Good morning everyone, Apologies for the late post. I woke up with a stomach bug, but the news doesn’t stop, and neither do we.
Today I’m focused on two major stories: growing concern inside the White House ahead of No Kings Day 2.0, with more than 10 million people expected to protest this weekend, and the Supreme Court’s potential move to gut the Voting Rights Act, which could give Republicans 15 to 20 new House seats.
Many of you have reached out, worried about my safety covering the protests this weekend. I want you to know: I will be there. On the ground. Fully credentialed as press. You’ve made that possible. Despite the threats, we keep going.
If you value this work, subscribe today. Your support is what keeps me on the ground and reporting the truth.
Subscribe
With that, here’s what you missed:
The White House and those in the executive branch around the President are growing increasingly nervous about the overall turnout for this week’s No Kings Day protests, with estimates suggesting that more than 10 million Americans will take to the streets in protest of this Administration.
Organizers of the nationwide No Kings protests expect millions to rally across all 50 states on Oct. 18 against President Trump’s military crackdowns and the ongoing government shutdown, with over 2,500 events planned; Republicans have denounced the demonstrations as “hate America rallies,” while Democrats and civil rights groups frame them as a defense of democracy and equality.
Vice President JD Vance drew backlash after responding to revelations of racist and antisemitic messages from Young Republicans by arguing that a Democrat’s violent text messages were “far worse,” prompting criticism that he downplayed hate speech; figures across the political spectrum condemned both incidents as examples of escalating political extremism ahead of Virginia’s November elections.
The Department of Homeland Security has spent at least $51 million this year on ads thanking President Trump for securing the border, making it the most expensive political-style ad campaign of 2025, though DHS insists the taxpayer-funded effort is not political.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has threatened legal action against House Speaker Mike Johnson for refusing to seat Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, accusing him of violating the Constitution by denying Arizona’s 7th District its representation. Democrats charge that Johnson is stalling to block Grijalva from joining an effort to force a vote on legislation demanding the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Lawmakers from both parties are voicing growing frustration with the Trump administration for withholding key details about recent U.S. military strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats, with members demanding unedited footage, legal justifications, and intelligence behind the operations amid concerns over civilian casualties, legality, and reports that some targets may not be linked to drug trafficking at all, according to NBC News.
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is set to hear a major Louisiana redistricting case that could effectively dismantle a key part of the Voting Rights Act by determining whether states can consider race at all when drawing legislative maps, a decision that could sharply reduce minority representation nationwide ahead of the 2026 elections.
Meta removed a Facebook group used to track Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Chicago after a request from the Department of Justice, citing violations of its policies against coordinated harm, amid growing debate over whether such tracking tools endanger officers or represent protected First Amendment activity.
Los Angeles County declared a state of emergency in response to federal immigration raids, allowing officials to offer rent relief, legal aid, and other assistance to residents financially affected by the crackdown that has led to thousands of arrests and widespread fear in immigrant communities.
Federal Border Patrol agents deployed tear gas on a crowd in Chicago’s East Side after a car chase and crash involving suspected undocumented immigrants, despite a recent court order limiting such force; the clash led to four arrests, injuries from gas exposure, and sharp criticism from local officials accusing federal agents of escalating tensions in immigrant neighborhoods.
The Trump administration revoked the U.S. visas of six foreign nationals after they posted social media comments criticizing slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The State Department said it had “no obligation” to host foreigners who “celebrate heinous acts” and published screenshots of the posts from individuals in Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay, and South Africa.
Officials said the move was part of a broader effort to enforce immigration laws and defend “American values.” Civil rights groups condemned the actions as a violation of free-speech protections and part of a wider crackdown on foreign critics of the administration.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO allies that new “firepower” and capabilities are on the way for Ukraine, amid speculation that the U.S. may supply long-range Tomahawk missiles to pressure Russia, as President Trump prepares to meet President Zelenskyy and weighs escalating support despite Kremlin warnings such weapons would mark a major new phase of the war.
A Florida judge has issued a restraining order against Republican Rep. Cory Mills after a former girlfriend accused him of threatening to release sexually explicit videos of her. The order, granted Tuesday, bars Mills from contacting the woman, who said he attempted to use the videos to intimidate her following their breakup. The ruling adds to a series of controversies surrounding the congressman, who is already under scrutiny for his conduct both in Washington and in his home state.
Thousands of U.S. federal workers are in panic and confusion amid mass layoffs ordered by the Trump administration during the ongoing government shutdown. Roughly 4,200 employees across seven agencies were terminated Friday, including hundreds at the Department of Education, where many staff members cannot access government email accounts to see if they’ve been fired. Unions have filed lawsuits to block the firings, calling them illegal and politically motivated. The move follows previous workforce cuts and marks an unprecedented use of a shutdown to justify permanent layoffs, leaving morale and public services in crisis.
The Israeli military said that a body returned by Hamas under President Trump’s ceasefire deal was not one of the remaining hostages, as tensions mount over the fragile truce, with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Trump both warning Hamas to disarm while Gaza faces internal executions, confusion over aid deliveries, and pressure from Israel to return all deceased hostages.
Unauthorized pro-Hamas messages praising Hamas and attacking President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were broadcast over airport PA systems at Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania and Kelowna International Airport in British Columbia after apparent cyber breaches. The incidents disrupted operations, triggered police investigations, and added to growing concerns over cyberattacks targeting global airports. Both airports said the messages were political in nature but did not contain threats; systems were shut down and later restored, with no security risks found.
Global carbon dioxide levels jumped by a record 3.5 parts per million in 2024 to reach 424 ppm — the largest annual increase ever recorded — deepening the climate crisis and raising fears that Earth’s natural carbon sinks are weakening. Scientists warn that forests and oceans, which normally absorb about half of human CO₂ emissions, are becoming less effective due to rising temperatures, drought, and wildfires. The World Meteorological Organization said this failure could trigger a dangerous feedback loop, accelerating global warming for centuries unless fossil fuel use rapidly declines.
More than 1,500 people have been displaced and at least one person killed after the remnants of Typhoon Halong devastated Alaska’s remote Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Entire villages, including Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, were nearly destroyed as powerful winds and flooding ripped homes from their foundations and swept them out to sea.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that ChatGPT will soon allow adult users to access erotic material — a major shift from the company’s long-standing ban on sexually explicit content. Altman said the change, set to roll out in December, is part of a “treat adult users like adults” approach, enabled by new age-verification tools and mental health safeguards.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
