Today’s Headlines: Trump and Putin are meeting today in Anchorage, Alaska, at the Cold War-era Elmendorf-Richardson base — which Russian media is treating like a five-star historic landmark. Ukraine’s Zelensky wasn’t invited to the land-talks party. Trump says he’s optimistic about a deal, with a joint press conference possible if things go smoothly (or solo remarks if they don’t). Meanwhile, investigators say Russia-backed hackers broke into the federal courts’ sealed records system, which holds national security cases and other sensitive files. In politics, California Governor Gavin Newsom marked “Liberation Day” by announcing a ballot measure to take redistricting power from his state’s independent commission, while Texas keeps fighting over its own maps. Border Patrol showed up at Newsom’s LA event, prompting Mayor Karen Bass to call it “provocative.” Inflation’s back in the spotlight as wholesale prices saw their biggest jump since 2022. PBS is still defunded, and conservative group PragerU is being floated as a replacement. And in family news: Ivanka Trump’s back to plan a White House UFC fight for America’s 250th birthday, while Hunter Biden claims Jeffrey Epstein introduced Donald and Melania Trump — something Melania’s lawyers want retracted, but Hunter says he’s not backing down.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NBC News: Russians hail historic Alaska ties ahead of Trump-Putin summit on Ukraine

CNN: Live updates: Trump says Putin will make deal on Ukraine as leaders prepare for Alaska meeting

NYT: Russia Is Suspected to Be Behind Breach of Federal Court Filing System 

The Hill: Watch: Newsom outlines plan to combat Trump, GOP redistricting

NYT: ICE shows up to Governor Newsom's press Conference

CNBC: Wholesale prices rose 0.9% in July, much more than expected

The Grio: Potential PBS replacement network says slavery was 'no big deal' in video

The Daily Beast: Trump Gives MIA Ivanka New White House Gig

Axios: Hunter Biden said he won't apologize to Melania Trump amid lawsuit threat

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Trump turned what should’ve been a straightforward Kennedy Center honoree reveal — shoutout to Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, KISS, and Michael Crawford — into another marathon rant. He floated extending National Guard deployments in DC, promised to clear homeless encampments without saying where people will go, and unveiled a pricey 600-troop “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” for nationwide protest crackdowns. Down in Texas, Republicans rammed through a gerrymandered congressional map after Trump demanded a special session, while Democrats are still hiding out of state. On the foreign front, Trump is gearing up for his Putin meet-and-greet at an Anchorage military base, warning of “severe consequences” if there’s no Ukraine ceasefire. Norway is blaming Russian hackers for sabotaging a dam in April. Trump also nominated former Fox News face Tammy Bruce as deputy ambassador to the UN — even though both the deputy and main gig are currently empty. Oh, and Mexico just extradited 26 alleged cartel bosses after Trump’s tariff threats, with the DOJ promising no death penalties.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

AP News: Trump names Stallone and Kiss for Kennedy Center Honors and says he'll host the awards show

NBC News: Trump says he will seek 'long-term extension' of Washington police takeover

Axios: "Unheard of and ominous": Trump's D.C. homelessness crackdown perplexes advocates

WaPo: Pentagon plan would create National Guard ‘reaction force’ for civil unrest

Texas Tribune: Texas Senate approves new congressional lines as House Democrats remain out of state

WSJ: Trump Agrees on Ukraine Red Lines With Europe Before Putin Summit

AP News: Norwegian police say pro-Russian hackers were likely behind suspected sabotage at a dam

CBS News: Trump nominates Tammy Bruce as deputy representative to the U.N.

Axios: Mexico extradites 26 suspected top cartel leaders to U.S. 

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: The Supreme Court is taking up a case that could overturn its 2015 Obergefell decision legalizing same-sex marriage — courtesy of Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk jailed for refusing gay marriage licenses. She’s appealing a $360K judgment, claiming First Amendment protection and arguing marriage equality was wrongly decided. Meanwhile, the White House plans to audit the Smithsonian to make sure exhibits fit Trump’s “unifying” version of American history — which critics say means erasing inconvenient facts. Harvard is reportedly near a $500M settlement with the Trump administration to end multiple investigations, restore research funding, and avoid federal oversight — while maintaining its admissions independence. Trump mocked Goldman Sachs’ chief economist after tariff warnings, telling the CEO (a hobbyist DJ) to “focus on being a DJ.” He also nominated Heritage Foundation economist EJ Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics after firing the last commissioner over jobs numbers. An Israeli strike killed Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif, four colleagues, and two others; Israel claims he was a Hamas operative. And convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has been moved to a cushier prison with possible work release.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

ABC News: Supreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling

WSJ: White House to Vet Smithsonian Museums to Fit Trump’s Historical Vision

NYT: Harvard Nears a Deal With the Trump Administration to Restore Funding 

CNBC: Trump tells Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon to replace bank's economist over tariff predictions

NYT: Trump Names EJ Antoni New BLS Commissioner

AP News: Israel targets and kills Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif in Gaza as journalist toll grows

Yahoo: Trump’s Child Sex Trafficker Friend Ghislaine Maxwell May Be Eligible For Work Release

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: In maybe another Epstein distraction tactic, Trump held a fiery presser to announce he’s taking control of DC’s police and sending 800 National Guard troops for 30 days — despite crime being at a 30-year low. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser called it “unlawful” and noted Congress could’ve given her Guard control years ago. Trump also hyped his upcoming Alaska meeting with Putin to discuss “land swaps” for ending the Ukraine war. Zelensky isn’t invited, but Trump hinted at a follow-up meeting, while European leaders scramble to meet him first. A judge blocked the DOJ’s push to unseal Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury records, calling it a distraction. The US and China extended their tariff truce for 90 days, and the US will now take 15% of Nvidia and AMD’s China AI chip sales for export licenses. Australia will recognize a Palestinian state at the UN in September, joining Canada and France. At home, a gunman killed 3 people outside an Austin Target, and explosions at a US Steel plant near Pittsburgh killed 1 and left another missing. Severe storms in the Midwest caused deadly flooding in Milwaukee, shut down the Wisconsin State Fair, and left 14 million people under flood alerts. Forecasters are also tracking tropical storm Erin in the Atlantic and Hurricane Henriette in the Pacific.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NYT: Live Updates: Trump Orders National Guard to Washington and Takeover of Capital’s Police

NBC News: Ahead of Putin sitdown, Trump says he hopes to get 'prime territory' back for Ukraine

WSJ: European Leaders Plan to Meet Trump Before Putin Talks

NBC News: Judge denies DOJ bid to unseal Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury records

Axios: US, China extend tariff pause another 90 days

WSJ: Nvidia, AMD to Give U.S. 15% Cut on AI Chip Sales to China 

Axios: Australia will recognize a Palestinian state, PM Albanese says

AP News: Shooter kills 3 in a Target parking lot in Austin, Texas, before being captured, police say

AP News: Explosion at US Steel plant in Pennsylvania leaves 1 dead, 1 missing, 10 injured

NBC News: Severe storms knock out power and close roads in Midwest as flooding cancels last day of Wisconsin State Fair

AP News: Forecasters say Tropical Storm Erin could become 1st Atlantic hurricane of the 2025 season

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Trump’s rolling out the red carpet for Putin on Friday — the first U.S. invite outside the UN since 2007 — with no Ukraine concessions, just Putin demanding eastern Ukraine in exchange for “ending” the war (and no guarantee he wouldn’t restart it). Zelensky responded by saying that would be against Ukraine’s constitution. Meanwhile, NASA’s in a tight race with China and Russia to land a nuclear reactor on the Moon’s resource-rich South Pole by 2030. In Atlanta, a gunman killed a police officer near the CDC before dying in a CVS shootout; authorities suspect COVID vaccine conspiracy motives. The FBI fired at least three senior officials tied to Jan. 6 and Trump ally cases, while Trump axed the IRS commissioner and sent him to Iceland. Trump also hid Obama’s and both Bushes’ portraits in a stairwell, wants to merge Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under ticker “MAGA,” and is eyeing billions from a gov stake sale. Vegas visitor numbers are down 11% this year, with international tourism spending in the U.S. projected to drop $12.5 billion.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

WaPo; Russians cheer Putin’s Alaska invitation, envision no concessions on Ukraine 

WIRED: Why the US Is Racing to Build a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon 

CNN: CDC leaders call shooting targeted and deliberate as rattled staff say they felt like ‘sitting ducks’

WaPo: FBI fires former acting head, two other officials at odds with Trump administration

NBC News: Trump removes IRS boss, Treasury Secretary Bessent takes over for now

CNN: Trump moves Obama, Bush portraits to hidden stairwell

Axios: Trump suggests "MAGA" stock listing for mortgage giants Fannie, Freddie

Axios: Sin City tourism slump signals wider economic slowdown

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: We’re ending the week on a truly chaotic note. Texas Senator John Cornyn got the FBI involved to help track down state Democrats who fled to avoid a rushed redistricting vote—one that would give Republicans five extra seats, just because Trump said they should have them. Trump’s also pushing for early redistricting in other red states and floated a new census that would exclude undocumented immigrants—never mind what the Constitution says. In other news, he signed an order demanding colleges hand over race-based admissions data, and the Air Force is cutting off early retirement benefits for transgender service members. Additionally, Trump now wants your 401(k) to dabble in crypto and real estate, and he’s nominating an aide to the Fed who’s big on lowering interest rates. Finally, Apple CEO Tim Cook gave Trump a weird gold iPhone trophy, VP JD Vance’s river was allegedly raised for his birthday kayak trip, Israel confirmed it plans to take full control of Gaza, and Eli Lilly released promising results from a study of its new weight loss pill.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NBC News: Sen. John Cornyn says the FBI granted his request to help find absent Texas Democrats

WaPo: Led by Trump, Republicans push to redraw election maps in multiple states

Axios: Trump says he's ordering a new census. Here's what the Constitution says

Axios: Trump orders colleges to report race data

AP News: Trump's Air Force denies retirement pay to ex-trans service members

Axios: Trump to supercharge private equity with 401(k) order

PBS: Trump says he is nominating top economic aide Stephen Miran to Federal Reserve board

The Verge: Apple made a 24k gold and glass statue for Donald Trump

AP News: JD Vance went kayaking for his birthday. Secret Service had the river level raised

AP News: Netanyahu says Israel plans to take over Gaza to destroy Hamas

Wired: Eli Lilly’s Obesity Pill Shows Promising Weight Loss in New Results

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Putin wants to meet with Trump next week to talk about ending the war in Ukraine, and Trump says he’s hoping to follow that up with a three-way summit with Zelensky. While that’s brewing, Trump’s playing tariff hardball—he just doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% to punish them for buying Russian oil (which… they already said they were going to keep doing). He also announced 100% tariffs on imported semiconductor chips unless companies build in the US, but Apple’s apparently promised $100B in US investments, so they’re cool. In Georgia, a 28-year-old Army sergeant shot five fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart before being tackled by other troops. Everyone’s expected to recover, and the Army’s investigating. The Library of Congress had to admit that major sections of the Constitution—like habeas corpus and the emoluments clause—were missing from their site due to a “coding error.” Sure. RFK Jr., now head of Health & Human Services, just canceled $500B in contracts for mRNA vaccine development because he doesn’t trust the science. Meanwhile, OpenAI inked a $1 deal to give the federal government access to its AI tools next year. And for some good news: crime in the U.S. hit a 20-year low in 2024, and early 2025 data says it’s still going down.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Axios: Putin proposed summit with Trump: White House

AP News: Trump to put additional 25% import taxes on India, bringing combined tariffs to 50%

WSJ: Trump Exempts Tech Companies That Invest in U.S. From 100% Chip Tariffs

AP News: Army sergeant shot 5 soldiers before he was tackled and arrested at Fort Stewart, officials say

Axios: Library of Congress blames "coding error" for missing sections of online Constitution

NBC News: RFK Jr. cuts $500 million in mRNA vaccine contracts, dealing major blow to promising area of research

Wired: OpenAI Announces Massive US Government Partnership

Axios: Nation's violent crime rate fell in 2024 to lowest in 20 years: FBI

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: House Republicans are flipping the Epstein story, subpoenaing the Clintons, former AGs, and ex-FBI chiefs — but skipping the guy who gave Epstein his sweetheart plea deal, Alex Acosta. A NYT look inside Epstein’s NYC mansion turned up creepy art, hidden cameras, and celeb pics with everyone from Bill Gates to Donald and Melania. The Trump team’s also dusting off the “Russia hoax” playbook, launching a grand jury probe into Obama’s handling of the 2016 election interference investigation. In other Epstein distraction news, Trump popped up on the White House roof and joked about nukes. He also made himself head of the 2028 LA Olympics task force (with a side of anti-trans comments). The State Department floated visa bonds up to $15K while the FBI says 2024 had the second-highest hate crime numbers ever. Lastly, Palantir got a $10B Army contract and Elon Musk’s xAI scored $200M from the Pentagon.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NBC News: House committee subpoenas the Clintons and several top former DOJ officials for testimony about Jeffrey Epstein

NY Times: Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan Townhouse: Birthday Letters, First Edition ‘Lolita’ and More

Axios: Trump "happy to hear" DOJ launched grand jury probe of Obama officials

ABC News: Trump takes unusual stroll on White House roof

CNN: Trump says he wants strong testing to keep transgender athletes out of women’s sports at 2028 Olympics

AP News: State Department may require visa applicants to post bond of up to $15,000 to enter the US

Axios: Hate crimes hit second largest record in 2024: FBI

Axios: Palantir's $10 billion Army contract continues its D.C. win streak

Axios: Musk's xAI announces $200 million contract with Pentagon

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Netanyahu is pushing his cabinet to green-light a full takeover of Gaza, though the Israeli military says it could put hostages in danger. His cabinet also tried to fire the attorney general prosecuting him for corruption, but the Supreme Court shut that down almost instantly. Over in the U.S., the Trump administration briefly floated the idea of cutting disaster aid to places that boycott Israeli companies, then quickly backpedaled. India dismissed Trump’s threats of even bigger tariffs for buying and reselling Russian oil. In Texas, Republicans called a special session to ram through a new, super gerrymandered map, but Democrats literally left the state to stop it. GOP leaders are fining them and issuing civil warrants, while Democratic governors in Illinois, New York, and California are now talking about redrawing their own maps. The DOJ’s also been quietly asking at least 15 states for voter data. Bloomberg says the FBI blacked out Trump’s name in Epstein files before deciding not to release them, while two Epstein victims told a court they still want the docs public, even if it’s ugly. Meanwhile, a new poll says 86% of Americans are stressed about grocery prices, and 14% are using buy-now-pay-later just to eat. Finally, Tesla’s board just handed Elon Musk a $23 billion “interim” stock award—because apparently $50 billion getting tossed by a court last year wasn’t enough.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

The Times Of Israel: Netanyahu said set to order full takeover of Gaza, despite IDF qualms, risk to hostages

Axios: Netanyahu moves to fire attorney general prosecuting him for corruption

Axios: States that boycott Israeli companies will lose disaster relief funds, DHS says

Axios: Trump threatens higher India tariffs, accuses nation of funding war in Ukraine

CNN: Live updates: Texas Republicans push ahead with redistricting after Democrats flee state

WSJ: Absent Democrats Block Texas House From Moving Ahead in Redistricting Fight

Axios: GOP effort forms to shut down Texas vs. California redistricting war

AP News: The Justice Department seeks voter and election information from at least 19 states, AP finds

Bloomberg: Epstein Files: Trump's Name Was Redacted By the FBI 

Bloomberg: Epstein Victims Express Disgust, Fear at Handling of Files

Axios: Most U.S. adults stressed by grocery costs: poll

WSJ: Elon Musk Gets $23.7 Billion Stock Award From Tesla to Stay Focused

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after a bad jobs report, called the numbers “ridiculous,” and now wants to install friendlier faces. The Smithsonian got caught removing his impeachments from a museum exhibit but is now walking that back. Meanwhile, his allies got the feds to investigate special counsel Jack Smith for possibly being too political, he also announced a $200 million plan to build a Mar-a-Lago-style ballroom at the White House and decided to bring back the Presidential Fitness Test. Ghislaine Maxwell got upgraded to the cushy prison commonly known as “Club Fed” with Elizabeth Holmes & Jenn Shah while NPR and PBS basically get defunded out of existence after Congress slashed funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Sixteen states are also suing Trump’s admin for allegedly threatening doctors who provide gender-affirming care. In Gaza, Hamas released a disturbing hostage video, while Trump’s team now wants one big deal to end the war. Finally, in El Salvador, Trump’s buddy Bukele just scrapped term limits so he can stay in charge indefinitely. 

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

CNBC: Trump fires commissioner of labor statistics after weaker-than-expected jobs figures slam markets

WSJ: Trump Seeks Bigger Overhaul at Labor Statistics Bureau, Adviser Says

CBS News: Smithsonian says Trump impeachments will be restored to exhibit

NBC News: Office of Special Counsel launches investigation into ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith

WSJ: Trump to Build $200 Million ‘Beautiful Ballroom’ at the White House

AP News: Trump revives the Presidential Fitness Test, a rite of passage for schoolchildren for decades

WaPo: Jeffrey Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell moved to a federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas

NYT: Corporation for Public Broadcasting Will Shut Down

Axios: States sue Trump admin over trans care access

Time: Hamas Releases Video of Israeli Hostage Evyatar David in Gaza Captivity

Axios: "No piecemeal deals": Witkoff tells hostage families Trump wants full Gaza agreement

Ap News: El Salvador reform opens path for President Bukele to stay in power indefinitely

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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