Overview of AM Update 7/29
In this SiriusXM news update, Mark Halperin fills in for Megyn Kelly with a roundup of major political, national, and human-interest stories: President Trump’s separate White House meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, newly released audio of Joe Biden discussing classified material with his memoir ghostwriter, a dramatic rescue by a 16-year-old California lifeguard that drew praise from the White House, and a disturbing new interview with a woman who says she had an affair with convicted murderer Chris Watts.
Trump Hosts Zelensky and Netanyahu
Trump met separately with Zelensky and Netanyahu at the White House as wars continue in both Ukraine and the Middle East.
Ukraine meeting
- Zelensky described his conversation with Trump as “good.”
- They reportedly discussed:
- Ukraine producing American Patriot missile interceptors under license
- Reviving diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia
- The update noted Ukraine’s claim that it struck Russian military targets in the Caspian Sea over the weekend.
- Vice President J.D. Vance was notably absent from the Zelensky meeting after their earlier public clash.
Israel meeting
- Trump later met with Netanyahu alongside:
- J.D. Vance
- Marco Rubio
- Pete Hegseth
- Steve Witkoff
- Topics reportedly included:
- The war with Iran
- A possible peace framework for Lebanon
- Expanding the Abraham Accords
- The segment highlighted tension between Trump and Netanyahu over Israel’s handling of the conflict.
- Trump also pushed back on Netanyahu’s influence over U.S. decisions, especially regarding arms sales to Turkey.
- Netanyahu called the meeting one of “full partnership” and mutual support.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described both meetings as “positive and productive.”
Newly Released Biden Audio Raises New Questions
The update also focused on previously undisclosed recordings of Joe Biden speaking with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer for his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad.
What the tapes show
- Biden is heard:
- Losing his train of thought
- Referring repeatedly to classified information
- Seeming to recognize that some material was sensitive
- One notable line quoted: “Some of this may be classified. Be careful.”
Why the tapes matter
- The audio was obtained during Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.
- Hur’s final report had already portrayed Biden as a sympathetic but elderly man with a poor memory, which helped explain why no charges were brought.
- The Heritage Foundation pushed for the tapes’ release, and Biden’s legal team had tried to block them until an appeals court ruled against him.
Political fallout
- Biden spokesperson T.J. Ducklo condemned the release as political retaliation.
- Critics argued the tapes show Biden disclosed classified information to a ghostwriter who did not have a security clearance.
Teen Lifeguard’s Heroic Beach Rescue
One of the most uplifting stories in the segment was the rescue of a young boy by a 16-year-old lifeguard named Ryder at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz, California.
What happened
- Dangerous surf and 10-foot waves suddenly overwhelmed a child estimated to be about 10 years old.
- Ryder ran into the ocean and held on tightly to the boy despite repeated crashing waves.
- He kept the child above water while fighting the current back toward shore.
- Other rescuers and bystanders eventually helped form a human chain to bring them in safely.
Outcome and recognition
- The boy reportedly suffered no serious injuries and was returned to his parents.
- Witnesses said the ocean conditions changed almost instantly.
- Eric Trump called the rescue “truly the best of America.”
- President Trump said he plans to bring Ryder and his family to the White House for a high civilian honor.
Woman Claims Affair With Chris Watts
The update closed with a disturbing interview involving Chris Watts, the Colorado man serving life for murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters.
New claims from Amanda McMahon
- McMahon says she met Watts on Tinder while going through her own divorce and custody battle.
- She alleges:
- Watts presented himself as separated
- He described Shanann Watts as a “baby mama”
- He used a false story to portray himself as trapped in a bad relationship
- She says they watched Shutter Island together, a film whose plot bears a chilling resemblance to the false narrative Watts later gave investigators.
More troubling allegations
- McMahon also claimed:
- Watts became physically aggressive during intimacy
- He sometimes asked her for prescription opioids
- She eventually cut off contact in 2018
- She later recognized him when he appeared publicly seeking help finding his missing family.
Key Takeaways
- Trump is juggling high-stakes diplomacy with Ukraine and Israel while also publicly asserting control over U.S. foreign policy decisions.
- The Biden tapes add fresh fuel to the debate over his memory, classified material, and the special counsel’s decision not to charge him.
- The lifeguard rescue story stood out as the most inspiring moment in the update and quickly became a symbol of heroism.
- The Chris Watts segment underscored the ongoing public fascination with the case and the disturbing behavior alleged by people connected to him.