July 27, 2023 - Your Morning Digest

Another possible Trump indictment, coup in Niger, bad news for the global food supply, and more

Today is July 27, 2023, and here is all the news you need to know about this morning. If you enjoy my newsletter, please consider a monthly subscription to support my work, and to get access to Q&As, exclusive content, and more.

1) Trump Indictment Could Come Today

Amid reports of a potential third indictment for Donald Trump, Special Counsel Jack Smith is ramping up his investigation into the January 6th insurrection. The grand jury will meet today, and an indictment, although not guaranteed, could come as soon as then. News trucks remain lined up outside of the D.C. courthouse, and grand jury members have begun arriving at the courthouse. However, it is unclear whether the Special Counsel will indict Trump before or after potential testimony from additional witnesses, which will likely come sometime in August.

If we receive an indictment, I will report live from the D.C. courthouse and give you updates as we learn them, so be sure to subscribe to be the first to know:

2) Prigozhin Spotted In Russia (Again)

Former Wagner boss Yevegny Prigozhin was spotted in Russia, again. Today, Prigozhin was spotted in a meeting with an African dignitary on the sidelines of a summit with the heads of the African Union. This is the first time he has been seen in Russian since the failed coup attempt last month, and only the second time he has been seen in public since July 19th, when he released a video inside Belarus. What once looked like a falling out between Putin and Prigozhin looks more and more like an inside job. Stay tuned for more.

3) Russia Targets Food Infrastructure

Russia continued to target grain infrastructure last night. Over the past week, Russia has launched a bombardment of the Ukrainian region of Odesa, specifically targeting Ukraine’s port infrastructure and grain storage facilities. This comes one week after Russia explicitly pulled out of the Black Sea grain deal, thereby harming the global food supply. According to Ukraine’s Operational Command South, a Russian submarine launched Kalibr missiles at Odesa overnight, killing one person and further damaging infrastructure. Meanwhile, this morning, the National Bank of Ukraine stated that it expects for the export of agricultural products including grain through the Black Sea to remain closed until the end of the war.

4) North Korea Courts Russia

Meanwhile, North Korea is actively courting Russia, as Russia’s Minister of Defense met with North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un. During this meeting, military officials in Pyongyang showed off a number of “Advanced Weapon Systems” including Intercontinental/Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles and Drones. During this meeting, the two also discussed additional military cooperation and support between the Countries.

5) Successful Coup in Niger

Niger’s President, Mohamed Bazoum, has been removed from office by members of Niger’s security forces, and the country’s borders have been closed. Meanwhile, U.S. forces at Air Base 101 near the Capital City of Niamey and Air Base 201 near Agadez are reported to have been place on “Lockdown” amid the coup. Many are now speculating that this coup was beneficial for the Russian Government as Bazoum was pro-France, while the new military leader is pro-Russia. This news is being met with “cautious optimism in Moscow.” Bazoum was elected president in a 2021 election that was the first democratic transition of power in Niger since gaining independence in 1960. It is unclear what prompted this latest coup attempt, but this will only further stabilize Central Africa. Stay tuned for more.