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In February, President Donald Trump made an aggressive push to reshape the Kennedy Center by firing its leader, naming a longtime confidant as interim executive director, dismissing board members appointed by Democrats and then appointing his own trustees who promptly elected him as chair. Now, House Republicans are trying to name the performing arts center’s opera house after first lady Melania Trump.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ Lawmaker security

The House of Representatives is increasing funding and resources for lawmakers to provide them with additional security options. The “pilot program,” which is meant to assist lawmakers returning to their districts for the five-week recess, was created following the deadly attack on Minnesota state lawmakers in June. According to a release from the Committee on House Administration, House members will receive $20,000 to increase the security of their homes. An additional $5,000 per month will be disbursed to each lawmaker to pay for personal security through the end of the year. In 2024, the US Capitol Police investigated more than 9,000 threats against lawmakers, marking an 83% increase from the previous year. During that same period, Trump was targeted in two apparent assassination attempts.

2️⃣ Gaza

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has only worsened since Israel launched its blockade of aid last March, leaving millions of Palestinians facing starvation. Now, a coalition of international organizations says the blockade is also endangering the lives of doctors and aid workers. In a joint statement, more than 100 humanitarian groups called on Israel to restore the full flow of food, clean water and medical supplies to Gaza and agree to a ceasefire. The coalition warned that supplies were “totally depleted” and that their organizations were “witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes.” International news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP), also announced plans to try and evacuate its remaining freelance staff from Gaza because they are starving and too weak to work. “Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die,” AFP’s main journalist union said in a statement.

3️⃣ Texas floods

Texas lawmakers will hold a special hearing today to investigate the state’s response to the deadly flash floods that hit over the July 4th weekend. At least 135 people were killed in central Texas, including more than 100 in Kerr County, where children’s camps and RV parks sat on the banks of the Guadalupe River. The joint select committee’s inquiry will include testimony from officials in charge of managing the rivers in the area as well as the head of the Division of Emergency Management and members of the state police. The lawmakers are expected to seek details about flood planning, disaster preparedness and response and communications. “We need to find out what happened. We need to know for us to go forward and make sure that we prevent the loss of life on the scale,” said José Menéndez, a Democratic state senator who will be on the joint select committee.

4️⃣ Columbia University

Columbia University has sanctioned more than 70 students for participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. According to a source familiar with the disciplinary action, around 80% of those students received suspensions, expulsions or degree revocation. The punishments were announced as the school works behind the scenes to get the Trump administration to restore its federal funding. Earlier this month, CNN reported that Columbia was on the verge of striking a deal that would require it to pay a multimillion-dollar settlement, implement changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, boost transparency in hiring and admissions efforts, and take other steps to improve security for Jewish students. In return, the university would regain access to over $400 million in federal funding the Trump administration stripped away earlier this year.

5️⃣ Japan trade deal

After months of negotiation, President Trump announced a trade agreement with Japan on Tuesday night. The deal will see US importers pay 15% “reciprocal” tariffs on Japanese goods exported to the states. The 15% rate will also extend to Japanese autos and car parts, putting the country at an advantage over other major vehicle exporters, which have faced a 25% levy on automotive sector exports since April. Additionally, Japan will invest $550 billion in the US, Trump said. “This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it,” he posted on his social media site. In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hailed the deal as “the lowest figure to date for a country that has a trade surplus with the United States.”

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Big number

74

That’s how many counts of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon Fernando Ramirez is facing in connection with a car crash outside a Hollywood nightclub over the weekend that injured at least 37 people.

Quotable

“These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”

— Patrick Rodenbush, spokesman for former President Barack Obama, after President Trump made allegations of treason and sedition during an Oval Office meeting.

Weather

🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.

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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

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Columbia University has agreed to pay $221 million to settle its monthslong legal fight with the Trump administration, according to a statement from the Ivy League school.

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Wednesday evening for comment.

Why It Matters

The fine marks a major victory for the Trump administration in its ongoing battles with elite universities over their admissions policies, student activism on campus and a range of other issues.

In Columbia’s case, the administration alleged that the New York City-based university failed to do enough to stop the harassment of Jewish students on campus.

President Donald Trump speaks during a reception for Republican members of Congress in the East Room of the White House on July 22 in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump speaks during a reception for Republican members of Congress in the East Room of the White House on July 22 in Washington, D.C. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

What To Know

The deal between the university and the Trump administration clears the way for Columbia to get back hundreds of millions in federal funding in exchange for paying a fine, according to a statement posted to its website on Wednesday.

The school will also pledge to follow federal laws banning entities from considering race in their admissions processes and follow its earlier commitment to reduce antisemitism on campus.

Wednesday’s settlement comes as Columbia has faced harsh blowback from activists and free-speech advocates who accused the Ivy League university of caving to Trump’s demands, while other schools, like Harvard University, have taken a more hard-line stance against the administration.

“Columbia University has reached an agreement with the United States Government to resolve multiple federal agency investigations into alleged violations of federal anti-discrimination laws,” Wednesday’s statement regarding the settlement said. “As part of the resolution, Columbia will pay a $200 million settlement over three years to the federal government.”

It added: “In addition, the University has agreed to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for $21 million. Importantly, the agreement preserves Columbia’s autonomy and authority over faculty hiring, admissions, and academic decision-making.”

Columbia’s decision to settle the allegations from the Trump administration comes as multiple lawmakers are meeting with Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who was detained by immigration officials in March for organizing pro-Palestinian student protests on campus while he was a Columbia graduate student.

Khalil’s detention sparked nationwide protests as college students and activists accused the Trump administration of retaliating against Khalil for exercising his First Amendment rights. The administration initially argued that it was protecting the U.S.’s foreign policy interests by detaining Khalil, though it later said it was seeking his detention after accusing Khalil of misrepresenting his personal information on an application for permanent residency.

Khalil has since filed a $20 million civil suit against the administration, which the Department of Homeland Security vowed to fight in a statement earlier this month.

Columbia said its settlement with the Trump administration will restore a “vast majority” of federal grants that were terminated or paused by the government in March and that the school’s “access to billions of dollars in current and future grants” will be reinstated.

What People Are Saying

Trump on Truth Social Wednesday night: “I am pleased to announce that the Trump Administration has reached a historic agreement with Columbia University. Columbia has agreed to pay a penalty of $200 Million Dollars to the United States Government for violating Federal Law, in addition to over $20 Million to their Jewish employees who were unlawfully targeted and harassed.”

The president added: “Columbia has also committed to ending their ridiculous DEI policies, admitting students based ONLY on MERIT, and protecting the Civil Liberties of their students on campus. Numerous other Higher Education Institutions that have hurt so many, and been so unfair and unjust, and have wrongly spent federal money, much of it from our government, are upcoming. It’s a great honor to have been involved, and I want to thank and congratulate Secretary Linda McMahon, and all those who worked with us on this important deal. I also want to thank and commend Columbia University for agreeing to do what is right. I look forward to watching them have a great future in our Country, maybe greater than ever before!”

Claire Shipman, the acting president of Columbia, said in a statement Wednesday: “This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty. The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track. Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest.”

Hasan Piker, a left-wing activist and one of Trump’s harshest critics, wrote on X earlier Wednesday: “[T]rump is underwater on everything and [C]olumbia is still caving to trump on everything. it seems like some of these institutions were looking for the pretext to go right.”

What Happens Next

Columbia will have its access to federal grants and funding restored as a result of this week’s settlement.

Update 7/23/25, 10:30 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with Trump’s statement on Truth Social.

Update 7/23/25, 9:02 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and context.

Politics Columbia University agrees to pay more than $220M in deal with Trump to restore federal funding Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay the $200 million settlement over three years to the federal government, the university said. FILE – Students sit on the front steps of Low Memorial Library on the Columbia University campus in New York City, Feb. 10, 2023. AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File

NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore federal research money that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus, the university announced Wednesday.

Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay the $200 million settlement over three years to the federal government, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty, acting University President Claire Shipman said.

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The administration pulled the funding, because of what it described as the university’s failure to squelch antisemitism on campus during the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023.

Columbia then agreed to a series of demands laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and adopting a new definition of antisemitism. Wednesday’s agreement codifies those reforms, Shipman said.

Columbia University is on the verge of striking an agreement with the Trump administration following months of negotiation to restore federal funding to the school, according to two sources familiar with the deal.

Columbia is expected to pay a multimillion-dollar settlement to victims of alleged civil rights violations, implement changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, boost transparency about hiring and admissions efforts, and take other steps to improve security and safety on campus for Jewish students, according to one source familiar with the matter.

In return, the source said, the school will regain access to over $400 million in federal funding the Trump administration stripped earlier this year.

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Trump administration officials and officials from Columbia are expected to meet next week at the White House, the source said. The deal has not been finalized and remains subject to change.

The administration believes the deal, the terms of which were first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, could serve as a blueprint for other schools. A second source familiar with the matter noted the Trump administration has been approaching its negotiations with universities, including Columbia and Harvard University, with a framework of the schools paying a financial penalty. The exact dollar amount is unclear, though it varies by school.

Elite schools like Columbia and Harvard University, among others, have faced intense pressure from the Trump administration to crack down on antisemitism on their campuses – or face the possible loss of significant federal funding. The effort is part of a broad administration push for policy changes at universities – including over diversity, equity and inclusion and other initiatives – that President Donald Trump sees as a winning political issue. But it is one that raises major questions about academic freedom and the role of the federal government on college campuses.

The school’s board of trustees met July 6 to review the terms of the deal, according to one of the sources.

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The New York City university, which is facing an investigation into its handling of antisemitism on campus, had taken a less confrontational approach than Harvard while it sought to reach a deal, and the source told CNN the administration was more amenable to Columbia’s proposed terms in behind-the-scenes negotiations. In June, the Trump administration threatened to pull the university’s accreditation over policies it said violated discrimination laws.

Talks between a small circle of officials from Trump administration and Harvard had deteriorated in recent weeks amid disputes over some sticking points of that deal.

A Columbia spokesperson emphasized that negotiations remain ongoing.

“The University is focused on advancing discussions with the federal government. There is no resolution at this time,” the spokesperson said.

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Asked about the state of talks, Trump told CNN last week, “I think we’re going to probably settle with Harvard. We’re going to probably settle with Columbia. They want to settle very badly. There’s no rush.”

Asked how much money the settlement would entail, Trump said, “A lot of money.”

A source involved in universities’ response to the administration told CNN last month the White House has been looking to strike a deal with a high-profile school.

“They want a name-brand university to make a deal like the law firms made a deal that covers not just antisemitism and protests, but DEI and intellectual diversity,” this person said at the time.

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Asked whether any of the schools are inclined to make such a deal, the source said, “Nobody wants to be the first, but the financial pressures are getting real.”

Last month, acting Columbia President Claire Shipman described the financial pressures facing the university due to the administration’s campaign as “increasingly acute.”

“Columbia’s top scientists are facing the decimation of decades of research. Graduate students, postdocs, mid-career researchers, and established, celebrated scientists, have all had their breakthroughs lauded by the world one minute and defunded the next. We’re in danger of reaching a tipping point in terms of preserving our research excellence and the work we do for humanity,” Shipman said in a letter to the Columbia community.

She indicated it was “essential” to restore the university’s partnership with the federal government, but took aim at criticism that a resolution would amount to “capitulation.”

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Shipman said that Columbia has “engaged in conversations” with the administration about what she described as an “unacceptable” surge in antisemitic incidents on campus.

“We’ve committed to change, we’ve made progress, but we have more to do,” she said.

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AI-assisted summary President Trump is expected to have discussions about a potential TikTok deal with China this week.

A deadline extension gives China-based ByteDance until Sept. 17 to divest U.S. assets of TikTok.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to discuss a potential TikTok deal with China this week, and the United States “pretty much” has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app.

“I think we’re gonna start Monday or Tuesday…talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would, we pretty much have a deal,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One en route to Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, New Jersey on Independence Day.

A deal to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new U.S.-based firm, majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors, was in the works earlier this year, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump’s announcement of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.

When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said, “I’m not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it’s good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it’s good for us.”

Here’s the latest on what we know regarding a potential TikTok ban in the U.S. and a possible sale of the app.

Will TikTok be banned in the U.S.?

Trump last month extended the deadline for a TikTok ban to take effect, allowing the Chinese-owned social media platform to continue operating for 90 days.

Trump signed the executive order on June 19, marking the third time the president has authorized a delay.

The extension gives ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, until Sept. 17 to secure a deal that satisfies a legal requirement.

Who is buying TikTok?

In a June interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo,” Trump confirmed that his administration had identified a group of buyers for TikTok and would announce their names soon.

“We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way,” Trump said. “I think I’ll need probably China’s approval. I think President Xi will probably do it.” He said the buyer is “a group of very wealthy people” without providing additional details.

Contributing: Sarah D. Wire & Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY; Reuters

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.