The week ended with U.S.–Israel strikes on Iran, a UCLA lawsuit, and new domestic policy moves.
Dante Belcher
Mar 2, 2026
Trump’s 58th week ended with global violence and lawsuits. The U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, raising implications after Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed. This follows previous reports from The Introspective detailing the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June and protests against government corruption in Iran in January.
At the same time, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), alleging antisemitism over campus protests supporting Palestine. This follows previous reports from The Introspective detailing settlements with Cornell University, Brown University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Virginia and Northwestern University over antisemitism accusations. Meanwhile, Trump directed the federal government to stop using the AI program Anthropic.
Iran
The U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran in “Operation Epic Fury” on Saturday, raising implications after Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed.
“A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran,” Trump said in a video.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas and our allies throughout the world.”
In an X post, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was to “remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.”
“For 47 years, the ayatollah regime has been shouting ‘Death to Israel,’ ‘Death to America.’ It has spilled our blood, murdered many Americans, and massacred its own people,” he said.
“This murderous terrorist regime must not arm itself with nuclear weapons that would allow it to threaten all of humanity,” he continued.
“The time has come for all parts of the people in Iran—the Persians, the Kurds, the Azeris, the Baluchis and the Ahwazis—to cast off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran.”
After Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed, Trump celebrated in a Truth Social post.
“This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” he wrote, later encouraging Iranians to rebel against their government.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.”
Multiple U.S. service members were killed in the airstrikes, according to an update from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
“Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions—and are in the process of being returned to duty,” the agency said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the strikes, calling the operation the “most lethal, most complex and most precise aerial operation in history.”
“The Iranian regime had their chance, yet refused to make a deal—and now they are suffering the consequences,” he wrote on X.
“For almost 50 years, Iran has targeted and killed Americans, always seeking the world’s most powerful weapons to further their radical cause. Last night, unlike any previous president, President Trump began dealing with this cancer,” he added.
“We will not tolerate powerful missiles targeting the American people. Those missiles will be destroyed, along with Iran’s missile production. The Iranian navy will be destroyed. And, as President Trump has said his entire life, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
In a statement obtained by The Introspective, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Iran must be confronted for “its human rights violations, nuclear ambitions, support of terrorism and the threat it poses to our allies like Israel and Jordan in the region,” but criticized the operation’s lack of congressional approval.
“However, absent exigent circumstances, the Trump administration must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war,” he said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) called the war “unlawful.”
“The American people are once again dragged into a war they did not want by a president who does not care about the long-term consequences of his actions,” she said in a press release.
“Violence begets violence. We learned this lesson in Iraq. We learned this lesson in Afghanistan. And we are about to learn it again in Iran. Bombs have yet to create enduring democracies in the region, and this will be no different,” she added.
“In moments of war, our Constitution is unambiguous: Congress authorizes war. The president does not.”
This comes as protests against “Operation Epic Fury” grew across the country, with many members of the Iranian diaspora celebrating Khamenei’s death.
AI and UCLA
Following previous reports from The Introspective detailing settlements with Cornell University, Brown University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Virginia and Northwestern University, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against the University of California, Los Angeles, alleging antisemitism over campus protests supporting Palestine.
“Based on our investigation, UCLA administrators allegedly allowed virulent anti-Semitism to flourish on campus, harming students and staff alike,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a press release.
“Today’s lawsuit underscores that this Department of Justice stands strong against hate and anti-Semitism in all its vile forms.”
The lawsuit alleges that UCLA violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.
“The litany of vile acts of antisemitism that allegedly took place, and continue to take place, at UCLA are, if found to be true, a mark of shame against the University of California,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said.
“The Justice Department will ensure that UCLA maintains an environment for its employees free from antisemitic harassment.”
Meanwhile, Trump directed the federal government to stop using products from Anthropic, an AI company.
“THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY FIGHTS AND WINS WARS!” he wrote on Truth Social.
“Therefore, I am directing EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology. We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!”
The company later dismissed accusations of being a security risk in a press release, calling it “legally unsound.”
“No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons,” the press release read.
“We will challenge any supply chain risk designation in court.”
The Introspective 
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