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July 2, 2026
Trump hijacked US's 250 anniversary to serve 'political ideology and pet projects', congressional report says
(The Guardian) Donald Trump staged a hostile takeover of the US’s 250th anniversary celebration to enrich political allies, harvest voter data and promote Christian nationalist ideology, according to a congressional investigation released on Thursday. The interim report, “From Vanity to Insanity: How the White House Cheated the American People Out of Their 250th Birthday”, outlines a web of alleged corruption, wire fraud and pay-to-play schemes orchestrated through a shadow corporation embedded within the National Park Foundation (NPF).
Go to discussionU.S. Air Force Officer Arrested on Capitol Steps for Call to Impeach Trump: 'The Bill Must Come Due'
(Mediaite) Air Force Major Jason Watson was arrested on the Capitol Steps after delivering a speech calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Watson listed several perceived crimes committed by the president and vice president, including unconstitutional military actions and granting sweeping authority to unelected individuals. Watson was joined by various individuals and organizations in his call for impeachment, with Free Speech for People praising his courage and commitment to upholding the Constitution.
Go to discussionU.S. economy added 57,000 jobs in June, less than expected; unemployment rate at 4.2%
(CNBC) The U.S. economy saw job creation cool sharply heading into the summer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday. Nonfarm payrolls for June increased by a seasonally adjusted 57,000 for the month, slower than the downwardly revised 129,000 added in May and worse than the 115,000 Dow Jones consensus forecast.
Go to discussionSoaring revenue at Mar-a-Lago shows how Trump's business interests and politics intersect
(CNN) As President Donald Trump’s wealth has soared since retaking office, a new financial disclosure shows his two premier Florida resorts have also delivered record-breaking surges in revenue – a potent illustration of how Trump’s personal business and presidential politics overlap. Trump has visited the properties, Mar-a-Lago and Trump National Doral, more than two dozen times since the beginning of last year, hosting million-dollar-per-plate fundraising dinners, feting foreign dignitaries and welcoming GOP galas as industry leaders and political groups have scrambled to book their own events there as well.
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Trump vows to give long July 4 address even if it is 107 degrees
(The Hill) President Trump on Wednesday vowed that he will deliver a long speech on the National Mall for the U.S.’s 250th birthday, even as forecasters anticipate temperatures climbing to 107 degrees. “By the way, on July 4th, it’s going to be approximately 107 degrees out, and I’m going to go, and I’m going to make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything,” Trump said during his appearance at the opening ceremony for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, N.D.
Go to discussionJon Ossoff Opens Big Lead in Georgia
(Political Wire) A new Fox News poll finds Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) leading challenger Mike Collins (R) in his re-election campaign, 56% to 43%.
Go to discussionOpenAI proposes 5% stake to Trump administration to ease Washington pressure: report
(CNBC) OpenAI has proposed handing the U.S. government a 5% stake in the company, the Financial Times reported Thursday, as the artificial intelligence startup seeks to defuse mounting political pressure in Washington. ... A 5% holding would be worth roughly $42.6 billion, after the AI fab closed a record-breaking funding round in March at a post-money valuation of $852 billion.
Go to discussionTrump plan will destroy DC's 'oldest grove of cherry trees' for golf practice: report
(Raw Story) A new Washington Post report says President Donald Trump's golf course redevelopment plan would destroy "Washington's oldest grove of cherry trees," the sole survivors of Japan's original 1910 gift to America. Photos from Trump's Sunday tour of East Potomac Golf Links showed plans far larger than the government had publicly admitted, the Post said. The trees — planted in 1910 and more than twice the species' expected maximum age — sit on an area that the plans would raze for a practice facility.
Go to discussionChicago FBI chief leaving unexpectedly, raising eyebrows amid feds' ongoing credibility crisis
(Chicago Sun-Times) Chicago FBI boss Douglas S. DePodesta will leave his job after the Fourth of July holiday, an unexpected move causing further tumult in the city’s federal law enforcement community, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. His last day on the job will be Monday, according to a law enforcement source. The FBI’s Rapid Response social media account late Wednesday said, “It’s simple: Anyone who is not on board with THIS FBI under the leadership of President Trump — which has achieved the lowest murder rate ever — is free to leave.”
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