Texas Republicans proposed a new congressional map Wednesday that would create five new GOP-leaning districts in a move to maintain the party’s slim House majority ahead of the 2026 midterms.
The redistricting plan targets districts in South Texas with growing Hispanic Republican support and aims to solidify the party&#8217;s slim House majority. If passed, the new lines would flip the Texas delegation from 25-13 in favor of the GOP to 30-8.
President Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trumps-texas-sized-redistricting-dreams-politics-desk-rcna218981">advocated</a> for the redistricting effort earlier this month, pushing for &#8220;a very simple redrawing&#8221; to &#8220;pick up five seats.&#8221;
Under the proposal, several Democratic incumbents would have their districts carved up or eliminated. 
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TEXAS GOP PROPOSE CONGRESSIONAL MAP ELIMINATING 5 DEMOCRATIC SEATS <a href="https://t.co/zUgfKjHG0c">pic.twitter.com/zUgfKjHG0c</a>
&mdash; NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) <a href="https://twitter.com/NewsWire_US/status/1950565448942068074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, who narrowly won reelection in 2024 despite Trump carrying both districts, would see their districts redrawn to favor Republicans by 10-point margins. The map also <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/30/new-congressional-texas-map-redistricting-00483086?utm_content=politico/magazine/Politics&amp;utm_source=flipboard">eliminates</a> three Democrat-held seats in San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas, replacing them with districts that Trump won by 15 or more points.
In Houston, leftist Rep. Al Green&#8217;s Ninth Congressional District would be combined with the vacant Democratic-held 18th, creating a new 61% Hispanic district further east that Trump would have carried by 15 points, according to Politico.
Cook Political Report Senior Editor &amp; Elections Analyst Dave Wasserman identified a &#8220;clear&#8221; Republican strategy shown in the new map.
&#8220;Bottom line: it&#8217;s clear what Republicans&#8217; strategy is here. Create as many solid Trump seats as possible while *increasing* the number of Hispanic-majority seats by population, even though Hispanic *voters* will be well south of 40% of the electorate in several of them,&#8221; Wasserman <a href="https://x.com/Redistrict/status/1950575922903654900">said</a> on X.
Democrats have vowed to fight the redistricting effort on multiple fronts. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is set to meet Texas Democratic lawmakers in Austin to discuss potential responses, including the possibility of denying Republicans a quorum by walking out of the special session.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has threatened retaliatory action, suggesting he would redraw his state&#8217;s maps to counter the GOP&#8217;s Texas plan — a move that would require bypassing California&#8217;s independent redistricting commission.
&#8220;Donald Trump asks for 5 seats and Greg Abbott automatically bends the knee. The 2026 election is being rigged,&#8221; Newsom <a href="https://x.com/GavinNewsom/status/1950575761448124564">posted</a> on X. &#8220;California won&#8217;t sit back and watch this happen.&#8221;
Vice President JD Vance responded, blasting California&#8217;s already &#8220;outrageous&#8221; gerrymander.
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The gerrymander in California is outrageous. Of their 52 congressional districts, 9 of them are Republican. That means 17 percent of their delegation is Republican when Republicans regularly win 40 percent of the vote in that state. 
How can this possibly be allowed?
&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1950581570173354396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Texas legislature will consider the plan during a 30-day special session ending August 19. The redistricting committee is scheduled to hold its first hearing on the proposed map this Friday.

President Trump Tours Devastation In Texas After Deadly Flash Flooding

Texas Republicans Drop New Congressional Map That Would Flip 5 Democrat Seats Red

2026 Midterms

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Gavin Newsom

Greg Abbot

News

Politics

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Former Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Wednesday that she will not run for governor in her home state of California — and while she did not rule out any future campaign plans, she hinted that, at least &#8220;for now,&#8221; her place was not in any elected office.
Harris commented, &#8220;My statement on the California governor&#8217;s race and the fight ahead&#8221; — as she shared her announcement in a post on X.
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My statement on the California governor&#8217;s race and the fight ahead. <a href="https://t.co/HYzK1BIlhD">pic.twitter.com/HYzK1BIlhD</a>
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1950633431945379888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Over the past six months, I have spent time reflecting on this moment in our nation&#8217;s history, and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear,&#8221; Harris said in a statement, going on to say that she valued her time in the multiple elected offices she&#8217;s held — from California Attorney General to Vice President — and planned to continue working as &#8220;a public servant.&#8221;
&#8220;In recent months, I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their governor. I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election,&#8221; she announced.
She went on to say that she planned to continue supporting other Democrats as they ran for office, adding, &#8220;For now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office. I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans.&#8221;
Harris did not mention the possibility of a <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/30/kamala-harris-wont-run-for-california-governor-00484884">second run</a> at the White House in 2028, but rumors have swirled about that possibility since she lost her 2024 bid to President Donald Trump. Her decision not to run for California Governor may fuel more speculation on that topic — and it certainly changes the landscape for potential gubernatorial candidates in California, many of whom were expecting her to enter the race.

Kamala Harris

Kamala Will Not Run For Governor In California

California

President Donald Trump jabbed at Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) after $100 million in donated funds — raised through a concert named FireAid — did not go directly to the victims of the recent California wildfires.
FireAid was billed as a one-night concert event, featuring artists like Katy Perry, Olivia Rodrigo, and Lady Gaga — which was supposed to raise money for residents who lost their homes during the devastating wildfires that ravaged Altadena and the Pacific Palisades. In fact, A-List actors promised people that was the express purpose of the event. 
Actor Miles Teller – from Top Gun Maverick –  told everyone that FireAid would go “directly” to victims, saying, &#8220;All the money raised will go directly to people who need it now and long-term efforts to build it back.&#8221;
&#8220;The Avengers&#8221; star Samuel L. Jackson offered a similar take, encouraging as many people as possible to donate at the website even if they couldn&#8217;t attend the event: &#8220;Give what you can. All the money will go directly to people who need help in the short term and the long-term effort to get this city back on its feet.&#8221;
But as Sue Pascoe — Editor and Chief of Circling the News, who <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-27/lafd-records-secrecy">lost</a> her home in the Palisades fire — discovered, the money <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/where-did-100-million-in-la-fire">did not go directly to individuals</a>: &#8220;There’s all sorts of skullduggery going on, and basically wildfire victims and Palisades and Altadena got no direct relief.&#8221;
Local residents backed up what Pascoe said as well. David Howard, who lost two homes in the Pacific Palisades, told the local Fox affiliate, &#8220;I have not seen any benefit from the FireAid money, and I am very involved here and neither have my neighbors.&#8221;
Likewise, Altadena fire victim Mark Jones said that he too had been led to believe the money was going to go directly to the people. &#8220;The fire aid was for us. So, we figured where is the money? Where is it going?&#8221; he asked.
President Trump weighed in on Friday, lashing out in all-caps from his Truth Social platform:
<blockquote>“FIREAID” IS A TOTAL DISASTER. LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER DEMOCRAT INSPIRED SCAM. 100 MILLION DOLLARS IS MISSING. WAS SUPPOSED TO TO GO TO THE LOS ANGELES FIRE VICTIMS, FIRES THAT, WITH PROPER MANAGEMENT, WOULD NEVER HAVE EVEN HAPPENED. GOVERNOR NEWSCUM REFUSED TO RELEASE BILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT WOULD HAVE MADE! I HAVE SINCE OVERRULED HIM, AND IT IS NOW RELEASED. All FEDERAL HOUSING PERMITS HAVE ALSO BEEN APPROVED, THE CITY IS YEARS LATE. GET THE FIRE VICTIMS THEIR APPROVALS TO REBUILD, AND DO IT NOW!</blockquote>
Newsom responded to Trump&#8217;s post on X, sarcastically mocking up a screenshot of the president&#8217;s Truth post and rebutting some of his claims.
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Go to bed, grandpa. It’s past your bedtime. <a href="https://t.co/9qRtdqMhha">https://t.co/9qRtdqMhha</a> <a href="https://t.co/SvEnokL4YZ">pic.twitter.com/SvEnokL4YZ</a>
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovPressOffice/status/1948915120337551815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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FireAid has claimed that the money was never intended to go directly to the people — despite the claims made by celebrities promoting the event — and issued a statement saying, &#8220;FireAid does not have the capability to make direct payments to individuals and that was never the plan. We partnered directly with trusted local non-profits&#8230;to reach communities in need.&#8221;
Some of those nonprofits, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-wildfire-victims-left-wondering-where-100m-went-following-fireaid-benefit-concert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News Digital</a>, include one that works to promote “self-determination in the Latino community” and promised to use the funding to build not just houses but “a more humane and democratic society by responding to the needs and problems of disenfranchised people.” Another organization promised to use the money to “cultivate egalitarian relationships based on trust and respect.&#8221; 
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) has asked the Attorney General to get to the bottom of the situation.
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Americans showed amazing generosity in giving $100 million to support LA fire victims as part of the &#8220;Fire Aid&#8221; concert. Yet the money did not go directly to victims, and went to several questionable nonprofits.
I&#8217;ve asked the Attorney General to investigate. <a href="https://t.co/n4UfBxzaAE">pic.twitter.com/n4UfBxzaAE</a>
— Rep. Kevin Kiley (@RepKiley) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepKiley/status/1948783871236944093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Listen to this story and the rest of today&#8217;s &#8220;Morning Wire&#8221; podcast here.
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US-WEATHER-FIRE

Trump Jabs At Newsom After $100 Million In FireAid Concert Funds Don’t Go Directly To Victims

Trump Jabs At Newsom After $100 Million In FireAid Concert Funds Don't Go Directly To Victims

Celebrities

Media

Wildfires

President Donald Trump finalizes a historic trade deal with the European Union and brokers a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. The Department of Justice questions Ghislaine Maxwell for the first time, as FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino issues a cryptic warning about government weaponization. And Trump slams California Governor Gavin Newsom after nearly $100 million in celebrity-raised wildfire aid reportedly fails to reach victims. 
It’s Monday, July 28, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. 
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Trump Strikes EU Trade Deal, Brokers Ceasefire</h2>
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Topline: President Trump secured a historic trade agreement with the European Union over the weekend and successfully brokered a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. 
On Sunday, President Trump finalized a massive trade deal with the EU just four days before his August 1 deadline. Under the terms of the agreement, the United States will set a baseline tariff of 15% on most European goods, while the EU will open its markets to American products at a zero-percent tariff. The EU also agreed to purchase $750 billion in energy and defense products from the United States. Collectively, the nations in the EU bloc are America&#8217;s largest trading partner.
Announcing the deal, Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1949527667478319115">said</a>, “It’s great that we made a deal today instead of playing games.” The agreement is a significant win for the White House, as the EU had initially proposed a lower 10% tariff rate.
The deal capped off a weekend of foreign policy wins for the president. After a long-disputed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/very-good-conversation-trump-says-peace-between-cambodia-and-thailand-imminent-after-phone-calls">border conflict</a> between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into a firefight that killed at least 35 people, Trump intervened. The president threatened both nations with 36% tariffs if they did not immediately begin peace talks. Within hours, the two countries agreed to negotiations, which are set to take place on Monday.
With the deadline just days away, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick issued a firm warning to other trading partners that have not yet reached an agreement with the United States. &#8220;No extensions, no more grace periods — August 1st, the tariffs are set,&#8221; he said. 
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<h2>DOJ Questions Ghislaine Maxwell For The First Time</h2>
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Topline: The Department of Justice has interviewed Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell for the first time, a development that legal experts find remarkable, as FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino issued a cryptic warning about government corruption. 
The DOJ met with Maxwell last week, with her attorney David Oscar Markus confirming that prosecutors questioned her about &#8220;100 different people.&#8221; Markus noted that it was the &#8220;first opportunity she&#8217;s ever been given to answer questions about what happened.&#8221; George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley called the development remarkable, expressing shock on Fox News that Maxwell, &#8220;the one who knows the most,&#8221; had been an untapped resource for so long. 
It&#8217;s very likely that Maxwell hopes to trade her testimony for clemency &#8211; she&#8217;s currently serving a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ghislaine-maxwell-sentenced-20-years-prison-conspiring-jeffrey-epstein-sexually-abuse">20-year sentence</a> for her role in Epstein&#8217;s sex trafficking ring. President Trump has not ruled out a pardon for Maxwell, but her attorney stated that there have been no discussions on this point. Maxwell was reportedly offered limited immunity for the interviews. 
As the DOJ began questioning Maxwell, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino released a statement on X regarding his discovery of political corruption within the government. Bongino said that the information he has seen relating to government weaponization &#8220;shocked [him] down to [his] core&#8221; and that he would &#8220;never be the same after learning what I’ve learned.&#8221; He urged patience and promised answers would come after a full investigation is completed &#8220;by the book and in accordance with the law.&#8221; 
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<h2>California Wildfire Aid Reportedly ‘Disappears’</h2>
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Topline: President Trump is criticizing California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom after nearly $100 million in aid raised by the &#8220;FireAid&#8221; celebrity concert reportedly failed to reach the wildfire victims it was intended to help. 
The &#8220;FireAid&#8221; concert, featuring A-list artists like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, raised money for residents impacted by the devastating Pacific Palisades and Altadena wildfires earlier this year. Celebrity spokespeople, including actors Miles Teller and Samuel L. Jackson, assured the public that &#8220;All the money raised will go directly to people who need it.&#8221; However, victims on the ground say they have not received any of the money. 
President Trump took to social media to blast the situation, calling it &#8220;A TOTAL DISASTER&#8221; and &#8220;ANOTHER DEMOCRAT INSPIRED SCAM.&#8221; He also slammed Newsom’s forest management, which he said allowed the fires to happen in the first place. FireAid has since issued a statement claiming the plan was never to make direct payments to individuals, but to work through local non-profits. 
An investigation by local news editor Sue Pascoe, who lost her home in the Palisades fire, found that some of these nonprofits appear to be using the funds for their own social and political causes. One group promised to use the money to &#8220;cultivate egalitarian relationships based on trust and respect,&#8221; while another said it would work to build &#8220;a more humane and democratic society.&#8221; Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) is now pushing for an investigation into where the funds went.

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Morning Brief: Trump’s EU Trade Deal, Ghislaine Maxwell’s Interview & California’s FireAid Meltdown

Dan Bongino

Donald Trump

European Union

Ghislaine Maxwell

Jeffrey Epstein

Morning Wire

Tariffs

Thailand

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently struggled to say whether an eight-year-old was too young to undergo transgender procedures.
Newsom’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gavin-newsom-cant-say-whether-eight-is-too-young-to-transition-genders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comments</a> came during a conversation with podcaster Shawn Ryan, the governor’s latest appearance seemingly designed to make him seem more moderate in advance of a likely presidential bid in 2028.
But Newsom, who once said that California was a beacon of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqwiHQSq4sU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">parental rights</a>, may want to take a closer look at what his fellow Democrats are doing in the California Assembly.
Earlier this month, lawmakers advanced Assembly Bill 1084, which permits a court-appointed lawyer to assist children in changing the name and sex designation on their birth certificates and obtaining a new birth certificate that can designate them as “non-binary.” If the bill passes, court-appointed lawyers or guardians will be empowered to force these changes even if parents have retained custody of the child in question.
The bill essentially places children in positions of power. All that a child needs to do is make a claim of abuse, whether substantiated or not, against his parents, and he will be assigned an attorney who has been trained to accept a child’s gender identity pronouncement at face value.
Authored by Assemblyman Rick Zbur — who compared people fighting to protect women&#8217;s sports to Nazis — the bill is the latest brazen assault on parental rights, another attempt by leftists to replace parents with government agents.
The bill stipulates that, as long as a court rules it “is likely” that the child will remain a ward of the state until they turn 18, court-appointed lawyers have the authority to change the child’s sex and name, as well as their birth certificate. This grants parental rights to third parties, essentially stripping parents of legal control of their child.
In other words, the bill allows a stranger to enable someone else’s child’s desire to “socially transition,” a mental health treatment that is not a neutral act. Children affirmed in their transgender identity are more likely to continue rejecting their sexed bodies if they are confirmed in their delusion.
Parents can contest the petition, but the bill states that a challenge “based solely on concerns  that the proposed change is not the petitioner’s actual gender identity or gender assigned at birth shall not constitute good cause.” Simply, a parent who believes in biological reality and does not believe that the child he raised is the sex that he was at birth cannot contest the name and sex change on his birth certificate.
This bill is unconstitutional, a direct violation of the fundamental right of parents to raise their children in accordance with their beliefs, a right recently affirmed by the Supreme Court in its opinion in Mahmoud v. Taylor. A hundred years ago, the Supreme Court ruled in Pierce v. The Society of Sisters that “The child is not the mere creature of the State.” The bill is also a violation of the First Amendment, dismissing any parent’s viewpoint that sex is binary and immutable.
Zbur designated the legislation an “urgency bill,” meaning that it will take effect immediately if the governor signs it.
Should Newsom sign the bill, it will render official records like birth certificates completely unreliable, as anyone in the state of California can petition with little to no opposition that their sex is whatever they claim it to be. This is one of many bills that the California Democrats are advancing that are designed to “Trump-proof” California.
The Democrat-controlled legislature is likely to pass the bill, which means it will likely land on Newsom’s desk soon. When it does, we’ll see if Newsom is really the pro-parent moderate he claims to be, or if California parents only have rights as long as they believe that their children can change sex.
Erin Friday leads Our Duty, an organization that advocates for parents with gender-confused children.
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The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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California Governor Newsom Announces Lawsuit Challenging Trump Tariff Authority

California Democrats Want The Government To Declare Your Kids Nonbinary

Children

Parents rights

Transgender

California Democrats have plans to redraw the state’s districts, potentially threatening the slim Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
According to California Democrats, their move was prompted by news that Texas might try to redraw its districts to gain more Congressional seats. Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has “directed the state Legislature to discuss redistricting in an upcoming special legislative session,” KCRA <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/gavin-newsom-eyes-california-congressional-redistricting/65430152">noted</a>. California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said of Texas, “They’re playing by a different set of rules.”
On Wednesday, the California Democratic congressional delegation met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and reportedly discussed ideas for gaining even more seats to overturn the perilously slim majority Republicans hold in the House, <a href="https://punchbowl.news/article/house/cali-dreamin/">Punchbowl News</a> reports.
“The games they play aren’t working and the more people get educated on what’s going on, the more they’re going to fight back,” California Assemblymember Leticia Castillo of Riverside, who left the Democratic Party and became a Republican, said of California’s Democrats.
In 2010, California voters approved Proposition 20, a constitutional amendment that transferred redistricting authority to an independent commission. Punchbowl News indicated that two plans are afoot to try to gain more seats, writing, “California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom sees two ways to overcome it.”
One route would be for Newsom to call a special session of the legislature that would offer voters the chance to “pause” the commission or rescind its redistricting power. California voters would have to approve this in a special election. The news site cautioned that such a route would entail heavy costs due to the funds required to disseminate the message over the airwaves. But one way to win over GOP voters might be to include a conservative favorite, such as implementing voter ID, in the proposition.
A second route would be to redraw districts and claim California’s constitution does not explicitly forbid mid-decade redistricting, which would likely prompt a lawsuit. Newsom has called such a scenario “a novel legal question.”
One roadblock to redistricting is the Voting Rights Act, which may protect districts from being redrawn as they have majority Latino populations, and redrawing them would endanger such a majority.
Targeted GOP districts that have reportedly been discussed include those of GOP Reps. Ken Calvert, Kevin Kiley, Darrell Issa, Young Kim, David Valadao, and Doug LaMalfa. “We want our gavels back,” Rep. Mark Takano, who would be the new chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee should Democrats regain the majority in the House, stated. “That’s what this is about.”
In 2011, to counter the even-handedness of the 2010 proposition, California Democrats devised a plan to influence the nonpartisan commission. Pro Publica <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/how-democrats-fooled-californias-redistricting-commission">reported</a>:
<blockquote>
Working with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — a national arm of the party that provides money and support to Democratic candidates — members were told to begin “strategizing about potential future district lines,&#8221; according to another email. 
The citizens’ commission had pledged to create districts based on testimony from the communities themselves, not from parties or statewide political players. To get around that, Democrats surreptitiously enlisted local voters, elected officials, labor unions and community groups to testify in support of configurations that coincided with the party’s interests. When they appeared before the commission, those groups identified themselves as ordinary Californians and did not disclose their ties to the party.
</blockquote>

California Dems Plot Redistricting Power Play To Pick Up House Seats

House of Representatives

On Wednesday afternoon, President Trump took the long-overdue step to cancel federal funds intended for the California bullet train championed by California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom.
Late last December, one month before President Trump was inaugurated, California Democrats in Congress sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging him to hurry and approve additional funding for California’s floundering high-speed rail project.
One week before, the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/republicans-high-speed-rail-19983744.php">San Francisco Chronicle</a> reported that the cost of building California’s largely unfinished high-speed rail line — of which Newsom <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/08/10/governor-newsom-and-new-high-speed-rail-ceo-celebrate-caltrains-electrification-as-key-part-of-high-speed-rail-plan/">bragged</a>, “We’re making rail real in California” — which was initially estimated at $33 billion, had ballooned to over $100 billion.
In the letter, &#8220;Democratic lawmakers Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, and Reps. Pete Aguilar, Jim Costa, and Zoe Lofgren sent a letter to Buttigieg calling on him to approve funding for the first phase of the project,” The Sacramento Bee <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article297401585.html#campaignName=sacramento_morning_newsletter">reported</a>.
The <a href="https://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-schiff-california-house-colleagues-push-for-critical-high-speed-rail-funding/">letter</a> asked for $536 million in federal funds, acknowledging, “The FSP-National grant application is part of an ongoing federal-state partnership that has provided approximately $28.8 billion in funding for California High-Speed Rail, including $22 billion from state funds and $6.8 billion from federal funds. &#8230; By preparing for future final design and construction of complex tunnels in this corridor, the Project will advance both state and federal goals to improve safety, expand economic strength and global competitiveness, address equity issues, and implement sustainability practices to confront climate change.”
“To the Law abiding, Tax paying, Hardworking Citizens of the United States of America, I am thrilled to announce that I have officially freed you from funding California’s disastrously overpriced, &#8216;HIGH SPEED TRAIN TO NOWHERE,'&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114865506222851432">wrote</a> on Truth Social on Wednesday “This boondoggle, led by the incompetent Governor of California, Gavin Newscum, has cost Taxpayers Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we have received NOTHING in return except Cost Overruns. The Railroad we were promised still does not exist, and never will. This project was Severely Overpriced, Overregulated, and NEVER DELIVERED.”
“Thanks to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, not a SINGLE penny in Federal Dollars will go towards this Newscum SCAM ever again. This was an ill-conceived and unnecessary project, and a total waste of Taxpayer money — But no more!” he concluded.

Trump Targets $128 Billion California High-Speed Rail Project

Trump Cancels All Funding For ‘Incompetent Governor’ Gavin Newsom’s High-Speed ‘Train To Nowhere’

Executive

High Speed rail

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom was unable to definitively provide an answer when he was asked if a child who is eight years old is too young to undergo irreversible transgender procedures.
Newsom, who appears to be ramping up his 2028 presidential campaign efforts, joined podcast host Shawn Ryan this week and was asked point-blank about his personal views on so-called &#8220;gender-affirming care.&#8221;
“What about for your values, is eight years old too young?&#8221; Ryan asked Newsom. 
&#8220;Yeah, I mean look, now that I have a 9-year-old — just became nine. Come on, man, I get it,&#8221; Newsom said. &#8220;So those are legit — it&#8217;s interesting, the issue of age, I haven&#8217;t &#8230; As someone that&#8217;s been so focused on equality, broadly — LGBT rights, particularly, though, gay marriage. The trans issue for me is also novel — it&#8217;s over the last few years, I&#8217;m trying to understand as much as anyone else. The whole pronoun thing, trying to understand all of that. That was like — all that stuff, I get it. All this stuff started to collapse on us.&#8221;
&#8220;On the issue of children, this is a tough, tough issue,&#8221; the governor added.
Newsom later said that he&#8217;s coming to this issue &#8220;more open-minded than I&#8217;ve ever been,&#8221; but also suggested he didn&#8217;t take it seriously early on because conservatives, whom he &#8220;didn&#8217;t respect,&#8221; opposed it.
&#8220;A lot of the pushback came from folks, candidly, that I didn&#8217;t respect, that never respected the gay community, period,&#8221; Newsom said. &#8220;They were people who were opposed to just basic rights, &#8230; so I think that my next inclination was to dismiss, and now I recognize more fully and deeply. And I think the sports issue really opened that door for me.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ryan: Is 8 years old too young for a sex change?
Newsom: Yeah&#8230; Now that I have a 9-year-old, come on man, I get it. <a href="https://t.co/aCSFvwrg9V">pic.twitter.com/aCSFvwrg9V</a>
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1944858509679472709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
Notably, Newsom made California the first “<a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11929233/california-becomes-first-sanctuary-state-for-transgender-youth-seeking-medical-care">sanctuary state</a>” for transgender-identifying minors seeking these life-altering surgeries. The state also has policies that allow teachers to shield parents from knowing about their child&#8217;s &#8220;gender transition.&#8221; 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-anti-gun-at-all-newsoms-latest-attempt-to-disguise-his-rampant-leftism?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘Not+Anti-Gun+At+All’%3A+Newsom’s+Latest+Attempt+To+Disguise+His+Rampant+Leftism">‘Not Anti-Gun At All’: Newsom’s Latest Attempt To Disguise His Rampant Leftism</a>

Gavin Newsom Can’t Say Whether Eight Is Too Young To ‘Transition’ Genders

Newsom Asked If 8 Years Old Is Too Young To ‘Transition.’ He Can’t Answer. 

Elections

minors

Transgender Athletes

transgender surgery

Transgenders

Women's sports

With 2028 in his sights, Gavin Newsom goes on offense – attacking red states and defending his leadership in California. Inflation ticks up fueling President Trump’s calls for an interest rate cut. And, Trump gets the go-ahead for layoffs at the Department of Education.
It’s Wednesday, July 16, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here: 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Newsom Campaigns for 2028 &amp; Education Dept Downsizes" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZzQqmFD3feQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/newsom-campaigns-for-2028-education-dept-downsizes-7-16-25/id1576594336?i=1000717486431" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>Newsom Eyes 2028</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-947551" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_04.Still002-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_04.Still002-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_04.Still002-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_04.Still002-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_04.Still002-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_04.Still002.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom seems to be ramping up for a presidential run, while his state of California continues to battle a number of crises.
Last week, Governor Newsom visited South Carolina for a two-day tour, meeting with local Democrat leaders and voters. He said he was there to discuss federal health care cuts, but it’s clear this was political &#8212; South Carolina might be a red state, but it will be the first state on the schedule in Democrats’ 2028 presidential primaries.
“[Republicans are] banning speech, in classrooms, but also in the boardrooms,” Newsom told South Carolina voters in what, to an outsider observer, sounded very much like stump speech. “DEI, ESG, CRT – anything with three letters they seem to ban &#8230; what we&#8217;re experiencing is America in reverse; they&#8217;re trying to bring us back to a pre-1960s world, on voting rights, on civil rights, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights.”
Since 2024, Newsom has launched his own podcast and invited several prominent right-of-center guests on his show, including Trump loyalists Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon, in what appears to be an attempt to reach younger voters and appear more moderate. Newsom has also proposed limiting free health care coverage for illegals, and suggested he’s not totally on-board with males who identify as transgender in female sports. More recently, he appeared on &#8220;The Shawn Ryan Podcast&#8221; – which is generally viewed as right-of-center. During the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BBq3Q_fHSU"> 4 hour-long episode</a>, Newsom said he was directing an “objective review” of California COVID policies. California had some of the strictest lockdown orders in the nation.
However, Newsom has been a very vocal critic of the Trump administration and has sparred with the president on numerous issues – from disaster response to immigration enforcement to environmental policies. Newsom has also defended the policies of California and other Democratic strongholds, balancing attempts to appeal to centrist voters with the need to defend his progressive record and anti-Trump bonafides.
“[California] provided $83.1 billion more than we received from the federal government,” Newsom told Ryan. “Texas took $71.1 billion. I’m not saying that to bash Texas, but you know what? Pretty <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly80zlk1lyo">proud</a> of my godd*** state.”
California is the most populous state in the country and it has an <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-04-30/californias-economy-is-now-the-4th-largest-in-the-world-or-is-it">economy</a> larger than almost every other nation on Earth – its population is roughly the size of Canada’s and its economy is twice as large. That being said, despite being home to ~12% of the U.S. population, California accounts for <a href="https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/01/hud-pit-count-2024/">~25%</a> of America’s homeless, and has the <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/opportunity/affordability/cost-living">highest cost of living</a> of any state. <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/state-gas-price-averages/">Gas prices</a> in particular are the highest in the country – this July, Californians are paying ~$4.52 per gallon compared to the national average of $3.15.
<h2>Inflation Up, Interest Rates &#8230; Down?</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-947549" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_21_13.Still001-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_21_13.Still001-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_21_13.Still001-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_21_13.Still001-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_21_13.Still001-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_21_13.Still001.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Inflation ticked up slightly last month, as President Trump continues to pressure the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.
When President Trump took office, economists offered apocalyptic warnings that his trade policy — specifically tariffs — would cause inflation to spike. Month after month, though, inflation fell significantly below expectations.
But on Tuesday, the latest report showed rates going ever so slightly up. Consumer prices were up 2.7% compared to a year earlier, while core inflation was at 2.9%. The goods most impacted were natural gas, coffee, and beef — all of which were up 10% compared to last year. While gasoline, televisions, and smartphones were all down ~10% on average.
“I would say that in general, the inflation numbers have been absolutely fantastic,” Joe Lavorgna, a senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, told The Daily Wire. “They&#8217;ve been much lower than virtually everybody, perhaps outside the administration, had thought. There&#8217;s really been no noticeable impact of tariffs at all.”
Critics say this uptick is just the beginning — they believe companies are trying to hold off on price increases until the president sets his final tariff rates in September, at which point prices could really take off. They argue there’s no way for businesses to pay double digit tariffs for imports without passing at least some of that cost on to consumers. To that point, last month, furniture, toys, and clothing all saw relatively significant price increases — those are all items particularly sensitive to tariffs.
Context: <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/us-inflation-rate-by-president-8546447">Year-over-year inflation</a> hit a 40-year peak under Biden in 2022, and the Biden administration oversaw an average annual rise in prices of ~4.95% per year, compared to the 2.46% average during Trump’s first term.
<h2>Downsizing The Department Of Education</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-947553" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_04.Still003-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_04.Still003-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_04.Still003-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_04.Still003-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_04.Still003-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_04.Still003.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: The Supreme Court says President Trump can move forward with mass layoffs at the Education Department.
The court voted 6-3 along ideological lines on Monday to block a lower court’s order — a federal judge in Boston said in May that about 1,400 employees of the Education Department must be allowed to return to work after they were fired in mass layoffs earlier this year. Now the Trump administration will be able to fire them, at least while the rest of the legal challenge plays out.
“The Federal Government has been running our Education System into the ground,” Trump said in a celebratory post to <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114854251111136308">Truth Social</a>. “But we are going to turn it all around by giving the Power back to the PEOPLE. America’s Students will be the best, brightest, and most Highly Educated anywhere in the World.”
In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1203_pol1.pdf">blasted</a> the conservative majority, describing their decision as “indefensible.” Sotomayor argued that Trump is trying to illegally shutter the department without congressional approval. During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to shutter the Department of Education, but eliminating the department entirely would require an act of Congress – his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-order-dismantling-department-of-education">executive order</a> dismantles it as much as possible in the meantime. The other two liberal justices, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan, joined Sotomayor’s dissent.
Critics have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-order-dismantling-department-of-education">pointed</a> out that the Education Department doesn’t do much educating. Though it spends $80 billion in taxpayer dollars each year, it has no say over public school curriculums, which are decided at the state and local levels. Instead, it doles out $18.4 billion annually for Title I, the low-income school district program, and $15.5 billion for special education. It also enforces certain Title IX civil rights laws and sets the rules for colleges to participate in the $1.6 trillion federal student loan program. The Trump administration says other departments are better equipped to manage these programs.
And … under the Trump administration, the Education Department has <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-cuts-over-600-million-divisive-teacher-training-grants">terminated</a> over $600 million in grants for training teachers in “divisive ideologies” including social justice activism, anti-racism, and recruiting teachers based on race.

MRN 7.16.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Newsom Eyes 2028, Inflation Data, SCOTUS Okays Education Dept Downsizing

Department of Education

Inflation

Supreme Court

Christian Pastor John MacArthur, a well-known preacher and speaker who fought against California’s COVID mandates, died Monday at the age of 86.
MacArthur, who was the pastor of Sun Valley&#8217;s Grace Community Church for 56 years, was hospitalized last week after contracting pneumonia. His media ministry, Grace to You, confirmed his death on Monday night. 
“Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior,” Grace to You posted. “This evening, his faith became sight. He faithfully endured until his race was run.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior. This evening, his faith became sight. He faithfully endured until his race was run.
2 Timothy 4:1-8 <a href="https://t.co/5JplmC0Dvp">pic.twitter.com/5JplmC0Dvp</a>
&mdash; Grace to You (@gracetoyou) <a href="https://twitter.com/gracetoyou/status/1944937107937464752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
MacArthur pastored Grace Community since 1969 and saw weekly attendance rise to around 7,000. Throughout his lengthy ministry, he authored nearly 400 books, including the bestselling “The Gospel According to Jesus.” His Grace to You ministry broadcasts sermons in English across every continent and in Spanish in Europe and Latin America. 
Already a well-known pastor among Christians, MacArthur and his church garnered national attention during the COVID lockdowns. 
After initially complying with COVID restrictions imposed by Los Angeles County and California, MacArthur and Grace Community reopened in defiance of local rules. That prompted a legal battle, which ended with the county and state <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/l-a-county-to-pay-400000-to-john-macarthurs-grace-community-church" target="_blank" rel="noopener">each paying</a> the church $400,000 after the Supreme Court ruled that California was targeting churches. 
“We know that there is no circumstance that can cause the church to close,” MacArthur said in a letter at the time. “The church is not only a building but is the bride of Christ and exists to proclaim the truth.”
MacArthur was a harsh critic of California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reprehensible-act-of-gross-blasphemy-renowned-california-pastor-writes-open-letter-to-gavin-newsom-after-abortion-billboards-quote-jesus?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Reprehensible+Act+Of+Gross+Blasphemy%E2%80%99%3A+Renowned+California+Pastor+Writes+Open+Letter+To+Gavin+Newsom+After+Abortion+Billboards+Quote+Jesus">slamming</a> him for his advocacy of pro-abortion policies.
MacArthur appeared multiple times on the &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-ofKxfYqGw">Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special</a>,&#8221; where they discussed Christianity and the state of religion in America. During his most recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr95oTGqnVQ">appearance</a>, Shapiro asked MacArthur how he might convince a skeptic of Christianity to start attending church. MacArthur replied by saying he would recommend that people read the Bible. 
“Read the Bible. Just read the Bible. It has the ring of truth. It defends itself,” he said. “It’s like a lion. You don’t defend it. You don’t defend the lion. You open the cage and let it out. It’ll be okay. And the scripture is like that. But it’s like that even morally, there’s something in the heart of people that resonates with biblical morality.”
MacArthur is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patricia, four children, and 15 grandchildren.

Grace Community Church in Sun Valley

Pastor John MacArthur, Defender Of Religious Liberty During COVID Lockdowns, Dies At 86

Christianity

COVID-19

John MacArthur

Lockdowns

President Donald Trump stands by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, ICE raids intensify in scope and reaction, and California wages a multi-front legal war with the Trump administration.
It’s Monday, July 14, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump Backs Bondi &amp; ICE Raids CA Farm" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qhFNlfqdVAw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&nbsp;
If you would rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
&nbsp;
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trump-backs-bondi-ice-raids-ca-farm/id1576594336?i=1000717147993" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
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<h2>Tensions Escalate Within Trump World In The Fallout Of The Epstein Case</h2>
<div id="attachment_946289" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-946289" class="size-large wp-image-946289" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2197275225-864x576.jpg" alt="U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by newly sworn-in U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks to member of the media in the Oval Office at the White House on February 05, 2025 in Washington, DC." width="864" height="576" />Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images</div>
Topline: President Trump is standing by his attorney general, even as MAGA loyalists call for Pam Bondi to be ousted over her handling of the Epstein files.
Ever since the White House declared the Epstein investigation closed, concluding that there was no evidence the billionaire sex criminal died by murder, blackmailed powerful individuals, or had a “client list,” we’ve seen unprecedented backlash from the president’s most diehard supporters. They are confident there’s more to this story and want to know why there hasn’t been more transparency – and more importantly, why Bondi went from saying the Epstein client list was on her desk awaiting release, to saying there was never a list to begin with. 
Now we appear to be seeing legitimate signs of fracture within the administration. 
On Friday, we learned that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino got into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/details-emerge-from-bonginos-reported-tense-meeting-with-bondi-trump-chief-of-staff">shouting match</a> with Bondi at the White House last week. Bongino reportedly accused her of misleading the public, while Bondi reportedly accused him of throwing her under the bus and planting negative stories about her in the press. A source close to Bongino told Daily Wire White House Reporter Mary Margaret Olohan that he is so incensed by the Epstein debacle that he’s threatening to resign if Bondi is allowed to remain the chief legal officer of the federal government.
According to officials at the DOJ, FBI Director Kash Patel is also considering resigning if more documents are not released, and he wants Bondi out as well. However, Patel broke his silence on Saturday, saying he&#8217;ll continue serving Trump &#8220;as long as he calls on me&#8221; and the Epstein &#8220;conspiracy theories just aren&#8217;t true.&#8221;
In a lengthy <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114842356238631061">Truth Social</a> post on Saturday, Trump defended Bondi, who he said is doing a “fantastic job&#8230;We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening… ‘selfish people’ are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again. Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration.” The President went on to say the FBI would be better suited focusing on investigating voter fraud and political corruption as opposed to Epstein, before ending with a line that drew perhaps the most outrage from his base: “Let’s not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.”
&nbsp;
<h2>ICE Raids &amp; Protesters</h2>
<div id="attachment_946103" style="width: 857px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-946103" class="size-large wp-image-946103" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224587665-847x576.jpg" alt="CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 10: Federal agents block people protesting an ICE immigration raid at a nearby cannabis farm on July 10, 2025 near Camarillo, California. Protestors stood off with federal agents for hours outside the farm in the farmworker community in Ventura County. A Los Angeles federal judge is set to rule Friday on a temporary restraining order which would restrict area immigration enforcement operations. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)" width="847" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224587665-847x576.jpg 847w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224587665-300x204.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224587665-768x522.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2224587665.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 847px) 100vw, 847px" />Mario Tama/Getty Images</div>
Topline: More details are emerging about the ICE raid of a marijuana farm in Camarillo, California, last week that resulted in the arrest of hundreds of illegal aliens. Officials say at least 14 children were on the farm, most of them unaccompanied and potentially victims of forced labor.
During the raid, anti-ICE protesters attacked agents with rocks and bricks; one person seemingly shot at officers. The government is now offering a $50,000 reward for that suspect. Videos of the raid show protesters attacking federal vehicles as agents drive away. One protester appeared to use their bike to try to block the road. Authorities deployed tear gas and smoke bombs to disperse the estimated 500 people there to protest or impede federal agents. At the end of the day, ICE arrested more than 300 illegal aliens.
The chaotic clash caught special attention from President Trump, who on Friday authorized any ICE agent who is attacked to “stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS.”
Democrats have blamed violent anti-ICE demonstrations on the Trump administration and its immigration enforcement tactics and policies. In the aftermath of the Camarillo raid, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom <a href="https://abc7.com/post/federal-agents-conduct-immigration-raid-camarillo-farm/17056098/">singled out</a> Stephen Miller, Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff and an immigration hardliner. The governor called the raid “inhumane” and said Miller’s methods “evoke chaos, fear and terror within our communities at every turn.”
“Everywhere you look in California, you see industrial child exploitation on a massive scale,” Miller told <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=27&amp;v=kcXLXVy5HQQ&amp;feature=youtu.be">Fox News</a> in response to the governor’s remarks. “There are likely hundreds of thousands of children in California who are being exploited for their labor or sexually exploited as part of sex trafficking. This administration is liberating these children and helping reunify them with their parents back in their home country.”
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<h2>California vs Trump</h2>
<div id="attachment_940355" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-940355" class="size-large wp-image-940355" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Untitled-design-24-1024x536.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="536" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Untitled-design-24-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Untitled-design-24-300x157.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Untitled-design-24-768x402.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Untitled-design-24.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Photo by Justin Sullivan via Getty Images</div>
Topline:  California is doubling down on its war with the Trump administration, over everything from ICE raids to women’s sports, while several of its cities face growing crises.
Key areas of contention include environmental policy, where California has sued over rollbacks of emissions standards and protections for endangered species. The state has also challenged federal immigration policies, including the construction of a border wall and the treatment of asylum seekers. 
Houman Hemmati, a California political commentator, highlighted the state&#8217;s internal crises. 
&#8220;We have the public safety issues and then we also have the affordability issues,” Hemmati said. “On the public safety front, we still have exceedingly high crime and homelessness&#8230; And on top of that on the affordability front we have energy prices – electricity, gasoline – that are sky high, highest in the nation, going through the roof and with no end in sight. Water rates that are very high. Insurance rates that are sky high&#8221;. Hemmati noted that &#8220;every one of these crises is something that&#8217;s either preventable, predictable, or manufactured.&#8221;
Hemmati commented on the response of city and state officials to the escalation of violence against ICE, stating that leaders like Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Newsom are &#8220;openly calling for people to resist ICE and they&#8217;re using vilifying terms, fighting terms&#8221;. He added that Cynthia Gonzalez, the vice mayor of Cudahy, &#8220;actually asked for gang members to come out and fight them in the streets in no uncertain terms. So they&#8217;ve declared open war on federal officers, who are really there enforcing federal law and doing their jobs.&#8220;

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Morning Brief: The Epstein Firestorm, ICE Raids & Riots, California Vs Trump

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Governor Gavin Newsom took a swipe at Vice President JD Vance on Saturday after learning that Vance and his family were enjoying a trip to Disneyland, referencing recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in California and other states.
Newsom, broadly discussed as a potential presidential candidate for the Democrats in 2028, responded to a post showing the vice president and his family smiling as they walked around &#8220;Bayou Country&#8221; at Disneyland — and he added his own comment: &#8220;Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hope you enjoy your family time, <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a>. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t. <a href="https://t.co/GjvIUg8I2B">https://t.co/GjvIUg8I2B</a>
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) <a href="https://twitter.com/CAgovernor/status/1944155806079042021?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Critics were quick to challenge Newsom&#8217;s assessment, however, with a number pointing out that California law allows the state to tear apart families if parents do not accept their child&#8217;s chosen gender identity.
&#8220;In California it is completely legal for child protective services to tear a family apart if they don’t believe their child is transgender. I’ve met families that have had this happen,&#8221; detransitioner and activist Chloe Cole posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In California it is completely legal for child protective services to tear a family apart if they don’t believe their child is transgender.
I’ve met families that have had this happen. <a href="https://t.co/dlHxHCgM8y">https://t.co/dlHxHCgM8y</a>
— Chloe Cole ⭐️ (@ChoooCole) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChoooCole/status/1944459241873629656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Your state takes children away from their parents if they refuse to buy into transgender madness You actually have a law on the books that you signed, that says that if a child in another state wants surgery that will sterilize that child, and the parents object, that all they have to do is run away from home and then they can go in front of a judge and get the right to sterilize themselves. You don’t care about tearing families apart. You’re perfectly fine with it for the &#8216;right&#8217; cause,&#8221; Aaron Walker posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Your state takes children away from their parents if they refuse to buy into transgender madness
You actually have a law on the books that you signed, that says that if a child in another state wants surgery that will sterilize that child, and the parents object, that all they… <a href="https://t.co/ykr5UFFItY">https://t.co/ykr5UFFItY</a>
— (((Aaron Walker))) (@AaronWorthing) <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronWorthing/status/1944461712771465508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The governor who violated his own rules about eating out during the pandemic by feasting at the &#8216;French Laundry&#8217; lectures the VP about a perfectly lawful visit to Disneyland. Newsom’s petty hypocrisy knows no bounds,&#8221; Fox Business&#8217; David Asman added.
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The governor who violated his own rules about eating out during the pandemic by feasting at the “French Laundry” lectures the VP about a perfectly lawful visit to Disneyland. Newsom’s petty hypocrisy knows no bounds. <a href="https://t.co/3iP566dTNV">https://t.co/3iP566dTNV</a>
— David Asman (@DavidAsmanfox) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidAsmanfox/status/1944248718301032492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Every person who breaks Americas laws are separated from there families while detained. Some for hours, some for days, some for decades. The onus is on the lawbreakers not law abiding citizens going about their day,&#8221; another reasonably pointed out.
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Every person who breaks Americas laws are separated from there families while detained. Some for hours, some for days, some for decades. The onus is on the lawbreakers not law abiding citizens going about their day. <a href="https://t.co/kpKqw8AHEg">https://t.co/kpKqw8AHEg</a>
— Rob O&#8217;Donnell (@odonnell_r) <a href="https://twitter.com/odonnell_r/status/1944425124309918004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But it was Vance himself who had the last laugh, saying simply, &#8220;Had a great time, thanks.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Had a great time, thanks <a href="https://t.co/dKKA76mqhd">https://t.co/dKKA76mqhd</a>
— JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1944433280041808120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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US Vice President JD Vance

Gavin Newsom Tries To Troll JD Vance Over Family Disney Trip, But VP Hits Right Back

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