Good evening, everyone. I hope you had a great Friday and are ready for a busy weekend. Today, the U.S. stock market had its worst day in more than a year. It comes as Trump reportedly fears potential criminal exposure for members of his family and inner circle, while his DOJ is preparing what officials describe as “roadblocks” aimed at preventing future prosecutions. Meanwhile, the DOJ is monitoring California’s ballot counting in real time, Trump’s DNI appointee never held a security clearance and has been ordered to carry out mass firings, and much more.
Also tonight, something more sinister has begun. This is now on the White House “media offenders” page.
They are preparing to publicly target people like me, label us “leftist influencers,” and attack those who share the truth.
The playbook is simple. First, call the media “fake news.” Then, have billionaire allies take over major institutions. Next, label independent journalists “leftist influencers.” Rinse. Repeat. We cannot let it happen.
This Sunday, I will be visiting the Epstein Reading Room in Washington, D.C., and on Monday, I will be delivering a keynote address to a room full of Epstein survivors and advocates. I will share both experiences with you. I am also working on several major deep dives and will have more to share very soon.
Here’s what you missed today:
The U.S. stock market fell sharply Friday after a stronger-than-expected jobs report showed employers added 172,000 jobs in May, far above forecasts of about 88,000. Investors interpreted the report as increasing the likelihood that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates later this year, triggering a broad sell-off led by technology and semiconductor stocks. The Nasdaq plunged more than 4%, the S&P 500 fell 2.6%, and Nvidia alone lost roughly $300 billion in market value as the AI-driven tech rally continued to unwind. The market decline also came amid lingering uncertainty over inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical tensions tied to the conflict involving Iran.
Recently, a group of 30 psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals has signed a public statement declaring President Donald Trump mentally unfit to serve and calling for his removal from office. The signatories argue that Trump’s recent behavior demonstrates what they describe as cognitive decline, impaired judgment, poor impulse control, episodes of apparent drowsiness during public events, and increasingly grandiose beliefs. They specifically warned that a president with nuclear authority exhibiting these traits could pose a danger to both the United States and the world.
President Donald Trump appeared unable to immediately recall the name of the Washington Monument during remarks about the newly renovated Reflecting Pool, referring to it instead as "the Washington — just think about this — you know that beautiful spire?"
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says he is working to install legal 'roadblocks' to prevent future Democratic administrations from prosecuting President Donald Trump, his family members, and his associates. Trump is terrified of the prospect of future criminal prosecution and possible imprisonment once he leaves office. The push for additional legal protections reflects growing concern inside Trump's orbit about potential legal exposure in a post-presidency environment.
The Justice Department has sent a federal prosecutor to observe ballot processing in Los Angeles after President Donald Trump repeatedly claimed, without presenting evidence, that Democrats were cheating in California’s primary election. Los Angeles election officials said the prosecutor was given a tour of the ballot-counting operation, which is already open to public observers, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office said it also has multiple election-fraud investigations underway.
California officials have defended the pace of the count, noting that large numbers of mail ballots are processed after Election Day and that state law allows up to 30 days for certification. Local election officials and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said they have not received any complaints or evidence of fraud related to the ongoing vote count.
A Justice Department lawyer argued Friday that courts do not have the authority to stop President Donald Trump from building his planned $400 million White House ballroom, contending that only Congress has the power to block the project. The argument came during an appeals court hearing over a lawsuit challenging the demolition of the East Wing and the administration’s decision to begin construction without completing required preservation and environmental reviews.
Judges sharply questioned the government’s position, with one asking whether courts would be powerless even in the face of “complete lawlessness” by the executive branch. Opponents of the project argue the administration is ignoring federal law and congressional authority over federal property, while the White House maintains the ballroom and related underground facility are justified by national security concerns.
President Donald Trump is frustrated by the stock market's decline following the release of the latest jobs report, which raised concerns among investors about the economy's trajectory. Market indexes fell after the report, as traders weighed the implications for growth, inflation, and future interest-rate decisions.
According to the Wall Street Journal, President Donald Trump has reportedly ordered Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to begin mass firings across U.S. intelligence agencies as part of a broader effort to shrink the intelligence community. Trump has reportedly described the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as unnecessary and overly large, signaling a significant restructuring of the nation’s intelligence apparatus. The planned workforce reductions could affect employees across multiple agencies and mark one of the largest personnel shakeups in the intelligence community in recent years. Critics warn the move could undermine intelligence coordination, while supporters argue it is necessary to reduce bureaucracy and streamline operations.
President Donald Trump is reportedly furious over media coverage of his $14 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which he has repeatedly promoted despite ongoing challenges including the war with Iran and economic concerns. Trump spent weeks touting the project, displaying photos and videos of the pool in the Oval Office and defending its dark blue coating as a sophisticated, long-lasting material rather than a simple paint job. On Friday, he lashed out on social media at news outlets that described the renovation as painting the pool, insisting the project involved advanced industrial materials and would last for decades. The dispute has become the latest example of the administration’s focus on the highly publicized renovation, which has drawn scrutiny over both its cost and its prominence amid other national issues.
According to the Washington Post, the National Park Service has ordered the removal of three historical quotes from Boston’s Bunker Hill Monument after a review prompted by a visitor complaint about “woke” content. The quotes slated for removal include an anti-war statement by Vietnam veterans, a passage highlighting the contradiction between American liberty and slavery, and a quote defending the role of immigrants in the nation’s history. Critics, including historians and national park advocates, argue the move amounts to censorship and is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to remove material addressing issues such as slavery, racism, and social justice from federal historical sites. Interior Department officials defended the changes as a routine exhibit update, while opponents say the removals distort the historical record ahead of the monument’s 251st anniversary celebration.
Veteran Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim announced they will remain at 60 Minutes despite recent firings and upheaval at the network, saying they want to “stay and fight” for the show’s future. In a joint statement, they condemned the dismissal of several correspondents and producers, arguing that respected journalists were removed for defending the program’s independence and integrity. The trio emphasized that their decision to stay should not be interpreted as support for CBS management, but rather as an effort to preserve the program’s tradition of independent journalism. They warned that if promises of editorial independence are not honored, they are prepared to leave.
When asked about $8,000 ticket prices for Game 3 and whether ordinary Americans could afford to attend, President Donald Trump responded: “They can watch it on television. It’s sort of semi-free to watch it on television. But it’s the way life goes.” The remark came after a reporter noted that the cost of attending the event was out of reach for most Americans. Critics are likely to view the comment as dismissive of affordability concerns, while supporters may argue Trump was simply acknowledging the reality of high-demand event pricing. The exchange quickly drew attention because it touched on broader concerns about rising costs and economic inequality.
ICE Acting Director David Venturella has rescinded a Biden-era policy that required the agency to report and investigate the deaths of detainees that occur within 30 days of their release from custody. The policy was originally adopted to prevent ICE from avoiding scrutiny by releasing seriously ill detainees shortly before they died. Under the new guidance, ICE will only publicly report deaths that occur while individuals are in agency custody. Critics argue the change could obscure the true human toll of immigration detention, while ICE says it should not be responsible for monitoring deaths that occur after a person has been released.
A federal judge in Boston struck down a Trump administration immigration policy that had frozen or delayed immigration applications for people from 39 countries, ruling that the policy was unlawful and arbitrary. The judge said the administration improperly used national security concerns as a justification and accused federal immigration officials of exceeding their legal authority. The policy had left thousands of immigrants unable to receive decisions on asylum, work permits, green cards, and citizenship applications, placing many families and workers in legal limbo. Immigration advocates hailed the ruling as a major victory, arguing that the government cannot discriminate against applicants based on their country of origin or suspend lawful immigration pathways without congressional authority.
House Republicans on the Armed Services Committee voted to advance a proposal that would permanently rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, a change first pushed by President Trump through an executive order last year. Supporters argue the name better reflects a military focused on fighting and winning wars and sends a stronger message to U.S. adversaries. Democrats criticized the move as a symbolic and costly political gesture, noting estimates that a full rebranding could cost up to $125 million. The proposal is now part of the annual defense authorization bill but must still pass the full House and Senate before becoming law.
A federal judge ordered former senior CIA official David J. Rush to remain in jail pending trial, citing concerns that his intelligence background and resources could help him flee prosecution. Rush is accused of fraudulently collecting military leave compensation years after leaving the Navy, and investigators discovered more than $40 million worth of gold bars, cash, and luxury watches during a search of his Virginia home. Prosecutors argue the gold bars were improperly obtained through his work, while Rush’s attorney says he legally possessed them and has not been charged with any crime directly related to the gold. Authorities also allege that Rush falsified parts of his military and educational background on job applications, including claims that he was a Navy pilot and graduate of two universities he never attended.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he sees no reason to meet directly with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, arguing that negotiators should first reach agreements before any leaders’ summit takes place. Speaking at Russia’s annual economic forum in St. Petersburg, Putin thanked Donald Trump for efforts to end the war and claimed Russia remains open to a diplomatic settlement, while also insisting Russia could prevail militarily if necessary. He used the event to promote Russia’s economy and argue that the BRICS bloc has surpassed the G7 in global influence, presenting what he described as a shifting world order. The remarks came days after a major Ukrainian drone attack on St. Petersburg, as Russia and Ukraine continue exchanging long-range strikes while peace talks remain stalled.
NASA briefly placed five astronauts aboard the International Space Station on evacuation alert after a worsening air leak was detected in Russia’s Zvezda module. The astronauts were instructed to enter a docked SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and put on their spacesuits while engineers assessed the situation. Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, reported two leaks, saying one had been sealed and work was underway on the second, with no immediate danger to the crew. After roughly two hours, NASA lifted the alert and allowed normal operations to resume while both agencies continue investigating and repairing the leaks.
See you soon.
— Aaron
