Today’s Top Stories in the US, August 11, 2025

1. Trump Pushes “Liberation” of Washington, D.C.

President Trump declared that the nation’s capital would be “liberated,” pledging to purge “crime, savagery, filth, and scum”—despite data showing violent crime has dropped to a 30-year low and is 35% down from 2023 The Guardian. He’s sending federal law enforcement on a crime crackdown and is set to hold a major press conference at 10 a.m. ET to outline sweeping measures WSLS+1. Meanwhile, the city’s mayor is calling the rhetoric “hyperbolic and false” The Guardian.

2. Trump–Putin Summit Set for Alaska

Attention turns overseas as President Trump gears up for a high-stakes summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska. It will be their first face-to-face since 2019 and is being billed as a chance to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine Reuters+1.

3. Tariff Truce Deadline Looms Amid Trade Tensions

The U.S.–China tariff truce, struck in April, expires this week. Markets are jittery over potential renewed trade frictions. Meanwhile, chipmakers Nvidia and AMD have tentatively agreed to hand over 15% of their China-related revenue to the U.S. government to secure export licenses The Guardian+5Reuters+5The Guardian+5.

4. Markets Await Inflation Data and Tech Earnings

Wall Street remains calm ahead of key inflation readings and upcoming tech earnings. Major stock futures are modestly higher. Notably, Intel’s CEO is headed to the White House after Trump publicly called for his resignation—highlighting the firm’s central role in U.S. chipmaking. Meanwhile, Bitcoin nears all-time highs, boosting crypto-linked stocks, and lithium producers are rallying on supply disruptions in China Investopedia+1.

5. VA Loses Critical Medical Staff, Raising Alarms

A fresh report reveals the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has shed thousands of core medical staff—vital personnel needed to sustain essential services. Veterans and healthcare workers warn the exodus has created “very unsafe” conditions for patients The Guardian.

6. Mass Deportation Funding Embedded in Trump’s Budget Bill

Included in the major Republican tax-and-spending package signed in July is a massive funding boost—nearly $170 billion—for the Department of Homeland Security. Critics argue it’s primarily designed to power President Trump’s aggressive border security and deportation strategy abcnews.go.com.