Politics Chat, September 17, 2026

House Speaker Mike Johnson sent members home until after the midterms, reportedly to avoid a vote on Representative Thomas Massie’s eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Massie’s articles cite War Powers Act violations tied to the Iran war, unauthorized strikes on boats near Venezuela, and 2025 strikes in Yemen. Diesel prices have surpassed 6 dollars a gallon, a record, as both the Strait of Hormuz and Yemen’s Bab el-Mandeb Strait remain disrupted. CBS reported that hundreds of buildings and aircraft have been destroyed in the Iran war, based on photos leaked by active-duty service members. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked the European Union about associate membership for Canada. The Wall Street Journal reported that Senator Katie Britt of Alabama privately lobbied for tariff exemptions while publicly praising the tariffs. Karl Rove wrote that he will vote for a Democrat in Texas this year, and Senator John Cornyn retweeted the piece. Trump’s political action committee is concentrating midterm spending in districts he won by five points or more.Watch today’s live recording here.Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyGet full, free access to Letters from an American here.You can also find Heather:YouTubeBlueskyInstagramFacebookThreadsTikTok Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe