Highlights from Oct. 31, 2025
- PAYCHECKS COMING: Members of the military will receive their second paychecks since the government shutdown began a month ago, with the money coming from a mix of legislative and Pentagon funds, the Trump administration said.
- FOOD AID FUNDS: A federal judge ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use contingency funds to bankroll the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, "as soon as possible" before the benefits were set to expire for millions of Americans tomorrow because of the shutdown.
- OBAMACARE ENROLLMENT: As open enrollment kicks off, Affordable Care Act insurance premiums are expected to see the largest increase since the law went into effect more than a decade ago due in part to expiring tax credits — subsidies that are the central sticking point for Democrats in the government shutdown fight.
Vance seemingly parodies himself on Halloween
Vice President JD Vance's Halloween costume? Himself — sort of.
Vance posted a photo on X on Halloween appearing to parody a viral meme of himself. The meme — edits of Vance with an inflated head and curly hair — started earlier this year after he and Trump had a contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During that meeting, Vance repeatedly demanded of Zelenskyy, "Did you even say thank you?"
Vance also posted a short video of himself to social media in the costume, saying, "Happy Halloween, kids. And remember — say, 'thank you.'"
Will my food stamps renew? Across the country, a chorus of desperation and anger.
It has been a tumultuous week for the roughly 42 million people across the country who rely on federal food assistance.
Some breathed a tentative sigh of relief this afternoon after a Rhode Island judge ordered the Trump administration to keep funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, nationwide.
The Agriculture Department had warned that it would no longer pay for the benefits, commonly known as food stamps, starting Nov. 1 because Congress has failed to pass legislation to fund the government. The judge, however, told the administration it must distribute contingency funding for the program as soon as possible.
But much remains unknown: Trump said this evening on Truth Social that he had “instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.” Even if the federal government issues the funding, many states are already behind schedule, and it’s highly unlikely that anyone who was expecting their SNAP benefits to renew this weekend will get them on time.
Wisconsin governor joins growing group of states declaring 'emergency' as SNAP dries up
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency today over the suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food assistance, joining a growing number of states that have issued similar declarations in recent days.
"I’m declaring a state of emergency to respond to the federal government shutdown and lapse in FoodShare starting tomorrow," Evers said referring to the state's food assistance program, on which nearly 700,000 Wisconsin residents rely.
"As the federal government shutdown hits the one-month mark, my executive order ensures state agencies do everything within our power to help support kids, families, farmers, seniors, and veterans, including cracking down on price gouging on everyday items folks need," he added.
Evers, a Democrat, joined Democratic leaders from 24 other states this week in suing the Trump administration over the impending lapse in the food assistance program.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also issued a state of emergency today, saying in a statement that "the Trump Administration’s decision to suspend benefits has created a clear and present threat to the health and safety of our residents."
Delaware, New York, Maryland , Rhode Island, and Virginia are among the other states that have issued similar declarations this week.
White House limits press access to certain offices
The White House has issued new access rules for the press, revoking the ability for journalists at the White House — even those with permanent “hard passes” — from accessing what’s known as “Upper Press” without an appointment.
Offices in upper press include White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, communications director Steven Cheung, and their assistants. Typically, journalists wait in the area to speak to those officials.
In a memo, the White House announced the change and added that there was no longer a press team for the National Security Council. It said the White House would now direct all communications on national security matters, claiming that as a reason for restricting journalists’ access to the upper press room. The White House said the policy is “effective immediately.”
The change follows press restrictions at the Pentagon, where reporters had to agree to a policy that required they agree not to obtain unauthorized material and restricted access to certain areas unless accompanied by an official.
In a post on X, Cheung claimed reporters had been caught “secretly recording video and audio of our offices” and said they had been caught “eavesdropping,” adding that Cabinet secretaries would be “ambushed by reporters” following meetings.
The White House Correspondents' Association criticized the development, saying it "unequivocally opposes any effort to limit journalists from areas within the communications operations of the White House that have long been open for newsgathering, including the press secretary's office."
"The new restrictions hinder the press corps' ability to question officials, ensure transparency and hold the government accountable, to the detriment of the American public," the statement, signed by WHCA President Weijia Jiang, read.
Federal Judge orders records related to prosecutor’s investigation of Letitia James unsealed
A court filing late this afternoon reveals that New York Attorney General Letitia James is trying to quash an investigation into her office by John Sarcone III, the U.S. Attorney in Albany appointed by Trump.
James is questioning Sarcone’s legitimacy and says his appointment was improper. She also says the move to investigate her office is retaliation by the Executive Branch.
Sarcone is looking into James’ civil fraud case against Trump accusing him of exaggerating his net worth, that resulted in guilty verdicts and a fine of more than $500 million.
That massive financial penalty was later overturned by a higher court. The other subpoena is related to James' long running case against the National Rifle Association.
Included in the filing by US District Court Judge Lorna Schofield is an order to unseal records related to the two subpoenas issued by Sarcone, saying it is “in the public interest.” She says the information is not secret and the public has substantial interest in the attorney general's motion to quash the subpoena.
A spokesperson for James declined to comment Friday evening. A spokesman for Sarcone also declined to comment.
Schumer and top Democrats send letter to Trump officials demanding full Senate briefing on vessel strikes
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and top Senate Democrats on the Foreign Relations, Intelligence, Armed Services, and Appropriations Committees, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tusli Gabbard urging them to "immediately brief the full Senate" on military strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
“To date, the Administration has failed to provide the full Senate with the basic information necessary to carry out its oversight responsibilities, including the identities of the groups against which the President has authorized the use of military force,” the senators wrote.
"Nor has it provided information demonstrating the individuals killed were in fact drug traffickers, the types and quantities of drugs destroyed or any justification for why more cost-effective and legally justifiable measures were not pursued, such as interdiction," they added.
The Defense Department, State Department and Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The letter comes after Hegseth announced Wednesday that the Pentagon carried out another strike at President Trump’s direction on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean that killed four men, bringing the total number of known strikes to more than a dozen.
The Trump administration faced criticism from both parties this week after Democrats were excluded from a classified briefing on the alleged drug vessel strikes on Wednesday.
Federal judge rules Trump can’t require citizenship proof on the federal voting form
Trump’s request to add a documentary proof of citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form cannot be enforced, a federal judge ruled today.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, D.C., sided with Democratic and civil rights groups that sued the Trump administration over his executive order to overhaul U.S. elections.
She ruled that the proof-of-citizenship directive is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers, dealing a blow to the administration and its allies who have argued that such a mandate is necessary to restore public confidence that only Americans are voting in U.S. elections.
Police report: Nancy Mace cursed and berated officers in airport altercation
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace was involved in a heated confrontation with airport police and TSA agents at the Charleston International Airport on Thursday morning, according to an incident report from the Charleston County Aviation Authority Police Department that was obtained by NBC News.
The airport police had arranged for Mace, who is also a GOP candidate in the South Carolina governor’s race, to be escorted to her flight upon her arrival, but there was a mix-up about which vehicle she was arriving in, the report said. Officers then found Mace trying to use an entrance typically used for crew personnel at a TSA security check point.
Multiple officers who made statements for the report said Mace began cursing at them and calling the department “incompetent,” saying this is no way to treat a “f---ing U.S. representative.” Mace also said the police would have never treated South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott this way, according to the report.
Watch highlights of Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosting the annual White House Halloween celebration for trick-or-treaters.
Senate Armed Services leaders release letters requesting legal justification for drug operations against cartels
The leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee released a pair of letters that they sent earlier this month and in September to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting the legal rationale for the administration's counter-narcotics operations.
Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., note that they need this information to conduct their congressional oversight.
The letter in September requested military executive orders approved by Hegseth or combatant commanders that are focused on these drug operations.
The more recent letter in October requested any written opinions from the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel regarding the legal justification for these strikes and a list of designated terrorist and drug trafficking groups Trump has said to target.
The senators said Friday that the documents have not been submitted to Congress. The Pentagon didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
