Posts by Jordi

Reuters, via Yahoo, reported on April 16 that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. forces in the Middle East are prepared to restart major combat operations immediately if Iran refuses a peace deal. At a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth said Iran could choose what he called a “prosperous fut

Reuters reported on April 16 that foreign investors are pulling money out of Thai stocks and bonds as the Iran war and rising oil prices expose how vulnerable parts of Asia remain to Gulf energy. The article said Thailand gets nearly half its oil and gas from the Middle East, while global

Reuters reported that President Trump is trying an economic reset as Republicans grow nervous about high gas prices, a sign that the White House sees affordability as a live political threat rather than background noise. The Fiscal Times added context on April 15, reporting that the admini

Reuters reported on April 15 that Senate Republicans blocked the latest bid to rein in President Trump’s Iran war powers, extending Congress’s failure to reclaim authority over a conflict that has already moved through strikes, retaliation, and an uneasy ceasefire. Al Jazeera reported the resolution failed 47-52, with Republican Sen. Rand Paul joining Democrats in support and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman opposing it. The vote came after another round of U.S.-Iran negotiations failed to lock in a durable settlement.

The defeat matters because Congress is no longer merely debating war from the sidelines; it is showing, again, that it may not be capable of imposing clear limits even after the costs and risks are obvious. Trump had previously threatened major escalation, and the region remains unstable despite pause-and-talk diplomacy. In practical terms, the Senate just told the public that executive war-making discretion will remain wide, while the branch meant to authorize or restrain it continues to operate more like a commentator than a check.

Reuters reported on April 15 that President Trump said he would fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell if Powell does not step down “in time,” escalating a confrontation that has been building for months around the central bank. In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said he had held back from firing Powell because he wanted to avoid controversy, but added that Powell “will be fired.” Powell’s term as chair ends in May, but his term on the Fed’s board of governors runs until 2028.

The threat lands in a much larger institutional fight. Reuters said the Justice Department investigation hanging over Powell is complicating the succession process and clouding the possible confirmation of Kevin Warsh. That means this is no longer just a dispute over interest rates or personalities. It is a public test of whether the White House can openly pressure the central bank while markets, Congress, and ordinary savers are expected to act as if the system is still operating under neutral rules. For citizens, the stakes are simple: when trust in the referee breaks down, borrowing costs, savings, and economic signals all get messier fast.

Reuters reported on April 15 that White House budget director Russell Vought could not tell Congress what the Iran war is likely to cost, even while defending President Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion annual military budget. At a House Budget Committee hearing, Vought said the administration was still working through what would be needed and had no ballpark estimate. The exchange came as lawmakers from both parties raised the Pentagon’s long record of failed audits and weak financial accountability.

The political context makes the gap harder to ignore. Reuters said the administration is asking for roughly $500 billion more for defense while proposing a 10% cut to non-defense programs. An earlier $200 billion request tied to the war already met resistance on Capitol Hill, and public anxiety over energy prices, household costs, and the broader economic hit from the Iran conflict is growing. In plain English, Washington is trying to lock in a massive military expansion while admitting it still cannot give the public a credible number for the war already underway.

Reuters reported on April 14 that prosecutors from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office made a surprise visit to the Federal Reserve’s headquarters renovation site in Washington, a move that fits the Trump administration’s broader campaign against the central bank. According to Reuters, two deputies spoke with construction workers, were told they could not access the site without advance clearance, and were directed to the Fed’s legal team. The Justice Department is already investigating Fed Chair Jerome Powell over his oversight of the renovation project, even though a federal judge has said the probe appears to be a pressure tactic tied to interest-rate politics.

Reuters reported on April 14 that the Trump administration plans to launch the first phase of its tariff refund system on April 20, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in February that the administration had overstepped its authority by imposing sweeping global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. According to Reuters, Customs and Border Protection says the CAPE system will issue consolidated electronic refunds, with interest when applicable, rather than forcing importers to wait for separate entry-by-entry repayments.

Reuters reported on April 14 that Senate Majority Leader John Thune wants the Senate to begin moving legislation as early as next week to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol through the end of President Trump’s term in January 2029. According to Reuters, Republicans are considering using a budget procedure that would allow the measure to pass with a simple majority rather than the usual 60 votes. The spending involved is not trivial: Reuters said three years of funding could total $50 billion or more, on top of well over $100 billion in multi-year funding Republicans secured last July outside the regular appropriations process.

Reuters reported on April 14 that the U.S. Senate is preparing another vote as soon as Wednesday on a Democratic-led effort to limit President Donald Trump’s Iran war powers, with party leaders promising to keep forcing votes for as long as the conflict continues. Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Congress had been sidelined 45 days into the war, while Republicans signaled they still back Trump and expect the conflict to end before lawmakers are forced to answer the larger constitutional question. Reuters also reported that the House could take up a similar measure as soon as Thursday.