Supreme victory

He rode into town on a train. He was led through the wilderness by men in period dress on horseback. But as he honored turn-of-the-century U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt on Wednesday, one thing the current president was not inclined to do was “speak softly” about his accomplishments. 

As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence on Saturday, Trump is celebrating the expansion of his power. 

Wrapping up their annual term, the Supreme Court expanded the president’s ability to control federal government agencies that Congress designed to act independently.  

Though the court ruled against him on birthright citizenship and other issues, Monday’s ruling in Trump v. Slaughter swept away a 91-year-old judicial precedent that had insulated institutions that regulate consumer products, financial markets and labor. One justice who joined the ruling, Neil Gorsuch, nonetheless expressed misgivings about just how much power it would give Trump, saying it had effectively granted the president the ability to exercise “vast legislative and judicial powers” in some cases. 

“We actually had a good day, except for birthright citizenship,” Trump said as he visited Medora, for a celebration leading up to the Fourth of July holiday that included dedicating a new library honoring the 26th U.S. president.

Standing in an expanse of rocky, unforgiving land where Roosevelt once hunted bison, Trump conjured the image of an America conquering an ever-expanding frontier today, under his 21st century leadership. 

Trump went further than merely honoring a former president known for launching America as a colonial power, vanquishing the Spanish and claiming the Panama Canal. 

By following in Roosevelt’s literal footsteps, Trump sought to write himself into a lineage of transformative American leaders. He’s scheduled to visit Mount Rushmore, which honors Roosevelt and three other presidents carved in stone, on Friday. 

There are no guarantees that the court’s expansive view of the president’s power over the executive branch will apply cleanly to Trump’s other efforts to expand his authority, and the justices have shown a willingness to check some of his marquee policies. 

Nonetheless, the ruling and the holiday pageantry are a welcome respite for a president struggling with a restive Republican caucus, negotiations to end the unpopular Iran war and voter disenchantment over the cost of living. 

“It gives power back to the president at a time when the president really needs power,” Trump said. 

Follow Reuters/Ipsos polling on the president's approval ratings here.

U.S. military personnel have deployed more than 900 U.S. military personnel inside Venezuela to help in the aftermath of twin earthquakes that ripped through the country last week. Officials say at least 1,943 people have died, with thousands more injured and homeless. General Francis Donovan, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, said U.S. forces are participating in search-and-rescue operations, helping to get the airport up and running and mobilizing air and naval assets to allow for the arrival of humanitarian relief. The deployment puts Washington in the unusual position of assisting the government of acting President Delcy Rodriguez as her political opponents seek to remove her from power.

This newsletter was edited by Ross Colvin and produced by Rawan Yaghi.