Buried.News

The New Republic published a lightly edited transcript of a March 20, 2026 Daily Blast podcast interview with Rep. Adam Smith about leaks suggesting a possible U.S. escalation in Iran, including a potential $200 billion supplemental request and discussion of deploying thousands of troops. The transcript leans heavily on Smith’s broad assertions (casualty counts, alleged atrocities, and claims about illegality and wider Trump ambitions) while only briefly anchoring the reporting to Reuters/Washington Post mentions without providing the underlying details in-text. The story matters because it shapes public understanding of war powers, budgeting, and escalation risks—areas where precision about what is confirmed versus alleged is essential.

Format is a transcript of a March 20, 2026 Daily Blast podcast episode hosted by Greg Sargent, featuring Rep. Adam Smith (ranking Democrat on House Armed Services). Host cites a Reuters report describing planning discussions about deploying “thousands” of troops, including concepts tied to the Strait of Hormuz and Kharg Island; Smith characterizes this as escalation pressure. Host says the Washington Post reported the Pentagon may seek an additional $200 billion from Congress; the transcript frames it as a leak from inside the administration. Smith claims the war has already involved U.S. deaths (“13 service members’ lives already lost”), major economic disruption, and multiple countries “dragged into” the conflict, and cites the killing of “150 schoolgirls in Iran,” but the transcript does not provide corroborating sourcing for these figures/events. Smith argues Trump is pursuing regime change, says an “imminent threat” rationale is unsupported, and contends Congress has not held a public hearing despite being “three weeks into this war.” Smith urges Democrats to oppose any additional war funding absent ending the war, and says oversight tools could include public hearings and potentially subpoenas for Pentagon officials. Trump is quoted responding to a question about $200 billion by suggesting broader needs beyond Iran; Smith interprets this as open-ended militarization and points to stated ambitions like Greenland/Panama/Canada/Cuba (as described in the interview).