In Case You Missed It … This Week in News

A lot happened in the world this week – Make sure you didn’t miss it with Liberty Nation GenZ’s weekly news roundup!

Sunday, August 2, 2026

Trump Pushes Back Against DOJ Dropping Reflecting Pool Charges

President Donald Trump pushed back against the Department of Justice (DOJ) dropping its criminal charges against a former Olympian canoeist relating to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro had dismissed the case on July 31, writing in a filing that the damage was caused by a “rushed and botched installation” rather than vandalism. The president said on social media that he disagrees with the decision.

State Department Urges Americans to Leave Middle East

The State Department urged Americans to consider leaving the Middle East or be ready to depart on short notice. In an August 1 statement, the State Department warned of “flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruption” relating to the five-month-old war in Iran. Trump had stated a day earlier that he plans to “punish” Tehran and will be “hitting them very hard.”

2 Dead in Gaza After Israeli Strikes

The Israeli military initiated multiple strikes in Gaza on August 1. In one incident, the military killed two Palestinians in Gaza. Another one involved destroying two warehouses close to a hospital that were reportedly storing medicine, including supplies to treat patients undergoing kidney dialysis. Additional sites Israel said Hamas was using to store weapons were also struck, the military added.

9 Killed, Dozens Injured in Russian Strikes on Kyiv

At least nine people are dead and dozens more are injured after Russia conducted ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X on August 1. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones destroyed a Russian-owned container ship in the Black Sea a day earlier, but Moscow said that all 17 crew members were rescued.

Report: US Treasury Bought Japanese Yen to Support Currency

The Treasury Department purchased Japanese yen on July 31 for the first time in more than a decade as Washington aims to support its Asian ally, according to the Financial Times. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reportedly sold euros for yen on behalf of the Treasury through Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Hours earlier, a Reuters photo of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s notepad read “Buy Japanese Yen (JPY) $5-10 bil.”

Monday, August 3, 2026

Trump Says New Iran Peace Talks to Take Place Today

President Donald Trump on Sunday “said talks ​with Iran will happen today but declined to set a deadline for an agreement after earlier saying he had called off an ‌imminent attack in hopes of quickly reaching a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resolve the impasse over Tehran’s nuclear capabilities,” Reuters reports.

Bernie Sanders Slams ‘Way Out of Touch’ Democrat Establishment

Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Sunday ripped the Democrat establishment as being controlled by its donors, saying it has lost its connection to regular Americans and that his explains the success of self-described socialists in party primaries this year.

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Trump: Iran Has ‘Last Chance’ to Sign Peace Deal Before ‘Decapitation’

President Donald Trump warned that Iran has “one last chance” to accept a peace agreement before facing “decapitation,” telling reporters at the White House on August 3 that his administration has begun negotiations with Tehran. Iranian officials denied this claim. Trump urged Iran to “sign a good document” that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and place new limits on its nuclear program.

25 States Sue Trump Administration Over Latest Tariffs

A coalition of 25 Democratic-led states sued the Trump administration over its latest forced-labor tariffs on goods from 60 trading partners. The states argue in August 3 court filings that the levies of 10% or 12.5% under Section 301 of the Trade Act had already been rejected by the Supreme Court and the US Court of International Trade. They also asked the court to block and overturn the import taxes and refund the tariffs paid by the states. “After losing at the Supreme Court, the administration is once again trying to illegally raise taxes on families and businesses with a new round of tariffs,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.

Trump to Oil Companies: You Made ‘Too Much Money’ on High Energy Prices

President Trump doubled down on his earlier August 3 Truth Social post, telling reporters at the White House that Chevron and ExxonMobil made “too much money” on rising crude oil prices from the five-month-old war in Iran. “They’re making too much money based on a shortage. I don’t like it,” the president said. “Chevron, too much money. ExxonMobil, too much money. They’re going to give some of that back to the public and they better cut the retail price, the consumer price.”

US Manufacturing Activity Hits Four-year High in July

US factory activity is booming. The Institute for Supply Management’s widely watched survey of America’s manufacturing industry revealed that growth accelerated at the fastest pace since May 2022 and has registered seven consecutive monthly expansions. While price pressures remained elevated, manufacturing employment posted its first expansion since January 2025.

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro ‘Choked’ Over Reflecting Pool Case

President Trump thinks US Attorney Jeanine Pirro “choked” after dropping charges against former US Olympian canoeist David Hearns in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case. “The judge was extremely unfriendly to Jeanine, and frankly, I think she choked because the judge was really vicious,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on August 3. “Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department,” he added. “And I guess she choked. I don’t know what the hell happened.”

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

SpaceX Revenues Surge 92% in First Earnings Report Since IPO

Elon Musk’s SpaceX released its first earnings report since debuting on Wall Street in June. While investors were disappointed, the numbers beat expectations. Revenues soared 92% year-over-year to $7.81 billion, topping the consensus forecast of $6.93 billion. Loss per share was also just nine cents versus the projected 26 cents. The rocks-and-AI company reported that its three segments in terms of revenue were connectivity ($4.29 billion), AI ($2.56 billion), and space ($962 million). Traders were disappointed as shares fell almost 8% in after-hours trading.

Job Openings Ease in June, More Americans Quit Positions

The number of job openings slipped below 7.4 million in June, according to new data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on August 4. Job vacancies fell by 178,000 to 7.359 million, coming in below the market estimate of 7.4 million. The drop was driven by health care (147,000), leisure and hospitality (86,000), and wholesale trade (74,000). But vacancies rose in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (97,000) and the federal government (39,000).

Thursday, August 6, 2026

House Democrats Refer Energy Secretary to DOJ for Probe

Two House Democrats referred Energy Secretary Chris Wright to the Department of Justice for a potential investigation. In a letter made public on August 5, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Gabe Amo (D-RI) alleged that Wright lied to Congress about whether billions in climate-related grants and green funding were canceled for partisan reasons. The referral does not mean the Justice Department will probe Wright.

Private Sector Adds Just 44,000 Jobs in July

Private-sector hiring slowed in July ahead of the highly anticipated nonfarm payrolls report. Private companies created 44,000 jobs last month, down from the downwardly adjusted 95,000 in June, according to payroll processor ADP. Employment gains were centered in education and health services (36,000) and financial activities (10,000). There was a divergence in wage gains: job changers enjoyed a 7% year-over-year increase while those who stayed in their positions saw pay gains hold steady at 4.4%.