Top Items:
Dasha Burns / Politico:
‘POTUS is clearly furious’: White House is frustrated by all-consuming Epstein coverage … “POTUS is clearly furious,” said a person close to the White House, who, like others in this story, was granted anonymity to discuss the mood inside the West Wing. “It's the first time I've seen them sort of paralyzed.”
Discussion:
New Republic
RELATED:
New York Times:
Lawler Will Seek Re-election to House, Forgoing Run for N.Y. Governor
Discussion:
Axios, NBC News, Politico, CBS News, New York Post, Washington Post, Associated Press, Washington Examiner, Fox News, NOTUS, abc7NY, NewsMax.com, Gothamist and The Hill
Calen Razor / Politico:
Capitol agenda: Johnson tries to contain Epstein dissent
Capitol agenda: Johnson tries to contain Epstein dissent
Discussion:
MSNBC, Punchbowl News, The Hill, Raw Story, Newsweek, Axios, NewsMax.com, The Independent, Bangor Daily News, Reuters, CNBC, NewsNation, NBC News and New York Times
Meredith Lee Hill / Politico:
Johnson defends House GOP Epstein strategy amid legislative chaos
Johnson defends House GOP Epstein strategy amid legislative chaos
Discussion:
The Hill, CBS News, Townhall, The Independent, Washington Examiner, MeidasTouch News, Mediaite, New Jersey Online, The Daily Caller, Daily Mail, NewsMax.com and Axios
Rachael Bade / Politico:
Democrats Are Running Circles Around Republicans on Epstein
Democrats Are Running Circles Around Republicans on Epstein
Discussion:
Raw Story, MSNBC and PoliticusUSA
Melissa Nann Burke / The Detroit News:
Huizenga passes on U.S. Senate bid for open seat in Michigan
Huizenga passes on U.S. Senate bid for open seat in Michigan
Discussion:
NBC News, Washington Examiner, The Hill and Daily Kos
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Trump's Epstein Fiasco Takes Darker Turn as Dem Senator Drops New Bomb — A few days ago, as the Jeffrey Epstein scandal gripped Washington, Senator Ron Wyden offered a striking revelation in an interview with The New York Times. The Oregon Democrat said that his investigators had discovered …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Off Message
David Pressman / New York Times:
I Watched It Happen in Hungary. Now It's Happening Here. — As the most recent U.S. ambassador to Viktor Orban's Hungary, I'm often asked if the Trump administration's tactics and policies feel familiar. The short answer is yes. But the more important — and unsettling — question is this …
Paul Krugman:
About That Japan Deal — So the Trump administration has triumphantly announced a trade deal with Japan, and I guess I should post something about it, even though my regular morning post — on a completely different topic — is already up. — There are three main things you should take away from this deal:
Discussion:
New York Times, Bloomberg, Reason, Politico, Reuters, Washington Times, The Independent, Fox Business, The Japan Times, Axios, Raw Story, RTÉ, Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Townhall, Semafor and Washington Post
RELATED:
Steve Kopack / NBC News:
Trump sets 15% tariff on Japanese imports as part of investment agreement
Trump sets 15% tariff on Japanese imports as part of investment agreement
Discussion:
Axios, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN, New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, HotAir, The Daily Caller, Bloomberg, CNBC, Breitbart, The Week, UPI, USA Today, Washington Examiner, RedState, The Japan Times, CBS News, NewsNation and Washington Times
Washington Post:
U.S. deportees, freed from Salvadoran prison, describe ‘horror movie’ — Three Venezuelans, released last week from the Terrorism Confinement Center, said they were repeatedly beaten and denied access to lawyers. — just now — Julio González Jr. had agreed to be deported to Venezuela.
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Associated Press, Reuters and The Independent
Jamelle Bouie / New York Times:
JD Vance Claims One of Our Worst Traditions as His Own — More than most recent vice presidents, JD Vance seems to be locked out of the room where it happens. — Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, is by most accounts the president's point person on mass deportation and immigration enforcement.
Discussion:
Raw Story
Marco Rubio / United States Department of State:
Investigation of Harvard University Participation in the Exchange Visitor Program — The U.S. Department of State is opening an investigation into Harvard University's continued eligibility as a sponsor for the Exchange Visitor Program. — All sponsors participating in this program …
Discussion:
Financial Times, Fox News, Associated Press, The Hill, Al Jazeera, IJR, NewsMax.com, Washington Times and The Guardian
RELATED:
pbump:
How to create a ‘buried’ report — Last week, as the question of President Trump's relationship with Jefrrey Epstein occupied the public's attention, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard rolled out the shiniest ball at her disposal: Actually, she (and, immediately afterward …
Discussion:
Fox News, New Republic, New York Times, Blaze Media, RedState, The Daily Caller and Mediaite
RELATED:
Jonathan Chait / The Atlantic:
Trump's Epstein Denials Are Ever So Slightly Unconvincing
Discussion:
LateNighter
Steve Benen / MSNBC:
‘Ridiculous’: Obama's patience wears thin in response to Trump's latest hysterics
‘Ridiculous’: Obama's patience wears thin in response to Trump's latest hysterics
Discussion:
The Independent, NBC News, Daily Mail, NewsMax.com and Axios
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill:
5 universities under investigation over scholarships for Dreamers — The Trump administration said Wednesday it would investigate five universities over scholarship programs for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. — The Education Department probe involves the University …
Discussion:
IJR
RELATED:
Lisa Friedman / New York Times:
E.P.A. Is Said to Draft a Plan to End Its Ability to Fight Climate Change — According to two people familiar with the draft, it would eliminate the bedrock scientific finding that greenhouse-gas emissions threaten human life by dangerously warming the planet.
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Review, Reason and IJR
Don Moynihan / Can We Still Govern?:
When you're a star, the Supreme Court lets you do it — “When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.” - Donald J. Trump — Renewed scrutiny of Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein reminds us of just how Trump's strategy with women — assaulting them without permission …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Instapundit, The Guardian, Slate and Raw Story
RELATED:
Paul Rosenzweig / The Atlantic:
What a Democrat Could Do With Trump's Power
CNN:
Exclusive: Newly discovered photos and video shed fresh light on Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein — Newly uncovered archived video footage and photos reveal fresh details about Donald Trump's past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. — Photos from 1993 confirm for the first time that Epstein …
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Hill, New Republic, Fox News, TMZ.com, Salon, The Independent, New York Daily News, Reason, Daily Mail, Boston.com, Mediaite, Metro.co.uk, Townhall, Raw Story, Newsweek, New York Times and Washington Times
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Skydance Tells FCC It Will Create CBS News Ombudsman, Eliminate DEI at Paramount — The company said it would commit to a “comprehensive review” post-transaction. … Skydance has told the Federal Communications Commission that once its acquisition of Paramount Global is complete …
Discussion:
Variety, Mediaite, Deadline and The Wrap, more at Mediagazer »
Axios:
Behind the Curtain: Losing by winning — President Trump, in terms of raw accomplishments, crushed his first six months in historic ways. Massive tax cuts. Record-low border crossings. Surging tariff revenue. Stunning air strikes in Iran. Modest inflation.
Discussion:
The Hill, YouGov and The Daily Beast
Stephanie Nolen / New York Times:
U.S. Quietly Drafts Plan to End Program That Saved Millions From AIDS — PEPFAR, the campaign to end H.I.V. globally, would morph into an effort to detect disease outbreaks and sell American products, according to documents obtained by The Times. — The federal program to combat H.I.V …
Discussion:
Washington Post and The Bulwark
Kate Knibbs / Wired:
Silicon Valley AI Startups Are Embracing China's Controversial ‘996’ Work Schedule — In an industry once known for cushy perks, some founders are now asking staff to commit to a 72-hour weekly schedule. You're either in or you're out. — Would you like to work nearly double the standard 40-hour week?
Discussion:
New York Post and Fox News
Martha McHardy / Newsweek:
Jeffrey Epstein's Former Attorney Who Secured Plea Deal Dead at 80 — Roy Black, the prominent defense attorney who helped secure Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 plea deal, has died, according to his law partner. — Black died on Monday at his home in Coral Gables at the age of 80 after an illness, his law partner Howard Srebnick said.
Discussion:
Miami Herald, Associated Press, The Hill, WPLG-TV, The National Pulse, Raw Story, NewsMax.com and IJR
Tom Nichols / The Atlantic:
The Administration Wants Military Women to Know Their Place — Pete Hegseth seems to be on a mission to erase women from the top ranks of the U.S. armed forces. — President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth seem to be on a mission to erase women from the top ranks of the U.S. armed forces.
Discussion:
twitchy.com
Susan Greene / Daily Mail:
Pete Hegseth hit by deeply embarrassing allegations as leaked letter calling for his removal rips through the Pentagon — An effort is under way among some Pentagon officials to denounce Pete Hegseth as unfit to serve as Defense Secretary, DailyMail.com can reveal.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner and New Jersey Globe
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
How Many Obama Arrest Threats Does It Take to Change a Storyline? — Among the various silly and dangerous things House Republicans are doing these days—about which more below—perhaps the silliest is trying to rename the opera theater inside the Kennedy Center after Melania Trump.
Discussion:
CNN, New York Times, Mediaite, Axios, New York Sun, To the Contrary, Reuters, ABC News, Blaze Media, Democracy Docket, RedState, USA Today, The Post Millennial and New York Daily News
Zoë Schiffer / Wired:
Photos: Here Are the Piles of Used Bedding and Children's Play Sets Left Near DOGE's Old Offices — Elon Musk's DOGE minions have largely moved out of the General Services Administration. A dystopian scene of bedding and discarded kids' toys remains. — Elon Musk's associates …
Jack Silvers / The Daily Beast:
GOP Senator, 73, Freezes During Fox Business Interview — GERONTOCRACY — Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana had a frightening freeze-up on Tuesday afternoon. — Another GOP member of Congress has had what appears to be a health scare, with septuagenarian Senator John Kennedy freezing during a Fox Business interview on Tuesday.
Discussion:
Raw Story and New Republic
Tom Bartlett / The Atlantic:
‘You Could Throw Out the Results of All These Papers’ — David Geier has previously used the CDC's vaccine-safety database to publish research with glaring flaws. Now he seems to have his hands on the data once again. — Mark and David Geier were a father-and-son team of researchers …
Discussion:
STAT, The Hill and Mother Jones
Financial Times:
Macrons file US lawsuit over claims France's first lady was born male — Case against rightwing influencer Candace Owens is a rare defamation suit from a serving world leader — Kaye Wiggins in New York, Leila Abboud in Paris and Lauren Fedor in Washington
Discussion:
Reuters, Politico, The Hill, Forbes, The Wrap, New York Post, E! Online, New York Sun, CBS News, Advocate, The Gateway Pundit, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
Eli McKown-Dawson / Silver Bulletin:
Georgia has gone from luxury to necessity for Democrats — Luckily for them, Jon Ossoff has an edge. … When Bill Clinton won the state of Georgia in 1992, he didn't really need it. Even without the Peach State, Clinton would have walked away with 357 electoral votes — a blowout by modern standards.
Discussion:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
David Zipper / Bloomberg:
The High Costs of Trump's ‘Big Beautiful’ New Car Loan Deduction — By letting some buyers deduct interest on auto loans, the GOP megabill promises to lower transportation bills. But this tax break could do the opposite. — On July 4, US President Donald Trump signed the $3.4 trillion fiscal package …

