‘We have to suck it up’: Ken Paxton privately suggests cutting federal benefit programs to reduce national deficit  —  In a conversation that has been leaked in pieces to multiple publications, the GOP Senate nominee called for “reasonable cuts to mandatory spending,” which is driven by Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Democrats spy a red-state opening.  There may not be enough cash for it.  —  Democrats' eyes may be bigger than their wallets.  —  Democrats across a slate of deep-red states are clamoring for more cash to fight for Senate seats that suddenly seem within reach, with polling showing …

Photo shows top Trump aide's daughter with pro-Russia politician in Bosnia  —  An image circulated on social media and verified by CBS News shows Katie Wiles, the daughter of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, recently traveled to Republika Srpska, the Bosnian-controlled territory led by pro-Russian Serb strongman Milorad Dodik.

Trump faces his worst bankruptcy yet  —  To commemorate PN's 5th anniversary, this week we're offering paid subscriptions at the special yearly rate of $40 (or about 16¢ per edition).  This newsletter is only possible thanks to the support of paid subscribers.

Trump's former defense secretary sees no end in sight for Iran war — to the benefit of America's ‘greatest adversary’ … The U.S.-Iran war could drag on for years, putting America at risk of overlooking China's rise to power, according to President Donald Trump's former defense secretary.

Mike Johnson voices uncertainty about his future if GOP loses control  —  House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that he could leave Congress if Democrats regain control — the farthest he has gone in acknowledging what he would do in a GOP House minority.  “Heaven forbid, if we lose this majority …

An Ohio edge.  An Iowa tossup.  New CNN polls give Democrats hope in a pair of red states  —  Election polls Congressional news Donald Trump Senate election  —  Widespread dissatisfaction with the state of the country has opened up a prime Senate pickup opportunity for Democrats in Ohio …

Microsoft is being suspended from program to apply for green cards for H-1B visa workers, Vance says  —  President Donald Trump's administration is suspending tech giant Microsoft from a program to apply for green cards for workers who come to the U.S. to live and work using an H-1B visa as it accuses the company of fraud.

Our Big Fat Greek Bribery Scandal  —  Last year, Donald Trump pardoned Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar 1, who was under indictment for federal bribery charges.  All he expected in return was that Cuellar, out of gratitude, would immediately switch parties and become a Republican.  To his shock, Cuellar never did.

Republicans Have an Andrew Tate Eel-Sex Problem  —  FOR ACCUSED SEX TRAFFICKERS AND RAPISTS, Andrew and Tristan Tate have been a real hit with the American right over the years.  —  A gleeful Tucker Carlson visited the Romanian compound shared by the brothers while they were under house arrest …

How a U.S. Diplomat Suppressed and Altered Reports Critical of Israel  —  A top aide to Ambassador Mike Huckabee skewed information to portray the Netanyahu government in a favorable light, according to multiple officials and documents obtained by The Times.

ICE has quietly used this warehouse as a detention facility all summer, neighbors say  —  ROXBURY, N.J. — On a warm morning, on Sept. 4, masked immigration agents rolled into Dover, New Jersey.  —  Footage of the raids rippled across social media, sent people into hiding and reignited rumors …

Two Latvian nationals arrested on suspicion of trespassing at RAF base  —  Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) on patrols at RAF Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, found an abandoned vehicle before a breach of the site's fence was discovered.  The base is home to US intelligence operations for Europe and Africa …

What's the Matter With France?  —  Is Europe's #2 economy too big to save?  —  France: 5 year CDS  —  Source  —  Suddenly, financial markets are treating France as the economic sick man of the Western world.  Yes, interest rates have been surging everywhere.

GOP Rep. Brad Finstad Runs Attack Ad That Erases Critical Voter From Photo  —  “What a poor decision,” Beth Benike said of her congressman altering her photo with Democrat Jake Johnson to make a fake image of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.  —  WASHINGTON - Minnesota small business owner Beth Benike …

Russian plague lab project reportedly received $800k in research funding from RFK Jr's Health and Human Services  —  Robert F Kennedy Jr allegedly allowed over $800,000 in taxpayer money to go to a research project with ties to the Siberian lab behind the possible Russian plague outbreak.

Inflation on many everyday items was entirely due to tariffs, NY Fed says … The cost of many everyday items would have declined last year and early this year without President Donald Trump's tariffs, according to the New York Federal Reserve.  —  The cost of 67 categories of goods …

The arrest is yet to come  —  Here is what happened: the former girlfriend of the President's son asked an aspiring Republican politician for $100,000 to settle her credit card bill right before her Senate confirmation for an Ambassadorship, which she seems to have been awarded as a break-up present from the Trump family.

Inside Trump's blow-up at Fox News over El-Sayed coverage … The frustration boiled into public view Tuesday when President Trump lashed out at his favorite network. … - Polls show El-Sayed, a critic of Israel's government who'd be the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, in a tight race against former Rep. Mike Rogers (R).

Trump: Anyone saying “AI” is “THE ENEMY!”  The White House uses it  —  President Trump on Thursday called anyone who uses “Artificial Intelligence” instead of “Super Intelligence” “THE ENEMY!”  — even as the White House continues using the term “AI.”

Mamdani's Oct. 7 commemoration outrages supporters and critics of Israel  —  New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani tried to thread a needle on the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks by condemning Hamas' “horrific war crimes” and denouncing Israel's “genocide” in Gaza.  It did not go well.

Trump bought up to $25 million in Meta and millions in SpaceX debt in August … President Donald Trump disclosed more than 500 securities transactions in August, including a purchase of up to $25 million in Meta stock and an investment of as much as $5 million in SpaceX debt two days …

How Iran's drones hit America's Achilles heel  —  The abrupt evacuation of American bombers from a key U.K. airbase underscores the extreme vulnerability facing the world's most powerful fighting force and its NATO allies — as cheap drones and off-the-shelf tech transform warfare.

FLASHBACK: At Fox, U.S. Ambassador Guilfoyle endorsed criminal investigation into Clinton “pay-for-play” claims  —  U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, in her prior role as a Fox News host, endorsed the criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton for her purported role in “racketeering” …

DeSantis calls for accountability over leaked Hope Florida report  —  MIAMI —Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday called for the prosecution of the people behind a leaked grand jury report that was sharply critical of the Hope Florida scandal, a day after an appeals court ruled the report should never have been issued.

NFL to Supreme Court: States Should Regulate Prediction Markets  —  The National Football League wants state regulators, not the federal government, to oversee and regulate prediction markets such as Kalshi, the league wrote in a Supreme Court filing Thursday.

I'm Writing a Column for The Free Press  —  Sometime in the fall of 2020, shortly after she departed The New York Times, I had a brief conversation with Bari Weiss.  She was in an entrepreneurial mood, making calls and soliciting opinions, and I told her that I thought there was a potential market …

Democrats call on Chuck Grassley to apologize to Jack Smith for basketball gaffe  —  Senate Judiciary Democrats are asking chair Chuck Grassley to apologize to Jack Smith on the behalf of his GOP committee members — especially for Sen. Eric Schmitt, the Missouri Republican who falsely accused Smith …

Peter Thiel slams Obama, Pope Leo in new ‘Antichrist’ lectures  —  Tech billionaire Peter Thiel is escalating his attacks on critics of artificial intelligence, accusing former President Barack Obama and the pope of exploiting the public's fears about AI, according to exclusive recordings …

Justice Department seeks criminal charge for former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson  —  The former Trump aide was a star witness before the Jan. 6 committee.  The case is being pursued by the Civil Rights Division, led by Harmeet Dhillon.  —  WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is seeking …