Reuters US Domestic News Summary

The US Senate has confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as the new director of the CDC, marking a rare win for the Trump administration in filling top health posts.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US Senate confirms Schwartz as CDC director

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the U.S. CDC, handing the Trump administration a rare win after repeated failed attempts to fill top health posts. Schwartz, President Donald Trump's third pick to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was confirmed 51-44. She will be the first permanent CDC director since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ​last year fired Trump's second pick, Susan Monarez, after less than a month over a clash on vaccine policy.

How the new generation of left-wing US media is powering progressive candidates

Progressive candidates continue to rack up wins in primary elections across the United States, propelled by a new left-wing media ecosystem allowing them ​to build a national profile on their own terms -- and sidestep the traditional gatekeepers of the Democratic establishment. For Pennsylvania state Representative Chris Rabb, a Democratic socialist who recently prevailed in a congressional primary against a more ‌moderate rival, appearances on programs like "The ​Majority Report with Sam Seder" and "Breaking Points" played a key role in his political breakthrough.

US refunds $100 billion in tariffs struck down by Supreme Court, filing shows

President Donald Trump's administration has refunded about $100 billion from tariffs that it collected before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down those duties, a court filing showed. DETAILS:

NYC law on sharing food delivery apps' data unconstitutional, US appeals court rules

A U.S. appeals court said on Wednesday that a New York City law requiring food delivery companies to share customers' data with restaurants is unconstitutional. In a 3-0 decision, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the law violated the First Amendment's protection against compelled speech by requiring DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats to disclose information about their customers, not simply information about services they provide.

Firefighters gain ground against flames around Spokane, Washington

Firefighters making big strides against a cluster of blazes near Spokane, Washington, scrambled on Wednesday to secure their gains as they anticipated a return of extremely hot, dry weather in the days ahead. Officials said crews had carved ‌buffer lines around a trio of fires threatening the state's second-most populous city. The blazes have destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes since Saturday.

Trump administration to impose 15% tariff in polysilicon probe meant to counter China

The Trump administration will announce as soon as Thursday a 15% tariff and a series of price floors on products made from polysilicon, the key raw material used in solar panels and semiconductors, according to four sources familiar with the matter. The move aims to protect U.S. polysilicon factories from growing Chinese ambitions in the chip supply chain.

US cyclosporiasis probe linked to lettuce widens to 15 states

U.S. health authorities have widened their probe into a cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico after detecting cases in six additional states, raising the total to 15 states, the FDA and CDC said on Wednesday. The newly linked states are Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina, the source said.

Exclusive-Under Patel, FBI forges unprecedented law enforcement ties with China, Russia

FBI Director Kash Patel says he has forged new law enforcement partnerships with China and Russia, two longtime U.S. rivals, over the past year in hopes of gaining allies in combating transnational crime including fentanyl, cyber fraud and child sexual exploitation. The partnerships have involved personnel exchanges in which Chinese law enforcement officials have visited the United States and FBI agents have traveled to China to work on cases together and share intelligence. Separately, FBI and ‌Chinese officers have carried out joint raids and arrests under the arrangement.

FAA says Marine One was briefly too close to passenger airplane

The Federal Aviation Administration said a military helicopter carrying Donald Trump on Tuesday was briefly too close to a passenger jet departing Reagan Washington National Airport but said the U.S. president was not in danger. "Based on our preliminary safety review, there was momentary loss of separation after which the aircraft continued to move away from one another," the FAA said on Wednesday.

Trump administration unveils new paid family leave incentives

The U.S. Treasury Department will announce new guidance on Wednesday expanding incentives for employers to offer paid family leave, according to three ‌people familiar with the plans that the White House hopes to tout in midterm elections. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and House Speaker Mike Johnson are set to join Arizona Representative Juan Ciscomani outside Phoenix to discuss the policy. Ciscomani is one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the House, and administration officials are rallying to support candidates facing strong Democratic challengers.

At Trump's DOJ, watchdogs gutted as misconduct complaints soar

In one courtroom after another, federal judges have accused U.S. President Donald Trump’s Justice Department of an extraordinary spate of misconduct, including making false statements, failing to comply with court orders and improperly using the legal system to harass political opponents. Such rebukes might be expected to trigger a flurry of activity within the department’s two internal watchdogs tasked with policing the government's most powerful law-enforcement agency.

Major Wall Street firms targeted in attempted cyberattacks, sources say

Hackers attempted a series of sophisticated cyberattacks on major Wall Street financial services firms and money managers in recent days, targeting their information systems, according to two people familiar with the matter. Some of the world's largest hedge funds along with several private equity firms were targeted, the sources said, requesting anonymity as the matter is confidential.

After bitter primary, El-Sayed seeks to unite Democrats in must-win Michigan race

Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan's Democratic U.S. Senate primary sets up a high-profile test this fall of whether an unabashedly progressive candidate can prevail in a politically divided swing state — with control of the Senate potentially at stake. El-Sayed, a 41-year-old doctor whose campaign focused on healthcare, the economy and an end to unconditional military aid to Israel, is the first progressive to win a statewide primary in a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2024. He will face Republican former congressman Mike Rogers in November's midterm elections.

Mexican jalapenos tied ⁠to Salmonella outbreak in 27 US states

U.S. health ​officials are investigating a Salmonella outbreak linked to Mexican jalapeno peppers that has sickened 345 people in 27 states, prompting supplier Coast Citrus Distributors to recall peppers sent to restaurants including Chipotle Mexican ⁠Grill and QDOBA. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said 36 hospitalizations and no deaths have been reported, while the investigation remains ongoing.

US unveils charges against five leaders of Mexico's CJNG cartel

The U.S. Justice Department has unsealed criminal charges against five alleged high-ranking members of Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel, acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Wednesday. The indictments were part of a continued pressure campaign by President Donald Trump's administration against the cartel, known as CJNG, following the killing of its former leader Nemesio Oseguera, or "El Mencho," in a Mexican military raid in February.

US Justice Department raises antitrust concerns over proxy advisers

The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday rescinded decades-old guidance to a shareholder proxy advisory business, citing significant antitrust concerns over consolidation in the industry. U.S. President Donald Trump has called for an antitrust probe of ⁠proxy advisers Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass, Lewis & Co, which help mutual fund companies and other big institutional investors decide how to vote at corporate elections. The two companies dominate the market for proxy advisory services.

Fed's Cook ready to raise rates if inflation doesn't start easing

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said on Wednesday that she’s open to the idea that the central bank may need to raise its short-term interest rate target to deal with “too high” levels of inflation in the U.S. economy. If inflation doesn’t start to cool off “I am prepared to act by raising rates, if necessary,” Cook said in a speech delivered before the 2026 Economic Luncheon of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation in Anchorage, Alaska.

New Mexico sues US government for access to Epstein files

New Mexico sued the U.S. Department of ​Justice on Wednesday for access to unredacted files on Jeffrey Epstein, alleging the federal agency was stonewalling the state's investigation into the late sex offender by refusing to provide the documents. The lawsuit escalates a politically charged dispute over the U.S. agency's Epstein files, an issue that has dogged the Trump administration.

In deep-red Tennessee, governor's race becomes showdown between staunch Trump allies

Tennessee Republicans head to the polls on Thursday to choose their nominee for governor in a tightening race between two of President Donald Trump's closest allies in Congress: U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and U.S. Representative John Rose. Blackburn, 74, and Rose, 61, are running for ⁠the party nod to replace two-term Republican Governor Bill Lee, who is leaving office because of term limits. Five candidates, including Memphis city councilor Jerri Green, are vying for the Democratic nomination.

Trump turns economic speech into attack on Democrats after Michigan results

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday turned a speech about the economy into an attack on progressive Democrats, arguing that their recent primary victories pose a potentially dangerous shift for the Democratic Party ahead of the November midterms. Trump's visit to Las Vegas was part of a more aggressive push by the White House to shift attention toward the success of progressive candidates as voters remain unhappy with the president's handling of the economy and the Iran war.

US DOJ antitrust nominee grilled over comments on Muslims, FCC actions

U.S. senators grilled President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Justice's antitrust division on Wednesday over an article he wrote calling Muslim immigrants "prone to terrorism" ⁠and his ​views on political speech. Adam Candeub, currently general counsel at the Federal Communications Commission, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The panel will vote on whether to send his nomination to the full Senate.

US halts avocado export inspections in Mexico's Michoacan over security alert

The United States has suspended avocado export inspections in Mexico's Michoacan state after a security alert on Wednesday, potentially delaying shipments from the country's top producing region to its biggest market. Mexico's avocado producers and packers association, APEAM, said in a statement that the U.S. government had temporarily halted activities in Michoacan, disrupting the work of USDA regulatory personnel who verify compliance with export requirements at authorized packinghouses.

As Iran war drags on, Americans are bracing for more chaos in Middle East, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

Five months into the U.S. war with Iran, Americans who expect the Middle East to slide toward chaos outnumber those who see the war bringing more stability by three to one, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The six-day poll concluded on Monday, as Republican President Donald Trump again backed away from threatened "massive attacks" on Iran, underscoring uncertainty surrounding a conflict he initially predicted would bring a swift victory.

Trump's tech ties blamed for AI inaction by MAGA Republicans and Democrats

In a rare show of bipartisanship, Democrats and Donald Trump's conservative supporters both blame the president's ties to the tech industry for his administration's limited response to recent hacks carried out by OpenAI and Anthropic's AI ⁠agents.

Two weeks have passed since OpenAI shocked the tech community with the disclosure that one of its AI agents went rogue and broke into AI company Hugging Face’s systems. The White House said it was monitoring the situation, and Trump said he was looking at controls on AI. Anthropic said it too had discovered some of its AI models had hacked into three companies' systems.

US weekly jobless claims edge up; planned layoffs decline in July

The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits increased slightly last week, while layoffs dropped to a two-year low in July, consistent with a stable labor market. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose ⁠1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 199,000 for the week ended August 1, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 202,000 claims for the latest week.

Blanche clears key nomination hurdle after ⁠deal wins senators' vote

Todd Blanche cleared a major hurdle on Tuesday on his path to nomination for U.S. attorney general, as Republicans voted to advance him out of committee on a party-line vote. But questions persist about a deal he said would end President Donald Trump's "anti-weaponization" fund and narrow an agreement giving Trump immunity from audits of past tax returns. Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer and the current acting attorney general, agreed on Sunday to amend the terms of the fund and the tax immunity deal in order to win the backing of two holdout Republican senators, although critics say the amendments do not go far enough.

Blanche's path to confirmation narrows as key US Republican says she will vote no

President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general, Todd Blanche, faced renewed uncertainty over his U.S. Senate confirmation on Wednesday after Republican Senator Susan Collins said on Tuesday she would vote against him, leaving Trump's former personal lawyer with little margin for error. With Republican Senator Mitch McConnell out indefinitely, Blanche can afford only one more Republican ‌defection. Senators Bill Cassidy and Lisa Murkowski, who previously expressed reservations about his nomination, declined to comment on their vote on Wednesday. ‌A small number of other senators have also expressed concern about Blanche's nomination.

Republicans seize on Michigan progressives' wins, but party is split on socialism message

Republicans seized on victories by two progressive candidates in Michigan primaries to portray Democrats as increasingly far left, with President Donald Trump labeling Michigan's U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed a "Communist loser." The swift attacks by Trump and national ​party officials underscored a broader effort by Republicans to shift the focus of November's midterm elections from the economic concerns of voters that have weighed on Trump's approval ratings.