The Hound | Aug. 31

Trump has a new journalist for the FCC to attack, students speaking out against Israel cannot be deported in a ruling, and more.

August 31, 2026

Hi there,

It’s Monday. Trump took to Truth Social Sunday to demand that Kristen Welker of NBC's Meet the Press be "reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment." Her offense: accurately reporting that his primary endorsement record has produced mixed results. In a separate post, he complained about "fake polls" and wrote "FCC to the rescue!" — treating a federal regulatory agency as his personal media enforcer.

This is not a media spat. The FCC's own rules state it cannot punish a broadcaster for a point of view. But FCC Chair Brendan Carr — a Trump appointee — has already threatened broadcasters over Iran war coverage, launched an aggressive review of ABC's licenses, and prompted Disney to file a First Amendment lawsuit against the commission.

Meanwhile, Treasury barred journalists from the Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg from covering the G20 this week. The public deserves reporting that names authoritarianism when it sees it — not after the fact, but right now.

In addition, three Trump-appointed judges rule that Kalshi can be regulated by the states. And as Western North Carolina continues to need federal assistance after Hurricane Helene in 2024 — ICE was sent instead.

Read about these, and more, with today’s stories:

The Battle Over Mail-In Ballots (The American Prospect)

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

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