Hegseth Defends Iran War, Powell Stays On As Fed Chair, SCOTUS Voting Rights Case

What It Covers

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defends $25 billion spent on the Iran war amid a Strait of Hormuz blockade, Jerome Powell extends his Fed role, and the Supreme Court raises the bar for Voting Rights Act redistricting claims.

Key Questions Answered

• •Iran War Costs: The Pentagon has spent $25 billion on ammunition, jet fuel, and related expenses so far, but this figure excludes economic damage from the Strait of Hormuz blockade, which has reduced daily shipping traffic from 100-plus vessels to near zero.
• •Strait of Hormuz Strategy: A retired Navy vice admiral confirms the U.S. can sustain its blockade indefinitely through force rotation, and can clear Iranian mines using unmanned surface vessels and torpedo-shaped underwater drones to open two navigable passageways for escorted tankers.
• •Fed Independence Tactic: Jerome Powell will remain on the Federal Reserve's governing board through early 2028 after his chairmanship ends, a deliberate move to deny Trump an additional appointment and preserve the Fed's insulation from political pressure during a period of rising energy-driven inflation.
• •Voting Rights Shift: The Supreme Court's conservative majority now requires plaintiffs to prove intentional racial discrimination in redistricting cases rather than discriminatory effects, a standard legal experts call nearly impossible to meet, potentially triggering the largest-ever decline in Black congressional representation.