🗞️More Marines are headed to the Middle East

Sponsored by

March 20th, 2026

What happened today 🇺🇸,

• The U.S. is deploying a second Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), consisting of approximately 2,200-2,500 Marines primarily from the 11th MEU in California, aboard the USS Boxer to the Middle East

• The Trump administration is making detailed Pentagon preparations for potential U.S. ground troop deployment into Iran amid the ongoing war, no final decision has been made yet…later in the day however President Trump said on social media that "We are getting close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East...", so we’ll see how things progress next week

• President Trump called NATO "cowards" on social media today for refusing to assist the U.S. in securing the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blocked amid ongoing war

• The UK has approved U.S. forces' use of British bases for strikes on Iranian missile sites threatening ships in the Strait of Hormuz

• U.S. authorities are investigating Colombian President, Gustavo Petro, for alleged ties to narcotics trafficking

• The Trump administration has sued Harvard University, alleging the school violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by ignoring antisemitism and harassment against Jewish and Israeli students

• CBS News has initiated layoffs affecting about 6% of its roughly 1,100 employees, which will be around 60-70 staffers, across various divisions as part of editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski's new restructuring plan

• Amazon is developing a smartphone codenamed "Transformer" in its devices and services unit, aiming to integrate Alexa and AI for seamless shopping on Amazon, Prime Video streaming, and Amazon Music listening

• The Federal Communications Commission has approved Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, allowing Nexstar to combine roughly 265 local TV stations across 44 states and Washington, D.C., in what will be the largest U.S. local‑station group…eight states have already filed an emergency motion to stop the merger

• WordPress has launched a new feature allowing AI agents to autonomously write, edit, and publish blog posts directly within the platform's editor and media library…read more here

• S&P down 1.51% / Nasdaq down 2.01% / DOW down .96%

Your Retirement Savings Need to Outlast You

Most retirement plans underestimate two things: how long your savings need to last, and how quietly inflation erodes them along the way.

The 15-Minutes Retirement Plan helps you close both gaps with practical guidance on longevity risk, purchasing power, and building a financial plan that doesn't run out before you do.

If you have $1,000,000 or more saved, download your free guide to start.

Download Your Free Guide.

Bonus: A look at nuclear weapons by country

Please follow The Simple American on X @TSimpleAmerican x.com/Tsimpleamerican

Follow us on TikTok @simpleamerican

Quote of the day: “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have a great weekend!

P.S. We love connecting with our readers so…

Please reply to this newsletter for more info on any news points in the letter, feel free to give us any feedback you have, or let us know what you want more of!