Supreme court threatens midterms mail-in voting as it backs Trump plan | First Thing

Election workers sort mail-in ballots. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Election workers sort mail-in ballots. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images First Thing: Supreme court threatens midterms mail-in voting as it backs Trump plan US president has been obsessed with restricting the ability to vote by mail, despite using it himself. Plus, why we are still fascinated with Meg from the White Stripes Good morning. The US supreme court has sided with Donald Trump in his effort to crack down on mail-in voting, though it is unclear whether or not his administration will be able to take action before the midterm elections in November. The court’s justices voted 6-3 along ideological lines to lift an injunction that a judge in Massachusetts had placed in June on an executive order issued by the president. But a second injunction remains in place, and the ruling leaves room for legal challenges. Trump has repeatedly likened voting by mail to cheating, despite his own use of it and overwhelming evidence that the system is secure. In March he ordered the government to create a “state citizenship list” of eligible voters, requiring that mail-in ballots only be delivered to people on that list. He also directed the justice department to prioritise investigations and prosecutions of state and local election officials who issue ballots to people deemed ineligible to vote in federal elections. What did the dissenting judges say? In a blistering dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote that the decision “needlessly injects chaos and uncertainty into the upcoming midterm elections”. How have rights organisations reacted? The president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Derrick Johnson, said: “Let this ruling be a reminder that democracy is never, ever guaranteed. We have to fight for it, we have to fight to keep it and we have to protect the rights we do have within it … they are trying to do everything they possibly can to make it difficult for you to vote.” Trump announces new 50% tariff on Canadian cars, trucks and steel View image in fullscreen Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney. Photograph: Canadian Press/Shutterstock Donald Trump has announced a new 50% tariff on automobiles and crucial raw materials from Canada, the latest deterioration in trade relations between the two neighbours with traditionally strong economic ties. The US president said Canada had been “ripping off” the US for years and that it was “among the worst Nations in the World to deal with”. How has Canada reacted? The country’s prime minister, Mark Carney, told reporters that Trump’s announcement was largely expected. “It’s not a surprise for us that the US would take some form of reprisal to our response to their unjustified tariff,” he said. Carney has vowed to match the American tariffs “dollar for dollar”, and said Canada could not accept any proposed trade deal that would weaken French language protections. US strikes vessel in eastern Pacific, killing two people in first attack in months View image in fullscreen US navy personnel deployed in the Pacific. Photograph: Michelle Bir/AFP/Getty Images The US military has struck a vessel in the Pacific Ocean, killing two people accused of drug trafficking. US Southern Command (SouthCom) said it had “executed a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific”. SouthCom did not provide evidence of the vessel’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking. Monday’s strike marks the latest in a series since the Trump administration launched what it described as a campaign targeting “narco-terrorists” smuggling drugs into the US. Numerous reports, however, indicate the strikes have done little to stem the flow of drugs into the country. US threatens severe sanctions against countries with economic ties to Iran View image in fullscreen The US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters The US has threatened to impose severe sanctions against any country or entity maintaining economic ties with Iran, hoping to achieve with economic measures what military means have so far failed to do. It is unclear, however, how far the Trump administration is prepared to go in confronting China, Iran’s biggest trading partner, which has signalled its resistance to US economic pressure to cut off links with an ally. Iran vowed retaliation against any country that takes part in the US-led isolation campaign. Launching what he called Operation Economic Outcast, the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, called it an unprecedented campaign and compared it with the D-day Normandy landings, a turning point in the second world war. In other news … View image in fullscreen Colombia’s president, Abelardo de la Espriella. Photograph: Pablo R Seco/EPA Colombia’s far-right president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has announced a crackdown on immigrants. The country continues to deal with the aftermath of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that killed more than 300 people and destroyed more than 30,000 homes. US healthcare officials said a food-poisoning outbreak tied to alfalfa sprouts had sickened people in at least 15 states. Target has pulled a controversial Halloween costume off its shelves after criticism across social media that it resembled a racist caricature. A mental health advocate suspected of killing her police officer husband was found dead six days after she disappeared from her Massachusetts home, authorities said. An independent arbitrator has ordered the Washington Post to rehire the high-profile opinion columnist Karen Attiah, who was fired abruptly last September over social media comments about Charlie Kirk. Stat of the day: Trump administration plans to revoke 200,000 asylum seekers’ visas View image in fullscreen Donald Trump and Marco Rubio. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP A Department of State spokesperson said it was coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security “to identify and revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently”. Associated Press put the number of people potentially involved at as many as 200,000, which would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in US history. Culture pick: Seam me up, Scotty! After 60 years, Star Trek has had a muppet takeover View image in fullscreen Muppets! In Space! Photograph: Jan Thijs/Paramount+ The creators of Strange New Worlds talk about boldly sewing where no one has sewn before. Don’t miss this: Australia has just 12,000 sea lions left – and ‘carnage’ may await them as bird flu takes hold View image in fullscreen An Australian sea lion. Photograph: Alastair Pollock Photography/Getty Images Everybody loves seals and sea lions – the dogs of the ocean – but in Australia there are fears that bird flu has jumped species and could endanger them. Lisa Cox investigates. … or this: Why we’re still so fascinated by Meg White View image in fullscreen Meg White in 2003. Photograph: Patrick Rideaux/Rex Features Recent incorrect attempts to reveal the White Stripes star’s whereabouts reflect how much we’re still obsessed with the one-of-a-kind drummer who did things her own way. Climate check: Nevada files lawsuit challenging federal plan for Colorado River revival View image in fullscreen Water flows from the Glen Canyon dam down the Colorado River. Photograph: George Frey/Getty Images Nevada has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s plan for the imperilled Colorado River, which threatens to cut roughly 20% of the water supplied to lower basin states – Nevada, Arizona and California – over the next two years. It could become the first of many court battles over the waterway that supplies 40 million people, dozens of tribes and 5.5m acres of farmland across the American west. Last Thing: Toddler invades pitch during Minnesota’s MLS win over San Jose View image in fullscreen A child walks on to the field during the MLS match. Photograph: Icon Sportswire/Getty Images A toddler interrupted a Major League Soccer match between Minnesota United and San Jose Earthquakes at the weekend by invading the pitch – a bizarre scene punctuated by an on-air analyst saying: “There’s a baby on the field.” There’s an adorable video of it to enjoy. If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@theguardian.com Explore more on these topics US news First Thing newsletter US supreme court US midterm elections 2026 Canada Trump administration Iran Americas news Share Reuse this content