National politics roundup

Tensions with Iran are escalating. The U.S. is carrying out nightly air strikes and re-instituting naval blockades as President Donald Trump tries to wrest control of the Strait of Hormuz. And after three American service members were killed in Iranian attacks this weekend, hopes for an imminent peace agreement look grim.

Tehran is accusing the U.S. of war crimes, claiming strikes targeted civilian infrastructure including bridges and rail lines. An Iranian senior advisor warned that if attacks continued, Iran would enter “a phase of full-scale offensive and destructive operations.”

In a primetime address last week, President Trump spent little time on the Middle East. Instead, he sounded the alarm around election security, reiterated unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, and called upon congress to pass his SAVE America Act – a bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and voter ID at the polls. 

The president’s focus on election security is increasing pressure on Republican lawmakers ahead of the midterms. As Pennsylvania congressman Brian Fitzpatrick put it last week: “This constant circling back to 2020 is not doing him or anyone else any favors.” 

Democrats are also contending with intra-party politics as support for Israel and the implosion of the Graham Platner campaign raises questions around the party’s identity. 

Plus, after two high-profile ICE killings last week, what’s the state of immigration enforcement? 

Today, a look at the biggest national stories with commentators from either side of the aisle. 

Guests: 

• Mustafa Rashed, president and CEO of Bellevue Strategies
• Terry Tracy, founder of Broad + Liberty and CEO of Fideri News Network