Happy Friday! It’s such a lovely autumn day!
Here’s what’s in today’s update:
- Flight cancellations are starting.
- The Senate is going for its 15th cloture vote.
- Elise Stefanik is running for governor.
- A suspicious package has made over seven people ill.
- President Trump had personal comments about Mamdani.
- A guest fainted at the White House.
Government Shutdown Continues
Airport bars will likely be crowded this weekend.
We’re now on the 38th day of the government shutdown. Today, over a thousand flights were canceled across the U.S. due to a shortage of air traffic controllers linked to the shutdown.
The Department of Transportation is starting to cut flights by 4% today, with a potential increase to 10% if this closure continues. A former FAA administrator warns that the situation at airports could worsen if the shutdown keeps going.
Randy Babbitt expressed in a NewsNation interview that different controller positions can’t just be swapped around. He indicated that it’ll take time to get operations back on track, and airlines will need their aircraft and crew schedules aligned again.
The Senate plans to hold another funding vote today, though it might meet the same fate as the others. What’s notable is that Majority Leader John Tune intends to revise the bill’s language and append a three-bill spending package to potentially make it more appealing to Democrats.
Concerns about the vote center around distrust: There’s skepticism about what the Democratic Party, particularly regarding health insurance subsidies and federal worker layoffs.
💬 Check out the live blog today.
➤ House staff are struggling:
Sudiksha Kochi spoke with several House staffers who expressed hardships from working without pay for over a month. One anonymous staff member shared, “We have family visiting, but will we be able to do what we want for Thanksgiving if we’re not paid?”
Another mentioned using wedding savings for living expenses, which isn’t ideal.
Read his full report: “House staff members are feeling the pinch of a historic shutdown.”
➤ Elise Stefanik announces gubernatorial run:
Representative Elise Stefanik has officially declared her candidacy for the New York Governor’s race, setting her sights on incumbent Kathy Hochul.
The year has had ups and downs for her, as President Trump initially nominated her as ambassador to the United Nations, but later withdrew that choice due to a slim margin among House Republicans. Once nominated, she relinquished a leadership role but later regained it when she became Speaker of the House.
🩺 At the White House
Unexpected incident at Trump’s event.
A guest collapsed during President Trump’s announcement about weight loss drug price cuts. Attendees helped him as Trump looked on, and reporters were quickly ushered out.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt identified the man as a medical company rep and assured that he was doing fine.
📸 AFP’s Andrew Caballero Reynolds captured striking images of the incident.
➤ Some light moments:
During the event, Trump asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick if he was taking weight loss drugs; Lutnick replied, “Not yet.”
📰 More headlines:
Seven people affected by suspicious package.
At Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, at least seven individuals fell ill after a suspicious package was received. Inside, an unknown white powder was discovered, leading to an evaluation for potential political messages.
No one required hospitalization following this event.
Here’s a bit more about the base: It’s a military installation near D.C. that Trump often visits.
More to read:Details on the incident
Trump’s perspective on Zoran Mamdani.
While publicly criticizing the next NYC mayor, Zoran Mamdani, Trump has privately acknowledged him as a skilled politician, describing Mamdani as “friendly and well-spoken.”
Read more from Tyler Pager: “Trump vs. Mamdani: The upcoming showdown.”
➤ Quick updates:
- – The “Sandwich Guy” who threw food at federal agents has been acquitted.
- – Ongoing discussions about fetal monitoring leading to unnecessary C-sections.
- – Marjorie Taylor Greene is confronting Republicans over claims about food prices.
➤ For further reading:
- New York Times article about Hegseth’s dismissal.
- Washington Post: Tracking families without SNAP benefits.
The House is currently out, but the Senate is in session, and Trump is at the White House with the Hungarian Prime Minister.
noon: Senate activities are underway.
3:30 PM: Trump departs for Mar-a-Lago.
🐝 Trending online:
🍫 Today is National Bittersweet Chocolate Day.
🌑 Japanese astronomers captured impressive images of the moon being illuminated by two separate flashes. It highlights how the moon is often more dynamic than it appears.
👋 Wrapping up: The weekend is approaching; let’s get into the spirit!
