News On Tap For Friday, April 17, 2026

Deal Or No Deal

Today’s “News On Tap” has the flavor of crazy, with a touch of ‘declare victory & get out.’ We’ve got your update on the Iran War and maybe a peace deal, along with the costs of the war. We also have an update from the chaos on Capitol Hill. Trumponomics is still failing, even if Trump is lying about it. And there was yet another Democratic special election win last night. Plus, a lot of news in Media Matters, and in our Entertainment section. And Karen & Anita of The Tru Blu Politics podcast are back to help us recap this past week of news. Read up, get informed, and we’ll see you here tonight!

First Round - Trump's Middle East Mess

Stumbling Towards Unwinding The War

• Iran Declares Strait Of Hormuz Completely Open To All Commercial Shipping Traffic; Trump Says U.S. Blockade Of Iranian Ships Still Active, For Now

• Trump Admin. Considers $20 Billion Release Of Frozen Iranian Assets In Exchange For Iran Giving Up Enriched Uranium

• Fragile Calm In Lebanon Continues As U.S.-Brokered Truce Holds And Families Head Home

• Postal Service Delivery Pause To U.S. Ships In Middle East Causing Worries As Families Fear Sailors Are Going Hungry

The Costs Of War

• Oil And Gas Prices Fall Sharply, More Than 10%, After Iran Says Strait Of Hormuz Is Open

• IMF Says Iran War “Halted” Previous Global Economic Momentum, Expects Hotter Inflation Rest Of This Year

• Here Are All The Ways The Iran War Has Affected The U.S. Economy So Far

Second Round - Chaos On Capital Hill

Votes & Hearings

• Live Updates: RFK Jr. Testifies To House Health, Education & Labor Committee In Contentious Hearing

• Both Democrats And Republicans Blast OMB Dir. Russ Vought For Holding Back Funds Congress Assigned: ‘You Don’t Have The Authority To Impound’

• House Approves Short-Term FISA Spy Powers Extension Amid Republican Infighting

• Senate Republicans Vote To Repeal Biden-Era Wilderness Protections Of The Pristine Boundary Waters Region In Minnesota

• Senate Republicans Deploy Little-Known Law To Open Minnesota Wilderness To Mining

Trying To Find Competence

• Trump Nominates Former Deputy Surgeon General In Trump’s First Term, Dr. Erica Schwartz, Amid Turmoil Around Leadership, Vaccine Policy

• Former FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton, Fired In May 2025, Now Set To Return After Being Ousted

• Senate Democrats Make Final Push To Delay Confirmation Hearing Of Trump’s Fed Pick

Third Round - Republicans Can't Govern

Trumponomics Is Still Failing

• In Las Vegas, Trump Falsely Claims The Economy Is Thriving ‘Despite Our Little Diversion’ In Iran

• Federal Reserve Bank Of New York Pres. John Williams Confirms Trump’s Middle East War Is Already Driving Up Inflationary Pressures

• Trump Regime Set To Launch Tariff Refund System On April 20

Immigration Wars

• Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons Announces He Is Leaving The Dept. Of Homeland Security At End Of May’

• Brittany Gibson: The Trump Regime Seems To Be Ditching Its Deportation Showmanship

• Aliya Rahman Files Complaint Against DHS, Sets Stage For Federal Lawsuit

• Marimar Martinez, Chicago Woman Shot 5 Times By CBP Agent, To Testify At Washington Hearing

• New Investigation Confirms That When ICE Went On A Hiring Spree, Sterling Credentials - Or Even Legitimate Experience - Were Not Required

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Polls & Politics

• Progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia Coasts To Victory In New Jersey Special U.S. House Election

• California Governor Race Poll Shows Becerra Jumping Up After Swalwell Exit

• The Atlantic: After War & Chaos, Growing Number Of Trump Voters Finally Seem To Be Done With Him [Gift Link]

The Trumpstein Files

• House Democrats Press Trump-Allied House Republicans To Reschedule Bondi Deposition In Epstein Probe

• Trump Says “I’m OK With That” About Public Hearings For Epstein Survivors

• Acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche Backs Public Hearings For Epstein Victims

Corruption Land

• Trump DOJ Now Investigating Eric Swalwell - But Not Tony Gonzales - Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

• New Financial Disclosure Shows High-Ranking Trump Treasury Official Personally Invested In Oil & Nuclear Funds Days Before Iran War Began

• Trump’s Plan For A Triumphal Arch Gets Initial Green Light From Federal Panel Packed With Trump Sycophants

• Trump’s Plans For A Massive Arch Buried Under 100% Negative Public Feedback

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media Matters

• NPR Receives Massive Donation Of $113 Million In Two Charitable Gifts

• BlueSky Confirms DDoS Attack Was Cause Of Continued App & Site Outages On Thursday

• National Political News Site NOTUS, Located In DC, Now Set To Become ‘The Star’

• Laid Off Kennedy Center Worker Confirms - What’s Happening There Is Far Worse Than The Public Knows [Gift Link]

Entertainment & More

• As Season 2 Ends, ‘The Pitt’s Noah Wyle Teases Season 3, Saying It Will Explore Dr. Robby’s Rock Bottom

• ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’ Canceled After Five Seasons At NBC & Peacock

• ‘Top Gun 3’ Officially In The Works With Tom Cruise Returning

• ‘Star Wars’ Makes Big-Screen Comeback As ‘Mandalorian And Grogu’ Drops 17 Minutes Of Impressive Footage At CinemaCon

• ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Trailer: Thor Battles Doctor Doom, Chris Evans Picks Up The Hammer, X-Men Back In Action In Thrilling CinemaCon Footage

• ‘Toy Story 5’ Debuts Enchanting CinemaCon Footage: Woody And Buzz Lightyear Fight Over Who Can Save The Toys From Digital Extinction

• San Diego Padres Nearing Deal To Be Sold For MLB-Record $3.9 Billion

• NBA West Playoff Previews: Spurs-Blazers, Nuggets-Wolves, Lakers-Rockets

• NBA West Playoff Previews: Celtics-76ers, Knicks-Hawks, Cavaliers-Raptors

Your Bar Regulars Tonight

Our friends Karen from Chicago, & Anita From San Antonio, co-hosts of Tru Blu Politics (and on Patreon too) are back in the bar tonight, to talk about another crazy busy week of news. We’ll recap this weeks news, including Trump getting whupped by The Pope, Pete Kegbreath’s ‘Pulp Fiction’ prayer, the Iran War, & more. Grab a seat & a drink, & join us tonight!

---

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

• Progressive Voices Radio - Worldwide, Via Tune In

• WCPT AM 820 – Chicago

• AM 950 - Minneapolis/St. Paul

• Georgia Now Radio - Atlanta

• Detour Talk Radio - Tri-Cities Area Of Tennessee