Trump Ties Federal Funding to Midterm Wins; Russia Releases American Teacher

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump is leveraging the promise of federal resources to influence the upcoming midterm elections, explicitly linking government support to the success of his preferred Republican candidates.

During recent campaign stops, the president pledged to lift summer restrictions on 15% ethanol fuel blends in Kansas, promised a $100 million pharmaceutical manufacturing investment in Kentucky, and suggested Ohio is a top contender for a new Space Force Academy. These commitments, however, are contingent upon the GOP maintaining control of Congress.

This strategy of using executive authority as both an incentive and a deterrent has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats, while some observers remain skeptical of the feasibility of these campaign-trail promises.

In a separate development, Russia has released 74-year-old retired American teacher Stephen Hubbard, who had been detained in Ukraine since 2022. The release occurred as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff held discussions with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

During the meeting, which was broadcast on Russian state media, Witkoff praised Putin for the gesture, telling the Russian leader, You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir.

The release of Hubbard follows a series of diplomatic engagements between U.S. envoys and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The move provides a notable diplomatic win for the Trump administration amid ongoing scrutiny regarding its shifting stance on the conflict in Ukraine.

In other news, the U.S. fertility rate reached a record low in 2025, with the CDC reporting approximately 53 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. While births among women under 30 have declined, the data indicates an increase in births among women aged 30 to 44.

Actor Christina Applegate announced on her podcast that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis more than five years ago. The star of “Dead to Me” expressed frustration over the medical error, noting that she feels she is “back at square one” while managing the progressive central nervous system disease.

Meanwhile, Southern California continues to face severe coastal erosion as record-setting king tides and storm surges destroy homes. Residents in Long Beach reported watching buildings collapse into the Pacific, with experts warning that the recent destruction is merely a precursor to further damage as the region approaches the peak of El Niño.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)