Good evening, everyone. There is a lot of news to cover today, from the Tate brothers being arrested and Trump officials partying with them, to Trump being booed at the World Cup. We are also covering MAGA influencers, Fox News hosts, and other Republicans breaking with Trump over the war with Iran, as well as the SAVE America Act failing once again. I have it all for you.
This week has been incredibly busy, and next week promises to be even busier. As this week comes to a close, I wanted to speak directly to you about why I am here and why I remain committed to delivering honest, reliable news. Thank you for giving me the best job in the world. Thank you for subscribing, reading, and supporting independent journalism at a time when it has never been more critical.
Because of you, I can do this full time. Your support gives me the freedom to report without corporate sponsors whispering in my ear, advertisers steering the narrative, or pressure to chase clicks and quotas. Thanks to you, this platform remains editorially independent. Every word you read here comes from a commitment to truth, integrity, and a fierce love of democracy.
Here’s the news:
Tate Brothers/Epstein:
Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested by U.S. Marshals in Miami after British prosecutors requested their extradition. The United Kingdom has charged the brothers with a combined total of 59 offenses. Andrew faces new allegations including rape, trafficking for sexual exploitation, assault, and offenses involving indecent images of a child and extreme pornography. Tristan faces new charges of rape, sexual assault, and facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation. Both brothers deny the allegations and also face legal proceedings in Romania and several civil lawsuits.
An international extradition request is a formal appeal for one country to transfer a suspect to another country for prosecution or punishment. The request does not establish guilt and is not automatically approved. U.S. judicial authorities will review the evidence, seriousness of the accusations, statutes of limitations, costs, and potential political motivations. If a court permits extradition, the case will enter an executive phase. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will then make the final decision on whether to surrender the brothers to British authorities.
The Tates can appeal and use procedural challenges that may delay the extradition process. Their dual American and British citizenship can be considered but is not, by itself, sufficient grounds for rejecting the request. Many extradition requests are approved, although the secretary of state retains significant discretion. A notable exception involved Anne Sacoolas, whose extradition to Britain was denied after she was charged in the death of motorcyclist Harry Dunn. She later pleaded guilty by video to causing death by careless driving and received a suspended sentence.
Days before their arrest, the Tate brothers reportedly attended gatherings in Washington hosted by Trump special envoy Paolo Zampolli. Zampolli is well known for claiming to have introduced Melania and Donald Trump and also having significant connections to Jeffrey Epstein. They also visited a club frequented by administration officials and met lawmakers, including Representative Wesley Hunt. This is an image with Hunt and Tate:
Andrew Tate has previously claimed ties to the Trump family, while reporting has linked him to Barron Trump. Donald Trump Jr. criticized the brothers’ earlier Romanian prosecution, but the Trump administration has denied having a connection to them. These reported associations have drawn attention because Rubio, a Trump appointee, will ultimately decide whether the extradition proceeds.
World Cup:
Donald Trump was loudly booed by the crowd while attending the 2026 men’s World Cup Final in East Rutherford. The boos erupted when stadium cameras showed Trump sitting beside FIFA President Gianni Infantino. He attended the match to present the championship trophy to the winning team. Trump was the first sitting U.S. president to attend a World Cup Final, although Bill Clinton attended the tournament’s opening ceremony in 1994. Trump has also attended other major sporting events, including Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.
Trump was booed again as he walked onto the pitch. These boos were confirmed by several folks inside of the arena.
Fans of Argentina say that the “Trump curse” is back:
Iran:
The U.S. military recovered unidentified human remains in Jordan while searching for a service member who went missing after an Iranian missile and drone attack. Two other American service members were killed in the July 17 attack, while four who were hospitalized have since been discharged. Officials are examining the recovered remains to determine whether they belong to the missing service member. In a separate incident in northern Iraq, another U.S. service member died during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, and a second person suffered a minor injury. The escalating violence has effectively ended the temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire, with both countries resuming military attacks.
Maria Bartiromo questioned how Iran could still possess the capability to continue fighting after the United States reportedly devastated its military. She noted that President Trump has repeatedly described Iran’s forces as “obliterated.” The apparent contradiction left her skeptical of the administration’s characterization of Iran’s military condition. Her comment suggests Iran may retain greater operational capacity than officials have publicly acknowledged.
Republican influencers are actively “confused” as to how Iran still has capabilities despite Trump’s claims of complete “obliteration.”
More from Van Swol:
Fox News contributor Joey Jones questioned President Trump’s Iran strategy after an Iranian airstrike in Jordan killed two U.S. service members and left a third missing. He said Americans would want to know how Iran remained capable of carrying out the deadly attack. Jones contrasted the strike with Trump’s repeated claims that Iran’s military capabilities had been decimated. His remarks raised doubts about the accuracy of the administration’s assessment and the effectiveness of its strategy.
ICE:
According to the New York Times, Federal agents were reportedly told that the F.B.I. would stop investigating alleged assaults involving immigration officers. Such investigations can uncover evidence of misconduct by Department of Homeland Security personnel, even when they begin by examining claims that officers were attacked. Responsibility would likely shift to Homeland Security Investigations, an ICE division, effectively leaving the agency to investigate itself. The Justice and Homeland Security Departments denied that any policy change was occurring and said the F.B.I. would continue investigating under existing rules. Officials familiar with the guidance warned that the shift could weaken independent oversight because Homeland Security Investigations lacks jurisdiction over civil-rights violations.
The reported guidance comes amid mounting criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and recent fatal shootings by ICE agents. Since January 2025, federal immigration officers have reportedly fired on nearly two dozen people, killing six, including three U.S. citizens. The administration has aggressively pursued federal assault charges, but nearly half of more than 400 resolved cases reviewed by The New York Times ended in dismissals, withdrawals, or acquittals. Recent incidents include the July 7 killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during a Houston traffic stop and the shooting of Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Maine. Critics fear that reducing the F.B.I.’s role would make it less likely that potentially unlawful shootings by immigration agents receive meaningful federal scrutiny.
ICE will require officers to record vehicle stops with at least one body camera, according to Trump administration border czar Tom Homan. The nationwide rollout follows heightened scrutiny after agents fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine during traffic stops six days apart, with neither incident captured on ICE body cameras. Both men were reportedly not the intended targets of the operations, while the Department of Homeland Security said officers feared for their safety. The shootings sparked protests and renewed questions about ICE tactics, accountability, and the body-camera program’s delayed expansion. Homan said cameras have now been purchased and trainers are being prepared for deployment nationwide.
Mass shootings:
There have been six mass shootings in the past 24 hours:
Nine people were wounded in a mass shooting outside the Reign Event Center in Minneapolis shortly after midnight Sunday. Police said gunfire erupted following an altercation while a large crowd was gathered outside the nightclub. Two men, ages 20 and 21, suffered potentially life-threatening injuries, while seven other adults sustained injuries that appeared less serious. No arrests have been made, and investigators are examining whether some of the shots were fired from a vehicle. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the violence intolerable and urged stronger policing, prosecution, partnerships, and technology to prevent gun crime.
Two people were killed and seven others were wounded in an early Sunday morning shooting near Biltmore Avenue in Asheville, North Carolina. Police responded at approximately 2:20 a.m. and found multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds. First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while the others were taken to a hospital with unknown conditions. Investigators recovered several shell casings and believe the shooting may be connected to an earlier incident involving gun violence. Nearby streets were temporarily closed while officers processed the large crime scene, and police are asking anyone with information to contact them.
Early Sunday morning, a gunman opened fire near 6th Avenue and Congress Street in downtown Tucson, injuring nine people. Police officers heard the shots, pursued the fleeing suspect, and an officer shot and arrested him. The suspect was hospitalized in life-threatening condition, while officials expressed hope that the nine other victims—who had critical wounds to their arms or legs—would survive. Several downtown streets remain closed as authorities investigate, and Mayor Regina Romero condemned the violence while calling for stronger gun-safety laws. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the officer’s actions, Tucson police are conducting an internal review, and officials are asking witnesses to submit information or video.
Other news:
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said she will not support the SAVE America Act, despite agreeing with its citizenship and voter-identification goals. She argued that its documentary requirements and restrictions on mail voting would disproportionately burden rural and Alaska Native voters, some of whom would need costly travel to reach one of only six state election offices. Murkowski also warned that implementing the legislation before the November midterms could create nationwide confusion, impose expensive barriers, and prevent eligible citizens from voting. Senator Thom Tillis and several other Republicans also oppose the measure, leaving it without enough Senate votes to pass. Murkowski maintained that Alaska’s existing voting systems have not experienced significant abuse warranting such sweeping changes
The renaming of Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport is only partially complete because Florida allocated $2.75 million—half the estimated $5.5 million cost. Websites, digital displays, and highway signs reflect the new identity, but many physical signs and facilities still use the old name, with no firm timeline for completing the transition. Palm Beach County officials are resisting using local operating funds, arguing that the state mandated the change and should fully finance it, while critics fear money could be diverted from safety and infrastructure projects. The airport plans a phased rollout while seeking state appropriations, grants, and other external funding. Two lawsuits also challenge the rebranding, alleging that Florida lacked authority to rename the county-owned airport and that changing its long-established aviation code from PBI to DJT could create safety risks.
Troy Jackson has effectively secured the Democratic nomination for Maine’s pivotal U.S. Senate race after nearly two-thirds of the state’s 601 delegates committed to supporting him. The party will formally select its nominee at a statewide convention in Bangor next weekend, following Graham Platner’s withdrawal after a former partner accused him of sexual assault, an allegation he denies. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows also left the race and encouraged Democrats to unite behind Jackson. Jackson, a progressive former logger with ties to Senator Bernie Sanders, will have fewer than four months to introduce himself to southern Maine voters and organize a statewide campaign. He will face longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has won repeated reelection campaigns and holds an $11 million campaign reserve.
A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side has killed two people and sickened at least 72. As of Saturday, nine patients remained hospitalized and 50 had been discharged. Legionella bacteria were detected in cooling towers at more than 75 buildings, and officials ordered affected systems to be cleaned and disinfected. Health authorities believe these measures likely eliminated the exposure source because new infections dropped from more than eight per day to fewer than one daily. The treatable form of pneumonia spreads through inhaled droplets of contaminated water, not from person to person, and kills about 10% of patients.
American boxer Hannah Rapp, 26, was struck and killed while cycling with another rider in Brazos County, Texas. Authorities allege that 31-year-old Charles Medina passed the cyclists, stopped, reversed his car, and hit Rapp, who later died at a hospital. Medina was arrested on a manslaughter charge and remained in custody as the investigation continued. Rapp had eight wins and one draw in her first nine professional fights before challenging WBC featherweight champion Tiara Brown in June. Tributes from Brown and WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán remembered Rapp as an exceptional boxer and valued member of the sport’s community.
A magnitude-5.5 earthquake struck near Sicaya in Peru’s Andes on Saturday night, killing at least six people. More than 30 people were injured, about 300 were displaced, and the number of missing people remained unknown. Buildings including a church, convent, and numerous homes collapsed or sustained structural damage. Local officials said the widespread use of rustic adobe construction intensified the destruction, particularly around Chongo Bajo. Peru experiences frequent earthquakes because it lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire.
See you soon.
— Aaron
