Trump Lifts Russian Oil Sanctions – The Friday AM Quickie 3/13/26
Kash Patel has enlisted UFC cage fighters to train FBI agents at the agency's academy in Quantico, Virginia this weekend. "I don’t see the benefit of having UFC fighters demonstrating for FBI agents how to beat people up," one former agent quips. Fair enough, but I still maintain that Kooky Kash is close to a best-case scenario for leadership of a domestic intelligence agency under a Trump regime. That's all from me this week, see you Monday. - Corey
Sunset Lake CBD is brought to you by long-time MR listeners and fans of the show. They know how crazy buying CBD online can be and that’s why they want to be your one-stop CBD shop. Unlike some companies, Sunset Lake CBD grows everything that they infuse into their products and will provide you with certified test results with every order.
Still unsure? Email or call and speak to a real person— they can help walk you through the process and recommend the right product for you. They want to make buying CBD stress-free! Visit www.sunsetlakecbd.com and let them help you find that peace of mind. Enter code “leftisbest” (that’s one word) at checkout for 20% off every order.
Subscribe to the AM Quickie's NEW paid newsletters here!
THE BIG NEWS
War on Iran: 3.2 Million Displaced, UN Reports
- Four Dead After US Air Force Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq Six crew members were aboard the KC-135 tanker aircraft that went down in "friendly airspace." via the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and Politico.
- Trump 'Temporarily' Lifts Sanctions on Russian Oil, Providing Huge Boost to Putin's War on Ukraine "When oil prices go up, we make a lot of money," Trump posted on Truth Social yesterday, without specifying who he meant by "we." via the Washington Post, NBC News, and the New York Times.
- Security Experts 'Dumbfounded' By Trump Regime's Failure to Plan for Iran's Closure of the Strait of Hormuz "The only way militarily to guarantee the waterway is open — to move from mitigation to control — would be to take and hold the Iranian territory bordering the strait"; that "would require large numbers of ground forces," says retired Air Force Lt. Gen. S. Clinton Hinote, who was a senior Middle East strategist. via CNN, the New York Times, the Financial Times, and the Washington Post.
- White House Scolds CNN for Airing Portion of New Ayatollah's Statement "Our revenge will be never ending, not only for the late supreme leader, but also for the blood of all of our martyrs," Mojtaba Khameni said in his first public remarks since the US killed his father. "Those who killed our children will pay the price." via the AP, NBC News, and the Los Angeles Times.
- Israeli Strikes on Lebanon Have Already Killed Nearly 700, Including 98 Children British Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah, who has been treating the wounded in Beirut, says the injuries he's seeing remind him of Gaza. via the New York Times, NBC News, and Al Jazeera.
- Pete Hegseth Has Wanted to Fight Iran, 'America's Mortal Enemy,' for a Long Time "In American Crusade, he writes: 'God also stands with the people of Israel against their enemies and blesses those who bless Israel,' he writes, citing Genesis 12:1–3. 'America should stand with Israel because we honor God and love freedom.'" via the Guardian, the New York Times, and Common Dreams.
- Trump Says Iranian Soccer Players Shouldn't Attend World Cup 'for Their Own Life and Safety' After meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA World Cup Task Force executive director Andrew Giuliani, Trump apparently authorized the release of $625 million in federal security funding for US host cities in this year's tournament. via Al Jazeera and Politico.
- 'Not One More Penny': Coalition of 251 Civil Society Groups Tells Congress to Cut Off Funding for Illegal War Meanwhile, former NFL players are denouncing the White House's use of highlight clips in a video montage with US airstrikes on Iran, with former University of Nebraska receiver Kenny Bell saying it "makes me sick." via Common Dreams, the Washington Post, and The Nation.
MORE STORIES TO WATCH
Senate Passes Housing Bill, But Trump May Not Sign It
America's sky-high housing costs are climbing even higher thanks to Donald Trump's war on Iran. Housing prices are a big part of why a majority of Americans believe the economic system is rigged against them. With the success of Democratic campaigns focused on affordability, like Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral win, politicians in both parties want to show they can bring those costs down. That's why the Senate overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan bill yesterday intended to spur new housing construction and restrain Wall Street investors from buying up single-family homes.
The bill is not guaranteed to pass the House, where Republicans are following Donald Trump's orders not to move forward with any legislation until the passage of their voter suppression bill, the SAVE America Act. Indeed, if the housing bill reaches his desk, Trump may refuse to sign it. So much for bipartisanship.
Trump's DHS Nominee Has a History of Gun Crime
You probably know that Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, whom Donald Trump has chosen as his nominee to replace Kristi Noem as head of the Homeland Security Department, is a boor and a buffoon, but you probably didn't know that he also may have violated federal law while running the plumbing business he inherited from his father. The Washington Post reports that in 2009 Mullin employed a supervisor, Timothy L. Saylor, who had previous felony convictions. That isn't a problem, but it is a problem that Saylor illegally stored firearms given to him by the politician at Mullin Plumbing; "Mullin told authorities at the time that he gave Saylor guns 'to clean.'"
The Senator was never charged for the crime of knowingly providing a weapon to a felon. And make no mistake: "Markwayne knew I was a felon," Saylor tells the Post. "Of course he knew. Because I told him." And at least one of the weapons on Mullin's property had previously been reported stolen. Could it pose a problem for his confirmation? Not in the MAGA Congress.
QUICKEST QUICKIES
- Vehicle Attacker Dies After Ramming Into Nation's Largest Reform Synagogue in Michigan Meanwhile in Virginia, ROTC cadets at Old Dominion University took down an ISIS-inspired shooter who wounded two people. via the Associated Press and the Washington Post.
- Florida Republicans Pass Bill Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Vote GOP lawmakers in a dozen states are pushing smaller-scale versions of the SAVE America voter suppression Act. via the New York Times, NBC News, the AP, and ProPublica.
- FBI Joins Manhunt for Missing Air Force General Who Studied UFOs Maj. Gen. Neil McCasland disappeared on Feb. 27 after apparently leaving for a hike from his Albuquerque home; his wife Susan McCasland Wilkerson says his UFO work "is not a reason for someone to abduct Neil." via NBC News and the New York Times.
- NASA Sets April 1 Launch Date for Artemis II Mission Around the Moon, the Farthest Manned Space Voyage to Date "Ultimately, the goal of NASA's Artemis program is to establish a sustained presence on and around the moon." via the New York Times, Space.com, and the AP.
SOME NUMBER
85
That's the age of South Carolina Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn, who just announced that he will be seeking reelection for an 18th term, at the end of which he will be 88. He pledged to run "a very vigorous campaign," per the Washington Post.
ON THE SHOW TODAY
3/13: Sam and Emma will be in studio; the guest will be Mehdi Hasan, journalist and founder of Zeteo.
DON'T MISS MR CLIPS
Joe Rogan Just Realized Trump Is an Old Man
I refuse to believe that he didn't understand this during the election.
Republicans Pivot to Sharia Law
Their war needs a hate campaign.
PARTING WORDS
"Let there be as much outrage from politicians in Washington when kids go hungry as there is when I break bread with New Yorkers."
-- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, responding to Alabama Republican gubernatorial candidate and Sen. Tommy Tuberville's social media posts calling Islam "a cult" and Muslims "the enemy" above photos of 9/11 and Mamdani's City Hall iftar celebration. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also stuck up for Mamdani and American Muslims, saying "Islamophobic hate like this is fundamentally un-American and we must confront and overcome it whenever it rears its ugly head."
Quickie Discount Code Corner
Hey check it out! Stuff on sale!
IAC Laser Engraving: Visit https://iaclasers.com and use Coupon Code MAJORITY10 at checkout to save 10% on your order. They have also updated their site recently, so if you’ve visited in the past, you’ll want to visit again and check out the new products.
Fast Growing Trees: This Spring Fast Growing Trees has the best deals online, up to half off on select plants and other deals. And listeners to our show get an ADDITIONAL 15% OFF their first purchase when using the code MAJORITY at checkout. That’s an ADDITIONAL 15% OFF at https://FastGrowingTrees.com using the code MAJORITY at checkout. https://FastGrowingTrees.com code MAJORITY. Offer is valid for a limited time, terms and conditions may apply.
Earthbreeze: Right now, my listeners can receive 40% off Earth Breeze just by going to https://earthbreeze.com/majority! That's https://earthbreeze.com/majority to cut out single-use plastic in your laundry room and claim forty percent off your subscription.
Blueland Cleaning Products: Blueland has a special offer for listeners. Right now, get 15% off your first order by going to https://Blueland.com/MAJORITY. You won’t want to miss this! https://Blueland.com/MAJORITY for 15% off.
Prolon: Right now, Prolon is offering The Majority Report with Sam Seder listeners 10% off their 5-day nutrition program. Go to https://ProlonLife.com/MAJORITY.
Ritual: Essential for Men is a quality multivitamin from a company you can actually trust. Get 40% off your first month for a limited time at https://ritual.com/MAJORITY. This offer is only available through January 31st. Start Ritual or add Essential For Men to your subscription today.
ZBiotics: Go to https://zbiotics.com/MAJORITY to get 15% off your first order when you use MAJORITY at checkout. You can also sign up for a subscription using my code - so you can stay prepared no matter the time or occasion. ZBiotics is backed with 100% money back guarantee so if you’re unsatisfied for any reason, they’ll refund your money, no questions asked.
Henson Shaving: Henson Shaving is giving my audience a 2-year supply of blades for FREE. Just go to https://HENSONSHAVING.com/MAJORITY, That’s https://HENSONSHAVING.com/MAJORITY. Add a razor and 100-pack of blades to your cart, then enter code MAJORITY to get the blades for free.
Shopify: Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/majority. Go to https://shopify.com/majority now to grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in.
LiquidIV: Revive yourself for the New Year. Grab your Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Sugar-Free in bulk nationwide at Costco or get 20% off your first order when you go to https://liquidiv.com/majorityrep at checkout. That’s 20% off your first order when you shop better hydration today using promo code MAJORITYREP at https://liquidiv.com.
Nutrafol: Take the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to https://Nutrafol.com/men and enter the promo code TMR. Find out why over 4,000 healthcare professionals recommend Nutrafol for healthier hair.
Sunset Lake CBD: Sunsetlakecbd is a majority employee owned farm in Vermont, producing 100% pesticide free CBD products. Use code Leftisbest and get 20% off at http://www.sunsetlakecbd.com.
CozyEarth: IF you’ve never tried Cozy Earth, I've got awesome news! You can SAVE up to 35% off Cozy Earth right now! But hurry... this offer won't last. Go to https://CozyEarth.com and enter mypromo code MAJORITY REPORT at checkout for up to 35% off on your first order! That's https://CozyEarth.com promo code MAJORITY REPORT.