Bailey’s short tenure as attorney general was defined by confrontation with the federal government and local officials, as well as accusations of corruption, incompetence and grandstanding

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri will need a new attorney general for the third time in six years as Andrew Bailey announced on Monday that he plans to step down to become co-deputy director of the FBI.&nbsp;

“My life has been defined by a call to service, and I am once again answering that call, this time at the national level,” Bailey said in a news release announcing his departure. “But wherever I am called, Missouri is and always will be home.”

Bailey was appointed attorney general in 2022 after Eric Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate. Schmitt got the job in 2018, replacing another Republican who won a Senate seat, Josh Hawley.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe will name his replacement at 10 a.m. tomorrow. The new attorney general will then serve until Bailey’s current term expires in 2028. Bailey said his last day in office will be Sept. 8.&nbsp;

Bailey had never run for public office before former Missouri Gov. Mike Parson tapped him to replace Schmitt in 2022. At the time, he was serving as Parson’s general counsel. He previously worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Warren County and as an assistant attorney general.&nbsp;

Weeks after being elected to full four-year term last year, Bailey was vying to be&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/13/missouris-andrew-bailey-reportedly-a-finalist-to-be-donald-trumps-u-s-attorney-general/">President Donald Trump’s new attorney general or FBI director</a>. He will now join the FBI as it faces a torrent of criticism from across the political spectrum over the Trump administration’s refusal to release government files on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/24/pam-bondi-jeffrey-epstein-files-00475897" target="_blank">late sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein</a>.&nbsp;

His short stint as Missouri’s attorney general was largely defined by confrontation — lawsuits against the federal government, investigations of health care providers and public fights with other statewide elected Republicans.

Bailey’s most high-profile cases since becoming attorney general included twice suing to block federal student loan forgiveness and carrying forward an unsuccessful lawsuit alleging the Biden administration was colluding with social media companies to censor conservative speech.

His office is also involved in four different lawsuits regarding medical records of transgender children — part of his effort to end gender-affirming care in Missouri.&nbsp;

The attorney general’s office under Bailey helped force St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner out of office and is pursuing felony charges against St. Louis County Executive Sam Page.&nbsp;

Bailey has also been unflinchingly loyal to Trump, including&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/16/republican-missouri-attorney-general-candidates-proclaim-2020-election-was-stolen/">publicly endorsing the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article290766434.html" target="_blank">unsuccessfully attempting to intervene in the criminal case</a>&nbsp;against him in New York that resulted in 34 felony convictions.&nbsp;

But Bailey’s tenure as attorney general has also been marked by accusations of corruption, incompetence and grandstanding, with his critics alleging he’s more interested in scoring appearances on Fox News than effectively running the sprawling office or winning in the courtroom.

Among the many lawsuits Bailey inherited from his predecessor was a case against&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/14/time-runs-out-for-missouri-ag-to-appeal-ruling-in-school-mask-mandate-lawsuit/">Missouri school districts that implemented mask mandates&nbsp;</a>during the COVID-19 pandemic. After a judge ruled in support of the school boards, Bailey’s office missed its deadline to appeal.

Last summer, he&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-before-missouri-attorney-general-could-be-questioned-under-oath/">narrowly avoided being questioned under oath</a>&nbsp;about his contact with a defendant in his own case against Jackson County. One of Bailey’s deputies lost his license because of the meetings, according to a filing from the county’s attorneys.

Bailey was also the focus of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/hazelwood-schools-files-ethics-complaint-against-ag-bailey-over-dei-investigation/article_518f7ca0-07d2-11ef-a43d-9f3e0e63bf97.html" target="_blank">formal complaint about the behavior of his office</a>&nbsp;after he falsely blamed the Hazelwood School District’s diversity, equity and inclusion program for the off-campus assault of a student.

He’s also faced criticism over his contributions to his campaign.&nbsp;

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/01/missouri-ag-faces-criticism-for-dropping-out-of-gambling-lawsuit-against-highway-patrol/">Bailey recused himself from a gambling lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed against the Missouri State Highway Patrol after PACs connected to the lobbyist of the companies suing the state wrote checks to the committee supporting his campaign.

He raised eyebrows after accepting $50,000 in campaign donations from Doe Run, a St. Louis-based company<a href="https://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1661031_1661028_1661020,00.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;being sued by thousands of Peruvians</a>&nbsp;over allegations of lead smelter poisoning in their mining town in the Andes. A few months before the donation, Bailey filed a brief asking the federal court to move the lawsuit out of Missouri.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681466878038.png" alt="Andrew Bailey courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Andrew Bailey courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Bailey’s short tenure as attorney general was defined by confrontation with the federal government and local officials, as well as accusations of corruption, incompetence and grandstanding</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri will need a new attorney general for the third time in six years as Andrew Bailey announced on Monday that he plans to step down to become co-deputy director of the FBI.&nbsp;“My life has been defined by a call to service, and I am once again answering that call, this time at the national level,” Bailey said in a news release announcing his departure. “But wherever I am called, Missouri is and always will be home.”Bailey was appointed attorney general in 2022 after Eric Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate. Schmitt got the job in 2018, replacing another Republican who won a Senate seat, Josh Hawley.Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe will name his replacement at 10 a.m. tomorrow. The new attorney general will then serve until Bailey’s current term expires in 2028. Bailey said his last day in office will be Sept. 8.&nbsp;Bailey had never run for public office before former Missouri Gov. Mike Parson tapped him to replace Schmitt in 2022. At the time, he was serving as Parson’s general counsel. He previously worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Warren County and as an assistant attorney general.&nbsp;Weeks after being elected to full four-year term last year, Bailey was vying to be&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/13/missouris-andrew-bailey-reportedly-a-finalist-to-be-donald-trumps-u-s-attorney-general/">President Donald Trump’s new attorney general or FBI director</a>. He will now join the FBI as it faces a torrent of criticism from across the political spectrum over the Trump administration’s refusal to release government files on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/24/pam-bondi-jeffrey-epstein-files-00475897" target="_blank">late sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein</a>.&nbsp;His short stint as Missouri’s attorney general was largely defined by confrontation — lawsuits against the federal government, investigations of health care providers and public fights with other statewide elected Republicans.Bailey’s most high-profile cases since becoming attorney general included twice suing to block federal student loan forgiveness and carrying forward an unsuccessful lawsuit alleging the Biden administration was colluding with social media companies to censor conservative speech.His office is also involved in four different lawsuits regarding medical records of transgender children — part of his effort to end gender-affirming care in Missouri.&nbsp;The attorney general’s office under Bailey helped force St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner out of office and is pursuing felony charges against St. Louis County Executive Sam Page.&nbsp;Bailey has also been unflinchingly loyal to Trump, including&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/16/republican-missouri-attorney-general-candidates-proclaim-2020-election-was-stolen/">publicly endorsing the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article290766434.html" target="_blank">unsuccessfully attempting to intervene in the criminal case</a>&nbsp;against him in New York that resulted in 34 felony convictions.&nbsp;But Bailey’s tenure as attorney general has also been marked by accusations of corruption, incompetence and grandstanding, with his critics alleging he’s more interested in scoring appearances on Fox News than effectively running the sprawling office or winning in the courtroom.Among the many lawsuits Bailey inherited from his predecessor was a case against&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/14/time-runs-out-for-missouri-ag-to-appeal-ruling-in-school-mask-mandate-lawsuit/">Missouri school districts that implemented mask mandates&nbsp;</a>during the COVID-19 pandemic. After a judge ruled in support of the school boards, Bailey’s office missed its deadline to appeal.Last summer, he&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-before-missouri-attorney-general-could-be-questioned-under-oath/">narrowly avoided being questioned under oath</a>&nbsp;about his contact with a defendant in his own case against Jackson County. One of Bailey’s deputies lost his license because of the meetings, according to a filing from the county’s attorneys.Bailey was also the focus of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/hazelwood-schools-files-ethics-complaint-against-ag-bailey-over-dei-investigation/article_518f7ca0-07d2-11ef-a43d-9f3e0e63bf97.html" target="_blank">formal complaint about the behavior of his office</a>&nbsp;after he falsely blamed the Hazelwood School District’s diversity, equity and inclusion program for the off-campus assault of a student.He’s also faced criticism over his contributions to his campaign.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/01/missouri-ag-faces-criticism-for-dropping-out-of-gambling-lawsuit-against-highway-patrol/">Bailey recused himself from a gambling lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed against the Missouri State Highway Patrol after PACs connected to the lobbyist of the companies suing the state wrote checks to the committee supporting his campaign.He raised eyebrows after accepting $50,000 in campaign donations from Doe Run, a St. Louis-based company<a href="https://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1661031_1661028_1661020,00.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;being sued by thousands of Peruvians</a>&nbsp;over allegations of lead smelter poisoning in their mining town in the Andes. A few months before the donation, Bailey filed a brief asking the federal court to move the lawsuit out of Missouri.&nbsp;

Andrew Bailey stepping down as Missouri AG for job in Trump administration

Hutch Post has learned that a subcontractor has been allowed to step away from the ongoing Woodie Seat Project.

Phase II of the project, which began earlier this spring, is expected to be completed by March 2026. The work will connect Hutchinson to South Hutchinson, continuing a major infrastructure improvement effort.

When contacted, the subcontractor confirmed to Hutch Post that they were given the option to either remain on the project or walk away. They elected to remove themselves.

Jessica Woodyard, Public Communications Director for the City of Hutchinson, said the city has been in communication with the general contractor overseeing the work. According to her, the contractor indicated that some decisions needed to be made regarding the project. Woodyard added that the contractor has already vetted a new subcontractor to step in and continue the work.

Woodyard noted that a presentation on the Woodie Seat project will be made at Tuesday evening's city council meeting.&nbsp; That meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732648104035.jpeg" alt="Concept Drawing Woodie Seat-Image Courtesy City of Hutchinson" />
 <figcaption>Concept Drawing Woodie Seat-Image Courtesy City of Hutchinson</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch Post Hutch Post has learned that a subcontractor has been allowed to step away from the ongoing Woodie Seat Project.Phase II of the project, which began earlier this spring, is expected to be completed by March 2026. The work will connect Hutchinson to South Hutchinson, continuing a major infrastructure improvement effort.When contacted, the subcontractor confirmed to Hutch Post that they were given the option to either remain on the project or walk away. They elected to remove themselves.Jessica Woodyard, Public Communications Director for the City of Hutchinson, said the city has been in communication with the general contractor overseeing the work. According to her, the contractor indicated that some decisions needed to be made regarding the project. Woodyard added that the contractor has already vetted a new subcontractor to step in and continue the work.Woodyard noted that a presentation on the Woodie Seat project will be made at Tuesday evening's city council meeting.&nbsp; That meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.&nbsp;

Subcontractor changed on Woodie Seat Phase II project 

WASHINGTON (AP) —A Federal court on Thursday ordered the Department of Agriculture to restore grants to farming organizations.

The court ruled that six grants must be restored to organizations that lost their funding after several Trump administration Executive Orders and at the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The ruling “sets a strong precedent that could allow hundreds of other grants to be challenged and reinstated,” environmental nonprofit Earthjustice said in a statement.

Plaintiffs included groups that support causes like tree planting, climate-friendly farming practices and growing food in underserved communities.

The total value of the terminated grants was over $34 million, the attorneys said.

“In the wake of this ruling, we hope the USDA stops arbitrarily cancelling grants and contracts without an understanding of the work being done,” said Erin McKee, community food systems program director at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, one of the plaintiffs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716664034438.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —A Federal court on Thursday ordered the Department of Agriculture to restore grants to farming organizations.The court ruled that six grants must be restored to organizations that lost their funding after several Trump administration Executive Orders and at the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600284821318.jpeg" alt="<a href="https://www.dieselfuelinjectionrepair.com/diesel-fuel-injector-rebuilds?useYB=2,4&amp;cam=ppc-m-m178243-c851458-g-">Click here to visit Diesel Control Technicians website</a>" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://www.dieselfuelinjectionrepair.com/diesel-fuel-injector-rebuilds?useYB=2,4&amp;cam=ppc-m-m178243-c851458-g-">Click here to visit Diesel Control Technicians website</a></figcaption>
 </figure>The ruling “sets a strong precedent that could allow hundreds of other grants to be challenged and reinstated,” environmental nonprofit Earthjustice said in a statement.Plaintiffs included groups that support causes like tree planting, climate-friendly farming practices and growing food in underserved communities.The total value of the terminated grants was over $34 million, the attorneys said.“In the wake of this ruling, we hope the USDA stops arbitrarily cancelling grants and contracts without an understanding of the work being done,” said Erin McKee, community food systems program director at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, one of the plaintiffs.<div><iframe style="height:40rem;width:100%;" class="w-full" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.widgets.investing.com/live-commodities?theme=darkTheme&amp;pairs=8849,8869,8917,961618,954867,8913,8914,8862,959199,8918,8916"></iframe></div><div> </div><div> </div></div>

Court orders Dept. of Ag to restore grants to farm organizations

WASHINGTON (AP) —A Federal court on Thursday ordered the Department of Agriculture to restore grants to farming organizations.The court ruled that six grants must be restored to organizations that lost their funding after several Trump administration Executive Orders and at the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).The ruling “sets a strong precedent that could allow hundreds of other grants to be challenged and reinstated,” environmental nonprofit Earthjustice said in a statement.Plaintiffs included groups that support causes like tree planting, climate-friendly farming practices and growing food in underserved communities.The total value of the terminated grants was over $34 million, the attorneys said.“In the wake of this ruling, we hope the USDA stops arbitrarily cancelling grants and contracts without an understanding of the work being done,” said Erin McKee, community food systems program director at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, one of the plaintiffs.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/564fba9d-1d8f-4f77-89c6-91ed0ce78e11">Click here</a> to read the full story on Women in Sports Broadcasting Day, being celebrated in Kansas, August 18.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755029796536.jpeg" alt="From left, Asia Cymone Smith, KSN-TV sports anchor/reporter; Micaela Dea, KAKE-TV sports director; and Rachel Hallam, KWCH-TV multimedia journalist, pose in the KWBW Radio studio in Hutchinson, Kan., on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, during an interview marking the first Women in Sports Broadcasting Day in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>From left, Asia Cymone Smith, KSN-TV sports anchor/reporter; Micaela Dea, KAKE-TV sports director; and Rachel Hallam, KWCH-TV multimedia journalist, pose in the KWBW Radio studio in Hutchinson, Kan., on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, during an interview marking the first Women in Sports Broadcasting Day in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/564fba9d-1d8f-4f77-89c6-91ed0ce78e11">Click here</a> to read the full story on Women in Sports Broadcasting Day, being celebrated in Kansas, August 18.<div><iframe title="Women in Sports Broadcasting Day" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=7xx84-19309b5-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 BW Morning Show Interview: Asia Cymone Smith, Micaela Dea, Rachel Hallam, Women in Sports Broadcasting Day

By <a href="mailto:sean.boston@eaglemedia.com">SEAN BOSTON</a> Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas is making history today, honoring the voices, vision, and impact of women in sports media with the first-ever observance of Women in Sports Broadcasting Day.&nbsp;

The day was proclaimed by Gov. Laura Kelly at the urging of KSN-TV sports anchor and reporter Asia Cymone Smith, whose advocacy turned a personal mission into a statewide recognition. For Smith, the proclamation is more than a ceremonial gesture, it’s a statement of value in an industry where women still make up just 38% of sports broadcasting roles in Kansas, according to a review of recent staff directories from stations in Wichita, Topeka, and Kansas City.&nbsp;

“It’s something that felt surreal, something that I’d been thinking about for a long time,” Smith said. “I wanted to make sure that women, us hard-working women who are also putting in work here, are recognized. This is a testament to the recognition and the work we’ve put in. And it highlights contributions of the former women in sports broadcasting and the ones to come.”&nbsp;

Smith, who also serves as Miss Kansas USA, has made women in sports broadcasting a central part of her public platform. She operates a mentorship initiative called Girls Talk Game, aimed at uplifting young girls who aspire to careers in the field through school visits, group sessions and one-on-one coaching. “I want to be the help that I always wish I had when I first got started,” she said. “I want to be that person that teaches them the ropes so they don’t have to struggle and so they have the same opportunities to learn and get the knowledge they need to succeed.”&nbsp;

That desire was shaped by her own experiences. Early in her career, she was once told, “We’re not here to hold your hand or teach you the ropes.” 

It was a moment that stayed with her, and one she vowed not to repeat with the next generation. 

“For every little girl who really is watching the TV news and sees us, I want them to know that it’s possible, no matter what other people tell you, when they tell you, you don’t belong in the industry,” Smith said. “Those are comments we get all the time. And I want them to know those people can’t define your success.”&nbsp;

The proclamation also honors the women who have inspired others on the national stage. It names Kansas-connected journalists such as Becky Dixon, the first woman to co-host ABC’s Wide World of Sports; Aminia Smith, a former sports journalist in Lawrence now hosting ESPN’s SportsCenter; and Kendra Douglas, a former Wichita sports anchor now working as an NBA sideline reporter. Smith said seeing them succeed at such high levels serves as proof of what’s possible. “They’re inspirations to us who are sitting here today,” she said.&nbsp;

Joining Smith in celebrating the day are KAKE-TV sports director Micaela Dea and KWCH-TV multimedia journalist Rachel Hallam. Though they work at competing stations, the three regularly cross paths on the sidelines, at press conferences and in locker rooms, and have forged a bond over shared experiences. 

“We see each other all the time,” Dea said. “I knew from the onset of joining this career I wanted to be one of those women that helped other women. If I could have my small part in making that easier for the next woman, that’s amazing. And of course, I want to pay tribute to all the other women before us that have literally trailblazed the way.”&nbsp;

Dea, who became KAKE’s first female sports director last year, said she is encouraged by how far the industry has come. “I can’t imagine where it will be in the next twenty years or the next couple of decades,” she said. “But I definitely am proud to be one of those women in sports that loves to empower other women.”&nbsp;

Hallam said the observance is a meaningful acknowledgment of both the progress made and the challenges that remain. “It means everything,” Hallam said. “It’s hard to be in this industry in the first place, and then how hard it is to be a woman in this industry. Just for everybody to finally recognize that, not just ourselves and not just the other women that are in this industry, but to know that it is still a growing industry and we still have opportunities laid out in front of us.”&nbsp;

Smith said she hopes today’s recognition sparks more opportunities for women in leadership roles, production and high-profile analyst positions in men’s sports. “There’s a lot of leadership positions I think can still be filled,” she said. “Women have completely trailblazed and transformed the sideline reporter role. But why not have those same broadcasters be analysts for the NBA and for the NFL? Our perspective is important and should be shown, too.” She pointed to growing momentum in women’s sports coverage, from WNBA expansion to record-breaking college softball and volleyball crowds, as proof that the appetite is there for more women’s voices. “I think it’s continuing to grow, and that’s great to see,” she said.&nbsp;

While Women in Sports Broadcasting Day is new, those celebrating it hope it becomes an annual touchpoint for progress. “I hope every girl watching sees this and thinks, ‘That can be me,’” Smith said. “Because it absolutely can.”&nbsp;

The proclamation urges Kansans to join in recognizing the achievements of women in sports media and to support ongoing efforts toward equality in the profession. For Smith, Dea and Hallam, that means continuing to show up for each other, and for the young women they hope will follow in their footsteps.&nbsp;

“We’re supposed to be competitors,” Hallam said, “but we’re constantly having each other’s backs. That’s what makes this day so important, it’s a reminder that we’re here, we can do our job, and we’re not going anywhere.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755029604394.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Asia Cymone Smith" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Asia Cymone Smith</figcaption>
 </figure>By <a href="mailto:sean.boston@eaglemedia.com">SEAN BOSTON</a> Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas is making history today, honoring the voices, vision, and impact of women in sports media with the first-ever observance of Women in Sports Broadcasting Day.&nbsp;The day was proclaimed by Gov. Laura Kelly at the urging of KSN-TV sports anchor and reporter Asia Cymone Smith, whose advocacy turned a personal mission into a statewide recognition. For Smith, the proclamation is more than a ceremonial gesture, it’s a statement of value in an industry where women still make up just 38% of sports broadcasting roles in Kansas, according to a review of recent staff directories from stations in Wichita, Topeka, and Kansas City.&nbsp;“It’s something that felt surreal, something that I’d been thinking about for a long time,” Smith said. “I wanted to make sure that women, us hard-working women who are also putting in work here, are recognized. This is a testament to the recognition and the work we’ve put in. And it highlights contributions of the former women in sports broadcasting and the ones to come.”&nbsp;Smith, who also serves as Miss Kansas USA, has made women in sports broadcasting a central part of her public platform. She operates a mentorship initiative called Girls Talk Game, aimed at uplifting young girls who aspire to careers in the field through school visits, group sessions and one-on-one coaching. “I want to be the help that I always wish I had when I first got started,” she said. “I want to be that person that teaches them the ropes so they don’t have to struggle and so they have the same opportunities to learn and get the knowledge they need to succeed.”&nbsp;That desire was shaped by her own experiences. Early in her career, she was once told, “We’re not here to hold your hand or teach you the ropes.” It was a moment that stayed with her, and one she vowed not to repeat with the next generation. “For every little girl who really is watching the TV news and sees us, I want them to know that it’s possible, no matter what other people tell you, when they tell you, you don’t belong in the industry,” Smith said. “Those are comments we get all the time. And I want them to know those people can’t define your success.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755029796536.jpeg" alt="From left, Asia Cymone Smith, KSN-TV sports anchor/reporter; Micaela Dea, KAKE-TV sports director; and Rachel Hallam, KWCH-TV multimedia journalist, pose in the KWBW Radio studio in Hutchinson, Kan., on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, during an interview marking the first Women in Sports Broadcasting Day in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>From left, Asia Cymone Smith, KSN-TV sports anchor/reporter; Micaela Dea, KAKE-TV sports director; and Rachel Hallam, KWCH-TV multimedia journalist, pose in the KWBW Radio studio in Hutchinson, Kan., on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, during an interview marking the first Women in Sports Broadcasting Day in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>The proclamation also honors the women who have inspired others on the national stage. It names Kansas-connected journalists such as Becky Dixon, the first woman to co-host ABC’s Wide World of Sports; Aminia Smith, a former sports journalist in Lawrence now hosting ESPN’s SportsCenter; and Kendra Douglas, a former Wichita sports anchor now working as an NBA sideline reporter. Smith said seeing them succeed at such high levels serves as proof of what’s possible. “They’re inspirations to us who are sitting here today,” she said.&nbsp;Joining Smith in celebrating the day are KAKE-TV sports director Micaela Dea and KWCH-TV multimedia journalist Rachel Hallam. Though they work at competing stations, the three regularly cross paths on the sidelines, at press conferences and in locker rooms, and have forged a bond over shared experiences. “We see each other all the time,” Dea said. “I knew from the onset of joining this career I wanted to be one of those women that helped other women. If I could have my small part in making that easier for the next woman, that’s amazing. And of course, I want to pay tribute to all the other women before us that have literally trailblazed the way.”&nbsp;Dea, who became KAKE’s first female sports director last year, said she is encouraged by how far the industry has come. “I can’t imagine where it will be in the next twenty years or the next couple of decades,” she said. “But I definitely am proud to be one of those women in sports that loves to empower other women.”&nbsp;Hallam said the observance is a meaningful acknowledgment of both the progress made and the challenges that remain. “It means everything,” Hallam said. “It’s hard to be in this industry in the first place, and then how hard it is to be a woman in this industry. Just for everybody to finally recognize that, not just ourselves and not just the other women that are in this industry, but to know that it is still a growing industry and we still have opportunities laid out in front of us.”&nbsp;Smith said she hopes today’s recognition sparks more opportunities for women in leadership roles, production and high-profile analyst positions in men’s sports. “There’s a lot of leadership positions I think can still be filled,” she said. “Women have completely trailblazed and transformed the sideline reporter role. But why not have those same broadcasters be analysts for the NBA and for the NFL? Our perspective is important and should be shown, too.” She pointed to growing momentum in women’s sports coverage, from WNBA expansion to record-breaking college softball and volleyball crowds, as proof that the appetite is there for more women’s voices. “I think it’s continuing to grow, and that’s great to see,” she said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755029846575.jpeg" alt="From left, Rachel Hallam, KWCH-TV multimedia journalist; Asia Cymone Smith, KSN-TV sports anchor/reporter; Sean Boston, Eagle Media sports director; and Micaela Dea, KAKE-TV sports director, are pictured in the KWBW Radio studio in Hutchinson, Kan., on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, during an interview marking the first Women in Sports Broadcasting Day in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>From left, Rachel Hallam, KWCH-TV multimedia journalist; Asia Cymone Smith, KSN-TV sports anchor/reporter; Sean Boston, Eagle Media sports director; and Micaela Dea, KAKE-TV sports director, are pictured in the KWBW Radio studio in Hutchinson, Kan., on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, during an interview marking the first Women in Sports Broadcasting Day in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>While Women in Sports Broadcasting Day is new, those celebrating it hope it becomes an annual touchpoint for progress. “I hope every girl watching sees this and thinks, ‘That can be me,’” Smith said. “Because it absolutely can.”&nbsp;The proclamation urges Kansans to join in recognizing the achievements of women in sports media and to support ongoing efforts toward equality in the profession. For Smith, Dea and Hallam, that means continuing to show up for each other, and for the young women they hope will follow in their footsteps.&nbsp;“We’re supposed to be competitors,” Hallam said, “but we’re constantly having each other’s backs. That’s what makes this day so important, it’s a reminder that we’re here, we can do our job, and we’re not going anywhere.”&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Women in Sports Broadcasting Day" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=7xx84-19309b5-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

Kansas marks first Women in Sports Broadcasting Day

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The lesser prairie chicken, a dancing grouse that has long teetered between threatened and endangered classifications, lost its federal protections in court in a victory for Great Plains petroleum and cattle industries.

In a Tuesday decision from a Texas federal court, the lesser prairie chicken was stripped of any endangered or threatened species protections, which were established through a Biden-era ruling.

The Trump administration challenged that ruling, arguing it contained mistakes, and the lesser prairie chicken would be adequately protected without endangered or threatened classifications.

U.S. District Judge David Counts, a Trump appointee, agreed, denying a slate of motions in a 15-page omnibus order that reversed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/17/federal-wildlife-officials-list-lesser-prairie-chicken-as-threatened-in-kansas/">2022</a>&nbsp;classifications.

The lesser prairie chicken forages on what’s widely considered to be prime ranching and drilling land in the grasslands and brush of southwestern Kansas, southeastern Colorado, eastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma and the panhandle and south plains of Texas. The bird was first protected in 2014, a decision that was overturned a year later.&nbsp;

In the 2022 classifications, the bird’s populations were divided into a southern range in New Mexico and the southwest Texas Panhandle, where it was listed as endangered, and a northern range in Kansas, Oklahoma and the northeast Texas Panhandle, where it was listed as threatened.

More than 70% of the estimated lesser prairie chicken population resides in Kansas.

Fish and Wildlife Service admitted in the case that it erred in creating two distinct populations of lesser prairie chickens, and it failed to justify the classification of the two distinct population segments — northern and southern, Counts said.

He added that “the later endangered and threatened findings have no leg to stand on.”

“Fish and Wildlife is unable to correct this square one error without engaging in an entirely new analysis,” he said.

Counts reasoned that any “disruptive consequences” of removing protections “are short-lived and minimized by the sixteen existing voluntary conservation programs and efforts in place across the range of the lesser prairie-chicken.”

Many of those programs, which are administered by federal, state and private groups, existed before the 2022 listing decision and were designed to mitigate threats to the lesser prairie chicken and its habitat, Counts said.

“These efforts are not thought to be inadequate over the short term,” he said. “Rather, even the current listing decision couched their inadequacies in the long term — a span of 25 years.”

The decision is a win for Kansas agricultural and energy producers, said U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, who has publicly opposed listing the lesser prairie chicken since 2021. He added it is “a huge loss for radical climate activists and bureaucrats who have abused the Endangered Species Act for over a decade to hurt American agriculture and energy production.”

“Kansas farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers have always been and always will be the original conservationists of the land,” he said.

Mann was behind a bill this year that delisted the lesser prairie chicken and prevented any future efforts to relist it. However, the legislation did not progress.

Matt Teagarden, CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association, said in an emailed statement that the 2022 ruling contained “significant flaws” that “disproportionately affected livestock operations.” He said the association, which was part of the lawsuit, is pleased the Trump administration is reexamining the listing.

“Over the coming months,” he said, “we hope the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take into account the voluntary conservation efforts already taking place, most of which are being done by ranchers.”

Texas agencies initially sued the Fish and Wildlife Service in March 2023. Among them was the state’s railroad commission, which regulates oil and natural gas production in the state. Attorneys general in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/12/kobach-adds-kansas-to-lawsuit-against-biden-administration-on-lesser-prairie-chicken/">Kansas</a>&nbsp;and Oklahoma and the petroleum and cattle industries later joined the suit.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond celebrated the decision.

“The listing of the species as threatened or endangered would have crippled oil and wind energy production and would have limited where and when Kansas ranchers could graze cattle on their own property,” Kobach said in a Friday news release.

Drummond said in a Wednesday news release that he had called the Biden administration’s ruling “outrageous and illegal federal overreach.”

“This court decision affirms we were right,” Drummond said. “Oklahoma’s cattle grazing, energy production and rural economy are no longer under siege by this unlawful regulation.”

In Kobach’s initial argument in federal court, he worried Kansas would lose revenues from cattle ranching, farming, oil and gas production, wind energy production and tourism if the lesser prairie chicken’s threatened status stood. He worried the status would lead to job losses in the state, which would “further adversely impact state tax revenues, in addition to causing social instability among Kansans who lose their jobs.”

Under the Endangered Species Act, the habitat and species protections that accompany a threatened or endangered status determination curtail certain land uses such as cattle ranching, oil drilling and energy production in protected habitats.

Jason Rylander, legal director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, which was an intervenor in the case, said the Trump administration’s rationale for removing the lesser prairie chicken’s protections was in bad faith.

“This ruling has nothing to do with science or the law and everything to do with kowtowing to the oil and gas industry,” he said. “We won’t be silent witnesses while the Trump administration and fossil fuel companies try to carve up what’s left of these dancing birds’ habitat and doom them to extinction.”

But the fight for the lesser prairie chicken is not over, Rylander said.

The institute is considering its legal options, including a possible appeal of Counts’ decision and a new petition with the USFWS to relist the lesser prairie chicken.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681936745789.jpeg" alt="Prairie Chicken stomp -Photo by Cristina Janney" />
 <figcaption>Prairie Chicken stomp -Photo by Cristina Janney</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The lesser prairie chicken, a dancing grouse that has long teetered between threatened and endangered classifications, lost its federal protections in court in a victory for Great Plains petroleum and cattle industries.In a Tuesday decision from a Texas federal court, the lesser prairie chicken was stripped of any endangered or threatened species protections, which were established through a Biden-era ruling.The Trump administration challenged that ruling, arguing it contained mistakes, and the lesser prairie chicken would be adequately protected without endangered or threatened classifications.U.S. District Judge David Counts, a Trump appointee, agreed, denying a slate of motions in a 15-page omnibus order that reversed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/17/federal-wildlife-officials-list-lesser-prairie-chicken-as-threatened-in-kansas/">2022</a>&nbsp;classifications.The lesser prairie chicken forages on what’s widely considered to be prime ranching and drilling land in the grasslands and brush of southwestern Kansas, southeastern Colorado, eastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma and the panhandle and south plains of Texas. The bird was first protected in 2014, a decision that was overturned a year later.&nbsp;In the 2022 classifications, the bird’s populations were divided into a southern range in New Mexico and the southwest Texas Panhandle, where it was listed as endangered, and a northern range in Kansas, Oklahoma and the northeast Texas Panhandle, where it was listed as threatened.More than 70% of the estimated lesser prairie chicken population resides in Kansas.Fish and Wildlife Service admitted in the case that it erred in creating two distinct populations of lesser prairie chickens, and it failed to justify the classification of the two distinct population segments — northern and southern, Counts said.He added that “the later endangered and threatened findings have no leg to stand on.”“Fish and Wildlife is unable to correct this square one error without engaging in an entirely new analysis,” he said.Counts reasoned that any “disruptive consequences” of removing protections “are short-lived and minimized by the sixteen existing voluntary conservation programs and efforts in place across the range of the lesser prairie-chicken.”Many of those programs, which are administered by federal, state and private groups, existed before the 2022 listing decision and were designed to mitigate threats to the lesser prairie chicken and its habitat, Counts said.“These efforts are not thought to be inadequate over the short term,” he said. “Rather, even the current listing decision couched their inadequacies in the long term — a span of 25 years.”The decision is a win for Kansas agricultural and energy producers, said U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, who has publicly opposed listing the lesser prairie chicken since 2021. He added it is “a huge loss for radical climate activists and bureaucrats who have abused the Endangered Species Act for over a decade to hurt American agriculture and energy production.”“Kansas farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers have always been and always will be the original conservationists of the land,” he said.Mann was behind a bill this year that delisted the lesser prairie chicken and prevented any future efforts to relist it. However, the legislation did not progress.Matt Teagarden, CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association, said in an emailed statement that the 2022 ruling contained “significant flaws” that “disproportionately affected livestock operations.” He said the association, which was part of the lawsuit, is pleased the Trump administration is reexamining the listing.“Over the coming months,” he said, “we hope the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take into account the voluntary conservation efforts already taking place, most of which are being done by ranchers.”Texas agencies initially sued the Fish and Wildlife Service in March 2023. Among them was the state’s railroad commission, which regulates oil and natural gas production in the state. Attorneys general in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/12/kobach-adds-kansas-to-lawsuit-against-biden-administration-on-lesser-prairie-chicken/">Kansas</a>&nbsp;and Oklahoma and the petroleum and cattle industries later joined the suit.Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond celebrated the decision.“The listing of the species as threatened or endangered would have crippled oil and wind energy production and would have limited where and when Kansas ranchers could graze cattle on their own property,” Kobach said in a Friday news release.Drummond said in a Wednesday news release that he had called the Biden administration’s ruling “outrageous and illegal federal overreach.”“This court decision affirms we were right,” Drummond said. “Oklahoma’s cattle grazing, energy production and rural economy are no longer under siege by this unlawful regulation.”In Kobach’s initial argument in federal court, he worried Kansas would lose revenues from cattle ranching, farming, oil and gas production, wind energy production and tourism if the lesser prairie chicken’s threatened status stood. He worried the status would lead to job losses in the state, which would “further adversely impact state tax revenues, in addition to causing social instability among Kansans who lose their jobs.”Under the Endangered Species Act, the habitat and species protections that accompany a threatened or endangered status determination curtail certain land uses such as cattle ranching, oil drilling and energy production in protected habitats.Jason Rylander, legal director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, which was an intervenor in the case, said the Trump administration’s rationale for removing the lesser prairie chicken’s protections was in bad faith.“This ruling has nothing to do with science or the law and everything to do with kowtowing to the oil and gas industry,” he said. “We won’t be silent witnesses while the Trump administration and fossil fuel companies try to carve up what’s left of these dancing birds’ habitat and doom them to extinction.”But the fight for the lesser prairie chicken is not over, Rylander said.The institute is considering its legal options, including a possible appeal of Counts’ decision and a new petition with the USFWS to relist the lesser prairie chicken.

Kansas lesser prairie chicken loses endangered species act protections after court order 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday refused for now to block enforcement of a Mississippi law aimed at regulating the use of social media by children, an issue of growing national concern.

The justices rejected an emergency appeal from a tech industry group representing major platforms like Facebook, X and YouTube.

NetChoice is challenging laws passed in Mississippi and other states that require social media users to verify their ages, and asked the court to keep the measure on hold while a lawsuit plays out.

There were no noted dissents from the brief, unsigned order. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that there's a good chance NetChoice will eventually succeed in showing that the law is unconstitutional, but hadn't shown it must be blocked while the lawsuit unfolds.

NetChoice argues that the Mississippi law threatens privacy rights and unconstitutionally restricts the free expression of users of all ages.

A federal judge agreed and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-social-media-lawsuit-age-verification-6332003bf2431bb848166ba2b9b290cd">prevented the 2024 law</a>&nbsp;from taking effect. But a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in July that the law could be enforced while the lawsuit proceeds.

It’s the latest legal development as court challenges play out against similar laws in states across the country.

Parents and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-5d6bcdccd154acd631ab09023e81b369">some teenagers</a>&nbsp;are growing increasingly concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chatbot-ai-lawsuit-suicide-teen-artificial-intelligence-9d48adc572100822fdbc3c90d1456bd0">the effects of social media use</a>&nbsp;on young people. Supporters of the new laws have said they are needed to help curb the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teenagers-social-media-internet-pew-survey-02defc5b53dc4216da1efa63c82a30af">explosive use of social media</a>&nbsp;among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85">young people</a>, and what researchers say is an associated increase in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-e32f82d46ea74b807c9099d61aec25d5">depression and anxiety</a>.

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch told the justices that age verification could help protect young people from “sexual abuse, trafficking, physical violence, sextortion and more,” activities that Fitch noted are not protected by the First Amendment.

NetChoice represents some of the country’s most high-profile technology companies, including Google, which owns YouTube; Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat; and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. NetChoice has filed similar lawsuits in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-social-media-parents-consent-kids-64db48ec94517911a4d2498f60841500">Arkansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-social-media-ban-minors-lawsuit-678e71c6c6183b87435b7f51feb71fbe">Florida</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-social-media-age-verification-law-lawsuit-51b4ce108f0d22adadc50d50e0392dd4">Georgia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-kids-ohio-netchoice-lawsuit-513f74ba71efb7b38dada637b0f53e6f">Ohio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-tiktok-social-media-youth-b678ed7c9bcc1ea0b72f8b320b5f26fa">Utah</a>.

Paul Taske, co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, called the decision "an unfortunate procedural delay.”

“Although we’re disappointed with the Court’s decision, Justice Kavanaugh’s concurrence makes clear that NetChoice will ultimately succeed in defending the First Amendment — not just in this case but across all NetChoice’s ID-for-Speech lawsuits," he said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday refused for now to block enforcement of a Mississippi law aimed at regulating the use of social media by children, an issue of growing national concern.The justices rejected an emergency appeal from a tech industry group representing major platforms like Facebook, X and YouTube.NetChoice is challenging laws passed in Mississippi and other states that require social media users to verify their ages, and asked the court to keep the measure on hold while a lawsuit plays out.There were no noted dissents from the brief, unsigned order. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that there's a good chance NetChoice will eventually succeed in showing that the law is unconstitutional, but hadn't shown it must be blocked while the lawsuit unfolds.NetChoice argues that the Mississippi law threatens privacy rights and unconstitutionally restricts the free expression of users of all ages.A federal judge agreed and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-social-media-lawsuit-age-verification-6332003bf2431bb848166ba2b9b290cd">prevented the 2024 law</a>&nbsp;from taking effect. But a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in July that the law could be enforced while the lawsuit proceeds.It’s the latest legal development as court challenges play out against similar laws in states across the country.Parents and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-5d6bcdccd154acd631ab09023e81b369">some teenagers</a>&nbsp;are growing increasingly concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chatbot-ai-lawsuit-suicide-teen-artificial-intelligence-9d48adc572100822fdbc3c90d1456bd0">the effects of social media use</a>&nbsp;on young people. Supporters of the new laws have said they are needed to help curb the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teenagers-social-media-internet-pew-survey-02defc5b53dc4216da1efa63c82a30af">explosive use of social media</a>&nbsp;among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85">young people</a>, and what researchers say is an associated increase in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-teens-mental-health-e32f82d46ea74b807c9099d61aec25d5">depression and anxiety</a>.Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch told the justices that age verification could help protect young people from “sexual abuse, trafficking, physical violence, sextortion and more,” activities that Fitch noted are not protected by the First Amendment.NetChoice represents some of the country’s most high-profile technology companies, including Google, which owns YouTube; Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat; and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. NetChoice has filed similar lawsuits in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-social-media-parents-consent-kids-64db48ec94517911a4d2498f60841500">Arkansas</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-social-media-ban-minors-lawsuit-678e71c6c6183b87435b7f51feb71fbe">Florida</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-social-media-age-verification-law-lawsuit-51b4ce108f0d22adadc50d50e0392dd4">Georgia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-kids-ohio-netchoice-lawsuit-513f74ba71efb7b38dada637b0f53e6f">Ohio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-tiktok-social-media-youth-b678ed7c9bcc1ea0b72f8b320b5f26fa">Utah</a>.Paul Taske, co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, called the decision "an unfortunate procedural delay.”“Although we’re disappointed with the Court’s decision, Justice Kavanaugh’s concurrence makes clear that NetChoice will ultimately succeed in defending the First Amendment — not just in this case but across all NetChoice’s ID-for-Speech lawsuits," he said.

Supreme Court allows required age verification on social media 

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet Monday in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has shifted to saying an overall peace agreement – and not a ceasefire -- was the next step in ending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine#">the 3 1/2-year-old war.</a>

Trump’s abrupt reversal, aligning himself with a position held by Russian President Vladimir Putin, came in a social media post on Saturday, hours after they concluded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">a summit in Alaska</a>&nbsp;that produced no agreement to halt the fighting. Putin has long said that Moscow is not interested in a temporary truce, and instead is seeking a long-term settlement that takes the Kremlin’s interests into account.

After calls with Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump posted that “it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”

In a statement after the Trump call, the European leaders did not address whether a peace deal was preferable to a ceasefire, saying they “welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.”

Trump and Ukraine’s European allies had been calling for a ceasefire ahead of any negotiations.

Trump’s statement that a peace agreement should be reached before a ceasefire appears to indicate Trump’s thinking is “shifting towards Putin,” an approach that would allow Moscow to keep fighting while negotiating, said Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.

Zelenskyy, who was not invited to Alaska for the summit, said he had a “long and substantive” conversation with Trump early Saturday. He said they would “discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war” on Monday.

It will be Zelenskyy’s first visit to the U.S. since Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">berated him publicly for being “disrespectful”</a>&nbsp;during an extraordinary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-oval-office-ukraine-russia-blowup-8aa63e55c859e8fea963911478c376ee">Oval Office meeting</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 28.

Trump, who also held calls with European leaders Saturday, confirmed the White House meeting and said that “if all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin.”

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-greeting-adc0e52a159bbf21dd582e101b5257db">rolled out the red carpet</a>&nbsp;on Friday for Putin, who was in the U.S. for the first time in a decade and since the start of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But he gave little concrete detail afterward of what was discussed. On Saturday, he posted on social media that it “went very well.”

Trump had warned ahead of the summit of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn’t agree to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>.

Zelenskyy reiterated the importance of involving European leaders, who also were not at the summit.

“It is important that Europeans are involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America,” he said. “We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.”

He didn’t elaborate, but Zelenskyy previously has said that European partners put on hold a proposal to establish a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-willing-force-trump-ukraine-russia-0c0261cc370c8c0157d03d01fdfe6be2">foreign troop presence</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine to deter Russian aggression because it lacked an American backstop.

Zelenskyy said he spoke to Trump one-on-one and then in a call with other European leaders. In total, the conversations lasted over 90 minutes.

Trump said in Alaska that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” after Putin claimed the two leaders had hammered out an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”

During an interview with Fox News Channel before returning to Washington, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be on Zelenskyy “to get it done,” but said there would also be some involvement from European nations.

In their statement after speaking to Trump, major European leaders said they were ready to work with Trump and Zelenskyy toward “a trilateral summit with European support.”

The statement from French, German, Italian, British, Finnish, Polish and European Union said that “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees” and welcomed U.S. readiness to provide them.

“It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory,” they said. “International borders must not be changed by force.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said “the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon,” noting that Moscow launched new attacks on Ukraine even as the delegations met.

“Putin continues to drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it. He left Anchorage without making any commitments to end the killing,” she said.

Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting along a 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Since spring, Russian troops have accelerated their gains, capturing the most territory since the opening stages of the war.

“Vladimir Putin came to the Alaska summit with the principal goal of stalling any pressure on Russia to end the war,” said Neil Melvin, director of international security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. “He will consider the summit outcome as mission accomplished.”

Zelenskyy voiced support for Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Russia. He said that “key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”

But Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told Russian state television Saturday that a possible three-way meeting “has not been touched upon yet” in U.S.-Russia discussions.

Zelenskyy wrote on X that he told Trump that "sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war.“

Russian officials and media struck a largely positive tone, with some describing Friday’s meeting as a symbolic end to Putin’s isolation in the West.

Former President Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, praised the summit as a breakthrough in restoring high-level dialogue between Moscow and Washington, describing the talks as “calm, without ultimatums and threats.”

Putin has “broken out of international isolation” and back on the world stage as one of two global leaders, and “wasn’t in the least challenged” by Trump, who also ignored an arrest warrant issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court, said Laurie Bristow, who was British ambassador to Russia from 2016 to 2020.

“Unless Mr. Putin is absolutely convinced that he cannot win militarily, the fighting is not going to stop," Bristow told The Associated Press. “That’s the big takeaway from the Anchorage summit.”

Russian attacks on Ukraine continued overnight, using one ballistic missile and 85 Shahed drones, 61 of which were shot down, Ukraine’s air force said. Front-line areas of Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Chernihiv were attacked.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 29 Ukrainian drones over Russia and the Sea of Azov overnight.

Morton reported from London. Geir Moulson in Berlin and Emma Burrows in London contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755292993508.png" alt="Photo courtesy&nbsp; White House" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy&nbsp; White House</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet Monday in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has shifted to saying an overall peace agreement – and not a ceasefire -- was the next step in ending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine#">the 3 1/2-year-old war.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/RtC9wBBtim">pic.twitter.com/RtC9wBBtim</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956718970951635391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s abrupt reversal, aligning himself with a position held by Russian President Vladimir Putin, came in a social media post on Saturday, hours after they concluded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">a summit in Alaska</a>&nbsp;that produced no agreement to halt the fighting. Putin has long said that Moscow is not interested in a temporary truce, and instead is seeking a long-term settlement that takes the Kremlin’s interests into account.After calls with Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump posted that “it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”In a statement after the Trump call, the European leaders did not address whether a peace deal was preferable to a ceasefire, saying they “welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.”Trump and Ukraine’s European allies had been calling for a ceasefire ahead of any negotiations.Trump’s statement that a peace agreement should be reached before a ceasefire appears to indicate Trump’s thinking is “shifting towards Putin,” an approach that would allow Moscow to keep fighting while negotiating, said Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.Zelenskyy, who was not invited to Alaska for the summit, said he had a “long and substantive” conversation with Trump early Saturday. He said they would “discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war” on Monday.It will be Zelenskyy’s first visit to the U.S. since Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">berated him publicly for being “disrespectful”</a>&nbsp;during an extraordinary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-oval-office-ukraine-russia-blowup-8aa63e55c859e8fea963911478c376ee">Oval Office meeting</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 28.Trump, who also held calls with European leaders Saturday, confirmed the White House meeting and said that “if all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin.”Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-greeting-adc0e52a159bbf21dd582e101b5257db">rolled out the red carpet</a>&nbsp;on Friday for Putin, who was in the U.S. for the first time in a decade and since the start of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But he gave little concrete detail afterward of what was discussed. On Saturday, he posted on social media that it “went very well.”Trump had warned ahead of the summit of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn’t agree to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>.<h2>Zelenskyy seeks European involvement</h2>Zelenskyy reiterated the importance of involving European leaders, who also were not at the summit.“It is important that Europeans are involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America,” he said. “We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.”He didn’t elaborate, but Zelenskyy previously has said that European partners put on hold a proposal to establish a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-willing-force-trump-ukraine-russia-0c0261cc370c8c0157d03d01fdfe6be2">foreign troop presence</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine to deter Russian aggression because it lacked an American backstop.Zelenskyy said he spoke to Trump one-on-one and then in a call with other European leaders. In total, the conversations lasted over 90 minutes.<h2>Trump puts onus on Zelenskyy and Europe</h2>Trump said in Alaska that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” after Putin claimed the two leaders had hammered out an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”During an interview with Fox News Channel before returning to Washington, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be on Zelenskyy “to get it done,” but said there would also be some involvement from European nations.In their statement after speaking to Trump, major European leaders said they were ready to work with Trump and Zelenskyy toward “a trilateral summit with European support.”The statement from French, German, Italian, British, Finnish, Polish and European Union said that “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees” and welcomed U.S. readiness to provide them.“It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory,” they said. “International borders must not be changed by force.”EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said “the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon,” noting that Moscow launched new attacks on Ukraine even as the delegations met.“Putin continues to drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it. He left Anchorage without making any commitments to end the killing,” she said.Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting along a 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Since spring, Russian troops have accelerated their gains, capturing the most territory since the opening stages of the war.“Vladimir Putin came to the Alaska summit with the principal goal of stalling any pressure on Russia to end the war,” said Neil Melvin, director of international security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. “He will consider the summit outcome as mission accomplished.”<h2>Questions on a trilateral meeting</h2>Zelenskyy voiced support for Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Russia. He said that “key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”But Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told Russian state television Saturday that a possible three-way meeting “has not been touched upon yet” in U.S.-Russia discussions.Zelenskyy wrote on X that he told Trump that "sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war.“Russian officials and media struck a largely positive tone, with some describing Friday’s meeting as a symbolic end to Putin’s isolation in the West.Former President Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, praised the summit as a breakthrough in restoring high-level dialogue between Moscow and Washington, describing the talks as “calm, without ultimatums and threats.”Putin has “broken out of international isolation” and back on the world stage as one of two global leaders, and “wasn’t in the least challenged” by Trump, who also ignored an arrest warrant issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court, said Laurie Bristow, who was British ambassador to Russia from 2016 to 2020.“Unless Mr. Putin is absolutely convinced that he cannot win militarily, the fighting is not going to stop," Bristow told The Associated Press. “That’s the big takeaway from the Anchorage summit.”Russian attacks on Ukraine continued overnight, using one ballistic missile and 85 Shahed drones, 61 of which were shot down, Ukraine’s air force said. Front-line areas of Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Chernihiv were attacked.Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 29 Ukrainian drones over Russia and the Sea of Azov overnight.___Morton reported from London. Geir Moulson in Berlin and Emma Burrows in London contributed.

President Trump explains next steps after meeting with Putin

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alicia-rancilio">ALICIA RANCILIO</a>

Tristan Rogers, who played legacy character Robert Scorpio on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-hospital-60-years-soap-opera-120ba44b08ac517a56b94257b294a678">ABC’s “General Hospital,”</a>&nbsp;died Friday, less than one month after he made a special appearance on the soap opera. He was 79.

“The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing,” said Frank Valentini, the show’s executive producer, in a statement. “Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio).”

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Rogers’ first foray into performing was in his early twenties and playing drums in a rock band with a group of friends. They weren’t successful so Rogers turned to commercial work and modeling to earn some money. When the band dissolved, Rogers decided to give acting a try. After various roles in Australia, he also worked as a DJ and eventually moved to Los Angeles to try to break into Hollywood. He said casting directors were initially turned off by his accent but he eventually landed a two-day role on “General Hospital” in 1980.

“I had no idea at the point how big the show was,” Rogers told fellow “General Hospital” actor Maurice Benard on the YouTube show, “State of Mind with Maurice Benard” in 2022.

“I had no name. I was brought in expressly to beat up the hero, Luke, (played by Anthony Geary), and then disappear,” Rogers said. His first day was half-over when then-executive producer Gloria Monty asked if he would like to stay on. They had no character written for him so for three weeks Monty asked him to just appear in scenes “looking furtive, looking suspicious” until they came up with a storyline. It was decided he would play a spy known as “CK8” and eventually he was given the name Robert Scorpio. The character would remain a fixture in Port Charles for the rest of Rogers’ life, even when he wasn’t a current cast member.

Scorpio’s on again/off again romance with Emma Samms’ character, Holly Sutton, remained a favorite among fans. Scorpio also had a romance, and many storylines with another spy, Anna Devane, played by Finola Hughes. Scorpio and Devane shared a daughter, Robin, played by Kimberly McCullough. Samms returned to the show for a stint last fall where it was revealed that Scorpio was the father of her adult daughter, Sasha Gilmore (played by Sofia Mattson.)&nbsp;

Rogers and Samms left the show together in November 2024 in scenes taped with a nod to “Casablanca.” He returned to the show in July for one episode when Sasha arrived to his home in France with her new baby. It was then revealed that Rogers had lung cancer&nbsp;

Rogers’ other acting credits include “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “The Young &amp; the Restless” and “Studio City,” which won him outstanding supporting actor in a digital drama series at the Daytime Emmy Awards. He is survived by his wife, Teresa Parkerson, and a daughter and a son.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755357806642.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alicia-rancilio">ALICIA RANCILIO</a>Tristan Rogers, who played legacy character Robert Scorpio on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-hospital-60-years-soap-opera-120ba44b08ac517a56b94257b294a678">ABC’s “General Hospital,”</a>&nbsp;died Friday, less than one month after he made a special appearance on the soap opera. He was 79.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgeneralhospital%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02GxJ7QzE3EBwEfpnQn4b9bv1SkAHEN8rWUGj6QQ1kQqSV4W41c3B6YE6tC7dHcmhsl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="684" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“The entire ‘General Hospital’ family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers’ passing,” said Frank Valentini, the show’s executive producer, in a statement. “Tristan has captivated our fans for 45 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio).”Born in Melbourne, Australia, Rogers’ first foray into performing was in his early twenties and playing drums in a rock band with a group of friends. They weren’t successful so Rogers turned to commercial work and modeling to earn some money. When the band dissolved, Rogers decided to give acting a try. After various roles in Australia, he also worked as a DJ and eventually moved to Los Angeles to try to break into Hollywood. He said casting directors were initially turned off by his accent but he eventually landed a two-day role on “General Hospital” in 1980.“I had no idea at the point how big the show was,” Rogers told fellow “General Hospital” actor Maurice Benard on the YouTube show, “State of Mind with Maurice Benard” in 2022.“I had no name. I was brought in expressly to beat up the hero, Luke, (played by Anthony Geary), and then disappear,” Rogers said. His first day was half-over when then-executive producer Gloria Monty asked if he would like to stay on. They had no character written for him so for three weeks Monty asked him to just appear in scenes “looking furtive, looking suspicious” until they came up with a storyline. It was decided he would play a spy known as “CK8” and eventually he was given the name Robert Scorpio. The character would remain a fixture in Port Charles for the rest of Rogers’ life, even when he wasn’t a current cast member.Scorpio’s on again/off again romance with Emma Samms’ character, Holly Sutton, remained a favorite among fans. Scorpio also had a romance, and many storylines with another spy, Anna Devane, played by Finola Hughes. Scorpio and Devane shared a daughter, Robin, played by Kimberly McCullough. Samms returned to the show for a stint last fall where it was revealed that Scorpio was the father of her adult daughter, Sasha Gilmore (played by Sofia Mattson.)&nbsp;Rogers and Samms left the show together in November 2024 in scenes taped with a nod to “Casablanca.” He returned to the show in July for one episode when Sasha arrived to his home in France with her new baby. It was then revealed that Rogers had lung cancer&nbsp;Rogers’ other acting credits include “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “The Young &amp; the Restless” and “Studio City,” which won him outstanding supporting actor in a digital drama series at the Daytime Emmy Awards. He is survived by his wife, Teresa Parkerson, and a daughter and a son.

Longtime ‘General Hospital’ star Tristan Rogers dies at 79

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-shares-japan-bessent-wall-street-02e8aa1fa772ad3570249dc81f917325">record levels</a>&nbsp;on Friday in a quiet finish to another winning week.

The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.3% from the all-time high it set the day before, as it closed its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average flirted with its own record, which was set in December, before ending just below the mark with a rise of 34 points, or 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite dipped 0.4%, though it’s still near its record set on Wednesday.

The U.S. stock market reached all-time highs this past week as expectations built that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-federal-reserve-10b69ac47322e412d667f3d44ccd62b7">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will deliver a cut to interest rates at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can boost investment prices and the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-3bba3f6f23c277b000493bdc6bb86f20">borrow to buy houses</a>, cars or equipment, but they also risk worsening inflation.

A disappointing report about inflation at the U.S. wholesale level made traders pare back bets for coming cuts to interest rates on Thursday, but they’re still overwhelmingly expecting them. Such anticipation has sent Treasury yields lower in the bond market, though they inched higher Friday following some mixed updates on the economy.

One said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-4c3fd1a7a82ed2ec52a9dfa3ec569076">shoppers boosted their spending</a>&nbsp;at U.S. retailers last month, as economists expected, while another said that manufacturing in New York state unexpectedly grew. A third said industrial production across the country shrank last month, when economists were looking for modest growth.

Another report suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers is worsening because of worries about inflation, when economists expected to see a slight improvement.

“Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April,” when President Donald Trump announced his stunning set of worldwide tariffs, according to Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s surveys of consumers. “However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future.”

On Wall Street, UnitedHealth Group jumped 12% after famed investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-lennar-nucor-drhorton-8ded0e379e9e29dab9af66a88dc1e9a2">bought nearly 5 million shares of the insurer</a>&nbsp;during the spring, valued at $1.57 billion. Buffett is known for trying to buy good stocks at affordable prices, and UnitedHealth’s halved for the year by the end of July because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealth-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-0e3cad5d2a9efa01ba9605674a513092">a run of struggles</a>.

Berkshire Hathaway’s own stock slipped 0.4%.

Applied Materials helped lead Wall Street lower with a decline of 14.1% even though it reported better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The focus was on the company’s forecast for a drop in revenue during the current quarter.

Its products help manufacture semiconductors and advanced displays, and CEO Gary Dickerson pointed to a “dynamic macroeconomic and policy environment, which is creating increased uncertainty and lower visibility in the near term, including for our China business.”

Sandisk fell 4.6% despite reporting a profit for the latest quarter that blew past analysts’ expectations. Investors focused instead on the data storage company’s forecast for profit in the current quarter, which came up short of Wall Street’s.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 18.74 points to 6,449.80. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 34.86 to 44,946.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 87.69 to 21,622.98.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose 0.8% in Shanghai but fell 1% in Hong Kong after data showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-property-trump-tariffs-65f886fe432f007e02871bf484b28656">China’s economy may have slowed in July</a>&nbsp;under pressure from uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariffs.

“Chinese economic activity slowed across the board in July, with retail sales, fixed asset investment, and value added of industry growth all reaching the lowest levels of the year. After a strong start, several months of cooling momentum suggest that the economy may need further policy support,” ING Economics said in a market commentary.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.7% after the government said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-tariffs-trump-economy-gdp-4ed873e4162c84dafc3befc81b49c6e6">its economy grew at a better-than-expected pace</a>&nbsp;in the latest quarter.

European stock indexes finished mixed before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">Trump began his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>, which could dictate where the war in Ukraine is heading.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-shares-japan-bessent-wall-street-02e8aa1fa772ad3570249dc81f917325">record levels</a>&nbsp;on Friday in a quiet finish to another winning week.The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.3% from the all-time high it set the day before, as it closed its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average flirted with its own record, which was set in December, before ending just below the mark with a rise of 34 points, or 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite dipped 0.4%, though it’s still near its record set on Wednesday.The U.S. stock market reached all-time highs this past week as expectations built that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-federal-reserve-10b69ac47322e412d667f3d44ccd62b7">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will deliver a cut to interest rates at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can boost investment prices and the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-3bba3f6f23c277b000493bdc6bb86f20">borrow to buy houses</a>, cars or equipment, but they also risk worsening inflation.A disappointing report about inflation at the U.S. wholesale level made traders pare back bets for coming cuts to interest rates on Thursday, but they’re still overwhelmingly expecting them. Such anticipation has sent Treasury yields lower in the bond market, though they inched higher Friday following some mixed updates on the economy.One said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-4c3fd1a7a82ed2ec52a9dfa3ec569076">shoppers boosted their spending</a>&nbsp;at U.S. retailers last month, as economists expected, while another said that manufacturing in New York state unexpectedly grew. A third said industrial production across the country shrank last month, when economists were looking for modest growth.Another report suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers is worsening because of worries about inflation, when economists expected to see a slight improvement.“Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April,” when President Donald Trump announced his stunning set of worldwide tariffs, according to Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s surveys of consumers. “However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future.”On Wall Street, UnitedHealth Group jumped 12% after famed investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-lennar-nucor-drhorton-8ded0e379e9e29dab9af66a88dc1e9a2">bought nearly 5 million shares of the insurer</a>&nbsp;during the spring, valued at $1.57 billion. Buffett is known for trying to buy good stocks at affordable prices, and UnitedHealth’s halved for the year by the end of July because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealth-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-0e3cad5d2a9efa01ba9605674a513092">a run of struggles</a>.Berkshire Hathaway’s own stock slipped 0.4%.Applied Materials helped lead Wall Street lower with a decline of 14.1% even though it reported better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The focus was on the company’s forecast for a drop in revenue during the current quarter.Its products help manufacture semiconductors and advanced displays, and CEO Gary Dickerson pointed to a “dynamic macroeconomic and policy environment, which is creating increased uncertainty and lower visibility in the near term, including for our China business.”Sandisk fell 4.6% despite reporting a profit for the latest quarter that blew past analysts’ expectations. Investors focused instead on the data storage company’s forecast for profit in the current quarter, which came up short of Wall Street’s.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 18.74 points to 6,449.80. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 34.86 to 44,946.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 87.69 to 21,622.98.In stock markets abroad, indexes rose 0.8% in Shanghai but fell 1% in Hong Kong after data showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-property-trump-tariffs-65f886fe432f007e02871bf484b28656">China’s economy may have slowed in July</a>&nbsp;under pressure from uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariffs.“Chinese economic activity slowed across the board in July, with retail sales, fixed asset investment, and value added of industry growth all reaching the lowest levels of the year. After a strong start, several months of cooling momentum suggest that the economy may need further policy support,” ING Economics said in a market commentary.Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.7% after the government said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-tariffs-trump-economy-gdp-4ed873e4162c84dafc3befc81b49c6e6">its economy grew at a better-than-expected pace</a>&nbsp;in the latest quarter.European stock indexes finished mixed before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">Trump began his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>, which could dictate where the war in Ukraine is heading.

US stocks fade as Wall Street closes out another winning week

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;kicked off their Alaska summit with a warm handshake on Friday, greeting each other like old friends before heading into hours of discussions that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.

After descending from Air Force One, Trump applauded the Russian leader as Putin approached, walking along red carpets that had been placed for each leader. They gripped hands for an extended period of time, with both men smiling, and Putin eventually grinned and pointed skyward while their hands were still clasped.

Uniformed military members stood at attention nearby at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, and B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew over to mark the moment.

Reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” and Putin put his hand up to his ear but didn’t answer. Trump and Putin both climbed in the U.S. presidential limo, with Putin grinning widely as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the previously planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin is now a three-on-three meeting that will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Putin will be joined by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. The change indicates that the White House is taking a more guarded approach than it did during a 2018 meeting in Helsinki, when Trump and Putin first met privately just with their interpreters for two hours.

Putin and Trump are expected to hold a joint press conference at the end of the summit.

The sit-down gives Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">bring the slaughter to a close</a>&nbsp;— something he used to boast he could do quickly.

For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit. Despite having so much at stake, Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://volodymyr%20zelenskyy/">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and European leaders aren't invited.

There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil — America bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for roughly 2 cents per acre — the president is giving him the validation he desires after his ostracization following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">his invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;3 1/2 years ago. Zelenskyy's exclusion from Trump and Putin's first meeting is a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.

Any success is far from assured because Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which are conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.

"HIGH STAKES!!!" Trump posted shortly before he boarded Air Force One.

On his way to the meeting, Putin stopped in Magadan, in Russia’s Far East, where he visited a factory producing omega-3 fish oil capsules, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Putin used the flight to review materials on Ukraine, tensions with the U.S., economic cooperation and global affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state TV.

Trump said earlier in the week there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting.

Trump has also expressed doubts about getting an immediate ceasefire, but he has wanted a broad peace deal done quickly. That seemingly echoes Putin’s longtime argument that Russia favors a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, not a temporary halt to hostilities.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;arrived in Alaska on Friday for a pivotal summit with Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.

Trump was scheduled to meet Russia’s president at his plane shortly. A large “Alaska 2025” sign, flanked by four parked fighter jets and red carpets, was placed on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage for the leaders’ arrival. Trump and Putin have shared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-0237e6b133b14b74acf4a2021272ecec">closely watched handshakes before</a>&nbsp;— but the one they are expected to have Friday will be as scrutinized as any, as will any body language or hints about how each is feeling.

The Kremlin said Trump and Putin will have a one-on-one discussion, followed by the two delegations meeting and talks continuing over “a working breakfast.” The pair are expected to hold a joint press conference.

Trump has offered shifting explanations for his meeting goals

Trump previously characterized the sit-down as “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-575aa4ce590256d50a9d73911f681269">really a feel-out meeting</a>.” But he's also warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn't agree to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>.

Trump said Friday that his talks with Putin will include Russian demands that Ukraine cede territory as part of a peace deal. He said Ukraine has to decide, but he also suggested Zelenskyy should accept concessions.

“I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they’ll make a proper decision,” Trump told reporters traveling with him to Alaska.

Trump said there’s “a possibility” of the United States offering Ukraine security guarantees alongside European powers, “but not in the form of NATO.” Putin has fiercely resisted Ukraine joining the trans-Atlantic security alliance, a long-term goal for Ukrainians seeking to forge stronger ties with the West.

Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe, is in Alaska to provide “military advice” to Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a senior NATO military official who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. His presence is likely to be welcomed by European leaders who have tried to convince Trump to be firm with Putin and not deal over Kyiv’s head.

On his way to Alaska, Trump sat for an interview on Air Force One with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier. In a clip posted online, he said he thought the meeting would “work out very well — and if it doesn’t, I’m going to head back home real fast.”

“I would walk, yeah,” he added, after a follow up question.

Zelenskyy has time and again cast doubts on Putin's willingness to negotiate in good faith. His European allies, who’ve held increasingly urgent meetings with U.S. leaders over the past week, have stressed the need for Ukraine to be involved in any peace talks.

Political commentators in Moscow, meanwhile, have relished that the summit leaves Ukraine and its European allies on the sidelines.

Dmitry Suslov, a pro-Kremlin voice, expressed hope that the summit will “deepen a trans-Atlantic rift and weaken Europe’s position as the toughest enemy of Russia.”

The summit could have far-reaching implications

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;kicked off their Alaska summit with a warm handshake on Friday, greeting each other like old friends before heading into hours of discussions that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/tpRtgKjweY">pic.twitter.com/tpRtgKjweY</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956430058043977743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Air Force One is officially wheels down at Joint Base Elmendorf in Anchorage, Alaska <a href="https://t.co/neVcTFdjJj">pic.twitter.com/neVcTFdjJj</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956422322761425059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Air Force One has arrived in Anchorage, Alaska. Watch LIVE coverage on C-SPAN --&gt; <a href="https://t.co/ZZOekqHPFM">https://t.co/ZZOekqHPFM</a> <a href="https://t.co/udDBMfnuV4">pic.twitter.com/udDBMfnuV4</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956422403266908553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and President Putin riding in The Beast together 🇺🇸🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/wBpVN30Mmm">pic.twitter.com/wBpVN30Mmm</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956436029222850783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>After descending from Air Force One, Trump applauded the Russian leader as Putin approached, walking along red carpets that had been placed for each leader. They gripped hands for an extended period of time, with both men smiling, and Putin eventually grinned and pointed skyward while their hands were still clasped.Uniformed military members stood at attention nearby at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, and B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew over to mark the moment.Reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” and Putin put his hand up to his ear but didn’t answer. Trump and Putin both climbed in the U.S. presidential limo, with Putin grinning widely as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the previously planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin is now a three-on-three meeting that will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Putin will be joined by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. The change indicates that the White House is taking a more guarded approach than it did during a 2018 meeting in Helsinki, when Trump and Putin first met privately just with their interpreters for two hours.Putin and Trump are expected to hold a joint press conference at the end of the summit.The sit-down gives Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">bring the slaughter to a close</a>&nbsp;— something he used to boast he could do quickly.For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit. Despite having so much at stake, Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://volodymyr%20zelenskyy/">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and European leaders aren't invited.There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil — America bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for roughly 2 cents per acre — the president is giving him the validation he desires after his ostracization following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">his invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;3 1/2 years ago. Zelenskyy's exclusion from Trump and Putin's first meeting is a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.Any success is far from assured because Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which are conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies."HIGH STAKES!!!" Trump posted shortly before he boarded Air Force One.On his way to the meeting, Putin stopped in Magadan, in Russia’s Far East, where he visited a factory producing omega-3 fish oil capsules, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Putin used the flight to review materials on Ukraine, tensions with the U.S., economic cooperation and global affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state TV.Trump said earlier in the week there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting.Trump has also expressed doubts about getting an immediate ceasefire, but he has wanted a broad peace deal done quickly. That seemingly echoes Putin’s longtime argument that Russia favors a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, not a temporary halt to hostilities.----------------JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;arrived in Alaska on Friday for a pivotal summit with Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.Trump was scheduled to meet Russia’s president at his plane shortly. A large “Alaska 2025” sign, flanked by four parked fighter jets and red carpets, was placed on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage for the leaders’ arrival. Trump and Putin have shared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-0237e6b133b14b74acf4a2021272ecec">closely watched handshakes before</a>&nbsp;— but the one they are expected to have Friday will be as scrutinized as any, as will any body language or hints about how each is feeling.The sit-down gives Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">bring the slaughter to a close</a>&nbsp;— something he used to boast he could do quickly.For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit. Despite having so much at stake, Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://volodymyr%20zelenskyy/">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and European leaders aren't invited.There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil — America bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for roughly 2 cents per acre — the president is giving him the validation he desires after his ostracization following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">his invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;3 1/2 years ago. Zelenskyy's exclusion from Trump and Putin's first meeting is a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.Any success is far from assured because Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which are conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755264031202.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>"HIGH STAKES!!!" Trump posted shortly before he boarded Air Force One.On his way to the meeting, Putin stopped in Magadan, in Russia’s Far East, where he visited a factory producing omega-3 fish oil capsules, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Putin used the flight to review materials on Ukraine, tensions with the U.S., economic cooperation and global affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state TV.Trump said earlier in the week there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting.Trump has also expressed doubts about getting an immediate ceasefire, but he has wanted a broad peace deal done quickly. That seemingly echoes Putin’s longtime argument that Russia favors a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, not a temporary halt to hostilities.The Kremlin said Trump and Putin will have a one-on-one discussion, followed by the two delegations meeting and talks continuing over “a working breakfast.” The pair are expected to hold a joint press conference.<h2>Trump has offered shifting explanations for his meeting goals</h2>Trump previously characterized the sit-down as “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-575aa4ce590256d50a9d73911f681269">really a feel-out meeting</a>.” But he's also warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn't agree to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>.Trump said Friday that his talks with Putin will include Russian demands that Ukraine cede territory as part of a peace deal. He said Ukraine has to decide, but he also suggested Zelenskyy should accept concessions.“I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they’ll make a proper decision,” Trump told reporters traveling with him to Alaska.Trump said there’s “a possibility” of the United States offering Ukraine security guarantees alongside European powers, “but not in the form of NATO.” Putin has fiercely resisted Ukraine joining the trans-Atlantic security alliance, a long-term goal for Ukrainians seeking to forge stronger ties with the West.Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe, is in Alaska to provide “military advice” to Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a senior NATO military official who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. His presence is likely to be welcomed by European leaders who have tried to convince Trump to be firm with Putin and not deal over Kyiv’s head.On his way to Alaska, Trump sat for an interview on Air Force One with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier. In a clip posted online, he said he thought the meeting would “work out very well — and if it doesn’t, I’m going to head back home real fast.”“I would walk, yeah,” he added, after a follow up question.Zelenskyy has time and again cast doubts on Putin's willingness to negotiate in good faith. His European allies, who’ve held increasingly urgent meetings with U.S. leaders over the past week, have stressed the need for Ukraine to be involved in any peace talks.Political commentators in Moscow, meanwhile, have relished that the summit leaves Ukraine and its European allies on the sidelines.Dmitry Suslov, a pro-Kremlin voice, expressed hope that the summit will “deepen a trans-Atlantic rift and weaken Europe’s position as the toughest enemy of Russia.”<h2>The summit could have far-reaching implications</h2>Foreign governments will be watching closely to see how Trump reacts to Putin, likely gauging what the interaction might mean for their own dealings with the U.S. president, who has eschewed traditional diplomacy for his own transactional approach to relationships.The meeting comes as the war has caused heavy losses on both sides and drained resources.Ukraine has held on far longer than some initially expected since the February 2022 invasion, but it is straining to hold off Russia’s much larger army, grappling with bombardments of its cities and fighting for every inch on the over 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line.Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow and director of the Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, said U.S. antagonists like China, Iran and North Korea will be paying attention to Trump's posture to see “whether or not the threats that he continues to make against Putin are indeed credible.”“Or, if has been the past track record, he continues to back down and look for ways to wiggle out of the kind of threats and pressure he has promised to apply,” said Kendall-Taylor, who is a former senior intelligence officer.While some have objected to the location of the summit, Trump has said he thought it was “very respectful” of Putin to come to the U.S. instead of a meeting in Russia.Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst, observed that the choice of Alaska as the summit’s venue “underlined the distancing from Europe and Ukraine.”Being on a military base allows the leaders to avoid protests and meet more securely, but the location carries its own significance because of its history and location.Alaska is separated from Russia at its closest point by just 3 miles (less than 5 kilometers) and the international date line.Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was crucial to countering the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It continues to play a role today, as planes from the base still intercept Russian aircraft that regularly fly into U.S. airspace.___Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Jonathan J. Cooper in Washington, Elise Morton in London and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.