Trump awards Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom; government shutdown hits 2-week mark
Catch up with NBC News Clone on today's hot topic: Trump Government Shutdown Firings Military Pay Live Updates Rcna237178 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone. Our editorial team reformatted this story for clarity and speed.
The shutdown is now the fifth-longest in U.S. history.
What to know today
- CHARLIE KIRK AWARD: President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom today at a Rose Garden ceremony. His widow, Erika Kirk, accepted it on his behalf and delivered remarks honoring her late husband.
- FIFTH-LONGEST SHUTDOWN: The Senate returns to the Capitol today and failed to pass the Republican short-term spending measure during what is now the fifth-longest shutdown in U.S. history.
- ISRAEL-HAMAS DEAL: Hamas returned the bodies of four Israeli hostages today, according to the Israel Defense Forces, as Trump warned the militant group that it must disarm as the United States works to enact the peace deal it helped secure.
We’d like to hear from you about how you’re experiencing the government shutdown, whether you’re a federal employee who can’t work right now or someone who is feeling the effects of shuttered services in your everyday life. Please contact us at tips@nbcuni.com or reach out to us here.
Coverage of this live blog has ended. For the latest news, click here.
House Democrats demand Johnson swear in Rep.-elect Grijalva
A group of House Democrats led by the Democratic Women’s Caucus marched to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office with Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., chanting, “swear her in.”
When the group arrived at Johnson’s office, a U.S. Capitol Police officer briefly tried to stop representatives and can be seen on video getting into a brief verbal altercation with Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-Calif.
Grijalva gave brief remarks outside Johnson’s office, where she demanded of Johnson, R-La., “You have to do your job so I can do mine. Let me get to work.”
“I have not had one word from Speaker Johnson, not one word,” she said. “We sent a letter. Now our attorney general is getting involved, because this is taxation without representation.”
Johnson has yet to swear in Grijalva after she won a special election for her late father’s House seat last month. He has repeatedly pointed to the fact that the House has been in recess, although Democrats have pointed out that he swore in two Republican congressmen while the House was out in April.
Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes sent a letter to Johnson today threatening legal action unless he seats Grijalva immediately or provides “a reasonable explanation as to when she will be seated,” adding, “The effect of your failure to follow usual practice is that Arizona is down a representative from the number to which it is constitutionally entitled.”
In a response to the Democrats' protest and Mayes' letter, Johnson told NBC News in a statement provided by his spokesperson, “As I have said repeatedly, the House will follow customary practice by swearing in Rep-elect Grijalva when the House is in legislative session.”
GOP Rep. Cory Mills hit with a restraining order from ex-girlfriend
A Florida judge issued a restraining order today against Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida for “protection against dating violence” after his ex-girlfriend accused him of threatening and harassing her.
In a petition filed in August, Lindsey Langston alleged that after they broke up, Mills threatened to blackmail her using nude images and videos and to physically harm anyone she dated.
Jack Smith speaks out against the Trump administration in rare interview
Jack Smith, the special counsel who brought two criminal cases against Donald Trump, spoke out against the Trump administration in a rare interview posted Tuesday.
Smith, who resigned from the Justice Department in January shortly before Trump returned to office as president, warned that attacks on public servants would have an “incalculable” cost on the country.
Sen. Murkowski blames OMB Director Vought for making it harder to end shutdown
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski was fired up about layoffs at several federal agencies and blamed White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought for “a lack of trust” between Democrats and Republicans working to negotiate an end to the shutdown.
“If you’re a Democrat, you’re looking at it and you say: why? Why are you going to try to be helpful if Mr. Vought is just going to do a backdoor move and rescind what we’ve been working on?” Murkowski said.
“Sure I do,” she said when she was asked whether she understood why Democrats are hesitant to trust Republicans and negotiate a deal. “This is where I spoke out very strongly against this whole pocket rescission, because not only did the administration do it, but then they didn’t give — they set it up in such a way that our hands were tied in being able to respond. So we’re stuck with it.”
She continued: “The appropriations process is being run over, and that, to me, is absolutely unacceptable.”
She also said the administration’s paying the military has “taken some of the pressure off, but that’s not how we resolve this standoff.”
And Murkowski spoke up about the layoffs: “These are, these are some of the things I think that were promised by Mr. Vought. He’s delivering on them in a pretty hard way.”
Senate fails again to pass GOP funding bill
The Senate voted for the eighth time to reject the GOP’s short-term funding bill, which required 60 votes to advance. The vote was 49-45, with no senators changing their positions from recent past votes. Republicans need at least five more Democrats to break a filibuster and have made no progress since the shutdown began.
Tomorrow, the Senate will vote for a ninth time on the House-passed stopgap bill, which would fund the government through Nov. 21.
The Senate was not expected to also vote on the Democratic alternative, as Senate Republicans are no longer giving Democrats the opportunity to have those votes side by side anymore.
Hochul condemns racist group chats that included leaders of New York State Young Republicans
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called for the members of the New York State Young Republicans revealed to have taken part in a racist group chat to be barred from roles in state GOP politics.
Hochul spoke with reporters after she appeared alongside Mamdani at the event in Queens. A reporter asked her whether the group chat, which was reported by Politico, was indicative of “some bad apples” or a broader strain of thought within the Republican Party.
“Some bad apples?” Hochul said. “These are the future of the Republican Party. This was so vile it is hard to find the words.”
The group chat was filled with thousands of messages, included racial slurs, repeated jokes referring to gas chambers and Adolf Hitler and other offensive rhetoric. It also featured members expressing worry that they would suffer consequences if the messages were ever revealed. Members of state young Republican groups in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont participated.
“This is not one person saying they love Hitler,” Hochul said when she was asked about the report. “There’s a whole lot of people saying things that are so disgusting and so abhorrent that everybody from the president on down should condemn them. And there’s got to be consequences. Take them out of the party, take away their official roles, stop using them as campaign advisers. There needs to be consequences. This bulls--- has to stop.”
Hochul said the chat showed that such sentiment “is normalized.”
New York governor promises to 'fight like hell' to stop Trump funding cuts if Mamdani wins mayoral race
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said today she will “fight like hell” to make sure Trump does not withhold federal funding from her state if Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York, wins his election next month.
Hochul spoke with reporters after she appeared alongside Mamdani at an event touting the coming expansion of a Boys and Girls Club in his Queens district. Earlier today, Trump reiterated to reporters his desire to punish New York by withholding funding should Mamdani, a democratic socialist, become mayor.
“Well, I’ll fight like hell to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Hochul said, adding: “There’s no person who’s ever sat in the Oval Office who understands more than Donald Trump that New York City is the economic engine for the entire state. And just as no one should ever root against our country, we should not root against New York City. Everyone in this country should be vested in the success of New York City, as I am.
“So when the time comes, I’ll certainly be having those conversations and pointing out that this is detrimental to his properties, business interests, his friends in the city and a whole way of life that I know that perhaps some day he comes back to,” she continued.
Hochul added that she has not discussed Mamdani in her conversations with Trump.
“My conversations have really focused on what I need to do to deliver for New York, and that is why, regarding this threat of withholding all money from New York, I’m willing to go back at it and explain why that is not in the interest of the White House or the nation to take such drastic efforts to punish New York, I presume, for the people having the right to exercise their vote in a democracy,” she said.
Hochul endorsed Mamdani last month. Other prominent New York Democrats hailing from the party’s more moderate wing have yet to endorse him, though a number have followed Hochul’s lead.
Standing alongside Hochul and other local leaders, Mamdani praised Hochul for the investment in his legislative district, calling it “transformative.”
“I think for too long we have told young people what they should not do,” he said. “We have told them how they should not behave, where they should not go. It is a privilege and, frankly, an honor to stand here alongside other elected officials in a room of so many leaders across all parts of our neighborhood to tell young people what they should do, to tell them where they should go, to tell them what their dreams could look like.”
In her gathering with reporters, Hochul was asked about remarks in which former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is challenging Mamdani as an independent, laid out policy disagreements between Hochul and Mamdani. Hochul was Cuomo’s lieutenant governor and took over after he resigned following allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied.
“As I’ve said, I’ve had major differences with the candidate, Zohran Mamdani, on many issues, but I believe he’s touched a nerve,” Hochul said. “He’s created an energy around the will to just focus on what will make New York City even more exceptional, and that is to make it more affordable.
“So I have found an ally who understands, as I do, and try to implement statewide, all these priorities that I’ve talked about and will continue to talk about in my next State of the State,” she said. “So I’m just looking for willing partners in government.”
Capitol Police officers miss first full paychecks due to shutdown
Officers with the U.S. Capitol Police, tasked with protecting elected officials on Capitol Hill and keeping the complex safe, missed their full paycheck for the first time since the government shutdown began 14 days ago, according to their union.
USCP officers received half their pay — without earned overtime — on Saturday, for the pay period before the shutdown went into effect. And it could be the last paycheck they get for a while.
Senate voting for 8th time on GOP government funding bill
The Senate is voting now on a procedural motion to move forward with the House-passed government funding stopgap bill, which would fund the government through Nov. 21 without extraneous provisions. The motion needs 60 votes to pass, and it is expected to fail.
It is the eighth time the Senate has voted on the bill.
The Senate is not expected to also vote on the Democratic alternative, as Senate Republicans are no longer giving Democrats the opportunity to have those votes side by side anymore.
Erika Kirk says Presidential Medal of Freedom is 'best birthday gift' for her late husband
Erika Kirk delivered impassioned remarks today eulogizing her husband's commitment to freedom as he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
"The very existence of the Presidential Medal of Freedom reminds us that the national interests of the United States has always been freedom," Kirk said.
The award was presented on Kirk's birthday. He would have been 32. Erika Kirk said Trump had "given him the best birthday gift he could ever have."
"It’s such an honor and the recognition of a life lived for defending freedom, and that’s what Charlie fought for until his last breath," she said.
"There was no limit, no limit to what he would have sacrificed to defend freedom for all. And if the moment had come, he probably would have run for president, but not out of ambition. He would only have done it if that was something that he believed that his country needed," she added.
Kirk officially awarded with Presidential Medal of Freedom
Charlie Kirk has officially been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A military aide read the citation for the award, saying, “The United States honors him as a martyr for truth and freedom.”
Mamdani appears with Hochul for the first time post-endorsement
Speaking at an economic event in Queens this afternoon, New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani appeared publicly with Gov. Kathy Hochul for the first time since she endorsed his candidacy in September.
According to his campaign, Mamdani was attending the event in his role as an assemblyman rather than as a mayoral candidate. However, Hochul applauded him for highlighting New York City's affordability crisis, which has been a key issue of his campaign.
"I want to thank Zohran Mamdani for putting a special exclamation point on how hard it is for families struggling in this city and why affordability measures are so critically important," she said.
Rose Garden ceremony to award Charlie Kirk the presidential medal of freedom begins
Trump has started speaking at the Rose Garden ceremony in which he will posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk. Cabinet members and Republican congressional leaders are in attendance.
"Five weeks ago, our nation was robbed of this extraordinary champion," Trump said in remarks paying tribute to him. "He was a champion in every way."
The award is the highest civilian honor. Past posthumous recipients include the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jackie Robinson, Cesar Chavez, Elvis Presley and John McCain.
Trump says China is being 'economically hostile' by not buying U.S. soybeans
Trump once again went after China on Truth Social: "I believe that China purposefully not buying our Soybeans, and causing difficulty for our Soybean Farmers, is an Economically Hostile Act."
In recent days, Trump has repeatedly threatened China with new tariffs through Truth Social posts, but he seemed to back off those threats over the weekend.
"We are considering terminating business with China having to do with Cooking Oil, and other elements of Trade, as retribution," he added. "As an example, we can easily produce Cooking Oil ourselves, we don’t need to purchase it from China."
Trump's posts about the U.S. trading relationship with China have sent stocks tumbling, and today's post did, as well. The Dow closed more than 300 points off the high of the day, and the S&P 500 ended lower after having earlier traded in the green. The Nasdaq wrapped up the day down 0.8%.
2 House Democrats introduce bill to make WIC funding mandatory
Two House Democrats introduced a bill to make WIC funding mandatory so the program wouldn't be at risk of pausing during a government shutdown.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children continues to operate, but lawmakers have raised concerns that it could be halted if its funds dry up.
Reps. Bobby Scott, D-Va., and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., introduced the bill, dubbed the "WIC Benefits Protection Act."
Scott, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said it was "unconscionable" that mothers were "concerned their benefits may run out."
"The harmful effects of hunger and poor nutrition on infants and pregnant women cannot be undone — you cannot reverse some of the lifelong consequences of going without essential nutrition as an infant," he said. "The WIC Benefits Protection Act will ensure that no eligible family will lose access to healthy food or WIC services because of political dysfunction in Washington."
The House is not expected to come back into session until next week.
Lawmakers had also previously pressed for a vote on a stand-alone bill to guarantee military pay during a shutdown. Over the weekend, Trump said he was directing the Defense Department to pay troops, who were set to miss payments for October work as the shutdown continued.
Trump reacts to Pentagon's new media policy
Trump was asked to react this afternoon to the Pentagon's new media policy, which has gotten widespread backlash from media outlets.
Trump said it "bothers" him to have soldiers and high-ranking generals walking around the Pentagon where reporters are "on their sleeve asking" questions "because they can make a mistake, and a mistake can be tragic. They can do it instantly, too. ... They’re not press people."
Trump then seemed to float the idea of implementing a similar policy at the White House.
“We have an option here as to ... as you know, the press, years ago, moved into the White House, used to be across the street. We could move them," he said. "You’re lucky I’m president, because we could move them very easily across the street. They used to be there. They would have more room. We have a beautiful, nice space. You could sit all by yourselves and have fun. Instead, you walk around the White House talking to anybody that can breathe.”
Trump threatens to move World Cup and Olympics because of Democrat policies
Trump said he may ask FIFA and the International Olympic Committee to change locations for the World Cup and the Olympics based on the policies of elected Democrats, specifically slamming Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Trump called Wu “not good” and said she was hurting the city. Boston is set to host seven World Cup matches.
"If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there are unsafe conditions, I would call [Gianni Infantino], the head of FIFA," Trump said. "And I would say, let's move it to another location. And he would do that. He wouldn't love to do it, but he'd do it very easily."
"Boston better clean up their act," Trump warned. "That's all I can say."
Trump also said he could "say the same thing" about the Olympics, set to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
"If I thought L.A. was not going to be prepared properly, I would move it to another location. If I had to on that one, I'd probably have to get a different kind of a permission," Trump said. "But we would do that to Gavin Newsom; he's got to get his act together. If he doesn't play ball, we're going to have to be very tough with him."
What to know about Charlie Kirk's Presidential Medal of Freedom event
Trump will posthumously award Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom later today. His widow, Erika Kirk, will accept it on his behalf and speak at a Rose Garden ceremony, according to a White House official. Trump will also speak.
The medal is considered the nation’s highest civilian honor. Trump announced he would present it to Kirk, the conservative activist, the day after he was fatally shot while he was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
Cabinet officials, lawmakers, friends and family members will attend, the official said. Trump wrote on social media today that the event was moved from the East Room to the Rose Garden because of the crowd size.
Separately, Charlie Kirk's podcast will be hosted from the U.S. Treasury Department today and will be joined by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to a spokesman for Turning Point. Bessent will discuss "rooting out Antifa’s funding network and getting Gen Z to believe again in the American Dream,” Andrew Kolvet wrote.
Today would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday.
Maine Senate candidate drops out after Gov. Mills announces bid
At least two Democratic candidates for the Senate in Maine — oyster farmer and military veteran Graham Platner and former congressional aide Jordan Wood — have pledged to remain in the race even if Gov. Janet Mills launches a campaign.
But Maine Beer Co. co-founder Dan Kleban announced today that he was suspending his campaign and "enthusiastically endorsing" Mills, calling her “the right leader for this moment.”
"I believe Gov. Mills will win next year and she'll put Mainers first," he said.
Trump says he wouldn't be 'generous' to New York if Mamdani wins
Trump said that if Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic New York mayoral candidate, wins next month, he won't be "generous" with federal funds for the city.
"I was always very generous with New York, even when you had opposition there," Trump said. "I wouldn’t be generous to a communist guy that’s going to take the money and throw it out the window."
Trump has previously threatened to withhold federal money from New York City if Mamdani becomes mayor.
Trump, Bessent say Argentine aid is contingent on election results
Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States would "rethink" monetary aid to Argentina if President Javier Milei's conservative party doesn't perform well in the country's upcoming legislative elections. Last week, the administration finalized a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina.
"We would not be generous with Argentina if that happened, if he loses," Trump said.
Bessent said that he was "confident" that Milei's party would win in the elections at the end of this month but that he didn't want Argentina to return to previous "failed" policies.
"This aid is predicated on robust policies," Bessent said. "Going back to the failed Peronist policies would cause a U.S. rethink."
Trump warns Hamas: 'If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them'
Trump warned in remarks during his meeting with the Argentine president that if Hamas doesn't lay down its arms, then the U.S. will step in to make that happen.
"If they don't disarm, we will disarm them," Trump told reporters, who then asked how he would do that. "I don't have to explain that to you, but if they don't disarm, we will disarm them. They know I'm not playing games."
Trump accused Hamas of misrepresenting how many bodies of dead hostages it has because it returned only four out of the 28 bodies last night.
"I want them back. That's what they said. I want them back. Also, they said they were going to disarm," he said.
Trump greets Argentine president at the White House
Trump greeted Argentine President Javier Milei moments ago at the White House.
When a reporter shouted to ask whether Hamas was holding up its side of the deal with Israel, Trump said, "We'll find out." Israel is still waiting for Hamas to return the bodies of two dozen hostages.
Trump greets Milei at the White House today. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
Trump says 'the job is not done' in the Middle East until the bodies of dead hostages are returned to Israel
Trump said in a nearly all-caps post on Truth Social this afternoon that "the job is not done" until the bodies of the remaining 24 hostages are returned to Israel from Gaza.
"ALL TWENTY HOSTAGES ARE BACK AND FEELING AS GOOD AS CAN BE EXPECTED. A big burden has been lifted, but the job IS NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins right NOW!!! President DJT," he wrote.
Israel only received the remains of four dead hostages from Gaza yesterday, but the deal that was agreed to was supposed to include the release of all living and dead hostages from Gaza.
NBC News reported yesterday that American negotiators expect the next phase of the peace proposal to entail measures to establish a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
James Comey to challenge the appointment of the prosecutor who charged him
Former FBI Director James Comey filed a formal notice today that he will challenge the legality of the appointment of the U.S. attorney who has charged him with lying to Congress.
Attorneys for Comey first announced their intention to challenge U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan's appointment when he was arraigned on the indictment she brought against him, which alleges he lied to Congress and obstructed justice. Comey pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The filing said the motion will be filed by Monday. It does not lay out the grounds for the challenge. If it's successful, the motion could lead to the indictments against both Comey and another Trump adversary, New York Attorney General Letitia James, being dismissed, since Halligan was the only person to sign off on those indictments.
Halligan, a former Trump personal attorney, was appointed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in late September and quickly secured the indictment against Comey, which the president had publicly called for.
Halligan's office did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment.
TSA says 95% of employees will continue to work during shutdown
The Transportation Security Administration said 61,000 of the agency's employees, or about 95% of its workforce, are considered exempt from furloughs and will continue to work during the government shutdown.
"While TSA is prepared to continue screening about 2.5M passengers a day, an extended shutdown could mean longer wait times at airports," the agency said in a statement. "We kindly ask for our passengers’ patience during this time."
The agency also said it hasn't yet experienced delays or any changes in security capabilities due to employees calling in sick, which often increases during shutdowns as pay lapses drag on.
NBC News reported last week that airports across the country have struggled with delays because of a slight increase in air traffic controllers taking sick days.
Travel delays due to airport staffing shortages could wind up being a pressure point to end the shutdown, as it has been in the past.
Obama urges California voters to back redistricting proposal in November
Former President Barack Obama is urging California voters to back the state's November ballot initiative to redraw its congressional district lines, which Democrats see as a way to offset potential Republican gains in the House from redistricting efforts in Texas.
"California, the whole nation is counting on you," Obama said in a 30-second ad released today. "Democracy is on the ballot Nov. 4. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years."
Obama said that California voters can "stop Republicans in their tracks" by voting for Prop 50. He said it "puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves independent redistricting over the long term and lets the people decide."
Several Republican-led states have been considering their own redistricting plans after Texas approved a new map that favors Republicans as they seek to increase their thin majority in the House next year.
Johnson says he believes the White House has 'every right' to move around funds for military troop pay
Asked during his news conference about the legality of Trump directing the Defense Department to shift funds in order to pay troops during the shutdown, Speaker Johnson said that his "understanding of this is they have every right to move the funds around."
Trump's announcement came after a push mainly from Democratic lawmakers to vote on a standalone bill over troop pay. Johnson argued that they had in effect already voted on troop pay in voting on the GOP's and Democrats' separate short-term government funding bills, which have repeatedly failed to advance.
As ceasefire begins to take hold, what’s next for war-torn Gaza?
As the ceasefire in the Middle East begins to take hold, questions loom about how to turn the truce into a lasting peace deal, including who will govern Gaza and who will rebuild it. NBC’s Garrett Haake reports for "TODAY."
Johnson says he'll work with Knesset speaker to push for Nobel Peace Prize for Trump
Speaker Johnson said this morning that he and Amir Ohana, the speaker of Israel's Knesset, will push for Trump to win the Nobel Peace Prize next year.
"I'm proud to tell you that together with my friend, Speaker Ohana of the Israeli Knesset, the equivalent of our Congress, we're going to embark upon a project together to rally speakers and presidents of parliaments around the world so that we will jointly nominate President Donald J. Trump for next year's Nobel Peace Prize," Johnson said at a news conference at the Capitol.
"No one has ever deserved that prize more, and that is an objective fact," Johnson added.
In the lead-up to last week's Nobel Peace Prize announcement, Trump's allies repeatedly pressed for him to receive the award.
During the news conference, Johnson and other members of Republican House leadership also repeated their talking points about the government shutdown, casting blame on Democrats over their demands to negotiate health care issues as part of a short-term spending bill. The House is not in session this week.
Former Los Angeles schools superintendent launches challenge to Mayor Karen Bass
Former Los Angeles schools Superintendent Austin Beutner has announced he's running for mayor, challenging Karen Bass in her re-election bid.
“I voted for Karen Bass last time,” Beutner said in an announcement video Monday. “We had hopes, but now even she admits we need a citywide turnaround.”
“I agree, Los Angeles needs change,” he continued. “This isn’t an ordinary time, and I’m not an ordinary candidate. But we’ve solved tough problems before. Together, we can get Los Angeles back on track.”
Beutner’s entry into the race marks the first major challenge to Bass, who was elected in 2022 and is running for a second term. Both Beutner and Bass are Democrats. The mayor has faced criticism for her handling of the deadly Palisades Fire, which left communities in rubble.
Supreme Court turns away Alex Jones’ attempt to block $1.5B defamation judgment
The Supreme Court this morning rejected conservative conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ last-ditch attempt to block an almost $1.5 billion defamation judgment he faces over false claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.
The court without comment turned away Jones’ appeal of a state court ruling.
Last week he urged the court to urgently intervene, saying that if the court did not take action, his website, Infowars, was at risk of being turned over to the satirical news site The Onion.
Trump still on track to meet with Xi, Bessent says
Trump is still on track to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming weeks, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, despite new friction in recent days over tariffs and export controls.
Tensions resurged last week after China announced new curbs on exports of rare earths, prompting Trump to threaten an additional 100% tariff on Chinese imports. The escalation raised doubts as to whether Trump and Xi would follow through on a potential meeting on the sidelines of the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea.
“I believe that meeting will still be on,” Bessent told Fox Business Network yesterday, adding that there had “been substantial communication” between the world’s two largest economies over the weekend.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce confirmed that the two sides held a working-level meeting yesterday, but warned that “the U.S. cannot demand talks while simultaneously threatening and intimidating with new restrictive measures.”
Government data released yesterday showed that China’s exports to the U.S. were down 27% last month compared with a year earlier, even as its worldwide exports were 8.3% higher. China’s exports to the U.S. have fallen in each of the last six months.
Can Republicans turn out Trump voters when he isn’t on the ballot? They’ll find out in New Jersey
Republican Jack Ciattarelli spent part of a recent rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, tossing bright red “Make NJ Great Again” hats to supporters in the crowd.
To become the state’s next governor, Ciattarelli needs voters who have long donned “Make America Great Again” hats to head to the polls in three weeks, too.
The New Jersey race is one of the first major tests of Trump’s second term for Republicans looking to turn out his voters when he is not on the ballot. New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states with governor’s races this year, and Ciattarelli is the only candidate for governor with Trump’s endorsement.
Indonesian leader asks Trump for meeting with son Eric in hot mic moment
The president of Indonesia asked Trump if he could meet with his son Eric during a conversation that was picked up by a microphone while the leaders were at a summit in Egypt to address the war in Gaza.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto asked about the meeting yesterday during the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, where he was captured on audio and video speaking with Trump behind a podium with a microphone attached. Trump, who had his back facing the camera, replied, “I’ll have Eric call. Should I do that? He’s such a good boy. I’ll have Eric call.”
Later in the conversation, much of which was inaudible, Trump again says, “I’ll have Eric call you.” Prabowo then says: “Eric or Don Jr.”
Eric and Donald Trump Jr. are both executive vice presidents of the Trump Organization, which has real estate projects around the world including a golf club outside the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and a golf club and resort listed on the company’s website as “coming soon” on the resort island of Bali.
It was not clear whether the conversation between Prabowo and Trump was business-related. The White House and the Indonesian presidential office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Senate to vote again on government funding
The Senate will come back into session today and is expected to vote for the eighth time on the House-passed continuing resolution, which is backed by Republicans. There is no indication that lawmakers have shifted their stances to change the outcome for the bill, which has failed to advance seven times.
The House remains out of session this week.
Speaker Johnson place blame on Senate Democrats for the continuation of the government shutdown, now the nation's fifth longest, saying yesterday that the shutdown "should end tomorrow."
"The Democrats in the Senate’s next opportunity to end this, to change this, and vote yes and reopen the government will be tomorrow, and I pray that they will do the right thing," he said.
Democrats have urged Republicans to address health care issues, like Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire, in efforts to reopen the government.
Trump to meet with Argentina's president, posthumously award Charlie Kirk a Medal of Freedom
Trump is set to meet at the White House today with Argentine President Javier Milei, just days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the U.S. "directly purchased Argentine pesos" and "finalized a $20 billion currency swap framework with Argentina’s central bank."
Milei, whose country has been facing economic turmoil, is a Trump ally.
Trump and Milei held a meeting when they were in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. During the meeting, Trump endorsed Milei for another term.
Later, Trump will posthumously award conservative activist Charlie Kirk with a Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills launches Senate run against one of Democrats’ top 2026 targets
Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced this morning that she is running for the Senate, pitching herself as the Democratic Party’s best chance to beat Republican Sen. Susan Collins next fall — and saying she does not plan to serve more than one term.
“I’ve won two statewide offices, and unlike other people in the primary right now, I’ve actually won public office, won elections,” Mills said in an interview ahead of her launch.
“And I’ve stood up to Donald Trump, and I have delivered progress for Maine people when it comes to health care, clean energy, public health, education. And I’m willing to fight for that in the U.S. Senate,” she said.
Mills is a top recruit for Senate Democrats, and she said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., encouraged her to run. But she will face a fight for her party’s nomination, with multiple candidates already in the race and making their own pitches for why they are best suited to defeat Collins, the only Republican senator from a state Kamala Harris won last year.
Missing bodies of hostages top the list of uncertainties as fragile Gaza ceasefire holds
The tenuous ceasefire in the two-year Israel-Hamas war was holding Tuesday even as complex issues remained ahead, a day after widespread jubilation over the return to Israel of the last 20 living hostages held in Gaza and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in exchange.
The list of more immediate questions includes those on when Hamas will return to Israel the bodies of the 24 hostages believed to be dead in Gaza, as well as the health conditions of the released hostages and freed Palestinians.
Only four of the deceased hostages — whose release is also part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump — were turned over to Israeli authorities on Monday. On Tuesday, the Israeli military identified two of them — Guy Illouz from Israel and Bipin Joshi, a student from Nepal.
