What Killed RFK Jr.’s Ads?

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for July 9, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here— it’s free!

THE LATEST

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had big plans last year for a “Take Back Your Health” ad campaign from the Health and Human Services Department. It never came together — and he can blame former Homeland Security head Kristi Noem, NOTUS’ Paige Winfield Cunningham scoops.

• The White House was skittish about featuring RFK Jr. in a campaign after receiving heavy backlash for Noem’s ad appearances, including one on horseback. They quietly canceled the health initiative, worth up to $20 million, a few weeks ago.

Scoop: A new statewide poll shows a tight fight among candidates vying to replace Democrat Graham Platner in the Maine Senate race.

• Platner’s not technically out yet: He plans to file paperwork to end his campaign on Monday, the last possible day, Axios reports.

• Epidemiologist Nirav Shah, however, is officially in.

THE ADMINISTRATION

Mexican officials will request criminal charges over 17 Mexicans who died in ICE custody or during Trump’s immigration enforcement push. The request carries no legal weight.

The government’s new climate change office will now be headed by a climate critic after being gutted last year.

Trump has his name on yet another landmark. Palm Beach International Airport became President Donald J. Trump International Airport today. Travelers won’t see the airport code PBI change to DJT until August.

THE COURTS

Former Olympian David Hearn pleaded not guilty to a felony charge today in connection with damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

A district court judge granted Erika Kirk’s request for public disclosure of evidence in the case against the man accused of killing her husband, Charlie, last year.

The FBI has until the end of the month to provide records from director Kash Patel’s security team including terms like “alcohol,” “intoxicated” and “sleeping,” a federal judge ruled today in Democracy Forward’s lawsuit against the agency.

• Senate Judiciary chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) had privately requested information from Patel in May, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) disclosed in a joint letter to the FBI director’s office today.

TWEET, TWEET

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Kelly Poe and Erik Schutz. If you liked it, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at finalnotus@notus.com