Here are today's featured stories, posted by DU members and curated by the Administrators. More news items can be found in our Latest Breaking News forum, and for all the most up-to-the-minute stories that are being talked about by DU members, visit the Latest Discussions page.
September 16, 2025
While Trump Engages in Attacks on Democracy and Free Speech, Farmers Are in Deep Trouble
(Raw Story) Donald Trump's trade policies have set up American farmers for an impending disaster, as China refuses to buy soybeans from the United States. According to The New York Times, the move by the Chinese government to halt U.S. soybean imports "has had devastating repercussions for farmers in North Dakota, which exported more than 70 percent of its soybeans to China before Trump unveiled the new tariffs this year. Unless China agrees to restart its purchases as part of a trade deal, farmers that depend on the Chinese market will be facing steep losses that could fuel farm bankruptcies and farm foreclosures around the United States.
Go to discussionUSDA considering economic aid for farmers this fall, says secretary
(Reuters) The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with Congress to evaluate whether economic aid might be needed for the nation's farmers this autumn amid trade disputes and record-high yields, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Monday. U.S. farmers have missed out on billions in soybean sales to China as stalled trade talks halt exports, and the USDA's recent forecast of a record corn crop this autumn will likely weigh on a farm economy already saddled with low prices and rising fertilizer and seed costs.
Go to discussion'Deeply Troubling': Military Expert Warns Trump Is Unilaterally 'Deciding To Kill People'
(Smirking Chimp) Rachel VanLandingham, a retired Judge Advocate General's Corps officer, strongly criticized President Donald Trump over his announcement that the U.S. military forces “literally shot out a boat” believed to be carrying narcotics from Venezuela. During an appearance on CNN Monday, she said the administration was using "lethal force in the American people's name in a very unique manner," calling the action "deeply troubling."
Go to discussionTrump Orders Removal of Photo of Enslaved Man's Scars and Information About Slavery from National Parks
(People) One of the most famous Civil War–era portraits of a slave will reportedly be removed from national parks and museums under the Trump administration. An 1863 photo taken of escaped enslaved man Gordon titled “The Scourged Back,” which shows “severe whipping scars,” is at the center of the debate. Images reportedly under review by the Trump administration “include signs referring to racial discrimination and the hostility of White people,” according to the Washington Post.
Go to discussionNo Evidence Of Primary Residence Violation By Fed Governor Lisa Cook, Michigan Official Says
(Huff Post) The property tax authority in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook hasn’t broken rules for tax breaks on a home there that Cook declared her primary residence. The finding, which came in response to a Reuters request that the city review Cook’s property records, could boost Cook’s defense against efforts by the Trump administration to remove her from the Federal Reserve board. Ann Arbor has “no reason to believe” that Cook violated property tax rules, City Assessor Jerry Markey told Reuters.
Go to discussion'Something is wrong': MAGA pundits say Trump is 'lying to us' about Charlie Kirk
(Alternet)Bulwark reporter Will Sommer wrote Monday that the MAGA media world was being "pulled apart" by conspiracies questioning the FBI's handling of Kirk's murder. Far-right podcast host Michael Savage suggested over the weekend that alleged killer Tyler Robinson was a patsy, doubting the government's claims that he disassembled the rifle used for the killing before jumping off of a rooftop, only to re-assemble it before abandoning the weapon.
Go to discussionDemocratic Senator Warns Of Campaign To Crush Dissent In Wake Of Charlie Kirk's Death
(Huff Post) A prominent Senate Democrat is warning that President Donald Trump will use the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a pretext to crush his political opposition. “The murder of Charlie Kirk could have united Americans to confront political violence. Instead, Trump and his anti-democratic radicals look to be readying a campaign to destroy dissent,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) wrote in the first of a series of social media posts on Sunday.
Go to discussionExperts say Pentagon faces roadblocks to severely punishing service members for disparaging Charlie Kirk
(CNN) As multiple service members are facing investigation or suspension for posts on social media critical of Charlie Kirk, experts told CNN there are legal roadblocks to the military actually taking significant action against them. It’s unclear how many service members have been suspended or are now being investigated; but at least one Marine has been relieved of their duties while an investigation is carried out, according to a Marine Corps spokesman, and an Army officer has been suspended, according to an official familiar with the situation.
Go to discussionTrump wouldn't call Minnesota governor after Democrat was slain but now blames him for raised flags
(AP) President Donald Trump said Monday that he would have ordered flags lowered to half-staff following the assassination of a Minnesota Democratic state lawmaker this summer had he been asked by the state’s governor. But Trump at the time refused to even call Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to express his condolences, saying it would only “waste time.” The president made the remark during an unrelated Oval Office event as he defended his decision to lower U.S. flags after last week’s slaying of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Go to discussionICE crackdowns intensify across Boston as sanctuary cities face Trump's latest operation
(AP) Immigrants are being detained while going to work, outside courthouses, and at store parking lots in Metro Boston as President Donald Trump targets so-called sanctuary cities in his effort to ramp up immigration enforcement. As families hole up in homes — afraid to leave and risk detainment — advocates are reporting an increased presence of unmarked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles sitting in parking lots and other public areas throughout immigrant communities, where agents appeared to target work vans.
Go to discussion