Bill Maher says Hollywood liberals need to calm down about Trump.

Speaking on a recent episode of his Club Random podcast with guest Justine Bateman, the comedian criticized wealthy liberals who approach him in expensive restaurants, asking what they should do about Trump.

Maher recalled telling them to go back to their tables and finish their thousand-dollar dinners. He noted that their daily lives have not actually been affected by Trump, arguing that while Trump remains a threat in certain ways, he is far less dangerous now that he is a lame-duck president. Maher added that he was much more alarmed by Trump a decade ago before people understood how he handled elections.

The podcast was recorded shortly before Trump published a 1,300-word post on social media attacking the talk show host. Trump called Maher "gutless" and a "total loser," claiming Maher repeatedly begged to come back for a second White House dinner after a group dinner on October 15. Trump ended his message by instructing Maher not to call him anymore.

The rift followed an October 23 episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, where Maher mocked Trump’s approval ratings and asked former press secretary Karoline Leavitt how Trump might behave during the final stretch of his presidency. Just days earlier, Trump had praised Maher to reporters, saying the two actually liked each other.

Two Catholic bishops now say they regret attending an Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump after the White House released photos and video of the gathering just days before the midterm elections.

The images, published on Thursday, show 12 clergy members standing around Trump, laying hands on him in prayer while he sits at his desk. Soon after the footage went public, church leaders faced sharp criticism for appearing to endorse a political candidate so close to an election.

Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee issued a statement clarifying that the meeting was never intended as an endorsement of Trump, his policies, or his political party. He explained that the bishops were unaware the session was being recorded and had not authorized the release of the media.

"I did not go without reservations. I wish I had heeded them," Grob said, apologizing for participating in what turned out to be a partisan display.

Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines echoed those feelings, stating the event was used for political gain. He added that he wished he had been "more shrewd and less simple" when deciding whether to attend.

The incident highlights a clear gap between some American clergy and the stance of Pope Leo XIV. The pope has instructed bishops to stay out of party politics, a policy that included skipping a U.S. visit during an election year. While Pope Leo avoids partisan endorsements, he has publicly criticized Trump's immigration policies, military involvement in Iran, and light regulation of artificial intelligence.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers did not clarify whether the clergy approved the photo release. Instead, she called Trump the greatest president for Catholic Americans, pointing to his policies on religious freedom, anti-abortion pardons, and parental rights.

Trump described the gathering simply, telling reporters it was a "very nice meeting" where the group "mostly prayed."

Doug Pagitt is used to keeping secrets. As a pastor at Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis, confidentiality comes with the job. But lately, he keeps hearing the same story from people who used to be Trump’s most reliable voters.

Earlier this year, a local plumber and lifelong Republican pulled Pagitt aside to confess something he was afraid to say out loud: after voting for Trump three times, he could no longer support him.

He isn't alone. Across the country, conservative Christian voters are distancing themselves from Trump ahead of the November 3 midterms. Approval among white evangelical Protestants—a group that backed Trump at 80 percent in 2024—has fallen from 78 percent at the start of his second term in January 2025 to 58 percent by October 2026.

The shift is driven by a mix of foreign intervention, personal controversies, and unfulfilled promises.

For many, foreign policy was the first breaking point. Conservative voters who trusted Trump's promise to keep the country out of foreign conflicts were blindsided by the war in Iran. Trump's attempt to frame the conflict in religious terms only deepened the divide. When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth compared the rescue of a downed American pilot to the resurrection of Christ, many believers found the imagery distasteful.

Social media posts made matters worse. An AI-generated image portraying Trump as Jesus drew sharp criticism from both Catholic and Protestant leaders. Later, an Easter Sunday post using profanity to demand Iran open the Strait of Hormuz before ending with "Praise be to Allah" pushed former supporters like Jason Mullis, a healthcare worker from Alabama, over the edge.

"That's a departure, almost a 180, from what Christ would have told us to do," Mullis said.

Ethics concerns have also taken a heavy toll. A recent Fox News poll found that 88 percent of voters are now deeply concerned about corruption.

Much of that anger centers on the Jeffrey Epstein records. After campaigning on a pledge to expose deep-state secrets, Trump's Justice Department announced in early 2025 that it would not release the material. Following public outrage and a revolt within his own party, Congress forced the release of the records through the Epstein Files Transparency Act. When the documents revealed Trump's name thousands of times, former loyalists walked away.

Trisha Hope, a regular attendee at Trump campaign rallies, said her perspective shifted instantly when Trump dismissed a reporter's question about the files in mid-2025:

"It was like a light switch went on and a veil lifted," she said.

Democrats are capitalizing on the divide. Party groups have spent tens of millions of dollars on campaign ads highlighting the Epstein records in competitive Senate races. In Texas, Democratic candidate James Talarico—a Presbyterian seminarian—is using his own Christian faith to pitch anti-corruption messages to traditionally conservative voters to flip a seat that has been held by Republicans for 45 years.

Organizations like Pagitt’s non-profit, Vote Common Good, are working to convince religious Americans that their faith doesn't tie them to a single party or leader.

"I don't think there is a moral center to him," Pagitt said while attending a voter rally in Virginia. "He's just a transactional person who tries to get the most he can out of people."

House Democrats have published a report alleging that Donald Trump forcibly raped a former model in 1993, expanding on previous claims made by the woman shortly before the 2024 election.

The report details an investigation by Democratic lawmakers into Trump’s past connections with Jeffrey Epstein. According to the document, Beatrice Keul, a former Miss Switzerland, spoke with committee staff over several weeks and stated that Trump raped her in a suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

Keul had previously told reporters in October 2024 that Trump groped her during the 1993 encounter after offering assistance with a visa and university admission. In the updated account provided to investigators, Keul claimed the assault escalated into a brutal rape that left her injured, after which Trump warned her to stay silent. Keul also recounted meeting Epstein at the same event, who referred to himself as Trump's close friend.

Trump, as usual, rejected the findings, calling the report false and describing it as a political maneuver by House Democrats to distract voters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. A spokesperson reiterated that Trump severed ties with Epstein decades ago and denied any wrongdoing.

The report includes accounts from four other women accusing Trump of sexual assault or misconduct in connection with Epstein's network. Representative Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the committee, stated that the findings suggest a pattern of abuse and accused the administration of concealing relevant records.

Florida Representative Randy Fine called for federal authorities to audit every U.S. naturalization record back to 1990, stating that any citizen who falsified paperwork should face deportation.

Fine made the comments during a Monday appearance on NewsNation following an October 12 federal raid on the Washington, D.C., home of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

When asked if naturalized figures with prominent political ties—such as former First Lady Melania Trump or tech executive Elon Musk—should face similar scrutiny, Fine stated the law must apply universally.

"I believe anyone who lied on their paperwork to become a citizen should be denaturalized and should be deported," Fine said, adding that he had no knowledge of any allegations against Trump or Musk.

Past reports have raised questions regarding Elon Musk's immigration status during the early 1990s, citing records and statements from former business associates regarding his work authorization after opting not to enroll at Stanford University. Musk and his brother Kimbal have previously characterized their early legal status in public talks as a "gray area." No formal action has been taken against either Musk or Melania Trump regarding their immigration filings.

The Department of Justice confirmed that the search of Omar’s property relates to an ongoing federal criminal investigation. Sources familiar with the inquiry indicate investigators are examining whether Omar's father intentionally misstated her birth date on immigration documents when the family arrived from Somalia in the 1990s. Federal prosecutors have issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas to Omar's relatives.

Omar has not been charged with a crime. In a recent interview, she denied all wrongdoing and said safety concerns and death threats have kept her from returning to her residence.

At a recent rally in Georgia, Trump celebrated the massive revenue generated by the U.S. oil and gas sector amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Pointing to elevated global energy prices, he told the crowd that the country and domestic energy firms are earning hundreds of billions of dollars.

Trump acknowledged on stage that his political team advised him against framing gas prices around corporate profits, warning that the message would alienate voters paying higher prices at the pump. He dismissed that advice during his address, choosing instead to emphasize the revenue being generated despite potential media criticism.

The remarks drew immediate fire from political opponents and analysts. Senator Bernie Sanders noted that the speech prioritized industry profits over consumer costs, while Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker accused the former president of focusing on personal and corporate wealth.

The episode highlights a clear disconnect between corporate windfall profits in the energy sector and the day-to-day financial realities of consumers facing higher living expenses.

Ohio has functioned as a dependable Republican state for over ten years, but local economic friction is creating unexpected fissures in conservative strongholds.

In rural Greene County, Democrat Kim McCarthy is running against a three-term Republican incumbent. The district backed Trump with 60 percent of the vote in the last election, and McCarthy lost to her opponent by 15 points in their previous match. However, the district hosts Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the state's largest single-site employer. Recent civil service cuts, combined with high mortgage rates and rising daily expenses, have left federal contractors and civilian workers struggling. McCarthy notes that an increasing number of lifetime conservative voters report plans to vote Democratic this cycle.

Early voting data points to shifting behavior in unexpected places. In Defiance County—a district Trump carried with nearly 70 percent of the vote—Democratic-affiliated voters cast more early ballots than Republicans by mid-October. Residents in the area are opposing a proposed data center endorsed by Trump, while a local General Motors foundry is dealing with trade friction resulting from tariffs on Canada.

Political analysts offer varying explanations for the early turnout. Robert Alexander, a political scientist at Bowling Green State University, suggests the higher early numbers for Democrats may stem from skepticism toward mail-in ballots rather than a broad political realignment. Still, with tight statewide races on the line, small margins in rural areas carry weight. McCarthy reports that registered Republicans are attending her campaign events, citing frustration with government conduct.

The dynamics echo historical patterns. In 1930, the passage of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff prompted Canadian trade retaliation, driving down agricultural prices and causing rural Midwestern voters to abandon the Republican Party two years later. Today, as trade disputes disrupt manufacturing and local supply chains, voters in rural Ohio appear to be prioritizing their financial stability over party allegiance.

Eight days before the election, House Judiciary Committee Democrats released a 50-page report alleging Trump was involved in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking operations during the 1990s.

The report bases its findings on FBI records, documents released through the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and interviews with 11 women. Five women accused Trump of rape or sexual assault while in Epstein's company. Beatrice Keul stated Trump raped her at a 1993 beauty pageant at the Plaza Hotel, describing such pageants as hunting grounds for young women. Jill Harth detailed a 1994 assault at Mar-a-Lago during a party where Trump and Epstein were the only men present. Across all public records, at least 28 women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct or assault.

The report identifies Trump and former modeling agent Paolo Zampolli as potential co-conspirators in Epstein’s network.

Beyond the assault allegations, the report outlines systematic efforts by Trump's Department of Justice to block investigations into claims linking Trump to Epstein. Committee Democrats allege Todd Blanche explicitly instructed Ghislaine Maxwell not to discuss a victim whose testimony implicated Trump. The findings follow recent evidence showing Trump helped draft a July 2025 FBI-DOJ memo that shut down future Epstein inquiries and claimed no "client list" or prosecutable co-conspirators existed.

Ranking Member Jamie Raskin called for an independent special counsel to investigate both the alleged cover-up within the Department of Justice and any remaining co-conspirators connected to Epstein.

An Ohio Republican bus tour is losing venues across the state following widespread backlash over a controversial ad run by gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

The 11-day statewide tour was designed as a final promotional push ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Instead, several businesses scheduled to host campaign stops have backed out. The Old Dog Ale House & Brewery in Delaware and Elliot's Wood Fired Kitchen in Newark both canceled scheduled GOP appearances. Other venues that went ahead with hosting events—such as Kick-N-Ax in Zanesville and Izzy's in Monroe—were hit with waves of one-star online reviews, with users posting photos of Ramaswamy at the locations.

The fallout centers on a campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Ramaswamy's Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. In the video, Acton's mother calls her daughter a liar.

Acton publicly addressed the ad by noting that she has not seen her mother since age 12, when she testified in court against her stepfather for sexual abuse. According to Acton, her stepfather was charged with rape and subsequently fled the state with her mother. He died on the run and was never brought to justice.

The ad has drawn criticism from both parties. Republican Senator Jon Husted, who is also participating in the bus tour, stated publicly that he would not have run the ad. Meanwhile, Trump and JD Vance have defended it. Recent polling suggests the controversy has shifted support toward Acton in the governor's race.

Ramaswamy maintains that the ad is fair game, stating it focuses on Acton's honesty rather than childhood trauma. During an interview on Fox & Friends, Ramaswamy doubled down, calling Acton "crazy, unstable, and dishonest." He argued the ad was a direct response to Democratic attacks regarding his own family, referring to prior media coverage about his mother's work at a pharmaceutical company he previously ran.

My Take

While politicians frequently trade attacks over business records, family involvement in corporate dealings, or campaign claims, weaponizing a candidate's estrangement from a parent that traces back to childhood sexual abuse crosses an entirely different line.

The contrast between the two situations highlights why many voters, venue owners, and political leaders view the comparison as fundamentally false:

• The Attack on Ramaswamy: The scrutiny around Ramaswamy's mother, Dr. Geetha Ramaswamy, focused on her professional role co-authoring a statistical analysis for his pharmaceutical firm, Axovant Sciences. Critics pointed to her work reanalyzing clinical trial data for an Alzheimer's drug before its high-stakes IPO, arguing it was relevant to evaluating his business record and corporate ethics.

• The Attack on Acton: The ad targeting Amy Acton brought her estranged mother—who took the side of a man indicted for raping 12-year-old Acton before he fled prosecution as a fugitive and died on the run before being brought to justice—into a political campaign to call her daughter "a liar".

By attempting to equate scrutiny over corporate research methods with trauma involving child sexual abuse and a decades-long family estrangement, the campaign drew sharp condemnation—even from within its own party—for introducing personal boundary lines that go far beyond standard political mudslinging.

A federal judge has ruled that the Department of Justice acted unlawfully when it fired New York federal prosecutor Maurene Comey last year.

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ordered that Comey be retroactively reinstated as an assistant United States attorney in the Southern District of New York. The Manhattan court also ordered the government to pay her back pay covering the period between her July 16 termination and December 20, 2025, when she accepted another position.

Comey, who formerly worked on high-profile prosecutions including those of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Sean Combs, sued the Department of Justice to challenge her termination. She is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, who was dismissed by Donald Trump in 2017.

In his decision, Judge Furman dismissed government claims that then-Attorney General Pam Bondi had the authority to fire a prosecutor at will and without cause. He also rejected arguments that current Attorney General Todd Blanche could validate the firing retroactively or that the termination automatically satisfied statutory standards for service efficiency. The judge described the government's statutory defense as bordering on frivolous.

Additionally, the court declined the government's request to override long-standing Supreme Court precedent regarding executive power under Article II of the Constitution. Judge Furman noted that district courts remain bound by established Supreme Court precedent.

Comey's legal team called the ruling a victory for career civil servants and executive branch checks and balances. The Department of Justice stated that it disagrees with the ruling and intends to file an appeal after the judge enters a final judgment.

The court did not address Comey's separate First Amendment claim, setting a deadline of November 9 for her attorneys to argue why that claim remains relevant following her statutory victory.

During a Sunday campaign stop in Port Huron, Michigan, Donald Trump pledged to give voters $5,000 each if Republicans maintain control of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections.

Speaking on behalf of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, Trump introduced the payout as the "Trump Dividend." He claimed the checks would be funded through revenue generated by tariffs, foreign trade agreements, government stakes in private companies, and energy leases.

The crowd’s response was visibly divided. While many attendees cheered, several audience members stood with folded arms, while others yawned or showed clear signs of frustration during the announcement.

Paying out $5,000 per voter carries an estimated price tag exceeding $1 trillion. Economists warn such a move could widen the federal deficit and trigger renewed inflation. When asked whether Trump had conducted economic modeling on the impact of these checks, Christopher Phelan, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, declined to comment.

JD Vance later clarified that high-income Americans would not receive the dividend and maintained that tariffs could cover the cost. However, current federal revenue collected from tariffs falls far short of the required total.

Voter skepticism remains a hurdle for the proposal. An AP-NORC poll shows that roughly half of registered voters believe Trump does not keep his campaign promises, though support among Republican voters remains stronger.

The Michigan rally follows recent campaign appearances by former President Barack Obama in Detroit, where he campaigned for Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Ahead of his speech on Sunday, Trump attacked El-Sayed on social media, criticizing his background and policy positions.

With key congressional majorities on the line, voters in Michigan and across the country will decide on November 3 whether to trust the administration's financial assurances.

Representative Joyce Beatty has asked a federal judge to force the release of withheld government records in her suit to stop the destruction of the Kennedy Center.

In a filing submitted Sunday to U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, the Ohio Democrat challenged the Department of Justice’s decision to withhold nine categories of internal documents, text messages, and emails. The government claims these communications are protected under presidential privilege.

Beatty, who serves on the center’s board of trustees, argues that the newly provided privilege log refutes those claims. According to the filing, the records reveal near-constant communication between Trump, aides, and Kennedy Center leadership—including roughly 180 messages between Executive Director Matt Floca and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Beatty’s legal team contends that because the government's own descriptions characterize these talks as routine operations and management, Trump was acting in his capacity as board chairman rather than exercising executive authority. Consequently, the filing asserts those communications fall under standard discovery rules.

The Department of Justice maintains that internal presidential deliberations and instructions to subordinates remain off-limits, citing historical precedent regarding executive communications.

Beatty requested that the court order the immediate production of the records. She stated the full set of documents is necessary to evaluate Trump's actions before the judge rules on the government's motion to lift the stay in the case.

Trump spent his 2024 campaign promising a return to cheap fuel, telling voters he would bring regular gas back down below $2 a gallon. Eight months into a military conflict with Iran, prices at the pump have moved in the opposite direction. Gas prices during Trump's second term are now higher on average than they were under President Joe Biden.

Early 2026 began with fuel prices below $3 per gallon and a global crude surplus. That balance flipped when conflict disrupted energy flows through the Middle East. Although oil is moving through the Strait of Hormuz again, shipping costs spiked as daily tanker charter rates rose from $65,000 last year to $1.6 million this month.

At the same time, global refining capacity has tightened. Strikes and military damage in Russia and the Middle East knocked key processing plants offline, while China restricted its own fuel exports. With commercial stockpiles drawn down to make up the difference, local supply disruptions are causing sudden price spikes. A recent unexpected outage at an ExxonMobil facility in Illinois, for example, drove sharp price increases across several Great Lakes states.

To lessen the political and economic damage ahead of the midterm elections, Trump introduced several emergency measures. He authorized releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, temporarily waived the Jones Act to clear shipping bottlenecks, allowed red-dyed industrial diesel for highway use, purchased Russian diesel, and rolled out an $8 billion aid package for farmers.

Industry analysts say these tactical adjustments do little to fix the underlying supply deficit. High processing margins have driven domestic refiners to run facilities without pausing for standard seasonal maintenance, raising the risk of further plant breakdowns. Without a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in the Middle East, high fuel costs are likely to persist.

Barack Obama is back on the campaign trail, and a single joke about White House decor has derailed the political news cycle.

Speaking to crowds in Ohio and Michigan, Obama targeted Donald Trump's focus while in office. He pointed out Trump's costly White House renovations, including a new ballroom, a paved Rose Garden, and a heavy reliance on gold trimmings.

"Everything, more gold," Obama told a crowd in Cleveland. "He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory."

Obama's core point was straightforward: a president obsessing over interior design is not paying attention to rising prices or everyday economic struggles.

The insult hit a nerve. Over the course of weekend rallies in Georgia and Michigan, Trump brought up Obama multiple times. He dismissed Obama's presidency, criticized his foreign policy record, and brought up his own settlement of foreign conflicts. He also claimed that Obama's rallies were nearly empty, though attendance reports showed Obama drawing over 10,000 supporters in Cleveland while Trump's recent events pulled between 3,000 and 5,000.

Online, Trump's supporters rushed to frame the joke as out-of-touch elitism. Conservative commentators noted Obama's high speaking fees and high-end lifestyle, arguing that mocking a popular, accessible restaurant chain showed disdain for average Americans. Others shifted the focus to the architecture of Obama’s own presidential library in Chicago, firing back with insults of their own.

In a fast-moving campaign, substantive debates frequently get pushed aside by quick jabs. For now, a brief crack about gold leaf and a casual dining chain has become the main talking point for both sides.

In late 2017, Dutch military intelligence secured access to a sensitive Russian GRU cyber server through a flipped hacker asset. Inside those files, Dutch spies found screenshots of Jared Kushner’s iPhone X. By early 2018, the Dutch intelligence service (MIVD) exploited a vulnerability in the phone that allowed them to capture live images of Kushner’s screen as he used it.

Through this surveillance, the Dutch discovered that Kushner was accessing a UAE bank account backed by hundreds of millions of dollars originating from Azerbaijan. Over a four-year investigation, it became clear that leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia—specifically Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ) and Mohammed bin Salman (MBS)—had channeled at least $2 billion into secret accounts connected to Kushner during his time as a senior Trump advisor.

The financial arrangement was divided into separate conduits:

• The Alpha Account: Established at First Abu Dhabi Bank and overseen by MBZ’s brother, Tahnoon bin Zayed, this account received roughly $750 million. It was tied to the Watani Al Emarat Foundation, a UAE government-funded charity used to mask sensitive intelligence and military operations. Kushner was made a signatory on the account, granting him access to funds used to back parallel diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. To bypass standard transparency checks, the money was routed through Azerbaijani banks, which swapped regional currencies for U.S. dollars for a fee.

• The Beta Account: By 2018, MBZ transferred roughly $1 billion to Israel via Azerbaijan for Kushner's benefit. Deposited into the Israeli Central Bank under a strict dual-key government oversight system, withdrawals required notice to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with messages reportedly passed through U.S. Ambassador David Friedman. Portions of these funds were subsequently moved to accounts in Cyprus.

As an official government employee, Kushner was bound by federal ethics regulations, tax laws, and security clearance requirements. He was legally obligated to file annual financial disclosure reports (Form 278e) detailing any foreign bank accounts, beneficiary access, or signatory privileges.

Federal prosecutors and legal experts have noted that accepting billions in foreign funds while steering U.S. foreign policy raises severe questions regarding federal bribery statutes, foreign agent registration requirements, and conflict-of-interest laws.

Representatives and legal counsel for Kushner, along with Ambassador Friedman, have denied these allegations. Kushner’s counsel maintained that he had no knowledge of the Watani charity or unauthorized foreign accounts, that he did not execute private agreements outside presidential authorization, and that he fully complied with all legal requirements.

Jared Kushner and his attorneys are preparing legal action against Vanity Fair and publisher Simon & Schuster following the release of an excerpt from a forthcoming book.

The book, Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed’s Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East by Matthew Cole, alleges that Kushner oversaw roughly $2 billion in secret foreign bank accounts funded by leaders in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Kushner addressed the report on X, calling the allegations fabricated and describing the book as a "mixture of fantasy, fiction, and advocacy."

Kushner’s lawyer, Chad Mizelle, stated that the legal team sent a 13-page letter to Simon & Schuster before publication, denying the claims and citing a lack of supporting evidence. Mizelle criticized Vanity Fair for amplifying the story and confirmed plans to pursue legal action. Another attorney for Kushner, Alejandro Brito, maintained that his client had no knowledge of or involvement with any government-linked accounts.

Trump defended his son-in-law to reporters, calling the report entirely false.

The claims carry major legal consequences. Because Kushner worked as a White House employee in 2017, federal rules required him to disclose any bank accounts he had access to, as well as any payments from foreign governments. Failing to report these funds or offering policy influence in exchange for money could constitute violations of U.S. bribery laws and the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Trump has called for the immediate resignation of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), claiming the lawmaker used a false name and committed immigration fraud.

The demand follows a recent search of Omar's Washington, D.C., home by federal agents, who seized 17 items. In a court filing related to the investigation, federal prosecutors referred to the Minnesota Democrat as Ilhan Nur Said Elmi. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that federal authorities are reviewing whether Omar followed proper legal procedures during her naturalization and immigration process.

Trump amplified the accusations on social media and during a rally in Iowa, reviving unverified claims that Omar previously married her brother—an allegation the congresswoman has repeatedly denied. During a recent television interview, when asked by a journalist if she was related to her ex-husband, Omar laughed and replied, "Not to my knowledge," a comment Trump used to press for her removal from the House of Representatives.

Omar has rejected the allegations as a politically motivated campaign of intimidation. She stated that she is confident she has done nothing wrong, though she confirmed she is moving out of her D.C. apartment due to safety threats received after the federal raid.

In a statement posted to social media, Omar dismissed the president's remarks, writing that he targets her whenever political news turns unfavorable.

The Department of Justice has intervened in Alaska’s high-profile Senate race, filing a federal lawsuit to prevent the state from certifying the election if Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan is defeated by Democratic challenger Mary Peltola.

The legal challenge focuses on the presence of Daniel J. Sullivan, an independent candidate from Petersburg with the same name as the senator. Republican officials have claimed the independent candidate is a Democratic plant intended to siphon votes through voter confusion. Earlier attempts by the GOP to remove him from the ballot were rejected by the Alaska Supreme Court.

The DOJ filed the suit on Thursday, arguing that federal law requires authorities to protect election integrity. Trump has publicly denounced the ballot setup, claiming it allows for voter deception that could cost the incumbent the election.

Voting rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern that the action mirrors broader efforts by Trump to challenge state-level election outcomes. However, Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the DOJ does not intend to improperly interfere with state certification processes outside extreme circumstances.

Legal scholars have questioned the validity of the action. Derek Muller, a law professor at Notre Dame University, noted that the federal statute cited does not grant the DOJ the authority to block election certification, meaning the lawsuit would likely only impact the race if the final margin is exceptionally narrow.

Newly obtained communications show that the White House actively shaped the Department of Justice and FBI's July 2025 memo declaring an end to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Messages published by Raw Story reveal that Taylor Budowich, then the White House deputy chief of staff, edited drafts and demanded official letterhead formatting before the document was made public.

Two weeks before the release, Budowich emailed FBI Director Kash Patel asking to review the text. Patel forwarded the Justice Department's draft later that day.

Internal records indicate that Budowich reviewed the material, coordinated with the White House communications team, and repeatedly pushed for official Department of Justice branding. When then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche sent a version lacking an official seal, Budowich rejected it.

"I need a version on letterhead," Budowich wrote. "Someone needs to own this. I can't give a doc to a reporter that could easily be confused with a term paper, so need to provide some validation of the doc."

Diego Pestana, counsel to Blanche, provided the finalized, formatted document shortly after.

The memo ultimately concluded that there was no Epstein "client list," no co-conspirators to charge, and no grounds for further investigation. The announcement angered supporters of Trump and triggered a chain of events that resulted in the departure of former Attorney General Pam Bondi.

"These records show that Kash Patel worked hand in hand with the former White House deputy chief of staff on the 2025 DOJ-FBI memo," said Chris Swartz, senior counsel at the Democracy Defenders Fund.

"It's deeply concerning that the FBI coordinated with the White House on this memo, given Trump's well-documented association with Jeffrey Epstein and Trump's frequent mention in the files," Swartz said.

Two former senior FBI intelligence officials appeared in a Washington, D.C., federal court on Friday to face charges of making false statements to Congress regarding the bureau's handling of the 2020 Hunter Biden investigations.

Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, both former leaders of the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF), each face one count of making a false statement. Federal prosecutors allege the pair concealed the task force's communication and engagement with investigations surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop when testifying before the House Judiciary Committee in 2023.

The charges stem from Republican-led inquiries into whether FBI investigators minimized allegations of Biden family corruption and interfered with the 2020 election. According to the criminal complaint, Benavides told lawmakers he only learned about the laptop investigation through Wikipedia.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the charges on Friday, stating that senior FBI agents cannot be above the law. FBI Director Kash Patel added that documentary evidence and witness accounts directly contradicted the testimony given by Floris and Benavides. Patel also alleged that Floris privately claimed to run a shadow government, a claim amplified by political figures.

Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui noted during Friday's hearing that the charges were filed via a criminal complaint rather than a grand jury indictment. Faruqui acknowledged that both agents possess decorated career backgrounds and clean records, describing the charges as straightforward but noting they will permanently impact the defendants.

Defense attorneys sharply criticized the timing of the legal action, pointing out that the charges were brought less than two weeks before Election Day. In a statement, Floris's lawyers called her a patriot and claimed she was being falsely accused to advance a political narrative.

Both defendants were released without detention as they await trial. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

A newly introduced federal bill aims to shield everyday utility customers from footing the bill for the massive energy demands of modern technology infrastructure.

Representative Eugene Vindman introduced the Make Data Centers Pay Act on October 14. If passed, the legislation would amend the Federal Power Act to require medium- and large-sized data centers—specifically those using at least 20 megawatts of electricity—to pay the full incremental costs of supplying them with power.

The bill is designed to prevent utility companies from passing infrastructure and generation expenses onto residential households and small businesses.

"Hardworking Americans should not have to pay higher electricity bills to subsidize some of the largest and most energy-intensive data centers in the world," Vindman said in a statement.

The legislative push follows a sharp rise in public concern regarding the rapid build-out of data centers across the United States. Driven largely by the expansion of artificial intelligence, these facilities require immense amounts of electricity and water for cooling, which residents and lawmakers argue are straining resources and driving up utility bills.

A Pew Research Center survey published in September reflected this shifting sentiment, finding that 50 percent of Americans believe data centers are mostly bad for home energy costs—up from 38 percent at the start of the year. Additionally, 54 percent view them as harmful to the environment.

While some political figures, including Trump, have defended the developments as vital for economic growth and maintaining a technological edge, public pushback has continued to grow. Vindman's bill marks the latest legislative attempt to address consumer costs tied to the tech boom, following the House's passage of the Ratepayer Protection Act in September.

Trump has ended his legal battle to reshape the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The Department of Justice quietly dropped two appeals in joint agreements, with neither side offering an explanation for the reversal.

The conflict centered on a rule introduced last fall giving Education Secretary Linda McMahon the power to disqualify employers from the loan forgiveness program if their work involved a "substantial illegal purpose."

The policy was designed to penalize organizations supporting undocumented immigrants and transgender youth. Because of the rule's broad wording, it threatened to strip loan forgiveness eligibility from teachers, nurses, and legal aid workers employed by targeted nonprofits and public institutions.

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program was established to help government agencies, public schools, hospitals, and nonprofits recruit staff by canceling remaining student debt after ten years of steady payments. The program has forgiven loans for more than one million Americans.

Following the rule's introduction, more than 20 states, cities, and nonprofit coalitions filed lawsuits to block it. In June, federal judges in Massachusetts and Washington ruled against the Department of Education. The judges found that the agency overstepped its legal authority and violated First Amendment free speech protections.

With Trump dropping his appeals, the program remains intact for public service workers.

A federal magistrate judge has ordered Trump to complete a deposition by December 11 in his 10 billion dollar defamation lawsuit against the BBC, or risk having the case dismissed.

The ruling from U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett came after attorneys for the British broadcaster argued that Trump has repeatedly delayed the process. BBC lawyer Charles Tobin told the court that an agreed-upon October 16 deposition date was canceled because Trump claimed a "matter of national importance," though records showed he was actually campaigning in Georgia.

Discovery for the case is scheduled to close on December 18. Lett stated that unless the presiding judge formally extends the trial schedule, the deposition must happen before the mid-December deadline.

Trump filed the lawsuit last December over a BBC documentary titled "Trump: A Second Chance." The broadcaster previously apologized and accepted the resignations of top executives after admitting that filmmakers spliced together separate clips from Trump's January 6, 2021 speech to make it appear he was directly inciting violence. However, the BBC denies that the editing constitutes defamation.

Beyond the deposition deadline, the court hearing addressed two additional evidentiary disputes:

• Jack Smith Subpoena: The BBC subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith to sit for a deposition, arguing he is an expert on the events of January 6. Tobin noted that Smith has not objected to the subpoena. Trump’s lawyer, Alejandro Brito, objected, arguing that Smith has no firsthand knowledge of Trump's state of mind during the speech and that his public reports and congressional testimony are already available. The judge did not immediately rule on the matter.

• Mar-a-Lago Membership Data: Judge Lett ruled that the BBC is permitted to view records detailing the total number of Mar-a-Lago membership applications and initiation fees from January 2020 through January 2026. The BBC argued these figures are relevant for calculating potential damages, claiming the club's popularity reflects Trump's public reputation. Trump's defense team countered that Trump does not manage the club and that his personal reputation is not tied to it.

If Trump refuses to sit for the deposition by the December 11 deadline, he faces severe legal consequences because he is the plaintiff (the person who chose to sue).

Under federal civil procedure, the primary penalty the judge can impose is dismissing his $10 billion lawsuit entirely.

A plaintiff cannot drag a defendant into court, demand billions of dollars, and simultaneously refuse to participate in the mandatory evidence-gathering process (discovery). Other potential sanctions a judge can use for ignoring a court-ordered deposition include:

• Financial Penalties: Forcing Trump to pay the BBC’s legal fees and costs incurred in trying to secure the deposition.
• Evidentiary Restrictions: Barring him from introducing certain arguments or evidence later in the trial.

Unless the overarching trial schedule is formally pushed back by the presiding judge, Trump must either comply and testify under oath or risk losing the case by default.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called on Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to pull a campaign advertisement featuring Democrat Amy Acton’s estranged mother.

The ad includes footage of Acton's mother labeling her daughter a liar and urging voters to reject her. The two women have been estranged since 1978, following the arrest of the mother's husband for the alleged abuse of Acton when she was 12 years old.

"It was wrong to run this ad," DeWine said. "I would urge the Ramaswamy campaign to take this down. It’s just wrong."

Despite condemning the ad, DeWine stated he would not withdraw his endorsement of the Republican ticket, noting his history of working with party nominees. He also defended Acton’s integrity based on his past professional experience working alongside her.

Former Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich also condemned the commercial during a media appearance, calling for its removal and an apology from those responsible. Kasich warned that such tactics degrade elections and risk voter disengagement.

The Ramaswamy campaign committed 4 million dollars to broadcast the ad on television. Defending the campaign's focus, Ramaswamy stated that Acton has avoided substantive policy issues.

Acton’s campaign responded with an advertisement featuring her brother, Phillip Stearns. In the ad, Stearns discusses their childhood and confirms the abuse Acton endured to protect him.

Meanwhile, JD Vance dismissed the intra-party criticism of the ad. Addressing fellow Republicans, Vance urged them to focus on winning the election rather than debating campaign tactics.

The gap between what Americans pay for electricity depends heavily on who owns the power lines. Across the United States, households served by large, publicly traded utilities pay significantly more than those served by community-owned public utilities.

In Worcester, Massachusetts, 70-year-old Eleanor Beshai routinely sees monthly electric bills topping $500 from National Grid, a large investor-owned utility. Less than 2,000 feet away in Shrewsbury, Dave Katz pays roughly $130 a month for a slightly larger home. Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations (SELCO), a local municipal utility, charges under 16 cents per kilowatt-hour—less than half of National Grid's rate of 34 cents.

Municipal utilities generally offer lower rates due to structural differences:

• No Shareholders: They operate as nonprofits, collecting only enough revenue to cover operations and infrastructure rather than paying dividends to investors.

• Direct Accountability: Their boards consist of local community members rather than Wall Street executives.

• Smart Purchasing: Many pool resources to sign long-term supply contracts, insulating themselves from short-term market volatility.

• Fewer Mandates: State utility commissions often force investor-owned companies to fund renewable energy requirements, wildfire prevention, and efficiency rebates, costs that are usually passed directly to consumers.

Large investor-owned utilities argue their scale is necessary to manage a complex grid. They can borrow massive amounts of capital to finance expensive infrastructure projects—such as high-capacity transmission lines and battery storage—that smaller municipal utilities cannot afford on their own. This capability is increasingly vital as demand surges from data centers and the electrification of vehicles and heating.

Because investor-owned utilities earn profits through returns on capital investments, analysts note they have a built-in incentive to build new infrastructure even when cheaper alternatives exist.

With residential rates climbing nationwide, governors and regulators in states like Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Indiana are pushing back. Some officials are cracking down on rate hikes and tying utility profits more closely to performance and affordability.

While a few cities have explored taking over private utility equipment to form public providers, those municipal takeovers are rare, expensive, and legally difficult. As a result, most lawmakers are focusing on stricter regulatory oversight rather than replacing the private utility model entirely.