“Republican leaders are set to announce Thursday that the final two weeks of the pre-election House session are canceled,” Politico reports. “That means members are set to depart Washington no later than Sept. 17 and not return until mid-November. The House will recovene for one additional week of business after next week’s Labor Day break.”

“Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick publicly apologized on Thursday after falsely asserting that no Americans had died during the Trump administration’s war with Iran,” CNN reports. “Lutnick made the claim while defending the war in an interview on CNBC, saying that ‘the way the president is playing Iran, right, there haven’t been American deaths. It’s really […]

Anne Applebaum: “During the Biden administration, MAGA allies and politicians filed multiple lawsuits with the goal of exposing alleged censorship. None has done so. One of them, brought by the Missouri attorney general, made it all the way to the Supreme Court before justices asked for underlying evidence that the government had censored anyone. The […]

Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, though with at least another six weeks of outdoor tennis ahead of me, I’m not quite ready to concede the point. Still, it’s a useful moment to take stock of what we learned politically this summer — and what it means for the fall campaign. Join now […]

Reuters: “Across the ​country, as Democrats ride a wave of local opposition to data centers ahead of the November elections, Republicans are increasingly breaking from U.S. President Donald Trump’s pro-AI agenda.” “Republican candidates in at least five states – ‌including Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania – have recently adopted tougher rhetoric on data centers or proposed […]

The Economist: “Any future, freely elected government of Venezuela might question a deal which gives America so much control of the country’s oil. That fact will make investors hesitate. Oil majors remain wary, though Chevron, which was already in Venezuela, has just announced a separate $7bn investment.” “Worse, cash and tax revenue from the deal […]

“As public backlash erupts against data centers, AI companies have found themselves in a race with state lawmakers,” the Washington Post reports. ”Companies are rushing to construct facilities for the servers that power their platforms. Legislators, across the country and the political spectrum, are increasingly racing to limit them.”

“The Democratic centrist group Third Way is launching a ‘new economic bargain’ platform as part of its ongoing effort to steer the party toward a more coherent and big-tent vision heading into 2028,” Politico reports. “The platform consists of what it calls 20 ‘ambitious and ruthlessly pragmatic’ ideas targeting working-class voters.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) called on President Trump to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. And his criticism was especially harsh. Join now to continue reading. Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more. If you’re already a member, sign in to your account.

“The Trump administration imposed tariffs of up to 100 percent on drones on Thursday, continuing its long-running campaign to thwart the Chinese drone industry and promote domestic manufacturing,” the New York Times reports.

“Hours after Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate nomination last month, President Donald Trump characterized the former public health official as a ‘Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel,'” NBC News reports. “Five days later, Trump latched on to a new label, suggesting from the Oval Office that ‘jihadist’ might be a better term for […]

“The Trump administration is shaking up federal involvement in the mining, tech, energy and defense sectors by making the government part-owner of dozens of U.S. companies — and sparking a conversation among progressives about how a future Democratic president might reboot the party’s approach to climate and labor policy,” Politico reports. ”Starting with Trump’s surprise […]

Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball: “We continue to have just two Toss-ups in our gubernatorial ratings, but Alaska replaces Iowa this week, while Georgia remains a Toss-up.” “Democrats used to routinely control a majority of the state governorships, but Republicans have held a majority for almost all of the post-1994 period. Democrats have a chance to […]

“Gloria Steinem, a pioneering women’s rights activist, has died at age 92,” MS NOW reports. New York Times: “Calling herself ‘an entrepreneur of social change,’ Ms. Steinem helped usher in sweeping cultural transformations across virtually every facet of American life, from the boardroom to the courtroom to the bedroom.” “For more than half a century, […]

“People 65 and older now outnumber children ages 5 and younger worldwide for the first time in recorded history, according to a new report by the U.S. Census,” Axios reports. “Why it matters: A global plunge in fertility — demographers’ term for the number of children being born — and increased longevity are creating a […]

“They are both torching warehouses filled with food or online-shopping orders near major cities. They are blasting ports and ships carrying vital exports of grain. And they are smashing energy networks that keep the lights on and vehicles fueled,” the New York Times reports. “Russia and Ukraine, in cities far from the front line, are […]

A new Nexstar Media/Emerson College Polling poll in Iowa finds Ashley Hinson (R) leading Josh Turek (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 50% to 45%. Iowa Senate Race Ashley Hinson (R) 50%   Josh Turek (D) 45%   Nexstar Media/Emerson College Polling poll

A new Nexstar Media/Emerson College Polling poll in Iowa finds Rob Sand (D) leading Zach Lahn (R) in the governor’s race, 49% to 46%. Iowa Governor’s Race Rob Sand (D) 49%   Zach Lahn (R) 46%   Nexstar Media/Emerson College Polling poll

“Oil prices are heading back toward $100 a barrel, and, perhaps more crucially, the price of diesel fuel futures is now sitting at an all-time high,” Axios reports. “Investors are starting to recognize that higher oil prices from the Iran war aren’t something they can continue to ignore.”

“President Donald Trump pledged Wednesday to hit the campaign trail for Republican candidates in 35 races this fall in the lead-up to the November midterm elections,” NBC News reports. Said Trump: “I’m going to take the final 30 days, and maybe a little bit more than that, because it’s all about 35 races. I’m going […]

“The Pentagon on Wednesday issued clinical guidelines establishing a new mandatory testosterone deficiency screening policy for active-duty and reserve service members ages 30 and up,” Fox News reports.

“Nine weeks before the midterms, House Republicans aren’t holding back their criticism of the president’s latest tariff moves,” Semafor reports. “In a closed-door meeting on Wednesday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Republican Study Committee members were ‘freewheeling in their expressions,’ one Republican lawmaker said.”

“With early voting about to begin in competitive midterm races, President Donald Trump has kept most of his super PAC money on the sidelines, causing Republican leaders to conclude it’s too late to fully deploy the cash in the midterms and that he intends to hold on to much of it for his own purposes,” […]

“Voters are in an uproar over data centers — and Democrats are trying to direct anger toward Republicans by pointing to a tax provision buried in the GOP’s ‘big, beautiful bill.’” Politico reports. ”Of the myriad talking points on this issue that Democrats are preparing deploy heading into the midterms, they this week began alluding […]

“The House passed a stopgap spending bill this week to avert a government shutdown, but the measure does little to relieve the Pentagon’s mounting financial strain six months into the Iran war — or the pressure facing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth,” NOTUS reports. “While the continuing resolution keeps the government funded into early December largely […]

“Kalshi’s profit margins depend on keeping Washington on its good side. It’s spending big in D.C. to make that happen as the prediction market company manages regulatory threats, potential legislative action and public relations challenges,” NOTUS reports. “Kalshi now has over two-dozen federal lobbyists working on its behalf. Almost all of them have congressional bona […]

“With a slew of polls showing that most Americans oppose the construction in their communities of new data centers to power AI, a growing number of Republicans running in this year’s elections are putting daylight between themselves and President Donald Trump,” Fox News reports. “Trump, a strong proponent of data center development, took to social […]

“U.S. Secret Service leaders have long wanted a more fortified White House. President Donald Trump is giving it to them,” the Washington Post reports. ”Trump officials on Thursday will publicly present their latest plans to permanently fence Lafayette Square, the public park across the street from the White House. The project, a longtime Secret Service […]

“House Republicans are seizing on the Supreme Court’s decision that freed national party committees to coordinate directly with candidates, reserving nearly $9 million in TV ads across more than 20 races this month,” Axios reports. “The NRCC is moving quickly to exploit its cash advantage over the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and bolster GOP candidates, […]

“Senior advisers to President Donald Trump met privately with his pollster last month to sort through the latest numbers. The outlook was grim,” NBC News reports. “One of the findings that longtime Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio shared suggested that Republican voters weren’t all that enthused about upcoming midterm elections in which Trump isn’t on the […]