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Trump continues assaults on Federal Reserve chair
Donald Trump has continued his assaults on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell immediately, calling him a “silly man” and a “knucklehead”.
He informed reporters on the White Home earlier:
We’ve got a foul Fed chairman, actually dangerous … I attempted being good to the man. It doesn’t assist. He’s like a knucklehead. No, he’s a knucklehead. Silly man. He actually is.
He earlier referred to as as soon as once more for rates of interest to be lowered to 1% or much less. “We needs to be at 1%. We needs to be lower than 1%,” he stated.
Key occasions
Bongino nonetheless in limbo following main bust-up with Bondi over Epstein information – CNN
As of this morning, no one in management on the justice division had spoken to fuming deputy FBI director Dan Bongino since Wednesday, when he implied that he might not proceed in his place so long as Pam Bondi remained in put up, sources accustomed to the matter have informed CNN.
As we reported earlier, Bongino didn’t present up for work on Friday and, per CNN, “largely excommunicated himself from colleagues” following his main falling out with the lawyer common over her dealing with of the Epstein information.
CNN’s report goes on: “The [resignation] risk infuriated Trump, who spent the weekend fuming over each Bongino and FBI director Kash Patel, sources informed CNN. Most of his fury was directed at Bongino, inflicting aides to anticipate that the deputy director would depart his job within the coming days. However vice-president JD Vance spent the weekend trying to mediate, at occasions fielding calls from Patel, Bongino and Bondi, sources stated.
“It stays to be seen if Bongino in the end resigns, which he informed others he was contemplating. However sources say his relationship with the White Home has turn into mainly untenable. Even when he doesn’t stop now, some contained in the administration imagine he won’t keep within the job long-term.”
What CNN is listening to seems consistent with Maga influencer and far-right activist Laura Loomer’s earlier prediction for Politico: “I don’t see how there is usually a state of affairs the place Bongino can coexist with Blondi [Loomer’s derisive moniker for Bondi] as lawyer common, and so I wouldn’t be stunned if we see a resignation from Bongino. Maybe I’m unsuitable, however it will not shock me if Bongino resigns within the subsequent week.”
Immigrants in overcapacity Ice detention elevate meals high quality considerations – NBC Information
Immigrants being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention facilities in not less than seven states are complaining of starvation, meals shortages and spoiled meals, detainees and immigration advocates have informed NBC Information.
Per NBC’s report: “Some detainees have gotten sick; others say they’ve misplaced weight. In a single facility, an incident involving detainees reportedly broke out partially due to meals.
“The meals issues come amid overcrowding at Ice amenities tied to the Trump administration’s push to shortly ramp up immigration arrests. Whereas capability information isn’t publicly accessible for each Ice detention facility, nationwide figures on the supply of beds present a system past its general capability. As of mid-June, Ice was detaining practically 60,000 folks, nearly 45% above the capability offered for by Congress.”
King Charles schedules unprecedented second Trump state go to for when UK parliament is in recess
Kiran Stacey
King Charles has invited Donald Trump for an unprecedented second state go to in September, scheduling the journey for 3 days when parliament will not be sitting and eradicating the opportunity of the US president addressing parliament.
Buckingham Palace introduced immediately that Trump would come to the UK from 17-19 September, quickly after the Home of Commons rises for its conventional break for the annual celebration conferences.
The king will host Trump and his spouse, Melania, at Windsor Fort, although the palace has not but set out every other particulars of the journey.
The go to is a coup for the White Home, with Trump changing into the primary elected politician in fashionable historical past to be granted two state visits, after his earlier one in 2019. The king first urged the opportunity of a second such occasion in February, delivered within the type of a letter by Keir Starmer throughout a gathering within the White Home.
The dates of the journey, nevertheless, keep away from the prospect of the US president making an deal with to parliament.
Kyiv hails US weapons deal as Moscow dismisses Trump’s sanctions risk
Politicians in Kyiv have welcomed Donald Trump’s announcement that billions of {dollars} price of US army tools might be despatched to Ukraine, whereas officers in Moscow officers dismissed his risk of sanctions in opposition to Russia as sizzling air.
In a gathering earlier with the Nato secretary common, Mark Rutte, on the White Home, Trump stated the US would ship Patriot anti-aircraft batteries and interceptor missiles, paid for by European allies.
He promised that extra Patriot methods would arrive inside days, funded by Germany and different Nato companions, which might be a major step in serving to Ukraine to defend itself. Kyiv is believed to have solely six functioning Patriot batteries.
Russian officers and pro-war bloggers largely dismissed Trump’s threats, portraying them as far much less critical than anticipated.
Konstantin Kosachev, a senior Russian lawmaker, wrote on Telegram that the US president’s ultimatum amounted to “sizzling air”, suggesting he might simply stroll it again. “So much can change in 50 days – on the battlefield and within the mindset of these in energy, each within the US and in Nato,” he wrote.
Yuri Podolyaka, a preferred pro-Kremlin army blogger, equally wrote on Telegram that Trump “might change his ‘opinion’ a number of occasions within the subsequent 50 days”.
Podolyaka and different commentators pointed to the primary Moscow inventory index, which gained greater than 2.5% after Trump’s announcement.
Right here’s the complete story from my colleagues Luke Harding and Pjotr Sauer:
Trump continues assaults on Federal Reserve chair
Donald Trump has continued his assaults on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell immediately, calling him a “silly man” and a “knucklehead”.
He informed reporters on the White Home earlier:
We’ve got a foul Fed chairman, actually dangerous … I attempted being good to the man. It doesn’t assist. He’s like a knucklehead. No, he’s a knucklehead. Silly man. He actually is.
He earlier referred to as as soon as once more for rates of interest to be lowered to 1% or much less. “We needs to be at 1%. We needs to be lower than 1%,” he stated.
Trump administration sued by US states over withholding $6.8bn for colleges
A coalition of principally Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit immediately difficult a transfer by Donald Trump’s administration to withhold about $6.8bn in congressionally authorised federal funding for Ok-12 colleges.
Attorneys common or governors from 24 states and the District of Columbia sued in federal courtroom in Windfall, Rhode Island, arguing that the US Division of Training and the workplace of administration and price range threw colleges nationwide into chaos by unconstitutionally freezing funding for six packages authorised by Congress.
The freeze prolonged to funding used to help the schooling of migrant farm employees and their youngsters; recruitment and coaching of lecturers; English proficiency studying; tutorial enrichment; and after-school and summer season packages.
The administration additionally froze funding used to help grownup literacy and job-readiness expertise.
The federal government was legally required to launch the cash to the states by 1 July, the lawsuit stated. As a substitute, the schooling division notified states on 30 June that it will not be issuing grant awards below these packages by that deadline. It cited the change in administration as its cause.
An OMB spokesperson on the time cited an “ongoing programmatic evaluate” of schooling funding and stated preliminary findings confirmed what he termed as a misuse of grant funds to “subsidize a radical leftwing agenda”.
OMB additionally raised objections to the usage of the grant cash to help scholarships for immigrant college students and classes that concerned LGBTQ+ themes.
The Democratic-led states stated the sweeping funding freeze has disrupted faculty methods, leading to summer season faculty and after-school packages being canceled or put in danger and the halting of different initiatives with little time for varsity districts to fill within the holes left of their budgets.
The states say the administration violated the US structure by disregarding Congress’ sole authority over spending and ran afoul of federal administrative regulation by freezing the funds with none reasoned rationalization.
The states additionally say the administration didn’t abide by procedures of the Impoundment Management Act, which bars the chief department from unilaterally refusing to spend funds appropriated by Congress except sure steps are adopted.
The lawsuit follows a collection of different instances Democratic-led states and others have filed difficult the administration’s sweeping efforts to freeze or terminate federal funding for packages out of step with Trump’s agenda.
Tons of of detainees with no felony costs despatched to Trump’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
Richard Luscombe
The infamous new “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration jail within the Florida Everglades comprises lots of of detainees with no felony data or costs, it was disclosed yesterday, as lawmakers decried “inhumane” circumstances inside after touring the ability.
Donald Trump has insisted that the distant camp in swamp land populated by pythons and alligators was reserved for immigrants who had been “deranged psychopaths” and “a number of the most vicious folks on the planet” awaiting deportation.
However not less than one detainee shouted out to politicians throughout Saturday’s go to that he was a US citizen, the Democratic Florida congressman Maxwell Frost stated. And the Miami Herald obtained and printed a listing of 700 folks held in cages exhibiting that not less than 250 had dedicated no offense aside from a civil immigration violation.
Authorities have refused to launch a listing of these despatched there by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Company (Ice). The Florida division of emergency administration, which operates the rapidly assembled tent encampment, didn’t reply to a request from the Guardian for clarification or remark.
Frost stated the revelations, and the lawmakers’ go to, raised new questions concerning the legality of the camp, which federal businesses in courtroom paperwork have insisted is fully a state-run and -funded operation.
There are Ice brokers there on daily basis, and I used to be informed immediately from the man working the entire thing that Ice tells them precisely what to do, tips on how to put the whole lot collectively.
They gave them the directions on tips on how to do the cages, the meals, who is available in and goes out. It’s Ice making all the choices, and he was very clear that the function the state is enjoying is logistical. It is a federal facility. Ice is looking all of the pictures.
Biden denies White Home aides granted clemency with out his information
Edward Helmore
Joe Biden has denied claims that his circle of aides acted with out his information when he granted a slew of pardons and commutations within the last days and hours of his presidency.
“I made each single a kind of,” the previous president informed the New York Occasions in an interview printed yesterday when requested about claims that he was incapacitated and unaware of clemency choices. Biden referred to as the folks making these claims “liars”, including: “They understand it.”
Donald Trump’s successor and predecessor within the Oval Workplace issued three units of clemency throughout his last days, together with lowering sentences of lots of of non-violent drug offenders and commuting the sentences of 37 federal dying row inmates to life with out parole.
He pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, of convictions on federal gun and tax costs, too. And he additionally granted pre-emptive pardons to different members of his speedy household, together with the previous prime public well being adviser Dr Anthony Fauci and ex-joint chiefs of employees chair Gen Mark Milley.
Conservatives have alleged that the commutations and pardons, together with govt orders handed throughout his time period, usually are not binding as a result of they had been signed utilizing an autopen printer to breed a signature and will due to this fact not be verified as being immediately licensed by Biden himself.
Within the NYT interview, Biden hit again at that suggestion, telling the Occasions he hadn’t personally signed the orders merely “as a result of there have been a number of them”.
“The autopen … is authorized,” Biden stated. “As you already know, different presidents used it, together with Trump. However the level is that … we’re speaking about a complete lot of individuals.”
Biden has beforehand pushed again on Republican claims he was unaware of what was being issued in his identify.
“Let me be clear: I made the choices throughout my presidency,” he stated in June. “I made the choices concerning the pardons, govt orders, laws, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”
In his most up-to-date remarks, to the Occasions, Biden accused Republicans of utilizing the autopen subject as diversion.
They’ve lied so constantly about nearly the whole lot they’re doing. One of the best factor they’ll do is attempt to change the main focus and concentrate on one thing else. And … I feel that’s what that is about.
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte took a little bit of a again seat as Donald Trump answered questions from reporters in a media session that simply ended.
However Rutte did say that Germany, Finland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, the UK and Denmark can be among the many patrons to produce Ukraine. He stated “velocity is of the essence right here,” and that the shipments ought to make Putin “rethink” peace negotiations.
Trump stated the weapons the US would ship to Nato to help Ukraine in its battle in opposition to Russia would come with Patriot missile methods and batteries, Reuters experiences.
“It’s a full complement with the batteries,” Trump stated when requested whether or not he would ship Patriot missiles particularly.
“We’re going to have some come very quickly, inside days… a few the nations which have Patriots are going to swap over and can substitute the Patriots with those they’ve.”
Trump’s risk to place “extreme tariffs” on Russia over the Ukraine battle comes amid a bipartisan push for sanctions on Moscow.
The invoice, backed by Republican senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal, requires a 500% tariff on items imported from nations that proceed to purchase Russian oil, fuel, uranium and different exports, in keeping with the Related Press. The transfer basically targets nations like China and India, which account for about 70% of Russia’s power commerce and finance a lot of Moscow’s battle effort.
It’s price noting that Donald Trump didn’t present specifics on how the tariffs on Russia can be applied.
“I exploit commerce for lots of issues,” he added. “But it surely’s nice for settling wars.”
Trump: Russia faces ‘very extreme tariffs’ in 50 days if no Ukraine peace deal
Donald Trump remains to be talking now within the Oval Workplace alongside Nato chief Mark Rutte.
Trump, whereas saying Patriot missiles being despatched to Kyiv, stated the US will impose “very extreme tariffs” on Russia in 50 days if there isn’t any deal to cease the battle in Ukraine.
Trump hosts Rutte and broadcasts sending Patriot missiles to Ukraine
Whereas the Maga world is in disarray over the Epstein information, president Donald Trump is internet hosting Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte within the White Home for talks that may even embody state secretary Marco Rubio, protection secretary Pete Hegseth and members of Congress.
Trump introduced he was sending Patriot missiles to Ukraine to help within the battle in opposition to Russia. He additionally stated he was “dissatisfied” in Russian president Vladimir Putin for failing to conform to a deal to cease the battle.
You’ll be able to observe our reside protection of Trump and Rutte proper now in our Europe weblog:
Who’s deputy FBI director Dan Bongino?
For individuals who want a refresher on who deputy FBI director Dan Bongino is, right here’s a fast recap.
A former New York police officer and Secret Service agent who offered safety to presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama, Bongino is finest often known as a far-right Maga podcaster and conspiracy theorist, who vocally supported Donald Trump’s lie that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen”.
Bongino had by no means served within the FBI, and his appointment as deputy marked the primary time in its 117-year historical past that the second-in-command put up has not been held by one among its senior brokers.
A former Fox Information Host, Bongino has written books alleging the existence of a “deep state” conspiracy in opposition to Trump. He additionally ran unsuccessfully 3 times as a Republican in congressional races in Maryland and Florida.
As a podcast host, Bongino spent years pushing Epstein conspiracy theories, and has reportedly been very upset with lawyer common Pam Bondi over how the Epstein information had been dealt with.
“Bongino is out-of-control livid,” a supply near Bongino informed NBC Information. “This destroyed his profession. He’s threatening to stop and torch Pam except she’s fired.” Axios reported that Bongino didn’t present as much as work on Friday, and the row prompted Trump himself to step in.
Requested by reporters yesterday if Bongino would stay in his place, Trump stated:
Oh I feel so … I spoke to him immediately. Dan Bongino, superb man. I’ve identified him a very long time. I’ve accomplished his present many, many occasions. He sounded terrific, truly.
Right here’s extra on Bongino from my colleague Robert Tait:

Adam Gabbatt
Donald Trump managed one thing uncommon final week. In his administration’s declare that it didn’t have a listing of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged purchasers, and that the convicted intercourse offender was not murdered, it succeeded in upsetting the rightwing influencers and commentators – and reportedly even Trump’s deputy FBI director – individuals who usually champion his each transfer.
“This stinks. This simply reeks,” was the decision of Jesse Watters, the primetime Fox Information host. He added:
The feds spent many years investigating Epstein and have had complete entry to his property for years, they nonetheless can not give us a straight reply? This isn’t something new; the federal government has been holding us in the dead of night for generations.
Watters was cautious to not criticize the Trump administration immediately, blaming “the feds” as he described Pam Bondi, the lawyer common, and Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, as “nice People”.
However inside the rightwing, Epstein-curious sphere, others had continued to wade in. “Pam Blondi [sic] is protecting up little one intercourse crimes that befell below HER WATCH when she was Legal professional Basic of Florida,” wrote Laura Loomer, the 32-year-old conspiracy theorist whose affect over Trump has come below scrutiny.
Loomer accused Bondi of failing to pursue authorized motion in opposition to Epstein, regardless of lawsuits being filed in opposition to him in Florida. “She is afraid of that being mentioned and dropped at mild. She must be fired. She has tainted the investigation,” Loomer concluded.
When the justice division stated that Epstein didn’t preserve a shopper record and no extra information associated to his sex-trafficking investigation can be made public, the White Home claimed Bondi had been speaking concerning the “entirety of all the paperwork and relation to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes”, which happy few rightwing commentators, a lot of whom have constructed careers on propagating conspiracy theories.
“We had been all informed extra was coming. That solutions had been on the market and can be offered. Unimaginable how totally mismanaged this Epstein mess has been. And it didn’t should be,” stated Jack Posobiec, who promoted the baseless concept that high-level Democrats had been working a baby intercourse ring out of a Washington pizzeria. Posobiec was amongst a gaggle of rightwing influencers who got binders labeled “The Epstein Recordsdata: Section 1” throughout a go to to the White Home in February – though many had been dissatisfied that these paperwork contained little new data.
The ire was additionally impressed by the justice division releasing an 11-hour video exhibiting the outside of Epstein’s door, apparently in an effort to point out nobody entered his cell on the time he died. However a minute of the video was lacking, which happy few on the precise.
“There are some extraordinarily weird issues concerning the video of Epstein’s cell that Pam Bondi’s DOJ launched as proof nobody killed him. First, a full minute seems to be lacking from the video and secondly, it does NOT seem like the identical cell because the picture launched on Jan 5, 2020,” wrote Robby Starbuck, a rightwing influencer and Trump supporter. “Anybody else discover this extraordinarily troubling?”
Others had been extra direct. “NO ONE IS BUYING THIS!! Subsequent the DOJ will say ‘Truly, Jeffrey Epstein by no means even existed.’ That is excessive sickening,” Alex Jones, the rightwing commentator and conspiracy theorist, wrote on social media.
Trump defends Pam Bondi as his base requires lawyer common’s dismissal
Donald Trump has defended lawyer common Pam Bondi amid calls from Maga world for her to go.
In a prolonged social media put up, Trump hit out at complaints from critics who’ve accused Bondi of withholding extra details about Jeffrey Epstein’s sudden dying and his so-called shopper record.
“LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB,” Trump wrote in all caps, encouraging his supporters to “not waste time and power” on Epstein.
Bondi urged to Fox Information in February that Epstein’s shopper record was “sitting on my desk proper now to evaluate”. She had additionally repeatedly pledged to disclose doubtlessly damaging proof together with “a number of names” and “a number of flight logs” referring to Epstein.
However the justice division final week launched a memo concluding there was no proof suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted intercourse offender stored a “shopper record” to blackmail high-profile figures. It additionally discovered no proof to recommend foul play in Epstein’s dying, which had beforehand been dominated a suicide.
Bondi sought to make clear her remarks within the White Home on Tuesday, telling reporters that she had been commenting on your complete Epstein “file” and different information.
Tucker Carlson has informed NBC Information this morning that he now believes the justice division doesn’t even have “a lot related details about Jeffrey Epstein’s intercourse crimes”. “Somewhat than simply admit that, Pam Bondi made a bunch of ludicrous claims on cable information reveals that she couldn’t again up, and this present outrage is the consequence,” Carlson stated.
Over the weekend, FBI director Kash Patel denied swirling resignation rumors over reported unhappiness on the justice division determination to shut the guide on Jeffrey Epstein after administration officers teased a giant reveal earlier within the yr.
In a Saturday social media put up, the company director stated in a social media put up on the weekend: “the conspiracy theories simply aren’t true, by no means have been. It’s an honor to serve the President of the US – and I’ll proceed to take action for so long as he calls on me.”
Over the previous week, Maga hardliners, together with Georgia consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene, former White Home adviser Steve Bannon and – reportedly – FBI deputy director Dan Bongino, have been strongly vital of a joint determination by US lawyer common Pam Bondi and the FBI to not launch additional details about Epstein held in authorities information, together with a so-called shopper record.
And on Friday, NBC Information reported that Bongino was contemplating stepping down from his put up on the FBI after a “heated confrontation” with Bondi over the difficulty. CBS Information heard that he then didn’t present as much as work that day.
“Bongino is out-of-control livid,” the one that has spoken with the deputy FBI director stated. “This destroyed his profession. He’s threatening to stop and torch Pam except she’s fired.”
Trump final evening performed down the resignation rumors, saying he had spoken to Bongino who sounded “terrific”.
However Maga influencer and far-right activist Laura Loomer had this prediction for Politico: “I don’t see how there is usually a state of affairs the place Bongino can coexist with Blondi [Loomer’s derisive moniker for Bondi] as lawyer common, and so I wouldn’t be stunned if we see a resignation from Bongino. Maybe I’m unsuitable, however it will not shock me if Bongino resigns within the subsequent week.”
Democrat to introduce laws calling for Epstein information launch
The Democrats are on it too. Later immediately within the Home, consultant Marc Veasey is introducing laws calling for the discharge of the Epstein information.
Veasey informed Politico:
I feel [Trump’s] attempting to guard some billionaire buddy of his. That’s what he lives for greater than the rest on the planet: defending billionaires. Have a look at what he did with the so-called ‘massive, lovely invoice’.
A vote wouldn’t solely be uncomfortable for Home Republicans – it will additionally preserve the story within the information when the president would like it to vanish. Trump will in all probability attempt to latch on to another story to attempt to change the narrative immediately, so we’ll be looking for that.
Politico additionally notes that “the rising variety of Democrats making comparable efforts on the Epstein information spans a large breadth of the celebration’s membership, from New York consultant Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Georgia senator Jon Ossoff; from relative backbenchers to members of the Senate management, like Hawaii senator Brian Schatz.”