[[link removed]] Weekly Digest
Weekly Digest
Letter from an Editor | August 16, 2025
Dear John,
He’s sent border and DEA agents and the National Guard to patrol the streets of Washington, D.C., and then attempted to take over the city’s police department. He announced that the White House will host a “UFC cage match” next Fourth of July to “celebrate” 250 years since the founding of the U.S. He fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, because the numbers she reported on the economy and jobs growth (or lack thereof) were not to his liking—and nominated a Project 2025 contributor and chief economist at the Heritage Foundation to replace her. And somehow, he found time to fit in a stroll on the roof of the White House (??).
These are all things that Trump has done over the last two weeks. Some may be benign, and others will have genuinely devastating consequences for people’s lives and for our democracy. But they all serve the same purpose: to make eye-catching headlines that will distract the American people from the worsening economy, rising prices and uptick in inflation.
And of course, the Epstein scandal. (What did happen to Epstein’s “client list” on Pam Bondi’s desk?)
But it’s his and the Republicans’ budget bill that will decimate SNAP, Medicaid, and countless other programs that women and children rely on and his efforts to rig the 2026 elections that Trump’s trying hardest to distract from—along with his declining approval numbers, of course. Polls show Trump’s approval rating continuing to drop—a fall that’s been driven, in recent months, by his own voters, among whom his approval rating has dipped by ten points since the start of his term, according to Pew Research.
What’s more, according to polling from Navigator, a majority of Americans are concerned about Trump’s attempts to rig the 2026 elections by pushing the Republican-controlled Texas legislature to redraw congressional district lines. The ultimate goal: to create five more seats for Republicans in order to shore up the razor-thin margins that give them their current majority in the House. The redistricting battle is now escalating into an all-out war. California has launched its own mid-decade redistricting proposal to pick up seats for the Democrats, and other Democratic and Republican controlled states are looking at similar plans.
While the redistricting fight dominated the headlines, Texas also used the special session—which was called in response to the historic flooding that devastated the state last month—to introduce new abortion restrictions. The so-called “Woman and Child Protection Act” targets anyone who manufactures or ships abortion pills into Texas, or who helps a minor flee the state to obtain abortions without permission from a parent or guardian.
Fortunately, both efforts have failed for now, with the special session ending Friday. (Lawmakers also failed to pass the crucial bills that would’ve allocated funding for flood relief.) But as the session closed, Gov. Greg Abbott immediately called another, which began just two hours after the last one concluded on Friday. The Texas Democrats have announced their intention to return and fight the redistricting efforts in the special session and in the courts.
We know you won’t let them distract you—and we urge you to take action while members of Congress are in their home districts. Go to their town halls. Call their offices to complain about the horrible policies Republicans are pushing. And take to the streets [[link removed]] to protest Trump’s efforts to rig the 2026 election.
We have ways to fight back—and we’re not standing by.
For equality,
[[link removed]]
Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor
This Week's Must-Reads from Ms.
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Trump’s Anti-Voter Agenda Crystallizes [[link removed]] From Alligator Alcatraz to National Guard Patrols: What Is the Cost of the Trump Administration’s Cruelty? [[link removed]]
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How Rising Prices and Policy Cuts Are Squeezing Moms and Families [[link removed]] A Trump Cabinet Member Endorsed a Pastor Who Wants the 19th Amendment Repealed, and the Danger Is Growing [[link removed]]
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RFK Jr.’s HHS Slashes Healthcare Access and Safety Net, Putting Both Citizens *and* Immigrants at Risk [[link removed]] Gender-Based Violence Is Everywhere. What Will It Take to Break the Cycle? [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Listen to the latest podcast from Ms. Studios! The latest episode of Looking Back, Moving Forward is out now on Apple Podcasts [[link removed]] + Spotify [[link removed]] .
This episode traces 50-plus years of feminist writing and advocacy focused on naming, confronting, and preventing sexual harassment, rape culture and intimate partner violence—and the urgency of acknowledging the violence of patriarchy, white supremacy and other social forces in our everyday lives and building a future without fear.
We hope you'll listen, subscribe, rate and review today!
U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For over 50 years, Ms . has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you [[link removed]] . We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity .
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