Up First from NPR Iran War Week 5, Trump's Mixed Messages, TSA Back Pay
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Mar 31, 2026 
Deepa Shivaram, NPR White House correspondent, tracks Trump’s shifting rhetoric as the Iran war stretches into week five. Joel Rose, NPR transportation correspondent, breaks down TSA back pay after weeks of missed checks. They dig into Gulf attacks, stalled diplomacy, troop buildups, voter backlash, legal questions around DHS funding, and the strain still hanging over airport security.
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Dubai Feels The War In Empty Hotels And Missing Carrots
- Aya Batrawy says Dubai's war routine now includes intercepted missiles overhead, empty hotels, and a government aid package for struggling businesses.
- She heard interceptions from her balcony and had to visit multiple grocery stores to find carrots because Hormuz disruptions choked food imports.
Hormuz Diplomacy Looks Thin Next To Troop Buildup
- Claims of diplomacy are undercut by military buildup and tiny shipping gains, suggesting the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively constrained.
- Pakistan says Iran would allow 20 more Pakistani ships through, only about two a day, far below prewar traffic as Marines and the 82nd Airborne deploy nearby.
Iran's Counterattacks Are Hitting Gulf Lifelines
- Iran's retaliation is targeting civilian systems that Gulf states depend on, widening the war's impact beyond oil and military assets.
- Strikes hit aluminum plants in the UAE and Bahrain, damaged a Kuwaiti desalination and power site, and wounded over a dozen U.S. troops at Prince Sultan air base.