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Trump Calls for SCOTUS Rehearing on Birthright Citizenship After TX Hospital Pushes Birth Packages to Foreigners
President Trump announced on July 8, 2026, that he will seek an immediate rehearing by the Supreme Court on its recent decision striking down his executive order limiting birthright citizenship. Trump cited billboards and signs advertising “birth packages” to foreign nationals near the southern border and in Mexico as evidence of exploitation. Mission Regional Medical Center in South Texas had promoted services starting at $3,950 for natural births and $5,525 for C-sections on Spanish-language billboards, with a now-defunct website directing prospects from Mexico. Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into the hospital for potential violations related to birth tourism. The hospital stated the marketing materials are no longer in use due to unintended misunderstanding and that it complies with all laws.
The Post Millennial, The Daily Wire
🏛️ News & Politics
FBI Director Reports Arrest of 113 Foreign Spies
FBI Director Kash Patel announced on July 8 that the bureau arrested 113 active spies from foreign countries. The effort includes the removal of 62 Chinese spies in 2026 alone. Patel highlighted that these actions help keep American technology and defense secrets secure while disrupting operations by adversaries such as the Chinese Communist Party. The announcement referenced ongoing counterintelligence work that has seen arrests jump significantly. It also noted separate successes against cartels and cyber threats. Past cases include espionage involving military information passed to Beijing and other threats detailed in congressional reports.
DOJ Warns State Election Officials of Criminal Penalties for Noncitizen Voting Failures
The Justice Department under the Trump administration sent letters to election officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia warning that they could face criminal prosecution if they knowingly retain noncitizens on voter rolls or allow them to receive and cast ballots in federal elections. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon signed the letters, which cite federal laws requiring officials to maintain accurate records and ensure only eligible U.S. citizens vote. States received five days to outline their compliance plans. Government reviews have identified tens of thousands of noncitizens on voter rolls in some cases, and the DOJ has prosecuted a handful of illegal votes by foreigners. Some officials described the letters as threatening while others defended their existing safeguards.
American Express Set to Break Ground on Tower at Two World Trade Center
American Express will break ground on July 9 for its new tower at Two World Trade Center. This marks a key step in rebuilding the site of the 9/11 attacks after a long effort to secure an anchor tenant for the project. Developer Larry Silverstein will construct the 55-story building for Amex under a ground lease with the Port Authority, though Amex will own the tower rather than lease space in it. The design from Foster + Partners features a glass curtain wall with six exposed corner gardens and three large terraces. Underground work has already started, with the tower expected to emerge above ground in August, structural steel rising in late spring 2027, topping out in late 2029, substantial completion in 2030, and opening in 2031. The project adds to a thriving World Trade Center complex where other towers are nearly fully leased at high rents.
Maine Democrats Convene to Replace Scandal-Hit Senate Nominee Graham Platner
Maine Democrats voted to hold a nominating convention to select a replacement for Graham Platner after he suspended his campaign for US Senate. Platner faced accusations of sexually assaulting a woman in 2021 which he denied while blaming the political establishment and media for his exit. The state party committee with over 100 members approved the plan in an emergency meeting on July 8 2026 with a vote of 65 to 14. The process involves roughly 600 delegates and requires candidates to file declarations with signatures. Party officials emphasized transparency and aim to harness energy from Platner supporters to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in November. Details on the timeline and candidate requirements will follow soon, with the party required to name a replacement by July 27.
Democrats Fume at Bernie Sanders for Boosting Maine Senate Disaster
Democrats voiced sharp disdain for Sen. Bernie Sanders after his early and heavy involvement elevated Graham Platner as an anti-establishment populist challenger in Maine’s Senate race. Sanders endorsed the oyster farmer and Marine veteran early, campaigned with him, and portrayed him as a working-class hero against billionaires, helping Platner surge past establishment favorite Gov. Janet Mills to clinch the Democratic nomination in June. Platner suspended his campaign July 8 after a sexual assault allegation from a former dating partner, which he denies, triggering a frantic scramble for a replacement before key deadlines and imperiling Democratic hopes of flipping the seat from Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a race pivotal to Senate control. The fallout has highlighted internal party tensions, with some Democrats blaming Sanders’ push for an unvetted outsider for wasting resources and damaging the party’s midterm prospects in a key battleground.
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📢 The American Fifth Column
Michigan Dem Senate Candidate Trips Over False Physician Claim
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed struggled to defend his repeated use of the title “physician” during a recent interview. He holds a medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons but has never obtained a medical license in Michigan or New York. State records show no license, and his practical experience was limited to a brief four-week clinical rotation at the end of medical school. In the exchange with Mehdi Hasan, El-Sayed deflected questions about the title by shifting focus to his public health work as Detroit’s health director. He emphasized providing care access and eliminating medical debt rather than addressing the accuracy of his self-description.
Jack Smith Team Mishandled Classified Materials During Trump Probe
Prosecutors working under former special counsel Jack Smith left a sensitive compartmented information facility open overnight and potentially longer during 2024 while pursuing charges against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump over classified documents. Messages obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley show that one team member asked who had opened the facility the previous day, only to learn no one had closed it the night before, prompting another to flag the situation as a violation and an incident. A separate exchange indicated the team provided classified materials to an unidentified person without first confirming that individual had a need to know. Grassley described the episodes as evidence of hypocritical and careless behavior by Biden-era Justice Department personnel who were holding Trump to account for similar alleged offenses. He called on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for further records on whether the unsecured facility held materials tied to the Trump case, if any investigation occurred into the lapses, and whether classified information was compromised.
Illinois Democrat Lawmakers’ Family Hit With Federal Fraud Indictment
Urbana Democrat State Representative Carol Ammons and her husband Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons were indicted by a federal grand jury on July 8 2026 on multiple felony counts including wire fraud false statements and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Prosecutors allege that, starting around 2017, Carol Ammons misused her campaign committee, Friends of Carol Ammons, by issuing overpayments to herself and family members, then receiving cash kickbacks while falsifying reports to the Illinois State Board of Elections. She also steered more than $ 1.6 million in state grants to nonprofits such as the Bridgewater Sullivan Community Life Center and the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, where her daughter, Titianna Ammons, received substantial payments, including over $60,000 as program director. The family received financial benefits exceeding $100,000 through the arrangement. This case follows the recent federal indictment of daughter Titianna Ammons for separate COVID-era unemployment fraud charges. Aaron Ammons faces obstruction counts for allegedly directing a witness to mislead investigators using code words and destroying notes while Carol Ammons lied to an FBI agent about conflicts of interest.
Tennessee Conductor Loses Job Over Patriotic July 4 Remarks to Passengers
A part-time conductor for Chattanooga’s historic Incline Railway told passengers on July 4 that the United States is the greatest country on the face of the planet and invited anyone who disagreed to leave. Jack Peterson addressed riders by saying to the “very, very few Americans in here, happy Independence Day” and added the rest were “welcome to the greatest country on the face of the planet, and if you disagree, you can leave.” A video of the comments went viral on TikTok after passengers recorded and reported it to the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority, which operates the railway. CARTA fired Peterson the same day, citing zero tolerance for language that demeans or excludes riders and apologizing to those who felt offended. Officials emphasized that every passenger deserves to feel respected and welcome on the tourist attraction, which has operated for over 130 years. Peterson defended his words as a simple expression of patriotism on Independence Day and questioned what the country has come to when such a statement leads to termination. CARTA later indicated its CEO would meet with him to discuss possible reemployment in some capacity.
NYC Mayor Mamdani’s Immigrant Map Erases Historic Little Italy, Greek, Irish and Jewish Enclaves
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office released a map titled “New York City Immigrant Enclaves” that spotlights 30 neighborhoods with substantial foreign-born populations, including Koreatown, Little Pakistan, Little Yemen, Little Guyana, and Little Mexico. The map omits longstanding Italian American communities such as Little Italy in Manhattan, which served as a key destination for Italian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It also leaves out notable Irish areas like Woodlawn in the Bronx and Jewish neighborhoods such as Borough Park in Brooklyn, home to one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities outside Israel. Critics, including the Italian American Civil Rights League, Councilwoman Joann Ariola, and community leaders, called the exclusions a deliberate slight or oversight that erases groups integral to building the city. A City Hall spokesperson defended the map as focused on current foreign-born populations from various regions and noted plans to add more neighborhoods later.
🌐 International
US Forces Pound Iranian Targets in Second Day of Strikes After Trump Ends Fragile Ceasefire
The United States conducted a second consecutive day of airstrikes against Iran, hitting around 90 military targets including air defense systems, missile and drone storage sites, coastal surveillance assets, naval capabilities, and logistics infrastructure. President Trump declared the interim ceasefire over after Iran attacked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, stating the regime was no longer worthy of negotiations and that the US would respond with overwhelming force, hitting Iran much harder than it struck back. Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones toward US-allied bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, with debris causing limited injuries and damage in Kuwait. Iranian state media reported explosions across southern coastal areas like Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, Bushehr, and islands in the Persian Gulf, along with strikes on bridges, while its Health Ministry reported at least 14 killed and 78 wounded over the two days of US operations. Trump emphasized holding Iran accountable for threats to shipping while expressing skepticism about any future deal with what he called the regime’s “sick” leadership.
Iran Retaliates Against Gulf Allies With Ballistic Missiles Following Expanded US Strikes
Iran fired ballistic missiles and drones at US-linked targets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan after the United States conducted a second consecutive night of airstrikes on over 170 Iranian military sites. The US operation targeted air defenses, missile and drone storage, coastal infrastructure, and logistics near the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping. Kuwait reported intercepting three ballistic missiles, one cruise missile, and ten drones, with falling debris injuring one person and causing material damage. Bahrain activated air raid sirens multiple times and confirmed interceptions while Iran claimed strikes on US bases there. Qatar issued and later lifted a security alert after reported Iranian attacks with no confirmed damage. Jordan intercepted at least eight Iranian missiles aimed at a joint US-Jordanian air base with no casualties reported from shrapnel. Iranian state sources reported 14 killed and 78 wounded from the US strikes while oil prices remained elevated.
Labour MPs Rally Behind Andy Burnham for Uncontested Path to Downing Street
Andy Burnham stands poised to become the United Kingdom’s next prime minister after nominations opened for the Labour Party leadership contest to replace Sir Keir Starmer. The former Greater Manchester mayor, who recently returned to Parliament via a by-election win in Makerfield, has secured backing from a large number of Labour MPs, with reports indicating support approaching or exceeding 322 endorsements. No other viable challengers have emerged after potential rivals like Wes Streeting and Al Carns opted not to run or endorsed Burnham instead. Nominations from MPs run through mid-July with a special party conference slated for July 17 to confirm the leader if he runs unopposed, paving the way for Burnham to take office around July 20 under Labour’s accelerated timetable for an orderly transition.
Marine Le Pen Holds Commanding Lead in French Presidential Polls After Court Ruling
Marine Le Pen announced her candidacy for the 2027 French presidential election shortly after an appeals court upheld her conviction for embezzlement of European Union funds but reduced her ineligibility period. Recent polls conducted immediately after this announcement show her maintaining a strong position. The Ifop survey for LCI and Le Figaro gives Le Pen 36 percent in the first round. This marks a four-point gain from prior measures. No other candidate exceeds 19 percent. A Toluna Harris Interactive poll for M6 and RTL reports similar figures with Le Pen at 34 to 36 percent. In hypothetical second-round matchups Le Pen defeats Edouard Philippe by a narrow margin in one poll and secures clearer victories against Gabriel Attal and Jean-Luc Melenchon across both surveys. Pollsters emphasize these results reflect current voting intentions rather than definitive predictions with the election still months away.
Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Climbs to 3811 Amid Push for Frozen Assets
The death toll from Venezuela’s twin earthquakes on June 24 has risen to 3,811 according to figures released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez. The latest tally shows 16,740 injured and 17,907 homeless. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez called for the lifting of international sanctions to aid recovery efforts, noting that the country holds sufficient overseas assets, including blocked accounts, to finance reconstruction, employment programs, and education initiatives if released. She specifically sent a letter to King Charles requesting access to Venezuelan gold held at the Bank of England and discussed releasing funds with the International Monetary Fund. Many sanctions remain in place due to past concerns over governance and other issues, though the United States has provided targeted relief for the oil sector and authorized transactions for earthquake aid.
