- Fourth Circuit rules vanity plate cussing out police is protected speech
A federal appeals court ruled unanimously on July 31 that driver-selected messages on personalized “vanity” license plates are private speech protected by the First Amendment, not government speech that a state may control. The decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit appears to be the first by a federal appeals court to resolve [...]
- Vadum talks Iran war, Gaza, US politics on TV in Egypt and India
Investigative journalist Matthew Vadum appeared on three international television programs on August 1, 2026, discussing U.S.-Iran tensions centered on the Strait of Hormuz and energy infrastructure threats, as well as Egyptian-mediated efforts to implement a Gaza agreement. The appearances came amid reports of Iranian claims of tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, [...]
- Trump appeals judge’s ruling that his IRS lawsuit was collusive self-dealing
President Donald Trump on July 31 formally appealed a federal judge’s ruling that found his lawsuit against the IRS over a leak of his tax returns was collusive self-dealing filed for an “improper purpose.” Trump had voluntarily dismissed the $10 billion lawsuit in May when he settled the case. The Trump administration agreed to create a nearly $1.8 billion [...]
- NewsX World appearance: Gaza plan, Cuba reforms, and Ceuta migrant surge
Investigative journalist Matthew Vadum appeared on NewsX World’s World Report in India on July 30, 2026 (July 31 in New Delhi) to discuss several international stories. On the Gaza front, Vadum addressed the Trump administration’s Board of Peace framework for phased Hamas disarmament. A senior U.S. official had warned that President Trump would be “very disappointed” if [...]
