U.S. News https://www.washingtonsun.com/us-news U.S. News en-US Sun, 13 Sep 2026 15:43:31 GMT Wisconsin Congressman Tearfully Recounts Surviving Emergency Plane Landing https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/wisconsin-tom-tiffany-emergency-plane-landing-lake Associated Press Tom Tiffany, who is running for governor, required stitches after an emergency landing. Sun, 13 Sep 2026 15:43:31 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/wisconsin-tom-tiffany-emergency-plane-landing-lake Wisconsin Emergency Plane Landing
Rep. Tom Tiffany and the pilot swam to a shallow area to wait for first responders. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP/File)
WAUSAU, Wis. — U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a candidate for Wisconsin governor, wiped away tears and laughed while sharing how thankful he was Sunday to survive a harrowing late-night emergency landing into a lake of the small plane he was riding in.

The pilot “said we are going down,” Tiffany, a Republican, told reporters at a downtown Wausau firehouse. “'Pull your seat belt tight.' I gave it a yank and pulled it good and tight. It was probably about 10 seconds later ... we hit the water.”

Tiffany said he and the pilot, Leonard Boltz, remained on top of the plane in Lake Wausau until it began sinking before deciding to try and swim to shore. He said they swam about 100 to 150 feet (30 to 45 meters) until they reached water shallow enough to stand in.

“We’re really fortunate that God was looking after us last night," said the 68-year-old Tiffany.

The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the emergency landing happened just before 9 p.m. Saturday. Boltz called 911 after the pair got out of the plane. They were rescued by emergency responders in a fire department airboat just after 9 p.m.

“The gravity of this is probably just hitting me at this point,” Tiffany said Sunday. "We were making jokes every step of the way last night, though we knew it was a serious situation, we tried to keep it light through the whole thing.”

David Crowley, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, wished Tiffany a “quick recovery” in a post on X and lauded the “heroism of the pilot.”

Tiffany said he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the single-engine, four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport.

Tiffany said he suffered a cut above his right eye that required 12 stitches. Boltz, who Tiffany said is a retired Air Force pilot, also suffered cuts and received four stitches.

He said the incident will not impact his gubernatorial campaign.

The Wausau County Fire Department said the plane experienced a mechanical issue that caused the pilot to make the emergency landing. The aircraft remains in the lake, according to the fire department.

A no-wake buoy was placed near the plane, which remained in the lake, and boaters were being asked to avoid the area until the plane can be removed, the sheriff's office said.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said the agency would investigate the incident. A National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson said that agency is waiting for the FAA to assess the plane as to whether the damage was substantial enough for it to get involved.

This story has been updated with comments from Rep. Tom Tiffany.]]> Anthropic Founder Calls for AI Companies to Slow Progression https://www.washingtonsun.com/technology/anthropic-founder-dario-amodei-calls-for-ai-companies-to-slow-progression Angie Orellana Hernandez The technology’s rampant growth has been a major topic of discussion among lawmakers and industry leaders this week. Sat, 12 Sep 2026 20:06:23 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/technology/anthropic-founder-dario-amodei-calls-for-ai-companies-to-slow-progression Dario Amodei
Amodei’s essay follows viral messages from three industry workers this week — including a former Anthropic researcher — cautioning that AI’s “out of control” growth could soon lead to disastrous disruptions for society. (Markus Schreiber/AP)
Dario Amodei, the co-founder of AI giant Anthropic, called for companies to slow the technology’s progression in an essay shared Saturday, citing growing potential for harm as the tool’s power grows.

Notably, Amodei’s essay called for companies to partner with the federal government, which could serve as an “evaluator” that implements safety regulations or as a mediator between tech corporations in the process of establishing standards. He also repeatedly invoked the word “democracy” in comparison to China, a longstanding competitor in the exploding industry that Cabinet members say poses a national security risk to U.S. infrastructure.

The CEO’s warning comes as congressional lawmakers and candidates argue about how best to rein in the technology, particularly while several proposals aimed at regulating AI have struggled to pass both chambers — leading some politicians to believe the federal government is missing a crucial window to establish guardrails.

Amodei’s essay follows viral messages from three industry workers this week — including a former Anthropic researcher who spoke with The Washington Sun about his decision to quit — cautioning that AI’s “out of control” growth could soon lead to disastrous disruptions for society.

In his essay, Amodei said he’s become “convinced that fully addressing the risks requires even more prudence — not just investing in risk prevention, but pacing the rate of capabilities advancement so that risk prevention has time to keep up.”

“We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” Amodei said. “Progress will still seem fast, and we must make wise use of the time we gain.”

Amodei said the “accelerating rate of AI capability development” could potentially result in a swarm of AI agents “taking over the entire internet” within six to 12 months. By slowing down, he argued, technology companies could achieve “greater operational excellence,” reduce safety risks, enhance testing and evaluation and obtain greater understanding as to what “goes on inside these models.”

Amodei also urged maintaining stronger safety measures against China, which the company claimed in a report this week had used its models to conduct research that could have been used to generate biological weapons. The CEO called for the government and other tech companies to stop selling powerful AI chips or semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China, as well as curb chip smuggling operations.

Deputy CIA Director Michael Ellis also disclosed Tuesday in public remarks that the United States considers Chinese companies a legitimate target for espionage in fields such as artificial intelligence.

“Some may believe these measures make it more difficult to cooperate with China, but I believe the opposite is true,” Amodei wrote. “These measures increase the leverage held by democracies and make an agreement more likely in the future.”

President Donald Trump has called for the expansion of AI data centers, even as they grow more unpopular with the public, and further tech innovation to better compete with China. When asked if he was concerned about the former Anthropic researcher’s claims that AI could lead to human extinction on Thursday, the president said he didn’t have any worries.

“I have concerns that if we don’t win AI, we’re going to be put in a very bad position,” Trump told reporters. “We are leading China right now by a pretty good period, I would say a year, which is, you know, considered a lot.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Amodei’s letter.

Other American AI leaders, including Elon Musk of xAI and Sam Altman of OpenAI, concurred with Amodei’s message on Saturday.

“I agree with Dario that we need to pace the frontier,” Altman said on X, adding that the idea had also been circulating at OpenAI this month. “Committing to having independent evaluators with employee-like access is a great idea, and we will do the same. We'll have more to share soon.”

Altman has met with Trump repeatedly throughout the president’s second term, including discussing plans for the government to acquire “pieces” of their firms in what would be among the most significant federal interventions in the private sector — though he later distanced himself from that prospect. The OpenAI founder also confirmed to Fortune on Friday that the company won’t be going public this year given the safety concerns, calling it an “ill-advised moment” to do so.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), who sits on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said the CEO’s ideas were a “reasonable start” that took into consideration “the proposition that we need real proposals that can be enacted rapidly.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) called the proposal “a start, but it’s not enough” on Saturday. He reemphasized a desire to ban “artificial superintelligence,” the subject of a bill he introduced earlier this month alongside Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas).

Earlier in the week, committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said he was working with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) on legislation to address “catastrophic risks involving biological or nuclear threats.” Anthropic’s head of external affairs, Sarah Heck, said in an X post Saturday afternoon that the company is “eager” to work with lawmakers on their AI safety measures.

But, Cruz told Politico this week, slowing down would be an “impossible endeavor,” especially while competing with China.

“We could have government step in and shut down the AI industry in America. You know what would happen?” he said. “China would catch up in six months and soar ahead, and we wouldn’t have the tools to defend ourselves.”]]> Federal Judge Says DHS Acted ‘Capriciously’ When Halving FEMA’s Staff https://www.washingtonsun.com/courts/trump-dhs-halved-fema-staff-violation-law Angie Orellana Hernandez The department gutted the contracts for CORE employees earlier this year without using “reasoned decisionmaking,” the judge wrote. Sat, 12 Sep 2026 16:42:44 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/courts/trump-dhs-halved-fema-staff-violation-law FEMA headquarters
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP Images
A federal judge in California sided with a labor union on Friday in its lawsuit against the Trump administration, saying the Department of Homeland Security “arbitrarily” moved to slash the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s staff by 50% earlier this year.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled that DHS acted “capriciously” when it revoked FEMA’s long-standing authority to renew contracts for its Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery, or CORE employees. CORE employees are on-the-ground contacts who are dispatched across the country and remain in communities years after a disaster.

CORE employees have traditionally comprised around 40% of FEMA’s staff. Several workers previously told The Washington Sun that gutting the office would compromise essential recovery efforts in the aftermath of a disaster.

Illston said in her ruling that the government didn’t present any evidence that suggested DHS had used “reasoned decisionmaking” when conducting the mass firings.

“The record instead reflects that DHS was exempt from the President’s hiring freeze but then interpreted ‘new hires’ under the hiring freeze to include FEMA CORE term renewals,” Illston, a Clinton appointee, wrote. “The record also reflects that revoking FEMA’s CORE renewal authority impeded FEMA’s ability to perform its functions.”

Illston wrote that evidence in the case appeared to show the staffing cuts were helmed by former DHS leaders Joseph Guy and Kara Voorhies, as well as Karen Evans, who recently returned to the department to lead a fraud task force. Voorhies, who left her position as a FEMA contractor in the spring, has been under scrutiny by lawmakers from both parties for allegedly having an outsized role in managing FEMA contracts.

The court also found that Guy, Voorhies and Evans improperly used auto-delete features on the secure messaging application Signal to discuss staffing reductions.

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Illston’s ruling.
]]> Why Swing District Republicans Kept Their Distance From Trump’s Midterm Convention https://www.washingtonsun.com/swing-district-republicans-trump-midterm-convention Kadia Goba, Oriana González The GOP midterm convention in Dallas was a Trump-fest, and some imperiled Republicans thought it wasn’t worth the time. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:41:21 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/swing-district-republicans-trump-midterm-convention Election 2026 Republicans
President Donald Trump at the Republican convention in Dallas. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
DALLAS and BRIGHTON, Colorado — As the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention started on Wednesday afternoon at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, there were plenty of fervent supporters of President Donald Trump on hand, and plenty of Trump-themed merch.

Make America Great Again hats priced at $47 — a nod to the 47th president — shirts with the convention logo, cards sporting Trump’s face and more crowded the official souvenir stands for purchase by the faithful.

What was missing from the Trump-inspired scene were most of the people Trump said on Truth Social he wanted there — Republicans in competitive races.

Most of them stayed far, far away, in districts where vibes surrounding the unpopular president are far less positive. The convention presented a stark split screen, with Trump on one side calling for endangered members of Congress to join him amid the adoration and heated rhetoric of the MAGA base, while on the other side imperiled candidates aimed to soothe disenchanted locals.

One of those was Rep. Gabe Evans, a Colorado Republican who represents one of the state’s most competitive seats. He was about 800 miles northwest of Dallas as the convention launched, walking into a large conference room at the Electrical Independent Contractors of Rocky Mountain. He was attending a listening session with acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to hear from the association’s board members.

“I might have considered going to it, you know? But at the end of the day, I'm going to be here in my community, listening to my community, taking care of my community,” Evans told The Washington Sun over a coffee at a local coffee shop in Brighton, Colorado.
Election 2026 Colorado (3000x2000, AR: 1.50)Trump reiterated his pitch to vulnerable Republicans in his prime-time keynote speech Wednesday night.

“You have so many of those great senators and I said, ‘You know the ones I want here, we have some that are leading by 30 points and they’ve been here for 25 years.’ I said, ‘Don’t come, please don’t come,’” Trump told the crowd. “The ones that we need are … the ones that are very close. They might be winning by a little or losing by a little, or tied.”

Evans and most other candidates facing similar circumstances did not answer the call. Of 70 speakers at the convention, only 18 were Republicans in tough House and Senate races. More than 40 Republican candidates and incumbents are considered to be tight races for seats in both chambers.

North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the House Republicans’ campaign arm, which worked with the RNC to bring House lawmakers to Dallas, told The Sun that any concerns about the absence of vulnerable Republicans at the convention were just a “media kind of narrative about this, who's here, who's not here.”

“I just think it's D.C. trying to create some kind of narrative that there's some kind of disunity here. We're as unified as we've ever been, and this convention has been a great unifying focal point for us,” Hudson added.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Speaker Mike Johnson put a different spin on the divergent strategies of party leaders and their more reticent members: It’s just common sense, not evidence of a GOP divide.

“Anybody that wants to come and be a part of that is great. But we've also got members in tough races that want to be in their districts campaigning because they're literally going to win or lose by 1%. So some of them, you know, are in much better position being in their district,” Scalise told reporters.

Similarly, when asked last month while in New York whether he’d encourage members to go to the convention, Johnson said it “depends on the district.”

One House Republican in a competitive race who skipped the Dallas gathering and was granted anonymity to speak candidly, did not seem to have FOMO.

“I’m back in my district this week. Just finished knocking on doors for the night,” the lawmaker told The Sun via text Tuesday night.

When asked if the RNC, which organized the midterm convention, reached out about attending, the House Republican said, “I told them I would be working in the district and they left me alone.”

One person familiar with planning for the convention suggested that, despite what the president said, organizers didn’t actually want more lawmakers around, telling The Sun, “We want to actually have everyday Americans,” adding it’s “so much more powerful” than listening to “30 straight, 70-year-old dudes in a suit go up there and talk about policy.”

The priority for speakers, the person said, was those ordinary Americans first, followed by Cabinet members and, finally, vulnerable Republicans: “There’s only two nights, there’s only so many speaking slots, like, we can’t have everyone.”

Still, in a midterm when history favors the out-of-power party and Democrats are expecting a blue wave driven by Trump’s record-low approval ratings, an unpopular war in Iran, high gas prices and rising grocery costs, Evans was more interested in the everyday Americans back home.

“I'm taking care of my district,” Evans told The Sun.

“We did three site visits yesterday. People brought up new issues to me, and then I act on those issues,” Evans said “Whether it's writing letters, making calls, doing emails to the administration, talking to other members, I take care of my community and my neighborhood.”

Evans’ decision reflects the very precarious position he’s in. His seat, Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, is ranked a “toss up” by the Cook Political Report, with an even split between Republicans and Democrats.

Former President Joe Biden won the district by 5 percentage points in 2020. In 2024, Trump carried the district by just under 2 points, and his signature tough-on-immigration policies are a drag in the district.

Latino support has dropped significantly — recent polling found 61% of Latino voters there said they disapprove of the president, compared to 48% who disapproved of him in summer 2025.

“I am more conservative, and so I understand, I see both sides, but I'm also a human with empathy, and it's hard to watch,” said Febe Valdez, the owner of Willow and Fern, about the administration’s “harsh” mass deportation policies. “So I can't personally, can't really confidently say, I support violence and aggression when it comes to border control.”

For some, Trump's deportation tactics go beyond disapproval to hurting their pocketbooks.

Valerie Beltran, who owns Beltran’s Meat Market in Brighton with her husband, Cesar, blames the crackdown on migrants for driving down the couple’s sideline money-transfer business by 70%. Trump lauded the crackdown in his two-hour convention speech, but Beltran said it’s cost her income that covers most of the rent on their 5,600-square-foot building.

“I feel like it's the fear of sending their kids to school or coming to the Mexican markets to buy their produce or their meat, the shopping that they need to do daily supplies. Just fear of even leaving the house,” Beltran said. “That has contributed to the decline in sales.”

People who don’t go to markets also do not send money home to Mexico, Beltran said. She and her husband are among the many voters Evans has to worry about, though Evans has introduced a bill intended to shield some Latino businesses.

“The first time, I voted for Mr. Trump — both times. And the first time I was so happy. This time I'm not so happy, you know? I regret it this time,” Cesar said.

Those vulnerable Republicans who did attend the convention say there were benefits.

“Any time members of Congress or candidates have a national audience, that's an opportunity to talk about, especially as an incumbent, to talk about the things you've done in office,” Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania told The Sun.

Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, who took the stage Thursday night alongside the loved ones of individuals killed by undocumented immigrants, said he was “proud to stand with them and proud to fight for them.”

“Nobody has called me and said, ‘How dare you go to the convention?,’” Lawler said over the phone.

But for Evans, who’s in a district with a significant rural population, agriculture experts agreed he’d be better served by staying home.

“I would say anybody that represents a state that is undergoing as many pressures as they are back home in the district with the economic stuff for farms and ranches — if they can be there to support, probably not a terrible idea,” Kreg Vollmer, a state board member of the Colorado Farm Bureau, told The Sun.

“Personally, I would also prefer to stay in Colorado in August and not go to Dallas and die from the heatstroke. But that’s just me,” Vollmer joked.

Oriana González reported from Dallas. Kadia Goba reported from Brighton, Colorado
]]> U.S. Deports Afghan Woman Through a Newly Activated Secret Court https://www.washingtonsun.com/immigration/us-deports-afghan-woman-terrorist-court-case Jose Pagliery The Trump administration used the Alien Terrorist Removal Court for the first time in its 30-year existence. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:51:03 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/immigration/us-deports-afghan-woman-terrorist-court-case DOJ logo
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case’s outcome is “a win for national security and the rule of law.” Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
An Afghan woman living in Texas became the first person deported through a newly activated secret court last month, after a judge determined she fit the description of an “alien terrorist,” according to newly unsealed documents.

The FBI accused Nazira Haji Zada of being a radical Islamist who supported a plot to commit an ISIS-inspired mass shooting with her family, which had relocated to the United States after her husband assisted the U.S. war effort back in their home country. The Justice Department in July activated the Alien Terrorist Removal Court for the first time in the court’s 30-year existence to seek her removal from the U.S.

She was not charged with a crime, but investigators said that she helped her son and son-in-law plan an attack during the 2024 general election — one that turned out to be a federal sting operation.

U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen of Minnesota — one of five jurists on the terrorist removal court — issued an order on Aug. 20 that stripped Haji Zada of her American residency status, deemed her “an alien terrorist,” deported her to Afghanistan and rendered her permanently inadmissible to the United States.

She was deported five days later, according to a court filing by prosecutors. Haji Zada, through her federal defender attorney, conceded to her removal on the condition that the accusations not be used against her in a criminal case.

The documents were unsealed Thursday but posted on Friday, as the nation observed the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Her removal from the country shows how the Justice Department could use the terrorist removal court to brand someone a terrorist without affording them the opportunity to view the evidence the government claims to have against them.

Haji Zada’s attorneys, federal defenders Matthew Farley and Mary Petras, said in a statement that her “choice to consent to removal should not be seen as an endorsement of this court's legitimacy.”

“Dragging lawful permanent residents into court but refusing to show them or their attorneys the evidence that will be used against them is a plain violation of due process,” the attorneys said. “We are confident that the Alien Terrorist Removal Court will be struck down as unconstitutional as soon as a judge is asked to address the issue."

Attorney General Todd Blanche, in a statement, called it a “landmark case” and added that “the ATRC shows how the [DOJ] will use every tool at its disposal to protect our country.” FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement saying that federal law enforcement is now “using all means necessary” to protect the country from the threat of terrorism.

The ATRC, which was created by Congress in 1996, remained dormant until this year. Its existence and method of operation — unlike a typical criminal court, it doesn’t need to follow due process laws — worry legal experts who have called its constitutionality into question.

Alfred Wolin, the only living jurist who was among the first batch of judges to sit on the court, told The Washington Sun earlier this summer that even he was confused about how exactly the process would work.

Haji Zada spent several weeks listed as “Inmate 400151” at a D.C. jail as the case proceeded largely behind closed doors.

Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were previously convicted of charges related to the planned attack. Her son was 17 at the time of his arrest in 2024 and is currently listed as an inmate at a medium-security federal prison in California, with an expected release date in 2037. Tawhedi pleaded guilty last year but has not yet been sentenced.

This case also included the State Department, immigration enforcement, and the DOJ’s National Security Division to coordinate the deportation.
]]> U.S. Inflation Accelerates as Gas Prices Continue to Climb https://www.washingtonsun.com/economy/us-inflation-accelerates-gas-prices-iran-war Associated Press The figures show that inflation remains stubbornly elevated, more than five years after prices first soared as the economy emerged from the COVID pandemic. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 13:16:27 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/economy/us-inflation-accelerates-gas-prices-iran-war Gas prices
There are few signs of the Iran war cooling, and even President Trump has said gas prices won't retreat until after the midterm elections in November. George Walker IV/AP
By Christopher Rugaber

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. inflation accelerated last month as gas prices spiked in the wake of renewed fighting in the Middle East, underscoring the affordability challenges that are top of mind for many voters with midterm elections now just seven weeks away.

The consumer price index rose 3.4% last month compared with a year ago, the Labor Department said Friday, the same as in July. But on a monthly basis, inflation quickened, as costs jumped 0.4% from July to August, up from an increase of just 0.1% the previous month.

The figures show that inflation remains stubbornly elevated, more than five years after prices first soared as the economy emerged from the COVID pandemic. Persistent inflation has presented a major challenge for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve and has soured many voters on the Trump administration’s economic track record.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices were 2.4% higher in August than a year ago, down slightly from July's 2.5% and the third straight decline. But on a monthly basis, core prices rose 0.3% from July to August, the largest increase since April.

The larger-than-expected monthly increase in core prices will likely embolden those Fed officials who have pushed for the central bank to lift its benchmark interest rate at its meeting next week. Wall Street investors now see about 70% likelihood the Fed will increase rates Sept. 16, according to CME Fedwatch.

The Trump administration is seeking to counter voter concerns about high prices and rising interest rates as the midterm elections approach. President Donald Trump on Wednesday promised $5,000 payments to every American adult if the GOP keeps a majority in Congress, a move that would require congressional approval and could stoke inflation. And Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has stepped up buybacks of Treasury bonds in an effort to keep longer-term interest rates lower. Yet on Thursday the yield on the 10-year Treasury reached a nearly three-year high.

Renewed fighting in the Middle East has pushed up energy costs, with the nationwide average cost of a gallon of gas on Friday jumping more than 7% from a month ago to $4.30.

Hotel room prices and airfares also rose last month while new and used cars got more expensive. Apparel and grocery prices were unchanged from July to August.

Inflation as one-time shock, or something more

Many economists and Federal Reserve officials have long considered higher gas prices one of several “one-time” shocks that are lifting inflation, along with tariffs and surging investment in AI data centers. For months, the hope has been that as the war against Iran wound down, and the effects of tariffs faded, inflation would grind lower.

Yet there are few signs of the Iran war cooling, and even Trump has said gas prices won't retreat until after the midterm elections in November. And while Trump's trade fight with Canada will impact a small number of imports, it is a reminder that tariffs remain a threat that could push up other costs.

“This is not one and done,” said Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide. “It's unclear when tensions in the Middle East are going to settle down. ... This seems like it could be a prolonged disruption.”

While core prices are rising more slowly than overall prices, more expensive oil and gas could spread through more of the economy. Pricier jet fuel will likely push up airfares, and more expensive diesel will raise shipping costs, which could make groceries and other goods shipped by truck more expensive. On Thursday, a wholesale price report showed a jump in chemical prices, likely a result of more expensive oil.

What will the Federal Reserve do?

Federal Reserve policymakers are split on whether to hike at a meeting next week, so much so that differences of a few hundredths of a percentage point in Friday's inflation report could determine whether the central bank boosts its benchmark interest rate or leaves it unchanged. The Fed, which is tasked with keeping inflation in check, typically lifts borrowing costs to slow spending and limit price increases.

Investors and analysts differ over whether the Fed will hike rates at their Sept. 15-16 meeting. Chair Kevin Warsh suggested he was leaning toward a rate hike in a high-profile speech two weeks ago, but he did not commit to doing so at a specific time.

And last Thursday, Fed governor Christopher Waller, echoing some other Fed officials, suggested that if Friday’s inflation report shows price increases cooling, then he would support keeping rates where they are. Waller is one of the 12 officials who vote on each Fed rate decision.

Waller's heavy emphasis on August's figures has raised the stakes for Friday's report. If the monthly core figure rounds up to 0.3%, some Wall Street analysts expect the Fed would then hike rates. But if it rounded down to 0.2% or lower, then a hold could be more likely. If it is somewhere in between, it's not clear what the Fed may do. One analyst called such considerations “ludicrous precision.”

For his part, Warsh doesn't want to tip his hand about his next moves, which some economists say will make this kind of uncertainty more common before Fed meetings.]]> New Mexico Lawmakers Urge Apple, Google to Publicly Reject Trump’s ‘New America’ Name https://www.washingtonsun.com/us-news/new-mexico-america-name-change-trump Jenna Monnin Trump has not issued an executive order mandating the name change, but Democratic lawmakers want to head off any potential future revisions. Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:29:05 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/us-news/new-mexico-america-name-change-trump President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump’s comments and posts about renaming New Mexico come amid his continued efforts to retitle other landmarks and bodies of water to reflect what the White House deems “names that honor American greatness.” (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
New Mexico lawmakers are calling on Apple and Google to keep using New Mexico on their map applications rather than President Donald Trump’s suggested name for the state, “New America.”

Unlike other name changes Trump made through executive orders, the president has only floated New Mexico’s name change in social media posts and public comments — but the coalition of New Mexico Democrats are taking what they call Trump’s “threatening” posts seriously.

In a letter sent Thursday, Democratic Sens. Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich and Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández, Melanie Stansbury and Gabe Vasquez urged the tech companies to “publicly commit” to keeping their state’s name unchanged by Sept. 18.

The group’s letter to Apple CEO John Ternus and Google CEO Sundar Pichai beseeched the executives to reject Trump's recommendation “regardless of what the President posts on social media, what executive order he attempts to issue, or what pressure he puts on your companies.”

“Let us be clear: the President has no legal authority to rename New Mexico. Our state’s name belongs to the people of New Mexico and is rooted in our history and our Constitution, which clearly states that ‘the name of this state is New Mexico,’” the lawmakers wrote.

Apple and Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Sun.

After Trump posted a series of maps featuring the border state with the name “New America” on Truth Social over the weekend, the president doubled down on the idea in his remarks at the first day of the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.

“You have a neighboring state, New Mexico. We think it should be called New America,” Trump told the crowd on Wednesday. “I’ll tell you, the people love the idea.”

When asked if Trump had contacted either company regarding the name change, the White House referred The Sun to his convention comments.

Trump’s comments and posts about renaming New Mexico come amid his continued efforts to retitle other landmarks and bodies of water to reflect what the White House deems “names that honor American greatness.”

Apple and Google have changed the names to reflect Trump’s titles for the Gulf of Mexico to be the “Gulf of America,” Alaska’s Mount Denali to “Mount McKinley” and most recently Lake Ontario to “Lake America.”

In each of those cases, the president issued an executive order requiring the name changes — in contrast to his mere statements and posts floating New Mexico’s potential new name. Trump reportedly pressured Apple to change the name to “Lake America,” and the company quickly acquiesced.

Apple and Google both serve substantial international audiences, and some companies have pushed back on the president’s name changes citing a similar customer base.

The Associated Press adopted the “Mount McKinley” name since it is located within the U.S., but the publication — which publishes a dominant style guide for journalists — rejected Trump’s push to rename the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario because the bodies of water share a border with Mexico and Canada, respectively.

The U.S. has a contentious trade relationship with Mexico and is currently in an all-out trade war with Canada.

New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire also have names referencing a place outside of the U.S. — named after an English leader, county and island off the coast of the country, respectively.

Only New Mexico has received the recent influx of scrutiny from the president.]]> Collins Needs to Defy Political Gravity Again — and Trump Isn't Helping https://www.washingtonsun.com/campaigns/susan-collins-maine-election-trump-isnt-helping Al Weaver A Canada trade war, an ICE shooting and Iran. How much more can Susan Collins take from Trump and still win? Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:06:00 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/campaigns/susan-collins-maine-election-trump-isnt-helping Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) campaigns to hold her Senate seat in a state carried by former Vice President Kamala Harris two years ago. (Michael Kleinfeld for The Washington Sun)
BATH, Maine — The sun has just emerged from over the Kennebec River, and Republican Sen. Susan Collins is ready to greet workers ahead of the first shift at Bath Iron Works.

Shipbuilders, machinists and welders arrive in fits and starts ahead of the 7 a.m. whistle. Collins and roughly a dozen supporters and campaign staff have one goal: for these union workers to gobble up boxes of T-shirts. The navy blue tees feature “SUSAN” on the pocket (the “USA” in red, white and blue, of course) and “BATH BUILT IS BEST BUILT” displayed around the silhouette of a Navy destroyer.

“T-shirts! Get your T-shirts here!” one staffer yells as workers approach, doing his best impression of a hot dog vendor at a minor league baseball game.

The moment is important for Collins’ team, who confide before the predawn event that it’s a test of sorts. If workers take the shirts? A good sign of where the senator is two months out from Mainers deciding whether to hand her a sixth term in office. And if they don’t? An ominous sign of her prospects.

Luckily for them, medium and 2XL shirts are gone with time to spare before work starts. Even those not taking the shirts are polite enough, telling staffers, “Thanks, I’m all set,” or a straight up “No, thank you,” with minimal hostilities.
Susan_Collins_Bath_09012026_16 copy.jpg (5541x3694, AR: 1.50)There’s a reason the crew was very familiar with Collins. She’s helped steer billions of dollars and years of Pentagon contracts to the shipyard, which is the state’s fourth-largest employer. Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee, has widespread union support, but Collins retains some loyalty among working-class voters.

Collins Argues Her Senate Seniority Translates Into Millions for Maine

It’s part of yet another all-politics-is-local strategy that Collins, the Senate Appropriations Committee chair, is banking on to lock down another term. Check out a sampling of her ads or campaign appearances and the message is clear: She’s responsible for securing money to rebuild a fire station or other local projects that generate jobs. That constituent services work is what Democrats concede is formidable.

“It’s given me a once-in-a-century opportunity to really deliver for the people of Maine. … I have delivered for small communities all across the state,” Collins told The Washington Sun in an interview, noting that 45 new and rebuilt fire stations exist due to federal money she’s brought home. “That matters.”

Despite that pitch, Collins finds herself in yet another reelection dogfight where she’s working to defy political gravity.

She’s the lone Senate Republican representing a state carried by former Vice President Kamala Harris two years ago. But increasingly it’s the impact of President Donald Trump’s policies that is causing her constituents to consider electing a Democrat.

Trump’s Immigration and Trade Policies Cause Headaches 

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a Colombian national in Biddeford, Maine, less than two months ago amid a surge of operations in nearby Portland. But the individual wasn’t the target of the ICE operation, and the fallout has rippled across the state.

More recently, trade negotiations with Canada went belly-up, leading to a nasty break in a longstanding relationship. Collins has pleaded with the administration to resume negotiations, as her state shares a 611-mile border with the neighbor to the north and exported $1.3 billion worth of goods to Canada last year —- 41% of the state’s exports. Instead, the president is posting memes about the Canadian prime minister.

“It is [a lot]. It’s certainly not helpful. There’s no doubt about that,” Collins told The Sun, adding that voters are “perplexed” and “more puzzled than anything” about the Canada trade war.

According to a Fox News poll taken in early August, 59% of voters in the state view Trump unfavorably — and that was before the trade spat.

It’s also not an accident that Collins is trying to put more distance between herself and the president. During an event in Biddeford, Collins called on ICE to enact more reforms beyond the recent equipping of agents with body cameras. She argued the agency should stop making arrests at “sensitive” locales, including schools, hospitals, doctors offices and places of worship.

She also criticized the president’s lack of strategy for launching a war with Iran, which has reached a seventh month and has grown deeply unpopular with Americans.
Pete Hegseth (4987x3325, AR: 1.50)“The president clearly did not have a well-thought-out plan for how to deal with Iran. To me, it was utterly predictable that Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz,” she told reporters. “That should not have come as a surprise, and the administration and the Department of Defense should have been prepared for that.”

Gas prices in the state are averaging more than $4 per gallon. Mainers are also bracing for rising heating oil costs in the coming months, an issue that could crop up closer to Election Day.

The series of events has Collins’ allies wondering how much more of this she can handle and still win. One source close to the longtime senator noted that of all the potential administration-induced impediments that could crop up, a second ICE shooting is the one that worries them the most and could be too difficult to overcome.

“It’s frustrating. It’s almost exhausting,” Jason Levesque, the former Republican mayor of Auburn, Maine, and a political commentator, said of the string of happenings.

Collins has never been a favorite of the president, and the feeling is mutual.

He said in June that she is “not my best friend at all,” all the while touting her vote streak even though “sometimes she voted against me.” While Trump has indicated support for her, there is a gulf between the two, as they don’t have much of a relationship.

“They don’t interact often,” the source close to Collins said, noting that they have cordial interactions when they see each other at White House events.

“She’s not calling him about policy stuff, and he’s not calling her either,” the source added.

Instead, her preferred point of contact in the administration is Vice President JD Vance, who she became friendly with during his brief senatorial tenure.
Vance (2884x1923, AR: 1.50)Vance recently told supporters during a late-August event in the state that Collins has been to the Naval Observatory at least a half-dozen times, yet is “the most independent member” of the Senate and “sometimes makes my job just a little bit harder.”

There’s a different type of independence that will be a factor in November. For the first time during the Trump era, Collins will be running without the president on the ballot.

Although the two are like oil and water politically, they complemented each other well across the state in 2020, with Trump giving Collins a boost in rural areas while she overperformed him along the coast. She toppled Sara Gideon, her Democratic opponent, by 8.5 percentage points and cleared 50%, bypassing the state’s ranked choice system entirely.

This go-round, Collins has sought to beef up her support with some of Trump’s most ardent backers. She repaired what was once a fraught relationship with former Republican Maine Gov. Paul LePage, the favorite to succeed Rep. Jared Golden in the 2nd Congressional District.

She’s relying on her record controlling federal spending bills, including what she has procured for rural areas. Collins has touted that she secured more than $428 million in earmarks for the state. She also has the financial muscle to get that message out after being drowned out by Democratic spending in 2020.

“I know the people of rural Maine. I am one of the people of rural Maine,” she said. “I think people understand authenticity and that they also appreciate how hard I work for rural Maine.”

Collins admits the race against Jackson, the former state Senate president who only entered the race after Graham Platner’s swift exit stage left after being accused of sexual assault, is not the race she expected.

“We had to start all over again,” Collins said. “This is the strangest race I’ve ever seen.”

Democrats Work to Nationalize the Race After Platner’s Messy Exit 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has maintained a defiant face about the race, repeatedly declaring that this is the year the party topples Collins. Democrats note that Collins’ approval rating has never been lower and that she votes with Trump at a healthy clip. And they stress that Collins’ vote to confirm Trump’s Supreme Court nominees helped put a stake in Roe v. Wade.

But Democrats in the state remain less sure this strategy will work.

One Maine-based Democratic operative argued that the path for Democrats centers around nationalizing the race and keeping Jackson as generic of a candidate as possible, something Republicans are quickly trying to change. Outside groups — and even Collins herself — have pointed to Jackson’s having two children with his longtime partner, who is his second cousin.

“If Democrats and Troy can keep this race about Donald Trump, affordability and what Susan Collins has or hasn’t done to help with those things, put a check on those things, then Troy has a path to victory, even though it is hard,” the operative said.
Troy_Jackson_Lewiston_09012026_26 copy.jpg (5600x3733, AR: 1.50)“The challenge is if this race becomes about Susan Collins versus Troy Jackson or anybody else,” they continued. “Susan Collins versus a specific person is really hard because Susan Collins is not a bad politician.”

Even Jackson’s most ardent supporters acknowledge that overcoming Collins’ long-standing ties is a high hurdle.

“I think he’s got a very challenging road ahead,” Portland’s Democratic mayor, Mark Dion, who was among those introducing Jackson at his first town hall in Lewiston, told The Sun in an interview.

The party is still picking up the pieces after Platner’s implosion in July, which forced party activists to choose a replacement that some voters are still smarting over. During his Lewiston town hall, a self-described independent who votes Democratic pressed Jackson, pointing to advertisements that “keep referring to ‘our movement’ that ‘we built.’”

“It feels disingenuous because the movement that was building was built by someone else,” said Tori Leigh. “You weren’t elected by the voters.”

“You are right. I didn’t build this movement. I’ve been saying that all along,” Jackson responded. “This isn’t about Troy Jackson. But I don’t even think this is about Graham. I think it’s about people across this state that know there’s something fundamentally wrong with the way things are going.”

Jackson peppered the rally with criticisms of Collins, arguing that she has lost touch with the state — citing her decision against holding town hall meetings. The pair recently agreed to four debates, with the first one set for Oct. 6.

The biggest roar at the town hall came when Jackson pressed that ICE should be “eliminated.”

There are also fears of an enthusiasm gap on the left.

Multiple attendees at the Lewiston event were quick to note that Platner held a standing room only event at the same location last fall that also featured a place for an overflow crowd. The Jackson event, meanwhile, featured dozens of empty seats in the back of the room.
Troy_Jackson_Lewiston_09012026_04 copy.jpg (6000x4000, AR: 1.50)The Maine-based Democratic operative argued that while state Democrats have reasons for excitement now, that’s “mostly fueled by being mad at Collins, not excited for Troy.”

Other top Democrats conceded that the winds have shifted since the Platner exodus.

“He’s not a pop star. He’d be the first one to tell you that,” Dion said of Jackson, adding that he is more than willing to trade “pop star status for competency.”

Polling since Jackson’s entrance has been limited, with a pair of surveys taken since the start of August showing him in a lead within the margin of error. Operatives from both parties are quick to note that the state is notoriously hard to poll.

Another question surrounding Jackson is whether he can win over enough independents and Democrats who’ve backed Collins over the years. If the Lewiston event is any indication, he has some work to do.

Tom Soule, a Democrat and a retired school principal from nearby Bowdoinham, noted that he’s supported Collins throughout the years but is considering supporting Jackson in order to more effectively take on Trump. He wasn’t a fan of Platner’s but showed up to check out Jackson’s pitch.

But Jackson’s inability to explain how he would enact change rather than tick through his positions on issues frustrated him.

He ended up leaving the event early, telling The Sun on his way out: “Not impressed.”]]> Democrats in Congress Plan to Investigate AI Companies https://www.washingtonsun.com/congress/democrats-in-congress-plan-to-investigate-ai-companies Oriana González, Igor Bobic Top House Oversight Democrat vows investigations while others seek the creation of a select committee. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 22:29:23 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/congress/democrats-in-congress-plan-to-investigate-ai-companies Robert Garcia
Rep. Robert Garcia vows Democrats will investigate AI companies if they win the majority. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images) Francis Chung/POLITICO/AP
DALLAS — Democrats in Congress are planning to investigate artificial intelligence companies if they win the majority in November — plans that emerged after a former Anthropic researcher said AI technology would eventually end humanity, The Washington Sun has learned.

“There’s going to be a lot of interest from the House Democratic Caucus to immediately begin this process,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-California), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said in an interview Wednesday. “Anytime you have folks talking about AI moving towards extinction of human life, I think that's got to rise to the top of priorities for us in Congress.”

In the Senate, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) sent a letter to Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urging them to create a bipartisan select committee on AI at the beginning of next Congress to conduct hearings and investigations.

“A dedicated, bipartisan committee with the … staff, authorities, and access to classified and technical briefings necessary to conduct sustained oversight is the response this moment requires,” Gallego wrote in the letter, which was shared first with The Sun.

The plans emerged after Jacob Coxon, a former researcher for Anthropic and OpenAI, announced on X he resigned from Anthropic over concerns that “neither company is acting responsibly” with the technology and are racing to improve software models with no regard for the existential threat AI poses to the global economy and human civilization.

“The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade. This is not a marketing stunt. If anything, many executives and senior researchers will couch their phrasing in the press to sound sensible — but I hear the same people express fear privately. No other human activity poses this level of danger,” Coxon said.

Evan Hubinger, a current researcher working for Anthropic, concurred with Coxon: “Jacob is correct here—we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans! I personally think it is >10% within the next decade,” he said on X.

“I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to,” Hubinger added.

Garcia, who is likely to become Oversight chair if Democrats win the House in November, told The Sun he found Coxon’s claims “disturbing” and said Congress “has to move quickly.” Garcia is in Dallas doing Democratic counterprogramming while Republicans are gathered in the city for their midterm convention.

Gallego told Senate leadership that “Congress's current committee structure is not built” to police a rapidly developing technology that evolves every few months.

“Jurisdiction over AI is scattered across multiple Senate committees, each with a focused lens but none with the full picture,” the senator from Arizona wrote.

A select committee on AI, Gallego said, would give Congress “a dedicated venue for direct, sustained engagement with industry, academia, national security officials, and labor.”

“Congress should not wait for a catastrophic failure, widespread economic disruption, or a national security crisis before building the institutional capacity necessary to understand and respond to this technology,” he added.

House Democratic leadership is reportedly considering creating a select committee on AI, Politico reported, and other Democrats have called for a pause on AI development.

“There has to be public hearings; and we can get answers not just from those that are building this AI right now, but also the CEOs who are leading these companies,” Garcia said.

Anthropic and OpenAI did not immediately respond to The Washington Sun’s requests for comment.]]> Abdul El-Sayed Says It’s Time to ‘Pause’ AI Development https://www.washingtonsun.com/us-news/abdul-el-sayed-michigan-democrat-pause-ai Igor Bobic The Michigan Democrat calls for a pause and admits his initial approach didn’t account for the speed of the new technology. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 16:42:28 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/us-news/abdul-el-sayed-michigan-democrat-pause-ai Abdul El-Sayed
Abdul El-Sayed called new AI warnings "really quite alarming." (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is calling for a pause on AI development after warnings from Anthropic researchers that it could destroy humans this decade, calling it a “break glass moment.”

“I think now we're in a situation where time is of the essence,” El-Sayed said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with The Washington Sun. “The speed at which this is all progressing is really quite alarming, considering the fact that they've taken on capacities we did not know were previously possible.”

The debate over the rapid development of data centers required for AI development is a major flash point in the midterm elections, but Congress hasn’t done much to address concerns.

El-Sayed, who’s running against Michigan Republican Mike Rogers in November, released an AI plan earlier this summer calling for public ownership of artificial intelligence and strict safety rules. He told The Sun that it’s now time to go further.

“I think it's important for us to really hit pause, hit pause in a serious way, and fully understand what it is that is being built when it has so much potential spillover into irreversible damage for humanity,” he added.

Fears about the rapid pace of AI development have escalated sharply following recent incidents involving rogue AI agents. On Tuesday, several Anthropic researchers went public with serious concerns about the industry.

"The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,” AI researcher Jacob Coxon wrote in a social media post announcing his resignation from the company. “This is not a marketing stunt. If anything, many executives and senior researchers will couch their phrasing in the press to sound sensible - but I hear the same people express fear privately. No other human activity poses this level of danger."

Anthropic alignment-science lead Evan Hubinger responded by agreeing with Coxon, putting the odds of humanity’s extinction at greater than 10%.

“I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to,” Hubinger said.

These are only the latest warnings about AI. Earlier this week, OpenAI Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki warned that AI capabilities are advancing faster than researchers’ ability to reliably monitor and control them. In July, nearly 1,400 AI company employees signed an open letter urging the U.S. government to regulate the technology.

Policymakers have been slow to respond.

President Donald Trump last month declared the U.S. should “let Data Reign,” criticizing towns and states that reject AI data centers. In Congress, Republicans have broadly cheered AI development, while Democrats have mostly focused on oversight and safeguards. Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, went furthest by calling for a moratorium on new data center construction and a pause on advanced AI development.

Still, there are signs of bipartisan appetite for stronger AI regulation.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, called on Congress to convene “a special session on AI and what the future of the U.S. looks like.”

“There are very real impacts to society as we know it. Partisan politics aside, there are massive implications of a race towards super intelligence. This is not a doomer post, as some of the advancements will greatly impact access to healthcare, targeted treatments, increase in safer food production etc… but not enough of Congress is focusing on this,” Luna wrote Wednesday in a social media post.

El-Sayed, a progressive Democrat who’s been backed by Sanders, also said it’s time to take more drastic steps to ensure AI doesn’t lead to economic and societal catastrophe.

“AI is truly a life altering technology. The question for us is: In what way does it alter our lives?” he told The Sun. “And I think that's entirely driven by the disincentives right now to pursue a kind of winner-take-all economic toll that has them displacing jobs at the minimum and potentially creating catastrophically dangerous technology.”

El-Sayed also dismissed arguments from AI proponents that the U.S. must lead AI development or else risk the technology falling into the hands of an adversary like China.

“So you're telling me that you're going to race forward into a technology you don't really understand, so that somehow you can have more control over it than they do, except for you don't have control over what you're creating now, and you beating them may, in the interim, create technology we actually can't keep hold of?” he said. “That argument is hard to make.”
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