Behind The Ballot

Pentagon officials said the first six days of U.S. operations against Iran cost over $11.3 billion, prompting Democrats to demand public hearings on strategy and authorization amid frustration over classified briefings and rising civilian and economic concerns. President Trump delivered mixed messages—questioning the mission’s necessity while considering escalation options such as ground troop deployment and targeting key Iranian oil infrastructure—and also downplayed housing issues domestically. Iran maintained a partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. coalition efforts faced resistance from NATO allies, while Israel expanded operations in Lebanon, raising fears of a wider war. With Iran’s leadership still intact and energy executives warning of worsening supply disruptions, the conflict appeared stuck in a costly stalemate with significant global and political consequences.

Mikal sits down with Mussab Ali, Mussab Ali is a Pakistani-American educator, activist, and politician who became the youngest elected official in Jersey City history after winning a seat on the Jersey City Board of Education in 2017 at age 20, later serving as its president from 2021 to 2022. Born in Lahore, Pakistan, he immigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in Jersey City, where his experiences with discrimination against his family helped motivate his involvement in public service and civil rights advocacy. Ali earned degrees from Rutgers University–Newark, Tsinghua University as a Schwarzman Scholar, and Harvard Law School, and has been involved in youth civic engagement initiatives such as Vote16USA while also founding leadership programs for young activists.

The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran—now in its second week—has escalated from initial U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites into a wider regional conflict marked by retaliatory attacks, civilian casualties, and major economic disruption. Strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure reduced output and briefly pushed oil prices as high as $117 per barrel, raising inflation concerns and prompting President Donald Trump to consider measures to lower energy costs. Mojtaba Khamenei assumed leadership after the death of Iran’s supreme leader, while diplomatic tensions remain high as Iran rejects backchannel talks and Israel considers possible de-escalation options. The conflict has caused humanitarian crises, infrastructure damage, and U.S. troop deaths, while intelligence assessments warn regime change in Iran could fail and destabilize the region, even as the war fuels political and economic debates in the United States ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and nominated Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her replacement amid criticism over immigration policy, while the DOJ released additional Epstein files that triggered congressional scrutiny of Attorney General Pam Bondi. The Supreme Court also ruled Trump’s tariffs under IEEPA unconstitutional, potentially forcing more than $175 billion in refunds to companies. Meanwhile, tensions with Iran are escalating as Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz to U.S. and Israeli tankers, attacked a U.S.-linked vessel, and warned it is prepared for a U.S. ground invasion, driving oil prices above $90 and fueling economic concerns after the U.S. lost 92,000 jobs in February.

The war began when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, missile facilities, air defenses, and leadership targets in Tehran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggering immediate Iranian retaliation with missiles and drones against U.S. bases across the Gulf, including damage at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Since then, U.S. and Israeli forces have rapidly expanded operations, destroying much of Iran’s naval capability, deploying roughly 50,000 U.S. troops and hundreds of aircraft to the region, and pursuing goals outlined by officials like Marco Rubio: eliminating Iran’s nuclear and missile threats and increasing pressure on the regime without committing large-scale ground forces. The conflict has already cost the U.S. billions and is quickly draining key missile and air-defense stockpiles while global energy markets are shaken by the shutdown of Qatari LNG exports, a collapse in Strait of Hormuz shipping, and threats to regional infrastructure. Iran has vowed a long war, warned it could target Israel’s nuclear facilities if regime change is attempted, and continued missile launches from underground sites, while the conflict fuels cyber-attack fears, regional proxy fighting, and growing political divisions inside the United States over the expanding war.
 
 
 

The February 28 U.S.–Israel assault on Iran—Operation Epic Fury (U.S.) and Operation Roaring Lion (Israel)—has expanded into a broader regional war after precision strikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior officials using shared U.S.-Israeli intelligence. Nearly 2,000 military and nuclear targets have been hit, while Iran and Hezbollah have retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel, U.S. bases, and Gulf energy infrastructure, causing mounting casualties. President Donald Trump said the campaign could last four to five weeks or longer and has not ruled out ground troops, despite reports that U.S. intelligence found no imminent Iranian attack before the strikes. The conflict has disrupted Strait of Hormuz shipping, spiked global energy prices, strained U.S. air defenses, and drawn Gulf states deeper into fighting, while Iran’s leadership vows a prolonged war and diplomacy remains stalled with no clear off-ramp.
 
 
 

Reports indicate President Trump and allies are considering major federal actions ahead of the 2026 midterms, including a draft executive order tightening voting rules and renewed legal battles over election control, while the SAVE Act has stalled in the Senate due to Republican divisions. At the same time, the Supreme Court struck down Trump-era tariffs—triggering massive refund claims—and expanded USPS immunity, immigration enforcement has intensified with DACA deportations, and rising tensions with Iran have prompted embassy drawdowns and war powers disputes in Congress.
 
 
 

President Donald Trump’s record-long State of the Union speech focused on the economy, immigration, tariffs, crime, and foreign policy, portraying his first year back in office as a major national turnaround. However, fact-checkers found dozens of false or misleading claims, especially on the economy and trade. Trump overstated economic decline under President Biden, exaggerated the impact of his tax cuts and tariffs, and falsely claimed tariffs are paid by foreign countries and could replace income taxes. While some data support parts of his message—such as lower border crossings and a drop in homicide rates—other claims about inflation, gas prices, noncitizen voting, drug costs, and foreign policy successes were inaccurate or overstated.

After the Supreme Court of the United States struck down President Trump’s IEEPA-based tariffs, Senate Democrats proposed the Tariff Refund Act of 2026 to return roughly $175 billion in collected duties, prioritizing small businesses. Trump’s approval has fallen to 39%, with about 60% disapproving of his handling of tariffs and inflation, giving Democrats midterm openings in red and battleground states, as Gavin Newsom urged a focus on cost-of-living issues. Meanwhile, courts and foreign policy tensions remain central, including climate litigation before the Supreme Court, Judge Aileen Cannon blocking Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report, renewed trade friction with the EU, rising Iran tensions, and cartel violence in Mexico.
 
 
 

In a 6–3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), with Chief Justice John Roberts writing that the law was not meant for broad trade policy, leaving up to $200 billion in tariffs and major refund questions unresolved. Trump denounced the decision and quickly announced a new 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, while signaling he may turn to Section 301 as a fallback, setting up a potential congressional battle near the midterms. At the same time, U.S.–Iran tensions intensified as Trump weighed limited military strikes to push Tehran toward a nuclear deal, prompting bipartisan war powers concerns and raising the risk of wider regional conflict.