Rubin Report - Dave Rubin - Iran Escalation, Mass Shooting Kills Children, Skid Row Abuse Claims | 4/20/26 FIRST LOOK
Aired: 2026-04-20
Duration: 07:10


=== Strait of Hormuz Closed (04:07) ===

[00:00:04]  Good morning, everybody.
[00:00:05]  It's Monday, April 20th, 2026, and this is First Look.
[00:00:10]  We've got a big, fast moving show for you today.
[00:00:13]  Here's what we're tracking a major escalation with Iran.
[00:00:16]  The Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
[00:00:19]  U.S. forces seize an Iranian ship, and Marines are now aboard.
[00:00:24]  A horrific mass shooting in Louisiana leaves eight children dead in what officials are calling one of the worst tragedies in the state's history.
[00:00:32]  And later, shocking reports out of Los Angeles' Skid Row.
[00:00:37]  Where activists say drug users are abusing animals in deeply disturbing ways.
[00:00:42]  Let's get into it.
[00:00:44]  We start overseas, where tensions between the United States and Iran are escalating rapidly.
[00:00:49]  And the headline right now is this The Strait of Hormuz is still closed, and the U.S. just seized an Iranian cargo ship.
[00:00:58]  Let's walk through what happened.
[00:00:59]  An Iranian flagged cargo vessel, the Tuska, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, Attempted to bypass the U.S. naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman.
[00:01:12]  The U.S. Navy, specifically the guided missile destroyer USS Spruance, intercepted the ship and issued multiple warnings to stop.
[00:01:21]  The Iranian crew refused, so the U.S. responded.
[00:01:25]  According to reports, Navy forces fired on the ship, blowing a hole in the engine room to disable it.
[00:01:32]  Then came the next step U.S. Marines boarded the vessel and took full custody.
[00:01:37]  President Trump confirmed it directly, saying, We have full custody of the ship and are seeing what's on board.
[00:01:44]  And he made it clear this is just the beginning.
[00:01:47]  More ships will be seized if Iran keeps trying to test the blockade.
[00:01:52]  Now step back for a second.
[00:01:53]  This is a major escalation.
[00:01:55]  You've got US forces actively interdicting, disabling, and seizing Iranian vessels in international waters.
[00:02:04]  That's not symbolic.
[00:02:05]  That's enforcement.
[00:02:07]  And it comes at the same time Iran is escalating its own rhetoric.
[00:02:11]  Iranian Supreme Leader Mujtaba Khamenei has now declared that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed, specifically to pressure President Trump.
[00:02:21]  He's also demanding that all U.S. military bases in the region be shut down, warning they could face attacks if they're not.
[00:02:29]  So, yes, the tension is very real.
[00:02:32]  But here's the other side of it Iran is clearly feeling the pressure.
[00:02:36]  Their internal messaging is completely fractured.
[00:02:39]  You've got three different state run media narratives happening at once.
[00:02:44]  One says Iran may not even participate in talks, blaming Washington's excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade.
[00:02:59]  Another says talks are still scheduled for Tuesday morning, possibly extending into Wednesday.
[00:03:04]  And a third essentially admits they haven't decided whether to show up at all.
[00:03:09]  Three narratives, same regime.
[00:03:11]  That's not strength, that's confusion.
[00:03:14]  Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance is preparing to face Iranian negotiators in Pakistan, assuming Iran actually shows up after, frankly, testing the U.S. in a big way and getting shut down in the Gulf.
[00:03:27]  And the U.S. position remains unchanged.
[00:03:30]  End all uranium enrichment, remove all highly enriched nuclear material, and eliminate any path to a nuclear weapon.
[00:03:40]  Iran doesn't want to agree to that, but they're also getting squeezed economically, militarily, and diplomatically.
[00:03:47]  Their oil flow is restricted.
[00:03:49]  Their ships are being seized.
[00:03:51]  Their messaging is inconsistent.
[00:03:53]  And historically, Iran has a reputation for saying one thing publicly while negotiating something very different behind the scenes.
[00:04:01]  So now the question is simple.
[00:04:03]  Do they come to the table or keep escalating against a US posture that, at least right now, Isn't blinking.

=== Dogs Sold for Drugs (02:58) ===

[00:04:11]  Now, to a devastating story out of Louisiana, police say a domestic dispute turned into a mass shooting early Sunday, leaving eight children dead.
[00:04:21]  The victims ranged in age from just one year old to around 14 years old.
[00:04:26]  In total, 10 people were shot, including two adults.
[00:04:30]  Authorities say the violence unfolded across three separate locations, making it one of the most disturbing and complex crime scenes they've ever handled.
[00:04:39]  Police Chief Wayne Smith described it as an extensive scene unlike anything.
[00:04:44]  Most have ever seen.
[00:04:46]  And in a heartbreaking detail, officials say some of the children were related to the suspect.
[00:04:51]  After the initial shootings, the suspect carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint just half a block away and fled.
[00:04:59]  That triggered a police pursuit into neighboring Bosier Parish.
[00:05:03]  When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspect opened fire, leading to a shootout.
[00:05:08]  Police ultimately killed the suspect at the scene.
[00:05:11]  The mayor of Shreveport called it possibly the worst tragedy in the city's history.
[00:05:16]  Authorities are still working to piece together exactly what led to this and are asking the public to provide any videos, photos, or information that could help the investigation.
[00:05:27]  And finally, a deeply disturbing situation unfolding in Los Angeles.
[00:05:31]  A nonprofit group says drug users on Skid Row are testing narcotics on dogs, using animals to check for fentanyl contamination.
[00:05:41]  According to volunteers with Starts With One Today, they're receiving daily reports of abuse.
[00:05:47]  Dogs being sold for drugs, illegally bred, neglected, and left to die.
[00:05:53]  Some of the cases are horrific.
[00:05:55]  One dog had a leg so badly infected it had rotted down to the bone, requiring amputation.
[00:06:01]  Another dog suffered severe eye and leg injuries, with rescuers claiming the owner, while under the influence, was attempting to cut into the animal's leg with tweezers.
[00:06:12]  Volunteers also say puppies are being sold on the street to fund drug habits.
[00:06:17]  And despite repeated calls to authorities, they say enforcement has been inconsistent.
[00:06:22]  In some cases, they claim officials have witnessed illegal breeding and failed to act, and even provided crates to breeders, which they say only enables the situation.
[00:06:33]  The city says it is taking action.
[00:06:36]  Officials point to over 100 LAPD officers trained in animal cruelty cases, along with rescues, citations, and arrests.
[00:06:45]  But those working on the ground say it's not enough, and that they're still stepping in themselves, often in dangerous conditions, to save these animals.
[00:06:54]  That's your first look for this Monday.
[00:06:56]  A lot happening, from serious global escalation to heartbreaking and disturbing stories here at home.
[00:07:02]  We'll keep tracking all of it and bring you the updates as they come.
[00:07:06]  I'm Dave Rubin.
[00:07:07]  Thanks for starting your day with First Look.
[00:07:09]  We'll see you next time.