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With that, here’s the news:

  • According to the Daily Mail, Ghislaine Maxwell—currently serving 20 years for child sex trafficking and the only person convicted in connection to Jeffrey Epstein—reportedly wants to testify before Congress, claiming she was never offered a plea deal and is willing to share what she knows about Epstein’s trafficking network and his powerful associates.
  • Maxwell has appealed her conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing she should never have been prosecuted due to a 2008 non-prosecution agreement with Jeffrey Epstein that she claims protected co-conspirators; the Trump administration, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, is under pressure as it prepares a response to the appeal by today’s deadline. Their response date has been extended multiple times.
  • Amid growing outrage over the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, Donald Trump said he spoke with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino—who had reportedly considered resigning—to calm tensions, as conservative figures attack Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel over a DOJ memo denying the existence of an Epstein “client list”; Bongino, a longtime Trump ally, has previously voiced skepticism about the government’s transparency in the case.
  • Lawmakers are demanding accountability over the Florida Everglades immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” where hundreds of detainees—many with no criminal charges—are reportedly held in filthy, overcrowded cages with inadequate food, water, and sanitation; despite state claims that the facility is independently run, officials say ICE is fully directing operations, raising serious legal and human rights concerns as a federal lawsuit also targets the camp’s environmental destruction.
  • Undocumented farm workers across the U.S. say they feel “hunted like animals” amid a surge in ICE raids ordered by the Trump administration, which has raised daily arrest quotas and encouraged farmers to oversee immigration enforcement themselves; workers report extreme fear, lost income, and even deaths during raids, like the one in California last week.
  • Donald Trump’s threat to impose 30% tariffs on European imports by August 1 has drawn sharp warnings from EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who said the move would "practically prohibit" transatlantic trade—worth €4.4 billion daily—and derail weeks of near-finalized negotiations, prompting the EU to delay planned retaliatory tariffs and prepare additional countermeasures on €72 billion of U.S. goods.
  • Michigan-based Howard Miller Co., a nearly century-old clock and furniture maker, announced it will shut down due to economic pressures and Trump-era tariffs that raised costs and disrupted the supply chain, marking the end of a major Zeeland industry and affecting around 200 jobs.
  • Donald Trump announced the U.S. will sell Patriot air defense systems and other advanced weapons to Ukraine—with European allies expected to fund the purchase—amid mounting frustration over Russia’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire; calling it “business for us,” Trump said the deal would be paid for in full and marks a shift after failed talks with Putin, whose continued bombings have killed at least six Ukrainian civilians in the past 24 hours.
  • A devastating five-alarm fire at the Gabriel House assisted-living facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, left 9 people dead and at least 30 injured—including 5 firefighters—prompting officials to call it an “unfathomable tragedy” as emergency crews, including dozens of off-duty personnel, battled the late-night blaze.
  • King Charles has invited Donald Trump for a second official state visit in September, making him the first modern elected leader to receive two such honors; the visit was strategically scheduled while Parliament is out of session to prevent him from addressing it.
  • Trump was booed during the national anthem and again while presenting the Club World Cup trophy in New Jersey on Sunday, drawing a colder public reaction despite his diplomatic win in the UK.
  • French President Emmanuel Macron urged the EU to stand firm in defending its interests after Trump threatened sweeping 30% tariffs on EU imports; the EU responded by pausing €21 billion in retaliatory tariffs until Trump’s August 1 deadline.
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Trump plans to overhaul FEMA rather than eliminate it, defending the administration’s handling of the catastrophic Texas floods that have killed over 120 people.
  • Rosie O’Donnell dismissed Trump’s latest threat to strip her of U.S. citizenship, saying she’s just the latest in a long line of public figures targeted by the president for criticism.
  • White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Trump is dissatisfied with current trade deal offers and is prepared to impose tariffs on Mexico and the EU if negotiations don’t improve.
  • An Israeli airstrike in central Gaza on Sunday killed six children and four others at a water collection site, with the military admitting the strike missed its intended target and is now under review.
  • In a separate strike the same day, 12 people were killed at a crowded junction, as UN officials warned that Palestinians in Gaza face "impossible choices" between starvation and the risk of death while trying to access basic aid.
  • A gunman went on a deadly rampage in Lexington, Kentucky, on Sunday, killing two women and injuring three others—including a state trooper—before being fatally shot by police.
  • The suspect allegedly shot the trooper during a traffic stop, carjacked a vehicle, and then opened fire at Richmond Road Baptist Church, where two women, ages 34 and 72, were killed.

    • Good News:

  • During a partial tunnel collapse 450 feet beneath Los Angeles, 27 contractors working on the $500 million Clearwater sanitation project narrowly escaped being trapped when several feet of soil fell from the ceiling; thanks to a small 3–4 foot gap and assistance from 4 colleagues, all 31 workers made it out unharmed, prompting an ongoing Cal/OSHA investigation and a temporary project halt.
  • The Philadelphia Phillies have welcomed a new (and adorable) teammate—Tugger, a 10-week-old yellow Labrador puppy named after Phillies legend Tug McGraw, who will be trained as a service dog for a disabled veteran through a partnership with Warrior Canine Connection and Team Foster, continuing the team’s commitment to supporting veterans through service dog sponsorships.

    • See you this evening.

    — Aaron