US President Donald Trump has decided to scale back planned military exercises with South Korea, a move Robert Kelly, an international relations professor at Pusan National University, linked to Trump’s failure in the war against Iran. In comments to Al Jazeera cited in a report published on August 17, 2026, Kelly said Trump had expected the conflict to end quickly.

Kelly said Trump appeared to have anticipated a sudden campaign similar to the rapid operation he conducted in Venezuela in January. Instead, the situation grew beyond control into a major conflict and evolved into an unusual cycle of reciprocal attacks. He said the conflict was beginning to resemble what Americans call an “endless war.”

According to Kelly, Trump now sees himself as trapped and is looking for someone to blame. He said US allies have become convenient targets, noting that Trump had previously criticized NATO for the same reason. Kelly added that South Korea has not directly participated in the war and was not consulted, while Trump is trying to conceal or shield himself from responsibility for the crisis in the Gulf region.

US Senator Chris Van Hollen sharply criticized President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war, calling for the conflict to end. In an X post cited in a report published on August 17, 2026, the Democratic senator said their indifference toward US military personnel was shameful.

Van Hollen said the war was not making the United States safer. He also criticized Trump’s role in addressing concerns about the mental health of service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The senator said male and female members of the armed forces, along with their families, deserved better.

He said the best way to protect them was to end the war. The report also said the USS George Washington was set to assume the USS Abraham Lincoln’s responsibilities, and that it had already departed Da Nang port in Vietnam.

Severe flooding struck Indiana after days of heavy rain and storms, inundating areas of Noblesville and Indianapolis as the White River rose far above its danger level. The river reached its peak in the Noblesville area on Saturday night local time before rising sharply in northern Indianapolis. Residents in riverside areas were ordered to move to safer locations, while officials described the event as among the state’s worst floods in decades.

At least five people were reported dead in flooding and storm-related incidents across Indiana. Some deaths occurred after trees fell, while others involved people being swept away by floodwaters. Emergency rescue workers continued evacuating people at risk and moving them to safe places. Authorities said some areas received more than 11 inches of rain in only two days, rapidly raising water levels in rivers and canals.

Indianapolis is facing its largest flooding situation in at least 30 years. National Weather Service officials said the flooding was nearing the scale of an event that could occur once in a century. Homes, roads and businesses were submerged in several areas. Indiana’s governor declared an emergency, and the US president approved an emergency disaster declaration following a request for federal assistance. Authorities warned that additional rain could worsen conditions.

Iran’s embassy in South Africa claimed that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt resigned because of disagreements with US President Donald Trump. The claim was made in a social media post addressing reports about Leavitt’s resignation and included a photograph of her, according to a report published on August 16, 2026.

The embassy suggested that Trump had secured his own safety amid security threats while placing other officials at risk, causing Leavitt to lose confidence in him. The post was believed to refer to reports that Trump was secretly moved to a small military aircraft while returning from Turkey. The White House rejected the embassy’s allegation as directly false and baseless.

US officials said Leavitt was not with Trump during the Turkey trip and denied reports linking her to the alleged transfer of Trump to another aircraft. Trump confirmed Leavitt’s resignation, but the source said there was no independent evidence supporting the Iranian embassy’s assertion that personal or political conflict with Trump caused her departure.

Stephen Zunes, a professor of international relations at the University of San Francisco, said the US war with Iran is further weakening Washington’s already declining influence in the Middle East and worldwide. In an interview with Al Jazeera published on August 16, 2026, he said US global dominance was contracting and that the level of influence the country had exercised since World War II was coming to an end.

Zunes said the United States had gained notoriety for launching illegal wars whose “terrible humanitarian consequences” destabilize the Middle East. He argued that even Washington’s closest regional allies are questioning how far they can rely on it to protect their interests. According to Zunes, dependence on the United States can sometimes backfire severely, prompting those allies to seek alternative alliances and partnerships.

He also pointed to growing domestic opposition to the war against Iran and to other so-called endless wars in the Middle East and Asia in the recent past. Zunes said these conflicts divert large sums from essential domestic needs, including healthcare, housing, education and public transportation. He said more than half of the United States’ discretionary government budget is spent on the military each year, calling that allocation unreasonable.

At least five people have died in severe storms and flooding in the U.S. Midwestern state of Indiana, according to a report published on August 16. People are being rescued by boat from flooded homes as several rivers, including the White River through Indianapolis, have risen above danger levels and inundated surrounding areas.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett described the event as the area’s worst flooding in more than 30 years. The U.S. National Weather Service said some locations received more than 280 millimeters of rain in only two days. In Delaware County, authorities recovered the body of a 58-year-old woman on Friday; she is believed to have died while attempting to drive through floodwaters.

A four-year-old child died after a tree fell onto a home in Jennings County. Law enforcement also recovered the body of a teenager who had been missing since jumping into a river on Wednesday. Governor Mike Braun requested a presidential emergency declaration on Friday to secure additional federal help. On Saturday, Braun said President Donald Trump had agreed to approve the request and that the federal government would assist those affected.

Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith has opposed public broadcasting of the Islamic call to prayer, saying it is not part of American culture or history. The remarks were reported on August 16 after Beckwith answered a viewer’s question in his “Ask Micah Anything” video series about why adhan should be silenced if church bells are allowed. He did not identify a specific mosque, local dispute, or proposed ban.

Beckwith suggested that people who want to hear the adhan should go to countries where the practice is part of local tradition and history. He also said mosques could send text messages to members when it is time for prayer instead of broadcasting the call publicly. The report describes the comments as part of his broader criticism of Islam, which intensified from May.

Maliha Jafar, executive director of the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network, said she knew of no Indiana mosque that broadcasts the adhan outdoors through loudspeakers. She said Muslim communities are concerned about safety amid hostile public rhetoric and reported increased mosque security and active-shooter training. The report also cited museum and Library of Congress information indicating Muslims have been present in North America since the 1500s.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in Middle Eastern waters for nearly nine consecutive months, prompting concern among families about the mental health and safety of about 5,000 sailors and service members aboard. US warships are normally deployed for roughly six months, but the carrier has remained at sea far longer than that period. The report was published on August 15, 2026.

According to US officials, more than 10,000 combat aircraft sorties have been launched from the Abraham Lincoln over the past eight months. Personnel have also worked under the threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks. Jefferson Kelly, father of a sailor, said older warships require crews to work long hours to keep them operational. Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seeking accountability over complaints involving clean water, bathrooms and mental strain.

US Central Command rejected the allegations, saying there had been no deaths aboard and that reports about suicide risk were inaccurate. The Navy said water, air conditioning, sufficient food, doctors and counselors were available despite some wartime delivery delays. Families met Navy officials last week. The USS George Washington is heading toward the Middle East to assume duties, though the Abraham Lincoln may need several more weeks to return to the United States.

Speculation is growing in the United States over whether New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could seek the presidency in 2028. The 36-year-old progressive has not stated whether she will run. But at a recent speech at the University of Chicago’s Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, she said her ambition was not to hold an office or seat but to “change the country,” renewing discussion of a possible candidacy.

A July University of New Hampshire poll placed Ocasio-Cortez ahead among potential Democratic candidates, the report said. She has nearly 10 million Instagram followers and support ranging from the Democratic Socialists of America to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. DSA co-chair Ashik Siddiqi said her candidacy would generate strong enthusiasm among the group’s members and give working people a powerful voice in the Democratic primary.

Potential Democratic rivals could include Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Gavin Newsom, Jon Ossoff and Representative Ro Khanna. The report also cites criticism from some left-wing activists over her Gaza-related positions and comments. Analysts said she would need to address Black voters’ concerns and communicate on healthcare, living costs and economic security. Republican and right-wing media attacks could also present a major obstacle.

Former US ambassador and White House adviser Mark Ginsberg said Iran is “playing” President Donald Trump by exploiting mounting electoral pressure in the United States. In an Al Jazeera interview published on August 15, 2026, Ginsberg said Trump’s decisions are being influenced more by the upcoming midterm elections and growing domestic political pressure than by a long-term strategy.

Ginsberg said Tehran is well aware of Washington’s internal political conditions and is prepared to pursue a long-term strategy. He said Iranian leaders are closely watching US opinion polls and remain determined to retain power despite any punishment or pressure imposed on the public. He also said Americans are becoming increasingly frustrated with the country’s current situation.

According to Ginsberg, Trump faces a problem because he is not in a position to acknowledge defeat. He said Tehran is betting on a familiar outcome: that Washington will eventually retreat from its demands. In his view, Iran expects such a shift to result in relief from sanctions.

US President Donald Trump said he would never apologize for attacks on Iran, speaking at an event in New York on Friday local time. The remarks were reported on August 15, 2026, as he addressed the financial costs faced by Americans because of the Iran war.

Trump described those economic losses as insignificant and urged US citizens to accept higher oil prices. He said the increased cost was necessary to prevent Iran from continuing its nuclear program and, in his words, to ensure that an “extremely evil country” does not obtain nuclear weapons.

He said Americans were paying slightly more for petrol, but argued that the cost should be understood in that context. Trump also said the United States was acting not only for itself but for the world, calling its actions a noble and very good undertaking. He reiterated that he would never apologize for the attacks on Iran.

Five people were killed in a shooting in northern Michigan, United States, on Friday, Michigan State Police said. Officers responded at about 11:40 a.m. local time to a report of gunfire at a home in Missaukee County, where they found three people dead and another person injured. The injured person was taken to hospital in critical condition.

Police initially identified 39-year-old Chad Hickman as a suspect. He had fled before officers reached the first scene, prompting a large search operation. During that operation, investigators found another body at a second home, according to police information reported by Reuters.

Police later located Hickman's vehicle near a wooded area by Whitlock Lake. Hickman and another person were found dead there. Authorities did not release the names, ages, or genders of those killed, and said the process of notifying relatives was continuing.

US President Donald Trump has urged Americans to accept paying somewhat more for gasoline as oil prices rise following the Iran war. Speaking in Garden City, Trump said the added cost was necessary to ensure that Iran, which he described as “a very evil country,” does not obtain nuclear weapons. The report was published on August 15, 2026.

Trump said the United States was doing a great service not only for itself but for the world, and said he would never apologize for attacks on Iran. The comments underscore a growing political risk for Trump because higher oil prices conflict with his campaign promise to reduce energy costs.

Democrats are seeking to make the economic effects of the Iran war an issue ahead of November’s midterm elections. About 20 percent of global oil and LNG shipments normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report. Shipping through the strait has been disrupted since the Iran war, adding to the conditions behind higher oil prices worldwide.

The United States is sending the Pacific aircraft carrier USS George Washington toward the Middle East amid reports of mental-health and supply problems aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, which has supported the US war against Iran. An Associated Press report, citing a Navy official, said George Washington was in the Malacca Strait and had been ordered toward the Indian Ocean. It may replace Abraham Lincoln, one of two US carriers deployed in the region.

Abraham Lincoln left San Diego on November 21, 2025, reached the Middle East in January 2026, and has spent more than 260 days at sea. Families and US lawmakers have raised concerns about a worsening mental-health crisis, including reports that multiple service members tried to jump from the ship. The Navy said wartime disruption to traditional Middle East supply hubs caused shortages and lost mail.

The Navy said leadership prioritized food, hygiene supplies and then mail, adding that sailors now have clean water and healthy food options. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected reports about poor conditions as misrepresented. Democratic lawmakers have sought an investigation, more information and transparency, while Senator Ruben Gallego said he was planning a formal bipartisan visit to the carrier.

The United States now considers keeping oil and gas prices affordable its top priority, ahead of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, according to US Vice President JD Vance. In an interview with Fox News cited in a report published on August 14, 2026, Vance described the order of US objectives.

Vance said oil prices had fallen that day and were substantially below the high levels seen early in the conflict. He said the main goal was to keep oil and gas prices affordable for people across the country.

He said the second objective was to ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons. The report did not provide further details on US policy measures, a timeline, or additional reactions regarding the stated priorities.