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U.S. Political News Today: Trump Takes Mail-Ballot Fight to Supreme Court as House Targets Israel Boycotts

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2026 — The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to revive new federal restrictions on mail-in ballots Thursday, escalating a constitutional fight over election administration two months before the midterms.

The House also passed legislation targeting university boycotts of Israel, a federal judge again blocked President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, and the administration proposed stripping tax exemptions from private educational institutions that use race-based programs.

Trump also signed legislation preventing a government shutdown and said he would seek reimbursement from European governments for weapons previously supplied to Ukraine.

Trump asks Supreme Court to restore mail-ballot restrictions

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to permit enforcement of new U.S. Postal Service rules governing mail-in ballots for the November elections.

The regulations require states to give the Postal Service lists of voters receiving mail ballots and to use federally approved envelopes containing unique tracking barcodes. Ballots that fail to comply could be rejected or returned.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani temporarily blocked the rules, finding that challengers were likely to succeed in arguing that the administration exceeded its constitutional authority.

The Constitution gives state legislatures primary responsibility for determining how elections are conducted, although Congress can establish or change certain rules governing federal contests. Presidents traditionally do not possess independent authority to dictate state ballot procedures.

The administration argues that the requirements will improve election security, ballot tracking and public confidence. Democratic-led states and voting-rights organizations contend that the changes were ordered too close to the election and could cause thousands of legally cast ballots to be discarded.

New Envelopes?

Opponents also say complying would require states to redesign envelopes, modify election software and disclose voter information shortly before ballots are distributed.

The administration’s Supreme Court filing represents an emergency request. A ruling allowing the requirements to take effect would not necessarily resolve the underlying case.

Trump has repeatedly alleged widespread fraud involving mail voting, but courts, election officials and members of his own previous administration found no evidence that such fraud altered the 2020 election result.

The dispute is particularly consequential because Democrats have used mail ballots at higher rates than Republicans in several recent national elections. That partisan difference does not establish whether the rules are legally valid, but it raises the political stakes surrounding the case.

The Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority previously lifted an injunction against an earlier version of the policy while leaving room for additional challenges. (Reuters)

House passes legislation targeting university boycotts of Israel

The House approved legislation that would make universities participating in economic boycotts of Israel ineligible for federal funding.

The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act passed 237-169, receiving support primarily from Republicans along with some Democrats. It must also pass the Senate before reaching Trump.

Supporters said the legislation responds to antisemitism and discriminatory activity on college campuses following protests over the Gaza war. They argue that institutions receiving taxpayer money should not participate in campaigns intended to isolate Israel economically.

Critics said the proposal could penalize constitutionally protected political expression and interfere with academic freedom.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat who opposes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, voted against the legislation because of concerns about its potential effect on free speech.

The bill’s supporters say it regulates institutional discrimination and the use of federal money rather than the individual speech of students or professors. Determining where an institutional purchasing decision ends and protected political advocacy begins, however, could generate substantial litigation.

The vote follows federal court decisions restricting the administration’s ability to punish international students solely for pro-Palestinian advocacy. Those cases distinguish protected political speech from unlawful conduct or legitimate violations of visa requirements.

Universities have faced pressure from multiple directions since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza. Jewish students have reported threats and harassment, while Muslim and Palestinian students have accused institutions of suppressing criticism of Israel.

Nothing in Thursday’s House vote establishes that every campus protest or boycott is antisemitic. Likewise, political advocacy does not excuse threats, violence or discrimination against Jewish students.

The Senate has not announced when it will consider the legislation. (Reuters)

Federal judge blocks Trump’s revised birthright-citizenship order

A federal judge in Maryland issued a preliminary injunction blocking Trump’s latest attempt to restrict birthright citizenship.

U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman concluded that the revised executive order was likely unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment and a Supreme Court decision issued in June.

The Citizenship Clause generally guarantees American citizenship to people born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction.

Trump’s original 2025 order sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born to parents who were undocumented or temporarily present in the country. The Supreme Court rejected that policy in Trump v. Barbara, holding that the Constitution protects children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present.

The administration subsequently issued a narrower order targeting children born under circumstances it characterized as “birth tourism,” as well as children of people designated as alien enemies.

Boardman found that the revised language did not cure the fundamental constitutional problem. Her injunction will remain in effect while a class-action lawsuit brought by immigrant families and advocacy groups proceeds.

The administration argued that the challenge was premature because federal agencies had not completed the policy’s enforcement guidance. The judge rejected that position, finding that families faced credible uncertainty and potential harm.

A preliminary injunction is not the final resolution of the lawsuit. However, it prevents the order from taking effect while the courts determine its legality.

The Justice Department may appeal, potentially returning the birthright-citizenship dispute to the Supreme Court. (Associated Press, Supreme Court decision summary)

Trump administration targets tax exemptions for schools with race-based programs

The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service proposed revoking the federal tax-exempt status of private schools and colleges that provide benefits based on race, color, national origin or ethnicity.

The rule would apply to admissions, scholarships, financial assistance, housing, athletics and other school-supported programs. Administration officials estimate that approximately 18,000 private educational institutions could be affected.

The proposal is scheduled to take effect after May 31, 2027, following a public-comment and review process. Its terms could change before a final rule is issued.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said tax benefits should not subsidize racial discrimination. The administration argues that race-based programs can unfairly disadvantage white and Asian American students and are inconsistent with federal nondiscrimination principles.

Education organizations and civil-rights advocates say the proposal defines diversity programs too broadly and could jeopardize scholarships, student support and recruitment initiatives intended to address historic inequality.

The rule extends the reasoning of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision limiting race-conscious college admissions into areas extending far beyond admissions. Whether the administration possesses the statutory authority to impose such a sweeping tax penalty will probably be contested in court.

Losing tax-exempt status could create serious financial consequences for an institution. Its income could become taxable, and donors might lose the ability to claim deductions for contributions.

The proposal would allow programs based on financial need, geography or other race-neutral criteria to continue.

Because this is a proposed regulation, no school has lost its exemption under the new policy. Institutions will have an opportunity to submit comments before Treasury publishes a final version. (U.S. Treasury, Associated Press)

Trump signs stopgap bill preventing another shutdown

Trump signed legislation extending current federal funding through Dec. 11, preventing a partial government shutdown when the fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

The House passed the measure 370-48 after it previously cleared the Senate. The bipartisan support reflected both parties’ reluctance to accept responsibility for another shutdown shortly before the Nov. 3 elections.

Congress has not completed any of the 12 annual spending bills needed to fund the federal government through September 2027.

The temporary legislation keeps agencies operating at approximately their existing levels, but it does not resolve disagreements over defense, immigration enforcement and domestic programs.

The law restricts certain transfers of Homeland Security funding to Border Patrol operations. It also delays an administration rule that would give the president greater control over federal grants.

Democrats argue that the grant policy could let the White House withhold money from states or organizations that oppose administration priorities. The White House says additional presidential oversight would prevent waste and ensure federal spending reflects the elected administration’s policies.

The agreement moves the next funding deadline until after the election. If control of Congress changes, the result could significantly alter the December negotiations.

Lawmakers will also face pressure from a national debt that surpassed $40 trillion this week. The temporary funding law prevents immediate disruption but does not meaningfully reduce the federal deficit. (Reuters)

Trump says Europe should reimburse United States for Ukraine weapons

Trump said his administration would seek repayment from European countries for military equipment that the United States previously provided to Ukraine.

The president argued that the Biden administration should have required European governments to pay for weapons supplied following Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Trump did not provide a total repayment demand, identify which countries would be billed or explain the legal mechanism his administration would use to collect money already appropriated and spent.

Previous American assistance was authorized by Congress under existing aid programs. Seeking retroactive payment would present legal and diplomatic complications, particularly if European governments never agreed to treat the assistance as a loan.

The Pentagon has since established a program through which European countries finance the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine. That arrangement shifts more of the financial burden to Europe while supporting U.S. defense manufacturers.

Trump acknowledged that the Iran conflict has strained American ammunition inventories. He said the United States was accelerating weapons production and could eventually resume broader sales to allies.

European governments may resist a retroactive demand while remaining willing to pay for future equipment. The dispute could add further tension to U.S.-European relations already strained by trade disagreements, NATO spending and competing approaches to Ukraine.

Trump’s remarks represent a proposed policy position rather than a completed reimbursement agreement. (Reuters)

Republican midterm strategy shifts toward Trump and the political left

Trump is preparing for an unusually visible role in the midterm campaign despite a 33% approval rating in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The president is scheduled to speak on both nights of next week’s Republican midterm convention in Dallas and has promised extensive campaign travel for GOP candidates.

Republicans hope Trump can energize voters who turn out for presidential elections but often skip midterms. The risk is that his low approval rating and unpopular handling of the Iran war and living costs could motivate Democratic voters as well.

GOP candidates are increasingly combining praise for Trump with attacks on progressive Democrats. Republican strategists want swing voters to associate Democratic candidates with democratic socialism, higher taxes and positions on immigration, crime and gender that may be unpopular outside heavily Democratic districts.

That approach allows Republicans to emphasize ideological contrasts while economic dissatisfaction makes it more difficult to campaign exclusively on Trump’s record.

Democrats are countering by focusing on gasoline prices, health-care expenses, tariffs and the administration’s use of executive authority.

The election will determine whether Republicans retain unified control of Washington or whether Democrats gain subpoena power and the ability to block parts of Trump’s agenda. (Reuters)

Texas data-center backlash complicates Republican support for AI

Republican leaders in Texas are adopting a more skeptical position toward artificial-intelligence data centers amid concerns about electricity costs, water consumption and limited job creation.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who previously promoted Texas as a center for AI development, has supported restrictions on new data-center connections to the electric grid. Attorney General Ken Paxton has also adopted a more critical posture.

The shift demonstrates how rapidly public opinion about AI infrastructure is changing. Data centers can bring investment and construction activity, but their enormous power requirements may place additional pressure on local grids and utility customers.

A recent survey found that only 30% of Texas residents supported locating a data center in their community, according to Reuters.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa has made data centers a campaign issue, arguing that the state approved projects without adequately protecting residents.

Major technology companies and AI executives are spending heavily to influence the national policy debate. However, opposition to data-center construction is developing across party lines in communities concerned about electricity rates, pollution, water and land use.

The conflict places state Republicans at odds with Trump’s national push to expand AI infrastructure as quickly as possible to compete with China. (Reuters)

Election rules and executive authority dominate Washington

Thursday’s political developments shared a common question: How far can the federal government go when pursuing a president’s priorities?

The mail-ballot case tests presidential influence over state election systems. The birthright-citizenship ruling concerns whether executive action can narrow a constitutional guarantee. The proposed education rule would use tax policy to reshape institutional diversity programs.

Congress is confronting similar questions through the university-boycott bill, which attempts to balance the government’s interest in preventing discrimination against the constitutional protection of political expression.

These legal and constitutional disputes are unfolding during a campaign dominated by affordability concerns, a prolonged foreign war and low public confidence in political institutions.

Supreme Court decisions on the ballot rules and future appeals involving citizenship could directly influence both the conduct of the election and the balance of presidential power after it.

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