Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), whose vote proved pivotal in confirming Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense earlier this year, says he now regrets the decision, sharply criticizing Hegseth’s performance and calling him “out of his depth.” Speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper on The Lead, Tillis delivered a blunt assessment of Hegseth’s tenure at the Pentagon, citing recent missteps and a broader lack of managerial competence. “With the passing of time, I think it’s clear he’s out of his depth as a manager of a large, complex organization,” Tillis said. Asked specifically about the so-called Signalgate controversy — in which Hegseth temporarily suspended secure communications between certain NATO-aligned commands — Tillis dismissed the episode as symptomatic of a larger problem.

Israel and the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor are locked in an ongoing legal standoff, submitting filings almost weekly in a heated third round of arguments over whether the court has authority to investigate alleged war crimes by Israelis—an issue hinging on the recognition of a “State of Palestine” capable of conferring such jurisdiction, the Jerusalem Post reports.

At a Jewish heritage celebration Tuesday evening at Gracie Mansion, Mayor Eric Adams implored Jewish New Yorkers not to flee the city following Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s surprise Democratic primary victory, but to stay and defend their home against a growing tide of antisemitism. Addressing an audience of approximately 1,000 under the sweltering July heat, Adams drew on historical examples of Jewish exile to underscore the dangers of abandoning the city. “You have the right to be in this city and anywhere in this country,” Adams declared. “We will not be the generation of fleeing and of leaving.

President Donald Trump said in a letter that he will raise taxes on many imported goods from Canada to 35%, deepening a rift between two North American countries that have suffered a debilitating blow to their decades-old alliance. The Thursday letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is an aggressive increase to the top 25% tariff rates that Trump first imposed in March after months of threats. Trump’s tariffs were allegedly in an effort to get Canada to crack down on fentanyl smuggling despite the relatively modest trafficking in the drug from that country. Trump has also expressed frustration with a trade deficit with Canada that largely reflects oil purchases by America.