Donald Trump live updates: President touts White House UFC fight to celebrate 4th July as ‘Free America’ protests loom – UK Times

The NewsNation anchor continues to take personal swipes at New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, this time suggesting that the progressive is to blame for Trump’s Medicaid-slashing megabill passing on Thursday.

Here’s Justin Baragona to try to explain.

Trans Americans received a surprising mini-victory amid the Republican passage of the president’s megabill yesterday when an attempt to restrict gender-affirming care died in the legislative process.

The bill had included language that would have banned Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

But in a final deal made to appeal to conservatives, the legislation struck the term “for minors.”

Charitable operations across the United States fear for their survival and ability to feed communities under Republican-led cuts to SNAP, Alex Woodward reports.

From tax cuts for the wealthy to the slashing of Medicaid and SNAP, the legislation provides plenty of ammunition for Trump’s political priorities.

Here’s John Bowden’s report on its likely impact.

Let’s take a look back at yesterday’s seismic events.

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which features sweeping cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance programs, after a whirlwind 24 hours of last-minute arm twisting of holdout Republicans – and a record-breaking floor speech from Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.

The final vote was a narrow margin of 218-214, with every Democrat and two Republicans – Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick – voting against the measure.

Here’s Eric Garcia and Andrew Feinberg with a full report.

The president also inadvertently revealed his private nickname for his wife during yesterday’s address, doing so, oddly, in the middle of a “weave” about military recruitment.

Here’s a little more from Iowa, where the president last night announced his plans for a UFC fight at the White House to celebrate 250 years of American independence.

While talking about the special events the country will hold in the year-long countdown to its 250th birthday on July 4 2026, Trump told his audience: “I even think we’re gonna have a UFC fight.

“We’re gonna have a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.”

Trump said it will be “a championship fight, full fight, like 20-25,000 people.”

Here’s more from Rachel Dobkin.

From his perspective, the “Big, Beautiful Bill” passing into law is the crowning achievement of the president’s first six months in the White House, a time marked by more wins than losses.

But, says Mary Dejevsky, the U.S. capital remains baffled by the president’s ability to get what he wants – and his enduring popularity in the country at large.

Yesterday was a strange old day on Capitol Hill…

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin spoke for many in expressing his dismay about what the GOP have just enacted, Speaker Johnson declared it all a triumph and said Hakeem Jeffries had made a fool of himself and Kentucky Rep. James Comer insisted Medicaid is a hot bed of fraud.

But perhaps this is the clip the day deserves to be remembered for:

As many as 4 million Americans are set to hit the streets this Independence Day to protest against the Trump administration, with the Women’s March organization holding 140 events in cities across the United States.

The group’s “Free America Weekend” seeks to draw attention to such hot button issues as poverty, unlawful orders and “the grip of hate and the politics of fear.”

“This July 4th, while the U.S. marks Independence Day, we’ll gather across the country – on porches, in town squares, backyards, and streets – to stand for real freedom and build a vision of a Free America, brick-by-brick,” the Women’s March states on its website.

“They want us scared, divided, and alone. They don’t want us to dream about freedom. But that’s exactly what we have to do.”

There will also be “No Kings 2.0” demonstrations taking place, following on from the marches and rallies held on June 14 to coincide with Trump’s lavish D.C. military parade and stand up to authoritarianism.

A protest is also being held outside Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, organized by locals.

“We’re supposed to be celebrating America’s independence, and I felt a moral responsibility to stand up and declare our independence from Trump-ism,” activist Mark Offerman told The Palm Beach Daily News.