Good morning from the WSJ Washington Bureau.

Trump Administration: The president has lunch with Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. Vice President Pence addresses the American Legion's national conference this afternoon. 

Debate Lineup: Today is the deadline for 2020 Democratic presidential candidates to quality for the September debate in Houston.

Mattis Book: Former Defense Secretary Gen. Jim Mattis writes about lessons in leadership from his service. Here's an essay adapted from his forthcoming book.

U. S. officials are seeking to block an undersea cable project backed by Google, Facebook and a Chinese partner, report Kate O’Keeffe, Drew FitzGerald and Jeremy Page. The move to block the 8,000-mile Pacific Light Cable Network comes amid a national security review that could rewrite the rules of internet connectivity between the U.S. and China, according to people involved in the discussions.

If the pendulum swung too far toward accommodating China in the past, it may be rebounding too far toward confrontation now, writes Greg Ip.

The administration plans to divert $271 million of Department of Homeland Security funds, including some designated for hurricane-stricken areas, to border enforcement in the south, report Natalie Andrews and Michelle Hackman. Congress was first notified of DHS’s intention to divert funds one month ago, according to documents viewed by WSJ.

Deutsche Bank has copies of tax returns sought under a congressional subpoena for the Trump family’s financial information, the bank told a federal appeals court. The bank’s disclosure raises the stakes for the already heated court battle, report Rebecca Ballhaus and Corinne Ramey.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is looking for workers again, following departures during a hiring freeze and budget cuts by administration officials. Director Kathy Kraninger said the decision reflected the level of staffing deemed necessary to execute the agency's policy priorities, reports Yuka Hayashi.

• There were 1,452 employees at the agency in March, down 15% from the peak of 1,712 in June 2017, according to its financial statements.

Mr. Trump rejected the allegation that his luxury golf resort near Miami had been infested by bed bugs, calling it a false report designed to undermine his controversial idea to host next year's G-7 summit there. Democrats and ethics watchdogs have said holding the gathering at a Trump-owned property was inappropriate, reports Vivian Salama. 

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected next month to push the United Nations to pay more attention to India’s actions in Kashmir, reports Paul Beckett. The nation hopes to jump-start international attention to New Delhi’s clampdown in the disputed territory.

Democrats increasingly share a conviction that today's income tax is inadequate. Most of the value of estates over $100 million consists of unrealized gains, said a 2013 Federal Reserve study. Much has never been touched by individual income taxes. Democrats are eager to tap that mountain of wealth to finance priorities such as expanding health-insurance coverage, combating climate change and aiding low-income households, reports Richard Rubin.

Former Fed official William Dudley said the central bank should foil Mr. Trump's re-election through policy. Fed officials rejected the suggestions in the column, reports Nick Timiraos. Mr. Dudley wrote for Bloomberg Opinion that Mr. Trump "arguably presents a threat to the U.S. and global economy” given his trade disputes are hurting the outlook.

• Mr. Trump continued his attack on the central bank Tuesday by blaming the Fed for recent weakness in manufacturing. “Our Fed has been calling it wrong for too long,” he said on Twitter.

After picking up early momentum in the cycle, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has seen his national poll numbers weaken in recent weeks.

A new survey from Emerson Polling released Tuesday shows the South Bend, Ind., mayor at 3% among Democratic primary voters and caucus-goers, trailing former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, and even entrepreneur and political neophyte Andrew Yang. Though well within the margin of error, Mr. Yang’s 1-point edge over Mr. Buttigieg marks the first time he ranked above him in Emerson’s national polls.

In a hypothetical matchup with President Trump, the survey showed Mr. Buttigieg with 49% among registered voters compared with Mr. Trump’s 51%. Of the five candidates tested against the president, only Mr. Biden had a statistically significant lead of 54-46.

Mr. Buttigieg peaked in national polling in the spring, and last broke double-digits just after the first Democratic debates in June. Among Emerson’s past national polls, he is at his lowest since March, before his formal campaign launch. He has qualified for next month’s debate.

The 37-year-old Mr. Buttigieg’s leveling poll numbers indicate he has struggled to break into the top tier, which now includes Messrs. Biden and Sanders and Ms. Warren, according to the Real Clear Politics average of recent polling. His donor base, however, remains strong, and he has so far outraised all of his Democratic competitors save Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren.

“Mayor Pete has raised enough money to stay in the race for now but will need a strong debate performance to remain relevant,” Spencer Kimball, director of Emerson Polling, said in the poll’s release.

In Iowa and New Hampshire, sites of the first two contests of the primary season, polling showed a similar slip from June for Mr. Buttigieg, as Ms. Warren’s candidacy gained momentum. But in those early states, which serve as important indicators for presidential campaigns, he polls at least twice as high as he does nationally.

After announcing his candidacy in April, Mr. Buttigieg attracted national attention by touting his leadership experience in South Bend and his military experience. If elected, he would be both the youngest and first openly gay president ever.

The margins of error for the 627 Democratic primary voters and 1,458 registered voters in the latest Emerson Poll, which was conducted from Aug. 24-26, were plus or minus 3.9 percentage points and 2.5 percentage points, respectively.

Write to Jesse Naranjo at jesse.naranjo@wsj.com

• Fundraising, social media and liberal activism are combining to push Democratic presidential candidates to embrace far-left policies they wouldn't have dared take just a few years ago. (Axios)
• Farm leaders say the $14.5 billion the Trump administration is due to pay farmers by the end of the month for damage in the trade war isn't enough to make up for their losses. (Newsweek)
• Former President Jimmy Carter, 94, plans to resume building houses for Habitat for Humanity following hip surgery. (CNN)

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