Trump Power, ICE Violence, Iran Escalation and the Todd Blanche Fight Dominate Today’s News
Today’s major stories show power moving faster than accountability across nearly every American institution. The fight over Todd Blanche’s nomination, deadly ICE enforcement, widening war with Iran, attacks on voting rights, mass surveillance, corporate favoritism and instability inside federal health agencies all point to a government demanding more authority while resisting meaningful public scrutiny.
Key Developments
- The Grayzone reports that federal border agents seized journalist Max Blumenthal’s phones after his return from a reporting trip to Tehran, raising serious First and Fourth Amendment concerns about searches of journalists and possible viewpoint based targeting at the border.
- Oligarch Watch reports that the Trump administration is pursuing federal autonomous vehicle rules and safety exemptions that could benefit Elon Musk’s steering wheel free Cybercab while reducing the power of states and cities to regulate robotaxi deployments.
- Notes From the Front reports that a federal judge kept a permanent injunction against central provisions of Trump’s election executive order and found major portions unconstitutional or inconsistent with federal voting laws.
- Adam Kinzinger and Epstein Files Resistance examine the Supreme Court’s request for approximately $228 million while arguing that the justices readily seek congressional protection but resist enforceable ethics oversight and accountability for rulings that impose immediate harm on the public.
- The Daily Beast and PunchUp report that Representative Bennie Thompson is demanding the cancellation of the $915 million Project Homecoming contract following procurement concerns, political connections, poor performance and a controversial $200 million extension.
- Anonymous argues that election integrity requires enforcing laws against illegal voting while also protecting eligible voters from inaccurate database matches, improper removals and politically motivated voter roll purges.
- Grave Injustice raises questions about whether Todd Blanche’s Justice Department appointment effectively became part of his compensation for years of legal service to Trump and argues that his conduct involving Trump’s proposed IRS settlement should disqualify him from confirmation.
- Escalation Trap and Critical Threats report that Iranian attacks on commercial vessels and United States bases are increasing the risk that American casualties could trigger a much larger and increasingly uncontrollable military response.
- Regular Order reports that the House approved permanent daylight saving time by a vote of 308 to 117, although the proposal faces resistance in the Senate over concerns about dark winter mornings and school safety. The report also notes that Senate Democrats blocked movement on the defense authorization bill while demanding limits on Trump’s Iran war.
- The Baltic Flank reports that Russia has spent years preparing possible International Court of Justice cases against Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, using discrimination claims as a form of lawfare that could drain Baltic resources and amplify Kremlin propaganda.
- 50501 Veterans warns that federal agencies are combining license plate cameras, facial recognition, social media monitoring, data brokers, phone tracking devices, artificial intelligence and private surveillance contractors into a powerful national monitoring infrastructure.
- The Bulwark reports that ICE briefly paused vehicle stops after agents killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero, but administration officials quickly signaled that the deadly enforcement tactic would continue without major reforms, body cameras or public accountability.
- Lincoln Square examines how technology billionaires, political extremists, foreign influence campaigns and profitable social media algorithms have pushed conspiracy theories into mainstream politics, public health policy and election law.
- Women Forward and The Contrarian compile the case against confirming Todd Blanche, citing his handling of the Epstein files, the transfer of Ghislaine Maxwell, the firing of career officials, politically motivated prosecutions and opposition from more than 1,200 former Justice Department employees.
- Literary Hub publishes professor Steven Thrasher’s account of his lawsuit against Northwestern University and federal officials, alleging retaliation, discrimination, breach of contract and political interference targeting his Palestine advocacy and academic work.
- Mike Young describes how insurance companies can deny GLP 1 medication for obesity while covering the exact same drug under another diagnosis, exposing how paperwork, stigma and coverage categories often determine access more than medical need.
- Inside Medicine reports that CDC Chief of Staff Matthew Buzzelli is leaving while the agency remains without an official acting director, creating another leadership vacuum as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. retains direct control over crucial vaccine policy decisions.
- Sunny Apocalypse urges lawmakers to remove provisions from the defense authorization bill that would expand United States and Israeli defense technology integration, increase contractor profits and direct education programs toward military industry employment.
- EpsteinWiki reports that Todd Blanche enters his confirmation hearings facing questions about withheld Epstein records, inconsistent redactions, Ghislaine Maxwell’s treatment and whether the Justice Department protected politically sensitive individuals while claiming to provide transparency.
Featured Resisters and Resources
- Digital Defense Fund is a badass collective provides digital security tools, training, and infrastructure for reproductive rights organizers. They blend cybersecurity with activism—because if they’re coming for your uterus, you better shield your signal too.
- The National Freedom of Information Coalition is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and expanding the public’s right to access government records and meetings. Through education, advocacy, and legal support, the organization works to ensure that transparency remains a cornerstone of democratic government at the local, state, and federal levels.
What We Are Watching Today
- 9:00 AM EDT
Attorney General Nominee Todd Blanche Testifies at Confirmation Hearing Live - 9:34 AM EDT
Director of National Intelligence Nominee Jay Clayton Testifies at Confirmation Hearing Live - 9:53 AM EDT
Nominees for CDC Director & Asst. HHS Secretary Testify at Confirmation Hearing Live - 9:57 AM EDT
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh Testifies on State of U.S. Economy Live - 9:59 AM EDT
Senate Session Live - 10:03 AM EDT
White House Budget Director Vought Testifies on CFPB Semi-Annual Report Live - 11:00 AM EDT
House Session - 2:00 PM EDT
House Administration Subcommittee Hearing on Election Monitoring and Congress’ Role - 3:15 PM EDT
President Trump Remarks at Defense Roundtable in Carlisle, PA
Today’s Call to Action
1. Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guides
2. Sign these Petitions and Send These Pre Written Letters
- Sign the petition to Congress: Investigate ICE killing of Joan Sebastian Guerrero.
- Please add your name to the petition denouncing the Trump administration for implementing a new rule that could kick millions of Americans off Medicaid, mostly because of added paperwork.
- Sign if you agree: Congress should investigate insider trading on the Iran war, because we all know that the Trump administration won’t do it.
- Sign if you agree: Keep Donald Trump’s signature off our money!
- Sign if you agree: Congress must reject Mike Johnson’s ideas to “fix” Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
- Sign the petition: Congress should investigate the secret Trump administration committee known as the Interagency Weaponization Working Group for weaponizing the government against Donald Trump’s perceived political enemies.
- Sign if you agree: Stephen Miller should either resign or be fired.
- Add your name to the petition to Congress: Keep up the pressure on Pete Hegseth until he comes clean about the circumstances that resulted in the bombing of an elementary school in Iran that killed over 160 people, mostly children.
- No more weapons without protection for Gaza aid workers
- Will you send an email to your Members of Congress now and demand that they lead hearings and investigations into Musk and DOGE in the new Congress
3. Verify your voter registration status and help at least one other person check theirs
4. Save contact information for local legal aid and voting support organizations
5. Attend an Event
- What’s the Plan with Leah and Ezra takes place Thursday, July 16, 2026, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Join Indivisible founders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin for a discussion of the week’s biggest political developments and practical strategies for taking action.
- Immigrant Justice Summer Call: Connecting With Immigrant Justice Organizations takes place Thursday, July 23, 2026, from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern. This national training will teach participants how to identify immigrant led organizations, map local defense networks and build safer community responses to ICE enforcement.
- Hands Off Our Vote takes place Thursday, July 30, 2026, from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Participants will learn how Indivisible plans to protect voting access, help eligible voters cast ballots and ensure every lawful ballot is counted during the 2026 elections.
6. Contact Your Lawmakers Directly
- Call Script One: Reject Todd Blanche for Attorney General
- Hello, my name is [NAME], and I am a constituent from [CITY AND ZIP CODE]. I am calling to urge Senator [NAME] to oppose Todd Blanche’s confirmation as United States attorney general. Blanche’s confirmation hearings are scheduled for July 15 and July 16. His previous service as Donald Trump’s personal criminal defense lawyer, his conduct as acting attorney general and the Justice Department’s failure to answer congressional oversight requests raise serious questions about whether he can represent the American people rather than the president personally. Please vote no on Todd Blanche’s confirmation and publicly demand an attorney general who will protect the rule of law, respect congressional oversight and maintain the Justice Department’s independence. Please tell me what position the senator will take.
- Call Script Two: Demand Independent Investigations Into ICE Shootings
- Hello, my name is [NAME], and I am a constituent from [CITY AND ZIP CODE]. I am calling because two fatal shootings involving ICE have occurred in less than one week, including incidents in Houston, Texas, and Biddeford, Maine. I am asking Senator or Representative [NAME] to demand independent investigations, preservation of all video and communications, public release of available body camera footage and congressional hearings into ICE use of force. Congress should not approve additional immigration enforcement funding without enforceable transparency rules, independent review of fatal incidents and meaningful consequences when federal agents violate policy or the law. Please tell me what action the lawmaker will take.
- Call Script Three: Protect Journalists From Government Intimidation
- Hello, my name is [NAME], and I am a constituent from [CITY AND ZIP CODE]. I am calling to demand immediate congressional action following federal subpoenas issued to New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns involving the new Air Force One aircraft. Investigating reporters and attempting to expose confidential sources can intimidate journalists, discourage whistleblowers and prevent the public from learning about government misconduct or national security failures. Please demand hearings into the subpoenas, support stronger federal protections for journalists and confidential sources and oppose any Justice Department or intelligence nominee who refuses to respect press freedom. Please provide a written response explaining the lawmaker’s position.
Let’s Roll!
The connecting thread running through today’s news is not subtle. Government agencies, courts, political appointees, wealthy technology executives, military contractors and powerful institutions are seeking broader authority, larger budgets and greater protection while limiting the public’s ability to examine their conduct. The task now is to keep documenting the decisions, following the contracts, protecting lawful voters, challenging state violence and refusing to let official secrecy become a substitute for accountability.
