Trump News for Monday, July 14, 2025

Musk's Grok signs $200m deal with Pentagon days after antisemitism row

BBC News

The deal is part of the Trump administration's push for more aggressive adoption of artificial intelligence in the government.

Gov. Newsom Blasts 'Son of a B*tch' Trump Over Los Angeles Grandstanding

TMZ Staff, TMZ

Gavin Newsom has made it clear he cannot stand President Trump -- DT hates him back just as much, of course -- but the California governor just took his disdain for 47 to a whole new level. Newsom was a recent guest on the "Shawn Ryan Show" podcast…

US Supreme Court backs Trump push for mass firings at Education Department

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Court reverses lower court ruling that said large staff cuts would effectively hamstring the federal education agency.

Why Trump Suddenly Sounds Tougher on Russia

Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic

The real reason the president suddenly sounds tougher on Russia

President Trump’s daughter-in-law may have just thrown gasoline on the fire.

The Daily Beast, Daily Beast

Lara Trump isn’t doing her father-in-law any favors as President Donald Trump scrambles to stave off a growing MAGA revolt over his handling of the Jeffrey...

States sue Trump over more than $6bn in education funds

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Officials from California, New York, Kentucky and 20 other states allege US administration acted unconstitutionally.

WATCH: Jordan Chiles discusses possibly competing in 2028 Olympics

ABC News

The gymnast said the upcoming Los Angeles games are "always on [her] mind."

EU likely to shelve digital tax plan that would target Apple and other Big Tech companies

Marcus Mendes, 9to5Mac

Just ahead of its next multi-year budget proposal, the European Commission is walking back plans to impose a digital tax on Big Tech companies, handing a win to both U.S. tech giants like Apple and Meta, and to President Trump. more…

Thomas Massie, GOP congressman who broke with Trump, reports strong fundraising

Yahoo Entertainment

Elmo's X account gets hacked, posts antisemitic and racist messages

Kanishka Singh, Yahoo Entertainment

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hackers broke into the X account of Sesame Street character Elmo and posted antisemitic and racist messages, the makers of the...

Trump’s new Ukraine plan, briefly explained

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: Donald Trump announced a new plan to get American weap…

The Supreme Court just handed Trump his biggest victory of his second term

Yahoo Entertainment

Trump's effort to quell MAGA revolt over Epstein files seems to add fuel to the fire

Will Steakin, ABC News

Trump came to the defense of Attorney General Pam Bondi amid an all-out revolt among his MAGA base over the administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Why it’s taking LA so long to rebuild

Umair Irfan, Vox

In the wake of the record-breaking wildfires in Los Angeles in January — some of the most expensive and destructive blazes in history — one of the first things California Gov. Gavin Newsom did was to sign an executive order suspending environmental rules arou…

Someone hijacked Elmo's X account to post antisemitic rants

Jessica Lyons, Theregister.com

Anyone investigated Grok? Just sayin'… Someone hacked Elmo's X account on Sunday, making it appear as if the lovable Sesame Street monster with the habit of referring to themselves in the third-person spewed a series of now-removed antisemitic, racist, and an…

Censorship for Citizenship

David A. Graham, The Atlantic

Trump’s threat to revoke Rosie O’Donnell’s citizenship shows his conditional support for free speech.

Justice Department tells Supreme Court not to toss the sex-trafficking conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell

Jacob Shamsian, Business Insider

The Justice Department and FBI said it would no longer release Jeffrey Epstein files, reigniting interest in Ghislaine Maxwell's trial.

People Can't Stop Making Fun Of JD Vance Visiting Disneyland

Morgan Sloss, Buzzfeed

"JD Vance is either on vacation or on Twitter picking fights....he serves no real purpose."View Entire Post ›

Supreme Court says Trump's efforts to close the Education Department can continue

Cory Turner, NPR

The Trump administration had appealed a decision that had directed it to stop gutting the U.S. Education Department and to reinstate many of the workers the government had laid off.

US tariff threat leaves Russia less rattled than relieved

Steve Rosenberg - BBC Russia Editor, BBC News

The US is threatening Moscow with financial consequences if a deal to end the Ukraine war is not reached within 50 days.

Andrew Cuomo says he will still run for NYC mayor after primary defeat

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Cuomo to challenge progressive Zohran Mamdani in general election after being trounced in US city's Democratic primary.

Attorney General Pam Bondi fires top Justice Department ethics official

Alexander Mallin, ABC News

Attorney General Pam Bondi has fired one of the top officials tasked with advising her and other senior DOJ officials of their ethical obligations, a source confirms.

China is the Pentagon's top challenge. Here's what the Army says it's doing about it.

Chris Panella, Business Insider

The Army is working on new tech, drones, autonomy, better decision-making, and more to deter and prepare for conflict with China.

Texas Failed to Spend Federal Aid for Flood Disaster Protection

Thomas Frank, Mike Lee, E&E News, Politicopro.com

Many states, including Texas, have not used billions of dollars from FEMA intended to reduce damage from flooding and other disasters

24 states sue Trump admin to unfreeze more than $6 billion in education grants

Sequoia Carrillo, NPR

The lawsuit comes two weeks after the Trump administration first notified states it was withholding previously approved funds for migrant education, before- and after- school programs and more.

Bongino’s Breaking Point: Epstein Case Sparks Resignation Threat

Justin DeSales - Senior Reporter, Dallasexpress.com

A high-stakes rift at the top of federal law enforcement has erupted into public view as Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino considers resigning.

US weapons pledge marks major step forward for Ukraine

BBC News

For the first time since returning to the White House, Trump pledges to make new weapons available to Ukraine.

Trump Aides Float New Strategies to Get Themselves Out of This Epstein Mess

Lucas Ropek, Gizmodo.com

The government's inaction on the matter is only making the public more curious.

EU warns of countermeasures after Trump threatens 30 percent tariffs

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The 27-member bloc says Washington's latest threats against its exports are 'absolutely unacceptable'.

Trump announces new weapons for Ukraine, threatens tariffs on Russia

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump announced a shipment of weapons for Ukraine while threatening tariffs on Russia.

Supreme Court allows Trump to continue effort to gut Education Department

Alexandra Hutzler, Arthur Jones II, ABC News

The Supreme Court on Monday lifted an injunction against the Trump administration's efforts to gut the Department of Education.

Nvidia CEO says China wouldn't risk building military supers with American AI chips

Tobias Mann, Theregister.com

With half the AI devs in the world, if China can't build on American hardware, they'll build on their own, Jensen warns If the US military wouldn't be caught dead building supercomputers using Chinese kit, there's no reason to think the People's Liberation Ar…

The Beauty Pageant Scandal That Ignited Rosie O’Donnell’s Feud With Donald Trump

Matt Solomon, Cracked.com

The Trump/O’Donnell conflict started years before politics

Federal Court Says ICE Can’t Round Up People Just Because They Seem Vaguely Foreign

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

The Supreme Court may have suddenly decided nationwide injunctions are bad now that they’re bad for Trump, but it will need to cook up new arguments if it hopes to allow the open racism of its mass deportation program to continue in California. Trump has sent…

Mark Cuban says some of NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's key policies don't 'have a chance'

Alice Tecotzky, Business Insider

Mark Cuban told BI that he doesn't plan to publicly support any of the mayoral candidates.

Trump again slams ‘stupid’ US Fed chairman over interest rate levels

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

US president's frequent attacks against Jerome Powell have sparked concerns about independence of the central bank.

Elon Musk’s Nazi Robot Just Landed a Contract With the Department of Defense

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

xAI said it would be "turning shovels into tokens."

Dr. Oz Brings Carrot Cake to Fox Business… to Tell Medicaid Recipients Not to Eat Carrot Cake??

Lauren Tousignant, Jezebel

“I was jokingly calling this the MAHA Medi-cake,” Dr. Oz said. “I couldn’t find a healthy cake, so I brought the closest thing.” What?

Why Trump Can't Make the Epstein Story Go Away

Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic

His brainwashing powers are finite.

The superhero film genre is on a decline, and so is American empire

Keith A Spencer, Al Jazeera English

The patriotic, liberal values that superhero movies embody no longer seem to resonate with a divided American public.

Trump threatens Russia with ‘severe’ tariffs, announces Ukraine arms deal

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Speaking alongside NATO chief, US president says missiles will be sent to NATO, which will coordinate distribution.

Trump threatens Russia with tariffs while unveiling new Ukraine weapons plan

BBC News

Under the new plan, the US will sell weapons to Nato countries who will send them to Ukraine.

Air defenders like the Patriot soldiers who shot down Iranian missiles are becoming a 'new tip of the spear,' Army secretary says

Chris Panella, Business Insider

Air and missile defenses, like Patriot battalions, are growing more important for the Army.

More immigration judges are being fired amid Trump's efforts to speed up deportations

Ximena Bustillo, NPR

Several more immigration judges have been fired, even as the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement, and after Congress gave the Department of Justice $3 billion, in part to hire judges.

Meta Is Building Massive Gigawatt Data Centers as It Pours Billions Into AI

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

"Just one of these covers a significant part of the footprint of Manhattan,” Mark Zuckerberg said.

Trump tariffs would lift US factory jobs, cut overall income, San Francisco Fed says

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

Assuming a 25% increase in U.S. tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, 30% levies on Chinese goods, and 10% on the rest of the world, economists at the...

Fox News Trump Interview Resurfaces With Edited Answer on Epstein Files: ‘Kamala Should Sue’

Yahoo Entertainment

Canada struggled to advise travelers on Trump trans policies, documents show

Anna Mehler Paperny, Yahoo Entertainment

TORONTO (Reuters) -Over two months, Canadian officials scrambled to advise and reassure Canadians wanting to travel to the U.S. after President Donald...

DHS Lets Contract Expire During A Flood, Leading To Thousands Of Missed FEMA Calls

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

That an agency overseen by former South Dakota governor Kristi Noem would fail to handle flooding capably shouldn’t come as a surprise. That sort of thing is directly on brand for Noem, who did this to her own state because she was trying to score points with…

President Trump Supports New Proposed Capital Gains Bill: It’s a ‘Big Positive’ for Homeowners

Yahoo Entertainment

Trump announces weapons for Ukraine and threatens Russia with tariffs

Charles Maynes, NPR

President Trump threatened to punish Russia with heavy tariffs on countries that trade with Moscow if the Kremlin fails to reach a ceasefire deal with Ukraine, while promising Kyiv weapons.

Trump threatens Russia with sanctions and tariffs if peace with Ukraine is not reached in 50 days

Yahoo Entertainment

Ron Swanson Wouldn’t Have Voted for ‘Absolute Idiot’, Says Nick Offerman

Matt Solomon, Cracked.com

Ron would despise Trump because ‘he’s disrespectful to women and many others’

US must do its part on security, Mexican president says after tariff threat

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico's president on Monday hit back at U.S. criticism that her government was not doing enough to combat fentanyl, calling for the...

NHC tracking Invest 93L disturbance off Florida. What can Fort Myers, Lee County expect?

Kim Luciani and Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida, News-Press

NHC is tracking Invest 93L, a disturbance off Florida. Get ready for a wet week, with a potential for localized flooding and dangerous rip currents.

Fed's Powell asks for inspector general review of project criticized by Trump officials

Yahoo Entertainment

Pricing May Doom Asus’ Xbox Ally Handheld Before It Even Gets a Fair Shot

Kyle Barr, Gizmodo.com

Why won’t Microsoft cut Asus some slack for making its hardware?

What is the US’s Crypto Week? Why has Bitcoin hit a record high?

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

A number of important digital asset laws are set to be voted on in the US this week.

‘Morning Joe’ Rolls Montage of Team Trump’s Damning Epstein Comments

Will Neal, Daily Beast

MSNBC’s flagship morning show has rolled a damning montage of just some of the countless times Donald Trump and his allies bashed Democrats for their...

WATCH: Huge military parade in Paris to mark Bastille Day

ABC News

French troops, as well as a range of military hardware, paraded down and flew over the Champs-Élysées to mark Bastille Day.

Pam Bondi Fires DOJ's Top Ethics Advisor and Misspells His Name in Letter

Lauren Tousignant, Jezebel

Joseph Tirrell's termination letter didn't explain why he was being terminated, but he posted it on LinkedIn Monday morning, which showed his name spelled “JOSPEH,” not Joseph.

Bill Gates Sounds the Alarm on a Global Health Catastrophe

Luc Olinga, Gizmodo.com

The Microsoft co-founder is in a desperate fight against the Trump administration's foreign aid cuts, warning that the consequences are not abstract. They are happening right now.

The Latest: Trump promises a 'major statement' on Russia-Ukraine war as he hosts NATO leader

The Associated Press, Yahoo Entertainment

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will be in Washington today and tomorrow for talks with President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense ...

Obama's blunt message for party: 'Toughen up'...

Arlette Saenz, CNN

Former President Barack Obama issued a call to action for Democrats at a private fundraiser in New Jersey on Friday evening, urging those frustrated by the state of the country under President Donald Trump to “stand up for the things that you think are right.”

UPDATE: Trump faces revolt over Epstein...

Betsy Klein, CNN

UPDATE: Trump faces revolt over Epstein... (First column, 1st story, link) Related stories:Now Says Obama, Hillary, Biden, Comey 'created files'... Begs supporters to end obsession... Bongino on Brink... Ghislaine ready to reveal trut…

Trump Stays in Team Group Photo After Club World Cup Final

Matt Growcoot, PetaPixel

After winning the Club World Cup last night in New Jersey, London-based soccer side Chelsea FC found themselves with an unexpected figure alongside them for their winning photo: President Donald J. Trump. [Read More]

European trade ministers meet to forge strategy after Trump's surprise 30% tariffs

The Associated Press, NPR

The EU is America's biggest business partner and the world's largest trading bloc. The U.S. decision will have repercussions for governments, companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.

From Bitcoin to XRP: Key cryptocurrency terms and what they mean

BBC News

As Bitcoin's price goes up once again, here's a guide to some of the crypto market's trickiest terms.

Sexting With Gemini

Lila Shroff, The Atlantic

Why did Google’s supposedly teen-friendly chatbot say it wanted to tie me up?

WATCH: Paraglider hits phone lines and plunges into river

ABC News

Rescue teams retrieved the man and there were no reports of injuries.

10 Monday AM Reads

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

My morning train WFH reads: • How to invest your enormous inheritance: What do you stand to inherit? It still feels like a question from a different age, despite its growing importance today. In 2025 people across the rich world will inherit some $6trn, or ar…

Kremlin says weapons and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine from U.S. are continuing

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Monday that the big picture of U.S. President Donald Trump remarks about supplying Patriot air defence missiles to...

Trump admin live updates: Trump, NATO secretary-general to meet at White House

Kevin Shalvey, ABC News

President Donald Trump is scheduled to welcome NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to the White House on Monday.

Two-thirds of the DOJ unit defending Trump policies in court have quit

Andrew Goudsward, Yahoo Entertainment

The U.S. Justice Department unit charged with defending against legal challenges to signature Trump administration policies - such as restricting birthright ...

Analysis-Trump administration leaves Congress in dark on spending decisions

Yahoo Entertainment

Fact Check: Posts claim photo shows Trump and Epstein with minor girl. Here's the truth

Yahoo Entertainment

Flattery, Firmness, and Flourishes

Ashley Parker, Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic

World leaders and diplomats quietly swap strategies for managing Trump.

Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King Have Added a Third

Audra Heinrichs, Jezebel

Since 2007, Jezebel has been the Internet's most treasured source for everything celebrities, sex, and politics...with teeth.

Palmer reacts to Trump joining Chelsea trophy lift

BBC News

Chelsea players Cole Palmer and Reece James react to US President Donald Trump joining them on stage for the Club World Cup trophy lift in New York.

Trump’s push for peace in the DRC

Al Jazeera English

Peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda is staggering in its ambition.

Trending tickers: Lionsgate, Nio, Boeing, AstraZeneca and Fresnillo

Vicky McKeever, Yahoo Entertainment

The latest investor updates on stocks that are trending on Monday.

Europe’s stock markets drop amid Trump’s tariff threats against EU, Mexico

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Major indices suffer heavy losses as EU ministers prepare to discuss response to US president's latest trade salvo.

'I thought Trump was going to exit stage - but he wanted to stay'

Phil Cartwright, BBC News

Chelsea's Club World Cup celebrations in New Jersey were shared with an unexpected guest - US President Donald Trump.

Russia launches 136 drones into Ukraine ahead of expected Trump announcement

David Brennan, ABC News

Russia launched four missiles and 136 drones into Ukraine overnight into Monday morning, according to Ukraine's air force.

As warehouse market staggers, Brookfield makes a bold $428 million move

Daniel Geiger, Business Insider

Brookfield bets on older, lower-cost warehouses as trade uncertainties and oversupply cloud the outlook for industrial storage.

Iran says it will respond to reimposition of UN sanctions

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran will react to any reimposition of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear programme, the country's foreign ministry spokesperson said...

Lapid, Olmert slam Israel’s plans for ‘concentration camps’ in Gaza’s Rafah

Zaheena Rasheed, Al Jazeera English

Former Israeli prime ministers join chorus of concern over plans to set up 'humanitarian city' in Rafah.

Palmer left bemused as Trump joins Chelsea celebrations after Club World Cup win

Sky Sports

Cole Palmer was left shocked and stunned as United States President Donald Trump joined Chelsea on stage as they celebrated their Club World Cup success on Sunday.

'I was a bit confused!' | Palmer responds to Trump trophy celebrations!

Sky Sports

Cole Palmer and Reece James give their thoughts on US President Donald Trump joining the Chelsea squad for the Club World Cup trophy lift.

‘Inexcusable’: US Senate report faults Secret Service for Trump shooting

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Service accused of pattern of negligence and communications breakdowns in planning and execution of Trump rally.

Israel strikes military tanks in southern Syria as Syrian forces clash with Druze militias

OMAR SANADIKI and ABBY SEWELL, Yahoo Entertainment

BUSRA AL-HARIR, Syria (AP) — Israel’s army said Monday it has struck military tanks in southern Syria as Syrian government forces and Bedouin tribes clashed ...

Apple's Tim Cook and Eddy Cue Attend 2025 Sun Valley Conference

Hartley Charlton, MacRumors

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Senior Vice President of Services Eddy Cue are attending the 2025 Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho, joining an exclusive gathering of global leaders from the technology, media, finance, and political sectors (via Fortune).…

Trump says he wants to send Patriot batteries to Ukraine. One country might be down to pay for them.

Matthew Loh, Business Insider

Trump said he wanted to send more Patriot batteries to Ukraine, but under a program where NATO would "pay us 100%" for weapons.

A military exercise drawing together 19 nations and 35,000 forces begins in Australia

The Associated Press, NPR

The largest-ever war fighting drills in Australia is underway and expected to attract China's attention. Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a joint exercise between the U.S. and Australia.

EU delays retaliatory tariffs against US amid hopes for trade deal

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Ursula von der Leyen says bloc hopes to see negotiated solution to trade tensions.

Trump says US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

US president makes announcement amid growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,236

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Here are the key events on day 1,236 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Tesla Makes a Desperate Move in Canada As Sales Collapse

Luc Olinga, Gizmodo.com

Caught between a collapse in sales and punishing tariffs, the automaker is making a dramatic pivot, creating a bizarre pricing situation and leaving recent buyers with a serious case of regret.