“Deep in Arctic waters near the remote Svalbard archipelago this spring, NATO allies caught Russian subs training to unleash a secret weapon designed to disable critical undersea cables without leaving any fingerprints,” Reuters reports.
Gulf Tankers Are Running Out of Ways to Export Oil
“The world’s most valuable energy corridors are pinching shut,” the New York Times reports.
“On Friday, Houthi militants backed by Iran expanded their control of the Red Sea, threatening a critical route for Persian Gulf crude. That left the region with few alternatives, since shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — once the world’s primary oil transit point — remains significantly constrained and far below what it was before the war.”
“And oil exports from Saudi Arabia, long the most important producer in the Middle East, plunged last month to their lowest point in at least 13 years.”
Trump’s Drug War Tactics Spread Across Latin America
Wall Street Journal: “A sprawling military alliance that reaches from the Caribbean across the Andes to the Pacific is taking shape a year after the Trump administration began bombing alleged drug-smuggling boats in the region. The tactics are sometimes unapologetically and intentionally brutal, like President Trump’s drug-boat campaign, designed to send a message that narcotics traffickers now face local forces backed by U.S. firepower.”
“The emerging coalition is a bloc of largely right-wing governments across the region that could receive U.S. intelligence, equipment and surveillance technology. Sometimes they work jointly with American troops. Regional security forces are bombing jungle encampments, capturing drug kingpins and killing drug couriers with U.S. help, American officials said.”
Trump Underwater in Missouri for the First Time
A new Saint Louis University/YouGov poll in Missouri finds President Donald Trump’s approval at 47%, while 52% disapprove — the first time his net approval has been negative in his nearly six years as president.
Trump Approval
Approve 47%
Disapprove 52%
Trump’s Trade War Hits GOP Battleground Districts
“A handful of U.S. states with some of the most competitive congressional races in the country are caught in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney,” the Washington Post reports.
“While the average American may not feel the tariffs — all told, they affect just 6 percent of $715 billion in annual cross-border trade — key industries in Maine, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania are likely to feel the added costs.”
NPR: These Michigan swing voters are bracing for higher prices from trade war with Canada.
Republicans Assess Trump’s Convention with a Shrug
“Republicans breathed a sigh of relief that the GOP midterm convention didn’t go poorly. But many aren’t convinced it will help in November,” Politico reports.
”On flights out of Dallas Friday morning, Republicans were grateful that the novel concept of a two-day midterm convention went smoothly. But they had lingering questions about its impact in the upcoming midterms and even some worries that President Donald Trump’s request that voters picture him on the ballot will hurt swing district Republicans who need Democratic or independent votes.”
MS NOW: It was Trump’s show at the GOP convention. And it will be Trump’s midterms in November.
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The World Reconsiders America
“America is shedding its status as the default choice for foreign governments to park money, buy weapons and send students,” Axios reports.
“Even modest shifts away from the U.S. could chip away at advantages that have helped sustain American economic and geopolitical power for decades.”
”The Netherlands moved 86 tons of gold out of the U.S. and Canada last week, citing the move as a hedge against ‘extreme systemic risks.’ France already moved all of its gold out of New York, while Germany debated doing the same.”
“Norway’s sovereign wealth fund — the world’s largest — announced plans to reduce its holdings of U.S. government bonds amid turbulence in the Treasury market.”
Trump Says He Would ‘Love’ a Unified Ireland
“President Trump said Saturday he would love to see a unified Ireland as he kicked off a visit to the country, where he will meet with leaders and attend a major golf tournament at one of his courses,” CBS News reports.
“During a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Dublin, Mr. Trump said the unification of the Republic of Ireland with Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, ‘may as well happen now.'”
NPR: Trump heads to Ireland to watch some golf at his club and conduct some diplomacy.
Republicans Try to Brand Democrats as Communists
New York Times: “Although this year’s Democratic primary season brought a surge of left-wing momentum, and a handful of victories by democratic socialists running for Congress in Colorado, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida, no credible midterm candidate identifies as a communist. And there is little momentum behind any communist movement in U.S. politics at the federal level.”
“Still, for months now, Mr. Trump and Republicans, staring down a daunting political environment and the potential loss of one or both houses of Congress, have been trying to cast Democrats as communists, deploying a charge that has little overlap with Democrats’ actual platforms.”
Trump Can’t Stop Insulting Ken Paxton
Aaron Blake: “Republicans’ hopes of holding their Senate majority might hinge on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton more than anyone else.”
“And President Donald Trump seemingly can’t stop insulting him.”
“Trump has repeatedly made the case for Paxton — whom he endorsed over the safer candidate, incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn — in recent days. And over and over, he’s thickly layered it in insults directed at the way Paxton looks, dresses and speaks. Trump then assures any listeners that Paxton, despite how he presents, is actually a fantastic attorney general.”
“It’s both bizarre and entertaining, in a vintage Trump way — before American politics seemed to get heavier under the weight of controversial wars, more severe partisanship and increasing political violence.”
NBC News: Ken Paxton dodges confrontation while slamming James Talarico as weak.
How Trump Is Wielding Power to Stifle Speech
New York Times: “Almost 20 months into Mr. Trump’s second term, his long-running media clashes have grown into a sweeping campaign to control speech in America that stands out for applying so many levers, so fast, all at once.”
“Driven by personal pique, fury over leaks and a determination to shape the political narrative to his advantage, Mr. Trump is deploying the might of the federal government and filing personal lawsuits — targeting not just journalists and liberal critics, but also comedians and talk show hosts, and the corporate entities behind them.”
Inflation Complicates Trump’s Midterms Pitch to Voters
“With less than two months until the midterm elections, President Trump commenced a final push this week to preserve his Republican majority in Congress, arguing that the United States under GOP control had brought prices ‘way, way down,'” the New York Times reports.
“But for many families and businesses, the economy appeared to be on far shakier footing by Friday. Fuel prices soared, mortgage costs climbed and inflation registered uncomfortably high, testing the public’s patience with Mr. Trump’s frequent assurances that the country is on the right track.”
“The contrast underscored the political and economic stakes for Mr. Trump, who may soon face the wrath of an electorate long spurned by promises in Washington to lower the cost of living.”
No Word On McConnell’s Return to Senate
“The Senate is set to return Monday after a five-week recess, and it is still unclear if GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell will end his three-month absence from the Capitol due to health issues,” CNN reports.
Judge Poised to Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging Trump Library
“A federal judge on Friday appeared poised to dismiss a lawsuit against President Trump’s proposed library in Miami, citing presidential immunity in blocking the fact-finding pretrial process that is generally required,” the New York Times reports.
House Democrats Plan Sweeping Trump Investigations
“House Democrats are eagerly preparing to wield a power they do not yet have,” the Washington Post reports.
”Favored to regain the majority in November’s midterm elections — and with little official business to consider in the handful of days left in this session — Democrats’ attention has turned to mapping out an accountability agenda that would pull President Donald Trump, his administration and his family into a harsh spotlight next year.”
The Factions Driving the Democratic Socialists of America
“Democratic socialists are having a breakout year, including a win in a mayoral primary in Providence, R.I. on Wednesday. Though many of the group’s contenders have fallen short, candidates recommended or endorsed by a chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America have tallied several high-profile congressional primary victories and about 100 state and local primary wins, according to an August Brookings Institution analysis,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Yet the public is still trying to learn what the movement believes, how it is organized and the level of its followers’ involvement.”
Record Diesel Prices Stoke Inflation
“The record price of diesel threatens to stoke inflation at a time when consumers are already price-sensitive and businesses are reeling from higher costs due to trade tensions,” Axios reports.
“Diesel is a key cost throughout the supply chain, meaning soaring prices could eventually show up in what consumers pay for everything from groceries to household goods.”
”The national average price of a gallon of diesel topped $6 for the first time ever… That’s up 60% from a year earlier.”
Financial Times: U.S. diesel hits record $6 a gallon on Iran supply shock.
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