Analysis shows how Trump’s promise of cheaper groceries and gas has not materialized. Republicans predict defeat in a critical Senate race. And Airbnb sets new rules for hosts.
Here’s what to know today.
Trump promised $2 gas and cheaper groceries. Here’s what voters got instead.
When voters headed to the polls nearly two years ago, Donald Trump promised them cheaper groceries, gas below $2 a gallon and a wave of new manufacturing jobs. They elected him president — and got the opposite.
This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
Instead, prices have kept rising and wages have struggled to keep pace with inflation. While the broader economy has grown at a healthy rate, the gains have disproportionately flowed to the wealthiest households.
Economists largely point to Trump’s own policies for his broken campaign promises.
Take cheaper groceries. Prices are up 3.5% from January 2025, when Trump came into office, in part because of tariffs and higher fuel costs following the Iran war.
Speaking of fuel, Trump promised gas for $2 a gallon. But the national average of regular gas is $4.27, according to AAA — the first time gas has ever averaged more than $4 a gallon in October.
Taxes, however, are lower on average, as Trump promised. And while tax law partially achieves his pledge to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime, the reality is a little more complicated.
Trump predicts Republican defeat in North Carolina Senate race
President Trump said the quiet part out loud — the part Republicans didn’t want him to say. Rallying this week in Greenville, North Carolina, Trump said Republican Michael Whatley was going to lose to Democratic challenger Roy Cooper in their Senate race.
Whatley cruised to primary victory as Trump’s handpicked candidate for the seat held by retiring Sen. Thom Tillis. But he has struggled to overcome a number of disadvantages. Democratic challenger Roy Cooper is relatively popular in the state after two successful bids for governor and has fundraised millions more than Whatley.
National groups from both parties began pulling out of the race earlier this month, signaling that both now view the contest as less competitive than previously thought. The GOP withdrawal could have significant downballot implications.
A closer look at the shifting dynamics in the race.
Dive deeper into the 2026 election:
- See the latest polling and the battleground states in play.
- Track early voting tallies by age, gender and more.
- Find out how candidates are polling in competitive Senate races.
- What are the other big races in North Carolina? See who’s running and how Republicans and Democrats fared in past elections. Then, scroll to the end of the page to explore data in other states.
More politics news:
- Attorney General Todd Blanche left open the possibility that the DOJ could seek to block states from certifying votes in the midterm elections.
- The Supreme Court said student IDs cannot be used in New Hampshire for the midterm elections.
- The DOJ will review allegations that former federal aide Corey Lewandowski sought payments in exchange for contracts with the Department of Homeland Security.
- A globe used by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II was damaged when staffers for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tried to move it into his office.
- For subscribers: He’s in the West Wing. He’s at the rally. He’s got Trump’s ear. Bill Pulte is everywhere.
Airbnb does some housekeeping, sets new rules for hosts
Starting next month, Airbnb hosts can set only “reasonable” housecleaning duties for guests, according to new guidelines released by the company. The new rules specify that hosts cannot ask guests to do anything that would require “significant effort or time” or that a cleaner would do, like stripping the bed or doing a load of dishes.
The new guidelines come after years of mounting customer complaints. Bookings on Airbnb have always included cleaning fees, but there hadn’t been universal policies on what hosts could ask renters to complete.
When the new policy goes into effect.
As lockout looms, World Series welcomes two small-market teams
The 2026 MLB season started under the assumption it would be the final one before a contentious labor negotiation in the winter. Now, all eyes are on the World Series matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers, which begins this evening, for what it means on and off the field.
For all the concerns about payroll disparity, the Brewers and the Rays are among the lowest-spending teams in the sport. The teams’ roughly combined salaries, in the neighborhood of $232 million, would still rank lower than eight other teams. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has pushed for a salary cap in the sport, but the players union views this year’s World Series as an example of the sport working just fine.
Here’s what else to think about as the Fall Classic unfolds.
Staff Pick: Why John Turturro is having the best year of any New Yorker
John Turturro could pickpocket you if he wanted to.
The legendary actor plays the titular role in “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.” In a recent Zoom interview, he was more than willing to share the tricks of the trade he learned for the film. During our conversation, I was struck by how appreciative Turturro was for the role of Harry Lehman, for which he’s drawing buzz for the first Oscar nomination of his career.
Turturro is 69 and in his fifth decade as an actor, and it’s growing rare to see him in a leading role. It was a joy listening to him explain why he wanted to be in this movie and how the film is a metaphor for the world we’re living in today. This really is a very lovely movie. — Rohan Nadkarni, sports reporter
Read All About It
- Israel has ordered a “full lockdown” of the West Bank after its military killed two Palestinians accused of a shooting attack.
- Trump accused LeBron James of disrespecting the U.S. after the NBA star appeared to continue warming up during the national anthem before Philadelphia’s season opener.
- “Looksmaxxing” influencer Clavicular pleaded not guilty to criminal rape charges in connection to an alleged incident at his family’s house in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
- The Tennessee staff from Christa Pike’s botched execution attempt warned her veins might have “blown” before she was injected with the lethal drug, her attorney wrote in a court filing.
- Emmy-winning actor Tom Skerritt, who appeared in iconic films such as “Top Gun” and “Alien,” has died at age 93.
- The Atlanta Falcons received backlash — and some jokes — after revealing a retro team symbol that some say resembles Nazi imagery.
NBC Selected: Online Shopping, Simplified
At NBC Selected, we love hunting down a good sale. This week, we spotted Crest 3D Whitestrips on sale for less than their Prime Day price, rounded up the best beauty buys during Amazon’s Holiday Beauty Event and uncovered deals to shop during Wayfair’s annual Way Day sale.
Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.
Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson and Josephine Murphy. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.
