Does Trump have the power to ban mail-in ballots?

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By Sara Merken

What's going on today?

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

President Trump wants to ban mail-in ballots in federal elections, a form of voting popular with many Americans. About three in 10 ballots were cast through the mail in the 2024 general election, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

Trump does not have clear legal authority to do this, though his allies in Congress and state governments could enact policies barring the practice.

My colleague Jack Queen takes a look at Trump's authority and how the law could be changed. Read the explainer here.

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

The parent of Booking.com and other travel websites will pay $9.5 million to settle a Texas lawsuit claiming it deceptively marketed hotel rooms by omitting mandatory "junk" fees, enticing consumers with artificially low prices.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the settlement with Booking Holdings is the largest by a U.S. state related to junk fee practices against any hotel or online travel agency.

Booking said it was pleased to settle and said it has always been committed to transparency and providing clear information. Read more from Jonathan Stempel.

Intel is getting a $2 billion capital injection from SoftBank in a major vote of confidence for the troubled U.S. chipmaker in the middle of a turnaround … President Trump said Russia's Vladimir Putin may not want to make a deal on Ukraine … Air Canada's unionized flight attendants reached an agreement with the country's largest carrier, ending the first strike by its cabin crew in 40 years … China's Pop Mart, which has taken the world by storm with its ugly-cute Labubu doll, reported a nearly 400% first-half net profit. Plus, Trump's tariffs are leaving Black beauty businesses in peril.

sara.merken@thomsonreuters.com

@saramerken

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