Americas·30 April 2026
The US military campaign against Iran has cost $25 billion, with gas prices hitting $4.23 and the naval blockade expected to continue for months. New evidence emerged in the Trump assassination attempt case, while the Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling limiting the Voting Rights Act. Mexican officials were indicted for cartel conspiracy, and the DOJ fired immigration judges who blocked student deportations.
Iran Conflict and Economic Fallout
The United States continues to face mounting costs from its 60-day military campaign against Iran, with a senior Pentagon official revealing that approximately $25 billion has been spent, mostly on ammunition. In a House hearing, Pentagon CFO Jules Hurst III provided the same figure, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended a record $1.5 trillion budget request. Republican lawmakers are considering a one-year authorization for use of military force, a move that would provide formal congressional backing for the conflict. Senators including Collins, Rounds, and Hawley are pushing for a war powers vote, noting that hostilities have exceeded the 60-day threshold under the War Powers Resolution.
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier has been withdrawn from the Middle East and is returning to the US after a 10-month deployment, significantly reducing naval presence. Meanwhile, President Trump told oil company executives that the naval blockade on Iran may continue for months if needed, according to Reuters. As a direct result, US commercial petroleum inventories are draining at a record rate, with Asian buyers purchasing American oil after being cut off from Iranian supplies. Gas prices have reached $4.23 per gallon, the highest in four years. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the energy price surge has not yet peaked, signaling further inflationary pressure as Brent crude nears $120 per barrel. The Fed held rates steady at 3.5-3.75% in its April meeting, with Powell stating he will remain on the Board after his term ends in May. In a separate incident, a US Navy MQ-4C Triton drone was shot down over the Persian Gulf but returned safely.
Trump Assassination Attempt Investigation
New court filings in the case of Cole Thomas Allen, charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, reveal disturbing selfies taken in his hotel room shortly before the attack. One image shows Allen in black attire with an ammunition bag, shoulder holster, and sheathed knife; another depicts him holding a knife. Prosecutors are seeking continued detention, citing the detailed plot and the weapons confiscated. The Secret Service confirmed that the officer shot during the incident was struck by a bullet from Allen's weapon, not by friendly fire. Investigators determined that six shots were fired in total: one by Allen and five by an agent.
Supreme Court and Voting Rights
The US Supreme Court issued a landmark 6-3 ruling that significantly narrows Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, effectively gutting a key provision used to challenge racially discriminatory redistricting. The court struck down Louisiana's congressional map and restricted the use of race as a factor in drawing districts. President Trump praised the decision as a win for fairness, while former President Obama condemned it as a severe setback for civil rights. The ruling is expected to reshape electoral maps nationwide and has already drawn sharp criticism from voting rights advocates.
Mexico and Cartel Corruption
The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York indicted nine current and former Sinaloa state officials, including Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, for conspiring with the Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. The officials are accused of accepting bribes to allow the cartel to operate with impunity. Among those charged are Senator Enrique Inzunza Cazarez and the mayor of Culiacán. The indictment highlights deep corruption within Mexico's state government.
Immigration Enforcement Developments
The Department of Justice terminated six immigration judges, including Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, who had blocked the deportation of pro-Palestinian students Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi. The firings mark an escalation in the administration's efforts to remove judicial obstacles to its immigration enforcement. Separately, ICE arrested Indian-origin truck driver Rajinder Kumar, accused in a fatal 2025 Oregon crash, after local authorities released him. The House voted 215-211-1 to approve a $70 billion budget resolution to fund ICE and Border Patrol for 3.5 years. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether the administration can strip temporary protected status from hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians.
Other US Domestic Incidents and Politics
A drone struck United Airlines Flight 1980, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, as it landed in San Diego at approximately 3,000 feet, though the aircraft landed safely with no injuries. The FBI released a behavioral assessment of the Brown University shooter, Claudio Neves Valente, indicating he targeted symbolic victims tied to personal grievances. In Florida, the Senate passed a new congressional map proposed by Governor DeSantis that is projected to give Republicans up to four additional House seats. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India during the royal visit. President Trump announced plans to release additional UFO-related data and pushed for an accelerated Moon landing timeline. A special passport series for the 250th anniversary features Trump's portrait. The Federal Communications Commission is reviewing ABC's broadcast licenses following a Jimmy Kimmel joke about Melania Trump. In Campo Grande, Brazil, a law restricting public women's bathrooms to biological women sparked protests.