Political Guyentist
Political Guyentist

Tuesday

Workers guide large white cargo bags suspended by a crane above a flatbed truck beside a cargo ship.
Fox News
1usUpdatecontestedIran war

Trump says renewed strikes on Iran don't seem necessary after meeting Qatar's prime minister; no peace deal announced

Iran's foreign ministry repeated on Monday, Nov. 9, that the U.S. must lift its blockade and sanctions before talks start.

- Oct. 23–25 — A U.S. intelligence memo said Iranian plots to kill Americans were at "advanced stages"; the U.S. cut embassy staff in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE. - Oct. 26 — Trump called it "decision time": a deal, or resumed attacks; a third U.S. aircraft 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 offered to reopen Hormuz within two days if the U.S. lifted sanctions and its blockade. - Nov. 4 — Iran claimed its mines destroyed several tankers; the BBC could not verify it. - Nov. 5–6 — Trump weighed resuming major combat while Vice President JD Vance ran indirect talks with Iran on a ceasefire and new nuclear talks. - Nov. 6 — The U.S. struck an Iranian air-defense system on Qeshm Island, which Trump called "minor." - Nov. 8 — Iran told the U.S. to accept its offer or face escalation; Rubio called some demands "outrageous and ridiculous."

ContextThe war began Feb. 28, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz (the narrow Gulf passage that carries much of the world's seaborne oil) has collapsed since. Three commercial ships with tracking beacons crossed on Monday, Nov. 9, according to hormuz.now. The January average was 58.5 a day. Trump's remarks did not come with a deal. Rubio said Sunday, Nov. 8, that talks were not near a breakthrough, and he called Iran's offer unacceptable. On Nov. 9, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei repeated Iran's terms: talks require the U.S. to first lift its naval blockade and sanctions and to stop fighting on all fronts.

FOX NEWS8 sources

2usUpdatecontestedHegseth's Pentagon

Massie files eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Hegseth, forcing House action by Wed., Nov. 11

Republican leaders can try to set it aside with a vote to table. ABC News counts three Republicans voting with every Democrat as enough to impeach.

- Oct. 18 — Democratic ads attacked House and Senate Iran war votes, singled out Hegseth, and tied the war to high prices. - Nov. 6 — Massie said he would force a vote on eight articles; several House Republicans told Fox it could pass. Trump said he has "every intention" of keeping Hegseth. James Comer (Rep-R Kentucky) told NewsNation there are "a lot of questions about Hegseth." - Nov. 8 — Jeffries called himself a "hard yes" on ABC's This Week.

ContextImpeachment is the House's formal charge against an official, and on its own it removes no one. If a majority of the House votes yes, the case goes to the Senate for a possible trial. Hegseth keeps his job unless senators convict him, which the Constitution says takes two-thirds of those present. Massie's first try in September never reached a vote before the House recessed. This time he filed the articles as privileged, so the House must deal with them within two legislative days of Monday, Nov. 9. Massie told PBS he does not know whether he has the votes. He told ABC News he is confident enough Republicans will join.

PBS NEWSHOUR11 sources

3usUpdateTrump Jr. wedding party

Slotkin's lawyer Preet Bharara asks Attorney General Blanche to say DOJ will not investigate her speech

Trump named only Slotkin, who said at the University of Chicago she hoped future investigations would deter people from taking administration jobs.

- Nov. 3–4 — The AP called both chambers for Democrats, who will hold at least 54 Senate seats in January, per NBC News; Trump said he'd accept the results and threatened vetoes. - Nov. 7 — Trump ordered DOJ on Truth Social to investigate Democrats who threaten officials with impeachment, calling it extortion, and named only Slotkin. - Nov. 8 — Blanche wouldn't rule out prosecuting lawmakers but named no law; Garcia added Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner to his probe list.

ContextTrump has publicly ordered the Justice Department to investigate congressional Democrats over what they have said about plans to scrutinize his administration. Slotkin's remarks were about deterring people from joining that administration. The House Oversight Committee (the main House panel that investigates the executive branch) will be chaired by Garcia in the next Congress. Blanche, who runs the Justice Department, has said the committee's incoming members should be worried. The department did not comment on Trump's demand about Slotkin, and it has not said in public whether it will open an inquiry.

NBC NEWS2 sources

4usUpdate

Trump tells DHS Secretary Mullin to work with Democrats on immigration; Mullin rules out amnesty but leaves permanent DACA status to Congress

The House Freedom Caucus, the hard-right House Republican bloc, answered Monday, Nov. 9: “No amnesty. No amnesty-lite.” A White House official said Trump “never said the word amnesty.”

A 60 Minutes clip released Saturday, Nov. 7, had Trump saying he would "be doing maybe a few changes" to his cabinet. In the interview aired Sunday, Nov. 8, he called his deportations "too tough" and said he'd "love to do something on immigration" with Democrats, CBS News reported.

ContextDACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a 2012 program) does not give permanent legal status. It grants two-year, renewable protection from deportation, which is why any permanent fix has to come from Congress. Courts have found the program unlawful, but current recipients can still renew under a court stay. Since 2012, one chamber of Congress has passed a path to permanent residence for these immigrants three times, and none became law. The Senate passed S. 744 in 2013, 68–32. The House passed the American Dream and Promise Act in 2019, 237–187, and again in 2021, 228–197.

FOX NEWS11 sources

5usUpdate

Trump says the FBI is looking into a matter tied to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair with an alleged Chinese spy; China denies espionage

Nvidia closed Monday, Nov. 9, at $178.67, down 4.27%, as the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rebounded 6.85% from last week's chip sell-off.

- Oct. 29 — The New York Times reported Trump was briefed about a year earlier that Alice Huang, an executive close to Huang, was passing information to Beijing, and took no action, wary of disrupting Nvidia's chip sales. - Nov. 4 — Three House Republican committee chairs asked Huang to brief them Nov. 18. - Nov. 6 — The Financial Times reported a U.S. government memo describing his tie to Alice Huang as romantic. - Nov. 8 — Huang admitted an affair in a message to staff; Nvidia's board opened an independent probe and kept him as CEO.

ContextMegaspeed, the company where Alice Huang was a top executive, is reportedly a buyer of Nvidia chips (Axios). NBC confirmed U.S. agencies concluded she was a spy, though no evidence is public. Singapore's Home Affairs ministry disputed a Wall Street Journal claim that it investigated her, confirming only an open probe of Megaspeed. The Justice Department is running a criminal investigation into Megaspeed over suspected smuggling of Nvidia AI chips into China, NBC News reported, citing a source. Such shipments would breach U.S. export controls. The probe is led by the department's National Security Division with the FBI and the Commerce Department. It also examines people tied to the company, including Alice Huang. The department declined to comment.

PBS NEWSHOUR10 sources

6us

Senate votes 73-25 to start debate on energy permitting bill after Trump says he won't approve wind turbines

22 Democrats voted yes, but not all have committed to final passage, and Angus King (Sen-I Maine) said Trump's wind remarks undermined his confidence in the administration's good faith.

Time to sue over covered environmental, wetlands, species and historic-site approvals drops to 150 days, down from periods that can reach six years.

ContextThe 73-25 vote on Monday, Nov. 9, was a vote on cloture (a motion to cut off debate, which takes 60 of 100 senators). It cleared a filibuster, the tactic of open-ended debate that blocks a measure unless 60 senators vote to stop it. This vote only decided whether the Senate would take up the bill at all. It did not pass the bill. Ending debate on the bill itself takes another 60 votes, and the House must also approve it. Twenty-two of the 73 yes votes came from Democrats, and not all of them have committed to voting for final passage. The bill would speed federal approval for solar, wind, oil, gas and other infrastructure projects. Supporters say it would cut construction delays. Opponents warn it would weaken environmental protections and consultation with tribes. Trump said he backs the bill but would not approve wind turbines. That led some senators to question whether the administration would honor the bill's clean-energy side.

WASHINGTON EXAMINER9 sources

7not newslongform

CDC and State Department award nearly $40 million in Ebola work to XpresTest, months after a fund Trump's two eldest sons invest in bought into its parent

ProPublica says the CDC's $18.8 million airport contract and the State Department's $20 million Congo grant are seven times XpresTest's earlier direct government work.

The Congo money is a State Department cooperative agreement, a grant-style award, not a standard purchase contract.

ContextThe sons are passive minority investors in American Ventures, their spokesperson says. That fund put about $31.3 million into XWELL preferred shares (stock that gets paid before ordinary shares) in February 2026, XWELL's SEC filings show. The sons also took a stake of more than 10% in Dominari Holdings when they were hired as advisers. Dominari's brokerage, Dominari Securities, arranged the XWELL deal. Its fee was 8%, about $2.51 million.

PROPUBLICA1 source

8not newslongform

Labor Department proposes requiring five work-search activities a week to collect unemployment benefits

Many states now require two or three a week; four states already require five.

What the five-activity rule counts, and who it excuses: Five activities need not be five applications. Interviews, employer skills tests, job-center registration and union hiring-hall contacts all count, and states may add job fairs, workshops and certification exams. States may run a points system that awards 1 to 3 points per activity, with five points required each week. Claimants in state-approved training, Registered Apprenticeship, self-employment assistance or short-time work programs automatically meet the requirement.

ContextFederal law requires every state to have a work-search rule, but each state sets its own weekly count. Some require only one search, CBS News reports. Only four require five, Michele Evermore of the National Employment Law Project, a worker advocacy group, told CNBC. About 1.72 million people were claiming state jobless benefits in the week ended Oct. 24. The Labor Department reported that count on Thursday, Nov. 5.

CBS NEWS1 source

9not newslongform

Federal government awards $10 billion in second-year rural health grants to all 50 states; Texas gets the most, almost $282 million

Half of each year's money is split evenly, so every state starts with $100 million before rural population and facility counts are added.

What CMS rules let states spend the grants on: Direct payments to providers: capped at 15% of a state's award per budget period Buildings and equipment: capped at 20% State administration: capped at 10%

ContextThe fund is five years long and pays $10 billion a year through 2030, $50 billion in all. Fiscal 2027 (the federal budget year running Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027) is its second payment. Half of each year's $10 billion, $5 billion, goes out in equal shares of $100 million per state. The other $5 billion follows rural population, the number of health facilities and other factors. That formula is how Texas reached almost $282 million on a $100 million floor. Congress created the fund in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed July 4, 2025. The same law cut Medicaid (the joint federal-state health program for low-income people). KFF estimates it reduces federal Medicaid spending by $911 billion over 10 years. About $137 billion of that falls in rural areas. Rural health leaders say the grants will not offset the Medicaid money they expect to lose.

STATELINE1 source

Tuesday · The daily brief

Nov 102026

9 leads9 briefs23 min

BoardScroll

Executive summary9 stories

News news6

  1. Trump says renewed strikes on Iran don't seem necessary after meeting Qatar's prime minister; no peace deal announcedIran's foreign ministry repeated on Monday, Nov. 9, that the U.S. must lift its blockade and sanctions before talks start.
  2. Massie files eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Hegseth, forcing House action by Wed., Nov. 11Republican leaders can try to set it aside with a vote to table. ABC News counts three Republicans voting with every Democrat as enough to impeach.
  3. Slotkin's lawyer Preet Bharara asks Attorney General Blanche to say DOJ will not investigate her speechTrump named only Slotkin, who said at the University of Chicago she hoped future investigations would deter people from taking administration jobs.
  4. Trump tells DHS Secretary Mullin to work with Democrats on immigration; Mullin rules out amnesty but leaves permanent DACA status to CongressThe House Freedom Caucus, the hard-right House Republican bloc, answered Monday, Nov. 9: “No amnesty. No amnesty-lite.” A White House official said Trump “never said the word amnesty.”
  5. Trump says the FBI is looking into a matter tied to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair with an alleged Chinese spy; China denies espionageNvidia closed Monday, Nov. 9, at $178.67, down 4.27%, as the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rebounded 6.85% from last week's chip sell-off.
  6. Senate votes 73-25 to start debate on energy permitting bill after Trump says he won't approve wind turbines22 Democrats voted yes, but not all have committed to final passage, and Angus King (Sen-I Maine) said Trump's wind remarks undermined his confidence in the administration's good faith.

Not news news3

  1. CDC and State Department award nearly $40 million in Ebola work to XpresTest, months after a fund Trump's two eldest sons invest in bought into its parentProPublica says the CDC's $18.8 million airport contract and the State Department's $20 million Congo grant are seven times XpresTest's earlier direct government work.
  2. Labor Department proposes requiring five work-search activities a week to collect unemployment benefitsMany states now require two or three a week; four states already require five.
  3. Federal government awards $10 billion in second-year rural health grants to all 50 states; Texas gets the most, almost $282 millionHalf of each year's money is split evenly, so every state starts with $100 million before rural population and facility counts are added.

News news6 stories

Ongoing37 earlier updates62 days

This story has run 38 times over 62 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
  37. UpdateIran tells U.S. to accept its offer to end the war or face escalation; Trump says new strikes 'highly unlikely' if talks progress
  38. UpdateTrump says renewed strikes on Iran don't seem necessary after meeting Qatar's prime minister; no peace deal announced — this issue
FOX NEWSUpdateIran war

Trump says renewed strikes on Iran don't seem necessary after meeting Qatar's prime minister; no peace deal announced

Iran's foreign ministry repeated on Monday, Nov. 9, that the U.S. must lift its blockade and sanctions before talks start.

Trump met Qatar's prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, on Monday, Nov. 9, as regional leaders pressed for a negotiated end to the Iran war. Fox News calls Qatar a mediator in the war.

Afterward, Trump said renewed military action did not seem necessary and that he was confident the war was moving toward an end. He added that the United States was "locked and loaded, ready to go for any reason." The meeting ended with no announced peace deal.

Catch upwhat happened before · 37 earlier issues
  • Oct. 23–25 — A U.S. intelligence memo said Iranian plots to kill Americans were at "advanced stages"; the U.S. cut embassy staff in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE.
  • Oct. 26 — Trump called it "decision time": a deal, or resumed attacks; a third U.S. aircraft 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 offered to reopen Hormuz within two days if the U.S. lifted sanctions and its blockade.
  • Nov. 4 — Iran claimed its mines destroyed several tankers; the BBC could not verify it.
  • Nov. 5–6 — Trump weighed resuming major combat while Vice President JD Vance ran indirect talks with Iran on a ceasefire and new nuclear talks.
  • Nov. 6 — The U.S. struck an Iranian air-defense system on Qeshm Island, which Trump called "minor."
  • Nov. 8 — Iran told the U.S. to accept its offer or face escalation; Rubio called some demands "outrageous and ridiculous."
36 earlier issues

Red take

Keep the blockade and the sanctions until Iran gives up something verifiable, because relief handed over first is leverage Washington never gets back. On Oct. 26 Trump called it "decision time"; Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, answered on Nov. 9 by demanding both be lifted before talks even start. Pay that price and Tehran collects relief for a promise, its "advanced stages" plots against Americans unpunished, its grip on Hormuz intact.

Blue take

UN inspectors inside Iran in exchange for partial sanctions relief is the bargain Trump should chase now. Saudi, Turkish, Pakistani and Qatari envoys already pressed it on Tehran, and Trump himself says new strikes don't seem necessary. Holding out leaves Hormuz nearly empty: three tracked commercial ships crossed on Nov. 9, against 58.5 a day in January. Every stalled week risks another "minor" strike like Qeshm Island tipping into wider war.

Ongoing4 earlier updates23 days

This story has run 5 times over 23 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
  4. UpdateHouse Democratic leader Jeffries says he is a 'hard yes' on Massie's resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth
  5. UpdateMassie files eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Hegseth, forcing House action by Wed., Nov. 11 — this issue
PBS NEWSHOURUpdateHegseth's Pentagon

Massie files eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Hegseth, forcing House action by Wed., Nov. 11

Republican leaders can try to set it aside with a vote to table. ABC News counts three Republicans voting with every Democrat as enough to impeach.

Thomas Massie (Rep-R Kentucky) reintroduced eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday, Nov. 9. His first try, in September, never got a vote before the House left town.

The charges. The articles allege misconduct tied to the Iran war and other uses of military power, harm to civilians, and free speech.

The clock. He filed it as privileged (a measure the House must take up within two legislative days). Leaders can instead move to table it, setting it aside without a vote on impeachment itself.

The sides. Trump told reporters Monday, Nov. 9, he would "stand by" Hegseth even if he is impeached, ABC News reported. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (Rep-D New York) backs impeachment.

“I don't know if we have enough votes. I have no idea. I haven't spent time on the phone calling people. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do.”Thomas Massie (Rep-R Kentucky)

What next. If the House impeaches, the case goes to the Senate for a possible trial. House passage alone would not remove Hegseth.

Catch upwhat happened before · 4 earlier issues
  • Oct. 18 — Democratic ads attacked House and Senate Iran war votes, singled out Hegseth, and tied the war to high prices.
  • Nov. 6 — Massie said he would force a vote on eight articles; several House Republicans told Fox it could pass. Trump said he has "every intention" of keeping Hegseth. James Comer (Rep-R Kentucky) told NewsNation there are "a lot of questions about Hegseth."
  • Nov. 8 — Jeffries called himself a "hard yes" on ABC's This Week.
3 earlier issues
Where Republicans who could sink the tabling vote standFrench Hill (Rep-R Arkansas) — noncommittal; he told CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday, Nov. 8, he wants "to hear the debate" first3 details
  • French Hill (Rep-R Arkansas) — noncommittal; he told CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday, Nov. 8, he wants "to hear the debate" first
  • Don Bacon (Rep-R Nebraska) — unsure, per the Washington Examiner; The Hill reported Monday, Nov. 9, that he signaled he is ready to back it
  • Warren Davidson (Rep-R Ohio) — opposed; he told NPR impeachment would be hypocritical, since administrations back to the Korean War have largely ignored Congress's war powers

Red take

Tabling is the right call, because these articles charge the wrong man. Warren Davidson, an Ohio Republican, told NPR impeachment would be hypocritical, since administrations back to the Korean War have largely ignored Congress's war powers. If every Democrat and a few Republicans revive it, a war Congress ducked becomes a template for punishing the next president's staff.

Blue take

Hegseth's fate belongs to a recorded vote, not a quiet motion to set it aside. Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who filed the articles, charges misconduct in the Iran war, harm to civilians and free speech. Trump says he has "every intention" of keeping his Defense Secretary, so tabling buries those charges before a single member must say whether they are true.

Ongoing9 earlier updates24 days

This story has run 10 times over 24 days, starting Oct 17.

  1. Sullivan breaks with Trump on Russian diesel deal in final toss-up Alaska Senate debate with Peltola
  2. UpdateJustice Department sues to block Alaska's Senate certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, citing a second candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan
  3. UpdatePeltola's campaign and Senate Democrats file to defeat DOJ suit seeking to block Alaska's Senate certification if Sen. Sullivan loses
  4. UpdateBlanche says DOJ's Alaska suit is 'not saying don't certify'; the complaint asks a court to block certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses
  5. UpdateDaniel J. Sullivan, the second Sullivan on Alaska's ballot, calls DOJ's certification suit a 'gross misuse'
  6. UpdateAlaska's Republican-led state government joins Peltola in asking a judge to end DOJ's certification suit
  7. UpdateNew York Times reports Peltola's campaign helped recruit the second Dan Sullivan; Trump calls for prosecution and DOJ seeks fast discovery
  8. UpdateAlaska's governor orders a state criminal probe and DOJ subpoenas Democrats over the second Dan Sullivan
  9. UpdateAlaska's U.S. attorney confirms a criminal probe, open since July, into who put a second Dan Sullivan on the Senate ballot
  10. UpdateSlotkin's lawyer Preet Bharara asks Attorney General Blanche to say DOJ will not investigate her speech — this issue
NBC NEWSUpdate

Slotkin's lawyer Preet Bharara asks Attorney General Blanche to say DOJ will not investigate her speech

Trump named only Slotkin, who said at the University of Chicago she hoped future investigations would deter people from taking administration jobs.

Preet Bharara, the lawyer for Elissa Slotkin (Sen-D Michigan), released a letter Monday, Nov. 9, urging Attorney General Todd Blanche to confirm in public that the Justice Department will not investigate her political speech. Trump has demanded that investigation, and he has called Democrats' planned investigations of his administration criminal extortion.

The letter. Bharara wrote that it "should not be hard to make clear that we do not live in an authoritarian regime where mere criticism of the powerful can land anyone in legal peril and possibly prison."

The department. The Justice Department did not comment on Trump's demand about Slotkin. On CNN on Sunday, Nov. 8, Blanche said, "I would be very worried if I was a member on that committee."

The committee. Robert Garcia (Rep-D California), the incoming Oversight chair, accused Blanche of threatening the committee's work: "The Constitution makes it very clear that it's our job in the Congress to conduct oversight of the executive and the administration."

Still open. Whether the Justice Department opens an inquiry into Slotkin.

Catch upwhat happened before · 9 earlier issues
  • Nov. 3–4 — The AP called both chambers for Democrats, who will hold at least 54 Senate seats in January, per NBC News; Trump said he'd accept the results and threatened vetoes.
  • Nov. 7 — Trump ordered DOJ on Truth Social to investigate Democrats who threaten officials with impeachment, calling it extortion, and named only Slotkin.
  • Nov. 8 — Blanche wouldn't rule out prosecuting lawmakers but named no law; Garcia added Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner to his probe list.
8 earlier issues
What a Democratic Oversight majority could force Blanche to answerGarcia demanded in June that Oversight bring in Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel for transcribed interviews on the Jeffrey…3 details
  • Garcia demanded in June that Oversight bring in Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel for transcribed interviews on the Jeffrey Epstein files
  • He later renewed the demand for Blanche's testimony on how DOJ released those files
  • He has proposed public hearings and subpoenas for Blanche starting on "day one" of a Democratic majority
Ongoing2 earlier updates2 days

This story has run 3 times over 2 days, starting Nov 8.

  1. Trump tells 60 Minutes he expects "a few" cabinet changes after the midterms
  2. Trump tells 60 Minutes his deportations were 'too tough' on working immigrants whose only offense was illegal entry, and he'd 'love to do something on immigration' with Democrats
  3. UpdateTrump tells DHS Secretary Mullin to work with Democrats on immigration; Mullin rules out amnesty but leaves permanent DACA status to Congress — this issue
FOX NEWSUpdate

Trump tells DHS Secretary Mullin to work with Democrats on immigration; Mullin rules out amnesty but leaves permanent DACA status to Congress

The House Freedom Caucus, the hard-right House Republican bloc, answered Monday, Nov. 9: “No amnesty. No amnesty-lite.” A White House official said Trump “never said the word amnesty.”

The secretary. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Monday, Nov. 9, that Trump encouraged him to work with Democrats who had approached him about immigration reform. Mullin said the two had not discussed changing enforcement policy, and he rejected amnesty. He said Congress could consider permanent legal status for DACA recipients. These are people brought to the U.S. illegally as children who hold two-year, renewable shields from deportation under a 2012 program.

Still open. Mullin gave no eligibility rules or timetable. TIME reports that Republican support for any deal is unclear.

Catch upwhat happened before · 2 earlier issues

A 60 Minutes clip released Saturday, Nov. 7, had Trump saying he would "be doing maybe a few changes" to his cabinet. In the interview aired Sunday, Nov. 8, he called his deportations "too tough" and said he'd "love to do something on immigration" with Democrats, CBS News reported.

1 earlier issue
Bills each party has offered to open the talksHakeem Jeffries (Rep-D New York), the House Democratic leader, offered the Dream and Promise Act as a starting point2 details
  • Hakeem Jeffries (Rep-D New York), the House Democratic leader, offered the Dream and Promise Act as a starting point
  • María Elvira Salazar (Rep-R Florida) is promoting her own bill, the Dignity Act
Ongoing3 earlier updates11 days

This story has run 4 times over 11 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
  3. UpdateNvidia board opens independent probe after CEO Jensen Huang admits an affair, reportedly with a suspected Chinese spy; Trump says he's done nothing wrong
  4. UpdateTrump says the FBI is looking into a matter tied to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair with an alleged Chinese spy; China denies espionage — this issue
PBS NEWSHOURUpdate

Trump says the FBI is looking into a matter tied to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair with an alleged Chinese spy; China denies espionage

Nvidia closed Monday, Nov. 9, at $178.67, down 4.27%, as the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rebounded 6.85% from last week's chip sell-off.

Donald Trump said Monday, Nov. 9, that the FBI is looking into a matter connected to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang, whom U.S. intelligence believes worked for Beijing, The New York Times and NBC News reported. He did not say whether Huang himself is under investigation or what the FBI is examining.

The White House. Trump said the bureau is looking into it "in terms of something else." He said Huang told him he had not known the woman was a spy. Trump said he called Huang "just to see if he's feeling all right" and predicted "he'll be in good shape."

Beijing. China denied that Huang was targeted by a Chinese espionage operation.

Nvidia. The board's independent investigation is still open. It says it has no reason to believe company secrets or U.S. national security were compromised.

Congress. Carlos Gimenez (Rep-R Florida) said the House China Select Committee needs answers, calling the relationship "a breach of national security at a pretty high level."

What next. Huang has until Wednesday, Nov. 11, to accept the House chairs' Nov. 18 closed-door briefing or offer another date, per the China Select Committee. The board has promised only "further updates as appropriate," with no date set.

Catch upwhat happened before · 3 earlier issues
  • Oct. 29 — The New York Times reported Trump was briefed about a year earlier that Alice Huang, an executive close to Huang, was passing information to Beijing, and took no action, wary of disrupting Nvidia's chip sales.
  • Nov. 4 — Three House Republican committee chairs asked Huang to brief them Nov. 18.
  • Nov. 6 — The Financial Times reported a U.S. government memo describing his tie to Alice Huang as romantic.
  • Nov. 8 — Huang admitted an affair in a message to staff; Nvidia's board opened an independent probe and kept him as CEO.
2 earlier issues
What Trump's FBI comment and Nvidia's probe leave unestablishedThe Justice Department declined to comment to NBC News, and NBC's report carried no FBI statement.2 details
  • The Justice Department declined to comment to NBC News, and NBC's report carried no FBI statement.
  • Axios reports it is unclear what Alice Huang gave Beijing, or whether she got anything from him.
WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Senate votes 73-25 to start debate on energy permitting bill after Trump says he won't approve wind turbines

22 Democrats voted yes, but not all have committed to final passage, and Angus King (Sen-I Maine) said Trump's wind remarks undermined his confidence in the administration's good faith.

The Senate voted 73-25 on Monday, Nov. 9, to begin debate on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act. The bill would speed federal approval of energy and infrastructure projects, from solar and wind to oil and gas. The vote ended a filibuster on whether to take the bill up at all, which takes 60 votes. Twenty-two Democrats voted yes. Trump endorsed the package but said he would not approve wind turbines.

“Undermine my confidence in the good faith of the administration.”Angus King (Sen-I Maine), on Trump's wind remarks

What next. The bill still needs a second 60-vote cloture vote before final passage, and then House approval. Supporting debate does not make passage a “fait accompli,” @LPDonovan wrote, quoting the Senate Cloakroom's vote announcement.

  • Time to sue over covered environmental, wetlands, species and historic-site approvals drops to 150 days, down from periods that can reach six years.

Quick bites7

Courts2 bites

  1. Supreme Court lets border barrier and road work resume in Texas's Big Bend Sector while lawsuit continues

    CBS NEWS

    The unsigned order in Mullin v. Friends of the Ruidosa Church, issued Monday, Nov. 9, pauses a district judge's injunction while the case goes on. It is not a ruling on the merits. The court said the government is "exceedingly likely to prevail" on its argument that the district court had no power to hear the case. The law that lets the homeland security secretary waive environmental laws for border barriers and roads also bars courts from hearing anything but constitutional claims against those waivers.

    What's at stakeCBP Commissioner Rodney Scott has said the planned 30-foot wall will not cut through Big Bend National Park.3 details
    • CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott has said the planned 30-foot wall will not cut through Big Bend National Park. Other work would, including more than 200 miles of patrol roads and about 17 miles of vehicle barrier, according to CBP (CBS).
    • The plaintiffs, a river guide, an environmental nonprofit and a group preserving a historic church in Ruidosa, Texas, say the work would do permanent damage to the land, heritage sites and the way people make a living.
    • The court said Congress showed "a clear preference for expeditious border construction" over the harms the challengers claim (The Guardian).

  2. Supreme Court appears likely to further limit federal prisoners' right to sue officials over denied medical care

    NBC NEWS

    Former federal inmate Kekai Watanabe says officers at a Honolulu facility denied him pain treatment in July 2021 after other prisoners beat him in a riot. He was later found to have a fractured tailbone, NBC reports. At stake is Carlson v. Green, a 1980 ruling that extended the Bivens precedent. It lets federal prisoners sue individual officials for damages when those officials deliberately ignore their medical needs. Conservative justices pointed instead to the Federal Tort Claims Act. Under that law, plaintiffs sue the government, not the officials.

    From the argumentJustice Samuel Alito asked whether Bivens claims provide "anything of value" when plaintiffs can also bring Federal Tort Claims…3 details
    • Justice Samuel Alito asked whether Bivens claims provide "anything of value" when plaintiffs can also bring Federal Tort Claims Act claims.
    • Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh appeared reluctant to overturn Bivens, the 1971 precedent allowing damages suits against federal agents, outright. Kavanaugh called this an "odd case" for doing so (NBC).
    • No ruling has been issued.
Also tonight5 bites

  1. U.S. asks Russia to accept NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine before Abu Dhabi talks

    WASHINGTON EXAMINERUpdateRussia-Ukraine war

    A U.S. official told the Washington Examiner that Russia was asked to accept Article 4- and 5-like guarantees for Ukraine, but Trump will decide whether America itself backs them.

    On Sunday, Nov. 8, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said European officials would attend the Abu Dhabi round, though the Kremlin had ruled out a European role. He did not say whether they would negotiate or only observe, NPR reported.

    • First three-way U.S.-Russia-Ukraine talks since February, led for the U.S. by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
    • Moscow wants Ukraine out of land it claims; Kyiv refuses to give up land Russia has not captured.
    • A U.S. official told the BBC the sides showed "a little bit of flexibility, privately."

  2. FDA orders all GLP-1 drugs, including Ozempic and Zepbound, to carry a rare vision-loss warning

    CBS NEWS

    The warning covers Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound; the FDA has not found how the drugs might raise the risk, and Novo Nordisk says the evidence does not prove they cause it.

    What the label is aboutNAION cuts blood flow to the front of the optic nerve.3 details
    • NAION cuts blood flow to the front of the optic nerve. The FDA says cases have been reported with every GLP-1 drug now on the market.
    • The FDA says it began its review after a July 2024 study of semaglutide patients.
    • Researcher Dr. Joseph Rizzo still does not discourage patients: the drugs have been "profoundly beneficial to a large number of people."

  3. Colom leads Hyde-Smith by about 2,500–2,600 votes in uncalled Mississippi Senate race before Tuesday, Nov. 10, deadlines

    THE WASHINGTON POSTBattle for the Senate

    Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom led Cindy Hyde-Smith (Sen-R Mississippi) by nearly 2,600 votes on Monday, Nov. 9, per the Post (about 2,500, per The Atlantic). No one has called the race. Secretary of State Michael Watson said that morning that 75 of 82 counties had sent in unofficial results. He estimated that about 8,000 affidavit and 2,800 mailed ballots were still uncounted. As of 10 a.m., Colom led 49.1% to 48.8%, per SuperTalk Mississippi. Tuesday, Nov. 10, is the last day to count provisional ballots and receive absentee ballots.

    The affidavit-ballot fightHyde-Smith's campaign asked that affidavit ballots be kept separate from regular ballots; Colom's campaign said processed…3 details
    • Hyde-Smith's campaign asked that affidavit ballots be kept separate from regular ballots; Colom's campaign said processed affidavit ballots have no legal basis for different treatment.
    • Voters whose registrations were marked inactive had to cast affidavit ballots. More than 230,000 were listed as inactive before the midterms, up from about 166,000 in 2024, per a Mississippi Today analysis cited by Axios.
    • Hinds County expected to finish curing affidavit ballots by late Monday, Nov. 9, or early Tuesday, Nov. 10. Voters who still owe a photo ID have until the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 10.

  4. U.S. sends no official delegation to COP31 in Turkey; about 20 members of Congress go anyway

    THE GUARDIAN

    The lawmakers, led by Democrats after their midterm wins, are paying their way with philanthropic money after the State Department denied them its usual support, The Guardian reports.

    Who said whatSean Casten (Rep-D Illinois): Congress must "maintain diplomatic continuities at Cop and minimize the damage until adults are back…2 details
    • Sean Casten (Rep-D Illinois): Congress must "maintain diplomatic continuities at Cop and minimize the damage until adults are back in the White House."
    • Casten told AFP on Wednesday, Nov. 4, that the delegation has 19 members; the SEEC Institute, which organized the trip, put it at about 20.

  5. October CPI out Tuesday, Nov. 10, will have no year-over-year inflation rate because of last fall's shutdown

    NBC NEWSGovernment funding

    The 2025 government shutdown stopped the October 2025 CPI from being published, so the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release only monthly changes Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. In September, prices rose 0.6% overall and 0.3% excluding food and energy, the bureau reported on Oct. 14.

    What economists expectHeadline CPI forecast: up 0.3% from September (Bloomberg survey)3 details
    • Headline CPI forecast: up 0.3% from September (Bloomberg survey)
    • Core CPI forecast: up 0.2% from September
    • Easing fuel prices are expected to slow the monthly rate (Bloomberg)

Elections2 races

2 closest races

  • iAlaska governor99.1%Wilson 0.82%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 six points in a week.

    Two markets, one question

    Alaska governor

    Nov 9, 8:35 PM CT
    widest venue gap 0.4pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska governor. Bernadette Wilson (R): Polymarket 0.65%, Kalshi 1.00%; Tom Begich (D): Polymarket 0.05%, Kalshi 0.05%. Widest disagreement between the two venues: 0.4pp. Full history is in the table below.

    7 days ago

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

  • hAlaska SenateMary Peltola 98.07%▲17.3Sullivan 1.93%

    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 seventeen points.

    Two markets, one question

    Alaska Senate

    Nov 9, 8:35 PM CT
    widest venue gap 1.6pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska Senate. Mary Peltola (D): Polymarket 98.80%, Kalshi 97.35%; Dan Sullivan (R): Polymarket 1.15%, Kalshi 2.70%. Widest disagreement between the two venues: 1.6pp. Full history is in the table below.

    7 days ago

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

“Still in doubt” means no leader above 80% on either book. Prices captured Nov 9, 8:35 PM CT. These are trader-implied estimates, not polls. Separate contracts trade independently, so opposing prices may not add to exactly 100%.

Not news news3 stories

PROPUBLICA

CDC and State Department award nearly $40 million in Ebola work to XpresTest, months after a fund Trump's two eldest sons invest in bought into its parent

ProPublica says the CDC's $18.8 million airport contract and the State Department's $20 million Congo grant are seven times XpresTest's earlier direct government work.

The awards. ProPublica reports that XpresTest, a unit of XWELL, won an $18.8 million CDC contract to screen travelers for Ebola at U.S. airports and a $20 million State Department grant to respond to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The track record. The company has done government airport screening before but has never worked with Ebola or done biosecurity work abroad.

The bidding. XWELL's CEO says both awards were competitively bid. ([TS]Federal award data on USAspending lists the CDC airport deal as not competed, with one offer.)

The sons. A spokesperson for Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump denies they had any role.

“This is a risky contract. I’m not sure we can do it.”Ezra Ernst, XWELL CEO, on the Congo work

  • The Congo money is a State Department cooperative agreement, a grant-style award, not a standard purchase contract.
CBS NEWS

Labor Department proposes requiring five work-search activities a week to collect unemployment benefits

Many states now require two or three a week; four states already require five.

The Labor Department proposed a national minimum. Anyone applying for or collecting unemployment benefits would have to log at least five distinct work-search activities each week. Many states now require two or three, and four already require five. The department says the standard would “improve program integrity and strengthen labor market attachment.” Worker advocates warn it would put up barriers for claimants and force costly changes on state unemployment offices.

What next. The proposal is set for Federal Register publication on Tuesday, Nov. 10, followed by a 60-day public comment period. It is a proposal, not a rule in force.

What the five-activity rule counts, and who it excusesFive activities need not be five applications.3 details
  • Five activities need not be five applications. Interviews, employer skills tests, job-center registration and union hiring-hall contacts all count, and states may add job fairs, workshops and certification exams.
  • States may run a points system that awards 1 to 3 points per activity, with five points required each week.
  • Claimants in state-approved training, Registered Apprenticeship, self-employment assistance or short-time work programs automatically meet the requirement.
STATELINE

Federal government awards $10 billion in second-year rural health grants to all 50 states; Texas gets the most, almost $282 million

Half of each year's money is split evenly, so every state starts with $100 million before rural population and facility counts are added.

Federal officials announced the fiscal 2027 awards on Monday, Nov. 9. They are the second payment from a five-year, $50 billion rural health fund that pays out $10 billion a year through 2030. Congress created the fund in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 2025 law that cut Medicaid. Half of each year's money is split evenly among the states, and the other half is divided by rural population, number of facilities and other factors. Rural health leaders welcomed the grants but said they will not make up for the Medicaid money they expect to lose.

What CMS rules let states spend the grants onDirect payments to providers: capped at 15% of a state's award per budget period3 details
  • Direct payments to providers: capped at 15% of a state's award per budget period
  • Buildings and equipment: capped at 20%
  • State administration: capped at 10%
14 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

  • 20Democrats face pressure to deliver on their post-election affordability promises.Democrats face pressure to deliver post-election affordability promises; cut because it is framing sourced to one X post, not a reported event.
  • 21Democrats plan to constrain Trump’s deportation campaign through funding and oversight.Jeffries vows Democrats won't fund Trump's deportation push; cut as a stated plan, overlapping the published Trump-Mullin immigration update.
  • 22Trump’s Board of Peace warns of a humanitarian emergency in Gaza after flooding.Trump's Board of Peace warns of a Gaza humanitarian emergency after flooding; cut for limited U.S. policy action and space in the foreign lineup.
  • 23Dan Patrick supports stripping powers from his incoming Democratic successor.Dan Patrick backs stripping powers from his incoming Democratic successor; cut as early-stage, with no bill or vote yet, a strong promotion candidate.
  • 24Education Department presses ahead with dismantling the federal bureaucracy after Republican losses.Education Department pushes ahead dismantling its bureaucracy after GOP losses; cut because the source gives few specifics on new steps.
  • 25Dan Sullivan seeks to intervene in Mary Peltola’s lawsuit over rejected absentee ballot records.Sullivan moves to join Peltola's suit over rejected absentee ballot records in Alaska; cut as a procedural filing ahead of any ruling.
  • 27Gasoline prices approach or reach $4 as the White House touts the decline.Gas nears or hits $4 while the White House touts a decline; cut because the claim needs price data checks before it can run.
  • 28Researchers project a decline in global fossil fuel emissions linked to the Iran war.Researchers project global fossil emissions will fall due to the Iran war; cut as a projection with indirect U.S. policy bearing.
  • 29Nebraska’s rapid Medicaid work-rule rollout causes coverage losses and administrative problems.Nebraska's fast Medicaid work-rule rollout drives coverage losses and admin trouble; cut for space, a strong slow-burn candidate to promote.
  • 30Russia and Ukraine exchange strikes before U.S.-brokered peace talks.Russia and Ukraine trade strikes before U.S.-brokered talks; cut because the published Abu Dhabi update already carries the talks story.
  • 31Exxon signs a preliminary agreement toward returning to Venezuela.Exxon signs a preliminary deal toward returning to Venezuela; cut as a nonbinding business step with unclear sanctions-policy terms.
  • 32Congressional watchdog finds evidence Lance Gooden misused public funds on extravagant travel.Congressional watchdog finds evidence Rep.

Election related

  • 19Congress returns after the midterms to funding deadlines, leadership elections and a crowded lame-duck agenda.Lame-duck Congress returns to funding deadlines and leadership races; cut as a scene-setter preview with no single development to report yet.
  • 26Outstanding House races remain unresolved nearly a week after the midterms.Several House races remain uncalled nearly a week after the midterms; cut as a status roundup with no new calls to report.

More on the Elections page