The Daily Wrap Up

17 March, 2026

[Transcript edited for clarity, length and flow]

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The director of the National Counterterrorism Center has resigned, stating he cannot in good conscience support Donald’s war in Iran and arguing that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States, which anybody paying attention already knew.

In a statement, Joe Kent claimed the entire conflict was driven by pressure from Israel and its American allies, an assertion Donald has denied, even though we know it to be true. Kent wrote that after much reflection, he decided to resign from his position as director of the National Counterterrorism Center effective immediately because he could not in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. He stated that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States and that it was clear the war had been started due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.

Of course, because Kent is a sycophant to some degree, he made mention of how much he admires his bosses, but his resignation highlights growing unease within Donald’s own base over the war and shows that questions about its justification have now reached into the upper levels of the administration.

It also comes at a time of heightened concern about domestic terrorism following recent attacks at a synagogue in Michigan and at the University of Virginia. Donald was asked about Kent’s resignation and what it means during a press conference at the White House, and this is what he had to say.

Well I read his statement I always thought he was a nice guy but I always thought he was weak on security very weak on security I did not know him well but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy but when I read his statement I realized that it is a good thing that he is out because he said that Iran was not a threat Iran was a threat every country realized what a threat Iran was the question is whether or not they wanted to do something about it

Yes, but was he a nice guy. Apparently Donald thought a man who was very weak on security should be in charge of counterterrorism. Sometimes it seems like Donald does not understand that he has the power to fire people he thinks are not up to the job, in which case he should start with himself.

Kent’s point was not that Iran is never a threat. The point was that Iran did not pose an imminent threat, and up until Donald started bombing it three weeks ago, it did not.

Every year around St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s prime minister visits the White House as part of a longstanding diplomatic tradition that dates back to the 1950s and is meant to symbolize the close relationship between the two countries. That meeting took place today with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, but what should have been a routine diplomatic moment quickly devolved into yet another chaotic display.

Questions turned immediately to the war in Iran, the unnecessary, unconstitutional, and illegal war Donald started, something he still seems surprised people keep asking about. At the same time, Donald and his regime have grown increasingly angry about how the media is covering the war.

We have seen FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatening broadcast licenses for outlets that Donald claims are spreading fake news. That frustration appears to extend beyond American media. Donald apparently watched BBC coverage that morning and did not like what he saw.

This is how he described it.

We decimated that country and if you watch BBC it is almost like they are fighting us to a draw they are not fighting us to a draw it was very inaccurate news it was fake news I am very proud of the term fake news because it was my term but it is no longer accurate it is corrupt fraudulent news it really is fraudulent it is not just fake it is beyond fake it is really criminal what they do I watched BBC this morning and people were calling me saying that was a terrible thing you said I said what did I say I never said that we checked it they agree it was somehow generated I guess by AI so we brought a lawsuit against them they admit they are guilty but we will see how it comes out

He is very proud of the term fake news. Someone should give him a cookie. He claims it is no longer fake but something beyond fake, though what that means is unclear even to him.

Donald then shifted to NATO, criticizing allies in front of the Irish prime minister and suggesting they had failed to support the United States.

This is what he had to say.

We do not need too much help and we do not need any help actually all of our NATO allies were very much in favor of what we did they thought it was very important that we take out the nuclear threat from Iran and we have done that very strongly very powerfully all of the NATO allies agreed with us but they do not want to despite the fact that we help them so much they do not want to help us which is amazing we have thousands of soldiers in different countries and they do not want to help us I did not do a full court press because if I did they probably would be but we do not need help that war has been long prosecuted as far as I am concerned almost from day one we knocked out the Navy essentially in a couple of days but I was surprised to see that NATO while they agreed that it was a very important thing to do they did not come in I think NATO is making a very foolish mistake

The reality is that NATO was never consulted before Donald launched this war. Allies were not given the opportunity to support or oppose the decision because they were not informed. Now he is criticizing them for not helping him clean up a mess he created on his own.

He was also asked about French President Emmanuel Macron, who has refused to commit forces while the conflict continues.

Well he will be out of office very soon so we will have to see I do not know

That response says more about Donald than it does about Macron. At the same time, Donald continues to insist that Iran’s navy has been completely destroyed, despite having admitted only weeks ago that he did not even know how large it was.

The strategic consequences of this war are now becoming clear. Iran has leveraged its most powerful tool, control over the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil shipments and pushing the world closer to economic instability. This was entirely predictable.

Donald was also asked whether the conflict could escalate into a ground war.

No I am not afraid of anything

Of course he is not afraid. He is not the one who will be sent to fight. It will be American service members and their families who bear the consequences.

The discussion then turned to NATO again, with Donald suggesting the United States could reconsider its membership.

I am disappointed in NATO we spend trillions of dollars on NATO and when they do not help us it is something we should think about I do not need Congress for that decision I can make that decision myself I am not exactly thrilled

The implication that a president could unilaterally withdraw from NATO should concern everyone. It reflects not only a misunderstanding of alliances but a willingness to dismantle them.

Donald then turned to a bizarre tangent about Winston Churchill, Barack Obama, and the Oval Office.

You see that man right there Winston Churchill. Barack Hussein Obama did not want his bust in this office and sent it back to England when I came in I said I want it and I put it right there and unfortunately Kier is not Winston Churchill

Whether that story is true or not is beside the point. It was yet another example of unnecessary grievance aired in a diplomatic setting.

Meanwhile, as the war continues, its economic effects are being felt at home. Rising prices are becoming impossible to ignore, and Americans are noticing.

This is how some consumers described it.

We bought stuff for a stew and some snacks and a plant one hundred fifty dollars

It keeps going up and up people on lower end pay they are hurting this is the new normal

I think everything is more expensive now and it sucks I do not really know what else there is to say

It does suck, but it should not be normalized. The economic strain is real and worsening, and it is directly tied to policy decisions.

At the same time, Senate Republicans are pushing forward with the so called Save America Act, which would impose strict voting requirements including photo identification and proof of citizenship.

Supporters claim it is about election security, but non citizens do not vote in American elections. The practical effect of the bill would be to make voting more difficult, particularly for people who cannot easily obtain identification.

Driver’s licenses cost money. Passports cost money. Even obtaining a birth certificate can cost money. These requirements disproportionately affect people with fewer resources, as well as women whose names may not match across documents due to marriage.

This is a modern version of a poll tax, and it represents a significant threat to voting rights.

Attention is turning back to the Epstein files. House Oversight Chair James Comer has subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Justice Department’s handling of those records.

There are serious concerns that not all documents have been released as required by law. Lawmakers are now questioning whether there has been a deliberate effort to withhold information.

Senator Ben Ray Luján addressed this after reviewing unredacted materials.

My review of those unredacted files shows there were disturbing illegal acts taking place there is no good reason why the Department of Justice should have stopped investigating this there are serious questions about who was covering up for whom and who benefited

The investigation into Epstein’s activities in New Mexico is ongoing, with growing calls for full transparency and accountability.

Taken together, these developments paint a picture of a country dealing with an escalating war abroad, economic pressure at home, attacks on democratic institutions, and unanswered questions about justice and accountability.

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