Saturday, Sep. 26, 2026

Today, we’re looking at the Supreme Court’s ruling on Trump’s emergency request to use a citizenship database ahead of the midterms, why Republicans are finding it more difficult than they thought to break with the president, a grand jury’s disappointing finding in the Nolan Wells case and more. Plus, Rachel Maddow examines the “profoundly weak position” Trump finds himself in after his press ban.

The Supreme Court is partially visible behind columns in the foreground.

Tom Brenner / Getty Images

Supreme Court citizenship database ruling highlights important appeal to come

By Jordan Rubin

When the Supreme Court’s GOP-appointed majority on Friday granted the Trump administration’s emergency request to use a citizenship database ahead of the midterm elections, the court noted a limitation: the National Voter Registration Act, or NVRA, which bars states from systematically purging voters 90 days before federal elections.

In her dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the “bright side” of the ruling is its “minimal short-term impact,” because states can only conduct individualized voter roll maintenance ahead of November.

But in a footnote to Friday’s ruling, the majority recalled that the court will consider the scope of that provision in another case this coming term.

This is a preview of Jordan Rubin’s latest article. Read the full article here.

Respond directly to Jordan Rubin’s latest article by submitting a letter to the editor through this form. Read our submission guidelines here.

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Jon Husted, Mike Rogers and Ashley Hinson appear in life jackets before a sinking ship in an illustration about Republican politics.

Carson Elm-Picard / MS NOW; Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call; Sarah Rice / Bloomberg; Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call

Republicans just whiffed on another great chance to break with Trump

A Senate vote on the Iran war shows what a “blue wave” would do to MAGA’s hold on the GOP, argues James Downie.

Trump built his brand on real estate. His policies have been a disaster for the industry.

In his second term, he’s made it harder to build and buy houses, argue Charlie Herman and Ryan Teague Beckwith. Read more.

A grand jury’s dissatisfying response to Nolan Wells’ death and our louder demand for answers

In Mississippi in particular, Black people know when the pieces of a puzzle don’t seem to fit together. That isn’t paranoia. It’s experience, argues Stephanie V. McKee-Anderson. Read more.

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Robert Pattinson’s new movie is an unsettling look at modern vigilantism

The film “Primetime” stars Pattinson as former “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen, writes Brian Lowry. Read more.

Letter to the Editor

“In what your reporters called a ‘tense vote for senators facing tough re-election campaigns,’ this article noted that Thursday’s vote on a measure to direct President Donald Trump to end hostilities with Iran failed 49-50 and that this was the 12th time a measure to rein in Trump has failed.

Here are some other important numbers:

Eighteen U.S. service members have been killed in combat in relation to the conflict in Iran, with an additional noncombat fatality, The Washington Post recently reported.”

David S. from San Jose, Calif. responds to Mychael Schnell and
Jack Fitzpatrick’s Sept. 24 article GOP senators say they want to end the Iran war. They keep refusing to rein in Trump.

Read David’s full letter here. To send your own letter to the editor, review our submission guidelines and use this form.

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