I’m not just talking about the Reflecting Pool.

Republicans like Rep. Byron Donalds, now the GOP nominee to succeed Ron DeSantis as governor of Florida, has habitually and enthusiastically repeated and amplified Trump’s whims and still claims with a straight face — as he did on Fox News this week — that Democratic policy and the actions of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are responsible for the horror under which we currently live. Never mind the fact the Democrats currently hold no power in Washington and can’t implement any policies of any kind.

At least Republicans are finally, if obliquely, admitting that things aren’t so good in the country. Trump, however, isn’t ready to concede that. According to him, America would have burst into flames and melted into the bedrock mantle if he hadn’t come to town. Now? We hear many in and out of government saying that his presence ensures the outcome he predicted the Democrats would visit upon us all. 

Like I say, the paint is peeling. 

Time for this commercial break. On Wednesday, Trump was seen on the South Lawn praising a brand of fertilizer made by a company that, as he noted, had given him a sizable campaign contribution. Trump says it’s great stuff. Hey, they paid. He played. Very often, he is exactly as transparent as he claims to be. At the end of this live commercial he said that this fertilizer made for “happy grass.” He sounded like he’d been smoking some of that stuff. 

On the one hand, this is incredible corruption, but if you’re a CEO, having the president push your product directly in front of the White House isn’t a bad thing. You can’t blame business for doing what business does. You can blame the rest of us for not stopping it before it got this bad.

Yep, the paint is peeling.

To overcome the absence of departed pep secretary Karoline Leavitt, Byron Donalds and the rest of Trump’s puppets have been dancing long and hard lately. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson told reporters the economy had taken off and was on its way into the stratosphere until we experienced this little detour “called Iran.” You could say he unwittingly justified every American’s anger over a pointless, useless war that is making all our lives more difficult and more expensive. He was trying to back up his leader, but accidentally threw him to the wolves. But was it really accidental? 

The key point here is that the GOP has been in charge in D.C. for more than a year and a half. Republicans control the Senate, the House, the Supreme Court and the presidency. They vowed they’d fix the economy and have only moved the needle backward. Everyone who pays rent, utilities and grocery bills and worries about what they’ll do if they have to face a sudden health crisis knows it.

Republicans are screaming about socialism ruining the country while those so-called socialists are pushing free healthcare. Who do you think the American public will listen to? The GOP’s pitch was, roughly speaking, that they could use extreme methods to take care of the cleanup on aisle seven. They have obviously failed. Now other folks are making the same claim from the opposite side of the court. I remain skeptical that any political party in this country can affect real and lasting positive change. They’re too busy demonizing each other, with Trump as lead demon who, along with other minor imps, feed on the filthy lucre of oligarchs and billionaires.

Even if Trump and his lesser demons, in their bacchanalian zeal, were right in pinning blame for how the country got the way it is on Biden and the Democrats — and I’m not saying they are — their self-incriminating statements amount to admitting that they can’t handle the problem either. If you got elected to fix the system and nearly two years later everything is much worse, then it’s time to hire a new plumber — and not the Richard Nixon type.

Making a sale to the electorate as a Republican this year is a difficult task indeed. Even the disorganized Democrats might be able to crawl over that low bar. We can’t say a GOP victory is impossible, but it seems conditional on a variety of narrowing possibilities, especially considering the accused criminals, domestic abusers and otherwise morally bankrupt candidates they are offering us. Then there are the Democrats. All the Republicans can do is accuse the party that’s out of power of somehow wielding the power, and doing so as part of a sinister communist conspiracy. These midterms promise to be fun: the old and befuddled far right versus the young and arrogant far left, vying for attention and a chance to feed at the public trough.

Even corrupt public servants deserve a second chance. Sure, some of them should have to work in soup kitchens for a decade to earn that second chance — you know, in addition to whatever prison time they serve. After all, we want good people. 

But no one who’s been convicted of 34 felonies should get another chance. If he never goes to prison, he should be forced to work the rest of his natural life handing out free meals in a soup kitchen in an impoverished  county in the Deep South, with weekends spent answering phones on the substance abuse hotline. 

Paint peeling. Hear it?

Remember Michael Cohen? He was the former Trump “fixer” who testified against his ex-boss in the New York criminal case. He also testified in a highly publicized congressional hearing on Feb. 27, 2019, telling the House Oversight Committee that Trump was a “racist,” a “con man” and a “cheat.”

On his podcast, Cohen he has often referred to Trump with a scatological insult (“VonS***zInPantz”), which even entered the official court transcript during the 2024 hush-money trial when Trump’s defense attorney brought it up.

But the paint is peeling, and Cohen recently got a chance to interview Trump for his podcast. Some liberals who have welcomed Cohen’s criticisms of Trump are now calling him a weasel, a sell-out and worse, turning the scatological nickname back at him. Hey, the American public can be crude and cruel. Those two guys definitely know about that.

For the documentary “The First 100 Days,” I asked Cohen in January 2025 what he might ask Trump if he got the chance to talk to him. Cohen said he believed he was owed an explanation.

Many journalists would love to get the opportunity to interview Trump one-on-one, and might pursue more ambitious lines of questioning. The fact that Trump gave an interview to someone who has publicly called him a racist, a con man and a cheat, and who has suggested that the president is incontinent, says a lot about both men. Hey, it should give us hope. It sounds like Trump is desperate to tell his story to literally anyone.

Few, perhaps, would have employed the same tactics Cohen used. But the folks at Breitbart, News Nation and similar outlets who preface their briefing-room questions by referencing “mainstream media” can only wish they were as successful as Cohen in getting Trump on their show.

Those who do interview Trump should treat him no differently than we used to treat the accused criminals we interviewed on “America’s Most Wanted.” That’s why I’ll never interview him while he’s president. 

So how did Cohen’s interview with Trump turn out? On Thursday we got a preview. It sounded a lot like Trump’s standard stump speech. He began by saying the country is doing well and Cohen responding, “Thanks to you, Mr. President.” Both said they were victims of a “weaponized” Department of Justice. Later on, Cohen volunteered to stage a presidential press conference and played “Reunited” by Peaches & Herb. People are too busy searching for things “to be enraged about,” he said. Cohen ended the 20-minute preview by saying that he’s putting the past behind him and that the $40 trillion national debt is a huge problem. Then he played “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” by War. 

Would it surprise me to see Cohen named as the next press secretary? Not as much as it should. And Trump would throw him under the bus, first chance he got. Why not? He’s done it before.

Again, the paint is peeling.

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Jokes aside, if I got the opportunity to sit down with Trump, I would treat him with the respect due his office, even though he has done nothing personally to deserve that.I would make clear the interview is for the American public at large, not for my entertainment. I would ask the questions. In a sane world he would provide answers that could facilitate greater understanding of his actions and motivations, and how he believes those actions will benefit the American people. 

Trump’s gift in the past was the ability to sell an alternate reality. He now does that very poorly, and by asking the proper questions we might be able to clarify this country’s predicament — as if many of us haven’t already come to the conclusion that we’re terminally screwed.  

When people get a chance to interview the president — any president, not just this one — the issues and questions should be well researched and precise, in hopes of eliciting responses that are concise and specific. Too much of today’s political discourse consists of “gotcha” moments. Those of us in the press do it. Politicians marinate themselves in it. Trump perfected it. No other president has ever called a reporter “Piggy,” much less gotten away with it.

And if reporters are not playing the gotcha moment, then we are too often serving  as propagandists for those in power. Then again, many of us just don’t know how to ask real questions. 

Yeah, the paint is peeling.

What could be more symbolic of the depths of depravity we’ve hit than a president literally giving a paid testimonial on the White House lawn for fertilizer? While the punchlines write themselves, I never had that on my bingo card. I never even imagined such a possibility. It’s a criminal act and an empty and meaningless prostitution of the office. It demeans the entire nation, and adds to the instability in the world.

And what can your average White House reporter do? Not much, beyond watching the turgid, disconcerting vomitorium we call politics with a jaundiced eye, careful of the manipulations and machinations of those who are out to feed their own greed while screwing the rest of us into the ground. It helps if we can laugh about it. 

As we can clearly see this week, the paint is peeling and we have no way to fix it.  

Can I interest you in some fertilizer? Everybody needs “happy grass.”

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The barriers center around five issues:

1. Personal responsibilities (family, schooling)
2. Time (away from clinical responsibilities)
3. Funding
4. Mentorship
5. Education

Personal Responsibilities

The personal responsibilities portion of this is complex and multifaceted. Nursing is predominantly a cis-female profession, with up to 85% identifying as such, and women are still the primary caregivers in families. Data from the Gender Equity Policy Institute highlight some startling realities:

• “Women spend twice as much time as men taking care of children.
• Mothers put in the equivalent of a full-time job — 37 hours — every week on unpaid care and household work.
• Mothers have 41% less free time than fathers.
• Working mothers do twice as much housework as men on days they work.”

In addition, data show that working women provide an additional 20 hours of unpaid care per week to other extended family members — up to 50% more than male caregivers.

When it comes to furthering one’s education, women are cited as the vast majority of nurses in graduate programs, up to 85% of those enrolled. Although there are no data on how many of those nurses are also working full-  or part-time, it’s suggested that most are doing so.

As of 2024, close to 73% of RNs have a bachelor’s degree or higher; and the rate of nurses advancing their education is on the rise with an average 6% increase in graduate-level enrollment over the last 2 years.

Time

That’s why time away from clinical responsibilities serves as a key pillar of nurses’ success in spinning out innovations. Yet nurses who work primarily at the bedside generally don’t get protected time to work on other projects. However, many new studies support the need for this crucial element. One such study highlights “protected time” as essential to the nursing innovation ecosystem.

In their study, Da Costa and Da Costa confirmed that the most significant barrier to nursing innovation is lack of time. “Across studies examining innovation, evidence-based practice, and practice change, nurses consistently identify competing clinical responsibilities as a significant obstacle to engaging in improvement and innovation activities.”

Those structural and gender barriers aside, to mitigate barriers of funding, mentorship, and education, the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing recently released an Innovation Accelerator guide to help other institutions better support their nurses in these areas.

Funding

Funding is a no-brainer; you can’t create new products or move any new idea forward in healthcare, or beyond, without proper funding. Organizations that provide startup funds to nurse-led innovation ventures do more than show organizational support; they show organizational investment. Yet, a diverse funding portfolio requires more than just organizational funding; teams also need to understand the innovation and entrepreneurial landscape, including pitch competitions, other funding programs, and how to connect with venture capitalists and foundations. Money not only makes the world go round, but it also drives healthcare and the innovation ecosystem.

Mentorship

That said, money isn’t everything, nor is it the most crucial factor in the success of nurse-led innovations and ventures. That would be mentorship. Mentorship begins with individuals who have the lived experience, knowledge, connections, and resources specific to the needs of the nurse-led teams. Mentorship can come from within nursing, but it’s generally more useful when it comes from outside nursing.

Importantly, mentorship should help nurses feel confident in their innovation work. Although no real data on this exist, very few nurses have ever tried to take an idea and scale it up. The international organization dedicated to nurse innovators and entrepreneurs, the Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Leaders (SONSIEL), has a membership of over 1,100. In a profession of close to 5 million in the United States, that’s just 0.012%; and that number is all members globally, not specifically nurses in the United States who’ve scaled an innovation or spun out a startup. That number obviously doesn’t capture all nurses innovating, just those who’ve become members of the organization.

According to a Nurse.org survey, 75% of nurses “believe they personally possess the skills required to implement innovations.” However, 30% stated they would have no idea where to go if they had an innovative solution.

That’s why mentorship is so crucial. Nurses don’t know what they don’t know in the innovation and entrepreneurial space. For that reason, they frequently don’t feel confident in their abilities. Meeting with teams, providing reassurance, laying out next steps, identifying facilitators and barriers, and discussing what’s known and unknown—that’s the secret sauce of helping nurse-led teams move forward. Although not so secret. Studies show that mentored startups are more successful at raising funds and have increased longevity.

Education

As stated, nurses aren’t generally taught innovation methodology or entrepreneurship in their educational programs, which is why training specific to these processes is the final pillar in this multipronged approach. Targeted educational sessions and resources are key to helping nurse innovators and entrepreneurs not only understand the new area they’re operating in, but also how to speak the language. Topics can include intellectual property, business modeling, customer discovery, value proposition and pricing, go-to-market strategy, and so much more.

Thanks to the American Nurses Association and others, educating nurses around I&E topics isn’t just possible, it’s also easy to do. For nurses and nurse leaders interested in learning more, check out the Penn Nursing Innovation website for programs such as the Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship, the Summer Innovation Institute, the Design Thinking for Health platform created in partnership with the Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation, and other resources. In addition, SONSIEL offers other workshops and programs specific to entrepreneurship for nurses.

The data are clear. The blueprint is written. We know what makes nurse-led innovation teams successful.

A recent report from Nurse.org showed that “of 86 nurse-founded healthcare companies…45% reached scale, defined as 51+ employees, an acquisition, or $1 million in verified funding.” That 45% is exceptional in the startup world — where the rate is often 10% to 20%!

Investing in nursing innovation with dedicated time, mentorship, education, and funds lowers barriers and builds a solid foundation for success. It really is that simple.

Marion Leary PhD, MPH, RN is an innovation methodologist and the Director of Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

But that doesn’t mean ICE has given up on fulfilling Donald Trump and Stephen Miller’s cruel fantasies. The xenophobic Miller agenda is still being treated as the vanguard in White House efforts to will an authoritarian police state into being, circumventing both law and tradition to attack due process and inflict fear on the nation’s immigrant population. In early August, DHS posted a notice that they plan to buy $20 million worth of electrified shock gloves that are euphemistically described as “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices.” The gloves are truly Orwellian, cheered on by police because they inflict pain but leave “no burn marks or scars,” making it easier for law enforcement to hide the abuse and cruelty they inflict. Amnesty International opposes the use of these devices, arguing they are “readily misused for torture.”

The gloves’ torturous potential seems the biggest part of their appeal to the administration. Mullin has previously defended the killing of nonviolent anti-ICE protesters, while Miller regularly paints progressive protesters and immigrants as apocalyptic threats that need be countered with violence. Trump, of course, has fantasized aloud about unleashing state violence on Americans, regardless of the laws against it. The gloves provide an avenue to hurt both immigrants and protesters, while avoiding due process and legal accountability. 

As the courts keeps getting in the way of Trump’s desire to persecute people he doesn’t like, the pressure to find a way to cheat the laws guarding human rights is only intensifying. Liz Dye, legal analyst and host of the “Law and Chaos” podcast, told me that “U.S. Attorneys are being pressured to bring politically motivated cases based on shoddy or even fabricated evidence, with the predictable result that the cases implode on impact with the court system, sometimes spectacularly.”

The most recent high-profile example is the attempt by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro to prosecute David Hearn, a former Olympian who was accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial. As it turned out, Hearn was being used as a scapegoat to hide Trump’s embarrassment over ruining the pool by hiring poorly qualified cronies to renovate it. Pirro eventually had to admit that the case was without merit and dropped it, even though doing so meant a well publicized dressing-down from Trump at the White House.

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The failed attempt to prosecute Hearn was just the latest in a series of high-profile prosecutions of people Trump hates for criticizing him or attempting to hold him accountable, including against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. 

In a recent column for the New York Times, Jamelle Bouie observed that “The principal aim of President Trump’s second term is revenge.” Worse, most everyone Trump fixates on is innocent of wrongdoing. Their only “transgression” has been upholding the law, criticizing the president or, in many cases, simply being of a race or class of people he doesn’t like. But Trump, Bouie argued memorably, also wants revenge on the American people “for rejecting him in 2020 and dealing a grievous blow to his ego.”

As Dye explained, Trump’s efforts to use the Justice Department to exact revenge have only backfired. It has “hemorrhaged staff” because honest attorneys have rejected pressure to “drop meritorious prosecutions” so they can “bring garbage political cases” instead. The department’s reputation is in tatters. Zahid Quraishi, a federal judge in New Jersey, said it best. When throwing a federal prosecutor out of his courtroom earlier this year, Quraishi said, “Generations of Assistant U.S. Attorneys had built the goodwill of that office for your generation to destroy it within a year.” 

The new ICE gloves are part of this systemic destruction, representing the pathetic means the Trump administration will use, all so they can inflict maximum punishment before the judicial system lets their targets go. The immigration system is far easier to manipulate for authoritarian purposes than the federal justice system. Undocumented residents don’t enjoy the same legal rights as citizens, and deporting someone is a much lower lift, legally speaking, than prosecuting someone for a crime they didn’t commit. And yet, as POLITICO reported this week, the administration is losing most of its deportation cases in court. Of the 20,500 tracked by the media outlet, the White House lost at least 17,600, or 85% of the time. 

Unable to win in court, Trump and his officials are looking to turn the process itself into the punishment. Immigrants are held in detention camps for months, often under torturous conditions, while waiting for their cases heard. ICE raids are frequent and often violent, sometimes targeting people who have legal paperwork to be in U.S. The result is that immigrants are being kept in a constant state of psychological terror, especially with the knowledge that having legal status — or even citizenship — may not provide sufficient protection. These electric gloves are just the latest part of what amounts to a torture campaign being waged by the administration — a way for ICE to hurt and punish immigrants and their defenders under the guise of “crowd control” or “de-escalation.” 

While the situation is dire, it’s also a sign that Trump is weak. This is evident in the special grand jury Pirro recently convened in Washington following rumors that her job was at stake due to her inability to successfully prosecute a series of fall guys the presidents wants to blame for his own failures. But it’s doubtful she will be able to improve on her losing record. Since Trump can’t imprison people at the scale he wants, he has to settle for harassing them instead. That’s not the behavior of the all-powerful leader he was trying to be a year ago. They are the actions of a spoiled brat trying, and failing, to cover up the stench of losing. 

The post ICE gloves reveal how Trump’s revenge agenda is failing appeared first on Salon.com.

The move is significant on both fronts. While the switch will be a godsend to the weary sailors aboard the Lincoln, who have faced deteriorating living conditions and reported suicide attempts during their historic deployment of over 260 days and counting, the Washington was the Navy’s last aircraft carrier stationed in Asia. Its exit represents a remarkable abdication of American military power in the region.

At the same time, the president has ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea. Seoul seemed blindsided by the announcement, but judging from Trump’s social media post, which underscored his “very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea,” it appears that one reason for America’s diminishing military presence on the Korean Peninsula also has to do with Iran. The move reportedly came after the South Korean government refused to assist the U.S. in military actions in Iran. “I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, “and they said, ‘No thanks!’” 

This is all great news for China, which has already dispatched its top envoy to South Korea, seemingly to fill the void Trump is creating. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with Korean President Lee Jae Myung to discuss North Korea and global issues, creating an “unusually favorable moment for Beijing,” according to Han Lin, China country director at the Asia Group, who spoke to Bloomberg. “Washington is signaling flexibility toward Pyongyang while simultaneously creating uncertainty in Seoul,” he said, adding that “China can use that gap to bolster diplomatic influence.”

Once again, China embodies the pseudo-Taoist “Does nothing. Wins.” meme, but that hasn’t entirely mollified fears that Beijing will invade Taiwan. Those worries have caught the attention of The National Interest, a magazine founded in 1985 by neoconservative Irving Kristol and attached to a think tank established by former President Richard Nixon, who saw the potential for Chinese dominance in world affairs. The magazine, which has more recently become a mouthpiece for Russian concerns, has published hand-wringing features on how munitions depletions are putting Taiwan at risk. Such depletions are a consequence of the U.S. bombing campaign against Iran, of course, but it’s not clear that China wants or even needs to take advantage of this gap, at least not by dropping bombs.

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Beijing has watched closely as the U.S. and Russia, in its invasion of Ukraine, have damaged their economies, weakened their militaries and destroyed their global reputations while still losing the wars they started. No one wants to say that risk of a Taiwan invasion is completely gone, but China’s motivation to do so is likely pretty low. Why invade some place if you basically already control it? Just keep doing nothing and keep winning.

But more tangibly, it’s becoming clearer by the day that the bloated military machine the U.S. has run for decades is running out of steam. An exclusive report published Tuesday by the Washington Post details how the Pentagon is considering reducing its military footprint in the Middle East, notably because American military bases in the region have repeatedly gotten pummeled throughout the Iran war. If this happens, it would mark a substantial pivot from how American forces have operated in the region post-9/11.

All of this may be welcome news to anyone who opposes the world police stance of the U.S., but Trump kicking out the crutches of our ailing empire could also swing in a disastrous direction. As former U.S. ambassador to South Korea Joseph Yun detailed to CNN, the void the U.S. leaves is prompting more countries, including North Korea, to look more toward nuclear weapons as a deterrent against future aggressors. 

As anyone who has studied nuclear proliferation will tell you, this is a dangerous game: The more countries that rely on nukes for peace, the greater chance there is of a nuclear holocaust, whether it’s triggered accidentally or intentionally. The slow decay of American hegemony may be good news for many people in the world, but it could also create new existential risks as China reemerges as a global superpower.

In the meantime, it probably won’t hurt to start learning Mandarin on Duolingo.

The post Trump’s Asia pullback is a gift to China and North Korea appeared first on Salon.com.

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President Donald Trump this week unveiled another effort by his administration to raise questions about the outcome of the 2020 election he lost: an unusual U.S. Census Bureau analysis concluding with “high confidence” that 24,000 noncitizens illegally voted in the 2020 election.

Trump touted the finding on social media and wrote that it supports his long-running false claims that he actually won the 2020 election.

But experts said there are substantial questions about the Census Bureau study’s methodology and validity. And even if 24,000 noncitizens had voted in 2020, it wouldn’t have been enough to change the election’s outcome.

The seven-page Census Bureau report said researchers examined more than 128 million voters in the 2020 presidential election and determined with “high confidence” that more than 24,000 of them were noncitizens. If so, that number would be less than 0.019% of the sample.

Trump said census researchers are still analyzing another 32 million voters and predicted that the number of illegal noncitizen votes would “explode” after that was done.

The Census Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. But experts said some aspects of the bureau’s release raise fundamental questions.

Most Census Bureau reports identify the authors of the report and detail the reliability of the data they are using. This analysis did neither.

“A properly done Census report would have had that information and the fact that it is missing is glaring and makes me think that they are hiding something,” said Beth Jarosz, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Massive Data Institute who has worked as a contractor on Census Bureau reports.

Terri Ann Lowenthal, who served as staff director for the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee overseeing the Census Bureau from 1987 to 1994, said the report’s minimal methodological information raised questions about the accuracy of the results.

Lowenthal said the report was “beneath the Census Bureau’s stellar reputation.” The failure to include the names of any career staff members, she said, suggested that the work may have been done by someone with a political agenda “and may not reflect the sound, reputable analysis for which the Census Bureau is known.”

Trump administration searches for noncitizen voters

Trump has focused the efforts of his second administration on rooting out voter fraud, especially any instance of illegal voting by noncitizens, which audits, investigations, and studies have found happens only rarely. But the federal government doesn’t possess a comprehensive database of citizens, and efforts to match different data sets have so far yielded inaccurate results.

The administration pushed states to run millions of records of registered voters through a revamped federal data tool to check if they were citizens. But election officials found the system, which cross-referenced federal records from various federal agencies, in some cases erroneously flagged citizens. In June, a federal judge blocked the use of the overhauled tool, finding it threatened privacy and voting rights.

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In a televised primetime speech on July 16, Trump said his administration had found more than 250,000 noncitizen voters on the voter rolls of just four states: New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. Officials in all four states pushed back on Trump’s claims and said they didn’t understand how the administration arrived at those numbers. The Trump administration has yet to provide any detail on its methodology in that case either.

The president has lobbied for federal legislation to require people registering to vote to prove their citizenship, and he repeated that call when releasing the Census Bureau findings Tuesday, describing it as his highest legislative priority. But the effort has stalled in the U.S. Senate. He has also released two sweeping executive orders on elections, but their major provisions have been so far blocked by federal courts.

Questions surround Trump administration’s data analysis

The voting data used in the analysis was provided by Data-Clear, a business in Virginia that secured an $885,000 Census Bureau contract from former President Joe Biden’s administration in 2024. Carolyn Carlson, Data-Clear’s president and founder, said she provided nationwide voting data to the bureau that year as part of a project to try and prevent an undercount of minority voters in the 2030 census.

Carlson said she was surprised to see the data she provided used in the new review of noncitizen voters.

The report says the Census Bureau matched the Data-Clear voter files with federal immigration records to determine if people were citizens and eligible to vote. The report offers only general descriptions of how and when it was able to match verifiable information.

Justin Levitt, an election law specialist at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who worked in the Biden White House on voting rights issues, said a typical analysis would include caveats around the possible margin of error, and the 24,000 figure for noncitizen voters could be within it. However, the Census Bureau report doesn’t specify one.

“In most statistical exercises, it’s not unthinkable that there might be 0.019% false positives – and if that were the case here, that would turn the total conclusions to zero,” he said.

Should the analysis hold up to scrutiny, the underlying numbers showed that they would not involve enough voters to change the result of the 2020 election. The report said it found 500 noncitizens illegally cast ballots in Wisconsin, which Trump lost to Biden by more than 20,000 votes. The survey said it identified 1,100 noncitizens who cast ballots in Arizona, which Trump lost by more than 10,000 votes. And the report cannot say whether those voters supported Trump or Biden.

In response to questions about whether the release supported the president’s assertion, the White House responded with a link to a social media post by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Dion Nissenbaum is Votebeat’s senior national reporter and is based in Houston. Contact Dion at dnissenbaum@votebeat.org.

Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization covering local election integrity and voting access. Sign up for their newsletters here.

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Cuba holds significant deposits of cobalt and nickel, which are used in the production of electronics. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused these mining companies of sustaining “the regime’s repressive apparatus through control of key economic sectors.”

“Today’s designations make clear that the Trump Administration will not tolerate the Cuban regime’s efforts to fund its repression or continue its decades-long campaign of subversive anti-American activities,” Rubio said in a statement. “The Trump Administration will not stand by while a hostile foreign power seeks to exploit our freedoms — none of which are afforded to its people — by misleading and corrupting American citizens with lies, spy tradecraft, and other malfeasance as part of the regime’s raison d’être of exporting Marxism, racial resentment, and Communist violence across the world.”

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President Donald Trump has made overthrowing Cuba’s government a priority of his second term, promising in May to “take over” the Caribbean nation, while designating it a state sponsor of terrorism and imposing an oil blockade since January 2026. This has triggered a humanitarian crisis marked by rolling blackouts, the collapse of tourism, agricultural shortages and worsened medical care. Many Cuban children and other vulnerable citizens have died in the process, according to the United Nations, also citing a doubling of infant mortality. The Cuban government has refused to resign.

The Trump administration’s sanctions have spurred a transition to renewable energy like solar panels, with the help of China, which has deepened Cuba’s dependence on the Asian nation for its energy needs. Still, the country is still struggling to meet demand thanks to its aging power grid.

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Dear Oklahoma Nurses,

The debate about whether nursing truly qualifies as a profession has contributed to turbulence. Recent federal proposals from the U.S. Department of Education have sparked widespread discussion by initially excluding or questioning the classification of advanced nursing degrees as “professional degrees,” raising concerns about autonomy, academic preparedness/recognition, and workforce implications. Critics sometimes point to historical hierarchies in healthcare or to ongoing challenges such as staffing, article shortages, and scope-of-practice barriers. Let me be perfectly clear: nursing is unequivocally a profession. We meet every established criterion — rigorous academic preparation, state licensure and regulation, a unique body of specialized knowledge, a strong code of ethics, and a commitment to lifelong scholarship and service.

From the bustling emergency departments to the rural clinics of Oklahoma, from school health offices to long-term care facilities, from community outreach programs to academic settings, Oklahoma nurses embody professional excellence. Our education is grounded in science, evidence-based practice, and clinical judgment. We hold associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. We maintain continuing education requirements, pursue specialty certifications, and conduct research that advances patient care. We adhere to the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics and uphold standards that place patient advocacy and safety above all else. These are not the hallmarks of a vocation or a job — they are the foundations of a true profession.

Yet knowing this intellectually is not enough. We must live it boldly in our daily practice. To every nurse reading this, whether you are a new graduate just beginning your journey, a seasoned bedside clinician, an advanced practice provider, an educator, a researcher, or an executive, I urge you to continue to rise up in whatever aspect of nursing you practice. Commit to the highest level of skill, scholarship, and professionalism. Seek out certifications that deepen your expertise. Engage in research and quality improvement initiatives that improve outcomes. Mentor the next generation with intention. Advocate relentlessly for full practice authority and the resources you need to deliver the care your patients deserve.

Oklahoma nurses have always answered the call during pandemics, natural disasters, and everyday moments of crisis. Now is the time to elevate that legacy. Let us reject any narrative that diminishes our contributions. Let’s demonstrate through our actions that nursing is not merely supportive care but a cornerstone of the entire healthcare system: autonomous, evidence-driven, and indispensable.

Remember this powerful truth: nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the United States and here in Oklahoma. With more than 5 million registered nurses nationwide and tens of thousands across our state, we possess tremendous collective power. When we unite, when we speak with one clear, confident voice, our impact multiplies exponentially. Together, we shape healthcare policy at the state capitol and in Washington. Together, we drive innovations in patient safety, health equity, and community wellness. Together, we transform lives in ways no other discipline can match.

Imagine what is possible when every Oklahoma nurse practices at the pinnacle of our profession. When we collaborate across settings and specialties. When we support one another’s growth and well-being. When we stand united in advocacy for safe staffing, fair compensation, and the removal of barriers that limit our ability to serve. The future of healthcare in our state and the health of our communities depend on the strength of our unified voice.

Oklahoma nurses, you are remarkable. You are resilient. You are the heart and the hands of healing in our state. Stand tall in your expertise. Advocate boldly for your patients and your profession. Lead with confidence and compassion. The world needs what only nurses can provide — skilled, scholarly, professional care delivered with unwavering dedication.
Now is our moment. Let us rise together, practice at the highest level, and show Oklahoma and the nation the full power of our profession.

With pride and deep appreciation for each of you,
Cassy Abbott Eng, Ph.D., RN, LNC, FAAN
President, Oklahoma Nurses Association

For the past 25 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside the Oklahoma Nurses Association Board and our dedicated members to advance nursing across our state. It has been an extraordinary journey—one filled with collaboration, growth, and a shared commitment to strengthening the profession we love. These years have passed quickly, but the impact of our collective work is lasting.

Together, we have built meaningful opportunities for nurses to connect, learn, and advocate. Our annual convention and the Oklahoma Nurse publication continue to serve as cornerstones of professional engagement. Our membership has grown, and we have expanded our support for both new‑to‑practice nurses and experienced professionals. While there is still important work ahead, I am deeply proud of what we have accomplished as a community.

After thoughtful reflection, I have shared with the Board my intention to retire at the end of 2026. As part of this transition, the Board has identified Kristen Vencl as the next CEO/Executive Director. Many of you already know Kristen through her outstanding work as ONA’s Event Manager over the past three and a half years. In the coming months, she will serve as CEO/Executive Director Designate, working closely with me to ensure a smooth and seamless leadership handoff.

As we prepare for this transition, one of my primary areas of focus is advancing modernization, inclusivity, and member engagement. Working with our members and the Board, we are defining what the next era of ONA should look like. Our goal is to build a financially vibrant, member‑centered organization capable of adapting to rapid changes in healthcare, workforce trends, and the evolving needs of nurses. Additional updates will be shared through our electronic member newsletter and the House of Delegates as this work continues.

ONA—like nursing itself—is not one‑size‑fits‑all. It represents nurses across every specialty, practice setting, and role. Each nurse contributes uniquely to the health and well‑being of our communities. Our collective power grows when we show up—not only for our patients, but for one another. Whether through membership, volunteering, advocacy, or leadership, involvement in ONA is an act of empowerment. It affirms that nurses deserve a seat at the tables where decisions are made and that our voices matter.

Participation in ONA strengthens our professional identity by creating opportunities for leadership development, education, mentorship, and connection across the full spectrum of nursing practice. When we support each other, we reinforce nursing as a trusted, respected, and essential profession—today and for generations to come.

As we look ahead, our shared mission remains clear: to advance all of nursing and ensure that nurses maintain their rightful place in shaping the future of healthcare. I remain fully committed to supporting this work and helping position ONA for continued success in the years to come.

That experience taught me one of the most important things I wish someone had told me my first year: asking questions and asking for help does not make you a bad nurse. It makes you a safer one.

As a new nurse, it is easy to feel like you must prove yourself or look like you have it all together. The truth is, none of us know everything when we first start. Nursing school prepares you in many ways, but it cannot fully prepare you for the reality of bedside nursing. Experience teaches you the workflow of your unit, what changes to watch closely, what is truly urgent, and how to trust your own judgment.

I also wish someone had told me that the emotional part of nursing can be just as hard as the clinical part. There will be days when you feel completely overwhelmed. There may be days when you get to your car after a shift and cry because everything finally catches up with you. It is okay to feel those emotions. It is okay to admit that a shift was hard. But it is also important not to carry it all alone. Talk to a trusted coworker, mentor, friend, or professional if those feelings become too heavy.

I wish someone had reminded me that the hard days are not the only days that matter. In the beginning, you may remember the emergencies, the mistakes you replay in your head, and the moments when you questioned yourself. But over time, you will also start to see your wins. Maybe you caught a subtle change in your patient before it became something bigger. Maybe you advocated for your patient. Maybe you asked the right question. Maybe you made it through a difficult shift. Those moments matter, and you should be proud of them.

I wish someone had told me how much your environment matters. Supportive coworkers, managers, and preceptors can make a huge difference in your first year. Having people you trust and who make you feel supported, rather than alone, can be the difference between growing through your first year and burning out quickly.

I also wish someone had told me to take care of myself outside of work. During a shift, nurses spend so much time caring for everyone else. But when you are home, you matter too. Drink water. Eat well. Rest. Make time for the things that fill your cup, whether that is faith, family, exercise, reading, or simply quiet time. You cannot continue to pour into others if you are running on empty.

Most of all, I wish someone had told me that confidence takes time. You will not become the nurse you want to be overnight, but you will grow with each shift, each question, and each patient. One day, a nurse newer than you will come to you for help, and you may surprise yourself when you know the answer. For any nurse in their first year, my advice is this: ask the questions, accept the help, give yourself grace, and celebrate the small wins. You are not expected to know everything right away. You are expected to keep learning, keep growing, and keep showing up.

Florence Nightingale said, “The most important practical lesson that can be given to nurses is to teach them what to observe — how to observe…” As new nurses, that is exactly what we are learning to do: observe, ask, grow, and trust ourselves a little more with each shift.

Professional identity is more than a job title or clinical competency. It reflects how nurses see themselves within the profession and how they embody nursing’s values, ethics, knowledge, and commitment to patient care. A strong professional identity influences decision-making, leadership, resilience, and professional engagement throughout a nurse’s career.

Today’s nurses enter practice during a time of unprecedented change. Staffing challenges, increasing patient complexity, and rapid healthcare transformation can make it difficult for new nurses to fully understand the depth and significance of the profession they have joined. Many are focused on mastering clinical skills and adapting to workplace demands, often leaving little opportunity to develop a deeper connection to nursing’s purpose and professional values.

This challenge is particularly relevant as Generation Z continues to enter the workforce. Many seek meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a sense of belonging. They want to understand not only what they do, but why it matters. Professional identity provides that connection, helping nurses see themselves as valued members of a profession that has a profound impact on individuals, families, and communities.

Nursing leaders play a critical role in fostering this development. Professional identity is strengthened through mentorship, coaching, role modeling, and intentional conversations about the purpose and values of nursing. Every interaction with a new nurse provides an opportunity to reinforce professional standards, encourage reflection, and connect daily tasks to the larger mission of healthcare.

When nurses develop a strong professional identity, they are more likely to demonstrate confidence, resilience, engagement, and commitment to the profession. They are better equipped to navigate challenges, advocate for patients, and grow into future leaders themselves.

As we address workforce challenges and prepare the next generation of nurses, professional identity formation must remain a priority. By intentionally investing in mentorship and professional development, nursing leaders can help cultivate a workforce that is not only clinically competent, but also deeply connected to the values and purpose that define our profession.

The future of nursing depends not only on what nurses know, but on how strongly they identify with the profession they serve.