United States in March 2026: the most important developments in politics
In the United States in March 2026, the war with Iran dominated politics. Iran confirmed on March 1 the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei after US and Israeli strikes, and named his son Mojtaba Khamenei as successor. President Donald Trump demanded Iran's unconditional surrender, and Congress voted down measures that would have required his approval for further military action. Between March 14 and 16 he asked the United Kingdom, Japan, China, South Korea and NATO allies to send warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz; European allies declined, and on March 20 he called NATO allies "cowards". On March 22 he gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait or face strikes on its power plants. He later said he had delayed the strikes and that talks were productive, which Iran denied. Iran rejected a 15-point US ceasefire plan on March 25. Trump extended his deadline, and Pakistan offered to host talks. By March 31 Trump had reportedly told aides he was willing to end the war even if the strait remained closed.
Relations with allies were strained. Britain declined to let US forces use its bases for offensive strikes, and Spain, after Trump threatened a trade halt, rejected involvement and on March 30 closed its airspace to US military aircraft. Italy also said it would not take part. Joe Kent, a senior counterterrorism official, resigned on March 17 in protest of Iran policy.
At home, Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on March 5, and the Senate confirmed Markwayne Mullin as her successor on March 24. In the Texas primaries, James Talarico won the Democratic Senate nomination, and Republicans John Cornyn and Ken Paxton went to a runoff. A funding standoff over airport security pay ended when Trump ordered TSA workers paid by executive action. Courts blocked subpoenas against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine overhaul, and a House committee subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Epstein files.
Trump also said Cuba was "next" and spoke of a "friendly takeover", while Cuba's president confirmed talks with US officials.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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