Today has been very long day, and we are just getting started. We could see a vote tonight on the “big, beautiful bill” today which could cut Medicaid, SNAP, and even Medicare. CNN is selling books. Fox News is pandering to Trump. Meanwhile, I am not stopping. I am providing you with just the facts. Just the news. Subscribe today to support my work and let’s continue redefining media:
With that, here’s the latest:
U.S. stocks dropped sharply, with the Dow falling more than 800 points and bond markets also sliding after a weak 20-year bond auction. Investor confidence is being shaken by growing concerns over America’s financial stability, as Republicans push a Trump-backed budget plan expected to add trillions to the national deficit.
A federal judge in Massachusetts has ruled that the Trump administration violated a court order by deporting eight immigrants to South Sudan without providing them a meaningful opportunity to contest their removal. Judge Brian E. Murphy stated that the deportees, who were not South Sudanese nationals, were notified just one day before their deportation, which he deemed insufficient for legal consultation or due process. The judge criticized the Department of Homeland Security for its rapid actions, stating they clearly breached his prior directive.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has initiated monthly Christian-only prayer services at the Pentagon auditorium during official working hours. These services feature his personal pastor, Brooks Potteiger, who has publicly praised President Donald Trump as a divinely appointed leader. Hegseth, known for his conservative Christian views and opposition to women serving in combat roles, has faced criticism for potentially breaching the separation of church and state by promoting a specific religious ideology within a government setting.
Donald Trump has summoned key Republican holdouts to the White House to address internal party divisions threatening the passage of his expansive tax and spending proposal, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." The bill, aiming to extend the 2017 tax cuts and introduce new tax exemptions, faces opposition from both conservative and moderate Republicans concerned about its potential to add over $3 trillion to the national deficit and its proposed cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP .
Nike is planning to increase prices on many of its products, possibly starting as early as this week — CNBC reports.
At a tense press briefing, a reporter asked, “What will it take for you to be convinced there is no white genocide in South Africa?” President Cyril Ramaphosa responded, “I can take that. It will take President Trump listening to the voices of South Africans.” Trump, visibly scowling, interrupted: “We have thousands of stories talking about it. Turn the lights down and put this on.”
During a diplomatic exchange, President Ramaphosa told President Donald Trump, “I am sorry I don't have a plane to give you.” Trump responded, “I wish you did. I'd take it. If your country offered the U.S. Air Force a plane, I would take it.” Ramaphosa replied simply, “Okay.”
In a significant political shift, Democrat Sam Sutton secured a decisive victory in New York's 22nd State Senate District special election, garnering approximately 67% of the vote. This Brooklyn district, previously considered a Republican stronghold, had been won by Donald Trump with 77% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump unlawfully dismissed two Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB). The judge emphasized that allowing at-will removal of board members would compromise the board's independence and its role in overseeing executive actions.
The U.S. Department of Defense has officially accepted a $400 million Boeing 747-8 luxury jet from Qatar, intended to serve as a temporary Air Force One for President Donald Trump. This decision has sparked bipartisan concerns over potential violations of the Constitution's Emoluments Clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval.
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the closure of investigations and the retraction of findings of wrongdoing against six police departments across the country. This decision is part of a broader rollback of federal oversight efforts initiated during the Biden administration, including the termination of consent decrees with Minneapolis and Louisville, which were established in response to the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
The Los Angeles Zoo secretly moved its last two elephants to the Tulsa Zoo at night, sparking backlash from critics who say it betrayed public trust. Despite protests urging their retirement to a Cambodian sanctuary, Mayor Karen Bass approved the transfer to keep them in captivity.
Congresswoman Nancy Mace has introduced a resolution to expel Rep. LaMonica McIver following her indictment on felony charges. Mace says McIver's actions during a protest disqualify her from serving in Congress.
Matt Gaetz, a strong Trump ally, is still weighing a run for Florida governor. His potential entry could shake up a Republican primary that already includes a Trump-endorsed candidate and possibly Casey DeSantis, the current governor’s wife.
See you again this evening.
— Aaron
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