The United States has designated the Venezuela-based Cartel de Los Soles for supporting terrorist organizations Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel, citing its role in narcotics trafficking and violence. Separately, Ghislaine Maxwell has reportedly been granted limited immunity to speak with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, answering questions for approximately nine hours over two days, according to sources cited by ABC News. The designation of Cartel de Los Soles, described as being managed by Nicolás Maduro, aims to prevent further profit from activities impacting American communities and hemispheric stability. The U.S. stated it will utilize all available resources to counter the cartel's influence. Meanwhile, Maxwell's interview with the DOJ is described as standard procedure for a "proffer" or "queen for a day" session, where a witness provides information without fear of direct use against them, though her lawyer stated she answered questions about "100 different people" linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell, who has maintained her innocence and has a pending appeal of her conviction, was granted immunity that does not cover potential charges for lying during the interview. The U.S. Department of Education also announced on Friday that five school districts in northern Virginia were found to be in violation of federal law. These districts were reportedly allowing transgender students to use facilities that align with their gender identity. In other developments, a Democratic congressional candidate, Isaiah Martin, was removed from a Texas House Redistricting Committee hearing for exceeding his speaking time. Texas GOP lawmaker Giovanni Capriglione is facing allegations of an affair with an exotic dancer, paying for abortions, and making inappropriate comments. Separately, the son of attempted Trump assassin Ryan Routh, Oran Routh, was sentenced to seven years for possession of child pornography. President Trump was in Scotland and interacted with crowds in Turnberry. Meanwhile, the U.S. has asked China to cease exports of dual-use goods to Russia, citing their recovery in Russian weaponry used against Ukraine. The U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, urged all countries, specifically China, to halt such exports. The Pentagon has not held a routine news briefing recently, with the last ones occurring in March, June, and early July. House Democrats are reportedly seeking access to Jeffrey Epstein's birthday book, which may contain a poem and drawing from Trump, through his estate. In Georgia, reports indicate the Trump team is displeased with Governor Kemp regarding a candidate selection for the state's Senate GOP primary. On the economic front, some Republicans are advocating for the repeal of a gambling tax hike included in a previous bill signed by President Trump, calling it a mistake. The women-only app Tea reported a significant data breach, exposing user selfies and verification photos, allegedly due to a hack originating from 4chan. Separately, brewery entrepreneur Dan Kleban is reportedly considering a Senate run against Senator Susan Collins in Maine. Congressman Tom Tiffany is expected to decide on a potential run for Wisconsin governor within 30 to 60 days. The U.S. is also reportedly reviewing whether non-white individuals qualify for a refugee program established for South Africans.
