Morning Brief: Trump Hosts European Leaders For Peace Talks, Sanctuary Outrage, Texas Redistricting

President Trump hosts Ukrainian President Zelensky and European leaders at the White House to push for a peace deal that would require Ukraine to cede territory. An illegal immigrant with a California-issued commercial driver’s license kills three in a Florida crash, reigniting the battle over sanctuary state policies. Texas Democrats end their standoff and return to the state, paving the way for a new GOP-drawn congressional map as California plans its own gerrymandering in response.

It’s Tuesday, August 19, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.

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Trump Pushes for Peace Deal at White House Summit

Topline: President Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a delegation of European leaders at the White House on Monday to discuss a framework for ending the war with Russia, emphasizing a peace deal over a ceasefire.

Following his meeting with Vladimir Putin last week, President Trump is now pushing for Ukraine to accept a peace deal that would end the war, but result in significant territorial concessions. The diplomatic balancing act puts Zelensky in a difficult position. If he agrees to the deal, he ends the war and secures a U.S.-backed security guarantee, but he breaks his promise to the Ukrainian people that he would never cede land to Putin. If he refuses, he risks alienating his most important ally.

Trump reiterated on Monday that he wants to move quickly toward a final peace deal, rather than a ceasefire, which he argued could create a “strategic disadvantage for one side or the other.” While no deal was reached, the meeting was a sign of improving relations between Trump and European leaders, many of whom praised the president for the progress made in recent weeks.

The diplomatic push comes as Ukrainian public opinion has dramatically shifted. A recent Gallup poll shows that 69% of Ukrainians now support an immediate peace, a complete reversal from 2022 when 73% wanted to fight until victory.

Illegal Immigrant With CA License Kills Three in Florida Crash

Topline: An illegal immigrant who obtained a commercial driver’s license in the sanctuary state of California has been charged with killing three people in a vehicular homicide in Florida, sparking new outrage over sanctuary policies.

Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old illegal immigrant from India, was driving a semi-truck on the Florida turnpike last week when he allegedly attempted an illegal U-turn, causing a collision that killed all three occupants of a minivan. Singh entered the U.S. illegally in California in 2018 and was able to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) in the state.

The incident has reignited the national debate over sanctuary policies. A DHS spokesperson said in a statement, “Three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License—this state of governance is asinine.” Governor Newsom’s office has attempted to shift blame, claiming the Trump administration issued Singh a work permit, but DHS says the permit was rejected under Trump and later approved under the Biden administration.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), who signed a ban on sanctuary city policies in his state, expressed shock that a man who he said doesn’t even speak English was issued a CDL in California. DHS issued a statement asking, “How many more innocent people have to die before Gavin Newsom stops playing games with the safety of the American public?”

Texas Redistricting Resumes as CA Plans Retaliation

Topline: The Texas Democrats who fled the state to block a Republican-led redistricting effort have returned, paving the way for the GOP to pass a new map that could net them five House seats.

After fleeing the state for weeks to deny Republicans a quorum, the protesting Democrats have returned to the state capital. Their effort failed to stop the new congressional map, which is now on the agenda for a new special session called by Governor Greg Abbott (R). The returning lawmakers now face hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, at a rate of $500 per day for their absence. Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) are also seeking to have 13 of the lawmakers removed from office.

In response to the Texas GOP’s move, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is asking voters in his state to approve a measure in a special election to temporarily suspend California’s independent redistricting commission. This would allow the state’s Democrat-supermajority legislature to gerrymander its own map to gain five House seats and “neuter” the Republican gains in Texas. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), who led the effort to create the independent commission, is leading the opposition to Newsom’s plan.