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At least 11 dead, 180,000 forced to flee their homes as L.A. wildfires rage

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1 year ago

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At least 11 dead, 180,000 forced to flee their homes as L.A. wildfires rage

By Clarissa-Jan Lim

At least 11 people have died and 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as devastating wildfires continue to scorch the Los Angeles area for a fifth day.

A series of wildfires have sparked since Tuesday because of extreme dry conditions and powerful Santa Ana winds. Two of the biggest blazes — the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire — have destroyed a total of 35,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection(Cal Fire).

Officials have said the true death toll remains unknown, as the fires continue to sweep through several areas.

Here are the latest numbers from Cal Fire:

  • The Palisades Fire has consumed more than 21,000 acres and is still growing in sizeforcing officials to extend evacuation orders. It is 11% contained. City Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley has called it “one of the most destructive fires in the history of Los Angeles.”
  • The Eaton Fire has burned through more than 14,000 acres and is 15% contained. L.A. County Fire Chief Deputy Jon O’Brien said more than 5,000 structures are estimated to have been destroyed.
  • The Hurst Fire has destroyed 771 acres and is 70% contained.
  • Further north, the Lidia Firenear Acton, has swept through 395 acres and is 98% contained.
  • The Kenneth Firewhich began Thursday afternoon in the Woodland Hills area near Calabasas, has razed through more than 1,000 acres so far. It is 50% contained.
  • The Archer Firesparked Friday, has burned through 19 acres and is 0% contained.

Several emergency alerts were mistakenly sent to millions of L.A. residents who were far from where the wildfires were burning, setting off panic.

Although officials had hoped that weaker winds late Friday would help to slow the spread of the blazes, the Palisades Fire tore through dry terrain overnightmoving closer to residential areas. Strong gusts are expected to resume later on Saturday.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Clarissa-Jan Lim

Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking/trending news blogger for BLN Digital. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.

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‘Communist menace in our land’: Trump’s July 4 rallying cry to America

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2 hours ago

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July 4, 2026

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‘Communist menace in our land’: Trump’s July 4 rallying cry to America

President Donald Trump is set to cap a weeks-long celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary with a hyped political rally speech on the National Mall Saturday, coming off his wind-up at Mount Rushmorewhere he railed against communism.

Trump has boasted that his July 4 nighttime address in front of the Washington Monument would be “the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all.” It was certainly guaranteed to be hot. Temperatures are forecast to hit above 100 degrees and festivities included seven scheduled hours of flyovers by military planes — including the new Qatari-gifted jet serving as Air Force One.

The president said on his social media platform Saturday afternoon that “crowds in D.C. are INCREDIBLE!” But extreme heat postponed entry to the National Mall until 5 p.m. ET and caused the District of Columbia to cancel its annual parade as the city faced a severe thunderstorm watch.

His speech at the national memorial in Keystone, South Dakota, on Friday night hewed more closely to a Cold War-era campaign address than one meant to unify the country around its 250th birthday.

He framed the midterm elections as a battle against the “resurgence of the communist menace in our land.” He portrayed an America under siege by communism, which he described as a “mortal threat to American liberty” and one being revived by “newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success.”

“The Communist Party is made up of illegal immigrants, criminals, and everybody that doesn’t want to work,” Trump said, seemingly aiming his remarks at the MAGA base that elected him president for a second time in 2024.

His dark warnings come on the heels of stunning election victories by democratic socialist candidates in New York and Colorado. He said it was imperative that Republicans win the midterms in November and retain control of the legislative branch — and he demanded Congress pass a bill to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

“We can only lose the midterms if we allow ourselves to lose the midterms, if we are foolish, stupid, and unwise,” Trump said. “But if we terminate the filibuster, as we should do, and immediately vote for the Save America Act, then we will not lose an election for 100 years.”

The president’s highly politicized speech on the eve of the Fourth of July highlighted the deep political divisions that he himself has sown. Recent polls show many Americans have a pessimistic outlook on the country’s trajectory and broadly distrust each other and institutions.

As he spoke loftily of America’s singularity, Trump also hit some familiar notes. He touted U.S. military campaigns in Venezuela and Iran that international affairs and human rights groups have called illegal, and claimed that the Middle Eastern country is “dying to settle” to end the war.

But he repeatedly suggested Americans have something bigger to fear than the Islamic Republic that he began waging war against on Feb. 28.

“Communism is the exact opposite of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” he said. “It’s death, tyranny and the pursuit of evil.”

Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.

Mara Mellits is a desk associate for MS NOW based in New York.

Camille Ray is a desk associate for MS NOW based in New York.

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I want America to go back to being the country I fought for

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July 4, 2026

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This piece is part of“America in the balance: The fight for our history and future,”a special series from MS NOW that explores where we are as a nation as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

When I flew over countries like Iraq and the former Yugoslavia as a Marine Corps F/A-18 pilot, I often wondered how they came to be ruled by authoritarians. During our conflicts with those countries, I read every book I could to help me understand the culture, history and more recent events that led up to the U.S. military darkening their skies.

I spent 20 years of my life as a Marine Corp fighter pilot, and I savored every minute of my time wearing my nation’s uniform. The memories of my service still fill me with pride. Not only was I honored to help defend our nation’s ideals, but I enjoyed the camaraderie of educated, confident and highly driven individuals who were honored to do the same.

I spent 20 years of my life as a Marine Corp fighter pilot, and I savored every minute of my time wearing my nation’s uniform.

If you had asked me before I retired in 2005 how I’d feel on July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary, I would have imagined I’d be feeling every bit of the pride I felt when I was in international skies defending our country, but the creeping authoritarianism of the last decade, and the willingness of so many Americans to accept it, has me worried.

More than five years ago, after insurrectionists (including some with military training) stormed the Capitol, I wrote a column expressing my anger — if only to signal the social media group of former Marine Corps fighter pilots I had belonged to. I have found that the overwhelming majority of the Marine fighter pilots I know support President Donald Trump, and while I have priceless memories of my time with those who were as close as brothers in my USMC squadrons, their continuing support for this lawless president has divided me from them.

I don’t think the average U.S. citizen appreciates the sheer luck involved in our nation’s formation. Our founding fathers, men of great intellect, morals and courage, were not only alive at one time — at one place in history; they were willing to risk everything to form what would become the world’s greatest democracy. But we can’t count on luck to get us back to where we need to be. We need a renewed commitment to the American idea.

When I was flying over other countries and thinking about how their authoritarian regimes developed, I never imagined that I’d one day be asking similar questions about my own country.

Today, we are clearly drifting further and further into authoritarianism. Look at the evidence. Last year, the president staged a military parade on his birthday and warned that anyone who showed up to protest would be met with “very big force … very heavy force.” Like dictators in other parts of the world have done, Trump has had enlarged photos of himself hung on government buildings. He had to be forced to take his name off the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington. I remember seeing Saddam Hussein’s picture on the currency of Iraqand I can’t believe I’m living in an America where a president is trying to create a $250 dollar bill with his face on it.

But it’s not just Trump putting his name and face on everything that’s the problem.  He’s pushed the Department of Justice to charge his political opponents and dissidents with made-up crimes. When immigration agents killed Alex Pretti and Renée Good in January in Minneapolis, the Trump administration labeled them domestic terrorists. His administration has seized ballots in Atlantaand he has tried to take over the election process — by executive order.  His defense secretary has pushed out exemplary high-ranking military officers for no discernible reason and has reportedly blocked the promotions of deserving women and racial minorities.

I put my life on the line as often as I did because I believe America is worth dying for.

After he lost to former President Joe Biden in 2020, Trump was the first American president to refuse to participate in a peaceful transfer of power. He instead incited a Jan. 6, 2021, riot that will forever be a stain on our nation’s history. Even now, he continues to lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him. He doesn’t endorse candidates (or hire for his administration) people who tell the truth that Biden won fair and square.

I don’t know how we got here. The book that fully explains our own country’s descent into authoritarianism has not been written. I’m not sure any book will ever be able to fully explain it.

I have often wondered what the great men who founded our country — men like Washington, Jefferson and Hamilton — would think of a man like Trump. What would they think of us for electing him?

Though my pride is now mixed with worry and disappointment, I love my country as much as I ever have. I put my life on the line as often as I did because I believed America was worth dying for.

President Abraham Lincoln famously began his 1863 Gettysburg Address with an acknowledgement of July 4, 1776, the day we’re remembering today. He said the people present that day to dedicate the site of a major Civil War battle as a cemetery were there to “highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”

Though it’s exactly that kind of government that seems to be dying. This day — the 250th anniversary of our country — is the day that we should all resolve to help bring such a government back to life.

This is our country. You don’t have to have ever been in the military to fight for what it ought to be.

Richard Westmoreland, Lt. Col. Marine Corps (Ret.) served as an F/A-18 pilot in the Marine Corps. He flew more than 100 missions in two conflicts, earning five air medals.

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Democrats accuse Trump-linked fundraisers of America250 fraud

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23 hours ago

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July 4, 2026

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Democrats accuse Trump-linked fundraisers of America250 fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consultants tied to President Donald Trump may have engaged in financial fraud, tricking donors who wanted to support the nation’s bipartisan 250th anniversary organizer into sending their money instead to a rival group set up by his administration, according to a report released Thursday by House Democrats.

The report draws in part on interviews by Democratic staffers of the House Committee on Natural Resources. Those interviews suggest that donors seeking to celebrate America fell for a bait-and-switch that, if true, could have violated various criminal statutes.

Donors who were intending to contribute funds to America250, a bipartisan committee created by Congress, were instead given the banking and routing numbers for a different but similarly named group, Freedom 250, the Democratic report says.

The key difference was that Freedom 250 was set up under the auspices of Trump’s Republican administration to be “a vehicle for a Christian nationalist, partisan, and Trump-centered vision of American identity,” according to the report.

Freedom 250, which has denied the report’s claims, has focused on staging big splashy events largely held in Washington, such as the UFC cage fight at the White House on Trump’s 80th birthday, the Great American State Fair on the National Mall and the upcoming July 4 celebration featuring a Trump speech and a fireworks extravaganza the president is touting as the “show of a lifetime.”

Freedom 250 calls report ‘partisan smear’

Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez dismissed the Democrats’ report as “categorically false” and a “partisan smear from politicians who would rather manufacture division” than celebrate a national milestone.

“Freedom 250 remains fully committed to uniting Americans at this historic moment and giving all Americans a spectacular birthday they can be proud of — and we won’t be distracted by those rooting for it to fail,” said Alvarez, who previously served as a spokesperson for the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee.

Democrats allege in the report that this fits a broader pattern in which Trump hijacked the nation’s 250th birthday celebrationredirecting tens of millions of dollars in both taxpayer money and private donations to boost “the President’s ego, political ideology and pet projects.” Much of the spending was directed to companies connected to Trump’s political operation, including the event planners for the Trump rally that immediately preceded the Jan. 6, 2021, riot by a mob of his supporters at the U.S. Capitol.

“The American people are the big losers in this,” said Rep. Jared Huffman, the ranking Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee. “I’m old enough to remember the bicentennial in 1976. No one cared about party labels or political agendas, religious agendas or anything else. Donald Trump stole that. He took this unifying America250 moment, and he made it all about himself.”

The White House did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Report recounts Trump administration effort to control America250

The Democratic report recounts how the Trump administration sought to control America250, the nonprofit arm of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission established by Congress in 2016 to plan celebrations for this year’s anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

After the Trump administration faced pushback, Freedom 250 was created last fall as a limited liability corporation that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Park Foundation, the fundraising arm of the National Park Service.

Freedom 250’s sole employee appears to be CEO Keith Krach, a wealthy Trump supporter who served in the State Department during the president’s first term.

Democrats said this structure enables Freedom 250 to operate as a “financial black box,” shielded from having to comply with competitive bidding, accounting and transparency rules that would typically apply to a federally controlled entity receiving tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds and private donations.

Under Trump’s big tax and spending cuts bill approved by Congress last year, $150 million in federal funds was allocated to the Interior Department for events celebrating the 250th anniversary. America250 was expecting $100 million of that, though it has received only $25 million, according to the Democratic report.

Even as a member of a congressional oversight committee, Huffman said that he has no way to know exactly how much taxpayer money has been redirected into Freedom 250 by the Trump administration.

Freedom 250 CEO solicited donations from foreign government officials, Democrats allege

The Democrats alleged Krach, the Freedom 250 CEO, traveled in January to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to personally solicit foreign government officials and business leaders for money to help fund America’s birthday celebrations. The report says Trump appointees at the State Department, including some ambassadors, have also held fundraising events overseas and sent out written solicitations seeking foreign donations for Freedom 250.

Krach did not respond to an email seeking comment. Alvarez denied the group accepts foreign donations.

The publicly named sponsors of Freedom 250 include defense contractors, oil conglomerates and big tech companies that have federal contracts, that have regulatory issues before federal agencies and in some cases that Trump has personally invested in. Democrats said the arrangement creates the appearance of a cozy pay-to-play scheme in which donors to Trump’s pet projects could get favorable treatment from his administration.

There has been no public disclosure of how much corporate money has been raised. Freedom 250 also allows donors to request to remain anonymous, and the contributions are tax deductible.

Democrats allege donors were pressured to withdraw commitments from America250

The allegation of potential criminal wrongdoing stems from fundraising by Meredith O’Rourke, who served as the national finance director for Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign and as a board member for the parent company of Trump’s Truth Social media platform.

O’Rourke’s firm, Forward Strategies, initially worked as a contractor for America250, which coordinated with the White House to organize last year’s military parade in Washington to coincide with Trump’s 79th birthday. O’Rourke is also a primary fundraiser for other projects Trump has championed, including the construction of the White House ballroomthe planned renovation of the Kennedy Center and the Garden of American Heroes.

After the creation of Freedom 250 last year, the report alleges, corporate donors were pressured to withdraw fundraising commitments to America250 and shift their financial backing to the new Trump-backed entity.

Democrats say they have also interviewed donors who were misled by fundraisers, including O’Rourke, into believing they were contributing to America250 but were given wire transfer instructions that routed their money to a bank account controlled by Freedom 250 — a ruse the report says could constitute wire fraud.

O’Rourke did not respond to a text message seeking comment.

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