‘Very Complete’

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for March 9, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

The Latest

‘The war is very complete,’ President Donald Trump told CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang today.

• This comes after Trump posted on Truth Social that parts of Iran were “Under serious consideration for complete destruction” and Sen. Lindsay Graham told Fox News over the weekend, “We’re going to blow the hell out of these people.” The Department of Defense’s X account posted this afternoon: “We have Only Just Begun to Fight.”

• It’s not clear what’s changed, but Trump told Jiang the U.S. is “very far” ahead of his original four- to five-week timeline. Expect more on this right now: the president is speaking at a news conference.

‘The U.S. will take them if you won’t,’ Trump posted this morning on Truth Social about the members of the Iranian women’s national soccer team who were deemed “traitors” by state TV after they stood in silence during their country’s national anthem.

But by the afternoon, the five players had been “taken care of,” Trump said, writing that he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

• Trump didn’t specify where they were going or whether they’d received asylum. Some would return to Iran out of fear for their families’ safety, Trump said.

The price of oil fell back below $100 a barrel in anticipation of the G7 nations releasing oil reserves. The finance ministers did not reach a decision this morning, but CNBC reports that they will meet again tomorrow.

• About 20% of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which has closed due to the war. Trump called rising gas prices a “small price to pay” for global safety, a remark that Democrats have jumped on as both parties jockey to own affordability.

The Hill

Rep. Kevin Kiley of California told reporters that he would still caucus with Republicans despite filing for reelection under “no party preference.”

• The move thins Republicans’ numbers in the House. With Kiley as an independent, there are 217 Republicans and 214 Democrats.

Rep. Andy Ogles made several anti-Muslim comments on social media in recent days, which included calling for the deportation of U.S. citizens and saying that “Muslims don’t belong in American society.”

• Democrats condemned Ogles’ comments, but he is part of an increasingly vocal group of House Republicans who have faced few public repercussions from party leaders over similar remarks.

The Courts

Anthropic filed suit against the Department of Defense and other agencies after the Trump administration directed the federal government to stop using the company’s artificial intelligence platform, Claude.

• The order came as a result of the company’s refusal to allow the Pentagon unfettered use of its program, Anthropic said in court filings. The company’s policy has restrictions on using tools for lethal autonomous warfare and mass surveillance of Americans.

Live From The GOP Retreat

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