Live updates: Democratic incumbents score election wins against younger challengers in Massachusetts
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House Democrats discuss their agenda if they win back the chamber this fall, while GOP leadership proposes preserving the Supreme Court’s size.
What to know today
- MASSACHUSETTS PRIMARIES: Democratic Sen. Ed Markey defeated Rep. Seth Moulton in the Senate primary in Massachusetts in a victory for the party’s progressive wing. Reps. Stephen Lynch, and Richard Neal, meanwhile, defeated younger, more progressive primary challengers in a pair of high-profile tests for House incumbents after a turbulent primary season.
- DEMOCRATS’ PLANS: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., outlined four agenda items for a potential Democratic House majority that set a direct contrast with President Donald Trump: reversing Medicaid cuts, extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, asserting Congress’ authority over tariffs and ending the Iran war.
- SUPREME COURT AMENDMENT: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Republicans will introduce a constitutional amendment today that would mandate a maximum number of nine justices on the Supreme Court.
Apple Maps changes name of Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’
Apple changed the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” on the web version of its Apple Maps following Trump’s executive order renaming the lake.
The move by Apple yesterday followed a decision by Alphabet late Saturday to change the name of the lake on its Google Maps for U.S. users.
$1 coin with Trump’s face and gold finish goes on sale for America's 250th
The $1 coin designed to celebrate America’s 250th birthday and seemingly President Donald Trump, whose face gazes from one side of the gold finish, will go on sale today, according the U.S. Mint.
The coin’s design — Trump’s visage as “heads” and the Great Seal of the United States as “tails” — was given the stamp of approval this year by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members Trump appointed. In past comments, the president said that the idea to stamp his face on a coin was “very unusual” but that he was “honored by it.”
Treasury Dept. via AP
The president’s second term has come with several such brandings, or attempts at them that have become tangled up in lawsuits. That includes moves to put Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center, as well as the U.S. Institute for Peace, as Trump works to leave his stamp on history and Washington, D.C.
The coins, which can be used as legal tender, stirred some criticism particularly because of federal law that bars the depiction of a living president on U.S. currency. But in some circumstances, the treasury secretary does have authority to authorize the minting and issuance of special coins.
The coins were struck to “honor 250 years of great American heritage,” the U.S. Mint wrote on its website. In an arc above Trump’s face is written “LIBERTY,” and below is “1776 (tilde) 2026.” On the flip side is the Great Seal of the United States, with the bald eagle gripping arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other. In a banner clutched in its beak is written “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” Latin for “out of many, one”
A roll of 25 coins will cost $61, and a bag of 100 will cost $154.50, and the U.S. Mint said they randomly hid some special-issue coins among the rolls and bags. Those will be marked “July 4th,” because they were stuck on that day, the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Trump to meet with first responders ahead of 9/11 anniversary
Trump will meet with first responders Sept. 8 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a White House official confirmed.
"President Trump will pay tribute to the American heroes we lost in the tragic September 11th attacks, their beautiful family members, and to the acts of heroism that defined that fateful day when the unbreakable spirit of the American people prevailed," White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said in a statement.
"The President will stand with first responders to renew our sacred vow that we will never forget — and that the United States of America will always defend our proud, free nation with unyielding resolve," Wales said.
The first responders are from the New York City and Washington, D.C. fire departments, the official said, noting that representatives from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit that provides housing and other assistance to veterans, first responders and their families, would also attend.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is undertaking a "Steel Across America" tour, transporting a steel beam from the World Trade Center to cities across the country. The beam will be displayed on the White House Ellipse next week. Trump will speak at the event, as will the foundation's chairman and CEO Frank Siller, whose brother Stephen Siller, a firefighter, was killed on that fateful day.
Trump will visit the Pentagon on Sept. 11 rather than attend the annual ceremony at Ground Zero in Manhattan. The president decided not to go to New York City after organizers would not allow him to deliver a speech, The New York Times reported, citing four people with knowledge of the events. The White House denied the reporting.
Former President Joe Biden will commemorate the anniversary at Ground Zero, his spokesperson, TJ Ducklo, confirmed following a report by the Times. Vice President JD Vance also is expected to attend the ceremony, a senior administration official told NBC News.
USS Abraham Lincoln arrives in Thailand after extended Iran deployment
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrived today at a port in eastern Thailand, where thousands of U.S. sailors and Marines are disembarking for the first time in more than 280 days after a record-setting deployment in the Middle East.
The toll of the more than nine-month deployment, most of it spent supporting military operations in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, was visible on the carrier as it pulled into Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province. Paint has worn off and the metal underneath is rusted on the 1,092-foot warship, which is one of the largest in the world.
The Lincoln is in Thailand for a four-day “rest and relaxation” stop on its way home to San Diego after having spent weeks in the headlines as the lengthy deployment raised concerns about supply shortages and the effect on sailors’ mental health.
Pro-Trump group launches new ads and touts president's efforts to lower costs
A pro-Trump group called Securing American Greatness has launched new TV ads touting the president.
One ad features Ultimate Fighting Championship President and CEO Dana White calling Trump “the toughest, most resilient person that I’ve ever met.” The spot also features footage of Trump saying, “Our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous, and free.”
The other ad highlights the president's push to cut taxes, lower egg and prescription drug prices, and have tech companies "provide for their own power needs so that no one’s prices will go up.”
The group, which is the nonprofit arm of the Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc., has spent nearly $1 million on a national cable ad buy, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
The new spot comes amid questions about MAGA Inc.’s plans for the midterm elections, with the latest campaign finance reports indicating that the group has more than $400 million to spend.
Alaska finalizes Senate race for November: 3 Republicans, including 2 named Dan Sullivan, and 1 Democrat
The Alaska Division of Elections yesterday named the four Senate candidates who will be on the ballot this fall in a closely watched race that will be decided by ranked-choice voting.
Voters will make their selections among two Republicans named Dan Sullivan, another named Gerald Heikes and Democrat Mary Peltola, who finished first during the all-party primary in which the top four advance to the general election.
Democrat David Leslie had finished fourth, but he withdrew from the race Monday. His withdrawal means fifth-place candidate Gerald Heikes, a Republican, will appear on the ballot.
Key Texas county votes to cut polling sites ahead of the midterms
Officials in Texas’ third-largest county voted yesterday to significantly reduce the number of polling sites for this fall’s midterm elections, drawing protests from Democrats and voting rights advocates.
Commissioners in Tarrant County, a fast-growing and politically competitive area that includes Fort Worth, approved a plan that results in 92 fewer Election Day polling locations compared with the 2022 midterms. The roughly 30% reduction leaves the county with 224 polling sites to serve 1.3 million voters. Voters in the county are able to cast ballots at any of those polling sites.
U.S.-Canada trade talks can resume 'when the Americans stop doing memes,' Carney says
U.S.-Canada talks on a trade deal can resume, but only if U.S. officials start being serious and “stop doing memes,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said.
Trade negotiations between the longtime allies broke down last month over what both sides said were unacceptable last-minute demands. The Trump administration has since imposed 50% tariffs on billions in Canadian goods, to which Canada has responded with what Carney called “dollar for dollar” tariffs on U.S. goods that take effect next week. Trump also signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America,” posting a number of memes about it.
“Our plan has always been standing up for Canada first and foremost here at home — building Canada at home, diversifying abroad,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa yesterday. “Everyone in the world wants to do more with Canada.”
“There’s a positive opportunity that has always existed with the United States for a mutually beneficial trade deal that respects Canadian sovereignty. But it must have those characteristics,” he said. “And when the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade, stop trying to be tough, and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions.”
'Blue' statue outside the Kennedy Center to be removed
A large statue at the Kennedy Center is being removed, the latest transformation at the iconic arts center, the Kennedy Center confirmed.
The stick figure-like blue sculpture, titled "Blue," towered over the lawn by the center for years. It debuted in 2019.
“We are deeply grateful to Joel Shapiro for the years Blue has spent animating our campus and connecting visitors to his vision,” a Kennedy Center spokesperson said, referring to the artist. “We are honored to have been stewards of his vibrant work and a part of his enduring legacy.”
It is unclear whether the statue's removal is directly related to the wider overhaul efforts at the center, and the statue's next installation location is not yet known. The center also indicated that removing gifted or loaned art pieces is not unusual for art institutions.
Shapiro said in 2019 that the statue is "about action and risk and performance and energy. It's a celebration of possibility."
The Trump administration has pushed to overhaul the performing arts venue, even warning in a court filing that the building might require demolition if renovations can't be made. The center has tried adding the president's name to the building and website, which was a judge had previously ruled against.
GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts and independent opponent clash in fiery Nebraska Senate debate
Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., went on offense against independent opponent Dan Osborn in a debate last night, repeatedly calling him “Democrat Dan” throughout their meeting and associating his campaign with democratic socialists.
The debate will be the first of many across the country over the next two months as Democrats and Republicans battle for control of the Senate. Deep-red Nebraska is not usually home to nationally watched campaigns, but Osborn’s one-on-one contest with Ricketts could be closer than typical partisan contests in the state.
Johnson says Republicans will introduce measure to ban adding justices to Supreme Court
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Republicans will introduce a constitutional amendment today that would mandate a maximum number of nine justices on the Supreme Court.
Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images file
“If we go down the road of packing the Supreme Court, it turns into a political palooza, and it would not serve the country,” Johnson told reporters on Capitol Hill.
He also told reporters that the current model of nine justices “has served this country for many, many years, and it does not need to change.”
The GOP proposal is unlikely to be successful. It would require support of a two-thirds majority in the House and the Senate.
Some key Democrats have recently called for packing the court, including former Vice President Kamala Harris. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that he agrees with Harris that 13 justices would be a good number.
“We are in a position now that calls for some significant actions taken by the Congress, and we ought to expand,” he said. “And 13 is a pretty good number. A baker’s dozen would be a good number to have on the court.”
Healthcare tops the Democrats’ to-do list if they win control of the House in 2026
Vying to become House speaker in a few months, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., outlined four items on the agenda that he said would enjoy “uniform Democratic support” and advance the party’s goal of “making life more affordable.”
The first two were about healthcare, and all four set a direct contrast with Trump.
Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch defeats a younger challenger in Massachusetts primary
Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch has defeated a younger, more progressive primary challenger, NBC News projects, in the highest-profile test remaining for House incumbents after a turbulent primary season.
Lynch, 71, won renomination over Patrick Roath, a 39-year-old former aide to former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. With his win, Lynch staved off an attempt to add him to the list of Democratic officeholders dethroned by rivals pushing for generational change.
Rep. Stephen Lynch. Michael Brochstein / Sipa USA via AP file
Democratic Sen. Ed Markey easily fends off Massachusetts primary challenge from Rep. Seth Moulton
Democratic Sen. Ed Markey defeated Rep. Seth Moulton in the Senate primary in Massachusetts, NBC News projects, in a victory for the party’s progressive wing.
Markey was winning about two-thirds of the vote percentage points with 69% of the expected vote reporting.
Markey’s win comes as other longtime Democratic lawmakers have lost to younger challengers in primaries this year. But the 80-year-old senator fended off his challenger by touting his liberal record as an author of the Green New Deal and vocal supporter of “Medicare for All.”
Sen. Ed Marke and his wife at a watch party Tuesday night. Mel Musto / Bloomberg via Getty Images
