A political newsletter for normal people.
WTF Just Happened Today? is a sane, once-a-day newsletter helping normal people make sense of the news. Curated daily and delivered to 200,000+ people every afternoon around 3 pm Pacific.
Last Week in WTF: July 20-24
Last week in one sentence: Trump imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, and 10% tariffs on the European Union, Canada, Mexico, and India, and 12.5% tariffs on goods from China, Japan, South Korea, and dozens of other countries; the House passed a temporary funding bill to avert a possible government shutdown ahead of the November midterm elections; Arizona Republicans nominated three 2020 election deniers for statewide offices that would be responsible for overseeing and certifying the 2028 presidential election; the Justice Department submitted its first-ever application asking the Alien Terrorist Removal Court to deport an unnamed noncitizen; the U.S. has reported 2,295 measles cases so far in 2026 – the most in 35 years and already more than all of last year; House Republicans passed a $1.15 trillion defense policy bill and advanced a separate $95 billion budget plan to pay for Trump’s unauthorized war in Iran; the House passed a nonbinding resolution directing Trump to end the war in Iran; Senate Republicans blocked a separate measure that could have required Trump to seek congressional authorization or withdraw U.S. forces; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated that the war with Iran has cost taxpayers $37.5 billion so far; Trump used the dignified transfer of four U.S. soldiers killed in the Iran war to promote his war, claiming that all four had said “we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon”; and Bill O’Reilly suggested that Trump should “take the next month off.”
Catch up on last week.
- Monday — Day 2008: “Maxed out.”
- Tuesday — Day 2009: “Spiraling out of control again.”
- Wednesday — Day 2010: “Own the chaos.”
- Thursday — Day 2011: “The clock is ticking.”
📊 By the numbers.
- 37% of self-identified MAGA voters say the Iran war is worth its economic costs, down 13 points since May. Nearly one in five self-identified MAGA voters want the U.S. to end the war regardless of cost. (Politico)
- 50% of registered voters say they’d support Democrats in the generic congressional ballot, compared with 43% who would back Republicans. Among likely voters, the Democratic lead grows from 7 points to nearly 9 points. The 7-point advantage is enough to flip the House majority. (Strength in Numbers)
Most clicked last week.
- BOOK: “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump” (Amazon)
- Arizona Republicans once again nominate 2020 election deniers. “The three top Republican candidates in the Grand Canyon State all played a key role in casting doubt on Joe Biden’s win over Donald Trump six years ago.” (Politico)
- Trump says he will impose tariffs on generic drugs starting in August 2028. “If implemented, tariffs on generic drugs would be set at 100 percent and rise to 200 percent a year later.” (Politico)
- House passes temporary government funding bill months early to avoid election season shutdown. “The House has moved to head-off a potential government shutdown before this fall’s critical midterm elections.” (Associated Press)
- U.S. measles cases hit 35-year record with months left in 2026. “Data from Johns Hopkins University’s U.S. measles tracker shows the nation reported 2,295 cases as of Tuesday.” (Washington Post)