Good afternoon everyone. Earlier than normal update this afternoon as we have breaking news right now. For the third day in a row, Senate Republicans have rebuked Donald Trump and his tariffs, voting to overturn all of Trump’s tariffs.
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Here’s the news you missed so far today:
For the third day in a row, Senate Republicans rebuked Donald Trump. The Senate voted 51–47 to reject President Trump’s sweeping global “reciprocal” tariffs, marking the third bipartisan rebuke of his trade policies this week, with four Republicans joining Democrats to end the national emergency that authorized duties of up to 50% on most imports.
Donald Trump called Joe Biden a “criminal” who “should be in jail,” attacked his character and appearance as “a major lowlife” and “an ugly person,” and boasted he “beat him badly” while enjoying watching him “squirm.”
Lt. Gen. Joe McGee, a senior Pentagon strategist, was forced out amid months of friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Dan Caine over issues including Russia and Caribbean operations, leading to his early retirement after his stalled promotion. His departure is part of a broader shake-up under Hegseth, who has removed over a dozen top military officials viewed as insufficiently aligned with his agenda.
Former Navy research chief Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus was removed from his role and replaced by 33-year-old Rachel Riley, a former DOGE employee and McKinsey partner with no naval background, in a Trump administration move drawing criticism for sidelining experienced military leadership in a key scientific and funding post.
The Trump administration briefed only Senate Republicans on recent lethal boat strikes against alleged narcoterrorists, excluding Democrats and sparking outrage from Senate Intelligence Vice Chair Mark Warner, who called the move a violation of Congress’s war powers oversight. Democrats demanded access to the Justice Department’s classified legal memos justifying the strikes, as lawmakers from both parties questioned the administration’s lack of transparency, strategy, and evidence supporting the military campaign.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and released $65 million to food banks as the federal shutdown threatens to halt SNAP benefits for millions starting November 1, joining Oregon and Virginia in similar actions. The move comes amid a nationwide crisis over lapsed federal food assistance funding, with 21 Democratic governors urging the Trump administration to use contingency funds to prevent widespread food insecurity.
King Charles has begun formally stripping Prince Andrew of his royal titles and honors and ordered him to vacate Royal Lodge for private accommodation, citing unresolved scandal over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein despite Andrew’s continued denials.
Flight delays surged nationwide as the ongoing government shutdown left air traffic controllers working without pay, prompting safety warnings from their union about exhaustion, financial stress, and understaffing. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said thousands are taking second jobs, straining focus and safety, while the FAA acknowledged delays affecting tens of thousands of flights each day as the crisis deepens.
A federal judge in Maryland temporarily blocked enforcement of a new $100 annual asylum application fee, ruling that U.S. immigration agencies issued conflicting and confusing guidance that caused harm to applicants. The decision halts the fee nationwide until the Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Executive Office for Immigration Review establish consistent policies, following a lawsuit that accused them of applying the rule retroactively and unfairly penalizing asylum seekers.
Kristi Noem denied that any U.S. citizens had been arrested or detained by her agency, saying enforcement efforts only target individuals in the country illegally and dismissing any reports suggesting otherwise as “false reporting.”
The Trump administration announced it will cap U.S. refugee admissions for 2026 at just 7,500 — a drastic reduction from previous years — and prioritize white South Africans for resettlement, marking a major shift from prior humanitarian policies that admitted hundreds of thousands of refugees worldwide.
The FBI issued a strong objection to a House proposal that would transfer counterintelligence authority from the bureau to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, warning it would weaken national security and create bureaucratic chaos. The dispute highlights growing tensions between Gabbard, the FBI, and other intelligence agencies over turf and oversight, as lawmakers debate an intelligence bill that could significantly alter the balance of power in U.S. counterintelligence operations.
Ohio lawmakers reached a bipartisan deal on a new congressional map that slightly strengthens GOP advantages by shifting two Democratic districts rightward while avoiding an extreme Republican gerrymander, surprising observers who expected a stalemate and preventing a potential Democratic-led referendum.
The Department of Homeland Security said immigration officials deported Chanthila “Shawn” Souvannarath to Laos before receiving a federal judge’s order that temporarily blocked his removal, denying that they violated the court’s directive. The ACLU, representing Souvannarath—who was born in a Thai refugee camp and claims U.S. citizenship through his father—called the deportation unlawful and asked the court to order his immediate return to the United States.
