A federal judge in Washington DC has delivered a stinging rebuke to the US Justice Department, quashing subpoenas issued to the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, in a ruling that alleges a politically motivated attempt to pressure the independent central bank.
Chief Judge James Boasberg, in a 27-page ruling, found a “mountain of evidence” suggesting the subpoenas—including one seeking testimony from Powell himself regarding Fed renovations—were served “to pressure its Chair into voting for lower interest rates or resigning.” He concluded the government had produced “essentially zero evidence to suspect Chair Powell of a crime” and that the subpoenas were issued for an “improper purpose.”
The ruling was immediately seized upon by Republican Senator Thom Tillis, a crucial vote on the Senate Banking Committee. He hailed it as proof of a “weak and frivolous” criminal investigation and a “failed attack on Fed independence.” Tillis had previously refused to confirm the president’s nominee for Fed chair, former governor Kevin Warsh, until the probe into Powell was dropped. Powell’s term as chair expires in May.
Domestic Pressures: Immigration Quotas and a Shuttered Agency
The judicial pushback against perceived overreach coincides with ongoing domestic controversies surrounding federal enforcement agencies. In a federal courtroom in Oregon, testimony has revealed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers used a custom-made surveillance app and operated under daily arrest quotas.
An ICE agent identified as JB testified that his team was given a verbal order to target eight arrests a day. This practice, emerging from a class-action lawsuit challenging warrantless arrests, appears to contradict repeated denials by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that such quotas exist. The app used by officers is reportedly called “Elite.” The testimony aligns with public statements by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, who previously stated the administration’s target was 3,000 daily arrests.
Meanwhile, a partial shutdown of the DHS is causing upheaval within its ranks. Employees of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are set to miss their first full paychecks, with more than 300 staff having already left the agency. The Senate has repeatedly failed to pass a funding bill, with Democrats demanding stronger guardrails on immigration enforcement and Republicans insisting on a full appropriations package. Notably, ICE continues to operate thanks to funding from a previous tax bill.
Escalation in the Middle East and Global Ripples
The judge’s ruling lands as the administration grapples with the volatile aftermath of its military campaign against Iran. The conflict has severely disrupted global oil shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz. Maritime data shows only 77 ships have transited the strait so far in March, compared to 1,229 in the same period last year, with many of the current vessels belonging to ageing, opaque “shadow fleets” linked to Iran and Russia.
In response, the Pentagon is deploying additional forces. According to officials cited by the Wall Street Journal, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved sending a Marine unit, typically comprising several warships and 5,000 personnel, to the region. The Japan-based USS Tripoli is among assets being moved. Hegseth, striking a bellicose tone, claimed Iran’s military capabilities are “defeated” and its leadership is “cowering” and “on the run.”
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He also made an unverified claim about Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, stating he is “wounded and likely disfigured” following an Israeli strike that killed much of his family. Khamenei’s first comments since the attack were delivered via a written statement read on state TV, a fact Hegseth highlighted as suspicious. President Trump, in a Fox News interview, said he believed Khamenei was “damaged, but… probably alive in some form.”
The president suggested the US would escort ships through the Hormuz strait if needed, but acknowledged the primary threat is “Iran shooting at shipping.” The economic fallout is being felt acutely in the US, with gas prices spiking by an average of 27 cents nationally and 60 cents in the key swing state of Michigan, where some drivers are now paying over $4.30 a gallon. Trump dismissed concerns, telling Fox News the economy would “bounce right back” and that the conflict would end “when I feel it in my bones.”
In a separate development, all six crew members aboard a US military KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq are now confirmed dead, US Central Command stated. The incident, which involved another aircraft, was not a result of hostile fire.
International Diplomacy and Domestic Unrest
The administration’s foreign policy moves extend beyond the Middle East. President Trump has relaxed certain sanctions on Russia amid whipsawing oil prices, and during his Fox News interview drew a parallel between Russian aid to Iran and US support for Ukraine, stating, “I think he might be helping him a little bit… He probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?”
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Elsewhere, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced on state television that Cuban officials have held talks with the US government to seek solutions to the long-standing blockade, which he blamed for a severe fuel shortage and a recent massive blackout. This confirms earlier assertions by Trump, who has repeatedly suggested Cuba was eager for a deal and even mused about a potential “friendly takeover” of the island nation.
Domestically, the FBI is investigating an attack on a Michigan synagogue as an act of antisemitic violence. The armed suspect, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a naturalised US citizen from Lebanon, was killed after ramming Temple Israel. An unnamed official told the Associated Press that Ghazali had lost four family members in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon the previous week. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer condemned the “hate, plain and simple” and called for a lowering of rhetoric amid rising antisemitism.
In Congress, the House Oversight Committee is seeking testimony from Tova Noel, a prison guard on duty the night financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide. The committee believes she has information pertinent to its investigation into Epstein’s death and his alleged sex trafficking ring. Noel and another guard are accused of neglecting their duties and falsifying records that night.
Amid these disparate crises, President Trump has vowed a hardline domestic political stance, declaring he will not sign any other legislation until Republicans’ restrictive “Save America” voting bill is passed. The president’s schedule for the day included signing executive orders and private meetings at the White House before a weekend departure for his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
