Trump doubles down on Canada trade war as talks remain stalled – US politics live

A US judge has blocked Donald Trump’s latest effort to restrict birthright citizenship.

Deborah Boardman issued a preliminary injunction, preventing the Trump administration from enforcing the president’s new executive order, which he signed after the US Supreme Court rejected a previous effort.

The new order targets so-called “birth tourism”, and seeks to make children of people who work for foreign governments and those classified as an “alien enemy”, among other groups, ineligible for automatic citizenship.

Boardman said the order was “almost certainly unconstitutional”.

“This ​Court must, once again, preliminarily enjoin enforcement of the President’s most recent attempt to strip the right to citizenship from them,” she wrote.

Patagonia, the outdoor clothing and gear company, has joined a lawsuit challenging Donald Trump’s decision to significantly reduce the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah, removing protections from nearly 3m acres.

In July, the president approved the reduction of the sites by 90%, clearing the way to open the land to oil and gas companies. He argued in his proclamations that doing so would allow lands to be “put to a higher-priority use” and that they contained critical minerals important to “ resource independence …[and] national security”.

Patagonia said it was joining the lawsuit to put a stop to what it described as illegal orders that “betray Tribal sovereignty”.

“We will not stand idly by while anti-public lands crusaders attempt to exploit these lands for their extractive-industry friends or disrespect tribal nations,” Ryan Gellert, the company’s CEO, said in a statement.

Read more:

House Democrats rejected a constitutional amendment proposed by Republicans to ensure the size of the supreme court is permanently capped at nine justices. It failed 212-206.

As Reuters pointed out, the proposal was part of a Republican effort to make the supreme court a campaign issue ahead of the November midterms. The GOP was quick to seize on the issue with the National Republican Congressional Committee claiming in a statement that House Democrats “want to pack the Supreme Court with liberal justices so they can follow through on their radical socialist agenda”.

“Give House Democrats an ounce of power, and they’ll use every bit of it to fundamentally transform America into an unrecognizable socialist hellscape,” spokesperson Mike Marinella said.

Congressman Jamie Raskin argued Republicans were seeking to “cement their stacked and packed MAGA Supreme Court majority into the Constitution and strip away yet another basic power the Framers gave to Congress”.

“After sycophantically surrendering to Donald Trump our war powers, spending powers, tariff powers, and powers over federal buildings, to name a few, now they want to give up a power we have had since the Republic was founded: the power to decide how many Justices will be on the Supreme Court.”

Nithya Raman, the progressive Los Angeles city councillor challenging Mayor Karen Bass, has received an endorsement from the city’s chapter Democratic Socialists of America.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday that the organization endorsed Raman after more than 60% of voters in an online election among chapter members backed her for mayor.

The decision came after significant debate given her relationship with the chapter – she has long been a DSA member but the organization censured her in 2024 for pursuing an endorsement from a Democrats for Israel group. The DSA LA endorsement is expected to boost Raman’s campaign, as the organization has a significant volunteer base.

Raman beat out reality TV personality Spencer Pratt to advance to the November election against her former political ally Bass.

Donald Trump celebrated the news that Apple had fulfilled his request to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for Maps app users in the US following an executive order that came amid rising trade tensions between the US and Canada.

“Apple Maps has just announced that it has changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, so now that very important change of names, between Google Maps and Apple Maps, is complete, ratified, and binding,” Trump said in a post online on Wednesday afternoon.

It’s unclear what the president meant by “ratified” and “binding”.

Read more on Apple’s decision here:

Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva has slammed new border wall construction near Quitobaquito Springs on the Tohono O’odham Nation’s ancestral lands.

“This morning, bulldozers are tearing through protected lands to make way for Trump’s second border wall — just 0.7 miles east of Quitobaquito Springs and getting closer,” Grijalva said in a statement, which included a link to video apparently showing this construction. “This is tribal land. It does not belong to Trump.”

Grijalva said that authorities and private contractors had gone onto sovereign tribal lands despite objections from the Tohono O’odham Nation.

“This level of disrespect is shameful and will go down as a stain on our nation’s history and its treatment of Indigenous Peoples,” Grijalva’s statement also said. “This isn’t just about a wall.

“It’s about erasing people, cultures, and bulldozing over tribal sovereignty.”

Department of Homeland Security secretary Markwayne Mullin said he was on a plane that made an emergency landing.

Mullin’s disclosure was in an X post on Wednesday that shared another account’s description of this incident.

“A Coast Guard aircraft has landed safely at DCA after declaring an emergency in the air C101 had lost its right engine mid-flight and diverted to Reagan Airport for an immediate landing. All 14 members on board have landed safely,” @TheDMVLive posted just before 2 pm local time.

Just over an hour later, Mullin posted: “The United States Coast Guard pilots made the single engine landing feel routine. No panic, just straight professionalism. After we landed, the pilots told me that was a first for them! We could not have been in better hands.”

The Trump administration rejected New York’s request for help related to a major snowstorm that caused $168m in damage, governor Kathy Hochul said.

“Another day, another denial of critical federal assistance for New York by the Trump Administration,” Hochul said in a statement Wednesday. “Just one day after calling out President Trump and Secretary Mullin for continuing to withhold $87 million in counterterrorism funding, my Administration was informed today that FEMA has officially denied our appeal for a Major Disaster Declaration following the February blizzard that caused more than $168 million in damages and placed a serious financial burden on communities across New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson.”

“This storm met every FEMA threshold for federal assistance, yet the Trump Administration continues to play political games and betray every New Yorker who believes that the federal government is there to protect and support them,” Hochul also said. “By refusing to intervene and grant our request, President Trump has told every New Yorker who weathered this major storm and the first responders, utility crews and emergency management staff who worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe that you do not matter to him.”

“But let’s be clear, Republican members of Congress across New York are also enabling this neglect,” Hochul also said. “Their continued silence and refusal to break with the President is a direct betrayal of the communities they were elected to serve.”

“It is past time these members of congress demand that the President grant this disaster declaration and deliver every dollar of relief their constituents are owed.”

The Guardian has reached out to The White House and FEMA for comment.

President Trump has weighed in on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s move to Britain, saying at a press conference that: “I’m happy about it”.

“I was not a fan,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s query, during a question-and-answer session following a press conference with travel executives. “I had a very good relationship with the Queen, really good. I got to know her very well. A really good relationship with King Charles – I knew him as Prince Charles and King Charles. I’ve known him for a long time.”

Trump, describing Charles as a “great, great guy,” said he thought Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “treated the royal family with great disrespect.”

“I didn’t like it,” he also said, adding, “ If I were the royal family, I would not have taken them back.”

The couple’s move back to England comes six years after they left for the US. The King is reportedly looking forward to spending more time with them in a personal capacity, but Harry and Meghan will remain private individuals as they previously gave up their official royal duties.

The resumption of US-Canada trade talks does not seem to be on the horizon. During a press conference with US travel executives, Trump was asked if negotiations would resume.

“Canada has been ripping off the United States for many, many years, for decades, many decades,” Trump said, adding shortly thereafter, “It’s a very unfair deal. They charge tremendous tariffs to our farmers. They take advantage of our farmers. They take advantage of our tourists. They take advantage of airlines.”

The collapse of discussions resulted in Trump imposing 50% tariffs on $20bn in Canadian goods and Canada threatening retaliatory tariffs starting 8 September.

New Jersey is asking the US supreme court to consider whether states can regulate sports betting that takes place on prediction markets such as Kalshi.

According to Reuters, New Jersey asked the court to overturn a lower court’s ruling that the US Commodity Futures ​Trading Commission(CFTC) has sole ‌jurisdiction over sports-related contract trading on Kalshi.

Kalshi and other prediction market concerns let users make trades, and profit, from predictions on developments such as elections and sports. States such as New Jersey contend that these businesses are allowing gaming without proper licenses, per Reuters.

“These companies have no right to offer their sports bets without ⁠following state law, which is why dozens of ​states across ​the ideological spectrum have ​opposed them,” New Jersey’s attorney general ​Jennifer Davenport reportedly said.

Donald Trump’s CFTC maintains these companies’ position on regulation–that the CFTC has sole jurisdiction over these platform, Reuters notes.

President Trump’s suggested renaming of the strait of Hormuz has prompted criticism from Democratic leadership.

“No need for more renaming bodies of water here. Americans already call this entire fiasco TRUMP’S WAR,” Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said on X. “Trump cares more about feeding his ego than helping the American people who are crying out for help. They want lower health care costs, lower gas prices and grocery bills, and for our troops to come home.”

Schumer’s post included a link to Trump’s Truth Social missive earlier today where he said: “Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???”

Trump also said: “Like America itself, it would be ‘hotter’ than ever before!”

Donald Trump and AI giant Anthropic might be back on good terms following a spat over safety guardrails and national security.

Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Axios: “We trust Anthropic.”

“They’ve done what we asked. They’re back on the right side. So the answer is: Yes,” Lutnick reportedly said in a Tuesday interview.

According to Axios, Lutnick’s positive comments are amid Anthropic co-founder Tom Brown’s increasing role in the firm’s engagement with the White House. Brown had a “headlining spot” during the G20’s Innovation Ministerial, Axios noted.

Brown voiced support of Trump’s pro-data center social media post.

“I really love Trump’s post from earlier this week… where he was pointing out that the data centers are just an enormous source of prosperity,” Axios quoted Brown as saying. “They produce a ton of jobs. They produce taxes. Now the way that we design them, we actually bring on more power to the grid.”

Donald Trump has invited a group of Republican legislators for dinner Wednesday at the White House amid GOP hopes that he will distribute some of his $400m war chest before the midterms, Politico reported.

GOP candidates are both contending with newly competitive races and political blowback from the war in Iran and worsening affordability crisis. Republican incumbents are seeking money to fund their campaigns as Democrats continue to hammer them on these issues.

Trump’s “political operation” MAGA Inc., however, “has used little of its $400 million war chest to support GOP lawmakers,” Politico said. One notable exception is Darlene Graham, with MAGA Inc. doling out more than $800,000 for campaign texts and calls.

The planned dinner will be held in the Rose Garden, Politico also said.

And Kentucky representative James Comer, the GOP chair of the House oversight committee, has given Fox News his take:

Hakeem Jeffries has declared himself the leader, and he doesn’t want anyone having differing opinions. That’s what happens when you have socialism and communism … that’s the difference in the Democrats and Republicans. Republicans are open-minded, free will … the Democrats … want to rule with an iron fist.

Here’s the clip.

Regarding the two Democrats who voted with Republicans to advance a resolution condemning socialism yesterday, House speaker Mike Johnson has told Punchbowl News:

I didn’t know how many Democrats would vote, but I knew we’d get the votes on the rule one way or the other, as we always do, and we were gonna have to work it hard on our side.

Leader Jeffries has a serious problem, a serious problem, in his caucus. He is being overwhelmed by communists and Marxists on one side, and on other members on the other. I have no idea about getting out of that thicket.

Asked whether the Republicans who voted against the rule be punished, Johnson replied: “We don’t do that.”

• House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries has vowed a “serious response” after two Democrats voted with Republicans to advance a procedural vote yesterday. Moderates Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Jared Golden voted to advance a resolution condemning socialism, which also contained support for the enactment of Trump’s SAVE America Act, that eight Democrats supported. Jeffries said the decision “represents a significant breach of trust”. More here.

• Meanwhile, Donald Trump – claiming that the US has control over the strait of Hormuz despite escalating conflict with Iran and extensive evidence to the contrary – has floated the idea of naming the critical waterway “TRUMP STRAIT”. A reminder that he has no authority to do so, and that this comes after his efforts to rename the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario to the Gulf of America and Lake America, respectively. Major US tech firms have complied with his re-naming decrees for US users of their maps apps.

• Trump picked acting navy secretary Hung Cao to take on the job permanently amid concerns that some sailors have been stretched to the limit during his war against Iran. Cao’s nomination comes as some, including Democrats in Congress, believe Trump has been overtaxing the navy. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier’s nine-month deployment to support the Iran war included a record-setting uninterrupted 270 days at sea. Here’s Natasha May’s report as the ship finally docked in Thailand.

• Eighty-nine percent of recently surveyed US adults think government corruption is “widespread,” a Gallup poll released today said. Gallup, polling 1000 people this May and June per the Washington Post, said that this sentiment is at its “highest level in 20 years.” More here.

• The powerful Teamsters union is backing Republican candidates in the 2026 election cycle even after members have voted to support their Democrat opponents. The 1.3 million-strong union’s president, Sean O’Brien, angered many members and union leaders in 2024 when he became the first union president to speak at the Republican national convention. The latest moves by the union’s leadership are further stoking tensions within the union. Michael Sainato has the story.

Civil rights advocates are reportedly poised to send “hundreds” of observers to voting precincts during fall elections in response to fears of voter intimidation amid Trump administration attacks on election access.

According to The Washington Post, the National Action Network, American Federation of Teachers, and Save America Movementhave teamed up to start the Vote Safe project. This non-partisan effort reportedly plans to focus on Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio.

The initiative comes as Trump has doubled down on unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud and even called for the GOP to nationalize elections.

Concerns about voting access have been heightened still more by a whistleblower report alleging that the US Postal Service’s planned screening system for mail-in ballots was so glitchy that entire batches of ballots could be rejected in error.

Donald Trump – now claiming that the US has control over the strait of Hormuz despite escalating conflict with Iran and extensive evidence to the contrary – is pitching yet another geographical re-naming.

“Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???” the president said in a Truth Social post that came shortly after touting his ballroom project. “Like America itself, it would be ‘hotter’ than ever before!”

“Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Trump’s potential renaming pitch does not exist in a vacuum.

Trump announced the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario to the Gulf of America and Lake America, respectively. The latter re-naming comes amid Trump’s trade war with America’s second-largest trading partner.

Major US tech firms have complied with Trump’s re-naming decrees for US users of their maps apps.