Author: Kate McQuarrie
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Trump issued two executive orders in July, his second-lowest monthly total this term
President Donald Trump (R) issued two executive orders in July, the second-fewest of any month in his second term. As of July 31, Trump had signed 271 executive orders in his second term. The July executive orders addressed defense supply chains and the Smithsonian Institution. Click here to read more about each order. Trump issued…
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Trump ends July with second term low approval rating
At the end of July, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 39% approval, a tie with June 2, 2026, for the lowest average approval rating of his second term. Fifty-eight percent of voters disapproved of his performance. The highest average approval rating Trump has received in his second term was 54%, last…
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Democratic National Committee announces proposed early states for 2028 Democratic presidential calendar
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced on July 24, 2026, that its Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) had voted to select the first six states for the 2028 Democratic presidential nominating calendar. Those states and their proposed primary dates are as follows: The full DNC will vote on the proposal at its summer meeting in…
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Twenty-one states and D.C. have open availability of voter files
President Donald Trump (R) addressed the nation in a speech on July 16, 2026, during which he said that China gained illicit access to 220 million U.S. voter files, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and political party preferences. Each state is legally required to maintain voter files, or digital databases of information about registered voters.…
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Trump White House has 411 employees, according to annual report
The White House released its annual report to Congress on personnel, which details White House staff members and their salaries, on July 1, 2026. The Trump White House includes 411 staff members, according to the report. Forty-six are detailees — staff temporarily assigned to the White House from another agency or department — including three…
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Trump ends June with 40% approval rating, same as Biden's at this point in his term
At the end of June, polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) with a 40% approval rating, the same as President Joe Biden (D) had at this point in his term. Fifty-seven percent of voters disapproved of Trump's performance. The highest average approval rating Trump has received in his second term was 54%, last seen…
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Second Trump administration has seen historically high ambassador vacancies and political appointments
Seventeen months into President Donald Trump's (R) second administration, a historically high number of ambassador posts remain vacant. According to the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), an unprecedentedly high percentage of ambassadors appointed during Trump's second term have been political appointees. Ambassadors are the highest-ranking U.S. representative to their appointed countries or international organizations. Article…
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President Donald Trump issued six executive orders in June, the fourth-lowest monthly total in his second term
President Donald Trump (R) issued six executive orders in June, the fourth-fewest of any month in his second term. As of July 1, Trump has signed 269 executive orders in his second term. The June executive orders addressed artificial intelligence, the administrative state, customs enforcement, quantum computing, and agriculture. Click here to read more about…
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Trump signs the Secure America Act into law
President Donald Trump (R) signed the Secure America Act, a federal budget reconciliation bill providing $70 billion in funding for border control and immigration enforcement through fiscal year 2029, into law on June 10, 2026. The U.S. Senate passed the bill on June 5, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed it on June 9. The…
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Trump saw lowest average approval rating of his second term in May
President Donald Trump (R) saw the lowest average approval rating of his second term in May. At the end of May, approval polling averages showed Trump with a 39% approval rating, the lowest average of his second term. Fifty-eight percent of voters disapproved of his performance. Previously, Trump's lowest average was 40% approval in April…