President Donald Trump announced Sunday that his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch would serve as both a monument and a “top grade Military Complex.”
&#8220;At the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch…into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch.&#8221; The complex would “house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage,” he added.
“There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World,” Trump said. The arch is <a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/faa-approves-trumps-triumphal-arch-requires-eternal-flame-top">planned for</a> Memorial Circle on Columbia Island, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. 
Trump has made a similar national security argument in the legal battle over his White House ballroom, saying the project would include an underground bunker and other military facilities beneath the building. The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/08/supreme-court-allows-construction-on-white-house-ballroom-to-continue/">allowed</a> construction to continue after finding that its challenger likely lacked standing, but it did not rule on whether Trump had the legal authority to build the ballroom without congressional approval.
As with the ballroom, critics argue that Trump lacks the congressional approval needed to build the arch. Trump has not disputed that he is building a monument for himself. He <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/04/politics/trump-monuments-ballroom-arch">told</a> New York Magazine that “Nobody will do it once I’m gone. When I leave here, nobody will.”
House Democrats introduced a <a href="https://www.wwnytv.com/2026/05/30/house-democrats-introduce-bill-block-trumps-triumphal-arch/">bill</a> in May to block the arch and to require congressional approval for similar structures on National Park Service land in the capital region. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), who co-led the bill with Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), said, &#8220;It goes beyond that to say that you also can&#8217;t do it on other places that are federally owned, specifically national parks.&#8221; More than 20 House Democrats signed on to the bill.
Attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group Nicolas Sansone told The New York Times that Trump was “trying to paper over a patently unlawful project by giving it a veneer of national security justification.” He added, “It simply has no legal foundation whatsoever unless and until Congress passes a law saying he can build it.”
The arch is part of the Trump administration&#8217;s push to make D.C. &#8220;safe and beautiful,&#8221; a goal set out in a March 2025 executive order: &#8220;As the capital city of the greatest Nation in the history of the world, it should showcase beautiful, clean, and safe public spaces.&#8221; The National Endowment for the Humanities has <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-trumps-construction-projects-are-changing-washington-and-costing-taxpayers">reserved</a> $15 million for initial planning, and the administration has not released a final cost estimate. Reports have put the price tag at roughly $100 million.
So far, the Trump administration has cleaned up Meridian Hill Park, restored Columbus Circle Fountain at Union Station, made renovations to the Reflecting Pool, unveiled a $22.5 billion overhaul of Dulles International Airport, and brought in the National Guard to heighten security around the nation&#8217;s capital. The D.C. National Guard&#8217;s Task Force Beautification has also completed at <a href="https://dc.ng.mil/Public-Affairs/News-Release/Article/4320835/task-force-beautification-marks-100-projects-unveils-new-strategy-for-safer-dc/">least 100</a> &#8220;beautification projects&#8221; around the city.
The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Wire’s request for comment.

The Great American State Fair In Washington DC

Trump Says Triumphal Arch Will Double As ‘Top Grade Military Complex’

ballroom incident

dina titus

donald trump

politics

triumphal arch

washington dc

President Donald Trump says he is in a &#8220;deciding mode&#8221; on Iran, weighing &#8220;wiping Iran out, letting them rot economically or making a deal.&#8221;
Trump explained Sunday that getting Iran to negotiate is difficult when “some of the officials are hiding like rats.” Trump <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2101672307622101431">told</a> Fox News&#8217; Trey Yingst that “very big things are going to be happening in the not-so-distant future” in Iran. He said, “My question is if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave.&#8221;
President Trump will be attending the UN General Assembly this week and said he would be open to meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who will also be in attendance. The United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule">approved</a> visas for Iran’s “core delegation” on Thursday. The State Department said the move was “consistent with our host country obligations.” 
The war has continued to escalate in September, with Iran shooting down at least two U.S. MQ-1 drones in recent days. Officials have not said where the aircraft went down or which variant of the MQ-1 was involved. Iran also struck a U.S.-contracted vessel near the Strait of Hormuz this week, according to Yingst&#8217;s sources. One projectile hit the ship, causing minor injuries to those aboard, including &#8220;U.S. personnel.&#8221;
The fighting has also spread to Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, where Iran-backed Houthi forces attacked Riyadh on Saturday. The State Department has urged Americans to reconsider travel to the region amid continuing missile and drone activity, warning that attacks are hitting not only military bases but also cities, airports, infrastructure and energy sites.
Ahead of a Tuesday meeting with Gulf leaders at the UN, Trump told Axios on Thursday, &#8220;I want to find out where they are and how they are doing. We have been very protective of them.&#8221;
Republicans are eager to reach a solution in Iran with the war causing increased prices for crude oil. The rise in energy costs has affected other goods and services, stirring dissatisfaction around affordability shortly before the midterm elections in November. Diesel prices hit an all-time high in September, reaching $6.40 per gallon on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/diesel-prices-hit-all-time-high?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Diesel+Prices+Hit+All-Time+High">Thursday</a>. Diesel is up 73% since last year. Trump said the increase in energy costs however were a “very inexpensive price to pay for what we’ve done” referencing his administration&#8217;s efforts to curb Iran’s ability to obtain a nuclear weapon. 
The administration predicts that prices will “come tumbling down” shortly after the midterm elections. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said crude oil could fall as low as $40 per barrel when the war ends. “We’re going to get on the other side of this Iran conflict, and I expect that oil will come down,” Bessent <a href="https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/us-treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-sees-crude-oil-as-low-as-40-post-iran-war-lower-bond-yields/133788620">said</a>. “We’re going to be very much oversupplied in the oil market after this.

President Trump Signs Executive Order On American Energy

Trump Warns Iran He May ‘Blow The Entire Nation Up’

iran

oil prices

strait of hormuz

united nations general assembly

world

The Republican college students who shared a photo of a student celebrating the anniversary of Charlie Kirk&#8217;s assassination are no longer facing disciplinary action from the University of Utah. 
“Based on the review, I do not believe there are grounds to charge you for a violation of University policy,” an email from a member of the University’s Dean’s Office read. “I will be formally dismissing the case against you and ensuring there is no record in your University file,&#8221; ABC4 <a href="https://www.abc4.com/news/education/university-utah-dismisses-doxxing-kirkiversary-cake/">reported</a>. 
The students, Rylie Barnes and Riley Beesley, <a href="https://x.com/rileybeesley/status/2100017136592896252">said</a> they were facing threats of expulsion after they shared a photo of another student holding a cake that read “Happy Kirkiversary.” Beesley is the College Republican chairman, and Barnes is the College Republican vice president at the university.
Beesley <a href="https://x.com/rileybeesley/status/2100017136592896252">said</a> that the student, Sara Larsen, came up to their young College Republicans booth &#8220;voluntarily&#8221; and “posed for pictures holding her cake mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination.” On Tuesday, Beesley <a href="https://x.com/rileybeesley/status/2100017136592896252?s=20">shared</a> an email from the University of Utah’s Dean’s Office that accused him of “attempting to doxx another University of Utah student over a political issue.” Barnes received a similar message. 
Barnes shared the image from her personal X account on September 10 with the caption, “What is wrong with students in Utah?” The post amassed over 6.4 million views. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
What is wrong with students in Utah?? <a href="https://t.co/KBu0jTQErx">pic.twitter.com/KBu0jTQErx</a>
— Rylie (@Rylieparis05) <a href="https://x.com/Rylieparis05/status/2098155405050581419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
The school’s College Democrats Chapter issued a <a href="https://x.com/uofutahdems/status/2098894426496012292">statement </a>calling on the university “to create an environment where students can interact without fearing for their safety, and to impose consequences on those who encourage and participate in this behavior.” The chapter said Larsen has faced “thousands of hateful comments doxing her and her family, targeting her appearance, and trying to ruin her life.” 
The chapter also said Larsen issued an apology but now “fears for her family’s safety,” has had to “delete several of her accounts,” and is “unable to go to campus.” The College Democrats chapter reportedly <a href="https://x.com/Rylieparis05/status/2100750179058213352">deleted</a> their Instagram account after the students’ cases were dropped. The chapter also organized a protest and a <a href="https://x.com/Rylieparis05/status/2100750179058213352">petition</a> to &#8220;Stop Rylie Barnes.&#8221; 
Utah Senator Mike Lee rushed to the conservative students&#8217; defense when the controversy erupted, <a href="https://x.com/rileybeesley/status/2100795544436347092">saying</a>, “I cannot believe this is even on the table.” Lee added, “If these two get expelled by the University of Utah, I’ll hire both of them — and then help them find schools where they can complete their degrees without fears of political persecution.” 
Beesley thanked the X community for helping get the case dismissed. “We took down the University of Utah,” Beesley <a href="https://x.com/rileybeesley/status/2100667366963400816">shared</a>. “Case fully dismissed because of the outcry on X.” 
Barnes <a href="https://x.com/Rylieparis05/status/2100653232372711920">echoed</a> the statement: “My case is fully dismissed. This wouldn’t have happened without the outpour of support we received online. Thank you!”

University Of Utah Dismisses Misconduct Investigation Sparked By Charlie Kirk Anniversary Cake Controversy

University Drops Doxxing Case Against Students Who Exposed Twisted Charlie Kirk Stunt

campus free speech

charlie kirk

college republicans

mike lee

university of utah

Children&#8217;s entertainer Ms. Rachel specifically requested white donors for a fundraiser for children in Gaza, as she promised to match a donation from rapper Macklemore. 
“We have a moral obligation to use our privilege and platforms to protect children and human rights,” Ms. Rachel, whose full name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZb_0PuS4y/">said</a> on Thursday. 
Accurso said she was inspired by Macklemore’s donation of his earnings from Ed Sheeran&#8217;s tour. Macklemore was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/washed-up-rapper-dropped-from-ed-sheeran-tour-after-pro-islamic-terrorist-rant">dropped</a> from Sheeran’s tour earlier this week after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft barred him from performing at Gillette Stadium following Macklemore’s anti-Israel comments from the stage at a concert at MetLife Stadium.
“I will match Macklemore’s donation and I invite every wealthy white celebrity to match it and speak out against the genocide in Gaza,” Accurso said. “Over 20,000 precious Palestinian children have been killed and children continue to be killed every day.” 
On Friday, Accurso appeared to address the Macklemore backlash, writing on Instagram, &#8220;Please stop being racist and care that over 20,000 kids in Gaza were killed and that children continue to be killed.&#8221;
&#8220;Understand that everyone is outraged because killing thousands and thousands of kids is so obviously wrong and horrific. We&#8217;re not going away, and we are not going to stop saying not to use our tax dollars to hurt and kill kids and people,&#8221; she added.
During a performance earlier this month, Macklemore shouted, “Free Palestine,” as a Palestinian flag and graphic images of the war appeared behind him. Kraft, who has spent years fighting antisemitism, said his stadium would not “provide a platform for hate speech.”
 After he was barred from performing, Macklemore announced he would donate his $1 million in earnings to Palestinian relief efforts and invited Kraft to do the same. Hours later, Ms. Rachel joined the cause and said she would donate the money to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, for which she serves as an ambassador. Both Accurso and Macklemore have previously faced controversies involving antisemitism. 
In the past, Macklemore has worn a costume featuring a large fake nose that critics said <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dave-portnoy-weighs-in-on-macklemores-antisemitism-controversy?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Dave+Portnoy+Weighs+In+On+Macklemore%E2%80%99s+Antisemitism+Controversy">resembled</a> a Jewish caricature. He later apologized for the costume and denied that was his intention. 
In January, Accurso liked a comment on social media that read, “Free America from the Jews.” Shortly after, Accurso posted an emotional video claiming she liked the antisemitic comment by accident. 
“I feel like we can’t be human anymore online … I am super sorry for any confusion it caused,&#8221; Accurso said through tears. &#8220;I delete antisemitism any time I see it. I am against all forms of hate including antisemitism against the Jewish people.” 
Accurso launched her show on YouTube in February 2019 after her son was diagnosed with a speech delay. Since then, her popularity has skyrocketed, and she has also become increasingly vocal about politics. 
In 2023, Accurso was blasted by conservative parents after she featured Jules Hoffman, a trans-identifying person who claims to be &#8220;non-binary.&#8221; Hoffman regularly played songs for children on Accurso’s channel.

Ms. Rachel

Ms. Rachel Calls For Gaza Donations. But Her Invite Comes With A Color.

antisemitism

gaza

israel hamas war

macklemore

ms rachel

robert kraft

Warren Buffett announced on Friday that he is stepping down as Berkshire Hathaway’s chairman.
Buffett tapped his son Howard Buffett, 71, to replace him effective immediately. Warren Buffett will become chairman emeritus.
“Serving as your Chairman has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I have never taken your trust for granted,” Buffett <a href="https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/news/sep1826.pdf">said</a> in a letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, adding, “Father Time always wins. He has, however, been generous with me. He has given me the opportunity to see Berkshire reach a point where I am more confident than ever about what lies ahead.”
Buffett’s move to chairman emeritus is the latest step in a carefully planned transition designed to move the company under new leadership after his extraordinarily long tenure. Buffett nodded to his age in the letter, telling shareholders he recently celebrated his 96th birthday surrounded by family, friends, and great-grandchildren. Buffett joked that his 1-year-old great-grandson was moving “a bit faster” than he is these days.
Buffett served as Berkshire Hathaway’s CEO for 60 years before stepping down on January 1 and handing the reins to longtime Vice Chairman Greg Abel. Buffett said Abel’s success as CEO helped give him the confidence to take this final step back.
“Part of the reason is Greg,” Buffett said. “My expectations for him were sky high from the start, and he has exceeded them. He has taken hold of the Chief Executive Officer job in every respect. He has been making the decisions that matter for some time now, and I have not had to think twice about any of them. So the timing is right to complete the transition.”
Abel had similar praise for Buffett. 
“Warren’s impact on Berkshire and its owners is without parallel in the history of American business. The culture Warren built and the values he championed will remain at the heart of Berkshire, and Howard will be their guardian,” Abel said Friday.
Under Buffett’s leadership, Berkshire Hathaway was transformed from a struggling textile mill into a sprawling conglomerate worth more than $1 trillion. Buffett built his reputation by buying undervalued companies rather than chasing the market’s latest trends. He purchased his first stock at just 11 years old and was teaching investing and money management by age 22.
Buffett spent decades building Berkshire alongside his longtime business partner, Charlie Munger, who remained active in the company until his death in 2023, just weeks shy of his 100th birthday. In his farewell message as chairman, Buffett thanked Berkshire’s shareholders for sharing the long-term outlook that guided him and Munger throughout their partnership.
“From the beginning, Charlie and I looked for owners who thought in decades rather than quarters, and we were fortunate to find a great many of you,” Buffett said. Now, after more than six decades at Berkshire’s helm, Buffett is asking those shareholders to place the same long-term trust in the company’s next generation of leadership.

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett Steps Down, Says ‘Father Time Always Wins’

berkshire hathaway

business

greg abel

howard buffett

warren buffett

A juror who favored finding Lindsay Clancy not criminally responsible for killing her three children laughed when an interviewer observed that the trial had succeeded in getting people talking about postpartum mental health.
“Lindsay’s decline was so fast,” juror Paula Devlin said in an <a href="https://turnto10.com/news/local/nbc-10-speaks-with-a-juror-from-the-lindsay-clancy-murder-trial-sept-17-2026">interview</a> with NBC 10. “We really thought this was an opportunity to get people talking. That’s all we really thought, get people talking.” 
“Well, they are certainly talking now,” the interviewer replied.
Devlin laughed and answered, “Yes, they are.”
Devlin said the trial could serve as a “stepping stone” to help people better understand what women can experience after giving birth. 
“I think that’s the moment that maybe we started saying out loud, this can really be a stepping stone to have people look at and understand what women go through when they have babies and what postpartum looks like,” she said. “Every person is different. Every person that has ever had it … You try and talk about it in your doctor’s office and they’re like, ‘Try and take a nap when the baby’s sleeping. Try and get some sleep.’”
“It was very clear to us that we were there because Lindsey didn’t get the help that she was asking for so desperately,” Devlin added. 
Devlin said the trial also gave some of the male jurors a new perspective on postpartum mental health.
“Even the guys in the room, you know, one of them had kids and he was even thinking like, ‘Wow, this is what my wife went through?’” she recalled.
Her remarks came after several jurors who favored Clancy&#8217;s insanity defense drew criticism online for publicly discussing their deliberations.
“One of the jurors admits that multiple nurses on the jury used their experience and medical background to ‘explain’ toxicology reports to the holdout juror,” Federalist co-founder and CEO Sean Davis said. “I showed that clip to a trial attorney who immediately saw it as an admission that the pro-Clancy jurors were using outside information and evidence from outside the trial process to bully a juror toward a particular outcome.”
Jurors may draw on their general experience during deliberations, but they are not permitted to introduce outside evidence or effectively act as unsworn expert witnesses.
Another juror expressed disappointment that the jury had failed to acquit Clancy.
“I wish we could have come through for Lindsay,&#8221; the juror <a href="https://x.com/Rachelspeakout1/status/2098198514274586755">said.</a> &#8220;I feel very sad that we couldn’t.”
Clancy strangled her three young children with exercise bands in the basement of the family’s Duxbury, Massachusetts, home in January 2023. Her husband returned from running errands to find Clancy outside after she had jumped from a second-story window in a suicide attempt. He then discovered the children in the basement.
Clancy&#8217;s defense did not dispute that she killed the children but argued that postpartum psychosis left her unable to know that her actions were wrong. Prosecutors said that she planned the killings and was criminally responsible.
The trial ended in a mistrial on September 4 after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Eleven jurors favored finding Clancy not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility, while one juror favored conviction.

Lindsay Clancy

Lindsay Clancy Juror’s Laughing Admission

jury deliberation

lindsay clancy

massachusetts

mistrial

postpartum psychosis

The national average price for diesel hit a record $6.40 per gallon Thursday, up nearly 73% from last year.
<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">AAA data</a> showed diesel averaging $6.3956, up from $3.7075 one year earlier. It was the highest national average the organization has recorded.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1181153" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-17-at-4.58.44-PM.png" alt="" width="1866" height="446" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-17-at-4.58.44-PM.png 1866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-17-at-4.58.44-PM-300x72.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-17-at-4.58.44-PM-1024x245.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-17-at-4.58.44-PM-768x184.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-17-at-4.58.44-PM-1536x367.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1866px) 100vw, 1866px" /></div>
At a campaign rally in North Carolina on Wednesday, President Donald Trump <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/6095554-trump-gasoline-prices-iran-war/">described</a> the higher fuel prices as a relatively small “price to pay” compared to the prospect of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, justifying his actions against the Islamic Republic.
“It’s a very inexpensive price to pay for what we’ve done. Remember that,” Trump said. “It’s a little more. Frankly, even if it was a lot more.”
Trump predicted that fuel prices would soon fall sharply. 
“But that’s going to come tumbling down&#8230;That’s going to be like rocket ships in reverse.” 
Diesel prices began climbing after the war with Iran began earlier this year as disruptions to global oil supplies pushed crude prices higher. At the beginning of February, prices hovered around 3.68, but by mid-March diesel prices jumped to $4.80. The increase has accelerated again in recent weeks amid continued instability in the Strait of Hormuz, disruptions to Russian fuel supplies, and damage to a major Saudi pipeline.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has argued that the elevated energy prices will not last indefinitely. In an interview broadcast earlier this month, Bessent predicted that crude oil could fall as low as $40 per barrel after the war ends.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to get on the other side of this Iran conflict, and I expect that oil will come down,&#8221; Bessent <a href="https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/us-treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-sees-crude-oil-as-low-as-40-post-iran-war-lower-bond-yields/133788620">said</a>. &#8220;We&#8217;re going to be very much oversupplied in the oil market after this.&#8221;
Gasoline prices are also elevated. The national average reached approximately $4.44 per gallon Thursday, up from $3.20 one year ago, according to AAA. The current average remains about 58 cents below the record of $5.0165 set in June 2022.
Higher fuel prices could create political problems for Republicans ahead of November&#8217;s midterm elections, as Democrats blame the president for the increased costs.  
&#8220;The average American family is spending an additional $4,200 every year because of Donald Trump,&#8221; California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on social media.
Newsom was referencing an estimate released by Democrats on the congressional Joint Economic Committee, which calculated that the average household had spent an additional $4,200 since Trump took office.
&#8220;Trump still can&#8217;t explain what this war is for,&#8221; claimed Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ). &#8220;All he&#8217;s delivered is higher gas and grocery prices.&#8221;
A national poll conducted in June found that about two-thirds of registered voters <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_15dcff3d-45ef-4739-b167-d547844ec229.html">say</a> that fuel costs will likely influence their votes in November.

Gasoline

Diesel Prices Hit All-Time High

2026 midterm election

diesel price

gas prices

gavin newsom

Engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war with the United States, Canada is pursuing stronger ties with Europe and Asia in an effort to ease its trade woes.
Canada and the United States have each imposed 50% tariffs on certain imports from the other country, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is looking for avenues to get relief from the tariffs. Committed to rallying the world’s “middle powers,” Carney has said that he is “not looking to become a member” of the European Union but is seeking a “unique alliance.” 
On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered Carney a solution. 
Von der Leyen <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/09/16/canada-builds-ties-europe-asia-turning-away-us-amid-trade-war/">offered</a> to make Canada the first “associate member” of the European Union. Von der Leyen framed the proposal as an effort to build “common strength” rather than a move “against anyone else.” Becoming a full E.U. member typically takes years and requires extensive negotiations and legal changes, but it remains unclear what Canada would have to do, or how long it would take, to become an “associate member.” If confirmed, the status would be the first of its kind. 
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-warns-eu-tariffs-over-canadas-potential-associate-membership-calls-it-2026-09-17/">responded</a> to the proposal Wednesday night after disembarking from Air Force One for a campaign event in North Carolina. 
“I think it’s laughable,” Trump said. “If they do that, if I think it’s at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things.” The president added that his next move would depend on what he believes Europe and Canada intend to accomplish.
“If it’s a good intention, that’s fine,” he continued. “If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe.”
One E.U. diplomat was reportedly caught off guard by the proposal, saying that “nobody really knows what it means.” Another diplomat added that some E.U. members were concerned von der Leyen “is overpromising and won’t be able to deliver.” Yet another diplomat called the invitation an “unfortunate proposal, which has never been discussed with Member States.”
At the same time, Canada is also pursuing new trade negotiations with China, a country that praised Canada for walking away from negotiations with the United States. Chinese state media even <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-media-hails-canadas-chinese-style-tariff-retaliation">praised</a> Canada’s efforts as “Chinese-style” tariff retaliation. In September, the countries re-engaged in military talks for the <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-china-military-cooperation-9.7337345">first</a> time in eight years. The conversations had been put on pause after Beijing kept two Canadians in detention in 2018. Officials met in early September in Canada “in support of ongoing military-to-military communications at the functional level.” 
Shortly after the talks between China and Canada, the Canadian government added new tariffs on steel, dairy, and agricultural equipment. The Trump administration also imposed bans on certain Canadian alcohol and “other products that were subject to the 50% tariffs imposed.” The new import bans are set to <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/09/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-responds-to-canadas-retaliation/">take effect</a> at the end of this month.

CANADA-G7-SUMMIT-DIPLOMACY

Canada Schemes Up Plot To Get Around Trump’s Tariffs

canada

european union

mark carney

tariffs

ursula von der leyen

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy threw his support behind New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft on Wednesday after Kraft banned Macklemore from opening for Ed Sheeran at Gillette Stadium. 
Macklemore&#8217;s anti-Israel rants on stage led to a wave of backlash, and the rapper was ultimately removed from Sheeran&#8217;s tour. 
While performing before Sheeran took the stage, Macklemore told fans at one concert, “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine.” 
He added, “I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them.”
Portnoy said that Macklemore’s stance goes deeper than just that statement. 
“Macklemore is essentially turning this into a political rally,” he said, pointing to the Palestinian flag and graphic imagery from the war displayed during the rapper’s performance.
“Bob Kraft, I am sure, did what I did when I saw this. He researched Macklemore,” Portnoy added.
Portnoy pointed to several past controversies involving the rapper, including a 2014 performance in which Macklemore wore a large fake nose and beard that appeared to be an antisemitic caricature. Macklemore later apologized and denied that he was attempting to portray a Jewish caricature. 
&#8220;I acknowledge how the costume could, within a context of stereotyping, be ascribed to a Jewish caricature,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-27483970">said</a> in 2014. &#8220;I am here to say that it was absolutely not my intention and unfortunately at the time I did not foresee the costume to be viewed in such regard.&#8221;
Portnoy then turned to Macklemore’s past comments about the September 11 terrorist attacks and his outspoken criticism of Israel immediately following Hamas’ October 7 attack. 
“If you don’t know, Bob Kraft has spent the last ten years of his life aggressively fighting antisemitism and hate,” Portnoy, a diehard Patriots fan, told his followers. “I’ve been to Gillette, and they have an antisemitism war room where they track all the hatred that’s going on in the country. That’s who Bob Kraft is, and he owns Gillette Stadium.”
Portnoy argued that Macklemore was effectively coming “into Bob Kraft’s house” and spitting “in his face.” 
“This isn’t freedom of speech, homie. He owns the stadium. It’s his house,” he said. “Would you have a party and invite someone over who is going to spew what you consider hatred?” 
Portnoy ended his video with an emphatic defense of Kraft, saying, “I don’t stand with Bob Kraft 5%, 10%. &#8230; I stand with Bob Kraft 110%. More Jews have to speak out. That’s why I am making this video, because it’s really easy for everyone just to pile on right now, but I have his back a hundred million percent.”
Conservative pundit Mark Levin <a href="https://x.com/marklevinshow/status/2100357562809917794">said</a> he agreed with Portnoy, “100%.” Other comments weren’t as supportive of Portnoy. Some social media users attacked Portnoy over his support for Israel, and at least one user even called out Portnoy&#8217;s Jewish heritage <a href="https://x.com/JenEllen773/status/2100346986100559886">writing</a>, “He’s a Jew that’s why he backs Robert Kraft.” Another person <a href="https://x.com/FroemelAndy/status/2100339412055794000">said</a>, “The man who wrote a book called Cancel Me If You Can is celebrating Billionaires canceling Macklemore. The irony is not lost on anyone.” 
Sheeran is also facing backlash from the incident. Macklemore <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/macklemore-dropped-ed-sheeran-tour-pro-palestine-statements-1235625967/">said</a> that Sheeran is in a difficult position but ultimately “told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood.” He said Sheeran “couldn’t get past his public facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’” 
Other artists backed out of Sheeran’s tour, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe.

Dave Portnoy

Dave Portnoy Weighs In On Macklemore’s Antisemitism Controversy

dave portnoy

ed sheeran

gillette stadium

President Donald Trump ripped the Federal Reserve after it hiked its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than three years—but Trump spared Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh. 
“Interest rates in the United States should be 1%, or less, because we are the best credit in the world—by far,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. “Lower the interest rates for the United States of America, and fast!” 
The Federal Reserve voted unanimously to raise its target rate by 25 basis points, lifting it to a range of 3.75%-4.0%. The Fed said inflation remained elevated and that the increase would support a faster return to its 2% target.
&#8220;The plain fact is that inflation is too high and had been for too long,&#8221; Warsh said after the vote.
Before boarding Air Force One on Wednesday, Trump said he and Warsh remained aligned despite the chairman&#8217;s vote to raise rates.
“I’m aligned with Kevin,” he <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2100353921613025322">said</a>. “He&#8217;s got a very tough board&#8230;The board is hostile and political.” 
Trump said he had told Warsh to vote with the rest of the board because his opposition would not have changed the outcome.
“I talked to Kevin, and I said, you might as well vote with the Board because it&#8217;s not gonna matter,” Trump said.
Trump continues to be complimentary of Warsh, whom he described as “central casting” when announcing his nomination. At the time, Trump said Warsh could become the best chairman in Federal Reserve history.
“I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the great Fed Chairmen, maybe the best,” Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-names-next-fed-chair-pick-he-will-never-let-you-down?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Names+Next+Fed+Chair+Pick%3A+%E2%80%98He+Will+Never+Let+You+Down%E2%80%99">said</a>. “On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down.”
Trump was similarly complimentary when he nominated Jerome Powell to lead the Fed in 2017, but he later attacked Powell over interest rates. Trump <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/trump-jerome-powell-federal-reserve-pressure-interest-rates/">called</a> Powell “a real dummy” and a “stupid man” and argued that he was “costing our country a fortune.”
His rhetoric was dramatically different when he first appointed Powell.
Powell is “strong, he&#8217;s committed, he&#8217;s smart,” Trump <a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-nomination-jerome-h-powell-be-chairman-the-board-governors-the-federal-reserve">said</a> at the time. “And if he is confirmed by the Senate, Jay will put his considerable talents and experience to work leading our Nation&#8217;s independent central bank.”
While Trump’s attitude toward Warsh didn’t change Wednesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) appeared to soften her tone toward the Fed chairman. 
During Warsh’s confirmation process, Warren <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/2046605384513704081">called</a> him a “sock puppet” for Trump, arguing that Warsh would not be willing to stand up to the president and would instead do his bidding.
On Wednesday, however, Warsh took an action that Warren <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/16/business/live-news/federal-reserve-interest-rate-september?ref=biztoc.com">said</a> signaled to Wall Street that “he is committed to bringing inflation under control.” But Warren <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/16/business/live-news/federal-reserve-interest-rate-september?ref=biztoc.com">stopped</a> well short of fully embracing the chairman.
“It takes a long time, more than one action, to rebuild a reputation,” she said.

Trump Signs Executive Order Concerning Childhood Vaccine Shots

Trump Rips Fed Rate Hike But Gives Kevin Warsh A Pass

elizabeth warren

federal reserve

interest rate

kevin warsh

The Federal Reserve unanimously raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point Wednesday, rebuffing President Donald Trump&#8217;s calls for lower borrowing costs.
The Federal Open Market Committee lifted the target range for the federal funds rate from 3.5%-3.75% to 3.75%-4.0%. It was the central bank&#8217;s first rate increase in more than three years, going against Trump&#8217;s calls to lower interest rates.
“Lower the interest rates,” Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jobs-report-smashes-expectations-see-the-numbers">said</a>. “Because the U.S.A. is a much stronger credit than it was just a short time ago.” 
Trump says the United States&#8217; strength should translate into lower borrowing costs. The Fed, however, is confronting inflation that has remained above its 2% objective for more than five years. 
Year-over-year inflation held steady at 3.4% during the 12 months ending in August, as monthly price growth accelerated on higher energy costs, according to data the Bureau of Labor Statistics released last week. The higher numbers were driven primarily by higher energy costs as oil prices rose amid rising tensions in the Middle East. 
Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh told Congress in July that policymakers would remain focused on bringing inflation under control.
 “The members of our committee have no tolerance for persistently elevated inflation,&#8221; Warsh said. &#8220;And we share a resolute commitment to restoring price stability.” 
Warsh explained recent inflation is hurting the American people. 
&#8220;It has been a tax on the American people and businesses. We plan on getting rid of that tax,” he said. “That means we need a regime change in policy, and we need new consideration of practices, some of which have been working, some of which haven’t.”
President Trump has previously blamed other Federal Reserve officials rather than Warsh for policy decisions in which he disagreed.
&#8220;They have a board and Kevin’s fantastic, but he’s got a board and the board members are very political, I would say,” Trump said when asked about the central bank in July. “I know what he wants to do, but you need the consent of some people that have, perhaps, bad intentions.&#8221;
Days after Trump’s comments, Warsh praised his colleagues and emphasized unity.
&#8220;I am truly lucky to work with colleagues so capable and mission-focused and so determined like I am, to sharpen the performance of the Federal Reserve,” he said. 
“Not one of my FOMC colleagues is under any illusion. We have begun a new chapter and we understand that the 5+ years of inflation above target cannot be cured in 9 weeks or by a single month of modest price decreases.&#8221;

Screenshot 2026-09-16 at 2.48.27 PM

President Trump Wanted A Rate Cut — The Fed Gave Him A Rate Hike

inflation

Former Vice President Kamala Harris joined calls to slow the development of advanced artificial intelligence, urging the United States to pursue a treaty with China.
&#8220;The United States must continue to lead the world in developing AI technology even as we seek to impose common-sense safety standards,” Harris <a href="https://x.com/KamalaHarris/status/2099598534831911394">said</a> on Monday. “The president must do his job to protect America’s interests by pursuing a treaty with countries like China to stop dangerous uses of AI, limit the speed of its development, and adopt global standards for testing.” 
Harris entered the escalating debate over frontier AI after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged the industry to slow the development of the increasingly capable systems. Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and other prominent technology executives subsequently expressed support for Amodei’s proposal. 
China, however, pushed back, calling the warnings “fearmongering.” 
“Fearmongering, confrontation and malicious competition will only disrupt the process of global AI governance and serve no one’s interests,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun reportedly <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/china/china-ai-slowdown-trump-amodei-altman-threat-cold-war-rcna597631">said</a> at a news briefing. 
Even if Beijing signed a treaty, whether China would comply with its terms would be another question. China has a history of failing to keep commitments it made to the United States. 
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called China an &#8220;unreliable partner” in April, accusing the country of stockpiling oil during the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, even as the conflict strained global energy supplies.
 &#8220;They continued buying, and they&#8217;ve been hoarding, and they have cut off exports of many products,&#8221; ‌Bessent ⁠said.
&#8220;China has been an unreliable global partner three times in the past five years; once during COVID, when ​they hoarded healthcare products, second on rare earth,&#8221; he added, citing the oil stockpiling as his third example. 
Bessent was referring to Beijing’s 2025 threat to stop exporting rare earth minerals to the United States during trade negotiations. 
China also fell short of the purchase commitments in its 2020 Phase One trade agreement with the United States. Beijing pledged to buy an additional $200 billion in American goods and services during 2020 and 2021 but ultimately bought none of that additional amount, <a href="https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2022/china-bought-none-extra-200-billion-us-exports-trumps-trade-deal">according</a> to the Peterson Institute for International Economics.  
David Sacks, Trump’s former White House AI and cryptocurrency czar and current co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, argued that Beijing would be unlikely to participate in an international slowdown.
“China is very unlikely to join a global agreement, as you know, and that has to be taken into account as well,” he<a href="https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/2098973625252708460"> wrote</a>.
Palantir CEO Alex Karp similarly argued that competition with China makes a unilateral American pause untenable. 
“If we didn’t have adversaries, I would be very in favor of pausing this technology completely, but we do,” Karp told CNBC. “You can’t pause it because it’s a structural advantage.”
President Donald Trump also argued against slowing AI development when asked about the proposal.
“We’re leading China in AI,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/CBSNews/status/2099148341166657560">said</a>. “We’re the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly, I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI, wins.”

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Brecca Stoll