memeorandum: Trump Thought Opening the Strait of Hormuz Was Imminent. Iran Had Other Plans. (Alexander Ward/Wall Street Journal)

9:25 AM ET, August 9, 2026

Top Items:

Beth Reinhard / New York Times:

Michigan Senate Candidate, a Former Trump Critic, Shifts Toward Election Skepticism — Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee, has suggested that further scrutiny of the 2020 election was warranted and that voting irregularities sank his first Senate bid two years ago.

Discussion: Washington Post and The Detroit News

Michael Gold / New York Times:

Senate Bows to Reality, Leaving Trump's Voting Bill Undone — The summer exit confirmed what had been apparent for weeks: that Republicans lacked the votes to pass the voting restrictions the president has made a top priority. — The Senate bowed to political reality at 4:36 a.m. on Saturday …

Discussion: Politico, Deseret News, One America News Network, Reuters, Fox News and The Hill

Brentin Mock / Democracy Docket:
Voters spared as Senate recesses without passing SAVE America Act's voter ID measure

Discussion: Fox News, The Hill and Politico

Andrew Pantazi / Axios:
Senate passes stopgap to avert pre-election shutdown

Discussion: HotAir, Newsweek, ABC News, New York Times, UPI, Breaking Defense, RedState, Bloomberg, The Guardian, MS NOW, Politico and CBS News

Washington Post:
Democratic voters who used to back Susan Collins aren't so sure anymore

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money and NewsMax.com

Emily Davies / New York Times:

Max Miller, Republican Accused of Abuse, Won't Drop Out, Spokeswoman Says — Mr. Miller, who has faced pressure from fellow Republicans to end his campaign and avoid endangering a solidly red seat in Ohio, will stay in the race, his spokeswoman said. — Representative Max Miller …

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money

Andrew Pantazi / Axios:

Max Miller stays in as GOP replacement window closes — Rep. Max Miller appeared to let a crucial Saturday withdrawal cutoff pass in Ohio's 7th Congressional District, effectively closing Republicans' last practical window to replace the embattled incumbent on the November ballot.

Discussion: Washington Post and New York Times

Jeremy Roebuck / Washington Post:

Todd Blanche takes over Justice Department wracked by low morale and vacancies — Todd Blanche formally takes the reins at the Justice Department and faces pressure from the president to go after his critics, including former FBI director James B. Comey. — Summary

Discussion: News Talk 105.9 and New York Sun

Glenn Thrush / New York Times:

In Confirming Blanche, Senators Endorse a Justice Dept. Under Trump's Sway — Time and again, Todd Blanche has made it clear that he believes President Trump possesses a nearly limitless right to directly control the actions of the Justice Department. — The three lame-duck Republican senators …

Discussion: Mercury News, Breitbart, Associated Press, TheGrio, Fox News and Salon

Alexander Ward / Wall Street Journal:

Trump Thought Opening the Strait of Hormuz Was Imminent. Iran Had Other Plans. — Tehran's new demands for major concessions come days after the White House had signaled a deal to clear commercial passage was within reach — WASHINGTON—For weeks, President Trump had been laying …

Discussion: 19FortyFive, Iran International and Toledo Blade

Russ Buettner / New York Times:

Trump Crypto Took $100 Million From a Businessman With Red Flags … Guren “Bobby” Zhou, top left, with Zach Witkoff, right, in a private suite at the World Cup final match on July 19 in East Rutherford, N.J.Vincent Alban for The New York Times — During the World Cup soccer final in New Jersey last month …

Associated Press:

Engelbert: WNBA to continue talks about transgender athletes next week — WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo to teams that addresses ongoing discussions around transgender athletes in women's basketball. — “I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding …

Discussion: The Hill, TMZ.com, Associated Press, Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit, The Post Millennial, Forbes, Fox News, Straight Arrow, Townhall and Washington Times

Jackson Thompson / Fox News:
Former NBA player Royce White says he is declaring for next WNBA Draft after Enes Kanter announcement

Discussion: Breitbart, twitchy.com, New York Sun, The Daily Wire, The Post Millennial, TMZ.com, RedState, Legal Insurrection, New York Post, The Hill, Louder With Crowder, NewsMax.com, The Gateway Pundit, HotAir and Instapundit

Bayliss Wagner / New York Times:

Moderate Democrat in Hawaii Defeats Progressive House Challenger — Representative Ed Case beat Jarrett Keohokalole, a younger progressive, in a race that centered on questions of generational change and the state's skyrocketing cost of living. — Representative Ed Case …

Discussion: CBS News, The Hill, Washington Post, The Times of Israel, Honolulu Civil Beat, Fox News and NewsMax.com

Annie Karni / New York Times:

A Democrat Sounds the Alarm on Christian Nationalism in Congress — Representative Jared Huffman of California, the only self-declared “humanist” in Congress, writes in a new book that the separation of church and state is in grave danger. — Representative Jared Huffman, Democrat of California …

Discussion: Blaze Media

Pranshu Verma / Washington Post:

Pentagon presses defense firms to build weapons as Iran war depletes stocks — The directive to industry from Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg comes amid tensions over a critical U.S. munitions shortage. — Summary — The Pentagon is asking the U.S. defense industry to rapidly escalate …

Discussion: Associated Press, Bloomberg, The Times of Israel, The Independent and UPI

Associated Press:

ICE takes issue with AP reporting on policy to release body-worn camera footage — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Saturday it expects every officer and agent in the field to be equipped with a body camera by the end of August, a rapid expansion that could provide …

Discussion: RedState, Associated Press, The Hill, ICE, Salon, Straight Arrow and Los Angeles Times

Tim Balk / New York Times:

Chuck Grassley Announces the Death of His Beloved Vacuum, Beth — Senator Chuck Grassley mourned his decades-long cleaning companion, writing on social media: “GOOD BYE BETH. U hv been a real workhorse.” — Beth, a trusty tan Hoover vacuum cleaner with a burgundy cloth dust bag …

Discussion: twitchy.com, The Hill and RedState

Brianna Sacks / Washington Post:

Joe Biden's cancer has spread, Hunter Biden says — In a BBC interview, Hunter Biden also acknowledged that the pardon he received from his father was “not fair” or good for the country. — Summary — Hunter Biden, son of former president Joe Biden, opened up about his father's prostate cancer …