DOJ Targets Reporters As Trump Caves to Canada

DOJ Subpoenas Times Reporters Over Air Force One Story; Trump Talks “Instructions” for Iran; McConnell Still Missing; Trump Caves to Canada

Good morning,

Federal agents showed up at the homes of four New York Times reporters Friday night with subpoenas tied to their coverage of a security threat involving Trump’s new Air Force One, Trump is describing the posthumous orders he has left behind in case Iran succeeds in assassinating him, a top election forecaster just shifted four governors races toward Democrats, and Trump is quietly reopening a Canadian bridge that had been closed amid suspicions the closure was a favor to a major donor family. Let’s get into it.

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DOJ Subpoenas Four Times Reporters Over Air Force One Coverage

Federal agents delivered subpoenas to the homes of four New York Times journalists Friday night, ordering them to appear before a federal grand jury this week. Reporters Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt are all being compelled to testify after their reporting on a security threat involving Trump’s new Air Force One, the jet Trump accepted as a gift from the Qatari government.

The Times called the move “an extraordinary escalation” in efforts to intimidate independent journalism, and the paper’s lawyer described federal agents showing up at reporters’ homes as a “brazen act” that “should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution.” The subpoenas themselves are vague, asking only that the journalists testify about an unspecified violation of federal criminal law.

The DOJ insists the reporters are not targets and that the investigation is focused on whoever leaked classified information. The underlying story reported that Trump switched planes during a trip to Turkey at the Secret Service’s request because of an unspecified threat, something Trump has since tied to an Iranian assassination plot, even as he publicly claimed the swap was so troops in the UK could admire the new jet.

Trump Details “Instructions” He Has Left Behind if Iran Kills Him

In a new interview, Trump described the posthumous orders he says he has left in place in case Iran succeeds in assassinating him, as the war between the two countries stretches into its fifth month. “I’ve left instructions, if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before,” Trump said.

The comments come after Israeli intelligence reportedly informed U.S. officials of an Iranian plot against Trump while he was in Turkey for a NATO summit this week, prompting him to leave the country on a different plane than the one he arrived on. Trump has made similar statements about posthumous retaliation since shortly after taking office in 2025.

Trump also took aim at his own negotiating team, saying it is “a waste of time” continuing talks with Iran through son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff. Even Fox News host Brian Kilmeade criticized the pair this week, noting they have not been effective negotiators in Ukraine, Gaza, or now Iran.

Election Forecaster Shifts Four Governors Races Toward Democrats

The Cook Political Report has moved four gubernatorial races in Democrats’ direction, while Republicans saw only one race shift their way. Ohio moved from “Lean R” to “Toss Up,” a serious blow to MAGA candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, while Arizona shifted from “Toss Up” to “Lean D.” New Mexico and Maine are now both rated “Solid D.” The lone shift toward Republicans came in Oregon, where poor approval ratings for the Democratic incumbent moved the race from “Solid D” to “Likely D.”

Ohio Republicans privately admit they are “not optimistic” about Ramaswamy, with one GOP source telling Cook Political Report he was “the wrong guy to roll the dice with in this political environment.” If Democrats flip Ohio and hold their expected gains elsewhere, they could control more governorships nationally than Republicans for the first time in over a decade. Prediction markets now give Democrats an 81 percent chance of retaking the House and a 44 percent chance of taking the Senate.

Trump Quietly Reopens Canadian Bridge After Donor Family Suspicions

Trump is backing off his aggressive trade posture toward Canada, quietly allowing the completed Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario to finally open on July 27. The bridge had sat closed for months after Trump refused to open it, officially as protest over Canadian trade practices, while demanding the U.S. be given at least half ownership despite an existing agreement to simply split toll revenue.

Political observers had pointed out that the new bridge would compete directly with the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, controlled by a trucking family that contributed heavily to Trump’s super PAC, raising questions about who the closure was really protecting. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer celebrated the announcement, calling the bridge a testament to Michigan and Canada’s partnership.

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John, Justin and the Raw America Team

Stories You May Have Missed:

· Graham Platner has officially dropped out of the Maine Senate race. After the sexual assault allegation from a former partner surfaced this week, the Democratic candidate ended his bid to challenge Sen. Susan Collins. Maine Democrats now have until July 27 to pick a replacement, and Politico describes an “18-day primary” scramble already underway.

· Trump fired the last remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission. Two Democratic commissioners were fired outright and a Republican commissioner resigned, leaving the federal agency responsible for certifying voting systems and setting election guidelines unable to act just months before the midterms.

· An ICE shooting in Houston is raising serious questions. Federal agents killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a father and small business owner, during an operation in which he was reportedly not even the target. Witnesses and video evidence reportedly contradict the official ICE account, and his family is demanding answers while Mexico separately pursues criminal charges over deaths of Mexican nationals in ICE custody.

· New Mexico’s attorney general is accusing Trump’s DOJ of obstruction. The state’s top law enforcement official formally alleges the Justice Department has been interfering with an inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein’s New Mexico ranch property.

· A bipartisan housing affordability bill is headed to law, with or without Trump’s signature. Trump has said he “will not sign” the measure “in protest” but stopped short of threatening a veto, meaning the bill can still become law over his objections.