President Donald Trump’s approval ratings are declining during the summer, reaching low levels in recent polls. This drop worries Republican leaders about their chances of keeping control of Congress in the upcoming elections.
Key Facts
President Trump’s approval rating is at 33 percent according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.
His rating has hit record low points in several surveys this summer.
Republican leaders are concerned that these low approval numbers could lead to losing majorities in the House and Senate.
The decline in Trump’s popularity is being closely watched as the fall elections approach.
Polls from sources like The Economist/YouGov also show similar trends in approval.
A lower approval rating for the president can affect how voters choose representatives in Congress.
The political climate is tense as both parties prepare for important elections later this year.
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Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff criticized racist social media posts linked to a former staff member of his Republican opponent, Mike Collins. The posts included white nationalist symbols and language, leading to calls for Collins to explain his connections to these individuals.
Key Facts
Jon Ossoff is a Democratic senator from Georgia.
His Republican opponent is Mike Collins, supported by President Donald Trump.
A former Collins staffer, Preston Parra, shared images of swastikas and Ku Klux Klan robes on social media.
Parra used racist language and has described himself with extremist terms.
Parra worked briefly for Collins’s campaign and political action committee.
Collins denies any knowledge or connection to Parra's posts and condemns them.
Collins’s son-in-law, David Alan Scheer II, has also been linked to white nationalist activity and appeared at Collins’s campaign events.
The controversy is significant because it may affect the Georgia Senate race, which is important for control of the Senate.
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North Carolina Representative Chuck Edwards denied sexual harassment allegations made against him, responding to an Ethics Committee report that described his behavior toward two younger female staffers as unprofessional and inappropriate. He sent a letter to other lawmakers defending himself and questioning the interpretation of his actions.
Key Facts
Chuck Edwards is a Republican representative from North Carolina.
An Ethics Committee report criticized him for “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct.”
The report focused on his behavior toward two younger female staff members.
Edwards wrote a letter to fellow members of Congress addressing the report.
He argued that some actions described as potentially romantic were being misinterpreted.
The controversy involves sexual harassment allegations.
Edwards formally denied the accusations against him.
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Rep. Chuck Edwards from North Carolina asked his House colleagues not to censure him after an Ethics Committee found he behaved inappropriately toward two female aides. The committee reported that his actions made the women uncomfortable and recommended censure, which is a formal statement of disapproval.
Key Facts
The House Ethics Committee found Rep. Chuck Edwards engaged in persistent, unprofessional, and inappropriate behavior toward two female staff members.
The two aides, who worked for Edwards for about 2.5 and 3 years, no longer work for him and reportedly left because of his conduct.
The report said Edwards gave the women gifts such as jewelry, designer purses, guns, shoes, vacations, and expensive dinners, calling these gifts beyond normal professional behavior.
Edwards denies that his behavior was meant as a sexual or romantic advance but the committee said a reasonable person could see it that way.
The Ethics Committee recommended the House censure Edwards, a serious expression of disapproval but less severe than expulsion.
Edwards dropped his bid for reelection two days after the censure recommendation.
The investigation happened during a time when lawmakers’ behavior toward female staffers is under close watch following similar cases involving other members of Congress.
Edwards asked colleagues to distinguish between what he called "affectionate friendship" and sexual harassment.
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A federal appeals court decided that drug companies must take part in the Medicare program that negotiates drug prices. The court rejected the pharmaceutical industry’s attempt to block this program because drugmakers cannot demand to sell their medicines at prices they choose.
Key Facts
The ruling came from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
The case involved drug company representatives challenging Medicare’s drug price negotiation program.
The court said drugmakers are not allowed to set their own prices for Medicare.
The decision supports a program aimed at lowering drug costs for Medicare recipients.
This ruling upholds a previous court decision.
Medicare is a federal program that helps pay for health care for older adults and some disabled people.
The drug price negotiation program lets Medicare negotiate lower prices for medicines.
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Several Democratic leaders have criticized Twitch streamer Hasan Piker for comments suggesting that American Jews who strongly support Israel could face violence. The backlash came after Piker warned that such support might lead to action against American Jews, not Israel, which many Democrats called antisemitic and dangerous.
Key Facts
Hasan Piker said American Jews strongly supporting Israel might invite violence against themselves.
Piker showed a photo of Jewish Michigan state Senator Jeremy Moss during his livestream.
Piker blamed the pro-Israel group AIPAC for the criticism he received and welcomed it.
Prominent Democrats condemning Piker include House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senators Cory Booker, Elissa Slotkin, Jacky Rosen, and Jon Ossoff.
Elissa Slotkin referenced a recent near-deadly antisemitic attack near a Michigan synagogue in her response.
Critics said Piker’s remarks blame Jewish victims for the violence against them, which they called antisemitic.
Piker is a known supporter of candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America.
He had earlier asked Democratic leaders to defend him against Republican criticism.
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A group of 23 states sued President Donald Trump’s administration to stop changes in a family planning grant program. They say the new rules would take away federal money from states and clinics unless they follow the administration’s political views.
Key Facts
Twenty-three states joined together to file the lawsuit.
The case was filed in a federal court in Maryland.
The lawsuit challenges new conditions added to a family planning grant program.
The states say the new rules would cut federal funding from certain providers.
The funding would be denied unless providers agree with the Trump administration’s priorities.
The dispute involves federal support for family planning services, which offer health care related to pregnancy and birth control.
The states want the court to stop the Trump administration from enforcing these new grant conditions.
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Jake Reiner gave his first interview since his parents died and his brother was arrested. He said his parents always loved all their children no matter what. He also talked about how hard it is for him to deal with his brother going to jail.
Key Facts
Jake Reiner lost both of his parents.
His brother was arrested and sent to prison.
Jake said his parents loved all three siblings unconditionally.
He shared how difficult it has been to cope with his brother’s imprisonment.
This interview is Jake Reiner’s first public statement on these events.
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The closing arguments took place in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, who admitted to killing her three children in 2023. Both the defense attorney and the prosecutor presented their final statements to the court.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy faces murder charges for the death of her three children.
She admitted to killing her children in 2023.
The trial is being held in Plymouth County.
The defense attorney is Kevin Reddington.
The prosecutor is Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague.
Closing arguments were presented on a Thursday.
The case is covered by CBS News.
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham expressed support for a £500,000 limit on individual political donations and suggested this limit should decrease over time. However, he is not backing this cap in the upcoming elections bill debate, causing criticism from campaigners and some Labour members who want stricter donation rules.
Key Facts
Andy Burnham proposed a £500,000 cap on individual political donations in May.
He suggested reducing this cap gradually over time.
Labour MP Stella Creasy put forward a plan to limit donations to £500,000, dropping to £100,000 after one year unless changed by ministers.
The upcoming elections bill will reduce the voting age to 16 and limit donations from British citizens living abroad but will not cap domestic donations.
Campaigners accuse Burnham of reversing his position and abandoning the donation cap.
Some trade unions oppose the cap, fearing it could reduce their donations to Labour.
Groups like Transparency International and Greenpeace support a low, strict limit on political donations.
Burnham’s aides say he is prioritizing current manifesto goals but might consider donation caps in the future.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America” within the United States. This move comes amid rising trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada, including tariffs and disputes over goods.
Key Facts
President Trump signed the order in the Oval Office on August 27, 2026.
The order changes the lake’s name only for the U.S. geographic naming service; Canada does not have to change the name.
The renaming is part of growing trade conflicts, with the U.S. imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods.
Canada retaliated with tariffs on American goods like steel, dairy, appliances, and farm equipment.
Trump has previously suggested Canada should become the 51st U.S. state amid tensions.
The executive order came with visible maps behind Trump showing the new name and promoting U.S. claims on the Great Lakes.
Trump hinted at possibly renaming other bodies of water, such as the Gulf of Mexico and even oceans, in the future.
The Great Lakes are shared by both the U.S. and Canada, so changes on one side do not affect the other’s official names.
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A group of economists found that the Trump administration used incorrect reasoning to justify removing rules that limit vehicle emissions. Their study shows that fixing these mistakes would reveal that scrapping these rules actually costs Americans hundreds of billions of dollars, not saves money as claimed.
Key Facts
The Trump administration revoked vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards in 2025.
The rules were originally based on a legal finding called the "endangerment finding."
The administration claimed removing these standards would save consumers $600 to $790 billion.
Economists from top universities reviewed the cost-benefit analysis done by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The researchers found errors in how fuel savings, technology costs, and mileage were calculated.
Correcting these errors reduces the estimated benefit by $1.5 trillion, resulting in a net cost of $670 billion.
The EPA undervalued how much consumers benefit from fuel savings.
The study criticized EPA assumptions about how long it takes fuel savings to cover higher upfront vehicle costs.
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Air traffic controllers and the pilots of President Donald Trump’s helicopter talked about communication problems one week before both the helicopter and a plane took off at the same time near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Despite safety rules meant to prevent such events, the two aircraft ended up too close to each other on August 4, but the president was never in danger.
Key Facts
Controllers and Marine One pilots discussed communication problems a week before the August 4 incident.
Both helicopter and plane took off simultaneously at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is usually against safety rules.
Safety procedures were updated after a 2025 midair collision that killed 67 people near the airport.
The Pentagon and FAA have a long-standing rule that controllers get a three-minute warning before Marine One takes off.
On August 4, the controller did not clearly receive the Marine One pilot’s three-minute warning, causing confusion.
The Marine One pilot saw the plane and delayed briefly to avoid a collision.
The airspace near the White House and Reagan is very busy with military and commercial flights.
The FAA ruled that takeoffs and landings at the airport stop whenever a helicopter is on a conflicting flight path.
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A woman named Lindsay Clancy is on trial in Massachusetts for killing her three children in 2023. Her lawyer says she had a mental illness called postpartum psychosis, while the prosecutors argue she planned the killings and pretended to try to kill herself.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy is accused of killing her three children in 2023.
The trial is taking place in Massachusetts.
Clancy’s defense says she had postpartum psychosis, a mental illness after childbirth.
Prosecutors claim she planned the murders ahead of time.
Prosecutors also say Clancy faked a suicide attempt.
The fake attempt left her paralyzed from the waist down.
A jury is currently deciding her guilt or innocence.
CBS News has been reporting on key moments from the trial.
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President Donald Trump told voters to vote in the November midterm elections as if he was personally on the ballot. He said when he is on the ballot, his party wins, but when he is not, fewer people vote.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke about the upcoming November midterm elections.
He encouraged voters to act as if he himself was running again.
He claimed that Republicans win when he is on the ballot.
He suggested voter turnout drops when he is not on the ballot.
Trump made these comments during an interview with Fox News host Trey Gowdy.
The statement aims to motivate voter participation among his supporters.
The midterm elections will decide control of Congress.
Trump is currently serving his second term as U.S. president.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America. The change is symbolic and part of rising tensions between the U.S. and Canada over trade issues.
Key Facts
President Trump signed the executive order on a Thursday.
The order directs the federal government to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.
The move comes amid a growing trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada.
President Trump criticized Canada for benefiting from U.S. military defense without paying.
Canada and the U.S. are both NATO members with mutual defense agreements.
An official said most of the lake’s water and its deepest point are within U.S. territory.
On the first day of his second term, Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
Trump hinted he might rename the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans next.
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Marcos Gaspar-Da Silva, a Brazilian married to a U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE for nearly seven months while waiting for his green card. He was recently granted legal permanent residency and reunited with his family but described poor conditions in detention. The case comes amid President Donald Trump’s plan for large-scale immigration enforcement.
Key Facts
Gaspar-Da Silva was detained by ICE on January 20 while driving to work in Portland.
He had no known criminal record and had filed for a green card after marrying a U.S. citizen in 2023.
He reported unsanitary and overcrowded conditions with limited hygiene, poor food, and medical care in detention.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson called his claims exaggerated and said ICE detention standards are high.
Gaspar-Da Silva fled Brazil in 2021 after threats linked to his work as a civil attorney.
His family members in Brazil faced violent attacks after he left.
He passed a credible fear screening and was granted parole before detention.
President Trump has promised expanded immigration enforcement, leading to more detentions including some legal residents.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America." The change takes effect immediately amid ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada.
Key Facts
President Trump signed the executive order on August 27, 2026.
The order changes the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America."
The new name is effective immediately.
The action comes during a trade dispute between the United States and Canada.
The announcement was made in the White House Oval Office.
The story is still developing, with further updates expected.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America. He announced the name change during the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada.
Key Facts
President Trump signed the order on a Thursday.
The order changes the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America.
The announcement was made before the signing.
The name change is effective immediately.
The change happened during a U.S.-Canada trade conflict.
Lake Ontario is a large lake shared by the U.S. and Canada.
The order represents a formal government action to rename the lake.
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President Donald Trump signed an order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America." This change applies only to U.S. government use and is part of ongoing trade tensions with Canada.
Key Facts
President Trump signed an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America.
The order directs the U.S. Interior Secretary to update the official federal geographic names database.
This name change applies only inside the U.S. and does not force other countries to use the new name.
President Trump made the announcement amid a trade dispute with Canada.
The president criticized Canada for trade practices and military support during the announcement.
Canada had not responded to the order at the time of the report.
Similar past attempts by the president to rename geographic locations have been partially adopted by some private groups.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names works with the government to standardize place names used by federal agencies.
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