Daily Briefing: Birthday card blow-up
Trump denies report he wrote Epstein lewd 50th birthday letter
President Donald Trump denied on social media a report in the Wall Street Journal that claims he wrote a letter to Jeffrey Epstein for Epstein's 50th birthday. Shortly afterward, Trump announced in another social media post that he is directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce more Epstein documents amid public clamor for the records.
How we got here: Controversy around the Trump administration's handling of records involving the convicted sex offender is reaching a fever pitch. The administration's attempt to close the book on Epstein has enflamed parts of the MAGA base, who have speculated about a potential Epstein "client list" that the government is shielding from public view.
Keep reading: How do American voters feel about Trump team's handling of Jeffrey Epstein case?
What is chronic venous insufficiency?
President Trump underwent medical tests and an ultrasound to examine swelling in his legs and was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, the most common vascular disease in the U.S., according to medical experts. Known as CVI the condition occurs when the leg veins become damaged and don't work as they should. Veins work against gravity to push used blood out of the legs through muscle contractions. When these veins don't work, typically due to damaged valves, it can cause blood to pool in the legs and lead to symptoms like swelling and ulcers. What causes chronic venous insufficiency?
More news to know now
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Public broadcasting, foreign aid cuts clear final hurdle
President Trump's push for $9 billion in spending cuts — slicing into public broadcasting stations PBS and NPR, as well as the United States' foreign aid efforts — crossed the Congressional finish line just after midnight July 18. The House approved the measure in a 216-213 party line vote. Around $1 million will be taken from public broadcasting, including PBS and NPR. Local stations, which are much more reliant on federal grants than their national counterparts, are expected to bear the brunt of that lost funding. The measure now heads to the president's desk for signature into law.
An LGBTQ+ suicide lifeline ends
~ Jaymes Black, CEO of the Trevor Project, on the termination of specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The program faced shutdown Thursday as part of federal budget cuts that include an overhaul of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The LGBTQ+-focused 988 lifeline program, which marked its third anniversary on July 16, has served an estimated 1.5 million young people since its inception, according to the Trevor Project.
Today's talkers
Which of the Fisher boys will Belly choose?!?
The internet's favorite love triangle is back. We're pining over Season 3 of Amazon Prime Video's "The Summer I Turned Pretty," which headlines new TV series and specials that will stream this weekend. If wistful seaside romance isn't your thing, you can hop aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise to explore with Season 3 of Paramount+'s "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" or head on over to Yosemite National Park for a romp with nature with Netflix's "Untamed." Or sing to your screen while watching "Billy Joel: And So it Goes," a two-part documentary on HBO Max that takes a look at the long life and career of the "Piano Man" himself. Maybe you'll find your new obsession.
Photo of the day: A beautiful backdrop for golf
The Open Championship's opener completed with five different golfers tied for first place at the Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. The golfers will have a chance to create some distance from the rest of the pack when the second round begins Friday morning.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
8 minutes ago
- Axios
OB-GYN group won't take federal funds over Trump policies
The leading professional association for gynecologists is cutting financial ties with the federal government, citing Trump administration policies it says prevent it from providing evidence-based guidance. Why it matters: The decision by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists appears to be the first time a medical society has divested itself over conditions the administration has placed on government contractors and grant recipients. Professional medical groups routinely contract with the federal health agencies to administer or contribute to public health initiatives. ACOG has about 60,000 members and lists diversity and equity among its core values. State of play: ACOG sent an email to members last week notifying them that it will stop accepting federal funding for current contracts. "After careful deliberation, ACOG has made an organization-wide decision to stop accepting federal funding for all ACOG programs and activities for current contracts," the organization said in a statement shared with Axios. "Recent changes in federal funding laws and regulations significantly impact ACOG's program goals, policy positions, and ability to provide timely and evidence-based guidance and recommendations for care." "We remain fully committed to this critical work and will allocate our own resources to continue it in a way that is centered on patient needs and grounded in evidence." The organization will continue to engage with the federal government on policy advocacy, ACOG said. By the numbers: The ACOG Foundation — the group's 501(c)(3) affiliate — has received $950,000 from Health and Human Services this year to oversee reviews and updates of preventive services guidelines for women, according to an HHS grant-tracking website. ACOG wouldn't elaborate on what aspects of the work its decision will affect. Other medical societies that contract with the federal government include the American Medical Association, which has received $750,000 from HHS this year, per federal records. What they're saying: "This is great news for the American taxpayer," HHS communications director Andrew Nixon wrote in an email to Axios. "ACOG taking itself off the federal payroll might be the most responsible budgeting decision they've made." HHS will make sure the preventive services guidelines "reflect gold-standard, evidence-based science and in partnership with those who can deliver this guidance in accordance with the law," he said. Zoom out: ACOG is one of a few medical associations vocally pushing back against President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s health policy shifts. Health care during pregnancy has become a flashpoint. Kennedy has removed the recommendation that pregnant people get COVID-19 vaccines, and a recent advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration cast doubt on the safety of antidepressants during pregnancy. ACOG said afterward that the composition of the panel was "alarmingly unbalanced" and that there's robust evidence showing the medications are safe during pregnancy. The American Academy of Pediatrics has also publicly opposed recent HHS actions. The group boycotted a June meeting of Kennedy's handpicked vaccine advisory committee, saying a June purge of the panel's 17 advisers compromised its credibility. What to watch: ACOG left the door open to resuming federal contracting work in the future.
New York Times
39 minutes ago
- New York Times
Why the G.O.P. Thinks You Should Have to Work for Your Health Care
When Congress passed President Trump's signature domestic policy bill last month, Republicans voted to take health care coverage away from about 10 million people. In the past, Republicans have typically shied away from promoting plans to end health benefits for millions. But in this case, they openly boasted about part of it. About half of the 10 million will lose coverage because of a new requirement that people who enroll in Medicaid prove that they are working, looking for work or unable to work. The new policy will cut Medicaid spending by $325 billion over the next decade, funds that will be used to finance President Trump's tax cuts for the wealthy. 'They are choosing not to work when they can,' House Speaker Mike Johnson told CNN earlier this year, describing the people who would lose coverage. 'That is called fraud; they are cheating the system.' John Thune, the Senate majority leader, said in June that 'Democrat senators here in Washington are melting down because Republicans are daring to focus limited Medicaid dollars on American citizens and those most in need.' He described work requirements as a 'common-sense reform.' The idea of requiring Medicaid enrollees to work barely registered eight years ago, the last time Republicans debated deep health care cuts as part of their effort to repeal Obamacare. They failed to pass a law that time. This time they were successful. That's in part because Republicans have put more stock in an idea that has long been a part of the American conversation about health insurance: that it is a benefit one earns by working. Work requirements have overwhelming support among Republicans, and polls have found that about half of Democrats back the idea, too. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
European drugmakers fall after Trump raises stakes over US drug price cuts
By Ankur Banerjee SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Shares of European drugmakers slipped on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump sent letters to major pharmaceutical firms to cut drug prices in the United States, months after signing a sweeping executive order aimed at lowering prices. The letters were the latest setback for a sector still grappling with the prospect of tariffs outlined in the U.S.-EU trade deal that could cost the pharmaceutical industry between $13 billion and $19 billion. Trump called on 17 drugmakers to provide so-called most-favoured-nation prices to every patient enrolled in the government Medicaid health programme for low-income people, and to guarantee such pricing for new drugs. Shares of European drugmakers Sanofi, AstraZeneca, GSK, Merck KGaA and Novo Nordisk slipped between around 1% and 4% in early trading on Friday. Novo's 4% fall extends a selloff this week that started on Tuesday with a 28% plunge, wiping out $70 billion of its market value after the maker of weight-loss drug Wegovy issued a profit warning and named a new CEO. The companies were all sent letters by Trump, who gave them until September 29 to respond with binding commitments to those terms. U.S. drugmakers including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly and Merck were also sent the letters. The European healthcare index was down 1.4% by 0731 GMT, its lowest since April. "Trump's directive to the pharma companies will put them on the defensive and adds yet another layer of uncertainty for the sector which could also face import tariffs in time to come," said Vasu Menon, managing director of investment strategy at OCBC. "While Trump has set a deadline for these companies to comply, it remains to be seen if this is hard coded or if he will roll back some of his threats if these companies make an effort to engage him and soften his stance." Analysts, lobbyists and drug pricing experts though said it seemed unlikely that the pharmaceutical companies would comply with Trump's demand to lower U.S. prices. The companies including Pfizer, AbbVie, and German Merck KGaA's U.S. division, EMD Serono, said they were open to working with the Trump administration. Trump's executive order in May directed drugmakers to lower medicine prices to align with what other countries pay, leading to some shift in how drugmakers look to sell their medicines. Swiss drugmaker Roche said last week it was considering selling its prescription medicines in the United States directly to consumers to lower costs for patients as part of talks with the U.S. government. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
