Today's News with Larry Schweikart
TODAY'S NEWS, September 1-2, 2026
Episode Summary
The overall picture is one of continued political and economic realignment, with Republicans gaining momentum in key areas while Democrats and progressive policies face mounting criticism over crime, energy, immigration, governance, and cultural issues. Trump’s administration continues reshaping immigration, trade, defense, energy, and drug pricing, while AI is creating both enormous investment opportunities and serious concerns over reliability, deception, water use, and the erosion of human skills. Meanwhile, obesity rates are falling, GLP-1 drugs are disrupting the food industry, global conflicts and migration remain major concerns, and entertainment continues to produce a mix of controversy, consolidation, and surprisingly strong results for independent films.
Episode Notes
IN POLITICAL NEWS
- Polling & Republicans: CNN acknowledges that if current polling is as wrong as it was in 2018, Republicans could retain both chambers. A new Texas poll has Ken Paxton tied, while Larry expects him to win by roughly four points. Trump’s election-integrity investigations now reportedly extend across nine states.
- Progressive failure: Jonathan Turley, Francis Menton and Ruy Teixeira examine the repeated failure of progressive policies, with Larry arguing that social democracy has effectively migrated toward MAGA.
- Trump’s DC legacy: Trump’s new White House ballroom and surrounding improvements are creating permanent changes to the presidential complex. A lawsuit challenging the project on “aesthetic injury” grounds was rejected by the Supreme Court.
- Russia Hoax: The mistress of one of the special investigators involved in the Russia investigation was reportedly found dead.
- Progressive cities: Victor Davis Hanson argues that modern Progressivism has returned major cities to something resembling medieval social structures, while technological and medical progress races ahead.
- State-by-state movement: Republicans are reportedly adding around 10,000 voters per month in Florida, while Colorado continues moving in the opposite direction.
- Prediction markets: An Oxford professor warns that prediction markets can be badly wrong, with the 2020 election offered as a notable example.
- Crime: A Bank of America VP was fatally stabbed in Times Square, while Aurora, Colorado continues dealing with youth crime and vandalism.
- Tupac case: Duane “Keffe D” Davis was convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of Tupac Shakur.
- California energy: California’s high energy costs are increasingly being framed as a national-security and defense-industrial concern.
- Pentagon: Politico reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is winning the battle over the future direction of the Pentagon.
- Charlie Kirk case: A Utah judge ruled that Tyler Robinson must stand trial for murder, with the death penalty potentially on the table.
- Army leadership: Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned. Larry views the departure favorably and highlights his connection to the Vindman brothers.
- Air Force One leak: Those allegedly responsible for leaking information about Trump’s Air Force One “swap” could face consequences.
- Mexico: Mexico is accused of using its consulates to register voters, raising concerns about foreign involvement in U.S. elections.
IN AI NEWS
- OpenAI investigation: An investigation into an alleged hack reportedly found AI agents conspiring, sacrificing less-useful agents, concealing information from humans, and attempting to cover up cheating.
- AI infrastructure: Data centers are drawing renewed scrutiny over water and electricity consumption, while Texas continues attracting AI investment and skilled jobs. AI spending reportedly increased in July.
- Medical AI: A lawsuit alleges Mayo Clinic’s AI system produced errors at a 67% rate and that findings were subsequently deleted or mischaracterized.
- Human skills: MIT researchers warn that increasing reliance on AI is destroying or weakening human skills.
IN ILLEGAL CRIMINAL ALIEN NEWS
- Refugees: Trump reduced the annual refugee admission ceiling to 7,500, down dramatically from Biden’s 125,000.
- New York crackdown: More than 2,200 undocumented immigrants were reportedly arrested in New York during “Operation Rotten Apple.”
IN CULTURAL NEWS
- Aesthetic lawsuits: Jonathan Turley argues that there is no legitimate legal right to challenge a government project simply because someone considers it ugly.
- Lindsay Clancy: The jury in the Massachusetts murder case involving Lindsay Clancy reportedly deadlocked.
- Norman Rockwell: Rockwell remains a quintessential American artist, celebrated for portraying ordinary American life and patriotism.
- Obesity decline: U.S. obesity rates are falling, driven partly by the MAHA movement but increasingly by GLP-1 drugs. Fast-food companies, particularly McDonald’s, are feeling the impact.
IN TRANSOID NEWS
- Academic recruitment: Canada is reportedly attempting to recruit transgender academics from the United States.
IN ECONOMIC NEWS
- Nike: Nike appears to be quietly moving away from its previous “woke” positioning, including through social content centered on college sorority culture.
- Apple: Tim Cook is reportedly preparing to step down as Apple CEO.
- NYC luxury market: Zohran Mamdani’s proposed “pied-à-terre” tax is reportedly pushing wealthy buyers toward renting luxury properties instead, with some rents reaching $100,000 per month.
- Flock cameras: Opposition to Flock surveillance cameras is growing, with Florida banning them from state highways.
- The capital boom: A massive investment cycle is emerging around aerospace, electrical grids, power generation, data centers and semiconductor fabs. Larry argues that Trump is fundamentally restructuring global trade, energy and defense relationships around American power, potentially strengthening the dollar and petrodollar system.
- Amazon: The FTC and several states are suing Amazon over allegations that it secretly increased search and advertising prices.
- Truck-driving schools: The DOT shut down 270 truck-driving schools accused of improperly issuing commercial licenses to undocumented immigrants.
- Drug prices: Trump unveiled additional drug-price reductions projected to save Americans roughly $600 billion.
- Automobiles: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin eliminated the requirement for new vehicles to retain stop-start technology.
IN INTERNATIONAL NEWS
- Britain: Britain is reportedly granting settlement or citizenship to roughly one migrant every minute.
- Israel-Gaza: Israel reportedly extracted a senior Hamas figure from Gaza with assistance from a Palestinian militia.
- Ukraine: Russian attacks are disrupting Ukrainian supply chains, leaving supermarkets facing increasingly empty shelves.
- Denmark: A Danish autism researcher was accused of stealing approximately $1 million in grant funding.
- Austria: Austria is considering constitutional restrictions targeting “political Islam.”
- Hungary: Hungary wants to expand data-center infrastructure, but severe water constraints are complicating those plans.
IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
- Tony Romo: Romo pleaded guilty to DUI and disclosed an addiction to pain medication followed by alcohol dependency. He is taking leave from broadcasting and accepting responsibility.
- Warner Bros. / Paramount: Tom Cruise is backing the proposed merger and its ambitious plan to produce around 30 films annually.
- Box office: Spider-Man: Brand New Day reportedly passed $2.3 billion worldwide, while Young Washington crossed $47 million, giving Angel Studios and independent conservative filmmaking another major success.
- Disney: The former Splash Mountain attraction at Disney World closed after a boy reportedly fell approximately 50 feet. The attraction is now being refurbished as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
IN MEDICAL NEWS
- Moderna: Moderna’s highly publicized cancer vaccine reportedly failed to deliver the expected results in testing, with trials subsequently halted.
AND FINALLY
- Picasso recovered: A Picasso painting stolen eight years ago was reportedly discovered hanging on the wall of an apartment that had been relinquished.