The Political Markup for April 2, 2026
Politics
Trump is considering replacing Pam Bondi with Lee Zeldin.
A Massachusetts man was arrested for threatening to kill President Trump.
A reporter with The New York Times happened to be in Byron & Kristi Noem’s hometown when The Daily Mail story and got reactions for those who know them.
The current government shutdown of DHS has now become the longest shutdown in history, surpassing the lengthy one last fall. The three longest government shutdowns in history have all occurred during the Trump administrations.
DHS is halting plans to spend billions on large warehouses that could hold tens of thousands of detainees.
An upcoming state-level election to watch will be the May 5 primary in Indiana, where several Republican state senators are being challenged by Trump-aligned candidates for refusing to support Trump’s redistricting effort in the state.
Economics
U.S. retail sales increased in February, and manufacturing increased in March.
Financial advisors say various economic issues worry investors and increase risk.
High diesel and fertilizer prices, and low crop prices, are impacting farmers.
Minnesota
Minnesota’s average gas price is slightly lower than the national average.
Trump’s DOJ continues to try to detain and extradite five year-old Minnesotan Liam Onejo Arias and his father, Adrian. The boy and his family’s case became famous after a photo was taken of him being held on his backpack by an ICE agent outside a government vehicle.
Iran War
Several polls indicate widespread opposition to the Trump-Israel war with Iran.
Trump’s war in Iran and his mixed messaging on it may harm Republicans in this fall’s midterm elections.
Trump keeps door open to presence in Iran, saying the U.S. could leave quickly but return if necessary. The contradicts his campaign pledge to keep the U.S. out of lengthy foreign wars that risk troops’ lives.
The U.S. may be violating war protocols by putting troops in hotels and office spaces near civilians. U.S. bases in the Middle East have been unable to protect the troops and defend against Iranian attacks.
The United Arab Emirates asked the UN to help with reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
France believes an Iranian group was behind an attacked planned on a Bank of America office in Paris.
International
The U.S. is asking Denmark if it can expand military operations to three additional bases in Greenland.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit D.C. later this month for a state visit. The king has also been invited to address Congress.
The EU is putting humanitarian funding into Cuba as the country continues to face various crises and threats.
An elected official from Yemen filed a lawsuit in the U.S. alleging that former U.S. troops working for a private security firm attempted to assassinate him.
Rwanda is threatening to stop fighting the Islamic State and protecting Exxon Mobil facilities if the U.S. continues with financial sanctions.
The Brazilian stock exchange is looking at prediction markets for economic indicators and elections.