What to know today
- TEXAS REDISTRICTING: Texas Republicans were blocked for the second day in a row from moving forward with a redistricting plan after dozens of Democratic lawmakers fled the state over the weekend in protest. Gov. Greg Abbott subsequently filed a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court seeking to remove the House Democratic caucus chair from office.
- JEFFREY EPSTEIN: The House Oversight Committee issued subpoenas to former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and several top former Justice Department officials for testimony about Jeffrey Epstein. The committee also subpoenaed the Justice Department for records related to Epstein.
- TARIFF TALK: President Donald Trump said in an interview with CNBC this morning that the European Union would face a 35% tariff on its goods if it doesn't follow through with a planned $600 billion investment in the United States. Meanwhile, Switzerland's president and vice president are traveling to the United States today to work out a trade agreement that would reduce the high tariff it faces.
Obama calls GOP redistricting plans in Texas a 'power grab'
Former President Barack Obama criticized the GOP's congressional redistricting plans in Texas in a social media post this evening, saying the proposed revisions would undercut democracy.
"We can’t lose focus on what matters — right now, Republicans in Texas are trying to gerrymander district lines to unfairly win five seats in next year’s midterm elections." Obama wrote on X. "This is a power grab that undermines our democracy."
Texas Democrats left the state to delay votes on the plans, which would give the GOP five more House seats in Congress. Their departure has outraged Republicans, with Gov. Greg Abbott suing to remove Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu from office.
Rhode Island lawmakers grilled about Gaza during town hall
Rep. Seth Magaziner and Sen. Jack Reed — two Democratic lawmakers from Rhode Island — have been interrupted numerous times at a joint town hall in Johnston by people asking about Israel's war in Gaza.
Several people have asked them to take tougher stances against Israel and to call the loss of life in Gaza a “genocide” and for them to stop taking money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Reed called the conflict “complicated,” which elicited an audible laugh from an audience member who yelled in response that it wasn’t.
Magaziner called the scenes in Gaza “horrific,” adding later that neither he nor Reed had “anything kind to say about” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sen. Michael Bennet tells town hall he’s 'incredibly angry' at Democratic Party for losing 2024 election to Trump
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., told a supportive crowd at a town hall today that he is “incredibly angry” at his party for losing last year's presidential election to Trump.
“We should never have lost this election," Bennet said at the event in Durango, part of the congressional district represented by GOP Rep. Jeff Hurd.
Bennet, who is running for governor, said that the election loss has been "catastrophic" and that the party was unprepared last year when it came to its policy platform.
"You tell me what the Democrats’ education policy was in the last election. You tell me what the Democrats’ health care policy was. You tell me if Democrats had an immigration policy that made any sense," Bennet said.
Bennet added that he is "not here to blame them for that, but that’s part of what we have to figure out, as well."
Responding to a question about Medicaid cuts by the Trump administration, Bennet said he would fight “to the death” for protections, adding that Democrats should message on the consequences of cuts to health care programs.
“People need to know what these Medicaid cuts are doing to our community. They have to know the unfairness of the tax bill that Donald Trump just pushed through, the cult of personality that he has in the U.S. Senate and other places. And we have to carry that message forward,” he said.
An attendee said Colorado “needs” Bennet in the Senate and shared her concerns about finding “someone equally competent” to replace him should he become governor.
“This decision was, for me, a matter of conscience. This was a moral decision,” Bennet said.
“This is not about quitting. It’s not about being worn out. It’s not about giving up. It’s not about even not wanting to spend one more day in the Senate with Ted Cruz, even though I don’t honestly want to do that,” he continued as the audience laughed. “It’s about being in the fight that you want to be in and making sure we can win that together.”
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has reached out to Trump about pardon, source says
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense team has reached out to Trump seeking a pardon after his conviction on prostitution-related offenses, a source close to the legal team told NBC News today.
In an interview with Newsmax on Friday, Trump said “they have talked to me about Sean” when he was asked about pardons, but Trump did not announce any decision.
The source close to Combs’ legal team confirmed that it has been in contact with Trump.
Combs, a musician and hip-hop mogul, was convicted in July of two counts of interstate prostitution and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced in October.
Texas governor sues to remove Texas House Democratic Caucus chair
Gov. Greg Abbott filed an emergency petition today with the Texas Supreme Court to remove state Rep. Gene Wu from office after Wu and other Democrats left the state to delay efforts by Republicans to redraw congressional district lines.
The lawsuit argues that Wu, the Texas House Democratic Caucus chair, violated the state Constitution and that his absence amounted to his abandonment of office.
Wu did not immediately respond to a request for comment this evening.
Abbott said in a statement that Wu and more than 50 other Democrats who left the state had failed to meet quorum requirements in refusing to return.
"Representative Wu and the other Texas House Democrats have shown a willful refusal to return, and their absence for an indefinite period of time deprives the House of the quorum needed to meet and conduct business on behalf of Texans,” Abbott said. “Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans, and there must be consequences.”
Abbott had warned in a statement Sunday that he would seek Democrats' removal if they weren't present when the House convened the next day.
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin urges fellow Democrats to ‘go nuclear’ in redistricting fight
Reporting from Benton Harbor, Mich.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a rising Democratic star from Michigan, told NBC News that Democrats should “go nuclear” to counter Republicans’ push in Texas and other red states to redraw congressional maps in their favor.
Slotkin, a first-term senator who was chosen to deliver the Democratic rebuttal to Trump’s joint address to Congress this year, said Democrats have to fight fire with fire.
“I’m going to urge and encourage blue states like a California or Chicago or Illinois to do the same thing. I don’t want to do that. I want the country to have a completely nonpartisan drawing of the lines based on the census. But if they’re going to do that and go nuclear, so am I,” she said in an interview after her first and only town hall of the August congressional recess last night.
A Republican got jeered at a town hall. He plans to hold more.
Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., faced off with a raucous crowd that hurled boos, jeers and middle fingers at him at a town hall in Lincoln yesterday.
He said he has no regrets and would do it all over again.
“I don’t regret it at all,” Flood said in a phone interview today. “Every member of Congress has to do it the way they see fit. But for me, this comes with the territory. And I feel like you got to put yourself in the town square if you want to be a member of Congress for your district.”
“And if you feel strongly about how you’re voting and the choices you’re making,” he added, “you should be able to stand on the town square and be accountable for those votes and tell people why you did it and take their input.”
Trump says FBI 'may have to' get involved in locating and arresting Texas Democrats who left state
Trump said federal authorities "may have to" get involved in locating and arresting Texas Democrats who absconded from the state to block Republicans from moving forward with mid-decade redistricting plans.
Asked by a reporter today whether the federal government and the FBI should get involved in locating and arresting the more than 50 Democratic lawmakers, Trump said, "Well, they may have to, they may have to."
“A lot of people have demanded they come back. You can’t just sit it out. You have to go back. You have to fight it out. That’s what elections are all about," he added.
Yesterday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the state’s Department of Public Safety to arrest Texas Democrats who left the state after the Texas House voted to compel the sergeant-at-arms to “send for” the return of the lawmakers “under warrant of arrest, if necessary.”
Government agencies get access to AI from Anthropic, Google and OpenAI
The General Services Administration announced a partnership today with three artificial intelligence companies — Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT — that will allow federal agencies to use AI tools across the federal government.
“Thanks to the amazing work of the Federal Acquisition Services team, these transformative AI projects are available for agencies to procure immediately,” Federal Acquisition Services Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum said.
The uses of AI technology will vary. The AI tools can support a wide variety of applications, from back-office automation to critical mission functions, such as real-time translation, cybersecurity support and large-scale data analysis, a GSA spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said GSA adopted the technology first, claiming that the use of AI has saved more than 365,000 staff hours this year. The hope is that when it spread among the federal government — and when the workforce becomes more proficient and the AI technology improves — the time savings will allow more efficiency and innovation across the government.
On concerns about Americans’ data, the GSA spokesperson insisted the government is taking a cautious, security-first approach to AI that will ensure sensitive information remains protected but did not provide specifics.
GSA’s hope, according to the spokesperson, is that it will immediately translate to agencies, giving them access to tools that can improve workflow and citizen services — and for the AI companies, going through GSA gives them an entry point for offering services and products to the federal government.
Massachusetts governor hosts fleeing Texas Democrats but rules out mid-decade redistricting in her state
Reporting from Boston
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey this afternoon hosted nine Texas Democratic legislators who’d come to Boston after leaving their home state amid Republican redistricting efforts.
Healey, a Democrat, offered her support to the Texas lawmakers but also ruled out pushing for redistricting in Massachusetts.
At a news conference inside the Massachusetts state House, Healey, flanked by two Texas state representatives and eight Texas state senators, called the efforts by Texas Republicans to push ahead with mid-decade redistricting a “partisan, craven, political power-grab attempt” by Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. She added that the GOP move was meant to “further an agenda that’s about protecting them and their power.”
Healey offered her “support” to the lawmakers who left Texas, though she ruled out helping fund the fines they’ll incur as a result of abandoning the in-session Legislature.
And unlike her Democratic counterparts in New York and California — Govs. Kathy Hochul and Gavin Newsom, respectively, who've said they’d move forward with efforts that would allow their blue states to possibly also conduct mid-decade redistricting — Healey said she’d let Massachusetts’ existing congressional maps stand.
“We’re going to follow the rules. We just went through a customary and orderly process just a few years age,” Healey said.
Massachusetts, following the process that is typical in most states, redrew its congressional maps in 2021, following the 2020 Census. The redistricting process in most states occurs at the start of each new decade, when new census data is available.
“We just did that,” Healey said. “The Massachusetts maps, in my view, are fair. They were drawn after a robust process, and signed into law by a Republican — Gov. Charlie Baker.”
Meanwhile, Texas state Rep. Ana Hernandez, who like her other Texas state House colleagues has been threatened by Texas Republicans with arrest and expulsion, told reporters that when it came to those threats, “That is not what we’re concerned about.”
“When we left, it was to make sure that our constituents have a voice, because that’s what this process is doing, it’s silencing our constituents,” she said.
Trump says for now JD Vance is 'most likely' successor of MAGA movement
Trump said this afternoon that Vice President JD Vance would "probably be favored at this point" to take up the helm of the MAGA movement when he concludes his second term in office.
The comment came in response to a reporter's question to Trump about whether he views Vance as the "heir apparent."
"Well, I think most likely, in all fairness, he's the vice president. I think Marco is also somebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form," Trump said, referring to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"It's too early, obviously to talk about it, but certainly he's doing a great job, and he would be probably favored at this point," Trump added.
The president's remarks came after he signed an Olympics-related executive order at the White House.
State Department announces program requiring some foreign visitors to pay bonds of up to $15,000
Reporting from Washington
The State Department is set to launch a new pilot program later this month that will require foreign visitors planning travel to the U.S. from certain countries to post bonds of up to $15,000, according to a temporary final rule published in the Federal Register today.
The program, scheduled to begin Aug. 20 and last until Aug. 5, 2026, will specifically apply to people in certain foreign countries applying for B-1 or B-2 visas for business or tourist travel to the United States. Each of those visas allows for a maximum stay of six months, though extensions are permitted in some cases.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has another White House meeting with Trump
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she met with Trump today at the White House.
It was the Democratic governor's third meeting with the president there this year — and fourth overall when counting their appearance at an April event to announce a new mission for a Michigan air base.
In a statement provided to NBC News, Whitmer said she told Trump “and his team about the impact tariffs are having on Michigan’s economy, especially our auto industry, the harm Michigan will face due to changes in the Medicaid program, and ongoing recovery efforts following the ice storm in Northern Michigan this year.”
Whitmer, seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2028, has faced criticism from other Democrats for cultivating a closer working relationship with Trump. And she caught grief after a New York Times photographer captured an image of her shielding her face with folders while visiting the Oval Office in April.
Whitmer and her allies have pointed to what they see as tangible wins from her visits, including the new mission for the Selfridge Air National Guard Base and a commitment to combating invasive carp in the Great Lakes.
“I’ve always said that I’ll work with anyone to get things done for Michigan,” Whitmer said in today’s statement. “That’s why I’ve continued to go to Washington, D.C. to make sure that Michiganders are front and center when critical decisions are being made.”
She added: “I will always do whatever I can to make life a little easier for Michiganders and strengthen our economy. We should do everything in our power to lower costs and grow more good-paying jobs in Michigan. I appreciate the president’s time and attention to the matters we discussed.”
Witkoff to meet with Kremlin officials in Moscow
Special envoy Steve Witkoff will be in Moscow tomorrow to meet with Russian leadership, according to a source familiar with the trip.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer to cushy prison camp is a ‘travesty of justice,’ ex-BOP official says
Not long after it was first reported that Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to one of the cushiest federal detention facilities in the country, a private Facebook group dedicated to current and former federal prison staffers erupted in shock and outrage.
The federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas, is one of seven minimum security, dormitory-style federal security facilities that do not typically hold inmates like Maxwell, 63, who are convicted of sex crimes and serving lengthy sentences.
“As a retired BOP employee, this makes me sick,” wrote one person on the “Bureau of Prisons staff and retirees” Facebook page.
“Since when are sex offenders allowed at the camp?” another wrote. “I don’t care who she snitched on, she’s a damn human trafficker.”
Trump admin ends '5 things' email requirement for federal workers
The Trump administration is officially ending the Elon Musk-led “5 Things” program, which required federal employees to send five bullet points of their work accomplishments to HR each week.
“We communicated with agency HR leads that OPM was no longer going to manage the five things process nor utilize it internally," U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor said in a statement to NBC News. "At OPM, we believe that managers are accountable to staying informed about what their team members are working on and have many other existing tools to do so.”
Since its inception in February, agencies have exercised discretion as to whether and how their employees should comply with the requirement, with many phasing it out entirely.
Texas state House still lacks quorum amid redistricting clash
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows quickly gaveled the state House in and out of session today, lacking the minimum number of state lawmakers to move on to regular business after dozens of Democrats fled the state in protest of a GOP-led bill that would redraw congressional boundaries to benefit Republicans.
Addressing the 94 members who attended today's session, shy of the 100 needed for a quorum, Burrows criticized Democrats and accused them of shirking their responsibilities in the wake of terrible floods that killed more than 100 people outside of San Antonio earlier this summer.
"Today, the disaster preparedness committee is meeting to consider five priority pieces of legislation. Each will address the catastrophic flooding that has devastated homes and entire communities," he said. "That's the kind of important work that's being done in the House and all elected members should be here representing their districts in those conversations.”
Democrats have argued that the GOP's focus on redistricting over flood response in the early days of the special session undercuts Burrows' argument.
Democratic legislators in 3 states unveil bills banning use of face masks by ICE agents
Reporting from Boston, Mass.
A group of Democratic state legislators across three states unveiled a series of bills today that would ban the use of face coverings by law enforcement officers — an attempt to curtail the much-criticized use of such items by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
As part of Trump’s promises to deport undocumented immigrants, ICE officers have ramped up their presence in cities and towns across the U.S., conducting an expanded number of raids and enforcement actions — and increasingly doing so while wearing face masks that shield their identities.
The bills from Democratic state lawmakers in New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania would ban the use of such coverings. Enforcement of the laws, if enacted, would be overseen by the attorneys general in those states.
“The biggest problem is with ICE federal agents who are appearing as if they are masked militia,” New York Democratic state Sen. Pat Fahy, who’s sponsored the bill in her state, said at a news conference on the sidelines of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ annual summit in Boston. “We think a dangerous line is being crossed here, and that immigration enforcement is really turning into more of a paramilitary type secret police,” she added.
Massachusetts state Rep. Jim Hawkins, who sponsored the bill in his state, said his proposal “is a step towards mending the divide and fostering trust between law enforcement and the public with transparency identification and reason.”
“There should be no need for disguises while performing their duties to the communities they serve,” he added.
“You don’t see our local police running around masked up,” Pennsylvania state Rep. Paul Friel, who sponsored the bill in his state, said. “You don’t see judges making decisions behind shields, behind the curtain. You don’t see lawmakers making bills anonymously.”
All three lawmakers acknowledged that their proposals have no support from Republicans in their legislatures. That might not be a problem in New York and Massachusetts, where Democrats control both legislative chambers and the governorship. But Pennsylvania’s split state government — the state has a Democratic governor and a GOP-controlled state Senate, while Democrats hold only a one-seat majority in the state House — effectively ensures no movement on the bill.
GAO says that the NIH violated law by withholding funds
The Government Accountability Office said in a report today that the National Institutes of Health "violated" the Impoundment Control Act by withholding funds that had been appropriated by Congress.
NBC News reported in May that an analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated the Trump administration had cut more than $1.8 billion in NIH grants. The legality of the funding cuts is playing out in court.
The GAO, which is the watchdog arm of Congress, emphasized in its 21-page report that the president does not have "unilateral authority to withhold funds from obligation."
The report said that HHS' resumption of meetings to review grants "alone does not ensure" that funds were not being improperly withheld.
"If the executive branch wishes to make changes to the appropriation provided to NIH, it must propose funds for rescission or otherwise propose legislation to make changes to the law for consideration by Congress," the report concluded.
Reached for comment, an HHS spokesperson relayed the department’s submitted response to GAO, indicating that the NIH has "moved rapidly to reschedule and hold meetings impacted by the short pause, and to process grant applications." The response also pointed to thousands of new grants issued by the NIH, which is housed within HHS.
Greg Abbott threatens to arrest Democrats who left Texas over redistricting
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to arrest Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to stall a controversial redistricting plan with national implications. The House speaker also issued civil arrest warrants for the missing lawmakers, though these are largely symbolic moves as the warrants can’t be enforced outside the state and lawmakers won’t face civil or criminal charges from the possible arrests. NBC’s Ryan Chandler reports for "TODAY."
Pritzker says he would consider a redistricting special session
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said today he would consider calling a special session to reopen his state’s congressional maps.
The state is already one of the most gerrymandered in the country, with Democrats holding 14 of the state’s 17 seats.
When asked if he would consider calling a special session to redraw the state’s map, Pritzker said, “Donald Trump is a cheater, so is Gov. Greg Abbott, and Texas Republicans are carrying out their will.”
“If they’re going to cheat, then all of us have to take a hard look at what the effect of that cheating is on our democracy, and that means we’ve all got to stand up,” he said, adding that “everything’s on the table.”
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, who attended the same news conference, told NBC News that his party should use “all tools at their disposal,” noting the possibility that other GOP-controlled states like Ohio and Missouri could try to change their maps, too.
Rwanda says it reaches a deal with U.S. to take in up to 250 migrants
The United States and Rwanda have agreed for the African country to potentially accept hundreds of migrants deported from the U.S., the spokesperson for the Rwandan government and an official told Reuters, as the Trump administration takes a hardline approach toward immigration.
“Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants, in part because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation,” said the spokesperson for the Rwandan government, Yolande Makolo.
How Trump is reshaping government data
Meteorological data collected by some weather balloons has been halted. Statistics for HIV among transgender people were scrubbed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. And basic public figures, like how many people work for the federal government, have been frozen or delayed for months.
Across the federal government, Trump has been wielding his influence over data used by researchers, economists and scientists, an effort that was playing out largely behind the scenes until Friday, when he fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
GOP lawmaker says Speaker Johnson needs to 'show some leadership' and end redistricting 'chaos'
Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., is calling on Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to "show some leadership" and end the redistricting "chaos" that is unfolding in several states across the nation.
"The old saying is that voters should choose their representatives; representatives shouldn’t choose their voters," Kiley said in an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Jansing. "And I think that what’s happening right now across the country, and especially in California, is a very unhealthy thing for democracy."
Kiley has introduced legislation in the House to nullify any new redistricting maps adopted by states before the 2030 census.
He argued the latest redistricting efforts in Texas and his home state of California are "not a good thing for the current members of Congress, it’s not a good thing for voters, it’s not a good thing for either Democrats or Republicans, it’s certainly not a good thing for the country."
"I think that the speaker and Leader Jeffries need to show some leadership here to bring this chaos to an end," he said, referring also to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
The speaker's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Zelenskyy says he had 'a productive conversation' with Trump
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke today, according to Zelenskyy and a White House official.
Zelenskyy said in a post to X that the call was "productive" and the two spoke about sanctions against Russia, aid from Europe and defense cooperation with the U.S.
"Of course, we spoke about sanctions against Russia," Zelenskyy said in the post. "Their economy continues to decline, and that’s exactly why Moscow is so sensitive to this prospect and President Trump’s resolve. This can change a lot.We discussed joint European decisions that can help our defense."
The White House official did not share details on the discussion.
GOP Sen. John Cornyn urges FBI to locate or arrest Democratic legislators who fled Texas
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is urging the FBI to assist Texas law enforcement agencies in finding or arresting Democratic legislators who fled the state over the weekend to block a Republican redistricting plan from proceeding.
In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel today, Cornyn said he wants the FBI to aid in the efforts "to locate or arrest potential lawbreakers who have fled the state."
"I request the FBI’s assistance, as federal resources are necessary to locate the out-of-state Texas legislators who are potentially acting in violation of the law," Cornyn wrote. "The FBI has tools to aid state law enforcement when parties cross state lines, including to avoid testifying or fleeing a scene of a crime. Specifically, I am concerned that legislators who solicited or accepted funds to aid in their efforts to avoid their legislative duties may be guilty of bribery or other public corruption offenses."
Cornyn is running for re-election next year and is facing a GOP primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who called for the arrest of the lawmakers yesterday.
There are no plans to use federal agents to arrest the Democratic lawmakers, a Trump administration official said yesterday. “Gov. Greg Abbott can handle his own state,” the official said.
House committee subpoenas the Clintons and several top former DOJ officials for testimony on Jeffrey Epstein
The House committee investigating the Jeffrey Epstein case announced it issued subpoenas today to former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and several top former Justice Department officials for their testimony.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said it had sent out the deposition subpoenas to the Clintons; former Attorneys General Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Bill Barr, Merrick Garland, Jeff Sessions and Alberto Gonzales; and former FBI Directors James Comey and Robert Mueller “for testimony related to horrific crimes perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein.”
Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., also issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for “records related to” Epstein, a convicted sex offender who was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
DNC Chair Ken Martin says his party is bringing a 'knife to knife fight'
Reporting from Chicago area
AURORA, Ill. — Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said today that his party is “not rolling over” to Trump as he warned that Texas Republican attempts to go through with emergency redistricting would only spur other states to do the same.
Martin joined Gov. JB Pritzker and a throng of Texas House Democrats who have been taking refuge in the blue Midwestern state since Sunday to break a legislative quorum back home.
He pledged to help Democrats fight attempts by Texas Republicans to redraw the state political map to yield its party potentially up to five more congressional seats, a request that publicly came from the president.
“This is not the Democratic Party of your grandparents, who would bring a pencil to a knife fight,” Martin said. “This is the new Democratic Party that will bring in a knife to a knife fight.”
Democrats have said that if Texas goes through with its plan, they would attempt to take similar steps in California and potentially other states.
Trump says JPMorgan, Bank of America didn't want him as a customer
Trump told CNBC this morning that two of the nation's largest banks closed his bank accounts or rejected him as a customer.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview, Trump said JPMorgan Chase told him he had to take "hundreds of millions of dollars in cash" out within 20 days. Trump then said Bank of America's CEO told him he could not open an account there despite what he characterized as its CEO's kowtowing to him "when I was president."
"So I went to another one, another one, another one," Trump said.
"The banks discriminated against me very badly, and I was very good to the banks," he said.
Bank of America declined to comment on the president's comments, but JPMorgan Chase said in a statement: “We don’t close accounts for political reasons, and we agree with President Trump that regulatory change is desperately needed. We commend the White House for addressing this issue and look forward to working with them to get this right.”
Ex-Russian president warns enemies of ‘new reality’ as Kremlin ditches nuclear treaty
Former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev has warned that the country’s rivals now faced a “new reality” as the Kremlin formally announced it was no longer bound by a treaty limiting the use of short- and medium-range nuclear missiles.
Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy chairman of the country’s Security Council and is known for issuing frequent apocalyptic threats on social media, was continuing a war of words that prompted Trump to redeploy two nuclear submarines last week.
Modi was ready to ‘make India great again,’ then Trump put America first
The U.S. and India’s blossoming friendship is at risk of fracturing, observers have warned, as Trump threatens to substantially increase tariffs on Indian goods over its purchases of Russian oil.
At the start of the year, India seemed to be one of the countries most likely to win Trump’s favor, given its growing role as an Asian counterweight to China and Trump’s close relationship with its leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
But U.S. relations with India have instead come under strain over trade and other issues. Trump has threatened Apple and other companies that manufacture in India, moved closer to its biggest rival, Pakistan, and mocked India’s “dead” economy.
Swiss leaders travel to the U.S. to discuss tariffs
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and Vice President Guy Parmelin will travel to the U.S. today to discuss tariffs, the country's government said in a news release.
The Trump administration announced previously that imports from Switzerland would face a 39% tariff.
The Swiss leaders will "facilitate meetings with the US authorities at short notice and hold talks with a view to improving the tariff situation for Switzerland," the news release said.
State Department unveils plan for travelers from certain countries to pay thousands before entering the U.S.
The State Department unveiled plans that will make travelers from certain countries to pay a $5,000 to $15,000 bond in order to visit the U.S.
The one-year program, which targets people from countries with “high visa overstay rates” and other factors, aims to prevent people from overstaying visas, according to the documented published today in the Federal Register.
Travelers would have the funds returned if they leave the U.S. on time and comply with travel permission rules.
Most affected people will be expected to pay a $10,000 bond, although the amount can be set at $5,000 or $15,000 depending on travelers’ circumstances. The program is set to go into effect Aug. 20, and the State Department will announce affected countries on its website.
The program is “intended to encourage foreign governments to take immediate action to reduce the overstay rates of their nationals when traveling to the United States for temporary visits, and to encourage countries to improve screening and vetting and the security of travel and civil documents, including in the granting of citizenship,” the document said.
The first Trump administration also initiated a temporary bond program, but the plan was not fully implemented because of the impact of the Covid pandemic on travel.
Trump says he'd 'like to run' for president again but will 'probably not'
Trump said he'd "like to run" for president again, though it is prohibited by the Constitution.
Asked on CNBC if he would run for president again despite the Constitution, Trump said, "No, probably not," chuckling.
"Probably not," he continued. "I'd like to."
"I'd like to run," he repeated, going on to claim he has "the best poll numbers I've ever had," and noting he won the popular vote in 2024.
Polling averages place Trump's job approval rating at 43% in recent weeks, a few percentage points higher than at the same point in the first year of his first term.
Trump says 'we are entitled to five more seats' in Texas
Trump said on CNBC that Republicans were "entitled" to more congressional seats in Texas, where the state GOP is pushing to redistrict the state in a way that would give an advantage to the party in next year's election.
"We are entitled to five more seats," Trump said.
The president pointed to gerrymandering in blue states as well, claiming that Republicans should have more seats in Congress.
Trump says E.U. imports to face 35% tariff if the bloc does not invest $600 billion in U.S.
Trump said that if the European Union did not invest $600 billion in the U.S. as he previously announced, imports from the bloc would face 35% tariffs.
The tariff rate will be set at 15% for imports from the E.U. after Trump announced a trade agreement last month.
Trump takes Scott Bessent off the shortlist for Federal Reserve
Trump said in an interview on CNBC that he's taking Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent off the shortlist for Federal Reserve chair.
Trump said Bessent wants to remain at the Treasury Department.
"I asked him just last night, is this something you want? 'Nope. I want to stay where I am,'" Trump said Bessent told him.
For Fed chair, Trump said he was considering current Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller, former Fed official Kevin Warsh, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and at least two other unnamed people.
Current Fed Chair Jerome Powell's term will end in May. Powell has come under continual criticism from Trump for not moving quicker to lower interest rates.
U.S. bans travelers from Burundi, citing 'repeated' visa violations
U.S. visas for travelers from Burundi are temporarily banned, the U.S. embassy in the East African country said, citing “repeated violations” of visa rules.
“Every Burundian who travels carries the hopes of their family and community. Respecting visa rules isn’t just personal, it is national,” the embassy said yesterday in a post on X. “Sadly, due to repeated violations, U.S. visas for Burundians are temporarily banned.”
Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world, was among seven countries whose citizens were partially blocked from entering the U.S. in a June proclamation by Trump. The proclamation cited a U.S. government report saying Burundi had an overstay rate of more than 15% for business and tourism visas.
Nebraska Republican faces rowdy town hall with questions about Epstein files and fired BLS chief
Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., held a town hall last night that started with boos shortly after he took the stage and ended with chants of “vote him out” when it ended.
In between, Flood was consistently heckled as he responded to questions about the release of more information on Jeffrey Epstein, Trump’s firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner and cuts to Medicaid in the GOP’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Rep. Adam Smith says an aide was ‘physically assaulted’ at his town hall
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said in a post on X last night that one of his staff members was “physically assaulted” during his town hall at Renton Technical College in Washington, calling it “an act that crosses every line of civil discourse.”
“Today’s town hall was intentionally disrupted to attempt to silence a democratic conversation between a Representative and his constituents,” Smith said in the post. He emphasized that while peaceful protest is protected, “violence and coordinated efforts to shut down public dialogue are not.”
Kshama Sawant, a socialist running for Smith’s seat, posted a video on X of what appeared to be individuals being handcuffed. Sawant called them “3 peaceful anti-genocide activists” who she said were merely chanting at Smith's event.
Sawant did not immediately respond to NBC News' requests for comment. Smith's office declined further comment.
Workers Strike Back, which Sawant co-founded, shared her post, saying the activists were from their group.
A spokesperson for the Renton, Washington, police department confirmed that three people were arrested on trespassing charges. They were booked into jail, spokesperson Meeghan Black said.
Nine protesters "took over the stage at the town hall, shouting and disrupting the meeting," which was then canceled by Smith, Black said. Three of the protesters refused to leave, she said, adding, "They were warned they’d be arrested if they didn’t leave."
"They didn’t go and were arrested," she said.
Two officers were at the event when it began, and other officers began to arrive an hour later, she said.
Switzerland says it will make U.S. a ‘more attractive’ trade offer
Switzerland, which was surprised to find itself facing one of the highest U.S. tariff rates in the world, says it is determined to continue talks and that it is ready to make a “more attractive” trade offer to the Trump administration.
“Switzerland enters this new phase ready to present a more attractive offer, taking U.S. concerns into account and seeking to ease the current tariff situation,” its government said in a statement yesterday.
Trump said last week that he would impose a 39% tariff on imports from Switzerland, below only Laos (40%), Myanmar (40%) and Syria (41%). Swiss officials said the rate is far higher than those on comparable U.S. trading partners such as the E.U. (15%), Japan (15%) and Britain (10%).
Switzerland said over 99% of U.S. goods have entered the country tariff-free since the start of last year and that its trade surplus with the U.S. is not the result of any unfair trade practices. It said it was not considering any retaliatory measures.
Pam Bondi orders grand jury probe of Obama administration review of 2016 election
Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed Justice Department prosecutors to launch a grand jury investigation of whether Obama administration officials committed federal crimes when they assessed Russia’s actions during the 2016 election, a senior Trump administration official said.
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard claimed at a White House news conference last month that top Obama administration officials carried out a “treasonous conspiracy” against Trump. Gabbard said she was sending criminal referrals to the Justice Department.
A former senior Justice Department official condemned the move as “a dangerous political stunt.” And a former senior national security official pointed out that multiple past reviews, including ones conducted by Republicans, found no such crimes.