The Introspective

The week included key Senate confirmations, new birthright citizenship orders, and a court ruling against the White House ballroom. 

Dante Belcher

Aug 10, 2026

Trump’s 81st week brought updates to the Senate, birthright citizenship and the White House ballroom. This comes as Todd Blanche was confirmed as attorney general after a previous report from The Introspective detailed tensions as two senators refused to vote. At the same time, Erica Schwartz was confirmed as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

As anti-immigrant sentiment continues, Trump signed two executive orders in an effort to restrict birthright citizenship, following a previous report detailing the Supreme Court upholding the constitutional right. Meanwhile, as the back and forth over the White House ballroom continues, an appeals court blocked construction of the ballroom. 

Senate 

Following a previous Introspective report detailing Todd Blanche’s nomination being paused after criticism, the Senate confirmed Blanche by a vote of 50-49. 

“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this. But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general, who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy. 

“This puts at risk the progress made fighting violent crime, human and drug trafficking and fraud. And this does not serve the American people well.” 

In a press release, Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she had “numerous constructive meetings with Mr. Blanche and he comes across as decent and capable,” but opposed his nomination. 

“The politicization—even weaponization—of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” she said. 

“I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators.” 

At the same time, the Senate voted to confirm Erica Schwartz as CDC director. 

“We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy. 

“I am confident that she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not.” 

However, the National Public Health Coalition, an advocacy group of former CDC employees, criticized her nomination. 

“At this moment, CDC needs leadership that is independent, transparent, accountable to the public, and willing to defend the evidence and the science that keep our communities safe,” read the statement. 

“Dr. Schwartz offered broad assurances about science, transparency, and trust. But broad assurances are not enough. The public needed to hear clear commitments about how she would protect CDC guidance from political pressure. Too often, her stated commitments were incomplete, vague, or missing.” 

Birthright Citizenship and Ballroom 

Despite a previous report from The Introspective detailing the Supreme Court upholding birthright citizenship, Trump signed two executive orders in an effort to limit the constitutional right. 

“We had a very unfortunate decision in the Supreme Court concerning birthright, it was close,” Trump said on Thursday. 

“But a very, very unfortunate decision. So we’re making adjustments.” 

The first order, Ending Birth Tourism, denies people who are traveling to the United States to give birth from entering the country. 

“Birth tourism operators use deceptive advertisements and inducements to entice foreign nationals to travel to the United States for the purpose of giving birth on American soil,” read the executive order. 

“Birth tourism also diverts limited consular inspection and enforcement resources away from legitimate visa applicants, erodes public confidence in the faithful enforcement of the immigration laws, and impairs the executive branch’s ability to protect the national security.” 

The second order, Continuing to Protect the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, expands the list of people who are ineligible for birthright citizenship, including children of immigrants who lobby with foreign governments. 

Meanwhile, as the back and forth over the White House ballroom continues, a federal appeals court blocked the construction of the ballroom. 

“Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence. The President has no—and claims no—constitutionally assigned authority over that property,” wrote Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia.