Trump announced a deal for Hamas to disarm. And, the U.S. economy slowed a bit

President Trump Announces Potential Deal on Hamas Disarmament and Israeli Withdrawal; Acting Attorney General Nomination Faces Senate Resistance; U.S. Economy Reports Slower Growth

President Trump stated that Hamas will fully disarm and that Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza under a new agreement reached with support from his Board of Peace and mediators from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar. The announcement occurred more than nine months after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza took effect. A senior Hamas official told NPR that the group would relinquish weapons only after an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet issued a response. The sequence of steps in the proposed arrangement remains under discussion, with questions about whether Israeli actions or Hamas actions would occur first.

Republican strategist Alex Conant noted that the president seeks progress on the Gaza file ahead of midterm elections scheduled in just over three months. Conant pointed to potential political effects if the conflict involving Iran continues and energy prices remain elevated. NPR correspondent Franco Ordoñez reported that the proposed deal still requires resolution of the order in which the parties would implement their respective commitments.

President Trump indicated he is considering withdrawing the nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the permanent position. Two Republican senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, have withheld support for Blanche. Their concerns center on a Department of Justice agreement that ended a lawsuit filed by the president against the Internal Revenue Service. Trump described any withdrawal as potentially temporary, lasting until the two senators complete their terms in January.

NPR correspondent Ryan Lucas reported that the senators have requested written assurances from the Justice Department that both the settlement and a proposed $1.8 billion fund related to claims of weaponization of government agencies would be set aside. The senators also seek additional details on arrangements concerning tax matters for Trump, his family members, and associated businesses. Lucas stated that the president has indicated a preference for withdrawing the nomination rather than providing the requested written commitments on those matters.

A Commerce Department report showed that U.S. gross domestic product rose at an annual rate of 1.5 percent from April through June. This figure represents a slowdown from the 2.1 percent growth recorded in the first quarter of 2026. The report attributed much of the difference to reduced government spending and higher imports. NPR correspondent Scott Horsley stated that the 1.5 percent pace exceeds the contraction associated with a recession but remains below the growth rate observed in the prior year.

Consumer spending, which accounts for the largest share of economic activity, continued at a solid level even as gasoline prices increased. Some analysts attributed part of the spending strength to higher-income households benefiting from gains in stock prices and home values. Horsley noted that a reversal in equity markets could lead those households to reduce expenditures. The report indicated that the economy has absorbed the effects of higher energy costs linked to the conflict with Iran without a broader contraction to date.

The new Dataland museum in downtown Los Angeles opened with installations designed so that no two visitors experience identical sequences. One gallery presents a hummingbird’s perspective flying through a multicolored landscape. Another uses biometric data from wristbands to animate three-dimensional forms emerging from a large painting. The museum incorporates smell and taste elements into its multisensory presentations. Artist Refik Anadol applies artificial-intelligence algorithms to convert collections of images and sounds drawn from museum archives, laboratories, and his own travels into immersive spaces described as collaborations between people and machines.

This weekend’s film release features Tom Holland returning as Spider-Man in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” The production adopts a more restrained tone compared with earlier entries in the series, according to Pop Culture Happy Hour. The television series “Furious” stars Emmy Rossum as an FBI agent of lower rank investigating a woman accused of targeting prominent men in New York City. Leïla Slimani’s novel “I’ll Take the Fire” concludes a trilogy centered on a Franco-Moroccan family and questions of identity, drawing on the author’s own family history across generations. R&B musicians Steve Lacy and Syd, both formerly of the group The Internet, issued solo albums on the same day. Lacy’s “Oh Yeah?” and Syd’s “Beard” each examine aspects of public recognition and artistic identity, according to NPR Music editor Sheldon Pearce.

The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage reached 6.66 percent this week, the highest level recorded in the past twelve months, according to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. Recent surveys indicate that more adults are choosing to live alone and to travel or dine independently. NPR requested listener accounts of solo-living experiences. In its Word of the Week segment, NPR traced the term “parasite” from its origins as a stock character in ancient Greek literature to its later use as a formal concept in other fields.

This article was prepared using reporting from NPR correspondents Franco Ordoñez, Ryan Lucas, and Scott Horsley, along with additional material from the Commerce Department, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and participating cultural institutions.