Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.
Trump discussed firing the Fed chairPresident Trump asked a group of House Republicans gathered in his office last night whether he should fire Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve whom he has repeatedly attacked for not sharply cutting interest rates. The president suggested to the lawmakers that he was likely to oust Powell, and he even waved around a draft of a letter firing the Fed chair. “Almost every one of them said I should,” Trump said today. However, the president emphasized to reporters, he had no immediate plans to dismiss Powell. Still, Trump added a caveat: The Fed chair might still be removed for “fraud,” nodding to a line of attack that some of Trump’s aides have embraced. Some allies of Trump insisted that he was simply hoping to torment Powell. But the existence of a letter — and Trump’s interest in discussing it with the House members — suggested that he is engaging in the type of moves that he often does ahead of ultimately making a major decision. No president in modern history has attempted to fire a Fed chair, and any effort to do so would likely result in a legal challenge. Presidents do not have the authority to remove Fed officials without cause, which has typically meant malfeasance or gross misconduct. Even if Trump could remove Powell, some of his advisers have urged against it, warning of significant negative fallout in financial markets. In other news from Washington:
Israel bombarded Syria’s capitalIsrael launched deadly airstrikes on Damascus today, damaging a compound housing the defense ministry and hitting an area near the presidential palace, according to the Israeli military and Syrian authorities. The strikes followed days of deadly clashes involving Syrian government forces in the southern region of Sweida, the heartland of the country’s Druse minority, which Israel has pledged to protect. Israel warned that the attacks would intensify if Syria did not withdraw its troops from the region.
We talked to detainees inside the chaotic Alligator AlcatrazEager to assist with Trump’s immigration crackdown, Florida rushed to open an immigrant detention center earlier this month in the Everglades. The move has little precedent because immigration is typically considered under federal authority. Most detainees there do not have criminal convictions, an official said. To get a sense of the chaotic early days at the site — which is officially named Alligator Alcatraz to play up its remote, swampy location — we interviewed several detainees over the phone. They said the tent camps often leaked, the lights always stayed on, and that there was unrest over a lack of information, recreation and access to medication. “It’s a tinderbox,” one said.
Some communities are paying users to quit methThe highly addictive stimulant known as meth has been spreading aggressively across the country and leading to an increasing number of overdose deaths. Unlike with fentanyl, there is no medical treatment to reverse meth overdoses. A growing number of clinics around the country are opting for a radical strategy to address the trend: They are paying patients $10 or more for each negative drug test. If the patient quits meth altogether, they can earn around $600. Research shows that the strategy produces better outcomes than counseling. More top news
Drake returned with reinforcementsFor last 15 years or so, Drake has been one of the world’s biggest stars, defining successive eras of hip-hop and pop. That’s why it was so disorienting when he sidelined himself after an accusation-filled beef with Kendrick Lamar. Last weekend, he made his first major appearance in more than a year, headlining all three nights of London’s Wireless Festival. The shows, full of guests and collaborators, seemed designed to showcase the breadth of his influence. Drake projected joy, power and a trans-Atlantic musical cosmopolitanism — a glimpse of how he intends to leave the Lamar situation behind him.
Turn your garden up to the maxMaximalism has been embraced in fashion and home design. What about horticulture? Our gardening columnist, Margaret Roach, talked to the author of a new book that highlights 20 gardens that lean into maximalism by fully embracing a single defining factor. Take a look and get inspired.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Fresh produce makes this melon salad unbeatable. Read: These twisty, slow-burn thrillers are worth checking out. Listen: Here are songs for the peak of the summer. Work out: Exercise can help reduce anxiety and depression. Plan: Looking for a summer ski fix? Head to South America. Stay cool: Take our quiz to see if you should get a heat pump. Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.
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