Appeals court rules Trump must get approval from Congress on ballroom, ordering halt to construction  —  An appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump must seek approval from Congress to build his proposed White House ballroom, saying construction must stop.

U.S. economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs in July  —  The U.S. economy saw an unexpected declined in jobs during July while the unemployment rate edged lower, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday in a snapshot that showed a slowing employment picture.

Trump moving forward with attempt to fire Lisa Cook after Supreme Court setback: Sources  —  The White House demanded she respond to allegations within three weeks.  —  Katherine Faulders, Peter Charalambous, Alexander Mallin, and Steven Portnoy  —  Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook participates …

Trump says voters are mad at other Republicans, not him, as midterms approach  —  President Donald Trump said voters may seek to punish Republicans — but not him — in the November midterm elections, as GOP lawmakers sweat that affordability concerns and the war in Iran could mean Democrats flip the House and perhaps even the Senate.

Iran's Hormuz deal with Oman has Trump poised for the big surrender  —  Iran and Oman are reportedly finalizing a deal to control the Strait of Hormuz, charging ships fees for passage, and potentially blocking ships from “hostile countries.”  Trump resumed bombing in early July to prevent Iran …

Justice Samuel Alito: ‘Practical Originalism’ and Its Facile Critics  —  He explains his interpretive method and defends it against a hostile biographer—and his high-school English teacher.  —  Washington  —  Reports of his end have been greatly exaggerated: “Justice Samuel Alito …

Lisa Murkowski says she will oppose Blanche, endangering his confirmation  —  Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination is on the brink after Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced Friday that she would oppose confirming him.  The Alaska Republican said in a statement that she did not believe Blanche …

I've Got The Proof.  This Is The Worst Member of Trump's Cabinet  —  SUPERBAD  —  The Secretary of Defense has managed to do so much damage to American strength in so little time.  —  OPINION  —  Hegseth must go.  —  Every era has its great conundrums that great minds struggle with.

Abdul El-Sayed Talks About His Victory, Chuck Schumer and His Mom … Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who won a divisive Democratic Senate primary this week in the crucial swing state of Michigan with an unabashedly progressive message, has been flooded with calls from leaders of the party establishment he challenged during his campaign.

Jeanine Pirro berated Doug Burgum.  But Interior staffers have been angry at him for months.  —  Interior Department staffers were optimistic after Doug Burgum was confirmed to lead the agency in 2025, believing he had strong executive experience as governor of energy-rich North Dakota who led successful tech startups and businesses.

Affordability concerns are even more important to voters than in 2024  —  Inflation continues to dominate the issue landscape, and drag down the president  —  FiftyPlusOne, Cooper Burton, and Mary Radcliffe … In May, the average price of gas nationwide hit $4.48.

Trump Calls Roberts's Bluff With New Executive Order On Birthright Citizenship  —  I am, slowly but surely, making my way through the end of the October 2025 term.  I've already published my take on Wolford and Hemani.  I've recently completed my essay on Slaughter and Cook, which should appear in Law & Liberty next week.

ICE will release body camera video only when seen in the agency's ‘best interests,’ policy says  —  Immigration and Customs Enforcement is moving to equip officers with body cameras in the next two months but the agency's policy gives it broad control over what footage will be made public …

Transcript: Angry Trump Unravels as Humiliating New Iran Leaks Hit  —  The following is a lightly edited transcript of the August 7 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.

Senate passes Russia sanctions bill  —  The Senate voted 86 to 11 to pass the sweeping Russia sanctions bill championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on Friday, advancing legislation that would give the White House more leverage against Moscow as it seeks to end the war in Ukraine — and a brand new tariff tool.

How the Reflecting Pool Came to Mirror Trump's Washington  —  A hospitality manager for the Trump Organization traveled to Las Vegas to find a solution to problems at a national landmark.  This is the untold back story of the fallout.  —  TIMES INVESTIGATION

Prosecutor Sues Justice Dept. Over Dismissal After Right-Wing Influencer's Claim  —  Will Rosenzweig joins a growing list of former prosecutors and federal agents who have gone to court to contest the purge of law enforcement deemed disloyal.  —  One day last September …

Trump Administration to Award $2 Billion to Battery, Materials Companies  —  Deals add to Pentagon funding spree to reduce U.S. dependence on China  —  WASHINGTON—The Trump administration has agreed to provide more than $2 billion in funding for companies producing batteries and critical minerals …