WTFJustHappenedToday
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:31:06 +0000
Subject: Day 2065: "Really let our Country down."
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WTF Just Happened Today? [1]
** Day 2065: "Really let our Country down."
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Tuesday, Sep 15, 2026
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Welcome to Day 2065.
Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court blocked Trump’s plan to limit mail-in voting in the midterms; Trump attacked the Supreme Court over its “bad decision”; FBI Director Kash Patel declined to rule out sending agents to polling places during the November midterm elections; the Congressional Budget Office estimates that Trump's war with Iran has cost the U.S. about $38 billion, and that it will continue to cost roughly $2 billion to $3 billion a month for as long as the fighting continues; the Senate blocked a cryptocurrency regulation bill that would have established a federal regulatory framework for digital assets; the Kennedy Center’s board voted to immediately close the performing arts venue for renovations after a federal judge again blocked an effort to put Trump’s name on the building; the U.S. confirmed that it has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending American forces; 42% of voters said they trusted Republicans more to handle artificial intelligence; 51% of
likely voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress in their district in the midterms; 53% of voters consider Trump "corrupt" and 51% say he's "dangerous"; and 54% of Democratic voters said they're voting in the midterms mainly to stop Trump and Republicans.
-Matt [3] , current mood: ***
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Today's edition is 1,127 words, a 5½-minute read.
1/ The Supreme Court blocked Trump’s plan to limit mail-in voting in the midterms, saying the administration was “unlikely to succeed on the merits” of its challenge. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that while there was “at least a fair prospect” the Postal Service had statutory authority to issue the rules, applying them this year “would be arbitrary and capricious” because election officials didn’t have “sufficient time to reasonably implement” them. The changes would have required states to submit lists of voters eligible to receive mail ballots and redesign ballot envelopes with unique barcodes, allowing the Postal Service to return noncompliant ballot mail to election officials even though its required online portal wasn’t operational yet. (CNN [4] / Wall Street Journal [5]
rt-blocks-trumps-new-mail-ballot-requirements-for-midterms-d7e8af3f?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter) / New York Times [6] / Washington Post [7] / Associated Press [8] / NPR [9] / Bloomberg[10] / NBC News [11] / Axios [12] / CBS News [13]
2/ Trump attacked the Supreme Court over its “bad decision” to block his restrictions on mail-in voting, calling the ruling “a big loss for Republicans, and America itself.” He claimed without evidence that it would make cheating on mail ballots easier. “The Supreme Court has really let our Country down!” Trump said, adding that “These are not the people I interviewed to serve on the United States Supreme Court.” After singling out his three appointees – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett – Trump praised Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas for dissenting, calling them “legends both.” (Associated Press [14] / Axios [15] / CNN [16]
reme-court-mail-voting?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter) / New York Times [17] / Washington Post [18] / ABC News [19] / USA Today [20] / CNBC [21] / Wall Street Journal[22]
3/ FBI Director Kash Patel declined to rule out sending agents to polling places during the November midterm elections. “I don’t know that we can’t legally do it,” Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Added, however, that the FBI would “follow the law” and that “if there’s a reason to go there, because there’s been a violation of law, we will, otherwise we won’t.” Patel said the bureau would “house our agents and intel analysts in our field offices” and keep election-crime coordinators at all 56 field offices because “election integrity is of paramount importance” and “this FBI is not going to shy away from that effort.” Federal law, however, bars armed federal officers or military personnel from polling places except in limited circumstances. When Sen. Peter Welch asked Patel to pledge that he wouldn’t interfere with voters, Patel replied: “I pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies.” (New York Times [23]
09/15/us/politics/patel-fbi-agents-election.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter) / Bloomberg [24] / Democracy Docket [25] / NBC News [26]
* Kash Patel defended changes to the bureau’s hiring rules that eliminated automatic disqualification for applicants with histories involving prostitution or bestiality, saying the policy was intended to allow trafficking and abuse victims to be considered for jobs. “We did “not want to punish victims of bestiality, victims who were trafficked,” Patel said. (Reuters [27] / Associated Press [28] / Washington Post [29] / Axios[30] / The Guardian [31]
4/ The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Trump’s war with Iran has cost the U.S. about $38 billion, and that it will continue to cost roughly $2 billion to $3 billion a month for as long as the fighting continues. The nonpartisan budget office also expects the war to add about .05 percentage points to inflation in the first quarter of 2027 due to disruptions to oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The CBO report blamed the war for more than 40% of inflation during the second quarter of 2026. The Pentagon, however, didn’t provide information requested by the CBO, which acknowledged that the missing data limited its analysis and excluded the cost of repairing damaged U.S. bases. (Politico [32] / Bloomberg[33] / New York Times [34] / NBC News [35] / Wall Street Journal [36] / CNN [37] / ABC News[38] / CBS News [39]
5/ The Senate blocked a cryptocurrency regulation bill that would have established a federal regulatory framework for digital assets. The Clarity Act, which would have divided oversight of digital assets between the SEC and CFTC, failed to clear the 60-vote threshold after every Democrat and several Republicans opposed advancing it. Democrats argued that the revised ethics provisions still didn’t do enough to prevent Trump and other federal officials from profiting from crypto holdings while overseeing policies that could affect their value. Last year, Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from crypto ventures. And in 2024, the crypto industry spent more than $130 million in congressional races to elect pro-crypto legislators. (Associated Press [40] / Politico[41] / New York Times [42] / Axios [43] / Wall Street Journal [44] / Bloomberg [45]
6/ The Kennedy Center’s board voted to immediately close the performing arts venue for renovations after a federal judge again blocked an effort to put Trump’s name on the building. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the board “cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing.” Trump, meanwhile, threatened that “the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place” unless his name is on it. He also claimed the center was in a “virtual state of collapse,” called Cooper “very hostile and conflicted,” and said he raised $17 million that’s been deposited into the center’s account “to keep it afloat.” (CNN [46] / Washington Post [47]
&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter) / Politico [48] / Bloomberg [49] / NBC News [50] / New York Times [51] / CNBC [52]
7/ The U.S. confirmed that it has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending American forces. The Space Force said the weapons can be used for “offensive and defensive purposes.” China, meanwhile, accused the U.S. of “preparing for war in outer space” and warned against an arms race, while Russia called for space to remain “free of any weapon.” (The Guardian [53] / NBC News [54] / CNN [55] / ABC News[56] / Washington Post [57] / Associated Press [58] / CBS News [59] / CNBC [60]
poll/ 42% of voters said they trusted Republicans more to handle artificial intelligence, while 40% said they trusted Democrats more. 61% of likely voters said they oppose construction of data centers for AI, including nearly 80% of voters under 30. (New York Times [61]
poll/ 51% of likely voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress in their district in the midterms, while 43% said they would vote Republican. 57% of independents said they planned to vote Democratic. (New York Times [62]
poll/ 53% of voters consider Trump “corrupt” and 51% say he’s “dangerous,” while 18% called him “steady.” (Axios [63]
poll/ 54% of Democratic voters said they’re voting in the midterms mainly to stop Trump and Republicans, while 46% said they’re voting to help Democrats enact their agenda. (CBS News [64]
The 2026 midterms are in 49 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 784 days.
And that's what just happened today.
* WTF, right?
On This Day
Five years ago today: The Justice Department asked a federal judge to block Texas's near-total abortion ban; a judge allowed E. Jean Carroll's defamation lawsuit against Trump to proceed; and Gen. Mark Milley secretly called China to reassure them Trump would not attack.
Read the full edition [65]
9 years ago — Sick and demented. [66]
6 years ago — "Forthcoming." [67]
4 years ago — "Big problems." [68]
1 year ago — "im sorry for all of this." [69]
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[3] https://twitter.com/matt_kiser
[4] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/14/politics/supreme-court-rejects-trump-plan-to-limit-mail-in-voting-in-midterms?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[5] https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/supreme-cou
[6] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-mail-voting.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/14/supreme-court-blocks-sweeping-mail-ballot-restrictions-midterm-elections/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[8] https://apnews.com/article/trump-mail-voting-executive-order-lawsuit-78a4fbeb48d9c5fd27d1c865529fc65f?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[9] https://www.npr.org/2026/09/14/nx-s1-5962190/supreme-court-mail-in-voting-trump?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[10] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-14/supreme-court-rejects-trump-s-mail-ballot-curbs-for-midterms?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[11] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-says-trump-cannot-enforce-new-mail-ballot-regulation-rcna596088?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[12] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/14/supreme-court-trump-mail-in-voting-rule?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[13] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-blocks-new-postal-service-mail-ballots-trump/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[14] https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-justice-mail-voting-7a937a7b4a37214d40a7a9aa4c2b5ce2?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[15] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/trump-supreme-court-justices-mail-voting?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[16] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/15/politics/trump-sup
[17] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/trump-supreme-court-mail-voting.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[18] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/15/trump-slams-supreme-court-ruling-mail-ballots-personal-betrayal/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[19] https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/trump-slams-supreme-court-rejecting-push-restrict-mail-136461280?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[21] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/15/trump-supreme-court-mail-ballots-election.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[23] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/
[24] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-15/patel-declines-to-rule-out-fbi-agents-at-polls-on-election-day?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[25] https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/kash-patel-suggests-fbi-agents-may-be-at-polls/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[26] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-ai-tech-congress-2026-midterm-election-iran-live-updates-rcna597782?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter#rcrd120435
[27] https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/fbi-director-kash-patel-face-grilling-over-travel-2020-election-probe-2026-09-15/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[28] https://apnews.com/article/patel-fbi-congress-schiff-durbin-e28b41304b4bafb927c610e558f4b92e?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[29] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/09/15/senators-grill-fbi-director-kash-patel/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[30] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/fbi-bestiality-prostitution-patel-kennedy?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[31] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/15/kash-patel-fbi-hiring-policy-bestiality?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[32] https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/15/iran-war-cbo-01077533?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[33] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-15/war-in-iran-has-cost-us-38-billion-over-five-months-cbo-says?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[34] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/iran-war-cost.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[35] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/iran-war-driving-inflation-americans-cbo-report-says-rcna597978?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[36] https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/congressional-watchdog-puts-war-costs-at-38-billion-estimates-5-years-to-replace-interceptors-c7d85678?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[37] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/15/politics/cbo-releases-iran-war-cost-estimate?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[38] https://abcnews.com/Politics/iran-war-costs-38-billion-cbo-warns-higher/story?id=136465149&utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[39] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-war-cost-2-billion-per-month-congressional-budget-office/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[40] https://apnews.com/article/senate-crypto-bill-midterms-trump-ethics-e3caf262dc138147941787299e5f0a66?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[41] https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/15/crypto-bill-collapses-on-senate-floor-01077617?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[42] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/technology/senate-blocks-crypto-bill.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[43] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/clarity-act-senate-no?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[44] https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/landmark-crypto-bill-fails-procedural-vote-casting-doubt-on-new-digital-asset-rules-d6fc4c47?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[45] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-15/us-senate-blocks-landmark-crypto-bill-in-industry-loss?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[46] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/15/politics/trump-kennedy-center-name?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[47] https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/09/15/judge-bars-kennedy-center-adding-trumps-name-building/?utm_source=wtfjht
[48] https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/15/trump-kennedy-center-blocked-01077300?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[49] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-15/trump-s-kennedy-center-board-votes-to-close-facility-for-repairs?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[50] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trumps-handpicked-kennedy-center-board-votes-close-venue-renovations-rcna597921?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[51] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/arts/music/kennedy-center-trump-name-inscription-judge-ruling.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[52] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/15/trump-kennedy-center-name-ruling.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[53] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/sep/15/us-confirms-first-time-it-has-deployed-weapons-space?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[54] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-acknowledges-first-time-deployed-weapons-in-space-rcna597916?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[55] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/15/science/us-space-force-weapons-capabilities-hnk?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[57] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/09/14/us-has-deployed-first-space-based-weapon-air-force-secretary-says/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[58] https://apnews.com/article/space-weapons-air-force-5a2a0ada771daaf4fbef0991d8c09259?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[59] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-confirms-weapons-in-space-china-russia-respond/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[60] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/15/weapons-in-space-us-air-force-meink.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[61] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/ai-polls-midterms.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[62] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/trump-midterm-election-poll.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[63] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/trump-dangerous-corrupt-majority-new-poll?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[64] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-trump-battleground-tracker-house-control-2026-midterm-elections/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[65] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2021/09/15/day-239/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
[66] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2017/09/15/day-239/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
[67] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2020/09/15/day-1335/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
[68] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2022/09/15/day-604/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
[69] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/09/15/day-1700/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
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Subject: Day 2065: "Really let our Country down."
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WTF Just Happened Today? [1]
** Day 2065: "Really let our Country down."
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Tuesday, Sep 15, 2026
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Welcome to Day 2065.
Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court blocked Trump’s plan to limit mail-in voting in the midterms; Trump attacked the Supreme Court over its “bad decision”; FBI Director Kash Patel declined to rule out sending agents to polling places during the November midterm elections; the Congressional Budget Office estimates that Trump's war with Iran has cost the U.S. about $38 billion, and that it will continue to cost roughly $2 billion to $3 billion a month for as long as the fighting continues; the Senate blocked a cryptocurrency regulation bill that would have established a federal regulatory framework for digital assets; the Kennedy Center’s board voted to immediately close the performing arts venue for renovations after a federal judge again blocked an effort to put Trump’s name on the building; the U.S. confirmed that it has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending American forces; 42% of voters said they trusted Republicans more to handle artificial intelligence; 51% of
likely voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress in their district in the midterms; 53% of voters consider Trump "corrupt" and 51% say he's "dangerous"; and 54% of Democratic voters said they're voting in the midterms mainly to stop Trump and Republicans.
-Matt [3] , current mood: ***
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Today's edition is 1,127 words, a 5½-minute read.
1/ The Supreme Court blocked Trump’s plan to limit mail-in voting in the midterms, saying the administration was “unlikely to succeed on the merits” of its challenge. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that while there was “at least a fair prospect” the Postal Service had statutory authority to issue the rules, applying them this year “would be arbitrary and capricious” because election officials didn’t have “sufficient time to reasonably implement” them. The changes would have required states to submit lists of voters eligible to receive mail ballots and redesign ballot envelopes with unique barcodes, allowing the Postal Service to return noncompliant ballot mail to election officials even though its required online portal wasn’t operational yet. (CNN [4] / Wall Street Journal [5]
rt-blocks-trumps-new-mail-ballot-requirements-for-midterms-d7e8af3f?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter) / New York Times [6] / Washington Post [7] / Associated Press [8] / NPR [9] / Bloomberg[10] / NBC News [11] / Axios [12] / CBS News [13]
2/ Trump attacked the Supreme Court over its “bad decision” to block his restrictions on mail-in voting, calling the ruling “a big loss for Republicans, and America itself.” He claimed without evidence that it would make cheating on mail ballots easier. “The Supreme Court has really let our Country down!” Trump said, adding that “These are not the people I interviewed to serve on the United States Supreme Court.” After singling out his three appointees – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett – Trump praised Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas for dissenting, calling them “legends both.” (Associated Press [14] / Axios [15] / CNN [16]
reme-court-mail-voting?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter) / New York Times [17] / Washington Post [18] / ABC News [19] / USA Today [20] / CNBC [21] / Wall Street Journal[22]
3/ FBI Director Kash Patel declined to rule out sending agents to polling places during the November midterm elections. “I don’t know that we can’t legally do it,” Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Added, however, that the FBI would “follow the law” and that “if there’s a reason to go there, because there’s been a violation of law, we will, otherwise we won’t.” Patel said the bureau would “house our agents and intel analysts in our field offices” and keep election-crime coordinators at all 56 field offices because “election integrity is of paramount importance” and “this FBI is not going to shy away from that effort.” Federal law, however, bars armed federal officers or military personnel from polling places except in limited circumstances. When Sen. Peter Welch asked Patel to pledge that he wouldn’t interfere with voters, Patel replied: “I pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies.” (New York Times [23]
09/15/us/politics/patel-fbi-agents-election.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter) / Bloomberg [24] / Democracy Docket [25] / NBC News [26]
* Kash Patel defended changes to the bureau’s hiring rules that eliminated automatic disqualification for applicants with histories involving prostitution or bestiality, saying the policy was intended to allow trafficking and abuse victims to be considered for jobs. “We did “not want to punish victims of bestiality, victims who were trafficked,” Patel said. (Reuters [27] / Associated Press [28] / Washington Post [29] / Axios[30] / The Guardian [31]
4/ The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Trump’s war with Iran has cost the U.S. about $38 billion, and that it will continue to cost roughly $2 billion to $3 billion a month for as long as the fighting continues. The nonpartisan budget office also expects the war to add about .05 percentage points to inflation in the first quarter of 2027 due to disruptions to oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The CBO report blamed the war for more than 40% of inflation during the second quarter of 2026. The Pentagon, however, didn’t provide information requested by the CBO, which acknowledged that the missing data limited its analysis and excluded the cost of repairing damaged U.S. bases. (Politico [32] / Bloomberg[33] / New York Times [34] / NBC News [35] / Wall Street Journal [36] / CNN [37] / ABC News[38] / CBS News [39]
5/ The Senate blocked a cryptocurrency regulation bill that would have established a federal regulatory framework for digital assets. The Clarity Act, which would have divided oversight of digital assets between the SEC and CFTC, failed to clear the 60-vote threshold after every Democrat and several Republicans opposed advancing it. Democrats argued that the revised ethics provisions still didn’t do enough to prevent Trump and other federal officials from profiting from crypto holdings while overseeing policies that could affect their value. Last year, Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from crypto ventures. And in 2024, the crypto industry spent more than $130 million in congressional races to elect pro-crypto legislators. (Associated Press [40] / Politico[41] / New York Times [42] / Axios [43] / Wall Street Journal [44] / Bloomberg [45]
6/ The Kennedy Center’s board voted to immediately close the performing arts venue for renovations after a federal judge again blocked an effort to put Trump’s name on the building. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the board “cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing.” Trump, meanwhile, threatened that “the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place” unless his name is on it. He also claimed the center was in a “virtual state of collapse,” called Cooper “very hostile and conflicted,” and said he raised $17 million that’s been deposited into the center’s account “to keep it afloat.” (CNN [46] / Washington Post [47]
&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter) / Politico [48] / Bloomberg [49] / NBC News [50] / New York Times [51] / CNBC [52]
7/ The U.S. confirmed that it has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending American forces. The Space Force said the weapons can be used for “offensive and defensive purposes.” China, meanwhile, accused the U.S. of “preparing for war in outer space” and warned against an arms race, while Russia called for space to remain “free of any weapon.” (The Guardian [53] / NBC News [54] / CNN [55] / ABC News[56] / Washington Post [57] / Associated Press [58] / CBS News [59] / CNBC [60]
poll/ 42% of voters said they trusted Republicans more to handle artificial intelligence, while 40% said they trusted Democrats more. 61% of likely voters said they oppose construction of data centers for AI, including nearly 80% of voters under 30. (New York Times [61]
poll/ 51% of likely voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress in their district in the midterms, while 43% said they would vote Republican. 57% of independents said they planned to vote Democratic. (New York Times [62]
poll/ 53% of voters consider Trump “corrupt” and 51% say he’s “dangerous,” while 18% called him “steady.” (Axios [63]
poll/ 54% of Democratic voters said they’re voting in the midterms mainly to stop Trump and Republicans, while 46% said they’re voting to help Democrats enact their agenda. (CBS News [64]
The 2026 midterms are in 49 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 784 days.
And that's what just happened today.
* WTF, right?
On This Day
Five years ago today: The Justice Department asked a federal judge to block Texas's near-total abortion ban; a judge allowed E. Jean Carroll's defamation lawsuit against Trump to proceed; and Gen. Mark Milley secretly called China to reassure them Trump would not attack.
Read the full edition [65]
9 years ago — Sick and demented. [66]
6 years ago — "Forthcoming." [67]
4 years ago — "Big problems." [68]
1 year ago — "im sorry for all of this." [69]
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[3] https://twitter.com/matt_kiser
[4] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/14/politics/supreme-court-rejects-trump-plan-to-limit-mail-in-voting-in-midterms?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[5] https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/supreme-cou
[6] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-mail-voting.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/14/supreme-court-blocks-sweeping-mail-ballot-restrictions-midterm-elections/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[8] https://apnews.com/article/trump-mail-voting-executive-order-lawsuit-78a4fbeb48d9c5fd27d1c865529fc65f?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[9] https://www.npr.org/2026/09/14/nx-s1-5962190/supreme-court-mail-in-voting-trump?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[10] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-14/supreme-court-rejects-trump-s-mail-ballot-curbs-for-midterms?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[11] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-says-trump-cannot-enforce-new-mail-ballot-regulation-rcna596088?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[12] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/14/supreme-court-trump-mail-in-voting-rule?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[13] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-blocks-new-postal-service-mail-ballots-trump/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[14] https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-justice-mail-voting-7a937a7b4a37214d40a7a9aa4c2b5ce2?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[15] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/trump-supreme-court-justices-mail-voting?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[16] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/15/politics/trump-sup
[17] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/trump-supreme-court-mail-voting.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[18] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/15/trump-slams-supreme-court-ruling-mail-ballots-personal-betrayal/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[19] https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/trump-slams-supreme-court-rejecting-push-restrict-mail-136461280?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[21] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/15/trump-supreme-court-mail-ballots-election.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[23] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/
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[25] https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/kash-patel-suggests-fbi-agents-may-be-at-polls/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[27] https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/fbi-director-kash-patel-face-grilling-over-travel-2020-election-probe-2026-09-15/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[28] https://apnews.com/article/patel-fbi-congress-schiff-durbin-e28b41304b4bafb927c610e558f4b92e?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[29] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/09/15/senators-grill-fbi-director-kash-patel/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[30] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/fbi-bestiality-prostitution-patel-kennedy?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[32] https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/15/iran-war-cbo-01077533?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[34] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/iran-war-cost.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[36] https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/congressional-watchdog-puts-war-costs-at-38-billion-estimates-5-years-to-replace-interceptors-c7d85678?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[37] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/15/politics/cbo-releases-iran-war-cost-estimate?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[39] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-war-cost-2-billion-per-month-congressional-budget-office/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[40] https://apnews.com/article/senate-crypto-bill-midterms-trump-ethics-e3caf262dc138147941787299e5f0a66?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[41] https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/15/crypto-bill-collapses-on-senate-floor-01077617?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[42] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/technology/senate-blocks-crypto-bill.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[43] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/clarity-act-senate-no?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[45] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-15/us-senate-blocks-landmark-crypto-bill-in-industry-loss?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[48] https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/15/trump-kennedy-center-blocked-01077300?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[51] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/arts/music/kennedy-center-trump-name-inscription-judge-ruling.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[52] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/15/trump-kennedy-center-name-ruling.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[55] https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/15/science/us-space-force-weapons-capabilities-hnk?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
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[58] https://apnews.com/article/space-weapons-air-force-5a2a0ada771daaf4fbef0991d8c09259?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[59] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-confirms-weapons-in-space-china-russia-respond/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[60] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/15/weapons-in-space-us-air-force-meink.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[61] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/ai-polls-midterms.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[62] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/trump-midterm-election-poll.html?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[63] https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/trump-dangerous-corrupt-majority-new-poll?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[64] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-trump-battleground-tracker-house-control-2026-midterm-elections/?utm_source=wtfjht&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter
[65] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2021/09/15/day-239/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
[66] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2017/09/15/day-239/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
[67] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2020/09/15/day-1335/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
[68] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2022/09/15/day-604/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
[69] https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/09/15/day-1700/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-update&utm_content=2026-09-15
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