Trump says TikTok concerns “overrated,” no plans to shut it down

President Trump says there are no plans to shut down TikTok. The president calls national security and privacy concerns related to TikTok and its Chinese parent company “highly overrated.” He used to have concerns, but doesn’t anymore. Congress passed a ban on the popular video-sharing platform, but the president says he’ll keep extending the shutdown deadline until there’s a buyer.

Trump threatens removal of Washington, DC mayor

President Trump is threatening to remove the mayor of Washington, DC. After ordering a federal takeover of the DC police force, the president is boasting about a safer nation’s capital. And he has a warning for Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser: “Mayor Bowser better get her act straight or she won’t be mayor very long because we take it over with the Federal Government running it like it’s supposed to be run.” Meanwhile, the Pentagon has ordered National Guard troops patrolling the streets of DC to start carrying firearms.

Judge: former Trump lawyer serving unlawfully as NJ prosecutor

A judge says former Trump lawyer Alina Habba has been unlawfully serving as US attorney in New Jersey. Habba’s term as the interim U-S attorney ended on July 26th, but the Trump administration took steps to keep her in the role without getting Senate confirmation. And now, a federal judge says Habba, who once served as Donald Trump’s personal defense attorney, has been serving unlawfully as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor. The judge put his order on hold pending an appeal.

Court dismisses huge penalty in Trump’s NY fraud case

An appeals court has dismissed a massive civil fraud penalty against President Trump in New York.
Donald Trump will not have to pay the more than 515 million dollars in penalties even though an appeals court upheld a judge’s finding that he engaged in fraud. The five-judge panel said the monetary penalty was “excessive.” The president, who had argued the case was politically motivated, declared victory after learning the news. However, the court upheld other punishments, including banning the president and his two eldest sons from serving in corporate leadership for a few years.

Trump threatens California school funding over trans policies

President Trump is threatening to cut off funding for all California schools over transgender policies. In a post on his social media platform, the president said any California school district that does not adhere to his administration’s transgender policies will not receive federal funding. He gave no other details. In July, the Trump administration sued California over its policy to allow transgender athletes to compete in girls’ school sports, alleging that it was a violation of federal anti-discrimination laws.

US-EU trade deal includes 15% tariffs on most European goods

The U-S and European Union have announced some details of their trade deal, including tariff rates. According to a joint statement from both sides, the US-EU trade deal imposes a 15 percent import tax on most European goods exported to the U-S. And those goods will include pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. That’s noteworthy because President Trump had threatened tariffs on those industries as high as 250 percent. The trade document is a “first step” as the two sides continue talks about wine, spirits, and steel.

Trump calls on Federal Reserve governor to resign

White House launches TikTok account despite nat’l security concerns

The Trump White House has created a TikTok account despite national security concerns about the video-sharing app. President Trump once supported a TikTok ban, but he embraced the technology during his 2024 campaign. Here in his second term, the president has signed three executive orders this year delaying a TikTok ban, even though it was approved by Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, the White House launched its own TikTok account featuring a video from Donald Trump declaring “I am your voice.”

Ukraine urges security guarantees as Russian missiles hit

Ukraine’s president says the latest Russian air strikes show the need for “strong security guarantees.”
As Russia continues to carry out missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, President Zelensky said the attacks “only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow.” He wants new “sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential.” As President Trump tries to arrange a face-to-face meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, NATO defense chiefs are discussing possible future security guarantees that could lead to a peace agreement.

White House says Putin promised Trump to meet with Zelensky

The White House says Russia’s Vladimir Putin promised President Trump he would have a direct meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky. The Kremlin has not yet said whether Putin signed off on face-to-face talks with the Ukrainian leader. But the White House says Putin promised Donald Trump.
After meeting with European leaders on Monday, the president spoke to Putin by phone. The Trump administration is now arranging a Zelensky-Putin meeting, followed by three-way talks if necessary.

Trump is seeking peace in Ukraine in order to go to heaven

President Trump apparently has an eye on the afterlife as he pursues peace between Russia and Ukraine.
The president told Fox News that he’s trying to end the Russia Ukraine war, at least in part, because he wanted to go to heaven. And White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt doesn’t think he was joking. She said the president was serious. However, the New Testament book of Ephesians makes clear that salvation is the result of grace through faith, not by works.

Trump will not send U.S. ground troops to secure Ukraine

President Trump says he will not send U-S troops to Ukraine. At Monday’s summit with Ukraine’s president and European leaders, Donald Trump said the U-S will help the European effort to secure Ukraine. And he did not rule out sending American troops. That promise of support was praised by European and NATO leaders. But during a Fox News interview on Tuesday, the president offered his assurances that U-S forces won’t be defending Ukraine’s border.

After Ukraine-EU talks, Trump arranging Putin-Zelensky meeting

President Trump is making plans for the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to meet face-to-face. After hosting White House talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky and a contingent of European leaders, the president said he called Russia’s Vladimir Putin and “began the arrangements” for a Putin-Zelensky meeting. The president also said he would attend a three-way meeting with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders after their one-on-one talks.

European leaders urge ceasefire, security guarantees for Ukraine

European leaders told President Trump they want a ceasefire in the Russia Ukraine war and they welcome U-S support for security guarantees. During high-level White House talks with NATO and European leaders, President Trump said ending the Russia Ukraine war is within reach. Ukrainian President Zelensky welcomed a meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, while German Chancellor Merz emphasized the need for a ceasefire. The NATO secretary said Europe views U-S support for Ukrainian security guarantees as a “breakthrough.”

Trump vows to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines

President Trump is vowing more changes to the way U-S elections are conducted. The president is speaking out, once again, about doing away with mail-in ballots, which are used by about one-third of all American voters. He also wants to eliminate voting machines. According to the Constitution, Congress has the authority to determine the “time, place and manner” of elections.

Trump, Zelensky hope meeting will lead to 3-way talks with Putin

President Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Zelensky back to the White House in a bid to end the Russia Ukraine war. Sitting side by side in the Oval Office, the two presidents expressed hope that White House talks, which include European leaders, could lead to a future three-way meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Donald Trump also said he supports European security guarantees for Ukraine, though he stopped short of committing U-S troops to the effort.

Newsmax pays $67 million to settle 2020 election lawsuit

The conservative network Newsmax has settled a lawsuit stemming from the 2020 presidential election.
Newsmax agreed to pay 67 million dollars to settle a lawsuit accusing it of defaming a voting equipment company by spreading lies about President Trump’s 2020 election loss. The settlement comes after Fox News Channel paid more than three-quarters of a billion dollars to settle a similar lawsuit in 2023. In a statement, Newsmax said it stands by its news coverage. President Trump continues to claim that the 2020 election was rigged against him.

European, NATO leaders to join Ukraine’s Zelensky at White House meeting

President Trump will host Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House for talks on ending the Russia Ukraine war. The talks come on the heels of Donald Trump’s meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Zelensky will be joined here in Washington by several NATO and European leaders. Ahead of the White House meeting, administration officials said the U-S and European allies could offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO’s collective defense mandate. It’s unclear how committed President Trump would be to such a guarantee given his criticism of past U-S financial support for Ukraine.

Three GOP-led states deploy National Guard members to Washington, DC

Three Republican-led states are deploying hundreds of members of their National Guard to Washington, DC. Governors in West Virginia, Ohio, and South Carolina announced they’re sending troops from their states to assist the Trump administration’s takeover of the District of Columbia’s police department. As many as 750 additional National Guard members will join their counterparts in Washington. Last week, President Trump activated the DC National Guard to aid local law enforcement in what the White House calls an effort to crack down on crime and homelessness in the nation’s capital.

Trump drops demand for ceasefire in Ukraine after meeting with Putin

President Trump has dropped his demand for a Russia Ukraine ceasefire after meeting with Vladimir Putin. The president had been pushing for a ceasefire as a requirement for further negotiations toward ending the three-and-a-half year war in Ukraine. But after holding talks with Putin in Alaska, Donald Trump has dropped that demand. He’s now in line with Putin, who doesn’t want a temporary truce. The president wants to go directly to a peace agreement — and will hold talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House on Monday.

Trump puts personal stamp on Kennedy Center Honors

President Trump is putting his personal stamp on the Kennedy Center and its annual awards program.
Earlier this year, the president installed himself as chairman of the famed Kennedy Center and replaced the board with his supporters. This past week, he personally announced the recipients of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors and revealed that he will host the ceremony in December. Donald Trump has complained of a “woke” agenda at the Kennedy Center and in DC’s cultural institutions, including the National Endowment of the Humanities and the Smithsonian museums.

Trump considers reclassifying marijuana as less dangerous drug

President Trump is taking a new look at reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. The president said he’s looking at the pros and cons of changing the way the federal government regulates marijuana. MAGA supporter and Trump ally Charlie Kirk opposes reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug, complaining that “everything already smells like weed.” He wrote online he hopes this doesn’t happen.” The president said he plans to decide in the coming weeks.

Trump’s birth control religious exemption struck down

A judge has struck down President Trump’s religious exemption to birth control coverage. During his first term, the president put in place rules that exempt employers with religious or moral objections from having to provide workers with insurance coverage for birth control. But a federal judge in Philadelphia said the 2018 rules were not justified, rejecting the Trump administration’s claims that they were necessary to protect the rights of religious employers. Little Sisters of the Poor, a Roman Catholic order of nuns that intervened in the case to defend the rules, will appeal the ruling.

At Alaska summit, Trump and Putin unable to reach Ukraine deal

At their summit in Alaska, Presidents Trump and Putin failed to reach a deal to end the Ukraine war. Heading into their face-to-face talks, Donald Trump said his goal was to have Russia’s Vladimir Putin agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine. But no agreement was made. He said the two leaders made “great progress” in their talks, but neither he nor Putin offered any details. Following their meeting, the presidents made brief statements and ended what was supposed to be a joint press conference without taking questions from reporters.