President Donald Trump announced on July 3, 2026, that he had pardoned six individuals whom he claimed were jailed under the Biden administration for "fixing their car." In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "It is my Great Honor to have just signed Pardons for six people who were persecuted by the Biden Administration, and were in, or being sent to, prison, for 'fixing their car.' While I know this sounds ridiculous, it is nevertheless a fact, and part of the Weaponization and Stupidity that our Country had to endure during four long years of Sleepy Joe Biden. I AM SETTING THEM ALL FREE, RIGHT NOW!" However, a similar claim made by Trump on June 4 about a man jailed for fixing his own car was false. That case involved Troy Lake, a mechanic who pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions monitors on at least 344 commercial trucks, resulting in illegal pollutant increases of 1,300 tons of nitrogen oxides, 30 tons of non-methane hydrocarbons, 600 tons of carbon monoxide, and 30 tons of particulate matter, according to the US Attorney's Office.
Trump Admits Reading Only About Himself
In an interview on Second Lady Usha Vance's podcast "Storytime with the Second Lady," Trump made a startling admission about his reading habits. When asked if he reads for fun, Trump replied, "I usually read stories about myself," adding that most of his reading material comes from newspapers. This contrasts sharply with previous presidents like Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, and Barack Obama, who have all professed a love for reading widely.
Trump Hyped a Stock He Owns
Trump also promoted Micron Technology on Truth Social, calling it "a GREAT American Company" and announcing that the firm had "put in 250 Million Dollars into the Trump Accounts for the future benefit of children." He noted that "their stock went up 9 points today." Financial disclosures show Trump held between $1.67 million and $6.65 million in Micron stock before returning to office, and purchased an additional $215,000 to $550,000 in March 2026 as his administration prepared to launch Trump Accounts, a child trust fund program. Trump defended his business interests in a CNBC interview, claiming, "I'm the only president that's ever given up my salary" — a statement contradicted by Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy, who also donated their salaries to charity.
Trump Suggests Corruption Helped Him Win
In the same CNBC interview, Trump argued that voters supported him because of his business background, saying, "I've made a lot of money over the years. And one of the reasons I got elected was to have a business person." He asserted that his children run his businesses and that he has placed his assets in a trust, though not a blind trust as Jimmy Carter did with his peanut farm.
Fourth of July Fireworks and Heat Concerns
Trump's Fourth of July celebration at the National Mall promises a massive fireworks display, with 850,000 shells set to launch over 35 minutes — approximately 400 per second. However, extreme heat forced the evacuation of Trump's Great American State Fair on July 3, as temperatures hit 39°C with 46% humidity. The opening of the July 4 event was delayed to prevent attendees from gathering in the unshaded venue before sunset.
