Trump Orders Federal Funds for TSA to Try to Solve Pain at Airports

Summary

---

WSJ What’s News – PM Edition

Episode Title: Trump Orders Federal Funds for TSA to Try to Solve Pain at Airports

Date: March 27, 2026
Host: Alex Osola

---

Episode Overview

This episode tackles breaking developments at the intersection of U.S. domestic politics, Middle East conflict, and the resulting turmoil in global markets. The main theme is President Trump’s executive action to pay TSA workers amidst a Congressional standoff, set against the backdrop of ongoing warfare in Iran, geopolitical tensions, and their consequences for markets and daily life in the Gulf. The episode also covers notable political retirements, a rare court win for Argentina, and lighter stories on media personalities and consumer trends.

---

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Executive Action on TSA Funding

• [00:44] President Trump bypasses a deadlocked Congress by using executive powers to fund TSA workers amid an “unprecedented emergency” at U.S. airports.
• The immediate trigger: House Republican leaders (including Speaker Mike Johnson) rejected a Senate-passed bill funding most of DHS but excluding ICE and Border Patrol due to immigration policy disagreements.
• Trump’s swift move ensures TSA officers get paid as soon as Monday and aims to ease the “pain at airports.”

Notable Quote

Mike Johnson [01:28]:
“The Republicans are not going to be a party to this. They have taken hostage the funding processes of government so that they can impose their radical agenda on the American people and we can't have any part of it. This gambit that was done last night is a joke.”

---

2. Political Turmoil in the House

• Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), head of the Transportation Committee, announces retirement—one of over 50 House members departing, a record for a midterm election year.
• About half are seeking new offices, highlighting volatility within Congress.

---

3. Gulf States and the War with Iran

• Ongoing conflict following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran retaliates by blocking vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, escalating global tension.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio signals international concern over Iranian intentions in the strait.

Notable Quote

Senator Marco Rubio [02:40]:
“One of the immediate challenges we're going to face is an Iran that may decide that they want to set up a tolling system in the Straits of Hormuz. Not only is this illegal, it's unacceptable, it's dangerous to the world, and it's important that the world have a plan to confront it. The United States is prepared to be a part of that plan. We don't have to lead that plan, but we're happy to be a part of it.”

• Rubio tells G7 peers he expects the war to continue for 2-4 weeks.
• Pentagon considers deploying up to 10,000 additional ground troops in the Middle East for “more military options.”

---

4. Daily Life and Outlook in the Gulf — Yaroslav Trofimov Interview

[03:54] Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov reports from Dubai:

Missile Threats Become Background Noise

• Most missiles intercepted, but public is becoming dangerously desensitized.
• [04:04] Recent incident: Intercepted missile debris kills two people in Abu Dhabi.

UAE’s Frustrations and Goals

• UAE didn’t want the war, but became a main target of Iranian retaliation.
• Anger toward both Iran (for attacks) and U.S./Israel (for starting the conflict).
• UAE’s goals:
  • New regime in Iran that isn’t a threat
  • Restrictions on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs
  • Ban on Iranian support of terrorist groups
  • Reliable reopening of the Strait of Hormuz

Notable Quote

Yaroslav Trofimov [05:41]:
“Somebody told me in the first day of this conflict, people in the Gulf woke up angry with the US and Israel in the morning and went to bed angry with Iran. What everybody cares about is how it ends.”

War’s Outlook

• Trump is considering operations to seize islands or Iranian territory to force a deal.
• [06:16] Trofimov describes an expectation that things “will get worse before they get better.” Optimism is low for a swift end.

---

5. War’s Ripple Effect on Financial Markets

[07:33]

• U.S. stock indexes fall sharply: Nasdaq down >2% for 2nd day, Dow down 793 points, both in correction territory (down >10% from highs).
• Brent crude spikes above $112/barrel—highest since July 2022.
• Pause in U.S. energy strikes hasn’t eased market fears; investors are “bracing” for prolonged instability.

Notable Quote

Market Analyst [08:15]:
“Really, what's driving stocks down is fear. So the market is digesting a geopolitical shock, a sudden war in Iran that sent oil prices surging. Everyone is bracing.”

---

6. Other Headlines

• [08:49] U.S. appeals court rules Argentina doesn’t owe $16B to shareholders over YPF oil firm expropriation—boost to President Javier Milei’s free-market agenda.
• Savannah Guthrie (NBC’s Today Show): After her mother’s disappearance, Guthrie returns, addressing rumors and reaffirming her commitment to the show and its sense of family.

Notable Quote

Savannah Guthrie [09:24]:
“I can't come back and try to be something that I'm not. But I can't not come back because it's my family. I think it's part of my purpose right now.”

---

7. Consumer & Technology Trend: “Tech Neck”

[10:09]

• “Tech neck”—wrinkles caused by constantly looking down at phones—is becoming a target for new beauty products.
• Dermatologists suggest both products and behavioral tweaks.

Notable Quote

Dermatologist [10:15]:
“If you get these horizontal lines on the neck, AKA tech neck and want to do something to make them less apparent, here's one thing that helps better than all of the products actually designed to help with this Drock derm correction firming serum stick.”

---

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:44 – Trump’s executive action on TSA pay and Congressional gridlock
• 01:28 – Mike Johnson’s press conference quote
• 02:40 – Senator Rubio addresses Iran and the Strait of Hormuz
• 03:54 – Interview: Life in Dubai and Gulf during war (Yaroslav Trofimov)
• 04:26 – UAE’s war aims vs. U.S./Israel (Trofimov)
• 05:41 – Gulf public sentiment about the conflict (Trofimov’s quote)
• 06:16 – Outlook on war, escalation expectations
• 07:33 – War’s impact on stocks, oil, consumer sentiment
• 08:15 – Analyst discusses market fear (quote)
• 08:49 – Argentina wins appeals court YPF case
• 09:24 – Savannah Guthrie’s return to Today Show (quote)
• 10:09 – Discussion: Tech neck and beauty industry products

---

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• House Speaker Mike Johnson sharply criticizing Senate and “radical agenda” (01:28)
• Senator Marco Rubio warning of Iran’s possible “tolling system” in the Strait of Hormuz (02:40)
• Yaroslav Trofimov’s vivid illustration of Gulf anxieties: “Woke up angry with US and Israel… went to bed angry with Iran.” (05:41)
• Market Analyst’s blunt assessment: “What’s driving stocks down is fear.” (08:15)
• Savannah Guthrie’s emotional statement about her return to television (09:24)
• Dermatologist on tech neck solutions (10:15)

---

Conclusion

This WSJ What’s News PM episode offers an urgent snapshot of a world reeling from overlapping crises: a standoff in Washington, a volatile Middle East war, and unstable markets. Through succinct analysis and on-the-ground reporting, the podcast captures the immediate stakes and anxieties shaping headlines, political decision-making, everyday life in the Gulf, and financial outlooks—all while also shining a light on smaller but telling stories from technology’s impact on our bodies to the enduring pull of broadcast community.

---

Transcript

[Goldman Sachs Announcer]

From the Goldman Sachs trading floor in 10 minutes or less. Investors and analysts share timely analysis on the week's market activity. The markets podcast from Goldman Sachs. Listen now.

[Alex Osola]

President Trump takes executive action to pay TSA workers after funding efforts in Congress break down. Plus, countries in the Gulf are bracing for more war. And Wall street is trading like the worst from the Iran conflict is yet to come.

[Market Analyst]

Really, what's driving stocks down is fear. So the market is digesting. A geopolitical shock, a sudden war in Iran that sent oil prices surging. Everyone is bracing.

[Alex Osola]

It's Friday, March 27th. I'm Alex Osola for the Wall Street Journal. This is a PM Edition of what's news, the top headlines and business stories that move. President Trump has taken action to pay TSA workers by passing a Congress in gridlock. House Republican leaders today rejected a bill that would fund most of the Department of Homeland Security that had already passed in the Senate. As you heard on this morning's show, senators just after 2am Approved funding for DHS except for ICE and Border Patrol. House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a press conference today that his party wouldn't be a part of efforts to stop immigration enforcement.

[House Speaker Mike Johnson]

The Republicans are not going to be a party to this. They have taken hostage the funding processes of government so that they can impose their radical agenda on the American people and we can't have any part of it. This gambit that was done last night is a joke.

[Alex Osola]

While Congress's standoff over immigration enforcement seems likely to continue, Trump's executive action described the situation at the country's airports as a, quote, unprecedented emergency and called for using federal funds to pay TSA workers. DHS says TSA officers will get their paychecks as soon as Monday. And speaking of the House, Republican Representative Sam Graves of Missouri, the chairman of the Transportation Committee, is retiring from Congress. More than 50 House members have said they're leaving when their terms are up, a record for a midterm election year. About half of them are running for a different office. Today in the Middle East, Iran turned away two Chinese owned container vessels from crossing the Strait of Hormuz. It was unusual. Iran's blockade has focused on countries it sees as supporters of Israel and the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters today that after the fighting ends, it will be a priority to prevent Iran's control over the strait.

[Senator Marco Rubio]

One of the immediate challenges we're going to face is an Iran that may decide that they want to set up a tolling system in the Straits of Hormuz. Not only is this illegal, it's unacceptable, it's dangerous to the world, and it's important that the world have a plan to confront it. The United States is prepared to be a part of that plan. We don't have to lead that plan, but we're happy to be a part of part of it.

[Alex Osola]

The journals also learned that Rubio has told G7 counterparts that he expects the war will continue for two to four weeks. U.S. central Command said today that more than 300 U.S. troops have been injured after four weeks of war with Iran. The Pentagon is looking at sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle east to give President Trump more military options. Meanwhile, Israel attacked Iran's weapons facilities, including two nuclear program sites elsewhere in the Gulf. The pace of attacks from Iran hasn't stopped completely, but it's slowed. That's made life a bit easier in the United Arab Emirates, where businesses have tried to adjust to disruptions and residents have gotten used to missile attack warnings. But even so, Gulf states are bracing for even more turbulence to come as they push for a conclusive outcome to the war. Yaroslav Trofimov, the Journal's chief foreign affairs correspondent, joins me now from Dubai. Yaroslav, what has life in Dubai been like during the conflict?

[Yaroslav Trofimov]

Well, you know, it's really strange because on one hand you do get these missile attack warnings and drone attacks, but most of the missiles have been successfully intercepted. And so actually a lot of people in the UAE are not paying attention to these warnings anymore, which is dangerous because just on Thursday, there was a missile that was intercepted over the city of Abu Dhabi and debris fell and killed two people there.

[Alex Osola]

How does the UAE want this conflict to end? And how does that differ from how the US Or Israel wants it to end?

[Yaroslav Trofimov]

Well, it's not clear what the US Wants because President Trump keeps moving the goalposts of his policy and hasn't quite clearly articulated what he actually wants. The UAE didn't want this war, but once the US And Israel struck Iran, what happened here is that Iran actually fired more at UAE than anyone else and more than Israel. And so this country that didn't really want the war was the one that was basically the biggest victim of the Iranian retaliation. And there is a lot of anger with Iran's behavior. UAE officials are calling the Iranian Revolutionary Guard that is running in the country now the terrorist organization. And I think they are seeking a brand new regime in Iran that would not be a threat to the uae. So they want a deal that would involve not just the nuclear issue, which was the trigger for this military action by the US And Israel, but also curbs on the Iranian ballistic missile capabilities, a ban on Iran supporting terrorist groups or extremist militias around the Middle east, like in Lebanon or Yemen, and above all, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to free navigation.

[Alex Osola]

You mentioned that there's a lot of anger in the UAE at Iran, which makes sense. They have been bombing them. But how about at the US And Israel for starting this conflict?

[Yaroslav Trofimov]

Somebody told me in the first day of this conflict, people in the Gulf woke up angry with the US And Israel in the morning and went to bed angry with Iran. What everybody cares about is how it ends. And as far as the UAE is concerned, they want the war to end in some kind of clean way that doesn't involve protracted instability. An economy like Dubai that is based on tourism, on services, on the airline industry can't really afford to be in headlines because of missiles and drones every few months.

[Alex Osola]

The way things are headed right now, how likely is it that the UAE will get that wish?

[Yaroslav Trofimov]

President Trump is sending ground troops to the region. He's contemplating operations to seize some islands, perhaps in the Persian Gulf, maybe other bits of Iranian territory, to compel the Iranian regime to a deal. The bombing goes on in Iran. And so a lot of people in the Gulf are thinking that things will get worse before they get better and they will see another round of escalation. And there is very little optimism that this will end anytime soon.

[Alex Osola]

That was WSJ chief foreign affairs correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov. Thanks, Yaroslav. Thank you. Coming up, the war's effect on markets this month. And have you heard of Technec? That's after the break.

[Harvard Business School Announcer]

Harvard Business School executive education delivers breakthrough learning for leaders, stimulating classes led by faculty at the forefront of their fields, topics that will define the future of business, discussions that transform perspectives and ways of thinking and access to the brightest business minds on the planet. Learn more at HBS ME Breakthrough. That's HBS ME Breakthrough.

[Alex Osola]

US Stocks fell sharply again today after yesterday's sell off. The Nasdaq led the losses, falling more than 2% for the second day in a row. The Dow dropped 793 points, joining the Nasdaq in correction territory. That means the indexes are more than 10% off their recent highs. The S and p, meanwhile, fell 1.7%. It's dropped for five straight weeks. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, climbed above $112 a barrel, its highest close since July 2022. Even though President Trump this week paused on energy strikes to allow time for negotiations. WSJ's what's News and Markets host Imani Moise says investors are worried that there's more pain to come from the war.

[Market Analyst]

We're seeing that consumer sentiment has decreased. You're also seeing that amongst investors. And people are also p to options that bet against the s and P500. So all of the major indexes are on track to end this month in the red. The Nasdaq entered correction territory this week and The S&P 500 is on track for its worst monthly performance since 2022. Really, what's driving stocks down is fear. So the market is digesting a geopolitical shock, a sudden war in Iran that sent oil prices surging. Everyone is bracing.

[Alex Osola]

A US Federal appeals court today ruled that Argentina doesn't have to pay shareholders $16 billion for its takeover of the country's biggest oil company, YPF. The ruling is a victory for Argentinian President Javier Milei, an ally of President Trump, and allows Milei's government to continue its free market overhaul. And Savannah Guthrie, co anchor of the Today show, will return to the program on April 6, more than two months since the disappearance of her 84 year old mother. In an interview with NBC veteran Hoda Kotb that aired today, Guthrie said the Today show was also her family.

[Savannah Guthrie]

I can't come back and try to be something that I'm not. But I can't not come back because it's my family. I think it's part of my purpose right now.

[Alex Osola]

The announcement puts to bed rumors of a potential exit that had swirled since Guthrie's mother's disappearance. No arrests have been made in the Nancy Guthrie case. And finally, turns out that staring at your phone for hours each day, which most Americans do by the way, isn't just bad for your eyes and also maybe your sleep. It's apparently also causing neck wrinkles that some are calling tech neck. And the beauty industry is pitching solutions.

[Solawave Representative]

Solawave's neck and chest mask is low effort. It's spa grade at home. You can lay down, you can watch

[Dermatologist]

TV or doom scroll dermatologist here. And I got you. If you get these horizontal lines on the neck, AKA tech neck and want to do something to make them less apparent, here's one thing that helps better than all of the products actually designed to help with this Drock derm correction firming serum stick.

[Alex Osola]

Also worth considering looking at your phone a little less to begin with. And that's what's news for this week. Tomorrow you can look out for our weekly markets wrap up. What's news in markets? Then on Sunday, we'll be discussing the rise of AI agents like OpenClaw and the opportunities and risks they bring with them. That's in what's New Sunday. And we'll be back with our regular show on Monday morning. Today's show is produced by Pierre Biennime with supervising producer Tali Arbel. Michael Lavall wrote our theme music. Aisha Al Muslim is our development producer. Chris Insinsley is our deputy editor. And I'm Alex Osala. Thanks for listening.

[Goldman Sachs Announcer]

How are the US Businesses of Philip Morris International invested in America? We're invested in advancing science, giving adults who smoke better options. We're invested in American manufacturing, helping local economies thrive. We're invested in community supporting military veterans and their families, disaster relief and economic empowerment because we're proud to be invested in America. See [e-mail].