On August 11, 2025, while everyone was busy talking about the Crisis in DC from the press conference announcements, the White House issued aJoint Statement on U.S.-China Economic and Trade Meeting in Stockholmsummarizing the US-China trade talks by reminding us that a Joint Statement was issued from the May 12, 2025 meeting (discussed in my May 12, 2025 ANP Article) as well as the June 9-10, 2025 London talks and the July 28-29, 2025 Stockholm talks in which both parties agreed to take certain steps. The US agreed to postpone implementing EO 14257 (discussedin myJuly 23, 2025 ANP Article). China will adopt or maintain measures to suspend or remove the non-tariff retaliations while the two countries are still in negotiations.
President Trump signed EOFurther Modifying Reciprocal Tariff Rates to Reflect Ongoing Discussions with The Peoples Republic of Chinadetermining there was a large and persistent trade goods deficit with China creating an unusual and extraordinary threat to the National Security and Economyof the US. President Trump cites his April 8, 2025 EO 14259 and April 9, 2025 EO 14266 harmonizing the tariff schedule to counter the China PRC announcement of retaliation over these 2 EOs.
Discussions with China were held, leading to the May 12, 2025 EO 14298 (discussed in my May 13, 2025 ANP Article). This EO postponed the new tariff rates by 90 days. The 90 days ends on August 12, 2025. The President goes on to state that because China is participating in discussions and taking significant steps to remedy the current trade imbalance, the postponement offered inEO 14298is extended until November 10, 2025.
The accompanying Fact SheetPresident Donald J. Trump Continues the Suspension of the Heightened Tariffs on Chinaexplains that by extending the tariff implementation deadline to November 10, 2025, it enables further discussion with China to rectify the trade imbalance. The current 10% tariff rate remains in force during this hiatus. The goal is balanced trade between China and the US. Unfortunately, the long-standing trade imbalance, which was $295,400,000,000 in 2024, will not be easy to adjust in a way that creates a lasting benefit to American workers, farmers, and businesses. It is hoped that by delaying the massive tariff increases, trade discussion will create more cooperation in implementing fair and balanced trade.
An Act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States (aka The Residence Act) (1 Stat 130) was signed into law by George Washington on July 16, 1790. This act established an area for a National Capital to be the permanent seat of the US government. It also designated Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a temporary capital while the new capital was being built (to be completed by December 1800). The Residence Act was part of the Compromise of 1790. And, as we learned in my August 9, 2025 ANP Article discussing Patriot Abigail Smith Adams, George Washington lived in the Adams mansion during his Presidency. It was not until the last 4 months of Adams' Presidency when John & Abigail Adams moved into the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, the new seat of the new Nation.
An Act Concerning the District of Columbia (aka District of Columbia Organic Act)(2 Stat. 103) was passed February 27, 1801. This act formally placed DC under control of the US Congress, outside of any State's jurisdiction. This act had the unintended consequence of making residents not part of any State and therefore unable to vote for members of Congress or even the President. In 1961, the 23rd Amendment finally allowed DC residents the ability to vote for President. They are represented in the House by a delegate who does not hold voting rights in Congress but can vote in committees and participate in debates.
On August 11, 2025, President Trump held a press conference (video below) in which he announced two Presidential Documents were signed earlier that morning:
1. EO Declaring a Crime Emergency in the District of Columbiabecause crime is out of control in DC. As our National Capital, and seat of all 3 branches of our government along with all their employees, DC should be one of the safest places in the country. But crime statistics show it is not safe with DC having the highest violent crime, murder, vehicle theft, and robbery rates than all 50 states. President Trump cites the 740 Home Rule Act (Public Law 930-198; 87 Stat 744 DC Official Code ' 1-201.01 et seq.) page 85, approved December 24, 1973. This law gives the President the right to direct the Mayor to turn over the police force to the President as the President deems necessary.
IAW 740 Home Rule Act the President may commandeer the police force for up to 48 hours. If the situation is expected to last longer than 48 hours (which this one is), the President must notify the Chairmen and the ranking minority members of the Committees on the DC of the Senate and House of Representations, in writing, giving them the reason(s) for the direction and how long the police force will be needed. The law goes on to give 3 ways to end the turn over: 1) the emergency is over; 2) a period of 30 days has passed from the time the police force is made available; or 3) Congress passing a joint resolution to terminate the direction. However, the maximum time a direction can be used is 30 days unless the Senate and House of Representatives issue a joint resolution that authorizes an extension.
President Trump, in this EO, designates AG Bondi as the point of contact for this action. AG Bondi will determine what services the police force will provide and when they will be provided. During the press conference, President Trump stated that letters had already been sent to the appropriate people (as detailed above).
The accompanying Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Declares a Crime Emergency to Restore Safety in the District of Columbiafurther explains that the goal of the EO is to restore public order and safety in DC. To do this, the President has concluded that the rampant crime in DC must be addressed, quickly and thoroughly, using every option at his disposal including the National Guard and US Military. President Trump has been very clear that his primary goal is to make America safe again. Not only from illegal aliens invading our country and the crime they bring; but also from "home grown" criminals who happen to be citizens of our country. Law abiding citizens have a right to live in a safe environment.
2. Memoranda Restoring Law and Order in the District of Columbiais addressed to the Secretary of Defense. In the memoranda, President Trump accuses the local government of DC of losing control of public order and safety giving recent examples of just how out-of-control crime in DC has become under current leadership. The Secretary of Defense is directed to mobilize the DC National Guard and order its members into active service to address the epidemic of crime in the Nation's Capital until such time that President Trump has determined law and order has been restored. The Secretary of Defense is given latitude to determine how many personnel are necessary to accomplish the task. The memoranda direct the Secretary of Defense to work with State Governors to authorize additional National Guard personnel be sent to the Capital to assist in this endeavor.
The accompanying Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restores Law and Order in the District of Columbiafurther explains the goal of this action is to secure the safety and peaceful functioning of the Nation's Capital. Local government has done nothing to curb the rampant crime and can even be considered as causing a lot of the more recent crimes with their lax rules and enforcement. President Trump explains that to achieve the goal of making America safe again, the "filth and decay" that mar the Capital must be expunged citing EO 14252.
On March 28, 2025 President Trump signed EO 14252 Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautifulwhich I addressed briefly in my July 25, 2025 ANP Article. I shall address it more completely here because the Fact Sheet cites it as the beginning of the "restore order and enhance the city's infrastructure" program of actions with the establishment of the Task Force via this EO:
The Task Force ischaired by the Assistant to the President and the Homeland Security Advisor or designee and is tasked with:
directing maximum enforcement of Federal immigration law and redirecting available Federal, State, or local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport illegal aliens in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area;
monitoring the District of Columbia's sanctuary-city status and compliance with the enforcement of Federal immigration law;
providing assistance to facilitate the prompt and complete accreditation of the District of Columbia's forensic crime laboratory;
in collaboration with its leadership and union, providing MPD with assistance to facilitate the recruitment, retention, and capabilities of its police officers and to facilitate work with Federal personnel, resources, and expertise to reduce crime;
collaborating with appropriate local government entities to provide assistance to increase the speed and lower the cost of processing concealed carry license requests in the District of Columbia;
reviewing and, as appropriate, revising Federal prosecutorial policies on seeking pretrial detention of criminal defendants to ensure that individuals who pose a genuine threat to public safety are detained to the maximum extent permitted by law;
collaborating with appropriate local government entities to provide assistance to end fare evasion and other crime within the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority system; and
deploying a more robust Federal law enforcement presence and coordinating with local law enforcement to facilitate the deployment of a more robust local law enforcement presence as appropriate in areas in or about the District of Columbia, including in such areas as the National Mall and Memorial Parks, museums, monuments, Lafayette Park, Union Station, Rock Creek Park, Anacostia Park, the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the Suitland Parkway, and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, and ensuring that all applicable quality of life, nuisance, and public-safety laws are strictly enforced, such as those prohibiting assault, battery, larceny, graffiti and other vandalism, unpermitted disturbances and demonstrations, noise, trespassing, public intoxication, drug possession, sale, and use, and traffic violations, including as prescribed by Executive Order 13933 of June 26, 2020 (Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combating Recent Criminal Violence), which was reinstated by Executive Order 14189 of January 29, 2025 (Celebrating America's 250th Birthday)(also addressed briefly inmyJuly 25, 2025 ANP Articlebut will be addressed more fully below).
In addition, this EO assigned the Secretary of Interior, AG, Secretary of Transportation, US Attorney for DC, Administrator of General Services, National Capital Planning Commission, and who ever else they deem necessary, to work to accomplish the following actions:
a coordinated beautification plan for Federal and local facilities, monuments, land, parks, and roadways in and around the District of Columbia;
restoration of Federal public monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties that have been damaged or defaced, or inappropriately removed or changed, in recent years;
removal of graffiti from commonly visited areas, with local assistance;
proposals to ensure Federal buildings or lands adequately uplift and beautify public spaces and generate in the citizenry pride in and respect for our Nation;
a coordinated Federal and local approach to ensure the cleanliness of public spaces, sidewalks, parks, highways, roads, and transit systems in and around the District of Columbia; and
the encouragement of private-sector participation in coordinated beautification and clean-up efforts in the District of Columbia.
Section 2 establishes a Task Force to implement this goal. The Task Force shall be chaired by President Trump and VP Vance will be Vice Chair. The sunset date for this Task Force is December 31, 2026.
Section 3 addresses the National Garden of American Heroes (funded through the OBBB Title VIII Subtitle G Garden of Heroes section 86001 as discussed in my July 26 ANP Article.
Section 4 addresses vandalism against American monuments, memorials, and statues as well as recent criminal violence in the Nation's Capital.
I guess the President decided these task forces needed a little assistance in reducing crime in DC.
According to the New York Post, in response to this memoranda, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that while the DC National Guard will notbe directly involved in law enforcement activities, they willassist DC Law Enforcement Officers by "having their back" and "detaining criminals" until DC Law Enforcement Officers can arrive on scene to arrest the criminal(s).
In addition, the White House published two articles about crime in DC:
1.Its Liberation Day in Washington, D.C.announcing that President Trump took action to liberate DC from the cesspool of crime and homelessnesscaused by years of Democrat "leadership" in the city. The article goes on to say that this is welcome news to residents and visitors who feel unsafe in our Nation's Capital.
2. FACT: Yes, D.C. Crime Is Out of Controllists the facts surrounding how unsafe our Nation's Capital has become listing crime rate increases for homicide, murder, juvenile arrests, violent offenses, assault with dangerous weapons, robberies, and motor vehicle thefts. The article goes on to state that these statistics understate the true level of crime in our Nation's Capital. Indeed, on July 17, 2025 a DC police commander has been suspended and accused of changing crime statistics.
Karoline Leavitt's MAGA Minute for the week ending August 8, 2025 was posted on August 11, 2025 covering:
President Trump answers questions from the press while on the WH roof and everywhere else
The Purple Heart is an award neither pursued nor won. Instead, it is bestowed as a symbol of the sacrifices manifested in bloodshed, broken bodies, and perished souls. The modern medalliona gold heart bearing a likeness of George Washington and adorned with a purple sashstands as an enduring reminder that our cherished freedom is preserved, often at tremendous cost, by the steadfast courage of those who wear our Nation's uniform.
To honor the heroism and safeguard the legacy of every man and woman who has earned this distinguished medal, my Administration remains steadfastly committed to pursuing a foreign policy of peace through strength, ending the days of endless foreign wars, and ensuring that the United States military remains the most powerful, most lethal, and most respected in the world. Under my leadership, fewer conflicts will erupt on the field of battle, but the significance of this decoration will never be diminished.
On this observance, the First Lady joins me in honoring all Purple Heart recipients as well as the resilient and faithful families who support the wounded in recovery and restoration and those who grieve the fallen. We are eternally indebted for their devotion to duty, and sacrifice on behalf of our great Nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 7, 2025 as National Purple Heart Day.
5.EO 14332 Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking signed August 7, 2025 went straight to the Federal Register and filed August 11, 2025. The Fact Sheet wasdiscussed in myAugust 8, 2025 ANP Article. This EO specifies that each agency head shall designate a senior appointee for Federal Grantmaking. This person will be responsible to review discretionary grants to ensure they comply with the explicit goals of the Trump Administration starting with the following criterion from section 3:
review and approval of agency funding opportunity announcements by one or more senior appointees or their designees;
continuation of existing coordination with OMB;
to the extent appropriate to the subject matter of the announcements, review by designated subject-matter experts as identified by the agency head or the agency head's designee;
review of funding opportunity announcements and related forms to ensure that they include only such requirements as are necessary for an adequate evaluation of the application and are written in plain language with a goal of minimizing the need for legal or technical expertise in drafting an application;
interagency coordination to determine whether the subject matter of a particular funding opportunity announcement has already been addressed by another agency announcement and, if so, whether one of the announcements should be modified or withdrawn to promote consistency and eliminate redundancy;
for scientific research discretionary grants, review by at least one subject matter expert in the field of the application, who may be a member of the grant review panel, the program officer, or an outside expert; and
pre-issuance review of discretionary awards to ensure that the awards are consistent with applicable law, agency priorities, and the national interest, which shall involve in-person or virtual discussion of applications by grant review panels or program offices with a senior appointee or that appointee's designee.
In addition, one or more senior appointees will be specifically assigned to review discretionary awards on a yearly basis once an award is made. Until these appointees are in place, no new funding opportunity announcements will be made without prior approval from the senior appointee.
Section 4 details how appointees shall go about approving grants:
(a) Senior appointees and their designees shall not ministerially ratify or routinely defer to the recommendations of others in reviewing funding opportunity announcements or discretionary awards, but shall instead use their independent judgment.
(b) In reviewing and approving funding opportunity announcements and discretionary awards, as well as in designing the review process described in section 3(a) of this order, senior appointees and their designees shall, as relevant and to the extent consistent with applicable law, apply the following principles, including in any scoring rubrics used to assess grant proposals:
(i) Discretionary awards must, where applicable, demonstrably advance the President's policy priorities.
(ii) Discretionary awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate (A) racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the grant recipient, including activities where race or intentional proxies for race will be used as a selection criterion for employment or program participation; (B) denial by the grant recipient of the sex binary in humans or the notion that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; (C) illegal immigration; or (D) any other initiatives that compromise public safety or promote anti-American values.
(iii) All else being equal, preference for discretionary awards should be given to institutions with lower indirect cost rates.
(iv) Discretionary grants should be given to a broad range of recipients rather than to a select group of repeat players. Research grants should be awarded to a mix of recipients likely to produce immediately demonstrable results and recipients with the potential for potentially longer-term, breakthrough results, in a manner consistent with the funding opportunity announcement.
(v) Applicants should commit to complying with administration policies, procedures, and guidance respecting Gold Standard Science.
(vi) Discretionary awards should include clear benchmarks for measuring success and progress towards relevant goals and, as relevant for awards pertaining to scientific research, a commitment to achieving Gold Standard Science.
(vii) To the extent institutional affiliation is considered in making discretionary awards, agencies should prioritize an institution's commitment to rigorous, reproducible scholarship over its historical reputation or perceived prestige. As to science grants, agencies should prioritize institutions that have demonstrated success in implementing Gold Standard Science.
Section 5 directs the Director to revise the Uniform Guidance (and other relevant guidelines) to streamline applications to include a clause to permit termination for convenience (subject to appropriate exceptions). Costs for facilities and administration will be limited.
Section 6 demands
(a) a review within 30 days to determine:
(i) whether the agency's standard terms and conditions for discretionary awards permit termination for convenience and include the termination provisions described in 2 CFR 200.340(a), including the provisions that an award may be terminated by the agency if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities or, in the case of a partial termination by the recipient, if the agency determines that the remaining portion of the Federal award will not accomplish the purposes for which the Federal award was made;
(ii) whether the agency's standard terms and conditions for discretionary foreign assistance awards permit termination based on the national interest; and
(iii) the approximate number of active discretionary awards at the agency, as well as the approximate percentage of funding obligated under those awards that contains termination provisions allowing for termination under the circumstances described in subsection (i) of this section.
(b) Each agency head shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law and consistent with relevant Executive Orders or other Presidential directives, take steps to revise the terms and conditions of existing discretionary grants to permit immediate termination for convenience, or clarify that such termination is permitted, including if the award no longer advances agency priorities or the national interest. Each agency head shall ensure that such terms are included in all future discretionary grants and likewise shall take steps to revise all applicable regulations binding on or incorporated in discretionary grant terms and conditions to require such terms. Agency heads shall take action to incorporate these new terms and conditions into all future amendments to grant awards.
(c) To the extent practicable and consistent with applicable law, agency heads shall insert in future discretionary grant agreements terms and conditions that:
(i) prohibit recipients from directly drawing down general grant funds for specific projects without the affirmative authorization of the agency; and
(ii) require grantees to provide written explanations or support, with specificity, for requests for each drawdown.
The goal of this EO is to ensure that US Taxpayer monies will be spent by the government in a way that ultimately benefits the lives and/or interests of the US Taxpayer.
14 SCOTUS stays or motions to vacate of lower court orders
1 SCOTUS affirmation of lower court order
7 suits where judges ruled for the federal government
23 suits where judges ruled against the federal government
There have been no updates to the LAWFARE Tracker since August 8, 2025. However, since today is pretty much "all about DC" I thought I might do a breakdown of lawsuits currently in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals and in the DC District Court.
There are currently 32 cases in the Circuit Court of Appeals in various stages covering:
Alien Enemies Act Deportation appeal
CFPB Dismantling appeal
3 DOGE appeals (1 dismissed)
3 Federal Funding Freeze appeals
Firing of FLRA Member appeal
Firing of MSDPB Member appeal
Firing of Credit Union Administration Board Members appeal
Firing of NLRB Member appeal
Firing of PCLOB Member appeal
2 Firing of Special Council both appeal dismissed
Guaranteeing the States Protection Against Invasion appeal
IAF Dismantling appeal
ICE Enforcement in Houses of Worship appeal
IEEPA Tariffs appeal
Immigration Enforcement appeal
2 Law Firm Targeting EO appeals
Noncitizen Registration Rule appeal
Public Apportionments Database Closure appeal
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Fund Freeze appeal
In District Court, there are currently128 lawsuits in a variety of stages covering:
AmeriCorps Dismantling dismissed
Birthright Citizenship
CDC FOIA Office Elimination
CFPB Dismantling
Congress Suit Against ICE
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Dismantling
Database Removal
Deferred Resignations Program
Detention of Unaccompanied Children
DHS FOIA Suit
Director of U.S. Copyright Office Firing
17 DOGE
EEOC Commissioner Firing
Elections Integrity EO
Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies EO
2 Expedited Removal Policy
2 FBI Firings
8 Federal Funding Freeze
6 Federal Grant Terminations
3 Firing of Federal Worker
Firing of FLRA Member
Firing of FTC Commissioners
Firing of Inspectors General
Firing of MSPB Member
Firing of National Credit Union Administration Board Members
Firing of NLRB Member
Firing of NTSB Member
Firing of PCLOB Member
Firing of Special Counsel
8 FOIA
Foreign Aid Freeze
2 Guantnamo Bay Detention
Guaranteeing the States Protection Against Invasion
HHS Dismantling
Houthi Signal Group Chat
2 IAF Dismantling
ICC Sanctions
ICE Enforcement in Houses of Worship
IEEPA Tariffs
IES Dismantling
ILAB Agreement Terminations
IMLS Dismantling
Immigration Enforcement
Institute of Education Sciences Dismantling
6 Law Firm Targeting EO
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Dismantling
Noncitizen Registration Rule
NPR Dismantling
OPM Test Emails
PBS Dismantling
2 Public Apportionments Database Closure
Radio Free Asia Funding Freeze
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Fund Freeze
Refugee Resettlement Pause
Removal of AP Reporters
Removal of Public Health Datasets
Removal to Third Country
4 Rescinding Collective Bargaining Agreements
Revocation of Security Clearance
3 Schedule F
SEVIS Visa Termination
SNAP Data Collection
Suspension of Refugee Admissions
Termination of Justice Department Lawyers
Transgender Service Members Ban
U.S./El Salvador Agreement
2 United States African Development Foundation Dismantling
United States Institute of Peace Dismantling
5 USAID Dismantling
USMS FOIA Request
VOA Dismantling
I am not counting SCOTUS cases as being part of the DC jurisdiction.
Now it is your turn. Guard the republic well.
Today's Patriot is George Read Sr who was born September 18, 1733on the family's estate in Cecil County, Maryland. His father immigrated from England in 1726. He was the first of 6 sons.
In 1753, George was admitted to the bar (he was only 19) and he began to practice law. By 1763, he was appointed Crown Attorney General by the Proprietary Governor of Delaware, John Penn.
George married Gertrude Ross Till (1732-1802, the widowed sister of fellow signer George Ross, who will be discussed in a later ANP Article) on January 11, 1763. They had 5 children, 4 of whom lived to adulthood.
In 1765 George was elected to the Assembly of the Lower Three Counties Upon Delaware. From 1775 to 1777 he was a member of the Continental Congress. Read voted against independence on July 2, 1776 but signed the Declaration of Independence anyway. George, in a show of commitment to independence (after having not voted for it), introduced a resolution to Congress that stated:
that anyone who shall willfully break this agreement (The Declaration) shall have his name published in the Public Newspapers as a betrayer of the civil rights of America and forever be deemed infamous and a traitor.
In 1774, George signed the Petition to the King from the First Continental Congress. He also signed the Continental Association of 1774, Olive Branch Petition of 1775, Declaration of Independence in 1776, and the US Constitution in 1787.
In 1776 George was named President of the 1776 Delaware State Constitutional Convention and then Speaker of the Delaware Senate. He authored the first constitution for the State of Delaware. When Delaware President John McKinly was a captive of the British, George became Acting President until March 1778.
It is said that during the Revolutionary War, George's wife, Gertrude, was taken Captive and his home confiscated by the enemy. He was on the run for 6 years to keep from being captured himself.
George left office on March 31, 1778. But, he could not stay away from politics as he became a member of the Delaware State Senate in 1782 and a US Senator after 1789. He was serving as Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court when he died.
George died from heart problems on September 21, 1798 at the age of 65, in New Castle, Delaware. He is interred in the Immanuel Episcopal Church Cemetery in New Castle. His son George Read Jr was first US Attorney for Delaware. George Read III was the 2nd US Attorney for Delaware following in his father's shoes. His son, John was a noted lawyer and banker in Philadelphia.
Those are some of the exact words used by Googles censors, aka 'Orwelliancontent police,' in describing many of our controversial stories.Stories later proven to be truthful and light years ahead of the mainstream media. But because we reported those 'inconvenient truths' they're trying to bankrupt ANP.
