The U.S. economy has a vegetable problem, and it's not just "broccoli refusal."

• Wholesale prices for fresh veggies soared by a record amount last month, foreshadowing a possible spike at the grocery store soon, Axios' Ben Berkowitz and Alex Fitzpatrick write.

🛒 Why it matters: If the last few years have taught us anything, it's that the "real" statistics on inflation don't matter when consumers see the prices of tangible, everyday goods — food, gasoline, etc. — rising sharply.

• While big-box retailers have pledged to hold the line on groceries in the face of tariff pressure, not everyone can (or will) do that as trade war costs mount.

📈 Stunning stats: A 38.9% increase in prices for fresh and dry vegetables from June to July was the biggest month-on-month increase for fresh vegetables since March 2022.

• It's also the largest monthly increase ever recorded in a summer month (June-August), in figures that go back to 1947, per Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

👀 Between the lines: There's no guarantee that one month of rising prices will inevitably pass through. But it's another risk factor that suggests the long-awaited consumer tariff pain could be coming sooner than later.

• Go deeper: Customers look set to bear the tariff cost burden, by Axios' Courtenay Brown.

On Social Security's 90th anniversary, President Trump touted improvements to the program under his leadership — but reports from inside the agency tell a different story, Axios' Emily Peck writes.

• Why it matters: Advocates warn the administration may be making changes to the popular program that could undermine its long-term stability.

💬 "I made a sacred pledge to our seniors that I would always protect Social Security," Trump said today in the Oval Office. "And under this administration, we're keeping that promise and strengthening Social Security for generations to come. ... It's going to be around a long time with us."

Reality check: The tax cut for seniors in the "big, beautiful bill" will likely speed up the date when the program's trust funds will be depleted, according to the agency's actuary. That follows bipartisan legislation last year that also sped up that process.

• The depletion in the Social Security trust funds would lead to a cut in benefits — but not the end of the program.

Go deeper.

1. 🕯️ Above: Journalists in Johannesburg, South Africa, hold a memorial service today for journalists who were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza, including Al Jazeera correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh. Chart: Journalist deaths in Gaza.
2. ⚖️ Hunter Biden won't apologize to first lady Melania Trump for saying Jeffrey Epstein "introduced Melania" to President Trump, despite her threats to sue over the comments. "F--k that," Biden said in a video interview. "That's not going to happen." Go deeper.
3. 🚲 Peloton is introducing updated exercise bikes and treadmills as early as October in its most significant product refresh in years. The company is also focusing on AI-driven workout personalization, Bloomberg reports. (gift link)
4. 🏢 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced that a second immigration facility called "Deportation Depot" could open at a state prison in Florida, as a judge weighs the future of Alligator Alcatraz. Go deeper.

No, there isn't a "music festival" coming to the streets of Washington — but that's what social media users want apps' algorithms to think, Axios' Avery Lotz writes.

• TikTok users are calling protests of President Trump's D.C. takeover "music festivals" in an attempt to use more algorithm-friendly phrases, fearing videos could be censored.

🪧 Case in point: Democratic creator Johnny Palmadessa posted that he's heading to D.C. for the "music festivals," captioning, "Don't you love music?" — with hashtags like "music" and "dance."

📱 Zoom out: The term is spreading on Instagram and X, and beyond D.C. — including LA protests against immigration raids.

• Some TikTokers are showing protesters where to rock with "performers" at "festivals" in cities across the country.
• Adam Aleksic, author of "Algospeak," tells Axios people have long used "evasive speech" to skirt perceived political censorship — even when none exists.

Reality check: TikTok bans threats, hate speech, harmful misinformation and violent content, but not communications about protests.

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