Political Guyentist
Political Guyentist

Sunday

Miller gestures with both hands in a suit and tie, with an American flag behind him and a blurred bust in the foreground.
PBS NewsHour
1usUpdate

Stephen Miller favored arresting journalists to make them reveal sources in leak probes, The Atlantic reports; DOJ calls it 'absolutely false'

Two of The Atlantic's three sources say Susie Wiles, whom Miller replaces as chief of staff on Monday, Nov. 9, pushed back.

Axios reported on Wednesday, Oct. 21, that White House Counsel Will Scharf demanded Politico correct or retract three stories, one saying Trump might replace Susie Wiles. Wiles resigned Thursday, Nov. 5, and Trump named Miller to replace her on Friday, Nov. 6.

ContextMiller, 41, pushed for an ICE target of 3,000 arrests a day in Trump's second term, CBS reports. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act set aside about $170 billion for enforcement and the border. The Atlantic's sources describe Wiles as a guardrail who made sure Trump understood the risks of a decision. One person familiar with Trump's thinking said he has no need for a chief of staff who can pass bills, because nothing will pass. "The next two years are going to be nonstop political warfare," the person said.

THE ATLANTIC11 sources

2usTrump Jr. wedding party

Trump says he is ordering the Justice Department to investigate Democrats who threaten administration officials with impeachment, calling it extortion

Sen. Elissa Slotkin is the only Democrat he named; two House Democrats have backed impeaching Attorney General Todd Blanche since the Nov. 3 election.

What DOJ's 2017–2020 leak probes pulled from Congress, per its inspector general: Records sought for two members of Congress, both Democrats Records sought for 43 congressional staffers: 21 Democratic, 20 Republican, 2 nonpartisan

ContextImpeachment is how Congress removes an official: the House votes on charges, and the Senate holds a trial. It is a power the Constitution gives Congress. Trump's target is Democrats who say they would use it, or other probes, against his team. Todd Blanche, the attorney general, runs the Justice Department that Trump says he is ordering to investigate. Two House Democrats, Hank Johnson (Rep-D Georgia) and Deborah Ross (Rep-D North Carolina), have said since Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) that they would back impeaching Blanche. Trump did not name either of them. The one Democrat he named, Elissa Slotkin (Sen-D Michigan), spoke on Oct. 13, 25 days before his Saturday, Nov. 7 posts.

WASHINGTON EXAMINER5 sources

3uscontestedIran war

U.S. Central Command sets up Task Force Iron Gate to stop Iran moving arms and sanctioned goods by land and across the Caspian Sea

The Tampa-based team adds to the naval blockade, which CENTCOM says has kept more than $25 billion in Iranian crude exports off the market.

What pushing Iran's trade onto land routes puts at stake: An expert quoted by AP estimates roughly half of Iran's non-oil trade already moves by land or the Caspian; that is an estimate, not a customs count. Iran's roads minister said more than 85% of cargo went through southern ports before the sea restrictions. Treasury rules still allow food, medicine and medical devices to reach Iran, but the task force has published no border-clearance process for them.

ContextThe U.S. military began blockading Iranian ports on April 13. It lifted the blockade in mid-June under an interim deal and reimposed it July 14, per AP and Reuters. Iran shipped about 1.84 million barrels of crude a day in March, the last full month before the blockade, Reuters reported. CENTCOM's release dates its $25 billion figure only to "recent months."

WASHINGTON EXAMINER4 sources

4usUpdatecontestedHegseth's Pentagon

James Comer declines to defend Hegseth before a House impeachment vote Massie plans to force the week of Nov. 9

Hegseth vows to serve out Trump's term, The Wall Street Journal reports; in Comer's Kentucky, Republicans lost a House seat on Tuesday, Nov. 3, that Trump carried by about 15 points.

- Feb. 28 — Trump ordered U.S. strikes inside Iran, starting the war. - Sept. 15 — Massie gave notice of his impeachment articles against Hegseth. Republican leaders canceled the Sept. 17 votes, pushing action past the election. - Oct. 18 — Democratic ads tied Iran war votes and Hegseth by name to high prices. - Nov. 6 — Massie said he would refile on Monday, Nov. 9, or Tuesday, Nov. 10, forcing a vote within two legislative days. Several House Republicans told Fox it could pass, and Trump said he has "every intention" of keeping Hegseth.

ContextImpeachment works in two steps. A simple majority of the House brings the charges, and a two-thirds vote of the Senate removes the official. Removal takes 67 senators, so at least 20 of the 53 Republicans would have to join all 47 senators who caucus with Democrats. The vote would come about eight months after Trump's March 2 notice to Congress confirming the strikes on Iran, and before Democrats take control of Congress on Jan. 3. If Hegseth left, Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg would by law take on his full powers, including approving Iran operations.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL3 sources

5usUpdateIran war

U.S. strikes an Iranian air-defense system on Qeshm Island as the State Department offers up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear program

Trump called the strike "minor"; a U.S. official told Axios that CENTCOM is preparing for a possible return to major operations but has no new order.

- Oct. 22 — The State Department ordered non-emergency staff out of Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks on airports and oil sites. - Oct. 23 — Brent crude hit $116-117 a barrel. Intelligence chief Jay Clayton warned that Iranian plots to kill Americans were at "advanced stages," and embassy staff cuts in four countries followed. - Oct. 26 — Trump called it "decision time": a deal or resumed attacks. A third U.S. carrier headed to the region. - Oct. 27–31 — Saudi, Turkish, Pakistani and Qatari envoys pressed Tehran toward an interim deal: UN inspectors in exchange for partial sanctions relief. - Nov. 2 — The U.S. struck Qeshm Island. Iran said it could reopen Hormuz within two days if the U.S. lifted sanctions and its port blockade. - Nov. 4 — Iran claimed its mines destroyed tankers in Hormuz; BBC Verify found no evidence. Trump said the war cost Republican votes. - Nov. 5–6 — Trump met his security team and said he would decide "soon." Vance ran indirect ceasefire talks as Qatar pushed its blockade-for-inspectors draft.

ContextTrump has said U.S. strikes in June 2025, using seven B-2 bombers and about 75 precision weapons, obliterated Iran's nuclear program. Yet on Oct. 27 the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, said Iran still had not let inspectors verify about 440 kg of uranium enriched up to 60%; inspectors have been out since June 2025.

NBC NEWS5 sources

6usUpdate

House Republican chairs ask Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to brief them Nov. 18 on his ties to an alleged Chinese spy

The Financial Times reports U.S. intelligence believes his relationship with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang was romantic; Axios says her alleged aim was to get him to lobby for chip sales to China.

On Thursday, Oct. 29, the New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence believed Alice Huang, an executive close to Jensen Huang, was gathering information for Beijing. Trump had been briefed but held back, per the Times, to protect Nvidia chip sales and trade with China.

ContextThe chairs' letter calls Alice Huang a "publicly reported" Chinese intelligence asset. It also asks about Nvidia's safeguards against foreign spying. Megaspeed, her company, is a Singapore-based data center firm and an Nvidia customer. Nvidia told The Hill such customers get "ordinary business information" and "zero information relevant to national security." The Times reported that Jensen Huang had not received a defense briefing.

AXIOS4 sources

7not newslongformJobs reports

U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in October, more than any economist forecast

Unemployment fell to 4.1% from 4.2% in September, and average hourly pay rose 0.4%, to $38.00, the Labor Department said.

How revisions reshaped the three-month hiring pace: The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised August and September up by a combined 84,000 jobs. The three-month average went from about 50,700 a month before the report to 137,000 after, the best since May, TheStreet calculated. Revisions explain roughly one-third of that jump. Swapping July's loss of 10,000 for October's gain of 165,000 explains the rest.

ContextOctober's 165,000 is more than three times the 48,000 a month employers averaged over the prior 12 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. It follows a loss of 10,000 jobs in July and revised gains of 186,000 in August and 60,000 in September. The Federal Reserve sets a short-term rate that steers what banks charge. When that rate goes up, mortgages, car loans and credit-card debt cost more. The Fed last raised it in September, to a range of 3.75% to 4%.

BLOOMBERG2 sources

Sunday · The daily brief

Nov 82026

7 leads18 briefs27 min

BoardScroll

Executive summary7 stories

News news6

  1. Stephen Miller favored arresting journalists to make them reveal sources in leak probes, The Atlantic reports; DOJ calls it 'absolutely false'Two of The Atlantic's three sources say Susie Wiles, whom Miller replaces as chief of staff on Monday, Nov. 9, pushed back.
  2. Trump says he is ordering the Justice Department to investigate Democrats who threaten administration officials with impeachment, calling it extortionSen. Elissa Slotkin is the only Democrat he named; two House Democrats have backed impeaching Attorney General Todd Blanche since the Nov. 3 election.
  3. U.S. Central Command sets up Task Force Iron Gate to stop Iran moving arms and sanctioned goods by land and across the Caspian SeaThe Tampa-based team adds to the naval blockade, which CENTCOM says has kept more than $25 billion in Iranian crude exports off the market.
  4. James Comer declines to defend Hegseth before a House impeachment vote Massie plans to force the week of Nov. 9Hegseth vows to serve out Trump's term, The Wall Street Journal reports; in Comer's Kentucky, Republicans lost a House seat on Tuesday, Nov. 3, that Trump carried by about 15 points.
  5. U.S. strikes an Iranian air-defense system on Qeshm Island as the State Department offers up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear programTrump called the strike "minor"; a U.S. official told Axios that CENTCOM is preparing for a possible return to major operations but has no new order.
  6. House Republican chairs ask Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to brief them Nov. 18 on his ties to an alleged Chinese spyThe Financial Times reports U.S. intelligence believes his relationship with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang was romantic; Axios says her alleged aim was to get him to lobby for chip sales to China.

Not news news1

  1. U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in October, more than any economist forecastUnemployment fell to 4.1% from 4.2% in September, and average hourly pay rose 0.4%, to $38.00, the Labor Department said.

News news6 stories

Ongoing2 earlier updates17 days

This story has run 3 times over 17 days, starting Oct 22.

  1. White House counsel demands Politico correct or retract 3 stories about chief of staff Susie Wiles by Thursday, Oct. 22
  2. Trump names Stephen Miller White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles after Republicans lost the House and Senate
  3. UpdateStephen Miller favored arresting journalists to make them reveal sources in leak probes, The Atlantic reports; DOJ calls it 'absolutely false' — this issue
THE ATLANTICUpdate

Stephen Miller favored arresting journalists to make them reveal sources in leak probes, The Atlantic reports; DOJ calls it 'absolutely false'

Two of The Atlantic's three sources say Susie Wiles, whom Miller replaces as chief of staff on Monday, Nov. 9, pushed back.

The leak probes. Trump has pushed the Justice Department to pursue criminal leak investigations, The Atlantic reports. White House and DOJ officials discussed ways to force journalists to reveal their government sources, including arrests, three people familiar with the talks told the magazine. Two of them said Wiles pushed back. Miller was in favor and said it would not take long for reporters to give up their sources, they said. A DOJ spokesperson said "this is absolutely false" and declined to elaborate. A White House spokesperson said leaks will "NEVER be tolerated."

Why Miller. A person familiar with the decision told The Atlantic that Trump wants somebody who "will crack skulls" and "doesn't want to be reined in."

“I pledge to you, Mr President, my absolute loyalty, my unwavering commitment, and my total devotion to your success.”Stephen Miller, at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, Nov. 6

Republicans. Thom Tillis (Sen-R North Carolina), who retires in January, called the promotion a "colossal mistake" and said Trump should "rethink" it, The Hill reports. "Republicans lost because we lost the narrative on the border," Tillis said. Don Bacon (Rep-R Nebraska), who is also leaving Congress, told CNN: "He cost us seats in Texas and Arizona by alienating many Hispanic voters who voted for Trump in 2024."

Democrats. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (Rep-D New York) called Miller "a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands" and demanded he be fired, The Guardian reports.

Catch upwhat happened before · 2 earlier issues

Axios reported on Wednesday, Oct. 21, that White House Counsel Will Scharf demanded Politico correct or retract three stories, one saying Trump might replace Susie Wiles. Wiles resigned Thursday, Nov. 5, and Trump named Miller to replace her on Friday, Nov. 6.

1 earlier issue
WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Trump says he is ordering the Justice Department to investigate Democrats who threaten administration officials with impeachment, calling it extortion

Sen. Elissa Slotkin is the only Democrat he named; two House Democrats have backed impeaching Attorney General Todd Blanche since the Nov. 3 election.

Trump said in Truth Social posts on Saturday, Nov. 7, that he was ordering the Justice Department to investigate Democrats who threaten administration officials and Republican donors with impeachment or punishment.

The order. He called it "extortion at the highest level" and wrote: "These SLEAZEBAGS should go to jail for what they are doing."

The one name. Elissa Slotkin (Sen-D Michigan) was the only Democrat he named. Fox News and Politico said he appeared to be referring to her Oct. 13 remarks at the University of Chicago, where she said of future probes that she wanted would-be administration staff to think: "Lord, that might be buying myself a ton of problems that I don't want."

The impeachment talk. On SiriusXM's "The Dan Abrams Show" on Thursday, Nov. 5, Hank Johnson (Rep-D Georgia) said Attorney General Todd Blanche should be impeached, and Deborah Ross (Rep-D North Carolina) agreed, The Hill reported.

Still open. Trump cited no statute and offered no evidence of a crime, Newsweek and CNBC reported. The Justice Department did not answer Politico's request for details on its plans.

What DOJ's 2017–2020 leak probes pulled from Congress, per its inspector generalRecords sought for two members of Congress, both Democrats2 details
  • Records sought for two members of Congress, both Democrats
  • Records sought for 43 congressional staffers: 21 Democratic, 20 Republican, 2 nonpartisan
WASHINGTON EXAMINERIran war

U.S. Central Command sets up Task Force Iron Gate to stop Iran moving arms and sanctioned goods by land and across the Caspian Sea

The Tampa-based team adds to the naval blockade, which CENTCOM says has kept more than $25 billion in Iranian crude exports off the market.

Adm. Brad Cooper, head of Central Command (CENTCOM, the U.S. military command for the Middle East), announced the task force on Saturday, Nov. 7. The team will be based in Tampa, Fla.

The mission. Iron Gate will work with other U.S. agencies to stop Iran moving weapons, dual-use technology (goods with both civilian and military uses), sanctioned materials and illicit revenue across its land borders and the Caspian Sea. The naval blockade stays in place. CENTCOM says the blockade has kept Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil "in recent months," without giving dates. Cooper said the new effort "reinforces the success of our ironclad blockade against Iran at sea."

The objection. Joe Kent, the former U.S. counterterrorism chief, wrote on X that Iran "won't tolerate being slowly strangled by sanctions." He called the move a "brash provocation" that undermines peace talks.

Still open. CENTCOM's release calls Iron Gate an internal staff of about 20 that will coordinate with other U.S. agencies. It does not say who will physically stop cargo, under what legal authority, or which foreign governments have agreed to help.

BackgroundWhat pushing Iran's trade onto land routes puts at stake3 facts
  • An expert quoted by AP estimates roughly half of Iran's non-oil trade already moves by land or the Caspian; that is an estimate, not a customs count.
  • Iran's roads minister said more than 85% of cargo went through southern ports before the sea restrictions.
  • Treasury rules still allow food, medicine and medical devices to reach Iran, but the task force has published no border-clearance process for them.

Red take

Adm. Brad Cooper, Central Command's chief, is right to close Iran's land and Caspian routes, because a sea blockade with an open back door only reroutes the trucks. NATO learned that enforcing Libya's arms embargo in 2011: it hailed over 3,100 ships while a UN panel found unwatched southern borders let fighters and traffickers cross freely. Leave the north open and Tehran simply detours around the squeeze at sea.

Blue take

Stopping cargo on Iran's roads and Caspian ports with no published rules is a gamble Washington has not justified: CENTCOM cites no statute, war authorization or host-country agreement that lets it stop foreign cargo. Treasury still allows food and medicine into Iran, yet the task force has published no way for that cargo to clear those borders, so legal medicine is the first thing to stall.

Ongoing2 earlier updates21 days

This story has run 3 times over 21 days, starting Oct 18.

  1. Democratic ads target House and Senate Iran war votes and single out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
  2. Thomas Massie will force a House vote next week on eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
  3. UpdateJames Comer declines to defend Hegseth before a House impeachment vote Massie plans to force the week of Nov. 9 — this issue
THE WALL STREET JOURNALUpdateHegseth's Pentagon

James Comer declines to defend Hegseth before a House impeachment vote Massie plans to force the week of Nov. 9

Hegseth vows to serve out Trump's term, The Wall Street Journal reports; in Comer's Kentucky, Republicans lost a House seat on Tuesday, Nov. 3, that Trump carried by about 15 points.

James Comer (Rep-R Kentucky), the House Oversight chairman, declined to back Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Washington Examiner reported. The House faces a vote next week on eight impeachment articles filed by fellow Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie. Hegseth is vowing to stay at the Pentagon for the rest of Trump's term, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, Nov. 7. "He's not going anywhere," Tim Parlatore, a special adviser to Hegseth, told the Journal.

“There's a lot of questions about Hegseth. We have no idea what the strategy is moving forward in Iran.”James Comer (Rep-R Kentucky)

The clock. The Los Angeles Times reports Trump is weighing new strikes on Iran. He has until Jan. 3, when Democrats take control of Congress, to act with the current Congress in place.

Catch upwhat happened before · 2 earlier issues
  • Feb. 28 — Trump ordered U.S. strikes inside Iran, starting the war.
  • Sept. 15 — Massie gave notice of his impeachment articles against Hegseth. Republican leaders canceled the Sept. 17 votes, pushing action past the election.
  • Oct. 18 — Democratic ads tied Iran war votes and Hegseth by name to high prices.
  • Nov. 6 — Massie said he would refile on Monday, Nov. 9, or Tuesday, Nov. 10, forcing a vote within two legislative days. Several House Republicans told Fox it could pass, and Trump said he has "every intention" of keeping Hegseth.
1 earlier issue
What Massie's articles charge Hegseth with, and the evidence they citeArticle I: carrying out orders to start a war with no approval from Congress and no attack that would justify emergency action3 details
  • Article I: carrying out orders to start a war with no approval from Congress and no attack that would justify emergency action
  • Article III: keeping operations going past the withdrawal deadline set by the War Powers Resolution, the 1973 law limiting wars Congress has not approved
  • Evidence cited: counterterrorism director Joe Kent's March 17 resignation letter saying Iran posed no imminent threat, which the White House rejected

Red take

Impeachment is for high crimes, and carrying out the commander in chief's war orders is not one. Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican pushing for a vote the week of Nov. 9, rests his lead charge on Pete Hegseth 'carrying out orders,' while Trump, who gave them, says he has 'every intention' of keeping his defense secretary. Convict a cabinet officer for a president's policy, and every future House majority that dislikes a war gets a secretary to impeach.

Blue take

The House should impeach Pete Hegseth because the 1973 War Powers Resolution gives any war Congress never approved a deadline to end, and the articles from Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, charge that the defense secretary kept Iran operations running past it. Counterterrorism director Joe Kent quit on March 17 saying Iran posed no imminent threat. Skip this vote while Trump weighs new strikes, and every future Pentagon chief learns that the deadline is optional.

Ongoing35 earlier updates60 days

This story has run 36 times over 60 days, starting Sep 9.

  1. Houthi missiles and drones hit 4 Saudi cities, wounding 73 and halting Aramco's 400,000-barrel-a-day Jazan refinery
  2. UpdateBrent oil exceeds $100 a barrel; US diesel reaches $5.94 a gallon
  3. Houthis capture Yemen's Mokha from Saudi-backed forces 46 miles from Bab el-Mandeb
  4. UpdateHouthi forces captured Mokha and Perim island in the 28-kilometer Bab el-Mandeb strait.
  5. UpdateA day after the Bab el-Mandeb capture, maritime monitors have recorded no new transit halts
  6. UpdateSaudi Arabia shuts Hormuz-bypass pipeline, oil rises more than $3 with 4% of supply at risk
  7. UpdateHouthis seize two more Red Sea islands as Saudi pipeline faces 3-to-5-week outage
  8. UpdateSaudi Arabia suspends loadings at its last open oil terminal; September cargoes cancelled
  9. Attacks on Saudi export pipeline push WTI crude to $107.02 a barrel, a 30-day high
  10. UpdateHouthi missiles hit Riyadh, burning a fuel depot near King Khalid airport
  11. UpdateSaudi Arabia says it intercepted a Houthi missile aimed at Riyadh
  12. UpdateTrump declined a prepared U.S. air campaign against the Houthis, giving Saudi Arabia intelligence and targeting data instead
  13. UpdateSaudi Arabia tested its shut east-west pipeline for a restart as oil fell below $98
  14. Chris Murphy (Sen-D Connecticut) says Pentagon is hiding Iran war damage and a deal isn't imminent
  15. UpdateStrike on Riyadh airport kills 12, including an American; Trump says the U.S. "may" join Saudi strikes on the Houthis
  16. UpdateRiyadh airport hit again Sunday, Oct. 11, killing one; Saturday's strike toll rises to at least 13, including an American
  17. UpdateSaudi Arabia investigates why its air defenses failed to stop the Houthi strike that killed at least 13 at Riyadh's airport
  18. UpdateSaudi-led coalition bombs Houthi oil facilities and a fuel depot in Yemen after a Riyadh airport strike killed at least 13
  19. Houthi strike damages 3 floors of Aramco's Dhahran headquarters, including executive offices; no casualties
  20. Brent crude touches $110 a barrel, its first time there since May 20, after Saudi-led forces intercept missiles aimed at energy hubs
  21. Iran is giving the Houthis targeting and intelligence help for their strikes on Saudi Arabia, WSJ reports
  22. Judge jails ex-OpenAI engineer accused of bugging executives; prosecutors say Saudi official flew his family out
  23. UpdateBrent crude tops $111 a barrel, its highest since May, after Iran and the Houthis claim attacks on Gulf ships and Saudi oil sites
  24. UpdateState Department orders non-emergency U.S. staff and families out of Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks on airports and oil sites
  25. Brent crude hits $116-117 a barrel Friday, Oct. 23, on fears the Iran war escalates again
  26. UpdateU.S. cuts staff at embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE after intelligence chief says Iranian plots to kill Americans are at 'advanced stages'
  27. UpdateTrump says it's 'decision time' on Iran: a deal, or resumed attacks to 'finish it off'
  28. Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani envoys meet Iran's security chiefs in Tehran to push for a U.S.-Iran deal
  29. Qatar-led mediators urge Iran to admit UN inspectors for partial U.S. sanctions relief; U.S. and Israeli officials expect a week of strikes after the midterms without a deal
  30. UpdateQatari mediators return to Tehran to push an interim U.S.-Iran deal as Trump says the war will end 'soon'
  31. UpdateIran says it can reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if the U.S. lifts sanctions and its port blockade; the U.S. strikes Iran's Qeshm Island as Trump says there's 'no rush' to decide on resuming the war
  32. UpdateIran says mines destroyed four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which the BBC has not verified; Trump says the war cost Republican votes but he does not regret it
  33. UpdateTrump weighs resuming Iran strikes, negotiating, or keeping the blockade and sanctions after the midterms, Axios reports
  34. UpdateTrump meets his security team and says he'll decide 'soon' whether to resume full-scale strikes on Iran
  35. UpdateVance runs indirect talks with Iran on a ceasefire and new nuclear talks while Trump weighs renewed strikes
  36. UpdateU.S. strikes an Iranian air-defense system on Qeshm Island as the State Department offers up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear program — this issue
NBC NEWSUpdateIran war

U.S. strikes an Iranian air-defense system on Qeshm Island as the State Department offers up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear program

Trump called the strike "minor"; a U.S. official told Axios that CENTCOM is preparing for a possible return to major operations but has no new order.

The strike. U.S. forces struck an Iranian air-defense system on Qeshm Island, in the Strait of Hormuz, on Friday, Nov. 6. The AP reported these were the first U.S. strikes since the Tuesday, Nov. 3 midterms. Iranian state media reported two explosions in the island's Suza area. No damage or casualty figures have been released. U.S. officials have said most of Iran's air defenses were destroyed or badly degraded in June 2025 and early in this war, and expected Iran to rebuild them, the AP reports. The previous U.S. strike on Qeshm came Monday, Nov. 2.

“They built a little bit of an anti-aircraft device and we knocked it out in about 15 minutes, maybe five.”Donald Trump

The reward. The same day, the State Department's Rewards for Justice program offered up to $20 million, and possible relocation, for information on Iran's nuclear program. ([TS]nobody has checked Iran's roughly 440 kg of enriched uranium since June 2025, per the IAEA)

Catch upwhat happened before · 35 earlier issues
  • Oct. 22 — The State Department ordered non-emergency staff out of Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks on airports and oil sites.
  • Oct. 23 — Brent crude hit $116-117 a barrel. Intelligence chief Jay Clayton warned that Iranian plots to kill Americans were at "advanced stages," and embassy staff cuts in four countries followed.
  • Oct. 26 — Trump called it "decision time": a deal or resumed attacks. A third U.S. carrier headed to the region.
  • Oct. 27–31 — Saudi, Turkish, Pakistani and Qatari envoys pressed Tehran toward an interim deal: UN inspectors in exchange for partial sanctions relief.
  • Nov. 2 — The U.S. struck Qeshm Island. Iran said it could reopen Hormuz within two days if the U.S. lifted sanctions and its port blockade.
  • Nov. 4 — Iran claimed its mines destroyed tankers in Hormuz; BBC Verify found no evidence. Trump said the war cost Republican votes.
  • Nov. 5–6 — Trump met his security team and said he would decide "soon." Vance ran indirect ceasefire talks as Qatar pushed its blockade-for-inspectors draft.
34 earlier issues
Ongoing1 earlier update9 days

This story has run 2 times over 9 days, starting Oct 30.

  1. Trump did not act on U.S. intelligence that an executive close to Jensen Huang was gathering information for Beijing
  2. UpdateHouse Republican chairs ask Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to brief them Nov. 18 on his ties to an alleged Chinese spy — this issue
AXIOSUpdate

House Republican chairs ask Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to brief them Nov. 18 on his ties to an alleged Chinese spy

The Financial Times reports U.S. intelligence believes his relationship with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang was romantic; Axios says her alleged aim was to get him to lobby for chip sales to China.

Three House Republican committee chairs asked Jensen Huang on Thursday, Nov. 5 to attend a closed-door briefing on Wednesday, Nov. 18 about his ties to Alice Huang. The Financial Times and The New York Times report that U.S. intelligence believes she was recruited by Chinese intelligence to spy on him. The letter is an invitation, not a subpoena. It came one week after The New York Times first reported the ties on Oct. 29.

The senders. Brian Mast (Rep-R Florida), who chairs Foreign Affairs, John Moolenaar (Rep-R Michigan), who chairs the China select committee, and Rick Crawford (Rep-R Arkansas), who chairs Intelligence. In the Senate, Chris Coons (Sen-D Delaware) wrote on X: “there is nothing this administration does that isn't corrupt. Congress will investigate and get answers.”

The suspicion. Spy services in three countries suspected Alice Huang, per the Wall Street Journal: the U.S., Singapore and Taiwan. The Financial Times reports that U.S. intelligence believes the relationship was romantic. Nvidia says she was a business contact and nothing more.

What next. The letter asks Huang to accept the date, or offer another, by Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Catch upwhat happened before · 1 earlier issue

On Thursday, Oct. 29, the New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence believed Alice Huang, an executive close to Jensen Huang, was gathering information for Beijing. Trump had been briefed but held back, per the Times, to protect Nvidia chip sales and trade with China.

BackgroundHow Washington loosened Nvidia's China chip sales before the inquiry3 facts
  • July 2025 — the U.S. promised Nvidia licenses to sell its H20, a slowed chip built for China; licenses arrived in August.
  • Jan. 13, 2026 — Commerce opened case-by-case review for the stronger H200, conditioned on U.S. testing and Chinese buyers screening customers.
  • Feb. 2026 — first H200 licenses granted; Nvidia's newest Blackwell chips, including the B200, stayed excluded.

Quick bites16

The president's people3 bites

  1. Trump tells 60 Minutes he expects "a few" cabinet changes after the midterms

    THE HILL

    "I love my Cabinet. I think they're good. But I'll … be doing maybe a few changes. I don't wanna mention who," Trump told correspondent Ross Douthat, per The Hill. Asked if he expected to fire anyone, he said, "I do." Douthat then asked if he could go six months without insulting Democrats to get a deal done. "Very easily," Trump said. The full interview airs Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+.

  2. Trump says he offered the vacant White House press secretary job to UFC chief Dana White

    CBS NEWS

    The job has been open since Oct. 16, when Katie Zacharia was removed after five days, CBS reports. One White House aide told CNN that Trump was joking.

    The offerTrump asked White to bring six UFC fighters as "assistants" to "defend us against the Lunatic Left."3 details
    • Trump asked White to bring six UFC fighters as "assistants" to "defend us against the Lunatic Left."
    • A source told CNN that White declined. He later posted "On to the next chapter" on Instagram.
    • White runs the UFC, the mixed martial arts league (CBS).

  3. Ex-HHS adviser Calley Means says outgoing chief of staff Susie Wiles blocked MAHA policies to protect sugar-industry money

    WASHINGTON EXAMINER

    Means also alleged that companies that hired the lobbying firm of Wiles's daughter got priority at the White House. He said Wiles told him, "I need the money from the sugar people to win the midterms," The Hill reports. Ron Johnson (Sen-R Wisconsin) told Fox News on Saturday, Nov. 7, that Means laid out corruption "in gory detail," including "within the Trump administration," the Washington Post reports. The claims rest on Means's word. The White House did not immediately respond to the Post.

    What else Means saidMeans quit the administration less than 2 weeks before the midterms, per the Washington Examiner.3 details
    • Means quit the administration less than 2 weeks before the midterms, per the Washington Examiner.
    • Means said on X that Wiles and Trump political adviser James Blair have harassed him with texts and calls, and dared them to sue. Blair denied it and said he had warned Means he would consider suing if defamed (Raw Story).
    • Means on Wiles's daughter's lobbying firm: "If you're a special interest and you want to get something done, the secret's out. You pay Susie's daughter."
Democrats' new majorities4 bites

  1. Van Hollen says Senate Democrats should get commitments before electing Schumer majority leader

    THE WASHINGTON POSTUpdate

    Chris Van Hollen (Sen-D Maryland) said Saturday, Nov. 7, that Democrats should get commitments from Chuck Schumer before electing him leader. Nobody should get a "blank check," he said. Van Hollen has also said he is "not looking to be the next Democratic leader" himself. Elissa Slotkin (Sen-D Michigan) also declined to back Schumer and would not rule out running herself, CNN reported. Mark Kelly (Sen-D Arizona) says he will back Schumer. Schumer has no declared opponent, CNN reported.

    On Thursday, Nov. 5, a source close to Van Hollen told NewsNation he would not challenge Schumer for majority leader. Several incoming Democratic senators had called for a leader other than Schumer, The Hill reported. None had said they would run against him.

    On the recordKelly, per CNN: "Chuck worked really hard to get this majority, so my plan is to support him."2 details
    • Kelly, per CNN: "Chuck worked really hard to get this majority, so my plan is to support him."
    • CNN reports some Senate Democrats are skeptical of Schumer becoming majority leader.

  2. House Democrats plan first votes on Medicaid, ACA subsidies, the Iran war and tariffs; most bills need 60 Senate votes

    ABC NEWSMedicaid and ACA cuts

    Early votes will focus on Medicaid and restoring enhanced ACA subsidies, then bills to stop the Iran war and roll back some tariffs, the AP reports. Democrats want to undo Medicaid cuts in the 2025 Republican law that the Congressional Budget Office projects at more than $900 billion over a decade. Most of these bills need 60 votes to clear a Senate filibuster; a war powers resolution on Iran needs only a simple majority. Trump can veto any of them, and an override takes two-thirds of both chambers.

    • Jan. 3: the new Congress is sworn in; Hakeem Jeffries (Rep-D New York) says "We're going to get out of the gate fast."
    • 5 working groups are drafting bills to lower costs in areas such as housing, energy, groceries and caregiving.
    • Ted Lieu (Rep-D California) promises AI hearings and "reasonable guardrails" on AI and data centers.

  3. Rep.-elect Melat Kiros, a Colorado Democrat, calls her speaker vote for Jeffries "up in the air" and demands four floor votes

    WASHINGTON EXAMINERUpdate

    Rep.-elect Melat Kiros, a Colorado Democrat, has not committed to backing Hakeem Jeffries (Rep-D New York) for speaker, the Washington Examiner reports. On Saturday, Nov. 7, she called her vote "still up in the air right now." Speaking on a CrookedCon panel in Washington, she named four measures she wants brought to the floor. Her demand, she said, "is not that Leader Jeffries specifically supports these things himself." Instead, "my demand is that he lets us vote on it."

    Axios reports Democrats are set to hold more than 250 House seats. Electing a speaker takes 218 votes when all 435 members vote for a named candidate.

    Jeffries asked House Democrats on Nov. 4 to elect him speaker. Politico reported that no rival had emerged. Democrats have not held the gavel since Nancy Pelosi's term ended in January 2023.

    The four votes Kiros wantsMedicare for All4 details
    • Medicare for All
    • A moratorium on data centers
    • Ending military sales to Israel
    • Ending the Iran war

  4. Incoming House Democratic chairs plan probes of Trump family crypto deals, the Minneapolis immigration shootings and DOGE

    WASHINGTON EXAMINER

    Robert Garcia (Rep-D California), expected to chair House Oversight, posted "Lawyer up" on election night. Jamie Raskin (Rep-D Maryland) plans a Judiciary probe of the free legal work law firms were pushed to give the administration. He has not ruled out impeachment.

    Targets named so farOversight (Garcia): Trump family crypto deals, no-bid DHS contracts and the Epstein files.3 details
    • Oversight (Garcia): Trump family crypto deals, no-bid DHS contracts and the Epstein files.
    • The January killings in Minneapolis of Renee Good, shot by an ICE officer, and Alex Pretti, shot by Border Patrol agents; Raskin told NPR Congress will use "every tool" to investigate ICE.
    • DOGE: Raskin told Fox News "DOGE was a catastrophe for America." GAO counts a net drop of nearly 256,000 employees at 22 major agencies from December 2024 to January 2026.
Also tonight4 bites

  1. Judge plans to appoint Jessie Liu to investigate whether officials misled her about D.C. golf course

    THE NEW YORK TIMESUpdate

    U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes plans to name Jessie Liu special master to probe whether Interior, Park Service and DOJ officials lied or broke ethics rules over rebuilding East Potomac Golf Links. Both sides' written responses are due at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, the day of the next hearing.

    Catch upwhat happened before · 4 earlier issues
    • Oct. 9 — Just before 5 p.m. on a Friday before a holiday weekend, the government told the court that tree cutting would start the next day at East Potomac Golf Links, which Trump wants to remake, NPR and NBC News reported.
    • Oct. 13 — The Park Service had cut about 430 trees, and Judge Ana Reyes extended her halt on further removal.
    • Oct. 19–20 — Trump named a designer and said the course would close Nov. 15 for 15 months, while DOJ lawyers told Reyes the plans were preliminary and the course would not close. Reyes asked whom to believe.
    • Oct. 28 — DOJ told the court the closure plans were real.
    • Oct. 30 — Reyes opened a formal inquiry into whether DOJ and Interior officials misled her and said there was no finding of wrongdoing yet.
    3 earlier issues
    Where the course standsThe administration still plans to close the course and park on Nov. 15.2 details
    • The administration still plans to close the course and park on Nov. 15.
    • Reyes's injunction requires 10 days' written notice before any irreparable change to the course.
    Ongoing4

    This story has run 5 times over 26 days, starting Oct 13.

    1. Judge extends halt on tree removal after Park Service cut about 430 trees at D.C. golf course
    2. UpdateTrump says D.C.'s East Potomac golf course closes Nov. 15 for 15 months, despite court halt
    3. UpdateDOJ tells judge East Potomac golf course won't close, contradicting Trump's Nov. 15 date
    4. UpdateJudge opens misconduct inquiry into whether DOJ and Interior officials misled her about D.C. golf course
    5. UpdateJudge plans to appoint Jessie Liu to investigate whether officials misled her about D.C. golf course — this issue

  2. Israel's president asks Eisenkot, not Netanyahu, to form a government after 67-46 Knesset recommendations

    BBC NEWS

    Israeli President Isaac Herzog gave Eisenkot 28 days, extendable by 14, to reach 61 of 120 seats. His bloc won only 48 and needs the 19 seats the Arab-led alliances won, a total the BBC calls unprecedented. Only one independent Arab party has ever joined a governing coalition: Ra'am, in 2021, per the Los Angeles Times.

    Where each side standsNetanyahu's bloc won 53 seats in the Oct. 27 election, eight short of a majority.3 details
    • Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats in the Oct. 27 election, eight short of a majority. In a video just before Herzog's announcement, he called for a "national unity government" (AP).
    • Netanyahu warned against "hastily swearing in a government with terrorist supporters," his term for the Arab-led parties (PBS NewsHour).
    • Eisenkot on X: "Now is the time to form a national emergency government."

  3. ICE detained a Wisconsin state trooper at an airport, then freed him a day later on electronic monitoring

    THE HILLICE raids

    DHS says trooper Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe, 21, a South African asylum seeker, overstayed a 2019 visa. His lawyers say USCIS, another DHS agency, authorized him to work through 2030, and that he used that permit to serve as a trooper.

    • He came to the US at 14 and has waited 7 years for his asylum case to be heard (The Guardian).
    • ICE stopped him at Madison's airport on Thursday, Nov. 5 and released him Friday, Nov. 6. His lawyer says he must check in with ICE regularly and will be electronically monitored.
    • His lawyers: "DHS owes this family more than silence."

  4. At least 12 California DAs oppose Newsom's plan to commute all 548 death sentences

    FOX NEWSUpdate

    At least a dozen California district attorneys have condemned the plan, Fox News reported. They say it overrides juries and voters, who rejected repeal in 2012 and 2016. Kern County DA Cynthia Zimmer said it "will be challenged." Newsom still needs the state Supreme Court for 382 of the cases. California's constitution bars a governor from granting clemency to anyone twice convicted of a felony unless four justices recommend it.

    On Thursday, Nov. 5, Newsom said he would commute all 548 California death sentences to life without parole. The death penalty itself stays on the books.

    Where it standsOrange County DA Todd Spitzer called it "mercy for the wolves" that inflicts "the ultimate act of cruelty on the sheep."3 details
    • Orange County DA Todd Spitzer called it "mercy for the wolves" that inflicts "the ultimate act of cruelty on the sheep."
    • California's last execution was in 2006.
    • Newsom asked the justices to rule by the end of the year so he can act before his term ends in January.
Elections5 bites

  1. Texas Republicans redrew Rio Grande Valley House districts to gain seats and lost every one

    ABC NEWSRedistricting fights

    ABC News counts four redrawn Rio Grande Valley districts and says Republicans lost each by double digits. AP counts three. Henry Cuellar (Rep-D Texas) and Vicente Gonzalez (Rep-D Texas) won reelection, and Democrat Bobby Pulido unseated Monica De La Cruz (Rep-R Texas). The map was drawn to give the GOP five more Texas seats. It left Republicans with a net loss of one, ABC reports.

    In ABC News' Voter Poll, 67% of Hispanic Texas Senate voters said immigration enforcement had gone too far, against 45% of white voters. Turnout rose 9.9% from 2022 in Hidalgo County and 7.9% in Cameron County, ABC reports. It did not say whether that counts ballots or the share of registered voters.

  2. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt calls the GOP's midterm loss "worse than a butt whipping"; most Republicans tie it at least partly to Trump, per YouGov

    POLITICOUpdate

    Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma's outgoing Republican governor, told Politico the result was "probably worse than a butt whipping" for his party. He called Trump's use of the DOJ against opponents "Third World country stuff" in the same interview. Larry Hogan, a former Republican governor of Maryland, told CNN the result was "a complete and total rebuke" of Trump, the Washington Post reports. In a YouGov poll the Post cites, 36% of Republicans said the results reflected views of Trump. Another 31% said Trump and the candidates counted equally, and 16% named the candidates. Vice President JD Vance predicted "a lot of infighting and arguing over what happened and why," per BBC News.

    As of Nov. 4, only nine of Trump's 23 picks for governor had won, per a Guardian tally.

  3. Voters 18-29 backed House Democrats by 35 points, CIRCLE estimates; 54% of young white men voted Democratic

    THE GUARDIANUpdate

    Voters 18 to 29 backed Democratic House candidates by 35 points, early estimates from Tufts University's CIRCLE show, the Guardian reports. NBC's exit poll had them wider apart, 73% to 25%. Young white men voted 54% Democratic, per CIRCLE, two years after 63% of them backed Trump. CIRCLE estimates youth turnout was the second-highest for a midterm in 30 years, behind 2018. Income barely sorted voters. In the SSRS Voter Poll, Democrats won 59% of families under $30,000 and 61% of those over $300,000.

    NBC's exit poll, updated Nov. 4, showed Latino men moved from 54%-44% Republican in 2024 to 58%-39% Democratic in the Nov. 3 midterms.

    Other numbers from the Nov. 3 voteFour-year degree holders voted 63-35 Democratic; voters without one split 48-50, a 30-point gap in margins that a Washington…3 details
    • Four-year degree holders voted 63-35 Democratic; voters without one split 48-50, a 30-point gap in margins that a Washington Examiner analysis calls the widest in six midterms (SSRS Voter Poll of 81,290 registered voters, which replaced Edison exit polls).
    • Voters called the Iran war the wrong decision over the right one, 63% to 37% (SSRS).
    • Overall turnout was the second-highest for a midterm in more than a century, behind 2018 (Washington Post).

  4. Peltola campaign sues Alaska for the list of rejected absentee ballots and why each was rejected

    WASHINGTON EXAMINERAlaska Senate race

    Mary Peltola's campaign for Senate against Dan Sullivan (Sen-R Alaska) sued state election officials on Friday, Nov. 6, under the Public Records Act. It wants the absentee register showing which ballots were coded for rejection and why. The suit says the state turned down requests the campaign first sent on Oct. 27. The campaign also asked for a temporary restraining order. The state Department of Law said the records are preliminary and have long been kept confidential. It said releasing them could delay the count.

    The caseCourt: Alaska Superior Court, Anchorage; Judge Thomas Matthews (Anchorage Daily News)4 details
    • Court: Alaska Superior Court, Anchorage; Judge Thomas Matthews (Anchorage Daily News)
    • First written records request: Oct. 27, sent to all five regional election offices, per the suit
    • Counsel includes Elias Law Group (Democracy Docket)
    • Certification of the Senate race is set for Nov. 25 (Anchorage Daily News)

  5. Democrats win every statewide executive office on the ballot in Texas, Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin

    AXIOSUpdate

    Democrats won every statewide executive office on the ballot in four states, Axios reports from AP data. In Arizona they hold three such offices and lead the other three. They also flipped the secretary of state's office in Georgia, Ohio and Indiana. Axios says that puts new officials in charge of running the 2028 presidential election there. State law limits that role. Georgia's State Election Board writes the election rules, and Indiana's bipartisan Election Commission adopts them.

    AP projected Democratic control of the governor's office and both legislative chambers in six states, plus a Democratic Texas House, ABC News reported on Friday, Nov. 6.

    Down the ballotGeorgia: Democrats won all 8 of 8 statewide executive offices (Axios).3 details
    • Georgia: Democrats won all 8 of 8 statewide executive offices (Axios).
    • Democrats are projected to control at least 10 more state legislative chambers in 2027, per AP projections reported by ABC News.
    • Georgia's outgoing Republican governor, Brian Kemp, said on Nov. 4 he would not call a special session to redraw maps or limit Democratic Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms' power: "The voters of our state have spoken." (ABC News)

Elections2 races

2 closest races

  • rAlaska governor99.3%Wilson 0.57%Begich 0.05%

    POLYMARKET: Alaska governor — general election

    Bernadette Wilson (R) faces Tom Begich (D).

    A dead heat — the two sides are priced within a point of each other, after Wilson lost about eleven points in a week.

    Two markets, one question

    Alaska governor

    Nov 7, 9:24 PM CT
    widest venue gap 0.6pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska governor. Bernadette Wilson (R): Polymarket 0.25%, Kalshi 0.90%; Tom Begich (D): Polymarket 0.05%, Kalshi 0.05%. Widest disagreement between the two venues: 0.6pp. Full history is in the table below.

    7 days ago

    Market-implied chance of winning, out of 100 — prices, not polls. Source: Polymarket · Kalshi.

  • qAlaska SenateMary Peltola 98.13%▲26.3Sullivan 2.33%

    POLYMARKET: Alaska Senate — general election

    Mary Peltola (D) faces Dan Sullivan (R).

    A sitting Republican senator is defending this seat, and Peltola holds a commanding lead, but no race here has moved more this week: it is up about 26 points.

    Two markets, one question

    Alaska Senate

    Nov 7, 9:24 PM CT
    widest venue gap 1.3pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska Senate. Mary Peltola (D): Polymarket 98.50%, Kalshi 97.75%; Dan Sullivan (R): Polymarket 1.65%, Kalshi 3.00%. Widest disagreement between the two venues: 1.3pp. Full history is in the table below.

    7 days ago

    Market-implied chance of winning, out of 100 — prices, not polls. Source: Polymarket · Kalshi.

“Still in doubt” means no leader above 80% on either book. Prices captured Nov 7, 9:24 PM CT. These are trader-implied estimates, not polls. Separate contracts trade independently, so opposing prices may not add to exactly 100%.

Not news news1 story

BLOOMBERGJobs reports

U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in October, more than any economist forecast

Unemployment fell to 4.1% from 4.2% in September, and average hourly pay rose 0.4%, to $38.00, the Labor Department said.

October's jobs report beat every forecast in Bloomberg's survey of economists. Bloomberg Economics says the hiring spread across white-collar, manufacturing and transportation jobs rather than piling up in one sector. Unemployment fell and pay rose. After the report, traders put the odds of a December rate hike at 74%, up from 67% before it, Bloomberg reported.

How revisions reshaped the three-month hiring paceThe Bureau of Labor Statistics revised August and September up by a combined 84,000 jobs.3 details
  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised August and September up by a combined 84,000 jobs.
  • The three-month average went from about 50,700 a month before the report to 137,000 after, the best since May, TheStreet calculated.
  • Revisions explain roughly one-third of that jump. Swapping July's loss of 10,000 for October's gain of 165,000 explains the rest.
12 stories that didn't make the cutSeen by the desk, ranked, and not run. The number is where each stood in the day's order.

News

  • 26Georgia state race reversed after votes found on a memory cardA Georgia state race was reportedly reversed after votes turned up on a memory card; the only source is a single X post and the claim was not independently confirmed.
  • 28US homelessness posts its largest drop in more than a decadeU.S. homelessness recorded its largest drop in more than a decade; the policy data story lost out to post-election coverage for space.
  • 29Democratic Senate ends Trump's glide path on judicial confirmationsA Democratic Senate ends Trump's easy path on judicial confirmations; it was a forward-looking analysis piece, and the issue already carried the Senate leadership story.
  • 30GOP lame-duck agenda: NDAA, government funding, and Trump's pressure on the SenateThe GOP lame-duck agenda includes the NDAA, government funding and Trump's pressure on the Senate; it was a preview with no new action yet to report.
  • 31Russia steps up attacks and upgrades its delegation ahead of US-led Ukraine talksRussia stepped up attacks and upgraded its delegation ahead of U.S.-led Ukraine talks; the talks have not happened yet, so it was held for a more concrete development.
  • 32Houston mayor limits police cooperation with ICEHouston's mayor said police will call ICE only over jailable charges; it was a local policy change, and the issue already ran an ICE story.
  • 33CDC records more than 5,000 measles casesThe CDC has recorded more than 5,000 measles cases this year; the public-health milestone was outranked by political news on election-recap day.
  • 34US disables an 11th ship trying to breach the Iran naval blockadeThe U.S. disabled an 11th ship trying to breach the Iran naval blockade; it was an incremental count, and the issue already covers the Iran war twice.
  • 35Nithya Raman wins the LA mayor's race as socialist mayors spreadNithya Raman ousted Karen Bass in the LA mayor's race as socialist mayors spread; the source is a video segment, and the race is local next to the national results.
  • 37Latino voters swing back to Democrats nationallyLatino voters swung back to Democrats nationally; it overlaps the published youth and education voting-gap story.

Election related

  • 27Senate permitting-reform bill and manager's amendment head for a lame-duck showdownThe Senate permitting-reform bill and its manager's amendment are headed for a lame-duck fight; it was a procedural setup story on a day full of midterm results.
  • 36The midterms widen the 2028 battleground and Senate mapThe midterm results widen the 2028 battleground and Senate map; it was speculative analysis, and the issue already carries several results stories.

More on the Elections page