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With that, here’s the news:
Donald Trump wants to bury the Epstein files, but MAGA influencers — who’ve long thrived on the conspiracy — refuse to let it go, even as Trump distances himself from it. They’re caught in a bind: unable to drop the theory and unwilling to turn on Trump, who remains their main source of clout and revenue.
The tension peaked after AG Pam Bondi’s department dismissed key Epstein conspiracy claims, prompting MAGA backlash and calls for her firing. Trump, known for abandoning allies once they're no longer useful, may face pressure to sacrifice Bondi to appease the base — though doing so would signal a rare admission of error.
FBI Director Kash Patel denied resignation rumors amid MAGA backlash over the decision to close the Epstein case, saying “the conspiracy theories just aren’t true” and affirming his commitment to serving the president, despite criticism from figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Steve Bannon, and reportedly FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
On the Texas flood response, Trump remarked, “Maybe they should've had bells or something go off,” prompting criticism over his dismissive tone as the disaster's death toll continues to rise.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on what keeps her up at night: “The state of our democracy. I would say that I am really very interested in getting people to focus and to invest and to pay attention to what is happening in our country and in our government.”
Backed by $170 billion in new funding, the Trump administration is launching an aggressive immigration enforcement expansion — including hiring 10,000 new ICE agents, doubling detention capacity, building more border wall, and deploying AI surveillance — in pursuit of mass deportations. Critics warn the rapid ramp-up could lead to rushed hiring, abuse, and lasting changes to the U.S. immigration system even beyond Trump’s presidency.
A leaked list obtained by the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times reveals over 700 people detained or scheduled for transfer to Florida’s secretive immigration facility, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," run by the DeSantis administration in the Everglades. The detainees are held in tents and don’t appear in federal tracking databases, making it difficult for lawyers and families to locate them.
The Miami Herald obtained records from the Alligator Alcatraz detention site showing about 750 detainees: roughly 250 for immigration violations, 260 with pending criminal charges, and 240 with criminal convictions.
Federal immigration officers may now deport immigrants with as little as six hours’ notice to third countries, even without guarantees they’ll be safe from persecution or torture, according to the Washington Post.
Trump’s border czar Tom Homan attempted to walk back earlier remarks, clarifying: “Physical description cannot be the sole reason to detain and question somebody. That can't be the sole reason to raise reasonable suspicion. It's a myriad of factors.”
A cannabis farmworker, Jaime Alanis Garcia, has died days after falling about 30 feet during a chaotic immigration raid by federal authorities at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, California, according to his family.
A 71-year-old grandmother and U.S. citizen, Barbara Stone, was arrested and held for eight hours after attempting to document ICE arrests outside a San Diego courthouse; though accused of pushing an agent (which she denies), no charges were filed. The incident, captured on video, has sparked concern among immigrant rights advocates, who fear it will deter volunteers and chill First Amendment-protected court observation efforts.
The Department of Justice has dropped all charges against Utah plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr. and three associates accused of destroying COVID-19 vaccines and issuing fake vaccine cards; the case had become a rallying point for the MAGA base, with AG Pam Bondi thanking Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Sen. Mike Lee for their support, as Bondi faces internal GOP pressure over her handling of the Epstein files.
Texas Hill Country remains under a flood watch with more rain expected, as the death toll from the catastrophic July 4 flood nears 130 and 160 people remain missing. Scrutiny is mounting over FEMA’s past decisions to exempt Camp Mystic—a prestigious girls’ camp in a known flood zone—from key flood regulations, which experts say may have prioritized the interests of the wealthy over public safety, contributing to the tragedy when floodwaters swept through the area.
Good News
While renovating their home in Nottingham, England, Charlotte England-Black and her husband discovered a 35-year-old message from a seven-year-old girl named Emma, written on a toilet paper roll and hidden in the attic. The heartwarming note, meant for future homeowners, read: “I hope you enjoy staying here. Lots of love, from a friend.” After posting it on Facebook, Charlotte quickly found Emma—now 43—who was touched by the rediscovery of her childhood time capsule.
Seventh-grader Romir Parker of Petersburg, Virginia, is being hailed as a hero after rescuing his two baby siblings and grandmother from a fast-moving house fire; honored with a city proclamation and made an honorary firefighter, the local fire chief promised him a job at the department when he turns 18.
Born with a rare heart condition, Vancouver's Addison McArthur received a life-saving heart transplant just weeks after birth—thanks to Felicia Hill, who chose to donate her daughter Audrey’s organs after the newborn’s tragic passing. The two mothers later met, with Hill hearing Audrey’s heart beating inside Addison. Now, both advocate for organ donation, and Addison recently celebrated her 14th birthday—a milestone made possible by Audrey’s gift of life.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
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