Without tariffs, Trump says U.S. headed for “economic catastrophe”

Documents show Bolton investigation focused on classified materials

Judge says Trump cannot block foreign aid approved by Congress

A federal judge says President Trump cannot bypass Congress and block billions of dollars in foreign aid already approved by lawmakers. The judge in Washington said the move by the Trump administration was likely illegal and it must release more than 11 billion dollars in foreign aid that is set to expire at the end of the month. Last week, the president told House Speaker Mike Johnson that he would not spend nearly 5 billion dollars in congressionally approved foreign aid, effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch.

Trump to Europe: Russian oil purchases fund war against Ukraine

DC sues to stop Trump’s National Guard deployment in city

Judge reverses Trump’s $2.6 billion cuts to Harvard University

A judge has reversed the Trump administration’s cuts of billions of dollars to Harvard University. A federal judge in Boston found that over 2-and-a-half billion dollars in federal funding cuts were an illegal retaliation for Harvard’s refusal to comply with White House demands. The Trump administration had tied the funding freezes to Harvard’s delays in dealing with antisemitism on campus. The judge’s ruling is a legal victory for the Ivy League school. But the White House complained about an activist judge and said they would appeal the decision.

Trump to talk to Zelensky on Thursday and with Putin soon

Trump considers troop deployment in New Orleans

President Trump is considering a red state for the next move in his anti-crime push. After complaining about crime in Democrat-led blue states, the president says he could deploy the National Guard to a red state with a focus on New Orleans. The Democratic governors of Illinois and Maryland sharply oppose troop presence in Chicago and Baltimore. But Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is a Republican.

Trump downplays show of unity by China, Russia, NKorea

President Trump is downplaying the show of unity by the leaders of China, Russia, and North Korea. The president’s Chinese, Russian, Indian, and North Korean counterparts appeared together at a military parade in Beijing. He wrote online that those countries were conspiring against the U-S, but later said he has “very good” relationships with all of then, but “we’re going to find out how good it is over the next week or two.” The president also told the Salem Radio Network this week that he’s not concerned about China partnering with Russia and others.

Conservative court rules against Trump’s use of Alien Enemies Act

President Trump faces another legal setback in his effort to speed up deportations. A federal appeals court panel ruled the president cannot use an 18th-century wartime law to deport people accused of membership in a Venezuelan gang. The 5th U-S Circuit Court of Appeals is one of the most conservative federal appeals courts in the country and it said the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 was not intended to be used against gangs. The ruling blocks a signature administration initiative and the case is likely headed for the Supreme Court.

Trump says losing tariffs authority would lead to “economic disaster”

President Trump is sounding the alarm over a federal court ruling that declared his tariffs illegal. The president said his administration is appealing to the U-S Supreme Court and said it’s imperative justices reverse the lower court ruling. Appearing on the Scott Jennings Show on the Salem Radio Network, the president said the U-S would be at a huge disadvantage without his ability to impose tariffs. A federal appeals court has ruled that Donald Trump illegally used emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs, but left them in place for now.

Trump to order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore

President Trump says he will direct federal law enforcement intervention to combat crime in Chicago and Baltimore. He will be taking action over the objections of state and local officials in both Chicago and Baltimore, arguing he has an “obligation to protect this country.” The president has already sent National Guard troops into Washington and federalized the police force here in the nation’s capital, where he has legal authority.

U.S. military strikes drug-carrying boat from Venezuela

Trump moves U.S. Space Command from Colorado to Alabama

President Trump made a major military announcement involving the U-S Space Force. The president announced that U.S. Space Command will be moving to Huntsville, Alabama. It reverses a decision by former President Biden to keep it in Colorado. The president said Alabama makes strategic sense, but he also said Colorado’s use of mail-in voting was another “big factor” in moving the headquarters.

Judge rules Trump’s troop deployment in California was illegal

A judge has ruled that the Trump administration violated federal law by deploying National Guard troops in Southern California. Earlier this summer, President Trump sent troops to the Los Angeles area amid immigration operations and protests. California sued, arguing the troops were violating a law that prohibits military enforcement of domestic laws. A federal judge ruled in favor of the state, but did not require the remaining troops to be immediately withdrawn. The decision comes as Donald Trump has talked about deploying the National Guard to other cities, including Chicago and Baltimore.

Some countries have stopped shipping small parcels to U.S.

Some countries have stopped shipping small packages to the U-S. As of last Friday, low-value packages shipped to the U-S are no longer exempt from tariffs. President Trump has eliminated a customs exemption for international shipments worth 800 dollars or less. That means import taxes will have to be paid on small parcels from all over the world, which will be a change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Mexico, the EU, and several other countries have suspended package shipments to the U-S as they seek more clarity on the new policy.

Judge halts U.S. deportation of Guatemalan children

A judge has blocked the Trump administration from deporting Guatemalan children who had crossed the border without their families. In a dramatic scene, the federal judge issued her order as a group of migrant Guatemalan children ages 10 to 17 had already been boarded onto planes. She issued a temporary restraining order halting removal of the children for 14 days. Government lawyers maintain that the children weren’t being deported, but were being reunited with their parents or guardians. The children’s lawyers dispute that portrayal, at least in some cases.

Trump administration will soon expand ICE operations in Chicago

The Trump administration will soon expand its immigration operations in Chicago. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed plans for a stepped up presence of federal agents in the nation’s third-largest city. She told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that more resources will be added to ICE operations in Chicago. President Trump has lashed out at Illinois’ Democratic governor and Chicago’s mayor for crime problems. Mayor Johnson and Governor Pritzker are planning to sue if the president moves forward with the plan.

Trump denies being a dictator, but claims ultimate authority

President Trump denies he’s a “dictator,” but he’s also claiming ultimate authority. At last week’s Cabinet meeting, the president declared that he has unlimited executive power. “I have the right to do anything I want to do. I’m the President of the United States,” he said. But in the same meeting, he insisted that his anti-crime efforts don’t make him a dictator. Donald Trump has pushed the boundaries of presidential power during his second term through nearly 200 executive orders.

White House touts lowest Labor Day gas prices since 2020

The White House is drawing attention to gas pump prices on this holiday weekend. With many Americans traveling over Labor Day weekend, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt points to a bright spot in the economy. The national average price for gas is about 3-15 per gallon — the lowest Labor Day price at the pump since 2020. According to GasBuddy, gas this Labor Day weekend is about 15 cents a gallon lower than last year.

Trump bypasses Congress and blocks billions in foreign aid

President Trump is bypassing Congress and blocking billions of dollars in foreign aid already approved by lawmakers. The president is using what’s known as a pocket rescission — when a president submits a request to Congress to not spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year. He has told the House Speaker that he won’t be spending nearly 5 billion dollars in approved foreign aid. The president is essentially cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch. This rarely used procedure was last used by President Carter in 1977.

Federal appeals court blocks Trump plan to end Venezuelan protections

A federal appeals court has blocked the Trump administration’s plans to end protections for 600-thousand people from Venezuela. The Trump administration announced an end to the Temporary Protected Status that allows eligible Venezualans to live and work in the United States. The White House argued that many migrants no longer merit protections. But a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the administration acted unlawfully when it rolled back temporary protections. And that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem likely lacked authority to cancel the Biden-ear decision.

Trump revokes Secret Service protection for former VP Harris

Low-value packages shipped to U-S are no longer exempt from tariffs

President Trump has eliminated a customs exemption for international shipments worth 800 dollars or less. It’s part of his wide-reaching trade agenda. That means import taxes will have to be paid on small parcels from all over the world, which will be a change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Mexico, the EU, and several other countries have suspended package shipments to the U-S as they seek more clarity on the new policy.