Friday, March 20, 2026

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Business Host Issues Inflation Warning Amid Iran War Turmoil.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Fox Business appears to be jumping ship on President Donald J. Trump after host Taylor Riggs warned the economy was facing dire straits following new inflation data and market turmoil stemming from U.S. military actions against Iran.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Taylor Riggs, President Trump, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, and Iranian and Saudi officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Inflation data was released in March 2026, amid turmoil in the Middle East and global markets.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Fresh and dried vegetables were up 49 percent. So, there’s something going on. Maybe it is a one-off that we could debate, but I don’t like the trend.” – Taylor Riggs

🎯IMPACT: The Fox Business host contends that rising inflation, global market instability, and heightened tensions in the Middle East have created economic uncertainty.

IN FULL

Fox Business host Taylor Riggs appears convinced that the U.S. economy is weakening on reports of an uptick in inflation and ongoing market volatility stemming from the U.S. military operation targeting the Islamic Republic of Iran. Riggs specifically honed in on February’s inflation data, which showed an uptick of 0.7 percent—exceeding the forecasted 0.3 percent increase.

“I’m really, really not happy about this inflationary report,” Riggs stated during the broadcast, continuing, “And I know that it is one data point, the Fed looks through it, we try to look at two or three-month trends.”

“But this does not look good to me. I don’t like sitting here after everything we’re talking about and saying, ‘Oh, but it’s just one month,’ because unfortunately, March is guaranteed—95 percent chance—to get worse than what we saw,” Riggs added.

The Fox Business host also pointed to a slight uptick in certain grocery prices, stating, “Fresh and dried vegetables were up 49 percent. So, there’s something going on. Maybe it is a one-off that we could debate, but I don’t like the trend.”

All-in-all, Riggs’s analysis could be correct. The ongoing military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran have destabilized global energy markets—though Asia appears most impacted at the moment. Still, the inflation numbers only represent one month of data, giving no evidence of any broader trend.

Meanwhile, other economic indicators run counter to Riggs’s assessment. FedEx on Thursday announced its third-quarter earnings beat expectations, with revenue of $24 billion, above the estimated $23.4 billion. The FedEx earnings suggest consumption remains strong, which would not be indicative of a weakening economy.

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Comey Subpoenaed Over ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Against Trump.

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WHAT HAPPENED: Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey has been subpoenaed in a federal case alleging a “grand conspiracy” among officials who investigated and prosecuted President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: James Comey, John Brennan, Jack Smith, and other officials are reportedly targets of the investigation led by federal prosecutor Jason A. Reding Quiñones.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation has been ongoing since last year and is based in Florida, with the Comey subpoena issued in March 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The probe seeks to tie multiple former federal officials to a conspiracy against President Trump, with over 130 subpoenas issued so far.

IN FULL

Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey has been served with a subpoena as part of a federal investigation into allegations that several former federal officials engaged in a “grand conspiracy” to prosecute President Donald J. Trump and effectively interfere in two U.S presidential elections. The federal probe, led by the United States Attorney for the District of Southern Florida Jason A. Reding Quiñones, has issued over 30 subpoenas since its inception last year.

Among the investigations‘ prime subjects are Comey, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director and American Communist Party voter John Brennan, and former Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) special counsel Jack Smith. Notably, Brennan was the central actor in promoting and popularizing the 2016 election’s Russia collusion hoax, while Smith oversaw the Arctic Frost scandal that resulted in two failed attempts to prosecute Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential race.

The newest subpoena for Comey is believed to be related to Brennan and the Russia collusion hoax, specifically focusing on the drafting of a January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA), which gave undue credence to the discredited Steele Dossier.

It is believed that Reding Quiñones also plans to revive the DOJ’s prior efforts to prosecute Comey for allegedly giving false testimony to Congress in 2020. That case was dismissed after a judge ruled that Lindsey Halligan, a Trump-appointed interim U.S. Attorney, was unlawfully serving in her role. Halligan’s prosecutions, including cases against Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, were thrown out as a result.

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Grammy-Nominated Rapper Afroman Prevails Against Cops in Hilarious Defamation Case.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Afroman, a Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist, prevailed on Thursday in a defamation case against him that was brought by a group of police officers involved in raiding his home in August 2022.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Afroman; the Adams County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office, and an Ohio jury.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The defamation trial concluded on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The defamation lawsuit centered on Afroman’s use of footage from his home’s security camera and acerbic lyrics poking fun at the Ohio police officers involved, with the outcome being hailed as a victory for free speech.

IN FULL

Afroman, a Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist, prevailed on Thursday in a defamation case against him that was brought by a group of police officers involved in raiding his home in August 2022. The defamation lawsuit centered on Afroman’s use of footage from his home’s security camera and acerbic lyrics poking fun at the Ohio police officers involved.

The 2022 raid resulted in significant damage to Afroman‘s home and asset seizure. Still, no criminal charges were ever filed against the hip-hop artist, prompting him to release a cheeky series of songs about the incident as a form of revenge. Using home security camera footage spliced with other video, Afroman released a series of ‘diss tracks’ including “Randy Walters is a Son of a Bitch” and “Lick ‘Em Low Lisa”—the latter being a reference to a female officer being a lesbian and sleeping with the wives of her male colleagues.

The officers sued Afroman, claiming the lyrics amounted to false allegations and caused injury to their reputations, leading to the trial, which concluded this past Thursday. In one of the more humorous moments, Sgt. Randy Walters was placed on the stand, in what should have been an opportunity to establish the falsity of Afroman’s lyrics, but instead lent credibility to the hip-hop artist’s claims. Sgt. Walters repeatedly declared that he did not know if Afroman had actually slept with his wife—something the rapper claims in his song “Randy Walters is a Son of a Bitch.” Repeatedly, Walters’s attorney tried to get the police officer to establish that the claim was false, but instead, Walters kept insisting he didn’t know and that it had caused him emotional pain and suffering.

In another incident, an officer who was lampooned in the song “Lemon Pound Cake” was forced to sit in the witness stand and listen to the diss track. The song’s title was allegedly inspired by the officer, seen on video glancing down at a lemon pound cake on the counter in Afroman’s kitchen during the 2022 raid.

Importantly, the defamation case against Afroman completely unraveled after one of the officers’ ex-wives took the stand as a witness for the defense and bluntly stated that neither she nor her husband had suffered any emotional pain or reputational damage. She further stated that the officers and wives had joked about the songs before deciding to file the lawsuit.

The hip-hop artist has long been a fixture in the pro-marijuana legalization community and, more recently, has become active in politics. Notably, Afroman was involved in the Libertarian Party’s 2024 National Convention in Washington, D.C., which President Donald J. Trump also addressed.

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Chuck Norris, Iconic Action Star and Martial Arts Legend, Dies at 86.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Chuck Norris, the martial arts legend and iconic action star, has passed away at the age of 86.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Chuck Norris and his family, who released a statement regarding his passing.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Norris was hospitalized in Hawaii and died on a Friday morning, as per a family statement.

💬KEY QUOTE: “While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.” – Norris Family

🎯IMPACT: Norris inspired millions worldwide through his work, discipline, and kindness, leaving a lasting legacy.

IN FULL

Chuck Norris, the legendary martial artist and star of Walker, Texas Ranger, has passed away at the age of 86. His family announced his death in Hawaii, where he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones. They shared their appreciation for his remarkable life, highlighting his roles as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, along with the lasting positive influence he had on so many people.

Norris earned genuine respect in the martial arts world through his advanced black belt rankings in several disciplines. He gained early fame for co-starring with Bruce Lee in The Way of the Dragon and went on to become a major action movie star in the 1980s with movies such as The Delta Force and Missing in Action. He found major success on TV with Walker, Texas Ranger, a series inspired by his earlier film Lone Wolf McQuade.

Off-screen, Norris evolved into a pop culture phenomenon thanks to Internet memes that playfully amplified his image of unbeatable toughness. In his later years, Norris also emerged as an advocate for conservative political views, endorsing figures such as U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who invited Norris to Hungary in 2018 to spend time with its elite counter-terrorism forces.

Born in Ryan, Oklahoma, Norris served in the U.S. Air Force, and began his training in martial arts while posted in East Asia. His enduring legacy spans his extensive body of work in film and television, his contributions to martial arts, and his writings exploring his Christian faith and patriotic values.

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Iranian Caught Trying to Break Into Nuclear Missile Base.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: An Iranian man was arrested after attempting to enter a nuclear missile base in Scotland.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: A 34-year-old Iranian man and a 31-year-old woman of unknown nationality.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on Thursday at His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde, a.k.a. Faslane, in Scotland.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A 34-year-old man and 31-year-old woman have been arrested in connection and enquiries are ongoing.” – Police Scotland spokesman

🎯IMPACT: The arrest highlights ongoing security concerns regarding Iranian sleeper agents and sympathizers amid the ongoing Iran war.

IN FULL

An Iranian man, aged 34, was arrested after attempting to gain access to His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde, a.k.a. Faslane, in Scotland. The man was accompanied to the base, which houses nuclear-armed Trident submarines, by a 31-year-old woman of unknown nationality.

The pair approached the gate of the facility on Thursday but were turned away due to a lack of proper accreditation. Shortly afterward, they were arrested for “acting suspiciously in the vicinity.”

Faslane is an essential part of the British nuclear deterrent, housing seven Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines alongside Trident-class submarines, which carry dozens of nuclear warheads.

A spokesman for Police Scotland confirmed the arrests and stated that investigations are ongoing. The Ministry of Defence has also confirmed its involvement in the investigation.

Britain is increasingly being drawn into the Iran war, despite Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer resisting U.S. overtures to get involved, with Iran and its proxy striking British bases in Cyprus and Iraq. Concerns are growing across the West generally regarding the activation of Iranian sleeper agents and sympathizers amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, with a naturalized immigrant wearing a “Property of Allah” shirt and an Iranian flag having already carried out a deadly shooting in Austin, Texas.

Image by Tony Hisgett.

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RFK Jr. Probes 13 States for Pressuring Doctors to Abort Babies.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched an investigation into 13 states for allegedly coercing doctors to perform abortions, potentially violating the Weldon Amendment.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS, doctors in 13 states, including California, Colorado, and New York.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation was launched recently under the Trump administration.

🎯IMPACT: The investigations highlight ongoing conflicts over abortion policies following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched investigations into 13 states for allegedly pressuring doctors to perform abortions, potentially violating the Weldon Amendment, which protects healthcare providers who refuse to offer, fund, or cover abortion services.

States under investigation include California, Colorado, and New York, all of which supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. An HHS official explained the probes were necessary because earlier complaints had been dismissed due to what was described as an “unduly narrow reading” of the Weldon Amendment.

The investigations come amid ongoing national debates over abortion, intensified since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This ruling has created a patchwork of state-level regulations and heightened tensions between federal and state authorities on the issue.

In Kentucky, a woman faced fetal homicide charges after taking abortion pills, drawing attention to the criminal enforcement of abortion restrictions. In Texas, law enforcement arrested eight individuals accused of operating an illegal abortion network, with officials saying several of those charged are foreign nationals. Meanwhile, in California, Governor Gavin Newsom (D) denied a request to extradite a doctor providing mail-order abortions in January.

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Social Media Causing ‘Massive’ Harm to Teens: Report.

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WHAT HAPPENED: A new report has suggested that social media platforms are harming teens at a “massive scale” due to their algorithmic designs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Academics from New York University (NYU) and other researchers contributing to the World Happiness Report.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The findings were published on Thursday as part of the World Happiness Report, examining global social trends.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Combining all seven lines of evidence reveals consistent and converging evidence that the major social media platforms… are dangerous consumer products that harm adolescents at a massive scale,” the report states.

🎯IMPACT: The report’s findings may influence ongoing discussions in the United States and the United Kingdom regarding potential restrictions on social media use by minors.

IN FULL

A recent World Happiness Report has highlighted the substantial risks social media poses to teenagers, describing the impact as being on a “massive scale.” Authored by New York University academics, the study warns that algorithm-driven platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) are “dangerous consumer products.”

The report cites “overwhelming evidence” of both direct and indirect harms. Direct effects include sextortion and cyberbullying, while indirect consequences involve higher rates of depression and anxiety. Researchers suggest that widespread adolescent use of social media in the early 2010s contributed to rising mental health issues by the mid-2010s in many Western countries.

“Combining all seven lines of evidence reveals consistent and converging evidence that the major social media platforms… are dangerous consumer products that harm adolescents at a massive scale,” the study states. The analysis draws on seven global studies, including empirical research, anecdotal evidence, and leaked internal company documents.

Governments are increasingly considering policies to protect minors. In the U.S., jurors are evaluating a landmark trial alleging that social media exacerbated mental health problems among young users. Reports also indicate that President Donald J. Trump has considered banning minors from social media altogether.

Concerns extend beyond social media. Google has reportedly provided instructions to minors on bypassing parental controls, and popular online games for children have been identified as potential havens for predators.

Image by Artem Podrez.

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Netanyahu Calls for ‘Ground Component’ in Iran War.

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WHAT HAPPENED: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that “Iran is being decimated” as the U.S. and Israel target its missile and nuclear programs, while emphasizing the need for a ground component for regime change.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald J. Trump, and the Iranian regime.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Netanyahu’s remarks were made on March 19 during a press conference, following comments by President Trump in the Oval Office earlier that day.

💬KEY QUOTE: “You don’t want to replace one ayatollah with another. You don’t want to replace Hitler with Hitler.” – Benjamin Netanyahu

🎯IMPACT: Netanyahu’s comments underscore the complexities of addressing Iran’s regime, with potential implications for U.S.-Israel cooperation and regional stability.

IN FULL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on March 19 that “Iran is being decimated,” as Israel and the United States continue targeting the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. However, he emphasized that achieving real regime change in Iran would require a “ground component.” He warned, “You don’t want to replace one ayatollah with another. You don’t want to replace Hitler with Hitler.”

Netanyahu stressed that the Iranian people must ultimately drive change. “We can create the conditions, but they have to, you know, they have to exploit those conditions at a certain point,” he said. He further highlighted the limits of air campaigns alone, stating, “You can do a lot of things from the air, and we’re doing [them,] but… there has to be a ground component as well.” Although he did not specify what such operations might entail, he suggested there were “many possibilities.”

His remarks come amid a series of Israeli strikes targeting Iran, including the recent elimination of Iran’s intelligence minister, part of a broader campaign against Tehran’s political, military, and intelligence infrastructure.

Netanyahu also dismissed accusations that Israel had pressured the United States into confronting Iran, claiming that President Donald J. Trump was already aware of an Iranian nuclear threat. “He explained it to me, I didn’t explain it to him,” Netanyahu said regarding their discussions.

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DOJ Warns Letitia James Over Threats Against Hospital that Stopped Transing Minors.

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WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) warned New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) to back away from her fight with NYU Langone Health over its decision to stop providing certain irreversible transgender surgical and hormonal procedures to minors, arguing federal law does not require the hospital to offer these treatments.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and NYU Langone Health.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The DOJ’s letter was sent on Wednesday, addressing actions in New York regarding NYU Langone Health’s decision last month.

💬KEY QUOTE: “NYU Langone’s exercise of its sound discretion to not provide such services and procedures does not constitute discrimination on any of these grounds.” — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche

🎯IMPACT: The DOJ’s warning sets the stage for a potential legal battle over the state’s authority and federal law regarding medical discretion for transgender treatments.

IN FULL

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a warning to New York Attorney General Letitia James, urging her to step back from pursuing legal action against NYU Langone Health. In February, The National Pulse reported that the hospital had decided to discontinue certain transgender surgical and hormonal procedures for minors, a move James claims violates state anti-discrimination laws.

In a letter sent on Wednesday, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the DOJ disagreed with James’s interpretation of the law. He asserted that NYU Langone’s policy was not discriminatory, explaining that the hospital’s decision to stop providing these treatments was within its medical discretion and did not violate anti-discrimination statutes, which “[prohibit] discrimination based on, among other things, sex, gender identity, and disability.”

The hospital had announced last month that it would end its Transgender Youth Health Program, citing the departure of its medical director and the current regulatory environment. “Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program,” said NYU Langone spokesman Steve Ritea. Ritea emphasized that this policy change does not affect pediatric mental health care programs.

James responded to the hospital’s decision with a legal threat, giving NYU Langone 10 days to reinstate the program. She argued there was no federal mandate requiring the cessation of transgender healthcare, which included treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy for minors—both of which can often produce irreversible physical changes.

Blanche noted the DOJ’s position aligns with the Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Skrmetti, which upheld Tennessee’s ban on certain transgender medical procedures for minors. He further clarified that NYU Langone’s policy does not bar transgender minors from accessing treatments like puberty blockers for conditions unrelated to gender dysphoria, reinforcing the hospital’s compliance with federal law.

Image by Freelancers Union.

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Fed Chair Blames AI Data Centers for Rising Bills, Inflation Concerns.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell stated that the AI-driven data center boom is contributing to inflation rather than reducing it, as some anticipated.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Federal Reserve officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Remarks were made during a press conference on Wednesday following the Fed’s decision to hold interest rates steady.

💬KEY QUOTE: “In the short term, what’s happening is we’re building data centers everywhere, and that’s actually putting pressure on all kinds of goods and services that go into building these things.” – Jerome Powell

🎯IMPACT: Americans face higher costs, with electricity prices projected to rise and utilities seeking record rate increases due to the strain on the power grid.

IN FULL

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged yesterday that the surge in data center construction, fueled by artificial intelligence (AI), is contributing to inflation. He explained that the demand for goods and services required for these projects is driving prices upward, contrary to expectations of AI-driven productivity gains lowering costs. Notably, the concerning lack of productivity gains continues to fuel global economic fears that AI investments could be forming a deeply destructive financial bubble.

“In the short term, what’s happening is we’re building data centers everywhere, and that’s actually putting pressure on all kinds of goods and services that go into building these things,” Powell remarked during a press conference. He added that this trend is “probably pushing inflation up” rather than down.

Powell’s comments came in response to questions about whether the Federal Reserve’s revised long-term growth estimates, increased from 1.8 percent to 2 percent, were influenced by optimism surrounding AI-driven productivity. He noted that the current physical infrastructure demands of AI outpace any immediate productivity benefits, suggesting that the disinflationary effects of AI remain theoretical for now.

The strain on resources caused by the data center boom has real-world implications. Goldman Sachs recently warned that consumer electricity prices could rise by 6 percent between 2026 and 2027, partly due to the pressure data centers place on the power grid. Utilities have already requested a record $31 billion in rate increases for 2025, disproportionately affecting lower-income households.

Powell expressed surprise at the sustained high productivity levels in recent years and noted that the full impact of generative AI has yet to materialize. “We haven’t really started to see the effects of generative AI,” he said, adding, “And that should certainly contribute. But it’s an empirical question—is demand growing faster or slower than the supply side? We just don’t know.”

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TSA Agents Resort to Selling Blood Amid Democrat Shutdown.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are donating blood for cash to cover expenses during a partial government shutdown.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: TSA agents, Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl, and Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).

📍WHEN & WHERE: March 2026, across the United States at major airports.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Our people are hurting. We have individuals sleeping in their cars.” – Adam Stahl

🎯IMPACT: Long security lines, missed flights, and financial struggles for TSA workers, with some airports at risk of closure.

IN FULL

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have begun selling blood for cash as the Democrat-led partial government shutdown leaves them without pay. The shutdown, which began on February 14, is due to Senate Democrats repeatedly blocking funding measures for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in protest of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) ongoing operations to enforce federal immigration statutes.

Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl revealed that some workers are “drawing blood to afford to pay for gas to get to work.” This marks the second time TSA agents have gone unpaid due to a shutdown, with many already missing a full paycheck. Stahl described the dire circumstances, stating, “Our people are hurting. We have individuals sleeping in their cars.” Though it remains unclear which blood products agents are donating for compensation, plasma donations typically offer cash payments, unlike whole blood donations. As the shutdown stretches beyond one month, increasing numbers of TSA agents are calling out of work, exacerbating long security lines at airports.

Major airports such as John F. Kennedy International in New York and Newark International in New Jersey have reported wait times up to 43 and 36 minutes, respectively. Spring Break travelers at destinations like Orlando and Honolulu are also encountering long delays, with some lines exceeding 45 minutes. At Atlanta‘s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world’s busiest, roughly 36 percent of TSA workers failed to show up, resulting in hour-long waits for passengers.

Union leaders have highlighted the financial hardships faced by TSA employees. Aaron Baker, president of a union representing Georgia’s TSA workers, stated, “Many are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators, and overdrawn bank accounts.” He added, “Every available financial option has been exhausted,” during a press conference outside Hartsfield-Jackson. Hundreds of agents have already quit, leaving only 50,000 TSA workers nationwide.

The crisis has prompted Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to be the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, to urge Congress to resolve the funding impasse. “We have to get DHS funded,” Mullin said during his confirmation hearing.

Image by Michael Ball.

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