American businessman, activist, and conspiracy theorist
Trump is rallying defense leaders and investors in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to spotlight a robust defense budget and U.S. industrial ties amid concerns over war funding, inflation, and a volatile security landscape. The event features top defense officials and corporate leaders as Republicans push for greater investment while critics warn of deficits.
Human Rights Watch and the ACLU have documented abuses at Camp East Montana, Fort Bliss, including filthy conditions, denied medical care and withheld contact with lawyers or family. The reports cite multiple detainee accounts of violence, sickness and coercion, urging the U.S. to shut the facility and launch independent investigations.
Trump has disputed federal warnings that Iranian hackers targeted U.S. water systems, instead blaming Minnesota officials for a series of cyberattacks. Authorities have not publicly named a culprit, and investigators say threats to critical infrastructure remain a concern.
South Carolina has held a special Republican primary to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and has produced a runoff. Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman have advanced; Rep. Russell Fry finished a close third. The Aug. 25 runoff will almost certainly decide the GOP nominee who will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
In Wisconsin, Francesca Hong has lost the governor's primary to David Crowley by less than 1 point, a dramatic turn after polls showed she led by double digits. The result mirrors a broader pattern of polling misses and rising momentum for progressive candidates in state races. Prediction markets also underestimated Crowley’s chances.
Muslim public officials face rising anti-Muslim rhetoric from some Republican figures after Abdul El-Sayed’s Michigan primary win. CAIR warns that such rhetoric targets Muslim officials nationwide, while other Republicans condemn the tone amid a charged political climate.
Karoline Leavitt has announced she will leave her role as White House press secretary at the end of August to spend more time with her two young children. President Donald Trump has said she will remain a top outside adviser; the White House has not named a successor and senior officials are expected to brief reporters temporarily.
Trump has touted a high success rate for endorsements across 2018-2026, while opponents question the reliability and motives behind those wins as candidates in Alabama, Georgia and beyond move through primaries. The pieces highlight intra-party tensions and the evolving dynamics of Trump’s influence.
In a Republican runoff, Darline Graham has secured a narrow victory in South Carolina with about 52.5% of the vote to Ralph Norman’s 47.6%, aided by a late endorsement from Donald Trump. Graham had faced scrutiny after a debate misstep on national security issues, and Trump’s intervention follows a string of endorsements that have fluctuated in effectiveness.
Trump has accused NBC’s Kristen Welker of bias and says he will report her to the FCC for alleged “inaccuracy” about his endorsement track record. The claims come as his administration faces fresh scrutiny of media spending and First Amendment debates.