State media in Iran reported on Monday that the nation’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly has no scheduled talks with the United States, directly contradicting recent claims by President Donald Trump. The White House had indicated earlier that Trump expected negotiations to resume shortly after he dismissed an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In domestic policy moves, the Trump administration plans to release updated fuel economy standards on Monday that would ease regulatory burdens for automakers regarding pollution controls for gasoline-powered cars and light trucks. Trump announced the changes on his Truth Social platform over the weekend, arguing that the less stringent requirements would eliminate waste in American car manufacturing, reduce costs for families, and increase domestic auto production.
Tensions between the White House and the press also escalated, as Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the administration’s decision to ban CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from White House coverage starting September 19. Speaking on ABC News’ This Week, Blanche characterized press access as a privilege rather than a right, stating that Trump acted because he was frustrated by what he deemed inaccurate reporting from those outlets.
On the political front, Senator Thom Tillis criticized his fellow Republican for endorsing Ken Paxton over incumbent John Cornyn in the Texas Senate primary. Tillis, a frequent critic of Trump, labeled the president’s support for Paxton a “colossal mistake” during an interview on CNN.
Meanwhile, the US and China unveiled reciprocal lists of products totaling approximately $30 billion each that will receive tariff reductions. The agreement, aimed at boosting bilateral trade, follows a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, marking Xi’s first state visit to the US since 2015. Trump’s ambassador to China noted that the president justified a pending arms sale to Taiwan to Xi by minimizing it as part of broader global sales and even suggested China might be interested in purchasing American weapons.
Looking ahead to the November elections, House Democrats are preparing a comprehensive oversight agenda. If they regain control of the chamber, they intend to launch extensive investigations into Trump, his family, and his administration across multiple House committees.
If the election comes down to Texas, Tillis calling Paxton’s endorsement a mistake might actually matter this time around.
Banning major networks from the White House? This administration really thinks press access is a privilege to be doled out.
Wait, the US and China are cutting tariffs on $30 billion of goods? That’s a surprising pivot from previous trade wars.
Can someone explain how Iran is relevant to fuel economy standards? These feel like two completely separate news stories.