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Morning Announcements

Betches Media

Morning Announcements is your daily news rundown from Betches News--because the world’s a mess, and someone’s gotta explain it. Every morning, Betches co-founder and host Sami Sage cuts through the chaos to break down what actually matters, one unhinged headline at a time. All in under 10 minutes, so you can stay informed without spiraling.

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Yesterday · 7 min
Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 - Jack Smith's Botched Hearing, SCOTUS OKs Third Country Deportations, Cornell Scandal Deepens
Today's Headlines: Republicans dragged Jack Smith back to Congress to testify about his Trump investigations, tried to catch him in a lie about attending a basketball game, and got the team name wrong — so he wasn't even at the game they accused him of attending, which is a new low for congressional gotcha moments. Meanwhile, Trump is personally handpicking the taxpayer-funded TV ads praising himself that DHS is airing before the midterms using $20 million from Customs and Border Protection funding. Trump also held a day-long AI summit he's calling "SI," had tech executives sign what he called a "morally binding" voluntary self-policing agreement, and launched America.gov — an AI-powered government website that initially answered that Trump lost the 2020 election before being updated to refuse the question entirely. Of course. Hegseth announced he's cutting over 20% of admirals and generals across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. In other news, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to let deportations to third countries continue while they decide whether it's constitutional — which is the judicial equivalent of "keep doing it while we figure out if you're allowed to." The Venezuelan DoorDash driver ICE shot ten days ago, who still has a bullet in his back because ICE rushed him out of the hospital, was charged with assaulting an agent for allegedly swiping him with a side mirror while trying to drive away. California banned ICE's electric shock gloves the same week. The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act 77-22 in a rare bipartisan moment overhauling college athletics and NIL rules, though it still needs to pass the House after midterms. And New York Governor Hochul called the Cornell gang rape allegations "nothing short of horrifying" and requested an independent review, as USA Today revealed Cornell received 1,200 sexual assault reports between 2018 and 2024, filed disciplinary charges in 162, and expelled only 7 people. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Jack Smith, Former Special Counsel Who Charged Trump, Appears Before Congress: Live Updates Axios: Scoop: Trump's hand-picked, taxpayer-funded ads about to ramp up AP News: Homeland Security taps $20M in taxpayer funds for pro-Trump ads Axios: Exclusive: Full list of attendees at White House AI lunch Axios: Trump, top AI leaders agree to voluntary AI standards AP News: Live updates: Trump says top tech firms have signed accord to 'self-police' AI development The Hill: Hegseth to cut 20 percent of admirals, generals in major Pentagon overhaul Axios: Senate passes sweeping college sports package AP News: Supreme Court lets quick deportations to third countries resume for now while it weighs Trump policy AP News: New California law bans officers from using gloves that deliver electric shocks AP News: Federal prosecutors charge Venezuelan man shot by ICE agent in Texas with assaulting an officer Cornell Sun: Gov. Kathy Hochul Requests ‘Independent Review’ of Cornell's Response to Alleged Chi Phi Gang Rape Cornell Alumni Petition: Petition · CORNELL ALUMNI SUPPORTING JANE DOE - United States Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tuesday · 8 min
Tuesday, September 29th, 2026 - Trump's Taxpayer-Funded “PSA”, FBI Got Hacked, Cornell Gang Rape Scandal
Today's Headlines: Trump is airing a taxpayer-funded TV ad nearly identical to one of his 2024 campaign ads, ending with "paid for by the US government," which the White House is calling a public service announcement. Ok. The FBI was hacked by a criminal group called ShinyHunters who obtained tens of thousands of current and former employees' social security numbers, secret job assignments, and medical records — and many employees found out about it when the FBI sent a staff-wide email reminding them that October is cybersecurity awareness month, we couldn’t make this up even if we tried. Pivoting from terrible to horrific, a former Cornell student's civil complaint alleging she was gang raped for seven hours by seven fraternity members in 2024 — after which the school allowed five of the seven back after writing essays — prompted the Cornell Sun to publish the accused men's names, a county DA to reopen the investigation, and the Ithaca mayor to call for a pause on all Greek life after the university failed to alert police. This is why women would choose the bear. In horrific tech news, Bill Gates warned on Meet the Press that AI is "certainly powerful enough to drive events that cause a billion deaths," OpenAI scrapped the release of its new model Astra after it tested poorly on alignment and showed "high levels of deception," and Florida's AG asked a court to force OpenAI to halt ChatGPT development entirely. Finally, Pete Hegseth ordered the Pentagon to protect the midterms from foreign interference while DHS simultaneously announced a crackdown on sanctuary cities in 12 states, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a statewide emergency over diesel prices hitting $5.86 a gallon — Texas Republicans must be fairly worried about November. Resources/Articles mentioned: Politico: John Thune: Taxpayer dollars shouldn't fund Trump ads - Live Updates Axios: Exclusive: Hegseth directs Defense Dept. to fight foreigners who "meddle" in U.S. elections The Hill: DHS announces nationwide surge in 'sanctuary' cities NYT: Embarrassing Breach at F.B.I. Fuels Fears of Harm to Its Employees NYT: Cornell Sexual Assault Investigation to Be Reopened CNY Central: Ithaca Mayor seeks moratorium on Cornell Greek life as DA reopens sexual assault case Cornell Alumni Petition: Petition · CORNELL ALUMNI SUPPORTING JANE DOE - United States The Hill: Education Department formally rescinds Title IX protections for LGBTQ students WaPo: Bill Gates warns of ‘a billion’ deaths if AI goes wrong WSJ: OpenAI Scraps Release of New AI Model Over Safety Concerns Axios: Florida asks for order to halt ChatGPT development AP News: Nvidia is touting a software tool to contain runaway AI. How would it work? WaPo: Texas governor declares emergency to bring down fuel prices Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Monday · 6 min
Monday, September 28th, 2026 - NATO Prepping Evacuation, SCOTUS OKs Trump's Shady Voter Rolls, OpenAI's Massive Security Problem
Today's Headlines: So NATO is preparing for war, aka potential Russian aggression, with Poland and Lithuania developing cross-border civilian evacuation plans for the Baltic states and practice exercises scheduled for next week. Meanwhile, five people were arrested near a UK Royal Air Force base used by the US during the Iran war, on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack after someone spotted three suspicious vehicles heading toward the base after midnight — no names released, no country claimed responsibility, and the US embassy issued a security alert for Americans traveling in the UK. On Iran, Trump rejected Iran's latest peace proposal while claiming negotiations are continuing in New York, which sounds like nothing really. In potential voter suppression news, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 (of course) that the Trump administration can move forward with its centralized voter citizenship verification database using Social Security data — with six weeks until the midterms, the timing is almost certainly the point. The Trump administration is scouting Grand Teton National Park for a baseball stadium because the MLB wants to host a game there, which would require major construction on some of the most protected land in the country. On the scary tech beat, OpenAI and Anthropic are investigating tens of thousands of problematic AI security incidents — not a few rogue hacking episodes, tens of thousands — and ProPublica's investigation found that DraftKings actively recruited a journalist mimicking compulsive gambling behavior into its VIP program after he lost $1,800 in one night chasing losses. And finally, RFK Jr. accepted over $4 million in book advances and $270,000 in gifts during his year as Health Secretary, with his wife separately receiving $210,000 in "consulting fees" from the same MAHA-connected friend, because public health leadership is a great side hustle. Resources/Articles mentioned: Euronews: Poland and Lithuania preparing cross-border evacuation plan for Baltic states WaPo: 5 arrested in U.K. near base used by U.S. on suspicion of planning terror act Axios: Trump says he rejected the latest Iranian proposal SCOTUS Blog: Supreme Court clears way for Trump administration to use modified voter verification database WaPo: Trump officials weigh MLB game at Grand Teton National Park Axios: Scoop: Top AI companies probing tens of thousands of security incidents ProPublica: I Posed as a Problem Gambler. DraftKings Made Me a VIP NYT: RFK Jr. Drew $4 Million in Book Advances From Publisher Who Also Monetized MAHA Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Friday · 7 min
Friday, September 25th, 2026 - China’s Xi Likes Granite, USS Lincoln Suicide Attenpts, Trump Ignores Press Ban Court Order
Today's Headlines: Trump spent day two of Xi Jinping's state visit showing him the White House construction zone and reporting that Xi "likes granite" and is "an expert on stone," while mortgage rates hit 7% for the first time since early 2025 and the state dinner guest list included Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, Jeff Bezos, and Supreme Court Justices Roberts, Kavanaugh, and Coney Barrett — a who's who of people who will shape the AI era sitting down together while Zuckerberg publicly broke with Altman and Amodei on whether AI companies need to slow down. Netanyahu addressed the UN claiming that without Israel and America acting together, "we'd all be dead," and took time to call out NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani by name for accusing Israel of genocide, while Iran's foreign minister presented a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and start final deal negotiations. In other news, the Navy officially acknowledged that 8 sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln attempted to take their own lives during their 300-plus day deployment on a ship with broken plumbing, rotten food, and no port calls — while Trump previously said the deployment hadn't gone on long enough. A federal judge ordered ICE to fix "squalid" conditions at a New York detention facility and issued a permanent injunction, and a separate judge blocked Trump's press ban in the middle of the night — which the White House ignored anyway, continuing to bar CNN and MSNBC reporters and confiscating press hard passes. And finally, a 76-year-old man who was shot at Trump's Butler rally in 2024 died yesterday after more than two years of surgeries, making the casualties of that event two people, neither of whom is the president. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Mortgage Rates Hit 7% as Iran War Fallout Crushes a Weak Housing Market WaPo: Guests at state dinner honoring Chinese President Xi Jinping include Elon Musk, Sam Altman NBC News: Mark Zuckerberg rejects calls for industrywide AI slowdown CNN: Key speeches and moments from UNGA Day 3: Netanyahu lambasts Iran, defends Gaza war CNN: We aren’t trying to kill Trump, Iran’s president insists to reporters at New York hotel NYT: 8 Sailors in U.S.S. Lincoln Strike Group Attempted Suicide, Navy Says Axios: ICE ordered to fix "squalid" conditions at NYC detention facility AP News: 3 US news outlets return to White House after judge orders Trump to lift ban Politico: Pennsylvania man dies two years after he was wounded in Butler shooting Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 24 · 6 min
Thursday, September 24th, 2026 - UN Day Two, Xi Visits DC, Tuberville's Furry Senate Rant
Today's Headlines: On the second day of the UN General Assembly, Zelensky called on the world to stop buying Russian oil to pressure Putin into ending the war, Venezuela's acting president-puppet Delcy Rodriguez promised elections "soon," and AI executives appealed to the UN Security Council for global cooperation on AI risks. Xi Jinping then visited Washington for a state visit complete with a red carpet, military flyover, and a Melania appearance, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announcing on Fox News that the US is extending the trade war truce while adding "I don't know whether a bigger deal can be done, I don't know whether we will just roll the current deal," which is a remarkable display of strategic clarity from the person managing the US economy. Trump invited Putin to the G-20 summit at his own Florida resort in December — Putin was kicked out of the G8 in 2014 for invading Crimea — and the original architect of Trump's White House ballroom revealed he resigned after Trump insisted building codes don't apply because "I am the code." Trump also wants to rename Ford's Theatre — where Lincoln was assassinated — after himself, as part of a broader building-renaming effort that is going exactly as well as the reflecting pool. In other crazy news, Tommy Tuberville gave a 20-minute Senate floor speech warning that airline pilots might have a "deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal," claiming significant overlap between gender-confused people and the furry community, and advocating for bringing back mental institutions — all from a man currently running for governor of Alabama and likely to win. And finally, DoorDash settled with New York City for $131 million after underpaying 264,000 workers, which explains why DoorDash spent nearly $1.5 million opposing Zohran Mamdani in last year's mayoral race. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Zelenskyy, at UN, urges leaders to keep choking Russia's revenues and impede its war efforts AP News: Venezuela's acting leader, at UN for first address, promises elections at the 'right moment' Axios: "We have a choice": AI leaders sound alarm at UN AP News: Trump welcomes China's Xi to Washington with planeside ceremony and extension of trade truce WSJ: U.S. Invites Putin to G-20 Summit at Trump Resort in Florida WaPo: ‘I am the code’: Trump clashed with ballroom architect over safety issues The New Republic: Trump Now Seriously Considering Slapping His Name on Ford’s Theater Rolling Stone: GOP Senator Ahead of Midterms: Furry Airline Pilots Are 'Terrifying' NYT: DoorDash Agrees to $131.5 Million Settlement for Shortchanging Workers The Intercept: DoorDash Spent $1.4 Million Trying to Stop Mamdani From Becoming Mayor. Now We Know Why. Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 23 · 8 min
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 - Trump’s UN Iran Threat, Susan Collins Corruption Exposed, Russia’s AI Disinfo Campaign
Today's Headlines: Trump addressed the UN General Assembly, told the world he's deciding between making a deal with Iran or "annihilating" them "into hell with no chance of survival," celebrated taking over Venezuela's oil, and yelled at CNN's Kaitlan Collins when she showed up with UN credentials — because apparently he thinks the press ban extends to international diplomatic gatherings. He also announced Trump TV, a 24/7 YouTube livestream to replace the press pool, which is the project he floated after losing in 2016. The Paramount-Warner Brothers merger is now cleared after states settled their antitrust lawsuits, meaning Bari Weiss running CNN is back on the table. In concerned House member news, ProPublica revealed that Susan Collins allegedly accepted a $500,000 illegal campaign contribution through a shell company in exchange for steering a $32 million Navy contract to a Hawaiian defense contractor — the contractor's CEO already tried to reduce his prison sentence by implicating Collins, the FBI investigated in 2024, and the investigation conveniently disappeared after Trump purged the FBI's anti-corruption officers. So she kinda owes Trump then, got it. On the election beat, Russian intelligence is running AI-generated fake celebrity videos about key Senate races as part of a disinformation campaign targeting the midterms, per US intelligence assessments. Shocker. California signed a law fining influencers $5,000 per undisclosed paid political post, which is a quaint response to a massive problem but it's something. Kalshi asked the CFTC to allow margin trading — betting with borrowed money — on its platform, which is a terrible idea that will almost certainly be approved. And finally, Clavicular, aka Braden Peters was charged with criminal rape and drugging after an incident involving an 18-year-old influencer he allegedly livestreamed on Twitch. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: U.N. Live Updates: ‘Annihilate’ Iran or Strike a Deal, Trump Says to General Assembly NYT: Trump Lashes Out at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for Covering His U.N. Speech Time: White House Launches ‘Trump TV’ Amid Feud With Press WSJ: Paramount Settles States’ Antitrust Suit, Clearing Way for Warner Megadeal NYT: Russia Aims to Inject Chaos Into Elections, U.S. Intelligence Finds CNBC: Kalshi asks CFTC to allow margin trading on its platform, letting users buy with borrowed funds ProPublica: The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way NYT: California Cracks Down on Influencers’ Undisclosed Political Ads NBC News: ‘Looksmaxxing’ influencer Clavicular charged with rape of teen girl Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 22 · 10 min
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026 - NATO on War Alert, We Almost Bombed China, Trump Banned Major News Outlets
Today's Headlines: Europe is preparing for war, or so it seems — the official government accounts of France, Germany, the UK, and Switzerland all posted cryptic warnings about imminent conflict, the UK told citizens to stockpile food and water for the "most dangerous period in decades," Germany is preparing hospitals for Russian attacks, and Poland's PM warned Russia could launch disguised drone strikes on NATO countries. Meanwhile, the US, Denmark, and Greenland signed a security agreement at the UN General Assembly giving the US and NATO shared responsibility for Greenland's defense to keep China and Russia out — though the terms are vague and giving Trump any role in Arctic security seems like a gamble. On the war beat — five internal sources say at least 22 service members have died plus three contractors, versus the 18 publicly disclosed — which also affects what survivor benefits families receive. The US military's AI almost started a war with China after an AI intelligence report falsely identified a Chinese ship as carrying nuclear weapons components, and only one official double-checking prevented a strike. An ICE agent shot a Venezuelan DoorDash driver twice in the back during a traffic stop in Austin — he survived but doctors couldn't remove the bullet because ICE was in a hurry to take him into custody — making him one of more than 20 people shot by ICE since Trump took office. Speaking of Trump, he banned CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from the White House press pool, all three sued, and every other major outlet halted White House coverage in solidarity. Thousands formed a human chain around the Kennedy Center to protest its takeover as over a dozen staff were laid off. Trump fantasized about banning fishing to extort the Bass Pro Shops owner and revealed his DC arch will double as a military complex with snipers, drones, and ammunition storage. And Lauren Boebert is facing an ethics complaint alleging affairs with three staffers and a $200,000 hush payment, which she denied. Resources/Articles mentioned: CNN: Beyond Ukraine: Why Europe is preparing for a wider conflict France 24: US, Denmark and Greenland to sign security deal on Tuesday Middle East Eye: Hegseth slammed for 'blasphemous' use of Bible passage in military recruitment drive Deadline: Jake & Logan Paul Address The Troops At The Pentagon WaPo: More U.S. troops have died amid Iran war than Pentagon has disclosed publicly CNN: Exclusive: US military had close call after using AI for false intelligence report, sources say NYT: Man Shot by ICE Agent Says His Car Was Struck Twice Before He Was Shot NYT: CNN, Politico and MSNOW Sue Trump After White House Ban Yahoo: Donald Trump Fantasizes About Banning Fishing for 2 Days Until Billionaire Begs Him to Stop Military: Trump Plans to Turn Washington Arch Into a Military Complex With Drones, Snipers & Ammunition WaPo: Fresh layoffs begin at Kennedy Center as closure continues AP News: Thousands join protest outside Kennedy Center, expressing concern that Trump might tear it down People: Lauren Boebert Addresses Claims She Had Affairs with 3 Staffers Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 18 · 8 min
Friday, September 18th, 2026 - Trump's Bomb Stock Trade, Russian Assassins Indicted in NY, OpenAI's Models Going Rogue Again
Today's Headlines: There’s quite a bit of geopolitical drama going on. Three Russian intelligence operatives were indicted by the Southern District of New York for allegedly orchestrating plots to assassinate Russian dissidents on US soil, with the Kremlin offering no comment, of course. Trump is planning to sell $2.8 billion in bombs to Israel — including 40,000 two-thousand-pound bombs — while having recently bought stock in General Dynamics, one of the manufacturers, and having made more stock trades than all members of Congress combined since taking office, so the conflict of interest is doing a lot of work there. The UN released a report finding the US may have committed war crimes in Iran during two specific strikes — one hitting an elementary school that killed 157 people, 123 of them under 13 — while military families told reporters that missile attacks on US bases in the Middle East are being actively hidden from the American public, alongside the true number of injured troops and the state of munitions supplies. On the vanity projects beat, a judge ruled the Trump administration must give 30 days notice before making any changes to the Kennedy Center — a day after fencing went up around the building and Trump was photographed with a poster board titled "KENNEDY CENTER DEMOLISHED" — buying it at least another month, despite the fact that it was $41 million in the black at the end of the Biden administration, nothing to see here folks. In tech, OpenAI disclosed six new alarming model incidents including concealing mistakes, attempting to access unauthorized credentials, and communicating across isolated training environments, so not cool. Finally, Nike cofounder Phil Knight and his wife Penny announced a $1.1 billion donation to build Oregon's first women's health hospital, which is the best news of the day, and Merriam-Webster added 1,400 new words including "looksmaxxing," "crash out," "Sunday Scaries," and "cuffing season." Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: U.S. Charges Five Men in Russia-Backed Assassination Plots ABC News: Top Democrat places hold on Trump administration’s plan to sell heavy bombs to Israel MS Now: Trump’s reported plan to sell bombs to Israel spotlights his stock trading Axios: UN report: U.S. may have committed war crimes in Iran MS Now: ‘Sitting ducks’: Military families live in fear as U.S. troops face undisclosed missile attacks WaPo: Judge says Trump’s board may not demolish Kennedy Center without warning Axios: OpenAI discloses six new AI safety incidents AP News: $1.1 billion from Nike co-founder will build Oregon’s first women’s hospital WaPo: ‘Crashout’, ‘Looksmaxxing’: Merriam-Webster adds over 1,400 new words Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 17 · 7 min
Thursday, September 17th, 2026 - The EU Wants Canada, Fed Raised Rates, Trump Threatened to Withhold FEMA Over an Election
Today's Headlines: The EU is floating the idea of Canada becoming its first-ever associate member in response to Trump's trade war — which would be a historic geopolitical realignment — and separately proposed banning children under 13 from social media entirely across member states, with 13-15 year olds getting supervised mini accounts with one hour daily limits, Europe is actually doing the things we keep talking about doing. Back in the states, the Fed raised interest rates by a quarter point for the first time since 2023. As usual, markets fell, and Trump responded by demanding rates drop to 1% or less because "our country is booming," which is one way to describe $6 diesel and a $38 billion war. Congress had an unusually productive day: the House passed expanded Russia sanctions, voted to hold Leon Black in contempt for suing the committee that subpoenaed him rather than testifying about his Epstein ties, and the Senate blocked the crypto industry's self-written Clarity Act 50-49 — six votes short of passing — given the president's own ability to profit from crypto made it a tough sell even for some Republicans. Mitch McConnell returned for day two and nearly voted the wrong way on the farm bill before aides redirected him, which is either reassuring or alarming depending on how you look at it, but the bill passed and that's something. And Trump campaigned in North Carolina for Republican senate candidate Michael Whatley and told the crowd he would withhold FEMA disaster funding if Whatley loses, which is textbook extortion. Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: EU chief floats associate membership for Canada after U.S. trade attacks Wired: The EU Plans to Ban Social Media for Under-13s CNBC: Fed approves interest rate hike, signals one more to come this year Axios: House passes Russia sanctions bill PBS: House votes to hold billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress over Epstein investigation NYT: Senate Votes to Block Crypto Bill in Major Blow to the Industry The Hill: Senate panel advances farm bill following McConnell’s return Trump tries to salvage 'tough' North Carolina Senate race for GOP Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 16 · 9 min
Wednesday, September 16th, 2026 - Kash Testified About Bestiality, Kennedy Center Is Closing, Diesel Hit $6 A Gallon
Today's Headlines: Kash Patel testified before Congress for four and a half hours, during which Republican Senator John Kennedy asked why he would "even get into bestiality" — a reference to the FBI's new hiring policy — and Kash responded that "we're not into bestiality" before claiming the policy change was to help trafficking victims, which is not what the policy said, making it one of the more surreal exchanges in recent congressional history. Kash also defended firing FBI agents for being "disloyal" to Trump by having investigated January 6th or Iranian threats. The Kennedy Center voted to close itself after another judge blocked Trump's name going on the building, Trump posted that it's closing for repairs that will only happen if his name goes on it, and the courts said no again. To add to that loss, Trump went on a Truth Social rant against Kavanaugh, Coney Barrett, and Gorsuch for the mail voting ruling while calling Alito and Thomas "legends both," sent Todd Blanche out to clean it up on TV, and is still pressuring states for voter data and planning to send agents to polling sites in swing counties. On the war beat, the Iran war has officially cost over $38 billion as of August 1st and is projected to add at least half a point to inflation in early 2027 even if it ended today — which it won't — diesel hit an all-time high of $6 a gallon after Iranian drones hit a Saudi pipeline, and the Fed is expected to raise interest rates for the first time since 2023. All that is probably why Thomas Massie introduced a resolution to impeach Pete Hegseth for illegally continuing the Iran war, which probably won't work but will force Republicans on record. And finally, DOGE's approach to shrinking the government cost taxpayers $9.5 billion in 2025 paying federal employees not to work — 435% more in paid administrative leave than the prior year. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: Kash Patel defends FBI’s new policy on bestiality at Senate hearing WaPo: FBI director faces sharp questions from senators about his firing of agents AP News: Live updates: Kennedy Center board votes to close most of the iconic performing arts venue NYT: Trump Slams Supreme Court Over Mail-In Voting Ruling WSJ: Trump’s Frustration With His Own Supreme Court Appointees Boils Over AP News: Iran war has cost the US more than $38B, budget office says WSJ: U.S. Diesel Prices Hit New Record High as Fuel Squeeze Bites Axios: Massie moves to impeach Pete Hegseth over Iran War WSJ: Pentagon Wants Only the Fittest Troops to Attend Upcoming Hegseth Speech NYT: Federal Employees Were Paid $9.5 Billion Not to Work in 2025 Under DOGE Effort Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 15 · 10 min
Tuesday, September 15th, 2026 - Mail Voting Victory, Putin’s friend Paid for Don Jr.'s Wedding, Mitch McConnell Is Alive
Today's Headlines: The Supreme Court blocked Trump's executive order restricting mail-in ballots with less than two months to the midterms — genuinely good news, though just one prong of a multi-pronged operation that also includes the DOJ sending threatening letters to 30 election officials demanding voter data, and a DHS whistleblower accusing the department of illegally directing agents to access voter rolls and investigate 40 voters a day each. Kash Patel, meanwhile, has reportedly been ordering FBI agents to find and respond to accounts that criticize him on Twitter — which is an excellent use of federal law enforcement resources. Back to vanity projects, the Kennedy Center distributed a 57-page packet to its board warning it could go bankrupt unless Trump's name is added to the building, at which point he will raise the money to save it, so is it extortion or a hostage situation? In other news, ProPublica revealed that a Putin-linked Russian oligarch named Umar Kremlev paid for significant portions of Don Jr.'s wedding celebration, including a fireworks show and a private island rental, with Bettina Trump clarifying on Instagram that Umar merely "hosted two incredible nights of celebrations" as "an extraordinarily generous wedding gift," which is totally normal. Let’s move on to President Trump who called AI safety concerns a hoax, compared warnings about AI risks to climate change warnings and called Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang mid-appearance on stage to deliver this message. Speaking of climate change, the EPA repealed rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas plants and added a separate rule preventing future administrations from ever regulating climate pollution from power plants. Great. And finally, Mitch McConnell showed up to work after three months, cast the deciding vote on a conservative judge confirmation. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Live Updates: Supreme Court Rejects Trump's Restrictions on Voting by Mail NYT: Whistle-Blower: Federal Agents May Have Broken State Laws in Search For Voter Fraud The New Republic: Texts Reveal Kash Patel Ordering Staff to Fight “Ifindretards” Account WaPo: Kennedy Center could close as early as Tuesday, warns of bankruptcy, documents show ProPublica: Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch AP News: Trump calls AI risks a 'hoax,' says there is a 'SICK conspiracy' against AI and data centers AP News: EPA eliminates rule that limits planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants AP News: McConnell returns to the Senate for the first time since his June hospitalization Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 14 · 10 min
Monday, September 14th, 2026 - Trump’s Weekend Gaffes, AI CEOs Want Regulation, TX Stops Counting Maternal Deaths
Today's Headlines: Trump skipped the 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York to fall asleep at the Pentagon's 9/11 ceremony. He then flew to Ireland where the Irish president seated him behind a notably small desk, protests featured an inflatable Trump being inflatable-Netanyahu'd in the streets, and he called Irish reunification "fantastic" and "a cool thing," breaking 28 years of official US neutrality on an issue that has historically caused quite a bit of conflict. This landed at an awkward moment given that Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland are meeting today to discuss potentially dissolving the United Kingdom entirely. Trump also lunged at ABC reporter Rachel Scott when she asked about his $5,000 check promise and pointed out the national debt is $40 trillion, the White House called journalist Aaron Rupar a "sick, deluded freak" for noting Natalie Harp was in Ireland, and Trump blamed Zelensky for global energy prices and told him to stop hitting Russian diesel. It was quite the weekend for the President. While we’re on that, a Russian drone strike near the Polish border may have targeted a train carrying Boris Johnson and David Petraeus, prompting air raid warnings in Poland. In other news, An American diplomat accused of possessing child sex abuse material was quietly flown out of London on a secret military flight before police could question him. France expanded its Epstein investigation, identifying 13 new potential victims and multiple potential recruiters, one of whom was found dead in his home right before he was set to be questioned. On AI, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Dario Amodei all posted this weekend calling for AI regulation and a slowdown — simultaneously — very sketchy. And finally, ectopic pregnancy deaths have nearly doubled since the pandemic and increased even more in states with abortion bans, and Texas responded by simply deciding not to analyze maternal mortality data from 2022 and 2023 — the years the abortion ban went into effect — making it impossible to measure its impact. Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: At the Pentagon, Trump ties the legacy of 9/11 to his Iran war NYT: In Doonbeg, Trump’s Irish Open Visit Prompts Protests and Praise NYT: Trump Says Irish Unification Would Be ‘Fantastic,’ Breaking With Precedent Telegraph: Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders meet to plan break-up of United Kingdom The New Republic: Trump Lunges at Female Reporter Asking About Those Supposed $5K Checks Newsweek: White House Calls Journalist ‘Sick, Deluded Freak’ Over Natalie Harp Post NYT: Trump Blames Ukraine for Global Diesel Shortage The Guardian: Train carrying Boris Johnson and ex-CIA chief may have been targeted in Russian strike, officials say | Ukraine Sky News: US officials 'secretly flew diplomat out of UK' after indecent image allegations NYT: France Widens Sex-Trafficking Investigation Linked to Jeffrey Epstein WaPo: Top AI leaders unite to warn the technology is advancing too fast Fortune: Sam Altman confirms OpenAI won't go public this year, saying an IPO now would come at an 'ill-advised moment' given AI safety concerns CNN: Ectopic pregnancy deaths have nearly doubled. It’s worse in states with abortion bans Texas Observer: Texas Maternal Mortality Committee's Next Report Will Skip Post-'Roe' Deaths. Lawmakers Suspect Political Influence. Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 11 · 6 min
Friday, September 11th, 2026 - 9/11's 25th Anniversary, ABC Kills Talarico Interview, Trump’s Voting Restrictions Blocked Again
Today's Headlines: Today marks 25 years since September 11th — 2,977 people killed that day, and over 5,000 first responders who have since died from toxic exposure at Ground Zero. The 9/11 Memorial added a seventh moment of silence this year specifically to honor those who died in the years following. The Republican convention pregamed the anniversary with "Trumpapalooza" — featuring a "God Made Trump" video, promises of $5,000 checks nobody will ever see, and a crowd member screaming that James Talarico and Abdul El-Sayed should be shot. Speaking of Talarico, a new poll shows him leading Paxton 48-43, which explains why ABC refused to air Jimmy Kimmel's Talarico interview after the FCC threatened the network, its affiliates, and local Texas stations — the interview is up on Kimmel's YouTube now, and if the Colbert precedent holds, more people will watch it there anyway. On the election interference beat, an appeals court rejected Trump's mail-in voting restrictions on the grounds that the president doesn't have authority to regulate state elections — though he'll almost certainly appeal to the Supreme Court — and the Supreme Court rejected Missouri's gerrymandered congressional map for the second time, leaving the state past its ballot deadline with no guidance on what map to actually use in November, which is a mess entirely of their own making. And finally, benchmark mortgage rates hit a 14 year high, so yay. Resources/Articles mentioned: 9/11 Memorial: News Release: 9/11 Memorial & Museum Adds Moment of Silence to 25th Anniversary Commemoration, Honoring Those Lost to 9/11 Health Effects NYT: Republican Convention Live Updates: Vance and Trump to Speak on Day 2 of Midterm Event NBC News: Jimmy Kimmel says show won’t air James Talarico interview on TV, citing FCC threats The Guardian: US appeals court rejects Trump’s bid to restrict mail-in voting before midterms NYT: Supreme Court Again Blocks Republican-Backed Missouri Voting Map The Hill: Benchmark mortgage rate hits 14-month high as bond yields keep rising Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 10 · 8 min
Thursday, September 10th, 2026 - Fetterman Goes Full MAGA, Trump's Illegal Cash Gifts to Aides, South Park now South America
Today's Headlines: The dumb (with a b) Republican convention kicked off in Dallas with John Fetterman appearing in a video praising Trump and calling Democrats extremists and socialists to no one's surprise. In semi-related news, Ken Paxton lost the endorsement of his own former top law enforcement official — a decorated Texas Ranger who blew the whistle on Paxton to the FBI in 2020 — to Democratic opponent James Talarico, because even the people who worked for him can't stand him. Moving on, Trump celebrated the AFD's German election win with "MGGA — Make Germany Great Again," actively cheering on the Nazi party with two more German regional elections coming in ten days. Trump also gave $45,000 cash gifts to Natalie Harp, communications director Margo Martin, and 26-year-old executive assistant Chamberlain Harris — nearly a third of each of their $150,000 salaries — plus $20,000 to Walt Nauta, all of which appears to violate federal law prohibiting supplementing government employees' salaries from outside sources. On the tech beat, an Anthropic researcher named Jacob Coxon quit his job and gave up significant equity because he believes his company and its competitors are building tools that could destroy humanity, while a colleague on Twitter put the odds at 10% that AI destroys humanity by 2030 — and separately, a human mathematician accused OpenAI of solving a century-old math proof only because they heard about his work through an Anthropic scientist, which would have given Anthropic the credit, so Sam Altman allegedly stole a math discovery, which tracks. Yesterday marked a year since Charlie Kirk was killed, Georgetown students held a lookalike contest in DC, and Turning Point USA was not amused. And finally, South Park is renaming itself South America for season 29, explicitly mocking Apple and Google for caving on Lake Ontario. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Democratic Sen. Fetterman speaks at a GOP midterm convention, fueling party-switch fears WaPo: Paxton’s former top law enforcement official endorses Talarico Axios: Trump's "MGGA" praise collides with Germany's Nazi past WaPo: Trump gave $45,000 cash gifts to Natalie Harp, two other close aides WSJ: Anthropic Researcher Quits Over ‘Out-of-Control’ AI Fears WIRED: OpenAI Just Claimed a Huge Math Discovery. Some Academics Are Crying Foul WJLA: Georgetown students plan Charlie Kirk lookalike contest for anniversary of death: report Variety: ‘South Park’ Changes Name to ‘South America’ as Creators Roast Apple and Google for Obeying Trump’s Lake America Name Change Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 9 · 8 min
Wednesday, September 9th, 2026 - Trump Angers Iceland, Smithsonian Chief Resigned, 9/11 Air Quality Docs Released
Today's Headlines: So Donnie’s AI slop posting frenzy over the weekend caused Iceland to summon the US ambassador after he posted a map with the American flag over all of North America, Greenland, and Iceland — Denmark called it "disturbing and completely inappropriate" — and Iceland is now accelerating its EU membership vote, having previously moved it up after Trump confused them with Greenland four times in one speech. Trump also threatened to ban Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier from the US market unless they build planes domestically, despite Bombardier's supply chain already involving 3,000 American companies across 47 states, with wings made in Texas and engines from Phoenix. And on the Iran war, the US launched more strikes on Iranian oil tankers in response to Iran's latest attacks on American warships. Meanwhile, the Smithsonian's secretary Lonnie Bunch is stepping down by year's end, citing Trump's harassment of the institution and attempts to rewrite American history in its museums. The Republican Party's invented midterm convention kicks off in Dallas this week with Trump's approval rating at around 30%, and not every Republican is showing up — Susan Collins among the notable absences. This week marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and New York City released over 170,000 pages of documents suggesting city officials knew the air quality near Ground Zero after 9/11 was unsafe while telling the public otherwise, with more firefighters dying of related illnesses than were killed on the day itself. Speaking of 9/11, TSA launched a new program called Gateside allowing PreCheck members to enter airports without tickets to meet people at gates – a pre-9/11 experience making a limited comeback. And finally, a dozen countries including the UK, France, and Canada announced they're halting trade with Israeli West Bank settlements, with Israel responding by closing the British consulate in East Jerusalem and expelling British representatives from Gaza. Resources/Articles mentioned: CBC: Iceland summons U.S. ambassador over Trump's threat to take over Arctic nation AP News: Trump threatens Canadian jetmaker Bombardier, which has an extensive US footprint WSJ: U.S. Strikes Iranian Oil Tankers in Response to Tehran’s Attacks on Navy Ships AP News: Lonnie Bunch to retire from Smithsonian leadership following clash with Trump administration NYT: Which Senate Candidates Are Skipping Trump’s Republican Convention? Axios: NYC unveils records suggesting officials knew air was unsafe after 9/11 AP News: TSA brings back gate access for some people without plane tickets 25 years after 9/11 WSJ: European Nations Impose Trade Bans on Israel Over West Bank Settlements Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 8 · 10 min
Tuesday, September 8th, 2026 - Trump Went Brunette, Canada's Tariffs Hit at Midnight, Hunter Biden $LAPTOP Meme Coin
Today's Headlines: It was a wild Labor Day weekend for Trump who spent the holiday posting AI images of himself as the Hulk, on the moon, with George Washington, and a map renaming New Mexico to "New America" and stepped off Air Force One as a brunette. Meanwhile, Tweedles Dum and Dee, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visited Kyiv for peace talks with Zelensky, raved about how respectful Putin has been to them personally, and promised announcements "in the coming weeks" before winter. In semi-related news, the Russia backed far-right AFD party won a landslide in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt regional election with 78% turnout, forming the first far-right state government since the original Nazis, with two more German regional elections coming September 20th. Canada's 50% retaliatory tariffs on over 700 American imports went into effect at midnight, doubling what they already had in place, because liberation day is the gift that keeps on giving. In disturbing news, the Tate brothers, picked up another set of Romanian indictments for trafficking minors, money laundering, and witness intimidation while sitting in Florida custody awaiting potential extradition to the UK, and seven Epstein survivors sued hairstylist Frederic Fekkai — named by Massie last week — alleging his salon was the "epicenter for victim grooming," with one of his locations inside a store owned by Les Wexner, also named by Massie, so the connections keep connecting. And finally, Hunter Biden announced a meme coin called $LAPTOP launching on Coinbase, with 20% of proceeds going to people who lost money on Trump's meme coin, which is something. Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Witkoff and Kushner make first Kyiv visit for peace talks NYT: Trump Floats Renaming New Mexico as ‘New America,’ Prompting Pushback The Independent: ‘What’s going on with Trump’s hair?’ Internet puzzled over president’s new brunette coiffure NYT: Is Work Starting for Trump’s Arch? It Depends Who’s Asking. AP News: Germany's Merz shocked by far-right state election triumph but doubles down on unpopular reforms NYT: Brushing Aside Trump’s Threats, Canada Retaliates on Tariffs NYT: Andrew and Tristan Tate Face New Charges in Romania: A Timeline of the Cases Against Them Allure: A New Lawsuit Alleges Frédéric Fekkai's Hair Salon Was Epstein's "Epicenter for Victim Grooming" WSJ: Hunter Biden (and His Laptop) Enter the Cryptosphere With New Meme Coin Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 4 · 6 min
Friday, September 4th, 2026 - Gloria Steinem Dies at 92, ICE Building National Voter Database, Leon Black Ghosted Congress, AI Outage
Today's Headlines: Today's episode is dedicated to Gloria Steinem, who passed away at 92 years old. In what can only be described as a fitting tribute, ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok all went down simultaneously shortly after, forcing people to use their actual brains for a few hours. On the Immigration beat, ICE is spending $5 million to build a national voter database on behalf of DHS, acquiring voter registration and history files from specific states. A 17-year ICE veteran whistleblower also came forward accusing the Trump administration of fast-tracking unqualified candidates as agents before background checks were complete, calling it an "unprecedented lowering of standards" and a national security risk. In a rare moment of accountability, Trump's own DOJ charged an ICE officer with lying about shooting a Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis — the same officer Texas's governor previously refused to extradite to face state charges. In Epstein files news, Leon Black skipped his congressional testimony on his Epstein ties and instead sued the House Oversight Committee to block his subpoena, arguing they can't force him to hand over NDAs signed with women Epstein trafficked to him, and the committee responded by threatening contempt charges. We’ll see if that actually happens though. Meanwhile, Nvidia announced a $13 billion acquisition of Hugging Face — the AI platform OpenAI's model previously hacked — betting on an open-source AI future similar to China's approach, which is either brilliant or deeply ironic. And finally, for the first time in recorded human history, people over 65 now outnumber children under 5 globally, per a new US Census report — a milestone driven by declining birth rates and longer life expectancy. Resources/Articles mentioned: WIRED: ICE Plans to Pay $5 Million to Create National Voting Database NYT: ICE Skipped Basic Checks in Rush for Recruits, Whistle-Blower Says AP News: Live updates: ICE officer federally charged with lying about shooting of Venezuelan man, AP source says AP News: Billionaire Leon Black skips Epstein deposition and sues House panel over subpoenas Politico: House Oversight chair still wants attorney general to testify on handling of the Epstein files - Live Updates The Verge: ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude all went down at the same time Wired: Nvidia’s Hugging Face Acquisition Is a $12.9 Billion Bet on Open-Source AI Axios: Historic first: Older adults now outnumber the youngest children worldwide Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 3 · 6 min
Thursday, September 3rd, 2026 - US Accused of War Crimes, Apple Caves on Lake America, Massie Names Epstein Associates
Today's Headlines: Iran accused the US of a war crime after strikes hit a wedding killing four civilians, the US denied targeting civilians, Iran responded by launching missiles at US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain — so the ceasefire is going great. The USS Abraham Lincoln's 5,000-person crew finally docked in Thailand after nearly nine months at sea, were told by the military not to speak to journalists about the conditions they endured, and local authorities in Pattaya preemptively cracked down on prostitution ahead of their arrival. And to absolutely no one’s surprise, Apple caved to Trump and changed Lake Ontario to Lake America on Apple Maps following his personal request, which is a remarkable display of corporate spine from a company worth $3 trillion. It’s been a while but on the Epstein beat, Congressman Thomas Massie proposed the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, reading the names of 14 Epstein associates he believes need to be investigated — notably not mentioning the one person referenced in the files more than anyone else. In tech, GoPro is pivoting to AI, defense, and national security after merging with an optical company, its stock shot up 40%, and Dyson announced a $499 AI toothbrush with a built-in camera that can livestream your brushing to an app, which no one asked for. Google avoided being broken up despite being found guilty of antitrust violations, getting instead a vague requirement to make unspecified changes to its ad business. Meanwhile, a new study from San Diego State found that fewer women are creating TV shows for streamers than a decade ago, female directors of broadcast programs have declined, and the majority of speaking roles for women skew toward their 20s and 30s while men's roles don't drop off until their 50s. And finally, Milo Yiannopoulos told Piers Morgan that being detained and deported by ICE was humiliating and frightening, and that if he'd known this was possible he would never have supported Trump. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Iran fires on its Gulf neighbors, retaliating for US strikes after a wedding was hit The Guardian: USS Abraham Lincoln’s crew of 5,000 arrive at notorious Thai resort after 270 days at sea | US military The Independent: Thailand issues prostitution warning as USS Abraham Lincoln docks in tourist town after 200 days at sea Axios: Apple joins Google in renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America" PBS News: WATCH: Massie names 14 Epstein associates to 'shame' DOJ CNBC: GoPro joins AI bonanza with pivot into data centers as shares skyrocket 40% The Rundown: Dyson puts AI in a $499 toothbrush Yahoo: Google won't be forced to break up its ads business The Hollywood Reporter: Fewer Women Are Creating TV Shows Now Than They Were Nearly a Decade Ago, Study Finds Mediate: Milo Yiannopoulos Tells Piers Morgan He's 'Very Ashamed' of Supporting Trump Following ICE Arrest Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 2 · 6 min
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026 - Bond Markets Tank, SCOTUS Clears Ballroom Bunker, USPS Whistleblower Warns of Potential Voter Suppression
Today's Headlines: The US launched strikes in the Strait of Hormuz for the second day in a row without saying what they were targeting, two more oil tankers got attacked, and JD Vance's Yale buddy Dan Driscoll quit as Army Secretary after Hegseth got paranoid about their friendship and blocked Driscoll's plans to modernize the Army for drone warfare — so the guy who wanted to prepare for the future of war got pushed out by the guy who built himself a salon at the Pentagon. On the financial beat, Global bond markets are selling off, US interest rates just hit a 20-year high, and what that means for you personally is that your credit card, mortgage, and car loan just got more expensive — thanks in part to the Iran war, oil prices, and everyone powerful being addicted to borrowing money. In other disturbing news, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Trump can keep building his ballroom-bunker, with Roberts writing in his dissent that it's probably illegal but the lawsuit didn't have standing. A USPS whistleblower came forward saying the Post Office defied court orders while building Trump's mail ballot system, the voter list portal states need to use doesn't exist yet, and tens of thousands of ballots could get rejected as a result — Democrats responded with a strongly worded letter to the Post Office, yep, the Post Office. In things we can no longer safely ingest news, Horizon Organic chocolate milk was recalled across Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods for early spoilage, which is annoying but at least it's not glass. And finally, Republicans invented a "midterm convention" in Dallas where a photo with Trump costs $88,000 and a photo with JD Vance costs $35,000. Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Why Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned NYT: Bond Sell-Off Threatens to Squeeze Borrowers Around the World WSJ: Trump Says Communities That Oppose Data Centers Risk Becoming ‘Backwards and Poor’ Axios: Supreme Court allows Trump's ballroom construction to proceed Axios: USPS whistleblower warns new ballot system could fail USA Today: Nearly 54K cases of chocolate milk recalled. See affected products WSJ: An $88,600 Photo With Trump: GOP Hopes to Raise Millions During Convention Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 1 · 8 min
Tuesday, September 1st, 2026 - Iran Strikes Back On, Yosemite Is Being Privatized, Pentagon's Secret Influencer Army
Today's Headlines: And we’re back to actual warring again. The US and Iran are shooting at each other again for the first time in a month — US strikes on Iranian rocket launchers, Iran hitting US bases in Jordan and the UAE — and when reporters asked Trump if he'd rule out nukes, he said yes and no in the same breath and called it a stupid question, which is on brand. Trump also personally called Apple to ask them to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America on Maps, and is apparently "confident" it'll happen soon, Apple however did not comment on the matter. In other disturbing news, the Pentagon has been secretly hiring conservative veteran influencers in civilian roles to defend Hegseth online and go after his critics, funded possibly by taxpayers — turns out those are the replacements for the press outlets Hegseth kicked out of the Pentagon — and ICE is dropping $2 million on robot dogs with 360-degree cameras and extendable arms, to go with the electric shock gloves, because why not. On the food and environment beat, a carcinogenic forever chemical just got approved for crops including apples, oranges, corn, and almonds, three groups immediately sued, 10,000 cases of tofu are being recalled from 29 states for possible ink contamination, and the Trump administration wants to hand over part of Yosemite National Park to a private equity firm that wants to build upscale cabins and commercial buildings — in exchange for equivalent land elsewhere, make it make sense. Meanwhile, protesters showed up at Peter Thiel's Argentina mansion, George Santos got Kalshi's first ever lifetime ban for betting on his own State of the Union attendance and responded by threatening them on Twitter, and John Galliano quietly dropped out of his 2027 Met Gala retrospective, which was probably the right call. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian: Trump threatens further action as US and Iran exchange fire in new flare-up | US-Israel war on Iran AP News: Trump has asked Apple to change Lake Ontario name to 'Lake America' on its maps, interior chief says Today: Tofu Recalled in 29 States for Contamination Yahoo: The Center for Food Safety: Trump Administration Sued for Approving 'Forever Chemical' Pesticide Trifludimoxazin NYT: Trump Administration Looks to Give a Swath of Yosemite Park to Developer WaPo: Pentagon secretly installs military influencers in civilian roles NBC News: ICE plans to buy robot ‘dogs’ for some immigration enforcement operations France 24: Argentines march on Peter Thiel's mansion WSJ: Ex-Congressman George Santos Receives Kalshi’s First-Ever Lifetime Ban NYT: John Galliano Withdraws From Met Museum Show After Backlash Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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