News On Tap For Friday, July 25, 2025

Things Are Gettin’ Sticky

Today’s “News On Tap” is like the weather this week: hot & sticky in all kinds of disgusting ways – like the Epstein scandal, still sticking to Trump. There’s far more news than just that, though. From the MAGA uncivil war, to their war on good government, and immigration, to the wars in Gaza, & in the media, we’ve got updates on all of it. Plus, our friends & bar regulars Karen & Anita of Tru Blu Politics are joining us tonight for drinks & laughs. But first, read up & get informed, so you can be the coolest one at the bar this evening.

First Round - Flailin’ & Failin’

Not The Crime But The Coverup

• Trump's Former Fixer - And Current Deputy Atty. General - Todd Blanche Meets For Second Day With Ghislaine Maxwell

• Can Ghislaine Maxwell Be Trusted To Tell The Truth About Jeffrey Epstein?

• Donald Trump’s Name Is Discovered On Contributor List For Epstein Birthday Book, Along With Other Famous & Infamous People [Gift Link]

• The Frantic Scouring Of The Epstein Files By The Trump Admin. Went On Longer Than Previously Known [Gift Link]

• Epstein Victim Annie Farmer Says 'Rollercoaster' Of Epstein Files Saga Is A 'Real Weight' On Victims

• Trump Cranks Up Distraction Machine But Public Focus Refuses To Budge From Epstein Scandal

Trump Is Failing

• Fed Chair Powell Embarrasses Trump, Correctly Telling Trump He Was Wrong About Fed Building Renovation Costs During Fed Visit

• New Gallup Poll: Independents Drive Trump's Approval Down To 37%, A Second-Term Low

Second Round - The Right's Many Wars

MAGA's New Uncivil War

• House Republicans Send Warning Shot At Pam Bondi For Fumbling Epstein Saga "So Badly"

• Hegseth’s Signal Scandal Is Wearing On Trump Officials & Some Are Openly Saying They Now Expect Him To Be Shown The Door

• New Focus Group Report Shows Nevada Swing Voters Turning On Trump

The Right's War On Good Govt. Continues

• Trump Regime To Shatter USDA, Cutting Salaries Drastically & Forcibly Relocating Most Of Its DC-Based Workforce Across The U.S.

• Trump IRS Now Considering Eliminating Non-English Language Tax Services To Comply With Trump Exec. Order That Claims English Is The Official Language

• Social Security Recipients Set To Face An $18,000 Benefit Cut In Just Seven Years, Sooner Than Projected, Due To Republicans' Big, Ugly Bill

• The Cruelty Is The Point: Trump's New Executive Order On Unhoused People Pushes Forcible Hospitalization As A Solution

Immigration Wars

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Announces DHS Has Begun Flying Migrants Out Of Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz'

• Gay Makeup Artist Andry Hernández Romero Describes Horrific Sexual & Physical Abuse At CECOT In El Salvador

• Quebec Man Warning Canadian Boaters After He Was Arrested For Fishing By U.S. Coast Guard, Put In Jail Cell

• Trump's DOJ Sues NYC Over ‘Sanctuary City’ Policies

Third Round - More News To Drink About

Justice & Injustice

• Over The Objections Of Thomas, Alito And Gorsuch, Supreme Court Temporarily Pauses Ruling Weakening Voting Rights Act In Shadow Docket Action

• Former Jan. 6 Prosecutor & Other Former DOJ Employees Sue Trump Admin. Over Firings

• In An Illegal Move, Alina Habba Declares Herself Acting U.S. Attorney For New Jersey, Days After A Panel Of Federal Judges Replaced Her

• Moment Of Weird: Chuck E. Cheese Employee In Mouse Costume Arrested By Tallahassee Police Department For Credit Card Fraud

Miscellaneous But Important

• In Clearly Pre-Meditated Attack On Abortion Rights, Texas Man Files Lawsuit Challenging Telehealth Abortions, Citing The Comstock Act

• UnitedHealth Insurance Admits They Are Now Cooperating With DOJ Investigations Into Fraudulent Medicare Advantage Billing Practices

• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Opens The Door To Redrawing House Lines To Fight Republican House Cheating & Gerrymandering

• Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez Launches Gubernatorial Bid, As Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers Announces He Will Not Seek Reelection

Foreign Affairs

• French President Macron Confirms France Will Recognize The Palestinian State At UN General Assembly

• U.S. & Israel Recall Negotiating Teams From Gaza Talks, Raising Doubts Over Ceasefire

• Mass Starvation Stalks Gaza As Deaths From Hunger Rise [Gift Link]

• Ryan Cooper: Israel’s Endgame Is Clear. Gaza Is Being Deliberately Starved. The West Bank Is Next.

Fourth Round - Entertainment & More

Rest In Peace & Power

• Chuck Mangione, Jazz Musician Who Crossed Over With '70s Pop Hit 'Feels So Good,' Dies At 84

• Chef Anne Burrell’s Cause Of Death Ruled A Suicide

Media Matters

• Trump's FCC Approves Paramount’s $8B Deal With Skydance After Months Of Chaos And Political Intrigue

• For Paramount, Hundreds Of Job Cuts Loom Once Skydance Merger Is Completed

• After 34 Years On Air, E! News Is Being Cancelled By NBCU Spinoff Versant

• Donations To NPR And PBS Stations Temporarily Surge After Trump & Republicans Gutted Funding

Entertainment & More

• ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Makes $24.4 Million From Box Office Preview Showings, Beating ‘Superman’ For Biggest Opening Of 2025

• ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Review: This Sequel Is Terrible — And Fans Will Love It

• ‘Resident Alien’ Canceled At USA Network Ahead Of Season 4 Finale

• Trump Signs Executive Order Claiming To Prohibit 'Third-Party, Pay-For-Play Payments' To Athletes

• Shehan Jeyarajah: Will Donald Trump's Order On College Sports Have Immediate Impact? No, But Wheels Are In Motion For Change

Your Bar Regulars Tonight…

After a week of hot & ugly news, the hosts of Tru Blu Politics, Karen from Chicago & Anita From San Antonio, are back at the bar tonight, to grab some cool drinks & laugh, as we recap the week’s news. Plus, we’ll talk about some of the great - and not so great - entertainers we’ve lost in just the last week. And we’ll celebrate some of the good things that happened this week too!

---

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

• Detour Talk Radio - Tri-Cities Area Of Tennessee

• WCPT AM 820 – Chicago

• AM 950 - Minneapolis/St. Paul

• America One Radio - Atlanta

• Progressive Voices Radio - Worldwide, Via Tune In