Episode Details

Today's Headlines: Melania Trump made a surprise White House appearance — her first in weeks or possibly months — to announce a foster care initiative, opening with "I heard you missed me, here I am," which nobody would have thought twice about if it hadn't come directly after Jon Ossoff's comment that Trump wants to "travel with Natalie." The timing really did the heavy lifting there. Walmart posted its weakest growth since 2020, the FDA upgraded its frozen berry recall to its highest risk level over e.coli contamination, sourdough bread in Seattle was recalled for metal shards, and 65,000 people in Gary, Indiana have been without power for nine days with no restoration until at least next Tuesday. In other unpleasant news, the FBI raided Eric Swalwell's home and took his phone and computer as part of an investigation into his relationship with suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang, because some people really do make it too easy. The USS Abraham Lincoln was finally relieved of its nine-month deployment and is heading back to San Diego — a direct result of its crew publicly threatening to take their own lives. The publisher of Stars and Stripes announced his retirement citing "fundamental differences" with Hegseth's Pentagon, one week after the publication broke the Abraham Lincoln story, so do what you will with that information. Meanwhile, North Korea fired ballistic missiles hours after Kim Jong Un's sister dismissed Trump's requests for a diplomatic meeting and denied they'd even been in contact, which is a remarkable response to throwing South Korea under the bus for nothing. Russia flew a naval drone into Romanian airspace, which Romanian jets destroyed, and the EU Commission president called it hybrid warfare without naming Russia, which is the diplomatic equivalent of a strongly worded letter. And Trump is fighting to build a ballroom at his golf course in the Irish village of Doonbeg, where his only obstacle is a local hermit with no phone or social media who has blocked thousands of development projects across Ireland purely for sport.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

The Guardian: Michael Cohen, ex-fixer for Trump who once testified against him, hosts president on his radio show – US politics live

WaPo: Walmart posts weakest growth in years, a worrying sign of inflation-weary Americans

WaPo: FDA upgrades recall of frozen berries to highest-risk warning

FDA: Updated – Grand Central Bakery Seattle Recalls Potato Sourdough Bread Due to Possible Foreign Object

CBS Chicago: Gary, Indiana residents must wait until Tuesday for power, more than a week after severe storms

The Hill: FBI raided Swalwell’s home, seized devices as part of Chinese spy probe

WaPo: Trump increasingly lashing out at allies as victory in Iran war proves elusive

NYT: U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln Leaves Middle East After Months at Sea in Operation Against Iran