Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, the commander of the U.S. Army’s V Corps in Europe, was recently removed from his position. The Army has not explained why, and sources say it is not related to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wider changes in military leadership.
Key Facts
Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza led the Army’s V Corps since April 2024.
V Corps is responsible for U.S. Army forces and operations across Europe, with a base in Poland.
The corps plays a key role in supporting Ukraine and managing NATO’s frontlines after Russia's invasion.
Costanza’s removal happened recently but the Army has not clarified the reasons.
The change is not connected to Defense Secretary Hegseth’s broader reshuffle of senior officers.
Brig. Gen. John B. Mountford is now the acting commanding general of V Corps.
The Pentagon canceled a planned deployment of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team to Poland this year.
President Donald Trump later said 5,000 U.S. troops would be stationed in Poland despite that cancellation.
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The Senate confirmed Cameron Hamilton to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He had served temporarily in this role before being fired last year after opposing its removal. The Senate also approved 73 other nominations by President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
Cameron Hamilton is now the confirmed head of FEMA.
Hamilton previously led FEMA temporarily but was fired last year for opposing plans to eliminate the agency.
President Donald Trump nominated Hamilton again about a year after his firing.
The Senate approved 74 nominations in total, including those for the Transportation Security Administration and ambassador to Brazil.
David Cummins was confirmed to lead the Transportation Security Administration.
Daniel Perez was confirmed as ambassador to Brazil.
FEMA's future was uncertain after President Trump's early threats to dismantle it in his second term.
The Trump administration is still planning major changes in how disaster management is handled.
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Hillary Clinton shared a story about a moment during the opening ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center when Michelle Obama praised Barack Obama’s achievements, including his Nobel Peace Prize. Clinton recalled Barack Obama’s brief reply to her joking about how President Donald Trump might react to the praise.
Key Facts
The moment took place at the dedication of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
Michelle Obama highlighted Barack Obama's key accomplishments, including winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Hillary Clinton was sitting behind Barack Obama and noticed his reaction during Michelle’s speech.
Clinton joked that President Trump might be watching and thinking he was in trouble.
Barack Obama responded briefly, saying, “Yeah, I hope he is.”
The mention of the Nobel Prize by Michelle Obama drew audience applause and went viral online.
President Trump has expressed frustration about not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize despite his diplomatic efforts.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize and later gave her medal to President Trump during a White House visit.
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President Donald Trump announced new deals and investments to support the mining industry. These actions are intended to strengthen the economy and improve supply chains for key materials.
Key Facts
President Trump announced these mining deals during a mining roundtable event.
The Department of Defense plans to sign a $1.4 billion loan with Sila Nanotechnologies.
The loan will help build a new battery manufacturing facility.
The administration says these investments will help the economy grow.
Strengthening supply chains is a major goal of the mining support efforts.
The focus is on increasing domestic production of important materials for technology and defense.
This initiative is part of a broader plan to secure critical industries in the U.S.
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The CBS News show "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" will feature three guests on Sunday, August 9, 2026. The guests include Senator Bill Cassidy, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.
Key Facts
The show airs on CBS News at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
It also streams on Paramount+ and CBSNews.com at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Senator Bill Cassidy is a Republican from Louisiana.
Senator Bernie Sanders is an Independent from Vermont.
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is the Director of the National Institutes of Health.
The program is hosted by Margaret Brennan.
The episode date is Sunday, August 9, 2026.
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A U.S. appeals court has blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ballroom in the White House because it lacks congressional approval. The court says Congress controls the White House property, and the president cannot make major changes without permission.
Key Facts
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit voted 2-1 to uphold an injunction stopping the ballroom construction.
Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia were in favor; Judge Neomi Rao dissented.
The court emphasized Congress controls the White House property, and the president is only a temporary user.
The court stated no president has ever unilaterally demolished parts of the White House funded by taxpayers before.
The ruling warns that building the ballroom will cause permanent harm to the historic White House.
The injunction includes a 14-day delay to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the Supreme Court.
President Trump said he would appeal to the Supreme Court and argued the ballroom is needed for national security.
The ballroom idea was first proposed by Trump in 2011 and revived after he started his second term in 2025.
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President Donald Trump has taken actions during his second term that some say are hostile to Muslims, like immigration restrictions and harsh language. However, he has also built closer ties with Muslim-majority countries and gained more support from some Muslim voters, making the situation more complex than in his first term.
Key Facts
In 2015, Trump called for a complete ban on Muslims entering the U.S.
He restricted entry from several Muslim-majority countries, policies later upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Many Muslim Americans saw Trump as unfriendly during his first term, with 74% expressing this view in 2017.
After a shooting by an Afghan national in 2025, Trump’s administration tightened immigration rules, affecting many Muslim countries.
Trump used inflammatory language about some Muslim countries and politicians, drawing criticism from Muslim groups.
Muslim voters in 2024 showed more mixed support: about 31% backed Trump, while 50% voted for Kamala Harris.
Trump visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE early in his second term, announcing billions in economic deals.
Events like the Gaza conflict influenced the political views of some Muslim voters, causing shifts in their usual voting patterns.
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Colin Gray was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for giving his son the gun used in a deadly 2024 school shooting in Georgia. He has now asked for a new trial, claiming the jury's decision was not supported by the evidence.
Key Facts
The shooting happened on September 4, 2024, at Apalachee High School in Georgia.
Two students and two teachers were killed in the shooting.
Colt Gray, the shooter and son of Colin Gray, was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Colin Gray gave his son a semiautomatic rifle as a Christmas gift, along with ammunition and accessories.
Colin Gray was convicted of second-degree murder for the deaths of two 14-year-old students.
He was also found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of two teachers.
Georgia law defines second-degree murder in this case as causing the death of a child by cruelty to children.
Colin Gray’s lawyers argue that the jury’s guilty verdict was not based on sufficient evidence and requested a new trial.
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The U.S. Senate race in Mississippi is gaining attention as Democrat Scott Colom challenges Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith for her seat. This race is part of a wider contest where Democrats aim to win at least four new Senate seats to gain control during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Key Facts
Scott Colom is the Democratic candidate trying to unseat Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi.
Democrats need to win at least four new Senate seats to gain the majority.
Colom could become Mississippi’s first Black senator since the Reconstruction era after the Civil War.
Mississippi’s last Democratic senator was elected in the 1940s before the political party shift in the South.
Economic concerns like inflation and the rising cost of living are motivating voter interest.
Republicans remain confident they will keep control of the Senate.
Fundraising and increasing voter turnout, especially among Black voters, are key to Colom’s campaign.
Retail campaigning (meeting voters in person) and local media ads are important in Mississippi’s smaller market.
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Sarah Matthews, a former deputy press secretary, said that Vice President Vance does not have the same charm as President Donald Trump. She made this comment after Vance posted a message on social media that criticized a conservative commentator’s weight.
Key Facts
Sarah Matthews spoke about Vice President Vance on CNN’s “NewsNight.”
Matthews said Vance lacks the charisma that President Trump has.
The comment came after Vance fat-shamed a conservative pundit.
The fat-shaming happened in a post on the social platform X (formerly Twitter).
Vance’s post was related to a public debate involving the pundit.
Matthews is a former deputy press secretary from President Trump’s administration.
The topic was discussed on a news program on a Friday.
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Senate Republicans say that agreeing to move forward on the Protect College Sports Act is delaying other Senate business. This bill would create rules for paying and recruiting college athletes. The delay is affecting a government funding deal, an attorney general confirmation, and the start of the Senate’s five-week break.
Key Facts
The Protect College Sports Act is a bipartisan bill about college athlete compensation and recruiting rules.
Senate Republicans say consent to advance this bill is holding up other Senate actions.
The delay is affecting a broader government funding agreement.
The confirmation of Todd Blanche as attorney general is also impacted.
The Senate’s planned five-week recess in August is being delayed.
Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) has spoken to GOP colleagues about the issue.
The bill is related to college sports and NCAA regulations.
The Senate needs unanimous consent to move forward on this bill.
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Hunter Biden spoke to BBC Newsnight about the pardon his father, President Joe Biden, gave him. He said the pardon was not good for his father’s reputation or for the American people but believed it protected the family from actions by President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
Hunter Biden is the son of President Joe Biden.
President Biden issued a pardon to Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden told BBC Newsnight that the pardon was "not good" for his father’s reputation.
He also said the pardon was not good for the American people.
Without the pardon, Hunter believes the Biden family would face uncertain treatment from President Donald Trump.
The interview covered many topics beyond the pardon.
The news was published recently and is categorized under U.S. domestic news.
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The National Park Service (NPS) is flushing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's pipes because many of them are clogged. The NPS said this clogging is due to neglect by past administrations, including problems from renovations during President Obama’s term, and the current $16 million renovation under President Trump has faced several issues.
Key Facts
The Reflecting Pool was partly refilled on August 7, 2026, to clear clogged pipes supplying water.
Over half of the 58 supply ports were not working because of buildup and needed cleaning.
NPS blamed the clogged pipes on years of neglect by previous administrations.
The pool has had leaks and cracks since it was built in the 1920s.
President Obama did a $35 million renovation in the 2010s, adding a water treatment plant, but leaks continued.
President Trump started a $16 million renovation focusing on repainting and filters but did not fix the pipes.
Algae growth and a peeling liner appeared during Trump’s renovation.
Vandalism charges related to damage were dropped after evidence showed renovation problems were responsible.
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Will Rosenzweig, a federal prosecutor, sued the Justice Department after being fired in September 2025. He claims his termination violated his right to free speech because he wrote critical comments about President Donald Trump years before joining the Justice Department.
Key Facts
Rosenzweig was a federal prosecutor in Miami for five years and was respected and praised in his office.
He was fired two weeks before a major Medicare fraud trial he was leading.
The firing happened shortly after a conservative commentator posted a blog Rosenzweig had written years earlier, which criticized President Trump.
The blog was inactive for over six years and included mostly non-political topics like travel and sports.
Rosenzweig received an email about his firing while out of town observing the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashana.
The lawsuit argues that firing Rosenzweig for past political opinions violates his First Amendment right to free speech.
The Justice Department has been conducting a wide personnel purge, including firing prosecutors involved in investigations related to Trump.
The Department of Justice declined to comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.
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In rural Texas, a clinic inside a shipping container provides telehealth services to people who cannot travel long distances for medical care. This effort is a collaboration between Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Texas A&M University to improve healthcare access in areas with few doctors and limited internet.
Key Facts
The Davis Mountain Clinic in Fort Davis uses telehealth to connect patients with doctors and counselors online.
The clinic is housed in a converted shipping container and mainly serves people with no internet access.
Texas has many rural counties with no practicing pediatricians; 143 counties lack pediatricians as of 2024.
The clinic charges a $30 flat fee but offers free routine care like wound treatment and diabetes instruction.
The project is a partnership between two rival Texas universities working together to help rural healthcare.
Governor Greg Abbott announced $10 million in grants for rural hospitals and clinics to provide pediatric telehealth.
Texas leads the U.S. in rural hospital closures due to high costs and lack of enough patients.
Another similar container clinic recently opened in Burton, Texas, and there are plans to expand to about 40 more counties once funding is found.
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A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million to help treat youth mental health problems caused by its social media platforms. This payment is in addition to $375 million Meta must pay for violating state laws related to child safety and misleading parents.
Key Facts
The judge ruled Meta caused a “public nuisance” by contributing to a youth mental health crisis in New Mexico.
The crisis involves increased suicide and eating disorders among teens.
Meta’s platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, were found to have features designed to keep users, especially teens, engaged for longer times.
Meta must fund a mental health program including treatment, screening, prevention, and other related costs over five years.
The $567 million fund breaks down into $420 million for treatment and $90 million for screening and assessment.
The judge decided against requiring Meta to build new health centers, focusing instead on funding treatments and programs.
Meta also has to pay $375 million in civil penalties from an earlier jury decision for violating consumer protection laws.
New Mexico’s Attorney General Raul Torrez led the lawsuit against Meta, aiming to protect children from harm linked to social media use.
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Vice President Vance made a joke about journalist Marc Thiessen’s weight during a discussion about the cost of a $20 burrito and GOP debates on affordability. Vance later confirmed that he stands by the joke in an interview.
Key Facts
Vice President Vance joked about Marc Thiessen’s weight.
The joke happened amid talks about a $20 burrito price.
This issue was part of a larger GOP debate on how affordable things are.
Marc Thiessen is a columnist for the Washington Post and contributor to Fox News.
Vance defended his joke in an interview with Hugh Hewitt on Salem News Channel.
The online discussion about the joke continues.
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The Trump administration is continuing efforts to remove Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, despite a Supreme Court ruling allowing her to keep her job while she fights the attempt. The administration is appealing a lower court decision that favored Cook, who denies allegations of mortgage fraud.
Key Facts
Lisa Cook is a Federal Reserve governor nominated by President Joe Biden.
The Trump administration wants to fire Cook over mortgage fraud allegations she denies.
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Cook can remain in her position while her lawsuit against the firing continues.
Chief Justice John Roberts noted President Trump can try again to fire Cook if she is properly notified and can respond.
The Trump administration is appealing a court decision that prevented her firing.
President Trump promised to take "appropriate action immediately" following the Supreme Court ruling.
Cook's lawyer described the Supreme Court decision as proof that the Federal Reserve is a unique agency.
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The White House is urging the Senate to approve a $95 billion budget plan that includes aid for farms and emergency funding related to the Iran conflict. Various agricultural groups are supporting this call for the Senate to pass the plan as part of a larger government spending package.
Key Facts
The plan is worth $95 billion in total.
It includes financial support for farmers.
It also provides emergency funding related to the war in Iran.
The White House is actively promoting the plan.
Agricultural associations such as the American Sugar Alliance support the proposal.
The plan is part of a third budget reconciliation package.
Budget reconciliation is a process that allows certain budget bills to pass with a simple Senate majority.
The Senate's approval is needed to pass this budget framework.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles hired Shawn Christopher Lewis, who has a history of multiple DUI convictions and currently faces misdemeanor battery charges. Lewis works as a community resource specialist and helps with public affairs, despite his ongoing legal issues.
Key Facts
Shawn Christopher Lewis works for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
He has been convicted of driving under the influence three times (2013, 2015, and 2021).
Lewis is currently charged with misdemeanor battery after allegedly attacking a man in Sacramento.
He was also booked for resisting arrest and public intoxication during his recent arrest.
Lewis was on probation from his last DUI conviction when arrested.
He started his job after an open application process and continued working in the legislature until July.
Some former Justice Department officials criticized the hiring, saying it may harm trust in law enforcement.
The Justice Department is increasingly hiring people with criminal histories to fill staffing shortages.
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