# NuseReal

Trump & Co Watch August 2026

US army secretary Dan Driscoll, 41, resigns after months of tension (LINK) — 31 August 2026

— Driscoll is the latest in a string of recent high-profile military leaders to depart, including Navy Secretary John Phelan who abruptly quit in April. Other notable departures include Army Chief of Staff Randy George, Army Gen David Hodne and Maj Gen William Green. Since entering the Pentagon, Hegseth has fired more than a dozen senior military officers, including the chief of naval operations and the Air Force's vice-chief of staff.

Trump Administration sued for approving 'forever chemical' pesticide trifludimoxazin (LINK) — 31 August 2026

US health officials exclude measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania from counts (LINK) — 31 August 2026

— RFK Jr, the health secretary, has suggested the deaths were 'fabricated' while the CDC claimed it was reviewing them.

Trump administration deports relative of Afghans who helped US military to Central African Republic (among dozens) (ground news LINK) — 29 August 2026

Trump-themed meme coin Trump Digital Gold (GOLD) tanks 95% in minutes as traders get rugged (LINK) — 29 August 2026

Venezuela says it retains 'sovereignty' following US oil deal: Under the deal, $19 from every barrel of oil sold to the US will flow to Caracas, interim President Rodriguez says (LINK) — 29 August 2026

Trump says US reaches deal with Venezuela to control 65 billion barrels of country's oil reserves (LINK) — 28 August 2026

National Park Service backs Trump's arch despite recognizing its impact on Washington's sightline (LINK) — 28 August 2026

U.S. Stars and Stripes journalists facing firing for speaking out about threats to editorial independence get one-week reprieve: reporter Lara Korte, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and publisher Max Lederer (LINK) — 28 August 2026

Judge pauses US Postal Service plan to implement Trump's new mail voting restrictions (LINK) — 27 August 2026

Kennedy Center will briefly delay plan to add Trump's name to building (LINK) — 27 August 2026

U.S.: Texas has suspended more than 1 million voters (6%) ahead of Senate race (LINK) — 27 August 2026

White House construction contributed to radio problems that let Trump copter come close to jet (LINK) — 27 August 2026

U.S.: Guardian/AP: RFK Jr lied in Senate confirmation hearings that 2019 visit to Samoa had 'nothing to do with vaccines', newly revealed documents indicate (LINK) — 27 August 2026

— In one he wrote to the Samoan prime minister before the trip, Kennedy explicitly said he wanted to study the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the Pacific island nation. In it, he used the words "vaccine" or "vaccination" eight times. He wrote that he believed the deaths of two children there after an MMR vaccine could have resulted from manufacturing issues.

U.S.: Grand jury finds DeSantis administration "misappropriated" $10 million in taxpayer money from Medicaid to Hope Florida Republican action committees (LINK) — 26 August 2026

RFK Jr. says Pennsylvania governor Shapiro's office may have fabricated measles deaths (LINK) — 26 August 2026

Trump signs controversial beef import plan despite ranchers' backlash (LINK) — 26 August 2026

Ranked: countries holding the most U.S. debt: Japan, U.K., China. Switzerland 11th (LINK) — 26 August 2026

Canada announces new tariffs on US goods: from September 8, tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on over 700 American goods: doubling its duties on US steel and aluminum to 50%, in line with the 50% tariffs the US had already imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum (LINK) — 25 August 2026

Newsweek: Map shows Senate battlegrounds hit hardest by Canada tariffs — (LINK)

Trump orders flags lowered for 1 week to honour Dolly Parton (LINK)

Trump Administration starts building border wall project in Arizona over tribe's objections (ground news LINK) — 25 August 2026

Trump-backed candidate narrowly wins primary for Oklahoma governor: a relief for the president after several of his chosen candidates fell in 5 other states (LINK) — 25 August 2026

Two unvaccinated people die of measles in Pennsylvania outbreak, health officials say: the first measles-related deaths in the U.S. this year (LINK) — 25 August 2026

U.S.: Pentagon spokesperson admits there's a secret blacklist of journalists (LINK) — 24 August 2026

US threatens sanctions on countries that don't cut economic ties to Tehran (LINK) — 24 August 2026

NYPost: Iran's rial currency plunges to record low as citizens try to cash out while US pushes new sanctions (LINK) — 24 August 2026

Trump administration plans to revoke estimated 200,000 non-immigrant visas of asylum seekers: would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in US history (LINK) — 24 August 2026

Trump administration says it might demolish the Kennedy Center as unsafe if court blocks renovations (LINK) — 24 August 2026

Supreme Court sides with Trump administration on mail voting restrictions ahead of midterms (LINK) — 24 August 2026

— The Supreme Court's conservative majority didn't decide the legality of Trump's order, instead ruling that states who sued did not have the legal right to challenge it. "The Court's disposition of this application does not mean that any measure taken by the Government to implement the Order will necessarily be lawful. On that score, time will tell," the majority wrote in an unsigned order.

Trump's mail-in voting rules raise fears of federal overreach:could scramble the 2026 midterms by forcing local and state officials to adopt an untested federal system on short notice and potentially undermine confidence in U.S. elections. (LINK) — 24 August 2026

Murdoch's WSJ savages Trump for making his 'dumbest' plan even dumber by reigniting a trade war with Canada just weeks away from the midterms (LINK) — 24 August 2026

— "President Trump took exception last year when we called his tariffs against Canada and Mexico the dumbest trade war in history," the board wrote. "It got dumber this weekend as Mr. Trump escalated with another round of border taxes on Canadian imports, a mere 10 weeks before midterm elections."

Washington Post ordered by independent arbitrator to reinstate opinion writer Karen Attiah fired over Charlie Kirk posts (LINK) — 24 August 2026

— Attiah was backed by the union that represents most Post employees, the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, and Democracy Defenders Fund, a legal advocacy group co-founded by Norm Eisen. The Post had argued that Attiah was fired for cause after violating the company's social media policy, which dictates that employees "must not harm the editorial integrity or journalistic reputation of The Post". Attiah wrote: "Part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence."

U.S.: Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, on Sunday countered President Donald Trump's recent claims that the measles, mumps and rubella — or MMR — vaccine could be lethal (LINK) — 23 August 2026

U.S.: Natalie Harp reportedly posted 150 pro-Trump tweets on day of 6 January 2021 Capitol riot (LINK) — 22 August 2026

Trump administration's 75-country visa ban was illegal, judge rules (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— The State Department said earlier this year that it was halting immigrant visas for citizens of Afghanistan, Brazil, Yemen and dozens of other countries because the Trump administration determined people from those nations were likely to need public assistance if they came to the United States.

U.S.-Canada trade talks collapse minutes before deadline for 50% tariffs to take effect (LINK) — 21 August 2026

US judge strikes down Trump immigrant visa ban affecting 75 countries (LINK) — 21 August 2026

U.S. Supreme Court allows Trump's ballroom construction to proceed for now while the court weighs his request (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— It did not address the legality of Trump's project or give a timeline for when the court will weigh in.

US Postal Service details 95-page mail-in ballot restrictions despite court ruling, so that the rules can go into effect immediately if the existing court injunction is reversed (LINK) — 21 August 2026

US ramps up Cuba sanctions and detentions of Americans returning from the island (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— The Treasury and State departments announced Thursday that they are leveling new penalties against nine state-owned mining, metal and construction companies along with the leadership of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, or ICAP.

More than 2,300 Mexicans sent to Guatemala and Honduras as Trump ramps up third-country deportations (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

Bitcoin, ETH surge as Trump urges Congress to pass crypto Clarity Act (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Elon Musk's Grok is having a hard time: reportedly malfunctioning, making it even less useful than usual. (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Crypto bank part-owned by Trump family offers depositors way to 'gain favour' with White House, experts say (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Democrats have called World Liberty Financial Trust Company a stark example of corruption but officials claim there is no insider dealing.

Tesla discontinues its solar roof tiles as not economically viable, only solar panels (LINK) — 20 August 2026

UN rights chief: Fresh US sanctions on ICC 'unacceptable' (LINK) — 19 August 2026

India news: US envoy's Kashmir remarks reignite Pakistan row: US envoy Sergio Gor said Jammu and Kashmir an "important part of India" (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Missouri judge hands Trump, GOP major redistricting win ahead of midterm elections (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Trump says no talks are taking place with Iran and none are scheduled but insists the Strait of Hormuz remains "open and operating" despite limited traffic and a reported strike on a ship exiting the waterway (ground news LINK) — 18 August 2026

Trump's Kennedy Center reveals why a massive tarp and scaffolding are still covering up the entrance: installing and then removing Trump's name from the building appears to have damaged the marble facade, lawyers say: Trump's name will return by September 8 at the earliest (LINK) — 18 August 2026

Trump must pay E. Jean Carroll $5 million — Supreme Court (LINK) — 17 August 2026

— Carroll received $5.6 million in the case—consisting of the $5 million award plus interest—through a court-controlled account in July, after the Supreme Court initially ruled against the president, but this will give her the freedom to spend that money and ensure it is no longer tied up amid the proceedings. The $5 million award was one of two fines Trump has been ordered to pay Carroll in two separate lawsuits. The other, which carries an $83.3 million penalty, is still being appealed.

U.S.: Trump administration can't move forward with relocating FBI HQ to Reagan Building, judge rules (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Al Jazeera: Trump's approval rating sinks to new low at 33 percent (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Euronews: Trump's AI George Washington image has him on a black horse: in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation the black horse is famine, representing food scarcity and economic hardship (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Trump says US will reduce joint military exercises with key ally South Korea citing his positive relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Seoul's lack of assistance with Iran (LINK) — 16 August 2026

Trump to meet Coinbase, Ripple and crypto leaders as CLARITY Act odds collapse to 10% (LINK) — 15 August 2026

Trump's vaccine order would require millions of individual shots last used decades ago (LINK) — 14 August 2026

Trump-linked crypto venture World Liberty Trust granted bank status in unprecedented move for president (LINK) — 14 August 2026

— The decision marks the first time in U.S. history that a company owned by the sitting president's family has been granted bank status.

Trump dodges Netanyahu endorsement 4 times ahead of Israel election (LINK) — 14 August 2026

U.S.: Kennedy Center votes to restore Trump's name and close for 2 years, challenging a judge's order (LINK) — 14 August 2026

Washington WWII memorial vandalism. Trump: 'We are on their trail' (spraypainters) (LINK) — 14 August 2026

— On Friday, the White House posted photos on the social platform X that showed orange, pink and green graffiti sprayed throughout the World War II memorial and thick layers of bubbles around the fountain in the center. The photos posted partially show a message written in orange graffiti by one of the entrances: "Clean hands Dirty $."

Trump declares 100 percent tariffs on many drones and all aircraft parts (LINK) — 13 August 2026

Greenland forces Trump-linked US oil firm to delay drilling (LINK) — 12 August 2026

WHO says Trump's vaccine overhaul goes against 'decades of evidence' (LINK) — 12 August 2026

Crooks and Liars: Donald Trump unleashes at least six lies in under a minute: he's getting worse (LINK) — 12 August 2026

— Trump declared the country is thriving, pointing to a "record" stock market and claiming his administration has notched 79 records in a short span. He asserted that employment is higher than it's ever been and that prices are falling quickly. Turning to Iran, he insisted the situation there is going smoothly. He claimed the U.S. Navy has sole, total control of the Strait of Hormuz — repeating "only us" for emphasis — before capping it off by calling the Navy "unbelievable" and declaring everything is going great for the country. Military escorts are still needed to shuttle commercial vessels through the Strait, and Iran has attacked 64 vessels transiting it, resulting in 17 seafarer deaths and 35 injuries. Oil futures were still climbing at the time, undercutting the "control" claim, and an agreement between Tehran and Washington hadn't materialized. Trump said, "Iran is going fine... absolutely fine" on the same day, Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the Strait would not reopen until the U.S. "corrects its behavior." Oil prices hit $90 a barrel for the first time in two weeks. U.S. forces were also actively striking vessels in the region that same day. "79 records" — An oddly specific number with no clear public data source backing it; it reads as a fabricated-sounding flourish rather than a verifiable stat.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will leave the Trump administration at the end of the month to spend more time with her young family (LINK) — 12 August 2026

Karoline Leavitt busted using AI in exit statement — (LINK)

US appeals court voids Biden-era efficiency rule for stoves, ovens, saying Department of Energy improperly bypassed public comment procedures (LINK) — 11 August 2026

Taylor Swift's Trump TikTok takedowns show the White House isn't above copyright law (LINK) — 11 August 2026

Newsweek: Trump allies are linked to controversial Greenland oil drilling plan (LINK) — 11 August 2026

— Government having given no permission for transfer or for the start of exploratory drilling. Greenland Energy is involved with several individuals who boast indirect links to the administration and the president.

Trump hid in catering truck for secret plane swap after Nato summit in Turkey last month over Iran threat, reports say (LINK) — 11 August 2026

— The US president boarded Air Force One in view of television cameras before being transported to a military aircraft with the help of a catering truck, the Washington Post said. Journalists and some White House staff on board did not know he had been smuggled out. The White House has not confirmed the secret switch.

Trump signs executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccines, falsely linking shots to autism (LINK) — 10 August 2026

Fox News: President Donald Trump notched a legal victory on Monday when a district judge granted his Leave to File First Amended Complaint in Trump v. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), allowing the president's legal team to amend his complaint against the global broadcaster. (LINK) — 10 August 2026

Trump warns FIFA it would make 'terrible mistake' by replacing Infantino, crediting him with organizing the most profitable and successful World Cup in history (ground news LINK) — 10 August 2026

U.S. judge dismisses criminal case against Indian billionaire Adani: charges against the Adani Group were "foreign, hard to prove, and inconsistent with agency priorities": Adani acknowledged a prior $10 billion investment pledge in the United States, stating his lawyers told the Justice Department the offer "might be part of a resolution of these matters" (ground news LINK) — 10 August 2026

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert's 21-year-old son is arrested on child sexual exploitation charges for video Tyler Boebert, then 18, is accused of recording in 2024 with a 17-year-old (LINK) — 10 August 2026

— Tyler Boebert was charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, court records show. He was previously arrested on charges police described as a string of vehicle trespass and property thefts.

Trump Admin halts Harriet Tubman $20 bill redesign to replace former President Andrew Jackson, ending a decade-long effort to put the ex-slave "Underground Railway" conductor as the first Black American featured on U.S. paper currency: Trump criticized the move in 2016, calling the decision to replace Jackson "pure political correctness" and suggested featuring her on the $2 note, keeping Jackson (link) — 9 August 2026

Fox News: Trump doubles down on reflecting pool vandalism allegations, cites new witness account: former Olympian David Hearn "violently" ripped and tugged at the pool's coating before authorities arrived (LINK) — 9 August 2026

Greenland issues 'strong warning' as Trump-linked oil firm prepares to drill: government says no approval given (LINK) — 8 August 2026

Times of India: U.S. ICE arrests at airports: Immigration lawyers share 6 tips if you are stopped, questioned or detained (LINK) — 8 August 2026

U.S. Senate Committee votes 8-5 to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth during tense hearing: Fauci declined to answer senators' questions more than 100 times during last week's hearing (LINK) — 7 August 2026

U.S.: Trump maintains vandalism claims, calls on Pirro to reconsider its move to drop criminal charges against those accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (LINK) — 7 August 2026

U.S.: Government Accountability Office finds Elon Musk's DOGE inflated claims of $110 billion in savings for federal government: only $53.5 million recorded (LINK) — 6 August 2026

— The GAO said, among other examples, DOGE took credit for savings from leases that were being terminated before its work began, and DOGE made unverifiable claims of billions in savings. The GAO found that of the 13,476 contracts DOGE claimed it terminated, "no termination action" was taken on 2,503 of them. The report also noted DOGE had claimed $113 million in savings from cuts to 264 leases, but GAO found that information overstated the savings. The leases cut and referenced on DOGE's website "actually summed to $53.5 million" in savings, the report found. Of the 264 leases, about 108 were already in the termination process before DOGE was formed after Trump began his second term as president, the GAO report also said.

Trump again tries to limit US birthright citizenship with new executive orders (LINK) — 6 August 2026

— BBC: The president signed two executive orders on Thursday, including one that expands the existing definitions of non-citizens whose children are not eligible for birthright citizenship. The second order bans so-called birth tourism, the practice of pregnant mothers coming to the US to give birth so that their babies will be citizens.

Trump imposes 15% tariff on key chip material to counter China: polysilicon, a crucial material used in semiconductors and solar panels (LINK) — 6 August 2026

U.S. Senate committee votes to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress (LINK) — 6 August 2026

— Sen. Rand Paul, a longtime Fauci foe, announced the vote after the retired scientist invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times during a committee hearing last week.

U.S. ICE arrests 46,000-51,000 in July, setting DHS monthly record (ground news LINK) — 6 August 2026

Trump administration pays back $100bn in 'Liberation Day' tariffs to businesses ( LINK) — 5 August 2026

Trump declares 'emergency' one day before deadline to reveal his finances in court (LINK) — 5 August 2026

MyPillow's Mike Lindell is stepping down after 22 years as CEO to run for governor of Minnesota (LINK) — 5 August 2026

SpaceX stock falls 13% as AI spending surge rattles investors and massive share unlock looms (LINK) — 5 August 2026

Trump calls off Iran strikes, warns of 'last chance' to sign a deal (LINK) — 4 August 2026

25 US Democrat states sue to block Trump tariffs impacting dozens of countries (LINK) — 4 August 2026

Reuters: US State Department to close consulates in Canada, Japan and Indonesia, sources say (ground news LINK) — 4 August 2026

— Late last week, the State Department notified Congress of plans to close five foreign missions in St. George's, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada.

U.S.: Prosecutors drop charges against all 4 people accused of vandalizing Reflecting Pool. Justice Department concluded that the problems with the pool stemmed from a flawed renovation (LINK) — 3 August 2026

Trump doesn't fire Pirro at White House meeting hours after saying she 'folded' over Reflecting Pool case — (LINK)

Archive 25 February 2025: Putin's Razor: yet more evidence that Trump is a Kremlin asset (LINK) — 3 August 2026

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinds Trump's $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund, paving the way for his confirmation ahead of a key Senate committee vote on Tuesday (LINK) — 2 August 2026

Trump just (20 July) invoked a 1930 tariff law no president has ever used — against Canada: allows the President to increase tariffs against a country that had discriminatory tariffs or trade restrictions on American goods (U.S. autos) (LINK) — 2 August 2026

Trump accounts were closed in 2021 due to concerns over possible money laundering, Capital One says (LINK) — 2 August 2026

'Another day of Trump humiliating himself': Donald Trump sparks outrage for 'blatantly cheating' at golf (LINK) — 2 August 2026

Heather Cox Richardson: the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (LINK) — 1 August 2026