Good evening everyone. We are living through extraordinary times, and it is essential that the media, including myself, call this moment for what it is. The Administration’s pledge to deploy the United States military against United States citizens is a direct threat to our democracy. We cannot soften this. The headline is not “Donald Trump orders the National Guard to Portland.” The headline is “Donald Trump declares the United States Military can use full force against American citizens.” How we frame this matters, because the wrong framing risks normalizing something that is not normal.
It is not normal for the United States military to be used with “full force” against civilians. The Pentagon itself is confused and scrambling to understand what this even means. That alone should alarm every American.
This is why independent media is critical right now. I will not normalize this conduct. I will name it for what it is: another attempt by this Administration to stretch and test the limits of the law to see whether the people will push back. I can do this and stay independent, grounded in truth and facts, because of you and your support. Subscribe today to keep it going.
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With that, here’s what you missed:
Pentagon officials are scrambling to interpret President Trump’s vague declaration about sending “full force” to Portland, noting that the phrase is not standard military terminology and leaves unclear whether he means deploying active-duty troops, calling in the National Guard, or invoking the Insurrection Act despite no evidence of a rebellion; as of now, they have no concrete guidance to provide.
Despite claims that Portland is a “war zone” new video from Senator Ron Wyden shows a peaceful scene right outside of ICE offices in the heart of the city.
US defense secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered hundreds of generals and admirals to a meeting in Virginia, sparking fears of firings or demotions, where he will deliver an address on military standards and the “warrior ethos.”
The Justice Department has subpoenaed travel records of Fulton County DA Fani Willis, who brought the 2023 Georgia election interference case against Trump; the scope of the probe and whether Willis is a target remain unclear, but the move follows Trump’s public demands to investigate political opponents and comes after Willis was disqualified from the case over her relationship with a special prosecutor.
The FBI has fired about 20 agents—15 of them tied to a widely publicized 2020 incident where agents knelt with George Floyd protesters in Washington, D.C.—as part of a broader purge under new leadership aligned with Trump’s push to root out “woke” elements; the dismissals, criticized by the FBI Agents Association as violating due process and weakening the Bureau, follow a reassessment of the kneeling episode and come amid ongoing reviews of 1,500 agents’ conduct in politically sensitive cases.
The FBI arrested Joshua Cole in Abilene, Texas, after he allegedly used Facebook to threaten a mass shooting at a Pride parade in retaliation for the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, with authorities emphasizing community safety as the top priority.
President Trump falsely claimed the FBI “secretly placed” 274 agents in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to incite violence, leaning on right-wing media reports that mischaracterized the bureau’s response; DOJ’s inspector general has found no evidence of undercover agents directing the attack, noting instead that FBI personnel were deployed only after the breach to restore order, while Trump continues to downplay the assault and pardon participants despite injuries to 140 police officers.
President Trump demanded Microsoft fire Lisa Monaco, its new president of global affairs and former Biden deputy attorney general, accusing her of endangering national security due to her past role overseeing DOJ investigations into him; the move extends Trump’s retribution campaign against perceived enemies, following his rescission of Monaco’s security clearance and celebration of James Comey’s indictment.
County officials across several states warn that Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will overwhelm underfunded local systems by shifting SNAP administrative costs from a 50-50 federal-local split to 75% local, adding stricter Medicaid/SNAP work and eligibility requirements, and doubling renewal workloads—potentially causing millions to lose benefits, counties to face billions in new costs, and vulnerable people to “fall through the cracks” despite administration claims of cutting fraud and ensuring sustainability.
Justice Clarence Thomas, in a rare public appearance, argued that Supreme Court precedents are not “the gospel” and should be critically reexamined, signaling openness to overturning major longstanding rulings—including those on presidential powers, redistricting, and even same-sex marriage rights—while warning against blindly following past decisions without regard to legal tradition and sound reasoning.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Vladimir Putin is preparing to attack another European country, citing recent Russian drone incursions as tests of NATO’s defenses, and argued that the Kremlin is seeking to widen the conflict beyond Ukraine without waiting for the current war to end.
UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said the world is “on the brink” of a Gaza peace deal after two years of devastating war, pointing to renewed momentum following Donald Trump’s signal that an agreement is within reach, and stressing that the international community has reached a moment where it wants to end the conflict and humanitarian crisis.
Northwestern University has barred at least 300 students from enrolling in classes after they refused to complete a mandatory antisemitism training video, which students criticized as factually inaccurate, biased toward Israel, and likely to inflame campus tensions over Gaza; the refusal leaves students’ jobs, visas, stipends, and health insurance at risk, though many said they remain unwilling to comply.
A political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, for actor-turned-politician Vijay turned deadly when a massive crowd crush killed at least 36 people—including eight children and 16 women—and injured more than 50; chaos erupted as Vijay tried to aid fainting supporters, prompting police intervention, with state leaders announcing compensation and an inquiry, while the tragedy highlighted recurring safety failures at his rallies despite restrictions.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
