Today's quick roundup of major developments and what they mean.
Economic setback: After big spending events such as the World Cup and Amazon Prime Day, Americans unexpectedly pulled back in July. Retail sales fell 0.6% last month — the largest monthly decline since May 2025 — following a revised 0.2% gain in June, the Commerce Department said Friday. Economists had been expecting a small increase, making the drop a notable surprise for markets and policymakers.
Alleged Russian plot foiled in Warsaw: Polish authorities said they thwarted a reported Russian plan to assassinate a U.S. citizen on Polish soil. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said a Russian national, allegedly acting on orders from Russian intelligence, was arrested in Warsaw Friday. U.S. intelligence reportedly assisted in the operation, according to the prime minister.
Huckabee rebukes settler violence: U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee issued an unusually stern rebuke of Israeli settlers after a siege of homes in the occupied West Bank, including one owned by a Palestinian American. In a post on X, Huckabee described the incident in Qusra village as a "horrific act of terror," breaking with his more typical pro-settlement tone.
Fake-elector case dismissed: A judge on Thursday dismissed the long-running case against six Nevada Republicans accused of submitting a fraudulent certificate claiming Donald Trump won the state's 2020 presidential election. The ruling is the latest setback for efforts in several swing states to prosecute the so-called fake electors who sought to keep Mr. Trump in office after the 2020 results.
Forest Service escalation questioned: Two Forest Service officials told reporters that Undersecretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment Michael Boren asked agency staff last month to increase the number of aircraft fighting a seven-acre fire near his large private ranch in Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest. Boren — a tech billionaire and Trump appointee who oversees roughly 200 million acres of national forest and public land — made the request, the officials said, prompting questions about potential conflicts of interest.
White House staff change: White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker, a long-serving foreign policy aide to Vice President J.D. Vance, is expected to leave the administration in the coming weeks, officials said. The departure continues a recent wave of turnover at senior White House foreign-policy positions.
Trump asks Supreme Court to lift construction block: President Donald Trump filed an emergency application Friday asking the Supreme Court to allow construction to continue on a planned 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom before a court-ordered pause takes effect. The move follows a Washington, D.C., federal appeals court ruling that the $400 million project was unlawful because the administration bypassed required congressional authorization.
Have a safe weekend.
Originally published on MS NOW.
