Maine Dems choose Troy Jackson
The Pine Tree State’s Democrat Party has been locked in a contest for the last two weeks to determine who would replace the scandal-ridden Graham Platner as the Democrat nominee for Senate. In a 566-5 vote on Saturday, the party convention picked former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson to carry Platner’s torch. (Jackson failed in his race to be the Democrat gubernatorial nominee earlier this year.) National Democrat leaders took a hands-off approach to Maine’s decision to replace Platner but have now jumped into action by endorsing Jackson. Republicans have been quick to point out that Jackson is a Democratic Socialist, at best. The Senate Leadership Fund PAC’s spokesman called Jackson a “deranged and scandal-plagued political insider.”

Another ceasefire — or is it just a pause?
After two days during which the U.S. military paused its nearly two-week nightly strikes against targets in Iran, UN Ambassador Mike Waltz explained that President Donald Trump is “giving talks some space.” Waltz noted that “both Oman and Iran, and a number of our other negotiators, engaged at every level, from the most senior levels all the way down to the technical level over the past few weeks, and particularly in the past few days.” Waltz also dispelled concerns that U.S. interceptor stockpiles are running low. Commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has ebbed to a three-week low, sending oil prices surging, although prices have dropped over the last two days. The question is how long this ceasefire will last and, more importantly, whether a deal with the Iranian regime is even possible.

Netanyahu responds
With news of a possible U.S. deal with Saudi Arabia that would green-light a civilian nuclear program in the kingdom, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised objections to any road that would allow the Saudis to acquire a nuclear weapon. However, Netanyahu did praise Trump for stipulating that any deal would require the Saudis to normalize relations with Israel, which the Saudis have rejected. Meanwhile, Netanyahu also blasted International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who issued arrest warrants for him and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant back in 2024. Netanyahu called it a “political shield” designed to deflect from sexual misconduct accusations against Khan. “What has been exposed is not only Karim Khan’s true motivation, but also the profound injustice and corruption that have infected both the Office of the Prosecutor and the International Criminal Court itself,” Netanyahu charged.

New York’s socialist mayor is seizing wealth
Zohran Mamdani has not been shy about his stance as a socialist, which is why conservatives warned New Yorkers that socialists believe your money belongs to them. On Thursday, Mayor Mamdani enacted the latest of his wealth-seizing schemes, a “pied-à-terre tax” on second homes in New York. The mayor’s post on X has been widely derided by Republicans. “You can practically feel the glee emanating from this tweet,” said one. Supporters may point out that the tax applies only to second homes worth more than $5 million, so these “super wealthy” can afford the new tax; but that misses the point. This tax is nothing more than greed for what other people have earned, and it will inevitably drive the wealthy to relocate, perhaps to New Jersey or just outside New York City limits, or perhaps to a friendlier state like Florida or Texas.

Confessions of a DSA leader
The Democratic Socialists of America seem poised to take the reins of the Democrat Party in future years, and their policies are astounding. Megan Romer, DSA national co-chair, appeared on a “true or false” segment on Fox News and gave Republicans a slew of ammunition to use. “Just give me a true-or-false on these,” said Fox host Shannon Bream. “Abolish the Senate?” Romer answered, “True.” Romer also said her movement would “abolish ICE,” “defund the Pentagon,” support “government ownership of large corporations,” and “abolish borders.” These positions are radical, and many Americans might expect them to be nonstarters with voters, but Zohran Mamdani and candidates across the country are seeing success running on these openly socialist policies. Republicans might hope to run against this open socialism; on the other hand, they may remember this proverb: “The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.”

HUD probes race-based university housing
In the name of safety, several universities are segregating students. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is investigating complaints against colleges placing students into race-based residences. The University of Massachusetts Amherst offers dormitories specifically designed for Asian, African, and Hispanic students. The University of Minnesota and the University of Connecticut have similar practices that could violate the Fair Housing Act. If HUD uncovers that the universities have broken federal antidiscrimination laws, it could fine them and withhold federal funding. Supporters of race-conscious campus programs argue that minorities deserve special consideration because of past injustices. Those against such communities view students as individuals, not as groups defined by their grievances.

Trump orders Smithsonian warning signs
President Trump has ordered signs to be placed outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The signs warn visitors that exhibits don’t accurately reflect history and direct them to more accurate resources. The signs will be placed alongside National Park Service-controlled sidewalks because Trump can’t change the museum itself. Part of a pressure campaign against the Smithsonian, the order escalates the fight against improper ideology in education. A White House statement criticized the museum for pushing “extreme political activism, rooted in Marxism, to divide, dispirit, and discourage Americans.” The White House also criticized the museum’s negative portrayal of the Founders. Democrats argue that the campaign will erode public trust in teachers and institutions. It would help if those teachers and institutions were trustworthy.

Education funding and immigration
Stricter border enforcement eases pressure on state education budgets. An American Accountability Foundation report argued that declines in enrollment of English-learning students reduced education funding by almost $900 million in Florida and Texas alone. The study indicates that President Trump’s immigration policy decreased the number of English-learning students during the 2025-26 school year, falling three times faster than the overall student body, the first decline in years. During Joe Biden’s administration, the budget for English-learning students spiked and the number of students increased by over 30%. “The data is clear,” the AFF report said. “Ending Biden’s open borders leads to a lower burden on education budgets.” Without that burden, the states will give more funding to local schools.

Good economic news
For the first time in over five decades, the number of Americans applying for jobless benefits hit a low of 187,000 last week. That total is the fewest number of applications since September 6, 1969. Furthermore, it falls below the forecasted 215,000. This is good news on America’s economic front, despite the continued high price of gas, which has been driving up inflation. As High Frequency Training chief economist Carl Weinberg noted, “The economic crisis caused by the energy supply shock is not over yet. But the labor market has yet to show any sign of wear and tear from the surge in oil prices.” This data is also consistent with June’s unemployment number, which came in lower than expected at 4.2%.

Headlines

• Seattle cops say cameras didn’t capture mass shooting at food festival … just weeks after the new mayor said she was turning off cameras to thwart ICE (Not the Bee)

• Berlin terror perp killed; known wolf with long track record (Hot Air)

• Cracker Barrel CEO steps down after woke rebrand sparked backlash (NY Post)

• Judge limits BBC from relitigating January 6 in Trump lawsuit over misleading documentary edit (Fox News)

The Executive News Summary is compiled daily by Jordan Candler, Thomas Gallatin, Sterling Henry, and Sophie Starkova. For the archive, click here.