President Donald Trump pledged Wednesday during the GOP midterm convention to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the November election. The dubious promise would likely cost more than $1 trillion and require congressional approval, and would further fan inflation concerns and exacerbate the country’s nearly $1.8 trillion annual budget deficit.
Missouri’s Republican secretary of state has ordered local election authorities to use its 2022 congressional map instead of a congressional map backed by Trump after the Supreme Court struck it down earlier today. The decision meansMissouri will run the general election with a different congressional map than was used in the primary.
An appeals court on Thursday upheld a block on Trump’s executive order limiting mail voting. The Supreme Court is already considering the same case, reflecting the frenzied legal rush as states are send out mail ballots for the midterm elections. The plan would prohibit the Postal Service from delivering mail ballots from states that don’t get pre-approval for envelope design and submit a list of voters.
Here's the latest:
Supportive chants greet JD Vance at battleground state delegate meeting
Chants of “JD, JD, JD” broke out at the vice president’s meeting Thursday with delegates from presidential battleground states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and his home state of Ohio, according to one attendee.
St. Croix County, Wisconsin, GOP Chairman Matt Rust noted the chants greeted Vance as he entered a hotel conference room not far from the GOP convention.
Likewise, chants of “48, 48, 48” broke out, a reference to the number of the next president of the United States.
Vance gave no hint of his plans, although he is widely expected to seek the 2028 nomination. But he didn’t have to, Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Brian Schimming said.
“He’s so savvy. He’s just a savvy guy,” said Schimming, noting that Vance had been to Wisconsin, where Trump won by less than a single percentage point in 2024, three times this year and is expected back before Nov. 3.
“I’m not sure I’ll have to beg him to come back.”
The event was closed to the press.
Despite Trump’s claims, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff wasn’t at the GOP convention
Trump thanked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Wednesday night while speaking at the Republican political convention in Dallas.
“They’re here someplace,” Trump said.
While Caine was in Dallas, he was not at the convention, spokesperson Joe Holstead said. Instead, the chairman spoke at the George W. Bush Center’s 9/11 anniversary event several miles away.
The Pentagon didn’t answer questions about Hegseth’s whereabouts.
The Pentagon’s daily schedule for Hegseth said he had no public events on Wednesday, while Caine was only slated to speak at a defense industrial conference in Washington.
Traditionally, Pentagon leaders, and especially uniformed troops, have taken steps to avoid the appearance of partisanship in an effort to maintain the military’s apolitical image.
Republican lawmakers try to portray Democrats as ‘crazy’ extremists
Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain called Democrats “communist crazy” as she sought to vilify the Democrats as making the U.S. unrecognizable — a sign of how nasty the November midterm elections could become in the closing weeks.
She specifically targeted Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, as a “dangerous, radical socialist.”
North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said that GOP lawmakers are “fighting every day to make your life better” as he also attacked Democrats as “crazy.”
Inflation continues to be persistently elevated and the Iran war has been broadly unpopular, putting Republicans at a disadvantage and prompting them to focus on cultural issues and Cold War-era claims of communism.
Composer turned congressional candidate sings his biggest hits
Marty O’Donnell is running for the U.S. House in Nevada, where he’s challenging Democrat Susie Lee.
But before that, O’Donnell was a composer best known for his work on the music in Halo, the massively popular video game.
He hummed the theme. “That’s me,” he said.
“If you raised your kids or you grew up in the ’90s, you definitely heard my music,” he said, launching into the earworm jingle for Flintstones vitamins.
“We are Flintstones kids, 10 million strong and growing,” he sang. The crowd, at least those in the target demographic, joined in.
O’Donnell beamed, clearly tickled that the jingle still resonated decades later.
“Thank you for doing that,” he said, smiling. “I appreciate that.”
And with that, he turned to his new profession as a politician, making the case for Republican leadership in Washington.
US says ‘the Iranian hand’ behind Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia and Yemen is clear
U.S. Minister Counselor Jenifer Neidhart told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council that “the Houthis are agents and tools of Iran.”
Their attacks in Saudi Arabia and Yemen are part of a broader campaign to disrupt “vital corridors” including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and threaten the right to freedom of navigation and global commerce, she said.
The United States stands with Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognized government and demands that the Houthis immediately stop all attacks, Neidhart said.
“The path forward requires depriving the Houthis of the resources that sustain their acts of terrorism,” she said, calling for stronger implementation of U.N. sanctions against the rebel group.
Neidhart warned that those who enable the “unacceptable” escalation of Houthi attacks “bear responsibility for its consequences.”
5 people freed from captivity abroad appear on stage at GOP convention
“Captives need to know somebody is working for them,” said George Glezmann, who was abducted by the Taliban while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist. “President Trump delivered.”
Fabian Buglione, a U.S. permanent resident who was detained in Venezuela for nine months, said he and other Americans being held felt “abandoned” by the Biden administration.
“But when we learned President Trump had won the election, we believed he was our path home,” Buglione said.
The parents of Omer Neutra, an American who joined the Israeli military and was killed during the attack on Oct. 7, 2023, also spoke. They credited Trump with getting their son’s remains returned so they could bury him.
“President Trump kept his promise,” said Ronen Neutra, Omer’s father. “All the hostages came home -- the living and the deceased.”
Prosecutor brought in to lead investigation of Trump foes says he resigned
A Trump ally says he has resigned from his post leading a Justice Department investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired against the Republican president.
“I did in fact resign,” Joe diGenova told The Associated Press on Thursday, calling it an “honor and a privilege” to serve Trump and the Justice Department. He declined to comment on the circumstances of his departure.
His resignation came just five months after he was brought back to the Justice Department to help oversee a loosely defined investigation targeting ex-government officials who over the last decade had scrutinized Trump.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
California governor blasts Trump’s promise to give US adults $5,000 if Republicans keep control of Congress
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California told reporters that the president is trying to bribe people to vote for GOP candidates.
“It’s sort of pathetic and sad at the same time,” Newsom said Thursday. “That’s how desperate he is to hold on to power.”
Newsom has become a political foil to Trump over the years and led Democrats in a redistricting battle that will help determine which party will control Congress after the midterms.
Trump says he doesn’t think Congress would need to OK $5,000 payments to each American
Trump has told CBS News Texas in an interview that he doesn’t believe Congress would need to approve his planned $5,000 payment to each American if Republicans preserve their House and Senate majorities in November.
“Well, we think not,” Trump said of congressional approval. “I think they will do it if we needed it. But we think not.”
It wasn’t clear what legal mechanism Trump would use to make the payments that could exceed $1 trillion. But Trump also bypassed Congress last year to declare an economic emergency and hike import taxes, a move the Supreme Court ruled illegal in February.
Trump has long promised economic dividends, even though the payments would likely increase the annual budget deficits and possibly feed inflation.
Epstein survivor meets with Senate candidate Talarico and calls out Paxton
Flanked by printed out documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files, victim Sharlene Rochard spoke to a seated group — Talarico sitting behind her — about releasing the rest of the documents tied to the notorious sex offender.
“Power may delay the truth, it may try to vary it, it may redact it, but it does not get to erase it,” she said. “We have invited Attorney General Ken Paxton to speak with us as well. Ken Paxton, the door to the reading room, it’s open, because protecting children isn’t partisan.”
Talarico, in his comments, called on Paxton to “stop ignoring these survivors” and to use his perch as attorney general to sue the Department of Justice over the release of the files.
Both men are in a highly competitive race for the U.S. Senate in Texas.
A spokesperson for Paxton’s campaign, Madison Cercy, sent a statement that did not address whether Paxton declined to meet with victims.
Truck ad paid for by Democratic group says war, data centers, gas prices on the ballot
A truck outside the GOP midterm convention featured ads by a PAC aimed at helping Democrats and linking Trump to unpopular issues such as higher fuel costs.
“On the ballot this year: Iran war, data centers, rising gas prices,” read one of the screens paid for by Battleground Alliance PAC. The group bills itself as helping Democrats win the House.
The truck also blared what sounded like Trump’s voice from his Wednesday night speech, telling the audience to “pretend that I’m on the ballot.”
Another screen showed an image of the president and said “you get a data center.” It added: “Whether you want one or not.”
Second night of GOP convention starts with a focus on Democrats
The second night of the GOP midterms convention has kicked off in Dallas with the national anthem performed by tenor Christopher Macchio, one of Trump’s favorite singers.
Republicans are hoping to use the evening to draw a sharp contrast with the Democrats as Vice President JD Vance and Trump are set to speak.
The event will also include a tribute to Charlie Kirk, who co-founded the conservative group Turning Point USA. Kirk was assassinated in Utah last year.
Macchio also sang on the convention’s opening night.
Kimmel says interview with Democratic candidate won’t air on TV due to FCC pressure
Jimmy Kimmel says the federal agency that regulates television “threatened” his late night show over an interview with the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Texas. Kimmel now says the interview will air on YouTube, not on television.
By putting the interview with candidate James Talarico on YouTube, Kimmel’s show plans to bypass any control or regulation by the Federal Communications Commission. Talarico is in a tight race against Republican Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, for the Senate seat in the Lone Star State.
Kimmel said Wednesday that the FCC “threatened our show, threatened our network, ABC, our affiliates our local stations, based on simple traditional editorial decisions, guest bookings it would seem they don’t like.”
The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment
Oil prices leap to their highest since May, dragging Wall Street lower
U.S. stocks sank after oil prices jumped back to where they were in May.
The S&P 500 fell 0.6% on Thursday for its fourth straight loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7%.
Stocks felt pressure as the price for a barrel of Brent crude briefly topped $108 because the war with Iran continues to clog the global flow of crude.
Treasury yields leaped in the bond market on increased worries about inflation, and the 10-year yield jumped to 4.95%. That’s up nearly a whole percentage point since the war with Iran began.
Some protesters march near GOP convention site
With chants of “say it loud, say it clear, Donald Trump’s not welcome here,” the demonstrators marched Thursday down streets near the American Airlines Center.
But before the protesters could get too close to the site of the Republican’s midterm convention, police stopped them. There’s been a heavy security presence around the convention venue and many nearby roads are closed.
The group held up signs, including some reading: “Vote Blue” and “I’m Against Trump’s Deportation Agenda.”
A few counterprotesters shadowed the group nearby.
Smithsonian marks 25th anniversary of 9/11 with display of rare artifacts
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is honoring the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks this week with displays of dozens of rarely seen objects that tell the story of that day in often searing personal terms.
Among them are seat belts from doomed United Airlines Flight 93, a purse and wallet recovered from the World Trade Center site, and also the telephone at the desk of then U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson’ when his wife, Barbara, called from one of the hijacked planes.
The exhibit runs through Saturday, and it comes as the museum is under growing scrutiny by Trump and Republicans in Congress over the manner in which it tells American history.
Trump meets with Medal of Honor recipients
The president met with recipients of the highest military honor on Thursday during a visit to the National Medal of Honor Museum.
President Trump called the site “an American treasure dedicated to the best and bravest warriors in our country.”
After meeting with military veterans and giving remarks, Trump signed a new bill calling for the creation of a Medal of Honor monument on the National Mall in Washington. The bipartisan bill cleared Congress in August.
Trump stopped by the museum in Arlington, Texas, between events at the Republican midterm convention underway in Dallas. The museum opened last year and honors the more than 3,500 service members who received the award.
House Democrats say they’re about more than just criticizing Trump
U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove said working-class struggles in her Los Angeles district keep her focused on more than just blasting the president.
She said Thursday in Dallas that fellow Democrats “have an action recovery plan for the American people, and we are 100% committed to ... bring the cost of living down.”
Jason Crow, her House colleague from Colorado, said it’s time “to stop the bleeding.”
He said House Democrats, if they gain the majority in the chamber, would be able to put a check on Trump’s trade wars, reverse Republicans’ Medicaid cuts and take other actions in support of their positions.
Even if a Democratic House majority could not get legislation signed by the Republican Trump, there’s another key role Democrats say they could play: oversight of the president and his administration.
The delegation in Dallas said it plans to dig into the Trump family’s business dealings and examine how they’ve seen their wealth climb significantly since the president’s return to the White House.
“We will have both the power of the purse and the power of the gavel,” said Kamlager-Dove.
Canada’s prime minister says he and Trump have spoken even as their trade war escalates
The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney said Thursday that the conversations with Trump occurred in “recent days” and involved Ukraine, Iran and other global developments.
“We continue to have work with the United States. We can compartmentalize across this,” Carney said. The contact comes after another escalation in the U.S.-Canada trade war.
Washington this week banned some Canadian alcoholic beverages and some dairy products and motorcycles after Canadian retaliatory tariffs took effect on about $20 billion in U.S. goods. Trump also moved to exclude Canadian products from large, long-term U.S. government contracts.
Trade talks collapsed last month, but Carney said Canada remains open to an agreement.
“Canada is always ready to strike a fair deal,” he said.
Missouri election officials ordered to use 2022 congressional map in November
Missouri’s Republican secretary of state Denny Hoskins has ordered local election authorities to use the 2022 congressional map instead of a congressional map backed by President Donald Trump.
Hoskins announced the change in a statement following a decision Thursday by the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting the map backed by Trump. The map favored by Trump was drawn in a bid to help Republicans gain an additional U.S. House seat. But that has led to weeks of legal wrangling.
It’s all part of a pitched court battle that has created confusion for voters and others shortly before ballots begin going out for the November elections.
Vice President Vance raises $2M on the sidelines of the Republicans' Dallas convention
The vice president, who also serves as the Republican National Committee’s finance chair, brought in a big haul for the party on Thursday at a fundraiser in Dallas. That’s according to a person familiar with the event who was not authorized to speak publicly.
JD Vance has been raising millions for the party since last year in the role.
The position also puts him front of the GOP’s key donors who could be vital if he launches a 2028 presidential campaign.
House Democrats descend on Dallas to blast Trump’s two-day ‘party’
Leading House Democrats are in Texas blasting the Republicans’ midterm convention as an opulent spectacle for an out-of-touch president.
“As Donald Trump and JD Vance party away for two days, the average American family can’t afford the groceries,” said Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California. “Donald Trump does not care about the average American family or about affordability.”
That has been a theme of Democratic responses this week.
The Democrats have been juxtaposing big donors paying for access to Trump with rising prices of fuel, groceries and other consumer goods.
“We’re the Truth Brigade, and the American people are tired of the lies,” said Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, another California Democrat.
Democratic U.S. Rep Jason Crow of Colorado said Trump’s midterm convention is a “fantasy land” that is especially offensive now that the U.S. is six months into the president’s war in Iran. Crow is a military veteran, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army officer.
Trump promises $500 Obamacare rebate checks for 1M enrollees in 30 states
It would be for those whom the White House alleges were overcharged by the Biden administration for exchange fees.
The promise comes after Trump pledged Wednesday to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections and as affordability has become a central issue for voters heading into November.
“The relief begins with refunding everyone who was overcharged and the rebates are going out in just a few weeks,” Trump said in a recorded address released on the White House X account Thursday.
In a fact sheet, the White House claimed former President Joe Biden’s administration “accumulated a significant surplus of funds that were not used to benefit the Americans who paid these higher premiums.”
It’s unclear where the money for the rebates would come from and whether it requires congressional approval for disbursement.
