U.S. President Donald Trump in Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S., February 27, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
On Tuesday morning, March 3, MS NOW's Ana Cabrera reported that President Donald Trump's military strikes against Iran had "engulfed" 12 different countries as the conflict escalated and a list of Middle Eastern nations became involved "in some capacity."
The conflict has been dominating the headlines in the U.S., and in a listicle published on March 3, Newsweek's editors lay out five "domestic controversies" that are now taking a back seat to Iran in the media.
"As the war with Iran escalates," the Newsweek editors observe, "Washington's focus has shifted almost entirely overseas. Nonstop coverage of airstrikes, retaliation threats and urgent diplomacy has taken over the news cycle, leaving far less attention for the domestic controversies that had been surrounding President Donald Trump. In just days, the political conversation moved from partisan debates at home to questions about military strategy and the risk of a huge regional war."
The five controversies, according to Newsweek, are: (1) "renewed questions around Epstein connections," (2) "tariffs ruling and trade payments disputes," (3) "MAHA and the Glyphosate rift," (4) "artificial intelligence and deregulation," and (5) "inflation messaging and economic doubts."
But Newsweek points out that although the economy has been taking a back seat to the Iran conflict in media coverage, that could easily change if the war creates "new economic pressure."
"Oil prices have surged, which will lead to higher gas prices and increased shipping costs," Newsweek's editors explain. "Those increases can flow through to everyday goods. Market uncertainty and potential spikes in defense spending could also affect borrowing costs. For many households, the financial effects of war may soon be felt alongside existing cost-of-living concerns."
