Wednesday, July 9 | By Cate Martel |
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Happy Wednesday. July is flying by! Before you know it, it'll be time to break out the sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes. | - Trump ramps up Harvard fight
- 161 people missing after Texas floods
- Jewish Democrats worry about Mamdani's win
- Why Trump delayed tariffs to Aug. 1
- Conservatives fume over Jeffrey Epstein case
- X CEO Linda Yaccarino is leaving the company
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Trump escalates his feud with Harvard: | Illustration / Courtney Jones; Greg Nash; and Charles Krupa, Associated Press |
The Trump administration is threatening Harvard University's accreditation in its months-long battle with the nation's oldest college. Why?: The Education Department and Department of Health and Human Services argue Harvard is violating antidiscrimination laws. "By allowing anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination to persist unchecked on its campus, Harvard University has failed in its obligation to students, educators, and American taxpayers," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said. What this would mean for Harvard: That would mean Harvard could not receive federal student aid. Does the Trump administration have this power?: The New England Commission of Higher Education decides. The federal departments sent a letter to the commission requesting it review the request. The commission said the federal government cannot force it to take away a university's accreditation. That's not all: The Trump administration also announced it will subpoena Harvard for information on its international students. |
Trump is hosting the leaders of five West African countries for lunch at the White House. This comes as the State Department has scaled back its presence on the continent. Which countries?: Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau. 🗨️ Follow today's live blog |
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Day 6 of rescue and recovery efforts: |
Rescue efforts in Kerr County, Texas, are on Day 6 following the devastating Fourth of July flooding. At least 161 people are missing, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced. At least 109 people have died, including 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, the Christian girls' summer camp. Five campers and one counselor are still missing. | ➤ INVESTIGATING HOW THIS HAPPENED: |
Texas inspectors had *just* approved the camp's emergency plan: Camp Mystic passed its state inspection for safety and emergency preparedness just two days before the flood, according to a KXAN News investigation. Abbott says Texas lawmakers will consider responses to the flood during their special session later this month. |
Texas Monthly: For Search-and-Rescue Volunteers in Central Texas, There's No Instruction Manual The Texas Tribune: "Disasters are a human choice": Texas counties have little power to stop building in flood-prone areas The Texas Observer: I Remember the 2002 Fourth of July Hill Country Floods. This Year, the Water Returned. The Atlantic: The Problem With 'Move to Higher Ground': Even emergency alerts that reach people can be unclear. |
What is worrying Jewish Democrats: |
Zohran Mamdani, the self-described Democratic socialist who won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. The Hill's Mychael Schnell reports that Jewish Democrats on Capitol Hill are raising concerns about Mamdani's victory over his intense scrutiny related to Israel. Specifically: "[His] support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, accusing Israel of apartheid after Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attack and stopping short of denouncing the saying 'globalize the intifada' or calling Israel a Jewish state." ^ The latter two are the most concerning for Jewish Democrats in Congress. Schnell reports that this situation has been the talk of the small group on Capitol Hill. Read Schnell's reporting: 'Jewish Democrats in Congress sound the alarm on Mamdani' | ➤ WHAT'S HAPPENING ON CAPITOL HILL TODAY:
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Kimberly Guilfoyle, the ex-partner of Trump's eldest son and a former Fox News host, is testifying in her confirmation hearing to be ambassador to Greece. 💻 Watch Neil Jacobs, the nominee to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is also testifying in his confirmation hearing. 💻 Watch Former President Biden's doctor, Kevin O'Connor, declined to answer questions about Biden's health in a House deposition, citing physician-patient privilege. |
And what is concerning GOP lawmakers: |
"Republicans on Capitol Hill are dismayed that the Trump administration hasn't made more progress in negotiating trade deals and fear the country is heading for another bout of economic turbulence after it announced a new round of steep tariffs on 14 countries," reports The Hill's Alexander Bolton. The expectations: "Senior Trump administration officials, including Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent, had signaled earlier this year that the administration was on track to unveil an array of new trade deals in early July." The reality: "Instead, the administration is stepping up tariff threats against major trading partners such as Japan and South Korea — major suppliers of cars, appliances and electronics — and Indonesia, a major exporter of palm oil, furniture and textiles." Read Bolton's reporting: 'GOP lawmakers dismayed by lack of progress on trade deals' |
➤ WHAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES:
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The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump decided to delay implementing his tariffs until Aug. 1 after Bessent told him he could get more trade deals. |
➤ TRUMP'S THINKING BEHIND THE TARIFFS:
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The House is out. The Senate is in. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST) |
12:05 p.m.: Trump participates in a multilateral lunch with leaders of five African nations. 💻 Livestream
2:15 p.m.: The Senate holds two confirmation votes. 📆 Today's agenda
5:45 p.m.: Two more Senate votes. |
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The Jeffrey Epstein saga isn't going away: |
The Trump administration's conclusions about disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein's activities and death have sparked backlash among conservative media. In a memo, the Trump administration argues there is "no evidence" that Epstein was murdered or that he kept a "client list" of powerful figures. Keep in mind: "Figures in the Trump administration have long embraced and even promoted various conspiracy theories, including those swirling around Epstein's death. And they've actively courted influencers and voters who have peddled such matters." Which is why this conclusion is infuriating some on the right: "But the administration's pledges to release details about the case that some have suggested were held back by authorities — only to backtrack and conclude he died by suicide — have failed to satisfy those who fervently believe Epstein was killed to cover up his connections with high-powered figures." From conspiracy theorist Alex Jones: "You couldn't try to hurt yourself worse, you couldn't try to discredit the FBI worse than what they've done — [Attorney General] Pam Bondi, all of it," Jones said in a video. 📹 Watch Even CNN's Jake Tapper blasted the Trump administration for withholding information about the case: "There might not be a list, but there are certainly files that can be released," Tapper said on Tuesday. "There's a trove of information that the Trump administration is right now refusing to share, information that could well point to the powerful folks who availed themselves of the sex trafficking victims of Jeffrey Epstein." 📹 Watch Tidbit from Jeffrey Epstein's brother, Mark Epstein: "Every time they say something or do something to try to quash the fact that he was most likely murdered, they just put their foot further down their mouth," he told NewsNation's Chris Cuomo. |
X CEO Linda Yaccarino announced today that she is leaving Elon Musk's social media company after two years. "When @elonmusk and I first spoke of his vision for X, I knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime to carry out the extraordinary mission of this company," she wrote in a post on X. Yaccarino joined X in 2023 after Musk took over the social media company. |
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🍪 Celebrate: Today is National Sugar Cookie Day. 🧀 Great news for the GF squad: Cheez-It announced it will debut a gluten free version of the cheese cracker. It will hit store shelves in 2026. 👗 The dress of the summer: Glossy reports that Anthropologie's "Tobie" dress is the "unexpected style of the summer." See for yourself: 'Tobie' dresses 👟 Well played, TPA: Earlier this week, we reported that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow travelers to keep their shoes on through security. Well, Tampa International Airport (TPA) posted on X, "The TSA will now let you keep your shoes on through security at TPA!!!!!* *unless you're wearing Crocs…you should take those off and throw them away." |
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