Immigration enforcement controversies dominated morning coverage, with a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to maintain custody of migrants deported to South Sudan after finding the deportations potentially violated court orders.
Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defense system, announced the previous day, drew criticism from China, which warned it could militarize space. The Congressional Budget Office released an analysis showing Trump's "big, beautiful bill" would add $2.3 trillion to the deficit while transferring wealth from poor to rich Americans.
The day's defining event came when Trump hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, dimming the Oval Office lights to show videos alleging persecution of white farmers in South Africa. Most outlets characterized this as an "ambush" promoting "false" or "baseless" claims of "white genocide," with South African politician Julius Malema responding by doubling down with inflammatory rhetoric.
Late updates reported the Justice Department ending civil rights investigations into local police departments, including Minneapolis and Louisville.