What to know today
- JEFFREY EPSTEIN: Democrats on the House Oversight Committee this afternoon posted an image of the message Trump reportedly sent to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in a 2003 "birthday book."
- SUPREME COURT DECISIONS: The Supreme Court blocked a federal judge’s ruling that restricted federal officers’ ability to conduct immigration stops in the Los Angeles area. The court also allowed Trump to fire a member of the independent Federal Trade Commission while litigation continues.
- TRUMP POLLS: Americans’ views of Trump’s job performance remain negative amid his administration’s actions on tariffs, immigration and public health, according to the latest NBC News Decision Desk Poll.
Sen. Rand Paul fires back at former CDC official who called him a 'bigoted bully'
Sen. Rand Paul this afternoon shot back at a former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official who recently criticized the Kentucky Republican.
Referring to Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who resigned as head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases after the firing of the CDC's director, Paul wrote on X that he realizes "too many at the CDC didn't like science."
"But I do, and I went to medical school too. It’s way past time to follow true science at our public health agencies, and getting rid of non scientific leftist activists like this clown is a good way to start," he wrote.
Paul, a former ophthalmologist, linked to a video interview on CNN in which Daskalakis called the GOP senator a "bigoted bully."
Daskalakis was among several senior officials at the CDC who resigned from the agency after CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired.
He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Paul's post.
Trump trade and immigration agendas collide in Hyundai raid
Two key components of Trump’s agenda collided last week when federal authorities launched an immigration raid on a Georgia construction site for a Hyundai electric vehicle battery plant.
The action came as Trump looks to secure $350 billion in investments from South Korea, as part of a broader trade deal. He is also seeking to revitalize U.S. domestic manufacturing with American-born workers while his administration arrests and deports foreign-born laborers.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The raid, which led to the arrest of nearly 500 workers, more than 300 of whom were South Korean nationals, set off alarm bells in Seoul, which is now working with U.S. law enforcement to return those workers home.
House Democrats release lewd birthday message Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein
House Democrats today posted on X an image of a birthday message that Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.
Trump has denied having anything to do with the card, which was included in a leather-bound book of birthday messages for the late convicted sex offender’s 50th birthday.
The book was among the documents that the House Oversight Committee had subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate last month.
Trump praises West Point for reportedly canceling ceremony honoring Tom Hanks
Trump is publicly cheering the reported cancellation of a ceremony honoring actor Tom Hanks at the prestigious U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Hanks was to receive the 2025 Sylvanus Thayer Award later this month by the West Point Association of Graduates, according to a June statement from the alumni group. The award was set to recognize Hanks’ work throughout his film career that supported “veterans, the military, and America’s space program.”
But the ceremony is no longer taking place, according to an email obtained by The Washington Post. The email was reportedly sent to faculty by retired Army Col. Mark Bieger, the association president, announcing the cancellation. However, the email did not clarify if the award was still being given to Hanks.
Johnson clarifies earlier remarks that Trump was an 'FBI informant' in the Epstein case
Reporting from Washington
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., clarified his remarks from last week when he said Trump was an “FBI informant” against Jeffrey Epstein.
“What I was referring to in that long conversation was what the victim’s attorney said more than a decade ago: President Trump kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago and he was one of the only people, one of the only prominent people, as everyone has reported, not President Trump, but everybody about him, that he was willing to help law enforcement go after this guy who was a disgusting child abuser, sex trafficker, all the allegations, that’s what they heard,” Johnson told reporters as he entered the Capitol today.
“I don’t know if I used the right word. I said FBI informant. I’m not sure, I wasn’t there. This isn’t my lane. I’m just repeating what is common knowledge and has been out in the public for a long time,” he said.
Trump has not been referred to as an FBI informant in the Epstein case over the years.
Pressed by an NBC News reporter on why Trump keeps using the term “hoax” to describe the Epstein situation, Johnson said Trump is referring to “Democrats’ use of this terrible, horrific situation for political purposes.”
Trump posts video of anti-vaccine activists calling vaccines 'poison'
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform an undated video clip of anti-vaccine activists Mark and David Geier discussing thimerosal in vaccines with the text on the clipped video reading: “They’re ALL poison. Every. Single. One.”
David Geier has been leading an inquiry within HHS, at the direction of Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., into the debunked link between vaccines and autism.
Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, has been a longtime target of anti-vaccine activists. Thimerosal was removed from nearly all vaccines made in the U.S. in 2001. The exception was multi-dose flu shot vials, but over the summer a Kennedy-appointed panel recommended that people only get single-dose, thimerosal-free flu shots.
Regulators revoked Dr. Mark Geier's medical license in 2012 and disciplined David Geier for practicing medicine without a license.
Trump on Friday told reporters that "you have to be very careful when you say that some people don’t have to be vaccinated. It’s a very, very tough position."
He added: "Look, you have vaccines that work. They’re just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all. And I think those vaccines should be used. Otherwise, some people are going to catch it and they endanger other people. And when you don’t have controversy at all, I think people should take it."
His comments came a day after Kennedy was grilled in Congress about his own anti-vaccine rhetoric.
House Oversight Democrats say the committee has received files from the Epstein estate
The House Oversight Committee has received files from the Jeffrey Epstein estate, according to a spokesperson for the Democrats on the committee.
The estate is expected to include the so-called birthday book in the materials it turns over in redacted form to the committee.
NBC News has asked the Republicans on the committee how quickly they could release the new materials to the public but has not received a response.
Federal appeals court says states did not have standing to sue over probationary worker layoffs
A federal appeals court ruled 2-1 that the 19 states and D.C. that sued the Trump administration over the layoffs of probationary federal workers did not have standing to pursue the lawsuit because the employees who suffered the harm were “nowhere to be found in this case.”
Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote that the decision the judges were making was a particularly narrow one and did not deal with the merits of the case itself.
"Many people regard these sudden terminations as a harsh and dislocating action that works significant hardship on many civil servants — individuals who committed their considerable energy and talents to serving the nation," Wilkinson wrote. "Others regard these terminations as part of a long-overdue effort to downsize the federal government and trim unnecessary expenses."
“This clash of views must ultimately be resolved by the voters,” the judge wrote.
Judge DeAndrea Gist Benjamin dissented, suggesting the majority “ignored the real harms asserted by the States,” adding that “the States clearly have standing to challenge the process by which the Government has engaged in mass firings.”
Appeals court upholds E. Jean Carroll’s $83 million judgment against Trump
A federal appeals court today rejected President Donald Trump’s appeal of writer E. Jean Carroll’s defamation verdict against the president, leaving him on the hook for the $83 million judgment.
“[W]e conclude that Trump has failed to identify any grounds that would warrant reconsidering our prior holding on presidential immunity. We also conclude that the district court did not err in any of the challenged rulings and that the jury’s damages awards are fair and reasonable,” the ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said.
ICE to launch operation in Chicago, DHS says
Immigration and Customs Enforcement will launch an operation in Chicago targeting undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes, the Department of Homeland Security announced today.
"This ICE operation will target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets," the news release said.
The operation is dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, and the department said it would be in honor of Katie Abraham, who DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said "was killed in Illinois by a criminal illegal alien who should have never been in our country."
The president has been talking for weeks about possibly ordering federal authorities to assist the city with law enforcement. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, however, have slammed the possibility of Trump deploying federal law enforcement personnel to the city.
White House posts link to 'America Prays' website
Following the president's remarks at the Museum of the Bible, the White House posted a link on X to the website of the administration's new "America Prays" initiative.
"As we prepare to celebrate 250 years of freedom, President Trump is inviting America’s great faith communities to pray for our nation & for our people," the post said.
The site links to a video of remarks Trump made in July in which he makes a similar invitation, saying, "From the beginning, this has always been a country sustained and strengthened by prayer."
The initiative asks 1 million Americans to dedicate one hour a week to pray for “our country and our people.” It also invites people to join with “at least 10 people to meet each week for one hour to pray for America.”
The website provides resources and ideas for times of prayer, as well as a document of prayers and proclamations throughout American history. The website ends with a list of initial participating organizations.
Trump to attend Yankees-Tigers game in NYC on 9/11
Trump will attend the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers evening baseball game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Thursday, the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a White House official said.
Earlier that day, Trump will attend a memorial event at the Pentagon, while Vice President JD Vance will attend a ceremony at Ground Zero in Manhattan.
The New York Post first reported the president would attend the baseball game.
The White House is exploring how to keep Trump’s tariffs if the Supreme Court strikes them down
Reporting from Washington
After losing in lower courts, President Donald Trump plans to take his case for the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs to the Supreme Court and the public square.
But his aides have also explored alternative methods for imposing import taxes on foreign goods, according to a senior White House official and two people familiar with the internal discussions.
Supreme Court lifts limits on roving immigration patrols in Los Angeles area
Reporting from Washington
The Supreme Court today blocked a federal judge’s ruling that restricted federal officers’ ability to conduct immigration stops in the Los Angeles area.
The decision to grant an emergency request filed by the Trump administration puts on hold the July 11 ruling by Los Angeles-based U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong.
The court was divided, with its three liberals dissenting.
When Trump has gone to church during his second term
During his remarks at the Museum of the Bible, Trump emphasized the importance of listening to people of faith and dedicated part of the event to criticizing his predecessor.
"You're the people that I want to hear from. That's why we go to church on Sundays, or we go to wherever we are to listen to people of faith," Trump said.
Trump has most recently publicly been to church on Jan. 20 and 21, around his inauguration. During his Jan. 21 church visit, the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde urged him to "have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now." The president later lashed out at her on Truth Social, calling her "nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart," and asked her to apologize.
Former President Joe Biden, who Trump criticized during his remarks today, attended Mass on most weekends during his term.
Trump says he's 'waiting for a call from Chicago' to request federal help in combating crime
Trump said in his remarks at a meeting of his administration's Religious Liberty Commission that he's waiting for officials in Illinois to request assistance from the federal government to combat crime in Chicago.
"We're waiting for a call from Chicago. We'll fix Chicago. And again, D.C. is right now so safe," Trump said.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, have vehemently rejected Trump's threats to send in federal agents to the city.
Trump detailed in a post on Truth Social recent crime statistics in Chicago.
"Governor Pritzker just stated that he doesn’t want Federal Government HELP! WHY??? What is wrong with this guy, and the 5% in Polls Mayor," he wrote, referring to Johnson. "I want to help the people of Chicago, not hurt them. Only the Criminals will be hurt! We can move fast and stop this madness. The City and State have not been able to do the job. People of Illinois should band together and DEMAND PROTECTION. IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE!!! ACT NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!!"
Speaking to reporters yesterday, the president said he would made a decision about where next to send federal law enforcement personnel in the coming days.
"Chicago is a very dangerous place, and we have a governor that doesn’t care about crime, I guess," Trump said. "We could solve Chicago very quickly, but we’re going to make a decision as to where we go over the next day or two."
Supreme Court allows Trump to fire FTC commissioner
The Supreme Court today allowed Trump to fire a member of the Federal Trade Commission despite a federal law that is intended to restrict the White House’s power to control the agency.
The court, via an order issued by Chief Justice John Roberts, temporarily blocked a judge’s ruling that reinstated Rebecca Kelly Slaughter while the case continues.
Trump on domestic abuse: 'Much lesser things, things that take place in the home, they call crime'
Trump appeared to dismiss reporting domestic abuse in touting D.C.'s crime statistics since he ordered a federal intervention in the city, suggesting the political motivations of his opponents are at play.
"Much lesser things, things that take place in the home, they call crime. You know, they'll do anything they can to find something," Trump said.
"If a man has a little fight with the wife, they say, 'This was a crime, see?' So now I can't claim 100%," Trump said, referring to the drop in crime he would like to see.
According to a 2024 D.C. domestic violence report, "domestic violence fatalities have made up on average 8.7% of homicides in the District" over the last decade.
The report also indicated that about 47.4% of women and 43% of men in D.C. "have been physically or sexually assaulted or stalked by an intimate partner in their lifetime."
Trump says 58 homeless encampments were removed in D.C.
Trump said in his remarks that 58 homeless encampments in D.C. have been removed since his federalization of law enforcement in the nation's capital last month.
"We had over 58 tent cities that we took down right in the middle of our parks — right next to our great building Supreme Court," Trump said. "You'd have a tent city right there, and nobody would ever tell them to do it."
Trump spoke about the removal of a blue tent that was set up in Lafayette Square near the White House, which was actually part of a peace vigil that had existed for more than 40 years.
“That’s been there for years. It’s been there for many years. We took it down, came down very quickly,” he said, which drew laughter from the audience.
Trump addresses Annunciation Catholic Church shooting
In his remarks at the Museum of the Bible, Trump addressed the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting in Minneapolis, which left two children dead and 21 other people injured.
"I've made clear, Attorney General Pam Bondi is working really hard that we must get answers about the causes of these repeated attacks, and we're working very, very hard on that," Trump said. "The Trump administration will have no tolerance for terrorism or political violence, and that includes hate crimes against Christians, Jews or anybody else."
The Trump administration has not formally proposed to Congress any new legislation to combat mass shootings.
Trump says Biden was 'mean,' citing prosecutions of Jan. 6 rioters
Trump said in his remarks that former President Joe Biden and other officials in his administration were "mean," "radical" and "horrible," and cited the prosecutions of his supporters who attacked police officers during the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
"What they did to people, what they did to J6, what they did to so many people — they were mean people. These were really radical, horrible people," Trump said.
He claimed Biden "wasn't that way 20 years ago. He was never the brightest bulb in the ceiling, but he was a man who wasn't overly mean that I saw, but boy, he became really mean, and his administration was one of the meanest we've ever had."
Trump issued about 1,500 pardons at the beginning of his second term to Jan. 6 rioters and commuted the sentences of 14 of his supporters who participated in the attack.
Trump asks Supreme Court to allow $4 billion in foreign aid cuts
The Trump administration today asked the Supreme Court to allow the government to withhold $4 billion of spending on foreign aid that was approved by Congress.
The move came in response to a federal judge’s ruling last week that requires the administration to spend it despite President Donald Trump notifying Congress he intends not to.
House Oversight Committee expected to receive so-called Jeffrey Epstein birthay book
This afternoon, the House Oversight Committee expects to receive a redacted copy of the so-called Jeffrey Epstein birthday book from Epstein's estate. They also expect to receive some of the other documents for which the committee's chairman, Rep. James Comer, subpoenaed the estate.
Later this week, a bipartisan group of lawyers on the committee are expected to visit the estate offices in New York City to view unredacted documents, including the unredacted version of the birthday book and other files like flight and phone logs.
Trump says the Education Department to issue new guidance on prayer in schools
Trump announced in remarks at a meeting of his administration's Religious Liberty Commission that the Department of Education would issue new guidance "protecting the right to prayer in our public schools."
The president did not provide further details on what the guidance entails.
Trump announced that his family Bible will be displayed in museum
Trump announced that his family Bible would be displayed in the Museum of the Bible.
"The Bible is also an important part of the American story. That's why I'm delighted to announce that just moments ago, I personally delivered the Trump family Bible, given to me by my mother," Trump said.
"I remember the time she gave it to me, but it was used in both my inaugurations and also display at the museum, and I guess it will now be displayed right in the heart of our nation's capital, right here," the president added.
Trump begins speech at the Museum of the Bible
Trump began his remarks at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. He is delivering a speech to his administration's Religious Liberty Commission, which is holding a hearing on religious freedom in public schools.
Trump says Chicago crackdown is ‘not war’ but ‘common sense’
Trump’s border czar Tom Homan said Chicago will see stepped up immigration enforcement this week and that people can expect action in most sanctuary cities across the country. “We’re not going to war. We’re going to clean up our cities. We’re going to clean them up so they don’t kill five people every weekend. That’s not war. That’s common sense,” Trump said. It comes as massive crowds gather in Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., in protest. NBC’s Garrett Haake reports for "Today."
Trump to announce prayer initiative tied to nation's 250th anniversary
Trump will announce the launch of a prayer initiative dubbed “America Prays” during remarks at a meeting of his administration's Religious Liberty Commission, which is holding a hearing this morning on religious freedom in public schools, a White House official said.
The president will tie the faith-driven initiative to the nation’s 250th birthday next year.
“President Trump has revived one of America’s most prominent and powerful founding principles — we are one nation under God," White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said. "As we approach the 250th anniversary of the greatest country in the world, President Trump invites Americans to pray for our nation and for our people. America is stronger with the power of prayer.”
Fox News first reported the initiative, saying it will call on Americans "to dedicate time every week to pray for the country and to underscore faith as central to the nation’s founding and future.”
The initiative also will suggest people "join with at least 10 others each week to pray,” the news outlet reported.
Trump issues ‘last warning’ to Hamas to accept hostage deal
President Donald Trump yesterday issued what he called his “last warning” to Hamas, urging the Palestinian militant group to accept a deal to release hostages from Gaza.
“The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. “I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!”
Trump ready for ‘phase 2’ sanctions as Russia bombards Ukraine
Russia attacked a power facility in Ukraine as it continues its bombardment in and around the capital. It comes one day after Russia hit Ukraine with its largest air attack of the war so far. At least four people were killed. Trump indicated yesterday that he’s ready to move to phase two of sanctions against Russia.
‘He’s one of us’: How Trump is trying to influence New York’s mayoral race
Trump and his allies are eager to quickly consolidate the mayoral field in New York City from three major candidates running against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani to a one-on-one fight.
That effort, which spilled into public view last week, marks the latest episode in which the president has sought increased control and influence over the affairs of major U.S. cities — including Chicago and Washington, D.C.
But if the past week is any indication, it won’t come easily.
Trump helps pad JD Vance’s political fund as questions about 2028 loom
As Trump continues to stockpile cash to exert his influence in next year’s midterm elections and beyond, he’s sharing a modest — but notable — sum with his No. 2.
Many of Trump’s recent fundraising emails, as well as the donation button on his official website, direct contributors to make donations that kick 5% of the total to Vice President JD Vance’s PAC, Working for Ohio.
The setup netted the former Ohio senator’s committee $245,000 in May and June alone, according to a campaign finance disclosure.
That’s a helpful haul for a vice president who spends much of his political time fundraising for the Republican National Committee, for which he is finance chair, or other Trump-affiliated entities. Importantly, the setup also provides Vance’s political committee with valuable data about active Trump donors — data that could be useful in a future White House campaign and started coming in as Vance’s PAC otherwise sat on the back burner.
Poll: Most Americans oppose political parties drawing election lines
Politicians are moving quickly on partisan redistricting efforts in several states to shape the 2026 midterm elections. But a large majority of Americans — including those living in the critical states of Texas and California — oppose political parties controlling the drawing of congressional maps.
The findings in the latest NBC News Decision Desk Poll powered by SurveyMonkey were gathered amid Texas Republicans’ successful effort to redraw their 2026 congressional map to boost GOP chances of keeping the U.S. House majority next year. That move, at Trump’s urging, set off an arms race of off-cycle redistricting that now includes efforts by California Democrats and Republicans in other states. Political districts are usually redrawn at the beginning of each decade, after the census.
Poll: Gen Z’s gender divide reaches beyond politics and into its views on marriage, children and success
The gender gap between men and women has been a durable fact of life in American politics — and nowhere is this gap larger than among the youngest cohort of American adults, Gen Z.
But it’s not just politics driving the divide. The latest NBC News Decision Desk Poll powered by SurveyMonkey shows how the political gender gap persists alongside different social beliefs between young men and women.
Gender divides within adults ages 18 to 29 show up in questions ranging from how Americans feel about Trump to their views on what constitutes success. Young men and women also feel very different about mental health, cultural issues and questions about gender and the workplace.
Poll: Trump’s job ratings stay negative; Americans express strong support for vaccines
Americans’ views of Trump’s job performance remain negative amid a flurry of activity from his administration on tariffs, immigration and public health, according to the latest NBC News Decision Desk Poll powered by SurveyMonkey.
Notably, the poll shows U.S. adults expressing strong, bipartisan support for vaccines as Trump’s health and human services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has moved to limit certain shots. The poll was conducted before Democratic and some Republican senators sparred with Kennedy over vaccine access during a contentious congressional hearing last week.