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Summary

Democrats celebrated Susan Crawford's 10-point win in Wisconsin’s state supreme court race over Elon Musk-backed Brad Schimel, preserving the court’s 4-3 liberal majority.

Musk, who spent $25M supporting Schimel, faced online ridicule, including a post from the Democrats’ official account showing him in a cheese head labeled “Loser.”

They cast the result as a rejection of Trump’s agenda and Musk’s influence. Crawford called it a victory over the “richest man in the world.”

Republicans questioned Musk’s impact. Trump stayed silent but celebrated narrower GOP House wins in Florida

Summary

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is investigating recent outages on its “My Social Security” website, which blocked millions from accessing benefits.

The crashes follow policy changes shifting retirees online and reducing phone support. Elon Musk has been monkeying with America's retirement system, with no positive results so far.

Musk falsely claimed 40% of SSA calls are fraudulent, fueling criticism. While SSA denies permanent office closures, it admitted to downsizing certain sites.

Summary

U.S. officials have warned European allies against excluding American defense firms from EU weapons tenders, amid new EU proposals to boost domestic arms production.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized U.S. concerns in recent meetings, citing potential negative repercussions if U.S. companies are sidelined.

The EU's €150 billion ReArm Europe plan aims to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers as Trump signals reduced U.S. NATO engagement.

Washington sees the move as conflicting with its goal of selling arms abroad. Tensions highlight diverging transatlantic defense priorities under Trump's leadership.

Summary

Elon Musk’s job approval dropped to 41%—his lowest since joining the Trump administration—according to a Marquette Law School poll.

His favorability fell to 38%, while 58% disapproved of his work leading DOGE.

The decline follows backlash over Musk’s political involvement, including his $22 million support of Brad Schimel, who lost Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race.

Musk’s alignment with controversial Trump policies, such as calls to annex Canada, has further eroded public support.

Summary

The U.S. Naval Academy removed nearly 400 books from its library after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office ordered a review to eliminate materials promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

The purge is part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on DEI across federal agencies.

Officials began pulling books ahead of Hegseth’s unrelated visit Tuesday.

Confusion over DEI enforcement led to the mistaken removal of photos of Jewish female graduates, later restored.

Summary

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case challenging South Carolina’s 2018 order to block Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood clinics.

Though federal law prohibits Medicaid from funding abortions, the state argues any support subsidizes abortion.

At issue is whether Medicaid patients can sue to enforce their right to choose providers.

Legal experts warn a ruling against Planned Parenthood could let states politically target care providers and restrict access to reproductive services. Nearly half of Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid.

Summary

Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) halted the House by pushing a bipartisan bill allowing new parents to vote by proxy for 12 weeks.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) tried blocking the vote with a special rule, but nine Republicans joined Democrats to defeat it.

Luna and Pettersen’s move paused GOP legislation and forced Johnson to cancel votes for the week.

Johnson argues proxy voting is unconstitutional, while Luna accused GOP leaders of using threats to stop the bill. The measure will likely return for a vote.

Summary

Denmark and the Netherlands criticized Trump’s demand that foreign companies with U.S. government contracts eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Denmark called for a coordinated EU response, labeling the move a potential trade barrier.

The Trump administration sent letters to European firms—including in France and Belgium—warning they must comply with a DEI ban or risk losing U.S. contracts.

European officials condemned the letters, defending DEI as essential to corporate responsibility. The EU Commission is reviewing the situation, while the U.S. State Department called the effort a compliance measure.

Summary

Judge Susan Crawford won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, defeating conservative Brad Schimel despite his backing from Elon Musk and former President Trump.

Her victory preserves the court’s 4-3 liberal majority.

The race, expected to be the most expensive state supreme court election ever, saw spending top $100 million.

Issues before the court include abortion rights, labor laws, and potential redistricting that could affect GOP control of the U.S. House. Crawford, backed by Democrats and reproductive rights groups, will begin her 10-year term on August 1.

Summary

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum discussed a joint approach to counter U.S. trade measures during a Tuesday call.

Carney emphasized plans to oppose what he called “unjustified trade actions” by the U.S., while both leaders stressed the need to protect North American competitiveness and national sovereignty.

The conversation follows Trump’s announcement—and subsequent delay—of tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods.

Trump has also proposed broader reciprocal tariffs on global trade partners, escalating regional trade tensions.

Summary

Vladimir Putin ordered the conscription of 160,000 men—the largest draft since 2011—despite ongoing U.S.-mediated ceasefire talks with Ukraine.

The move raises doubts about Russia’s commitment to diplomacy, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of using talks to buy time for battlefield gains in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine claims Russia intends to escalate the war, citing forced contracts for conscripts. Losses remain high on both sides, with Russia reportedly losing over 100,000 troops in 2024 alone.

Summary

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) broke the record for longest Senate floor speech at 25 hours and 5 minutes, surpassing the 24-hour, 18-minute filibuster by former Sen. Strom Thurmond, who opposed the 1957 Civil Rights Act.

Booker said it “irked” him that Thurmond’s record symbolized efforts to block civil rights.

He used the speech to protest potential GOP spending cuts and Trump-era policies.

Supported by fellow Democrats, Booker remained standing and speaking for over a day, calling his action a symbolic reclaiming of the Senate’s legacy.