Weekly Briefing: A Big Trump Court Win, Some Sound Shutdown Speculation, and Spoiled Brats on Parade

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Welcome to the RedState Weekly Briefing — where we take a quick look at the week’s most viewed stories in case you missed any of them. What do you suppose caught people's attention in this latest whirlwind week? Grab a cup of coffee (or something stronger if you're so inclined), and sit down with this 21st Century Weekend Edition of your favorite (online) publication.

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#1 - Whoa: 2nd Circuit Issues Stunning Decision on Trump's NY Criminal Case — by Susie Moore

But a funny thing happened on the way to the presidency...The Supreme Court issued a ruling on presidential immunity that had far-reaching implications.

Trump had initially attempted to remove the case from state court to federal court, which effort was shot down. But after the Supreme Court issued its ruling in Trump v. United States in July of 2024, Trump renewed his efforts to remove the case to federal court, asserting that the Supreme Court’s intervening decision rendered the State of New York's prosecution one “relating to” his official acts as president, such that the case was now removable and established "good cause" for his untimely filing. 

U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein shot down that renewed effort in September 2024, and Trump again appealed to the 2nd Circuit, which heard oral argument on the matter in June of 2025. On Thursday, they issued their ruling, determining that the district court failed to properly consider the renewed motion.

#2 - Ted Cruz Has a Good Guess As to When the Schumer Shutdown Is Likely to End, and Why — by Nick Arama

As with many things with Democrats, this could backfire on them. 

It says something about Democrats, too, if this is their motivation - that they're more concerned about their own power than they are about how such political games would affect the people who haven't gotten paid, the people on SNAP, the people who may otherwise be hurt by the shutdown, and the harmful effects on the economy. 

It's completely believable, given what we have seen from Democrats.

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#3 - At Least 200 Terrorists Are Trapped in Tunnels Behind Israeli Lines and Guess Who Wants to Free Them? — by streiff

Quite honestly, that story may be the most ridiculous Arab military report since Baghdad Bob reported the destruction of the U.S. Army at Baghdad International Airport. Given that the Israelis didn't begin a systematic campaign against Hamas tunnels until this spring, the idea that a couple of hundred men lacked the curiosity to either contact friendly units on the surface, use existing telephone lines, or simply walk underground toward friendly lines is nonsense.

As late as the week after the ceasefire agreement, the terrorists were still fighting Israeli troops underground showing they had access to adequate food, water, and ammuntion, "A detachment of Israeli engineering troops was demolishing tunnels behind the withdrawal line in Gaza last month when Hamas militants sprang from a hidden shaft, fired an antitank missile toward their excavator and killed two soldiers."

A more plausible explanation for the episode is that Hamas was leaving gunmen behind to emerge and blend in with the returning population. This would quickly return the Israeli-occupied area to Hamas control. Keeping the tunnels in use would also provide a jumping-off point for another October 7-like assault.

#4 - Video Emerges of the Condé Nast Offices ‘Confrontation,’ As Infantile Woke Staff Earned Their Pink Slips — by Brad Slager

So this news coming out of another publisher’s offices is hardly surprising, and now it gets more illustrative. For reasons possibly related to making a case for their defense, a video of this confrontation in the Condé Nast offices has emerged, and it displays all of the dysfunction we have heard about over the years. We see these staffers behaving like insufferable, entitled scolds who disregard the directives from their boss, behaving like they are owed some sort of audience. It is bewildering.

What is most surprising is that Duncan did not coddle these cranks, something that has been seen far too often in these media maelstroms. He directed them properly to get back to work, and after a time, he took the appropriate steps and let go of these demanding brats.

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#5 - Let Them Burn It Down — by Eli Shepherd

Say what you want about protests, think pieces, and cable-news freakouts. Elections have consequences. Democracy means handing people what they vote for. If Democrats across our cities insist on doubling down on big government fixes and cultural priorities that chafe with ordinary New Yorkers, then maybe the rest of the country should stop propping up those failing models. Let them have their socialist lab. Watch what it does to schools, budgets, public safety, and the urban fabric. Then leave. 

This is not an invitation to despair. It is an argument for strategic exit. For decades, conservative thinkers have warned that some left-leaning cities are trending toward policies that discourage investment, drive up crime, and hollow out middle-class opportunity. If those places want to try a full-throated experiment in redistribution and centralized solutions, let them see it to the end.

If you enjoy the Weekly Briefing, be sure to check out "RedState Radio," our weekly podcast. It features a rundown of our top stories of the week, along with chats with a couple of our contributors about what they've been covering. This week, we're joined by Ward Clark and Sister Toldjah. If you like RedState, we think you'll like this added feature. Liking, subscribing, and following are much appreciated.

Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.

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