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Today's Headlines: Kash Patel testified before Congress for four and a half hours, during which Republican Senator John Kennedy asked why he would "even get into bestiality" — a reference to the FBI's new hiring policy — and Kash responded that "we're not into bestiality" before claiming the policy change was to help trafficking victims, which is not what the policy said, making it one of the more surreal exchanges in recent congressional history. Kash also defended firing FBI agents for being "disloyal" to Trump by having investigated January 6th or Iranian threats. The Kennedy Center voted to close itself after another judge blocked Trump's name going on the building, Trump posted that it's closing for repairs that will only happen if his name goes on it, and the courts said no again. To add to that loss, Trump went on a Truth Social rant against Kavanaugh, Coney Barrett, and Gorsuch for the mail voting ruling while calling Alito and Thomas "legends both," sent Todd Blanche out to clean it up on TV, and is still pressuring states for voter data and planning to send agents to polling sites in swing counties. On the war beat, the Iran war has officially cost over $38 billion as of August 1st and is projected to add at least half a point to inflation in early 2027 even if it ended today — which it won't — diesel hit an all-time high of $6 a gallon after Iranian drones hit a Saudi pipeline, and the Fed is expected to raise interest rates for the first time since 2023. All that is probably why Thomas Massie introduced a resolution to impeach Pete Hegseth for illegally continuing the Iran war, which probably won't work but will force Republicans on record. And finally, DOGE's approach to shrinking the government cost taxpayers $9.5 billion in 2025 paying federal employees not to work — 435% more in paid administrative leave than the prior year.
Resources/Articles mentioned:
NBC News: Kash Patel defends FBI’s new policy on bestiality at Senate hearing
WaPo: FBI director faces sharp questions from senators about his firing of agents
AP News: Live updates: Kennedy Center board votes to close most of the iconic performing arts venue
NYT: Trump Slams Supreme Court Over Mail-In Voting Ruling
WSJ: Trump’s Frustration With His Own Supreme Court Appointees Boils Over
AP News: Iran war has cost the US more than $38B, budget office says
WSJ: U.S. Diesel Prices Hit New Record High as Fuel Squeeze Bites
Axios: Massie moves to impeach Pete Hegseth over Iran War
WSJ: Pentagon Wants Only the Fittest Troops to Attend Upcoming Hegseth Speech
NYT: Federal Employees Were Paid $9.5 Billion Not to Work in 2025 Under DOGE Effort
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