Politics and views in the United States

Trump renews his feud with Europe at the NATO Summit. Maryland looks likely to redistricting for 2028, and Nebraskans work to protect ballot initiatives from being overruled by lawmakers.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.

And with all the money we spend to help them with Russia, we could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe.

At the NATO summit, President Donald Trump is again feuding with Europe over control of Greenland, the share of their GDP spent on the military, and what he describes as a lack of support for America's war with Iran.

After that country struck a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. hit sites in Iran and again banned Tehran from exporting crude.

Oil prices rose on the news.

The White House is again also threatening to withhold anti-terrorism funds from states that do not agree to its drastic voting restrictions.

The administration argues they're needed to stop non-citizen voting, but a recent survey of the two million names on Utah's rolls found a single confirmed non-citizen registered who had not actually voted.

Maryland lawmakers will hold an August special session to consider whether to put a constitutional amendment before voters to allow the state to redraw congressional districts for 2028.

Blue state legislators previously opposed Democratic Governor Wes Moore's push for redistricting, but they say that's changed since the Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act, which triggered GOP redistricting across the South.

Some Nebraskans want to force state lawmakers to respect laws passed by ballot initiative.

Legislators have pushed back against voter-approved measures on medical marijuana, minimum wage increases, paid sick leave, and labor protections.

Respect amendment, raising the bar for the statehouse to override such measures.

Al Davis is a former state senator and a leader of the group.

The problem we face is that lawmakers have been far too quick to override or undermine our votes.

The bar needs to be higher.

It needs to show more respect to the voters, especially given the immense effort it takes to qualify for the ballot.

Democratic Maine Senate nominee Graham Plattner has pulled his ads from broadcast, and he may end his campaign after being accused of rape.

Former supporters, including Vermont Progressive Senator Bernie are calling on him to stand down.

Troy Jackson, a Plattner ally, former candidate for governor and labor leader, has filed to replace him.

While birthright citizenship remains the law, some mixed-status families remain in limbo, especially as the White House ends temporary protective status for hundreds of thousands.

Em is a citizen who asked not to be named because her mother is a TPS recipient from El Salvador.

She says changes to the program could also force her to leave.

My mom migrated here for an American dream, to prosper. while I'm just migrating technically just to be out of this administration's way.

It's not fair to me.

Any other American child here doesn't have to worry about their parents' deportation.

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis' Stop Woke Act may be dead after an appeals court ruling.

The bill would restrict how race and gender are taught in Florida colleges and universities, but was found to violate the First Amendment of professors.

The decision calls the bill, quote, dystopian and a breathtaking assertion of power.

I'm Zamone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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