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12:45 PM ET, September 2, 2026

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Steve Benen / MS NOW:
Trump approves disaster relief funds for 7 red states, after denying aid to blue states  —  Ahead of the midterm elections, the president isn't even being subtle about his scandalous politicization of disaster aid.  —  Donald Trump's politicization of federal disaster relief funds has become …
Discussion: MeidasTouch and Trump's Truth
RELATED:
Politico:
Republicans aren't exactly flocking to Trump's midterm convention  —  President Donald Trump has a vision for next week's GOP convention in Dallas: a televised spectacle putting Republican candidates in front of midterm voters and top party donors just two months before the Election Day — with Trump himself headlining the show.
Politico:
Trump invites battleground Republicans to Rose Garden dinner  —  President Donald Trump has invited a group of GOP lawmakers including Republicans in competitive races to dine with him Wednesday night at the White House as many in the party press the president to unleash his massive war chest ahead …
Discussion: NewsMax.com and Joe.My.God.
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
Mike Johnson, Wet Noodle  —  Donald Trump has spent two years openly favoring red states over blue ones while disbursing federal disaster relief funds, but it's still surreal to see him talk openly about it.  In a Truth Social post last night, Trump had this to say:
Discussion: Truthout
Perry Bacon / New Republic:
Good Riddance, Seth Moulton: You Got What You Deserved  —  The biggest reason that Kamala Harris lost the 2024 election is probably the post-Covid-19 inflation and anti-incumbent sentiment that resulted in parties in power across the world being defeated.  It didn't help that she refused …
RELATED:
Joan Walsh / The Nation:
Old and On the Way: How Ed Markey Dispatched Seth Moulton in Massachusetts  —  Moulton, a centrist opportunist, sought to unseat his incumbent opponent by posturing as a young progressive.  Voters didn't fall for it.  —  Pocket  —  Massachusetts Representative Seth Moulton …
Reid J. Epstein / New York Times:
Six Takeaways From the Massachusetts Primaries
Jen Fifield / ProPublica:
New Mail Voting Rules Moved Forward Despite USPS Officials' Concerns About Mass Disenfranchisement  —  In internal meetings, officials worried the rules they were drafting could delay or block ballots from reaching large swaths of eligible voters for the upcoming midterms.
RELATED:
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
Trump begs SCOTUS to let him unleash midterm chaos  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  ✅ Subscribe to PN ✅  —  The important thing to know here is that this is all John Roberts's fault.  —  We're on the precipice of complete chaos as Trump tries to seize control of the midterms.
Madiba K. Dennie / Balls and Strikes:
How the Supreme Court Helps Trump Run Out the Clock
Discussion: Alternet.org and Democracy Docket
Zachary Basu / Axios:
Pentagon turmoil deepens as Hegseth consolidates control  —  The Pentagon has entered a period of profound institutional turmoil, as a crisis of leadership at home converges with a crisis of capacity abroad. … - Driscoll, a rising star whom Trump had tapped for sensitive diplomacy in Ukraine …
RELATED:
Leah Litman / The Atlantic:
The Court's Ballroom Decision Is a Sign of Deeper Problems  —  The conservative justices have separation of powers exactly backwards.  —  In deciding to allow President Trump to proceed with constructing a new ballroom, which Congress has not authorized, at the White House, which Trump does not own …
Discussion: Lawfare
RELATED:
Adam Liptak / New York Times:
Trump's Speed on the White House Ballroom Threatens to Outpace the Courts  —  In his breakneck construction of a grand ballroom and in many other initiatives, critics say, the president has tried to outrun judicial review.  —  The courts cannot keep up with President Trump.
Gregory Svirnovskiy / Politico:
Almost 90 percent of Americans say there is widespread corruption in government  —  Nearly 90 percent of Americans believe corruption is rampant in government, according to a new Gallup poll released Wednesday, a record number that has risen dramatically over the last two years since President Donald Trump's return to the White House.
Discussion: Gallup, Semafor and WTOP News
RELATED:
Praveena Somasundaram / Washington Post:
Poll shows nearly 90% of Americans believe government corruption is widespread
Discussion: The Independent
ABC News:
Trump $1 coins in circulation, US Mint says  —  The coins have entered circulation and can be purchased online.  —  The U.S. Mint announced today that $1 coins featuring President Donald Trump's likeness have entered circulation and are for sale starting, Sept. 2, 2026.
Discussion: Joe.My.God. and Palm Beach Post
RELATED:
Andrew Solender / Axios:
Rogue House Democrats face growing push for “consequences”  —  Two centrist House Democrats who voted to help Republicans get a procedural motion across the finish line are now facing down possible punishment from party leaders who say they were blindsided by the move.
RELATED:
Andrew Solender / Axios:
House Democrats left reeling after shock defections
Riley Rogerson / Politico:
Jeffries says Dems who saved GOP's agenda deserve ‘serious response’
Discussion: Political Wire
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
What JD Vance's Eruption of Rage Over Usha and El-Sayed Really Reveals  —  JD Vance is pretending to be very, very angry at Abdul El-Sayed for drawing his wife, Usha Vance, into our political debates.  “Abdul, keep my wife's name the hell out of your mouth,” Vance seethed while campaigning …
Jonathan Martin / Politico:
Can Susan Collins Survive the Craziest Race in the Country? … Yet nowhere has been as idyllic as Perry's Lobster Shack.  —  Set on a harbor, where — in local parlance — Midcoast meets Downeast, the view from Perry's over the water is of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park.
Discussion: Washington Examiner and The 19th
Avery Lotz / Axios:
Trump's Canada antagonism vexes Americans … - With the midterm elections creeping closer, polling suggests Americans aren't sold on the fight. … - Even among Republicans, more opposed (43%) than supported (33%) the order.  — A vast majority of Democrats (84%) and independents and other parties (65%) opposed the name change.
RELATED:
YouGov:   A record 38% of Republicans say Canada is unfriendly or an enemy of the U.S.
Shane Harris / The Atlantic:
The Air Marshals Keeping Watch On Eric Swalwell  —  On August 8, former Representative Eric Swalwell boarded a United Airlines flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Washington, D.C. He didn't know it, but federal agents were watching him throughout the nine-hour trip.
chevron.com:
Chevron expands position in Venezuela  —  Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) today announced agreements with Venezuela that establish updated terms for its joint ventures, supporting future investment, project development and production growth in the country.  —  The agreements set out provisions …
RELATED:
Lucia Kassai / Bloomberg:
How the US Is Taking Direct Control of Venezuelan Oil
New York Times:
Kennedy Center Begins Removing Outdoor ‘Blue’ Sculpture  —  The towering artwork, added to the campus in 2019, was targeted for elimination after President Trump's takeover of the center.  —  The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts began removing a major outdoor sculpture from the center's grounds on Wednesday.
Paul Krugman:
The Hits Keep Coming  —  How much chaos can the economy take?  —  Here's the good news: The U.S. economy has proved remarkably resilient since the chaos monkeys, aka Donald Trump and company, took over the zoo.  —  There has been shock after shock: A trade war against everyone …
Discussion: Alternet.org
Drew Berkemeyer / The Daily Wire:
Birth Tourism Mastermind Pleads The Fifth, Dismissed From Congressional Hearing … The doctor behind a Miami company that markets services to foreign nationals seeking to give birth in the United States was subpoenaed to testify before Congress Tuesday.  He invoked the Fifth Amendment 11 times …
Nick Sloan / KMBC:
More than 68% of voters support recall of Independence Councilman John Perkins  —  Voters in Independence have successfully recalled a councilman after his vote to approve a multibillion-dollar data center.  —  District 1 Councilman John Perkins was recalled during a special election on Tuesday …
Nick Turse / The Intercept:
The U.S. Has Killed 227 Civilians in Boat Strikes During “A Year of Murders”  —  Top military officers from a secretive command watched a speedboat cut through the waters of the Caribbean Sea, early last September.  A plane above provided live video of the vessel and the 11 men on board.
Discussion: MS NOW, The Hill and New Republic
J.D. Wolf / MeidasTouch:
New Epstein Files Discharge Petition Grows to 49 Signatures  —  2nd Republican joins bipartisan effort to hold pedophiles accountable.  —  Add us on  —  Rep. Thomas Massie's bipartisan effort to force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II has gained 32 additional signatures since Monday …
City of New York:
Mayor Mamdani and Chancellor Samuels Put Students First with Nation's Broadest Generative AI Moratorium in Schools  —  Watch on YouTube  —  What you should know  — Representing the most expansive student-facing AI policy in the country, the Mamdani administration prioritizes student safety and real, human instruction
Oliver Darcy / Status:
Apple's Map Acquiescence … On Tuesday afternoon, Apple began rolling out a small, yet quite consequential, change to its Maps product: Under direct pressure from the White House, the Cupertino-based company opted to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” complying with an executive order Donald Trump signed last week.
Michael Kunzelman / Associated Press:
Judge lacked power to overturn ex-soldier Bowe Bergdahl's military conviction, appeals court rules  —  A federal judge had no authority to overturn former U.S. Army soldier Bowe Bergdahl's military conviction for deserting his post in Afghanistan before Taliban-allied forces abducted him and held …
Discussion: Associated Press and RedState
Sam Levine / The Guardian:
US lawmakers demand investigation into Trump administration's secret surveillance of Americans  —  Exclusive: Two congressmembers respond to revelations of government snooping on journalists, non-profits and unions  —  Two congressional Democrats asked a government watchdog Tuesday …
Discussion: Straight Arrow and emptywheel
 
 
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 More Items: 
Luke Fountain / CNBC:
Trump to meet with travel industry CEOs as White House touts World Cup tourism boost
Discussion: Bloomberg
U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Thailand:
Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Thailand
US Department of Justice:
Justice Department Sues Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools to Stop Secret Gender Transitions
Don Moynihan / Can We Still Govern?:
Which stories about academia matter?
 Earlier Items: 
Aram Roston / The Guardian:
Pentagon official overseeing military AI sold millions worth of stock in AI firm
New York Post:
Democrats are selling their souls by accepting Abdul El-Sayed
Discussion: Wall Street Journal and The Hill
Brittany Gibson / Axios:
“Like pissing in the wind”: Local concerns bulldozed by Trump's border wall plan
Michael Luciano / Mediaite:
Fox News Host Tells AOC, ‘Girl, No Conservative Would Want To Date You’
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Andrew Marchand / The Athletic:
An Athletic probe finds journalist Dianna Russini violated standards due to her relationship with an NFL coach but finds scant evidence it impacted coverage

Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Norah O'Donnell returns to CBS Mornings as a co-anchor alongside Gayle King and Nate Burleson, after leaving in 2019 to anchor CBS Evening News

Lily Ford / The Hollywood Reporter:
Amelia Dimoldenberg says she plans to end her YouTube series Chicken Shop Date after its upcoming season; launched in 2014, the series hit 1B views in 2024

 
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