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A Forever Pause on Iran's Nuclear Program

A forever pause on Iran's nuclear program

He’s back! Haviv joined Hugh for a long discussion of Iran, Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon

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Ohio’s Senator Jon Husted on the “skinny” reconciliation ahead

Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton on the war with Iran, NATO and “Five Eyes”

Pope Leo & President Trump: Vic joined Hugh for Catholic chat about the dust-up between Rome and DC

President Trump reiterates: Not a 20-year pause of Iran’s nuclear program. A forever pause.

How goes the war? Commentary senior editor Seth Mandel talks with Hugh

Trump Nominates Erica Schwartz To Serve As CDC Director

President Donald Trump has nominated Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, to be the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a social media post, Trump described Schwartz as “incredibly talented” and said, “She is a STAR!” The Atlanta-based CDC, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats, has been in turmoil since Trump returned to office more than a year ago, with a succession of mostly temporary leaders. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the new team the CDC is bringing in is “extraordinary.”

Over 10,000 U.S. Troops Enforcing Iran Blockade

More than 10,000 American troops are helping enforce the blockade on Iranian ports and 13 ships have turned around rather than confront the military action. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave an update Thursday during a Pentagon press briefing. Caine said that so far, the Navy hasn't had to board any vessels seeking to run the blockade. He says any ships approaching the blockade are warned to turn back and that any vessels that refuse could be met with warning shots before being stopped and boarded.

U.S. Completes Withdrawal From Base In Syria As Part Of A Larger Drawdown

U.S. forces completed their withdrawal from Qasrak air base on Thursday when a final convoy of soldiers and equipment departed the site in Syria’s Hasakah province, officials for both sides said. The Syrian army has now taken full control of most military sites in the country where the U.S. military was once deployed. Syria's foreign ministry said in a statement that “the Syrian state’s restoration of sovereignty over areas that were outside its control, including the northeast and border regions, is the result of the Syrian government’s continuous efforts to unify the country within the framework of a single state.” It said that the U.S. withdrawal came as a result of the successful implementation of a deal between Syria's central government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces — which had previously controlled much of northeast Syria — and of success in fighting the remnants of the Islamic State group. U.S. Central Command chief spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed the withdrawal. “U.S. forces have completed turning over all of our major bases in Syria, as part of a deliberate and conditions-based transition," Hawkins said, adding that the U.S. military will "continue to support partner-led counterterrorism efforts, which are essential to ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS and strengthening regional security.” Convoys of trucks could be seen leaving the base Thursday, hauling military vehicles and equipment. U.S. forces began withdrawing from Qasrak in late February, in what appeared to be part of a larger drawdown of U.S. forces in Syria. Earlier that month, the U.S. military's Central Command and Syria’s defense ministry announced that U.S. troops had left the al-Tanf base in eastern Syria near the border with Jordan. The departure of U.S. forces from the bases came after the U.S. military completed the transfer of some 5,700 accused Islamic State militants from detention centers in northeast Syria to prisons in Iraq, where they will be put on trial. The main mission of the U.S. troops in Syria is to prevent a resurgence of IS. The extremist group lost control of the last territory it held in Syria in 2019 but its sleeper cells have continued to stage periodic attacks in Syria, Iraq and abroad.

U.S. Military Targets Iran-Linked Ships Worldwide, Beyond Blockade

The U.S. military has widened its efforts beyond the blockade of Iran’s ports. It is allowing its forces around the world to stop any ship tied to Tehran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that the U.S. would be targeting vessels in other areas, like the Pacific, that had left before the blockade began earlier this week. The military also published a notice detailing an expansive lists of goods that it considers contraband, declaring that it will board, search and seize them from merchant vessels “regardless of location.”

The Hugh Hewitt Show I April 16th, 2026

The Pope vs President Trump on Iran

Pope Leo is Missing the Mark

The Pope is Missing the Mark

SCOTUS Rumors Swirl, Lara Trump Joins To Talk Midterms

Josh opens the show by tackling the growing rumors of a potential Supreme Court vacancy later this year and what it could mean for the future balance of the Court. He shares his thoughts on who he believes should be considered for the highest court in the land and makes the case that now is not the time for a “go-along-to-get-along” nominee—but rather a no-nonsense conservative willing to stand firm on the Constitution. Josh is then joined by Lara Trump, former RNC co-chair and Trump campaign senior advisor, to discuss the endgame in the war with Iran and how the conflict could shape the political landscape heading into the midterm elections. She also weighs in on the narrative that Republican momentum is fading—and why she believes the reality looks very different. Josh wraps up the show by reacting to Vice President JD Vance’s remarks at a recent TPUSA event, highlighting what his comments say about the direction of the conservative movement.