Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · 2:52 AM NY · LATEST HEADLINES
U.S. Edition · Vol. III No. 280
Texas opened early voting. The Senate seat can decide the chamber. · Russia hit Kyiv overnight. Zelensky said there was no warning. · Rubio told Samarkand the war should end. · Trudy is a tropical storm, and the warnings are down. · The Rays are one win from the World Series.
Desk
Power in Washington, and the argument that follows it.
The midterms
At Truist Arena in Highland Heights he said this term is “much more powerful,” asked voters to pretend he is on the ballot, and called Rep. Thomas Massie a “jerk” and a “loser.” About half the arena clapped. Half did not.
Video · Right Side Broadcasting Network
The midterms
At Dalton Municipal Airport on Friday he stood with Mike Collins and Rick Jackson. “You have to pretend I’m on the ballot,” he said. He called Sen. Jon Ossoff “Pee-wee Herman.”
Video · Forbes Breaking News
Sanctions
On Friday night he waived the Russia sanctions he signed last month, two days before the law’s own deadline. He told Congress the pause was in the national interest. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the waivers were about “sucking up to Vladimir Putin.”
The midterms
Since Sept. 1, Democratic ads have named the president nearly 180,000 times. Republican ads have named him about 16,000 times. He spoke in Dalton that night. This note closed before the rally.
The midterms
An AP-NORC poll finds about three-quarters also disapprove of how he handles the economy. About half want substantial change. He spent Wednesday in Arizona and Montana promising a $5,000 check if Republicans hold Congress.
The House
The Democratic leader said the party would move at once on health-care tax breaks, Medicaid, a vote against the Iran war, and Trump’s tariffs. He said Democrats will be united right out of the gate.
The midterms
Five of them told Politico the majority is gone. Trump spent the night in Las Vegas and is due in Bullhead City, Arizona, this afternoon, then Montana. He told a crowd a Republican Congress is worth $5,000.
Video · CNN
The press
Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, extended an order covering 78 reporters. He called the ban unlawful viewpoint discrimination. The case sits three weeks before the midterms.
The White House
He said the waiver is for American drivers, three weeks before the midterms. Lawmakers in both parties said it breaks the ban on Russian energy. On Sunday he declared an energy ceasefire that Kyiv says Moscow is already breaking.
Video · ABC News
Congress
The Minnesota Democrat said she will not be silenced and called the Monday search part of an intimidation campaign. Democrats said the timing breaks the Justice Department’s own rule this close to an election.
Video · ABC News
The White House
In a social-media post on Thursday, the president said talks with Tehran are productive and that Washington will not strike before Nov. 3. Tehran said it will not give up enrichment.
Video · BBC News
The White House
In a Reuters interview after a stop in Alaska, the vice president said Tehran has to do something meaningful on enrichment, not trade words for actions. Washington is still unsure who decides in Iran.
The White House
At a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, he called the war a small price for keeping the world safe, then named the two cities. Newsom called the remarks deranged and dangerous. The White House said he meant a nuclear Iran had been stopped.
The Midterms
A New York Times and Siena poll finds Gina Hinojosa ahead of Greg Abbott, Rob Sand well ahead in Iowa, and Amy Acton ahead of Vivek Ramaswamy. A Republican leads in Kansas.
The White House
The director of national intelligence will lead the new task force. Andrew Ferguson, Emil Michael, and Scott Kupor will sit with him. They report to the president and to Susie Wiles.
The White House
The new force takes the name he wants the agencies to use. Clayton leads it. Ferguson, Michael, and Kupor sit with him.
The White House
The director of national intelligence would keep that job and take the new one. Officials say the president has not announced it himself.
The White House
Pichai, Amodei, Zuckerberg, Huang, Brockman, and Musk signed. The accord is voluntary. Trump said the government will not limit the technology.
The Court
An unsigned order puts Judge Brian Murphy's hold aside until arguments in December. Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson would have kept the flights stopped. About 25,000 people have already been sent to more than two dozen countries.
The White House
The last day of the visit is the National Archives: the Declaration, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights. Thursday's summit produced pomp, a trade line for farmers, and no breakthrough.
The White House
A B-2 flew over the White House. Four hundred seventy-nine service members were on the lawn. The trade truce now runs to January 10. A breakthrough is not the plan.
Video · The White House
Mexico City
She could mention the drugs and the guns. She said she would not, because the relationship is good. The homicides, she said, are down by half.
Video · Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo
The Pump
AAA put Wednesday’s gallon at $6.52, a half-penny under Tuesday’s record. Grassley wants the embargo. Six weeks to the midterm.
The Assembly
The Post said he came to tout the wins. The war took the hall. Witkoff sat three hours. Hormuz is the price.
Video · Forbes Breaking News
The Station
YouTube, 24/7. The Essentials Station. First tape: Rushmore, July 3. Two days after the ban.
The Week
Truth Social. Russia lost the diesel industry. AAA $6.51 a record. They meet at the U.N. Xi later this week.
The Mall
Two hundred and fifty feet. Memorial Circle. The military asked, he said. Veterans are in court.
Video · PBS NewsHour
The Press
Betsy Klein. Cheyenne Haslett. Akayla Gardner. Secret Service took the passes. The lawyers are next.
The Press
Akayla Gardner’s pass was disabled. A photographer too. A producer got in. CNN and Politico still pending.
Video · MS NOW
The Hill
House 262–159. Putin, banks, shadow fleet. China and India on the tariff list. Xi is due Wednesday.
The Press
A Truth Social post at 3 p.m. A very simple ban, he said in the Oval. No eviction yet. Other outlets to follow.
USMCA
Wednesday, Independence Day. Ebrard and Velasco on the line. Irapuato this morning. The hangar now has a receipt.
Video · Imagen Noticias
Midterms
A super PAC with no contribution limits. Federal officeholders may not direct the spend. He said it anyway.
Video · NowThis Impact
USMCA
A hangar in North Carolina. Why carry Canada. Why carry Mexico. Sheinbaum has not said. Ebrard: ahí va.
Video · WCNC
Midterms
He named Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett. Blanche took the Rose Garden. The USPS screen is still dead.
Video · CNN
The Poll
1,503 likely voters. Health care by 24. Republicans lead only on A.I. Forty-nine days.
Video · The New York Times
Midterms
Unsigned order. Alito and Thomas dissented. Kavanaugh: too close to November. Weber: the cloud is lifted.
Video · CNN
Ireland
Doonbeg, last day. Whiskey tariffs lifted. United Ireland still “one of the naturals.” Midterms in eight weeks.
Video · DRM News
Ireland
Doonbeg, final day. Martin at the first tee. Lowry by four. Shannon tonight.
Video · Associated Press
Trade
Dublin, after Micheál Martin. Asked if he would withdraw. Canada, he said, wants a deal badly.
Video · Forbes Breaking News
Sept. 11
Vance stands in. Bush, Obama, Clinton, Biden sit for the names. Speeches are barred in Manhattan.
Video · CNN
Midterms
A “Trump dividend.” About $1.2 trillion. Tariff take this year: $167 billion. The pump is $4.30.
Video · CBS News
Twenty-five years
This was a war, he said in Dallas tonight. Two days to the 25th. The wars stayed on.
Video · C-SPAN
Midterms
American Airlines Center. Vance tomorrow. Skippers shrugged. The Senate is still a toss-up.
Video · New York Times Podcasts
Midterms
Trump speaks both nights. John E. Sununu will face Rep. Chris Pappas for Shaheen’s seat. The Senate is still a toss-up.
Video · New York Times Podcasts
Midterms
Two nights at the American Airlines Center. Trump speaks both. Decision Desk HQ: the upper chamber is 50–50. The House, Democrats 67 percent.
Video · CBS News
The Court
Sunday filing: let the Postal Service enforce Trump’s order before November. States are already mailing. A judge had extended the block.
Video · CBS News
Midterms
His unpopularity is dragging a 218–214 House. Reuters/Ipsos: a record low. Democrats lead by five. November 3 is eight weeks out.
Video · CBS News
The Court
Kavanaugh wants answers by noon today. The state already ran a primary on lines a unanimous state court threw out Thursday.
Video · KMBC 9
The White House
Eighteen American service members are dead. Diesel is at a record. The president compared it to Vietnam, and to Venezuela, and called it intermittent.
Video · Associated Press
The Court
The 2026 election is already being argued as a logistics problem. The justices are being asked to pick a side.
Video · PBS NewsHour
Midterms
The justices ordered the lines put to the voters. Redistricting season just became a campaign.
Video · KMBC / Yahoo
North America
What began as a tariff skirmish is now a collision of identities — and a $382 billion corridor is the battlefield.
Video · BBC News
Pacific
A Nanjing study maps a kill chain from Shanghai to Guam. Distance, Beijing is saying, is no longer a sanctuary.
Video · Hindustan Times
