Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said there will be no more extensions on tariff deadlines, and they will go into force as scheduled on August 1, Axios reports.
Trump Embraces Intervention in the Economy
“The Trump administration has taken direct stakes in companies on a scale rarely seen in the U.S. outside wartime or economic crisis, pushing a Republican Party that traditionally championed free-market capitalism to embrace state intervention in industries viewed as important for national security,” CNBC reports.
Can Mamdani’s Message Play Outside New York?
“In the glow of Zohran Mamdani’s convincing win in the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City, a common narrative has emerged to explain his ascendance. He was a master of social media; he was charming, attractive and well spoken; he and his team simply outworked everyone,” the New York Times reports.
“But the emphasis on Mr. Mamdani’s style overlooks the substance of his progressive message and how the city’s voters came to embrace it, much as voters did in Boston in 2021 and in Chicago two years later.”
“Those elections, along with recent polling on issues like rent control, wealth taxes and the burden of child care, suggest that many voters, particularly those in large Democratic-leaning cities, have become more receptive to progressive agendas.”
Trump Has a Real Problem with Independents
G. Elliot Morris: “It’s hard to characterize just how bad 29% approval with independents is. You can explain the number in a couple of ways: First, 29% is somewhere between 11 and 17 percentage points lower than the president’s share of the vote with independents in the 2024 election (VoteCast says 40%, Edison says 46%). That means that roughly one out of every three political independents who voted for Trump in the 2024 election now says they disapprove of how he’s governing.”
“As it turns out, 29% among independents is also a record low for Trump, according to Gallup.”
Collins Fights White House Over Billions in Frozen Funds
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) says the Trump administration is pushing the limits of its constitutional powers in clawing back money approved by Congress, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Quote of the Day
“I think 20 years was a pittance. I think she should have a life sentence at least.”
— Speaker Mike Johnson, on NBC News, saying he opposes a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell.
Voters Aren’t Sold on Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ Tax Law
Wall Street Journal Poll: “Overall, the law drew 42% support and 52% opposition, performing slightly worse than Trump himself in the poll. It generated negative marks from 94% of Democrats, 12% of Republicans and 54% of independents.”
“Nearly 70% of overall poll respondents said the law would help the wealthy, while just 7% said that group would be hurt. At least half of poll respondents said the legislation would harm poor people, the working class, Social Security beneficiaries, the U.S. economy, Medicaid recipients, nutrition-assistance recipients and the federal budget deficit.”
Trump Ignites Chain Reaction with Redistricting Gamble
“The Trump White House is pushing ahead with an extraordinary effort to game the system by redrawing congressional maps ahead of the midterms. Democrats are finding it tricky to fight back,” Axios reports.
“The push to add Republican House seats is sparking a chain reaction as the parties fight tooth-and-nail over the majority.”
Politico: Democrats desperately look for a redistricting edge in California, New York and Maryland.
Trump Hides Cost of ‘Free’ Air Force One
“President Trump makes no secret of his displeasure over the cost of renovating the Federal Reserve headquarters — around $2.5 billion, or even higher by the president’s accounting,” the New York Times reports.
“But getting the White House to discuss another of Washington’s expensive renovation projects, the cost of refurbishing a ‘free’ Air Force One from Qatar, is quite another matter.”
“Officially, and conveniently, the price tag has been classified. But even by Washington standards, where ‘black budgets’ are often used as an excuse to avoid revealing the cost of outdated spy satellites and lavish end-of-year parties, the techniques being used to hide the cost of Mr. Trump’s pet project are inventive.”
“Which may explain why no one wants to discuss a mysterious, $934 million transfer of funds from one of the Pentagon’s most over-budget, out-of-control projects — the modernization of America’s aging, ground-based nuclear missiles.”
Trump to Meet with Europe’s Top Official
“President Trump was expected to hold talks on Sunday in Scotland with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, as the possibility of a damaging trans-Atlantic trade war loomed,” the New York Times reports.
Trump Is Greeted by Protesters in Scotland
“As President Trump golfed Saturday at his course in Turnberry, Scotland, hundreds of protesters took to the streets to denounce his presence in Britain, opposing the administration’s policies on immigration, the war in Gaza and myriad other issues,” the New York Times reports.
Hegseth Told to Stop Polygraph Tests
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of polygraph tests to search for people leaking information to the news media was stopped at the direction of the White House after a senior adviser to Hegseth raised alarm to senior officials there about being targeted,” the Washington Post reports.
Democrats Welcome Elon Musk’s Third Party Threat
“Elon Musk is promising to shake up the midterms with his own political party. Democrats aren’t sweating it,” Politico reports.
“Musk’s yet-unfulfilled plans to form an ‘America Party’ could threaten Republicans already fighting to defend their seats by razor-thin margins in next year’s midterms elections, Democrats argued, by siphoning off more disgruntled conservatives from Republicans than disaffected liberals from the Democrats.”
DOGE Looks to Slash Regulations
“The U.S. DOGE Service is using a new artificial intelligence tool to slash federal regulations, with the goal of eliminating half of Washington’s regulatory mandates by the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration,” the Washington Post reports.
“The tool, called the ‘DOGE AI Deregulation Decision Tool,’ is supposed to analyze roughly 200,000 federal regulations to determine which can be eliminated because they are no longer required by law.”
David Valadao Battles Backlash
“When Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) was knocked out of office in 2018, Democrats around the country were riding a wave of backlash against President Donald Trump and the GOP’s attempts to cut health care,” NBC News reports.
“Now, after Valadao provided a critical vote for a sweeping tax cuts and spending package that slashed Medicaid and food stamps, Democrats see an opportunity for a repeat in California’s Central Valley, where many low-income residents depend on social safety net programs.”
“Valadao has already drawn at least two Democratic challengers in his battleground district, which will be key to Republicans’ efforts to hang on to their narrow majority in next year’s midterm elections.”
Ronny Jackson Floats Senate Bid in Texas
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) met with the White House recently about the possibility of jumping into the Texas senate race, Semafor reports.
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The Art of Making Powerful People Squirm on Camera
Wall Street Journal: “One of the hallmarks of Trump’s second term has been his ability to put others on the spot, forcing them to either think quickly or react in a way that might give him an advantage or new insight into the leader. He often deploys the technique against officials who are accustomed to niceties in public (and knife-fighting behind closed doors), making diplomacy and negotiations into something closer to a reality TV show.”
“Those who have worked with Trump for years explain the behavior in various ways. Particularly when meeting with foreign leaders, Trump will absorb a briefing ahead of time, but has what one former administration official from the first term called ‘an innate feel’ for meetings. He likes to push leaders, probe for weaknesses and determine whether he can catch them off guard.”
“Trump is confident in his own ability to adapt and freestyle.”
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