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Trump Reveals Secret Weapon to Save GOP From Midterm Wipeout The president unveiled the plan in an Oval Office meeting. Donald Trump’s plan to avoid an electoral wipeout for the GOP in the midterms is to turn November’s elections into a referendum on himself, according to a report. The president is hoping to use the $400 million war chest from his MAGA Inc. super PAC on a series of television ads highlighting the apparent achievements of his second term to give Republican candidates a much-needed boost. Trump detailed his plans to fully insert himself into the GOP’s midterm campaigns during an Oval Office meeting earlier this month, sources revealed to The Atlantic. However, some Republican strategists are concerned about whether it is a good idea, given that Trump has been recording dire approval ratings, especially on key voter issues such as the economy. “When the issues that you typically campaign on don’t move voters—or voters are p---ed off at you about those issues—the question becomes: What do you campaign on?” one person familiar with the Oval Office meeting told the outlet. The GOP is widely expected to lose control of the House in the midterms because of the backlash to Trump’s second term and the razor-thin majority it currently holds in the lower chamber. The cost-of-living crisis felt by tens of millions of Americans—exacerbated by Trump’s tariffs and the deeply unpopular war in Iran—means that the Senate could also be in play for Democrats in November. Trump’s plans to pay for a series of television advertisements highlighting an improving economy, a decline in fentanyl deaths, and hardline immigration policies come as the president has long felt frustrated that his apparent achievements are not being reflected in polls or recognized by voters. The president even instructed those at the Oval Office meeting to find videos of him hyping himself up as examples of what to promote in the ads. “Go look at the clips,” the president said, a source told The Atlantic. “I cite accomplishments all the time.” One major issue for Trump is that if he tells voters the economy is improving while pointing to stock-market highs, Americans will not necessarily feel it at the grocery store or gas pumps. This is a similar problem former President Joe Biden faced, whose term was marked by decades-high inflation and soaring gas prices, as well as what Barack Obama faced during his first term after the 2008 financial crash. “You can’t go in playing ‘It’s Christmas Time’ when that’s the last holiday they can afford,” Rahm Emanuel, a former Chicago mayor who worked in both the Obama and Biden administrations, told The Atlantic of Trump’s midterm plans. “They’re going to put you on mute.” While any midterm election is going to be considered a referendum on the ruling party to some extent, Trump made it explicit how much he wants November’s races to reflect on him during a campaign rally for South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham on Friday. “What I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot. Just come and vote. It’s so important,” Trump told the crowd. “Just say that I’m on the ballot one more time.” In a statement, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump is “cleaning up Joe Biden’s mess” with his midterm strategy. “There is a great story to tell because the United States of America has never been stronger than under his leadership,” Wales said. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and MAGA Inc. for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-secret-oval-office-midterm-election-plot-exposed/? ps:His real secret weapon is his gerrymandering, his scotus to stop mail-in voting, etc.!!!!!

📝 Next billionaire flex Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Legendary investor Stanley Druckenmiller made AI writing seem like no big deal this week, telling NOTUS reporter Jeff Stein "of course" he used it to help draft a widely shared Wall Street Journal op-ed. Why it matters: The moment could mark a cultural shift where AI writing is basically all good, at least among certain influential elites, Axios' Emily Peck writes. 🧑‍💻 Among his intended audience in finance, Druckenmiller's article got more attention for its substance — a scathing critique of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — than its style. The writing has the telltale cadences of the AI-generated one-two punch — for example, "If the 30-year must trade at 5.5% to clear, that isn't a crisis. It is an invoice." The big picture: The WSJ's opinion section opened the floodgates to more AI-generated op-eds with its response. "AI is a fact of modern life. People will use it to assist in their work and writing, including with research, checking grammar, editing and more," WSJ opinion editor Paul Gigot said in a statement. "The question for us is whether what we publish from contributors reflects an author's original argument, and if the author has the standing and credibility to make it." Worth noting: The WSJ newsroom, separate from Gigot's team, has a different AI policy. 🧮 "There's a reason I moved from an English major to being an economics major," Druckenmiller told Stein. "I'm not embarrassed by it ... I write everything using AI now for the same reason I use a calculator when I do math problems." Axios' Madison Mills contributed reporting ...

💰 Rubio: Sanctions, not strikes, on Iran Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told several foreign counterparts that "for the time being" the U.S. isn't expected to initiate new strikes against Iran, a U.S. official and a second source with knowledge of the matter tell Axios' Barak Ravid. Instead, he's said the focus is on other pressure, including sanctions announced this week. Why it matters: Rubio's message to allied foreign ministers comes as the U.S. believes it's suffocating Iran with the naval blockade — while moving growing amounts of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz. It's another sign President Trump is exasperated with the war and wants it to be over, at least for now. The U.S. official said Rubio made clear the U.S. isn't planning a return to major combat operations but didn't rule out strikes if Iran attacks first. Another U.S. official said the U.S. Navy's clearing of mines from the Strait of Hormuz is a watershed moment in the war, largely neutralizing one of Iran's main sources of leverage.

⚠️ Bill Gates' AI warning New overnight: Bill Gates, long a tech optimist, is sounding a sober warning about AI: It's advancing faster than governments and society are preparing for its consequences. In a new essay, Gates argues that "AI will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice." Which course it takes depends on what people do (or don't) right now, he says. 😬 "The good stuff is moving a bit slowly, and ... other than robots, I'd say the bad stuff is imminent," Gates told Axios' Ina Fried during an interview at his Seattle-area office. "On the current course and speed, there's a very high chance of a net negative outcome." Gates criticized both Democrats and Republicans: "I'd say neither party is very knowledgeable or being thoughtful about this." Zoom out: Gates is calling for new national institutions to coordinate AI policy across national security, employment, education, taxation and health — alongside an international body modeled partly on nuclear inspections and international aviation regulation. Reality check: Gates acknowledges geopolitics makes coordinated action exceptionally difficult. "If someone had a credible plan for slowing down AI advances globally, I would likely support it," he writes in the memo. "However, I don't think that's going to happen." Asked whether his association with Jeffrey Epstein could cause people to dismiss his arguments, Gates pushed back: "What I did do, in some ways, was very limited, and it was motivated by my desire to raise money." "But … it was a huge mistake. ... I made mistakes. I've changed. I'm going to be careful about stuff like that." Read Gates' essay ...

Canadian Countertariffs Canada yesterday announced retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on roughly $20B in US goods, including steel, cheese, and seafood (see official list). The tariffs take effect Sept. 8, straining one of the world's largest trading relationships, with more than $2B in goods crossing the US-Canada border daily. The move comes after the Trump administration imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20B in Canadian imports Saturday, following failed trade talks. Negotiators reportedly clashed over US tariffs on Canadian automobiles and Washington’s demands to review Canada's trade deals with other countries, among other items. A prolonged dispute could raise costs for Americans, but experts say Canada is likely to feel a greater impact given that its economy is roughly one-twelfth the size of the US economy. Canadian officials have announced several measures to support domestic industries, including interest-free loans. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said yesterday he was considering renaming Lake Ontario, one of the five official Great Lakes, “Lake America.” See map here.

Dolly Parton Dies Country music legend Dolly Parton died yesterday at age 80 after a battle with cancer. The singer-songwriter, actor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist published about 3,000 musical titles, including 25 No. 1 country hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” See the stories behind some of her greatest hits. Parton was born in 1946 in East Tennessee, the fourth of 12 children in a home without electricity or plumbing. She wrote her first song at age 5 and began singing on the radio and TV by age 10. In 1967, she was hired to sing on the country variety TV program "The Porter Wagoner Show," propelling her solo career (watch her first-day performance). Parton was the top-ranked female country singer from 1967 to 1993 and starred in multiple films, including “9 to 5” (for which she wrote the theme song), “Steel Magnolias,” and “Straight Talk.” She opened her theme park, Dollywood, in 1986 and launched the Imagination Library in 1995—delivering more than 200 million books to children across the US. Scroll to explore fascinating resources 1440 staff has collected about Parton.

Trump Targets U.S Soldier’s Wife With Heartbreaking Deportation An active-duty sergeant’s wife was deported to Honduras after missing one meeting she didn’t receive notice for. President Donald Trump’s administration has targeted another military family in its latest crackdown on immigration. The wife of an active-duty Army sergeant sat in a Texas detention facility until her deportation on Monday. Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo is now on her way to her native Honduras. She entered the U.S. at the age of 18 and does not have a criminal record, something the Trump administration vehemently claims to be targeting. She was issued an order of removal after missing an immigration hearing in 2017. But she and her husband, Sgt. Hedar Leonel Turcios Juarez, claimed they never received proper notice of the meeting and weren’t even aware of the removal request until they got married in 2022. She legally sought a military-family green card and waited for about four years before being detained. “We were following the rules—we did everything we could on our side to fix this problem,” Turcios Juarez told the AP. This comes after about 50 other family members of military soldiers and personnel were taken into custody after Trump rolled back protections for family members. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-targets-us-soldiers-wife-cristy-maryori-villafranca-trejo-in-texas-with-shocking-deportation/? ps:What a peace of work!!!!!

Trump Humiliated by Brutal Snub From His Own Candidate A GOP hopeful scrubbed Trump’s name as he headed into the general election in a tough year for Republicans. A Republican candidate running in a competitive House race scrubbed Donald Trump’s name and image from his campaign website as he geared up for the general election. Former state GOP senator Dr. Ralph Alvarado is running to represent Kentucky’s 6th congressional district in Congress. During the primary season, he touted his MAGA bona fides to the Republican base, but he appears to be shifting in the final stretch before November. It comes as Trump remains deeply underwater across the country and a series of polls indicate voters prefer Democrats over Republicans ahead of this fall’s midterms. The top of Alvarado’s website currently promotes him as “INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP for Kentucky,” and reads, “Healthcare isn’t a talking point to me—it’s been my life’s work. In Congress, I’ll work with both parties to fight for affordable healthcare, lower costs, and practical solutions that help Kentucky families.” But a review of his website from just before the primary shows he made a dramatic change. It previously declared him an “AMERICA FIRST FIGHTER,” and prominently stated, “President Trump needs more allies in Congress to deliver on his bold vision to Make America Great Again.” His website changes were first spotted and reported by NBC News on Tuesday. The top of Alvarado’s homepage wasn’t the only place where Trump’s name had been scrubbed. It appears the Republican House hopeful also removed the president from the section about him. The “Meet Ralph” section currently shows an image of the candidate with his arms crossed on the left, along with a few paragraphs about how he’s “stepping up to bring independent leadership to Washington, lower the cost of living, strengthen Kentucky’s economy, and deliver practical solutions that put Kentucky families first.” It goes on to largely focus on his work as a physician and claims he “isn’t a career politician.” However, an archived version of his website from earlier this year showed the “Meet Ralph” section featuring an image of Alvarado standing beside a smiling Trump as the president gives a thumbs up. “Ralph was one of President Trump’s earliest supporters, and now he’s stepping up to fight alongside him in Washington to fire up the economy, secure our border, and stop the woke agenda,” it used to read. The old website also promoted Alvarado as a “national leader in the America First movement and vocal supporter of President Trump from the very beginning” and highlighted how he was “honored to speak at the Republican National Convention as the only Latino in support of President Trump” back in 2016. None of his MAGA accolades or mentions of Trump remained on the section of the website as of Tuesday. The image of Alvarado with Trump remains the last image in the “Media” section of his website, but two videos that were previously on that page were also deleted. Alvarado’s campaign responded to the Daily Beast’s inquiry in a statement that did not address the copy changes to his website on Tuesday but did address the one remaining image no longer featured on the homepage. “The socialists are going to have to do a lot better than this nonsense to win this district. We’ve proudly touted the endorsement, and our website still features a photo of Ralph with President Trump,” said campaign manager Andy Westberry. He went on to blast his opponent, Democrat Zach Dembo, as a “Biden alum” who is “desperately trying to change the conversation.” Candidates tend to make some campaign shifts when it comes to their approach to the general election, where they need to focus on winning over more independent voters and moderates than the primary electorate. But the scrubbing of the president’s name and America First rhetoric suggests Republicans worry that Trump’s deepening unpopularity poses a serious challenge as they look to hold the House majority, with mounting concern in a red state like Kentucky. Polls released by both the Economist/YouGov and Reuters/Ipsos this week showed Democrats with a six-point edge in a generic congressional matchup. The Kentucky 6th congressional district seat is open as Republican Rep. Andy Barr is the GOP nominee for the Senate to replace retiring Senator Mitch McConnell, but Barr won the House seat by 26 points less than two years ago. Alvarado is now running for the seat in a race against Dembo, a former federal prosecutor and Navy JAG officer who has the support of Democratic Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. “My opponent’s at it again, claiming to be Trump’s guy when it helped him, then deleting any mention of the President from his site because the latest poll told him he should. It reeks of a career politician’s desperation,” wrote Dembo on X, pointing to NBC’s report. The race is rated “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report, but Democrats have been making gains by double digits even in states that once went to Republicans ahead of the midterms. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-humiliated-by-brutal-snub-from-his-own-candidate/?

Embarrassing Secret About Trump’s Kennedy Center Rebrand Exposed The president’s allies insist that adding Trump’s name to the venue was a necessary step to avoid financial ruin. The decline in ticket sales at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was made even worse after Donald Trump’s name was added to the venue, according to a report. The president’s controversial MAGA takeover of the center in Washington, D.C., last year drove audiences away, and performers pulled out of scheduled shows. However, analysis from The Washington Post found that the dire situation at the Kennedy Center was exacerbated after Trump’s name was added to the building in December 2025. The rapid decline in ticket sales and fleeing donors means that the center is on course to generate around $100 million less in total revenue than it had anticipated. This is despite those connected to the MAGA rebrand of the Kennedy Center insisting that renaming it would be crucial to stave off financial ruin, even as they knew the true extent of the declining numbers. In June, after a judge ordered Trump’s name to be removed from the venue, a Justice Department lawyer tried to argue that renaming the center after the president was necessary because it “represented a saving of The Kennedy Center which, if this doesn’t happen, would go into financial and structural collapse.” One official familiar with the center’s finances said that while it took a “huge hit” in the months after the president installed himself as chairman, it was an “absolute fiscal cliff” when Trump’s name was added to the building. “Donors disappeared, ticket sales disappeared, artists disappeared—like it was doomsday,” they told the Post. In total, officials at the center estimate that the venue’s budget target will fall short by 70 percent and contributed revenue will decline by 25 percent, leaving it with a $23 million deficit. Trump installed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center last February after branding the arts venue too “woke.” Trump brought in MAGA loyalist Richard Grenell to lead the institution, despite his lack of experience in arts or culture, and disbanded the board, replacing members with MAGA figures such as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and former Attorney General Pam Bondi. Ticket sales at the Kennedy Center soon plummeted, and the venue reportedly gave away more complimentary tickets in a desperate bid to fill seats. The board voted to add Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center in December 2025, but a federal judge ordered its removal after ruling that only Congress can change the venue’s name. Despite the financial disaster surrounding the MAGA takeover, the center’s board of trustees voted earlier this month to again add Trump’s name to the building, as well as close it for two years of renovations. The lengthy closure of the venue amid a period of declining revenue and reliance on ticket sales puts the entire future of the arts venue at risk. Democratic Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Kennedy Center trustee not appointed by Trump, is challenging the attempt to return the president’s name to the building through the courts. In a lawsuit, Beatty’s lawyers argued that closing the center for two years is an attempt to hide the “embarrassing fact” that renaming it after Trump has been a financial catastrophe. “Such a self-interested gambit, sacrificing the Kennedy Center to save face, represents a quintessential breach of fiduciary duty,” they wrote. A White House spokesperson told the Post: “President Trump did what Democrats wouldn’t by finally committing the resources and the leadership needed to restore the Kennedy Center and make it the finest performing arts facility in the world.” The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the Kennedy Center for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/embarrassing-secret-about-trumps-kennedy-center-rebrand-exposed/? ps:How pathetic??

Vaccines are not foolproof, especially in the roll out stage. People have different responses. Effective HIV meds took ~ 15 years to be developed. Covid vaccine about 1 year. No HIV vaccine exists as yet, decades after HIV became a problem in the States. My wife and I were both Covid vaxed. She got a mild case, rested a couple of days and was fine. Even though we lived together, I didn't get Covid. Not sure how she got it. Some people, even though exposed to Hepatitis B fight it off and remain essentially immune to it. Others get it, have their liver destroyed and require a transplant. As I said before, anti vaxxers, if they keep to themselves, in effective isolation, are not a problem. If they want to be part of society, get vaccinated, for the sake of others. This is not a moral issue. It's really not even a matter of conscience. A person who owned an animal that was known to be dangerous would be put to death if the animal killed someone. How much moreso anti-vaxxers who infect others.

You know I heard that statement before. Let me ask you something. If person A is Vaxed and person B is not. Lets say B gets the illness. How can A get it if they are vaxed?

It's a mistake to use the issues described in Romans 14 to excuse anti-vaxxers. If I refuse to eat food offered to idols because of my conscience, no one is impacted but me alone. If an anti-vaxxer falls ill, others are endangered by that illness. That's a huge difference. This is typical "religious" nonsense. My religion exalts me personally beyond my fellows. If you get Covid because of my conscience, that's your problem. My conscience is clear. Not sure what religion that is beyond "me myself and I."Reminds me of the "What is yours is mine, what is mine is mine" philosophy of life. Contributes to the hatred certain governments manifest towards Christianity.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 26 1939 First televised Major League Baseball game The first televised Major League baseball game—between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York—is broadcast on station W2XBS, later known as WNBC-TV. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT Arts & Entertainment 1978 “Grease” movie soundtrack earns its second No. 1 hit Cold War 1957 Russia tests an intercontinental ballistic missile Crime 1986 “Preppy Murder” stuns New York European History 1346 Battle of Crecy Sports 2016 Quarterback Colin Kaepernick sits during national anthem U.S. Constitution 1920 19th Amendment adopted U.S. Government and Politics 1964 Lyndon B. Johnson receives Democratic nomination for president 1968 Democratic National Convention besieged by protesters U.S. Presidents 1794 President George Washington expresses his determination to subdue the Whiskey Rebellion World War I 1914 Battle of Tannenberg begins

Darline Graham wins South Carolina GOP nomination to replace her late brother in US Senate COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Darline Graham won the Republican nomination to replace her late brother on South Carolina’s general election ballot, notching another win for President Donald Trump after he threw his support behind the political novice. https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-election-lindsey-graham-03899983c3702842039e99d62e16ddad?

Liberia's ex-vice president will await trial on drug trafficking and other charges in prison Liberia's former vice president was sent to prison on Tuesday to await trial on drug trafficking and other charges, after a court in the West African country denied her request to be released on humanitarian grounds for medical treatment. Read More.

Michigan AG releases Flint water crisis report, says final accountability step her office can take Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said a report released Tuesday on the lead-water crisis in the city is the final step her office can take toward accountability, years after a state Supreme Court ruling shut down criminal cases against a former governor and eight other people. Read More.

Florida, hard-hit by Obamacare drop-off, feels the squeeze of rising healthcare costs Florida chef Elijah Button was chopping onions in June when his knife slipped and sliced his middle finger to the bone. Read More.

A lush knee-high jungle grows in the Arctic, but warming is changing Earth's mini-greenhouse With no tall trees reaching to the sky, Alaska's North Slope tundra can look desolate — especially to outsiders from the Lower 48 who are used to in-your-face greenery. Read More.

A Montana man killed 8 relatives, including 4 kids, at Sunday dinner, family says BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A man killed eight of his relatives, including four children, as they gathered for Sunday dinner at a home outside Billings, Montana, weeks after his parents asked him to move out, a family member told The Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/billings-montana-family-killed-house-burned-e977fa5e9cd635eea4e111ad8b2c79ff?

🚆 1 for the road: 15 mins. to O'Hare Rendering of an O'Hare Flyer express train. Photo: O'Hare Flyer The trip from downtown Chicago to O'Hare could take just 15 minutes if a new plan takes off, Axios Chicago's Monica Eng reports. Fast transportation from the city to O'Hare, including Elon Musk's Boring Company plan, has fascinated leaders for years — but has never materialized. ✈️ The O'Hare Flyer promises to take riders from downtown to "O'Hare Airport's Terminal 2 on a dedicated track with a reliable schedule of whisper-quiet train departures every 15 minutes," organizers said in a statement. Existing trains take about 40–45 minutes. Yes, but: There's no word yet on launch date or costs. Go deeper ... Subscribe to Axios Local.

🚀 SpaceX is building a new spaceport on 125,000 acres in southwest Louisiana, the company and Gov. Jeff Landry announced.

Two people have died of measles in Lancaster County, Pa. — the state's first such deaths in 35 years. Both were unvaccinated. Get the latest. ps:Pathetic, absolutely pathetic!!!!!

ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50,000 in July, the highest monthly total of Trump’s second term WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July, the highest single monthly arrest total during the second Trump administration, according to new figures. https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-customs-enforcement-data-statistics-f07f56a34bda225e5afa356781ac1740? 🇨🇦 President Trump threatened to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America" amid Washington's ongoing fallout with Canada, similar to the administration's efforts to rebrand the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." The lake's name comes from an Indigenous word for "great lake." Go deeper. ps:Mr pathetic at it again!!!!!

Canada strikes back at US with retaliatory tariffs as trade war escalates TORONTO (AP) — Canada struck back at the United States on Tuesday with retaliatory tariffs on about $20 billion worth of American goods, including steel, dairy products, appliances and farm equipment, as the trade war between the once-friendly neighbors escalated sharply. https://apnews.com/article/canada-trump-lake-810649a0a4143d9042094626c4a36dad?