“President Trump is accelerating his longtime efforts to banish facts and figures that challenge his narrative of a spotless presidency,” Axios reports.
“Much of the federal government has begun operating according to his version of reality.”
Why 12 Republicans Want the Epstein Files Released
“A dozen House Republicans from different corners of the party are defying President Trump and party leadership to back a bipartisan effort seeking more information relating to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
America Is Fracturing Into Red and Blue Nations
“America’s identity as a unified nation is eroding, with Republican- and Democratic-led states dividing into separate spheres, each with its own policies governing the economic, social and political rules of life,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The bitter fight over redrawing U.S. House maps, triggered by President Trump’s effort to protect his party’s majority in the 2026 midterm elections, is the latest example of how the dominant party in many states is making extraordinary efforts to impose its will.”
“In 40 states, a single party controls the House, Senate and governor’s office—a so-called trifecta—or else has enough power to block vetoes from a governor of the other party. That leaves less than 20% of Americans living in a state where the minority party has a meaningful voice in governance.”
Who Is the Heir to the MAGA Movement?
Wall Street Journal: “Republicans are looking ahead to the end of the president’s transformative political tenure with trepidation, unsure whether the GOP’s rising stars can keep hold of the movement that Trump has commanded for the past decade. Trump is in no hurry to choose a successor, as he considers the full bench of ambitious Republicans who are vying for the job and his approval… He thinks the next Republican standard-bearer should have to earn the job.”
“Another reason for the reluctance to discuss a successor: Trump, who has publicly toyed with serving a third term in violation of the Constitution, isn’t thinking about life beyond the White House and doesn’t like contemplating the end of his political career.”
Ukraine and Europe Counter Putin’s Cease-Fire Proposal
“European powers and Ukraine responded to Vladimir Putin’s cease-fire plan with a counterproposal that they say must serve as a framework so that coming talks between President Trump and the Russian leader can gain traction,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The European plan rejected a Russian proposal to trade Ukrainian-held parts of the Donetsk region for a cease-fire. It was put forward in a meeting with top U.S. officials in England on Saturday.”
CNN: Trump-Putin summit in Alaska resembles a slow defeat for Ukraine.
A Sidelined Europe Seeks a Voice
“Worried about being sidelined at an upcoming summit meeting between President Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia, European and Ukrainian leaders gathered on Saturday outside London with top American officials both to understand Mr. Putin’s position and to ensure that Mr. Trump understands what is at stake,” the New York Times reports.
“At the meeting, the Europeans showed their solidarity with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and tried to make clear their view that Mr. Trump should take their joint perspectives into account.”
Trump May Invite Zelensky to Alaska
The Permanent Stain
Andrew Sullivan: “The one thing we didn’t really know before now is that in the face-off between this man’s will-to-power and liberal democracy, liberal democracy would just … fold.”
“Looking back at the resilience of the Constitution, the reaction of the other branches of government, the behavior of civil society, and the response of the public over the last decade: well, when I worried that the US was ‘ripe for tyranny’ in 2016, I was obviously wildly understating the case…”
“Meanwhile, America is one-man rule. Resist and he’ll ruin you. He’ll destroy your law firm’s business; he’ll stop that corporate merger you want; he’ll put a tariff on your company; he’ll launch a DOJ investigation into you; he’ll get you fired for doing your job in government faithfully; he’ll sue you if you print something true about him; and if you’re a federal judge and rule against him, he’ll sic an online mob, and maybe a real mob, onto you. He has done all these things this year — and openly celebrated them.”
IRS and White House Clashed Over Immigrants’ Data
“The Internal Revenue Service clashed with the White House over using tax data to help locate suspected undocumented immigrants hours before Trump administration officials forced IRS Commissioner Billy Long from his post Friday,“ the Washington Post reports.
“The Department of Homeland Security sent the IRS a list Thursday of 40,000 names of people DHS officials thought were in the country illegally and asked the IRS to use confidential taxpayer data to verify their addresses.”
Trump to Hold Press Conference on Crime in D.C.
“President Donald Trump said a press conference will be held at the White House on Monday to address the crime in Washington, D.C.,” Reuters reports.
“Trump said on August 6 he may use the National Guard to police the streets of Washington, D.C., the latest threat by the administration toward taking over the running the city that serves as the seat of the U.S. government.”
For members: The Great Crime Paradox
Trump Weaponizes the FBI
Ken Dilanian: “Since nothing goes without saying anymore—it is not normal for the FBI to fire experienced and accomplished senior leaders without explanation. The purge that is ongoing is without precedent in the modern history of the bureau.”
“It raises questions about whether the Trump administration is trying to turn the nation’s most powerful law enforcement agency into an instrument of presidential whim—exactly the thing he baselessly accused his opponent of doing.”
Not Your Father’s Republican Party
Jess Bidgood: “But it’s not just that Trump wants more power over the federal government. He is also trying to give the federal government more power over society itself.”
“Since Monday, the Trump administration has moved to assert new power over institutions like colleges and banks. He has ordered a surge of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., a city that ostensibly has home rule. He has dialed up pressure on state lawmakers across the country to further shore up his power through redistricting — a goal he is also pursuing with his efforts to redo the census in pursuit of a count that would be more favorable to Republicans.”
“It’s presidential maximalism in action. It’s also an extension of his efforts to punish companies for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and to crack down on law firms and universities.”
Ron Wyden Has No Intention of Stepping Aside
Associated Press: “Wyden is in his fifth decade in Congress and showing no inclination to step aside even as pressure builds on aging Democratic officeholders to give way to a new generation. He says he plans to seek another term in 2028, when he will be 79 years old.”
“After a recent town hall in Wasco in conservative Sherman County, Wyden said questions about age are ‘fair game for debate’ but that he is still up to the job and the fight against Republican President Donald Trump’s policies.”
A Golden Opportunity for Democrats
“If California Gov. Gavin Newsom succeeds in putting mid-decade redistricting to a statewide vote this November, it will become the most consequential decision on any American ballot in 2025 — and the clearest opportunity for voters to opine about President Donald Trump’s agenda ahead of the 2026 midterms,” Politico reports.
“In an off year mostly devoid of big-ticket contests — the races for New Jersey governor, Virginia governor and New York City mayor are the only other elections this fall garnering any sort of national attention — a vote in the state of 40 million people at the heart of Trump resistance stands to become a major draw for money and national attention.”
“There are also no limits on political spending in ballot-measure races, meaning the redistricting fight could reach eight figures — or more.”
Beto O’Rourke Can’t Back Texas Democrats Who Fled
A judge ruled that former Rep. Beto O’Rourke cannot financially support Texas Democrats who left the state to delay passage of a new congressional map, the Texas Tribune reports.
Master Builder of Castles in the Air
Susan Glasser: “The Mar-a-Lago-fication of the White House may be the least bad part of the President’s legacy.”
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Crypto’s Richest Man Campaigns for a Pardon
“In 2023, as Changpeng Zhao, the founder of the giant cryptocurrency exchange Binance, prepared to plead guilty to U.S. money-laundering violations, he fashioned a crash course for himself on clemency politics, reading books about business tycoons who had received pardons, including Marc Rich and Michael Milken,” the New York Times reports.
“Two years later, Mr. Zhao, a Chinese-born billionaire, is out of prison and mounting a pardon campaign of his own, backed by a sophisticated influence operation worthy of those high-profile predecessors.”
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