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Spin Cycle (Chandan Khanna / AFP / Getty)   View in browser Every president likes to take credit for good news on their watch, but most of them have at least a little shame about it. Not Donald Trump. September 10 is typically the peak of Atlantic Ocean hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expected a relatively restrained year, but as the meteorologist and hurricane specialist Michael Lowry writes, the season “has never gone beyond September 11th in the reliable records (since at least 1950) without a hurricane” in the Atlantic Ocean—until this year. There aren’t even any strong prospects forming. Amid spreading violence in the Middle East, warnings of an AI apocalypse, and high fuel prices, it’s a rare piece of good news, and Trump wants credit. Over the weekend, the White House flagged the news, commenting, “Thank you, President Trump!” This is absurd, though maybe no one should be surprised that a man who believed that marking a map with Sharpie can change a hurricane’s path would take credit for a low-key storm season. (He also reportedly once suggested attacking storms with nuclear weapons, so perhaps, as the journalist Catherine Rampell jokes, this is deterrence in action.) Better explanations than presidential benevolence exist. As my colleague Joshua Partlow has reported, this is an unusual year for the El Niño cycle. In the Pacific Ocean, it has produced very warm water, as well as a number of hurricanes. Hawaii, which is seldom hit, has been struck by two hurricanes so far this year. At least four deaths have been attributed to the storms, and power remains out on some parts of the island of Kauai. But scientists say that El Niño also accounts for the absence of major storms, so far, in the Atlantic. “It’s really staggering, just how inhospitable the Atlantic is to anything that could form a tropical cyclone right now,” Kristen Corbosiero, a professor of atmospheric science at the University at Albany, told PBS. The lull is especially notable because last year’s hurricane season was also astonishingly mild in the United States. Although parts of the Caribbean endured hurricanes, not a single one hit the U.S. mainland. This is great news for the Americans who are otherwise often in hurricanes’ paths, and who have been slammed by a series of storms in the past decade—including 2024’s Hurricane Helene, the deadliest to hit the mainland United States since Hurricane Katrina, in 2005. It is also great news for Trump, who must be one of the luckiest people in history. Hurricanes can help or, more often, badly hurt a president. George W. Bush’s reputation never recovered from Katrina, whereas Barack Obama’s steady hand during Hurricane Sandy seemed to bolster his reelection campaign. Trump’s handling of storms during his first term was poor; he demonstrated little human warmth and, in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, jarring coldness. Trump’s personal behavior aside, his administration has been especially fortunate because under his leadership, FEMA appears to be in no shape to handle a major disaster. In the first months of his second presidency, Trump and then–Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced plans to dismantle FEMA entirely, devolving responsibility for relief to states, an idea panned by most experts. In the meantime, he seemed determined to slowly strangle it, appointing interim leaders with no disaster-relief experience. First came Cameron Hamilton, who was fired after telling Congress that he did not support liquidating FEMA. Next was David Richardson, who, shortly after taking his post in May 2025, acknowledged that he had no completed plan for the impending hurricane season and would reuse the previous year’s. (FEMA employees reported that Richardson said he didn’t even realize such a season existed; a FEMA spokesperson later said he was joking.) Because no storms have since struck the mainland, these failures ended up having much less human and economic cost. FEMA appears to be on a somewhat stronger footing now. Trump has backed off plans to eliminate FEMA, Noem and Richardson are gone, and Hamilton is back as permanent administrator—and has won some tentative praise for working to learn more about disaster relief. He inherits serious challenges, though. A federal judge ruled on Friday that an administration order to lay off half of FEMA’s workforce was illegal. “Frankly, the FEMA staffing plan number appears as if pulled from thin air,” the judge wrote of the government’s proposal, which included cutting thousands of on-call employees who rush in with aid after a disaster. A report released last month by the Government Accountability Office was even more scathing. The GAO found that FEMA’s personnel decisions had been made “without assessing whether it had the necessary staffing capacity to meet its mission,” including what it is required to do under law, and that “FEMA is not positioned to determine whether it has the right number of people with the right skills in the right positions at the right time to meet its mission.” Furthermore, the report said, “the agency has no overall strategic direction.” Alas, the calm before the storms won’t last indefinitely. Experts who spoke with The New York Times said that it would be premature to assume that no major Atlantic hurricanes will form this year. If the president’s political luck continues, then perhaps the East Coast won’t see a really bad storm until after the midterm elections, or maybe even next year. Given his administration’s approach to hurricane preparedness and the travails of FEMA, though, ordinary Americans along the Atlantic coast and the Gulf Coast are likely to see their weather luck run out. Related: This El Niño will be unlike any in the past eight decades. FEMA is not prepared.

McConnell returns to the Senate for the first time since his June hospitalization WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky returned to the Senate to vote on Monday for the first time in three months, looking noticeably more frail after he was hospitalized for a June fall in his home. https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-return-abe03e84e30a174da4076385692b5751?

A Vermont man is on trial for shooting 3 Palestinian students. He claimed the CIA told him to do it Jason Eaton insisted he was acting on orders from the CIA and Mossad when he shot three Palestinian college students who were walking past his home a few days after Thanksgiving. He said the U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies transmitted the messages to him via FM radio and that God was commanding him to protect his Jewish neighbors. Read More.

United Kingdom's unity threatened by pact between Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland The leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland signed a pact Monday that threatens to lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom. Read More.

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Delaware’s state primary Delaware’s Democratic U.S. senator, U.S. representative and state attorney general will go before voters in a state primary Tuesday as they seek reelection. Voters also will choose nominees for state Legislature and for an open seat for state treasurer. Read More.

America's public data has a trust problem. Now what? Americans are calling for better data and better discourse. How can we answer that call? https://usafacts.org/articles/americas-data-has-a-trust-problem-now-what/? Are AI data centers driving up your electric bill? A USAFacts deep dive. Grab your favorite beverage and comfiest chair, because we’re going to learn some things. https://usafacts.org/articles/are-ai-data-centers-driving-up-your-electric-bill/? One last fact Every state has some form of mail-in voting. And although “voting by mail” and “absentee voting” both often refer to mailed-in ballots and are sometimes used interchangeably, they differ slightly. Voting by mail is a voting method. According to the Census Bureau, 29% of voters nationwide voted by mail in the 2024 presidential election. Eight states mail ballots to every registered voter in their state. In states where in-person Election Day voting is the norm, “absentee” is most commonly used to describe voters who request to submit their ballots by mail, drop-off, or early in-person voting because they are unable to vote on Election Day.

Cosmic clue Did you know that dark matter makes up about 85% of all the matter in the universe? Scientists say they’ve detected an intriguing signal that could shed some light on the elusive substance.

TV’s biggest night Traumatized doctors on “The Pitt.” Conflicted city officials on “Widow’s Bay.” Struggling teachers on “Abbott Elementary.” This year’s Emmy Awards are about regular people trying to keep their heads above water. Follow live updates.

Fraying friendship Thanks to a geographic quirk, Louis Patenaude’s freight business straddles the border between the US and Canada. With the once close allies embroiled in a heated trade war, he finds himself caught in the middle.

❄️ Weather traders are betting that a potentially historic El Niño will translate into a relatively mild winter, Bloomberg reports. Gift link. Super status An already-strong El Niño has been ramping up at a breakneck pace since it was first declared in June, and the climate phenomenon is crossing into unprecedented territory. Experts explain what that means for the weather. ⛅ Get your local forecast: Download the CNN Weather app

🎻 The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees is planning to propose adding President Trump's name to the facility's exterior in recognition of his saving the building from its "precarious fiscal position," per a new court filing. Go deeper.

📚 Most-borrowed books Data: OverDrive/Libby. Chart: Sami Sparber/Axios "The Calamity Club" was last month's most-borrowed e-book on Libby, Axios' Sami Sparber reports. Author Kathryn Stockett's bestseller explores poverty and friendship through the eyes of two outcast women in 1930s Mississippi. 🍿 The big picture: Libby's top 20 features several "BookTok" favorites that have already been adapted for the screen, or are slated to be. That includes "Yesteryear" by Caro Claire Burke (a thriller about a tradwife influencer that Anne Hathaway is set to star in and produce) and "The Deal" by Elle Kennedy (the basis for Amazon Prime Video's hit hockey romance series "Off Campus.") Go deeper.

EPA eliminates rule that limits planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday it is repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas and announced it is taking a separate but related step to prevent future administrations from regulating climate pollution from power plants. https://apnews.com/article/epa-power-plants-trump-coal-gas-climate-cac1c2c75f8656d8eaf5f0a240edae15? 🏭 The EPA is repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas. Go deeper.

Divorce becomes next battleground as states debate family values Cerina Fairfax, a Virginia dentist and mother of two, spent nearly two years living in the same house as her husband while she was trying to divorce him. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/13/repub/divorce-becomes-next-battleground-as-states-debate-family-values/?

Ectopic pregnancy deaths have nearly doubled. It’s worse in states with abortion bans. The number of women who died after an ectopic pregnancy has spiked in recent years, a ProPublica analysis found. The mounting deaths in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data have drawn little scrutiny or response. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/14/repub/ectopic-pregnancy-deaths-have-nearly-doubled-its-worse-in-states-with-abortion-bans/?

Schools, libraries sound alarm over potential changes to federal internet program A multi-billion-dollar federal program that helps schools and libraries afford broadband internet is under review by the Trump administration, leaving education officials and advocates worried about potentially significant cuts. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/12/repub/schools-libraries-sound-alarm-over-potential-changes-to-federal-internet-program/?

Still no answers from DeSantis administration on KidCare disenrollments, challenges The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis is still not giving firm answers on when — or whether — it intends to expand a safety-net healthcare program for low-income children that the Florida Legislature has approved. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/14/still-no-answers-from-desantis-administration-on-kidcare-disenrollments-challenges/? Florida’s leaders ‘honor and commemorate’ heroes of Sept. 11 attacks Gov. Ron DeSantis led Florida in remembering the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2002, ordering flags lowered throughout the state. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/11/floridas-leaders-honor-and-commemorate-heroes-of-sept-11-attacks/?

Roman Sanctuary Hidden in “Cave of the Women” Recent discoveries at Cova Dones, in Spain’s province of Valencia, offer a fascinating glimpse into Roman religious practice, and potentially women-centered worship. Archaeologists have identified around 120 Latin inscriptions dating primarily to the first and second centuries CE, several of which invoke a goddess called Domina, “Lady,” while feminine names and objects associated with textile production add further evidence of women’s presence. According to the University of Alicante, the 120 inscriptions make Cova Dones (“Cave of the Women”) the largest known collection of Latin inscriptions in a cave-sanctuary found anywhere in the Roman Empire. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-rome/roman-sanctuary-hidden-in-cave-of-women/?

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👋 Good morning! Welcome back. New York, New York: For the first time since 2009, the Jets and Giants both won their season openers. And the Giants, in particular, looked quite good doing it. In today's edition: The NFL's offensive explosion, Ballmer backs down, Zverev stops Shelton, USA wins Women's World Cup, Texas takes over No. 1 spot, MLB playoff picture, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🏀 Ballmer backs down: After vowing to fight back against the severe punishments handed down by the NBA for salary cap circumvention related to Kawhi Leonard, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has reversed course and will accept the sanctions. 🏈 Garrett lands on IR: Myles Garrett will miss at least the next four weeks due to arthroscopic knee surgery, as the reigning DPOY continues dealing with the pain that hampered his training camp and led to an underwhelming Rams debut last week. 🏎️ Kimi wins again: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) held off Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Lando Norris (McLaren) to win the inaugural race at Spain's Madring, giving the youngster eight victories in 14 races this season to extend his lead atop the Formula 1 driver standings. ⚾️ An immaculate weekend: Diamondbacks RHP Justin Martinez and Red Sox LHP Payton Tolle both threw immaculate innings over the weekend (three strikeouts on nine pitches). Why is that notable? Because there have only been 122 other such innings in MLB history. ⚽️ City, Arsenal stay perfect: Manchester City beat Manchester United, 1-0, and Arsenal beat Sunderland, 2-0, as the two English giants remain the Premier League's only perfect teams (4-0-0) through four weeks. Hull City (2-2-0) surprisingly sits behind them in third.   🏈 SUNDAY FUNDAY THE NFL'S OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION Caleb Williams and the Bears hung 59 points on the Panthers in their opener. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) The NFL came roaring back on Sunday, with offenses leading the charge. Defenses, apparently, are still on summer vacation. By the numbers: Sunday's 13-game slate averaged 53.3 points per game, making it the highest-scoring Week 1 Sunday in NFL history. The week in total is at 50.0 points per game entering "Monday Night Football," which would mark a new Week 1 record in the Super Bowl Era, per the league. Sunday scoreboard: Bears 59, Panthers 37 Bills 36, Texans 31 Giants 28, Cowboys 20 Lions 31, Saints 30 Ravens 41, Colts 23 Steelers 20, Falcons 13 Eagles 24, Commanders 22 Cardinals 26, Chargers 14 Bengals 33, Buccaneers 27 Vikings 39, Packers 22 Raiders 27, Dolphins 13 Jets 23, Titans 10 Jaguars 34, Browns 10 Earlier in the week: 49ers 27, Rams 7 (Thursday); Seahawks 13, Patriots 10 (Wednesday) What they're saying: What caused this offensive explosion? While it's important not to overreact to a single week of football, recently retired Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, now with NBC, shared his theory during halftime of "Sunday Night Football." I think how we practice and how we prepare our teams today really kind of lends itself to offenses starting faster than they have historically. What I mean by that is there is less violence in team development. There are less padded practices. Even the drills that they do are more geared to skill development — 7 on 7 and things of that nature. Defenses spend less time shedding blocks and tackling than they used to 25 years ago when I came into the league. More from Sunday: Listen: Week 1 instant reactions Read: New season, same Cowboys Watch: Best plays of the day Must-see highlight: Washington's Tyler Owens with the special teams play of the century. This clip will be shown in film sessions for eternity.   👑 KINGS & QUEENS CHAMPIONS CROWNED (Patrick Smith/Getty Images) 🇺🇸 Queens, New York Alexander Zverev brushed aside Ben Shelton's bid for history on Sunday at the US Open, defeating the young American in four sets to claim his second Grand Slam title of the year. The German proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's the world's third-best player, going 25-2 this year in majors with his only losses coming against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Rybakina's reign begins: On the women's side, Elena Rybakina defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in three sets to win her first US Open and third Grand Slam title. This victory, paired with the fact that Rybakina had already dethroned Sabalenka as the world's No. 1 player earlier in the week, cranks up the heat on tennis' next great rivalry. (Tobias Schwarz/AFP via Getty Images) 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany The U.S. women's basketball team won its fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup on Sunday, erasing a 14-point deficit and riding a second-half surge for a 97-79 victory over France. Breanna Stewart led all scorers with 22 points en route to being named tournament MVP for the second time. Stewie's body of work: Stewart has been overshadowed in recent years by the likes of A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark, but the 32-year-old continues to compile a legendary résumé. In addition to her four World Cup titles, she's also a three-time Olympic champion, three-time WNBA champion, two-time WNBA MVP, four-time NCAA champion and three-time NCAA POY. (Tim de Waele/Getty Images) 🇪🇸 Granada, Spain Enric Mas finally broke through at the Vuelta a España, winning his home Grand Tour after finishing runner-up three times since 2018. The victory was also the first by a Spaniard since Alberto Contador donned the red jersey in 2014. Season in review: Seven of the year's nine biggest races are now in the rearview, with Tadej Pogačar (Tour de France) and Jonas Vingegaard (Giro d'Italia) taking the other two Grand Tours, while Pogačar also took three Monuments (Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège) and Wout van Aert (Paris-Roubaix) took the fourth. Still to come: The World Championships (Sept. 27) and Giro di Lombardia (Oct. 10). (Naomi Baker/Getty Images) 🇳🇱 Cromvoirt, Netherlands Europe prevailed over Team USA at the Solheim Cup, winning the 20th edition of the biennial tournament, 15-13, thanks to a dominant showing at Sunday singles. With the win, Europe has now won (or retained) the cup in four of the last five editions. The last laugh: The Americans celebrated with some beers on Saturday night after Jennifer Kupcho's two clutch putts (including a 93-footer) tied things up at 8-8 entering the final day. The Europeans weren't about to let them live down that preemptive celebration, starting their post-victory festivities with a quintessentially European chant: "They drink on Saturday, we drink on Sunday!"   🏈 HOOK 'EM HORNS UP, BUCKEYES DOWN (Alex Slitz/Getty Images) Texas is the new No. 1 team in the nation after taking down former top dog Ohio State on Saturday in Austin, where it looked like they were toast until the final 15 minutes. Texas-sized thriller: The Longhorns scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to stun the Buckeyes, 24-23, in front of a raucous home crowd and send Ohio State tumbling five spots to No. 6 in this week's poll. Entering the day, AP No. 1 teams were 197-0 since 2004 when leading by 20+ points at any point in the fourth quarter. They are now 197-1. The end of an era? Everyone lucky enough to witness Saturday's blockbuster should hold onto this feeling for a long time. Because if the CFP expands to 24 teams next year, it may be the last time something as dramatic ever happens in September, writes Yahoo Sports' Dan Wolken: Realistically, in a 24-team playoff world, you can play this exact same game and it will not feel the same. Every player, every coach and every fan will know that two elite college football brands meeting on a stage like this will be a spectacle without a shred of consequence because they will both be ticketed for the postseason in the end. Sure, everyone will want to win these games but they will not need to. Are we sure that's a good idea? Because the essence of college football is what happened here Saturday night: Even in Week 2 of the season, every moment felt like a national championship was potentially on the line. Every dropped pass, every play call, every field-goal attempt was massive, not just for this game, but how the rest of the season will play out. Only college football has that intensity and those stakes every single week. That doesn't seem like something the sport should sacrifice for the sake of a little more TV money and a bloated playoff that gives everyone a trophy. More from Saturday: Oregon fell 15 spots to No. 21 after a shocking 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State, which ended their 21-game losing skid against FBS opponents … Michigan re-entered the poll at No. 19 after beating Oklahoma, which fell 13 spots to No. 24 … BYU jumped four spots to No. 11 after downing Arizona … and more.   ⚾️ CHASING OCTOBER MLB PLAYOFF PICTURE (Ethan Palowitz/Yahoo Sports) The MLB playoffs are right around the corner, so let's survey every postseason race with just under two weeks left in the regular season. American League East: The Rays (90-59) already clinched a spot in the postseason, but the Yankees (86-63) remain an outside threat in the division, sitting four games back with a four-game series between the two coming next week in the Bronx. Central: The White Sox (76-73) are holding on for dear life with the Guardians (76-74) just 0.5 games back as the division rivals begin a pivotal three-game series tonight in Cleveland. West: The Astros (75-75) are zeroing in on their eighth division title in the last 10 years, but the Rangers (74-76, 1 GB) are right on their tail and the Mariners (70-80, 5 GB) could still have one run left in them. Wild Card: The Yankees (86-63) and Red Sox (82-68) have both all but clinched, and the Guardians (76-74) lead the pack of seven teams who've still got a fighting chance: Blue Jays (75-75, 1 GB), Rangers (74-76, 2 GB), Orioles (72-78, 4 GB), Twins (70-79, 5.5 GB), Tigers (70-79, 5.5 GB), Mariners (70-80, 6 GB). National League East: The Braves (88-62) are close to wrapping up their first division title since 2023 after taking two of three against the Phillies (83-67, 5 GB) this weekend. Central: The Brewers (93-57) already clinched a playoff spot, should clinch the division any day now (10-game lead over the Cubs) and have the inside track to the best record in baseball for the second consecutive season. West: The Dodgers (90-59) are putting the finishing touches on their 13th division title in the last 14 years, with the Padres (81-68, 9 GB) a very distant second place. Wild Card: Unlike the chaotic AL, this race features just four teams fighting for three spots. But the battle among the Cubs (83-67, +2 GB), Phillies (83-67, +2 GB), Padres (81-68) and Diamondbacks (79-71, 2.5 GB) should come down to the wire.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: MONDAY, SEPT. 14 (Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports) 🏈 Broncos at Chiefs Week 1 comes to a close this evening in Kansas City (8:15pm ET, ABC/ESPN), where the Chiefs are coming off their worst season in more than a decade and the Broncos are coming off their best. Back from injury: Last we saw Patrick Mahomes on a football field was when he tore his ACL exactly nine months ago, and last we saw Bo Nix (outside of preseason) was when he broke his ankle a month later. Both are expected to start tonight. More to watch: ⚾️ MLB: Braves at Cubs (7:40pm, MLB) … NL contenders go head-to-head at Wrigley Field. ⚽️ Premier League: Leeds vs. Newcastle (3pm, USA) … This matchup of 1-2-0 clubs closes out Matchweek 4. ⚾️ WPBL Semifinals: Los Angeles vs. New York (7pm, ESPN+) … Winner advances to championship against San Francisco.   🏈 LET'S PLAY TRIVIA TIME (Yahoo Sports) Derrick Henry scored his 123rd, 124th and 125th career rushing touchdowns on Sunday to move past Marcus Allen for third on the NFL's all-time list. Question: Which two players are ahead of him on that list? Answer at the bottom.   🎾 GRAND SLAMMED CHART OF THE DAY (Lev Akabas/Sportico) 88 of the past 89 men's singles Grand Slams have been won by Europeans. When will a non-European finally break through?   Trivia answer: Emmitt Smith (164 rushing touchdowns) and LaDainian Tomlinson (145)

A third death involving measles is reported in Pennsylvania A Pennsylvania woman has died from complications associated with measles, the third death in the state this year involving the virus. https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-pennsylvania-vaccine-shapiro-f89c3a626084581e3974eb86e0f2e974?

In an age of instant answers, educators say there’s a case for letting kids struggle a little At a time when an answer or AI-generated help can be seconds away, giving children room to figure things out for themselves can be hard to do. But developmental experts and educators say children need chances to struggle with everyday problems because figuring them out is a skill that has to be practiced. Read more. Why this matters: If children rarely have to struggle, it can lead to severe anxiety when they have to figure out something on their own, said Dr. Stephanie Carlson, director of the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. The challenge for parents is knowing when to help and when to step back. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Families’ interest in their kids’ education is falling around the globe as scores drop, test shows Americans’ satisfaction with schools is at a low point, new Gallup poll shows Hundreds of thousands of eligible kids are waiting for childcare assistance How to help your kids make friends at a new school

Second federal judge freezes Trump mail ballot order The decision was issued late Sunday by the U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols in Washington, D.C. It added another obstacle to the administration’s effort to limit mail voting for the midterm elections. The Supreme Court is poised to weigh in on the matter. Read more. What to know: Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a nationwide list of verified eligible voters. Election officials say it would be impossible to implement the changes this close to a general election. Nichols wrote in issuing the preliminary injunction, that “Plaintiffs have demonstrated that, absent an injunction, there is an increased risk that a significant number of otherwise appropriate absentee or mail-in ballots will ultimately not be counted in the upcoming elections.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ House Speaker Mike Johnson says Trump’s $5,000 ‘dividend’ needs congressional approval Trump agreed to new ethics rules to get a crypto bill across the line. But that might not be enough A more perfect union? Congress has been the place where America tries to resolve its problems Why Canada? America’s northern neighbor seems an unlikely target for a trade war

Trump downplays the need to check AI development and says he doesn’t want to cede edge to China President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday that the United States is leading China in the development of AI. He added, “frankly, I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI wins.” While Trump acknowledged the need for some regulation, he provided no specifics about potential rules. Read more. Why this matters: Asked later Sunday if he was trying to minimize the risks from AI, Trump said, “I’m not downplaying.” Trump warned about the technology moving too quickly and with little oversight to “negative forces” he did not identify. The Republican president spoke a day after Dario Amodei, CEO of the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, said the industry should put the brakes on its fast-moving development to give safety measures time to catch up. AI has become a major election-year issue in the U.S. Trump has kept up his support for data centers even as both Republicans and Democrats run from them and many communities try to block them. Former President Barack Obama, a Democrat, said his party should make AI a campaign issue. Chinese President Xi Jinping is due at the White House later in September to meet with Trump, and AI likely will be among the items they discuss. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Trump says ‘whoever wins AI wins’ Beijing hits back at Anthropic CEO’s call to curb China’s AI development New warnings about the risks of AI to humanity revive a long-running debate WATCH: Amodei urges slowdown