Politics & World Affairs — September 26, 2026

White House bars CNN from traveling with Trump on Air Force One. CNN was blocked from the press pool for Trump's Saturday trip to Tennessee, the latest escalation in a media-access dispute with First Amendment implications.

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New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigns. Caldwell resigned after an independent investigation substantiated sexual harassment and ethics violations, Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced Friday.

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Iran proposes deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz. Iran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear talks within seven days if the U.S. lifts its naval blockade, waives oil sanctions and observes a ceasefire.

According to AP News, the U.S. president rejected Iran's formal proposal, which conditioned reopening the waterway and returning to nuclear negotiations on an end to the naval blockade, sanctions relief on oil and a ceasefire. With the offer turned down, the conflict's trajectory remains unresolved, and there is no indication yet of a follow-up diplomatic channel or timeline for restoring shipping through the strait.

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Trump rescinds nearly $1 billion in federal funding. President Trump canceled almost $1 billion in congressionally approved federal funding Friday using the contested 'pocket rescission' process that sidesteps Congress.

The Hill reports this is the first time the administration has used the maneuver at this scale this year. The tactic allows a president to withhold funds Congress has already appropriated without seeking lawmakers' approval, and its legality is disputed. The White House announced the cancellation Friday, setting up a potential clash over Congress's constitutional power of the purse.

The Hill · Read more →