“Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats are pressing the leaders of Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon.com and Meta to provide details on their donations to support President Trump’s White House ballroom—and whether the companies have any quid pro quo arrangements with the Trump administration,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Hegseth Asked Top Admiral to Resign
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shocked official Washington in mid-October when he announced that the four-star head of U.S. military operations in the Caribbean was retiring less than a year into his tenure,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“But according to two Pentagon officials, Hegseth asked Adm. Alvin Holsey to step down, a de facto ouster that was the culmination of months of discord between Hegseth and the officer. It began days after President Trump’s inauguration in January and intensified months later when Holsey had initial concerns about the legality of lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.”
The Obamacare Cliff’s Leadership Vacuum
Punchbowl News: “The deadline to extend Obamacare premium subsidies is just three weeks away. And Congress is nowhere on this issue.”
“There’s been no real push from party leaders on either side to secure a deal, leaving moderates and vulnerable Republicans scrambling.”
“As the chances for a deal hover near zero, the fingerpointing has only intensified ahead of “show” votes in the Senate next week. Senate Republican leaders are dealing with an absent White House while they struggle to coalesce around a messaging bill to counter Democrats’ unity on a subsidy extension.”
Trump Renames Institute of Peace for Himself
“A dormant government building in the nation’s capital may seem like an unlikely setting for the signing of a peace deal,” the New York Times reports.
“But nearly nine months after the Trump administration seized control of the U.S. Institute of Peace headquarters in an extraordinary public showdown and all but shuttered it, the center has re-emerged, newly named for President Trump.”
Republican Anger Erupts at Mike Johnson
New York Times: “Less than a year out from midterm elections in which Republicans’ vanishingly small majority is at stake, Mr. Johnson’s grasp on his gavel appears weaker than ever, as members from all corners of his conference openly complain about his leadership. Some predict that he may not last as the speaker for the rest of this term.”
“Republican women, in particular, have been publicly challenging Mr. Johnson and taking issue with his priorities and his style.”
“Their dissatisfaction is indicative of a broader splintering of a restive group of GOP lawmakers who are perpetually unhappy with their leaders, but appear to be reaching a breaking point with the current man at the top.”
Pentagon Knew There Were Survivors After Boat Attack
“The Pentagon knew there were survivors after a September attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea and the U.S. military still carried out a follow-up strike,” the AP reports.
“The rationale for the second strike was that it was needed to sink the vessel.”
“What remains unclear was who ordered the strikes and whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was involved.”
Trump’s Base Wants More MAGA
“Confronted with a growing string of GOP underperformances in off-year elections, key pro-Trump activists see more MAGA — not less — as the only solution,” Axios reports.
“The reaction suggests a movement uninterested in grappling with the limits of its appeal — a departure from the panicked introspection both parties have traditionally undergone after off-year disappointments.”
Trump Blindsided Mike Johnson with Pardon
“President Trump didn’t tell Speaker Mike Johnson that he was granting a ‘full and unconditional pardon’ to Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) before announcing it on Truth Social this morning,” Axios reports.
“Trump’s pardon boosts one of House Republicans’ top political targets — and could hamper GOP efforts to protect their razor-thin majority in next year’s midterms.“
Chuy García’s Handpicked Successor Gets a Challenge
Rep. Chuy García’s (D-IL) “handpicked successor is officially getting a challenge,” NBC News reports.
“Mayra Macías is a lifelong Democrat and Chicago native who has worked on Latino advocacy and promoting former President Joe Biden’s agenda. She announced her candidacy Wednesday to run as an independent in Illinois’ 4th Congressional District. If elected, Macías said she would caucus with Democrats.”
Both Parties See Blue Wave Forming
Time: “Initially, House Republicans were prepared to defend 16 incumbents who appeared most vulnerable. On Wednesday, there was talk of doubling if not tripling that firewall.”
“Across the aisle, Democratic strategists close to the House Leadership team estimate that there are about 70 seats more friendly than Tennessee. By some tallies, that figure could reach 100 if Democrats keep building momentum and land their prime recruits.”
Private Hiring Sank in November
“Hiring by American businesses dropped last month, according to an estimate from payroll processor ADP, a further setback for a labor market that has slowed this year,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
New York Times: “It was the third decline in four months and, taken at face value, would be a clear sign that the labor market, after months of cooling, had entered a new, more worrying phase.”
Trump Pollster Wants Republicans to Pivot to Drug Prices
“A top pollster for President Donald Trump advised a group of House Republicans on how to defend against Democrats’ attacks over expiring Obamacare tax credits: focus on reducing drug prices instead,” Politico reports.
“Tony Fabrizio showed new polling to members of the Republican Study Committee in a closed-door meeting held a few blocks from the Capitol Wednesday. He argued the most effective way for Republicans to counter Democrats’ health care messaging is to change the subject and pivot to reducing drug prices in tandem with Trump.”
Ghislaine Maxwell to Ask Judge to Let Her Out of Prison
Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend who was convicted of recruiting young girls into sex trafficking, is planning to ask a judge to release her from prison, CNN reports.
New York Times: “The letter, submitted by her lawyer, offers no details about what grounds Ms. Maxwell will cite in her filing, known as a habeas petition. But the letter indicated that she would file the request shortly, and that it would be done without a lawyer representing her.”
Ken Paxton Leads Republican Primary in Texas
A new Public Policy Polling survey of the Republican Senate primary in Texas finds Ken Paxton (R) up by 10 points over both Rep. Wesley Hunt (R) and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R).
However, 24% of GOP voters are still undecided.
Charles Booker to Run for Senate in Kentucky
Charles Booker (D) is planning a third run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, the Louisville Courier Journal reports.
Zelensky Cancels Meeting with Trump Envoy
A meeting between Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky and a U.S. delegation has been cancelled after Russian president Vladimir Putin rejected a peace deal brokered by Donald Trump’s envoy, The Independent reports.
Washington Post: Confident of military success, Putin refuses compromise in Moscow talks.
Mike Lindell to Run for Minnesota Governor
“MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has filed paperwork to run for governor of Minnesota, creating a campaign committee that will allow him to raise money,” the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
“Lindell’s possible entrance into the race would shake up what’s become a crowded field of Republicans who are seeking to challenge DFL Gov. Tim Walz. His close proximity to President Donald Trump and prominence in the Make America Great Again movement could make him a top contender for the GOP nomination, despite concerns about his electability and promotion of debunked election fraud theories.”
President Next
Just published: President Next: A Historical Roadmap to Forecasting the Future President by David Carlucci.
From smoke-filled rooms to social media storms, American presidential politics has been transformed by candidates who weren’t supposed to win.
President Next: A Historical Roadmap to Forecasting the Future President
- Carlucci, David (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 220 Pages - 11/04/2025 (Publication Date) - Freiling Agency, LLC (Publisher)
