Early Morning Political News: 4‑Minute Read
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Saturday, July 4, 2026
Federal Level
Trump Calls Communism America’s Greatest Threat at Rushmore
President Trump delivered a sweeping address at Mount Rushmore on Thursday, July 3, calling the United States ‘the most exceptional nation ever to exist’ and declaring communism the country’s gravest threat, surpassing World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, and the September 11 attacks. Speaking beneath the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt on the eve of America’s 250th anniversary, Trump vowed the nation would ‘never be a Communist country’ and issued a stark choice: ‘You can be loyal to Karl Marx, or you can be loyal to America. You cannot be both.’ He then traveled to Washington for today’s National Mall rally. 1, 2
DOGE Officially Expires Today on Independence Day
The U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization formally sunsets today, July 4, fulfilling the expiration date written into President Trump’s January 2025 executive order. Musk had vowed it would ‘delete itself’ when finished, calling July 4 ‘the perfect gift’ to America on its 250th birthday. DOGE claimed $215 billion in savings, though independent reviewers verified only about 30 percent of that total. Musk himself departed in May 2025 after exhausting his 130-day allowance as a special government employee, and the organization was effectively dissolved by November 2025. Budget Director Russ Vought confirmed Thursday that no final DOGE report is planned. 3, 4
FBI Director Patel’s Late Stock Disclosure Raises Ethics Concerns
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed a stock purchase of up to $250,000 in Strategy (MSTR), the Bitcoin-proxy company, more than six months past the 45-day deadline required by the STOCK Act, according to a NOTUS analysis reported Thursday, July 3. Patel bought the shares on November 21, 2025, but did not report the trade until May 26, 2026, attributing the delay to an inadvertent omission. Ethics watchdogs have raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest, given that the FBI plays a central role in cryptocurrency enforcement and Strategy holds government contracts worth millions of dollars. 5
Planned Parenthood Medicaid Funding Restored Today; Battle Looms
The one-year federal ban on Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood expired today, July 4, restoring access to federal funding for the first time since last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill. The ban forced the closure of 30 clinics and cut off roughly $45 million per month in services to Medicaid patients. House conservatives are pressing Speaker Johnson to re-enact the ban through a third reconciliation bill, but Senate Republicans, wary of an abortion fight ahead of November’s midterms, say the votes are not there. At least 13 states are expected to independently continue blocking Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood. 6, 7
Trump Hosts ‘Tribute to America’ Rally on the National Mall Today
President Trump today hosts what he has called ‘the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all’ on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., beginning at 7:00 p.m. as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The evening will include military flyovers, bands performing from Trump’s personal playlist, and what he has billed as ‘the largest fireworks show in history’ near the Washington Monument. The event is organized by Freedom 250, the Trump-aligned entity managing Washington’s semiquincentennial festivities, which House Democrats have accused of diverting donor funds from the bipartisan America250 commission. 8, 9
State Level
Pennsylvania’s Shapiro Warns Trump Will Try to Undermine Fall Vote
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told CNN on Thursday, July 3, that he fully expects President Trump to ‘do everything he can to undermine’ his state’s elections ahead of November’s midterms. Shapiro’s comments came as CNN separately reported that FBI sources confirmed the bureau is actively working to expand its investigation into the 2020 Georgia election results. Pennsylvania is widely regarded as the most critical swing state in the 2026 midterm cycle, and Shapiro has already filed legal action challenging a Trump executive order on election administration. 10
Michigan Passes $75 Billion Budget Amid Federal Funding Cuts
Michigan lawmakers worked through the night to pass a bipartisan $75.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 on Friday morning, July 3, sending the plan to Governor Gretchen Whitmer for her expected signature. The budget includes no new taxes, preserves the state’s rainy-day fund, and cuts general fund spending by $859 million, a direct response to reductions in federal Medicaid and SNAP funding under the Trump administration. The deal included a 2.5 percent increase in per-pupil school funding and $52.7 million for roads and bridges. 11, 12
Alaska ‘Decoy Dan Sullivan’ Battle Reaches New Phase
After the Alaska Supreme Court’s June 29 ruling allowed a retired teacher named Dan Sullivan to remain on the Republican Senate primary ballot alongside incumbent U.S. Senator Dan S. Sullivan, the state’s Division of Elections was working Thursday, July 3, on how to add identifying information to distinguish the two candidates. Election experts warn that the near-identical names, combined with Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, could split the incumbent’s votes and benefit Democratic challenger Mary Peltola, a race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate. 13, 14
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Article Sources
1. Fox News, “Trump hails America as ‘most exceptional nation ever to exist’ in Mount Rushmore speech,” July 4, 2026.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-hails-america-most-exceptional-nation-ever-exist-mount-rushmore-speech
2. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Trump hails US exceptionalism before veering into darkly political speech to usher in America 250,” July 4, 2026.
https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/07/extreme-heat-bears-down-as-america-250-celebrations-ramp-up-trump-speaks-at-mount-rushmore/
3. E&E News / Politico, “DOGE self-deletes on July 4th. The grand experiment fell apart long before that,” July 1, 2026.
https://www.eenews.net/articles/doge-self-deletes-on-july-4th-the-grand-experiment-fell-apart-long-before-that/
4. Nextgov, “As DOGE formally sunsets, its public record is still evolving,” July 1, 2026.
https://www.nextgov.com/policy/2026/07/doge-formally-sunsets-its-public-record-still-evolving/414571/
5. Bitcoin Magazine / NOTUS, “FBI Director Kash Patel Disclosed $250,000 Strategy Stock Purchase Six Months Late,” July 1, 2026.
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/fbi-director-kash-patel-did-not-disclose
6. The Hill, “Planned Parenthood set to regain federal funding as GOP ban expires,” July 2, 2026.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5952223-planned-parenthood-regains-funding/
7. NOTUS, “Republicans Unlikely to ‘Defund’ Planned Parenthood Again,” June 21, 2026.
https://www.notus.org/us-news/republicans-unlikely-to-defund-planned-parenthood-again
8. Politico, “Trump announces July Fourth ‘TRUMP RALLY’ on National Mall,” June 15, 2026.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/15/trump-announces-july-fourth-rally-00962105
9. USA Today, “What are President Trump’s July 4th plans? What we know,” July 1, 2026.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/07/01/trump-july-4-2026-schedule/90765842007/
10. CNN, “A swing state Democratic Governor is worried Trump will do everything he can to undermine his state’s elections in November,” July 3, 2026.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/03/politics/video/inside-politics-shapiro-governor-pennsylvania-elections
11. CBS News Detroit, “Michigan lawmakers pass $75 billion 2027 state budget, send bill to Whitmer’s desk,” July 2, 2026.
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/michigan-lawmakers-pass-2027-state-budget/
12. Detroit Free Press, “Michigan lawmakers approve compromise budget after marathon session,” July 3, 2026.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2026/07/03/michigan-lawmakers-pass-2027-budget/90793133007/
13. The Hill, “Alaska Supreme Court affirms other Dan Sullivan can stay on Senate ballot,” June 30, 2026.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5948345-dan-sullivan-ballot-alaska/
14. Fox News, “Court keeps ‘Decoy Dan’ on Alaska ballot as expert warns ranked-choice system creates voter ‘traps’,” June 30, 2026.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/expert-sounds-alarm-legal-battle-candidates-same-name-critical-senate-race-takes-new-turn