Secret documents reveal donors behind $330 million for Trump's ballroom  —  The records offer a panoramic view of a fundraising campaign that is extraordinary for its size and opacity.  —  Loading...  $2.5M  —  $25M  —  $10M  —  $5M … $1M  —  $20.3M … $7.5M … $2.5M

US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and family were at Aurora temple when Palatine man tried to carry out attack  —  U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said he and his family were at the Aurora Hindu temple Sunday when authorities allege a 19-year-old Palatine man attempted to carry out a mass shooting there.

Trump DOJ Now Targeting Ballots, Not Just Voter Rolls  —  A Quick Heads Up  —  For transparency reasons, I like peeling back the curtain on any changes we make to Morning Memo — but doing so always runs the risk of creating some confusion.  So let me be really clear upfront …

Ex-Florida congressman Matt Gaetz accused in suit of sex trafficking young women  —  Two women have filed a federal civil lawsuit accusing former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and two others of participating in an alleged sex trafficking scheme involving young women, drugs and traveling across state lines.

Trump, after bipartisan backlash, says Pentagon won't livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter  —  President Donald Trump said Thursday that the Pentagon will no longer live-stream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, after the announcement faced bipartisan criticism …

Trump's ice maiden is under fire  —  With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco and Irie Sentner  —  Good Thursday morning.  Here's an eye-popper to start your morning.  Get in touch.  —  FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Texas Democrat James Talarico raised a record-breaking $64 million this summer …

Russia and Ukraine trade strikes as Trump ‘energy ceasefire’ collapses  —  Moscow sends swarms of drones to attack infrastructure in central Ukraine as Zelenskyy says Kyiv will restart strikes on Russian oil refineries  —  The White House's unilateral effort to negotiate an energy ceasefire between Russia …

Trump lashes out at Republicans as Ken Paxton struggles in Texas  —  President Donald Trump is blaming fellow Republicans as his endorsed candidate, Ken Paxton, appears to be in a fierce struggle for a Senate seat in Texas with Democratic challenger James Talarico in a state the GOP has long taken for granted.

Authorities investigate ‘suspicious substances’ mailed to congressional offices  —  Authorities are investigating letters containing “suspicious substances” sent to multiple Capitol Hill offices, according to a notice sent to senior congressional staff.  “Law enforcement officials are working …

A Reader on What He Thinks We Get Wrong About Trump  —  In this first installment of “Sound Off,” Patrick Healy, assistant managing editor for The New York Times, speaks with Mark Jacob, former metro editor for The Chicago Tribune, who shares his criticism of Times coverage.  —  “There's just a lack of bravery.

GOP Rep On Iran War: ‘There Is No War As We Speak’  —  Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) represents a competitive district and sought to downplay the political impact of the war in Iran.  —  WASHINGTON — Rob Wittman, a Republican congressman from Virginia, doesn't think of President Donald Trump's war in Iran as a war.

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Was an Affiliate Marketer for a Fitness MLM  —  Trump's newly installed press secretary tells WIRED that in the early 2010s, she promoted a product for a company then called Beachbody, which she described as “sort of a pyramid scheme.”

Exposing AdFection: How Discover-Tech Turned Targeted Ads Into a Pipeline for Zero-Click Mercenary Spyware  —  This is the first-ever public confirmation of zero-click mercenary spyware delivered via targeted ads.  We call the technique AdFection, and show how it was used to infect devices at Al Jazeera with Candiru's spyware.

Ex-CIA Director Brennan Rebuffed Over DOJ Probe Evidence  —  A federal judge in Washington dismissed a lawsuit filed by former CIA Director John Brennan to compel the Justice Department to take special steps to preserve records in an ongoing criminal investigation into President Donald Trump's perceived political enemies.

Iowa Wonders: What Happens If Grassley Dies?  —  The 93-year-old senator mused about his potential replacement.  —  October Surprise: 30% OFF Bulwark+ for a year.  Upgrade now.  —  Seniors of the Corn  —  Cedar Falls and Mason City, Iowa  —  “We should have term limits for politicians …

Nasty email fight between 2 top Trump appointees spills into the open  —  Two top appointees of President Donald Trump, including the deputy secretary of State, have been embroiled in a monthslong fight that include accusations of leaks to the media and “bizarre” threats of defamation …

Senators Demand Investigation Into Ukraine Satellite Disruption  —  Republicans joined Democrats in calling on the Pentagon's inspector general to look into whether the Trump administration was responsible for the interruption.  —  A bipartisan group of senators on Thursday demanded …

Bonus 257: Hard Questions About Court Expansion  —  Those who maintain that any Supreme Court reform *must* include Court expansion should have to answer some difficult questions about the precedent it would set and the effects it would produce.  —  ∙ Paid

Exclusive: US considering using ‘mother of all bombs’ against Iran, sources say  —  Donald Trump The Middle East US military Federal agencies  —  The US military has developed new strike plans that include potentially using the so-called “mother of all bombs” to target Iranian energy infrastructure …

Voters in Fox News poll list government corruption as top concern, beating inflation, healthcare  —  Six in 10 respondents to a recent survey said they were extremely concerned about government corruption, putting it ahead of inflation, healthcare and other issues.

Why Is Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen So Mad?  —  The prominent investor has said the Biden administration pushed him to the political right, but sources say his grievances don't always match reality.  —  Marc Andreessen sounded angry.  It was May 22, 2024, and he was venting to a table full …

2026 Midterm Elections in Iowa, October 2026  —  Turek and Hinson in Close Contest for U.S. Senate... Sand Leads Lahn in Race for Governor  —  Just three points separate Democrat Josh Turek and Republican Ashley Hinson among likely voters in the U.S. Senate race in Iowa.

FBI agents and analysts fired for roles in Trump classified files probe sue to get their jobs back  —  FBI employees fired for their roles in the investigation of President Donald Trump's retention of classified documents at his Florida estate sued on Thursday to get their jobs back …