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At The American Prospect, Gabrielle Gurley chronicled [ [link removed] ] how Democratic governors, led by Illinois’s JB Pritzker, plunged into a constitutional crisis as President Donald Trump deployed National Guard units to Democratic cities in defiance of federal court orders.
Pritzker warned that Trump’s “treasonous words are leading to treasonous actions,” declaring: “The constitutional crisis is not on its way. It is here.”
US District Judge Karin Immergut ruled that federalizing state troops without statutory authority “interfered with the constitutional balance of power.” As Congress remained inert, governors like Pritzker, California’s Gavin Newsom, and Oregon’s Tina Kotek sued the administration, formed regional alliances, and resisted federal overreach — stepping into a leadership vacuum as the federal government destabilized under partisan strain.
Gurley wrote that “Newsom has matched Pritzker as an assertive dissenter willing to step into the leadership vacuum left by members of Congress — on both sides of the aisle — who have failed to coalesce into any sort of principled opposition.”
Their actions signaled a broader shift in power, as state leaders assumed roles once reserved for a functioning federal legislature, navigating legal thickets and asserting executive autonomy amid deepening national dysfunction.
If You Read One More Thing: Drones in Ukraine
A two-part Military.com series covered [ [link removed] ] how Jack de Santis, a Croatian-born drone pilot and engineer, spent over two years in Ukraine aiding its defense against Russia’s invasion. Motivated by memories of the Yugoslav Wars and a desire not to “just sit and watch,” he arrived in Kyiv in late 2022 and joined the White Ghost drone program.
With no formal military background, de Santis leveraged his tech and drone skills to support Ukrainian units, including the Dark Angels.
He endured artillery barrages, injuries, and the death of close friend Daniel Burke, a British volunteer.
“It really felt like a scene out of a movie,” he said of his first night in Kyiv. Despite the chaos, he described fear as “healthy” and remained committed.
By 2025, he had shifted focus to expanding electronic warfare capabilities based on his frontline experience.
Cash Reward to Deport Children
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has started targeting unaccompanied immigrant children, offering $2,500 in exchange for agreeing to deportation, according to Jonah Valdez’s report [ [link removed] ] at The Intercept.
Advocates said the operation, reportedly dubbed “Freaky Friday,” was part of Trump’s mass deportation campaign and timed to avoid public scrutiny during a government shutdown.
ICE confirmed the plan as “voluntary,” initially aimed at 17-year-olds, though sources indicated children as young as 10 could be pressured. Legal experts warned the cash offer could coerce minors into waiving rights without counsel.
Budget cuts had already stripped legal support for thousands, leaving vulnerable youth exposed to aggressive enforcement tactics and limited recourse.
Deep Dive: US Aid Made Possible Israel’s Widespread Destruction
In a new report [ [link removed] ], defense analyst William D. Hartung detailed how the United States provided at least $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since the start of the war in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. Published jointly by the Costs of War Project at Brown University and the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, the report argues that this aid — alongside tens of billions in future arms sales — has enabled Israel’s military campaign and regional escalation.
“Given the scale of current and future spending, it is clear the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) could not have done the damage they have done in Gaza or escalated their military activities throughout the region without US financing, weapons, and political support,” Hartung wrote.
The report breaks down the $21.7 billion figure into several categories:
$8.1 billion in Foreign Military Financing
$725 million in Offshore Procurement
$5 billion for missile defense systems
$4.4 billion to replenish US stockpiles used by Israel
$801 million for ammunition procurement
$198 million to boost US arms production capacity
Hartung emphasized that these figures do not include future arms sales agreements, many of which will be paid for by additional appropriations. He noted that the Biden administration announced an $8 billion arms sale to Israel in January 2025, including Hellfire missiles, 155mm artillery shells, and 500-pound bombs. These systems are expected to be delivered over the coming years.
The report also cited a companion study by Linda J. Bilmes, estimating that the US spent $9.65 to $12.07 billion on military operations in Yemen, Iran, and the broader region in support of Israel’s war effort. Combined, the total US expenditure reached $31.35 to $33.77 billion over two years.
Hartung described the Israeli military’s reliance on US weapons as extensive and decisive.
“Israel’s entire inventory of combat capable aircraft comes from the US, including 75 F-15s, 196 F-16s, and 39 F-35s,” he wrote. “Israel’s attack and transport helicopters are also all of US origin, including 46 Apache helicopters and 25 Sea Stallion and 49 Black Hawk transport helicopters.”
The report added that these platforms, along with tens of thousands of US-supplied bombs and missiles, have inflicted a devastating toll on Gaza.
“Over 60,000 Palestinians have died from direct Israeli military attacks, with tens of thousands more dying from starvation and preventable diseases provoked by the Israeli military’s brutal assault on Gaza.”
Hartung cited multiple sources, including Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli human rights organizations, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which have described the situation as genocidal.
The report also examined the mechanics of arms transfers. Hartung explained that weapons flow through two primary channels: Foreign Military Sales (FMS), which are brokered by the US government, and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), which are licensed by the State Department and negotiated by private companies. He noted that major arms sales must be notified to Congress, but rarely face successful opposition.
Since Trump took office in January 2025, the administration has notified Congress of at least $10.1 billion in new arms sales to Israel, including thousands of bombs, JDAM guidance kits, Hellfire missiles, and Caterpillar bulldozers.
“The major offers announced by the Trump administration in February 2025 were largely negotiated during the waning weeks of the Biden administration, but only notified to Congress after the Trump administration took office,” the report said.
He also reported that Trump lifted a suspension on the delivery of Mark 84 and BLU-109 bombs, which had been delayed by Biden due to concerns about civilian harm. Additionally, Trump reinstated the delivery of 20,000 assault rifles that had been held back over fears they might be used by Israeli settlers.
Opposition to US arms transfers to Israel has grown in Congress. Hartung noted that Senator Bernie Sanders forced three votes of disapproval, one of which garnered majority support among Senate Democrats. He also cited Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who called Israeli actions in Gaza a genocide.
Looking ahead, Hartung warned that negotiations over the next 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on US military aid to Israel are likely to begin soon. The current MoU, signed under Obama, guarantees $3.8 billion annually through 2028.
Hartung urged transparency and public input: “The next MoU should be negotiated in the full light of day with meaningful input from Congress and the US public.”
Show Us the Receipts
For Inkstick, Medina Danish chronicled [ [link removed] ] the detention of Mustafa, an Afghan who served alongside US forces and was later jailed by ICE after seeking refuge in America. His story reflected the broader betrayal felt by thousands of Afghans resettled under Operation Allies Welcome, many of whom now face deportation despite promises of protection. Danish criticized President Trump’s termination of Temporary Protected Status for Afghans, exposing 12,000 people to removal despite State Department warnings against travel to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. She argued that US immigration policy had become weaponized, leaving Afghan allies in legal limbo and emotional despair.
Inkstick’s Managing Editor Patrick Strickland wrote [ [link removed] ] about President Trump reviving rhetoric from his first term to justify expanded domestic surveillance and repression. Strickland traced the historical use of “antifa” as a political scapegoat, noting its roots in anti-authoritarian resistance and its mischaracterization as a centralized threat. He highlighted how Trump’s second-term policies targeted left-wing dissent while ignoring far-right violence. The article warned that criminalizing anti-fascist activism serves as a strategic distraction and poses risks to civil liberties, echoing past efforts to suppress protest under the guise of national security.
For The World, Shirin Jaafari reported [ [link removed] ] that several countries formally recognized the State of Palestine during the 2025 UN General Assembly, signaling growing international support for Palestinian sovereignty. Jaafari noted that the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal joined over 150 nations that had already extended recognition. The move followed mounting frustration with stalled peace efforts and ongoing violence in Gaza. Palestinian officials viewed the recognitions as a diplomatic victory, while Israeli leaders condemned them as undermining negotiations. Jaafari highlighted how the recognitions reflected a shift in global sentiment and increased pressure on the US and its allies to reassess their stance.
Pitch Inkstick
Inkstick is on the lookout for US-related pitches [ [link removed] ]. We’re especially interested in reported features and personal essays that examine issues like the weapons industry, the increasing militarization on the US-Mexico border and within the country, domestic extremism, and the people in power pushing for more wars abroad.
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Critical State is written by Inkstick Media in collaboration with The World.
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Critical State is made possible in part by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

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