Trump, a president of many talents, and not much humility or honesty - cares about popularity

 https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-861946

On Sunday, President Donald J. Trump modestly declared his first six months back in the White House as “the most successful” such period for any president in history, boasting that he “totally revived” the country after being “DEAD” under his predecessor, “ended numerous wars” and made this the “most respected country” in the world. He previously called himself the greatest president in history “better than Lincoln, better than Washington.”

He claimed his poll numbers among Republicans and his MAGA movement have risen to historic levels, particularly on his signature issue, immigration.

The rest of America doesn’t share their enthusiasm. His approval numbers are under water and sinking, according to statistician Nate Silver and a variety of non-partisan polls. They’re down on immigration, the economy, trade, and inflation. Overall, only 44% approve and 53.1% disapprove of his performance (isn’t that what it is for him, a performance?).

Epstein Survivor Reacts To Potential Ghislaine Maxwell Pardon

 https://www.newsweek.com/ghislaine-maxwell-pardon-donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-survivor-2104196

Critics have speculated that President Donald Trump could pardon Maxwell following her meeting with Department of Justice officials to answer fresh questions about the Epstein case. When asked about that possibility Friday, Trump failed to rule it out, instead telling reporters outside the White House that he was "allowed to do it" but it was "something I haven't thought about."

The Tin-Foil Hat Brigade MAGA Epstein chareidy version

 https://mishpacha.com/the-tin-foil-hat-brigade/

It is going to become harder for those inside the Trump administration, including the president himself, to control this aspect of MAGA. Vice President J.D. Vance offers a prime example of this difficulty. Vance has been widely considered the front-runner going into 2028 — but how can he maintain that pose, if he is at the heart of a government that the conspiracy theorists believe is the source of all the problems?

Outsiders like Bannon, Musk, Carlson, and hundreds of other podcasters and political voices living outside the Beltway will continue to grow in influence simply because they can lob theories without being responsible for resolving them — unlike the White House.

Trump loses favor with independents; overall approval hits 37 percent: Gallup

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5418546-donald-trump-approval-gallup/?tbref=hp

President Trump’s approval rating dropped to its lowest level of his second term, a shift fueled by a decline in support among independents, according to a new survey.

The latest Gallup poll found 37 percent of U.S. adults say they approve of the president’s performance in office — down from 40 percent in June, 43 percent in May and 44 percent in April.

Give Mezuza to goy to wear around neck for protection?

 Igros Moshe (YD II #141.3)  Question Can a mezuza be worn for protection? Answer It seems even the Rambam agrees that a mezuza protects as an amulet. Rabbi Yehuda sent a mezuza to a goy as a present for protection. It is not prohibited if he wants to wear it on a chain on his neck.

Netanyahu to Macron: Palestinian state would be launch pad to annihilate Israel

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/412218

Netanyahu condemns French President's decision to recognize a Palestinian state: “Palestinians don’t want a state beside Israel—they want one instead of it.” Sa’ar: "A Palestinian state will be a Hamas state."

Writing names of angels/verses on the Mezuza

Igros Moshe (YD II #141.1) Question: Is it permitted to write the names of angels and verses on a mezuza? Answer It states in the Sefer Yeraim that it is a widespread custom  to add the names of angels  for the sake of protecting the house. The problem is that it looks like a amulet for the purpose of protection of the house and not a mezuza but  there is no problem of baal tosif. Rashi clearly holds that a mezuza ptrotects the house and therefore there is no problem adding protection as long as it doesn’t violate baal tosif and doesn’t look like an amulet.

איבוד שליטה: אח ואחות שרכבו על בימבה הידרדרו לכביש ונפגעו

 https://www.kikar.co.il/israel-news/children-accident-neve-yaakov

אח ואחות בני 5 ו-8 נפצעו בינוני וקל בתאונה בשכונת נווה יעקב בירושלים, לאחר שאיבדו שליטה על בימבה והידרדרו לכביש - שם נפגעו מרכב. הילדים פונו לבית החולים שערי צדק (הצלה)

Trump’s gambit to keep Alina Habba in charge in New Jersey: Withdraw her nomination

 https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/24/trump-alina-habba-new-jersey-nomination-00476033

As part of the gambit, a Justice Department official described a process that involves President Donald Trump withdrawing Habba’s nomination to permanently take the post. Then, Attorney General Pam Bondi would appoint Habba as First Assistant U.S. Attorney — typically the second-ranking official in the office. Because the U.S. attorney’s post is vacant, Habba would automatically fill the role on a temporary basis; she can’t simultaneously be the president’s nominee and serve as acting in this way.

The multi-step maneuver came as Habba — who has been leading the New Jersey U.S. attorney’s office on an interim basis since March — was approaching a Friday deadline to depart the post. That deadline triggered a little-used provision of law allowing the federal district court judges in New Jersey to appoint a successor until Trump could get a permanent U.S. attorney confirmed by the Senate.

Habba is perhaps uniquely controversial because of her close ties to the president before taking office and her actions after — she led an aborted prosecution of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, the indictment of Rep. LaMonica McIver and an investigation of Gov. Phil Murphy, all Democrats. Habba had no experience as a prosecutor until Trump installed her as the interim U.S. attorney.

France recognizing a Palestinian state is a bold move by Macron, with a hint of desperation

 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/24/world/macron-france-palestinian-statehood-trump-latam-intl

The surprise announcement tells us two things.

Firstly, that Emmanuel Macron feels this is the time to act. Leaders from France, the UK and Germany are due to speak Friday to seek urgent action over the new lows of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Measles outbreak reported in Israel, Health Ministry pushes parents to vaccinate

 https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-862134

The Health Ministry warned on Thursday that parents should complete their child’s routine measles vaccinations as outbreaks have been reported in the Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh area. 

Over the past three months, 245 measles cases have been diagnosed, and there are currently 91 active cases. Of the active cases, almost half were diagnosed over the past week. 

A large majority (87%) of new cases were diagnosed in children.

Israel blames UN for Gaza aid shortage, says Hamas exploiting famine claims at talks

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-blames-un-for-gaza-aid-shortage-says-hamas-exploiting-famine-claims-at-talks/

 Israel on Thursday blamed a “lack of cooperation from the international community” for the limited aid entering the Gaza Strip while dismissing Hamas’s “famine narrative” as a tactic used in the hostage talks.

Speaking to reporters on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom Crossing, Col. Abdullah Halabi, head of COGAT’s Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza, said that approximately 1,000 trucks’ worth of aid are piled up inside the Strip, awaiting collection by the United Nations and aid groups.

The senior officer in the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said truckloads are waiting on the Gaza side of the crossing “due to a lack of cooperation from the international community and international organizations.”

WSJ: DOJ told Trump his name is in Epstein files

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5416848-wsj-doj-trump-epstein-files/

Attorney General Pam Bondi informed President Trump in May that his name appeared multiple times in files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a bombshell report The Wall Street Journal published Wednesday.

Bondi and her deputy told the president that Justice Department (DOJ) officials reviewed what she described as a “truckload” of documents on Epstein and discovered the president’s name appeared multiple times, according to the report, which cited senior administration officials.

Bondi briefed Trump that his name was in Epstein files

 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/23/politics/bondi-trump-epstein-list-files

 When Attorney General Pam Bondi briefed President Donald Trump in May on the Justice Department’s review of the documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, she told him that his name appeared in the files, sources familiar with the discussion told CNN.

The conversation, which also included Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, was characterized by two White House officials as a “routine briefing” that covered the scope of the Justice Department’s findings. Trump’s name appearing in the files, they said, was not the sole focus of the discussions.

Bondi also raised in the meeting that several names of high-profile figures were also mentioned, and that investigators did not find evidence of a so-called client list or evidence refuting that Epstein died by suicide, the officials said.