Trump insists vandals damaged Reflecting Pool, blasts DOJ for dropped charge  —  The president acknowledged “there may have been some contractor difficulty” but said he disagreed with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping a criminal charge against a former Olympian.  —  Summary

GOP Staffers Say the Party Has a Groyper Problem … The grownups are worried.  In group chats and at happy hours, some GOP veterans fret about the rising generation of young staffers in their party.  The recurring complaint: The pipeline that feeds young conservative talent into government jobs is defective — if not broken.

Trump says he will ‘push hard’ for payout fund, keep Blanche as acting AG  —  The president blamed two GOP senators for resisting Todd Blanche, his pick to run the Justice Department, suggesting he would resurrect his controversial “anti-weaponization” fund in response.  —  Summary

U.S. general warns Pentagon he lacks sufficient forces to protect Israel  —  A shortage of Navy destroyers, used to defend against Iranian ballistic missile attacks, will force the head of U.S. European Command to prioritize the U.S. homeland instead, officials said.  —  Summary

Scope of Hacks on U.S. Water Supply Widens as Evidence Points to Iran  —  Michigan and Minnesota are among at least seven states coping with cyberattacks aimed at disrupting water systems nationwide.  —  The scope of cyberattacks on U.S. water systems has grown to include at least seven states …

‘Platner on steroids’: Max Miller abuse claims have Republicans silently sweating  —  Public scrutiny of domestic abuse allegations against Rep. Max Miller is quickly mounting.  His Republican colleagues have been slow to respond.  —  New reporting on government documents claiming …

Justice Dept. Subpoenas Times Freelancer in Effort to Identify Sources  —  A previously undisclosed subpoena, involving reporting on a failed SEAL Team 6 mission in North Korea, reflects the government's expanding campaign to investigate leaks of secrets.  —  A freelance reporter has been fighting …

The sleeper referendum that could reshape the national judiciary  —  A ballot referendum in Kansas that's generated little national attention could set off a nationwide arms race to politicize state courts.  —  Kansans on Tuesday will decide whether to amend the state constitution to allow voters …

Trump Media's new paid data service goes live, giving clients faster access to Trump's posts … Trump Media and Technology Group's new paid data service launched on Aug. 1, providing faster access to Truth Social posts from President Donald Trump and other top accounts on the platform.

Visuals Suggest U.S. Dropped 2,000-Pound Bomb on Home in Iran, Killing 3  —  The weapon, one of the largest in the U.S.'s arsenal, struck a house in a heavily populated area, according to a Times analysis.  —  The United States struck a family home on Iran's Qeshm Island overnight on Thursday …

She Voted for a Justice Who Overturned Roe.  Now it Haunts Her on the Trail.  —  Senator Susan Collins, who supports abortion rights, endorsed Brett Kavanaugh's nomination for the Supreme Court.  It has emerged as a major issue in her campaign for re-election.  —  Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Kamala Harris snubs Biden when asked to name ‘most effective’ US presidents at Nashville event  —  Former Vice President Kamala Harris awkwardly snubbed Joe Biden when she was asked who she thought were the “most effective presidents in American history.”  —  The one-term veep was tasked …

Trump's Fixation on Arctic Ships Led to Billions in No-Bid Contracts  —  The president decided to buy 11 polar icebreakers after a game of golf with Finland's president.  Experts say it's far from clear the United States needs so many.  —  Late one night last August, Alexander Stubb …

Troy Jackson launches his first general election ad in Maine Senate race, criticizing Susan Collins  —  The seven-figure ad campaign highlights the Democrat's background as a labor organizer and attacks incumbent Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins.  It's slated to begin running next week.

Sanchez Isolated After Spain Sparks Fear of Migration Crisis  —  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been the most progressive European leader on migration, bucking his colleagues' rightward shift.  That stance has now left him politically exposed after thousands of migrants overran a Spanish enclave in Northern Africa.

Trump's Polling Numbers Hit a New Low.  Don't Expect Him to Change Course.  —  Barely a third of Americans approve of Mr. Trump's handling of the job, putting him at historic depths for a second-term president at this stage of his tenure.  —  After a spate of bad polls earlier this summer …

He's Making It Worse on Purpose  —  Happy Saturday!  Overtime is for everyone.  If you're a Bulwark+ member: thank you.  If you're not, there's no better time to subscribe to Bulwark+ than today.  If you like today's issue, you can share this newsletter with someone you think would value it.