Iran War Week 5, Trump's Mixed Messages, TSA Back Pay

Summary

Up First from NPR: March 31, 2026

Episode Title: Iran War Week 5, Trump’s Mixed Messages, TSA Back Pay
Hosts: Michelle Martin, Leila Fadel
Main Correspondents: Aya Betrawi (Dubai), Deepa Shivram (White House), Joel Rose (Transportation)
Episode Theme:
A fast-moving update on Week 5 of the Iran War—focusing on diplomacy and military action, President Trump's conflicting statements, and the ongoing consequences of the Homeland Security shutdown, especially TSA officer pay.

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Episode Overview (00:02 – 00:31)

• Pakistan offers to host U.S.-Iran talks as military tensions continue.
• President Trump claims Iran is agreeing to parts of his plan while threatening attacks.
• TSA workers receive delayed pay amidst DHS funding deadlock.

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1. The Situation in the Gulf: Iran War, Week 5

Key Details from Dubai – Report by Aya Betrawi
Segment: 01:56 – 05:19

• Economic & Social Impact

  • Dubai’s peak tourism season is subdued due to the war:

    "Hotels are pretty empty...the government did approve a financial package to help businesses...the central bank is also allowing local banks to draw from cash reserves as people move their money out or defer on payments." – Aya Betrawi (02:17)

  • Shortages: Difficulty finding basics like carrots; main port shut due to Strait of Hormuz closure.
  • “New normal”: Missile defense sirens are now standard; city lacks infrastructure like bomb shelters.
  • Audio snippet: Missiles being intercepted overhead in Dubai (02:58).

• Military Escalation

  • Iran intermittently allows limited passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • U.S. and Israeli attacks ongoing; Iran launches daily missile and drone strikes at Gulf countries.
  • U.S. Marine deployments and 82nd Airborne Division sent to the region.
  • Limited progress: "Pakistan says Iran agreed to let an additional 20 Pakistani ships pass...just two a day. That's a fraction of what was passing before this war." – Aya Betrawi (03:44)

• Iran’s Counterattacks

  • Key Gulf infrastructure hit:
    • Extensive damage to aluminum plants in UAE and Bahrain.
    • Iranian drone strikes target Kuwaiti desalination and power plants:

      “Kuwait...relies almost entirely on desalination...attack came after power outages in parts of Tehran from U.S.-Israeli strikes." – Aya Betrawi (04:31)

  • U.S. confirmation of more than a dozen wounded service members and damaged aircraft in Saudi Arabia:

    "More than a dozen US Service members were wounded...at Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base. These aircraft were equipped with radars that are key to detecting incoming threats, and they were damaged." – Aya Betrawi (05:10)

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2. Trump’s Mixed Messages and U.S. Policy on Iran

Segment: 05:21 – 09:04

• Conflicting Statements

  • Trump vacillates between touting negotiation successes and making explicit threats:

    “He also threatened to, quote, conclude our lovely stay in Iran with more strikes if a deal is not reached.” – Leila Fadel (05:36)

  • Shares videos of presumed U.S. attacks on Iranian territory via social media.

• Shift in U.S.-Iran Diplomacy?

  • Trump claims to be negotiating with a "new and more reasonable regime" in Iran, but his spokeswoman is vague:

    “Of course, anything they say to us privately will be tested...if they are not, the president has laid out the military consequences.” – Press Secretary Caroline Levitt (06:16)

  • Pakistan ready to host U.S.-Iran talks, but little evidence of imminent meeting. Iran denies ongoing negotiations.
  • Negotiations centered on reopening the Strait of Hormuz; President previously set April 6 as a deadline, now calls for a deal “shortly.”

    “If it's not [reached], the U.S. he says, will resume strikes on Iran. And Trump says they'll hit electric plants, oil wells, and possibly desalinization plants.” – Deepa Shivram (06:33)

• Escalation vs. Withdrawal

  • U.S. troop buildup continues: About 50,000 troops in the region.
  • Administration claims it’s about “giving the president options,” but actual war strategy remains ambiguous.

• Political Impact

  • Republican base supports war, Independents and Democrats mostly oppose it, per recent Quinnipiac polling.

    “War usually just brings in a lot of uncertainty, which isn't really boding well for the administration right now. But he says the election isn't tomorrow. There's still time.” – GOP strategist Alex Conant paraphrased by Deepa Shivram (08:55)

  • Mixed messaging may have consequences for the White House as midterm elections approach.

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3. TSA Back Pay and Ongoing DHS Shutdown

Segment: 09:12 – 12:44

• TSA Workers Receive Partial Back Pay

  • First payments in over a month reaching TSA workers; some relief but not all back pay completed.

    “Most people's bank accounts were negative by the time they got this payment...They have not been paid for part of a third missed paycheck.” – Joel Rose (09:35)

  • Funding source for payments remains unclear; legality questioned by critics.

• Operational Strain and Uncertainty

  • Long security lines improving as some staff return.
  • Over 500 TSA officers quit during shutdown.
  • Recruitment challenge ahead:

    “TSA as a whole is going to have a huge problem once this is all over and done with...trying to get new candidates.” – Caleb Harmon Marshall, former TSA officer (11:35)

  • Not all DHS employees paid yet (FEMA, Coast Guard remain unpaid).

• Regional Disparities at Airports

  • Longest lines where travel volume and staff callouts coincide (e.g., Houston, Atlanta, New York).

    “Houston has always been a tough labor market for TSA, and that when the oil and gas industry was doing well, his workforce would often quit and take jobs there.” – Former high-ranking TSA officer (12:24)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dubai's New Reality:

  “This city does not have shelters because Dubai was never attacked by missiles before this war.” – Aya Betrawi (02:46)

• On U.S. Messaging:

  “This is about giving the president options. That doesn't necessarily indicate any new decisions from the president, but it does leave a lot of questions as to how successful US operations are going and how much longer this war is really going to last...” – Deepa Shivram (07:28)

• On the Fragility of TSA Staffing:

  “More than 500 TSA officers have quit during this shutdown, according to DHS.” – Joel Rose (11:40)

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Important Timestamps

• Gulf Update: Firsthand from Dubai – 02:11
• Impact of Missile Attacks (Audio) – 02:52
• U.S.-Iran Diplomacy & Military Threats – 05:21
• White House Dynamics & Political Analysis – 07:04
• TSA Pay Explained – 09:33
• Challenges Facing TSA and Security Lines – 11:18

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This episode delivers a concise yet comprehensive look at the high-stakes diplomatic and military brinkmanship between the U.S. and Iran, the tangible impacts of ongoing conflict on civilians and global infrastructure, as well as the very real consequences of political gridlock at home for U.S. federal workers and travelers.

Transcript

[Michelle Martin]

Pakistan says it is ready to host talks between the US And Iran, but

[Leila Fadel]

are there signs a meeting will take place as the U.S. deploys Marines to the region and Iran attacks U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia?

[Michelle Martin]

I'm Michelle Martin. That's Leila Fadel. And this is up first from NPR News. President Trump says Iran agreed to Most of his 15 point plan to end the war, but he also threatened to obliterate Iran's energy infrastructure if a deal isn't reached soon. So what's behind the mixed messaging?

[Leila Fadel]

Some TSA workers are finally getting paychecks after more than a month without them, but Congress still hasn't reached a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security. So when will their next paycheck come? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

[Aya Betrawi]

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[Joel Rose]

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[Michelle Martin]

These days. It feels like the news changes every hour. Well, NPR has a podcast that does that, too. NPR News now brings you a fresh five minute episode every hour of the day with the latest, most important headlines in episodes that are clear, fact based and easy to digest. Listen to NPR News now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Iran is allowing some ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but the vast majority of oil and gas tankers remain trapped.

[Leila Fadel]

Thousands of US And Israeli attacks on Iran. It's still launching dozens of missiles and drones daily at Gulf countries.

[Michelle Martin]

Joining us to talk about the latest from the Gulf is NPR international correspondent Aya Betrawi in Dubai. Aya, good morning. Thanks for joining us.

[Aya Betrawi]

Good morning, Michelle.

[Michelle Martin]

So what's it like there today, more than a month into the war?

[Aya Betrawi]

Well, to begin with, this is supposed to be the peak tourism season here, but the hotels are pretty empty. You know, the government did approve a financial package to help businesses here that are suffering just yesterday. And the central bank is also also allowing local banks here to draw from cash reserves to help with liquidity as people move their money out or defer on payments or maybe even require more loans. And then there's what we call the new normal here. You know, this is a safe haven. People are not accustomed to coming under attack. And this city does not have shelters because Dubai was never attacked by missiles before this war. But this is what it sounded like this morning just a few hours ago from my balcony. So that was the sound of missiles overhead being intercepted. There's also fighter jets overhead chasing and shooting down Iranian made shahed drones, which are relatively cheap to make and have caused extensive damage. Interceptors are expensive and in limited supply, and they're being safe to shoot down those missiles you just heard. And then there's the smaller things I've noticed, Michelle, like restaurants still offering premium wagyu beef and other luxury items on their menus. But then I had to go to a few different grocery stores yesterday to find carrots. Dubai imports most of its food, and the main port here has been inaccessible because the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed now for the past month.

[Michelle Martin]

Well, that sounds really scary. So President Trump said in an online post yesterday that if a deal isn't reached soon with Iran to open the strait, the US Would blow up and obliterate Iran's electricity plants. So what can you tell us about efforts to open the strait?

[Aya Betrawi]

Pakistan says it's ready to host the US And Iran for a meeting in the coming days, but there is no sign that a meeting is actually happening. If anything, a couple thousand and Marines are now in the area, and the 82nd Airborne Division was deployed last week. It's unclear if Trump will order them to take Iran's car island that holds most of Iran's oil. But the Trump administration says U.S. diplomacy is working and they say that's why some ships are moving through the strait. Iran, though, says there are no talks with the US and it is controlling the strait. Pakistan says Iran agreed to let an additional 20 Pakistani ships pass through the strait, but that's just two a day. That's a fraction of what was passing before this war.

[Michelle Martin]

And you just played us that sound of missiles being intercepted above you in Dubai. What can you tell us about Iran's counterattacks on other parts of the Gulf?

[Aya Betrawi]

So key aluminum plants here were hit and there was extensive damage to the one in the UAE and then also in Bahrain. And in recent days, authorities in Kuwait say Iran attacked a water desalination and power plant, damaging a service building there. Now, Kuwait, like other Gulf countries, relies almost entirely on desalination to draw seawater out and then turn that into drinking water. And that attack came after Iran says there were power outages in parts of Tehran over the past two days. From U.S. israeli strikes. Also, NPR has confirmed from a U.S. official not authorized to speak publicly that more than a dozen US Service members were wounded in a Friday night attack that also damaged two aircraft at Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base. Now, these aircraft were equipped with radars that are key to detecting incoming threats, and they were damaged.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Aya Bertawi in Dubai. Aya, thank you.

[Aya Betrawi]

Thanks, Michelle.

[Michelle Martin]

That social media post from President Trump about the state of Hormuz touting negotiations while making escalating threats, is just one example of his inconsistent message about the war on truth Social. He talked about how serious negotiations with Iran are and he was probably going to make a deal soon.

[Leila Fadel]

In that same sentence, he also threatened to, quote, conclude our lovely stay in Iran with more strikes if a deal is not reached. Monday night in another post, he shared video of what the Associated Press reports is a likely US Attack on the city of Isfahan.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR White House correspondent Deepa Shivran is with us now to tell us about this. Good morning, Deepa.

[Deepa Shivram]

Good morning.

[Michelle Martin]

So tell us more about what President Trump is saying now.

[Deepa Shivram]

Yeah, well, President Trump said yesterday on social media that the U.S. is in discussions with a, quote, new and more reasonable regime in Iran, though at the press briefing yesterday, Press Secretary Caroline Levitt declined to go into detail on what that meant.

[Aya Betrawi]

Of course, anything that they say to us privately will be tested, and we will ensure that they are being held accountable to their word. And if they are not, the president has laid out the military consequences that the Iranian regime will see if they don't hold true to the words that we are hearing privately behind the scenes.

[Deepa Shivram]

And the president's post said something similar to what he's been saying for weeks, that great progress has been made in the negotiations so far, but there isn't yet an agreement on opening the Strait of Hormuz, which is a critical route for oil transportation. And Trump had previously said that April 6th was this deadline for reopening the strait. Now in his post online, he's saying that a deal needs to be reached quote, shortly. If it's not, the U.S. he says, will resume strikes on Iran. And Trump says they'll hit electric plants, oil wells, and possibly desalinization plants.

[Michelle Martin]

So the timeline the administration has set for the war to end was roughly six weeks. This conflict is now in week five. But thousands more troops were sent to the region this weekend. Do we have a sense of what the administration actually believes and is planning for?

[Deepa Shivram]

Yeah, this is where some of that mixed messaging really comes in because the president has been saying things like, you know, talks with Iran have been moving forward. He thinks that a deal will be reached on the Street. He's even said that the US Is actually way ahead of schedule on achieving their goals in Iran. So maybe that means means things would wrap up early. But while he's saying all that, he's sending thousands of U.S. troops to the region. There's going to be about 50,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East. Now, Caroline Levitt said yesterday that this is about giving the president options. That doesn't necessarily indicate any new decisions from the president, but it does leave a lot of questions as to how successful US Operations are going and how much longer this war is really going to last, how much more involved US Personnel might be on the ground. And I should note, while all of that is happening, Iranian leaders are denying that there are ongoing negotiations with the US at all.

[Michelle Martin]

So as you just told us, the president has been touting this war as a success so far, but what do voters think?

[Deepa Shivram]

Right. So for his base, Republicans are largely supportive of the war and support US Military action in Iran, but a majority of independents and, of course, Democrats oppose it. And that's according to polling from Quinnipiac from last week. The president continues to both do this dance, right. Of ramping up pressure on Iran, threatening more military action while also trying to push negotiations. And whichever direction he goes in will have political consequences as well as massive impacts in the region. And here at home, midterm elections are just about six months away. I was talking to a Republican strategist, Alex Conant, who was telling me that war usually just brings in a lot of uncertainty, which isn't really boating well for the administration right now. But he says the election isn't tomorrow. There's still time.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR's Deepa Shivram. Deepa, thank you.

[Deepa Shivram]

Thank you.

[Michelle Martin]

Security Screeners at most U.S. airports are finally getting paid.

[Leila Fadel]

TSA officers have started receiving their first payments since the Homeland Security shutdown began more than 40 days ago. But the shutdown has not ended, and when agents will be paid next is still unclear.

[Michelle Martin]

NPR's Joel Rose is with us now with the latest. Good morning, Joel.

[Joel Rose]

Good morning.

[Michelle Martin]

So what do we know about these payments?

[Joel Rose]

Well, we know they started hitting the bank accounts of many TSA screeners yesterday, and that is some relief for the roughly 50,000 TSA security officers who have been working without pay since funding lapsed more than six weeks ago. I talked last night with Johnny Jones. He's a leader with the union that represents TSA workers. The employees are happy. They're receiving some money, right? There's a sense of relief there because most people's bank accounts were negative by the time they got this payment. But at the same time, Jones says there is still a lot of anxiety and concern. These screeners still have not gotten the full amounts that they were owed. DHS says most screeners have been paid for the two full paychecks they missed, but they have not been paid yet for part of a third missed paycheck. DHS says it is working aggressively to process that one.

[Michelle Martin]

Where is the money coming from to pay these officers?

[Joel Rose]

It's a good question. President Trump signed a memo last week ordering Homeland Security to find the money to pay TSA workers after Congress repeatedly failed to reach a deal to fund the department. Lawmakers have disagreed over calls for tighter restrictions on immigration enforcement after Homeland security officers killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis in January. But that said, we still don't know exactly where the money is coming from. A lot of the Trump administration's critics are wondering if it is even legal for the White House to do this. And if it is legal, why didn't it happen sooner? Thousands of TSA officers have called out of work since the shutdown began. Many have picked up second jobs, leading to some of the longest security lines in the agency's history. But we still don't know when those security screeners will get paid next. And, of course, none of this helps other DHS staff who are still not getting paid as the shutdown continues, including staffers at FEMA and at the Coast Guard.

[Michelle Martin]

That's a good point. There are still people who are not getting paid at all. Okay, to those security lines. Are those long lines now behind us?

[Joel Rose]

Well, the initial signs are good. Security lines were generally much shorter on Monday, closer to normal. But the fallout from this episode is likely not totally over yet. I talked to Caleb Harmon Marshall. He is a former TSA security officer who now writes a newsletter called Gate Access. TSA as a whole is going to

[Michelle Martin]

have a huge problem once this is all over and done with.

[Joel Rose]

You know, trying to get new candidates to come and work this job. You know, more than 500 TSA officers have quit during this shutdown, according to DHS.

[Michelle Martin]

Joe, one thing people were wondering is why some airports had long lines and not others do.

[Joel Rose]

You know, I've wondered that, too. I mean, we tended to see the longest lines at airports where there was a high volume of travel that day combined with a high percentage of call outs. At TSA, which sometimes hit 40% or more. I talked yesterday to a former high ranking TSA officer at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, which had four hour security lines at times over the past month. He requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. He told me Houston has always been a tough labor market for TSA and that when the oil and gas industry was doing well, his workforce would often quit and take jobs there. So maybe that was a factor this time in Houston. But why did we see such high call outs at other airports in places like Atlanta, in New York, in New Orleans, in Baltimore? I don't know if we're ever going to know.

[Michelle Martin]

That is NPR transportation correspondent Joel Rose. Joel, thank you.

[Joel Rose]

You're welcome.

[Michelle Martin]

Before you go, could you please take a moment to rate and review us on your podcast app? Accuracy and depth are at the heart of what we do here at npr. One listener said they need up first to stay informed in their review, and if they skip a day, they start to feel lost. So if this show is an essential part of your morning routine, please take a moment to tell us what you think. It's a small, free way to support NPR's journalism and it helps other listeners find us. And thank you.

[Leila Fadel]

If you don't like it, don't leave a review. No, I'm just kidding.

[Michelle Martin]

No, that's censorship. No. And that's up first for Tuesday, March 31st. I'm Michelle Martin.

[Leila Fadel]

And I'm Layla Falden. Today's episode of up first was edited by Jerry Holmes, Rebecca Metzler, Russell Lewis, Mohamed Albardisi and Adriana Gallardo. It was produced by Ziad Buch and Eva Puketch. Our director is Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. Our technical director is Carly Strange. Our supervising senior producer is Vince Pearson. Join us again tomorrow.