Nov 11, 2026 · 30 min
Listen from 6:26
Listen at 6:26
Congress shields Hegseth as inflation tests markets and the Fed
Defense Secretary Goes on Offense
The episode connects political accountability, an alleged Iranian plot, stubborn prices, AI investment, and military morale to decisions with wider consequences.
- 1Republicans sent an impeachment resolution targeting Pete Hegseth to committee while concerns over the Iran war shaped the debate.
- 2An alleged Iranian plot against RAF Fairford adds to pressure on U.S. and European authorities to protect military interests.
- 3Persistent inflation raises the prospect of another Federal Reserve rate hike as Anthropic’s IPO tests enthusiasm for AI markets.
Don't miss
The report on an alleged plot against RAF Fairford, including coded communications directed from a New York jail cell.
The brief
Republicans blocked an impeachment effort against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by sending the resolution to committee, while his defense and concerns about the Iran war shaped the debate.
ABC’s Alex Mallin reports on charges against Mohammed al-Saadi, accused of directing an alleged plot against RAF Fairford from a New York jail cell through coded communications.
Inflation rose faster than expected across rent, utilities, medical care, and other expenses, making a December Federal Reserve rate hike increasingly likely and borrowing more costly.
Anthropic’s planned IPO could reveal whether investor appetite for artificial intelligence can sustain the market’s recent momentum after NVIDIA’s losses and a lower projected valuation.
For Veterans Day, Bob Woodruff’s American Valor series shows how USO visits to bases in Japan, South Korea, and Alaska bring connection and familiar experiences to deployed service members.
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