Trump Denies Taiwan's President Permission to Land in New York as Joe Rogan Turns on him
Trump denied Taiwan president landing permission in New York following China's objection, while Rogan criticized him on Epstein information withholding.
I hope everyone is having an amazing Monday! Before I get to the news, please consider subscribing today. There’s no corporate backing behind this work — no legal team or PR safety net. It’s just me, committed to the craft because I believe journalism still matters. I don’t write to game algorithms or follow fleeting trends. I report, research, and share because holding power to account is vital.
If you believe in the importance of independent journalism — if truth still matters to you — I invite you to support this work by subscribing.
Subscribe
Now, let’s get to the news.
The Trump administration denied Taiwan President Lai Ching-te permission to stop in New York en route to Central America after China objected to the visit.
Donald Trump protested and drowned out by bagpipes in Scotland. He did not get a warm reception today.
During a visit to Scotland, Donald Trump acknowledged “real starvation” in Gaza, urged Israel to allow “every ounce of food” into the territory, clashed with Benjamin Netanyahu’s denial of a crisis, met with Keir Starmer to discuss Gaza and Ukraine, criticized Hamas and Putin, pushed Starmer on taxes and immigration, and faced protests over his visit and policies.
Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking with Jeffrey Epstein, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn her conviction, claiming Epstein’s non-prosecution deal should have protected her; her legal team appealed to both the court and Donald Trump, who hasn’t ruled out a pardon but said it’s “inappropriate to talk about it” now.
When asked if he would consider pardoning Maxwell, Trump said no one had approached him with such a request and that it would be “inappropriate” to discuss it at this time. However, he did not rule out the possibility, consistent with his past remarks asserting that he has the authority to issue a pardon. I break down the odds he pardons her:
Donald Trump announced he would shorten his previously stated 50-day deadline for progress on a Ukraine ceasefire to just 10–12 days, citing frustration with Vladimir Putin’s continued airstrikes on civilian targets and stating he is “not so interested” in speaking with the Russian leader anymore.
The Trump administration issued new guidance allowing federal employees to openly promote their religious beliefs in the workplace—including proselytizing, forming prayer groups outside of work hours, and supervisors discussing religion with subordinates—as long as the behavior isn’t harassing or disruptive, citing Title VII protections and Trump’s executive order against “anti-Christian weaponization of government”; though not legally binding, the memo expands religious expression rights in federal offices and may face legal scrutiny.
Joe Rogan, despite endorsing Trump in the 2024 election, sharply criticized the Trump administration on his podcast for withholding information about Jeffrey Epstein, calling it a “line in the sand” and accusing the FBI and DOJ of gaslighting the public—an episode that mentioned Epstein over 40 times and reflects growing frustration among Trump’s own media allies, further deepening the political fallout surrounding the ongoing Epstein scandal.
Trump asked a U.S. court to swiftly depose Rupert Murdoch in his defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over a 17 July article claiming Trump’s name appeared on a 2003 birthday greeting for Jeffrey Epstein; calling the letter “fake,” Trump alleged the Journal acted with “actual malice” and that Murdoch, who he says promised to “take care of it” before publication, should be compelled to testify within 15 days—U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles has ordered Murdoch to respond by 4 August.
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to defund Planned Parenthood, ordering that the organization must continue receiving Medicaid reimbursements nationwide while it challenges efforts to strip its funding through provisions in Trump’s signature tax legislation.
A gunman opened fire at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, on July 28, 2025, killing two people and injuring several others before being wounded in an officer-involved shooting and taken into custody; the incident began near the resort’s valet area and extended to other parts of the property, with four people hospitalized for gunshot wounds and three others injured.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou condemned the new US-EU trade deal negotiated by Donald Trump as a “dark day” for Europe, accusing the bloc of capitulating to Trump’s tariff threats; the agreement imposes a 15% tariff on most EU exports—triple the current rate—to avoid a harsher 30% duty, prompting backlash from France while Germany and Italy welcomed it as a necessary compromise to avert a trade war, though economists and EU officials widely view the outcome as heavily skewed in Trump’s favor.
According to NBC News, attack drones will be deployed at select U.S. schools to stop school shooters in emergencies, by Campus Guardian Angel, a company founded by U.S. military and defense contractors.
Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” introduces the largest cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in its 86-year history, slashing an estimated $187 billion over the next decade and jeopardizing food assistance for over 42 million Americans—particularly harming small, rural grocery stores that rely on SNAP to survive, while economists warn the cuts may reduce jobs, deepen food insecurity, and create new food deserts across the U.S.
In the Turks and Caicos Islands’ first recorded mass shooting, three young men were killed and 10 others injured at a popular nightspot on Providenciales island; authorities suspect gang-related violence concentrated in Haitian communities and have urged cooperation to combat illegal gun trafficking, while the hospital was placed on lockdown and at least two victims were flown abroad for treatment.
Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) announced his 2026 Senate bid to unseat Democrat Jon Ossoff, joining a competitive GOP primary that includes Rep. Buddy Carter; Collins, a Trump ally who sponsored the Laken Riley Act—the first law signed in Trump’s second term—emphasized his Georgia roots and blue-collar background as a trucker, while both GOP candidates seek Trump’s endorsement in a race viewed as a key pickup opportunity for Republicans in a favorable Senate map.
Saudi Arabia and France launched a three-day UN conference aimed at securing international recognition of Palestinian statehood as part of a broader effort to end the war in Gaza, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot declaring a two-state solution as the only viable path to peace and Saudi Arabia pledging $300 million in aid to Gaza and the West Bank.
The conference is co-chaired by 16 other countries, including the UK, which has not yet recognized Palestine but faces growing domestic pressure; over 220 MPs have urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take decisive action, and government sources suggest formal recognition is a matter of “when, not if.”
Starmer, who met with Trump in Scotland, pressed the U.S. to support increased humanitarian aid and to pressure Israel over worsening starvation in Gaza—conditions that two leading Israeli human rights groups now describe as genocide.
Israel condemned both Macron’s recognition plans and the Saudi-French-led UN conference, arguing that such moves “reward terror” and distract from efforts to dismantle Hamas and free hostages.
Good News:
In Seldovia, Alaska, a 15-foot minke whale stranded on rocks for six hours was saved by a group of locals who formed a bucket brigade to keep it wet, using seawater and beach towels until the tide returned; believed to have been poisoned by an algal bloom, the whale likely would have died within 20 minutes without intervention, but thanks to the community’s quick and compassionate response, it survived and was later seen swimming freely in the area.
A Florida woman rescued an abandoned pit bull mix puppy named Lola after spotting her at the edge of the woods near her neighborhood, later finding her the perfect home with a retired couple grieving the loss of their own dog; after recovering from health issues and settling into a 20-acre farm, Lola now thrives with her new family—proving to be a healing force for both her rescuers and adopters in a heartwarming story of second chances.
