NPR News: 03-19-2026 3PM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dua Halisa Kautal. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth isn't denying that the Pentagon has asked for $200 billion in funding for the war in Iran. He told reporters today, obviously, it takes money to kill bad guys. A regime like that, refusing to abandon its nuclear ambitions, is not just a regional problem. It's a direct threat to America, to freedom, and to civilization. Hegseth also said U.S. forces have struck more than 7,000 targets in Iran, claiming the Islamic Republic's missile volume is down 90 percent, and their one-way attack drones are down 95 percent. Drones are reshaping the war in the Middle East. These are increasingly cheaper and cost-plus plays a role, as NPR's cat-lawn store for ports. Unmanned drones mean military superpowers like the U.S. no longer automatically control

1:00the skies. But it's also about money. Iran has fired more than 1,000 one-way attack drones since the war began. U.S. defense systems stationed throughout the region have taken out a majority of them. A typical Iranian-shahed attack drone is relatively cheap, tens of thousands of dollars. The U.S. missiles that intercept them cost millions. Something Kelly Greco, a senior fellow at the Stimpson Center, points out is unsustainable. And that type of cost exchange favors the Iranians over the long term. And the U.S. may run out of interceptors before Iran runs out of drones. Something U.S. officials who were not authorized to speak publicly have told NPR, they're concerned about, as the war drags on. Cat-lawn store, NPR News, Washington. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffie says more than 360 TSA agents have quit their jobs as partial government shutdown continues, and a record number of employees are calling in sick. He says flying is safe, but travelers, especially during spring break, may see worsening lines at airports across the country.

2:01The TSA agents missed a partial payment. Last Friday, they missed a full payment. As we get into next week, and they're about to miss another payment, this is going to look like child's play, what's happening right now. You're going to see small airports, I believe, shut down. You're going to see extensive lines, and air travel is going to almost come to a grid halt. Stop. He blames the Biden administration, claiming it allowed 15 million people into the country without getting vetted, and said Democrats are using the American people, inflicting pain on the American people, for what they think is a political benefit. The White House is currently reviewing the latest proposal by Senate Democrats, as the shutdown continues for a second month. Gas prices continue to climb across the United States since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran started nearly three weeks ago, averaging $3.88 for a gallon of regular. This is NPR News. The Strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed since early March, but about 90 oil tankers

3:07and other vessels with ties to Iran have crossed the Key Waterway in the Middle East. Iran has exported more than 16 million barrels of oil, mostly to China, its biggest buyer. Trump had asked trade partners and allies to help reopen the Strait, but so far that hasn't happened. An auction of Arctic drilling rights on the nation's largest tract of federal land broke records this week, totaling nearly $164 million. Alaska Public Media's Liz Ruskin reports. The government announced Bids on more than a million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska. Some Bids were on land that had previously been off limits to protect caribou migrating birds and the hunting rights of Arctic villagers. Two environmental lawsuits are pending in federal court. Bidding was heavy near Willow, conical Phillips's mega-drilling project already underway. One Alaska economist says companies were more eager to bid now that National Energy Policy

4:10no longer promotes a transition away from fossil fuels. The administration also plans a lease sale this year to the East in the Arctic Refuge. For NPR News, I'm Liz Ruskin. Russian officials are confirming its trilateral peace talks with the U.S. and Ukraine are on hold because of the Iran War. The news comes as European leaders are pressing Hungary to stop blocking an aid package that was previously approved in December. This is NPR News. Listen to NPR News now, sponsor free with Amazon Music Unlimited. Get started on the Amazon Music App, or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get NPR Plus at plus.npr.org.