Top 5 US news stories
March 20 2026
Pentagon Seeks $200 Billion From Congress to Fund Iran War
U.S. Warplanes and Helicopters Launch Battle to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
Federal Student Loan Defaults Hit Record High as Repayment Plan Ends
Tesla Prepares Mass Production of Semi Truck After Winning Over Drivers
FCC Approves Nexstar's $6.2 Billion Acquisition of Tegna
Pentagon Seeks $200 Billion From Congress to Fund Iran War
The Pentagon has sent the White House a request for $200 billion in additional funding for the war with Iran, a figure certain to draw scrutiny from Congress. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to confirm the exact amount at a Thursday press conference, saying it could change, and offered a blunt justification: "It takes money to kill bad guys." Any new funding would require congressional approval, setting up a likely debate over the war's expanding cost.
Washington Post
U.S. Warplanes and Helicopters Launch Battle to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. and its allies have escalated operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, deploying A-10 Warthog attack jets and Apache helicopters to strike Iranian naval vessels and shoot down drones threatening the waterway. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed the multistage operation at a Thursday Pentagon briefing. Iranian armed boats, mines and cruise missiles have effectively halted ship traffic through the strait since early March, sending Brent crude above $100 a barrel and briefly touching $119 before closing Thursday at $108.65. The strait handles roughly 20% of the world's oil exports, and U.S. officials said clearing the chokepoint will likely take weeks.
Wall Street Journal
Federal Student Loan Defaults Hit Record High as Repayment Plan Ends
A record 7.7 million borrowers had defaulted on $181 billion in federal student loans by the end of last year, with another three million at least three months behind on payments, according to recently released Education Department data. The combined serious delinquency and default rate is the highest since the government began its reporting system nearly a decade ago, with roughly a quarter of the nation's 43 million federal loan recipients significantly behind. The problem is expected to worsen after a federal appeals court last week ordered the end of the Biden-era SAVE repayment plan, which had suspended payments for nearly seven million borrowers. Those borrowers will now face bills that include seven months of accrued interest.
NYT
Tesla Prepares Mass Production of Semi Truck After Winning Over Drivers
Tesla plans to begin shipping mass-produced Semi trucks from its Nevada Gigafactory this summer after years of delays, with analysts at Tigress Financial Partners projecting 5,000 to 15,000 deliveries in 2026 before ramping to 50,000 trucks a year. Truckers who have driven pilot models say the centered driving position, flanking display screens and longer range set it apart, at roughly $100,000 less than competing battery-electric trucks. Dakota Shearer, one of the few American truckers to test the Semi, said the cab design eliminated his right-side blind spot and let him back out of a tight turn on his first drive without leaving his seat. When Tesla announced the Semi nearly a decade ago, it was seen as a chance to transform heavy-duty trucking the way the Model 3 helped popularize electric cars.
Wall Street Journal
FCC Approves Nexstar's $6.2 Billion Acquisition of Tegna
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved Nexstar's $6.2 billion purchase of rival broadcaster Tegna, saying the deal will help counter the growing leverage of national programmers. Nexstar and its partners will now control 265 television stations in 44 states and Washington, reaching roughly 80% of U.S. households and solidifying the company's position as the largest local TV station owner in the country. Nexstar drew national attention in September when it extended a pre-emption of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show beyond a Disney-imposed suspension, effectively blocking the program from airing across large parts of the country after Kimmel made on-air remarks about the Trump administration's response to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
NYT
March 20 1854: Republican Party founded
In Ripon, Wisconsin, former members of the Whig Party meet to establish a new party to oppose the spread of slavery into the western territories. The Whig Party, which was formed in 1834 to oppose the “tyranny” of President Andrew Jackson, had shown itself incapable of coping with the national crisis over slavery.
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