US federal law enforcement to be present at Marine Corps graduation

2026-03-31 17:05:05 UTC / Reuters

By Jasper Ward

March 31, 2026 5:05 PM UTC Updated 3 hours ago

The badge of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is embroidered on a polo shirt of an ICE employee, at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement two-day job fair in Texas to help fill vacancies for deportation officers and attorneys, in Arlington, Texas, U.S. August 26, 2025. REUTERS/Shelby Tauber/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) – U.S. federal law enforcement personnel will be present at an upcoming Marine Corps graduation, according to a message on the corps’ ​Parris Island website, a move the South Carolina base has described as ‌the first of its kind in recent memory.

NBC News on Monday reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be stationed outside Marine graduation events at Parris Island to identify whether ​any of the graduates’ family members lack legal immigration status.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

The Department ​of Homeland Security said on social media that ICE would not ⁠make arrests at the event. It did not respond when reached for comment ​on whether the agency will be present.

The message on the Parris Island website ​did not indicate what kind of federal law enforcement would be present, but said federal personnel would be there for security and logistics.

“Due to increased force protection measures and to expedite ​enhanced base access procedures, federal law enforcement personnel will be present at installation ​access points during Recruit Family and Graduation Days,” the message said.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

The graduation will be held ‌on ⁠Friday for recruits who complete a 13-week training program at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.

Parris Island is one of two recruit depots responsible for training enlisted Marines. The other is a West Coast facility in San Diego, California. ​That site, which also ​has a graduation ⁠on Friday, did not mention a federal law enforcement presence on its website.

Roughly 20,000 recruits graduate annually from Parris Island, ​where a training site has operated since 1915.

“While the Marine ​Corps routinely ⁠coordinates with federal partners on security matters, this is the first time in recent memory that federal law enforcement agencies have supported base access operations at Parris ⁠Island in ​this capacity,” a spokesperson for the base ​told NBC News.

A spokesperson for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island did not immediately respond to ​a Reuters request for comment.

Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

By

Paula Reid
,

Casey Gannon

29 min ago

PUBLISHED Mar 31, 2026, 3:31 PM ET

Donald Trump Supreme Court

See all topics

Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads

Link Copied!

US Solicitor General D. John Sauer attends a press briefing held at the White House on February 20.

Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images/File

The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear its biggest case of the term: about whether President Donald Trump’s effort to limit birthright citizenship through executive order is constitutional.

This case will not be easy to win – a ruling for Trump would upend a long-standing tenant of constitutional law and would have significant implications for US citizens who could face new hurdles documenting newborns.

The case will be argued by Solicitor General D. John Sauer, who has become Trump’s favorite litigator after securing historic victories on issues such as presidential immunity and limiting the power of judges to block his policies nationwide. Sauer’s name is also frequently mentioned as a possible Supreme Court nominee should a vacancy arise.

Related article People hold a banner as they participate in a protest outside the US Supreme Court over President Donald Trump’s move to end birthright citizenship on May 15, 2025. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images/File Parents fear their children born in the US could become ‘stateless’ if Trump wins birthright case 6 min read

“John Sauer has been so effective for President Trump, both as his defense attorney and as a solicitor general. He is certainly at the top of my short list for the Supreme Court,” said Trump outside legal adviser Mike Davis.

Sauer is so favored by the president that when he lost a case about Trump’s tariff policy earlier this year, a livid Trump publicly blamed the loss on the justices at a White House news conference with his solicitor general.

But the birthright citizenship case presents the biggest challenge yet for Sauer. Even some administration officials have privately admitted that the justices may not be willing to overturn court precedent that’s more than a century old, and the case could result in an embarrassing defeat.

“It’s a remarkably weak case, not only because the Supreme Court answered this question 128 years ago, but because Congress wrote that answer into federal law in both 1940 and 1952,” said Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

“That means that Sauer has to persuade the justices not only that they’ve been wrong for more than 125 years, but that Congress didn’t do what it clearly did twice – by deciding as a matter of statute to adopt the rule the court read into the 14th Amendment. That’s quite an uphill climb even before we get to the implications.”

Sauer’s argument will focus largely on the 14th Amendment, which states that “all persons born … in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”

According to a senior Justice Department official, Sauer’s argument will try to get the justices to agree to his definition of what it means to be “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”

“You are talking about people who have the requisite relationship, are part of our political community and have something akin to the sort of complete and thorough allegiance that US citizens have,” the official said.

Sauer will argue that anyone who has entered the country illegally or overstayed their visa would not meet this requirement. He will also argue that the children of people who have traveled to the US as tourists do not qualify.

“They also don’t have the requisite relationship of allegiance to the United States. They’re not subject to jurisdiction … and therefore, their children are not citizens,” the person added.

Related article Rodica Cojocaru / 500px/Getty Images Immigration advocates appeal to a higher power to sway the high court on birthright citizenship 6 min read

It is unclear whether a loss on the biggest case of the year would hurt Sauer’s standing with the president, but allies are already providing him some cover by pre-emptively shifting blame to the justices who will decide the case and not the man who will argue it.

“If the justices follow the law … this is an easy decision. If the justices embrace politics, then it’s a messy decision,” Davis said.

Sauer’s path to solicitor

Sauer is no stranger to the high court. He clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia after graduating from Harvard Law School. He worked as a prosecutor and then at various boutique law firms before serving as solicitor general of Missouri for six years.

Trump hired Sauer, along with two other attorneys, once his challenge to criminal charges filed against him by special counsel Jack Smith reached the Supreme Court in 2024. That historic argument was Sauer’s second time arguing before the justices. His first was as Missouri solicitor general when he successfully defended the state’s lethal injection protocol.

Sauer helped save Trump from facing criminal trial by convincing a 6-3 court that presidents have absolutely immunity for actions taken within their core duties.

“People mocked John Sauer when he raised presidential immunity. They’re not laughing anymore,” Davis said.

In Trump legal circles, Sauer has also distinguished himself for being well-liked as a person.

Related article UNSPECIFIED – UNDATED: In this handout image provided by The White House on May 26, 2009, Judge Sonia Sotomayor is seen with her mother Celina Sotomayor and father Juan Luis Sotomayor in this undated family photograph. If approved by the U.S. Senate, Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic and the third woman ever to serve on the Supreme Court. Sotomayor currently sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, based in New York. (Photo by The White House via Getty Images) The White House/Getty Images Supreme Court justices will consider the future of birthright citizenship. Here’s how their families came to America 11 min read

“He has impeccable legal credentials, but he has Midwestern sensibilities and modesty,” Davis said.

A big part of Sauer’s success has been teeing up litigation in a manner most likely to be met with a sympathetic ear – even if he didn’t win every case. But with birthright citizenship, the court forced him to bring the issue back after it agreed to limit nationwide injunctions.

“He’s been able to play a bunch of home games with the court to this point; even though the government was the nominal petitioner here, this is really an away game – where the party that really wanted the court to decide the merits was the court itself,” Vladeck said.

But even with the odds stacked against him, Sauer’s record shows you cannot count him out.

“You can never say never with this court, especially when it comes to President Trump,” Vladeck added.

Donald Trump Supreme Court

See all topics

Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads

Link Copied!

Hegseth slated for House testimony as pressure builds over Iran war, sources say

March 31, 2026 / 1:01 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is tentatively expected to testify publicly before the House Armed Services Committee on April 29, according to two sources familiar with the plans, in what would mark his first appearance under oath on Capitol Hill since the U.S. conflict with Iran began.

The timing of the hearing has not been finalized and could shift, the sources said. The session will fall under the committee’s routine oversight of the Defense Department and its annual budget request.

MS NOW first reported on the plans for the hearing.

If it proceeds as planned, the hearing would give lawmakers their first opportunity to question Hegseth in a public, sworn setting about the administration’s handling of the war since the Trump administration first ordered strikes on Feb. 28. There have been calls on Capitol Hill for more detailed answers as the war has stretched on, leading to market turmoil and rising gas prices.

That pressure has intensified following a classified House Armed Services Committee briefing last Wednesday, after which members from both parties said they were left without a clear understanding of the administration’s strategy. Rep. Mike Rogers, the committee chair, told reporters after the briefing that officials were being “very constrained” and “tight-lipped,” and added that lawmakers “deserve more answers than we’re given.”

Rogers said members sought clarity on planning and potential troop movements but “didn’t get any answers,” describing the briefing as part of a broader pattern of limited information sharing and warning it could have “consequences” for support in Congress if it continues.

The committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Adam Smith, raised similar concerns, saying lawmakers still lack a clear path for how the administration intends to achieve its objectives in Iran. He said there is no detailed plan “from here to there,” and noted discussions about potential troop deployments did not yield “specific answers.”

Other lawmakers have echoed these concerns about both strategy and troop safety. Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado said his top priority is protecting U.S. forces in what he described as a “very volatile situation,” warning there are “more questions than answers” about how the administration plans to safeguard roughly 50,000 troops in the region.

The push for answers has also been formalized. In a letter sent Friday, all Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee, led by Smith, called for an immediate public hearing with Pentagon officials, citing a “lack of transparency” and raising concerns about shifting objectives, unanswered questions about costs and a potential $200 billion supplemental, and the possible use of U.S. ground forces.

Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden reiterated his opposition to sending ground troops, saying he has been “100% crystal clear” on that position, even as he voiced support for ensuring the military has the resources needed to operate in the region.

But House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday downplayed concerns about the flow of information, telling reporters he has been “constantly briefed” before and during the operation and remains in regular contact with top administration officials, including the president. He added he would work to ensure Rogers receives any additional information he needs.

The expected testimony comes as the conflict enters its second month with no clear resolution. Hegseth said Tuesday that the “upcoming days will be decisive,” as U.S. officials continue to express confidence in the trajectory of the campaign.

The war is also having broader economic ripple effects. U.S. gas prices have climbed above $4 a gallon for the first time in nearly four years, as instability tied to the conflict and continued disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz weigh on global energy markets.

Members of Congress get the TMZ treatment amid a partial government shutdown

2026-03-31T18:00:47.849Z / CNN Politics

By Manu Raju, CNN

Published 2:00 PM EDT, Tue March 31, 2026

Members of Congress get the TMZ treatment amid a partial government shutdown

After TMZ published photos of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham at Disney World and Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia at a Las Vegas casino, both lawmakers pointed the finger at the opposite party. Will the celebrity news sites’ effort to shame lawmakers into breaking the deadlock shutting down the Department of Homeland Security work? The Inside Politics panel breaks it down.

7:09 • Source: CNN

Latest News from CNN Politics 15 videos

Members of Congress get the TMZ treatment amid a partial government shutdown

7:09

Now playing
• Source: CNN

‘The face of the Pentagon’: CNN report details Hegseth’s role touting military power during war in Iran

5:06

Now playing
• Source: CNN

The Odds: Trump’s approval rating

3:49

Now playing
• Source: CNN

‘Working people don’t run for these positions’: Minnesota flight attendant runs for Congress

5:56

Now playing
• Source: CNN

Former political prisoner: ‘Iran can end this war tonight’

03:08

Now playing
• Source: CNN

Source: Feds probing prediction market bets that predicted US actions

5:06

Now playing
• Source: CNN

Trump-voting pastor denies he’s masquerading as a Dem in Senate race; Dems think he’s a GOP plant

5:37

Now playing
• Source: CNN

Vance tops CPAC straw poll, but Rubio’s surge sets up a fight for the post-Trump MAGA mantle

6:28

Now playing
• Source: CNN

Gen Z is disillusioned. Is there a politician who can change that?

5:43

Now playing
• Source: CNN

The Odds: a Democratic takeover in the Senate

2:51

Now playing
• Source: CNN

Zuckerberg meeting ‘a slap in the face,’ says father who lost son to suicide after online scam

4:34

Now playing
• Source: CNN

TSA agent facing eviction after weeks without pay

3:22

Now playing
• Source: CNN

Sen. Andy Kim: I’m supportive of Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer ‘right now’

0:54

Now playing
• Source: CNN

Sen. Kim on Trump weighing sending service members to Iran: ‘One of the most consequential moments that I’ve ever seen’

8:00

Now playing
• Source: CNN

GOP Rep. Mace: ‘Congress should have a say’ on whether Trump deploys US servicemembers into Iran

12:34

Now playing
• Source: CNN

See more videos

American Heart Association urges people to favor plant-based proteins, replace full fat dairy

2026-03-31T17:04:15.627Z / Reuters

By Reuters

March 31, 2026 5:04 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

节点运行失败

Ingredients for plant-based hamburgers, including a protein gel, are on display in this illustration in Redwood City, California, U.S. October 6, 2016. REUTERS/Beck Diefenbach/File Photo

March 31 (Reuters) – The American Heart Association’s new nutrition guidance, released on Tuesday, emphasized a dietary pattern rich in vegetables, ​fruits and whole grains, prioritizing plant-based protein over meat.

It also suggested limiting the ‌use of sugar, salt and ultra-processed foods and replacing full fat dairy with non-fat and low-fat dairy.

Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year announced a new slate of dietary ​guidelines that recommended Americans eat more protein from both animal ​and plant sources, and encouraged the consumption of full-fat dairy.

In contrast ⁠to the federal government’s recommendation of use of beef tallow and ​consumption of red meat, the AHA pushed for plant-based proteins such as legumes, ​nuts and seeds, choosing low-fat or fat-free dairy, and, when consuming red meat, selecting lean cuts, avoiding processed forms and keeping portions small.

The Trump administration and Health Secretary ​Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s push to “Make America Healthy Again” has focused on ​the removal of synthetic dyes, other chemical ingredients, ultraprocessed foods, consumption of less sugar ‌and ⁠seed oils.

The AHA also suggested Americans choose sources of unsaturated fats, avoid ultraprocessed foods, and minimize intake of added sugars in beverages and foods.

The organization recommended Americans to prepare foods with minimal or no salt, and limit ​the intake of ​alcohol.

The guidance also ⁠recommended children can and should begin following a heart-healthy dietary pattern starting at 1 year of age.

The American Heart ​Association’s guidance is aligned with the U.S. Food and ​Drug Administration’s ⁠dietary guidelines on major issues, a spokesperson from the FDA said, adding they look forward to working collaboratively with AHA.

The AHA, which is the nation’s ⁠oldest ​and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart ​disease and stroke, releases dietary guidance about every five years to promote cardiovascular health.

Reporting by ​Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Christy Santhosh; Editing by Shailesh Kuber

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Federal judge orders halt to Trump White House ballroom project; DOJ to appeal

2026-03-31T15:38:03-04:00 / Fox News

District Judge Richard Leon delayed enforcement of the ruling for 14 days to allow time for the White House to appeal

By Jasmine Baehr, Bill Mears, David Spunt, Jake Gibson, Fox News

Published March 31, 2026 3:38pm EDT

Trump says White House ballroom built at ‘no charge to taxpayers’

President Donald Trump touches on the construction of the White House ballroom at the annual National Governors Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Listen to this article

1 min

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered construction of the White House ballroom project halted, siding with a historic preservation group that argued the effort violated federal law.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said the group is likely to succeed on the merits of its case, writing that “no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have,” according to the ruling.

The injunction temporarily stops work on the project, though the judge delayed enforcement for 14 days to allow the White House time to appeal. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to appeal.

“I will therefore delay enforcement of the injunction for fourteen days,” Leon wrote, noting the administration plans to seek immediate appellate review.

KAROLINE LEAVITT BLASTS NYT BALLROOM COVERAGE, CALLS OUT CRITICS WHO ‘NEVER BUILT ANYTHING’

Construction work continues on President Trump’s White House Ballroom on the site of the former East Wing of the White House, seen from the Washington Monument, March 8, in Washington, D.C.(Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)

The lawsuit was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued the project required congressional authorization before moving forward.

In his opinion, Leon said construction could resume if Congress explicitly approves the project or authorizes funding, emphasizing that lawmakers retain authority over federal property and spending.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News reached out to the White House and the Department of Justice for comment.

This is a developing story, check back later for updates.

Jasmine Baehr is a Breaking News Writer for Fox News Digital, where she covers politics, the military, faith and culture.

Inspector general’s report says human error, not political motive, to blame for release of Mikie Sherrill’s military records

March 31, 2026 / 2:57 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington— In a finding that puts to rest months of partisan suspicion, the inspector general for the National Archives and Records Administration concluded that the improper release of New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s largely unredacted military records during last year’s governor’s race was the result of human error, not political design.

While the disclosure of Sherrill’s personal information raised concerns because of the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Freedom of Information Act, investigators for the Archives’ watchdog found that the request submitted to the National Archives had been properly filed. The failure, they concluded, occurred later: an Archives technician released the records in error and did not adhere to established protocol.

Sherrill and other senior Democrats suggested the episode bore the hallmarks of coordination between her Republican opponent and Trump administration allies — a suspicion that lingered during the campaign for New Jersey governor. Sherill ultimately prevailed over Jack Ciattarelli, her GOP opponent.

But the inquiry found there were no political motivations for releasing the records. What emerged instead was a bureaucratic misstep.

“As we said all along, the Ciattarelli campaign did nothing wrong. Now that the phony ‘Trump did it’ smokescreen — which most of the NJ press corps fell for — has been proven false, Governor Sherrill should come clean and release the records about her involvement in the Naval Academy cheating the scandal,” said Mark Sheridan of the law firm Squire Patton Boggs, who represents Ciattarelli’s campaign.

CBS News originally began investigating Sherill during the campaign over accusations that she was involved in the 1994 Naval Academy scandal, where more than 100 midshipmen were implicated in cheating on an exam. Sherrill told CBS News that she was not accused of cheating and said her only involvement was not informing on her fellow classmates. She was prevented from walking during her graduation but did graduate and went onto serve in the U.S. Navy.

Contacted by CBS News, a spokesperson for Sherrill did not immediately comment.

CBS News obtained the results of the investigation after submitting a request under the Freedom of Information Act to the National Archives earlier this year. The investigation confirms CBS News’ previous reporting.

“No evidence was developed during the investigation indicating the disclosure was politically motivated,” the investigation concluded. The Office of the Inspector General for the National Archives opened the investigation days after CBS News exclusively reported last year that the Archives had released Sherrill’s military records to Nicholas De Gregorio, a Ciattarelli ally.

The documents released included Sherrill’s Social Security number, home addresses for her and her parents, life insurance information, Sherrill’s performance evaluations and the nondisclosure agreement between her and the government to safeguard classified information.

CBS News’ report last year ignited a political uproar. Both Sherrill’s and Ciattarellli’s campaigns lobbed legal threats and negative ads at each other for the rest of the race.

Political campaigns, opposition research firms and news organizations often seek the military records of current or former service members running for elected office for both vetting purposes and to better inform voters.

The investigation concluded that the Archives technician assigned to handle the request from Ciattarelli’s associate, De Gregorio, should have notified his supervisor to escalate the request for a higher level of review, since the request for information involved a member of Congress. The name of the Archives technician is redacted because of privacy exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Archives technician admitted the mistake to investigators, saying it was likely “caused by being distracted and not focusing entirely on the task at hand.”

“Based on the gravity of the improper release, on December 16, 2025, supervisory staff proposed the Archives Technician for removal from Federal service for Neglect of Duty,” according to the investigation. The technician, who had worked at the Archives since about 2015, chose to retire rather than face termination.

After the incident, the National Archives said it instituted several practices to ensure “enhanced reliability and accuracy of response for sensitive record and FOIA requests,” according to the investigation. The Archives conducted training and implemented directives to avoid future similar errors in processing personnel records.

“I appreciate the Inspector General’s complete dismantling of Governor Sherrill’s false and potentially defamatory attacks against me. As a veteran myself, I filed a FOIA request to see if Governor Sherrill was lying to voters about her service,” De Gregorio told CBS News. He added, “I encourage all citizens to utilize FOIA to hold our elected officials accountable.

The Trump administration’s objectives for the Iran war keep changing

2026-03-31T17:53:00.084Z / CNN

Analysis by

Aaron Blake

PUBLISHED Mar 31, 2026, 1:53 PM ET

The Middle East Donald Trump Pete Hegseth

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attend a Cabinet meeting at the White House on March 26.

Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg/Getty Images/File

The Trump administration keeps suggesting that the Iran war could wrap up soon. The reason? Because it’s accomplishing its goals.

“We are going to achieve our objectives in a matter of weeks, not months,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ABC News on Monday.

But when it comes to precisely what those goals are, the administration has been remarkably inconsistent.

Officials have regularly listed four objectives, but they’ve often changed depending upon the date and who’s providing them.

And even the frequently mentioned ones have been adjusted and scaled back.

Let’s recap.

Four goals but rarely the same four

When the US launched strikes on Iran on February 28, the administration had done remarkably little legwork in building a case for war or laying out its objectives.

But it finally clarified the latter on March 2.

At a briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described four objectives:

1. “Destroy Iranian offensive missiles”
2. “Destroy Iranian missile production”
3. “Destroy their navy and other security infrastructure” and
4. “They will never have nuclear weapons”

Those four more or less matched the things President Donald Trump mentioned in a video released the morning of the first strikes.

But just hours after Hegseth’s comments, Trump debuted an amended list at a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House.

Numbers 3 and 4 were the same, but numbers 1 and 2 were merged into one goal — “destroying Iran’s missile capabilities.” And he added a new fourth goal concerning Iran’s Middle East proxy groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis: “Ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders.”

Two days later, we saw a similar split. Rubio echoed Hegseth’s list in a social media post. But shortly thereafter, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed Trump’s amended list. She ran through four goals that again included neutralizing the proxy threat, which Rubio hadn’t mentioned.

And the split has largely continued along those lines, with Leavitt including the proxy threat but others like Hegseth and Rubio omitting it.

We’ve seen yet more shifts this past week.

On Friday, Rubio added “destroy their air force” on top of his previously stated objective of destroying Iran’s navy.

And during interviews Monday with ABC and Al Jazeera, he made destroying the air force one of the four numbered objectives, in place of Iran never obtaining a nuclear weapon.

(Rubio still mentioned preventing Iran from obtaining nukes. But he treated it as more of a side effect of the declared goals, while Hegseth and Leavitt have listed it as one of the four enumerated goals.)

You can see the difference in the lists that Rubio posted on March 4 (mentions nukes but not the air force) and that the State Department posted on Monday (mentions the air force but not nukes).

But lest anyone understand Rubio’s list as the final word, Leavitt on Monday gave another list that differed from what the secretary of state laid out in interviews the very same day.

There were three distinctions: Hers did not mention destroying Iran’s air force. She listed “preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon” as a distinct goal, unlike Rubio. And she again included combatting Iran’s proxies, despite Rubio not mentioning them in either the ABC or the Al Jazeera interviews.

The shifting goals

And even when the general subject matter of the goals has stayed consistent, the wording has evolved.

Early on, the US signaled it sought complete and utter destruction of Iran’s missile program. Trump on February 28 said the US would “destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.”

“It will be totally, again, obliterated,” the president said.

By March 2, Hegseth said the goals were to “destroy” both Iran’s offensive missiles and its missile production. And Trump said, “We’re destroying Iran’s missile capabilities.”

Later, that objective evolved to include destroying Iran’s “ability to make” missiles and also to destroy its missile launchers.

Over the past week, Rubio has seemed to lay out a more limited version.

He said Friday that the goal was to “dramatically reduce” Iran’s missile launchers. In the Al Jazeera interview, he cited a “significant reduction” in them. And in the ABC interview, he said the goal was a “severe diminishing of their missile launching capability,” rather than a complete destruction.

The proxies goal has also been scaled back.

Trump said on March 2 that the objective was “ensuring” that Iran “cannot continue to arm, fund and direct” the proxies. That would seem to be very difficult to accomplish and verify.

But Leavitt has since characterized the objective as instead trying to “weaken” the proxies, which would be more nebulous and subjective.

What it means

The two examples above seem to point to the administration trying to scale back expectations for what it must accomplish for a successful campaign.

Its initial goals suggested success would be achieved only if Iran had no missiles or ability to fire them, and if proxy groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen were cut off.

The amended goals from Rubio allow some wiggle room.

The other big question is how much the administration emphasizes eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat. Rubio’s recent rhetoric could be read to suggest the administration is more focused on combatting Iran’s delivery systems than going after its 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium — a mission that would very likely require ground troops.

At a briefing on Tuesday morning, Hegseth pitched the Iran war as different from other recent US wars, where he said the mission was ill-defined.

“In those wars, it was always about the next rotation, never knowing when the mission would end or exactly what the mission was, year after year,” Hegseth said. “Not with Epic Fury.”

But that’s exactly the sense the administration’s public comments about this war have given.

It makes it very difficult to measure the success of the war effort when the administration can’t even give a consistent list of four goals.

And the fact that those goals have shifted so much probably won’t calm the fears of Americans who don’t seem to understand what this war is about.

Judge rules Trump’s directive cutting off funding for NPR and PBS violates the First Amendment

2026-03-31 3:01 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — A federal judge ruled Tuesday that parts of President Trump’s executive order stripping National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service of federal funding violated the First Amendment by seeking to punish the two news outlets for speech he dislikes.

U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss permanently blocked the Trump administration from enforcing two provisions of an executive order Mr. Trump signed in May, which directed all federal agencies to cut off funding to NPR and PBS.

“The message is clear: NPR and PBS need not apply for any federal benefit because the President disapproves of their ‘left wing’ coverage of the news,” Moss wrote in a 62-page decision.

Moss wrote that the directive is unconstitutional because the First Amendment “does not tolerate” that kind of viewpoint discrimination and retaliation.

Mr. Trump and his Republican allies have long criticized NPR and PBS over what they claim is bias reporting against conservatives. The president claimed last year that the news outlets are “arms of the Radical Left Democrat Party.”

In addition to directing federal agencies to terminate funding to PBS and NPR, Mr. Trump’s executive order called for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provided public dollars to the two news outlets, to cease funding to them. Last year, Congress passed, and Mr. Trump signed into law, a legislative package that clawed back about $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

On the heels of that rescission, the corporation said last August it would begin winding down its operations and last month filed Articles of Dissolution.

But the president’s executive order covered all federal agencies, and the National Endowment for the Arts, FEMA and the Department of Education went on to cancel grants awarded to PBS and NPR, according to court papers.

NPR and PBS, as well as several member stations, filed their lawsuits against Mr. Trump and his administration in late May challenging the legality of his executive order. The Justice Department has argued that the president acted within his authority when he ordered federal agencies to end funding for PBS and NPR because he has the right to decide what speech to fund.

But in his decision, Moss rejected the Justice Department’s arguments and wrote that the president’s executive order crosses a First Amendment line that bars the government from using its power, including the power of the purse, to punish speech it dislikes.

The measure, he said, “does not define or regulate the content of government speech or ensure compliance with a federal program. Nor does it set neutral and germane criteria that apply to all applicants for a federal grant program. Instead, it singles out two speakers and, on the basis of their speech, bars them from all federally funded programs.”

Moss found that for as long as Mr. Trump’s order is in effect, NPR and PBS cannot be considered for grants that they would otherwise be eligible for based only on the president’s dislike of their coverage, and wrote that the president’s directive seeks to punish the two outlets for their past speech.

“It is difficult to conceive of clearer evidence that a government action is targeted at viewpoints that the President does not like and seeks to squelch,” he wrote. “The Executive Order seeks to exclude NPR and PBS from receiving federal grants or other funding because they have provided more positive coverage of his political opponents than of his party and allies, because their news coverage, in his view, tips left, and because they were critical of him.”

The judge added that “there can be no doubt” that Mr. Trump’s measure targets NPR and PBS because he believes their coverage is unfavorable to him and the Republican Party.

“To be sure, the President is entitled to criticize this or any other reporting, and he can express his own views as he sees fit,” Moss wrote. “He may not, however, use his governmental power to direct federal agencies to exclude Plaintiffs from receiving federal grants or other funding in retaliation for saying things that he does not like.”

Public broadcasting cuts and rural areas

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/public-broadcasting-funding-cuts-could-lead-to-news-blackouts-in-rural-areas/

Public broadcasting funding cuts could lead to news blackouts in rural areas

(03:03)

More key US allies block military flights as Iran war rift widens with Trump

March 31, 2026 1:24pm EDT / Fox News

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called out the Royal Navy, while Trump told European allies to ‘build up some delayed courage’ and secure the Strait of Hormuz themselves

By Efrat Lachter Fox News

More key European allies are restricting U.S. military access as the Trump administration presses ahead with its war against Iran, with both France and Spain moving to block U.S.-linked aircraft from using their airspace or bases.

France has refused overflight for planes carrying U.S. military supplies to Israel, according to President Donald Trump, marking a rare disruption to routine military coordination between Washington and key European allies.

Their refusals carry operational weight because U.S. bases in Europe are “essential” for supporting Middle East operations, acting as critical staging and transit hubs for military aircraft.

MULTIPLE ALLIES DECLINE US CALLS FOR STRAIT OF HORMUZ SUPPORT AMID RISING MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS

The move marks the latest sign of growing friction between the United States and European allies as President Donald Trump ramps up pressure on NATO partners to support operations tied to the war with Iran.

President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands as they pose for a photo.(Suzanne Plunkett/Pool/Reuters)

According to a Tuesday Reuters report, Italy denied permission for U.S. military aircraft to land at the Sigonella Air Base in Sicily before heading to the Middle East, saying Washington had not sought prior authorization from Rome.

An Italian government statement pushed back on reports of a rupture, saying: “With reference to media reports regarding the use of military bases, the government reiterates that Italy acts in full compliance with existing international agreements and with the policy guidelines set out by the government to parliament.”

“Relations with the United States, in particular, are solid and based on full and loyal cooperation,” the statement added.

A senior U.S. official reinforced Italy’s claim, telling Fox News Digital, “This is false. Italy is currently supportive in providing access, basing and overflight for U.S. forces.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.(Darko Bandic/The Associated Press)

Spain on Monday said it had closed its airspace to U.S. planes involved in strikes, going further than its earlier refusal to allow the use of jointly operated bases. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been among the most vocal critics of the U.S. and Israeli campaign.

In remarks before parliament Tuesday, Spain’s defense minister said the government had “prohibited the use of the bases of Rota and Morón” and did not grant flight authorizations “to support operations in Iran.”

The minister stressed the decision was limited specifically to operations linked to Iran and did not signal a broader break with NATO or the United States.

“If one looks at Spain’s refusal to allow U.S. overflight over its airspace or U.S. bases,” Hemmings said, “one could argue it’s a U.S.-Spanish issue. The prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, a socialist, has no love lost for the MAGA movement. But Italy’s refusal comes after Poland’s refusal to allow a U.S. Patriot anti-missile battery to be redeployed and looks like the U.S. wheels are wobbling — if not coming off.”

Trump on Tuesday escalated his criticism of allies in a series of posts on Truth Social, singling out France and the United Kingdom, although the United Kingdom has continued to allow U.S. aircraft to operate from its territory, including bomber and refueling missions tied to Middle East operations.

TRUMP RATES MACRON ‘AN 8’ AS FRANCE AND US SPLIT OVER MIDDLE EAST STRATEGY

“France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!,” President Donald Trump wrote on social media.(Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory,” Trump wrote.

“France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!,” he added.

A source in the French presidency, the Élysée Palace, told Fox News Digital, “We are surprised by this tweet. France has not changed its position since the first day, and we confirm this decision, which is consistent with the French position since the beginning of the conflict.”

The Israeli Ministry of Defense said Tuesday it is moving to reduce defense procurement from France to zero, replacing it with domestic production or purchases from other allied countries. The ministry also said it has suspended plans for further professional engagement with the French military, including canceling meetings with France’s defense leadership.

In another post on Tuesday, Trump criticized the U.K. while urging allies to take action in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route disrupted during the conflict.

“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you,” Trump wrote.

“Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”

“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”

TRUMP’S IRAN STRATEGY SHOWCASES ‘DOCTRINE OF UNPREDICTABILITY’ AMID STRIKE THREATS AND SUDDEN PAUSE

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and his wife Victoria Starmer at Trump Turnberry golf club on July 28, 2025, in Turnberry, Scotland.(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

War Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that message during a press briefing Tuesday.

“There are countries around the world who ought to be prepared to step up on this critical waterway as well,” he said. “It’s not just the United States Navy. Last time I checked, there was supposed to be a big, bad Royal Navy that could be prepared to do things like that as well.”

NATO acknowledged the growing strain, pointing to remarks by Secretary-General Mark Rutte from a March 26 press conference.

“What I’ve been seeing is some frustration with him (Trump), about the Europeans needing to take time to react to his request, when it comes to this question of making sure that sea lanes are open,” Rutte said.

“There is a reason for that … the U.S. was not able to consult with allies because they wanted to keep the campaign secret,” he said. “But that also had the disadvantage that it takes time for the Europeans to get organized.”

Rutte added that more than 30 countries have since joined discussions on securing maritime routes, “exactly also to the request of President Trump.”

Hemmings warned the fallout could have broader strategic consequences.

“There is something deeper here, though, and that is that there is a growing transatlantic rift between right-leaning populists and left-leaning populists,” he said. “The fact is that the U.S. and many Western European countries are not only split over NATO spending and trade; they are split ideologically.”

NATO leaders pose in this shot taken in June.(Claudia Greco/Reuters)

“This should worry planners at the Pentagon and at NATO headquarters in Brussels,” he said. “Despite recent changes in U.S. force structure in Europe, changes have been incremental and carefully broadcast. The U.S. and Europe still need each other badly for defense-industrial cooperation, for helping bring Ukraine to victory, and for deterring their mutual adversaries.”

Fox News Digital also reached out to Italy and the Pentagon but did not receive responses in time for publication.

Efrat Lachter is a foreign correspondent for Fox News Digital covering international affairs and the United Nations. Follow her on X @efratlachter. Stories can be sent to efrat.lachter@fox.com.