Good evening, everyone. Another week is in the books, and there’s a lot to cover: major election changes, threats to imprison election officials, another ICE shooting, Trump threatening Canada with tariffs over wildfire smoke, growing calls to invoke the 25th Amendment, and more.
Before tonight’s news, I want to speak honestly about where this platform is headed—and address something many of you have shared with me. This week alone, several people unsubscribed because they felt overwhelmed. I understand that completely. I feel it too.
So let me be clear: It is okay if you cannot read every email or open every report. But please do not disconnect entirely. Exhaustion and apathy are not accidental. They are how people stop paying attention—and how the truth gets buried.
That is why I built this platform the way I did. The stories I publish are real. They are not distorted for outrage, clicks, or entertainment. They are simply the news, presented as honestly and directly as I can. In today’s media environment, even that is becoming rare, especially after last night’s election misinformation speech. Misinformation is spreading everywhere.
Here’s the news:
Major Trump Election Changes:
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatened state election officials with fines, loss of federal grants, and possible prison time if they refuse to help identify alleged noncitizens on voter rolls. DHS claims it preliminarily found more than 250,000 noncitizens registered in California, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. Neither Mullin nor President Trump said how many, if any, had actually voted. Mullin gave state officials two weeks to commit to federal collaboration.
The administration wants states to check voter rolls using DHS’s SAVE immigration-status database. A federal judge has blocked this repurposing of the system, ruling that it violated restrictions on disclosing Social Security records. Voting-rights experts also warn that outdated records can incorrectly flag naturalized citizens and lead to eligible voters being removed. DHS maintains that SAVE only flags people for further review rather than conclusively identifying them as noncitizens. He outlined these “major” changes that will be “mandatory” for states:
The initiative is part of a broader Trump administration campaign focused on alleged election vulnerabilities before the midterms. Its actions include lawsuits seeking state voter data, an FBI raid on a Georgia elections facility, and warnings of criminal penalties for knowingly retaining noncitizens on voter rolls. Election experts say illegal voting occurs but is extremely rare, while past reviews found no widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Mullin said DHS will review records before and after the midterms and release an updated election-infrastructure plan within 30 days.
Canada Fires:
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has triggered dangerous air quality alerts for more than 100 million people across 18 states and Washington, D.C., with Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit among the hardest-hit cities. Officials advised residents to remain indoors, keep windows closed, limit outdoor activity, and wear well-fitted N95 or KN95 masks when outside, particularly because microscopic PM2.5 pollution can damage the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Children, older adults, and people with heart or lung conditions face the greatest health risks, although Philadelphia officials warned that everyone could experience adverse effects. Thunderstorms, rain, shifting winds, and a cold front should begin thinning the smoke from west to east on Saturday, though improvement may be uneven. Scientists say climate change is extending wildfire seasons and worsening smoke exposure, reversing decades of air-quality gains in parts of the United States.
In response, Trump says he is going to increase tariffs on Canada.
ICE:
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said ICE operations would intensify despite the recent fatal shootings of two men in Texas and Maine, declaring, “We’re turning up the heat on the streets.”
Two plainclothes ICE agents attempted to handcuff Phu Nguyen, a 57-year-old Australian citizen, at a Las Vegas airport as he screamed and bystanders gathered. The agents left to de-escalate the situation, leaving Nguyen with a handcuff on one wrist, which local police later removed after finding no outstanding warrants. DHS says Nguyen overstayed a visa that expired in 2015, and he was arrested the next day at Los Angeles International Airport before his flight departed. He remains in ICE custody in California pending removal proceedings. Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen and the ACLU criticized the agents for concealing their identities, lacking visible cameras or identification, and acting recklessly.
ICE officer David Brouillette fatally shot 26-year-old Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero while Guerrero was inside a car near his Biddeford, Maine, home. DHS says the vehicle attempted to flee and that the officer fired because he feared for public safety, while Brouillette reportedly told relatives that Guerrero was trying to run him over. DHS has not officially identified the officer, but Brouillette allegedly acknowledged the shooting to his former wife and daughter. The agency emphasized that the officer had nearly a decade of federal law-enforcement experience and required use-of-force training.
Multiple relatives allege Brouillette has a long history of violence, threats, and serious psychiatric problems. His first ex-wife accused him of becoming physically abusive, once throwing boiling water at her while she held their child, while his second ex-wife alleged in court filings that he stalked and harassed her, abused his daughters, tackled one daughter, smashed spaghetti into her hair, and dragged her through the house. A judge granted a temporary protective order in 2021, although Brouillette denied the claims and accused his second ex-wife of slander; a Maine records check found no criminal record. Relatives also said he was diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder and attention-deficit disorder as a child, attempted suicide twice at age 12, was repeatedly hospitalized, and later resisted seeking treatment.
Additional allegations raise questions about whether DHS adequately vetted Brouillette before hiring him during its immigration-enforcement expansion. His first ex-wife provided a late-2025 voicemail in which he allegedly said she and other women and girls in her family should have their throats cut, while denying that he personally intended to do it. After the shooting, she says Brouillette asked her not to discuss his alleged abuse and instead defend his character; his daughter separately said he insisted he had acted appropriately. Records also show that he served in Afghanistan, later experienced PTSD and depression allegations, suffered a concussion with cognitive symptoms during firefighter training, and received VA disability benefits—all factors his relatives argue should have prompted greater scrutiny before he was issued a badge and gun.
Brandon Booth, an employee of the company operating Aurora’s ICE detention center, was arrested after allegedly shooting and injuring a woman protesting near the Colorado facility. Police say Booth was waiting in his vehicle because demonstrators were blocking employee access when two women confronted workers verbally and photographed their vehicles. After the women walked away, Booth allegedly retrieved his personal handgun and fired one shot in their direction, striking one woman in the lower body before driving away. Officers arrested him less than two blocks away and found a gun in his vehicle; he now faces assault and attempted second-degree murder charges. The victim’s injuries were not life-threatening, while GEO Group placed Booth on unpaid administrative leave and pledged to cooperate with investigators.
Other news:
Mike Lindell, President Trump’s endorsed candidate for Minnesota governor, is not currently registered to vote in Minnesota, although Texas still lists him as an active voter. Lindell said he lived in Texas for about a year, voted there in 2024, and has since reestablished full-time residency in Minnesota, but acknowledged he did not know his current registration status. Minnesota law does not require gubernatorial candidates to be registered voters, and registration in two states is not illegal unless someone votes in both. The situation is notable because Lindell has made election integrity and close scrutiny of voter rolls central to his political identity. He faces Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Republican-endorsed candidate Kendall Qualls in the August 11 primary.
The House continuing resolution funding the government through December 4 includes death-gratuity payments for the heirs of Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he received calls from two nonstate agencies suggesting that Sen. Mitch McConnell had died after the 84-year-old Republican disappeared from public view for nearly a month. McConnell had been found unconscious at his Washington residence and hospitalized on June 14, but his office provided little information about his condition or extended absence. His staff later released a photograph showing him seated beside his wife and holding that day’s Washington Post sports section, and forensic analysts concluded the image was authentic despite unsupported claims that it was AI-generated. Beshear called the photograph a positive step but said McConnell could end the speculation by releasing a video or calling a news organization. McConnell’s office has not offered further details about his condition or recovery.
Sources say Alan Dershowitz will not appear for his scheduled Monday interview with the House Oversight Committee regarding the Epstein files. It remains unclear what steps the committee will take to obtain his testimony or written answers. Below is the June letter requesting his appearance.
An internal United Airlines memo reportedly told reservation agents they could move travelers who objected to flying into the newly renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport to Fort Lauderdale or Miami at no extra charge. The guidance included a suggested response acknowledging customers’ objections and instructed agents to process approved changes as even exchanges, although alternatives would depend on availability and agent discretion. United disputed that interpretation, calling the memo “poorly worded and not accurate” and saying its policy does not permit free changes solely because of an airport’s name or three-letter code. The Florida airport, formerly Palm Beach International, was renamed under state law, prompting angry complaints and boycott threats from some travelers, while its passenger code is expected to change from PBI to DJT on August 18. The airport says the renaming does not alter its ownership, governance, or operations, and Trump is reportedly the first sitting U.S. president to have an airport named after him.
Taylor Fresh Foods is removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico after shredded lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants was linked to a cyclospora outbreak. The CDC advised consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, while Taco Bell said it was removing the affected ingredient nationwide. Officials have linked at least 1,644 cases across those five states to the regional outbreak, although nearly 7,000 cases and 180 hospitalizations are confirmed or under investigation nationally. Michigan has reported more than 5,000 illnesses, potentially making this the largest recorded U.S. cyclospora outbreak, though officials cannot confirm that every case has the same source. The parasite generally spreads through contaminated food or water and can cause weeks of watery diarrhea, cramping, and bloating.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission ordered prediction-market platform Kalshi to preserve pending Michigan sports trades, directly conflicting with a state judge’s order to cancel them. The agency invoked emergency powers unused since President Jimmy Carter’s grain embargo against the Soviet Union, arguing that canceling completed trades could undermine confidence throughout financial markets. Michigan considers Kalshi’s sports contracts unlicensed gambling, while the CFTC treats prediction markets as federally regulated financial exchanges and is attempting to prevent states from imposing separate restrictions. Kalshi said it had already complied with the court order and criticized the federal intervention for placing it between contradictory state and federal obligations. The dispute—complicated by Trump’s family ties to the industry and his reshaping of the CFTC—has created uncertainty among traders and could ultimately require resolution by Congress or the Supreme Court.
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez withdrew from the Democratic governor’s race after her campaign discovered serious inaccuracies in its financial reports, including duplicated contributions that overstated its fundraising. The errors led to her campaign manager’s firing and revealed that the campaign had only about $200,000 available. Rodriguez’s exit reshapes the crowded Aug. 11 primary, leaving candidates including Francesca Hong, Mandela Barnes, Joel Brennan, and Kelda Roys. Some Democrats fear Hong may be too progressive to win the battleground state and are encouraging former Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley to re-enter the race. The Democratic nominee will likely face Trump-backed Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election.
U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta was greeted by protesters when he arrived in Venice aboard his 384-foot luxury yacht as part of a 13-region diplomatic tour celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Protesters described the billionaire hospitality mogul’s visit as an arrogant display of American wealth in a city already strained by mass tourism and rising costs. They also criticized President Trump’s foreign policy, including U.S. strikes on Iran, and unfurled a yacht-length banner declaring that Venice should not be exploited. Fertitta says the tour celebrates the shared history, economic partnership, and cultural ties between the United States and Italy. His visit comes as relations cool between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who skipped the U.S. Embassy’s anniversary celebrations.
A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the Pacific coast along the Mexico-Guatemala border and was felt as far away as Mexico City and El Salvador. Authorities initially reported no serious damage or casualties, although the quake prompted evacuations and frightened residents across the region. At least five aftershocks between magnitudes 5.1 and 6 followed the main tremor. Officials warned that tsunami waves of up to one meter could reach parts of the Mexican and Guatemalan coasts and advised people to avoid beaches for six hours. Coastal communities remained under monitoring because the earthquake-prone region has experienced deadly tremors in the past.
See you soon.
— Aaron
