The US national debt has reached over $40 trillion for the first time, according to the Treasury Department. This rising debt reflects years of government borrowing to cover spending on programs like social safety nets, the military, and tax cuts under President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
The US gross national debt surpassed $40 trillion on Tuesday.
The Treasury Department reported this milestone in its daily cash and debt balances statement.
Rising costs in social safety-net programs contribute to increasing debt.
Military spending also adds to the government's budget strain.
Tax cuts introduced by President Donald Trump further impact federal budgets.
The growing debt total raises concerns about a possible future fiscal crisis.
This is the first time the US national debt has exceeded the $40 trillion mark.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump announced steps to expand psychedelic drug treatments for veterans with mental health issues like PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and depression. The Department of Health and Human Services recently received an important 1994 government document about ibogaine, a psychedelic drug, to help speed up research and approval for these treatments.
Key Facts
President Trump supports increasing access to psychedelic therapies for veterans with serious mental health conditions.
The Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received the original 1994 investigational new drug application for ibogaine from the University of Miami.
Ibogaine is a natural psychedelic compound from an African plant that may help treat PTSD, depression, and addiction.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding clinical trials on psychedelic treatments like psilocybin for veterans who have not responded to other therapies.
In April, President Trump signed an executive order to speed up research and federal support, around $50 million, for psychedelic drug studies.
These efforts aim to offer veterans more treatment options for mental illnesses that do not improve with traditional medicine.
Ibogaine is still classified as a Schedule I substance in the U.S., meaning it is illegal and not approved for medical use yet.
Experts say the expanded research could change how mental health is treated in veterans and others with difficult-to-treat conditions.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump said Americans should not worry about problems in the bond market during a meeting at the White House. He also asked for lower interest rates to support the economy.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke to cryptocurrency leaders at the White House.
He dismissed fears about instability in the bond market.
Trump said the U.S. economy is strong despite market concerns.
He urged for lower interest rates to help economic growth.
His comments were made during a public meeting with reporters present.
The bond market involves government debt and affects interest rates for loans.
Interest rates influence how much it costs to borrow money for homes, businesses, and other activities.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
At least 20 people pardoned by President Donald Trump have been charged with new crimes after receiving clemency, including some involved in the January 6 Capitol riot. A recent example is Jon Donyae Ponder, a Las Vegas prisoner reentry program leader arrested for sexual assault and other charges.
Key Facts
President Trump granted clemency to 237 people in his first term, plus about 1,500 defendants related to the Capitol riot after his 2024 reelection.
At least 97 individuals pardoned for January 6 roles have been charged with new crimes since January 6, 2021.
Jon Donyae Ponder, pardoned in 2020, was arrested for multiple sexual assault-related charges and remains in custody.
Several pardoned January 6 rioters have committed serious offenses, including child molestation, home invasion, and threats with a weapon.
Some pardoned individuals received life sentences for crimes such as plotting to kill FBI agents or causing fatal crashes.
At least five cases suggest clemency may have enabled further criminal behavior.
Lawfare, a legal nonprofit, conducted the research tracking these reoffenses.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The probation office in Canyon County, Idaho, has worked closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by sharing information about people on probation who were born outside the United States. They created a list of these individuals, which includes people who may have legal immigration status, raising concerns about possible wrongful detentions. Local officials say they share this information to help ICE with their work, but some advocates worry about the impact on immigrants with legal status.
Key Facts
Canyon County’s probation officers sent over 140 emails to ICE from May to July 2026 about probationers born outside the U.S.
The probation office made a list of foreign-born people on probation without confirming their immigration status.
This list includes people who may have green cards, pending asylum claims, or U.S. citizenship.
ICE requested these lists annually, a process believed to have started during the Obama administration.
Canyon County officials view sharing information with ICE as part of their legal duties.
Advocates and immigration attorneys worry this practice could lead to detaining people who have legal rights to stay in the country.
In 2019, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office was reported to notify ICE about all foreign-born inmates booked into jail.
It is unclear if ICE detained the specific probationer mentioned in one email exchange reported in this investigation.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. national debt has passed $40 trillion, more than doubling since 2017 due to government spending exceeding revenue. Rising interest costs and programs like Social Security and Medicare have increased the debt, which experts warn may reach $50 trillion within six years without changes in spending or taxes.
Key Facts
The national debt hit $40.05 trillion on August 18, according to the Treasury Department.
The debt has more than doubled since 2017.
Government spending is higher than revenue, causing the U.S. to borrow more money.
Interest payments on the debt are now larger than spending on national defense or Medicare.
Programs like Social Security and Medicare cost more because the U.S. population is aging.
Tax cuts over the last 20 years have reduced government income.
The Congressional Budget Office says the 2023 tax bill will add $4.2 trillion to the debt by 2034.
Most of the debt is held by U.S. investors and the Federal Reserve, with some held by foreign investors.
Higher government borrowing costs may lead to higher interest rates for mortgages and loans for Americans.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A recent poll shows Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff leading Republican Mike Collins by 7 points in the Georgia Senate race. This election is important because Georgia is a key battleground state that President Donald Trump won in 2024, and Democrats need to keep the seat to try to control the Senate in 2026.
Key Facts
The InsiderAdvantage poll surveyed 800 likely Georgia voters in mid-August 2026, with a 3.46% margin of error.
Ossoff received 50% support, Collins 43%, and 7% of voters were undecided.
Collins is a current U.S. representative for Georgia's 10th District.
Other recent polls show Ossoff leading Collins by 4 to 13 points.
Prediction markets give Ossoff about a 90% chance of winning.
Georgia has voted for both Trump and Biden in recent elections, making it a swing state.
The race is rated as "Likely Democrat" or "Lean Democrat" by political analysts.
Both campaigns have commented, with Ossoff’s team confident and Collins’ team noting they have closed the gap despite spending less.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump showed a new helipad he is building on the White House lawn and signed a piece of it. He spoke about the helipad and the nearby ballroom he is working to finish, highlighting their features and saying they will impress visiting leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Key Facts
President Trump gave a tour of a helipad under construction at the White House.
He signed a piece of the helipad during the tour.
Trump described the helipad’s granite surface in detail, mentioning its strength.
The helipad is designed to impress foreign visitors, including President Xi Jinping.
Trump is also rushing to complete a White House ballroom despite legal challenges.
He compared granite to asphalt, noting granite’s durability for the helipad.
The tour was shared via a video for reporters and the public.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Democrat Brandon Dukes won a special election for Pennsylvania’s 12th District state House seat, which has been held by Republicans for many years. He defeated Republican Scott Timko by fewer than 100 votes.
Key Facts
The election was a special vote held on Tuesday.
The seat is in Pennsylvania’s 12th District.
Brandon Dukes is the Democratic candidate who won.
Scott Timko was the Republican candidate.
The district has supported Republican candidates for decades.
Dukes won by a margin of less than 100 votes.
The result was reported by Decision Desk HQ.
This win changes the seat from Republican to Democrat control.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Kennedy Center has decided to delay putting President Donald Trump’s name back on its building because of an ongoing legal fight. The center’s board, which supports President Trump, had recently voted to restore his name after a judge had ordered its removal.
Key Facts
The Kennedy Center is a performing arts venue.
President Donald Trump’s name was previously removed from the center’s building by a court order.
The center’s board voted to restore President Trump’s name last week.
The board is described as aligned with President Trump.
The Kennedy Center agreed to pause adding the name due to a current legal dispute.
The legal battle is still ongoing and unresolved.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump will do an interview with Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer. Cohen had previously helped arrange payments to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election and later had a falling out with Trump, but they have now made up.
Key Facts
President Trump will be interviewed by Michael Cohen.
Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer before becoming a critic.
Cohen admitted to arranging payments to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress.
These payments were made to keep an alleged affair secret before the 2016 election.
Cohen and Trump had a public disagreement in recent years.
They have since reconciled and repaired their relationship.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to stop a court order that halts most construction of a new White House ballroom. The administration says the project is important for national security and should not need Congress’s approval, while the National Trust for Historic Preservation argues that the construction violates laws requiring congressional consent.
Key Facts
A court order is set to stop most above-ground work on a new White House ballroom starting soon.
The Trump administration filed a request with the Supreme Court to pause this order and dismiss the lawsuit.
The administration calls the new ballroom structure a “military complex” needed for presidential safety and continuity of government.
Congress has control over federal property and is normally required to approve major changes at the White House.
President Trump started demolishing the White House East Wing in late 2025 to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to stop the ballroom, saying the president is ignoring Congress.
The administration claims Congress needing to approve would limit presidential power in urgent situations.
The government argues that visual dislike of the project is not a valid legal reason to block construction.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A new Georgia law requires restaurants to disclose if their shrimp is imported from other countries. The law aims to inform consumers and support local shrimp fishermen by promoting transparency about seafood origin.
Key Facts
House Bill 117 started on July 1, 2026, but restaurants have until January 2027 to comply with the shrimp origin labeling.
The law applies to all Georgia restaurants except those run by state agencies.
Restaurants must label imported shrimp on menus or public signs.
Georgia shrimpers face strong competition from cheaper farm-raised imported shrimp.
About 94% of seafood eaten in the U.S. is imported, with shrimp being the most popular.
Imported shrimp has occasionally been recalled for safety reasons, like the 2025 incident involving radioactive shrimp from Indonesia.
The law’s sponsor, State Rep. Jesse Petrea, hopes it will protect local shrimp businesses and help consumers make better choices.
Some local Georgia restaurants already serve fresh, locally caught shrimp to support nearby fishermen.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A former Meta engineer, Arturo Béjar, testified in a federal trial that Meta ignored safety concerns for children under 13 on Instagram and focused on user time and profit instead. The trial, involving four U.S. states, accuses Meta of harming children's mental health and collecting data without parental consent, which Meta denies.
Key Facts
Arturo Béjar is a former Meta engineering director who worked on child safety at Instagram.
Béjar said Meta had a "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy about users under 13.
The trial is held in Oakland, California, with California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey suing Meta.
The lawsuit claims Meta designed addictive features that harm children’s mental health.
Meta is accused of collecting children’s data under 13 without permission from parents, violating federal law.
Meta denies the accusations and says it is committed to user safety.
The case is part of a larger legal effort, with 29 states suing Meta; 25 states’ cases will go to trial later.
Béjar testified in Congress in 2023 about social media’s impact on teen mental health.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Heidi Overton to be the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Overton is a physician and health policy adviser known for a mainstream medical background, and her nomination comes amid debates over vaccine policies inside the administration, where Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been a vocal vaccine skeptic.
Key Facts
President Trump nominated Dr. Heidi Overton as the next FDA commissioner.
Overton is a physician with training from Johns Hopkins and a Ph.D. in clinical investigation.
She currently works as deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.
The FDA commissioner oversees vaccine approvals, drug regulation, food safety, and public health policy.
Overton has generally aligned with mainstream medical views on vaccines.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic in the administration, has pushed for major changes to vaccine policy.
Overton has sometimes resisted Kennedy’s more aggressive vaccine policy proposals.
Senate confirmation hearings will closely examine Overton’s views on vaccines and public health.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jonathan Turley, a law professor, said a fake poll about two political candidates raises legal concerns. The fake poll falsely showed Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Francesca Hong leading their races by large margins.
Key Facts
Jonathan Turley is a law professor at George Washington University.
A fake poll claimed Mayor Karen Bass was leading her race in Los Angeles.
The same fake poll also showed Francesca Hong, a former Wisconsin candidate, leading.
The fake poll was released by a group called Median Strategies.
Turley stated the situation raises legal questions about such fake political polls.
The polls are related to Democratic candidates.
The issue highlights concerns about false information in political campaigns.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Michael Cohen, who was once President Donald Trump's close aide and lawyer, will publicly interview the president on his radio show for the first time in eight years. Cohen, who previously testified against President Trump in court, said he reached out and received the president's agreement for the interview.
Key Facts
Michael Cohen worked for President Trump for over ten years as his fixer, handling sensitive matters.
Their relationship broke down after Cohen paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election on Trump’s behalf.
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to financial crimes and lying to Congress and spent time in prison.
He testified against President Trump in both civil and criminal trials, contributing to Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts related to falsification of business records.
Cohen later expressed feeling pressured by prosecutors to testify against Trump.
In 2024, Cohen reached out to the White House and President Trump agreed to a public interview.
The interview will be recorded and broadcast on Cohen’s radio show on New York’s 770am WABC station.
This marks the first public conversation between Cohen and President Trump in eight years.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Mike Lindell, founder of MyPillow, is paying for a hand recount and audit of the Minnesota Republican governor primary. He lost the primary by about 11 percentage points and claims there were problems with the vote counting.
Key Facts
Mike Lindell is funding the recount and audit himself.
The recount is for the Minnesota Republican governor primary.
Lindell lost the primary by roughly 11 percentage points.
Lindell says his team found voting irregularities on election night.
One claim is that some vote totals decreased, which is unusual.
The recount is being done by hand to verify results.
Lindell publicly announced the recount effort on a Wednesday.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump will appear on Michael Cohen’s radio show for their first public conversation since their falling out. The interview will air on New York radio station 77 WABC in two parts, one on Thursday and the other on Sunday.
Key Facts
President Trump and Michael Cohen had a close relationship for 15 years before it ended.
The interview will be broadcast on 77 WABC, first on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, and then on Sunday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
Cohen is Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer who later pleaded guilty to crimes including campaign finance violations.
Cohen served about 13 months in federal prison and completed his sentence with home confinement.
The two men’s relationship broke down in 2018 after Cohen’s legal troubles and his guilty plea involving hush-money payments made on Trump’s behalf.
Cohen said in July that their relationship had improved to “cordial and growing.”
Cohen did not reveal if they have fully repaired their friendship but invited people to listen to the show to find out.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Authorities in Greenwood, South Carolina, investigated the death of Davis McClendon, who was hit by a truck in May 2023. Evidence from the truck’s onboard computer suggested that Bud Ackerman deliberately targeted McClendon, leading prosecutors to charge him with murder.
Key Facts
Davis McClendon was found fatally injured about 50 feet from his damaged BMW sedan.
No other vehicle with damage was found at the scene except for Ackerman’s Ford F-250 truck.
McClendon’s girlfriend, Meredith Haynie, said McClendon left a club unexpectedly and she suspected he was going to meet Ackerman.
Text messages showed Ackerman repeatedly called and messaged Haynie that night.
An oil trail connected the crash site to Ackerman’s nearby house.
Video and timing data placed Ackerman near the crash site around the time of the incident.
Data from the truck’s infotainment system provided detailed information about when, where, and how the truck was driven.
Prosecutors say the computer data proves Ackerman acted with "malice aforethought," meaning he intentionally caused McClendon’s death.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
