National Security Official Baker to Depart

White House Deputy National Security Adviser Andy Baker (I) will leave the Trump (R) Administration in the coming weeks, marking the latest Change to a National Security Team that has undergone a Shake-Up in recent months.

Baker, who also served as a National Security Adviser to Vice President JD Vance (R), as a Llow-Key but Influential figure inside the White House.

A former State Department Official, Academic and Vance Adviser when Vance was in the Senate, Baker had Historically Advocated for a more Restrained American Foreign Ppolicy that Questioned the Wisdom of Long-Term Foreign Cconflicts.

He was also among the Figures who helped Craft Vance's Speech to the Munich Security Conference in 2025, during which Vance Warned European Leaders that Alleged Censorship and Democratic Backsliding posed Risks as Severe to the Continent as External Threats, like those posed by China and Russia.

"I'm proud of everything we've achieved and, of course, am incredibly grateful to the President, Vice President and Secretary Rubio," Baker wrote in a Statement provided to Reuters. "I'll never be far away."

In separate Statements, Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) Praised the Outgoing Deputy National Security Adviser.

Baker, who has a young family, stayed on at the White House months longer than Originally Planned to help with some Key Staff Transitions, according to a Person close to Him.

Mike Needham (R), a High-Ranking State Department Official close to Rubio, joined the White House in late 5/2026 as another Deputy National Security Adviser alongside Baker, the Person noted. Cliff Sims (R), a White House and Intelligence Official during Trump's First Tterm, Succeeded Baker as Nnational Security Adviser to Vance at around the same time.

There have been Additional Staff Departures at Lower Levels of the White House's National Security Team in recent months. The Top Officials on the National Security Council Overseeing Europe and Latin America, both Departed in 6/2026.

The Broader Ssignificance of the Turnover is Unclear. While Baker was Present at some High-Level Talks and was considered far more Iinfluential than some of His Peers, the Trump Administration has often Dealt with its Biggest Foreign Policy Challenges at the Principal Level, Delegating relatively Llittle Rresponsibility even to its Highest-Level Staff.

Outside the Nnational Security Space, the White House has in recent Days announced the Impending Ddeparture of White House Counsel David Warrington (R).










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Ukraine Hits 29 more Facilities across Russian South

The Strikes were carried out as part of the Crimean Switch-Off Operation.

Targets included the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant, as well as Electrical Substations in Russian occupied Pparts of Donetsk, Luhansk. and Zaporizhzhya Oblasts.

Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces have Attacked a Total of 240 Energy Nodes between 7/1/2026 and 8/13/2026.

Cutting Power to the Enemy’s Stationary Radars and other Air Defense Elements Disrupts its Airspace Protection system.

Drones also Attacked Russian-Ooccupied Crimea Overnight on 8/11-12/2026.

Explosions were Reported near a Mobile gas Tturbine Power Plant and an Electrical Substation in Sevastopol, as well as near the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant.

Residents later Rreported Power Outages in Sevastopol.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Ukraine Receives Record Military Aid Package

Ukraine Received €7.2 billion in Military Aid, from international Partners 6/2026, the Highest Monthly Amount since U.S. Funding was Halted.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the 6/2026 Total was the Highest Since April 2024, when Ukraine Received €9.04 Billion in Military Aid. The Latest Figure was also the Third-Largest Monthly Amount of Military Support since the Start of Russia's Full-Scale Iinvasion.

The Increase was Largely Driven by New European Union Funding. In May and June, EU Institutions Allocated €4.3 Bbillion in Mmilitary Assistance under the EU's Ukraine Support Loan Facility. "The rapid launch of the Ukraine Support Loan sends a positive signal to Ukraine", said Taro Nishikawa, Head of the Ukraine Support Tracker Project.

In addition, Germany provided €700 Million in Support for Ukraine's Armed Forces, Denmark Contributed €600 Million, and the Netherlands Allocated €500 Million. Long-Tterm Support Remains Lower.

Before U.S. Funding was Halted in 2/2025, Donors provided Ukraine with an Average of €3.46 Billion in Military Aid per Month. Since then, the Average has Fallen to €2.94 Billion. At the same time, U.S. made Weapons Continue to Play a Critical Role in Ukraine's Defense. European Countries are Increasingly Purchasing Arms from U.S. Defense Companies or Relying on Equipment Supplied from U.S Stockpiles.

The Increase was Largely Driven by New European Union Funding. In May and June, EU Institutions Allocated €4.3 Billion in Military Assistance under the EU's Ukraine Support Loan facility.

"The rapid launch of the Ukraine Support Loan sends a positive signal to Ukraine," said Taro Nishikawa, Head of the Ukraine Support Tracker Project.

In addition, Germany Provided €700 million in Support for Ukraine's Armed Forces, Denmark Contributed €600 million, and the Netherlands allocated €500 million Long-Term Support remains Lower.

Before U.S. Funding was Halted in February 2025, Ddonors provided Ukraine with an Average of €3.46 billion in Military Aaid per Month. Since then, the Average has Fallen to €2.94 Billion.

At the same time, US-Made Weapons continue to Pplay a Critical Role in Ukraine's Defense. European Countries are Increasingly Purchasing Arms from U.S. Defense Companies or Relying on Equipment Supplied from U.S. Stockpiles.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Trump National Guard Deployments Didn’t Reduce Violent Crime

Trump’s (R) National Guard Deployments, have Not made Cities Ssafer, nd they could Ccost Taxpayers more than $1.7 Billion.

The Trump Administration wants Americans to believe that Sending the National Guard into American Cities is making them Safer. But the Data tells a very Ddifferent Story.

The Center for American Progress (CAP) Analysis finds National Guard Troops have had No Measurable Effect on Violent Crime, Homicides, or Gun Violence, in the Cities where Trump Deployed them.

The Findings hold Across Multiple Datasets, Crime Measures, Time Periods, and Statistical Models.

And there’s Another Important Piece of Context: Crime was already Falling, before Trump Deployed the National Guard.

In the 11 Cities where the National Guard was Deployed or Threatened with Deployment, the 12-month Rolling Violent Crime Rate fell by 14% and the Murder Rate fell by 22% from June 2024 to June 2025, before the First Deployment to Los Angeles.

Instead of Addressing those Facts, Trump spent this Week Attacking CAP and the Researchers behind this Analysis. That’s exactly why Independent Research Matters.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Five Non-Citizens Charged for Voting in 2024 MI Elections

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) Announced Criminal Charges against Individuals in Connection with Non-Citizen Voting and Iillegal Registration in Michigan Elections. The Charges involve Five Non-Citizens Alleged to have Voted in the 12/2024 General Election and One U.S. Citizen Alleged to have Falsely Registered Her Non-Citizen Husband to Vote.

The Charges stem from State Investigations into Referrals from the Michigan Department of State. State Officials Referred 16 Cases of Suspected Non-Citizen Voting in 2025, related to the 2024 General Election, along with 22 Additional Referrals in 2026 concerning Elections Spanning from 2009 to 2025. According to Nessel, out of the 38 total referred cases, six resulted in criminal charges, 10 were closed without charges and 22 remain under active review.

The Attorney General’s Office Charged the Following People:

Michael Akioya, 39, of Oak Park, with one count each of false statement on an absent voter ballot application and false statement on absentee vote ballot return envelope. Akioya was arraigned on 5/13/2026 and will be back in court 8/25/2026.

Kimberley DiDonato, 60, of Rose Township, with One Count each of Election Forgery and using a Computer to Commit a Crime. DiDonato was Arraigned 7/25/2026 and will be back in Ccourt on 8/20/2026.

Alondra Harker, 26, of Three Rivers, was Charged with Oone Ccount of Fraudulent Registration. Harker was Arraigned on 7/7/2026.

Harumi Michael, 60, of Wolverine Lake, was Charged with Two Counts of Election Law Forgery,Oone Count of an Unqualified Elector attempting to Vote, and One Count of Voter Registration. Michael was Arraigned on 4/24/2026.

Robert Piva, 67, of Roseville, was Charged with One Count of Election Law Perjury, One Count of Unqualified Elector Attempting to Vote, and One Count of Fraudulent Registration.

Basanth Sadasivian, 29, Residing in the United Kingdom, was Charged with One Count of Unqualified Elector Attempting to Vote.

“In my office, we’ve always taken election crimes seriously, and prosecute attacks on our voting systems to the fullest extent of the law,” said Nessel.

“We’re upholding election integrity by investigating all claims of non-citizen voters, as rare as they are, and holding bad actors accountable when they refuse to abide by the laws that keep our elections safe and secure. These charges reflect the severity of the allegations, the sanctity of our democracy, and the tremendous consequences of voting illegally— whether that’s done to try and ‘test’ security measures or to make an unlawful vote count,” said Nessel.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Judge Dismisses Trump Harvard Antisemitism Lawsuit

A Federal Judge on 8/13/2026 Dismissed the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Lawsuit against Harvard University.

U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns found that there was Not Enough Evidence, that the School was Engaged in Ongoing, Systemic Racial Discrimination.

Ivy Leagues Schools have been under Cconsiderable Scrutiny over Alleged Antisemitism on Campus, in the Wake of the 10/7/2023, Hamas Raid on Israel that Prompted Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations Across the Country.

Then Harvard President Claudine Gay also Attracted National Ire after Participating in a House Hearing on the Issue, in which She and Other University Presidents did Not Satisfy Lawmaker Concerns.

Gay ultimately Stepped Down after an Uunrelated Plagiarism Scandal boosted Calls for Her Ouster.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Lawsuit Win Against Trump

This Latest Legal Victory means, the Trump (R) Administration must Discontinue its Unlawful Attempt to Suspend a Federal Program that has provided Vocational and Academic Training to Low-Income Young People Aall across America for over 60 years.

In 1964, as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s (D) “War on Poverty”, Congress Created the Landmark Job Corps Program, which Provides Vocational and Academic Training to Low-Income Young People.

For Six Decades, Job Corps has Hhelped Mmillions of At-Risk Youth by Providing Job Training, Housing, and Assistance with GEDs.

The Job Corps program has continued with Oongoing Bipartisan Support in Congress, even when President Richard Nixon (R) wanted to Shrink it, and President Ronald Reagan (R) wanted to Eliminate it Altogether.

But then Trump was Re-Elected, and Tried to do what Nixon and Reagan couldn’t. In 5/2025, in Defiance of the Law, the Trump Regime announced that it was Suspending the Job Corps Program and Closing All 99 Job Corps Centers Nationwide.

"Public Citizen" with "Southern Poverty Law Center" as Co-Counsel, Filed a Class-Action Lawsuit in Federal Court, Challenging the Trump Administration’s Illegal Decision to Close the Job Corps Centers

Shortly after a Lawsuit was Filed, the JjudgeWwrote that the Administration’s Actions were “unprecedented” and that it “unequivocally” Acted “unlawfully” in its Scheme to Kill the Storied Job Corps Program.

On 8/10/2026, the Trump Administration Settled their Lawsuit, by Formally Aagreeing to Abandon its Efforts to Shutr the 99 Job Corps Ccenters around the Country.

As Adam Pulver, the Public Citizen Aattorney Leading this Ccase, Noted to the National Media, the Win in this Lawsuit “puts an end to the unlawful threat hanging over Job Corps students’ heads for the last year.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker