Happy Wednesday. The fall menu is back at Dunkin’ starting today. As a lover of summer, this still feels too early. But at least it’s not as early as Starbucks’s fall drop. Here’s what’s happening in the world of politics today:

• Trump staffers had an altercation at Arlington National Cemetery, but they’re denying that it happened “as described.”
• The Trump-Harris debate is back on! (for now, lol)
• Conservatives may tie stricter proof-of-citizenship requirements to the next government funding deadline.
• “Ted Lasso” is reportedly coming back for another season!

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.  

PROGRAMMING NOTE: I’m taking a long weekend! The Hill’s Lauren Sforza and Liz Crisp will be guest-writing The Hill’s 12:30 Report tomorrow and Friday and then we’re off for Labor Day. Enjoy your long weekend and watch some U.S. Open tennis for me! 🎾

Former President Trump said he would participate in the Sept. 10 ABC News debate with Vice President Harris.

If you feel like this was an old story we accidentally copied and pasted into today’s newsletter: It’s not! This saga has been extensive. First, Trump and President Biden agreed to this debate. Then it was up in the air when Biden stepped aside. Then Trump and Harris agreed to the debate, but then it was up in the air again over squabbles about the microphones. And now it’s back on!

Trump posted on Truth Social: “I have reached an agreement with the Radical Left Democrats for a Debate with Comrade Kamala Harris. It will be Broadcast Live on ABC FAKE NEWS, by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business … The Rules will be the same as the last CNN Debate.” Read the full post

CNN’s Dana Bash will interview Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) on Thursday for their first joint interview — and the vice president’s first sit-down since moving to the top of the ticket.

When and where: A source told The Hill’s Alex Gangitano that it will be taped Thursday during the day. The interview will air Thursday on CNN at 9 p.m. EDT.

💡 Why this is notable: Republicans have slammed Harris for not having participated in an interview since taking Biden’s spot on the top of the ticket. She told reporters earlier this month that she would schedule one by the end of August.

NPR reports that “two members of Donald Trump‘s campaign staff had a verbal and physical altercation Monday with an official at Arlington National Cemetery, where the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony.”

What happened?: “A source with knowledge of the incident said the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump staffers from filming and photographing in a section where recent U.S. casualties are buried. The source said Arlington officials had made clear that only cemetery staff members would be authorized to take photographs or film in the area, known as Section 60. When the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staff from entering Section 60, campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside, according to the source.” Read the full NPR report

What the Trump team says about the altercation: The Trump team is blaming a cemetery official for the confrontation. Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, denied the altercation “as described.”

Cheung said in a statement: “The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony.” (The Hill)

“For Donald Trump, the benefit of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s endorsement was obvious … picking up even a few percentage points of support from former Kennedy voters could make the difference,” writes The Washington Post’s Philip Bump.

“For Harris, the benefit of not receiving Kennedy’s endorsement was similarly obvious. Kennedy is … strange. Even before announcing his long-shot bid for the presidency, he was known (or, if you prefer, notorious) for his anti-vaccine activism and baseless claims about health and food. If Harris were to accept Kennedy’s endorsement, she would, in effect, be accepting responsibility for that background — and anything else that unexpectedly turned up like a bear cub in Central Park.”

This bear cub story lives rent-free in my head.

Read Bump’s full column: ‘The thread connecting Robert Kennedy Jr., chemtrails and Project 2025’

The Harris campaign launched an ad blitz focusing on Project 2025, linking Trump to the controversial conservative memo.

Check out the latest election forecast from The Hills and Decision Desk HQ.

🔷 ‘What’s behind Harris’ social media dominance’: Axios

🔷 ‘An inside look at how the far right is mainstreaming itself’: Vox

🔷 ‘Lawsuits Fly Over Election Rules and Who Gets to Vote’: The Wall Street Journal

🔷 ‘How the Federal Cases Against Trump Came Sputtering Back to Life’: The New York Times

🔷 ‘Trump campaign seeks to blunt Harris momentum’: The Hill

Government funding expires on Sept. 30, and we have the first potential threat of a shutdown. Conservatives are backing stricter requirements to show proof-of-citizenship when voting.

Where things stand: “[Calls] are growing among House conservatives to use that must-pass measure to force consideration of a partisan bill aimed at barring noncitizens from voting — laying the groundwork for a clash with the Democratic-led Senate, which would likely reject such a package.”

💡 Keep in mind: The politics of a shutdown is not great for either party in the middle of a campaign. Lawmakers in both parties acknowledge that a stopgap of some kind will be needed.

Read more: ‘Proof-of-citizenship voting bill push could threaten government shutdown’

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced that more than a million people have been removed from the Texas voter rolls since the last presidential election. Abbott said it’s an effort to “protect the right to vote and to crackdown on illegal voting.”

From Abbott’s statement: “These reforms have led to the removal of over one million ineligible people from our voter rolls in the last three years, including noncitizens, deceased voters, and people who moved to another state.”

The Washington Commanders are playing at Northwest Stadium, which is notably northeast of D.C.? Got it, got it. Can’t wait to explain that to out-of-towners. 🫠

The team signed a deal to rename their field to Northwest Stadium as part of a deal with Northwest Federal Credit Union.

Keep in mind: It had been FedEx Field since 1999. FedEx pulled its name two years before its contract expired. (The Washington Post)

🍷 Celebrate: Today is National Red Wine Day!

⚽  Ted Lasso may be coming back?!: Apple TV+ is reportedly working on a fourth season of the wildly popular show “Ted Lasso.” It would include three of the main stars but not the actor who plays AFC Richmond footballer Jamie Tartt because of a scheduling conflict. (Deadline)

✈️ Tell me more: The Washington Post’s Chris Dong writes that “Flying standby can save you from a delay. Here’s how to do it.”

The House and Senate are out. President Biden is in Rehoboth Beach, Del., for the week. Vice President Harris is in Washington and will fly to Georgia this afternoon. (all times Eastern)

• This morning: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) spoke at the 57th International Association of Fire Fighters Convention in Boston. 💻 Watch
• 1:55 p.m.: Vice President Harris leaves for Savannah, Ga.
• 3 p.m.: Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) campaigns in Erie, Pa.💻 Livestream
• 7:30 p.m.: Vance campaigns in De Pere, Wis. 💻 Livestream

There’s a good boy on Capitol Hill today — my dog Moose! If you happen to see this guy lying on his back cheesing at you, he’s hoping for belly rubs. 😉 

©  Cate Martel