Good evening, everyone. We now have clarity on what Republicans are demanding in exchange for extending the ACA tax credits: new abortion restrictions that go even further than the already-strict Hyde Amendment. That is the price they’re trying to extract. Meanwhile, tomorrow Adelita Grijalva will be sworn in, becoming the 218th signatory on the Epstein files discharge petition. I’ll have exclusive updates on that story throughout the day.
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While mainstream journalists try to sand-wash Trump’s record, I’m not afraid to confront it directly. Here’s what you missed:
Senate Republicans say they will only agree to extend expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) funds if Democrats accept new, stricter abortion restrictions on insurance plans, creating a major standoff that threatens to raise premiums for more than 20 million Americans next year. Democrats insist current ACA rules already comply with the Hyde amendment’s ban on using federal funds for abortion, calling any additional restrictions a nonstarter.
Republican leaders, backed by anti-abortion groups such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, argue that states allowing abortion coverage through separate non-federal funding streams still violate their principles and want what critics call “Hyde plus-plus,” a change that could block subsidies entirely in some states.
Adeltia Grijalva will be sworn in by Mike Johnson tomorrow before the House of Representatives votes on the government shutdown bill. She will be the 218th signature on the Epstein discharge petition.
Republicans in the House are seething at Mike Johnson after the redistricting fight with Democrats ended in a stinging defeat, leaving Democrats poised to gain seats while the GOP is left empty-handed and blaming Johnson for letting the battlefield slip out from under them.
A provision tucked into the government-funding deal would let senators sue the federal government for at least $500,000 each if their phone records were obtained without notice, a retroactive change that immediately opens the door for eight Republican senators targeted in Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 investigation to file claims. They will earn a $500,000 payout from your taxpayer dollars.
Top House Democrats are vowing to oppose the government-funding bill passed by the Senate on Nov 10 because it fails to extend key tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, warning that the measure sacrifices access to health care for millions and undermines constituents’ needs.
Republicans do not have a plan currently if the Affordable Care Act is abolished:
The Trump administration is preparing a plan to restart offshore oil and gas drilling off California for the first time in decades, proposing six lease sales from 2027 to 2030 despite strong opposition from Governor Gavin Newsom and environmental groups who warn the move risks coastal ecosystems, tourism, and renewed oil-spill threats.
The UK has halted intelligence-sharing with the US on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean over fears that shared information is being used for lethal boat strikes ordered by the Trump administration, a rare break between close allies that raises legal concerns for both British personnel and Washington’s escalating military operations near Venezuela.
A plainclothes ICE agent pointed a gun at a woman he claimed was following and filming him in Santa Ana, prompting a local police officer to intervene and clarify he could not assist without a crime being committed, as conflicting accounts from DHS and video footage fuel criticism over identification, use of force, and the limits of local cooperation under California law.
The Trump administration is mounting its most aggressive effort yet to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, arguing in court that the agency’s funding mechanism is now unlawful and claiming it will run out of money in early 2026, even as Democrats and prior court rulings say the move is illegal and would strip Americans of a watchdog that has returned billions to consumers.
Flight cancellations climbed to about 6 percent as airlines followed FAA-ordered flight reductions caused by the prolonged government shutdown, with officials warning that disruptions could worsen ahead of Thanksgiving unless the House quickly passes the bipartisan bill to reopen the government, since staffing shortages, harsh weather, and mounting delays mean the air-traffic system will take time to stabilize even after the shutdown ends.
Sean Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation says he “cannot guarantee” your safety while flying.
Despite hitting record highs, the S&P 500 is sharply underperforming most of the world’s stock markets this year, landing around 41st globally as trade uncertainty from President Trump’s shifting tariff policies, a weaker U.S. dollar, and investor worries about debt and Federal Reserve independence drag down broad performance, even as AI-driven mega-cap tech stocks surge and mask weakness across the other 493 companies in the index.
President Trump criticized air traffic controllers who missed work during the lengthy government shutdown despite being required to work without pay, saying he was “not happy” with them while suggesting bonuses for those who continued working; he also floated docking pay for absentees, questioned guaranteed back pay despite a federal law requiring it, and downplayed broader economic concerns even as flight cancellations mounted and his administration sought to limit SNAP funding during the shutdown fight.
A preliminary Commerce Department ruling could push U.S. tariffs on pasta from 13 major Italian producers to about 107 percent, a level that Italian exporters warn would effectively wipe out their ability to sell in the American market, raising prices for consumers, prompting some restaurants to make pasta in-house, and triggering industry backlash over what companies say is an unfair anti-dumping judgment.
Donald Trump issued a pardon for trail runner Michelino Sunseri, who had been convicted for briefly taking a closed path during a record-setting Grand Teton run, a misdemeanor case that drew widespread public support and the “Free Michelino” campaign after officials voided his time and prosecutors sought penalties for the short off-trail detour.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
