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Good evening everyone. What a day. Lots of news to cover after I spent most of today reviewing the Epstein files and found some interesting documents that include Todd Blanche, Donald Trump, and possible co-conspirators. Meanwhile, Trump is running out of options in Iran and now says he may just abandon the war and declare victory without a nuclear deal. Lake Mead has hit a major low point, the Patriot Games have begun and are already having issues, and more.
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Here’s the news:
Blanche/Epstein:
Todd Blanche is in the Epstein files. He appears in a thread from 2019 discussing Jeffrey Epstein’s chances of getting off in court, alongside Sean Buckley. The “Ilan” referenced in that thread is believed to be Ilan Graff.
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Epstein survivors today called out Blanche directly for being in the files. The names that are redacted are lawyers, although the public does not know that . . . until now. The lawyers were discussing Epstein’s criminal case. The question remains, however, why would Blanche be discussing strategy for Epstein’s bail proceedings as a private lawyer?
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Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) reviewed an unredacted version of a heavily redacted October 2009 email Epstein sent to “Gmax” (linked to Ghislaine Maxwell) with the subject line “Trump,” after spending hours at DOJ headquarters where lawmakers can view unredacted files in person. Dean told journalist Tara Palmeri the email “reveals lies of the president,” particularly around Trump’s repeated claim that he threw Epstein “out” of Mar-a-Lago. According to her notes, the email states Epstein “was never expelled from Mar-a-Lago,” was “not a member” but “may have been a guest,” and quotes Trump saying, “I’ve been on a lot of planes, may have been on his plane. No young girls on plane.” The revelation is the latest from the document dump mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed into law in November after months of resistance. Trump is mentioned more than 1,000 times across the roughly 3 million pages released so far, though the DOJ says some submissions contain “untrue and sensationalist claims” made ahead of the 2020 election.
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One file I uncovered while reviewing the Epstein files is below. It's an email discussing 10 co-conspirators to Epstein. To this day, only Maxwell has ever been charged.
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Iran:
Trump has privately floated to senior aides that he’s willing to walk away from the Iran conflict without securing a nuclear deal, according to U.S. officials cited by the Wall Street Journal. That’s a retreat from his original war objective of permanently blocking Iran’s nuclear ambitions when the fighting began in late February. Publicly, though, Trump told Axios on Sunday he’s “low keying it,” saying the U.S. is “only semi-negotiating” and will let Iran’s economic distress and inflation force it back to the table rather than launching new military action.
Even a softened U.S. offer may not save talks, since Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Sunday the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the U.S. meets all of Tehran’s conditions, calling the strait “a theatre of war for us and not just a waterway.” Iran’s demands, laid out by security chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, include a full U.S. withdrawal from the region, lifting the naval counterblockade, ending sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and compensation for war damage. Trump’s own former defense secretary Mark Esper called the demands “ridiculous” and said they “should be rejected out of hand,” while analyst Gregory Brew of the Eurasia Group says Tehran believes Trump is desperate to end the war and is deliberately playing hardball because of it.
The stalemate carries real political risk for Trump heading into the midterms, now under three months away, since Iran’s blockade and toll-charging keep gas and food prices elevated. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued on ABC’s “This Week” that Trump’s complaints about oil companies “making too much money” clash with his own war policies, which she said are “jacking up the price” of goods across the economy. Trump has repeatedly claimed the strait was fully reopened, but each claim has proven premature, undercutting his effort to declare the war won before voters go to the polls. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is quietly pressing defense contractors to speed up weapons production, with deputy defense secretary Steve Feinberg telling industry leaders “years-long development cycles are not acceptable.”
Away from the Hormuz standoff, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the Gaza ceasefire plan Trump had hailed, vowing no troop withdrawal until Hamas is “genuinely” disarmed and declaring “with an agreement or without an agreement... Iran will not have nuclear weapons.” A Hamas official countered that the U.S. must pressure Netanyahu to “adhere to the roadmap,” while far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich praised the rejection, saying forces “cannot withdraw even a millimetre” until Hamas is dismantled. The dispute centers on sequencing: Israel wants disarmament before any pullback, while Hamas wants Israeli withdrawal to begin first.
Iran’s internal situation remains murky and violence is spreading regionally. Supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who was reportedly injured in the February strike that killed his father, has not appeared publicly, though state media says he met with President Masoud Pezeshkian in late July and Khamenei has now named a new representative, Mohsen Rezaei, to Iran’s supreme security council. Meanwhile Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen killed at least 11 people in strikes Sunday and hit a Saudi Aramco oil refinery with a drone, and Israeli tanks reportedly pushed into southern Lebanon, underscoring how the conflict keeps widening beyond the strait itself.
Other News:
A Daily Beast analysis of Melania Trump’s public diary found she has appeared publicly on just 38 days in the first seven months of 2026, an average of roughly once every six days, and has skipped 100 or more days total since her husband’s second inauguration. Her pace slowed further this summer, with just five appearances in June and July combined, two of which were sporting events, working out to about once every 12 days; she skipped the dignified transfer for soldiers killed by Iran, the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral, and was last seen publicly at the World Cup Final on July 19. She’s also spoken far less than her predecessors, delivering just 29 speeches so far in this term compared to Michelle Obama’s 130 and Jill Biden’s 43 over equivalent 18-month periods, though her most memorable address came in April when she abruptly told reporters that “lies” tying her to Jeffrey Epstein “must stop.” About 80% of her appearances have been in Washington, and she hasn’t traveled outside the East Coast since July 2025, a sharp contrast to predecessors like Laura Bush and Michelle Obama, who visited all 50 states. Biographer Michael Wolff, who has clashed with Melania in court, claims insiders say “Trump and his wife barely speak,” describing her as “a wild card that he can’t seem to control or even game.”
Trump posted a graphic targeting Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and his wife, contrasting them with himself and Melania under the caption “Two Very Different America’s.”
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El-Sayed hit back live on CNN, agreeing there are indeed two different visions: one where “overlords” are two people who don’t actually like each other but are joined by a shared interest in making billions off ordinary Americans, versus his own relationship with his wife Sarah, built on genuine love, shared moments like pancakes together, and a desire to raise a family with a strong future. He argued Trump’s vision is the one Americans are already living under, pointedly asking whether people can afford gas and groceries, and whether they believe their kids will have a better future than they did. El-Sayed said he and Sarah are running so their daughters, Emmalee and Shireen, can grow up believing they have a shot at a better future than the one available under the Trump administration, in an America where healthcare and good jobs are accessible and inequality isn’t tolerated. He closed by contrasting his own marriage with the Trumps’, noting that he and Sarah genuinely like each other, adding with a jab that he’s heard the relationship between the president and First Lady is “a bit of a rocky road.”
According to Politico, former President Barack Obama called both Michigan Senate candidates, Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens, on Friday, praising their efforts to unify Democrats after a bruising primary and giving El-Sayed an early boost ahead of the general election. A spokesperson for El-Sayed’s campaign described the call as a “warm encouraging discussion,” and El-Sayed said in a statement, “Sometimes you really should meet your heroes,” notable given he previously criticized Obama’s presidency in his 2020 book for leaving “inspiring intentions unfulfilled.” Obama also spoke with Stevens, who told Politico she urged him to “come to Michigan and campaign for the Democrats,” and who has leaned on her own Obama-era ties as former chief of staff to the U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force.
Trump's "Patriot Games," airing on the ESPN app Aug. 9-13 as part of America's 250th birthday celebrations, were billed as a national competition featuring one boy and one girl from each state or territory "celebrating the character, determination, and excellence that define the American spirit," but a CNN review found contestants were selected as much for their MAGA loyalty as their athletic ability. Competitors, ages 14 to 17, are largely white and either homeschooled or attend private Christian schools, and many don't actually live in the areas they're representing: the boy representing Puerto Rico is from Texas, and Massachusetts representative Bobbi Vickers, 16, attends school in California and said she's regularly asked why she isn't representing her home state instead. Most contestants thanked Trump personally for the opportunity and touted their Christian faith, underscoring the event's politicized tone despite its ostensibly nonpartisan framing. The games also appear disorganized. The only event confirmed to competitors in advance was a 100-meter dash, according to The Washington Times, and several contestants told CNN they remain unclear how team events like dodgeball will even be scored.
Rep. Max Miller will remain in his reelection race for Ohio’s 7th District after the deadline for Republican leaders to replace him on the ballot passed, despite abuse allegations from his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, and growing calls from fellow Republicans to withdraw. Miller has denied the allegations, and CNN previously reported party officials pushed hard to get him out of the race over concerns he could jeopardize what was once considered a safe GOP seat, with allies of Trump also urging the president to encourage Miller to drop out. Sen. Bernie Moreno, Miller’s former father-in-law, has been especially vocal, calling him “a danger to my daughter” and saying he “should not serve” in Congress, while Ohio’s junior senator, Jon Husted, separately called on Miller to abandon his race and resign entirely. Miller said Trump told him the race would be “tough” and seemed doubtful about his chances, but Miller remained defiant, vowing to stay in and clear his name; a recent combative livestream and a follow-up social media post of messages and files meant to exonerate him instead sparked new controversy after his attorney admitted the release inadvertently exposed sensitive details about his family. Miller is set to face Democrat Brian Poindexter, an ironworker, on November 3.
Lake Mead, the largest US reservoir, hit its lowest water level since it was filled roughly 90 years ago, dipping to 1,040.4ft on Friday and edging just below the previous record set in July 2022. The reservoir, which sits on the Arizona-Nevada border and supplies water to about 40 million people across seven states, tribal nations, and Mexico, is being strained by overuse, prolonged drought, extreme heat, and the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River basin this past winter. Lake Powell, the river’s other major reservoir, is also at historic lows, with both reservoirs now at their lowest points in nearly seven decades. JB Hamby, chair of the Colorado River board of California, called the situation “extremely significant and extremely concerning,” noting roughly 30 million people are directly affected by risks to Lake Mead. Federal officials expect Lake Mead to keep dropping through the rest of the year, and a forthcoming “record of decision” on water cuts for Arizona, California, and Nevada may still not be enough to fix the river’s long-term problems.
NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who is also serving as acting CDC director, told “Face the Nation” on Sunday that “I trust the science” on childhood vaccines and urged parents to vaccinate their kids against measles, DTP, and other standard illnesses, noting “I’ve vaccinated my kids.” Measles cases have hit their highest level in 35 years, with only 10 states meeting the 95% kindergarten vaccination coverage needed for herd immunity in 2024-2025; Bhattacharya pointed to outbreaks in Texas, Arizona, Utah, and South Carolina as “addressed,” while Virginia and Pennsylvania are seeing newer flare-ups.
A pregnant 29-year-old Haitian woman in Florida, who came to the U.S. at age 6 and has no family left in Haiti, is hiding out of fear of deportation after the Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 300,000 Haitian nationals this week, citing improved conditions in the country. Just before TPS expired, ICE reportedly ramped up plans to arrest and deport Haitian migrants, according to two ICE sources and federal documents obtained by CBS News. The move comes despite a State Department Level 4 travel advisory warning against travel to Haiti and a new UN report documenting 613 gang-related killings between March and July along with a suspension of basic services in affected neighborhoods. The woman lost her job and is losing her health insurance as her TPS lapses, jeopardizing the weekly appointments her high-risk pregnancy requires, and though her baby will be a U.S. citizen through her American partner, she says she has nowhere to go if deported and now rarely leaves home even for necessary doctor visits. She described feeling American after spending most of her life in the country, while Miami’s Little Haiti has grown noticeably empty as residents stay hidden.
British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday after the fast-moving Bald Range wildfire destroyed homes and forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate communities along Okanagan Lake, with 18 firefighting aircraft rescuing over 50 people as more than 100 wildfires burned across the province, nearly half out of control. The fire, first reported Friday evening, exploded to over 39 square miles and raced roughly 9 miles to reach the lake within hours, becoming so intense it generated its own weather system and lightning, according to Premier David Eby, who called it “a remarkable escalation in fire activity.” Summerland (population ~12,000) and nearby Peachland (~8,000 people) were both evacuated overnight amid “significant structure loss,” though officials couldn’t yet assess the damage since the area remains an active fire zone; the RCMP is also investigating a possible wildfire-related death near Summerland. The situation was severe enough that even emergency officials had to flee, with one regional official abandoning the emergency operations center to evacuate his own family, while residents described roads lined with flames and the approaching fire looking “like doomsday.”
Mark Zuckerberg is facing scrutiny after a small cruise ship, rather than his nearby 387ft, $300m superyacht Launchpad, ended up rescuing a stranded 21ft skiff that ran out of fuel between Petersburg and Juneau, Alaska. A passenger aboard the UnCruise Adventures ship Wilderness Legacy said the Coast Guard radioed Zuckerberg’s yacht first since it was closer, but the crew “repeatedly refused to respond,” prompting “near unanimous booing” when the captain announced it. Zuckerberg’s spokesperson, Brian Baker, told Forbes that neither Zuckerberg nor his wife Priscilla Chan were aboard at the time, and that the yacht’s crew was on a different radio channel and only reviewed the broadcast after the rescue was already underway. The incident adds to existing public criticism of Zuckerberg over his platforms’ societal impact, his warming relationship with Donald Trump, and his lavish lifestyle, with one Juneau resident on Reddit calling the yacht “excessive” and writing “Fuck Zuckerberg” in response to the story.
Manuel Hernandez, 46, the captain of a boat that capsized in New York harbor near Liberty Island on Saturday evening, was arrested and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment in the early hours of Sunday. Police responded to a 911 call at 10:25pm reporting the overturned vessel, deploying the NYPD’s Harbor Unit, SCUBA Team, and Aviation, with divers ultimately finding a 27-year-old woman, Sara Sanchez, and her five-month-old daughter, Antonella, in the water. Both were transported in critical condition to NYU Langone hospital in Brooklyn, where they were pronounced dead, while a dozen other passengers were rescued from the vessel and also taken to hospitals. Coast Guard Captain Doreen McCarthy expressed condolences to the victims’ family and praised the “heroic, swift actions” of responding agencies and a Good Samaritan vessel that helped rescue survivors.
See you soon.
— Aaron
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