TRUMP UNFILTERED. The Washington Post has obtained classified transcripts of the president’s phone calls with the leaders of Mexico and Australia, peppered with quotes from Trump like “This is a stupid deal. This deal will make me look terrible.” And “This is going to kill me.”
■ Read the transcripts.
■ The White House concedes the president lied when he said the head of Boy Scouts of America called him to praise Trump’s widely ridiculed speech to children.
‘NOT ONE PENNY.’ A coalition of progressives is launching a campaign to block any tax reform plan that lowers taxes on corporations or the most wealthy.
■ Two former White House ethics lawyers (under Bush II and Obama) demand the president release his tax returns before changing the tax code.
WHITE HOUSE BIBLE STUDY. Members of the president’s Cabinet are getting religious tutelage from a man who labeled female politicians with young children at home sinners.
■ National Review: “To meet the attacks on religious liberty, conservatives must avoid two pitfalls.”
■ Retail maven Rhonda Gayle Schneider on Facebook: “Any business should be allowed to discriminate against anyone they want. But they have to post a sticker on their window saying who they won’t serve, so everyone can see it.”
‘FEW WANT TO FILL THE REMAINING JOBS IN TRUMP’S SURVIVAL-OF-THE-UNFITTEST WHITE HOUSE.’ Columnist S.E. Cupp on Trump’s challenges building and keeping a team.
■ … Then again, this from a year ago today: “Donald Trump’s Campaign Might Actually Implode.”
■ He’s not gone yet: Sean Spicer’s last days at the White House.
■ Northwestern is trying to reassure students and staff.
■ Chicago’s bill for the federal investigation of its police force has passed $5.7 million.
‘GOVERNING THROUGH ANGER.’ That’s Mayor Emanuel’s assessment of Gov. Rauner’s veto of an Illinois school funding bill.
■ For the first time, Illinois may miss its public school aid payments Aug. 10.
1871 CHIEF SIGNING OFF. Howard Tullman says he’s leaving the helm of Chicago’s premiere startup incubator at the end of the year.
■ Three years ago: Tullman interviewed by Meyerson.
■ Sun-Times editorial: Departing Mondelez chief Irene Rosenfeld showed women the way.
■ “I wanted to be loved”: An ex-exec of a north suburban drug company says he gave a professional escort access to his company credit card—and together, the Tribune reports, they ran up unauthorized charges of almost $5.8 million.
■ Consistency is … a problem … with this tax. (Photo: Brigitte Powidzki on Twitter.)
■ A French joke so good it bears repeating from yesterday’s Chicago Public Square Annex email: La Croix de coeur.
IT’S ‘BLACK CHICAGO EATS’ MONTH. More than 200 black-owned restaurants are teaming up to celebrate their business and reward customers.
■ A Lollapalooza survival guide.