The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump to move ahead with his executive order restricting mail-in voting, though it remains unclear how much his administration can implement before the fast-approaching midterm elections.
The decision appears to leave room for additional court challenges that could further slow Trump鈥檚 order. And with some states beginning to send mail ballots to voters in just a few weeks, time is running short to impose major changes.
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that new U.S. secondary sanctions in the pipeline aim to , telling nations to cut economic ties to Tehran or face U.S. retaliation. Tehran has of punishing American sanctions. Ahead of the announcement, , dropping to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets.
Trump threatened on Monday to on Canadian automobiles, car parts and steel starting next year as the trade rift with Ottawa continued to deepen. The announcement comes after trade talks between the otherwise reliable trading partners collapsed last week. Long-planned U.S. tariffs on various Canadian goods after the talks broke off, and .
The Latest:
Oregon Democratic officials vow to fight Trump mail voting order
In Oregon, where ballots are sent to voters by mail, the state鈥檚 top Democratic officials are vowing to continue their legal fight against Trump鈥檚 executive order.
鈥淪hould USPS unlawfully attempt to interfere with Oregon鈥檚 vote-by-mail process, AG Rayfield will immediately sue to stop that threat,鈥� the officials said in a statement, referring to state Attorney General Dan Rayfield.
Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said in the statement that elections will 鈥減roceed as planned this November, free from any illegal federal interference.鈥�
鈥淲e will continue to challenge this over-reaching executive order in court with the Attorney General when the time is right,鈥� Read said.
Canada will announce retaliatory tariffs against US on Tuesday, official tells AP
Canada will announce retaliatory tariffs against the United States on Tuesday, an official familiar with the plans told The Associated Press, escalating a trade fight that has sharply worsened since negotiations with the Trump administration collapsed.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the plans publicly.
Carney said Monday that Canada may need to move away from matching U.S. tariffs dollar for dollar and instead use more targeted retaliation, saying officials were reviewing options aimed at protecting Canadian workers and businesses.
Trump escalated the dispute again Monday, telling Canadian leaders to 鈥渇all in line鈥� or face consequences 鈥渇ar WORSE鈥� than tariffs already imposed and threatening new 50% tariffs on Canadian vehicles, auto parts and steel.
鈥� By Rob Gillies
Trump moves toward levying new tariff on China, AP sources say
The new tariff being weighed would penalize the world鈥檚 second-largest economy for flooding the global market with underpriced goods, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Two of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations still being finalized, said Trump is considering setting the new tariff at 7.5%.
It鈥檚 a level administration officials believe would not endanger between Washington and Beijing or a planned White House meeting between Trump and Chinese President expected to take place .
The move, if finalized, appears to be a calibrated effort by the White House to work around a that struck down Trump鈥檚 plan to implement a sweeping, high-tariff scheme not seen since the 1930s.
鈻�
MAGA Inc. spends $827,000 to back Darline Graham on final day of South Carolina GOP Senate runoff
The final day of South Carolina鈥檚 Republican U.S. Senate runoff campaign on Monday came with a major cash infusion for Sen. from MAGA Inc., the super PAC that supports Trump and aligned Republicans.
The spend of nearly $830,000 came as Graham and Rep. wrapped up their compressed campaigns to win the GOP nomination in a special primary to replace late Sen. on November ballots.
罢耻别蝉诲补测鈥檚 tests the heft of both a famous political last name and the endorsement of Trump, who is backing Darline Graham and campaigned in the state for her days ahead of .
The matchup pits the well-known Norman 鈥� fresh off an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid earlier this summer 鈥� against Graham, the late senator鈥檚 sister who was thrust into the political spotlight with , then a sprint of a primary campaign.
鈻�
Supreme Court clears the way for Trump mail voting order in advance of midterms
The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump to move ahead with his executive order restricting mail-in voting, though it remains unclear how much his administration can implement before the fast-approaching midterm elections.
The decision appears to leave room for additional court challenges that could further slow Trump鈥檚 order. And with some states beginning to send mail ballots to voters in just a few weeks, time is running short to impose major changes.
Mail balloting has long been a for Trump, who has claimed that it breeds fraud despite strong evidence to the contrary and his own use of .
The case could be one of multiple voting-related challenges before the justices. The Justice Department had filed an emergency appeal asking the high court to allow work on implementing the changes before the midterms.
鈻�
US set for largest mass visa revocation in history targeting up to 200,000 foreigners, officials say
The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the United States. If it happens, the move would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in U.S. history and would likely face legal challenges.
or revised, the State Department is expected to announce in the coming weeks the revocation of so-called B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have or are now seeking asylum, according to State Department documents obtained by The Associated Press and two U.S. officials. The action will be taken in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.
鈥淲e are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,鈥� said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.
鈻�
Hegseth won鈥檛 rule out a return to striking Iran
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he is not ruling out resuming strikes to hit Iran amid a lull in hostilities.
鈥淏y no means are we foreclosing using kinetic strikes, anywhere, in the Strait of Hormuz or around Iran,鈥� Hegseth told reporters Monday.
It comes as the Treasury Department has announced a and warned nations that do business with the Islamic Republic to sever those financial ties or face retaliation from the United States.
Hegseth said that 鈥渋f Iran is foolish enough to overplay their hand or mess with the American military, we鈥檒l do what we need to do鈥� but he added that 鈥渆conomic pressure we know hurts them the most right now.鈥�
Pentagon won鈥檛 cut money for weapons if Congress shrinks military budget, Hegseth says
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon will proceed with efforts to significantly boost production of advanced weapons, even if it Congress fails to approve President Donald Trump鈥檚 proposed $1.5 trillion budget.
Hegseth said the Pentagon has already inked multiyear deals with various contractors, with many scaling up manufacturing capacity.
鈥淭his is not a nip around the margins of a few more weapons,鈥� Hegseth told reporters in Wisconsin. 鈥淭his is a generational investment of 2X, 3X, 4X war munitions of the ones we know we鈥檙e going to need and use.鈥�
U.S. military officials and Washington think tanks have raised concerns that the U.S. depleted many advanced weapons during the Iran war. But Hegseth pushed back, repeating the Pentagon鈥檚 stance that the U.S. military has plenty of munitions.
Treasury sanctions nearly 60 Iran-linked entities worldwide on nuclear, missile, cyber and oil networks
The Treasury announced sanctions Monday against nearly 60 Iran-linked entities over their roles in Iran鈥檚 nuclear and missile programs, malign cyber activities and oil shipments.
It is part of the administration鈥檚 economic campaign against Iran, including warnings to other countries not to do business with Iran in sectors such as shipping, technology and aviation.
The Treasury sanctioned Hong Kong-based Sweet Ocean Industrial Limited and its associated personnel and businesses, accusing them of helping Iran acquire sensitive goods such as laser optics equipment. The Treasury also sanctioned several other Hong Kong-based entities for having provided funds to Sweet Ocean and its network.
Separately, the Treasury sanctioned China-based Shenzhen Huamei, the Hong Kong branch of the Iran-based logistics company BRE Line and its director for their ties with BRE Line in support of Iran鈥檚 missile and nuclear programs.
A sanctioned company is cut off from the U.S. financial system.
Trump plays Pied Piper to show off his ballroom
At the end of a Back to School event near the Rose Garden, the president invited the crowd 鈥� which included dozens of children 鈥� to accompany him and see the White House ballroom being built nearby.
鈥淚f anybody would like to walk with me,鈥� Trump said, calling it 鈥渁 special way the kids could see construction.鈥�
The president added: 鈥淚 love the sound of construction.鈥�
Trump has taken to calling the project a 鈥渂allroom slash military complex.鈥� He noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting soon and recalled his own visit to China in May.
鈥淲e saw the Great Hall of China,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淲ell, now we鈥檙e going to have a great hall, too, in the United States.鈥�
Trump hosts education event in Rose Garden
The president鈥檚 main public event Monday is a back-to-school event featuring Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
Many schoolchildren are in the audience during the outdoor event.
鈥淲hat a nice setting this is,鈥� Trump remarked.
US formally removes Syria from state sponsors of terrorism list
The Trump administration on Monday formally removed Syria from the State Department鈥檚 鈥淪tate Sponsor of Terrorism鈥� blacklist, making permanent a series of sanctions removals that had been initially announced more than a month ago.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had announced the recission of Syria from the list in early July, but there was a 45-day period for congressional review before it was formalized. That review period has now expired and sanctions related to the state sponsor designation have been almost completely removed, the State and Treasury departments said on Monday.
鈥淭reasury is following through on President Trump鈥檚 promise to give the Syrian people a chance at greatness,鈥� Bessent said in a statement. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 action will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability.鈥�
Bessent says no country is 鈥榓bove the reach of US sanctions鈥�
When asked that the U.S. could go soft on China to maintain the fragile trade truce between the world鈥檚 two largest economies, Bessent said 鈥渘o one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions鈥�
鈥淚f they facilitate transactions and are part of the ecosystem that turns Iranian oil into money, into repression, they will be targeted,鈥� Bessent said.
Experts have said the U.S. is likely to carefully calibrate its actions on China, just a month before Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to visit the U.S. to keep the already-fraught relations from falling out.
The Trump administration is challenged to act big with Iran 鈥渨ithout escalating tensions with Beijing,鈥� said Wendy Cutler, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.
Bessent says its giving Iran鈥檚 trading partners a chance 鈥榯o remedy bad behavior鈥�
Asked by a reporter Monday about issuing warnings to Tehran鈥檚 financial partners instead of promising an 鈥榚conomic D-Day鈥�, the Treasury secretary said he wanted countries to shift away from Iran before it was too late.
鈥淲hy would I want to blow up the global financial system?鈥� Bessent said. 鈥淲e believe that it is important to level set and give people a cure period.鈥�
He added, 鈥淏ut they should know that that will move very quickly and that we are serious. Secondary sanctions are a very powerful tool.鈥�
Bessent doesn鈥檛 name names, but insists US is making its expectations clear on Iran trade
The treasury secretary said Trump has been 鈥渕aking phone calls to world leaders with specific request to cease their interactions鈥� with Iran and has already seen results.
The UAE announced last week that it was suspending all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran until further notice.
鈥淚 am confident the president, as you all know, is quite persuasive,鈥� Bessent said.
Bessent said that Treasury and State Department officials are following up with calls and visits with officials from countries and entities it wants to see take action and laying out 鈥渆xactly what we expect and the timelines.鈥�
Iran鈥檚 parliament speaker dismisses impact of looming US sanctions
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Monday said Iran鈥檚 trading partners were not taking Washington鈥檚 鈥渟tatements into account,鈥� even as the country鈥檚 economy reels from months of war and mounting pressure.
鈥淎mericans know that no one buys their bombast,鈥� Qalibaf said in a post on X, saying that the United States was 鈥渘ot in an economic position to further restrict its relations with other countries.鈥�
His comments came as Washington prepared to expand secondary sanctions targeting countries and companies doing business with Iran, in an effort to isolate Tehran from the global dollar-based financial system.
Bessent warns nations they can no longer operate in 鈥榞ray zone鈥� of Iran conflict
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says new U.S. secondary sanctions in the pipeline aim to block all potential sources of revenue for Iran, telling nations to cut economic ties to Tehran or face U.S. retaliation.
Bessent added it鈥檚 鈥渘o longer acceptable to operate in the gray spaces鈥� of Iran conflict as US threaten sanctions against Tehran鈥檚 trade partners.
The treasury secretary did not name what countries could face potential secondary sanctions from the United States, but China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are Iran鈥檚 largest trade partners.
鈥淟et there be no ambiguity as to the position of the United States,鈥� Bessent said at a Monday afternoon news conference. 鈥淎n economic engagement of any kind with this murderous regime will expose those responsible to the full reach of American power.鈥�
Vance calls Canada 鈥榓 state鈥� but says doing so was an accident
Asked about the Trump administration escalating a trade war with Canada when Maine depends so heavily on cross-border trade, the vice president said, 鈥淐anada is a state鈥� but then added, 鈥淪orry. Freudian slip.鈥�
As the crowd laughed and hooted, Vance added, 鈥淭hat was actually an accident.鈥�
He likened Canada to China in what he called unfair trade practices, saying that 鈥淐anada allows itself to be a backdoor for Chinese goods鈥� that eventually are imported into the U.S.
Vance said negotiations between Canada and the U.S. were ongoing and that he thought there鈥檇 have been an agreement easing trade disputes by now 鈥� but Canada had made 鈥渦nreasonable鈥� demands.
Vance gives shoutout to 鈥榦ur very independent friend, Susan Collins鈥�
Republican Sen. Susan Collins was not accompanying Vice President JD Vance during his manufacturing stop in Brewer, Maine on Monday.
But he still made sure that her presence was felt.
鈥淲henever I鈥檓 in Maine, I got to give Susan a little bit of crap,鈥� Vance told the crowd as he began his remarks. 鈥淏ecause 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.鈥�
Vance said Collins, who is up for reelection in the Democratic-leaning state, has visited the vice president鈥檚 residence about a half-dozen times. In those meetings, Vance said, Collins is constantly pressing him about how certain policies affect her state.
Vance ended his brief aside on the senator by asking the crowd to give a shoutout to 鈥渙ur very independent friend, Susan Collins.鈥�
The Washington Post must reinstate a Black writer fired for posting about Charlie Kirk
鈥淎fter wrongfully firing me last year, an independent arbitrator has ordered the @washingtonpost to reinstate me immediately, with back pay,鈥� Karen Attiah on Instagram on Monday, calling it 鈥渁 victory for journalists everywhere.鈥�
The ruling found insufficient cause to , the last Black full-time member of at the time.
, a top conservative podcaster and Trump ally, made provocative statements about race, gender and politics, including calling George Floyd, whose 2020 murder at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked protests, a 鈥渟cumbag.鈥�
Kirk鈥檚 killing on Sept. 10 elicited a torrent of comments, and some who spoke out against him faced sanctions or dismissal at work. One post Attiah made said 鈥淩efusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a white man that espoused violence is 鈥� not the same as violence.鈥�
A Post statement said it respects the arbitration process and declined further comment.
