Morning Brief: Trump’s $500 Million Fine Tossed & President On Track To Be Deporter-In-Chief

A New York appeals court throws out the nearly half-billion-dollar penalty against Donald Trump in his civil fraud case, calling the fine “excessive” and unconstitutional. Texas leads a new push by red states to crack down on mail-order abortion pills, as Costco announces it will no longer stock mifepristone. The pace of deportations under President Trump surges to nearly 1,500 a day as the administration ramps up interior enforcement.

It’s Friday, August 22, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.

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Trump’s Excessive Civil Fraud Fine Overturned

Topline: A New York appeals court on Thursday handed Donald Trump a stunning legal victory, tossing out the nearly half-billion-dollar penalty in the civil fraud case brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

In a major reversal, the court ruled that the disgorgement order, which directed Trump to pay nearly $465 million, was an “excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution.” While the court did not overturn the underlying ruling that found Trump liable for fraud, it stated that the “cataclysmic harm that can justify a nearly half billion-dollar award to the state” did not occur.

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President Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social, calling it a “TOTAL VICTORY in the FAKE New York State Attorney General Letitia James Case!” One of the judges, David Friedman, appeared to agree with that assessment, writing that James’ “ultimate goal was not ‘market hygiene’ … but political hygiene, ending with the derailment of President Trump’s political career and the destruction of his real estate business.”

The ruling allows Trump’s legal team to appeal the fraud finding to New York’s highest court. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is conducting a separate investigation into whether James violated Trump’s civil rights and whether she committed mortgage fraud.

Red States Escalate Fight Against Abortion Pills

Topline: Republican-led states are escalating their efforts to restrict access to mail-order abortion pills, which now account for nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S.

Texas is leading the charge on two fronts. Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued cease-and-desist letters demanding that national organizations stop illegally shipping abortion pills into the state. The Texas legislature is also considering a bill that would allow private citizens to sue out-of-state manufacturers and distributors of abortion pills for wrongful death or harm. In Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R) is calling on the DOJ to investigate whether abortion pill manufacturers misrepresented the drugs’ safety risks to the FDA.

The battle is also playing out in corporate America. Last week, Costco announced it will no longer stock mifepristone at its U.S. pharmacies, citing low member demand. Lila Rose of the pro-life group Live Action celebrated the decision as a “major victory,” saying, “Costco is where you go to buy in bulk, not to buy pills or death in a bottle.” Pro-life activists are now pressuring other major retailers like Walgreens and CVS to follow suit.

Trump Ramps Up Deportations, Nears ‘Deporter-in-Chief’ Pace

Topline: The pace of deportations under President Trump has surged to nearly 1,500 per day, a level rivaling the Obama administration, as the White House continues to ramp up interior immigration enforcement.

According to The New York Times, daily deportations have hit nearly 1,500 a day. Unlike under the Obama administration, when most deportations were of aliens arrested at the border, these numbers reflect people arrested in the interior of the country, as the border has been effectively closed for months. The number of aliens held in detention has now reached nearly 60,000, and new detention centers are being brought online with the help of GOP governors.

Immigration enforcement in federally controlled Washington, D.C., has been particularly effective. The Wall Street Journal reported that nearly half of the 465 arrests made since the federal takeover have been of illegal aliens.

The crackdown has been met with defiance in sanctuary cities. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu recently held a press conference vowing not to cooperate with federal demands for “mass deportations.” An acting ICE field office director in Boston responded on Fox News, saying of Wu’s leadership, “I know what a safe Boston looks like and this isn’t it.”