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In Trump’s Washington, Ballooning National Debt Stirs Little Action

The relative indifference to the news that the U.S. government now owes $40 trillion demonstrates how drastically the politics of deficit spending has changed.

© Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

A sign showing the national debt last week at a bus stop in Washington.
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Obama to Headline Fund-Raiser With Jeffries in New York

The top Democrats will gather party donors on Sept. 10, just as Republicans converge in Texas for their unusual midterm convention.

© The New York Times, left, Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Representative Hakeem Jeffries and former President Barack Obama will aim to give Democrats a financial boost at a time when money is a concern for the party heading into the midterm elections.
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Trump Administration to Expand Deportation Flights to Haiti

Flights to the Caribbean nation will increase from once a month to once a week now that the Supreme Court allowed President Trump to cancel a humanitarian program.

© Jean Feguens Regala/Reuters

Deportation flights to Haiti will increase as soon as this week.
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Trump Raises Money in Texas With Control of the Senate in the Balance

Many Republicans are hoping for financial support from President Trump, whose fund-raising power in the party remains unmatched despite his low poll numbers.

© Meridith Kohut for The New York Times

A cutout of President Trump in Cypress, Texas, during the Republican primary runoff for Senate between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Senator John Cornyn in May.
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U.S. to Withdraw 200 Troops Sent to Nigeria Under Trump

Officials say the small, limited deployment could serve as a model. But terrorists in the country have continued to attack and kill.

© Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Nigerian soldiers took part in a search-and-rescue exercise at the Maiduguri Air Force Base earlier this month. Nigerian forces worked with the American military to kill one of the Islamic State’s highest-ranking leaders.
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Democrats to Force Senate Vote on Israel’s Human Rights Practices

Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland is leading a group of Democrats seeking answers about violence against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

© Mahmoud Illean/Associated Press

A handcuffed Palestinian man being detained by Israeli border police officers during an army operation in the Qalandiya refugee camp in the West Bank on Tuesday.
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As Anger Grows Over Trump Tariffs, Some in Canada Want Out of U.S. F-35 Deal

A year into a government review of the purchase of as many as 88 F-35s, one premier says buying American warplanes makes no sense in the face of President Trump’s latest tariffs.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

The F-35 Lightning, made by American defense contractor Lockheed-Martin, costs between $82.5 million and $109 million per plane, depending on the variant.
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He Thought He Destroyed a Flock Camera, but It Was a Decoy, Police Say

A Florida man was charged over the vandalism of a decoy version of the automated license plate readers, the authorities said.

© Brian Snyder/Reuters

A Flock camera on a street in Massachusetts. The cameras and related technology have faced a backlash over privacy and misuse.
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Administration Lawyer Chosen to Lead Panel Considering Trump Construction Projects

Mark Paoletta, also a close associate of Justice Clarence Thomas’s, has been named by President Trump to lead the National Capital Planning Commission.

© Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times

As the chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, Mark Paoletta will be tasked with vetting President Trump’s planned arch and other construction projects.
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West Point Climate Professor Says He Was Fired for Refusing to ‘Defy Science’

Dr. Adam Kalkstein is suing the U. S. Military Academy, where he was a professor of geography and the only climate scientist, after being fired.

© Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times

Cadets walking near Pershing Barracks at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2014. A West Point climate professor says he was fired for refusing to “defy science.”
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New White House Counsel Isn’t a Yes Man, but He Won’t Say No, Either

Will Scharf has proved his loyalty to President Trump, even filming a TV ad in which he blows away documents from the president’s legal cases. His new role will be to provide in-house legal advice.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Will Scharf in the Oval Office earlier this month.
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Secret Service Officials Said to Be Put on Leave Amid Internal Inquiry

The agency’s top spokesman is among those on leave, according to two Trump administration officials. The agency said three people faced a misconduct investigation.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

The Secret Service has been under intense scrutiny for years, particularly after two attempts on Donald J. Trump’s life in 2024.
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Maryland Judge Blocks Democratic Redistricting Measure

A judge found that Democratic lawmakers had not followed proper procedures in passing a redistricting amendment, but the state Supreme Court will have the final say.

© Michelle Gustafson for The New York Times

The Maryland State House in downtown Annapolis.
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How Darline Graham’s Politics Compare With Her Brother’s as She Runs for Senate

Senator Darline Graham has spoken far more about her desire to support President Trump’s agenda than she has talked about her brother’s political goals — or her own.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Ms. Graham has said she wants government to help people no longer rely on Social Security.
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Judge Allows Postal Service Effort to Restrict Mail Voting, for Now

The order came amid a spate of legal challenges, including one by Democratic state attorneys general, that could still result in the rules being blocked.

© Philip Cheung for The New York Times

Under its new plan, the Postal Service would not deliver mail ballots in states that do not share voter data with the agency and would deliver only ballots that meet certain criteria.
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Meet Dean Roy, the 15-Year-Old Running for Vermont Governor and Ready for ‘Impact’

Dean Roy, 15, will appear on the ballot in November as a third-party candidate. He said his generation’s concerns, like affordability and climate change, have been ignored for too long.

© Anna Watts for The New York Times

“The goal here is to make enough of an impact that the leaders have to start paying attention to the youth voice,” Dean Roy said.
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Joe Manchin Pushes for More Independents to Join Congress

The former Democratic-turned-independent senator and his daughter are backing independent bids for the House and the Senate to try to weaken the two-party grip on the Capitol.

© Jason Andrew for The New York Times

Former Senator Joe Manchin III and his daughter Heather said they believe the door is open given growing public disillusionment with partisan stalemate and party politics.
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Conservative Media Personality Makes Runoff for Alaska Governor

Bernadette Wilson, who has appealed to other Republicans to consolidate around her party’s top finisher, will be one of four finalists on the ranked-choice ballot in November.

© Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

Bernadette Wilson, a conservative Republican, is one of the 17 candidates running for governor in Alaska’s primary.
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Confronting South Korea’s Violent Past and Its Echoes Today

The National Museum of Korean Democracy, which opened last year, documents an era of brutal suppression. But that dark history has resurfaced in troubling ways.

© Woohae Cho for The New York Times

Yoo Dong-woo was among hundreds of pro-democracy activists who were tortured at the Namyeong-dong Anti-Communist Interrogation Office in Seoul. He has returned often to what is now the National Museum of Korean Democracy.
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5 Things to Know About Mike Mazzei, Oklahoma G.O.P. Candidate for Governor

The former state senator, who was endorsed by President Trump, spent millions of dollars of his own money on the race.

© Jake Ramsey/Oklahoma Watch, via Associated Press

Mike Mazzei at a televised debate with Oklahoma Republican gubernatorial candidates earlier this month in Tulsa.
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Mike Mazzei, Backed by Trump, Wins Oklahoma Primary for Governor

Mike Mazzei, a former state senator who lent more than $11 million of his own money to his campaign, narrowly defeated the state’s attorney general, Gentner Drummond.

© Jake Ramsey/Oklahoma Watch, via Associated Press

Mike Mazzei delivering his closing remarks at a televised debate this month in the Oklahoma Republican governor’s race.
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Graham, and Trump, Triumph: Six Takeaways From South Carolina’s Senate Runoff

President Trump went all in for Senator Darline Graham in a primary runoff on Tuesday. It worked, preserving his undefeated streak in Republican Senate primaries this year.

© Sean Rayford for The New York Times

Senator Darline Graham’s victory on Tuesday showed President Trump’s continued ability to move Republican primary voters, especially when he goes all in on a race.
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Trump Administration Sends Saudi Nuclear Deal to Congress for Review

The prospect that the kingdom could enrich uranium has drawn opposition from Democrats and revived concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

© Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi energy minister, in Saudi Arabia last year. The two signed an agreement last month as part of a broader package of cooperation on civilian nuclear power.
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Darline Graham, Backed By Trump, Wins Primary for Senate in South Carolina

Ms. Graham, who is temporarily filling the seat long held by her late brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, prevailed in a runoff and will be heavily favored in November.

© Sean Rayford for The New York Times

Senator Darline Graham has won her party’s nomination to compete for a full, six-year term in November.
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5 Things to Know About Mike Mazzei, Oklahoma G.O.P. Candidate for Governor

The former state senator, who was endorsed by President Trump, spent millions of dollars of his own money on the race.

© Jake Ramsey/Oklahoma Watch, via Associated Press

Mike Mazzei at a televised debate with Oklahoma Republican gubernatorial candidates earlier this month in Tulsa.
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5 Things to Know About Gentner Drummond, Oklahoma G.O.P. Candidate for Governor

Mr. Drummond, the state attorney general, faces an opponent backed by President Trump and Gov. Kevin Stitt. The campaign has highlighted his independent streak.

© Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Gentner Drummond, Oklahoma’s attorney general, in Oklahoma City in 2023.
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Trump’s Efforts to Sow Election Doubts Get Boost From Initial Court Order

A preliminary Supreme Court ruling could leave voters confused about casting ballots by mail, even as President Trump’s executive order is being litigated in the lower courts, experts said.

© Philip Cheung for The New York Times

People sort through ballots at a ballot processing center during a statewide special election in California last year.
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At Trump’s IndyCar Race, a V.I.P. Invitation Became a Diplomatic Snub

Foreign ambassadors were promised free food and drinks, misting fans and shaded seats during the event. Then some of them were uninvited.

© Anna Rose Layden for The New York Times

White House staff members watch the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on the National Mall last week. Some ambassadors were uninvited.
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5 Things to Know About Darline Graham, Trump-Backed South Carolina Senate Candidate

Ms. Graham is currently serving out the term of her late brother, Lindsey Graham. She has argued that her lack of political experience is a strength.

© Alex Kent/The New York Times

Senator Darline Graham during a rally hosted by President Trump in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Friday.
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5 Things to Know About Ralph Norman, South Carolina Senate Candidate

Mr. Norman, a five-term congressman, is a hard-line conservative running against the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.

© Will Crooks for The New York Times

Ralph Norman speaking to supporters in Anderson, S.C., this month.
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When to Expect Results in South Carolina and Oklahoma’s Primary Runoff Elections

The results of primary runoff elections will likely be known by late Tuesday night, officials said.

© Sean Rayford for The New York Times

A polling location in West Columbia, S.C.
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Would Darline Graham Be the First Sister to Succeed a Brother in Congress?

Family dynasties are common in American politics. But sibling succession is rare.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, welcoming Darline Graham, who was appointed to fill the seat of her late brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina.
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In Canada and at Home, Deference to Trump Turns to Defiance on Tariffs and Other Issues

While the president remains the most dominant figure in the world, other leaders and institutions are pushing back more vigorously than at the beginning of his second term.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

World leaders and domestic institutions are showing less willingness to submit to President Trump’s will.
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Where Does Trump’s Effort to Restrict Mail Voting Stand?

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to continue with plans to curtail mail-in voting, but the fast-moving, high-stakes legal fight continues.

© Philip Cheung for The New York Times

President Trump has long made unfounded claims that mail voting is fraudulent and corrupt, even as he has cast his own ballots by mail in multiple elections.
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What’s More Than ‘Maximum’? Trump Faces Limits on Iran Sanctions.

President Trump’s “Economic D-Day” is intended to break the stalemate with Iran. But decades of sanctions have done little to change the country’s behavior.

© Alex Kent/The New York Times

President Trump has bombarded Iran with new sanctions during his second term, targeting virtually the country’s entire economy.
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South Carolina Election Becomes Test for Trump

Runoffs in the state are typically sleepy, but the Republican Senate contest between Darline Graham and Ralph Norman seemed to be drawing relatively high turnout.

© Sean Rayford for The New York Times

A poll worker helping a man cast his vote in Cayce, S.C., on Tuesday.
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Supreme Court Ruling on Mail-In Voting Could Add to Election Confusion

The limits on mail-in voting may not go into effect by November, with a multistate lawsuit expected this week. But some states and experts warned about further voter confusion.

© Zack Wittman for The New York Times

Mail-in votes are processed by poll officials at the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Office in Largo, Fla., last week.
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India’s Summer of Youth Protests Is Boiling Over

The police fired water cannons at protesters in the state of Bihar, while the leaders of the ‘Cockroach’ student movement vowed to return to Delhi’s streets.

© Sonu Kishan/Reuters

The police used water cannons to disperse protesters in Patna, India, on Tuesday.
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How the Supreme Court Is Issuing Orders as Trump ‘Emergencies’ Return

The justices are still struggling with whether and when to explain themselves to the public when the court issues temporary, but consequential, orders.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

In 19 months, the president has already asked the justices to intervene far more times than George W. Bush and Barack Obama did during their 16 years in office combined.
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Trump Threatens to Rename Lake Ontario to Lake America as U.S.-Canada Trade War Heats Up

The president’s threat is his latest jab at Canada since trade talks between the two countries broke down.

© Eugen Sakhnenko for The New York Times

The name of Lake Ontario has become a recent target of President Trump.
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G.O.P. Lawmakers Rebuke Trump on Plan to Increase Beef Imports

Republicans who have mostly refrained from criticizing the president’s actions have been vocal in opposition to the move, which they say will harm their constituents.

© Loren Elliott for The New York Times

Cattle grazing on a ranch in Gillette, Wyo. “Americans want U.S. beef on the table — not foreign imports,” said Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 2 Republican.
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‘I’m Fine With My Body’: Danish Leader Responds to Unsolicited Beauty Advice

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had just returned from Ukraine when she received a message from a plastic surgeon asking if she wanted to fix her nose.

© Hilary Swift for The New York Times

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen last year. Elected at 41, she is the youngest person in Danish history to be prime minister.
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Trump Administration to Target Visas of Up To 200,000 Foreign Citizens Applying for Asylum

The State Department, in a move that could affect as many as 200,000 visa holders and asylum applicants, has begun its review. Cancellations could occur in waves.

© Oliver Contreras/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

“Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud — which is grounds for visa revocation,” Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesman, said in a statement.
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Many N.F.L. Players Get Brain Disease. Why Hasn’t OSHA Intervened?

“We never see things that are this dire,” a former chief scientist of the agency said about rates of C.T.E. in former players.

© Jason Andrew for The New York Times

The former N.F.L. player Jonathan Martin entering an M.R.I. machine for a brain examination that was part of a study to develop treatments for the symptoms and illnesses linked to C.T.E.
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Trump Administration Aims to Revoke Visas of Foreign Citizens Applying for Asylum

The State Department, in a move that could affect as many as 200,000 visa holders and asylum applicants, has begun its review. Cancellations could occur in waves.

© Oliver Contreras/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

“Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud — which is grounds for visa revocation,” Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesman, said in a statement.
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Jeffries Defends Kushner Meeting, Vowing Tough Oversight of Trump

The Brooklyn Democrat, who is in line to be speaker should his party win the House, has drawn ire from some progressives for huddling with the president’s son-in-law.
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