Officials and supporters close to President Trump criticized the news outlet Politico again this week, even after Politico corrected a story about White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. The correction clarified that Wiles was not directly involved in the removal of press secretary Katie.
Key Facts
Politico published a story about Susie Wiles, the White House Chief of Staff.
The original story incorrectly said Wiles played a direct part in removing press secretary Katie.
Politico issued a correction to fix this mistake on Wednesday.
Despite the correction, Trump administration officials and allies increased their criticism of Politico.
The story and criticisms relate to personnel changes in the White House under President Trump.
Susie Wiles is a key aide working closely with President Trump.
Katie is the former White House press secretary who was ousted.
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A teacher named Becky Drury was seriously injured in a shooting at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon. A 16-year-old former student shot six people, killing one teacher and three children before he was stopped by a teacher and a parent.
Key Facts
The shooter was Griffin J John II, a 16-year-old former student at Silver Rail Elementary.
He entered the school with a shotgun and targeted a special education classroom.
Four people died: teacher Megan Lambert and three boys, including a five-year-old child.
Becky Drury was shot before she could protect anyone and pretended to be dead to avoid more harm.
Another teacher tackled the shooter after throwing her phone at him, and a parent then fatally shot the teen.
Drury clarified that she was shot before taking any protective actions, correcting earlier reports.
She lost most of her left hand and was badly hurt in her other arm.
The shotgun was legally purchased, and the shooting is still under investigation.
Schools in the area have reopened with police officers present to support students.
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Karoline Leavitt, former White House Press Secretary, said Katie Zacharia was not the right fit for the job after a short time as press secretary under President Donald Trump. Leavitt said the job is very hard and requires a lot of preparation. President Trump is still looking for a new press secretary who is smart, loyal, and can handle tough questions from the media.
Key Facts
Karoline Leavitt served as White House Press Secretary for nearly two years under President Trump.
Leavitt said Katie Zacharia’s brief time as Trump’s press secretary showed the role was not suitable for her.
The position of White House Press Secretary requires strong preparation and the ability to manage media pressure.
President Trump is considering several candidates to replace Zacharia, including Anna Kelly, Danielle Alvarez, Scott Jennings, and Monica Crowley.
Leavitt emphasized that Trump wants a press secretary who is tough, smart, loyal, and knowledgeable about his policies.
Zacharia expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and praised President Trump’s policies and efforts.
There is tension reported between Zacharia and media coverage, with President Trump criticizing how she was treated by reporters.
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President Donald Trump promised to focus on American problems and reduce foreign wars, but his actions have differed, including increasing conflict with Iran and protecting wealthy allies. Some Republicans running in November’s midterm elections are quietly moving away from Trump’s positions on issues like the Epstein files and the war in Iran because these topics are causing problems in their campaigns.
Key Facts
President Trump campaigned as an outsider promising to “drain the swamp” and prioritize “America first.”
After taking office, Trump reduced efforts to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s network and started a conflict involving Iran.
Trump called Epstein investigations a “hoax” and resisted releasing FBI files related to Epstein despite earlier promises.
Congress, including some Republicans, forced the release of some Epstein files, but many remain heavily redacted.
Republican lawmakers who supported Epstein file transparency faced political consequences, such as losing office or party support.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned after publicly disagreeing with Trump about Epstein.
Some Republicans running for Congress are focusing on local issues and avoiding discussions about Iran and Epstein to improve their election chances.
Trump shifted from his earlier statements about reducing US foreign military actions by engaging in conflicts like the US-Israel war on Iran.
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Kansas Senator Roger Marshall said that the war between Ukraine and Russia, not a war with Iran, is the main reason for high diesel prices. He made this statement during a debate and agreed with President Donald Trump's criticism of Ukraine, while expressing cautious support for importing Russian diesel if it could help end the war.
Key Facts
Senator Roger Marshall is a Republican from Kansas.
He blamed high diesel prices on the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Marshall rejected the idea that a U.S. war with Iran caused the high diesel prices.
His views on Ukraine align with President Donald Trump's recent critical stance.
President Trump says Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries raise fuel costs.
Trump supports importing Russian diesel to lower prices.
Marshall was hesitant about importing Russian diesel but open if it helps end the war.
Marshall made these remarks during a debate with Democrat Adam Hamilton.
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Ohio candidate Amy Acton received a large increase in donations after an attack ad from her Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy. She became the second most popular fundraiser on the Democratic site ActBlue, just behind another candidate, James Talarico.
Key Facts
Amy Acton is running for governor in Ohio as a Democrat.
Vivek Ramaswamy is her Republican opponent.
Ramaswamy released a controversial attack ad targeting Acton.
After the ad aired, Acton’s fundraising donations rose sharply.
Acton became the second top fundraiser on ActBlue, a Democratic donation site.
The only candidate ahead of her on ActBlue is James Talarico, running for Senate in Texas.
The ad caused reactions from both Democratic and Republican sides.
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James Carville, a Democratic political strategist, said again that he believes President Donald Trump will leave office by Easter next year. He shared this view during an interview on Fox News with Laura Ingraham.
Key Facts
James Carville is a Democratic political strategist.
Carville predicted earlier this year that President Trump would leave office by Easter 2025.
He confirmed during a Fox News interview that he still believes this prediction.
The interview took place on the show "The Ingraham Angle," hosted by Laura Ingraham.
Carville mentioned that Trump is “not particularly…” but the sentence is incomplete in the article.
His prediction is focused on the political future of President Donald Trump, the current U.S. President.
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The U.S. State Department has asked some career diplomats applying for important jobs about how they voted in the last three presidential elections. According to a report, diplomats who voted for President Donald Trump may be eligible for mid- to upper-level foreign service positions.
Key Facts
The State Department is questioning some career diplomats about their voting records.
The focus is on votes in the last three U.S. presidential elections.
Diplomat candidates who voted for President Trump could qualify for higher-level foreign service roles.
The report also mentions looking into campaign donations.
This practice involves career diplomats applying for senior jobs within the State Department.
The information comes from the Washington Sun newspaper.
The inquiry relates to the selection process for diplomatic positions.
It is not clear how widespread this practice is across the department.
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Republican Ashley Hinson disagrees with President Trump’s deal involving Russia supplying diesel fuel. She plans to tell him it was a bad idea before his Iowa rally, where he will support her Senate campaign in a tight race against Democrat Josh Turek.
Key Facts
Ashley Hinson is a Republican House representative running for an open Iowa Senate seat.
President Trump announced a deal with Russia to supply diesel fuel to global markets to lower fuel prices.
Hinson said she believes the deal with Russia is a bad idea and plans to say so to Trump.
The diesel deal received criticism from some Republicans who oppose supporting Russia amid its war with Ukraine.
Iowa’s Senate race is closely contested between Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek.
Turek criticizes Hinson for voting to continue U.S. involvement in the Iran war multiple times.
President Trump will hold a rally in Sioux City, Iowa, to support Hinson before the midterm elections.
Iowa’s gas and diesel prices are slightly below the national average but still high.
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Tom Skerritt, a well-known American actor famous for TV shows like Picket Fences and movies such as Alien and Top Gun, has died at age 93. He passed away from natural causes, and his family remembered him for both his acting career and his kindness.
Key Facts
Tom Skerritt was 93 years old when he died.
He acted in TV series like Picket Fences and Mash.
He appeared in films including Alien, Top Gun, A River Runs Through It, and Ted.
Skerritt’s career spanned about 60 years.
He co-founded TheFilmSchool in Seattle to help new filmmakers.
His family said he was known for humor, wisdom, generosity, and love.
They said he believed stories could help people heal and make a difference.
He died on a Wednesday from natural causes.
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Aipac, a major pro-Israel group in the US, said it will stop directly endorsing political candidates or giving them money. Instead, it will keep supporting candidates through other political funds. This change shows that Aipac recognizes its direct support is now hurting more than helping candidates because public opinion about Israel has changed.
Key Facts
Aipac announced it will no longer directly endorse or fund political candidates.
It will still use its super PAC, United Democracy Project, to support pro-Israel candidates.
The change reflects a shift in US public opinion regarding Israel, especially after the Gaza conflict.
Aipac has spent millions supporting candidates, including $32 million in Michigan against a critic of Israel.
Many candidates who once accepted Aipac money now distance themselves from the group.
Some elected officials have returned Aipac donations or refused to take its money.
Aipac said the 2026 election will be very challenging and that it will change its political strategy.
Critics say Aipac’s brand has become politically harmful for candidates due to its strong stance on Israel.
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Florida State Senator Angie Nixon, a Democratic Socialist, won her party’s primary in August and is now trailing her Republican opponent by four points in recent polls for the Florida Senate seat. The race is considered competitive ahead of the upcoming election.
Key Facts
Angie Nixon is a Florida State Senator and identified as a Democratic Socialist.
She won an upset victory in the Democratic primary in August 2026.
Current polls show Nixon four points behind her Republican rival.
The election is for a Florida Senate seat.
The race is closely watched as it could change party control for this seat.
Primary and polling results suggest increased voter interest and competition.
This race is part of the broader political contests happening in the US for state government positions.
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The Justice Department has ended more than 50 old school desegregation cases without fully checking if the schools had stopped racial discrimination. A watchdog group found that in many cases, the DOJ did not ask courts to confirm that schools had fixed their past discriminatory practices before dismissing the cases.
Key Facts
Since President Trump took office in 2025, the DOJ supported ending at least 56 school desegregation cases.
In at least 18 cases, the DOJ did not ask courts to confirm if schools had achieved "unitary status," meaning they ended racial discrimination.
Courts consider six main areas to decide unitary status: student and staff assignments, transportation, facilities, and extracurricular activities.
One case in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, was dismissed despite ongoing discrimination, after the DOJ sided with the school board.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division has filed lawsuits and consent decrees since the 1960s to fight school segregation.
These legal agreements aimed to change school policies to avoid racial segregation of students.
As of May 2022, the DOJ was involved in about 140 active desegregation cases before recent dismissals.
The watchdog group that reported this is Red Line for Civil Rights, linked to former DOJ attorneys.
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President Donald Trump expressed sadness about New York City’s plan to ban horse-drawn carriages. The city council is expected to vote on the ban, which would begin in 2028.
Key Facts
President Trump shared his feelings on the upcoming ban of horse-drawn carriages in New York City.
The New York City Council is expected to vote on the ban on Thursday.
If approved, the ban will start in 2028.
Horse-drawn carriages have been a popular attraction in Central Park.
The ban is part of a broader effort to address animal welfare concerns.
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President Donald Trump’s support among white evangelical Protestant voters has dropped from 77% in January 2025 to 63% recently. White evangelicals are an important group for the Republican Party as the November 3 midterm elections approach, where control of Congress is at stake.
Key Facts
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Trump’s support among white evangelicals fell to 63% from 77% at his second inauguration.
Trump’s overall approval rating has dropped to 31%, a historic low.
White evangelicals make up about 13% of the US population and nearly a third of Trump’s 2024 voting base.
Trump campaigned in South Carolina, a state with many white evangelical voters, focusing on social issues important to them.
Some Republican Senate candidates in key states like South Carolina, Kansas, and Texas face close races with Democratic challengers.
White evangelicals remain more supportive of Trump than other groups, despite controversies surrounding him.
Shifts in evangelical support may impact Republican turnout in the midterms even though Trump is not on the ballot.
Other evangelical groups, such as Black Protestant evangelicals, largely support Democrats.
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President Donald Trump criticized NBA player LeBron James for not standing still during the US national anthem at a recent basketball game. Trump said James disrespected the country and should apologize to American heroes.
Key Facts
LeBron James was seen moving and making golf swing motions during the national anthem before a game.
President Trump said on social media that James disrespected the US and should apologize.
James has not replied to Trump's recent comments.
The national anthem is usually observed by standing still at sports events as a sign of respect.
This issue is part of a broader, ongoing debate about protests and respect during the anthem in sports that began around 2016.
Trump and James have publicly criticized each other multiple times since 2016.
James has supported Trump’s political opponents, while Trump has made negative personal remarks about James.
The criticism reflects ongoing tensions between political and sports figures in the US.
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A federal judge limited the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from investigating suspected noncitizen voting in nine states. The judge said these investigations might scare away eligible voters and interfere with their rights ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Key Facts
The judge blocked DHS operations targeting people likely to be U.S. citizens in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin.
DHS had created a "target list" from sources like state voter rolls and private data, but the judge questioned the accuracy of this data.
Lawsuit groups showed evidence that DHS's actions could intimidate voters and stop people from encouraging voter participation.
DHS said it focuses on finding and removing noncitizens who vote and does not plan to investigate people they believe are citizens.
Previous court rulings have stopped the Trump administration from getting state voter data, but the administration still seeks to investigate noncitizen voting by other methods.
A whistleblower report claimed some DHS staff used questionable data and pressured officials to investigate voter fraud with little training.
The administration recently sued California to try to stop about 20,000 voters from having mail-in ballots counted.
Democratic groups are suing the government for using unfounded fraud claims to influence how elections are run.
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President Donald Trump supported Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s political ad in Ohio, which features the Democratic candidate Amy Acton’s estranged mother. Trump criticized Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for asking Ramaswamy to remove the ad.
Key Facts
President Trump defended Vivek Ramaswamy’s political ad in Ohio.
The ad includes Amy Acton’s estranged mother making statements.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, asked Ramaswamy to take down the ad.
Trump criticized DeWine for his request on the social media platform TruthSocial.
Trump encouraged Ramaswamy to continue running the ad.
The dispute happened during the Ohio gubernatorial race.
Ramaswamy is the Republican candidate for governor in Ohio.
Amy Acton is the Democratic candidate running against Ramaswamy.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine criticized a political ad by Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that targeted his opponent Amy Acton by featuring her estranged mother. President Donald Trump disagreed with DeWine and encouraged Ramaswamy to keep the ad shown in the governor’s race.
Key Facts
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said the ad was wrong and called it “deeply troubling.”
The ad features Amy Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, making negative claims about Acton.
Amy Acton has not seen her mother for decades due to past family abuse.
Ramaswamy’s campaign said they would spend $4 million to run the ad statewide.
President Trump called DeWine “disloyal” and said Ramaswamy should keep the ad up.
Some Republicans, including Senator Jon Husted and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, criticized the ad but DeWine still supports Ramaswamy’s full Republican ticket.
Acton’s brother called the ad “a despicable low” and noted his and Acton’s removal from their mother’s custody in childhood.
Vice-President JD Vance defended the campaign, saying politics is tough and more focus should be on Democrats’ policies.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has banned U.S. military personnel from using private military information to bet on U.S. military actions. The ban covers both secret and public information and includes online prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi because such betting could help enemies learn about U.S. military plans.
Key Facts
The ban applies to all Defense Department workers, including military and civilian staff.
Bets on military-related prediction markets could reveal sensitive information to foreign enemies.
Prediction markets named in the memo include Polymarket and Kalshi.
Violating this ban may lead to disciplinary or criminal charges under military law or federal law.
The memo was sent on October 20, 2026, to senior Pentagon leaders and combat commanders.
This action comes after a U.S. Special Forces soldier was arrested for allegedly betting on a secret operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
The soldier reportedly won over $409,000 by betting shortly after President Trump announced the capture.
The soldier pleaded not guilty in federal court in New York.
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