President says he’s delaying the 50% U.S. on $20 billion worth of Canadian imports. The countries reached a deal buying time for more negotiations and avoiding for now another strain in . The South Korean and U.S. militaries detailed how they’re , a reduction Trump ordered in an apparent bid to re-engage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. And primary voters elevated a progressive Democrat for Senate in Florida, where Trump鈥檚 chosen candidate, , could become the state鈥檚 first Black governor.
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Trump walks and waxes on white granite and grass
It was planned as a private event, but the president decided otherwise. He wanted the reporters to see him sign a massive stone, which would become part of the new helipad under construction.
So, a gaggle of reporters tailed Trump outside the White House as he noted the prior state of disrepair and now, 鈥渓ook at the columns, how perfect they are.鈥� As for the grass, which he said, 鈥渉as life like humans have life,鈥� it will now 鈥渓ook so beautiful.鈥� And the white granite, which is a 鈥減owerful stone鈥� that 鈥測ou鈥檒l never see a crack in.鈥�
Trump came to a stop flanked by construction workers in hi-vis vests, hard hats and sunglasses, standing silently as the president complimented them, and answered a few questions from reporters about the day鈥檚 news. The president signed the stone in sweeping strokes.
鈥淚 hope you liked it,鈥� he told the assembled reporters.
Trump says underground portion of ballroom will be 5 stories deep
Trump complained that the lawsuit against his White House ballroom was 鈥渧ery unfortunate鈥� because the filings in the case have made public details that might have been kept secret.
But Trump has also been talking about components of the portion of the ballroom that will be underground. And he has taken to referring to the structure as a 鈥渕ilitary complex鈥� instead of a ballroom.
Trump said during the press tour that the part of the ballroom will be five stories deep underground. The precise depth of some structures, like the ballroom, is usually treated as a closely guarded secret.
Trump said he may reopen negotiations with Iran 鈥榓t some point鈥�
When asked by a reporter at the White House on Wednesday when he would plan to resume talks with Iran, Trump said, 鈥淩ight now, I think the situation is so good, but maybe at some point.鈥�
He reiterated that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon but didn鈥檛 offer any other details on his thinking.
Trump says he鈥檚 going to meet with North Korea鈥檚 leader
鈥淵eah, I will be,鈥� Trump said to reporters on Wednesday when asked if he will meet with Kim Jong Un this year.
The president wouldn鈥檛 answer a question about whether he is exchanging letters with Kim but said he gets along with him.
Trump didn鈥檛 include any other details about a potential meeting.
He met with Kim several times during his first term and said that they 鈥渇ell in love鈥� while exchanging letters that he described as 鈥渆xcellent鈥� and 鈥渂eautiful.鈥�
Over the weekend, he called for the Pentagon to scale back annual joint
Trump praises deal to stave off Canada tariffs
The U.S. president, after last-minute negotiations with the Canadian government, said the talks yielded a 鈥渧ery fair deal for both鈥� sides.
鈥淥ur farmers are going to be thrilled, our manufacturers are going to be thrilled,鈥� Trump said in an impromptu gaggle during a tour of South Lawn construction.
Trump noted that the agreement is all subject to the 鈥渇inalization of documents鈥� and that the tariffs, scheduled to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, were paused for three days to allow for that.
Trump also said he had a 鈥渧ery good conversation鈥� with Carney, with whom he has clashed in the past.
Trump hopes Supreme Court sides with him on White House ballroom
Trump said, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine鈥� the high court would rule against the ballroom he鈥檚 building after he was asked about a continuing court fight to block it.
Trump criticized the lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which seeks to halt construction until Congress approves the project.
A federal appeals court panel ruled Trump doesn鈥檛 have the unilateral authority to build the ballroom and that the work should be halted until Congress can weigh in.
The Trump administration argues that previous presidents made changes to the historic property and that Trump doesn鈥檛 need permission from Congress.
The Supreme Court has not yet announced whether it will hear the president鈥檚 appeal.
鈥淗opefully we鈥檒l do very well,鈥� with the justices, Trump said.
Norman says Senate no place for 鈥榯raining on the job鈥� after Graham鈥檚 misstep
Asked by reporters to respond to Graham鈥檚 stumble over the South China Sea question, Rep. Ralph Norman 鈥� her opponent in next week鈥檚 GOP runoff 鈥� said her lack of experience was apparent.
鈥淵ou need to get fully versed in what issues you鈥檙e going to be dealing with,鈥� he said.
Graham said 鈥淚鈥檓 not that informed on national security鈥� 鈥� one of her late brother Lindsey Graham鈥檚 signature issues 鈥� when asked a question about Taiwan in their debate on Tuesday.
Asked afterward if she wanted to try again, she doubled down, saying she鈥檚 more focused on South Carolinians鈥� everyday concerns.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e worried about their pocketbooks more than they鈥檙e worried about the South China Sea, quite honestly,鈥� Graham said. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 going to be my biggest focus.鈥�
Trump takes the press on a tour of helipad
The White House suddenly summoned the press corps Wednesday morning for a surprise look at the helipad being constructed on the South Lawn.
鈥淲e are building a great heliport,鈥� Trump said.
The president showed off the 鈥渇lawless granite鈥� and boasted of his construction and real estate acumen.
Construction continues on a helipad on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The helipad has been under construction for several weeks. It is being built because the new helicopters used as Marine One are so powerful that they can rip out the grass.
The president showed off the landing pad around the same that he was supposed to have a 鈥減olicy meeting,鈥� according to the schedule released by the White House.
Israel strikes on Gaza cast more doubt on ceasefire progress
Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 17 more people since to draw down its attacks in , casting doubt on new U.S. peace efforts.
Israel鈥檚 military said Wednesday鈥檚 strikes targeted a Hamas commander in Nuseirat who participated in the on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people and another planning to attack Israeli troops. Palestinians said one person was killed in Nuseirat and at least nine in the strike on a Gaza City police station.
Israel鈥檚 military said Tuesday鈥檚 strike targeted a meeting of four Hamas commanders and additional militants, including one who participated in the 2023 attack. That strike, , killed seven Palestinians, including a child, according to hospitals, the Palestinian Red Crescent and Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry.
More than 73,400 Palestinians have been killed in the , including at least 1,273 people killed by Israel since the October , according to Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry.
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Trump calls Alex Vindman鈥檚 loss 鈥榯he most gratifying鈥� of Tuesday鈥檚 primary results
That鈥檚 because the retired Army lieutenant colonel and former National Security Council staffer had delivered searing testimony against Trump during the president鈥檚 2019 impeachment trial.
Vindman had testified about a telephone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
In a social media post, Trump disparaged Vindman as a 鈥渞eal treasonous creep.鈥�
Vindman lost his bid for the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Florida to progressive state lawmaker Angie Nixon. Trump predicted she will lose the general election to Republican Sen. Ashley Moody.
Democrats file Supreme Court brief to stop Trump鈥檚 ballroom
More than a dozen senators and representatives signed onto the amicus brief challenging what they said is Trump鈥檚 illegal demolition of the White House East Wing and plans to build a new ballroom without congressional authorization.
鈥淭he Constitution deems Congress the landlord of the White House and all federal property 鈥� presidents are only temporary tenants in the People鈥檚 House,鈥� said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
He said Trump鈥檚 鈥渂allroom stunt is plainly illegal, and the Supreme Court should put a stop to it.鈥�
鈥淐ongress has not provided funding or authorization for Trump鈥檚 ridiculous vanity project, making this project an unconstitutional abuse of power,鈥� said Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. 鈥淲e will continue fighting to stop this illegal use of taxpayer dollars.鈥�
The administration has appealed challenges to the ballroom project to the Supreme Court.
North Korea shrugs off Trump鈥檚 scaled-back drills with South Korea
North Korea says a U.S. decision to scale back military exercises with South Korea doesn鈥檛 change anything.
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made the comments Wednesday night in her country鈥檚 first reaction to Trump鈥檚 drastic reduction of the annual U.S.-South Korean military drills.
Kim Yo Jong says it鈥檚 not even worth commenting on Trump鈥檚 move and that she has no interest in the matter.
She said 鈥渢he provocative, aggressive nature鈥� of the U.S.-South Korean drills won鈥檛 change even though their duration and size have been reduced.
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Trump says he told Mills to end reelection bid
The president, who prides himself as the GOP鈥檚 political kingmaker, said Wednesday that he had asked scandal-plagued Rep. Cory Mills to abandon his reelection attempt.
But 鈥渉e wouldn鈥檛 listen,鈥� Trump said in a social media post. 鈥淗e thought he could win, so who can blame him?鈥�
Mills lost the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis and other top Florida Republicans amid allegations of domestic violence against a former girlfriend, which Mills denied.
Trump had backed Mills earlier this year, but Mills was conspicuously missing when the president鈥檚 social media account re-upped his endorsements ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 primaries. Republicans nominated former television correspondent Ryan Elijah instead.
鈥淲e now have a great candidate, Ryan Elijah, running in his place!鈥� Trump wrote. 鈥淩yan stands for EVERYTHING MAGA, and is respected by ALL. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement!鈥�
Americans have elected just 3 Black governors. That could change this year
Across 250 years, only three of the thousands of elected U.S. governors have been Black 鈥� all of them Democrats and men, including current Maryland Gov. .
With Florida Republicans nominating U.S. Rep. on Tuesday, there are now seven Black major party gubernatorial nominees in addition to Moore 鈥� men and women, Democrats and Republicans 鈥� on November ballots.
鈥淲e do have a unique moment here,鈥� said Moore, who .
The Black nominees typically emphasize their experience and policy proposals, not the history at stake.
鈥淔lorida is a great meritocracy in America,鈥� Donalds told reporters after not mentioning his race at all in his Tuesday night victory speech. 鈥淚鈥檒l let you guys write about that.鈥�
The other nominees are Republicans in Minnesota and in Michigan; and Democrats in Nevada, in Georgia, in South Carolina and in Wisconsin.
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Sen. Darline Graham in debate: 鈥業鈥檓 not that informed on national security鈥�
The recently appointed senator stumbled over a foreign policy question in a debate Tuesday night as she competes in next week鈥檚 Republican primary runoff in South Carolina.
鈥淎re Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States and if so, why or how?鈥� a moderator asked.
Graham started her answer by saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 just going to be honest here.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 not a polished politician up here, national security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military,鈥� she said moments later.
Graham鈥檚 brother, Lindsey, died unexpectedly on July 11. She was appointed to fill his seat temporarily and Trump has endorsed her against in the for her own term.
Kennedy Center tells court it won鈥檛 move to return Trump鈥檚 name before Sept. 8
The Kennedy Center has told a federal court it won鈥檛 try to to the building鈥檚 facade before at least Sept. 8 as another legal battle takes shape over the future of the performing arts venue.
In a status report filed late Tuesday, opponents of the move said members of the Kennedy Center鈥檚 Trump-aligned board 鈥渟eem intent鈥� on defying an earlier court order requiring the president鈥檚 name to be removed. The Kennedy Center said it wouldn鈥檛 move forward with its plans until after Labor Day 鈥渁t the earliest鈥� to allow time for legal arguments.
Lawyers for Rep. , an Ohio Democrat who is an ex-officio member of the board, pressed U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper for an earlier ruling, arguing there is 鈥渆very reason to believe that Defendants will attempt to effectuate some or part of this latest unlawful resolution at the earliest opportunity after September 8.鈥�
Israeli military says it has reviewed 150 cases of troop conduct in Gaza, and decided five
Israel鈥檚 military says it will launch criminal investigations into two high-profile attacks on Palestinians during 鈥� the killings of , and of .
The military said it would not investigate three other attacks that killed aid workers from and Doctors Without Borders.
The Wednesday statement did not mention other high-profile killings that the military has pledged to investigate throughout the war, such as the Israeli in August 2025 that killed five journalists including , a visual journalist who freelanced for The Associated Press and other news organizations.
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Fake polling from mysterious company highlights danger of unvetted election surveys
A mysterious political firm admitted to fabricating multiple election polls this month. The fake results from a company called Median Strategies, none of which appeared in AP coverage, claimed to evaluate support in the Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin, the gubernatorial race in Nevada, and the mayoral race in Los Angeles.
The California poll was shared by Mayor Karen Bass鈥� campaign on social media and covered by local news outlets before the company admitted its results were faked and shut down.
The trajectory of the false data offers a cautionary tale about the perils of trusting unvetted polling. While high-quality political polls still exist, they appear amid a slew of other surveys produced by outside groups, campaigns or super PACs using undisclosed or questionable methodologies.
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Canadians say Trump鈥檚 tariffs delay falls well short of a deal
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement 鈥渟ubstantial progress鈥� had been made but that important work remained, confirming Canada had agreed to the three-day delay while negotiations continued.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candace Laing said in a statement that the three-day tariff delay offered businesses some relief but fell short of the certainty a signed interim agreement would provide.
鈥淭his limbo state is not anyone鈥檚 preferred outcome,鈥� she said, urging negotiators to reach a deal quickly.
US sanctions International Criminal Court president, senior prosecutor
The International Criminal Court has responded to the latest Trump administration sanctions it faces, saying they undermine the rule of law. 鈥淲hen judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk,鈥� its statement says.
The State Department said Tuesday it had hit ICC president Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, and ICC senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, who is from Senegal, with sanctions that freeze any assets they have in U.S. jurisdictions or come into contact with the U.S. financial system.
The Trump administration has sought , which it accuses of trying to unfairly prosecute U.S. and Israeli soldiers for alleged crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza. Secretary of State Marco Rubio鈥檚 statement calls it 鈥渁 corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court that has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate.鈥�
Election takeaways: Donalds joins historic field and progressive scores upset victory in Florida
As the long, contentious primary season nears its end, Democratic voters elevated another progressive Senate candidate in Florida, while Trump鈥檚 chosen candidate in his adopted home state, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, won the nomination to be the state鈥檚 first Black governor.
It was a mixed bag for incumbents in the state, where Republican-led redistricting efforts scrambled congressional maps. Voters in Alaska, Wyoming and California were also choosing their nominees, sometimes considering multiple people running with matching last names.
Tuesday鈥檚 contests will help shape the to determine control of Congress, where Republicans have a narrow edge.
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South Korean and US militaries shorten drills by about half after Trump ordered a reduction
The South Korean and U.S. militaries detailed how they鈥檙e , a reduction Trump ordered in an apparent bid to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump had ordered his Pentagon chief to 鈥渟ubstantially reduce鈥� the allies鈥� summertime just before they began Monday for an 11-day run. Trump cited what he said was a good relationship with Kim and South Korea鈥檚 refusal to support him over
South Korean officials said Trump鈥檚 surprise announcement came without prior notice, baffling many people in the Asian country and raising concerns about joint defense readiness.
South Korea鈥檚 military said Wednesday the allies agreed to adjust the duration and scale of the exercises at the request of the U.S. It said the would end Friday, not Aug. 27 as initially planned. The allies also agreed to downsize some joint field training exercises.
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Trump says US and Canada have reached last-minute deal to delay 50% US tariffs on Canadian imports
President says he鈥檚 delaying the 50% U.S. on $20 billion worth of Canadian imports. The countries reached a deal buying time for more negotiations and avoiding for now another strain in .
鈥淚 have paused the 50% Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!鈥� Trump posted on Truth Social.
If they had gone into effect as scheduled at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Trump鈥檚 import taxes would have hit Canadian products ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors.
But the political impact would likely have been bigger than the economic one. Canada had threatened to retaliate against any new tariffs with levies of its own, aggravating a trade fight between countries that sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.
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