Vice President J.D. Vance is speaking at the first GOP midterm convention in Dallas on Thursday evening. After Vance’s speech, President Donald Trump will give the closing address. Earlier, President Trump promised to send Americans $5,000 dividend checks if Republicans keep control of both the House and Senate in the upcoming elections.
Key Facts
The GOP is holding its first midterm convention in Dallas.
Vice President J.D. Vance is delivering the keynote speech on the second day.
President Donald Trump will give the final speech of the event.
Trump promised $5,000 dividend payments to Americans if Republicans keep majorities in Congress.
The convention lasts two days and focuses on GOP campaign efforts for the midterm elections.
The event aims to energize Republican voters ahead of the November elections.
The promise of dividend checks is part of GOP efforts to attract voter support.
The House and Senate elections in November will decide which party controls Congress.
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President George W. Bush was visiting an elementary school in Florida on September 11, 2001, when he was informed about the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Students and teachers at the school remember the moment the news reached the president and how it changed the atmosphere during his visit.
Key Facts
President Bush was at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, on 9/11.
White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card whispered to President Bush that a second plane had hit the World Trade Center.
The president’s expression changed to concern after hearing the news but he smiled to avoid alarming the children.
Students and teachers noticed the sudden shift in the president’s mood and the atmosphere in the classroom.
After the reading lesson, Bush delivered a speech confirming the terrorist attacks instead of his planned education announcement.
Children were then moved to another room where teachers tried to explain what was happening.
The event marks a memorable moment in history for those who were present at the school.
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James Talarico, a Democrat running for Senate in Texas, accused Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton of ignoring survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse. Talarico and other Democrats are highlighting Epstein’s case and President Donald Trump’s connections to Epstein as part of their campaign strategy before the November midterm elections.
Key Facts
James Talarico is a Democratic candidate for Senate in Texas.
Talarico accused Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, of refusing to meet Epstein survivors.
An exhibit in Dallas shows about 3.5 million pages of Department of Justice files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein was a convicted sex offender, and his case involved allegations of sexual abuse of minors.
Democrats are using Epstein’s case to criticize Republicans ahead of the midterms.
Survivors express concerns that not all documents have been released, limiting transparency.
President Donald Trump has a longtime friendship with Epstein, which Democrats are highlighting.
Trump promised a $5,000 “dividend” to US adults if Republicans win both the House and Senate in November, which Democrats call a false promise.
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A federal appeals court confirmed a lower court's decision to stop the Trump administration's new rules on mail-in voting. The judges agreed not to allow the U.S. Postal Service to carry out changes that would restrict mail-in ballots while the Supreme Court reviews the case.
Key Facts
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit upheld a block on mail-in voting restrictions.
The block was first ordered by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani.
The restrictions were introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The rules aimed to limit mail-in voting procedures.
The U.S. Postal Service was prevented from enforcing these new rules.
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing the case.
The appeals court decision was unanimous with three judges agreeing.
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President Trump explained that his plan to give every adult in the U.S. a $5,000 payment depends on Republicans keeping control of both the House and the Senate. He said if the money is available, it should be given to people as soon as possible.
Key Facts
President Trump proposed a $5,000 payment to all U.S. adults.
The payment would only happen if Republicans keep majority control in both the House and Senate.
Trump defended the timing of the payment plan in a Fox News interview.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham asked why the money is not given immediately.
Trump responded by questioning why the money should not be given now if it is available.
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A new poll shows former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper leading Republican Michael Whatley by 11 points in the race for a U.S. Senate seat. This election is important because it could decide which party controls the Senate, and it is one of the key races Democrats hope to win in the 2026 midterms.
Key Facts
Roy Cooper leads Michael Whatley 49% to 38% among likely voters in a recent Elon University poll.
Cooper is a former Democratic governor of North Carolina, serving from 2017 to 2024.
Whatley is a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and North Carolina Republican Party.
The current Senate seat is held by Republican Thom Tillis, who is not running for reelection.
Democrats need to win several races including this one to gain control of the Senate from Republicans.
North Carolina has voted Republican in recent presidential elections but has elected Democrats as governor frequently.
Cooper has higher name recognition, with 71% of voters aware of him versus 47% for Whatley.
Cooper has raised more fundraising money than Whatley for this Senate race.
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Kevin Reddington, the lawyer for Lindsay Clancy, has asked the court to cancel the recent mistrial and declare Clancy not guilty. Clancy admitted to killing her three children but said she was not responsible because she had postpartum psychosis, a serious mental health condition after childbirth.
Key Facts
Kevin Reddington is Lindsay Clancy's defense attorney.
He filed a motion to reject the mistrial and acquit Clancy.
Lindsay Clancy admitted she killed her three children.
She pleaded not guilty to murder charges.
Clancy's defense is that she had postpartum psychosis at the time.
Postpartum psychosis is a mental illness that can occur after giving birth.
The motion was filed shortly after the court declared a mistrial last week.
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has suspended several companies from the H-1B visa program because of labor law violations. These bans prevent these companies from hiring new foreign workers on H-1B visas or sponsoring existing workers for permanent residency, but do not force current visa holders to leave their jobs immediately.
Key Facts
The DOL maintains a list of companies that are banned (debarred) from the H-1B visa program for violating labor laws.
As of September 2026, five companies were officially debarred from hiring new H-1B visa workers.
Companies punished include GowraTech LLC, Renotek Group LLC, Seeloz Inc., Sherwood at Mount Dora Inc., and Da Vinci at Hunters Creek Inc.
Being banned stops companies from filing new H-1B visa petitions and sponsoring green cards but does not affect current H-1B workers’ ability to stay employed under their existing visas.
Some companies labeled as "willful violators" face stricter oversight but are not always banned from hiring new visa holders.
Experts say bans may force visa-dependent companies to hire more American workers if they cannot sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency.
Workers affected by company bans may try to transfer their visa sponsorship to a different employer.
The H-1B visa program supports hundreds of thousands of foreign workers in the U.S. annually.
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Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during a college event in Utah. After this, incidents of political violence continued in the United States, as reported by CBS News.
Key Facts
Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a college event in Utah.
Political violence incidents occurred following his death.
CBS News covered the changes in political violence after this event.
The report was presented by CBS News journalist Anna Schecter.
The event attracted attention because it involved a political figure at a public gathering.
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It has been one year since conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed by gunfire during an event in Utah. Officials from President Donald Trump’s administration have shared their memories of Kirk and reflected on his work.
Key Facts
Charlie Kirk was a conservative political activist.
He was fatally shot one year ago at an event in Utah.
Several officials who worked with President Donald Trump have spoken about Kirk.
Benji Backer, a nonprofit leader, talked about his friendship with Kirk on CBS News.
CBS News covered the anniversary with interviews and discussions about Kirk’s impact.
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In a video from September 13, 2001, President Donald Trump spoke to reporters near Ground Zero two days after the Twin Towers attack. He said he was there to check on his construction workers and described the area as dangerous and chaotic.
Key Facts
The video was recorded on September 13, 2001, near Ground Zero in New York City.
President Trump was then a real estate developer, not yet president.
He visited the site to check on his construction crew working nearby.
Trump described the scene as terrible and something he had never seen before.
He said many buildings were still unstable and the area was dangerous.
The footage was recently found from an old PBS NewsHour segment.
The clip shows Trump’s early response shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
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Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed by a sniper at a debate event in Utah on September 10, 2025. On the one-year anniversary of his death, senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration publicly honored Kirk’s memory and contributions.
Key Facts
Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a sniper during a debate at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.
Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA and was a prominent figure in the Trump political coalition.
Nearly 100,000 people attended his memorial held at State Farm Stadium in Arizona.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called Kirk a loyal friend and activist for America.
Miller blamed “far-left extremism” for creating an environment that led to Kirk’s murder.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the year without Kirk as deeply felt and praised his patriotism.
Vice President JD Vance shared personal reflections on Kirk’s impact as a political supporter and friend.
Vance noted Kirk’s lack of envy and constant support for fellow conservatives regardless of rank or ambition.
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President Donald Trump said he will send $500 refunds to nearly one million Americans who bought health insurance through the federal marketplace without financial help. These refunds are for what the White House called extra fees added to insurance costs during President Joe Biden's time in office, and payments will start in October.
Key Facts
The refunds target people in 30 states who pay full price for health plans on the federal marketplace.
The marketplace is where people can buy private health insurance, sometimes with government help to lower costs.
The White House says fees added to premiums under President Biden were higher than needed, creating a surplus.
The size of the surplus or future changes to fees were not disclosed.
Trump previously tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and wants to replace it but has not given details.
Medicaid and marketplace enrollment have dropped by about 8 million since Trump returned to office.
The refunds will be sent by mail starting in October to eligible households in states like Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
This refund plan is separate from a recent promise by Trump to send $5,000 to Americans if Republicans win Congress.
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A lawsuit has been filed to stop the Trump administration from sending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to voting locations during the November midterm elections. The lawsuit aims to prevent ICE agents from being present at polling places.
Key Facts
The lawsuit targets the Trump administration’s plan to deploy ICE agents at voting sites.
The goal is to prevent ICE agents from being near polling locations during the midterm elections in November.
ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a government agency that enforces immigration laws.
The lawsuit was filed before the elections to act in advance (preemptively).
The deployment of ICE agents at polls has raised concerns about voter intimidation.
The news was reported by CBS News correspondent Camilo Montoya-Galvez.
The midterm elections will decide many political offices across the country.
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The Trump administration proposed changing the 2030 U.S. census to count only U.S. citizens and permanent residents, excluding people living in the country illegally. The Census Bureau shared this plan online following President Trump’s direction to create new rules for the census.
Key Facts
The proposed change would exclude undocumented immigrants from the 2030 census count.
Currently, the census counts every person living in the U.S., regardless of legal status.
President Trump directed the Commerce Department to develop this change more than a year ago.
The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department and is responsible for conducting the census.
The census helps determine government funding and political representation.
Changing who is counted could affect resource distribution and the number of seats states get in Congress.
This proposal was made public online by the Census Bureau.
The 2030 census will be the first one under this proposed counting method if approved.
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The FCC’s only Democratic commissioner says comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s choice not to air an interview with a Texas Senate candidate shows President Donald Trump’s effort to control the media. The commissioner suggests this is part of a wider attempt by the Trump administration to limit free press.
Key Facts
Jimmy Kimmel chose not to broadcast an interview with James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the Texas Senate.
The FCC’s lone Democratic commissioner commented on this decision.
The commissioner linked Kimmel’s choice to President Trump’s efforts to influence media coverage.
The statement claims the Trump administration is trying to reduce freedom of the press.
James Talarico is running for the Texas Senate as a Democrat.
The issue involves concerns about political influence on media content.
The commissioner’s view reflects ongoing debates about media bias and censorship in the U.S.
The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) regulates U.S. communications and has commissioners from different parties.
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President Donald Trump gave cash gifts of $45,000 each to three of his aides, including Natalie Harp. A watchdog group and ethics experts say this could violate federal rules that stop government employees from getting extra money beyond their salary and have asked for an investigation.
Key Facts
President Trump gave cash gifts of $45,000 each to three officials: Natalie Harp, Chamberlain Harris, and Margo Martin.
These payments were reported by the aides as “cash gifts for holiday” on their financial forms.
The gifts equal about 30% of each aide’s $150,000 yearly salary.
Federal law (18 USC 209) forbids government executive branch employees from receiving extra payment for their official duties.
The Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint asking the US Office of Government Ethics to investigate the payments.
Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics official, called these possible serious violations and said the payments might break the law.
The White House denied any ethics rules were broken.
If found guilty, penalties could include fines or jail time for both the giver and the receivers of the payments.
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that the summer of 2026 was the hottest ever recorded in the United States. The average temperature for the summer was 74.4 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 3 degrees higher than the usual average.
Key Facts
NOAA announced that summer 2026 was the hottest on record in the U.S.
The average temperature during meteorological summer (June, July, August) was 74.4°F.
This temperature was 3 degrees above the long-term average.
August 2026 had an average temperature of 75.6°F, the highest for that month in NOAA’s 132-year record.
NOAA’s records span 132 years of temperature data.
The report highlights a rise in U.S. summer temperatures over historic norms.
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President Donald Trump said he will pay every adult in the U.S. $5,000 if Republicans keep control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections. He called this payment a "dividend" from his administration's economic success, not a bribe, although similar payments he mentioned before never actually happened.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke for almost two hours at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
He promised to pay $5,000 to every adult American if Republicans win both chambers in the midterms.
Trump described the payment as a "dividend," not a bribe, linked to his administration’s claimed economic achievements.
The arena was not full, and some attendees left before the speech ended.
Trump criticized Democrats and made jokes about his own chosen Senate candidate, Ken Paxton.
Ken Paxton is in a close race against Democrat James Talarico.
Trump has previously promised other payments to Americans, such as a "DOGE dividend" and tariff rebates, but those did not happen.
Experts and commentators raise doubts about whether the $5,000 payment will ever be made.
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Missouri’s highest judges questioned the state on how it will return to an older congressional district map after the Supreme Court stopped the state from using a new map favored by Republicans. This issue came up during a hearing about whether the Republican Secretary of State, Denny Hoskins, should face penalties for telling local officials to use the new map.
Key Facts
Missouri’s top judges want to know how the state will go back to using a previous congressional district map.
The Supreme Court blocked the state from using a new map that was supported by the Republican Party.
The new map was challenged before it could be used in upcoming elections.
There was a hearing on whether Secretary of State Denny Hoskins should be punished.
Hoskins had told local election officials to follow the new map despite the legal challenges.
The court action came shortly before the hearing started.
The case involves how Missouri draws its voting districts for Congress.
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