US media on September 28 began with continued focus on President Trump's power consolidation and deployment of troops to Portland, alongside reports of his upcoming meeting with congressional leaders as a government shutdown loomed. Coverage of the North Carolina mass shooting also continued.
By early afternoon, attention remained on the impending government shutdown and Trump's proposed funding advantages for colleges aligned with his policies. California Governor Gavin Newsom's "fascist" label for Stephen Miller also garnered conservative media attention.
Late afternoon and evening coverage was dominated by a mass shooting and church fire in Michigan, with initial reports of multiple casualties. Concurrently, the government shutdown standoff, with Trump's meeting with leaders, remained a prominent story. Eric Adams' withdrawal from the NYC mayoral race also emerged as a significant development, especially later in the evening.