Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Ohio's working-class voters rethink support for Trump and the Republican Party

A decade after Republican Donald Trump peeled away working-class and union voters who had long been a cornerstone of Democratic support in Ohio, Democrats and labor leaders see an opening to win back some of them in the November 3 US elections. Now midway through his second term, the president's magic appears to be losing at least some of its luster with blue-collar men and women as ​rising prices, the Iran war and concerns about his rhetoric prompt some voters to reconsider their support.

Six deaths confirmed in Florida from Hurricane Isaias, governor says

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Tuesday six people had been confirmed dead in the state from Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall last week. "We have now had six storm-related fatalities," DeSantis ​told reporters

Ex-gang leader sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for Tupac Shakur murder

A former gang leader was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison on Tuesday for orchestrating the 1996 drive-by shooting death ‌of hip-hop star Tupac Shakur in ​Las Vegas, capping the prosecution of a long-unsolved murder that shaped the golden age of rap music. Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 63, found guilty by a jury in August of first-degree murder, showed no emotion as he was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 20 years to life — one for murder, one for use of a deadly weapon — during an hour-long proceeding in a Las Vegas courtroom.

US inflation heats up in September; Fed rate hike this month back on table

US consumer prices accelerated in September as the cost of gasoline surged, dealing another blow to President Donald Trump and his Republican Party ahead of the November 3 midterm elections and putting an interest rate increase later this month back on the radar. The Consumer Price Index report from the Labor Department on Wednesday showed a broadening of price pressures beyond energy, raising concerns among economists that underlying inflation could be getting sticky. There was also an AI-related boost to inflation last month. Financial markets now see the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision at its October 27-28 meeting as a closer call than before the data was released.

Anthropic to add US ‌voting information to Claude before midterms

Anthropic said on Wednesday it would add official US voting information from nonprofit Democracy Works and election results to its Claude AI chatbot later this month, ahead of the November midterms. The AI company said its goal was to position Claude as a useful tool for political conversations, while preventing election-related abuse.

US bank regulator faults several large lenders over debanking practices

A top US bank regulator issued a report on Wednesday finding some of the country's largest banks unfairly denied services to some clients on political, religious or other grounds, but stopped short of imposing penalties. The debanking report from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency covered nine of the nation's largest banks by asset size. The regulator found each had policies restricting some clients' access to financial services based on subjective criteria rather than financial risk.

Supreme Court to hear Trump's fight to shield DOGE records from disclosure

The US Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to decide whether President Donald Trump's administration can avoid handing over records to a watchdog group about its Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative aimed at slashing agency budgets and workers spearheaded last year by his former adviser Elon Musk. The justices took up the administration's appeal of a federal judge's order for DOGE to respond to requests by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington for information about its operations. The court is expected to hear arguments in the case and issue a ruling by the end of June.

US judge won't block Trump order targeting DEI by federal contractors

A federal judge declined on Wednesday to ‌block an effort by President Donald Trump to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives by companies that do business with the US government. US District Judge Adam Abelson in Baltimore, Maryland, said that groups representing university faculty and minority business owners had failed to show a March executive order by the Republican president was too broad.

Judge extends White House access for CNN, MS NOW, Politico amid legal fight

A federal judge extended access to the White House for CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists, deciding on Tuesday that President Donald Trump likely broke the law when he tried to ban them, in the latest ruling against him in the press freedom dispute. US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a written decision that elaborated on ‌his September 24 emergency order that reinstated access for the journalists. The news organizations and press freedom groups have accused Trump of unconstitutional retaliation against journalists for coverage he does not like.

Ukraine's Zelenskiy says it is 'painful' when Trump chooses a different side

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview on Wednesday that it was "painful" when Donald Trump took another side in Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia, after the US President said Zelenskiy should be replaced. Zelenskiy told Piers Morgan Uncensored: "It's painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side."

Inside the booming market for US midterm election bets

Betting on US midterm elections has surged this year on Polymarket and Kalshi, prediction markets that rose to prominence in 2024 when they bucked traditional opinion polls in signaling that President Donald Trump would win the presidency.

The markets allow traders to buy and sell binary "yes" or "no" contracts on an array of race outcomes, such as which party will control Congress and which candidate will win individual races, as well as on questions such as when candidates may drop out.

'Gift to our adversary': More Republicans criticize Trump's Russia diesel deal

A dozen US senators, including six Republicans, called on President Donald Trump on Tuesday to rescind his diesel deal with Russia, days before his administration must decide whether to formally impose new sanctions on Moscow over its war in Ukraine. The lawmakers' letter to Trump said the agreement provides Russian President Vladimir Putin's government with more fuel to finance its war, and will not benefit Americans, adding to a torrent of congressional criticism since Trump announced the deal on Friday.

Pope Leo back on his feet after shock cancer diagnosis

Pope Leo's recovery from surgery is progressing as expected and he has begun walking in his hospital room and eating normally, the Vatican said on Wednesday, after doctors announced the 71-year-old pontiff was being treated for lung cancer. World leaders, Catholics across the ⁠globe and senior cardinals at the Vatican have ​offered prayers for Leo after he had part of his right lung removed in an operation on Tuesday.

Explainer-How does the US count measles deaths?

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has changed ⁠how the federal government recognizes deaths from measles in the midst of the worst US outbreak of the highly infectious virus in more than three decades, prompting backlash from disease experts and political opponents. Here is what you need to know about how US measles deaths are currently determined:

US retirees to receive 3.6% Social Security increase in 2027

Some 76 million Americans receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits will see their monthly payments rise 3.6% in 2027, accelerating from the prior year's increase for a second straight year. The Social Security Administration announced the annual cost-of-living adjustment to benefits on Wednesday after the Bureau of Labor Statistics published the Consumer Price Index for September.

Exclusive-US Justice Department threatens California over alleged noncitizen voters, letters show

The US Justice Department on Tuesday gave California officials 48 hours to review a list of alleged noncitizen voters or face legal action, according to two letters reviewed by Reuters, part of ⁠an unprecedented effort to find evidence of voter fraud ahead of next month's elections. The letters, written by acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter and addressed to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan, say the Justice Department provided officials in Los Angeles County with a "password-protected thumb drive" with the names of people the federal government "believes are likely noncitizens" and were sent mail-in ballots from California.

Federal judge blocks planned US farm agency reorganization

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the US Department of Agriculture from proceeding with its planned agency reorganization, in a blow to President Donald Trump's sweeping overhaul of the executive branch. The ruling from the District Court for the Northern District of California is a victory for unions that had sued to block the reorganization effort, in part because employees said it would weaken agency services.

Cornell bans ​fraternity parties for rest of academic year after alleged gang rape

Cornell University will ban parties and social events at fraternity houses until the end of the academic year, its president said on Tuesday, responding to the outcry over an alleged gang rape on campus in 2024. The measure is the strongest reaction yet from Cornell's leadership to a lawsuit filed by a former undergraduate, Jane Doe, alleging seven men sexually assaulted her during a party.

Analysis-Democratic midterm wins could bring scrutiny for Wall Street, crypto firms

A Democratic victory in one or both chambers of Congress would not stop President Donald Trump's administration from handing regulatory breaks to Wall Street banks, prediction markets and crypto ⁠firms, but it would give Democrats powerful tools to probe the industries and their watchdogs. Polls suggest Democrats are poised to win the House of Representatives and have an edge in the race for the Senate. If the party prevails in either chamber, it would gain subpoena power, larger investigative staffs and the power to call in agency heads and corporate CEOs to testify, creating headaches and potential legal entanglements for those under scrutiny.

Eight US states sue OpenAI, claiming ChatGPT harms young users

A bipartisan group of eight states said on Wednesday they had sued OpenAI in courts across the country over harms they say ChatGPT has caused to their residents, alleging the chatbot has coached its users — including teenagers — to harm themselves or others. Attorneys general from the states, which include Iowa, Kansas and Arizona, filed the lawsuits independently in state courts, claiming ChatGPT is designed to be agreeable and engaging to earn the trust of users. But the chatbot reinforces delusions, encourages dangerous behavior and assists ⁠users in planning ​violence like mass shootings, the lawsuits claim.

FBI says director Patel in Virginia, not Russia

FBI Director Kash Patel was in Virginia for a law enforcement-related event, the US law enforcement agency said on Wednesday, denying a media report that he had traveled to Russia. Video from an ABC News' affiliate in Virginia also showed Patel at an event in Lynchburg on Wednesday.

Pennsylvania reports 1,222 measles cases as outbreak grows

The Pennsylvania Health Department on Wednesday reported 1,222 measles cases in the state, up 86 cases from a week earlier. Key details include:

The Knot Worldwide to acquire Zola in wedding platform union, sources say

The Knot Worldwide has agreed to buy its smaller peer Zola, adding to its portfolio of leading wedding-planning brands, according to two people familiar with the deal. The Knot, which is owned by investment firm Permira, helps couples find local wedding vendors and create personalized wedding websites.

Kamala Harris warns window closing for AI safeguards, urges US-China cooperation

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris urged governments and technology companies on Wednesday to urgently put safeguards in place for artificial intelligence, warning that the window for containing its gravest risks was closing. "If we are to have any guardrails and safeguards, they have to be at the table," Harris said of AI developers during an appearance at South Korea's Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

US Supreme Court again backs Republicans in clash over political ad rates

The US Supreme Court again sided with Republicans on Wednesday in the latest clash over a new Federal Communications Commission policy that gives ⁠party committees access to discounted TV and radio advertising rates long available to political candidates. The court agreed to let the FCC, which is chaired by Trump ally Brendan Carr, avoid a judicially imposed deadline that would have forced the agency to rule on a Democratic challenge to the policy before the November 3 midterm elections. The FCC joined two Republican committees in filing a request to the Supreme Court to lift the lower court's deadline.

Trump campaigns in Alaska, a conservative state feeling the pinch of high energy prices

With three weeks until the US midterm elections, Donald Trump on Tuesday campaigned in remote Alaska, one of several conservative states where Democrats have a rare chance of flipping a ⁠Senate seat amid voter dissatisfaction with the cost of living and the Iran war. Polling has shown Democratic candidate Mary Peltola tied or slightly ahead of incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan in a state the president carried by ⁠some 14 percentage points in 2024. Here, as in much of the United States, the president's approval rating is underwater, hit by rising diesel and gasoline prices and a conflict in the Middle East that has proven deeply unpopular with voters.

US lawmakers ask FAA to conduct review before allowing Amazon drone hub near Boston

A group of Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday urged the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a new environmental review before allowing an Amazon Prime Air drone delivery hub to be located about 30 miles (48.28 km) west of Boston. Massachusetts Democratic US Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Jim McGovern and Lori Trahan wrote to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford seeking a new review after communities raised concerns about the planned Westborough hub and its impact on the environment and residents’ quality of life, including noise pollution, health and safety, and privacy.

US cuts Obamacare subsidies for 189,000 with duplicate coverage

The Trump administration said on Wednesday it is cutting off Affordable Care Act subsidies for about 189,000 people it identified as having duplicate government coverage or being deceased, a move officials estimate will save ‌taxpayers roughly $738 million this year. US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services identified enrollees in 2026 as ‌holding subsidized coverage on the ACA federal marketplace, also known as Obamacare, while also enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program. It also identified deceased people still on the subsidy lists.

US individual health insurance enrollment fell to 20.5 million as of June, KFF says

Affordable Care Act and other individual health insurance plan enrollment fell 18% to 20.5 million members in June, according ​to health policy research firm KFF, marking the steepest annual decline since 2015 as Americans struggle with rising health insurance costs. Enrollment was 25.2 million in the year-earlier period, KFF said.