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MAGA, the GOP, and the Trump administration don’t really care about the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking. The MAGA GOP made a lot of noise during Biden’s single term because they were sure the files would show a Pizzagate’s-worth of Democratic political figures engaged in the ritual abuse of underage girls.

Once Trump was elected in 2024, the furor died down. While the MAGA faithful were willing to take down their own just to put a few Dems’ heads on spikes, they were suddenly less audible once they realized any document dump would take down a few of their own. Even Donald Trump seemed to know this, which is he why he shifted his focus elsewhere.

It took a literal act of Congress to get the Epstein files released, despite Trump and other GOP figures having promised to put this at the top of the MAGA to-do list if they retook the White House. Trump engaged in multiple rounds of spin, hoping to make it look as though demanding the release of the files and refusing to release the files were both the same side of the MAGA coin.

Trump’s DOJ then reluctantly began complying with the law. Millions of records were withheld. Those that were released were riddled with redactions, forcing politicians on the other side of the political divide to demand more releases with fewer redactions. Meanwhile, a handful of leaks and unforced errors revealed the Trump DOJ was doing whatever it could to cover for Trump and anyone else Trump might want to have redacted from rolling Epstein File releases.

FOIA requests are incapable of expediting the full release of the Epstein Files. But they are capable of sniffing out the details of the Trump administration’s attempts to maintain control of the “this was mainly Dems” narrative even as it seeks to satiate the MAGA base that has been demanding access to these files for years.

This report for Bloomberg — written by “FOIA terrorist” Jason Leopold and Harry Wilson — not only details FBI Director Kash Patel and former DOJ deputy director Dan Bongino attempts to spin Trump’s refusal to release documents as demonstrative of his “full transparency” promises.

It also shows the DOJ’s pre-release review of the files had President Trump in mind the entire time. While pretending to be engaging in radical levels of transparency and complying with both the letter and the spirit of law, the DOJ was actually flagging anything that might include Trump for the apparent reason of keeping these files out of the public’s hands.

In addition to the discussions about Ferguson and Hervey, the documents contain other noteworthy details, including a spreadsheet dated March 25, 2025 and titled “DOJ Document Flag List.” The first page, labeled “FLAGGED Items List, per case – per DOJ guidance,” includes a case number associated with the FBI’s 2006 investigation of Epstein by its Miami field office.

[…]

There are 16 entries on the list where the reason for the flag was simply marked “POTUS.” Those items include magazine and newspaper articles, message pads, phone message books and one unidentified record.

The report notes that some of these flagged files have since been released. But others have not and this FOIA release by the DOJ perhaps points to why they have not been. The DOJ could have cleared everything up with an explanation, but of course it didn’t, because why would it.

DOJ referred a request for comment on the “Flag List” to the FBI, which declined to comment.

Assuming every “no comment” is an admission of guilt is as fatuous as assuming everyone who pleads the Fifth is guilty of whatever they’ve been accused of. We won’t be doing that here. But it is strange that agencies that treat every request for comment as an opportunity to engage in attacks on journalists and/or personal attacks on the person making the request would have absolutely nothing to say here. Read into that what you will.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani shows Britain’s Andy Burnham that confronting billionaires need not mean the end of cooperation with Donald Trump

In November, Californians will vote on a one-off 5% levy on residents worth more than $1bn. The union-backed plan could raise $100bn, more than enough to replace federal healthcare funding stripped away by Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. About 200 very rich people would pay. But the referendum is becoming a test of whether extreme wealth can buy the political power to defeat a popular redistributive policy. Google co-founder Sergey Brin has already spent $100m backing opposition to the tax – a fraction of the $13bn bill he could face. Other billionaires are joining him. Whether voters can impose costs on the super-rich once their fortunes are big enough to shape the political process is now an open question. That alone should trouble any democracy.

It’s a long way from Mr Brin’s west coast lair of Mountain View to Andy Burnham’s Makerfield constituency. But the prime minister should heed the call from prominent progressive academics – led by the Nobel prize winner Joseph Stiglitz – urging Britain to join a new global push to tackle inequality. Prof Stiglitz wants help creating a new UN International Panel on Inequality (IPI). This stems from the G20’s first-ever inequality report, which warned that the yawning gap between rich and poor was a human-made crisis corroding democracy and social cohesion while blocking efforts to tackle the climate emergency.

I wrote about Isaac Sant’s blockbuster court filing the other day, the exhibits to which revealed the conspiracy theory that clearly lay behind the Minnesota 15 indictment (which I predicted here).

That filing works on three different levels. The first was tactical: to get a bunch of exhibits released showing wide-ranging and feckless surveillance. Both local and national media outlets picked up the filing on that level.

At a second level, this was a motion for more discovery, which I’ll explain in this post.

At a third level, this motion maps out a monstrous effort, starting last year in the wake of the Charlie Kirk murder, to criminalize any opposition to Trump. I’ll come back to this in a follow-up post.

Sant — the lead defendant and separately charged with stalking for following an ICE goon into Wisconsin in May — asks for the following in discovery that would allow him to situate his own prosecution: he plans to use it to file a selective and vindictive prosecution motion.

• “The Court should require the government to produce all reports related to surveillance of Minnesota unions, non-profit organizations, protesters and activists.” This would disclose whether the mentions of spying on unions like SEIU and CWA went further than what defendants have obtained in discovery.
• “The Court should require the government to produce the withheld Project Whipple Shield ROIs.” The government has withheld five Reports of Investigation from the Project Whipple Shield investigation (the sub-investigation of a larger investigation), claiming that those relate to an ongoing investigation.
• “The Court should require the government to produce reports generated pursuant to CUC Operation Keyhole.” The sub-investigation of Project Whipple Shield is part of a larger MN investigation, Operation Puppet Master, which is part of a broader investigation, Operation Keyhole. Sant is demanding the overarching documents.
• “The Court should require the government to produce all of the Clearview AI reports it generated of protesters and activists during Operation Metro Surge.” Sant showed that HSI developed a Clearview dossier on him (with some inaccuracies); he’s demanding all of them.
• “The Court should require the government to produce internal communications related to Operation Puppet Master and Project Whipple Shield.” Sant argues this investigation was predicated on criminalization of First Amendment protected activities; he wants records that may show that.
• “The Court should require the government to produce downloads of all UCA ‘undercover phones’ and ‘undercover laptops.'” DOJ has not turned over the phones and laptops from informants. Sant wants them.
• “The Court should require the government to produce DOJ and DHS communications related to the charging decisions, defendant self-surrender, and doxxing in the AFO cases.” Sant — who is represented by Kevin Riach, who also represented one of the people Pam Bondi doxxed, Paul Johnson — wants records on that doxxing that DOJ withheld by dismissing cases (including Johnson’s).

Many of these would serve to expose the scope of the spying in Minnesota and its direction from DC — but it’ll be a tough reach to get those communications without first demonstrating that this is a vindictive prosecution.

More interesting is his bid to get communications relating to the doxxing of 16 previously arrested defendants that Pam Bondi rolled out as trophies on January 28.

To support this request, Sant describes what happened in the wake of the Renee Good shooting, as DOJ refused to investigate that shooting, but instead tried to criminalize the opposition in Minnesota to retroactively rationalize first her, then Alex Pretti’s killing.

On January 13, 2026, a cadre of experienced and highly-respected federal prosecutors – including the entire management team– resigned en masse in protest of the politicization of federal criminal law enforcement in Minnesota.14 Unfortunately, these resignations – which should have served as a wake-up call to DOJ – did little to slow the decline of a once great U.S. Attorney’s office into a political prosecution factory.

In the immediate aftermath of Alex Pretti’s murder, [Todd Blanche fixer Aakash] Singh directed federal prosecutors to aggressively charge protesters in Minnesota. According to the New York Times:

In a conference call in late January, the official, Aakash Singh, laid out the department’s basis for prosecuting demonstrators: National Security Presidential Memo 7, a sweeping directive issued by President Trump last September. It expanded the definition of domestic terrorism to include not only violent crimes like assault, but also relatively minor ones, like revealing the personal details of agents or getting in the way of immigration enforcement.

Mr. Singh said that “coordinators” in U.S. attorneys’ offices responsible for charging protesters under NSPM-7 should be “hounding” federal agents to make cases, according to people familiar with his remarks. He also suggested that the department wanted headlines along with indictments, promising that officials in Washington would be “blasting out” prosecutors’ work.

“Go big,” Mr. Singh said, “and go loud.”15

On January 28, 2026, DHS and the U.S. Attorney’s office put Singh’s direction into action. In one day, DHS both initiated “Operation Puppet Master” and also conducted the orchestrated self-surrender and doxxing of sixteen individuals charged with assaulting federal officers. The names and photos of these individuals were disseminated on Pam Bondi’s and DHS’ X (twitter) accounts, leading to widespread online harassment. The whole episode was clearly pre-designed to intimidate and deter other protestors from exercising their First Amendment rights – the same purpose as this prosecution.

Because these AFO cases had everything to do with public relations, and nothing to do with public safety, they quickly collapsed. Cursory review of the evidence showed that agents had lied and defendants were innocent. The government has voluntarily dismissed eight of the sixteen cases. 16 Others await dismissal. A week after the AFO cases were filed, eight more experienced AUSAs resigned in disgust, including the civil chief. 17 Again, the alarm bells should have gone off at DOJ. Instead, it doubled-down, opening Project Whipple Shield, expanding its surveillance of Minnesotans, and beginning the process of indicting this case.

14 https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/13/us-attorney-on-minnesota-fraud-joethompson-resigns-from-office

15 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/us/politics/justice-dept-prosecute-protesters.html

16 U.S. v. Sager, Case No. 26-mj-69 (MJD/DJF); U.S. v. Tschida, Case No. 26-mj-54 (SGE); U.S. v. Williams, Case No. 26-mj-70 (SGE); U.S. v. Adbebe, Case No. 26-mj-77 (DJF); U.S. v. Valentine, Case No. 26-mj-28 (DLM); U.S. v. Ahmed, Case No. 26-mj-24 (DLM); U.S. v. Johnson, Case No. 26-mj-81 (SGE); U.S. v. Rank, Case No. 26-mj-56 (SGE). [Note, I believe Riasch is missing

17 https://www.npr.org/2026/02/05/nx-s1-5702356/more-frustrated-prosecutors-at-the-u-sattorneys-office-in-minnesota-call-it-quits

Sant is arguing that those trumped up arrests and Pam Bondi’s use of them as trophies were used as the predicate to create this investigation.

The nested case opening memos rely on the pre-existence of imagined assaults on cops. HSI opened Operation Puppet Master, which is the predicate to investigate imaginary funding, on February 16, long after the infiltration of activists started. It claimed that “violent opportunists” had “perpetrated multiple assaults against federal officers.”

Since November 28, 2026, ongoing protests and incidents of civil unrest have occurred in public areas throughout Minneapolis, MN. During these events, violent opportunists (VOs) have exploited the protests as cover to attempt breaches of federal properties and have perpetrated multiple assaults against federal officers tasked with protecting these facilities.

In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated a coordinated, agency-wide deployment to support the Federal Protective Service (FPS) in fulfilling its mission to safeguard federal property. As part of this effort, HSI St. Paul has identified an organized network of conspirators operating through online and in person who are providing material support to violent opportunists and agitators involved in impeding federal law enforcement, rioting, destruction of Federal property and assaults on Federal agents and Officers.

Then on March 10, HSI approved the retroactive opening of Project Whipple Shield, which it claimed also started on February 11. It also relies on claimed assaults on HSI officers to justify the investigation.

Since November 2025, ongoing incidents of demonstrations and civil unrest have occurred in the Minneapolis, MN area. Some individuals have exploited these incidents to engage in criminal activity, including impeding law enforcement, assaults against law enforcement officers, and damage to property. In accordance with National Security Presidential Memorandum–7 (NSPM-7), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul has opened an investigation into instances where individuals and organized networks have exploited events to engage in acts of violence, destruction of property, intimidation of federal officers and employees, and attempts to impede federal operations. This investigation is focused on identifying and disrupting sophisticated, organized campaigns supporting and engaging in this behavior and to prevent such unlawful activities, while continuing to safeguard the rights of peaceful demonstrators and the public.

In other words, HSI justified infiltrating activist groups based off claims that ICE protestors had assaulted ICE goons.

And almost all of those cases have fallen apart (or are in the process of falling apart), many of them when attorneys, including Sant’s attorney, Kevin Riach, pointed out that the trophy photos were a violation of the sealing order that DOJ itself demanded (in that case, HSI also took photos while Riach’s client was hospitalized recovering from his assault by ICE). I wrote about these challenges here; I’ve updated below what has happened to the 16 activists that Pam Bondi paraded around as trophies even as HSI turned to infiltrate the anti-ICE activists in Minnesota.

But something David Schultz, the Magistrate Judge presiding over the pretrial proceedings in this case, said in the case of Gillian Etherington (who was accused of backing into CBP later on the same day, but after, Good was killed) in a hearing on April 28 is worth noting. When Schultz scheduled a hearing to discuss Etherington’s motion for details about their arrest, Schultz described how the HSI officer who attested this and related cases did not have personal knowledge of what happened.

Let me start by saying one of the motions that Mr. Morrison filed was for — or was alleging duplicity, in response to which the government filed a bill of particulars in this case. The bill of particulars is not verbatim a copy of the affidavit that was filed with the original criminal complaint charging Ms. Etherington with a felony, but it’s pretty darn close.

That affidavit was filed by Agent Richard Berger. And the affidavit states in paragraph 4 that “This affidavit is based on my personal knowledge, as well as information that I have learned.”

Now you, Ms. Stark, or the folks observing this hearing, may not be aware of this; but while I was on criminal duty in January, when a good number of these assault on federal officer cases were being filed by way of criminal complaint and we had affidavits from Mr. Berger, in all of them I became concerned with the veracity of the affidavits.

And so I questioned Mr. Berger about the basis for his affidavits, and specifically I asked him to outline the process by which he and other agents were conducting the information download at the Whipple Building.

It became quite clear, it is without doubt in the court’s mind, that Mr. Berger does not, did not have any personal knowledge of the events described in the affidavits that he has submitted to this court as sworn affidavits. He swore that the affidavit was based on “personal knowledge,” among other things. That’s a false affidavit.

Schultz accused Richard Berger of submitting false affidavits to him (something other HSI agents were doing in the Cities Church case in the same time period), and went on to lay out how even the Bill of Particulars differs from what the video evidence actually shows.

Shortly after that hearing, Etherington’s case was continued 180 days (I’ve laid out the status of that and the other 15 trophy arrests below; though have not updated all the JAGs they’ve cycled through as SAUSAs).

But it matters that the Magistrate Judge in this case believes that HSI lied to him back in January to gin up claims of assault against ICE and CBP. Because, Isaac Sant argues, that is the excuse they used to infiltrate the anti-ICE activist community in Minnesota in the first place.

They lied about those assaults, then used the assaults to spy on anti-ICE activists.

1. Gillian Etherington
Defense Attorney Aaron Morrison
26-mj-56
Charged for January 7 conflict with CBP in affidavit attested (by FaceTime) on January 23 by HSI SA Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. John Arboleda filed notice of appearance.

• MTD failure to state offense.
• MTD lack of probable cause.
• MTS for unlawful stop.

May 15: Case continued 6 months.

2. Paul Johnson
Defense Attorney Kevin Riach
26-mj-81
Charged for January 22 conflict with CBP in affidavit attested on January 26 by HSI SA Richard Berger. Michael Hakes-Rodriguez filed notice of appearance. William Richards files notice of appearance.

• Motion for grand jury transcripts.
• Motion for discovery on assault and hospitalization.
• Motion to strike JAG officer (Amicus).
• Opposition to protective order.
• Motion to dismiss for outrageous government conduct and vindictive prosecution.
• MTD failure to state an offense.
• Motion to suppress.

July 6: Case dismissed

3. Matrim Charlebois
Defense Attorney Lisa Lopez
26-mj-59
Charged for January 13 incident at Whipple in affidavit attested on January 23 by HSI SA Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. John Arboleda filed notice of appearance. Robert Tucker filed notice of appearance.

• Motion for grand jury transcripts.
• MTD failure to state a claim.

May 18: Case continued 6 months.

4. Ilan Wilson-Soler
Defense Attorney Patrick Cotter
26-mj-84
Allegedly sprayed a fire extinguisher at ICE at Roosevelt High and hit someone with it while running away. Downgraded to misdemeanor. Zain Abid filed notice of appearance. Richard Hoover files appearance.

• Motion for grand jury transcripts.
• Show cause, protective order.
• MTD failure to state an offense.

May 18: Case continued six months, motion to dismiss denied without prejudice.

5. Abdikadir Noor
Defense Attorney Dane DeKrey
26-mj-62
Charged for January 12 incident in St. Cloud in affidavit attested on January 23 by HSI Richard Berger; Abdikadir’s name initially misspelled. Michael Hakes-Rodriguez filed notice of appearance.

Noor chose to file no motions (I would be unsurprised if they mistook him for some other Somali they were trying to racially profile); his trial has been scheduled for August.

Late last month, Noor changed his approach this this case and asked to go to trial; it is now set for a December trial.

6. Margaret Sager
Defense Attorney Bruce Nestor
26-mj-69
Alleged to have jumped on ICE goon’s back and put him in a stranglehold blocks away from where Renee Good was killed and area where Aliya Rahman was assaulted. Downgraded to misdemeanor. Zain Abid filed appearance. Richard Hoover filed appearance.

• Motion for discovery regarding assault of Aliya Rahman.
• Order to show cause, seal order.

May 19: Case dismissed.

7. Kirubele Adbebe

Defense Attorney Manda Sertich
26-mj-77
Charged for January 13 incident at Whipple in affidavit attested via FaceTime on January 26 by Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. John Arboleda filed notice of appearance. Robert Tucker filed notice of appearance.

• Motion to show cause (sealing order).
• Motion for grand jury transcripts.

June 3: Case dismissed with prejudice.

8. Nasra Ahmed

Defense Attorney Jordan Kushner
26-mj-24
Charged for January 14 incident with ICE ERO in affidavit attested via FaceTime on January 20 by HSI SA Bronson Day. Downgraded to misdemeanor. John Arboleda filed notice of appearance. Robert Tucker filed notice of appearance.

• MTD outrageous government conduct.
• Disqualify counsel.

June 12: Case dismissed with prejudice.

9. Helicity Borowska

Defense Attorney Aaron Morrison
26-mj-61
Charged for January 16 incident with CBP in affidavit attested via FaceTime on January 23 by Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. John Arboleda filed notice of appearance. Robert Tucker filed notice of appearance.

• MTD failure to state claim.
• MTD lack of probable cause.
• Motion for grand jury transcripts.

Update: On April 30, Borowska withdrew their pretrial motions and asked for a 6-month continuance, which was granted.

10. Joshua Doyle

Defense Attorney Aaron Morrison
26-mj-80
Charged for January 21 incident with HSI at DuPont and Colfax in affidavit attested via FaceTime on January 26 by Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. John Arboleda filed notice of appearance.

• Motion for gag order (delete post).
• MTD failure to state offense.
• MTD lack of probable cause.
• Motion for grand jury transcripts.

May 21: Case continued for 6 months.

11. Nitzana Flores

Defense Attorney Aaron Morrison
26-mj-57
Charged for January 7 incident with CBP by Roosevelt School in affidavit attested via FaceTime on January 23 by Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. Michael Hakes-Rodriguez filed notice of appearance. William Richards files notice of appearance.

• Objection to protective order.
• MTD failure to state offense.
• MTD lack of probable cause.
• Motion for grand jury transcripts.

May 27: Case continued 6 months.

12. Christina Rank

Defense Attorney Bruce Nestor
26-mj-56
Charged for January 12 incident with ICE in Inver Grove Heights in affidavit attested via FaceTime on January 23 by Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. Michael Hakes-Rodriguez filed notice of appearance.

• Show cause, sealing order.
• Motion for discovery on retaliating against observers.

July 22: Case dismissed with prejudice.

13. Madeline Tschida

Defense Attorney Joseph T Dixon, III
26-mj-54
Charged for January 16 incident with ICE ERO in Monticello in affidavit attested via FaceTime on January 23 by Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. Zain Abid filed notice of appearance.

February 23: Case dismissed.

14. Alice Valentine

Defense Attorney Siri Carlson McDowell
26-mj-28
Charged for January 12 incident in St. Cloud with named Executive Associate Directors of ICE ERO. Affidavit attested by Bronson Day to Douglas Micko via Facetime on January 20. Downgraded to misdemeanor. Zain Abid filed notice of appearance.

• MTS claiming she was unlawfully seized.

April 20: Case dismissed.

15. William Vermie

Defense Attorney: Aaron J Morrison
26-mj-71
Charged for January 13 incident on Park Ave in affidavit attested via FaceTime and email on January 23 by Richard Berger. Zain Abid filed notice of appearance.

• MTD failure to state a claim.
• Motion for grand jury transcripts.
• MTD outrageous government conduct (because ICE pushed him first).
• MTD lack of probable cause.

May 12: Case continued 6 months.

16. Quentin Williams

Defense Attonrey: Bruce Nestor
26-mj-70
Charged for January 7 CBP invasion of Roosevelt High School in affidavit attested via FaceTime on January 23 by Richard Berger. Downgraded to misdemeanor. Zain Abid filed notice of appearance.

March 24: Case dismissed.

The post DOJ Used Pam Bondi’s Trophy Arrests as an Excuse to Spy on Minnesota’s Anti-ICE Community appeared first on emptywheel.

Words used to mean things. The MAGA GOP strategy lately seems to be pulling a page from the 1980s playbook (a Trump specialty) and declaring anyone they don’t like to be “communist.” The whole thing is laughable. Even if you disagree with some of the policy positions of far left groups like the Democratic Socialists of America (and they do have some wacky, nonsensical things on their platform) they are (1) not even remotely close to communism and (2) have zero chance of actually being put into policy.

But, really, so much of it seems to be projection. Former UBS CEO and regular Fox News contributor Robert Wolf went on that network earlier this week, where the host clearly expected him to trash Mayor Mamdani’s proposals in NYC as communist. Wolf seemed to surprise the host by pointing out that the only real activity that seemed communistic was coming from the Trump White House.

“Let me reverse this a little. If Mayor Mamdani did the following: if he put price controls on products like pharmaceuticals, if he bailed out farmers, if he took private stakes in public companies, if he said to energy companies ‘you’re making too much money,’ if he proposed credit card caps, you would all go apoplectic, as would your viewers. That’s what President Trump’s doing. You could argue he’s the most powerful socialist in the country today.”

When the host finally comes back in, she laughs nervously and says “I’ll have to think about that, Robert,” before quickly changing the subject. Wolf gets in a final: “Well, all those five points I made, he did, the President, so…” The host then immediately… goes back to claiming that Democrats are going to destroy NYC with socialism, without ever addressing a single one of Wolf’s five points about Trump’s actual “socialistic” tendencies.

Meanwhile the left wingers over at [checks notes…] the Cato Institute, are pointing out that the federal government taking ownership stakes in private companies has become “routine”.

Since December, the CHIPS Research and Development (R&D) Office has announced 19 final or proposed company awards totaling up to $3.8 billion. They cover 18 companies because GlobalFoundries has two separate projects. Three agreements are final, while 16 remain letters of intent. All 19 have been publicly tied to equity.

Commerce’s current funding rules state that award recipients may be required to provide equity, warrants, intellectual property licenses, royalties, revenue sharing, or other instruments to generate a government return. The Biden administration, by contrast, used the same CHIPS R&D appropriation through separate competitions to award funds to private companies without taking ownership stakes. That makes the Trump administration’s insistence on equity a policy choice. The CHIPS Act itself authorizes Commerce to make grants, cooperative agreements, and “other transactions” but doesn’t expressly authorize the department to acquire stock. 

Last time around, you’ll recall, Trump and MAGA also tried to make out Biden as a far left “communist.” Yet, given the chance he didn’t setup the apparatus for government ownership of private companies. Trump is now using the law passed under Biden’s guidance, which didn’t require ownership stakes, and using it that way. Which one is more of a communist?

We’ve talked a little about this before, with regards to Trump taking an equity stake in Intel and getting a golden share in US Steel. But in any other administration — especially a Democratic one — the business press and Republicans would be up in arms over so much government ownership of private companies.

This is the opposite of free market capitalism. It’s the government picking winners and losers, and then demanding a cut of the winnings for doing it. Even if the bets work out (and Trump keeps hyping up how successful the Intel investment has been), it’s still the sorta thing that is fundamentally against the principles of free markets. Hell, when the Obama administration merely guaranteed a loan to Solyndra — no equity, no ownership, no board seat, just a loan guarantee — it became an albatross Republicans hung around his neck for the better part of a decade.

Here, as Cato notes, Trump is normalizing the US government taking significant ownership stakes in private companies:

A year ago, these deals looked like a scattered series of one-off improvisations. Commerce now announces companies in batches and openly describes a “portfolio approach.” As I argued in a December 2025 essay, the administration has been assembling a pseudo-sovereign wealth fund under executive control, one deal at a time.

The latest six companies are not especially remarkable. What is remarkable is that federal corporate ownership is becoming routine under a Republican administration, while a Republican-controlled Congress is not just letting it happen but may even enshrine the practice in statute. 

Republicans warning that communists are taking over the Democratic Party might first ask why their own administration is so eager to have the government acquire pieces of private companies.

And don’t sleep on the bit buried at the end of that second paragraph: the Republican-controlled Congress is trying to write more of this into the NDAA and hand the Pentagon its own equity portfolio with which to further nationalize and take equity stakes in more companies. A president doing weird one-off deals is one thing. But now we’re having Republicans literally build into the law the machinery of government ownership of private companies.

And they want you to believe the other guys are communists?

Every Republican currently warning that the communists are coming to take over American business might want to consider what they’re actually building here. They’re the ones picking winners and losers. They’re the ones normalizing the federal government taking ownership stakes in private companies. They’re the ones putting into law that this is to be expected.

So then, when Democrats eventually get back in power, it will have been the GOP that handed them the tools for government ownership of companies. It’s difficult to see how the GOP can whine about “communism” while building the fundamental infrastructure to enable the government to nationalize industry.

“Socialism” and “communism” are just bogeymen at this point, words deployed to scare people away from voting for Democrats — because the alternative is running on their actual record, we can all see how that’s going.

Network alleges FCC is trying to send ‘chilling message’ in retaliation for content the administration disapproves of

ABC has sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), arguing that it is being retaliated against for content-based reasons in a move it warns threatens the independence of the press.

The network filed the lawsuit on Tuesday after being forced to apply early to renew its license to broadcast on the eight local television stations it owns. It is waiting to hear whether the Brendan Carr-led FCC approves its renewal requests, or, more likely, holds a hearing on their merits.

This live blog is now closed.

• Donalds and Jolly to face off in Florida governor race

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President Donald Trump posted an image of a map of the strait of Hormuz on his social media platform Truth Social, with a circle around the strait and the words “New US Territory” as the title on Tuesday morning.

This follows comments made on Friday at a speech at a police academy on Long Island, New York, where Trump said “After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz strait a territory of the United States. … Essentially, that’s what it is. We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to.”

Health data appears to be most affected by administration’s attempt to wipe findings that don’t align with its priorities, tracker shows

A database of federal law enforcement officer misconduct records. A survey measuring physical, sexual and emotional violence against children and youth. Real-time pollution readings collected by air quality monitors from US embassies around the world.

These are among the hundreds of federal datasets that the Trump administration has taken down or altered as part of its aggressive campaign to wipe all mentions of data findings that do not align with the administration’s priorities.

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Introduction

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Today’s Report

1. Overview

2. White House News

3. Truth Social Posts

4. Government Department News

5. 2028 Democratic Presidential Candidates

6. AI & Tech Company News

7. Congressional Watch

8. Policy Impact Analysis & Heatmap

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1. Overview

The White House announced that President Trump’s “Most Favored Nation” policies and the TrumpRx platform have achieved the largest annual decline in prescription drug prices since 1963. Seventeen major pharmaceutical companies agreed to lower costs to match international levels, with insulin and fertility drugs seeing price reductions between 50% and 90%. Additionally, First Lady Melania Trump facilitated her 34th family reunification related to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, emphasizing the power of her humanitarian efforts. Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command reported that the USS Abraham Lincoln’s crew remains “high-achieving” and operational, with previous morale and supply issues reportedly resolved.

On Truth Social, President Trump advocated for the “SAVE AMERICA ACT,” citing the Indian electoral system’s use of photo identification and restricted mail-in balloting as a model for the United States. He also issued a robust slate of endorsements for Republican candidates in Florida and North Carolina ahead of the August 18th elections. Across these posts, Trump emphasized his platform of border security, energy dominance, and the protection of the Second Amendment while urging voter turnout for his preferred candidates.

The Department of War ordered 30 academic institutions to conduct security audits of collaborations with foreign entities to prevent intellectual property theft, warning that partnerships compromising national security will result in a loss of federal funding. The Department also awarded a $22.9 billion contract to RTX for increased Tomahawk missile production and finalized several modernization contracts totaling nearly $1 billion. HHS, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., launched the STREAM program to advance regenerative agriculture and awarded $96.7 million for behavioral health and suicide prevention. Furthermore, HHS and HUD announced a policy shift away from “Housing First” models in favor of a “Treatment First” approach to homelessness, while the Treasury Department sought public comment on stablecoin regulations under the GENIUS Act.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation authorizing the formation of what is described as the world’s largest union for gig workers, criticizing the Trump administration for failing to address family affordability. Governor Wes Moore celebrated a U.S. District Court ruling blocking the relocation of the FBI headquarters, accusing the administration of engaging in “illegal” and “political games.” Governor JB Pritzker touted Illinois’ high national education rankings following a $2.5 billion increase in funding, while Governor Tim Walz opened the application process for a judicial vacancy in Minnesota, encouraging applicants who reflect the state’s diversity.

OpenAI announced a partnership with SB Energy and NVIDIA to develop an 8-gigawatt data center at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Ohio, a project expected to create 35,000 construction jobs. OpenAI is also investing $40 million into a local community grant fund and providing significant Codex credits to Ohio college students to bolster regional development. NVIDIA confirmed its role in securing the power and infrastructure for these AI factories, noting that its multi-year collaboration with OpenAI represents approximately $600 billion in compute revenue opportunities through 2030. OpenAI also emphasized its commitment to cybersecurity by utilizing frontier models as “cyberguardians” to automate vulnerability detection.

Government-mandated prioritization of munitions production bolsters the revenue outlook for large defense prime contractors, though the resulting surge in state spending threatens to fuel long-term sector-specific inflation and supply chain bottlenecks. Conversely, administration-led drug pricing interventions aimed at aligning domestic costs with international benchmarks exert downward pressure on pharmaceutical profitability and may constrain future therapeutic innovation by reducing research and development budgets. Simultaneously, the imposition of rigorous intellectual property audits on academic institutions serves to mitigate geopolitical risk, yet these security-driven controls risk stifling private-public collaboration and may “inadvertently alienate” the international talent necessary for sustained technological advancement.

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2. White House News

ICYMI: “USS Lincoln: Performance For the Ages”

U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper visited the USS Abraham Lincoln, describing the crew as a “strong group of high-achieving Americans standing tall.” Addressing recent media reports regarding morale and operational challenges, Adm. Cooper stated that “issues related to food, hot water and other concerns raised months ago were addressed by leadership and resolved.” He noted that while the crew is tired after 260 days at sea, “they continue to fire on all cylinders” during what he considers one of history’s most consequential naval deployments.

Reference: https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/08/icymi-uss-lincoln-performance-for-the-ages/

President Trump Delivers Largest Prescription Drug Price Drop in Over 60 Years

President Trump has implemented “Most Favored Nation” policies and the TrumpRx platform, which the administration credits for the “largest annual decline” in prescription drug prices since 1963. By aligning U.S. prices with those in comparable nations, 17 major drugmakers have agreed to lower costs, ending what the administration calls “decades of Americans subsidizing cheaper drugs abroad.” Consequently, many medications, including insulin and fertility drugs, have seen price reductions of 50–90%, with the TrumpRx platform reportedly generating $700 million in savings to date.

Reference: https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/08/president-trump-delivers-largest-prescription-drug-price-drop-in-over-60-years/

First Lady Melania Trump’s Efforts Prove Successful in Ukraine-Russia

On August 17, 2026, First Lady Melania Trump facilitated the reunification of a child separated by the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. This achievement marks the 34th reunification orchestrated by her office since she authored a “Peace Letter to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.” Emphasizing the significance of these humanitarian efforts, the First Lady stated, “There is nothing more powerful than reuniting a mother with her child after an extended period of time,” and affirmed her ongoing commitment to reuniting families affected by the war.

Reference: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/08/first-lady-melania-trumps-efforts-prove-successful-in-ukraine-russia/

3. Truth Social Posts

Trump highlighted the electoral standards of India, citing a conversation with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding the necessity of photo identification and the rarity of mail-in ballots in that nation. Citing these practices as a model, Trump emphasized the urgent need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.

Trump issued a comprehensive series of endorsements for Republican candidates in Florida ahead of the August 18th election, as well as one for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. He endorsed Jennifer Balkcom for Congress in North Carolina, while simultaneously backing Florida Senator Ashley Moody, supporting Byron Donalds for Governor, and endorsing Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. Furthermore, he offered his support for Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, championed State Representative Meg Weinberger, and endorsed Jon Maples for the state legislature.

Regarding federal representation in Florida, Trump backed Jimmy Patronis, endorsed Kat Cammack, supported Aaron Bean, backed John Rutherford, endorsed Randy Fine, supported Mike Haridopolos, backed Gus Bilirakis, endorsed Anna Paulina Luna, supported Laurel Lee, backed Sydney Gruters, endorsed Greg Steube, supported Scott Franklin, backed Catalina Lauf, endorsed Brian Mast, supported Mario Diaz-Balart, and backed María Elvira Salazar. Across these endorsements, Trump consistently highlighted his platform of economic growth, border security, energy dominance, and the protection of the Second Amendment.

Reference: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump

4. Government Department News

State Department (state.gov)

The Gabonese Republic National Day

Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended congratulations to the people of Gabon on the 66th anniversary of their independence, celebrated on August 17. The statement highlighted the growing commercial ties and deepening security cooperation between the two nations, noting a shared commitment to Gabon’s stability, prosperity, and sovereignty. The United States reaffirmed its role as a steadfast partner as Gabon moves toward its future, offering well wishes for the health and peace of the Gabonese people.

Department of War (war.gov)

Department of War Orders Research Security Audits at 30 Academic Institutions

The Department of War has directed 30 academic institutions to audit their research and financial collaborations with foreign entities of concern, including those associated with rebranded Confucius Institutes. The mandate seeks to protect taxpayer-funded research from “unauthorized technology transfer, intellectual property theft and adversarial exploitation.” Under Secretary Emil Michael stated the Department has “zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security.” Institutions must report their findings and mitigation plans, such as terminating problematic partnerships, by August 31, 2026, to maintain federal funding eligibility.

Department of War and RTX Accelerate Critical Munitions Production Through Navy Tomahawk Award

The Department of War announced a $22.9 billion Navy contract with Raytheon, an RTX business, to increase Tomahawk missile production. Under Secretary Michael P. Duffey stated the award addresses the need to expand munitions production to ensure “our Warfighters never face a fair fight.” Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao emphasized the investment’s role in accelerating delivery at “unprecedented speed” to equip the Joint Force. The contract aims to fortify supply chains and reduce procurement lead times as part of the Department’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy.

Contracts for Aug. 17, 2026

The Department of War awarded several major contracts. Twenty-four companies received a multiple-award contract with a $920 million ceiling for aerospace and ground equipment modernization through 2036. Parsons Government Services Inc. was awarded $664,805,774 for technical, logistics, and program management support. Additionally, Elroy Air Inc. received a $46,058,871 contract for autonomous vertical take-off and landing aircraft development, while Lockheed Martin secured two contracts totaling over $55 million for engineering services and Air Commando training support.

Department of Health and Human Services (hhs.gov)

HHS Launches STREAM to Advance Next-Generation Weed Management

HHS and ARPA-H launched the Systems for Tracking and Resilience in Efficient Agricultural-input Management (STREAM) program. Supporting President Trump’s Executive Order on regenerative agriculture, the initiative seeks to develop technologies that control resistant weeds while reducing reliance on chemical herbicides. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. stated the program aims to “Make America Healthy Again” by protecting agricultural workers, consumers, and the environment. STREAM focuses on improving precision agriculture and monitoring chemical residues in water and food supplies to strengthen long-term food security.

HHS Awards Over $96 Million to Strengthen Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, and Substance Use Disorder Services

HHS, through SAMHSA, announced $96.7 million in grants to bolster behavioral health services nationwide. The funding supports initiatives including suicide prevention, substance use disorder treatment, peer support, and emotional assistance for those affected by disasters. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. stated the investments help Americans “recover and live with dignity” by expanding treatment access. The funds are intended to provide crisis support for individuals, including those experiencing homelessness, to help them move toward lasting recovery and community stability.

HHS & HUD Advance Trump Administration ‘Treatment First’ Policies to Address Homelessness, Addiction & Mental Illness

HHS and HUD are shifting federal policy away from “Housing First” models toward a “Treatment First” approach. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and HUD Secretary Scott Turner stated the previous policies “failed” to address addiction and mental illness. The new directive mandates that housing be paired with mandatory treatment and recovery services to promote self-sufficiency. As part of President Trump’s Great American Recovery, the administration will prioritize funding for programs that address the root causes of chronic homelessness rather than housing alone.

Treasury Department (home.treasury.gov)

Treasury Seeks Public Comment on GENIUS Act Proposed Rulemaking

The Treasury Department has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to implement section 3 of the GENIUS Act. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the rule aims to provide “regulatory certainty” to “cement the role of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency” and “keep America the crypto capital of the world.” The proposal defines terms for issuing, offering, and selling payment stablecoins in the U.S. Public comments on the proposed framework are requested within 60 days of its Federal Register publication.

5. 2028 Democratic Presidential Candidates

Gavin Newsom (gov.ca.gov)

Governor Newsom signs legislation 8.17.2026

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the signing of several pieces of legislation into law. The full text of the signed bills is available for review through the official California Legislative Information website.

ICYMI: Law signed by Governor Newsom helps pave the way for the world’s largest union of rideshare drivers

The California Gig Workers Union has reached the threshold to represent gig drivers statewide, establishing the world’s largest union for rideshare drivers. This follows the 2025 signing of AB 1340, which authorized collective bargaining for these workers. Governor Newsom stated that while families struggle with affordability “because of the Trump administration” and “in an era when Trump is abandoning people,” California is “standing with unions to protect workers.” The union may be certified following a mandatory 30-day waiting period overseen by the Public Employment Relations Board.

Wes Moore (governor.maryland.gov)

Governor Moore Statement on Maryland Victory in FBI Headquarters Lawsuit

Governor Moore praised a U.S. District Court ruling that blocked the Trump administration from relocating the FBI headquarters from the planned Greenbelt, Maryland site to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. Moore stated that “President Trump tried to take from Maryland what Maryland had already won” and characterized the administration’s efforts as an “illegal” attempt to “play political games.” He called for immediate progress on constructing the facility in Prince George’s County, emphasizing that the project is essential for national security and public servants.

JB Pritzker (gov.illinois.gov)

Illinois Begins New School Year with High Marks in National Education Rankings

Governor Pritzker highlighted Illinois’ recent national education rankings, noting the state is among the country’s leaders in K–12 and higher education outcomes. The Governor credited these achievements to sustained investments, specifically citing an increase of $2.5 billion in Evidence-Based Funding, bringing total formula funding to a record $9.2 billion. As the new school year begins, the administration aims to continue lowering costs and expanding opportunities to ensure student success.

Gov. Pritzker Announces Three Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Governor Pritzker announced the appointment of three members to the Illinois State Police Merit Board, pending Senate confirmation. The appointees are Monica Argumedo, a forensic psychiatrist and founder of 1st Response Psychiatry; Sean McCoy Britton, a criminal defense and personal injury attorney operating his own firm; and Cynthia Bryant, a Chief Investigator with the City of Chicago Office of the Inspector General and pre-licensed therapist. These appointments are part of the Governor’s ongoing effort to build a team of diverse experts.

Daily Public Schedule: Monday, August 17, 2026

Governor Pritzker has no public events scheduled for Monday, August 17, 2026.

Tim Walz (mn.gov)

Commission on Judicial Selection Opens Application Process for Sixth Judicial District Vacancy

The Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection is accepting applications to fill a judicial vacancy in the Sixth Judicial District, created by the upcoming retirement of the Honorable Leslie E. Beiers. The position is chambered in Duluth, St. Louis County. Applicants must possess integrity, maturity, legal knowledge, and experience. Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on September 8, 2026, with interviews expected in October. The commission encourages candidates who “reflect Minnesota’s full diversity” to apply.

6. AI & Tech Company News

OpenAI (openai.com)

The Defender’s Window

Following the OpenAI-Hugging Face incident, Greg Brockman highlights the urgent need for organizations to improve cybersecurity as AI increasingly automates both cyberattacks and defensive measures. OpenAI is strengthening its safety requirements and utilizing AI as a “cyberguardian” to identify and fix software vulnerabilities. The strategy focuses on foundational controls and leveraging frontier intelligence, such as using models to write secure code and verify software, to shift the economics of security in favor of defenders.

OpenAI joins PORTS-Pike project

OpenAI has partnered with SB Energy, NVIDIA, and the U.S. Department of Energy to develop an 8-gigawatt data center at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Ohio. The project, supported by the administration of President Trump, is expected to create 35,000 construction jobs and 2,500 long-term positions. OpenAI will fund the capacity through its own growth and investor capital. Additionally, the company is committing $40 million to a community grant fund and providing $84 million in Codex credits to Ohio college students.

NVIDIA (nvidia.com)

Securing the Infrastructure of Intelligence

NVIDIA is partnering with SB Energy to secure Land, Power, and Shell (LPS) capacity at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Ohio to host NVIDIA AI factories for OpenAI. This initiative addresses infrastructure constraints for frontier AI labs that lack the financing to secure long-term capacity independently. The project targets an initial 4.25 gigawatts of capacity, with potential for further expansion. OpenAI has committed to substantial NVIDIA infrastructure deployments through 2030, representing a total opportunity of approximately $600 billion in compute revenue.

7. Congressional Watch

Covers the 2026-08-16 session — the Congressional Record is published with a one-day delay.

No Congressional Record found for 2026-08-16.

8. Policy Impact Analysis & Heatmap

This analysis is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

Impact on Market

Based on today’s policy developments, our analysis identifies the following market impact themes:

THEME 1. DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION

The government’s massive investment in munitions production underscores a prioritize-production mandate that benefits large prime contractors. While shareholders see immediate demand growth, potential bottlenecks in specialized supply chains remain a critical constraint. Critics warn that such high-level state spending may exacerbate inflationary pressures within the defense sector over the long term.

THEME 2. PHARMACEUTICAL PRICING INTERVENTION

The administration is aggressively using its influence to align domestic drug prices with international benchmarks, directly impacting sector profitability. While the policy aims to alleviate cost burdens for the electorate, it risks stifling domestic research and development budgets. Industry observers suggest that sustained price caps could lead to reduced pipelines for future therapeutic innovation.

THEME 3. SECURITY-DRIVEN RESEARCH CONTROLS

New audits at academic institutions signal a strategic shift toward controlling intellectual property in critical technology sectors. This oversight is designed to mitigate geopolitical risk but threatens to dampen private-public collaborative efforts. Opponents argue that such mandates impose significant administrative costs and may inadvertently alienate international research talent.

Policy Impact Heatmap with Market Direction

Each cell shows an estimated impact score on a fixed scale of -10 to +10, reflecting how today’s policy developments may affect each market sector. Positive scores (green, ▲) suggest bullish impact; negative scores (red, ▼) suggest bearish pressure. Rows and columns are sorted by impact strength, and sectors and policy events with no meaningful impact are omitted. The heatmap, the analysis below, and the Impact on Market themes above are produced from a single unified analysis: the heatmap visualizes the magnitudes, while the text explains the causal reasoning behind them.

Government fiscal expansion in the defense sector via the massive RTX contract provides a substantial tailwind for military contractors. This infusion of capital ensures long-term revenue visibility, bolstering sentiment within the defense industrial base. Conversely, aggressive regulatory intervention in the pharmaceutical market via the TrumpRx platform exerts downward pressure on pricing power. While the administration frames these moves as cost-saving measures for consumers, industry analysts express concerns regarding the erosion of margins for large-cap drug manufacturers.

Heightened scrutiny of university research by the Department of War signals a tightening of the regulatory environment for dual-use technologies. This creates operational friction for academic and tech partnerships, potentially slowing the velocity of innovation. Meanwhile, the STREAM initiative introduces a potential supply-side disruption for traditional chemical herbicide producers. By pivoting toward regenerative agricultural tools, the government is shifting market dynamics away from incumbent crop-science incumbents. These moves collectively demonstrate a pattern of state-directed resource allocation and heavy-handed pricing oversight, driving volatility across affected verticals.

DC Residents want National Guard Troops out of their city. Photo: J. Zangas/DCMGWashington DC—On Saturday afternoon DC residents rallied in opposition to street patrols of armed National Guard Soldiers. Organized by the Party of Socialism and Liberation, multiple speakers told of the negative effects from the deployment of thousands of armed troops throughout the city. They also called on residents to increase pressure on city leadership to end the armed patrols and request National Guard be returned to their States. They also demanded DC be given Statehood.

Statehood would afford the rights to self-governance and representation under the Constitution. The National Guard occupation would not have been allowed within the District limits had its residents enjoyed full Statehood, several speakers said. There are currently 4600 National Guard assigned to patrol the District and they are being moved from hotel rooms to apartments at a cost of $292 million, according to a published report on the WJLA News website. Their patrols are being extended to January 2029, the end of Trump’s term.

The National Guard Soldiers have been occupying city neighborhoods and public spaces since August 11, last year. One year ago Trump ordered the activation of National Guard units from several States to patrol the downtown area near Union Station, Metro train stations, and the National Mall. He had falsely claimed the District was experiencing a “crime emergency.” National Guard troops enjoined federal law enforcement agencies already surging in DC under the guise of fighting a city wide “crime wave.” Trump also took over control and oversight of the Metropolitan Police Department.

Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) website conflicted with his claims of a DC violent crime wave. Historical crime statistics show the violent crime in the District was trending at an unprecedented 30 year low. The DOJ website page breaks crime down by category and also showed some minor crime type statistics marginally increased year over year from 2024. But it showed serious crime had decreased significantly in 30 years.

On September 4, 2025, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed suit against Trump, Hegseth, and the Department of Justice for deployment of National Guard. In its filing, Schwalb wrote, “Defendants’ actions flout the Posse Comitatus Act and its counterpart, 10 U.S.C. § 275, which enshrine the nation’s foundational prohibition on the participation of military forces in domestic law enforcement absent the most extreme exigencies, such as an invasion or rebellion. Defendants have established a massive, seemingly indefinite law enforcement operation in the District subject to direct military command.”

The Posse Comitatus Act forbids U.S. Armed Forces for policing unless there is a declaration of an emergency such as an insurrection, civil unrest, a hurricane, or other natural disaster. DC is currently under none of these conditions, yet an appeals court declined to order a stop to the deployment as appeals courts have ordered in other States where suits were brought against National Guard deployments.

Speakers Denounced Troops As An Illegal Occupying Force

A spokesperson from the Party of Socialism and Liberation said there was no crime emergency in the city. “A year ago the Trump administration told us these troops were going to be placed here to make the city more safe and to lessen the crime in our communities, even going so far as to declare DC a public safety emergency,” said Madoca, an organizer with PSL. “But anyone living in this city knows that this is far from the truth. The guise of safety has always been a falsehood,” they said.

Cam, a lead organizer with the Answer Coalition, was emphatic about the National Guard troops being used to further tropes of racism and oppression in a city that is predominantly African American. “Before their arrival these Soldiers were fed a distorted image of our city. In the media [they were told] that what is unfamiliar and feared is a threat. The social media [told them] that our city is plagued with viciousness and ineptitude giving way to neglect and crime. This image is widespread on social media. But putting them [here], they recognize that their neighbors are not criminals, that poverty is not filth, and the only sector of our city that needs cleaning are the halls of government.”

Statehood Would Give DC Residents A Voice In Their Government

DC has a an overwhelming progressive voter base and Statehood would add two seats to the Senate and one seat to the House chamber. These would likely be Independent or Democratic Party Senators and an Independent or Democratic Representative. A two-thirds majority vote in both chambers, with Presidential signature would be required under the Constitution to pass the Statehood Act. In 2016, 85% of DC residents supported Statehood.

In 2020 Eleanore Holmes-Northern helped gain 223 cosigners for H.R. 51, a Bill that would provide a path to DC Statehood. According to her website, “Support for Norton’s bill has been overwhelming. H.R. 51 has a record number of House cosponsors (223) and the Senate’s D.C. statehood bill, introduced by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), also has the most cosponsors ever (34). Earlier this year, the House passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which contained extensive findings supporting D.C. statehood, marking the first time in history either chamber of Congress has endorsed D.C. statehood.”

DC Statehood And Autonomy Would Have Prevailed In Court Over Occupational Forces

DC Statehood is justified for many reasons, the least of which are the occupation forces now patrolling District streets. Another reason is the absence of just taxation in a democratic system. Taxing sales revenue without giving citizens a voice was the basis for the revolt by the Colonists against the British Crown in the 1770s. Their rallying call was that there should be ‘no taxation without representation.’ And DC residents pay some of the highest taxes in terms of property taxes, income taxes and corporate taxes. DC lines up as collectively the 48th most heavily taxed zone in comparison to all States’ tax rates. DC also has no representation in neither the House of Representatives nor in the Senate. A ceremonial House seat was set aside and is “elected” every 2-years by DC citizens and held presently by Eleanore Holmes Norton, but she has no voting power and no official voice in the House. Therefore DC residents are actually citizens in name only. They are similar to nomads in another country, locked out of their own democratic system.

Meanwhile all other States enjoy representation in both legislative chambers giving their residents access to redress grievances through their representatives. The State of Wyoming, for example, has one House representative and two Senators though it has far fewer residents than the District. Wyoming only has 588,000 residents, and the District has 702,000. That’s 114,000 more than Wyoming. Further, Wyoming residents pay a per capita tax rate of $4,009.00 while District of Columbia residents pay a per capita tax rate of $15,009.00. While Wyoming is ranked first in tax competitiveness (the lowest taxes average per person), the District is 48th in tax competitiveness (one of the highest taxed zones in the country).

DC also has one of the highest costs of living in the country and unlike other States, DC cannot charge out-of-state workers income taxes because it is not a State. Workers in adjacent states enjoy the higher paying jobs DC has to offer but pay less in taxes in both Maryland and Virginia. This therefore places DC residents at a greater economic disadvantage, causing them to depend on Congress for funding for shortfalls.

DC also may also lose its ’Home Rule’ status under Trump, something that took decades to achieve. Home Rule, or the ability to set its own statutes because it is the prerogative of the Congress to give it autonomy. Since the majority party has ceded its power to Trump, he could take Home Rule by executive order with the stroke of a pen. It would be challenged in the courts but by not having Statehood, there is no guardrail to protect what limited autonomy District residents have.

Push For DC Statehood Spurred By Military Occupation

The occupying military forces patrolling DC Streets and the resulting mobilization of citizen’s rights groups have virtually guaranteed a future positive outcome for Statehood. When the balance of power within the legislature is contested in November 2026, its power is certain to shift back to Democrats in the House and possibly in the Senate too. With this shift will come increased pressure to give DC the Statehood it has been demanding for decades.

The post DC Residents Rally To End National Guard Occupation appeared first on DCMediaGroup.

November is the IMPEACHMENT MIDTERMS.

If we’re going to hold Trump and his cronies accountable, we need representatives who are willing to do it. That’s where our Courage Candidates come in! They have committed to bringing impeachment on their first day in Congress. Find your Courage Candidate today!

It’s long been clear to us, and many of you that Trump is completely unfit for office, and that impeachment is the only viable solution. Unfortunately, it’s taking Congress much longer to reach that conclusion. Still, we’ve seen some take small steps, or at least assume a posture that demonstrates the importance of accountability. Rep. John Larson (CT-01) is one of those representatives.

Unfortunately, since Rep. Larson’s introduction of impeachment articles in April, he has failed to follow through. If you’ve been here a while, you know he doesn’t need permission. For those new to the fight, welcome! Rule IX is a critical tool, allowing members of Congress to force a vote on articles of impeachment without any sign-off from leadership. Anyone can force a vote on articles of impeachment in the House any time they want to.

This week, we’re asking Rep. Larson to do just that. It’s time for him to show exactly where he stands, and burnish his legacy by showing that he is one of the few who is willing to do what’s right. Today, our tone is polite, but firm. He has this opportunity to make a difference. We expect him to take it, and to become a leader in the fight against tyranny. You should expect your representative to do the same. That is why you will be emailing both your rep’s office, and Rep. Larson’s office.

Use the following template to schedule an email to the appropriate office. Send the email as soon as possible.

DON’T FORGET TO ADD YOUR NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EMAIL.

For Rep. {{Rep Last Name}},

In April, Rep. Larson filed articles of impeachment against Donald Trump. As Trump’s quagmire in Iran has dragged on for months, as he seeks retribution for every perceived slight and makes a mockery of the justice system—seeking to reward his allies with a transparently corrupt slush fund, while his DoJ pursues meritless charges of “vandalism” to assuage Trump’s ego— and countless other offenses make him unsuitable to hold the presidency, Congress must act.

Introducing articles was merely the first step. True accountability demands that they be put to a vote on the House floor, and that each member have the opportunity to make a decision: Will they do what’s right and strengthen their legacy, holding a tyrant to account, or will they slink to the corner, abandoning their responsibility to the people of the United States?

I’m calling on Rep. {{Rep Last Name}} to do the right thing. Force a vote under Rule IX, and hold this tyrant accountable. Our country was founded by fearless people, not content to stand idle while a tyrant across the sea ran roughshod over their inalienable rights. As we have sought to perfect this nation, through blood, sweat, and toil, we have somehow become complacent to the tyrant; not a tyrant across the sea, but a tyrant down the road.

One day, whether or not they stood up for what’s right and stood for accountability will be the defining marker of your boss’s political career. As your constituent, I’m pleading with you: Have courage. Do the right thing. Impeach Donald Trump.

Thanks,

Want to grow your power?

We put out regular calls to action. Clear, simple ways that you can use your voice to fix our democracy. We’re here to empower you — because holding Trump and his ghouls accountable is going to take all of us. Sign up today.

The post Take Action: Rep. Larson, the time is NOW. appeared first on Citizens' Impeachment.

CNN says attack ‘beneath the office’ after Kristen Holmes asked president about Jon Ossoff’s comments on key aide

The White House launched a personal attack against a CNN reporter on Monday with a social media post that mentioned her children and accused her of asking a “disgusting and inhumane question”.

A White House post targeted Kristen Holmes, a senior White House correspondent for the network, after she asked Donald Trump to respond to a widely shared comment by the Democratic senator Jon Ossoff in a speech on Sunday.

President, who has decried mail-in ballots amid false claims of election fraud, issued March order to curb voting by mail

Donald Trump voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary, Politico reports, citing Palm Beach county voting records. The White House has confirmed the president’s mail-in vote, according to the New York Times, which added that this was at least the third time the president has mailed his ballot.

In March, the president signed an executive ⁠order restricting the ​use of mail-in ballots ahead of the November midterm elections that will decide control of US Congress. Trump has repeatedly criticized mail-in voting, calling for restrictions on the policy for years and falsely claiming that his 2020 election defeat was the result of widespread voter fraud.

Donald Trump berated a CNN reporter at a press availability, insisting that she 'be quiet' after she asked about a reduction in US military exercises with South Korea. The CNN correspondent, Kristen Holmes, pressed Trump on whether Kim Jong-un had requested a reduction in military activities. When another reporter asked about the extensive accounts of deteriorating living conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln during its lengthy deployment in the strait of Hormuz, the president dismissed the complaints: ' It was fake news reporting from CNN'

• Trump dismisses USS Lincoln criticism and snaps at CNN reporter to ‘be quiet’

President says US carrier is ‘beautifully maintained’ and calls network ‘fake news’ over reports of poor conditions

Donald Trump claimed he had third-hand reports that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was “beautifully maintained” despite extensive accounts of deteriorating living conditions during its lengthy deployment in the strait of Hormuz.

At the White House on Monday, the president berated Kristen Holmes, a CNN reporter, at a press availability, insisting that she “be quiet” and describing the reporting as fake news.

President hosts Nathanial Rai and lifeguard Ryder Williams at White House after video of California rescue went viral

Nathanial Rai had been swept off his feet along the California coast, was rescued by a 16-year-old lifeguard – and was now sitting in the Oval Office with Donald Trump.

Of the rescuer, Ryder Williams, Trump said to Nathanial: “He’s a real hero. I don’t know if I’d do it.

US president’s abrupt order to scale back joint exercises with Seoul is meant to ‘flatter’ North Korea’s dictator, top Democrat says

Donald Trump’s move to gut Washington’s 73-year-old military alliance with Seoul has been called “inane” and “shortsighted” as lawmakers warned it risked strengthening Russia’s hand in Ukraine.

The US president abruptly ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea just days after North Korea test-fired ballistic missiles, justifying the decision by citing his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong-un, the nuclear-armed dictator such exercises exist to deter.

1. Overview

President Trump directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to significantly scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, citing cost concerns and North Korea’s current “respectful posture.” He announced the liberation of former hostage Kevin Rideout, noting this brings the total number of American captives freed during his second term to 110. Furthermore, Trump lauded the newly signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan as a “big, bold, and important first step” for regional security.

Trump formally recognized the swearing-in of Attorney General Todd Blanche and expressed appreciation for counsel regarding the White House Military Complex. He voiced strong frustration regarding vandalism at the World War II Monument and the Reflecting Pool. Additionally, the President championed his administration’s policy outcomes, pointing to reductions in prescription drug costs and crime rates in Washington, D.C., while emphasizing ongoing initiatives to restrict child sex-change procedures and maintain high tariffs on foreign imports.

Trump directed a sharp critique toward Fox News Sunday and host Shannon Bream, labeling their coverage “biased” and criticizing their use of outdated footage of the White House construction project. He contrasted his administration’s achievements—such as border enforcement and military expansion—against the network’s reliance on what he termed “fake polls.” He warned that continuing to feature hostile guests would ultimately harm the network’s ratings, while reiterating his belief that his 2024 electoral win was a “landslide.”

The State Dept issued formal statements recognizing the 81st anniversary of Indonesia’s independence and the 66th anniversary of the Gabonese Republic’s independence. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted the U.S. commitment to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Indonesia, focusing on defense, digital economy growth, and critical minerals. Regarding Gabon, Secretary Rubio emphasized deepening commercial ties and affirmed that the United States remains a “steadfast partner” in supporting the nation’s future stability and sovereignty.

The expansion of a protectionist trade regime through the enforcement of de minimis tariffs forces e-commerce and retail firms to internalize higher landed costs, creating a structural headwind for margin-sensitive business models reliant on low-value imports. Simultaneously, a strategic reduction in Indo-Pacific military exercises introduces uncertainty into the defense industrial base, as the shift away from established security norms potentially limits long-term procurement visibility despite being characterized by the administration as a “cost-saving measure.” Finally, intensified regulatory scrutiny targeting elective care providers creates significant operational and reputational risk, inducing sector volatility as private healthcare entities navigate an increasingly interventionist policy environment.

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2. White House News

No White House news found.

3. Truth Social Posts

Trump addressed significant international developments today, instructing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and the respectful posture of North Korea. He also celebrated the signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan as a “big, bold, and important first step” for Middle Eastern security. Additionally, he announced that former hostage Kevin Rideout is returning to the United States, marking the 110th captive American liberated during his second term.

Regarding domestic policy and administration, Trump noted the swearing-in of Todd Blanche as Attorney General and expressed gratitude for input on the construction of the White House Military Complex. He highlighted media coverage concerning his support for law enforcement, and lamented the vandalism of the World War II Monument and Reflecting Pool. The President also shared a variety of news reports covering his administration’s accomplishments, including the dropping of prescription drug prices, successes in reducing crime in Washington, D.C., efforts to combat fraud in child sex-change procedures, and victories in maintaining tariffs on cheap imports. Other linked reports addressed FBI investigations (no link), the removal of DEI directives (no link), science policy (no link), immigration fraud (no link), and Democratic political challenges (no link).

Trump also issued a sharp critique of Shannon Bream and Fox News Sunday, characterizing the coverage as “biased” and criticizing the use of outdated imagery of the White House construction site. He contrasted this unfavorably with the broad achievements of his administration, such as border control, economic records, and military rebuilding, while reiterating his conviction that his 2024 election victory was a landslide. He warned that the network’s reliance on what he deemed “fake polls” and hostile guests would negatively impact their ratings.

Reference: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump

4. Government Department News

State Department (state.gov)

Indonesia Independence Day

Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended congratulations to Indonesia on its 81st independence anniversary. Highlighting the nations’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Rubio emphasized cooperation in democratic governance, defense, security, trade, energy, and technology. The Secretary noted plans to expand collaboration in critical minerals and the digital economy. Additionally, Rubio offered condolences to those affected by the recent earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara.

The Gabonese Republic National Day

Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated the people of Gabon on the 66th anniversary of their independence, celebrated on August 17. The Secretary highlighted the strengthening commercial ties and security cooperation between the two nations, affirming a shared commitment to Gabon’s stability, prosperity, and sovereignty. Rubio stated that the United States remains a “steadfast partner” as the country looks toward its future.

5. 2028 Democratic Presidential Candidates

JB Pritzker (gov.illinois.gov)

Daily Public Schedule: Sunday, August 16, 2026

Governor Pritzker has no public events scheduled for Sunday, August 16, 2026.

6. AI & Tech Company News

No relevant AI & tech company updates found for this date.

7. Congressional Watch

Covers the 2026-08-15 session — the Congressional Record is published with a one-day delay.

No Congressional Record found for 2026-08-15.

8. Policy Impact Analysis & Heatmap

This analysis is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

Impact on Market

Based on today’s policy developments, our analysis identifies the following market impact themes:

THEME 1. PROTECTIONIST TRADE REGIME EXPANSION

The court ruling upholding de minimis tariffs accelerates the shift toward higher landed costs for retail and e-commerce firms. By removing the tax-free entry for small-package shipments, the administration forces companies to internalize tariff costs or shift sourcing strategies away from traditional low-cost hubs. Critics worry this policy acts as a hidden tax on consumers and risks supply chain disruptions for firms reliant on high-frequency, low-value imports.

THEME 2. DEFENSE POSTURE REALIGNMENT

The announced reduction in joint military exercises signifies a retreat from traditional security norms in the Indo-Pacific. This policy shift introduces new risk premia into regional security frameworks while altering the long-term outlook for defense procurement spending. While the administration frames this as a cost-saving measure, opposition voices warn that diminished readiness could weaken deterrence and impact the long-term growth trajectory of the defense industrial base.

THEME 3. REGULATORY PRESSURE ON HEALTHCARE

The targeting of specific elective care providers marks an expansion of the administration’s interventionist social agenda. By launching investigations into funding and business practices of medical entities, the policy creates significant legal and reputational risk for private healthcare organizations. Industry observers highlight that such focused regulatory campaigns can lead to service closures and increase overall sector volatility.

Policy Impact Heatmap with Market Direction

Each cell shows an estimated impact score on a fixed scale of -10 to +10, reflecting how today’s policy developments may affect each market sector. Positive scores (green, ▲) suggest bullish impact; negative scores (red, ▼) suggest bearish pressure. Rows and columns are sorted by impact strength, and sectors and policy events with no meaningful impact are omitted. The heatmap, the analysis below, and the Impact on Market themes above are produced from a single unified analysis: the heatmap visualizes the magnitudes, while the text explains the causal reasoning behind them.

The administration’s directive to curtail joint military exercises with South Korea introduces uncertainty regarding regional defense architecture. This shift potentially diminishes demand for regional defense sustainment contracts and supply chain logistics, reflecting a pivot away from established security commitments. Critics argue such moves invite regional instability and risk eroding long-standing tactical partnerships.

Simultaneously, the judicial validation of tariffs on de minimis imports imposes significant cost pressures on retailers reliant on low-cost international fulfillment models. By closing this regulatory loophole, the administration effectively forces a reassessment of global supply chain economics for consumer discretionary firms. These actions reflect a broader protectionist policy environment aimed at prioritizing domestic manufacturing over globalized retail logistics. Furthermore, the intensified scrutiny of specific healthcare services creates heightened regulatory risk for providers, potentially increasing compliance costs and chilling investment in specific medical sub-sectors. These policy shifts demonstrate an aggressive use of executive and legal levers to reshape domestic economic and social outcomes.

Democratic senator Jon Ossoff attacked Donald Trump and the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, over the Iran war, saying they lied 'the nation into a war'. Ossoff, who is running for re-election in Georgia in November, made the comments while speaking at a rally in midtown Atlanta on Sunday afternoon

• Jon Ossoff calls Trump’s handling of Iran war ‘uniquely despicable’ in excoriating speech

I want to unpack the latest propaganda campaign John Solomon rolled out (er, latest before his new hit job on Eric Swalwell, which had been packaged up in March before Swalwell dropped his gubernatorial race) — serving in his dual role of unpaid Special Government Employee permitted to troll through highly classified intelligence records and demand their release, and his long-term role of Trump’s favorite propagandist, funded by unknown sources. This latest installment turns his propaganda campaign back on himself, casting himself as a hero in his own disinformation.

Before I unpack it, let me explain the challenge: Solomon tells his rubes none of the key details they would need to know to test the story or assess his credibility (nor have propagandists like Catherine Herridge or Paul Sperry, who have magnified it).

Solomon’s latest propaganda dump is based off: a spreadsheet the date and source of which he refuses to share. An undated presentation Tulsi Gabbard’s team did last year but did not release — David Warrington approved its release on August 4 (the day Jay Clayton would be sworn in), meaning Bill Pulte released in the period he was burning the IC down. And the only validation of any of these claims is in a letter Solomon claims Kash Patel wrote on a scrap of paper, not FBI stationary, that bears no signature nor date. Of the five Ws that journalists aspire to explain, Who, What, Where, When, and Why, Solomon doesn’t bother with at least three of them. Neither do his rubes, or the President, care about all that.

This thing is entirely devoid of any specific anchor in space or time.

Solomon succeeds in building stories off fumes because the far right has trained its adherents to create mobs based off the mere whiff of allegation, not because there’s any there there.

Here’s what Solomon claims he has shown based off that obscured spreadsheet cited but not released by Tulsi and backed by a letter the FBI Director may have written, but if he did, without any trappings of official capacity.

The FBI and U.S. spy agencies received derogatory evidence about Joe Biden from 14 different informants but embarked on a secret operation to tamp down a Ukrainian corruption scandal engulfing his family during the 2020 election by formally designating Attorney General Bill Barr, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, key members of Congress and journalists as Russian disinformation “conduits,” according to explosive intelligence community documents declassified by the White House.

None of this is backed by the three documents Solomon released.

Start with Solomon’s claim the FBI and spooks received derogatory evidence about Biden from 14 informants. Solomon ignores who those informants were or whether they were credible (I guess we can add “Why” to the list of five Ws Solomon has dispensed with). His own write-up refers to the guy who pled guilty to making shit up and hanging around with senior Russian spies, and the spreadsheet refers to one of the guys who Trump’s own administration labeled a Russian asset.

Instead of describing these informants’ lack of credibility, Solomon jumps immediately to the part where he claims — based on a single spreadsheet, all the most important details of which he has hidden!! — proves a “secret operation to tamp down a Ukrainian corruption scandal,” a scandal that Solomon treats as if it were true.

Remember when The Hill had to caveat Solomon’s bullshit claims about such a scandal in February 2020? Remember what those caveats were? That John Solomon “failed to identify important details about key Ukrainian sources” and that his hybrid role at the outlet created an illusion of credibility.

Solomon is attempting to resuscitate the old Ukraine tale that fell apart in 2020, using the very same discredited techniques he uses here.

Solomon gets that number — 14 informants — from “an FBI letter made public Wednesday,” which is the unsigned undated letter he attributes to Kash. That unsigned undated letter seems to talk about something radically different than Solomon is talking about. Kash describes those 14 to be a subset of 53 informants all of “whose identities were potentially known to foreign intelligence and under hostile control.”

As you know, Round River identified at least 53 Confidential Human Sources (CHS) whose identities were potentially known to foreign intelligence and under hostile control. At least 14 of these CHSs reported derogatory information on Joe Biden. At my direction, this FBI will take the unprecedented step of providing you with the source reporting from all 53 sources so you can finally see the facts.

That is, Kash is not claiming these were worthwhile informants. He’s saying the informants and their role providing information to the US government were at least potentially known to foreign spies who could, as I suspect happened with Christopher Steele, feed the informants bullshit. But Kash also describes that this list of 53 informants also may include people fully controlled by America’s enemies.

John Solomon calls them informants and suggests they are credible. Kash says at least some of them are working for and controlled by America’s adversaries.

And Solomon — who has been given privileged access to some of America’s most sensitive secrets — says discounting information from them was a bad thing. A scandal.

Now look at the means by which, Solomon claims, the Deep State tamped down on the Ukraine conspiracy theory that fell apart the first time Solomon was, literally, peddling it. The Deep State “tamped down” on this information by designating a bunch of people, including Bill Barr, conduits and discussing whether to tell them they were talking to known spies or shitty informants.

Seven paragraphs after introducing his inflammatory lead, Solomon explains that the spreadsheet whence he gets this claim was a list of people “identified as potential candidates for defensive briefings.”

Remember how, in 2019, the far right was outraged that Trump did not get a defensive briefing that his incoming National Security Advisor was being recruited by at least Turkey and probably also Russia? And then a centerpiece to the Durham Report was a claim — which is actually debunked if you read the report closely — that Hillary was being briefed on potential infiltration by foreign spies but Trump was not? But at the same time, in 2020, Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson were furious that their attempts to implicate Hunter Biden in precisely the Ukraine scandal that fell apart in Solomon’s hands were thwarted when DOJ told them one of their key sources was a Russian spy? By the way: The new Swalwell package doesn’t show him getting a defensive briefing that he had fucked someone the FBI suspected was a Chinese spy.

The far right has been all over the map about how they feel about defensive briefings. In this case, Solomon does some work to obscure how that impacts the meaning of his spreadsheet. Solomon never explains the What of this spreadsheet. For example, he never explains what “conduit” and “target” mean, which is a bit nutty since he himself is named as a conduit and the description of some of these people as being targeted in a “Soros related conspiracy theory” suggests target does not mean they did anything wrong, but instead were lied about by people of the sort Solomon likes to platform. But even before you get there, Solomon refuses to tell us the date of this spreadsheet, which is rather telling, because at one point he claims it dates to the 2020 election, in another he suggests it ties to the side channel Bill Barr set up to ingest disinformation from Rudy Giuliani (which Solomon misleadingly describes as an effort to mainstream the criminally false claims of Alexander Smirnov) in January 2020, in still another he (or rather, Tulsi) describes it occurring in December 2019. I don’t know when this spreadsheet was created. I find it exceedingly interesting, though, that there was a date on which Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who were arrested in October 2019, were considered “conduits,” with no FBI equities, but Rudy Giuliani (and Pete Sessions) were already deemed FBI equities (in all the other known cases listed as FBI equities, like Hunter Biden, those were people under criminal investigation), while Solomon himself was only listed as a conduit for his role in an OANN film, and not for his role in laundering bullshit stories that the Hill would later need to caveat heavily.

The known investigation into Rudy arose out of a criminal investigation into Lev and Igor, one that survived long after Bill Barr intervened to make Rudy’s exposure go away. I could struggle to find explanations for what point in time these descriptions would have been applied, but most of them point to more intervention from Bill Barr than we knew. Or, cherrypicking other Ukraine counterintelligence inquiries by John Solomon to hide the ones that were far more damning to him.

Whatever the explanation, that makes this treatment of Paul Manafort all the more interesting.

Solomon’s attempts to obscure the date of this spreadsheet is especially interesting given that he makes it clear a key part of it focuses on Andriy Telizhenko in the line of the spreadsheet just above his own entry — thanks for explaining that the FBI really did have reason to keep investigating Michael Caputo, John! — and a time that apparently preceded when he was installed at DHS to fuck up Trump’s COVID response!

As I have noted, Bill Barr likely met, on or before September 26, 2019, with one or several of the people sanctioned on the same day as Telizhenko, which would provide an explanation for his inclusion on this list that accords better with the timeline than Solomon’s tale than his attempt to launder information Rudy picked up, including from other known Russian spies.

Again, having espoused about 100 different views towards how defensive briefings work, here Solomon says that merely telling — say — the Attorney General that the Ukrainians peddling dirt to him are likely recruited Russian spies is instead an attempt to “tamp down” real data showing corruption on the part of the Bidens.

Solomon ascribes credibility to the informants, some of whom Kash says may be foreign spies, by pointing to this presentation done under Tulsi, which (among other things) reveals that this entire effort to review Round River is doing what Solomon accuses the FBI of doing. That presentation appears focused exclusively on Ukraine sources, and not at all on the 39 other suspect informants Kash mentioned.

Solomon gins up outrage by claiming that the Feebs who reviewed this material labeled each CHS file with a notation stating these allegations were false.

Remarkably, the DNI report alleges, the Round River team amended each of three informant files to portray their long-term reporting as false.

“The team of analysts had administrative accesses to all reporting and drafted intelligence products that were later added to each CHS file to show the reporting was deemed Russian disinformation,” the DNI memo stated. “The FITF-R team also provided defensive briefings to any Congressional member who obtained reporting related to any aspect of the Ukraine narrative.”

See how that “portray their long-term reporting as false” not only is not in quotes but is not remotely reflected in what Solomon quotes right after it? I see nothing in the presentation that substantiates that claim and much that debunks it. Start with the fact that none of the three informants described were closed in 2019 or 2020, when this supposed nefarious activity was going on. The informants were closed in December 2023 (when prosecutors was discovering that Alexander Smirmov made shit up), April 2022, and April 2025.

April 2025?!?!? You mean one of the informants Solomon is fluffing was deemed not to be credible by Trump’s own Deep State?!?!

What Tulsi’s report does say is, “The Round River team did not corroborate any of the allegations of the ‘Ukraine Narrative’,” which is different than saying that it’s all false. It’s saying that the spooks made an effort to corroborate it but could not … the same way they couldn’t corroborate the Steele dossier.

So in spite of the fact that Solomon has been given privileged access to highly classified files, he has nothing new.

His claim that any of this is credible retreats back to his old debunked propaganda.

Hunter Biden would eventually be convicted of tax and gun crimes before his father pardoned him, and legacy media would eventually pivot and be forced to acknowledge the corruption concerns from 2020 were real as Congress produced evidence of Joe Biden’s complicity with his son and business partners and the first family’s collection of millions of dollars from foreign interests.

An impeachment probe by the House Oversight Committee ultimately concluded in August 2024 that Joe Biden engaged in impeachable conduct by helping to enrich his family with millions of dollars in business schemes that traded on his name and then defrauded voters by lying to cover up the scandal. The committee specifically cited meetings between Biden and his son’s Ukrainian business partners, arguing the president “actively participated” in an influence-peddling conspiracy. [Second link replaced]

And even there, Solomon has to engage in deceit to make the claim. James Comer did indeed file a report making allegations of corruption (much of it focused on China, contrary to what Solomon said). But not enough right wingers believed it was credible to vote to impeach, not even in an election year! And the sole proof that the former AP and WaPo journalist points to to claim that the “legacy media” conceded he was right is a Glenn Kessler column (in the WaPo, though the impeachment report cited him rather than John Solomon’s propaganda), the week Kevin McCarthy approved the impeachment inquiry that itself, which still noted the consensus was that Viktor Shokin had to be fired. (Note, too, that Solomon does not release nor mention the still active investigation into Zlochevsky that Trump shut down in this period.) All Kessler conceded is that Biden changed his plans, not that anyone objected with it.

None of this salvages all the reasons Solomon’s past propaganda has been discredited. On the contrary, this is all unreliable for the same reasons his Hill propaganda is unreliable. He chooses not to examine the most basic context behind the breathless claims he makes.

It does, however, get him privileged access to the most sensitive intelligence files.

The post John Solomon’s Propaganda Technique: Keeping the “Who” “What” “When” Secret to Fool the Rubes appeared first on emptywheel.

Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is on a diplomatic mission in the Middle East to meet Hamas officials and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in an attempt to salvage a ceasefire in Gaza. The talks come after Netanyahu rejected the US-backed 15-point peace plan for the territory in a rare public break with the Trump administration this month. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to global editor Devika Bhat

Georgia Democratic senator has stoked speculation for 2028 presidency bid by delivering stinging attacks on Trump

Democratic senator Jon Ossoff has attacked Donald Trump’s “uniquely despicable” handling of the US-Israel war on Iran, accusing the US president of “re-rigging” a corrupt system for himself in an excoriating speech.

Ossoff, who is running for re-election in Georgia in November, has repeatedly stoked speculation that he is laying the ground for a bid for the US presidency in 2028 by delivering a series of stinging attacks on Trump and his administration.

Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is on a diplomatic mission in the Middle East to meet Hamas officials and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in an attempt to salvage a ceasefire in Gaza.

The talks come after Netanyahu rejected the US-backed 15-point peace plan for the territory in a rare public break with the Trump administration this month.

Nosheen Iqbal speaks to global editor Devika Bhat – watch on YouTube

Energy prices have been high since the US-Israel war with Iran began and the strait of Hormuz was blocked

US gas prices this month are so far the highest ever recorded for August as peace talks between the US and Iran have stalled and Donald Trump launched fresh threats against Oman.

The national average price of gas was $4.06 per gallon on Monday, according to data from AAA, $0.05 higher than last week and $1 more expensive than a year ago. In California and Hawaii, averages hit about $5.50 a gallon.

Decision leaves intact $5m civil judgment against Trump after jury found him liable for sexually abusing writer

The US supreme court has rejected for a second time Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn a jury verdict in 2023 that found him liable for sexually ​abusing writer E Jean Carroll, and later defaming her.

The court announced the decision in an unsigned order on Monday, without providing an explanation of their decision. The order just listed the US president’s petition, along with several other petitions, under “rehearings denied”.

President issues threat to ‘bomb the shit out of them’ after previously threatening Gulf ally in May

Donald Trump has again threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of his effort to end the US-Israel war on Iran, as the two-month window to negotiate peace with Iran expired on Monday with no end to the conflict in sight.

The latest threats against Oman, which is not a party to the war, have illustrated how Trump’s unpredictable and often outrageous approach to diplomacy has upset US partners and failed to achieve the breakthrough that he has promised to end the war.

The president was forced to hide in a catering truck amid the Iran war, in an encapsulation of the conflict’s failures

For decades, Donald Trump cultivated a public image based on strength and dominance. He was a brash New York real estate mogul; a reality TV star who deployed his signature phrase: “You’re fired!” to eliminate contestants from The Apprentice; and eventually US president and undisputed leader of the Republican party.

In recent months, Trump has taken his boastfulness to an extreme, reportedly telling confidants that he’s “the most powerful person to ever live” and comparing himself with some of history’s most feared leaders, including Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin and Mao.

Senator Jack Reed slammed ‘another inane, haphazard decision’ after Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back military drills with South Korea aimed at deterring North Korea

• Sign up for the Breaking News US email

Republican senator Thom Tillis deplored Trump’s decision to cut US military drills with South Korea, which comes despite military officials from both countries warning that Kim Jong-un’s regime is learning new battlefield expertise, including new drone tactics, from assisting Russia with its war in Ukraine.

Tillis wrote on X:

South Korea has been a solid military ally for over 70 years that possesses exquisite military capabilities. Reducing joint exercises with South Korea does nothing more than free up thousands of North Korea’s troops to support Putin’s systematic kidnapping, torture, rape, and murder of innocent Ukrainian citizens.

Today’s Report

1. Overview

2. White House News

3. Truth Social Posts

4. Government Department News

5. 2028 Democratic Presidential Candidates

6. AI & Tech Company News

7. Congressional Watch

8. Policy Impact Analysis & Heatmap

1. Overview

President Trump utilized Truth Social to call for immediate Senate action on the “NO MORE CHANGING THE CLOCKS ACT.” He argued that ending the biannual practice of adjusting clocks is vital to ending “ridiculous” disruptions and suggested that additional evening daylight is a strategy for “fighting crime.” He pressed legislators to finalize the bill without delay.

In electoral matters, Trump granted his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to Florida State Representative Kim Kendall for her re-election campaign. He highlighted her experience as an air traffic controller and business owner as assets for her district. Trump praised Kendall for her defense of “Florida Values,” specifically noting her focus on election integrity, parental rights, the protection of the “under siege Second Amendment,” and her efforts to stop “Migrant Crime.”

The State Dept issued formal statements regarding two international anniversaries. Secretary Rubio extended congratulations to Liechtenstein for its National Day, highlighting the mutual commitment to “freedom” and investment, while pledging to deepen commercial ties. Additionally, the department celebrated the 66th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of the Congo, with the Secretary affirming his commitment to bolstering the commercial and security relationship between the two nations.

The administration’s push for permanent daylight savings time creates potential tailwinds for the retail and consumer sectors by extending evening activity hours, though uncertainty regarding the Senate’s legislative timeline introduces operational volatility. Concurrently, a strategic emphasis on deregulation aims to catalyze industrial and small business growth by lowering compliance costs, further reinforcing the domestic manufacturing supply chain. While these policies are intended to enhance national productivity, critics argue that broad-brush deregulation risks “weakening institutional oversight and environmental protections,” potentially exposing firms to future regulatory reversals. This combination of pro-cyclical labor shifts and reduced industrial constraints defines the current policy environment, shaping the operational landscape for domestic enterprises.

2. White House News

No White House news found.

3. Truth Social Posts

President Trump demanded that the Senate act immediately to pass the “NO MORE CHANGING THE CLOCKS ACT,” arguing that the end of biannual time adjustments is necessary to eliminate “ridiculous” disruption and chaos. He emphasized that additional daylight hours later in the day serve as a tool for “fighting crime” and urged lawmakers to “GET IT DONE” without further delay.

Regarding electoral politics, Trump bestowed his “Complete and Total Endorsement” upon Florida State Representative Kim Kendall for her re-election campaign. He characterized Kendall as a “Strong Champion” for her district, citing her professional background as an air traffic controller and business owner as evidence of her capability. He praised her for defending “Florida Values,” prioritizing election integrity and parental rights, and stated that she remains committed to stopping “Migrant Crime” and defending the “always under siege Second Amendment.”

Reference: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump

4. Government Department News

State Department (state.gov)

Liechtenstein National Day

Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended congratulations to Liechtenstein on its National Day. The statement emphasizes the long-standing partnership between the two nations, built on a mutual commitment to freedom and cooperation regarding business and investment. Secretary Rubio expressed a dedication to deepening commercial ties and fostering innovation to advance shared prosperity and commercial diplomacy goals in the coming year.

The Republic of the Congo National Day

Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated the people of the Republic of the Congo on the 66th anniversary of their independence. Highlighting a historic collaboration that spans over six decades, Secretary Rubio stated his commitment to strengthening the commercial and security relationship between the two nations. The message concluded with best wishes for a prosperous year ahead for the Republic of the Congo.

5. 2028 Democratic Presidential Candidates

JB Pritzker (gov.illinois.gov)

Daily Public Schedule: Saturday, August 15, 2026

Governor Pritzker has no public events scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.

6. AI & Tech Company News

No relevant AI & tech company updates found for this date.

7. Congressional Watch

Covers the 2026-08-14 session — the Congressional Record is published with a one-day delay.

No Congressional Record found for 2026-08-14.

8. Policy Impact Analysis & Heatmap

This analysis is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

Impact on Market

Based on today’s policy developments, our analysis identifies the following market impact themes:

THEME 1. LEGISLATIVE PUSH FOR PERMANENT DAYLIGHT SAVINGS

The administration is accelerating pressure on the Senate to permanently adopt daylight savings time to enhance productivity. Retail and consumer sectors anticipate a marginal boost from consistent evening activity levels. Opponents express concern that these shifts ignore potential health impacts associated with permanent non-standard time. Uncertainty regarding Senate timing remains a primary risk factor for logistical planning.

THEME 2. REGULATORY DEREGULATION AND DOMESTIC FOCUS

The administration continues to utilize formal endorsements to signal a hardline stance on deregulation and domestic manufacturing. This strategy aims to reduce compliance burdens for industrial firms and small businesses. Critics argue that such broad-brush deregulation risks weakening institutional oversight and environmental protections. Investors note that this policy trajectory suggests a high likelihood of continued administrative support for domestic supply chain sovereignty.

Policy Impact Heatmap with Market Direction

Each cell shows an estimated impact score on a fixed scale of -10 to +10, reflecting how today’s policy developments may affect each market sector. Positive scores (green, ▲) suggest bullish impact; negative scores (red, ▼) suggest bearish pressure. Rows and columns are sorted by impact strength, and sectors and policy events with no meaningful impact are omitted. The heatmap, the analysis below, and the Impact on Market themes above are produced from a single unified analysis: the heatmap visualizes the magnitudes, while the text explains the causal reasoning behind them.

Market attention focuses on the push to finalize the No More Changing the Clocks Act. This shift aims to reduce economic disruption caused by the biannual transition. Analysts expect positive impacts on consumer discretionary spending and retail traffic due to extended evening daylight. Retailers and entertainment venues often benefit from increased consumer activity during later hours. Supporters argue the current system causes unnecessary productivity losses and organizational chaos across sectors.

Simultaneously, the administration continues to prioritize domestic manufacturing and regulatory reduction. The recent endorsement of candidates aligned with these policies signals continued friction for existing labor regulations. Critics warn that aggressive deregulation may lead to negative externalities for industrial compliance. However, proponents argue these actions foster a more favorable environment for localized production and capital investment. Market participants remain focused on how these executive-led priorities influence upcoming legislative agendas and federal agency oversight.

Noctral is an app. You spend ten minutes being interviewed by an AI about what you’re working on and what you’ve changed your mind about. That becomes your Digital Twin. Overnight it meets the twins of the people who think closest to you, using vector similarity rather than job titles. What comes back is up to you: someone to argue with, someone working on the same problem from another angle, or something you’d never have thought to build alone.

For anyone carrying an argument they’d like to test on someone sharper. Free on iOS.

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