[Up First] Trump Convention Speech, Missouri Contempt And Redistricting, Apple’s Foldable iPhone

President Trump delivered a speech lasting more than 90 minutes at the Republican Party’s midterm convention, asking voters to treat the election as though he personally were on the ballot. He touted second-term achievements such as sweeping tax cuts, repeated familiar attacks on Democratic economic policy, and promised every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate.

Analysts quickly noted the math does not work: paying every adult $5,000 would cost more than $1 trillion, roughly 80 percent of annual federal discretionary spending — a budget the administration is simultaneously trying to cut. Offering money in exchange for votes is also illegal. Meanwhile, public polling suggests Republicans may face an uphill battle to hold both chambers, a historical pattern Trump himself acknowledged during the speech.

Democrats, having been shellacked in the 2024 elections, have since seen a surge in voter enthusiasm. They are largely content to let Trump remain the face of the Republican Party heading into November, believing his low approval ratings will backfire at the polls.

Missouri’s Secretary of State is facing a contempt hearing before the state Supreme Court after defying its ruling on congressional district maps. The court struck down a Republican-drawn redistricting plan, ruling that the new map must first go before voters in a November referendum before it can be used. Despite that order, the secretary of state instructed local election officials to use the Republican map, citing a contradictory ruling from a federal judge.

The dispute centers on which congressional map will govern November’s elections. The Republican-drawn boundaries were designed to help the GOP flip a competitive Kansas City-area seat. Redistricting opponents, organized under the group People Not Politicians, argue that elected officials are directly disregarding the expressed will of the public, which voted to require a referendum on such changes.

The legal standoff now extends to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has already declined to intervene once. With less than two months until the midterms, local election officials remain uncertain about which district boundaries apply to their voters, creating significant logistical confusion across the state.

Apple unveiled its first foldable iPhone under new CEO John Ternus, marking the company’s most significant iPhone redesign in nearly two decades. The device opens like a book and is priced at approximately $2,000, placing it firmly in the premium luxury segment of the smartphone market.

The launch represents a major strategic shift for Apple, which has long resisted the foldable form factor that Android rivals have offered for several years. Analysts will be watching closely to see whether Apple’s entry into the category can command a premium that competitors have struggled to sustain, and what the release signals about the direction of the company under its new leadership.

The $2,000 price tag will test consumer appetite for high-end innovation at a time of broader economic pressure. The new iPhone also signals that Apple intends to use hardware reinvention as a key tool for growth as the smartphone market matures and upgrade cycles lengthen.