Trump administration to partially fund SNAP; president endorses Andrew Cuomo in NYC mayor's race
This version of Rcrd92398 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
The government shutdown is set to become the longest ever on Wednesday if Congress doesn't reach a deal before then.
What to know today
- SNAP DEADLINE: The Trump administration told a federal judge that it will partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in November, using more than $4.6 billion from a contingency fund to cover about half of the allotment recipients would normally get for the month. However, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said it will take "several weeks" to deliver the partial payments.
- NYC MAYOR'S RACE: President Donald Trump this evening urged New York City voters to cast their ballots for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as a third-party candidate, over Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. He said in a Truth Social post that a vote for Sliwa is a vote for Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.
- ELECTION WEEK: Candidates in New Jersey, Virginia, as well as New York City, are making their final pushes ahead of tomorrow's election. Several congressional special elections are also taking place tomorrow, in addition to local contests.
Coverage of this live blog has ended. For the latest news, click here.
A Fox News report prompted Trump to post about Nigeria, setting off White House scramble
A Fox News report prompted Trump to call out Nigeria over the killing of Christians and then threaten military action, setting off a scramble in the White House over the weekend, according to multiple U.S. officials.
It’s still unclear what — if anything — the administration will do to counter Islamic militants in Nigeria, but precision drone strikes are among the preliminary options being considered, two U.S. officials said.
A White House spokesperson declined today to offer any details on the plans under consideration.
“At President Trump’s direction, the administration is planning options for possible action to stop the killing of Christians in Nigeria,” the spokeswoman, Anna Kelly, said in a statement. “Any announcements will come from the President directly.”
Full WIC benefits for November will be disbursed to states today, agriculture secretary says
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a social media post tonight that full benefits for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will be disbursed to states today.
The program provides free, healthy food to low-income pregnant women, new moms and children under 5.
Agriculture secretary says it will take 'several weeks' to deliver partial SNAP benefits
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said tonight that it will take "several weeks" to deliver partial SNAP benefits for November.
She called the partial payments a stopgap measure, saying they create “unnecessary chaos.” Rollins added that when the government reopens, “FULL benefits can get to families without delay.”
Her post came several hours after the Trump administration said it would partially fund SNAP benefits this month using contingency funds.
Sen. Susan Collins is 'cautiously hopeful' the shutdown will be resolved this week
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, said today that she's "very cautiously hopeful" that the government shutdown will be resolved by the end of the week after bipartisan conversations among both House and Senate lawmakers.
“There have been a lot of conversations on both sides of the aisle and across the aisle, and across the chambers, and I do believe that we are finally making progress,” Collins told reporters this afternoon, adding that earlier negotiations had lacked a certain level of “specificity."
Still, she acknowledged that “it’s too soon to declare that this nightmare of a shutdown is over.”
Some Senate Democrats who have been a part of the negotiations expressed a degree of optimism about the direction of the talks.
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who voted to keep the government open in March but has consistently been a no vote amid the shutdown, said: “There is progress being made. I’ll leave it at that.”
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., who has been voting in favor of the House-passed GOP stopgap bill, said the talks have "been constructive, yes," while also declining to provide specific details on the negotiations.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., meanwhile, said that he believes voters “want us to fight.”
“I think it’s pretty clear, and I think tomorrow’s results may confirm this, that the American people want us to fight for them,” Murphy said, referring to elections in New York City, New Jersey and Virginia.
Trump hosts tele-rallies for Virginia and New Jersey candidates on election eve
Trump made a last-minute push to boost Republican turnout in tomorrow's races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, but he only mentioned one GOP hopeful by name.
While Trump talked up Jack Ciattarelli, his preferred candidate for governor in New Jersey, he did not name the Republican nominee for governor in Virginia: Winsome Earle-Sears. Instead, he broadly urged supporters to vote for the entire GOP ticket.
Trump endorsed Ciattarelli earlier this year, but has not endorsed Earle-Sears, the state’s lieutenant governor. The president also signaled Monday that he believes Ciattarelli has a better shot at winning on Election Day.
“You need to go out and vote for Jack Ciattarelli, who’s a great guy, a friend of mine, a great guy, a very successful man, who wants to put all of his efforts now into really saving New Jersey, making it great again, saving it,” Trump said on the New Jersey call, where he spoke for just under 9 minutes. “And he’s going to do it. He’ll be able to do it. The polls are looking really good.”
Treasury Dept. says inflation is running ‘above target’ as Trump insists there is ‘no inflation’
The Treasury Department said today that inflation “remained above the target of 2 percent in the third quarter,” even as Trump and administration officials continue to assert that there is “no inflation.”
Speaking on CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” in an interview that aired last night, Trump said “we have no inflation. We have no inflation.”
Trump claimed that he had “already taken care of” inflation, calling 2% “the perfect inflation.”
But inflation came in at 3% on an annual basis in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Trump endorses Andrew Cuomo over the Republican candidate in NYC mayoral race
Trump endorsed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, in tomorrow's election for mayor of New York City.
“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”
Trump suggested voters should not cast a ballot for Curtis Sliwa — the Republican in the race — saying doing so “is a vote for Mamdani.”
Pro-Andrew Cuomo super PAC depicts Zohran Mamdani in front of Twin Towers attack in late ad
A super PAC supporting former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the New York mayoral election is running a late ad that depicts Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in front of video of the Twin Towers crashing down on 9/11.
The ad quotes liberal streamer Hasan Piker, with whom Mamdani appeared earlier this year, saying “America deserved 9/11” during a 2019 livestream. Alongside Piker’s stream, the ad includes video of one of the World Trade Center towers bursting into flames during the 2001 terror attack, with Mamdani superimposed on top of the video for a moment.
“That’s Zohran’s buddy, Hasan Piker, saying we deserve 9/11. It’s a disgrace to every life lost,” the narrator says in the ad.
“Zohran went on Piker’s show, and now Piker was just spotted at Zohran’s event. Mamdani is wrong for New York.”
Trump formally endorses Ed Gallrein in GOP primary against Rep. Thomas Massie
Trump today formally endorsed Ed Gallrein, who is challenging Rep. Thomas Massie for his House seat in Kentucky.
In a post on social media, Trump said Gallrein had his “Complete and Total Endorsement against Massie” and that Massie should be “thrown out of office, ASAP.”
Trump’s endorsement comes two weeks after he urged Gallrein to challenge Massie in the GOP primary, saying Gallrein would have his endorsement.
Massie has become increasingly outspoken against Trump this year. He criticized Trump's decision to strike Iranian nuclear facilities in June, and more recently filed a discharge petition with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna that would force the Justice Department to release all of its files tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The petition is one vote short of passing.
Massie ran uncontested in 2024 after beating primary challengers by a large margin. Two key Trump advisers launched a group in June to unseat Massie.
John Thune and Dick Durbin say they think the Senate is getting close to a shutdown off-ramp
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., expressed optimism about soon reaching a resolution to reopen the government, but without providing specifics.
“I just think, based on, sort of, my gut of how these things operate, I think we’re getting close to an off-ramp here," Thune told reporters today on Capitol Hill.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., echoed those sentiments.
“I sense that, too,” Durbin said when NBC News asked about Thune’s "off-ramp" comments. “And I guess maybe I’m reading a lot into it, but I’ve talked to a couple of my colleagues on the Democratic side who are in conversation, and they tried before and it didn’t work, and now they’re trying again, and they seem more optimistic.”
Thune declined to provide details about ending the shutdown. "I can’t talk about specifics, but I think there are a number of things that we have made available to Democrats in terms of the path forward on appropriations."
Durbin said he did not know what the off-ramp might be, but said: “You know, after you’ve been around here forever, as I have been, you kind of sense the ebb and flow of this place. And I sense that people are tired of this shutdown and all that flows from it. But we’re still stuck with this premise of what we’re going to do about health care costs.”
Thune said on the Senate floor this afternoon that the chamber would vote again tomorrow on a short-term spending bill.
Hochul says it's 'indefensible' that the Trump admin is only partially funding SNAP
Democrats and advocacy groups responded to the news that the Trump administration will partially fund SNAP benefits this month in response to a judge's ruling.
"The Trump administration's decision not to fully fund SNAP is indefensible," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Democrat, said. "Three million New Yorkers started this month without the food assistance they rely on and now face even more uncertainty thanks to this callous decision."
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, in a statement praised the ruling but said, "Families should never have been put through this, and it shouldn’t have taken a Court order to force President Trump to feed American families like every president before him."
“The Trump Administration is now committing to using contingency funding to at least partially cover SNAP benefits,” Healey said. “We are awaiting clarity on how much and when those benefits will be made available.”
Massachusetts and New York were among the 25 states and Washington, D.C., to join a lawsuit to keep USDA from cutting off funding for SNAP — a separate case from the one that brought about today's announcement.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said in a statement that the Trump administration should “stop playing politics with hunger” but rather use available resources to put food on the tables of Americans.
“It is not enough to do the bare minimum,” Klobuchar said.
N.J. Trump voter says she disapproves of his immigration policies, will likely vote for Ciatterelli
Ivette Serban, an accountant who lives in an area of New Jersey with a large Latino population, voted for Trump in November but disapproves of his immigration policies.
“There are many in our community, even some undocumented people, who still support Trump,” she said. “But it was a hard time — the ICE raids… I prepared so many power of attorney letters for children of immigrants who were terrified they would be taken off the street.”
Serban told NBC News the streets were dead for months because people were so scared of being deported.
“These businesses were empty,” she shared. Still, she will “probably” support the Republican candidate for governor, she said, because her son does.
Serban said she doesn’t factor in her feelings about Trump when deciding whether to support Jack Ciatterelli, adding she doesn’t particularly like either candidate.
“These decisions, especially on immigration, come from the top. Whoever is sitting in Trenton won’t change that,” she shared.
NBC News also spoke with several Latino voters who said they weren’t even bothering to head to the polls this time around.
“A lot of people don’t trust that they do anything, they don’t trust the government and they are discouraged by both parties,” Serban said.
N.J. governor candidate Jack Ciattarelli rallies supporters on eve of election
Jack Ciattarelli rallied with supporters this morning in Totowa, New Jersey, ahead of the New Jersey gubernatorial election tomorrow.
“I could not be more excited,” he said to a packed room at Murphs’ Tavern. “The energy up and down the state has been off the charts.”
Ciattarelli said his opponent, Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, is “no moderate,” and accused her of unfairly blaming Trump for a host of issues.
One of his biggest applause lines was when he told the crowd he would bring back plastic bags at grocery stores.
Pressed by NBC News on whether Trump’s approval ratings, including on the economy, could affect the race, Ciattarelli responded: “It’s all about property taxes. It’s all about monthly electricity bills. It’s about public safety, public education, over development. Those are New Jersey issues that my opponent wants to blame on the president. He’s got nothing doing any of those things.”
Ciattarelli said his support among Hispanic voters “has been off the charts,” crediting his campaign’s outreach in those communities. “You have to go," he said. "I’ve been there. You have to go, you have to listen, you have to engage.”
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook addresses Trump's attempted firing for the first time
Today, for the first time, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook spoke about Trump’s attempted firing of her.
After delivering a speech that focused on her views of the economy, Cook said issues about her case have been answered in legal filings “at length” and therefore she would not be commenting further.
But Cook said she appreciated supportive outreach and that “it is the honor of my life” to serve at the central bank. She also said, “I will continue to carry out my sworn duties on behalf of the American people.”
"With respect to Fed independence, I'm not going to say much but I support it," Cook added in a Q&A session following the speech.
NAACP sues Virginia over student voter registrations
Two civil rights groups filed a lawsuit in Virginia alleging that the state was unlawfully denying students their voting rights.
The NAACP's Virginia State Conference and Advancement Project sued state officials, claiming that they are rejecting student voter registrations over missing information in violation of the law.
According to the suit, Virginia officials are rejecting voter registration applications — and provisional ballots filed along with them — unless they list dormitory names, room numbers and campus mailbox information.
“Virginia’s own voter registration form does not ask for dorm room information, and federal law makes clear that immaterial omissions cannot be used to deny eligible citizens their right to vote. These practices are discriminatory, unlawful, and must stop immediately,” said Anthony P. Ashton, a senior associate general counsel at the NAACP.
Virginia, which will choose a new governor tomorrow, allows voters to register and cast a provisional ballot at the same time. The provisional ballot is then counted after election officials confirm the registrant’s eligibility.
Trump said he knows ‘nothing’ about the crypto billionaire he pardon
Trump says he doesn't know anything about Changpeng Zhao, the billionaire crypto exchange founder with close ties to the Trump family’s own crypto empire — despite the fact that he pardoned him last month.
“I don’t know who he is,” Trump said when asked on CBS’s “60 Minutes” why he pardoned him.
“I can only tell you this. My sons are into it,” Trump added. “I’m glad they are, because it’s probably a great industry, crypto. I think it’s good.”
“I know nothing about the guy,” Trump said again when pressed.
Democrats brace for Nancy Pelosi’s possible retirement
Democrats are bracing for the possible retirement of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, one of the party’s most powerful, popular and effective leaders, who served as chief antagonist to Trump during his first term and has quietly counseled Democrats as they take on Trump in his second term.
Pelosi is expected to make an announcement about her future after Tuesday’s elections, when voters will consider a ballot measure, known as “Proposition 50,” that would redraw the state’s congressional lines. Pelosi is a prominent proponent of the plan, which Democrats hope would net them several seats in next year’s midterm elections.
Multiple Democratic sources in her home state and in Congress told NBC News they believe the 85-year-old California Democrat will choose not to seek re-election in 2026 after nearly four decades representing her San Francisco-based district.
Trump says he feels ‘badly’ for royal family over Andrew-Epstein scandal
Trump expressed sympathy for the British monarchy as it tries to douse the scandal surrounding the former Prince Andrew’s ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the family,” Trump told reporters yesterday aboard Air Force One.
Trump was responding to a question about King Charles III’s decision last week to effectively banish his brother from the royal family over the saga.
Trump administration tells judge it will partially fund SNAP benefits using contingency funds
The Trump administration said in court filings that it would take steps to provide partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in November using contingency funds.
The administration faced a noon deadline to update a federal judge who ruled late last week that the Agriculture Department must disburse Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds.
Mark Kelly requests bipartisan hearing on effects of AI on seniors amid scams and exploitation
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is requesting that the Senate Special Committee on Aging hold a hearing on the effects of artificial intelligence on older Americans, who are facing a barrage of AI scams targeted at older people.
AI has introduced a series of new mechanisms by which criminals can prey on seniors, who tend to be less digitally literate and more trusting. Chatbots, voice cloning technology, and deepfake content designed to appear authentic are used to build false trust or stoke fear in scam victims, compelling them to hand over money and private information.
In a letter to Committee Chairman Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., shared exclusively with NBC News, Kelly is seeking an examination of how AI can be used as a tool for seniors, while protecting them from scams and exploitation.
“AI tools can both help and harm seniors,” Kelly wrote. “As this technology advances, Congress has a responsibility to ensure it is developed, deployed, and used in ways that protect consumers and promote public trust.”
Scams cost older Americans more than $4.8 billion in 2024 alone, some assisted by AI, according to the Aging Committee’s annual fraud report.
One of those seniors is Christine, an 86-year-old grandmother, who told NBC Philadelphia in an interview that scammers stole thousands of dollars from her by using AI to impersonate her granddaughter on a phone call, saying that she had been in an accident and needed help.
“These deceptive schemes can cause life changing harm,” Rosie Cordero-Stutz, the Miami-Dade County sheriff, said at a field hearing on protecting Florida’s seniors from fraud and financial exploitation led by Scott in August.
“Those threats are only becoming more sophisticated,” she said, adding that victims are “left feeling embarrassed, isolated and afraid.”
Posing as a relative claiming to be in urgent financial need, known as a “grandparent scam,” is just one of dozens of methods that criminals use to trick seniors with AI, according to the FBI.
“Seniors deserve to feel safe when answering the phone, opening their email and trusting the people around them,” Scott said at the field hearing.
In his letter, Kelly asks that the Aging Committee examine what legislative reforms might be necessary to curb these scams, which can leave seniors financially and emotionally devastated.
In a statement to NBC News, Scott said he “welcomes” Kelly’s focus on AI and shared that a hearing on scams targeting seniors is already in the works for next year.
Jury selection begins in the trial of D.C.’s ‘sandwich guy’
Jury selection begins today in the trial of former Justice Department employee Sean Dunn, also known as the “sandwich guy,” months after he went viral for throwing a salami sub at a Customs and Border Protection agent in Washington, D.C., at close range.
In return, prosecutors hit Dunn with a misdemeanor assault charge in August. That came a day after U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office failed to persuade a grand jury to indict Dunn on felony charges — a sub-optimal result for prosecutors.
FDA’s top drug regulator resigns after federal officials probe ‘serious concerns’ about his conduct
WASHINGTON — The head of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug center abruptly resigned yesterday after federal officials began reviewing “serious concerns about his personal conduct,” according to a government spokesperson.
Dr. George Tidmarsh, who was named to the FDA post in July, was placed on leave Friday after officials in the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of General Counsel were notified of the issues, HHS press secretary Emily Hilliard said in an email. Tidmarsh then resigned yesterday morning.
Graham Platner says controversies have ‘strengthened’ his Maine Senate campaign
In the last three weeks, Graham Platner has faced enough damaging revelations to potentially sink just about any candidate. The Democratic Senate hopeful has apologized for past online posts making offensive comments, covered up a tattoo on his chest that has a Nazi association and lost top staff.
Yet, Platner is still standing.
The 41-year-old oyster farmer and combat veteran spoke to a packed crowd at the State Theatre, counted at 745 attendees by his campaign, about his vision for “building power.”
With Trump’s focus elsewhere, the economy shows signs of trouble
For Hannah Szretter, the government shutdown is more than just a political fight.
The 26-year-old Buffalo-area resident said she has had Type 1 diabetes since she was 10 and also now has a mental health disorder that prevents her from working. The $300 she receives each month in food assistance from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has been a needed lifeline to make sure she is able to maintain her blood sugar level.
“I need these benefits for my food. If I don’t get the food, I won’t be able to control my numbers,” she told NBC News. “If you don’t get it taken care of, you can lose toes or limbs, or could go blind.”
Now, she is among the more than 40 million people who may not receive their November SNAP benefits as the government shutdown goes into its sixth week with no end in sight.
“It’s scary,” she said.
Along with the loss of SNAP benefits and the disruption of other social service programs for millions of people, the government shutdown has resulted in federal employees going without pay. Many of them have turned to food banks and unemployment benefits to get by.
All eyes on key elections in NYC, New Jersey and Virginia
Early voting is well underway in New York City’s mayoral race. Front-runner 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani is running against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Meanwhile, the New Jersey gubernatorial race is tightening. NBC’s Emilie Ikeda reports for Sunday "TODAY."
Trump says he will not attend Supreme Court arguments on his tariffs this week
Trump says he won't attend Supreme Court arguments this week on whether his administration' tariffs are legal.
"I will not be going to the Court on Wednesday in that I do not want to distract from the importance of this Decision," he said in a Truth Social post last night. "It will be, in my opinion, one of the most important and consequential Decisions ever made by the United States Supreme Court."
Trump previously suggested he might attend the arguments.
The president argued in his social media post that if he could not use tariffs "quickly and nimbly," the U.S. "would be defenseless, leading perhaps even to the ruination of our Nation."
Steve Kornacki: Most voters blame Republicans for shutdown in new NBC News poll
NBC News Chief Data Analyst Steve Kornacki joins "Meet the Press" to break down a new NBC News poll revealing where both parties stand ahead of midterm elections next year and critical elections tomorrow.
Trump again calls for Senate Republicans to end the filibuster
Trump repeated his call last night for Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster as the standoff continues in Congress over legislation to fund the government.
"Terminate the filibuster, not just for the shutdown, but for everything else," Trump said in an all-capital-letters post on Truth Social. "We will get all of our common sense policies approved (voter ID, anyone?) and make American great again!"
Republicans have maintained their support for the filibuster, which requires a supermajority of senators to agree to take up most bills. The removal of the procedural hurdle would radically transform how the Senate operates, and lawmakers point to what their political opponents could achieve if they did not have an incentive to reach across the aisle to reach 60 votes.
Trump says he is committed to ongoing ICE raids: ‘They haven’t gone far enough’
Trump said in an interview that aired yesterday that he was committed to continuing immigration enforcement raids across the country, saying, “I think they haven’t gone far enough.”
He added, in an interview with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell on “60 Minutes,” that his mass deportation agenda, one of his central campaign promises in 2024, has been “held back by the judges, by the liberal judges, that were put in by [former President Joe] Biden and by [former President Barack] Obama.”
Mamdani hints at legal action if Trump tries to block funds to New York
Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani responded to Trump's comments in a "60 Minutes" interview that if Mamdani wins, "it’s gonna be hard for me as the president to give a lot of money to New York."
Mamdani emphasized that Trump was referring to "money that this city is owed" and will "expect to collect." He also hinted at potential legal action if Trump tried to withhold money.
"What we have seen in cities and states across the country is the necessity of not just using the bully pulpit, but also the courts to ensure that every dollar that a municipality is owed is a dollar that is paid," Mamdani said.
Trump administration is planning new mission in Mexico against cartels, current and former U.S. officials sa
The Trump administration has begun detailed planning for a new mission to send U.S. troops and intelligence officers into Mexico to target drug cartels, according to two U.S. officials and two former senior U.S. officials familiar with the effort.
The early stages of training for the potential mission, which would include ground operations inside Mexico, has already begun, the two current U.S. officials said. But a deployment to Mexico is not imminent, the two U.S. officials and one of the former U.S. officials said. Discussions about the scope of the mission are ongoing, and a final decision has not been made, the two current U.S. officials said.
What Americans think of Trump nine months Into 2nd term
"Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker joins Sunday "TODAY" show's Willie Geist to discuss a new NBC News poll that finds Trump’s approval rating at 43%. It comes against the backdrop of key elections across the country.
Hegseth visits DMZ ahead of talks on U.S. troops in South Korea
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Demilitarized Zone along the border with North Korea as part of a trip to South Korea today, the South Korean Defense Ministry said.
His visit to the heavily fortified DMZ came ahead of talks expected to involve Washington’s goal of reshaping the role of U.S. troops in Korea.
China urges U.S. not to test nuclear weapons
China said it was not testing nuclear weapons and urged the United States to continue its moratorium as well, after Trump said he wanted to resume testing for the first time in decades, citing what he said was secret testing by other countries.
China, which has the third-largest stockpile of nuclear weapons after Russia and the U.S., has always “strictly abided by its commitment to a moratorium on nuclear testing,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing in Beijing.
“We hope the U.S. side can also earnestly abide by its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and its commitment to a moratorium on nuclear testing,” she said.
In an interview with the CBS news program “60 Minutes” that aired last night, Trump said that nuclear-armed states including Russia, China, North Korea and Pakistan had been testing their weapons but “don’t talk about it.”
“I don’t want to be the only country that doesn’t test,” he said.
Nuclear weapons testing has not occurred in the past three decades other than by North Korea in 2017, which was internationally condemned. China conducted its last nuclear test in 1996, the U.S. in 1992 and the then-Soviet Union in 1990.
According to the Congressional Research Service, it would take 24 to 36 months for the U.S. to resume nuclear weapons testing.
Trump says China’s Xi assured him he won’t move on Taiwan while Trump is president
Trump says that Chinese President Xi Jinping has given him assurances that Beijing would take no action toward its long-stated goal of unifying Taiwan with mainland China while the Republican leader is in office.
Trump said that the long-contentious issue of Taiwan did not come up in his talks with Xi on Thursday in South Korea that largely focused on U.S.-China trade tensions. But the U.S. leader expressed certainty that China would not take action on Taiwan while he is in office.
“He has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘We would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said in an excerpt of an interview with the CBS program “60 Minutes” that aired yesterday.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court faces a key election as justice warns that a deadlock would be ‘disastrous’
Tomorrow, Pennsylvania voters will decide in an unusually contentious election whether three Democratic justices should remain on the state Supreme Court for another 10-year term, a vote that could result in a deadlocked bench for years if they are removed.
One of those three justices, David Wecht, warned what such a scenario would mean for the critical battleground state.
“It would be disastrous. It’s extremely hard to work with a shorthanded court,” Wecht told NBC News in an interview Friday. “I have experienced the six-member court, and a six-member court resulted in a lot of deadlocks and a lot of stalemates and a lot of increased work for the remaining six. That was just when we were one seat down with the court. If the Court were to be three seats down, there would be a lot of 2-to-2 ties.”
Wecht, along with Justices Christine Donohue and Kevin Dougherty, are the three members of Democrats’ 5-2 majority on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court who are up in a retention election tomorrow.
Candidates make their closing pitches before Election Day in New Jersey and Virginia
The candidates for governor in New Jersey and Virginia crisscrossed their states in the final weekend of the 2025 campaign season, ahead of the first big elections since Trump’s victory in 2024.
The races will be the early tests for major questions facing both political parties after 2024, from how to navigate the high cost of living to how to appeal to increasingly swingy Latino voters, as well as which side is energized going into the 2026 midterms. Republicans face a familiar challenge of turning out Trump’s coalition when he is not on the ballot, while Democrats are looking for a boost after a demoralizing election last year.
