Photos, Videos Show 'Fight the Trump Takeover' Protests Across the Country
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Unhappiness with the Trump administration is simmering across the country, as thousands took to the streets on Saturday to join nationwide "Fight the Trump Takeover" protests.
According to an official website, over 200 events were held across 34 states yesterday to protest Texas Republicans' efforts to redraw the state's electoral maps in their favor—a strategy that has been picked up by Republican leaders in other states as well ahead of next year's midterms.
While the main rally took place in Austin, Texas, in no other U.S. city were protesters as riled up as in Washington, D.C., where demonstrators also gathered to protest against President Donald Trump's attempted takeover of the city's police department and deployment of National Guard units.
'Free D.C.': Residents Fight Trump's Takeover
Hundreds gathered in Washington's northwest neighborhood of Dupont Circle for a peaceful protest that ended with a march to the White House.
Happening Now: Protest against Trump military takeover at Dupont Circle in Washington DC. pic.twitter.com/tZNWzc8S93 — BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) August 16, 2025
Protesters, chanting and holding signs saying "Shame" and "Trump must go now," called for an end to the "crime emergency" that Trump declared in the District of Columbia on Monday and which he said justified the deployment of National Guard units, as well as the takeover of the city's police force.
The president said violent crime in the capital is "out of control" and the military's presence would help make the city "one of the safest" in the world, "not the most dangerous." City officials have rebuked the president saying data he presented is misleading and claims that crime is rampant are widely exaggerated. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said crime has been falling after a peak in 2023.
It is the second time in only a couple of months that Trump has deployed National Guard troops to a traditionally liberal part of the country after sending units to Los Angeles earlier this summer.
In June, the president deployed 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines to LA despite objections from state Governor Gavin Newsom, saying that local authorities were not handling anti-ICE protests appropriately. Newsom responded with a lawsuit asking for an injunction restricting the military's role in Los Angeles. A ruling on the case is expected soon.
Washington, D.C., is also fighting back a takeover of its police force by the federal government. Earlier this week, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit in federal court against the appointment of Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Terry Cole as an "emergency police commissioner" to take over control over D.C. police.
Washington, D.C.,
Protests:
Photo Gallery
Thousands marched through Washington, D.C., to protest Donald Trump's use of federal agents and National Guardsmen to conduct policing actions throughout the city, on August 16, 2025.
Thousands marched through Washington, D.C., to protest Donald Trump's use of federal agents and National Guardsmen to conduct policing actions throughout the city, on August 16, 2025.
DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
Dionte Carter raises his fist during a protest of President Donald Trump's federal takeover of policing of the District of Columbia, in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2025.
Dionte Carter raises his fist during a protest of President Donald Trump's federal takeover of policing of the District of Columbia, in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2025.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
A protester holds a sign saying "Free D.C." in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2025.
A protester holds a sign saying "Free D.C." in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2025.
DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters in Washington, D.C., hold anti-Trump signs on August 16, 2025.
Protesters in Washington, D.C., hold anti-Trump signs on August 16, 2025.
DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters rally at Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., before marching to the White House on August 16, 2025.
Protesters rally at Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., before marching to the White House on August 16, 2025.Demonstrators are seen at Dupont Circle before marching to the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2025.
Demonstrators are seen at Dupont Circle before marching to the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2025.A demonstrator holds a baguette during a protest in Washington, D.C., in reference to an incident where a man threw a sandwich at a federal agent on August 16, 2025.
A demonstrator holds a baguette during a protest in Washington, D.C., in reference to an incident where a man threw a sandwich at a federal agent on August 16, 2025.Protesters at Dupont Circle are seen before marching to the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2025.
Protesters at Dupont Circle are seen before marching to the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2025.Texas Democrats Take To Streets
Texas Republicans' plan to draw a new congressional map that would give the GOP five more seats in the 2026 midterm elections, backed by Trump, has triggered a recent flight of the state's Democratic lawmakers.
With their absence, Texas lawmakers could not technically vote on the redistribution of the state's 38 congressional districts, as they did not have the necessary quorum to do so.
Texas Dems left on August 3 and found shelter in states including Illinois, Massachusetts and New York. On Thursday, they signaled that they were ready to return to the state, after the protest appeared to reinvigorate their party's spirit across the country.
Gene Wu, chair of the Texas Democratic caucus, said in a statement on Thursday that their return was dependent on California introducing its own new congressional map offsetting the gains Republicans plan to make in Texas.
"I am proud of what we accomplished," Ann Johnson of Houston, one of the lawmakers who had left the state, said in a statement reported by the Guardian.
"We ended a session that had nothing to do with helping Texans and everything to do with silencing them. And we exposed the truth behind the governor's political agenda: to hijack the maps, erase opposition and decide the next election before a single vote is cast. Now, with that session behind us, I'm returning to Texas to continue the fight—from the floor of the house."
Meanwhile, Texas Governor Greg Abbott called a second special session to address redistricting on Friday.
"Special Session #2 begins immediately," Abbott said in a post on X. "There is critical work that is left undone. Texas will not back down from this fight. That's why I am calling them back today to finish the job."
On Saturday, thousands of people took to the streets of Austin to protest the attempted Republican takeover.
🚨 HAPPENING NOW: Thousands of protesters gather in Austin, Texas for the Fight the Trump Takeover rally chanting "SHAME ON ABBOTT" pic.twitter.com/BFk6TrohHE — Ron Smith (@Ronxyz00) August 16, 2025
"Trump is terrified of the American people," said the Texas for All coalition in a news release. "He knows he can't win on his ideas, so he's trying to take Congress by hook or by crook—and he's doing it by silencing the voices of communities of color. We're not going to let that happen."
The demonstration in Austin saw former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke take the stage and address the gathered crowd, together with United Farm Workers labor union co-founder Dolores Huerta, Democratic Representative Greg Casar and Texas state Representative Lloyd Doggett.
Texas state representatives Wu and Vikki Goodwin joined an anti-takeover protest in Chicago as they have not yet returned to the Lone Star State.
"Today I'm proud to stand with thousands across the country who refuse to let extremists rig our democracy," Wu said in a post on X. "This fight started in Texas, but it doesn't end here. We're united with Americans in 34 states saying NO to rigged maps and YES to fair representation."
Goodwin shared a video from the Illinois rally on X, writing: "Chicagoans came out to rally with us against the rigged redistricting in Texas. They had lots of questions and lots of thanks. The next steps include fighting any new gerrymandered maps that pass in court. We'll also be watching other states' responses."
Chicagoans came out to rally with us against the rigged redistricting in Texas. They had lots of questions and lots of thanks. The next steps include fighting any new gerrymandered maps that pass in court. We'll also be watching others states' responses. pic.twitter.com/tQojoEzpAF — Rep. Vikki Goodwin (@VikkiGoodwinTX) August 16, 2025
The Protests In Texas: A Photo Gallery
Protesters hold up signs during the Fight The Trump Takeover rally at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on August 16, 2025.
Protesters hold up signs during the Fight The Trump Takeover rally at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on August 16, 2025.
AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez
Protesters gather on the south steps of the Texas State Capitol for Fight the Trump Takeover rally in Austin, Texas, on August 17, 2025.
Protesters gather on the south steps of the Texas State Capitol for Fight the Trump Takeover rally in Austin, Texas, on August 17, 2025.
Mario Cantu/Cal Sport Media via AP Images
Nancy Sandoval is seen during the Stop the Trump Takeover demonstration outside of the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on August 16, 2025.
Nancy Sandoval is seen during the Stop the Trump Takeover demonstration outside of the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on August 16, 2025.Former U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke speaks during the Fight The Trump Takeover rally held at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on August 16, 2025.
Former U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke speaks during the Fight The Trump Takeover rally held at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on August 16, 2025.
AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
The Texas House OK'd GOP-favored redistricting. California intends to counter with map of its own
The national redistricting battle enters its next phase Thursday as California Democrats are scheduled to pass a new congressional map that creates five winnable seats for their party, a direct counter to the Texas House's approval of a new map to create more conservative-leaning seats in that state. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has engineered the high-risk strategy in response to President Donald Trump's own brinkmanship. Trump pushed Texas Republicans to reopen the legislative maps they passed in 2021 to squeeze out up to five new GOP seats to help the party stave off a midterm defeat. Unlike in Texas, where passage by the Republican-controlled state Senate and signature by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott are now all that's needed to make the maps official, California faces a more uncertain route. Democrats must use their legislative supermajority to pass the map by a two-third margin. Then they must schedule a special election in November for voters to approve the map that Newsom must sign by Friday to meet ballot deadlines. The added complexity is because California has a voter-approved independent commission that Newsom himself backed before Trump's latest redistricting maneuver. Only the state's voters can override the map that commission approved in 2021. But Newsom said extraordinary steps are required to counter Texas and other Republican-led states that Trump is pushing to revise maps. 'This is a new Democratic Party, this is a new day, this is new energy out there all across this country,' Newsom said Wednesday on a call with reporters. 'And we're going to fight fire with fire.' Texas Democratic lawmakers, vastly outnumbered in that state's legislature, delayed approval of the new map by 15 days by fleeing Texas earlier this month in protest. They were assigned round-the-clock police monitoring upon their return to ensure they attended Wednesday's session. That session ended with an 88-52 party-line vote approving the map after more than eight hours of debate. Democrats have also vowed to challenge the new Texas map in court and complained that Republicans made the political power move before passing legislation responding to deadly floods that swept the state last month. A battle for the US House control waged via redistricting In a sign of Democrats' stiffening redistricting resolve, former President Barack Obama on Tuesday night backed Newsom's bid to redraw the California map, saying it was a necessary step to stave off the GOP's Texas move. 'I think that approach is a smart, measured approach,' Obama said during a fundraiser for the Democratic Party's main redistricting arm. The incumbent president's party usually loses congressional seats in the midterm election, and the GOP currently controls the House of Representatives by a mere three votes. Trump is going beyond Texas in his push to remake the map. He's pushed Republican leaders in conservative states like Indiana and Missouri to also try to create new Republican seats. Ohio Republicans were already revising their map before Texas moved. Democrats, meanwhile, are mulling reopening Maryland's and New York's maps as well. However, more Democratic-run states have commission systems like California's or other redistricting limits than Republican ones do, leaving the GOP with a freer hand to swiftly redraw maps. New York, for example, can't draw new maps until 2028, and even then, only with voter approval. The struggle for — and against — Texas redistricting Texas Republicans openly said they were acting in their party's interest. State Rep. Todd Hunter, who wrote the legislation formally creating the new map, noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed politicians to redraw districts for nakedly partisan purposes. There was little that outnumbered Democrats could do other than fume and threaten a lawsuit to block the map. Because the Supreme Court has blessed purely partisan gerrymandering, the only way opponents can stop the new Texas map would be by arguing it violates the Voting Rights Act requirement to keep minority communities together so they can select representatives of their choice. House Republicans' frustration at the Democrats' flight and ability to delay the vote was palpable during the Wednesday vote. House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced as debate started that doors to the chamber were locked and any member leaving was required to have a permission slip. The doors were only unlocked after final passage more than eight hours later. Republicans issued civil arrest warrants to bring the Democrats back after they left the state Aug. 3, and Abbott asked the state Supreme Court to oust several Democrats from office. The lawmakers also face a fine of $500 for every day they were absent. ___ Riccardi reported from Denver. John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.
USA Today
2 minutes ago
- USA Today
National map battle
Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. "Can't even outdress my Labubu." Texas Republicans approve Trump-backed congressional map A new Texas state congressional map heads to the state Senate after the House passed the measure intended to flip five Democratic-held U.S. House seats up for grabs in the 2026 elections. Why this matters: This is a rare mid-decade redistricting to help President Donald Trump improve the GOP's odds of holding a narrow U.S. House of Representatives majority. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers temporarily delayed the bill's passage by staging a two-week walkout. What's causing a deadly outbreak in NYC? Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has filed lawsuits against two construction companies over what he called a "completely preventable" outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has killed five people and sickened more than 100 others in New York City. An outbreak of the disease, which began July 25, has been clustered across five ZIP codes in Central Harlem. The city health department said the outbreak is linked to cooling towers, heat exchangers that use fans and water to cool down buildings. Construction companies and the city are accused of negligence when the towers filled with storm waters that bred bacteria. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Outer Banks brace for Hurricane Erin Hurricane Erin's higher tides and big waves are battering much of the East Coast. Beachfront property owners are bracing Thursday for the worst amid predictions of a storm surge of up to 4 feet and significant coastal erosion. Powerful waves of 15 to 20 feet are expected to slam beaches, especially in North Carolina, for 48 hours or more as the hurricane crawls northward offshore through at least Thursday. Late yesterday, the National Weather Service said about 7.7 million people were under coastal flood warnings and nearly 32 million were under coastal flood advisories along the East Coast. Erin is expected to stay hundreds of miles offshore, but impacts are forecast to worsen as it makes its closest approach to the U.S. mainland. Painting the southern border wall black The Trump administration is painting the U.S.-Mexico border fence black to make the steel so hot migrants won't climb it. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem unveiled the plans Wednesday in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, while workers ran paint rollers up the steel bollards behind her. When asked about the possibility that critics might call the heat-inducing paint job cruel, Noem said: "Don't touch it." As USA TODAY has previously reported, hundreds of miles of 30-foot barrier at the border already pose a deadly threat to migrants who attempt to scale the fence. El Paso Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, captured these photos of the steel border wall painted black. Today's talkers 🏈 Path to Playoff: Sign up here for USA TODAY's new college football newsletter. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are doubles trouble The U.S. Open mixed doubles competition, largely an afterthought in the past, debuted a revamped format this week and energized crowds at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. In part, that's thanks to a star-studded, 16-team field that included names like Novak Djokovic, Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz. Not to mention some riveting tennis: In the final Wednesday night, defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori outlasted Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud 6-3, 5-7, 10-6. The Italian duo proved mixed doubles players can hold their ground against the world's best singles players. See photos of the biggest stars in the reimagined mixed doubles competition. Photo of the day: Goal for Gotham! Defending champion Gotham FC kicked off the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup with a 2-1 victory against Monterrey on Wednesday. The winner of the competition will qualify for both the 2027 FIFA Women's Champions Cup and the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup in 2028. Follow with Studio IX, USA TODAY's women's sports hub. 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@
The Hill
2 minutes ago
- The Hill
Texas fires starting shot in redistricting war
Morning Report is The Hill's a.m. newsletter. Click here to sign up. In today's issue: ▪ Texas poised to hand GOP redistricting win ▪ Trump ally seeks DOJ probe of Fed governor ▪ Smithsonian under administration microscope ▪ President declares Netanyahu 'war hero' The Texas state House passed a new congressional map Wednesday to boost the number of GOP-held seats in Congress, paving the way for final passage this week and teeing up a national redistricting war. Texas House Republicans advanced the bill in an 88-52 vote, capping off weeks of drama punctuated by Democrats' decision to flee the state in an effort to block the new map. The state Senate is scheduled to take up the bill today before sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) for a signature. President Trump has championed Texas's unusual mid-decade redistricting efforts, saying his party's strong showing in the 2024 election means they are 'entitled' to more seats in the House. Typically, redistricting occurs once every 10 years, after the latest census. Republicans hold a 219-212 House majority, with four vacancies, which means small shifts in the map could tip control of Congress in 2026. The change in Texas is expected to net the GOP five House seats in next year's midterms, prompting California to counter with its own bid for a new map led by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), a likely 2028 presidential contender. The nationwide tit-for-tat has seen other states jump into the fight, including Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri, among others. 'This is a last gasp of a desperate party clinging to power,' New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said in a statement on the Texas GOP advancing the new map while vowing to 'confront Trump's legal insurrection head on' in the Empire State. 'We'll meet him on the same field and beat him at his own game,' she said. Wednesday's vote caps off a whirlwind special session for the Lone Star State Legislature, which ground to a screeching halt when a group of more than 50 Democratic legislators fled Texas in order to deny their Republican colleagues the quorum required for their vote. The contingent returned to Austin on Monday after two weeks away. With the state House stacked toward the GOP, there is little Democrats can do to stop the map — which they decry as gerrymandered and unconstitutional — from passing, although they are doing everything in their power to delay. ▪ The Hill: Texas State Rep. Chris Turner (D) proposed an amendment seeking to nullify the new map by arguing it violates the Voting Rights Act. ▪ The Hill: Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu introduced an amendment to have the new map take effect only after Attorney General Pam Bondi releases files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. OBAMA WEIGHS IN: Former President Obama on Wednesday endorsed Newsom's redistricting plan in California, calling it 'a smart and measured approach.' The former president, who has previously spoken out against gerrymandering, said at a fundraiser on Martha's Vineyard that he was hoping for a fair fight between both parties at the ballot box. 'But since Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House and gerrymandering in the middle of a decade to try and maintain the House despite their unpopular policies, I have tremendous respect for how Governor Newsom has approached this,' he said. Newsom has come out swinging against the Texas map by promising to redraw his blue state's electoral districts. But the road ahead for Newsom is rockier than for Abbott: California voters must approve the plan to bypass the state's independent redistricting commission. Democrats in the State Assembly and Senate are on track to pass the bill for the ballot measure today, and voters will decide in November. Only if the ballot measure passes can California lawmakers redraw the map in the middle of the decade. Republicans have already challenged California Democrats' ability to put the measure before voters with a state Supreme Court lawsuit. Other top GOP leaders, such as former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.), have also signaled they're preparing to fight the map. Democrats have long decried gerrymandered maps, establishing a series of independent redistricting commissions in blue states over the past decade to ensure fairer maps. But now, with Republicans scrapping the normal playbook, even longtime activists against gerrymandering — including former Attorney General Eric Holder — are pushing Democratic governors to counter Texas by redrawing their own maps. ▪ Axios: Newsom's bid to redraw California's congressional seats has a 22-point advantage in support among the state's voters, the governor's longtime pollster writes in an internal memo. HARDBALL: Newsom remains defiant. The governor on Wednesday appeared alongside Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin and Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) on a call as they rallied the party behind California's redistricting push. 'Yes, we'll fight fire with fire. Yes, we will push back. It's not about whether we play hardball anymore — it's about how we play hardball,' Newsom said on the call. The appearance of Booker and Newsom together was notable, given both have been floated as 2028 White House hopefuls. 'This [is] all hands on deck right now. People are going to ask, 'Where did you stand when Donald Trump was violating court orders? Where did you stand when he was trashing the concept of due process in our country?'' Booker said. ''Where did you stand when he was sending out masked unidentified people in unmarked vehicles to sweep people off of our streets?'' ▪ The Hill: Collier on Wednesday abruptly left the DNC call, which she took from a state Capitol bathroom, after being warned she was committing a felony. ▪ The Washington Post: Collier has been staying overnight at the Statehouse after Republicans ordered Democrats to be monitored by police if they left the chamber again. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) on Tuesday slammed Republicans in Texas for their redistricting efforts while applauding Democrats' retaliation in other states. 'The Republicans, they are cheaters all day, every day. But we have never tried to match their energy until now. And I applaud it,' Crockett said during an appearance on CNN. 'This is a dangerous road to travel down, and I do applaud those in California that say, 'If you want to play with us, we will play back.'' Smart Take by Blake Burman Union Station in Washington, D.C., has had a visible National Guard presence in recent days. It welcomed two new guests on Wednesday — Vice President Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who thanked the troops for being there. The administration says crime has dropped in the District since the federal takeover began. Critics are calling the federalization a huge overstep, just as they did when the president deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles back in June. I asked California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D), who has filed suit against the administration 39 times, what he would do if the White House deployed the National Guard back to California. 'The short of it — we go to court, we stop them,' said Bonta. 'The Posse Comitatus Act said you cannot use military to engage in civilian law enforcement on American soil. Period, full stop. Tackling crime is the very definition of civilian law enforcement.' The administration certainly has its fair share of critics for its use of the National Guard in cities. However, Wednesday's on-camera visit with Vance and Hegseth shows the White House views this issue as a winner. Burman hosts 'The Hill' weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. 3 Things to Know Today Cellphone restrictions in schools in 17 states greet this year's students, bringing the total to 35 states with restrictive laws or rules meant to improve instructional time. Stay out of the water. That's the warning officials are repeating as Hurricane Erin moves parallel to the East Coast past North Carolina this morning, where evacuation orders remain in effect on the coast. A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration's bid to unseal grand jury materials used to charge disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein with sex trafficking. Leading the Day UNRESERVED: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and central bank governor Lisa Cook are reckoning with an unlikely antagonist: housing regulator Bill Pulte. Pulte, an ally of Trump, has served as director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) since March and has repeatedly targeted members of the Fed — to the delight of the White House. The housing regulator's latest allegations — that Cook committed 'blatant and massive mortgage fraud,' as he told Fox News, the Justice Department and Trump — follow his social media bashing of Powell and the Fed board for not cutting interest rates, as the president wants. Trump on Truth Social on Wednesday called on Cook to 'resign, now!!!' Cook, who was appointed by former President Biden to a term through 2038, responded Wednesday to Pulte's allegation. 'I have no intention of being bullied to step down from my position because of some questions raised in a tweet. I do intend to take any questions about my financial history seriously as a member of the Federal Reserve and so I am gathering the accurate information to answer any legitimate questions and provide the facts,' she said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal. ▪ Axios: What to know about Cook. Pulte — a Trump campaign donor who is the grandson of William J. Pulte, the founder of residential home construction company PulteGroup — gained a reputation years ago with savvy social media skills to draw attention to his philanthropic projects and business endeavors. His allegations of possible mortgage fraud by Cook mirror his previous complaints about another Trump foe: New York Attorney General Letitia James (D). The Justice Department this year launched an investigation into James after Pulte's agency alleged she 'falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms.' Pulte has also repeatedly taken aim at Powell, whom Trump has pressured to lower interest rates or resign. The chair has said he's staying put, referring to a statute that protects his position — an appointment Trump made during his first term — unless Powell is removed 'for cause.' Trump says he's seeking opportunities to put like-minded appointees in the chair's post and on the Federal Open Market Committee, and he recently said possible successors to Powell, whose term as chair ends in May, number about four. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently said the process he's running to identify the next chair has included a list of 11 candidates. Pulte alleges that Cook in 2021 sought mortgages on two properties — one in Michigan, the other in Atlanta — while describing each as her primary residence in documents submitted 14 days apart. Powell on Friday will face questions about Cook during an annual event held at Jackson Hole, Wyo., hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Where and When The president will receive an intelligence briefing at 11 a.m. He will sign executive orders at 3 p.m. in the Oval Office. The House will hold a pro forma session on Friday at 9 a.m. and will return to work in Washington on Sept. 2. The Senate will hold a pro forma session at 9 a.m. on Friday. Zoom In PAST MEETS PRESENT: Trump's latest broadside against the Smithsonian Institution and slavery was another example of his willingness to barrel into cultural wars with unpredictable political results, writes The Hill's Niall Stanage. The president said this week that in his view, the Smithsonian should present American history as 'bright' and about 'the future.' The Smithsonian footprint of 21 museums and a National Zoo was initially established by Congress in 1846 with a trust from James Smithson to 'increase and diffuse knowledge' through museums that explore the past, provide education and engage in research. 'The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL,' Trump wrote on social media, 'where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.' ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND WORK: AI is changing how work is done but how will it change the labor market? Business leaders have offered predictions and dire warnings in recent months about the turmoil AI could unleash on the job market, predicting widespread work displacement and mass unemployment. Experts say the picture is still unclear, with the full impact of the technology yet to be realized. ▪ The Hill: Following congressional spending clawbacks, advocates for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public media are poised for a fiscal cliff. 'Nobody can replace $600 million a year,' Public Media Company CEO Tim Isgitt said Tuesday. ▪ The Hill: In higher education, the administration has sidestepped legacy college and university admission policies, despite their unpopularity. ▪ The New York Times: At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of employees received layoff notices that were effective on Monday. Elsewhere GAZA: Israel on Wednesday entered the first stages of a planned assault on Gaza City. The military is calling up 60,000 reservists for an expanded military operation in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to be pushing ahead with a new phase of the war despite international opposition — and in the face of a renewed push for a ceasefire with Hamas. During an interview that aired Tuesday with conservative talk show host Mark Levin, Trump described Netanyahu as a 'good man.' 'He's a war hero, because we work together. He's a war hero,' Trump said. 'I guess I am too.' Meanwhile, Israel launched a series of diplomatic attacks against several of its Western allies — including Australia and France — as they prepare to recognize a Palestinian state next month. The tensions are a sign of the growing gulf between Netanyahu and his Western allies. He is facing increased criticism of Israel's war in Gaza, which has destroyed much of the territory and led to a humanitarian crisis. PEACE IN UKRAINE: Russia signaled that Moscow intends to slow-walk any peace deal with Ukraine, showing some daylight between the Kremlin and Trump's intentions to end the war. Russian officials have expressed doubt about some early prospects of a peace deal, parts of which are also being backed by a contingent of European leaders. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov patted down any progress made at a summit at the White House earlier this week where Trump met with seven European leaders as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling it a 'clumsy attempt' by Europe to try to change Trump's mind. Lavrov also said any discussions of security guarantees — something Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested during their meeting in Alaska last week — would lead to a 'road to nowhere' if Moscow isn't involved. The tone from the Russians is cause for concern in light of what Europe, Trump and Zelensky say is the first opportunity since the war began to bring an end to the bloodshed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been tasked with the heavy lift: Meeting today with his European counterparts in an effort to advance a peace process that so far has gotten little traction. The White House is eyeing Budapest for peace talks with Zelensky and Putin, but Moscow is expressing little appetite and logistical challenges mount. ▪ The Washington Post: The limits of Trump's diplomacy are becoming clear as Moscow balks at his peace plan. ▪ The New York Times: What Russia is doing to grab Ukrainian land while it still can. ▪ Bloomberg News: Former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, advocated that the U.S. set a strong red line with Putin and join the coalition of the willing in a security guarantee to back Ukraine for any peace deal. Opinion The Texas gerrymander freakout, by The Washington Post editorial board. Weaponizing the housing regulator, by The Wall Street Journal editorial board. The Closer And finally … 🕊️It's Thursday, which means it's time for this week's Morning Report Quiz! Inspired by Trump's meetings with Putin and Zelensky, we're eager for some smart guesses about presidents and treaties. Be sure to email your responses to asimendinger@ and kkarisch@ — please add 'Quiz' to your subject line. Winners who submit correct answers will enjoy some richly deserved newsletter fame on Friday. The Camp David Accords, signed between Israel and Egypt, marked the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab nation. Which president presided? 1. Bill Clinton 2. Jimmy Carter 3. Gerald Ford 4. George H. W. Bush In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson personally delivered a treaty to the Senate, which had not occurred since 1789. Which treaty was it? 1. The Treaty of Versailles 2. The Treaty of Paris 3. The Peace of Westphalia 4. The Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine Which president signed and ratified the North Atlantic Treaty, which forms the legal basis for NATO? 1. Franklin D. Roosevelt 2. Calvin Coolidge 3. John F. Kennedy 4. Harry S Truman Under President Barack Obama, the United States signed this climate change treaty, from which Trump withdrew the United States. 1. The Vienna Agreement 2. The Kyoto Protocol 3. The Montreal Protocol 4. The Paris Agreement
