Heidi Overton’s Window

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for Aug. 19, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Many Federal Reserve officials think the central bank could hike interest rates if inflationary pressures do not recede, according to newly released minutes from their July meeting.

• “Now, when we announce good numbers, which we’re doing all the time, they keep driving the interest rates up because they’re so afraid of inflation. And they shouldn’t be,” Donald Trump said this afternoon, comparing current times with the “old days.”

• The administration announced a plan to double bond buybacks through early November in a surprising move to calm bond markets.

The era of running anti-Trump resistance candidates may be over. Alex Vindman, who played a leading role in the first impeachment case, lost in a major upset to Angie Nixon in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary — the latest example this cycle that shows centering a campaign on protesting the president could be a losing strategy.

THE ADMINISTRATION

Trump nominated Heidi Overton, a White House domestic policy adviser, to lead the FDA.

• Senate HELP Chair Bill Cassidy says he has “strong concerns” about her nomination. “Dr. Overton’s active role in last week’s nonsensical vaccine executive order” in itself “is almost disqualifying,” the Louisiana Republican wrote on X.

Sean Duffy dropped the first episode of his reality TV-themed series today — months after the transportation secretary said it would premiere.

Trump’s governor picks keep flaming out.

THE HILL

A woman told the House Ethics Committee her interactions with Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-California) were not consensual, her lawyers say.

THE COURTS

The tarp covering the Kennedy Center’s facade must stay up, the DOJ argued in a recent court filing, calling the “protective barrier” a “necessary element of the ongoing construction activities.”

Federal prosecutors argue in a new court filing that James Comey knew the “86 47” social media post was a call for violence against Trump, using excerpts from his novel, “FDR Drive.”

ICE detained a minor league baseball coach with the San Diego Padres this week.

A federal judge halted the Trump administration’s recent abstinence-only overhaul of the federally funded Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program.

ASSIGNMENT REMAINS UNFINISHED

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Kelly Poe and Erik Schutz. If you liked it, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at finalnotus@notus.com.