Trump administration reverses course, extends Russian oil sanctions waiver

By: The Hill

Published on: April 18, 2026, 2:59 am

The Trump administration on Friday reversed course and extended a waiver on sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products amid the Iran war, just days after a top Cabinet official said the U.S. would not be doing so. A license allowing countries to purchase Russian oil from Friday through May 16 was posted on the Treasury...

Newsom demands answers from RFK Jr. over past comments about Black children on ADHD meds being 're-parented'

By: The Hill

Published on: April 18, 2026, 2:08 am

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Friday said he demands answers from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding comments the secretary made in an interview in 2024 about Black children on certain Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medications being "re-parented." "We’ve known RFK Jr. has been unfit to serve as Secretary, but...

Tech CEO accused of running $420M AI business scam

By: The Hill

Published on: April 18, 2026, 12:47 am

iLearning, according to the Justice Department, “fabricated virtually all its customer relationships and revenues.”

Trump teases upcoming release of UFO documents at Turning Point USA event

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 11:58 pm

President Trump on Friday teased at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix that he will direct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to release government files on UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena (UAPs). "I recently directed the Secretary of War ... to begin releasing government files relating to UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena," Trump said. "And...

Trump gets roaring ovation on Iran at Turning Point event

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 11:47 pm

President Trump was met with an at times a roaring ovation from a crowd at a Turning Point USA event in Arizona on Friday during several opportunities where he detailed his policies on Iran. It marked a window into how some young conservatives are receiving Trump's message on the international conflict. “Would anybody like to...

Iran says Strait of Hormuz will close again amid US blockade

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 11:19 pm

The speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf, said Friday that Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz again amid the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, contradicting President Trump, who said the strait was “open for business” earlier in the day. His remarks came as Trump was on stage delivering a speech in Arizona at a...

Kennedy seeks MAHA olive branch with new podcast  

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 11:03 pm

Presented by the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story Kennedy seeks MAHA olive branch with new podcast Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched his own podcast this week, venturing into a medium he’s long been partial to, and offering a means of mollifying his “Make America Healthy Again” base following recent letdowns. © Greg Nash...

Iran opens Strait of Hormuz, key official says

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 10:51 pm

{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story Iran opens Strait of Hormuz, key official says A key Iranian official announced that the critical global shipping lane known as the Strait of Hormuz is “completely” open after being mostly closed since the war between the U.S. and Iran broke out earlier this...

US-Iran talks take sudden, uncertain shift with sweeping claims on both sides

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 10:51 pm

President Trump sprinted ahead Friday to take a victory lap celebrating what he said was Iran’s agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz and a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.  But conflicting statements from Iranian officials and Israeli pushback on the terms of the ceasefire with Lebanon are raising doubt about the president's actual successes.  ...

Confusion over whether the Strait of Hormuz is open

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 10:34 pm

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Confusion over whether the Strait of Hormuz is open President Trump on Friday celebrated over what he said was Iran agreeing to open the Strait of Hormuz, but it’s unclear exactly what Tehran means by “completely”...

Trump administration to release Second Avenue subway funding after MTA lawsuit

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 10:19 pm

The Trump administration on Thursday agreed to release federal funding to go toward the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) project to extend the Second Avenue subway following a lawsuit to restore funding for the extension. A Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesperson told The Hill that President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy agreed to...

EPA appoints industry players and academics to its Science Advisory Board

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 9:30 pm

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it would appoint academics and players in chemical and other industries and additional scientists to its Science Advisory Board (SAB). The new appointments come more than a year after the administration “reset” the board, dismissing the scientists who were on it. The board is made up of outside scientists who provide scientific advice...

The Memo: Trump’s claims on Iran feed optimism — and confusion

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 9:27 pm

Optimism and confusion were intermingled Friday as President Trump suggested an end to the conflict in Iran was within reach, even as many of his claims were met with silence or murmurs of dissent from Tehran. The war is at an inflection point, seven weeks after it was launched by the United States and Israel....

House Democrat slams 'Dr. Jesus' over cost of Iran war: 'F‑‑‑ his a‑‑'

By: The Hill

Published on: April 17, 2026, 9:25 pm

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) on Thursday alluded to President Trump's since-deleted image of himself resembling Jesus Christ when she slammed the impact that the U.S.-Israeli conflict in Iran has had on costs in the U.S., prompting her to say the president can "f‑‑‑ his a‑‑." Kamlager-Dove said in a video taken by MeidasTouch reporter Pablo...