President Donald Trump said that gas prices and most other product prices were higher under President Biden’s term. Data shows that gas prices were generally higher during Biden’s presidency but have recently risen sharply under Trump due to the Iran war. Inflation was higher under Biden, and while Trump claims most prices were higher then, this is not fully supported by price tracking data.
Key Facts
Gas prices averaged $2.38 per gallon when Biden took office in January 2021.
When Trump took office in January 2025, gas prices were just over $3.10 per gallon.
Gas prices rose significantly during Biden’s term, peaking above $5 per gallon in mid-2022 during the Ukraine crisis.
At the end of Biden’s term, prices were about $3 per gallon.
Under Trump’s current term, prices fell below $2.80 but then climbed again to over $4.30 after the Iran war started.
On average, gas prices were slightly higher during Biden’s term ($3.45) than so far during Trump’s term ($3.39).
Inflation peaked at 9.1% annually under Biden, higher than the 4.2% peak under Trump’s current term.
Price-tracking data shows that some staple goods like bacon and bread were cheaper under Trump’s presidency than Biden’s.
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The article discusses concerns about the state of press freedom in the United States. It suggests that support for a free press varies depending on which political leader is in power.
Key Facts
Press freedom is an important part of democracy and trustworthy information.
Currently, there is no official or dedicated system in the U.S. to clearly separate facts from false information.
Support for press freedom appears to change depending on the current government leadership.
This variability in support can affect how the public receives news and trust media outlets.
The article highlights the challenge of maintaining a reliable flow of information in today's political climate.
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Three news organizations—CNN, MS NOW, and Politico—plan to sue the Trump administration because they were banned from White House access. They say the ban violates their First Amendment rights, which protect freedom of the press, since the White House revoked their credentials without warning.
Key Facts
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were banned from the White House by President Donald Trump.
The news outlets announced they will file a lawsuit to protect their First Amendment rights.
The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and the press from government control.
The White House took away their press credentials without prior notice or explanation.
President Trump said on social media that some media outlets report "fiction and lies" about him and his administration.
Trump expressed that he supports a free press but demands fairness and honesty in reporting.
The ban is seen by the news outlets as a threat to press freedom and independent journalism.
The situation is ongoing and more updates may follow.
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CNN, MS NOW, and Politico are suing President Trump’s administration after being banned from the White House. They argue the ban violates the First Amendment, which protects free speech and freedom of the press, and want their access restored immediately.
Key Facts
President Trump banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House and revoked their press passes.
The news organizations filed a lawsuit claiming the ban is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment.
The lawsuit asks a judge in Washington, D.C., to quickly stop the ban and restore their access.
President Trump said the ban is because he believes these outlets write "fake news" and that he does not have to let them into the White House.
The White House has faced other legal challenges over media bans, including one involving The Associated Press last year.
Courts have ruled that the White House cannot ban journalists from general press areas based on their viewpoint.
The Trump administration has also limited press access to places like Air Force One, the Oval Office, and the Pentagon.
Some reporters refused Pentagon rules requiring them to sign agreements that could label them security risks, leading to changes in Pentagon press access policies.
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President Donald Trump is planning to build a large triumphal arch near Washington, claiming it will serve as a military complex with drones and snipers. Critics say Trump is using national security as an excuse to push the project, which lacks approval from Congress and faces legal challenges.
Key Facts
President Trump wants to build a 250-foot arch near Washington that would also house military equipment like drones and snipers.
Lawyers suing to stop the project say Congress has not authorized the arch, so it should not move forward.
The arch is part of a bigger plan by Trump to change parts of Washington, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and a golf course.
Preservation experts and others worry these projects will change famous historic places in the capital.
US Representative Don Beyer says using drones near the airport is unsafe and believes Trump wants to use national security to defend against lawsuits.
Trump said the military asked him to turn the arch into a top-grade military complex.
Trump also wants his name added to the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts because of his fundraising efforts for its renovation.
Trump refuses to say if he will try to demolish the Kennedy Center, an iconic building on the Potomac River.
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Three news organizations—CNN, Politico, and MS NOW—are suing President Donald Trump's administration after their reporters were banned from the White House. The outlets say their First Amendment rights to free press were violated because they were excluded without warning due to their reporting.
Key Facts
CNN, Politico, and MS NOW were banned from the White House last week.
The ban happened without any prior notice or explanation.
The news outlets are filing a lawsuit to protect their rights under the First Amendment.
They claim the government should not control what the press publishes or reports.
President Trump said the ban was because of what he called “fake news” from these outlets.
Reporters were denied entry and one had her White House badge taken away.
The lawsuit aims to restore their access to the White House.
This issue raises questions about press freedom and government control.
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Jake and Logan Paul visited the Pentagon last week and spoke to members of the U.S. military, thanking them for their service. The visit included meeting officials, touring the building, and paying respects at the 9/11 memorial. The brothers have become more politically active recently, especially Jake Paul, who supports President Trump and has expressed views on gun rights.
Key Facts
Jake and Logan Paul, popular social media influencers, spoke to U.S. military members during a Pentagon visit.
They toured the Pentagon, met officials including Trevor Hegseth, and visited the 9/11 memorial.
The brothers paid for their own travel to the Pentagon visit.
Jake Paul met with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during the trip.
Jake Paul endorsed President Trump in the 2024 election and supports some of his policies.
Logan Paul interviewed President Trump in 2024 and attended his 2025 inauguration.
Jake Paul has talked about changing gun laws to allow citizens more powerful weapons.
The brothers’ visit was met with online jokes and disbelief by some people.
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Since returning to office in 2025, President Donald Trump’s administration has deported over 25,000 people from the US to countries where they have no ties, under secret agreements with 35 nations. A US federal appeals court recently ruled this practice illegal, but the government plans to appeal the decision.
Key Facts
Thousands of migrants have been deported from the US to unfamiliar third countries under secret deals.
People from Peru and Colombia were sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Four Cubans, a Brazilian, and a Cameroonian refused deportation to Liberia and were sent to Equatorial Guinea instead.
The Trump administration has made deportation deals with 35 countries for these third-country removals.
A US federal appeals court ruled that these deportations violate due process rights.
The government has 90 days to appeal the court decision and is expected to do so.
The Deportation Project investigation involved 24 media organizations and 100 interviews about US deportation policies.
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CNN, MS NOW, and Politico are suing the White House because their reporters had their access blocked without notice. They say this action violates their First Amendment rights, which protect free speech and press freedom.
Key Facts
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico plan to file a lawsuit against the White House.
They say the White House blocked their reporters' access over the weekend without warning.
The news organizations claim this action violates their First Amendment rights.
The First Amendment protects press freedom and the public’s right to independent news.
The White House said President Trump has the right to restrict reporter access in some cases.
Legal experts disagree, saying past cases support the news outlets’ position.
These outlets are working together to challenge the White House’s action.
The lawsuit shows increased tension between the Trump administration and news organizations.
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Senators from both parties say the 2024 Senate election battleground has grown, making it harder for Republicans to keep their majority. States that usually vote Republican, like Kansas and Nebraska, and Democratic-leaning New Hampshire now look competitive.
Key Facts
The Senate election is six months away.
The number of competitive states has increased.
Kansas and Nebraska, which usually vote Republican, are now competitive.
New Hampshire, which leans Democratic, is also considered competitive.
Both Republican and Democratic senators agree on the changing battleground map.
The shift reflects voter anger about the economy.
This change puts the GOP Senate majority at greater risk.
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The District of Columbia Courts are facing serious challenges because their budget has not increased for many years. This lack of funding is making it hard for court staff to handle more cases and increased security needs. Court officials are asking Congress for more money to avoid a system breakdown.
Key Facts
The DC Courts’ funding has remained flat for several years.
Court officials say the system is under unsustainable pressure due to budget limits.
The courts serve thousands of people daily with legal cases and security duties.
There is an increasing number of cases that courts must handle.
Security requirements for the courts have grown over time.
Judges, clerks, and administrators are struggling to manage with the current budget.
Court leaders have called this situation a "critical inflection point," meaning it’s a serious turning point.
They are asking the U.S. Congress to provide more funding to help the courts continue operating effectively.
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President Donald Trump has a strong public association with McDonald’s, both personally and in campaign activities. However, McDonald’s business value and Trump’s approval rating have both declined over the past 20 months, but there is no clear link between the two trends.
Key Facts
President Trump regularly uses McDonald’s in his public appearances and campaign events.
McDonald’s stock price dropped about 14% from January last year to September 2026.
Trump’s approval rating fell by about 11.5 points in the same period.
Analysis shows no strong statistical connection between McDonald’s stock price changes and Trump’s approval ratings.
Both McDonald’s and Trump faced challenges during this time, but their declines seem to be independent.
Factors like the war with Iran, high fuel prices, and new tariffs have increased costs for Americans during this period.
Increased tariffs have raised household expenses by roughly $1,100 per year, according to Yale’s Budget Lab.
The war and tariffs together have added over $1,200 in costs to households, which affects consumer spending.
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Millions of Americans receiving Social Security benefits will get their September payments this week. The amount people get depends on their work history, type of benefit, and when they start collecting, with the maximum monthly retirement benefit reaching $5,181 if claimed at age 70.
Key Facts
Over 70 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, including retirement, spousal, survivor, and disability payments.
Payments are usually made based on the recipient’s birthday, with those born between the 21st and 31st getting paid around September 23.
Some exceptions apply, such as people who started benefits before May 1997 or also get Supplemental Security Income (SSI); they get payments earlier in the month.
The maximum monthly retirement benefit in 2026 is $2,969 at age 62, $4,152 at full retirement age, and $5,181 at age 70.
The average retired worker received about $2,086 per month in July 2026.
Other average payments include: spousal benefits around $987, survivor benefits about $1,635, and SSI around $737 per month.
Social Security payments for October will occur on various dates depending on birth dates and other factors.
The SSA will announce the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on October 14, expected to be between 3.4% and 3.6% to help benefits keep up with inflation.
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Protesters gathered in Texas after an ICE agent shot and injured a Venezuelan man during an immigration operation. People are asking city officials for clear information and an independent investigation into the incident.
Key Facts
The shooting happened during an immigration enforcement action by ICE, a U.S. agency that handles immigration law.
The person shot is a Venezuelan man who was injured.
The incident took place in the state of Texas.
Local city officials and protesters want more information about what happened.
There are calls for an investigation done by an independent group, not ICE.
The protest is about demanding accountability and transparency from authorities.
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President Donald Trump has taken a strong stance on trade with China by imposing tariffs and trying to protect U.S. manufacturing. However, challenges remain with China’s policies in three major areas: cars, currency, and computer chips, which could affect American jobs and industries as Chinese leader Xi Jinping visits Washington on September 24.
Key Facts
President Trump used tariffs to change the U.S.-China trade relationship and protect American manufacturing workers.
China maintains a large overall trade surplus, reaching $1.2 trillion last year.
China’s auto industry benefits from subsidies, technology transfers, and supply chains involving forced labor, posing a threat to U.S. auto jobs.
Trump suggested accepting Chinese auto factories in the U.S. while keeping imports out, a move some see as risky.
China controls its currency, the renminbi, keeping it devalued to make exports cheaper and offset U.S. tariffs.
Despite U.S. tariffs, China’s exports to the U.S. grew by 34.4% in August year-over-year.
The U.S. government has tools to address China’s currency manipulation but has not fully used them.
President Trump supports boosting domestic semiconductor chip production and has secured commitments from chipmakers to invest in the U.S.
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A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and injured Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan DoorDash driver, in Austin, Texas. The shooting is under investigation, and local leaders and activists are calling for an independent inquiry and greater transparency.
Key Facts
Wilber Rafael Garces Perez was shot in the torso and is currently in ICE custody at a hospital.
The shooting happened around 1 p.m. local time on a Sunday in Austin.
ICE says it is investigating the incident; details about why the shooting occurred are not yet clear.
Protesters gathered at the scene demanding ICE leave Austin, carrying flags of Mexico and Guatemala.
Austin’s mayor and Texas Congressman Greg Casar want an independent investigation and the release of body cam footage.
ICE has increased operations in Austin recently amid President Donald Trump’s expanded immigration enforcement.
There have been previous deadly shootings involving ICE agents, including one in Houston that killed an uninvolved person.
Democrats and activists call for reforms such as body cameras for ICE agents and more accountability when officers break laws.
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Protests started in Austin, Texas, after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot a man during a traffic stop. The man is seriously hurt but stable in the hospital. Local police officers were not involved in the shooting.
Key Facts
The shooting happened during a traffic stop conducted by an ICE officer.
The man who was shot is in serious but stable condition in the hospital.
Protests against ICE started soon after the shooting in Austin.
The local Austin police chief confirmed that local police were not part of the shooting incident.
The incident caused public unrest and anti-ICE demonstrations near the scene.
ICE stands for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency handling immigration enforcement.
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Mason Henderson, a 21-year-old with a rare brain tumor, has not responded to chemotherapy or clinical trials. His doctors recommended a drug called Lynparza, but his insurance company denied coverage because the drug is not officially approved for his rare cancer type.
Key Facts
Mason Henderson was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor that spread to his spinal fluid.
Standard treatments, including chemotherapy and a clinical trial, did not work.
His doctors studied his tumor’s genetics and suggested using Lynparza, a drug from Merck and AstraZeneca.
Lynparza is not officially approved for Henderson’s specific cancer, so insurance refused to pay.
Rare cancers make up about a quarter of all cancer cases in the U.S., but often lack approved treatments.
Insurance companies base coverage decisions on FDA approvals and expert guidelines, which may not cover rare cancers well.
Henderson’s drug would cost about $8,700 a month without insurance help.
His doctors and family say they are trying treatments based on scientific reasoning, even without large clinical trials for such rare conditions.
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Allan Lichtman created a new 10-point system to judge which U.S. presidents were truly great based on how much they changed the country. This system focuses on results and important actions, not popularity or approval polls. Lichtman’s new book will identify twelve presidents who transformed the nation.
Key Facts
Allan Lichtman is known for accurately predicting many U.S. presidential election outcomes with his "Keys to the White House" system.
His past prediction that Vice President Kamala Harris would win in 2024 was incorrect; President Donald Trump won that election.
Lichtman’s new framework measures presidential greatness by the impact a leader had on the country, not by how liked they were.
The system includes 10 keys such as crisis leadership, moral vision, coalition building, and diplomatic influence.
Presidents like James K. Polk, who doubled the size of the U.S., score higher than others like Dwight Eisenhower who were more popular but less transformative.
Presidents who expanded executive power responsibly rank higher, while those like Nixon and Trump are excluded due to what Lichtman calls "reckless overreach."
The framework considers both achievements and failures, as with Lyndon B. Johnson’s domestic reforms versus the Vietnam War.
The system is meant to guide discussion and judgment, not give definitive, mathematical results.
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A group of 72 journalists investigated how the Trump administration secretly works with countries in Africa and Latin America to deport thousands of migrants. Most deported migrants were sent to Mexico, a country many had never visited before, facing difficult conditions after arrival.
Key Facts
The investigation involved 72 journalists reporting on U.S. migrant deportations.
The Trump administration made secret agreements with countries in Africa and Latin America to deport migrants.
About 25,000 deportations were documented by the reporters.
Most deported migrants were sent to Mexico, often without prior connection to the country.
Migrants are forcibly moved across the border into Mexico.
The investigation highlights what happens to migrants after they reach Mexico.
The report was published by FRANCE 24 in September 2026.
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