Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court blocked Missouri from using its Republican-drawn congressional map in the November midterms; a federal appeals court refused to let the Trump administration enforce new restrictions on mail-in ballots before the midterms; Trump promised to send every American adult a $5,000 “Trump dividend” if Republicans retain control of Congress in the midterms; the Trump administration plans to send $500 rebate checks to nearly 1 million Affordable Care Act enrollees in 30 states weeks before the November elections; Jimmy Kimmel moved his interview with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico from ABC to YouTube after the FCC “threatened” ABC over “traditional editorial decisions”; and the prosecutor overseeing Trump’s “grand conspiracy” investigation resigned without bringing criminal charges.

1/ The Supreme Court blocked Missouri from using its Republican-drawn congressional map in the November midterms. The unsigned order leaves the state to use its 2022 map for the midterms, which keeps intact a Kansas City-area seat that Democrats currently hold. The ruling also suspended a federal judge’s order that revived the GOP-favored map after Missouri’s Supreme Court ruled the new districts couldn’t take effect unless voters approved them in a referendum. Election officials, however, must now run the general election using different district lines than those used in the August primary. (NBC News / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Associated Press / Reuters / Washington Post / CBS News / ABC News / CNN)

2/ A federal appeals court refused to let the Trump administration enforce new restrictions on mail-in ballots before the midterms, leaving in place an injunction blocking the U.S. Postal Service rule. The rule would require states to provide the Postal Service with voter information and unique ballot barcodes and would allow postal officials to return or refuse delivery of ballots that don’t comply. The three-judge panel concluded that the rule is likely unlawful because the Constitution gives states and Congress – not the executive branch – authority to regulate elections, and warned that implementing it now would “likely result in the disenfranchisement of millions of voters” while providing “minimal – if any – gains in combating voter fraud.” (Reuters / Associated Press / Bloomberg / CBS News / The Guardian)

3/ Trump promised to send every American adult a $5,000 “Trump dividend” if Republicans retain control of Congress in the midterms. The proposal would cost more than $1 trillion, require congressional approval, exacerbate the nearly $1.8 trillion annual budget deficit, and lead to a rise in inflation. JD Vance, nevertheless, suggested that a “dividend for American workers” could be paid for by Trump’s tariff revenue. The cost of the dividend checks, however, would exceed the estimated $330 billion that the U.S. has collected from Trump’s tariffs. (Politico / New York Times / Reuters / Associated Press / Semafor / Washington Post / CNN / CBS News / NPR / CNBC)

• Takeaways from day one of the Republican Convention: ABC News / NBC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal / New York Times

4/ The Trump administration plans to send $500 rebate checks to nearly 1 million Affordable Care Act enrollees in 30 states weeks before the November elections. The payments will go to people who bought coverage through HealthCare.gov without premium subsidies using surplus fees collected from insurers to operate the federal marketplace. The White House claimed without evidence that the Biden administration had “overcharged.” Health policy experts, however, said some of the surplus dates back to Trump’s first term. The administration didn’t explain how the $500 payment was calculated, and it’s unclear whether congressional approval is required. (Axios / Politico / Associated Press / Reuters / Washington Post / CNN / New York Times)

5/ Jimmy Kimmel moved his interview with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico from ABC to YouTube after the FCC “threatened” ABC over “traditional editorial decisions.” Kimmel said the FCC “has threatened me, threatened our show, threatened our network, ABC, our affiliates, our local stations,” and explained that he pulled the broadcast “out of consideration” for affiliates that have to “deal with this nonsense.” Talarico is running in a competitive Texas Senate race against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. In January, the FCC changed its guidance on the equal-time rule, saying late-night and daytime talk shows are not automatically exempt from a requirement that broadcasters offer equal opportunities to political candidates running for the same office. And in April, the FCC ordered early license renewals for Disney’s eight ABC stations. (CNBC / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)

6/ The prosecutor overseeing Trump’s “grand conspiracy” investigation resigned without bringing criminal charges. Joe diGenova’s investigation tried to establish that Obama- and Biden-era officials had engaged in a long-running criminal conspiracy against Trump to keep him out of office. Despite issuing dozens of subpoenas, no charges have been brought, and it’s unclear what evidence even supported the conspiracy theory. Justice Department had also officials reportedly lost confidence in diGenova’s leadership. When asked why he was leaving, diGenova replied: “I’m moving on.” (ABC News / Associated Press / NBC News / Reuters / CBS News)

The 2026 midterms are in 54 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 789 days.

• Two years ago today: Day 1330: "A dangerous escalation."
• Five years ago today: Day 234: "Your refusal has cost all of us."
• Six years ago today: Day 1330: "Phraseology."
• Seven years ago today: Day 964: Extremely complete.
• Eight years ago today: Day 599: Quite enthusiastic.

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Today in one sentence: The Census Bureau proposed excluding undocumented immigrants and other noncitizens from the 2030 count; Trump predicted that his war with Iran would end “immediately after” the midterm elections; a federal appeals court in Louisiana heard arguments over the state’s effort to restrict mail-order mifepristone nationwide; an Anthropic researcher quit over “out-of-control” AI fears while another warned that there’s a more than 10% chance that AI “could kill all humans” within the next decade; the emergency slide on the Qatari-gifted Air Force One was accidentally deployed; Trump gave three White House aides $45,000 each in cash holiday gifts; and during a 9/11 tribute, Trump claimed two firefighters carried him to safety near Ground Zero and that he brought a construction crew to help “right after” the attacks despite no public evidence corroborating either story.

1/ The Census Bureau proposed excluding undocumented immigrants and other noncitizens from the 2030 count, which is used to apportion House seats. The 14th Amendment, however, calls for House seats to be apportioned by counting the “whole number of persons in each State.” The proposal would also prohibit race and ethnicity questions on the decennial census and ban questions about sexual orientation, changes that could affect redistricting, enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, and the distribution of federal funds. (Politico / NBC News / NPR / Washington Post / USA Today / Reuters)

2/ Trump predicted that his war with Iran would end “immediately after” the midterm elections as the price of Brent crude ended the day at its highest level since late May. Trump added that he believes gas prices would come “tumbling down” below $2 per gallon, but not until “right after the election.” Gas prices, meanwhile, rose to $4.22, the highest level since June 5. (Politico / CNBC / Associated Press / Washington Post / NBC News / CNBC)

• The Treasury Department will buy back up to $6 billion of longer-dated government debt – triple its normal amount — in an attempt to lower borrowing costs. By taking some of the 10- and 20-year bonds off the market, the Treasury is trying to push their prices up and yields down, which could help lower mortgage and other consumer borrowing rates. Yields, however, rose after the announcement, with the 10-year Treasury reaching its highest level in nearly three years.(Politico / NBC News / New York Times / CNBC / CNN / Bloomberg)

• 🟥 Primaries: Republicans kicked off their first-ever midterm convention in Dallas. The two-day, made-for-TV event is aimed at energizing Republican voters and protecting the party’s congressional majorities in November. Trump will deliver the keynote tonight and return for closing remarks Thursday. (New York Times)

• poll/ 34% of Americans trust government certifications of election results “a great deal” or “quite a bit,” down from 40% in 2024. About 6 in 10 U.S. adults have little or no trust in federal government information about elections and politics, foreign affairs, the environment, abortion, or immigration. (Associated Press)

3/ A federal appeals court in Louisiana heard arguments over the state’s effort to restrict mail-order mifepristone nationwide, claiming that the FDA’s Biden-era rules allowing telehealth prescriptions and mail delivery make its abortion ban “meaningless” because patients can just have the drugs shipped across state lines. The state asked the court to eliminate the federal rules nationwide, even in states where abortion is legal. Meanwhile, in a friend-of-the-court brief, 22 Democratic attorneys general and the District of Columbia argued that Louisiana “improperly elevates the policy preferences of states that have banned or restricted abortion over the preferences of other States that have made the different but equally sovereign determinations to promote access to abortion care.” Medication abortion now accounts for two-thirds of U.S. abortions. (ABC News / Politico / Associated Press / CNN)

4/ 😒 Well, that’s fantastic: An Anthropic researcher quit over “out-of-control” AI fears while another warned that there’s a more than 10% chance that AI “could kill all humans” within the next decade. Jacob Coxon, who trained new AI models, warned that the leading labs are “racing straight to self-improving superintelligence” without knowing how to keep the systems under human control. After Coxon’s resignation, Anthropic alignment-science lead Evan Hubinger added that “We really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans” and that “we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to.” (Wall Street Journal / CBS News / Axios)

5/ The emergency slide on the Qatari-gifted Air Force One was accidentally deployed, delaying Trump’s departure for the Republican midterm convention in Dallas by about 20 minutes as crews removed the slide. The older Air Force One slide was brought out as a backup before Trump boarded the newer jet. Trump, however, claimed crews “were doing a check on the slide” because “they want to make sure everything works perfectly.” (CNN / Bloomberg / CBS News / ABC News)

6/ Trump gave three White House aides $45,000 each in cash holiday gifts. According to financial disclosure forms, Natalie Harp, Margo Martin, and Chamberlain Harris each received the payments while earning $150,000 a year. Walt Nauta also disclosed a $20,000 gift from Trump. Federal law, however, prevents government employees from receiving outside compensation for their official services. The White House, meanwhile, maintained that the gifts were unrelated to their government duties and “entirely permissible under relevant legal and ethical standards.” (Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CNN / Politico / Reuters / CBS News)

7/ Trump claimed two firefighters carried him to safety near Ground Zero during a 9/11 tribute. He also claimed he brought a construction crew to help “right after” the attacks. However, there is no public evidence corroborating either story, and Trump was reportedly four miles away at Trump Tower on Sept. 11. In a 2016 version of the firefighter story, he said the incident happened “a couple of days” later. Videos also show Trump was in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 13, 2001, when he claimed to have about 100 workers helping with the recovery, but a former fire official said he never saw Trump there and that a crew that large would have left a record. Nevertheless, Trump later clarified that he was “obviously not on the same day as the collapse, but shortly thereafter” and that “everything I said was exactly accurate.” (New York Magazine / Washington Post / NBC News / New Republic / CNN / New York Times)

The 2026 midterms are in 55 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 790 days.

• Today last year: Day 1694: "Fully depreciated."
• Two years ago today: Day 1329: "The chosen one."
• Six years ago today: Day 1329: "This is deadly stuff."
• Seven years ago today: Day 963: "NOTHING TO DO WITH ME"

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Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court denied Missouri’s request to use a Republican-drawn congressional map for the November midterm election designed to give Republicans an additional seat in the U.S. House; the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court for a third time to revive its mail-ballot restrictions; the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let states check their voter rolls against federal citizenship and Social Security data; U.S. forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted a Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days; and Trump ordered Canadian products removed from federal purchasing schedules after Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs of 15% to 50% on roughly $20 billion in U.S. products.

1/ The Supreme Court denied Missouri’s request to use a Republican-drawn congressional map for the November midterm election designed to give Republicans an additional seat in the U.S. House. Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s order left intact a Missouri Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to return to its 2022 districts while voters decide in a referendum whether to approve the new map. Minutes later, however, U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark temporarily blocked Missouri from using anything but the new map, writing that switching districts after the August primary would “wreak havoc on the fairness and orderliness of Missouri’s congressional elections” and that “widespread voter confusion would inevitably follow.” Missouri used the new districts in its August primary, making it unclear which map will be used in the November election. (Politico / New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN / Associated Press)

2/ The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court for a third time to revive its mail-ballot restrictions. The request came two days after a federal judge blocked the rules from taking effect before the November midterms, which would require states and local election officials to provide lists of mail voters and use special barcodes on ballot envelopes. Judge Indira Talwani, however, ruled that the policy likely violates the Constitution’s separation of powers, which gives states and Congress responsibility over elections. Talwani also warned that implementing it less than 70 days before the election “threatens disenfranchisement of millions of United States citizens who seek to vote by mail.” The Trump administration, meanwhile, argued that the rule “does not seize control of States’ administration of elections” and instead imposes “reasonable preparation requirements for certain election-related mail.” (NPR / New York Times / NBC News / Associated Press / Washington Post / Politico / CBS News / CNN / The Guardian)

3/ The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let states check their voter rolls against federal citizenship and Social Security data. In June, a federal judge blocked the SAVE system, finding that the government had “haphazardly combined and repurposed” unreliable citizenship data and that states had removed U.S. citizens from voter rolls based on inaccurate information. The Trump administration, nevertheless, asked the Supreme Court to restore access to the system, which had been expanded to include Social Security data and bulk searches. Solicitor General D. John Sauer called the order “indefensible” and argued that it “threatens the integrity of upcoming elections” by making it harder for states to verify citizenship. (Politico / New York Times / Bloomberg / Reuters / Wall Street Journal / CNN / Washington Post / CBS News)

4/ U.S. forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted a Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days. Central Command said the warship evaded the attacks and no American personnel were harmed. The strikes comes three days after the U.S. destroyed three other Iranian tankers following attempted missile attacks on an American aircraft carrier and destroyer. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy, meanwhile, warned crews aboard oil tankers near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain to evacuate because the vessels “will be targeted.” (NBC News / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / CNN / Reuters / Bloomberg / ABC News / CNBC)

• EARLIER: Trump called his six-month with with Iran “small potatoes” despite 18 U.S. service members being killed. The war has cost U.S. consumers an estimated $100 billion in higher energy prices. The average household has paid more than $760 in added gasoline and diesel costs since the war began Feb. 28. (Associated Press / CNN / Axios)

• The Pentagon gave roughly 50 members of the military’s Joint Staff members polygraph tests. Investigators reportedly questioned military officers and civilian employees about whether they disclosed classified information to journalists or provided information about shortages of long-range missiles and Patriot interceptors tied to the war with Iran. (New York Times)

5/ Trump ordered Canadian products removed from federal purchasing schedules after Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs of 15% to 50% on roughly $20 billion in U.S. products. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged that “we relied too much on one economic partner,” adding that “It’s clear that time is over.” Trump, meanwhile, claimed Canada had “banned American Small Businesses and Companies” from its government procurement markets. Canada’s federal policy, however, directs agencies to prefer Canadian goods, while some provinces have imposed restrictions on U.S. suppliers. (Washington Post / New York Times / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Semafor / The Hill)

The 2026 midterms are in 56 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 791 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch will retire by the end of the year. Bunch acknowledged that the job had become stressful, but said that Trump’s pressure had “nothing” to do with his decision. The Trump administration, however, has accused the Smithsonian of ideological bias, ordered reviews of its exhibits, and recently threatened to cut off federal agencies’ support “under current leadership.” (New York Times / Washington Post / Axios)

2. The Trump administration will begin excavation for Trump’s 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery within two weeks, even though the project hasn’t received approval from the National Capital Planning Commission or completed its historic-preservation review. (Politico / New York Times)

3. The U.S. was the only country to vote against a United Nations resolution promoting a world map that accurately reflects the true size of continents. The nonbinding resolution encourages governments, schools, organizations, and companies to use the “Equal Earth” instead of the Mercator map, which dates back to the 16th century and makes Africa appear smaller relative to regions near the poles. (NPR / Politico / The Guardian / Associated Press)

4. Former staffers for Sen. John Fetterman created an anonymous social media account and threatened to publish his internal communications after a report that he routinely avoided constituent meetings, committee hearings, and skipped other Senate duties. Fetterman reportedly dismissed concerns from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia about Medicaid cuts, questioned the length of a funeral for three killed police officers, and canceled a meeting with three paralyzed Pennsylvania veterans before appearing later that day for a Fox News interview. Fetterman called the report “lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous,” apologized for what he called a “dumb joke” about the hospital, and said he missed the veterans meeting because he had been throwing up, but felt well enough to work later. The former staffers said their first release of material is planned for Sept. 14, when the Senate returns to session. (Wall Street Journal / Politico / New York Times / CNN)

• Today last year: Day 1693: "A scared man."
• Four years ago today: Day 597: "Until the job is done."
• Five years ago today: Day 232: "All options."
• 9 years ago today: Day 232: Operation mega.

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Today in one sentence: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it enforce new mail-in voting restrictions ahead of the midterms; a Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked the state’s new Republican-drawn congressional map from being used in the midterm elections; a federal judge blocked Trump’s second attempt to restrict birthright citizenship; the Justice Department threatened to withhold federal funding from states that don’t report undocumented immigrants; a federal grand jury indicted an ICE officer for lying to the FBI about shooting a Venezuelan man in the leg in Minnesota; the Treasury Department and IRS proposed stripping tax-exempt status from schools if they consider race in admissions, scholarships, financial aid, athletics, or other programs; JD Vance downplayed Trump’s seven-month war in Iran, saying he wouldn’t describe it as “a war” because “right now there’s no active shooting”; and 89% of Americans say corruption is widespread in the U.S. government.

1/ The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it enforce new mail-in voting restrictions ahead of the midterms. Last week, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani blocked the Postal Service rule that would require states to submit lists of mail-ballot voters and use approved envelopes with unique barcodes. The rule also lets the agency refuse delivery of ballots that don’t comply. Talwani, however, said the rule was likely unconstitutional and warned that it could cause “major disenfranchisement.” (Politico / Reuters / CNN / CBS News / Bloomberg / New York Times

2/ The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked the state’s new Republican-drawn congressional map from being used in the midterm elections. The map was redrawn at Trump’s request outside the usual once-a-decade cycle and designed to improve Republicans’ chances of picking up a House seat. The court, however, placed the new districts on hold after citizens submitted more than 300,000 signatures seeking a referendum and that the redrawn map won’t “go into effect and will not go into effect unless and until approved by the voters.” Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said she will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Associated Press / St. Louis Public Radio / NBC News / New York Times / CBS News)

3/ A federal judge blocked Trump’s second attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, ruling that his August executive order is “almost certainly unconstitutional.” U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman accused the administration of adopting a “distorted interpretation” of the Supreme Court’s June decision that struck down Trump’s 2025 executive order that denied citizenship to children born to parents who were in the U.S. temporarily or unlawfully. “No Presidential Executive Order can undo what the Supreme Court has done,” Boardman wrote. Attorney General Todd Blanche maintained that the administration will continue fighting the case and “if we have to go back to the Supreme Court, we will.” (Washington Post / CBS News / New York Times / NBC News / CNN / Bloomberg)

4/ The Justice Department threatened to withhold federal funding from states that don’t report undocumented immigrants. The Office of Legal Counsel reversed a 1998 interpretation that limited the reporting requirement to agencies administering Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Supplemental Security Income. It extends the requirement to every state agency when a state accepts funding for either program, and applies only to future funding. (CNBC / CNN)

5/ A federal grand jury indicted an ICE officer for lying to the FBI about shooting a Venezuelan man in the leg in Minnesota. Christian Castro faces six counts of making false statements to federal officials. Federal prosecutors had initially charged the man Castro shot and another man with assaulting officers, but later dropped the charges after video evidence contradicted the officers’ account. It’s the first known federal prosecution of an immigration officer for conduct during the Trump administration’s Minneapolis immigration operation. (Politico / NPR / New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / Associated Press)

6/ The Treasury Department and IRS proposed stripping tax-exempt status from schools if they consider race in admissions, scholarships, financial aid, athletics, or other programs. The rules would apply to private schools, colleges, and universities and the agencies estimate as many as 18,000 institutions could be affected. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said schools “rebranding race-based preferences as equitable, inclusive, or diversity-enhancing does not change their discriminatory nature.” The proposal, however, doesn’t detail exactly what practices the administration would consider discriminatory. (Washington Post / New York Times / ABC News / Politico / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)

7/ JD Vance downplayed Trump’s seven-month war in Iran, saying he wouldn’t describe it as “a war” because “right now there’s no active shooting.” The U.S. and Iran, however, exchanged strikes earlier this week. When asked when the conflict would end, Vance replied that “the reality is I don’t know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians.” Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly called the conflict a war, including earlier today. (Reuters / New York Times / Bloomberg / Washington Post)

poll/ 89% of Americans say corruption is widespread in the U.S. government – up 10 percentage points from last year and the highest level recorded in two decades. (Gallup)

⏰ Dept. of I Ran Out of Time Today: House Democrats blocked a Republican-proposed constitutional amendment to limit the Supreme Court to nine justices; Elon Musk plans to spend at least $100 million in more than a dozen competitive House and Senate races; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are investigating whether any troops died from Covid-19 vaccines; the U.S. Forest Service is closing 23 research and development stations in more than a dozen states; Trump floated renaming the Strait of Hormuz to the “TRUMP STRAIT”; the U.S. Mint started selling gold-color $1 Trump coins for between about $1.55 and $2.44 apiece, depending on quantity; and Gloria Steinem, the journalist and activist who devoted her life to fighting for women’s rights, died at 92.

The 2026 midterms are in 61 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 796 days.

• Today last year: Day 1688: "This is a train wreck."
• Two years ago today: Day 1323: "Whoever heard you get indicted for interfering with a presidential election where you have every right to do it."
• Five years ago today: Day 227: "Almost un-American."
• Six years ago today: Day 1323: "Playing with fire."
• Seven years ago today: Day 957: Always good to be prepared.

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Today in one sentence: A Postal Service whistleblower warned that the agency’s new mail-voting system could lead to a “catastrophic failure” ahead of the midterms; the House passed a stopgap funding bill to keep the government open through Dec. 11; the U.S. launched “large and powerful” strikes on Iranian targets; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned following months of disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; and the CDC excluded Pennsylvania’s two measles-associated deaths from its national count.

1/ A Postal Service whistleblower warned that the agency’s new mail-voting system could lead to a “catastrophic failure” ahead of the midterms. The anonymous federal official described the effort to carry out Trump’s restrictions on mail voting as “secretive, rushed” and “risky and haphazard.” The whistleblower alleged that USPS gave itself roughly three months to build a system that would normally take nine months to a year, and warned that the portal was “untested” and would have “significant operating problems” when released. The Postal Service also adopted a “zero-percent failure policy,” under which one barcode that fails to scan or match the submitted information could cause an entire batch – potentially thousands or tens of thousands of ballots – to be rejected until the discrepancy is resolved. The disclosure called the process “entirely unforgiving” and warned that “potentially millions of American voters” may not receive their mail-in ballots in time or at all. While a federal judge has blocked the mandatory implementation of the system for now, they allowed USPS to continue building it so long as states aren’t required to use it. (Associated Press / New York Times / Axios / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN / NPR / CBS News / The Guardian)

• The Commerce Department removed explicit bans on political interference from its scientific integrity policy. The Aug. 19 revision deleted language banning officials from suppressing, delaying, or altering scientific findings for political purposes. It applies to the Census Bureau, NOAA, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. (NPR)

2/ The House passed a stopgap funding bill to keep the government open through Dec. 11, punting negotiations over the full-year funding plan until after the midterm elections. The measure keeps spending largely at current levels, blocks the Trump administration from transferring new funds to Border Patrol, and temporarily prevents political appointees from canceling federal grants. The Senate approved it last month, and Trump is expected to sign it. (Reuters / NPR / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / The Guardian / Axios / CBS News / NBC News)

• Trump urged Congress to immediately pass a federal film and television tax incentive. He didn’t propose a specific credit, but the industry has floated incentives of roughly 15% to 20%. (Reuters / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / The Hill / NBC News)

3/ The U.S. launched “large and powerful” strikes on Iranian targets. Trump said the strikes were in “retaliation for the Iranians’ failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait,” and for an earlier attack on a military base in Jordan. Trump warned that if the Islamic Republic retaliates, “they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings.” He added that “there will be very little left” of the country. Hours later, however, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that the country had launched a “regretful response.” (New York Times / Politico / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / CNBC / CNN / The Guardian / NBC News)

4/ Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned following months of disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Driscoll told Trump he was frustrated that Hegseth had fired generals involved in the Army’s transformation efforts and blocked promotions of senior Army officers. His departure leaves the Army without Senate-confirmed civilian or military leadership after Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George in April. (Wall Street Journal / Politico / NBC News / Reuters / New York Times / Bloomberg / Axios / Washington Post / CNN)

• Former Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was under internal investigation for alleged misconduct when he retired from Customs and Border Protection in March. CBP notified Bovino on March 2 that it had opened an official inquiry into alleged misconduct. 16 days later, he submitted a retirement relocation request. Bovino claimed the investigations were weaponized to force him out, while CBP said he “voluntarily retired.” (CBS News / The Hill / Chicago Tribune)

5/ The CDC excluded Pennsylvania’s two measles-associated deaths from its national count. Despite Pennsylvania providing the CDC with the required epidemiological data and that both unvaccinated residents tested positive for measles, the agency said the “available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths.” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., meanwhile, suggested without evidence that the deaths may have been “fabricated.” (Washington Post / Philadelphia Inquirer / The Guardian / New York Times)

The 2026 midterms are in 63 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 798 days.

• Four years ago today: Day 590: "Sufficient basis."
• Five years ago today: Day 225: "Catastrophic."
• Six years ago today: Day 1321: "Sounds like conspiracy theory."
• 9 years ago today: Day 225: A rigged system.

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Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court allowed Trump to continue construction of his White House ballroom; Trump vowed to “hit them hard” after Iran fired missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan and launched a drone toward the United Arab Emirates; the Pentagon installed several conservative military influencers in undisclosed civilian government roles; Trump warned that communities that oppose data centers would “end up being backwards and poor” and urged them to “let Data Reign”; Trump threatened to report NBC’s Kristen Welker to the FCC for “rebuke or punishment” after she said his endorsements of Republican candidates in this year’s primaries had produced “some mixed results”; about one in six 2024 Trump voters say they wouldn’t vote for him again if the election were rerun; and 55% of Americans think politicians say they’ll help the working class just to win votes, while 27% believe politicians genuinely want to help the working class.

1/ The Supreme Court allowed Trump to continue construction of his White House ballroom. The 5-4 unsigned decision blocked lower-court rulings that would have stopped aboveground work, concluding that the National Trust for Historic Preservation likely lacks standing. However, Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s three liberal justices in dissent, writing that the construction is “likely unlawful” because Congress hasn’t expressly authorized the project. (NBC News / CNN / New York Times / Bloomberg / Washington Post / Axios / USA Today / Wall Street Journal)

2/ Trump vowed to “hit them hard” after Iran fired missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan and launched a drone toward the United Arab Emirates. It was the first direct exchange of attacks in about a month. U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island after CENTCOM reported that Revolutionary Guard forces were preparing to deploy sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Iran then fired missiles at the bases in Jordan and launched a drone toward the United Arab Emirates. Trump, however, later said the U.S. response would be “very limited.” (New York Times / Reuters / Washington Post / NBC News / Politico / USA Today / CNN / Bloomberg / CNBC / Axios)

3/ The Pentagon installed several conservative military influencers in undisclosed civilian government roles. Pentagon records showed that one retired Air Force colonel and one retired Army colonel had active civilian government email addresses assigned to the office of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. A third retired colonel was also listed there earlier this year. All three also appeared on behalf of a task force reviewing senior military schools for ideology deemed “toxic” or “woke,” and publicly amplified Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s views and attacked critics of the Trump administration. (Washington Post)

4/ Trump warned that communities that oppose data centers would “end up being backwards and poor” and urged them to “let Data Reign.” Despite polls showing Americans oppose new data centers in their communities, Trump argued that slowing the buildout would threaten U.S. economic growth and help China in the artificial intelligence race, warning: “If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame.” JD Vance, however, acknowledged that higher utility bills are driving the backlash and that companies building data centers should be “putting power back into the grid, not taking it out.” (Newsweek / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Politico / CNBC / ABC News)

• A pro-AI advocacy group plans to spend millions on advertising, grassroots organizing, research, and public education in battleground states. Build American AI has about $50 million cash on hand. The group also launched a new super PAC, Building the Future, to support state and federal candidates aligned with its agenda and oppose those who aren’t. (Axios)

5/ Trump threatened to report NBC’s Kristen Welker to the FCC for “rebuke or punishment” after she said his endorsements of Republican candidates in this year’s primaries had produced “some mixed results.” Trump urged FCC Chair Brendan Carr to “take this Threat to our Country very seriously,” and separately called for the FCC to act on “fake polls.” The FCC’s website, however, says it generally doesn’t intervene in complaints about broadcasters’ viewpoints, because doing so “would be inconsistent with the First Amendment.” The FCC’s authority also doesn’t extend to punishing individual journalists for their reporting. (Politico / Reuters / The Guardian / Washington Post / Bloomberg / CNN)

poll/ About one in six 2024 Trump voters say they wouldn’t vote for him again if the election were rerun. (Strength in Numbers)

poll/ 55% of Americans think politicians say they’ll help the working class just to win votes, while 27% believe politicians genuinely want to help the working class. (Politico)

The 2026 midterms are in 64 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 799 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. Venezuela agreed to give the U.S. majority control over 65 billion barrels of oil. The deal gives the U.S. 55% of the effective output and includes an ownership stake and the right to buy oil at cost. Trump claimed the agreement would “substantially lower Gas Prices” and come “at no cost to the American Taxpayer.” The deal comes nearly nine months after the U.S. military captured then-President Nicolás Maduro. (Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / Washington Post / CNBC / Axios)

2. The Trump administration plans to give a private developer a small parcel of land inside Yosemite National Park so it can build a road from an upscale development into the park. Kingsbarn Realty Capital owns two undeveloped 40-acre parcels near Yosemite and plans to build cabins, homes, and commercial buildings there. Under the proposed exchange, the company would acquire property of equivalent value for the Park Service in return for the Yosemite land needed for the road. (New York Times / NOTUS / Washington Post / USA Today)

3. Trump ordered the creation of a U.S. Space Academy to train personnel for NASA and the Space Force. Trump said the location would be chosen “very shortly,” and declared that “Space is the hot thing.” (Politico / Washington Post / New York Times)

4. The Trump administration deported Milo Yiannopoulos to the United Kingdom. The far-right commentator overstayed his legal authorization was issued a final removal order on July 22 after failing to appear for an immigration hearing. Yiannopoulos had publicly supported Trump’s immigration crackdown and mass deportations. (NBC News / The Guardian / NPR)

5. The former longtime White House teleprompter operator will pay $172,000 for using nonpublic information from Trump’s speeches to make prediction-market bets through Kalshi. Gabriel Perez was ordered to return $107,539 in profits and pay a $65,000 civil penalty. His penalty was reduced because of his “exemplary cooperation.” (NBC News / ABC News / CBS News)

6. Kalshi permanently banned former Rep. George Santos and fined him $71,356 for allegedly making misleading public statements about whether he would attend Trump’s 2026 State of the Union – and then trading contracts tied to his attendance. He earned more than $17,500. (CBS News / Reuters / Wall Street Journal)

7. Google Maps changed Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for U.S. users. Canadian users, however, will continue to see Lake Ontario. Meanwhile, Trump reportedly contacted Apple directly about making the same change, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the company “may” do so soon. 61% of Americans oppose renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America,” while 19% support it, and 19% are unsure. (Axios / Reuters / Washington Post / YouGov)

• Three years ago today: Day 954: "A mountain of undisputed evidence."
• Four years ago today: Day 589: "Very disturbing."
• Six years ago today: Day 1320: "Recklessly encouraging violence."
• Eight years ago today: Day 589: Over a barrel.
• 9 years ago today: Day 224: Tag teamed.

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Today in one sentence: CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials to not attack NATO territory; Trump dismissed reports that Ratcliffe’s trip to Moscow was meant to warn Russia against attacking a NATO country; the U.S. reportedly has a “beyond critical” shortage of Patriot missile interceptors in Europe largely due to Trump’s war with Iran; U.S. intelligence indicates that Putin sees the U.S. as weakened by the Iran war; Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America”; ICE arrested a record 49,571 people in July; and Texas released an ICE officer who was charged with shooting a Venezuelan immigrant to Minnesota and then lying about .

1/ CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials to not attack NATO territory. During his secret trip to Moscow, Ratcliffe shared the U.S. assessment on Russia’s current military and economic position with FSB chief Aleksandr Bortnikov, which argued that Moscow should negotiate an end to its war in Ukraine before conditions get worse. U.S. intelligence assessments, meanwhile, have indicated that Putin might test NATO with a limited attack, potentially against a Baltic state. Ratcliffe also urged Russia to reduce its military and economic support for Iran. (Politico / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / ABC News / Semafor / CNBC / CBS News / CNN)

2/ Trump dismissed reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s trip to Moscow was meant to warn Russia against attacking a NATO country, saying “there was no message and there was nothing unusual.” Trump called Ratcliffe’s visit “standard business” and “semi-routine,” saying the CIA director sees his Russian counterpart “once every six months or once every year” and that “they have a very good relationship.” When asked whether he was concerned Russia could test NATO with an attack, Trump said: “I am not concerned […] at all. There is no problem.” Later, when asked whether the U.S. had warned Putin about attacking NATO territory, Trump declined to discuss the visit but said: “They are not going to attack NATO territory.” Russia, meanwhile, reportedly launched a “massive” strike overnight on nine Ukrainian cities, killing at least two people and wounding 14 others. (Axios / The Guardian / Bloomberg)

3/ The U.S. reportedly has a “beyond critical” shortage of Patriot missile interceptors in Europe largely due to Trump’s war with Iran. After missiles were moved from Europe to the Middle East and fired during Iran’s drone and missile attacks, a U.S. official warned that American and NATO forces in Europe don’t have enough interceptors to stop a sustained ballistic missile attack and would have a “very limited” ability to defend against even a single strike. (Associated Press)

4/ U.S. intelligence indicates that Putin sees the U.S. as weakened by the Iran war, and could give Moscow an opening to escalate against American interests and allies in Europe. The intelligence preceded CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s trip to Moscow this week, and follows reports of troop’s experiencing exhaustion and mental health issues, munition shortages, and the loss of about 25% of the military’s Reaper drones. (Washington Post)

5/ Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America.” The order requires the federal government to use the new name and directs the Interior Department and U.S. Board on Geographic Names to update federal maps, documents and communications. The order, however, doesn’t compel Canada, international bodies, states or private companies to adopt it. When asked what message he was trying to send Canada, Trump replied: “No message. As you know, Canada has been ripping us off for a long time on trade.” He added: “They don’t pay for anything, and they want to be treated like a state, but they’re not a state.” (Politico / Reuters / New York Times / Washington Post / Axios / NBC News / CBS News / CNN / Wall Street Journal)

6/ ICE arrested a record 49,571 people in July. For the first time in Trump’s second term, a majority of those arrested had no criminal convictions or pending charges, while about 4% had violent criminal convictions. Nearly 34,000 people were also deported in July, another second-term high. (The Guardian / New York Times / CBS News)

7/ Texas released an ICE officer who was charged with shooting a Venezuelan immigrant to Minnesota and then lying about it. A judge refused to order Christian Castro’s return to Minnesota, because Gov. Greg Abbott chose not to act on Minnesota’s request and Texas law limits detention in extradition cases to 90 days. Castro allegedly fired through the door of a home and shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg, and then falsely accused Sosa-Celis and another man of attacking an ICE officer with a broom handle and shovel. However, a joint ICE-Justice Department review found that officers had probably made “untruthful statements.” Minnesota officials, meanwhile, warned that Castro could flee to Mexico, citing calls from jail in which he discussed marrying a woman and buying a house there. (New York Times / NBC News / CNN / Washington Post)

⏰ Dept. of I Ran Out of Time Today: The U.S. is close to striking a “massive” deal for Venezuela’a oil fields, more than doubling U.S. oil reserves; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly lied during two congressional hearings last year that his 2019 visit to Samoa had “nothing to do with vaccines”; a Florida grand jury found that Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration “misappropriated” $10 million in taxpayer money to a charity tied to his wife; the Republican effort to prosecute Dr. Anthony Fauci for contempt of Congress has stalled; a federal judge declined to dismiss Steve Bannon’s contempt of Congress conviction; Trump disclosed making more than 1,000 stock transactions in June, including in energy companies directly affected by his ongoing war in Iran; and an Abu Dhabi royal referred to as the “spy sheikh” is a major shareholder in the company behind the Trump family’s crypto bank.

The 2026 midterms are in 68 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 803 days.

• Today last year: Day 1681: "There are different things we could be doing."
• Two years ago today: Day 1316: "The alternative is untenable."
• Five years ago today: Day 220: "The mission will go on."
• Six years ago today: Day 1316: "This is his America."
• Seven years ago today: Day 950: Downhill.
• Eight years ago today: Day 585: A cutthroat death match.

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Today in one sentence: A federal judge lifted the final nationwide injunction blocking Trump’s mail-voting order; two dozen Democratic-led states and D.C. sued to block the Postal Service’s mail-voting rules; annual U.S. inflation rose 3.7% in July, the same as in June, but well above the Fed’s 2% target; Trump called Canada “one of the worst countries” in the world to deal with; Trump claimed that the U.S. is “achieving a very big victory” in his nearly six-month war with Iran and that the conflict “will continue for as long as necessary”; a federal judge struck down a 2023 Texas law that banned drag shows; Meta agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 48 states to resolve a lawsuit that it intentionally designed its social media platforms to addict children; and Trump’s nominee to lead the FDA previously called for “conservative-based” scientific journals and funding research aligned with conservative policy goals.

1/ A federal judge lifted the final nationwide injunction blocking Trump’s mail-voting order. The decision allows the Postal Service to impose new ballot requirements ahead of the November midterms, requiring election officials to provide mail-voter information, use federally reviewed ballot envelopes with unique barcodes, and correct and resubmit mailings that fail verification. Judge Indira Talwani lifted her injunction after the Supreme Court ruled this week that a related challenge was premature. Neither ruling, however, decided whether the restrictions are legal. (Associated Press / Politico / NPR / New York Times / Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / Axios)

• A Maryland judge blocked Democrats’ redistricting referendum from the November ballot, ruling that lawmakers failed to follow the required process for submitting a constitutional amendment to voters and that the ballot language was “intentionally misleading.” (Politico / Democracy Docket)

• Trump ordered MAGA Inc. to launch a national midterm ads centered on his record. The ads are expected to promote Trump’s tax breaks, the stock market, and his efforts to “seal” the U.S.-Mexico border. (The Atlantic)

2/ Two dozen Democratic-led states and D.C. sued to block the Postal Service’s mail-voting rules. The states argued that the requirements exceed federal authority and could disenfranchise voters by forcing election officials to redesign ballot envelopes, build new systems, train workers, and educate voters as some states prepare to mail ballots in early September. (CBS News / Reuters / Axios / ABC News / Bloomberg / The Hill)

3/ The annual U.S. inflation rose 3.7% in July, the same as in June, but well above the Fed’s 2% target. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, was also unchanged at 3.3%. Meanwhile, consumer spending was flat after adjusting for inflation. Spending on goods fell by about $50 billion at an annualized rate, while spending on services increased by $86 billion. (Axios / New York Times / CNN / Associated Press / Reuters / Washington Post / CBS News / CNBC)

4/ Trump called Canada “one of the worst countries” in the world to deal with, saying it’s “time to teach Canada you can’t do this anymore.” Trump accused Canada of taking advantage of the U.S. “as though they were a state,” adding that “they don’t have anything that we have to have.” After Trump imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian imports following the collapse of trade talks, Canada retaliated with matching tariffs on about $20 billion in U.S. goods starting Sept. 8. Trump also announced 50% tariffs on Canadian autos and parts beginning Jan. 1. Nevertheless, Trump claimed he had offered Canada “a pretty good deal,” but later appeared to acknowledge Canada’s claim that the U.S. added new conditions in the final hours before negotiations broke down. (ABC News / Reuters / New York Times)

5/ Trump claimed that the U.S. is “achieving a very big victory” in his nearly six-month war with Iran and that the conflict “will continue for as long as necessary.” Trump said he has “no time schedule” for ending the war or restarting negotiations, insisting that he’s “not in a hurry” because both military operations and economic pressure are “effective.” Trump also claimed the U.S. Navy had removed or detonated all mines from the Strait of Hormuz and called the waterway “a very functioning strait.” U.S. allies, however, privately warned that Hormuz was still likely mined. Centcom, meanwhile, maintained that “internationally recognized transit routes” were free of Iranian sea mines. (CBS News / ABC News / CNBC / Axios / Bloomberg)

• Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has discussed leaving the Trump administration as soon as Labor Day. Administration officials, however, want him to remain at least through the end of the year. His expected departure follows months of friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who fired people close to Driscoll and overruled some of his decisions. Meanwhile, Hegseth fired Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George without explanation in April and has forced out several other senior officers viewed as possible successors. Acting chief Gen. Christopher LaNeve also lacks enough Republican support in the Senate to be confirmed. Days before George was fired, LaNeve reportedly told him that Hegseth wanted the Army to drop an investigation into an unauthorized helicopter flyby of Kid Rock’s Tennessee estate. Hegseth later terminated the investigation and exonerated the aircrews. (New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / Stars and Stripes)

6/ A federal judge struck down a 2023 Texas law that banned drag shows. For a second time, U.S. District Judge David Hittner ruled that the law violates the First Amendment and was so broad that its ban on performances appealing to a “prurient interest in sex” could be applied to cheerleading, live theater, and performances by Dolly Parton (RIP), Elvis Presley, and Miley Cyrus to civil or criminal penalties. “For those who find such activities […] offensive,” Hittner wrote, “the solution is relatively simple […] just don’t go.” (NBC News / Washington Post / The Guardian / USA Today)

7/ 😮 Dept. of Well, that’s fantastic: Meta agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 48 states to resolve a lawsuit that it intentionally designed its social media platforms to addict children. The agreement will set a two-hour daily limit for users under 18, block access from midnight to 6 a.m., and silence most notifications during school hours. The time limit could drop to one hour if TikTok, YouTube, and Snap adopt similar rules. (New York Times / Axios / Reuters / NPR / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)

8/ Trump’s nominee to lead the FDA previously called for “conservative-based” scientific journals and funding research aligned with conservative policy goals. In a 2023 podcast interview, Heidi Overton argued that conservatives needed “alternate systems” for publishing research because “you’re up against this mountain of evidence,” claiming the NIH, FDA, and CDC weren’t prioritizing the kinds of studies she wanted funded. Overton also complained that “the left starts journals” like the “Journal of Adolescent Transgender Medicine”. However, no journal by that name exists. (Yahoo! News / Scientific American)

The 2026 midterms are in 69 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 804 days.

• Today last year: Day 1680: "So that'll be great."
• Two years ago today: Day 1315: "Blatant political purposes."
• Six years ago today: Day 1315: "Extreme action."
• Seven years ago today: Day 949: Magnificent.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Canada retaliated against Trump’s new tariffs with duties of up to 50% on U.S. goods; Trump threatened to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America”; the Secret Service is “aware” of an Iranian state media video threatening Barron Trump; CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to Russia; Trump urged South Carolina Republicans to vote for interim Sen. Darline Graham over Rep. Ralph Norman in a special Senate runoff, telling voters to “pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot”; the EPA proposed eliminating the federal requirement that states notify the public and solicit comments before issuing permits for data centers and other “minor” pollution sources; and a federal judge rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s effort to overturn her 2021 sex-trafficking conviction and 20-year prison sentence.

1/ Canada retaliated against Trump’s new tariffs with duties of up to 50% on U.S. goods. They take effect Sept. 8, and cover about $20 billion in American goods, doubling duties on U.S. steel and aluminum to 50% and imposing rates of 15% to 50% on hundreds of other products, including dairy, appliances, seafood, clothing, and electronics. The tariffs match Trump’s latest duties “dollar for dollar, rate for rate.” The move follows the collapse of trade talks and Trump’s imposition of 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian goods. (New York Times / NPR / NBC News / Washington Post / Politico / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / ABC News / CBS News / CNBC / Reuters)

• Farmers say Trump’s tariffs and Iran war have eroded their profits. The combination has raised the cost of fertilizer, fuel, and machinery costs as weak crop prices make those expenses harder to cover. (Washington Post)

2/ Trump threatened to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America.” Trump claimed he was giving the change “serious consideration” because “we don’t expect to be doing much business with Ontario any longer.” He later posted an altered map with “Lake Ontario” crossed out and “Lake America” in its place. However, Lake Ontario spans the U.S.-Canada border, and while Trump could change the name used by the federal government, Canada and international bodies wouldn’t be required to recognize it. Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, meanwhile, said Canada had decided “not to respond to sort of the daily social media posts of either the president or his Cabinet secretaries.” (Washington Post / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / CNN / Axios / CBS News)

3/ The Secret Service is “aware” of an Iranian state media video threatening Barron Trump. The video opens with the words “Where to kill Barron Trump?!” and depicts locations where the 20-year-old might be found while suggesting a $10 million reward. The Secret Service said it “investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees,” but said “out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence.” (ABC News / CNN / Politico / Washington Post / PBS News)

4/ CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to Russia. It’s his first known visit to Russia as CIA director and the highest-level Trump administration visit since January. The purpose of the talks and who Ratcliffe met with, however, weren’t disclosed, while the Kremlin maintained that there were no meetings planned with U.S. administration officials. Ahead of the trip, the U.S. asked Ukraine to suspend drone and missile strikes on Moscow and other parts of northern Russia while the American delegation was traveling. (Axios / Reuters / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / NBC News)

5/ 🟥🟦 Primaries: Trump urged South Carolina Republicans to vote for interim Sen. Darline Graham over Rep. Ralph Norman in a special Senate runoff, telling voters to “pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot.” Graham, the sister of the late Lindsey Graham, had never been elected to office before she was appointed to serve the remainder of his term. During last week’s debate, however, she acknowledged that “national security is not my thing” and that she was “not that informed on national security” when asked about Taiwan. Nevertheless, Trump pushed Graham to run, campaigned with her, and held a tele-rally. The MAGA Inc. super PAC also spent $827,000 on voter calls and text messages on her behalf. The winner will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November in a state where no Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in decades. (CNBC / CBS News / Associated Press / Politico)

6/ The EPA proposed eliminating the federal requirement that states notify the public and solicit comments before issuing permits for data centers and other “minor” pollution sources. The change would leave public participation largely to state and local discretion. The EPA claimed that the proposal would speed permitting but “does not alter emission standards or weaken environmental protections,” while nearly 200 advocacy groups and Democratic attorneys general from 14 states opposed it. Resistance to data centers, meanwhile, has spread across party lines: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott paused new projects pending an audit, Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton proposed new restrictions, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro required developers to craft “detailed community outreach plans.” (The Guardian / New York Times / Axios / Washington Post)

7/ 😏 Well, that’s fantastic: A federal judge rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s effort to overturn her 2021 sex-trafficking conviction and 20-year prison sentence. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer found Maxwell’s claims “all meritless” and “all or almost all” frivolous, and concluded that evidence released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act was largely irrelevant and, where relevant, “incriminates her or reinforces the correctness of the legal rulings Maxwell challenges.” (CBS News / NBC News / ABC News)

The 2026 midterms are in 70 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 805 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. ICE arrested 49,571 people in July, the highest monthly total of Trump’s second term and 70% more than in February. More than half of those arrested had not been convicted of a crime and were not facing criminal charges, while less than a quarter had criminal convictions. (Associated Press)

2. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended his private meeting with Jared Kushner, describing the conversation as a “high-level, topical” discussion that produced no agreement. The meeting reportedly covered immigration, housing, and the cost of living. Some critics argued that Jeffries should be preparing to investigate Kushner, not privately discussing cooperation with Trump’s son-in-law and outside adviser. Jeffries, however, insisted that “no one is going to get a pass” and said Democrats would hold the Trump administration accountable, while leaving open the possibility of impeaching Trump if Democrats win control of the House. (CNN / New York Times / Semafor)

3. A FEMA crew violated federal law and agency policy by skipping 11 Florida homes displaying Trump signs after Hurricane Milton in 2024. The Department of Homeland Security inspector general found that during FEMA’s hurricane response, the crew leader instructed workers to avoid the houses with Trump signs over safety concerns. (Washington Post)

4. Two unvaccinated people in Pennsylvania died from measles – the first measles deaths in the U.S. this year and Pennsylvania’s first in 35 years. More measles cases have been reported in 2026 than in any year since the virus was declared eliminated in 2000. (The Guardian / New York Times / CNN / NBC News / ABC News)

5. After Trump’s name was added to the Kennedy Center, ticket sales and fundraising plunged, putting the center on track to miss its revenue target by nearly $100 million. The center had budgeted about $220 million in revenue, but by late May, officials projected it would only bring in about $124 million. (Washington Post)

6. Justice Department lawyers warned that the Kennedy Center could be demolished if a federal judge blocks Trump’s planned $250 million renovation, saying the building would otherwise deteriorate into an “unsafe, decrepit structure” that would have to be “taken down.” They also argued that Trump deserved to have his name inscribed on the building because of his role in securing renovation funding and attracting donors. (New York Times / NBC News)

7. The State Department is exploring whether it can sell a Kehinde Wiley painting that Trump administration officials called “woke.” Wiley is best known for painting Obama’s official portrait. Nevertheless, Art in Embassies executive director Erin Scavino described the work as “very woke” and “aesthetically terrifying.” Ambassador Leah Campos, meanwhile, said she wanted to move away from “woke” ideologies after the painting was removed from the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic. (Washington Post)

• Today last year: Day 1679: "I’m not a dictator. I’m a man with great common sense and a smart person."
• Four years ago today: Day 583: "Obstructive acts."
• Five years ago today: Day 218: "Communications within."
• Six years ago today: Day 1314: "Grossly misrepresented."
• 9 years ago today: Day 218: Must do better.

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Today in one sentence: The Trump administration expanded sanctions on Iran and warned foreign governments and companies that they could lose access to the U.S. financial system if they continue doing business with Tehran; Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks and auto parts to 50% starting Jan. 1, 2027; Hakeem Jeffries met privately with Jared Kushner to discuss potential cooperation if Democrats retake the House in the midterms; Trump plans to temporarily suspend tariffs on ground beef imports and allow up to 300,000 metric tons into the U.S. in an effort to lower record-high beef prices; and the Supreme Court allowed Trump to move ahead with mail-voting restrictions.

1/ The Trump administration expanded sanctions on Iran and warned foreign governments and companies that they could lose access to the U.S. financial system if they continue doing business with Tehran. Treasury sanctioned about 60 entities, individuals, and vessels, broadened secondary sanctions to cover digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping as part “Operation Economic Outcast,” which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called an “economic onslaught against Iran’s financial connections around the globe.” The administration, however, stopped short of immediately penalizing major foreign financial institutions, including Chinese banks, with Bessent describing the move as a “warning shot” and giving countries a “cure period” to cut targeted ties. “Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?” Bessent asked, while warning that the U.S. does not have “infinite patience.” He pledged to sanction a major financial institution by the end of the week and, when asked whether Chinese banks would be targeted, replied that “no one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions.” Trump, meanwhile, is calling foreign leaders with “specific requests” to stop doing business with Tehran. (Politico / Washington Post / Bloomberg / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / CBS News / Axios / Reuters / NBC News / NPR / CNBC / The Hill)

2/ Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks and auto parts to 50% starting Jan. 1, 2027. The four-month delay leaves time for talks to resume after negotiations between the two countries collapsed. The threat followed separate 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods that took effect Saturday, which prompted Prime Minister Mark Carney to promise “dollar for dollar” retaliation beginning Sept. 8. Trump, meanwhile, declared that Canada “will be treated like a State no longer!” and warned that “the consequences for Canada will be far WORSE!” Carney, meanwhile, said Canada would return to negotiations when the U.S. came to the table “with the right attitude toward our industry and a true partnership.” (Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Bloomberg / NBC News / Reuters)

3/ Hakeem Jeffries met privately with Jared Kushner to discuss potential cooperation if Democrats retake the House in the midterms. Kushner reportedly discussed housing, immigration, and the cost of living with Jeffries, and suggested that he meet with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Jeffries didn’t acknowledge the meeting, but instead said that in “every conversation” with the Trump administration Democrats would demand “transformational policy change” on affordability, adding: “The question is whether Republicans will join us.” (New York Times / Associated Press / CNBC / CNN / NBC News / CBS News)

• Trump urged South Carolina Republicans to “pretend” he’s on Tuesday’s ballot while campaigning for Sen. Darline Graham in her runoff against Rep. Ralph Norman. Graham, appointed to serve the remainder of her late brother Lindsey Graham’s term, failed to win the special Republican primary outright despite Trump’s endorsement. (Bloomberg / CBS News)

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott paused approvals for new data center buildouts. Less than a year after declaring Texas the “epicenter of AI development,” Abbott argued that developers “basically dug their own grave” by moving into communities without winning local support. Trump, meanwhile, argued that communities rejecting data centers are “making a mistake.” (Axios / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / Axios / Politico)

4/ Trump plans to temporarily suspend tariffs on ground beef imports and allow up to 300,000 metric tons into the U.S. in an effort to lower record-high beef prices. The additional imports would amount to roughly 2% to 3% of annual U.S. beef consumption, but agricultural economists questioned whether enough beef could be redirected to the U.S. within the 90-day window or noticeably lower prices. Trump nevertheless claimed that the move “will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again.” Republicans and cattle groups, however, warned that cheaper imports could depress cattle prices and discourage ranchers from rebuilding a U.S. herd already near its smallest level since the 1950s. (Associated Press / NBC News / Politico / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Bloomberg / The Hill / CNN / Axios / NOTUS)

5/ The Supreme Court allowed Trump to move ahead with mail-voting restrictions. The conservative majority concluded that California and 22 other states lacked standing because the order itself hadn’t harmed them, yet. The 6-3 ruling addressed only whether the states’ challenge was premature, not whether Trump had authority to impose the rules that directs the Department of Homeland Security to compile citizenship lists, requires states to send eligible-voter rosters to the Postal Service, and calls for mail ballots to be sent only to voters on those lists using special bar-coded envelopes. However, a separate nationwide injunction against parts of the same order remains in place. Meanwhile, the Postal Service finalized rules requiring states to submit voter data and barcodes through a federal portal and use special bar-coded election mail envelopes. The agency maintained that it’s not deciding who is eligible to vote, checking citizenship, inspecting ballots, or counting votes. Trump has claimed the restrictions would combat voter fraud. (New York Times / Politico / Washington Post / Bloomberg / NBC News / Axios / Associated Press / Bloomberg / New York Times)

The 2026 midterms are in 71 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 806 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. The Trump administration proposed a $103,265 fee for most new H-1B visa petitions. A federal judge struck down Trump’s earlier $100,000 fee, which was structured as a condition on entering the country, as an unlawful tax imposed without congressional approval. Trump’s new proposal, however, would apply more broadly to most new H-1B petitions, including many workers already in the U.S. The administration said the fee would raise about $8.8 billion annually to help fund the broader immigration system, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and immigration courts. (Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Reuters / Politico / Washington Post)

2. The Trump administration plans to revoke up to 200,000 business and tourism visas. If carried out, it would be the largest single mass visa revocation in U.S. history. The State Department, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, is expected to target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought or are seeking asylum. (Associated Press / Axios / Reuters)

3. Nevada sued the Trump administration over its plan requiring Arizona, California, and Nevada to cut their Colorado River water use by roughly 20% over the next two years. Nevada alleged that the Interior Department’s drought-management framework violates the rules governing the river and failed to consider the economic consequences of deeper cuts, which could eventually reach as much as 71% of its annual allocation. The Colorado River supplies roughly 90% of the water used by Las Vegas and the surrounding region. (Washington Post)

4. Chief Justice John Roberts allowed Trump to continue building his White House ballroom, blocking a lower-court order that would have stopped the above-ground construction on the $400 million project. The one-sentence administrative stay didn’t address whether Trump acted lawfully when he demolished the East Wing or began construction without congressional approval. Two lower courts, however, ruled that he exceeded his authority and that Congress must authorize the project. (Reuters / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / Axios / CNN)

5. Ed Martin will leave the Justice Department to “fight Legal Battles for the upcoming Midterm Election, and the Presidential Election of 2028.” Martin, a Trump loyalist and “Stop the Steal” advocate, most recently served as Trump’s pardon attorney after Trump withdrew his nomination to permanently serve as U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. “Proud to serve,” Martin said. “Fight Fight Fight.” (Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / NBC News)

6. The Pentagon fired the publisher, editor in chief, and a Middle East reporter at Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon accused them of insubordination after opposing Pentagon interference with the paper in a CBS interview. The firings also followed the Pentagon’s removal of the paper’s congressionally mandated ombudsman earlier this year and came the same day the department issued a new policy directing Stars and Stripes to avoid publishing material that would “adversely affect national security.” The military newspaper has long operated with editorial independence from the Defense Department. (CBS News / CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / Associated Press)

7. Trump threatened a $5 billion defamation lawsuit against the Center for American Progress unless it retracts a report that Trump’s National Guard deployments had no effect on violent crime. The report found that violent crime was already declining before the deployments in Washington, Los Angeles, and Memphis and estimated they would cost taxpayers more than $1.7 billion if continued through the end of 2026. CAP’s general counsel called the defamation allegation “utterly absurd”: “Truth is not and cannot be defamation.” (The Guardian / Associated Press / New York Times)

8. Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon will use a White House “Back to School” event to promote the administration’s efforts to dismantle the Education Department and expand school choice. McMahon has shifted some of the department’s responsibilities to other federal agencies and cut its workforce nearly in half as Trump pushes to return education authority to the states. The administration is also promoting a tax-law provision that, starting in 2027, will provide tax incentives for donations funding scholarships for K-12 public and private education. (ABC News)

9. Natalie Harp described Trump as her “Guardian and Protector” in two 2023 letters, saying “You are all that matters to me” and asks Trump to “cuss me out” when she fails. The White House defended Harp, who serves as Trump’s special and executive assistant, as “one of the most loyal and hardest-working aides on President Trump’s team.” Meanwhile, a review of her deleted social media posts found that she posted more than 150 times on Jan. 6, urged Republicans to “FIGHT FOR TRUMP,” promoted Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen, praised lawmakers who tried to block certification of Biden’s victory, and later shared false claims that the rioters weren’t Trump supporters and that Antifa had infiltrated the crowd before sharing Trump’s calls for the rioters to go home. (Daily Beast / CNN / CNN / Slate / New York Times)

10. Trump on the bond market: “The ultimate intervention is our military, and if we have to use that, we will.” When asked whether his administration was considering additional action to bring down bond yields, Trump replied: “We have many types of intervention. That’s one.” He didn’t explain what he meant. The Treasury Department, meanwhile, announced it would at least double its purchases of longer-dated government bonds in an effort to push down borrowing costs that had reached multi-year highs. (Yahoo! News / HuffPost / MS Now / X / The Guardian / Bloomberg)

• Three years ago today: Day 947: "A man of difficult fate."
• Four years ago today: Day 582: "A tsunami."
• Six years ago today: Day 1313: "I am not engaged in sabotaging the election."
• Eight years ago today: Day 582: You can do it.
• 9 years ago today: Day 217: Nonsense.

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Today in one sentence: U.S. debt topped $40 trillion for the first time; Trump threatened Iran with “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” and warned of “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences” for any country providing “any type of lifeline to Iran”; the FBI raided former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell’s Washington home; the Census Bureau published an unsigned analysis claiming that 24,000 noncitizens voted in 2020; Senate Republicans warned AI companies that data center backlash could cost Republicans an Ohio Senate seat; Trump spent 30 minutes showing off his new White House construction projects; Democrats led Republicans by eight points on the generic congressional ballot; and Democrats now view the state of American democracy during Trump’s first term more favorably than they did at the time.

1/ U.S. debt topped $40 trillion for the first time. The Treasury Department said the total public debt outstanding reached $40.047 trillion Tuesday, more than double the level from a decade ago. Interest payments have topped $1 trillion this year and are now the government’s second-largest expense behind Social Security. Meanwhile, the Treasury has doubled the size of its buybacks of long-term government debt after 30-year yields reached their highest level in nearly two decades. The government ran a $432.3 billion deficit in July, the highest monthly shortfall in more than five years, as the deficit for the first 10 months of fiscal 2026 has already passed the total for all of fiscal 2025. Trump, who promised during his 2016 campaign to eliminate the national debt within eight years, has instead added roughly $11.6 trillion in additional debt across his two terms so far. (CNBC / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / NPR / NBC News / Semafor)

2/ Trump threatened Iran with “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” and warned of “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences” for any country providing “any type of lifeline to Iran.” Iran, however, dismissed Trump’s “economic D-Day” as a “diversion from America’s own crisis,” saying that “doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. would announce new sanctions next week, adding: “you are either with us or against us […] it is time for our allies and the rest of the world to make a decision.” (CNBC / New York Times / The Hill / NBC News / USA Today / CBS News)

• More than 150 wallets on Polymarket may have traded on U.S. military secrets, collectively making $8 million with an average win rate of 97.2%. (Reuters)
• North Korea fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea after Trump ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea. South Korea’s military reported that the missiles flew about 185 miles toward North Korea’s eastern waters. (Associated Press / The Guardian / NPR / NBC News / CBS News)

3/ The FBI raided former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell’s Washington home. Agents also seized an iPhone and MacBook Pro from Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport under warrants as part of a federal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against him. Swalwell, however, hasn’t been charged with a crime. He resigned from Congress and dropped out of the California governor’s race in April after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault and sending unsolicited explicit images. Swalwell has denied the allegations, while state and local authorities in New York and Los Angeles are also investigating allegations against him. (CNN / New York Times / Associated Press / Reuters / Washington Post / NBC News / ABC News / CBS News)

4/ The Census Bureau published an unsigned analysis claiming that 24,000 noncitizens voted in 2020. The report matched 128 million voter records against federal administrative records but relied on an incomplete commercial voter file that didn’t include Social Security numbers, a key identifier for accurately matching records. The report also didn’t identify which candidates the alleged voters supported. Trump, nevertheless, claimed the analysis “proves that over 24,000 Noncitizens voted illegally!” and declared, “I WON THE ELECTION!” (NPR / CNN / Democracy Docket)

5/ Senate Republicans warned AI companies that data center backlash could cost Republicans an Ohio Senate seat. In a private memo, the National Republican Senatorial Committee wrote that Democrats had made data centers a “centerpiece” of their campaign against Sen. Jon Husted, warning that if Husted loses and data centers take the blame, “politicians across the country will take notice — and they will not go near the next one.” Communities, meanwhile, have fought projects over electricity costs, water use, noise, environmental impacts, and fears about AI-driven job losses. 71% of Americans say they would oppose a data center in their area. (Axios / Wall Street Journal)

6/ Trump spent 30 minutes showing off his new White House construction projects. He showed reporters the helipad, new granite driveway, fresh grass, flagpoles, facade work, and planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom, saying “One thing I know how to do is build,” calling the California-mined granite “very special stone,” boasting that he’s “very good at flagpoles,” and that, “If you’re grass, you’re very happy.” At the unfinished 100-foot-wide helipad, Trump signed the underside of a granite eagle that will become part of the presidential seal. Trump also acknowledged ordering crews to redo the landing pad because he thought it had “too much slope,” delaying the project by about a week and a half. “We get the best stuff,” Trump said, adding that the projects “will be here long after we’re gone.” (Washington Post / CNN / ABC News / The Hill)

poll/ Democrats led Republicans by eight points on the generic congressional ballot. Among likely voters, 51% backed the Democratic candidate while 43% supported the Republican candidate, and 6% were undecided. (Emerson College Polling)

poll/ Democrats now view the state of American democracy during Trump’s first term more favorably than they did at the time. In 2020, Democrats gave U.S. democracy a score of 52 out of 100. But, when asked to look back on 2020, they gave it a 60. (Washington Post)

• Median Strategies admitted that its Los Angeles mayoral poll was “bogus,” claiming it was a “short term social experiment” to test how polling information could spread “without independent verification.” While major poll aggregators rejected the survey over missing methodological details, some local media, Mayor Karen Bass, and social media poll trackers amplified it. (Washington Post)

The 2026 midterms are in 75 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 810 days.

• Today last year: Day 1674: "A diversion."
• Two years ago today: Day 1309: "The future is here."
• Five years ago today: Day 213: "Strategic ambiguity."
• Six years ago today: Day 1309: "Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he can't."
• Seven years ago today: Day 943: Fundamentals.
• Eight years ago today: Day 578: "Truth isn't truth."

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Today in one sentence: Trump paused his 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian goods for three days; in Florida, democratic socialist state Rep. Angie Nixon upset the far better-funded Alex Vindman for the Democratic Senate nomination and will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody; in Alaska, former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan advanced to November’s Senate election; Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff called Trump a “draft-dodging, crook president” who “has plunged our nation recklessly into a war he knows not how to end or to win.”; interim Sen. Darline Graham said she was “not that informed on national security” and that “national security is not my thing”; North Korea denied that Trump and Kim Jong Un have been in direct communication after Trump said he plans to meet with the North Korean later this year; Trump nominated an abortion opponent and supporter of the administration’s overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule to lead the FDA; the Justice Department urged a federal judge to reject James Comey’s effort to dismiss charges accusing him of threatening Trump with an Instagram photo of seashells arranged to read “86 47”; and Trump, his businesses, and his administration have been involved in 61 media and defamation lawsuits since 2015.

1/ Trump paused his 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian goods for three days, claiming that the U.S. and Canada “have a DEAL!” Prime Minister Mark Carney, however, said only that “substantial progress” had been made and that “important work” remained. The White House nevertheless claimed Canada had committed to remove trade barriers affecting U.S. alcohol, dairy, and motor vehicles, while the U.S. trade representative said the agreement would include “comprehensive market access for all American goods,” economic security commitments, and digital trade alignment. Canadian officials haven’t publicly confirmed those commitments. Trump, meanwhile, said the U.S. may lower its 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and hinted at reducing auto tariffs. (New York Times / Politico / CNBC / NBC News / The Guardian / NPR / Axios / Semafor / Bloomberg)

2/ 🟥🟦 Primaries: In Florida, democratic socialist state Rep. Angie Nixon upset the far better-funded Alex Vindman for the Democratic Senate nomination and will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody. Vindman raised more than $16 million to Nixon’s less than $1 million. Trump-backed Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination for governor and will face Democrat David Jolly. Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who faces a House Ethics Committee investigation, and Trump-backed House candidate Catalina Lauf lost their primaries. Meanwhile, Democratic Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz won theirs. In Alaska, former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan advanced to November’s Senate election, with Peltola leading Sullivan 48% to 42.8% as votes were still being counted. In Wyoming, state Sen. Eric Barlow defeated Trump-backed Megan Degenfelder for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Trump ally Harriet Hageman won the GOP Senate primary, while election denier Chuck Gray won the Republican nomination for the state’s lone House seat. (Reuters / New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press / ABC News / CNN / The Hill / Wall Street Journal)

• ✏️ Trump said he told Cory Mills to “get out of the race” but that the embattled lawmaker “wouldn’t listen.” “Trump endorsed Mills in February and never publicly rescinded his support, despite the Florida congressman facing significant scrutiny over accusations of assault, potential campaign finance violations and an ex-girlfriend alleging that he threatened to release sexually explicit images and videos of her.” (CNN / Politico)

3/ Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff called Trump a “draft-dodging, crook president” who “has plunged our nation recklessly into a war he knows not how to end or to win.” Two days earlier, Ossoff accused Trump of “lying a nation into war, treating citizens as fools and those who serve as pawns,” and said that while “the sailors on the Lincoln fight his war,” Trump “sleeps through his meetings” and “golfs and trades stocks.” Ossoff also mocked Trump for wanting to “build his ballroom and travel with Natalie” Harp, Trump’s executive assistant. In response, Trump called Ossoff “Pee-wee Herman” while White House communications director Steven Cheung called him a “cuck loser.” Ossoff is running for reelection. (CNN / The Guardian / Politico / The Hill / CNN / Axios)

• 🧐 Who is Natalie Harp?
• Trump’s 35-year-old special assistant and executive assistant, who’s been nicknamed the “human printer” because she follows Trump around with physical copies of the news and social media posts. Natalie Harp works just outside the Oval Office, travels with Trump, relays messages, arranges meetings, and helps draft and publish his Truth Social posts. She joined Trump’s staff in 2022 after repeating Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 election on One America News. Harp reportedly spends more time with Trump than any other aide and has written him letters of devotion saying, “You are all that matters to me.” She was also among the small group of people moved with Trump to a secret military plane in Turkey, because of an alleged potential Iranian assassination threat. This week, Sen. Jon Ossoff mocked Trump for wanting to “travel with Natalie” instead of doing his job. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / The Guardian / CBS News / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)

4/ Interim Sen. Darline Graham said she was “not that informed on national security” and that “national security is not my thing.” Graham’s comments came during the only debate before South Carolina’s Republican Senate runoff when she was asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are U.S. national security issues. Graham, who was appointed to the seat after the sudden death of her brother, Lindsey Graham, maintained that she supports the military as gasps and boos came from the audience. Her opponent, Rep. Ralph Norman, called Taiwan an ally and argued that the island is worth protecting against China. (CNN / The Guardian / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / USA Today)

5/ North Korea denied that Trump and Kim Jong Un have been in direct communication after Trump said he plans to meet with the North Korean later this year. Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, acknowledged that Kim “personally holds good memories and feelings toward Trump,” but maintained that the U.S. “hostile policy remains unchanged.” She also dismissed Trump’s decision to scale back joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises as insufficient. When asked whether he’d exchanged letters with Kim Jong Un, Trump refused to answer, but said they get along “very well” the dictator. (Bloomberg / CNN / Politico / Washington Post)

• ✏️ South Korea admits Trump blindsided Seoul by cutting military drills. “The alliance has staged joint exercises for more than 70 years — but the U.S. president highlighted his “very good relationship” with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in scaling them back.” (Politico)

6/ Trump nominated an abortion opponent and supporter of the administration’s overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule to lead the FDA. If confirmed by the Senate, White House health policy aide Heidi Overton would take over an agency that has been without permanent leadership since May. Overton has also criticized the abortion pill mifepristone and called for tighter restrictions on its use. (New York Times / Politico / Axios / The Guardian / CBS News / NBC News / ABC News / Associated Press)

7/ The Justice Department urged a federal judge to reject James Comey’s effort to dismiss charges accusing him of threatening Trump with an Instagram photo of seashells arranged to read “86 47.” Prosecutors argued that “there is no serious dispute” and that an objective viewer could interpret the photo of seashells as “Kill President Trump.” Comey, however, denied the charges, deleted the post, and argued that the post was protected political speech. (Associated Press / The Hill / The Guardian / CNBC)

8/ Trump, his businesses, and his administration have been involved in 61 media and defamation lawsuits since 2015. 25 came between 2025 (16) and 2026 (9), while 36 lawsuits were filed from 2015 through 2024. (Axios)

The 2026 midterms are in 76 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 811 days.

• Today last year: Day 1673: "I think the president was serious."
• Six years ago today: Day 1308: "Wholly insufficient."
• Seven years ago today: Day 942: Damaging to our democracy.

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Today in one sentence: Trump posted a map of the Strait of Hormuz that was labeled as “new U.S. territory”; U.S. Customs and Border Protection paused all border security construction in Big Bend National Park; ABC and Disney sued the FCC to block its early review of eight ABC broadcast licenses; the White House attacked CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes and her children after asking Trump to respond to Sen. Jon Ossoff’s criticism of him; the House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Rep. Jimmy Gomez over sexual misconduct allegations; Trump voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary; the Justice Department plans to send about 1,000 federal monitors to polling places for the November midterms; and 33% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing as president – the lowest of his presidency.

1/ Trump posted a map of the Strait of Hormuz that was labeled as “new U.S. territory.” He also declared that no talks were underway or scheduled with Iran, contradicting Jared Kushner, who said conversations with “different areas of the Iranian government” were ongoing and “probably more robust” than ever. Nevertheless, Trump claimed that the waterway was “open and operating” and that “all water mines have been removed or detonated” even though shipping remains a fraction of prewar levels. Iran, meanwhile, maintains that Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. lifts its blockade of Iranian ports, removes sanctions, and ends military operations. (Associated Press / Reuters / USA Today / CNBC / The Hill / ABC News)

2/ U.S. Customs and Border Protection paused all border security construction in Big Bend National Park. Commissioner Rodney Scott ordered the pause until he could conduct a “personal evaluation” and meet with local officials, law enforcement, and other stakeholders after the project drew bipartisan opposition, protests, and lawsuits over bulldozing and excavating in parts of the protected landscape. Republican Sen. John Cornyn and local sheriffs argued that Big Bend’s rugged terrain already acts as a natural barrier in a region that accounts for about 1% of border apprehensions. CBP, nevertheless, has already begun clearing land in the park for patrol roads and vehicle barriers. (Reuters / CNN / NBC News / Axios / New York Times)

• The Forest Service proposed opening 44.7 million acres of undeveloped national forest to road construction and logging, including nine million undeveloped acres in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claimed that the restrictions have prevented forest management needed to reduce wildfire risk. (New York Times)

3/ ABC and Disney sued the FCC to block its early review of eight ABC broadcast licenses. In April, the FCC ordered an early review of the licenses while investigating Disney’s diversity and inclusion practices. The order, however, came immediately after Trump attacked ABC and called for Jimmy Kimmel to be fired over a joke that Melania Trump had a “glow like an expectant widow.” Chairman Brendan Carr separately argued that ABC’s decision not to air Trump’s Oval Office address could be raised during the review. ABC called the early review an “existential threat.” The FCC denied that the review was retaliatory, arguing that broadcasters have a legal obligation to operate in the public interest. (NBC News / New York Times / Politico / Washington Post / Axios)

4/ The White House attacked CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes and her children after asking Trump to respond to Sen. Jon Ossoff’s criticism of him. The White House’s “rapid response” account called Holmes a “disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession” and told her that her children would someday be “sickened and embarrassed” by her question. Trump told Holmes to “be quiet,” called her “disrespectful” and a “fake reporter,” and told her “you report fake news” as she tried to ask another question. CNN, meanwhile, called personal attacks on journalists asking questions “beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press.” (Washington Post / New York Times / The Guardian / Fox News)

5/ The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Rep. Jimmy Gomez over sexual misconduct allegations. The bipartisan panel is reviewing allegations that Gomez “may have engaged in sexual misconduct,” including “engaging in inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer.” However, the committee cautioned that the investigation “does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.” Gomez acknowledged making “personal mistakes outside my marriage,” but maintained that his actions were consensual and didn’t violate the law or House ethics rules. Gomez is seeking a sixth term. (Axios / Washington Post / NPR / CNN / CBS News / NBC News)

6/ Trump voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary, even as he continues to push to restrict mail-in voting and has repeated baseless claims that mail-in voting is susceptible to widespread fraud. It was at least the third time Trump’s voted by mail in Florida. The Trump administration, meanwhile, asked the Supreme Court to revive parts of Trump’s executive order restricting mail-in voting ahead of the midterms after lower courts blocked parts of it.(Politico / The Guardian / New York Times / Reuters)

7/ The Justice Department plans to send about 1,000 federal monitors to polling places for the November midterms. Civil Rights Division chief Harmeet Dhillon called the deployment “probably going to be a historic number for a Republican administration.” While the department routinely sends monitors to enforce federal voting laws, an estimated 700 people were deployed for the 2024 presidential election and fewer than 300 for the 2022 midterms. (Associated Press / Washington Post / CBS News / The Hill)

poll/ 33% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing as president – the lowest of his presidency. (Reuters)

The 2026 midterms are in 77 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 812 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. The Trump administration has deleted or altered nearly 400 federal datasets. At least 28 were deleted and 338 modified, with health data accounting for about 40% of the affected collections. Multiple CDC surveys removed gender-identity questions under Trump’s “Restoring Biological Truth” order, while at least four health datasets have stopped being updating entirely. (The Guardian)

2. A federal judge blocked Trump’s plan to keep the FBI headquarters in Washington. Judge Theodore Chuang ruled that the FBI and General Services Administration lacked authority to abandon the 2023 Biden-era decision to relocate the agency to Maryland and redirect $555 million to the Ronald Reagan Building, including $323 million Congress had appropriated for the Greenbelt project. (Reuters / ABC News / Washington Post / CBS News / CNN)

3. The Justice Department asked an appeals court to reinstate charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia. U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw dismissed the human smuggling case as presumptively vindictive, finding prosecutors failed to show Abrego Garcia would have been charged without his successful wrongful deportation suit. Prosecutors, however, argued that the indictment rested on “legitimate reasons” and that then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s comments reflected a “normal assessment of the societal interest in punishment,” not retaliation. (Associated Press / ABC News)

4. A federal judge allowed the Trump administration to end deportation protections for Ethiopians. The ruling lifted the last judicial block on ending Temporary Protected Status for more than 5,000 Ethiopians, making them eligible for deportation and ending their authorization to live and work in the U.S. (CNN / Reuters)

5. U.S. borrowing costs hit their highest level since 2007. The 30-year Treasury yield topped 5.3% as investors pointed to inflation from the Iran war and higher oil prices, growing government debt, and heavy A.I. borrowing. (New York Times / Reuters / Bloomberg / ABC News)

• Today last year: Day 1672: "Done waiting."
• Four years ago today: Day 576: "Brain fog."
• Five years ago today: Day 211: "A flood of bloodshed."
• Six years ago today: Day 1307: "A grave counterintelligence threat."
• 9 years ago today: Day 211: Smell ya later.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Trump threatened to “bomb the shit out of” Oman if it “gets in the way” of U.S. efforts in the Strait of Hormuz; Iran rejected Trump’s threat to declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory; U.S. Central Command chief acknowledged mental health challenges aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln; Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea; Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to pledge Justice Department independence from the White House; the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s effort to overturn the $5 million E. Jean Carroll verdict; the Democratic National Committee approved its 2028 presidential primary calendar with South Carolina going first; and 60% of Americans called the U.S. economic system unfair.

1/ Trump threatened to “bomb the shit out of” Oman if it “gets in the way” of U.S. efforts in the Strait of Hormuz. The threat comes after Iran said it hd reached an “understanding” with Oman on a route map for ships through the strait. The U.S., however, has demanded that Iran reopen the strait first before it lifts its blockade of Iranian ports. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Iran missed the 60-day deadline for a peace deal. Trump ruled out extending the June agreement, which called for an end to military operations, the reopening of the strait, and negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. Iran, however, claim that negotiations “never began” and the 60-day period was “fundamentally no longer relevant.” Trump, meanwhile, declared that he has “no time schedule” to end the war and is “not in a hurry” to make a deal. (New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Reuters / USA Today / Bloomberg / NBC News / The Guardian)

2/ Iran rejected Trump’s threat to declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory. On Friday, Trump claimed that he’d “pretty soon” declare the strait “a territory of the United States,” insisting that “no ships get through unless we want them to.” Early Saturday, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded that the waterway “will only be opened and closed under Iran’s command,” adding that the U.S. must “accept the reality of defeat and stop indulging in delusions.” Gharibabadi added that the strait “cannot be seized with a tweet, nor with an aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor through an election speech.” (NBC News / The Guardian / The Hill / USA Today)

3/ U.S. Central Command chief acknowledged mental health challenges aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. Adm. Brad Cooper claimed the carrier has “among the lowest number of cases related to mental health” of the Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers after visiting. However, he acknowledged that “this doesn’t mean that all is perfect” and that serving at sea for long periods “isn’t for everyone.” Reports cited shortages, contaminated water, plumbing problems, deteriorating morale, and sailors attempting to go overboard during the extended deployment. Trump, meanwhile, dismissed concerns about the crew’s mental health and whether the deployment had gone on too long, responding “No. No. No.” and “Not nearly long enough.” (New York Times / Bloomberg / CNBC)

4/ Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea. Trump called the drills costly and “hostile” toward North Korea and his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong Un. Trump criticized Seoul for declining to join the U.S. effort against Iran, but called that issue “somewhat unrelated.” The order came days after North Korea launched ballistic missiles and threatened unspecified action over the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield joint U.S.-South Korean exercises, which North Korea’s Foreign Ministry called “a rehearsal for an aggressive war.” (Associated Press / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / New York Times / Bloomberg / ABC News / CNN / Axios / CBS News / The Hill)

5/ Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to pledge Justice Department independence from the White House. Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney and newly confirmed attorney general, added that he’d “of course” consider Trump’s views on individual prosecutions, but claimed Trump has never told him to prosecute a specific person and “never will.” Trump, however, has publicly called for the prosecutions of James Comey, Letitia James and Adam Schiff. And the Justice Department later charged Comey and James, which were dismissed. Prosecutors, however, charged Comey again. (New York Times / Washington Post / Axios / CNN / USA Today / The Guardian)

6/ The Supreme Court rejected Trump’s effort to overturn the $5 million E. Jean Carroll verdict. The unsigned order denied his request to reconsider the court’s earlier refusal to hear his appeal, leaving intact the 2023 jury finding that Trump sexually abused and defamed Carroll. The justices, meanwhile, are separately considering whether to hear Trump’s appeal of an $83.3 million defamation judgment, where he argues that presidential immunity shields him from statements he made while president. (Axios / Reuters / CNN / NBC News / USA Today)

7/ The Democratic National Committee approved its 2028 presidential primary calendar with South Carolina going first. South Carolina votes Jan. 22, followed by Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia. The schedule drops Iowa from the early-state lineup and pushes New Hampshire to third, putting states with larger Black and Latino electorates at the front of the nominating process. New Hampshire Democrats, however, resisted the change in part because state law requires its primary be held before any other state. Some Iowa politicians, meanwhile, threatened to hold an early contest anyway. (NBC News / New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / Reuters)

poll/ 60% of Americans called the U.S. economic system unfair. 69% said they’re dissatisfied or angry with how the system is working, 73% said the income gap between the richest Americans and the middle class is increasing, and 67% said wealthy Americans pay less than their fair share in federal income taxes. However, two-thirds said the free-market system is good for the economy, and capitalism was viewed more positively than socialism overall. Among Democrats, 58% viewed socialism positively, while 32% viewed capitalism positively. 53% also viewed the “democratic socialist” label positively. Meanwhile, 68% of Democrats want the party to pursue “big or fundamental changes” on economic policy even if they’re harder to accomplish. 83% said it was more important to show they’re “fighting for people” than to show they have a detailed plan, while 44% said the party is “not as progressive as you want it to be,” compared with 8% who said it is “more progressive than you want it to be.” (CBS News)

The 2026 midterms are in 78 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 813 days.

✨ Well, that’s fantastic: Opening arguments start Tuesday in California over allegations that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children, misled consumers about the risks, and illegally collected data from users under 13. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey are seeking potentially hundreds of billions of dollars in penalties and nationwide changes that could force Meta to remove infinite scroll, autoplay, beauty filters, and engagement-optimized algorithms and delete children’s personal data, along with algorithms and models trained on it. Meta’s attorneys estimated damages could reach $1.4 trillion. (NPR / CNBC)

✏️ Notables.

1. Attorney General Todd Blanche said “absolutely, it’s a possibility” that he’d appeal the 22 cases the Justice Department has lost to the Supreme Court to obtain voter-roll data. The Justice Department has sued 30 states and Washington, D.C., after they refused to turn over voter information including names, birth dates, addresses, driver’s-license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. The administration claimed it wants the data to investigate election “deficiencies” or “anomalies,” including whether noncitizens are registered to vote. Elections, however, are administered by the states. (NBC News)

2. Trump family’s crypto business received conditional approval to establish a bank. The charter would allow World Liberty Trust to issue and manage stablecoin services in-house rather than relying on third parties. Trump and his family owns 38% of the company. (CBS News / CNBC)

3. The BBC asked a federal court to authorize subpoenas for Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner. The broadcaster argued that the three have “personal knowledge” and likely possess records relevant to Trump’s intentions and actions on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump sued the BBC for $10 billion over its editing of his Jan. 6 speech. (The Guardian / Politico / CBS News / CNBC / The Hill)

4. The Justice Department charged a Kentucky woman with two federal felonies for allegedly vandalizing the World War II Memorial. Melissa Farris was accused of filling the fountain with bubbles and spray-painting graffiti that read “Clean hands dirty $” on the memorial. She was charged with depredation against federal property and destruction of a veterans’ memorial. Each offense carries up to 10 years in prison. (Politico / New York Times / CBS News / NBC News)

5. Trump blamed vandals for the dead grass on the National Mall where the stage and seating were during his July 4 celebration. Photos, however, taken after the event show workers removing the structures and exposing brown, damaged turf underneath. (Associated Press / The Hill / Fox News)

6. Trump’s appointed 57 officials worth at least $100 million to his administration. That is more than four times the combined total under George W. Bush, Obama, and Biden. Trump claimed wealthy business leaders have “great competence” and are “some of the smartest business leaders.” 32% of U.S. adults, meanwhile, approved of Trump’s handling of the economy last month, down from 40% at the start of his second term. (Associated Press)

• Three years ago today: Day 940: "We need to worry."
• Four years ago today: Day 575: "Now the real work begins."
• Six years ago today: Day 1306: "Widespread and expanding."
• Eight years ago today: Day 575: A very good person.
• 9 years ago today: Day 210: Ripped apart.

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Today in one sentence: Trump signed an executive order to scale back the federal childhood vaccine schedule; Trump signed executive orders to narrow birthright citizenship and end “birth tourism”; ICE plans to spend up to $20 million in a no-bid contract on thousands of electric shock gloves to use on people they’re trying to detain; Trump authorized U.S. companies to conduct government-directed cyberattacks against foreign hacking groups; Trump secretly after hid inside an airport catering container to secretly get off Air Force One and fly out of Turkey using a smaller military jet last month; the Navy is replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East following complaints about exhaustion, supply problems, and sailors’ mental health; the Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general; the Trump official who oversees the U.S. Forest Service demanded for more resources to fight a seven-acre wildfire near his Idaho ranch; a federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard; the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow construction to continue on Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom despite a federal appeals court ruling that the project likely requires congressional approval; U.S. consumer sentiment fell 8% in August as the economy lost 23,000 jobs in July; Trump reported at least $2.2 billion in income in 2025 while the average American family lost about $1,625 to inflation; the White House gave Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook 21 days to answer to allegations that she made false statements on mortgage documents; Justice Samuel Alito said he plans to remain on the Supreme Court for at least another term, ending speculation that the 76-year-old conservative justice would retire and give Trump the chance to name a fourth Supreme Court justice; and Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board voted to re-add his name to the building’s facade and close the main venue for a two-year renovation.

🍹 While I was away…

1/ Trump signed an executive order to scale back the federal childhood vaccine schedule. The order splits the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three shots, and spread childhood immunizations across separate doctor visits. It recommends routine vaccination against 11 diseases and directs the Justice Department to challenge some state vaccination laws. An earlier attempt to overhaul the schedule has already been blocked in federal court and legal experts say it’s unclear whether Trump even has the authority to impose the changes. Nevertheless, Trump claimed without evidence that the combined MMR vaccine could be “quite lethal” and again suggested vaccines contribute to autism, despite decades of research finding no link. The CDC also says there is “no published scientific evidence” of any benefit to separating the MMR vaccine. No individual measles, mumps, or rubella vaccines are currently approved or available in the U.S. (New York Times / Axios / NBC News / Reuters / Washington Post)

2/ Trump signed executive orders to narrow birthright citizenship and end “birth tourism,” weeks after the Supreme Court ruled that his previous attempts to end automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. were unconstitutional. One order would exclude children born to some foreign-government employees, people designated as “alien enemies” or members of foreign terrorist organizations, or mothers who entered the country solely to give birth. The other order directs the State Department and Homeland Security to issue rules and guidance targeting birth tourism, which federal visa rules already restrict. (New York Times / Politico / Washington Post / NPR / CNN / Axios)

• The Trump administration is reportedly intensifying efforts to deport noncitizens who registered to vote, including green card holders who inadvertently signed-up and never cast a ballot. Homeland Security is reopening old voter fraud cases and using a federal immigration database to hunt for registrants. State audits have repeatedly found noncitizen voting to be extremely rare. (New York Times)

• The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a challenge to Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members. The court said the case was “moot” because the administration had already deported the three named plaintiffs under other immigration laws. The Supreme Court’s injunction blocking removals under the act, however, remains in place while other challenges can now move forward. (ABC News / New York Times / NBC News)

3/ ICE plans to spend up to $20 million in a no-bid contract on thousands of electric shock gloves to use on people they’re trying to detain. The Department of Homeland Security described the CTG-5 G.L.O.V.E. as a “conductive distraction and de-escalation device” that will be issued to immigration enforcement and criminal investigative officers. The manufacturer, however, warns they shouldn’t be used as punishment or for “verbal defiance or belligerence” and advises against using them on children, pregnant women, elderly people, and people with disabilities. White House border czar Tom Homan defended the devices as a less-lethal option to could keep officers from using deadly force. Separately, Homeland Security spent $464 million on a no-bid contract for 10 used planes that were “urgently” needed for deportation flights. The fleet, however, has mostly sat idle for months despite DHS invoking an “unusual and compelling urgency” exemption to skip competitive bidding. (Associated Press / CNN / NPR / Washington Post / Axios / New York Times)

• Homeland Security used undercover agents, administrative subpoenas, and covert surveillance to investigate left-leaning groups and anti-ICE protesters during Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Agents reportedly infiltrated Signal chats and meetings, recorded activists, collected license plates, and obtained years of financial records in an inquiry into “domestic terrorist financing.” Prosecutors later claimed that the 18 groups were part of a conspiracy to impede immigration officers, but none of the organizations have been charged with crimes. (New York Times / The Guardian)

4/ Trump authorized U.S. companies to conduct government-directed cyberattacks against foreign hacking groups. The memorandum reverses decades of U.S. cybersecurity policy that largely confined offensive cyberoperations to the military and intelligence agencies and allows vetted companies to surveil, disrupt, manipulate, or destroy computer systems and digital infrastructure overseas. Companies are required to receive federal approval before an operation, but attacks that could cause death or serious injury or rise to the level of an armed attack under international law are prohibited. (New York Times / Washington Post / Reuters)

5/ Trump secretly after hid inside an airport catering container to secretly get off Air Force One and fly out of Turkey using a smaller military jet last month. The White House had said Trump would leave Ankara aboard the legacy Air Force One, and Trump publicly claimed the switch was “for old time’s sake.” Instead, he boarded the plane in view of cameras, exited through a catering truck, and flew to Britain on a C-32A while reporters, White House staff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained on the decoy aircraft without knowing Trump was gone. Trump later acknowledged the flight, saying the Secret Service and military “wanted me to go on a different flight” because “there was a threat out there,” adding: “I didn’t really ask too much about it.” CIA analysts, however, reportedly had “low confidence” in the Israeli-provided warning and didn’t view it as compelling. (Washington Post / CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / CNN / ABC News / CBS News / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)

• Trump said he’s “low-keying it” with Iran, saying the U.S. is “just watching Iran” as its economy falls apart. Iran is demanding an end to the U.S. blockade, sanctions, a military withdrawal, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and war reparations before it’ll reopen the strait. (Axios / Semafor / The Hill)

• The Senate passed a Russia sanctions bill, which will let Trump impose tariffs of up to 100% on the biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India. The measure also targets Russian leaders and oligarchs, and extends sanctions on Iran’s weapons and energy sectors. The bill heads to the House, where Democrats warn it gives Trump too much authority over tariffs. (NPR / CNBC / New York Times / NBC News)

6/ The Navy is replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East following complaints about exhaustion, supply problems, and sailors’ mental health. Sailors have reported shortages of food and basic supplies, plumbing problems, disrupted mail, exhaustion, declining morale, and mental health issues. The Lincoln left San Diego in November for what was supposed to be a normal deployment to the Pacific before being redirected to the Middle East ahead of the war with Iran. Since then, the Lincoln has been deployed for more than 250 days and gone more than 200 days without a port call. Trump, meanwhile, dismissed concerns about deteriorating living conditions and mental health aboard the Lincoln, saying its extended deployment was “not nearly long enough.” Trump said the Lincoln was leaving the region “right now or very shortly” and would be replaced by the USS George Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called reports about the conditions aboard the Lincoln “completely misrepresented,” while Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged that sailors “have been pushed to their limits,” but no meals were missed and that “a small number of mental health cases were treated with no loss of life.” Senate Armed Services Committee Democrat Richard Blumenthal demanded that the Pentagon account for the Lincoln’s conditions and the decisions behind its extended deployment, warning that repeatedly extending carrier deployments could create “tomorrow’s readiness crisis.” (Wall Street Journal / NBC News / CBS News / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / CNN / NPR / The Guardian / Reuters)

• The U.S. military has lost roughly 25% of its fleet of MQ-9 Reaper drones in the Iran war. The Air Force said an MQ-9 Reaper can cost between $30 million and $50 million, and that replacing the fleet could take years. (Washington Post)

7/ The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general, putting Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer in control of the Justice Department. Blanches’ nomination faced weeks of bipartisan concern over his independence from Trump, including his role in the IRS settlement that created a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and immunity from tax audits for Trump, his two sons, and their businesses. Blanche, however, secured enough Republican support only after agreeing in writing to kill the fund and narrow the tax protections. (New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post / Axios / Reuters / CBS News)

• Trump named White House staff secretary Will Scharf as his next White House counsel. Scharf, a former federal prosecutor and member of Trump’s personal legal team, will take over weeks before the midterm elections and is expected to handle fights over subpoenas, investigations, testimony, and executive privilege if Democrats win control of Congress. Scharf also chairs the National Capital Planning Commission, which approved Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project. (CBS News / Axios / New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post)

• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave the Trump administration at the end of August, less than three months before the midterm elections. Leavitt will become one of Trump’s “top outside advisors.” Leavitt returned from maternity leave in July after giving birth to her second child and said she couldn’t “be the best mom my two young children deserve” while meeting the demands of the job. (New York Times / NBC News / CNN)

• White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker will leave the Trump administration in the coming weeks. Baker previously served as JD Vance’s national security adviser, and was personally involved in negotiations with Iran. Mike Needham will remain a deputy national security adviser at the White House, while Cliff Sims will continue as Vance’s national security adviser. (Axios / Reuters / Bloomberg)

8/ The Trump official who oversees the U.S. Forest Service demanded for more resources to fight a seven-acre wildfire near his Idaho ranch. Michael Boren, the undersecretary of agriculture for natural resources and environment, is a tech billionaire and Trump appointee who oversees about 200 million acres of national forest and public land. The response was reportedly greater than what’s typical for a fire that posed no significant threat to life or property. (Washington Post)

9/ A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard, which accused Harvard of failing to protect Jewish and Israeli students from antisemitism. Judge Richard Stearns, however, said the incidents cited were “too isolated and episodic” to establish that Harvard was out of compliance with Title VI. (Reuters / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CBS News / NBC News / CNN)

10/ The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow construction to continue on Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom despite a federal appeals court ruling that the project likely requires congressional approval. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the project is already “65% complete” and warned that stopping above-ground work would threaten “national security.” The court ruled earlier that “each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House.” Trump has claimed that the ballroom and its security facilities are “vital for National Security and Military Operations.” The court, however, already rejected that argument, saying national security claims “are not an automatic get-out-of-law-free card” and that whether “a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help.” (NBC News / New York Times / CBS News / CNBC / Washington Post / CNN / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / New York Times / Reuters / Washington Post)

• The Trump administration plans to spend at least $927 million on White House construction. The money would pay for Trump’s “modernization projects,” including the East Wing ballroom, a visitor screening center, a helipad, and upgrades to Lafayette Square. (Washington Post)

11/ U.S. consumer sentiment fell 8% in August as the economy lost 23,000 jobs in July. May and June payrolls were revised down by a combined 103,000, as unemployment fell to 4.1%, but for the “wrong reason”: more than 260,000 people left the workforce. Consumers, meanwhile, expect prices to rise 4.3% over the next year, and 8% expect their income growth to exceed inflation. In July, inflation outpaced wage growth. (Axios / Bloomberg / Associated Press / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / CNN / NPR / NBC News / New York Times / CNN / Washington Post)

12/ Trump reported at least $2.2 billion in income in 2025 while the average American family lost about $1,625 to inflation. The Joint Economic Committee minority staff attributed about $636 million of Trump’s income to his memecoin and blamed tariffs and other Republican policies for $219 billion in added household costs. Through June 2026, the committee estimates that the average family has paid more than $3,500 in additional inflation-related costs since Trump returned to office. (MeidasTouch)

• The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation sued Trump for selling early access to official government announcements on Truth Social. The lawsuit alleges that the Truth API service violates the First and Fifth Amendments by giving paying subscribers, for as much as $100,000 a month (!), preferential access to Trump’s presidential statements that can move financial markets while Trump is also positioned to profit from market-moving information. (Politico / NPR / CNN / Reuters / CNBC / New York Times)

13/ The White House gave Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook 21 days to answer to allegations that she made false statements on mortgage documents, reviving Trump’s effort to fire Cook after the Supreme Court blocked his first attempt in June. The court ruled that Cook must receive notice and a chance to respond before she can be removed “for cause.” (New York Times / Politico / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / Axios / CNBC / NPR)

14/ Justice Samuel Alito said he plans to remain on the Supreme Court for at least another term, ending speculation that the 76-year-old conservative justice would retire and give Trump the chance to name a fourth Supreme Court justice. “Obviously I’m here for another term,” Alito said, adding that calls for him to step down are “a reminder of mortality” and “like, what are those vultures doing up there?” The court’s next term begins in October and runs through late June or early July 2027. (Wall Street Journal / CNN / Reuters / USA Today / ABC News)

15/ Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board voted to re-add his name to the building’s facade and close the main venue for a two-year renovation. The board approved an inscription reading “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” to be added below the Kennedy Center’s sign and renamed the grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.” A federal judge previously ruled that the center “cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so,” ordering Trump’s name removed from the facade. (NPR / Reuters / Axios / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / CNN / New York Times)

• Three years ago today: Day 937: "Special treatment."
• Six years ago today: Day 1303: "Do you regret at all the lying?"
• Seven years ago today: Day 937: Clueless.
• Eight years ago today: Day 572: Lowlife.
• 9 years ago today: Day 207: On many sides.

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Today in one sentence: Trump denied that munitions shortages are threatening to limit his military options in Iran, but acknowledged that some weapons are in “tighter” supply; the Senate Homeland Security Committee voted to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times and refused to answer questions about the origins of Covid-19; the Trump administration proposed eliminating most federal Head Start regulations; Trump has repeatedly called Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh since he took office in May; Mitch McConnell was discharged from a rehab center and has returned home; the FCC eliminated the 39% cap on how many television households a single broadcaster can reach; and a federal judge temporarily blocked the BBC from obtaining Trump’s financial records in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the network.

1/ Trump denied that munitions shortages are threatening to limit his military options in Iran, but acknowledged that some weapons are in “tighter” supply. “The U.S. has massive amounts of ‘munitions,’ especially of certain types,” Trump claimed, while threatening “long term jail sentences” for officials who leak information about the depleted stockpiles. U.S. Patriot interceptor stocks fell from an estimated 2,330 before the war to roughly 759–827, while THAAD inventories have dropped from about 452 to 234–278, with ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles also in limited supply. Trump also denied reports that he confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Camp David over the shortages, calling the story “completely FALSE” and saying he is “extremely happy” with Hegseth. The Pentagon, meanwhile, is asking Congress for $67 billion in emergency war funding to refill weapons stocks, which could take years to rebuild. (Washington Post / Bloomberg / Axios / CBS News / CNN / The Hill / The Guardian)

2/ The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times and refused to answer questions about the origins of Covid-19. Rand Paul argued that Fauci’s Biden-era pardon eliminated his risk of federal prosecution. The committee bypassed a full Senate vote and instead sent the referral directly to the Justice Department, which said it was reviewing the resolution. Fauci’s lawyer called the vote “a crude political stunt.” Meanwhile, Ron Johnson’s Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations obtained a copy of the government-issued iPhone Fauci used during the pandemic, adding to millions of pages of Fauci-related records already turned over to congressional investigators. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Washington Post / Reuters / Axios / CBS News / NBC News)

3/ The Trump administration proposed eliminating most federal Head Start regulations and letting states set standards for class sizes, child-to-staff ratios, background checks, and transportation. HHS said the changes could save about $2.2 billion and allow Head Start to serve hundreds of thousands more children. Head Start currently serves about 700,000 children and families. (Associated Press / Politico / NPR / Washington Post / New York Times)

4/ Trump has repeatedly called Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh since he took office in May. Trump has asked Warsh about his views on the economy, including the effects of the war in Iran and artificial intelligence. It’s unclear if they’ve discussed interest rates. Warsh, however, told lawmakers last month that Trump hadn’t tried to interfere with the Fed, but declined to say whether the two had spoken. (Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)

✨ Well, that’s fantastic: Mitch McConnell was discharged from a rehab center and has returned home. He didn’t say when he plans to return to the Senate. McConnell hasn’t been seen in public since he was hospitalized after a June 14 fall that left him “briefly unconscious,” and said he will continue an “intensive regimen of physical therapy” while working from home. McConnell, who is retiring when his term ends in January, has missed 51 Senate floor votes since his hospitalization and is expected to miss the vote to confirm Todd Blanche for attorney general. (NBC News / Axios)

5/ The FCC eliminated the 39% cap on how many television households a single broadcaster can reach. FCC Chair Brendan Carr called the 22-year-old restriction “outdated,” while Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez said the move was “unlawful on its face” because Congress set the cap in federal law. (Washington Post / CNN / NBC News)

6/ A federal judge temporarily blocked the BBC from obtaining Trump’s financial records in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the network. Trump sued over a 2024 documentary that spliced together portions of his Jan. 6 speech in a way that appeared to show him directly urging supporters to attack the Capitol. While the BBC apologized for the edit, it maintains that it was unintentional and didn’t meet the legal standard for defamation. U.S. District Judge Roy Altman paused the discovery order while he considers Trump’s request to drop claims that the documentary damaged his businesses, and instead focus on personal reputational harm. The BBC, however, argued that those records remain relevant, because Trump’s reputation is closely tied to his business success. Trump’s proposed amended lawsuit still seeks $10 billion in damages. (Politico / The Guardian / CNBC / The Hill)

The 2026 midterms are in 89 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 824 days.

• Today last year: Day 1660: "They don’t care."
• Two years ago today: Day 1295: "It’s personal."
• Five years ago today: Day 199: Extended.
• Six years ago today: Day 1295: "It wouldn't hurt."
• Seven years ago today: Day 929: "The least racist person."
• Eight years ago today: Day 564: A complete fabrication.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Progressive candidates won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary and two closely watched House primaries, while establishment-backed Democrats won key races in Missouri and Virginia; the Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz as CDC director; the House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into allegations that Rep. Max Miller abused his ex-wife and toddler daughter, and used illegal drugs; Trump still hasn’t “made a determination” on whether to fire U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro; Iran and Oman are finalizing a temporary deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; the White House declassified memos showing that the FBI investigated whether Trump fired James Comey in 2017 while acting as a Russian asset; and a federal judge “reluctantly” granted the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the final Jan. 6 indictments, including the seditious conspiracy conviction against Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and seven others.

1/ 🟦🟥 Primaries: Progressive candidates won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary and two closely watched House primaries, while establishment-backed Democrats won key races in Missouri and Virginia. Progressive Abdul El-Sayed defeated Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens and will face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. Progressive William Lawrence won the Democratic nomination in Michigan’s 7th District, democratic socialist Donavan McKinney beat Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar in the Detroit-based 13th. In Missouri, incumbent Democratic Rep. Wesley Bell defeated former Democratic Rep. and democratic socialist Cori Bush, while in Virginia, former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria and prosecutor Shannon Taylor won the Democratic nominations. Trump-backed Republicans John James and Ty Masterson won gubernatorial nominations in Michigan and Kansas. Voters in Kansas and Missouri rejected Republican-backed ballot measures affecting judicial elections and citizen-led constitutional amendments. And in Michigan’s 8th District, Thomas Smith, who had suspended his campaign and endorsed another candidate, defeated Trump-backed Amir Hassan for the Republican nomination. (Associated Press / NPR / New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Bloomberg / Reuters / Politico / Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News)

2/ The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz as CDC director – the agency’s first permanent leader in nearly a year. During her confirmation hearing, Schwartz pledged to “never compromise on the science,” but declined to say whether she’d oppose Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or alert Congress if ordered to adopt “unscientific” or harmful policies. Instead, she said she didn’t believe Kennedy or Trump would issue such directives. Republican health committee chair Bill Cassidy, meanwhile, said her testimony was “not quite the direct answer” he wanted, but backed her after private assurances that she “will stand against those who do not” follow the science. Cassidy voted to confirm Kennedy after also receiving private assurances from Kennedy, who later broke those promises when he fired all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel. Schwartz inherits an agency that has lost more than a quarter of its workforce and is dealing with a major measles resurgence and the country’s largest documented cyclosporiasis outbreak. (Associated Press / Axios / The Hill / CBS News / Washington Post)

3/ The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into allegations that Rep. Max Miller abused his ex-wife and toddler daughter, and used illegal drugs. After Miller asked the committee to investigate him, Speaker Mike Johnson said the claims “don’t look good” and are “serious.” He refused to call on Miller to quit, saying “we have to allow this process to play out.” (Washington Post / The Hill / Politico)

4/ Trump still hasn’t “made a determination” on whether to fire U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after she dropped a felony “vandalism” case over damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Pirro’s filing said the liner failed because of “flawed installation by the contractor,” citing damage throughout the pool and internal warnings predating the defendant’s arrest. Trump, nevertheless, called Pirro “totally wrong,” said she “choked” and “folded like an umbrella,” and insisted the liner had been cut with “a knife or a box cutter.” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, meanwhile, said Pirro was “doing a great job,” while acknowledging that Trump can fire her “or anybody else” whenever he chooses. (Politico / New York Times / ABC News)

5/ Iran and Oman are finalizing a temporary deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, sending inbound ships near Iran and outbound traffic through Omani waters. Iran said the waterway won’t fully reopen until the U.S. lifts its blockade on Iranian ports. Trump, meanwhile, continued to claim that a deal could be announced within 48 hours. (Bloomberg / Associated Press / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)

6/ The White House declassified memos showing that the FBI investigated whether Trump fired James Comey in 2017 while acting as a Russian asset. The “sensitive investigative matter” looked at whether Trump was “wittingly or unwittingly” acting for or on behalf of Russia, and whether he posed a national security threat. The case was later folded into Robert Mueller’s investigation, which was closed in April 2019 without charges against Trump. Mueller found no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but never cleared Trump of obstructing justice. (Axios / CBS News)

7/ A federal judge “reluctantly” granted the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the final Jan. 6 indictments, including the seditious conspiracy conviction against Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and seven others. “Today’s epilogue diminishes the gravity of that day, denigrates the work of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers who secured these convictions, and excuses criminal acts that caused a centuries-long pillar of our democracy — the peaceful transfer of presidential power — to buckle,” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta wrote. “The court cannot write a different ending.” The Justice Department, meanwhile, claimed that dismissing the charges were in the “interest of justice” and would protect the defendants from future “harassment.”Mehta called the argument “strange,” and said the government was bestowing “unearned grace” by “wiping their records clean” and surrendering convictions for “crimes against the United States itself.” (ABC News / NPR / New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Politico)

The 2026 midterms are in 90 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 825 days.

• Today last year: Day 1659: "Everything is on the table."
• Two years ago today: Day 1294: "Be careful."
• Six years ago today: Day 1294: "He still doesn't get it."
• Seven years ago today: Day 928: "Enabling white supremacy."

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: The U.S. military has reportedly used “virtually all” of its surface-to-surface weapons during Trump’s five-month war with Iran; Trump didn’t fire U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after she brought a box of evidence to the White House showing that the Reflecting Pool’s damage was due to a “botched installation” and not vandalism; the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general; twenty-five states sued to block Trump’s latest tariffs and to recover duties already paid; Trump warned Rep. Max Miller that “things aren’t looking good” and told him his reelection campaign would be “really hard” following allegations by his ex-wife that he poured hot water on her, held a gun to her head, and broke their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone; voters in Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Virginia, and Washington will choose candidates tonight in primaries that could shape control of Congress and several state governments; ICE reportedly arrested 51,000 people in July; and Trump personally ordered contractors to redo weeks of work on the White House’s $5 million-plus helipad because he disliked how it looked and questioned the slope of the South Lawn.

1/ The U.S. military has reportedly used “virtually all” of its surface-to-surface weapons during Trump’s five-month war with Iran. A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that the U.S. has used about 65% of its Patriot interceptors and reduced its THAAD stockpile by at least 38% since February. The military has also used a little less than half of its Tomahawk missiles. Trump, meanwhile, denied the military was short on weapons, saying the U.S. has “far more munitions than anyone in the world” and “far more than we need.” (Reuters / CNN)

2/ Trump didn’t fire U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after she brought a box of evidence to the White House showing that the Reflecting Pool’s damage was due to a “botched installation” and not vandalism. Pirro’s office said that Interior Department records showed a “rushed and flawed installation process,” and “had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment.” Trump nevertheless insisted “there was vandalism,” and accused Pirro of choking and “folding like an umbrella,” but conceded that he wasn’t “100 percent thrilled with the contractor.” (CNN / CBS News / New York Times)

3/ The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general. The 12-10 party-line vote sends the nomination to the full Senate, where Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Bill Cassidy aren’t committed to supporting him. Although Blanch agreed in writing to kill a $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded “anti-weaponization” fund and limit tax protections for Trump, his family, and their businesses, they don’t amend the original settlement between Trump and his own administration, which requires Trump to personally agree to the change. (CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)

4/ Twenty-five states sued to block Trump’s latest tariffs and to recover duties already paid. The states argued that the White House used forced-labor concerns as a pretext to replace tariffs the Supreme Court already struck down with nearly uniform 10% to 12.5% levies on economies that account for more than 99% of U.S. imports. The White House, meanwhile, called Section 301 a “legally durable tool” for addressing trade practices that burden U.S. commerce. (CNBC / The Guardian / The Hill / Bloomberg / Reuters / CBS News / Associated Press)

5/ Trump warned Rep. Max Miller that “things aren’t looking good” and told him his reelection campaign would be “really hard” following allegations by his ex-wife that he poured hot water on her, held a gun to her head, and broke their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone. Miller, who represents Ohio’s 7th Congressional District and is seeking another term in the House, denied the allegations.and instead said he’s staying in the race. He cited polling figures he claims show him “winning by 9.” Several Republicans have called for Miller to resign, while Trump called him “a good person.” The House Ethics Committee, meanwhile, opened an investigation into the domestic violence allegations. (Axios / Politico / Wall Street Journal / CBS News / The Hill / CNN / Politico / Washington Post)

• ⏩︎ NOTABLY NEXT: Voters in Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Virginia, and Washington will choose candidates tonight in primaries that could shape control of Congress and several state governments. The biggest contests include Michigan’s open Senate race, a rematch between Wesley Bell and Cori Bush in Missouri, and key races for governor and the House.

6/ ICE reportedly arrested 51,000 people in July. It was the highest monthly total in Department of Homeland Security history. In June, DHS said there have been 356,389 total deportations so far this fiscal year. (ABC News)

7/ Trump personally ordered contractors to redo weeks of work on the White House’s $5 million-plus helipad because he disliked how it looked and questioned the slope of the South Lawn. Crews removed a partially installed, 100-foot-wide granite presidential seal and are considering whether to reshape the lawn so the pad sits level with the horizon. The White House claimed the grounds had “desperately needed a proper Helipad” to protect the “beautiful South Lawn grass” from the “fierce exhaust fumes of the incredible Marine One.” Lockheed Martin is paying for the project. (Washington Post)

The 2026 midterms are in 91 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 826 days.

• Today last year: Day 1658: "More transparent and more reliable."
• Four years ago today: Day 562: "Breonna Taylor should be alive today."
• Five years ago today: Day 197: "Unwelcome and nonconsensual touching."
• Six years ago today: Day 1293: "It is what it is."
• 9 years ago today: Day 197: That "totally made-up Russia story."

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Today in one sentence: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche formally rescinded the Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund”; Capital One closed more than 300 bank accounts linked to Trump and his businesses in 2021 after “months of analysis and a careful review” by its anti-money laundering team; Trump accused ExxonMobil and Chevron of “making too much money” off the oil shortage caused by the war in Iran that he started; Trump said he wants to give Iran “every last chance before decapitation” even though there are no “new” negotiations planned; Trump baselessly blamed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for cyberattacks on more than 30 of the state’s water systems; and Trump is reportedly considering firing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dismissing the Reflecting Pool vandalism case after concluding that a “hasty and botched” renovation, not vandalism, caused the damage.

1/ Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche formally rescinded the Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” In a one-page order, Blanche wrote that the fund “is rescinded and shall have no force or effect.” A separate Justice Department document narrowed Trump’s tax-audit protections to past returns involving Trump, two of his sons, and the Trump Organization, while leaving future tax filings subject to audit. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, who had threatened to block Blanche’s nomination over Trump’s settlement with his own IRS, said they were “pleased” the department had issued a written order “legally ending” the fund and that they “look forward to voting to advance his nomination.” The underlying settlement, however, requires written agreement from all parties, and Blanche’s order wasn’t signed by Trump or his lawyers. (CBS News / Politico / Washington Post / Associated Press / Reuters / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CNN / NBC News / Axios / NPR)

• FRIDAY: Trump said the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” is “dead,” but added that “I wish it weren’t.” Trump said the administration has “agreed not to have a fund” that compensates his political allies, who were “horribly treated, horribly abused” and “should be given compensation for what has been done to them.” (Associated Press / ABC News / Axios / Politico)

• SATURDAY: Trump threatened to revive the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” if Senate Republicans blocked Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general. He said he’d keep Blanche as acting attorney general and “push hard” to pass the fund, reversing his declaration a day earlier that it was “dead.” (Bloomberg / Politico / Associated Press / New York Times)

• EARLIER: Trump appealed a federal judge’s ruling that his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS was brought to “manipulate the judicial process.” The appeal seeks to overturn Judge Kathleen Williams’s finding that the settlement to create a nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” and grant himself tax immunity had “no viable basis in law or fact.” (New York Times / Politico / NBC News / USA Today / CNBC)

2/ Capital One closed more than 300 bank accounts linked to Trump and his businesses in 2021 after “months of analysis and a careful review” by its anti-money laundering team. The bank said “transaction patterns” triggered the review, but didn’t accuse the Trump Organization of money laundering. Trump’s trust, several of his companies, and Eric Trump sued Capital One, alleging the bank unlawfully shut down roughly 385 accounts for political reasons after the Jan. 6 attack and caused “considerable financial harm.” Capital One is seeking to have that case thrown out, saying it “never publicized the termination decision,” gave the account holders months and multiple extensions to find new banks, and that the closures became public only because Trump sued. (ABC News / CNN / Associated Press)

3/ Trump accused ExxonMobil and Chevron of “making too much money” off the oil shortage caused by the war in Iran that he started, and demanded that they “give some of that back to the public” and “they better cut the retail price, the consumer price.” Exxon earned $14.5 billion and Chevron $12.1 billion in the second quarter as average gasoline prices climbed to about $4.10 a gallon, up from $2.98 before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February. Trump also attacked Chevron CEO Mike Wirth for failing to credit the administration, claiming that “without the genius, foresight, strength, and stability, of the TRUMP Administration, the Oil Industry, and our Country itself, would be DEAD!” (Politico / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)

4/ Trump said he wants to give Iran “every last chance before decapitation” even though there are no “new” negotiations planned. Tehran also denied that any new talks with the U.S. were taking place and that its only negotiations were with Oman over a temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz. Nevertheless, Trump insisted that negotiations were underway while calling Iran’s leadership “unbelievably duplicitous,” and claiming “They ask for a meeting, some would say ‘beg,’ talks begin.” Trump added that a deal would first “completely open” Hormuz and then the denuclearization of Iran.” (Associated Press / ABC News / CNN / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / CBS News)

• The U.S. military asked military analysts for “new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran.” The request comes as Trump has considered renewed attacks on Pickaxe Mountain and other suspected nuclear sites. Officials, however, said that the deeply buried facilities are unlikely to be destroyed without ground troops. (CNN)

5/ Trump baselessly blamed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for cyberattacks on more than 30 of the state’s water systems. “I think the governor is behind it,” Trump claimed without evidence despite U.S. intelligence agencies saying the cyberattack was probably from Iranian hackers. Walz said Trump “knows exactly who is responsible for this attack and knows that other states were hit too. This is what modern warfare looks like, and it further illustrates there’s no plan to win a war with Iran.” (New York Times / Reuters / Politico / ABC News / Bloomberg / Washington Post / CNN / Associated Press)

The 2026 midterms are in 92 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 827 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. The Senate reached a bipartisan deal to fund the government through Dec. 11 and avoid a shutdown before the midterm elections. The bill would maintain current spending, protect funding for nutrition, housing, disaster relief, and veterans’ health care, block the administration from shifting money to Border Patrol, and temporarily stop a rule giving political appointees broad authority over federal grants. (NBC News / Washington Post / CBS News / ABC News)

2. Trump is reportedly considering firing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dismissing the Reflecting Pool vandalism case. Pirro’s office concluded that a “hasty and botched” renovation, not vandalism, caused the damage, and said newly disclosed Interior Department records “significantly undermine” the evidence used to indict former Olympian David Hearn. A visual inspection reportedly found peeling “even in the middle of the pool, where a vandal wouldn’t likely attempt” to reach, making it “difficult to attribute” the damage to vandals. Trump nevertheless insisted “it was vandalism,” saying Pirro “choked,” “made a mistake,” and “folded like an umbrella,” even as he acknowledged that “the contractor was rushing” and that he wasn’t “100% thrilled” with the work. (Wall Street Journal / CNN / CNBC / Politico)

3. Trump announced a phased deal for Hamas to disarm as Israel withdraws from Gaza. Israel, however, hasn’t approved the deal and Hamas has disputed that it agreed to surrender its weapons. The roadmap calls for verified weapons transfers, tunnel destruction, and heavy-arms decommissioning over as many as 350 days. (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / NPR)

4. The State Department displayed a map of Africa that mislabeled every country during a presentation at the AIDS 2026 conference. The State Department called it “an unfortunate error,” blamed a team member who “hastily altered” the slide deck, and said it took “full responsibility for the confusion and misrepresentation” caused. The image contained a watermark associated with OpenAI. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / Bloomberg / Semafor / NBC News)

• Three years ago today: Day 926: "A very sad day for America."
• Four years ago today: Day 561: "America can breathe a sigh of relief."
• Six years ago today: Day 1292: "Extraordinarily widespread."
• Eight years ago today: Day 561: Pervasive.
• 9 years ago today: Day 196: Grand jury.

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Last week in one sentence: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it impose new mail-in voting restrictions in 23 states and the District of Columbia; Trump demanded that the Senate cancel its August recess until Republicans pass the SAVE America Act or eliminate the filibuster; Trump threatened to “beat the fucking shit out of” Iran; the Trump administration plans to end a $3.6 billion Medicare drug subsidy program after 2026; Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear demanded that Mitch McConnell “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of [his] capacity to serve, or resign”; Trump asked the Supreme Court to overturn the $83.3 million defamation judgment against him for defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll; and Trump threatened to temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general rather than accept limits on an IRS settlement that protects Trump, his family, and their businesses from tax audits.

Catch up on last week.

• Monday — Day 2015: “Is this supposed to be fun?”
• Tuesday — Day 2016: “Just a little bit of proof.”
• Wednesday — Day 2017: “There will be repercussions.”
• Thursday — Day 2018: “Considerations.”

📊 By the numbers.

• The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.5% to 3.75%; the economy slowed to a 1.5% annualized growth rate in the second quarter; and the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure eased to 3.7% in June, but remains nearly twice the Fed’s 2% target.

• 64% of Americans say the war with Iran hasn’t been worth fighting. 60% of voters oppose U.S. military action against Iran, while 34% support it.

• 32% of Americans said Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act hurt their finances, while 8% said it helped them a lot. 49%, however, said they couldn’t explain what the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” does.

• 67% of Americans say they’re concerned that political leaders will pressure election officials into changing election outcomes, and 80% are concerned political leaders will take actions they know could be illegal.

Most clicked last week.

1. Trump administration to end Medicare premium subsidy program. Nearly 25 million people were enrolled in standalone ​Medicare Part D drug plans in 2026. (Reuters)
2. Trump administration urges Supreme Court to allow order targeting mail-in voting before midterms. Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia sued, saying the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set election rules, not the president. (Associated Press)
3. Trump says US will ‘beat the f—— s— out of them’ after Iran launches surprise missile strike. Trump told Fox News “we’re going to beat the f—ing s— out of them” after Iran’s fired ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in Jordan in a surprise attack. (Fox News)
4. Speak or resign: Beshear ups demand for McConnell health status. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear demanded that Sen. Mitch McConnell verbally address constituents and demonstrate his ability to serve or resign his seat. (Axios)
5. Trump says he may pull Todd Blanche’s nomination until Cornyn and Tillis leave office. Trump said Todd Blanche will remain acting attorney general as a holdup on his nomination continues. (CBS News)

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Today in one sentence: Trump threatened to temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general rather than accept limits on an IRS settlement that protects Trump, his family, and their businesses from tax audits; Iran vowed to “punish the aggressor” after the U.S. launched a “heavy wave of strikes” against dozens of Iranian targets; ICE expanded immigration arrests at airports beyond travelers with deportation orders to people who entered the country legally, but overstayed their visas; the U.S. economy slowed to a 1.5% annualized growth rate in the second quarter; and the Energy Department admitted that it selected more than 600 clean-energy grants for cancellation “solely” because the projects were in states Kamala Harris won in 2024.

1/ Trump threatened to temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general rather than accept limits on an IRS settlement that protects Trump, his family, and their businesses from tax audits. The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed its vote after Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis demanded written guarantees that the nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” can’t be revived and that the protections only cover past returns and the parties named in Trump’s lawsuit. Trump, meanwhile, said he had “no objection” to pulling Blanche’s nomination and trying again after the senators leave office in January. Cornyn warned that Trump was “mistaken” if he believed the objections ended with them, while Tillis said the administration’s position was “not popular” and “killing some of our candidates.” (ABC News / New York Times / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Washington Post / Axios / CNN / Politico / NBC News / Reuters / CBS News / Wall Street Journal / The Hill)

2/ Iran vowed to “punish the aggressor” after the U.S. launched a “heavy wave of strikes” against dozens of Iranian targets. The strikes came in response to ballistic missiles Iran fired at American forces in Jordan. Central Command said the operation hit command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal defenses, and maritime capabilities tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The war also widened to Egypt for the first time, where an unidentified drone set fire to two gas vessels at the Mediterranean port of Damietta, including a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, formed a 14-country maritime coalition intended to protect Red Sea shipping as attacks increasingly threaten the remaining energy and trade routes. (New York Times / NBC News / Bloomberg / CNN / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / Reuters / Washington Post / Axios / CBS News)

3/ ICE expanded immigration arrests at airports beyond travelers with deportation orders to people who entered the country legally, but overstayed their visas. Six immigration lawyers said some of those detained have pending asylum applications, work permits, or protections limiting removal to their home countries. The arrests appear to coincide with increased information sharing between ICE and the TSA. The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, said immigrants in the country illegally “can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport.” (Washington Post)

4/ The U.S. economy slowed to a 1.5% annualized growth rate in the second quarter, down from 2.1%. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure, meanwhile, eased to 3.7% in June from 4.1% in May, but remains nearly twice the Fed’s 2% target. Core inflation was 3.3%, the personal savings rate fell to 2.7%, and renewed fighting with Iran pushed gasoline prices above $4 a gallon. Employers added 57,000 jobs in June, less than half May’s gain. Weekly unemployment claims rose to 197,000. (Associated Press / New York Times / ABC News / Reuters / Washington Post / NBC News / NPR / Axios / Associated Press / Reuters)

5/ The Energy Department admitted that it selected more than 600 clean-energy grants for cancellation “solely” because the projects were in states Kamala Harris won in 2024. The Office of Management and Budget later terminated 284 of the grants in October 2025. The admission came from a class-action lawsuit brought by University of California researchers seeking to overturn the cancellations and restore funding. The Energy Department later denied that “any of the termination decisions were based on political considerations,” directly contradicting the department’s own federal court filing. (CNN)

The 2026 midterms are in 96 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 831 days.

📊 By the numbers.

60% of voters oppose U.S. military action against Iran, while 34% support it. 74% oppose sending U.S. ground troops, 66% say the war hasn’t been worth fighting, and 54% say the U.S. is not winning. (Quinnipiac)

64% of Americans say the war with Iran hasn’t been worth fighting. 28%, meanwhile, approve of Trump’s handling of Iran, down from 34% last month, while his overall approval stands at 33%. (Associated Press)

63% of Americans say Republicans are spending too little time on the cost of living, compared with 52% who say the same of Democrats. A majority of voters say Congress would be better off if most current members were unseated. Democrats lead Republicans by 8 points among registered voters. (CNN)

67% of Americans say they’re concerned that political leaders will pressure election officials into changing election outcomes, and 80% are concerned political leaders will take actions they know could be illegal. 57% are concerned ballots won’t be properly handled, counted, or secured, and 52% worry about voter intimidation near polling places. (Gallup)

39% of Americans say they’d consider voting for a democratic socialist for president, while 55% wouldn’t. 75% of Democrats would consider supporting one. 30% say democratic socialism is similar to communism, 32% say it is different, and 36% are unsure. (Washington Post)

72% of MAGA Trump voters say they’d continue supporting a Republican candidate accused of domestic violence, 66% say they’d support with a GOP candidate accused of sexual assault. (Politico)

• Today last year: Day 1653: "Keep the door open."
• Two years ago today: Day 1288: "Weird."
• Five years ago today: Day 192: "Leave the rest to me."
• Six years ago today: Day 1288: "A catastrophic disaster."
• Seven years ago today: Day 922: An emblem of hate.
• Eight years ago today: Day 557: "Trump Derangement Syndrome."

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Today in one sentence: Trump threatened to “beat the fucking shit out of” Iran after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard launched five ballistic missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan; the Senate Homeland Security Committee will vote on whether to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions about the Trump administration’s COVID-19 response; Trump asked the Supreme Court to overturn the $83.3 million defamation judgment against him for defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll, citing the court’s 2024 decision granting presidents sweeping immunity for actions taken in office; the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.5% to 3.75%; Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general is in doubt after Sen. John Cornyn said he’s “not prepared to vote yes” unless the Justice Department rewrites Trump’s settlement with the IRS; James Comey asked a federal judge to dismiss the Justice Department’s seashells case as a vindictive and selective prosecution driven by Trump; 33% of Americans approve of the Supreme Court’s performance; and 73% of Americans say Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems.

1/ Trump threatened to “beat the fucking shit out of” Iran after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard launched five ballistic missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan. Tehran’s “surprise attack” was intercepted without any reported casualties or damage, and Trump promised that the U.S. was “going to be hitting them very hard, because it’s our turn to hit them,” adding that “They know it’s coming. They’re asking us not to do it.” Trump’s comments followed a separate U.S.-Saudi operation on sites used by Iran-backed militias in Iraq in response to more than 30 drone attacks on American forces and Saudi energy infrastructure. (Fox News / CNN / CBS News / NBC News / Washington Post / New York Times / Bloomberg / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / Axios / Semafor)

• Iran is expected to receive up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air defense missile systems within weeks. The QW-12 ​and FN-16 surface-to-air missile systems are designed to engage low-flying aircraft, helicopters and drones. (Reuters)

• U.S. stockpiles of Patriot and THAAD missile interceptors are severely depleted. Analysts estimate fewer than 827 Patriot interceptors and 278 THAAD missiles remain. (CNN)

2/ The Senate Homeland Security Committee will vote on whether to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions about the Trump administration’s COVID-19 response. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during the nearly three-hour hearing, declining to discuss COVID-19’s origins, government-funded research in China, school closures, or his pandemic-era diaries. Fauci said Rand Paul’s “unhinged obsession” with putting him “behind bars” meant “the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something — anything” that could expose him to a perjury allegation. Paul argued that Fauci’s privilege was “unsupported because of his blanket pardon,” warned that “there will be repercussions to your refusal to testify today,” and ordered Capitol Police to remove Fauci’s attorney, David Schertler, after he tried to argue that Fauci had “a valid Fifth Amendment privilege.” (CNN / Axios / NBC News / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / NPR / ABC News / CBS News / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Washington Post / Politico)

3/ Trump asked the Supreme Court to overturn the $83.3 million defamation judgment against him for defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll, citing the court’s 2024 decision granting presidents sweeping immunity for actions taken in office. Trump claimed his 2019 denials of Carroll’s sexual assault allegation were “official” communications, because he issued them from the White House. Separately, the Justice Department argued that the federal government should replace Trump as the defendant under the Westfall Act, which would effectively end the case because the U.S. can’t be sued for defamation. The request comes a month after the Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal of a separate $5 million verdict finding him liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. (Axios / New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / CNBC / NBC News / ABC News)

4/ The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.5% to 3.75%. Three officials voted for a quarter-point increase as the Iran war, Trump’s tariffs, and AI-driven demand have added to inflation pressures. Inflation has remained above the Fed’s 2% target for more than five years. Trump, meanwhile, praised Chair Kevin Warsh as “fantastic,” but claimed the Fed board was “political” with “bad intentions” that prevented his handpicked chair from lowering rates. Warsh, nevertheless, described the meeting as a “good family fight,” insisted there is “no soft inflation target,” adding that higher rates “could well be part of” the solution if inflation remains elevated. (ABC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CNBC / Politico / Associated Press)

5/ Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general is in doubt after Sen. John Cornyn said he’s “not prepared to vote yes” unless the Justice Department rewrites Trump’s settlement with the IRS. Cornyn demanded binding language that formally rescinds the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” as well as narrowerer provisions that shield Trump, his family, and businesses from tax audits. The Justice Department claimed it sent Cornyn a written proposal, but Cornyn said he’s not seen “a single piece of writing” responsive to his demands and warned, “Maybe they think they can roll me.” When asked whether they could, he replied: “No.” (CNN / CNBC / Associated Press / New York Times / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Politico)

• The Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence despite his refusal to say Biden won the 2020 election. Clayton replaces Bill Pulte, who claimed to have cut intelligence staff by 30%. Clayton inherits an agency that will have to work with Congress to revive Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expired in June. (Wall Street Journal / USA Today / NBC News / New York Times)

6/ James Comey asked a federal judge to dismiss the Justice Department’s seashells case as a vindictive and selective prosecution driven by Trump, arguing that the charges “effectuates a yearslong campaign by the President to use the criminal process to punish Mr. Comey for his protected speech.” Government records show that the Secret Service tracked Comey’s phone without a warrant, and that investigators didn’t believe “anyone’s life was in immediate danger” from Comey’s Instagram photo. One agent warned that “legally it was a bad idea to ping the phone.” A filing also shows that Trump “very interested” in the investigation and made a “direct request” for notes from Comey’s interview while aboard Air Force One. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / NBC News / CBS News)

poll/ 33% of Americans approve of the Supreme Court’s performance – a record low and down 6 percentage points from 2025, the court’s previous low. (Axios)

poll/ 73% of Americans say Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems, while 27% saying he’s had the right priorities. (CNN)

The 2026 midterms are in 97 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 832 days.

• Today last year: Day 1652: "A dagger."
• Two years ago today: Day 1287: "It'll be fine."
• Six years ago today: Day 1287: "Nobody likes me."
• Seven years ago today: Day 921: Critical.

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Today in one sentence: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear demanded that Mitch McConnell “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of [his] capacity to serve, or resign”; Trump and congressional leaders eulogized Lindsey Graham as a “true American original” during the South Carolina senator’s memorial service in Washington; Senate Homeland Security Committee Chair Rand Paul released more than 1,100 pages of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s pandemic-era diary ahead of compelling him to testify about Covid-19’s origins; the Trump administration imposed a new rule that could send nearly 450,000 asylum applicants directly into deportation court; and the Trump administration plans to end a $3.6 billion Medicare drug subsidy program after 2026.

1/ Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear demanded that Mitch McConnell “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of [his] capacity to serve, or resign.” The 84-year-old Republican has gone 43 days without appearing publicly or casting a vote following a June 14 fall and hospitalization. McConnell’s office released two photos and a statement saying he was “still working hard to get back to my full schedule.” Beshear said those updates don’t establish whether McConnell can “speak, reason, or carry out [his] duties as a senator,” adding: “All we’re asking is just a little bit of proof.” (Axios / CNBC / ABC News / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN / The Hill)

2/ Trump and congressional leaders eulogized Lindsey Graham as a “true American original” during the South Carolina senator’s memorial service in Washington. Trump called Graham “one of the great figures in Senate history” and said “nothing of consequence happened in this capital without Lindsey Graham knowing about it,” while JD Vance remembered him as someone who could “fight with you on one issue, but fight for you on another.” Before serving 23 years in the Senate, Graham helped prosecute Bill Clinton’s impeachment as a House manager. He later he helped secure Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation and turned himself from a Trump critic in 2016, who called him “unfit for office,” into the president’s so-called “Trump whisperer.” The Pentagon, meanwhile, directed the Air Force to rename Joint Base Charleston as Joint Base Lindsey Graham, saying the change “honors Senator Graham’s decades of distinguished service to the United States Congress and the United States Air Force.” Graham served more than six years on active duty as an Air Force lawyer, later joined the Air Force Reserve, and retired as a colonel in 2015. (Associated Press / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / CNN / Politico)

3/ Senate Homeland Security Committee Chair Rand Paul released more than 1,100 pages of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s pandemic-era diary ahead of compelling him to testify about Covid-19’s origins. Fauci described Trump’s briefings as “disturbingly rambling,” wrote that the president “still does not understand the pandemic,” and said Trump was acting “erratically” while blaming rising infections on increased testing. Trump initially told Fauci, “I love you, Tony. I feel like giving you a big hug,” but later demanded more upbeat messaging: “Everybody wants me to fire you […] but you have to be positive.” Paul, meanwhile, claimed that the diary showed Fauci privately entertaining a lab leak while publicly dismissing it, but the entries show that Fauci wrote that the Wuhan market was “the amplifier,” not necessarily the source, and that “somewhere the virus jumped from animals to humans.” Trump responded to the diary release, saying that he eventually “grew tired of” Fauci. (NPR / Washington Post / New York Times / The Guardian / CBS News / CNN / Wall Street Journal)

4/ The Trump administration imposed a new rule that could send nearly 450,000 asylum applicants directly into deportation court, bypassing interviews with asylum officers and exposing some cases to dismissal without a hearing. Officials claimed the change would reduce a 1.4 million-case backlog and stop applicants from using asylum for “delay and work authorization.” Separately, the Office of Refugee Resettlement shared more than 460,000 leads about migrant children, sponsors, and household members with ICE after Trump returned to office. More than 12,000 people were arrested following those referrals. And, court filings in Los Angeles, meanwhile, cited body cameras and text messages showing ICE and Border Patrol agents using racial slurs to describe Latino men they considered potential targets for immigration enforcement. In a deposition, one ICE agent said officers regarded an “older Hispanic male” as suspicious. (Washington Post / Reuters / CalMatters / Los Angeles Times)

5/ The Trump administration plans to end a $3.6 billion Medicare drug subsidy program after 2026. The Biden-era program helped cut average Part D premiums by an estimated 27% and was scheduled to continue through 2027. About 45% of enrollees are expected to face monthly increases between $11 and $20 in 2027, while the base premium will rise 6%, from $38.99 to $41.33. An administration official claimed the subsidies encouraged insurers to raise rates, but didn’t provide evidence that ending the program would lower premiums. Nearly 25 million people have standalone Part D plans. (Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Reuters)

The 2026 midterms are in 98 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 833 days.

• Today last year: Day 1651: "You can't fake that."
• Four years ago today: Day 555: "Get it done."
• Five years ago today: Day 190: "Moron."
• 9 years ago today: Day 190: Backfired.

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Today in one sentence: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it impose new mail-in voting restrictions in 23 states and the District of Columbia before the November midterms; Trump demanded that the Senate cancel its August recess until Republicans pass the SAVE America Act or eliminate the filibuster; Trump paused U.S. strikes on Iran after 13 consecutive nights to give negotiations “some space,” but “if they don’t work out, we will go back to very strong military action”; former FBI Director James Comey urged a judge to dismiss the Justice Department’s federal charges over his “86 47” seashell post on Instagram; Trump ordered the National Park Service to install signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, warning visitors that its exhibits contain “inaccurate information”; Mitch McConnell is not medically cleared to leave rehabilitation or return to the Senate, six weeks after falling at home; Trump attacked journalists at Friday night’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, and then continued escalating his attacks over the next three days; 32% of Americans said Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act hurt their finances, while 49% said they couldn’t explain what the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” does.

1/ The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it impose new mail-in voting restrictions in 23 states and the District of Columbia before the November midterms. Trump’s order directs federal agencies to build a citizenship-based voter list and requires the Postal Service to withhold ballots from voters who don’t appear on the state-approved lists. A federal appeals court, meanwhile, declined to lift a lower-court injunction blocking the order because the Constitution gives the authority over elections to the states and Congress, not the president. The appeals court warned the “unprecedented” federal intervention would “sow confusion” and “threaten disenfranchisement of many eligible voters.” (Associated Press / Washington Post / Bloomberg / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Politico / USA Today / ABC News / Reuters)

2/ Trump demanded that the Senate cancel its August recess until Republicans pass the SAVE America Act or eliminate the filibuster. Republicans, however, lacks the votes for either approach. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he’d support keeping senators in Washington only if someone could show him “the picture of victory at the end,” noting that Republicans have already repeatedly tried to advance the bill. The legislation would require proof of citizenship to register for federal elections and photo identification to vote, while a House-passed budget framework includes $10 billion for related election changes that Thune said also lacks the 50 Senate votes needed. The Senate is scheduled to leave Washington on Aug. 7 and return Sept. 14. (Associated Press / Politico / USA Today / The Hill / Talking Points Memo)

3/ Trump paused U.S. strikes on Iran after 13 consecutive nights to give negotiations “some space,” but “if they don’t work out, we will go back to very strong military action.” Trump claimed the two sides were in “very deep talks,” but Iran denied any direct negotiations. Trump denied that weapons shortages drove his decision to pause the strikes, but acknowledged that the U.S. would “certainly like” more of its most sophisticated weapons. (Axios / CNBC / Bloomberg / Reuters / New York Times)

4/ Former FBI Director James Comey urged a judge to dismiss the Justice Department’s federal charges over his “86 47” seashell post on Instagram. Comey’s lawyer argued “no reasonable observer” would interpret the post as a serious true threat” against Trump, adding that the image was protected political speech and forcing Comey to stand trial “would itself be an unconstitutional punishment of free speech.” Comey was indicted in April on charges of threatening Trump and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce after posting the numbers formed from shells on a North Carolina beach. (Associated Press / NBC News / ABC News / CNN)

5/ Trump ordered the National Park Service to install signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, warning visitors that its exhibits contain “inaccurate information.” The signs promote a 162-page White House report accusing the museum of “extreme political activism,” and telling visitors that the exhibits should be renovated to align with the administration’s findings. The order, however, doesn’t identify the specific errors that need to be corrected or what resources the administration considers accurate. Nevertheless, Museum director Anthea Hartig disputed the report, saying it “does not fairly or accurately” characterize the museum’s work and that the institution “does not take sides in America’s political debates.” (The Hill / Politico / CBS News / CNN / ABC News)

6/ Mitch McConnell is not medically cleared to leave rehabilitation or return to the Senate, six weeks after falling at home. The 84-year-old has missed 38 Senate votes since June 14, and provided no timeline for his return, but noted that he’ll miss Kentucky’s Fancy Farm picnic this weekend. McConnell isn’t running for re-election in November and plans to retire when his term expires. (Washington Post / Associated Press / CNN / NBC News)

7/ EARLIER: Trump attacked journalists at Friday night’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, and then continued escalating his attacks over the next three days. The rescheduled event, held three months after a gunman disrupted the original dinner, opened with Trump asking: “Is this supposed to be fun?” Over the next hour, he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins to “just smile,” mocked her appearance, insulted other reporters and political opponents, and ended in a “Trump 2028” hat as most of the room sat silent. On Sunday, Trump posted a doctored mock Bud Light advertisement replacing transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney’s face with Collins’s, which an official White House social media account then amplified. By Monday, journalists were calling to end or overhaul the dinner. The White House, meanwhile, dismissed the backlash, saying: “The liberal media can dish it but they can’t take it.”(Washington Post / New York Times / NPR / CNN / Wall Street Journal)

poll/ 32% of Americans said Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act hurt their finances, while 8% said it helped them a lot. 49%, however, said they couldn’t explain what the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” does. 26% of Trump voters nevertheless believed it delivered substantial tax breaks for the working class. (Politico)

The 2026 midterms are in 99 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 834 days.

• Three years ago today: Day 919: "Productive."
• Four years ago today: Day 554: "Deceitful."
• Six years ago today: Day 1285: "Act of expressing hope and optimism for the future."
• Eight years ago today: Day 554: "Never even heard about it."
• 9 years ago today: Day 189: No modifications.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

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.

1. BOOK: “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump” (Amazon)
2. 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)
3. 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)
4. 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)
5. 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)

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Trump said he’s “close” to deciding whether to launch a “massive attack” on Iran that would be larger than the opening strikes of the war; the House passed a nonbinding resolution directing Trump to end the war in Iran, while Senate Republicans blocked a separate measure that could have required him to seek congressional authorization or withdraw U.S. forces; the Trump administration will impose 10% tariffs on imports from the European Union, Canada, Mexico, and India, and 12.5% tariffs on goods from China, Japan, South Korea, and dozens of other countries; House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan referred former special counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department, alleging that Smith lied to Congress; the Secret Service has opened roughly 10,000 investigations into threats against Trump and other protectees since January; the Secret Service placed a member of JD Vance’s protective detail on leave while investigating if the employee compromised “operational and information security”; the Justice Department withdrew subpoenas seeking phone records and grand jury testimony from three New York Times reporters; 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.”

1/ Trump said he’s “close” to deciding whether to launch a “massive attack” on Iran that would be larger than the opening strikes of the war. The threat follows the 12 consecutive day of U.S. strikes and Trump’s warning that another Houthi attack on tankers in the Red Sea would bring “major military punishment” against both the Houthis and Iran. Trump, meanwhile, claimed that Iran wants to negotiate but “hasn’t received enough pain yet.” Tehran, however, warned that attacks on its bridges, power plants, or other infrastructure would trigger a “severe and escalatory” response. (Axios / Wall Street Journal / The Hill / Bloomberg / The Guardian / ABC News / CNN)

2/ The House passed a nonbinding resolution directing Trump to end the war in Iran, while Senate Republicans blocked a separate measure that could have required him to seek congressional authorization or withdraw U.S. forces. Four House Republicans joined Democrats to pass the House resolution 214-208, while in the Senate, Susan Collins was the only Republican to support advancing the joint resolution and John Fetterman was the only Democrat to oppose the measure, which failed 47-49. The split leaves Trump free to continue the nearly five-month war that Congress never authorized. The administration, meanwhile, claimed that a new 60-day War Powers clock began after Trump notified lawmakers this month that hostilities with Iran had “resumed.” Thom Tillis voted against ending the war but warned that “the clock is ticking,” while Tommy Tuberville laughed off Congress’s earlier rebukes: “Do you think he cares? No.” (Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / Politico / Washington Post / CBS News / NPR)

3/ The Trump administration will impose 10% tariffs on imports from the European Union, Canada, Mexico, and India, and 12.5% tariffs on goods from China, Japan, South Korea, and dozens of other countries. The duties apply to trading partners that account for roughly 99% of U.S. trade, and take effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, when Trump’s temporary 10% global tariff expires. The move keeps Trump’s near-global tariffs in place despite the Supreme Court striking down his earlier duties. The administration invoked Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, claiming the targeted economies either lack bans on forced-labor imports or fail to enforce them. Oil and gas, fertilizer, certain foods, USMCA-compliant goods, and products already subject to tariffs on autos, steel, aluminum, and copper are excluded. (Reuters / New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Politico)

4/ House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan referred former special counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department, alleging that Smith lied to Congress. Jordan accused Smith of misleading the committee after Smith testified that subpoenas for lawmakers’ toll records didn’t include call or text content. While recently released records showed that prosecutors received messages between 44 members of Congress and the Trump White House from the National Archives, Smith wasn’t asked about those records during his congressional testimony. Nevertheless Jordan said Smith’s testimony created a misleading “impression” and amounted to a “half truth,” while Smith’s lawyers called the answers “unimpeachably truthful” and said the referral seeks to criminalize his failure to volunteer information “that was not responsive to a question asked.” (Associated Press / NBC News / Washington Post / ABC News / CNN / Axios / CBS News / The Hill)

5/ The Secret Service has opened roughly 10,000 investigations into threats against Trump and other protectees since January, nearly 40% more than during the same period last year. Director Sean Curran called the volume “off the charts” and said the threat environment is the most volatile of his 24-year career. The warning comes ahead of Friday’s rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner at Washington’s Waldorf Astoria, after an armed man allegedly rushed a screening checkpoint at the original April event, prompting Trump’s evacuation.(Axios / ABC News / NBC News / CBS News)

6/ The Secret Service placed a member of JD Vance’s protective detail on leave while investigating if the employee compromised “operational and information security.” The agency said the investigation could become criminal, but declined to identify the employee or explain what was allegedly disclosed. The employee is suspected of supplying information for a report about agents’ frustration with Vance’s last-minute travel demands, including a planned helicopter trip with his son for a golf lesson. (NBC News / CBS News / The Guardian / CNN / New York Times / Associated Press)

7/ The Justice Department withdrew subpoenas seeking phone records and grand jury testimony from three New York Times reporters. Judge Arun Subramanian said subpoenas targeting reporters must be “the last step, not the first step.” The Justice Department acknowledged “inadvertent errors,” including subpoenas seeking phone records belonging to one reporter’s mother and two journalists’ spouses, but said the leak investigation involving reporting on Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet remains ongoing. (Associated Press / CNN / The Guardian / New York Times)

8/ 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.” Trump didn’t explain how he knew their views on the war, which has killed at least 18 service members and wounded roughly 500. Before the ceremony, Trump called receiving the fallen soldiers “one of the hardest things to do as a president.” But hours later, at a political rally in Georgia, he called the war a “skirmish,” said Iran was “getting hit so hard,” reenacted one grieving family’s “Wow!” reaction to riding on Air Force One, and told them their son “was going all the way” and “would have been a general very quickly.” (New York Times / ABC News / NBC News / Associated Press / Politico)

9/ Bill O’Reilly suggested that Trump should “take the next month off.” The former Fox News host added that Trump needs “a breather.” (The Hill)

• Today last year: Day 1646: "One step at a time."
• Two years ago today: Day 1281: "Two different visions."
• Five years ago today: Day 185: "The unvaccinated folks."
• Six years ago today: Day 1281: "Person, woman, man, camera, TV."
• Seven years ago today: Day 915: Still at it.
• Eight years ago today: Day 550: Reality distortion field.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Arizona Republicans nominated three 2020 election deniers for statewide offices that would be responsible for overseeing and certifying the 2028 presidential election; the House passed a temporary funding bill to avert a possible ​government shutdown ahead ​of the November midterm ⁠elections; 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; Trump threatened to “bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT” for every ship Iran attacks in the Strait of Hormuz; the Trump administration signed a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that could open a path to enriching uranium for nuclear reactors; New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani dropped his campaign pledge to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, acknowledging that the city lacks the “independent legal authority” to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant; Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on imported generic drugs unless manufacturers build plants in the U.S.; 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; 37% of self-identified MAGA voters say the Iran war is worth its economic costs, down 13 points since May; and 50% of registered voters say they’d support Democrats in the generic congressional ballot.

1/ Arizona Republicans nominated three 2020 election deniers for statewide offices that would be responsible for overseeing and certifying the 2028 presidential election. Trump-backed Rep. Andy Biggs, who voted against certifying Biden’s victory, won the nomination for governor, Alexander Kolodin, who filed lawsuits challenging the 2020 and 2022 results and was disciplined by the state bar, won the nomination for secretary of state, and Warren Petersen, who launched a taxpayer-funded review that confirmed Biden won Maricopa County, won the nomination for attorney general. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs warned that if Biggs wins, Arizona would become “the first swing state with an election denier in charge” heading into 2028. (Politico / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN)

2/ The House passed a temporary funding bill to avert a possible ​government shutdown ahead ​of the November midterm ⁠elections. The bill funds the government through Dec. 4. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Republicans need Democratic support. House Democrats opposed the extension, because it maintains current funding without new restrictions on Trump’s immigration crackdown, while Speaker Mike Johnson said Democrats would “own the chaos” if the government shuts down after funding expires Sept. 30. (Associated Press / Reuters / NPR / New York Times / Washington Post)

3/ 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 Senate, however, is unlikely to pass either measure in its current form. The defense bill would also attaches Trump’s SAVE America Act, including new proof-of-citizenship requirements for federal voting, and renames the Pentagon the “Department of War.” The separate budget framework would fast-track $73 billion for the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, $12 billion for farmers, and $10 billion for election-related measures without offsetting cuts. Democrats opposed both measures, arguing that Congress is funding an escalating conflict it never authorized, while Senate Republicans remain divided over using reconciliation to bypass Democratic opposition. (Washington Post / Bloomberg / NPR / Associated Press / New York Times / Politico)

4/ Trump threatened to “bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT” for every ship Iran attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, including infrastructure in or near Tehran. Iran’s foreign minister responded that its doctrine is “eye for an eye,” warning that any strike on Iranian infrastructure would bring a “powerful and decisive response,” while Iran’s military said it would target oil, gas, electricity, and other economic infrastructure across the region and prevent “even a single drop of oil” from being exported. Iran’s parliament speaker said the strait “will not return to its pre-war status,” adding: “In a region where we cannot sell oil, no one will sell oil.” The threats came after an 11th consecutive night of U.S. strikes and as negotiations remained stalled, with Trump saying Iran is “not ready” for a deal, but “will be ready very soon.” Meanwhile, tankers turned away from the Red Sea after Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened Saudi shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, pushing oil prices above $95 a barrel and putting both of the region’s major energy chokepoints at risk. (Associated Press / Axios / Wall Street Journal / CNBC / CBS News / CNN / Reuters / New York Times / Bloomberg)

• U.S. intelligence is investigating whether Russia helped Iran strike CIA facilities in the Gulf by providing targeting data or upgraded drone technology. At least two CIA sites were hit in March, the Riyadh station and a facility in eastern Iraq. (Reuters)

5/ The Trump administration signed a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that could open a path to enriching uranium for nuclear reactors. The deal requires a two-year study of whether domestic enrichment is warranted, and if approved, U.S. companies would reportedly build and control the enrichment facility under a “black box” arrangement that would keep sensitive technology from Saudi Arabia. The Saudis reportedly rejected the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol for expanded inspections, with sensitive inspections instead handled by U.S. teams under a bilateral safeguards agreement. Congress has 90 days to act. Blocking it would likely require a veto-proof majority. (New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / NBC News)

6/ New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani dropped his campaign pledge to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, acknowledging that the city lacks the “independent legal authority” to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant. Instead, Mamdani urged the federal government to arrest Netanyahu when he attends the U.N. General Assembly in September. Trump, however, said Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form” while in the U.S., which is not a member of the ICC. The court has accused Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. (New York Times / Washington Post / Politico / CBS News / NBC News)

7/ Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on imported generic drugs unless manufacturers build plants in the U.S. The Trump administration said it plans to use Section 232 national security authority, but hasn’t issued a formal order. Generic drugs account for more than 90% of U.S. prescriptions and are largely produced overseas. (Bloomberg / Politico)

8/ 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 with five months remaining. The total is the highest since 1991. More than 90% of infections occurred among people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown. (Washington Post)

✨ Well, that’s fantastic: “Regime Change” by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan has sold more than 500,000 copies in its first month, putting the exposé about Trump’s second term on track to become 2026’s bestselling nonfiction book. The book has held the No. 1 spot on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list for three weeks as Simon & Schuster has ordered a seventh printing. (Axios)

poll/ 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)

poll/ 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)

The 2026 midterms are in 104 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 839 days.

• Today last year: Day 1645: "The constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House."
• Two years ago today: Day 1280: "Excited the country."
• Six years ago today: Day 1280: "Surge."
• Seven years ago today: Day 914: An unindicted co-conspirator.
• 9 years ago today: Day 184: Complete power.

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Today in one sentence: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated that the war with Iran has cost taxpayers $37.5 billion so far as the Trump administration asks Congress for roughly $67 billion more in funding; New Jersey removed roughly 6,600 self-identified noncitizens from its voter rolls after a software error automatically registered them through the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission; the Trump administration withheld an additional $1.07 billion in federal Medicaid payments from California and Minnesota over suspected fraud; a federal appeals court rejected Biden’s effort to block the Justice Department from releasing redacted recordings and transcripts of his private interviews with a memoir ghostwriter; and Trump has pardoned nine companies in his second term to erase nearly $200 million in criminal penalties.

1/ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated that the war with Iran has cost taxpayers $37.5 billion so far as the Trump administration asks Congress for roughly $67 billion more in funding. Hegseth called the request an “urgent, necessary” infusion and warned that “without these funds, we face critical shortfalls.” The estimate includes some anticipated expenses through Sept. 30, but excludes damage to U.S. bases. Lawmakers, however, questioned why the Pentagon needs more money after approving a $1 trillion defense budget and about $75 billion from an earlier package remains unspent. Sen. Patty Murray argued that “the problem is not a lack of money, but poor planning” and warned that the conflict was “spiraling out of control again.” Gen. Dan Caine, meanwhile, acknowledged that “air power’s got limits” as fighting intensifies, the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, and the U.S. death toll has risen to 17.(Associated Press / New York Times / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Reuters / Washington Post)

• Trump said the U.S. will “pretty soon” bomb Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain. Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved thousands of uranium-enrichment centrifuges into tunnels deep inside a mountain last year. Trump, however, acknowledged that the U.S. doesn’t have the transfer “on record” and said Iran has no nuclear material there, but nevertheless threatened to hit the site “very heavily.” Experts estimate that the facility sits beneath 300 to 450 feet of rock. It’s unclear whether U.S. weapons can even penetrate the site. (Axios / Wall Street Journal)

2/ New Jersey removed roughly 6,600 self-identified noncitizens from its voter rolls after a software error automatically registered them through the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission. Gov. Mikie Sherrill said fewer than 400 noncitizens voted and that the state has “no evidence, at this time, that any elections were swayed.” The error occurred between June 2023 and June 2024, even though applicants had answered “no” when asked whether they were U.S. citizens. Sherrill ordered an investigation and is replacing the vendor responsible for the system, calling the failure and lack of transparency “unacceptable.” (Associated Press / Washington Post / CNN / New York Times / Axios / Bloomberg)

• The intelligence documents Trump declassified to support his claims that China tried to sway the 2020 election instead highlighted Russia’s efforts to help him defeat Biden. A 2020 National Intelligence Council assessment said Putin and senior Russian officials oversaw operations to damage Biden and worked with prominent Americans to manufacture a corruption scandal involving Biden and Ukraine. (New York Times)

• FBI Director Kash Patel is planning a trip to Russia in October, with the FSB likely serving as his host. The agenda is unclear, as is whether Patel would meet Putin or senior Kremlin officials. (Politico)

3/ The Trump administration withheld an additional $1.07 billion in federal Medicaid payments from California and Minnesota over suspected fraud, freezing $867.5 million for California and $199 million for Minnesota until the states provide documentation showing the claims were legitimate. In total, more than $2.5 billion in Medicaid funding to the two Democratic-led states have now been deferred this year. Federal officials cited billing anomalies for in-home care and other high-risk services, including providers billing for multiple patients simultaneously or after a beneficiary’s death. Minnesota said it had already submitted records and accused the administration of acting in “unprecedented and punitive ways,” while California said its home-care spending grew because keeping seniors and people with disabilities out of nursing homes saves money. (Associated Press / CBS News / Politico / Axios / New York Times / Bloomberg)

4/ A federal appeals court rejected Biden’s effort to block the Justice Department from releasing redacted recordings and transcripts of his private interviews with a memoir ghostwriter. Special counsel Robert Hur obtained the recordings while investigating Biden’s handling of classified documents, which ended without charges. The 2-1 ruling said the public interest in assessing that investigation likely outweighed Biden’s remaining privacy concerns. Biden, meanwhile, accused the Trump administration of using the Justice Department for political retribution. (NBC News / Associated Press / New York Times / ABC News / CBS News)

5/ Trump has pardoned nine companies in his second term to erase nearly $200 million in criminal penalties. The pardons included the corporate owner of crypto exchange BitMEX, which owed a $100 million anti-money-laundering fine, and Ozy Media, where a commutation eliminated $97 million in penalties owed alongside founder Carlos Watson’s fraud conviction. Trump also pardoned six auto businesses convicted of tampering with diesel-emissions controls, claiming they were prosecuted for “fixing their car.” The White House said the Constitution doesn’t limit pardons to individuals, but legal scholars said no modern president had previously used clemency to shield corporations from criminal liability. (Bloomberg)

The 2026 midterms are in 105 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 840 days.

• Today last year: Day 1644: "This is all just going away."
• Two years ago today: Day 1279: "Let’s do this."
• Four years ago today: Day 548: "Folks, I'm doing great."
• Five years ago today: Day 183: "Extremely enthusiastic."
• Six years ago today: Day 1279: "We need everything we can get."
• 9 years ago today: Day 183: Pardon power.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Trump imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, invoking a never-before-used provision of a 1930 trade law in response to what the administration called Canada’s “discriminatory treatment of American products”; the Pentagon didn’t disclose three Iranian strikes on U.S. forces in Jordan that injured dozens of troops and damaged several helicopters until after a fourth attack killed two soldiers and left another missing; the U.S. launched a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran in an effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; the war with Iran has pushed the national average price of gasoline back above $4 a gallon; the Justice Department subpoenaed phone and text records from several New York Times reporters in an effort to identify confidential sources behind stories about security concerns involving Trump’s Qatari-donated Air Force One jet; Trump will stop flying on the Qatari-donated Air Force One while it undergoes “additional upgrades and enhancements” to be “maxed out”; a man set off fireworks and started a fire outside the federal building in Lower Manhattan; the Justice Department submitted its first-ever application asking the Alien Terrorist Removal Court to deport an unnamed noncitizen; Trump presented Spain with the World Cup trophy less than two weeks after calling the country “hopeless” and its people “bad people”; and Trump reportedly installed a life-size bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson in the White House Rose Garden.

1/ Trump imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, invoking a never-before-used provision of a 1930 trade law in response to what the administration called Canada’s “discriminatory treatment of American products.” Canada’s restrictions on American alcohol and autos, however, were largely retaliation for tariffs Trump imposed last year. The duties will take effect in 30 days, leaving time for the two countries to negotiate, and will apply even to goods previously protected under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Energy, potash, certain fish and minerals, and products already subject to national-security tariffs will be exempt. (Washington Post / New York Times / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)

2/ The Pentagon didn’t disclose three Iranian strikes on U.S. forces in Jordan that injured dozens of troops and damaged several helicopters until after a fourth attack killed two soldiers and left another missing. The Defense Department identified the dead as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, while the unidentified remains recovered at the base are being examined to determine whether they belong to the missing service member. Central Command later said four troops wounded in Friday’s attack were hospitalized and discharged and that others suffered minor injuries, but it hasn’t disclosed how many were hurt in the three earlier strikes. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell denied concealing casualties and pointed to an aggregate database listing 427 injuries and 14 deaths, though it doesn’t identify specific attacks and hadn’t been updated to include the deaths from this weekend. Trump called the deaths “a very sad thing” over the weekend, saying the troops died “in service to our country.” He later threatened that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” None of the reports, however, say whether Trump contacted the families, and the Pentagon hasn’t held a major briefing on the nearly five-month war since May 5. (New York Times / CNN / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Associated Press / ABC News)

3/ The U.S. launched a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran in an effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, targeting military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping. Separately, Iran-backed Houthi rebels declared a blockade on Saudi shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening one of Riyadh’s main routes for bypassing the largely closed Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has routed more than 3.6 million barrels of oil and related fuels a day through the Red Sea, representing more than 3% of the global oil market. (Associated Press / NPR / Axios / Washington Post / New York Times)

4/ The war with Iran has pushed the national average price of gasoline back above $4 a gallon. Gas prices rose 13-cents in a week and are 86-cents higher than a year ago. Oil prices jumped more than 15% last week as renewed U.S. and Iranian attacks disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, where about one-fifth of the world’s energy supplies typically transit. Between Friday and Sunday, just 30 ships crossed the strait, compared with roughly 130 a day before the war. The White House, meanwhile, claimed prices would “plummet back to pre-conflict levels” as the military degrades Iran’s ability to disrupt commercial shipping. (NBC News / Associated Press / New York Times / Axios)

5/ The Justice Department subpoenaed phone and text records from several New York Times reporters in an effort to identify confidential sources behind stories about security concerns involving Trump’s Qatari-donated Air Force One jet. The subpoenas also targeted two reporters’ spouses and one reporter’s mother. A federal judge temporarily paused the demands, including separate subpoenas seeking reporters’ grand jury testimony, until a Thursday hearing. Some requests went back to Jan. 1, months before the stories were published, which the Times said suggests the government is using the investigation to “forage” through journalists’ source relationships rather than pursue a narrowly tailored leak inquiry. Meanwhile, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche denied the administration was targeting reporters, calling them “material witnesses.” (New York Times / Status)

6/ Trump will stop flying on the Qatari-donated Air Force One while it undergoes “additional upgrades and enhancements” to be “maxed out.” The Secret Service had urged Trump to switch aircraft when leaving the NATO summit in Turkey, because the Qatari-donated jet didn’t have all the security systems and defensive capabilities of the older Air Force One. Trump nevertheless denied that security concerns were the reason the plan will be sent for upgrades, saying that “the life of a president is very dangerous.” The White House, meanwhile, insisted that the jet is “perfectly safe.” (CNN / Washington Post / NBC News / CBS News / Bloomberg / New York Times)

7/ A man set off fireworks and started a fire outside the federal building in Lower Manhattan, prompting an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation. Federal officials said the man poured what appeared to be gasoline on the entrance steps and carried two apparent pellet guns, anti-ICE material, and a manifesto. Authorities didn’t release his name, announce charges, or identify a motive. Several people suffered minor injuries, including the officer and a bystander, but no one was seriously hurt. The building houses ICE, the FBI, immigration courts, and other federal offices. (New York Times / CBS News / CNN / Associated Press / Washington Post)

8/ EARLIER: Trump used his primetime White House address to cast doubt on U.S. elections and pressure Congress to pass the stalled SAVE America Act. He claimed that the voting systems were “vulnerable” and “easily compromised” despite newly declassified documents concluding that vote-tabulation systems would be difficult to manipulate at scale and that audits and paper trails would likely expose any attack. The intelligence community also previously concluded that no foreign actor altered any technical aspect of the 2020 voting process, and John Solomon, who helped lead the declassification effort, acknowledged there was “zero evidence” a foreign power flipped a vote in 2020, 2022, or 2024. Nevertheless, Trump also alleged that China obtained 220 million voter files, Venezuela manipulated its own voting machines, and roughly 278,000 noncitizens were registered to vote. He provided no evidence that foreign actors changed votes or that the alleged noncitizens cast ballots. The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and restrict mail voting, but remains blocked in the Senate. (New York Times / CNN / Reuters / Wall Street Journal / Axios / CBS News)

9/ The Justice Department submitted its first-ever application asking the Alien Terrorist Removal Court to deport an unnamed noncitizen. Congress created the secretive five-judge court in 1996 for cases where ordinary immigration proceedings could expose classified information or threaten national security, but it’s never received an application. The Justice Department’s one-page filing is sealed and apparently classified, leaving the person’s identity, alleged conduct, and the legal basis for removal undisclosed. Chief Judge Joan Ericksen questioned whether the alleged actions fit the law, saying the government “could benefit from the opportunity for more thoughtful consideration,” and ordered it to provide additional facts and legal analysis by Wednesday. (Court Watch / Axios / Politico / Associated Press)

10/ Trump presented Spain with the World Cup trophy less than two weeks after calling the country “hopeless” and its people “bad people.” Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win its second World Cup, forcing Trump, who had threatened to cut off trade with Madrid and attacked Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over military spending and Iran, to award medals and hand the trophy to captain Rodri. (Politico / New York Times / NPR)

11/ Trump reportedly installed a life-size bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson in the White House Rose Garden. Three of the five statues he’s installed – Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and “Freedom’s Charge” – are on loan from billionaire conservative donor Harlan Crow. The White House had previously described their source only as “generous private American patriots.” The White House declined to comment on Crow’s role and said Trump is working “to beautify and honor our Nation’s Capital” for the country’s 250th anniversary. Trump has also installed a recreation of a Christopher Columbus statue torn down in Baltimore and is planning a 250-figure “American heroes” sculpture garden in West Potomac Park. (Washington Post)

The 2026 midterms are in 106 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 841 days.

• Three years ago today: Day 912: "Personal benefit."
• Four years ago today: Day 547: "An emergency."
• Six years ago today: Day 1278: "I'll be right eventually."
• Eight years ago today: Day 547: Lordy, I hope there are tapes.
• 9 years ago today: Day 182: Very unfair.

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Today in one sentence: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Jeffrey Epstein survivors after Sen. Thom Tillis said he would withhold the committee vote needed to advance Blanche’s nomination; the Justice Department refused to give New Mexico investigators unredacted Jeffrey Epstein records, leaving the state without the federal evidence it says it needs to investigate alleged abuse at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch; the U.S. carried out a sixth consecutive day of strikes on Iran; Trump fired Seattle’s new U.S. attorney 54 minutes after after 17 federal judges unanimously appointed him; the FBI sent an evidence team to inspect the drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool for alleged vandalism even as four waterproofing experts say the peeling strongly suggests an installation flaw; Trump Media will sell Wall Street firms real-time access to Trump’s Truth Social posts; Trump promoted at least 21 companies on Truth Social within days of his investment accounts buying their stock; Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator was placed on unpaid leave after allegations that he used advance knowledge of more than a dozen of Trump’s speeches to make around $100,000 betting on Kalshi; and Trump is expected to use a primetime national address tonight to revive his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen and allege that China compromised U.S. voter data.

1/ Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Jeffrey Epstein survivors after Sen. Thom Tillis said he would withhold the committee vote needed to advance Blanche’s nomination. The hourlong Justice Department meeting came after survivor Dani Bensky testified that Blanche had ignored repeated requests to meet, and that the department’s release of Epstein records had exposed victims’ personal information. Blanche acknowledged that about 1% of the redactions required correction, but defended the review of roughly 3 million records, while Bensky said survivors deserved to be heard directly, “not dismissed and ignored.” While the meeting resolved one hurdle, Blanche’s nomination remains at risk as Tillis and Sen. John Cornyn continue to demand guarantees that the proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund cannot be revived. Tillis said he wants “definable, ratified, executed agreements,” not “a wink and a nod and a handshake.” (CNN / ABC News / Politico / Associated Press / New York Times / CBS News / Axios)

2/ The Justice Department refused to give New Mexico investigators unredacted Jeffrey Epstein records, leaving the state without the federal evidence it says it needs to investigate alleged abuse at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch. New Mexico reopened the criminal probe in February, but Attorney General Raúl Torrez said that after more than 130 days the Justice Department produced only 31 pages of previously public material, unusable redactions, and photocopied news stories. The department said “federal law, court orders, and privacy protections for victims and witnesses” prevents the release of millions of unredacted documents, even though federal prosecutors routinely modify protective orders for state criminal investigations. Torrez gave the department until July 31 before pursuing “all available legal remedies,” while acting Attorney General Todd Blanche insisted federal officials are “continuing to work with” the state. (Reuters / Axios / Washington Post)

3/ The U.S. carried out a sixth consecutive day of strikes on Iran as both sides continued their fight over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Central Command said the attacks were intended to degrade Iranian military capabilities, while U.S. forces enforcing the renewed blockade redirected three commercial vessels, disabled one, and boarded another. Shipping through the strait fell to 13 vessels, from more than 130 a day before the war. Iran warned that it would target regional infrastructure if the U.S. struck Iranian power plants or bridges. (Politico / New York Times / Bloomberg / Reuters / ABC News / Associated Press)

4/ Trump fired Seattle’s new U.S. attorney 54 minutes after after 17 federal judges unanimously appointed him. Roger Rogoff was sworn in before 8 a.m. and removed by email while waiting to meet Charles Neil Floyd. Floyd’s 120-day interim term expired in February, and Trump never submitted him for Senate confirmation. Instead, the Justice Department renamed him first assistant while leaving the job vacant. Rogoff retained employment lawyers and is considering a lawsuit that could test the limits of both the judges’ appointment power and the president’s removal authority. (Associated Press / New York Times / CNN / CBS News)

5/ The FBI sent an evidence team to inspect the drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool for alleged vandalism even as four waterproofing experts say the peeling strongly suggests an installation flaw. Investigators used laser-scanning and measuring equipment after Trump claimed that vandals had cut hundreds of feet of the newly installed liner. Although former Olympic canoeist David Hearn and three others were charged with removing or damaging small sections after it had already begun peeling, no one has been accused of making the long gashes Trump described. And the administration hasn’t provided evidence that those gashes exist. The experts found that all seven documented failures tracked seams between sections applied at different times, suggesting the coating didn’t properly bond. (Washington Post / New York Times / The Guardian)

6/ Trump Media will sell Wall Street firms real-time access to Trump’s Truth Social posts, allowing paying customers to receive “licensed, real-time access” to policy decisions and market-moving news.The new Truth API data feed will include real-time access to posts from the platform’s top 10 trending accounts. Trump owns about 41% of Trump Media through a revocable trust. “It’s a huge conflict of interest,” Ethics attorney Virginia Canter said, arguing that Trump is funneling official information through “a private channel in which he has a private interest.” (Wall Street Journal / Axios / CNBC)

• Trump promoted at least 21 companies on Truth Social within days of his investment accounts buying their stock. A review of Trump’s financial disclosure and social media posts found at least 44 purchases in 21 companies during the week before he praised the businesses, their executives, or their products, including some announcing government actions that could benefit them. In one case, Trump bought between $500,000 and $1 million in Tesla stock the day before saying he wouldn’t “destroy Elon’s companies,” while in another, he bought between $200,000 and $500,000 in Nvidia stock days before promising to expedite permits for the chipmaker. While Trump’s trades are handled by outside financial managers, unlike recent past presidents he hasn’t placed his assets in a blind trust and can know what he owns. (CNN)

7/ Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator was placed on unpaid leave after allegations that he used advance knowledge of more than a dozen of Trump’s speeches to make around $100,000 betting on Kalshi. The prediction market said its surveillance system flagged Gabriel Perez’s wagers on the words and phrases that Trump would say, froze more than $90,000 in profits, and referred the trades to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Perez, who has operated Trump’s teleprompter since 2016, is reportedly negotiating a settlement that could require him to surrender the profits and stop making similar trades. Trump called the allegations “a disgrace.” (Politico / CBS News / ABC News / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / NPR / CNBC)

8/ Trump is expected to use a primetime national address tonight to revive his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen and allege that China compromised U.S. voter data. A 2021 intelligence assessment, however, concluded with high confidence that Beijing didn’t try to influence the election’s outcome or interfere with election infrastructure. Nevertheless, officials familiar with the speech said Trump may also claim that the CIA knew about the alleged breach and withheld it from him. The address comes as Trump continues to pressure Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require photo identification to vote and proof of citizenship to register. Trump’s national address is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET tonight. (Associated Press / CNBC / CNN / New York Times / CBS News / Politico)

• Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee expressed concern that Trump will selectively declassify material to “relitigiate debunked 2020 election conspiracies.” The letter reads: “The facts of the 2020 election have long been settled. The Intelligence Community assessed in a declassified Intelligence Community Assessment from 2021 that, ‘We have no indications that any foreign actor attempted to interfere in the 2020 US elections by altering any technical aspect of the voting process.’ No intelligence to the contrary has ever been provided to the Committee, despite repeated requests for updates.” (Politico)
• Republicans are “scared shitless” about Trump’s promise to reveal “really big news” on election security. “Republican operatives, including those in Trump’s inner circle, have pleaded for months for an unrelenting focus on the economy. And while the president has talked up his tax cuts and Trump Accounts during campaign stops, his decision to use a rare prime time address to focus on election integrity is a missed opportunity.” (Politico)
• ABC and NBC will not air Trump’s speech. Instead, the networks will run Trump’s speech on their streaming platforms, which generally draw a fraction of the viewers that their traditional broadcast channels. (Reuters)

The 2026 midterms are in 110 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 845 days.

• Today last year: Day 1639: "Weaklings."
• Five years ago today: Day 178: "I've got it covered."
• Six years ago today: Day 1274: "Red zones."
• Seven years ago today: Day 908: "Join us in condemning the president's racist tweets."
• Eight years ago today: Day 543: A disaster for our country.

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Today in one sentence: U.S. forces struck Iranian military sites for a fifth straight day; House Republicans released their $95 billion plan to fund the Iran war, subsidize farmers, and revive parts of Trump’s stalled SAVE America Act; Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence testified during his Senate confirmation hearing that “I’m not an election denier,” but repeatedly refused to say Biden “won” the 2020 election; Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced five hours of bipartisan questioning over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files and the settlement shielding Trump and his family from IRS audits; Trump ordered ICE to resume most traffic stops one day after the agency temporarily suspended the practice following two fatal shootings by agents; the Pentagon will start screening the testosterone levels of soldiers 30 and up; and the U.S. Mint began producing a $1 coin with Trump’s face to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.

1/ U.S. forces struck Iranian military sites for a fifth straight day. Central Command said an American aircraft fired Hellfire missiles into an oil tanker attempting to sail toward Iran’s main oil-export terminal after it ignored warnings. It was the first ship disabled since the blockade resumed. The military also launched three waves of attacks in the last 24 hours, including strikes on missile and coastal-defense sites on Greater Tunb Island. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard threatened to stop all oil and gas exports from the Middle East, declaring that they would be available “either for everyone or for no one.” (NBC News / Associated Press / New York Times / Washington Post / Bloomberg / CBS News / ABC News / Reuters)

• Trump is reportedly leaning toward expanding the war in Iran, including more airstrikes, bombing the tunnel complex at Pickaxe Mountain, or seizing islands near the Strait of Hormuz. He hasn’t made a final decision and remains reluctant to send ground troops, despite publicly threatening to “finish it off.” (Wall Street Journal)

2/ House Republicans released their $95 billion plan to fund the Iran war, subsidize farmers, and revive parts of Trump’s stalled SAVE America Act. Republicans, however, aren’t proposing tax increases or spending cuts to pay for the package, but rather allow committees to write legislation that adds as much as $60 billion through Armed Services, $13 billion through Intelligence, $12 billion through Agriculture, and $10 billion for election-related measures to federal deficits through 2036. The new borrowing would come as the annual deficit approaches $2 trillion this year. Republicans are hoping to use reconciliation to bypass a Democratic filibuster, but the package faces resistance from some conservatives, while Senate rules limit what can be included. Republican Rep. Warren Davidson called it “D.O.A.” and warned that “bankrupt nations are difficult to defend.” (Associated Press / New York Times / CNN / NBC News)

3/ Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence testified during his Senate confirmation hearing that “I’m not an election denier,” but repeatedly refused to say Biden “won” the 2020 election. Jay Clayton initially said only that Biden had been “certified” as president before later conceding that he was “fairly and duly elected under our process.” Democrats said the evasive answers raise doubts about whether Clayton would challenge Trump or deliver intelligence that contradicted his political claims. Clayton also defended subpoenas ordering New York Times journalists to testify in a national security investigation tied to reporting on Trump’s Qatari-donated Air Force One, but declined to say whether he consulted the White House. The Republican-controlled Intelligence Committee is expected to vote on Clayton’s nomination next week. (Politico / CBS News / Reuters / NBC News / New York Times / The Guardian / Washington Post / Associated Press / CNBC)

4/ Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced five hours of bipartisan questioning over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files and the settlement shielding Trump and his family from IRS audits. At his Senate confirmation hearing, Blanche acknowledged “mistakes” in the release of the Epstein records and apologized for redaction failures that exposed victims’ information, but declined to commit to personally meeting with survivors. He also insisted that the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” created through the IRS settlement was “dead,” even as he acknowledged the agreement hasn’t been formally rescinded. (Reuters / New York Times / Washington Post / CBS News / Wall Street Journal / CNN)

5/ Trump ordered ICE to resume most traffic stops one day after the agency temporarily suspended the practice following two fatal shootings by agents in Texas and Maine within a week. Trump called traffic stops one of ICE’s “most important and effective Crime Fighting tools,” claimed ending them would be “playing right into the criminal’s hands,” and told agents to “be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job.” (USA Today / The Hill / Axios / CNN / Associated Press / New York Times / Washington Post)

6/ The Pentagon will start screening the testosterone levels of soldiers 30 and up. Soldiers diagnosed with testosterone deficiency would be offered hormone therapy. “If treatment is recommended, it’s entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. “It’s not about artificial enhancement. It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities.” Hegseth promoted the program as the “High-T Department of War,” claiming it would keep troops on the “leading edge of lethality.” (Politico / Bloomberg / NBC News / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal)

7/ The U.S. Mint began producing a $1 coin with Trump’s face to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary. The “gold” coin contains no gold or other precious metals. Although federal law generally prohibits living people from appearing on U.S. currency, Treasury officials claimed the design is allowed under a 2020 law authorizing commemorative coins for the semiquincentennial. A federal coin advisory panel, however, refused to review designs featuring Trump with one member calling the coin “illegal.” (Associated Press / Politico / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)

The 2026 midterms are in 111 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 846 days.

• Today last year: Day 1638: "Make them feel the pain."
• Two years ago today: Day 1273: "I'm not supposed to be here."
• Six years ago today: Day 1273: "We could go on for days."
• Seven years ago today: Day 907: Racist in chief.

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Today in one sentence: The U.S. resumed its naval blockade of Iranian ports and launched a fourth consecutive day of strikes as the ceasefire collapsed; the Trump administration temporarily stopped most ICE vehicle stops nationwide after agents fatally shot two immigrants who weren’t the intended targets; consumer prices fell 0.4% in June, the largest monthly decline since April 2020, while annual inflation slowed to 3.5% from 4.2% in May; Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett asked Congress for $14.6 million to expand their security details as threats against the court are expected to rise 38% this year; Darline Graham Nordone was sworn in to finish the Senate term of her late brother, Lindsey Graham, becoming the first woman to represent South Carolina in the chamber; E. Jean Carroll collected her $5.6 million from Trump after a jury in 2023 found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming her; Trump reduced Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments by more than 90%; the House passed legislation to make daylight saving time permanent and end the twice-yearly clock changes; the Trump administration launched a “whole-of-government” campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court; Trump reportedly plans to use his Thursday prime-time address to the nation to revive his debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him; and voters who dislike both parties prefer Democrats by 26 points in the 2026 House midterms.

1/ The U.S. resumed its naval blockade of Iranian ports and launched a fourth consecutive day of strikes as the ceasefire collapsed. U.S. Central Command said more than 20 warships and hundreds of military aircraft were enforcing the blockade and that the latest attacks were intended to degrade Iran’s ability to strike commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump promised that the bombings would continue “until I say it’s enough.” He also threatened to target Iranian power plants and bridges next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations, saying “You better make a deal. You’re not going to have anything left.” Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against U.S.-linked facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. Trump, meanwhile, abandoned his day-old plan to charge ships a 20% transit fee after Gulf leaders urged him to “do it a different way,” saying: “I don’t think anybody should be able to charge a fee for the Strait” and claiming that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates would instead make “massive investments” in the U.S. Iran’s deputy foreign minister said Tehran had “no obligations” under the ceasefire agreement and would exercise sovereignty over the strait “whatever the cost.” (New York Times / ABC News / CBS News / CNN / Politico / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Reuters / Associated Press / Washington Post)

2/ The Trump administration temporarily stopped most ICE vehicle stops nationwide after agents fatally shot two immigrants who weren’t the intended targets. The pause applies to ICE deportation officers, with exceptions for serious criminal cases, while the agency reviews its tactics and provides additional training. Federal officials claimed both drivers tried to flee and endangered officers, but witnesses disputed parts of those accounts. The government hasn’t released video or other evidence supporting those claimes, and the Maine agents weren’t wearing body cameras. Border czar Tom Homan nevertheless dismissed the directive as “not a policy change,” calling it a “short pause” to determine whether “something could have been done better,” like not killing innocent people. (New York Times / Washington Post / Bloomberg / CBS News / ABC News)

3/ Consumer prices fell 0.4% in June, the largest monthly decline since April 2020, while annual inflation slowed to 3.5% from 4.2% in May. Core prices, which exclude food and energy, were unchanged, but rose 2.6% from a year earlier. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, meanwhile, dismissed the the better-than-expected inflation report as “one data point” and rejected any declaration of “mission accomplished,” saying the central bank has “no tolerance for persistently elevated inflation” and that the five-year surge in prices “will be a thing of the past.” Warsh declined to say whether bringing inflation back to the Fed’s 2% target will require higher interest rates. He also defended giving markets fewer clues about future policy moves. (Politico / ABC News / CNN / Associated Press / Bloomberg / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / Axios / New York Times / Washington Post)

4/ Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett asked Congress for $14.6 million to expand their security details as threats against the court are expected to rise 38% this year. The money would add six agents for each justice as part of a broader $228 million budget request. Barrett described a recent swatting incident at her home and recalled having to explain a bulletproof vest to her 12-year-old son. Kagan warned that political attacks on judges are “dangerous,” saying criticism of rulings is “fair game,” but intimidation “crossed the line.” (CBS News / The Guardian / New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN)

5/ Darline Graham Nordone was sworn in to finish the Senate term of her late brother, Lindsey Graham, becoming the first woman to represent South Carolina in the chamber. Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Nordone, who has never held elected office, and she will serve until January. South Carolina will hold an Aug. 11 special primary and a November election for the next full six-year term. “Lindsey has always been there for me,” Nordone said. “And now I will be there for him.” (Associated Press / CNN / NBC News / CBS News)

6/ E. Jean Carroll collected her $5.6 million from Trump after a jury in 2023 found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming her. The payment includes the original $5 million award, plus interest and was released from a court-supervised account after the Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said Trump had been “stalling this case for years” and ordered him to “pay the judgment.” Trump, nevertheless, continues to deny Carroll’s allegations, while a separate $83.3 million defamation judgment against him remains under appeal. (New York Times / Axios / Reuters / CNBC)

7/ Trump reduced Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments by more than 90%, opening more than 2.9 million acres of public land in southern Utah to mining, drilling, grazing, logging, and motorized recreation. The proclamations cut Bears Ears from 1.36 million acres to 121,100 acres and Grand Staircase-Escalante from 1.87 million acres to 181,500 acres. The reductions are deeper than those Trump ordered during his first term, which Biden later restored. (Associated Press / Washington Post / Reuters)

8/ The House passed legislation to make daylight saving time permanent and end the twice-yearly clock changes. The Trump-backed Sunshine Protection Act would keep most of the country on the time observed from March through November, while allowing states to opt out and remain on standard time. The bill heads to the Senate, where its prospects are uncertain, because winter sunrises could be pushed past 9 a.m. in parts of the country. Medical groups also oppose permanent daylight saving time, arguing that permanent standard time better aligns with human circadian rhythms. (Washington Post / NBC News / Associated Press)

9/ The Trump administration launched a “whole-of-government” campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court, threatening sanctions, travel bans, visa revocations, and more of countries that rely on U.S. assistance and support the court. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. would “systematically disable” the tribunal “brick by brick, if necessary.” Officials are pressing member states to withdraw and cut off funding. Rubio argued that the ICC threatens U.S. sovereignty by claiming authority to investigate and prosecute American officials and service members. The U.S., however, isn’t a member of the court, which prosecutes genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity when national governments are unable or unwilling to act. The European Union, meanwhile, rejected Rubio’s claim that the court threatens U.S. sovereignty, saying the ICC prosecutes individuals, not sovereign states, and that threats against its officials “are simply not acceptable.” (ABC News / The Guardian / New York Times / Bloomberg / CNN / The Hill)

10/ Trump reportedly plans to use his Thursday prime-time address to the nation to revive his debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Trump said his speech will focus on voting machines and “free and fair elections,” while White House officials said he may cite newly declassified intelligence and alleged system vulnerabilities. U.S. intelligence agencies and Trump’s own Justice and Homeland Security officials, however, have found no evidence that foreign interference, voting machines, or widespread fraud changed the 2020 result. Recounts and court reviews also upheld Trump’s losses in Georgia, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Trump is urging Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require photo identification and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections and prohibit universal mail-in voting. (Washington Post / Axios / The Hill)

poll/ Voters who dislike both parties prefer Democrats by 26 points in the 2026 House midterms with 55% backing Democrats and 29% supporting Republicans. These “double haters” make up about one-fifth of registered voters and account for roughly 80% of Democrats’ seven-point advantage on the generic ballot. (Strength in Numbers)

The 2026 midterms are in 112 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 847 days.

• Today last year: Day 1637: "It’s got to be action."
• Four years ago today: Day 541: "We're gathering evidence."
• Five years ago today: Day 176: "Conversations with folks."
• Six years ago today: Day 1272: "Find something new."
• 9 years ago today: Day 176: Counterintelligence.

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Today in one sentence: A federal judge ruled that Trump filed his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS in bad faith to “manipulate the judicial process”; an ICE officer shot and killed a man during an immigration enforcement operation in Maine; the U.S. resumed strikes on Iran and reinstated its blockade of Iranian ports, while Trump claimed that America will now be “THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT” and charge a 20% fee on all cargo passing through it; South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone to serve the remainder of Lindsey Graham’s Senate term, who died Saturday at 71 after “a brief and sudden illness”; and Mitch McConnell said a fall left him briefly unconscious and hospitalized for nearly a month, but offered no timetable for returning to the Senate.

1/ A federal judge ruled that Trump filed his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS in bad faith to “manipulate the judicial process” by manufacturing legitimacy for a deal that would shields him from tax audits while creating a $1.776 billion taxpayer-funded “anti-weaponization” fund. Judge Kathleen Williams said “there was never adverseness between the Parties; there was never a case or controversy,” because “the Lead Plaintiff and the Government are one.” Williams barred Trump, his family, the Justice Department, and the IRS from citing the agreement as a legitimate settlement in any official proceeding. Williams, however, didn’t explicitly void the audit protections, but said the provision “directly contravenes” federal law barring political interference in tax investigations and described the arrangement as an effort “to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the President” while also earmarking billions for grievances “not defined in the law.” Williams referred Trump lawyer Alejandro Brito to the Florida Bar, restricted Daniel Epstein from appearing in the Southern District of Florida for a year, and directed that the ruling be sent to New York and Washington, D.C., bar authorities investigating acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. She also called Blanche’s testimony about the court’s inability to review the deal “at best, misleading and, at worst, disingenuous.” (Associated Press / Reuters / New York Times / CBS News / Politico / Washington Post / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / CNBC / Axios)

2/ An ICE officer shot and killed a man during an immigration enforcement operation in Maine. It’s the second fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents in less than a week. Initial accounts said the 26-year-old Colombian man tried to flee in a vehicle “in the direction of the officer,” but Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin later confirmed that the man wasn’t the subject of the warrant. None of the agents were wearing body cameras and DHS hasn’t publicly released evidence supporting its account of the shooting. Maine’s state attorney general, meanwhile, has opened an investigation into whether the man posed a threat and whether deadly force was justified, while the officer was placed on leave. (ABC News / New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post / CNN / Bloomberg)

3/ The U.S. resumed strikes on Iran and reinstated its blockade of Iranian ports, while Trump claimed that America will now be “THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT” and charge a 20% fee on all cargo passing through it. “We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it,” Trump said, adding that it will remain open “with or without Iran” and that “the process and formation will begin immediately.” The blockade takes effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday and will stop ships traveling to or from Iranian ports. U.S. forces, meanwhile, began a third consecutive night of strikes aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping. Oil prices surged more than 9% as the ceasefire unraveled. (New York Times / Politico / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Axios / CBS News / Washington Post / CNBC / Bloomberg / Reuters / NPR)

4/ South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone to serve the remainder of her late brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate term. Graham died Saturday at 71 after “a brief and sudden illness.” A preliminary medical examiner’s report said he suffered an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Trump had urged McMaster to choose Nordone, who has never held elected office, calling the appointment “a fabulous tribute.” Nordone said she would “support the president” and continue Graham’s work on behalf of South Carolina and the country until the term expires Jan. 3. The appointment restores Republicans’ 53-47 Senate majority once she is sworn in. South Carolina Republicans will hold a new primary on Aug. 11 to choose a replacement nominee for Graham, who had already won the Republican nomination for a fifth term. Trump, meanwhile, called Graham a “true American Patriot” and “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known.” He said he spoke to Graham hours before he died, adding that “other than being tired, he was fine.” (NBC News / Axios / CNN / Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Associated Press)

5/ Mitch McConnell said a fall left him briefly unconscious and hospitalized for nearly a month, but offered no timetable for returning to the Senate. The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican was treated for pneumonia, and doctors reportedly ruled out a heart attack, stroke, concussion, fractures, tumors, and hemorrhaging. The Capitol physician attributed McConnell’s repeated falls to his post-polio condition and said he’s now undergoing intensive rehabilitation. McConnell said he intends to finish his term in January. (NPR / Associated Press / Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Bloomberg / Axios / Washington Post / ABC News)

The 2026 midterms are in 113 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 848 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. The landmark bipartisan housing bill became law without Trump’s signature after he refused to sign it in protest over the Senate’s failure to pass an unrelated voting restrictions bill The law, the most significant federal housing legislation in decades, aims to speed home construction, ease federal regulations, and limit some large investors from buying additional single-family homes. Trump dismissed the measure as “a yawn” compared with the unrelated SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification to cast a ballot but does not have enough support to clear the Senate. Because Trump neither signed nor vetoed the housing bill within the constitutionally mandated 10-day window, it automatically became law. (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Axios / NPR / CNN / New York Times)

2. The FBI fired two analysts who raised concerns that its review of Fulton County’s 2020 election records lacked evidence and was politically motivated. The bureau assigned 260 analysts to crosscheck hundreds of voter names, addresses, and identification numbers against a commercial public records database by July 17. The investigation faces a likely expired five-year statute of limitations. (CBS News)

3. The Justice Department subpoenaed four New York Times reporters to testify before a federal grand jury about their reporting on security problems with Trump’s new Qatari-donated Air Force One. Federal agents delivered some of the subpoenas after the Times reported that Trump left Turkey aboard the older Air Force One at the Secret Service’s urging and that the retrofitted jet lacked advanced defenses, including antimissile capabilities. (New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press / CNN / NPR)

4. Trump threatened New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman would “pay the price” after she criticized the secrecy surrounding his health. Trump called Haberman “Maggot Hagerman,” claimed her new book was “90% Fake News,” and then claimed he’d “just finished a perfect physical” and aced another cognitive test even though the White House confirmed he was referring to his May exam. Hours earlier, Haberman had called Trump’s health a “black box” inside the administration. (HuffPost / Daily Beast)

5. The Trump administration ended the 50-year-old Endangered Species Act, allowing farming, drilling, mining, logging, and development to damage or destroy habitat so long as no animal is directly killed or injured. (New York Times)

6. Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from his family’s crypto projects last year while his stock-and-bond portfolio grew at least fourfold from between 2024 and 2025. Trump’s money managers moved a significant share of his wealth into traditional assets even as the Trumps promoted crypto projects that left retail investors with an estimated $2.3 billion in losses. (Reuters)

7. Eric Trump and Trump Jr. invested in more than a dozen defense and technology companies that have since received at least $3.2 billion in government contracts and another $3.1 billion in future contract options. Most of the investments occurred after Trump’s reelection. (Washington Post)

• Two years ago today: Day 1271: "We cannot be like this."
• Four years ago today: Day 540: "Everything is in play."
• Six years ago today: Day 1271: "Highest risk."
• Eight years ago today: Day 540: Unwelcome.
• 9 years ago today: Day 175: Health care redux.

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Today in one sentence: Trump, despite the Supreme Court already rejecting his attempt to end birthright citizenship by executive order, said he wants the court to reconsider its decision; the family of a Mexican national fatally shot by an ICE agent during a traffic stop in Houston called for an independent investigation into his death; Iran retaliated after the U.S. struck about 90 military targets along Iran’s coast overnight in what Central Command called an effort to “degrade” Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz; Graham Platner suspended his Maine Senate campaign after a woman he previously dated accused him of raping her in 2021; former Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty to a felony charge that he damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool; and Trump’s EPA proposed weakening pollution rules for heavy-duty trucks and buses.

1/ Trump, despite the Supreme Court already rejecting his attempt to end birthright citizenship by executive order, said he wants the court to reconsider its decision, calling the ruling “absolutely insane” and warning it would “destroy America” if the justices don’t reverse their ruling. The court ruled 6-3 last week that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to nearly all children born in the U.S., invalidating Trump’s order denying automatic citizenship to babies unless at least one parent was a citizen or lawful permanent resident. Rehearings, while technically allowed within 25 days, are almost never granted. The last rehearing was in 1965, and the court has only once reheard a case and reversed itself. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / The Hill)

2/ The family of a Mexican national fatally shot by an ICE agent during a traffic stop in Houston called for an independent investigation into his death. Federal authorities claimed an agent fired in self-defense after 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo “weaponized his vehicle” as ICE officers attempted to arrest him. Officials didn’t provide evidence, explain why Araujo was being arrested, or release video of the incident. Araujo was shot in the abdomen, taken to a hospital, and died. His son, Ronaldo Salgado, said he learned of his father’s death from a social media news report, not law enforcement. Araujo’s family said he was in the process of obtaining a work permit. The DHS inspector general, meanwhile, is investigating the incident, while the FBI’s Houston office is investigating what authorities called an assault on a federal officer. (New York Times / ABC News / Axios / USA Today)

3/ Iran retaliated after the U.S. struck about 90 military targets along Iran’s coast overnight in what Central Command called an effort to “degrade” Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said it fired missiles and drones at U.S. military sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan, but the attacks appeared to be mostly intercepted and there were no reported U.S. casualties or major damage to U.S. facilities. Trump, meanwhile, called the overnight strikes “retribution” and warned that if Iran attacked ships again, “it will get much worse.” (New York Times / NBC News / Bloomberg / Reuters / CNBC / CBS News / ABC News / CNN)

• The Secret Service urged Trump to leave Turkey on the old Air Force One instead of his new, retrofitted Qatari-gifted jet as a security precaution after the U.S. launched strikes on Iran. Trump, however, denied that security concerns drove the switch, claiming the new jet was sent ahead to a U.S. air base in England so troops could tour it. (CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / ABC News)

4/ Graham Platner suspended his Maine Senate campaign after a woman he previously dated accused him of raping her in 2021. State officials, however, said he hasn’t formally withdrawn, yet. Platner has until 5 p.m. Monday to file the signed paperwork that would let Democrats replace him. Meanwhile, Platner has denied “any accusation of nonconsensual behavior” as “categorically false,” saying he’s stepping aside not because of the allegation but because party leaders were taking away “the things that we need to run a campaign,” like money and voter data. The Maine Democratic Party said it’ll hold a nominating convention if a vacancy is created and has until July 27 to name a replacement against Susan Collins in one of Democrats’ few chances to flip a Republican-held Senate seat. (NBC News / Axios / CNN / New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / The Guardian)

5/ Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty to a felony charge that he damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Federal prosecutors accused Hearn of ripping up the recently installed sealant and causing more than $1,000 in damage. Hearn faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The case comes after Trump’s $14 million-plus renovation of the pool quickly ran into algae, peeling coating, and water-quality problems, which Trump has blamed on vandals without providing evidence. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Hearn’s alleged conduct was “a deliberate act,” while Hearn’s lawyers called the evidence “weak” and accused the administration of using him as a “scapegoat” for the failed renovation. (Associated Press / The Hill / CNN / NPR)

6/ Trump’s EPA proposed weakening pollution rules for heavy-duty trucks and buses by delaying warranty and useful-life requirements for emissions-control systems and eliminating a mandate that engines automatically lose power when those systems stop working. The EPA said the changes would “ease real burdens for operators” by saving $4,130 to $6,152 per affected diesel engine, despite its own analysis finding the rollback would increase ozone-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from heavy-duty trucks by 4.2% in 2030 and 11.6% by 2055. The agency, however, didn’t model the effect on air quality or human health. (NPR)

The 2026 midterms are in 117 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 852 days.

• Today last year: Day 1632: "Treating democracy like a suggestion."
• Two years ago today: Day 1267: "Ridiculous and abysmal."
• Five years ago today: Day 171: "Any necessary action."
• Six years ago today: Day 1267: "The pandemic is still accelerating."
• Seven years ago today: Day 901: Radiating insecurity.
• Eight years ago today: Day 536: Piece of trash.

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Today in one sentence: The U.S. launched a second round of strikes against Iran after Trump said the ceasefire was “over”; the White House announced 25 “Freedom Fuel” gas stations selling gas at $3.47 a gallon “for our 47th President” as oil prices jumped more than 5% and gasoline remains well above its pre-war level; Trump left the NATO summit claiming there was “a lot of love” and “tremendous unity” after saying “I’m not happy with NATO”; Affordable Care Act health insurance plans are expected to increase about 14% next year; Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asked Mitch McConnell to publicly update Kentuckians on his health and ability to serve after the 84-year-old senator has spent more than three weeks in a hospital for undisclosed reasons; and Graham Platner is reportedly refusing to quickly drop out of Maine’s Senate race after a woman accused him of rape.

1/ The U.S. launched a second round of strikes against Iran after Trump said the ceasefire was “over” and warned that “it will get much worse” if ships in the Strait of Hormuz are attacked again. U.S. Central Command said the strikes were meant to “further degrade” Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the strait. The U.S. said the attacks were retaliation for strikes on three commercial vessels. Iran hasn’t claimed responsibility for those attacks, but said it targeted U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait after earlier U.S. strikes. Despite a memorandum of understanding last month to reopen the strait and keep negotiating toward a permanent ceasefire, Trump said dealing with Iran was “just a waste of time,” calling its leaders “scum,” “liars,” “sick people,” and “vicious, violent people,” before saying: “I’m not sure I want to make a deal with them […] Let’s just finish the job.” (Associated Press / Reuters / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / NPR / CBS News / CNBC / CNN / Bloomberg)

2/ The White House announced 25 “Freedom Fuel” gas stations selling gas at $3.47 a gallon “for our 47th President” as oil prices jumped more than 5% and gasoline remains well above its pre-war level. The stations, 20 in Pennsylvania and five in New Jersey, are privately owned and not federally subsidized. In a video posted by the White House, customers thanked Trump for cheaper gas, saying “Thanks, Trump, for saving me some money.” Regular gas averaged about $3.80 nationally Wednesday, down from its May peak of $4.56, but still above the $2.98 average before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February. (The Hill / CBS News / USA Today / Axios / New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / Politico)

3/ Trump left the NATO summit claiming there was “a lot of love” and “tremendous unity” after saying “I’m not happy with NATO,” scolding France, Germany, Italy, and Britain for not joining the war against Iran. During the summit, Trump – again – insisted that the U.S. “need[s]” Greenland, and ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off U.S. trade with Spain over Madrid’s refusal to commit to NATO’s new 5% defense spending target. “Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” Trump said, later calling Spain a “terrible partner” and telling Bessent: “Don’t even talk to them.” It’s unclear how the order would work because Spain is part of the European Union, which controls trade policy for its member states and EU customs rules prevent singling out one country. NATO leaders nevertheless reaffirmed their “ironclad” commitment to Article 5’s collective defense and pledged about $80 billion in military aid for Ukraine this year and next. Trump also told Volodymyr Zelensky that the U.S. will allow Ukraine to manufacture U.S.-designed Patriot missile interceptors, saying “We’ll show them how to do it” and “This way, you can’t complain that we’re not giving them enough.” It’s unclear, however, how quickly Ukraine could produce the interceptors needed to stop Russian ballistic missiles. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised Trump’s “leadership” and tried to cast the summit as proof of “a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.” (New York Times / Associated Press / Bloomberg / Washington Post / New York Times / The Hill / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Reuters)

• Trump will remove Syria from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. The U.S. first designated Syria a state sponsor of terrorism in 1979, after its then-government sided with Palestinian militant groups. (Semafor / Bloomberg)

4/ Affordable Care Act health insurance plans are expected to increase about 14% next year – a year after rates rose 20%. KFF’s analysis of 77 insurer filings in 16 states and D.C. found that premiums are expected to rise more than 33% between 2025 and 2027, driven by higher hospital prices, specialty drug costs, inflation, and a smaller, sicker risk pool after healthier enrollees dropped coverage when enhanced subsidies expired. ACA enrollment fell to 19.2 million from 22.1 million a year earlier, and insurers estimate the worsening risk pool alone will add about four percentage points to next year’s premiums. (Reuters / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Axios / The Hill / Bloomberg / USA Today)

The 2026 midterms are in 118 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 853 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. A federal judge ordered Trump’s $5.8 million to be released to E. Jean Carroll after the Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal of the 2023 civil verdict finding that Trump was liable for sexually abusing and defaming her. Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected Trump’s argument that the money, which Trump had deposited with the court while he appealed, couldn’t be paid out while he asked the justices to reconsider. Trump is separately appealing an $83.3 million defamation verdict Carroll won in 2024. (Associated Press / New York Times)

2. A federal judge threw out Trump Media’s $3.8 billion defamation lawsuit against The Washington Post after finding the company failed to show the newspaper acted with “actual malice” when it published a 2023 story about financing for Truth Social. U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber granted summary judgment to The Post, saying Trump Media hadn’t produced evidence that would allow a jury to find the newspaper knowingly published false claims or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. (CNN / Washington Post / The Guardian)

3. A federal appeals court refused to restore Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center while he appeals a lower-court order requiring its removal from the building and website. The three-judge D.C. Circuit panel said the administration failed to show the center would be irreparably harmed without Trump’s name, which was removed last month after U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper blocked plans to close the center for renovations. (Reuters / CNN / NPR)

4. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asked Mitch McConnell to publicly update Kentuckians on his health and ability to serve after the 84-year-old senator has spent more than three weeks in a hospital for undisclosed reasons. McConnell’s office hasn’t said why he was hospitalized, what treatment he’s receiving, or when he might return to the Senate other than he “continues to improve” and is working with staff while the Senate is out of session. (New York Times / Associated Press / CBS News / NBC News)

5. Graham Platner is reportedly refusing to quickly drop out of Maine’s Senate race after a woman accused him of rape. The Maine Democratic Party faces a Monday deadline for him to drop out so they can pick a new nominee. Platner’s campaign, however, has texted volunteers asking for feedback on the nomination process and said it would collect responses for “the next 48 hours” The Maine Democratic Party, meanwhile, accused Platner of “continued efforts to manipulate this process” and said he will have “no role” in choosing the next nominee. (New York Times / CNN / Wall Street Journal / NPR / Politico / Washington Post)

• Today last year: Day 1631: "Hubristic and senseless."
• Two years ago today: Day 1266: "We have one job."
• Six years ago today: Day 1266: "A campaign of bullying, intimidation, and retaliation."
• Seven years ago today: Day 900: Pathways.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: The U.S. launched new strikes against Iran after U.S. Central Command said Iran attacked three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the attacks “unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire”; the U.S. reportedly gave Tehran details on Iranian asylum seekers while trying to deport them back to Iran; Trump said he’d consider selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and lifting sanctions tied its purchase of a Russian S-400 air-defense system; Trump suggested he could pull U.S. troops out of Europe after NATO allies refused to support his demand that the U.S. should control Greenland; Top Democrats urged Graham Platner to drop out of Maine’s Senate race after a woman accused him of raping her in 2021; Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for more than three weeks and his office won’t say why; 60% of Americans say Trump is using his office for personal gain; and 95% of Americans believe the U.S. is suffering an affordability crisis, with half saying they’re having trouble affording everyday necessities, like gas and groceries, and two-thirds saying they have little faith that the federal government will improve the cost-of-living.

1/ The U.S. launched new strikes against Iran after U.S. Central Command said Iran attacked three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the attacks “unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire.” The strikes came after a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker, a Saudi oil tanker, and a third vessel were hit near the Omani route through the strait, where Iran has insisted that ships use its approved route and argued that it should be able to charge passage fees. A U.S. official characterized the military strikes as “not proportional,” and saying: “This is punishment. It won’t be over for a bit.” Separately, the Trump administration revoked its temporary waiver allowing Iran to sell oil in global markets. The U.S. said Iran “will only reap benefits if they exhibit good behavior” and that its actions in the strait were “wholly unacceptable.” (Bloomberg / Associated Press / NBC News / CNBC / New York Times / CNN / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNN / CNBC)

2/ The U.S. gave Tehran details on Iranian asylum seekers while trying to deport them back to Iran, a lawsuit alleges. The complaint says State Department and ICE officials shared names and immigration files, then kept sending records even after the U.S.-Iran war began. DHS, however, denied that ICE shared “asylum application records,” saying it only works with foreign governments to secure travel documents and consular access. (Washington Post / NBC News / ABC News / Associated Press / NPR / New York Times)

3/ Trump said he’d consider selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and lifting sanctions tied its purchase of a Russian S-400 air-defense system. Trump praised Turkey as an “extraordinary” ally and said it has been “much more loyal” than other NATO countries. A 2020 law, however, blocks the sale of F-35s to Turkey unless it gives up the Russian equipment, and Congress could still try to block the sale. Meanwhile, Israel opposes the sale, with Benjamin Netanyahu saying he urged Trump directly not to do it because giving Turkey the stealth jets would “destroy the power balance in the Middle East,” describing Recep Tayyip Erdogan as “not exactly a model ally” and warned that “when you give them that power, you’re going to see aggression in its wake.” Israel is currently the only country in the region with F-35s. (New York Times / CNN / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Washington Post / Bloomberg)

4/ Trump suggested he could pull U.S. troops out of Europe after NATO allies refused to support his demand that the U.S. should control Greenland, saying the dispute had “hurt my relationship with NATO.” Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump also said he was “very disappointed with NATO,” criticized Europe’s energy and immigration policies, and said the war between Russia and Ukraine “doesn’t affect us” ahead of a planned meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she expected allies to respect the sovereignty of the Danish kingdom and that U.S. control of Greenland “is not going to happen.” (Reuters / CNBC / Politico)

5/ Top Democrats urged Graham Platner to drop out of Maine’s Senate race after a woman accused him of raping her in 2021. Jenny Racicot said Platner showed up drunk and uninvited at her home while they were dating, ignored her repeated objections, and forced himself on her. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice,’” she said. Platner denied the allegation, calling “any accusation of non-consensual behavior” “categorically false,” while his campaign claimed the allegations were “coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives” and timed to come “a week before the ballot deadline.” Platner later said in a video that “regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting,” he was “mindful of the political reality it will inflict” and was taking time to “reflect on the best path forward” for Maine and “the goal of defeating Susan Collins.” If Platner withdraws by July 13, Maine Democrats have until July 27 to replace him on the ballot. If he doesn’t, the party could be stuck with Platner as their nominee in a race that’s essential to retaking control of the Senate. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, meaning Democrats likely need to flip the Maine seat, where Susan Collins is the only Republican senator running in a state Democrats carried in 2024. (Politico / CNN / Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / CNBC / New York Times / Washington Post)

6/ Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for more than three weeks and his office won’t say why. The 84-year-old Republican hasn’t cast a Senate vote since June 11, but his office says McConnell “continues to improve” and is working with staff while the Senate is out of session. Emergency dispatch recordings from June 14 indicate first responders were sent to McConnell’s Washington address for an unconscious person before reporting “CPR in progress” and “cardiac arrest.” McConnell isn’t named in the audio and his office declined to comment on it. John Thune, John Barrasso, and former McConnell adviser Scott Jennings all said that they’ve spoken with McConnell by phone for about 20 minutes, with Barrasso’s office saying McConnell was “fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate.” (Washington Post / New York Times / CNN / CNBC)

poll/ 60% of Americans say Trump is using his office for personal gain. (YouGov)

poll/ 95% of Americans believe the U.S. is suffering an affordability crisis, with half saying they’re having trouble affording everyday necessities, like gas and groceries, and two-thirds saying they have little faith that the federal government will improve the cost-of-living.(The Guardian)

The 2026 midterms are in 119 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 854 days.

• Today last year: Day 1630: "Very talented people."
• Four years ago today: Day 534: "Entrenched."
• Five years ago today: Day 169: "A lot of good things."
• Six years ago today: Day 1265: "Gave up and didn't try."
• 9 years ago today: Day 169: An honor to be with you.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask him to review Folarin Balogun’s red card and suspension, which FIFA then reversed; the FBI ordered 260 analysts to help investigate the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia; the U.S. labor market weakened in June, with employers adding 57,000 jobs; Trump disclosed that he made 327 stock purchases one day before he told the public it was a “GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!” and then paused some of his tariffs; Trump rang the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq opening bells from the Oval Office to launch “Trump Accounts”; House Democrats said Trump-linked fundraisers may have steered America250 donors to Trump’s Freedom 250 instead; and the White House accused the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History of “extreme political activism.”

1/ Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask him to review Folarin Balogun’s red card and suspension. FIFA then reversed the U.S.’s leading scorer’s suspension and rejected Belgium’s challenge even though World Cup red cards carry an automatic one-game ban. “All I did was ask for a review,” Trump said, because “I didn’t think it was a foul,” while insisting: “I didn’t tell him what to do.” Trump, however, acknowledged that he “didn’t know what the hell a red card was,” but said once he learned Balogun would miss the Belgium match, “I said, ‘You gotta be kidding,’” calling the referee’s decision “horrible” and FIFA’s reversal “brilliant.” Trump described the play as “two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled,” suggested referee Raphael Claus was “a little bit suspect,” and said keeping Balogun out would have left “a big stain” on the tournament. Behind the scenes, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, White House World Cup task force director Andrew Giuliani, U.S. Soccer officials, and lawyers worked to challenge the ban, while a U.S. official said the government provided “additional evidence” to FIFA’s process. Infantino reportedly told Trump that FIFA’s independent judicial bodies would decide the case. FIFA cited Article 27 to reverse Balogun’s one-game ban and instead put him on a one-year probationary period while keeping the red card on his record. Belgium said FIFA provided no decision, explanation, or referee report before rejecting its challenge as inadmissible because Belgium was not a party to the proceedings. UEFA also accused FIFA of crossing “a red line” with an “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable” decision that undermined the certainty of the rules. Brazil’s soccer federation, meanwhile, rejected Trump’s insinuation about Claus, calling him “an exemplary professional” whose integrity should not be questioned. (The Hill / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / The Athletic / ESPN / Politico / CNN / NBC News / Axios / CBS News / The Guardian / CNBC / Reuters / Associated Press / Washington Post)

2/ The FBI ordered 260 analysts to help investigate the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia. An internal memo described the case as a “priority” for Director Kash Patel and called for “surge support” to review thousands of records by July 17. The investigation centers on the election Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed was “rigged,” even though Biden’s 11,779-vote win in Georgia was confirmed by a machine recount and a hand-count audit in every county. The FBI already seized more than 600 boxes of 2020 ballots and election materials from Fulton County in January, which a federal judge let the Justice Department keep. (CBS News / CNN / NBC News)

3/ The U.S. labor market weakened in June, with employers adding 57,000 jobs. Earlier gains were revised down by 74,000, the unemployment rate fell to 4.2%, and the participation rate fell to the lowest level since March 2021. Roughly 720,000 people left the labor force and household employment fell by 507,000. (Axios / Reuters / CBS News / The Hill / CNN)

4/ Trump disclosed that he made 327 stock purchases one day before he told the public it was a “GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!” and then paused some of his tariffs, sending the S&P 500 up about 9.5%. The purchases came after markets had fallen more than 12% following Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement and included between $100,001 and $250,000 each in Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia. His annual disclosure also showed more than 21,000 securities trades in 2025, worth somewhere between $600 million and $1.86 billion, along with at least $2.2 billion in revenue from his businesses, including $1.4 billion from crypto-related ventures. (NBC News / CNBC / New York Times / Bloomberg)

5/ Trump rang the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq opening bells from the Oval Office to launch “Trump Accounts,” the new tax-advantaged investment program for children that gives a $1,000 federal contribution to U.S. citizen children born between 2025 and 2028. The accounts, created in last summer’s tax-and-spending bill, default into State Street’s S&P 500 ETF, while parents, friends, and employers can contribute up to $5,000 a year. Michael and Susan Dell pledged $6.25 billion to give $250 to 25 million children under 10 in low-income areas, while Gwynne Shotwell said she would gift SpaceX stock to more than two million children. Trump, standing beside the Dells, told Americans to “Go out and buy a Dell computer,” joked that “we’re going to get him that money back one way or another,” and said the accounts would grow “right along with our booming economy.” (Bloomberg / The Guardian / CNN / Associated Press / CNBC)

6/ House Democrats said Trump-linked fundraisers may have steered America250 donors to Trump’s Freedom 250 instead. According to a Democratic staff report from the House Natural Resources Committee, donors seeking to support the bipartisan commission created by Congress were allegedly given banking information for Freedom 250, a White House-backed group operating under the National Park Foundation. The report said the alleged diversion of funds, if true, could amount to wire fraud or charitable solicitation fraud. Democrats also accused Trump allies of sidelining America250 by starving it of expected federal funding and selling sponsorship perks tied to Freedom 250 events, including VIP access and a photo opportunity with Trump. (Associated Press / NPR / CNN)

• EARLIER: Trump used the July Fourth celebration of America’s 250th anniversary to attack “communism” and push new voting restrictions. Trump honored veterans, military history, and NASA astronauts, but also told the crowd “we don’t want communists in our country,” called communism “a loser,” and said “with God’s help” America would remain unlike any other nation because “nobody can be like us.” He urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, claimed without evidence that limiting mail-in ballots would mean “you won’t have cheating on the elections anymore,” before declaring the anniversary “only the dawn of the golden age of America” and promising that “the best is yet to come.” (NBC News / Axios / CBS News / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / NPR)

7/ The White House accused the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History of “extreme political activism.” The Domestic Policy Council said the current Smithsonian leadership “cannot be trusted” to tell America’s story and claimed the museum had been captured by a “radical, activist ideology,” citing its treatment of the founders, slavery, gender, immigration, Christianity, and “whiteness.” The Smithsonian, a public-private trust, said it’s served the public for more than 180 years with “nonpartisan and independent scholarship.” Secretary Lonnie Bunch said America’s strength is “not running away from its history, but understanding how that history shaped us.” (New York Times / NBC News / Associated Press / CNN / Washington Post)

The 2026 midterms are in 120 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 855 days.

• Three years ago today: Day 898: "Not a record to celebrate."
• Four years ago today: Day 533: "Broken."
• Six years ago today: Day 1264: "Really not good."
• Eight years ago today: Day 533: Totally prepared.
• 9 years ago today: Day 168: Will to survive.

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Today in one sentence: Trump reported at least $2.2 billion in income in 2025, including more than $1.4 billion from crypto ventures tied to him and his family; Trump refused to renew his own North American trade deal; Trump urged acting intelligence chief Bill Pulte to “declassify almost everything” while he temporarily leads the nation’s intelligence office for the next “month or two months or something”; and Trump took his first flight on the new Air Force One, a $400 million Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar and retrofitted for presidential use despite legal, ethical, and national security questions over the foreign gift.

1/ Trump reported at least $2.2 billion in income in 2025, including more than $1.4 billion from crypto ventures tied to him and his family. The 927-page disclosure showed roughly $635 million from a Trump memecoin licensing deal, more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial token sales, and nearly $200 million from a stablecoin-related transaction all while the Trump administration loosened crypto regulation and promoted the U.S. as the “crypto capital of the world.” Trump also reported at least $86.5 million from legal settlements with media and technology companies. Mar-a-Lago generated $77 million and Trump National Doral brought in about $122 million. Trump dismissed conflict-of-interest concerns, saying “You know why I’m profiting? Because the stock market is going up. We’re all profiting” And the White House claimed that “Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged — or will ever engage — in conflicts of interest.” (Associated Press / Reuters / New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / NBC News / The Hill / CNN / CNBC)

• Trump reported earning at least $26 million from foreign real estate deals during his second term. The income came from Trump Organization licensing deals in Romania, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. (Bloomberg)

2/ Trump refused to renew his own North American trade deal, forcing Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. into annual reviews and negotiations for the next decade instead of locking in a 16-year extension. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the Trump administration was “not prepared to rubber stamp the agreement,” while Trump, who once called it the “best and most important trade deal ever made,” now says he’s “not a big fan” of it and wants it “terminated.” (Politico / Bloomberg / New York Times)

3/ Trump urged acting intelligence chief Bill Pulte to “declassify almost everything” while he temporarily leads the nation’s intelligence office for the next “month or two months or something.” Despite bipartisan concerns that Pulte, a housing official with no intelligence experience, could weaponize the agency, Trump said “Bill is there just for a fairly short period of time” before Jay Clayton, his permanent DNI nominee, gets a confirmation hearing in two weeks. “But while he’s there, I said you can declassify whatever you want.” (Politico / Reuters / The Hill)

4/ Trump took his first flight on the new Air Force One, a $400 million Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar and retrofitted for presidential use despite legal, ethical, and national security questions over the foreign gift. Trump called it “maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built,” saying Qatar had “treated us very well” and that the U.S. “couldn’t build a plane like this” because “we wouldn’t be willing to spend the kind of money necessary.” The jet will temporarily replace the 35-year-old planes that have served as Air Force One until Boeing delivers two delayed U.S.-built replacements in 2028. (CNN / CBS News / Associated Press)

The 2026 midterms are in 125 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 860 days.

• Today last year: Day 1624: "Agonizing."
• Two years ago today: Day 1259: "The President is now a king above the law."
• Five years ago today: Day 163: "Sweeping and audacious."
• Six years ago today: Day 1259: "It's going to sort of just disappear, I hope."
• Seven years ago today: Day 893: Unforeseen.

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Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court rejected Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship by executive order; the Supreme Court eliminated the decades-old limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates running for office; Speaker Mike Johnson sent the bipartisan housing affordability bill to Trump and said it’ll become law even if Trump refuses to sign it; the House passed a bipartisan kids online safety package to impose federal rules on social media platforms, AI chatbots, data brokers, and porn sites, sending the KIDS Act to a Senate where sponsors have already warned the House version is dead on arrival; the Supreme Court ruled that the police need a warrant to use cellphone location data; and the Supreme Court upheld West Virginia and Idaho laws banning transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s school sports teams.

1/ The Supreme Court rejected Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship by executive order, reaffirming more than a century of legal precedent under the 14th Amendment that nearly everyone born on U.S. soil is an American citizen. The 6-3 ruling invalidates Trump’s executive order denying citizenship to children born to undocumented immigrants and temporary visa holders. The policy that never took effect after lower courts blocked it. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that “citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights,” and that the 14th Amendment extended that promise to “every free-born person in this land.” Trump, meanwhile, called the decision “too bad for our Country” and urged Congress to end birthright citizenship by legislation. (New York Times / NBC News / ABC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / NPR / Associated Press / Politico / Washington Post)

2/ The Supreme Court eliminated the decades-old limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates running for office. The 6-3 ruling lets national party committees spend unlimited amounts in coordination with individual campaigns. Donors can give far more to political parties than directly to candidates, meaning parties can now direct a much larger pool of money toward individual campaigns. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that the decision lets all parties “compete more fully” and coordinate more closely with their candidates, while Justice Elena Kagan warned that, without the limits, “the party can serve as the candidate’s checking account.” The case was brought by JD Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign and Republican committees, then backed by Trump’s Justice Department after the federal government stopped defending the law. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Politico / NBC News)

3/ Speaker Mike Johnson sent the bipartisan housing affordability bill to Trump and said it’ll become law even if Trump refuses to sign it, saying Trump “won’t veto the bill” and can simply let it take effect after 10 days. Trump, who abruptly canceled the signing ceremony last week, called the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act “a big yawn” and “so unimportant” compared with the stalled SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to cast a ballot. Johnson said Trump told him he’d “think about it.” (USA Today / CNN / New York Times / ABC News / Reuters / Politico)

4/ The House passed a bipartisan kids online safety package to impose federal rules on social media platforms, AI chatbots, data brokers, and porn sites, sending the KIDS Act to a Senate where sponsors have already warned the House version is dead on arrival. The 267-117 vote marks the first time a version of KOSA has cleared the House, but the bill strips out the Senate’s central “duty of care” provision requiring platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent harms to minors. Sen. Richard Blumenthal called the House version “dead in the Senate,” while Sen. Maria Cantwell said the Senate is “not interested” in preempting state lawsuits and stronger state protections. Privacy and digital rights groups, meanwhile, warned that the bill’s age-checking provisions could push platforms toward broader identity checks for everyone. (Politico / The Hill / NBC News / Axios)

5/ The Supreme Court ruled that the police need a warrant to use cellphone location data, rejecting the Trump administration’s argument that the Fourth Amendment didn’t apply because users had shared the data with Google. In a 6-3 vote, the court found that the use of broad “geofence” surveillance, which sweeps up location data from cellphones near crime scenes, constitutes a search under the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. The court, however, didn’t answer whether the warrant used to identify Okello Chatrie after a 2019 Virginia bank robbery was too broad or lacked probable cause. Justice Elena Kagan wrote that police “intrude” on a protected privacy interest when they demand cellphone-location records, warning that the data can give the government a “virtual panopticon” to scrutinize people’s movements. Justice Samuel Alito dissented, calling the ruling an “irresponsible escapade” that would send “seismic waves” through Fourth Amendment law. (CNN / Washington Post / NPR / New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News)

6/ The Supreme Court upheld West Virginia and Idaho laws banning transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s school sports teams. The ruling reverses a pair of lower court decisions that had blocked the bans as violations of Title IX and the 14th Amendment, and will likely be used by 25 other states with similar laws. The ruling, however, doesn’t create a nationwide ban. (Reuters / ABC News / NBC News / Bloomberg / Axios / New York Times)

The 2026 midterms are in 126 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 861 days.

• Today last year: Day 1623: "Insane and destructive."
• Four years ago today: Day 527: "Running out of options."
• Five years ago today: Day 162: "A more stable and secure world."
• Six years ago today: Day 1258: "We're going in the wrong direction."
• 9 years ago today: Day 162: Fraud.

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Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court rejected Trump’s Justice Department and the Republican National Committee’s effort to force states to throw out mail ballots that arrive after Election Day so long as voters cast them on time; the Supreme Court declined to consider Trump’s attempt to overturn a 2023 jury verdict holding him liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll; the Supreme Court expanded presidential authority over independent federal agencies; Trump said the U.S. and Iran will meet this week in Qatar for negotiations after the two agreed to “stand down for now” following attacks over the weekend; Trump nominated former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer as director of ICE; Trump’s former national security adviser pleaded guilty to mishandling classified information; Trump plans to renovate Washington, D.C.’s public East Potomac Golf Links starting Sept. 1, despite a pending federal lawsuit to stop Trump from unilaterally renovating the golf course; and 33% of Americans say they are “extremely proud” to be an American – a 25-year low.

1/ The Supreme Court rejected Trump’s Justice Department and the Republican National Committee’s effort to force states to throw out mail ballots that arrive after Election Day so long as voters cast them on time. The 5-4 ruling preserves Mississippi’s five-business-day grace period and similar rules in more than a dozen states, plus separate protections for military and overseas voters elsewhere. Trump called the decision a “tremendous loss” and demanded Congress pass the SAVE America Act, again claiming opposition means “CHEATING!” without evidence. (Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / NPR / Associated Press / NBC News / Axios / Bloomberg / CNBC)

2/ The Supreme Court declined to consider Trump’s attempt to overturn a 2023 jury verdict holding him liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump will have to pay Carroll the $5 million judgment, plus interest. However, Trump is still appealing a separate $83.3 million defamation judgment. Trump had argued that the trial judge improperly allowed jurors to hear testimony from two other women who accused him of sexual misconduct and the “Access Hollywood” tape. (Associated Press / Reuters / NBC News / Politico / CNBC / Axios / Washington Post / New York Times)

3/ The Supreme Court expanded presidential authority over independent federal agencies, ruling that Trump and future presidents can fire agency leaders at will. The court ruled 6-3 to overturn 1935 Humphrey’s Executor precedent, allowing Trump to fire FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter despite a federal law limiting presidents from firing Senate-confirmed leaders only for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” In a separate 5-4 ruling, however, the court blocked Trump from immediately firing Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook while her lawsuit continues. Chief Justice John Roberts said Cook was entitled to notice and a chance to respond before being removed over Trump’s unproven mortgage fraud allegations. (NBC News / New York Times / Politico / Associated Press / Bloomberg / Washington Post / CNBC / Wall Street Journal)

4/ Trump said the U.S. and Iran will meet this week in Qatar for negotiations after the two agreed to “stand down for now” following attacks over the weekend. Iran, however, hasn’t confirmed the meeting and its deputy foreign minister said nothing is scheduled this week. Nevertheless, Trump posted: “IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!” The White House said Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will lead the “high-level meetings” to discuss the memorandum of understanding they signed earlier this month. Trump, meanwhile, threatened that “there may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable” and that the U.S. could “complete the job” if Tehran didn’t open up the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has claimed right to full control over. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / NBC News / ABC News / CBS News)

• EARLIER:
• The U.S. military attacked Iranian missile and drone sites after Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by launching a drone attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran attacked American military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain in response, and threatened a “complete halt” in negotiations to end the war if the U.S. continues the strikes. (New York Times / NBC News / Associated Press)

5/ Trump nominated former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer as director of ICE. Schroyer has been serving as a senior adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, overseeing coordination between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement agencies. The agency has been without a Senate-confirmed leader since the Obama administration. (CNN / NBC News)

6/ Trump’s former national security adviser pleaded guilty to mishandling classified information. John Bolton was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2025 on 18 charges related to retention and transmission of national defense information. Under the plea agreement, Bolton faces a fine of $2.25 million and up to five years in prison. “John Bolton, a very dumb, unbalanced, and unskilled former representative of the United States of America, just pleads guilty!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He is a terrible person, a lunatic who only wanted to start trouble and wars, and who was a needless pusher of death and destruction wherever he went. Hopefully, he will be dealt with harshly!” (The Hill / NPR)

7/ Trump plans to renovate Washington, D.C.’s public East Potomac Golf Links starting Sept. 1, despite a pending federal lawsuit to stop Trump from unilaterally renovating the golf course. It’s unclear how the proposed construction date aligns with the judge’s warning to get approvals and notify the court before making major changes, including environmental and regulatory reviews. Nevertheless, Trump toured the course with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and golf architect Tom Fazio, calling it “dilapidated” and “very dangerous and outdated,” and said the Interior Department would rebuild it into “one of the Greatest Golf Courses anywhere in the World” while keeping it open to the public. He also claimed the redesigned course could host the U.S. Open, Ryder Cup, PGA Championship, and other major tournaments, though those events are typically scheduled years in advance. (Associated Press / ABC News / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Axios)

poll/ 33% of Americans say they are “extremely proud” to be an American – a 25-year low. 20% say they are “very proud,” 22% “moderately proud”, 15% “only a little proud” or 9% “not at all proud.” (Gallup)

The 2026 midterms are in 127 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 862 days.

• Three years ago today: Day 891: "Let them eat cake."
• Four years ago today: Day 526: "A better justification."
• Five years ago today: Day 161: "Take the win."
• Six years ago today: Day 1257: "Nobody told me."
• Eight years ago today: Day 526: Totally screwed.
• 9 years ago today: Day 161: Low IQ.

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Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court ruled that migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border aren’t entitled to apply for asylum until they set foot in the country; the Supreme Court allowed Trump to end Temporary Protected Status for about 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians; a federal judge blocked Trump from using the Postal Service and Homeland Security to restrict who can receive mail ballots; Senate Republicans held a late night re-vote on Trump’s Iran war powers, this time rejecting a nearly identical measure that the Senate had approved the day before; Inflation rose to 4.1% in May – the highest in three years; and 53% of Americans say there’s grounds for Congress to impeach Trump.

1/ The Supreme Court ruled that migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border aren’t entitled to apply for asylum until they set foot in the country. The decision allows Trump to revive the asylum “metering” policy, which was first used under Obama in 2016, expanded during Trump’s first term, but rescinded by Biden in 2021. It lets border agents physically block asylum seekers when ports are deemed over capacity. Justice Samuel Alito wrote that “a guest does not arrive in a house when he knocks on the front door,” while Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the court had blessed the government’s decision to “slam the door shut” on people fleeing persecution. “More people will die,” Sotomayor wrote. “More people will attempt to cross the border illegally, and some will make it while others will not.” (Politico / Reuters / NPR / Axios / Washington Post / Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times)

2/ The Supreme Court allowed Trump to end Temporary Protected Status for about 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians. In a 6-3 ruling, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the TPS law “plainly bars” courts from reviewing DHS decisions to extend or end the protections, and said Trump’s comments about Haitians were “insufficient” to show that the decision was based on race. Justice Elena Kagan, meanwhile, said “hundreds of thousands of lives will be uprooted” and accused the majority of letting DHS end protections “without the required consultations about country conditions” and, for Haiti, with “impermissible race-based considerations tainting the decision.” The ruling exposes them to possible deportation after years of living and working legally in the U.S. It also opens the door for the administration to end TPS for immigrants from 13 countries, which protects roughly 1.3 million people. (Associated Press / CBS News / NBC News / Washington Post / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / NPR / Reuters / Politico)

• The Supreme Court struck down a Hawaii law requiring people to get permission to carry guns into stores and hotels. “The measure was sometimes referred to as a “vampire rule” because it required people with guns to get permission to enter, according to vampire lore, bloodsuckers need an invitation to enter a home.” (Associated Press)

• The Supreme Court restricted thousands of lawsuits claiming Monsanto had a duty to warn consumers of alleged cancer risks from the world’s most popular weed killer, Roundup. “The justices ruled Monsanto was not required to offer a warning because the Environmental Protection Agency holds that Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, is not a cancer risk.” (Washington Post)

3/ A federal judge blocked Trump from using the Postal Service and Homeland Security to restrict who can receive mail ballots, ruling that the president had no constitutional authority to create federal voter lists or order USPS to deliver ballots only to voters on federally approved lists. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said the Constitution gives states the power to determine voter eligibility, writing that “the Constitution does not grant the President any specific powers over elections.” The ruling applies to the 23 states and Washington, D.C., that sued and prevents the administration from enforcing the provisions ahead of the November midterms. The decision is separate from Wednesday’s ruling that permanently blocked Trump’s earlier executive order requiring people to show documents proving their citizenship when registering to vote. (NPR / Bloomberg / Politico / New York Times / Associated Press / Axios / Washington Post / NBC News / ABC News / CNN / CBS News)

4/ Senate Republicans held a late night re-vote on Trump’s Iran war powers, this time rejecting a nearly identical measure that the Senate had approved the day before. While Trump claimed that the Senate had “changed its vote on Iran,” the move doesn’t rescind, supersede, or undo Tuesday’s adopted resolution that direct Trump to end the war with Iran or get Congress’s approval to continue. The symbolic reversal came hours after Trump berated Republicans in a closed-door lunch for undermining his negotiations with Iran, which included a shouting match with Bill Cassidy. After receiving a White House briefing from JD Vance and Steve Witkoff, Cassidy changed his vote to no. Tim Kaine, meanwhile, called the second vote “of no consequence” and said it “does not undo the expressed position of Congress that further war against Iran is illegal unless Congress votes for it.” Nevertheless Trump celebrated the procedural defeat, saying: This vote puts Iran on notice!” (USA Today / NBC News / Associated Press / CNN / New York Times / CBS News / Washington Post / ABC News)

5/ Inflation rose to 4.1% in May – the highest in three years. The Fed’s preferred PCE index rose 0.4% from April, while core inflation rose 3.4% from a year earlier. Personal income and consumer spending both rose 0.7%, with inflation-adjusted spending up 0.3%. (Bloomberg / CNBC / Politico / New York Times / CBS News / Associated Press / Axios)

poll/ 53% of Americans say there’s grounds for Congress to impeach Trump. The most common reason was corruption and self-enrichment, followed by abuse of power, defying court orders, and weaponizing the Justice Department. (Strength in Numbers)

• Today last year: Day 1618: "Daddy."
• Two years ago today: Day 1253: "A deep sense of fear."
• Five years ago today: Day 157: "Particular cruelty."
• Six years ago today: Day 1253: "An explosion."
• Seven years ago today: Day 887: Overwhelming force.
• Eight years ago today: Day 522: Inhumane and unethical.

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Today in one sentence: A federal judge permanently blocked Trump from enforcing an executive order that would’ve required proof of citizenship to register to vote and forced mail ballots to be received by Election Day; a federal appeals court blocked Trump’s Justice Department from obtaining Michigan’s unredacted voter rolls; Trump abruptly canceled the signing ceremony for a major bipartisan housing affordability bill, saying he won’t sign it until Congress passes the SAVE America Act; Trump berated Senate Republicans for voting to block him from continuing his war with Iran without congressional authorization; Trump asked Congress for $87.6 billion in emergency spending for his Iran war; a federal judge temporarily blocked the Justice Department from obtaining six years of transgender patients’ medical records; and 77% of Americans say the founders would be disappointed with how the country has turned out.

1/ A federal judge permanently blocked Trump from enforcing an executive order that would’ve required proof of citizenship to register to vote and forced mail ballots to be received by Election Day. U.S. District Judge Denise Casper ruled that the Constitution gives election authority to states and Congress, not the president, and said the Justice Department failed to support Trump’s claims of “widespread illegal voting, discrimination, fraud, and other forms of malfeasance and error.” The order also would have blocked states from counting mail ballots that arrive after Election Day even if postmarked on time, and threatened to withhold federal money from states that refused to comply. Separately, the Supreme Court is expected to decide whether 14 states can keep counting postmarked mail ballots that arrive after Election Day. (ABC News / Associated Press / NBC News)

2/ A federal appeals court blocked Trump’s Justice Department from obtaining Michigan’s unredacted voter rolls, ruling that the DOJ can’t use the 1960 Civil Rights Act to demand a state-created voter file containing personal data like partial Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and birth dates. Judge Andre Mathis wrote that the government once used the law “to ensure that everyone who had the right to vote could freely exercise that right,” but now invokes it “for an inverse purpose – to ensure that some people have not voted.” The 2-1 decision is the Trump administration’s first appellate court loss in its effort to obtain the voter lists from 30 states and D.C. The administration has also lost all nine trial-court rulings so far. Meanwhile, Postmaster General David Steiner told senators that, under a proposed Trump rule, USPS would restrict delivery of mail ballots in states that don’t provide voter lists. Democrats called the plan an attempt to coerce states into handing over election data before the November midterms. (Reuters / CNN / Politico / Democracy Docket)

3/ Trump abruptly canceled the signing ceremony for a major bipartisan housing affordability bill, saying he won’t sign it until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, an unrelated elections bill that Senate Republicans say doesn’t have the votes to pass. The housing bill, meant to boost supply, lower costs, and limit institutional investors from buying up single-family homes, cleared the House 358-32 and the Senate 85-5, enough to override a veto. Nevertheless, Trump posted on social media that “Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT,” calling it a “National Emergency” while dismissing the largest piece of housing legislation in decades as “of minor importance.” Senate Republicans, meanwhile, have repeatedly told Trump they won’t eliminate the filibuster and they don’t have enough votes to pass his elections bill, which would impose new proof-of-citizenship and voter ID requirements and restrict mail voting. (New York Times / NPR / Axios / Washington Post / Politico / CBS News / NBC News / Reuters / CNBC)

4/ Trump berated Senate Republicans for voting to block him from continuing his war with Iran without congressional authorization. Sen. Bill Cassidy got into a shouting match with Trump after Trump asked why any Republican would back the war powers resolution. “You have not told the American people what’s going on,” Cassidy said, adding that the war “was supposed to last four weeks,” but its “lasted four months” and that “our original objectives have not been achieved.” Trump “did not particularly care for my comments” and “raised his voice,” Cassidy said, so he “matched his tone and his volume,” later adding: “I’m not going to be bullied” and “I am voting for war powers until I get a briefing.” Sen. John Kennedy described Trump as “mad as a murder hornet” about the vote, while Sen. Roger Marshall compared the meeting to “a hospital board meeting, when a bunch of doctors are yelling at each other.” Trump, meanwhile, called it a “really great meeting,” saying “We like everybody really in the room – I don’t like a few people, but that’s OK.” (Associated Press / CNN / The Guardian / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Reuters / CBS News / Politico / Bloomberg)

5/ Trump asked Congress for $87.6 billion in emergency spending for his Iran war. The request would send $67.1 billion to the Pentagon, including $21 billion to replace missiles used in the Iran war, $17.3 billion for operations, and $12.1 billion for classified programs. The package also includes $2.4 billion for drones and $5.1 billion for cybersecurity. The White House also bundled in about $11 billion for farmers, $1.4 billion for Ebola response, $1 billion for Penn Station, and $500 million for Washington, D.C. construction. However, the request has no clear path through the Senate where it needs 60 votes and nearly all Democrats oppose funding a war Trump started without congressional authorization. Sen. Patty Murray called it an attempt to make taxpayers “pick up the tab” for a “reckless and costly war.” (CNBC / Politico / New York Times)

• Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate oil companies for price “gouging” consumers at the pump. The Justice Department, however, declined to say whether it would open a probe, saying fuel affordability is a “national security issue” that affects “the wallet of every American.” The national average gas price is about $3.93 a gallon, down from roughly $4.50 a month ago, but still about 70 cents higher than last year. U.S. crude, meanwhile, has fallen back near $70 a barrel after peaking near $120 in March. (Politico / Axios / NBC News)

6/ A federal judge temporarily blocked the Justice Department from obtaining six years of transgender patients’ medical records, ruling that the grand jury subpoenas likely violated the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. Judge Katherine Polk Failla said the demand for the “most sensitive medical records” of a “uniquely vulnerable group” was “most egregious,” accusing the Trump administration of trying to “demonize and eradicate an entire population of transgender” people. Failla granted class-action status to the patients and families, issued a 14-day restraining order, and set a July 8 hearing on whether to keep blocking the subpoenas. The Justice Department, meanwhile, claimed it was investigating possible “misbranding” of FDA-approved drugs. (Associated Press / Reuters / NBC News)

😏 Well, that’s fantastic. The House advanced a bill to prohibit members of Congress and their families from using prediction markets to bet on politics. (Politico)

poll/ 77% of Americans say the founders would be disappointed with how the country has turned out, while 19% say they’d be pleased. (Gallup)

The 2026 midterms are in 132 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 867 days.

• Today last year: Day 1617: "Low-level loser."
• Two years ago today: Day 1252: "Combustible atmosphere."
• Four years ago today: Day 521: "We dissent."
• Five years ago today: Day 156: "Root causes."
• Six years ago today: Day 1252: "A massive outbreak."
• Seven years ago today: Day 886: Restraint.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: The Senate approved a war powers resolution for the first time to block Trump from continuing his war with Iran without congressional authorization; Trump insisted that Iran had “fully and completely agreed” to indefinite nuclear inspections, while Tehran denied making that commitment; a group of eight anti-ICE protesters were found guilty of terrorism-related charges and sentenced to between 30 and 100 years in prison; the Justice Department withdrew grand jury subpoenas that would have forced four national security reporters to testify about leaked information tied to Trump’s military decision-making in Iran and Venezuela; and a federal appeals court allowed the Trump administration to resume fast-track deportations of undocumented immigrants throughout the country.

1/ The Senate approved a war powers resolution for the first time to block Trump from continuing his war with Iran without congressional authorization. Four Republicans joined Democrats to adopt the House-passed war powers resolution, 50-48. The measure directs Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes military force. The resolution, however, is largely symbolic, and under the 1973 War Powers Act, a concurrent resolution passed by both the House and Senate doesn’t ​go to Trump for his signature, leaving its legal force disputed. The White House, meanwhile, dismissed the vote as having “no significance,” arguing there are “no hostilities” to end because of the April 7 ceasefire. It’s the first time both chambers have passed the same war powers measure since the 1973 law. (New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / CNN / NBC News / Politico / CBS News / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / Reuters / Bloomberg)

• poll/ 23% of Americans think the U.S. is in a stronger position with Iran compared with ​before the war. 24% of Americans think the war with Iran was worth the costs. (Reuters)

2/ Trump insisted that Iran had “fully and completely agreed” to indefinite nuclear inspections, while Tehran denied making that commitment. When asked why Iran said inspections weren’t planned, Trump replied, “They know they’re wrong,” and said he’d “cancel the meetings right now” if Iran hadn’t agreed. He then added there was “no rush” to put inspectors on the ground. JD Vance, meanwhile, called Tehran’s supposed agreement to invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back into the country a “major milestone,” but Iran’s Foreign Ministry said there were “no plans” and “no protocol” for inspections of nuclear sites damaged by U.S. and Israeli strikes. The IAEA hasn’t confirmed any new access. (NBC News / The Hill / CNN / CBS News / Associated Press / Washington Post / ABC News / New York Times)

• 😏 Well, that’s fantastic: The U.S. will allow Iran’s World Cup team to travel into the country two days before their next match. The team was previously allowed ​to enter the U.S. a day before a match. Following Iran’s first game against New Zealand, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said they were the “most oppressed” team at the tournament. (Reuters)

3/ A group of eight anti-ICE protesters were found guilty of terrorism-related charges and sentenced to between 30 and 100 years in prison. Prosecutors said the group launched a premeditated attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado “inspired by antifa ideology,” setting off fireworks, vandalizing property, and bringing weapons and body armor. Benjamin Song opened fire using an AR-15-style rifle, hitting Lt. Thomas Gross in the neck. Gross survived and Song received 100 years in prison, while six others received 50 to 70 years. Daniel Sanchez-Estrada, who wasn’t at the protest, received 30 years for concealing documents. The case was the Trump administration’s first terrorism prosecution of purported antifa “members” after Trump declared antifa a “domestic terrorist organization,” a designation that doesn’t exist under U.S. law. Antifa, short for antifascist, is a loose ideology rather than an organization with formal membership. Nevertheless, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said “antifa terrorists” would face “swift and uncompromising justice.” The sentences were significantly longer than any imposed in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, where the most severe penalty was the 22-year term given to Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio before Trump granted him and other Capitol rioters clemency. (New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / CBS News / The Guardian / Wall Street Journal)

4/ The Justice Department withdrew grand jury subpoenas that would have forced four national security reporters to testify about leaked information tied to Trump’s military decision-making in Iran and Venezuela after The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal challenged the demands in sealed court proceedings. The subpoenas targeted Post reporter Ellen Nakashima and three Journal reporters, but the investigations remain under seal and the department refused to explain what it was seeking, why testimony was necessary, or why it backed down. Unlike subpoenas for documents, the demands would have put the reporters under oath before a grand jury and exposed them to contempt if they refused to identify their sources. (Politico / New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post)

5/ A federal appeals court allowed the Trump administration to resume fast-track deportations of undocumented immigrants throughout the country, throwing out a lower court order that had blocked Trump’s expanded use “expedited removal.” The ruling revives a policy that allows immigration agents to deport undocumented migrants without a hearing before a judge, which Trump had expanded in January from people caught at or near the border to undocumented migrants anywhere in the U.S. Judge Justin Walker wrote that migrants received “notice of the action the government is taking and the grounds for it, plus an opportunity to respond,” and said the administration wasn’t required to tell people they could avoid expedited removal by proving they had been in the U.S. for more than two years because that would amount to “legal advice.” (Associated Press / New York Times / Bloomberg / Reuters / The Hill)

The 2026 midterms are in 133 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 868 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. A Covid vaccine study blocked by Trump’s acting CDC director Jay Bhattacharya was published after finding updated Covid shots cut emergency and urgent care visits by 50% and hospitalizations by 55% among adults last fall and winter. The study had been approved for publication in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report before Bhattacharya delayed it over concerns about its “test-negative design.” One of the study’s authors, however, said “science was never the issue,” arguing that the study was blocked because it conflicted with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to limit Covid vaccines. (NBC News / Washington Post)

2. The Justice Department charged more than 450 people, including 90 medical professionals, in alleged health care fraud scheme totaling more than $6.5 billion. A record 295 Medicaid defendants were accused of submitting more than $518 million in false claims. (Wall Street Journal / CNN / The Hill)

3. The Senate passed a bipartisan housing bill to limit investors with more than 350 homes from purchasing additional single-family homes and loosens federal rules to boost construction. The package heads to the House, and Trump has signaled support. (CNBC / Bloomberg)

• Today last year: Day 1616: "This is not Constitutional."
• Four years ago today: Day 520: "Substantial misconduct."
• Five years ago today: Day 155: "Pursuit of truth."
• Six years ago today: Day 1251: "Mixed bag."
• 9 years ago today: Day 155: Bothersome.

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Today in one sentence: The Treasury Department gave Iran a 60-day waiver to sell oil, including to U.S. buyers, before negotiators reached a final deal over Iran’s nuclear program; a federal judge blocked six grand jury subpoenas from Trump’s Justice Department targeting Tim Walz and other Minnesota officials; the Trump administration plans to withhold 20% of homeland security grants from states unless they move to hand-marked paper ballots and run voter rolls through a DHS citizenship database; a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from building a database that combines millions of Americans’ Social Security numbers and citizenship status; at least five people have been arrested and five others cited for alleged vandalism at Trump’s newly renovated Reflecting Pool; and 78% of Americans say the Iran war should end now, and 69% say the conflict wasn’t worth the costs.

1/ The Treasury Department gave Iran a 60-day waiver to sell oil, including to U.S. buyers, before negotiators reached a final deal over Iran’s nuclear program. JD Vance said Iran had agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back “as soon as today,” though Iran’s foreign ministry said it’s made “no new commitments.” The talks, however, nearly collapsed after Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz again over Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Trump responded by warning the U.S. could “hit Iran very hard again.” Meanwhile, Qatar and Pakistan said the sides had agreed to keep technical talks going, set up a hotline to avoid incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, and create a mechanism to keep fighting in Lebanon from derailing the deal, even though Israel isn’t part of the U.S.-Iran agreement and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli forces would keep “full freedom of action” there. Vance also floated unfreezing Iranian assets only for purchases of U.S. soy, corn, and wheat under U.S. and Qatari oversight, calling it “a classic Trump deal,” while warning: “You can’t trust anybody’s words. You have to trust what they actually do.” (New York Times / Washington Post / Politico / NPR / Associated Press / Reuters / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNBC / CNN / NBC News / ABC News / CBS News)

2/ A federal judge blocked six grand jury subpoenas from Trump’s Justice Department targeting Tim Walz and other Minnesota officials, ruling that their “dominant purpose” was to “coerce” them into helping enforce Trump’s immigration crackdown and to “harass and retaliate” against them for failing to do so. Judge Patrick Schiltz, a George W. Bush appointee, said DOJ failed to identify “a single plausible investigatory justification” for the subpoenas, which targeted the offices of Walz, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, and officials in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. The subpoenas were issued during Operation Metro Surge, when thousands of federal agents were sent into the Twin Cities for Trump’s immigration crackdown, which drew protests and included the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents. (Politico / Reuters / CBS News / ABC News / New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press / Bloomberg / CNN)

3/ The Trump administration plans to withhold 20% of homeland security grants from states unless they move to hand-marked paper ballots and run voter rolls through a DHS citizenship database. The draft rules would tie more than $1 billion in terrorism prevention, infrastructure protection, and disaster preparedness funding to election changes that Trump has authority to impose on his own. The plan also requires states to use SAVE, a DHS database critics say can wrongly flag eligible voters as potential noncitizens. (CNN)

4/ A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from building a database that combines millions of Americans’ Social Security numbers and citizenship status, saying the government “knowingly trampled” on privacy rights in a way that threatens “the sacred right to vote.” U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan said the revised DHS SAVE system unlawfully merged Social Security Administration data into a clearinghouse Congress had prohibited, and then gave states access despite “deep concerns” about its accuracy. States have already run voter rolls through the system, and some voters were wrongly flagged as non-citizens and had their registrations canceled. Sooknanan also said falsely labeling people as non-citizens could amount to defamation, rejecting the administration’s attempt to minimize the consequences as bordering “on the absurd.” (Politico)

5/ At least five people have been arrested and five others cited for alleged vandalism at Trump’s newly renovated Reflecting Pool, who has claimed, without evidence, that vandals “took some form of knife or blade” and cut a 250- to 300-foot “gash” into the “American flag blue” coating and “poured corrosive and destructive chemicals” into the water. The claim comes as the $14.7 million renovation has been overtaken by algae and peeling paint less than three weeks after reopening, with chunks of coating floating in the water and law enforcement citing people for touching or removing them. Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, one of those arrested, denied damaging anything, saying: “I didn’t vandalize anything. I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything.” Reporters at the pool, meanwhile, couldn’t find Trump’s claimed gash, and the Interior Department hasn’t explained why the new coating is peeling. Trump nevertheless warned that “there is a 10-year prison sentence” for destroying or attempting to destroy federal property, “which will be fully enforced.” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said anyone “vandalizing or attempting to vandalize” the pool will “face the criminal justice system in D.C.” (NBC News / Washington Post / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Reuters)

poll/ 78% of Americans say the Iran war should end now, and 69% say the conflict wasn’t worth the costs. (CBS News)

⏩︎ Notably Next: The Supreme Court is expected to decide four cases that test the limits of Trump’s power, including whether he can redefine birthright citizenship, fire a Federal Reserve governor, remove heads of independent agencies without cause, and end Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants. Meanwhile, Trump, who has predicted he’ll lose the birthright citizenship case, has called the justices as “weak,” “stupid,” “bad,” and disloyal in recent days. (Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)

The 2026 midterms are in 134 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 869 days.

• Four years ago today: Day 519: "Breathing room."
• Five years ago today: Day 154: "Our great democracy."
• Six years ago today: Day 1250: "Underwhelming."
• Eight years ago today: Day 519: Phony stories.
• 9 years ago today: Day 154: Win, win, win.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Trump defended his interim Iran deal as “probably” Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and said the war taught him nothing about the limits of his power; Obama said the U.S. may be “worse off” after Trump’s 15-week war with Iran; the Pentagon said it needs $80 billion for the Iran war; the Trump administration redirected $352 million in Secret Service funding into “White House Security Measures” tied to his ballroom; Trump’s $14.7 million resurfacing and renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool failed to deliver the clean, “American flag blue” water he promised as algae has already turned the pool green days after it reopened with blue material peeling off from the bottom; the Trump administration reversed its plan to dismantle a $368 million ocean monitoring system; the Trump administration will phase out HIV/AIDS funding for South Africa; and Republicans now believe their redistricting efforts to redraw several state maps has created “structural dynamics [that] favor Republicans” in the midterms.

1/ Trump defended his interim Iran deal as “probably” Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and said the war taught him nothing about the limits of his power: “I haven’t learned that lesson yet. I know there are, but there are no limits.” The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that ends the fighting, reopens the Strait of Hormuz, lifts U.S. blockade enforcement, and starts a 60-day negotiation window on a final nuclear deal, with major issues still unresolved. Trump claimed “we defeated them totally militarily,” bragged that “not one ship was able to get through” his blockade, and said bombing Iran for “another two or three weeks” would’ve kept the strait closed: “This is the kind of thing that could cause a worldwide depression.” After Republican criticized the sanctions relief and proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund, Trump called them “fools” who are “either jealous, bad people, or stupid.” (Politico / CNN / CNBC / Axios / Reuters / Associated Press / Washington Post / CBS News)

2/ Obama said the U.S. may be “worse off” after Trump’s 15-week war with Iran. “We’ve now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died,” Obama said, adding that “it feels like we’re back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse off.” Obama argued that Iran had agreed under his 2015 nuclear deal “not to develop nuclear weapons,” but that Trump’s first-term withdrawal from the agreement “caused then Iran to develop more nuclear capacity.” (NBC News / The Guardian)

3/ The Pentagon said it needs $80 billion for the Iran war and other non-war bills despite the Trump administration never seeking congressional authorization for the Iran war. Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers that the money would cover operations, pay, ships, and munitions. Sen. Chris Murphy said “there are not 60 votes in the Senate for a supplemental.” (Wall Street Journal)

4/ The Trump administration redirected $352 million in Secret Service funding into “White House Security Measures” tied to his ballroom despite repeated promises that the project would be paid for with private donations. The money came from Trump’s tax and spending law, which provided the Secret Service more than $1 billion for “personnel, training facilities, programming, and technology” after two assassination attempts. The money was redirected days after Congress rejected a $1 billion request for White House security upgrades tied to the ballroom. A contractor budget summary, meanwhile, projects that the ballroom could cost $600 million, with more than half coming from taxpayers. (Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / ABC News / The Guardian)

5/ Trump’s $14.7 million resurfacing and renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool failed to deliver the clean, “American flag blue” water he promised as algae has already turned the pool green days after it reopened with blue material peeling off from the bottom. The National Park Service also gave a separate $1.7 million no-bid contract for water-purification work to a company owned by a trust led by a longtime Trump donor and Mar-a-Lago neighbor. The Park Service bypassed competitive bidding by citing urgency ahead of the country’s 250th birthday events, while the Interior Department said it didn’t know about John J. Cafaro’s political affiliation. Satellite images show that the algae level days after reopening was higher than in any June image of the pool going back to 2021. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / The Hill)

6/ The Trump administration reversed its plan to dismantle a $368 million ocean monitoring system after scientists and lawmakers warned that losing the Ocean Observatories Initiative would undermine climate research, storm forecasts, and safety data used by coastal communities and fishermen. The National Science Foundation said it “will not proceed with further removal or de-scoping of equipment,” will continue maintenance, and will convene an expert panel to assess the network’s future. Some equipment had already been pulled from waters off Oregon and Washington, but NSF said it is “developing plans to redeploy” it after servicing. (Associated Press / The Guardian / New York Times)

7/ The Trump administration will phase out HIV/AIDS funding for South Africa after State Department said the country “fail[ed] to make demonstrable progress on policy requests by the administration.” The decision to “initiate a phased drawdown of PEPFAR programming in South Africa” follows Trump’s February 2025 executive order accusing South Africa of discriminating against its white Afrikaner minority and directing U.S. agencies to stop providing aid to the country unless it changes its policies. South Africa has about 8 million people living with HIV and received $456 million in U.S. HIV/AIDS funding in 2024, but just $25 million has been allocated so far this year. (Semafor / Politico / New York Times)

8/ Republicans now believe their redistricting efforts to redraw several state maps has created “structural dynamics [that] favor Republicans” in the midterms. The National Republican Congressional Committee memo says Democrats are targeting Republican districts where Trump averaged 53.2% in 2024, compared with 46.6% in the seats Democrats flipped in 2018. The NRCC claims “the composition of the House battlefield has completely flipped.” (Politico)

The 2026 midterms are in 137 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 872 days.

👑 Portrait of a President

1. “I’m the president and you’re not.” “Seventeen months into his second term, Trump is increasingly relying on his own gut instincts, dismissing the counsel of aides, conservative lawmakers and longtime associates. The result has been a series of decisions that have confounded and frustrated Republicans.” (Wall Street Journal)
2. “Everyone just needs to copy what I say.” “Trump vented to others that Vance hadn’t repeated his own new phrase that Iran’s nuclear program had been ‘totally obliterated.’ Trump told one associate, ‘Everyone needs to say fucking “obliterated.” […] That’s the word. Everyone just needs to copy what I say. Obliterated. Obliterated.’” (Politico)
3. Trump from “hunted” to “hunter.” “A thesis that Trump himself believes: Had he not lost the 2020 election, he would not be as powerful in his second term as he is now — emboldening him to trample norms, dismantle established institutions and push the limits of presidential power.” (Associated Press)
4. A president using super glue. “One morning, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, entered the Oval Office to find Trump had a tube of super glue in his hand and was trying to adorn the marble fireplace mantel with new golden decorations. (New York Times)

• Six years ago today: Day 1247: Priorities.
• Seven years ago today: Day 881: Misplaced certainty.
• Eight years ago today: Day 516: Infestation.
• 9 years ago today: Day 151: Collective self-defense.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and start 60 days of nuclear talks; Trump “canceled” the Senate’s plan to quickly confirm his director of national intelligence nominee, directing Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing hours before it was set to begin; Georgia Republicans rejected Gov. Brian Kemp’s plan to redraw congressional and legislative maps during a special session; the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady but moved closer to raising them this year; the Trump administration will pay $765 million to abandon four offshore wind leases; at least 776,000 children have lost SNAP benefits since Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill took effect; and 51% of Americans say they’re extremely or very proud of being American – down from 82% in 2013.

1/ The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and start 60 days of nuclear talks. The 14-point framework ends military operations “on all fronts,” including Lebanon, requires Iran to restore commercial traffic through Hormuz with “no charge for 60 days only,” lifts the U.S. naval blockade, lets Iran resume oil exports, works toward releasing frozen Iranian assets, and develops a $300 billion reconstruction and economic development plan with regional partners. In exchange, Iran “reaffirms” that it will not procure or develop nuclear weapons and agrees, at minimum, to down-blend enriched uranium on site under IAEA supervision. The deal, however, doesn’t resolve enrichment, inspections, sanctions termination, ballistic missiles, or whether Iran’s stockpile leaves the country. Trump nevertheless defended the agreement as necessary to avoid an “economic catastrophe,” and denied that the U.S. would directly fund Iran’s reconstruction, saying “We’re not doing anything, we’re not putting up money.” He also attacked Obama’s 2015 deal, saying Iranians “laughed at Obama” and called him “a stupid son of a bitch.” Trump then threatened to restart the war if Tehran doesn’t “behave,” saying” “we go back to bombing.” Bill Cassidy called it a “tremendous foreign policy blunder,” Mike Pence warned that immediate sanctions waivers would be “a lifeline to the Iranian regime,” and Ted Cruz said “giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is not a good idea.” Iran’s lead negotiator Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, meanwhile, called the MOU “a record of America’s failure” and said Tehran was negotiating “from a position of strength.” (Axios / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Bloomberg / NBC News / New Republic / Reuters / The Hill / NPR / New York Times / CNN)

2/ Trump “canceled” the Senate’s plan to quickly confirm his director of national intelligence nominee, directing Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing hours before it was set to begin. Trump claimed Republicans “fell into a trap” by moving too fast on Clayton, saying “we are cancelling the Senate Hearing RE: DNI today,” and that the nomination “will not be going forward until Jamie McDonald is approved to be U.S. Attorney.” The result is that Bill Pulte, who runs the Federal Housing Finance Agency and has no national security experience, will take over as ting director of national intelligence when Tulsi Gabbard leaves on Friday. Trump defended him as “a very smart guy” and said he could stay “as long as it takes to get everybody else approved.” Meanwhile, Trump also threatened to block renewal of Section 702 of FISA unless Congress attaches the SAVE America Act, a proof-of-citizenship voting bill that Senate Republicans say doesn’t have the votes to pass. Tom Cotton called it “regrettable” that Trump told Clayton not to appear, while Mark Warner said “National security cannot be governed by social media post.” (CBS News / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / CNN / NBC News / Politico / CNBC / Bloomberg / NPR / Axios / Washington Post)

3/ Georgia Republicans rejected Gov. Brian Kemp’s plan to redraw congressional and legislative maps during a special session, saying they wouldn’t rush new districts for the 2028 election without more public input and clarity from the courts. Kemp wanted lawmakers to revisit majority-Black districts held by Democrats after the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, but House Speaker Jon Burns said redistricting “was not the right path forward for our state at this time.” (Associated Press / NBC News / Axios / Politico / New York Times)

4/ The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady but moved closer to raising them this year. In Kevin Warsh’s first meeting as chair, the Fed voted unanimously to keep its benchmark rate at 3.5% to 3.75%, while projections showed nine officials expect at least one hike this year, eight expect no change, and one expects a cut. Warsh, who Trump appointed after demanding rate cuts, declined to submit his own “dot,” stripped the Fed’s statement of forward guidance, and said he couldn’t say what policymakers would do next because forward guidance is not “well suited” to the current moment. The Fed raised its year-end inflation forecast to 3.6% from 2.7%, saying inflation remains elevated, in part because of supply shocks in energy tied to Trump’s Iran war. Trump, meanwhile, called the prospect of rates hikes “hard to believe,” but “It’s alright, whatever.” (Reuters / CNBC / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Politico / NPR / Semafor / Axios / Washington Post)

5/ The Trump administration will pay $765 million to abandon four offshore wind leases. The government has spent roughly $2.5 billion to cancel offshore wind projects. Invenergy had paid about $800 million for the leases under Biden, and will instead use the money to develop at least five natural gas plants, along with geothermal projects in the West. It’s the Interior Department’s third lease-surrender agreement since March after courts blocked the Trump administration’s attempts to stop five wind farms already under construction. (New York Times)

6/ At least 776,000 children have lost SNAP benefits since Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill took effect. While Republican promised that children and the “most vulnerable” would be protected, an analysis of 12 states that report SNAP participation by age found that children accounted for 46% of the 1.67 million people who lost SNAP benefits. USDA data also shows 4.3 million fewer people nationwide received SNAP than a year earlier. (ProPublica)

poll/ 51% of Americans say they’re extremely or very proud of being American – down from 82% in 2013. (Axios)

The 2026 midterms are in 139 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 874 days.

• Today last year: Day 1610: "Whacked out."
• Two years ago today: Day 1245: "Deadly consequences."
• Five years ago today: Day 149: "This is a big fucking deal."
• Six years ago today: Day 1245: "Obstruction of justice as a way of life."
• Seven years ago today: Day 879: True cowards.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Congress is demanding to see Trump’s still-secret U.S.-Iran agreement before it’s formally signed Friday, triggering a 60-day ceasefire and negotiating period; the Senate rejected a resolution to force Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran; Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to replenish weapon stockpiles that’ve been depleted by his war in Iran and other conflicts; Trump said “Russia should make a deal” with Ukraine; federal authorities arrested five people accused of planning to attack the UFC event on the White House lawn with explosive drones and gunfire; Trump claimed “no taxpayer” would put up “10 cents” for his White House ballroom project, but internal contractor records show taxpayers are expected to cover more than half of the $600 million cost; the Trump administration is moving special education and civil rights enforcement out of the Education Department as part of Trump’s effort to dismantle the agency without congressional approval; 47% of Americans consider themselves an independent; and 38% of Americans don’t think the U.S. will last as a single country for another 250 years.

1/ Congress is demanding to see Trump’s still-secret U.S.-Iran agreement before it’s formally signed Friday, triggering a 60-day ceasefire and negotiating period. The draft agreement reportedly would give Iran immediate economic relief before a final nuclear deal is reached, including waivers allowing Iranian oil and petrochemical exports, while other sanctions relief and frozen assets would be tied to further negotiations. A proposed $300 billion reconstruction and development fund remains central to the deal, though Trump denied the U.S. would “invest” money in Iran and the fund would reportedly be private, not taxpayer-funded. The nuclear issue remains unresolved, with JD Vance saying inspectors would “absolutely” return and help destroy Iran’s highly enriched stockpile. The draft, however, leaves the future of Iran’s enriched material and future nuclear activity to a final agreement negotiated in the next 60 days. Trump, meanwhile, said he “never even thought about” sending the agreement to Congress, but “I like the idea.” (Reuters / New York Times / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Associated Press / Washington Post / CNBC / Politico / Reuters / CBS News)

2/ The Senate rejected a resolution to force Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran despite four Republicans breaking with their party to support limiting Trump’s war powers. Democrats are still trying to advance a separate resolution that the Senate narrowly advanced last month. The House has passed its own war-powers measure. The vote came as Trump said he’ll release and “read” an initial U.S.-Iran agreement once it’s finalized, even as lawmakers in both parties said they still haven’t seen the text of a memorandum that could trigger congressional review under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. (Politico / Washington Post / The Hill / CBS News / CNN)

3/ Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to replenish weapon stockpiles that’ve been depleted by his war in Iran and other conflicts. Trump said “limited production capacity, fragile supply chains, long-lead dependencies, and related production bottlenecks” could threaten national defense. The memo gives Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authority to pursue voluntary agreements with defense contractors and other private companies to address shortages in solid rocket motors, igniters, guidance systems, and other critical weapons components. Last month, Hegseth said that “the munitions issue has been foolishly and unhelpfully overstated” and that “we have plenty of what we need.” (Bloomberg / Reuters)

4/ Trump said “Russia should make a deal” with Ukraine. Following a “very good” meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump said he would do “whatever I can” to end Russia’s war now that the Iran war is “in the rearview mirror.” Zelenskyy said the talks focused on strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses and advancing diplomacy “to make Russia end its war,” while European leaders pushed Trump to stay aligned with their strategy of maintaining support for Kyiv and increasing pressure on Moscow. (NBC News / Politico / CNBC / Reuters / Associated Press)

5/ Federal authorities arrested five people accused of planning to attack the UFC event on the White House lawn with explosive drones and gunfire after the mother of 19-year-old Tycen Proper called police about his gun purchases and online contacts. Proper later told investigators that members of a roughly 19-person Signal chat planned to meet near D.C., stage a demonstration, detonate drones over the arena, and shoot “wealthy people and politicians” to “jumpstart” a revolution. Court records don’t show that any explosive drones were found or how close the alleged attack came to being carried out. (CNN / Washington Post / Associated Press / NBC News)

6/ Trump claimed “no taxpayer” would put up “10 cents” for his White House ballroom project, but internal contractor records show taxpayers are expected to cover more than half of the $600 million cost. Clark Construction’s March project summary estimated $293 million from private sources, with $155 million from the Secret Service, $149 million from the White House Military Office, and $3 million from the Executive Residence, which are all taxpayer-funded sources. The White House didn’t answer questions about the estimates or taxpayer funding, but instead claimed Trump and “generous American patriots” were funding the ballroom at “approximately $400 million” and that the East Wing project was “inextricably tied” to White House security. (Washington Post / The Hill)

7/ The Trump administration is moving special education and civil rights enforcement out of the Education Department as part of Trump’s effort to dismantle the agency without congressional approval. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which oversees IDEA and roughly $15 billion in grants for about 7 million students, will move to Health and Human Services. Most of the Office for Civil Rights’ work investigating discrimination complaints will move to the Justice Department. The Education Department, however, is legally obligated to investigate all civil rights complaints it receives. (ABC News / Associated Press / Politico / NPR / Washington Post)

poll/ 47% of Americans consider themselves an independent, while 27% identify as a Democrat and 26% as a Republican. (CNN)

poll/ 38% of Americans don’t think the U.S. will last as a single country for another 250 years, while 62% think the nation would last. (Reuters)

The 2026 midterms are in 140 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 875 days.

• Today last year: Day 1609: "We are not backing down."
• Four years ago today: Day 513: "A heated fight."
• Five years ago today: Day 148: "A partisan circus."
• Six years ago today: Day 1244: Transgressions.
• 9 years ago today: Day 148: Ruh roh.

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Today in one sentence: The U.S. and Iran signed a preliminary framework to end Trump’s monthslong war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz; Trump plans to nominate one of his personal lawyers to run the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan; federal agents have reportedly questioned Gavin Newsom’s family friends, former employees, and people tied to his wife’s nonprofits as part of several federal investigations; Trump said the July 4th celebration on the National Mall for America’s 250th anniversary will double as “the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all”; Trump hosted a $60 million UFC cage fight on the White House South Lawn for his 80th birthday and America’s 250th anniversary; 78% of Americans say the “American Dream” is harder to attain now than it was a generation ago; 49% of voters say they prefer to see Democrats control Congress; and 69% of Americans disapprove of the job Trump is doing to address the cost of living.

1/ The U.S. and Iran signed a preliminary framework to end Trump’s monthslong war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The full text of deal, however, remain secret and the issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program, stockpile of highly enriched uranium, sanctions relief, frozen assets, and whether the ceasefire applies to Lebanon were deferred for 60 days of negotiations. Nevertheless, Trump declared “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” saying the strait would be “completely open” by Friday and “permanently toll-free.” Iran said it was “not seeking to levy transit tolls,” but would charge fees for unspecified services. JD Vance, meanwhile, called memorandum “a very general document” of “about a page and a half,” but said there are “a lot” of details left to figure out. Iran said nuclear issues and sanctions relief remain subject to negotiation and that talks would proceed “on the basis of mistrust.” Israel, meanwhile, distanced itself from the deal, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it Trump’s “decision,” saying Israel and the U.S. don’t always “see eye to eye” while warning that Israel’s “struggle has not ended” as it continued striking Hezbollah targets despite Iran and Pakistan saying the agreement covers Lebanon. (New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / Politico / Associated Press / Reuters / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNBC / CNN / NBC News / ABC News)

• The U.S. emergency oil reserve fell to its lowest level since 1983. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve now holds about 340 million barrels after the Trump administration released another 8.9 million barrels last week to help with fuel prices – a little less than half full. It’s down 75 million barrels, or 18%, since the war began in late February. (CNN / Bloomberg)

• Oil and gas supplies could take months to recover despite the U.S.-Iran deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Energy experts said companies first need insurance, crews, and confidence that ships can safely enter, load, and leave the strait, while some producers might not restart wells until they believe the ceasefire will last. (Associated Press / New York Times)

• 💡 Trump sought to break Iran’s regime. He settled for reopening Hormuz. “A return to a version of the status quo was a far cry from the original aims of a war effort that kicked off with a vow to come to the aid of the Iranian protesters who had taken to their nation’s streets to denounce their regime.” (Washington Post)

• 💡 Trump winds down the war he started with goals unmet. “Despite Mr. Trump’s grandiose claims, the agreement has not yet achieved the core goals he laid out three months ago for launching U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.” (New York Times)

• 💡 Trump celebrates while America capitulates. “It is clear that Trump has failed to achieve every one of the goals he put forward for this war of choice, and now he is determined to sign, seal, and deliver America’s capitulation as quickly as possible.” (The Atlantic)

2/ Trump plans to nominate one of his personal lawyers to run the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan. James M. McDonald, a Sullivan & Cromwell partner and former Southern District prosecutor, is still part of the legal team appealing Trump’s 34-count felony conviction in New York for falsifying business records tied to hush-money payments during the 2016 campaign. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, are trying to fast-track Jay Clayton’s confirmation as director of national intelligence. the current Manhattan U.S. attorney. Trump’s temporary pick for DNI, Bill Pulte, has drawn bipartisan concern and criticism for his lack of intelligence experience. Democrats have refused to support renewing the expired Section 702 surveillance authority while Pulte is acting DNI. (Associated Press / Politico / NBC News / New York Times / Politico)

3/ Federal agents have reportedly questioned Gavin Newsom’s family friends, former employees, and people tied to his wife’s nonprofits as part of several federal investigations, though the scope, targets, and legal basis remain unclear. Newsom, widely considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, claimed Trump’s Justice Department is “digging through years and years of random documents” because he’s considering running for president, saying: “To get me, he’s coming after my wife,” Jennifer Siebel Newsom. Tax records show Siebel Newsom’s nonprofit paid her production company $161,250 in 2024, and another nonprofit she co-founded has received support from donors with business before California’s government. However, no public evidence of wrongdoing by Siebel Newsom or the nonprofits has surfaced. (Reuters / Axios / New York Times)

4/ Trump said the July 4th celebration on the National Mall for America’s 250th anniversary will double as “the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all.” The event, which Freedom 250 had promoted as the country’s “premier Independence Day celebration,” will include military bands, flyovers, airshows, Trump’s own playlist, and what he called the “LARGEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN HISTORY.” (Axios / Politico / Reuters / Washington Post / CNN)

5/ Trump hosted a $60 million UFC cage fight on the White House South Lawn for his 80th birthday and America’s 250th anniversary. Fighters walked through the Oval Office and military jets flew overhead with more than 4,000 VIPs, officials, and service members watching under a 92-foot steel “Claw.” UFC said it paid the production costs, while the federal government provided security, law enforcement, medical, and emergency services at an unclear taxpayer cost. Trump sat cageside between Melania Trump and Dana White, with several fighters thanking Trump. (NBC News / CNN / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / New York Times / NPR)

• 👑 Portrait of a President at 80

• As Trump turns 80, he faces a foe he can never defeat: Father Time. That’s a problem for us all. “Alarm over the judgment and behaviour of the world’s most powerful man, and the consequent risks to the world, can only get worse.” (The Guardian)

• A president “really uncomfortable” with aging. “Even for a president known for imposing his own reality on every situation, Trump has not outrun scrutiny over his age.” (New York Times)

• Trump is trying to project strength as he turns 80, but mounting political problems are tarnishing his image as an all-powerful leader. “Trump’s political capital is declining, with struggles to end an unpopular war with Iran, resistance from fellow Republicans to his ideas, and waning support outside his devoted base.” (Bloomberg)

poll/ 78% of Americans say the “American Dream” is harder to attain now than it was a generation ago. (NBC News)

poll/ 49% of voters say they prefer to see Democrats control Congress, compared to 44% who prefer Republican control. 7% are unsure. (NBC News)

poll/ 69% of Americans disapprove of the job Trump is doing to address the cost of living, while 24% approve. (Reuters)

The 2026 midterms are in 141 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 876 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. Trump’s Justice Department approved Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal would combine Paramount with CNN, HBO, Warner Bros., and HBO Max, while merging HBO Max with Paramount+ into a streaming service with roughly 200 million subscribers. The Antitrust Division said its eight-month review found the transaction “is not likely to result in harm to competition or American consumers.” (CNN / Politico)

2. The Trump administration told a federal appeals court that it’s too late to stop Trump’s 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom as construction has continued for more than two months while judges considered whether the project can legally proceed. (Wall Street Journal)

3. The Trump White House debated suspending habeas corpus for undocumented immigrants to speed up mass deportations after the Supreme Court said migrants facing removal under the Alien Enemies Act could challenge their deportations in court. Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary, warned Susie Wiles in a confidential memo that the Constitution permits suspending the right only in cases of “rebellion or invasion,” and that courts have “almost uniformly” held only Congress can do it. Scharf also wrote a separate confidential memo warning against invoking the Insurrection Act to deploy the military against immigration protests, arguing it would invite immediate legal challenges. (New York Times)

4. ICE obtained local voter files from local election officials in Texas and North Carolina as part of the Trump administration’s push to investigate alleged noncitizen voting into state and county voter systems. Voter records can include a person’s address, date of birth, driver’s license number, registration history, and voting history. Trump has repeatedly claimed that millions of people, including noncitizens, are voting illegally, but documented cases are rare. (Axios)

5. Trump said U.S. Southern Command killed Tren de Aragua leader Niño Guerrero in a “swift and lethal kinetic strike”, calling it “retribution.” Guerrero was indicted in New York in December on terrorism and violence charges, and the State Department had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction. (ABC News)

6. Top White House officials believe journalists obtained audio recordings of Situation Room meetings for their forthcoming book. “We’re afraid some of our most sensitive conversations were being recorded,” an administration source said. The White House hasn’t disputed the verbatim dialogue from several Situation Room meetings included in New York Times excerpts about the Iran war and Epstein files, including Marco Rubio dismissing Benjamin Netanyahu’s Iran regime-change scenarios as “bullshit.” (Axios)

7. The Kennedy Center removed Trump’s name from its facade and official materials after a federal judge ruled its rebranding was unlawful. A D.C. Circuit denied the administration’s last-minute request to keep the name up during an appeal. (New York Times / ABC News)

8. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore signs, films, and exhibits removed or altered at national parks under Trump’s directive against materials that “inappropriately disparage Americans” or cast the country “in a negative light.” U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley blocked the National Park Service from making further changes and ordered the restored materials back within three weeks, by July 3, saying the administration sought “to rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen.” (Associated Press / New York Times / CNN)

9. The U.S. is on track to lose its measles-elimination status for the first time since 2000 as a Utah outbreak has spread continuously since at least August. Utah needs to go 42 days without a new case to declare the outbreak over. It reported another case last week. (Wall Street Journal)

• Three years ago today: Day 877: "A bad thing."
• Four years ago today: Day 512: "Substantial."
• Five years ago today: Day 147: "Trust the plan."
• Eight years ago today: Day 512: Fickle.
• 9 years ago today: Day 147: Phony.

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Today in one sentence: Trump called off planned U.S. strikes on Iran and claimed a peace deal was close hours after threatening to hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT,” and saying the U.S. would take Kharg Island and “assume total control” of Iran’s oil and gas markets; the House rejected a short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, all but ensuring the government’s foreign surveillance authority expires at midnight on Friday; Trump said he would nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan and former SEC chair, as permanent director of national intelligence; and the Interior Department is investigating brown grass patches on the National Mall that appeared from above to form “8647.”

1/ Trump called off planned U.S. strikes on Iran and claimed a peace deal was close hours after threatening to hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT,” and saying the U.S. would take Kharg Island and “assume total control” of Iran’s oil and gas markets. The reversal followed two days of U.S. strikes on Iranian air defenses, radar, and military sites after Trump accused Iran of downing a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by targeting U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. “Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved,” Trump said he had “cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” adding: “We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran.” The deal is still “subject to finalization of documents.” Trump suggested that a signing could happen “over the next few days” and said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen once the deal is signed. The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain “in full force and effect” until the “Transaction is finalized.” Iran, however, hasn’t publicly confirmed an agreement. (New York Times / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / Reuters / Associated Press / Bloomberg / Axios / Washington Post / Politico / CNN)

2/ The House rejected a short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, all but ensuring the government’s foreign surveillance authority expires at midnight on Friday after Democrats and 19 Republicans voted against a three-week patch. Democrats said they wouldn’t extend the warrantless surveillance program while Trump still plans to install Bill Pulte, a housing official with no national security experience, as acting director of national intelligence. Hours later, Trump said he would nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan and former SEC chair, as permanent DNI, but he didn’t withdraw Pulte. Clayton also has no intelligence community experience. (Axios / CNBC / Politico / New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press / CNN / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)

3/ The Interior Department is investigating brown grass patches on the National Mall that appeared from above to form “8647.” The numbers have been used by Trump’s opponents as a sort of protest slogan, while Trump allies and federal prosecutors have argued it’s a threat because “86” can mean to remove or get rid of something and Trump is the 47th president. Park Police said the cause of the “discoloration” hasn’t been determined and collected grass samples for testing, while the Interior called it “deranged vandalism” and said “any threat against the President is taken very seriously.” (CNN / Reuters / Washington Post)

The 2026 midterms are in 145 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 880 days.

• Today last year: Day 1604: "Do not give in to him."
• Two years ago today: Day 1239: "The stakes just couldn’t be higher."
• Five years ago today: Day 143: "A gross abuse of power."
• Six years ago today: Day 1239: "This is not a game."
• Seven years ago today: Day 873: Not off the table.
• Eight years ago today: Day 508: Sobering and a bit depressing.

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Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

Today in one sentence: Inflation topped 4% for the first time in three years; Trump responded to the inflation report by saying “I love the inflation,” calling the numbers “great,” and arguing that prices would fall “like a rock” when the Iran war he started ends; the U.S. bombed Iran for a second straight night after Trump said Tehran had taken “too long to negotiate” and would “pay the price”; Maine Democrats nominated Graham Platner to challenge Susan Collins in a race that will likely to decide control of the Senate; Trump signed the nearly $70 billion bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the rest of his term; a top Justice Department official planned to seek compensation from Trump’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and asked to recuse himself from work on it; and Trump directed his acting director of national intelligence to “execute the immediate and needed downsizing” of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence while asking Congress to temporarily extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

1/ Inflation topped 4% for the first time in three years. The Labor Department reported that prices rose 0.5% from April and 4.2% from a year earlier – up from 3.8% in April. Energy accounted for more than 60% of the monthly increase, with gas rising 7% in May, and up more than 40% from a year ago. Real average hourly earnings, meanwhile, fell 0.7% from a year ago, meaning inflation has outpaced wage growth for a second straight month. (NPR / CNN / NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Reuters / Associated Press / Washington Post)

2/ Trump responded to the highest inflation reading in three years by saying “I love the inflation,” calling the numbers “great,” and arguing that prices would fall “like a rock” when the Iran war he started ends. Trump then claimed that the U.S. had been “taking out millions of barrels of oil” and that “the other night” it “took out […] 22 ships,” adding: “Nobody knows it. You know who doesn’t know about it? Iran, until right now.” Trump later called it a “secret mission” that helped to move more than “100 MILLION Barrels of Oil” and more than 200 commercial ships through the strait, declaring: “The UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz — NOT Iran.” Energy Secretary Chris Wright, meanwhile, said he wasn’t aware the U.S. was taking millions of barrels out of Iran, but said the military had helped some tankers transit the Strait of Hormuz. (CBS News / The Hill / ABC News / CNBC)

3/ The U.S. bombed Iran for a second straight night after Trump said Tehran had taken “too long to negotiate” and would “pay the price.” Central Command said that it began “additional self-defense strikes” against “multiple targets in Iran,” but didn’t identify the targets. Iran, however, accused the U.S. of hitting drinking-water reservoirs. Trump, who repeatedly claimed that a peace deal was close, accused Iran of “playing us for suckers” and said, “We hit them hard yesterday, and we’re going to hit them hard again today.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed the strikes would “advance our military interests and also enhance our diplomatic position,” adding: “If we need to negotiate with bombs, we’ll negotiate with bombs.” The strikes followed Iran’s overnight attacks on U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan after earlier U.S. strikes near the Strait of Hormuz in response to an Iranian drone colliding with an American Apache helicopter. (Associated Press / Reuters / Axios / New York Times / Bloomberg / Washington Post / The Guardian / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / CNBC)

4/ 🟦🟥 Primaries: Maine Democrats nominated Graham Platner to challenge Susan Collins in a race that will likely to decide control of the Senate. Despite months of controversy over Platner’s past conduct, old Reddit posts, sexually explicit texts, and allegations from former girlfriends that he denied or attributed to a “very dark period” after his military service, the Marine veteran and oyster farmer won about three-quarters of the vote. Collins ran unopposed for a sixth term in a state Trump lost in 2024. Elsewhere, Trump-backed South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette advanced to a June 23 runoff for governor, while Rep. Nancy Mace failed to advance. In Nevada, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford won their primaries. (ABC News / Associated Press / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)

5/ Trump signed the nearly $70 billion bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the rest of his term. The law gives ICE $38 billion, Border Patrol $26 billion, and another $5 billion for unforeseen costs. Republicans stripped out $1 billion tied to Trump’s White House ballroom security and the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” payout fund. (Politico / Associated Press / CBS News)

6/ A top Justice Department official planned to seek compensation from Trump’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and asked to recuse himself from work on it. Patrick Davis, the assistant attorney general for legislative affairs, said his phone and email records were subpoenaed while he investigated “Russiagate” as a congressional staffer, making him a potential claimant to a fund that he was responsible for defending to Congress. The Justice Department, however, said Davis temporarily recused himself “out of an abundance of caution,” and later decided recusal was unnecessary. (Politico)

7/ Trump directed his acting director of national intelligence to “execute the immediate and needed downsizing” of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence while asking Congress to temporarily extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, is set to take over June 19 while keeping that job, despite having no intelligence or national security experience. House Intelligence Committee Democrats have demanded that Pulte undergo a full security review, including his finances, foreign contacts, and a polygraph, before assuming the post, warning that “a security clearance granted under executive authority is insufficient to safeguard classified information.” Trump claimed he needed a short-term extension of the surveillance law, which lets the government collect foreigners’ communications overseas without a warrant but can also sweep up Americans’ communications with those targets, to allow time to choose and confirm a permanent DNI. (Wall Street Journal / Politico / New York Times / Washington Post / CNBC / The Guardian / Bloomberg)

The 2026 midterms are in 146 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 881 days.

• Today last year: Day 1603: "This is what America voted for."
• Two years ago today: Day 1238: "Can't be compromised."
• Five years ago today: Day 142: "Point of no return."
• Six years ago today: Day 1238: "Everything about this is irregular."
• Seven years ago today: Day 872: Possibly catastrophic.

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