TIME is reporting that President Donald Trump has now appeared on its cover more times than any other person, with his 56th showing surpassing the previous record held by Richard Nixon. It said the milestone comes as Trump faces the lowest approval ratings of his political career, a war with Iran, persistent inflation, and signs of discontent within his political coalition. In an interview at the White House with TIME's Eric Cortellessa, Trump appeared focused on his construction projects, saying he finds the work relaxing and describing it as what he does best. TIME said senior advisers inside the Administration increasingly recognize that he has passed the peak of his second-term power, ahead of midterms in which Republicans could lose both chambers of Congress. Trump told TIME that Democrats would probably go after him if they win, adding that he would go after them in return.
TIME is reporting that the co-pilot of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has been arrested after apparently attempting to crash the plane and stabbing the pilot. It said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that passengers helped Flydubai crew members break into the cockpit and hold down the co-pilot, allowing the other pilots to land the plane safely in Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities will interrogate the co-pilot of flight FZ1073, according to Netanyahu, who identified the attacked pilot as Capt. Smit Machchhar, an Indian citizen, calling him a true hero who saved the lives of 174 people.
TIME is reporting that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has written an open letter to Americans, urging U.S. civilians to wrest control back from corrupt politicians. It said the letter, published Tuesday, comes weeks before the November midterm elections and accuses the Trump Administration of lying to the public about the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran, now in its eighth month. IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi told reporters the letter is not intended to sway the Trump Administration but to appeal to American voters. TIME noted that Trump said earlier this month that Iran was seeking to sabotage the electoral outcome by prolonging the war, which is broadly unpopular with Americans.
TIME is reporting on James Talarico's campaign in what it calls arguably the fiercest Senate race in the country. It said Talarico, 37, is working to build a broad coalition in Texas, where Republicans have held a nearly three-decade lock on political power and the last Democrat to win statewide did so in 1994. Talarico told TIME he wants people to vote for something rather than against something, saying his opponent's record alone is not enough to motivate voters.
TIME also reported that the U.S. withdrew its last military forces from Iraq on Wednesday, 23 years after the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. The Pentagon said the final troops left Erbil Air Base in the Kurdistan region. TIME additionally reported that Bear 89, known as Backpack, has won Fat Bear Week.