Following the Supreme Court’s decision against his emergency tariffs, Donald Trump exhibited a peculiar outburst. In a dramatically lit setting, Trump directed criticism at the Supreme Court justices. He also declared his intention to implement new tariffs and repeatedly recounted anecdotes about men expressing a desire to kiss him.
The director of the “Institute for Demographic Development” in Nizhny Novgorod, Evgeny Zhuravlev, has been arrested on charges of large-scale fraud following complaints from former subordinates. This development comes amidst Russia’s persistent demographic crisis, marked by birth rates falling to historic lows. Despite governmental initiatives and calls for earlier marriages, the country continues to experience a significant decline in population.
Ukraine’s military has reportedly struck the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, a critical Russian missile production facility, with long-range cruise Flamingo missiles. This strategic site is responsible for producing both short-range Iskander-M ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The strike, which resulted in a fire and reported injuries, is part of a broader operation that also targeted other military and industrial sites in Russia and occupied territories. The Votkinsk Plant has been expanding its operations throughout the war, with Ukrainian investigations suggesting it has circumvented international sanctions.
The Supreme Court’s decision on President Trump’s tariffs revealed a significant split among justices appointed by Republican presidents. Justice Gorsuch, in a concurring opinion, highlighted the inconsistency of his dissenting colleagues’ application of the major questions doctrine. While these justices previously invoked the doctrine to limit executive power in cases involving domestic policy like student debt cancellation, they failed to apply it when it would have constrained presidential authority over tariffs. This selective application raises questions about the integrity of their legal reasoning, particularly when contrasted with their past votes on similar issues, such as environmental regulation.
Despite asserting broad executive authority to ban or embargo foreign countries, Donald Trump was recently told by the court that this power does not extend to imposing tariffs. The ruling specifically addressed Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” implemented in April 2025, which were enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). However, Chief Justice John Roberts concluded that the language of the IEEPA does not support the imposition of such fees.
Following a Supreme Court ruling that declared President Trump’s tariffs unconstitutional, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has formally demanded over $8.6 billion in tariff refunds from the White House. The demand, sent via an invoice and sharply worded letter, claims that the tariffs unfairly raised prices and harmed Illinois families. This move tests the practical application of the Supreme Court’s decision, potentially opening the door for other states to pursue similar claims and igniting a broader political debate on accountability and restitution for the unlawful taxes.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed optimism that Americans will not receive billions collected from tariffs, following a Supreme Court ruling that declared their imposition unlawful. The Court’s decision leaves the fate of these collected funds uncertain, with a dissenting justice noting the potential for a “mess” regarding refunds. Bessent previously walked back the president’s pledge of a tariff dividend, suggesting refunds would amount to “corporate welfare,” as reports indicate tariff costs have largely been passed to U.S. consumers and businesses. This comes amidst economic challenges for Americans and the president’s proposal of new across-the-board tariffs.
Invoices from Jeffrey Epstein’s FedEx account, recently accessed by The Ditch, indicate the account was used for shipping long after his 2019 death, with activity recorded as recently as summer 2024. These shipments originated from Gulfstream’s product support center in Savannah, Georgia, and were sent to entities including Plan D LLC, the now-dissolved firm that operated Epstein’s private jet, which Donald Trump used during the 2024 presidential campaign. FedEx has since deleted these specific invoices from Epstein’s account.
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, revealed that it had identified the account of Jesse Van Rootselaar last June for “furtherance of violent activities” and considered alerting Canadian police. However, the company determined at the time that the activity did not meet its threshold for referral to law enforcement, which requires an imminent and credible risk of serious physical harm. Following the tragic school shooting where Van Rootselaar killed eight people, OpenAI proactively shared information about the individual’s use of ChatGPT with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to support their ongoing investigation. The RCMP confirmed receiving this information and is conducting a thorough review of the suspect’s digital and physical evidence.
John Q. Hosedrinker
ICE Agents’ Accidental Shootings Highlight Serious Safety Issues
Recent internal documents reveal three instances where federal immigration agents accidentally shot themselves in the leg during routine firearms training within a two-day period last year. An additional incident involved an accidental taser discharge at an ICE office, with no fatalities reported in any of these cases. These events, occurring during the agency’s rapid expansion and before recent funding increases, raise questions about maintaining rigorous training and oversight amidst workforce growth. While former officials suggest accidental discharges are not uncommon and often involve experienced agents, experts note that rapid expansion necessitates addressing stress and decision-making under pressure to mitigate increased risks.
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