Hello readers, and welcome back to On Politics. Kathryn Palmer here. Hope you had a nice weekend and are feeling ready to dive back into the news cycle chaos. The Iran war continues to be our leading developing story of the day.
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As blockade begins, Trump threatens strikes on Iranian ships
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The deadline for the United States’ blockade on Iran’s ports and coastal areas passed Monday morning, although it remains unclear if the maritime restrictions immediately went into effect.
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In response, a spokesperson for the Iranian military said the maritime restrictions amounted to “piracy” and threatened to retaliate by attacking the ports of Iran’s Gulf neighbors. Amid the back-and-forth pressure, oil prices surged back above $100 a barrel on fears of prolonged conflict and energy disruptions.
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The Callisto tanker sits anchored as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 10, 2026.
Benoit Tessier, REUTERS
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Eric Swalwell drops bid for CA governor
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Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, announced on Sunday that he was suspending his campaign for California governor after several women accused him of sexual assault and misconduct. The announcement came after several prominent Democrats withdrew their support for the congressman and called on Swalwell, the Democratic frontrunner in the polls, to drop out of California's gubernatorial race.
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Last week, the San Francisco Chronicle broke the story that a woman who had worked in Swalwell's district office accused him of two nonconsensual sexual encounters. CNN reported that three other women accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct. He has denied the allegations, calling them "absolutely false" and has vowed to fight them.
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As Congress returns from recess today, the next thing to watch is whether Swalwell will face repercussions in the House, as some lawmakers call for a rare vote to try to expel him. He's already under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office in connection with these accusations.
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Trump lawsuit over lewd Epstein birthday letter dismissed
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A judge today dismissed Trump's defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal for alleging in an article that he'd sent Jeffrey Epstein a lewd birthday note.
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The ruling focused on whether Trump had made allegations in his lawsuit that, if true, would mean The Journal defamed him in a story. The newspaper published a report last July that Trump had sent the late sex offender a lewd, cryptic letter for his 50th birthday. On the day the article was published, Trump called the letter a "FAKE" on social media and vowed to sue the newspaper. The next day, he made good on that promise.
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The judge's ruling also said Trump may amend the lawsuit and refile it within two weeks.
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Donald Trump blew back at Pope Leo for his criticisms of the Iran War, triggering a response from the Chicago native. Here is what's happened so far.
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On Monday, April 13, the federal government reversed course after removing the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in February.
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Although the tenuous leadership of the DOJ under AG Pam Bondi is over, the department is still in upheaval because of so many departures.
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Trump posted an apparently AI-generated picture of himself as Jesus Christ. It comes amid tensions with the pope. What did Pope Leo say about Trump?
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Updated marine traffic map of Iran shows ships near blocked Strait of Hormuz. The escalation may further increase gas prices; Iran condemns "piracy."
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