Top Items:
Politico:
Trump's Joes exit the front row — With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco and Irie Sentner — Good Monday morning. We're awaiting Trump's scheduled announcement at 2 p.m. and wondering whether the briefing room is next in line for a White House makeover. Get in touch. — In today's Playbook ...
Discussion:
The Independent, Mock Paper Scissors and The Guardian
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Liz Goodwin / Washington Post:
In Iowa, Republicans feel the heat and try to motivate ‘frustrated’ base — The political environment for the party has led to widespread alarm. “It feels like it could be a wipeout,” one strategist said. — SummaryLoading... WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Sen. Chuck Grassley, 93 …
The Bulwark:
‘We Are Losing Our Soul as a Nation’ — What we saw in Springfield, Ohio. — The less popular Trump gets, the more shameless his open lawlessness becomes. This weekend, an old Trump campaign ad was back on airwaves across the country, with Trump railing against the “communists, Marxists …
Discussion:
Letters from Leo and Wall Street Journal
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Bayliss Wagner / New York Times:
A Trump 2024 Campaign Ad Returns, Now Brought to You by the Government — The ad, which ethics experts said could violate federal law, shows Mr. Trump vowing to “expel warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state,” even as he wages a war with Iran.
Discussion:
Associated Press, The Daily Beast, MS NOW, Straight Arrow, Paul Krugman, The Independent, NBC News, HuffPost, Mediaite, New York Times, Washington Post and CNN
New York Times:
Trump Brought Venezuelan Gold to the U.S., but Refiners Won't Touch It — After the oil, President Trump went for Venezuela's gold. The White House brokered deals potentially worth billions. I went to Venezuela's mines to see for myself how it was playing out. — Anatoly Kurmanaev
Wall Street Journal:
The Moves That Backfired on Trump and Drove Interest Rates and Inflation Higher — The president's advisers said fiscal restraint and deregulation would bring down prices and borrowing costs. Then came tariffs, war and an investment boom. — In the early days of President Trump's second term …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Bloomberg and Washington Examiner
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Riley Beggin / Washington Post:
At every turn, Trump's ideas for aiding U.S. consumers run into resistance — From beef to diesel, White House efforts to bring down prices — the top concern among midterm voters — have failed so far to pan out. — SummaryLoading... First came a proposal to permit tariff-free beef imports …
Paul Waldman / MS NOW:
Trump's gimmicks aren't working with voters anymore — It was only a couple of weeks ago, at the Republican Party's midterm convention, that President Donald Trump made a dramatic promise: If Republicans retain control of Congress in November, he will deliver a $5,000 check to every American adult.
Discussion:
Strength In Numbers
Andrew Kaczynski / CNN:
‘I want public executions’: Texas GOP candidate's extreme posts extend beyond racism — Race & ethnicity Oil & gas DOGE Social media — Bo French, the Republican nominee for one of Texas' most powerful statewide offices, is facing bipartisan criticism over a racist post about the crowd at a University of Texas football game.
Discussion:
The Parnas Perspective and HuffPost
Edward Wong / New York Times:
Trump Offered to Sell Arms to China, U.S. Ambassador Says — President Trump made the offer to Xi Jinping, China's leader, said David Perdue, the ambassador to China. The White House later said the U.S. had no plans for such a sale. — 阅读.体中文.閱讀.體中文.
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Amy Hawkins / The Guardian:
Trump asked Xi Jinping if China would like to buy US weapons, American ambassador says
Discussion:
Wonkette, WTOP News, The Independent, The Hill, The Japan Times, The Gateway Pundit and Bloomberg
Noah Berlatsky / Public Notice:
Trump loves Xi because he wants to be him
Wall Street Journal:
Possible Next House Intel Chair Aims to Probe ‘Nakedly Corrupt Dealings’ — In a letter to a defense-industry group, Rep. Jim Himes signaled to the private sector a desire to investigate alleged coercion by the Trump administration — WASHINGTON—The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee …
Politico:
Thune plots final votes before midterms — Presented by IN TODAY'S EDITION: — Health leader races, agendas take shape — Paul emerges as a homeland roadblock — GOP keeps pressure on permitting deal — The Senate is — finally — on the verge of making a great escape.
Discussion:
The Hill
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Theodoric Meyer / Washington Post:
Senate Republicans make a final legislative push ahead of the midterms
Senate Republicans make a final legislative push ahead of the midterms
Discussion:
The Hill
Wall Street Journal:
Trump to Unveil Planned $15 Billion Iowa Steel Project — The announcement comes as Trump is looking for wins ahead of a tough midterm election for Republicans — WASHINGTON—President Trump will announce a Minnesota company's plan to build a $15 billion steel mill in Iowa …
Discussion:
Bloomberg and NewsMax.com
Jose Lev Alvarez / Washington Examiner:
Spain is becoming NATO's next dictatorship. Trump must act now — A dangerous autocracy is emerging on Europe's southwestern flank, hidden behind a thin veneer of constitutional legitimacy. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his ruling socialist party (PSOE) have systematically hollowed …
Discussion:
RealClearPolitics
Carl Zimmer / New York Times:
Did Anthropic's A.I. Really Make a Scientific Discovery on Its Own? — An expert at the University of Copenhagen said his team had been sharing its research with the company's A.I. model, Claude, and that its new finding matched their work. — When Anthropic, the artificial intelligence giant …
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money
Don Moynihan / Can We Still Govern?:
DOGE vs. Civic Tech — DOGE wielded extraordinary power during the first months of the Trump administration. It was more important than any Cabinet official. The fact it has been completely memory-holed by this administration says much about its purpose and impact, and the politics of non-accountability under Trump.
Matthew Yglesias / Slow Boring:
Feed the lizard — It's a good idea to work hard and be helpful when you're young and don't have responsibilities. — The New York Times dropped a story on Wednesday about former House member Mary Peltola, one of Democrats' top recruits in a critical Senate race, about her behavior toward staff.
Dan Merica / Washington Post:
Trump says he has an off-ramp to his biggest political problem. He refuses to take it. — Loading... In today's edition ... The most important number in the midterms ... I want to know what you think about the Senate map ... but first ... There is nothing holding back Republican political fortunes …
Discussion:
Straight Arrow, Bloomberg, Deseret News and HuffPost
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Steve Vladeck / One First:
253. Introducing “The Court We Need” — Due out May 4, 2027, my second book about the Supreme Court offers a more nuanced diagnosis of exactly what's wrong with the Court—and how (and why) we should fix it. — Welcome back to “One First,” a newsletter that aims to make the U.S. Supreme Court …
Discussion:
SCOTUSblog and Reason
U.S. Department of the Treasury:
United States Department of the Treasury Announces New Appointment — WASHINGTON— Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent announced today a key senior appointment at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Dr. David Zervos will serve as a Counselor in the Office of the Secretary.
Cat Zakrzewski / Washington Post:
Trump dined with the Anthropic CEO who called for AI slowdown — The president's first one-on-one meeting with Dario Amodei followed months of tensions. — Loading... President Donald Trump had a late dinner Sunday night with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, after Trump spent weeks dismissing Amodei's calls …
Courtney Kube / NBC News:
U.S. Marines injured in recent Iranian attack — The previously unreported attack occurred Sept. 14 when Iran struck a ship U.S. forces were on in the Strait of Hormuz, sources say. — WASHINGTON — Eight U.S. Marines were injured two weeks ago when an Iranian cruise missile attacked …
Discussion:
Task & Purpose and Mediaite
United States Trade Representative:
Ambassador Greer Issues a Statement on Announcement of Recommendations from the U.S.-China Board of Trade — Ambassador Greer Issues a Statement on Announcement of Recommendations from the U.S.-China Board of Trade … - About - Policy Offices - Press Office - Press Releases - 2026 …
Discussion:
The Hill, The White House, The American Conservative and The Floridian
Politico:
Paul emerges as a roadblock to homeland security efforts — When it comes to homeland security, Republicans, Democrats, lobbyists and even the Trump administration agree on one thing: Kentucky Republican Rand Paul is impossible to get around. — The cantankerous chair of the Senate Homeland Security …
Gavin J. Quinton / The Washington Sun:
White House Drove Users to Official App Fraught With Trackers — The White House app shot to the top of the Apple App Store's news category last week after its new 24/7 broadcast channel, Trump TV, was swiftly positioned as a legitimate source for news while networks halted their pool coverage.

