‘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.

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's foreign worker crackdown comes for Microsoft, Adobe, IT firms  —  Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the Trump administration is suspending Microsoft, Adobe and several other IT firms' ability to hire foreign-born workers for permanent residency in the U.S.

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 …

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.

With Americans in a Sour Mood, Democratic Voters Are More Engaged in Midterms  —  Trump approval drops to 30%, as 44% of voters see their vote as ‘against’ him  —  Why did we do this?  —  Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics.

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 …

Hegseth says public can watch execution  —  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday the public will be able to watch the execution of the Fort Hood shooter by firing squad.  —  Why it matters: The U.S. hasn't held a public execution in 90 years, and Hegseth's remarks raise questions …

Trump says anyone who does not refer to AI as ‘super intelligence’ is ‘THE ENEMY’  —  President Donald Trump said Thursday that the White House will consider anyone who does not adopt his preferred term of “super intelligence” as “the enemy,” escalating his campaign to rebrand artificial intelligence amid calls to erect more guardrails.

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 …

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.

Anthropic bans ‘abusive or cruel behavior’ toward Claude  —  The usage policy update also adds new rules addressing propaganda campaigns, surveillance, and weapon development. … Anthropic is making changes to its usage policy for the first time in over a year to reflect new and high-risk cases …

Number of teens who identify themselves as gay or bisexual is in ‘free fall’  —  Conservatives have trumpeted the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but researchers say the reasons for the decline are unclear.  —  Loading...  Young teenagers are less likely to identify as lesbian …

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 …

The Democrats Who Let Trump's Oligarchs Buy Hollywood  —  Today on TAP: The Ellisons enlisted a host of Democratic notables to undercut the proposed merger's opponents.  —  The more we find out about the Ellisons' purchase of Warner Bros., the more dispiriting the tale becomes.

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 …

FBI post featuring El-Sayed runs afoul of Hatch Act, experts say  —  A new video from the FBI has spurred complaints the bureau has violated the Hatch Act by labeling Democrats — including current Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed — as part of the “defund the police crowd.”

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).

Supreme Court Again Intervenes in Political Ad Rate Dispute  —  The Supreme Court on Thursday once again quickly stepped into a legal clash regarding the rules governing the price of political television ads ahead of the midterms.  —  The Trump administration and Republican campaign committees asked …

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 …

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.

Americans' Confidence in Food Safety Drops to New Low  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans' confidence that food sold at most grocery stores is safe to eat has fallen to its lowest level Gallup has recorded, with 65% now very or somewhat confident.  That is down from 73% last year and 72% in 2024, and well below the 81% recorded in 2019.

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.

U.S. Budget Deficit Jumps to Nearly $2 Trillion  —  Federal finances are stuck in a rut that alarms policymakers but hasn't moved them to change course  —  WASHINGTON—The U.S. budget deficit climbed to nearly $2 trillion in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to the Congressional Budget Office …

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 …

Democrat called anti-trans slur by Trump airs ad urging 'No men in women's sports'  —  Senate candidate Annie Andrews, a Senate candidate in South Carolina, released a transgender issues ad days after the president called her an anti-transgender slur.  —  Loading...

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 …

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.

Arizona congressional candidate says she was sexually assaulted when repairing campaign signs  —  An Arizona congressional candidate says she was knocked unconscious and sexually assaulted this summer while she was repairing campaign signs overnight.  Bernadette Greene-Placentia told investigators …