Beltway Insider: Trump/Iran War Widens, Troops Injured, Sabotages Party, Gas Prices, Hawaii Disaster, Air Canada Crash
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- Category: Haute This Issue
- Published on Saturday, 28 March 2026 16:36
- Written by Janet Walker
President Trump, as the war continues to escalate, has repeatedly issued strong warnings to Iran, and what began as a joint operation, has become Trump's battle against a regime determined, at all costs, to fight on.
The President's job approval rating, according to the Reuters poll featured in The New York Times for the period ending March 28, 2026, of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President increased by two percentage point to 36% and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as president decreased by one percentage point to 62%. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.
Beltway Insider: Trump/Israel Split on War Objective, Border Wall, Cesar Chavez, Robert Muller
Trump Ramps up Rhetoric
In his effort to bring an end to the Iran war, President Trump has ramped up the rhetoric, demanding the Iranian government accept his peace deal of face serious consequences.
The war has already created more domestic issues than Trump had hoped. His four to six week objective, a quick blitz and bombardment, destabilizing the regime, killing the nation's top leadership, and rendering its infrastructure immobile, has appeared to drag on.
"Nearly one month into the war, the president has privately informed advisers he thinks the conflict is in its final stages, urging them to stick to the four-to-six-week timeline he has outlined publicly, according to people familiar with the matter [. . .] The problem is Trump has no easy options for ending the war, and peace negotiations are at a nascent stage," reported The Wall Street Journal.
The drone strike miscalculations have created blowback as to the ability of the U.S. Defense Department, under the leadership of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, to carry out the swiftness of the President's orders. Is recent request for $200 billion in additional aid, which equates to about three months of funding, puts the timeline well-beyond the President's hopes.
More importantly, as the war continues, the Strait of Hormuz, the main passage for all ships from the region carrying oil. If this passage continues to be unpassable, the price of crude oil will continue to rise, which creates a trickle down effect for consumers. It isn't simply the rise in the price at the pump; it is the cost of consumer goods.
Winding this down, within the next month, allows for domestic issues to return to the forefront of the Trump administration, which refocuses the effort to lower consumer prices back to their pre-war levels, before the November mid-terms.
Troops Injured In Saudi Attack
Operation Epic Fury has so far claimed the lives of 13 American soldiers and more than 300 have been injured. The recent airstrikes on a well-protected Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, where American soldiers had been using the base to refuel. Two American refueling aircraft were also destroyed in the attack.
"The strike comes as President Trump has vacillated between promising peace and escalating strikes aimed at critical civilian infrastructure. The president has said that peace talks are underway, and going well — a claim that Iranian officials have disputed — even as more warships and thousands of troops have been deployed to reinforce U.S. forces in the region," reported The New York Times.
The billions already spent to continue to aid Israel in its objective to destroy the Hezbollah and Hamas organization, including the Iranian funding connection, is unnecessary as Israel is quite capable of handling its own military objectives.
Trump has stated there are more than 5,000 more Iranian targets on the administration list and expects it could be handled quickly.
World News: From Saigon to Tehran
Yemen Fires on Israel
While the U.S. is hoping to extricate themselves from a mushrooming middle east conflict, Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have fired on Israel, a first in this widening war, and have vowed to escalate attacks.
As Israel continues it war on Iran, every Iranian funded terror group will be called into active duty, defending the ideology of the former Ayatollah, and even as the nation is on the brink of instability, it has not been incapacitated.
Before the beginning of the Iranian war, the Houthi's were known to fire indiscriminately at ships passing in the Red Sea, the concern, now, is that the Houthi's will intensify the effort to disrupt ship travel.
"Saudi Arabia, Yemen's northern neighbor, has been funneling crude oil exports through the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, using an overland pipeline that was built to bypass the strait," The New York Times reported.
Iran is fighting this war, by locking down the Strait of Hormuz, and when the Saudi's were able to use Port Yanbu on the Red Sea, the Houthi's were activated. Locking the oil pipeline and forcing a ceasefire of all hostilities is the Iranian's plan.
Trump and Self-Sabotage
As the midterms loom, President Trump continues to sabotage his parties effort to remain in power,= in the upcoming midterms, and further to secure what many within the GOP believed was a sure victory in 2028 presidential race.
President Trump is his own worst enemy especially as he believes and vocalizes that the nation is thriving under his leadership. As he continues to elevate himself, the protests across the nation continue. Protests, many Republican leaders say are mute, not even a bellwether for the general populations, as protestors rarely vote. Therefore, let them protest.
After the president's January State of the Union address, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), stated, "If we lose the midterms, heaven forbid, it would be the end of the Trump presidency in a real effect," Johnson said during an interview with Newsmax. "He needs all four years, not just two, to fix the mess. That is what we need," The Washington Post reported.
World News: The Dominoes of Mesopotamia
However, a growing concern among the GOP is that Trump, with all his blustering, is causing voters to turn away from republicans, even the polar MAGA fringe, to support the more liberal leaning democrats.
To date 16 House Republicans have announced their retirement from public office, part of a record-high number of departures from Congress. In total, over 42 House Republicans are not seeking reelection, as 16 are retiring, nine running for Senate, and ten running for other offices.
The total number of House Representatives equals 435, and presently 219 are Republicans and 214 are Democrats, the party that controls the House controls the purse strings for spending.
"Already predicted to lose the majority in the House of Representatives, the Republicans need to right their ship if they want to maintain any ability to pass the administration's policies going forward. All is not lost for the GOP, though, with states like Georgia, Maine, Michigan, and North Carolina looking like they could come down to a coin flip. Meanwhile, Democrats are focused on driving home Trump's shortcomings on rising costs of goods and energy, along with keying in on the war with Iran. They also have lofty goals of picking up seats in Ohio, Alaska, and even Texas, which has not had a Democratic senator since 1988," reported The Federal News Network.
The slippery slope the GOP is on, is not simply the war in Iran, the rising cost of gasoline prices, or the increase in consumer goods, it is also a disregard of human life, and the second amendment, in the murders of Minnesotans Alex Pretti, and Renee Goode.
Granted these two are not the only Americans killed in the hands of ICE agents, however, they are both the antithesis of the ICE agent target and slandering them by typical tactics reserved for whistle blowers, especially as the entire world, watched the same videos, paints the president as a liar. Failing to address them in empathic terms, as citizens exercising their rights to protest, together, to petition their government for change, to own and carry a weapon, is difficult for most Americans to understand.
And of course, the Epstein files, and even as the war in Iran bumped the revelations off the front pages, the facts remain, the president was mentioned more than 38,000 times within the released documents.
Special Elections Favor Dems
In what appears to be a domino effect, once hardline and secure GOP State House seats are falling to democrats. In a shocker, Trump's Florida district, a one-time safe haven for stalwart red voters, has elected Emily Gregoyr, a democratic female and local business owner.
"The Democratic win is part of a broader trend of the party overperforming in elections since Trump assumed his second term. In several races, including gubernatorial contests in Virginia and New Jersey as well as down ballot races in such red states as Texas and Arkansas, Democrats have either won Republican-held seats or outperformed their previous numbers. In Florida, Gregory's victory [. . .] has given the out-of-power party a boost and raised Democrats' hopes of significant wins nationwide in the November midterm elections," The Washington Post reported.
World News: Iranian War Highlights Defense Department Weaknesses
Gasoline Prices Rise for the Fourth Straight Week
According to Triple A, the American Automotive Association gasoline prices have risen another 0.10 cents over the past week, and more than $1.00 over the past month.
"The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is up 10 cents from last week and one dollar since last month. [. . .] Crude oil prices remain high as the Iran conflict nears the 4-week mark. The national average could reach $4/gallon in the coming days for the first time since August 2022. Gasoline demand is also on the rise as spring break season continues, another factor in rising pump prices," reported the Automotive website.
California has consistently recorded the highest gas prices in the nation, with the price at the pump closing in on $8.00 per gallon. As of March 24, 2026, some stations, particularly in the Los Angeles and Bay Area, have seen prices climb over $6, with some reporting figures as high as $7 to $8 per gallon. The average price, however, is $6.50.
Coronavirus Total
At the order of the President of the United States, the U.S. no longer recognizes the value of The World Health Organization. The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens should receive at least one shot of an updated COVID-19 vaccine, annually. The death toll from Covid-19 has dramatically decreased, as has transmission of the virus. Even as confirmed new cases continue each week, fewer are dying from each new variants.
For the 7 days ending March 28, 2026, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases reported by the World Health Organization increased by 7,737 to 779,174,317. The total worldwide death toll increased by 150 to 7,112,927 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated March 8, 2026, from the World Health Organization).
World News: Iran is in Crisis, 12K Protestors Killed, Government is Falling
Air Canada Crash
The Air Canada Express Flight 8646 that killed two pilots and injured dozens was preventable National Transportation Safety Board officials said.
"National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy rattled off a host of issues involving the truck operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, including the fact people in the air traffic control tower could not see it clearly because of a lack of surveillance technology. She added that the truck's driver did not respond to a controller's order for the vehicle to stop before it crossed the runway nine seconds before the crash," Politico reported.
After an examination of the events, the fire truck, a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting who had been on the call and been ordered for nine seconds to stop its planned and previously approved crossing on Runway 4, where Air Canada Express Flight 8646 was cleared for landing.
Even when given permission, by an air traffic controller, the driver of any vehicle operating on a runway must double check to confirm a safe crossing is possible. The rules of the road still apply when operating a vehicle on a runway.
The firetruck failed to stop and proceeded to cross in front of the plane. Even if the driver of the firetruck believed he could clear the crossway, misjudging the speed of the jet, which had not begun to taxi, and was still traveling a high speed, after only landing for seven seconds.
Seconds later, the Air Canada Express jet plowed into the firetruck. The nose of the jet exploded, and the two pilots, Mackenzie Gunther, of Ottawa, and Antoine Fores, of Montreal, died instantly of blunt force trauma. The firefighters were also injured, as were dozens of the 72 passengers, and a miracle was reported, as flight attendant, Solange Tremblay, was found more than 300 feet from the crash site, alive, still in her jump seat after being ejected upon impact.
From a layman's view, the firetruck appear to be attempting to beat the plane, much like a passenger car attempting to beat a train across the tracks. The results are the same.
Earth Science: The Science Behind Beach Erosion
Hawaii Disaster
The Kona Low, a double punch of torrential rainfall, and devastating flooding, that slammed into the tropical paradise last week has resulted in an estimated $24million dollars in damage. A record five tons of flood debris has been removed, and while the rains have stopped and some roads are passable, many are unstable with major potholes and cracks.
"The state Department of Transportation's Highways Division is projecting $23.04 million in damage statewide, with roughly $7 million on Maui—second only to Oahu, which has a larger, more complex highway system. The remaining estimates include about $2 million on Hawaii island and $35,000 on Kauai, covering contractor response, debris clearing, rock removal, guardrail and sign repairs, bridge inspections, traffic signal fixes and road repairs," Government Technology reported.
With floodwaters reaching catastrophic levels, more than five feet in some areas, clean up, especially as another storm appears on the horizon, will be slow.
For more information on President Donald Trump: Whitehouse.gov.
Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection.
Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade. A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five award-winning screenplays "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," a non-fiction narrative, "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," and "Songs of Freedom: A Collection of Biblical Teachings," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Authors Guild, the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a member of the International Federation of Journalists.
