This week, two years after visiting France for  Bastille Day and admiring its military display, Trump hosted a “Salute  to America” on July Fourth, replete with an expansive array of military  hardware and troops. The scenes of tanks rolling into the nation’s  capital drew comparisons to other authoritarian regimes who flaunt their  military might through public displays, including North Korea, where  Trump paid a surprise visit as the week began.

This week, Trump thumbed his nose at the Supreme  Court’s decision in Week 137 not to allow a citizenship question on the  2020 Census. The Justice and Commerce Departments, after stating the  questionnaire was being printed without the citizenship question,  completely reversed themselves 24 hours later following a single tweet  by Trump. By weeks’ end, the DOJ said it would, at Trump’s behest, try  to put forth a new argument in court justifying the question, while  Trump mused he had four or fives options to get his way. Notably, Trump  has now challenged the authority of both the legislative and judicial  branches — including the nation’s highest court — to counter his  unilateral power. And the Justice Department, under the leadership of  Attorney General William Barr has been rendered a tool to help his  efforts.

Reports by the Department of Homeland Security  Inspector General revealed dire conditions at immigrant detention  facilities at the border. Trump defended the facilities and Border  Patrol agents, as protests and uproar from Democrats continued.  Republicans remained silent.

Read the full list here: https://theweeklylist.org/weekly-list/week-138/