Today’s Headlines: Twelve days in, the Iran war has cost $11 billion and nearly 2,000 lives. The most damning number: 175 people — mostly children — killed when a U.S. Tomahawk missile hit an Iranian elementary school because the Defense Intelligence Agency used outdated targeting data. Trump is still blaming Iran. He spent yesterday in Kentucky rallying against Thomas Massie and bragging the war was over "in the first hour." US intelligence disagrees: Iran's government is intact and now led by a younger, more radical Supreme Leader. Trump and Netanyahu are also diverging — Trump wants a victory banner, Israel wants regime change. Hezbollah is firing rockets into Israel; Israeli strikes have displaced over 700,000 people in Lebanon. Iran has escalated in the Strait of Hormuz, hitting three commercial ships and threatening every regional port. The US and IEA announced one of the largest emergency oil reserve releases in history after the Trump administration reversed course in two hours. February inflation already showed fuel oil up 11.1% before any of this started. The FBI is warning California law enforcement about potential Iranian drone strikes launched from ships off the coast, and thousands of Stryker employees — the company makes robotic surgery systems — arrived to find their devices locked with an Iran-linked hacking group's logo on their screens. A government watchdog found Hegseth's Pentagon burned $93 billion in September 2025 alone. The last five days of that month's spending exceeded Canada and Mexico's combined military budgets. Trump is threatening to veto all legislation until the SAVE Act — which would significantly restrict voting access — clears the Senate, while DHS investigates Arizona's 2020 election results and targets swing states ahead of the midterms. Epstein's accountant testified before House Oversight in a closed session; one detail leaked: a Trump accuser reportedly received a settlement from the Epstein estate. And a 12-foot gold statue appeared on the National Mall depicting Trump and Epstein in the Titanic bow pose — Epstein as Rose — with plaques noting their friendship was "built on luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches."
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
NYT: First Week of Iran War Cost More Than $11 Billion, Pentagon Tells Congress
NYT: U.S. at Fault in Strike on School in Iran, Preliminary Inquiry Says
ABC News: Iran live updates: US senators told Iran war cost $11.3B in first 6 days
NBC News: Live updates: Trump goes after Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky congressman's district
ABC News: Iran live updates: US senators told Iran war cost $11.3B in first 6 days
Reuters: Exclusive: US intelligence says Iran government is not at risk of collapse, say sources
WSJ: Trump Says the Iran War Is Nearly Won but Israel Has Other Ideas
ABC News: Iran live updates: US senators told Iran war cost $11.3B in first 6 days
Axios: IEA announces historic oil reserve release amid Iran war
WSJ: President Trump’s Head-Spinning Pivot on an Emergency Oil Release
Politico: Energy, food prices surged in February — before Iran fighting started
ABC News: FBI warns Iran aspired to attack California with drones in retaliation for war: Alert
WSJ: Iran Expands War With Major Cyberattack Against U.S. Company
The New Republic: Pete Hegseth Blew Billions on Fruit Basket Stands, Chairs, and Crab
NYT: Thune Is in a Vise as Trump and Far Right Demand Fight on Voter Bill
ABC News: Trump administration opens investigation into Arizona’s 2020 election results
NYT: Trump Wants to ‘Take Over’ Elections. These States Are Prime Targets
Mediate: BOMBSHELL: Trump Accuser Got Payoff from Jeffrey Epstein Estate, Says Dem Lawmaker
The Guardian: New satirical statue depicts Trump and Epstein as doomed lovers from Titanic
Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
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