Trump demands another Fed official resign
In today's issue:
Trump calls for Fed board member to resign
Texas, California vote on redistricting plans
NATO meets on Ukraine-Russia
Hurricane Erin's massive riptides
Newsom breaks through with Trump trolling
Video of state AG getting detained goes viral
Next on Trump's 'to-fire' list:
President Trump demanded this morning that Federal Reserve board of governors member Lisa Cook 'resign, now!!!' after an ally of the president accused her of committing mortgage fraud.
Trump linked to a Bloomberg article that reads, 'Trump Demands Fed's Cook Quit as Pulte Seeks Mortgage Probe.'
Keep in mind — Trump has had it out for the Fed lately: 'Pulte, a vocal Trump ally, has frequently criticized the Fed and its leader, Chair Jerome Powell, for not lowering rates. He also called for closer scrutiny of the central bank's costly refurbishment of its Washington, DC, headquarters.' (CNN)
Read more.
Sooo, how's that peace deal coming along?
High-level discussions are happening to broker a peace deal for Ukraine and Russia after President Trump met with the leaders of both countries.
Will Putin and Zelensky meet soon?: Trump has pushed for a three-way summit with Zelensky and Putin, but he said this morning that it would be 'better' if the two first met without him.
What's happening today?: 'NATO's military leaders will convene Wednesday to discuss the unfolding possibility of a Russia-Ukraine peace deal. Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and top U.S. military leaders met Tuesday night with European counterparts on Ukraine, a defense official told The Hill.' (The Hill)
🗨️ Follow today's live blog
➤ RELATED READS:
The Washington Post: Putin had a good hand in Alaska, but the D.C. summit shows he overplayed it
The Wall Street Journal: Putin Calls Zelensky the West's Illegitimate Puppet. Can He Talk Peace With Him?
The New York Times: For Trump, Flashy Summits Come First. Grunt Work Comes Next.
Op-ed in The New York Times: Ukraine Diplomacy Reveals How Un-American Trump Is
The DOJ doesn't believe D.C.:
'The Justice Department has launched an investigation into Washington, D.C., crime reporting data as President Trump clashes with city leaders over his takeover of local police,' reports The Hill's Rebecca Beitsch.
Timing: 'The investigation, led by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for D.C., comes from the same office that earlier this year publicized that violent crime in Washington had reached a 30-year low.'
Trump's argument: 'Trump has claimed that crime in the nation's capital is worse than what the data shows, even as city officials release reams of data showing falling crime in a number of categories since a spike in 2023. The president has used claims of widespread and violent crime to justify the takeover as well as a National Guard presence in the capital, even as D.C. residents overwhelmingly oppose the move and fewer describe crime as a serious problem in the city.'
How do D.C. residents feel about the takeover, you may ask?: A new Washington Post survey shows that Washington residents overwhelmingly oppose Trump's takeover of the city's police department.
➤ TIDBIT:
Vice President Vance just 📸 showed up at Union Station, reports HuffPost's Igor Bobic.
Plus: A National Guard truck crashed in Southeast D.C. this morning. One person was taken to the hospital, according to DC News Now.
➤ WHAT ELSE IS ON TRUMP'S MIND?:
Trump complained yesterday that the Smithsonian museums in Washington are 'OUT OF CONTROL,' arguing they're too fixated on 'how bad Slavery was.'
Happy Redistricting Day to all who celebrate:
The big news today revolves around the redistricting fights in California and Texas as state lawmakers consider efforts to reshuffle their congressional districts.
In California, redistricting would help Democrats. California Republicans have sued to stop the effort.
In Texas, redistricting would benefit Republicans. 'The new proposed map is likely to most directly impact lawmakers situated near or in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Austin, Houston and the southern border, as Republicans look to net five seats in next year's midterms.'
The Hill's Caroline Vakil points out that Texas's decision to redraw its congressional map has had a domino effect in other states. She wrote a helpful breakdown of which states to watch in the redistricting battle.
Later: For the latest on the redistricting fight, sign-up for The Hill's Evening Report. Click here to sign up & get it in your inbox.
➤ TIDBIT:
Tidbit: Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) bashed Texas GOP lawmakers during an appearance on CNN's 'The Source.'
^ From Crockett: '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, referring to California's redistricting effort.
Bah da da da da, Democrats are lovin' it:
^Now I want McDonald's fries …
Have you seen California Gov. Gavin Newsom 's (D) X feed lately? If you quickly glance at it, you might think the Trump-coded phrasing, all-caps insults and hyperbolic statements were President Trump 's Truth Social feed.
But it's part of Newsom's new strategy to troll Republicans and the president. Here are a few examples:
Newsom posted a photoshopped image of himself on Mount Rushmore. 'WOW! WHAT AN HONOR!!' 📸 See the post
He posted a screenshot of a Trump post, commenting, 'WOW! Very few all caps (low energy!)' 📸 See the post
He posted a photoshopped image with Tucker Carlson, Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan praying over him. 📸 See the post
And 📸 here's a photoshopped image of Vice President Vance.
Trump posted a one-word message on Sunday, 'Bela,' seemingly a typo. Newsom posted a screenshot, adding, 'DONALD (TINY HANDS), HAS WRITTEN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY THIS MORNING — UNFORTUNATELY (LOW IQ) HE SPELLED IT WRONG — 'BETA.' SOON YOU WILL BE A 'FIRED' BETA BECAUSE OF MY PERFECT, 'BEAUTIFUL MAPS.' THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! — GCN.'
^ These are just a few of the posts. 🔎 Check out Newsom's X feed
Taking the bait?: Fox News anchor Dana Perino slammed Newsom's X strategy, arguing he and his team 'have to stop it with the Twitter thing.' 'I don't know where his wife is,' she said. 'If I were his wife, I would say you are making a fool of yourself, stop it.' 📹 Watch Perino bash Newsom
^ Newsom responded: 'ALMOST A WEEK IN AND THEY STILL DON'T GET IT,' his office posted on X.
^ NEW — Perino hits back at Newsom: 'We get the joke,' Perino said. 🔎 Read her full response
Democrats are *loving* it: The Hill's Amie Parnes spoke with Democrats about Newsom's new strategy to egg on Trump by mirroring him. They are thrilled by it. Read Parnes's reporting: 'Newsom's Trump act wins raves from Democrats'
Why is Newsom doing this?: He told historian and podcast host Heather Cox Richardson that he is trying to 'mimic the childness' of Trump. He argued it's been a 'potent communication tool' that has drawn attention — and hopes it will call out Trump's style of 'talking down to us,' which he has 'normalized.' 📹 Watch Newsom's explanation
💡 Why this matters: Democrats have struggled to find their footing since soundly losing in the 2024 election. This is Newsom's new strategy to fight back: needle the president by mocking him. Perino's response shows it may be working. Keep your eye on whether other Democrats follow suit for the 2026 midterms.
🌀 HURRICANE ERIN
East Coasters, stay out of the ocean this week:
Hurricane Erin is barreling up the Atlantic Ocean. The storm is not expected to make landfall, but coastal areas on the East Coast are bracing for life-threatening storm surges, high wind and 10-to-20-foot waves.
Where things stand: Hurricane Erin is a Category 2 storm right now. It's expected to intensify throughout today. A tropical storm warning is in effect in parts of North Carolina and Virginia.
🗺️ Erin's path by hour
➤ SIGHTS AND SOUNDS:
📹 Rip currents seen by drone in North Carolina
📹 The surf in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Even in New Hampshire: More than 100 people were rescued in a week at Hampton Beach because of the rip currents, according to WMUR.
📹 Aerial footage of a tidal storm surge in N.C.
Phew, thankfully the storm pivoted: 📸 Check out this graphic of the storm veering away from land. It gets so close to the East Coast!
📹 Waves in Buxton, N.C.
➤ THIS IS A REMARKABLE HURRICANE:
Hurricane Erin has rapidly intensified. NBC News's Denise Chow reports that climate change is responsible for the transformation of storms like this.
4 p.m.: Trump swears in the U.S. ambassador to the European Union.
🐝 INTERNET BUZZ
🥧 Celebrate: Today is National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day.
📹 Nothing beats a Jet2holiday!: A Rhode Island prosecutor was arrested for trespassing in Newport, R.I. She can be heard yelling at an officer while being detained, 'You're going regret this.' 📹 Watch the body cam footage
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Associated Press
a minute ago
- Associated Press
Trump's immigration crackdown brings checkpoints and new fears to Washington
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Other day cares have stopped taking kids on daily walks because of fears about encountering law enforcement. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged Thursday that the proliferation of traffic checkpoints are an inevitable aspect of the federal law enforcement operations. 'The surge of federal officers is allowing for different types of deployments, more frequent types of deployments, like checkpoints,' Bowser said. Since Aug. 7, when Trump began surging federal agents into the city, there have been 630 arrests, including 251 people who are in the country illegally, according to the White House. Trump has been ratcheting up the pressure since then, seizing control of the D.C. police department on Aug. 11 and deploying more National Guard troops, mostly from Republican-led states. Soldiers have been largely stationed in downtown areas, such as monuments on the National Mall and transit stations. However, federal agents are operating more widely through the city — and some may soon get a visit from the president himself. Trump is expected to join a patrol in D.C. on Thursday night. He told his plans to Todd Starnes, a conservative commentator. Not a normal traffic stop On Thursday morning, as Martin Romero rode through Washington's Rock Creek Park on his way to a construction job in Virginia, he saw police on the road up ahead. He figured it was a normal traffic stop, but it wasn't. Romero, 41, said that U.S. Park Police were telling pickup trucks with company logos to pull over, reminding them that commercial vehicles weren't allowed on park roads. They checked for licenses and insurance information, and then U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents came over. Romero said there were two agents on one side of his truck and three on the other. He started to get nervous as the agents asked where they were from and whether they were in the country illegally. 'We just came here to work,' Romero said afterwards. 'We aren't doing anything bad.' Two people in his truck were detained and the agents didn't give a reason, he said. He also saw three other people taken from other vehicles. 'I feel really worried because they took two of our guys,' he said. 'They wouldn't say where they're taking them or if they'll be able to come back.' Romero said he called his boss, who told him to just head home. They wouldn't be working today. Enrique Martinez, a supervisor at the construction company, came to the scene afterwards. He pondered whether to call families of the detained men. 'This has never happened to our company before,' Martinez said. 'I'm not really sure what to do.' Checkpoints are legal, to a point The Supreme Court has upheld the use of law enforcement and government checkpoints for specific purposes, such as for policing the border and for identifying suspected drunk drivers. But there are restrictions on that authority, especially when it comes to general crime control. Jeffrey Bellin, a former prosecutor in Washington and professor at Vanderbilt Law School who specializes in criminal law and procedures, said the Constitution doesn't allow 'the government to be constantly checking us and stopping to see if we're up to any criminal activity.' He said checkpoints for a legally justifiable purpose — like checking for drivers' licenses and registrations — cannot be used as 'subterfuge' or a pretext for stops that would otherwise not be allowed. And though the court has affirmed the use of checkpoints at the border, and even some distance away from it, to ask drivers about immigration status, Bellin said it was unlikely the authority would extend to Washington. Anthony Michael Kreis, a professor at Georgia State College of Law, said the seemingly 'arbitrary' and intrusive nature of the checkpoints in the capital could leave residents feeling aggrieved. 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Immigration officials have been an unusually public presence, sending horse patrols to the city's famed MacArthur Park and appearing outside California Gov. Gavin Newsom's news conference last week on congressional redistricting. Authorities said an agent fired at a moving vehicle last week after the driver refused to roll down his window during an immigration stop. The National Guard and Marines were previously in the city for weeks on an assignment to maintain order amid protests. A federal judge blocked the administration from conducting indiscriminate immigration stops in Southern California but authorities have vowed to keep the pressure on. ____ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Ashraf Khalil in Washington and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed reporting.
Bloomberg
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WIRED
a minute ago
- WIRED
Trump Is Betting Big on Intel. Will the Chips Fall His Way?
Aug 21, 2025 1:04 PM The Trump administration is aiming to take an equity stake in Intel, according to US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick. Experts say the unconventional deal could backfire. Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images The US government is aiming to take an equity stake in Intel in exchange for grants the company was already committed to receive under the Biden era CHIPS Act, according to comments US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick made in an interview with CNBC. The move is part of the government's efforts to boost US chip manufacturing. 'We should get an equity stake for our money, so we'll deliver the money which was already committed under the Biden administration,' Lutnick said. 'We'll get equity in return for it.' Previously, the government was discussing taking a 10 percent stake in Intel, according to the New York Times . The deal could help the venerable chipmaker fund its US-based semiconductor fabrication plants, or fabs, which have required billions of dollars to construct and maintain, even as demand for Intel chips has waned in recent years. Some chip industry experts and members of the Trump administration say that keeping Intel afloat is essential to US national security, because it lessens the country's reliance on chipmakers overseas. But analysts and one notable economist say a potential tie-up between Intel and the US government could present a conflict of interest, and may not result in the kind of domestic chip-making industry the administration is angling for. 'It's not the right policy to have the US government own things, to have privatization in reverse,' says Stephen Moore, a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation and a former senior economic advisor to Trump's 2016 campaign. 'That's similar to Europe's industrial model, and we haven't done that often here in the US because a lot of it ends up failing.' Government Intervention The US government has some history of investing in the private sector. Moore cites a 1980s program called the Synthetic Fuels Corporation, a federally-directed multibillion dollar investment in companies producing liquid fuels from coal, oil shale, and tar sands. It was hailed by President Jimmy Carter as 'the cornerstone of our energy policy,' and had fallen apart by 1986. Then, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the US government stepped in with multibillion dollar bailouts to stop US automakers and some banks from going under. Those funds were issued either through the Troubled Asset Relief Program, in which the US Treasury Department bought up or guaranteed toxic assets, or in the form of bridge loans. Many were eventually repaid. More recently, the Department of Defense agreed to fund a US-based rare earth magnet company, MP Materials, via equity and loans, in order to expand production and decrease the country's reliance on China. The deal would in theory give MP Materials the capital to increase its manufacturing capacity from 3,000 to 10,000 metric tons. Moore says the ideal scenario is that these arrangements between the government and private industry have an endpoint. 'It should be an agreement to own a short-term stake, and then divest,' he says. But the current Trump administration has been taking some of these public-private business dealings a step further: In June, the administration approved a partnership between Japanese steel company Nippon Steel and Pittsburgh-based US Steel, dependent on a national security agreement and a so-called 'golden share' provision. The government insisted that it have a say in US Steel's company decisions, including board appointees and future relocation plans. (This deal was also designed to help the US compete with China on steel production.) Lutnick told CNBC that, in the case of Intel, the Trump administration would not get a voting stake or a say in the company's operations. 'Intel is deeply committed to supporting President Trump's efforts to strengthen US technology and manufacturing leadership,' Intel spokesperson Cory Pforzheimer said in a statement to WIRED. 'We look forward to continuing our work with the Trump Administration to advance these shared priorities, but we are not going to comment on rumors or speculation.' The US Department of Commerce did not respond to questions from WIRED prior to publication. Political Theater Patrick Moorhead, a longtime semiconductor industry analyst and CEO of the research firm Moor Insights & Strategy, says the deal could benefit Intel in the short term. 'It means Intel gets its cash without a bunch of strings attached,' he says. So far, the company has received $2.2 billion of up to the $7.86 billion it was granted through the 2022 CHIPS Act— $1.1 billion in the first quarter of 2024 and another $1.1 billion in January 2025. But these grants are tied to milestones around fabrication construction and output; if Intel doesn't reach its goals, it doesn't receive CHIPS Act funding. The company has also far outspent the $2.2 billion of grant payments in fab construction and research and development over the same time period. Intel is currently valued at $101 billion, a steep decline from its heyday in the early 2000s. Earlier this week, Softbank announced it's buying roughly $2 billion worth of Intel shares, which briefly boosted the chip firm's stock price. Intel went through a major shakeup in executive leadership this year. In December 2024, Intel announced the retirement of CEO Pat Gelsinger, a chip industry veteran, after he struggled to turn around the company's fortunes. Lip-Bu Tan, the longtime previous CEO of the electronics design firm Cadence Design Systems, succeeded Gelsinger as chief executive. Insiders describe Gelsinger's tenure as an expensive one, in which the company invested heavily in building cutting edge technology and fabs. Over the last five years, Intel invested $107.5 billion in capital expenditures and $78.8 billion in R&D expenditures, the vast majority of which were dedicated to expanding its US manufacturing capacity. Tan, in contrast, is more measured, and has told employees that Intel's investment in its newest chip node will be based on 'confirmed customer commitments,' adding that 'there are no more blank checks.' Since he took over, Intel announced it was cancelling plans for chip-making plants in Germany and Poland and slowing down construction of an Ohio fab. Intel also plans to lay off 15 percent of its workforce this year. Tan got caught in the crosshairs of the Trump administration earlier this month: In reaction to a letter from Arkansas senator Tom Cotton flagging Tan's ties to investments that reportedly have links to the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Trump called on the CEO to resign from Intel. Less than a week later Trump met with Tan and began praising the CEO. Moorhead believes that it's essential for the US to support Intel so that the country has a thriving domestic chipmaker with research and development teams in close proximity to its fabs. He points out that even as TSMC builds out its US fab in Arizona, its research and development efforts still happen in Taiwan, and its top manufacturing engineers are kept close to home. For this reason and others, Moorhead says, even if the US government begins funneling money into US semiconductors, it might lag behind in staffing domestic fabs with top talent. Many questions remain: whether the deal with Intel will actually go through, if the administration plans to convert existing CHIPS Act grants to Intel into an equity investment or invest some other way, and whether the US government might try to coerce tech companies into buying more Intel chips. Money from Softbank and the US government might help Intel's balance sheet in the short term, but the company still needs to secure big customers. Until some of those questions are answered, Moorhead says, this proposed investment doesn't accomplish much. 'It's more political theater than anything else,' he explains. 'I think what it accomplishes is it gives the Trump administration the ability to say, 'What Biden did was a giveaway, and I'm making deals,'' he adds.
