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Open Yourself, It’s Friday

DC: U.S. President Trump Departs the White House

President Trump speaks to reporters with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio before departing to Mar-a-Lago. (Samuel Corum/Sipa USA via AP)

By Matt Berman

March 20, 2026 05:48 PM

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for March 20, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

The Latest

‘Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER,’ the president posted on Truth Social today.

  • Donald Trump called NATO allies “COWARDS” for not joining the war with Iran.
  • Speaking of the war … the Trump administration is sending thousands more Marines to the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reports.
  • “At a certain point, it’ll open itself,” Trump told reporters at the White House of … the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Administration officials told The Washington Post that “significant cracks” are forming in the U.S.–Israel relationship over the war.

The Hill

DHS talks continue: A bipartisan group of senators is meeting tonight with White House border czar Tom Homan to try to find a deal that reopens the department.

  • “I see deal space there. The question is: Are the Dems serious?” John Thune told reporters.

The Senate is in this weekend to keep debating the SAVE America Act and is scheduled to take the first vote toward confirming Markwayne Mullin as DHS secretary.

Trump re-endorsed Rep. Jeff Hurd for reelection and offered his primary challenger and her husband jobs in his administration.

  • Hope Scheppelman, the challenger, had called Hurd insufficiently MAGA.
  • Mike Johnson has pushed for Hurd, a source with knowledge of the matter told NOTUS.

The Administration

Trump’s friend asked ICE to detain his ex, The New York Times reported today.

  • Paolo Zampolli, who introduced the president to the first lady, reportedly reached out to an ICE official while in the middle of a custody battle.
  • “The woman, Amanda Ungaro, was placed in ICE custody and ultimately deported, an outcome that may well have happened regardless of Mr. Zampolli’s meddling,” the Times reported.

The Trump administration is suing Harvard over the school’s treatment of Jewish students.

  • The administration complained that Jewish and Israeli students at Harvard are being “intentionally excluded and effectively denied equal access to ‌educational ⁠opportunities.”

Comedy’s Legal State: Unknown

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Elise Foley and Andrew Burton. If you liked it, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please subscribe — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at finalnotus@notus.com.