Week 97 — The Return – The Weekly List

This was a crazy week of alarming broken norms. There are so many important, concurrent themes that deserve attention as we pass 50 days until the midterm elections mark, it’s breathtaking! Please take the time to read this list in its entirety.

Trump’s Iran war has spun out of control, and the impacts of record fuel prices are not only hitting U.S. consumers and businesses, but economies worldwide. This week we learned that not only has the war cost U.S. taxpayers tens of billions, it has also left our country exposed amid depleted munitions. Reporting also revealed that on this, and so many other issues, Trump and his regime are simply lying to the American people.

This week there were more eye popping stories about Trump’s, his regime’s, and his family’s corruption, and possible quid pro quos with foreign governments. Oh, what we have normalized! Our foreign ‘policy’ under Trump has proven to be haphazard, erratic, and dangerous. Self-enrichment and self-aggrandizement continue to occupy much of Trump’s attention, with this week’s focus on a battle over the Kennedy Center.

Polling shows the American people have had it! Trump has tainted not only himself, but his political party, which has done nothing to curb his worst impulses. Trump’s solution was a Republican midterm convention, which mostly featured him, and received limited viewership and interest. It’s as if the public is tuned out and waiting him out until the midterms. He seems to sense the displeasure, and is doing all he can to interfere with midterms.

On Wednesday, the Trump regime proposed changes to the census in a proposal at the federal register, which would add a citizenship question to the questionnaire, potentially excluding millions of undocumented immigrants and noncitizens without permanent residency.
The proposal called for demographic questions, including about race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, to be excluded for the first time since 1790. If exacted, the changes would reshape Congressional districts, and change how federal funding is allocated, hurting blue states.
On Thursday, a federal appeals court ruled 2–1, rejecting ICE’s policy to detain millions of people without due process, saying it “harkens back to some of the darkest moments in our country’s history,” and compared it to the “historical stain” of Japanese internment during World War II.
On Wednesday, the AP said that despite Trump’s executive order, it was advising its reporters and others who follow AP style to refer to Lake Ontario by its original name, noting that AP “must ensure that place names and geography are recognizable to broad audiences.”
On Wednesday, Jimmy Kimmel announced on his show that he would not air his interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico on his show, but on YouTube instead, citing that the FCC “has threatened me, threatened our show, threatened our network,” ABC.
On Thursday, longtime Trump ally Joe diGenova, a loyalist tapped to oversee a DOJ probe into Trump’s perceived enemies, abruptly resigned, amid frustration by Trump and DOJ officials over the slow pace of his work on the so-called “grand conspiracy” investigation.
DiGenova countered, “we were following the principles of federal prosecution all along the way,” adding, “We were moving smartly…and then things, you know, got where they got,” adding that “lines were crossed” and “no doubt there weren’t sufficient resources.”
NYT reported that according to government documents, contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings blamed errors in its own work, and flaws in the repair plan, for the new liner installed at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool peeling away and breaking loose, not vandalism.
WAPO reported that according to a 57 page packet delivered to the Kennedy Center board last week, the center was on the brink of bankruptcy. The board, all Trump appointees, was set to vote on two resolutions on Tuesday that could lead to the closure of the center.
According to the documents, the only way to save the center would be to put Trump’s name on the center, which would help with fundraising, and avoid “certain fiscal collapse,” and added that Trump would help to raise money but only with public credit for his involvement.
On Tuesday, the federal judge in the case ruled that the board could not “install memorials for President Trump or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing,” saying the board could not put Trump’s name on the building or on the grounds.
The judge criticized the board for engaging in “linguistic gymnastics” to add Trump’s name, saying the renaming “coincided with declines in revenue and contributions, as artists cancelled performances,” and adding Congress had appropriated $257 million for the renovation.
Shortly after, the board voted, for a third time, to close the center, citing the fallen ceiling piece last week. Lawyers for the plaintiff Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democratic ex officio board member, said the closure was in direct conflict of the judge’s order.
Trump phoned in to join the board call, and “verbally berated” Beatty, telling her she had “never built anything” in her life. Beatty responded, calling Trump “ignorant,” and said he was to blame for the center’s financial problems.
Trump raged on Truth Social, claiming, “The Kennedy Center is in a virtual state of collapse, and has been for many years,” called out the “very hostile and conflicted Judge,” and said that the building was “destined to doom” unless it was closed. The center closed at 4:30 pm.
Shortly after, the Kennedy Center filed an appeal, and Trump threatened on Truth Social, “If the ruling is a negative one…the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place,” and added that the building would close “immediately.”
On Wednesday, ABC News reported that the military accidentally triggered the Qatari-gifted Air Force One emergency slide ahead of Trump’s trip to Dallas for his Republican convention. Trump gave a different version, telling reporters, “They were doing a check on the slide.”
Speaking to reporters, as oil prices had spiked above $100 per barrel, Trump said, prices would not come down until after the midterms, saying, “Right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward,” adding, “it’s going to take a little bit longer.”
Trump also told reporters that the war would end “immediately” after the midterms, baselessly claiming that Iran “can’t hold out any longer.”
WSJ reported that oil executives said a great fuel crisis was unfolding as commercial fuel stocks were depleted and strategic reserves ran low. Despite Trump and several cabinet members claiming that prices would shortly fall, executives were sharing the facts in conversations.
The International Energy Agency reported the global consumption of coal was set to reach an all-time high of 8.94 billion metric tons, because of the Iran war, a major setback for addressing climate change, as coal produced more greenhouse gases than any other energy source.
NYT reported that the Trump regime EPA would do away with limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants put into the air by burning coal or gas. The rollback would be the final move to completely erase climate policies of former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
The U.S. power sector was the second largest contributor of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the U.S., and if it were a country, would be the fifth largest climate polluter in the world. Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had repeatedly denied climate change.
Later Wednesday, WSJ reported that top White House advisers, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have privately told Trump the Iran war could last for years, and through the end of his term.
NYT reported that Vance was getting daily updates and speaking directly with military officials to get an unbiased, ongoing assessment of the Iran war. The public comments by him, Trump, and senior regime officials did not line up with the facts he had learned.
Later Wednesday, CBS News reported that multiple U.S. military aircraft were severely damaged in an overnight strike by Iran at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. U.S. forces launched more than 30 Patriot missiles to defend the base.
CBS News also reported Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had personally called Trump twice, and pressed him to strike Iran-backed Houthis forces, which had been advancing along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, as the Iran war expanded.
On Thursday, Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, was in Saudi Arabia, as were roughly 200 U.S. troops. On Friday, Saudi Arabia was forced to shut its East-West Pipeline after strikes from Iraq, thought to be by Iranian proxies.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels also seized control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait on Monday. Saudi Arabia refused to intervene and aid anti-Houthis groups, allowing the Houthis to win, and further restrict oil flow in the region, as the U.S.-Iran conflict continued to spread.
On Thursday, WSJ reported that Iran had resumed producing ballistic missiles, using stockpiled components, and working in underground facilities, according to U.S. intelligence findings. Iran was also working to build more underground assembly points.
WSJ also reported that U.S. officials said that high-resolution satellite imagery provided to Iran by Chinese entities was used in an Iranian strike on a U.S. base in Jordan in July that killed three U.S. troops. Trump brushed this off, saying we do this too.
On Sunday, when Adm. Cooper was asked on “Face the Nation” if the U.S. munitions depletion was of concern, he answered, “I’m not concerned at all,” adding, “We’re armed and ready for any contingency.”
On Monday, the Pentagon IG, in a first of its kind mandatory report to Congress, revealed “munitions expenditures” for Operation Epic Fury “resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls,” and that the U.S. would need at least five years to replace missile interceptors due to bottlenecks.
The report also detailed that Iranian strikes had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings at U.S. bases in the regions, as well as expensive aircraft and drones. The Pentagon spent $38 billion in the first few months of the war, and it will cost another $2 to $3 billion per month.
On Tuesday, the House voted 220–204 on a resolution for a third time that would direct to halt the Iran war, and secure Congressional approval to continue, with seven Republicans joining Democrats, a rebuke of Trump.
On Friday, the national average U.S. diesel prices rose past $6 a gallon for the first time ever. In California, prices rose above $8, with some stations topping out the cost at pumps at $9.99, the highest their signage would allow.
On Friday, consumer sentiment readings for September plunged to 47.8, down 7.5% from August and 13.2% from a year ago, as the inflation outlook worsened. The reading was the second lowest since 1952, other than May 2026.
On Sunday, Trump blamed Ukraine for higher gas prices, telling reporters that “Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” adding, “Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel fuel.”
The New Yorker reported that some believed Russia had offered the Trump regime business deals in exchange for a favorable peace deal with Ukraine. Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, came to the U.S. two times to discuss ten potential ventures.
Former White House officials were aghast at Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff’s lack of preparation for negotiations with Iran, and that often in meetings with Middle East countries had quickly turned to dealmaking, often for their own personal interests.
WSJ reported Trump’s Middle East envoy Witkoff earned more than $100 million from the entity owning his stake in World Liberty Financial in 2025, three times what he reported in 2024. The U.A.E. had backed a $500 million investment in WLF in 2025 for a 49% stake.
ProPublica reported that Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, spent hundreds of thousands on wedding after-party expenses for Donald Jr. on a Bahamas island. He and other Russians attended events that included only 50 guests.
Before coming to the Bahamas, Kremlev joined Putin in a business delegation that travelled to China. He leads the International Boxing Association, which had been financed by Gazprom, and has a criminal record under a previous name.
Ethics experts said although Donald Jr. denied having any business relationship with Kremlev, the optics were extremely troubling and not normal, and it raised concerns that Kremlev or Russia could seek favors from the Trump regime in the future.
On Monday, Trump blamed Biden for higher gas prices, posting on Truth Social, “price increases throughout America were caused by Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, not by ‘TRUMP.’” Notably Biden had been out of office for more than 600 days.
NYT reported that rising fuel prices due to the Iran war had set off protests and widespread anger around the world, as rising costs, shortages, and rationing had led to struggling economies, rolling blackouts, an inability to do jobs, and factory shutdowns.
On Wednesday, at the first night of Trump’s GOP midterm convention, he gave a keynote speech that was filled with lies and exaggerations, including that he won three elections, that trillions in tax revenue had come in, and that he passed the biggest tax decrease in history.
Trump claimed that the arena was full, there was an overflow crowd outside, and that no one had left. Reporters showed images revealing empty seats across the arena, and many attendees heading toward the exits as Trump spoke for more than 100 minutes.
Nielsen reported an average of 2.5 million watched Trump’s speech on Fox News, which aired it in full, which amounted to an average prime-time audience for the network. Trump lied that the convention ratings outperformed the NFL, which had 25 million viewers.
The National Republican Congressional Committee initially asked House Republicans attending to contribute at least $25,000, but later, many were given free passes. Some GOP candidates in battleground states or districts chose not to attend.
Trump floated giving a $5,000 “Trump dividend” to every adult American if Republicans won midterms and kept control of the House and Senate, with the caveat that they must spend the money in the U.S. No details were given on how the $1.3 trillion would be funded.
Some critics described Trump’s $5,000 offer as a “bribe.” Federal law prohibited expenditures to influence voting. Trump gave little advance thought to this offer, and when pressed tried to explain it as an economic incentive that would be provided later.
Ironically Trump had referred to Democrats as “communists.” Many Republicans criticized his $5,000 offer, saying it would “blur the line between us and democratic socialists,” and said Trump “joins socialists, embraces bribery.” Many noted the $40 trillion U.S. national debt.
On Thursday, when ABC News reporter Rachel Scott asked Trump about the $5,000 check given the $40 trillion national debt, Trump snapped at her, saying, “Not you. Not you. You’re the worst.”
Later Thursday, at the second night of the convention, the RNC played a cult-like video about Trump, saying “God created Trump,” including, “On June 14th, 1946, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, ‘I need a caretaker,’ so God gave us Trump.”
Although Vance was the featured speaker, Trump called on attendees to promise to vote, telling them to raise their hands and pledge they would vote with their family and friends, then adding, “You know what happens if you don’t vote? You go to hell.”
WAPO reported that if Democrats win control of the House, they planned sweeping investigations of Trump and his regime, including Trump family enrichment, pardons, pet projects, immigration enforcement, DOGE impact, Epstein files, foreign affairs, and more.
NBC News reported that the Trump regime fired a federal prosecutor in the Justice Department’s Fraud Section in Washington, who had been involved in the criminal case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, after Trump’s DOJ had quietly moved to dismiss the case in May.
NYT reported the Trump regime left Haitians that were deported in a dangerous city. Many said their belongings and money were taken from them and not returned, and were left off with nothing. Haitian officials said they were overwhelmed, and many deportees were left homeless.
On Monday, the DHS Office of Inspector General issued a report on Florida detention center ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ that found detainees were put in “small metal enclosures,” referred to as “calming areas,” for up to nearly two hours, calling it a highly unusual and inhumane detention practice.
Other violations included windowless “cramped” housing pods; less than required footage per detainee; detainees not being able to shower daily; showers being infested with small bugs; insufficient recreational time; and lack of access to legal resources.
On Monday, U.S. Circuit Judge Emil Bove, a former deputy AG under Trump, refused to recuse himself from a high profile immigration case involving Mahmoud Khalil, calling the request by the petitioner’s attorneys a “failed pre-confirmation political smear.”
On Monday, 22 state attorneys general and local governments sued the Trump regime over its “catastrophic” new policy, which would restrict green card access to those who rely on public assistance, saying it would not relieve the need, but instead burden states and localities.
On Thursday, the City of Denver, Latino civil rights organizations, and government watch groups sued DHS in federal court, seeking to block ICE agents from serving warrants at polling places, saying that doing so had a chilling effect on voting and would disrupt election officials.
DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin and acting head of ICE David Venturella had policies in place allowing federal agents to enforce immigration laws at polling places, which they said were the result of “intelligence-driven targeted enforcement.” Mullin called criticism fear mongering by Democrats.
On Wednesday, six Republican secretaries of state and other GOP state election officials filed an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to block Trump’s mail-in ballot rules, saying, “Attempting to implement this rule now significantly increases the risks of problems to the election.”
On Thursday, the DOJ escalated threats against states over election records, sending threatening letters to at least 30 top election officials warning them not to destroy records from the 2024 election, saying their chief election officials “are currently under investigation.”
It was unclear what the DOJ was investigating, and whether it was criminal or civil, with the department only claiming that it was part of the regime’s effort to identify voter fraud. The DOJ had sued 30 states, and so far in court lost 23 of 23 cases that had been decided.
CNN reported Trump allies were pushing Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick to use his agency’s powers over the supply chain to ban certain voting machines, an unprecedented use of this power. Two 2020 election deniers have also pushed Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on the idea.
Forbes reported that Lutnick’s family net worth had more than doubled from $3.7 billion to $7.3 billion during his time in office, primarily due to his stake in Tether, issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin, and his 55% stake in Cantor Fitzgerald.
On Sunday, a second federal judge blocked Trump’s mail-in ballot order from taking effect before midterms, finding Congress had not given the U.S. Postal Service the authority to issue key parts of the contested rules.
On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s mail-in ballot order in an unsigned order. Voting was already underway in several states, and 30% of Americans, including Trump, voted through mail-in ballots in 2024. The ruling nonetheless left confusion with the back and forth.
The court said in a one paragraph explanation that the Trump regime was “unlikely to succeed on the merits.” Two conservative justices dissented. A third conservative, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, cited lack of time until midterms, but left the door open for the future.
On Tuesday, in a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump blasted the Supreme Court, writing, “These are not the people I interviewed,” adding, “they are merely a shell of their original selves,” and have cost the U.S. “Trillions of Dollars with shockingly bad rulings.”
Trump slammed the decision as “horrible, highly political,” saying the justices “took forever to give, and then blamed it, in part, on no time left,” and called it “a big loss for Republicans, and America itself,” which “makes cheating by the Radical Left ‘Dumocrats’…much easier to do.”
On Tuesday, in Senate testimony, FBI Director Kash Patel said he would follow the law that bars agents from being deployed inside polling places on Election Day, but refused to pledge not to interfere, saying, “I pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies.”
On Saturday, WSJ reported that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had instructed his special envoy to Europe to accelerate efforts to link to the E.U. after Trump’s trade tactics. Canadian and European officials were discussing ways to make Canada an ‘associate member’ of the E.U.
On Wednesday, E.U. President Ursula von der Leyen said in a speech that Europe needed to tighten its cooperation with like-minded democracies, and “I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the E.U.”
On Saturday, while meeting with Irish leaders in Dublin on a trip to see a golf tournament at his golf course there, Trump told reporters while meeting with Prime Minister Micheal Martin that he would “love to see” the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland unified.
Trump’s comment broke decades-long precedent of the U.S. remaining neutral on reunification since helping to broker The Good Friday Agreement in 1998. His comments drew the ire of some leaders in Northern Ireland.
Trump also said the Federal Reserve should lower rates ahead of the next meeting in the coming week, saying the U.S. “is so strong, we should be paying the lowest interest rate in the world.” Traders gave a 86% chance that the Fed would raise rates after hot inflation data.
Trump ended the trip at his Trump International Golf Links for the Irish Open trophy presentation, saying he would rescind the 10% tariff on Irish Whiskey, citing a conversation with Martin and the Open winner. The crowd cheered. The White House did not respond to inquiries.
On Sunday, after the leaders of Anthropic, OpenAI, and xAI called for slowing A.I., saying it was moving too fast, Trump told reporters, “we’re leading China on AI. We’re the most sophisticated country in the world and frankly I want to keep it that way…whoever wins AI wins.”
Trump’s blasé attitude, echoed by his regime, continued despite cries for regulation during the week after a former employee of Anthropic and OpenAI wrote that the risk of mass extinction over the next decade was above 10%.
Later Sunday, King Charles announced he would convene A.I. leaders from U.S. companies, including Nvidia, Google, DeepMind, OpenAI, and Anthropic, as well as government officials and others, “to discuss how A.I. can be developed and deployed in ways that benefit society.”
Later Sunday, on his way back from Ireland, Trump doubled down on his $5,000 ‘dividend,’ telling reporters, it was “going to happen, 100%.” Earlier Sunday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said in an interview that Congressional approval was needed: “he’d need Congress to act.”
On Monday, Trump again rejected calls to regulate A.I., posting on Truth Social, “The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT,” claiming the regime had “stopped AI ‘people’ from doing bad, or potentially bad ‘things.’”
Trump also attacked Anthrophic CEO Dario Amodei, who wrote the essay that OpenAI and xAI agreed with, saying some things stopped were by Dario, “who is now pretending to be a ‘perfect little angel,’” and the regime has “tremendous CRIMINAL and REGULATORY power.”
Later Monday, Trump called Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang while Huang was speaking at a conference to discuss A.I. Huang put him on a speaker, and Trump said, “It’s a hoax,” adding, “The robots are not going to be taking over the world. That’s not going to happen.”
On Friday, a federal judge blocked DHS’s plan to cut FEMA staff by 50%, a plan advanced by former Sec. Kristi Noem, saying the “staffing plan number appears as if pulled from thin air,” and violated congressional protections designed to safeguard the agency.
CNN reported Defense Department Sec. Pete Hegseth and a political appointee pressured two crew members of an F-15 that was shot down over Iran in April to participate in a highly publicized segment on “60 Minutes” about the rescue operation.
Both initially expressed opposition to doing so. Military officials also expressed concerns about revealing classified details of the operation. After Hegseth met with both privately, one agreed to be on the segment, and the other declined. Hegseth coached the one who agreed to appear.
NYT reported that leadership at the Pentagon was in turmoil under Hegseth, amid mass purges during a war, polygraphs, and new restrictions on where officers can study for graduate degrees. Hegseth refocused to his priorities, and created an atmosphere of fear and mistrust.
Hegseth blocked promotions based on subject matter of graduate school papers that were not publicly published. Senior officials were also critical of Joints Chief Chair Gen. Dan Caine for his role, and had become increasingly fearful to express opinions counter to Hegseth.
WSJ reported that the Pentagon had asked commanders to seek out the fittest individual among their ranks to attend Hegseth’s “State of the Force” address in September, specifying troops must meet waist-to-height requirements and exhibit “impeccable” grooming standards.
“60 Minutes” aired an episode on “pardon brokers,” lobbyists and lawyers who work for a large fee, under Trump, wherein roughly 70% of the clemencies granted by Trump during his regime had bypassed the DOJ, or 92% including his pardons of Jan. 6 insurrectionists.
Brokers charged up to millions, and promised by attending Trump events or having access to insiders, they could deliver. Others seeking pardons make large donations or business deals. Although not illegal, the notion broke centuries of precedent of how pardons are awarded.
Pennsylvania health officials said an 18 year-old with a rare neurological condition had died from measles, the fourth death related to measles. Health officials said the recent deaths in the state were the first in 35 years. Nationally, more than 3,200 cases were reported in 2026.
On Tuesday, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 5.041%, the highest level since 2007, as oil prices continued to rise with the Strait of Hormuz essentially closed, and global inflation continued to rise.
FT reported that foreign investors were investing more in U.S. stocks than U.S. Treasuries for the first time this century, outside the Covid-19 pandemic and aftermath of the global financial crisis.
On Monday, 50 days ahead of midterms, an NYT/Sienna poll found voters favored Democrats 51–43, but also on every major issue except A.I., including the economy and immigration. Just 29% of Republicans said the economy was better now than in the prior year, down from 72% in January.
For midterms, 49% said they would vote for candidates that put a check on Trump, 26% who support Trump. Voters also saw Republicans as more extreme, more elitist, and more corrupt than Democrats. Just 31% approved of Trump’s handling of the Iran war, 66% disapproved.
Bloomberg reported that Trump made 28,700 securities trades in his first 17 months in office, more than the 22,300 for all of Congress. In a May poll, 71% of Americans said elected officials should be banned from buying or selling stocks.
On Tuesday, the Senate blocked a cryptocurrency bill called the Clarity Act, in a major blow to the industry, in part due to concerns about the Trump family’s close ties to the industry.
On Tuesday, Trump claimed on Truth Social that the 2024 assassination on him in Butler, PA was a “Democrat plot” to get him out of the election, without offering evidence, and claimed when he took office “most of the information was missing, altered, corrupted, or gone.”
Trump also claimed, “New info was just found,” without providing information, and added former FBI Director Christopher Wray, who he appointed in his first regime, “should pay a price for the way he handled this assassination attempt, and certainly for the things he said.”

Dallas: People are attending the Republican National Convention, while some seats in the hall remain empty ahead of U.S. President Trump’s appearance. September 9, 2026 (Photo by: Franziska Spiecker/AP Images)