Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here’s what he’s proposed

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Trump says Putin wants a deal

President Trump today did not commit to selling Ukraine the long-range Tomahawk missiles it has asked for, saying he believes the war can be ended without them.

• Trump has seemed more open to the idea recently, but was noncommittal today as he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — and a day after speaking to Russian leader Vladimir Putin by phone.
• "If flexibility is shown, I think we have a very good chance bringing this war to conclusion," Trump said.
• "I think President Zelensky wants it done, and I think President Putin wants it done. Now all they have to do is get along a little bit," he said.

? Between the lines: There's been a months-long cycle of Trump declaring peace within reach after speaking with Putin, only to be disappointed, Axios' Barak Ravid writes.

• Trump acknowledged that Putin might be "playing for time," but said he thinks he's serious about getting a deal.
• "I've been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well," Trump said, referring to the idea Putin might be bluffing.

Go deeper.

ps:Sure he does!! On his terms!!!!!

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Trump commutes sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in federal fraud case

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday he had commuted the sentence of former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who was slated to serve more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-george-santos-commutation-pardon-8ae46d6351cefe01d79f74920521b7a2?

Trump downplays hopes he will supply Ukraine with US missiles after meeting with Zelenskyy

Donald Trump seemed more intent on brokering a peace deal than he was to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles during a White House meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying that the US may need them for a future conflict.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/17/trump-putin-phone-call-sinks-kyiv-ukraine-hopes-for-us-tomahawk-missiles?

President Donald Trump yesterday confirmed another strike on an alleged drug-carrying boat off Venezuela’s coast. The attack, carried out Thursday, is believed to be the sixth since early September and the only one with survivors, now reportedly in US custody. It’s unclear whether the survivors will be treated as prisoners of war or criminal defendants.

The news comes amid the largest US military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1980s in service of what Trump has characterized as an armed conflict against drug cartels. Earlier this week, the president revealed he had authorized CIA covert operations in the South American nation and was considering a potential land invasion. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has responded by mobilizing troops and airing anti-American propaganda on state-run media. 

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of senators yesterday introduced legislation barring military action in Venezuela without congressional approval. The Navy admiral overseeing Latin American operations also unexpectedly announced his retirement Thursday.

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Unfettered and Unaccountable: How Trump is Building a Violent, Shadowy Federal Police Force

When Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers stormed through Santa Ana, California, in June, panicked calls flooded into the city’s emergency response system.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-dhs-ice-secret-police-civil-rights-unaccountable?

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DOGE 2.0

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The White House is using the government shutdown as a chance to fire thousands of people — furthering the aims of Elon Musk's original DOGE drive. Why it matters: This time, the stated focus isn't efficiency or eliminating fraud. It's all about shrinking the federal government — and doing away with programs that run counter to the administration's ideologies, Axios' Emily Peck reports. The big picture: This is the first time an administration has used a shutdown to terminate federal workers. The firings appear to be in line with the overall goal of bringing the federal government under the president's control and shrinking its size, as Russell Vought — now the White House budget director — laid out in Project 2025. ? On "The Charlie Kirk Show" last week, Vought said: "We want to be very aggressive where we can be in shuttering the bureaucracy — not just the funding, but the bureaucracy ... [W]e now have an opportunity to do that." By the numbers: So far, there have been about 4,000 shutdown terminations, now temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Vought said this week that terminations will be "rolling" through the shutdown, and "north of 10,000" federal workers may ultimately lose their jobs. ? Between the lines: The administration is shedding people and agencies it ideologically opposes. President Trump said earlier this month that terminations would be "Democrat oriented." In last week's interview, Vought mentioned targeting "green New Deal programs at the Department of Energy," the Minority Business Development Agency and "environmental justice at EPA." The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is almost entirely closed down. "It had the DNA of Elizabeth Warren," Vought said, referring to the Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, who helped create the agency. ?️ The White House budget office sent Congress a memo yesterday arguing that history shows he has the right to move money around to pay the troops, Axios' Marc Caputo scooped. The memo cites presidents from George Washington in the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion to John F. Kennedy in creating the Peace Corps in 1961. Keep reading.

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? Trump rejects Zelensky on Tomahawks

President Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a tense meeting yesterday that he doesn't intend to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles, at least for now, two sources briefed on the meeting tell Axios' Barak Ravid.

• Why it matters: Zelensky hoped to leave Washington with commitments around new weapons for Ukraine. But he found Trump in a totally different state of mind a day after a lengthy call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump made clear his priority now is diplomacy, and he thinks providing Tomahawks could undermine it, the sources say.

Behind the scenes: One of the sources said the meeting "was not easy." The other simply said: "It was bad."

• "Nobody shouted, but Trump was tough," the first source said.

The meeting ended abruptly after 2½ hours. "I think we're done. Let's see what happens next week," Trump said, referring to planned talks between the U.S. and Russia. Trump intends to meet Putin in Budapest in the next two weeks.

• Read on.

ps:Of course he did!! Why would he actually go with Ukraine?????

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“Antifa” Protesters Charged With Terrorism for Constitutionally Protected Activity

Federal prosecutors are making good on the Trump administration’s threat to treat antifa-related activity as terrorism.

https://theintercept.com/2025/10/17/antifa-ice-protesters-terrorism-texas-prairieland/?

Why the No Kings Protests Matter

Last Friday, new talking points were seemingly rolled out across the MAGA sphere. Top GOP leadership, from House Speaker Mike Johnson to Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, began seeding a narrative about today’s “No Kings” protests.

https://theintercept.com/2025/10/18/no-kings-protests-trump-fascism/?

The Pentagon Is Learning It’s Not So Easy to Sink a Boat

U.S. military attacks on suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean have been less effective than portrayed by the Pentagon, the White House, or in videos released on social media by President Donald Trump, according to four government officials. 

https://theintercept.com/2025/10/16/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes/?

Unions Sue to Stop AI Surveillance Powering Trump’s “Catch and Revoke” Deportation Scheme

Three major labor unions sued the federal government on Thursday to stop a sweeping social media surveillance program designed to revoke the visas and green cards of immigrants who hold “hostile attitudes” about the government.

https://theintercept.com/2025/10/16/unions-sue-ai-surveillance-trump-deportation/?

Two Boat Strike Survivors Become First Known Prisoners in Trump’s War on “Narcoterrorists”

The Navy is holding two survivors of a U.S. attack on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean, according to two government officials.

https://theintercept.com/2025/10/17/caribbean-boat-strike-survivors-prisoners-war-navy/?

Trump’s Gaza Ceasefire Deal Is Already Failing Palestinians

The first phase of the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal began to move forward this week as Israeli and Palestinian hostages have been released and aid trickles in. 

https://theintercept.com/2025/10/17/briefing-podcast-gaza-ceasefire-deal/?

ps:It wasn't meant to!! Just like his trying to broker a peace deal for Ukraine, it's really to broker a deal to help Russia!!!!!

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It won't stop with Trump

The White House account on X posted this regal rendering on the night of the "No Kings" rallies. Image: The White House

President Trump and the federal government are policing speech, morality, and punishment of individual citizens at a level of micromanagement rarely, if ever, witnessed in America, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a "Behind the Curtain" column. Why it matters: We've written extensively about the unprecedented new powers seized or granted to Trump and future presidents in the past eight months alone. But few throw America deeper into new, uncharted waters than making presidents and the executive branch the judge, jury and executioner of words and behavior. These actions, all public, fall into three categories: punishing individual critics ... freeing allies convicted of crimes ... and policing speech. Before we detail them, it's important to remember that the power of the presidency was growing long before Trump. Under all five of the presidents the two of us have covered, we've seen an ever-expanding imperial presidency. But Trump has stretched both power and punishment routinely and, in some cases, dramatically. As we've written, the founders never envisioned a federal government this big and this powerful, or a president this unchecked. The result: Trump and future presidents hold the power, backed by precedent, to wield their vast authority to harm critics, help allies and chill free speech. Remember the payback precedent: When you get power back, at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue, do unto the other what they've been doing to you! ? Behind the scenes: A longtime Trump adviser told us the president's mindset has always been to "never allow any free shots on goal." This insider acknowledged that no president has told his government so publicly, with such specificity: "These are the people you should be getting after." On MAGA stifling dissent, the insider said conservatives distinguish between the cancel culture they mocked and "consequence culture," where critics are being held to account for what they say or threaten, not what they think or believe. The adviser says Trump sees the small-c conservatives of the old Republican establishment, who spent decades pushing government restraint, as naive: "Congratulations on preserving your norms — while you're losing your civilization." White House communications director Steven Cheung told us: "With a more experienced White House and complete unity with Trump's agenda— something absent during the first term — the administration knows how to pull the levers of government to achieve what they want." ⬇️ Column continues below.

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? Part 2: Trump flexes

A video posted by President Trump on Saturday night after the "No Kings" rallies. Image: Truth Social

Nearly every day brings new instances of Trump flexing, Jim and Mike continue: 1. Punishing individual critics: Trump's steady push for the prosecution of enemies is no surprise to anyone who paid attention during the campaign, when he vowed — 100+ times, by one count — to investigate, imprison or prosecute certain political opponents, protesters, prosecutors, tech moguls and former intelligence officials. It's a clear example of Trump delivering on campaign vows more methodically than in his first term. James Comey, fired by Trump as FBI director in 2017, was indicted last month on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation — just five days after Trump's Truth Social post urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to hurry up and prosecute Comey. FBI director Kash Patel said the prosecution was part of holding to account perpetrators of the "Russiagate hoax." Comey pleaded not guilty. New York Attorney General Tish James (D), who was also singled out in Trump's message to Bondi, was charged with bank fraud early this month. She said the charges are "baseless." James is a longtime nemesis of Trump: As soon as she took office, she vowed to scrutinize him, then brought a civil case against him. She won a civil fraud judgment that was later thrown out. John Bolton, fired by Trump as national security adviser in his first term, was charged last week with 18 counts of mishandling classified information, including using AOL and Gmail accounts to share classified info. Bolton pleaded not guilty. Trump has also reached settlements with law firms and media companies he said had undermined him. 2. Freeing allies convicted of crimes. Last Friday evening, former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), serving time for financial fraud, became the latest convict to successfully court Trump and win a commutation. Santos, who was released within hours after Trump's Truth Social post urging him to "have a great life," had lavished praise on Trump from behind bars, calling him "the only leader who truly put this nation, and her people, first." Santos appeared live yesterday on the couch of "Fox & Friends Weekend" to thank Trump and vow he is "not going to disappoint him." One of Trump's sweeping Day 1 actions set the tone: pardons and commutations of most Jan. 6 rioters, including some who had attacked police, to rectify what he called "a grave national injustice." President Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for lunch in the Cabinet Room last week. Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters 3. Policing speech: "Cancel culture" — policing the words of critics, and shaming and banishing transgressors — was a hallmark of the intellectual left before Trump won. Those cases were often as cultural as party-driven. But Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said last year in a letter to Congress that in 2021, "senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire." MAGA has responded punitively to people who condoned the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and some who criticized his work and rhetoric. 145+ people were fired or disciplined in the two weeks after he was killed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X about reports of military personnel mocking the assassination: "We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable." Since then, the Pentagon has investigated nearly 300 service members, civilian workers and contractors for online comments after Kirk's death, The Washington Post reports. The inquiry is ongoing and has resulted in a smattering of disciplinary action so far, The Post says. The bottom line: There's no effort to camouflage any of this. At the memorial service for Charlie Kirk, which included a Christian altar call, Trump reminded the audience: "I hate my opponent." On Saturday night, after huge "No Kings" rallies drew massive crowds across the nation, Trump leaned into the king motif to troll his foes. The president reposted an AI video — posted earlier by Vice President Vance — showing Trump donning a bejeweled crown and regal robe, and brandishing a sword as Democrat leaders kneeled. The accompanying track: "Hail to the King."

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? War on poker

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Poker players — both professional and amateur — are coming under siege from Uncle Sam, YouTube and state regulators. Why it matters: Poker players say policies and crackdowns aimed at gambling are threatening livelihoods, driving fans offline, and reshaping how millions of people watch and play, Axios' Nathan Bomey writes. The war on poker has multiple fronts: A change in tax law stuffed into President Trump's "big beautiful bill" at the last minute could put professional poker players out of work and saddle amateurs with hefty tax bills. YouTube is cracking down on poker videos, shutting down some vloggers and limiting the audience of others. A growing number of states are taking steps to ban websites that allow users to play poker for sweepstakes coins that can be converted into real money. Between the lines: Poker players have long argued their game involves substantial skill and so shouldn't be treated the same as ones where the house always wins in the long run — blackjack, roulette, slots. Keep reading. ps:Is there anything he wont get his hands into??

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Prison Is Running Massive Ghislaine Maxwell Coverup for Trump: Insider

Prison consultant Sam Mangel reveals on the Daily Beast Podcast that a unique blackout is hushing up every detail about Ghislaine Maxwell.

Officials at the Bureau of Prisons have instituted a unique system for keeping absolutely every detail about Ghislaine Maxwell secret, a federal prison consultant revealed on the Daily Beast Podcast.

Maxwell was moved to a cushier jail after an order came from “well above their heads,” follwing a visit from Trump’s former personal lawyer Todd Blanche, who is now the No. 2 at the Department of Justice.

The notorious partner in crime of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was quietly transferred in August from a Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, to a Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, that is known for its comforts relative to other jails.

Sam Mangel, a former inmate turned prison consultant for high-profile names like Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, explained that the BOP is now working overtime to keep every detail about Maxwell out of the news.

Mangel, whose job is to work with high-profile inmates, said he had never seen a coverup operation like this before.

“When they go into a prison. anybody of that type of stature or fame, inmates tend to be very curious. They want to almost live vicariously through them. And many of the staff tend to be very deferential to them because they understand who they are and who their friends might be. In this case with Ms. Maxwell, it is completely different. They were warned, the inmates and the staff were warned prior to her coming in that under no circumstances are they to disclose anything that happens with her or to her or surrounding her during her time at at Bryan.”

And Mangel says that was no idle threat. “In one case, there was one inmate that told somebody—a journalist—something about her. And this young lady was a friend of one of my clients and she had a very short sentence. Keeping in mind, prison phones and email are subject to being monitored. So you know for sure they have an AI system that is just looking for the name Maxwell. And as soon as this other inmate made the statement, she was whisked off that night to Houston Federal Detention Center, which is a maximum security facility. the sentiment is one of walking on ice. They’re afraid, as the staff is afraid, to do anything wrong because they know that in order for her to have gotten there, the strings at the highest possible level."

In the case of Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, the BOP also took the rare step of waiving the public safety factor related to her sex crime conviction to overcome “a very severe restriction” that would have prevented her transfer to a minimum-security prison in Texas from a federal prison in Florida.

“Anything involving a sexual act is the most serious—or one of the most serious—public safety factors someone can have on them, and that specifically precludes an individual from serving their time in a camp,” Mangel told host Joanna Coles.

“I’ve helped thousands of people… They will not waive that public safety factor,” he said of the BOP. “So getting your transfer to a camp is crazy.”

Maxwell, 63, has been staying at a dorm-style facility closer to her family that houses other high-profile criminals, including Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes and former The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah. In September, Maxwell was spotted heading to yoga class.

The transfer came after Maxwell sat down for an hours-long interview with Trump-appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, sending the rumor mill into overdrive about a possible deal struck with the administration.

Mangel said BOP Director William Marshall and Deputy Director Joshua Smith, who were appointed by Trump earlier this year, “really tried to clean everything up, get things moving in the proper direction.”

“So it’s my understanding that the directive to move her to a minimum security camp, Bryan, came from well above their heads,” he said.

Mangel also believed safety concerns played a role in Maxwell’s transfer, citing violent offenders jailed at the low-security prison in Tallahassee.

“I truly believe that once she started cooperating, the Bureau of Prisons had to move her,” he said. “It was the only solution for the Bureau of Prisons if their goal was to keep her safe and alive. If they moved her to another low-security [facility], they would have had the same challenges.”

The Justice Department declined to comment. An automatic response from the BOP indicated that it was unavailable for inquiries due to the government shutdown. The Daily Beast also reached out to the White House for comment.

President Donald Trump left the door open to a possible Maxwell pardon—while pretending not to know her—earlier this month.

As for the question of a possible deal struck behind the scenes by Maxwell and the Trump administration, Mangel said he can only speculate.

“I have to imagine that getting her to Bryan was the starting point to getting her out of custody, whether through commutation or pardon. It just seems to me that you don’t move someone to that type of facility with this kind of protection and precautions if you’re not overly concerned about her safety and what she has to say and offer,” Mangel said.

“So my guess, and purely speculation, is that at some point she will receive some form of clemency.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/prison-is-helping-massive-ghislaine-maxwell-coverup-for-trump-insider/?

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Newsom Explodes at White House After Artillery Fiasco at Vance’s Big Day Out

The California governor is demanding an apology after his security concerns were proven right.

Gavin Newsom is livid with Donald Trump and his administration.

The California governor tore into detractors on X, including the president and Vice President JD Vance, after an artillery shell detonated prematurely over Interstate 5 during a training exercise held for the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary on Saturday.

No injuries were reported, but two vehicles—including one belonging to Vance’s motorcade—were hit by shrapnel.

“The shrapnel that hit CHP (California Highway Patrol) vehicles over the weekend from Trump and Vance’s military live-munitions demonstration came from this ordnance. It’s no small thing,” Newsom’s press office wrote, attaching a photo of the device. “This is what the White House thought was fine to fly over civilians on a major freeway.”

Newsom, who reposted his office’s criticism, added on his personal account, “Donald Trump and JD Vance put lives at risk to put on a show. If you want to honor our troops, open the government and pay them.”

Newsom first sounded the alarm over the event last week after MeidasTouch reported that the Marine Corps was planning to shoot live missiles as a show of force. Vance’s office and Republican California Rep. Darrell Issa responded by scoffing at the Democratic firebrand.

“Gavin Newsom wants people to think this exercise is dangerous,” William Martin, Vance’s communications director, told The New York Times. “The Marine Corps says it’s an established and safe practice. Newsom wants people to think this is an absurd show of force. The Marine Corps says it’s part of routine training at Camp Pendleton.”

Issa similarly accused Newsom of “overruling the best-trained and most-experienced leaders of our Marine Corps” by choosing to shut down the main interstate highway in San Diego for the event.

But after a 155-millimeter shell detonated over a California highway, Newsom wants apologies.

“You accused the Governor of overreacting when he closed a portion of the freeway to protect the public,” Newsom’s press office wrote to Issa on X. The post continued, “And now we learn … live ordinance detonated early, striking a vehicle on a closed portion of the highway during the event. Without a doubt an apology is owed — to not just Californians, but all Americans.”

The offices of Vance and Issa did not immediately return a request for comment on Sunday. The Daily Beast also reached out to the White House for comment.

The California Highway Patrol said in a statement that metal shrapnel from the detonation hit one of its vehicles. The Times also reported that a motorcycle that was part of Vance’s security detail was impacted.

“This was an unusual and concerning situation,” CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado said. “It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway. As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them.”

The First Marine Expeditionary Force, which hosted the demonstration, said in a statement that it was investigating the incident. It maintained that rehearsals were conducted to ensure “success at every phase of execution.”

“Marines fire artillery on Camp Pendleton nearly every week, from High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to M777 Howitzers,” it said. “Indirect weapon systems, such as the M777, are designed to fire over the heads of friendly forces to achieve effects on our adversary. We trust this system with our lives.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/gavin-newsom-rages-at-white-house-after-artillery-shell-detonates-during-marines-celebration/?

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Trump, 79, Posts Menacing Video Threatening a Never-Ending Presidency

MAGA followers couldn’t get enough of the idea of Trump being president “4EVA.”

Donald Trump has made no secret of the fact that he likes the idea of a third term, but he’s now hinted that he might have something even more permanent in mind.

The president posted about his eternal leadership in a video on Truth Social Sunday, showing him ruling for thousands of years beyond the original 2028 cutoff.

The bizarre reposted clip came just hours after the president shared an AI video of himself dumping feces on ‘No Kings’ protesters, and seems to have been very well received by many of his MAGA devotees.

The 79-year old posted the video Sunday evening, with the clip being an edited version of a 2018 TIME article about Trumpism.

Lurking in the background of the doctored cover page is the president himself looking down at a pro-Trump lawn sign, the date on which rises up to the year 90,000, before proclaiming “EEEEEE” and “4EVA.” Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” plays in the background.

The bizarre video soon made its way over to X, where one Trump fan commented “I’m good with that” while another enthused: “We need to clone him!”

A third loyal supporter added: “They’re terrified because they’re afraid Elon Musk and Robert F Kennedy Junior are gonna create a way to keep Trump alive forever.”

While Trump hasn’t openly set his sights on the year 90,000 before, he and his team have touted the idea that he runs again in 2028.

When Trump biographer Michael Wolff told the Daily Beast that he believed a Trump third term could be a “very real possibility,” a White House spokesperson responded by sharing a photo of a very cheerful Trump meeting with lawmakers while surrounded by “Trump 2028” hats. Trump is currently selling the same hats in his official merchandise store.

Speaking on the Inside Trump’s Head podcast, Wolff suggested that the president would do whatever he had to in order to retain his position.

“The problem with this is that an authoritarian breaks so many rules and makes so many enemies that in order to avoid retribution, he has to stay in power. That is the nature of the game that is being played,” he said.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-79-posts-menacing-video-of-never-ending-presidency-on-truth-social/?

ps:Of course he does! It's a stay out of jail card!!!!!

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Trump calls Colombia’s Petro an ‘illegal drug leader’ and announces tariffs and an end to US aid The United States will slash assistance to Colombia and enact tariffs on its exports because the country’s leader, Gustavo Petro, “does nothing to stop” drug production, President Donald Trump said Sunday, escalating the friction between Washington and one of its closest allies in Latin America. Read more.

Why this matters: In a social media post, Trump referred to Petro as “an illegal drug leader” who is “low rated and very unpopular.” The Republican president warned that Petro “better close up” drug operations “or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.” Petro rejected Trump’s accusations and defended his work to fight narcotics in Colombia, the world’s largest exporter of cocaine.   Petro and Trump have been at odds over American strikes on boats in the Caribbean. On Sunday, Petro accused the U.S. government of assassination, pointing to a Sept. 16 strike that he said killed a Colombian man named Alejandro Carranza. Petro said Carranza was a fisherman with no ties to drug trafficking, and his boat was malfunctioning when it was hit. The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Petro’s accusations.   Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also announced the latest U.S. strike on a vessel that was allegedly carrying “substantial amounts of narcotics.”

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US will send survivors of strike on suspected drug vessel back to Ecuador and Colombia, Trump says   US Embassy issues warning to Americans in Trinidad and Tobago as tensions with Venezuela escalate

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Betting against Trump

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Despite all of the activity of the second Trump administration, betting that President Trump will follow through on the things he says he'll do is still a losing proposition. That's the conclusion from a Bloomberg analysis of activity on Polymarket, the site that lets users gamble on politics and other real-world events. (Polymarket was banned for a while in the U.S., but it's set to begin operations soon.) Those bets are usually up-or-down propositions — will an event happen, or will it not happen? ? If you had always bet "no" on whether Trump would actually do something he said he would do, you'd have made a 12% return, Bloomberg found — the same profit margin as simply investing in the S&P 500. If you'd always wagered "yes" — betting that Trump would follow through on promised actions — you'd be down 20%. In late February, for example, Polymarket bettors thought there was an almost 80% chance that Trump would reach a tariff agreement with India in July. But that didn't happen. ⚡️ Between the lines: This definitely doesn't mean Trump is inactive — just that his administration is unpredictable, even on issues where Trump has stated his intentions publicly.

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Trump directs demolition on part of White House for ballroom despite lacking construction approval

At President Donald Trump’s direction, crews on Monday started tearing down part of the White House’s East Wing to build a new ballroom Trump has championed, despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.

https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-10-20-2025?

US and Australia sign critical-minerals agreement as a way to counter China

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical-minerals deal at the White House on Monday as the U.S. eyes the continent’s rich rare-earth resources at a time when China is imposing tougher rules on exporting its own critical minerals abroad.

https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-anthony-albanese-submarine-australia-trade-7db18e2b942176623dcad283bfad3a6c

Tylenol maker fights safety label change

The maker of Tylenol is pushing back against efforts to change the pregnancy warning on acetaminophen products, saying there's no evidence showing a proven link between autism and the use of the pain reliever and fever reducer.

https://www.axios.com/2025/10/20/tylenol-kenvue-safety-label-change?

US appeals court lets Trump send troops to Portland

Oct 20 (Reuters) - A divided U.S. appeals court ruled on Monday that Donald Trump can send National Guard troops into Portland, Oregon, despite objections by the leaders of the city and state, giving the Republican president an important legal victory as he dispatches military forces to a growing number of Democratic-led locales.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-appeals-court-allows-trump-send-troops-portland-oregon-2025-10-20/?

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A Popularity Problem (Janie Osborne / Getty)

View in browser Say what you will about Donald Trump’s effect on American civic life as a whole, but he’s done wonders for public participation. Voter turnout in the past few elections has reached record highs, for example. And after Saturday’s “No Kings” marches, three of the largest one-day demonstrations in American history have taken place during Trump’s two presidencies—not to mention the enormous, extended Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. Protests like these won’t immediately change much of anything in the country, but they matter nonetheless. Trump’s authoritarian takeover is unpopular—his approval is deep underwater, rivaled only by his first term for the worst since at least the 1950s—which means that its progress depends on despair and surrender from the majority of Americans who oppose it. The huge and energetic crowds that came out this weekend are an antidote to that. The “No Kings” slogan is clever because it is broad enough to bring together Trump opponents who disagree on many issues; because the view of the Constitution that it represents is immediately intelligible to almost everyone; and because it’s hard to challenge without endorsing monarchy. The protests provide an outlet for citizens who are following the news with apprehension but don’t know what they can do on a daily basis to resist Trump’s policies, and they’re also a way for wavering Trump supporters to jump ship, a warning to allies and would-be allies that they might not be joining the winning team. Mass movements are slow work: It took nearly a decade to get from the Montgomery bus boycott to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act. The No Kings protests are starting off with much greater public support, and they need only to maintain momentum through the 2026 and 2028 elections in order to turn the protests’ sentiment into concrete votes that could restrain Trump and remove his allies from office. I went to observe Saturday’s march in Durham, North Carolina, because I was curious to see what the mood was like and whether the energy would match the first round of No Kings protests in June. Durham is a protest town, and if you cover enough of these demonstrations, you get to recognize the usual attendees. But this was larger than any other gathering I’ve seen, and the participants represented a diverse mix of ages, races, attire, and approaches to sign making, including wry (“I like my country neat” with a glass that reads “ICE” struck through); sincere (“These people give me hope,” with arrows pointing in every direction); and seasonal (a vampire-costumed man with a sign that said, “Gerrymandering sucks the life out of democracy”). Marchers gathered in a park downtown, where speakers addressed them through a seriously insufficient amplification system. No one could hear, and no one seemed to care: They were there for the vibes. Several people told me they just appreciated feeling a sense of togetherness and positivity. Estimating total attendance at an event like Saturday’s march, with people in towns and cities all over the country, is tricky. Organizers claimed that nearly 7 million people marched, but the data journalist G. Elliott Morris concluded that the likeliest number was closer to 4.4 million at a minimum—which, according to his counts of other mass protests, would make it the largest single-day protest in the United States since 1970. The action was not limited to big cities and liberal enclaves, either: Smaller towns in red states, such as Billings, Montana (population about 121,000); Richmond, Kentucky (35,000); and Hammond, Louisiana (21,000), saw demonstrations too. Those anecdotal examples echo a report released last week by Harvard Kennedy School researchers who found that protests in 2025 have been “likely the most geographically widespread in US history,” surpassing records set in Trump’s first term and stretching deeper into Trump-supporting counties. Ahead of the protests, high-profile Republicans referred to them as “antifa” gatherings, populated by “paid protesters” from the “terrorist wing” of the Democratic Party. (In reality, one strength of these demonstrations seems to be that they’re not being driven by the shiftless Democratic Party leadership.) Two GOP governors called out the National Guard to prepare for disturbances. Any gathering so large can be unwieldy or a little volatile, yet despite the best efforts of right-wing media to find bad actors, few notable black marks have emerged. In the immediate term, none of this really matters politically. Trump still has more than three years left in his term. Republicans control both houses of Congress, and the Supreme Court has consistently sided with the president. But Trump’s movement depends on the impression that it’s unstoppable and victorious. In 2016, he promised that the country would get sick of winning; he then claimed that the election was tainted, even though he triumphed, because he didn’t win the popular vote. Huge protests that demonstrate he is not invincible endanger his political success: They offer people who voted for Trump reluctantly or who have had second thoughts a feeling of camaraderie and hope, and give them a way to feel okay ditching him. That, in turn, might reconstitute the anti-MAGA majority that made itself known in 2018, 2020, and 2022. These protests also send a message to universities, corporate executives, and other institutions that have been tempted to align themselves with Trump for expediency, reminding them that the immediate political incentives aren’t permanent. (Some public figures may already be learning that the backlash to aligning with Trump’s policies can outweigh the benefits: After telling The New York Times that he believed Trump should send National Guard troops into San Francisco, the Salesforce founder Marc Benioff faced a week of condemnation from the city’s leaders and other tech moguls; he eventually issued an apology.) The protests also remind Republicans in Congress who want to win reelection in 2026 that binding themselves to Trump could be a losing choice. Maybe that’s why these protests seem to be getting under the White House’s skin so much. Trump largely shrugged off the June marches, but this weekend he lashed out in ways that seemed determined to prove the protesters’ point. He threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to send troops to San Francisco, saying he has “unquestioned power” to do so. (He does not.) He also posted a bizarre animated video in which he flies in a fighter jet labeled “King Trump,” wearing a crown—not beating the rap!—and dumping excrement on protesters. And the vice presidency might not be worth “a warm bucket of piss,” as one previous holder said, but surely J. D. Vance has better things to do than beef online with a 23-year-old Democratic influencer. Trump and his allies seem to grasp what Saturday revealed: The protests are popular, and the president is not. Related: Anne Applebaum: Why Trump turned to the sewer Resistance is cringe—but it’s also effective.

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⚡ Venezuela operation expands in the dark

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch. Photos: Getty Images

The U.S. military has killed at least 32 people in seven strikes off the coast of Venezuela without telling Congress or the American people who was killed, or on what evidence, Axios' Dave Lawler and Marc Caputo write. Why it matters: The U.S. is eight weeks into a military campaign in the Caribbean Sea with twin aims of stopping drugs and, potentially, toppling Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. "Officially, our position is we're there to stop narco-terrorists," a senior administration official said. "We're going to blow up their boats. And we're going to be patient about it. No one is in any rush." At least some insiders think Trump ultimately will launch some sort of land-based attack. "It's hard to see sending all these assets over there and then just retreating after blowing up some drug boats," one source said. ? The scene: The Trump administration has deployed an unprecedented number of warships, spy planes, fighter jets, bombers, drones, and U.S. Marines off the coast of Venezuela. Last week, Trump confirmed he'd authorized CIA covert operations on Venezuelan soil. Overhead, the U.S. conducted a "Bomber Attack Demonstration" with B-52s. "It's not just the CIA — it's all of our intelligence capabilities," said an insider involved in discussions about the operation. "The U.S. knows where Maduro is, where he stays, where he goes. If we wanted to kill him with a missile, we could have done it by now." ? The intrigue: After the unexplained departure of SOUTHCOM Commander Adm. Alvin Holsey, the cadence of strikes at sea — and on land in Venezuela — could increase. Holsey was reportedly concerned about the legality of the strikes and was moving more cautiously than SecDef Pete Hegseth wanted. The Pentagon denied Holsey raised objections, but hasn't said why he stepped down one year into his command. ?️ At a congressional briefing earlier this month, details were scant. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has led an unsuccessful push to get the administration to seek congressional authorization for the strikes, said the U.S. should "know someone's name at least" before killing them. ? What to watch: Trump and his team hope the naval flotilla and covert operations eventually make the situation untenable for Maduro. Trump administration officials profess a near-unshakeable belief that Maduro either will be deposed or realize he needs to move into exile, even as experts contend he has coup-proofed his regime. Keep reading.

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? East Wing demolition day

Workers demolish the White House's East Wing façade yesterday. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images A backhoe ripped through part of the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for the first lady, yesterday as the White House began making way for President Trump's 90,000-square-foot ballroom, estimated to cost more than $200 million. Trump has said he and private donors will pay the full tab. "I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom," Trump wrote on Truth Social, saying the East Wing "is being fully modernized as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!" Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Dramatic photos show construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows, and other building parts in tatters on the ground, AP reports. The ballroom is the Executive Mansion's biggest structural change since the Truman Balcony was added in 1948. The East Wing was built in 1902 and has been renovated over the years, with a second story added in 1942. Plans call for the ballroom to be ready before Trump leaves office in January 2029. Image via X White House communications director Steven Cheung posted a split screen (above) of the construction and a rendering of the ballroom. "Construction has always been a part of the evolution of the White House," Cheung wrote, with a photo of President Harry Truman's demolition, expansion and renovation from 1948 to 1952. "Losers who are quick to criticize need to stop their pearl clutching and understand the building needs to be modernized. Otherwise you're just living in the past." ? 47 more pics ... WashPost gift link. ps:Unbelievable! This man has no respect for anything!!

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The White House starts demolishing part of the East Wing to build Trump’s ballroom The White House on Monday started tearing down part of the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for the first lady, to build President Donald Trump’s $250 million ballroom despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects. Read more.

Why this matters: The White House has moved ahead with the massive construction project despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area. It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency’s review and approval. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission’s offices are closed because of the government shutdown.   Trump said in the social media announcement that the project would be completed “with zero cost to the American Taxpayer! The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.” The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Ecuador says it has no evidence that survivor of a US strike in the Caribbean committed any crime   United States and Australia sign critical-minerals agreement as a way to counter China   Trump says he’s doubtful Ukraine can win the war with Russia as he prepares for Putin meeting   Belize signs ‘safe third country’ agreement as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown   US appeals court says Trump can take command of Oregon troops though deployment blocked for now   ICE would need more money to expand use of bodycams in Chicago crackdown, official says   Nuclear security agency begins furloughing workers as part of shutdown, energy secretary says   Shutdown means many CDC experts are skipping a pivotal meeting on infectious disease   Government shutdown imperils dozens of Head Start preschool programs   Senate Republicans head to White House amid stalemate on shutdown   Supreme Court will consider whether people who regularly smoke pot can legally own guns   North Carolina GOP advances congressional map to secure another House seat for Trump   House Republicans preparing report on Biden’s use of autopen after months of investigation   Maine Democrat running to unseat Susan Collins to stay in race after discovery of Reddit postings   Trump backs retired Navy SEAL in his quest to oust Kentucky Rep. Massie in Republican primary   Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger spar over abortion in Virginia   Authorities charge 2 more suspects with attack on prominent DOGE employee   Vermont state senator who took part in ‘deeply disturbing’ Young Republicans group chat resigns   A Minnesota woman who cast her dead mother’s ballot for Trump in 2024 must write an essay on voting   Disney+ and Hulu cancellations rose after ABC briefly pulled ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!

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Trump Goons Rage at Backlash to White House Demolition Job

MAGA mouthpieces aren’t happy that people are freaking out over Trump’s tacky ballroom wrecking ball.

The White House has fired back at criticism over the demolition of a section of the historic building to make way for Donald Trump’s beloved $250 million ballroom.

Photos on Monday showed construction equipment ripping down the entrance of the East Wing of the White House, an area that has long housed the offices of the first lady.

On Monday, the president talked up his 90,000-square foot ballroom, which, with a capacity of 999 people, will be covered by bulletproof glass.

“They’ve wanted a ballroom for 150 years,” Trump said during an event celebrating baseball champions Louisiana State University and Louisiana State University-Shreveport in the East Room at the White House. “And I’m giving that honor to this wonderful place. You’re gonna see a ballroom the likes of which... I don’t think it’ll be topped.”

Trump then added on Truth Social that the “ground has been broken” on the “much-needed project.”

The demolition, however, has raised eyebrows among Trump critics. Key Democratic figures called out the optics of starting construction on the luxury private ballroom during a cost-of-living crisis.

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California shared an image of bulldozers tearing down the East Wing. “Ripping apart the White House just like he’s ripping apart the Constitution,” he wrote.

The Democrats posted a construction photo on X, claiming, “Trump is tearing down the East Wing of the White House to build a $250 million golden ballroom for himself and his donors.”

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren also joined the chorus of criticism, as well as JFK’s niece, Maria Shriver, who said the images of the demolition “breaks my heart” and “infuriates me.”

It didn’t take MAGA mouthpieces long to weigh in on the demolition debate.

The White House’s official RapidResponse47 X account called out the “FAKE OUTRAGE” over Trump’s “big, beautiful (and privately funded) White House Ballroom” by listing previous tweaks to the building, including President Barack Obama upgrading the tennis court into a full basketball court in 2009.

White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung was among the most vocal on X, digging up a photo of a 1950 White House renovation from a Smithsonian story highlighting construction over the years at the iconic building.

“Construction has always been a part of the evolution of the White House,” Cheung wrote. “Losers who are quick to criticize need to stop their pearl clutching and understand the building needs to be modernized. Otherwise you’re just living in the past.”

He also shared a renovation pic with a render of the inside of the future ballroom, noting that it was, “The beginning of something beautiful.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also reposted vintage renovation images of the West Wing under construction in 1934 and the interior of the White House during the Truman renovation between 1948-1952, adding “And President Trump is not costing the taxpayers a dime!”

The White House’s X account also shared sketches of the ballroom design, noting it was privately funded, and “it costs taxpayers nothing & will be cherished for generations.”

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for additional comment.

Announcing the construction in July, the White House said in a statement, “The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and has been renovated and changed many times, with a second story added in 1942.”

Trump funded the estimated $250 million cost of the ballroom from cashed-up donors, holding an exclusive dinner last week at the White House to thank his “really, really generous” friends in the room.

“A couple of you sitting here [were] saying, ‘Uh, sir, would $25 million be appropriate?’,” Trump noted. “I said, ‘I’ll take it.’ You know, it doesn’t take too many 25[million]s to get it done.”

Trump had earlier promised that his renovations would not impact on the current building. “It won’t interfere with the current building. It won’t be. It’ll be near it but not touching it–and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” Trump said in July. “It’s my favorite. It’s my favorite place. I love it.”

Other Democrats called out the construction on social media. Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey posted a photo of his family posing in front of the area of the White House that has now been demolished. “We didn’t need a billionaire-funded ballroom to celebrate America,” Kim posted on X. “Disgusting what Trump is doing.”

Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota posted on X, “Seeing the White House torn apart is really emblematic of the times we’re in.”

Illinois congressman Sean Casten said a photo of the demolition was, “The Trump administration, in one image.”

CNN political commentator Karen Finney said the timing of the construction was “fairly grotesque” at a time when the government is shut down and inflation is still high.

Speaking on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins on Monday, Finney said she was shocked at the pictures of the East Wing being demolished.

“Having worked in the White House there’s so much beauty and history in the East Wing,” Finney said. “It’s so sad to see that huge hole there... In many ways what the People’s House is supposed to be about is not necessarily a grand ballroom with crystal chandeliers, so I just think the construction timing is really gross.”

However CNN’s conservative commentator Scott Jennings praised the changes.

“Donald Trump is all about hospitality, that’s his business,” Jennings said. “This is going to give us a place in the White House to do the biggest and best hospitality we’ve ever done.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/white-house-rages-at-demolition-backlash-in-posting-spree/?

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MAGA Beauty Queen Prosecutor’s Disastrous Signal Texts Revealed

Lindsey Halligan tried to argue that everything she wrote was off the record—after the fact.

A Trump-appointed prosecutor tried to claim that a series of messages to a reporter criticizing her coverage had been “off the record.” But she was too late.

Lindsey Halligan, a former insurance lawyer who Trump appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in September, had reached out to Lawfare Senior Editor Anna Bower earlier this month, Bower revealed Monday.

The topic was Bower’s coverage—more specifically, her X posts about what The New York Times had already reported—about Halligan’s prosecution of Attorney General Letitia James, one of President Donald Trump’s perceived political enemies.

James is accused of misrepresenting the purpose of a second property she owns, this one in Virginia, by allegedly telling lenders it would be a “second home” but using it as a “rental investment property” instead.

James has denied wrongdoing, and calls the charges “baseless” and “nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.”

Halligan, Bower writes, did not preface her comments with anything “suggesting that she was not ‘on the record.’” It was only after Bower reached out to the Justice Department’s Office of Public Affairs on Monday with a series of questions about the prosecution and Halligan’s communications with her that Halligan tried to claim that everything she had shared was unusable.

“By the way—everything I ever sent you is off record,” Halligan texted Bower via Signal, on which Halligan had chosen to have messages deleted after eight hours. “You’re not a journalist so it’s weird saying that but just letting you know.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s not how this works,” Bower replied, according to screenshots of the conversation. “You don’t get to say that in retrospect.”

Halligan insisted: “Yes, I do. Off record.”

“I am really sorry. I would have been happy to speak with you on an off the record basis had you asked,” Bower responded. “But you didn’t ask, and I still haven’t agreed to speak on that basis. Do you have any further comment for the story?”

Halligan then claimed it was “obvious” that the entire conversation was off-record.

“There’s disappearing messages and it’s on signal. What is your story? You never told me about a story,” she wrote.

Bower then published the story.

“You clearly didn’t get the response you wanted—which was information handed over to you without having to dig into the facts of the case to craft a truthful story—so you thought you’d ‘tattletale’ to main justice," the Justice Department’s statement to Bower read.

“Lindsay [sic] Halligan was attempting to point you to facts, not gossip, but when clarifying that she would adhere to the rule of the law and not disclose Grand Jury information, you threaten to leak an entire conversation. Good luck ever getting anyone to talk to you when you publish their texts.”

The Daily Beast has reached out to the DOJ and the White House asking whether Halligan knows how “off the record” works and if she plans on continuing to talk with reporters.

Bower writes that she sought specifics from Halligan about what exactly the problem was with her Oct. 11 posts about the Times’ story.

After several exchanges, Bower wrote to Halligan that she wasn’t sure what Halligan believed was incorrect “about the NY Times account or my summary of it.” Halligan then responded:

“You’re biased. Your reporting isn’t accurate. I’m the one handling the case and I’m telling you that. If you want to twist and torture the facts to fit your narrative, there’s nothing I can do. Waste to even give you a heads up.”

The New York Times has defended its story.

“We’re confident in the accuracy of our reporting,” a spokesperson told Lawfare. “The DOJ declined to comment before publication and has not raised any concerns with us since the story was published more than a week ago.”

Additionally, Bower notes that Halligan’s unsolicited messages “seemed uncharacteristically risky for a government lawyer.”

Before being appointed to prosecute James and former FBI Director James Comey, Halligan, a former Miss Colorado USA beauty pageant contestant, had never tried a case. Seasoned prosecutors felt there wasn’t merit to either case.

Bower, on CNN’s The Source later Monday night, likewise said it was “really strange” that Halligan reached out on the topic.

“I would have been happy to speak with her off the record—had she suggested it," Bower added. “But she did not do that, so I was very surprised when she suddenly suggested that things were off the record when they, in fact, were not.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-beauty-queen-prosecutors-disastrous-signal-texts-revealed/?

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Ted Cruz Begs GOP to Take ‘Political Peril Seriously’ After Furious Anti-Trump Protests

The senator is the second top Republican to issue warnings of a prospective midterm massacre.

Firebrand Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has implored his party to wake up to the dangers posed by an estimated seven million people turning out in protest against the Donald Trump administration.

“Unquestionably, we should take political peril seriously,” Cruz told Bloomberg Television. “There is a lot of energy. There is a lot of anger on the left. And elections can be dangerous when one side is mobilized, is angry.”

The ‘No Kings’ protests, which saw an estimated 2,700 rallies held in cities across the country and at U.S. consulates around the world, marked the fiercest display yet of popular opposition to Trump’s second presidency.

Protesters turned out en masse to demonstrate against the White House with banners, chants, placards, and even costumes, to take shots at the administration’s nationwide immigration crackdown.

Demonstrators were angry at National Guard deployments, centralization of executive power, weaponization of the judicial system, crackdowns on anti-MAGA speech, and alleged cronyism.

Trump’s office has largely shrugged off the Saturday demonstrations, posting memes of the president and Vice President JD Vance adorned in crowns as a not-so-subtle jibe at the protest movement. But Cruz thinks the historic outpouring of public resentment should not be taken lightly.

“Energized voters show up to vote,” Cruz said on Monday. “And I do worry about just ordinary voters who are happy or complacent who say, ‘gosh, Trump won. Things are good. I don’t need to show up and vote.’ There’s no doubt if one side shows up and the other doesn’t, that leads to a bad election.”

It’s not the first time Cruz has openly criticized the MAGA administration, warning in April 2025 that Trump’s trade war against much of the rest of the planet would likely result in significant job losses, threatening to turn the 2026 midterms into a “bloodbath” for Republicans.

He hit out against the Federal Communications Commission, chaired by Trump appointee Brendan Carr, in September, warning conservatives would come to regret the agency’s threats against broadcast networks over comments made by late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel in the aftermath of far-right activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

He’s also not the only top GOP official to have issued a dire forecast for next year’s elections in the aftermath of Saturday’s demonstrations.

In an interview with Semafor published Monday, Trump’s usually loyal Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene warned Republican inaction over the government shutdown would bolster support for Democrats.

“I can’t see into the future, but I see Republicans losing the House if Americans are continuing to go paycheck-to-paycheck,” she said. “They’ll definitely be going into the midterms looking through the lens of their bank account.”

“The Republican Party is failing,” she added.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/texas-sen-ted-cruz-begs-gop-to-take-political-peril-seriously-after-anti-trump-no-kings-protests/?

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Here’s the Proof That Trump Is Panicking: Targeted TikTok Star

The TikToker thinks the president posted the video out of sheer panic.

The 23-year-old TikTok star whom Donald Trump targeted in a feces-filled AI video over the weekend says the 79-year-old president just proved his critics right.

“He’s proving our point about him, that he’s childish. He’s only interested in internet beef with people. He’s not a serious legislator. He doesn’t actually care about making this country better. He just likes getting into feuds,” Harry Sisson told The Daily Beast Podcast on Monday.

Trump responded to the “No Kings” protests organized against him on Saturday by sharing a bizarre video of himself bombing Sisson and crowds of protesters with feces from a fighter jet.

Sisson, who posts pro-Democratic political content for his 2 million followers on TikTok, believes the president was likely panicking over the protests—which drew an estimated 7 million attendees—when he shared the video.

“Trump has a habit of, when he’s panicked and really nervous, of just lashing out,” the influencer said. “And so I just think that maybe perhaps I was on his mind that day and he decided to pick me to target.”

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.

Sisson described being “depressed” and in “disbelief” that “the president of the United States” would post such a video. But he called “living rent-free in the president’s mind” a “great source of flattery.”

“I take a lot of pride that I’ve p---ed him off so much,” the recent NYU graduate said.

He argued that Republicans are “really threatened by what they saw on ‘No Kings Day,’” saying, “I think they’re running scared.”

Vice President JD Vance decided to take on the TikToker Sunday, replying to an X post in which Sisson had requested that a reporter “ask Trump why he posted an AI video of himself dropping poop on me from a fighter jet.”

Vance commented, “I’ll ask him for you Harry.”

Sisson later shot back, “Just add me to the Signal chat I’ll ask him myself”—a reference to Signalgate, in which Vance and other Trump Cabinet members’ sensitive messages were leaked after a journalist was accidentally added to their group chat.

Speaking on the podcast Monday, Sisson quipped, “JD Vance has yet to give me an update on that.”

When Mike Johnson was asked to address Trump’s sewage-themed video Monday, the visibly uncomfortable House speaker argued that the commander-in-chief “uses social media to make a point,” and that “he’s probably the most effective person who’s ever used social media for that.”

Responding to Johnson’s comment, Sisson told Coles, “I don’t know—if that’s how he defines it, then power to him. It’s very strange.”

As his platform as a liberal influencer has grown, Sisson, who was born in Singapore and is American by birth, hasn’t just rankled the White House. MAGAworld melted down over his criticism of the president last week, causing “Deport Harry Sisson” to become a trending topic on X.

Sisson lived in Dubai, UAE, and Dublin, Ireland, in his childhood before moving to the United States for high school. He told Coles that he “didn’t really grow up in a political household” but that he began following politics during the 2016 race.

He started posting political content on TikTok in 2020 and has since filmed videos with Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

Earlier this year, at least 11 women accused Sisson of manipulating them into sending explicit photos over Snapchat.

“At the time that this took place, I was younger than I am right now as a single man in college, acting like a single man in college,” Sisson said of the allegations. “And, of course, I think I should have approached it better. But I was just kind of playing the field as people have labeled it as.”

He revealed that he is now in a “happy relationship,” adding, “I’m older than I was, making better decisions than I was.”

Sisson told Coles he plans to continue his work in political content creation, while expressing interest in helping political candidates with their social media strategy.

“I think new media is only going to grow. And if we don’t have people in new media, Republicans will continue to take advantage of that,” he said. “And I’m not willing to cede ground to them any time soon.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-donald-trump-literally-bombed-me-with-s-in-ai-video-tiktok-star-harry-sisson/?

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Donald Trump Nominee ‘Indefinitely’ Paused Over Criminal Probe

One of the president’s legal picks has been put on ice.

The White House has “indefinitely” paused the judicial nomination of former Florida Deputy Attorney General John Guard over a criminal probe.

Guard, who was Donald Trump’s pick to fill a vacancy on the bench in the Middle District of Florida, has been subpoenaed in a criminal inquiry tied to a charity linked to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The controversy focuses on $10 million in secret settlement money from a Medicaid provider, allegedly diverted to Hope Florida, a DeSantis-backed program started by his wife Casey, to help fund a DeSantis politcal drive, Axios reports.

While Guard signed the settlement, he had privately raised concerns about it and removed references to his office in drafts of the settlement passed among negotiators, as reported by the Miami Herald.

Last week, a grand jury in Tallahassee convened to determine whether Hope Florida funneled the $10 million through its foundation for political purposes—to defeat the recreational marijuana ballot.

The governor has opposed the campaign to legalize marijuana in Florida, the third-most populous state in the United States.

Guard’s nomination was suddenly halted after the investigation was announced. The nomination will be “indefinitely” paused according to a source familiar with the situation quoted by Axios.

“The White House doesn’t have any reason to really believe that John broke the law, but it doesn’t want a nasty confirmation fight about this until it all gets cleared up,” the source said.

The Daily Beast has contacted John Guard and the White House for comment.

Guard was one of five Florida judges tapped by Trump in May, with the president posting on Truth Social at the time, “The role of a Judge has NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT than it is today, and John will make this Country proud.”

Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier also praised Guard’s service to Florida on X in May, saying, “John Guard has been a pillar in this office for more than 6 years. He has served with honor and dignity, and Florida has benefited greatly from his leadership.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-nominee-indefinitely-paused-over-criminal-probe/?

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Trump Threatens ‘Brutal’ Response as His Ceasefire Crumbles

The president issued threats as Hamas offers no indication it will give up control in Gaza.

President Donald Trump is vowing a brutal response if Hamas does not follow through with its commitment to the ceasefire agreement.

The deal brokered by the president and signed just one week ago remains on shaky ground after violence erupted in Gaza over the weekend.

On Tuesday, Trump took to Truth Social with his latest in a series of warnings to Hamas as Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel.

“Numerous of our NOW GREAT ALLIES in the Middle East, and areas surrounding the Middle East, have explicitly and strongly, with great enthusiasm, informed me that they would welcome the opportunity, at my request, to go into GAZA with a heavy force and “straighten out Hamas” if Hamas continues to act badly, in violation of their agreement with us,“ Trump wrote in a post.

He claimed the “love and spirit for the Middle East has not been seen like this in a thousand years!”

“I told these countries, and Israel, “NOT YET!” There is still hope that Hamas will do what is right. If they do not, an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL!" Trump warned.

The post comes one day after Trump insisted during a meeting at the White House that Hamas was going to be “very good, they’re going to behave, they’re going to be nice.”

He warned if they are not “we’re going to go, and we’re going to eradicate them if we have to.”

“They’ll be eradicated, and they know that,” he said.

When asked who would be going into Gaza to do the eradicating, Trump clarified that it would not be the U.S. but other countries.

Last week, Israel celebrated the return of the last of the living hostages taken on October 7, 2023.

As part of the first phase of the agreement, Hamas was also suppose to return the bodies of hostages, but it has taken longer than the president had hoped.

There have also been reports of violence within Gaza as the Trump administration scrambles to keep the crumbling agreement in place.

On Sunday, Israel launched a bombardment killing at least 28 people in Gaza after a Palestinian attack killed two soldiers.

Both Israel and Hamas recommitted to the agreement this week despite spurts of violence as the U.S. envoys worked to get the plan back on track, but it remains to be seen whether the deal can hold.

While world leaders including Trump gathered in Egypt on October 13 to celebrate the first phase of the peace deal, details still needed to be worked out on the next steps of the agreement.

As part of Trump’s 20-point plan, Hamas was directed to disarm in return for amnesty as part of the path forward to rebuild Gaza. That has not happened yet.

On Tuesday, Vance landed in Israel where he is meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the U.S. looks to shore up the fragile agreement.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-threatens-brutal-response-as-his-ceasefire-crumbles/?

ps:How many times have we heard that? But than again he knew they wouldn't disarm!!!!!