Trump denies letter to Epstein and Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' to end: Morning Rundown
Here's what to know today.
Congress sends $9 billion spending cuts to Trump's desk
President Donald Trump is expected to sign a bill cutting $9 billion in spending that Congress had already approved after the Republican-led House voted overnight to pass the package. The House voted 216-213 in favor of the package, with just two GOP representatives — Mike Turner of Ohio and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania — joining Democrats to oppose the measure.
The package cuts $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding cuts to NPR and PBS. Now, hundreds of member stations will face millions in budget cuts, and media advocates warn the cuts would have an especially harmful impact on rural Americans, who may rely more heavily on the outlets for local news. Some stations are already downsizing in anticipation of the funding. Read more about how the funding cuts could affect public media.
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The package cuts $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding to NPR and PBS. Now, hundreds of member stations will face millions in budget cuts, and media advocates warn these will have an especially harmful impact on rural Americans, who may rely more heavily on the outlets for local news. Some stations are already downsizing in anticipation. Read more about how the funding cuts could affect public media.
The package also cuts $8 billion from foreign aid, including the U.S. Agency for International Development and programs to promote global health and refugee assistance. However, $400 million in cuts to PEPFAR, the popular global HIV/AIDS program that then-President George W. Bush started in 2003, were pulled from the final package after a handful of Republicans joined Democrats' in opposing the cuts in the Senate. Seeking to tamp down the GOP rebellion, the White House agreed to drop the PEPFAR cuts. Read more about the program credited with saving millions of lives.
The final $9 billion package, which Trump requested, passed both chambers of Congress with only Republican votes through a rarely used 'rescissions' process that can bypass the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. Democrats condemned the cuts as cruel and an attempt by Republicans to appear fiscally responsible after the GOP voted to add $3.3 trillion to the debt in Trump's massive domestic policy bill.
Democrats walked out of a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to advance the nomination of Emil Bove, a senior Justice Department official and Trump's personal lawyer, for a federal judgeship.
Nearly 79 million Medicaid enrollees' personal information will be shared with federal immigration authorities as the Trump administration seeks to ramp up deportations.
The Trump administration officially terminated the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's specialized service for LGBTQ youth.
A day after she was fired as U.S. attorney, Maurene Comey wrote a memo urging her colleagues to fight back against 'abuses of power.'
Trump denies letter to Epstein and orders Bondi to seek release of records
A new article from the Wall Street Journal has alleged that Trump wrote a letter to Jeffrey Epstein for his birthday more than two decades ago. It reportedly included an outline of a naked woman and a 'Donald' signature.
Trump denied the report. 'I never wrote a picture in my life,' he told the newspaper. 'I don't draw pictures of women.' Trump later confirmed his plans to seek legal action against the newspaper; its parent company, News Corp.; and Rupert Murdoch, the organization's head.
Trump said yesterday in a social media post that he has directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release 'pertinent testimony' tied to the Jeffrey Epstein case amid pressure from his supporters and some Republicans for more transparency about the case. Bondi responded on X that the Justice Department would request that the court 'unseal the grand jury transcripts' on Friday. Trump's decision comes amid a rare splintering of his base over the Justice Department's decision earlier this month not to disclose new information related to the investigation into Epstein, the financier whose 2019 death in a New York jail has spurred conspiracy theories.
Also yesterday, the White House said that Trump would not appoint a special counsel to review the case, as some allies had advocated for.
Cost of Obamacare expected to soar in 2026
Insurers that offer health care plans through the Affordable Care Act are planning a 15% increase in 2026, the largest in seven years, according to a new analysis from health policy research group KFF. That means a family of three earning $110,000 a year enrolled in a silver ACA plan could potentially see their monthly cost jump from $779 to $1,662 in 2026, according to KFF. The finalized plans, including how much more people will be expected to pay each month, are usually published around August.
The premium increase will likely come on top of the loss of enhanced subsidies, which helped people pay for ACA health plans by capping the costs at a certain proportion of their income. The subsidies, enacted during the Biden administration and extended through 2025, were not extended in the domestic policy bill Trump signed into law earlier this month. The president's bill also added more hurdles for people who get their health insurance through the ACA. 'This is not a repeal [of the ACA], but it's certainly an attempt to move in that direction,' one expert said. Read the full story here.
Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' will come to an end
CBS is closing the curtain on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' next May, the network announced, putting an end to the show Colbert has hosted since 2015 — and the franchise itself. CBS executives said in a joint statement yesterday that the move 'is a purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night' and not related to the show's content or 'other matters happening at Paramount.'
CBS's parent company, Paramount, is in the midst of an $8 billion merger with Hollywood studio Skydance. Earlier this month, Paramount agreed in principle to settle a lawsuit brought by Trump over a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris, by paying $16 million to Trump's future presidential library. Colbert had recently criticized the settlement, calling it 'a big fat bribe.' Read the full story here.
Read All About It
Trump is pushing for Coca-Cola to sweeten its products with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. But is cane sugar actually healthier? Experts explain the negative impacts of both ingredients.
The White House said Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after he was examined for 'mild swelling' in his legs. Here's what to know about the non-life-threatening condition.
Juul can continue to sell its e-cigarettes and refill cartridges, though the FDA's authorization does not mean the products are safe or 'FDA approved.'
A 22-year-old could face up to life in prison after he was charged with murder in the fatal shootings of an 'American Idol' music supervisor and her husband in their Los Angeles home.
A couple spotted on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert immediately hid their faces, leading frontman Chris Martin to joke that they were having an affair.
Staff Pick: AI is helping patients fight insurance companies
Stephanie Nixdorf, a stage 4 cancer survivor in Davidson, North Carolina, couldn't even open a cup of yogurt because of crippling arthritis caused by her immunotherapy. Yet her health insurer, Premera Blue Cross, kept turning her down for a treatment her doctors said would help. Exasperated, she used an artificial intelligence tool to write an appeal letter filled with clinical evidence supporting the treatment — and two days later, Premera approved her for the drug.
I spoke with Stephanie about her decision to turn to AI to get the treatment she needed. She's among a growing cohort of patients who are fed up with insurance company denials and are finding new ways to fight back. — Gretchen Morgenson, senior financial reporter
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Amazon Prime Day is over, but that doesn't mean that there aren't a bunch of leftover deals worth checking out, including discounted Apple AirTags, dog treats and more. Speaking of deals, Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale runs until Aug. 3 and offers deals on apparel, footwear and more.
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NBC News
20 minutes ago
- NBC News
Bipartisan government funding is at risk of dying in Trump's Washington
WASHINGTON — For many years, final decisions over how much the U.S. government spends, and how, have required sign-off from leaders of both parties, no matter who controlled the White House or Capitol Hill or the level of polarization. Now, that last vestige of the bipartisan funding process is at risk of dying after a one-two punch by President Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress. The 'appropriations' process, whereby both parties pass detailed funding bills for various federal agencies every year, has been in a slow decline for decades. But recent moves by the Trump-era GOP to disrupt past funding agreements have accelerated that decline — and, in the view of Democrats and even some weary Republicans, undermined Congress' power of the purse in deference to the White House. First, Republicans passed a $300 billion hike in military spending and immigration enforcement as part of Trump's megabill; and second, they cut $9 billion in domestic money and foreign aid under a rarely used 'rescission' process, allowing the GOP to cancel already approved bipartisan spending with a party-line vote. A Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government or risk a shutdown will test whether a bipartisan deal is still possible, particularly as Trump's top budget aide publicly calls for a more partisan approach. House Republicans have undermined the bipartisan path for years by slamming the resulting deals as 'swamp' creations by a 'uniparty' that is addicted to spending. Now, GOP lawmakers in both chambers are going it alone, suggesting they'll bring more rescissions packages to undo past bipartisan spending agreements because the existing process is failing. 'We don't have an appropriations process. It's broken. It's been broken for a while,' said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. He said Congress will likely fall back on continuing resolutions, which largely maintain the status quo, and rescission packages for the remainder of Trump's presidency. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., a senior appropriator, said the once-respected government funding process has 'disappeared,' calling the latest rescissions package 'a step backwards.' 'It's basically saying: No matter what you decide on, the president is going to be able to change the bill, even for money that's been appropriated,' Durbin said. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, insist the process is alive and well. They will test that theory this week as Thune plans to bring at least one — if not more — appropriations bills to the Senate floor. He has argued that the $9 billion cut hits a tiny portion of the federal budget and shouldn't dissuade Democrats from working toward a deal. 'I would hope, at least for the functioning of our government, that they would be willing to work with us on some things,' Thune said Wednesday on Fox News. 'They haven't been so far.' But even some GOP proponents of the bill admit it adds to the challenges. 'The rescission package — of course, I understand that could complicate things,' said Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama, a senior Republican on the House Appropriations Committee. Vought weighs in Just after the Senate overcame objections in both parties to approve the $9 billion spending-cut bill requested by Trump, a comment from White House budget director Russell Vought dropped like a bomb on Capitol Hill. 'The appropriations process has to be less bipartisan,' Vought told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast Thursday. 'It's not going to keep me up at night, and I think will lead to better results, by having the appropriations process be a little bit partisan.' He added that more rescission packages would be coming. The backlash was fierce. Senate Republicans responsible for crafting the government funding bills were taken aback by his candor. 'Mr. Vought's lack of respect and apparent lack of understanding of how Congress operates is baffling, because he's served in government before,' Collins told NBC News. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Vought 'disrespects' the appropriations process in Congress with his 'dismissive' comments. 'I think he thinks that we are irrelevant,' she said. And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Thursday called on Trump to 'fire Russell Vought immediately, before he destroys our democracy and runs the country into the ground.' The series of clashes escalates tensions leading up to the fall deadline, with top Democrats warning ahead of the vote that they would have little incentive to provide the 60 votes to cut a deal. 'It is absurd to expect Democrats to play along with funding the government if Republicans are just going to renege on a bipartisan agreement by concocting rescissions packages behind closed doors that can pass with only their votes,' Schumer warned in a recent speech. The debate over the demise of individual lawmakers getting to dictate where federal funding is allocated came to a head during a recent meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee, with many senators arguing that the work they were doing in that moment may just be overridden by congressional leadership and the president. 'The one thing we all agree on is the appropriations process is broken,' former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., lamented, describing how during his 18 years leading the GOP conference he helped oversee a shift away from government funding levels being decided by committees and instead being negotiated by only the highest levels of leadership and the White House. 'I concluded our failure to pass our bills empower every president, regardless of party, because I've been in those discussions at the end, the big four and the guy with the pen, and that makes all of our requests irrelevant,' McConnell said. Collins has repeatedly blamed the decline of the process on Schumer's refusal to put appropriations bills on the Senate floor. That has also been a slow-moving trend: McConnell and former Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also short-circuited the process on the floor when in charge. Rising partisanship has weakened committees broadly and placed more power in the hands of leadership. In the context of government funding, that led to 'omnibus' spending bills and continuing resolutions — or CRs — negotiated by party leaders and jammed through Congress, often with an impending deadline to pressure holdouts to fall in line quickly. But House Republicans raised hell, torching the massive bills negotiated behind closed doors as a betrayal to their constituents. In recent years, they have successfully steered their leadership away from that approach. And it leaves few options going forward. 'What the math tells us' Durbin, who is retiring after a 30-year Senate career, reminisced about when the process was at the peak of its powers — last century. The last time Congress completed it through 'regular order' was in the 1990s. 'There was a time when we called 12 appropriation bills to the floor, open for amendment! Can you imagine that?' Durbin said. 'I remember. And you had to do your job in the committee. You had to have a subcommittee lined up on a bipartisan basis, a full committee lined up on a bipartisan basis. And the committee stood together. And you could find enough to support it to pass something. That, I think, really reflected the best of the Senate.' He attributed the change to the growing discord between the parties and the declining 'reputation of the Appropriations Committee,' although he credited Collins and Vice Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., with trying to restore the bipartisan spirit of the panel. Collins, notably, is on an island as the only GOP senator who voted against both attempts to rewrite government funding — in the megabill and rescissions package. Collins is also up for re-election next year in a Democratic-leaning state that Trump lost in 2024. Sarah Binder, a political scientist at George Washington University and the Brookings Institution, said the megabill's changes to GOP spending priorities 'undermines the rough parity between defense and nondefense discretionary spending that until recently made bipartisan deals possible.' She added, 'The Trump OMB's aggressive impoundments of enacted appropriations severely threatens Congress' power of the purse and with it the authority and expertise of and oversight by appropriators.' Yet even as Republicans find new ways to go around the Senate's 60-vote threshold, Thune has promised he won't abolish the filibuster. He distanced himself from Vought's remarks. 'Well, that runs contrary to what the math tells us around here,' he said. 'So, we need 60 on approps bills. And it's going to take 60 to fund the government.' The path to a new funding law is murky, at best. And Collins, for now, maintains confidence in the bipartisan appropriations process. When asked if she has any concerns about its future, Collins told NBC News, 'None whatsoever.'
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
Huge policing operation for Trump's Scotland visit - 'Few if any cops will not be impacted'
Strict airspace regulations will also be in place as part of vast security operation Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The head of the Scottish Police Federation has said all officers in Scotland could be affected by the visit this week of US president Donald Trump. David Threadgold, who chairs the body that represents rank and file officers, said some may be expected to work 12-hour shifts, posing a 'challenge' for how they eat, sleep and rest. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Strict airspace restrictions will also be in place over Mr Trump's inaugural Scottish golf resort as part of a vast security operation. Donald Trump has spoken fondly of his links to Scotland (Picture: Andy Buchanan) | AFP via Getty Images Speculation mounted about a potential visit of the president this month when Police Scotland confirmed it was in the early stages of planning for such an event. In Washington DC on Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Mr Trump will visit both of his golf courses in Scotland - Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie in Aberdeenshire - between July 25 and 29. Mr Threadgold told Scotland on Sunday: 'This is a huge policing event for Scotland and we will require mutual aid because of the huge demand on my colleagues. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Very few if any cops will not be impacted by next week's visit and beyond. 'I suppose the natural comparison in terms of scale is previous presidential visits and COP26. 'We are talking about bespoke workforce plans because although this is a well-established workforce we are cognisant we cannot deliver this without impacting on individual officers across the country. 'What that means in simple terms is some may be required to work 12-hour shifts for example, which normally wouldn't happen. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'That is the type of change cops will see during this event. 'We also need to consider how officers will eat and drink and rest during this policing which will be a challenge.' He stressed that despite the added pressures the public should be reassured officers will continue to deliver community policing. 'This is already a difficult time for Police Scotland as they are trying to organise and deliver this at short notice during a period of high annual leave,' he said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Time off 'very unlikely' 'We are not going to be telling officers they cannot go on holiday, but those who ask for time off at short notice are very unlikely to get it. 'Operation Roll is a very high demand event but we will continue to deliver community policing. 'Inevitably there will be an impact on our ability to do that, but the public should be reassured that emergencies will still be responded to, there just might be an impact on service delivery. 'There are so many people committed to this event but the public should be confident that we are excellent at what we do and our experience of policing things like Operation Unicorn and the Commonwealth Games should we can deliver.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police Scotland is reported to have requested extra officers from across the UK to support the upcoming visit by Mr Trump. Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said a policing plan will be in place to 'maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption,' adding: 'The visit will require a significant police operation using local, national and specialist resources from across Police Scotland, supported by colleagues from other UK police forces as part of mutual aid arrangements. "Officers make sacrifices every day to keep people safe, and their dedication and professionalism is the reason we manage to deliver significant operations." Flying regulations Notices filed by the Civil Aviation Authority reveal that sweeping flying regulations will be put in place over the Aberdeenshire site for nearly two weeks. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While Mr Trump's visit - his first to his mother's homeland since 2023 - will begin on Friday, the CAA restrictions began today, and will remain in place until 10 August. It means that over that 22 day period, no unmanned aircraft will be allowed to fly below 1,000 feet within a one mile radius surrounding Trump International Golf Links. The ban not only covers drones, but parachutes, paramotors, small balloons, and any kites, according to the documentation drawn up by the CAA's regulators. During Mr Trump's visit to Scotland in his first term in office, widespread protests included a paraglider who descended on his Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire brandishing a banner which read 'Trump: well below par'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the wake of the incident in July 2018, Police Scotland warned the paraglider that they had put themselves in 'grave danger,' given armed officers from the US and the UK were protecting Mr Trump, who had arrived at Turnberry shortly beforehand. A 55-year-old man was subsequently arrested, charged and released pending further inquiries, while that November, Police Scotland said a 35-year-old man had been reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with the incident. However, the Crown Office announced the following year that no criminal proceedings would be brought. Series of upcoming tournaments Mr Trump's Aberdeenshire resort is set to host a series of tournaments in the coming weeks. The Legends Tour Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, an event featuring veterans including Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie, and José María Olazábal will be staged between 31 July and 3 August. It will be followed by the DP World Tour Next Championship, which takes place between 7 August and 10 August. But the CAA restrictions will be in place for ten days before the first of the two tournaments begin. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Balmedie resort is also set to welcome players to its new course come 13 August. Mr Trump is expected to take part in the opening ceremony for the recently constructed links, named after his mother, when he visits. It has already been confirmed Mr Trump will meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer while in Aberdeen, while plans are being put in place for the president to meet First Minister John Swinney, according to the Scottish Government. The president will return to the UK in September for his second state visit. Last week, Mr Trump told the BBC the north-east of Scotland - the oil and gas capital of Europe - should "get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil". Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The US president has long been an opponent of wind farms, objecting to a development off the coast of Aberdeen which can be seen from his golf course. There had also been speculation the King would host the American leader in Scotland after Charles suggested the meeting, at Balmoral or Dumfries House, in a letter he wrote to Mr Trump in February inviting him to make the state visit.
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
As Donald Trump seeks refuge from 'Epstein Files' furore, Scotland's politicians must take care
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... According to The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, the word diplomacy means 'the patriotic art of lying for one's country'. Although written in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the satirical sting of his book can still be felt today. While Donald Trump's trip to Scotland at the end of this week may be a private affair, a prelude to his UK state visit, its potential political importance should not be underestimated. There is a chance to at least lay the groundwork for a diplomatic coup with real, tangible benefits for Scotland and the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, there is also a chance for things to go badly wrong, to annoy, embarrass or offend a childish and deeply flawed man, who also happens to be, whether we like it or not, the most powerful person on planet Earth. Elon Musk's claim that Donald Trump is mentioned in the Epstein Files has sparked a controversy that the US President is struggling to deal with (Picture: Roberto Schmidt) | AFP via Getty Images 'Epstein hoax'? These are troubled times for the US President. After a public falling out, one-time ally Elon Musk claimed Trump's name was in the 'Epstein files', referring to Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier who killed himself in jail on remand after being arrested on charges of sex-trafficking children. The affair has begun to spiral with many of Trump's own 'Maga' supporters demanding the release of the files, supposedly including Epstein's 'client' list, and Musk now alleging there has been a 'cover-up' and that 'so many powerful people want that list suppressed'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Trump, who's been struggling to persuade people there's nothing to see in the 'Epstein hoax', will probably welcome the chance to escape to Scotland, play some golf, and talk about almost anything else. He may be desperate for the trip to go well and for as many political 'wins' as he can find, but also more volatile if things seem to be going badly.
