We've been documenting the excesses and overreach of the Trump administration since its first weeks in power — and keeping track of it all has given us a dickens of a time. Dig into this latest issue, dive through our archives for deep context — and thanks for reading. 🫡

“The waning of public support for the president was on open view when his birthday para— sorry, the U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Parade — marched through Washington this weekend to sparse crowds. Even against the baseline of an ordinary summer day of tourism … [the streets] looked notably deserted.”

“The Trump Organization [promises that a] gold-encased smartphone … will be manufactured in the U.S. Through a host of schemes — from a crypto company … to the marketing of Bibles embossed with Trump’s signature — the president has raked in a federally disclosed income of $600M since January.”

"The baseline set by the House version of the bill would cause 16 million people to lose their health coverage, but the Senate reportedly plans to clamp down further. … It’s another brick in the wall of evidence that the Republican plan will reward the wealthiest people in America at our expense."

For more thoughts and barbs, come read — and we'll be back once more this weekend with fresh news and takes. 🫡

"A quick reminder: The version of the Republican ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ passed by the House would commit more than $150 billion of new funding to immigration enforcement — and indications are that the Senate may make the pot of new money for ICE and other Homeland Security agencies even larger."

"As an agency assigned its disaster-response role by Congress … FEMA *should* require congressional approval to wind down. As for Trump’s aspiration to directly handle the handing out of disaster aid … it’s a red flag, given Trump's record of seeking bribes and payoffs in return for federal favors."

"Deploying the National Guard? Unpopular. Deploying the Marines? Unpopular. Building a mass-deportation machine? Unpopular. … The President himself? Unpopular. Trump’s net job approval rating, according to the latest poll by the Associated Press, has sunk to -21 percent."

“Like Minneapolis and Portland, Ore., before it, the Los Angeles of the MAGA cinematic universe now lies ‘completely obliterated.’ … What Americans see in recent news clips from L.A. is what it means to have a federal government that bases policies on make-believe — and the harm that [results].”

Read today's issue in full to get a full look at the fallout of the Musk-Trump breakup — and subscribe for more analysis and takes in your inbox. 🫡

"As for whether 'DOGE' is actually fighting fraud, or just building a surveillance dragnet, we still have no way to be sure — thanks, again, to the Supreme Court … [which continues] to shield 'DOGE' from having to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request for documents on its operations."

"While Musk feuds with Trump on social media, officials in the administration are cleaning up a problem he left behind: 'DOGE' fired too many people. Even ex-workers for USAID … have received messages 'from former colleagues about potential new jobs at the State Department.'"