Here’s your evening news rundown—but first, a quick thank you. If you believe in this kind of journalism, please consider subscribing or becoming a supporter.
Now, let’s get into the news.
Federal agents under the Trump administration arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan today, sparking national controversy over her handling of a courtroom encounter with ICE agents. Dugan had refused to comply with ICE's request to detain a non-citizen defendant without a criminal warrant, instead directing agents to speak with the chief judge and allowing the defendant to exit through a staff door. Legal experts and immigrant advocates are alarmed, calling the arrest of a sitting judge nearly unprecedented and warning of serious implications for judicial independence.
A federal judge has stopped the administration from carrying out President Trump’s executive order that targeted weakening unions for federal employees.
George Santos was sentenced to 87 months in prison and is required to report on July 25.
Georgia Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff said today he fully supports impeaching President Donald Trump. Speaking at a town hall in Cobb County, Ossoff said there’s no doubt Trump’s behavior has already gone beyond past standards for impeachment set by the House of Representatives. He also said there is "no question" that several of Trump’s actions qualify as impeachable offenses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that Ukraine doesn’t have the military strength to retake Crimea by force, but he called on the international community to keep up pressure on Russia, which has illegally occupied the region since 2014.
Donald Trump criticized Kyiv for still not finalizing a rare earths deal with the U.S., even as he said progress on a broader Russia-Ukraine peace deal is going well. Posting on Truth Social while en route to Rome for the pope’s funeral, Trump said Ukraine is at least three weeks late in signing the agreement and urged it to be signed “immediately.”
Donald Trump criticized judges for pushing to hold trials for individuals his administration plans to deport, arguing that the "courts are holding us back." Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Rome for the pope’s funeral, Trump said judges are making it difficult because "they don’t want people to be moved out of the country."
Trump’s approval rating with independent voters has dropped to 29%, according to a New York Times/Siena poll.
Donald Trump said today aboard Air Force One that he’s unlikely to approve another delay on his steep so-called reciprocal tariffs affecting dozens of countries. Those nations now have 90 days to reach a deal with the U.S. or face tariffs as high as 50%. Although Trump said another pause is “unlikely,” the exact timing for the higher tariffs is still unclear.
When asked for an update on Hegseth, Trump first asked, "About what?" After the reporter clarified it was about Signal, Trump replied, "I don’t view Signal as important. I think that’s fake news."
Donald Trump told reporters today that he won’t lift tariffs on China unless they offer something “substantial,” hinting he wants greater access for U.S. trade. He added, “It’ll all work out, those things always work out.”
The Trump administration is retreating from a legal battle over ICE actions that threatened the immigration status of thousands of international students. In court, DOJ attorneys said immigration officials are working on a new system to review and terminate student records more fairly, and will no longer cancel status based solely on NCIC database matches. A policy framework for handling SEVIS record terminations is now in development.
Consumer sentiment dropped 8% in April compared to the previous month, with a final reading of 52.2, according to the University of Michigan’s latest survey released Friday. The decline was slightly less severe than an earlier preliminary report, which didn’t account for public reaction to Trump’s 90-day tariff delay announced on April 9.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
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