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Trump-backed groups launch $150 million ad blitz: For months, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton was outspent on the air in Texas, first in a bruising primary, then as Democratic nominee James Talarico spent millions of dollars to introduce himself to voters. That all changed this month, as a massive money bomb from Republican super PACs and dark money groups poured into key races. NPR’s Tamara Keith and Stephen Fowler report that the Republican "cavalry" has arrived – and it signals that the majority party is on defense heading into November’s midterms.
Speaking of AI: AI-generated campaign ads are everywhere. Correspondent Geoff Brumfiel reports on the rise of “slopaganda.”
SCOTUS blocks Trump’s mail-in voting changes: The Supreme Court ruled against President Trump on Monday, rejecting his efforts to enact new mail-in voting restrictions for the midterm election. The ruling means the U.S. Postal Service is expected to continue delivering ballots as usual. Trump slammed the high court on social media after the decision, calling the conservative justices he nominated “a shell of their original selves.”
House Republican moves to impeach Hegseth: Republican Rep. Thomas Massie has moved to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over the war in Iran. Massie, a long-time critic of the Trump administration, alleges that Hegseth initiated the conflict unlawfully, defied Congress' order to withdraw and incurred unnecessary civilian casualties. Massie, who has repeatedly clashed with members of his own party in recent years, was defeated by a Trump-backed primary challenger in May.
McConnell returns: Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate on Monday, ending a months-long medical absence that fueled a swirl of conspiracy theories about his health and revived a debate about transparency and age limits for elected officials. The Kentucky Republican was hospitalized in June after falling and briefly losing consciousness. He said in a July statement that he had not broken any bones, nor had he suffered a concussion, had a heart attack or stroke, or any tumors or hemorrhages.
Fetterman voters feel “stabbed in the back”: In his 2022 Senate campaign, Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman was hailed as a progressive willing to buck convention, campaigning in what would become his Senate uniform of a hoodie and basketball shorts. But while in office, he's grown increasingly isolated from his party — in part over his votes for several of President Trump's cabinet nominees, his resolute defense of Israel and his frequent appearances on Fox News, where he bemoans the far left. Congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt brings us this dispatch from disgruntled constituents.
China summit snags? A high-stakes meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to take place this week. But U.S. officials say some key logistical details remain undecided, potentially hamstringing planning for the business deals, trade talks, and technology-related discussions for the two countries. White House correspondent Emily Feng explains.
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Going Deeper: Anti-Muslim Rhetoric On Rise In GOP |
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Within hours of securing the Democratic Senate nomination in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed was called a "terrorist" by one of his potential future colleagues, Sen. Tommy Tuberville.
"Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed is a RADICAL ISLAMIST who will do everything he can to destroy America," the Alabama Republican posted.
Tuberville's post wasn't out of character, given his past rhetoric. It also fit squarely within a constellation of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab messaging that's been cultivated by the political right with growing intensity over the past two years.
"We are now in a world where this type of rhetoric is so commonplace that it really should shock the conscience,” said Nazita Lajevardi, professor of political science at the University of Michigan. "But it doesn’t.”
Congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt reports on the anti-Muslim rhetoric finding a growing foothold in GOP messaging. |
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The Shot: Kennedy Center In Peril? |
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Protesters in kayaks took to the Potomac River near the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., after President Trump renewed his threats to demolish the famed arts institution.
Trump said Wednesday that the center would be "ripped down" if his name does not appear on its main building. A federal judge then ruled Thursday that Trump cannot tear down the center – at least without 30 days notice.
The developments were part of a flurry of legal movements and other activity this week that has left the center's future clouded in uncertainty.
Read more from culture correspondent Anastasia Tsioulcas. |
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