10 things you need to know today: September 10, 2020

1. Trump says he wanted to 'play down' deadliness of coronavirus

President Trump privately acknowledged in February that he knew the coronavirus pandemic posed a serious public health threat, even as he publicly said it was no worse than a seasonal flu and would soon disappear, according to a new book by Washington Post associated editor Bob Woodward. "You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed," Trump said in a Feb. 7 call, according to Woodward. "It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flu ... This is deadly stuff." Woodward wrote that Trump made the remark 10 days after being told by National Security Adviser Robert C. O'Brien in a briefing that the pandemic would "be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency." Trump told Woodward he knew the danger but "wanted to always play it down" to avoid creating a panic.

The Washington Post

2. West Coast wildfires rage on, killing 6

Wildfires continued to sweep through the Pacific Northwest and California on Wednesday, killing at least six people. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) said fires in her state destroyed hundreds of homes. "This could be the greatest loss of human life and property due to wildfire in our state's history," Brown said. Fires wiped out one small town and trapped some firefighters and civilians. In Washington state, one child died in the Cold Springs fire, the largest in the state. Numerous fires continued to burn in California, where more acres have burned this year than in any other fire season on record. In Butte County, where 85 people died last year in the state's deadliest fire on record, the remains of three people were found Wednesday.

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The Associated Press NBC News

3. Whistleblower: DHS leaders told officials to downplay Russian meddling

A former Homeland Security intelligence official, Brian Murphy, said in a whistleblower complaint released Wednesday that two top political appointees in the department told career officials to modify intelligence assessments to suit President Trump's agenda. Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf allegedly said to stop providing assessments on Russia's efforts to interfere in U.S. elections, and instead focus on the threat of political interference by China and Iran. Murphy said Wolf told him the instructions came from National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien. Murphy also said career officials were told to downplay white supremacist activity. The White House and the Homeland Security Department denied the allegations. White House spokesperson Sarah Matthews said O'Brien had "never sought to dictate the intelligence community's focus on threats to the integrity of our elections." She called Murphy's claims "false and defamatory."

Editor's note: This item initially confused two members in the Homeland Security community. It has since been corrected and adjusted for clarity. We regret the error.

Reuters CNN

4. GOP senators skeptical about coronavirus relief bill's chances

Top Republican senators expressed doubt on Wednesday that they could pass a new, bipartisan coronavirus relief package before the November election. Talks with Democrats have broken down. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he was "optimistic" that his fellow Republicans would get behind a reduced $500 billion COVID-19 relief proposal in a Thursday test vote, but Democrats, who are calling for a much larger package, have said they would block the GOP plan as inadequate. "Unless something really broke through, it's not going to happen,” said Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Barring a breakthrough, senators are expected to pass legislation to avoid a federal shutdown and return home to campaign.

The Associated Press

5. More than 500,000 U.S. children have tested positive for COVID-19

The number of children who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the United States reportedly has surpassed half a million. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association says the number of child cases of COVID-19 has risen to 513,415 following a 16 percent increase from August 20 through Sept. 3. The report says that 103 children have died due to COVID-19. COVID-19 cases among children represent almost 10 percent of the cases in the United States. While severe illness from COVID-19 among children is less common, it's unclear whether there are long-term effects from the virus. These numbers come as many students across the country begin their school year.

CBS News CNN

6. Norwegian lawmaker nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

An anti-immigrant Norwegian lawmaker, Christian Tybring-Gjedde, said Wednesday he had nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role brokering a peace agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The two countries agreed last month to normalize relations. They are planning a Sept. 15 signing at the White House that Tybring-Gjedde said "opens up for possible peace in the Middle East." Tybring-Gjedde and another Norwegian lawmaker nominated Trump in 2018 for his effort to foster reconciliation between North and South Korea. Any lawmaker in a national legislature has the right to make a Peace Prize nomination. Former President Barack Obama won the award in 2009 just months into his first term for seeking "peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons," the Norwegian committee said.

Fox News The Associated Press

7. Biden raised far more than Trump in August

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden outraised President Trump by more than $154 million last month, eroding Trump's once massive edge. Biden and the Democratic National Committee brought in $364.5 million in August, while Trump and the GOP collected just $210 million. Republican officials said they had spent heavily and early to build a grassroots network to get voters to the polls. "Both campaigns are raising massive amounts of money, but have very different priorities about how to spend it," Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement. Biden's side has bombarded the airwaves with ads in a bid to overshadow the Trump campaign as it briefly suspended TV advertising last month in key states while attention focused on the two parties' nominating conventions.

CNN

8. Trump releases another shortlist of potential Supreme Court nominees

President Trump on Wednesday released a list of 20 more people he would consider nominating to the Supreme Court. The list includes three well-known conservative senators: Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). Hawley said he wasn't interested; Cotton and Cruz said it was an honor to be considered. The list also includes more traditional potential nominees, including Carlos Muniz of the Florida Supreme Court and Bridget Bade of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The 20 names add to Trump's previous list of 25 judges. Trump reportedly considers his two high court appointments − Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh − among his greatest successes, and sees his commitment to nominating more conservatives, given the chance, to be critical in his re-election bid.

Fox News The New York Times

9. Mall operators Simon and Brookfield to acquire J.C. Penney stores

J.C. Penney reached a deal to sell its retail business to Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners, averting a liquidation. The two mall owners will pay $300 million in cash and assume $500 million in debt, lawyers for the department store chain said in a bankruptcy court hearing on Wednesday. With the sale, which values J.C. Penney at $1.75 billion, the retailer is "in a position to do exactly what we set out to do at the very beginning of these cases and that is to preserve 70,000 jobs, a tenant for landlords, a vendor partner, and a company that has been around for more than a century," lawyer Joshua Sussberg said. J.C. Penney filed for bankruptcy protection in May, the biggest retailer to do so in the coronavirus crisis.

The New York Times

10. Kool & the Gang co-founder Ronald Bell dies at 68

Kool & the Gang co-founder Ronald "Khalis" Bell died Wednesday at his home in the U.S. Virgin Islands, his publicist said. He was 68. The cause of death was not released. Bell formed the group with his brother, Robert "Kool" Bell, in the 1960s, and the ensemble scored a string of hits in the 1970s and '80s, including "Celebration," "Jungle Boogie," and "Ladies' Night," all written or co-written by Bell. A self-taught musician, he played saxophone, sang, and produced the band. Between 1970 and 2013, Kool & the Gang released 23 studio albums, moving from jazz roots to funk and soul in the '70s and, with the addition of vocalist James "J.T." Taylor in 1979, chart-topping pop. The group won two Grammys and sold 70 million albums.

Rolling Stone The Associated Press