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Trump has expanded White House power. Will Democrats use it?

Trump has expanded White House power. Will Democrats use it?

Washington Post07-07-2025
Good morning, Early Birds. We hope everyone had a joyful Fourth of July weekend. Send tips to earlytips@washpost.com. Thanks for waking up with us.
In today's edition … Will a Democrat use Trump's growing power? … The symbolic timing of an emerging American star … The ad war against Trump's budget bill has begun … but first …
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India to maintain Russian oil imports despite Trump threats, government sources say
India to maintain Russian oil imports despite Trump threats, government sources say

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India to maintain Russian oil imports despite Trump threats, government sources say

India will keep purchasing oil from Russia despite U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of penalties, two Indian government sources told Reuters on Saturday, not wishing to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. On top of a new 25% tariff on India's exports to the U.S., Trump indicated in a Truth Social post last month that India would face additional penalties for purchases of Russian arms and oil. On Friday, Trump told reporters he had heard that India would no longer be buying oil from Russia. But the sources said there would be no immediate changes. "These are long-term oil contracts," one of the sources said. "It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight." Justifying India's oil purchases from Russia, a second source said India's imports of Russian grades had helped avoid a global surge in oil prices, which have remained subdued despite Western curbs on the Russian oil sector. Unlike Iranian and Venezuelan oil, Russian crude is not subject to direct sanctions, and India is buying it below the current price cap fixed by the European Union, the source said. The New York Times also quoted two unnamed senior Indian officials on Saturday as saying there had been no change in Indian government policy. Indian government authorities did not respond to Reuters' request for official comment on its oil purchasing intentions. However, during a regular press briefing on Friday, foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has a "steady and time-tested partnership" with Russia. "On our energy sourcing requirements ... we look at what is there available in the markets, what is there on offer, and also what is the prevailing global situation or circumstances," he said. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump, who has made ending Russia's war in Ukraine a priority of his administration since returning to office this year, has expressed growing impatience with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks. He has threatened 100% tariffs on U.S. imports from countries that buy Russian oil unless Moscow reaches a major peace deal with Ukraine. Russia is the leading supplier to India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, accounting for about 35% of its overall supplies. India imported about 1.75 million barrels per day of Russian oil from January to June this year, up 1% from a year ago, according to data provided to Reuters by sources. But while the Indian government may not be deterred by Trump's threats, sources told Reuters this week that Indian state refiners stopped buying Russian oil after July discounts narrowed to their lowest since 2022 - when sanctions were first imposed on Moscow - due to lower Russian exports and steady demand. Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Mangalore Refinery Petrochemical Ltd have not sought Russian crude in the past week or so, four sources told Reuters. Nayara Energy - a refinery majority-owned by Russian entities, including oil major Rosneft, and major buyer of Russian oil - was recently sanctioned by the EU. Nayara's chief executive resigned following the sanctions, and three vessels laden with oil products from Nayara Energy have yet to discharge their cargoes, hindered by the new EU sanctions, Reuters reported last week.

Senate confirms former Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital

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Senate confirms former Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital

WASHINGTON -- The Senate has confirmed former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as the top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital, filling the post after President Donald Trump withdrew his controversial first pick, conservative activist Ed Martin Jr. Pirro, a former county prosecutor and elected judge, was confirmed 50-45. Before becoming the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in May, she co-hosted the Fox News show 'The Five' on weekday evenings, where she frequently interviewed Trump. Trump yanked Martin's nomination after a key Republican senator said he could not support him due to Martin's outspoken support for rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Martin now serves as the Justice Department's pardon attorney. In 2021, voting technology company Smartmatic USA sued Fox News, Pirro and others for spreading false claims that the company helped 'steal' the 2020 presidential election from Trump. The company's libel suit, filed in a New York state court, sought $2.7 billion from the defendants. Last month, Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to send Pirro's nomination to the Senate floor after Democrats walked out to protest Emil Bove's nomination to become a federal appeals court judge. Pirro, a 1975 graduate of Albany Law School, has significantly more courtroom experience than Martin, who had never served as a prosecutor or tried a case before taking office in January. She was elected as a judge in New York's Westchester County Court in 1990 before serving three terms as the county's elected district attorney. In the final minutes of his first term as president, Trump issued a pardon to Pirro's ex-husband, Albert Pirro, who was convicted in 2000 on conspiracy and tax evasion charges.

Trump's executive order seeks to remove homeless from streets. What is seen in Erie County
Trump's executive order seeks to remove homeless from streets. What is seen in Erie County

Yahoo

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Trump's executive order seeks to remove homeless from streets. What is seen in Erie County

On July 24, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to 'end crime and disorder on America's streets, which was directed at the homelessness endemic taking place across the nation." The executive action makes it easier for cities and states to remove homeless people from the streets by ending consent decrees that limit local and state governments' ability to move homeless people into treatment centers and other facilities. The issues that pertain to homelessness that the executive order focuses on are seen in Erie County. The 2024 PA 605 In Time Census, as cited by the Erie County Home Team Homeless and Housing Coalition, provides the following statistics of note for the county: 454 residents in Erie County we're identified as homeless. 76 residents were unsheltered and living in a place that was considered inhumane. 378 were living in an emergency shelter or a transitional housing program. 37 families could be found in shelters consisting of 116 people and 37 children under the age of 18. 47% of adults dealing with homelessness battled mental illness while 36% battled substance abuse. An additional 577 people were in supportive housing or considered 'near homeless." "Talking to all of my colleagues across the country like in Philadelphia, their challenges are far different than ours in Erie County," Erie County Executive Brenton Davis said. "Honestly, I am thankful for the first world problems that we have. For all the different things that we have, we know what the finite number is and if you know what the number is then you can work towards solving it." From 2024: Erie County opens single-site location for Our Neighbors' Place overflow homeless shelter What to know about the executive order The executive order is divided into several objectives, according to which provides the following order details: The purpose and policy (of the order) which is due to the endemic vagrancy, disorderly behavior, sudden confrontations and violent attacks making cities unsafe. Restoring civil commitment and what to take appropriate action on. Fighting vagrancy on America's streets and how immediate steps will be taken to assess grants. The redirection of federal resources towards effective methods of addressing homelessness and where to take appropriate action. The increase in accountability and safety in America's homelessness programs. Finally, the general provisions of the order. The full order can be found on "To me, anything that provides a resource to local government to be flexible to solve the issues in our community I fully support," Davis said. Organizations in Erie to assist with homelessness In Erie, there are multiple organizations that are on the front lines in battling homelessness, including but not limited to the Erie City Mission, Mercy Center for Women, Mental Health Association, Emmaus Soup Kitchen, Erie County Care Management and more. provides a list of multiple resources from shelters to free clothing to medical services and more. More: Could visit to Erie's Mercy Center for Women help the state craft a maternal health plan? "I can only speak to this locally, Erie County is a social service-rich environment," Davis said. "Everything is finite, resources and funding are finite. I think it's a matter of finding an array of tools to make it more accessible and flexible. That'll be the key." Contact Nicholas Sorensen at nsorensen@ This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: What to know about homelessness in Erie County Solve the daily Crossword

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