Good morning. We’re heading into a pivotal news day. President Zelensky arrives at the White House to meet with Donald Trump, joined by top European leaders. If it’s anything like Zelensky’s last visit, expect major headlines. At the same time, Trump is preparing to sign an executive order that could fundamentally reshape American elections, while the National Guard presence in D.C. continues to expand.

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With that, here’s the news:

President Zelensky visits D.C.:

  • The White House announced that Donald Trump will meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 1:15 pm EST, followed by a multilateral meeting with European leaders at 3:00 pm EST.
  • Since the Alaska summit, the US position on Ukraine has shifted: after Trump’s August 8 deadline for Putin to accept a ceasefire passed without results, he instead met Putin in Alaska to discuss a broader peace settlement; Trump later briefed Zelenskyy and European leaders, with envoy Steve Witkoff saying Putin agreed to “robust” security guarantees, but by Sunday Trump pressed Zelenskyy to end the war by dropping Ukraine’s bid to reclaim Crimea and join NATO.
  • Experts warned that Zelenskyy faces a “difficult” White House meeting with Trump, who has made clear Ukraine will likely have to accept the long-term loss of Crimea and much of Donbas, with talks instead focusing on securing robust security guarantees short of NATO membership; European leaders Macron, Merz, Starmer, and von der Leyen will join Zelenskyy in Washington to coordinate Western support and push for long-term defense commitments for Ukraine.
  • Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned overnight Russian strikes on Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Odesa that killed civilians, including children, and targeted energy infrastructure, calling the attacks “demonstrative and cynical” ahead of his meeting in Washington with Trump, NATO, and EU leaders; he warned that Putin uses deliberate killings to pressure Ukraine and Europe, stressed the need for strong security guarantees, and declared that Russia must not be rewarded for its aggression, insisting: “Moscow must hear: stop.”
  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled that Britain would support a Ukraine peace deal without requiring a ceasefire as a precondition, with his spokesperson emphasizing the goal of a “sustainable and just peace” backed by security guarantees, an end to the killing, and respect for international borders, while leaving Ukraine to determine its own territorial negotiations.

    • All other news:

  • Donald Trump announced he will issue an executive order to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, arguing they are vulnerable to fraud, while Democrats warn this would disenfranchise many voters and legal experts stress that states, not the president, have authority over election administration—setting the stage for major legal challenges.
  • The National Guard is ramping up its presence this morning in parts of Washington, D.C., including at Union Station:
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  • California lawmakers are returning from recess to consider holding a special election in November and approving a new congressional map, part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s push to counter Texas’s redistricting efforts, with a deadline of August 22 to pass the bills.
  • China’s foreign ministry reiterated that Taiwan is an internal matter after President Trump said Xi Jinping assured him there would be no invasion during his term, with spokesperson Mao Ning stressing peaceful reunification remains the goal but warning Beijing will never allow any force to separate Taiwan from China, a claim firmly rejected by Taiwan.
  • Heal Palestine, a U.S.-based aid group that brings severely injured children from Gaza for temporary medical treatment, expressed distress after the State Department halted visitor visas for Palestinians following pressure from far-right influencer Laura Loomer, who falsely claimed the program was facilitating “Islamic immigration,” prompting the group to emphasize that all patients and families return home after care.
  • Germany said the U.S. must quickly implement agreed reductions on tariffs for Europe-made cars before a broader trade deal can be finalized, stressing support for the EU Commission as both sides work to clarify key details of the framework agreement reached in late July.
  • Hundreds of thousands of Israelis protested nationwide, with about 500,000 gathering in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square to demand an end to the Gaza war and the release of hostages, marking one of the largest demonstrations since the conflict began in October 2023; the rallies, led by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, followed a general strike, saw clashes with police and over 30 arrests, drew sharp criticism from Prime Minister Netanyahu and far-right ministers, and came as Egypt pushed for a 60-day truce deal amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza where at least 61,000 Palestinians have been killed.
  • Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, announced it will exclude six companies linked to the West Bank and Gaza from its portfolio following a review of Israeli investments, after reports it had stakes in a jet engine group servicing Israel’s military; the fund did not name the firms pending divestment but said they would be disclosed once completed, while its ethics council pledged to continue quarterly assessments of Israeli companies.
  • MSNBC announced it is rebranding as My Source News Opinion World (MS NOW), marking a major name change for the television network.
  • As U.S. universities prepare for the new academic year, many international students report anxiety and uncertainty amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on higher education and immigration, with some reconsidering their academic futures in America—like Yale student Andre Fa’aoso, who said policy shifts have derailed plans, heightened fears about border entry, and made leaving the U.S. after graduation a growing priority.
  • Hurricane Erin, which briefly reached Category 5 strength with 160mph winds, battered Puerto Rico with heavy rains and tropical-storm-force winds on Sunday, knocking out power to over 147,000 customers before most were reconnected by Monday; now a Category 4 storm, Erin is moving north toward the Bahamas and US east coast, prompting flight cancellations, port closures, and an evacuation order for North Carolina’s Hatteras Island.
  • Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced she will seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro in 2026, vowing to boost jobs and affordability while criticizing Shapiro’s record, as GOP leaders weigh her candidacy amid speculation that Doug Mastriano may also enter the race.
  • Soho House agreed to a $2.7bn deal to go private after four years on the New York stock exchange, with MCR Hotels leading new equity investors and actor-investor Ashton Kutcher joining the board; existing stakeholders including founder Nick Jones, billionaire Ron Burkle, Richard Caring, and Goldman Sachs will retain their stakes, while the deal values shares at $9 each—an 83% premium despite the company’s $739m cumulative losses since listing, though revenue has doubled in three years and it recently turned profitable.

    • Good news:

  • A Ford worker in Michigan was reunited with a wallet he lost 10 years ago on a 2015 Ford Edge assembly line, after Minnesota mechanic Chad Volk discovered it lodged under a car hood during repairs; the wallet, containing IDs, cash, gift cards, and a faded lottery ticket, had traveled 151,000 miles through multiple owners before being returned via Facebook, with Ford and Cabella’s honoring the story as a testament to good faith and remarkable odds.
  • MIT chemists have developed iron-iodine metal-organic framework particles that can fortify foods and beverages to combat iron deficiency, a condition affecting 2 billion people worldwide; unlike previous methods, the particles withstand heat, storage, and boiling, release nutrients effectively, and prevent iron-iodine interactions, paving the way for double-fortified salt and fortified drinks like coffee and tea, with researchers planning a startup to bring the innovation to market.

    • See you this afternoon.

    — Aaron