Today’s Big Story

Can Trump’s Crime Crackdown Go National?

Leading Democrats say it’s a ‘manufactured crisis’ to justify sending national guard to Chicago

Call it America’s next big showdown. Tensions are brewing over President Donald Trump’s zeal to impose unusual presidential power as he eyes big, Democratic-run cities to expand a crime crackdown that sent troops flocking onto the streets of Washington, D.C.

Those National Guard members deployed to D.C. have also started carrying their guns over the weekend, a spokesperson for the Joint Task Force carrying out the mission told CNN. The majority of the guard members will carry M17 pistols, their service-issued weapons, the official said, while a small number of the troops will be armed with their service M4 rifles. This follows a directive by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week that authorized members of the National Guard, who were deployed as part of Trump’s anti-crime agenda in the nation’s capital, to begin carrying weapons.

For weeks, the president has ramped up efforts to crack down on crime in Washington, D.C., which has also included a federal takeover of the city’s police department and increased federal law enforcement presence. The president has repeatedly complained about rising crime in the nation’s capital, but overall crime numbers are lower this year than in 2024. Now, planning is underway to send national guard troops to Chicago (a city that Trump has repeatedly disparaged over the years).

On Sunday, Hakeem Jeffries, House minority leader and New York Democratic congressman, said Trump has “manufactured a crisis” to justify sending federalized national guard troops into Chicago next, over the heads of local leaders. He accused the president of “playing games with the lives of Americans” with his unprecedented domestic deployment of the military, which includes sending troops into Los Angeles in June.

The mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, said any such plan from Trump was perpetrating “the most flagrant violation of our constitution in the 21st century.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker agreed and said the state was not experiencing any emergency that would warrant a National Guard presence like that which the Pentagon has been considering. The Washington Post reports that Chicago—a city of roughly 2.7 million—has seen a decrease in violent crime since a covid pandemic-era spike that mirrored other U.S. cities. Mayor Johnson noted in a statement Friday that over the past year homicides were down by more than 30 percent and shootings by nearly 40%. It makes you wonder what other cities the administration is considering.

How a Historic Immigration Drop Is Changing the Job Market

Lack of newcomers keeps unemployment low for now but will undercut long-run growth

Last week, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the U.S. labor market has entered “a curious kind of balance.” The demand for workers has cooled, yet the unemployment rate has held steady because the supply of labor has slowed abruptly. Behind that slowing in the labor supply is a dramatic swing in immigration, from one of the biggest waves in U.S. history to almost none. Economists say that could have subtle but lasting consequences.

The number of immigrants in the United States appears to be shrinking for the first time since the 1960s—in January of this year, the U.S. immigrant population hit 53.3 million, the largest in the country's history. Six months later, it appears to have shrunk by a million people, to 51.9 million. And experts say the reduction is reflected in the labor force. They predict looming negative economic and demographic consequences for the United States if the trend persists. Immigrants are a critical work force in many sectors, and the country’s reliance on them is growing as more baby boomers retire.

A virtual halt to unauthorized border crossings, plus stepped-up deportations and a souring climate for foreigners means net immigration this year could be negative for the first time in decades. And that has a short-run benefit, which Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell called “a curious kind of balance.” According to Wall Street Journal, it means slumping labor demand won’t necessarily push up the unemployment rate, which at 4.2% is historically low. But in the long run it could limit the economy’s potential growth and generate larger budget deficits.

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Gives Netflix Its First Box-Office Win

The animated feature led all films in the box office with $16-18 million in ticket sales

I’ll admit, I haven’t seen KPop Demon Hunters (yet), but I did sing both of the popular songs from the movie at karaoke here in Tokyo over the weekend. In case you need a refresher: The animated film is about a K-pop girl group that must save its fans from a group of demons who have taken the corporeal form of an irresistible K-pop boy band (as any clever demon would). Sounds like fun, right?

Well, plenty of people would agree: The movie is not only Netlfix’s most-watched original animated film, but it’s the platform’s first No. 1 box-office hit in the streaming company’s 18-year history. Rival studios on Sunday estimated “KPop Demon Hunters” led all films over the weekend with $16-18 million in ticket sales. Distribution executives from three studios shared their estimates with the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the streaming company has a policy of not reporting ticket sales.

Even as it streams at home and on phones, Netflix put the film into 1,750 theaters for sing-along screenings Saturday and Sunday. Why? Because it’s only gotten bigger and bigger since its release. According to data provided by Nielsen, the movies was streamed for about 250 million minutes during its release week and instead of tapering off, momentum kept building as it found new audiences. And the craze wasn’t limited to the screen itself. Its soundtrack has landed several songs, including “Golden,” “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop,” on Billboard’s Top 10.

Global Mail Carriers Suspend U.S. Deliveries

Why? Because of confusion over new duties

Well, this could get messy. Postal services across the world are halting shipments to the United States this week amid mounting confusion over new import duties that will apply to parcels starting on Friday.

Major carriers including DHL, Royal Mail, and national postal services from more than a dozen other countries in Europe and Asia have halted most package deliveries to the U.S. ahead of the August 29 deadline when the “de minimis” exemption expires. President Donald Trump last month ordered the end of the provision, which allowed goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free. The loophole was closed for China and Hong Kong in May. Since it’s about to go into effect, there’s new concerns over a lack of information over how it will be enforced.

According to NBC News, postal providers in Belgium, Denmark and New Zealand are among several operators that have already suspended shipments of packages to the U.S. until they can retool their systems to comply with the new rules. Letters and documents are generally unaffected. Services in Germany, France, Britain and India have announced they will follow suit in the coming days. The White House said ending the duty-free exemption would help combat “escalating deceptive shipping practices, illegal material, and duty circumvention,” claiming some shippers had “abused” the exemption to send illicit drugs such as fentanyl into America.

Your Pre-Fall Wardrobe Starts Here

Ease into cooler weather with versatile layers built for the in-between season from MR PORTER

As summer winds down and the first hints of crisp air creep in, there's no better time to rethink your daily wardrobe rotation. This is that in-between season when it's certainly not cool enough for heavy outerwear, but you still need pieces that keep you comfortable when the temperature starts to dip. That's where transitional layering comes in. A sharp overshirt you can throw on over a tee, a lightweight knit that works solo now and under a jacket later, or tailored trousers in breathable but structured fabrics. The goal isn't to overhaul your wardrobe, but to add a few versatile, stylish building blocks that ease you into fall seamlessly. With MR PORTER's expertly curated selection, you'll find pieces that strike the perfect balance between refined and relaxed—gear you can easily wear now and well into the autumn months ahead.

Don’t waste your time.