July 6, 2026

Marie: The video below is an ad. for a company called Sky Elements, which "flew a 2,500-drone show in North Richland Hills, Texas to kickoff the nation's Fourth of July celebrations." Ad or not, I'm impressed: ~~~

~~~ Digby embeds a series of social media posts that show people around the world honoring the U.S.'s 250th anniversary celebration. She writes, "After what Trump has done and said globally to embarrass this country and make everyone see that we have seriously lost our way, it was incredibly generous and shows that there is hope for us yet.... Seeing these other countries wish us well brings up the sadness I suppress every day, not because I’m nostalgic for a country that never existed. We were always far from perfect.I’m just sad that we’ve somehow allowed this toxic movement to degrade and destroy so much of the progress we did manage to make. It feels like one step forward, two steps back.... I am 100% positive that the America those countries were celebrating is not Donald Trump’s America. They were celebrating ours." Thanks to RAS for the link. MB: I share digby's sadness. And I do agree that most of those international celebrants were tipping their hats to the U.S. ideal, and that is by definition a repudiation of Donald Trump and his enablers. ~~~

~~~ Jeremy Roebuck, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump said Sunday he personally overruled a recommendation to cancel the July Fourth 'Salute to America' event on the National Mall after approaching storms forced a chaotic evacuation of hundreds of thousands of revelers and triple-digit heat cast a sweltering pall over much of the day. The president ... on Sunday declared the event a rousing success in a Truth Social post.... Trump got the July Fourth rally and pyrotechnic show he wanted. And much like the event itself, which effectively supplanted earlier plans for Washington’s July Fourth celebrations that had been in the works for years, it happened primarily through his own sheer force of will.... Those involved in the planning acknowledged that the weather had presented challenges ... and drawn questions from critics about whether officials had adequately prepared for a weather forecast that days before the event had called for high heat and a strong chance of dangerous storms.” ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE in Los Angeles. Hannah Knowles of the Washington Post: America 250, “the nonpartisan group originally tasked [by Congress a decade ago] with celebrating America’s 250th birthday[,] tried to steer clear of politics at its flagship event [in Los Angeles] Saturday.... [The organization] pressed ahead even as Trump went his own way and launched his own group to plan 250th events — creating a remarkable split screen. While many performers pulled out of Trump’s Great American State Fair and other events — leaving the president himself to headline — the Los Angeles event was stacked with celebrities. Where Trump’s Fourth of July was chaotic, largely due to oppressive heat and thunderstorms, the benefit concert in Los Angeles was orderly.... The audience was, to some, a testament to the diversity that they say is under attack in Trump’s second administration. People of all ethnicities and accents wore Fourth of July regalia in the belief that 'this is their country, too,' one young man marveled.” 

Marie's Sports Report. Pardon King Engineers Another Kind of Pardon. Tyler Pager & Tariq Panja of the New York Times: Donald “Trump called Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, on Wednesday and asked him to review the suspension of the United States’ top goal scorer in the World Cup, Folarin Balogun, after he was given a red card in the team’s match that night against Bosnia and Herzegovina.... The red card also carried a one-game suspension for Monday’s match against Belgium.... On Sunday, FIFA reversed the suspension, announcing that Mr. Balogun would be eligible to play Monday against Belgium. The reversal is highly unusual and is the first time since 1962 that FIFA has allowed a player to appear in a game when they would have been suspended after being sent off in the World Cup. Mr. Infantino has spent years trying to curry favor with Mr. Trump.... The Belgian federation reacted with fury on Sunday.... The federation [said] that it was 'investigating all potential options.'” The link appears to be a gift link. (Also linked yesterday.) The Guardian's report is here. Politico's report on Belgians' reaction to Team USA's reversal of fortunes is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Sophia Cai of Politico: “Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was involved in behind-the-scenes conversations with FIFA to get U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card ban suspended, according to two people.... Lutnick has developed close ties with the leadership of soccer’s governing body.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: BTW, it's so heartening to see Donald Trump sticking up for a young man -- a young man whose parents are from one of those "shithole countries" -- who is able to play for the U.S. only because he enjoys birthright citizenship: Sean Gregory of Time: Folarin Balogun "grew up in the U.K., he’s played professionally in Europe, and he joined the American team just three years ago, after the U.S. won a recruiting battle over England and Nigeria, where his parents are from.... Balogun’s an accidental American. His mother, Florence, visited New York City in 2001 when she was pregnant with him. She tried to return to London, but the airline deemed her too far along to fly. So she gave birth to her son in July 2001 in Brooklyn, stayed at her sister-in-law’s place for about two months, then flew home with her newborn." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: One of the paradoxes of Donald Trump's twisted belief system is his repeated false claim that his father was born in Germany. On March 3, in the presence of German chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump told reporters, “My father was born there [in Germany]....” Trump's father was born in the Bronx. Although journalists have previously corrected his claim about his father's birthplace, in his senility Trump continues to believe that his father was an immigrant to the U.S. During that same March 2026 soliloquy, Trump said of the U.K., “... And I love that country. I love it. My mother was born there,” Trump's mother was born in Scotland. So -- as far as Trump is concerned -- both of his parents were immigrants. Nevertheless, on the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship for the children born in the U.S. to unauthorized immigrants and temporary visa holders. (I cannot guess what status he imagines his "immigrant" parents enjoyed.) Despite the Supreme Court's narrowly striking down his unconstitutional E.O., Trump continues to rail against birthright citizenship. And yet. And yet. He thinks he himself is what he would call an "anchor baby," a baby born in the U.S. to foreign-born residents. We can only conclude that the difference Trump sees between himself and those birthright citizens whom he would ban is that he's White and they're not.

Joe DePaolo of Mediaite: “Donald Trump, during his weather-delayed speech at the Great American State Fair late Saturday, made a claim about the Declaration of Independence which seems to misrepresent the founding document: '“And as our Declaration of Independence tells us, we are all made in the image of one Almighty God. And a Communist will never say that. That’s for sure.' However, the Declaration of Independence makes no reference to people being made in the image of one Almighty God.... A version of the clip which gained traction on X included a community note which pointed out that the Declaration does not allude to people being made in God’s image.” (Also linked yesterday.)~~~

     ~~~ As we noted yesterday, this isn't the first lie Trump told about the content of the Declaration. He once characterized it as "A declaration of unity and love and respect, and it means a lot. And it’s something very special to our country." Trump is a complete phony who has gotten by his entire life without doing his homework. On anything. And he lies with such aplomb that he doesn't even bother to invent the dog who ate his homework. He assumes the listener will accept his bull as gospel. And maybe one time out of three, he's right. ~~~

~~~ The only people who can hold Trump to task are judges who have the force of the entire legal system to back them up. Still, even they have a hard time beating back Trump's phony excuses: ~~~

~~~ Bart Jansen of USA Today, published by the Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.): "A federal judge rejected ... Donald Trump’s request for more time to respond to New York writer E. Jean Carroll’s demand for $5.8 million she won in a civil lawsuit against him. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in New York denied the request in a one-sentence order Saturday. Trump must now reply by Tuesday." Thanks to RAS for the link. (Also linked yesterday.) See related Guardian story linked yesterday for the gist of Trump's preposterous argument for delaying payment.

On Saturday akaWendy linked a bit of historical trivia: Atlantic Editors: “This essay originally ran in 2016, shortly afters its author published his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. We are republishing it on the occasion of its tenth anniversary, so that our readers can judge for themselves how well his assessment of the man he now serves as vice president has stood the test of time." -- J. D. Vance: “During this election season, it appears that many Americans have reached for a new pain reliever. It too, promises a quick escape from life’s cares, an easy solution to the mounting social problems of U.S. communities and culture. It demands nothing and requires little more than a modest presence and maybe a few enablers. It enters minds, not through lungs or veins, but through eyes and ears, and its name is Donald Trump.... Trump’s promises are the needle in America’s collective vein.... Trump is cultural heroin. He makes some feel better for a bit. But he cannot fix what ails them, and one day they’ll realize it.” The link is a gift link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Peter Wehner of the Atlantic: “'One day' is today.” Thanks to akaWendy for this gift link. According to Joe DePaolo of Mediaite, JayDee's little essay dissing the boss has gone viral. (Also linked yesterday.)

Trumpists Can't Handle the Truth. Graham Bowley, et al., of the New York Times: “In a broadside posted to its website just as fireworks celebrating America’s 250th birthday were lighting up skies on Saturday, the White House condemned the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History for what it said was a failure to celebrate the nation’s heritage, arguing it had become a political tool intent on denigrating the American story. The 162-page report, by the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, represents a sweeping attack on the museum’s presentation of American history. It is the latest step in the Trump administration’s campaign to pressure the Smithsonian into conforming to what ... [Donald] Trump has described as 'patriotic' history. While the report concludes that the broader Smithsonian Institution — which oversees 21 museums and the National Zoo — 'has not met its obligations to the American people,' it places particular blame on the National Museum of American History.” The AP's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Nobody's perfect, so I don't doubt that some Smithsonian exhibits invite criticism. But in general the institution's goal is to make accurate, nonpartisan representations. Some exhibits of course may reflect a "moral bias"; that is, they may, for instance, present slavery as antithetical to the American ideal. And the "White House" -- that is, Trump and his minions -- do not share a "moral bias" with the independent scholars who develop some Smithsonian exhibits. The Trump set tends to oppose and resist what most of today's Americans embrace as "American values." This new report appears to be another manifestation of Trumpian, anti-American views. AND it inadvertently explains why official federal 250th anniversary events were such laughable flops. 

Another Voluntary Capitulation to Trump. Max Tani of Semafor: “The Federal Communications Commission has already changed the programming of one of television’s last remaining relevant daytime talk shows — before even making any formal demands. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced in February the agency was investigating whether The View violated the 'equal time' rule, a 1930s regulation that requires broadcast programs to give equal airtime to opposing candidates if they permit a candidate for public office to appear on public airwaves. Since then, the ABC talk show hasn’t featured a single political candidate running in a competitive midterm race, according to a Semafor analysis. A spokesperson ... has previously said the show is a 'bona fide news program' and therefore isn’t subject to the equal time rule.... Since Barbara Walters created the show in 1997, it’s become a must-visit campaign stop for political candidates running for every office.”

Doug Burgum Is One of Those Trumpists Who Can't Handle the Truth. ~~~

(1) Joe DePaolo of Mediaite: “CNN’s Dana Bash confronted ... [Interior Secretary Doug Burgum] about a white nationalist group which marched in Washington D.C. on Saturday.” Marie: Even when Bash pressed Burgum repeatedly, he seemed kind of okay with the far-right, racist nutjobs carrying confederate flags & upside-down U.S. flags as they marched through the city. First Amendment, blah, blah; plus, you know, “... there are protests on the Mall that people say things that I think are irreprehensible (sic) about President Trump....” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

(2) Raquel Uribe of NBC News: “Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Sunday that the government will use the same company that was awarded a multimillion-dollar, no-bid contract to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to repair damage to its original work. Burgum said in an interview on CNN’s 'State of the Union' that the company the government used to paint the base of the pool 'American flag blue' did 'extremely well,' alleging that chunks of paint have become loose because of vandalism. 'We will use the same company because they did a fantastic job,' Burgum said.”

When You're a Billionaire, You Just Do It. Andrew Tangel, et al., of the Wall Street Journal, republished by MSN: “NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flew a vintage jet fighter at the Fourth of July air show over Washington, D.C., despite objections by federal air-safety regulators. A representative for Isaacman late last month petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration to allow four 1970s-built jets to join aircraft flying over the National Mall for America’s 250th birthday celebration.... The FAA deemed the jets 'very high-risk,' posing a potential danger to people and property on the ground.... In an interview, Isaacman said there was no question about whether the flyover could be conducted safely....

“Isaacman, an experienced aviator who has flown military aircraft for years, described the situation as a misunderstanding about the FAA’s role in an event like the 250th celebration.... While NASA officials sought the exemptions from the FAA, Isaacman said using the F-5s for the flyover fell under different rules than those governing civilian aviation. Those rules take government aircraft out of the FAA’s jurisdiction. The space agency chief said he had earlier put the planes under NASA control, though the titles for the planes weren’t transferred.... Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who oversees the FAA, backed the agency’s safety decision and didn’t intervene....” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: There are so many scandals surrounding Trump and his administration that if something analogous to the following had happened to Isaacman's jet, it would have been a one- or two-day story: ~~~  

Marie: It would be appropriate, I suppose, if there was truth to this conspiracy theory about perhaps the most cunning, most duplicitous Senate leader in U.S. history: ~~~

~~~ Is Mitch Dead? Alexander Willis of the Raw Story: Sen. Mitch "McConnell [R-Ky.] was rushed to the hospital in mid-June for an undisclosed medical reason.... It wasn't until last week that media outlets learned McConnell had been discovered 'unconscious' at his home and had to be administered CPR for potential 'cardiac arrest.'... Some [journalists], including independent journalist and crypto commentator Adam Cochran, have a theory. 'In Kentucky, a special election to replace a Senator will NOT be called if it’s closer than 3 months till the next election,' Cochran wrote Saturday in a social media post on X. 'If McConnell’s condition is clearly unfit for office, they’d hide that to avoid being forced to submit a resignation letter until after that date.'... Cochran suggested that Republicans may be seeking to avoid having ousted Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) make a last-minute grab for McConnell’s seat.... 'So all they have to do is drag their feet until [the second Tuesday in August], then tell you that he didn’t make it,' Cochran continued." (Also linked yesterday.)

This is the most partisan Supreme Court in the history of the nation. -- Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona), X post ~~~

~~~ WashPo Reporters State the Obvious. Justin Jounvenal & Patrick Marley of the Washington Post: “The Supreme Court dramatically reshaped elections in recent months, sharply limiting a law that has been a cornerstone of minority voter empowerment, allowing states to gerrymander maps and loosening campaign finance regulations. The conservative majority says the series of decisions helps correct an election system that has run afoul of the Constitution.... Most of the rulings, which have rolled out as the country heads toward pivotal midterm elections, benefit Republicans. That’s led critics — starting with some of the court’s liberal justices — to complain the court’s conservative majority has gone beyond enunciating broad legal principles and put a thumb on the scale in upcoming races. What is clear is that the Supreme Court has tilted this fall’s electoral landscape toward Republicans as they struggle with voter discontent.... Legal experts said the justices’ intervention amid an election cycle and the pace at which the court is moving to implement changes that largely benefit one party is all but unprecedented in recent years.” 

Tiffany Hsu of the New York Times: “Wikipedia is in peril. In a world where trust in truth is crumbling, the grande dame of collective online fact-gathering is under threat on every front. The MAGA right, with Elon Musk at the fore, is slinging accusations of political bias and antisemitism and has even questioned the site’s nonprofit status. Artificial intelligence is raiding the encyclopedia’s resources and draining attention. Repressive governments have hauled its volunteer editors into penal colonies. In Wikipedia’s 25-year history, it has never had to fight this hard. The organization that supports the site, the Wikimedia Foundation, is increasing its lobbying budget and advertising in Times Square. It is charging companies like Google and Meta that gobble up the encyclopedia’s 65 million articles, and throttling access for certain scrapers. And it is expanding its human rights team to better protect volunteers against rising harassment, surveillance and retaliation.... [And] it found a diplomat: Bernadette Meehan, 50, became Wikimedia’s chief executive in January, after stints as the U.S. ambassador to Chile and at the Obama Foundation, at the State Department, at the National Security Council and on Wall Street.”

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Michigan Senate Race. Emilio Ibarguen of Politico: “Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow announced Sunday that she is suspending her campaign for U.S. Senate, leaving Rep. Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed to battle for the Democratic nomination for the seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters. The announcement clears the way for the two remaining candidates — Stevens, a four-term representative aligned with the Democratic establishment, and El-Sayed, a progressive former public health official who recently nabbed an endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) — with just under a month to go until the state’s Democratic primary.” (Also linked yesterday.)

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Ukraine/Russia. Cassandra Vinograd of the New York Times: “Explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv early on Monday, the eve of a NATO summit, as Russia mounted its second major attack on the city in days. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who is expected to attend the NATO summit in Turkey, had warned that Russia was preparing 'a new massive strike' against the capital. Loud blasts shook the city hours later. The regional military administration said ballistic missiles were flying, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents to stay in shelters. Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, said that at least seven people had been killed. At least two dozen others were wounded.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: These bombings of civilians strike me as a tactical mistake on Putin's part. They will only increase the resolve of European leaders. Even Donald Trump, who in general has the same disregard for ordinary people as does Putin, is opposed to killing, probably because he hates the sight of blood and other bodily fluids.