Hi friends!
Before we begin, let me give you this week’s incentive to read to the end: in the “Dave’s Corner” segment of this newsletter, I planted a link that Dave doesn’t know is there, but that you’ll definitely know was my doing if you click through. See if you can spot it, and read through the end to see if you got it right.
A lot happened this week, from finding out that Trump is still kicking to a big court decision on immigration. We also celebrated a national holiday. I’m referring, of course, to the day Sabrina Carpenter’s new album came out. And if you’re thinking, “Chris just wants to queen out in front of thousands of email subscribers,” you’re absolutely correct. But there’s actually a moment from Carpenter’s press tour that I cannot stop thinking about. It so clearly shows journalists’ role in helping people find joy without sacrificing values like accountability and fairness.
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In a CBS News interview, Gayle King sat down with Sabrina Carpenter. When she asked Carpenter about the initial backlash to the album cover for ‘Man’s Best Friend,’ the singer said, “It’s so up to interpretation.” As a journalist watching this, I had a hard time letting that indirect answer slide. Luckily, King pressed on. “What’s your interpretation?” she asked.
It’s a small moment, but a crucial one. We at LNI try to make work that’s joyful, not unlike how I found this segment joyful. But we’re also here to hold people with power and influence accountable, and we’re here to seek clear answers to questions. Just as important is presenting varied, nuanced perspectives so our audiences can have comprehensive understandings of the world. By presenting the critiques, making sure Sabrina responded directly, and creating work that made viewers like me happy, King did so much of what I want our work to do — in this newsletter and beyond.
With that, let’s dive in to the stories Dave covered this week.
Trump is still alive
At a press conference Tuesday, President Donald Trump — who is not dead — told reporters he wasn’t aware of conspiracy theories that he had died.
Vice President JD Vance, also alive and not Dave, fielded questions about Trump’s health in an interview with USA TODAY last week. He also discussed his preparedness to become president, which fueled conspiracies on social media.
Users also latched on to Trump not attending public events over six days, even as news outlets published new photos of him. They also pointed to Trump’s chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis, even though it’s not usually life-threatening.
I co-created the character of Detective Dave months ago and was very proud to see him back in play.
Court stops Trump from using wartime law for deportations
The Alien Enemies Act lets the president deny due process to immigrants as young as 14 years old, if they’re citizens of a country the U.S. has declared war against, or if the president thinks an “invasion or predatory incursion” is happening.
Other courts have handed down similar rulings, but this one is most likely to make its way to the Supreme Court first.
The U.S. has used the law to target immigrants during wartime in the past, perhaps most infamously paving the way for the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans in internment camps during World War II.
God, I love the media literacy lesson baked into this. A+
Will the government shut down?
Congress has 14 legislative days to avoid it. But what is a government shutdown, anyway?
It’s when Congress and the president can’t pass a budget by the beginning of the fiscal year. But what is a fiscal year, anyway?
It’s a 12-month period the federal government has for budgeting and accounting. It starts on October 1 and ends on September 30. Happy New Year! Almost! Kind of! But why are we talking about this, anyway?
Dave broke down what the fiscal year is and why it matters. It’s part of his partnership with Free the Facts, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that empowers young Americans to learn and lead.
Not a cellphone in sight
A record number of U.S. states are restricting students’ cell phone use during school hours. Some are outright banning cell phones amid concerns over how they affect kids’ mental health.
Research has shown that teachers see benefits, including more interactions between students and more meaning in their work.
Meanwhile, students see unnecessary discipline. They and their parents expressed further concerns over not being able to get in touch in case of an emergency. But students also reported better grades, focus, and socialization.
It’s that time of the week again, where I hand things over to Dave for his analysis of what he’s covered in the past week. Dave, go!
While some people were getting, um, very interested in the prospect of Trump’s death, I excitedly started writing Tuesday’s video. I don’t love misinformation, but I love talking about it and how it spreads. And the ‘Trump might be dead’ rumors were the perfect opportunity to show this isn’t just an issue for the far-right.
all the Trump death rumors are just proof that everyone is susceptible to misinformation, no matter their political affiliation
— Dave Jorgenson (@davejorgenson.bsky.social) 2025-09-02T17:02:31.520Z
I got lots of comments, some playful, some defensive, saying “hey, we were just joking!” Or, “I never REALLY believed.” Perhaps that’s true! I don’t know you! I’m just one side of a parasocial relationship with a news video creator. But what I do know is that reputable corners of TikTok and Reddit really, truly believed something sinister was up.
I saw speculation that a video posted last Monday was essentially an obituary for Trump. I saw half a dozen subreddits, that I would normally deem quite fact-based and rational, flooded with speculation and misinformation surrounding the events of the weekend and Trump’s possible death.
As I mentioned in the video, this is likely due to both a gap in information and an emotional reaction to the idea that the oldest person ever elected to office had perished. Those are often the two biggest drivers of misinformation today. If you find yourself trying to fill in the gaps without any substantial facts and instead with a solution that might interest you, check yourself and check your sources. Or, as Sabrina Carpenter’s mom told her last year: go touch grass.
Speaking of, Chris is in the middle of a Sabrina Carpenter series on TikTok. It’s the news, but also it’s Sabrina? Look, I’m just trying to promote my friend’s work, so don’t ask me what ‘House Tour’ is really about.
You made it down here again! Your reward is me explaining what ‘House Tour’ is actually about. (Just kidding. You can go to Genius Lyrics if you’re feeling adventurous.)
Now for the reveal I promised at the top: I planted a link in the section above to the wiki entry for X-Men villain Mister Sinister. Was this easter egg hunt fun for you or just for me? Should we do it again? Let me know!
I’ll be back next week with another roundup of stories that Dave has covered. Until then!
Chris
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