Trump News for Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Horrifying 911 Audio of Iryna Zarutska Stabbing, Witness Saw Ton of Blood

TMZ Staff, TMZ

The 911 audio of the Iryna Zarutska fatal stabbing aboard a North Carolina train captures the sheer horror right after the unprovoked attack ... with callers seemingly resigned to the fact she was already dead. TMZ obtained the audio recording of…

Elizabeth Warren on why Democrats had to shut down the government

Kelli Wessinger, Sean Rameswaram, Vox

At midnight on Wednesday, the federal government shut down. Democrats made good on their promise to vote against a continuing resolution if Republicans didn’t extend expiring Obamacare tax credits, and funding expired. Now, both sides are digging in to play t…

Gullible Joe Rogan Clowned on After Complaining That ICE Targets Construction Sites Instead of Drug Dealers

Keegan Kelly, Cracked.com

Rogan really thought that ICE agents were going to take on MS-13 after 13 weeks of training

Someone Really Wants You to Believe Barron Trump Is Extremely Hot to the Ladies

Heather Schwedel, Slate Magazine

The 19-year-old scion's allegedly robust love life has made another alarming incursion into the press.

DOGE’s “Efficiency” Theater Comes Full Circle: Trump Admin Scrambles To Rehire The Very Workers Musk Fired To “Save Money”

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

I actually wrote this article yesterday before the government shutdown happened so I don’t really discuss that, but it sounds like we may end up going through all this again if the Trump regime goes through with its plans to use the shutdown to fire a bunch m…

Americans remain no closer to learning why the president shared an AI-generated video of himself promoting a QAnon conspiracy.

The Daily Beast, Daily Beast

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gushed that it was “refreshing” that President Trump posted an AI-generated video of himself promoting a QAnon c...

Mamdani Ridicules Andrew Cuomo’s New AI-Generated Campaign Ad

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

The ad is not getting many views on social media thus far.

DOJ seeks to postpone deadlines in Abrego Garcia's deportation case

Laura Romero, ABC News

The DOJ has moved to postpone all the deadlines in the Maryland deportation case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, due to the government shutdown.

US gov shutdown leaves IT projects hanging, security defenders a skeleton crew

Brandon Vigliarolo, Theregister.com

The longer the shutdown, the less likely critical IT overhauls happen, ex Social Security CISO tells The Register The US government shut down at 1201 ET on October 1, halting non-essential IT modernization and leaving cybersecurity operations to run on skelet…

Trump’s solution for high drug prices is a discount portal called TrumpRx

Emma Roth, The Verge

President Donald Trump is launching a new government-run website that he says will let Americans buy medications at lower prices. The new website, called TrumpRx, is expected to launch in 2026 and will direct consumers to discounts on drugmakers’ online store…

The real reason Democrats forced a government shutdown

Eric Levitz, Vox

Uncle Sam has closed up shop.  The federal government shut down on Wednesday, as Congress failed to extend its annual appropriations. Now, food will go uninspected, Superfund sites uncleaned, and IRS helplines unanswered. Millions of Americans will suffer fro…

Neutral says tariffs behind construction pause at "worlds tallest mass-timber building"

Ellen Eberhardt, Dezeen

Local developer Neutral has stated that construction on its mass-timber Edison skyscraper in Milwaukee, which it claims will be the "world's tallest", has been halted due to rising tariffs. According to local outlets, Neutral CEO Nate Helbach stated that cons…

ICE Is Buying a Tool to Track Phones, Without Warrants

Olga Lautman, Substack.com

Trump is quietly building a surveillance state, and almost no one is paying attention.

A Memo To Corporate America: How To Stop Being Cartoon Villains

Mike Brock, Techdirt

I’ve spent considerable time lately documenting how America’s corporate elite have transformed themselves into the exact cartoon villains that Marxists always claimed they were—groveling before authoritarian power, paying tribute to criminal regimes, abandoni…

US government takes equity stake in one of the world’s largest lithium mines

Justine Calma, The Verge

The Trump administration is taking a 5 percent equity ownership of mining company Lithium Americas, on top of another 5 percent stake in the company’s joint mining project with GM in Nevada, the Department of Energy announced yesterday. The mine at Thacker Pa…

FACT FOCUS: Democrats did not shut down the government to give health care to 'illegal immigrants'

MELISSA GOLDIN, Yahoo Entertainment

President Donald Trump and other high-ranking Republicans claim Democrats forced the government shutdown fight because they want to give free health care to ...

The Government Just Shut Down, But JD Vance Still Found Something To Giggle About On Fox News

Megan Liscomb, Buzzfeed

"That's the most important part."View Entire Post ›

EA’s Saudi Deal Fallout: Junk Credit Ratings, Risky AI Bets, And Developer Fears

Ethan Gach, Kotaku

The sports game powerhouse promises no 'immediate' changes as uncertainty mounts The post EA’s Saudi Deal Fallout: Junk Credit Ratings, Risky AI Bets, And Developer Fears appeared first on Kotaku.

EU Leaders Discuss Building a ‘Drone Wall’ After ‘Hybrid Attack’

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

Several NATO countries have seen mysterious drones flying in their airspace that many have pinned on Russian intrusions.

The Democrats’ shutdown strategy is terrible. Here’s a better one.

Zack Beauchamp, Vox

As of 12:01 am ET, the US federal government has been shut down. Workers deemed “nonessential” are staying at home, meaning that many government functions (like national parks) will be closed because of a lack of staff. “Essential” workers, ranging from soldi…

Trump Admin Cuts Off Funding for NYC Transportation, Blames ‘DEI’

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

Republicans use the government shutdown to attack transportation projects in Democratic cities.

Trump freezes $18 billion in funding for NYC, home to key Democratic leaders

Brian Mann, NPR

On the first day of the federal government shutdown, the Trump administration froze "roughly $18 billion" in infrastructure projects for New York City, home to two of Trump's Democratic congressional opponents. It's not the first time Trump has threatened ci…

Reagan-Appointed Judge Torches Trump Admin’s Bullshit Chilling Effects Campaign Against Pro-Palestinian Speech

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

We’ve spent plenty of time talking about various people who are failing to meet this moment, but I will say that a number of district court judges have really been stepping up. The latest example is Reagan-appointed conservative Judge William Young (who had p…

Walmart to phase out synthetic dyes in its US private label food brands

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The big box retailer is the latest company to join a slew of others to cut back on additives under White House pressure.

I'm Very Curious About How MAGA Will Try To Explain Away This Look At How Donald Trump's Economy Is Going...

Alexa Lisitza, Buzzfeed

I'm keeping track of Trump's economy right here. Every month. Enjoy!View Entire Post ›

What will Congress do after the shutdown? We asked a Republican and a Democrat

Obed Manuel, NPR

Most of the federal government is shut down after Congress failed to reach a funding agreement. We asked two House members — a Democrat and Republican — where they think talks go from here

The BET Hip Hop Awards cut the cord as DEI dies

Rodney Carmichael, NPR

The show's suspension comes amid broader efforts to curb diversity at the institutional level. The next attempt to canonize the movement must learn lessons from its successes — and its missteps.

Pope Leo condemns climate change critics

BBC News

In his first major statement on climate change, Pope Leo criticises those who minimise climate change.

WATCH: Sen. Chris Murphy shares how Democrats feel about government shutdown

ABC News

"Until we sit down and have a real negotiation, nothing is going to happen here," Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy told ABC News' Jay O'Brien about the government shutdown.

Supreme Court Blocks Removal of Fed Governor Lisa Cook

Adnan Rasheed, Techyquantum.com

Supreme Court allows Lisa Cook to remain on Federal Reserve Board until January 2026, impacting interest rate decisions and Fed policy.

Trump, Hegseth Force Hundreds Of Military Officers To Attend Their Two-Person Circle Jerk

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

A lot of money was spent to make this happen. And, for all the money spent and all the logistical problems it created, it had nothing to do with rallying the troops and everything to do with giving the president and his defense secretary yet another place to …

US Supreme Court to hear arguments in Trump bid to fire Fed's Cook; leaves her in job for now

By Andrew Chung, Yahoo Entertainment

(Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court said on Wednesday it will hear arguments in January over Donald Trump's attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa...

Trump's controversial nominee drops bid to head vital data-gathering agency

Scott Horsley, NPR

Trump's pick to lead the agency tracking unemployment and inflation has withdrawn after withering criticism from across the political spectrum. The White House says a new nominee will be named soon.

Supreme Court temporarily blocks Fed Governor Cook firing

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

High court to hear arguments in January on whether Cook will lose her job but says she may stay in her post until then.

There's One Specific Thing About This Trump Administration Post That People Can't Help But Laugh At Over The "Irony"

Alexa Lisitza, Buzzfeed

The irony of the labor department being called "lazy."View Entire Post ›

Trump’s Self-Branded Drug Plan Won’t Bring Relief, Experts Say

Ed Cara, Gizmodo.com

TrumpRx will connect people to companies' direct-to-consumer programs, but experts caution that many people are unlikely to save money from it.

WATCH: Landslide wipes out backyards of California homes

ABC News

Part of a coastal bluff collapsed damaging several backyards and threatening homes in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

WATCH: Climber scales exterior of airborne glider

ABC News

A climber became the first person to master a climbing route on a flying glider.

MAGA Christians Want Wives To Stay At Home — But There's An Ironic Hypocrisy

Brittany Wong, HuffPost

Influencers like Erika Kirk encourage wifely submission and stay-at-home motherhood while managing bustling careers.

Trump Does It Again! (Deragatory)

Danielle Han, Jezebel

He’s two for two on government shutdowns.

Supreme Court says Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can stay -- for now

Scott Horsley, NPR

The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked President Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, a move that critics say would have compromised the central bank's independence

A history of US government shutdowns: Every closure and how long it lasted

Marium Ali, Al Jazeera English

The US government has had 20 funding gaps, resulting in 10 shutdowns since 1976, the longest lasting 35 days.

Charlamagne Tha God says 'brand safety' has become a problem and advertisers should rethink it

Lucia Moses, Business Insider

Charlamagne Tha God questioned advertisers' "brand safety" approach and highlighted the importance of understanding show hosts.

Republicans Weigh Sweeping Cuts as Shutdown Grips Washington

Hadriana Lowenkron and Jamie Tarabay, Yahoo Entertainment

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday said the White House would quickly move to cut the federal bureaucracy. The shutdown gives Republicans an...

Kennedy Center Union Demands Investigation After Conservative Group Heckled Yasmin Williams

Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone

The staffers claim the office of Trump-appointed executive director Richard Grenell purposely set aside 50 tickets for the group with "instructions to harass" the guitarist

Government issues new data demand for UK Apple users

BBC News

It is the latest development in a privacy row which has pitted the UK against the tech giant and the Trump administration.

Trump, Hegseth fat-shame generals, test loyalties in manic military rant | Opinion

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic, USA Today

Donald Trump said the military should use U.S. cities as training grounds in a bizarre speech to top-ranking military brass called by Pete Hegseth.

Trump Is Launching a Crypto Debit Card

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

World Liberty Financial will offer a debit card in thee latest addition to Trump family's crypto empire.

These AR Binoculars Helped Me Unplug and Bathe in a Sea of Stars

Kyle Barr, Gizmodo.com

Unistellar's Envision binoculars will help you identify nearby mountains and distant stars.

Trump signs an executive order vowing to defend Qatar in the wake of Israel's strike

JON GAMBRELL, Yahoo Entertainment

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order vowing to use all measures including U.S. military action to defend the energy-rich nation of Qatar...

Trump Has No Mandate to Destroy America. The manifestation of a Trump...

Jason Kottke, kottke.org

Trump Has No Mandate to Destroy America. The manifestation of a Trump mandate is understandable for the party trying to overthrow

Opinion - Beijing summit raises the risk of armed conflict

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), opinion contributor, The Hill

Xi Jinping is using his influence to align the world's most powerful dictators against America, while the US is weakening its institutions and alienating its...

FCC Reconsiders Ban on Big Four TV Networks Being Owned by One Company

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

During normal times, the average American wouldn't be able to name the FCC chairman.

Is Russia’s economy at risk as oil revenues shrink?

Al Jazeera English

Russia plans to raise tax to fund its defence budget as oil revenues decline.

NASA closes doors to 15,000 employees as US government shutdown begins

jdinner@space.com (Josh Dinner) , Josh Dinner, Space.com

Over 80% of NASA's workforce is being told to stay home during the government shutdown.

UK Government Issues New Order to Access iCloud User Data

Hartley Charlton, MacRumors

The UK government has issued a new request for Apple to provide access to encrypted iCloud user data, the Financial Times reports. The report reveals that, in early September, the UK Home Office demanded that Apple creates a way for officials to access…

Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries speak on Trump's 'war from within' comments

Megan Forrester, ABC News

A day after Trump said the U.S. is fighting a "war from within," Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries react to the president's comments.

Qatar PM talks to Al Jazeera about proposal to end Gaza war

Al Jazeera English

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani told Al Jazeera the Gaza ceasefire plan

Disney’s Stupid, Pointless Ban Of Jimmy Kimmel Lost Them 1.7 Million Streaming Subscribers

Karl Bode, Techdirt

Well, that happened. Disney’s decision to temporarily ban comedian Jimmy Kimmel for no coherent reason came with some very real costs for the Mickey Mouse club. According to journalist Marisa Kabas, Disney lost an estimated 1.7 million subscribers across Hulu…

Can Trump save Argentina’s crisis-stricken economy as he hopes?

Alex Kozul-Wright, Al Jazeera English

The US is planning to extend a $20 billion loan to Argentina in support to President Javier Milei.

New Trump executive order guarantees Qatar security after Israeli attack

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

This is a breaking news story.

Accusations fly over whether Republicans or Democrats 'own' shutdown

Oren Oppenheim, Kevin Shalvey, Allison Pecorin, ABC News

The closure came amid an impasse between congressional Democrats and Republicans, who are being led by President Donald Trump.

Where things stand with Trump's National Guard deployments

Alina Hartounian, NPR

The Trump administration has deployed or threatened to deploy National Guard troops in more than half a dozen American cities that it says are crime ridden.

The US government has shut down – what happens now?

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

Hundreds of thousands federal employees to be furloughed while others, including FBI, CIA agents, will work without pay.

Jimmy Fallon Blames His Political Cowardice on Johnny Carson

JM McNab, Cracked.com

Late night’s other Jimmy just wants to keep his ‘head down’

WATCH: The US government has shut down for the first time in nearly 7 years

ABC News

The federal government is officially shut down. ABC News' Jay O'Brien explains how we got here.

Fact Check: Contextualizing claim Pope Leo XIV is replacing Cardinal Dolan, who compared Charlie Kirk to saint

Rae Deng, Snopes.com

Here's what's true — and what's false — about rumors that Leo is replacing New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who called Kirk a "modern-day St. Paul."

10 Thursday AM Reads

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

The N.Y.P.D. Is Teaching America How to Track Everyone Every Day Forever:  Wherever you go in New York City, there’s a good chance the police are tracking you. Drive into the city and traffic cameras will automatically photograph your car, capturing your vehi…

How Democrats Backed Themselves Into a Shutdown

Russell Berman, The Atlantic

Democrats surrendered a spending fight in March—and it all but foretold the October shutdown.

Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ promises Tony Blair yet another payday

Belén Fernández, Al Jazeera English

UK’s top war criminal-turned-consultant is set to front Trump’s Gaza plan, where colonialism is sold as investment.

Demetre Daskalakis on RFK, Jr., Vaccine Schedule Changes and CDC’s Future

Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura, Scientific American

The former director of a CDC center reveals how political ideology is undermining science, threatening vaccine policy and endangering public health across the U.S.

How excited should we be about the latest Mars potential biosignature discovery? 'It's arguably the best evidence we have so far'

Keith Cooper, Space.com

What about those previously studied plumes of methane and meteorites potentially stuffed with the fossils of Martian microbes?

Hegseth's speech is another sign that workplace loyalty is dead

Sarah E. Needleman, Business Insider

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called for the US military to embrace a more hardcore culture, much like AT&T CEO John Stankey did in August.

Israel orders Palestinians to leave Gaza City, saying those who stay will be considered militants

WAFAA SHURAFA, SAMY MAGDY and BASSEM MROUE, Yahoo Entertainment

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel's defense minister on Wednesday ordered all remaining Palestinians to leave Gaza City, saying it was their “last...

Kimmel and Colbert appear as guests on each other's shows

Mandalit del Barco, NPR

On Tuesday night, in New York City, they united in a special talk show crossover of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS.

Poll: Agreement that political violence may be necessary to right the country grows

Domenico Montanaro, NPR

On hot button issues, a majority say children should be vaccinated; controlling gun violence is more important than gun rights; and Epstein files should be released, in a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll.

Federal agencies are rehiring workers and spending more after DOGE's push to cut

Stephen Fowler, NPR

Eight months after the Department of Government Efficiency effort to shrink the federal workforce began, some agencies are hiring workers back – and spending more money than before.

A GOP push to restrict voting by overseas U.S. citizens continues before 2026 midterms

Hansi Lo Wang, NPR

Republican officials are pushing for more voting restrictions on U.S. citizens who were born abroad and have never lived in the country, after unsuccessfully challenging their ballots in 2024.

Qatari PM hopes ‘momentum’ now to end Israel’s Gaza war; Hamas deliberates

Stephen Quillen, Al Jazeera English

'The main focus is how to protect the people in Gaza,' stressed the Qatari PM in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Pfizer strikes deal with Trump administration to cut US drug prices

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

US consumers not expected to start seeing lower prices under the Pfizer deal until 2026.

Vanguard U-Turn on Crypto ETFs Could Be Explosive for Bitcoin

Connor Sephton, Cryptonews

Vanguard is the world’s second-largest asset manager, and currently handles about $11 trillion in funds.It’s a hugely influential company given it decides...

Jimmy Fallon Claims ‘The Tonight Show’ Is Not ‘That Political’ Amid Late-Night Fray

Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone

Jimmy Fallon said 'The Tonight Show' is not "that political" after being asked about Donald Trump targeting late-night during an interview on CNBC.

Inside Paris Wycherley’s Thrift-First Approach to Melbourne Style

info@hypebeast.com (Hypebeast), HYPEBEAST

In a city where personal style reigns supreme, one creative is standing out. New Zealand-born stylist and content creator, Paris Wycherley, mixes vintage finds, elevated streetwear and tomboy silhouettes to create a totally Melbourne look."Melbourne fashion d…

Israel attacks kill at least 17 in Gaza as ceasefire plan hangs in balance

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

There is no respite for Palestinians bombarded and forced to flee Gaza City under heavy Israeli fire.

Jobs, travel, national parks - what impact will US shutdown have?

BBC News

Washington's political gridlock is expected to inflict wide-ranging miseries for Americans, as anything deemed non-essential will be put on hold.

LIVE: US government shutdown starts as Trump threatens mass layoffs

Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English

The shutdown comes as Republicans fail to reach deal with Democrats concerned by steep hikes in health insurance costs.

The government has shut down. Federal workers are gearing up for mass firings.

Ayelet Sheffey,Juliana Kaplan, Business Insider

The government has officially shut down. The OMB warned that a new wave of federal worker firings could be imminent.

Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert swapped war stories about finding out their shows were canceled

Kelsey Vlamis, Business Insider

Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert shared behind-the-scenes stories about finding out their shows were canceled.

‘It Was the Strangest Thing Ever’: Hakeem Jeffries Says ‘Trump 2028’ Hats ‘Randomly Appeared’ During Trump Meeting

Yahoo Entertainment

Polling Suggests The Country Is Absolutely Done With RFK Jr.

Timothy Geigner, Techdirt

It’s been a little over half a year since RFK Jr. was confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services and his tenure thus far has been chaotic, to put it mildly. Listing all of the various forms of fuckery that have already occurred under his watch would …

Mark Cuban gives Trump's proposed direct-to-consumer prescription drugs website a 'B'

Katherine Li,Brent D. Griffiths, Business Insider

The billionaire owner of Cost Plus Drugs is giving the Trump administration's announced website, TrumpRx.gov, a "B" for now.

The Gaslit Asset Class

David., Dshr.org

James Grant invited me to address the annual conference of Grant's Interest Rate Observer . This was an intimidating prospect, the previous...

Will Hamas accept the US-Israel plan to end the Gaza war? Not right away, at least

PHILISSA CRAMER/JTA, The Jerusalem Post

Hostage families and Arab nations are holding their breath to see whether Hamas will sign on. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a peace plan in the...

Pete Hegseth Is Living the Dream

Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic

A man who retired as a major lectures hundreds of generals about the need to meet his standards.

Pentagon says Iraq mission being scaled back

By Phil Stewart, Yahoo Entertainment

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Pentagon recommitted itself in a statement on Tuesday to scaling back its military mission in Iraq, a process that a U.S. official ...

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr Continues To Insist His Jimmy Kimmel Comments Were Not A Threat, Even Though Ted Cruz And Other GOPers Took It As One

Ted Johnson, Deadline

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr continued to insist that his recent comments about Jimmy Kimmel were not a threat, even though they were widely seen that way by...

This US government shutdown is different: what it means for science

Dan Garisto, Nature.com

President Trump’s budget office lays out guidelines for mass lay-offs across the federal government.

China’s research hospitals push for prominence

Brian Owens, Nature.com

The country’s output in quality health research is going from strength to strength, but can it overcome questions about the integrity of its publishing practices?