Category: News
Marjorie Taylor Greene Tells CNN That MAGA Feels ‘100% Betrayed’ By Iran War
Marjorie Taylor Greene Tells CNN That MAGA Feels ‘100% Betrayed’ By Iran War
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has become a big fan of CNN since her departure from Congress since, we’re guessing, FOX and Newsmax aren’t excited to give her a platform of late. On Monday, she appeared on The Situation Room to once again declare doom and gloom for the MAGA movement… with a little help from the host.
During the interview, host Pamela Brown asked what she’s hearing from Trump supporters in Georgia regarding Iran, playing up the Israel angle.
“Are you hearing from them that they believe President Trump is doing this on behalf of Israel?” she asked. “Bring us there.”
Greene, who has been a thorn in Trump’s side since leaving office, painted a picture of a Republican base that is fractured and angry over the ongoing military operation in Iran, and
“It’s actually very split. And it’s split along generational lines,” she said.
“Many of the older Americans from the Baby Boomer generation that watch Fox News all day long very much believe the talking points on Fox News, and they have spent decades of their lives convinced that fighting these wars is the right thing to do,” she explained.
She then pointed to the next wave of voters, who see the issue through a completely different lens.
“But the younger generations – I’m Gen X – millennials and Gen Z are very much against this war,” Greene continued. “And so, when you talk to people on the ground, that’s how it comes across. It’s very generational. And the younger generations are completely against it.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene: “It’s turned into some perverted, deranged version of MAGA now that nobody wants” pic.twitter.com/OceBnJpLnp
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 16, 2026
That sentiment echoes something that has been brewing in conservative politics since Trump entered the political arena. Younger voters inside the America First movement tend to view foreign wars as expensive distractions from domestic priorities. Greene leaned straight into that argument.
“We want world peace. We want good trade. We want a great economy. We want a lower inflation, lower the cost of housing,” she said. “And younger generations want to be able to afford their American lives, and they don’t want their taxpayer dollars shipped off to — and you can fill in any foreign country.”
She emphasized that the frustration extends beyond any one ally or region.
“We will take Israel out of it. They don’t want their money sent overseas,” Greene said. “And you know what? They’re right for saying this.”
She even argued that the military operation in Iran is a betrayal of the movement that carried Donald Trump back into the White House.
“This is absolutely absurd,” she said. “And it’s 100 percent a betrayal to what MAGA was supposed to be when we voted in 2024, and it’s turned into some perverted, deranged version of MAGA now that nobody wants.”
“And a lot of people are just like, this doesn’t make sense,” she added.
Polling on Iran has been mixed.
A CNN poll earlier this month showed that while a majority of voters (59%) opposed military action in Iran, a whopping 77% of Republicans approved of the decision, which hardly suggests the party is divided. However, there may be some truth to what Greene said.
Within the Republican Party, there is a sharp divide between those who say they consider themselves part of the “Make America Great Again” movement and those who do not, a division that appears largely linked to trust in the president. MAGA Republicans are 30 points more likely than non-MAGA Republicans to say they strongly approve of the decision to take military action, 34 points likelier to say it will reduce the threat Iran poses to the US and nearly 50 points more likely to say they have a great deal of trust in Trump to make the right decisions about US use of force in Iran.
However, more recent surveys show that Americans have been warming up to the Iran strikes. A Washington Post poll from last week showed the country was more evenly divided on the strikes, with a plurality, 42% supporting the strikes, 40% opposing them, and 17% indicating they were unsure – a stunning change from its previous survey when 52% were opposed, 39% supported, and just 9% were unsure. Republican support for continuing the strikes even increased by 12 points. Fox News similarly reported a more even split of 50% support and 50% opposition, with 84% of Republicans supporting.
Yet, a Quinnipiac poll revealed that support changes drastically when it comes to boots on the ground – which 2,200 Marines may (or may not) provide.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 14:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/majorie-taylor-greene-tells-cnn-maga-feels-100-betrayed-iran-war
America’s Nuclear Fuel Chain Gains As General Matter Earns $4.2 Billion Of Support From Ex-Im Bank
America’s Nuclear Fuel Chain Gains As General Matter Earns $4.2 Billion Of Support From Ex-Im Bank
This past weekend saw a major announcement from the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial in Tokyo, with the U.S. Export-Import Bank issuing letters of interest for $4.2 billion of capital for Japanese and South Korean reactor owners to purchase low-enriched uranium (LEU) from U.S. enrichment company General Matter.
The US Export-Import Bank advanced plans for up to $4.2 billion in financing to support Japanese and South Korean nuclear operators’ purchase of enriched fuel from California-based General Matter https://t.co/DxwnQ1BY8q
— Bloomberg (@business) March 15, 2026
The Ex-Im Bank will support up to $2.4 billion for Japanese utilities and $1.8 billion for South Korean utilities looking to purchase enriched uranium from the U.S. as opposed to their long-term supplier, Russia.
This is part of a larger ongoing effort on two different fronts, with the U.S. looking to secure funding to start up the domestic nuclear fuel chain within its borders by securing foreign investments, as well as the U.S. and its allies looking to diversify from eastern suppliers of critical materials, including enriched uranium.
The U.S. finally seems to be getting serious about supporting a significant build-out of fuel chain capacity within its borders, as we have well since documented the extremely restricted bottleneck that is the supply of nuclear fuel in America.
General Matter recently was awarded $900 million from the DOE to support capacity build-out for producing high-assay LEU (HALEU) at its planned facility in Paducah, Kentucky. The company has yet to make any serious progress at their site, but has initiated initial discussions with the regulator, the NRC, and has announced additional sites that will support centrifuge construction and potentially additional enrichment facilities.
The U.S. is pursuing more self-reliance on a supply of enriched uranium with three other major companies. The first is with the existing commercial facility in New Mexico, owned and operated by Urenco, a company supported by a consortium of European nations including the U.K., Netherlands, and German utilities.
The second is the only facility in the U.S. currently producing HALEU at roughly 1,000 kilograms per year, owned by Centrus Energy in Ohio. We’ve long detailed their progress with awards from the DOE and ongoing build-out of their enrichment facility. For comparison to the new funding support for General Matter, the backlog for Centrus’s order book currently stands at $2.3 billion.
The third is Orano, backed by the French government, with their future LEU production facility planned in Tennessee under Project Ike.
General Matter has come out of nowhere to take the U.S. enrichment landscape by storm, supported by Scott Nolan from Founders Fund, along with Peter Thiel sitting on the board. Company leadership was also notably present in the Oval Office as President Trump signed last year’s set of nuclear executive orders. Observers should expect to find General Matter high on the list of leaders within the American enrichment space.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 13:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/general-matter-earns-42-billion-support-ex-im-bank
Michigan Synagogue Attacker Has Ties To Iranian-Backed Hezbollah Rocket Unit
Michigan Synagogue Attacker Has Ties To Iranian-Backed Hezbollah Rocket Unit
Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,
New revelations link the terrorist behind the Michigan synagogue rampage directly to Hezbollah operatives, underscoring the dangers of unchecked immigration from terror hotspots.
America’s borders have been a sieve under leftist policies, allowing potential threats like Iranian proxies to embed themselves in U.S. communities. The recent attack on a Michigan synagogue by Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a Lebanese immigrant, highlights how foreign terror networks can strike from within, especially when activated by regimes like Iran’s.
The revelations bolster concerns that this is part of a broader pattern of Iranian backed sleeper cells and individuals infiltrating the U.S. With family ties to Hezbollah’s rocket units, Ghazali’s actions expose the real cost of open-border globalism that prioritizes everything but American safety.
🚨 IT’S OFFICIAL: The Muslim who attacked the synagogue in Michigan has family ties to a HEZBOLLAH ROCKET UNIT — an Iranian-backed Muslim terror group that targets civilians
INFURIATING that he is even in America.
Ayman Mohamad Ghazali — “Sources say his brothers in Lebanon… pic.twitter.com/NNGnB4rMOd
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 15, 2026
The attack unfolded on Thursday, when Ghazali rammed his truck into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, a synagogue complex housing a preschool. Armed and carrying fireworks intended as explosives, he engaged in a shootout with security before inflicting a fatal gunshot wound on himself.
Surveillance footage captured Ghazali purchasing over $2,000 worth of fireworks just days prior, a chilling prelude to his attempt to ignite terror in a place of worship.
Ghazali, born in Lebanon, entered the U.S. legally in 2011 on a spousal visa and gained citizenship in 2016. He lived in Dearborn Heights, working at a local restaurant—seemingly integrated, but harboring connections that proved deadly.
Sources confirmed his brothers in Lebanon were members of a Hezbollah rocket unit, the Iranian-backed group notorious for targeting civilians. Those same brothers, along with Ghazali’s niece and nephew, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 5, potentially fueling his rage.
This development echoes warnings about Iranian sleeper cells being activated across the U.S., particularly to target figures like President Trump. As we previously reported, intelligence indicated Tehran’s proxies were mobilizing to eliminate threats to their regime, exploiting weak borders to embed operatives.
The media’s response? Predictable deflection. CNN wasted no time blaming President Trump for the synagogue attack, ignoring the obvious ties to foreign terrorism and instead pushing narratives that shield border failures.
Ghazali had been flagged in U.S. databases for connections to suspected Hezbollah members, though not deemed an active member himself. Yet he roamed free, a ticking bomb in America’s heartland.
Community leaders in Dearborn Heights, including the mayor, condemned the violence while also acknowledging Ghazali’s recent family loss—but emphasized there’s no justification for terror.
Replies amplified the sentiment, with one X user stating, “The Trojan horse Biden administration tried to facilitate the fall of our great nation.” Another noted, “Democrats are using every means to keep these illegals in the US.”
Federal raids on Ghazali’s home followed, as investigators probe deeper into his potential role in a wider network.
Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 13:25
SNAP Recipients Claim Trump Trying To “Destabilize Food Access”, Sue Feds Over Junk Food Ban
SNAP Recipients Claim Trump Trying To “Destabilize Food Access”, Sue Feds Over Junk Food Ban
The Make America Healthy Again agenda just found its first serious legal challenger. This week, five food stamp recipients filed suit in Washington, D.C., federal court demanding the right to spend taxpayer-funded SNAP benefits on candy, soda, and energy drinks.
The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) over its growing list of “food restriction” waivers, which Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins began approving back in May 2025. Since then, 22 states have signed on, each with their own specific list of banned items — generally soda, energy drinks, candy, and pre-packaged desserts.
Both Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have championed the waivers as a concrete step toward addressing chronic disease and redirecting taxpayer money toward genuinely nutritious food.
“The Trump Administration is unified in improving the health of our nation. America’s governors have proudly answered the call to innovate by improving nutrition programs, ensuring better choices while respecting the generosity of the American taxpayer,” Rollins said last year.
“Each waiver submitted by the states and signed is yet another step closer to fulfilling President Trump’s promise to Make America Healthy Again.”
The lawsuit claims they had no right to do this.
The five plaintiffs. residents of Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia, and represented by the law firm Shinder Cantor Lerner, argue in their complaint that the restrictions “destabilize food access” for SNAP participants in the 22 affected states.
They claim the USDA exceeded its legal authority by approving the waivers without soliciting public input, establishing proper evaluation metrics, or engaging those directly impacted by the waivers first, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.
The lawsuit further contends that the relevant section of the Food and Nutrition Act only authorizes pilot projects designed to “enhance the efficiency” or improve the delivery of benefits — and that banning specific food items accomplishes neither.
“SNAP is a critical lifeline for millions of families and households, and Congress has established clear guardrails for how the program must operate across the country,” Jeffrey Shinder, founding partner at Shinder Cantor Lerner, claimed in a statement to Newsweek.
“The USDA is attempting to bypass those strict guardrails by empowering states to curtail access to SNAP in ways that will create significant hardship on recipients and retailers. We urge the Court to halt this attack on SNAP, which threatens millions of individuals’ access to essential food assistance nationwide.”
The plaintiffs claim they or their family members rely on the restricted foods to manage health conditions such as diabetes and allergies, or to obtain energy boosts for daily life.
The claim that sugary drinks and candy are medically necessary for diabetics runs directly counter to established dietary guidance. One plaintiff argues that her state’s waiver would restrict her daughter to only three “safe” foods and beverages — one of which is bottled water.
The plaintiffs also argue that confusion is another problem impacting SNAP recipients.
“We are focused on litigating the case we filed yesterday and securing relief for the plaintiffs already before the Court. At the same time, we remain open to expanding the case to challenge similar waivers in additional states. SNAP serves as an essential support system for millions of families,” added Meegan Hollywood, a partner at the firm.
“The waivers create confusion at checkout and force retailers to apply standards that are vague and unworkable. A program that millions of families rely on cannot operate amid confusion and uncertainty. Our complaint details how these policies are already harming recipients in multiple states and undermining the very families SNAP is meant to support.”
That framing assumes junk food is a non-negotiable line item. Recipients who want soda and candy remain free to purchase them — with their own money.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 13:05
“Problem Is Solvable”: Airline CEOs Urge Congress To End Shutdown, Pay TSA Workers
“Problem Is Solvable”: Airline CEOs Urge Congress To End Shutdown, Pay TSA Workers
The Department of Homeland Security’s social media team on X spent the weekend blaming Democrats for the travel chaos unfolding at airports nationwide, as TSA agents failed to report to work during a funding lapse caused by Senate Democrats’ refusal to fund the DHS budget without reforms to ICE and Border Patrol.
“Thanks to the Democrats’ shutdown, travelers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport are again seeing MASSIVE security lines this morning,” DHS said on X on Saturday. “The Democrats’ political games are making spring break travel a NIGHTMARE for Americans as they continue to withhold funding from DHS and refuse to pay our heroic @TSA officers.”
Thanks to the Democrats’ shutdown, travelers at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport are again seeing MASSIVE security lines this morning.
The Democrats’ political games are making spring break travel a NIGHTMARE for Americans as they continue to withhold funding from DHS and… https://t.co/KsChjpcDnJ
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 15, 2026
DHS said Sunday that “Airports coast to coast are seeing major delays, HOURS-long security lines, and missed flights because of the Democrats’ DHS shutdown.”
Airports coast to coast are seeing major delays, HOURS-long security lines, and missed flights because of the Democrats’ DHS shutdown.
SAVE SPRING BREAK. REOPEN DHS NOW. https://t.co/ABeVfNiG2C
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 15, 2026
A reader on Sunday evening sent ZeroHedge Tips a photo showing, he said, roughly 200 travelers stuck in line at BWI Airport’s international customs, with only two CBP agents staffing the booths while at least a dozen booths sat empty. He added that the Global Entry line had only a handful of passengers, who were waved through quickly, while non-Global Entry travelers were left waiting in what seemed like an hours-long line.
Last weekend, similar travel chaos unfolded at some airports, with TSA lines taking hours just to enter terminals. The disruption prompted ten U.S. airline and aviation heads to pen an open letter to Congress on Sunday, urging lawmakers to resolve the DHS funding dispute.
“That comes as no surprise. Americans—who live in your districts and home states—are tired of long lines at airports, travel delays and flight cancellations caused by shutdown after shutdown. Yet, once again air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown,” the chief executive officers of Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Air Group, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and United Parcel Service wrote in the letter.
The executives continued, “It’s past time for the government to make sure that TSA officers, U.S. Customs clearance officers at airports, and air traffic controllers are paid for the job they do.”
The current political battle has persisted for nearly a month after Senate Democrats refused to fund a DHS budget without reforms to ICE and Border Patrol. Democrats are frustrated that Trump is using the federal government to deport illegal aliens (whom they consider a potential future voting bloc). Democrats would like to see ICE significantly reformed or eliminated, as they view its power as an existential threat to their political party’s survivability.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 12:25
Boasberg’s Law: Why The Quashing Of The Powell Subpoenas Leaves More Questions Than Answers
Boasberg’s Law: Why The Quashing Of The Powell Subpoenas Leaves More Questions Than Answers
Last week, Chief Judge James Boasberg delivered a blow to the criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell by tossing out grand jury subpoenas. Boasberg declared the investigation overtly political and coercive, without any criminal predicate. The decision is a rare rejection of a duly issued grand jury subpoena at this stage of an investigation. In my view, he was premature and could face a difficult appeal in In re Grand Jury Subpoenas, Bd. of Governors of the Federal Reserve System v. U.S.
I have previously expressed skepticism about the investigation into Powell and share concerns about the alleged use of the criminal justice system to pressure the Federal Reserve Board. However, the question is when a court can make such a judgment at this stage of the investigation. Prosecutors are generally entitled to make their case and these subpoenas sought potential evidence of waste or corruption.
Boasberg has long been one of the most vocal critics of President Donald Trump on the bench, including a series of orders to stop the deportation of immigrants to El Salvador and, recently, an order for their return. He was also the subject of an ethics complaint by the Administration over statements made at a judicial conference that portrayed President Trump as a threat to the rule of law. (For the record, I opposed the effort to impeach Judge Boasberg).
In the latest controversy, Boasberg rejected the premise of the criminal investigation of Powell:
“The case thus asks: Did prosecutors issue those subpoenas for a proper purpose? The Court finds that they did not. There is abundant evidence that the subpoenas’ dominant (if not sole) purpose is to harass and pressure Powell either to yield to the President or to resign and make way for a Fed Chair who will.”
Judge Boasberg quotes Trump’s personal attacks on Powell after he continued to refuse to lower interest rates. These include signature all-caps attacks from the President:
“Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell has done it again!!! He is TOO LATE, and actually, TOO ANGRY, TOO STUPID, & TOO POLITICAL, to have the job of Fed Chair. He is costing our Country TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS …. Put another way, ‘Too Late’ is a TOTAL LOSER, and our Country is paying the price!”
Boasberg noted over 100 such postings, including “‘Too Late’ Jerome Powell is costing our Country Hundreds of Billions of Dollars. He is truly one of the dumbest, and most destructive, people in Government …. TOO LATE’s an American Disgrace!”
He also noted a menacing statement by the President that, if the Fed does not cut rates, “I may have to force something.”
This is not the first time that the President’s social media postings have been used as evidence against Administration policies in federal cases.
Many of us have criticized the President over personal attacks on judges or other officials.
However, courts generally do not impute an unlawful motive to criminal investigations or prosecutions if there is an otherwise valid purpose or allegation.
Judge Boasberg dismisses any such possibility of a valid purpose, writing:
“The case thus asks: Did prosecutors issue those subpoenas for a proper purpose? The Court finds that they did not. There is abundant evidence that the subpoenas’ dominant (if not sole) purpose is to harass and pressure Powell either to yield to the President or to resign and make way for a Fed Chair who will.
On the other side of the scale, the Government has offered no evidence whatsoever that Powell committed any crime other than displeasing the President. The Court must thus conclude that the asserted justifications for these subpoenas are mere pretexts. It will therefore grant the Board’s Motion to Quash. It will also grant the Board’s Motion to Partially Unseal the Motion to Quash, related briefing, and this Opinion….”
Once again, I do not fault the court for skepticism, but I do have serious concerns over his timing and his own possible bias in issuing such a ruling.
The Administration has an active but still early criminal investigation into the massive spending on renovations to the Federal Reserve building. To that end, the Justice Department served two subpoenas on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, seeking records about the renovations of the Board’s buildings as well as Powell’s prior congressional testimony on those renovations. The Board filed a Motion to Quash, contending that the subpoenas are a raw play to force Powell to resign or to bend to the will of the President.
After reading the Boasberg opinion, my concerns only increased. At every juncture, Judge Boasberg ends his analysis with conclusory statements about his perception of the real motivation behind the case. That is a dangerous propensity for an Article III judge who must separate the politics from the merits in such challenges. In this case, Boasberg simply concluded that politics was the merits.
The court notes, correctly, that there are prior cases where grand jury subpoenas have been found improper if they are simply “fishing expeditions” or targeting “targets of investigation out of malice or an intent to harass.” They can also be quashed if prosecutors are seeking to meddle with an official’s duties. Such cases are very rare and the cited cases do not seem dispositive or even particularly helpful in the instant case.
The problem is that the main precedent relied on by the court suggests that this opinion is not just premature but itself an example of bias.
The court relies on Trump v. Vance to support the authority to quash an indictment. However, that case involved state prosecutors using grand-jury subpoenas financial records of President Trump and his businesses. Without actually ruling on whether the subpoenas were proper, the Court warned that state DAs cannot use grand-jury subpoenas to “interfer[e] with a President’s official duties.”
That case presented a threshold problem of state officials using the grand jury to target a president with obvious concerns over the Supremacy Clause. Judge Boasberg rightly noted that the clear import is that “a government official cannot do indirectly what she is barred from doing directly ….”
However, this is not something that the Justice Department is “barred from doing directly.” It has stated that the over-budget renovations raise concerns over fraud and wrongdoing. That is squarely within the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch.
Judge Boasberg cited cases such as NRA of Am. v. Vullo, 602 U.S. 175, 190 (2024) as an example of the bar on doing indirectly what you are barred from doing directly. However, like Vance, that case only makes this opinion stand out more. The case involved a New York state official using her powers to pressure banks and other companies not to do business with the NRA. That is manifestly different from the context in which prosecutors seek to enforce duly issued subpoenas to investigate possible fraud or waste in the criminal system.
Judge Boasberg then veers significantly from these cases with a series of conclusory remarks. He virtually mocks the suggestion that the Administration is acting in light of the massive costs and overruns, noting “buildings often go over budget.” Yet that does not mean federal officials are therefore barred from launching investigations into such matters.
The court further stresses that budget overruns “standing alone, hardly suggests that a crime occurred.” The question, again, is whether the required threshold is showing. The costs of the federal building are breathtaking and arguably unprecedented in terms of square foot expenditures. The court does not explain what showing is necessary to commence a criminal investigation. This is an early subpoena seeking basic documentary evidence.
The court notes that inspectors general have authority to investigate overruns and waste, adding that there was no such finding in this case. However, once again, the question is why that is relevant to the question before the Court. The IG may indeed be a better avenue for investigation, but there is nothing legally that forestalls an investigation by the Justice Department.
Once again, Judge Boasberg has voiced concerns shared by many on the basis of this criminal investigation. However, that is speculation in commentary. Judge Boasberg is not a talking head. He is a federal judge who must decide whether, despite such personal suspicions or inclinations, the court can bar otherwise valid grand jury subpoenas issued in an early stage of investigation.
The irony is that, while castigating the prosecutors for a lack of evidence, Judge Boasberg relies on dubious evidence to establish that political harassment is the dominant motivation. Quoting all-caps postings of the President does not offer evidence of a sole or dominant motive in an investigation. It is itself speculative and presumptive.
While Judge Boasberg notes that, “[w]ith varied improper purposes popping up on different occasions, it is clear that such purposes cannot be reduced to a fixed and exhaustive list,” he does not offer any clarity on when an investigation into fraud or waste would be demonstrably valid in its earliest stages. The court acknowledges that the Supreme Court has held there is no need for the Government to establish probable cause as the basis for issuing a grand-jury subpoena.
So that is the standard here other than Judge Boasberg’s suspicions based on public statements from the President?
The court merely states
“What the Court must determine is whether the Board is correct in its inference. In other words, what is these subpoenas’ dominant purpose? A mountain of evidence suggests that the dominant purpose is to harass Powell to pressure him to lower rates.”
That dominant purpose is far from evident. There is no evidence that Powell will yield to the pressure to lower rates, and many of us have noted that this would be a particularly ham-handed effort to get him to do so. From what we have seen, Powell has little to fear from this inquiry on a personal level. If anything, the improper purpose would seem like raw retaliation. However, there is also the pesky claim in the grand jury and captured in these subpoenas that the Administration believes that there is fraud or waste – and the possibility of false testimony. How would the court know at this stage that such claims are meritless or fraudulent? More importantly, what would stop future courts from rendering the same inferential judgment on presidents that they oppose?
Rather than answer that question, Boasberg returns to all-caps posts about how much the President despises Powell and wants him gone. The problem is that both positions could be true. The President could want Powell gone while the Justice Department could want to investigate waste and fraud.
For example, Boasberg quotes Trump as saying “we’re thinking about bringing a gross incompetence, what’s called a gross incompetence lawsuit, it’s gross incompetence, against Powell . . . I’d love to fire him. Maybe I still might.”
The problem is that Trump could believe that Powell is grossly incompetent and that he allowed massive overruns on this project. Boasberg just assumes that Trump wants Powell gone and even makes a veiled analogy to King Henry II signaling to his henchmen to kill Thomas Becket:
“In sum, the President spent years essentially asking if no one will rid him of this troublesome Fed Chair.”
(In this modern remake, apparently the murderous King is Trump, the saintly Becket is Powell, and the henchman is Pirro).
What is particularly disturbing is how the court dismisses the independent ethical duty of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to have a good-faith basis for seeking such subpoenas.
Judge Boasberg writes:
“True, most of the evidence above speaks to the motives of the President, not the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Yet judges ‘are not required to exhibit a naiveté from which ordinary citizens are free.’ Dep’t of Com. v. New York, 588 U.S. 752, 785 (2019) (quotation marks omitted). The U.S. Attorney was appointed by the President and can be fired by him. Her peer one district over was recently pushed out for refusing to prosecute the President’s opponents.”
This, for me, was the final abandonment of objectivity where assumptions become reality. By dismissing Pirro’s independent motivation, Boasberg leaves the weight of his own evidence as a string of social media posts. He ignores a major push by the administration to seek out government waste and fraud, which began with the DOGE efforts and was recently followed by the appointment of a “tsar” to root out fraud in federal programs. There is no serious debate that this Administration has made combating fraud and waste a priority and has taken unprecedented steps to investigate and prosecute such wrongdoing. Yet the court suggests that Pirro is merely clinging to her job by blindly carrying out the President’s demands.
None of this means that the court would lack the authority or a possible basis to dismiss this action at a later stage. My primary concern is the timing and the court’s presumptive analysis at this early stage. I fail to see a discernible standard in this case that would inform future courts or officials … other than presidents should not post in all caps or troll officials. While Judge Boasberg chastises the Justice Department for yielding too readily to its impulses, this opinion seems strikingly impulsive in critical aspects.
The Justice Department is appealing this opinion. We may see greater clarity on the underlying standard as the case works toward the Supreme Court.
Here is the opinion: Boasberg Opinion
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 11:45
Mexico Truck Production Plunges 50% In February As US Exports Slow
Mexico Truck Production Plunges 50% In February As US Exports Slow
By Noi Mahoney of FreightWaves
Mexico’s heavy-vehicle industry posted sharp year-over-year declines in production, exports and sales in February, signaling continued weakness across the country’s truck manufacturing sector.
Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reported that 6,974 heavy vehicles were produced in February, a 49.1% decline compared to the same month in 2025. Exports also fell, with 7,849 units shipped abroad, a 32% drop year over year.
The declines also offer a window into the broader North American freight cycle. Mexico is a key production hub for tractor-trailers used by U.S. fleets moving goods across the U.S.-Mexico border. When freight demand softens or carriers delay fleet upgrades in the U.S., Mexico’s truck factories and export volumes often move in tandem.
Domestic demand also weakened significantly. Retail sales totaled 2,303 units in February, down 38.9% from a year earlier, while wholesale sales reached 1,836 units, a 27.3% decline compared with February 2025.
For the first two months of 2026, the industry produced 13,767 heavy vehicles, representing a 50.5% decline from the same period last year, while exports totaled 12,925 units, down 42.6% year over year.
Domestic truck demand continues long slide
Industry officials say the downturn reflects weakening demand in Mexico’s domestic trucking market, which has now posted more than a year of declines.
Cristina Vázquez, coordinator of economic studies for the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA), said the market has been in a prolonged contraction.
“With the results released today, we have accumulated 14 consecutive months of decline in the Mexican market in year-over-year terms,” Vázquez said during a news conference on Tuesday.
Retail sales in February totaled 2,303 heavy vehicles, nearly 39% fewer than the same month in 2025, reflecting a slowdown after record demand in 2024.
Vázquez said weakening investment trends are also weighing on truck purchases.
“The fixed gross investment indicator — particularly machinery and equipment — has been in negative territory for more than a year,” she said. “That sends a very relevant signal about confidence in the economic environment and the willingness of companies to invest in capital assets such as heavy vehicles.”
Production slump spreads across truck segments
Manufacturing declines were widespread across the heavy truck sector.
Of the 6,974 heavy vehicles produced in February, about 6,739 were cargo trucks and tractor-trailers, while 235 were passenger buses, according to figures presented during the news conference.
Cargo vehicles account for the vast majority of Mexico’s heavy-vehicle production, representing more than 97% of total output during the first two months of 2026.
Exports still dominated by U.S. market
Despite the sharp annual decline, exports rebounded slightly compared with January.
Mexico exported 7,849 heavy vehicles in February, up more than 50% from January, according to data from Mexico’s National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers (Anpact).
Alejandro Osorio, director of public affairs and communication at ANPACT, said the month-to-month improvement offered cautious optimism.
“These are incipient but encouraging signs in the behavior of exports,” Osorio said during the news conference.
However, exports remain significantly lower than a year earlier. The U.S. accounted for 91.3% of shipments in February, followed by Canada (5.7%) and Colombia (2.6%).
The 16 members of Anpact in Mexico are Freightliner, Kenworth, Navistar, Hino, International, DINA, MAN SE, Mercedes-Benz, Isuzu, Scania, Shacman Trucks, Foton, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Daimler Buses Mexico and Volkswagen Buses.
Osorio said the industry is navigating a volatile global environment that continues to affect demand.
“The industry is facing a complex environment marked by adjustments in domestic demand and volatility in international markets,” he said. “Strengthening competitiveness and recovering the internal market will be key for the sector going forward.”
Freightliner was the top truck producer and exporter in Mexico in February, producing 5,538 trucks, a 32% year-over-year decline. The truck maker exported 5,264 units during the month, a 31% year-over-year decrease.
International Trucks Inc. was the No. 2 producer and exporter during February, manufacturing 307 trucks, a 91% year-over-year decrease. The truck maker’s exports fell 31% year-over-year to 2,251 units during the month.
Used truck imports cited as industry concern
Industry representatives also warned that rising imports of used trucks from the U.S. are undercutting new-vehicle sales in Mexico.
Osorio said the imbalance between new and used truck purchases has become a major distortion in the market.
“For every 100 new heavy vehicles sold in Mexico, about 64 used trucks enter the country,” he said, warning the trend is harming domestic manufacturers and transport companies.
Older imported trucks also raise environmental and safety concerns, he added, because many units arriving in Mexico have already logged hundreds of thousands of miles in the U.S.
Industry outlook uncertain
Guillermo Rosales, executive president of AMDA, said the heavy-vehicle sector is facing multiple economic headwinds, including geopolitical uncertainty and fuel price volatility.
“We are living through a period of tariff volatility and also volatility in fuel prices derived from international conflicts,” Rosales said during the briefing.
Despite the slowdown, Rosales said the industry expects demand to eventually stabilize as freight activity improves.
“The heavy-vehicle industry established in Mexico has historically relied on the recovery of both the domestic and external markets to return to normality,” he said.
Industry leaders say the outlook for the remainder of 2026 will depend heavily on freight demand, investment trends and cross-border trade activity across North America.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 11:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/mexico-truck-production-plunges-50-february-us-exports-slow
Woke Celebrities Applaud Themselves At Oscars As Hollywood Burns
Woke Celebrities Applaud Themselves At Oscars As Hollywood Burns
There is something rather uncomfortable about the Hunger Games aesthetics of Hollywood and the Oscars these days. The pomp is tinged and the glamour faded. The glitter and velvet curtains no longer hide the stinking rot that hides underneath. The fact that a bunch of washed-up and histrionic celebrities are still swimming in the fantasy that they matter is simultaneously alarming and hilarious.
Most of the world is celebrating the ongoing demise of Tinseltown, certainly after a long decade of endless woke propaganda. This includes blatant attempts to indoctrinate children with LGBT ideology. Bombarding the public with insufferable feminist prattle and “girl boss” delusions. Open discrimination against white people through DEI policies and race swaps of almost every significant white character in every franchise imaginable.
As a result, Hollywood is dying. According to recent numbers, Hollywood productions have imploded by 50% or more since 2023. Even covid was not able to destroy the movie industry the way wokeness did. In fact, it was the pandemic that allowed Hollywood to dismiss their dwindling numbers through 2023, but that scapegoat is now gone.
From 2019 to 2025, total box office receipts adjusted for inflation have plunged by 40% and audience numbers are cut in half. The bottom line? Get woke, go broke. No one wants to buy what the leftist film industry is selling. Yet, they continue onward as if they are still American royalty, ignoring their abject failures and spouting their political opinions as if they have influence.
Conan O’Brien hosted the 2026 Oscars event, perhaps with the expectation that his career and audience has not yet completely evaporated.
Conan was quick to poke at conservatives, making fun of the TPUSA alternative Super Bowl half time show.
Conan O’Brien insults TPUSA’s All-American halftime show:
“Tonight could get political, and if that makes you uncomfortable, there’s an alternate Oscars being hosted by Kid Rock. It’s at the Dave & Buster’s down the street.” pic.twitter.com/rfRUucEj6r
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) March 16, 2026
The real joke being that any alternative to the Oscars would likely draw a far larger audience. Keep in mind, this is the man who filmed an entire propaganda segment on Haiti because Trump called the island a “shithole”. He argued that it is a “truly beautiful country”, then shared vacation pictures on social media as he consumed flavored drinks in a walled off and fortified beach resort protected by armed security guards.
Conan did redeem himself briefly with a quick pedophile joke…
Conan O’Brien just called out everyone at the Oscars to their faces ☠️ pic.twitter.com/OEcSLz95AP
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) March 16, 2026
But the celebrities could not help themselves…
Jane Fonda fell apart and froze several times during an interview at the Oscars on Sunday.
She insisted on getting political, of course, and she struggled to find her words.
This is honestly quite sad to watch.
Broken minds go woke.pic.twitter.com/girUqaNFWJ
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) March 16, 2026
Jimmy Kimmel says the United States is a “ridiculous country”
Who else would be more than happy if Jimmy Kimmel left the US?? 🖐️pic.twitter.com/uv3Zyi50xM
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 16, 2026
Most of the celebrity commentary strayed far from the job of making movies as they struggled to say something profound about Donald Trump and world events. Most of the speeches came out sounding like regurgitated talking points from Bluesky.
Oscars gets slammed online for endless ‘virtue signaling’ from ‘woke’ Hollywood filmmakers.
“When we act complicit when a government m*rders people on the streets…when we don’t say anything when oligarchs take over the media… we all face a moral choice.” pic.twitter.com/zOHj4RVAZJ
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) March 16, 2026
There was the predictable stage protests against the war in Iran, though, not one Oscar winner thought to condemn the tens of thousands of protesters reportedly killed by the Iranian government last month.
Javier Bardem says “no to war and free Palestine” at the #Oscars, earning a huge round of applause from everyone in the room.
(via ABC/AMPAS) pic.twitter.com/7p3whJzhbm
— Variety (@Variety) March 16, 2026
The big winners for the night included Best Picture for “One Battle After Another”, a film which glorified Antifa terrorism in the wake of numerous attacks by far-left activists. The movie was one of the biggest box office bombs of 2025, losing around $100 million.
Best Actor went to Michael B. Jordan of “Sinners”, a vampire survival movie knock-off of the film “From Dusk Till Dawn”. Such a movie would not normally be included in the Oscars except that it had a majority black cast and includes commentary about segregation. Meaning, it was going to win awards due to DEI default.
Not surprisingly, the vampires of Sinners are mostly white (designed to act as an allegory for the supposed ongoing white exploitation of minorities in America). The horror flick was the only movie of the nominees that made a real profit, bringing in around $100 million. Adjusted for inflation, its performance was still weak compared to the majority of big budget movies pre-2020.
Best Actress went to Jessie Buckley for the film “Hamnet”, a feminist themed story focusing on the wife of William Shakespeare (no one cares).
The only truly good and original film on the list was “Weapons”, an expertly constructed horror story about the mass disappearance of children in a small town. It received little attention beyond a best supporting actress win.
If you have the feeling lately that there is just nothing good coming from the entertainment industry anymore, you’re not alone. The anorexic selections are a consequence of a corpsified media community obsessed more with spreading their political message than making money and staying relevant. The Oscars awards are a depressing reminder of this condition, which is why most people don’t watch them anymore.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 11:05
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/woke-celebrities-applaud-themselves-oscars-hollywood-burns
The Wrath Of Kharg
The Wrath Of Kharg
By Ben Picton, Senior Market Startegist at Rabobank
Brent crude is bid again this morning as markets digest the dump of news over the weekend relating to the Iran war. On the bullish side for crude was the US decision to bomb Iranian military assets on Kharg Island – the Persian Gulf port where up to 90% of Iranian oil exports are typically loaded onto tankers. Announcing the strikes via Truth Social, President Trump was at pains to be clear that oil infrastructure was not targeted, but the implicit threat that it could be is an unsubtle one. Trump later said that the US may conduct further strikes on the island “just for fun”.
News also emerged over the weekend that the USS Tripoli has been redeployed from the Western Pacific to the Persian Gulf. The Tripoli is a light aircraft carrier with a complement of 2,500 marines and an F35B stealth fighter air wing. Speculation is rife that the marines could be used to secure oil infrastructure on Kharg Island, or perhaps to help clear the mountains north of the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian belligerents (the latter seems less likely). Either would be a case of ‘boots on the ground’ and interpreted as a major escalation. Iranian officials have said over the weekend that they would respond in kind to any attacks on their oil infrastructure. Indeed, there were further limited attacks on oil assets of US-aligned Gulf states over the weekend, which may explain the bid tone in Brent this morning and a lift in the forward curve since this time last week.
A bizarre intervention in the war came from Hamas, who called for Iran to cease attacks on regional neighbors. Hamas is well-known as an Iranian proxy, so there is some speculation circulating that this may be an attempt from the Iranian side to begin to engineer an off-ramp. Coupled with news last week that Iran had struck agreements with India and Bangladesh to allow crude cargoes to pass, and comments from the Iranian Foreign Minister over the weekend that the Strait was not closed to anyone other than the US, Israel and their allies, there appears to be some cautious optimism in markets this morning that glimmers of hope for an end to hostilities are emerging. AUD and NZD are both trading higher, spot gold is down to almost $5,000/oz and bitcoin is catching a bid.
However, ‘glimmers’ is the operative word. While Hamas was calling for Iran to end strikes on neighboring states the Houthis (another Iranian proxy) were giving signs that they are ready to escalate against shipping being diverted into the Red Sea to load crude cargoes at the Saudi port of Yanbu. Disruptions to Red Sea shipping – which the Houthis have proven adept at over the years – would close off the release valve of the Saudi East-West pipeline that is capable of redirecting 5-7mn bbl/day to offset the ~18-20mn bbl/day supply interruption.
There is also the fact that South Korea and Japan – both major destinations for Gulf energy cargoes – would likely be considered US allies and therefore not allowed to receive crude shipments under the terms of the Iranian toll road. Trump himself has rebuffed suggestions of a ceasefire over the weekend, saying that he is not yet ready to end the war because the terms offered by Iran are not good enough. Iranian officials deny that any terms have been offered at, beyond the US’s withdrawal from the Middle East and payment of reparations. No wonder Trump isn’t keen. Prediction markets are this morning implying odds of a ceasefire before month end of just 14%, down from 21% on Friday.
There are glimmers of hope in other areas. The Wall Street Journal is this morning reporting that the United States is set to announce the formation of an international coalition to provide naval escorts to tankers transiting Hormuz. Some commentators on X have already observed that this would run counter to Donald Trump’s recent shot at UK PM Starmer, where he said that the US doesn’t need allies who only turn up after the war is won (the British might have their own thoughts on allies who arrive late to wars). Nevertheless, there does seem to be a plan developing, though both South Korea and Japan have signalled caution about deploying warships to the Gulf as China resumes military exercises around Taiwan after a 10-day hiatus.
Speaking of China, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are currently meeting with Chinese officials, including Vice Premier He Lifeng, in Paris to discuss trade. The talks come ahead of a much anticipated Trump-Xi summit in Beijing on March 31st and are expected to lay the groundwork for that meeting. Early reports suggest that the American side asked China to buy more Boeing aircraft, and US coal and gas. With Qatari liquified natural gas exports currently out of the market, and the Chinese economy approximately 50% dependent on imports for its domestic needs, it should be an easy sell. Japan’s Industry Minister has also recently reached out to Australia to urge a ramping up of LNG production, though this will take time and is sure to face opposition from environmentalists in Australia.
The timing of the Trump-Xi meeting is interesting. Trump will be headed to Beijing with Chinese influence having recently been ejected by America power in Venezuela, Cuba and the Panama Canal. The strikes on Kharg Island – which is the main port of origin for a large slice of China’s oil imports – also raises the prospect of Chinese influence in central Asia being severely curtailed. The US is a mostly self-sufficient net energy exporter who suddenly occupies several key maritime chokepoints for Chinese energy imports. The message to Beijing couldn’t be more clear: if you attempt to leverage rare earth supply chains against US interests, the US will leverage energy supply chains against Chinese interests. Regular readers would be aware that we have argued the logic of this for the last 18 months.
So, again we see that economic statecraft is employed to create supply chain pressure to get what you want. To appreciate this disruptive power fully, it must be recognised that the Iran crisis goes far beyond energy and the supply shock will reverberate through everything from petrochemicals, to agriculture to pharmaceuticals and beyond. China’s industrial dominance therefore becomes an Achilles heel in a global economic shock. For a comprehensive accounting of the likely impacts, see this excellent piece produced by the RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness team.
Trump wants Hormuz open again. Xi wants guarantees that Gulf oil will continue to flow to Chinese refineries, Chinese industrial producers will have markets to sell to, and Chinese consumers will have food to import. Trump thinks he has the upper hand in this negotiation and so on Sunday night he told media that he could seek to delay the Beijing summit and that he expected China to help open the Strait of Hormuz. He is playing hard to get, and trying to put all of the pressure on Xi to force a resolution. To paraphrase Nixon’s Treasury Secretary John Connally: “it’s our war, but it’s your problem.”
So, could the upcoming summit be the moment where we see Beijing issue the directive to its allies in Tehran to end the blockade? For Xi it may be a choice between that, or suffering the wrath of Kharg on the Chinese industrial economy.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 10:45
Nano Nuclear Progresses HALEU Transport Package
Nano Nuclear Progresses HALEU Transport Package
Nano Nuclear released a notable update this morning for achieving conceptual design milestones on its proprietary, optimized High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) transportation package, developed in partnership with German nuclear logistics heavyweight GNS.
Through subsidiary Advanced Fuel Transportation (AFT), the company has nailed down two optimized payload baskets capable of hauling multiple advanced fuel forms including uranium oxide, TRISO, uranium-zirconium hydride, uranium mononitride, and even molten salt reactor fuel. All of it was run through an NRC Quality Assurance program, with initial analyses indicating full regulatory compliance. Next up is full regulatory engagement and certification.
The tech builds on Nano’s exclusive license for a high-capacity basket originally designed by Idaho National Lab. Jay Yu, founder and chairman, called it “an important step toward building the infrastructure needed to support the deployment of advanced reactors”.
As we covered last year, Nano broke ground on its Kronos microreactor facility at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, complete with state backing and a manufacturing/R&D site announcement from Governor Pritzker. We followed up with coverage of their engineering firm partnerships and the founder’s Shawn Ryan Show appearance touting laser enrichment ambitions. The Illinois project has been the headline (and only) act, until now.
It’s a mild surprise: while the reactor side hogs the press and investor imagination, the transport business segment has been making tangible development progress. In an industry starved for HALEU shipping solutions, this could become a revenue driver years before any microreactor fires up commercially.
Nano’s vertical-integration bet with enrichment, fuel fab, transport, and reactors, looks a touch less aspirational today.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 03/16/2026 – 10:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/nano-nuclear-progresses-haleu-transport-package












