What to know today
- TARIFF RULING: A federal appeals court ruled tonight that President Donald Trump misused his authority in imposing tariffs under an emergency-powers statute, but indicated the tariffs can continue as the case proceeds. The Trump administration is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court.
- SECRET SERvICE PROTECTION: The White House revoked the Secret Service details for former vice President Kamala Harris, according to a senior adviser for Harris. vice presidents are typically protected for six months after their term, but President Joe Biden had extended Harris’ protection beyond that period when he was still in office.
- ANOTHER REDISTRICTING EFFORT: Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican, said he is calling a special session for the General Assembly to rework the state's congressional maps.
- LANDMARK LEGAL FIGHT: Lawyers for Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook argued in court for an emergency temporary restraining order to block Trump from ousting her while a lawsuit over his move to fire her plays out. Trump said this week that he was firing Cook after his administration alleged that she engaged in mortgage fraud.
Attorney General Pam Bondi says Justice Department will appeal ruling on Trump's global tariffs
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department will appeal a ruling by a federal appeals court that advanced an effort to invalidate many of the tariffs set by Trump on foreign nations, accusing the court of undermining "the United States on the world stage."
"The judges of the Federal Circuit are interfering with the President’s vital and constitutionally central role in foreign policy. This decision is wrong and undermines the United States on the world stage," Bondi said in a post on X.
"[The Justice Department] will appeal this decision and continue to fight to restore the president’s lawful authority," she added.
The appeals court decision allows the tariffs to remain in effect while the Court of International Trade, which initially blocked the tariffs in a ruling in May, reconsiders the case.
Democrats praise appeals court's ruling on tariffs
Democrats are praising a federal appeals court's ruling that dealt a blow to Trump's tariff policies today.
“Federal Courts have repeatedly done what Republican senators won’t do — say in black-and-white that Donald Trump’s tariff spree is illegal and cannot continue," said Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.
"Trump’s trade taxes are jacking up prices on groceries, cars, clothes and scores of other essentials that American families need. My Democratic colleagues and I plan to force votes on repealing these harmful, regressive taxes at every opportunity," Wyden, D-Ore., added.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., called Trump's tariffs "ridiculous" and "non-strategic" during an MSNBC News interview, saying the tariffs had been devastating to businesses in his state.
"There are small businesses all over Colorado and medium-sized businesses that have been in a misery ever since Donald Trump put these unconstitutional or illegal tariffs in place," Bennet said.
"They’re going to be relieved to know that a president shouldn’t be able to do this unilaterally," added Bennet, acknowledging that uncertainty would continue as the case proceeds.
U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., chimed in as well, calling the ruling a "victory for hardworking Americans."
"President Trump's self-defeating tariff power grab was an illegal overreach that raised costs for families and businesses under a false emergency," Stanton said.
An X account representing the Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee welcomed the news, writing, "Trump tried to invent tariff powers he never had. The courts struck him down, again. This is a major win for the American people."
Trump bashes appeals court's tariff ruling
Trump criticized an appeals court for dealing him a legal setback on his tariffs program, blasting the court as "highly partisan" and saying it would be disastrous if the ruling stands.
"If these Tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the Country. It would make us financially weak, and we have to be strong. The U.S.A. will no longer tolerate enormous Trade Deficits and unfair Tariffs and Non Tariff Trade Barriers imposed by other Countries, friend or foe," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"If allowed to stand, this Decision would literally destroy the United States of America. At the start of this Labor Day weekend, we should all remember that TARIFFS are the best tool to help our Workers, and support Companies that produce great MADE IN AMERICA products," he added.
White House spokesman Kush Desai also defended Trump's tariff actions.
“President Trump lawfully exercised the tariff powers granted to him by Congress to defend our national and economic security from foreign threats," Desai said in a statement. "The President’s tariffs remain in effect, and we look forward to ultimate victory on this matter.”
The appeals court, in a 7-4 ruling, said Trump’s tariffs were illegal but could remain in place as the case proceeds.
Missouri’s governor calls special session to redraw congressional maps in push to boost GOP seats
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced today that he will convene the state’s General Assembly for a special session next week to redraw congressional maps as Republicans push to create more GOP-leaning districts ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Kehoe said in a statement outlining the move that for the special session starting Wednesday he is directing the state’s Republican-controlled legislature to “take action on redistricting” to ensure districts “truly put Missouri values first.”
“Missourians are more alike than we are different, and our Missouri values, across both sides of the aisle, are closer to each other than those of the extreme Left representation of New York, California, and Illinois,” he said.
The directive makes Missouri the second Republican-led state to move ahead with redrawing their congressional maps to favor the GOP heading into the 2026 midterm elections. The effort is backed by Trump as the party seeks to keep control of the House where Republicans have a slim majority over Democrats.
Trump’s tariff push overstepped presidential powers, appeals court says
A federal appeals court said today that Trump had misused his authority in imposing an array of tariffs under an emergency-powers statute, ruling that only Congress has the power to apply such sweeping measures.
However, the judges said the tariffs can stay in place as the case proceeds.
“The core Congressional power to impose taxes such as tariffs is vested exclusively in the legislative branch by the Constitution,” a ruling signed by seven judges with the federal circuit court of appeals said.
“Tariffs are a core Congressional power,” it said.
The administration is expected to appeal quickly to the United States Supreme Court, which is currently composed of six conservative members and just three liberal justices. Three of the six conservatives were nominated by Trump.
Gov. Walz speaking to legislators about plans for a special session on guns in September
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is making calls to legislators and has his team planning for a potential special session on guns in September, according to a senior official in his administration.
It would likely happen after the special election scheduled for Sept. 16 to fill the seat of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman who was shot and killed along with her husband in June. They are discussing a legislative package as of now.
Minnesota has experienced two high-profile shootings this summer. Hortman and her husband were killed after being shot, while state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were injured allegedly by the same man. And earlier this week, two children died and 17 others were injured in a shooting at a Minnesota Catholic school.
House Oversight Committee withdraws subpoena for former FBI Director Robert Mueller as part of its Epstein investigation
A House committee withdrew its subpoena to former FBI Director Robert Mueller as part of its investigation into the Epstein files, according to a committee spokesperson.
Mueller was supposed to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Sept. 2.
“Mr. Mueller has health issues that preclude him from being able to testify," the committee spokesperson said. "The Committee withdrew its subpoena, and a deposition will not be held on Tuesday.”
The Oversight Committee launched a probe into the Jeffrey Epstein case earlier this summer, following furor after the Department of Justice announced it would not release more files tied to Epstein.
The committee subpoenaed the Justice Department to release files related to the convicted sex offender, and also issued subpoenas to a number of high-profile former officials, including former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Social Security whistleblower submits ‘involuntary resignation,’ citing ‘intolerable’ work conditions
The Social Security Administration official who alleged in a whistleblower complaint that the Department of Government Efficiency put the personal data of millions of Americans on a vulnerable server, said in an email today that he’s submitting his “involuntary resignation” because of actions the agency has taken against him.
Charles Borges, who’d been the SSA’s chief data officer, said in an email to colleagues — which was obtained by NBC News from a person who received it — that he had experienced retaliation since his whistleblower complaint became public.
He said the SSA’s actions “make my duties impossible to perform legally and ethically” and have caused him “physical, mental and emotional distress.”
He added that since reporting his concerns to management, he has “suffered exclusion, isolation, internal strife, and a culture of fear, creating a hostile work environment and making work conditions intolerable.”
GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson plans to run for open Senate seat in Iowa
Rep. Ashley Hinson is planning to run for the open Senate seat to succeed fellow Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, according to two sources familiar with her plans.
A former local Tv news anchor who flipped a Democratic-held House seat in Northeastern Iowa in 2020, some Republicans view Hinson as a strong contender for the Senate race.
Conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley won’t run for re-election
Conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley announced today that she will not seek re-election, setting up another major judicial election in the battleground state next year.
“For years I have warned that under the control of judicial activists, the court will make itself more powerful than the legislature, more powerful than the governor. That warning went unheeded and Wisconsin has seen only the beginning of what is an alarming shift from thoughtful, principled judicial service toward bitter partisanship, personal attacks, and political gamesmanship that have no place in court,” Bradley, who has served on the technically nonpartisan court since 2015, said in a statement.
“The conservative movement needs to take stock of its failures, identify the problem, and fix it. I will not seek re-election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court because I believe the best path for me to rebuild the conservative movement and fight for liberty is not as a minority member of the Court,” she added.
Bradley’s retirement could provide liberals with an opportunity to expand their 4-3 majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court after winning a pair of hard-fought elections in recent years that have drawn national attention.
Trump’s CDC fight is about stamping out dissent
Reporting from Washington
For many Americans, the Trump administration’s firing of the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is about the clash between establishment science and the anti-vaccination movement fronted by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
But for Trump, who has embraced the vaccine skepticism of his MAGA base while touting the delivery of Covid-19 vaccines under his first-term Operation Warp Speed program, the fight over Susan Monarez is mostly about stamping out dissent.
OMB Director Russ vought to oversee final dismantling of USAID
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this morning he is turning over his role as acting USAID administrator to Office of Management and Budget Director Russ vought, who will “oversee the closeout” of the foreign aid agency.
“I joked with @POTUS that I had four jobs. He told me to give one to my friend @Russvought47. So I did,” Rubio said in a post on X.
“Since January, we’ve saved the taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. And with a small set of core programs moved over to the State Department, USAID is officially in close out mode,” Rubio wrote in the post. “Russ is now at the helm to oversee the closeout of an agency that long ago went off the rails. Congrats, Russ.”
Rubio’s announcement comes on the heels of the White House informing Congress of plans to cut $4.9 billion in foreign aid funding through an uncommon budgetary tactic dubbed “pocket rescissions.”
The rescissions package announced by the White House today includes $3.2 billion in cuts to USAID, $322 million in cuts for the USAID’s State Democracy fund and cuts to hundreds of millions of dollars in funding designed to support peacekeeping activities around the world.
vought, an author of The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy agenda who serves as Trump’s chief budget officer, also took over as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in February.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst won’t seek re-election in Iowa in 2026
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, plans to announce that she will not run for re-election next year, according to three people familiar with her decision.
The move, first reported by CBS News, would open up another potentially competitive race in Iowa, months after GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she wouldn’t run for re-election either. But while Democrats have been eyeing underdog bids in both races, they’ve struggled in recent statewide elections and haven’t won a Senate race in the state since 2008.
Another person familiar with the discussions said Ernst and her team had been wrestling with the decision for months. Ernst did not respond to a request for comment.
Ernst won re-election by more than 6 percentage points in 2020. Trump carried the state by double-digits in 2024, although former President Barack Obama won the state both in 2012 and 2008.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs new congressional maps into law
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott today said that he's signed the state's new congressional maps into law.
"Today, I signed the One Big Beautiful Map into law. This map ensures fairer representation in Congress. Texas will be more RED in Congress," the Republican wrote in a post on X.
The new map redraws congressional district lines in the Lone Star State to grant Republicans five new districts that they're expected to win in the midterm elections next year, potentially expanding Republicans' House majority.
Texas Republicans' decision to redraw their House maps at the behest of the president sparked a nationwide discussion and action by Democrats in California and other blue states about redistricting for political gain.
Arguments have concluded with no ruling yet from judge
After more than two hours of oral arguments, the hearing between Cook’s legal team and the Trump administration ended without Judge Cobb ruling on whether she would grant a temporary restraining order to block Trump from firing Cook.
Cobb asked the two sides to discuss whether she can preserve the "status quo" of keeping Cook in her role while she considers the merits of the legal fight, though there was no clear timeline for when that would occur.
Trump had lunch with Smithsonian secretary amid push to influence museum content
The secretary of the Smithsonian, Lonnie G. Bunch III, had lunch at the White House yesterday with Trump amid the president's push to influence the content and materials displayed at Smithsonian museums.
Lindsey Halligan, an attorney and Trump's domestic policy assistant and senior staff secretary, also attended the lunch, according to a White House official.
In a March Executive Order, Trump tasked Halligan with working in consultation with vice President JD vance to “save our Smithsonian.” In that same order, Halligan was also tasked with working with vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to “seek the appointment of citizen members to the Smithsonian Board of Regents committed to advancing the policy of this order.”
Trump earlier this month said that he had ordered his attorneys to conduct a sprawling review of Smithsonian museums, saying the institution's portrayal of United States history is too negative and focuses too much on "how bad Slavery was."
Trump administration officials wrote a letter to Bunch on Aug. 12 announcing the White House's plans to conduct a "comprehensive internal review" of select Smithsonian museums and exhibitions in order to ensure they align with "the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions."
The letter said the administration would start by reviewing eight Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of the American Indian. It gave the museums 120 days from the date of the letter to implement the changes recommended by the Trump administration.
Sen. Patty Murray blasts Trump's 'pocket rescissions' attempt
Senate Appropriations Committee vice Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash., opposed Trump's plan to issue a "pocket rescission," which would allow him to slash billions of dollars of foreign aid without the approval of Congress.
“Republicans should not accept [Office of Management and Budget Director] Russ vought’s brazen attempt to usurp their own power,” Murray said. “No president has a line item veto—and certainly not a retroactive line item veto. Congress should reject this request and this ridiculous, illegal maneuver—and instead insist on making decisions over spending through the bipartisan appropriations process.”
Justice Department attorney now speaking after judge questions 'irreparable harm' threshold
Attorneys with the U.S. Justice Department are now arguing before Judge Cobb after she concluded her turn with Cook attorney Abbe Lowell by questioning whether denying Cook an emergency stay allowing her to keep her job would represent "irreparable harm."
Lowell argued Cook has a right to stay in her role at the Fed, having been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Cobb questioned whether that was enough.
Arguing for the Trump administration, Yaakov Roth suggested that due process had already been served because Cook had been put on notice about her allegations via Trump officials' social media posts. Cobb indicated she disagreed with that assertion.
Roth also argued that the court was required to grant deference to the president in situations like this.
White House plans to use ‘pocket rescissions’ to slash billions in foreign aid
The White House informed Congress of its plans to cut $4.9 billion in foreign aid funding through a seldom-used budgetary tactic dubbed “pocket rescissions,” two congressional sources tell NBC News.
The rescissions process allows the executive branch to cancel funding or other actions lawfully approved by Congress. The process typically requires the White House to go back to Congress to ask for authorization to alter the appropriated funding. Congress approved a rescissions package in July that, among other things, canceled funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
A ”pocket rescission” is a secondary maneuver where the president attempts to cancel funding in a window of time so late in the fiscal year that there is not enough time for Congress to weigh in. Congress typically has a 45-day window to act on rescissions, but the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, less than 45 days away.
Democrats, and some Republicans, have been vocally opposed to the tactic, and its legality is dubious at best. It hasn’t been attempted in close to 50 years and is already being challenged in court.
Kennedy addresses rattled CDC staff
Following a tumultuous week at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which saw its director fired and top leadership resign, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told CDC staff he’s committed to restoring trust in the agency — even if changes must be made.
“Reform does not diminish your work; it strengthens it,” Kennedy wrote in an email, seen by NBC News, addressed to “All CDC Staff” sent after 9 p.m. yesterday. “The American people are ready to believe in this agency again.”
The email also outlined ways in which CDC has been successful so far this year, including ending the measles outbreak in Texas in part by “surging vaccines” to the area. Kennedy has been criticized for his response to the outbreak, during which he endorsed unproven treatments and at times downplayed the severity of the illness.
The email suggested the agency will “soon launch the Biothreat Radar Detection System” to watch for new viral threats. No details about the system were included.
Netanyahu attacks Cindy McCain over Gaza humanitarian aid
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today attacked Cindy McCain, the head of the World Food Program, for her recent comments alleging that families in Gaza are starving amid a famine.
Netanyahu described a meeting he had this week with McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., saying in a statement: "They discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and that Hamas loots the aid. Mrs. McCain acknowledged that the stolen aid that goes to Hamas is not humanitarian. Hamas seizes it and sells it at extortionate prices."
"She said that during her recent visit to Gaza, she saw a dramatic improvement: food was available, prices had dropped, and markets showed goods in sufficient supply and at affordable prices. It is regrettable that Mrs. McCain has since issued statements contradicting what she told us in Jerusalem. That is a misrepresentation. Israel is enabling a steady flow of aid in sufficient quantities," the statement added.
Multiple international humanitarian agencies, including the WFP, the World Health Organization and UNICEF, have identified conditions in Gaza as a famine.
Yesterday, a day after meeting with Netanyahu, McCain wrote in a post on X: "#Gaza is at a breaking point. I’ve just seen it myself."
"@WFP operates in conflict zones all over the world. Families in Gaza are starving—and we know how to deliver at scale. We must revive our network of 200+ food distribution points, community kitchens & bakeries ASAP," she added.
In a video accompanying the post, McCain called for "safe routes and sustained access" for food and humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Judge Cobb questions Cook attorney about case for emergency relief
District Court Judge Jia Cobb has been questioning Abbe Lowell, Lisa Cook's attorney, about why an emergency temporary restraining order is warranted to prevent Trump from firing her.
Lowell is arguing the administration's allegations against Cook are not enough to justify her removal for "cause," and that the president has effectively admitted that the allegations, which involve alleged misrepresentations on mortgage documents, are merely a pretext for Trump to assert his influence on the Fed, which has historically been seen as independent.
Cook hearing set to kick off as Trump administration lodges second 'criminal referral'
A hearing over Trump's attempt to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve over allegations of mortgage fraud is set to kick off at 9:30 a.m.
Opening motions will come as Federal Housing Finance Authority Chief Bill Pulte said late yesterday the administration was opening a second "criminal referral" accusing Cook of "misrepresentations" about properties she owns to the federal government.
Abbe Lowell, Cook's attorney, called the move "an obvious smear campaign aimed at discrediting Gov. Cook by a political operative" who is demanding action "before any review of the facts or evidence."
"Nothing in these vague, unsubstantiated allegations has any relevance to Gov. Cook’s role at the Federal Reserve, and they in no way justify her removal from the Board," Lowell said.
Trump has called on the central bank to lower interest rates to boost economic growth, something some economists have said is premature given lingering threats from inflation as a result of his tariffs.
Cook’s firing from the Fed, if successful, “would create the second vacancy on the board in less than a month and would allow the president to move that body in a direction more to his liking,” Michael Feroli, JPMorgan chief U.S. economist, said in a note to clients.
Economists have warned that undermining the central bank's independence can lead to worsening inflation. Some, including vice President JD vance, have pushed back on that charge, arguing that central banks should be responsible to the electorate.
“If the president were successful, the outcome would be momentous,” Feroli added.
Border czar Tom Homan hints at crackdown on crime and undocumented immigrants in Chicago
Trump border czar Tom Homan suggested this morning that the administration will soon expand its efforts to address crime to Chicago.
"Chicago is coming, along with every other sanctuary city. President Trump is committed that we’re going to focus and prioritize sanctuary cities, because that is where the problem is," Homan said in an interview on Fox News.
Asked about pushback from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Homan said, "Get out of the way, because we’re going to do it."
"If he’s not going to do it, President Trump is going to do it," he continued. "So, if you don’t want to help, get out of the way. We’ll do it."
NBC News reported yesterday that federal agencies are planning to expand operations in Chicago next week to arrest undocumented immigrants.
Tennessee woman charged with threatening to kill GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn
FBI agents arrested a 22-year-old woman of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, yesterday after she allegedly threatened to kill Tennessee GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
The U.S. attorney's office in Nashville alleged that Penelope R. Convertino left a voicemail for Blackburn at a local Senate office on May 30.
A staffer later listened to it, and the caller said, "My name is mother------ and I’m gonna kill Marsha Blackburn. I’m gonna shoot her with a gun. I’m gonna blow up her head on national Tv. She will literally have brains splattered behind her because she will not be a person. She will be a dead f---ing body," according to the Justice Department.
If convicted, Convertino could face a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, the DOJ said.
New congressional maps will test the Latino vote in the 2026 election
As a wave of mid-decade redistricting sweeps the country, politicians on both sides of the aisle are being uncharacteristically blunt about their endgame: political power.
With only slightly more subtlety, Texas Republicans and California Democrats are also signaling where they think trends in the Latino vote are going — and how they think those voters will help them gain power in 2026 and beyond.
Latinos’ big shift toward Republicans has been one of the major changes in American politics during the Trump era. Now, the durability of those GOP gains — and whether then-vice President Kamala Harris’ low numbers in key swing states and swing districts represent a low-water mark for Democrats or a waypoint on the way to worse trends in the future — are key questions that will determine how newly drawn congressional districts perform for the parties drawing them.