Donald Trump had one of the oddest days on Truth Social to date, floating the idea of renaming New Mexico to “New America,” attacking Congresswoman Debbie Dingell over the death of her husband, declaring the Moon American territory, and confirming he has made billions of dollars trading stocks while serving as president. Meanwhile, the pressure is mounting on Mitch McConnell, with Fox News contributor Joe Concha saying the 84-year-old senator needs to return to the Capitol this month or resign, as bipartisan frustration grows over the lack of direct updates on his health nearly three months into his absence.
Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton was reportedly attacked at a campaign event this weekend when an armed individual lunged at her, injuring several nearby volunteers before the suspect was taken into custody. And across the world, tensions escalated fast: Iran claimed a strike on a US vessel that the US denied outright, Israeli strikes killed four people in southern Lebanon, and a cargo plane crash in Miami added to a weekend of chaos both at home and abroad.
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Here’s the news.
Donald Trump’s Truth Social Explosion:
Donald Trump spent the day posting some of the oddest posts to date on his Truth Social. One post suggested he was considering renaming New Mexico to “New America.”
Another post attacked Congresswoman Debbie Dingell for her late husband. Her husband passed away and the President used his passing as an attack on her.
The President also declared that the Moon was American territory.
He also confirmed that he has made billions of dollars off of stock trading while serving as President.
Mitch McConnell:
Fox News contributor Joe Concha called on Senator Mitch McConnell to either return to Capitol Hill in September or resign, saying on The Big Weekend Show Saturday, “if he does not come back in September, he needs to step down.” Concha said he no longer wants to see “proof of life photos from a hospital bed,” adding McConnell “needs to get in front of a microphone and prove that he can do this job, and if he can’t he needs to step aside, period.” The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican has been out of Congress for nearly three months after being hospitalized in mid-June following a fall and a diagnosis of mild pneumonia. He was later discharged from a rehabilitation facility last month but has not yet returned to the Senate, and in an August 6 statement said he would continue an “intensive regimen of physical therapy from home” on his doctors’ advice while staying engaged with staff and colleagues remotely.
McConnell’s absence has fueled bipartisan frustration over the lack of direct updates on his condition. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, urged him in July to “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,” while Fox News co-host Tomi Lahren questioned whether it’s “fair to the American people” that “unelected staffers are running the show” for McConnell. Awareness among his own Republican colleagues has varied widely: Senator Tommy Tuberville said in early August “I don’t know anything,” while President Trump said around the same time he had “no idea” how McConnell was doing, and some GOP allies have said they spoke with him by phone during his hospitalization.
Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, said Saturday he has not spoken with McConnell since his hospitalization but is hopeful he’ll be back in the Senate “in the next few weeks,” adding “if he’s not, there’ll be a reason why and the senator will be able to explain that to the American people.” McConnell, who has dealt with multiple health issues in recent years and is set to retire in 2027, has faced repeated calls to be more transparent about his condition amid mounting speculation over his fitness to serve. His extended absence carries added weight given Republicans currently hold only a razor-thin majority in the Senate.
Other news:
AI data centers are becoming a real political liability heading into the midterms, according to new NBC News Decision Desk polling. A majority of voters said they oppose a data center being built in their own community, with opposition even higher among voters who already view AI negatively overall. The findings suggest the rapid buildout of AI infrastructure, often tied to promises of jobs and economic growth, is running into skepticism from the very communities where these facilities would be located. Lawmakers on both sides have started citing concerns about strain on local power grids and water resources as data centers multiply across the country.
Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton was reportedly attacked at a campaign event on Sunday at the Canfield Fair in Mahoning County, near Youngstown. According to a statement from her campaign, an armed individual lunged at Acton, and multiple people nearby were injured in the incident. Campaign communications director Addie Bullock said Acton was “grateful” for the swift law enforcement response but did not directly say whether Acton herself was hurt. Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman Chris Anderson confirmed the suspect was taken into custody and was found to be armed with multiple weapons, adding that several campaign volunteers were knocked to the ground as the suspect lunged toward Acton. Both Bullock and Anderson condemned the violence, with Bullock saying “this kind of violence has no place in Ohio” and Anderson calling the incident “reprehensible” and something that “should be condemned by leaders on all sides of the aisle.”
Iran claimed it struck a US vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, but the US military said flatly that no such strike occurred, calling the claim untrue. The competing claims come amid heightened tensions between the two countries following recent military confrontations in the region. US officials pushed back hard on the Iranian assertion, characterizing it as fabricated rather than describing any incident to explain the discrepancy. No further details or evidence were offered publicly by either side at the time of reporting.
An Amazon branded cargo plane crashed after running off the runway at Miami International Airport. The aircraft was operated by 21 Air under contract with Amazon’s air freight network. The crash prompted a runway closure and disrupted operations at the airport as crews responded to the scene. Details on injuries and the cause of the crash were still emerging. At this time, at least five people have been killed.
The Trump administration is making its third attempt to get the Supreme Court to reinstate restrictions on mail in ballots after a federal judge blocked the rule. Judge Talwani had ruled against the restrictions, prompting the administration to escalate the fight to the nation’s highest court. This marks a continued push by the administration to tighten mail voting rules ahead of the midterms. The repeated appeals signal how central the mail ballot fight has become to the administration’s broader election policy agenda.
Rep. Jamie Raskin said on Meet the Press that impeachment is “a critical tool” but pushed back on the idea that Democrats should treat it as an obsession, saying it shouldn’t become “a fetish.” He argued Democrats need to keep their focus on issues like healthcare rather than fixating on impeachment as a political strategy. Raskin’s comments reflect an ongoing internal debate among Democrats over how aggressively to pursue oversight and accountability measures against the administration. His framing suggests a preference for prioritizing kitchen table issues over impeachment proceedings in the run up to the midterms.
Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana criticized the Trump administration’s handling of both Vladimir Putin and inflation, breaking from the administration’s messaging on two fronts at once. Kennedy’s comments suggest friction within Republican ranks over how the administration is managing foreign policy toward Russia. He also took aim at the administration’s inaction on rising prices, a politically sensitive issue heading into the midterms. His remarks add to a growing chorus of Republican voices publicly questioning specific administration policies rather than offering blanket support.
Israeli strikes killed four people in southern Lebanon, according to reporting cited by officials in Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office. Aoun’s office described the strikes as part of a “dangerous escalation” in the region. The strikes add to a pattern of continued Israeli military activity in Lebanon despite ongoing ceasefire arrangements. The killings raise fresh concerns about the stability of the broader regional security situation.
A second attendee has died at this year’s Burning Man festival in Black Rock City, Nevada. The victim was identified as 60 year old Craigh Mann. Details about the circumstances of his death were not immediately released. This marks the second fatality at the festival this year, following an earlier death also reported during the event.
Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano erupted, sending disruptions through the country’s aviation network. Flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and other airports were affected by the eruption. Volcanic ash poses a serious hazard to aircraft engines, prompting caution from aviation authorities. The eruption adds to a string of recent volcanic activity in the region that has periodically grounded flights.
See you soon.
— Aaron
