Morning Wire - Evening Wire: More Marines to Middle East & Bachelorette Canceled | 3.20.26

Episode Date: March 20, 2026

More troops are inbound to the Middle East, canceled Bachelorette star Taylor Frankie Paul responds to viral abuse video, and Hollywood and martial arts legend Chuck Norris passes away. Get the facts first with Evening Wire. - - - Ep. 2692 - - - Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3  - - - Today’s Sponsor: Shopify - Sign up for your $1-per-month trial and start selling today at https://Shopify.com/wire - - - Privacy Policy:⁠ ⁠https://www.dailywire.com/privacy⁠⁠ morning wire,morning wire podcast,the morning wire podcast,Georgia Howe,John Bickley,daily wire podcast,podcast,news podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More troops are inbound to the Middle East. Cancelled Bachelorette star Taylor Frankie Paul responds to a viral abuse video. And Hollywood and martial arts legend Chuck Norris passes away. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley. It's Friday, March 20th, and this is Evening Hour. A second Marine Expeditionary Unit, roughly 2,200 Marines and multiple warships, is now heading toward the Middle East and it's joining another similar force already en route. These rapid response units are designed for everything from securing shipping lanes to evacuating civilians and potentially conducting limited ground operations if needed.

Despite the buildup, though, President Trump says he has no plans to put troops on the ground, telling reporters, I'm not putting troops anywhere. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel acted alone in targeting a key gas facility, a move that sent global energy prices surging. He added that President Trump had asked Israel to hold off on additional strikes, even as the two countries remain closely coordinated in the broader campaign. Netanyahu also pushed back on claims that Israel pulled the U.S. into the war, saying, quote, Trump is not someone you tell what to do. It's been said that for 40 years, I've been saying that Iran is a danger to Israel and a danger to the world. That is true. You know who else said that? President Trump, 47 years ago.

when the Iranian thugs took over the American embassy, he said how dangerous this regime is. Former intelligence official Joe Kent is suspected of leaking classified information to, quote, disaffected maga media personalities, and many are pointing to Tucker Carlson, who just had Kent on his show. Daily Wire's senior editor, Virginia Cruda, has more. A law enforcement source told the news site, News of the U.S., that FBI counterintelligence had already begun a criminal investigation. into Kent's alleged actions long before he announced his resignation. An administration official told the outlet that Kent had, quote, leaked classified information

from a server to a member of the media. Kent, according to a report by Seymophore, was already under the FBI's microscope before he abruptly resigned on Tuesday. He claimed that he could no longer support Trump's administration as it waged war against the Iranian regime. But notice reports that FBI director Cash Patel is considering declassified. as much information as possible in order to show that the investigation into Kent was already underway when he announced his plan to leave the administration.

A spokesperson for canceled Bachelorette star Taylor Frankie Paul pushed back following the release of a viral video of her allegedly engaging in domestic abuse with her ex. Daily Wire Entertainment reporter Amanda Harding has the story. Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette has been canceled by ABC following the release of a viral video of her allegedly engaging in Degree. domestic abuse with her former boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. Paul's spokesperson has now called the release of the video, the quote, latest installment of Mortensen's, quote, never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences of their child. The video,

the spokesperson said, conveniently omits context and follows a pattern of manipulation from her ex. Meanwhile, a Disney entertainment spokesperson has announced that in light of the video, they've made the decision to, quote, not move forward with the new season of the Bachelorette at this time, and their focus is instead on supporting the family. Planned Parenthood's Illinois chapter has agreed to pay $500,000 after the federal government investigated allegations that it discriminated against white employees. Daily Wire Assistant Editor Andy Valdez reports. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said there's reasonable cause

to believe the organization segregated its employees by race into so-called affinity networks. Many firms allow employees to join groups with those to whom they feel similar. At these companies, the networks are voluntary, but at Planned Parenthood, they had mandatory affinity caucuses segregated by race. Every week, the staff were required to attend sessions of these segregated caucuses or DEI training. At the training sessions, white employees were reportedly the target of harassment, being told they don't, quote, feel racism the same way that non-white patients feel it, and that,

quote, white supremacy is exerted at every level of oppression. Two former FBI agents are suing the DOJ, claiming they were fired for their involvement in the 2020 election investigation. The agents argue their terminations were politically motivated and violated both FBI policy and their constitutional rights. They're seeking reinstatement and a court ruling declaring the firings unlawful. The lawsuit names FBI Director Cash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging the agents were done.

dismissed without proper process or evidence. Patel has defended the recent firings, saying the Bureau is removing individuals who weaponized law enforcement. In the ongoing downsizing of the Department of Education, the Student Loan Office will soon have a new home. DeLewire Senior Editor Joel Needler has more. The Trump administration announced Thursday that the government's nearly 1.7 trillion student loan portfolio will be moved over to the Treasury Department. Education Secretary Lyndon McMan said that student aid would be much better suited with the Treasury. In lieu of completely dismantling the Department of Education, which would require an act of Congress, the administration has opted to progressively shift away the department's responsibilities, the student loan office move being the latest

example. Starting something new can be risky. When we launched Morning Wire, we had all the usual fears. What if no one listens? What if we fail? But we're glad we took the leap, and you can too with our sponsor, Shopify. Shopify is the commerce platform powering millions of businesses around the and 10% of all e-commerce in the U.S., including our very own Daily Wire Shop. Shopify is packed with AI tools that write product descriptions, page headlines, and even enhance your products photography so you can accelerate your efficiency, whether you're uploading new products or improving existing ones. Maybe you already know that you have a good product, but you need help getting the word out.

Shopify helps you find your customers with easy-to-run emails and social media campaigns, making it feel like you have a whole marketing team behind you. Plus, that iconic purple shop pay button isn't just recognizable. It's the best converting checkout on the planet, which means more sales for you. It's time to turn those what-ifs into with Shopify today. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period today at Shopify.com slash wire. Head over to Shopify.com slash wire. Travelers are being warned to expect much longer airport lines as the government shutdown drags on.

Daily Wire Lifestyle reporter Lauren Bear has the latest. At some major airports, more than a third of TSA officers are calling out of work, including over 40% at Houston's Hobby Airport. At Sacramento International Airport, officials say TSA staffing shortages are slowing security checkpoints, with some travelers reporting weights of over an hour at other major hubs across the country. Nationwide, absentee rates are climbing as agents missed paychecks and morale drops. The result? Longer lines, closed checkpoints, and growing disruption for travelers. videos circulating on social media show unbelievably long lines in some cases, like at LaGuardia Airport in Queens. The TSA line stretches all the way to the parking lot. Officials warn if callouts continue

to rise, some airports could face partial shutdowns. The Federal Communications Commission has officially given the green light for broadcast station owner Nextstar to purchase its rival company Tegna for $6.2 billion. The deal would make NextStar the largest operator of local TV stations in the country, reaching 60% of households. FCC chair Brendan Carr announced Thursday that to allow the merger, his agency waived a rule that bars a single company from owning stations reaching more than 39% of households. New York Governor Kathy Hochel is begging wealthy residents to come back to the Empire State, despite current state policy. In a striking moment this week,

Hockel acknowledged that wealthy residents have fled the state, eroding the very tax base that funds New York's massive spending agenda. She even floated the idea of trying to lure them back from places like Florida. I have to look at the fact that we are in competition with other states who have less of a tax burden on their corporations and their individuals. And I would say remote work changed everything. Hockel, however, isn't talking about cutting spending. Instead, she's asking those same high earners to come back and, quote, cut the checks.

Critics say it's a familiar problem. When you tax success, success leaves. Restaurant controversy in Arkansas tonight as the eatery that booted Governor Sarah Sanders is now responding. But its statement appears to contradict its own employees. Daily Wire homepage editor Jordan Schroeder has more. The cross-ontree and Little Rock is pushing back on claims about what happened. The Daily Wires editor-in-chief Brent Scher was the first to break the story, reporting that Sanders was dining with mom friends at the restaurant when she was asked to leave.

Her team says employees felt threatened by her presence. The restaurant, however, says politics had nothing to do with it. In a statement, ownership claims the situation was simply about enforcing a standard 90-minute table policy and that there was no disruption inside the restaurant. But that explanation is now being questioned after a widely shared social media post from someone identifying as an employee called Sanders quote, evil, and suggested her politics played a key role in the incident. The situation is drawing comparisons to 2018, when Sanders was asked to leave a Virginia

a restaurant while serving as White House press secretary, a redhead, deja vu moment that quickly turned into a national flashpoint. California's $114 million wildlife bridge is still a work in progress, but way over budget and behind schedule. The Wallace-Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, championed by Governor Gavin Newsom, was originally expected to open last year, but aerial footage shows a half-finished structure that doesn't yet connect to the ground, meaning animals can't use it. The project's cost has balloon from 93 million to 114 million, with roughly 77 million coming from taxpayers. State officials say the crossing, designed to help wildlife safely cross a 10-lane freeway, is now expected to be complete in fall of 26.

And Hollywood legend Chuck Norris has passed away at age 86. Daily Wire reporter Lyndon Blake has more. Norris, who was a towering figure in American action cinema, built a legacy as an actor, martial artists, and a veteran that spanned generations. He began his martial arts career in the 1950s while serving in the Air Force in Korea. He then went on to establish a successful chain of karate schools in the 60s. His on-screen career began with a role in the 1968's The Wrecking Crew, and he soon appeared opposite Bruce Lee in 1972's Way of the Dragon.

He never stopped working, showing up to hit action films such as the Expendables 2, with his last film appearance as recent as 2024. TMZ reported earlier this week that Norris had been hospitalized in Hawaii. This morning, his family confirmed the news of his passing, saying they wished to keep the circumstances private and that he, quote, was surrounded by his family and was at peace. Norris will always be remembered as a martial artist, a legend, and the undefeated king of tough guy one-liners.

I heard another rumor that you were bitten by a king cobra. Yeah, I was. But after five days of agonizing pain, the cobra died. Those of your drive home updates this evening. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And in case you missed it earlier today, we covered some major stories, including U.S. allies signaling support for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices riding the wave of disruption from the Iran conflict, and allegations that left-wing hero Cesar Chavez sexually abused multiple girls. and women. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with a weekend edition of MorningWire.