August 21, 2026

Good morning, everyone!

Upgrade to a paid annual subscription to Everything Briefing and receive a copy of His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life by Jonathan Alter, free and delivered to your door:

Today, we will look at the politics of data centers in the United States, a series of new polls, and this day through history.

Let’s get to it.

United States

-The average U.S. gas price stood at $4.10 yesterday, amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to AAA.

Addressing oil prices yesterday at the White House, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “We got a spike in oil prices today that I don’t really understand.”

-President Donald Trump’s approval rating stands at 40%, according to a new Emerson College poll.

In the same survey, Secretary of State Marco Rubio outperforms Vice President JD Vance in hypothetical 2028 matchups against several prospective Democratic presidential candidates.

-Three Trump-endorsed candidates lost their primary elections on Tuesday, bringing the total to 10 in this election cycle.

-The construction of new data centers is facing opposition in 45 states, according to Data Center Watch.

This week, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order that he called “the strictest standards in the nation for AI data centers.”

Governor Josh Shapiro@GovernorShapiro

BREAKING: I just signed an Executive Order implementing the strictest standards in the nation for AI data centers — because I will not allow Pennsylvanians to be bullied by greedy developers and bulldozed by the lawyers working for these big tech companies. Effective

6:25 PM · Aug 18, 2026 · 1.93M Views

1.11K Replies · 427 Reposts · 3.31K Likes

Shapiro’s Republican opponent, Stacy Garrity, released an attack ad yesterday that alleges Shapiro shifted his position on data centers.

View it here:

In a Shapiro ad, a narrator calls Garrity the “#1 fan of data centers.”

Meanwhile, in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott said a directive he issued has “halted up to 1,800 data center projects.”

Greg Abbott@GregAbbott_TX

My directive has halted up to 1,800 data center projects. I established guidelines & guardrails to protect Texas communities: ✔️Data centers must not take water needed by local communities, ✔️They must not take power needed by the Texas power grid, ✔️They must lower the cost

2:58 AM · Aug 20, 2026 · 172K Views

359 Replies · 78 Reposts · 650 Likes

In an interview earlier this month, Trump called Abbott’s policy a “mistake” and said that data centers are “tremendously important” to the country’s growth and economic competition against China.

According to a new survey, Americans’ support for data centers has shifted rapidly since last year.

Read a new PolitiFact breakdown on the facilities here.

-CNN political commentator Scott Jennings is reportedly jockeying to succeed Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary.

-Fox News has shifted the Texas Senate race to “toss up.”

-Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey and former Congressman Seth Moulton faced off in their final debate last night ahead of next month’s Democratic primary.

View it here:

-Republican Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers held a campaign event yesterday in Detroit with Democratic voters supporting him over his Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed.

Democratic State Representative Karen Whitsett attended the event.

-The Democratic National Committee announced Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia as the finalists for its presidential nominating convention in 2028.

-Teen summer employment remained below historic highs this year, according to a Pew analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

-On this day in 1858, Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln and Democrat Stephen Douglas faced off in the first of seven debates during their historic battle for the U.S. Senate in Illinois.

In 1959, Hawaii was admitted to the Union as the 50th state.

Other Links:

GOP trails Democrats by 8 points on congressional ballot in new poll - The Hill

Missouri court allows new Trump-backed U.S. House districts to be used in November election - PBS

Democrats flip Pennsylvania state House seat in Trump district - The Hill

Aisha Wahab Wins California Special Election to Replace Eric Swalwell - The New York Times

FBI seizes Swalwell’s devices, executes search warrants in sexual misconduct probe - CBS

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has spent 1 in 5 days of his term in other states - The Baltimore Banner

Natalie Harp’s Intimate Letters to Trump Revealed in Full - Daily Beast

Ahead of Grand Prix race, Melania Trump makes first public appearance in weeks - The Washington Post

Melania Trump’s behind-the-scenes foster youth work comes into focus - CNN

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s ‘Road Trip’ Highlights America, and Some of Its Sponsors - The New York Times

Bass and Raman face off in heated debate over homelessness, public safety and business policies - Los Angeles Times

New Drone Unit to Be Phased Out as Hegseth’s Army Pick Makes His Mark - The Wall Street Journal

Bitcoin, ether surge as Trump urges Congress to pass crypto Clarity Act - CNBC

Bond Market Stress Returns and Oil Rises in Edgy Day for Markets - The New York Times

Inside the Collapse of a MAGA Marketplace Backed by Trump Jr. - The Wall Street Journal

Jill Biden Says ‘Of Course I’m Scared’ of Losing Husband Joe - People

Nancy Kissinger, Wife of Former Secretary of State, Dies at 92 - The New York Times

Lindsay Clancy murder trial closing arguments expected early next week as testimony winds down - CBS

Moderna and Merck say melanoma vaccine succeeded in large trial - CNN

Africa

-The AFC/M23 rebel alliance ordered movement restrictions in the areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo which it controls to combat the spread of Ebola.

Earlier this week, the current outbreak was declared the deadliest in the country’s history, with the death toll from the disease surpassing 2,378 people out of more than 5,000 recorded cases.

The current outbreak is the country’s 17th since 1976.

Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, which has shown to be effective against the disease during previous outbreaks, would be sent to Congo in an effort to rein in the disease.

-Cameroonian President Paul Biya returned to his country after a two-and-a-half-month absence.

At 93 years old, Biya is the world’s oldest serving head of state. His office has called his time abroad a “short private stay.”

-Egypt’s central bank held its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 20% yesterday.

-On this day in 1961, Jomo Kenyatta, the leader of Kenya’s independence movement, was released by British colonial authorities following nine years of imprisonment.

Other Links:

Thousands of migrants in Ceuta wait in limbo while Spain figures out what to do with them - AP

US carries out its first deportations under pact for Liberia to accept 1,200 non-Liberians - AP

Somalia faces another hunger crisis and the UN food agency head says it has far less funds to help - AP

DFC funds rare earth projects in Africa - Semafor

Nigeria’s federal government moves to decriminalise attempted suicide - Africa News

Americas and the Caribbean

-Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo said in an interview this week that his country has received roughly 2,300 deported Mexican nationals from the United States so far in 2026.

He added that the deportees were then rerouted to Mexico after being processed.

The Trump administration has sought to deport Mexican migrants to both Guatemala and Honduras in an effort to deter unauthorized migration to the United States.

-The United States unveiled a new wave of sanctions on Cuba yesterday, blacklisting three officials tied to a state-run organization and nine state enterprises.

Announcing the measures, Secretary Rubio said, “Today's designations make ​clear that the Trump Administration will not tolerate the Cuban regime's efforts ‌to ⁠fund its repression or continue its decades-long campaign of subversive anti-American activities.”

Secretary Marco Rubio@SecRubio

The Cuban regime has spent decades using front groups to infiltrate, corrupt, and radicalize Americans. Today, I'm sanctioning the leadership of ICAP, which is one of the primary organizations involved in these efforts—including convicted Cuban spy Fernando González Llort—and

6:19 PM · Aug 20, 2026 · 326K Views

1.13K Replies · 3.98K Reposts · 15.6K Likes

The move is the latest in Washington’s intensifying pressure campaign on the Communist-run island nation.

Since January, the Trump administration has imposed a near-total oil blockade on the country in a bid to extract economic and political concessions from the government.

The blockade has caused routine electric grid failures on the island.

Responding to the new sanctions yesterday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez accused Washington of pursuing measures with the “deliberate aim of harming” the Cuban economy.

Bruno Rodríguez P@BrunoRguezP

El Secretario de Estado de #EEUU continúa castigando a empresas cubanas con el propósito deliberado de afectar nuestra economía e impedir que el gobierno de #Cuba garantice los servicios básicos a la población, que de por sí se encuentran en una situación crítica producto del

8:00 PM · Aug 20, 2026 · 14.3K Views

85 Replies · 312 Reposts · 397 Likes

-The Panama Canal Authority announced yesterday that it would cap daily transits early next month amid a longer-than-usual El Niño season that could reduce water levels.

The waterway currently handles roughly 5% of all global sea trade and 40% of U.S. container traffic.

-On this day in 1966, Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson hosted President Johnson on Campobello Island in New Brunswick.

Other Links:

Venezuelans and Cubans among deportees to Liberia under Trump deal, official says - Reuters

Mexico refuses to support US-led push to address Nicaragua’s election ban - Mexico News Daily

Brazil launches AI supercomputer push, splits projects between Chinese, US firms - Reuters

The US and others turn to Brazil for rare earths, raising environmental concerns - AP

Argentina’s Economy Expanded Faster Than Expected in June - Bloomberg

Catastrophe declared in northern Chile after heavy rain - CNN

Asia/Indo-Pacific

-North Korea launched roughly 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the waters off its east coast yesterday just hours after President Trump said that he could soon meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

-Bangladesh held its first contested presidential election in 35 years yesterday.

Under the country’s constitution, the president is selected through an indirect election by lawmakers from the 349-member National Parliament.

In the vote, ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is standing against former army officer Oli Ahmad, who leads an 11-party coalition.

The vote was triggered last month by the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who was the unopposed nominee of now-ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2023.

Hasina was forced from office a year later amid widespread demonstrations calling for her resignation. She had ruled the Southeast Asian nation for 14 years after a previous stint in the 1990s.

-China and Switzerland concluded negotiations to update a free trade agreement this week.

The pact will grant Switzerland tariff-free access to the Chinese market.

-Hui Ka Yan, the founder of Chinese property giant Evergrande, was sentenced to life in prison this week, five years after the collapse of his company roiled China’s economy.

Hui, once one of Asia’s richest men, has had all of his properties seized by the Chinese government.

-On this day in 2004, former and future Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina survived a grenade attack in Dhaka.

-The world’s first-ever Robot Olympics commenced in Beijing, China, this month, with humanoid robots from 16 countries competing in the games.

-On this day in 2004, Hasina survived a grenade attack in Dhaka.

Throughout her public career, she survived at least 19 attempts on her life.

Other Links:

China urges South Korea not to take sides and blames U.S. policy for Korea tensions - NBC

Pakistani former prime minister taken to private hospital for medical treatment - AP

U.S. designates American citizen Min Zin, held by China, as wrongfully detained - CBS

China Says Trump’s Economic Warfare Won’t Solve Iran Crisis - Bloomberg

What to know about the trial of former Tiananmen vigil organizers before a verdict - AP

Europe

-Yevhenii Khmara took office as Ukraine’s defense minister this week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired Khmara’s predecessor, Mykhailo Fedorov, last month as part of a wider cabinet reshuffling and disagreements over war strategy.

The move caused rare street demonstrations in Kyiv, with protestors calling for his reinstatement.

Since then, Fedorov, who remains popular and is viewed as a political rival to Zelenskyy, has called for a presidential election to be held.

Under Ukrainian law and the country’s constitution, national elections cannot be held during an emergency, which Zelenskyy declared following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

-Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, yesterday, killing at least 14 people.

After the attack, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that Moscow “purposefully” hit critical infrastructure in the attacks.

-On this day in 1974, President Gerald Ford paid respects to U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Rodger Davies at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland as his body was returned to the United States after he was killed by gunmen in Cyprus.

In 1991, Latvia declared independence from the Soviet Union.

Other Links:

Missile Barrage Shows Russia’s Doubt That Ukraine Can Defend Itself - The New York Times

U.S. Army moves to end drone battalion set up to absorb lessons from Ukraine war - CBS

Romanian jet blasts drone near offshore gas platform, president blames Moscow - Politico

Croatia orders detention of Ukrainian man wanted in Germany for Nord Stream blasts in 2022 - AP

Deadly overnight storms batter Germany as Balkan countries fight wildfires - AP

Middle East

-President Trump warned of “tremendous economic consequences” for any country that seeks to provide “any type of lifeline to Iran.”

Speaking yesterday, Secretary Bessent said that U.S. sanctions on Tehran would “crush” its economy and “collapse” its regime.

The threat comes as Washington seeks to end its nearly six-month-long war against Tehran.

Last week, Trump’s son-in-law and lead Middle East negotiator, Jared Kushner, traveled to the region in a bid to finalize a deal. However, Trump said shortly after his visit that there were no talks underway.

Since the U.S. and Israel first launched their joint operation against Iran on March 28, nearly 3,500 people have been killed throughout the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, eighteen U.S. service members have been killed, and more than 600 others have been wounded, according to updated Pentagon tracking data.

-A wave of suspected Iranian cyberattacks on water systems has targeted several U.S. states.

-On this day in 2006, President George W. Bush said in a press conference in Washington that he would work with the United Nations Security Council to ensure that Iran complied with international sanctions to limit its nuclear enrichment, saying the effort would require “effective diplomacy.”

Other Links:

Iran executes man over charges related to January protests, state media says - Reuters

What to Know About Iran’s Economic Ties With Gulf Countries - The New York Times

UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada condemn Israel’s West Bank settlement project - BBC

US envoy Huckabee tells Israeli settlers not to take Palestinian Americans’ land - Reuters

Gaza mediators say latest Israeli strikes undermine efforts to end conflict at critical stage - Reuters

Israel and Turkey step up warnings over Syria after airbase bombing - Reuters

Lebanon extradites ex-Assad general to Syria for trial over alleged crimes - AP

That’s all for today. See you next week.

Refer a friend