Overview of Evening Wire: More Marines to Middle East & Bachelorette Canceled | 3.20.26
This episode of Daily Wire's Evening Wire (March 20, 2026) covers U.S. and international security developments, media and legal controversies, entertainment news, infrastructure and state-level politics, and the death of action star Chuck Norris. Hosts Georgia Howe and John Bickley run through headlines with brief reporting and context on troop movements to the Middle East, alleged leaks and investigations, ABC’s cancellation of The Bachelorette season starring Taylor Frankie Paul after a viral abuse video, a Planned Parenthood discrimination settlement, Department of Education restructuring, travel disruptions from TSA shortages, major media consolidation, and a number of state/local stories.
Top stories covered
- U.S. sends an additional Marine expeditionary unit (~2,200 Marines + warships) to the Middle East; rapid response role (shipping lanes, evacuations, limited ground ops).
- President Trump said he has no plans to put troops on the ground: “I’m not putting troops anywhere.”
- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Israel acted alone in striking a gas facility and disputed that Israel dragged the U.S. into the conflict; said Trump had asked Israel to hold off on further strikes.
- Former intelligence official Joe Kent is suspected of leaking classified material; linked reporting highlights an FBI counterintelligence probe and media involvement (noted appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show).
- Reports say FBI Director Kash Patel may declassify information to show the probe was already underway when Kent resigned.
- ABC cancels The Bachelorette season starring Taylor Frankie Paul after a viral video alleged domestic abuse.
- Paul’s spokesperson called the video part of the ex’s “destructive campaign” and accused it of omitting context; Disney/ABC paused the season and said focus is on supporting the family.
- Planned Parenthood Federation (Illinois chapter) agreed to pay $500,000 after an EEOC finding that staff were segregated into mandatory race-based affinity groups and white employees were allegedly harassed during sessions.
- Two former FBI agents are suing the DOJ, alleging politically motivated firings tied to 2020 election probe activity; they seek reinstatement and a court ruling the dismissals were unlawful.
- Trump administration to move the nearly $1.7 trillion federal student loan portfolio from the Education Department to the Treasury Department as part of a broader shift away from the Department of Education.
- TSA staffing shortages amid a government shutdown are producing longer airport security lines; absenteeism reportedly exceeds 40% at some airports (e.g., Houston Hobby), with some checkpoints and hubs severely delayed.
- FCC approved Nexstar’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna via a waiver to allow ownership beyond the usual 39% national reach cap; resulting company would reach ~60% of U.S. households.
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul publicly urged wealthy residents to return to New York to restore the tax base, acknowledging outmigration (and remote work) but does not propose spending cuts.
- Little Rock restaurant “Croissant Tree” disputed claims that staff asked Gov. Sarah Sanders to leave for political reasons; employee social media posts suggest politics played a role.
- California’s Wallace Wildlife Crossing project is behind schedule and over budget: cost rose from $93M to $114M (about $77M taxpayer-funded); crossing expected to be complete fall 2026 but currently incomplete.
- Chuck Norris (age 86) has died. Coverage includes highlights of his martial arts and film career, early service in the U.S. Air Force, work with Bruce Lee, and later film appearances. Family requested privacy on circumstances.
Key takeaways and context
- Military posture: The U.S. is reinforcing rapid-response maritime/evacuation capabilities in the Middle East while administration officials publicly rule out land deployments; coordination with Israel is emphasized but contested in public statements.
- Leaks and internal probes: The Joe Kent story underscores tensions between classified-information handling, media appearances by former officials, and politicized narratives around FBI investigations; declassification is floated as a transparency tool.
- Media and accountability: ABC’s cancellation of The Bachelorette season shows broadcast networks reacting swiftly to viral social media evidence and public scrutiny; networks are emphasizing family support and investigatory caution.
- Workforce and administrative reshaping: Multiple stories (TSA shortages, DOE student loan transfer, EEOC action) reflect operational impacts from policy shifts, staffing morale, and enforcement of workplace anti-discrimination rules.
- Media consolidation: Nexstar-Tegna merger illustrates continued consolidation in local broadcast ownership and regulatory flexibility from the FCC via waivers.
- Cultural/political flashpoints: Local incidents (Sanders/restaurant) and state-level fiscal debates (Hochul) continue to highlight polarization over politics, taxation, and migration of high earners.
Notable quotes
- President Trump: “I’m not putting troops anywhere.”
- Benjamin Netanyahu (paraphrase from transcript): “Trump is not someone you tell what to do … for 40 years I’ve been saying Iran is a danger to Israel and the world.”
- Taylor Frankie Paul’s spokesperson (paraphrase): The released video is the “latest installment” of the ex’s “desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign” that omits context.
- Chuck Norris (famous line quoted): “I heard another rumor that you were bitten by a king cobra. Yeah, I was. But after five days of agonizing pain, the cobra died.”
Additional brief items mentioned
- Allies signaled support for reopening the Strait of Hormuz; oil prices affected by disruptions tied to the Iran conflict.
- Allegations that labor leader Cesar Chavez sexually abused girls/women were noted as part of earlier coverage that day.
What to watch next
- Official updates about troop deployments and any changes to U.S. ground-force posture in the Middle East.
- Outcomes of the FBI/DOJ investigations and any potential declassification related to Joe Kent.
- Any further legal or media developments around Taylor Frankie Paul and ABC’s decision.
- Implementation details and timing for moving student loans to Treasury and what that means for borrowers.
- TSA absentee trends as a government shutdown continues and potential operational impacts at major airports.
- Progress reports and budget tracking on the Wallace Wildlife Crossing and Nexstar’s post-merger local station operations.
For full details, the episode directs listeners to dailywire.com.