A Look to the 2026 Midterms, November 2025  —  Democrats with Double-Digit Lead on 2026 Generic Ballot  —  The Democrats currently have a 14-point lead against the Republicans among registered voters nationally on the 2026 generic congressional ballot question.  This has changed considerably.

The Charlie Kirk purge: How 600 Americans were punished in a pro-Trump crackdown  —  Two months after Charlie Kirk's assassination, a government-backed campaign has led to firings, suspensions, investigations and other action against more than 600 people.  Republican officials have endorsed …

Republican to force vote on ousting GOP Rep. Cory Mills from committees  —  Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) plans to force a vote Wednesday censuring Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) and removing him from several committees, according to sources familiar with the matter. … Mace wants to do it for real this time.

Trump Was Working With Putin The Entire Time  —  Phillips's Newsletter is a reader-supported publication.  To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.  —  Well, the story is out and the fait accompli to screw Ukraine (and Europe) will soon be delivered to Kyiv.

This Is All John Roberts' Fault  —  Imagine: You are at a baseball game, but something is off.  When the blue team is at bat, the umpire calls every pitch a strike.  But when the red team is up, the umpire won't call a single one.  When a red batter hits the ball into a blue player's glove …

Trump's Tariffs Sent Trade Plummeting in August  —  The steep tariffs President Trump issued in August led to a contraction in imports and the trade deficit, newly released data shows.  —  President Trump's sweeping tariffs took a toll on trade in August, as imports of goods …

“Ticking Time Bomb”: A Pregnant Mother Kept Getting Sicker.  She Died After She Couldn't Get an Abortion in Texas.  —  Tierra Walker had reached her limit.  In the weeks since she'd learned she was pregnant, the 37-year-old dental assistant had been wracked by unexplained seizures and mostly confined to a hospital cot.

The White House Gold Rush Is On  —  Here is a small selection of stories concerning either the president, a member of his family or a member of his cabinet.  —  This week, President Trump welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia with a lavish reception at the White House.

Due to Botched Paperwork, Comey May Never Have Been Properly Indicted  —  ALEXANDRIA, VA—In a stunning admission, prosecutors in the James Comey case conceded that the two-count indictment against the former FBI director was never presented to or voted on by a grand jury.

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Comey case hanging by a thread as judge squeezes DOJ over Halligan's handling … ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — The Trump administration's criminal prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey appeared to be in serious jeopardy Wednesday as the federal judge overseeing the case repeatedly questioned …

Appeals court panel mulls $1M penalty for Trump in lawsuit against Hillary Clinton … “I can read this complaint,” said Pryor, a George W. Bush appointee.  “It seems a classic shotgun complaint.  It incorporates, by reference, hundreds of paragraphs into succeeding counts.”

Trump attacks ABC reporter after question about killing of Saudi journalist Khashoggi  —  President Donald Trump denounced ABC News' Mary Bruce as a “terrible reporter” Tuesday and threatened the network's license to broadcast after she asked him three sharp questions at the White House.

House Republican chairman refers Jack Smith's former deputy to DOJ for prosecution  —  Thomas Windom declined to answer dozens of questions about special counsel's Trump investigation work  —  First on Fox: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, called on the Department …

The AI Bubble Is Bigger Than You Think  —  One thing I've been tracking this year is the areas where Wall Street and Silicon Valley are going to war.  Tech firms clearly want to become banking apps and receive special charters, private equity and crypto are jostling for position in worker 401 …

Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner Declines  —  Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for your friends and family will cost less than last year, marking the third straight year of price declines.  The American Farm Bureau Federation's 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey provides a snapshot of the average cost …

Forget Joe Rogan.  The Next Big Podcast Bro Is in the Senate. … Three times a week, late in the evening, a middle-aged man pulls a microphone out of a Pelican briefcase, unscrews a bottle of Bai flavored antioxidant water and opens a window into the future of American politics.

State department to cut 38 universities from research program over DEI policies  —  Exclusive: Trump administration proposal would exclude elite schools that use diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practices  —  The state department is proposing to suspend 38 universities including Harvard …

State Dept's Foreign Terrorist Designations Undermine Claims of “Antifa” Threat  —  On Nov. 13, the State Department added four European entities to the U.S. government's list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), claiming that they are affiliated with “Antifa.”

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers quits OpenAI board after release of Epstein emails  —  Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers is resigning from OpenAI's board of directors, the ChatGPT maker and his office said Wednesday.  —  His departure comes after the release of emails showing …

Gov. Greg Abbott Was Ordered to Release Some of His Emails With Elon Musk.  Most Are Blacked Out.  —  Months after fighting to keep secret emails between Gov. Greg Abbott and Elon Musk, Texas officials released 1,400 pages of records.  But they reveal little about the two men's relationship or Musk's influence over state government.

Trump picks new CFPB director amid efforts to close agency … His ability to serve as the acting CFPB head was set to expire in December under the Vacancies Act, which typically limits such acting appointments to 210 days but extends that period if the president nominates another person for the job.

What Is Lindsey Halligan Hiding From Letitia James?  —  The Retribution: Letitia James Edition  —  A quick update on the big coverup in the Letitia James case that Morning Memo featured last week:  —  In a new filing Monday, James lawyers asked the judge in the case to order the Justice Department …