Good afternoon, everyone. It’s a relatively quiet news day, but there are still major stories we need to watch. Doctors are now questioning the lack of transparency around Donald Trump’s health after he disclosed, for the first time, that he underwent an MRI during a recent physical.
At the same time, we’re just four days away from SNAP benefits running out, a crisis that could hit 42 million Americans hard. New York and California are stepping up with emergency meal funding for families, but they’re standing alone for now.
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With that, here’s what you missed:
Doctors are now raising questions about the White House’s lack of transparency around Donald Trump’s health after he revealed today, for the first time, that he had a “perfect” MRI at Walter Reed during a recent visit for a semi-annual physical, which was initially described to reporters by the White House as an annual physical. The White House has not revealed any information about what body part was scanned for this MRI, why the MRI was ordered, and what the results of the MRI were.
Ultimately the question remains: The White House claims to be one of the most transparent in history, and yet did not disclose that Donald Trump received an MRI during his exam earlier this month. Why not?
Governor Gavin Newsom and others raised concerns about Donald Trump’s cognitive and physical health after he revealed taking a cognitive test at Walter Reed, with Newsom remarking that “most people don’t take that many cognitive tests unless a doctor is worried.”
Food banks across the U.S. are warning of an impending crisis as the ongoing government shutdown halts November SNAP payments for 42 million Americans, with the USDA saying it cannot use contingency funds to continue benefits; experts and advocates argue the decision will deepen hunger and overwhelm already strained food assistance networks heading into the holiday season.
With federal SNAP benefits set to lapse amid the shutdown, DoorDash launched an “emergency food response,” waiving fees for food banks and SNAP grocery orders while donating food nationwide to help an estimated one million meals, as the USDA warned over 40 million Americans will lose $8 billion in aid next month due to funding restrictions.
Ahead of the Nov. 1 cutoff of SNAP benefits, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $30 million to fund 16 million meals, adding to $11 million pledged earlier, and said the state is exploring ways to expand free school meal programs so students can take food home.
Air traffic control staffing shortages worsened over the weekend as the government shutdown entered its fourth week, causing nationwide flight delays and growing safety concerns. More than 50 staffing gaps were reported since Friday, forcing temporary halts at Los Angeles International Airport and major delays at Reagan National. Controllers, deemed essential, continue to work without pay, leading to burnout and rising sick calls.
Mike Johnson now claims Democrats are in charge of the government. Republicans control the House, Senate, and White House.
California will send state observers to monitor federal election watchers after the Trump administration announced DOJ deployment ahead of the Nov. 4 redistricting vote, with Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom accusing Trump of using the monitors to sow distrust and intimidate voters as tensions rise over Democrats’ Proposition 50.
Joe Biden, speaking publicly for the first time since completing radiation therapy for prostate cancer, warned of “dark days” under Donald Trump’s presidency while accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award in Boston, urging Americans to stay hopeful, defend democratic institutions, and resist disengagement amid what he described as Trump’s attacks on free speech and executive overreach.
CBS News anchor John Dickerson announced he will leave the network at the end of 2025 after 16 years, becoming the latest high-profile journalist to depart amid growing concerns about CBS’s ownership and editorial independence following its sale to Larry Ellison’s Skydance Media and controversial management decisions, including hiring Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief.
Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 5 storm with 175 mph winds, is the strongest storm on Earth in 2025, battering Jamaica with catastrophic rain, storm surge, and winds expected to cause massive flooding and infrastructure damage, while the U.S. mainland remains protected by a cold front diverting the hurricane away.
The Government shutdown has forced furloughs at the National Nuclear Security Administration, halting parts of Trump’s accelerated nuclear weapons modernization program as 1,400 federal workers are sidelined, contractors work on limited funds, and officials warn that even short delays could derail key national security deadlines and weaken U.S. nuclear readiness.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has called a special session starting Nov. 3 to consider redrawing the state’s congressional map at Trump’s urging, part of a broader GOP effort to strengthen the party’s narrow U.S. House majority before 2026, though Republicans remain divided, with key lawmakers saying “the votes still aren’t there” for mid-decade redistricting.
A U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Gravely, docked in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on Sunday as part of military exercises with the Caribbean nation — a move seen as increasing U.S. pressure on Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro. The deployment, which coincides with the nearby USS Gerald R. Ford carrier, drew sharp condemnation from Caracas, which called it a “hostile provocation.”
Venezuela accused the U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago of plotting a “false flag” attack, claiming to have captured alleged CIA-linked mercenaries as U.S. military presence in the Caribbean surges under Trump, heightening fears of a regional confrontation amid denials and lack of evidence from Caracas.
Americans are split over the NFL’s choice of Bad Bunny for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, with Democrats strongly approving and most Republicans opposing as Trump calls the decision “crazy”; support is highest among young, Black, and Hispanic adults, reflecting sharp partisan and cultural divides over the Puerto Rican artist’s outspoken criticism of Trump and U.S. immigration policies.
Trump called Russia’s recent test of its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile “inappropriate,” while experts said the weapon poses little real threat, describing it as politically motivated, dangerous to operate, and largely useless despite claims of unlimited range and missile defense evasion.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is set to be released from federal prison in May 2028 after being sentenced to 50 months on two counts of interstate prostitution, with credit for time served since his 2024 arrest; he was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges, fined $500,000, and faces five years of supervised release.
Amazon plans to cut about 30,000 corporate jobs—nearly 10% of its white-collar workforce—starting Tuesday to reduce costs and correct pandemic-era overhiring, marking its largest round of layoffs since 2022 and affecting divisions including HR, devices, and operations.
Paramount Skydance Corp. will begin a major round of layoffs Wednesday, cutting 1,000 jobs in its first wave of reductions, according to a person familiar with the plans. A second round is expected later, with total cuts projected at around 2,000 positions, marking one of the company’s largest restructurings since its merger earlier this year.
The FDA issued a Class II recall for Neutrogena’s Makeup Remover Ultra-Soft Cleansing Towelettes after tests found possible contamination with the bacteria Pluralibacter gergoviae, prompting Kenvue Brands to voluntarily recall over 1,300 cases sold in Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida due to potential infection risks, especially for people with weakened immune systems.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
