This Week in the World

We are horrified and deeply saddened by the killing of political commentator Charlie Kirk on Wednesday. We are holding all of his loved ones in the Light.

This is not the way. In the wake of this traumatic act of political violence, we are called to sound the alarm over the dangerous direction our nation is heading, and to reflect on what we must do — as individuals and collectively — to help change course toward a better future.

Today, President Donald Trump announced that he is changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War.

This move is not just semantic. It is ominously symbolic of the disturbing escalation in U.S. militarism and war-making under the second Trump administration —  both at home and abroad.

The start of the new school year is typically a time of excitement and joy. But as armed troops and masked agents roam throughout the district, this is anything but a typical year in Washington, D.C.

FCNL’s Bridget Moix provided a glimpse at how President Trump’s militarized takeover is impacting life in D.C. as kids return to school:

Today, we’re focused entirely on our Native American legislative work. This Week in the World is a newsletter which covers breaking news, world events, and actions in Congress every Friday. If you want more updates on Native concerns, the Native American Legislative Update is a monthly newsletter which explores FCNL’s Native American policy advocacy and ways for you to engage your members of Congress.

We are deeply alarmed by President Donald Trump’s authoritarian moves this week to deploy troops into Washington, D.C. and seize control of the district’s police.

This is unprecedented, unnecessary, undemocratic, and unjustifiable.

As an organization based in D.C., we reject President Trump’s offensive and baseless lies about the vibrant communities here that many of our staff love and belong to.

This week marks 80 years since the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

To commemorate these solemn anniversaries, we compiled reflections from a wide range of voices on the enduring legacy of those terrible days, and the road ahead toward a brighter future free from the shadow of nuclear weapons.

Hibakusha (Survivors)

Japanese survivors — known as hibakusha — have spent their lives advocating for peace and bearing witness to the horrors of nuclear war.

In a historic vote on July 30, 27 senators voted to block more U.S. arms sales to the Israeli government.

We applaud these senators for taking a principled stand against our country’s shameful role in enabling the mass starvation and genocidal violence against Palestinians in Gaza.

This week, the catastrophic suffering of Palestinians in Gaza reached “new depths” as mass starvation takes a heart-wrenching toll.

Faith leaders, lawmakers, rights groups, and other advocates are challenging the Trump administration over inhumane conditions at the Everglades Immigrant Detention Center.

The detention center, referred to by the grotesquely offensive name “Alligator Alcatraz,” is holding thousands of people detained in ICE raids across the country, many of whom have no criminal records.

Next week, the Senate is expected to vote on a bill with life-or-death consequences for millions of the world’s most vulnerable people.

Right now, the Trump administration is pushing Congress to cancel, or “rescind,” funding it has already directed towards life-saving foreign aid for people in need.