News On Tap For Monday, April 20, 2026

War, Corruption, & The Coming Accountability Wave

Today’s “News On Tap” is filled to the brim, with Trump’s confusion & corruption. We’ve got your news updates on Trump’s war in Iran, & the costs of the war. There’s also updates on the pervasive corruption of Trump’s Mar-A-Lago mafia, & what some are calling ‘Trump’s Liquor Cabinet.’ Also, more details on Republicans inability to govern, & SCOTUS is just as corrupt as you thought. There is good news to hear about, and a major vote tomorrow in Virginia. Plus, new Media & Entertainment news. Plus Brooklyn Dad Defiant will be back in the bar tonight to talk about all of it with us. Read up, get informed, & we’ll see you here tonight!

First Round - The Stupidest War Ever

Updates From The Middle East

• Live Updates: Pakistan Still Preparing For Upcoming Peace Talks Despite Unknown Status; Trump Says Vance On The Way, Iran Says They Will Not Attend

• Sunday: U.S. Seizes Iranian Ship As Tensions Rise Amid Ceasefire

• Saturday - Iran Closes Strait Of Hormuz Once Again, Fires On Tankers, After Trump Refuses To Back Down

• Iranian Official Confirms Trump Regime’s ‘Maximalist’ Demands Are Stalling Face-To-Face Talks

• Trump Keeps Claiming Victory In Iran. New Poll From Politico Shows Americans Aren’t Buying It.

The Costs Of The War

• New NBC News Poll: Trump’s Approval Rating Hits Second-Term Low As Americans Sour On Iran War & Trump’s War-Damaged Economy

• Trump Energy Secretary & Former Oil Exec Chris Wright Says Gas Prices May Stay Above $3 A Gallon Until 2027

• New Nationwide Survey Confirms Most Farmers Can’t Afford Fertilizer Now, Thanks To The Iran War

• UAE Asks Trump Regime About A Wartime Financial Lifeline, If Conflict Drags On [Gift Link]

Other Foreign Affairs

• Trump’s Treasury Dept. Extends Waiver On Russian Oil Sanctions In Attempt To Ease High Gas Prices Due To Iran War, Despite Bessent Saying He Wouldn’t

• Ukraine’s Zelensky Condemns U.S. Extension Of Russian Sanctions Waiver

• New Secret Talks Disclosed, As Trump Regime Officials Just Visited Havana To Lay Out Demands For Cuban Reforms

• New U.S. Military Strike On Alleged Drug Boat Kills 3 More In Caribbean Sea

Second Round - Accountability Badly Needed

Corruption Land

• Trump Regime Installs Loyalist Joe DiGenova To Lead ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Investigation Into Former CIA Director John Brennan & Others

• Acting AG Todd Blanche Puts Joe DiGenova, Corrupt Former Lawyer Of Mueller Investigation Suspects, In Charge Of Attempting To Criminalize The RussiaGate Investigation

• Trump DOJ Removes Top Prosecutor Who Questioned Legitimacy Of Case Against Former CIA Director John Brennan

• Trump FAA Chief Bryan Bedford Dumps Millions In Stock Of Airline He Regulates Months After Telling Congress He’d Fully Divest

• Trump’s Lawyers Now In Talks With The IRS To Resolve President’s $10B Lawsuit - By Paying Him With Our Tax Dollars

• Nick Marsh: The Insider Trading Suspicions Looming Over Trump’s Entire Presidency, Not Just The Iran War

• Garrett Graff: Five Trump Scandals You’ve Probably Missed

Trump’s Liquor Cabinet

• FBI’s Kash Patel Denies Excess Drinking Amid Federal Officials’ Security Concerns

• The Atlantic Magazine: Kash Patel’s Erratic Behavior Could Cost Him His Job [Gift Link]

• Kash Patel Sues The Atlantic For $250 Million Over Alcohol Abuse Claims

• Bessent & Hegseth Roasted By Media After Alcohol-Related “Straits Of Vermouth” Gaffe

Third Round - Republicans Can't Govern

On Capitol Hill

• Trump’s Fed Pick Warsh Set To Face Senate Grilling This Week With Confirmation In Limbo

• Republicans Stare Down A Growing, Neverending Intraparty FISA Crisis

Immigration Wars

• Deaths Of Migrants In ICE Custody Hit Record High Under Trump

• New Politico Poll Finds More Than Half Of Americans Think Trump’s Immigration Policy Is ‘Too Aggressive’

• Even In Republican-Controlled States, Anti-Immigrant Bills Are Failing As Businesses Start To Push Back

Fourth Round - Justice & Injustice

Docket Check

• Supreme Court Takes Up Case Where Right-Wing Catholic School Wants To Get State Funds Without Having To Abide By Nondiscrimination Laws

• Supreme Court Declines To Hear Case On Student Rights Vs Parent’s Rights Over Disclosing Name & Pronoun Changes Without Student’s Consent

Disorder In The Court

• Balls & Strikes, My Ass: Newly Revealed Supreme Court Memos Highlight Chief Justice John Roberts’ Activism

• The Inside Story Of How John Roberts Learned To Weaponize The Shadow Docket [Gift Link]

• Contrary To Previous Rumors, Supreme Court Justices Alito, Thomas Now Not Expected To Retire This Year

• Federal Appeals Court Again Allows Trump’s Ballroom Construction To Go On, For Now

Fifth Round - More News To Drink About

Another Day That Ends In Why

• Man In Louisiana Facing Divorce Kills 8 Children, Including 7 Of His Own, In Mass Shooting Rampage

• Three University Of Iowa Students Wounded In Mass Shooting, During Wild Brawl Near Campus

Still Making Progress

• NYC Mayor Mamdani And Fmr. Pres. Obama Lead Preschool Singalong To Promote NYC’s New Free Child Care Expansion

• Pancreatic Cancer mRNA Vaccine Shows Lasting Results In An Early Trial

• Bulgarian Voters, Worn Down By Corruption, Back New Center-Left Coalition, Defeating A Decade-Old Right Wing Government [Gift Link]

The Fight To Vote

• What To Expect In Virginia’s Special Election On Redistricting On Tuesday

• Andrew Mangan: The Case For Democratic Gerrymandering

• Trump DOJ Demanding Michigan County Turn Over 2024 Ballots, As Michigan Atty. Gen Dana Nessel Dismisses Request As “Baseless”

• Thom Hartmann: Term Limits Do More Harm Than Good - And Democrats Should Steer Clear Of Them

Sixth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Rest In Peace

• Patrick Muldoon, ‘Days Of Our Lives,’ ‘Melrose Place,’ & ‘Starship Troopers’ Actor, Dies At 57

• Bob Kevoian, Creator & Co-Host Of Beloved National Morning Radio Show ‘The Bob & Tom Show’ Dies At 75 After 3 Year Cancer Battle

Media Matters

• Federal Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction Against Nexstar’s Tegna Takeover, Orders Nexstar To Halt Integration Plans

• Hollywood Jobs Crisis Becomes Focus Of California Governor’s Race As Candidates Offer Incentive Ideas

Entertainment & More

• ‘Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Powers To $35m Third Weekend

• Practical Magic 2 Trailer Sees Sandra Bullock And Nicole Kidman Return To Their Witchy Ways

• Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter Make Coachella History With Stunning ‘Vogue’ And ‘Like A Prayer’ Duets

• Comedy Trailblazer Eddie Murphy Receives Afi Life Achievement Award In Star-Studded Ceremony

• Defending Champion John Korir Shatters Boston Marathon Record As Fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi Also Repeats As Winner

• 2026 NBA Playoffs, Weekend Recap - Celtics, Lakers, Spurs, Knicks, Thunder, & Magic All Winners

• NHL Playoffs Recap; Round 1 Game 1: Saturday Nail Biters & Sunday Thrillers

• Cleveland Guardians Catcher Austin Hedges Gets Engaged On The Field Following Game

Today’s Special Guest

Brooklyn Dad Defiant, AKA Majid M. Padellan, is a author, activist, blogger, and host/co-host of TWO online shows – ‘The Defiant Weekly’ on Wednesdays, and ‘The JoJo & BDD Show’ with Jo Carducci on Thursdays. It was a busy last week, and the weekend didn’t slow down news-wise. We’ll pull a few rounds from today’s News On Tap, and talk about the political news with BDD. Plus, we’ll fit in about some entertainment news & other events too! Grab a drink & join us tonight!

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