Top Items:
New York Times:
Even as Trump's Standing Slips, He Slingshots a Political Novice to Victory — After facing low approval ratings and endorsement setbacks, the president made a show of force in lifting Darline Graham to the Republican nomination for Senate in South Carolina.
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Kathleen Hunter / Axios:
Darline Graham wins South Carolina GOP Senate runoff
Discussion:
New York Magazine, CBS News, NBC News, American Greatness, Roll Call, Reuters, NOTUS, Politico, NPR, Washington Post and Scripps News
Emily Kennard / NOTUS:
Political Operatives Warn Campaigns: Don't Trust Prediction Markets
The Atlantic:
Trump Plans to Buy Midterm Ads About His Own Record
Trump Plans to Buy Midterm Ads About His Own Record
Discussion:
NOTUS, Eschaton, The Independent, Joe.My.God. and Alternet.org
Julia Mueller / The Hill:
Graham wins GOP nod in South Carolina Senate primary runoff for late brother's seat
Graham wins GOP nod in South Carolina Senate primary runoff for late brother's seat
Discussion:
CNBC, CBS News, Washington Post, NBC News, Bloomberg, New York Times, Townhall, Agence France-Presse, Christian Science Monitor, One America News Network, The Independent, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, Scripps News, New York Post, New Republic, Daily Mail, Roll Call, Fox News and NewsMax.com
Ed Morrissey / HotAir:
Today's Big Question: Why Was the CIA Director in Moscow Yesterday? — Is peace about to break out in Ukraine? Is the war about to expand to encompass the Strait of Hormuz? Is John Ratcliffe being careful to make sure the windows are secure in Moscow? — So many questions, and so far …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, The Moscow Times, Associated Press, UPI, The Parnas Perspective, Axios, Alternet.org, The Spectator, Breitbart, The Guardian, Washington Post, The Japan Times, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, RedState, BBC, Joe.My.God., Political.org, Euronews, Fox News, Daily Mail, New Republic, Wall Street Journal, France 24, New York Post, Semafor, CBS News, Washington Examiner and The American Conservative
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Bloomberg:
Russia's Escalating Hybrid Attacks Put Europeans in a Bind — Russia is expanding its campaign of hybrid attacks against countries that supply weapons and money to Kyiv and has caught Europe without a plan to respond. — From cyber attacks to armed drones and mysterious cases of arson …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Foreign Policy and France 24
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Trump plays coy about purpose of CIA director's mystery trip to Moscow — WASHINGTON — President Trump insisted Wednesday that CIA Director John Ratcliffe's surprise trip to Moscow wasn't to warn President Vladimir Putin not to “test NATO resolve” or “strike England” after the Cabinet …
Discussion:
CBS News
CBS News:
CIA Director John Ratcliffe visits Russia, on what was a secret trip
CIA Director John Ratcliffe visits Russia, on what was a secret trip
Discussion:
Meidas+, New York Times, The Guardian, The Sun, France 24, Metro.co.uk, The Bulwark, The Aviationist, HotAir, ABC News, Al Jazeera, Political.org, Reuters, Bloomberg, The Hill, The i Paper, Human Events, Crooks and Liars and NewsMax.com
New York Times:
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims — The social media giant settled with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
Discussion:
The Hill, American Prospect, Wall Street Journal, Axios, NOTUS, MS NOW, Politico, CNBC, Forbes, The San Francisco Standard, Reuters, Deadline, Associated Press, NPR, TechCrunch, Variety, The Wrap, Bloomberg, The Verge and CBS News, more at Techmeme »
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Diana Novak Jones / Reuters:
Meta reaches $16.68 billion settlement over social media harms to children — Meta Platforms (META.O) agreed to pay a maximum $16.68 billion and make major changes to Facebook and Instagram to resolve claims by states across the U.S. that the company designed those platforms to addict children …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, TMZ.com, Wired, Reuters, Political.org, Joe.My.God. and Stanford Law School, more at Mediagazer »
Zack Beauchamp / Vox:
Nobody wants this trade war with Canada — Except Trump. … LONDON, Ontario — President Donald Trump seems dead set on escalating his trade war with Canada. And no one is really sure why. — On Monday, Trump threatened another round of 50 percent tariffs on top of the ones …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Global News, Drezner's World, NOTUS, National Review, NewsMax.com, CBS News, HuffPost, New Republic, The American Conservative, New York Times and The Hill
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Politico:
Republicans were already nervous about November. Then Trump restarted his trade war. — Republicans were already struggling to defuse simmering voter frustrations over the cost of living ahead of the midterms. Then President Donald Trump rekindled his trade wars.
Discussion:
Alternet.org and Mark It Down!
Lauren Aratani / The Guardian:
Wiped out: US faces surging toilet paper prices amid trade war with Canada
Discussion:
Alternet.org and Washington Post
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
Trump shitposts fail to win support for Canadian trade war
Trump shitposts fail to win support for Canadian trade war
Discussion:
New York Times, NPR, The Hill, The Spectator, LAist, The Daily Wire, Washington Examiner and Bloomberg
Washington Post:
Before Hegseth fired him, top general was advised to drop Kid Rock probe — Gen. Randy George appeared troubled by the encounter with Gen. Chris LaNeve, the Army's No. 2 officer now favored for the service's top job, people familiar with the matter told The Post. — Summary
Discussion:
Adam Kinzinger, Wonkette, Joe.My.God., NBC News, New Republic and Alternet.org
Johanna Alonso / Inside Higher Ed:
New Student Visas Dropped 23% in 2025 — Countries impacted by Trump's travel ban are among those with the fewest student visas issued in 2025, though China and India, typically the two largest suppliers of international students to the U.S., were also hit hard.
Tim Balk / New York Times:
In Headache for Republicans, Second Dan Sullivan Advances in Alaska Senate Race — A long-shot candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator will be on the ballot in November. That could be a problem for the G.O.P. — Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who is challenging …
Discussion:
Fox News, Washington Examiner, CNN, Newsweek, Political.org and Politico
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NBC News:
The second Dan Sullivan makes the general election in Alaska's Senate race
Discussion:
The American Conservative, Straight Arrow, New York Post and The Guardian
Victoria Craw / Washington Post:
Dan Sullivan joins Dan Sullivan on the November ballot in confusing Alaska race
Dan Sullivan joins Dan Sullivan on the November ballot in confusing Alaska race
Discussion:
ABC News, The Independent and Associated Press
Kanishka Singh / Reuters:
Trump administration issues pause on visa appointments for applicants worldwide — President Donald Trump's administration has issued a pause on visa appointments for applicants around the world during an ongoing immigration crackdown by the U.S. government in the Republican leader's second term in the White House.
James Downie / MS NOW:
Trump can't stop sabotaging his own economy — “Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?” an exasperated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a press conference Monday, while introducing new sanctions against Iran. Bessent may think that's still a self-evidently ridiculous question.
Discussion:
Alternet.org and Political.org
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Raquel Coronell Uribe / NBC News:
Judge strikes down Texas ban on drag shows, tells people offended by them 'just don't go' — The federal judge, who cited Dolly Parton in his ruling, found that the state law violated the First Amendment. — A federal judge in Texas struck down a 2023 state law Tuesday that sought to restrict drag shows …
Discussion:
KUT Radio …, The Texas Tribune, Townhall, PinkNews, UPI, Joe.My.God. and FOX 26 Houston
Wall Street Journal:
The Connections That Turned a Precocious Teen Into the Fallen ‘Nostradamus of AI’ — A 24-year-old investor was hailed as a visionary and attracted billions—before turning into Wall Street's latest cautionary tale — For the past few years, at happy hours and dinner parties in San Francisco …
Discussion:
Reason, more at Techmeme »
Associated Press:
Police arrest a California man after finding a guillotine near the US Capitol — United States Capitol Police on Tuesday arrested a California man with what they said was a guillotine in the bed of a pickup truck parked near the U.S. Capitol complex. Police detained 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le …
Discussion:
Straight Arrow, United States Capitol Police, Los Angeles Times, WJLA-TV, Forbes, Fox News, New York Post, Washington Examiner, Washington Post, KTLA and WTTG-TV
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Robert Jimison / New York Times:
Trump Administration Sends Saudi Nuclear Deal to Congress for Review — The prospect that the kingdom could enrich uranium has drawn opposition from Democrats and revived concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. — The Trump administration has submitted to Congress …
Discussion:
MS NOW
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Josephine Walker / Axios:
Trump administration violated court order on mail-voting rules, judge says — A Massachusetts judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration violated a nationwide injunction by finalizing a rule that would significantly overhaul mail voting if allowed to take effect.
Ian Duncan / Washington Post:
Wisconsin prosecutor declines to charge Musk in election bribery investigation — The tech titan last year had offered voters a chance at a $1 million prize. — A Wisconsin prosecutor said Tuesday that he would not bring charges against Elon Musk over allegations of bribery tied to his support …
Discussion:
NOTUS, Politico, Associated Press, Votebeat, WBAY-TV, Washington Examiner, The Independent and The Hill
Associated Press:
At least 8 killed and hundreds missing after avalanche triggers deadly flash floods in Nepal — An avalanche of ice and rock triggered massive flash floods in Nepal on Wednesday, killing at least eight people and leaving hundreds missing while causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure.
Discussion:
Reuters, ABC News, Straight Arrow, Los Angeles Times, RedState, Associated Press, CBS News, Political.org, France 24, Metro.co.uk, New York Times, RTÉ, The Japan Times and Al Jazeera
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
Poll: New low for Trump on prices and foreign policy, now net negative on border security — The president lost his last positive issue, and the gap between strong disapproval and strong approval is now nearly 3-to-1 (50% vs 17%) … On Aug. 13, the Department of Homeland Security announced …
Discussion:
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Examiner and YouGov
Holmes Lybrand / CNN:
3 Secret Service officials placed on leave amid misconduct investigation — Three Secret Service officials, including the agency's director of communications, have been placed on leave as an investigation into potential misconduct unfolds, a source familiar with the decision told CNN.
Philip Elliott / Time:
The GOP'S Data Center Panic — Philip Elliott … Not even a year ago, state leaders of all stripes were clamoring for data centers, the A.I.-warehouses of the future. Incentives here. Promises of infrastructure there. Sweetheart deals all around. But as voters started to view …
Discussion:
MS NOW, The Guardian, Breitbart, NewsNation, The Japan Times, NewsMax.com, Andy Masley, The Hill and Washington Post, more at Techmeme »
Leo Shane III / Politico:
Pentagon claims to have found ‘hidden’ files on final days of the Afghanistan war — Pentagon officials on Wednesday claimed they have uncovered classified documents that were “hidden away in safes where they would not be found” that shed new light on the chaotic end to the U.S. war …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com
Perry Stein / Washington Post:
Lawyers gear up as Trump administration threatens election officials with arrest — Private voting rights attorneys and Democratic attorneys general are preparing to defend election officials and file lawsuits against the federal government. — Summary — The Trump administration …
Harrison Ray / Media Matters for America:
STUDY: Figures on Fox News' key programs have called for escalation in the Iran war more than 250 times since the initial ceasefire — Mark Levin, Brian Kilmeade, and Gen. Jack Keane accounted for nearly 90 calls for escalation … From April 7, when the U.S. and Iran reached the first ceasefire …
ProPublica:
Top Commanders Told Hegseth Not to Cut Civilian Protection Program, Poll Showed. He Did It Anyway. — Shortly after taking office last year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth polled the nation's top commanders about cutting a program designed to protect civilians during U.S. military operations.
Discussion:
Letters from an American, New York Times and The Parnas Perspective
NBC News:
Mike Lindell refuses to pay for recount in Minnesota GOP primary, files lawsuit against election officials — The MyPillow founder, who's a fierce Trump ally, said last week that he would pay $825,000 to fund a full hand recount after he lost the state's GOP gubernatorial primary.
Discussion:
Daily Kos, MPR News, Joe.My.God., The Hill, KSTP-TV, NOTUS, KTTC-TV, The Independent, Washington Examiner, Alternet.org and CBS News
Politico:
Taxing the rich cracks open the Democratic coalition — Blue-state Democrats are raring to tax the ultra-rich. They're also fighting over just how far to go. — A fervor for squeezing more from billionaires has swept through the party's coastal bastions as elected officials and allies …
