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6:10 AM ET, August 12, 2026

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 Top Items: 
Will Bunch / The Philadelphia Inquirer:
We need the truth about Trump's alleged ‘ballroom’  —  Do rich guys have to ruin everything?  Apparently so.  There came a time about 15 years ago when my soccer obsession got to the point where I felt I needed to pick an English Premier League team to root for, in addition to the U.S. national teams and the Union.
Discussion: Poynter
RELATED:
Peter Baker / New York Times:
With Trump Secretly Evacuated, Imperiled Air Force One Became a Flying Decoy  —  In response to a threat against the jet last month, the president was clandestinely removed in a catering container.  But the plane was sent into the skies anyway with government employees and reporters onboard.
Discussion: USA Today, NBC News and The Hill
New York Times:
See How Trump's Secret Air Force One Swap Unfolded  —  The extraordinary subterfuge was aimed at protecting an American president who has been in Iran's cross hairs for years.  —  President Trump boarded Air Force One on July 8 as a ruse.  —  On the final day of the NATO summit in Turkey …
Will Weissert / Associated Press:
Why the elaborate ruse Trump used in Turkey isn't like other secret presidential trips  —  President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he slipped away from Air Force One after a recent summit in Turkey because the Secret Service and military wanted him on a “different plane” due to a threat.
Victoria Craw / Washington Post:NEW!
Trump says Secret Service told him to switch planes because of threat  —  In his first public comments on the operation, the president downplayed the risks to officials and journalists who remained on Air Force One for the flight from Turkey.  —  Summary  —  President Donald Trump said he took a …
New York Times:
Iran Said to Have Known Details of Trump's Stay at NATO Summit  —  The United States picked up multiple streams of information, including one potential threat that involved a shoulder-fired missile.  —  The Iranian threat that prompted President Trump's secret Air Force One swap last month emerged …
Margaret Hartmann / New York Magazine:
Trump Used Air Force One Passengers As Decoys, Saved Himself
Brian Stelter / CNN:
After Trump plane ruse, WHCA presses White House on press pool safeguards
Discussion: Politico and The Wrap
Ryan J. Foley / Associated Press:
ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks  —  Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks intended to gain compliance from combative individuals.  —  ICE plans to spend up to $20 million …
Maham Javaid / NPR:
Four takeaways from Tuesday's primaries in six states  —  Voters in half a dozen states went to the polls Tuesday.  The results highlight the ongoing conflicts within both parties ahead of the November midterms.  —  Democratic primaries in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Connecticut signaled …
RELATED:
NBC News:
Minnesota Governor Primary Results 2026
Todd Spangler / Variety:
David Ellison Says He'll Pull Paramount Out of California Starting Oct. 1 if States Refuse to Negotiate Settlement in Antitrust Suit … And, in a move seemingly aimed at gaining leverage in the showdown, he's prepared to start moving Paramount out of California as soon as October unless …
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
White House Asks Justice Department to Consider New Reflecting-Pool Prosecution  —  Officials asked the department whether it is possible to bring new charge against Olympic canoeist after U.S. attorney dropped case  —  WASHINGTON—White House officials have asked the Justice Department …
RELATED:
Zoe Tillman / Bloomberg:
Judge Widens Block on Trump Mail-in Voting Plan for Midterms  —  A federal judge in Boston entered a nationwide order blocking the US Postal Service from carrying out President Donald Trump's directives to overhaul mail-in voting policies before the November midterm elections …
RELATED:
New York Times:
How Iran Adapted Its Attacks as U.S. War Munitions Dwindled  —  The Iranian strikes that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan show how quickly Iran's war-fighting skills have evolved, as the Pentagon runs low on interceptors.  —  During five intense days last month, Iran launched waves …
RELATED:
Reuters:
Pakistan says US and Iran close to ‘some sort’ of deal despite attacks on shipping
Maryam Tahmasebi / The Nation:
One Woman's Message From the Hell of ICE Detention  —  My husband, son, and I have been locked up for months—despite being permanent residents with no criminal record.  It is an unendurable, unending nightmare.  —  Pocket  —  My name is Maryam Tahmasebi, and I am a professor of psychology …
Dustin Gardiner / Politico:
Pelosi: Those who knew of Biden's decline ‘should have acted’  —  SACRAMENTO, California — Nancy Pelosi said those close to Joe Biden during his reelection campaign should have shared what they knew about his mental acuity — and confirmed she had private conversations with him about her polling concerns.
Mack Liederman / New York Times:
Son-in-Law of Sean Duffy Wins G.O.P. House Primary in Northern Wisconsin  —  Michael Alfonso, 26, had the support of the transportation secretary and an endorsement from President Trump.  —  Michael Alfonso, 26, clinched the Republican nomination for Wisconsin's Seventh Congressional District …
Ryan Mancini / The Hill:
Former Hartford mayor ousts Larson in Connecticut House primary  —  Luke Bronin, the former Democratic mayor of Hartford, Conn., is projected to defeat incumbent Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) and will advance to the November general election, according to preliminary results from Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).
Andrew Kaczynski / CNN:
‘Fireworks suck’: Removed El-Sayed videos urged getting rid of the 4th of July tradition, raised replacing 2nd Amendment  —  Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed once asked his YouTube viewers whether Americans could “PLEASE” find another way to celebrate the Fourth of July …
Nicholas Johnston / Axios:
Robot book club  —  AI has become my reading buddy as I've plowed through my summer book list, helping me keep track of plots and characters, unpack themes, and make sense of wordy, old prose.  — Why it matters: The way many of us actually read books — a few pages before bed …
Andrew Solender / Axios:
The Democratic money machine is coming for Max Miller  —  Democrats have gone from treating Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) as a best-case-scenario target to a genuinely vulnerable incumbent whose downfall is worth a real investment. … - Phil Gardner, a spokesperson for the centrist Blue Dog Action Fund …
Kevin Robillard / HuffPost:
The Socialist Threatening A 15-Year-Long Political Comeback  —  The state party establishment fears Democrats are throwing away a once-in-a-generation chance at a trifecta.  —  Wisconsin Democrats are on the precipice of completing a 15-year comeback from the political wilderness.
Jason Wilson / The Guardian:
Pete Hegseth's Pentagon picks raise questions over Trump family business ties  —  Two advisers have links to a venture fund co-investing in US defense companies that benefit from federal spending  —  Pete Hegseth's appointments to a key Pentagon advisory body include two men with ties …
Julia Mueller / The Hill:
Graham, Norman advance to runoff in South Carolina GOP primary for Senate  —  The race to replace late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on the November ballot is projected to head to an Aug. 25 runoff, according to Decision Desk HQ, with Sen. Darline Graham (R) and Rep. Ralph Norman (R) duking it out for the nomination.
Tim Balk / New York Times:
5 Things to Know About the Minnesota Senate Candidate Michele Tafoya  —  Ms. Tafoya, the favorite to become the state's Republican nominee for Senate, spent years as an N.F.L. sideline reporter and has leaned into her sports background.  —  Michele Tafoya, who spent years roaming N.F.L. sidelines …
Discussion: The Gateway Pundit
CBS News:
Michele Tafoya wins Republican primary for Senate in Minnesota, CBS News projects  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  Michele Tafoya, a former television sports reporter, is the winner of the Republican nomination for Senate in the Minnesota primary election, CBS News projects.
Jeff Stein / NOTUS:
A Group of Centrist Senators Sees a Window to Overhaul Social Security  —  A group of eight centrist senators is attempting to compel Congress to revamp Social Security, in what many in Washington see as the first real effort at overhauling the government's biggest program in more than a decade.
 
 
 New Item Finder: 
70 minutes ago
Maham Javaid / NPR:
Four takeaways from Tuesday's primaries in six states   Find
4 hours ago
NBC News:
Minnesota Governor Primary Results 2026   Find
5½ hours ago
Max Grinstein / Washington Examiner:
Trump-backed Mike Lindell falls to Lisa Demuth in Minnesota governor primary   Find
5½ hours ago
Mack Liederman / New York Times:
Son-in-Law of Sean Duffy Wins G.O.P. House Primary in Northern Wisconsin   Find
 
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 More Items: 
Cate Cadell / Washington Post:
Scientists say U.S. will suffer if White House bars research with China
Matt Taibbi / Racket News:
Cliché Alert: Return of the “Beer Test”
Discussion: HotAir, RedState and Althouse
Keith Johnson / Foreign Policy:
Trump Has His Own Communist Manifesto
Discussion: The Hill, Ms. Magazine and NewsMax.com
 Earlier Items: 
Talking Points Memo:
READ: A New Draft Rule for the Census Seeks Sweeping Changes to How Political Power Is Allocated
Discussion: Staff Stories
Associated Press:
FACT FOCUS: Trump makes false claims as he signs order urging revisions around childhood vaccines
Aaron Mak / Politico:
Trump administration employees can use TikTok again
S. Baum / Erin In The Morning:
Police Called on Trans Men Using Women's Restroom As Required By Kansas Law
Discussion: LGBTQ Nation
Ashlyn Webb / WSB-TV:
US citizen detained by ICE at Atlanta Airport as he boarded flight
Dharna Noor / The Guardian:
Samuel Alito gained up to $2.9m from oil and gas assets since joining supreme court, analysis shows
Discussion: New Republic and Mother Jones
Avery Lotz / Axios:
DOJ seeks to shield Trump advisers from Dem probes
 

 
From Techmeme:

Zac Hall / 9to5Mac:
SpaceXAI rolls out Grok Bot AI agent app in beta on Mac, iOS, Windows, and Linux, initially for SuperGrok Heavy, Cursor Ultra, and Cursor Teams Premium users

Frederic Lardinois / The New Stack:
OpenAI launches a ChatGPT desktop app for Linux in preview, supporting ChatGPT Work, Codex, and more; Computer Use outside the in-app browser is not available

Will Knight / Wired:
Researchers find that feeding a frontier model's encrypted reasoning traces to a weaker model from the same provider can make it output the traces in plaintext

 
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