Key Events (10)
Trump demanded Iran's 'unconditional surrender' as U.S. and Israeli forces conducted extensive bombing campaigns on Tehran and Beirut. Trump called on Iranian people to overthrow their government or face 'absolutely guaranteed death,' marking an escalation in the U.S.-Israel military campaign.
The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, with the unemployment rate at 4.4%, occurring just before Trump joined the Iran conflict. This came after 126,000 jobs were added in January.
The Department of Justice released withheld Epstein files containing uncorroborated abuse allegations against Trump. Justice Department officials said the files were initially withheld because they were mistakenly categorized as duplicates.
Kristi Noem was fired as Department of Homeland Security secretary in the first major personnel shakeup of Trump's second term. A U.S. senator subsequently sought a perjury investigation into her over DHS spending allegations.
A federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Pakistani national Asif Merchant of plotting to kill Trump and other American politicians in a scheme backed by the Iranian government. Merchant faces life in prison.
The Iran war pushed oil prices above $90 per barrel, with Brent crude experiencing its highest weekly gain since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. Reports of Kuwait cutting output contributed to the price surge, threatening global inflation.
Jeffrey B. Clark, architect of Trump's rollback of climate rules, left the White House after overseeing the dismantlement of government restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions and water and air pollution. He had also faced a criminal probe in connection with the 2020 election.
The U.S. is preparing a system to process refunds on billions in illegal Trump tariffs, with customs officials estimating the total sum held in relation to such tariffs at approximately $166 billion. A federal judge has been reviewing the tariff cases.
Trump urged Ukraine's Zelenskyy to 'get a deal done' with Russia as Ukraine claimed the U.S. is seeking its drone expertise for Middle East operations. This reflects ongoing pressure on Kyiv to negotiate a settlement.
Vinay Prasad, the FDA's vaccine chief, is departing in April after decisions involving vaccine reviews and specialty drugs for rare diseases drew controversy. This marks his second departure from the position during Trump's administration.