More than one million children across the United States have lost access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits after Congress approved the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, according to a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP or food stamps, provides monthly benefits to low‑income households and is the nation’s largest food assistance program. Participation has been declining since major reductions were enacted under the 2025 Republican reconciliation law, which transferred a portion of SNAP costs to states based on error rates and tightened eligibility criteria. The report found that more than four million Americans were removed from SNAP between July 2025 and March 2026, marking a significant decline in overall participation. Arizona recorded the largest drop, with more than 450,000 residents leaving the program, cutting state participation in half according to state data through May. Children represent a significant share of those losing benefits, with more than one million children in 19 states no longer receiving assistance, the analysis said. In Louisiana, nearly one‑quarter of children on SNAP lost benefits; Massachusetts and Texas each saw close to one‑fifth of enrolled children removed, the report indicated. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities warned that without congressional action the decline could worsen, stating that immediate delay of the cost‑shift would prevent further cuts. Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said on the House floor that the outcomes highlighted the need for reversal of the cuts, noting that her amendment to restore benefits was rejected by the Republican majority. The US Conference of Mayors, a nonpartisan organization representing cities with populations of at least 30,000, sent a letter to the Senate signed by more than 200 mayors urging lawmakers to reverse the SNAP cuts amid a deepening food‑security crisis, saying hunger is not a partisan issue. The CBPP said the situation is likely to continue deteriorating unless Congress intervenes, leaving the future of food assistance for millions of children uncertain.

At a Wednesday hearing, the Environmental Protection Agency presented a proposed rule that would allow states to decide how long and when the public may participate in permitting for minor air‑pollution sources, including gas plants and diesel generators used by data centers. The Clean Air Act requires public notice for major sources but only minimal requirements for minor sources, and current EPA rules mandate some participation, though state enforcement varies. Vanessa Lynch, a Pennsylvania organizer with Moms Clean Air Force, told the agency that residents want a voice in decisions that affect their neighborhoods. Keri Powell, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said her group has used public permit filings to alert Georgia officials about data‑center projects, and a federal rollback could limit that ability. An EPA spokesperson said the change would place state and local agencies in charge of scheduling public participation without altering emission standards. Kentucky Resources Council senior attorney Byron Gary said state agencies have informally committed to keeping their participation rules unchanged, though a new administration could reverse that stance. In Texas, where private gas plants have expanded to support data‑center growth, limited state oversight has left some nearby communities surprised by the scale of fossil‑fuel infrastructure. The Trump administration has prioritized artificial‑intelligence development, seeking to remove regulatory obstacles for data‑center construction, and spending on data‑center construction has recently exceeded public‑transportation spending.

The White House Correspondents' Association dinner is set for Friday at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, with increased security, a smaller guest list and a reduced program.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at 8:55 p.m. EDT, marking his first appearance at the dinner since a gunman breached a security checkpoint in April and forced an evacuation.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump intends to finish what he started and may deliver remarks he described as "rather nasty" toward certain journalists.

Trump said on Truth Social that he is uncertain whether he will use the same "rather nasty" language, adding that the appearance will be a "HOT ticket."

The dinner will include two new awards: one to Secret Service agent Victor Gonzales, who was struck while staffing a checkpoint in April, and another to the staff of the Washington Hilton, the original venue.

WHCA president Weijia Jiang said the event will honor service and reaffirm the press’s role, stating that the dinner will not let violence have the final word, especially during the 250th anniversary of American democracy.

Some observers have questioned whether the dinner should be rescheduled, arguing that the formal pairing of journalists with their sources can undermine public confidence in the press.

Tensions between the administration and the media have grown, including sanctions on White House correspondents, Federal Communications Commission actions and a recent New York court case in which the government withdrew subpoenas for three New York Times reporters.

A coalition of press freedom organizations and hundreds of former journalists urged the WHCA to challenge the administration at the dinner, saying it would be hypocritical to celebrate the First Amendment while the president’s actions threaten it.

The dinner will be streamed live, and viewers can watch the event on the PBS website.

Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general and Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, held a rally in McAllen, Texas, to court Hispanic voters, while Democratic nominee James Talarico emphasized cost‑of‑living issues in the same border region.

The contest is one of several competitive statewide races that could influence control of the Senate, and Hispanic voters, who make up a large share of the Rio Grande Valley population, have been a focal point of both campaigns.

At the outdoor rally, held in 100‑degree heat, Paxton and other Republican candidates criticized Talarico, describing him as a "gay vegan" and questioning his religious statements, while emphasizing Trump’s border security measures and framing the election as a cultural referendum.

Local residents and business leaders say Trump’s immigration policies have reduced workforce availability in construction and slowed cross‑border commerce, with more than 60 % of Hispanic respondents in a July POLITICO poll saying the mass deportation effort was too aggressive.

A June survey commissioned by the U.S. Hispanic Business Council found that one in five Hispanic business owners reported an employee deportation in the past year and 70 % indicated tariffs had hurt their operations; Talarico holds a seven‑point lead over Paxton among those surveyed, despite a plurality identifying as Republican.

Talarico, who appeared in McAllen the day after Paxton’s rally, outlined a border security plan that includes additional Border Patrol staffing and more immigration judges to address asylum backlogs, and he promoted measures to lower health‑care costs and protect Medicaid and Social Security.

Both campaigns have increased Spanish‑language outreach, with Talarico running ads during the World Cup and Paxton’s team focusing on cultural issues; Democratic officials note higher primary turnout in March, suggesting increased engagement among Hispanic voters.

While Paxton argues that a secure border and traditional values will retain Hispanic support, analysts say the outcome will depend on how voters balance cultural concerns with economic pressures stemming from immigration enforcement and trade policies.

Former FDA deputy commissioner Frank Yiannas said the federal response to a cyclospora outbreak that has sickened more than 4,000 people is poorly managed.

The illness, caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, has created confusion and mixed messages from federal agencies.

Yiannas, who served as deputy commissioner for food policy from 2018 to 2023 under both the Trump and Biden administrations, called for an independent review and said public understanding of the disease remains limited.

He noted that the FDA initially identified lettuce from Taylor Farms, a supplier to Taco Bell, as linked to the outbreak before retracting that statement.

Taylor Farms said the FDA apologized, a claim the FDA denied.

The FDA continues to maintain evidence linking the lettuce to the outbreak and has expanded its investigation to about 7,400 potential cases across nine states.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the outbreak is under control.

Yiannas said the FDA should provide more detail on how the missteps occurred and what steps will be taken to prevent future incidents, and he urged that any review be conducted with congressional oversight or by an independent inspector.

The FDA has not responded to the request for investigation.

The situation remains unresolved as the FDA continues its investigation.

President Donald Trump hosted nuclear power company executives in the Oval Office on Friday and announced that four reactors have reached critical status as part of a pilot program he established last year to accelerate domestic nuclear power development. The program, created by executive actions in 2023, set a goal of having four reactors achieve criticality by Independence Day, a deadline that was met. Trump said the United States is building again and leading in next‑generation nuclear power, while declining to indicate any urgency regarding the war in Iran despite rising gas prices and inflation. He refused to answer whether targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran would constitute a war crime, stating he would not respond to the question. Trump said the United States and Iran are engaged in talks with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials, describing the discussions as becoming more serious. He added that Venezuela is not yet ready to hold elections following the removal of President Nicolás Maduro, without providing further details on the country's political situation. Regarding the subpoenas issued to three New York Times journalists, Trump said his administration had withdrawn them after acknowledging legal errors, asserting the investigation remains ongoing and that the focus is on leakers rather than journalists. He also announced plans to impose major tariffs on Mexico over a lettuce‑related parasite outbreak and on Canada due to wildfire smoke, and said he would be willing to call senators to assist the passage of a stalled elections bill, noting his prior role in moving the legislation through the House. The remarks were made during a Friday briefing, with Trump indicating that while the nuclear milestone represents progress, broader policy decisions on energy, foreign relations and legislative priorities remain pending.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds said he will introduce an artificial intelligence bill of rights in the Florida Legislature next year if elected.

The proposal, which passed the Senate but stalled in the House amid a dispute between Governor Ron DeSantis and Speaker Daniel Perez, would require AI chatbot platforms to display a notice at the beginning of each interaction and at least once each hour, remind users to log off and take breaks, and obtain parental consent for minors.

It also would bar state contracts with AI firms in China and Russia, allow schools to give parents an opt‑out option for AI use, and extend name, image and likeness protections.

Donalds said that many who criticize AI use it themselves, citing videos that create altered images of public figures. He noted Florida’s grid has about five gigawatts of surplus power, enough for up to five hyperscale data centers, each needing one gigawatt; Texas builds more because it uses shale‑gas power.

He called for model policies on data center construction, small modular nuclear reactors, micronuclear reactors and closed‑loop water filtration, and said new facilities would be less resource‑intensive than older builds.

The candidate backed SB 484, which requires data centers to cover their own utility costs and permits reclaimed water for cooling, while obligating users of more than 100,000 gallons per day to outline water‑conservation plans.

University of North Florida polling shows 68% of Florida voters oppose locating a data center locally. Donalds' plan will require legislative action and may encounter public resistance.

Five candidates are running for the St. Petersburg City Council District 6 seat being vacated by Gina Driscoll, who is leaving due to term limits. The primary election is scheduled for August 18, and if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to the November general election.

District 6 covers parts of southeast St. Petersburg from 12th Avenue North to 54th Avenue South and from Tampa Bay to 16th Street. As of July 10, the most recent date with publicly available campaign finance records, Terri Balliet had raised nearly $50,000 with just over $5,000 on hand, while Trevor Mallory raised nearly $36,000 with more than $14,000 remaining. Linsey Grove raised nearly $27,000 and has about $13,000 in the bank. Doug Homeyer and Jameka Williams each raised less than $14,000 and less than $7,000, respectively.

Florida Politics distributed candidate questionnaires to all five contenders and is publishing the responses verbatim to help voters learn about the candidates on the August 18 primary ballot.

Linsey Grove, a candidate in the race, is the CEO and co‑owner of The Hypatia Collaborative. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Health Education from Central Michigan University in 2010, a Master of Public Health in 2013, and a Doctorate in Public Health in 2018 from the University of South Florida. She has lived in St. Petersburg for 16 years, 13 of them in District 6. She has been a member of the League of Women Voters of St. Petersburg since 2017, serving as president from 2019 to 2022, and co‑founded its Social Justice Committee. She led a civic health study funded by the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg and supported a mail‑ballot voter turnout campaign. She managed the 2022 campaign of Dr. Keesha Benson for Pinellas County School Board and was appointed to the Pinellas County Council for Persons with Disabilities in 2017 and to the Pinellas County Charter Review Commission in 2023 as an at‑large member and vice chair.

Grove says she is running to provide residents with a council member who is accessible and responsive. As the only candidate who qualified by petition and canvassed more than 2,500 voters, she says she will listen to residents and focus on issues that matter most to them.

If elected, Grove’s top three priorities are increasing housing affordability for residents and small businesses, upgrading water, wastewater, transit and street infrastructure, and creating a more accessible city government that supports neighborhood associations and civic engagement. She proposes building and rehabilitating affordable housing, expanding public transit, implementing Complete Streets, and seeking voter‑approved bonds and continuing the SPAR program for stormwater and infrastructure upgrades. She also calls for preventive measures such as smart meters and low‑income assistance for high water bills.

Grove notes that the city’s water and wastewater systems have suffered from more than 20 years of deferred maintenance and that a new government bond and continued SPAR funding would accelerate needed upgrades. She supports a comprehensive sustainability and resiliency plan that includes stormwater system improvements, land‑use regulation, affordable housing preservation, sea‑level rise mitigation, renewable energy transition and stronger community engagement through workshops and partnerships with neighborhood associations.

She says the affordability crisis can be eased by increasing the supply of affordable housing, limiting corporate purchases of single‑family homes in the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area, expanding public transit and supporting workforce development to raise resident incomes.

Regarding water bills, Grove recommends a case management approach that includes clear dispute processes, payment plans, low‑income assistance and the deployment of smart meters to improve usage measurement.

She acknowledges that state preemption has limited local initiatives, such as the removal of street murals, and says she would assess the constitutionality and impact of such laws with advocates and the city legal department to protect community interests.

If elected, Grove would prioritize community‑driven redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant site, seeking broader resident input, city ownership options and a community benefits advisory board with accountability measures.

She emphasizes the need for sustainability and resilience, calling for stormwater infrastructure upgrades, land‑use reforms, affordable housing preservation, sea‑level rise mitigation, a transition to renewable energy and enhanced community engagement.

Grove added that she did not use artificial intelligence to draft her responses and believes candidates should speak in their own words.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Representative Haley Stevens on Friday during the state’s Democratic Senate primary. Whitmer said in a video posted to Stevens’ account that her strategy as governor is to get things done, which guided her decision to support Stevens for the U.S. Senate seat. Stevens is scheduled to host a meet‑and‑greet with Whitmer and Representative Jim Clyburn in Detroit on Friday afternoon. Stevens and public health official Abdul El‑Sayed are the two main Democratic candidates competing in the August 4 primary to replace retiring Senator Gary Peters. El‑Sayed’s campaign has attracted progressive support, while Stevens has received backing from more centrist Democrats and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Stevens posted on social media that she was thrilled to have Whitmer’s endorsement, describing Whitmer as a champion for the state who understands the stakes of the race. The Democratic primary has drawn national attention as party leaders seek to keep the seat in the Democratic column while Republicans aim to flip it. The November general election will feature Stevens or El‑Sayed against Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former congressman who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Stevens represents the moderate wing of the party, while El‑Sayed aligns with the progressive wing, a split reflected in endorsements: Stevens also earned a statement from outgoing Senator Gary Peters, and El‑Sayed has received endorsements from progressive lawmakers including Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez, Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren. Warren’s video endorsement highlighted El‑Sayed’s pledge to forgo corporate contributions and criticized Stevens for accepting outside spending, including nearly $30 million from the AIPAC‑aligned United Democracy Project.

Political cartoonists across the United States produced a weekly collection of cartoons reflecting the week's political events, compiled and edited by Matt Wuerker. Cartoonists use editorial illustrations to comment on legislation, leadership, and public controversies, a tradition that has accompanied American political discourse for more than a century. The selection includes works from cartoonists representing diverse ideological viewpoints, each employing visual satire to highlight policy developments, campaign tactics, and governmental actions. The compilation was curated from submissions submitted to the Toonosphere platform and presented as a snapshot of contemporary political commentary. The collection offers readers a visual summary of recent political narratives without endorsing any particular perspective, and the week's cartoonists continue to provide weekly analyses as the political calendar advances.