Politics news summaries — Page 4
Essential facts and source links for recent politics stories.
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After one party misses a forum, columnist urges candidates to meet voters
Andrea Granieri argues candidates should meet voters at public forums after one party’s slate was absent from a Sept. 15 League of Women Voters event in Anderson Township, leaving attendees without a chance to hear directly from every candidate. -
Trump’s NFL video faces scrutiny over taxpayer funding
Donald Trump’s 30-second video aired during NFL broadcasts Sunday, vowing a “final battle” against communists, the deep state and “fake news.” Its “Paid for by the U.S. Government” tagline drew criticism; the White House called it a patriotic public-service announcement. -
Newsom signs bill barring brokers from selling public-course tee times without written consent
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill barring third-party brokers from advertising, selling or transferring tee-time reservations at public golf courses without operators’ written consent. In Los Angeles, brokers bought up slots and charged fees of up to $40. -
Taiwan disputes Beijing’s World War Two account after Xi-Trump summit
Taiwan says Beijing is reshaping World War Two history after Xi Jinping and Donald Trump praised the US-China wartime alliance at last week’s summit. Taipei says the Republic of China fought alongside the Allies and fears Beijing’s account could weaken US support. -
Greene urges US refinery buildout, citing no major new refinery since 1977
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called for emergency Washington meetings and an all-hands effort to build U.S. refineries, saying no major new refinery has opened since 1977. She argued the country’s ample oil reserves should mean cheaper gasoline. -
WSJ reports at least three Egyptian warnings before Oct. 7, including a call to Netanyahu
The WSJ, citing Arab government officials, reports Egypt gave Israel at least three warnings before Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack, including a call from intelligence chief Abbas Kamel to Netanyahu days before. Netanyahu denies receiving warnings. -
Trump plans 10 p.m. Sunday dinner with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei
President Trump said he planned a 10 p.m. Sunday dinner with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, two days after an appeals court rejected the company’s challenge to its supply-chain-risk designation, allowing the Pentagon to keep removing Claude from its systems. -
Most Portadown protesters leave after leader cites overnight parade commitment
Most protesters had left Portadown’s Garvaghy Road by early Monday after residents’ leader Breandán Mac Cionnaith said commitments meant the Orange Order parade would not use the route overnight. He was due to meet Northern Ireland officials Monday. -
Kean and Bennett clash on gas, tariffs and AI in New Jersey debate
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and challenger Rebecca Bennett offered sharply different positions on gas prices, tariffs, health care and artificial intelligence in their only debate for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, held Sunday ahead of the Nov. 3 election. -
Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro face Brazil’s scandal-heavy presidential vote
Brazilians vote Sunday in a presidential race between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Polls put Lula slightly ahead in the first round but show a dead heat in an expected Oct. 25 runoff. -
Washington, DC voters to decide on foie gras ban
Washington, DC voters will decide on November 3 whether to ban foie gras sales and distribution under Initiative 86. Activists qualified the measure with nearly 32,000 verified signatures; a producer says a DC ban could put at least a third of his 150 workers out of work. -
Trahant urges Alaska voters to look beyond campaign personalities
In a Native Vote 2026 commentary, Mark Trahant argues Alaska voters should judge candidates in the Senate race by policy and congressional accountability, not personalities. He cites allegations about Mary Peltola’s treatment of staff and reported stock trading by elected public. -
Partisan ‘pink slime’ sites expand ahead of US midterms
Researchers say partisan sites posing as local news are growing before the Nov. 3 US midterms. NewsGuard has identified 1,179 “pink slime” outlets; it says two networks spent at least $801,500 on Facebook and Instagram ads in the first eight months of 2026. -
Flávio Bolsonaro is level with Lula in polls ahead of Brazil’s October 4 vote
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, whom his father Jair named as his political heir, is in a statistical dead heat with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in polls ahead of the October 4 election, as a corruption probe and other scandals shadow his campaign. -
Half of Texas voters are open to backing candidates from both parties
A Texas 2036 poll found about half of voters are open to splitting their ballots between parties, while one in six is both unaffiliated and undecided about how to vote. It also found 68% are extremely or very concerned about Texas’ future. -
Steve Hilton would mandate English-only teaching in California schools if elected
California governor candidate Steve Hilton said he would require English-only teaching in state schools if elected in November. He claimed fewer than half of public-school students meet basic English standards and said English learners should get help outside class. -
Bill Gates urges US AI safeguards, warning AI could drive events causing a billion deaths
Bill Gates urged the US to require safeguards and monitoring for AI development, warning that people with ill intent using AI could drive events causing a billion deaths. The call followed a meeting where major US AI-company CEOs agreed the industry's pace should slow. -
New Maine poll puts Collins and Jackson even at 46%
An InsiderAdvantage poll found Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson tied at 46% among 1,200 likely voters in Maine surveyed Sept. 22-23, less than six weeks before Election Day. The poll’s margin of error is 2.83 percentage points. -
Trump plans Ohio visit to back Husted in competitive race against Brown
President Donald Trump plans to visit Vandalia, Ohio, on Saturday to support Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who faces a competitive challenge from Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown. The race is seen as vital to determining control of the Senate. -
Trump keeps Iran strike options open, Waltz says amid post-midterm bombing report
U.N. envoy Mike Waltz said Sunday Trump would leave all options open on Iran, but did not confirm a Wall Street Journal report that he expects to resume bombing after November’s midterms. Trump confirmed rejecting Iran’s offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart nuclear。 -
Greene says she sees MAGA as ‘dead’ at Texas festival
At the Texas Tribune Festival on Thursday, former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she thinks MAGA is “dead,” accusing President Donald Trump of lying to and betraying supporters by launching a war with Iran despite his pledge to avoid foreign wars. -
Obama says federal government is probably less corrupt than ever in bribery, patronage and favors
Former President Barack Obama said the federal government is probably less corrupt than at any time in U.S. history in terms of bribes, patronage and favors. The White House’s rapid-response account replied on X: “So true — thank you, President Trump!” -
White House repurposes Trump's 2024 campaign ad as a government-funded PSA
The White House is airing a 2024 Trump campaign ad as a government-funded public service announcement, drawing criticism from ethics experts who say taxpayer-funded propaganda may violate federal law. AdImpact estimated more than $70,000 in ad buys for the spot. -
Blanche defends Trump’s ban on CNN, MS Now and Politico after court order
Attorney general Todd Blanche defended Trump’s White House ban on CNN, MS Now and Politico, calling access a privilege. A judge ordered credentials restored for 14 days; CNN said its journalists were barred from Saturday’s Air Force One press pool. -
A second government-paid Trump ad warned of a ‘final battle’ on NFL broadcasts
A second U.S. government-paid ad promoting Trump aired on Fox during NFL games Sunday, warning of a “final battle” for America. The White House said the spots were not campaign ads, comparing them to past public-service announcements, amid criticism ahead of the midterms. -
Smotrich and Strock urge rejection of Board of Peace Gaza plan
Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strock urged Netanyahu to reject the Board of Peace’s Gaza plan, saying understandings with the US and the board require full demilitarization before reconstruction, foreign-force deployment or IDF withdrawal. -
Republicans criticize Scavino over apparent AI White House party video
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino drew criticism from Republicans and others after posting an apparent AI-generated White House party video amid rising living costs. He later shared another AI party video and mocked critics. -
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Trump set for White House dinner
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is scheduled to have dinner with President Donald Trump at the White House tonight, their first one-on-one meeting. The meeting follows a clash over AI safety: Amodei has proposed slowing AI development or proceeding more cautiously.
