Trump administration live updates: Supreme Court sides with Trump on some restrictions for mail-in ballots
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent today announced new sanctions targeting Iran.
What to know today
- MAIL-IN BALLOTS: The Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump an initial win in his attempt to restrict voting by mail in the midterm elections. It blocked a lower-court ruling preventing Trump from implementing some parts of an executive order on mail-in ballots.
- IRAN WAR: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new economic actions against Iran, which he described as "an economic onslaught" against the country's financial connections around the globe. Yesterday, Iran’s foreign minister dismissed the threat of new sanctions as "desperate."
- CANADA TARIFFS: Trump today accused Canada of "ripping off the United States for years" after trade talks between the two countries fell apart in recent days. "Canada will be treated like a state no longer!" Trump wrote on Truth Social, announcing new 50% tariffs on automobiles, auto parts and steel.
Trump makes final push for Darline Graham on eve of GOP run-off
Trump made a final push for Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., tonight during a tele-rally ahead of tomorrow's GOP Senate primary run-off in South Carolina.
Trump emphasized Graham’s focus on “affordability,” calling her “very different” from her late brother Lindsey Graham, whom Trump said cared more about foreign affairs.
The president rallied for Graham on Friday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, urging voters to pick her in the Senate GOP runoff that includes Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.
Graham, who flubbed a question on national security during a debate last week, is branding herself as having a stronger focus on domestic issues than her brother did.
“I love my brother and I miss him every day. But on illegal immigration, I’m a little bit tougher than he was,” Graham said, while slamming Norman for what she said was too permissive of a stance regarding immigration.
Norman has supported Trump’s immigration policies and called for codifying them.
Trump joins tele-rally for Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei, says DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin backs him, too
Trump tonight rallied support for Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei ahead of tomorrow's GOP primary runoff.
“I’m asking you to get out and vote for MAGA warrior — that’s what he is — Mike Mazzei, to be the next governor of Oklahoma. Mike has my complete and total endorsement,” Trump said during a tele-rally.
Trump added that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, whom he said he had just gotten off the phone with, was also throwing his support behind Mazzei.
“Mike, you heard it from me before you hear it from him,” Trump told Mazzei about Mullin, a former senator from Oklahoma. “[Mullin] has just given his complete and total endorsement to Mike, and that’s really fantastic.”
Mazzei faces off against state Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who finished first in the June primary, beating Mazzei by less than a percentage point after Mazzei got Trump's last-minute endorsement. The runoff is one of the final tests of Trump's endorsement power after five of his gubernatorial picks in open primaries have lost during this election cycle.
Two Democratic senators ask Pentagon to investigate aircraft carriers' extended deployments
Top Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee called on the Defense Department today to investigate the extended deployments of the USS Ford and the USS Lincoln, as well as the multiday power loss on the USS Benfold.
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, joined Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, the top Democrat on the defense subcommittee, in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao.
“We insist you immediately direct an independent strategic review of the extended deployments of the Ford and Lincoln, and the Benfold’s four-day power loss,” they wrote.
“This review should be conducted by senior civilian executives and former military officers. It should examine readiness issues relating to operations, manning, quality of life, including mental health, and culture on the ships as well as communications with the crews’ families,” they added.
The Pentagon came under scrutiny recently amid the longer-than-planned deployments and concerns about conditions aboard the ships.
The letter included a list of 11 questions, with a Sept. 1 deadline to respond.
Supreme Court hands preliminary win to Trump on mail-in ballots executive order
Election workers process mail-in ballots in San Francisco in June. David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images file
The Supreme Court today handed an initial win to the Trump administration in its effort to implement an executive order aimed at limiting who can receive mail-in ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
At issue are provisions that seek to create a federal list of eligible voters and order the U.S. Postal Service to deliver ballots only to eligible voters.
Trump super PAC jumps into South Carolina runoff
MAGA Inc., the super PAC tied to Trump, has jumped into the GOP Senate runoff in South Carolina, spending to boost Trump’s preferred candidate: appointed Sen. Darline Graham.
The group has spent $830,000 so far on text messages and voter phone calls aimed at turnout ahead of Tuesday’s runoff, according to a spending report filed with the Federal Election Commission. They appear to be the group’s first independent expenditures since a Georgia special election in March.
MAGA Inc. had $403 million to spend as of July 31, according to its most recent campaign finance report.
Trump invites kids and other attendees at school choice event to tour White House construction
At the end of his speech on school choice, Trump invited people in the Rose Garden to tour construction underway at the White House.
"I'm going to be walking down here in about two minutes to meet with the people that are building the heliport, and you'll see right alongside of it the great structure that's rising right next to the White House, and that's going to be the ballroom-slash-military complex. It's incredible," Trump said.
"If you'd like to follow me, especially with the kids — the kids could see construction. I love the sound of construction. When I hear all that banging out there, some people say, 'Oh, that's too bad,' and I say, 'I love it,'" he said.
The Supreme Court temporarily allowed construction of the ballroom to continue Friday, but a final decision is pending.
President Donald Trump hosts a school choice event at the Rose Garden today. Will Oliver / Bloomberg via Getty Images
House Democrats demand Trump administration provide full accounting of Iran war costs
With the Iran war approaching the six-month mark, nearly 50 Democratic members of Congress are demanding the Trump administration make public the true cost of the conflict and its impact on the American people.
“What was billed as a two-week operation is now a full-scale war that has lasted for over 150 days, cost over $37 billion, and claimed the lives of 18 servicemembers,” the House Democrats wrote in a letter to Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “At the same time, prices across the country have gone up significantly, placing the burden of this conflict on American families.”
The letter was spearheaded by Reps. Derek Tran, D-Calif.; Jason Crow, D-Colo.; and Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., all military veterans and co-chairs of the House Democrats’ national security task force.
Trump Media CEO defends decision to sell faster access to Trump's Truth Social posts
Kevin McGurn, Trump Media and Technology Group's interim CEO, defended the company's decision to sell faster access to Trump's Truth Social posts.
Stefani Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images file
"We have incredible data, we have incredible information, and it was in high demand," he said. "This was demand that came to us from the market, so we wanted to make sure that we satisfied that demand in the most brightly lit way."
The company launched the service at the start of the month, allowing companies to pay for speedier access to the posts, which often affect stock markets.
Pressed about criticism that Trump and his family shouldn't be involved in businesses that can be affected by him president and his policies, McGurn argued that "holding office at the highest, you know, the highest post in the land and having business interest is just a fact of life."
McGurn did not disclose who was paying for the service, but he said "more than" 10 companies were buying it.
"We’re getting into the mid-teens now, and we’re climbing," he said.
Trump and his family have faced criticism for tying business interests to hos position, which critics argue serves to enrich the family.
Bessent threatens new Iran secondary sanctions, says Trump is asking world leaders to cooperate
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced plans for a wave of new sanctions today aimed at further isolating Iran after having threatened the Islamic Republic with “an economic D-Day.”
The sanctions will target international entities engaged in facilitating Iranian trade related to shipping, oil, cryptocurrency, gold and aviation.
He said Trump was making phone calls to world leaders with “specific requests” to cease trading with the Iranian regime.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks at the Treasury Department today. Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP
Sen. Darline Graham optimistic ahead of South Carolina's Republican primary runoff
Sen. Darline Graham said her race is “going to be close, but we feel good,” at a news conference this afternoon as part of her election eve campaign swing through South Carolina with Gov. Henry McMaster.
She spoke ahead of a tele-rally with Trump this evening.
Asked what she has done to become more informed about foreign policy after she said “national security is not my thing” at last week’s debate, Graham said: “You know what I’ve done in the last week? I’ve gone around this entire state talking to as many people as I possibly can, and you know how many of them brought up Taiwan or national security? Not one. They’re talking about the rising cost of healthcare and affordability. So that’s what’s important to me."
Graham dodged on whether she would have voted to certify the results of the 2020 election, as her brother did.
“I think our election system is broken. That’s why I think it’s so important that we get the SAVE America Act passed. That’s why I wanted to stay through recess to get that done,” she said.
Bessent says secondary sanctions will target 'five of Iran's most vital lifelines'
Bessent said the secondary sanctions the U.S. announced today will target "five of Iran's most vital lifelines that it exploits in other countries — digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping."
"Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control is also sanctioning over 60 entities, individuals and vessels around the world that enable the Iranian regime to procure illicit nuclear and missile technology, conduct cyber operations, and generate oil revenue," Bessent said.
"This is a sustained campaign to collapse every last option for Iran," he added. "Let there be no ambiguity as to the position of the United States — an economic engagement of any kind with this murderous regime will expose those responsible to the full reach of American power."
He described the actions as the "economic asphyxiation" of Iran.
Bessent says U.S. is 'launching an economic onslaught' against Iran's financial connections abroad
Bessent announced that the Treasury Department is launching "Operation Economic Outcast" today, which he said is "an unprecedented campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers."
"We are launching an economic onslaught against Iran's financial connections around the globe. Around the globe, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone," he said.
Bessent said Iran faces a clear choice with two paths: "complete global isolation and a subsistence economy or a path back to normalcy with an opportunity to rejoin the global economy."
"Treasury has mapped every node, every facilitator and every network that Iran has used to smuggle oil and evade sanctions. Beginning today, the actions of Treasury and other agencies will tighten the noose and block every potential source of revenue that funds the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and the evil Iranian regime."
Bessent said those who stand with the U.S. "will reap the rewards of our partnership," but he warned, "Those who tether themselves to the Iranian regime should expect to share in the isolation of a withering regime."
Bessent unveils additional economic sanctions targeting Iran
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is holding a news conference to unveil additional economic sanctions aimed at further weakening Iran.
A source familiar with the plans said the sanctions will be imposed on countries that do business with Iran.
Trump to hold a tele-rally for Sen. Darline Graham tonight
Trump will hold a tele-rally for Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., on the eve of her runoff race.
"President Trump is doing a tele-rally for us tonight," Graham said during a news conference today. "So, we’re feeling really good."
President Donald Trump and Sen. Darline Graham during a campaign rally in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Aug. 21. Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images
"We’ve had a lot of events all around the state," she said. "I’ve been going out meeting people. That’s my goal. I want to hear from you. I want to hear from the people of South Carolina and what’s important to you. And if I get elected, I’ll keep doing that.”
Graham faces off against Rep. Ralph Norman in a runoff race tomorrow for the GOP nomination for the Senate.
Tonight marks Trump's second event supporting Graham in recent days. He traveled to South Carolina on Friday to campaign for her.
Graham is facing criticism about her lack of political experience after she said she was "not that informed on national security" when asked during a debate this month about whether she considered Taiwan and the South China Sea to be national security priorities.
"National security is not my thing," she said during the debate.
Later, she admitted in a Fox News interview that she "tripped up on one question," saying that she's "not a politician." She said during the interview that "China is our enemy" and "Taiwan is our friend."
Some South Carolina Republicans, though, have questioned Graham's level of experience. Graham has never been elected to public office before.
Vance refers to Canada as a state while defending U.S. tariffs
Vance referred to Canada as a state, before calling his comment a Freudian slip.
"We have to remember, Canada is a state — sorry, Freudian slip," he said as the audience laughed. "That was actually an accident."
Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in making Canada a U.S. state, a move that Canada has vehemently rejected. The "51st state" rhetoric has become a source of tension between the two countries.
“Canada is a country that has underinvested in its military that quite literally would get invaded by a foreign country were it not for the umbrella of protection provided by the United States of America," Vance corrected himself.
"And so how does Canada actually respond to that, by treating the people of Maine fairly?" he said. "No, they apply ridiculous tariffs and other nontariff duties on Maine products coming into Canada, and they don’t expect Maine or anybody else to fight back.”
Vice President JD Vance speaks today in Brewer, Maine. Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images
His comments came in response to a question about the state of the tariff battle between the U.S. and Canada. Vance said the administration was "very mindful" that Maine borders Canada.
"There's a lot of cross-border transaction between Maine and Canada, and what we're trying to do here is just make sure that Maine actually gets a fair deal," he said.
Later, Vance said that negotiations are "still ongoing," adding that he wanted to be "respected of the process." U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, though, said in a Saturday interview on Fox News that the U.S. does not have "new talks planned with the Canadians."
Vance calls Sen. Susan Collins 'the most independent member of the United States Senate'
Vance shouted out Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in his remarks this afternoon in the battleground state, praising her political independence.
But Collins, who's running for re-election, was not at the event, according to News Center Maine.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images file
When Vance visits the state, he said, he has to "give Susan a little bit of crap, because as you know, Susan is the most independent member of the United States Senate."
"And as the president of the United States Senate, she sometimes makes my job just a little bit harder," he said.
“But she makes it harder because she is coming to work every single day and fighting not for a political party or not for any abstraction,” he said. “She comes to work every single day, and she fights for the great people of Maine.”
Collins is one of the Republicans most likely to break with the administration. Over the weekend, for instance, she criticized U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports, saying in a post to X that “they will increase costs for Maine families, as most businesses will have no choice but to pass on the tariffs to their customers through higher prices.”
The senator has leaned into her independent streak in her re-election bid as she faces off against Democrat Troy Jackson. Democrats are eyeing Maine as a top seat to flip blue.
Trump will head to Ireland next month
Trump is expected to travel to Ireland on Sept. 12 and 13, according to a White House official. The president will attend an event with embassy personnel and business officials, as well as the Irish Open at Trump Doonbeg, the official said.
This trip is the most recent example of Trump mixing official engagements with overseas travel connected to his family’s business. The tournament is taking place at Trump International Golf Links Ireland in Doonbeg, County Clare.
Bessent set to announce sanctions on countries that do business with Iran
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to announce a wider range of secondary sanctions on countries that do business with Iran in an attempt to exert more economic pressure on Tehran, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Bessent will detail the move today in an afternoon news conference. It’s being framed as a “final warning” to any entity with business ties to Iran, the source said. This is what the Trump administration has been billing as “economic D-Day,” as the conflict nears the six-month mark Friday.
The news was first reported by Reuters.
Trump hits back at Carney, threatens to hike auto, truck, metals tariffs to 50%
Trump today hit back at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who on Friday had announced he would retaliate against any new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump threatened to hit imported cars, trucks, automobile parts and steel with 50% tariffs starting Jan. 1, 2027.
Dan Sullivan endorses Dan Sullivan to beat Dan Sullivan in perplexing Alaska Senate race
A new Dan Sullivan has entered the conversation surrounding the Alaska Senate race, in which incumbent Dan S. Sullivan faces a candidate with the same name.
The Republican former mayor of Anchorage, Dan A. Sullivan, endorsed GOP Sen. Dan S. Sullivan for re-election over retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan and Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola last week.
“As the OG Dan Sullivan, I urge Alaskans to vote for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. He’s been great for Alaska,” the former mayor wrote on Facebook.
Sen. Darline Graham defends experience and compares herself to Trump
Sen. Darline Graham this morning defended her background and performance at this month's Senate debate, comparing her lack of political experience to Trump's.
She said that although she is not a politician, she has experience leading a state agency.
“I’m experienced. I’m just not a politician. But you know what I say? Who else wasn’t a politician when they started the job? Our president, right? President Trump,” Graham said during an interview on “Fox & Friends.”
She also once again defended her answer to a question in last week’s primary debate about Taiwan, the South China Sea and American security. She said that she spoke with voters and people expressed their appreciation for her honesty and they did not prioritize the issue of Taiwan over issues like affordability. “They’re like, ‘Taiwan? We’re worried about the price of groceries, not Taiwan,’” Graham said.
Vance travels to Maine for the second time this year
Vance plans to travel to Brewer, Maine, today, where he will deliver a speech at a manufacturing facility, according to the White House.
The visit marks his second trip to an important midterm state in recent days. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is locked in a competitive re-election bid against Democrat Troy Jackson. The seat is a key target for Democrats on their quest to flip the Senate blue.
Collins told News Center Maine that she would not attend the speech. She said that she was "already scheduled on Monday," the outlet reported.
Vance traveled to Ohio on Friday, where he spoke at a steel plant in his hometown of Middletown. Ohio has a Senate race and governor's race this fall — both of which are flip targets for Democrats. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faces off against Democrat Amy Acton in the governor's race, while Democrat Sherrod Brown faces Sen. Jon Husted in the Senate race.
Trump to hold Rose Garden event on school choice
Trump will hold a Rose Garden event with Education Secretary Linda McMahon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X.
The event will center on school choice, Leavitt said. The Daily Signal first reported the topic of the program.
“President Trump and Secretary McMahon will host students and parents in the Rose Garden on Monday to celebrate the start of the new school year," White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement. "The event will highlight the administration’s wins for American students, including the largest national expansion of education freedom in history.”
The outlet reported that Trump will tout the impact of the so-called big, beautiful bill on school choice, a program that provides families with vouchers to pick their kids' schools. A White House official said that "education freedom stakeholders" were invited to the program.
Critics of school choice argue that it hurts public school systems.
Iran says ‘desperate’ new sanctions will fail, mediator Pakistan sending army chief to Tehran
Iran’s foreign minister dismissed the threat of new U.S. sanctions as a sign of desperation yesterday and said the expected new measures would fail to defeat Tehran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is due to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. ET today, has threatened to impose “the toughest sanctions in history” on Iran.
Bessent previews 'economic D-Day' against Iran
Bessent previewed U.S. economic actions against Iran in what he referred to as "an economic D-Day" and "the single greatest financial offensive ever marshalled against an adversary."
In an op-ed for the Financial Times, Bessent pushed for countries to refrain from helping Iran financially. Otherwise, he foreshadowed, they "should expect to share in its isolation."
“To become a sanctuary for terror is to become, in the eyes of the United States, a global pariah,” he wrote.
Bessent did not say what specific economic maneuvers the U.S. plans to enact. He will hold a news conference later today.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on July 31. Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty Images
"The president has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority and action many assumed we would never summon," he wrote.
Last week, Trump threatened "Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale" and referred to the potential actions as "economic D-Day."
Iran is already heavily sanctioned by the U.S. If the U.S. targets countries that do business with Iran, China could be caught in the crosshairs. China is a key trading partner for Iran. It's also a key trading partner for the U.S., and Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit the U.S. next month.
