The States

President Donald Trump defends his tariff policy and discusses the conflict with Iran as the Federal Reserve prepares for a critical interest rate decision. We also examine questions surrounding ActBlue donations, hear from Republican Illinois U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy, and break down the economic pressures shaping the 2026 election.

In today's episode:

Trump's latest comments on tariffs, manufacturing, and Iran

Will the Federal Reserve raise interest rates?

Questions surrounding ActBlue donation records

Illinois U.S. Senate race interview with Don Tracy

Everyday Economics: How tariffs, war, AI investment, and federal spending could impact inflation

America's Talking: Top taxpayer-focused stories from across the country

Energy: https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_5bf26816-598c-41fb-b07a-417bbb825977.html

New York: https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_york/article_7aec06d4-dbdd-485f-9b7c-b75ce0efdf07.html

North Carolina: https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_fa0fca65-3016-4cbe-9e99-81fce0e44bde.html

Tennessee: https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_19246dee-3648-455e-a333-132768d34c53.html

Subscribe for daily non-partisan news covering government, politics, the economy, and the issues impacting taxpayers nationwide.

#Trump #FederalReserve #Tariffs #ActBlue #Inflation #Politics #Economy #Election2026 #News #TheCenterSquare

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Could taxpayers spend millions of dollars prosecuting animal rights activists who say they were trying to rescue abused dogs? In this episode of The States, Greg Bishop examines the Wisconsin case involving Ridglan Farms, a commercial beagle breeder accused of animal cruelty, and the activists now facing felony burglary and theft charges after entering the property to remove dogs. Center Square investigative reporter Jared Strong explains how allegations of abuse led to a court-ordered investigation, why a special prosecutor ultimately chose not to pursue felony animal cruelty charges against the breeder, and why dozens of activists are now headed to court instead. The discussion explores the legal arguments on both sides, including claims that the activists acted out of necessity to prevent ongoing harm and prosecutors' contention that they broke the law by entering private property. The episode also examines the potential cost to taxpayers, with estimates suggesting the prosecutions could total millions of dollars if the cases proceed to trial. As one defendant prepares for a January trial, the case raises broader questions about property rights, civil disobedience, animal welfare, prosecutorial discretion, and how public resources are spent. The States is powered by The Center Square, delivering taxpayer-focused reporting and in-depth interviews on the stories shaping public policy across America. Subscribe for more original reporting, investigative journalism, and daily news coverage from The Center Square. Subscribe for daily taxpayer-focused reporting from across America. #Iran #Trump #Inflation #ElectionIntegrity #Politics #Economy #MiddleEast #FederalReserve #GasPrices #News #CurrentEvents #TheCenterSquare #GregBishop

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On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, Michigan regulators have approved key permits for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac. In an effort to escape the proposed California billionaire tax, several notable billionaires might have already cost the state more than $1 trillion in tax revenue by moving to other states, one attorney to the rich told The Center Square. The Nashville Metropolitan Council approved a moratorium on data center development until Dec. 1 and new regulations in light of opposition to a data center proposed near the Nashville Zoo. And America remains 4.7 million homes short, leaving millions of families struggling to find affordable housing while home prices remain elevated.

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Gun ban debate in Virginia, Non-citizens on the voter rolls, and Pres. Trump touts the Ratepayer protection pledge.

Virginia Citizens Defense League President Philip Van Cleave said two of four lawsuits against the state's assault firearm and magazine bans have won injunctions, with the broadest one (issued July 21) blocking all law enforcement and prosecutors statewide from enforcing the law. Van Cleave predicted the bans will ultimately be struck down once the U.S. Supreme Court rules on pending Cook County, Illinois and Connecticut gun-ban cases, and noted many Virginia prosecutors and sheriffs have already said they won't enforce the law.

Also, in this episode:

Plus, America's Talking:

The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square.

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Congress debates budget reform, taxes can't make up U.S. deficit according to the Tax Foundation, New Orleans' prosecutor drops charges against Louisiana AG, and Nashville places moratorium on data centers.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee examined proposals to prevent government shutdowns, including a bipartisan Lankford-Hassan bill that would require Congress to stay in session seven days a week focused solely on appropriations until funding is resolved.  Tax Foundation Chief Economist William McBride said the U.S. is spending more than $1 trillion annually on debt interest with debt-to-GDP near 100% and projected to reach 175% by 2056, driven primarily by Social Security and Medicare growth that outpaces the economy. McBride said no realistic combination of tax increases — including wealth taxes, higher income tax rates, payroll tax cap removal, or a value-added tax — could close the gap without addressing entitlement spending directly, likely through a bipartisan fiscal commission.

Also, in this episode:

Charges against Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, stemming from a dispute over a New Orleans court clerk consolidation law and a sixteen-count indictment alleging public intimidation and malfeasance, were dropped by a special prosecutor.

Murrill and Governor Jeff Landry are calling for a federal investigation into the officials who pursued the indictment, and Murrill said she'll seek taxpayer reimbursement for roughly $250,000 in legal fees.

The Nashville Metropolitan Council approved a moratorium on new data center development until December 1 and adopted new distance rules from schools, churches, and the zoo, following opposition to a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo and Fisk University.

Mayor Freddie O'Connell is considering using eminent domain to acquire land near the zoo to block the project, a move opposed by developer DC Blocks, while both Republican and Democratic officials in Tennessee have voiced support for restricting the specific site.

Headline inflation fell 0.4% from May to June, the biggest monthly drop since April 2020, driven mainly by falling gas prices, while core inflation came in at 2.6% with shelter costs up just 0.1%, the smallest monthly increase in four years.

Economist Orphe Divounguy warned the relief is likely temporary as rising Middle East conflict could push gas prices back up, asking rents are firming due to a pullback in apartment construction, and continued federal deficit spending adds further upward pressure on prices, making a return to the Fed's 2% inflation target unlikely soon.

Following reports that a former state representative faced sexual harassment complaints not immediately acted on by House Speaker Chris Welch's office, Governor J.B. Pritzker said Welch needs to be fully transparent about what happened and called for further disclosure.

A group of New York landlords sued the city's rent guidelines board, alleging Mayor Zohran Mamdani packed the nine-member board with loyalists ahead of its vote to freeze rents for one- and two-year leases on more than a million rent-stabilized apartments, effective October 1.

A state audit found $97.3 million in overstated and understated errors and inadequate internal financial controls at the Department of Public Safety for fiscal year 2025.

Tennessee will hold a sales tax-free period from July 31 through August 2 for school supplies, clothing under $100, and computers under $1,500.

Plus, America's Talking:  

Illinois - https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_8cfeb504-bcec-49ca-ae93-afd9b09976ce.html

New York - https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_york/article_f5bd16e6-2b19-407c-875c-3cd1dda766a7.html

North Carolina - https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_bd90c8e7-ba1d-4108-a844-c6c68176ae99.html

Education - https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_945b183e-c797-4fee-8e17-d79cb60adb6e.html

The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square.

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Illinois Attorney General race, suspected Medicaid fraud, California's billionaires' tax, and governors' across the country speak.

Illinois Republican AG candidate Bob Fioretti called for Democratic State Rep. Carol Ammons and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, to resign following federal corruption charges against them, and said the incumbent AG's office has been too hands-off on public corruption cases, including the Michael Madigan prosecution. Fioretti criticized incumbent AG Kwame Raoul for joining more than 65 multistate lawsuits against the Trump administration and for receiving campaign contributions from Governor Pritzker, Madigan-linked sources, and ComEd-connected entities.

Also, in this episode:

Trump-endorsed Republicans won several Arizona primaries, including Andy Biggs defeating David Schweikert for governor and Warren Peterson defeating Rodney Glassman for attorney general nominee; Biggs will face Governor Katie Hobbs in November.

The Trump administration paused more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California ($867 million) and Minnesota ($200 million) over suspected fraud, including $391 million tied to California's in-home services spending, which HHS says grew 24% over two years — double the rate of other states.

Governor Gavin Newsom called the move politicized and said California is cooperating with documentation requests, while HHS officials said Minnesota has already submitted records for review and California's case remains more complex.

Khalid Ahmed Sateri, accused of orchestrating a $547 million Medicare fraud scheme through diagnostic labs in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Georgia, was captured overseas and returned to the U.S. after nearly four years as a fugitive.

An attorney representing wealthy clients said billionaires who've left California have already cost the state more than $1 trillion in tax revenue, warning more departures could follow if voters approve Proposition 40's proposed 5% one-time tax on billionaires' assets in November.

Supporters, including the SEIU-UHW, argue billionaires should "pay their fair share," while Governor Newsom separately addressed pending data center and AI-regulation bills the legislature must act on before its session ends.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker criticized regional grid operators MISO and PJM over renewable energy integration delays and said he's paused data center tax credits pending closed-loop water and electricity safeguards; Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro touted a $125 million Innovate PA 2.0 investment and said Philadelphia's extended bar hours during the World Cup produced few incidents; Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a third executive order in three weeks directing five state agencies to investigate birth tourism schemes.

A federal judge struck down New York's NLRB-related labor law following an Amazon lawsuit; the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Phoenix must release public-sector labor negotiation records; Florida led the nation in June foreclosures; and Homeland Security data showed nearly 1,600 non-citizens registered to vote in North Carolina, part of a broader multi-state total exceeding 250,000.

The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square.

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Arizona's primaries, AI in government transparency, Illinois FOID card challenge, Michigan's Line 5 project, and states with the best schools.

Arizona voters are deciding primaries for governor, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction, with polls suggesting Republican Andy Biggs will emerge as Governor Katie Hobbs' November opponent over David Schweikert.  

Reveal's Jeff Wolff discussed how AI is being used at federal, state, and local levels to speed up public records requests, reduce processing costs, and improve auditing, while noting AI interactions themselves create new discoverable government records.

Also, in this episode:

Illinois State Police and Cook County's State's Attorney filed formal denials to a federal lawsuit challenging the state's FOID card requirement, disputing claims that the law violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.

Michigan regulators granted a key permit for Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel project, which would relocate a 73-year-old pipeline carrying 500,000 barrels of oil and natural gas daily under the Straits of Mackinac into a tunnel beneath the lakebed, following a 16-month review and 70,000 public comments.

The Bay Mills Indian Community and other tribal and environmental groups condemned the approval and vowed to continue fighting the project, while additional state and federal permits, plus a pending Michigan Supreme Court case, still stand between the project and construction.

A WalletHub analysis ranked Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin as the top states for education based on 32 metrics, while West Virginia, Oregon, Oklahoma, Alaska, and New Mexico ranked lowest.

Governor Josh Shapiro signed a budget increasing funding for the state's 47 rape crisis centers by $12 million, while criticizing Senate Republican leadership for not bringing a related bill up for a vote.

The Wisconsin Election Commission warned that voters who wager on election-outcome prediction markets like Kalshi or Polymarket and then vote in that election could face felony charges and have their votes challenged.

More than 500,000 people attended Atlanta's World Cup matches and fan festival events between June 15 and July 15, with Spain winning the tournament final over Argentina.

Louisiana's insurance commissioner urged residents to prepare as Tropical Depression 2 is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Bertha, with the greatest impacts to the Gulf Coast expected Wednesday into Thursday.

Plus, America's Talking:  

Pennsylvania: https://www.thecentersquare.com/pennsylvania/article_69739b64-f04d-40c9-bb8b-a4cb27aa19b2.html

Wisconsin: https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_f6ad4a08-a353-400a-ab2e-948e98c0ca67.html

Georgia: https://www.thecentersquare.com/georgia/article_adc0ca33-5330-40cb-8e62-d15950aaf829.html

Louisiana: https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_2a92d1d0-ebeb-44b4-ac87-7a5bb6b93edd.html

The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square.

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A U.S. service member's remains were found in northern Iraq, bringing the death toll since the Iran conflict began on February 28 to 18, as CENTCOM conducted its ninth consecutive night of strikes and continues enforcing a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Gas prices have risen to just over $4 a gallon nationally, up from $3.14 a year ago, coinciding with the escalating conflict.

In Illinois, Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate Aaron Del Mar outlined a Bailey-Del Mar administration platform focused on rolling back Illinois' gas and property taxes, reforming NGO grant spending, and addressing the "member initiative" program that gives Democratic legislators millions in discretionary funds while excluding Republicans. Del Mar also addressed corruption allegations against Democratic Rep. Carol Ammons and criticized incumbent Governor J.B. Pritzker's $56 billion budget, which is $16 billion higher than when Pritzker took office.

Also in this episode:

- A Missouri ballot measure on the August 4 primary could phase out the state's income tax by shifting to sales tax revenue, a move analysts say could accelerate Illinois residents moving from the Metro East region across the Mississippi River, following a net 7,500 Illinoisans who moved to Missouri in 2024.

- Single-family home starts have fallen in recent data, with the Everyday Economics segment set to examine borrowing costs, overall expenses, and regulations as factors behind the ongoing housing shortage.

- The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled en banc that New Jersey's ban on modern semi-automatic rifles and magazines is unconstitutional, a decision Second Amendment advocates say adds momentum ahead of U.S. Supreme Court arguments this October on similar bans in Connecticut and Cook County, Illinois.

- Separately, a Ninth Circuit judge issued a dissent criticizing the court's refusal to review a ruling upholding a California switchblade ban, calling for Supreme Court intervention on Second Amendment cases.

- Wisconsin governor's race: The Democratic field narrowed to three main contenders — Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley (endorsed by Governor Tony Evers), State Senator Kelda Roys, and Joel Brennan — after establishment favorite Sarah Rodriguez dropped out following a campaign staffing scandal; Republican Tom Tiffany remains the heavy favorite on that side.

- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he's exploring the legality of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court warrant, if he visits for the UN General Assembly in September, drawing criticism from the Trump administration.

- Southern California Edison has paid or ordered more than $750 million in compensation to victims of the Eaton Fire, which killed 17 people, burned over 14,000 acres, and destroyed nearly 10,000 structures in the Pasadena area in January 2025.

- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he's open to revoking visas for Chinese students following President Trump's claims that China illegally acquired American voter data; Florida hosts more than 30,000 international students, with China among the top countries of origin.

Plus, America's Talking:

Wisconsin: https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_bb9e246a-458c-4b0b-9c24-53a0d3da97cc.html

New York: https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_york/article_12353db2-3834-4dcb-9336-8aa80ffbffda.html

California: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_682143d8-b0c0-4a15-8e03-ff40d7034ff5.html

Florida: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_80ef6b94-b8a2-42a4-b61e-44eaab239f67.html

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On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, first the Colorado Attorney General's Office refused to accept payment for public records related to their lawsuits. Then, they delayed processing the request until after Attorney General Phil Weiser secured the Democratic nomination for governor. Now, his office wants to charge a total of $5,129.88 for those same records, an increase of $4,840.29 compared to his initial estimate. The U.S. is signaling a significant shift in the Middle East as President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met with the Iraqi prime minister to announce the end of military operations in Iraq, while shifting focus to Iran. An almost $1.8 trillion student loan portfolio continues to keep taxpayers on the hook while the federal government scales back broad student loan forgiveness and implements new repayment programs. Bridging a deficit in part by delaying some payments and reclaiming money from what they called the "couch cushions" of state government, lawmakers on Sunday approved a $50.8 billion budget for 2026-27 that immediately got the signature of Gov. Josh Shapiro. And interest rate cuts appear to be off the table for the Federal Reserve for now. 

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Tennessee corporate incentives, Arizona primaries next week, and wildfires across Canada send smoke through several states.

Tennessee has awarded more than $760 million in grants to about 585 companies over eight years to attract jobs, including a $30 million grant to Starbucks for a new Nashville headquarters, drawing criticism from groups calling the program "corporate welfare." The state has clawed back $92.4 million from 55 companies since 2016 across 71 enforcement actions, but is still owed $20.1 million from 18 companies, including a case where a company that got $3 million and created zero jobs saw its owners imprisoned on wire fraud charges.

Also, in this episode:

Nine Arizona House seats are up for election, with Republicans currently holding six to Democrats' three; districts 1 and 6 are considered toss-ups that could shift the narrow 219-seat Republican House majority.

Fundraising varies widely by race — in District 5, Daniel Keenan ($1.8M) outraised Trump-endorsed Mark Lamb (under $800K), and in District 6, Democrat Joanna Mendoza ($6.4M) outraised Republican incumbent Juan Ciscomani ($3.9M).

Nearly 20 states have air quality alerts as smoke from over 180 Canadian wildfires and roughly a dozen Minnesota fires drifts as far as New York City and Washington, with Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota expected to see the worst conditions.

The U.S. Navy awarded FSU an $88 million contract, potentially reaching $99.5 million, to develop next-generation ship power systems over five years.

Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and Speaker Dustin Burrows directed state agencies and universities to cut spending by 3% ahead of the next budget cycle.

Democrat Roy Cooper has $20.7 million cash on hand and $34.9 million in total receipts, compared to Republican Michael Whatley's $2.5 million cash on hand and $8.4 million in total receipts.

Plus, America's Talking:  

Michigan: https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_9112c9d5-076b-4949-b44f-734c8f8bcec5.html

Florida: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_7937f1d8-5aeb-4ebd-b110-9aa29ebc8fa2.html

Texas: https://www.thecentersquare.com/texas/article_d90a22c0-f3db-423e-bbde-31649d01ff7f.html

North Carolina: https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_6721de84-b664-4fd9-b801-8e23908878c7.html

The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square.

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