Donald Trump is now openly bragging about securing not only a $16 million settlement from CBS News, but also an additional $20 million in advertising—likely pro-Trump airtime—from the network. This isn’t just alarming; it’s a direct attack on the First Amendment and a chilling sign of what happens when the press caves to political pressure.
At a time when media giants are folding under Trump’s threats, we need fearless, independent journalism more than ever. I will not back down. With your support, we’ll keep building a movement powered by people—not billionaires or corporate executives. Subscribe today and stand with us.
With that, here’s the news:
President Obama issued a rare statement blasting Donald Trump this afternoon: "Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction. "Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes. These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio."
Ozzy Osbourne, iconic frontman of Black Sabbath and reality TV star, has died aged 76, less than three weeks after his retirement concert, with his family requesting privacy and no cause of death disclosed.
Full statement from the family: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time."
Donald Trump claimed that after a $16 million settlement with Paramount over a CBS interview, he expects an additional $20 million in advertising and programming from the network’s incoming owner, Skydance Media, sparking accusations of corruption and backlash following the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show.
Despite efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to shift attention, the Epstein scandal persists, with Trump dismissing it as a “witch hunt” and the Justice Department announcing plans to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell for potential information on other perpetrators.
A New York federal court is delaying resolution of the Trump administration’s request to unseal Epstein-related grand jury testimony due to missing submissions and insufficient justification from the Justice Department.
According to CNN, Ghislaine Maxwell will oppose the unsealing of grand jury materials related to her and Jeffrey Epstein as she continues to appeal her conviction while serving a 20-year prison sentence; the judge has requested her legal team's response by August 5.
Despite Republican attempts to blame Democrats, the Epstein case is proving to be a bipartisan issue; House Speaker Mike Johnson shut down the chamber early amid growing bipartisan pressure to release related files, delaying further votes until after the summer recess.
The House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell for testimony after the recess.
Trump announced a new trade deal with the Philippines, which will pay a 19% tariff rate.
The New York Times defended the Wall Street Journal after the Trump administration barred it from the White House press pool, calling it retaliation for reporting on Trump’s ties to Epstein.
NPR editor-in-chief Edith Chapin announced plans to step down, shortly after lawmakers supported Trump’s plan to cut $1.1 billion from public broadcasting.
A US appeals court upheld Trump-era restrictions on White House access for Associated Press journalists after the AP refused to use “Gulf of America” in place of “Gulf of Mexico”.
The State Department said the US withdrew from UNESCO partly due to its admission of Palestine and ideological conflicts with the Trump administration’s “America First” foreign policy.
Elon Musk may reenter US politics, according to Bloomberg, citing SpaceX documents and insider information.
A New Jersey federal court declined to permanently appoint Trump’s former lawyer Alina Habba as the state’s top federal prosecutor.
According to the LA Times, Javier Diaz Santana, a deaf and mute DACA recipient with no criminal record, was wrongfully detained by ICE during a workplace raid in California, held for nearly a month without proper communication access, despite having legal work authorization, raising serious concerns about due process, disability rights, and racial profiling under the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
New video reveals that ICE is operating a detention facility on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza where detainees are reportedly held for days or weeks without showers, medication, clean clothes, beds, adequate food, or regular contact with the outside world.
Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara remains detained by ICE in Georgia despite all charges against him being dropped, with rights groups condemning his arrest during protest coverage as retaliation for his journalism, raising serious concerns about press freedom, unlawful phone seizure, and conditions in U.S. immigration detention.
The Department of Homeland Security denied reports that 82-year-old Chilean asylum recipient Luis Leon was secretly deported to Guatemala, calling the story a "hoax" amid conflicting claims from Leon’s family, the Guatemalan government, and journalists, with no official records supporting his detention or deportation.
Despite the Trump administration’s denial that US aid cuts have caused deaths, CNN’s reporting from Afghanistan reveals a devastating reality: clinics have shuttered, maternal and child mortality is rising, and millions—including women and children—are suffering or dying due to the collapse of critical health and humanitarian programs previously funded by USAID.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
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