Military personnel will receive paychecks, administration ordered to pay SNAP benefits amid government shutdown
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Meanwhile, Affordable Care Act insurance premiums are expected to see big increases due in part to expiring subsidies at the center of the shutdown fight.
Highlights from Oct. 31, 2025
- PAYCHECKS COMING: Members of the military will receive their second paychecks since the government shutdown began a month ago, with the money coming from a mix of legislative and Pentagon funds, the Trump administration said.
- FOOD AID FUNDS: A federal judge ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use contingency funds to bankroll the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, "as soon as possible" before the benefits were set to expire for millions of Americans tomorrow because of the shutdown.
- OBAMACARE ENROLLMENT: As open enrollment kicks off, Affordable Care Act insurance premiums are expected to see the largest increase since the law went into effect more than a decade ago due in part to expiring tax credits — subsidies that are the central sticking point for Democrats in the government shutdown fight.
Vance seemingly parodies himself on Halloween
Vice President JD Vance's Halloween costume? Himself — sort of.
Vance posted a photo on X on Halloween appearing to parody a viral meme of himself. The meme — edits of Vance with an inflated head and curly hair — started earlier this year after he and Trump had a contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During that meeting, Vance repeatedly demanded of Zelenskyy, "Did you even say thank you?"
Vance also posted a short video of himself to social media in the costume, saying, "Happy Halloween, kids. And remember — say, 'thank you.'"
Will my food stamps renew? Across the country, a chorus of desperation and anger.
It has been a tumultuous week for the roughly 42 million people across the country who rely on federal food assistance.
Some breathed a tentative sigh of relief this afternoon after a Rhode Island judge ordered the Trump administration to keep funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, nationwide.
The Agriculture Department had warned that it would no longer pay for the benefits, commonly known as food stamps, starting Nov. 1 because Congress has failed to pass legislation to fund the government. The judge, however, told the administration it must distribute contingency funding for the program as soon as possible.
But much remains unknown: Trump said this evening on Truth Social that he had “instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.” Even if the federal government issues the funding, many states are already behind schedule, and it’s highly unlikely that anyone who was expecting their SNAP benefits to renew this weekend will get them on time.
Wisconsin governor joins growing group of states declaring 'emergency' as SNAP dries up
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency today over the suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food assistance, joining a growing number of states that have issued similar declarations in recent days.
"I’m declaring a state of emergency to respond to the federal government shutdown and lapse in FoodShare starting tomorrow," Evers said referring to the state's food assistance program, on which nearly 700,000 Wisconsin residents rely.
"As the federal government shutdown hits the one-month mark, my executive order ensures state agencies do everything within our power to help support kids, families, farmers, seniors, and veterans, including cracking down on price gouging on everyday items folks need," he added.
Evers, a Democrat, joined Democratic leaders from 24 other states this week in suing the Trump administration over the impending lapse in the food assistance program.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also issued a state of emergency today, saying in a statement that "the Trump Administration’s decision to suspend benefits has created a clear and present threat to the health and safety of our residents."
Delaware, New York, Maryland , Rhode Island, and Virginia are among the other states that have issued similar declarations this week.
White House limits press access to certain offices
The White House has issued new access rules for the press, revoking the ability for journalists at the White House — even those with permanent “hard passes” — from accessing what’s known as “Upper Press” without an appointment.
Offices in upper press include White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, communications director Steven Cheung, and their assistants. Typically, journalists wait in the area to speak to those officials.
In a memo, the White House announced the change and added that there was no longer a press team for the National Security Council. It said the White House would now direct all communications on national security matters, claiming that as a reason for restricting journalists’ access to the upper press room. The White House said the policy is “effective immediately.”
The change follows press restrictions at the Pentagon, where reporters had to agree to a policy that required they agree not to obtain unauthorized material and restricted access to certain areas unless accompanied by an official.
In a post on X, Cheung claimed reporters had been caught “secretly recording video and audio of our offices” and said they had been caught “eavesdropping,” adding that Cabinet secretaries would be “ambushed by reporters” following meetings.
The White House Correspondents' Association criticized the development, saying it "unequivocally opposes any effort to limit journalists from areas within the communications operations of the White House that have long been open for newsgathering, including the press secretary's office."
"The new restrictions hinder the press corps' ability to question officials, ensure transparency and hold the government accountable, to the detriment of the American public," the statement, signed by WHCA President Weijia Jiang, read.
Federal Judge orders records related to prosecutor’s investigation of Letitia James unsealed
A court filing late this afternoon reveals that New York Attorney General Letitia James is trying to quash an investigation into her office by John Sarcone III, the U.S. Attorney in Albany appointed by Trump.
James is questioning Sarcone’s legitimacy and says his appointment was improper. She also says the move to investigate her office is retaliation by the Executive Branch.
Sarcone is looking into James’ civil fraud case against Trump accusing him of exaggerating his net worth, that resulted in guilty verdicts and a fine of more than $500 million.
That massive financial penalty was later overturned by a higher court. The other subpoena is related to James' long running case against the National Rifle Association.
Included in the filing by US District Court Judge Lorna Schofield is an order to unseal records related to the two subpoenas issued by Sarcone, saying it is “in the public interest.” She says the information is not secret and the public has substantial interest in the attorney general's motion to quash the subpoena.
A spokesperson for James declined to comment Friday evening. A spokesman for Sarcone also declined to comment.
Schumer and top Democrats send letter to Trump officials demanding full Senate briefing on vessel strikes
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and top Senate Democrats on the Foreign Relations, Intelligence, Armed Services, and Appropriations Committees, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tusli Gabbard urging them to "immediately brief the full Senate" on military strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
“To date, the Administration has failed to provide the full Senate with the basic information necessary to carry out its oversight responsibilities, including the identities of the groups against which the President has authorized the use of military force,” the senators wrote.
"Nor has it provided information demonstrating the individuals killed were in fact drug traffickers, the types and quantities of drugs destroyed or any justification for why more cost-effective and legally justifiable measures were not pursued, such as interdiction," they added.
The Defense Department, State Department and Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The letter comes after Hegseth announced Wednesday that the Pentagon carried out another strike at President Trump’s direction on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean that killed four men, bringing the total number of known strikes to more than a dozen.
The Trump administration faced criticism from both parties this week after Democrats were excluded from a classified briefing on the alleged drug vessel strikes on Wednesday.
Federal judge rules Trump can’t require citizenship proof on the federal voting form
Trump’s request to add a documentary proof of citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form cannot be enforced, a federal judge ruled today.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, D.C., sided with Democratic and civil rights groups that sued the Trump administration over his executive order to overhaul U.S. elections.
She ruled that the proof-of-citizenship directive is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers, dealing a blow to the administration and its allies who have argued that such a mandate is necessary to restore public confidence that only Americans are voting in U.S. elections.
Police report: Nancy Mace cursed and berated officers in airport altercation
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace was involved in a heated confrontation with airport police and TSA agents at the Charleston International Airport on Thursday morning, according to an incident report from the Charleston County Aviation Authority Police Department that was obtained by NBC News.
The airport police had arranged for Mace, who is also a GOP candidate in the South Carolina governor’s race, to be escorted to her flight upon her arrival, but there was a mix-up about which vehicle she was arriving in, the report said. Officers then found Mace trying to use an entrance typically used for crew personnel at a TSA security check point.
Multiple officers who made statements for the report said Mace began cursing at them and calling the department “incompetent,” saying this is no way to treat a “f---ing U.S. representative.” Mace also said the police would have never treated South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott this way, according to the report.
Watch highlights of Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosting the annual White House Halloween celebration for trick-or-treaters.
Senate Armed Services leaders release letters requesting legal justification for drug operations against cartels
The leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee released a pair of letters that they sent earlier this month and in September to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting the legal rationale for the administration's counter-narcotics operations.
Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., note that they need this information to conduct their congressional oversight.
The letter in September requested military executive orders approved by Hegseth or combatant commanders that are focused on these drug operations.
The more recent letter in October requested any written opinions from the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel regarding the legal justification for these strikes and a list of designated terrorist and drug trafficking groups Trump has said to target.
The senators said Friday that the documents have not been submitted to Congress. The Pentagon didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump claims without evidence that SNAP recipients are 'largely Democrats'
Trump baselessly claimed today that people in the U.S. who receive federal food assistance are "largely Democrats."
"When you look at SNAP, and you look, it’s largely Democrats, they’re hurting their own people," the president told reporters on board Air Force One en route to Florida.
Benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are not distributed based on political affiliation. But according to the USDA’s own data, states that have a larger percent of the population receiving SNAP benefits than others include not only blue states, but a number of red states, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, West Virginia and Alabama.
People across the U.S. have been expecting SNAP funding to lapse due to the government shutdown. A federal judge in Massachusetts, however, ruled today that the pause is unlawful and a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled the USDA must tap into emergency funds to pay SNAP recipients.
Federal judge orders Trump administration to pay SNAP benefits out of contingency fund
A Rhode Island federal judge on Friday ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute money owed to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program “as soon as possible,” just one day before funding for SNAP was set to lapse.
U.S District Judge John McConnell’s ruling from the bench came shortly after another federal judge in a separate case said that the Trump administration’s plan not to pay out SNAP benefits beginning on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing shutdown was “unlawful” but stopped short of ordering the Trump administration to disperse funds.
Ruling in favor of a group of cities and community organizations that sued over the cuts, McConnell said that the USDA must fund SNAP using money in a contingency fund. But, he added that if the department finds that the money in the contingency fund is insufficient, then the agency must use other funding sources to make those payments.
“There is no doubt that the six billion dollars in contingency funds are appropriated funds that are without a doubt necessary to carry out the program’s operation,” McConnell said in his oral ruling. “The shutdown of the government through funding doesn’t do away with SNAP. It just does away with the funding of it. There could be no greater necessity than the prohibition across the board of funds for the program’s operations.”
Trump announces that he's renovated the White House's Lincoln Bathroom
Trump announced on Truth Social that he has renovated the bathroom inside the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House.
“I renovated the Lincoln Bathroom in the White House. It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era," he wrote, attaching a photo showing that version. "I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there!”
Trump shared an image of the renovation inside the bathroom. NBC News previously reported Trump's plans to remodel the room.
Trump has renovated other parts of the White House, including installing a stone patio in the Rose Garden and adding gold trim to the Oval Office. The president has been heavily criticized for the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to build the ballroom.
The Lincoln Bedroom was originally used by President Abraham Lincoln as his office and Cabinet room.
White House to resume public tours in December
First lady Melania Trump's office today said that public tours in the White House will resume in December.
"The White House will reopen its doors for public tours on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, with an updated route offering guests the opportunity to experience the history and beauty of the People’s House. In celebration of the holiday season, all December tours will feature the White House Christmas decorations on the State Floor," the Office of the First Lady said in a statement.
Public tours had been suspended in August because of the impending ballroom project construction and it was unclear at the time when they were going to resume.
Michigan governor says FBI director briefed her on efforts to thwart potential terrorist attack
Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a post on X this morning that FBI Director Kash Patel briefed her on the bureau's efforts to thwart a potential terrorist attack in her state.
"This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state. As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders," she wrote.
Ohio lawmakers pass new congressional map after reaching an unexpected deal
Ohio Republican and Democratic lawmakers unanimously approved a new congressional map that would give a slight, but not overwhelming, boost to the GOP ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
At a meeting this morning, members of the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission approved the proposed map, which was released yesterday as part of an unexpected deal. The map shifted two Democratic-held districts to the right and one to the left while also maintaining 10 districts that favor Republicans and two that are Democratic strongholds. Punchbowl News was first to report details of the deal.
How a nonprofit went from cherry trees and pickleball to handling the money for Trump’s ballroom
Over the years, a genteel nonprofit organization called the Trust for the National Mall has raised money to help care for the cherry trees dotting the Tidal Basin. It upgraded the U.S. Park Police stables on the National Mall and hosted pickleball games on the grassy expanse between American monuments.
Now, it has a new assignment: handling the millions of dollars pouring in for President Donald Trump’s gilded White House ballroom.
The nonpartisan group is serving as the steward for what Trump has said is more than $350 million in private donations from individuals, foundations and corporations to remake part of the old East Wing into a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
Newsom pans Trump’s nuclear testing directive: ‘Weakness masquerading as strength’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom yesterday called Trump’s directive to restart testing nuclear weapons in the United States “weakness masquerading as strength.”
“This is classic Trump and Trumpism. This guy is historically weak, and these are acts of a weak person that is trying to appear strong,” Newsom told NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
Trump said Wednesday that he had directed the Defense Department to “immediately” start testing nuclear weapons, which the United States hasn’t done since 1992.
FBI foiled a ‘potential terrorist attack’ in Michigan planned for Halloween weekend, Director Kash Patel says
The FBI arrested multiple suspects who were allegedly plotting a foiled “potential terrorist attack” in Michigan over the Halloween weekend, Director Kash Patel said today.
“This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend,” Patel wrote in a statement on X.
Patel offered no further information on the plot or the suspects. The case involves federal charges and arrests, but the court documents are sealed as of this morning.
Bessent says China to buy 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans a year after halting purchases
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China has agreed to buy at least 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans, a key agricultural product, for the next three years, which would mark a return to normal levels after months of trade tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.
As part of that agreement, China will buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans during the current season through January, Bessent told Fox Business yesterday.
China, the largest market for U.S. soybeans, had not made any purchases since May, sourcing instead from South American countries such as Argentina and Brazil. The boycott has caused billions in lost sales for American farmers, who had pressured the Trump administration to resolve the issue.
The new purchase agreement is about the same as the 22.5 million metric tons of soybeans China bought during the 2024-25 marketing year, which ended Aug. 31. The year before, China bought 24.3 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans, according to data from the Agriculture Department.
U.S. will ‘stoutly defend’ its interests, Hegseth tells Chinese defense chief
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth voiced concerns in his first meeting with his Chinese counterpart about Beijing’s activities around the South China Sea and Taiwan.
Hegseth said he had a “good and constructive” meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun today on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia, during which he stressed the need for power balance in the Indo-Pacific.
The United States “does not seek conflict,” Hegseth said in a post on X after the meeting, noting that Washington will continue to “stoutly defend its interests” in the region.
Dong said China hopes to work with the U.S. in promoting peace, but that it will “firmly safeguard national security interests” and is “fully capable of calmly responding to acts of infringement and provocation.”
“The U.S. should act with caution on the Taiwan issue and take a clear stance against ‘Taiwan independence,’” Dong told Hegseth, according to a statement released by the Chinese National Defense Ministry.
Hegseth also met with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, with whom he signed a 10-year military agreement he hailed as a “cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence.”
ACA open enrollment begins this weekend. What to know as premiums rise.
Affordable Care Act open enrollment kicks off tomorrow, and this year’s enrollment period is expected to see the largest increase in costs since the law went into effect more than a decade ago.
More than 24 million Americans get their health insurance through the ACA, also known as Obamacare. In 2026, a perfect storm of rising premiums and the expiration of enhanced subsidies that kept costs lower for middle-class families mean many people will face higher bills or be forced to shop around for cheaper plans. Some plan to go uninsured as a result.
“It’s a high risk situation for people,” said Stacie Dusetzina, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. “If it comes down to paying for food, power and heat versus health insurance that you don’t know if you’ll need or not, it’s hard to continue to pay for that given how much of your budget it takes today.”
Whether you’re renewing coverage or signing up for the first time, here’s what you need to know as open enrollment begins.
Trump calls for Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster rule and end the shutdown
Trump is calling for the removal of the Senate’s filibuster rule, to bypass a Democratic roadblock during a government shutdown now in its 30th day.
The filibuster is the Senate rule for agreement by 60 of its 100 members to pass most legislation. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a 219-213 majority in the House of Representatives.
“It is now time for the Republicans to play their “TRUMP CARD,” and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW,” Trump wrote on social media last night.
There was no end in sight yesterday to the partial shutdown, as Senate Republicans urged Democrats to support a stopgap funding measure through Nov. 21, while the latter demanded negotiations to extend expiring federal tax credits.
First to NBC News: Labor unions press Agriculture Department to release SNAP contingency funds as shutdown persists
More than 25 labor unions — including United Auto Workers and the National Education Association — have sent Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins a letter requesting her department release $5 billion in contingency funds to bankroll the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“SNAP creates union jobs along the food supply chain,” reads the letter, first shared with NBC News. “Union members are on meat-cutting floors, delivering and processing food, processing SNAP benefits, picking and harvesting the food that ends up on dinner tables, working in America’s forests, and checking out your constituents at the grocery store. SNAP is vital to creating good jobs for hundreds of thousands of American families.”
The government shutdown has put SNAP benefits, which serve millions of people in the U.S., under threat. The USDA has said the program will stop Nov. 1.
Additionally, the unions want the USDA to “cover the remaining amount needed to fully fund SNAP in November in the absence of appropriations.”
“There’s nothing ‘fun’ about hungry children and seniors, veterans losing benefits, or seeing droves of working people forced to spend their mornings in line at the food bank,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a news release. “The administration could continue SNAP without a hitch. Instead, they’re leaning into cruelty to punish perceived political enemies and double down on treating this crisis as some sick political game.”
A USDA spokesperson said in a statement this afternoon that, "We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats."
"Continue to hold out for the Far-Left wing of the party or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments," the spokesperson said.
Trump administration says members of the military will get paid despite the government shutdown
The Trump administration plans to pay military members today by using a mix of legislative and Defense Department funds, according to an official with the White House Office of Management and Budget.
It would be the second time the White House has been able to avoid missing a pay period for troops during the government shutdown, now in its 30th day. Service members are considered essential federal employees and are required to work during funding lapses, but essential workers typically aren’t paid during shutdowns.
That would bring the total to about $5.3 billion, which is still less than the $6.5 billion that was drawn upon to pay for troops’ paychecks earlier this month. It’s unclear why there’s a difference in the amounts, and the OMB official didn’t respond to a request for comment on that particular point.
Axios first reported on the administration’s paycheck plan for tomorrow.
