A new Senate report details problems that arose before the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in July. The number of adults suffering from iron deficiency may be higher than previously thought. And the U.S. is cracking down on cheap Chinese goods.
Here’s what you need to know today.
Senate details ‘preventable’ mistakes that led to first Trump assassination attempt
A new bipartisan Senate report identifies numerous “predictable” and “preventable” mistakes before the first assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, culminating in what one senator called “a perfect storm of stunning failures.”
The joint interim report from the Senate Homeland Security Committee and its permanent subcommittee on investigations said accountability was unclear before the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Key members of the intelligence community responsible for planning the attack engaged in a “kind of ‘Who’s on first?’ whistleblowing after the attack,” said Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the subcommittee.
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Among the errors identified in the report:
→ Intelligence knew that local law enforcement snipers had planned to position themselves inside the building from which the shooter ultimately fired, rather than on the roof. Communications between the teams were partitioned.
→ After a local law enforcement sniper texted a Secret Service official about the man who would soon shoot Trump, it took the Secret Service chief seven minutes to send an email relaying the information and photos. It’s unclear how long it took other Secret Service members to read the email.
“In a sense, many of these individual failings, if corrected at the time, could have prevented this tragedy,” Blumenthal said.
Read the full story here.
More Donald Trump coverage:
- The senate law adopted unanimously to strengthen secret service protection for presidential candidates.
- Ryan Routh, the man spotted outside Trump’s Florida golf course, was accused of attempted murder of a presidential candidate.
- Top US intelligence officials briefed Trump on Iran’s assassination threatsa Trump campaign spokesperson said.
Helene expected to reach hurricane strength on its way to Florida
Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it continues across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida. A hurricane watch and storm surge warnings of up to 15 feet were issued yesterday for most of Florida’s west coast. The storm is expected to make landfall tomorrow, potentially as a Category 3 hurricane.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the state of emergency to 61 counties and said the Big Bend and Panhandle regions should prepare for a potential direct impact. Here’s what else we know.
Iron deficiency in adults is more common than you might think
A new study suggests that nearly one in three Americans may have an undiagnosed iron deficiency, a condition that could leave tens of millions of people “running out of steam.” Researchers analyzed data from more than 8,000 adults in the United States and found that 14 percent had low blood iron levels, known as absolute iron deficiency, while 15 percent had adequate iron levels but their bodies couldn’t properly use the mineral, known as functional iron deficiency. What also makes the findings more remarkable is that the researchers looked at iron levels in “regular people who might not otherwise have been screened or tested,” said Leo Buckley, one of the study’s co-authors.
Although not usually life-threatening, iron deficiency causes fatigue, brain fog and difficulty concentrating. Here’s who’s most at risk and the best foods to add iron to your diet.
Politics in brief
Fight for funding: The House is about to adopt a financing bill The administration announced a plan today that would fund the government through December 20 and avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month. The plan eliminates a Trump-backed measure that would require Americans to show proof of citizenship to register to vote.
On the track: Vice President Kamala Harris plans to realize its economic vision in what his campaign called a “major speech” at a rally in Pittsburgh.
False statements regarding pets: The leader of a Haitian nonprofit group filed criminal charges against Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, over allegations that immigrants ate local pets in Springfield, Ohio.
A tight race: Both Harris and Trump have made gains in certain demographic segments: college-educated white women for Harris and working-class Hispanic voters for Trump. But there are still some demographic unknowns, NBC News Chief Political Analyst Chuck Todd writes.
Women in Congress: Rep. Elise Stefanik, the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House of Representatives, is leading a push to break the record for Republican women serving in the House. She spoke to NBC News about the gains she has seen over the past six years and the “tough” races ahead.
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Read all about it
- The Justice Department sued Visa, accusing it supported an illegal monopoly on debit payments that affect the price of “almost everything.”
- Israel said it intercepted a missile fired from Lebanon toward Tel Aviv today, the first time Hezbollah has targeted the country’s economic hub, as the Israeli military launches “large-scale strikes” across Lebanon. Follow live updates here.
- Hall of Fame Quarterback Brett Favre Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease draws attention again to the potential links between collision sports like football and the risk of brain disease.
- Emmanuel Littlejohn, 52 years old, is about to be executed today, in the 1992 death of Kenneth Meers during an armed robbery in Oklahoma — but no one knows if he is guilty of the crime.
- The United States Forest Service said it would not hire seasonal employees over the next fiscal year, which could affect trail maintenance, recreation services, fisheries and more.
- Sean “Diddy” Combs was charged in a new trial of drugging and “brutally” raping a woman in 2001 and recording the encounter.
Staff Picks: Cheap buys from Shein and Temu are on the way out
Every year, hundreds of millions of packages of clothing, electronics and other goods from China arrive in the United States, duty-free. The rock-bottom prices are a draw for American consumers. That could change as the White House seeks to close a trade loophole that has been hugely beneficial for Chinese e-commerce platforms like Temu and Shein. CNBC’s Eunice Yoon reports from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, where the prices are irresistible. Chinese vendors say the proposal could mean tough times ahead for them – and higher prices for American consumers. — Jennifer Jett, Digital Editor Asia
NBC Select: Online Shopping Made Easy
It’s time to get ready for fall. Add these two items to your to-do list:
- Remove, clean and store your window air conditioner to get the most out of its life. Here’s how.
- Get a new umbrella, especially if your current one is flimsy. Here are the best sustainable umbrellas at all prices.
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