The defense secretary sought tens of billions more for the Iran war amid nightly strikes, Trump imposed steep new tariffs on Canada, the administration moved to fire judge-appointed prosecutors, and a New Jersey voter-roll error became a political flashpoint — four stories with a clear factual status.
Hegseth seeks Iran war funding as strikes continue
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the administration's roughly $87.6 billion supplemental funding request, most of which — about $67.1 billion — would go to the Pentagon for the ongoing war with Iran. Hegseth put the war's cost so far at $37.5 billion through the end of the fiscal year, up from a $29 billion Pentagon estimate in May; independent analysts have suggested the true figure is higher. The testimony came as U.S. Central Command reported an 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, and senators of both parties pressed Hegseth on strategy and the lack of an end timeline.
Trump imposes 50% tariffs on Canada
President Trump announced 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, invoking Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 — a rarely used Depression-era provision — after the Supreme Court struck down his broader emergency tariffs earlier this year. The White House framed it as a response to Canadian trade barriers on autos, alcohol, and dairy; the tariffs take effect in 30 days, leaving room for negotiation, and exclude energy, potash, and critical minerals. Economists at Capital Economics estimated the measure hits about $20 billion in imports and would raise the effective U.S. tariff rate on Canadian goods to 5.6% from 3.1%, calling the U.S. economic impact modest but the effect on Canada larger.
Administration moves to remove judge-appointed prosecutors
The Trump administration moved to fire several U.S. attorneys who had been appointed by federal judges. Roger Rogoff, one of those removed, became the first to sue over his removal, setting up a legal test of the president's authority over court-appointed interim prosecutors.
New Jersey voter-roll error draws scrutiny
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said a software error had placed some ineligible people on the state's voter rolls and that she learned of the problem last week and ordered the removal of ineligible voters. The issue quickly became a political flashpoint amid a broader national debate over election integrity, with figures across the spectrum characterizing it differently.
Whether Congress advances the defense supplemental, Canada's response to the tariffs before the 30-day deadline, the Rogoff lawsuit, and any official findings on the New Jersey rolls.
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