That's Fucked Up

"He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us."

July 2026

Over the past month, the Trump administration escalated on multiple fronts: the Iran war ground into a fifth month with depleted munitions and a $95B emergency funding push; new “forced labor” tariffs hit 80+ countries after courts struck down earlier IEEPA levies; and election-related moves intensified, including a DOJ mail-in…

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July 31, 2026

  • Trump Crashes Into Reality — At five months, the Iran war has hit every limit Trump denied existed: depleted weapons stockpiles, advisers split between escalation and retreat, a Congress that won’t nuke the filibuster for the SAVE Act, and a visible lame-duck horizon. Trump gathered senior advisers at the White House on Friday to walk through war options he’d previously declared closed. Strategists in both parties now expect at least one chamber to flip Democratic in November.

  • House GOP unveils $95B plan for Iran war — The 47-page budget resolution breaks down: $60B defense, $12B broader national security, $10B farm relief for tariff-damaged agriculture, $10B for voter registration law changes. No offsets; added entirely to the deficit. Republicans plan to use reconciliation to pass it on a party-line vote, bypassing Democratic objections. Budget Committee vote Thursday; House floor vote next week. Democrats have argued bipartisan support should be required for war funding.

  • The Trump administration is ending a Medicare drug subsidy program. Here’s how it could affect costs — CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz announced the end of the Biden-era Part D subsidy this week. Roughly 25 million Americans on Medicare drug plans will receive their new 2027 premium rates this fall — during the exact window when they’ll be casting midterm ballots. Democrats called the move “heartless, cruel, and completely by choice.” The subsidy cost $3.6B in 2026; Oz framed ending it as cutting insurer bailouts.

July 30, 2026

July 28, 2026

  • DOJ asks Supreme Court to restore Trump’s mail-in voting executive order — The EO directs USPS to deliver ballots only to people on a federal “state citizenship list” and mandates barcoded tracking envelopes; noncompliant states lose federal funding. Solicitor General Sauer warned the court there won’t be enough time if blocked past “early to mid-August.” A Massachusetts judge blocked it; the 1st Circuit upheld the block Saturday. This is the Trump administration’s 35th emergency SCOTUS application — a pace far exceeding any predecessor. 23 states + DC are plaintiffs.

  • Federal Judges Chastise Trump’s Justice Department for “Unlawful,” “Unethical” and “Unseemly” Conduct — ProPublica reviewed hundreds of federal cases and found 40+ in which judges explicitly questioned the “presumption of regularity” — the foundational tenet that government lawyers act in good faith. A Bush-appointed Pennsylvania judge: “I don’t think in the annals of the Department of Justice… we’ve ever seen anything close to this.” Documented conduct includes withheld evidence, misrepresented facts, and misleading signed court filings across cases from Rhode Island to Oregon.

July 27, 2026

  • In Memphis, an ‘anti-crime’ task force quietly turned into an ICE crackdown — NPR’s 10-month data review of Trump’s Memphis task force — launched last fall alongside Tennessee Gov. Lee, with 13+ federal agencies and hundreds of National Guard — found the majority of arrests were immigration cases, most without criminal convictions. Crime was at a 25-year low when the task force launched. “All roads lead to immigration enforcement with this administration,” said American Oversight’s Chioma Chukwu, who notes the administration “consistently conflated illegal immigration with crime” as a pretext. Trump has announced similar task forces are coming to other Republican-led states.

  • Kalshi attacks a Wisconsin law banning election bets as ‘voter suppression’ — The prediction market company unleashed a social media campaign against the Wisconsin Elections Commission after it reminded voters that betting on elections in which you vote is banned under an 1849 state law and could disqualify a ballot or trigger prosecution. Commissioner Ann Jacobs: “Simply responsible work by a government entity.” Kalshi handles billions in weekly midterm trades and faces legal challenges from nearly half of US states over regulatory jurisdiction, with the CFTC also involved.

  • Trump’s Crypto Corruption Puts Centrist Democrats in Bind — The Senate Clarity Act crypto bill fractures Democrats: 7 centrists pledged to keep working on the bill despite weak anti-corruption provisions; Sen. Murphy declared open war: “This bill is in front of the Senate because the industry paid for it” ($189M in campaign funds donated to politicians). GOP’s anti-Trump provision: he can’t issue new meme coins after signing; enforcement goes to his own DOJ and expires when he leaves office. Trump earned $1.4B+ from crypto in 2025.

July 26, 2026

  • Appeals court rejects Trump bid to curb mail-in voting in 23 states — Another federal circuit blocks the administration’s attempt to restrict absentee balloting ahead of November midterms. The Save America Act’s nationwide mail-in ban remains stuck in legislative limbo; its reconciliation path is blocked by the Byrd Rule.

  • ‘The show must go on.’ Trump makes jabs at rescheduled White House Correspondents’ dinner — The WHCA dinner, originally disrupted in April when a gunman fired in the lobby of the Washington Hilton, was held Friday at the Waldorf Astoria with tighter security and ~700 attendees. Trump attended, delivering an hour-long speech that attacked journalists, Democrats, and Cabinet members. He put on a “Trump 2028” hat and declared his intent to run “for a fourth term” — framed as a joke. The Wall Street Journal won the Katharine Graham Award for its Epstein-Trump coverage; Trump shook hands with the winning reporters despite having refiled a $10B defamation lawsuit against their publisher.

  • More than 1 million children lost access to food benefits after Trump bill passed — One year after the One Big Beautiful Bill’s SNAP and Medicaid cuts took effect, 1M+ children have lost nutrition program access. The full cascade: 5M+ coverage losses nationally, 16K+ preventable deaths projected annually by public health researchers, and state-level fiscal crises from unfunded federal mandates.

  • A defiant Trump imposes replacement tariffs on biggest U.S. trading partners — After the Section 122 global tariff expired at 12:01 AM Friday, the administration simultaneously activated new 10–12.5% tariffs on goods from the US’s 60 largest trading partners — covering 99%+ of US imports — under Section 301, reframed as a response to “forced labor.” USTR claims these countries all fail to ban forced-labor imports; critics including Sen. Ron Wyden called it a “zombie law” used to rebuild the IEEPA tariff wall the Supreme Court struck down in February. Energy and many food imports are exempted. Canada faces additional fees beyond the new base rate.

  • ‘Not standard’ for Taylor Farms to ask White House to delay cyclospora recall, ex-FDA head says — Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation that Taylor Farms contacting the White House to delay a recall announcement “was not standard operating procedure.” Per the Wall Street Journal, Taylor Farms argued to FDA officials — with White House aides on the call — that investigators lacked positive lab evidence. The FDA then deleted a positive test finding it had posted, called it a false positive, and issued a confusing series of contradictory statements. The recall of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico remains in effect. The outbreak has sickened thousands.

July 25, 2026

  • Trump’s push to rush Qatar jet delivery led to ballooning costs and safety trade-offs — The Times investigation details how Trump’s pressure for rapid delivery of the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747 forced contractors to cut corners on safety systems. The jet lacks countermeasures standard on older Air Force One models. Trump rode the old plane out of Ankara specifically because the new one was deemed unsafe near the Iran war theater.

  • Trump attends rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner, jokes about “Trump 2028” third term — Held at the Waldorf Astoria (Trump’s former hotel) with 700 guests — a third of the original April event, which was canceled after a gunman attacked the venue. Trump endured 2+ hours of press freedom awards going to journalists who’ve reported unfavorably on his administration — including the WSJ Epstein team and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins — before delivering a rambling speech. He insisted the Iran war is going “extremely well,” told the room not to “believe the fake news,” then put on a “Trump 2028” hat. The dinner came the day after DOJ quietly dropped the NYT subpoenas.

  • Trump orders Interior Dept to erect signs outside Smithsonian National Museum of American History accusing it of inaccuracy — An executive order directs the National Park Service to install “temporary” signs on the National Mall walkways leading into the museum, telling visitors the exhibits need renovation and directing them elsewhere for “better” history. A second set of signs would criticize the museum’s 250th anniversary programming as insufficiently celebratory of the Declaration of Independence. The White House report “Saving America’s Story” accused the Smithsonian of “ideological capture.” Museum director Anthea Hartig, at congressional hearings this month: “We honor the declaration, the revolution, the constitution. And we tell the truth about the times the country fell short of its own founding ideals.”

  • Trump administration admits canceling clean energy grants to Democratic states — Officials confirmed in court that the administration deliberately canceled Inflation Reduction Act-era clean energy grants targeted at Democratic-leaning states. The admission came as part of ongoing litigation; at least 23 states have sued over the grant terminations.

July 24, 2026

  • Pentagon Removes Four Killed Soldiers from Iran War Casualty List — Official total dropped from 18 to 14 despite a Pentagon press release on Wednesday announcing a dignified transfer of all four. Three military officials told the NYT the reason was that the deaths occurred after Trump’s April ceasefire declaration. Pentagon called it a “temporary data disruption.” Trump attended Dover the same day, claimed the dead soldiers “very strongly” supported the war’s nuclear rationale — attributing views to men whose deaths his administration is erasing from the official count.

  • Trump Imposes Double-Digit Tariffs on 80+ Countries as 10% Levies Expire — New Section 301 tariffs of 10–12.5% on countries accounting for 99% of US imports took effect at midnight Friday, replacing the Section 122 tariffs that expired after 150 days. Justification: foreign “forced labor” failures. Critics note China — the world’s worst forced labor abuser — gets the same rate as Australia. Democrats called it an “end-run around the Supreme Court and Congress.” Even White House allies complained to Politico: “Any conversation about tariffs, unless it’s reducing them, is a bad conversation for Republicans.”

  • ‘Forced Labour’ Rationale for Trump Tariffs Met with Bewilderment — EU foreign policy chief Kallas: “If you compare our labour laws to the ones of the United States, I mean, we have paid vacations.” Australia and Brazil called tariffs unjustified. New Zealand PM Luxon called them “extremely disappointing.” Canada said it “should not be targeted” and called the timing “suspect.” The EU said it had honored its prior trade deal with the US and viewed the new tariffs as a shock.

  • Trump Says He Will Dismantle the ICC ‘Brick by Brick’ — State Department has made it official US policy, not just rhetoric. Nations that don’t reject ICC authority risk loss of US assistance and security umbrella. Travel/sanctions bans already on judges; more coming. US is working with Russia and China to undermine the court. UK (4th largest ICC donor) could face targeting. Analysis: the US is aligning with dictators and autocrats to prevent accountability for war crimes.

  • Trump Administration Drive to Seize Election Powers Sparking ‘Chaos’ Despite Pushback — Analysis: DOJ legal threats, FBI raids, and federal agency coercion targeting state election officials to curtail mail voting and voting machines — framed as “fraud prevention” but experts say it’s groundwork to challenge November midterm results where Republican candidates lose. Trump’s 2020 loss obsession and fear of Democratic House takeover are driving the campaign.

July 23, 2026

  • Judge questions difference between Hegseth’s testosterone policy and transgender care for troops — U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes (Washington) called out the contradiction Wednesday in the ongoing transgender troops ban lawsuit: Trump’s ban forbids troops from receiving “routine medical treatment or special provisions” for gender-affirming care, but Hegseth just launched a mandatory annual testosterone-deficiency screening program for troops 30+, with voluntary TRT for those who test low. Reyes ordered both parties to brief the court on “the similarities and differences in administering TRT” for trans men versus other service members. An answer to this question could substantially undermine the legal basis of the trans ban.

July 22, 2026

  • House Republicans adopt $95 billion package for the Iran war and Trump priorities, including $10 billion for voting law changes — Breaks down as $73B for military/intelligence agencies, $12B for farmers hurt by Trump’s tariffs, $10B for election-related reforms including SAVE Act-related provisions. None of it is paid for with offsets. Hegseth testified Tuesday the war has cost $37.5 billion so far — up from earlier estimates — with “critical shortfalls” ahead without more funding. Senate Majority Leader Thune said Thursday he “can’t count to 50” on the budget resolution needed to advance it.

  • Warren triggers closed session and derails Senate Banking Committee vote after FBI background checks on Trump nominees raise “significant questions” — Nominees were Christopher Phelan (Council of Economic Advisers chair), John Crews (National Credit Union Administration), and Jeffrey Ledbetter (HUD Inspector General). Warren, the panel’s top Democrat, said she was “limited” in what she could say publicly. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined all Democrats 12-10 to move back into closed session — an unusual break from his party. Phelan and Crews ultimately advanced to the full Senate floor 13-11 on party-line votes after the secret session; what specifically the FBI flagged was not disclosed.

  • Trump administration signs nuclear cooperation “123 Agreement” with Saudi Arabia, allowing potential uranium enrichment without IAEA oversight — Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the deal Wednesday. It departs from the US-UAE 2009 “gold standard” agreement — which required the UAE to pledge no enrichment and allow IAEA inspections — in that safeguards would be bilateral US-Saudi only, not IAEA-monitored. A joint study between the two countries could authorize building a uranium enrichment facility inside Saudi Arabia. Critics immediately raised concerns about proliferation risk as the US is simultaneously fighting a war to prevent Iran from enriching uranium. Trump on Thursday added a condition not mentioned Wednesday: the deal requires Saudi normalization with Israel through the Abraham Accords — a condition Saudi Arabia has long tied to Palestinian statehood.

July 21, 2026

  • Trump slaps additional 50% tariffs on Canada — Signed via three proclamations under Section 338 of the 1930 Tariff Act — a Great Depression-era law rarely invoked and not constrained by SCOTUS’s February ruling that voided IEEPA tariffs. Excludes energy, potash, fish, and critical minerals but covers goods previously protected under USMCA. Takes effect in 30 days. Canadian PM Carney says ready to negotiate; Ontario Premier Ford called for “tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar.” The Cato Institute called Section 338 the “nuclear option” because it can theoretically be applied to any trading partner, not just Canada, and injects “massive uncertainty” into the global economy.

July 20, 2026

  • Trump administration files first-ever petition to the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a dormant 30-year-old tribunal — The Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC) was created in 1996 but had never received a case. The DOJ filed last Wednesday; the respondent’s identity is sealed. Chief Judge Joan Ericksen (D. Minn.) said the court had “questions about the nexus” between the respondent’s actions and the statute invoked, and ordered the DOJ to provide more information by Wednesday. The ATRC allows evidence to be presented in secret, with no defendant present — a structure immigration advocates call constitutionally dangerous.

  • FBI agents told they will no longer investigate confrontations with ICE — The directive removes the primary external agency from scrutinizing ICE use-of-force incidents, including the 9 fatal vehicle-stop shootings. DHS Inspector General and local authorities have investigated some cases, but critics say the FBI withdrawal eliminates the most capable independent oversight body at the exact moment when accountability is most urgent.

  • ‘Complete shock and dismay’: scientists unite against Trump OMB rule that would place $1 trillion in federal grants under political appointee control — The 400-page OMB rule, proposed in May, would by October give political appointees veto power over virtually all federal grant-making — $1 trillion total, including $150 billion in science and tech. The rule bans “DEI,” requires grantees to demonstrate “presidential priorities,” restricts international collaboration, and allows cancellation of any award no longer in the federal “interest.” Nearly 500,000 public comments were submitted — 95% in opposition per STAT News — in only a 45-day window. 22 state attorneys general have announced plans to sue if finalized. The Heritage Foundation, which wrote Project 2025, supports the rule.

  • Trump says Qatar-gifted Air Force One will be sent for “maxed out” upgrades in about a month — Trump confirmed the $400M Qatari-gifted Boeing lacks the defensive countermeasures of the older Air Force One — the security gap that triggered the DOJ’s subpoenas of NYT journalists who first reported it. The plane will be taken offline for upgrades, timeline roughly one month. The subpoenas remain active; the NYT’s motion to quash is pending.

July 19, 2026

  • Federal Judge Orders Sweeping Changes at Adelanto ICE Detention Center — Judge Sunshine Sykes (Riverside) issued a preliminary injunction July 16 finding detainees at California’s largest immigration detention center (~1,700 people) were “likely to succeed” on constitutional and disability rights claims. ICE must immediately provide clean drinking water and adequate medical care. DOJ had argued the federal government wasn’t responsible for detainee treatment.

  • 101 Federal Judges Condemn Blanche in Letter to Senate; Confirmation Likely This Week — The New York Bar Association and 101 federal judges submitted letters to the Senate Judiciary Committee opposing Blanche’s permanent AG confirmation, citing “systemic damage” to the rule of law and his attempts to “defraud the courts” via the $1.8B anti-weaponization fund. Despite the opposition, Blanche is expected to be confirmed along party lines this week, pending Tillis’s Epstein condition.

  • Jay Clayton Refuses to Say Biden Won 2020 Election at DNI Hearing — At his July 15 Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing, Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence refused to answer Sen. Ossoff’s direct question about the 2020 outcome. Clayton also defended DOJ subpoenas of NYT journalists. Intel Committee vote expected this coming week.

July 18, 2026

July 17, 2026

  • US Expands Strikes to Civilian Infrastructure: Bridges, Railway Station, Port Tower, and Airport Hit Overnight — CENTCOM’s sixth/seventh consecutive night of strikes targeted six bridges in Hormozgan province, Bandar Abbas railway station, a port control tower at Chabahar (third strike on that facility), and Iranshahr airport in Sistan and Balochistan. Iran’s health ministry reports 8 killed and 20 wounded. Iran accused the US of a separate strike near a children’s cancer hospital in Ahvaz on July 15. Total Iranian civilian toll since July 8 resumption: 38+ killed, 400+ injured.

  • Trump Delivers Primetime Address Claiming China Stole 220 Million US Voter Files, Alleges “Deep State” Election Cover-Up — The speech, aired at 9pm ET Thursday, relied on newly declassified documents Trump said prove a “shadow government” suppressed evidence of Chinese election interference. He claimed Beijing acquired voter files from 18 states and that 250,000 noncitizens are registered to vote in CA, NJ, NV, and PA. He ordered law enforcement to fire and potentially prosecute those “involved in the cover-up.” Experts noted the declassified documents actually reflect that much of China’s voter data came from publicly available state databases, and that the intel community’s January 2021 assessment — already public — concluded China decided against a major influence campaign. ABC, NBC, and CNN declined to air the speech in full.

  • Trump Racing to Rebuild Tariff Wall Before July 24 Deadline as Section 122 Authority Expires — After SCOTUS struck down Trump’s IEEPA-based tariffs in February (ruling he lacked authority to declare trade deficits a national emergency), the administration pivoted to Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act for a 10% global tariff. Section 122 only authorizes tariffs for 150 days — that clock expires July 24. Congress won’t extend them with midterms approaching and voters already angry about prices. The admin is now racing to replace them with Section 301 tariffs (country-specific “unfair practices” findings), which are more durable but require separate legal processes for each country.

July 16, 2026

  • US fires Hellfire missiles into oil tanker’s smokestack to enforce Hormuz blockade — The Curacao-flagged tanker Belma, sailing toward Kharg Island unladen, was disabled after ignoring multiple warnings. First time US forces have directly fired on a commercial vessel attempting to run the blockade. Hormuz tanker traffic collapsed to just 13 ships transiting Wednesday.

  • Use of force has become the “default tool” for ICE — documented in nearly 1 in 3 enforcement operations — Analysis of 1,200+ operations across 8 states from January 2025 through end of 2025. Officers used or threatened force in ~30% of incidents. Documented 400+ instances of pushing, tackling, or pinning people; comparable numbers involving chemical irritants, rubber bullets, and tasers. Dozens of incidents involved chokeholds and knee-on-neck — tactics banned by many local police departments. Hundreds of incidents involved children, US citizens, protesters, bystanders, and journalists. ICE and DHS refused to comment on the findings.

July 15, 2026

July 14, 2026

  • ICE Agent Fatally Shoots 26-Year-Old Colombian Man in Maine — No Body Cameras, Wrong Target, Work Permit Holder — The shooting occurred Monday in Biddeford, a coastal city south of Portland. DHS says agents were surveilling an address for someone with a final removal order; when the driver of a departing vehicle attempted to flee, an agent fired. Advocacy groups identified the man as a Colombian national with valid US work authorization. Sen. Angus King (I-ME) confirmed DHS Secretary Mullin told him the agents were not wearing body cameras and that the person shot was not the target of the operation. The Maine AG’s preliminary evidence suggests the driver was moving toward the agent when shot. The FBI, DHS Inspector General, and Maine AG are all investigating. The officer has been placed on administrative leave.

  • US Reinstates Hormuz Blockade, Demands 20% Toll on All Cargo Through the Strait — Trump posted on Truth Social declaring the US will be the “guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz and charge a 20% fee on all cargo transiting it. The blockade of Iranian ships simultaneously went back into effect at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday. No legal mechanism exists for the US to toll a strait classified as international waters under UNCLOS; legal experts say it would require international agreement or force. The EU, China, and India — the world’s largest energy importers — have not commented on compliance.

  • Federal Judge Voids Trump’s $10B IRS Lawsuit and the $1.8B “Anti-Weaponization Fund” — Refers Lawyers to State Bar — In a 56-page ruling, US District Judge Kathleen Williams (Obama appointee, S.D. Fla.) found that Trump and his own DOJ were not truly adverse parties in the lawsuit, making the settlement constitutionally void. She wrote that the case was “an attempt to use the Court to provide legitimacy to an agreement to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the President and to earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers.” Trump had filed the suit in January alleging the IRS improperly allowed his tax returns to be leaked. The settlement had already been scrapped under bipartisan pressure in June, but the ruling is a major legal rebuke. Acting AG Todd Blanche — who appeared to represent both Trump and the DOJ — faces a Senate confirmation hearing next week; the ruling directly implicates his conduct. Trump lawyer Alejandro Brito and senior DOJ officials were referred to state bar authorities for potential ethics violations.

July 13, 2026

  • HHS inadvertently sent Medicaid enrollee data from injunction-protected states to ICE — DOJ confirmed in court filings that HHS accidentally transmitted a file containing Medicaid recipient data from states covered by a preliminary injunction blocking work-requirement enforcement — directly to ICE. The breach raises serious questions about data-sharing firewalls between health agencies and immigration enforcement. No ICE action on the data has been confirmed.

July 12, 2026

  • DOJ subpoenas New York Times journalists over reporting on Qatar-gifted Air Force One security concerns — The Justice Department confirmed it has subpoenaed NYT reporters to testify before a grand jury after their stories detailed security vulnerabilities in the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747 Trump now uses as Air Force One. The NYT called the subpoenas “an attack on the First Amendment.” This follows the pattern of using DOJ to punish reporting embarrassing to Trump — including earlier FCC threats against broadcast licenses. The administration’s use of a Qatar-gifted aircraft as the presidential plane was itself controversial; reporting on its security flaws is now apparently a federal matter.

  • Whistleblowers: Trump rushed Kennedy Center renovations for FIFA peace prize ceremony, awarding himself an honor at a venue he controls — Contractors and insiders say the timeline for Kennedy Center renovations was compressed to meet the FIFA World Cup draw, where FIFA’s Gianni Infantino personally invented a “FIFA Peace Prize” to award Trump after he failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s expanded probe identified additional no-bid contracts and a second botched reflecting pool renovation. FIFA also opened an office in Trump Tower and pays rent to the Trump family. The Kennedy Center — now controlled by Trump allies — redirected the World Cup draw from Las Vegas to Washington at Trump’s suggestion.

July 11, 2026

July 10, 2026

  • Federal judge blocks Trump policy of making arrests at immigration courts nationwide — A California federal judge issued a nationwide block (post-SCOTUS injunction-limiting ruling, using class-action framing) on ICE arrests at immigration courts. DOJ’s Chad Mizelle called it a “chilling effect on law enforcement.” The ruling deepens the conflict between Trump’s courthouse arrest strategy and due process protections; New York separately upheld its own state courthouse arrest ban.

  • Federal judge partially allows Washington state health inspectors into Tacoma ICE detention center — Judge Benjamin Settle ruled GEO Group must allow Washington Dept. of Health inspectors into non-administrative/non-medical areas of the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. It’s a partial win — medical and admin areas remain blocked. The state sought the injunctions three months ago amid allegations of inadequate medical care.

  • McConnell hospitalized since June 14 after apparent cardiac arrest; Republican congressman says he’s unsure if senator is alive — 911 dispatch audio confirms paramedics responded to an “unconscious” person having “cardiac arrest.” McConnell has not appeared publicly in nearly four weeks. Trump told reporters “no idea” about his prognosis. Thune, Barrasso, and a McConnell aide all went public Wednesday with accounts of detailed conversations — an apparent coordinated pushback against speculation. McConnell chairs the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee; his absence is stalling the NDAA and throwing Trump’s $350B Pentagon budget boost into doubt.

July 9, 2026

July 8, 2026

  • ICE officer fatally shoots man during Houston traffic stop — same ‘weaponized his vehicle’ claim used in prior shootings — Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national, was shot in the abdomen at 6:50 AM Tuesday during an attempted immigration arrest and died at the hospital. His son told Telemundo Houston that Salgado Araujo had been out looking for day laborers — a routine morning errand. ICE’s official account: he “rammed an ICE vehicle, refused commands, and weaponized his vehicle to run over an officer,” who fired in “self-defense.” No evidence was provided. The exact same phrase — weaponized his vehicle — was used by ICE in the Renée Good shooting in Minneapolis (January), the Portland Venezuelan men shooting (February), and a California traffic stop (April); in each case the official account was later contradicted by video. The FBI is taking over the investigation.

  • Trump declares ceasefire with Iran ‘over’ after US and Iran trade strikes — At a press conference at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump called Iranian leaders “scum” and “sick people,” said talks were “a waste of time,” and declared the June 19 MoU dead. He simultaneously said U.S. negotiators could continue talking — contradicting himself within the same statement. The ceasefire lasted 18 days.

  • Trump assailed NATO allies for not joining Iran war, calls Spain ‘hopeless’ and threatens trade cutoff — On Day 2 of the summit, Trump publicly berated European allies for not contributing militarily to the Iran conflict and for falling short of the 3.5% GDP defense spending target (only 5 of 32 members are on track). He singled out Spain: “They don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, including visits.” The outbursts cast a shadow over the alliance’s ability to issue a unified communiqué.

July 7, 2026

  • ICE sued after officers visited US citizen’s home over critical email sent to agency’s director — David Streever, a US citizen from Rochester, NY, sued ICE after two officers appeared at his home in June while he was traveling in Finland, presenting his wife with a “warning notice” about an email Streever sent in January to then-acting ICE Director Todd Lyons calling him “a monstrous human being” who “will never know peace.” Streever sent the email after an ICE officer fatally shot Minneapolis resident Renee Good during an anti-ICE demonstration. He is one of at least two upstate New York residents to receive such warnings after criticizing ICE online. FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) is representing him; the suit names both ICE and DHS Secretary Mullin. A clear First Amendment case — political speech about a public official during a matter of public concern.

  • White House 162-page report accuses Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History of ‘extreme political activism’ — The Domestic Policy Council report, titled “Saving America’s Story,” was posted to the White House website during July 4 fireworks. It blames museum leadership for “erasing America’s heritage” and is the culmination of a 2025 Trump EO demanding removal of “improper ideology” from Smithsonian institutions. The Smithsonian called itself “nonpartisan and independent.” The report puts the institution on notice ahead of potential funding or leadership changes.

July 6, 2026

July 5, 2026

  • DOGE officially ends July 4 without issuing a final report, final savings tally, or closing accounting — The Department of Government Efficiency’s charter expired Saturday in accordance with Trump’s January 20, 2025 executive order. OMB Director Vought refused to issue a final savings report or accounting of outcomes. Courts ruled many of the DOGE-era firings illegal, forcing $11B in paid-not-to-work wages; agencies are now actively trying to rehire positions cut under Musk’s supervision. The experiment formally ends having achieved no verified savings figure, with its legacy bitterly contested.

  • Neo-fascist group Patriot Front parades Confederate flag through Washington DC on Fourth of July — Roughly 400 masked members of the white supremacist organization, apparently led by founder Thomas Rousseau, marched from Union Station toward Capitol Hill chanting “Reclaim America!” and “Life, liberty, victory!” while carrying American and Confederate flags. Members were photographed on the DC Metro as other riders watched. DC Metropolitan Police described it as “first amendment activities” and took no action. The march happened the same afternoon that Trump was preparing to deliver a speech about America’s founding ideals a mile away.

July 4, 2026

  • Trump warns of “communist menace” in July 4 address at Mount Rushmore, calls it akin to 9/11 — In a speech billed as a patriotic 250th celebration, Trump branded Democratic opponents as “communists,” calling it “a mortal threat to American liberty,” “the enemy of the Constitution,” and “the enemy of July 4, 1776.” NYT described it as a midterm warm-up after at least four Democratic socialists/progressives won recent primaries. He also said the only way Republicans win the midterms is by abolishing the Senate filibuster and passing the SAVE Act (voter ID/citizenship proof requirement).

  • Washington D.C. July 4 events designated a “National Special Security Event” for the first time ever — The designation, normally reserved for Super Bowls and inaugurations, puts the Secret Service in charge of the “Salute to America 250” on the National Mall. More than 4,800 National Guard from 23 states and DC are deployed; miles of fencing, dozens of road closures, and TSA-style screening at entry points. Prohibited items include balls, Frisbees, coolers, folding chairs, metal tumblers, and sunscreen. Extreme heat — over 100°F — forced schedule changes and gate openings delayed. Trump promised a “really long” speech and “the greatest fireworks show in history.”

  • ICE agents arrested three men at New York City immigration courts, openly breaching two court orders — The first serious violations of court orders specifically prohibiting ICE arrests at immigration courts, which were secured to ensure immigrants could appear for scheduled proceedings. Attorneys and advocates say the arrests will deter immigrants from attending hearings, accelerating deportations by default. The episode comes as ICE detention has hit more than 63,000 — up nearly 4,000 in a week — after 10,000+ arrests in five days.

July 3, 2026

  • Trump: “This is not a war per se. This is the de-nuking of Iran.” — In a CNBC interview Wednesday, Trump reframed the war as denuclearization, claiming Iran has “agreed to just about everything we need.” The actual deal terms remain publicly unknown; Iran has previously rejected giving up all uranium enrichment, which Trump has demanded.

  • ‘Ridiculous’ for US to maintain current NATO support, Trump warns ahead of Ankara summit — Posted to Truth Social just days before the alliance’s summit in Ankara (July 7–8), Trump called the US-NATO relationship “one sided” and accused allies of not being “there for us” during the Iran war. Secretary of State Rubio acknowledged Trump’s “disappointment” at allies who refused to participate in Iran strikes; he called the coming summit “one of the more important in NATO’s 77-year history.” European nations restricted US use of bases during the Iran campaign.

  • DOGE-era firings cost taxpayers $11 billion in paid-but-not-working wages, report finds — Federal courts ruled that layoffs at agencies including Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Interior, and Labor were illegal, forcing employees back to work. But those workers were already paid for the period they were wrongfully terminated — meaning the government paid billions for people to not work. No savings.

  • DOGE officially expires July 4 — OMB director refuses to issue any closing report — The Department of Government Efficiency’s 18-month mandate ends tomorrow. OMB Director Russell Vought says there will be no after-action report, no final savings tally, and no accounting of what worked or didn’t. DOGE’s own website claimed $160B+ in savings; independent analysts put actual verified savings far lower. No receipts, no rebates, and no transparency — by design.

  • Small towns stripped of July 4th funding after DOGE cut their 250th anniversary grants — Trump diverted millions toward his “Triumphal Arch” and “Garden of American Heroes” vanity projects instead. Local communities planning bicentennial events lost grants, leaving them scrambling days before the holiday.

July 2, 2026

  • Trump made more than $2.2 billion last year, financial disclosures reveal — Annual disclosure filed Monday shows Trump’s fortune nearly tripled to approximately $6.5 billion. The haul includes at least $1.4 billion in income from cryptocurrency ventures — primarily World Liberty Financial and the $TRUMP meme coin — with experts noting the disclosed figures represent only part of the picture. Investors in $TRUMP suffered heavy losses while Trump collected the gains.

  • Trump takes inaugural flight on $400M Qatar-gifted Air Force One — The Boeing 747, donated by the Qatari government, flew Trump to North Dakota for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opening. Trump said the US “couldn’t build a plane like this.” Critics note the acceptance of a foreign government’s gift of a luxury aircraft raises significant ethical and constitutional concerns under the Emoluments Clause.

  • Congressional report finds Trump hijacked US 250th anniversary to serve own political agenda — A bipartisan congressional analysis concluded the Freedom 250 / America 250 events were shaped around Trump’s “political ideology and pet projects” rather than a broad national celebration. The report came as Trump prepared to headline Saturday’s rally-style speech at the DC festivities.

  • Trump administration’s ‘Plan B’ on birthright: bar pregnant foreign women from entering the US — After losing at the Supreme Court, Trump aides and MAGA allies are actively exploring visa bans on visibly pregnant foreign nationals. No executive order has been issued yet, but the policy is described as under active development by multiple administration officials.

  • ICE arrests surge: more than 10,000 detained in just five days — The surge stems from an internal push within ICE to increase arrest rates. The 10,000-in-five-days pace is among the highest recorded since Trump’s second term began, representing a sharp escalation even from the already historically elevated enforcement of prior months.

  • Trump administration suspends funding for New York’s Medicaid fraud unit — The move was framed as a “low performance” penalty but the LA Times reports it fits a pattern of similar funding freezes in Hawaii, Minnesota, and California — states critics say are being targeted for political reasons while the stated goal is anti-fraud enforcement.

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