Famine
Week of July 18-24, 2025
Welcome to TRACKING THE CRISIS, a weekly round-up from The Democracy Collaborative tracking the administrative, legislative, and other actions of the Trump Administration as well as the many forms of legal and movement response from across a broad range of social, political, and economic actors. TDC is providing this service for collective informational purposes, as a tool for understanding the times during a period of disorientingly rapid flux and change in the U.S. political economy. TDC should not be understood as endorsing or otherwise any of the specific content of the information round-up.
TRUMP TRACKER: Administration actions
Gaza starvation crisis hits critical stage as international condemnation grows; U.S. and Israel pull out of ceasefire talks. UN officials and over 100 aid organizations warned that the mass starvation crisis in Gaza is becoming critical as harrowing images of widespread suffering have become impossible for mainstream media and the international community to ignore. Gaza’s health ministry stated this week that over 100 people, mostly children, have died of starvation amid Israeli attacks that have killed hundreds more. On Sunday, July 20, Pope Leo XIV condemned the ‘barbarity’ of the Israeli military’s ‘indiscriminate use of force’ as 93 Palestinians waiting for UN aid trucks were killed by IDF forces near the northern border with Israel. According to the UNRWA, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking aid since May. Al Jazeera reported over the weekend that the hashtag #GazaIsStarving had reached top trending status on many social media platforms, disseminating images and videos of the humanitarian crisis worldwide. On Monday, July 21, over 25 Western nations, including the UK, France, and Canada, condemned the Israeli government over the ‘inhumane killings’ of Palestinians near aid sites. A World Food Program official condemned the killings as ‘completely avoidable’ and an ‘absolute tragedy,’ adding that Palestinians were ‘dying from lack of humanitarian assistance every day.’ On Monday, Israeli troops launched a new ground offensive in Deir al-Balah, one of Gaza’s last standing cities, attacking UN and WHO facilities and interrogating staff while carrying out a displacement order for the 50,000 people sheltered in one of the last areas of the Gaza Strip not previously declared a combat zone. Journalists working in Gaza for the French news agency Agence France Presse issued a dramatic plea for help on Monday as they reported scrounging for food and becoming too weak from hunger to do their jobs. On Tuesday, July 22, Israeli forces killed another 81 Palestinians waiting for aid as the World Food Program said that the hunger crisis had reached “new and astonishing levels of desperation.” The Guardian reported that as starving children fill overcrowded hospital wards across the territory, medical staff in Gaza were themselves becoming too weak to help patients. The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that per their assessment, a quarter of the population are facing famine conditions, and that nearly 100,000 women and children ‘are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and need treatment as soon as possible’. Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, head of the pediatric ward at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, told the New York Times that the number of children dying from acute malnutrition has risen sharply in recent days. Famine experts say that according to the IPC famine scale, 85% of Gaza’s population are reaching Phase 5, defined as such "an extreme deprivation of food" that "starvation, death, destitution, and extremely critical levels of acute malnutrition are or will likely be evident."
As the global outcry grows over Israel’s role in the crisis and over 100 humanitarian organizations signed a letter calling on Israel to end the blockade, Israel responded by launching a PR campaign blaming the starvation crisis on the UN and humanitarian groups. Oxfam reported on the same day that over 420,000 pallets of aid are ready and waiting to assist Palestinians but are stuck in ‘limbo’ waiting for Israeli approval to enter the region. Israel also announced it would be restricting visas for UN officials and humanitarian workers, further cutting off the region from international observers. On Thursday, July 24, the Israeli government and Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, pulled their teams from ceasefire talks with Hamas, with Witkoff accusing Hamas of a ‘lack of desire for a ceasefire’ and saying the United States and Israel will ‘consider alternative options’ to recover Israeli hostages. Hamas, in response, expressed surprise at Witkoff’s ‘negative statements’ and said it is still committed to completing the negotiations and reaching a ceasefire. Also on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the starvation crisis in Gaza ‘unspeakable and indefensible,’ and will hold an emergency call on Friday with Germany and France to push Israel for aid access and a ceasefire, saying that “while the situation has been grave for some time, it has reached new depths and continues to worsen.”Trump Labor Department moves to gut workplace labor protections as deregulation push, cuts to social safety net puts squeeze on workers. The U.S. Department of Labor announced a plan this month to rewrite or repeal more than 60 ‘obsolete’ workplace regulations in order to reduce ‘burdensome’ rules imposed by previous administrations and ‘deliver’ on Trump’s promise to restore American prosperity through deregulation. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer touted the plan as the “most ambitious proposal to slash red tape of any department across the federal government.” An analysis of the DOL proposal released this week by labor policy experts at the Century Foundation characterized the plan as a ‘barrage of attacks’ on workers, noting that the ‘vast majority’ of the deregulatory changes would “reverse critical standards that ensure workers get a just day’s pay and come home healthy and safe.” Among the proposed changes is the rollback of a 2013 rule requiring home care workers to be paid minimum wage; a change that Samantha Sanders of the Economic Policy Institute noted would be “devastating to a workforce that performs really essential work and is very heavily dominated by women, and women of color in particular.” The plan would also repeal a Biden-era rule that ended the practice of paying sub-minimum wage to disabled employees; Mother Jones reports on how before the rule was implemented, disabled workers were paid as little as 25 cents an hour in ‘sheltered workshops’ under conditions that made some autistic workers ‘horribly depressed’ and ‘suicidal.’ Also among the changes are the repeal of Biden-era protections for H2-A migrant farm workers who raise issues related to wages and worker safety, which had brought cases of worker exploitation to an all-time low. The DOL also proposes to exempt certain jobs such as movie and sports production from OSHA’s general duty clause, which requires employers to protect workers from known hazards; and weaken the authority of the Mine Safety and Health Administration to enforce safety requirements at a time when the Trump Administration is pushing for more coal production. Also this week, the DOL eliminated its only job training and recruitment program for seniors at the same time as the new GOP budget bill imposes work requirements for medical care. Unions and watchdog groups also denounced Trump’s nomination of Paul Ingrassia to the Office of Special Counsel, which is responsible for protecting federal workers; in an open letter opposing Ingrassia’s nomination, the Project on Government Oversight cited past comments in which Ingrassia characterized federal workers as ‘parasites’ and ‘bugmen’ who ‘leech off the lifeblood of the dying Republic.’
Migrants freed from ICE detention in CECOT speak out about being tortured; abusive conditions reported at Alligator Alcatraz and other ICE detention facilities. On Friday, July 18, more than 250 Venezuelan migrants detained since March in El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison were released to Venezuela as part of a prisoner-swap deal with the Maduro government. Even as relatives welcomed them home, former detainees began sharing stories of the ‘horror movie’ conditions they endured while at CECOT. Arturo Suarez, a Venezuelan singer who was detained for having tattoos, described in an interview how he and the others ‘were kidnapped’ and “got a beating for breakfast, a beating for lunch, and a beating for dinner.” Suarez also noted that “we met a lot of innocent people” in the prison. Another detainee, Maikel Olivera, described how “they beat us 24 hours a day, just for trying to take a shower… they said ‘you will rot here’.” Andry Hernandez, the gay makeup artist who had become a cause celebre for the detained migrants at CECOT, described how he was beaten, sexually abused, held in dark cells, and served rotten food. He also described how detainees were shot with rubber bullets and sustained injuries from the projectiles. Venezuelan Attorney-General Tarek William Saab decried the “systemic torture” described within the prison, showing photos of newly released detainees with bruises and missing teeth. The Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday, July 22, that it has launched a formal investigation into Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele and other top officials in regards to at least 123 allegations of abuse collected by Saab. The migrants’ accounts of their treatment at CECOT paralleled the account given in court filings by Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man wrongly deported to CECOT by the Trump Administration, which described beatings, ‘severe sleep deprivation’ and detainees forced to kneel for up to nine hours at a time. ProPublica has launched a project to profile and tell the stories of all 252 Venezuelan migrants sent to CECOT. Reports of abuse and torture are also being reported at domestic ICE detention facilities; a Filipino green card holder who was held at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington recalls how he experienced hunger from prolonged and irregular breaks between meals, and was put in solitary confinement for 27 days due to his tattoos. A report released on Monday, July 21 by Human Rights Watch details abusive practices at three Florida detention centers, including incidents where detainees were forced to their knees and “made to eat like dogs.” Mother Jones reports this week on the squalid conditions at the hastily constructed Alligator Alcatraz, where detainees describe the ‘psychological terrorism’ of extreme heat, mosquitoes and limited access to fresh water, food, or personal hygiene. An article at the New Republic points out how the cruelty might be the point, given Trump’s campaign promises; and Will Bunch writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer this week about the U.S. ‘concentration camp’ model that is set to expand under the GOP’s massive budget allocation for ICE.
Epstein fallout continues as bombshell revelations further implicate Trump’s involvement, DOJ cover-up; Trump attempts distractions. The political fallout from the Trump Administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal continued to consume Washington this week, as the furor threatened to fracture the Trump coalition and a series of bombshell revelations raised questions about the extent of Trump’s involvement in Epstein’s pedophile sex trafficking ring. Amid bipartisan calls from Congress for more information on the case to be released, Trump moved to sue the Wall Street Journal for its reporting last week on Trump’s ‘bawdy’ birthday message to Epstein and removed the WSJ from the presidential press pool during Trump’s trip to Scotland, raising concerns over media censorship. The WSJ suit also pits Trump against longtime ally and right-wing media baron Rupert Murdoch, sparking much speculation about the implications of a potential power struggle between two figures with outsized influence over the modern conservative movement. On Friday, July 18, Sen. Dick Durbin pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi on information he received that Bondi had pressured about 1,000 FBI personnel to work around the clock combing through the Epstein files to flag any mention of Trump. By Tuesday, July 22, CNN had dropped several revelations regarding Trump’s deep ties with Epstein, including an account of a late-night Trump visit to Epstein’s office from Epstein accuser Maria Farmer, newly discovered photos of Epstein at Trump’s 1993 wedding to Marla Maples, and an exclusive interview with Epstein’s brother detailing Trump and Epstein’s close friendship. As more calls for transparency grew on Capitol Hill, practically bringing House business to a grinding halt, the Justice Department reached out to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell for a meeting to probe for more information. Speaker Mike Johnson drew fire from some lawmakers as he sent U.S. Representatives home early for the August recess to ‘avoid having to hold votes on releasing files’ related to Epstein.
While a federal judge denied the Trump Administration’s request to unseal grand jury documents related to the Epstein case, on Wednesday, July 23, the New York Times made the bombshell revelation that Bondi had alerted Trump that his name was in the Epstein files back in May. Senator Ron Wyden, the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, also revealed to the New York Times this week that four big banks had flagged over $1.5 billion in suspicious bank transfers involving Epstein to the Treasury Department, many of which appeared related to his sex trafficking network. On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena the DOJ for the Epstein files, as well as issue a subpoena for Ghislaine Maxwell to testify before Congress on August 11. On Thursday, July 24, deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Maxwell at the Florida prison where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and other crimes related to Epstein. Blanche is scheduled to return on Friday for a followup interview. Politico reports on Trump’s frustration over having lost control of the narrative over the Epstein scandal and its political fallout, which some observers say has been made worse by Trump’s close alignment with DOJ and intelligence agencies, which are “now openly operating as fully weaponized tools to pursue the president’s personal political needs.” Trump made several attempts this week to divert attention from the Epstein scandal – including suddenly releasing thousands of files on Martin Luther King Jr. against the wishes of the King family on Monday, accusing Obama of staging a ‘treasonous’ coup against him on Tuesday, calling to rename the Washington Commanders football team back to its racially charged former name, as well as National Intelligence head Tulsi Gabbard’s release of classified documents on Wednesday alleging that Obama Administration officials lied about Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election – none of which appear to have deterred Congress or his own base from seeking answers on Epstein.Internal GOP tensions flare over Epstein, Trump appointments, budget issues. The furor over the Epstein scandal appears to be exacerbating tensions within the GOP in Congress and fracturing the MAGA base as Trump stalwarts grow disillusioned and the backlash against Trump exposes power struggles brewing within the Republican Party. Politico reports that House Republicans were in full revolt over the issue before Speaker Mike Johnson called for an early August recess; MAGA-aligned Republicans warn that the month-long break won’t make the issue go away, as Rep. Thomas Massie’s bipartisan discharge petition for the Epstein files still awaits the House when it returns in September. Massie, facing a Trump-backed primary challenge in 2026, released an attack ad on Trump this week demanding answers on Epstein. Senate Republicans were reportedly left fuming over the House revolt that brought the chamber to a standstill, as Senate Majority Leader Thune called for Speaker Johnson to ‘take responsibility’ for the furor within the House. Johnson, for his part, broke with the Trump line by confirming that the Epstein scandal is ‘not a hoax’ during a television interview Wednesday. The Senate GOP faces its own internal issues as Republicans such as Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Josh Hawley reportedly wrestle with ‘regret’ over their votes for Trump’s budget bill, and other Senators break with Trump’s bidding on key votes. Trump asked Thune to cancel the Senate’s August recess in order to confirm his executive and judicial appointments, posing a challenge for Thune as many Senators consider the break an important time to connect with constituents. Senate Republicans are also hardly united on the Trump nominees in question, each of whom exposes ideological rifts within the GOP that might otherwise have been papered over in the spirit of unity under Trump. A scheduled vote for controversial judicial nominee Emil Bove on Tuesday had to be postponed because several Republican Senators did not show up. Sen. Rand Paul held out on a vote of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to confirm Mike Waltz’s appointment as UN Ambassador, although the top Democrat on the committee ultimately agreed to vote with Republicans to advance Waltz’s nomination. Several GOP Senators on the Committee for Homeland Security, including Sens. Thom Tillis, Rand Paul and Rick Scott, decided to indefinitely delay Office of Special Counsel pick Paul Ingrassia’s Senate testimony citing concerns over his inexperience and ties to antisemitic right-wing extremists involved in the January 6 riot. Rank-and-file MAGA influencers are in revolt over what they see as the Trump Administration’s continuing coverup of the Epstein scandal; Marjorie Taylor Greene noted the ‘extremely high’ call volume to her office from constituents demanding transparency, and issued an ultimatum to Trump demanding full disclosure, or else “the base will turn and there’s no going back.” Two prominent January 6th rioters, the ‘QAnon Shaman’ and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, both publicly broke with Trump this week over the Epstein scandal. Newsweek reports that Republican farmers in Iowa are breaking with Trump over his policies cutting federal funds for healthcare, agriculture and renewable energy. Axios reporter Jim Vandehei discussed Trump’s flagging poll numbers on almost every issue, even amongst Republicans.
Trump Administration reaches trade deal with Japan, Philippines, and Indonesia as tariff wars shift global supply chains and diplomatic relationships. The Washington Post reports this week on how businesses and foreign leaders are scrambling to learn the new rules for global commerce as the consequences of Trump’s tariff wars are beginning to make themselves known. On Tuesday, July 22, Trump announced a trade deal had been made with the Philippines, and disclosed more details about the deal with Indonesia that had been reached last week, both of which amount to a 19% tariff on U.S. imports. Trump also announced this week that a ‘massive’ trade agreement had been reached with Japan, settling on a 15% tariff on all goods plus a pledge from Tokyo to create a $550 billion fund for investing in U.S. companies and projects, as well as a commitment to purchasing certain U.S. products such as agricultural goods and Boeing jets. The 15% tariff agreement appeared to satisfy global markets with some clarity around a potentially realistic standard baseline for trade – although some questions still lingered around details of the deal, particularly of the investment fund, which the White House said would give Trump discretion over where to direct investment. U.S. automakers, however, signaled their distress over the deal, which gives Japanese car brands an advantage over U.S. manufacturers who still face a 25% tariff on materials and components manufactured in Canada or Mexico. The United Auto Workers, who had supported Trump’s initiation of tariffs, was ‘deeply angered’ by the deal, which, according to a statement from the union, gives Japanese companies “another break – at the expense of the very companies and workers that built the American auto industry into the global standard for good jobs and world-class products.” Domestic manufacturing, rather than being buoyed by the tariffs as Trump intended, sank ‘sharply’ in July as General Motors posted a $3 billion dip in profits due to high tariffs on vital components such as steel. Jeep maker Stellantis posted a 25% dive in sales for the second quarter of 2025, and projected this week that the company stands to lose an additional $2.7 billion this year due to tariffs. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dismissed concerns over the tariff differential, saying he spoke to U.S. automakers who were “cool with it.”
Columbia University reaches $223 million settlement with Trump Administration in what critics call an ‘unmitigated disaster’ for higher education. On Wednesday, July 23, Columbia University announced that it had reached a deal with the Trump Administration to restore federal funding. Under the terms of the deal, Columbia will admit no wrongdoing but will pay the government around $220 million in settlements over three years, for which it will regain access to the $400 million in previously frozen federal funds and preserve its eligibility for future grants. The agreement also codifies policy changes made by Columbia in March, including restrictions on student demonstrations and a review of its Middle East curriculum. Although the agreement stipulates the government will not dictate decisionmaking on admissions or hiring, Columbia must designate an administrator that will report to an external monitor, who will review admissions data – including race, GPA and standardized test performance – to ensure that university programs “do not promote unlawful DEI goals.” Columbia also pledged to ‘undertake a comprehensive review of its international admissions process’ to ensure students are asked why they want to study in the United States. Columbia also voluntarily expelled or suspended more than 70 students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in advance of the agreement. In a statement, Rep. Jerry Nadler slammed his alma mater, saying he was ‘deeply disappointed’ in the university’s “outrageous and embarrassing $200 million capitulation” to the Trump Administration’s “war on higher education and academic freedom.” Former GOP strategist Tim Miller similarly criticized Columbia, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon, for the “totally insane” intervention against a private university. The American Association of University Professors called the deal an “unprecedented disaster” for academic freedom and an “extremely dangerous precedent that will have tremendous consequences” for higher education. Columbia Law professor David Pozen warned that “what we’re witnessing here is the emergence of a new model for regulating universities by the government… Everyone in higher education should be worried about the manner in which this deal was constructed.” Trump Administration officials are eager to use Columbia’s example as a model as Republican lawmakers in other states aim to reshape higher education according to conservative priorities. In contrast, Harvard University has chosen to fight the Trump Administration in court, drawing on its endowment to stay afloat as the university endures attacks from the Administration such as threatening accreditation and freezing more than $2.6 billion in federal funding. Recent court filings revealed that Administration officials considered placing a lien on Harvard’s property as further leverage to force a concession. On Wednesday, the State Department announced it was opening an investigation into Harvard’s “continued eligibility as a sponsor for the Exchange Visitor Program,” which the Trump Administration attempted to revoke in May before being blocked by a federal judge. The Chronicle of Higher Education is also covering the Trump Administration’s ‘coordinated’ attempts to oust the president of George Mason University; on Thursday, the Justice Department announced it was launching an investigation to determine if university administrators allegedly ‘discriminated against white people’ in the aftermath of the George Floyd protests.
As Supreme Court allows federal layoffs to resume, Trump Administration continues to reshape federal government toward its agenda. After the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this month allowing the Trump Administration to resume mass layoffs of federal workers, several agencies have announced or have already implemented massive cuts to the federal workforce. Trump also signed a new executive order last week creating a new “Schedule G” classification of at-will, partisan federal employees that will “help faithfully implement the President’s policy agenda” through “policy-making or policy-advocating work.” The Washington Post reports on how the firing of 1,300 employees at the State Department earlier this month was engineered by a “handful of political appointees… chosen for their ‘fidelity’ to the president and willingness to ‘break stuff’ on his behalf”; the cuts included a drastic reduction in the State Department’s office that monitors and prosecutes human trafficking worldwide, which was mandated by Congress over 25 years ago. Within the armed forces, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been purging women from top military positions, including replacing the first female head of the U.S. Naval Academy with a Marine Corps officer for the first time in the Academy’s 180-year history. On Monday, July 21, the Office of Personnel Management announced cuts of around 1,000 jobs, or one-third of its current staff, to be implemented by the end of the year. The Veterans Affairs Department, while backing off of its earlier plan to lay off 80,000 workers, has announced it will undertake a ‘VA-wide review of its mission and structure’ towards a reorganization of the agency that officials estimate may eventually shed 30,000 jobs through attrition. Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced this week she will be meeting with Social Security chief Frank Bisignano to address Democratic lawmakers’ concerns with service cuts at the agency, which still plans to lay off around 7,000 workers, or a tenth of its workforce, by the end of the year. Democrats this week censured Sean Duffy, acting NASA Administrator, for ‘illegally’ attempting to implement agency cuts mandated by the Trump budget bill before the budget has been approved by Congress. Workers at the National Cancer Institute report morale has ‘tanked’ and many researchers are heading for the exits as Trump Administration funding cuts and grant cancellations have ‘hollowed out’ the agency and impacted ‘basic operations’ for research and treatment. Similarly, cancer drug reviewers at the FDA are quitting en masse due to Trump Administration cuts, impacting the speed at which new treatments can be approved for use. The IRS reported this week on a mass exodus of 25,000 employees – approximately a quarter of the workforce – that have accepted buyouts or otherwise left the agency between January and May 2025. The IRS is also considering eliminating its non-English services in order to comply with the Trump Administration’s ‘English-only’ policy. On Thursday, July 24, the Trump Administration, per court order, disclosed plans to reduce staff at 17 additional federal agencies, including the Commerce Department, Health and Human Services, HUD, Interior, Labor, and Transportation Departments, as well as a massive reorganization of services at the USDA that will cut or relocate thousands of staff outside Washington. Grist released an article this week featuring interviews with some of the 60,000 federal workers that have already been ousted earlier this year, revealing how the Trump Administration cuts to federal agencies and services are reverberating in communities across the country.
Tracking the Money: Executive orders on AI signal big win for big tech oligarchs and the government officials who love them. On Wednesday, July 23, the Trump Administration unveiled a sweeping “AI Action Plan” to boost the rapid development of AI technology and infrastructure in the United States by ‘cutting the red tape’ of regulations on environmental permitting and energy allocation in order to accelerate innovation and development. Trump declared at a fanfare-filled launch event attended by tech leaders and venture capitalists Wednesday that “from this day forward, it’ll be a policy of the United States to do whatever it takes to lead the world in artificial intelligence.” Trump signed a trio of executive orders to facilitate the plan’s implementation, including fast-track permitting for new AI data centers on federal lands, working with private tech companies to make “full stack AI export packages” available to allied countries, and barring “woke” AI from federal applications. The AFL-CIO characterized the plan as a huge “gift to the same Big Tech CEOs who sat in the front row at [Trump’s] inauguration” who have spent tens of millions – record-breaking sums of money – in lobbying to curry favor with lawmakers and advance industry-friendly tech legislation. Trump’s Plan, which Public Citizen describes as “an AI plan written by Big Tech,” also reintroduces a ‘zombie’ version of the moratorium on state AI regulation whose inclusion in the ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill was rejected by the Senate last month. While not banning state AI regulation outright, the plan requires federal agencies to “consider a state’s AI regulatory climate when making funding decisions and limit funding if the state’s AI regulatory regimes may hinder the effectiveness of that funding or award.” The Washington Post notes that the new plan promises a big payoff for Silicon Valley’s ‘risky bets’ on Trump as the policy framework and executive orders advance “the agenda of executives and investors seeking to cash in on an AI gold rush.” Federal agencies under Trump have already begun to embrace AI as a replacement for thousands of laid-off federal workers; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, flush with federal cash allocated through the new budget, is reportedly seeking “advanced AI technology” for detailed surveillance systems to “identify and track suspicious activity” in urban areas. In an interview with Semafor this week, new OPM head Scott Kupor talked about his desire to ‘lean into AI’ while cutting OPM’s human workforce by one-third. In May, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary unveiled a new AI tool at the FDA to revolutionize the drug and medical device approval process; however, CNN spoke to current employees who disclosed that the AI is unusable for review work due to its tendency to ‘hallucinate’ non-existent studies. Federal workers on the AltCDC social media account revealed that Palantir’s AI model has ‘taken over’ the CDC’s Epidemic Information Exchange network that communicates information on potential outbreaks to other health agencies. Other concerns revolve around Trump’s executive order banning ‘woke’ AI, which presents challenges of subjectivity and the reliance of AI on large language models, which analysts say is hard to regulate unless deliberately manipulated to do so. The deregulated environment promoted by the AI Action Plan does not address other content issues identified by AI watchdogs, including manipulation of the model (which caused X’s ‘anti-woke’ Grok AI to go on a ‘Nazi bender’ earlier this month), the ability to impersonate others which has caused Open AI’s Sam Altman to warn of a coming ‘fraud crisis’ in AI, or AI’s tendency to ‘hallucinate’ or fabricate fake data to fulfill user requests. Tech commentator Alejandra Caraballo writes on the potentially catastrophic consequences of state attempts to force an ‘anti-woke’ ideology on AI models.
MOVEMENT TRACKER
France recognizes Palestinian statehood as international efforts escalate to support Palestinians facing starvation in Gaza. On Thursday, July 24, French president Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize a Palestinian state as part of “its historical commitment to a just and durable peace in the Middle East.” France is the first G7 nation to recognize Palestinian statehood. After facing pressure from UK cabinet ministers, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Friday that the UK would back future Palestinian statehood but only as part of a negotiated peace deal. The global outcry over the starvation crisis in Gaza has activated nations and sectors of civil society previously deferential to Israeli interests; this week, 25 Western nations signed on to a letter calling for an immediate end to the Israeli war on Gaza, the ‘drip feeding’ of aid and the ‘indiscriminate killing’ of civilians, as Pope Leo XIV called for an ‘immediate halt to the barbarity’ in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil, newly freed from three months in ICE detention, visited Capitol Hill this week to meet with over a dozen members of Congress, calling on them to “speak out against Israel’s war on Gaza, to rightly call it a genocide” and call for an end to the war. Last week, the Hague Group – a coalition of Global South nations organized with Progressive International – met for an emergency summit in Bogota and announced a six-point plan for "coordinated diplomatic, legal, and economic measures to restrain Israel’s assault on the occupied Palestinian territories and defend international law at large." The Freedom Flotilla Coalition launched another aid boat this week attempting to break the Israeli blockade and deliver supplies to Gaza; after two sabotage attempts, the Handala set out from the Italian port of Gallipoli on Monday, July 21. On Thursday, the Handala reported being swarmed by drones, causing a communications blackout; after two hours, communications resumed and at press time the boat is currently less than 350 miles from the Gaza shoreline. Tunisia’s Joint Coordination for Palestine has called for activists to surround the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, as they prepare to launch the Maghreb al-Somoud Flotilla in another maritime attempt to break the blockade. Egyptians launched a symbolic initiative this week, filling bottles with dry foods and sending them out to sea in the hope that the food may reach Gaza. The Australian outlet SBS covers the growing anti-war movement within Israel, as thousands of protestors filled the streets of Tel Aviv on Thursday calling for an end to the starvation blockade, a ceasefire and the peaceful return of the remaining Israeli hostages.
Amidst Paramount ‘bribe’ controversy, South Park returns to TV with merciless parody episode skewering Trump’s attempts to control the media. In recent weeks, controversy has surrounded CBS parent company Paramount’s $16 million deal to settle Trump’s lawsuit against 60 Minutes. The settlement, which also reportedly included a ‘side deal’ between Trump and Skydance for $20 million worth of advertising and public service announcements, was characterized by Stephen Colbert as a ‘bribe’ to pave the way for FCC approval of Paramount’s pending Skydance merger; the cancellation of Colbert’s show shortly after his remark stoked concerns (and insults) surrounding Trump’s use of government power and private deals to manipulate the media. This week, just one day after inking a $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount, the cartoon South Park premiered its 27th season with an incendiary episode that took shots at Trump, Paramount, the Colbert controversy, and the general landscape of fear and censorship under the Trump Administration. The episode, titled “Sermon on the Mount,” features shamelessly pointed bits including Trump in bed with Satan preoccupied with Epstein woes, a 60 Minutes parody, a dig at Trump’s litigiousness, references to ‘anti-woke’ and Christian ideology, and a AI deepfake “Trump PSA” portraying Trump crawling naked through the desert with ‘teeny-tiny’ genitalia. Trump reportedly ‘had a meltdown’ over the episode, as a White House spokesperson called South Park a ‘fourth-rate show’ attempting to “derail President Trump’s hot streak.” The episode currently has an 82% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with thousands of comments over the last 24 hours. Michael Sozan of the Center for American Progress notes that “A lot of American people are starting to be more and more aware of how Trump is trying to censor… shows that he disagrees with,” and thinks the mounting controversies over Paramount could be a “cultural flash point.”
AI activists launch People’s AI Action Plan as a counterpoint to Trump’s corporate-friendly AI policy. This week’s launch of the Trump Administration’s AI Action Plan, which prioritizes deregulation to incentivize innovation by Big Tech corporations, has generated criticism from Democrats, Republicans, and independent observers as communities and workers wrestle with how (or whether) to engage with AI in ethical ways. The ACLU held a ‘Civil Rights in the Digital Age’ symposium in July, bringing together academics, industry leaders, and nonprofit/civil society groups to examine the dangers of AI in exacerbating social inequalities, as well as thinking through policies that can “create an equitable and just future for AI.” The American Federation of Teachers also held a symposium this month addressing the challenges of AI in education, and how to engage with the developing technology in ways that are “safe, ethical and wise.” Other organizations focused on rejecting AI altogether, such as this international open letter refusing the narrative that AI integration is ‘inevitable’ in education. To parallel this week’s launch of the Trump Administration’s AI plan, a coalition of over 90 groups fighting for consumer protection, economic and environmental justice, labor, and more launched the People’s AI Action Plan, a ‘blueprint’ for an alternative approach to AI development that "delivers on public well-being, shared prosperity, a sustainable future, and security for all." The People’s AI Action Plan denounces the Trump plan that prioritizes Big Oil, Big Tech, and corporate dominance and calls for the development of accountable AI technologies that “deliver first and foremost to the American people.” The website also features an archive of resources and commentaries on AI written by each of the signatory groups. More information and links to promote the People’s AI Action Plan can be found on the coalition’s website.
Florida families call for closing Alligator Alcatraz, as activists share online resources for resisting ICE. On Tuesday, July 22, several Florida nonprofits, medical providers, public health experts and families of detainees held a press conference calling for the immediate shutdown of the Alligator Alcatraz facility in the Everglades due to ‘inhumane conditions’ and ‘environmental damage.’ The group included families of two Italian nationals being held in the facility, which has sparked debate within the Italian parliament as opposition officials confront right-wing PM Georgia Meloni over the abusive treatment of Italian nationals at the hands of immigration officers aligned with Meloni’s anti-immigrant vision. The ACLU filed a lawsuit against the facility this week, alleging that detainees are not being given access to legal aid. Florida governor Ron DeSantis was heckled at an event in Jacksonville on Thursday by activists calling for an end to the detention camps. The Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced the launch of a program to directly assist immigrant families impacted by immigration raids who are afraid to leave their homes. MSN reports on the ‘new wave’ of online resistance against ICE, as activists launch apps to track ICE agents and notify communities for rapid response. The Washington Post profiles Los Angeles activist Sherman Austin, creator of the website StopICE.net, a track-and-alert website that now boasts over 470,000 subscribers nationwide. L.A. Taco has released a know-your-rights guide to help community members protect themselves and each other when being stopped by ICE on transit; and as thousands descend on San Diego for ComicCon 2025, ComicsBeat released a know-your-rights training and resource guide for convention goers in the event ICE agents attempt to enter convention grounds. NotUs reports on the curious cases of Republican lawmakers who publicly support Trump’s agenda but are quietly helping immigrant constituents in their home districts.
Epstein scandal drives Trump’s approval rating to a second-term low. A Gallup poll released this week showed Trump’s approval rating has dropped to just 37% – a record low for his second term, driven by a 17-point decline among independents, which reached an all-time low of 29%. CNN data guru Harry Enten notes that only one other presidency had a lower rate at this point, which was Trump’s first presidential term at an all-time low of 34%. Analyst G. Elliot Morris notes that Trump’s approval is now at -40 points among young people, indicating a pronounced ‘buyers’ remorse’ among Gen Z constituents. The steep decline in Trump’s approval reflects his struggles to move past the impact of the Epstein scandal, as a Reuters/Ipsos poll this week finds that 69% of voters think that the Trump Administration is hiding information about the notorious sex trafficker’s client list. The Washington Post notes that the Epstein scandal has eroded support for Trump on all levels, including immigration and the economy, prompting Republicans to begin considering a ‘post-Trump future.’ A CBS News poll finds that Trump’s approval on immigration, normally his strongest issue, is falling fast as Americans fear ICE overreach and want the Administration to focus more on inflation and consumer prices. A survey of polls on immigration finds disapproval of ICE ranging from 51-63%, even lower than during the heyday of the “Abolish ICE” movement. A new report from the Center for Working Class Politics shows that around 20 percent of working-class voters who supported Trump in 2024 also support left-leaning progressive policies such as a tax on millionaires, raising the minimum wage, and more funding for education and Social Security.
Upcoming Protests, actions, and events.
Saturday, July 26: A coalition of unions and working families’ organizations are holding a 50-state Day of Action to put Families First – to protest the cuts harming working families and an opportunity to bring families together to protect each other and put community care above profit. More information can be found on Mobilize.us as well as the Families First Now website.
Saturday, July 26: The Palestine Justice Coalition is holding a demonstration in Santa Cruz from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM to Stop Starvation in Gaza, End the Genocide, and Block Arms to Israel. More information can be found on Indybay.
Wednesday, July 30: Indivisible will be hosting the second session of its One Million Rising organizers’ training online from 8:00-9:30pm EDT. A recording of the first session can be found on YouTube for anyone interested in catching up. More information can be found at the No Kings Coalition’s Mobilize.us link.
Saturday, August 2: The 50501 Movement will be holding another nationwide mobilization, this one themed ‘Rage Against the Regime’. More information on local actions can be found at RageAgainstTheRegime.org.
Wednesday, August 13: Stand Up For Science will be holding an online event called “Stand Up for Psych: Suicide Research” featuring a team of professional suicide prevention researchers who will talk about their work and what the community can do to support the work. More information and RSVP links can be found at StandUpForScience.Net.
Saturday, August 16: Social Security Works is calling for a nationwide mobilization in defense of Social Security called “Protect Our Checks”. More information on local events, an organizer’s toolkit, and other resources can be found at ProtectOurChecks.com.
Saturday, August 23: 50501 Chicago will be holding a demonstration (separate from the August 2nd action) calling for ‘No Camps, No War, No 1984’. More information can be found on the protest flyer or on 50501 Chicago’s Bluesky account.
