Washington Examiner

Jay Clayton, President Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday. He acknowledged that Joe Biden was certified the winner of the 2020 election through the Electoral College process but declined to state directly that Biden won the election. Democrats on the committee expressed strong criticism of his responses while Republicans hold sufficient votes to advance the nomination.

Todd Blanche is serving as Acting Attorney General while undergoing Senate confirmation for the permanent role. His hearing on Wednesday featured questions on his prior representation of Donald Trump and interactions with senators including John Kennedy, Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal, and Sheldon Whitehouse. Claims about the duration of his acting role remain unverified across sources.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released June 2026 CPI data on July 14 showing a 3.5 percent year-over-year increase, down from 4.2 percent in May, with a 0.4 percent monthly decline. Core CPI rose 2.6 percent year-over-year. Multiple outlets attribute the headline drop primarily to lower energy prices linked to a temporary US-Iran agreement that later ended.

Gabriel Perez, employed at the White House since 2016 as a teleprompter operator, placed bets on Kalshi prediction markets concerning specific phrases in President Trump's speeches, with reports indicating profits near or above $100,000 before the platform froze withdrawals exceeding $90,000 and referred the matter to the CFTC. The CFTC is investigating or pursuing settlement talks, and Perez was placed on administrative leave with conflicting reports on whether it was paid or unpaid. The events were reported on July 16, with a disputed White House statement attributed to press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The House approved a procedural rules package 215-211, with all Democrats and one Republican opposing. Speaker Mike Johnson plans to attach the SAVE America Act, requiring proof of citizenship for federal voter registration and photo ID to vote, to the State Department appropriations bill. The vote followed weeks of resistance from Republican holdouts led by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.

President Donald Trump gave a primetime address on Thursday concerning U.S. election integrity and security. The speech included allegations of foreign interference and policy critiques, which drew immediate rebuttals from Democratic figures and media outlets. Multiple sources confirm the occurrence and core topic of the address while differing on the validity of specific claims.

Kevin Warsh, identified as Federal Reserve Chair in multiple reports, testified before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday regarding the central bank's 2% inflation target and dual mandate. Sources describe statements emphasizing an unambiguous commitment to price stability after more than five years of elevated inflation. Perspectives differ on the implications for employment, monetary policy tools, and institutional credibility.

A two-day defense summit hosted by Sen. Dave McCormick at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, generated more than 30 agreements totaling nearly $10 billion in contracts and investments expected to create over 4,000 jobs. President Donald Trump concluded the event with a roundtable and announcements. The projects span shipbuilding, munitions, emerging technologies, and workforce development.

The Senate voted Tuesday on a motion to proceed to the $1.15 trillion National Defense Authorization Act, which failed by 50-46. All Democrats opposed the motion while Senate Majority Leader John Thune also voted against it. Democrats linked the vote to renewed U.S. strikes on Iran and related notifications to Congress.

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican citizen living in the United States, was fatally shot by ICE officers during a Houston traffic stop on an operation where he was not the target. Texas authorities, the DHS Inspector General, and multiple federal and state entities are investigating the incident, while nearly 200 House Democrats signed a letter calling for an independent probe. A separate ICE shooting fatality occurred in Maine, with at least six total ICE-related deaths reported in recent enforcement actions.

Dr. Erica Schwartz has been nominated to lead the CDC and Sean Kaufman to head the Administration for Strategic Preparedness. Sen. Bill Cassidy, chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, stated during proceedings that any equivocation on vaccine facts would prevent his support for the nomination. Schwartz previously served as deputy surgeon general in the first Trump administration.

Rep. Thomas Massie introduced an amendment to the annual State Department appropriations bill that would have reduced assistance to Israel. The amendment failed, with all sources agreeing that Massie was the sole Republican supporter and that ten members voted present. Multiple details including the exact funding amount, final vote tally, and number of Democratic supporters remain disputed across outlets.

Sen. Lindsey Graham died of heart disease on Saturday evening. Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, who was sworn in to complete the term. Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman had expressed interest in the seat after losing earlier primaries.

Federal and Michigan officials are investigating a possible link between Taco Bell and a cyclosporiasis outbreak in Michigan. Contaminated leafy lettuce is the leading suspected source, with some but not all ill individuals reporting having eaten at the chain. Taco Bell has removed lettuce and other fresh items from menus in multiple states while no FDA or USDA recall has been issued.

US military strikes on Iran continued for a third successive period, with operations reported to last five hours and targets including port cities. Iran responded with ballistic missiles toward Jordan and Bahrain plus strikes on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump stated the US would control the Strait and impose passage fees while oil prices reached four-week highs.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta leads a 12-state antitrust action seeking to block the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. Bonta has proposed structural remedies including separation of cable channels, streaming services, news outlets, or studios. Paramount maintains plans to close the transaction by the end of September.

Rep. Haley Stevens holds a 7-point lead over Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic primary for the open Michigan Senate seat, according to a Detroit News/WDIV-TV poll. Jim Clyburn and multiple Congressional Black Caucus members have endorsed Stevens. The race centers on Stevens's record in the Obama auto rescue and El-Sayed's progressive platform.

President Trump proposed a 20% reimbursement fee on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz after positioning the U.S. as its guardian, then rescinded the plan in favor of Gulf investment commitments. The announcement occurred four and a half months into an Iran conflict and followed an Oval Office meeting with the Iraqi prime minister. Sources report Trump citing calls from Gulf leaders preferring U.S. factory investments over fees.

Donald Trump gave a primetime White House address on election security and declassified documents alleging Chinese acquisition of data on 220 million U.S. voters. Intelligence reports cited compromises in 18 states and an internal FBI effort to recall a September 2020 report on fake driver's licenses for mail-in voting. Materials were later provided to Congress and released by Sen. Chuck Grassley.

Senator John Fetterman described Senator JD Vance's comments on Israeli government efforts to influence U.S. policy toward Iran as a betrayal. Vance made the statements during an appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, citing a campaign linked to Brad Parscale's firm. Reports also reference the collapse of a June 17 memorandum of understanding and subsequent Iranian actions.

An ICE-involved shooting killed a Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine. Former state Sen. Troy Jackson and Nirav Shah joined protests outside Sen. Susan Collins’s office, where demonstrators chanted against her reelection bid. Graham Platner withdrew as the Democratic Senate nominee following domestic violence and rape allegations.

Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday proposing a 20% reimbursement fee on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz and declaring the U.S. as its guardian. He rescinded the fee order within 25 hours in favor of trade deals with Gulf states. Iran's foreign minister responded that reimbursement was justified but the rate was excessive.

President Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, who previously chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission, to serve as Director of National Intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard. Clayton is scheduled to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee, chaired by Sen. Tom Cotton, following an interim period in which Bill Pulte served as acting director. Democrats had conditioned renewal of foreign intelligence authorities on ending Pulte's acting role.

More than 100 wildfires are active in Canada, including nearly 200 in northern Ontario, with smoke carried southeast into U.S. states. The 1.1-million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was closed after 17 lightning-caused fires spread for over a week, while air quality alerts were issued across Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Washington, D.C. A freight train was halted by flames in Canada with no reported injuries to workers.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated at a Pennsylvania summit that Russian battlefield recruits face an average life expectancy of 20 to 30 minutes due to AI-powered drones. Separate estimates from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a Center for Strategic and International Studies report detail high Russian casualty rates since 2022. Ukraine's drone capabilities are also noted in the reporting.

Two immigrants were fatally shot by immigration officers without body cameras during vehicle stops in Texas and Maine. DHS announced that all ICE field offices will receive body cameras within 60 days, citing prior funding delays from government shutdowns and a reported surge in assaults on personnel. Vehicle stops by ICE agents are continuing.

Trump Media and Technology Group announced the Truth API, a paid service delivering licensed real-time feeds of high-ranking Truth Social posts including those from Donald Trump. The service begins August 1 with multiple customers already signed up. Kevin McGurn, interim CEO, described it as a high-margin revenue stream capitalizing on market-moving content.

President Volodymyr Zelensky removed Mykhailo Fedorov from his post as part of a broader government change that also ended the tenure of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Fedorov, who had served roughly six months, held a press conference in an underground parking garage where he discussed drone technology and criticized military bureaucracy before rejecting an advisory role. No public explanation was provided for the decision.

The House Budget Committee voted 20-14 on Thursday to advance a $95 billion budget reconciliation framework intended as a third such measure. The framework allocates $73 billion to defense and intelligence and moves next to the House Rules Committee. Multiple details including specific allocations and voting alignments remain unverified across available sources.

Donald Trump completed a court-ordered wire transfer of $5,625,005.48 to E. Jean Carroll after a New York jury found him liable for sexual assault and defamation. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, appointed by President Bill Clinton, directed the payment following the Supreme Court's decision not to review the case.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died late Saturday at George Washington University Hospital from aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The 71-year-old retired Air Force Reserve colonel experienced chest pains the previous evening and contacted a staffer before being transported by emergency responders. His office attributed the death to a brief and sudden illness.

Taco Bell has removed lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms from menus in affected states following a cyclosporiasis outbreak traced to iceberg lettuce. Michigan has reported the highest number of cases, exceeding 3,300, with federal and state investigators linking the parasite to the supplier. Disputed CDC case totals range from 1,645 to 7,000 across sources, while this year's figures are reported as six times higher than last year.

TSMC plans to invest an additional $100 billion in multiple semiconductor and advanced packaging fabrication plants in Arizona, citing demand from U.S. customers. This forms part of more than $390 billion in announced U.S. semiconductor investments. A McKinsey-led National Landscape Analysis was published in collaboration with the SEMI Foundation and National Science Foundation.

The House approved the Sunshine Protection Act by a 308-117 vote to establish permanent daylight saving time nationwide, with an opt-out option for states. Sen. Tom Cotton has opposed the measure despite prior Senate support and endorsement from President Trump. The bill builds on 2022 legislation that passed the Senate but stalled in the House.

Yoni Gontownik, Randy Brown, and Shamikh Kazmi formed Freedom Fuel Network, which opened 25 stations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey advertising gasoline at $3.47 per gallon. The venture received public endorsement from President Trump and social-media amplification from the White House. All reported details originate from the Washington Examiner.

Torrential rain fell across central Texas for a third consecutive day, producing up to 20 inches over two days and triggering a National Weather Service warning of a large flood wave on the Guadalupe River. A tornado formed near San Antonio while floodwaters isolated Uvalde and prompted more than 75 rescues, primarily from vehicles. Governor Greg Abbott declared disasters in dozens of counties and deployed over 1,300 state personnel; no deaths or injuries were reported.

Claims that Senator Lindsey Graham died suddenly at age 71 lack verification from any primary or mainstream sources. Historical comparisons and funeral details cited in the supplied claims do not correspond to any documented event. Graham remains an active U.S. Senator from South Carolina.

CENTCOM stated a maritime blockade of Iranian ports would begin Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, following U.S. strikes on Iranian defense and maritime sites. Iran and the IRGC reported attacks on tankers and U.S. positions, while the UAE reported one death from strikes on its vessels. Trump proposed a 20 percent cargo fee, contrasting with an earlier Oman routing plan developed with Iranian officials.

A 26-year-old Colombian national, Joan Sebastian Guerrero, was shot and killed by ICE officers in Maine on Monday after allegedly driving toward an agent during an operation. The victim was not the target of the arrest warrant. ICE subsequently directed agents nationwide to limit vehicle stops except for the most serious criminal cases and to obtain judicial warrants for residential entries.

US Vice President JD Vance stated 'Well, go to hell' during a Tuesday interview with Joe Rogan in response to reports of an Israeli-funded campaign targeting Iran negotiations. The remarks occurred days after renewed US airstrikes on Iran and referenced a Time magazine article alleging payments to former Trump adviser Brad Parscale. Vance also rejected accusations of foreign influence on his own positions.

On May 15, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo was pulled over in Las Vegas by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for failing to come to a full stop before a right turn. Lombardo identified himself during the stop, and no citation was issued. The incident was recorded on body camera and reported by two outlets.

President Donald Trump delivered a primetime speech on Thursday night expected to address election integrity and declassified findings on foreign interference in the 2020 election. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the address would also cover the economy and Iran. Some Republican figures, including outgoing Sen. John Cornyn, called for greater focus on future elections.

President Trump is scheduled to deliver a televised Oval Office speech on Thursday at 9 p.m. focused on election security and declassified findings regarding 2020 foreign interference. ABC and NBC will air the address only on streaming platforms rather than primetime broadcast. A parallel confirmation hearing continues for Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche.

JD Vance appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast episode released Wednesday, stating the administration mishandled communications around the Epstein files release. He described internal differences with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles over transparency decisions. Vance also referenced Epstein's alleged connections to intelligence elements.

Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania stated during an interview at the Hill Nation Summit that he would leave the party if it formally became the anti-Israel party. He expressed concern that Democrats might turn their back on Israel. Two sources reported the remarks and related House votes on Israel aid.

Multiple right-leaning sources report that Sen. Lindsey Graham died at age 71, with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointing his sister Darline Graham Nordone to the seat on President Trump's recommendation. An August special primary is scheduled, while the FBI investigates circumstances of death. Date of death and medical details remain disputed or unverified across outlets.

On July 16, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism at the State Department in Washington, DC, with officials and experts from 67 countries in attendance. The Washington Examiner reported claims of Antifa cross-border travel, encrypted coordination, safehouse networks, and specific acts including attacks on political leaders, business bombings, railway sabotage, and assaults on police. Analyses from progressive, conservative, libertarian, and critical viewpoints differ on the scale, framing, and policy implications of these reported activities.

Pete Hegseth has proposed annual testosterone screening for service members over age 30, with optional testing for those under 30, citing a goal of maintaining lethality. The plan references a natural 1% annual decline in testosterone after age 30 and hypogonadism thresholds below 300 ng/dL. Medical experts note testing variability requiring multiple morning samples for accurate diagnosis.

Supported forecasts indicate more than 100 million Americans will face triple-digit temperatures later this week, marking the second such event in a month, with prior peaks of 116°F in Phoenix and 110°F in Utah and Montana. The heat dome is shifting eastward, with Northeast highs including up to 101°F in the Washington D.C. area expected Wednesday and Thursday. Unverified projections of widespread new records, particularly overnight lows, remain under discussion.

Sen. Lindsey Graham died suddenly at age 71. Gov. Henry McMaster appointed his sister Darline Graham Nordone to fill the vacancy on Monday, with swearing-in scheduled for Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. Nordone will serve the remainder of the term ending in the current election year.

Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) hosted the Defense and Innovation Summit on a Tuesday at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Approximately 500 companies attended, with 250 securing seven 20-minute meetings each. Roughly 70-80% of attending companies maintain business operations in Pennsylvania.

Sen. Lindsey Graham died Saturday night of an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Washington Examiner and New York Post reported the death and related details. Multiple unverified claims about the circumstances remain unconfirmed.

Washington Examiner reports that President Trump ordered restoration of a U.S. blockade on Iranian oil exports and strikes on Iranian military sites after a recent ceasefire. New York Post published unverified claims of a July 15 U.S. strike disabling an oil tanker attempting to reach Iran. Both outlets note ongoing Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.