•Federal Reserve Under Investigation – The Justice Department has opened a criminal probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over alleged mortgage fraud tied to property filings in Georgia and Michigan. A sitting Fed governor facing grand jury subpoenas raises questions about independence, accountability, and political optics.

•McDonalds Takes on Tipping – The fast-food giant is pushing to end the sub-minimum tip wage model, arguing it distorts competition and fuels “tip creep” across the industry. 

•Naval Base Becomes Immigration Hub – The Pentagon approved Naval Station Great Lakes near Chicago as a staging point for ICE operations despite pushback from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. 

•U.S. Strikes Venezuelan Drug Syndicate – A U.S. strike in the southern Caribbean killed 11 suspected members of the Tren de Aragua Syndicate, signaling a new era of treating cartel-linked traffickers as military targets. 

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app. 

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

•Space Command Relocation – President Trump orders U.S. Space Command HQ moved from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama. The Air Force backed the move for cost and strategic reasons, but politics also play a role as Alabama wins big on defense jobs and aerospace influence.

•Afghanistan Earthquake Disaster – A devastating 6.0 magnitude quake killed over 1,400 people and destroyed entire villages. International aid is slowed by Taliban restrictions, raising questions about U.S. humanitarian responsibility as China and Russia seek to expand influence in the region.

•Russia and China’s Growing Alliance – Vladimir Putin joins Xi Jinping in Beijing, highlighting a deepening partnership that challenges Western institutions. With North Korea included in the display, the trio signals a united front against U.S. leadership and post–WWII global stability.

•EPA Contract Authority Upheld – A federal appeals court rules the EPA can halt payments under the Green Bank Climate Grant Program, affirming taxpayer oversight and accountability. The ruling reinforces that courts safeguard contracts, not policy agendas, and marks a major conservative win for fiscal responsibility.

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app. 

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

•Sen. Joni Ernst Retires: Iowa’s Republican senator won’t seek reelection in 2026, setting up a high-stakes battle for control of a key Senate seat.

•Trump’s Pocket Rescission: The White House cancels $4.8 billion in foreign aid using an executive maneuver that bypasses Congress. Critics say it undermines constitutional spending powers, raising a fresh separation of powers fight.

•Kraft Heinz Breakup Plans: The company is reportedly exploring a $20 billion spinoff of its grocery products while keeping its condiments and sauces separate. It’s a reversal of the 2015 Buffett-backed merger and a sign that leaner, more focused operations are the future.

•Europe Buys U.S. Weapons for Ukraine: European partners are now funding U.S.-made arms directly for Ukraine, reflecting a major shift toward shared defense responsibility.

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app.

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

•Chinese Money Laundering Networks: U.S. banks funneled over $300 billion tied to Chinese operations fueling fentanyl smuggling and Mexican cartels. Weak compliance has made America’s financial system a national security risk.

•GDP Revised to 3.3%: The Commerce Department revised Q2 GDP growth upward, but the numbers reveal fragility.

•Fox vs. YouTube TV: A carriage fee dispute threatens millions of subscribers with blackouts of Fox News, Fox Sports, and local affiliates just as football season begins.

•Atlanta Journal-Constitution Ends Print: Georgia’s largest newspaper will stop printing physical editions by year’s end. A symbol of the decline of local journalism, the move to digital only raises questions about civic accountability and the future of community news.

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app.

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

•China’s Salt Typhoon Hack: A massive espionage campaign infiltrated telecom infrastructure across 80 countries, including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Millions of U.S. call logs and even sensitive communications may have been exposed. This is infrastructure warfare, not just spying.

•Greenland Influence Allegations: Denmark summons the U.S. envoy after reports that Trump-linked operatives pushed separatist sentiment in Greenland. Allies should be treated as allies, not targets of manipulation.

•Tariffs on India: The administration doubled tariffs to 50% on Indian goods over cheap Russian oil imports. While meant to pressure Moscow, the move risks undermining U.S.-India relations and driving New Delhi closer to China.

•DC Felony Case Collapses & Minnesota Attack: A grand jury declined to indict a former DOJ staffer on felony assault after a sandwich throwing incident, highlighting prosecutorial overreach. Meanwhile, tragedy strikes Minnesota as a transgender activist murders children at a Catholic church, reminding us of the spiritual battle underlying our politics.

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app.

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

•Energy War in Europe: Russia and Ukraine escalate attacks on pipelines and refineries as President Trump pivots U.S. strategy to support NATO allies supplying Ukraine. What’s at stake is not just territory, but global energy security.

•California Gerrymandering Fight: A new lawsuit challenges California’s partisan maps, but with a partisan state Supreme Court, the outcome looks predetermined. The fight underscores how partisan courts erode trust in democracy itself.

•HHS Targets Gender Ideology in Schools: The Trump administration launches a federal inquiry into state sex education programs pushing transgender ideology without parental consent. California is the first state to lose funding.

•AI vs. Human Jobs: Artificial intelligence is displacing both entry-level workers and older employees, threatening opportunity ladders and fueling cultural resentment. Leaders will face mounting pressure to regulate AI and prioritize human dignity.

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app.

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

•The Abrego Garcia Case — Deported by mistake, returned, and now facing deportation again—this time to Uganda. His case exposes serious flaws in due process, immigration enforcement, and political theater.

•Cash Bail Reform Debate — President Trump presses for ending cash bail. He’s right about fairness, but eliminating bail without safeguards risks dangerous judicial discretion. The real balance must keep violent offenders locked up while protecting nonviolent defendants from financial ruin.

•Intel’s Warning on Federal Equity — Intel pushes back on the Trump administration’s proposal for the U.S. government to take a 10–15% ownership stake in the company. Free markets thrive on innovation, not government control, and Intel warns of lost investor confidence and global competitiveness.

•Trump Sues California Over Redistricting — The Justice Department challenges California’s new redistricting laws, calling out a partisan “independent” commission and constitutional violations. Democrats may have given Trump exactly the fight he wanted, one that could backfire nationally.

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app.

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

Epstein transcript released, Intel equity fight, Fed rate cut signals, DC crime crackdown.

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app.

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

Walmart tariff squeeze, Trump goes on crime patrol, Dobson’s legacy, and NY fraud fine overturned.

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app.

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.

Epstein files sealed, Vance & Hegseth shift crime debate, media trust plunges, Army expands arsenal

Erick Erickson breaks down the four major stories you need to know before the day ends. From political power plays in Washington to breaking developments the mainstream media is ignoring, this rapid-fire update cuts through the noise.

Get the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite app.

Stay grounded, stay informed, and keep the faith.