Today’s Top Stories from NBC News

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026

In today’s newsletter: What hitting the brakes on AI could mean for the U.S. economy. The Supreme Court blocks Trump’s plan to restrict mail-in voting weeks before the midterms. And Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” wins big at the Emmys.

Here’s what to know today.

▼ The Lead

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How an AI slowdown could affect the U.S. economy

(Samuel Boivin / NurPhoto via Shutterstock)

Calls to put some brakes on AI development are raising questions about whether a tech slowdown could rein in the momentum that has been powering U.S. economic growth.

The topic of AI safety spilled into broader view last week with the resignation of multiple engineers at leading companies. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei set off a wave of calls among other AI executives to “pace the frontier” — though what exactly that means isn’t entirely clear.

But President Donald Trump rejected the idea of placing guardrails on the technology, saying yesterday on Truth Social that the safety concerns are a “hoax” and that “the only one happy about it is China.” He reiterated his stance when he called Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang yesterday and was put on speakerphone during a company all-hands meeting.

AI-related investments, broadly defined, have been responsible for nearly half of growth over the past year, one economist said. And analysts with Goldman Sachs have attributed about 50% of recent earnings growth in the S&P 500 to AI. Credit ratings agency Fitch said in an analysis that the economy would go into a recession if an AI-related sell-off were to cause stock prices to fall by 35% over six months.

The U.S. economy’s reliance on AI may help explain in part why Trump so strongly opposes the discussion.

Read the full story here.

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The Supreme Court prevented a U.S. Postal Service regulation on mail-in ballots from going into effect, rejecting an emergency application in which the Trump administration sought to block a lower court ruling that said the regulation was likely unlawful. The 7-2 ruling, with conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissenting, cast a decisive blow against Trump’s hopes of exercising federal control over midterm elections.

Under the new rule, states would have to submit lists of eligible voters to the Postal Service, which would then verify that ballots were being sent to people on that list before it delivered them. Typically, the Postal Service has no role in imposing election regulations.

How the fight reached the Supreme Court.

More politics news:

Donald Trump Jr. and his new wife Bettina acknowledged their lavish Caribbean island wedding party was paid for by a Russian oligarch with ties to Vladimir Putin. Umar Kremlev reportedly shelled out for a private island rental and a fireworks display. The president told NBC News that it was “not a big deal.”

Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate and cast his first vote after a more than three-month absence.

Some immigrants detained at Florida’s shuttered “Alligator Alcatraz” were confined to outdoor cages only slightly larger than telephone booths, according to a new Department of Homeland Security report.

The Iran war has resulted in a shortfall of U.S. munitions and “bottlenecks” in supply chains, according to a Defense Department’s first report on the conflict.

For subscribers: More than half a billion dollars is expected to be spent on House races over the next two months. Where the majority of the spending will happen illustrates where the two parties think the majority in the tightly divided House will be won and lost.

For subscribers: NBC News’ chief data analyst Steve Kornacki explains how the Texas Senate race between Ken Paxton and James Talarico differs from the 2018 match between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rouke in The Data Dive, a subscriber-exclusive newsletter on the numbers, trends and data shaping the biggest stories heading into the midterms.

Highlights from the Emmy Awards

Apple TV’s horror-comedy “Widow’s Bay” won big at the 2026 Emmy Awards, taking home six prizes on the night, including outstanding comedy series, as well as for acting, writing and directing. The show’s star, Matthew Rhys, also took home an award for his role in the Netflix miniseries “The Beast in Me,” making him the first man in Emmys history to conquer two lead acting categories in the same night.

“The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert received a standing ovation when accepting the award for outstanding variety series, “The Pitt” won outstanding drama series and Rob Reiner and Dolly Parton received emotional tributes.

See more top moments from the night. And see photos of the winners, including Sally Field and Jason Bateman, picking up their trophies.

▼ Staff Pick

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A city’s demand for more safe swimming spots

Londoners are breathing a sigh of relief this week as rain finally returns. This summer was one of the hottest and driest seasons on record, according to the UK’s Met Office, and finding a place to cool off was no easy task.

The city’s outdoor pools and wild swimming locations offer a tempting, momentary escape. But securing a coveted spot at one has become a herculean effort. Online tickets sell out rapidly, and people are often turned away from mammoth queues.

There have been calls for London authorities to open more “blue spaces” recently, and I wanted to understand why swimming is such an important part of heat-proofing a major city. I spoke with some of London’s open-water swimmers who told me their ideas for making the capital more swimmable.

— Isabella Colletta, London-based desk editor

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The EPA said it will roll back emissions limits on coal- and gas-fired power plants in a significant move to undo climate policies enacted during the Biden and Obama administrations.

The fashion world is mourning the death of Bob Mackie, 87, the legendary “sultan of sequins” who dressed Cher, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli and other A-listers for over 50 years.

Rapper Macklemore blamed New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft for organizing a boycott that got him booted from Ed Sheeran‘s tour over pro-Palestinian comments.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt warned the fighting between Ukraine and Russia could develop into “total war” as the technological battle between the two countries is moving “faster than I’ve ever seen.”

▼ NBC Selected: Online Shopping, Simplified

This sunrise alarm clock makes waking up so much easier — and it’s currently 30% off. Plus, Nintendo is saying thank you to shoppers by kicking off their Customer Appreciation Sale with dozens of games and bundles discounted until Sept. 26.