Elon Musk has become the biggest known donor of the 2026 midterm elections, directing $276 million toward an effort to keep Republicans in control of the Senate, according to reporting by The New York Times. The money ranks among the largest political donations by an individual in American history. Republicans are defending a narrow majority in a year when job growth has slowed, wage gains have trailed inflation and mortgage rates have climbed. The spending is concentrated on Senate races, where a single seat can decide who chairs committees and controls the confirmation calendar in Washington.
President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are considering firing US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after reports alleging improper and possibly illegal conduct, a senior US official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said both men are "extremely pissed off" and would likely decide on action this week. The Wall Street Journal has reported allegations including a threat to a host-country official, accepting improper gifts and services, and offering to use her influence in return for payment of a large credit card bill. In a separate dispute, the Justice Department is investigating whether a White House television press pool boycott of Trump coverage broke antitrust law.
President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an "energy ceasefire" effective immediately, announcing it on Truth Social on Oct 11 without setting out terms. Moscow did not comment, and Volodymyr Zelensky said he was still waiting for details from Washington. The Ukrainian president, who spoke with NATO's Mark Rutte and Canada's Mark Carney, said only Russia is responsible for the war and did not commit to halting strikes on refineries. The announcement followed Trump's warning a day earlier that Zelensky had "better damn well stop" attacking Russian oil plants and his suggestion that Ukraine hold new elections. Diesel near $6.28 a gallon and Republican midterm worries sit behind the push. On Oct 9 the Treasury allowed Russian diesel imports until April 2027.
The Trump administration has suspended Microsoft, Adobe and six large IT companies from a program that lets employers sponsor skilled foreign workers for permanent residency, citing alleged fraud. Vice President JD Vance announced the move at the White House, and Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling named Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini as affected. The freeze does not touch current H-1B holders but could block a common route to a green card. Vance also said nine universities merit investigation over their use of the J-1 exchange visa program, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT and Caltech. The Labor Department's inspector general said subpoenas have been served.
A federal immigration agent shot and wounded a man in the Marble Hill area of the Bronx on Thursday afternoon, New York police said. A five-year-old child was in the car and was not hurt. Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the shooting, said the agents wore plain clothes and were hard to identify, and asked President Trump to end ICE operations in the city. Federal officials said the man drove toward the agents. Protests formed at the scene, and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticised sanctuary city policies. The clash lands in the middle of midterm campaigning, days after the Cook Political Report moved 18 House races toward the Democrats.
Three news organisations barred from White House press areas asked a federal judge on Thursday to keep the administration's ban blocked while their lawsuit proceeds. CNN, MS NOW and Politico argued in Washington that the restrictions punish them for coverage the president dislikes and that they break the First Amendment. Government lawyers defend the rules as a matter of managing access, saying the White House can decide who enters its grounds. The case is one of several legal fights between the administration and major newsrooms, and it is moving forward weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. Both sides have signalled they will appeal any final decision, so the dispute could last well beyond this election.
The White House said families will be automatically enrolled in the child savings program known as Trump Accounts, an expansion of a plan created by the 2025 tax law. President Donald Trump announced the change in the Oval Office, saying the accounts help young Americans build wealth. The rollout comes about a month before the November 3 midterm elections. Democrats have criticized the program's design and cost, and Trump used the event to attack the opposition.
President Donald Trump drew criticism from California leaders after suggesting at a Nebraska midterm rally that Iran could take out Los Angeles or San Diego, and that the cost would be a small price to pay for the war. Governor Gavin Newsom called him deranged and dangerous, while San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said his city is not collateral damage and is never a small price to pay. The White House said the United States is fighting to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. The comment landed as early voting began in California, where fuel prices tied to the Iran war are already a liability for Republicans in close races.
The US Supreme Court opened its new term on Monday with a case that asks whether oil and gas companies can be sued in state courts over damage caused by climate change. Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil are trying to throw out a lawsuit filed by Boulder County, Colorado. The county wants the companies to pay for costs linked to wildfires and floods. The companies argue that only the federal government can set rules on greenhouse gas emissions. Justice Samuel Alito did not take part in the argument. The term also includes cases on immigration detention and guns.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton will serve as the new White House AI czar. Clayton will also lead a new federal task force on artificial intelligence, according to the White House. Other members include Federal Trade Commission chairman Andrew Ferguson, Pentagon chief technology officer Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management director Scott Kupor. The group reports to Trump and chief of staff Susie Wiles. Clayton was confirmed as director of national intelligence in July by a 51-47 Senate vote, and he was previously chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.