Political Guyentist
Political Guyentist

Friday

Jensen Huang gestures with both arms extended while wearing a black leather jacket onstage before a green Nvidia logo.
PBS NewsHour
1usUpdate

Nvidia founder Jensen Huang resigns as CEO and from the board after two reported affairs; CFO Colette Kress is interim CEO

The board named Harvey C. Jones, a former Synopsys CEO, as its first-ever chairman and will consider candidates from inside and outside Nvidia for the permanent job.

- Oct. 30 — The New York Times reported that Trump held back on intelligence about an executive close to Huang gathering information for Beijing, to protect chip sales to China. - Nov. 8 — House Republican committee chairs asked Huang to brief them Nov. 18. The FT reported intelligence believes his tie to Megaspeed's Alice Huang was romantic. - Nov. 8–10 — Huang admitted an affair in a note to staff on Nov. 8. Nvidia's board opened an independent probe but kept him as CEO. Trump said the FBI was looking into it, and China denied spying. - Nov. 11 — Axios reported Treasury Secretary Bessent pressed Commerce Secretary Lutnick over not blacklisting Megaspeed. A second affair surfaced, the board met, and shares fell in trading after the market closed.

ContextHuang held 870.6 million shares, or 3.58% of Nvidia, as of the March 2026 proxy filing (the yearly ownership report sent to shareholders before their vote). Vanguard and BlackRock each held more than 7%. Each share carries one vote, so his stake alone cannot elect or remove directors. Kress, 59, has been CFO since 2013 and keeps that job while she serves as interim CEO. Jones, 73, has sat on the board since 1993, per the filing.

PBS NEWSHOUR12 sources

2usUpdate

Lutnick agrees to testify before Senate Banking after chair Tim Scott asks him for Dec. 10 and Jensen Huang for Dec. 3

Critics say Commerce kept approving Nvidia chip sales to Chinese buyers after Lutnick got a classified memo on a suspected spy; the White House says Trump has "complete confidence" in him.

- Nov. 10 — Axios reported Lutnick had received a classified memo on Huang's ties to Megaspeed's Alice Huang. - Nov. 11 — Axios reported that Bessent confronted Lutnick at a Nov. 5 Situation Room meeting over why Commerce had not blacklisted Megaspeed.

ContextCantor Fitzgerald, the firm Lutnick ran before joining the Cabinet, held about $1.2 billion in Nvidia stock when he was nominated, per CBS News; his two eldest sons now run it. Commerce has added no company to the Entity List (the export blacklist that cuts a firm off from U.S. technology) since October 2025, a pause CSIS called the longest since 2008 as of June 26. A 2024 Commerce probe of Nvidia sales to Megaspeed was abruptly handed to the Justice Department, per the New York Times.

CBS NEWS12 sources

3usUpdate

Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang agrees to brief the chairs of the House China, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees

The chairs proposed Wednesday, Nov. 18. The date and terms are still being negotiated, and all three chairs say they will subpoena him if talks fail.

- Nov. 4 — The chairs of the House China, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees asked Huang for a closed-door briefing. They proposed Nov. 18 and wanted a reply by Nov. 11. - Nov. 11 — Raja Krishnamoorthi (Rep-D Illinois) said Huang should be subpoenaed if he refused, and asked for a classified briefing.

ContextHouse subpoenas generally expire when a Congress ends, on Jan. 3, 2027 for this one, but a contempt referral already sent to the Justice Department would survive. On Nov. 11, Elizabeth Warren (Sen-D Massachusetts) and Chris Coons (Sen-D Delaware) asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House chief of staff Stephen Miller to preserve Nvidia export records and confirm in writing by Nov. 17.

THE HILL12 sources

4usUpdatecontestedIran talks

Trump says the US doesn't need a deal with Iran and moves Vance from talks to corruption in Minnesota, California and Illinois

Vance had reached out to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, to restart talks, the Wall Street Journal reported.

- Oct. 14 — Netanyahu pressed Trump on several calls for a new joint strike on Iran, Axios reported; the White House called it false. - Oct. 19–20 — Trump endorsed Netanyahu in Israel's Oct. 27 election and said the U.S. would hit Iran itself otherwise; Vance declined to endorse. - Oct. 22–23 — U.S. and Israeli officials drew up plans for strikes soon after the Nov. 3 midterms, NYT and ABC reported. - Oct. 27 — Israel's military chief resisted Netanyahu's push to strike before the vote, officials said. - Nov. 4 — Trump said nearly $4 billion a year in U.S. military aid to Israel would end by year's end. - Nov. 5 — Vance said the war cost Republicans the midterms and called for ending it; Trump called that "largely true." - Nov. 11 — Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the G7 Trump chose economic pressure, the blockade plus a land and Caspian trade task force, over war or a deal.

ContextVice President JD Vance had been trying to restart talks. In October he wrote to Mohsen Rezaei (Secretary, Supreme National Security Council, Iran) to propose a meeting, the Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported. On Nov. 11 the Journal said he was weighing face-to-face talks. Vance had also blamed the war for Republican losses in this year's midterm elections: "The reason we lost is the war." Trump's post shelves that effort. What remains is a standoff built on the U.S. naval blockade of Iran's ports. Trump gave no basis for his "Hundreds of Billions of Dollars" claim.

THE NEW YORKER10 sources

5usUpdateRussia-Ukraine war

After two hours with Putin, U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner say a European representative will join the next Ukraine talks

Putin repeated that he would treat foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine as a "continuation of war"; Zelenskyy wants a deal by the beginning of 2027.

- Before Nov. 10 — The U.S. asked Russia to accept NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine ahead of talks in Abu Dhabi. - Nov. 10 — Russia and Ukraine held four hours of U.S.-mediated talks, their first since February. Russia kept European officials out of the main room. - Nov. 11 — The talks ended with a prisoner swap agreed in principle and no movement on territory or security.

ContextThe next round would be trilateral, with the U.S., Russia and Ukraine at one table. Witkoff says that format has restarted. Adding Europe matters because the talks now include the continent's security, and European leaders have rejected Russia's push to overhaul that security order, per the Financial Times. Per ISW's Nov. 11 assessment, Sergei Lavrov (Foreign Minister, Russia) restated Putin's June 2024 terms. Ukraine must leave all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. That demand reaches beyond the Donbas, Ukraine's eastern industrial region, into land Kyiv still holds: 20.12% of Donetsk, 24.42% of Zaporizhzhia and 30.11% of Kherson, by ISW's count. The war's longest truce so far covered one town, Oleshky, for six days (Oct. 27–Nov. 1). Zelenskyy is aiming for a deal by the beginning of 2027.

BLOOMBERG8 sources

6not newslongform

HUD rule requires every public-housing resident to prove citizenship or eligible immigration status, ending indefinite subsidies for mixed-status families

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates about 80,000 people in 20,000 families could be displaced; most of the 37,000 children among them are U.S. citizens.

What the rule leaves families who cannot prove status: Tenants who certify that evidence is temporarily unavailable get up to 60 more days After a termination notice, families have 30 days to request a hearing, and aid continues through it

ContextA mixed-status family is a household where some members are citizens or eligible immigrants and others are not. Since 1995 these families could stay in public housing, but their rent subsidy was cut to cover only the eligible members. The ineligible members already got no federal help. What the new rule ends is the family's ability to keep living together in the unit. The 1980 housing law HUD cites requires that prorated subsidy when one member is eligible and another's ineligibility is not yet established. The group has been shrinking. HUD researchers counted about 25,000 mixed-status households in December 2017, and UC Berkeley's Terner Center counted about 20,000 in 2024. That 2024 count matches the 20,000 families the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says could be displaced. HUD's audit figure of nearly 200,000 tenants with incomplete or unverified status is a separate and larger group, and many of them may simply be missing paperwork. Under the new rule, some families can get deferrals in six-month steps, generally up to 18 months.

CBS NEWS1 source

7not newslongform

Interior's new four-year plan proposes selling federal land to states, localities and tribes, naming no acreage, places or dates

Four Western Republicans and Martin Heinrich, set to chair the Senate Energy Committee next year, say they oppose it.

For scale: from 2014 to 2023, BLM sold or transferred about 1.08 million acres and acquired 291,400, per Resources for the Future data cited by the Washington Examiner.

ContextInterior can already sell some land without a new law. The 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act lets it sell Bureau of Land Management land, the Interior agency that runs most federal acreage. Land-use planning must first find a tract hard and uneconomic to manage, no longer needed for any federal purpose, or worth selling for an important public goal such as a town's growth. The price can be no less than fair market value. The law bars sales of wilderness, wild and scenic rivers and national trails, and national parks and wildlife refuges are not BLM land. Any sale over 2,500 acres must wait 90 days after notice to Congress, which can object by resolution. In 2025 the Senate stripped a land-sale provision from that year's budget bill. The new four-year plan names no acreage, places or dates, so its reach cannot yet be measured against those limits.

WASHINGTON EXAMINER2 sources

Friday · The daily brief

Nov 132026

7 leads14 briefs26 min

BoardScroll

Executive summary7 stories

News news5

  1. Nvidia founder Jensen Huang resigns as CEO and from the board after two reported affairs; CFO Colette Kress is interim CEOThe board named Harvey C. Jones, a former Synopsys CEO, as its first-ever chairman and will consider candidates from inside and outside Nvidia for the permanent job.
  2. Lutnick agrees to testify before Senate Banking after chair Tim Scott asks him for Dec. 10 and Jensen Huang for Dec. 3Critics say Commerce kept approving Nvidia chip sales to Chinese buyers after Lutnick got a classified memo on a suspected spy; the White House says Trump has "complete confidence" in him.
  3. Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang agrees to brief the chairs of the House China, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committeesThe chairs proposed Wednesday, Nov. 18. The date and terms are still being negotiated, and all three chairs say they will subpoena him if talks fail.
  4. Trump says the US doesn't need a deal with Iran and moves Vance from talks to corruption in Minnesota, California and IllinoisVance had reached out to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, to restart talks, the Wall Street Journal reported.
  5. After two hours with Putin, U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner say a European representative will join the next Ukraine talksPutin repeated that he would treat foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine as a "continuation of war"; Zelenskyy wants a deal by the beginning of 2027.

Not news news2

  1. HUD rule requires every public-housing resident to prove citizenship or eligible immigration status, ending indefinite subsidies for mixed-status familiesThe Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates about 80,000 people in 20,000 families could be displaced; most of the 37,000 children among them are U.S. citizens.
  2. Interior's new four-year plan proposes selling federal land to states, localities and tribes, naming no acreage, places or datesFour Western Republicans and Martin Heinrich, set to chair the Senate Energy Committee next year, say they oppose it.

News news5 stories

Ongoing4 earlier updates14 days

This story has run 5 times over 14 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
  5. UpdateNvidia founder Jensen Huang resigns as CEO and from the board after two reported affairs; CFO Colette Kress is interim CEO — this issue
PBS NEWSHOURUpdate

Nvidia founder Jensen Huang resigns as CEO and from the board after two reported affairs; CFO Colette Kress is interim CEO

The board named Harvey C. Jones, a former Synopsys CEO, as its first-ever chairman and will consider candidates from inside and outside Nvidia for the permanent job.

Jensen Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and ran it for 33 years. He has resigned as president, CEO and board member, effective immediately. The board accepted the resignation on Wednesday, Nov. 11, according to Nvidia's SEC filing, and the company announced it the next morning.

The affairs. Huang had admitted an affair with Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed, a company that buys Nvidia chips. U.S. intelligence suspects her of spying for China. He was then reported to have had a second affair with an executive who reported directly to him. U.S. media named her as Kimberly Powell.

The stock. Shares fell as much as 14% on Thursday, Nov. 12, then closed down 4.3% at $166.19, per CNBC. That left Nvidia worth just over $4 trillion, and 30.5% below its Oct. 6 close of $239.24. CBS News put the value lost since Huang admitted the affair at almost $500 billion.

The spy question. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department has not concluded whether Alice Huang spied for Beijing. Megaspeed says it takes U.S. export-control rules "extremely seriously" and will cooperate with U.S. authorities.

What next. Nvidia reports quarterly results on Tuesday, Nov. 17, its next chance to say more. No deadline for choosing a permanent CEO has been disclosed.

Catch upwhat happened before · 4 earlier issues
  • Oct. 30 — The New York Times reported that Trump held back on intelligence about an executive close to Huang gathering information for Beijing, to protect chip sales to China.
  • Nov. 8 — House Republican committee chairs asked Huang to brief them Nov. 18. The FT reported intelligence believes his tie to Megaspeed's Alice Huang was romantic.
  • Nov. 8–10 — Huang admitted an affair in a note to staff on Nov. 8. Nvidia's board opened an independent probe but kept him as CEO. Trump said the FBI was looking into it, and China denied spying.
  • Nov. 11 — Axios reported Treasury Secretary Bessent pressed Commerce Secretary Lutnick over not blacklisting Megaspeed. A second affair surfaced, the board met, and shares fell in trading after the market closed.
3 earlier issues

How Nvidia stock moved against the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index since the last close before Huang admitted the affair (Nov. 6–12):

  • Nvidia: -11.0%
  • Philadelphia Semiconductor Index: +11.9%
Ongoing1 earlier update2 days

This story has run 2 times over 2 days, starting Nov 11.

  1. Commerce Secretary Lutnick got a classified memo on Jensen Huang's ties to a suspected Chinese agent
  2. UpdateLutnick agrees to testify before Senate Banking after chair Tim Scott asks him for Dec. 10 and Jensen Huang for Dec. 3 — this issue
CBS NEWSUpdate

Lutnick agrees to testify before Senate Banking after chair Tim Scott asks him for Dec. 10 and Jensen Huang for Dec. 3

Critics say Commerce kept approving Nvidia chip sales to Chinese buyers after Lutnick got a classified memo on a suspected spy; the White House says Trump has "complete confidence" in him.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick agreed on Thursday, Nov. 12, to appear voluntarily before the Senate Banking Committee, his spokesperson told NBC News. Hours earlier, chair Tim Scott (Sen-R South Carolina) asked him to testify at a public hearing Dec. 10, and asked Jensen Huang for Dec. 3, warning Huang of a subpoena if he declines, per Bloomberg Law. Axios reported that Lutnick was handed a classified memo on Jensen Huang's ties to Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive U.S. intelligence suspects of spying for China. Critics say Commerce kept approving Nvidia chip sales to Chinese buyers after that. Commerce decides which advanced chips may leave the country.

The crackdown. Trump approved action against companies suspected of diverting Nvidia chips to China three times this year, in May, August and on Nov. 5, Axios reported. Officials told Axios that Lutnick and Commerce Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler resisted each time, while Bessent and others pushed to act.

Republicans. Jim Banks (Sen-R Indiana) wanted Lutnick before the committee "ASAP." Kevin Cramer (Sen-R North Dakota) would not say he has confidence in him: "The rumors are very concerning."

Democrats. Ted Lieu (Rep-D California) and Ro Khanna (Rep-D California) want an investigation. Khanna would not rule out examining Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "Rubio knew about the Chinese spy, and then got invited to the China trip."

The odds. Kalshi traders' odds that Lutnick is the next Cabinet official to leave peaked at 57% on Thursday, Nov. 12, up more than 30 points from a day earlier, per the Washington Examiner.

What next. Thom Tillis (Sen-R North Carolina) wants Lutnick in before Thanksgiving: "Come here before Thanksgiving. Give us the facts," per NBC. John Kennedy (Sen-R Louisiana) also wants Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to testify: "If I were the secretary, I would have already called a press conference … Congress is not going to let this go."

Catch upwhat happened before · 1 earlier issue
  • Nov. 10 — Axios reported Lutnick had received a classified memo on Huang's ties to Megaspeed's Alice Huang.
  • Nov. 11 — Axios reported that Bessent confronted Lutnick at a Nov. 5 Situation Room meeting over why Commerce had not blacklisted Megaspeed.
What Kalshi traders pay on Lutnick leaving Commerce, by deadlineBefore Dec. 1, 2026: 42.5%3 details
  • Before Dec. 1, 2026: 42.5%
  • Before Jan. 1, 2027: 50%
  • Before July 1, 2027: 74%

A bar chart of the 3 figures the story lists under "What Kalshi traders pay on Lutnick leaving Commerce, by deadline": Before Dec. 1, 2026 at 42.5%, Before Jan. 1, 2027 at 50%, Before July 1, 2027 at 74%.

Chart

What Kalshi traders pay on Lutnick leaving Commerce, by deadline

What Kalshi traders pay on Lutnick leaving Commerce, by deadlineA bar chart of the 3 figures the story lists under "What Kalshi traders pay on Lutnick leaving Commerce, by deadline": Before Dec. 1, 2026 at 42.5%, Before Jan. 1, 2027 at 50%, Before July 1, 2027 at 74%.
The numbers
What Kalshi traders pay on Lutnick leaving Commerce, by deadline
PercentShare
Before Dec. 1, 202642.5%
Before Jan. 1, 202750%
Before July 1, 202774%
Source: CBS News: Republicans turn on Lutnick over Nvidia chip sales to the spy-linked firmPOLI
Ongoing1 earlier update

This story has run 2 times, starting Nov 12.

  1. UpdateNvidia's board met Nov. 11 on whether to oust CEO Jensen Huang after a second affair surfaced; shares fell 8% after hours
  2. UpdateFormer Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang agrees to brief the chairs of the House China, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees — this issue
THE HILLUpdate

Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang agrees to brief the chairs of the House China, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees

The chairs proposed Wednesday, Nov. 18. The date and terms are still being negotiated, and all three chairs say they will subpoena him if talks fail.

Jensen Huang, whose resignation as Nvidia's CEO was announced Thursday, Nov. 12, has agreed to a closed-door briefing for the chairs of three House committees: Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and the select committee on China. The chairs want his account of his dealings with a woman they describe as linked to Chinese intelligence, and of what Nvidia did to guard against spying.

The terms. Foreign Affairs chair Brian Mast (Rep-R Florida) said the session will likely be under oath, transcribed and video recorded.

The Democrats. Gregory Meeks (Rep-D New York), the top Democrat on Foreign Affairs, may set up a subcommittee on the fallout in the next Congress. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries wants a classified briefing for every member. Senate Majority Leader John Thune expects the Senate to want answers too.

“Come Jan. 4, there will be some hearings.”Gregory Meeks (Rep-D New York)

Still open. In a new letter on Thursday, Nov. 12, Mast asked Huang to sit for a closed-door, transcribed interview on Dec. 1 and said he would issue a subpoena if Huang did not confirm by Friday evening, Nov. 13, per NBC News. Separately, Senate Banking chair Tim Scott (Sen-R South Carolina) asked Huang to testify Dec. 3, also warning of a subpoena (see the Lutnick story).

Catch upwhat happened before · 1 earlier issue
  • Nov. 4 — The chairs of the House China, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees asked Huang for a closed-door briefing. They proposed Nov. 18 and wanted a reply by Nov. 11.
  • Nov. 11 — Raja Krishnamoorthi (Rep-D Illinois) said Huang should be subpoenaed if he refused, and asked for a classified briefing.
How Republicans split on questioning HuangBrian Mast (Rep-R Florida): "I don't want to see anything hurt Nvidia.3 details
  • Brian Mast (Rep-R Florida): "I don't want to see anything hurt Nvidia. But he has some very serious questions to answer."
  • Tim Burchett (Rep-R Tennessee): "I don't think he's got anything to hide now. Let it fly."
  • Jay Obernolte (Rep-R California) called the affair a distraction and asked colleagues not to "talk about, you know, personal peccadillos."
THE NEW YORKERUpdateIran talks

Trump says the US doesn't need a deal with Iran and moves Vance from talks to corruption in Minnesota, California and Illinois

Vance had reached out to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, to restart talks, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The deal. Trump posted on Truth Social at 8:07 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, that the U.S. no longer needs a deal with Iran.

“We don't need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed.”Donald Trump, on Truth Social

The blockade. The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports stays in place instead. Trump added, "we've got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we've got their Strait!" He did not say what money he meant. Brent crude settled 3.3% higher at $95.82 a barrel, CNBC reported.

Vance's assignment. Trump told Vice President JD Vance to give his "complete and total attention" to alleged corruption and crime in Democratic-run cities and states, naming Minnesota, California and Illinois.

Tehran's line. Rezaei said Iran will not send "a single atom" of its enriched nuclear stockpile abroad, Bloomberg reported.

How we got herethe story so far
  • Oct. 14 — Netanyahu pressed Trump on several calls for a new joint strike on Iran, Axios reported; the White House called it false.
  • Oct. 19–20 — Trump endorsed Netanyahu in Israel's Oct. 27 election and said the U.S. would hit Iran itself otherwise; Vance declined to endorse.
  • Oct. 22–23 — U.S. and Israeli officials drew up plans for strikes soon after the Nov. 3 midterms, NYT and ABC reported.
  • Oct. 27 — Israel's military chief resisted Netanyahu's push to strike before the vote, officials said.
  • Nov. 4 — Trump said nearly $4 billion a year in U.S. military aid to Israel would end by year's end.
  • Nov. 5 — Vance said the war cost Republicans the midterms and called for ending it; Trump called that "largely true."
  • Nov. 11 — Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the G7 Trump chose economic pressure, the blockade plus a land and Caspian trade task force, over war or a deal.
What the blockade-only path faces at seaIran says four tankers were hit by explosions on Nov. 11 and 12.2 details
  • Iran says four tankers were hit by explosions on Nov. 11 and 12. No one has independently verified those accounts.
  • UKMTO, the British navy's shipping monitor, counted 325 Hormuz crossings in the week to Nov. 6, about 65% below pre-war traffic; in 2024, about 20 million barrels of oil a day moved through the strait (EIA).

Red take

Trump is right to stop chasing Iran for a deal. The blockade holds, and as he put it, "we've got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we've got their Strait!" Tehran needs a way out far more than Washington needs a signature. Iran says four tankers were struck in two days. Reopening talks now would teach Tehran that hitting ships buys relief.

Blue take

Trump has cut the only known line to Tehran. Vice President Vance had reached out to Iran's top security official to restart talks. Now he is told to give his "complete and total attention" to Minnesota, California and Illinois. Squeeze Iran with no one to take its call, and the blockade has no end. Hormuz traffic already runs about 65% below pre-war levels, and Brent rose 3.3% the day Trump posted.

Ongoing3 earlier updates3 days

This story has run 4 times over 3 days, starting Nov 10.

  1. UpdateU.S. asks Russia to accept NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine before Abu Dhabi talks
  2. UpdateRussia and Ukraine hold 4 hours of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, their first since February
  3. UpdateRussia-Ukraine talks end with a prisoner swap agreed in principle; Kushner and Witkoff head to Putin
  4. UpdateAfter two hours with Putin, U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner say a European representative will join the next Ukraine talks — this issue
BLOOMBERGUpdateRussia-Ukraine war

After two hours with Putin, U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner say a European representative will join the next Ukraine talks

Putin repeated that he would treat foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine as a "continuation of war"; Zelenskyy wants a deal by the beginning of 2027.

The talks. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, met Vladimir Putin (President, Russia) in the Kremlin for about two hours on Thursday, Nov. 12. They then flew to Dublin to brief Volodymyr Zelenskyy (President, Ukraine) at the European Political Community summit, a yearly gathering of nearly every European government. The envoys said a European representative will join the next round.

Peacekeepers. Putin repeated that he would treat foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine as a "continuation of war."

Kyiv's read. Zelenskyy said progress was made, citing the prisoner-swap deal and Europe's inclusion. Ukraine and Russia are still stuck on territory.

“People didn't think that we were going to restart trilateral. We've restarted it. We've set a new meeting.”Steve Witkoff

Still open. No date or venue for that meeting has been published, and Europe has not named its representative. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Europe must first name a representative: "The Europeans squabble like spiders in a jar."

Catch upwhat happened before · 3 earlier issues
  • Before Nov. 10 — The U.S. asked Russia to accept NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine ahead of talks in Abu Dhabi.
  • Nov. 10 — Russia and Ukraine held four hours of U.S.-mediated talks, their first since February. Russia kept European officials out of the main room.
  • Nov. 11 — The talks ended with a prisoner swap agreed in principle and no movement on territory or security.
2 earlier issues

Quick bites12

Senate fights over war money2 bites

  1. Five Democratic-caucus senators vow to vote no on any stopgap that keeps paying for the Iran war

    THE HILLUpdateGovernment funding

    Four of them signed a joint statement on Thursday, Nov. 12. Tim Kaine (Sen-D Virginia) told reporters the same day he would not back one either, per The Hill. Five votes cannot sink a stopgap alone. Republicans hold 53 seats and need seven of the other 42 Democrats to reach 60 before funding runs out Dec. 11. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries would not rule out a shutdown.

    Catch upwhat happened before · 1 earlier issue

    On Nov. 11, a month before the Dec. 11 deadline, Republicans pushed full-year bills that fund the Pentagon before Democrats take both chambers on Jan. 3. Democrats wanted a short-term stopgap with limits on Iran war money.

    Who and whatJoint statement: Michael Bennet (Sen-D Colorado), Bernie Sanders (Sen-I Vermont), Chris Van Hollen (Sen-D Maryland) and Tammy…3 details
    • Joint statement: Michael Bennet (Sen-D Colorado), Bernie Sanders (Sen-I Vermont), Chris Van Hollen (Sen-D Maryland) and Tammy Duckworth (Sen-D Illinois). Any short-term package "must include language that restricts the Trump Administration from using appropriated funds to continue his war against Iran."
    • Kaine is drafting language to block war spending that could ride on the next stopgap. Rosa DeLauro (Rep-D Connecticut) leads Democrats in the four-corners talks, where the top Republican and Democratic spending leaders in each chamber negotiate the bills.
    • Jeffries: Democrats oppose "any additional money" for the war, which should go to affordability, "not to drop bombs overseas in an endless war."
    Ongoing1

    This story has run 2 times, starting Nov 12.

    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 money
    2. UpdateFive Democratic-caucus senators vow to vote no on any stopgap that keeps paying for the Iran war — this issue

  2. Trump asks Senate GOP to pass $350B party-line military bill before Democrats take over in January

    WASHINGTON EXAMINERBattle for the Senate

    Party-line means budget reconciliation, which skips the filibuster (the 60-vote bar to end debate on most bills) and passes by simple majority. Republicans hold 53 seats and can lose three, per the Washington Times. Rand Paul (Sen-R Kentucky) already opposes it, calling Iran war money "tone deaf" after the midterms. Susan Collins (Sen-R Maine) says "it depends what is in this."

    • The $350B would pay for munitions, Golden Dome missile defense, autonomous systems and AI.
    • It is part of the $1.5 trillion in FY2027 defense money Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is seeking.
    • The budget blueprint the House passed in July has only $60B for defense. It has sat in the Senate for nearly four months, per Politico.
Senate Democrats' oversight fights2 bites

  1. Texas US attorney accuses Sen. Blumenthal of intimidating Trump ballroom donors, orders him to preserve records

    NBC NEWS

    Richard Blumenthal (Sen-D Connecticut) has written to donors to Trump's White House ballroom since October, asking whether their gifts were tied to government favors. Aaron Reitz, the US attorney for the Southern District of Texas, answered on Nov. 11 with a letter ordering Blumenthal to preserve his records. Blumenthal said he "will not be intimidated." He told Reitz to save his own records, including any White House contacts about the letter. Blumenthal is the top Democrat on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and is set to chair it in January.

    The letter and DOJ's responseReitz wrote that Blumenthal had "threatened citizens for associating themselves with the President and other public officials,"…2 details
    • Reitz wrote that Blumenthal had "threatened citizens for associating themselves with the President and other public officials," per NBC. The letter cites federal civil-rights statutes and gives Blumenthal until Nov. 18 to confirm he has complied. Reitz was once chief of staff to Ted Cruz (Sen-R Texas).
    • Attorney General Todd Blanche said DOJ has no criminal investigations into lawmakers' words: "That is not a crime to say that."

  2. Two Democratic senators open probe into whether RFK Jr. lied to Congress about his 2019 Samoa trip

    PBS NEWSHOURRFK Jr.'s vaccine moves

    Ron Wyden (Sen-D Oregon) and Angela Alsobrooks (Sen-D Maryland) are probing whether Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lied at his 2025 confirmation hearings. He said the trip had "nothing to do with vaccines." The senators say a letter he wrote to Samoa's prime minister before the trip uses "vaccine" or "vaccination" 8 times. A FOIA suit made the letter public.

    Key factsWhy Samoa matters: Kennedy visited during a slump in measles vaccinations there, and the outbreak that followed killed 83 people,…5 details
    • Why Samoa matters: Kennedy visited during a slump in measles vaccinations there, and the outbreak that followed killed 83 people, mostly children.
    • Records deadline: the senators asked Children's Health Defense, which Kennedy once chaired, for documents by Dec. 4. As minority-party senators, they cannot force the group to hand them over.
    • Oath: Kennedy was not under oath, but knowingly false statements to Congress can still be prosecuted under federal law (18 U.S.C. 1001).
    • Sourcing: the letter's wording comes from the senators' account, as reported by PBS NewsHour.
    • HHS response: calling him a liar "is not only false but outright defamatory."
Also tonight6 bites

  1. Ukraine says Starshield cuts out above 100 mph again and interceptor failures hit 100% by day three; SpaceX says 'false'

    AXIOSRussia-Ukraine war

    Ukraine says the military version of Starlink it uses to guide drone interceptors stops working above 100 mph over the front and occupied land. Interceptor mission failures rose from 10% on day one to 50% on day two and 100% by day three, Ukraine says; SpaceX says, "This is false. There has been no change."

    Who is demanding answersOutgoing Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (Sen-D New Hampshire) and Thom Tillis (Sen-R North Carolina) want oversight and want Pentagon and…3 details
    • Outgoing Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (Sen-D New Hampshire) and Thom Tillis (Sen-R North Carolina) want oversight and want Pentagon and SpaceX records preserved: "Congress must determine who ordered or approved these disruptions."
    • The Congressional Ukraine Caucus says it is "extremely alarmed" and wants a full accounting.
    • Ukrainian chargé Denys Sienik says Kyiv has no explanation yet from SpaceX or the Pentagon; European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said Nov. 12 that service "must be restored urgently."

  2. UK to charge Army Lt. Col. Brandon Tyner, 41, by Monday, Nov. 16; US official says nothing reached Moscow

    NBC NEWSUpdateRussia-Ukraine war

    Tyner was caught in a sting after unknowingly talking to British officials, the WSJ reported. A US official told the AP that no information reached Moscow. British charges are expected Sunday, Nov. 15, or Monday, Nov. 16.

    On Tuesday, Nov. 10, British police arrested a 41-year-old US Army officer near Gloucester on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence. They searched two sites in Gloucestershire. Under Britain's National Security Act 2023, a court can let police hold a suspect up to 14 days without charge.

    Who he isSenior human resources officer at the headquarters of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, Imjin Barracks.4 details
    • Senior human resources officer at the headquarters of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, Imjin Barracks.
    • Joined the Army in 2008; deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Qatar (CBS).
    • Suspected offenses: obtaining or disclosing protected information, and assisting a foreign intelligence service (CBS).
    • Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov: "We have nothing to do with this and it has nothing to do with us."

  3. Existing-home sales fell 5.5% in October to a 3.75 million pace, the lowest since August 2010

    NPR

    Sales were also down 8.8% from October 2025, the National Association of Realtors said. Its chief economist, Lawrence Yun, blamed mortgage rates at their highest since 2000, aside from two months in late 2023 (Freddie Mac monthly averages: 7.62% in October, 7.44% in November).

    The numbersMedian existing-home price: $416,700, up 0.4% from a year earlier3 details
    • Median existing-home price: $416,700, up 0.4% from a year earlier
    • Fed funds target range: 3.75–4%, after a quarter-point hike on Sept. 16 and a hold on Oct. 28
    • Unsold inventory: 1.59 million homes, a 5.1-month supply, up from 4.4 months a year earlier

    Two columns of one figure the story states at two times: 6.25% a year earlier, 7.33% in October — up.

    Chart

    The 30-year mortgage averaged 7.33% in October, per Freddie Mac, up from 6.25% a year earlier; the median price still rose 0.4% to $416,700.

    The 30-year mortgage averaged 7.33% in October, per Freddie Mac, up from 6.25% a year earlier; the median price still rose 0.4% to $416,700.Two columns of one figure the story states at two times: 6.25% a year earlier, 7.33% in October — up.
    The numbers
    The 30-year mortgage averaged 7.33% in October, per Freddie Mac, up from 6.25% a year earlier; the median price still rose 0.4% to $416,700.
    PercentStated
    a year earlier6.25%
    in October7.33%
    Source: NPR: Existing-home sales hit their lowest level since 2010 as mortgage rates climbPOLI

  4. Brooklyn apartment building collapses into neighboring construction pit, killing 8, including 2 children

    THE GUARDIAN

    The three-story building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. fell around 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, injuring 18. Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez says his office is examining whether any criminal conduct contributed. Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the firms behind the excavation next door work at about 100 other city sites, and building inspectors began sweeping them Thursday, Nov. 12.

    Who and what is under scrutinyThe BBC names the developer of the work next door as Robert Fischman.3 details
    • The BBC names the developer of the work next door as Robert Fischman.
    • Investigators are checking whether digging out the pit next door caused the collapse, per Fox 5 New York. The city cited that project in May for working under a stop-work order, NY1 reported.
    • Of the 18 injured, four were firefighters, per NBC.

  5. Trump threatens to double Mexico tariffs "IMMEDIATELY" unless it stops a 1,500-person caravan

    FINANCIAL TIMES

    Trump posted Thursday, Nov. 12, that Mexico's tariffs would double unless it stops a migrant caravan. About 1,500 people, mostly Central Americans, left Tapachula near the Guatemalan border on Tuesday, Nov. 10. He did not say which tariffs would double or under what law. The Supreme Court struck down his emergency-powers tariffs in February.

    What Trump saidTrump: "With the perceived loss by the Republicans in the Midterms - I WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT- the INVASION of our Country is…2 details
    • Trump: "With the perceived loss by the Republicans in the Midterms - I WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT- the INVASION of our Country is taking place again."
    • Trump: "MEXICO MUST STOP THEM, NOW, and if they do not do so, the Tariffs on Mexico will be IMMEDIATELY DOUBLED."
    BackgroundWhat Mexico pays now3 facts
    • Goods that qualify under USMCA, the North American trade pact, pay no added tariff. Other Mexican goods pay 10% under Section 301, in place since July 24, per the freight broker Cargado.
    • Steel, aluminum and most copper pay 50% under Section 232, with no USMCA relief.
    • President Claudia Sheinbaum said no caravan has reached the US border since Trump returned to office (UPI).

  6. Kalshi ends Donald Trump Jr.'s adviser role after his firm put $300 million into rival Polymarket

    THE HILLTrump Jr. wedding party

    Kalshi said both sides agreed to end the role after 1789 Capital, where Trump Jr. is a partner, led Polymarket's $1 billion funding round in August. He still advises Polymarket, per CNBC.

    Also on the recordKalshi spokesperson Dani Lever: "We are grateful for his contributions in helping us market Kalshi to more customers."2 details
    • Kalshi spokesperson Dani Lever: "We are grateful for his contributions in helping us market Kalshi to more customers."
    • Democrats, who won both chambers of Congress on Nov. 3, are expected to go after prediction markets, per CNBC.
Elections2 bites

  1. Democrat Cindy Holscher beats Trump-backed Ty Masterson for Kansas governor, 50.3% to 49.7%

    NPR

    Holscher (St Sen-D Kansas) succeeds term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly after beating Senate President Masterson (St Sen-R Kansas), who had Trump's endorsement. The AP called the race Thursday, Nov. 12, two days after Holscher declared victory.

    The money and the rest of the ticketThe Republican Governors Association put $19 million into TV and digital ads for Masterson, per AdImpact data cited by the AP.3 details
    • The Republican Governors Association put $19 million into TV and digital ads for Masterson, per AdImpact data cited by the AP. Republicans outspent Democrats more than 3-to-1 overall.
    • Adam Hamilton won a US Senate seat, the first Kansas Democratic Senate win since 1932 (AP).
    • Democrat Chris Mann ousted Attorney General Kris Kobach (AP).

  2. Peltola's lead over Sen. Dan Sullivan shrinks to 3,975 votes in Alaska, the last uncalled Senate race

    FOX NEWSUpdateAlaska Senate race

    Mary Peltola (D-AK) leads Dan Sullivan (Sen-R Alaska) 121,487 first-choice votes to 117,512 after the state's count on Wednesday, Nov. 11, per Fox News. Her lead was 4,250 votes on Tuesday, Nov. 10, per The Hill, and Sullivan's gain came mostly from the Republican-leaning Mat-Su region.

    On Wednesday, Nov. 11, Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews denied Peltola's request for a list of voters whose absentee ballots were rejected. He ruled the state need not build a new report mid-count.

    What decides itHer lead is now smaller than the 4,100 votes for Daniel J.3 details
    • Her lead is now smaller than the 4,100 votes for Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a separate candidate, and Gerald Heikes has 5,426. Their second choices count if no one tops 50%.
    • The next count is Friday, Nov. 13, the deadline for most mailed ballots, per KTOO.
    • Alaska is the only Senate race in the country not yet called.

Elections2 races

2 closest races

  • nAlaska governor99.7%Wilson 0.20%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 12, 9:07 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 0.15%; 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.

    No 7-day series from Kalshi on Tom Begich. Shown as a hollow dot at today only — nothing is drawn where nothing was reported.

  • mAlaska SenateMary Peltola 99.35%▲2.2Sullivan 0.53%

    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 12, 9:07 PM CT
    widest venue gap 0.4pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska Senate. Mary Peltola (D): Polymarket 99.55%, Kalshi 99.15%; Dan Sullivan (R): Polymarket 0.30%, Kalshi 0.75%. 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.

“Still in doubt” means no leader above 80% on either book. Prices captured Nov 12, 9:07 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

CBS NEWS

HUD rule requires every public-housing resident to prove citizenship or eligible immigration status, ending indefinite subsidies for mixed-status families

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates about 80,000 people in 20,000 families could be displaced; most of the 37,000 children among them are U.S. citizens.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development published a rule Thursday, Nov. 12, requiring everyone living in federally funded public housing to prove U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status.

The old policy. It ends a policy in place since 1995 that let mixed-status families live together, with the subsidy reduced to cover only the eligible members.

The families. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates about 80,000 people in 20,000 such families could be displaced, including about 37,000 children, most of them U.S. citizens.

The audit. A HUD audit found nearly 200,000 tenants whose eligibility status was incomplete or unverified.

The two sides. HUD Secretary Scott Turner: "American taxpayers will no longer foot the bill." Marie Claire Tran-Leung of the National Housing Law Project: "This is tearing apart families and sowing division."

What next. The rule takes effect Monday, Dec. 14. Mixed-status families then have 90 days to submit proof of status.

What the rule leaves families who cannot prove statusTenants who certify that evidence is temporarily unavailable get up to 60 more days2 details
  • Tenants who certify that evidence is temporarily unavailable get up to 60 more days
WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Interior's new four-year plan proposes selling federal land to states, localities and tribes, naming no acreage, places or dates

Four Western Republicans and Martin Heinrich, set to chair the Senate Energy Committee next year, say they oppose it.

The plan. The Interior Department's 28-page strategic plan says it will shrink the federal land base by offering land for sale to states, local governments and tribes. It does not say how much, which parcels, or when.

“Our office was not consulted on this … I will not allow ONE ACRE of Montana land to be sold.”Tim Sheehy (Sen-R Montana)

The Republicans. Steve Daines (Sen-R Montana), Ryan Zinke (Rep-R Montana) and Mike Simpson (Rep-R Idaho) also oppose public land sales.

The Democratic side. Martin Heinrich (Sen-D New Mexico), set to chair the Senate Energy Committee next year per the Washington Examiner, vowed to fight the plan: "Public lands belong in public hands."

  • For scale: from 2014 to 2023, BLM sold or transferred about 1.08 million acres and acquired 291,400, per Resources for the Future data cited by the Washington Examiner.
15 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.
  • 24Trump called Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and urged him to keep fighting to stay in his jobConsidered for the NYT report that Trump privately urged Huang to keep fighting; cut because the resignation and briefing updates already carry the Nvidia story.
  • 25Trump says he wants to "get Cuba done before I leave" when asked about military actionConsidered because Trump put a first timeline on possible Cuba military action; cut because it is a radio remark with no order, plan or deployment behind it yet.
  • 26ICE says it deported a record 483,200 people and made 491,000 arrests in fiscal 2026Considered because ICE claims record arrests and deportations; cut because the totals lean on voluntary departures and DHS gave no criminal breakdown.
  • 27Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate upset, the state's first Black senator since ReconstructionConsidered because Scott Colom's Mississippi upset makes him the state's first Black senator since Reconstruction; cut for space behind the day's other race results.
  • 28Wyden and Neal open probe into the Trump administration approving Nvidia H200 sales to ChinaConsidered because Wyden and Neal opened a probe into the H200 approvals; cut because the GOP push for Lutnick's testimony already covers the chip-sale scrutiny.
  • 29Intelligence picture on alleged spy Alice Huang: US intel uncertain, Singapore probe and ban, China's California spy networkConsidered for CNN's look at what US intelligence knows about Alice Huang; cut because the assessment is uncertain and the Nvidia story is already fully covered.
  • 30Lawyer says DOJ charged Ilhan Omar's former Somali bodyguard to extract information on herConsidered because a lawyer says DOJ charged Omar's ex-bodyguard to extract information on her; cut because it rests on a defense lawyer's claim with no DOJ response.
  • 31Push for AI chip export curbs on China gains steam: OpenAI backs the bill, Johnson open to limitsConsidered because chip-export curbs are gaining support from OpenAI and Johnson; cut because no bill text or vote is scheduled yet.
  • 32Democratic state officials battle USPS over the Trump mail-ballot ruleConsidered because Democratic state officials are fighting USPS over the Trump mail-ballot rule; cut as a slow-burn dispute with no ruling or deadline this week.
  • 33Paul LePage flips Maine's 2nd District for RepublicansConsidered because Paul LePage flipped Maine's 2nd District for Republicans; cut for space behind the Senate and governor results.
  • 34Why the 2026 polls underestimated DemocratsConsidered for Pew's first look at why 2026 polls underestimated Democrats; cut because it is a preliminary analysis and some races are still uncalled.
  • 35State Department: US managed $12B in Venezuelan oil sales, returning nearly allConsidered because the State Department says the US handled $12B in Venezuelan oil sales; cut because the figure is self-reported and no audit backs it.
  • 36Iran-linked plots and security incidents at US bases in Britain as jets are pulledConsidered because of Iran-linked plots at US bases in Britain as jets are pulled; cut because the incidents are loosely linked and officials have confirmed few details.
  • 37Cyberattacks disable French supermarket fridges; WSJ ties them to Iran, Bessent to a Chinese AI modelConsidered because cyberattacks disabled French supermarket fridges; cut because WSJ blames Iran and Bessent blames a Chinese AI model, so attribution is unresolved.
  • 38Trump CEA's GDP and deficit projections badly missedConsidered because the Trump CEA's GDP and deficit projections badly missed; cut because the only source is one economist's X post and the comparison needs checking.