The Hound | April 13

Pentagon violated court order involving press access, Trump posts AI image of himself as Jesus and attacks Pope Leo, and Swalwell drops out of Calif. Governor race.

April 13, 2026

Hi there,

It’s Monday. In Hungary, Trump ally and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán lost his election in a crushing defeat, voters choosing a pro-European challenger in a result with global repercussions. Over in California, Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out of the governor’s race after numerous sexual harassment and assault allegations were revealed, narrowing the crowded Democratic primary to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited. Trump posts AI meme of himself as Jesus and attacks Pope Leo in another unhinged social media post. And last week, a federal judge has ruled that the Pentagon violated a court order by continuing to restrict journalists’ access, calling out efforts to sidestep constitutional protections and limit independent reporting.

These restrictions come at a particularly dangerous moment: during an ongoing war with Iran. When the United States is engaged in active conflict, limiting press access does more than inconvenience journalists—it shields war-making decisions from scrutiny and prevents the public from fully understanding the human, strategic, and financial costs. Even the judge warned that curtailing press freedom is especially dangerous “in a time of war,” when transparency is most critical.

The public deserves independent reporting, not access filtered through government approval. Democracy depends on a press that can question power freely, especially when lives are on the line.

Read about this, and more, with today’s stories:

Mom, Kids, and Nowhere to Go (The American Prospect)

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

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