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Why this matters:

• The exercises, which began Monday, were designed to beef up readiness against North Korean threats. Trump said in a social media post that the exercises are not only costly but “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” during his time in the White House. The move is the latest example of the president appearing to turn against an ally in favor of a leader that previous administrations have cast as an adversary.
  
  
• South Korea on Monday expressed hopes for resumption of diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea to ease animosities on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea did not immediately respond to the announcement. 

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POLITICS

Trump blames vandals for damaged grass where he held July 4 celebration

President Donald Trump posted a photo on social media showing a once-grassy area by the World War II Memorial now patchy and brown. Trump did not say why he believes it’s the work of vandals instead of trampled turf from the Independence Day festivities. Read more.

Why this matters:

• Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to his renovation projects in the nation’s capital, often without evidence and sometimes despite opposing accounts from his officials. Trump lashed out at U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro this month after her office concluded that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was the result of poor construction and not the work of vandals, as Trump claimed. Authorities on Friday announced an arrest in connection with vandalism at the World War II Memorial.

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US NEWS

Lake Powell hits record low, threatening key water and electricity supply for millions

The alarming milestone at the United States’ second-largest reservoir, reached Saturday, heightened concerns about the ongoing crisis in the Colorado River system. Read more.

Why this matters:

• It comes about a week after the river’s other major reservoir, Lake Mead, also hit a historic low. Plummeting water levels pose a major threat to the Colorado River Basin, which is a key resource for wildlife, hydropower and more than 40 million people in seven states. The historic lows come as the federal government and states that rely on the river struggle to reach agreement on a long-term management plan for the dwindling resource.