Overview of Iran's 8pm Deadline, Soleimani Niece Arrest, Artemis II Breaks Space Travel Record: AM Update 4/7
Host Megan Kelly (SiriusXM) delivers the AM Update for April 7, 2026, covering three major stories: President Trump’s public 8 p.m. ET deadline and threats against Iranian infrastructure, the U.S. arrest and immigration actions against relatives of slain Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, and NASA’s Artemis II crew setting a new record for the farthest human spaceflight. The show also summarizes a Supreme Court order affecting Steve Bannon’s contempt conviction.
Top headlines (quick)
- President Trump set an 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to meet U.S. demands, warning of strikes that could destroy Iranian power plants and bridges.
- ICE detained Hamideh Soleimani Afshar (niece) and Serena Sadat Hosseini (grand-niece) of Qasem Soleimani after the State Department revoked their green cards; DHS alleges fraudulent asylum claims and pro-regime activity.
- U.S. Supreme Court vacated the appeals court ruling upholding Steve Bannon’s contempt conviction and remanded the case for consideration of a DOJ motion to dismiss.
- Artemis II surpassed Apollo-era distance records, reaching ~252,000+ miles from Earth and conducting a close lunar flyby.
Iran: 8 p.m. deadline and threats
- What Trump said: At a press conference, President Trump warned Iran they have until 8 p.m. ET to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face “devastating” attacks, specifically threatening to decimate bridges and put every power plant “out of business” in a short operation. He framed it as avoidable and repeatedly referenced military capability.
- Administration framing: The host notes mixed past claims from the administration—sometimes saying the operation is won or the regime decimated, while also indicating more time is needed.
- Iran’s response: Iranian state media announced a nationwide protection campaign; Deputy Minister Ali Reza Rahimi urged young people to form human chains as “human shields” around power plants, calling attacks on public infrastructure a war crime. These actions were to commence ~13 hours before the 8 p.m. deadline.
- Status: At the time of the broadcast, no immediate White House response to Iran’s human-shield campaign was reported.
Why it matters:
- The public deadline and explicit targeting of civilian infrastructure raise risks of rapid escalation and regional instability, with diplomatic, military, and humanitarian implications.
Soleimani relatives arrested; immigration actions
- Who: Hamideh Soleimani Afshar (47) and her daughter Serena Sadat Hosseini (25), niece and grand-niece of Qasem Soleimani, were arrested by ICE in Los Angeles and are held in immigration detention pending removal.
- What DHS/State allege:
- The State Department revoked their lawful permanent resident status (green cards).
- Afshar entered on a tourist visa in 2015, was granted asylum in 2019 and a green card in 2021; DHS says she traveled back to Iran at least four times, undermining asylum claims.
- Both had social media posts that DHS and the State Department characterize as supportive of the Iranian regime and celebratory of attacks on U.S. forces; Afshar reportedly called America “the great Satan.”
- Authorities question the source of their apparent lavish lifestyle, and report that Afshar actually lives in a small accessory dwelling unit despite curated social posts.
- Legal step: Afshar had applied for U.S. naturalization in July; that process is now undone by the revocations.
- Political reaction: Secretary of State (posted on X) framed the action as not allowing the U.S. to be a home for supporters of anti-American regimes.
Why it matters:
- The case illustrates enforcement of immigration rules tied to national security concerns, and it has political resonance given Soleimani’s profile.
Steve Bannon: Supreme Court order vacates appeals ruling
- What happened: The U.S. Supreme Court issued an unsigned order vacating the D.C. Circuit’s decision that had upheld Steve Bannon’s 2022 conviction for contempt of Congress (refusing a Jan. 6 committee subpoena). The case was remanded to the district court to consider the Justice Department’s motion to dismiss.
- Procedural background:
- Bannon was convicted in 2022, sentenced to four months in prison and a fine; he served the sentence (prison term was later paused pending appeal but he reported July 1, 2024).
- He appealed, arguing his noncompliance was not willful because he acted on counsel’s advice claiming executive privilege.
- Earlier this year, the DOJ (now aligned with Bannon’s position) sought dismissal and urged remand.
- Consequences and views:
- It’s not yet clear when the district court will act on the DOJ motion.
- Supporters (e.g., Mike Davis of the Article III Project) called the decision a correction of a “fundamentally flawed prosecution” and an affirmation of executive-privilege protections; critics argue enforcement of congressional subpoenas matters for oversight.
Why it matters:
- The order has implications for the balance between executive privilege and congressional oversight, and it removes a criminal conviction related to Jan. 6 from Bannon’s record pending lower-court action.
Artemis II: new human spaceflight distance record
- The milestone: Artemis II’s Orion capsule and four astronauts passed more than 252,000 miles from Earth, exceeding the Apollo 13 record and becoming the farthest humans have traveled from Earth.
- Mission highlights:
- The crew conducted a lunar flyby that passed roughly 4,000 miles above the moon’s surface and observed lunar regions never before seen by human eyes.
- Astronaut Jeremy Hansen spoke onboard as the craft surpassed the record and honored past explorers while challenging future generations to go further.
- Orion experienced a communications blackout of about 40 minutes; contact was reestablished afterward.
- The mission now begins its return leg: splashdown in the Pacific Ocean is expected just after 8 p.m. ET on Friday (four-day return).
- Significance: Demonstrates modern deep-space human-capable systems and yields new scientific/photographic observations of the lunar surface.
Notable quotes
- President Trump: “Every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding, and never to be used again.” (threat as part of the 8 p.m. deadline warning)
- Astronaut Jeremy Hansen (Artemis II): “As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled... we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors... We will continue our journey even further into space...”
Key takeaways
- Geopolitical flashpoint: A public hard deadline and explicit threats against civilian infrastructure raise the chance of a rapid and dangerous escalation with Iran; Tehran is mobilizing civilian resistance measures.
- Immigration and national-security enforcement: The arrests and revocations involving Soleimani relatives show active targeting of immigration status when national-security concerns or alleged fraudulent claims arise.
- Legal and constitutional implications: The Supreme Court’s action on Bannon’s case affects future disputes over executive privilege versus congressional subpoenas and may influence prosecutorial decisions.
- Human spaceflight progress: Artemis II’s record voyage advances NASA’s crewed lunar program and provides new observational data of the moon while demonstrating deep-space operational capability.
Things to watch next
- Outcome and international fallout after the 8 p.m. ET deadline (any military action, diplomatic developments, or further Iranian measures).
- District court action on the DOJ’s motion to dismiss Bannon’s indictment and any related commentary from oversight or legal groups.
- Final return and splashdown of Artemis II (Pacific Ocean, expected just after 8 p.m. ET on Friday) and any scientific/mission debriefs.
Suggested next reads/listens (related)
- Official White House and Department of Defense statements on Iran/Strait of Hormuz developments.
- DHS/State Department press releases for details on the Soleimani-relative immigration actions.
- Supreme Court docket entries and district court filings regarding the Bannon remand.
- NASA mission updates and Artemis II live/recorded briefings for technical details and imagery.