Wednesday, 2 September 2026

A federal judge in Maryland blocked President Trump's latest executive order attempting to restrict birthright citizenship, ruling that the administration cannot deny citizenship to children already determined to be citizens by the Supreme Court's prior ruling.

The Trump administration deployed US military and federal agencies to attempt renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' in response to the Canada trade dispute. Apple Maps and Google Maps complied with the order for US users, while MapQuest refused and became the top-ranked free app in response.

The US and Iran exchanged major military strikes, with the US launching airstrikes against Iranian targets including a wedding that killed at least four people, and Iran retaliating with missiles and drones against US bases in the region, marking the largest exchange of fire since July.

Trump suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz as 'Trump Strait' amid renewed military conflict with Iran, claiming the strategic waterway is 'under USA control' despite ongoing attacks on ships and near-daily escalations.

The US Mint began selling commemorative $1 coins bearing Trump's image, marking the first time in nearly 200 years that a living person has appeared on US currency, though spending them presents legal complications despite their face value.

Trump signed a deal granting the US control over approximately one-fifth of Venezuela's oil reserves following the military capture of former President Maduro, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright announcing Chevron would expand operations and double production in the country.

A Honduran court dismissed money laundering and fraud charges against former President Juan Orlando Hernández after Trump pardoned him in December 2025, effectively making him a free man and resolving government corruption accusations.

Pete Hegseth faced mounting criticism from Canadian officials and a Republican senator over body-shaming posts about Canadian military cadets and his management of the Pentagon amid the ongoing Iran war, with Senator Thom Tillis calling for his removal.

An Ohio college student died in an apparent suicide after stepping into traffic on Interstate 70, with his family saying the 20-year-old Haitian immigrant felt 'humiliated' by wearing an ICE ankle monitor, highlighting mental health crisis among immigration enforcement targets.

Trump nominated acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, a Vietnamese refugee and Navy veteran, for the permanent position, amid broader Pentagon leadership turmoil and the ongoing strain of the Iran war on military resources.