Today's News with Larry Schweikart
TODAY'S NEWS, September 15-16, 2026
Episode Summary
The roundup focuses heavily on the Trump administration, alleged failures and misconduct surrounding the investigation into the attempted assassination of President Trump, election and mail-in-ballot disputes, immigration enforcement, AI and national-security developments, cultural conflicts, and signs of economic strength. It also highlights claims of Republican momentum heading into the midterms, continued scrutiny of federal agencies and DEI policies, developments involving Anthropic and China, state-level education and parental-rights disputes, improving economic indicators, international instability involving Iran, Ukraine and China, entertainment-industry controversies, alleged COVID-era fraud, and a positive closing story about Christian Bale opening a foster-care village designed to keep siblings together.
Episode Notes
IN POLITICAL NEWS
- Trump assassination attempt: An anonymous donor reportedly paid to have Thomas Crooks cremated soon after the attempted assassination of President Trump, raising further questions about preservation of evidence. Trump has characterized the shooting as a Democratic plot to kill him, while Fox's Bret Baier reported that Crooks had 27 devices.
- FBI investigation: Jeff Childers argues that former FBI Director Christopher Wray repeatedly misled Congress about whether the FBI possessed Crooks's phones and ladder. Crooks also reportedly had an extended interaction with an unidentified person at a shooting range the day before the attack.
- Transparency concerns: Childers argues that virtually every aspect of the investigation raises questions about incompetence, selective disclosure, or a possible cover-up, saying the investigation has not provided the transparency needed to resolve conspiracy theories.
- Mail-in ballots: The Supreme Court left a lower-court ruling in place preventing Trump's proposed mail-in-ballot rules from taking effect for the midterms because of insufficient implementation time. Supporters of the rules expect a broader case could eventually reach the Court.
- Brennan subpoena: Former CIA Director John Brennan has reportedly been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury as part of a DOJ investigation into alleged efforts against Trump.
- Republican momentum: The roundup points to improving Republican polling numbers in states including New Hampshire, Minnesota and Oregon, while noting that Republican candidates are performing competitively in several races. It also cites polling-miss analysis and claims that more than half of registered voters watched the GOP convention.
- SNAP: Millions have reportedly been removed from SNAP rolls. The roundup argues that reforms should preserve assistance for genuinely needy people while reducing fraud and spending on items such as lottery tickets and unhealthy foods.
- 2028 Democratic field: Another Democrat has reportedly endorsed Kamala Harris for 2028. The roundup argues that progressive Democrats may prefer Zohran Mamdani but questions whether he will ultimately be the nominee.
- Jewish security: Jewish organizations are reportedly spending more than $1 billion on security amid increased concerns about antisemitic threats.
- Smithsonian: Trump directed the Smithsonian to replace a modernist sculpture outside one of its facilities with a statue of a Founding Father within 90 days.
- Impeachment: Eighteen House Democrats reportedly joined Republicans in rejecting the latest attempt to impeach Trump.
- Child exploitation: FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau has identified more than 11,000 child victims, which the roundup describes as a substantial increase over figures from the Biden administration.
- Ilhan Omar: ICE is reportedly investigating the immigration status of Rep. Ilhan Omar.
- Weapons in space: The Air Force secretary said the United States already has weapons deployed in space. He also said Golden Dome installations are being developed, with 20 contracts worth $3.2 billion involving 12 companies and demonstrations planned for 2028.
- Voter-fraud investigations: The New York Times is criticized for focusing on whether federal investigators examining voter fraud may have violated state laws.
- Jonathan Cahn incident: The passenger who allegedly attacked Christian evangelist Jonathan Cahn on an American Airlines flight reportedly claims not to remember the incident.
- Philadelphia prosecutors: The roundup highlights allegations that six prosecutors in Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner's office conspired to allow a mass murderer to escape prosecution.
- Accenture: The DOJ reportedly reached a $25 million settlement with federal-services contractor Accenture over alleged DEI-related hiring practices.
IN AI NEWS
- China/Anthropic data pipeline: The roundup highlights claims that Chinese users inadvertently provided login information and other data through a secret pipeline connected to the United States, portraying it as an unexpected intelligence advantage.
- Anthropic and government regulation: Anthropic reportedly faced restrictions from the Department of War earlier this year, while the roundup argues that calls for government AI oversight could create regulatory barriers that favor established companies over startups.
- Anthropic finances: The company reportedly faces a major audit involving questions about revenue commitments from NVIDIA and others, while still planning an IPO.
- AI hardware breakthrough: Startup Kepler Computing claims to have developed a new material that could simultaneously address AI memory and power constraints, potentially reducing data-center size and energy consumption if independently validated.
- AI in court: A New Mexico attorney was held in contempt by the state Supreme Court after using AI to prepare a murder-case brief containing significant errors.
IN ILLEGAL CRIMINAL ALIEN NEWS
- California daycare fraud: Twelve people were charged in California in an alleged "ghost daycare" fraud scheme. The roundup emphasizes the defendants' Middle Eastern backgrounds.
- ISIS prosecutions: An analysis cited by the roundup says more than 200 people prosecuted for ISIS-related offenses were American citizens or lawful permanent residents. Separately, the FBI reportedly disrupted a planned mass-casualty attack in Pennsylvania allegedly involving an ISIS supporter.
IN CULTURAL NEWS
- Kennedy Center: The Kennedy Center board voted to close the institution temporarily for stated safety reasons. The center is also reportedly facing serious financial problems, while a judge had previously ruled against Trump's name being placed on the institution.
- Literacy: A study cited by the roundup claims that eight of the ten states with the lowest literacy scores are Democratic-leaning states with large teachers' unions.
- Colleges and free speech: Several colleges are reportedly continuing to impose DEI-related requirements on Christian or conservative student organizations despite free-speech commitments.
- Tipping: A study cited by the roundup claims that liberal-leaning metropolitan areas have lower average tipping rates.
IN TRANSOID NEWS
- Massachusetts custody dispute: The roundup cites a case in which Massachusetts authorities reportedly removed a girl from her Catholic parents after a dispute over gender identity and treatment.
- California schools: A settlement reportedly allows parents in one California school district to opt their children out of certain LGBTQ-related instruction and policies.
IN ECONOMIC NEWS
- Coal power: An EPA policy reversal reportedly opens the door for permitting and commissioning additional coal-fired power plants.
- Household finances: The roundup cites declining poverty, rising household income, record 401(k) balances and stronger-than-expected August retail sales as signs of economic strength.
- California high-speed rail: Critics argue that California's high-speed rail project will overlap with an existing Amtrak corridor, potentially requiring passengers to transfer between services while existing infrastructure is altered.
- In-N-Out: Media criticism of In-N-Out reportedly includes scrutiny of its corporate culture and the relatively high compensation earned by store managers.
IN INTERNATIONAL NEWS
- Thailand: A British-Nigerian influencer reportedly died in Thailand during a penis-enlargement procedure.
- Sanitation: The roundup highlights reports of open defecation in African communities, attributing the problem to inadequate sanitation and migration.
- Mexico: Mexican authorities reportedly discovered more than 1,000 cryptocurrency-mining rigs during cartel raids.
- Iran: Economic pressure is reportedly contributing to falling employment and currency values in Iran, while oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have reportedly recovered toward pre-war levels.
- Ukraine: A British commentator cited in the roundup argues that Volodymyr Zelensky's strategy is leading Ukraine toward severe national losses.
- China: The price gap between crude oil paid for by the United States and China has reportedly widened from about $5 in 2024 to roughly $30.
IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
- Paramount: Paramount is reportedly threatening to leave California if its merger with Warner Bros. does not proceed, potentially affecting tens of thousands of jobs and billions in tax revenue.
- Ed Sheeran: Several opening acts have reportedly withdrawn from Sheeran's tour amid disputes over his position on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
- Elijah Blue Allman: Cher's son has reportedly been indicted on a felony breaking-and-entering charge in New Hampshire.
- Travis Kelce: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is reportedly among the alleged victims of a large Ponzi scheme.
IN MEDICAL NEWS
- COVID-relief fraud: The Trump administration reportedly barred approximately 870,000 suspected COVID-relief fraudsters from obtaining federal loans. The roundup contrasts this with the Biden-era distribution of roughly $1.2 trillion in pandemic assistance.
- L'Oréal lawsuit: L'Oréal is facing a lawsuit alleging that certain beauty products contain substances associated with cancer risks.
AND FINALLY . . .
- Christian Bale: Actor Christian Bale has opened a foster-care village based on a long-held goal of keeping siblings together when they enter the foster system.