The United States national debt surpassed $40 trillion for the first time on Tuesday, reaching another historic milestone as the federal government continues to run massive deficits. 
The debt topped $30 trillion for the first time just four years ago. When the country crossed the $1 trillion mark more than four decades ago, President Ronald Reagan pointed to the milestone as a warning about federal spending.
“If we as a nation needed a warning, let that be it,” President Reagan said in a televised address.
The national debt has continued to climb as federal spending has outpaced revenue under successive presidential administrations.
Financial firm River published a chart citing U.S. Treasury data that depicts federal spending across presidential administrations. Since the Nixon administration, federal spending and the national debt have virtually increased under each administration.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1161717" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM.png" alt="" width="1456" height="1012" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM.png 1456w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM-300x209.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM-829x576.png 829w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM-768x534.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px" /></div>
President Trump made reducing the national debt part of his 2024 campaign. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick later said his job was to raise $1 trillion in revenue, while Elon Musk, who spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, was tasked with cutting $1 trillion in spending.
Trump himself sounded the alarm about federal borrowing more than a decade ago. In 2012, he described a $17 trillion national debt and a $1 trillion budget deficit as a “national security risk of the highest order.”
The federal government continues to spend substantially more than it collects, adding to the national debt. The Treasury Department <a class="decorated-link" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/19/us-government-debt-passes-40-trillion-mark-for-the-first-time.html" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="639" data-end="749">reported</a> a $432.3 billion deficit in July, the largest monthly deficit since March 2021, when President Joe Biden signed his COVID-19 stimulus package.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), a longtime advocate of reducing federal spending, has repeatedly called for the government to return to pre-pandemic spending levels.
“What we are doing to our children, how we are robbing them of the opportunities and diminishing their prospects, that&#8217;s truly immoral,&#8221; Johnson <a class="decorated-link" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/gop-sen-ron-johnson-explains-why-he-opposes-trumps-budget-in-its-current-form" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1379" data-end="1498">said</a> during an interview discussing funding for Trump&#8217;s Big Beautiful Bill. &#8220;And we need to recognize that fact and we need to stop it.”
The $40 trillion milestone comes as Congress faces another government funding deadline. Lawmakers must fund the federal government for fiscal year 2027, or pass a continuing resolution, by September 30 to avoid a funding lapse.

US-ECONOMY-DEBT

Reagan Sounded The Alarm At $1 Trillion. America’s National Debt Just Hit $40 Trillion.

$40 Trillion

Congress

Deficit

National Debt

National Security

President Trump

Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) admitted she was &#8220;not that informed on national security&#8221; during a debate against Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) on Tuesday, one week before the two face off in a Republican runoff for the Senate seat previously held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham.
Graham, who was appointed to fill her brother&#8217;s seat after his death last month, made the admission when asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States.
“I’m just going to be honest here, I’m not that informed on national security,” she <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYbTRsRnT6U">said</a>.
Former South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley criticized the remark.
“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Graham admits she’s not,&#8221; Haley said. &#8220;This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate.”
Graham has previously outlined the differences between herself and her brother on foreign policy, saying in a July interview <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lindsey-grahams-sister-breaks-from-one-of-his-defining-priorities">that</a> she preferred to focus on issues that matter to “the average person.”
Norman, who is facing Graham in the August 25 runoff, told The Daily Wire that China poses a threat to the United States and argued that South Carolina voters should expect their next senator to understand the issue.
“Whether it’s spy balloons flying overhead or buying up land near South Carolina military bases, China continues to prove that it is a threat to the United States. South Carolinians deserve to know whether their next Senator has the know-how to lead on this issue.”
Graham also appeared to badly overstate South Carolina&#8217;s population during the debate while discussing affordability.
“There’s fifty million people in South Carolina, half of them live paycheck to paycheck,&#8221; Graham said.
South Carolina has roughly 5.5 million residents.
President Donald Trump is expected to campaign for Graham on Friday at a rally in Myrtle Beach ahead of the runoff.
Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIsQ4MT4F2k">told</a> reporters he likes everyone in the race, but endorsed Graham in honor of her brother.
“Just so you understand, I like the other people in the race. Also, they’re all Trumpers, but I endorsed her,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;I think she’s great. It’s really in honor of her brother.”
“She’s really a very smart woman,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;You know, Lindsey loved his sister more than anything else he would tell me about his sister. That she’s just outstanding. He actually said she is better than him. That was hard for Lindsey to say.”
Prediction market Kalshi has Graham’s odds of winning at <a href="https://kalshi.com/markets/kxscrsens/south-carolina-special-republican-primary/kxscrsens-26">77%,</a> down from around 90% before the debate.
The winner of the Republican runoff will face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the general election.

Republican candidates participate in televised debate in South Carolina

Lindsey Graham’s Sister Admits In Debate: ‘I’m Not That Informed On National Security’

Darline Graham

Lindsey Graham

Nikki Haley

Primary Election

Ralph Norman

Senate

South Carolina

Everyone is talking about Lindsay Clancy, with Google alone reporting hundreds of thousands of searches in August. But one potentially decisive figure has largely escaped the spotlight: Kevin Reddington, the attorney representing the woman who killed her three children. 
Reddington, once named Boston Magazine&#8217;s best criminal defense attorney in Massachusetts, first addressed the jury by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hmVt_eO9cs">thanking</a> them for their time and service, noting that during the case they would be away from their own families. From the moment he gave his opening statement, jurors and the world learned that Reddington could explain things simply and plainly while coming off as authentic and kind. 
But beneath the surface, Reddington&#8217;s life and track record reveal a tougher interior. Reddington <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/kevin-reddington-meet-veteran-lawyer-140142542.html">holds</a> a black belt in karate and reportedly displays skulls, swords, and daggers in his office. Additionally, he has multiple tattoos, with one in Latin that translates to “Never represent an informant” and one in Greek that says, “Come and take them.” He also enjoys riding <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/get-to-know-kevin-reddington-the-longtime-attorney-defending-lindsay-clancy/4000094/">his</a> Harley-Davidson motorcycle. 
Reddington’s track record speaks for itself, with his first major career win in 1989 when he rose to fame defending Therese Rogers. Reddington successfully convinced the jury that his client was delusional and that she exhibited signs of PTSD when she fatally stabbed her boyfriend. Reddington won another high-profile case in 1998 defending former Boston Red Sox star first baseman Mo Vaughn by convincing the jury that Vaughn&#8217;s failed sobriety tests weren&#8217;t evidence of drinking, but evidence of the disorientation of a man who&#8217;d just walked away from a car wreck.
But despite his five decades of practice, Reddington says the Lindsay Clancy case could end up being the most memorable and difficult one of his career. 
In an effort to secure another high-profile win under his belt, Reddington worked to change the picture in the jury&#8217;s mind before he tried to convince them of anything. He set up the case, painting a picture of the Clancy family’s life, saying that “she and Patrick [Clancy] did have that achievement of a wonderful life. They had it all. They met in Boston. She was a nurse. He was working in his industry. They fell in love, ended up getting married, and bought a house.” 
He told jurors they would see evidence of toys in every room of the house — evidence, he argued, that Clancy loved her children until the day they died. &#8220;She didn&#8217;t want to get rid of her kids because of her selfish life as the government indicates,&#8221; he said. &#8220;She loved those children right up until the time of their death.&#8221;
He then addressed the elephant in the room, saying that the details of the case are so horrific that, “You people, will never forget this case.&#8221;
On Monday, the prosecution rested its case. Reddington is now calling the defense&#8217;s witnesses to the stand. After Reddington has questioned his witnesses, the prosecution and defense will give their closing arguments, leaving the jury to decide whether Reddington’s defense of Clancy will prevail.

Former nanny for Lindsay Clancy testifies, offering a glimpse into the family’s life

Everything To Know About Kevin Reddington, Lindsay Clancy’s Lawyer

Jury

Kevin Reddington

Lindsay Clancy

murder trial

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass can finance her re-election campaign with public funds through a program that uses taxpayer dollars to match eligible campaign contributions.
The &#8220;Super Match Program,&#8221; overhauled by the L.A. city council in 2019, deems any candidate running for mayor, city attorney, city controller, or city council eligible to participate in the program. Bass advertised the initiative in a video released earlier this week, proudly stating that her campaign is funded “by YOU!” 
“Thanks to LA’s Super Match Program, every qualified donation from Los Angeles Residents is matched six to one by the city. If you donate $5, the city turns it into $35&#8230;chip in $25 right now, and the city turns it into $175. Make your matching donation today, thank you so much,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;So we need you to rush your matching donation right now to help fuel this campaign,&#8221; she added.
The &#8220;Super Match Program&#8221; caps donations able to be matched for a mayoral campaign at $257 per contributor and $1,507,000 per candidate for the general election. Bass’ opponent — leftist Nithya Raman, who only secured her spot in the race after late-counted mail-in ballots pushed her ahead of Republican Spencer Pratt in June — is also eligible for the taxpayer-funded donation match.
For the candidate to receive the matching contribution, a contributor certification must be completed that <a href="https://ethics.lacity.gov/wp-content/uploads/Sample-Contributor-Certification.pdf">requires</a> the contributor’s name, residence address, job title, and employer. Los Angeles Municipal Code <a href="https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/lamc/0-0-0-224109">states</a> that if a candidate “knows or should know” that a request for matching funds is based on false information, the candidate can be charged with a misdemeanor and must pay back the matching funds they received. If the candidate is elected, a court could also remove them from office.
Common Cause California says that the program “has led to a wider range of candidates from all backgrounds and perspectives receiving matching funds and running campaigns for citywide and council offices.” The organization adds that the program “has paved the path for a city government that better reflects the diversity of Los Angeles and represents the needs of all Angelenos.”
L.A. isn’t the only city with a Matching Funds Program. New York City matches contributions from city residents at an eight-to-one ratio. New York City created its public funds matching program in 1988 under then-Mayor Ed Koch. In <a href="https://www.nycvotes.org/news-and-press/articles/nyc-matching-funds-program/">1988</a>, the funds matched dollar for dollar. 
Portland, Oregon, also uses its Small Donor Elections program to match contributions with public funds. Other cities, including Seattle and Oakland, have adopted “Democracy Vouchers,” which do not require residents to donate any of their own money for a candidate to receive public funds. For Seattle’s upcoming city council election, residents in District 5 receive two $50 Democracy Vouchers that can go to the candidate of their choice with no strings attached. 
Raman, Bass’ opponent, has <a href="https://cd4.lacity.gov/press-releases/cd4release_democracyvoucher_061323/">advocated</a> for democracy vouchers to be available in L.A. elections.
&#8220;Though democracy vouchers will by no means solve this issue in one fell swoop, they will help create a more equitable campaign finance system that everyone can participate in,&#8221; she said. &#8220;By making campaign financing accessible to all, the City can boost political engagement, diversify the donor pool, and ensure that candidates and officeholders are more representative of the electorate.&#8221;

2026 BET Awards – Arrivals

Yes, It’s Legal For L.A. Mayor To Finance Her Re-election Campaign With Taxpayer Dollars

California

campaign funds

Karen Bass

Los Angeles

Mayoral Election

Nithya Raman

The winner of the Minnesota 2021 &#8220;Outstanding Refugee&#8221; award has now been charged with Medicaid fraud and is tied to a sex-trafficking ring. 
Salman Ahmed Elmi, a 30-year-old refugee from Somalia, won &#8220;Outstanding Refugee&#8221; in entrepreneurship award from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Now, he faces three counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle and five counts of aiding and abetting theft by false representation, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/medicaid-fraud-sex-trafficking-twin-cities/">reported</a> on Tuesday. 
The state website has since removed the page featuring Elmi’s award. The Minnesota Department of Human Services did not immediately respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment as to whether it plans to revoke the award. 
A criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County accuses Elmi — along with Frank Reeves, Viktoriya Komonash, and Andrea Sampson — of billing more than $4.5 million to Medicaid since 2023 through their four agencies: Reva Health, Reva Autism, Helpful Housing, and Homefelt Assisted Living. The fraud scheme focused on recruiting young women struggling with homelessness, addiction, or financial issues into a pay for sex scheme. 
The complaint <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/medicaid-fraud-sex-trafficking-twin-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">alleges</a> that Elmi, Reeves, Komonash, and Sampson used the identities of sex trafficking victims to rent apartments and make claims to Medicaid.
&#8220;I started a business to help inspire other people,&#8221; Elmi said in the now-removed post on the Minnesota DHS website. &#8220;No one owns businesses in my family; my entire family came here with the idea that the American dream was just getting a job and making it work, so shifting that mindset was difficult but important. Navigating those treacherous waters allowed me to provide for my family and work on my terms.&#8221;
A spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Human Services <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/minnesota-outstanding-refugee-honoree-accused-fraud-scheme-tied-sex-trafficking-cant-make-up">told</a> Fox News that Elmi’s actions do not reflect the goal of the “Outstanding Refugee Awards.” 
“Salman Elmi’s alleged actions are disturbing and do not reflect the goal of the Outstanding Refugee Awards,&#8221; the spokesman said, adding, &#8220;They also do not represent Minnesota’s refugee community. We are surrounded by neighbors, coworkers, employees and friends with powerful stories of resilience in the face of difficult circumstances, who are showing leadership in small as well as large ways to improve their communities. The Outstanding Refugee Awards were a way to recognize some of the individuals who make Minnesota better for all of us.&#8221;
The spokesman said there was no financial benefit tied to the award.
&#8220;The value came from the opportunity to recognize the courage, resilience and entrepreneurship of refugees and their children, and to recognize their contributions to the state. Refugees and immigrants offer skills to a needed workforce, provide entrepreneurial innovation and expand worldwide networks – all of which benefit Minnesota.&#8221; 
Elmi was released from custody on Monday, with his court hearing scheduled for early October. The judge required Elmi to surrender his passport and remain in Minnesota. Elmi’s alleged counterparts were taken into custody last Friday. 
Over the last year, federal prosecutors have revealed a pattern of systemic fraud in Minnesota, with prosecutors saying the total amount could total $9 billion statewide. Testifying before Congress earlier this year, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz acknowledged that Minnesota’s programs are not immune to fraud but argued that “Minnesota&#8217;s programs have overwhelmingly achieved their intended purposes.”

Screenshot 2026-08-18 at 5.55.34 PM

‘Outstanding Refugee’ Of Minnesota Faces Criminal Fraud Charges

Fraud

Medicaid

Minnesota

Salman Ahmed Elmi

Tim Walz

Texas Democratic Senate Candidate James Talarico has crossed the aisle for a campaign hire, bringing on a former aide to outgoing Republican Sen. John Cornyn ahead of his November showdown with Republican Ken Paxton.  
Jacob Smith, who will serve as deputy policy director for Talarico&#8217;s campaign, is no stranger to campaigns against Paxton. Smith previously worked for Cornyn, who lost the Republican Senate primary to Paxton earlier this year. If Talarico wins in November, Smith could find himself working in the same Senate office — just under a different boss and political affiliation.
&#8220;I’ve worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn my entire career, but this year I’m proud to be joining James Talarico’s campaign,&#8221; Smith said in a statement. &#8220;Instead of playing partisan politics, Talarico speaks to the needs of everyday people who day in and day out work too hard for too little.&#8221;
&#8220;Ken Paxton is the most corrupt, self-dealing politician in Texas who would sell their futures to the highest contributor just to hold onto power,&#8221; Smith <a href="https://www.notus.org/campaigns/james-talarico-cornyn-staffer-texas-senate">added</a>. &#8220;I&#8217;m encouraging all my fellow Republicans who know Ken Paxton is unfit to serve in the Senate to finally hold him accountable at the ballot box.&#8221;
Smith worked for Cornyn for five years, serving as a deputy legislative director and policy adviser.
Talarico’s new hire could signal an effort to broaden his appeal beyond the Democratic base as the midterm elections approach. Despite bringing a longtime Republican Senate aide onto his campaign, Talarico’s political stance differs vastly from those of both Smith&#8217;s former boss and Paxton.
 Talarico has slammed Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s border enforcement policy. 
“Regardless of your political affiliation, regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum,” he said. “Greg Abbott is hunting people for his own political gain. And that’s the most cynical thing that I’ve seen in my time in Texas politics.” 
Talarico has also taken leftist positions on transgender issues. He has opposed restrictions on transgender participation in sports and drew national attention after saying that “God is nonbinary.” 
After facing backlash from Republicans over the comment, Talarico responded by arguing that America is focused “on the wrong 1%.”
“Trans people aren’t taking away our healthcare. Undocumented people aren’t defunding our schools,” he said. “It’s the billionaires and their puppet politicians. And so we need not only the media, but all of us, to focus on the real problem at hand.”
Talarico has also proposed repealing tax breaks in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill and redistributing the money to people who need a “cost-of-living tax cut.” His plan to fix affordability includes raising the minimum wage and canceling medical debt. 
Paxton, meanwhile, has proposed tax deductions for health care and housing, including a $25,000 deduction for out-of-pocket medical expenses, a $50,000 deduction for first-time homebuyers, and a $50,000 tax break on down payments for people moving homes.

Democratic Senate Candidate Talarico Participates In Juneteenth March

Ex-Cornyn Aide Switches Teams To Work For Talarico Campaign

Congressional Staffer

James Talarico

John Cornyn

Ken Paxton

Texas

In just one year, Baltimore went from being ranked the third-most dangerous city in the United States — with murders averaging nearly 300 per year over the past decade — to looking like a completely different city in 2026.
From January to August, 60 people were murdered in Baltimore, but just four years ago, that number was about 160 in the same timeframe. The White House attributes the drop in crime to the “relentless efforts” of President Trump. Lauren Bis, a spokeswoman for the White House, told The Daily Wire. 
“In Baltimore and across the nation, violent crime is reaching record lows — including the murder rate reaching a 125-year low,” Bis said.
It’s not just Baltimore; nationwide murder rates have fallen 18.1%, rape has dropped 7.6%, robbery has fallen 18.5%, and aggravated assault is down by 7.2% since 2025. Trump’s Department of Justice has directed federal prosecutors to crackdown on crime and pushed them to pursue higher charges. 
After former Attorney General Pam Bondi was sworn in last year, she <a href="https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/justice-dept.-releases-slate-of-memos-from-attorney-general-bondi">signed</a> 14 memos, including one that renewed enforcement of the federal death penalty, which was halted under the Biden administration. Other memos urged prosecutors to “charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense” and focus on immigration enforcement, human trafficking, transnational organized crime, and “protecting law enforcement.”
The Trump administration also worked to secure the border and deport illegal immigrants. In Baltimore alone, ICE officials arrested Edwin Sanchez Montiel, an MS-13 gang member and illegal alien from El Salvador whose criminal history included murder. Federal immigration officers also arrested Franklin Chavarria and Julio Gonzalez-Cortez, both illegal immigrants convicted of murder.
In its violent crime crackdown, the Trump administration streamlined processes with states. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said she <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2025/9/crime/trump-s-crime-crackdown-has-been-a-huge-success-here-s-how-congress-can-support-it">worked</a> with the FBI and the Department of Justice to “surge resources to Memphis, where federal law enforcement have apprehended gang members who have plagued the city with violent crime.” 
Bis added that Trump is working to correct policies from “defund-the-Police Democrats.” 
“President Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that. Unlike Defund-the-Police Democrats who release violent criminal illegal aliens into our communities and want cashless bail, President Trump is on the side of law and order and will continue to deliver safe neighborhoods for American families,” she added. 
“Defund the Police” statements have become so unpopular that many Democrats and democratic socialists are running away from their past radical statements as midterm elections approach. 
&#8220;I have a local city councilman that has this saying, &#8216;Woke 1 was crazy.'&#8221; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFwAnMLBSOw">said</a> in an interview with ABC, adding, “What’s important is that we have to assess what a candidate is saying now.”
Michigan Democratic Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed walked back his statements on defunding the police and deleted past posts on the issue on X. At the Democratic National Committee meeting on Saturday, the DNC <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dnc-formally-adopts-resolution-calling-for-abolishing-ice">adopted</a> a resolution urging congressional Democrats to abolish ICE. The vote is nonbinding and does not change the party platform for 2028.
The reform measure, sponsored by DNC Chairman Ken Martin, drew broader support in committee than the abolition proposal.
 &#8220;The one thing that unites Democrats, regardless of their position on reform versus abolish or whatever other ways to change what&#8217;s happening, is people believe that what ICE is doing right now and CBP [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] and the federal government should stop. There has to be a better way,&#8221; <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/dnc-votes-back-eliminating-ice-trump-expands-deportations-12327959">said</a> Martin.

US-NEWS-BALTIMORE-POLICE-SHOOTING-BZ

White House Touts Historic Crime Shift As DNC Votes To Abolish ICE

Baltimore

Crime

criminal

Donald Trump

Maryland

Trump Administration

Andrei Klepach, who was one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top macroeconomists, was fired after saying Russia was &#8220;falling behind&#8221; in the war with Ukraine. 
Two sources familiar with the matter <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/russian-state-bank-fires-economist-who-warned-moscow-was-losing-war-attrition-2026-08-17/">told</a> Reuters that the economist was fired over remarks he made in May that resurfaced in Russian media last week. 
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Speaking at a gathering at the Nikitsky Club of economists, academics, and government officials, Klepach said, &#8220;We are falling behind.” He added, “We are losing both the technological ​and economic competition in the world. And we are losing it not only to China and the United States. In some ways, we are losing it to Ukraine too.” 
Klepach attributed Ukraine&#8217;s resilience in part to financial support from the West. 
&#8220;We will not win the competition in this war of attrition,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We have the illusion that everything there will collapse. It has not collapsed ‌and will not collapse. Our costs are mounting.” 
Klepach worked for Russia&#8217;s National Economic Development Institution, VEB, for 12 years. Before that, he worked at Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development for ten years. Klepach confirmed his dismissal to Reuters. 
Klepach’s economic diagnosis contrasts sharply with Putin&#8217;s assessment of the Russian economy. In June, Putin said efforts to cool the Russian economy were deliberate. Putin was directly asked whether Russia&#8217;s economy was struggling because of the war and said such claims were exaggerated.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve deliberately taken steps to cool the economy,&#8221; Putin said of Russia&#8217;s Central Bank putting the country&#8217;s key interest rate at 14.5%, which he called &#8220;a difficult decision.&#8221;
&#8220;You can say we&#8217;ve cooled off, or you can say we haven&#8217;t done everything yet, but these are deliberate steps. We don&#8217;t want inflation — hyperinflation — to reach 60-80%, as it is in some countries,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/putin-says-russia-will-bolster-its-air-defenses-against-ukraines-long-range-drone-strikes">said</a>. &#8220;We&#8217;re fighting for the health of the Russian economy as a whole.&#8221;
The United States is ramping up restrictions with the Senate <a href="https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/dem/release/what-they-are-saying-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-draws-widespread-support-from-prominent-american-officials-and-ukrainian-leaders">passing</a> the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on August 7. The Senate passed it 86 votes to 11, but it still has to pass the House. If the bill passes the House, President Donald J. Trump has indicated he would sign the legislation, which allows targeted tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas.
Charles Lichfield, director of economic foresight and analysis at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, said cracks are showing in the Russian economy through inflation and the Russian government’s large deficit. “They are on course to double the deficit they had in 2025 and that was already double what they had in 2024,” Lichfield said. “On inflation, they managed to bring it down to basically the target of 4% late last year, which was a big achievement given all the internal and external inflationary pressures, but it looks like that will not last.”
Russia’s economy has also faced pressure from declining energy revenues, Western sanctions, and Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and vessels associated with Moscow&#8217;s shadow fleet.

Vladimir Putin

Putin Fires Top Economist Who Said Russia Is Losing Ukraine War

Economy

Ukraine-Russia War

New York Magazine has cut ties with Ross Barkan, the columnist who lifted the opening of a Washington Post story for his hit piece on the Daily Wire, after a three-month editorial review found 67 of his columns failed to properly credit other writers.
The <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/why-ben-shapiros-media-empire-is-collapsing.html">column</a> that started it all, &#8220;Why Ben Shapiro&#8217;s Media Empire Is Collapsing,&#8221; ran May 14. Within hours, Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell posted a side-by-side comparison showing Barkan&#8217;s lede nearly matched the opening of Harwell&#8217;s own May 9 story on Shapiro and the Daily Wire.
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The lede of our Shapiro story on Saturday and the lede of the <a href="https://x.com/NYMag?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYMag</a> story today<a href="https://t.co/P20BkpGhqW">https://t.co/P20BkpGhqW</a><a href="https://t.co/Ha03RLE3qs">https://t.co/Ha03RLE3qs</a> <a href="https://t.co/64OzrvFcRS">pic.twitter.com/64OzrvFcRS</a>
— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) <a href="https://x.com/drewharwell/status/2054927246788304931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;After an independent editorial review, New York found that Ross Barkan did not adhere to our editorial standards, and we have updated 67 columns that did not include proper attribution of language, information, and/or sourcing,&#8221; the magazine <a href="https://x.com/maxwelltani/status/2088356584686583896">said</a> in a statement. It added that it would no longer publish his column and apologized &#8220;to the writers whose work was not properly attributed.&#8221;
Barkan <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/14/media/new-york-mag-fires-mamdani-loving-writer-ross-barkan-for-67-instances-of-ripping-off-other-authors/">told</a> the New York Post the split was mutual. &#8220;We&#8217;ve decided to end the column and I send all the best to New York Magazine,&#8221; he said. He acknowledged the citation errors without addressing the plagiarism allegations directly. &#8220;In the course of nearly 250 pieces, there were times I should have been more careful with my citation. I&#8217;m sorry about these errors and will work to do better, more careful work in the future.&#8221;
When the allegations first surfaced in May, Barkan called them &#8220;all quite ridiculous&#8221; in a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/05/17/nx-s1-5824503/new-york-magazine-review-ross-barkan">statement</a> to NPR. The allegations widened days later when NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn ran Barkan&#8217;s archive through an AI model and found further passages closely matching work published in The Intercept and Compact Magazine.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The pilfering of <a href="https://x.com/drewharwell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@drewharwell</a>’s reporting by <a href="https://x.com/RossBarkan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RossBarkan</a> was so egregious, I decided to do another spot check. I ran a random piece of his through an LLM and asked if any verbatim phrases appear in any other publication, and it came back with a hit. He lifted several exact… <a href="https://t.co/mjOLIf8ZxB">pic.twitter.com/mjOLIf8ZxB</a>
— Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn) <a href="https://x.com/BobbyAllyn/status/2055384515733061668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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He argued that linking to the writers he drew from — and naming them — was credit enough. &#8220;I am allowed, as a columnist building on his reporting, to cite facts. Especially when he&#8217;s credited,&#8221; he wrote of the Compact Magazine piece. He added, &#8220;I have written hundreds upon hundreds of columns, essays, and pieces of journalism in my career. I stand by my record.&#8221;
His column regularly featured socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who managed Barkan&#8217;s failed 2018 Democratic primary bid for a South Brooklyn state Senate seat. &#8220;I met him at the end of 2017 when I was running for State Senate in New York City, in Brooklyn, where I grew up. I was strongly contemplating pivoting from journalism to running for office,&#8221; Barkan <a href="https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/ross-barkan-on-zohran-mamdani-arresting-netanyahu-and-where-dsa-goes-from-here">told</a> Current Affairs, a left-wing magazine of politics and culture, in an interview published the day of Mamdani&#8217;s inauguration.
Barkan described the campaign as an ideological project. &#8220;It was a progressive campaign. It was one that was proudly pro-Palestine, certainly — and I was willing to campaign in mosques and court the neighborhood&#8217;s Arab community, which few politicians were willing to do. And so for all those reasons, he hopped on board, and the rest, in its own way, was history. We got to know each other quite well that summer,&#8221; he said. Barkan went on to write a book on Mamdani&#8217;s rise, The Revolutionary: Zohran Mamdani and the Remaking of American Politics, had been scheduled by Random House for October 6.
As of Saturday, the book appears to have been pulled from Random House&#8217;s schedule. Its <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/826679/the-revolutionary-by-ross-barkan/">page</a> on Penguin Random House&#8217;s website no longer resolves, and listings at Bookshop.org, BookPal and Target have reverted to the placeholder &#8220;Untitled 8221,&#8221; credited to &#8220;Random House Group.&#8221;
Random House did not immediately respond to the Daily Wire&#8217;s request for clarification on the book&#8217;s status.
Barkan is not leaving journalism. He said he is writing a new column for The Nation, which he said will launch in September.

gettyimages-906263134-594×594

Reporter Who Smeared The Daily Wire Fired Over Plagiarism Allegations

New York Magazine

Plagiarism

Ross Barkan

The Daily Wire

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport has scrapped a proposal to add Islamic foot-washing stations to two Terminal D restrooms, backing off Friday night after Texas Governor Greg Abbott called the plan illegal and opened a review of every state grant flowing to the airport.
&#8220;These ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion. That is illegal,&#8221; Abbott <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/Airport_USDOT_Letter_FINAL.pdf">wrote</a> in a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. &#8220;Both airports are government-owned facilities. The federal and state constitutions prohibit governments from facilitating this sort of discrimination. Just as the government cannot favor the secular over the sacred, it also cannot favor one religious view over all others.&#8221;
In a separate <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/DFW_Airport_Authority_Letter_FINAL.pdf">letter</a> to DFW CEO Christopher McLaughlin, Abbott warned that organizations found to have developed or operated what he called exclusionary religious spaces could lose state grant funding and face further enforcement.
Abbott referred both DFW and Houston&#8217;s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to the U.S. Department of Transportation for investigation and enforcement, asking the department and the Federal Aviation Administration to review religious facilities and accommodations at each. He also directed a review of all state grants to the entities operating the two airports for possible revocation and denial of future funding. Abbott&#8217;s office said IAH already operates an ablution facility with an adjoining prayer room.
&#8220;Texas will not allow illegal religious discrimination at taxpayer-funded facilities,&#8221; Abbott <a href="https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/2088411718628049370">wrote</a> on X.
DFW <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dfw-airport-scraps-controversial-islamic-footwashing-station-plan-texas-gov-abbott-takes-aim">told</a> Fox News Digital on Friday that it had been weighing an internal proposal to add ablution stations on the pre-security side of Terminal D, its international terminal, and that it weighs operational benefits, customer service impacts, operational risks and costs before approving any project.
&#8220;While that evaluation was planned, the airport accelerated its review due to elevated public interest this week and has determined not to proceed with the project as it would not deliver the originally anticipated operational benefits,&#8221; the airport said.
The airport did not spell out what those benefits were. Defenders of the proposal, including conservative activist Ryan Fournier, had argued the low-level basins were a maintenance measure — travelers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/one-of-americas-busiest-airports-is-about-to-get-islamic-foot-washing-stations-in-bathrooms">performing wudu</a> in standard countertop sinks soak restroom floors and damage counters. Wudu is the ritual washing Muslims perform before prayer, covering the hands, face, arms, head and feet.
DFW has offered an ablution station on the post-security side of Terminal D for years. Two were added to the terminal&#8217;s Interfaith Chapel during upgrades completed in 2019, alongside shoe storage, kneelers and expanded shelving for holy texts. Similar basins exist at other large U.S. hubs, including Chicago O&#8217;Hare.
The project was registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on July 31. The filing listed it as privately funded, put the cost at $300,000 and said construction would be finished by year&#8217;s end.
DFW said those details reflected administrative errors by its outside design firm and stressed that the project had never received final approval. A spokesperson said the $300,000 was a preliminary high estimate and that the actual cost, had the project gone forward, would have run closer to $120,000. The Dallas Express <a href="https://dallasexpress.com/city/who-is-paying-dfw-foot-washing-filing-quietly-changes-after-300k-private-funding-report/">reported</a> Friday that the filing had since been revised to $115,000 and reclassified.
&#8220;That was an error and it should have indicated that airport funds would be used to pay for the work like all our projects,&#8221; the airport said, adding that it does not use taxpayer dollars for operations and instead relies on revenue from parking and concessions.

The Muslim Community In Mexico Celebrates Eid Al-Adha

DFW Airport Scraps Islamic Foot-Washing Stations After Governor Threatens Its Funding

Dallas Fortworth Airport

Department of Transportation

Greg Abbott

Jason Arday, the Cambridge professor who resigned nine days ago over plagiarism allegations, was found dead in his London home.
Authorities said in a statement that an ambulance was called to his residence after Arday had been found &#8220;unresponsive.&#8221; He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police added that the death was being treated as “unexpected” but is not believed to be suspicious, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08/14/jason-arday-found-dead/">according</a> to The Telegraph. 
Just nine days ago, Cambridge launched an investigation into Arday. “The University of Cambridge has begun an investigation following new information about Professor Arday’s academic qualifications and honorary appointments,” the statement from the university said. “In order to ensure a fair process, we will not comment further until this has concluded.&#8221;
Cambridge was not initially keen on opening an investigation. Cambridge said Arday was “the victim of a vile campaign to undermine his credibility, which must stop.” The school began to change its tune when reports emerged that Arday had filed a harassment claim against a journalist who was investigating his work. The day that Cambridge announced its investigation, Arday resigned. 
“I no longer wish to feel as though I am living under a constant spotlight, where every aspect of my life is subject to public examination and judgement,” Arday <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/books/review/cambridge-jason-arday-resignation-investigation.html">said</a>. 
The scandal broke just days before his memoir was supposed to be published. His book, &#8220;Great and Unfortunate Things,&#8221; was still published on Tuesday, but now faces questions of its own. The book centered on his life with autism and other disabilities. 
Arday said he learned to read and write at eighteen, went on to earn his Ph.D., and joined the faculty at Cambridge. Journalists and academics are questioning some of Arday&#8217;s claims, including whether he really ran thirty marathons in thirty-five days, and if he raised 5.5 million British pounds for charity, as he states in his memoir. 
Arday did not respond to the attacks on his book, but attributed mistakes in his early work to his autism and lack of supervision from professors. “While criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly disagreement,” he wrote. “The relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love,” he said. 
The day before his book came out, he <a href="https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/jason-arday-cancels-book-tour-plagiarism-claims-5HjdfpJ_2/">canceled</a> his book tour events. He would be found dead just four days later. 
The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2026/aug/01/playbooks-plagiarism-pigs-head-new-claims-surrounding-cambridge-professor-jason-arday">reported</a> that academics became critical of Arday. “I think it’s plagiarism and it’s obvious,” said an academic who spoke on condition of anonymity. Another said Arday’s fallout “could send shockwaves through academia and set the study of race in Britain back twenty years.”

Screenshot 2026-08-14 at 4.55.12 PM

Professor Recently Outed For Fraudulent Biography Found Dead

Cambridge University

Jason Arday

Race

When Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford joined a 12-state coalition suing to block Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros., the case initially looked like a conventional antitrust challenge. Upon closer examination, it appears Ford may be doing the bidding of his friends. 
The biggest beneficiary of Ford&#8217;s action is almost certainly Netflix, which was accused by Paramount earlier this year of running a &#8220;scorched-earth&#8221; campaign against the merger, pushing regulators to shut it down. It turns out that Netflix, a major Paramount competitor, has curious ties to Ford. 
It is a lead sponsor of the Attorney General Alliance, along with 11 of the 12 attorneys general who are part of the Paramount lawsuit. Additionally, one of Ford&#8217;s most prominent political donors, Susan Rice, sits on the Netflix board of directors.
The Attorney General Alliance has been marred by scandal over accusations that its members take action on behalf of its corporate donors. Ford himself is facing an ethics complaint that <a href="https://news3lv.com/news/local/nevada-ethics-panel-advances-complaint-against-attorney-general-aaron-ford">alleges</a> that he &#8220;accepted luxury international trips&#8221; from the Attorney General Alliance, even though it is funded by corporations he&#8217;s supposed to regulate.
In 2024 alone, Ford traveled to 16 different cities which <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-gubernatorial-candidate-racked-up-eye-popping-travel-bill-ag-during-400-days-traveling-out-of-state">included</a> a $2,819 trip to Secrets Puerto Los Cabos, a luxury resort in Mexico and $11,992 at Martha’s Vineyard, a luxury vacation spot in Massachusetts. In total, Ford accepted $140,000 for group-sponsored travel and lodging from the AGA. 
After examining the complaints, a review panel <a href="https://news3lv.com/news/local/nevada-ethics-panel-advances-complaint-against-attorney-general-aaron-ford">found</a> enough evidence &#8220;to support a determination that just and sufficient cause exists for the Commission to render an opinion in these consolidated matters regarding the alleged violations.&#8221;
The AGA receives funding from Netflix, a company that just happened to lose a bid to Warner Bros., to Paramount, a merger Ford and other state attorneys are currently blocking.
Concerns about the AGA’s activity have extended beyond Ford. A top aide to an attorney general who was on an AGA-funded trip to Qatar with Ford and other state attorneys general, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-qatar-uses-an-american-nonprofit-to-hide-major-influence-operation-in-the-united-states">told</a> the Daily Wire that the nonprofit has turned itself into a “laundromat” for corporate and foreign interests.
“What AGA has turned itself into is a laundromat for anybody who wants to do stuff without having to disclose it,” said the top aide. 
One of Netflix’s board members, Susan Rice, also happens to have donated to Ford directly. Rice donated a total of $2,000 to Ford, making her first donation of $1,000 on June 28, 2026, and her second on June 30, 2026. 
Rice has been with Netflix for years, even returning to the company after a stint in the Biden administration. Rice was a top contender to be named Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020 after he committed to choosing a woman, and specifically faced pressure to pick a woman of color. Biden ultimately deemed Kamala Harris to be the better choice over Rice, but offered Rice a spot in his administration as a domestic policy advisor. She left Netflix for the position before returning in 2023, after her public service. 
Rice has strained the company&#8217;s relationship with the Trump administration, with the president even <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/27/media/how-the-susan-rice-snafu-cost-netflix-on-home-stretch-of-warner-bros-discovery-deal/">calling for her to be sacked</a> over comments she made about corporations who choose to &#8220;take a knee&#8221; during this administration. &#8220;Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences,&#8221; Donald Trump said.
Netflix abandoned its attempt to buy Warner Bros. after the president&#8217;s comments, with many believing the decision came because of a belief that the White House would kill the merger.
Ford’s office did not respond to The Daily Wire&#8217;s request for comment to this story.

Screenshot 2026-08-13 at 11.18.47 PM

Is Aaron Ford’s Paramount Lawsuit A Favor For A Prominent Dem Donor?

aaron ford

Attorney General Alliance

Netflix

Nevada

Paramount

Susan Rice

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