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House GOP Campaign Chair Urges Trump to Campaign for Midterm Majority

The chair of the House Republican campaign group says the recent wins by Democrats in the 2025 elections are a “wake-up call” for Republican voters. Rep. Richard Hudson from North Carolina, who leads the National Republican Congressional Committee for the second time, told Fox News Digital that he wants President Donald Trump to be active in campaigning for next year’s midterm elections. The party is working to keep its slim majority in the House.

This year, Democrats won the two gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, both by large margins. They also had significant wins in important ballot measures in Georgia and Pennsylvania, as well as in Democratic areas like New York City and California.

Many Republicans have dismissed these victories, saying they happened mainly in blue states. Hudson acknowledged that these elections took place in “Democratic states.” However, he pointed out that “the big takeaway for Republicans is that the Democrats were energized. They showed up to vote in record numbers, while Republicans turned out at normal levels.”

He added, “This is a wake-up call for conservatives and Republicans who are satisfied with how things are going. They support President Trump being back in the White House. But if they want to keep this momentum, they need to show up and vote.”

Many of Trump’s MAGA supporters usually only vote when he is on the ballot. However, he will not be on the ballot for the 2026 midterm elections.

House GOPs Support Trump’s Agenda

Rep. Hudson said, “House Republicans closely support President Trump and his agenda. We want him campaigning with our candidates because he brings a lot of energy.”

He pointed out that many people do not vote when Trump is not running. Hudson stated, “I don’t need all of them to show up, but I need some of them. Having President Trump out there will really help us.”

Requests for Trump to campaign are already coming in. Matt Van Epps, the Republican candidate in next month’s special congressional election for a vacant Republican House seat in Tennessee, has asked Trump to join him in person before the December 2 election.

Democrats, on the other hand, are focusing on affordability for the 2025 campaign. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said his party’s candidates are talking to voters about everyday concerns. He mentioned that Democrats are running campaigns about costs and affordability from New Jersey and Virginia to New York and Georgia. Martin emphasized that the 2025 elections will give a preview of next year’s midterms.

Republicans to Launch National Coordinated Campaign

In 2026, we will launch a National Coordinated Campaign to win elections at all levels. Our goal is to provide a check on the Trump administration and its Republican allies. This is what Hudson stated.

Hudson pointed to President Joe Biden, saying, “The economy has challenges because Biden broke it. House Republicans and President Trump are working hard to fix it.”

He added, “We can always improve how we talk to voters about this. But we are focused on the issues that matter to them, like the cost of living, safety in their neighborhoods, and border security. We are committed to these issues and have provided many solutions to improve their lives.”

As tax season approaches, he said, “Many families will be happy to see they have more take-home pay, thanks to Donald Trump and House Republicans.”

Hudson, alongside other Republicans, wanted to link Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a socialist with a far-left platform, to House Democrats, many of whom may face tough re-election campaigns next year.

“The entire Democratic Party has moved to the left. This is now Mamdani’s party,” Hudson said. “Every House Democrat needs to explain their stance on his policies. They should tell their constituents if they support Mamdani or not.”

The party currently in power, the Republicans, often faces challenges in midterm elections. Hudson made these comments as two new national polls showed that Democrats have an advantage in the 2026 race for the House majority.

However, Hudson said, “The only number I care about is three. We have three Republicans in seats that Kamala Harris won.”

He pointed out that Democrats hold “thirteen seats in districts that Donald Trump won and twenty-one more in districts that Trump barely lost. This means only a few competitive seats are available this time, with most belonging to Democrats.”

November 21, 2025
What Will Senior Citizens Pay for Medicare in 2026?

Senior citizens in America will see their health insurance premiums rise significantly in 2026. Medicare Part B premiums will rise nearly 10% next year. This is the largest increase in four years and the second-largest increase in dollar amounts in the program’s history. The standard monthly premium will be $202.90, up by $17.90 from this year, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This increase will take nearly one-third of the $56 monthly Social Security cost-of-living adjustment that retirees will receive in 2026.

The big jump in Medicare Part B premiums happens when health insurance premiums are also rising for people with job-based coverage and Affordable Care Act plans. This trend makes it harder for Americans who are already struggling with high prices for food, utilities, and other everyday needs.

Jeanne Lambrew, director of healthcare reform at The Century Foundation, said, “In a world where people worry about the cost of healthcare and basic needs, it’s distressing that this increase is so large.” Higher costs for medical services and drugs, as well as more people using these services, are common reasons for rising healthcare premiums.

Medicare is also facing challenges from the growing number of baby boomers becoming eligible for enrollment. Additionally, more surgeries and medical services are now being done at outpatient facilities instead of hospitals, where Medicare Part A covers the care, said Rachel Schmidt, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Medicare Policy Initiative.

Monthly Premiums Might Gain $11 Increase

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicated that monthly premiums would have increased by an additional $11 if they had not approved a change in the payment structure for skin substitutes. This change is expected to reduce spending on these wound care products by nearly 90%. Last year, Medicare spent over $10 billion on skin substitutes, a significant rise from just $256 million in 2019.

In addition, Medicare Part D prescription drug policies offered by insurers will see fewer changes in 2026 than this year. Last fall, the Biden administration quickly started a multibillion-dollar subsidy program for insurers. This step aims to prevent big premium increases linked to the Inflation Reduction Act. This law, passed by Congress in 2022, requires insurers to pay more for drug costs once enrollees exceed the $2,000 catastrophic coverage limit.

According to consulting firm Oliver Wyman, the number of plans available for 2026 will slightly decrease, with the firm noting that Elevance is withdrawing from the market. Many insurers are planning to raise their premiums by as much as $50 for the upcoming year, while some are reducing or maintaining their current rates.

“If seniors in the standalone PDP market are willing to shop around, there is still stability,” said Brooks Conway, a principal at Oliver Wyman.

Currently, approximately 69 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare, which also includes coverage for individuals with disabilities. The annual open enrollment period for Medicare ends on December 7.

The Medicare Advantage Market is Experiencing a Contraction

Medicare Advantage currently serves just over half of all Medicare beneficiaries. It is undergoing significant changes for the second year in a row. These changes are due to medical costs rising faster than the payments from the federal government that insurers receive to cover Medicare enrollees.

As a result, many enrollees will need to search for new coverage for 2026, as the total number of available plans is expected to decrease by 10%, dropping to 3,373 plans, according to a report by Oliver Wyman. Major insurers, including CVS Aetna, Elevance, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare, are cutting their plan offerings in at least 100 counties. This reduction is anticipated to affect just over 2 million individuals.

It is important to note that these figures do not include special needs plans, which cater to enrollees with chronic conditions or those who are dually eligible for Medicaid. These special needs plans are projected to have more offerings for 2026 compared to this year.

In certain counties, there will be fewer policies available with $0 premiums and a reduced number of PPO plans, which typically feature broader provider networks. According to Greg Berger, a partner at Oliver Wyman, insurers are mainly looking to withdraw from or scale back their less profitable products and geographic areas.

“A lot of MAPD plans are trying not to grow,” Berger noted, referencing Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage.

Some Plans Will Offer $0 Deductibles for Prescription Drugs

For the first time, some Americans will have no Medicare Advantage plans available to them. Blue Shield of Vermont, Blue Cross, and UnitedHealthcare have chosen to discontinue their coverage in Vermont, leaving traditional Medicare as the only option for residents in eight counties.

Despite these reductions, most Medicare beneficiaries will still have a variety of options in 2026, with an average of 39 plans available, down from 42 plans this year.

“Millions of Medicare beneficiaries will continue to have access to a huge range of affordable coverage options in 2026,” stated Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

However, fewer plans will offer $0 deductibles for prescription drugs, and the maximum out-of-pocket limits for medical care will increase by $490, or about 10%, on average. For Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage and have a monthly premium, the average premium will rise to $66 next year, up from $60 this year.

Additionally, the supplemental benefits provided by Medicare Advantage plans, such as funds for over-the-counter medications, dental care, and vision services, are becoming less generous. For example, the average dental allowance is decreasing by 10% to $2,107, according to Berger.

November 21, 2025
New Trump Peace Plan in Ukraine Takes Shape – US Officials

A new peace proposal for Ukraine, created by the Trump administration, may call on Ukraine to give up the eastern Donbas region and limit its military in return for security guarantees from the United States, according to a Western official involved in the talks.

U.S. officials have indicated that the plan is still in development and that a final agreement will need both sides to make compromises, not just Ukraine. Some points being discussed, which seem to align with Moscow’s demands, are not final and are likely to change.

The 28-point plan has the support of President Donald Trump and is the White House’s current effort to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Some ideas, like giving up land in areas not controlled by Russia, have been rejected by Ukraine in the past. However, U.S. officials see a chance to restart peace talks. The plan is still being outlined, and many details have not yet been decided.

“President Trump wants to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. He is frustrated that both sides have not reached a peace agreement,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “Despite this, the President and his team are working on a clear plan to stop the fighting and create lasting peace.”

List of Potential Ideas

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late Wednesday that the document is more of a “list of potential ideas” rather than a finished proposal. “Ending a complex and deadly war like the one in Ukraine needs a serious exchange of realistic ideas,” he wrote in a post on X. “To achieve lasting peace, both sides must agree to tough but necessary compromises. That’s why we are and will continue to develop a list of potential ideas for ending this war based on input from both sides.”

However, some of the suggestions may upset Ukraine and its supporters because they require significant land givebacks. The two regions in Donbas, Luhansk and Donetsk, are still partly controlled by Ukraine.

In the disputed areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, the current battle lines would stay the same, according to a Western official familiar with the discussions. Moscow has previously asked that Kyiv give up these regions entirely. In one scenario, Ukraine would also need to reduce its military size and cut back on some of its military capabilities, including certain powerful weapons it has received during the war.

Other topics being discussed include the role of the Russian language and the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine after the war ends. The plan also offers U.S.-backed security guarantees to make sure that Russia cannot invade further or expand its conflict into Europe. A Western official shared these details about the document. This proposal is similar to a peace plan discussed in Istanbul during the early days of the war in 2022 and repeats some of Moscow’s broader demands regarding Ukraine’s military and alliances.

Talks in Ukraine

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine on Thursday and presented the Trump administration’s proposed peace plan, according to a U.S. defense official speaking to CNN. The official clarified that the U.S. expects Zelensky to sign a framework with the U.S. aimed at working towards a future peace agreement, rather than committing to a final peace deal at this stage.

The specifics of the timeline and whether Zelensky agreed to the proposed points remain unclear. European and Ukrainian officials told reporters on Wednesday that the plan appears to include unacceptable and maximalist demands from Russia, including the cession of territory in the eastern Donbas region that Russia does not currently control.

However, the Ukrainian presidential office noted on X on Thursday that “the President of Ukraine has officially received a draft plan from the American side that, in their assessment, could help reinvigorate diplomacy.”

The presidential office stated that “the President of Ukraine outlined the fundamental principles that matter to our people. Following today’s meeting, the parties agreed to work on the plan’s provisions in a way that would lead to a just end to the war.” Zelensky also expects to speak with Trump in the coming days.

When asked why the Army was tasked with delivering the peace plan instead of diplomats, the defense official explained that the Army “comes from a trusted position” with the Ukrainians and is already in Ukraine to attend meetings on battlefield innovation, a topic Driscoll has been deeply involved with during his tenure as secretary.

“We come from a trusted position. The U.S. Army is a proven ally of Ukraine,” the official added.

‘Groundhog Day’

A European diplomat supported a Western official’s view of a proposal that has received a lot of attention. The diplomat said this new plan repeats many of Moscow’s strong demands from 2022 and reminded them of the movie “Groundhog Day,” where events keep happening over and over. A European envoy based in Ukraine expressed that the proposal had completely caught the diplomatic community off guard.

“This has all been discussed before and rejected, and now we’re back to square one,” the diplomat stated. “For the Ukrainians, this is simply a non-starter, and for good reason. Accepting it would only invite the Russians to return at a future date. It would be political suicide for any Ukrainian leader to agree to this, and military suicide to hand over that fortified area.”

The diplomat also mentioned that foreign ministries across Europe and elsewhere were reaching out to contacts in Washington for guidance on the proposal, only to discover that officials there were also unaware of it.

“We have heard directly from people in the State Department and on Capitol Hill that nobody knew anything about this plan until it was leaked yesterday,” the diplomat reported. “People who should have been informed knew nothing about it. There’s a lot of annoyance and confusion.”

Any Plans Should Involve Europe

In her first public comments since the emergence of the reports, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, told reporters on Thursday that “for any plan to work, it needs the support of Ukrainians and Europeans.”

Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, also remarked to CNN that any plans should involve Europe and preserve Kyiv’s ability to defend itself. “We have a much bigger stake in this than the U.S., and therefore Ukraine, as well as Europe, must be involved,” he asserted.

According to CNN, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has been leading the initiative. A source indicated that negotiations have accelerated this week as the administration believes the Kremlin has shown renewed openness to a deal. A U.S. official stated that Witkoff had been quietly working on the plan for a month, gathering input from both the Ukrainians and the Russians regarding acceptable terms.

November 20, 2025
Who is attending Former Vice President Cheney’s Funeral?

Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral will take place on Thursday in Washington, DC. It will bring together former presidents and politicians from both parties to honor a key figure in the Republican Party before the MAGA movement. Notably, neither former President Donald Trump nor current Vice President JD Vance received invitations to the funeral, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Cheney will receive full military honors at the memorial service, which is expected to feature a notable gathering of Washington dignitaries from both sides of the aisle. More than 1,000 guests are anticipated at the invitation-only ceremony, scheduled for Thursday morning at the National Cathedral in Washington. This includes four living former vice presidents and two former presidents.

Former Presidents George W. Bush and Joe Biden are attending to pay their respects, along with former Vice Presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore, and Dan Quayle. Many Supreme Court Justices will be there, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan. A large number of current and former Cabinet members from both Republican and Democratic administrations will also attend, along with congressional leaders from both parties.

Speaker Pelosi is Attending the Funeral

Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi is attending, as are Senate Majority Leader John Thune and former leader Mitch McConnell. The funeral guest list is a nod to a time when Washington was less polarized, with politicians from both parties paying their respects when a dignitary passed away. Cheney’s funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET. Speakers will include former President George W. Bush, Cheney’s daughter Liz Cheney, and some of his grandchildren.

Cheney, who served as Bush’s vice president from 2001 to 2009, died on November 3 at the age of 84. Before his vice presidency, he held positions as defense secretary, White House chief of staff, and congressman representing Wyoming. He is regarded as one of the most powerful and influential vice presidents in U.S. history, but his role as the architect of the Iraq War left him deeply unpopular as he left office, contributing to a polarizing legacy.

While official funerals in Washington typically include invitations to the White House, the exclusion of Trump from this one is not surprising. Cheney was a lifelong conservative who initially supported Trump’s 2016 campaign. However, he later criticized him publicly. This criticism grew stronger after his daughter, Liz Cheney, became a public opponent of Trump because of her role in investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

Chenny’s Remarks About President Trump

In 2022, Cheney called Trump a coward and said he posed the greatest threat to the country. So far, Trump has not offered condolences or mentioned Cheney’s death. Before the funeral, Vance remembered Cheney as someone who served his country and wished his family well during this difficult time.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who also broke ranks with Trump over efforts to overturn the 2020 election, recalled that Cheney gave him two important pieces of advice shortly after Pence was elected vice president in 2016. Cheney urged Pence to spend “a lot of time on Capitol Hill” and to review the president’s daily briefing each morning before attending any meetings with the president. According to Pence, Cheney believed this would equip him to better advise the president by knowing in advance what issues were on the agenda and filtering them through the president’s priorities.

The White House issued a muted reaction following Cheney’s death, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that Trump was aware of Cheney’s passing and noting that flags had been lowered to half-staff.

Honorary pallbearers at Cheney’s funeral will include members of his Secret Service detail, his former chiefs of staff David Addington and Scooter Libby, and photographer David Hume Kennerly. Included on one of the last pages of the service leaflet is a quote from the writer and naturalist John Muir: “The mountains are calling, and I must go.”

November 20, 2025
Trump Announces New Pardons for Jan 6 Defendants

President Donald Trump has recently granted pardons to two defendants connected to the January 6 incident, who are also facing charges on unrelated matters. One of these defendants, Suzanne Kaye, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for allegedly threatening to shoot FBI agents in her social media posts.

According to the Department of Justice under the Biden administration, on January 31, 2021, the day before Kaye was scheduled to meet with FBI agents regarding a tip about her presence at the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 riot, she posted videos on social media claiming that she would “shoot” FBI agents if they came to her home. The FBI became aware of Kaye’s social media posts on February 8, 2021, and she was arrested at her home in Florida on February 17, 2021.

A White House official told Fox News Digital that Kaye is prone to stress-induced seizures and experienced one while the jury read its verdict in 2023. The official noted that this case involved disfavored political speech, which is protected under the First Amendment.

U.S. Special Attorney Ed Martin posted about the recent pardon on Saturday, expressing gratitude to Trump in a post on X. He stated, “The Biden DOJ targeted Suzanne Kaye for her social media posts, resulting in an 18-month federal prison sentence. President Trump is undoing the damage caused by Biden’s DOJ weaponization, allowing the healing process to begin.”

Wilson – January 6 Defendant Continued to Serve Time for the Firearms

Daniel Wilson, a defendant from January 6, remains imprisoned despite Trump’s pardons for several convicted rioters. This is because he had pleaded guilty to firearms charges. A White House official told Fox News Digital that President Trump decided to grant Wilson an additional pardon due to the firearms being discovered during a search of Wilson’s home in relation to the Capitol riot.

Although Wilson was included in the broad pardon granted to January 6 defendants by Trump on January 20, 2025, he continued to serve time for the firearms charge, set to be released in 2028. Before his sentencing on January 6-related charges, for which he received a five-year prison term, Wilson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a banned person and possession of an unregistered firearm.

Initially, the Trump administration’s Justice Department said the firearms charge wouldn’t be part of the January 6 pardon. They later reversed this decision, citing “further clarity,” but did not explain the change.

In his original pardon, Trump stated that under his authority granted by Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, he was commuting the sentences of individuals “convicted of offenses related to events that happened at or near the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.” This pardon included Wilson’s charges from January 6, but did not cover those related to firearms.

A U.S. Judge Condemned the Phrase “Related to” in Trump’s Original Pardon

U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee involved in Wilson’s case, rejected the broad interpretation of what Trump was pardoning. She argued that it extended the bounds of the order too far. In her opinion, Friedrich criticized the use of the phrase “related to” in Trump’s original pardon, stating that it should indicate a specific factual link between the conduct underlying a particular offense and the events of January 6, 2021.

An appeals court later upheld her objections, requiring Wilson to remain in custody during the appeal process. Wilson has previously identified himself as a member of the Oath Keepers and the Gray Ghost Partisan Rangers militia, according to Politico.

“Dan Wilson is a good man. After being unjustly imprisoned for more than seven months, he is happy to be back home with his family,” said Wilson’s attorneys, George Pallas and Carol Stewart, in a statement to Politico. “This act of mercy restores his freedom and highlights the problems that have divided our nation.”

November 16, 2025
Will the Trump Administration Start Military Operations in Venezuela?

According to some CNN sources, U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed this week on options for military operations in Venezuela to pave the way in the country. Trump has not yet decided on how to proceed, and he is carefully weighing the risks and benefits of launching a more extensive campaign. The president has previously expressed concerns about the effectiveness of taking military action to remove Nicolas Maduro.

During Wednesday’s briefing, the president received an updated set of options to consider, but there were no indications that he is any closer to making a decision, according to one source. Another individual familiar with the briefing noted that the options presented were similar to those discussed at the Pentagon and some that have been made public in recent weeks.

The target options for a new operation called “SOUTHERN SPEAR” have been developed by the United States Southern Command, which has established planning cells for this purpose. This information comes from a senior U.S. official familiar with the planning. Top officials from Trump’s national security team, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine, presented these options.

Hegseth announced the operation on X Thursday night but did not provide specific details. He stated, “Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and @SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our hemisphere, and secures our homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood – and we will protect it.”

Operation Southern Spear

Earlier in January, Southern Command had already announced an operation named “Operation Southern Spear,” which will employ “long-dwell robotic surface vessels, vertical take-off and landing robotic air vessels, and small robotic interceptor boats” to assist in counternarcotics efforts.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, described by the U.S. Navy as “the most capable, adaptable, and lethal combat platform in the world,” arrived in the Caribbean this week as part of a significant increase in U.S. military resources.

Trump has several options for dealing with Venezuela. These include airstrikes on military or government sites, targeting drug routes, and attempts to remove Maduro directly. CNN reported that the president is considering plans to attack cocaine production facilities and drug trafficking routes in Venezuela.

However, it is also possible that he may choose to take no action at all. Administration officials informed lawmakers last week that the U.S. did not have a legal justification to support attacks against land targets, although they noted it might be possible to create one. Recently, Trump told CBS’s “60 Minutes” that he was not considering strikes inside Venezuela, despite having expressed openness to the idea earlier.

US Has No Legal Justification for Attacking Venezuela

Last Week, officials from the Trump administration informed lawmakers that the U.S. is not currently planning to conduct strikes inside Venezuela and lacks a legal justification for attacking any land targets at this time. This information was shared during a briefing by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and an official from the White House’s Office of Legal Counsel.

During the classified session, lawmakers were informed that the opinion provided by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, which was previously reported by CNN, does not authorize strikes within Venezuela or in any other territories. Additionally, the “execute order” that initiated the U.S. military campaign against suspected drug boats in September does not apply to land targets, according to the briefers. In meetings, the president has appeared cautious about ordering actions that could lead to failure or endanger U.S. troops, according to sources familiar with the situation.

November 16, 2025
Americans Are Hurting as Shutdown Disrupts Airports and Grocery Stores

Millions of Americans are in limbo as a result of the longest federal government shutdown in US history, which is causing worries about an impending economic crisis. Travelers were frustrated as thousands of flights were delayed and over a thousand were canceled on Friday. As President Donald Trump’s administration continues to fight in federal court to refuse to pay full benefits for November, many who depend on food stamps were left in a precarious situation.

Federal employees who have been unpaid for weeks claimed they had run out of alternatives and that their bills were due. There is no end in sight to the shutdown because Congress is at a standstill, with minority Democrats adhering to their demands for health insurance financing and majority Republicans still lacking the 60 votes required to pass a government funding plan in the Senate.

The “wheels came off” in compromise negotiations with Democrats, South Dakota Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters on Friday. He instructed senators to stay in Washington so they could cast ballots this weekend. In an effort to put more pressure on the GOP to reach a compromise, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that Democrats would consent to end the shutdown in exchange for an additional year of increased Affordable Care Act subsidies.

One of Trump’s senior economic officials raised the alarm on Friday due to growing worries about the potential harm the closure may have to the economy as a whole. Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, stated on Fox Business that the shutdown’s economic effects are “far worse” than first anticipated “because it’s gone on for so long.”

Travelers Face Widespread Flight Cancellations and Delays

Hassett remarked, “Who knows how bad the economy could be this quarter if we go another month or so.” More than a thousand flights were canceled at 40 major airports as a result of the Federal Aviation Administration’s 4% domestic flight restriction, which went into effect on Friday. Additional cuts are planned for the weekend owing to staffing shortages for air traffic controllers.

Major airports, such as those in Washington, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Newark, were seeing significant delays as a result of understaffed control towers in addition to the cancellations. CNN was informed by travelers nationwide that they were afraid their plans will be disrupted.

US People Are Hurting as Shutdown Disrupts Airports, Grocery Stores Source: Web

On Saturday, Alicia Leva was scheduled to tie the knot in South Florida. However, Leva said she witnessed travel arrangements quickly falling apart because over half of her visitors were from all over the nation. “I was just really nervous when I learnt about the flight delays,” she remarked. Leva was still grieving her initial vision of the couple’s special day, but she didn’t want to compare her wedding problems to those of others who have been severely impacted by the government shutdown.

Mounting Pressure on Federal Workers Sparks Concerns

Lisa Morales, a nurse who works at a military post in El Paso, Texas, stated that while she was able to pay her rent in October and November, she is now unable to continue working for free. She stated that without a monthly cheque, she is unsure of how she will pay for her car and insurance, petrol, groceries, dog food and utilities this month.

She claimed that if the closure doesn’t end soon, she doesn’t know where she will live and that her landlord won’t cooperate. “Because we continue to report to work, we are not eligible for unemployment benefits,” Morales stated, adding, “If the government stays closed this month, I will have to look for another job.”

November 8, 2025
OpenAI Partners with Amazon in Landmark $38 billion Cloud Computing Deal

As the startup continues to form significant alliances to obtain processing capacity, OpenAI has inked a $38 billion deal with Amazon to utilize its cloud computing infrastructure. The ChatGPT manufacturer inked agreements for over $1 trillion with Oracle, Broadcom, AMD, and the massive chip manufacturer Nvidia in 2025. Its most recent agreement lessens its dependence on Microsoft.

OpenAI will have access to Nvidia graphics processors to train its AI models as part of the seven-year deal. The agreement comes after OpenAI underwent a comprehensive reorganization last week, moving away from non-profit status and altering its partnership with Microsoft to provide OpenAI greater operational and financial autonomy.

Sam Altman, CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, stated, “Scaling frontier AI requires massive, reliable compute.” Altman added “Our partnership with AWS [Amazon Web Services] strengthens the broad compute ecosystem that will power this next era and bring advanced AI to everyone.”

OpenAI Partners with Amazon in Landmark $38 billion Cloud Computing Deal Source: Web

The agreement illustrates both OpenAI’s haste to obtain the power it requires and the enormous demand for computer power resulting from the increased interest in AI. With the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, OpenAI introduced AI to the general public, but for years it was dependent on Microsoft for processing power. Before their partnership loosened in January of this year, the two companies had an exclusive cloud deal.

The AI startup’s initial contract with Amazon’s AWS represents its most recent move away from Microsoft and toward a variety of processing power sources. According to Kim Forrest, chief investment officer of Bokeh Capital Partners, “the deal with AWS shows that OpenAI considers that its path to leadership is paved with getting access to as much computing power as it can get its hands on.”

Growing Revenue Fast

Microsoft’s “taking less of a control stake in the company has allowed relationships with near competitors to OpenAI’s funders possible,” she stated. However, because it invests a lot of money to advance AI technology, OpenAI has not been successful. OpenAI lost $12 billion in just the most recent quarter, according to Microsoft’s quarterly earnings released last week.

AWS is “uniquely positioned to support OpenAI’s vast AI workloads,” according to a statement from AWS CEO Matt Garman. Prominent AI companies have begun making investments in each other, resulting in a complex web of transactions that has drawn attention. The hub of such web is OpenAI.

Furthermore, there has been some conjecture that an AI bubble might be imminent in response to OpenAI’s acquisition binge. “Yes, the investment loans are unprecedented,” Sam Altman remarked in an interview with the BBC last month, but he also noted that “it’s also unprecedented for companies to be growing revenue this fast.”

November 7, 2025
Mamdani’s ‘Trump-Proofing NYC’ Campaign Sparks Political Clash With White House

After winning New York City’s mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani didn’t take long to confront the guy who had threatened to jail and deport him in addition to defunding the city. Mamdani, a Democrat, addressed the Republican president from the stage of his Brooklyn victory party, saying, “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.”

Additionally, he challenged the president directly. “The city that gave rise to Donald Trump is the one who can show a nation betrayed by him how to defeat him,” he declared. As Mamdani went from being a little-known state lawmaker to a national Democratic star, and as Trump portrayed the modern Democratic Party as extreme and disconnected from common voters, the announcement served as an example of how both men have taken advantage of each other as politically useful foils.

Speaking at a business conference in Miami the day after the election, Trump frequently brought up Mamdani, portraying the incoming mayor as a nightmare that he swore to combat while widely associating other Democratic politicians with their party’s new political hero.

Trump declared, “Just look at the outcome of yesterday’s election in New York, where their party installed a communist as mayor of the largest city in the country, if you want to see what congressional Democrats wish to do to America.”

Mamdani’s ‘Trump-Proofing NYC’ Campaign Sparks Political Clash With White House Source: Web

Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and obtained U.S. citizenship after completing his undergraduate education, portrayed himself as the leader of the opposition to the president’s strong, anti-immigrant policies during his second term. In his statement on election night, he declared, “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant.”

The statement continued, “So hear me,” President Donald J. Trump, “when I say this: To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed that Trump, who has been disparaging Mamdani for months and threatening to destroy the city if he won, was present at the address. “AND SO IT BEGINS!” he said on social media as Mamdani was speaking.

Nevertheless, it’s anticipated that Mamdani, a democratic socialist who ran on a platform of far-left progressive policies and upbeat optimism that contrasts sharply with Trump’s darker and more extreme strategies, will continue to face the president’s relentless political criticism as well as a federal government that might attempt to obstruct his agenda. However, it’s still unclear how Trump intends to react and whether the courts will intervene.

Mamdani Vows to Shield the City from Future ‘Trump-style’ Politics

Mamdani made it apparent during his first press conference as mayor-elect on Wednesday that one of the biggest obstacles he will have in his new position is the city’s most influential former resident. “An authoritarian government and an affordability crisis are the twin crises that New Yorkers are currently facing,” he stated. “And it will be my responsibility to fulfill both.”

According to Mamdani, “Trump-proofing” New York City, entails “protecting those with the least from the consequences of a man with the most power in this country.” However, Mamdani repeatedly stated that if anyone could assist New Yorkers, he would be open to working with them, including Trump. He claimed that since his victory, neither the president nor the White House had contacted him.

November 6, 2025
Early Voting Insights for Upcoming Elections in New York, New Jersey, Virginia

The electorate is typically substantially smaller because the New York City’s mayoral elections are held in off-years, meaning there isn’t a presidential race on the ballot. Additionally, because older voters tend to be more politically active, it tends to skew older than presidential elections. Furthermore, early voters are typically older than those who cast ballots on election day.

The older demographic of those who cast ballots during the initial days of early voting was therefore not surprising. However, there was a significant increase in younger voters on the last day of early voting. This made the last wave of early voters even younger than those who cast ballots in the general election of 2024.

Though it’s also important to note that both candidates have a sizable portion of support in older age groups, Zohran Mamdani’s supporters are typically younger, while former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has greater support among older voters. With likely voters under 30, Mr. Mamdani topped Mr. Cuomo 73 percent to 10 percent in a September New York Times/Siena survey. They were deadlocked among voters aged 65 and over.

New Yorkers Voted by Age & New Jerseyans Voted by Party

According to more recent surveys, voters in their 50s, 60s, and older give Mr. Cuomo a tiny edge. Why not make a comparison between this election and the 2021 mayoral race? For starters, there was little competition in that election; Eric Adams received more than twice as many votes as Mr. Sliwa, his nearest rival.

Such a comparison wouldn’t reveal much because there was less suspense, which meant that fewer individuals of all ages showed up to vote early. Since its implementation in 2019, early voting has also gradually increased in popularity in New York. It’s difficult to predict precisely how early and election day voting will ultimately be distributed given the overall trend toward early voting.

New York City does not disclose the number of mail-in ballots returned prior to the election, so the early votes displayed here for 2025 do not include mail-in votes. Like it’s obvious that the number of mail-in ballots returned thus far is tabulated for Virginia and New Jersey below.

Voters in New Jersey register according to their political party. Accordingly, we may determine whether one party is especially energized or depressed based on the early voting results.

Early Voting Insights for Upcoming Elections in New York, New Jersey, Virginia Source: Web

Compared to Republicans, Democrats are more likely to cast early ballots. Democrats accounted for over half of the early vote this year. Furthermore, it is difficult to forecast exactly what will occur on election day due to the added percentage of unaffiliated voters and the fact that voters do not necessarily choose the candidate of their party.

For instance, Democrats in New Jersey had a 12-percentage-point lead over Republicans in 2024 when it came to the party registration of all voters. However, the Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris won the state by a mere six points.

In the years since the pandemic, people have been forming new preferences for how they cast their ballots, just like in other countries. Many more voters from both parties now cast their ballots early, either in person or by mail. Comparisons to the previous governor’s contest in 2021 are therefore less useful.

November 4, 2025