NPR News: 07-16-2026 9AM EDT

Jasmine Garsd0:00

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Windsor Johnston· Host0:24

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. President Trump has formally notified Congress that the United States is again at war with Iran. The White House says the notice starts a new sixty-day period for military action without congressional approval. With the midterms approaching, the president may face a more immediate test from voters. NPR's Franco Ordoñez says much will depend on what happens next.

Franco Ordoñez0:54

If these new strikes actually kind of break the regime, if the Strait of Hormuz actually opens and gas prices drop down, then actually maybe the political implications could be kind of good for the president. But if fighting continues, you know, next week and beyond that, and energy prices continue to rise, then obviously that would not be good for the president or for Republicans for that matter.

Windsor Johnston· Host1:17

That's NPR's Franco Ordoñez reporting. Some abuse survivors of Jeffrey Epstein are speaking out against the nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general. They say the Justice Department's release