Day 2
Trump's press secretary is leaving, setting off speculation over her successor.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, will leave her post by the end of August to spend more time with her two young children, President Donald Trump announced. Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the job, had served since the start of Trump’s second term and returned from maternity leave on July 16. Trump said she will continue supporting him as an outside adviser, a shift that drew scrutiny after a Justice Department memo on executive privilege. Potential successors include Scott Jennings, Alina Habba and Natalie Harp.
The angles
Dishonest press operation
Leans LeftTrump’s press operation depends on spokespeople who are willing to lie, deflect, attack journalists, and push propaganda for him. Leavitt’s tenure, and the prospect of Jennings replacing her, reflects a broader contempt for truthful public accountability.
Trump dysfunction
Leans LeftLeavitt’s departure shows that Trump’s operation is weakening, not simply undergoing normal staff turnover. His demands on close aides are driving people away and leaving the administration more isolated and less effective.
Leavitt praised
Leans RightKaroline Leavitt was an unusually strong White House press secretary who improved the briefing room and left a record worth admiring. Her creation of a new media seat and her overall performance set a high bar for whoever follows her.
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The board backed Trump signage and a two-year closure despite a judge's order.
The Kennedy Center board voted 20-3 Thursday to close the main building for a two-year renovation and add an inscription beneath the center’s name reading “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump.” The board also moved to designate the site’s physical location or surrounding area as “President Donald J. Trump Plaza,” while a smaller annex would remain open during the closure. The action follows a May federal judge’s order requiring Trump’s name to be removed from Kennedy Center signage after an earlier renaming effort.
The angles
Improper Name Push
Leans LeftTrump and his loyalists are wrongly trying to restore his name to the Kennedy Center after a judge ordered it removed. Their renewed effort defies the court’s decision rather than respecting the legal ruling.
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Flock Safety is limiting police access to its plate-reader network after abuse reports.
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley apologized Thursday for law enforcement misuse of the company’s license-plate reader network and said all police customers must adopt by the end of 2026 an audit tool that flags abnormal searches and suspends access for review. Flock is cutting its recommended default data retention period from 30 days to seven days. It will also let agencies limit outside departments’ access and require officers to justify searches. The changes follow 46 reported cases of improper police use, including officers accused of tracking romantic partners, amid scrutiny of Flock’s 120,000-plus cameras.
The angles
Inadequate Safeguards
Left & CenterFlock’s new privacy rules are not enough to stop police abuse of its license-plate-reader network. The reforms leave loopholes, rely too much on trust and technical fixes, and look more like damage control than real accountability.
Dangerous Surveillance
Left & CenterPervasive license-plate-reader surveillance is fundamentally unsafe in the hands of police and companies like Flock. Repeated abuses, wrongful identifications, and disregard for community privacy concerns show that the problem is the surveillance system itself, not just a few bad policies.
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