NEWS: Pam Bondi Strips Sanctuary Status from D.C., JD Vance Rejected at Restaurant, and anti-Russia Protests Break…

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NEWS: Pam Bondi Strips Sanctuary Status from D.C., JD Vance Rejected at Restaurant, and anti-Russia Protests Breakout in Alaska

Pam Bondi strips sanctuary protections from D.C., JD Vance was rejected at a restaurant while on vacation, anti-Russia protests breakout in Alaska ahead of today's summit, and much more!

Aaron Parnas Aug 15

Good morning, everyone. We’re in for a packed news day, so expect multiple updates as events unfold.

Here’s what’s on our radar:

• Trump–Putin Summit: Kicking off in Alaska around 3:30 PM EST, this high-stakes meeting is set to run for several hours, ending with a joint press conference.

• Federal Takeover of D.C.: With the weekend ahead, sources tell me enforcement is ramping up—and I’ll be tracking it closely throughout the day.

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With that, here’s the news:

Russia and United States Summit:

• US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin are meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, aiming to address the war in Ukraine, though each side arrives with sharply opposing objectives.

• Shortly before departing for Alaska to meet Vladimir Putin, US president Donald Trump posted “HIGH STAKES!!!” on Truth Social, signaling the significance of the summit.

• The summit, held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, is scheduled to last about seven hours and conclude with a joint press conference.

• Local residents are divided between excitement over the visit and concerns about possible outcomes, while pro-Ukraine demonstrations have filled Anchorage’s streets.

• Russia, buoyed by battlefield gains, seeks terms meeting its maximalist demands, while the US, Ukraine, and European partners insist on upholding Ukraine’s sovereignty and rejecting territorial changes by force.

• Trump says he doesn’t rule out the possibility of the US offering security guarantees to Ukraine, “maybe, along with Europe and other countries,” but not in the form of NATO.

• Trump confirms plans for “economically severe” sanctions against Russia if it does not show willingness to seriously discuss ending the war in Ukraine, emphasizing the measures will be “very severe” and aimed at saving lives.

• Trump has suggested a 75% chance of success, believing economic sanctions may push Putin toward negotiation, but the actual talks remain unpredictable.

Washington, D.C. takeover:

• Four days after Donald Trump ordered a federal takeover of Washington DC’s police force, hundreds of federal agents and 800 national guard troops have flooded city streets, conducting raids, roadblocks, and aggressive patrols—sparking accusations of intimidation, fears of immigration targeting, and protests from residents who call the move unnecessary federal overreach.

• Amid a federal takeover of Washington DC’s police force, Donald Trump falsely claimed the city’s crime rate is at its worst ever, accused local officials of providing “phony” statistics, and oversaw federal checkpoints and homeless camp clearances—moves that drew protests, warnings from advocates about inadequate shelter space, and concerns over intimidation tactics.

• Amid Donald Trump’s federal crackdown on Washington DC, Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered an end to the city’s sanctuary policies and appointed DEA head Terry Cole as “emergency police commissioner,” moves the D.C. mayor and attorney general called unlawful, warning they could undermine community trust and reverse recent crime reductions.

• D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Brian Schwalb rejected U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s order to appoint an emergency police commissioner under Donald Trump’s federal takeover, calling it unlawful and setting up a direct confrontation over the city’s limited autonomy.

• Following Donald Trump’s federal deployment in Washington DC, masked agents raided the city’s only Home Depot, arresting Hispanic day laborers without questioning, towing away their vehicles, and fueling local concerns over aggressive tactics and the targeting of innocent workers.

All other news:

• Staff at The Bull, a Michelin Bib Gourmand pub in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, staged a mutiny and refused to work if management accepted JD Vance’s dinner booking—leading to his rejection just weeks after the same venue hosted Kamala Harris for a pre-wedding dinner—amid local protests, security complaints, and tensions over his visit to the Cotswolds.

• In a virtual call with Texas House Democrats, former President Barack Obama warned that GOP-led redistricting efforts in Texas represent a “systematic assault on democracy,” criticized gerrymandering and voter suppression under the Trump administration, and urged fair, nonpartisan map-drawing while praising Democrats for resisting Republican plans to secure up to five additional U.S. House seats.

• President Donald Trump confirmed telling Melania Trump to proceed with legal action against Hunter Biden over comments linking her to Jeffrey Epstein, with the first lady seeking $1 billion in damages and a retraction, while Biden has refused to apologize and suggested the case could lead to a deposition clarifying the Trumps’ relationship with Epstein.

• As Donald Trump heads to Alaska for a high-stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin, the White House is mounting an aggressive campaign to secure him the Nobel Peace Prize, touting his role in brokering multiple international agreements and ceasefires, though skepticism remains abroad and the Nobel committee is insulated from political pressure.

• In the months before the Aug. 8 CDC headquarters shooting, anti-vaccine misinformation linking Covid shots to depression surged across major social media platforms as companies rolled back moderation policies, fueling a false narrative embraced by conspiracy theorists and influencers—even though experts say there’s no evidence vaccines cause depression—which the gunman had echoed in past statements about his mental health.

• Michigan stroke patient John Karadell waited over a month in the hospital for insurer Aetna to approve intensive rehab his doctors deemed essential, ultimately settling for less-effective care after repeated denials and delays—an ordeal experts call “rationing care by inconvenience” that left him with lasting disabilities and underscores broader problems with the prior authorization process.

Good news:

• In Hudson, Minnesota, teenage employees of the family-owned Urban Olive & Vine restaurant kept the business running for months while co-owner Carol Trainer was in a coma and her husband Chad stayed by her side; the teens took on adult responsibilities, managed operations, created specials, and supported each other until Carol’s passing in May, demonstrating remarkable maturity, teamwork, and dedication.

• Chinese scientists created CHSN01, a steel alloy once thought impossible, that withstands extreme cold, 20 Tesla magnetic fields, and immense stress, paving the way for more powerful nuclear fusion reactors, including China’s next-generation tokamak set for 2027.

• Jamaican student Rayvon Stewart invented Xermosol, a UV-light self-disinfecting door handle that kills 99.9% of pathogens in 30 seconds, aiming to improve hospital sanitation in tropical climates and earning multiple innovation awards.

See you this evening.

— Aaron