A win from a runaway court is still a warning sign. Today: Roberts on judicial power, Trump's Patriot missile move, Iran's pressure campaign, Fort Worth speech policing, and the growing fight over AI data centers.

On July 13, 1787, the Confederation Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, setting rules for self-government and banning slavery in the Northwest Territory.

America expanded with law, order, and rights. That still matters.

Angelino's roasts, grinds, and seals 50+ specialty coffees in-house at their LA roastery, then ships within days. Mix and match to unlock up to 34% off — and new customers get 15% off on top, applied automatically. No code, no subscription required.

Get 15% Off Today

The Washington Examiner's Magazine Features section called the latest Supreme Court term a major conservative term, but the scoreboard came with a warning. President Donald Trump's administration lost its birthright citizenship case, while conservatives won fights tied to transgender athletes, gun rights, and campaign finance rules. The piece centers on Chief Justice John Roberts, who is not just counting votes. He is managing the Court's legitimacy while the modern judiciary keeps taking on fights the elected branches refuse to settle.

Conservatives cannot treat court power like a toy when it lands on our side. If justices start writing policy, picking preferred historical accounts, or stretching doctrine to reach a result, the method becomes the weapon. You may like the outcome today.

You will hate it when five justices use the same method against religious liberty, gun rights, or executive power later. The media loves framing this as a left-right scoreboard. The better question is whether the Court still acts like a court. Watch Roberts closely next term, especially in cases where conservative outcomes tempt the Court to say more than it needs to say.

President Trump announced the U.S. will grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles. That shifts support away from only shipping finished interceptors from U.S. stockpiles. Good. American readiness cannot mean draining our own shelves every time Kyiv needs resupply. The real test is whether Europe puts money, factories, and workers behind the production line.

Vice President JD Vance told The Daily Wire that Iran talks continue "so long as the president tells us to do so." That is the point Tehran needed to hear. The window is controlled by President Trump, not Iran, not Europe, and not the press. Vance is making himself Trump's point man, not a free-agent diplomat chasing a deal for its own sake.

Iran claimed responsibility for attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, and Oman after another round of U.S. strikes. Just the News reported no independent verification of damage or casualties at publication. Tehran is trying to scare U.S.-aligned governments into backing away from Washington. That is how Iran works: hit the soft spots, threaten the partners, and hope America's network cracks.

Fort Worth Police officer Sarah Stogner confronted Christian street preachers outside Trinity Pride on June 27 and warned one that offensive speech could get him cited. City officials later said any enforcement would be tied to a noise ordinance for amplified sound. Fine, then say that. A government employee should know the difference between volume control and viewpoint control before threatening a citizen.

U.S. Central Command released footage after strikes on approximately 140 Iranian military targets. CENTCOM said land-based fighters, sea-based fighters, drones, and naval vessels took part. This was no pinprick; it was a broad strike package meant to degrade capability and show Iran that U.S. forces can hit hard across the region.

Warner Bros. Discovery lawyers reportedly briefed top executives about antitrust risk tied to the Paramount-Skydance deal. The New York Post says Democratic state attorneys general may sue to block or delay the transaction. No lawsuit has been filed. If they move, watch for injunctions, discovery demands, and a media script built to make business litigation look like anti-Trump resistance.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred mispronounced Roch Cholowsky's name during the 2026 MLB Draft. Fans noticed fast because draft night belongs to the player and his family. This is basic preparation. Manfred's job was to walk on stage, read a name correctly, and let the kid have his moment.

Former Trump DOJ official Theo Wold told "The Alex Marlow Show" that district courts are the biggest threat to MAGA policy. He is right to focus there. A single trial judge can freeze an executive action, shape the record, and trap an appeal inside bad facts. Conservatives who only watch the Supreme Court are missing where many cases are decided first.

The Verge reports that AI data center projects are facing local backlash over power, water, noise, and land use. The piece points to Apple's proposed $1 billion, 500-acre project in Athenry, Ireland, as an early fight that taught activists how to slow projects. AI runs on infrastructure, not magic. Your county board may soon decide whether Big Tech gets cheap power while residents get higher bills.

I keep coming back to one theme today: power has to be boxed in. Courts, cops, prosecutors, agencies, tech companies, and foreign regimes all push until someone tells them no. Conservatives lose when we defend power only because our side holds it for a season. You see the pattern because you live under the consequences.

Keep your head on a swivel this week. Reply with one story you want me to cover this week.

Stay free,

Brett Lee
Editor, Project Liberty
projectlibertyus.com

Follow: @projectlibertyus | @real_brett_lee