Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Kennedy Center removes 'Blue' sculpture as Trump presses on with Washington makeover

A crane removed the 24-foot (7-meter) sculpture "Blue" from the Kennedy Center grounds on Wednesday in the latest move to redesign Washington's public spaces under President Donald Trump. The sculpture, made of rectangular blue aluminum blocks, had sat near where a tarp obscures the center's facade, as Trump allies continue court battles to try to keep his name on the front of the complex, created by an act of Congress to memorialize slain ​President John F. Kennedy.

Trump vows to hit campaign trail hard for Republicans in tight midterms

U.S. President Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday to campaign aggressively for Republican candidates ahead of November's midterm elections, saying he has planned extensive travel to states with high-stakes races. At a White House dinner for congressional Republicans, Trump touted his success campaigning for the party ​and promised a busy schedule of appearances in the final month, similar to his own non-stop 2024 campaign.

Texas' halt on powering data centers reflects US reckoning over 'ghost' demand

Data centers have requested roughly as much electricity across the middle ‌swath of the United States as ​it takes to power every home in the country, but much of that demand may be an illusion. In an attempt to find out what is real, Texas recently became the first major data center hub to freeze new grid connections for the facilities https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/hundreds-millions-grid-deposits-linger-uncertainty-following-texas-data-center-2026-08-07/ and investigate their plans. Other U.S. states are taking similar steps to fix the intensifying problem that is vexing regulators and politicians nationwide.

Golf-Woods loses driver's license for five years in plea deal, avoids jail time

Tiger Woods will have his license suspended for five years after reaching a plea deal in his impaired-driving case on Wednesday that will allow the decorated golfer to avoid jail time. The 15-times major champion, who initially pleaded not guilty, entered a no-contest motion on all charges and was adjudicated guilty at a change-of-plea hearing he attended at Martin County Courthouse.

US Pentagon issues clinical guidelines on troop testosterone screening to start immediately

The U.S. Pentagon issued detailed guidance on Wednesday for a new, mandatory testosterone deficiency screening policy for active-duty and reserve service members age 30 and older, a follow-up to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's July announcement.

The guidance, which is effective immediately, establishes standardized screening and treatment ‌pathways for men and women that the Pentagon says are aimed at improving military readiness by identifying and managing hormonal and energy-availability issues.

Jury in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial remains deadlocked, to resume deliberations Thursday

Jurors weighing whether to convict Lindsay Clancy of murder for killing her three young children at her Massachusetts home in 2023 were dismissed for the evening on Wednesday after telling the judge for a second time that they were deadlocked. Deliberations were set to resume on Thursday.

Deadlocked jury in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial to reconvene on sixth day of deliberations

Jurors in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial will begin a sixth day of deliberations on Thursday after twice saying they were deadlocked on whether to convict the Massachusetts woman for killing her three young children, a tragedy her lawyer says was driven by postpartum psychosis. The 12 jurors are expected to reconvene in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a day after Judge William Sullivan delivered special instructions, sometimes called a "dynamite charge," to encourage them to re-examine their positions and try to reach a unanimous decision.

Tucson police call deadly shooting outside gay bar a targeted attack motivated by hate

Police in Tucson, Arizona, said a deadly shooting earlier this week outside a gay bar was a targeted attack motivated by hate toward the LGBTQIA+ community. Police provided the following details:

Feminist activist Gloria Steinem dies at age 92

Gloria Steinem, the American writer, lecturer, activist and organizer who fought for gender equality and women's civil and reproductive rights for more than five decades, has died, her foundation said. She was 92 years old. The co-founder and consulting editor of Ms. Magazine championed the feminist movement from the late 1960s onwards and inspired generations ‌of women.

US budget deficit widens in July on higher outlays, negative tariff receipts

The U.S. federal budget deficit for July jumped to $432 billion, a record for the month, as higher outlays and more negative tariff revenues also brought the 2026 fiscal-year-to-date budget gap to $1.799 trillion, topping the full fiscal 2025 deficit with two months left in the fiscal year, the U.S. Treasury said on Wednesday. Last month's budget gap, which was partly inflated by calendar shifts in benefit payments, was $141 billion, or 48%, higher than in July 2025 and was the largest monthly deficit since March 2021, when it hit $660 billion due to COVID-19 relief program spending.

Basketball-US prepare for toughest-ever World Cup with Wilson's sudden absence

A'ja Wilson's stunning last-minute pull-out from the FIBA World Cup has ‌afforded the world a sliver of hope against the dominant United States, as the global showpiece event kicks off on Friday with the Americans chasing a fifth straight title. The record four-times WNBA MVP Wilson bowed out of the competition just days before it was set to begin citing health issues. But if they are sweating her absence, the Olympic champions were not ready to show it.

Supreme Court lets Trump's White House ballroom construction continue

The U.S. Supreme Court https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court/ in a 5-4 ruling on Monday let Donald Trump https://www.reuters.com/topic/person/donald-trump/ 's administration continue construction of his White House ballroom complex while the president challenges a judicial order that would halt much of the development, with Chief Justice John Roberts in a dissent calling the project "likely unlawful." The court granted the administration's request to block a lower court's order halting above-ground construction of the $400 million ballroom while a lawsuit by a historic preservation group seeking to stop the project proceeds.

US judge blocks Trump's newest order limiting birthright citizenship

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a new executive order limiting the number of people eligible for birthright citizenship that President Donald Trump issued after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his previous effort. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman in Greenbelt, Maryland, issued a preliminary injunction at the request of immigrant rights advocates who had last year secured a ruling from her blocking the Trump administration from enforcing his initial 2025 executive order curtailing birthright citizenship.

Trump aides seek 'quiet' in Iran war but say attacks may intensify after November elections

Top aides to President Donald Trump are pushing to keep the Iran war from escalating before November's midterm elections to staunch Republican electoral losses, four people familiar with the discussions said, a strategy already under strain as the U.S. and Iran exchanged back-and-forth attacks overnight. White House officials will consider ramping up military action after the November 3 vote, said the sources, who requested anonymity to describe internal thinking, though any return to full-scale conflict is ⁠far from a given. The U.S. military ​said its latest strikes were retaliation for recent attacks on American forces and marine traffic in the region.

Trump signs bill to avert government shutdown before midterm elections

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a funding bill on Wednesday to ⁠avert a government shutdown before the midterm elections after the legislation was passed by the House of Representatives a day earlier and the Senate in August. The White House said he signed the bill into law.

US private payroll growth slows in August; factory orders rebound in July

U.S. private payrolls increased less than expected in August as strength in the education and health services sector was offset by job losses in manufacturing and a few other industries. Private employment rose by 38,000 jobs last month after an upwardly revised 46,000 in July, the ADP National Employment Report showed on Wednesday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast private employment would advance by 48,000 after a previously reported rise of 44,000 in July.

Trump's DOJ threatens to cut aid to states unless they report migrants without legal status

The U.S. Justice Department warned that states risk losing billions of dollars in welfare funding if they do not report all immigrants known to state agencies who ⁠are in the country illegally, according to a legal opinion released on Wednesday. In a major shift that would increase pressure on states to comply with the administration's immigration crackdown, the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel said all states that receive funding for two key welfare programs must report people unlawfully present in the U.S. to the Department of Homeland Security.

Mamdani imposes one-year ban on AI for most NYC students

New York City officials announced a one-year moratorium on students using artificial intelligence in public elementary and middle schools, the latest step by public officials to set guidelines around new technology in the classroom. The move by the nation's largest school district is the most restrictive to date across the U.S., though other districts, including Los Angeles, have said they are reviewing AI policies.

FBI probes report of data breach exposing millions of drivers' licenses in US, Canada

The FBI said on Wednesday ​it was investigating a report that tens of millions of drivers' licenses belonging to people in the United States and Canada were being sold on the dark web. On Tuesday, the independent journalist Brian Krebs said he had discovered a dark web site selling digital scans of millions of drivers' licenses from people in the U.S. and Canada. He said he confirmed the authenticity of the data being sold with nine people.

Trump to speak on both nights of Republican midterm convention amid turnout concerns

President Donald Trump will now speak on both nights of the Republican Party's unusual midterm convention next week, a party official said on Wednesday, an expanded role that will compete for viewers with ⁠the start of the NFL season. Trump had originally been scheduled to deliver an address on Thursday to close out the September 9-10 convention in Dallas, but now will deliver the keynote speech on Wednesday and speak after Vice President JD Vance on Thursday evening as well, the party official said on condition of anonymity.

US weekly jobless claims rise marginally amid stable labor market

The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits increased marginally last week, suggesting no material shift in labor market conditions at the end of August. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits climbed 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 206,000 for the week ended August 29, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 205,000 claims for the latest week.

US judge bars EPA effort to send California vehicle emissions rules to Congress

A judge in Washington on Wednesday blocked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from sending landmark California vehicle emissions rules for a potential repeal to the Republican-controlled Congress. The four waivers sent by the EPA to Congress ⁠for review ​granted California authority to enact its own emission standards for cars and trucks as well as lawn-and-garden equipment. The Trump administration has mounted a multi-pronged effort to deny California the ability to require cleaner and more electric vehicles. The EPA and Congress have also enacted rules making it easier for automakers to sell more gas-powered cars and trucks, while making it more expensive to buy EVs.

US Justice Department pursuing hackers behind attack on X users

The U.S. Justice Department is working with Elon Musk's X to track down those behind an attempted password-recovery attack targeting hundreds of thousands of users of the social media platform this week, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Wednesday. A password-recovery attack generally refers to attempts at gaining access to online accounts through the "forgot password" or account-recovery process.

Big Oil’s new playbook: How BP's US refinery lockout signals a shift in corporate labor battles

Don Skalka spent two decades as an operations specialist at the largest oil refinery in the Midwest, a well-paid job he enjoyed so much he brought his own children into the work. But in March, BP locked out its workers at the Whiting, Indiana, refinery in a dispute with the union over its next contract. Skalka has gone without a paycheck ever since, and his son and daughter have taken lower-paying jobs at a nearby steel mill. He now collects donated groceries and union-fund checks to get by.

Trump administration threatens to cut federal agencies' support for Smithsonian

President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to cut federal agencies' support for the Smithsonian, marking its latest escalation against the institution. A ⁠letter by U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and White House Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley to the Smithsonian's governing board said federal agencies "cannot in good conscience continue to support the Smithsonian under current leadership by, for example, loaning artifacts for exhibits, enabling procurement processes and making discretionary grants."

Democratic US senator asks Capital One for details on Trump account anti-money laundering review

A Democratic U.S. senator has pressed Capital One Financial for details about an internal anti-money-laundering review that the bank said last month led it to close accounts linked to President Donald Trump and his businesses. In a letter sent to Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank on Tuesday evening and first reported by Reuters, Senator Maggie Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat, asked for documents ⁠describing the transactions, alerts and other factors that prompted the review, as well as any communications with law enforcement or regulators related to the matter.

Tennis-Influencer boom at US Open tests boundaries of tennis etiquette

Influencers and content creators armed ⁠with smartphones and ring lights have featured prominently in the stands at this year's U.S. Open, as they try to grab the spotlight away from the on-court action at one of tennis' marquee events. Around 100 content creators were given credentials for the tournament, organisers said, with 20 of those dedicated to providing coverage of the food and beverage scene alone, where caviar-topped chicken nuggets and the famed "Honey Deuce" cocktail promise viral attention.

Exclusive-Kennedy asked to remove Pennsylvania measles death from CDC tally, sources say

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked his new CDC director to remove a reference to two Pennsylvania deaths from the agency’s online measles tally after he questioned whether the disease contributed to the fatalities, three sources familiar with the situation said. Kennedy’s request came after CDC staffers had already accepted the state’s characterization of the deaths as linked to measles, a Pennsylvania official said.

Tesla's Cybercab event set for Thursday, with few details

Tesla will unveil its two-seater Cybercab at an event in Texas on Thursday, offering a closer look at the autonomous vehicle that CEO Elon Musk has said is key to transforming the company into a dominant force in driverless vehicles. The electric-vehicle ‌maker has a limited "robotaxi" ridehailing service with a network of autonomous Model Ys, some with human safety monitors and some without. Over time, ‌it intends to make the no-steering-wheel Cybercab the main driverless vehicle model operating within a larger robotaxi network.

New Jersey takes fight over Kalshi's prediction market to US Supreme Court

New Jersey authorities on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve whether states have the power to police sports betting that occurs on prediction markets operated by Kalshi and competing platforms. The state asked the Supreme Court to overturn ​an appellate court's decision in April holding that the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has exclusive jurisdiction over the sports-related event contracts that Kalshi allows people to trade on its platform.