A new Gallup poll finds 76% of Republicans saying they are satisfied with the direction of the country versus less than 1% of Democrats.
Trump Says He Caught Damage to Rose Garden
President Trump posted a video while accusing a subcontractor of damaging limestone in his Rose Garden redesign: “We caught them, cold.”
Populist Parties Lead Polls in Europe’s Biggest Economies
“For the first time, populist or far-right parties are leading the polls in the U.K., France and Germany, the latest sign of growing voter discontent in much of the continent following years of high immigration and inflation,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“That could provoke a period of political turbulence in all three countries, even if national elections are likely still a few years away.”
“Like the U.S., much of Europe has experienced two things at the same time since the pandemic: record levels of immigration that have caused a voter backlash, and a surge in inflation that has now eased but left prices for many goods much higher than before — leaving many voters feeling worse off. Social media has also polarized opinions.”
Mexico’s President Struggles to Escape Trump’s Demands
“As much as any other world leader, Claudia Sheinbaum has gained the reputation of a Trump whisperer,” the New York Times reports.
“Over and over, the Mexican president has entered tense negotiations with President Trump and — to the surprise of many — exited with praise…”
“But the honeymoon seems to be ending.”
“Over the past several months, Mr. Trump has amped up his intense pressure campaign on Mexico with a multipronged offensive that has squeezed Ms. Sheinbaum, put her on the defensive and left her with few good options to react.”
Middle-Class Vibe Shifts From Secure to Squeezed
“For the American middle class, it has been a summer of cooling confidence,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Consumer sentiment dropped nearly 6% in August, after trending up in June and July, according to a closely watched index from the University of Michigan. Pessimism about the job market increased, with more people surveyed saying they expect their income to decline, according to polling done by think tank the Conference Board.”
“The middle class—generally considered to include households making roughly $53,000 to $161,000 a year—is playing an outsize role in that waning optimism. After months of tracking high-income earners’ increasing confidence about the economy, households making between $50,000 and $100,000 made an abrupt about-face in June. They now more closely resemble low-income earners’ gloomier views, according to surveys done by Morning Consult, a data-intelligence firm.”
Xi-Led Diplomatic Huddle Begins
“The biggest event on China’s diplomatic calendar of the year kicked off Sunday, as world leaders gathered to map out the future of a Beijing-led bloc that wants to offer an alternative to a US world order,” Bloomberg reports.
New York Times: “With the leaders of Russia and India visiting, China’s president will show how he can use statecraft, military might and history to push for global influence.”
Trump to Sign Executive Order Mandating Voter ID
“President Trump said late Saturday that he would issue an executive order to require voter identification for all U.S. elections, a continuation of his efforts to overhaul the nation’s election laws, which he has long attacked and falsely blamed for his 2020 election loss,” the New York Times reports.
Trump Redefines Conservativism
Karen Tumulty: “It used to be pretty easy to name a handful of principles that defined and united American conservatives: lower taxes, unfettered trade, smaller government and keeping that government’s hand out of private businesses.”
“In ways big and small, President Donald Trump has scrambled those fundamental propositions.”
“Trump’s domination of the Republican Party has allowed him leeway for a host of apostasies. He’s setting the stage, however, for what could be an epic battle over conservatism’s direction once he is off the scene. Will this turn out to be a temporary phase and a reflection of one man’s predilections, or a permanent redirection of the movement?”
Trump’s Attacks on Science Part of Autocratic Playbook
New York Times: “In rapid bursts, Mr. Trump has also laid off large teams of scientists, pulled the plug on thousands of research projects and proposed deep spending cuts for new studies. If his proposed $44 billion cut to next year’s budget is enacted, it will prompt the largest drop in federal support for science since World War II, when scientists and Washington began their partnership.”
“Few if any analysts see Mr. Trump as a Stalin, who crushed science, or even as a direct analog to this era’s strongmen leaders. But his assault on researchers and their institutions is so deep that historians and other experts see similarities to the playbook employed by autocratic regimes to curb science.”
Trump Stands By RFK Jr. as He Upends Public Health
Washington Post: “In his first six months, Kennedy has used that power to remake agencies responsible for overseeing food, drugs and other medical products that touch millions of Americans’ daily lives. He has worked to limit access to vaccines and promoted debunked health theories despite near-daily condemnation from public health leaders. And he is advancing some of his most controversial ideas, including by pushing an investigation that resurrects the discredited claim of a link between vaccines and autism — moves that will likely thrill his base, but could pose political risks for the White House.”
“Trump, however, has stood by Kennedy, brushing aside criticism from dozens of Democratic lawmakers and a smattering of GOP officials, some of whom have privately questioned whether Kennedy’s hard-line views on vaccines and other public health moves could hurt Republicans in the midterms. Trump advisers counter that Kennedy’s appeal to independent voters could bolster the party, as it did last year, and argue that his changes to health agencies are overdue.”
Which Party Will Win the Redistricting Wars?
Nate Cohn: “Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and perhaps Florida — all Republican-controlled states — seem likely to join Texas and California in attempting to redraw their congressional maps, according to my New York Times colleagues. By their tally, Republicans could carve out up to seven more House seats where they would be favored to win.”
“It’s too soon to be sure if these states will follow through, let alone whether it would mark the end of this cycle’s redistricting battles. Other states could join; a legal challenge to Utah’s map and a challenge to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act also loom. But suppose that this is where the redistricting war goes next, and where it ends. If so, how much would the new maps tilt the playing field toward Republicans?”
Redistricting Push Creates Chaos for Incumbents
New York Times: “On paper, the changes that have been approved or are under discussion could potentially give Republicans a leg up of six to seven seats in what is expected to be an uphill fight to keep control of the House. But redistricting can deliver unpredictable results, and it is uncertain whether this one will ultimately pan out the way either party hopes.”
“What is clear is that it has created confusion in the already volatile battle for congressional power, with no clear outcome guaranteed for Republicans or Democrats.”
Trump Turns to Small Group of National Security Advisers
Wall Street Journal: “It was a sign of how far Trump has gone to create an ad hoc, centralized approach to national security decisions. He has downgraded the role of the National Security Council staff, which other presidents have relied on to oversee developing policy options, ensure presidential decisions are carried out and coordinate with foreign governments.”
“The NSC’s staff is now fewer than 150 compared with around 400 in previous administrations. Trump ousted national security adviser Mike Waltz after three months, assigning Secretary of State Marco Rubio to handle the job along with his role as top diplomat. The moves have left Trump reliant on a handful of senior advisers.”
Black Women Hit Hardest by Trump’s Work Force Cuts
New York Times: “While tens of thousands of employees have lost their jobs in Mr. Trump’s slash-and-burn approach to shrinking the federal work force, experts say the cuts disproportionately affect Black employees — and Black women in particular. Black women make up 12 percent of the federal work force, nearly double their share of the labor force overall.”
Xi and Modi Pledge to Rebuild Ties
“Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held their first meeting since Donald Trump returned to power, with the longstanding Asian rivals pledging deeper cooperation as they deal with the economic fallout from the US trade war,” Bloomberg reports.
“Modi announced the resumption of direct flights between the two countries, and said ties in the past year have stabilized after soldiers pulled back from the friction points on the border.”
Trump Casts Doubt on Putin-Zelensky Meeting
President Trump cast doubt on the prospects of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as part of an effort to end the war in Eastern Europe, suggesting that “maybe they have to fight a little longer,” The Hill reports.
International Student Enrollment Plummets
Associated Press: “Signs of a decline in international students have unsettled colleges around the U.S. Colleges with large numbers of foreign students and small endowments have little financial cushion to protect them from steep losses in tuition money.”
“International students represent at least 20% of enrollment at more than 100 colleges with endowments of less than $250,000 per student, according to an Associated Press analysis. Many are small Christian colleges, but the group also includes large universities such as Northeastern and Carnegie Mellon.”
“The extent of the change in enrollment will not be clear until the fall, Some groups have forecast a decline of as much as 40%, with a huge impact on college budgets and the wider U.S. economy.”
Why Some People Are Tired of Tim Walz
“These are challenging times for Tim Walz, the unsuccessful 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The two-term Minnesota governor campaigned on the national ticket for just 91 days, but that was enough to turn off some home-state voters. A poll this summer by the Minnesota Star Tribune found Walz’s approval rating dropped to 49%—only the second time it had fallen below 50% in the survey—and about half of the state’s registered voters said he shouldn’t seek a third term in 2026.”
“Men—whom Walz was supposed to help draw to the Democratic ticket because of his experience as a high-school football coach and hunter—were especially disapproving and skeptical of him running for governor again after appearing alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris in her failed White House bid.”
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