5 months ago
Updated Aug. 27, 2025, 8:46 AM EDT
What to know today
- INDIA TARIFFS: Trump’s 50% tariffs on India took effect today as punishment for that country’s buying Russian oil, one of the highest duties imposed during Trump’s global trade war.
- DEMOCRATIC WIN: Iowa Democrats flipped a Republican seat in a special election yesterday, a significant victory that broke the GOP supermajority in the state Senate.
- ELECTION CALENDAR: Democrats are looking to assemble their early-state presidential nominating calendar for 2028, announcing that the party will start the process in September.
- GREENLAND OPS: Denmark’s foreign minister summoned the top U.S. diplomat there for talks after reports today that at least three people with connections to Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland.
Russian troops enter key Ukrainian region as Trump envoy says talks are ongoing
Daryna Mayer and Mithil Aggarwal
Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine
Russian troops have for the first time entered a key Ukrainian region, Kyiv’s military said today, as President Donald Trump’s special envoy offered new details on the Kremlin’s demands and stressed that the U.S. peace push remained on track.
A small number of Moscow’s forces had crossed into the Dnipropetrovsk region and entered two villages, the Ukrainian military confirmed to NBC News, though it denied they had gained a stable foothold in the central region.
Read the full story here.
Hard-right Freedom Caucus could be gutted as key members run for new jobs in 2026
Sahil Kapur and Scott Wong
Reporting from Washington
The House Freedom Caucus faces an existential moment with some of its most prominent members eyeing the exits for new jobs in the 2026 election, calling into question the future of the band of far-right rebels.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, the group’s thought leader and most outspoken lawmaker, is running for state attorney general.
Barry Moore, R-Ala., is running for the Senate.
Ralph Norman, R-S.C.; Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; and Byron Donalds, R-Fla., are all running for governor. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., is considering running for governor. And yet others facing tough re-elections or redistricting threats could be gone by the end of next year.
Read the full story here.
Transportation Department plans to take over D.C.'s Union Station
The Trump administration is planning to take over the management of D.C.'s Union Station, the travel hub for Amtrak and the city's metro lines.
The announcement from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy comes just over a year after Amtrak took over management and operations for the station.
"Instead of being a point of pride, Washington’s Union Station has fallen into disrepair," Duffy said in a statement announcing the move. "By reclaiming station management, we will help make this city safe and beautiful at a fraction of the cost."
The department's press release said Union Station needs "improvements to elevators, lighting, and security along with enhancements to the passenger experience and replacing the roof and other major systems."
The press release also referred to the station's "potential expansion."
Denmark summons top U.S. diplomat over Greenland influence operations
The Associated Press
Denmark’s foreign minister had the top U.S. diplomat in the country summoned for talks after the main national broadcaster reported today that at least three people with connections to Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland.
Trump has repeatedly said he seeks U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland, a vast, semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. He has not ruled out military force to take control of the mineral-rich, strategically located Arctic island.
Read the full story here.
Democrats prepare to set their 2028 presidential nominating calendar
Reporting from Minneapolis
Democrats are already looking to assemble their early-state presidential nominating calendar for 2028, with the party announcing yesterday that it would kick off the process in September.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said at the DNC’s summer meeting here that he aimed to have clarity about the order of the first primaries well ahead of the campaign.
“We’re planning for meetings throughout the fall and winter and through the spring to make sure that we have a rigorous, effective and fair calendar process,” Martin said. “We need this process to give us the strongest possible candidate, a candidate that’s battle-tested to win and ready to lead America forward.”
Read the full story here.
Democrats break GOP supermajority in Iowa Senate by flipping Republican seat in special election
Iowa Democrats scored a significant victory yesterday by flipping a Republican seat in a special election and breaking the GOP supermajority in the state Senate.
Catelin Drey won the Sioux City-area district with 55% of the vote to Republican opponent Christopher Prosch’s 44%, according to unofficial results with all precincts reporting.
Democrats will now hold 17 seats in the Senate, compared with 33 for Republicans, breaking the GOP’s two-thirds supermajority.
Read the full story here.
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