Key Events (10)
ICE agents fatally shot two men—Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas—in separate traffic stops within a week. Trump ordered ICE to continue traffic stops despite the deadly incidents and a temporary halt by DHS officials.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced a contentious Senate confirmation hearing where he defended the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files, a controversial IRS settlement granting Trump tax immunity, and other DOJ politicization issues. A key Republican senator indicated he remained undecided on Blanche's nomination.
The U.S. renewed military strikes on Iran and reimposed a blockade of Iranian ports after the recent ceasefire collapsed. Trump threatened to strike Iran's bridges and power plants if the country does not return to negotiations. Iran retaliated with strikes on U.S. military sites in the Gulf.
The U.S. Mint began producing a new $1 commemorative coin featuring President Trump's face to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Critics questioned the legality of the coin and argued Trump was using currency to celebrate himself.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new screening program requiring testosterone testing for military personnel over age 30, claiming the measure would ensure service members operate at their 'absolute best.'
Vice President JD Vance admitted on the Joe Rogan podcast that the Trump administration 'screwed up' and 'mishandled' communications around the release of the Epstein files, marking one of the clearest public acknowledgments yet from the administration of the mishandling.
Trump endorsed MyPillow founder Mike Lindell in the Minnesota governor's race. Lindell is a close Trump ally and leading proponent of election denial movement claims that voting machines are rigged.
Two civil rights groups filed lawsuits against the Trump administration claiming that sanctions on the International Criminal Court violate First Amendment free speech rights by illegally suppressing pro-Palestinian advocacy.
Trump's intelligence pick Jay Clayton refused during his Senate confirmation hearing to explicitly state that Joe Biden won the 2020 election, drawing criticism from Democratic senators concerned about election denial in the intelligence community.
CDC nominee Dr. Erica Schwartz faced tough questioning from senators about pressure from RFK Jr. to weaken vaccine recommendations, pledging she would 'never betray the science' but prompting skepticism from lawmakers.