Media outlets and Trump administration face off in court on White House ban
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Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the U.S. today for his state visit with President Donald Trump.
What to know today
- WHITE HOUSE MEDIA BAN: Three media outlets that President Donald Trump banned from accessing the White House argued in court today that their expulsions were unconstitutional. The Justice Department argued in a court filing ahead of the hearing that Trump has the right to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico, calling their access a “privilege” and citing national security concerns.
- U.N. MEETING: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian struck a defiant tone in remarks to the United Nations General Assembly today, the first time a leader of a country at war with the United States has addressed the body. The U.S. delegation walked out on his speech, which came after Trump said in his remarks to world leaders yesterday that he was considering whether to “annihilate” the country or allow it to come to a deal with the U.S.
- XI VISIT: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the U.S. tonight for his three-day state visit. Trump greeted him at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
- MISSOURI MAP: The fight over Missouri’s congressional map returned to the U.S. Supreme Court for a third time last night after an appeals court ordered the revival of new districts backed by Trump. The new map was drawn to help Republicans gain a U.S. House seat in the pivotal midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress.
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Iowa judge dismisses Trump’s lawsuit against pollster Ann Selzer and Des Moines Register
A judge today dismissed Trump’s lawsuit accusing The Des Moines Register and its former pollster of misrepresenting the state of the 2024 presidential race, rejecting Trump’s claim that the newspaper’s poll coverage violated Iowa’s consumer fraud law.
Calling the case extraordinary, Iowa District Judge Scott J. Beattie said allowing the lawsuit and its “faulty” claims to proceed could have a chilling effect that “can discourage others from reporting on and debating public affairs.” He sided with pollster J. Ann Selzer and the newspaper in affirming that the poll and coverage of it were constitutionally protected political speech, not a commercial product.
The ruling came hours after a judge heard arguments but did not rule from the bench in a case about Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds. Trump banned the three outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news.”
After the ruling in Iowa today, a spokesman for Trump’s legal team said Trump will take his case to the Iowa Supreme Court.
The U.S. economy before and after the Iran war, in five charts
Brandon Bell / Getty Images file
On Feb. 27, the day before the United States and Israel attacked Iran, the American economy was on a steady course to lower inflation and attain greater buying power. Gas was cheap, and interest rates were coming down.
Today, none of those things is true anymore. When it comes to the U.S. economy, there’s before the Iran war — and since.
Despite assurances from Trump as early as March that the war would prove a “short-term excursion,” the conflict is about to round its seventh month. Yesterday, Trump suggested that a deal could arrive after November’s midterm elections.
Kennedy Center to remain closed until at least Sept. 30
The Kennedy Center will remain closed until at least Sept. 30, the center’s executive director, Matt Floca, said in a court filing the center’s attorneys signed tonight.
Floca said the temporary closure needs to extend into a second week because “the collection of information is ongoing and [he] remain[s] concerned about the documented hazards and inability to provide safe egress at this time in light of those hazards.”
The filing lays out the results of assessments by several construction and electrical contractors, who found varying degrees of water damage and electrical hazards.
The “temporary closure is a management safety measure intended to permit investigation, risk evaluation, and the development and implementation of necessary interim protections while preserving programming and public engagement where those activities can continue safely,” Floca is quoted as saying.
The center’s main building has been closed since Sept. 15, when Trump’s handpicked board voted to close it for renovations. Trump has said renovations won’t happen unless his name is added to the building, a measure that has repeatedly failed in the courts.
Michigan Republicans break with Trump on Iran, AI and data centers
GOP candidates locked in crucial midterm races in Michigan are breaking with Trump over the war in Iran, AI and data centers — part of a broader trend as more Republicans across the country have started putting some distance between themselves and the president.
Eight sailors have attempted suicide onboard the USS Lincoln, acting Navy secretary says
Eight Navy members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group have attempted suicide since the beginning of its deployment, according to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao.
Mithil Aggarwal / NBC News
In a letter obtained by NBC News, Cao addressed questions on the conditions onboard the USS Lincoln, which had a record-breaking deployment of over nine months in the Middle East, sent by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
The strike group, which is made up of about 7,500 service members, includes "the crew, and Sailors from the carrier air wing, strike group and destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers, and all embarked aviation squadrons," Cao wrote.
A Navy official confirmed the letter's validity to NBC News this evening. It was delivered to Gillibrand, a member of the Armed Services Committee, yesterday.
Cao asserted that the medical personnel onboard were able "to take care of all medical, surgical, and mental health needs for the crew throughout the entirety of the deployment up until this point." Cao also noted that because of the length of the deployment, food options were reduced "for a short time."
Cao confirmed that a sailor went overboard in August but was quickly rescued and treated. He added that another sailor tried to go overboard in March but was stopped by his shipmates.
The Navy official confirmed tonight that two sailors jumped overboard from the Lincoln during its over nine-month deployment serving operations for the war in Iran.
President Trump, left, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
In a statement, Gillibrand condemned Trump and Hegseth over their earlier dismissals of reports on the dire conditions onboard.
“What Trump and Secretary Hegseth dismissed as ‘fake news’ turned out to be serious and deteriorating conditions for our service members," Gillibrand wrote. "Our troops and their families make immense sacrifices every single day, yet the president dismissed them with open disrespect. That this administration can find endless taxpayer dollars for bombs, ballrooms, and billionaires, but cannot take care of our service members, is completely unacceptable."
The Navy official said Cao has a deep commitment to the safety, health and morale of sailors and marines.
Cao wrote this week on X that "it's time for leadership."
"Every Sailor and Marine needs to know the person next to them and the warriors they lead," Cao wrote. "Let’s defeat this enemy within called suicide."
Xi supporters and protesters clash outside Joint Base Andrews amid leader's arrival
Several hundred people gathered outside the main entrance of Joint Base Andrews tonight, with supporters of Chinese leader Xi Jinping far outnumbering protesters.
Supporters gathered well in advance of Xi’s arrival, waving both Chinese and American flags. A smaller group that joined shortly before the leader’s arrival carried signs that said “Down with Xi,” “End CCP: Save China Alliance,” and other anti-Xi messages.
Deputies from the Prince George’s County Police Department attempted to break up a confrontation between the two groups. In one video, shared with NBC News by a bystander, supporters confronted protesters, and one protester shoved off a supporter. The group of protesters carried a homemade “coffin” crafted for Xi, and another supporter ripped at the coffin, attempting to destroy it.
The group of six people started fighting, completely destroying the coffin, and a deputy joined the fray to try to break up the fight.
At a later point, a protester carrying a gong walked quickly up to supporters, and banged it in their faces. He was almost immediately directed away by police. Several protesters were either dressed up as Winnie the Pooh or carrying Winnie the Pooh heads — a way Xi and CCP dissenters use to mock Xi and satirize his authority.
There was one Prince George’s County deputy with a large, red scratch on the side of his neck. The group was not fighting the police, but law enforcement was in the middle of several scuffles that broke out between the two groups.
Police ended up lining up their cop cars in the middle of the road as a physical barrier to try and keep the groups separated.
Business groups urge Trump not to restrict diesel fuel exports
For the second time in as many days, industry and manufacturing trade groups have urged Trump not to move forward with restricting diesel fuel exports.
Trump, who has floated the idea in recent days, said yesterday that "I’ve called for it within my people."
But earlier today, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, “The blunt tool of banning diesel exports definitely doesn’t work."
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
Dozens of industry trade bodies representing the energy sector, as well as the Business Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and more than two dozen manufacturing and energy trade groups from a handful of states, sent Trump a letter about the issue today.
"We urge you to reject calls to ban or otherwise limit the exports of diesel and other products that have made the U.S. energy industry so strong. Export bans would lead to less fuel production, tighter supplies, and rising costs for American families, farmers, and truckers,” the letter says.
“You have been asked by some to ban or limit the export of diesel to help lower prices, when in fact the opposite would occur,” it says. “We, and indeed virtually every expert in the fuels market, fully agree with Secretaries Wright and Burgum that an export ban would force reductions in refining utilization, increase prices for gasoline and jet fuel, and lead to retaliatory actions from other countries.”
The letter also hits at one of Trump’s favorite talking points — American energy dominance. “Beyond price impacts, restricting exports would be a gift to our competitors. American energy dominance comes from being a reliable supplier to the world," it says
“While we understand the urge for a silver bullet, there are no easy answers,” it concludes.
Bernie Sanders and Greg Casar propose AI ‘superintelligence’ ban with a 20-year jail penalty
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, rolled out an aggressive bill today to rein in artificial intelligence, escalating the debate on Capitol Hill.
Bernie Sanders, I-Vt; Greg Casar, D-Texas Getty Images
The 19-page Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act would require pausing advanced AI development until a Cabinet-level Department of Artificial Intelligence, led by a secretary of AI, can be created to regulate and supervise it.
Violating the rules would come with what they called the “corporate death penalty” plus up to 20 years in jail, which Sanders said is the same penalty as unlawfully building nuclear weapons.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, spoke about the risks of artificial intelligence at the U.N. General Assembly. They stressed that people should remain at the center of AI decision-making.
Trump welcomes Xi at Joint Base Andrews
Trump and the first lady welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews.
In the minutes before the leaders arrived, a 100-foot-long red carpet was laid out for the two leaders, and a 21-member honor cordon marched into position to flank it. Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley walked onto the carpet moments later as the presidential limousine arrived. The president, wearing a long black coat and black gloves, exited while holding hands with the first lady, and walked onto the red carpet. With Crowley, they walked to the base of the steps.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, as they arrive at Joint Base Andrews. Mark Schiefelbein / AP
Children on the tarmac gifted Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan flowers. They stopped to stand in between the color guards holding the U.S. and Chinese flags at the top of that carpet. The U.S. Air Force band proceeded to play the U.S. and Chinese national anthems as canons went off on the other side of the tarmac.
B-1 fighter jets flew low over the tarmac as the US national anthem concluded. The leaders then — appearing to speak through translators — spoke on the carpet. The first ladies stood off to the side, speaking without translators.
The leaders then moved over to the Chinese president's motorcade, where Xi and Peng entered the car and rolled away.
ICE under scrutiny after incidents in Illinois, Texas and Michigan
New videos are shedding light on troubling cases of people getting hurt and, in some cases, killed in what critics say are overly aggressive tactics by ICE officers. The growing scrutiny comes after an American citizen was hospitalized in Illinois in what authorities say was a case of mistaken identity and a delivery driver in Texas was shot in the back. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa reports for "Today."
Trump administration extends G20 invitation to Vladimir Putin
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin is invited to the G20 summit scheduled for mid-December at Trump’s golf club in Miami.
Vyacheslav Prokofyev / Pool AFP via Getty Images
“We’ve invited President Putin to the G20,” Rubio said at a news conference at the U.N. building in New York City. “We think it’s an opportunity for him to engage not just with the president, but with other world leaders. We hope that that’s an invitation that he’ll accept.”
The G20 is an annual meeting of international leaders to discuss economic policy. Russia is an official member of the G20, but Putin has not attended a meeting in person since 2019, before the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Judge doesn't issue a decision before hearing ends
A hearing about the status of the news organizations that Trump banned from the White House concluded this afternoon without a decision from U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly.
“I’ll try to get you an answer as soon as I can,” he told attorneys for the banned news outlets. The outlets are seeking a temporary restraining order that would allow them to receive press credentials while the case moves forward.
An attorney for the news organizations argued for a quick resolution at the hearing, pointing to the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington tonight.
Attorneys spar over national security considerations
Velchik, the Justice Department attorney, and Boutrous, the attorney for the banned news organizations, sparred over whether it's true that the White House revoked press credentials from CNN, MS NOW and Politico over national security concerns.
Velchik said as much in his filing yesterday to the court, saying the news outlets were notified after the ban about a “non-exhaustive list of reporting incidents" that the White House determined had "threatened national security and spread falsehoods.”
Velchik told the judge today that it is a serious issue regarding the separation of powers between the judicial and executive branches to allow CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters into the White House at this time.
Velchik dismissed Boutrous' earlier arguments that Trump had banned the news organizations because he disagreed with their reporting, pointing to other news outlets Trump had criticized that still have their credentials.
Speaking to the judge later, Boutrous questioned the validity of Velchik's argument, saying, "The idea that reporters could be punished by the government simply for reporting on national security issues ... is just contrary to First Amendment principles."
Boutrous added that the barred news organizations weren't even aware that national security was the basis for their bans until after their credentials were revoked.
Judge questions White House letters sent to news organizations after their credentials were revoked
Attorneys for the Trump administration argued that news organizations were not denied due process when Trump revoked their White House press credentials because they were sent letters after the fact explaining the decision.
Signs in the White House press quarters Saturday. Megan Shannon / NBC News
Kelly appeared skeptical of that argument, telling Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik that it was hard to see how a letter news organizations received after their passes were revoked could provide them with the kind of standards they would have to conform their conduct to.
In previous cases cited by the news organizations, the court had ruled that reporters were to be given rules for their conduct and could have their credentials revoked if they violated them.
Attorney for news organizations says this is the 'clearest case in history' of 'viewpoint discrimination'
In his argument on behalf of the news organizations, attorney Ted Boutrous called it the "clearest case in history" of "viewpoint discrimination," saying Trump was barring some news outlets from the White House because he didn't like what they reported about him.
Boutrous added that banning some reporters because of the content they produced violated due process, saying there was no identifiable standard that the news outlets had violated.
Boutrous pointed to Trump's comments Friday in the Oval Office, where he said he was banning reporters not over a particular story, but rather “cumulative stories over the last few years.”
Judge says due process precedent outlined in previous cases about press access 'wasn't followed here'
In his opening remarks to both sides, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly acknowledged two cases that set a precedent for due process about revoking a reporter's White House press pass, including a 2018 ruling involving then-CNN reporter Jim Acosta.
Kelly told attorneys for the White House and the news organizations that it's fair to say the process the court laid out in those two cases “wasn’t followed here."
That 2018 Acosta case established that reporters are owed due process, or a chance to respond to advanced notice that their credentials may be suspended, before their White House credentials are revoked.
In that case, the White House yanked Acosta's "hard pass" credential after a tense exchange with Trump at a news conference. After Acosta's credential was restored, the White House issued new rules for news conferences, threatening to suspend credentials for reporters who didn't follow them.
Trump-Xi summit is set to be high in pageantry and low in substance
Trump’s strong rapport with Xi Jinping is set to be on display in Washington this week as the Chinese leader makes his first U.S. state visit in more than a decade. But below the surface-level pageantry at the White House, little is likely to be resolved as the world’s two biggest economies continue to spar over trade, Taiwan, AI and more.
Getty Images
Since a trade war shook the global economy last year, U.S.-China relations have been at an effective standstill, experts say, buying both sides time to reinforce their strengths and address their vulnerabilities.
Senate Dems call on Trump to 'draw a hard line' on China's access to AI chips in meeting with Xi
A group of Senate Democrats is calling on Trump to "draw a hard line" on China's access to U.S.-made chips and chipmaking equipment in his meeting with Xi at the White House.
"We are calling on Trump to stand up for the nation’s security by once and for all blocking China’s access to our AI chips and manufacturing equipment," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said at a news conference with several other Democrats.
"President Trump must draw a hard line: Do not weaken America’s export controls; do not give China greater access to the advanced chips and chipmaking equipment it needs to close the gap with the United States."
Schumer accused Trump of "giving away our greatest advantage in the AI race by green-lighting the sale of advanced AI chips to China."
Trump has allowed Nvidia chips to be sold to China but not the most advanced Blackwell ones.
Dozens of outlets submit court filing in support of CNN, MS NOW and Politico
More than four dozen news outlets and media groups submitted a filing today in support of CNN, MS NOW and Politico, arguing the administration's reasons for banning the outlets from White House grounds "are transparently viewpoint discriminatory" and "inconsistent with the First Amendment."
NBCUniversal Media, the parent company for NBC News, signed on to the filing.
In the 39-page filing, the group said the administration's ban is affecting the outlets and is bad for the public. The group argued that White House journalists "work in spaces protected by the nonpublic forum doctrine." The Supreme Court has held that the government can restrict certain speech in nonpublic forums but cannot restrict speech based on viewpoint discrimination.
"Stripping journalists and news outlets of their rights because of perceived editorial viewpoint violates decades of Supreme Court jurisprudence and is impermissible in any type of forum, including the White House," the filing said in a separate point.
The other outlets participating in the brief include The Associated Press, CBS, Fox News, NPR and The New York Times. The two lead groups, according to the filing, are the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, a media advocacy group, and the White House Correspondents' Association.
Who's attending the state dinner?
Apple’s Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang are expected to attend tomorrow's state dinner with Xi, a source familiar with the plans said.
Many of the 17 business executives who traveled with Trump to China in May have been extended invitations, but it’s unclear how many of them will attend because there is a limit on size and seating.
Former White House AI czar David Sacks is also expected to be one of the guests.
Republican candidates highlight healthcare in 2026, battling voter distrust
Facing a challenging re-election bid, seven-term Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., says he’s not surprised that voters distrust the Republican Party to improve their healthcare.
“I can’t say that Republicans have done much about it,” Perry told NBC News before the House left last week for a lengthy election recess. “We’ve even passed some things here, but they don’t make it anywhere in the Senate. So, you know, people want results, not talk.”
Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
Healthcare is shaping up to be a vulnerability for the GOP in the 2026 midterm elections, when Democrats hope to capture the House and Senate. According to this month’s NBC News poll, voters trust Democrats over Republicans on healthcare by 22 points. A New York Times-Siena College poll similarly found that likely voters preferred Democrats by 24 points on the issue.
Still, Republicans are leaning in and highlighting the issue, with many of them using populist rhetoric criticizing insurance and drug companies. The goal, according to three GOP strategists, is more about trying to narrow the Democratic advantage than expecting to win on the issue.
Democratic group features Republican who voted to impeach Paxton in pro-Talarico ad
A group backing Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the Texas Senate race today released a new TV ad that features former GOP state Rep. Glenn Rogers bashing state Attorney General Ken Paxton over his 2023 impeachment.
In 2023, Rogers voted in the state House to impeach Paxton, who is now running against Talarico in the Senate race. (Rogers lost his re-election campaign the following year.)
The charges in Paxton's impeachment included breaking the law, abusing his office, accepting bribes and obstructing justice. Paxton was later acquitted by the state Senate.
"I voted to impeach because to me, character is more important than party. And if it's not, then we're in trouble as a nation," Rogers said in the video from Lone Star Rising PAC. "I'll never trust Ken Paxton. I'll never support Ken Paxton. And the last place he should be is the United States Senate."
A spokesperson for Paxton's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the ad.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Mark Felix / Bloomberg via Getty Images file
Lone Star Rising PAC is one of the top Democratic spenders in Texas' Senate race, according to AdImpact. The group has so far spent over $4 million since the March primary. Talarico's campaign has outspent any other entity in the race so far, with over $50 million dropped into TV and digital ads so far.
Lone Star Liberty PAC, a super PAC backing Paxton, and MAGA Inc., a super PAC tied to the president, are the two biggest GOP spenders in the race so far. Lone Star Liberty has spent over $19 million backing Paxton since the late-May primary runoff election, and MAGA Inc. has so far spent over $16 million.
Here's what Trump has said about China and Xi in recent weeks
Trump has made a number of comments about China over the past couple of weeks. Here are some of his thoughts on key issues going into this state visit.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images file
Press freedom
Trump was asked Friday about China's repression of journalists and what message his White House media ban sends. The president said he “doesn’t know” about China being one of the most repressive countries toward journalists but then deflected to talking about the “fake news,” saying, “We don’t repress, but they write fake news.”
AI concerns
Trump has consistently said the U.S. is “leading China” in artificial intelligence and has brought up the threat of falling behind China on the technology as a reason not to implement safeguards around its development.
The president has called the warnings about the potential threat AI poses to humanity a “conspiracy” that would make China happy. He has also called concerns about data centers — specifically how they might affect electricity and water supply — a false narrative pushed by China. He went on to call it a China “PR thing.”
Trump told Fox News' Laura Ingraham in an interview released earlier this month, “You know, China doesn’t have guardrails, by the way. You know, the guardrails? President Xi. That’s the guardrail.”
Iran war
Trump said he and Xi discussed the war during their last meeting in Beijing. When asked about reports that Chinese satellite imagery is being used to aid Iran, Trump has repeatedly deflected, saying that the U.S. also spies on China.
Trump also said before heading to China in May that the conflict with Iran would be resolved before visiting Xi. That was over five months ago.
Electric vehicles
Trump said the talk of the U.S. allowing Chinese electric vehicles, such as those made by the carmaker BYD, into the U.S. was "phony” in his interview with Ingraham. He later said he would allow the vehicles to be built in the U.S. to help bolster manufacturing jobs.
“I’m not knocking Chinese cars," Trump told Ingraham. "President Xi’s coming over to have a nice state dinner in two weeks.”
Today's pomp
Trump said at his bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly yesterday that Xi’s arrival tonight is going to be a “big deal.”
He said he wished the White House ballroom had been completed for use during Xi's trip but added it is the “hottest ticket” in town when China's president comes to visit.
New campaign aims to help millions at risk of losing Medicaid coverage under work requirements
In 100 days, on Jan. 1, new federal work and reporting requirements kick in for Medicaid recipients, leaving roughly 10 million Americans at risk of losing healthcare coverage, as states scramble to prepare for the most substantial change to the program in decades.
A new, $2 million campaign called “Keep Your Care,” an independent nonprofit, launched today. Shared exclusively with NBC News, it aims to educate states and Medicaid recipients ahead of the massive change.
Rubio defends Trump's White House invitation to Xi after Republican senator's criticism
Rubio defended Trump's decision to host China's president at the White House for a state visit after criticism from some Republicans, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Asked about the criticism, the secretary of state told reporters, "The idea that we would not interact with them at the highest levels is irresponsible. It’s outrageous. We have to. That doesn’t mean we don’t have strong disagreements."
Rubio said that even during the height of the Cold War, the U.S. had communication with Soviet officials.
"I think it’s just responsible statecraft for our leaders to speak and meet with one another, and that’s the way we view it," he said. "We had a visit to China. They hosted us earlier this year. Part of the agreement is that we would visit there, they would visit here, and this is the back end of that agreement.”
Yesterday, Wicker said in remarks on the Senate floor that he would have advised Trump not to invite Xi for "such a lavish welcome here in the United States of America, based on all of the troubling issues we have with President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party."
In his remarks, Wicker encouraged Trump to “keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbors and whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly at the United States of America.”
He also urged Trump to discuss several issues with Xi, including China’s “clear support for Iran,” Xi’s “many human rights abuses,” China’s treatment of the Uyghur people and military plans for Taiwan.
Iranian people 'did not bend the knee' when attacked by U.S., Iranian president says
Iran's president struck a defiant note when he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York today, the first time a leader of a country at war with the U.S. has addressed the body.
“America and Israel attacked us, equipped with the latest technology and weapon systems, and our people stood steadfast,” Masoud Pezeshkian said, addressing a chamber with empty seats. “Yes, they did hit us, but we did not bend the knee. We did not bow our head.”
Masoud Pezeshkian addressing the U.N. General Assembly. Selcuk Acar / Anadolu via Getty Images
While vowing not to surrender and saying Trump did not understand his country, Pezeshkian said he believed in diplomacy to end the conflict.
“Iran must be understood by Mr. Trump and those who seek to bully us that we are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force,” he said.
U.S. and Iranian officials held indirect talks yesterday.
Rubio dismisses ideas that U.S. midterm election results could influence a deal with Iran
Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed any idea today that the result of the midterm elections could influence how the U.S. deals with Iran.
“I think the Iranians misread our system," Rubio told reporters on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. "I think the Iranians are under this illusion that Democrats are going to win in November, and the president will no longer be able to do things against them. I just don’t think they understand our system very well."
He said Congress, which he served in, is an important branch of government, but it has "limitations when it comes to the national security of our country."
"When it comes to the imposition of both sanctions and the use of military force, the president has extraordinary powers," Rubio said. "Every president does; he’s the commander in chief, both constitutional and otherwise, to be able to carry out those functions. So I think that the Iranians are fundamentally misreading our political system, and I think the president made it very clear yesterday.”
Trump said in his remarks before the General Assembly yesterday that he thinks Iran is waiting until after the midterm elections to negotiate a deal with the U.S.
"I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to. They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm election," he said. "I gave absolutely no credence and will not give credence to the election, when it comes to Iran. It doesn’t even enter my mind."
Democrats block GOP effort to provide immunity to potential Covid investigation witness
Democratic senators blocked a Republican-led effort to provide immunity for an assistant to Dr. Anthony Fauci as part of a Republican effort to compel her to testify in the GOP's probe into Covid's origins.
The 8-7 vote was along party lines, with only one Democrat, Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, appearing at the meeting and casting proxy votes on behalf of her Democratic colleagues.
Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, argued ahead of the vote that the witness's "position placed her in the flow of communications directly relevant to our investigation." He pointed to the assistant's prior decision to invoke her Fifth Amendment right not to answer lawmakers' questions, saying that today's effort was intended to "remove the obstacles she raised, so she can answer the committee questions without any fear of conviction."
Hassan also spoke briefly before the vote, arguing that compelling a witness to testify after the witness invoked Fifth Amendment privileges "is something none of us should take lightly." Hassan pushed for further conversations on the issue.
U.S. delegation walks out during Iranian president's speech
The U.S. delegation walked out as Iran's president addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York today.
Masoud Pezeshkian's appearance followed Trump's threatening to "annihilate" Iran during his address on the UNGA's first day.
Regardless of the threat, U.S. and Iranian officials held indirect talks yesterday.
Empty U.S. delegation seats as Iran's president addresses the General Assembly. Alexi J. Rosenfeld / Getty Images
Senate Homeland Security Committee to consider immunity request for a potential witness in the Covid investigation
The Senate Homeland Security Committee is considering this morning whether it can provide a potential witness with immunity in order for the witness to testify as part of its investigation into the origins of Covid.
Chair Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced the committee's meeting yesterday to consider whether it would give Dr. Anthony Fauci's assistant immunity to testify.
An immunity resolution, though, would need two-thirds of the committee to vote in favor. Democrats on the committee oppose the move, which appears likely to fail.
Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the top Democrat on the committee, said in a letter that he has "repeatedly urged" Paul to provide committee Democrats with "access to all documents obtained in the course of any investigation and the opportunity to participate in all witness interviews."
"You have not once acknowledged your failure to adhere to Senate and Committee rules and precedents by continuing to exclude the Minority," he continued.
Peters said that once Paul provides further information, including why the special assistant was important to the investigation, he would "be happy to consider supporting your request for an immunity order.”
Paul has long targeted Fauci over his handling of Covid. Earlier this year, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right in response to questions from the committee, prompting Paul to push for a vote to hold him in contempt of Congress. In August, the committee voted to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress on a party-line vote.
Zelenskyy says he spoke with Trump about an energy ceasefire and called for a trilateral meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he supports the possibility of an energy ceasefire and called for a trilateral meeting including Russia, comments that came after his meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.
"We are ready for an energy ceasefire if they do not attack our energy system, our electricity, heating and water supply," Zelenskyy said, adding that the U.S. would share the proposal with Russia.
Trump has previously argued that the rise in diesel prices is due to the war in Ukraine, and he has called on Ukraine not to target Russian diesel infrastructure. Rising diesel prices have been affected by the Russia-Ukraine and Iran wars.
Trump and Zelenskyy meet on the sidelines of the General Assembly yesterday. Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images
Zelenskyy also called for Trump to arrange the trilateral meeting. The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly said he is willing to meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but efforts to organize a direct meeting have been unsuccessful so far. The U.S. and Ukrainian leaders also discussed future weapons agreements, Zelenskyy said. He said Ukraine is asking for a winter package of Patriot missiles, as well as licenses to produce Patriot missiles.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are meeting today on the sidelines of the General Assembly. The U.N. Security Council will also hold a meeting on Ukraine this morning.
CNN, Politico and MS NOW to face off with Trump administration in court over White House ban
The trio of news outlets that Trump abruptly banned from accessing the White House will be in court today to argue their expulsion was unconstitutional and should be lifted immediately.
“This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles,” lawyers for CNN, Politico and MS NOW said in a court filing Monday ahead of the hearing.
“The ban is unconstitutional and should be immediately restrained,” they contended, citing legal precedent in the District of Columbia and U.S. Supreme Court.
The news organizations are scheduled to make their case to U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly at a 3:30 p.m. ET hearing.
Trump to welcome Xi Jinping after U.N. speech threatening Iran
During his address to the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, Trump issued a dire warning to Iran, saying, “Will a deal be made with Iran? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic?” It comes as the president is set to welcome China’s Xi Jinping to the White House, where the escalating AI competition will top their agenda. The visit, however, is drawing rare criticism from a top Republican. NBC News’ Garrett Haake reports for "TODAY."
Trump-backed Missouri congressional map returns to Supreme Court for third time
The fight over Missouri’s congressional map returned to the U.S. Supreme Court for a third time late yesterday, after an appeals court ordered the revival of new districts backed by Trump.
The new map was drawn to help Republicans gain a U.S. House seat in the pivotal midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. The Supreme Court has twice blocked efforts to use it in November.
Defending Trump media ban, DOJ cites national security and says White House access is a ‘privilege’
The Justice Department said in a court filing late last night that Trump has the right to ban media outlets CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, calling their access a “privilege” and citing national security concerns.
The filing urges a federal judge not to block the ban, ahead of an emergency hearing today on the news organizations’ request for a temporary order restoring their access.
The Trump administration argues that the ban does not violate First Amendment protections on press freedom. “Access to the White House is a privilege—not a right,” the DOJ says in the filing.
