Tom Howell Jr.

U.S. military disables third tanker for violating Iran blockade this week

The U.S. military said Thursday it disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman for attempting to transport Iranian oil.

June 11, 2026

Trump pledges to make Iran ‘pay the price’ as U.S. launches second day of retaliatory attacks

President Trump promised Wednesday to make Iran "pay the price" for slow-rolling peace negotiations with the U.S. as American forces in the Middle East launched a new round of airstrikes.

June 10, 2026

Republicans troll Platner with his domain name in opening salvo of Maine Senate race

Republicans have opened the general election fight against Graham Platner with a dose of trolling, snatching up GrahamPlatner.org and using it to blast the 41-year-old former Marine as "untrustworthy, unhinged & unfit for Maine."

June 10, 2026

Trump: U.S. will bomb Iran for a second straight day, hit them ‘very hard’

President Trump said the U.S. military would strike Iran for a second day on Wednesday as he loses patience with Tehran's negotiators and punishes them for downing an American helicopter.

June 10, 2026

Inflation rises again, driven by energy costs amid Iran war

Prices rose 4.2% for the year ending in May as inflation hit a three-year high, the government said Wednesday in a report that underscored the impact of war-related shocks to energy costs.

June 10, 2026

Trump says Iran is ‘all talk and no action,’ issues new threats

President Trump said Wednesday that Iran is taking too long to negotiate a peace deal and will "pay the price."

June 10, 2026

U.S. launches ‘self-defense’ strikes after Iran downs military helicopter

The U.S. launched what it called "self-defense strikes" against targets in Iran on Tuesday in response to the downing of a military helicopter earlier in the day, according to U.S. Central Command, which called the operation a "proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression."

June 9, 2026

Trump vows to retaliate for downed U.S. chopper as Middle East turmoil imperils peace talks

President Trump said Tuesday he will retaliate against Iran for shooting down a U.S. military helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, while Israel renewed its assault on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, leaving peace talks hanging by a thread.

June 9, 2026

Iran shoots down U.S. helicopter over Strait of Hormuz; Trump vows to retaliate

President Trump said Tuesday the Iranians shot down the U.S. military helicopter that crashed in the Middle East late Monday, and he plans to hit back.

June 9, 2026

Welcome to New York: Trump booed during national anthem, though crowd reserves biggest ire for Spurs

President Trump faced a chorus of boos during the national anthem Monday as he took in the New York Knicks' first home game in the NBA Finals.

June 8, 2026

Trump nominates Todd Blanche to permanent post as attorney general

President Trump on Monday formally nominated Todd Blanche to be the U.S. attorney general, setting up a Senate confirmation battle.

June 8, 2026

Israel, Iran hold their fire after Trump pressures Netanyahu

Israel and Iran announced separately Monday that their militaries would halt offensive operations against each other after an explosive exchange of fire overnight that threatened to restart hostilities in the region and upend U.S.-led peace efforts.

June 8, 2026

Iran war pushes Trump-Netanyahu friendship to limit

The Iran war has rattled the global economy, shaken the security assumptions of an emerging Gulf region and nudged up gas prices.

June 8, 2026

U.S. forces disable a blockade-evading ship in Gulf of Oman

The U.S. military said Monday it disabled an oil tanker that attempted to get around President Trump's blockade by sailing toward an Iranian port.

June 8, 2026

Trump hopeful that Iran and Israel will stop shooting at each other as violence reemerges in Mideast

President Trump told Iran and Israel to "immediately stop" attacking each other on Monday as the two countries traded their first military strikes since a ceasefire took hold in early April.

June 8, 2026

Art of the Ordeal: Domestic clamor to wind down the war complicates Trump’s negotiations with Iran

President Trump is increasingly fighting the Iran war on two fronts, battling a defiant Islamic regime that's stringing out peace talks and grappling with growing domestic pushback because of higher prices and anti-war sentiment.

June 5, 2026

Trump narrows DNI search to five candidates to replace Tulsi Gabbard as intelligence chief

President Trump says he's conducting five interviews before he selects someone to permanently fill the director of national intelligence job in the wake of Tulsi Gabbard's resignation.

June 5, 2026

U.S. adds 172,000 jobs in May as 2026 hiring streak continues, government says

The U.S. added 172,000 jobs in May, the government said in a report that far exceeded expectations and continued a robust run of hiring after a sluggish 2025.

June 5, 2026

Israel, Hezbollah trade attacks despite ceasefire, threatening peace deal between U.S., Iran

Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire again on Thursday despite the announcement of a new ceasefire agreement with the government of Lebanon the day prior, further threatening the chances of a negotiated end to the U.S.-Iran war.

June 4, 2026

Bessent presses Congress to suspend federal gas tax

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday urged Congress to suspend the federal gas tax as U.S. consumers deal with higher fuel prices due to the Iran war.

June 4, 2026