News On Tap For Friday, July 31, 2026

A Time For Truth & Action

We’ve been saying it this week, & you can taste it in today’s “News On Tap” - there’s a change comin’ as people are demanding change. Meanwhile, Trump & Republicans keep serving up more of the same. From Trump’s Iran Quagmire, to his Other Middle East Messes, to Republicans’ Failed Economics, & the Cluster-F Of Congress, everything Republicans are doing is wrong. The people are coming though, and the polls are reflecting that - now we have to make sure the votes do the same. We also have Climate News, Media News, news in Movies, TV, & Music, & Sports news too. Plus, BOTH Karen & Anita of the Tru Blu Politics podcast will be back in the bar too. Read up, get informed, and we’ll see you here tonight!

First Round - Donald's Failed Foreign Affairs

Trump’s Iran Quagmire

• Iran Admits They Targeted U.S. Military In Thursday Strike In Kuwait, Using Drones [Gift Link]

• Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting At Camp David Amid Widening Iran War, To Try To Find Path Out

• Trump Admin. Sees Iran As Likely Behind Cyberattack On Multiple Minnesota Town & City Water Systems [Gift Link]

• Why Democrats In Congress Won’t Stop Forcing Votes On Trump’s Iran War Powers

The Costs Of War

• Oil Prices Rise Again After Iran Admits They Attacked Two Tankers Transiting Strait Of Hormuz

• Iran War Driving Oil Profits To Highest Levels In Years [Gift Link]

• Trump Regime Now Says They’re Eying Forced Reopening Of Oil Refineries Amid High Gasoline Prices

Other Middle East Messes

• Trump Announces A Deal For Hamas To Disarm In Gaza, But Many Hurdles And Uncertainty Remain

• Hamas Leaders Say Trump’s Gaza ‘Disarmament’ Plan Depends On Israel Honoring Their Commitments To Ceasing Attacks, Allowing More Aid, & Leaving Gaza

Other Foreign Affairs

• 50,000 Immigrants Cross Into Spanish Territory In Deadly Rush Across Border From Morocco After Decision By Spanish Supreme Court

• Ukraine Continues Hitting Russian Logistics Hubs As Trump Waffles On Patriot Missile License

• Trump Officials Mislabel All African Countries On Map At Global Aids Conference As U.S. Cuts HIV Aid

Second Round - Republicans Can't Govern

Republican Economics Has Failed

• Multiple Polls Confirm Americans Are Disgusted With The Current Economy And Are Highly Concerned About Costs

• The Trump Regime Is Ending A Key Medicare Drug Subsidy Program. Here’s How Doing So Will Raise Costs.

• CNN Fact-Checker Daniel Dale Issues Blistering Audit Of Trump’s ‘Everything Is Cheaper’ Lies - No, Everything Isn’t Cheaper. Most Things Are More Expensive

• G. Elliott Morris: Cheaper Gas Alone Won’t Save Trump, Now At Record-Low Approval, And It Won’t Save Republicans Either

Immigration Wars

• At Least 11 Bay Area Residents Detained Amid ICE Airport Crackdown

• Two More Federal Appeals Courts Reject Trump Regime’s Mass Detention Policy For ICE

• Trump Regime To Allow Contract Aiding Unaccompanied Minors Get Through Legal Deportation Proceedings To Expire

Cluster On Capitol Hill

• Thune Claims Senate Republicans Close To Cutting Deal To Pass CR & Avoid Govt. Shutdown Ahead Of Fall Elections

• Senate Leaders Still Consider Blocking Trump Regime Plan To Put Political Appointees In Charge Of Approving Grants As Part Of Stopgap Spending Bill

• Senate Education Committee Approves Measure Blocking Trump’s Effort To Gut Education Dept. [Gift Link]

War In The Courts

• New York State Sues Kalshi, Accusing The Prediction Market Of Running An ‘Illegal Gambling Operation’

• Trump DOJ Forced To Hand Judge Unredacted Epstein Records After Katie Phang’s Court Win

• Decorated Veteran Assaulted By National Guard Troops In D.C. Files Legal Claim To Challenge Abuse

• Colin Gray, Father Of Teenage Shooter In Georgia, Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison [Gift Link]

Third Round - Truth, Polls, & Political Realities

Polls & Politics

• New CNN Poll Says A Third Of Democrats Now Identify As “Democratic Socialists”; Mostly Younger, Less Educated, Aligned With Democrats Already - But Want Action, Not Words

• New Fox Poll Show Talarico With 3 Point Lead Over Paxton In Texas Senate Race, As Texas Voters Think Paxton Lacks The Character To Serve

• Republican Candidate For Ohio Governor, Vivek Ramaswamy, A Trump Ally, Booed Off Stage By Right-Wing Students As Tide Begins Turning On Republicans

• The Reich-Wing Propaganda Gravy-Train Has Hit The Brakes: How The Pro-Trump MAGA Media Is Splintering & Collapsing [Gift Link]

• Virginia Heffernan: Don’t Believe The Mainstream Corporate Media Lie - America Hates Toxic Right-Wing Gasbags. And They’re Finally Walking Away From Them.

War Over Democracy

• Kansas Supreme Court Deals Final Blow To Republican Bid To Throw Out Late-Arriving Mail Ballots

• Tina Peters And Other Election Deniers Claim They’ve Pitched The Trump Administration On A Midterm “Election-Security Plan”

• Multiple State Election Officials Cannot Verify Trump Regime Claims Of 250,000 Non-U.S. Citizens On Voter Rolls; Consider Number Made Up

When They Show You Who They Are

• Ohio Senator Moreno’s Daughter Files New Restraining Order Against Her Ex-Husband, Ohio Republican House Rep. Max Miller

• Democrats Call For Ethics Investigation Into Domestic Violence Issues Of Congressman Max Miller

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Climate Crisis

• French Firefighters Tame Some Wildfires, As Authorities Allow 84,000 Evacuees To Go Home, Even As Blazes Continue Flaring Across Europe

• In Region Hit By Wildfires, French Officials Confirm They Failed To Enforce Proper Environmental Management Rules

• Two New Studies Conclude Human-Caused Climate Change Made Spanish & French Wildfires Much More Likely

Hypocrisy Land

• Socialist-Style State Capture For Me, But Not Thee: Trump Commerce Dept. Quietly Announces 7 New Equity Stakes In Private Companies

• Stephen Miller’s Wife Furiously Backtracks Trashing Of Fauci As His Diary Reveals How Much Dr. Fauci Helped Her & Stephen

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media Matters

• Stephen Colbert Wins Anti-Censorship Award After Ellison’s Red-Pilled Cbs Ends ‘The Late Show’

• Tony Romo On Leave From Cbs Sports ‘Until Further Notice’ After Arrest For Alleged Dui

• Kennedy Center Halts Free Public Tours After Five Decades Of Service [Gift Link]

Movies, TV, & Music

• ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Passes ‘Avengers: Endgame’ With Record $72 Million In Box Office Previews

• ‘Wonder Man’ TV Show Canceled At Disney+ Despite Previous Announcement Of Season 2 Renewal

• RFK Jr Has Launched His Own Cooking Show To Show You The Best Recipes From His Sauerkraut-Heavy Diet

• Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Shaboozey, Slayyyter & More: All The New Music Being Released Today

Sports Entertainment

• Washington Nationals Drop Game One Of Four Game Series 5-4 in Atlanta Vs. Braves

• Roki Sasaki Shines Early, As L.A. Dodgers Beat Seattle Mariners 6-2

• Napheesa Collier, Olivia Miles, And Courtney Williams Each Score 16 As The Minnesota Lynx Beat The Toronto Tempo 104-72, For Their 9th Straight Victory

• A’ja Wilson Hits 33 Points As The Las Vegas Aces Beat The New York Liberty 104-99

• Pressure Rises On Fifa’s Infantino Over Proposed Investor Plan As Key Adviser Resigns And Asian Soccer Federation Joins Europe & North America In Opposition

Your Bar Regulars Tonight

Our friends Karen from Chicago, & Anita From San Antonio, co-hosts of Tru Blu Politics (and on Patreon too) are both back in the bat tonight - and as usual, there’s a lot to talk about! From Trump’s Middle East mess, to the political theatre on Capitol hill, and what polls are telling us about what Americans really want, we’l talk about all that and more - & we’ll talk about The Tru Blu Politics daily podcast at Resistance Journal too. Grab a drink & join us tonight!

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