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ARG Poll: Trump Approval 35% to 63% Disapproval

(Newsweek) President Donald Trump has recorded the lowest approval rating of his second term, according to new polling from the American Research Group (ARG), which shows the president’s standing with the public continuing a long downward slide. The latest survey finds Trump at 35 percent approval and 63 percent disapproval, yielding a net approval of –28 points—his worst recorded by ARG since the Republican's return to office. The findings also show that just 32 percent of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while 64 percent disapprove.

Trump threatens pollsters after New York Times survey shows sagging disapproval

(Politico) President Donald Trump threatened legal consequences for The New York Times after a poll released by the outlet found that independent voters have soured on his leadership at the one-year mark of his second term. Just 34 percent of independent voters told the New York Times/Siena poll that they approve of the president’s job performance. Fifty-two percent of independents told the Times that they believe the country is worse off than it was last year before Trump took office

Kash Patel used meeting after Charlie Kirk's assassination to plot agency's social media posting plan, agents say

(The Independent) FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly prioritized planning social media posts for himself, former Deputy Dan Bongino and the Salt Lake City field office in the moments after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, as senior executives and field offices were trying to brief officials on the situation. Recounting the moments after Kirk, a right-wing political activist, was killed in Utah, a senior FBI executive told the New York Times that a “super emotional” Patel got on a conference call and “berated” the special agent in charge of the field office before planning social media posts.

Vance says he'll look into "accusations" of racial profiling (that Trump DOJ asked SCOTUS to allow)

(KARE-TV) Vance stopped in Minneapolis Thursday to meet with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and spoke about their immigration operations. When pressed about the accusations made by local law enforcement surrounding racial profiling, Vance said he would look into it when he returns to Washington, D.C., but then shifted the focus to local law enforcement and their failure to cooperate with the federal operations. "It's something that we take very seriously. We will take accusations of racial profiling back to Washington — we'll certainly look into them when they come up — but this is not a group that's going around and looking for people who violated the law based on skin color, they're looking for people who violated the actual law."

House Narrowly Passes ICE Funding Bill With Democratic Support After Jeffries Declined To Whip Against It

(Mediaite) A bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security narrowly passed the House on Thursday, 220-207. Seven Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the measure, which ensures that DHS and its agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will be funded through the end of September. ICE will receive $10 billion for the fiscal year.

Friday's Condensed News Cartoons

Starmer accuses Trump of diminishing sacrifice of Nato troops in Afghanistan

(The Guardian) Keir Starmer has accused Donald Trump of “diminishing” the sacrifice of fallen British soldiers by claiming that those who fought in Afghanistan avoided the frontlines, as the US president faced a fierce backlash from all sides of the UK political spectrum as well as the families of veterans. Trump’s suggestion that Nato troops stayed “a little off the frontlines” in Afghanistan has resurfaced questions about his own avoidance of military service in Vietnam.

White House posts an altered photo of Minnesota protester's arrest to make it look like she was crying

(CBS News) The White House posted a photo on social media that was digitally altered to make it look like a protester was sobbing as she was arrested in connection with a protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a Minnesota church. A photo of Nekima Levy Armstrong's arrest — showing Armstrong with a neutral expression — was first posted on X by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Thursday morning. The image the White House posted appears the same except Armstrong's altered facial expression shows her distressed, with tears running down her face.

Takeaways from Jack Smith on his case against Trump, 'so many witnesses' and the threats ahead

(AP) Former special counsel Jack Smith testified Thursday about his investigation of President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, detailing how the defeated president “sought to prey” on his supporters and “looked for ways to stay in power,” culminating in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. “Our investigation revealed that Donald Trump is the person who caused Jan. 6, it was foreseeable to him, and that he sought to exploit the violence,” Smith testified.

U.S. Formally Withdraws from World Health Organization

(Political Wire) “The United States formally withdrew from the World Health Organization on Thursday, making good on an executive order that President Trump issued on his first day in office pledging to leave the international organization that coordinates global responses to public health threats,” the New York Times reports.