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The U.S. Is Burning Through Its Supply of Interceptors

September 15, 2026 at 10:36 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The U.S. military fired up to 70 or more of its high-end air defense interceptors last week when Iran launched a missile attack on Jordan, U.S. and regional officials familiar with the matter said, a heavy expenditure that underscores Iran’s improved ability to target U.S. forces and challenge American air defenses,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“U.S. forces fired 60 to 70 Patriot interceptors to counter the attack, which consisted of about 20 ballistic missiles, some of the officials said. The U.S. also fired more than a dozen Thaad interceptors, one of the officials said. The expenditure is about what the U.S. has used in a full week at other times in the war, another of the officials said.”

“The exchanges showed how air-defense math can favor the attacker and how Iran has adapted its attacks to force the U.S. to burn precious munitions.”

Elon Musk Trains His Political Chaos Machine On the U.K.

September 15, 2026 at 10:04 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Wall Street Journal: “For years, Musk has used his social-media megaphone to boost antiestablishment parties outside the U.S. railing against ‘woke’ politics, immigration and tech industry-regulation across Europe, South America and Africa. But no other foreign nation has drawn such frequent, sustained attention from the world’s richest man as the U.K.”

“Musk has twice exceeded 200 monthly posts about British politics and culture wars, though the volume waxes and wanes with the news cycle. In June alone, Musk posted more than 160 times on the topic—over 10% of his posts that month. By July, he was back to his baseline, with just a few dozen tweets.”

U.S. Probes Cyberattacks On Energy Tankers

September 15, 2026 at 9:27 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“At least two foreign tankers bound for American shores were targeted in cyberattacks now under U.S. government investigation, fueling concerns that Iran or other adversaries are seeking to widen the Middle East conflict,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

Vance Tells House GOP to ‘Just Talk About Abdul El-Sayed’

September 15, 2026 at 9:11 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Vice President JD Vance urged House Republicans to make Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed a boogeyman if their own opponents aren’t ‘that crazy’ and stressed the importance of leveling with voters about their economic frustrations,” CNN reports.

Bessent Says Trump’s $5K Checks Won’t Add to the Debt

September 15, 2026 at 9:11 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wildly insisted on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s proposed $5,000 checks to Americans could be sent out without adding to the national debt,” Mediaite reports.

Trump Plans Ad Blitz of $138 Million and Counting

September 15, 2026 at 9:09 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump’s political operation has unleashed its vast financial resources to try to save the Republican Party’s control of Congress, reserving nearly $138 million over the past 10 days to help the party’s midterm candidates,” the New York Times reports.

“The planned spending linked to Mr. Trump’s $400 million super PAC has grown by the day, and is set to fuel a massive ad campaign supporting battleground Republican candidates beginning this month. Some Republicans for months have criticized Mr. Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc. for not seriously engaging in the midterms despite its huge war chest.”

“But now a blitz of spending tied to the group has arrived.”

Another Bonus Quote of the Day

September 15, 2026 at 8:18 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“I really think it’s important to kind of get people to think that… in many ways the president is on the ballot. Yes, I’m on the ballot too, but the entire agenda is on the ballot. Hopefully that will generate some enthusiasm.”

— Vice President JD Vance, quoted by the New York Post.

Massie Kept Quiet About Hegseth Impeachment Effort

September 15, 2026 at 7:48 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) suggested… that Republican leaders might have shut down the House for the week had they known in advance that he planned to move to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth,” Mediaite reports.

Fetterman Attended Fox News Retreat

September 15, 2026 at 7:46 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) attended an exclusive retreat with executives from Fox News, traveling to Montana in July at the invitation of the network’s owners,” the Washington Examiner reports.

Rebel Democrats Again Help Advance House GOP Agenda

September 15, 2026 at 7:36 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A pair of House Democrats voted to advance a slate of GOP bills in a procedural vote that was otherwise on track to fail — the second time they have crossed party lines to help out House GOP leaders in recent weeks,” Politico reports.

“Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and Jared Golden of Maine previously aided Speaker Mike Johnson earlier this month when they voted to advance a ‘rule’ resolution that teed up a Golden-authored measure aiding lobstermen. The move sparked outrage among many of their Democratic colleagues and created a touchy situation for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.”

“But the dustup does not appear to have fazed Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, who again joined with Republicans Tuesday to set up votes on bills that would hand President Donald Trump new authorities to sanction Russia’s trading partners as well as measures rolling back some EPA regulations.”

Top Democrat Opens Probe Into Don Jr.’s Wedding

September 15, 2026 at 7:34 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into Donald Trump Jr.’s relationship with a Russian oligarch who paid for much of Trump Jr.’s wedding earlier this year,” ProPublica reports.

“Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) sent two letters on Monday to the White House and Trump Jr. requesting records related to Trump Jr.’s financial relationship with the oligarch, Umar Kremlev.”

Pentagon Seeks Fit Troops for Hegseth Speech

September 15, 2026 at 7:25 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Pentagon is asking commanders to nominate troops to attend Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s ‘State of the Force’ address this September, and says the servicemembers must meet waist-to-height requirements and exhibit ‘impeccable’ grooming standards,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Candidates, who will also have the opportunity to work out with the secretary.”

Hegseth insists he wants a military built on merit rather than appearances. So there’s something revealing about the Pentagon searching for troops who look the part.
Taegan

House GOP’s Epstein Files Headache Is Back

September 15, 2026 at 7:22 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Epstein files fight that consumed the House last year is threatening to engulf Republicans all over again,” Axios reports.

“Why it matters: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) is now just one Republican away from having the support he needs to force another politically painful Epstein vote — and he and his allies are hunting for the final GOP signature.”

Chuck Edwards Files Complaint Against House Ethics

September 15, 2026 at 7:22 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) filed a complaint against the top Republican and Democrat on the House Ethics Committee on Tuesday, accusing the lawmakers who investigated him of breaking their own rules,” Axios reports.

“Edwards is escalating his fight against the committee just two weeks after the House voted 413-2 to censure him over its findings that he violated House rules related to sexual harassment and a hostile workplace.”

Blanche Says No Investigation Into Don Jr.’s Wedding

September 15, 2026 at 7:15 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The nation’s top law enforcement official appears unlikely to investigate a Russian oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin who allegedly paid thousands of dollars to bankroll festivities for Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding to Bettina Anderson earlier this year, after the news sparked national security and counterintelligence concerns,” ABC News reports.

Said Attorney General Todd Blanche: “The president doesn’t know who this person is. I think other members of the family don’t know who this person is … When you say am I investigating — Am I investigating what?”

Kevin McCarthy Gets a Portrait

September 15, 2026 at 7:13 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “Mr. McCarthy served as speaker for just 269 days, but his portrait will now hang in the Capitol in perpetuity. It is a testament to the brief, strange tenure of a Republican who served as a bridge between the establishment-led GOP and the party it became after being fully subsumed by President Trump.”

“The portrait, which shows Mr. McCarthy standing by an open window with a slight smile on his face, captures his sunny personality and optimistic outlook, which he kept up even while proving himself to be a glutton for political punishment.”

The portrait is a fitting reminder that political ambition can take decades to fulfill and only moments to unravel.
Taegan

North Carolina Republicans Are Counting On Trump

September 15, 2026 at 7:12 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Donald Trump will travel to North Carolina on Wednesday for a visit that Republicans in the state hope will give Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley a boost in turnout,” the Washington Sun reports.

“On Sept. 4, North Carolina became the first state in the country to send out mail-in ballots for the general election. Its Senate election is widely seen as one of the most competitive races on the map — but Whatley, who formerly chaired the Republican National Committee, has been outraised by his Democratic opponent, former Gov. Roy Cooper, and has lagged behind him in polls.”

New Photos Show Damage Caused by Iranian Missiles

September 15, 2026 at 7:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“New photos reveal for the first time the widespread damage and destruction of buildings and vehicles at multiple U.S. positions across the Middle East, as a result of Iranian missile and drone attacks,” CBS News reports.

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About Political Wire

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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