Iran negatively took a strange new turn on Monday night.
Over the weekend, Trump posted on Truth Social that media outlets that covered a story about Iran striking the USS Abraham Air Craft Carrier should be charged with "treason" for disseminating false information. Analysts were shocked by the threat initially, but new details that emerged on Monday night cast Trump's statement in an entirely new light.
CNN Senior Reporter Daniel Dale posted on X that he asked the White House for examples of the news coverage Trump referred to in the post. In response, Dale said he received three examples, and none of them were from American news outlets.
"The White House got back to me with three examples of media outlets that quoted Iran’s claim that it struck the USS Lincoln…but none of the outlets is American. One is Israeli, one Saudi, one Turkish," Dale posted on X.
Dale added that none of the stories included the AI videos Trump referred to in the post.
"The president had strongly suggested he was talking about US media when he said outlets that spread the Lincoln story should be charged with 'TREASON,'" Dale wrote.
President Donald Trump's call for reinforcements to open the Strait of Hormuz just created the "worst of all possible worlds," according to one analyst.
On Monday, Trump made several contradictory statements about whether the U.S. needs other countries to help it open the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts of 20% of all global energy trade. The Iranian regime has effectively closed the Strait to the U.S. and Israeli ships in retaliation for the two countries' conducting a coordinated bombing campaign in Iran that began in late February.
Van Jones, a former Obama administration advisor, argued on CNN's "NewsNight" with Abby Phillip that the Trump administration's inability to deal with this problem in advance has created the "worst of all possible worlds."
"My only point is it's this kind of ready-fire-aim stuff," Jones said about the administration's strategy in Iran. "There could have been a situation where you had the economic pressure, then the protests, then the military strikes, and you might actually have regime change. Now, we have the worst of all possible worlds, and it's not clear how to get out of it."
Analysts have noted that Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is its "strongest card" against Trump, meaning the country is unlikely to bend easily on the issue. That puts Trump in an awkward position in a war that he has struggled to justify at home.
A recent Washington Post poll found that 65% of Americans don't believe Trump has adequately explained the goals of the U.S. in deciding to bomb Iran.
Earlier in the day, Mother Jones reported that the Trump administration is working to free Alexander Smirnov, a Russian spy who was indicted for passing false information about former President Joe Biden to the FBI. A recent court filing revealed that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is working on the effort to get Smirnov out of prison, which stunned Maddow.
"Maybe our president just can't stop himself from acting to help Russia," Maddow mused.
"Even when Russia is acting to kill Americans," she added, referring to earlier reporting about how Russia had given Iran intelligence it used to hunt American soldiers. "Maybe he just can't stop himself. It just feels so good. He can't stop. But doesn't it seem like in the middle of this war, he should be able to stop himself from at least helping Iran, from helping the Iranian regime, which he has just declared war on?"
Maddow said Mother Jones's reporting compounds other reports that the Trump administration relaxed sanctions on Russian oil at a time when energy prices are at near-record highs.
"I don't know why this isn't more of a show-stopping scandal in our country," Maddow said. "Is it that hard to see what this is?"
A former White House ethics lawyer yelled on MS NOW while discussing President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as he entered what the lawyer described as the "World Series of corruption."
Over the weekend, The New York Times reported that Kushner has been soliciting funds for his investment firm while conducting diplomatic business on behalf of the U.S. government. Kushner is seeking to raise $5 billion from countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, according to the report. This is happening at a time when Kushner is working with representatives for these countries on international issues, like releasing the hostages in Gaza and negotiating a settlement for the war in Iran.
Noem Eisen, a former ethics lawyer in the Obama administration, said Kushner was playing in the "World Series of corruption" by pursuing these deals simultaneously.
"The guy has got billions of dollars in interest in the region. Now he wants $5 billion more while he's the envoy for the United States?!" Eisen shouted. "That won't wash."
Eisen noted that he wouldn't let Barack Obama refinance the mortgage on his personal home while he was president because Obama was technically regulating the banking industry. Kushner appears to be taking the exact opposite approach, Eisen argued.
The Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial board on Monday begged President Donald Trump to "take the hint" about a case he is pursuing against a political foe.
For months, Trump has tried to remove Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell because of his hesitance to lower federal interest rates. A federal judge recently rebuffed a Trump-appointed prosecutor's efforts to subpoena Powell, and the WSJ editorial board noted that the judge's "evidence and reasoning are sound."
"President Trump’s lawfare efforts aren’t faring well in court, and the latest example is a federal judge’s decision last week to quash subpoenas in a probe of ... Powell," the editorial board wrote. "Mr. Trump would be wise to take the hint and abandon the case so his nominee, Kevin Warsh, can be confirmed as the next Chairman."
"The chronology of events suggests that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro was responding to pressure from Mr. Trump to target Mr. Powell in a criminal case without evidence of criminal behavior," the editorial continued. "The smart move now is for the White House to take the loss and drop the case. Don’t appeal. The quicker the case is gone, the sooner Mr. Warsh can get through the Senate Banking Committee and onto the Senate floor to be confirmed. It’s also more likely that if the case goes away, Mr. Powell might resign from his Fed seat and Mr. Trump would get another appointment to the seven-member board."
The Trump administration's latest "pure evil" move sparked outrage among political analysts and observers on Monday.
The New York Times reported that the Trump administration's Department of State has drafted a memo outlining reasons to withhold money for "lifesaving" H.I.V. reduction programs in Zambia to force the African country to hand over more of its rare earth minerals. The move could impact as many as 1.3 million Zambians who rely on the programs for medical treatment, according to the report.
"We will only secure our priorities by demonstrating willingness to publicly take support away from Zambia on a massive scale,” the Times reported the memo stated.
The Times previously reported that the Trump administration is pursuing global rare earth mineral deals to break U.S. dependence on China. The country currently mines 70% of the world's rare earth minerals and processes chemicals for 90% of the global supply, the Times reported.
The report sparked outrage among political analysts and observers.
"Things are not okay," economist Justin Wolfers posted on X.
"Genuinely couldn't contemplate that this was a real headline — but it is," Sam Stein, managing editor of the conservative anti-Trump outlet The Bulwark, posted on X.
"Gangster tactics," author Ruth Ben-Ghiat posted on X.
"Every time you think the Trump admin can’t get any worse, they get worse," Ron Filipkowski, editor in chief of the progressive news outlet MeidasTouch, posted on X.
"The US has become that neighbor who says sure, you can borrow a ladder — for a fee," journalist Carl Quintanilla posted on X.
President Donald Trump caught flak from political analysts and observers on Monday as the average cost of diesel fuel in the U.S. reached historic highs.
AAA reported that the average cost of diesel fuel in the U.S. reached $5 per gallon for just the second time in history. The other time it reached $5 per gallon was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The average cost of energy in the U.S. has risen sharply since the Trump administration decided to coordinate bombing strikes in Iran with its Israeli allies. In retaliation, Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz to American and Israeli ships. The Strait of Hormuz accounts for about 20% of all liquefied natural gas and oil traded every day.
Trump has called on other countries to help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but none have provided aid thus far, according to reports.
Political analysts and observers reacted to the news on social media.
"The GOP ran on 2 big promises: lower costs and no new wars. Broke both," Andrew Bates, a former Biden White House communications staffer, posted on X.
"Trump’s War on Truckers," political communications expert J.J. Abbott posted on X.
"Congratulations to Donald Trump for a truly historic presidency," progressive YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen posted on X.
"Damn Biden," HuffPost Senior Political Reporter S.V. Dáte posted on X.
"MAGA," journalist Brian E. Frydenborg posted on X.
Aides to all four living presidents confirmed to CNN on Monday that none of them have spoken with President Donald Trump about his bombing strikes in Iran, as Trump claimed during a press conference.
Trump claimed in the Oval Office that he had spoken to a former president about bombing Iran, and that the former president had approved of the operation. Trump added that the former president claimed he "wished" he had made the decision to bomb Iran. The president also declined to identify which president he was talking about.
The four living former presidents are: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Samantha Waldenberg reached out to aides for each of the four living former presidents, all of whom told them that the former presidents did not speak to Trump about the strikes.
"A spokesman for Clinton told CNN that no recent conversations have taken place between Clinton and Trump — about Iran or anything else," they reported.
"Aides to Bush, Obama and Biden offered similar sentiments on Monday, saying there is no record of any communications with Trump," the report added.
Political analysts and observers were stunned on Monday after President Donald Trump casually dropped a threat to start a new war during a press conference in the Oval Office.
During an exchange with Peter Doocy of Fox News, Trump said he will take Cuba "in some form" at some point during his presidency.
"All my life, I have been hearing about the United States and Cuba. You know, 'When are they going to do it?'" Trump said. "I do believe I will be having the honor of taking Cuba. That's a big honor."
"Whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth," Trump added.
The president's comments stunned political analysts and observers, who shared their reactions online.
"Dear god," David Adler, co-general coordinator of Progressive International, posted on X. "Donald Trump is once again announcing his plans for a violent invasion of Cuba. We must stop him. To stand up for Cuba — against this malignant colonial mindset — is to stand up for all of humanity."
"Like a small child talking about toys," Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic, posted on X.
"Every word uttered here is stark raving lunacy," retired Army officer Mike Colarusso posted on Bluesky.
"Hmmm … wonder if a certain dual-hatted Secretary of State/National Security Advisor has been playing to POTUS’s real estate developer instincts," Brian Finucane, senior advisor at International Crisis Group, posted on Bluesky.
A CNN political insider floated a new theory on Monday about the "former president" that President Donald Trump claims he spoke to about his decision to strike Iran.
Trump claimed during a press conference in the Oval Office that he had spoken with a "former president" who said he "wished" he had made the same decision to bomb Iran as the Trump administration. When pressed by reporters about the claim, Trump did not reveal who he was referring to. Former President Bill Clinton's team told CNN Senior Reporter Daniel Dale that Trump has not spoken with Clinton about Iran. Trump also denied speaking with presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
CNN political insider Kate Bedingfield floated a mocking new theory about who the president could have been referring to during a segment on "The Lead" with Jake Tapper.
"Not for nothing, Donald Trump is also a former president," Bedingfield said. "I think it is totally reasonable to question whether Donald Trump was looking in the mirror, having a discussion with himself in the bathroom this morning."
Bedingfield's comments come at a time when the Trump administration is facing increased scrutiny over its decision to coordinate bombing strikes against Iran with Israel.
A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 53% of Americans oppose the war in Iran.
Ex-GOP strategist Rick Wilson on Monday predicted what he thinks will be next for President Donald Trump as talks about who will succeed him in 2028 have heightened and questions over whether it will be Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Wilson was talking to MS NOW host Katy Tur about the dilemma Vance, who has been vocal about his stance against long wars in the Middle East, was facing. Vance has not publicly said he was opposed to the Iran war; however, reports have surfaced about his views on the conflict as Trump has shifted his messaging to his MAGA coalition about the military strikes.
"I think it's been notable, Rick, that we've seen so little of JD Vance lately," Tur said. "He's got a thing with the president that we might have to dip into at some point during this conversation, but other than that, he has been out of sight."
The last appearance the two apparently made was with the entire Trump administration Cabinet on March 7 at Dover Air Force Base, during the dignified transfer of six slain U.S. Army service members who were killed in Kuwait.
"I don't believe that's a coincidence, Katy," Wilson said. "I think that is a feature, not a bug, of the Vance position right now. He does come from a part of the party or the part of the MAGA movement that is very anti-interventionist. And they built the 'Peace President' illusion around Trump in 2024. And Vance put the bit in his teeth and ran with it. But now he's got a president who has launched a singularly reckless effort in the Persian Gulf that will end up sending American troops to fight and die in a pointless war. And I think Vance is very uncomfortable right now."
Trump has appeared to favor Rubio as his potential successor, according to reports.
"Marco's been getting a lot of praise," Wilson said. "Vance has been, you know, hiding in the tall grass. What goes on today in this presser with Trump could go either way. He could cut Vance's head off right there in public. And I wouldn't, if I was Vance, you know, act without getting a food taster going forward, if Trump really digs in on this war."
Last week, Vance dodged a direct question about how he viewed the military action in the Middle East. Vance was taking questions from reporters following his speech in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he campaigned for GOP candidates in a district Republicans were hoping to flip. Associated Press reporter Bill Barrow asked the vice president what advice he gave the president regarding military strikes and the economic fallout, including surging gas prices.
"Did you express any concerns like those you've expressed in the past on the possibility of those extended wars?" Barrow asked.
Vance refused to directly say whether he supports the joint U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.
"We're in the Situation Room, where you can't even take your iPod in there, or your AirPods, I guess what they're called, you can't take your iPhone in there, you can't take anything in there — because it is the most classified space anywhere in the world," Vance said.
"And I sit there with Pete Hegseth, and Gen. Caine, and Marco Rubio, and the entire White House team, and the president and I, and the entire senior team are talking about the options and about what we need to do and how we must best protect the American people," Vance added.
"I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not going to show up here in front of God and everybody else and tell you exactly what I said in that classified room partially because I don't wanna go to prison and partially because I think it's important for the President of the United States to talk to his advisors without those advisors running their mouth to the American media."
Last week, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that Newsom showed he is a "cognitive mess" during a recent interview. "While we all want to be politically correct, having a mental disorder is not a positive campaign event," Trump wrote in the post, adding that Newsom had disqualified himself from running for President during the interview.
Trump seemed to admit that he said "horrible things" about the California Democrat during a bill signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
"Honestly, I am all for people with learning disabilities but not for my president," Trump said. "I think a president should not have a learning disability. I know it's highly controversial to say such a horrible thing."
Political analysts and observers reacted to Trump's statement on social media.
"He's such an a------," Democratic strategist Mike Nellis posted on X.
"Oh my god," podcaster Jordan Crucchiola posted on X.
"He's just the worst person ever. No redeeming qualities at all," MS NOW columnist Michael A. Cohen posted on X.
"Says the guy that can barely read from a teleprompter," political commentary account "Wu Tang is for the Children" posted on X.
Trump: Gavin Newsom has admitted he has learning disabilities. Honestly I am all for people with learning disabilities but not for my president. I think the president should not have learning disabilities. pic.twitter.com/fY0cAox9Ep — Acyn (@Acyn) March 16, 2026
President Donald Trump got more than he bargained for during an exchange with a Fox News reporter in the Oval Office on Monday.
Trump and multiple administration officials gathered in the Oval Office to commemorate his formalization of a new federal anti-fraud task force, which he announced during his State of the Union address in February. During a question-and-answer segment, Trump was asked by Fox News' Peter Doocy whether the U.S. can wrap up the war in Iran this week.
"If Iran, as you say, [were] totally obliterated. Got the missiles, the first two rounds of leadership. Army gone. Navy gone. Can we wrap this war up this week?" Doocy asked.
"Sure, I guess," Trump said.
"Will we?" Doocy continued.
"I don't think so, but it will be soon," Trump said. "It won't be long."
Doocy's question underscored the contradictory accounts of the war in Iran coming out of the White House. When Trump first announced the U.S. was coordinating strikes against Iran with Israel, he said one of the goals was to create the conditions for the Iranian people to rise up and form their own government.
Since then, Trump has said the war began to ensure that Iran doesn't get nuclear weapons. Last year, the Trump administration bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities and claimed they were "totally obliterated" in the process.
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