Trump plows ahead on Iran

Presented by America's Credit Union — Plus: Gonzales admits to affair, and Dems split over Tina Peters

MORNING REPORT  MORNING REPORT Thursday, March 5 | By Jared Gans View Online  |  Sign up  PRESENTED BY Listen and Subscribe: In today's issue: ▪ Iran war powers push comes up short ▪ Bondi subpoenaed by GOP-led panel ▪ Gonzales admits to affair ▪ Dems split over Tina Peters © The Associated Press | Jacquelyn Martin Trump plows ahead on Iran President Trump is moving full steam ahead on military action against Iran, with opponents holding little leverage to stop him. The House will vote on another war powers resolution today that is expected to fail, a day after the Senate defeated a similar measure largely along party lines. Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), who generally opposes sending U.S. forces into foreign conflicts, was the only Republican senator Wednesday to vote for the resolution aimed at reining in Trump's authority to continue military action in Iran. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who has backed the U.S.-Israeli operation to target Iran's regime and its missiles, joined with Republicans against it. While the votes are largely symbolic, given they could not overcome a Trump veto even if they made it to his desk, they are still key in shaping the policy discussions in Washington in the early days of the Iran conflict. Several GOP senators who voted against the resolution have expressed some reservations about the burgeoning war, which has sparked panic among Americans living in the Middle East now racing to flee the violence. Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) said they felt the Trump administration has done a better job at explaining its rationale for action than it did following the raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. But Murkowski said she's worried about the lack of a clear endgame for the operation. "That's what most Americans are thinking," she said. Despite those concerns and polls showing many Americans don't support Trump's moves on Iran, the president is dialing up the operation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth touted a U.S. Navy submarine sinking an Iranian warship in international waters Wednesday, with the Pentagon releasing a video of the incident. It's the first such sinking of an adversary's ship since World War II. Hegseth said the strikes against Iran have also killed the Iranian leader who led the plot to assassinate Trump in 2024, though he didn't identify the individual. A man was charged with murder-for-hire after the Iranian official allegedly tasked him with killing Trump while he was running for president. "Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh," Hegseth said, adding killing the person wasn't the focus of the U.S.'s effort but the military took the opportunity when it presented itself. Hegseth said the U.S. operation is "just getting started" and is "accelerating." Expect more questions about where the U.S. goes next in Iran at 10 a.m. when Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby testifies before the House Armed Services Committee. The conflict is continuing to spill over into additional countries as Iran retaliates for the U.S. and Israeli strikes. NATO air defenses shot down an Iranian ballistic missile headed toward Turkish airspace. Whether Turkey was specifically targeted is unclear, but if it was, going after a NATO member would mark a significant escalation from Tehran, The Hill's Ellen Mitchell reports. The administration is still playing damage control on a few controversies stemming from the attacks, including the effort to get Americans out of the region. The State Department urged those in more than a dozen countries in the Middle East to evacuate after the initial strikes and Iran's retaliation began, but critics have noted that warning didn't come until after hostilities began, putting Americans in harm's way. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday in her first briefing since the strikes began that the Americans who have reported being stranded in the Middle East were given prior warnings to evacuate. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on NewsNation's "NewsNation Live" Wednesday that officials are pursuing multiple options to get Americans out of the region, including chartered buses and flights. "We're constantly evaluating those options and expanding it every single second, with hundreds of State Department personnel proactively reaching out to Americans to connect them with that guidance or with those abilities to leave the region," Pigott said. He said 17,000 Americans have left the region already, and 6,500 have received assistance from the State Department. The administration is also facing questions about the extent of U.S. personnel committed to the effort as officials keep the door open for sending American troops into Iran. Hegseth called out media outlets for highlighting the deaths of six U.S. service members killed in an Iranian drone strike on a command center in Kuwait, accusing them of trying to "make the president look bad." "This is what the fake news misses," he said. "We've taking control of Iran's airspace and waterways without boots on the ground. We control their fate. But when a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it's front-page news." Leavitt and CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins later engaged in a tense back-and-forth over Hegseth's words, during which the press secretary denied Hegseth was complaining about the deaths being front-page news. Leavitt said the six U.S. soldiers will receive a dignified transfer, which Trump plans to attend. She also faced a question at Wednesday's briefing about the reports of a strike at a girls' school in Iran that killed up to 175 people, most of them children. She said the government doesn't believe it conducted a strike on the school, but the Pentagon is investigating. ▪ The Hill: Dems trying to shore up support for war powers vote. OIL PRICE HIKE: The economic impacts of the conflict are already being felt as oil and gas prices jump as a result of Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices quickly spiked after the fighting broke out and will likely continue to be volatile in the coming weeks and months. The closure of the key shipping lane is only contributing to the hike. The strait runs through both Iranian and Omani waters, giving Iran the ability to restrict access to the passageway. Administration officials have said the U.S. is taking steps to offset the rise in the cost of oil. But the rise could be coupled with a general price increase that happens during the spring with a higher demand for gasoline, The Hill's Rachel Frazin reports. ▪ The Hill: The Memo: Trump seeks to make the case on Iran. Smart Take  with Blake Burman The Trump administration touted the early success in Operation Epic Fury, as the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, said Iranian missile strikes are down 86 percent, while attack drone launches are down 73 percent from day one to day four. The administration, though, is not ruling out the possibility of American boots on the ground. I asked Victoria Coates, Trump's former deputy national security adviser, if she thought that's a real possibility. "The commander in chief has all of his options," Coates told me. "That said, it doesn't seem even remotely likely that U.S. boots on the ground, in any kind of significant numbers, will be necessary, because this bombing campaign has been so successful," she added. An administration saying the commander in chief retains all their options is a standard operating line. However, for a nation that remembers the recent history in the region, that question will continually be asked until it's definitively ruled out. Burman hosts "The Hill" weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. 3 Things to Know Today Montana Sen. Steve Daines (R) decided not to run for reelection just before the state's filing deadline. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme filed to run for the seat just moments before that. Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah) announced he won't seek reelection this year after a federal judge rejected efforts to block a new congressional map that could give Democrats a new House seat in the state. His decision puts the number of members not running again this election cycle at 53, the highest number in more than a decade. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares denied a claim from the White House that Spain agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military on Iran, saying the country's position hasn't changed. Trump has threatened to cut off trade with Spain over its position. LEADING THE DAY © The Associated Press | Julio Cortez Jack Myer ENDORSEMENT WATCH: Trump is signaling he plans to get involved in the Texas Senate race after months of speculation about whether he intends to throw his weight behind a candidate. The president made a lengthy Truth Social post the day after Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) advanced to a runoff, set to take place in May, that will determine who will win the Republican nomination. Republicans will be defending the seat in November against James Talarico, who they have long viewed as a bigger general election threat. The protracted intra-party GOP battle threatens to eat up key resources that party donors could otherwise spend toward defeating the Democrat. Trump said the contest "cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer." "IT MUST STOP NOW! We have an easy to beat, Radical Left Opponent, and we have to TOTALLY FOCUS on putting him away, quickly and decisively! Both [Cornyn] and [Paxton] ran great races, but not good enough. Now, this one, must be PERFECT!" he said. Trump said he would make his endorsement "soon" and added that the candidate he doesn't endorse should drop out of the race. The pressure for Trump to weigh in is reaching a new height from Senate Republicans, particularly after Cornyn's better-than-expected primary performance, The Hill's Al Weaver reports. While most polls showed Paxton in the lead for months, Cornyn finished ahead of his rival by just more than 1 point. Republicans who are skittish about Paxton's electability, particularly given Talarico's victory in the Democratic primary, are hoping Cornyn's show of strength will be enough to convince Trump to back the incumbent, getting him over the finish line, The Hill's Julia Manchester reports. The Atlantic reported Trump's advisers expect him to endorse Cornyn. Democrats are seeking to unify behind Talarico as they strive to pull off what would be a historic upset victory in November. "Texas is primed to turn blue and we must remain united because this is bigger than any one person," Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D) said Wednesday after conceding. "This is about the future of all 30 million Texans and getting America back on track. With the primary behind us, Democrats must rally around our nominees and win." Democrats are in for an uphill battle to win the seat, but Republicans supporting Cornyn hope an endorsement from Trump for the incumbent will put the race out of reach. ▪ The Hill: Five questions after the Texas primaries. ▪ The Hill: Talarico's victory about style, not ideology. BONDI SUBPOENAED: The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify over her handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The resolution to subpoena her, introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), passed in a bipartisan 24-19 vote. The subpoena would make Bondi the highest-ranking Trump administration official to testify before the House committee as it continues its investigation into Epstein and the government's records on him. Bondi has faced criticism from both sides of the aisle for her handling of the documents' release, which critics have said has been plagued with thousands of missing files and others that should not have been made public. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has said it's reviewing whether any additional files were withheld. Bondi has already faced many questions when testifying before Congress about the Epstein files, but she hasn't testified before the Oversight panel. If she tries to avoid complying with the subpoena, any effort to hold her in contempt would go back to the Justice Department. ▪ CNBC: Top figures to testify before committee. CASE FALLS FLAT: The DOJ was reportedly unable to make a case that former President Biden and his aides broke the law in using the autopen to sign key documents, dealing another blow to the president's efforts to go after his rivals. The case was pursued by the U.S. attorney's office in D.C., led by Jeanine Pirro, but it was shelved in recent months, The New York Times reported. The case is the latest instance of the DOJ seemingly failing to follow through on cases against the president's opponents. Trump and other Republicans have railed against the disclosure that Biden's administration often used the autopen to sign documents, adding to their argument about the Democratic president's declining mental acuity and ability to carry out the duties of the office as his term went on. Republicans have pushed for the actions Biden used the autopen for to be declared void, though administrations from both parties have used it in the past for actions authorized by the president. Other major efforts to charge Trump opponents have also mostly been unsuccessful, either being dismissed by a judge or rejected by a grand jury. ETHICS PROBE: Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) is facing growing scrutiny as the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation Wednesday into allegations surrounding an affair he admitted having with a staffer who later died by suicide. The announcement comes a day after Gonzales was able to hold on in a hotly contested primary despite the recent controversy. Gonzales had been seen as potentially vulnerable to right-wing YouTuber Brandon Herrera even before the scandal, but the congressman was able to make it to a runoff, as no candidate received a majority of the vote Tuesday. But he still is still facing calls from multiple members of Congress, including several members of his own party, to resign or end his reelection bid. Gonzales admitted to the affair in an interview with conservative radio talk show host Joe Pags on Wednesday, calling it a "mistake" and "lapse in judgement." But he has said he won't resign. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) filed two resolutions against Gonzales over the affair, one to censure him and the other to remove him from his committee assignments. Even as Gonzales still has the backing of most top Republicans, the investigation and censure effort will keep the controversy in the spotlight as he tries to hang on to win another term in the GOP-leaning district. ▪ The Hill: House reels over how to handle sexual misconduct allegations. ▪ The Hill: House rejects effort to reveal misconduct allegations against members. WHEN & WHERE The president will participate in executive time at 8 a.m. He will receive an intelligence briefing at 11 a.m. He will welcome the 2025 Major League Soccer champions, Inter Miami CF, at 4 p.m. and participate in a policy meeting at 5:30 p.m. The House and Senate will convene at 10 a.m. CONTENT FROM OUR SPONSOR America's Credit Unions Oppose Durbin-Marshall Mandates Bill 6,000+ credit union advocates are on Capitol Hill urging Congress to reject the Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Mandates that reduce credit access, weaken data security, and make daily life more costly. Learn more ZOOM IN © The Associated Press | Barry Reeger BIRTHDAY PREP: Schools across the country are making wide-ranging plans to celebrate the United States's upcoming 250th birthday. The Hill's Lexi Lonas Cochran reports schools are planning activities from field trips to essay contests to drone displays. Many states are also encouraging their school districts to take the opportunity to make the country's semiquincentennial a big deal and major educational opportunity. For example, Florida asked its schools to participate in the America 250 art and essay contests, in which students can submit materials reflecting on the history of their state and country. The U.S. Department of Education created the America 250 Civics Education Coalition to provide schools with materials to observe the anniversary. More than $150 million has been invested in civics education ahead of the celebration. Lonas Cochran reports that little controversy has been reported in how schools are celebrating at least so far, despite recent school walkouts and protests over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies. The president has also pressured the Smithsonian Institution over how it is presenting U.S. history, forcing it to share its plans to honor the event. ▪ Detroit Free Press: Ford is considered 'most American brand.' ▪ USA Today: Freedom Plane making stops around the country for the anniversary. ELSEWHERE © The Associated Press | David Zalubowski DEM DIVIDE: Two prominent Colorado Democrats are at odds over the possibility of clemency for an elections clerk convicted of interference in the 2020 election. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said in a post on the social platform X on Tuesday that he might grant clemency to Tina Peters, a former elections clerk who is serving a nine-year prison sentence for a breach of the Mesa County voting systems. Polis compared Peters's situation to a separate case against former state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis (D), who was sentenced to two years' probation and community service after being convicted on four felonies, including attempting to influence a public official. "But it is not lost on me that she was convicted of the exact same felony charge as Tina Peters — attempting to influence a public official — and yet Tina Peters, as a non-violent first time offender got a nine year sentence," Polis said. "Justice in Colorado and America needs to be applied evenly, you never know when you might need to depend on the rule of law." But Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) pushed back on Polis's argument, urging him not to "capitulate" to Trump, who has repeatedly called for Peters to be released. He told The Hill's Alexander Bolton that Polis shouldn't yield to pressure that Trump has put on the state for her release, including the withholding of federal transportation funding. "Tina Peters knowingly broke the law, undermined our elections and was rightfully convicted by a jury of her peers. Tina Peters's sentence should not be commuted. She should not be pardoned," Bennet said. "Donald Trump is seeking revenge on Colorado and surrendering to his political pressure will not make our state safer or stronger," he said. ▪ The Hill: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) compares Israel to apartheid state. OPINION America's ethics laws were written for a different era, Scott Greytak writes in The Hill. The Democratic establishment gets the night it wanted, Henry Olsen writes in The Washington Post. THE CLOSER © The Associated Press | Jon Shapley And finally … It's Thursday, which means it's time for the weekly news quiz! Texas helped kick off the first primaries of the midterms in a lively fashion, so this quiz will test your knowledge on the politics of the Lone Star State. Be sure to email your responses to jgans@thehill.com — please add "Quiz" to your subject line. Winners who submit correct answers will receive deserved newsletter fame on Friday. James Talarico is trying to pull off what would be a major upset in flipping John Cornyn's Senate seat blue. When is the last time Texas elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate? 1. 1974 2. 1988 3. 2000 4. 2006 How many governors has Texas had since the turn of the century? 1. 2 2. 4 3. 7 4. 9 Ann Richards was the most recent Democrat to serve as governor of Texas. Which future presidential candidate did Richards lose reelection to? 1. John Connally 2. George W. Bush 3. Rick Perry 4. Phil Gramm Texas originally entered the union as a solidly Democratic state before gradually shifting to become reliably red. In how many consecutive presidential elections did Texas vote for the Democratic candidate before voting Republican for the first time? 1. 4 2. 10 3. 18 4. 29 Stay Engaged We want to hear from you! Email me here and suggest this newsletter to friends! 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