Blanche Confirmation Hearing, Iran War And Midterm Politics, Clayton ODNI Hearing
Up First from NPR
Jul 16, 2026
Congressional confirmation hearings reveal a recurring pattern: President Trump's nominees are being vetted more for their unwavering personal loyalty than for traditional qualifications. Lawmakers are struggling to extract acknowledgments of settled facts—like the 2020 election results—as the administration pushes an aggressive foreign policy agenda that may hinge on energy prices.
Key insight: Four out of five Americans expect the conflict with Iran to drag on indefinitely, signaling a stark disconnect between public outlook and the President's public framing that the war is 'almost over.'
