Up First from NPR Up First from NPR

Trump Downplays AI Risks, SCOTUS Mail-In Voting Ruling, Kennedy Center Bankruptcy

Sep 15, 2026 · 13m

Summary

President Trump dismisses AI doomsday warnings as a hoax while selling critical chips to China, a strategy critics call contradictory. The Supreme Court blocks new mail-in voting restrictions, preserving the status quo for upcoming midterms. Meanwhile, the Kennedy Center faces potential closure amid bankruptcy fears and a legal battle over renaming the building after Trump.

Topics discussed

Intro: Trump downplays AI doomsday, Supreme Court mail-in ruling Kennedy Center bankruptcy warning and name dispute Sponsor: Arctic Wolf AI security operations Sponsor: Rinse laundry service Sanders and Bannon rally on AI risks; Trump calls it a hoax Trump's social media posts on AI and China competition Debate on China's AI capabilities and Trump's tech ties Contradictions in US AI export controls and chip sales Expert analysis on selling chips to China while racing them Transition to Supreme Court mail-in voting ruling Supreme Court rejects Trump's new mail-in ballot rules Justice breakdown and Kavanaugh's dissenting view Timeline issues and whistleblower report on voting system Voter guidance: Mail-in voting remains available Kennedy Center on brink of bankruptcy; potential closure Board agenda: Closure vs. Trump name litigation Proposed resolutions and claims of unsafe conditions Motives behind the name change and financial crisis Analysis of Kennedy Center's financial decline Outro and credits Sponsor: HomeServe home repair plans Sponsor: The Conservation Fund
Listen ad-free on Castria