Donald Trump's audacious lie about Vice President Harris' race confirmed what many had long suspected: running against a Black woman could summon the former president's worst impulses, Axios' Zachary Basu writes.

• Why it matters: Amid outrage from Democrats and discomfort from Republicans, Trump is doubling down on his incendiary claim that Harris recently "became a Black person" for political convenience.

In one fell swoop, Trump hijacked a news cycle dominated by the enthusiasm surrounding Harris' campaign — and redirected attention to his long and controversial record on race.

• It's a nightmare for Republicans already reeling from the tightening race. They know Trump has a strong chance of beating Harris on the issues — but fear he could alienate swing voters with attacks on her identity.

Catch up quick: In a chaotic and combative interview at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention, Trump falsely claimed Harris "happened to turn Black" after years of promoting her Indian heritage.

• "So I don't know, is she Indian or is she Black?" the former president asked.

🖼️ The big picture: Trump's political rise began with a yearslong crusade to delegitimize the nation's first Black president, Barack Obama.

• Much has changed since 2011, but Trump has never strayed far from the conspiratorial and racist roots of the birther movement.
• In 2020, Trump said he'd "heard" Harris wasn't born in the U.S., and thus "doesn't meet the requirements" to be vice president. Harris was born in Oakland, Calif.

Reality check: Harris is the first Black, South Asian and woman vice president.

• She's the daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, and was a member of a historically Black sorority at Howard University, a historically Black college.
• Like millions of mixed-race Americans, who represent one of the fastest-growing demographics in the country, the vice president identifies with both of her cultures.

👀 What to watch: Trump's remarks on yesterday's panel weren't a one-off. His campaign, for now at least, seems to be leaning in.

• Trump followed up by posting a 2019 video of Harris discussing her Indian heritage with Indian-American actress Mindy Kaling, labeling Harris a "stone cold phony."
• At his rally hours later in Harrisburg, Pa., the Trump campaign displayed a Business Insider headline recognizing Harris as the first Indian-American elected to the Senate.

Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), Trump's running mate, speaking last night in Glendale, Ariz., said in prepared remarks that Harris is a "total phony who caters to whatever audience is in front of her."

• Share this story.

The past 31 days morphed a whiplash-inducing but peaceful election year into a brutal, bloody and chaotic moment for the history books, Axios' Noah Bressner writes.

• Why it matters: This Summer of Never Before has, somehow, burned far hotter than anybody imagined. The election's still 96 days away.

All of this — and more — happened in July:

• July 1: The Supreme Court rules that Donald Trump — and all presidents — are entitled to immunity for "official acts."
• July 2: The first elected Democrat calls on President Biden to step aside after his historic debate debacle.
• July 5: Biden tells ABC's George Stephanopoulos that only the "Lord Almighty" could convince him to drop out.

• July 13: Trump narrowly survives assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pa.
• July 15: Federal judge dismisses Trump's classified documents case.
• July 15: Trump picks Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) on the RNC's opening day.
• July 16: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is convicted in a sweeping corruption trial.
• July 17: Biden tests positive for COVID and self-isolates at his Delaware beach house.

• July 18: Trump accepts GOP nomination with a speech that ends all speculation that his assassination attempt changed him.
• July 19: A flawed CrowdStrike software update takes down key internet services, unleashing chaos around the world.
• July 21: Biden quits race, quickly endorses Vice President Harris.
• July 22: Harris secures enough delegates to become the Democratic nominee, embarks on record fundraising spree.
• July 24: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a fiery speech to a (partially empty) joint session of Congress.
• July 24: Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office in prime time, saying it's time to "pass the torch."
• July 26: Summer Olympics open in Paris.
• July 27: A rocket attack from Lebanon kills 12 children and teenagers on a soccer field in the Golan Heights.
• July 30: Israel kills top Hezbollah commander in Beirut strike.
• July 31: The top Hamas political leader is assassinated in Iran. Hamas blames Israel.

Democrats didn't just change their nominee. They changed their message in the final hundred days before the election, Axios' Alex Thompson writes.

• President Biden wanted to make his campaign about "democracy" and Jan. 6.
• Vice President Harris wants it to be about "freedom" and the "future."

Why it matters: Many top Democrats worried that Biden's focus on democracy was not breaking through with swing voters.

• In her first two campaign rallies as the likely nominee and in her first ads, Harris and her campaign haven't used the word "democracy."

Instead, her stump speech and ads have revolved around themes of "freedom" — from poverty, from gun violence, and to have an abortion if a woman chooses.

• She has changed the campaign's main theme song to Beyoncé's "Freedom."
• Harris, more than 20 years younger than Biden, has also tried to portray herself as the candidate of the future as she has embraced the tagline, "We're not going back."

Keep reading.

A potentially deadly heat wave is expanding from the Central U.S. to both coasts, Axios extreme weather expert Andrew Freedman writes.

• Why it matters: The extreme heat will last more than a week in some areas — and cause an uptick in fire risks in the West, where deadly blazes are already burning.

Get Axios Generate.

Israel's military said this morning it has intelligence confirming its July 13 airstrike killed Hamas' top military commander, Mohammed Deif.

Why it matters: Israeli officials say Deif was one of the primary masterminds of the Oct. 7 attacks that killed some 1,200 people. If confirmed, his death would mean Israel killed Hamas' top military commander and top political leader in just over two weeks.

• Hamas has yet to comment on the Israeli claim. The group initially denied Deif had been killed in the strike in Khan Younis in Southern Gaza. Gaza health authorities said the strike killed 90 people.

Meanwhile, large crowds gathered today in Tehran for a funeral procession for Hamas' political chief, Ismail Haniyeh.

• Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has vowed revenge for Haniyeh's assassination on Iranian soil on Wednesday, led prayers.

Go deeper: U.S. concerned assassination will derail peace talks

The United States — its citizens, industry, decision-makers and military — is unprepared for a war that could kick off with Russia and China and later engulf the world, Axios' Colin Demarest writes from a new study.

Why it matters: The Commission on the National Defense Strategy, a congressionally mandated group with members handpicked by Democratic and Republican lawmakers, isn't known for hyperbole.

• Its conclusion — that the U.S. "has not kept pace with a worsening situation" — should be a wakeup call.

Here are some of the top-line issues the commission laid out in a 100-plus-page document published this week:

1. 🇨🇳 China has "largely negated the U.S. military advantage" in the Western Pacific after 20 years of investment.
2. 🇷🇺 The Pentagon's portrayal of Russia as an "acute threat" undersells the "ongoing and persistent" nature of the hazards it poses, especially in space and cyber.
3. 🏭 Stateside production capacity is "grossly inadequate" — meaning a "World War II–style industrial mobilization" is off the table.

Four more takeaways ... Get Axios Future of Defense.

Companies that forked over billions to sponsor the Olympics are using the Games to demonstrate their AI leadership, Axios' Ina Fried writes in a postcard from Paris.

• Why it matters: AI — largely playing a supporting role this year — holds huge potential to help teams and athletes gain insights into their performance and adjust training accordingly.

AI initiatives for the Olympics include:

• Intel's pilot program with the IOC in Senegal — a country that has won only a single medal — uses AI to help identify potential athletes in five villages.
• NBC's creation of an AI version of broadcaster Al Michaels delivers a personalized daily recap on Peacock.
• Omega's advanced swimming stats include acceleration, number of strokes and time in the water.

Keep reading ... Get Axios AI+.

By water and land (and often air), Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles have cemented their status as the GOATs of their sports in Paris, Axios' Avery Lotz writes.

• After her win in the 1,500-meter freestyle race yesterday, Ledecky tied the record for most medals by an American female swimmer in Olympic history.
• Just a day before, Simone Biles became the most decorated U.S. gymnast.

Keep reading.

🤸‍♀️ What to watch tomorrow: Men's golf begins (starts 3 a.m. ET) ... Women's gymnastics all-around finals, including Simone Biles (12:15 p.m. ET) ... Four swimming finals (2:30 p.m. ET) ... U.S. women's basketball vs. Belgium (2:45 p.m. ET).

• NBC's Day 6 preview.