Bill Cassidy Breaks With RFK Jr. After CDC Leadership Exodus  —  Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician and leading voice on public health in the chamber, called for a key government vaccine panel to postpone its upcoming meeting after the stunning exodus of top leaders Wednesday at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What to know about the Minneapolis Annunciation Catholic Church shooting  —  Hours after Wednesday's shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic church and school left two children dead and 17 other people wounded, Minnesota officials identified the now-deceased gunman as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who has been identified as transgender.

In Trump's Second Term, a Bolder President Charges Ahead Unchecked  —  Trump is frequently riffing on authoritarianism and ignoring caution from advisers  —  Some aides to Donald Trump warned the president that building a ballroom at the White House would force them to tear down part …

Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt offered full military funeral, Air Force confirms  —  Babbitt, 35, was an Air Force veteran who was fatally shot by Capitol police while protesting Donald Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election.  —  The Air Force has offered full military funeral honors …

Ron DeSantis Wasted $250 Million on Alligator Alcatraz as It Faces Closure  —  The state of Florida is committed to $245 million toward the construction of “Alligator Alcatraz,” the Everglades immigration detention facility which is due to close in days.  —  An email obtained …

Atlanta Journal-Constitution to Quit Print Cold Turkey  —  The publication says the time is right to pour all of its resources into its online news operation and get its journalism “in front of the most people.”  —  When Andrew Morse joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as its president …

The authoritarian checklist  —  There is so much happening that occasionally pausing to take stock is necessary.  So where are we?  In deep trouble.  America may not be fully authoritarian, but by no means can we consider it to be a functioning democracy.

Fed Governor Lisa Cook Sues to Stop Trump From Firing Her  —  The lawsuit tees up a high-stakes court battle over the president's authority to remove members of the central bank's board  —  Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook sued President Trump on Thursday, seeking to block his move to fire …

Transcript: Trump Erupts in Rage as Dem Gov's Harsh Takedown Hits Home  —  The following is a lightly edited transcript of the August 28 episode of the  —  Daily Blast podcast.  Listen to it here.  —  Greg Sargent: This is The Daily Blast from The New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR network.

Trump and Democrats Float Unusual Midterm Conventions  —  Both parties appear to be weighing gatherings that would gin up excitement for candidates in 2026 — and give a major platform for ambitious politicians hoping to lead the parties in 2028.  —  President Trump suggested on Thursday …

Trump Tariffs Cause Chaos on Ebay as Every Hobby Becomes Logistical Minefield  —  The Trump administration is throwing various hobbies enjoyed by Americans into chaos and is harming small businesses domestically and abroad with its ever-changing tariff structure that is turning the United States into a hermit kingdom.

Trump administration plans to limit how long foreign students can study in the US … “For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amounts of taxpayer dollars …

Jen Psaki Tells Christians She's Had ‘Enough’ With Their Prayers After Catholic School Shooting  —  Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki shamed Christians on Wednesday who were praying for those afflicted in the Annunciation Catholic School shooting.

Tulsi Gabbard Blindsided CIA Over Revoking Clearance of Undercover Officer  —  The naming of an agency Russian hand on a list of officials has alarmed people inside the spy agency  —  Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, surprised Central Intelligence Agency officials last week …

Warnings From Weimar  —  Why Bargaining With Authoritarians Fails  —  On March 23, 1933, inside a dimly lit chamber filled with the stale scent of cigar smoke, Ludwig Kaas tried to convince himself he was making the right decision.  A Catholic priest and the leader of Germany's establishment Center Party, he stood at a crossroads.

The “Mini-Trump” Attacking Lisa Cook Had Paperwork Problems of His Own  —  Bill Pulte has weaponized his office to attack Trump's political enemies.  —  Donald Trump is attempting to seize control of the historically independent Federal Reserve by firing one of its leaders.

Medicare Will Require Prior Approval for Certain Procedures  —  A pilot program in six states will use a tactic employed by private insurers that has been heavily criticized for delaying and denying medical care.  —  Like millions of older adults, Frances L. Ayres faced a choice …

“The Most Transparent Administration In History” Refuses to Say Who's Behind Their Batshit Social Media  —  Government trolls spread cruel memes and “textbook propaganda” on behalf of Trump.  —  The way the U.S. government communicates online has shifted dramatically since Donald Trump returned to power on January 20.

Why Aren't Markets Freaking Out?  —  For those of us who follow economic policy in general and the Federal Reserve in particular, the past week has been shocking and terrifying.  Donald Trump's ongoing attempts to bully the Fed into large interest rate cuts have escalated into an attempt to fire Lisa Cook …

ICE Eyes Naval Base Outside Chicago as Operations Center  —  Border czar Tom Homan says to expect a ramp up of enforcement in sanctuary cities  —  The Trump administration is weighing the use of a naval base north of Chicago as an ICE operations center, border czar Tom Homan said Thursday.

The CDC.  The Fed.  The FBI.  The National Guard.  Do you get it now?  —  Trump is waging war against the American government.  When he's done, he'll use his government to wage war against Americans.  —  ∙ Paid  —  1. SSRIs  —  This is the part where I have to say something …

Scoop: Inside Trump's Gaza meeting with Tony Blair and Jared Kushner  —  The meeting President Trump convened on Wednesday to discuss a post-war plan for Gaza involved two high-profile invited guests, Jared Kushner and Tony Blair, and an unexpected third one: Israeli official Ron Dermer.