Top Items:
Kayla Guo / The Texas Tribune:
‘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.
Discussion:
MS NOW and New Republic
RELATED:
Matthew Choi / Washington Post:
Trump calls for Paxton-Talarico debate as Texas Senate race heats up
Discussion:
twitchy.com, Joe.My.God., The Texas Tribune and Reuters
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling / New Republic:
Trump Straight-Up Admits He Pardons People to Get Something in Return
Trump Straight-Up Admits He Pardons People to Get Something in Return
Discussion:
Breitbart, The Guardian, HuffPost, The Hill, Axios, Trump's Truth, Mediaite and CBS News
Rena Rowe / Washington Examiner:
Trump fuels rumors about James Talarico's campaign trail absence
Trump fuels rumors about James Talarico's campaign trail absence
Discussion:
UMass Lowell, HotAir, Daily Kos, The Hill, Mediaite, One America News Network, The Independent, Trump's Truth, The Gateway Pundit and San Antonio Current
Associated Press:
Trump interrupted by protesters as he fights to rally Texas voters behind Paxton in US Senate race
Trump interrupted by protesters as he fights to rally Texas voters behind Paxton in US Senate race
Discussion:
NBC News, New York Times, The Independent, The Washington Sun, CBS News, Straight Arrow, TMZ.com, Fox News, The Guardian, The Hill, News Talk 105.9, Forbes, One America News Network, The Gateway Pundit, Joe.My.God., Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, Townhall, Associated Press, Al Jazeera and CNN
Wall Street Journal:
‘Honey Please’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex Account — Text messages with a MAGA ally show her seeking funds and offering access to top administration officials ahead of her confirmation as ambassador to Greece — Kimberly Guilfoyle was preparing …
RELATED:
Andrew Egger / The Bulwark:
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.
Discussion:
The Hill, Mediaite and Joe.My.God.
Don Moynihan / Can We Still Govern?:
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.
Luke Fountain / CNBC:
Trump says U.S. will not attack Iran before midterm election … President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. will not attack Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm election, explicitly tying the timing of potential further military action to the domestic political calendar.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Reuters, Bloomberg, Associated Press, Scripps News, Washington Examiner, Politico, RedState, NewsMax.com, Joe.My.God., Eschaton and CBS News
RELATED:
Chloe Taylor / CNBC:
Trump's former defense secretary sees no end in sight for Iran war — to the benefit of America's ‘greatest adversary’
Steve Kopack / NBC News:
Oil prices hit $105 and stocks trade lower as Trump considers renewed strikes on Iran
Oil prices hit $105 and stocks trade lower as Trump considers renewed strikes on Iran
Discussion:
The Hill, The Daily Caller and CNBC
Tom Schaller / Public Notice:
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.
RELATED:
Selena Kuznikov / MS NOW:
Republicans need to bank votes right now. Trump made that harder.
Republicans need to bank votes right now. Trump made that harder.
Discussion:
The Guardian
Politico:
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 …
RELATED:
Calen Razor / Politico:
Capitol agenda: GOP ads have yet to overwhelm voters, poll finds
Discussion:
Political Wire and Axios, more at Mediagazer »
Emmet Lyons / CBS News:
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.
Discussion:
Al Jazeera
RELATED:
Amy Mackinnon / Financial Times:
Daughter of Trump's chief of staff works at firm that lobbies for Republika Srpska — Susie Wiles's daughter is latest White House-linked adviser to the Russian-aligned Balkan entity — The daughter of Donald Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles is working for a US lobbying firm that signed …
Discussion:
Politico, The Guardian and Mediaite
Jennifer Agiesta / CNN:
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 …
Discussion:
MS NOW, NewsMax.com, Forbes and Newsweek
RELATED:
Politico:
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 …
Discussion:
MeidasTouch and The Daily Wire
RELATED:
Kate Santaliz / Axios:
Exclusive: Mike Johnson raises record $156 million for House GOP
Exclusive: Mike Johnson raises record $156 million for House GOP
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Daily Wire and NewsMax.com
Jasmine Garsd / NPR:
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 …
Discussion:
Joe.My.God., WAGA-TV and Mercury News
Will Sommer / The Bulwark:
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 …
Discussion:
The Daily Wire, Rolling Stone and Erick Erickson's Show Notes
Associated Press:
New US indictment charges former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with torture — U.S. authorities added new torture charges Thursday to their case against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, ramping up pressure on the ousted authoritarian leader already fighting drug trafficking allegations.
Discussion:
Reuters, Fox News, Straight Arrow, Washington Post, The Hill, New York Times, Associated Press, The Guardian, Axios, Politico, RedState, ABC7, CNN, The Gateway Pundit, RTÉ, NewsMax.com, Washington Examiner and Mediaite
RELATED:
Mark Osborne / CBS News:
Nicolas Maduro, wife face torture charge in new U.S. indictment
Nicolas Maduro, wife face torture charge in new U.S. indictment
Discussion:
Reuters and The Gateway Pundit
New York Times:
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.
Discussion:
Telegraph, The Daily Caller and New Republic
Stephen M. Lepore / Daily Mail:
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.
Discussion:
Metro.co.uk and Mediaite
Paul Krugman:
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.
Discussion:
The Dark Side Of The Boom, Bloomberg and CNBC
Anthony Izaguirre / Associated Press:
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.
Alex Isenstadt / Axios:
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).
Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:
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 …
Discussion:
KSTP-TV
Fenit Nirappil / Washington Post:
Democrat called 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... Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee …
Discussion:
Erin In The Morning, KTVZ-TV, The Daily Beast, LGBTQ Nation and Washington Blade
Rebecca Santana / Associated Press:
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.
Discussion:
Axios, Bloomberg, TechCrunch, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, New York Times, New York Post, Associated Press, Washington Examiner, Politico, HuffPost, The Guardian, Semafor, Lynnwood Times, Newsweek, The Gateway Pundit, The Post Millennial, New Republic, The Verge and NewsMax.com, more at Techmeme »
Sarah N. Lynch / CBS News:
Trump adviser Stephen Miller spoke to agents at recent FBI training on domestic terrorism, sources say — White House homeland security adviser Stephen Miller spoke at a training conference for counterterrorism agents at FBI headquarters just over a week ago, days before prosecutors criminally charged …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Chris Marquette / Politico:
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 …
Discussion:
The Hill and Washington Examiner
Peter D'Abrosca / Fox News:
How Elon Musk got back in Trump's orbit after nuclear fallout, insiders reveal: ‘Water under the bridge’ — Trump and Musk have reconciled after a nasty falling out last year over government spending — EXCLUSIVE: As Elon Musk prepares to receive a prestigious honor from President Donald …
Discussion:
The Hill, Associated Press and Forbes
Ross Douthat / The Free Press:
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 …
Discussion:
The Wrap



