Democratic Underground: Forums for U.S. Liberals and Democrats

Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, blocks Trump order

(CNBC) The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the right to citizenship for people born in the United States, rejecting an executive order by President Donald Trump that sought to undo that longstanding constitutional principle for children born to many immigrants. “Children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause,” the majority decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts said.

BumRushDaShow

DC's record-breaking fireworks delayed as Trump turns July 4 celebration into another MAGA rally

(The Independent) A record-breaking firework show in Washington, D.C., will be delayed as President Donald Trump turns the July 4 celebration into a campaign-like rally. Not only will it be the biggest July 4 fireworks show in D.C., but the longest. It will last about 40 minutes, about twice as long as usual, according to event organizers. “On July 4th, at The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, in beautiful and safe Washington D.C., we are going to host the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all, a ‘TRIBUTE TO AMERICA,’” the president wrote on Truth Social earlier this month.

BumRushDaShow

Oil stocks in US Strategic Petroleum Reserve fall by 5.5 million to lowest level since 1983

(Reuters) Stocks of crude oil in the U.S. ‌Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by 5.5 million barrels to 325.7 million barrels, the lowest level since May 1983, according to data from the ⁠Department of Energy. The drawdowns are a part of a U.S. agreement to release 172 million barrels from the facility to plug a gap in global inventories after the Iran war and help push down fuel prices. U.S. ‌crude ⁠stocks have rapidly declined in recent weeks due to strong export and refining demand for American oil.

BumRushDaShow

Trump is using a $500M no-bid contract to build his White House ballroom

(Washington Post) White House officials last year secretly awarded a no-bid contract worth up to $500 million for the construction of the East Wing ballroom in an unusual arrangement that sidestepped typical contracting procedures designed to control costs, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by The Washington Post. The White House routed the contract through the Executive Residence, the document shows, an office that is exempt from rules that require federal agencies to solicit competitive bids and disclose details to the public.

KS Toronado

Tuesday's Condensed News Cartoons & Memes

BumRushDaShow

Key panel advances Johnson's plan to merge SAVE America Act with NDAA

(The Hill) The House Rules Committee on Monday advanced the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass defense bill, sending it to the floor for consideration. The committee reported out a rule along party lines by a vote of 8-4 that would merge the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to the NDAA in a special process known as MIRVing. Several conservative hardliners previously said they would oppose a procedural rule that would tee up a debate and final vote on legislation until action is taken on the SAVE America Act – and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced the plan as a way to appease the holdouts.

Tanuki

"Flagrantly illegal": Judge kills Trump's effort to halt NY rail tunnel

(New York Times) A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to permanently abandon its efforts to suspend funding for a $16 billion rail tunnel under the Hudson River, describing those attempts as “flagrantly” illegal. Judge Jeannette A. Vargas of the Southern District of New York said that the administration violated federal guidelines when it stopped reimbursing the tunnel’s builders for their expenses in September.

riversedge

Trump whines it 'does not count' after Supreme Court demands $5 million payout

(Dagens) Donald Trump just lost his attempt to block a multimillion-dollar payout. The Supreme Court decided on Monday to ignore his appeal. That decision locks in a prior civil verdict against the president. A jury previously found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll. The money is already waiting in a court-controlled bank account. Because he deposited the funds last year, the author should receive her payment shortly. The legal defeat triggered an immediate outburst online.

BumRushDaShow

Gallego spokesperson says Trump is 'targeting' the Democratic senator with DOJ investigation

(CNN) A spokesperson for Sen. Ruben Gallego said Monday that President Donald Trump is “targeting” the Arizona Democrat with a Justice Department investigation into his campaign finances. Reacting to a report of the inquiry in Axios, the spokesperson accused the Justice Department of having been “weaponized” and said the administration was effectively trying to quiet those who criticize it.

BumRushDaShow

Republican Tom Kean Jr. Set to Return to Congress After Long Unexplained Absence

(US News & World Report) Tom Kean Jr., the New Jersey Republican who's been away from Congress for almost four months, is expected to re-emerge in public after months of speculation about the unspecified medical condition he says has kept him away from Washington. Kean, 57, a second-term lawmaker and scion of a New Jersey political family, represents a battleground district that includes President Donald Trump's Bedminster golf club. He's missed more than 100 votes in Congress this year and hasn't been seen publicly in Washington or his district despite winning the Republican nomination to serve another term.

Expand Featured Stories

Issue Forums

Latest Breaking News

Trump Announces Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas in September

2 min ago - Trump Announces Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas in September Parties normally hold conventions only in presidential years, but President Trump liked the idea of mobilizing Republicans this fall. Listen · 2:47 min Share full article A v ... (New York Times)

Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year

7 min ago - By BERNARD CONDON Updated 5:35 PM CDT, June 30, 2026 NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion dollars from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Monday shows, locking in profits while his investors ... (AP)

Federal judge nukes Pentagon media escort requirement

16 min ago - June 30, 2026 WASHINGTON (CN) — A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Pentagon from enforcing an escort requirement for journalists to enter the building, marking the third time Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s national security claims ... (Courthouse News Service)

House GOP leaders cancel votes, start recess early after member rebellion

19 min ago - The annual Pentagon policy bill and State Department appropriations are among the immediate casualties. By Mia McCarthy, Meredith Lee Hill and Connor O'Brien 06/30/2026 02:38 PM EDT Updated: 06/30/2026 04:37 PM EDT House Republican leaders canceled v ... (Politico)

House votes to disclose which members settled sexual misconduct allegations with taxpayer funds

23 min ago - Rep. Nancy Mace was the only member to vote “present.” Hailey Fuchs 06/30/2026, 5:52pm ET The House approved a measure Tuesday compelling the public release of records showing which House members have used taxpayer dollars to settle sexual ... (Politico)

Judge Strikes Down Trump Administration Overhaul of Student Loan Forgiveness Program

39 min ago - June 30, 2026, at 6:01 p.m. WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal judge on Tuesday struck down a Trump administration overhaul to a public service forgiveness program for student loans, ruling in favor of advocates who said the program risked becoming a tool ... (US News & World Report/AP)

HHS to end emergency authorization for COVID-19 drugs, medical devices

1 hr ago - HHS to end emergency authorization for COVID-19 drugs, medical devices Jun 30, 2026 - 03:58 PM The Department of Health and Human Services June 30 announced it will terminate emergency use authorization declarations for certain drugs and medical dev ... (American Hospital Association)

Hegseth, Rubio and other government officials continued to use Signal app after embarrassing leak: report

1 hr ago - Tuesday 30 June 2026 12:57 EDT Senior Trump administration officials continued using Signal, a private messaging app, after last year’s embarrassing leak when a reporter was added to a group chat discussing sensitive military operations, accordi ... (The Independent)

Front of $110 Billion Paramount-Warner Megamerger -- One That Could Cost Millions

2 hrs ago - Jun 30th, 2026, 10:45 am The British government signaled Tuesday it could intervene in Paramount Skydance’s planned $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, opening a potentially significant and costly new regulatory battle over one of ... (MEDIAite)

As wildfires worsen, Trump administration revives discredited policy to stomp out all fires quickly

2 hrs ago - By MARTHA BELLISLE and MATTHEW BROWN Updated 3:13 PM CDT, June 30, 2026 Leer en español The deaths of three U.S. government firefighters in a Colorado wildfire are casting a spotlight on the Trump administration’s creation of a new feder ... (AP)

County With 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to 'Conserve Electricity'

2 hrs ago - On June 26, the County Manager of Henrico County, Virginia, John Vithoulkas, sent an email to thousands of county employees asking them to help the local government conserve electricity. “Beginning July 1st, the rate we pay for electricity used ... (404 Media)

Exclusive: Johnson backs new 60-day clock if Iran fighting flares up

2 hrs ago - Updated June 30, 2026, 11:16 a.m. ET WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hopes the Iranians "come to their senses" amid a flare-up in fighting, but if a tenuous ceasefire continues to break down, he suggested President Donald Trump s ... (USA Today)

Meta loses bid to dismiss US states' claims that Facebook, Instagram addict children

3 hrs ago - A federal judge rejected Meta Platforms' bid to dismiss a lawsuit by 29 U.S. ‌state attorneys general accusing it of designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children and knowingly concealing the harm from the public. In a decision late Monday ... (Reuters)

In France, a funeral home is overwhelmed as the heatwave's death toll rises

3 hrs ago - By Lucien Libert and Lauren Bacquie June 30, 2026 11:19 AM EDT SummaryFrance recorded at least 1,000 excess deaths from last Wednesday to SundayHertelli says 32 refrigerated mortuary spaces at his funeral home are all occupiedCrematorium appointments ... (Reuters)

Evacuation, shelter-in-place orders lifted after train cars derail in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, officials say

3 hrs ago - Updated on: June 30, 2026 / 5:10 PM EDT / CBS Philadelphia Shelter-in-place and evacuation orders have been lifted after a train derailment in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, Tuesday afternoon, officials said. The train was traveling east when about 16 ... (CBS News)

Trump mocked after sharing 'golden gift' for the White House: 'President hired Putin for his decorator'

3 hrs ago - The president described the image as a ‘golden gift’ but the post, suspected to be AI-generated, has a number of glaring errors Joe Sommerlad Tuesday 30 June 2026 12:38 BST President Donald Trump has posted what appears to be an AI-genera ... (independent.com)

Dem candidates form 'Blue Collar Brigade' to boost fundraising

4 hrs ago - 06/30/2026 05:55 AM EDT A group of blue-collar Democratic House candidates is teaming up to bring in some green. Five House candidates with ties to organized labor are launching a joint fundraising effort Tuesday to help bankroll their campaigns and ... (Politico)

Supreme Court will consider whether laws called assault weapons bans violate the Second Amendment

5 hrs ago - Updated 1:22 PM EDT, June 30, 2026 WASHINGTON (AP) — A Supreme Court that has expanded gun rights will consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles, often called assault weapons, violate the Second Amendment. The justices said Tuesday they will ... (AP)

Trump Says Congress Should End Birthright Citizenship After Supreme Court Ruling

5 hrs ago - Jun 30, 2026, 12:38 PM EDT President Donald Trump called on Congress to put an end to birthright citizenship in an effort to bypass the U.S. Supreme Court’s Tuesday ruling on the matter in Trump v. Barbara. “The Supreme Court upheld Birthri ... (Huff Post)

Explosion in Monaco reportedly wounds Ukrainian tycoon with ties to Russia

6 hrs ago - An explosion at an apartment building entrance in Monaco reportedly wounded a Ukrainian tycoon with ties to Russia and two other people, the chief prosecutor in the exclusive Mediterranean country said Tuesday. A search was underway for a suspect who ... (AP)