As we head into another pivotal week, I want to open this evening update with an urgent truth: the militarization of Washington, D.C. is being normalized before our eyes—and that should terrify us. On the streets of my city, people now chuckle as soldiers march past, as though this is just part of everyday life. Newsflash: it’s not normal. It’s not acceptable. And it’s not something we can shrug off.
At the same time, TikTok has slammed the brakes on my reporting. Just days ago, my videos averaged over 400,000 views. Now I’m lucky if they break 250,000. Mention Jeffrey Epstein? The reach collapses to almost nothing. Meanwhile, creator income across the board has been slashed by more than 70%. That’s not an accident. That’s censorship, happening right now, in real time. They want to silence us. I won’t every becoming silent. I need your help to keep expanding. Subscribe today and let’s keep building this.
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And while voices like mine are being throttled, Trump’s next military deployment is already being prepared for Chicago. The playbook is clear—and it’s spreading.
Here’s what sets this platform apart: no billionaire gatekeepers. No corporate editorial boards. No censors sanitizing uncomfortable truths. Just raw, unfiltered journalism—every single day. If you believe journalism should serve people, not profit, then I’m asking you: step up. What we’re building here isn’t just a publication—it’s a movement. A reader-powered, community-driven media ecosystem that answers to no one but you.
We are exhausted—but not defeated.
We are surrounded by noise—but we see through it.
We are under siege—but we are still standing.
If you’ve read this far, you already know. You’ve felt the manipulation. You’ve seen the erasure. You’ve sensed the weight pressing down on truth-tellers. And yet you’re here, still searching for clarity, still refusing to give up.
That’s what makes you part of this movement. And that’s why we can’t afford to stop now. With that, here’s the news you missed this evening:
Donald Trump announced plans to expand his federal crime crackdown to Chicago and New York, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that nearly 2,000 National Guard troops patrolling Washington DC under federal control now be armed, escalating federal intervention in the capital as prosecutors under Jeanine Pirro were directed to pursue maximum charges in arrests, despite criticism from local leaders that Trump is targeting Democratic-run Black-majority cities.
Donald Trump threatened to deploy the military to Baltimore to “clean up” crime and suggested pulling federal funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement, drawing sharp rebukes from Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, local officials, and Democratic lawmakers who accused him of abusing power for political purposes; while Trump has already armed National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., despite falling crime rates, he is also signaling plans to target other Democratic-run cities like Chicago and New York.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he is actively considering redistricting options, declaring “all options are on the table,” as he accused President Trump of pressuring legislatures to manipulate congressional maps for partisan gain similar to his 2020 push in Georgia; while Republicans advance redistricting in Texas and other states, Moore emphasized his priority is fair maps that let voters choose representatives rather than politicians choosing their voters.
The family of Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre condemned the Justice Department for releasing transcripts of Ghislaine Maxwell’s interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, calling it a “platform to rewrite history” that contradicted her sex-trafficking conviction; Maxwell disputed Giuffre’s allegations and suggested evidence was fabricated, prompting criticism from Rep. Adam Schiff that she was angling for a pardon, while her lawyer defended her claims, and outrage grew over her transfer to a minimum-security prison as Trump leaves open the possibility of granting her clemency.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused European leaders of opposing peace in Ukraine while praising Donald Trump’s efforts, denied Russia bombed civilians, and insisted Putin wants peace, as US vice-president JD Vance said Washington would keep pushing diplomacy despite limited progress, noting Russia had conceded it could not install a puppet regime in Kyiv but still demanded Ukraine cede Crimea and occupied regions as part of any settlement.
Postal services in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere have suspended parcel deliveries to the U.S. amid confusion over Donald Trump’s order ending the “de minimis” duty-free exemption, which had allowed imports under $800 to enter tariff-free; under the new rules, only gifts under $100 remain exempt, prompting carriers like DHL, La Poste, and New Zealand Post to halt shipments until customs procedures are clarified, while the White House says the change is meant to curb abuse of the system by retailers such as Temu and Shein and block illicit shipments.
The Pentagon has reportedly blocked Ukraine from using US-supplied long-range Atacms missiles to strike inside Russia since spring, under a review system created by policy chief Elbridge Colby and overseen by defense secretary Pete Hegseth, as part of Donald Trump’s effort to draw Vladimir Putin into peace talks; while Trump has criticized strikes deep into Russia as escalatory, the administration has simultaneously approved sales of other extended-range munitions and stressed that the war must end through negotiations.
Israeli forces intensified their offensive on Gaza City’s outskirts with heavy bombing and shelling as half of Gaza’s 2 million residents face displacement, famine, and escalating deaths; while Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed to press on until Hamas ends the war and frees hostages, the UN warned of a man-made famine with nearly 300 starvation deaths already, Gaza’s health ministry reported dozens killed in new strikes, and witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinians seeking food aid.
Despite Donald Trump’s claims that foreign countries are paying US tariffs, economic data and research show American businesses and consumers are absorbing the rising costs, with importers passing expenses along supply chains in gradual price hikes dubbed “sneakflation”; Goldman Sachs estimates consumers will soon bear up to 70% of tariff costs, and while inflation has been muted by factors like falling gas prices, tariffs are steadily raising prices on household goods, forcing retailers and low-income families to juggle expenses as the burden deepens over time.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
