Morning Wire - Evening Wire: Several Top Scientists Missing & Trump Greenlights Psychedelics Research | 4.20.26

Episode Date: April 20, 2026

Trump reassures Americans that he—and he alone—made the call to bomb Iran, Japan is put on Tsunami watch after a massive earthquake rocks the small country, and U.S. officials probe the deaths and disappearances of several top scientists. Get the facts first with Evening Wire. - - - Ep. 2743 - - - Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3  - - - 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

Trump reassures Americans that he and he alone made the call to bomb Iran. Japan is put on tsunami watch after a massive earthquake rocks the small country, and U.S. officials probe the deaths and disappearances of several top scientists. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley. It's Monday, April 20th, and this is Evening Wire. President Trump has given some updates on the war with Iran today. Daily Wire contributor Tim Peer says more. The president posted this morning on true social that, quote, Israel never talked me into a war with Iran.

Instead, he said his position was shaped by longstanding concerns about Tehran's nuclear ambitions. He also criticized media coverage of the conflict, calling it misleading, and added that Iran could have a, quote, great and prosperous future if its leadership changes course. The president's comments follow a weekend of rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. As we reported this morning, Iran fired on an Indian tanker Saturday as it attempted to pass through the strait. Following this incident, U.S. Central Command released a video Sunday showing Marines boarding an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named the Tuska, after it ignored repeated warnings. Motor vessel, Toska, vacate your engine room. Vacate your engine room. We're prepared to

subject you to disabling fire. American forces repelled from a helicopter after a six-hour standoff and successfully seized the vessel. The ship remains in U.S. custody. For live updates on the Iran conflict, go to dailywire.com. Meanwhile, Iran's military command claimed that Iranian forces only refrained from resisting the U.S. seizure of an Iran-flagged vessel on Sunday to protect family members of the crew on board. They claim that the families, quote, were in danger at every moment. Ultimately, U.S. forces disabled the engines of the vessel and took control without any reported conflict.

The gunmen in Saturday's shooting rampage in Louisiana has been identified as, a 31-year-old Army veteran who was targeting his own family. Daily Wire's senior editor, Joel Needler, has more on the tragic story. The gunman invaded three homes on Saturday and fatally shot eight children, seven of whom were his own. Two adult women, the mothers of the children, were also shot but survived. The gunman was shot and killed by police after stealing a car to flee the scene. At least one child, a 13-year-old boy was able to escape through a second-story window by jumping from the roof. He sustained broken bones, but is expected to recover. Police are still working to identify a motive for the shooting.

Two U.S. embassy officials died alongside two Mexican officials in a car crash in northern Mexico on Sunday. The four had been working together to combat cartel activity in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua by locating and destroying drug labs. U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, said in a statement that the tragedy is a solemn reminder of the risks faced by those Mexican and U.S. officials who are dedicated to protecting our communities. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said gas prices have likely already peaked, but warned that Americans may not see relief anytime soon. Daily Wire Lifestyle reporter Lauren Baer has more.

Wright told CNN that prices could fall later this year or possibly not until 2027. His comments mark a shift from earlier projections that prices would quickly drop below $3 following the conflict with Iran. Wright noted current costs remain significantly higher when adjusted for inflation. The national average for gas now sits above $4 per gallon up sharply from pre-conflict levels. The remarks drew criticism from Democrats, including Tom Swazi and Andy Kim, who argued the administration lacks a clear plan to bring prices down. A large 7.7 magnitude earthquake rattled off the coast of Japan this morning, sparking tsunami

concerns. The quick occurred early in the morning and shortly after a small tsunami surge was detected at Koogee Port. Tsunami warnings ceased once the surge was confirmed to have dissipated. While this quake appeared to cause no damage, seismologists are warning that this type of incident can occasionally be a warning of a larger quake to come. Experts estimate a 1% chance that this event could be a preamble to a larger mega quake and have cautioned Japanese citizens to remain at a heightened state of preparedness.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the actions of an IDF soldier shown in a viral photo damaging a Catholic eye. icon in Lebanon. Daily Wire reporter's actual has the details. After an investigation by the Israel defense forces found the viral story factual, the prime minister said he was, quote, stunned and saddened by the actions of the soldier, and said the IDF would appropriately discipline the offender. He also emphasized that Israel, quote, cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect between Jews and worshippers of all faiths. He added, quote, while Christians are being slaughtered in Syria and Lebanon by Muslims, the Christian population. The Christian population

in Israel thrives unlike elsewhere in the Middle East. Israel is also, quote, working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place. President Trump is expediting research into certain psychedelics for the treatment of PTSD and addiction. On Saturday, he signed an executive order to remove the legal barriers to studying ibogaine, which is currently a highly controlled substance. The FDA will now establish protocols for safe therapeutic use of psychedelics, as well as facilitate data sharing. But I've always believed in ensuring that the American patients have access to breakthrough treatments and therapies with love for our veterans. And I have real love for our veterans. I was with a group yesterday. It's incredible what they've gone through. And care

for American patients, today's order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to reclaim their lives and lead a happier life. Treatments could begin as early as this summer. Preliminary research shows Ibo-Gate may rapidly and permanently resolve opioid addiction symptoms in some individuals, but safety and ethical concerns remain about the mind-altering substance. The American Academy of Pediatrics has published claims that denying children transgender medical treatment can be considered medical neglect and emotional abuse. Daily Wire investigative reporter Meg Brock has more.

In the past, the American Academy of Pediatrics has called denying children access to puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries a form of harm. The group has suggested that parents who do not affirm a child's transgender identity caused a child emotional and psychological pain, which some transgender activists believe is a form of child abuse. The Daily Wire asks the AAP to clarify if it believes parents who affirm their child's natural sex are abusing their children. They did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A document on the group's website gives pediatricians a roadmap to privately ask teens about their gender identity, without parental knowledge, and find out whether a family accepts their LGBTQ plus identity.

House Oversight Chair James Comer said, quote, something sinister might be happening as officials probed the deaths and disappearances of several top scientists. Daily Wire reporter and host of that so criminal Lyndon Blake has more. So far, 11 top scientists are dead or missing. They all reportedly worked with the classified information inside the Department of War, the FBI, NASA, or the Department of Energy. Comer said he would bring in leaders of those agencies for questioning on the matter

and appeared Sunday on Fox News saying this. We want to try to piece this together, and we know there are many countries around the world that would love to have our knowledge and nuclear capabilities, and these are the people that were at the forefront of it, and they're either dead or missing. A few of the strange cases include the disappearance of NASA scientists Monica Reza, who went missing during a hike back in June of 2025.

Astrophysicist Carl Grilmeyer, who was shot on his front front. porch in February. Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Nuno Lerreiro, who was shot and killed in his home in December of 2025, and Air Force Major General William Neal McCaslin, who went missing from his Alperkirky New Mexico home back in March. And Biders really can't be choosers, who wrote that. It doesn't actually make sense. San Diego police are defending the takedown of a woman at a public Park after she allegedly launched into a racist rant and then bit an officer. Police say they responded to calls of a woman aggressively harassing adults and children

with racist comments near a skate park last month. Body cam and witness video show the unidentified woman refusing commands and resisting arrest before being slammed to the ground. Hey, stay back, stay back. Get the fuck off. Oh, no. Oh, no. I'm coming to your family.

I'm a bite me. As an officer tried to handcuff her, she bit his left hand, causing swelling and an abrasion. She was evaluated by paramedics and booked on charges, including resisting with violence, obstructing officers, and committing a felony while out on bail. Those are your drive home updates this evening. To learn more about these stories, go to Dailywire.com. And in case you missed earlier today, we covered some major stories, including the U.S. capturing an Iranian-flagged cargo ship,

FBI Director Cash Patel going after a legacy media outlet's hit piece, and a second leak rattling the Supreme Court. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.