Highlights from Nov. 5, 2025
- TRUMP TARIFFS: Supreme Court justices across the ideological spectrum appeared skeptical of President Donald Trump's use of an emergency law to impose sweeping tariffs on global imports. The case has huge implications for Trump and the U.S. economy.
- TUESDAY TAKEAWAYS: Democrats won by large margins in the Virginia and New Jersey governor's races, New York City's mayoral election, California's redistricting ballot measure and other major contests yesterday, affirming their decisions to focus on the economy in what could spell warning signs for Republicans and Trump.
- GOP MEETING: Trump met with Senate Republicans at the White House this morning to discuss the election results and the government shutdown. Ahead of the breakfast meeting, he again pressed senators to do away with the filibuster. This afternoon, Trump touted his economic achievements at a business forum in Miami amid recent polling that gave him poor marks on the economy.
- RECORD SHUTDOWN: Day 36 of the government shutdown makes it the longest in U.S. history, beating out the 35-day closure during Trump's first term. While Congress hasn't reached a deal to end the funding impasse, some senators say they see signs of progress in talks.
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Partial SNAP benefits for November will be more than previously estimated, Trump official says
An official with the Agriculture Department told a federal court tonight that allotments to SNAP beneficiaries for November will be 65% of their normal rate instead of the 50% previously estimated by the Trump administration.
The administration had told a federal judge Monday that it would use more than $4 billion in contingency funds to distribute half of the monthly benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, during the ongoing government shutdown.
The revised figures mean a family of four in the lower 48 states will receive about $646 for the month.
Ted Cruz calls election results 'a disaster,' says GOP suffered an 'electoral blowout'
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called yesterday's results "an electoral blowout" as Democratic candidates notched key wins in New York City, New Jersey and Virginia.
“Last night was a disaster. It was an electoral blowout," Cruz said on Fox News, calling the results "a warning sign" for Republicans.
"The left showed up in big numbers last night, and common sense conservatives did not. If that happens a year from now, we face disaster in the midterms," he added.
Trump said earlier today that he had not expected major wins in New York or Virginia, but that he had expected for a better result in New Jersey where he backed Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli in the governor's race.
Democrats say classified briefings on Caribbean strikes should include more lawmakers
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth briefed a select group of senators this afternoon at the Capitol behind closed doors about the U.S. strikes in the Caribbean against alleged drug smugglers.
Democrats left the briefing saying they believed it should be given to the full Senate.
"We need a lot more answers, and I am now asking for an all-senators briefing on this issue," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said.
During a news conference earlier in the day, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said "a full congressional briefing" is needed.
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., told reporters after today's briefing that the legal justification for the strikes does not mention Venezuela, and that he believes more should be done to show the strikes are justified.
"Showing by interdiction and drug recovery and the fact that the individuals on the boats are actually known narco-terrorist would sure say, go a long way in convincing a lot of Americans, and for that matter the rest of the world," Warner said.
Trump’s bright view of the economy doesn’t match what voters say they’re seeing
Ahead of Tuesday’s elections, Trump assured Americans that prices are coming down, the economy is picking up and the nation is flourishing in ways that make it the world’s envy.
Voters don’t seem to be buying it.
Democrats swept key races, as exit polls depicted an electorate gripped by fears that the U.S. is careening in the wrong direction, far from Trump’s glowing portrait of a nation ascendant.
Trump’s argument that he’s making groceries, gas and other ordinary household necessities easier to afford has failed to take hold, the exit survey suggested. On Election Day, he posted that the price of gas was falling to nearly $2 a gallon. (Nationally, the average price is more than $3 a gallon, according to AAA.)
Trump says he expected New Jersey 'would do better'
Trump defended dismal election results for Republican candidates in New York and Virginia last night, but said that he expected better returns for Republicans out of New Jersey.
"I watched very closely. These are three pretty Democrat states," Trump said referring to New Jersey, New York and Virginia.
"Assuming everything is fair and balanced, as you would say, I thought that New Jersey would do better," he added.
Trump made gains nationwide in the general election last year and welcomed his second-biggest gain of any state in New Jersey.
Democrat Mikie Sherrill defeated Trump-endorsed Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli last night in New Jersey's gubernatorial election to succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who is term limited.
Trump again encourages Republicans to end filibuster
President Trump again encouraged Republicans to do away with the filibuster during a Fox New interview that aired tonight.
“I think that if we got rid of the filibuster, we would approve so many good things, common sense things, wonderful things, that it would be hard to beat us. If we don’t, it’s always going to be a slog," Trump told Fox News host Bret Baier.
“I would say absolutely without question, I have no doubt in my mind, get rid of it, and the Republicans should do it," he added.
Trump's effort to terminate the filibuster, in an effort to reopen the government without support from Democrats, hit a roadblock with some Republican lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who said that he would work to ensure the legislative filibuster was kept intact during his leadership.
Trump made a similar plea in a video statement posted on Truth Social tonight.
"It’s now time for the Republicans to play their trump card and go for what’s called the nuclear option. Get rid of the filibuster and get rid of it now," Trump said.
Trump blasts Mamdani's victory speech as 'very dangerous'
President Trump said during a Fox News interview that aired tonight that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's victory speech last night was "very dangerous" and warned that Mamdani "should be very nice to me."
"I think it's a very dangerous statement for him to make. He has to be a little bit respectful of Washington, because if he's not, he doesn't have a chance of succeeding," Trump told Fox News host Bret Baier. "And I want to make him succeed. I want to make the city succeed."
Mamdani had addressed Trump directly in last night's remarks, which Trump characterized as "a very angry speech, certainly angry toward me."
"And I think he should be very nice to me. You know, I'm the one that sort of has to approve a lot of things coming to him. So he's off to a bad start," Trump said.
NBC News reported last month that the Trump administration froze $18 billion dollars of funding for infrastructure projects in New York City on the first day of the government shutdown, citing concerns "to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles."
Judge accuses prosecutors in James Comey case of taking an ‘indict first, investigate later’ approach
A federal judge blasted Justice Department prosecutors today several times for what he described as an “indict first, investigate later” attitude in the criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey.
Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick voiced his concerns at a hearing in U.S. District Court in Alexandria about how prosecutors from the Eastern District of Virginia were handling evidence against Comey, who was indicted in September on one count of making a false statement and one count of obstructing a congressional proceeding stemming from his testimony on Sept. 30, 2020, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Comey, who was indicted after Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi in a social media post to charge Comey and other longtime enemies, has pleaded not guilty.
White House says Trump watched Mamdani's victory speech last night
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed to reporters aboard Air Force One this evening that Trump watched New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani deliver his victory speech last night.
Mamdani specifically addressed Trump in his remarks, saying, “So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up."
Mamdani also said that Trump's home city of New York was capable of defeating him. "If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him," Mamdani said.
House GOP lawmaker says funding could run out this week for program that helps cover heating bills
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., warned in a statement today that a federal program aimed at assisting low-income households with paying their energy bills could run dry "by the end of this week" if the government shutdown persists.
“This is a life-or-death issue, and it is unconscionable not to fund it,” Burchett said. “I am calling on Senate Democrats to reopen the government and stop elderly Americans from being left out in the cold this winter.”
The $4.1 billion Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps pay heating costs during colder months. The program, known by its acronym LIHEAP, serves 5.9 million households, according to the Office of the Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services.
NBC News reported in April that the Trump administration terminated the entire staff that was responsible for providing oversight and technical assistance for the program at HHS.
