Trump meets with Zelenskyy, Netanyahu at Lindsey Graham funeral services.
President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday as part of the funeral services for late Senator Lindsey Graham. The meeting reflects their respect for Graham and recognition of his loss in their relationships with Trump and Washington. Trump will meet with each world leader separately before the funeral.
Graham was a tenacious advocate for Israel and Ukraine, and he will leave a void, as few political leaders can match his level of support, NPR's Franco Ordoñez tells Up First. Zelenskyy and Netanyahu will now need to make the case themselves to Trump that Graham once made for them.
Where the accounts differ
The accounts from different outlets conflict on several points. Al Jazeera reports that Netanyahu is primarily in the US to attend the funeral ceremony of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11 (Account 2). However, The Hill states that Netanyahu's meeting with Trump will be his first in Washington since the breakout of the Iran war in February (Account 5).
Additionally, UPI reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were among those who eulogized Senator Lindsey Graham at the funeral service (Account 6). However, The Hill states that both leaders plan to meet with Trump at the White House while they're in the US (Account 5).
Former US government science adviser Anthony Fauci's private diary entries reveal growing disillusionment with Donald Trump during Covid-19 pandemic.
The diary entries of former top US government science adviser Anthony Fauci have been released by Republican senator Rand Paul. The entries show Fauci's growing disillusionment with Donald Trump, whom he branded "rambling", "crazy", "desperate", "bumbling", "incompetent", "an idiot", "a true embarrassment", "totally nuts" and "truly an obnoxious adolescent". Fauci noted in his journal challenging interactions with the publicity-fixated Trump from the earliest days of the crisis six years ago. On 27 February 2020, amid the first stirrings of public alarm, he wrote of a surprise late-night call, in which the US president "wanted to chat about the coronavirus situation in general". Fauci encouraged Trump not to underplay the seriousness of the situation, but the next day, he again underplayed it. By 14 March, Fauci was bemoaning Trump's fixation on "the fluff of ratings and publicity".
Where the accounts differ
The accounts conflict over the number of diary entries released by Rand Paul (1,000 pages in The Hill vs. over 1,100 pages in NPR). The Guardian reports that Fauci branded Trump "an idiot" and "a true embarrassment", while FOX News focuses on Fauci's private diary entries revealing his fixation on personal fame during the pandemic. New York Post reports that Fauci privately ruled out a wet market in Wuhan as the source of the pandemic, contradicting his public statements. The Federalist lists 10 questions for Congress to ask Fauci about his Covid corruption and coverup.
US Senate confirms Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence
The US Senate has confirmed Jay Clayton as the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in a 51-47 vote, replacing acting DNI Bill Pulte. Clayton, who was serving as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, will oversee the country's 18 intelligence agencies. The confirmation comes after President Donald Trump's original choice, Tulsi Gabbard, resigned last month and was temporarily replaced by Pulte.
Clayton has a background in law and finance, having previously served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He was nominated to replace Pulte, who faced criticism for his lack of national security experience. Clayton's confirmation is seen as a victory for Trump, who had been pushing for his appointment despite opposition from Democrats.
The confirmation vote comes amid a heightened threat environment, with some lawmakers expressing concerns about the impact on national security. Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised Clayton's qualifications, saying he has "significant national security experience" and will be a "proven leader in this role."
Where the accounts differ
- The BBC reports that Pulte was Trump's original choice for DNI, while Washington Examiner states that Gabbard was the original nominee. (BBC, Washington Examiner)
- The New York Post notes that Clayton's confirmation hearing was delayed due to Trump's request, citing his increased push for the SAVE America Act. This is not mentioned in other accounts. (New York Post)
- FOX News reports that Senate Democrats demanded a new, experienced person to lead the nation's spy agencies, but when given the chance, they rejected President Donald Trump's latest pick. Washington Examiner states that Democrats welcomed Clayton as a more conventional nominee than Pulte. (FOX News, Washington Examiner)
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Kumamoto, Japan, causing widespread damage and at least 13 deaths.
A powerful earthquake struck Kumamoto, Japan on Tuesday, leaving a trail of destruction and at least 13 dead. The quake, which measured 6.8 magnitude according to the US Geological Survey, caused widespread damage and power outages in the region. Rescue efforts are underway, with emergency services working to reach trapped individuals.
The earthquake also triggered a tsunami advisory, although it was later lifted within two hours. Aeon Mall Kumamoto, a shopping center that had recently reopened after years of reconstruction following a 2016 earthquake, suffered significant damage and an explosion occurred shortly after the quake. At least 50 people were injured in the blast, with many more feared trapped inside.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with hundreds of first responders from neighboring prefectures arriving on Tuesday evening to assist. The Japanese military has mobilized 3,600 personnel for disaster relief operations, and 20 aircraft have been sent to assess damage from the air.
Where the accounts differ
- Straight Arrow News reports that a highway bridge buckled due to the earthquake, while UPI does not mention this detail.
- Al Jazeera states that an explosion ripped through Aeon Mall Kumamoto shortly after the quake, while FOX News reports that witnesses smelled gas before the explosion.
- The Guardian notes that relatively few buildings collapsed in the region, despite the intensity of the quake, due to Japan's strict construction standards and earthquake resistance requirements. This detail is not mentioned by other outlets.
Former President Joe Biden's ghostwriter tapes released after two-year court battle
The Oversight Project, a conservative watchdog group, has released nearly 70 hours of audio recordings made by former President Joe Biden with his ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer in 2016 and 2017. The recordings were cited in former special counsel Robert Hur's 2024 report on Biden's handling of classified documents. According to the report, Biden kept volumes of notes at his home that included classified information.
The tapes reveal Biden discussing potentially sensitive meetings, including "a big meeting with the CIA and everyone," "a big meeting down in the Situation Room," and "a long meeting where DOD brief ... POTUS." In one recording, Biden tells Zwonitzer that he has extensive notes over a period of time, which were not known to the White House. He also says, "I just found all the classified stuff downstairs."
Biden's conversations with Zwonitzer show him struggling to remember certain details or dates regarding events and topics in the transcripts and recordings. At one point, Biden seems to lose his train of thought: "Alright — what was I going to ask you? Something else… Uh… um. Oh gosh. I can't think of anything else."
Where the accounts differ
The accounts from The Guardian and CBS News report that the tapes were released after a two-year court battle by the Oversight Project, while The Daily Wire reports that Biden's lawyers fought to keep the tapes private. The New York Post states that the tapes were previously scrutinized by former special counsel Robert Hur as part of his 2023-2024 investigation into Joe Biden's retention of classified documents.
The Washington Examiner and CBS News report that Biden told Zwonitzer that some material may be classified, while The Guardian reports that Biden appears to discuss sensitive information on tape with his ghostwriter. The Daily Wire states that the tapes reveal Biden's inability to remember basic names and dates.
Canadian tourism numbers decline in US amid trade tensions and tariffs.
The Canadian government released a report detailing declining tourism numbers to the US, with Canadians making 29.1 million trips to the US in 2025, down from 39 million the year before. The report blames President Donald Trump's administration for the decline, citing his recent tariffs and other tensions between the countries as contributing factors.
However, other factors may also be at play. In years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were fewer Canadian trips to the US than in 2025, with just 25 million trips in 2019. The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in late 2022 may have contributed to higher numbers in 2023 and 2024.
The decline in numbers could also be due to costs associated with Trump's tariffs, which may be deterring Canadian travelers who are not feeling the same effects.
Where the accounts differ
Straight Arrow News reports that Canadians made 29.1 million trips to the US in 2025, while The Guardian states that Canadians spent $3.3bn less on travel to the US in 2025 than in the previous year. CBS News also reports a decline of roughly 25% in visits by Canadians to the US in 2025.
The Free Press provides context on the trade tensions and tariffs between Canada and the US, citing the White House's use of Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 as a provision aimed directly at Canada. Straight Arrow News does not mention this specific provision.
Straight Arrow News notes that Canadian tourism has seen a steady month-to-month increase so far in 2026, while The Guardian reports that return trips to Canada from the US are at similar levels seen at the end of 2025.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow enforcement of mail-in voting executive order.
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift a lower court's block on an executive order aimed at tightening rules on mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections in November. The executive order, issued in March, directs federal agencies to create state-by-state lists of eligible mail voters and would prevent the U.S. Postal Service from delivering ballots to people not included on those lists.
The administration argues that the lower court's injunction was premature because the agencies have not yet implemented any policy changes. Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in a petition to the Supreme Court that "the Order merely sets forth general policy guidance, leaving substantial discretion to agencies about how to implement the Order while admonishing them that they may do so only consistent with applicable law."
The lower court's block on the executive order was upheld by an appeals court, which agreed that the president lacks the authority to unilaterally change how federal elections are administered. The states challenging the order argue that the Constitution gives states and Congress, not the president, the authority to set election rules.
Where the accounts differ
- The accounts from different outlets conflict on several points.
- UPI reports that Trump has claimed, without evidence, that there are widespread issues with voter fraud benefiting Democrats in the 2020 presidential election. This claim is not made by any other outlet.
- The Washington Examiner and Straight Arrow News report that Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the injunction was premature because agencies had not yet implemented policy changes. UPI reports this argument, but does not attribute it to Sauer.
- The Guardian reports that Trump's proposed changes are "ripe for abuse" and could cause chaos, a characterization made by Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia, as reported by all outlets.