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NADJA LOVADINOV
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This is our flagship newsletter Morning Wire. You cansubscribe hereand we’ll email it to you daily
Welcome back. Let’s take a look at the stories making headlines this Friday: Trump signs two orders to try to limit birthright citizenship in the U.S. after the Supreme Court rejected his last efforts; the AP fact checks Trump’s recent claims about the U.S. economy; and a Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress. Also, why more than 90,000 rubber ducks have been dumped into the Chicago River
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Washington. /Alex Brandon)
Trump again tries to restrict birthright citizenship after Supreme Court ruling
President Donald Trump said he was signing two executive actions on immigration, including one limiting the number of people eligible for U.S. citizenship after being born in the United States. The second order focused on stopping people from coming to the U.S. to give birth. Read more
- In June, the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s previous efforts to declare that children born to people in the U.S. illegally or temporarily aren’t American citizens, and upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship. It was not immediately clear how successful the president’s most recent attempt to restrict birthright citizenship would be. Trump said he thought his latest actions would be constitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union predicted that Trump’s second attempt would also be rejected.
Related coverage →
ICE will release body camera video only when seen in the agency’s ‘best interests,’ policy says
A deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz may require a compromise from Trump
Union representing IRS workers asks judge to block Trump tax audit immunity deal
DOGE overstated savings on federal ‘receipts’ website, auditors find
‘I’m very good at grass.’ Why Trump goes into the weeds on one of his favorite topics
Trump boasts about the economy, but there’s more to the story
President Donald Trump has been extolling his economic accomplishments on social media and at events. Some of the claims are clearly true, some exaggerated, some unclear. Read our team’s full analysis
Why this matters:
- Voters are frustrated with the economy and the high cost of living. Only 32% of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy in an AP-NORC poll conducted in late July. The same poll found that 69% of Americans characterized the economy as “poor.” Many said the cost of everyday essentials like groceries and gas was a “major” source of stress in their lives.
Related coverage →
WATCH: Trump says ‘we may have to’ send oil prices ‘up again’
US likely added nearly 100,000 jobs in July, but market is still tough for young and unemployed
In a post-pandemic world, job candidates feel caught between suits and hoodies
Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt for refusing to answer COVID questions
A Senate committee voted along party lines Thursday, setting up a referral to the Justice Department for potential investigation over whether the country’s longtime top infectious disease official properly exercised his constitutional rights. Read more
Why this matters:
- The vote came a week after Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times. Fauci, in a statement last week, said he had good reason to fear the possibility of criminal charges.
- Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chairman who pressed for the contempt finding, said that constitutional protection did not apply because Fauci last year received a pardon from Democratic President Joe Biden and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution.
Related coverage →
Fauci contempt vote reflects the enduring politics of COVID
Tennessee voters oust Trump-backed congressman, set fall matchup for redrawn Memphis-area House seat
McConnell says he’s leaving rehabilitation center to continue recovery at home
Republican Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio says Rep. Max Miller should leave House and end fall campaign
IN OTHER NEWS
Thailand:Student gunman kills at least 7 at a high school and a home, officials say
Meta:Court orders $567M payment to address kids’ mental health online
Colorado River reservoir:Officials will not release cool water to protect threatened fish
Marijuana users:US sees a big jump in nausea cases
Now Streaming:‘Ted Lasso’ and Billie Eilish
Today in History:In 1974,Philippe Petit performed a Twin Tower tightrope walk
WATCH
Thick haze:Dust storm blankets Phoenix area
Sudanese pyramids:War and accumulating sand threaten UNESCO World Heritage Site
More than 90 thousand rubber ducks are dropped into the Chicago River as part of the annual Chicago Duck Derby for Special Olympics Illinois in Chicago, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. /Cybele Mayes-Osterman)
90,000 rubber ducks make a splash in the Chicago River
The Chicago Ducky Derby has raised close to half a million dollars for Special Olympics Illinois. The event draws a big crowd every year. Watch video of the day’s most anticipated moment — a truck dumping tens of thousands of rubber ducks into the river. Attendees can sponsor one of the ducks for $10. The sponsor of the fastest one wins an SUV. Second place gets $2,500 in cash. All thanks to a giant yellow waterfall of rubber ducks
This is our flagship newsletter Morning Wire. You cansubscribe hereand we’ll email it to you daily
NADJA LOVADINOV
