‘Free America Weekend’: Anti-Trump Administration Protests Planned Across U.S. on July 4
The Morning Buzz: July 2, 2025
1. ‘Free America Weekend’: Anti-Trump Administration Protests Planned Across U.S. on July 4
For TIME Magazine, Callum Sutherland reports that a new wave of protests is being planned on July 4 across the U.S. as Americans express their opposition to President Donald Trump’s administration and policies. More than 140 events have been organized by Women’s March under the “Free America Weekend” banner to combat “the grip of hate and the politics of fear,” joining the “No Kings 2.0” demonstrations planned in several states to protest ICE raids and Trump’s broader immigration crackdown. Additional actions include a protest outside of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, and a nationwide boycott of parades and fireworks led by People’s Union USA to show solidarity against wealth inequality and ICE raids. PRRI research finds that 80% of Americans say they would prefer the U.S. to be a nation made up of people from all over the world.
Tune into PRRI’s next webinar for a discussion on patriotism and Christian nationalism, happening next Tuesday at 1:00 PM Eastern. Register now!
2. Senate GOP Passes Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ After Scramble To Win Over Holdouts, Setting Up High-Stakes House Fight
Sarah Ferris, Alison Main, Lauren Fox, and Tami Luhby for CNN report that President Donald Trump’s ambitious tax and spending cuts package narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday. Senate Republicans lost three votes, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Rand Paul (R-KY), and Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking 51st vote. Senate Republican leaders made last-minute changes to the megabill, including removing the ban on gender-affirming care under Medicaid. PRRI research finds that 49% of Americans oppose laws that prevent parents from allowing their child to receive medical care for a gender transition. The bill now moves to a narrowly divided House, where it must pass in its current form to become law.
3. Trump Seizes on ‘Moral Character’ Loophole As Way To Revoke Citizenship
For The Guardian, José Olivares reports that in a June 11th memo, the Justice Department directed its civil division to target the denaturalization of U.S. citizens who are not of “good moral character.” In this new avenue for President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda, a broad range of categories will be used to strip people of their naturalized citizenship status, including “those with a nexus to terrorism” and espionage, those who lied in their naturalization process, and those accused of being gang and cartel members. Meanwhile, NPR reports that Trump visited Florida on Tuesday to tour “Alligator Alcatraz,” a controversial migrant detention center in the Everglades that is poised to receive its first arrivals on Wednesday. PRRI research finds that just one in four voters (26%) agree that the U.S. military should put immigrants who are in the country illegally into internment camps until they can be deported.
4. The Christian Rocker at the Center of MAGA
At The Atlantic, Ali Breland describes how Christian musician and activist Sean Feucht has used worship concerts and political rallies to promote a vision of the U.S. as a theocratic nation, and to connect with politicians and far-right activists. Despite recent accusations of financial misconduct, Feucht’s influence remains strong and he continues to advance the aims of the New Apostolic Reformation, including the “seven-mountain mandate” — a framework that seeks to go beyond ending the separation between Church and state to win control of the “seven mountains” of contemporary culture (family, religion, education, media, arts and entertainment, business, and government). PRRI data show that two-thirds of Christian nationalism Adherents (67%) and nearly half of Sympathizers (48%) agree that God ordained Trump to be the winner of the 2024 presidential election, compared with one-quarter of all Americans (25%).
What’s Buzzing
The 2025-2026 PRRI Public Fellows application is now live! Learn more about the program and find instructions to apply here.