Trump Tears Down Guardrails as War, Corruption, Cyberattacks and Government Secrecy Spread
The final day of July arrived with a familiar problem: the people claiming to protect America appear to be dismantling its protections from the inside. A Senate report warns that Donald Trump has weakened counterterrorism safeguards created after September 11. Meanwhile, public money is flowing toward empty detention beds, artificial intelligence data centers, private prison companies and another expanding war. Apparently, government waste only becomes offensive when the money helps ordinary people.
Key Developments
- A Senate report examined by MS NOW says the Trump administration has dismantled personnel, programs and partnerships created to prevent terrorism after September 11. Trump is weakening the national security infrastructure while insisting that nearly everything he does is necessary for national security.
- A reported Fauci diary obtained by The Daily Beast reportedly reveals a striking gap between the Miller family’s private interactions with Anthony Fauci and the hostility later displayed toward him in public. Nothing says principled leadership quite like changing your convictions when the cameras arrive.
- Nightfire55 examines civilian surveillance and the increasingly blurry line between personal safety technology, private observation and routine monitoring. The surveillance state no longer needs to follow you everywhere when ordinary people have been persuaded to carry it in their pockets.
- 50501 Veterans remembers four service members reportedly killed across two countries in a single week while the Pentagon and political establishment treated their deaths like inconvenient paperwork. The troops deserve more than patriotic slogans followed by official silence.
- The Hartmann Report warns that attacks on Anthony Fauci are part of a broader effort to rewrite the history of the pandemic and redirect responsibility for catastrophic government decisions. When accountability becomes dangerous, apparently the next best option is putting history itself on trial.
- Front Page Detectives reports that a judge sided with a blogger who called FBI Director Kash Patel a Russian asset. The ruling is an important reminder that public officials cannot automatically convert harsh political criticism into an actionable legal offense.
- The PunchUp reports a court defeat for Trump after the Justice Department tried to remove the judge overseeing a lawsuit brought by Roger Rogoff, a federal prosecutor Trump fired just 54 minutes after he was sworn in. At this point, the administration may need a loyalty oath for anyone hoping to remain employed through lunch.
- The FBI and EPA are warning water utilities about attacks targeting internet connected industrial controllers. Utilities in at least seven states reportedly experienced incidents, including disruptions that forced manual operations and contributed to boil water notices.
- A reported drone strike near Egypt’s Suez Canal damaged gas vessels and raised new concerns about the widening war’s threat to maritime trade. As conflict spreads toward another critical shipping corridor, energy markets and civilians are once again being asked to absorb decisions they never made.
- Raw Story examines Kash Patel’s connections and conduct as national security questions surrounding the FBI director continue to grow. The public deserves evidence, transparency and answers, not another fog machine operated from inside the Justice Department.
- United States Democratic Socialists reports that the Trump administration replaced a planned solar project on public land with an artificial intelligence data center proposal. Public land is apparently sacred right up until a technology company wants electricity, water and a very large tax incentive.
- The PunchUp’s analysis of ICE data found that taxpayers are spending more than $1.2 million every day on thousands of guaranteed detention beds that remain empty. Private prison companies collect the money whether the beds are occupied or not, because capitalism becomes remarkably relaxed about efficiency when the government check clears.
- Drop Site News and Belly of the Beast investigated claims that Russia is operating a major intelligence facility at Lourdes, Cuba, and found a university rather than the active spy base described by Trump and The New York Times. An allegation used to justify punishing an entire country deserves more verification than a dramatic headline and some Cold War nostalgia.
- Erin in the Morning reports that Amy Acton’s campaign scheduled a meeting with LGBTQ advocates after Acton endorsed Ohio’s transgender sports ban, but Acton did not attend and transgender leaders were reportedly excluded or removed. A listening session without the candidate or the people she harmed is less reconciliation and more political community theater.
- A leaked memo obtained by WIRED links attacks on more than 30 Minnesota water and wastewater utilities to Iranian affiliated hackers, although the attribution has not been officially confirmed. The attacks reportedly disrupted operations, triggered boil water advisories and demonstrated how vulnerable civilian infrastructure remains.
- Raw America reports that Senator Pete Ricketts summoned security when a reporter pressed him about Mitch McConnell’s health and ability to serve. Calling security does not answer a question, but it does provide a vivid demonstration of how elected officials now treat basic scrutiny.
- Oligarch Watch examines Elon Musk’s political spending plans and the billionaire influence campaign surrounding the midterm elections. When one wealthy man can pour enormous sums into shaping Congress, the ballot remains public while political power becomes increasingly private.
- The Daily Beast reports that Elaine Chao delivered a lengthy Washington speech without mentioning her hospitalized husband, Senator Mitch McConnell, whose extended absence continues to raise questions. Kentucky voters are still entitled to know whether their senator can perform the job, even if Washington has decided that two photographs should settle everything.
- The Associated Press reports that the government revoked Jessica Treviño’s DACA protection by citing unauthorized travel after the government itself deported her to Mexico. Treviño says she did not voluntarily leave, and her lawsuit seeks her return to the United States and reunification with her three children.
- E&E News reports that the EPA exempted certain power generators serving data centers from federal acid rain requirements when they do not sell electricity to the grid. Apparently, pollution becomes less regulated when it is produced privately to feed enormous corporate computing facilities.
- Eyes on ICE documents the arrest of off duty ICE agent Gerardo Rodriguez after he allegedly pointed a gun at an unarmed 17 year old, displayed his federal credentials and detained the teenager in a California neighborhood. Rodriguez faces charges including assault with a deadly weapon, child endangerment and false imprisonment.
- Mother Jones reports that Democratic lawmakers are seeking an ethics investigation into Representative Max Miller. The request places renewed attention on whether congressional ethics rules are meaningful standards or merely decorative language surrounding another committee.
- Defcon Alerts reports that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard again claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz following strikes by United States Central Command. With competing military claims, drone attacks and shipping disruptions continuing, one of the world’s most important energy corridors remains dangerously unstable.
- The Standeford Journal reports that an armed Russian cruise missile crashed in eastern Poland and prompted NATO defensive activity. No casualties or structural damage were reported, but an armed Russian missile entering NATO territory is not the sort of clerical error anyone should shrug off.
- Extreme Arturo examines alleged United States interference in Brazil’s presidential election through tariffs, political pressure and information warfare. The claims deserve careful scrutiny because democracy promotion becomes a rather flexible slogan when foreign voters might choose the wrong candidate.
- Nick Akerman examines Trump’s pressure on the acting attorney general as the administration’s demands for personal loyalty continue to collide with the Justice Department’s obligation to serve the public. An attorney general represents the United States, not the president’s private legal interests, regardless of how frequently Trump tries to merge the two.
Featured Resisters and Resources
- East Wing Restoration is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the representation of Democratic women in state legislatures across the United States. The organization identifies, recruits, trains, and supports women candidates who are running for state legislative office, with a particular focus on building long term political leadership and strengthening representative democracy.
- Resistance Bootcamp is a grassroots activist training initiative designed to equip community organizers, advocates, and engaged citizens with practical skills for effective nonviolent action, community organizing, movement resilience, and public participation. Organized through a coalition of Indivisible groups and community partners, the program provides intensive hands on training focused on strengthening democratic participation and building sustainable local organizing networks. The project brings together experienced trainers, organizers, and activists to share strategies that can be applied within local communities and grassroots movements.
What We Are Watching Today
- 10:20 AM EDT
Sen. Gary Peters Remarks After Voting for U.S. Senate Candidate Haley Stevens - 11:00 AM EDT
President Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting at Camp David - 12:35 PM EDT
Govs. Wes Moore and Spencer Cox on Artificial Intelligence and the Workforce - 1:30 PM EDT
Fmr. Vice President Kamala Harris Speaks at National Urban League - 2:45 PM EDT
Governors’ Spouses Speak at Annual Policy Meeting - 3:30 PM EDT
CMS Admin. Dr. Mehmet Oz Speaks at National Governors Association Summer Meeting - 6:00 PM EDT
House Candidate Anthony DiLorenzo Meets With Voters in Manchester - 6:30 PM EDT
U.S. Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Campaigns with Rep. Ilhan Omar
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 the Securities and Exchange Commission: Investigate Trump’s Truth Social pay-to-play insider trading scheme.
- Add your name if you agree: Mitch McConnell should disclose the details of his health condition or resign by August 3.
- Sign the petition if you agree: Keep Donald Trump’s signature and likeness off our money.
- Add your name to the petition denouncing Donald Trump’s cancellation of hundreds of clean energy grants worth a total $8 billion solely because they were going to blue states, and demand Congress put a stop to Donald Trump’s war on clean, affordable energy production.
- Add your name if you agree: Stephen Miller must resign or be fired.
- Sign the petition: The U.S. Senate must reject the Save America Act and protect every eligible American’s right to vote.
- Sign if you agree: It is long past time for Congress to take back tariff power from Donald Trump. Trade policy should not be controlled by the maniacal whims of one man.
- Add your name to the petition: Congress must reject the $1,000,000,000,000+ Republican military budget. This is a massive, 20-25% increase compared to last year, and over four times the proposed increase to social spending.
- Hold the 216 Reps who helped pass the NDAA accountable for pushing more taxpayer dollars towards weapons and war by demanding they refuse one more dime for the Pentagon.
- Submit a public comment demanding that the Trump administration withdraw these punitive Medicaid restrictions.
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
- Attend a Discussion About Journalists at Risk: Reporters at Risk: The State of Press Freedom in Iraq brings together journalists and press freedom experts to discuss intimidation, detention, violence, and assassination targeting reporters in Iraq. Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern
- RSVP now for The Plan to Protect Your Vote with Stacey Abrams, Thursday, August 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
6. Contact Your Lawmakers Directly
- Call Your Senators: Stop Unauthorized War With Iran
- Action: Call both United States senators and demand that they support the War Powers Resolution and require congressional authorization for continued military action against Iran.
- Script: Hello, my name is [NAME], and I am a constituent from [CITY AND ZIP CODE]. I am calling to demand that Senator [NAME] support the War Powers Resolution and vote to end unauthorized military action against Iran. The Constitution gives Congress the power to decide whether this country goes to war. American troops are being harmed, weapons supplies are being depleted, and the conflict is spreading across the region. Congress must stop surrendering its authority to the president. Please record my demand for a public vote against any continued military action that has not received congressional authorization. Thank you.
- Call Your Senators: Reject the Saudi Nuclear Deal
- Action: Call both United States senators and demand that they oppose the Saudi nuclear agreement unless it includes strict international inspections and a complete prohibition on uranium enrichment and fuel reprocessing.
- Script: Hello, my name is [NAME], and I am a constituent from [CITY AND ZIP CODE]. I am calling to ask Senator [NAME] to oppose the Trump administration’s nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia unless it includes the strongest possible safeguards. Saudi Arabia must accept comprehensive international inspections and permanently give up domestic uranium enrichment and fuel reprocessing. The United States cannot claim to oppose nuclear proliferation while creating a dangerous exception for a politically connected monarchy. Please demand the full agreement, hold public hearings, and vote against it if these protections are missing. Thank you.
- Call Congress: Stop the SEC Cellphone Surveillance Contract
- Action: Call your United States representative and both senators. Demand an investigation into the SEC plan to acquire artificial intelligence tools capable of monitoring cellphone locations, social media activity, and credit information.
- Script: Hello, my name is [NAME], and I am a constituent from [CITY AND ZIP CODE]. I am calling to demand immediate congressional oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed surveillance contract with Babel Street. Public documents indicate that the agency wants artificial intelligence tools capable of analyzing cellphone location data, social media activity, and credit information. A financial regulator should not be quietly building a system that can track ordinary people without meaningful transparency or clear protections. Please demand the contract documents, hold a public hearing, and block funding until Congress establishes strict warrant, privacy, retention, and audit requirements. Thank you.
7. Boycott Fascist Businesses
- Why boycott Amazon: An estimated 123,000 Amazon employees receive Medicaid at an annual public cost of approximately $927 million. Jeff Bezos grows richer while taxpayers help provide the health care Amazon wages fail to cover. Do instead: Buy directly from manufacturers, independent bookstores, local shops, eBay sellers, or worker owned businesses.
- Why boycott Walmart: An estimated 156,000 Walmart employees receive Medicaid, costing taxpayers approximately $1.04 billion annually before dependent coverage is included. The Walton family has accumulated extraordinary wealth while the public subsidizes its workforce. Do instead: Shop at local grocers, farmers markets, Aldi, Costco, thrift stores, cooperatives, and independent retailers whenever possible.
- Why boycott Tesla: Elon Musk continues denying the human consequences of the DOGE assault on foreign aid, including programs that supplied food, medicine, and disease monitoring. Do not reward him for converting government destruction into personal branding. Do instead: Keep the vehicle you already own, use public transportation, or consider an electric vehicle made by a unionized manufacturer.
- Why boycott X: Musk uses X to spread his political message, attack critics, and dismiss concerns about the consequences of DOGE cuts. Every active user, advertisement, and paid subscription helps preserve the platform’s political influence. Do instead: Move conversations to Bluesky, Mastodon, independent forums, newsletters, or your own website.
- Why boycott Botanic Tonics: The company sells Feel Free, a kratom and kava tonic that critics have linked to dependency and described as gas station heroin. Growing public health concerns deserve more attention than the company’s political connections or wellness marketing. Do instead: Do not purchase Feel Free products. Ask local gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores to stop selling them, especially near products marketed to young people.
Let’s Roll Kitties
Today’s stories are not isolated scandals. Together, they reveal a government weakening public safeguards while expanding private power, secrecy, detention, surveillance and war. Counterterrorism systems are being dismantled. Water utilities are being attacked. Public land and environmental rules are being rearranged for artificial intelligence companies. Taxpayers are funding empty jail beds while public officials hide behind security officers, controlled meetings and carefully staged silence.
The cruelty is expensive. The secrecy is intentional. The hypocrisy is almost professionally managed. Our job is to keep documenting all of it before the people responsible rewrite the record and ask us to admire their leadership.
