Today in One Sentence. Trump canceled $810 million in spending approved by Congress using a “pocket rescission” that would let the money expire; Trump announced that Mesabi Metallics plans to invest $15 billion to build a steel mill in Iowa less than 40 days before the midterm elections as Republicans face competitive races in the state; the Trump administration finalized rules to lower the fuel-economy target for new cars and light trucks to 34.9 miles per gallon by the 2031; the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let federal prisons deny certain types of medical care for transgender inmates; the Education Department formally rescinded the Biden-era Title IX rule that expanded sex-discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity; the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to use a federal citizenship database to verify voter rolls ahead of the midterms; the Supreme Court blocked Missouri from using a Republican-drawn congressional map in November for the third time; and the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it resume deporting immigrants to countries where they’re not citizens.

1/ Trump canceled $810 million in spending approved by Congress using a “pocket rescission” that would let the money expire. The largest cuts target $567 million for Health and Human Services programs serving refugees, asylum seekers, and other noncitizens. The White House notified Congress five days before the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, leaving lawmakers without the required 45-day review period. The House is also out of session until after the November election. Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the move illegal and said the White House budget office “does not get to decide which programs are worth funding.” (Associated Press / Politico / Reuters / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / CBS News / CNBC)

2/ Trump announced that Mesabi Metallics plans to invest $15 billion to build a steel mill in Iowa. “They’re going to make a big investment in a place called Iowa,” Trump said. “I love Iowa. I won Iowa every time.” The announcement, however, comes less than 40 days before the midterm elections as Republicans face competitive races in Iowa. The mine and steel project, which was first proposed roughly 20 years ago, faced years of delays and bankruptcy before construction restarted under a reorganized company, is expected to begin producing steel in 2030 and create about 1,750 permanent jobs. (Wall Street Journal / NBC News / CBS News / Bloomberg / ABC News / Reuters / CNBC)

3/ The Trump administration finalized rules to lower the fuel-economy target for new cars and light trucks to 34.9 miles per gallon by the 2031. The Biden-era target was 50.4 mpg. Congress also eliminated fines last year for automakers that fail to meet the targets. The Transportation Department claimed the rollback would cut the average cost of a new vehicle by about $1,300. Trump claimed that the less stringent fuel economy standards would “take the waste out of building cars in America” and save families “thousands on a new, beautiful and safe car. Gasoline prices are averaging $4.47 a gallon – up more than 40% since last year. Analysts, however, questioned whether automakers would pass those savings on to buyers, and warned that less-efficient vehicles would cost drivers more at the pump. (CNBC / Politico / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times)

  • Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will recuse himself from a major climate change case, raising the possibility of a 4-4 split that would leave in place a Colorado ruling allowing Boulder’s lawsuit against Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy to move toward trial. Boulder is seeking damages for alleged harms from climate change, and the case could affect similar lawsuits against oil companies across the country. Environmental groups had called for his recusal because he owns stock in oil companies. (NBC News / CNN / CNBC)

4/ The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let federal prisons deny certain types of medical care for transgender inmates. The request would also allow prisons to deny hormone therapy, end surgeries, and “social accommodations” while a lawsuit over the policy continues. Lower courts, however, have blocked the policy and that the Bureau of Prisons must continue providing care. The Trump administration accused the district court of “substituting its own policy judgment for that of the agency.” (CBS News / CNN / Politico / New York Times)

5/ The Education Department formally rescinded the Biden-era Title IX rule that expanded sex-discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The department restored the rules adopted during Trump’s first term, which required schools to follow a formal process for sexual misconduct complaints, use a narrower definition of sexual harassment, and provide additional due-process protections to accused students. The new rule takes effect Tuesday, but stops short of defining “sex” under Title IX as biological sex. (Politico / The Hill / Washington Post)

6/ The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to use a federal citizenship database to verify voter rolls ahead of the midterms. The order pauses a lower-court ruling that had blocked the system, which combines immigration and Social Security records to check the citizenship status of voters. Federal law, however, prohibits mass removal of voters within 90 days of Election Day. The emergency ruling was unsigned, but the court’s three liberal justices joined in dissent. (New York Times / CNBC / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / CNN)

7/ The Supreme Court blocked Missouri from using a Republican-drawn congressional map in November for the third time, leaving the state to use its 2022 map in November’s midterms. Under the old map, Democrats are favored to retain two of Missouri’s eight House seats. The new map was drawn to improve Republicans’ chances of winning a Democratic-held Kansas City seat. The justices warned that switching maps after ballots had been mailed and voting had begun would “usher in electoral chaos.” (Washington Post / CNBC / ABC News / New York Times / Politico / NPR / Bloomberg)

8/ The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it resume deporting immigrants to countries where they’re not citizens. Last week, a federal appeals court blocked the program, ruling that migrants weren’t given notice and a meaningful chance to raise fears of torture or persecution. The administration asked for an immediate stay, saying it had canceled deportation flights, including one carrying 70 people to three countries. The Department of Homeland Security says more than 25,000 people have been deported to third countries. (SCOTUSblog / CNN / New York Times / Washington Post / CBS News)

The 2026 midterms are in 36 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 771 days.