Good evening, everyone. We have a lot of news to cover today, including possible corruption involving Taylor Farms, the FDA, and the explosive diarrhea outbreak. I helped uncover key details and assembled the timeline below. Read it and decide for yourself whether this reeks of corruption.
Meanwhile, the United States is imposing 50 percent tariffs on most Canadian goods, partly because of wildfire smoke that Trump says is “invading” the country. U.S. strikes on Iran continued today as questions remain about whether the government is concealing the true number of casualties. I am working around the clock to uncover the facts behind the Taylor Farms story, along with much more.
I apologize for the late update. I had to take my daughter to the doctor after she experienced a reaction to her antibiotics, but thankfully, she is doing well.
Here’s the news:
FDA/Taylor Farms:
This looks like blatant corruption: Taylor Farms donated $1 million to a pro-Trump group, hired a former Trump official, met with administration officials to challenge the FDA’s findings, and then announced that the agency had reversed itself. We do not have confirmation of this just yet, and I am working to confirm it right now. Here’s what happened:
In March 2025, Taylor Farms donated $1 million to Make America Great Again Inc. The contribution came days after the FDA delayed its Food Traceability Rule. The timing drew attention because that regulation governs how certain foods are tracked through the supply chain. No direct connection between the donation and the delay is established in the provided timeline.
The FDA later informed Taylor Farms that one of its iceberg lettuce products had tested positive for cyclospora. Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause intestinal illness. In response to the finding, Taylor Farms initiated a voluntary recall. The company’s action was based on the agency’s test result.
During the resulting cyclospora outbreak, Taylor Farms hired a former Trump White House official, according to reporting by The New York Times. The hiring added another political connection between the company and the Trump administration. It occurred while regulators were investigating the outbreak and its possible sources. The provided information does not specify the official’s identity or exact role.
Last week, Taylor Farms executives met with White House and FDA officials, according to The New York Times. During the meeting, the company challenged aspects of the government’s conclusions about the outbreak. The discussion appears to have focused on the evidence connecting Taylor Farms products to cyclospora. The account does not indicate what immediate decisions, if any, resulted from the meeting.
Taylor Farms now says the FDA apologized and acknowledged that the positive cyclospora result was a false positive. According to the company, the agency also said that no Taylor Farms product had tested positive for the parasite. That assertion would undermine the initial basis for the voluntary recall.
In response, the FDA made clear that Taylor Farms remains likely at fault:
Iran:
Iranian media reported explosions across several parts of the country, including the port city of Bandar Abbas. Air-defense systems were also reportedly activated near the Bushehr nuclear power plant. The reports came as U.S. Central Command announced a ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran. CENTCOM said the operation aimed to weaken Iranian military capabilities used to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump said Iran would pay “many times over” for the deaths of American service members. The U.S. military identified two soldiers killed in Jordan while defending against Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, while remains were being examined to determine whether they belonged to a missing third service member. Another American service member died in Iraq during the controlled detonation of an Iranian drone. These incidents reportedly raised the total number of U.S. military deaths in the war to 17.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that his country was engaged in a “full-scale war.” His statement followed an expansion of the U.S. aerial campaign and Iranian attacks against Washington’s allies in the Gulf. Pezeshkian warned that Iran might have to endure additional strikes as the conflict continued. Diplomats nevertheless said negotiations aimed at de-escalating the war remained underway.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. The declaration followed an exchange of fire between the two sides during the previous week, their first such confrontation in years. Saudi Arabia condemned the blockade as a threat to its ships and maritime interests. Its Foreign Ministry said the kingdom would take all measures permitted under international law to protect its vessels.
The Lebanese army reportedly began assuming responsibility for security in the southern villages of Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbiya. The operations are part of a trilateral framework intended to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah. However, Froun Mayor Hassan Bazzi disputed parts of the U.S. account, saying Lebanese troops had not begun deploying in Zawtar al-Gharbiya because Israeli forces had not fully withdrawn. He also said conditions in Froun remained unchanged.
Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be arrested while visiting the United States. His statement followed comments from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who said he was still considering such an arrest. Trump did not directly mention Mamdani in his social media post. He nevertheless insisted that Netanyahu would not be detained “in any way, shape, or form” while in the country.
Jordan said its forces intercepted three missiles launched from Iran. Warning sirens sounded in the capital, Amman, on Monday evening as the missiles approached. Officials reported no injuries or material damage from the incident. The interceptions demonstrate how the widening conflict is also affecting neighboring countries.
Other news:
Influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate will remain in federal custody after their arrest at a Miami bare-knuckle boxing event, while their lawyers fight extradition to England. British prosecutors have brought 59 charges against the brothers involving four women and incidents allegedly committed between 2010 and 2017, including rape, sexual assault, sex trafficking, assault, and offenses involving illegal pornographic images. Their attorney, Joseph McBride, called the allegations politically motivated and insisted that both brothers are innocent, while lawyers from the prominent South Florida firm Black Srebnick will handle the extradition fight. The Tates, who are prominent figures in the online “manosphere,” have also faced investigations in Romania and the United States, but have repeatedly denied wrongdoing and sued one accuser for defamation. Their attorneys are scheduled to meet before a magistrate judge in one week to arrange a hearing on whether the brothers should remain detained throughout the extradition proceedings.
Donald Trump announced 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, set to take effect in 30 days unless Canada removes trade barriers the administration considers discriminatory. Officials said the action responds to Canadian retaliation against Trump’s 2025 tariffs, including the removal of American alcohol from provincial stores, as well as restrictions on U.S. automobiles and dairy products. Although Trump recently suggested tariffs or damages over smoke from Canadian wildfires entering the United States, an administration official said the new levies are unrelated to that dispute. Trump invoked a previously unused provision of a 1930 trade law that permits tariffs of up to 50% against countries accused of discriminating against American products. If negotiations fail during the 30-day window, the tariffs will affect most Canadian goods, including products currently receiving duty-free treatment under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Dorothy Jackson, 94, is urging Stafford County officials to protect a centuries-old Johnson family cemetery located on the site of a proposed 99-acre data center. The cemetery contains marked and unmarked graves, including those believed to belong to Jackson’s enslaved ancestors. An archaeological study is underway to locate the graves and determine whether they can remain in place or would need to be relocated. Under Virginia law, a court would decide whether remains could be moved if the development is approved. The Board of Supervisors expects to reconsider the proposal in October after reviewing the study.
According to Politico, FBI Director Kash Patel is reportedly planning an unusual visit to Russia on October 14–15, with stops in Moscow and St. Petersburg and the FSB likely serving as his host. The purpose of the tentative trip and whether Patel will meet President Vladimir Putin or other senior officials remain unclear. The planned visit comes amid tensions over the war in Ukraine, proposed sanctions against Russia, and longstanding concerns about Russian election interference and cyberattacks. Patel has previously challenged investigations into links between Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and has faced scrutiny over other official trips and his use of government resources. If the visit proceeds, Patel would be the first known FBI director to travel to Russia since Robert Mueller did so in 2013.
Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina announced that she will seek a full six-year term in the seat previously held by her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham. She was appointed to the Senate after her brother’s death on July 11 and has received President Donald Trump’s “complete and total endorsement.” Graham will compete in the August 11 Republican special primary against Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman and businessman Mark Lynch. Rep. Nancy Mace announced that she would not enter the race, saying she wants to remain focused on her current legislative work. The primary winner will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November, while the candidate filing deadline is July 28.
Five people died in the Scioto River near Powell, Ohio, after members of a group tried to rescue a struggling swimmer. Authorities believe the group had gone fishing Sunday when one person entered the water to swim and began having difficulty, prompting others to jump in and help. A motorist called 911 after seeing a frightened child from the group running along a nearby road and crying out for their mother. Rescue crews found two women on Sunday who were later pronounced dead at a hospital, while the bodies of three men were recovered from the river on Monday. Two children under age 10 were placed in the care of family services as authorities worked to identify the victims and notify their relatives.
Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo is calling for greater transparency and faster public access to autopsy findings, particularly in high-profile criminal cases. He criticized the court-ordered sealing of the autopsy report for 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose stabbing death led to murder charges against singer D4vd, who has pleaded not guilty. Ukpo argues that withholding such reports can conflict with his office’s public-service mission, although law enforcement officials say temporary secrecy may protect investigative details, help evaluate witnesses, and prevent false confessions. Appointed in 2023 as the agency’s first Black leader, Ukpo has emphasized that medical examiners must remain independent from police and prosecutors while overseeing examinations of roughly 13,000 deaths annually. Drawing on cases involving Matthew Perry and other celebrities, he says accurate and timely findings can counter misinformation, alert communities to dangers, and demonstrate how individual deaths affect the broader public.
See you soon.
— Aaron
