Today in One Sentence. A federal judge lifted the final nationwide injunction blocking Trump’s mail-voting order; two dozen Democratic-led states and D.C. sued to block the Postal Service’s mail-voting rules; annual U.S. inflation rose 3.7% in July, the same as in June, but well above the Fed’s 2% target; Trump called Canada “one of the worst countries” in the world to deal with; Trump claimed that the U.S. is “achieving a very big victory” in his nearly six-month war with Iran and that the conflict “will continue for as long as necessary”; a federal judge struck down a 2023 Texas law that banned drag shows; Meta agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 48 states to resolve a lawsuit that it intentionally designed its social media platforms to addict children; and Trump’s nominee to lead the FDA previously called for “conservative-based” scientific journals and funding research aligned with conservative policy goals.

1/ A federal judge lifted the final nationwide injunction blocking Trump’s mail-voting order. The decision allows the Postal Service to impose new ballot requirements ahead of the November midterms, requiring election officials to provide mail-voter information, use federally reviewed ballot envelopes with unique barcodes, and correct and resubmit mailings that fail verification. Judge Indira Talwani lifted her injunction after the Supreme Court ruled this week that a related challenge was premature. Neither ruling, however, decided whether the restrictions are legal. (Associated Press / Politico / NPR / New York Times / Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / Axios)

  • A Maryland judge blocked Democrats’ redistricting referendum from the November ballot, ruling that lawmakers failed to follow the required process for submitting a constitutional amendment to voters and that the ballot language was “intentionally misleading.” (Politico / Democracy Docket)

  • Trump ordered MAGA Inc. to launch a national midterm ads centered on his record. The ads are expected to promote Trump’s tax breaks, the stock market, and his efforts to “seal” the U.S.-Mexico border. (The Atlantic)

2/ Two dozen Democratic-led states and D.C. sued to block the Postal Service’s mail-voting rules. The states argued that the requirements exceed federal authority and could disenfranchise voters by forcing election officials to redesign ballot envelopes, build new systems, train workers, and educate voters as some states prepare to mail ballots in early September. (CBS News / Reuters / Axios / ABC News / Bloomberg / The Hill)

3/ The annual U.S. inflation rose 3.7% in July, the same as in June, but well above the Fed’s 2% target. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, was also unchanged at 3.3%. Meanwhile, consumer spending was flat after adjusting for inflation. Spending on goods fell by about $50 billion at an annualized rate, while spending on services increased by $86 billion. (Axios / New York Times / CNN / Associated Press / Reuters / Washington Post / CBS News / CNBC)

4/ Trump called Canada “one of the worst countries” in the world to deal with, saying it’s “time to teach Canada you can’t do this anymore.” Trump accused Canada of taking advantage of the U.S. “as though they were a state,” adding that “they don’t have anything that we have to have.” After Trump imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian imports following the collapse of trade talks, Canada retaliated with matching tariffs on about $20 billion in U.S. goods starting Sept. 8. Trump also announced 50% tariffs on Canadian autos and parts beginning Jan. 1. Nevertheless, Trump claimed he had offered Canada “a pretty good deal,” but later appeared to acknowledge Canada’s claim that the U.S. added new conditions in the final hours before negotiations broke down. (ABC News / Reuters / New York Times)

5/ Trump claimed that the U.S. is “achieving a very big victory” in his nearly six-month war with Iran and that the conflict “will continue for as long as necessary.” Trump said he has “no time schedule” for ending the war or restarting negotiations, insisting that he’s “not in a hurry” because both military operations and economic pressure are “effective.” Trump also claimed the U.S. Navy had removed or detonated all mines from the Strait of Hormuz and called the waterway “a very functioning strait.” U.S. allies, however, privately warned that Hormuz was still likely mined. Centcom, meanwhile, maintained that “internationally recognized transit routes” were free of Iranian sea mines. (CBS News / ABC News / CNBC / Axios / Bloomberg)

  • Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has discussed leaving the Trump administration as soon as Labor Day. Administration officials, however, want him to remain at least through the end of the year. His expected departure follows months of friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who fired people close to Driscoll and overruled some of his decisions. Meanwhile, Hegseth fired Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George without explanation in April and has forced out several other senior officers viewed as possible successors. Acting chief Gen. Christopher LaNeve also lacks enough Republican support in the Senate to be confirmed. Days before George was fired, LaNeve reportedly told him that Hegseth wanted the Army to drop an investigation into an unauthorized helicopter flyby of Kid Rock’s Tennessee estate. Hegseth later terminated the investigation and exonerated the aircrews. (New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / Stars and Stripes)

6/ A federal judge struck down a 2023 Texas law that banned drag shows. For a second time, U.S. District Judge David Hittner ruled that the law violates the First Amendment and was so broad that its ban on performances appealing to a “prurient interest in sex” could be applied to cheerleading, live theater, and performances by Dolly Parton (RIP), Elvis Presley, and Miley Cyrus to civil or criminal penalties. “For those who find such activities […] offensive,” Hittner wrote, “the solution is relatively simple […] just don’t go.” (NBC News / Washington Post / The Guardian / USA Today)

7/ 😮 Dept. of Well, that’s fantastic: Meta agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 48 states to resolve a lawsuit that it intentionally designed its social media platforms to addict children. The agreement will set a two-hour daily limit for users under 18, block access from midnight to 6 a.m., and silence most notifications during school hours. The time limit could drop to one hour if TikTok, YouTube, and Snap adopt similar rules. (New York Times / Axios / Reuters / NPR / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)

8/ Trump’s nominee to lead the FDA previously called for “conservative-based” scientific journals and funding research aligned with conservative policy goals. In a 2023 podcast interview, Heidi Overton argued that conservatives needed “alternate systems” for publishing research because “you’re up against this mountain of evidence,” claiming the NIH, FDA, and CDC weren’t prioritizing the kinds of studies she wanted funded. Overton also complained that “the left starts journals” like the “Journal of Adolescent Transgender Medicine”. However, no journal by that name exists. (Yahoo! News / Scientific American)

The 2026 midterms are in 69 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 804 days.