National debt hits $40 trillion and Prince Harry and Meghan to move to U.K.: Morning Rundown

The national debt hits $40 trillion with no slowing down in sight. Hayden Panettiere’s death reignites discussion over the treatment of child stars in Hollywood. And why Florida could have an outsized role in the November election. Here’s what to know today. The national debt hit $40 trillion. Washington is shrugging. The country’s national debt now totals over $40 trillion, with no signs of slowing down. Since 2020, U.S. debt has grown 68%, while the deficit has doubled. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. American consumers are facing down higher prices on everything from credit cards to mortgages. And none of it seems to matter much in Washington. President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress have enacted an agenda that adds to the debt. The issue gained even greater urgency this week, as government borrowing costs have begun to soar, but there has been virtually no political pressure to do anything about the deficit. Yesterday, the Treasury Department intervened to try to bring longer-term rates back under control. The president remains unmoved. Hours before the debt officially hit the bleak benchmark, when asked if Americans should be concerned about bond market volatility, Trump responded: “We have a very powerful country and we are powering through these interest rates.” Consumers and businesses could soon start paying a price. Excessive government borrowing can weaken the purchasing power of the dollar, lowering living standards and undermining market stability. Related coverage: - For subscribers: The Trump administration is withholding almost $300 million in loans approved by Congress from small businesses. New maps make Florida a key player in fight for House majority Moskowitz wins Florida's 25th District Democratic primary Florida may have faded as a presidential battleground, but it could help decide who controls the House. Up to a half-dozen incumbents from both parties are in political peril. Democrats need a net gain of just three seats nationally to take control of the House. Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new map created four additional GOP-leaning seats. Rep. Darren Soto’s redrawn Orlando-area district favors Trump voters, making Soto one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the country. And though Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz’s southeast Florida seat was totally redrawn, he may be uniquely situated to win the general election. However, there is some Republican terrain that is seen as more difficult to defend than under previous congressional lines. See which districts and candidates are affected. More politics news: - Trump said he will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year. - A National Park Service engineer warned the Trump administration about the floor of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool peeling nearly a month before it brought a vandalism case. - For subscribers: Sen. Darline Graham’s stunning debate answer on her lack of national security experience left some South Carolinians flabbergasted. - NBC News senior politics reporter Jon Allen spoke to voters in Iowa and Ohio on Day 4 of his road trip through some of the country’s biggest battlegrounds. “People are fed up with a war they didn’t want,” said a barber who predicts there will be a “blue wave” in November. Watch the full video here. A renewed reckoning on Hollywood’s treatment of child stars Hayden Panettiere’s shocking death at 36 has reignited discussion over the treatment of child stars in Hollywood. In her adult years, Panettiere recalled feeling like a “little soldier” and said she felt like “no was never an option.” She said she first took drugs at age 16 to boost her energy on the red carpet while promoting “Heroes.” Yesterday, a source confirmed that the DEA has joined the investigation into the actor’s death. Efforts over the last decade to create protections for child performers have included the introduction of new advocates for kids on set and a tightening of laws around people who work with minors. But industry sources say the patchwork of policies hasn’t kept up with growing awareness around the potential mental health perils of child stardom. A closer look at some of the new rules for children on sets. Prince Harry and Meghan to move back across the pond The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their two children are packing up to leave Southern California for the United Kingdom, a source familiar with the couple’s plans said. Prince Harry and Meghan, along with their children Archie and Lilibet, have been living in the affluent coastal enclave of Montecito since 2020, when the couple stepped back from royal duties. Prince Harry and Meghan will not return to royal duties, nor will they live in a royal residence. It remains unclear what security — a point of great contention in the past between the prince and the royals — will look like. More on Harry’s relationship with his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William. Staff Pick: After Trump’s food stamp cuts, children worry they won’t have enough to eat In Texas, a 6-year-old stood in front of her family’s refrigerator, hoping food would magically appear. In Delaware, an 11-year-old wondered why her family could no longer afford Cinnamon Toast Crunch, her favorite cereal, and asked, “Mom, are we OK?” In New Jersey, four siblings wanted their mother to buy groceries. “Right now, we can’t,” she told them. What she didn’t say was that she had been eating ice to save the remaining food for them. Over 1 million fewer children receive federal nutrition assistance since the Trump administration slashed funding last summer as part of its signature “big, beautiful bill.” For the past month, I’ve interviewed families whose benefits were halted or delayed to understand the effect this has had on kids. What I learned was striking: In many households, children are concerned they could go hungry. — Elizabeth Chuck, national reporter Read All About It - All seven people aboard a helicopter that crashed in a remote area of Kenya have died. The passengers included five Americans and a Telemundo executive. - The salmonella outbreak linked to tainted jalapeños isn’t over yet, with at least 431 people in 32 states reported sick, the CDC said. - Two Tennessee college team cyclists were killed and seven others were injured after a driver struck team members during a training ride. - A mission to prevent a NASA telescope from coming to a fiery demise in Earth’s atmosphere has failed. NBC Selected: Online Shopping, Simplified Christmas has come early this year: Anthropologie just released its viral advent calendar, packed with $300 worth of beauty faces, and it’s bound to sell out fast. Plus, here’s everything to know about Pattern Beauty’s new styling tool. Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week. Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson and Josh Feldman. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here. [Image text:] IBLICK THE NATIONAL DEBT $40.047.520.904.160 PETER G. PETERSON FOUNDATION ngpf