Trump arrives in South Korea; Senate rejects latest funding bill as SNAP deadline looms
This version of Rcrd91773 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military carried out three strikes on four vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean that were allegedly trafficking narcotics.
Coverage on this live blog has ended. Follow live updates here.
What to know today
- TRUMP IN ASIA: President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea, where he will have a highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It's the last stop on his three-country tour of Asia.
- GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: The Senate failed for the 13th time to advance a bill to reopen the government as the shutdown continues into its 28th day. The motion to take up the House-passed short-term spending bill required 60 votes for approval and lacked support from most Democrats.
- SHUTDOWN RIPPLE EFFECTS: Democratic leaders from more than two dozen states are suing the Agriculture Department over next weekend’s expected suspension of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, because of the shutdown. Meanwhile, air traffic controllers missed their first paycheck today despite being required by law to show up for work during a funding lapse.
China confirms Trump-Xi meeting
China has confirmed that President Xi Jinping will meet with Trump tomorrow in the South Korean city of Busan.
The leaders of the world’s two biggest economies will meet to “exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
This will be the first face-to-face meeting of the two leaders since Trump returned to office in January. They are expected to talk about tariffs, rare earth export controls, and the issue of Taiwan.
Trump says he won't meet with Kim Jong Un
Trump said a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is not going to take place on this trip.
Still, he noted the two Koreas are still technically at war, since their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
“We will see what we can do to get that all straightened out,” he said.
Trump becomes first U.S. president to receive South Korea's highest order
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung awared Trump with the country’s highest decoration, the Grand Order of Mugunghwa.
Trump was told through a translator that he was the first U.S. president to receive the award, which has a laurel leaf design that symbolizes prosperity.
“It’s a great honor,” Trump said. “I’d like to wear it right now,” he added.
Trump was also gifted a replica of the golden Cheonmachong crown, a 1,500-year-old artifact that was found in a tomb in Gyeongju and is among the heaviest gold crowns ever found.
'We’re entering a new era of trade,' Trump says
Trump told the APEC CEOs luncheon that a new era of trade was on the horizon during which deals would have to be “good for everybody.”
“We’re entering a new era of trade that truly works for both sides,” Trump said. “Deals have to be good for everybody. I’ve heard that all the time, and I never really believed it.”
“The best deals are deals that work for everybody, especially when you’re talking about nations,” he added.
“When you’re talking about nations, it really is a little bit different than [when] you’re doing a business deal, and you want to just rip their hearts out.”
Shipbuilding is coming back to the U.S., Trump says
Trump wants more ships to be built in the U.S. as he seeks to counter China’s growing naval might, for which he is now turning to South Korea.
“During World War II, we produced a ship a day. Can you believe it? You know, tankers and freighters,” he said in his remarks at the APEC CEOs luncheon. “Today, we’re not really building ships,” he added.
Trump alluded in his remarks to Hanwha Ocean, the South Korean shipbuilding giant that acquired the Philly Shipyard in Pennsylvania last year. “We’re going to start, and we’re going to have a very thriving, very thriving shipbuilding industry,” he said.
He said the industry, which past presidents “allowed” to “go away,” will be brought back “very, very powerfully.”
Trump wraps up his remarks
Trump concluded his remarks to the APEC CEOs luncheon by saying the United States and its allies were “creating a future of dignity and security, prosperity and pride.”
“Together we will build a future of strong, independent nations on both sides of the vast ocean — joined by our common interests, united by common values and reaching constantly toward a richer, safer and more peaceful Pacific,” he said.
Trump now heads to the Gyeongju National Museum, where he will have a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
'Economic security is national security,' Trump says
Trump is now making keynote remarks at a CEOs luncheon at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. He recalled that he last addressed the event in 2017, when, he said, he first laid out the idea that “economic security is national security.”
“I made the case that the global trading system was broken and in urgent need of reform, it had to be fixed,” he said. “The system had been exploited by countries that broke the rules at the expense of countries that followed the rules to a T.”
Trump said he had “asked the nations of APEC to be our partners in making the system fairer and more sustainable for us and we all worked together, the APEC nations.”
Eight years later, he said, “I’m back here in Asia, and I’m pleased to say that the positive vision for revolutionary reform I laid out — which seems like a long time ago — is now a reality.”
Trump says he's 'not sure' if he and Xi will talk about Taiwan
Trump said he was “not sure” whether the subject of Taiwan will come up during his expected meeting this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping, amid concerns that Trump could shift long-standing U.S. policy on the Beijing-claimed island democracy.
Some of Trump’s aides are worried that Trump, who is pushing to reach a sweeping trade deal with China, could say the United States “opposes” independence for Taiwan rather than “not supporting” it, four people with knowledge of the discussions told NBC News. Though it’s a subtle shift in language, it would be a major victory for Xi.
“I don’t know that we’ll even speak about Taiwan,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One en route from Japan to South Korea. “I’m not sure. I mean, he may want to ask about it. There’s not that much to ask about it. Taiwan is Taiwan.”
He went on to talk about U.S. efforts to produce its own semiconductors, which has become a strategic concern as the global supply could be disrupted if Taiwan, which makes most of the world’s advanced chips, were to come under Chinese control.
Trump acknowledges the Constitution prohibits him from serving a third term
Trump acknowledged that the law prohibits him from seeking a third term in office, a day after he did not rule out the possibility in discussing the idea.
“If you read it, it’s pretty clear. I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad, but we have a lot of great people,” Trump, who has mused about the possibility of serving a third term, told reporters on Air Force One en route to South Korea.
His comments came hours after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he did not “see the path” for Trump to serve another term.
Trump lands in South Korea
Air Force One touched down at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, around 11:30 a.m. local time (10:30 p.m. Tuesday ET), about 90 minutes after it left Japan.
He was greeted by a military band that played “Hail to the Chief” and an honor guard that stood alongside a red carpet.
After artillery pieces fired a 21-gun salute, the band started playing the song “YMCA,” which is a frequent feature of Trump events.
Trump then boarded Marine One for the short flight to the city of Gyeongju, where South Korea is hosting the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Trump says Gaza ceasefire not in jeopardy after Israeli strikes
Trump defended Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip that have cast doubt on the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli officials said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes in response to an alleged Hamas attack on Israeli soldiers in Gaza, which NBC News has not independently verified.
“The Israelis hit back, and they should hit back when that happens,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One en route from Japan to South Korea.
Hamas denied having any connection to the incident, calling the Israeli strikes “a flagrant violation” of the ceasefire deal.
Trump said that the ceasefire was not in jeopardy and that Hamas was a “very small part” of peace in the Middle East.
“They said they would be good, and if they’re good they’re going to be happy,” he said. “And if they’re not good, they’re going to be terminated.”
North Korea touts missile tests as Trump heads to South Korea
North Korea said it had successfully test-fired sea-to-surface strategic cruise missiles in another display of its growing military capabilities as Trump heads to neighboring South Korea.
State news agency KCNA said the missiles flew for more than two hours before they accurately struck their targets.
The cruise missiles were launched in North Korea’s northwestern waters around 3 p.m. local time (2 a.m. ET), South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It said the U.S. and South Korean militaries were analyzing the details and maintaining a combined defense readiness to “overwhelmingly respond” to any North Korean provocation.
The report came as Trump was heading to South Korea, the last stop on his three-country Asia tour. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, including possibly on this trip, though South Korean officials say that is unlikely.
North Korea’s latest weapons test “is a signal reaffirming Kim Jong Un’s rejection of Trump’s persistent proposal for a meeting,” said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University in South Korea.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One en route from Japan to South Korea that his schedule for the trip “is very tight” and that he wanted to focus on his expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“But we’ll come back and we’ll at some point in the not-too-distant future meet with North Korea,” he said.
Defense Department takes steps to fire civilian employees with ‘speed and conviction’
A day before the federal government shut down this month, a senior Pentagon official signed a memo that could make it easier for the Defense Department to fire employees.
In the Sept. 30 memo, titled “Separation of Employees with Unacceptable Performance,” Anthony Tata, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, outlined new guidelines that directed supervisors and human resources personnel to “act with speed and conviction” to facilitate separating poor-performing employees from the Defense Department.
“Supervisors will work with HR to issue the written notice of proposed removal detailing specific performance deficiencies and consistent failures of an employee to meet quality standards, deadlines, or productivity targets,” the memo says.
The new policy essentially accelerates the turnaround time to dismiss an employee.
Appeals court will reconsider whether to allow Trump to deploy National Guard to Oregon
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it will reconsider Oregon’s fight to block the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops into the state against its wishes.
An appeals court panel ruled 2-1 this month to allow the deployment. The court said today it would hear the Oregon National Guard case “en banc,” meaning all active judges on the 9th Circuit will rehear the case.
Senate passes bipartisan resolution that would block Trump’s tariffs on Brazil
Five Senate Republicans tonight joined Democrats in passing a resolution that would block Trump’s tariffs on billions of dollars of goods from Brazil.
The legislative language blocks the president’s emergency declaration that imposed tariffs on most Brazilian imports at 50%.
The measure passed in a 52-48 vote. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky joined 47 Democrats in supporting the resolution.
Despite the bipartisan support, the Senate rebuke of Trump is largely symbolic since the House is unlikely to take it up anytime soon, if at all. The House last month passed a measure that blocks votes challenging Trump’s tariffs into next year.
Trump departs Japan for South Korea
Trump is headed to South Korea, the last stop of his Asia tour, having taken off from Tokyo Haneda Airport at 9:51 a.m. local time (8:51 p.m. Tuesday ET).
He will land in the South Korean city of Busan and then head to the nearby city of Gyeongju, where South Korea is hosting this year’s meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
In South Korea, Trump will meet with President Lee Jae Myung. But the centerpiece of his three-country swing is his expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with Trump predicting a good outcome from the sitdown amid a grinding trade war.
“I think we’re going to come away with a deal,” the president told reporters earlier this week. “I really feel good.”
Ahead of Xi meeting, White House aides worry what Trump will say about Taiwan
Some of Trump’s aides have advised him against shifting the U.S. position on independence for Taiwan to favor China, according to four people with knowledge of the discussions, ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week.
These aides have privately expressed concern that Trump, who is pushing to reach a sweeping trade deal with China, may choose to ignore their advice, the people with knowledge of the discussions said. They said they worry that he could walk away from long-standing U.S. policy on Taiwan or more subtly shift the U.S. position by framing it with new language.
“Everyone is holding their breath,” one of the people with knowledge of the discussions said.
U.S. intelligence agencies see no sign Russia is ready to compromise on Ukraine
A recent U.S. intelligence assessment warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is more determined than ever to carry on the war in Ukraine and prevail on the battlefield, according to a senior U.S. official and a senior congressional official.
The analysis, which was communicated to members of Congress this month, indicated the agencies see no sign Russia is ready to compromise on Ukraine as Trump seeks to broker peace talks.
The assessment is consistent with how U.S. and Western intelligence agencies have viewed the Russian regime’s stance since February 2022, when Putin ordered an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, according to two other people with knowledge of the matter.
But Putin is now believed to be more dug in than ever, according to the senior U.S. official and the senior congressional official.
Former federal judges and prosecutors call Comey case an 'assault' on justice system
The case against former FBI Director James Comey is an “assault” on the principles of federal prosecutions, a bipartisan group of former federal prosecutors and judges wrote in a memo first obtained by NBC News.
In a court filing today, attorneys representing 14 former federal judges and three former U.S. attorneys argue that the events reported in the media about the installation of a Trump ally with zero prosecutorial experience as acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia illustrate that the case should be dismissed.
News reports about the events leading up to the appointment of Lindsey Halligan, a former personal lawyer for Trump who had no prosecutorial experience, present a “case study on the reasons why the president should not enjoy the unchecked power to appoint a United States Attorney who will do his bidding or interfere in the independent decisions of prosecutors on whether or not to bring criminal charges against an individual,” they write.
Halligan is heading up the cases against two people targeted by Trump: Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought a successful case against him that resulted in a $434 million judgment in a civil fraud case.
An appeals court upheld the fraud finding but found the financial penalty excessive. Trump has denied wrongdoing and is appealing the fraud finding. James’ case revolves around whether she knowingly signed documents that would save her about $50 a month on a mortgage on a home she allowed a relative to live in, and she has denied wrongdoing.
The group of judges and prosecutors says the facts surrounding the appointment of Halligan "indicate that the President impermissibly sought to inject political and personal considerations into the charging decision" at issue.
"If this Court allows the indictment against Mr. Comey to proceed," they write, "it will ratify the President’s decision to breach the barricades created by the structure of the Constitution itself, in order to amass excessive and inappropriate power."
Senate to vote tonight on bipartisan measure that would block Trump’s tariffs on Brazil
Senate Democrats, working with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., will force a vote this evening on blocking Trump’s tariffs on billions of dollars of goods from Brazil.
The resolution would terminate the emergency declaration Trump implemented to enact tariffs on Brazilian imports of 50%.
The measure is “privileged,” meaning it can be brought to the floor without the consent of the Republican majority. Privileged resolutions have a 51-vote threshold, so if just a few GOP senators vote with all Democrats, the resolution could pass the Senate. However, it remains mostly symbolic, since it would be very unlikely to be brought up in the Republican-controlled House.
“The President of the United States does not have the authority under [the International Emergency Economic Powers Act] to unilaterally impose tariffs. Trade policy belongs to Congress, not the White House,” Paul said in a statement.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the main backer of the resolution, said in a statement that his colleagues should “stand up for the principle that our economic policy should advance Americans’ best interests, not ridiculous personal grievances.”
When the Senate voted on a similar measure in April to reject Trump's tariffs on Canada, four Republicans joined Democrats: Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska; Susan Collins, of Maine; Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky; and Paul.
Earlier today, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told NBC News that he will vote in favor of the resolution to revoke Trump’s tariffs on Brazil.
Though Tillis acknowledged the resolutions are mostly “messaging,” he said he’s voting for it because the United States has a trade surplus with Brazil. He added, “When you disagree with the judicial proceeding and a transition of power ... I worry about the message it sends the businesses, because now they can no longer track risk based on where trade imbalances are.”
Senate Democrats are expected to force two more votes — one to block Canadian tariffs and the other to restore congressional authority over trade — later this week. Tillis said he will oppose both.
As millions of Americans prepare to lose SNAP benefits, some states are moving to bridge the gap
With just days to go before millions of low-income Americans are expected to see a pause in federal food assistance, state governments are trying to find ways to fill the void.
NBC News reached out to all 50 states and Washington, D.C., to ask for potential contingency plans. Many states are pointing residents to local food banks, with some encouraging people to buy shelf-stable food to prepare.
But some governors are providing emergency funds to support food banks or directing their state’s National Guard to help facilitate donations, among other actions. Democratic leaders from 25 states also announced they would sue the Agriculture Department over the scheduled suspension Saturday of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — more commonly known as SNAP, or food stamps.
Here are the states that have announced actions to help residents who are losing SNAP benefits. NBC News will update this list as more plans become available.
Vance gets an earful from Senate Republicans over beef imports
Vice President JD Vance got an earful from Senate Republicans today over Trump’s proposal to import beef from Argentina, according to two GOP senators who were at the weekly lunch.
Multiple Republicans peppered Vance with questions about the issue and relayed concerns about how the proposal would harm U.S. cattle ranchers.
There were so many questions about beef imports that, according to one of the senators, Vance at one point quipped to the room: Does anyone have non-beef related questions?
Beef was not only a topic of conversation — it was on the menu, as well. A GOP senator told NBC News they were served a beef dish, “something in between” a steak and meatloaf.
Vance joined the Senate GOP’s weekly policy luncheon in part to defend Trump's trade agenda, with Democrats planning to force votes this week on a trio of resolutions that would block some of his tariffs.
Virginia Republicans are spending more on the race for attorney general than for governor
In states with high-profile governor’s races, candidates further down the ballot typically rely on the top of the ticket for a boost.
But in Virginia, that dynamic has been flipped on its head in the closing stretch of this year’s campaign, at least on the airwaves.
Republicans have spent more on TV ads in recent weeks on the race for attorney general — in which past violent text messages by the Democratic nominee have roiled the race — than the higher-profile contest for governor, in which the GOP candidate is the underdog.
Campaign finance rules in Virginia allow outside groups to donate directly to candidates, so the bulk of Republicans’ ad spending in those two races has come from Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the nominee for governor, and Attorney General Jason Miyares.
States sue Agriculture Department over looming suspension of SNAP food assistance
Democratic leaders from 25 states are suing the Agriculture Department over the looming suspension of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps. Benefits are expected to run dry across the country this weekend because of the ongoing government shutdown.
The lawsuit, set to be filed today in Massachusetts district court, argues that the USDA is legally required to continue providing SNAP benefits during the shutdown as long as it has funding. It calls on the court to compel the USDA to use contingency funds appropriated by Congress to keep the program running.
Federal employees manning the skies miss first paycheck amid government shutdown
As the government shutdown drags on, federal employees who support the country’s airports, such as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration workers, say they are still in the dark about when they will next be paid.
Today, workers received their first zero-dollar paycheck, reflecting two weeks of unpaid work amid the ongoing government shutdown. During the nearly monthlong shutdown, these individuals, whose roles are deemed essential, have been required to show up for work without the promise of a paycheck at the end of a standard pay period.
Vance says he believes U.S. can continue to pay troops this week
Vice President JD Vance told reporters that he believes the administration “can continue to pay the troops on Friday,” though he did not elaborate on how.
The vice president spoke with reporters after joining Senate Republicans for their weekly policy lunch on Day 28 of the government shutdown.
Vance also did not bring up troop pay at the lunch, according to Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley.
“We do think that we can continue paying the troops, at least for now, but we’ve got food stamp benefits that are set to run out in a week. We’re trying to keep as much open as possible,” he said.
In a heated call, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene chastises Republicans over their shutdown strategy
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., ripped into the shutdown strategy of her fellow Republicans and White House staff during a heated conference call today.
Her chief complaint, which she has also aired publicly, is that Republicans are not doing anything to address the looming health care cliff. Some funding for insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act expires at the end of this year, and many Americans could see their monthly premium costs double or even triple.
Netanyahu orders immediate ‘powerful’ strikes on Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered "powerful” airstrikes on Gaza today, imperiling the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
“Following security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the military echelon to carry out powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip immediately,” his office said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear if the strikes had been launched. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the move.
Trump formally appeals ‘politically charged’ hush money conviction
Trump’s lawyers have formally appealed his criminal conviction in New York on charges of falsifying business records, saying the case against the president was improperly based on “manufactured felony charges.”
“This is the most politically charged prosecution in our Nation’s history,” the filing begins.
“The DA, a Democrat, brought those charges in the middle of a contentious Presidential election in which President Trump was the leading Republican candidate,” the lawyers wrote. “These charges against President Trump were as unprecedented as their political context,” and involved “alleged conduct that has never been found to violate any New York law.”
House Oversight Republicans urge DOJ to probe Biden’s ‘illegitimate’ autopen use
WASHINGTON — The Republican-led House Oversight Committee asserted in a report today that some executive actions that then-President Joe Biden signed by autopen, including his pardons, were “illegitimate” because he suffered from mental decline while in office and could have been unaware of their contents.
The committee’s Republicans said in the report that they deemed as “void all executive actions signed by the autopen without proper, corresponding, contemporaneous, written approval traceable to the president’s own consent.”
In a letter accompanying the report, Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Biden’s executive actions “to ascertain whether they were duly authorized by the President of the United States.”
Speaker Johnson doesn't 'see the path' for a third Trump term
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said this morning that he doesn't "see the path" for Trump to serve a third term as president.
“And I don’t see a way to amend the Constitution, because it takes about 10 years to do that, as you all know, to allow all the states to ratify, what two-thirds of the House and three-fourths of the states would approve,” Johnson said at his daily news conference. “So I don’t, I don’t see the path for that, but I can tell you that we are not going to take our foot off the gas pedal.”
Trump has joked and mused about the possibility of running for a third term despite presidents being subject to a limit of two terms. He responded yesterday to the idea floated by Steve Bannon a few days ago and he didn't rule it out.
"I haven’t really thought about it," he said. "We have some very good people, as you know, but I’ve had the best poll numbers I’ve ever had."
"We have, JD, obviously, the vice president is great. Marco is great. I think I’m not sure if anybody would run against those two," Trump continued. "I think if they ever formed, a group would be unstoppable. I really do. I believe that ... I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever. It’s very terrible. I have my best numbers."
Senate rejects GOP short-term funding bill for a 13th time
The Senate has voted, 54-45, to reject, for a 13th time the House-passed short-term funding bill. The vote was mostly on party lines with Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Angus King, I-Maine, voting in favor and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voting against it.
Senate voting for the 13th time on GOP short-term funding bill
The Senate is now voting for the 13th time on the House-passed clean government funding stopgap bill. If passed, this procedural vote will begin consideration of the bill that funds the government until Nov. 21. The motion needs 60 votes to pass and is expected to fail.
Schumer says Democrats will speak on the Senate floor to 'share the stories' of people concerned about health care costs
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said today that Democrats plan to “share the stories we’re hearing right now from people scared of premium hikes.”
“Senate Democrats will come to the floor and warn our Republican colleagues in the nation of the devastation Republicans are causing by doing nothing, nothing on health care,” Schumer said. “We will highlight the impacts of surging premiums on families.”
Schumer also slammed Trump for not taking action to replace SNAP funding when benefits stop going out on Saturday.
“Donald Trump should reverse course immediately and allow these emergency funds to go through to spare working families from hunger and needless suffering,” Schumer said.
GOP Rep. Randy Feenstra officially launches Iowa governor bid
Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra announced today that he's running for governor, months after filing paperwork to create an exploratory committee, making him the most prominent Republican in the race to replace retiring Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The announcement wasn't a surprise, as Feenstra has been making moves like a gubernatorial candidate for months. But he made it official in a new social media video that highlights his work with Trump and criticizes the top Democrat in the race, state Auditor Rob Sand.
Jack Smith asks DOJ for guidance on testimony, access to special counsel files on Trump cases
Attorneys for Jack Smith have asked the Justice Department for guidance on the former special counsel's testimony before Congress, which Smith wants to make public, according to letters obtained by NBC News.
In a letter to the DOJ, lawyers Ernesto Sampera, Lanny Breuer and Peter Koski write that since Smith is “committed to adhering to established legal standards and U.S. Department of Justice guidelines, we are seeking guidance and authorization regarding the document production and scope of his testimony.”
The lawyers asked for guidance on testimony about the grand juries that indicted Trump in two cases: one for his handling of classified documents, and the other for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.
Smith’s lawyers also asked for access to his special counsel files, writing that “it has been nearly ten months since Mr. Smith resigned as Special Counsel and it will be even longer before he testifies. Access to the Special Counsel files is necessary for Mr. Smith to provide precise, complete, and accurate answers to questions from the Committee about the Office’s work.”
In a separate letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, they write that they have asked DOJ for guidance about grand jury testimony as well as access to his special counsel files, and that they “welcome any assistance the Committee can provide in encouraging the Department to respond to this request.”
The New York Times first reported on the letters to the Justice Department.
Senate to vote for 13th time on House-passed funding bill
The Senate will vote for the 13th time on the House-passed “clean” government spending bill that would reopen the government by temporarily extending agency funding at current levels.
The procedural vote on whether to take up the bill has failed 12 times in the upper chamber as it needs 60 votes, including some Democrats, for approval. The 13th vote is also expected to fail.
Hegseth says 14 people were killed in strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Pacific Ocean
Yesterday, the U.S. military carried out three strikes on four vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean that were allegedly trafficking narcotics, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
Hegseth said in a statement on X that the strikes killed 14 “narco-terrorists” and that there was one survivor. Mexican authorities took over responsibility for rescuing the survivor.
Air traffic controllers miss first paycheck during shutdown, transportation secretary says
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said this morning that air traffic controllers are missing their first paycheck today during the government shutdown.
“The first day is hard, but the second day is even harder than that. And the third day. Because they have gas, they have child care costs,” Duffy said in an interview on "Fox and Friends."
He said last week that if the government shutdown drags on, there could be additional delays and cancellations of flights as the holiday season approaches.
Border Patrol’s Bovino to face questioning after accusations of continued tear gas use in Chicago
The mounting tensions between immigration officials and residents across the Chicago area are poised to come to a head today when top U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino personally appears in federal court, following a judge’s order.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis ordered Friday that the government “produce Defendant Gregory Bovino, in person, for this hearing” after Bovino and immigration agents were captured on video and in photos deploying chemical agents in numerous residential neighborhoods here.
Ellis had issued a temporary restraining order dictating that immigration authorities must curb such tactics when they are not under threat, particularly where the general public could be affected. She also ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents must wear — and turn on — body cameras when they interface with the public.
Trump again mentions Treasury Secretary Bessent for Fed chair
In his remarks to business leaders at a dinner before leaving for South Korea, Trump said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent “soothes the market,” and added, “I’m thinking about him for the Fed.”
“But he won’t take the job,” Trump continued. “He likes being treasury secretary. So we’re not thinking about him, really.”
Just yesterday, Trump suggested to reporters aboard Air Force One that he was still considering Bessent to lead the central bank, despite previously saying over the summer that his treasury head “does not want” the role. Bessent, who moments earlier said he plans to present Trump with a slate of candidates after Thanksgiving, is leading the search to replace current Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whose term expires in May.
Pressed again on potential nominees, Trump responded that he was considering “a lot of people.”
“Thinking about Marco, thinking about Jamieson,” he said, referring to his Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
During his speech, Trump also thanked business leaders for their generous contributions to a fund for White House renovations, joking that “if there’s anybody that hasn’t done anything, please raise your hand.” He highlighted several executives in the room, including Salesforce’s Marc Benioff, thanking him for putting him on the cover of Time magazine, and said he would meet with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang tomorrow.
China says it hopes the U.S. will meet it 'halfway'
China’s foreign minister said he hoped that China and the U.S. could “meet each other halfway” in a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of a highly anticipated meeting this week between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The world’s two biggest economies have been at odds over trade, technology and other issues but, after talks in Malaysia over the weekend, they are expected to avoid a new 100% tariff on Chinese goods that Trump threatened to impose in response to Chinese curbs on rare earth exports.
“It’s hoped that both sides will meet each other halfway, prepare for high-level interactions between China and the U.S., and create conditions for the development of bilateral relations,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Rubio, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry readout of yesterday’s call.
The State Department also confirmed the call, saying Rubio “emphasized the importance of open and constructive communication on a range of bilateral issues.”
The meeting with Xi in South Korea on Thursday would be the first such face-to-face since Trump’s return to office.
Ahead of Trump-Xi meeting, Taiwan says its ties with U.S. are 'very stable'
Taiwan’s foreign minister said the island’s U.S. ties are “very stable” amid reports that Trump could make concessions on its sovereignty during a meeting this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Asked if he is worried that Trump will “abandon” Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that Beijing claims as its territory, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said: “No, because Taiwan and the U.S. have very stable relations.”
“We are closely collaborating with each other on security and trade,” Lin told reporters in Taipei.
Under its longstanding “one China” policy, the U.S. — which has no official relations with Taiwan but supplies it with defensive weapons — says it “does not support” Taiwan independence. There has been speculation in media in recent days that Trump could amend that to say the U.S. “opposes” Taiwan independence, which would be a major victory for Beijing.
Beijing slammed Lin’s remarks as “despicable and shameful.”
“China consistently opposes any form of official exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular briefing in Beijing today, urging Washington to handle the issue of Taiwan with “caution and prudence.”
Trump meets with former Japanese prime minister's widow
Trump met with the widow of Shinzo Abe, a long-serving Japanese prime minister and close ally of Trump who was assassinated in 2022.
Trump and Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, an Abe protege, have bonded over their shared connection with Abe, whose fatal shooting while campaigning in the Japanese city of Nara stunned a nation where gun crime and political violence are rare.
“He spoke so well of you long before we met,” Trump told Takaichi before their bilateral meeting this morning. “And I’m not surprised to see that you are now the prime minister, and he would be very happy to know that.”
Earlier, Takaichi thanked Trump for the “great kindness” he had shown Abe’s widow, Akie Abe, who at their meeting today gave Trump a piece of art bearing the word “peace.”
Their meeting came on the same day that Abe’s alleged killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, had his first court hearing, where he pleaded guilty to the crime. “It is true that I did it,” he said according to Reuters, which cited Japanese broadcaster NHK.
Trump's deals in Asia are an attempt to gain leverage over China, analyst says
Trump’s Asia tour has resulted in several agreements on trade and rare earths, which analysts say is part of a broader strategy to gain leverage against China as Trump prepares for a highly anticipated meeting this week with its leader, Xi Jinping.
The president has signed agreements on trade, rare earths or both with Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and, as of this morning, Japan. It has become an especially urgent issue for the U.S. amid concerns that China, which has a near-monopoly on their mining and processing, could disrupt the global supply through export controls.
“These quick deals are about trying to gain leverage before sitting down with Xi,” said Jayant Menon, a visiting senior fellow at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, a Singapore-based think tank.
But Menon said the deals, despite Trump’s claims, “are not a great deal for anyone,” and have been “scribbled over just a few days.” Countries are agreeing to the deals even though they’re unfavorable because “they know they still need the U.S. for non-economic needs,” he said.
Part of Trump’s plan is to reduce U.S. reliance on China for rare earth materials, which are key components for producing electronic devices and other advanced technologies. But that could take years, as China has perfected both the sourcing and the processing over decades.
“The question is whether China will buy the bluff,” Menon said.
A look at the U.S. military relationship with Japan
Trump’s visit has put a spotlight on the U.S. military relationship with Japan, which rests on a 1960 treaty that authorized U.S. military presence in the country.
President Donald Trump addresses troops aboard the USS George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan, today. Tomohiro Ohsumi / Getty Images
Nearly 60,000 military personnel across the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Space Force form the USFJ — the United States Forces, Japan — which is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, about 28 miles northwest of Tokyo. Japan hosts more U.S. troops than any other country in the world.
USFJ forces operate out of a total of 14 bases, the highest number of which are in Okinawa, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces regularly conduct joint exercises with the U.S.
The USS George Washington based in Yokusuka, aboard which Trump spoke today, is the U.S. Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, replacing the USS Ronald Reagan last year.
Trump and Takaichi sign agreements on trade and critical minerals
Speaking to U.S. troops earlier, Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi celebrated the U.S.-Japan alliance, which Trump called “one of the most remarkable relationships in the entire world.”
After their bilateral meeting this morning, the two leaders signed two agreements, one on trade and one on critical minerals.
The first agreement, which was very brief, called for a “new golden age” in the U.S.-Japan alliance and referred to the “GREAT DEAL” on trade that Trump announced in July, which imposes a 15% tariff on Japanese goods in exchange for $550 billion in Japanese investment in the United States.
Experts say the document only confirmed earlier agreements in July and September. “There is no new development,” said Tsuyoshi Kawase, a professor in the Sophia University Faculty of Law in Tokyo. “It’s just a symbolic political gesture to demonstrate the alliance between the two countries.”
The second document Trump and Takaichi signed was a framework agreement for securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earth minerals, which are essential for producing advanced technologies. Trump has signed similar agreements on this trip with Thailand and Malaysia amid concerns that Chinese export controls could disrupt the global supply.
Trump makes announcements on F-35 missiles and U.S. investment by Toyota
In his remarks to U.S. troops, Trump said that the first batch of missiles for Japan’s U.S.-made F-35 jets was being delivered this week, and that Toyota, one of Japan’s biggest automakers, would invest $10 billion in U.S. auto plants.
“You saw a couple of them coming down with me,” Trump said of the missiles. “I hugged them. We need them. … They all want our missiles — that’s the problem.”
Trump has finished speaking
After speaking for about 53 minutes, Trump wrapped up his remarks to U.S. troops, exiting the stage to the song “YMCA.” According to a White House official, there were about 6,000 troops in the crowd.
Trump is now heading back to Tokyo, where he will have dinner with business leaders.
Trump says U.S. is 'starting to make ships again'
Trump turned to one of his favorite subjects, shipbuilding.
Though the U.S. builds its own military ships, its commercial shipbuilding industry peaked around World War II. Since then, the industry has come to be dominated by China, Japan and South Korea, while the U.S. accounts for less than 1% of global commercial shipbuilding.
“We used to be No. 1 at making ships, and then we lost our way,” Trump said. “But now we’re starting to make ships again, and we’ll do it very soon.”
He cited last year’s $100 million purchase of the Philly Shipyard by South Korea’s Hanwha Group, which says it will help modernize the Philadelphia shipyard.
“We’re going to be working also with Japan on making a lot of ships,” Trump said.
Trump thanks Japan for investment and says Toyota is building U.S. factories
Trump said he wanted to thank Japan, which “is making big investments into the United States.”
Japan has pledged to invest $550 billion in the U.S. as part of a trade deal Trump announced in July, though the two sides are still working out the details.
“They’re a big investor in our country, and we like that,” Trump said.
Trump and Takaichi in Yokosuka, Japan, today. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
He said he had just been told by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that Toyota, one of Japan’s biggest automakers, would be “putting auto plants all over the United States to the tune of over 10 billion.”
“So go out and buy a Toyota,” Trump said.
Trump says he would 'send more than the National Guard' into U.S. cities
Trump said he would “send more than the National Guard” into troubled U.S. cities, as legal battles mount over his plans to deploy Guard members across the country.
Troops have been deployed in Los Angeles, Chicago, Memphis, Portland and Washington, with some federal deployments drawing pushback.
“We can’t have cities that are trouble,” Trump said. “And if we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard.”
Trump says U.S. will continue to target drug traffickers
Trump said his administration would continue to target drug traffickers, justifying his military strikes on fishing vessels, including a submersible recently hit by the U.S.
“How about the submarine?” Trump said. “They said, ‘No, that was just fishing.’ Submarines don’t go fishing. Do they know more about submarines than I do?”
Trump takes jab at Biden
Trump, during a riff on military aviation, took a jab at former President Joe Biden, erasing any pretense of avoiding politicizing the military.
Biden used to claim that “he was a pilot, a truck driver, or whatever, whoever walked in,” Trump said. “He wasn’t a pilot. He wasn’t much of a president either,” he added.
There is no record of Biden claiming to be a pilot, though he has said he used to drive a tractor trailer.
Trump praises Hegseth and promises pay raise to sailors
Trump opened his remarks by thanking the Navy amid chants of “Trump! Trump!” and “USA,” before recognizing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, calling him “a tough cookie,” and praising the strikes the U.S. military has conducted in recent weeks on boats in Caribbean and Pacific waters that the U.S. says are carrying drugs.
“You gave up a lot and we appreciate it,” Trump told Hegseth, noting that “those drug ships aren’t coming in anymore.”
Speaking after Trump, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi thanked U.S. troops in Japan for their dedication to peace in the region. She recalled how six years ago in Yokosuka, Trump and the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stood next to one another and “demonstrated resolve that Japan and the United States will join hands to ensure peace and security.” Takaichi said she was determined “to carry forth that resolve.”
Trump last visited Yokosuka’s naval port in 2019, when he hosted a Memorial Day rally for service members abroad the USS Wasp following a four-day state visit. He is speaking today in front of a banner that reads “Peace Through Strength.”
The crowd erupted as Trump repeated his support for a pay raise, before he took a swipe at Democrats over the government shutdown, which is now in its 28th day.
“All we really have to do is get the Democrats to approve,” Trump said.
Trump and Japan's Takaichi address U.S. troops together
Trump was joined on stage by Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who met with Trump earlier today.
“This woman is a winner,” Trump said. “I have a really great respect for the new and incredible prime minister,” he said, noting that Takaichi is Japan’s first female prime minister.
Trump and Takaichi on board the U.S. Navy's USS George Washington aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan. Philip Fong / AFP via Getty Images
Takaichi, who said the two allies were “facing an unprecedented severe security environment,” said last week that Japan would increase defense spending to 2% of GDP by March, two years ahead of schedule. The move is sure to please Trump, who has also pressured Japan to bear a greater share of the cost of hosting U.S. troops.
“Japan is committed to fundamentally reinforce its defense capabilities, and Japan is ready to contribute even more proactively to peace and stability of the region,” Takaichi said.
Trump due to address troops on U.S. aircraft carrier
Service members and press are awaiting Trump aboard the USS George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan. The president will deliver remarks from the aircraft carrier during a visit to the Yokosuka Naval Base today.
Earlier, the crowd heard remarks from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who arrived in Tokyo today as part of a larger Asia trip.
Service members and press aboard the USS George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan, today. Katherine Doyle / NBC News
Later today, Trump and Hegseth will attend a dinner with business leaders in Tokyo.
Trump says U.S. and Japan will do ‘tremendous’ trade
Trump praised Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, saying the United States and Japan are allies “at the strongest level” as the two leaders signed agreements on trade and critical minerals.
“We’re going to do tremendous trade together, I think, more than ever before,” he said before their bilateral meeting.
Trump also said he appreciated Japan’s efforts to increase its military capacity and buy more U.S. defense equipment. “Any favors you need, anything I can do to help Japan, we will be there,” he said.
Takaichi, who said last week that Japan would increase its defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product by March, two years ahead of schedule, said that together with Trump, Japan was “ready to contribute towards peace and stability.”
Takaichi’s golf-themed gifts to Trump
Takaichi gave Trump a golf bag signed by Japanese major winner Hideki Matsuyama and a putter that belonged to assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a close ally of Trump who was also Takaichi’s mentor.
Trump’s assistant Margo Martin posted a video of the two leaders with the gifts on X.
Speaking before his meeting with Takaichi, Trump said Abe was “a great friend of mine.” His killing in 2022 was “so shocking,” Trump told Takaichi, “but he spoke so well of you even before we knew what was going to happen in your ascension.”
A man accused of fatally shooting Abe is set to go on trial today in the western Japanese city of Nara, where Abe was killed while he was giving a speech during an election campaign.
Trump and Takaichi meet with families of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea
In a final event at the Akasaka Palace, Trump and Takaichi posed for a photo with Japanese families whose loved ones were abducted by North Korea in the 1960s and ’70s.
Though some were later returned to Japan, the Japanese government continues to press North Korea to provide full details about everyone who was abducted and return any who are still alive.
President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi today, with family members of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
“The U.S. is with them all the way,” Trump said of Japan’s efforts.
Asked whether he would speak with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un about the abductions, Trump said, “We’ll be discussing it.”
Japan’s prime minister says she nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize
During today’s bilateral meeting, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced that she is nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. She then presented the papers to him.
Trump did not win this year’s prize, but his supporters argue that the Gaza peace deal makes him the most deserving candidate for 2026.
