NYC Terror Plot Thickens & Iranian Athletes Kick Regime | 3.10.26

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary

Episode: NYC Terror Plot Thickens & Iranian Athletes Kick Regime
Date: March 10, 2026
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe
Guests: Ben Domenech, Cabot Phillips, Lyndon Blake

Overview

This episode covers three major news stories:

1. The FBI’s raid and arrest of two ISIS-inspired men linked to a New York City terror plot.
2. The latest on Iran’s ongoing military escalation and global oil market turmoil.
3. The plight of Iranian women’s soccer players in Australia as they seek to avoid persecution by the Iranian regime.

Throughout, the hosts highlight the erosion of trust in mainstream media and underscore the value of factual, direct news.

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1. NYC Terror Plot: FBI Raids and Radicalization

Segment: 00:04–06:40

Key Discussion Points

• Incident Overview:
  Two young men, Amir Balat (18) and Ibrahim Kayumi (19), both from well-off suburban Pennsylvania families, were arrested following an attempted bombing at a New York City protest. The act was ISIS-inspired and both suspects admitted their motive.

• Charges & Details:
  The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged them with five counts, including interstate transportation of explosives.

• Trend of Self-Radicalization:
  The case is seen as evidence of increasing self-radicalization among youth, especially those from affluent, privileged backgrounds. Ben Domenech contextualizes this as a new form of “radical chic,” comparing it to trends of the 1970s where radical causes attracted the privileged.

• Family Background:
  Despite being from wealthy families (homes valued at over $2 million), there were no warning signs in their backgrounds.

• Political and Societal Response:
  NYC Mayor Mamdani has come under scrutiny for refusing to use the word “terrorist” in relation to the suspects and focusing instead on protest rights. Ben Domenech criticizes this response, suggesting it reflects generational and party divides within the Democratic coalition concerning Israel and Islam.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Ben Domenech:
  “Their names respectively are Amir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi ... They traveled in interstate ways, which is one of the reasons why the DOJ has now charged them with five counts. That includes the interstate transportation of explosives ... this is another example of self-radicalization ... involving young people.” (02:33–03:15)

• On the family’s affluence and radicalization:
  “They seem like ... well-off suburban families ... more than $2 million home with six bedrooms, that kind of thing. ... a new embrace of what we used to refer to ... as radical chic ... there's enormous appeal for a lot of younger Americans ... to rebel against [success] ... a cool factor involved in that.” (03:35–04:32)

• On Mayor Mamdani’s response:
  “What we've heard from Mayor Mamdani does not involve him using the word terrorist. He has declined to use that. ... I don't think it matters that much if they're mostly peaceful. They also come with bombs designed to kill cops and protesters, designed to create mayhem and murder.” (04:49–05:29)

• Disturbing youth poll findings:
  “The latest polling ... finds that for Democrats under 30, 26% believe that Israel is a colonial power that must be dismantled ... 24% ... believe that the Holocaust was greatly exaggerated.” (06:02–06:25)

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2. Iran Crisis and Global Oil Markets

Segment: 07:48–11:32

Key Discussion Points

• Iran Escalation:
  Iran continues launching drone and missile attacks at Gulf states, with a missile crossing into Turkish airspace—a remarkable escalation given Turkey’s NATO membership.

• Leadership Transition:
  The regime solidifies its hardline stance by naming Ayatollah Khamenei’s son Mojtaba as his successor, signaling no shift away from radical ideology.

• Oil Price Rollercoaster:
  Asian and US markets experienced substantial volatility due to fears of supply disruption. Oil prices spiked to $120/barrel before falling back to the $80s after US reassurances.

• Strait of Hormuz Blockade Attempt:
  Iran targets the strategic shipping channel, disrupting almost a third of the world’s oil supply. Tankers have been attacked, and storage/refining bottlenecks are growing as companies delay shipments.

• U.S. and Allied Response:
  President Trump promises political risk insurance for tankers, suspends some oil-related sanctions, and asserts the US Navy will escort tankers when needed.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Cabot Phillips:
  “The economic fallout has been felt worldwide ... The price of a barrel soared to $120 by mid afternoon, but then fell ... to the mid-80s by Monday night, when President Trump offered ... indications that he can see a light at the end of the tunnel in Iran.” (08:53–09:57)

• Jay Young (King Operating Corporation):
  “Any type of disruption is going to hurt ... we could see prices literally go up and down 20, 30, $40 a barrel in one day just because of the speculation and the disruption ...” (10:33–11:02)

• President Trump (statement, via host):
  “The United States is offering political risk insurance ... also waiving certain oil related sanctions to reduce prices ... the US Navy and its partners will escort tankers through the Strait.” (11:14–11:32)

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3. Iranian Women’s Soccer Team Seeks Asylum in Australia

Segment: 12:06–15:55

Key Discussion Points

• Asylum Requests:
  At least five Iranian team members have gained asylum in Australia. Many others are asking not to be sent home, fearing persecution after failing to sing the national anthem at matches—a move the regime sees as treason.

• Regime and Family Risks:
  Having previously remained silent during the anthem, players faced immense pressure. Subsequent matches saw them comply with anthem singing and military salutes under threat. Fear of retribution for themselves and families remains high.

• International Solidarity and Political Intervention:
  Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s ousted Shah, publicly called on Australia to protect the players. The global soccer players’ union also released a statement supporting the women.

• U.S. and Australia Diplomatic Moves:
  President Trump spoke to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who assured protection for the players. The U.S. had previously offered to provide asylum if Australia did not. Concerns linger as the men’s World Cup approaches, with the Iranian federation suggesting its own participation is in doubt due to the ongoing conflict.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Lyndon Blake:
  “Five of the Iranian soccer players have found asylum ... but a lot of them are asking to stay in Australia because of what's going on back in their home country ... some of the women still feel like they need to go back to Iran to protect their families.” (12:27–14:35)

• On threats after the anthem incident:
  “What made it even more real is Reza Pahlavi ... commented on this. He begged Australia to ensure the girl's safety. ... ‘As a result of their brave act of civil disobedience and refusing to sing the current regime's national anthem, they face dire consequences should they return to Iran.’” (14:11–14:45)

• On international impact and the soccer calendar:
  “Keep in mind now that the men's FIFA World cup is coming to the US this summer ... Iran, they're supposed to participate ... [Iranian soccer federation president:] ‘What is certain is that after this attack ... we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope.’” (15:05–15:40)

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Memorable Moments & Tone

• The episode blends urgent reporting with a critical, skeptical tone towards officials’ public statements—especially around political correctness and the response to terrorism.
• The presenters express explicit concern about rising youth radicalization and about institutional unwillingness to directly address extremist threats.
• The story of the Iranian soccer players serves as a vivid, human-interest tale, underscoring the high personal costs of political conflict.

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Timeline Highlights

| Time | Segment/Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------| | 00:04 | NYC terror plot coverage begins | | 02:33 | Suspects identified and charges discussed | | 03:35 | Radicalization among affluent youth | | 04:49 | Mayor Mamdani’s controversial response | | 07:54 | Iran crisis and energy markets | | 08:53 | Oil price volatility explained | | 09:57 | Oil industry expert Jay Young comments | | 11:14 | President Trump's Gulf protection plan | | 12:06 | Iranian women's soccer team in Australia | | 14:11 | Reza Pahlavi and union statements | | 15:05 | Men’s FIFA World Cup context |

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Conclusion

This Morning Wire episode unpacks crucial global news, from domestic security threats and shifting political attitudes in the U.S. to the human toll of geopolitical crises abroad. Through informed guests and direct reporting, it focuses on unvarnished facts and urgent developments, providing listeners a “need-to-know” dispatch on political violence, economic chaos, and the courage of individuals standing up to authoritarian regimes.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

The FBI raids the homes of two ISIS inspired men arrested for a terror attack in New York City.

[John Bickley]

Both defendants have admitted that they acted on Saturday because of isis.

[Host/Anchor]

What do we know about the suspects and what charges do they face?

[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire executive editor John Bickley. It's Tuesday, March 10th, and this is Morning Wire.

[Host/Anchor]

As epic fury rages on, the price of oil surges, sparking fears of more pain at the pump. The plan is to get oil and natural gas and fertilizer and all the

[Ben Domenech]

products from the Gulf flowing through the

[Host/Anchor]

straits before too long.

[Georgia Howe]

And Trump steps in to help the Iranian women's soccer team in Australia after they were branded as wartime traitors by the regime.

[Host/Anchor]

We stand in solidarity with the men and women of Iran and particularly Iranian women and girls. Thanks for waking up with MORNING wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

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[Georgia Howe]

is on high alert after the arrest of two Muslim men who attempted to bomb a protest. The FBI have raided the suspect's homes with officials now stating the attack was inspired by isis.

[Host/Anchor]

Joining us now to discuss is Ben Domenech, host of the Big Ben show and the newly minted opinion editor here at the Daily Wire. Ben, great to have you on the show.

[Ben Domenech]

Great to be with you.

[Host/Anchor]

So look, we've learned more about the attack in New York over the weekend, particularly about the two men arrested in connection to the bombs. What are we Hearing from officials on them now.

[Ben Domenech]

Well, what we've discovered is that these two young men, an 18 and a 19 year old, their names respectively are Amir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi are both men from Pennsylvania who came across the border. They traveled in interstate ways, which is one of the reasons why the DOJ has now charged them with five counts. That includes the interstate transportation of explosives and, you know, a number of other things that come into play as federal crimes when you engage in this kind of behavior. But the theory has been pushed forward, not just by the nypd, by other commentators as well, that this is another example of self radicalization, a problem that we've seen in a number of these cases, including particularly, and I think this is of serious concern involving young people. And they apparently had the attitude toward this, of wanting and hoping for an incident along the lines of the Boston Marathon event years ago.

[Host/Anchor]

A lot of buzz about the homes that were rated the, the wealth of these families. What have you seen in terms of that discussion?

[Ben Domenech]

Well, one of the things that we know about these families is that they don't have any background that would associate them with this kind of behavior. They seem like, you know, well off suburban families in terms of the, the homes that they had that were, you know, in, in the upper crust of the area that they lived in, you know, in one case, a more than $2 million home with six bedrooms, that kind of thing. And I think that what you're seeing here is a new embrace of what we used to refer to back in the 1970, radical chic, you know, the idea that there's enormous appeal for a lot of younger Americans, even if they come from an environment in which they have everything on paper that they would need, that they go to good schools, that they have, you know, money as a family, that they're living, in many senses, the American dream, that they still rebel against it, that there's a cool factor involved in that designed to appeal. And I think that especially in the wake of what we saw with Luigi Mangioni, that that's something that is only going to continue to be an element of these types of attacks and attempt attacks going forward.

[Host/Anchor]

Now, Mayor Mamdani has come under a lot of scrutiny for his response to the attack. Initially on Sunday, we reported on his initial comments. Have we seen any action or heard any more from him?

[Ben Domenech]

What we've heard from Mayor Mamdani does not involve him using the word terrorist. He has declined to use that. He has not focused really on the bombers. He's instead tried to say things in a very general sense, that the protest that was going on at the time, the one which drew these bombers to it, which was backed by someone who's been called a white supremacist and had some elements to it that Mamdani has criticized in the past, that that kind of protest should be allowed, should be allowed to go forward, and that, you know, the counter protesters who came were, on the most part, peaceful. According to Mamdani, I don't think it matters that much if they're mostly peaceful. They also come with bombs designed to kill cops and protesters, designed to create mayhem and murder. And yet Mamdani seems to find it difficult to criticize this. One of the reasons that I think that's the case is because of how terrible the Democratic Party is when it comes to their younger cohort on issues related to Israel and Islam. We've, we've heard, you know, already the connections that these people, that these young men have potentially with, you know, being supportive of ISIS and the like. We'll see more about the evidence in the coming days, I think, on that front. But it's not in any way at odds with a gigantic cohort of the young people in the Democratic coalition to view Israel and everything associated with it in completely negative terms. The latest polling that we have from the Manhattan Institute, for instance, finds that For Democrats under 30, 26% believe that Israel is a colonial power that must be dismantled and destroyed. 38% believe that the October 7th attack was a false flag attack in order to justify the war in Gaza. And fully 24% of Democrats under the age of 30 believe that the Holocaust was greatly exaggerated.

[Host/Anchor]

Certainly very disturbing findings there. Ben, thank you so much for coming on.

[Ben Domenech]

Great to be with you.

[John Bickley]

Well, before we continue, I'm excited to give you some amazing news about an issue that we care about here at the Daily Wire. Our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom have just announced that the state of Vermont has agreed to change its policy that discriminated against Christian foster families. Families like the Wotes and Gantz were model foster parents. They had taken in siblings and even focused on caring for kids with struggles like fetal alcohol syndrome. And these parents had lost their foster licenses because they refused to compromise their faith by participating in a lie they were told. They had to agree to promote the state's radical gender ideology, including by taking kids to pride parades following a victory in a similar case out of Oregon last year. This win in Vermont means we're winning the battle, folks. I can't tell you how inspiring it is to learn about the courage of these families, moms and dads who have answered the call to care for vulnerable children who deserve a loving home. Go to joinadf.com wire and find out more about this incredible victory and how alliance Defending Freedom is standing up for everyday families and protecting our constitutional rights. That's join ADF.com/Wire or text Wire to 83848 and celebrate this amazing victory with us.

[Host/Anchor]

Amid fears of an energy crisis, global markets tumbled Monday before making a dramatic comeback.

[Georgia Howe]

Cabot Phillips, host of Wired in Live, joins us now with more. So, Cabot, we'll get to the economic news next. But first, I want to ask, what's the latest in Iran?

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, it's becoming increasingly clear that the Iranians have no plans on giving in to President Trump's demand of an unconditional surrender. The country continued to target numerous Gulf states with missiles and attack drones on Monday, with at least one of those missiles entering Turkish airspace for a second time. Now. That missile was shot down, but it's now the second time Turkey's been targeted, which again, is major considering their status as a NATO member. The regime's defiant response to Trump was also evident in their selection of Ayatollah Khamenei's son Mojtaba as his successor. The move suggests the country is not shying away from its radical ideology. The regime ordered Iranians to attend nationwide demonstrations yesterday to honor his ascension to the top spot.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, with that backdrop, we are approaching the two week mark and we're starting to see some economic outcomes across the globe. So where do things stand with the price of oil?

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah, the economic fallout has been felt worldwide, especially in Asia, where countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are heavily reliant on oil and gas imports. Coming through the Strait of Hormuz, their largest stock exchanges saw massive volatility this week, dropping 4 to 6% on Monday and then jumping back up when markets opened Tuesday. US Markets saw a similar but smaller swing. The dow was down 900 points Monday morning, but shot back up by the time markets closed, ultimately gaining more than 1% on the day. That came after President Trump made comments saying the war effort in Iran is, quote, very far ahead of schedule. But the biggest economic impact has been felt in the oil industry, where we saw similar volatility Monday. The price of a barrel soared to $120 by mid afternoon, but then fell all the way down to the mid-80s by Monday night, when President Trump offered even more indications that he can see a light at the end of the tunnel in Iran. Iranian strikes have already damaged a number of oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain. And new strikes continue to threaten key sites across the region. So obviously that's impacting production and output. But more importantly, Iran is attempting a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. That is the narrow waterway in which about of the global energy supply passes through daily. The Iranians have successfully attacked at least one oil tanker there and threatened to strike others. And that's understandably leading oil companies to halt or delay passage through the strait, which is causing a significant backup. And as those ships start to back up, storage tanks and refineries are filling up with nowhere for the oil to go. And that is forcing production to slow down while they wait for tankers to come in for transport. Here's Jay Young, CEO of King Operating Corporation, speaking to that point.

[Ben Domenech]

Any type of disruption is going to hurt. And when OPEC countries over the weekend said we're going to start shutting down some of our wells because we don't know if they're going to come through the Strait of Hormuz or not. And if you're shutting down production and you have oil in the market, I mean, there's just so much that can happen at the drop of a hat that we could see prices literally go up and down 20, 30, $40 a barrel in one day just because of the speculation and the disruption and the who knows what's going to happen factor out there.

[Cabot Phillips]

Speaking to the press last night, President Trump addressed the threat and outlined his plan to protect tankers operating in the

[Host/Anchor]

region during this brief disruption. The United States is offering political risk insurance to any tankers operating in the Gulf. We're also waiving certain oil related sanctions to reduce prices. When the time comes, the US Navy and its partners will escort tankers through the Strait. Needed.

[Georgia Howe]

Cabot, thanks for reporting.

[Cabot Phillips]

Absolutely.

[Ben Domenech]

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[Host/Anchor]

The Iranian women's soccer team just wrapped up competing in Australia as part of the AFC Asian cup tournament. But now their future is in Limbo as their home is a war zone.

[Georgia Howe]

Daily Wire reporter Lyndon Blake joins us now to explain what happens next for these soccer players and how President Trump is getting involved. So, Lyndon, first off, why are these female soccer players stuck in Australia?

[Lyndon Blake]

Yeah. So now we know that five of the Iranian soccer players have found asylum there in Australia, which is good news. But a lot of them are asking to stay in Australia because of what's going on back in their home country of Iran. And this is interesting because there's so many people that are trying to help them out, including President Trump. They're asking the Australian prime minister to continue to protect the team by not sending any of them back to Iran amid this war and out of the fear of them being persecuted. So there are many who think that these women, if they go back to Iran, are going to be harmed right now because in one of the matches before, they didn't sing the Iranian national anthem. So that was a couple of matches ago. And they got a lot of pushback from the current regime because they thought that them being silent during that national anthem made them a traitor, so to speak. So in their next two matches, they sang the Iranian national anthem, even did this military salute because of the pushback. So the women now are in this chaotic scene. I'm going to try to paint a picture for you. After their last match, which was Sunday, they were on this bus and a lot of Iranian supporters were surrounding the bus and they were chanting for Australian officials to protect the women. And some are reporting that there were at least three players on the bus that gave a universal hand sign that stands for help. So that was a key that was telling people like, okay, these women are scared for their lives to go back home to Iran and therefore they want the Australian government, government to do something to step in and protect them.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, did the regime or any representative from the regime say anything specific about these women after they failed to sing the national anthem?

[Lyndon Blake]

So the current regime viewed their silence as a form of treason. But what made it even more real is Reza Pahlavi, who's the son of Iran's ousted shah, commented on this. He begged Australia to ensure the girl's safety. He said this on X. As a result of their brave act of civil disobedience and refusing to sing the current regime's national anthem, they face dire consequences should they return to Iran. Even more so this organization, it's the union that is the global soccer players union for these women. They released a statement saying these statements significantly heightened concerns for the players safety should they return to Iran. So they have the union even backing them to not return home. Thankfully, President Trump did speak with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is the prime minister of Australia, and he says that the prime minister has taken care of the remainder of the team and that the team is in good hands. But what's interesting about this is Trump is saying that some of the women still feel like they need to go back to Iran to protect their families. But it seems that Trump is at peace with how Australia is handling this now after saying yesterday that the United States would step in and offer asylum if Australia did not. Keep in mind now that the men's FIFA World cup is coming to the US this summer, Iran, they're supposed to participate. They're supposed to kick things off June 15th in Los Angeles. And the Iranian soccer federation president said this. What is certain is that after this attack, talking about the war is we cannot be expected to look forward to the World cup with hope. So a lot of things happening since that war started.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, very frightening for them to have a target on their back and thinking about their families as well. Lyndon, thanks for reporting.

[Lyndon Blake]

Thanks.

[Host/Anchor]

Thanks for waking up with us. And for those listening to the show, you can also now watch the show free on Daily Wire, plus us. We'll be back this evening with more news you need to know.