AP Afternoon Wire

"War funds, Cuban Communist Party, Dolores Huerta."

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By Amy Langfield March 19, 2026

Good afternoon and welcome to your afternoon news update from AP. Today, the Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, an AP source says; trade with Cuba collapses as President Trump escalates pressure on the Communist Party; and some people are now calling for Dolores Huerta’s name to replace César Chavez’s on the plethora of buildings, monuments and streets that bear his name across the country. UP FIRST Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Thursday. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Pentagon seeks $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, AP source says The Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, a sizable amount that is certain to be met with questions from Congress, which would need to approve any new money. The department sent the request to the White House, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private information. Asked about the figure at a press conference Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not directly confirm the amount, saying it could change. “It takes money to kill bad guys,” Hegseth said. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Live updates: Iran retaliates on Gulf energy sites as stocks sink worldwide US national debt surges past $39 trillion just weeks into war in Iran Iran war underscores risks of Trump’s relentless focus on oil Japan’s Takaichi tries to reaffirm alliance with Trump as he seeks help securing Strait of Hormuz Mullin’s DHS nomination advances to full Senate despite opposition from Republican Rand Paul Asylum claim denied for the family of the boy in a bunny hat detained with his father, lawyer says States seek to unmask federal immigration agents -- and their own police RFK Jr. makes food sound like a miracle drug. Researchers say he often overstates the science What ACA enrollees are giving up to afford health care, according to a new poll Trump administration launches investigation of states that mandate health insurance covers abortion West Virginia voters will lose access to donor employer data under new campaign finance law Where big spending won – and lost – in the Illinois primary

TOP STORIES Trade with Cuba collapses as Trump escalates pressure on Communist Party leadership The Cuban Communist Party has shown astonishing resilience over six decades in power. Whether it’s the United States trade embargo to counter Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, or the widespread starvation of the “special period” that followed the breakup of its Cold War patron, the Soviet Union, both U.S. hostilities and calamities of its own making have proven no match for the country’s leadership. But perhaps none of those crises pose as grave a threat as the one triggered by an all-but-declared naval siege by the Trump administration as it seeks to force regime change. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Concern, anger and hope simmer in Cuba after Trump calls for ‘imminent action’ against government WATCH: Cubans react to tensions between the U.S. and Cuban governments Dolores Huerta ends her silence, champions decades of advocacy for marginalized groups Dolores Huerta has dedicated her life to breaking down barriers and cemented her place in history as one of the nation’s most influential labor leaders, civil rights icons and feminist activists. It was Dolores Huerta who coined the slogan “Si, se puede” in 1972 when bringing together farmworkers in Arizona to fight a law that prohibited boycotts and strikes. Now she has shocked the world by revealing she was among the women and girls who say they were sexually abused by César Chavez while he led the United Farm Workers union. Huerta says she was fearful of speaking out because she didn’t want the movement to be tarnished. While Chavez and Huerta's names were once inseparable, elected leaders and community members are initiating efforts to rename some buildings, schools and streets after Huerta alone. Read more.  RELATED COVERAGE ➤ California lawmakers want to rename César Chavez Day following sexual abuse allegations Chavez name, once an honor, now carries a stain that officials want to scrub WATCH: César Chavez accused of sexually abusing labor rights leader Dolores Huerta, AP Explains

ADVERTISEMENT IN OTHER NEWS In this image taken from video, rap artist Afroman testifies in court on Tuesday, in West Union, Ohio. (WCPO via AP) ‘Will You Help Me Repair My Door?’: Rapper Afroman wins lawsuit against police over mocking their 2022 raid in viral music videos Environmental state of alert declared: Thousands of Moldovans cut off from water after Russian strike on Ukrainian hydropower plant London: Kevin Spacey settles out of court with 3 men over alleged sexual assaults Louisiana: Rapper Mystikal pleads guilty to third-degree rape Northern California: 2,400 Kaiser mental health professionals strike over AI concerns Be Well: ‘Microshifting’ puts a new spin on 9-to-5 schedules Vernal equinox arrives Friday: Is spring really — finally — here? WATCH: A real possum appears among plush toy animals in Australian airport gift shop TRENDING People walk in the new outdoor space created with travertine marble around the Colosseum on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Rome’s Colosseum gets a fresh look that recreates the footprints of long-gone columns The Colosseum has a bright new look following a restoration using the same travertine marble of ancient Rome to recreate parts of columns from 2,000 years ago. The project focused on a semicircular piazza outside the arena, where Roman spectators crowded under two arcades made of marble columns stretching up to 164 feet high. Those arches are long gone, collapsing over the centuries from earthquakes and unstable ground. But now, tourists will be able to sit on large travertine marble slabs where the columns once stood.

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