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Latest developments and key stories from across the United States
President Donald Trump spoke about his experiences shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City. He described bringing construction workers to Ground Zero and recounted firefighters helping him escape a potentially collapsing building.
Key Facts
President Trump attended a "Steel Across America" event to honor first responders and 9/11 victims ahead of the attack's 25th anniversary.
He said he took a group of construction workers to Ground Zero soon after the World Trade Center collapsed.
Trump described a moment when two firefighters lifted him away from a building at risk of collapsing.
The building he referred to is now called One Liberty Plaza, which was damaged but did not fall after the attacks.
On the morning of 9/11, Trump was in his Trump Tower apartment and gave live interviews about the attacks.
Trump noted that his building at 40 Wall Street became the tallest standing building in Lower Manhattan after the towers fell.
Two days after 9/11, he visited Ground Zero to observe the recovery efforts and spoke with media.
His accounts of 9/11 have changed over time and have been a part of his public and political life.
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President Donald Trump honored the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks during an event at the Ellipse near the White House. He pledged to "never forget" the attacks and recognized heroes and victims, including issuing the Presidential Medal of Freedom to a rescuer known as the "man in the red bandanna."
Key Facts
The event was hosted by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation on September 8, 2026, near the White House.
A 21-foot steel beam from the South Tower of the World Trade Center was displayed and is part of a national Steel Across America tour.
The beam will move through New York City on September 11, retracing the route of firefighter Stephen Siller, who died in the attacks.
President Trump honored Jeffrey Palazzo, a New York City firefighter and Coast Guard reservist, by announcing a new Coast Guard cutter named after him.
Welles Crowther, known as the "man in the red bandanna" for rescuing people during 9/11, was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Crowther’s family accepted the award at the event.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who lost family and employees in the attack, was praised for rebuilding Cantor Fitzgerald and supporting victims’ families.
About 150 first responders from New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania attended the event.
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President Donald Trump attended a "Steel Across America" event in Washington, D.C., to mark 25 years since the 9/11 attacks. He also made a statement about Iran, saying it will never get a nuclear weapon.
Key Facts
President Trump participated in the "Steel Across America" event.
The event commemorated 25 years since the 9/11 attacks.
It took place in Washington, D.C.
President Trump said Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon.
The event involved honoring the memory of 9/11 victims and heroes.
The phrase "We will never forget" was emphasized by President Trump.
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A recent poll shows that Democratic candidates have increased their support among Latino voters in key House districts. This change could influence which party controls Congress after the 2024 elections.
Key Facts
The poll was conducted by Hart Research and TelevisaUnivision.
It focused on Latino voters in competitive, or battleground, House districts.
Democrats now have a 58% lead on the generic congressional ballot in these areas.
Latino voters are one of the fastest-growing groups in these districts.
The poll results suggest Latino voters could be a decisive factor in the 2024 congressional elections.
Control of Congress depends partly on voter support in these swing districts.
The poll was shared with the news outlet Axios.
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Lonnie Bunch, the head of the Smithsonian Institution for seven years and founder of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, has announced he is resigning. He said that pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration was not the reason for his decision.
Key Facts
Lonnie Bunch has been the Smithsonian Secretary for seven years.
He also founded the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Bunch announced he is stepping down from his role at the Smithsonian.
He denied that pressure from the White House caused his resignation.
The Smithsonian Institution made the announcement public on September 8, 2026.
No further reasons or details about his departure were provided in the article.
The story is still developing and may include additional information later.
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The White House removed a game called "Build the Wall" from its website after The Tetris Company said it did not approve the game and called it copyright infringement. The game was a version of Tetris with an anti-immigration theme, where players built a wall to stop “zombie” invaders, differing from the original Tetris rules.
Key Facts
"Build the Wall" was an anti-immigration game that used Tetris-like bricks to build a barrier.
The game did not have the typical Tetris feature where completed lines disappear; bricks stayed to form a barrier.
The Tetris Company said it was not involved in making the game and took copyright infringement seriously.
The White House removed the game shortly after the company’s statement.
The game was one of five simple games added to a new "Arcade" section on the White House website.
Other games inspired by Flappy Bird and Snake were still available on the site.
The Tetris Company protects its games and style through legal actions against unauthorized copies.
The White House has previously used video game imagery for political messaging.
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Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer asked President Donald Trump to pardon her after her murder trial of her three children ended in a mistrial. However, Trump cannot pardon her because her case involves state charges in Massachusetts and presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy is charged with killing her three young children in Massachusetts in January 2023.
Her trial ended in a mistrial because the jury could not agree on a verdict.
Clancy’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, asked President Trump to pardon her during a TV interview.
The president can only pardon people convicted of federal crimes, not state crimes like Clancy’s.
In Massachusetts, the governor has the power to grant pardons for state crimes.
Clancy’s defense argued she was suffering from postpartum psychosis, a mental health condition causing hallucinations, when the killings happened.
Prosecutors said Clancy planned the killings and knew what she was doing.
The Massachusetts governor and a state board review pardon requests in the state.
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President Donald Trump shared a video on his social media platform that misleadingly shows King Charles walking away from a man who fainted during a visit. The original video shows King Charles staying close and helping the man, but Trump's edited version removes that part and combines it with clips to highlight himself positively.
Key Facts
President Trump posted an edited video on his Truth Social platform.
The video suggests King Charles ignored a fainting man during a 2020 visit to a supermarket center.
The full original footage shows King Charles reaching out and staying with the man receiving medical help.
Buckingham Palace did not comment on the video, and the White House has not responded.
The video mixes clips of other world leaders with Trump’s own moments honoring US troops and veterans.
Captions in the video describe Trump as "the people's president" and show praise for him.
Trump has previously expressed a positive opinion of King Charles, calling him "the greatest king in my book."
The video was posted on the US Labor Day holiday.
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Lonnie Bunch III, the leader of the Smithsonian Institution, said he will retire. His decision comes as President Trump’s administration has disagreed with how the Smithsonian shows American history.
Key Facts
Lonnie Bunch III is the Smithsonian Institution’s first Black leader.
He is also the founder of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Bunch is 73 years old.
He announced his retirement on Tuesday.
The Trump administration has had disputes with the Smithsonian about how it presents American history.
The Smithsonian is a major group of museums and research centers.
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A report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that many countries scored higher than the United States in reading and math among 15-year-old students. The U.S. scored below countries like China, Singapore, Japan, and others, but still performed above the average of OECD countries in some areas.
Key Facts
The OECD's PISA 2025 test measures reading, math, and science skills of 15-year-olds globally every three years.
U.S. students scored 490 in reading and 463 in math on the 2025 test.
Twenty-four countries and economies scored higher than the U.S. in math; ten of these also scored higher in reading.
China (four regions), Singapore, Japan, Korea, and Estonia were among the top performers in both reading and math.
The U.S. scores declined compared to previous years but still remain above the OECD average in reading and science.
Student performance worldwide in reading, math, and science has been dropping for over a decade, not just since the pandemic.
The number of low-performing students increased from 16% in 2022 to 20% in 2025 across OECD countries.
The decline affected students from wealthier families more, slightly narrowing the achievement gap between socioeconomic groups.
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New York City officials have made public thousands of documents about air quality at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks. These files show that toxic air concerns lasted for months, even though officials told the public the air was safe.
Key Facts
The city launched an online portal with over 170,000 documents from government agencies about post-9/11 air quality and health risks.
The records include 68 boxes of documents, the Harding Memo, and files about World Trade Center 7.
Asbestos was still found around Ground Zero at least 10 months after the attacks.
Officials previously assured the public the air was safe, despite evidence to the contrary.
The Harding Memo, written weeks after 9/11, warned about possible lawsuits from toxic air exposure.
Lawsuits by 9/11 Health Watch over access to information were recently settled.
Some reports showed asbestos levels below safety limits; others showed higher levels but lacked full explanations.
The city will add more documents over time and hire staff to help people prove their exposure to get compensation.
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Lonnie Bunch, the leader of the Smithsonian Institution, said he will retire later this year. His decision follows several months of disagreements with the White House under President Donald Trump's administration about how American history is shown at the Smithsonian.
Key Facts
Lonnie Bunch is the Secretary (head) of the Smithsonian Institution.
He plans to retire later in 2024.
Bunch had clashes with the White House led by President Donald Trump.
The disagreements were about how American history should be presented at the Smithsonian.
The Smithsonian will face a leadership change because of his retirement.
The Trump administration has been pushing to change the way the Smithsonian tells America's story.
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Vice President JD Vance has said that the Iran War is not a war. This statement has caused reactions because it differs from common understanding about wars.
Key Facts
JD Vance is the current Vice President of the United States.
He stated that the Iran War should not be called a war.
The Iran War generally refers to military actions involving the U.S. and Iran.
Wars are usually defined as armed conflicts between nations or groups.
Some people disagree with Vance’s statement about the Iran War.
The statement has led to debate among veterans and officials.
Vance served as a Marine before becoming Vice President.
The article suggests Vance’s claim affects his relationship with fellow Marines.
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President Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to limit the use of mail-in ballots in elections. An election law expert, David Becker, explained that the President’s legal authority to change mail voting rules is limited by current laws.
Key Facts
President Trump requested the Supreme Court to restrict mail-in voting.
The request is part of his ongoing legal battles about election rules.
David Becker, an election law expert, provided analysis on the case.
Becker said the President does not have broad power to change mail voting rules on his own.
Mail-in voting allows people to vote by mail instead of going to polling places.
Election laws set the rules for how voting, including mail-in ballots, is handled.
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Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee is running for a second full term but faces a strong challenge in the Democratic primary from Helena Buonanno Foulkes. Voters in Rhode Island are also selecting candidates for many other federal, state, and local offices.
Key Facts
Dan McKee became governor in March 2021 after Gina Raimondo left to join the U.S. government.
McKee won a wide victory in the 2022 election for governor.
He is now at risk of losing his party’s nomination, which has not happened to an elected governor since 2014 in the US and since 1994 in Rhode Island.
His main challenger is Helena Buonanno Foulkes, a former top executive at CVS, a Rhode Island-based company.
In the 2022 Democratic primary, Foulkes came in a close second to McKee in a race with five candidates.
Foulkes is related to Chris Dodd, a former Democratic senator from Connecticut.
Rhode Island voters are also choosing nominees for many other government positions this election cycle.
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President Donald Trump promised to lower mortgage rates to around 2 percent if elected in 2024. However, mortgage rates have generally remained high, rising to 6.71 percent by September 2025, partly due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and inflation. These higher rates make it harder for homeowners to move or refinance their homes.
Key Facts
President Trump promised to reduce mortgage rates to pandemic-era lows near 2 percent during his 2024 presidential campaign.
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.09 percent when Trump made this pledge in September 2024.
When Trump returned to office in January 2025, mortgage rates were about 6.96 percent.
Rates peaked at 7.79 percent in October 2023 after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to control inflation.
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times in 2025, which helped lower mortgage rates temporarily.
By September 2025, mortgage rates rose back to 6.71 percent, the highest since July 2025.
The war with Iran and higher oil prices contributed to inflation and pushed mortgage rates up again.
Higher mortgage rates discourage homeowners from selling or refinancing, lowering the number of homes available for sale.
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A trial for Lindsay Clancy, accused of killing her three children in Massachusetts, ended with a deadlocked jury and a mistrial. Clancy’s lawyer asked President Donald Trump to consider giving her a pardon, though the case is under state law where the president does not have direct pardon power.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy was charged with killing her three young children in January 2023.
The trial ended in a mistrial because the jury could not agree on a verdict.
Clancy’s lawyer asked President Trump to consider pardoning her.
President Trump described the case as a “tragedy” and “a shame.”
Clancy’s defense said she suffered from postpartum psychosis, a severe mental illness after childbirth.
A forensic psychiatrist testified that Clancy was psychotic at the time of the killings.
Jurors were mostly in favor of a not guilty verdict, but couldn’t reach a unanimous decision.
The judge’s mistrial ruling means Clancy could face another trial.
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Attorney General Todd Blanche will speak at a memorial event at the Department of Justice on September 11, 2024. The event honors the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in 2001, as the accused mastermind of the attacks faces legal proceedings.
Key Facts
Attorney General Todd Blanche is leading a 9/11 memorial event at the DOJ headquarters.
The event marks 25 years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who claims to be behind the attacks, has been ordered to stand trial.
The attacks targeted the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.
The DOJ is highlighting the anniversary with this official ceremony.
This event reflects ongoing legal and memorial activities related to 9/11.
The ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, shortly before the anniversary date.
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Fox News updated its forecast for the 2024 midterm elections, showing Democrats with a slight edge in the race to control the House of Representatives. Democrats are favored in 212 districts, Republicans in 206, and 17 races are still too close to call. The election results will decide which party controls the House and Senate during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Key Facts
Democrats currently lead in 212 House districts; Republicans lead in 206; 17 districts are toss-ups.
A party needs 218 seats to control the House of Representatives.
Midterm elections usually lead to losses for the party holding the presidency.
President Trump is actively campaigning to help Republicans win key races.
The Senate race is very close, with Democrats holding 53 seats and Republicans 47.
Fox News moved Ohio’s 7th District from likely Republican to toss-up after allegations were made against Republican Max Miller.
Miller denies the allegations and remains in the race despite calls to resign.
The outcome of these elections will reflect the political climate in President Trump’s current term.
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Amy Acton, who is running for governor in Ohio as a Democrat, thanked first responders after a man tried to attack her. The attack also injured several other people.
Key Facts
Amy Acton is a Democratic candidate for Ohio governor.
A man attempted to attack Amy Acton during a public event.
Several other people were hurt in the attack.
Acton publicly thanked first responders who helped after the incident.
The event was reported by CBS News journalist Ash-har Quraishi.
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