Posted by Matt Kiser

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/04/20/day-1917/

Today in one sentence: Trump said he’s “highly unlikely” to extend the Iran ceasefire, warning that if it expires, “then lots of bombs start going off”; Trump called his energy secretary’s assessment that gas prices might remain at $3 per gallon or more until next year “totally wrong”; FBI Director Kash Patel sued The Atlantic and a journalist for defamation, seeking $250 million over an article that said he showed “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences,” was “often away or unreachable, delaying time-sensitive decisions,” and had become a point of concern inside the FBI and Justice Department; Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned following an inspector general investigation into allegations that she had an affair with a member of her security detail, drank on the job, and used official events to facilitate personal travel; the House Ethics Committee publicly urged anyone with information about sexual misconduct by a House member or staffer to come forward; the Justice Department demanded that a Michigan county turn over ballots and other records from the 2024 election; a federal appeals court allowed construction on Trump’s White House ballroom to continue for now; and Trump’s IRS and Treasury Department told a federal judge they’re negotiating a resolution to Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over his leaked tax records.

1/ Trump said he’s “highly unlikely” to extend the Iran ceasefire, warning that if it expires, “then lots of bombs start going off.” A second round of U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad, however, was still being prepared despite Tehran publicly saying there was “no plan” and “no decision” on new talks after the U.S. seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship. The U.S., Pakistani, and some Iranian officials suggested the meeting could still happen. Trump insists Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon,” while Iran says it won’t negotiate “under the shadow of threats” and called the ship seizure and continued blockade as proof Washington’s “claim of diplomacy” doesn’t match its actions. Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains far below normal after Iran briefly declared it open, then reasserted control as the U.S. kept its blockade in place. (Washington Post / PBS News / New York Times / CNN / NBC News / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Associated Press)

2/ Trump called his energy secretary’s assessment that gas prices might remain at $3 per gallon or more until next year “totally wrong.” Trump claimed prices would fall “as soon as this ends,” referring to the Iran war and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. A day before, Chris Wright had suggested that gas “prices have likely peaked and they’ll start going down, certainly with a resolution of this conflict.” The national average price of a gallon of gas was about $4.10 last week. (The Hill / New York Times / Bloomberg / Politico / CNN)

3/ FBI Director Kash Patel sued The Atlantic and a journalist for defamation, seeking $250 million over an article that said he showed “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences,” was “often away or unreachable, delaying time-sensitive decisions,” and had become a point of concern inside the FBI and Justice Department. The article, which cited more than two dozen anonymous sources, also said Patel’s drinking had forced meetings and briefings to be pushed later in the day, that members of his security detail at times had trouble waking him, and that he feared his job was in jeopardy. Patel called the story “a lie” and said, “They were given the truth before they published, and they chose to print falsehoods anyway.” His lawsuit described the story as “replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations” meant to “destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office.” The Atlantic, meanwhile, said it stood by its reporting and would “vigorously defend” the magazine and its journalists. (Reuters / Washington Post / Associated Press / CBS News / NBC News / Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Axios)

• [READ] The FBI Director Is MIA. “Kash Patel has alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences.” (The Atlantic)

4/ Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned following an inspector general investigation into allegations that she had an affair with a member of her security detail, drank on the job, and used official events to facilitate personal travel. The White House said she was leaving for the private sector, and said Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling would serve as acting secretary. Chavez-DeRemer is the third cabinet member to leave in less than two months, following Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March and Attorney General Pam Bondi. (NBC News / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Bloomberg / Politico)

5/ The House Ethics Committee publicly urged anyone with information about sexual misconduct by a House member or staffer to come forward. The rare statement comes after Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales resigned following sexual misconduct allegations. “There should be zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, harassment, or discrimination in the halls of Congress, or in any employment setting,” the committee said. The panel encouraged anyone who may have experienced sexual misconduct by a House member or staffer to contact them, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, or the Office of Employee Advocacy (ABC News / Washington Post / Politico)

6/ The Justice Department demanded that a Michigan county turn over ballots and other records from the 2024 election. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon’s letter gave Wayne County 14 days to produce ballots, envelopes, and receipts, citing a handful of fraud convictions and old lawsuits. Michigan officials said none of the cases involved the 2024 election and called the request “baseless.” Trump won Michigan in 2024, but lost by nearly 250,000 votes in Wayne County, which is home to Detroit. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel said arrests over the 2020 election were “coming soon,” adding that the FBI had “all the information we need” for an “entire conspiracy case.” (NBC News / Politico / Democracy Docket / Reuters / New York Times / Washington Post)

• A federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking Rhode Island’s unredacted voter rolls, ruling that federal election law didn’t authorize the request for private data on roughly 750,000 registered voters. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy called the demand a “fishing expedition.” (CBS News / Associated Press / Reuters)

7/ A federal appeals court allowed construction on Trump’s White House ballroom to continue for now, pausing a judge’s order that had stopped the aboveground work on the 90,000-square-foot project and underground bunker. The panel said the stay is administrative, not a ruling on the merits, and set arguments for June 5. Meaning, whether Trump can proceed without congressional approval remains unresolved. (ABC News / NBC News / Washington Post)

8/ Trump’s IRS and Treasury Department told a federal judge they’re negotiating a resolution to Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over his leaked tax records. The filing asked for a 90-day pause while Trump’s own administration weighs whether to settle a personal lawsuit against itself, potentially leaving taxpayers to fund a payment to Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization. The suit stems from the leak of Trump’s tax records by former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 5 years in prison. (Reuters / CNN / NBC News / New York Times)

poll/ 37% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance as president, while 63% disapprove. (NBC News)

The 2026 midterms are in 197 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 932 days.

• Three years ago today: Day 821: "Great."
• Four years ago today: Day 456: "Food for thought."
• Five years ago today: Day 91: "Overwhelming."
• Six years ago today: Day 1187: "Complaining."
• Eight years ago today: Day 456: Unprecedented treachery.
• 9 years ago today: Day 91: "Super-mighty preemptive strike."

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https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/04/20/day-1917/