Current Affairs Of Pakistan & World: The two sides of American power

The two sides of American power

Apr 06, 2026

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With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray

On today’s Playbook Podcast: Jack and Dasha discuss Donald Trump’s latest ultimatum to Iran — and why the economy looks more exposed than the president wishes to admit.

Good Monday morning. This is Jack Blanchard, following up last weekend’s kite-flying heroics by teaching my 6-year-old to rollerskate in a single afternoon. (OK, she basically taught herself while I sat in the sun and applauded. But it was great.) Drop me a line and let me know how the spring’s going for you.

START YOUR DAY WITH THIS: POLITICO’s Dustin Gardiner profiles top Trump lawyer Harmeet Dhillon, the current assistant AG for Civil Rights, who’s widely tipped for a big promotion as part of the president’s ongoing shakeup of the Justice Department.

Up for the fight: Dhillon built her legal career and political identity in San Francisco, Dustin writes, where she was a Republican activist vastly outnumbered by Democrats and led a legal revolt against California’s progressive policies in state and federal courts. “The entirety of my career has been a minority, conservative viewpoint in a very liberal profession,” Dhillon told POLITICO in a recent interview. “I’m not here for a popularity contest.”

You can see the attraction for Trump. “She spent decades in the most adversarial environment that you can find,” says Matt Shupe, a Republican consultant and longtime ally. “She’s a natural fighter,” adds Republican operative Heather Flick Melanson, who’s known Dhillon for almost 20 years. “She’s not afraid.” Grab a coffee and read the full profile.

In today’s Playbook …

— Trump to host White House briefing after jaw-dropping Truth Social outburst.

— See the latest Democratic fundraising numbers for two hard-fought Senate battles.

— And it’s back to the future for one of the hottest WHCD after-parties … We got the deets.

DRIVING THE DAY

AMERICAN SPLIT-SCREEN: At exactly 1 p.m. this afternoon, the NASA+ livestream will start rolling as a combination of American skill, commitment, finance and technical know-how take four humans farther from Earth than anyone has ever been. Millions will tune in around the world to watch the Artemis II crew take observations — and astonishing selfies — as they slingshot around the far side of the moon. It’s set to be another stunning showcase for American ingenuity on the global stage.

Also at 1 p.m., over on the White House YouTube channel, President Donald Trump will host a news conference to discuss his war on Iran. The president wants to celebrate the rescue of the two U.S. servicemen shot down over Iran on Friday morning. But given the extraordinary, profanity-laden ultimatum Trump issued to Iran on Truth Social just a few hours after the last airman was recovered, the vibe is going to feel a little different inside the briefing room.

First — the rescue: You’ve by now presumably read one of the many breathless reports on the daring U.S. mission to rescue the injured airman (if not, the WSJ write-up is as a good as any) and so know all about the dangerous ejector seat; the lonely scramble up a 7,000-foot ridge; the mysterious CIA location technology and the audacious mountaintop rescue. But it’s a story that bears repeating, and we’ll likely get plenty more staggering detail today.

But Trump is Trump, and so the rescue mission — and indeed the moon launch — have already been overshadowed by his Sunday morning Truth Social threat to obliterate Iran’s civilian infrastructure if its leaders fail to capitulate by tomorrow night. Even for an audience largely anaesthetised to Trump’s rhetoric, this broke new ground. The blend of thuggish profanity and violent threat, underpinned by the casual embrace of what would appear to be war crimes, made yesterday’s message stand out in a crowded field.

How fortunate for Republican members of Congress that the House and Senate are both in recess, otherwise the halls would presumably be ringing all night with the sound of GOP politicians claiming either not to have seen the message, or grimacing awkwardly at journalists and scurrying away. MAGA world devotee-turned-arch-Trump-critic Marjorie Taylor Greene gave an indication of what some might say if unconstrained by the political need to toe the line.

Beyond the profanity — not to mention the morality — Trump’s stance is hard to square with the primetime TV address he gave only last week, in which reopening the Strait of Hormuz was apparently no longer a national priority and would be left to America’s allies to sort out. (On that front, military planners from allied nations will meet in London tomorrow to discuss their options, per POLITICO’s London Playbook.) The White House’s lack of a consistent message on America’s war aims does not exactly scream of a well thought-out strategy.

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So what happens next? Given the humanitarian impact of the U.S. military actually following through on Trump’s threats — not to mention the economic impact of Iran’s likely retaliation toward its neighbors — it’s still hard to imagine Trump actually pressing ahead. And the president has certainly been keen to brief media outlets that an agreement is within reach as soon as today. But who knows? The pattern of recent days would suggest we’ll likely hear more threats and more optimism about a deal from the president this afternoon.

Deal watch: Axios’ Barak Ravid is reporting plenty of detail about last-minute negotiations as the clock ticks down to Trump’s deadline, which he’s set for 8 p.m. Eastern tomorrow. Citing “four U.S., Israeli and regional sources with knowledge of the talks,” Ravid says a 45-day ceasefire is under discussion to give U.S. and Iranian leaders the space to hammer out a broader agreement. “The negotiations are taking place through Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators,” Ravid reports, “and also through text messages sent between Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.”

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — So much for the off-ramp: Trump has repeatedly insisted that when the war does end, the economic hit that U.S. consumers have taken on gasoline and diesel prices — along with the knock-on effect on other prices — will rapidly come to an end. But is he right? Probably not, per a host of global economists who spoke to POLITICO’s Megan Messerly.

Welcome to the new normal: “I don’t think we’re going back to the pre-war prices for the foreseeable future. Certainly won’t be this year, won’t even be next year,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “Might not be ever.”

Read it and weep: The world’s energy supplies are only now beginning to show the strain of actual fuel shortages, adds pol analyst Rory Johnston. Portions of Asia are encouraging citizens to work from home, and some areas of Europe are beginning to ration fuel — and the increased demand is pushing up prices everywhere. “Diesel price and gasoline prices are already being affected by that sucking, insatiable appetite for any barrel they get their hands on in Asia,” Johnston said, warning of price spikes for transportation, the food industry, farming, shipping and more. Read Megan’s full article here

Further reading: This bleak, detail-packed X write-up of a Goldman Sachs report on the global oil shock was going viral last night, although it’s worth noting Investing.com has a much more positive take on the same study. Either way, it’s fascinating stuff — and the outlook for Asia, in particular, looks grim. Needless to say, the prospect of rising energy, food and commodity prices here in the U.S. may yet have a profound political impact come the fall.

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TRAIL MIX

CASH DASH: We’ve got the latest fundraising figures in two of the most closely watched and contentious Senate races for Democrats this year.

In Michigan: State Sen. Mallory McMorrow is announcing her campaign raised more than $3 million in the first quarter of 2026, citing more than 120,000 donors since launch, and from all 83 counties in Michigan, Playbook’s Adam Wren scoops. Her campaign didn’t immediately share her cash on hand figure. Watch the announcement video

In Minnesota: Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) is announcing her Senate campaign raised $2.5 million in the first quarter of 2026, her biggest quarter yet with donations from all 87 Minnesota counties, Playbook’s Ali Bianco scoops. She’s also reporting nearly $5 million in cash on hand.

COMING IN FOR THE CATTLE CALL: Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) will be among the group of potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates who will sit with Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Action Network’s 35th Anniversary Convention on Thursday. Gallego — who is openly flirting with a presidential bid — joins the list of at least eight other potential 2028ers making an appearance alongside Sharpton this weekend.

MIDTERM MESSAGE: “How the GOP’s fraud crackdown could impact the midterms,” by POLITICO’s Robert King: “The White House and Congress have taken big public steps in recent months to highlight what they call rampant fraud in several blue states. … The looming question: Will the all-hands Republican fraud crackdown translate to votes at a time when Americans are laser-focused on the high cost of living, including hiked Obamacare premiums?”

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BEST OF THE REST

EGGING HIM ON: Trump and first lady Melania will take part in the traditional White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn at 10 a.m.

WAITING IN THE WINGS: As frustrations with Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership rise among House Republicans, and expectations that they can hold their majority sink, speculation is brewing that Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, the 62-year-old former wrestling star, is preparing another push for the top leadership ranks, POLITICO’s Mia McCarthy reports.

The opening tip: If Republicans lose control of the House, there is a belief that Johnson would step down rather than continue as minority leader, Mia writes. “So they have been taking notice of the quiet moves already being made by possible candidates to build support.” And Jordan “has spent plenty of time helping vulnerable members on the campaign trail and, more recently, helping Trump wrangle potential conservative defectors on a key upcoming spy-powers vote.” More from POLITICO’s Inside Congress

THE POLITICO POLL: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s MAHA movement is struggling to find its footing — even as its ideals are broadly popular. That’s according to the latest results of the POLITICO Poll, which suggest Kennedy’s supporters have a wide array of priorities that don’t always align with those of MAHA leadership, POLITICO’s Marcia Brown and Kelly Hooper report. One example: “Despite Kennedy’s emphasis on vaccines during his first year as secretary, for instance, fewer than half of MAHA supporters — 42 percent — say vaccines are a core issue for the movement.”

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MEDIAWATCH: The Baltimore Sun, Maryland’s biggest newspaper, is pouring resources into investigating Gov. Wes Moore as he seeks reelection and eyes a potential presidential run in 2028, Semafor’s Max Tani reports. The paper has brought in a team of reporters who are looking into Moore’s military and athletic record, according to records Moore’s office shared with Semafor. That’s in line with the paper’s new mandate, which current and former staff told Semafor is to expose fraud and misdeeds among Democratic politicians in the state. And behind the scenes, owner David Smith, the Trump ally and longtime Sinclair steward, has been deeply involved in the team’s coverage.

HUNGARY FOR CHANGE? MAGA-friendly Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán, who opinion polls suggest faces defeat in this weekend’s general election, has convened an emergency defense council amid claims of an attempted terror attack on a key gas pipeline into the country, POLITICO’s Victor Goury-Laffont reports. His opponents are warning of a “pre-planned false flag” attack designed to disrupt the potentially seismic elections ahead of polling day. It comes with VP JD Vance headed to Hungary tomorrow in a preelection show of support for Orbán.

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TALK OF THE TOWN

LOOMERED, AGAIN — Laura Loomer, the MAGA firebrand, is claiming credit for the arrest of the niece and grand-niece of Qassem Soleimani after Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s termination of their lawful permanent resident status. Loomer told Adam she sent the information to Rubio's team a month ago. “I compiled all of the evidence, including her social media activity, and reported it directly to [DHS], [ICE] and the Department of State,” Loomer said. “I also followed up with counterterrorism officials and shared my secure file with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s team.”

Dylan Johnson, the assistant secretary of State for Global Public Affairs, reposted Loomer, seeming to confirm her claim. “I have many more names of jihadists who are tied to the Iranian regime and other Islamic terror movements who are living here in the US on green cards,” Loomer said. “I will be reporting all of them to ICE, DHS and the US State Department.”

PARTY SEASON IS COMING — MS NOW is hosting a “Democracy After Hours — The Underground After Party” following the White House Correspondents Dinner on April 25, transforming the Dupont Underground into what it promises will be “a buzzy, subversive speakeasy.” Organizers hope to mark a revival of the legendary MSNBC White House Correspondents’ Dinner after-parties of years past.

Speaking of WHCD weekend: With Trump set to attend the affair, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is organizing a campaign to outfit attendees with pocket squares and pins featuring the words of the First Amendment as a subtle gesture to support press freedom, Status’ Natalie Korach reports.

POWER BROKERS — “Meet Washington’s most powerful and mysterious restaurant family,” by WaPo’s Liam Scott: “The Popals have opened D.C.’s most consequential French and Mexican restaurants while retaining their Afghan culture — and staying out of the spotlight.”

TRANSITIONS — Alexandra Bell is now executive director for the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. She previously worked for the Senate Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. … DJ Griffin is now comms director for Michael Whatley’s North Carolina Senate campaign. He previously worked for Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and is a Brett Guthrie and RNC alum. … Matt Altomare has been named senior director for cybersecurity programs at the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Digital. He previously worked at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) (favorite treat: chocolate cake) … Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz … Anthony Bernal … NYT’s Glenn Thrush … MPA’s Charles Rivkin … Cindy Terrell … WSJ’s Keach Hagey … Ron Brownstein … Joyce Meyer … POLITICO’s Jessie Blaeser and Caitlin Hartman … The Guardian US’ Ale Waase … Scott Rausch … former Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) … Richard Coolidge … Olivia Perez-Cubas … CNN’s Sunlen Serfaty … Matt Flynn … The New Republic’s Ryan Kearney … Andy Oare … Bechtel Corporation’s Rayna Farrell … Megan Bartley … Melissa Kelly … Kevin O’Hanlon … Lucy Westcott … Melissa Schwartz … Yuval Levin … Ann Castagnetti … Lisa Ellman … HavocAI’s Channing Lee Foster … Scott Reed … Tucker Doherty … Ian Platz of the Irregular Warfare Initiative

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