Top Items:
Associated Press:
DC sues to block Trump's federal takeover of its police department as intervention intensifies — The nation's capital sued to block President Donald Trump's takeover of its police department in court on Friday, hours after his administration escalated its intervention into the city's law enforcement …
Discussion:
The Hill, Axios, Fortune, Associated Press, The Guardian, masslive.com, The Independent, Al Jazeera, TheGrio, Media Matters for America and CBS News
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Ted Oberg / NBC4 Washington:
DC sues Trump admin over move to sideline MPD chief, calls it ‘hostile takeover’ — The suit seeks to block U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's order naming the head of the DEA as D.C.'s “emergency police commissioner” — Less than 12 hours after the Trump administration seemingly replaced Washington …
Discussion:
NBC News, Fox News, The Hill, HotAir, Raw Story, Breitbart, Newsweek, Boston.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, The Gateway Pundit, Axios and The Daily Caller
Chris Geidner / Law Dork:
NEW: D.C. officials sue Trump admin over Bondi order claiming D.C. police powers — A Thursday night order from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi caused the Washington, D.C. officials — who have responded cautiously to the Trump administration's efforts to exert more control over D.C. …
Discussion:
CNN, The Status Kuo, The Contrarian, Axios, Reason, Today's Edition Newsletter, The 51st, CBS News, WUSA, Daily Kos, Washington Examiner, The Guardian, New York Sun, JURIST, CNBC, The Hill, Fox News, NewsMax.com, KVIA-TV and New York Post
Washington Post:
Bowser, D.C. attorney general reject push by Bondi to name emergency police commissioner — In a signed order, Bondi said Terry Cole will assume all powers and duties of the chief of police, and that the department's top brass “must receive approval” from him before issuing any directives.
Discussion:
Associated Press, The Hill, Fox News, CBS News, RedState, Salon, Talking Points Memo, UPI, The Left Hook with Wajahat Ali, Reason, Townhall, New Republic, MSNBC and NewsNation
Jacob Knutson / Democracy Docket:
D.C. AG Sues to Block Trump's Takeover of Metropolitan Police Department — D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced Friday his office is suing the federal government over President Donald Trump's attempt to take control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Discussion:
Politico, UPI, Truthout, NOTUS, Axios, MeidasTouch News, The Wrap, The Federalist, Washington Examiner, WTTG-TV and The Independent
Frances Vinall / Washington Post:
As Trump takes over D.C.'s police, here's what law enforcement can and cannot do
Michael Powell / The Atlantic:
Trump Gains When Elites Downplay D.C. Crime
Trump Gains When Elites Downplay D.C. Crime
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, American Thinker, Plain Dealer, Daily Caller News Foundation and NewsMax.com
Hamilton Nolan / How Things Work:
How Pretexts Work — We are all criminals. Have you ever driven one mile per hour over the speed limit?
Waleed Shahid / Waleed's Substack:
The Distraction Playbook: How Trump's DC Takeover Swallowed the News Cycle
The Distraction Playbook: How Trump's DC Takeover Swallowed the News Cycle
Discussion:
Vox
Financial Times:
Trump-Putin live: US and Russian leaders set for Alaska summit — US and Russian leaders head for high-stakes summit over future of war in Ukraine — Trump-Putin live: US and Russian leaders set for Alaska summit on x (opens in a new window) — Trump-Putin live: US and Russian leaders set …
Discussion:
Fox News, Washington Post, Bloomberg, NPR, Washington Examiner, New York Times, Washington Times, New York Sun, KYTX-TV, Sputnik News, NBC News, NewsNation, The US Sun, CBS News and The Guardian
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Anthony Blair / New York Post:
Hillary Clinton admits she would nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize if he helps end war in Ukraine — President Trump got teased Friday with a Nobel Peace Prize nomination from the most unlikely source — one of his most bitter rivals, Hillary Clinton. — Trump's failed Democratic opponent told …
Discussion:
The Hill, Newsweek, PJ Media, Townhall, One America News Network, Blaze Media, American Thinker, RedState, The Post Millennial, Breitbart, NewsNation, Associated Press, Fox News, Daily Mail, New Jersey Online, Daily Caller News Foundation, Washington Times, ABC News, The US Sun, Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, NewsMax.com, The Independent, Mediaite and IJR
NBC News:
Russian drone strikes kill 7 in Ukraine, officials say
Russian drone strikes kill 7 in Ukraine, officials say
Discussion:
The War Zone, Crooks and Liars, Fox News, Washington Examiner, Reuters, Al Jazeera and Christian Science Monitor
The Economist:
The real collusion between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin
The real collusion between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin
Discussion:
Steady, Fox News, New York Times, Bloomberg and Washington Post
Washington Post:
Kristi Noem is living rent free in home used by Coast Guard commandant — A DHS spokesman said Noem must live on the military base because she had been “so horribly doxxed and targeted that she is no longer able to safely live in her own apartment.” — Department of Homeland Security …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Mediaite, Raw Story, NewsMax.com and MeidasTouch News
Liz Crampton / Politico:
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott immediately calls second special session for redistricting … “Delinquent House Democrats ran away from their responsibility to pass crucial legislation to benefit the lives of Texans,” the Republican governor said in a statement. “We will not back down from this fight.
Discussion:
Office of the Texas Governor, The Hill, Democracy Docket, Dallas Morning News, Townhall, UPI, Washington Examiner, New York Sun, Salon, Chicago Sun Times, The Texas Tribune, NewsMax.com, KVIA-TV, Houston Public Media, KHOU-TV, Washington Times, Scripps News, The Gateway Pundit, NOTUS, Ace of Spades HQ and Baltimore Sun
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Blake Jones / Politico:
Kevin McCarthy reemerges to fight California redistricting … Ross, who helped campaign for California's independent redistricting commission, is helming the nascent pitch against the measure targeting center-left voters — with funding from independent redistricting commission champion Charles Munger Jr.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner
Politico:
White House officials turn up the heat on Indiana redistricting
Discussion:
Mediaite, Off the Kuff and Washington Examiner
Washington Post:
Speaker Mike Johnson caught between lawmakers and Trump in GOP map fight
Speaker Mike Johnson caught between lawmakers and Trump in GOP map fight
Discussion:
The Guardian, Mercury News, Raw Story, Christian Science Monitor and Politico
Heather Cox Richardson / Letters from an American:
August 14, 2025 — Today, flanked by California's Democratic elected officials and union leaders …
August 14, 2025 — Today, flanked by California's Democratic elected officials and union leaders …
Discussion:
Fox News, Governor of California, Semafor and The Guardian
Mike Allen / Axios:
Scoop: White House loyalty rating for companies — The West Wing has created a scorecard that rates 553 companies and trade associations on how hard they worked to support and promote President Trump's “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a senior White House official tells Axios.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Ars Technica, Gizmodo, The Independent and Raw Story
Andrew Perez / Rolling Stone:
Trump's ICE Spent Half a Million on Tricked-Out Trucks for a Hype Video — The vehicles, purchased for “recruitment purposes,” were styled to look like Trump's private jet — another big expense … The Department of Homeland Security posted a video Thursday on X featuring music by rapper DaBaby …
Discussion:
New Republic, Fox News and Raw Story
Jordan Fischer / WUSA:
US Attorney Pirro's office admits grand jury refused ICE interference charges — twice — Federal prosecutors told a judge they had failed twice to secure an indictment against Sydney Lori Reid for allegedly assaulting an FBI agent during an ICE arrest.
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Matt Gregory / WUSA:
DC man accused of throwing sandwich at federal officer released from custody — Sean Dunn, accused of throwing a sandwich at a federal officer, is released on his own recognizance as the judge finds the felony charge excessive. … WASHINGTON — A man accused of throwing a Subway sandwich …
Brian Beutler / Off Message:
The Bad Math Driving Democratic Infighting — Everyone just chill the f*** out! — Two recent developments from deep inside Democratic politics strike me as important barometers for those of us interested in the future of the party. — First, the New York Times opinion writer Mara Gay published …
Discussion:
On Data and Democracy, Washington Examiner and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Russell Contreras / Axios:
Where homicide rates are highest: Blue cities in red states — To hear President Trump tell it, the nation's murder problem is particularly bad in New York City, Chicago, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. — Democrat-run cities in Democrat-led states (or district, in D.C.'s case).
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, MyNorthwest.com, Newsbusters and Fox News
Camille Mumford / Emerson Polling:
Texas 2026 Poll: Cornyn and Paxton in Dead Heat for GOP Senate Nomination — Home Polls Texas 2026 Poll: Cornyn and Paxton in Dead Heat for GOP Senate Nomination — Voters Split on Texas Redistricting and Call for Legislators' Arrests — The Emerson College Polling survey …
Discussion:
The Texas Tribune, New Jersey Online, Breitbart, Axios, IJR, Florida Politics, The Daily Signal, The Hill and Newsweek
Natasha Bertrand / CNN:
US military deploying over 4,000 additional troops to waters around Latin America as part of Trump's counter-cartel mission — The US military is deploying more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to the waters around Latin America and the Caribbean as part of a ramped-up effort to combat drug cartels …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Post Millennial, The Daily Caller, The Japan Times and Reuters
Anna Merlan / Mother Jones:
The Official Voice of the US Government Is Cruel, Gross, and Weird. What Is That Doing to Us? — In March, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a woman they accused of drug trafficking and entering the country illegally. Standing in a parking lot, they photographed her …
Tom Latchem / The Daily Beast:
Trump Set to Blow Millions on ICE Barbie PR Blitz as Her Roasting Spirals — BIG SPENDER — The DHS will pour a fortune into its “Stronger Border” ad campaign as Secretary Kristi Noem weathers a relentless storm of mockery. — EXCLUSIVE — The Trump administration is set to spend …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Daily Kos, New York Post and The Independent
New York Times:
Elon Musk's SpaceX Most Likely Doesn't Pay Taxes — Elon Musk's rocket company, SpaceX, has become hugely successful. It's one of the world's most valuable private companies and the linchpin to Musk's plan to colonize Mars. But little is known about its finances → — Susanne Craig
Discussion:
Gizmodo, Punchbowl News, E&E News and The Independent
Lucia Mutikani / Reuters:
US consumer sentiment weakens in August; inflation expectations rise — U.S. consumer sentiment softened in August as households anticipated higher goods prices because of import tariffs. — The University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers on Friday said its Consumer Sentiment Index dropped …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Econbrowser and Washington Examiner
Ryan Cooper / American Prospect:
Why Republicans Are Terrified of Nonexistent Crime — They need an excuse to violently subjugate liberal cities. — National Guard personnel keep watch as travelers arrive at the entrance to Union Station near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, August 14, 2025.
Emily Peck / Axios:
The economic party rolls on for the rich. For everyone else, not so much — Rich Americans are spending at a higher rate this year — everyone else is basically slowing their roll. … - For the lowest third of households, those earning roughly $50,000 a year or less, spending growth was zero …
Rolling Stone:
Team Trump Is Actually Drawing Up Attack Plans for Mexico — Trump is eager to breach Mexico's sovereignty to attack cartels, officials say — just don't call it an invasion — A new directive signed last week by President Donald Trump gives the Pentagon authorization to use military force …
Discussion:
New Republic, The Intercept, NewsNation and Associated Press
Sunlen Serfaty / CNN:
Exclusive: Oklahoma to begin controversial test to weed out ‘woke’ teacher applicants today — Teachers from “liberal” states who have relocated to Oklahoma and are seeking to work there must take a controversial new assessment, given for the first time today, that “keeps away woke indoctrinators …
Discussion:
Plain Dealer
Bolts:
New Orleans May Hand Its Police Live Facial Recognition Tech. Critics Warn It'll Help ICE. — The city says it won't lend this tool to ICE for surveillance. But a state law requires that local officials assist ICE, and New Orleans also wants to end a court order restricting compliance.
Discussion:
Raw Story
Emily Peck / Axios:
Exclusive: VA cancels employees' unpaid maternity leave — New and expecting parents who work at Veterans Affairs are getting approved maternity and paternity leave canceled after their union contract was terminated by the White House, according to two internal memos viewed by Axios.

