March 21, 2026

The Big Picture: Control Factor

Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images

Psychologists stress that the only thing we can control is ourselves and our reactions to things – and that if we allow what’s out of our control to bother us, we will then feel out of control.

Right now, there are a lot of things out of President Trump’s control, and he has been lashing out or rationalizing as a result.

Three such challenges fit the bill this week: Iran, gas prices and the SAVE America Act that Trump so badly wants to see pass.

On Iran, Trump is angry with NATO allies for declining to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.

“I think NATO is making a very foolish mistake,” Trump said during a meeting with the Irish Taoiseach, or prime minister, on St. Patrick’s Day in the Oval Office. “And I’ve long said that I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us, so this was a great test, because we don’t need them, but they should have been there.”

As a result of the Iran war, gas prices have soared domestically, up almost $1 dollar a gallon since it started. That means if someone fills up a car with a 12-gallon tank once a week, they’re paying roughly $50 more a month, $600 over the course of a year.

That’s real money – and could have real political consequences – when people are already pessimistic about the economy and say prices and affordability are their top concerns.

And he saw a former MAGA ally, his head of counterterrorism, Joe Kent, resign over the war – and speak out against U.S. involvement on Tucker Carlson’s and Megyn Kelly’s platforms.

Trump claimed this week that he knew gas prices would go up if he got into a war with Iran, but he did it anyway, it’s actually “not bad, and it’s going to be over with pretty soon.”

The fact is, though, as NPR’s economic correspondent Scott Horsley likes to say, gas prices go up like a rocket and come down like a feather.

On the SAVE America Act, Trump has said that Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune has “got to be a leader” and, if the votes aren’t there now, he needs to “get them.” With the writing on the wall that the bill, which would require photo ID and proof of citizenship to vote, was likely to fail, Trump went further on social media.

“Only sick, demented, or deranged people in the House or Senate could vote against” the bill and that he “WILL NEVER (EVER!) ENDORSE ANYONE WHO VOTES AGAINST” it.

A war making gas prices higher, division within the MAGA house and the inability to keep Republicans in line on key legislation. None of it adds up to strong political capital from this president or for his party in this midterm election year.

— Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent

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ICYMI: Top Stories

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Mullin nomination advances after heated hearing: Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Trump's outspoken pick to replace Kristi Noem as the head of DHS, faced questions about political violence, prior combative remarks and his vision for the agency in a confirmation hearing Tuesday. Some of the most intense grilling came from fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who asked Mullin to “explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example” for ICE and border patrol agents. The committee ultimately voted Thursday to advance Mullin's nomination, with Paul voting no and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman crossing the aisle to vote yes.

The GOP’s election overhaul faces long odds in the Senate: But Republican-led states are taking up the cause, introducing proof-of-citizenship voting laws of their own.

"A massive blind spot" for government ethics: There are laws and financial disclosure guidelines on government officials owning stocks, bonds and cryptocurrencies. But none of those regulations specifically govern the use of prediction markets, where users can place bets on everything from potential military strikes to when a lawmaker will retire. Well-timed bets placed before the first strikes in Iran have raised questions about the risk of insider trading in this new technological frontier.

Families say DHS shutdown hindering access to detainees: A Texas lawmaker told NPR that families are having an even harder time than usual talking to loved ones in immigration detention or finding out where they’re located during the current Department of Homeland Security shutdown. Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson said in a statement that “numerous constituents … have been unable to locate family members or secure medical treatments for those held in detention” in the nearly five weeks that the agency has been without funding. Funding lapsed in mid February after Democrats and Republicans in Congress failed to agree on reforms for federal immigration enforcement.

Israel becomes a primary election flashpoint: Tuesday's primaries in Illinois are just the latest example of Israel becoming a key issue in Democratic primaries. This comes as polling shows a decline in support for Israel among Americans, especially those who are young and identify as Democrats. Our Domenico Montanaro has more.

— Lexie Schapitl, NPR Politics producer

What does it mean to be an American? There’s no single answer. At NPR, we think of American identity as a story, one that’s constantly being rewritten by the people who live it.

The American Storytelling collection brings together stories from local stations across the NPR Network, from small-town struggles to natural wonders to the layered histories that shape our nation. These are some of our biggest little-known shows, all in one place.

Explore the American Storytelling channel on Apple Podcasts or find it in the NPR App.

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Going Deeper: Iran War Impacts, at Home and Abroad

Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

As the war in Iran stretches into its fourth week, the Trump administration is facing mounting questions about what impact the conflict will have at home. Our reporters are examining the economic, national security and geopolitical repercussions.

The Pentagon wants an extra $200 billion for the Iran war and beyond
As overseas terrorists regroup, is the Iran war increasing danger in the U.S.?
Why it's so hard for world leaders to bring down oil and gasoline prices
Trump is waiving a 1920 trade law to try to lower gas prices. Will it work?
Why Trump's attacks and threats to Iran's Kharg Island are a big deal
🎧 Listen: Why ending the war in Iran is getting harder

— Lexie Schapitl, NPR Politics producer

The Shot: A Low-Tech Tool in Ukraine-Russia War

Anton Shtuka for NPR

In Izium, Ukraine, the Ukrainian military is using a very low-tech tool to combat one of the high-tech advances of the ongoing war with Russia: The entire town is draped in a canopy of anti-drone nets.

According to the Ukrainian military, up to 80% of front-line casualties are now caused by FPV, or first-person-view drones, which are remotely piloted, use a camera to home in on their targets and can fly up to 15 miles. To change those numbers, military leaders are using a strikingly simple technique: tough, nylon drone netting that stops the drones from diving at cars and people, because their propellers get tangled in it.

Locals told NPR they hope the nets help keep people safe, but they also serve as a reminder that the front line is creeping closer to their town. Read more.

— Lexie Schapitl, NPR Politics producer

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