House Votes to End DHS Shutdown | Balance of Power: Early Edition 4/30/2026

Summary

The episode covers the House vote to end the longest partial DHS shutdown, sending funding to the president. Political panelists discuss the implications for midterms and border security. The Iran standoff continues with potential new military options, while oil prices dip from earlier highs and inflation rises, delaying Fed rate cuts.

• House passes funding for most of DHS, excluding ICE and Border Patrol, which will be handled via reconciliation.
• Speaker Mike Johnson touts Republican victories and criticizes Democrats on border policy.
• Senator Steve Daines discusses the shutdown, FISA extension, and supports Trump's maximum pressure on Iran.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces hostile questioning from Democrats over the Iran war's cost and conduct.
• Oil prices retreat from four-year highs after Axios reports new military options, with Brent crude falling to $113.
• March inflation measure (PCE) rose 3.5% year-over-year, the largest increase in three years, partly due to gas prices.
• Crude oil rally is breaking demand, with Bloomberg Intelligence's Mike McGlone predicting a collapse in the December Brent contract to $50.
• Chatham House fellow Natasha Hall assesses the Iran standoff and the risks of military escalation for global oil markets.