Trump, a warmonger and toddler, is lashing out at allies

 

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March 16, 2026 Happy Monday. Let's roll through the top headlines. President Trump, a warmonger and a toddler, is lashing out at allies for refusing his calls for help in Iran. As we wrote last week, Trump's predicament with the Strait of Hormuz is directly tied to the administration's apparent failure to think through plans for the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most vital chokepoints for energy in the world, before he decided to start his war. But that isn't to say this administration has no plans. They've got plenty when it comes to turning newspapers into distribution chains for US propaganda. As Noah Lanard wrote this weekend: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon has come up with a plan to limit the independence of Stars and Stripes, the news publication for members of the US military that has been published continuously since World War II.   Under the new policy, Stars and Stripes, which has historically operated with a large degree of editorial freedom, reports that it will generally be blocked from carrying news stories from wire services like the Associated Press, as well as from publishing comics. It is also being directed to publish material from the Defense Department’s own public affairs offices. Maddening stuff, huh? A few quick things of note before I sign off: This wonderful documentary just won an Oscar! The Senate is preparing to vote on one of the most egregious voter suppression bills, the SAVE Act. And pay attention to Greeley, Colorado, where 3,800 workers—many of them immigrants—just officially went on strike to protest the abhorrent labor conditions at one of the country's largest meatpacking plants. —Inae Oh P.S. Today is the first day of a $50,000 fundraising match here at Mother Jones, which means that any amount you donate this week will be doubled thanks to a generous donor. If you can, consider supporting our fearless journalism with a donation today.

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Hegseth’s Pentagon Is Trying to Turn a Newspaper for Troops Into Propaganda A new memo severely restricts Stars and Stripes, a military news outlet operating continuously since World War II. BY NOAH LANARD

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