Morning Wire Podcast Summary

Episode: Trump’s Hormuz Deadline & ICE Reinforces TSA?
Date: March 23, 2026
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe

Overview

This episode covers three major breaking stories:

• President Trump's dramatic ultimatum to Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz blockade and the looming risks of escalation.
• The domestic fallout of the ongoing DHS shutdown, with TSA agents absent from airports and ICE stepping in to fill the gap.
• A new analysis exposing how mainstream and tech platforms systematically sideline conservative news, impacting public perception of current events.

With a tone blending urgency, clear-eyed reporting, and pointed commentary, the podcast digs into political, economic, and media dimensions shaping American headlines.

Key Discussions & Insights

1. Trump’s Ultimatum to Iran: Strait of Hormuz Crisis

Timestamps: 00:33 – 07:05

• Situation Summary:

  • Iran continues to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global energy markets.
  • President Trump issues a 48-hour ultimatum: fully open the strait or face US strikes on Iranian power plants, breaking prior restraint against targeting civilian infrastructure.
  • Trump’s threat: “…if Iran does not fully open without threat the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the US will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first.” (03:02, Cabot Phillips quoting Trump)
  • White House has previously avoided such targets due to risk of wider energy turmoil.

• Iran’s Reaction:

  • Iranian officials call Trump’s threat a violation of international law, insisting, “If the enemy damages our power plants, nothing can stop us from continuing our operations to destroy the energy, oil and industrial infrastructure of the US and its allies in the region.” (04:05, Cabot Phillips)
  • Strategic calculus: Iran aims to keep its leverage with the blockade but faces the risk of internal unrest if crippled by US strikes.

• Global & Domestic Economic Impact:

  • Gas prices spike to a national average of $3.94/gallon (from $2.98 at war’s onset), the sharpest one-month rise since Hurricane Katrina. (05:20, Cabot Phillips)
  • Economic ripple: Rising fuel costs mean higher inflation; the Federal Reserve now likely to hike (rather than cut) interest rates—a “dramatic reversal.”
  • Pressure mounts on President Trump to resolve the conflict swiftly as economic anxieties intensify.

• Missile Strike on Diego Garcia:

  • Iran attempts long-range strike on US-British base Diego Garcia; missiles miss, but range (2,000 miles) is a “first,” putting even Central Europe in reach.
  • “Up until this war began, Iran had completely denied having missiles that could travel this sort of distance.” (06:18, Cabot Phillips)
  • White House sees the attack as vindication for considering direct action.

Notable Quote:
“We have unlimited ammunition, we have the greatest equipment in the world, and we are decimating Iran. It's about time.”
— Ben Shapiro (00:41)

2. TSA Absenteeism, ICE Reinforcements & Shutdown Politics

Timestamps: 08:11 – 12:33

• Crisis at Airports:

  • The DHS partial shutdown enters a second month with TSA agents unpaid but considered “essential.”
  • High absentee rates—up to 30% at some airports—cause multi-hour security lines and missed flights.
  • Effects are uneven and unpredictable: “One airport might be functioning relatively smoothly while another is seeing multi hour security lines or even checkpoint shutdowns. And that unpredictability is what’s frustrating travelers the most.” (08:35, Megan Basham)

• Political Stalemate:

  • Democrats refuse funding for DHS, demanding reforms to ICE—banning face masks, requiring personal identification.
  • Republicans argue these measures would expose ICE agents to harassment and threats.
  • “We know the Democrats are going to want to dox those ICE agents, go to their homes, harass their kids. That's a problem.” (10:39, Sean Duffy)

• Republican Response:

  • GOP frames the struggle as Democrats holding American air travelers “hostage” for political leverage.
  • Emphasis on Trump’s election as a mandate to secure the border and enforce immigration policy (11:04, Megan Basham).

• ICE Steps In:

  • The Trump administration moves to have ICE agents assist at airports, backfilling TSA shortages.
  • “Starting as early as this week, ICE agents are going to step in and help fill the staffing gap that we’re seeing with TSA.” (11:34, Megan Basham)
  • Suggestion that ICE officers free up TSA agents for more critical functions.

• Musk’s Offer:

  • Elon Musk posts on X (formerly Twitter) pledging:
    “…quote, pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is so negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country.” (11:59, Megan Basham)
  • Legal feasibility is unclear, but it signals the level of public concern.

3. Big Tech’s Conservative News Blackout

Timestamps: 13:05 – 17:31

• Study Findings:

  • New report by Media Research Center (MRC): Out of 620 top Apple News stories in January, 440 were left-wing, zero conservative.
  • February saw token improvement: out of 552 top stories, only 8 were from conservative outlets.
  • “So a 2% improvement.” (13:58, Ben Shapiro, dryly)

• Methodology:

  • MRC used All Sides, a third-party political bias ranking group, for classification.
  • Despite growing influence and scoops from right-leaning outlets, platforms systematically exclude them from user feeds.

• Impact on Public Perception:

  • Apple and Google amplify stories from the left even as trust in mainstream media plummets.
  • Washington Post's positive obituary for the Ayatollah, widely circulated via Apple News, contrasts the coverage slant (“framed the Ayatollah as this bushy, bearded lover of poetry,” 15:57, Ben Shapiro).
  • The anti-ICE narrative is showcased by headlines like "ICE shoots man in leg," without context.

• Wider Consequences:

  • “So politically, it's no surprise as to why the President's numbers crater on that issue in particular.” (16:22, Ben Shapiro)
  • Democrat positions are broadcast to “tens of millions, hundreds of millions” for free, emboldening their negotiating stance.

Notable Quote:
“It’s kind of a miracle that we’ve come this far without any help from these guys.”
— Ben Shapiro (15:27), on the conservative media’s survival and impact

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “The next 12 hours or so has the potential to be historic.”
  — Cabot Phillips (03:02), on Trump’s ultimatum
• “Flights get delayed leaving those cities, which means they arrive late somewhere else, and that disrupts connections across the network.”
  — Megan Basham (09:05), on the travel domino effect
• “We have families that are trying to go on vacation, and they're stuck in lines for two, three hours at a time.”
  — Sean Duffy (10:39), underscoring public frustration
• “Tell Miranda Devine that. Okay, I dare anyone to go to Miranda Devine's office and tell her that she didn't break the Hunter Biden story.”
  — Ben Shapiro (15:14), on conservative outlets breaking news

Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:33 – 03:58: Iran crisis, Trump’s ultimatum, and Iranian response
• 05:20 – 06:10: Economic fallout and gas price surge
• 06:10 – 06:57: Iranian missile strike on Diego Garcia
• 08:11 – 09:58: DHS shutdown and TSA absenteeism
• 11:25 – 11:59: ICE agents to reinforce airports; Musk’s offer
• 13:05 – 14:41: MRC data: media/tech bias against conservatives
• 15:26 – 16:22: Impact of legacy/Big Tech bias during wartime

Conclusion

This episode of Morning Wire dissects a tense moment in foreign policy, unpacks domestic disruptions from the federal shutdown, and exposes media bias that shapes how Americans understand the news. The hosts and guests draw a direct line between political strategy, media framing, and the real-world experiences of travelers, consumers, and voters.

Listeners walk away with a structured, fact-forward overview of fast-moving events—illustrating why trust in legacy channels is fraying, and why alternative coverage matters.