Today’s Headlines: Trump announced a 10-day Lebanon-Israel ceasefire, claimed the Iran war is "going swimmingly," and said Iran agreed to hand over nuclear material — which Iran has not confirmed. The head of the International Energy Agency warned Europe has roughly six weeks of jet fuel left due to the Strait of Hormuz situation, with possible flight cancellations and energy shortages ahead. Congress failed for the third time to pass a War Powers resolution to curb the Iran war, this time losing 214-213. At $10 billion a week, the White House budget director refused to say how much the war will cost, explaining that costs "fluctuate." It was a full day of congressional hearings. RFK Jr. faced the first of seven back-to-back days of testimony. Trump nominated an actual doctor — a 24-year public health veteran — to lead the CDC, which is genuinely surprising. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll testified that he pushed back against Hegseth's general-firing spree, with Republicans on the committee taking his side. Pete Hegseth quoted Pulp Fiction instead of the Bible at a Pentagon prayer service. Budget director Russell Vought testified that DHS is "disintegrating." ICE deported 442,000 people last year, but only 38% had any kind of criminal record — pending charges included.Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal ICE agent with assault for pointing his gun at drivers on a state highway — the first case of its kind, with 17 more incidents under review. An 86-year-old French widow of an American military veteran has been in ICE detention since April 1st, after missing an immigration appointment while settling her late husband's estate — reportedly tipped off by his son over an inheritance dispute. A judge blocked above-ground construction on Trump's White House ballroom pending congressional authorization, though underground bunker work continues. His 250-foot DC arch cleared a federal design review despite massive public opposition. Spirit Airlines could liquidate as early as this week. United Airlines' CEO pitched Trump on merging with American Airlines — which would control nearly 40% of the global airline market. Democrats won New Jersey's special election by 59 points.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NYT: Pope Leo, Amid Standoff With Trump, Says ‘Woe to Those Who Manipulate Religion’

Axios: Trump announces 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon

WSJ: Cease-Fire Between Israel and Lebanon Takes Effect

WaPo: Trump says Iran agrees to hand over ‘nuclear dust’

AP News: AP Exclusive: Europe has 'maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left,' energy agency head warns

Axios: House hands Trump a win with failed Iran war powers vote

The Hill: Cease-Fire Between Israel and Lebanon Takes Effect

CNN: Public health veteran is Trump’s pick to lead CDC as administration shifts tone on vaccines

WaPo: Republicans back Army Secretary Dan Driscoll amid clash with Hegseth

The Hill: Hegseth shares air rescue group’s ‘Pulp Fiction’ prayer at Pentagon service

The Hill: White House budget director Vought declines to tell senators cost of Iran war

The Hill: White House OMB Director Russell Vought: DHS ‘disintegrating’

Axios: ICE deported 442k people in fiscal year 2025

The Hill: France calls on US to release 86-year-old widow of veteran detained by ICE

NYT: ICE Agent Charged With Assault After Motorists Say He Brandished Gun

NYT: Judge Again Halts Aboveground Construction on Trump Ballroom

WaPo: Trump’s 250-foot arch receives early design approval as public pans it

CNBC: Spirit Airlines could liquidate as early as this week, sources say

The Guardian: United Airlines CEO reportedly pitched merger with American, sparking competition fears | Business

NYT: Analilia Mejia, a Progressive Democrat, Wins Mikie Sherrill’s House Seat

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Today’s Headlines: Hungary's newly elected Prime Minister Peter Magyar revealed that Orban's government had been financing CPAC for years — and will no longer do so. JD Vance, meanwhile, told a Turning Point USA crowd that cutting Ukraine aid was one of the administration's top achievements, called Russia's invasion "haggling over a few square kilometers," and told reporters that the Pope should stick to theology and leave policy to politicians. The Pope is currently in Cameroon fighting corruption and attending peace talks. Meanwhile, the Iran ceasefire expires April 21st — less than five days away. U.S. officials claim they're "moving closer to a framework agreement," while Treasury Secretary Bessent previewed the backup plan: a "financial equivalent of a bombing campaign" on Iran through sanctions on countries doing business with Iranian-linked entities, including the UAE and China. In other news, LiveNation and Ticketmaster were found by a jury to be an illegal monopoly that engaged in anticompetitive conduct harming consumers, artists, and venues. Stock dropped 5%. Damages to be determined. The Swalwell scandal expanded to a second DA investigation, this time in Los Angeles, following Lonna Drewes' allegations. CNN published an investigation into a website with 62 million monthly visitors — more than Gmail — hosting tens of thousands of videos of men sharing advice on drugging and assaulting partners. RFK Jr.'s private journals revealed he once stopped on the highway to cut the penis off a dead raccoon to "study later." And finally, AllBirds is pivoting from shoes to AI infrastructure under the name NewBird AI and the founder of SantaCon was arrested for wire fraud after allegedly siphoning hundreds of thousands in charity donations into a personal slush fund for luxury vacations and fine dining.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: 

The New Republic: Hungary’s New Leader Reveals Viktor Orbán Was Paying CPAC

Yahoo: Vance calls end of Ukraine aid 'one of the proudest' achievements of Trump administration

NYT: Vance Says Pope Leo Should Be More Careful When Talking About Theology

AP News: Pope demands the 'chains of corruption' be broken during visit to Cameroon

WSJ: LIV Golf Facing Imminent Closure as Saudi Backers Weigh Pulling Funding

Axios: U.S. and Iran inch toward framework deal to end war, U.S. officials say

AP News: From dropping bombs to pressuring banks: US pivots to economic warfare on Iran

The Hill: Los Angeles DA says Swalwell under investigation

CNN: Exposing a global ‘online rape academy’ that is teaching men how to abuse women and evade detection

NY Post: RFK Jr. once chopped off a dead raccoon’s penis to ‘study later’ while on a family road trip

NBC News: Live Nation illegally monopolized ticketing market, jury in antitrust trial finds

AP News: Allbirds, a former Wall Street darling fallen on hard times, looks to AI for its future

ABC7 NY: SantaCon founder accused of siphoning charitable funds for NYC holiday bar crawl for his own use

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Today’s Headlines: Israel and Lebanon held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington yesterday, hosted by Marco Rubio at the State Department. Hezbollah refused to participate and kept firing. A second round of U.S.-Iran negotiations could restart in Pakistan within days, according to Trump — who has never overpromised anything. The Trump administration eased sanctions on Venezuela the day after Chevron quietly struck an oil production deal there. And the administration formally informed Congress that Cuba has contributed up to 5,000 soldiers to Russia's war in Ukraine, which feels like the beginning of a regime change justification tour. Meanwhile, Pam Bondi skipped her congressional subpoena yesterday — the one requiring her to testify about her handling of the Epstein files. House Oversight Democrats threatened to charge her with contempt of Congress, punishable by up to a year in prison. A fourth accuser came forward against Eric Swalwell at a press conference, describing being drugged and raped at his hotel room in 2018. According to People magazine, over 30 women have made similar allegations. A 20-year-old Texas man was arrested after throwing an incendiary device at Sam Altman's San Francisco home, then attempting to attack OpenAI's headquarters with a chair while saying he wanted to "burn it down and kill anyone inside." He was carrying a document expressing views opposed to AI executives. Attempted murder and arson charges filed. A federal judge blocked Indiana's law banning student IDs at polling places, protecting an estimated 40,000 voters ahead of the May 5th midterm primary — ruling there's zero evidence student IDs have ever caused electoral confusion or fraud. A new long-term study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that drinking fluoridated water has no effect on IQ or brain function, which RFK Jr. will absolutely ignore.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

AP News: Lebanon and Israel hold first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington

CNN: Live updates: Trump hints US-Iran talks could resume over next two days

Axios: Scoop: U.S. eases bank sanctions amid Venezuela's economic woes

Axios: Scoop: US suggests Cuba complicit in helping Russia fight Ukraine

The Independent: Pam Bondi could face contempt charges over Epstein testimony after failing to show up for deposition

NYT: A New Accuser Says Eric Swalwell Sexually Assaulted Her

People: Influencer Who Helped Break Eric Swalwell Sex Scandal Says At Least 30 More Women Have Shared Stories of Alleged Misconduct

CNN: Suspect in attack at Sam Altman’s house charged with attempted murder and attempted arson 

Democracy Docket: In major win for voters, judge blocks Indiana GOP’s student ID ban

NBC News: Fluoride in drinking water has no effect on IQ or brain function, long-term study shows

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Today’s Headlines: Congress is having a moment. Eric Swalwell resigned yesterday after the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into harassment and rape allegations against him, and with an expulsion vote likely incoming. He called the allegations "false" while also admitting he made "mistakes" — a distinction he'll get to work out with the Manhattan DA. Republican Tony Gonzalez followed within the hour, announcing he's leaving Congress early after previously denying, then admitting, an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. Two more members — Florida Republican Cory Mills and Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick — are facing potential expulsion for sexual misconduct allegations and stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds, respectively.  In Iran war news, The U.S. military launched a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz yesterday with more than 15 warships, and Trump posted that any Iranian ships that come near it will be "immediately ELIMINATED" using the same methods used against drug dealers at sea — "quick and brutal." Peace talks with Iran remain stalled, though Vance spent Monday doing damage control press rounds claiming the U.S. "acquired some knowledge" about Iranian negotiating tactics. The gap between the two sides: Iran offered a 5-year nuclear suspension, the U.S. wants 20 years. Iran also wants the Strait back to what it was before the war — which, to be fair, is exactly what everyone wants. Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus healing a man resembling Jeffrey Epstein, called Pope Leo "weak on crime," and accused him of catering to the radical left. The post was deleted Monday after widespread backlash. Trump said he thought the image was of him as a doctor. He refused to apologize. He then ordered DoorDash to the Oval Office to promote his no-tax-on-tips policy, handed a woman in a DoorDash Grandma t-shirt a $100 bill, and called it a day. Tomorrow is Tax Day — the first since the Trump administration eliminated free tax filing, handing the business back to H&R Block and Intuit.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Axios: Eric Swalwell announces resignation from Congress

Axios: Tony Gonzales announces plans to quit Congress early

Click Orlando: What to know about US Rep. Cory Mills’ sex, financial misconduct investigations

WSJ: Iran War Live News Updates: U.S. Blockade of Strait of Hormuz Takes Effect

Axios: U.S. asked Iran to freeze uranium enrichment for 20 years, sources say

Axios: Trump unleashes tirade against "weak," "terrible" Pope Leo

AP News: Trump says he won't apologize to Pope Leo

AP News: Trump tips DoorDash driver $100 for delivering McDonald's to Oval Office

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Today’s Headlines: Everything JD Vance touched this weekend turned to dust. Viktor Orban — MAGA's model autocrat and Putin's most reliable EU ally — was swept out of power in Hungary's election, with opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party winning 135 of 199 parliamentary seats. Vance had flown to Budapest days earlier to campaign for Orban. Then Vance's Iran peace talks in Pakistan collapsed without a deal, and he left. Within hours Trump was threatening to blockade the Strait of Hormuz and bomb Iran's water treatment facilities, while Marco Rubio watched UFC with Trump and Joe Rogan in Miami. Iran said "if you fight, we fight." Meanwhile, the economy is quietly getting ugly. GDP growth in Q4 2025 came in at a 0.5% annualized rate. Inflation jumped to 3.3% in March — the highest in two years, up from 2.4% in February — driven largely by gas prices. Pawn shops across the country are reporting a surge in loan demand and customers selling valuables outright, with both major publicly traded pawn operators trading at five-year highs. The White House ballroom, meanwhile, will be built with $37 million in foreign steel donated by a Luxembourg company — right as Trump cuts their tariff rates in half. Trump has allegedly promised mass pardons to anyone who came "within 200 feet of the Oval." The White House called it a joke. In other news, A former Army employee was arrested and indicted for leaking accounts of sexual harassment and gender discrimination at Fort Bragg to a journalist — Kash Patel celebrated her arrest on Twitter as a warning to "would-be leakers." Anthropic is releasing its powerful new Mythos model — which can find security vulnerabilities human developers can't — to a coalition of 40 companies anyway. The FTC is suing three states for trying to regulate prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket using anti-gambling laws. And finally, Eric Swalwell dropped out of California's governor's race after CNN and the SF Chronicle reported misconduct allegations from four women, including two incidents of sexual assault. His staff quit, 45 former staffers signed a letter calling for his resignation, and the Manhattan DA opened an investigation. The House is reportedly considering a vote to expel him alongside Republican Tony Gonzalez. 

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: 

Time: Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, Icon of the Far Right, Loses Election. Here’s What That Means

The Guardian: Israeli strike kills paramedic, says Lebanese Red Cross – as it happened | US-Israel war on Iran

FOX Business: US economy grew at 0.5% in fourth quarter

WSJ: Inflation Soared to 3.3% in March, Driven by Higher Gasoline Costs

Bloomberg: Pawn Shop Loans Spike As Gas Prices Weigh On Americans

Mother Jones: Trump: Buy American, Unless It’s for My Ballroom

WSJ: Trump Promises Mass Pardons to Staff Before Leaving Office

NYT: F.B.I. Arrests Ex-Army Employee Who Detailed Harassment to Journalist

PBS News: Anthropic's powerful new AI model raises concerns about high-tech risks

Axios: Feds sue three states over prediction market crackdowns

CNN: Eric Swalwell ends campaign for California governor after sexual misconduct allegations

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Melania Trump made an unannounced appearance in the White House foyer to deny any meaningful relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, call for public congressional hearings for survivors, and insist Epstein did not introduce her to Donald. Trump said he didn't know about the remarks in advance — his own communications team immediately contradicted that. Nobody knows anything, as usual. The timing is suspicious enough that theories are flying about what's about to drop. The Iran ceasefire is wobbling badly. Iran is still restricting Strait traffic to roughly four ships a day versus the pre-war average of 100, charging $2 million per ship in tolls payable in crypto or yuan, and accusing the U.S. of violating three ceasefire points. Trump posted at midnight threatening that if the agreement isn't fully complied with, "the shootin' starts bigger and better than anyone has ever seen." JD Vance flew to Pakistan to lead peace negotiations, blamed translation issues with Iranian negotiators for the "choppiness," and Israel kept striking Lebanon anyway. Republicans in Congress blocked a War Powers Act effort to stop the war — even as Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Alex Jones, and Candace Owens publicly turned on it, prompting Trump to call them "NUT JOBS."  The Free Press reported that back in January, a top Pentagon official summoned the Pope's U.S. ambassador and warned that the Catholic Church had better take America's side — and referenced the Avignon Papacy, the 14th century period when French royalty used military force to extort the Vatican, as a subtle threat. An 18-year-old USC student lost his eye at a No Kings protest after a federal agent fired a pepper ball into a group of demonstrators. U.S. fertility rates hit another record low in 2025. American Airlines raised checked bag fees to $50, $60, and $200 — another Iran war fuel cost passed directly to consumers. RFK Jr. announced a podcast. Artemis II splashes down tonight off San Diego.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

WaPo: Melania Trump denies close ties to Jeffrey Epstein in rare public statement

MS Now: Melania Trump denies all but “casual” ties to Epstein and Maxwell

Axios: Strait of Hormuz stays shut as Trump demands Iran stop tolls

The Hill: Trump tells Netanyahu to pull back on Israel’s barrage on Lebanon

Axios: Netanyahu announces negotiations with Lebanon after U.S. pressure

PBS: WATCH: Vance says 'ceasefires are always messy'

USA Today: Republicans block Democratic bill to end Iran war amid tenuous ceasefire

NY Post: Trump goes off on 'NUT JOBS’ Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, Alex Jones over Iran war criticism

Newsweek: Avignon Papacy Explained: What Reported US Threat to Pope and Vatican Means

CNN: USC freshman loses eye after being struck by federal agent’s projectile at Los Angeles ‘No Kings’ protest, attorney says

NYT: U.S. Fertility Rates Drop to Another Record Low

PBS: RFK Jr. says he's launching a podcast to expose 'lies' that have made Americans sick

Bloomberg: American Airlines Raises Bag Fees

NYT: NASA Prepares for Artemis II Splashdown After Historic Moon Flyby - The New York Times

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Less than 24 hours after Trump declared the Iran ceasefire "a huge day for world peace," Iran accused the U.S. of violating three of the ten agreed points, only four ships passed through the Strait versus the pre-war average of 100 a day, and Iran is charging $2 million per ship in tolls payable in crypto or Chinese yuan. Meanwhile, at least 50 brand new Polymarket accounts — created Tuesday morning — placed extremely well-timed bets before Trump posted the ceasefire announcement, with one bet placed 12 minutes before the post. Those accounts made between tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Peace talks are still scheduled for Pakistan on Saturday with JD Vance leading, assuming Israel doesn't blow it up first — literally. Iran's foreign minister warned talks could be cancelled if Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue. Trump met with NATO chief Mark Rutte and continued bashing the alliance, while the Wall Street Journal reported the new U.S. strategy is to punish NATO countries deemed unhelpful during the Iran war by moving troops out of their bases — the same bases that deter Russian aggression across Europe. In other news, Democrats swept two special elections Tuesday: liberals won Wisconsin's Supreme Court race by 20 points — a 21-point swing from 2024 — giving them a 5-2 majority through at least 2030. Clay Fuller won MTG's old Georgia seat by far less than he should have in one of the reddest districts in the state. California's Supreme Court halted Sheriff Chad Bianco's ballot seizure scheme, though he's already floating doing it again in the June primary. For Epstein files updates, Pam Bondi is trying to skip her April 14th congressional testimony by claiming she's no longer AG. The House Oversight Committee isn't buying it. Howard Lutnick — Epstein's former next-door neighbor — is scheduled for a closed-door interview May 6th, and Bill Gates on June 10th. And finally, Sam Altman's sister refiled a civil sexual abuse lawsuit against him in Missouri federal court, and Ronan Farrow published an extensive New Yorker investigation into Altman, with sources describing him as a habitual liar.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

AP News: Live updates: Iran says US ceasefire and negotiations are 'unreasonable'

WSJ: Iran Tightens Its Grip on Hormuz Despite Cease-Fire

WSJ: Stock Market Today: Stocks Jump After U.S., Iran Walk Back From the Brink

AP News: Newly created Polymarket accounts bet big on US-Iran ceasefire in hours before Trump's announcement

Axios: Vance to lead U.S. delegation at peace talks with Iran in Pakistan on Saturday

AP News: Trump met with NATO leader Rutte after musing about pulling out of the military alliance

WSJ: Trump Team Explores Punishment for NATO Countries That Didn’t Support Iran War

Al-Monitor: US journalist Shelly Kittleson released by Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq

CNN: Justice Department says Bondi won’t appear for Epstein deposition now that she’s no longer attorney general

Axios: Howard Lutnick to sit for May interview with House panel on Epstein

NYT: Warnings for the G.O.P.: 3 Takeaways From the Elections in Georgia and Wisconsin

WaPo: California’s top court halts Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of ballots

The Independent: Sam Altman’s sister amends lawsuit accusing OpenAI CEO of sexual abuse

The New Yorker: Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: With about an hour to spare before his self-imposed deadline to bomb Iran "back to the stone ages," Trump TACO'd — again. A last-minute ceasefire was announced, with Iran declaring victory and agreeing to allow U.S. ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks in exchange for peace negotiations starting in Pakistan on Friday. Iran's 10-point demand list includes a permanent end to the war, lifting all sanctions, and a $2 million per-ship toll through the Strait to fund reconstruction. Before the TACO, Trump posted that "a whole civilization will die tonight," Israel hit 8 bridges across Iran, the U.S. struck Kharg Island, oil hit $117 a barrel, and gas hit $4.14 nationally — up 40% since the war started. Iranian civilians formed human chains around power plants and bridges to deter strikes. The markets tanked. Then Trump backed down. Oil futures immediately dropped after the ceasefire announcement. The DOJ — now run by Trump's personal criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche — has directed its civil rights division to open an investigation into Cassidy Hutchinson for allegedly lying to Congress during her January 6th testimony. Blanche said Trump has "the right, even the duty" to call for investigations into anyone he wants. JD Vance flew to Hungary to campaign for Viktor Orbán, put Trump on speakerphone mid-rally, and complained about EU election interference — while actively interfering in Hungary's election. A Democratic congresswoman introduced articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth for war crimes and reckless endangerment of U.S. service members, while Congress sits on recess. Health insurance stocks surged while everything else tanked after the Trump administration announced a 2.48% boost to Medicare Advantage payments — a gift to the industry everyone agrees is the worst. Trump's endorsed candidate Clay Fuller won Marjorie Taylor Greene's old seat by less than he should have in one of the most Republican districts in Georgia. Kanye West was banned from entering the UK, and the Wireless Festival was cancelled entirely — after losing Pepsi, Diageo, PayPal, and Rockstar Energy as sponsors. Their statement called antisemitism "abhorrent," but booked him anyway.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Axios: US, Iran to pause war, agree to 2-week ceasefire

NYT: Iran War Live Updates: Trump Announces Two-Week Cease-Fire, Subject to Strait of Hormuz Reopening

Axios: Pope issues stiffest rebuke yet to Trump over war threats

NBC News: Oil jumps above $117 as Trump's Strait of Hormuz deadline approaches

Axios: Oil prices plunge following U.S.-Iran ceasefire

WSJ: Health-Insurance Stocks Rally on Boost to Medicare Payments

Axios: House Democrat announces impeachment push against Hegseth over Iran war

Politico: Republican Clay Fuller wins special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene

WaPo: Vance heads to Hungary as MAGA ally Orban trails in polls

NYT: DOJ’s Civil Rights Division Investigates Cassidy Hutchinson, Who Testified Against Trump

The Guardian: Wireless festival cancelled after Kanye West banned from entering UK

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Trump held a press conference yesterday that was, by his standards, relatively contained. He threatened to decimate every bridge in Iran by midnight, said he could "take out" the country "in one night," and when asked if bombing civilian infrastructure constitutes a war crime, said he's "not concerned at all." He also threatened to jail reporters who don't reveal sources from the rescued pilot story, and went on his standard NATO rant — adding that his desire to leave NATO "all began with Greenland." France quietly pulled its entire $15 billion gold reserve out of the U.S. and moved it to Paris.  A 45-day ceasefire proposal from Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey was rejected by Iran, and Trump said he won't extend his 8pm (or was it midnight?) deadline. The Strait remains closed to U.S. ships and the humanitarian cost is mounting: critical medical supplies, food, and aid are piling up at Dubai's port, with clinics across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia facing shortages. The cost of shipping goods now exceeds the value of the goods themselves in some cases. The Supreme Court cleared the way for the DOJ to dismiss Steve Bannon's contempt of Congress conviction — because why the heck not? Justice Samuel Alito was briefly hospitalized in March after getting sick at a Federalist Society dinner held in his honor. The Supreme Court didn't mention it until CNN asked. Artemis II made its historic moon flyby, and the crew named a previously unnamed bright spot "Carroll" after Commander Reid Weisman's late wife. Texas Rep. Tony Gonzalez, already under ethics investigation, now has a second staffer alleging he sent her hundreds of explicit texts she rebuffed. Savannah Guthrie returned to the Today Show after two months — her mother Nancy still has not been found. Kanye's Wireless Festival has now lost Pepsi, Diageo, PayPal, and Rockstar Energy as sponsors.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: 

WaPo: At White House Easter Egg Roll, Trump tells the children about the war

WaPo: Trump threatens to jail reporters if they don’t turn over Iran source

The Guardian: Trump’s homeland security secretary mulls removing customs agents from airports to punish sanctuary cities – as it happened

Mining: France pulls last gold held in US for $15B gain - MINING.COM

The Hill: US, Iran receive draft ceasefire proposal: Reports

NPR: Medical supplies are stuck in Dubai, as clinics around the world face shortages

SCOTUS: Court-allows-steve-bannon-to-move-forward-on-dismissal-of-criminal-charges-against-him

CNN: Exclusive: Justice Samuel Alito was taken to a hospital last month in previously undisclosed incident

BBC: Emotional crew names Moon crater after commander's late wife

NBC News:  Second staffer says Rep. Tony Gonzales sent her sexually explicit text messages

NPR: Savannah Guthrie returns to the 'Today' show months after her mother's disappearance

Rolling Stone: Wireless Festival Loses Diageo and Rockstar Energy Sponsorships Over Kanye West Booking

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Trump spent Easter Sunday posting threats on social media that Tuesday would be "power plant day and bridge day" in Iran, told Axios he's in "deep negotiations" but will blow up "everything over there" if no deal is reached, skipped Easter Mass and the Easter Egg Roll, and cryptically posted "TUESDAY 8PM EASTERN.” Meanwhile, two U.S. fighter jets were struck by Iranian fire on Friday, with one pilot rescued from a mountain crevice in Iran in a genuinely dramatic search and rescue operation. Pope Leo used his first Easter Mass to tell world leaders to choose dialogue over domination. Nobody in this administration was listening.

March's jobs report came in surprisingly strong — 178,000 jobs added versus a forecast of 59,000, reversing February's loss of 133,000 — with unemployment ticking down to 4.3%. A federal judge upheld his own decision blocking the DOJ's subpoena of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, again ruling the investigation is politically motivated. NASA's Artemis II flew by the moon and will be headed home, touching down Friday near San Diego — the photos are genuinely worth looking up.

Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge in Florida after flipping his SUV, and told the arresting deputy he had "just been talking to the president" — the first known attempt at "do you know who my president is." Kanye West sold out two nights at SoFi Stadium, but pressure is mounting to pull him from headlining London's Wireless Festival in July after his "Heil Hitler" era last year. Pepsi already pulled its sponsorship. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the booking "deeply concerning."

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Time: How a U.S. Airman Shot Down in Iran Was Rescued From a Mountain Crevice

Axios: Trump to Axios: Iran deal possible by Tues., otherwise "I am blowing up everything"

WaPo: On Easter, Pope Leo delivers commanding message of peace to a world at war

CNBC: Jobs report March 2026:

Axios: Judge rejects Department of Justice bid to reinstate Powell subpoenas

AP News: It's time for Artemis II to break Apollo 13's distance record. What to know about the moon flyby

AP News: After crash, Tiger Woods told deputy he was 'talking to the president,' body camera shows

AP News: Pressure mounts on Ye to be pulled from his headline role at a summer festival in London

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices