President Donald Trump posted photos showing renovated monuments and public areas in Washington, D.C., highlighting restoration efforts under his "Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful" initiative. The images compare older, sometimes vandalized or deteriorated conditions with recent improvements like cleaned stonework, repaired fountains, and reopened spaces.
Key Facts
Photos posted by President Trump showed before-and-after views of Columbus Circle and Meridian Hill Park.
The Columbus Circle restoration included graffiti removal, structural repairs, stone cleaning, accessibility improvements, and fountain restoration.
Graffiti on the Columbus Circle monument appeared after protests in July 2024 and earlier in April 2021.
The Meridian Hill Park fountain had been dry and deteriorated for about seven years before recent repairs.
Restoration work at these sites began before and continued during President Trump’s current term.
The White House uses such projects to promote the "Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful" federal initiative.
The initiative aims to improve public spaces and prepare Washington, D.C., for major events including the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Some photos omit details about the timing of damage or previous repair efforts, simplifying the restoration story.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The US Treasury announced that the US Mint has begun making a new $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump for the 250th anniversary of the United States. The coin is set to be released this fall and shows President Trump’s image on one side and a bald eagle on the other.
Key Facts
The coin features President Trump and is part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
Its design was approved earlier this year by the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were chosen by President Trump.
The coin has a gold finish but is not made of solid gold.
The front of the coin shows President Trump wearing a suit and tie, with the word “LIBERTY” and the dates 1776-2026.
The back shows the bald eagle from the Great Seal of the United States with “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and the phrase “E PLURIBUS UNUM” on the eagle’s shield.
Federal law usually does not allow living presidents to appear on US currency, but the treasury secretary has the power to approve coins in special cases.
President Trump has supported placing his name and image on several institutions and projects.
Recently, it was announced that President Trump’s signature will appear on US paper money while removing the treasurer’s signature for the first time since 1861.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Trump took part in a roundtable at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit on Wednesday. The event happened as the U.S. military increased operations against Iran following the end of a temporary ceasefire.
Key Facts
President Trump attended a defense and innovation summit in Pennsylvania.
The summit included discussions on military and defense topics.
The Pentagon recently increased military action against Iran.
A temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran ended before these operations.
There were recent military strikes exchanged near the Strait of Hormuz.
The event focused on U.S. defense strategies and innovations.
President Trump’s participation highlights his involvement in defense issues.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Senator Adam Schiff and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche debated President Donald Trump’s IRS settlement during Blanche’s confirmation hearing in the Senate. The discussion focused on potential conflicts of interest related to the settlement.
Key Facts
The event took place during Todd Blanche’s Senate confirmation hearing.
Senator Adam Schiff raised concerns about President Trump’s IRS settlement.
Todd Blanche defended his position in response to the concerns.
The debate centered on possible conflicts of interest involving the IRS settlement.
The exchange was covered by CBS News and is available to watch online.
The hearing involved questions about Blanche’s role and impartiality related to the matter.
This discussion is part of the process to confirm Blanche as acting Attorney General.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley criticized Russ Vought, the head of the Office of Management and Budget, for the budget cuts proposed by President Donald Trump’s administration. She questioned the morality of the cuts during a House hearing where Vought was explaining the budget plan.
Key Facts
Rep. Ayanna Pressley is a Democratic representative from Massachusetts.
Russ Vought is the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The hearing took place in the House Committee on Financial Services.
The discussion focused on budget cuts proposed by President Trump’s administration.
Pressley used references to faith and Vought’s past writings to challenge the budget plan.
She described the policies behind the budget cuts as reckless.
The hearing aimed to review details of the federal budget and its impact.
The criticisms highlight political disagreement over government spending priorities.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked the media to be careful when covering President Donald Trump’s upcoming speech about election integrity. She warned against spreading false information about the election.
Key Facts
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez represents New York as a Democrat.
She spoke about President Trump’s planned speech on election integrity, which was set for Thursday.
Ocasio-Cortez urged news outlets not to give attention to what she called false claims about the election.
Her remarks were made during an interview with journalist Pablo Manríquez.
The interview clip was shared on the social media platform X.
The focus of her message was to prevent the spread of misinformation in the media.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The campaign group for House Republicans added seven new candidates to their program focused on winning close House races this fall. This brings the total number of candidates in their "MAGA Majority" program to 24.
Key Facts
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) runs the "MAGA Majority" program.
The program supports Republicans trying to win House seats in competitive districts.
Seven new candidates were added on Tuesday.
This increase brings the total number of candidates in the program to 24.
The candidates are chosen because they have a chance to flip seats from Democrats.
The efforts aim to gain more Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives this fall.
The program focuses on districts considered highly competitive.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jay Clayton appeared before the Senate for a hearing to become the director of national intelligence. During the hearing, senators asked him many questions and criticized his views and experience.
Key Facts
Jay Clayton is nominated to be the director of national intelligence.
He attended a Senate confirmation hearing.
Senators asked him tough questions about his qualifications.
Some senators expressed concerns about his experience for the role.
The hearing was covered by CBS News.
The director of national intelligence oversees U.S. intelligence agencies.
The hearing is part of the process to approve his appointment.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Civil rights groups plan a march in Washington next month to mark the anniversary of the original 1963 march led by Martin Luther King Jr. The event responds to recent court decisions that these groups say have reduced voter protections for minorities.
Key Facts
The march is organized by a coalition of civil rights leaders.
Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network is leading the coalition.
Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, descendants of Dr. King, are participating.
The NAACP is also part of the coalition.
The march will take place on the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.
The purpose is to respond to court rulings affecting minority voting rights.
The groups want to bring attention to voting rights protections that they believe have been weakened.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to repeal a rule that limits TV station owners from reaching more than 39% of U.S. TV households. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr wants to replace this limit with a case-by-case review, a move that supporters say will boost local news but critics argue benefits large companies friendly to President Trump and could face legal challenges.
Key Facts
The FCC’s National Television Ownership Rule limits owners from reaching over 39% of U.S. TV households.
Chairman Brendan Carr proposes repealing the 39% ownership cap.
The repeal would replace the cap with individual reviews of TV station mergers.
Carr’s proposal aims to encourage local news by allowing larger station groups.
Critics say only Congress can change this limit, so the repeal may face court battles.
Commissioner Anna Gomez argues the plan benefits wealthy allies of President Trump and harms local news.
Carr has previously taken actions seen as supporting news outlets favorable to President Trump.
The FCC vote on this proposal is scheduled for August 6.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration made mistakes in how it shared the Epstein files last year. He admitted the communication about the release was poorly handled and caused mistrust. Vance also said the documents showed Epstein had strong ties to both U.S. and Israeli intelligence.
Key Facts
JD Vance spoke about the Epstein files release on "The Joe Rogan Experience."
He said the administration "mishandled" the release, especially in how they talked about it.
Then-Attorney General Pam Bondi exaggerated what documents they had, causing people to mistrust the process.
Investigators collected about 6 million documents related to Epstein, with 3 million tied to his estate.
Vance claimed Epstein had connections to senior U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials.
The files' release caused major political problems for President Trump’s administration last year.
The issue led to criticism from some Republican Congress members and discussions on social media.
Vance believes the documents should have been released faster, though some redactions were needed for victims’ privacy.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters said that the political left is struggling as younger progressive candidates, like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, win Democratic primaries. He suggested that these wins help Republicans by making the left weaker.
Key Facts
Joe Gruters is the Chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC).
He said the left is in a "death spiral," meaning they are losing strength.
Gruters mentioned "mini-Mamdanis," referring to young progressive leaders like Zohran Mamdani.
Zohran Mamdani is the Mayor of New York City and a Democrat.
These young progressives are winning Democratic primary elections across the country.
Gruters believes that these Democratic wins actually help Republicans by weakening the left.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Three people were found guilty of running a scam during the Covid-19 pandemic where they pretended to supply large amounts of protective gloves but never delivered them. They used the money from their fake deals to buy expensive cars, watches, and make home renovations. The National Crime Agency arrested them in 2023 and they will be sentenced in August.
Key Facts
Jogesh Bhandari, Craig Morris, and Meenakashi Bhandari were convicted of fraud and hiding criminal money.
They claimed they could sell millions of boxes of nitrile gloves but did not deliver them.
Jogesh Bhandari and his wife spent the scam money on luxury items like Rolex watches, a Porsche car, and home repairs.
The gang used fake documents like false bank statements to trick suppliers.
They communicated about making money from the PPE shortage during the pandemic using WhatsApp messages.
Jogesh worked with a US official who helped create a fake escrow account to hide the money.
The scam ran mainly in 2020 and 2021, targeting hospitals in the US.
The defendants were arrested by UK authorities in February 2023 and will face sentencing on 21 August.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Second Lady Usha Vance launched a website for her summer reading challenge where children can submit their reading logs and choose prizes. The challenge aims to help kids keep learning during summer and improve their reading skills by offering fun rewards.
Key Facts
The program is called the Second Lady’s Summer Reading Challenge.
It focuses on preventing learning loss during summer break.
Children submit reading logs online to participate.
After submitting, kids can select prizes from sponsors like Walmart and Crayola.
The challenge is open to children starting from kindergarten.
The Second Lady announced the website launch on a Wednesday.
The program encourages reading through friendly competition and rewards.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Senator John Kennedy questioned attorney general nominee Todd Blanche about his past work with President Donald Trump during a confirmation hearing. Blanche said he used to be Trump’s lawyer and denied that Trump ever asked him to do anything illegal.
Key Facts
Senator John Kennedy is a Republican from Louisiana.
Kennedy asked Todd Blanche about his relationship with President Donald Trump.
Blanche has represented Trump in several legal cases, including one about election fraud in Washington.
Blanche joined the Justice Department during Trump’s second term as president.
During the hearing, Blanche initially said, "I'm his lawyer," then corrected to say, "I was his lawyer."
Blanche stated that President Trump never asked him to do anything illegal.
The exchange happened during Blanche’s confirmation hearing for attorney general.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A legal group called the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF) sued the U.S. government, asking it to stop sharing private information of Iranian asylum seekers with Iran. They say sharing this information puts these people, many of whom fear persecution, in danger if sent back to Iran. The group also wants the U.S. to pause deportations of these individuals while the case is decided.
Key Facts
The IALDF filed a motion to block the U.S. government from sharing Iranian asylum seekers' private information with the Iranian government.
The lawsuit was filed against President Donald Trump’s administration last week.
The shared information includes asylum applications and details that could put these asylum seekers at risk of persecution, torture, or death in Iran.
Many of the asylum seekers are pro-democracy protesters, religious minorities, or part of the LGBTQ community.
The group claims sharing this information started in March 2025, with deportations resuming since September 2025.
More than 100 Iranian nationals have been deported on at least three flights since September 2025.
The filing includes testimony from 11 Iranian detainees who reported contact with Iranian officials while in U.S. detention.
The Department of Homeland Security denies sharing this information with the Iranian government.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared before the Senate as he seeks a permanent appointment. Senators questioned him about his past work as President Donald Trump’s lawyer, the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein file releases, and a recently cancelled tax agreement involving Trump’s businesses.
Key Facts
Todd Blanche is acting US Attorney General after President Trump fired Pam Bondi.
Blanche previously served as President Trump’s criminal defense attorney in multiple cases.
Senators asked Blanche if he could act independently from President Trump during his new role.
A federal judge cancelled a $1.7 billion tax settlement between Trump’s team and the IRS that would have created a fund for people claiming unfair government targeting.
Blanche said he is confident the cancelled "anti-weaponisation fund" will not continue.
The Justice Department has released millions of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, but the slow releases and many redactions have caused criticism.
Blanche accepted responsibility for mistakes in redacting the Epstein files.
About a dozen women protested at the hearing, wearing t-shirts showing the heavily redacted Epstein files.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence, Jay Clayton, avoided directly saying that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election during his Senate confirmation hearing. Clayton acknowledged that Biden was certified as the winner but did not clearly state Biden won, amid ongoing debates over Trump’s false claims about election fraud.
Key Facts
Jay Clayton was nominated by President Trump to lead the U.S. intelligence community.
During his Senate hearing, Clayton refused to clearly say Joe Biden won the 2020 election.
He said Biden was “certified” as winner and had the most Electoral College votes but avoided the word “won.”
Biden won the 2020 election with 306 electoral votes; Trump had 232.
Biden also won the popular vote by over 7 million votes.
Trump claims, without evidence, that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
Courts and investigations found no proof that fraud affected the election outcome.
Lawmakers worry Trump might try to use federal agencies to support his false election claims.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared before the Senate for five hours to seek confirmation as the permanent head of the Justice Department. Senators asked him about his management of the Jeffrey Epstein case and President Trump's anti-weaponization fund during the hearing.
Key Facts
Todd Blanche is currently the Acting Attorney General.
He is seeking Senate approval to become the permanent Attorney General.
The confirmation hearing lasted five hours.
Senators questioned him about his role in the Jeffrey Epstein case.
He also answered questions about President Trump's anti-weaponization fund.
The hearing took place on a Wednesday.
CBS News reporter Sarah Lynch covered the event.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jay Clayton, nominated by President Donald Trump to be the director of national intelligence, appeared before a Senate committee for his confirmation hearing. The hearing focused on evaluating his qualifications and plans for the intelligence role.
Key Facts
Jay Clayton is President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence.
Clayton testified before a Senate panel as part of the confirmation process.
The hearing is an important step before the Senate approves him for the position.
The role involves overseeing national intelligence agencies.
Key topics discussed included Clayton’s qualifications and approach to intelligence matters.
This hearing was covered and summarized by CBS News.
The director of national intelligence coordinates intelligence across the U.S. government.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
