Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas said she will focus on supporting candidates running for lower-level offices instead of campaigning with James Talarico, who defeated her in the Democratic primary for Senate. She implied she is unlikely to join Talarico’s campaign efforts.
Key Facts
Jasmine Crockett is a Democratic representative from Texas.
James Talarico won the Democratic primary for the Texas Senate seat, defeating Crockett.
Crockett said she will focus on “campaigning down ballot,” meaning helping other candidates for positions below the Senate.
She suggested she may not campaign with Talarico after his primary win.
The comments were made in response to a question by CNN’s Laura.
Both Crockett and Talarico are members of the Democratic Party.
The primary election determined the party’s candidate for the Texas Senate seat.
“Down ballot” refers to elections for local or lower-level offices below major positions like Senate or governor.
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President Donald Trump announced plans to make it easier for ranchers to process their own meat. Following this, Republican Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky urged Congress to pass the PRIME Act to permanently remove restrictions on local meat processing.
Key Facts
President Trump announced an executive order to ease meat processing restrictions for ranchers.
GOP Representative Thomas Massie supports these changes and wants them made into law.
Massie reintroduced the PRIME Act to Congress, which aims to make local meat processing easier.
The goal is to reduce barriers for small and local meat processors.
Massie expressed his views publicly on social media.
The move intends to help ranchers have more control over how they process their meat.
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The FBI has changed some background check rules for hiring agents and employees. Now, people who admit to hiring sex workers or stealing from employers under certain conditions might still be allowed to work for the agency.
Key Facts
The FBI no longer automatically disqualifies applicants who admit to hiring prostitutes if it happened fewer than three times and not within the past 10 years.
Prostitution may be allowed if it occurred in places where it is legal.
People in positions of public trust who solicited sex are still automatically disqualified.
Stealing from an employer is not an automatic disqualification if it happened more than three years ago.
Past acts of bestiality or animal cruelty may be considered if they occurred before age 18.
Changes were made in June and communicated in an internal FBI memo.
The FBI wants to evaluate candidates more fully instead of rejecting them for certain past behaviors.
Some former agents have concerns that relaxing standards could lower hiring quality.
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U.S. diplomats and some family members have started returning to American embassies in the Middle East after many were ordered to leave due to the war with Iran. The State Department is lifting some staffing restrictions mainly because there are time limits on how long diplomats can be away from their posts while still receiving pay and benefits.
Key Facts
U.S. diplomats and some family members are returning to embassies in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Israel, and Lebanon.
Family return policies vary by country and age; for example, in Bahrain and Kuwait only family members over 18 can return.
Embassies were put on “ordered departure” or “authorized departure” status in March because of threats linked to the Iran war.
The Iran war has caused attacks on U.S. interests and created unstable conditions in the region.
The restrictions on diplomat staffing were time-limited and close to expiring, risking loss of housing and benefits for staff.
To resolve this, the State Department introduced a new “restricted operations” status for embassies to resume work while managing safety concerns.
This change is administrative and does not signal a shift in President Trump’s policy toward Iran, which remains focused on economic sanctions rather than military action.
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The National Park Service has released a report supporting President Donald Trump’s plan to build a 250-foot-tall triumphal arch near Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. The report acknowledges the arch will disrupt historical sightlines between famous landmarks but argues the location is still appropriate and alternatives are not reasonable.
Key Facts
The proposed arch would be 250 feet tall and located next to Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C.
The arch will disturb the visual alignment between important landmarks, such as the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, and Arlington House.
These sightlines historically symbolize unity, like the connection between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House representing North and South reconciliation.
The National Park Service report says these disruptions cannot be fully avoided without moving or removing the arch, which would defeat the project’s purpose.
The arch recently received initial approval from a federal commission.
The report supports the Trump administration’s case amid a legal challenge from veterans and historians opposing the project.
The arch’s location is described as historically appropriate despite its impact on surrounding sites.
Multiple historic districts and landmarks would be directly affected by the arch’s construction.
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British commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was arrested by U.S. immigration officials in New Orleans for overstaying his visa. An immigration judge ordered his removal after he missed a hearing, and he is now in immigration custody.
Key Facts
Milo Yiannopoulos is a British far-right commentator.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested him at New Orleans airport.
He entered the U.S. legally in May 2019 through New York City.
He overstayed his visa and missed an immigration court hearing.
An immigration judge issued a final removal order on July 22.
It is unclear where he is currently held, but family and lawyers are directed to an office in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Yiannopoulos has worked recently for rapper Ye, who was scheduled to perform in New Orleans.
He is known for supporting conservative causes and President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
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President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on many Canadian products just before the 2026 midterm elections. This decision is affecting communities near the U.S.-Canada border, like New York’s 21st Congressional District, where cross-border trade is important for the local economy.
Key Facts
The tariffs by President Trump on Canadian goods came two months before the 2026 midterm elections.
New York’s 21st Congressional District, near the Canadian border, relies heavily on trade with Canada.
The district exports about $1.1 billion of goods to Canada every year.
Canadian companies do a lot of business in towns like Plattsburgh, NY, which is close to Montreal.
Retaliatory tariffs by Canada on American products are planned in response.
Elise Stefanik, the Republican representative for the district, is not running for reelection.
The area depends on agriculture and manufacturing, which are affected by the tariffs.
Some local business owners worry about increased costs from tariffs raising prices for consumers.
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The jury in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother accused of killing her children, did not reach a verdict after the second day of deliberations. The jury will continue discussing the case on Monday.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy is on trial for the murder of her children.
She has said that postpartum psychosis affected her actions.
The jury did not make a decision after the second day of deliberations.
Jury deliberations will resume on Monday.
The trial is taking place in Massachusetts.
CBS News reporters Shanelle Kaul and Caroline Polisi are covering the story.
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Democrats are running strong Senate and governor campaigns in states that President Donald Trump won by large margins in the 2024 election. Trump's approval ratings have dropped, which may be making these races more competitive ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Key Facts
Democrats are competing in Senate and governor races in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas.
President Trump won these states by double-digit margins in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump's current job approval rating is about 35%, with around 59% of voters disapproving.
His net approval rating is roughly -24 to -26, which is lower than at a similar point in his first term.
Economic issues like inflation and gas prices, as well as Trump’s low approval among independents, affect voter sentiment.
Republicans control both the House and Senate and hold a majority of governor offices as of early 2025.
Experts see the political environment as challenging for Republicans going into the 2026 midterms.
Trump’s involvement in midterm races means voters are likely to consider his performance when voting.
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President Donald Trump's administration is appealing a judge’s decision that stopped new limits on mail voting before the upcoming midterm elections. The legal fight is over an executive order that would allow the U.S. Postal Service to reject mail ballots from states that do not meet specific voter list and envelope rules.
Key Facts
A federal judge in Boston blocked Trump’s executive order on mail voting before the midterm elections.
The executive order requires states to send voter lists and use a uniform envelope style for mail ballots.
The U.S. Postal Service could refuse ballots that don’t meet these requirements.
The Trump administration calls the order “commonsense measures” to protect ballot security.
States and voting groups argue there is not enough time or money to meet the new rules before the election.
The Supreme Court allowed the plan to proceed temporarily but has not ruled on its legality.
Nearly one-third of Americans vote by mail in elections.
The legal case will be reviewed by the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals and may return to the Supreme Court.
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Wyoming’s attorney general is investigating two Justice Department officials who monitored voting activities during the state’s August primary. The officials observed poll workers and questioned local election staff in Laramie County, which Wyoming election officials said was unusual and not properly managed.
Key Facts
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon called the monitors’ behavior “a bit aggressive” and “irregular.”
Two Justice Department officials monitored poll workers and voters on primary election day in Laramie County.
The monitors tried to interview voters and asked local officials about poll worker training and election equipment.
Local election officials did not allow interviews inside polling places and said monitors violated state election laws.
Wyoming law allows only certified poll watchers to observe elections, and monitors were not properly approved.
The Justice Department said monitors aim to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal voting rights laws.
The decision to send monitors came on short notice, and election officials say they were not properly informed.
Voting rights groups have expressed concern about changes in Justice Department focus under President Trump.
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Milo Yiannopoulos, a British political commentator, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana after overstaying his visa. He did not attend his required immigration hearing and has been ordered to be removed from the country.
Key Facts
Yiannopoulos entered the U.S. legally in May 2019.
He stayed beyond the allowed time, violating U.S. immigration laws.
An immigration judge ordered his removal on July 22 after he missed his hearing.
He was arrested Thursday at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
He is currently held in ICE custody in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Yiannopoulos worked previously as a Breitbart editor and interned for former U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene in 2022.
He also worked on Ye’s (formerly Kanye West) 2024 White House campaign.
Far-right activist Laura Loomer claimed she reported Yiannopoulos to ICE before his arrest.
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Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico faces challenges not only from his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, but also from within his own party. Jasmine Crockett, a fellow Democrat and the candidate Talarico defeated in the primary, has chosen not to campaign with him and is focusing on supporting other Democratic candidates further down the ballot.
Key Facts
James Talarico is a Democratic candidate running for the U.S. Senate in Texas.
He is competing against Republican Ken Paxton, the state's attorney general.
Jasmine Crockett, whom Talarico beat in the Democratic primary, has declined to campaign alongside him.
Crockett endorses party unity but prioritizes supporting candidates lower on the ballot instead of focusing on Talarico.
Crockett believes spreading attention to multiple candidates can encourage more voter turnout.
She expressed doubts about enthusiasm from Black voters for Talarico but expects them to vote Democrat regardless.
A poll shows 79% of likely Black voters in Texas support Talarico, while 12% support Paxton.
Talarico urged party members to avoid deepening divisions and appreciated Crockett’s earlier endorsement.
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Marine One, the presidential helicopter carrying President Donald Trump, lost communication with air traffic controllers twice in August 2026 near Washington, D.C. Federal officials investigated and took steps to fix the issue, but the communication problem happened again just after a report said it was resolved.
Key Facts
Marine One lost communication with air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport twice in August 2026, once on August 4 and again on August 27.
On August 27, pilots warned controllers minutes before takeoff, but controllers did not respond or hear Marine One’s transmissions.
Another helicopter relayed Marine One’s messages to the control tower during the communication failure.
After takeoff, Marine One regained communication and flew President Trump to Joint Base Andrews.
On August 4, Marine One and a nearby commercial jet came within 0.82 miles horizontally and 700 feet vertically, though they were not on a collision path.
FAA rules require helicopters and planes near Reagan National Airport to maintain specific safe distances.
Investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA revealed a radio transmitter was blocked from line of sight due to the White House Ellipse landing zone’s temporary location.
The FAA moved the transmitter to a better spot and reported no further issues during tests, but did not explain why the problem happened again on August 27.
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Wyoming's attorney general is investigating U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) officials who monitored poll workers and voters during the state's August 18 primary election. The Wyoming governor expressed concern about the monitors’ actions, which some local officials said ignored state election rules.
Key Facts
Two DOJ officials visited polling places in Laramie County, Wyoming, on primary day, August 18, to observe election activities.
The DOJ monitors wanted to interview voters and check compliance with federal voting rights laws.
Local election officials did not allow interviews with voters inside polling places and declined some monitor requests.
Wyoming law permits only certified poll watchers to observe elections, not federal monitors conducting interviews.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon described the monitors’ behavior as “aggressive” and “irregular.”
The state's attorney general, Keith Kautz, is officially investigating the DOJ officials’ actions.
DOJ said the monitors were there to ensure election transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal voting laws.
The decision to send monitors reportedly came on short notice, and local officials said they were not properly informed beforehand.
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The Trump administration plans to stop military aid to the Kurdish forces in Iraq, known as the Peshmerga, after their current agreement ends on September 30. This decision comes as Iran increases missile and drone attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan, raising concerns about regional security and US support for its allies.
Key Facts
The US will not renew the security assistance agreement with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), ending military aid to the Peshmerga forces.
The Peshmerga helped the US defeat the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
The aid cut is tied to the expiration of a memorandum of understanding on September 30, the same day US troops will withdraw from Iraq.
Iran and Iranian-backed militias have launched over 150 missile or drone attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan in recent months.
The Pentagon had proposed cutting the Peshmerga’s aid in its 2027 budget, citing that IS was defeated.
The Peshmerga has about 180,000 troops and received $61 million in 2026 for weapons, training, and pay.
Kurdish officials worry that ending US aid will create a security gap and strengthen Iran’s influence in the region.
The final decision on US security support to the Kurds is still under review, with some options being considered.
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British political commentator Milo Yiannopoulos, a supporter of President Donald Trump, has been reportedly detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana. The exact reasons for his detention are not yet clear.
Key Facts
Milo Yiannopoulos is a British political commentator and former editor of the US website Breitbart.
He is known for supporting President Donald Trump and his stricter immigration policies.
ICE records show Yiannopoulos is held in Louisiana, but details about his detention are unknown.
Yiannopoulos grew up in England and now lives in the United States.
He has been criticized for controversial comments on transgender people, Muslims, Black Lives Matter, feminists, and gay people.
In 2017, he was uninvited from a conservative conference after a video surfaced of him appearing to condone paedophilia; he later apologized and resigned from Breitbart.
Yiannopoulos has been linked with the alt-right movement but does not fully identify with it.
Neither ICE nor Yiannopoulos has made an official statement about the detention.
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A judge has approved a hearing to consider claims that a man wants to take back his accusations of sexual abuse against Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State football coach convicted in 2012. Sandusky is serving a long prison sentence for multiple counts of abuse, but his lawyers argue that some accusations were influenced by flawed questioning and pressure.
Key Facts
Jerry Sandusky, 82, was convicted of 45 counts of sexual abuse in 2012 and is serving a long prison term.
Eight men testified that Sandusky abused them when they were boys.
A man called RR now wants to recant his accusations against Sandusky, claiming he was coerced and his memories were influenced during questioning.
RR said trauma may have affected his memory and that he was told to confirm details he did not fully remember.
Sandusky’s lawyers say RR’s and other accusers’ memories were shaped by leading questions and pressure from prosecutors.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office said RR’s recantation is suspicious.
A court hearing is set for September 8 in Centre County to review these claims.
Sandusky’s abuse scandal led to the firing of Penn State’s coach Joe Paterno and over $100 million in settlements paid by the university.
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Civil rights leaders, Democratic lawmakers, and many protesters gathered at the National Mall to honor the 1963 March on Washington. They highlighted the importance of the upcoming November midterm elections and announced plans for a 2026 “Defend the Vote” March to protect voting rights.
Key Facts
The event took place on the National Mall to remember the 1963 March on Washington.
Civil rights leaders and Democratic lawmakers spoke at the rally.
Hundreds of protesters joined the gathering.
The focus was on the importance of the November midterm elections.
A new March on Washington is planned for 2026, called the “Defend the Vote” March.
The 2026 march is organized by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and Martin Luther King III.
The march aims to support and protect voting rights.
Speakers expressed hope and determination for political change.
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