Political Guyentist
Political Guyentist

Thursday

Lutnick smiles and raises an open hand while wearing a dark jacket and white shirt.
Axios
1usUpdate

Bessent pressed Lutnick at a Situation Room meeting over why Commerce hasn't blacklisted Nvidia buyer Megaspeed, Axios reports

Trump then authorized a crackdown on firms diverting Nvidia chips to China; officials told Axios that Lutnick is stalling it.

As of Nov. 10, Lutnick had received a classified memo on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's ties to Alice Huang, a suspected Chinese agent. Commerce had held off blacklisting her company, Megaspeed, even as other departments pushed for it.

ContextLutnick holds no veto: under federal rules, entity-list additions are decided by majority vote of an interagency committee of Commerce, State, Defense, Energy and sometimes Treasury. Commerce chairs it and circulates proposals, starting a 30-day voting clock, and that circulation step is where a secretary can sit on a case. The trade Lutnick says is at risk is led by electrical machinery and computers, the top U.S. imports from China, per the Census Bureau.

AXIOS11 sources

2us

White House counsel Will Scharf warns likely Oversight chair Robert Garcia that Democrats' planned investigations 'may cross the line into blatant criminality'

Politico says the Justice Department, not the White House, usually leads oversight fights with Congress; Garcia answered that Congress's power comes from Article I, 'not from the permission of the White House.'

- Oct. 22 — The White House counsel's office demanded Politico correct or retract three stories about chief of staff Susie Wiles, naming no penalty. - Nov. 5 — Wiles resigned as chief of staff, two days after Republicans lost the House and Senate; the next day Trump named Stephen Miller to replace her, starting Monday, Nov. 9. - Nov. 8 — The Atlantic reported Miller favored arresting journalists to force them to name sources; the Justice Department called it "absolutely false."

ContextCourts have long deferred to congressional investigators and have declined to probe individual lawmakers' motives, Politico notes. Ryan Goodman, a New York University law professor, wrote on X that the letter ignores the Constitution's Speech or Debate Clause (the rule that shields lawmakers' legislative work, subpoenas included, from prosecution). He added that the letter may itself trigger a federal law against obstructing Congress "corruptly" by "threatening letter or communication." In the NBC News exit poll on Nov. 3, 90% of voters called government corruption a crucial or major factor in their vote for Congress.

POLITICO12 sources

3not newslongformGovernment funding

A month before the Dec. 11 shutdown deadline, Republicans want full-year bills that fund the Pentagon; Democrats want a stopgap and limits on Iran war money

Republicans are pushing in what the Post calls their last opportunity in power, before Democrats take both chambers on Jan. 3.

The current stopgap holds agencies at fiscal 2026 levels. The House cleared it 370-48 on Tuesday, Sept. 1, after the Senate passed it Aug. 8, per Reuters. The fall 2025 shutdown was the longest in history, and federal workers missed paychecks, per Nextgov. Republicans hold both chambers until Jan. 3, but spending bills need 60 votes to clear a Senate filibuster, so Senate Democrats can block them. Cole wants to pass the full-year bills in a few bundled packages. Senate Republicans released text for the agriculture and military construction bills on Tuesday, Nov. 10, per the Post. Democrats are split on making a war-spending ban a condition of the next stopgap, per The Washington Sun. Chris Van Hollen (Sen-D Maryland) and Ro Khanna (Rep-D California) want one.

ContextThe current stopgap holds agencies at fiscal 2026 levels. The House cleared it 370-48 on Tuesday, Sept. 1, after the Senate passed it Aug. 8, per Reuters. The fall 2025 shutdown was the longest in history, and federal workers missed paychecks, per Nextgov. Republicans hold both chambers until Jan. 3, but spending bills need 60 votes to clear a Senate filibuster, so Senate Democrats can block them. Cole wants to pass the full-year bills in a few bundled packages. Senate Republicans released text for the agriculture and military construction bills on Tuesday, Nov. 10, per the Post. Democrats are split on making a war-spending ban a condition of the next stopgap, per The Washington Sun. Chris Van Hollen (Sen-D Maryland) and Ro Khanna (Rep-D California) want one.

THE WASHINGTON POST1 source

4not newslongform

Energy aid directors project the average winter heating bill will rise 7.1% to $1,002, and oil-heated homes face increases of up to 70%

Nearly 5 million households heat with oil, and the group ties part of the rise to oil disruptions from the Iran war.

States where oil heats the largest share of homes: Maine: 50% (310,191 households) Vermont: 36% (104,012 households) New Hampshire: 36% (207,537 households)

ContextNEADA's November figures put the typical oil-heated household in New York and nearby states at $2,977 this winter, up from $1,749 last winter. For federal heating aid (LIHEAP, the grant program states use to help low-income families pay energy bills), HHS released an initial $3.632 billion for FY2027 on Oct. 9, below the $3.714 billion first FY2026 release, and a $100 million infrastructure-law supplement expired after FY2026.

THE HILL2 sources

Thursday · The daily brief

Nov 122026

4 leads18 briefs23 min

BoardScroll

Executive summary4 stories

News news2

  1. Bessent pressed Lutnick at a Situation Room meeting over why Commerce hasn't blacklisted Nvidia buyer Megaspeed, Axios reportsTrump then authorized a crackdown on firms diverting Nvidia chips to China; officials told Axios that Lutnick is stalling it.
  2. White House counsel Will Scharf warns likely Oversight chair Robert Garcia that Democrats' planned investigations 'may cross the line into blatant criminality'Politico says the Justice Department, not the White House, usually leads oversight fights with Congress; Garcia answered that Congress's power comes from Article I, 'not from the permission of the White House.'

Not news news2

  1. A month before the Dec. 11 shutdown deadline, Republicans want full-year bills that fund the Pentagon; Democrats want a stopgap and limits on Iran war moneyRepublicans are pushing in what the Post calls their last opportunity in power, before Democrats take both chambers on Jan. 3.
  2. Energy aid directors project the average winter heating bill will rise 7.1% to $1,002, and oil-heated homes face increases of up to 70%Nearly 5 million households heat with oil, and the group ties part of the rise to oil disruptions from the Iran war.

News news2 stories

AXIOSUpdate

Bessent pressed Lutnick at a Situation Room meeting over why Commerce hasn't blacklisted Nvidia buyer Megaspeed, Axios reports

Trump then authorized a crackdown on firms diverting Nvidia chips to China; officials told Axios that Lutnick is stalling it.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at a Situation Room meeting on Thursday, Nov. 5, why Megaspeed was not on the entity list (Commerce's trade blacklist; selling to a listed firm requires a U.S. license). The Singapore firm bought nearly $5 billion in Nvidia AI chips and hardware over three years, per CBS. U.S. investigators say Alice Huang, who is tied to the firm, obtained 240,000 export-banned chips through shell companies.

The meeting. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of State Marco Rubio sided with Bessent, per Axios. Lutnick warned the controls "will start a trade war with China," then said, "I need to check with the president." Someone in the room replied: "Great. Why don't we do it today?"

The order. Trump consulted Elon Musk, who backed the controls, then authorized the crackdown. One official said of Lutnick: "He's stalling it out."

The denial. Commerce spokesperson Kristen Eichamer said the exchange never happened.

As of Nov. 10, Lutnick had received a classified memo on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's ties to Alice Huang, a suspected Chinese agent. Commerce had held off blacklisting her company, Megaspeed, even as other departments pushed for it.

Who is pressing for the blacklist nowTuesday, Nov. 10: Michael Bennet (Sen-D Colorado) wrote to Justice Department, intelligence and Commerce leaders, pressing them on…3 details
  • Tuesday, Nov. 10: Michael Bennet (Sen-D Colorado) wrote to Justice Department, intelligence and Commerce leaders, pressing them on the paused Megaspeed probe.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 10: an Nvidia shareholder filed a class action alleging CEO Jensen Huang hid the Megaspeed relationship and misled shareholders, per CBS.
  • Ruben Gallego (Sen-D Arizona) asked on X why Commerce is "asleep at the wheel" and tied the delay to donations for the White House ballroom.
POLITICO

White House counsel Will Scharf warns likely Oversight chair Robert Garcia that Democrats' planned investigations 'may cross the line into blatant criminality'

Politico says the Justice Department, not the White House, usually leads oversight fights with Congress; Garcia answered that Congress's power comes from Article I, 'not from the permission of the White House.'

White House counsel Will Scharf sent a three-page letter, dated Monday, Nov. 9, to Robert Garcia (Rep-D California). Garcia is likely to chair the House Oversight Committee, the House's main investigating panel, once Democrats take the majority they won on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The letter. It says threats or subpoenas meant to "instill fear" "may cross the line into blatant criminality." It also says unlawful subpoenas "may warrant further investigation" by the executive branch. Scharf cites Supreme Court rulings, including Watkins v. United States, that say an investigation needs a legitimate legislative purpose. Punchbowl News first reported the letter, and it became public Wednesday, Nov. 11.

The answers. Garcia: "It appears Donald Trump has something to hide." Likely Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (Rep-D New York) called the letter "outrageous" and legally wrong. Stephen Lynch (Rep-D Massachusetts): "Come at me, bro."

The read. New York Times reporter Devlin Barrett, on PBS: "As a legal document, it doesn't mean very much... I take this letter to basically mean, we intend to fight every subpoena you send us."

How we got herethe story so far
  • Oct. 22 — The White House counsel's office demanded Politico correct or retract three stories about chief of staff Susie Wiles, naming no penalty.
  • Nov. 5 — Wiles resigned as chief of staff, two days after Republicans lost the House and Senate; the next day Trump named Stephen Miller to replace her, starting Monday, Nov. 9.
  • Nov. 8 — The Atlantic reported Miller favored arresting journalists to force them to name sources; the Justice Department called it "absolutely false."
What Garcia has already asked the White House to hand overSept. 14 letter to Wiles: White House communications with Donald Trump Jr. about Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch the letter…2 details
  • Sept. 14 letter to Wiles: White House communications with Donald Trump Jr. about Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch the letter places in Vladimir Putin's inner circle, including any warnings about him; answers were due Sept. 28
  • Whether Trump Jr. told the White House a foreign national would pay for parts of his wedding, and whether Kremlev is listed as a foreign contact on any security clearance he holds

Quick bites16

Courts2 bites

  1. Alaska judge denies Peltola's bid for a list of rejected absentee voters; her lead stands at 4,250 votes

    PBS NEWSHOURUpdateAlaska Senate race

    Anchorage Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews ruled Wednesday, Nov. 11, that the Division of Elections does not have to give Mary Peltola's (D-AK) campaign the names of voters whose absentee ballots were rejected, or the reasons. The state's old voter database can't strip out home addresses, so a redacted list would need new software from a vendor, he wrote. "The timing of the Campaign's request could simply not be worse," Matthews wrote. Peltola led Dan Sullivan (Sen-R Alaska) by 4,250 votes, 48.8% to 47.0%, after the count on Tuesday, Nov. 10, per state results.

    The campaign sued Friday, Nov. 6, and Sullivan's campaign joined the case against it. At the hearing on Nov. 10, campaign lawyer Abha Khanna said the campaign was not trying to disrupt the count. Absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day can arrive through Friday, Nov. 13, or through Nov. 18 from overseas. If no one tops 50%, a ranked-choice count runs Nov. 18. Certification is set for Nov. 25.

  2. Judge lets Trump's defamation claim against the BBC proceed but tosses his second $5 billion claim

    NBC NEWS

    Judge Jeffrey Kuntz, a Trump appointee in Miami, found Trump plausibly alleged actual malice over a Panorama edit that joined two Jan. 6 speech passages nearly 55 minutes apart. He threw out the Florida unfair-trade claim because a documentary is not commercial speech. Trump sought at least $5 billion on each of the two claims, so the surviving claim carries half his original demand.

    What comes nextThe BBC must answer the remaining defamation claim by Dec. 1.3 details
    • The BBC must answer the remaining defamation claim by Dec. 1.
    • A magistrate judge ordered in October that Trump sit for a deposition by Dec. 11 or face sanctions, which could include dismissal of his suit.
    • Kuntz on the edit: "This was not trimming around the edges but creating something different than what was stated in the speech."
Forced votes in the House2 bites

  1. Six Democrats who reached the floor late could not have flipped the Hegseth vote alone; with them it still passes 211-210, ABC finds

    ABC NEWSUpdateHegseth's Pentagon

    Only all 11 absent Democrats voting no would have defeated the motion to send the articles to committee, 215-211, ABC News calculates. Six of them reached the chamber in time for the next vote: Julia Brownley (Rep-D California), Laura Gillen (Rep-D New York), Jonathan Jackson (Rep-D Illinois), Brittany Pettersen (Rep-D Colorado), Melanie Stansbury (Rep-D New Mexico) and Marilyn Strickland (Rep-D Washington). With those six, ABC says, the motion still passes 211-210. The vote was scheduled for 15 minutes and held open 29, and the 5:30 p.m. vote series had been set at least 18 hours ahead, per ABC.

    How we got herethe story so far
    • Oct. 18 — Democratic ads tied House and Senate Iran war votes, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to high prices.
    • Nov. 6 — Thomas Massie (Rep-R Kentucky) said he would force a House vote on eight impeachment articles against Hegseth; Trump said he intends to keep him.
    • Nov. 8 — James Comer (Rep-R Kentucky) declined to defend Hegseth, who vowed to serve out Trump's term.
    • Nov. 9 — House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called himself a "hard yes"; Massie filed the articles as a privileged measure, forcing a House vote within two legislative days.
    • Nov. 10 — The House voted 211-204 to send the articles to the Judiciary Committee, shelving them; Massie was the only Republican voting no, and Kevin Kiley (Rep-I California) joined 210 Republicans in voting to refer, per the House clerk.
    Who was absent and what comes nextGillen, Jackson, Stansbury and Strickland blamed traffic from a police escort near the Capitol; Pettersen said she was "denied the…3 details
    • Gillen, Jackson, Stansbury and Strickland blamed traffic from a police escort near the Capitol; Pettersen said she was "denied the ability to vote." ABC said Capitol Police had not answered its questions about the incident. Some absentees had been at an Elect Democratic Women reception, an Axios reporter posted, per Reason.
    • Lou Correa (Rep-D California) announced in advance he would miss the vote for a medical procedure. Nancy Pelosi (Rep-D California) was at a Veterans Day event in San Francisco; her spokesman said she would have voted no. Steven Horsford's (Rep-D Nevada) office cited a personal emergency. Haley Stevens (Rep-D Michigan) and Frederica Wilson (Rep-D Florida) gave no reason.
    • Massie told Fox News Digital he expects Democrats to bring back some of the same articles in January, and perhaps new ones over Ukraine aid. He said he could not substantiate the Ukraine allegations himself.

    A stacked bar of the House vote: 211 yes and 204 no, 415 votes cast, so 51 percent of those voting said yes.

    Chart

    The House voted 211–204

    7-vote margin, out of 415 votes cast.

    The House voted 211–204A stacked bar of the House vote: 211 yes and 204 no, 415 votes cast, so 51 percent of those voting said yes. A reference line at 218 is labelled "218 for a majority of the full 435-seat House".
    YesNo
    The numbers
    The House voted 211–204
    VotesYesNo
    House roll call211 votes204 votes
    Source: House roll call, reported by ABC NewsPOLI

  2. Massie's second Epstein files petition hits 218 signatures, sidestepping GOP leaders to force a House vote

    ABC NEWSEpstein files

    Thomas Massie's (Rep-R Kentucky) bill would let people sue the attorney general over Epstein records. Survivors, state AGs and members of Congress could sue over files that are withheld or redacted. It would also bar the attorney general from invoking common-law privileges, deliberative process among them, to withhold or redact files. The first Epstein files bill passed the House 427-1 in November 2025, and Trump signed it into law. The Justice Department's releases under it came in batches, many heavily redacted, which is what the right to sue in this bill targets.

    Who signed and when it movesSigners: all 214 Democrats plus four Republicans: Massie, Nancy Mace (Rep-R South Carolina), Ralph Norman (Rep-R South Carolina)…3 details
    • Signers: all 214 Democrats plus four Republicans: Massie, Nancy Mace (Rep-R South Carolina), Ralph Norman (Rep-R South Carolina) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Rep-R Pennsylvania).
    • John Garamendi (Rep-D California) provided the 218th signature.
    • The petition must wait seven legislative days, then the speaker has two more to act. ABC puts the earliest vote after Thanksgiving, on Dec. 2 or 3; Politico says it could come later this month.
The Iran war3 bites

  1. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent moved to a military base after Iranian threats against his life

    THE GUARDIANIran war

    Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his Georgetown home to a military base. Rubio, Hegseth and Stephen Miller already live on bases or in protected housing, and the Washington Examiner counts Bessent as at least the fifth Trump official to move.

    What else is knownThe New York Times first reported the move and said it was not clear how severe the threats were.3 details
    • The New York Times first reported the move and said it was not clear how severe the threats were. A senior official told Fox the threats had reached "more than an advanced stage."
    • A source told CBS News and The Hill that worry grew after a January 2025 Wall Street Journal article ran an aerial photo that let readers locate his Georgetown home.
    • Treasury said the secretary "will not be deterred by the Iranian regime's threats."
    Ongoing1

    This story has run 2 times over 12 days, starting Oct 31.

    1. Bessent cites Iran's 90% inflation to urge Trump to extend sanctions instead of resuming combat
    2. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent moved to a military base after Iranian threats against his life — this issue

  2. Iran's security chief says Iran will strike US bases in Europe if they are used to bomb Iran

    PBS NEWSHOURUpdateIran war

    Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Nov. 11 that Iran would hit US bases in Europe if they are used to attack it. "If American aircraft take off from an American military base, even one located in a European country or some other distant region, to bomb Iran, we will strike those bases as well," he told the Lebanon-based channel Al Mayadeen, per AFP via France 24.

    What he saidThe threat is conditional: it covers bases that launch strikes on Iran, not every US base in Europe.4 details
    • The threat is conditional: it covers bases that launch strikes on Iran, not every US base in Europe.
    • He said Iran "may even strike certain islands that they assume are beyond the reach of our missiles," per AFP.
    • On X he wrote that "every military base involved in the aggression" would be a target, "from West Asia to Europe," per Anadolu.
    • Earlier that day Kioumars Heydari, deputy chief of Iran's armed forces general staff, told state TV that US bases were in range of Iranian missiles and drones, per Anadolu.

    On Nov. 10, prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed an 8-count indictment charging three men with plotting against RAF Fairford, a UK base housing US bombers. Prosecutors say the men were backed by Iran and that the plot was directed in part from a federal jail in Brooklyn.

    The Fairford caseThe 3 charged are Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani.2 details
    • The 3 charged are Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani. Prosecutors say al-Hassani organized the Fairford plot and al-Saadi helped direct it from jail
    • The Justice Department ties the three to nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks in Europe and the US. PBS reports al-Saadi is accused of planning or promoting 18 of them in Europe this year

  3. Trump says at Arlington the U.S. "won" the Iran war but still wants "total victory"

    FOX NEWSIran war

    In a Veterans Day address at Arlington, Trump defended the Iran war. "We fought back, and we seriously fought back, and we won," he said, per The Washington Post. "We want to make sure we have a total victory," he added. He said the U.S. had "lost 18 beautiful souls." The Pentagon's casualty database lists 23 U.S. deaths since Feb. 28: 11 from enemy fire and 12 non-hostile, per Military Times. He also praised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a day after the House voted 211-204 to send impeachment articles against him to committee.

    Also in the speechTrump said "America did not start a war with Iran.2 details
    • Trump said "America did not start a war with Iran. Iran has been waging war on America since 1979," per Fox News.
    • He compared the Iran operation with the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, per The Washington Post.

    A stacked bar of the House vote: 211 yes and 204 no, 415 votes cast, so 51 percent of those voting said yes.

    Chart

    The House voted 211–204

    7-vote margin, out of 415 votes cast.

    The House voted 211–204A stacked bar of the House vote: 211 yes and 204 no, 415 votes cast, so 51 percent of those voting said yes. A reference line at 218 is labelled "218 for a majority of the full 435-seat House".
    YesNo
    The numbers
    The House voted 211–204
    VotesYesNo
    House roll call211 votes204 votes
    Source: House roll call, reported by FOX NewsPOLI
Veterans Day at Arlington2 bites

  1. Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier reprimanded Hegseth's group for laughter on Veterans Day

    CBS NEWSHegseth's Pentagon

    A sentinel shouted at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's group after a wreath-laying. The group was posing for photos and walking off. The sentinel called out: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!" It is unclear who laughed. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the soldier "correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum."

    Who was thereThe group included Hegseth's wife, Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser…2 details
    • The group included Hegseth's wife, Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh, per CNN.
    • CNN first aired the video and reported that some in the group were laughing and chatting after the photos.

  2. Trump says his planned 250-foot arch near Arlington will be dedicated "to our veterans"

    PBS NEWSHOURUpdateTrump's arch

    "Soon we're going to dedicate a magnificent triumphal arc to our veterans," Trump said at Arlington on Nov. 11, per AP. Three veterans are among several plaintiffs suing to stop it, and nine Kennedy relatives are seeking to join. Last week Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a restraining order that bars work for 14 days.

    On Nov. 10, nine children and grandchildren of Robert and Ted Kennedy asked a federal judge to block the 250-foot arch. They said it would cast a shadow over their relatives' graves at Arlington.

Also tonight7 bites

  1. Scott Colom (D-MS) beats Cindy Hyde-Smith (Sen-R Mississippi) 49.2% to 48.7%, giving Democrats at least 55 Senate seats

    PBS NEWSHOURUpdateBattle for the Senate

    The AP called the race just before 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 11, with Colom, a 43-year-old district attorney, ahead by 4,669 votes out of 962,237 counted. Hyde-Smith conceded in a video and congratulated him. Mississippi has no recount law, so only a court could order a review, per the AP.

    Catch upwhat happened before · 1 earlier issue

    After Election Day, counting of absentee and affidavit ballots dragged on. By Tuesday evening, Nov. 10, Colom's lead had grown to 2,633 votes, per the AP. Counties have until Friday, Nov. 13, to finish affidavit ballots and certify.

    By the numbersDemocrats' eighth Senate flip this year, per NBC News, and their biggest midterm Senate gain since 1986, per the AP.3 details
    • Democrats' eighth Senate flip this year, per NBC News, and their biggest midterm Senate gain since 1986, per the AP. The next Senate stands 55 D to 44 R, with Alaska uncalled.
    • Trump carried Mississippi by about 23 points in 2024.
    • Colom raised about $3.6 million to Hyde-Smith's $5.3 million before the election, per The Guardian.
    Ongoing1

    This story has run 2 times over 2 days, starting Nov 10.

    1. Colom leads Hyde-Smith by about 2,500–2,600 votes in uncalled Mississippi Senate race before Tuesday, Nov. 10, deadlines
    2. UpdateScott Colom (D-MS) beats Cindy Hyde-Smith (Sen-R Mississippi) 49.2% to 48.7%, giving Democrats at least 55 Senate seats — this issue

  2. Nvidia's board met Nov. 11 on whether to oust CEO Jensen Huang after a second affair surfaced; shares fell 8% after hours

    THE WALL STREET JOURNALUpdate

    The NYT reports Huang's second affair was with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's VP of health care, who reports to him. Asked about Powell by phone, Huang told the NYT, "I don't think you should be talking to me directly," and hung up. The WSJ reported first that the board is preparing to oust him; Reuters, citing one source, says the board met Wednesday, Nov. 11, to decide whether to. Under Nvidia's bylaws, a majority of the 11 directors can remove him. Shares fell more than 8% in after-hours trading.

    How we got herethe story so far
    • Oct. 29 — The NYT reported that U.S. intelligence believes Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive close to Huang, was gathering information for Beijing.
    • Nov. 4 — Brian Mast (Rep-R Florida), John Moolenaar (Rep-R Michigan) and Rick Crawford (Rep-R Arkansas), who chair the Foreign Affairs, China and Intelligence committees, asked Huang to brief them Nov. 18 and to reply by Nov. 11.
    • Nov. 8 — Huang admitted an affair, reportedly with Alice Huang. The board opened an independent probe and said it had confidence in him.
    • Nov. 9 — Trump said Huang told him he "had no idea" she was a spy, and that "the FBI is looking into it in terms of something else." Nvidia closed down 4.3% at $178.67.
    • Nov. 10 — The independent directors hired Joon Kim, a former acting U.S. attorney in Manhattan, and his firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to run the probe.
    The board, Congress and the stockSuccessor: Bloomberg reports the board has worked with an outside firm to find replacements.3 details
    • Successor: Bloomberg reports the board has worked with an outside firm to find replacements. Semafor says CFO Colette Kress is being weighed as interim CEO.
    • Subpoena: Mast told ABC on Tuesday, Nov. 10, he would "absolutely" consider subpoenaing Huang if he missed the Nov. 11 reply deadline. Raja Krishnamoorthi (Rep-D Illinois) told Bloomberg Huang should be subpoenaed if he won't sit for a voluntary interview. Republicans lose their gavels in January, and ABC notes a subpoena would likely lapse then.
    • Stock: Nvidia closed Nov. 11 at $173.73 before the after-hours drop, down about 19% from its close before the Oct. 29 NYT report, per Nvidia's investor-relations price history.

  3. Russia-Ukraine talks end with a prisoner swap agreed in principle; Kushner and Witkoff head to Putin

    PBS NEWSHOURUpdateRussia-Ukraine war

    Both sides agreed in principle to a large POW exchange after two days of U.S.-mediated talks that produced no breakthrough, Russian official Alexander Zorin said. Numbers are to be set on Thursday, Nov. 12, and the swap is expected in two to three weeks, Zorin said.

    Before talks opened Nov. 10, U.S. officials said they would ask Russia to accept NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine, per Politico and Fox News. The first day, the first three-way round since February, ran about four hours, per Interfax-Ukraine. European officials were in Abu Dhabi and met U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators, but the Kremlin said its delegation had no contact with them, per the BBC.

    Where it goes nextEnvoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, Nov. 12, then Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin.3 details
    • Envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, Nov. 12, then Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin.
    • The U.S. asked Russia to propose a new European security agreement and to let Europeans join the next round, per Axios.
    • Ukrainian negotiator Davyd Arakhamia told the BBC the round "was one of the hardest" and that the Russians "came with very strict directives."

  4. Sanders pledges his vote to Chris Van Hollen for majority leader if Van Hollen challenges Schumer

    THE HILLUpdate

    "If he chooses to do that, I will support him," Bernie Sanders (Sen-I Vermont) told Jon Stewart's "The Weekly Show," The Hill reports. Chris Van Hollen (Sen-D Maryland), 67, said Tuesday, Nov. 10, that he is "actively listening" and calling colleagues. He has not said whether he will challenge Schumer, 75. The caucus is expected to pick its leader Dec. 1, per MS NOW.

    On Saturday, Nov. 7, Elissa Slotkin (Sen-D Michigan) said she would not rule out running for leader herself. On Sunday, Nov. 8, Kansas Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton (D-KS) said he would not back Schumer, calling him "polarizing." On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Sanders said he would not back Schumer, and Slotkin said she would not commit to him. Sens.-elect El-Sayed, Troy Jackson (D-ME), Peggy Flanagan (D-MN) and Juliana Stratton (D-IL) have also said they won't back him. No one has entered the race.

    Where it standsSchumer allies are urging Van Hollen not to run.2 details
    • Schumer allies are urging Van Hollen not to run. John Fetterman (Sen-D Pennsylvania) said: "I can't imagine why you would vote for someone like Van Hollen with no record of doing anything."
    • Schumer's aides told The New York Times he has commitments from well over half the caucus for the private vote.

  5. Six Democrats ask DHS and HHS how an 8-year-old Haitian boy taken by ICE at a San Diego check-in will get back to his family

    ABC NEWSICE raids

    Alex Padilla (Sen-D California), Adam Schiff (Sen-D California) and four Democratic House members wrote on Tuesday, Nov. 10 to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. They asked how the boy will be reunited with his family and said video appears to show agents restraining him. ICE took the third-grader at a check-in last week and placed him with the Office of Refugee Resettlement. An ICE spokesperson said agents acted under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act because the uncle, who has cared for him since his father was deported last year, could not establish legal guardianship. The boy lost Temporary Protected Status after the Supreme Court let the administration end it for Haitians in June.

  6. Biden says he would have resigned, and not run in 2024, had he known he had cancer

    PBS NEWSHOUR

    Biden told People that if he had known he felt "lousy" because of cancer, he would have resigned and would not have run again. "I don't think an 80-year-old man with cancer should be running," he said. He was 81 at the debate and 82 when his stage 4 prostate cancer was announced in May 2025, four months after he left office. In the interview, ahead of his Nov. 17 memoir, "Promise Me, America," he also called his June 27, 2024 debate "not very consequential," though he left the race 24 days later.

  7. Trump pulls Eighth Circuit pick Lee Rudofsky after Arkansas's two Republican senators blocked him, and names their choice, Cody Hiland

    WASHINGTON EXAMINER

    The White House sent the swap to the Senate on Tuesday, Nov. 10. John Boozman (Sen-R Arkansas) and Tom Cotton (Sen-R Arkansas) had been blocking Rudofsky, a federal district judge, because they wanted Hiland, an Arkansas Supreme Court justice since 2023, per Bloomberg Law. Rudofsky said that "without the support of my home-state Senators, confirmation is simply not a practical possibility in today's Senate." Thom Tillis (Sen-R North Carolina) told the Washington Examiner he will use his swing vote on the Judiciary Committee (12 Republicans, 10 Democrats) to stop nominees whose home-state Republicans object. "No way, because I've got the deciding vote," he said.

    What rides on itRepublicans are trying to confirm Trump judges before Democrats take the Senate in January.2 details
    • Republicans are trying to confirm Trump judges before Democrats take the Senate in January.
    • If confirmed, Hiland would give Trump appointees a majority of active judges on the Eighth Circuit, per the Washington Examiner.

Elections2 races

2 closest races

  • rAlaska governor99.6%Wilson 0.28%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.

    Two markets, one question

    Alaska governor

    Nov 11, 8:48 PM CT
    widest venue gap 0.1pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska governor. Bernadette Wilson (R): Polymarket 0.25%, Kalshi 0.30%; Tom Begich (D): Polymarket 0.05%, Kalshi 0.05%. Widest disagreement between the two venues: 0.1pp. 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 99.18%▲2.9Sullivan 0.97%

    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.

    Two markets, one question

    Alaska Senate

    Nov 11, 8:48 PM CT
    widest venue gap 0.3pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska Senate. Mary Peltola (D): Polymarket 99.20%, Kalshi 99.15%; Dan Sullivan (R): Polymarket 0.80%, Kalshi 1.15%. Widest disagreement between the two venues: 0.3pp. 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 11, 8:48 PM CT. These are trader-implied estimates, not polls. Separate contracts trade independently, so opposing prices may not add to exactly 100%.

Not news news2 stories

THE WASHINGTON POSTGovernment funding

A month before the Dec. 11 shutdown deadline, Republicans want full-year bills that fund the Pentagon; Democrats want a stopgap and limits on Iran war money

Republicans are pushing in what the Post calls their last opportunity in power, before Democrats take both chambers on Jan. 3.

With a government shutdown deadline one month away, the two parties want different bills, The Washington Post reports. Democrats want a short-term funding bill (a stopgap, which keeps agencies running at fiscal 2026 spending levels) that lasts into next year, when they will control Congress. Republicans want to use the lame-duck session (the weeks between an election and the new Congress taking office) to pass full-year bills, Pentagon funding among them. Democrats also say any funding bill must restrict Pentagon money for the war in Iran. "A Republican Congress is not going to send bills to a Republican president that he's going to veto," said House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (Rep-R Oklahoma).

What next. Current funding runs through Friday, Dec. 11. Without a new law, a lapse begins Saturday, Dec. 12.

A stacked bar of the House vote: 370 yes and 48 no, 418 votes cast, so 89 percent of those voting said yes.

Chart

The House voted 370–48

322-vote margin, out of 418 votes cast.

The House voted 370–48A stacked bar of the House vote: 370 yes and 48 no, 418 votes cast, so 89 percent of those voting said yes. A reference line at 218 is labelled "218 for a majority of the full 435-seat House".
YesNo
The numbers
The House voted 370–48
VotesYesNo
House roll call370 votes48 votes
Source: House roll call, reported by THE Washington PostPOLI
THE HILL

Energy aid directors project the average winter heating bill will rise 7.1% to $1,002, and oil-heated homes face increases of up to 70%

Nearly 5 million households heat with oil, and the group ties part of the rise to oil disruptions from the Iran war.

The National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), the group of state officials who run federal heating aid, released its forecast on Wednesday, Nov. 11. It projects that the average household will spend $1,002 to heat its home this winter. That is $66 more than last winter.

The average hides a much larger spread. Homes heated by natural gas or electricity see modest increases. Homes that burn heating oil, which tracks crude prices, could pay up to 70% more than last winter.

States where oil heats the largest share of homesMaine: 50% (310,191 households)3 details
  • Maine: 50% (310,191 households)
  • Vermont: 36% (104,012 households)
  • New Hampshire: 36% (207,537 households)

A bar chart of the 3 figures the story lists under "States where oil heats the largest share of homes": Maine at 50%, Vermont at 36%, New Hampshire at 36%.

Chart

States where oil heats the largest share of homes

States where oil heats the largest share of homesA bar chart of the 3 figures the story lists under "States where oil heats the largest share of homes": Maine at 50%, Vermont at 36%, New Hampshire at 36%.
The numbers
States where oil heats the largest share of homes
PercentShareNote
Maine50%(310,191 households)
Vermont36%(104,012 households)
New Hampshire36%(207,537 households)
Source: THE Hill: Heating bills to rise about 7% this winterPOLI
3 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.
  • 9Raja Krishnamoorthi (Rep-D Illinois) says Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang should be subpoenaed if he refuses an interviewLawmakers from both parties want investigations, and Krishnamoorthi wants a classified briefing.
  • 14Justice Department asks a judge for the second time to erase Steve Bannon's contempt-of-Congress convictionA judge already threw out the convictions of eight Oath Keepers, six of them for seditious conspiracy, on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
  • 18Consumer prices rose 0.4% in October after 0.6% in September, raising the odds of a December Fed rate hikeReason puts annual inflation at about 4%, up from 3.7% in September; the government published no official yearly figure because it never collected October 2025 price data.