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--:-- John Bickley: I'm Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Thursday, August 3rd, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A new report reveals that shortly after taking office in January of 2021, President Biden's administration pressured Facebook to stifle the Daily Wire's reach on the platform and to boost the reach of legacy media outlets. That's according to meeting notes recently turned over to Congress.
--:-- John Bickley: The newly released documents, which were reviewed by The Daily Wire, showed that Facebook repeatedly confirmed to the White House that it was working to re-engineer its platform in order to accomplish the administration's directives on suppressing content that clashed with its COVID vaccine agenda.
--:-- Ben Shapiro: While other major media American companies on the right were actively forcing their employees to get the shot, we were suing the federal government to stop it. Well, we are not afraid to sue the federal government again. We are not afraid to sue the Biden White House. First of all, there may be criminal violations right here. Head to dailywire.com for the latest on this developing story.
--:-- John Bickley: Former President Donald Trump was scheduled to appear in court at 4 p.m. Eastern Thursday afternoon after this podcast was recorded for his third federal indictment.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Trump is back in D for his arraignment on charges stemming from special counsel Jack Smith investigation into the January 6th Capitol riot and 2020 election. The 2024 GOP frontrunner faces four federal charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said on True Social that he is being, quote, arrested for having challenged a corrupt, rigged, and stolen election.
--:-- John Bickley: The U.S. military is reportedly considering putting armed personnel on commercial ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to stop Iran from seizing and harassing civilian vessels. Since 2019, Iran has seized several ships in the strait as part of its efforts to pressure the West on negotiating its nuclear deal with world powers.
--:-- Georgia Howe: While putting troops on these ships could be a deterrent, some officials say it could escalate tensions further. U.S. officials offered very few details about the plan. The announcement comes as thousands of Marines and sailors on both the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan and the USS Carter Hall head toward the Persian Gulf. Those soldiers could provide armed guard missions to the strait where much of the world's oil supply passes through.
--:-- John Bickley: Unrest and an apparent coup in Niger has forced the U.S. State Department to evacuate non-emergency personnel and their families as the Niger military and allied armed groups seized power. President Biden called for the immediate release of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum. Niger is a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic extremism in the region.
--:-- Matthew Miller: State Department spokesman Matthew Miller maintained that the U.S. is committed to diplomacy and that the embassy remains open. We remain committed to the people of Niger and our relationship with the people of Niger, and we remain diplomatically engaged at the highest levels. That's something that will continue. I will also say that the safety and security of our personnel and of U.S. citizens overseas is our highest priority. We're monitoring the situation on the ground and making the decisions we need to to ensure their security now.
--:-- John Bickley: Mexican authorities say they've recovered two bodies in the Rio Grande, including one reportedly located near the floating barrier installed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott as a deterrent of illegal immigration. Yet the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Steve McGraw, told CBS News that the information so far suggests that the body, quote, drowned upstream from the marine barrier and floated into the buoys.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The state of Texas is currently engaged in a legal battle with the Biden administration, which claims that the barrier flouts federal immigration law.
--:-- John Bickley: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday evening that he has accepted California Governor Gavin Newsom's debate challenge. DeSantis accepted the challenge during an interview on Fox News with host Sean Hannity who will host the debate.
--:-- Sean Hannity: You heard Gavin make the offer. Your answer is Absolutely. I game. Let's get it done. Just tell me when and where. We do it.
--:-- Ron DeSantis: And here's the thing, Sean. I mean, in one respect, the debate between California and Florida, you know, has already been had, as you suggest. People have been voting on that. They've been voting on it with their feet. A date for the debate has not yet been scheduled.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Pop singer Lizzo responded Thursday to a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, and fat shaming from her backup dancers. Here with more is Daily Wire senior editor Joel Needler.
--:-- Joel Needler: Along with a slew of other allegations, three former backup dancers claimed Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Vivian Jefferson, pressured them to engage with nude performers at an Amsterdam club in February. Lizzo posted her response on social media, calling the lawsuit outrageous with, quote, sensationalized stories. The singer also allegedly shamed one of the dancers for gaining weight.
--:-- John Bickley: The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, takes aim at Lizzo, her production company, Big Girl Big Touring Inc., and Lizzo's dance team captain, Charlene Quigley.
--:-- Georgia Howe: All right, those are your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to our latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
