Morning Report

The general election season has officially entered the home stretch as the last primaries wrapped up Tuesday and President Trump today is making the first of many promised campaign stops in the coming weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court dashed President Trump‘s push for mail-in voting restrictions with a decision handed down late Monday, with November’s election 50 days away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress returns this week to an eruption of fears about the future of artificial intelligence (AI) spurred by warnings from within the industry that it could take over the internet or even destroy humanity in the near future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Americans all around the country today are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that changed the course of the 21st century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump wrapped up the first day of the GOP’s unprecedented midterm convention Wednesday with a lengthy speech reminiscent of his own campaign rallies — delivering on the “Trump-a-palooza” hype. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Hampshire is emerging as a key state to watch as the primary season wraps up, with Rep. Chris Pappas clinching the Democratic nod last night to face former Sen. John E. Sununu (R) in the general election in November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump predicted in a Labor Day message on Truth Social that Republicans would win “big” on Election Day. But Republicans are facing stiffening economic headwinds as election season kicks into high gear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time is quickly running short on the Trump administration’s ability to implement President Trump’s push to restrict mail-in ballots as his executive order remains mired in a court battle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most election observers seem to agree that about eight states are in play to decide control of the Senate this November. But looking at some recent polls, one might think solidly red states like South Carolina and Arkansas are gettable for Democrats too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Members of both parties came together Tuesday as the House easily approved a short-term funding measure to keep the government open into December and rule out the possibility of a shutdown battle with the midterms fast approaching. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A brutal primary cycle for congressional incumbents will face its final test cases today in Massachusetts as longtime officeholders seek to fend off challenges from much younger opponents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pentagon is seething over a Washington Post report that top military leaders recently warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against extending large-scale Iran war operations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today marks six months since the start of the war with Iran, which President Trump said would last for four to five weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh will step into the spotlight this week as he delivers his first major speech as chair, with investors anxious to see whether he articulates a clear framework for how the Fed will respond to inflation fears and changing economic conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Darline Graham’s (R-S.C.) narrow victory in South Carolina’s Senate primary runoff makes her the heavy favorite to win the seat for a full term in November, but some Democrats see a narrow opening for an upset. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rolled out the Trump administration’s much-anticipated “Economic D-Day” offensive against Iran on Monday but signaled the plan entails more of a threat than immediately bringing the hammer down, at least for now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canada's political leaders have united to rally the country against President Trump in a brewing trade war after Prime Minister Mark Carney walked away from talks on Friday just hours before new fifty-percent Tariffs took effect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrats are riding a wave of momentum as they look to expand their Senate map, with new forecasts offering fresh optimism that flipping the upper chamber could be within reach. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida Democrats are warning national party members not to abandon the state in November after democratic socialist Angie Nixon defeated moderate Alex Vindman in a shocking upset in Tuesday’s Democratic Senate primary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump suffered a pair of losses in Florida’s primaries and another in Wyoming on Tuesday as three of his endorsed candidates were defeated in key primaries, showing the limits of his influence with sagging approval numbers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republican eyes are shifting to Florida today as voters head to the polls to choose a successor to term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attorney General Todd Blanche is taking on national attention as he signals the direction that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will take under his leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

House incumbents have fared historically poorly in the twenty twenty six primaries — and the midterm cycle is not over yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The limits of primary polling are under a hot spotlight after two consecutive surprise results in closely contested Democratic primaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The left's successful run in Democratic primaries hit a major roadblock in Wisconsin on Tuesday night as democratic socialist Francesca Hong, whom polls showed leading by double digits, suffered a big upset in the state's marquee gubernatorial race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump engaged in an elaborate ruse last month as he faced a threat against his life from Iran, leaving a summit in Turkey via military jet while making it appear he was with reporters and aides on an older version of Air Force One. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's issue: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Voters are heading to the polls today in five states around the country, with key primary contests that will help determine the direction of the Democratic Party heading into the midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump will assemble his Cabinet at Camp David today as he faces mounting struggles with his legislative agenda, a vexing war with Iran and record low approval ratings with the midterm elections less than one hundred days away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) are showing no signs of backing down on their demands concerning Todd Blanche’s nomination to become permanent attorney general, throwing his confirmation into serious doubt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Covid-Nineteen pandemic will return to center stage Wednesday as the man whose briefings dominated daily life for more than a year testifies before Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The GOP race to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is shaping up to be a combative affair, despite President Trump seeking to clear the field for Graham’s sister. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump’s sweeping claims of election interference during his primetime address to the country Thursday night were largely unsupported by documents the White House posted to its website as he was speaking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump’s planned speech to the country this evening is raising speculation that he will take the opportunity to escalate his thus-far-false claims about widespread fraud tainting the 2020 presidential election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Key members of President Trump’s administration and some of the most prominent lawmakers on Capitol Hill will be featured in the second annual Hill Nation Summit on Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Tuesday. Who else is freaked out about this cyclosporiasis outbreak? 🙋 I basically live on watermelon, blueberries and other fresh fruit in the summer. Hopefully, health officials will figure out the cause soon. Trump drops 20 percent Strait of Hormuz toll planInflation falls in JuneJustices ask for more security in rare testimonyLindsey Graham’s sister to be sworn in How to avoid cyclosporiasis amid outbreak 💰IN THE WHITE HOUSEJust kidding:Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP President Trump says he will scrap his proposal for a 20 percent toll for cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz.Instead, Trump says he will seek trade and investment deals with Gulf states. From Trump’s announcement: “Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Those Investments will be MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future.” Keep in mind: This was a controversial proposal. Just last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a toll on the waterway would be a “violation” of international law. Read more on the nixed proposal HAPPENING TODAY:Trump is meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House. 💻 Watch live Maybe the weather could take a hint from inflation: Inflation cooled in June! The consumer price index dropped 0.4 percent in June after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a peace deal, which became short-lived.The Hill’s Sylvan Lane pointed out this is the largest single-month price drop since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020.The numbers: “Energy prices were down 5.7 percent in June, which wiped out increases in food and shelter prices, the BLS said. The annual inflation rate also dropped from 4.2 percent in May to 3.5 percent in June, and from 2.9 percent in May to 2.6 percent in June when excluding food and energy prices.” For context: This is a bigger drop than economists had expected. They anticipated an inflation rate of 3.8 percent and a 0.1 drop in consumer prices.But before you get too excited: Expect this price relief to be short-lived as the U.S.-Iran deal quickly fell apart. 💬 Follow today’s live blogMeanwhile: Millions of Americans are taking on debt to afford food, according to new research. Read moreMR. DEMILLE, I’M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP, TAKE TWO:President Trump says the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will reopen “soon” after it was drained for repairs over the weekend.Do we think this is the end of the “American flag blue” paint peeling and bright green algae bloom?WHAT VANCE IS UP TO TODAY: Vice President Vance will appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast today, per Politico’s Adam Wren. 🪑ON CAPITOL HILLThis is not something you often see: Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett will testify on Capitol Hill today, asking lawmakers for millions of dollars in funds to address their security concerns. Keep in mind: This is the first time in seven years that sitting justices will testify on their budget request.Here are the newsiest moments: 🔷 On threats justices have received: “The threat level is really high,” Justice Coney Barrett told lawmakers on direct threats impacting her. 🔷 On the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.): “I want to express my gratitude towards him, not only for his support, but for, approaching the confirmation process, with the kind of seriousness that he did and the kind of respect he did,” Justice Kagan said. 🎥 Watch The schedule: They are testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. Then, they will testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee this afternoon. 🎥 Justices Kagan and Coney Barrett arriving on Capitol HillMeet the next senator from South Carolina: Darline Graham Nordone: The late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) sister, Darline Graham Nordone, will be sworn in this afternoon to finish the rest of her brother’s Senate term. What to know about Nordone: She’s a mother of two. She has never served in elected office. She has spent time helping individuals with disabilities to find work in South Carolina. She got President Trump’s blessing on Monday and will serve until January of 2027. Read more: ‘Who is Darline Graham Nordone?’CONSPIRACY THEORIES ARE SWIRLING ONLINE: “In the days since Graham’s death, our era of paranoid politics has produced a string of theories online: He died in Kyiv. He was taken out by Israel. He was poisoned by Iran. He was blown up by Russia,” writes The Washington Post’s Olivia George.For example: Far-right activist Laura Loomer questioned whether “he poisoned by a foreign adversary either abroad or upon returning to the US.”Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) speculated: “I believe foul play could have been at play here.”FBI Director Kash Patel included in his post about Graham that “the FBI is assisting local authorities.”Read more: ‘After Lindsey Graham’s sudden death, conspiracy theories swirl online’ Adding to the chatter: Republican Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.) cast doubt on Monday about whether the photo released by Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) office is new. “I’ve just heard from some other sources that was an older photo. So I really don’t know,” Johnson told host Eric Bolling on Real America’s Voice’s “Bolling!”^ Though, he took that back today. “Discount all of that,” he said on NewsNation. THIS SIGNIFICANTLY COMPLICATES REPUBLICANS’ AGENDA: “Graham was one of the most outspoken and effective advocates in the Senate GOP conference for increasing military funding, and he was the lead proponent of President Trump’s other top priorities, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act and legislation to limit birthright citizenship,” The Hill’s Alexander Bolton writes. “Now, all of those priorities face an uncertain future while Thune looks to replace Graham with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) atop the Budget Committee and to find other colleagues to fill in for Graham on the Appropriations and Judiciary panels.” Read more: ‘Graham’s death, McConnell’s absence wreak havoc on GOP agenda’ 🪱OTHER NEWS: OK, so what’s the deal with cyclospora?: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating thousands of cases of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness that causes extreme diarrhea that can last for weeks. The parasite usually lurks in fresh fruits and vegetables. It has been identified in at least 39 U.S. states. 🗺️ Map of cyclosporiasis cases — Michigan has been hit the hardest What caused this outbreak?: A direct link has not been identified, though health officials in Michigan are beginning to suspect lettuce as the culprit. Past outbreaks have stemmed from raspberries, basil, cilantro, green onions, snow peas, lettuce, mesclun and salad mixes. Why don’t we know the cause of the outbreak?: It can take weeks for symptoms to appear. That makes it especially difficult to track the cause. Is it linked to Taco Bell?: Taco Bell has reportedly stopped serving some fresh produce even though a cause hasn’t been identified. Health officials are investigating whether the fast food chain has a connection to the outbreak, per The Washington Post. How dangerous is cyclosporiasis?: The infection can be treated with antibiotics. However, the extreme diarrhea can cause severe dehydration.How can you avoid getting it?:Cooking produce to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit will kill cyclosporaWashing hands thoroughlyWash produce thoroughlyAvoid raw berries as they can be hard to thoroughly cleanPeel fruits and veggies🗒️ Foods most likely to carry cyclospora ➤ QUICK HITS: — Hunter Biden says his Secret Service protection was pulled after right-wing influencer Laura Loomer shared a photo of him in South Africa with his family. — A federal judge found on Monday that President Trump colluded with the Justice Department in its settlement with the IRS.— Standard time could become permanent if a new bill passes. ➤ MORE READS: The New York Times: Can Democrats Win Rural Voters Turning Away From Trump? It’s a Tough Sell. The Atlantic: The Most Famous AI Writing Tic Is Also the Most Mysterious: Why chatbots love “it’s not X, it’s Y” The Wall Street Journal: Meta Is Flooding the Market With Smartglasses. Privacy Advocates Are Up in Arms. 🗓️ COMING UP The House and Senate are in. President Trump is at the White House. (All times EDT) 12:30 p.m.: Senators meet for weekly caucus meetings. 📆 Today’s agenda 1:30 p.m.: Trump attends a policy meeting. 1:30 p.m.: First House votes of the day. 📆 Today’s agenda 2:30 p.m.: Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), will be sworn in to finish his term. 3:30 p.m.: Trump participates in a swearing-in ceremony with Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.)4:30 p.m.: Trump tapes an interview with Fox News’s Trey Yingst. 4:30 p.m.: Last House votes for the day. 9 p.m. Thursday: Trump delivers a primetime address to the nation. 🐝 INTERNET BUZZ 🧀 Celebrate: Today is National Mac and Cheese Day. 🐿️ Alvin and the gang are coming back!: Alvin and the Chipmunks is getting a reboot that includes digital content and a new movie. Read more 👋 AND FINALLY…Because this made me smile, I had to share. Have you ever seen more perfectly floppy ears than this? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump has formally reset the clock on his war against Iran, resuming daily strikes and a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz less than a month after signing a deal meant to bring an end to hostilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) will have ripple effects on the GOP agenda in the coming weeks, as Washington mourns one of its most outspoken dealmakers and defense hawks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans see pros and cons to Graham Platner's last-minute decision to drop out of the Maine Senate race as Senator Susan Collins Republican from Maine attempts to again defy political trends and win another term. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest rounds of U.S. attacks on Iran are sending President Trump back into perilous territory four months out from the midterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump said he thinks the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran is “over” after the U.S. traded attacks with Tehran overnight, throwing the future of peace talks into serious doubt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Belgium lost the battle but won the war against the U.S. as its men’s World Cup team dominated their knockout round match Monday night to win 4-1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most contentious Democratic Senate primaries this year is now set to be a head-to-head matchup between the two wings of the party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A record-breaking heat wave is enveloping much of the country as people across the United States are set to celebrate the semiquincentennial, potentially overshadowing festivities including President Trump’s speech on the National Mall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans on Capitol Hill are divided over the best path forward after the Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s effort to restrict birthright citizenship through his Day 1 executive order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill are intensifying pressure to pass a key voting requirements bill after the Supreme Court’s surprise ruling allowed states to continue accepting mail-in ballots after polls close in federal races on Election Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court is expected to wrap up its term this week, with eight cases still awaiting rulings, including some of the most intensely debated of the past year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump is notching significant wins with the Supreme Court, demonstrating just how consequential it was that he was able to appoint three justices during his first term. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fate of a bipartisan housing bill and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act are up in the air after President Trump’s tense meeting with Senate Republicans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democrat led the hard left wing of the Democratic Party to sweeping victories on Tuesday night as democratic socialist and progressive candidates backed by Him rolled to huge wins in several hotly contested Democratic primaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices