Iran stalls talks, threatens Hormuz fees; GOP blocks DHS deal
President Donald Trump says Iran wants a deal, but Iran insists there are no talks. The stalemate continues Thursday morning, and the risk of escalation increases.
Plus, support for the war is dropping as the U.S. ramps up military pressure. New polling shows public backing slipping.
And airport lines are stretching for hours as TSA workers call out without pay. Staffing gaps are widening, and delays are getting worse, not better.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Iran dismisses US peace plan, Strait of Hormuz fees move forward
The U.S. and Iran appear to be at a stalemate, with no clear path to a ceasefire.
Fighting across the region continued overnight. Sirens blared in Jerusalem as multiple waves of missile attacks hit Israel, with interceptions reported over the West Bank, even as far as the United Arab Emirates.
In Abu Dhabi, two people were killed and three others wounded by falling debris from an intercepted ballistic missile.
In Israel, two people were hurt in a blast north of Tel Aviv in Kfar Qasim as rescue crews responded to one of several barrages.
Meanwhile, Israel is expanding its strikes inside Iran. New video shows damage in the port city of Bandar Abbas, with additional targets hit in Isfahan, according to the Israeli military.
And despite President Donald Trump’s claims that Iran wants to make a deal “so badly but they’re afraid to say it,” signs point in the opposite direction.
Iran’s parliament is now taking steps to establish fees on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. It’s a move that could disrupt global oil supplies.
Plus, a state-run outlet reported Iran-backed Houthis are ready to enter the fight.
The White House has since escalated its warnings. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said if Iran does not accept that it has been “defeated militarily,” Trump is prepared to act.
“The remaining elements of the Iranian regime have another opportunity to cooperate with President Trump, permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions and cease actively threatening America and our allies. But the president’s preference is always peace. There does not need to be any more death and destruction. But if Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily and will continue to be, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before. President Trump does not bluff, and he is prepared to unleash hell.”
— Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary
Markets responded as oil prices rose again after Iran rejected the 15-point plan from the Trump administration. Brent crude, the global standard, is up about 1.5% to just over $98 a barrel, having been below $95 a day earlier. U.S. crude also increased, rising more than 2% to surpass $92 a barrel.
Poll finds most Americans think Iran strikes have gone too far
As the fighting persists, a new poll indicates many Americans believe the U.S. is overstepping its bounds. An AP-NORC poll found that about 6 in 10 Americans, or 59%, believe the military action against Iran has gone too far.
Support for escalating the conflict is limited, and most Americans oppose sending ground troops into Iran. At the same time, Americans remain focused on what this war could mean domestically, especially at the pump.
Forty-five percent of U.S. adults said they’re extremely or very worried about gas prices rising again, with concern highest among Democrats at 57% and Independents at 49%.
When it comes to priorities, though, there’s rare agreement. About two-thirds of Americans, 67%, say stopping Iran from driving up oil and gas prices is a top goal.
A similar number said preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is also critical. Far fewer Americans said that protecting Israel or replacing Iran’s government should be a top priority.
Trump’s overall approval rating remains at around 40%, largely unchanged. His ratings on foreign policy and Iran are slightly lower, but also steady.
The poll also found about half of Americans have little or no trust in Trump to make the right decisions on the use of military force abroad.
Senate rejects DHS funding plan, saying proposal was ‘not even close’
With just two days before Congress is set to leave for a two-week recess, there’s still no deal to end the partial government shutdown.
Airport lines are getting worse nationwide. TSA officers, still working without pay, are calling out in large numbers, while ICE agents step in to assist with basic duties.
And both parties continue to blame each other.
In Washington, Senate Majority Leader John Thune dismissed Democrats’ latest proposal, rejected early Wednesday, as “not even close to being real,” saying it included multiple nonstarters.
The plan included some measures the White House signaled it could accept, including body cameras, ID requirements for immigration officers and higher training standards.
But Thune said other provisions, like banning masks for agents and requiring judicial warrants, have “never been on the table.” And with tens of thousands of DHS employees set to miss another paycheck Friday, the White House is now rejecting an offer from billionaire Elon Musk to pay TSA workers during the shutdown, citing potential legal problems.
Trump ally pushes prosecution of Letitia James
A top Trump administration official is now directing new criminal referrals against New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte sent letters to prosecutors in Florida and Illinois, alleging James submitted false information on homeowners’ insurance applications.
In Florida, Pulte said he sent the information to Universal Property Insurance. In Illinois, he alleged similar false statements were made to Allstate.
Trump amplified the move on Truth Social, writing that James had been referred for prosecution over alleged insurance fraud.
James has faced federal scrutiny before.
Last year, prosecutors filed bank fraud charges related to a property in Virginia, accusing her of providing false information to obtain a mortgage. A judge later dismissed the case.
Her attorney, Abbe Lowell, told CBS News that the new referrals are politically motivated, calling them a “desperate” attempt at retaliation.
The conflict between Trump and James goes back years.
As New York attorney general, she sued Trump over the value of his real estate assets. A judge found him liable for fraud and ordered him to pay hundreds of millions of dollars.
That financial judgment was later overturned on appeal.
DOJ settles Michael Flynn lawsuit
The Justice Department has reached a settlement with former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, ending his lawsuit over what he called a wrongful prosecution.
Flynn sued the Justice Department in 2023, seeking at least $50 million and claiming he was unfairly targeted during the Russia investigation. He was charged in 2017 with lying to the FBI about contacts with the Russian ambassador, later pleaded guilty, and was pardoned by Trump in 2020.
The lawsuit claimed Flynn was “falsely branded as a traitor,” and said he lost tens of millions of dollars in business opportunities while spending heavily on his defense.
Court filings show both sides agreed to drop the case, with Flynn receiving settlement funds. The documents do not list a dollar amount, but the Associated Press reports the payout is about $1.2 million.
The Justice Department said the settlement helps remedy what it describes as a “historic injustice” related to the Russia investigation.
Flynn had been a key figure in that investigation, which looked into contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. He cooperated with the late special counsel Robert Mueller before later trying to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing prosecutors acted in bad faith.
Flynn served less than a month as national security adviser before getting fired in 2017, but he has remained a close ally of Trump.
Robot takes center stage at White House
First lady Melania Trump welcomed an American-made humanoid robot to the White House during her AI and education summit Wednesday.
“I’m Figure 3, a humanoid built in the United States of America. I am grateful to be part of this historic movement to empower children with technology and education. Welcome,” the robot said.
The design aimed to emphasize that AI is no longer limited to your phone.
The first lady described it as “personified” and mentioned that the next step involves humanoids that can actually assist in real-world situations. She also referred to it as “the first American-made humanoid guest” at the White House.
“Our mission to empower children through technology and education is achievable. I encourage tech, each of you, to take a proactive step after this inaugural summit,” Melania Trump said.
She also asked the audience to envision a future with humanoid teachers, even suggesting the name “Plato.”
The robot, referred to as Figure 3, was introduced last year as a third-generation model designed to handle everyday tasks at home.
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