Newsweek is reporting that the Supreme Court delivered a series of significant rulings on Monday, impacting President Donald Trump's agenda and presidential powers. The court sided with Trump in allowing him to remove officials at independent regulatory agencies, overturning the 1935 Humphrey's Executor precedent. Trump called this a "BIG WIN," stating it "greatly increasing Presidential Power." However, the court blocked his immediate attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a decision Newsweek described as "strictly procedural," temporarily preserving the central bank's independence.
In other decisions, the Supreme Court rejected a Republican National Committee challenge, ruling that federal laws do not prevent states from counting absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day but received shortly afterward. This decision, which upheld Mississippi's five-day grace period, was a setback for Trump's efforts to tighten federal election rules. Trump expressed fury, calling it a "tremendous loss" and demanding passage of his SAVE Act package. The court also declined to review Trump's appeal of the $5 million E. Jean Carroll verdict, leaving the judgment in place. Newsweek noted that more Trump-related cases, including those on birthright citizenship and transgender athletes, are expected before the justices' summer break.
Newsweek is also reporting that America's shrinking population will not solve the nation's housing crisis. U.S. population growth has slowed to near zero, influenced by declining birth rates, an aging native-born population, and reduced immigration under the Trump administration. While this slowdown has softened the housing market, experts like Alexander Hermann of Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies said it is not addressing the underlying affordability crisis or the longstanding inventory shortage.
Regarding foreign policy, Newsweek is reporting that the extensive targeting of U.S. bases by Iran is raising doubts about the sustainability of maintaining large, fixed military installations near the Persian Gulf. General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., former commander of U.S. Central Command, advocates for moving U.S. forces further west to reduce their vulnerability. As the U.S. and Iran return to negotiations, the fate of the U.S. military presence in the Middle East is a key issue, with a memorandum of understanding including a provision for the U.S. to remove forces from Iran's proximity within 30 days of a final deal.
Domestically, a group of Republican representatives is pushing to repeal the 17th Amendment, which established the direct election of senators. Newsweek said this effort stems from frustration with the Senate's inaction on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a bill that would require documentary proof of citizenship for federal election registration. Additionally, the Trump administration is tightening legal immigration policies, with new changes in July set to restrict green card access and increase consequences for application errors.
In other news, Newsweek is reporting that the death toll from recent earthquakes in Venezuela has surpassed 1,700, with nearly 16,000 people displaced. A wildfire in Colorado, the Aspen Acres fire, has expanded to 23,000 acres, with strong winds impeding air support efforts. The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that two individuals named Dan Sullivan can remain on the August primary ballot for the Senate race, posing a challenge for the Republican party. Finally, a new survey indicates that young Americans are more likely than older generations to support brands celebrating America's 250th anniversary in 2026.