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Pentagon puts Iran war cost at $47.1 billion
Key Takeaways The estimate U.S. Central Command told Congress the war had cost $47.1 billion as of Friday, Oct. 16, the Associated Press and Stars and Stripes reported. The increase That is about $3.5 billion more than the $43.6 billion reported through Thursday, Sept. 3, Stars and Stripes said. The AP placed the earlier figure in early September. The breakdown About $29 billion is for replacing munitions and about $11.9 billion is for operations. Outlets differ on equipment, Army and Navy lines. What's excluded The estimate leaves out damage to U.S. bases. The Pentagon did not immediately comment, the AP and the New York Times reported. The Pentagon told Congress that the Iran war cost American taxpayers $47.1 billion as of Friday, Oct. 16, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday, Oct. 28. U.S. Central Command's estimate is about $3.5 billion above the roughly $43.6 billion figure the command gave lawmakers in early September. Where the Iran war cost is going The largest share is mun…
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AIPAC endorsements end; direct PAC money stops
Key Takeaways The letter On Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, AIPAC told members it will drop endorsements, direct PAC contributions and earmarking. Jewish Insider and CNBC obtained the letter. The super PAC United Democracy Project will keep operating. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) lists it as an independent-expenditure-only committee, which may accept unlimited contributions. The filings Through Sept. 30, 2026, the AIPAC PAC reported $51,726,248.48 in contributions to other committees. The super PAC reported $53,414,686.72 in independent expenditures and $56,302,559.20 still on hand. Two primaries Schedule E totals list $20,140,908.74 against Abdul El-Sayed and $10,517,821.30 for Haley Stevens. In Kentucky they list $3,575,107.31 against Thomas Massie and $579,318.62 for Ed Gallrein. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee told members on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, that AIPAC endorsements, direct political action committee contributions and earmarked gifts will stop. Jewish Insider first…
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Katie Zacharia press secretary is transitioning out
Key Takeaways The exit A person familiar with the matter told the AP on Friday, Oct. 16, that Katie Zacharia is transitioning out as White House press secretary. Her first official day was Monday, Oct. 12. Trump's words On the White House lawn, before a Georgia rally, Trump said he had urged her to reconsider and that they would talk when he got back. NBC News quoted him leaving the choice with her. Her statement NBC News published a statement it attributed to Zacharia thanking Trump. The AP story, updated at 4:09 p.m. EDT on Friday, Oct. 16, still said she had not returned messages. The license The State Bar of California told The Guardian it has no record she was licensed there. A senior official told NBC News she did not pass the California bar. The Guardian said no report described a charge. Katie Zacharia press secretary is transitioning out, a person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 . Her first official day was Monday, Oct. 12. President Dona…
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9/11 families' Saudi Arabia case heard on appeal
Key Takeaways The hearing On Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, a Second Circuit panel in New York heard Saudi Arabia ask to be dismissed from the civil case. The judges did not rule. The 2025 order On Aug. 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels denied that request. He wrote that the families had made a jurisdictional showing, and that he was not deciding liability. Two employees The order focuses on Omar al-Bayoumi and Fahad al-Thumairy and their contact in 2000 with hijackers Nawaf al Hazmi and Khalid al Mihdhar. Saudi Arabia denies any role in the attacks. No ruling date The panel took the appeal under advisement. ABC News reported that lawyers in the case do not expect a decision until early 2027. A three-judge panel heard the 9/11 families' Saudi Arabia case on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, and gave no decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York heard the kingdom seek dismissal of the civil suit. The families asked the judges to keep an Aug. 28, 2025 order, the BB…
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Anduril Arsenal-2: $3.7 billion Sparrows Point yard
Key Takeaways The investment Anduril Industries says it will spend $3.7 billion of its own capital on Arsenal-2, a shipyard at Sparrows Point in Baltimore County, Maryland. The Navy contract Anduril says the Navy awarded a contract of up to $2.9 billion, paid only as the yard shows it can produce. The company adds those sums to $6.6 billion. The ownership stake President Donald Trump said on Oct. 6, 2026, that taxpayers will get a 40 percent stake in the shipyard. Anduril's written announcement does not describe that stake. Jobs and timing Anduril expects 3,100 direct jobs and more than 11,000 indirect jobs, with first operations in 2030. The state and the White House cite different job totals. President Donald Trump and Anduril Industries on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, announced Anduril Arsenal-2, a new shipyard at Sparrows Point in Baltimore County, Maryland. The company said it will invest $3.7 billion of its own money to build parts for the Navy's Virginia-class attack submarines, along…
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Trump Administration Mulls New Travel Ban Affecting 43 Nations
AI-generated illustration Key Takeaways The Trump administration is weighing a new travel ban that could apply to citizens of as many as 43 countries, according to a draft list reported by The New York Times. The draft sorts countries into three tiers: 11 facing a full entry ban, 10 facing partial restrictions and 22 that would get 60 days to fix perceived security shortcomings. Officials cautioned that the list was drawn up weeks ago by the State Department and was likely to change before reaching the White House. The review stems from a January 20 executive order that gave federal agencies 60 days to identify countries with deficient vetting and screening information. The Trump administration is considering a ban on travel to the United States that could reach citizens of as many as 43 countries, a broader set of restrictions than those imposed during President Donald Trump's first term, The New York Times reported on March 14 , citing officials familiar with the matter. The countries …
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FDA Layoffs Amid Trump Administration Workforce Cuts
AI-generated illustration Key Takeaways Probationary employees across the FDA received termination notices on Saturday evening, Feb. 15, as the Trump administration's federal workforce cuts reached the agency. The firings appeared concentrated in the FDA's centers for food, medical devices and tobacco products; it was not clear whether drug reviewers were spared. Officials expected the Department of Health and Human Services to dismiss roughly 5,200 probationary workers across its agencies, including about 1,300 at the CDC. Former FDA officials warned the cuts could weaken recruitment and an inspection force already stretched thin. The Trump administration's campaign to shrink the federal workforce reached the Food and Drug Administration this weekend, as recently hired staff who review the safety of food ingredients, medical devices and tobacco products were told their jobs had been eliminated. According to reporting by the Associated Press , probationary employees across the ag…
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Trump Administration Rescinds Federal Funding Freeze Memo
AI-generated illustration Key Takeaways Trump administration rescinded a controversial memo freezing federal aid. The decision came after a federal judge temporarily blocked the freeze. The White House insists funding pauses will continue under executive orders. Democratic attorneys general had challenged the freeze. The Trump administration rescinded its controversial memo ordering a freeze on federal aid and grant programs. The move came a day after a federal judge temporarily blocked the funding pause from taking effect. Despite the withdrawal of the memo, White House officials emphasized that the broader policy goal remains intact. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified in a social media post that the decision was only a legal adjustment, not a complete reversal of the administration's funding stance. The original memo, issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), instructed federal agencies to halt spending on programs affected by the President’s executive orders. These i…
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RFK Jr. Pushes to End Fluoride in US Drinking Water
AI-generated illustration Key Takeaways RFK Jr. aims to eliminate fluoride in U.S. drinking water , challenging a decades-old public health practice. Emerging health research suggests high fluoride exposure may impact children’s IQ and contribute to dental and skeletal fluorosis. Legal groundwork established through recent rulings and chemical safety laws provides a path for regulatory change. Opposition from medical and dental communities highlights concerns over access to preventative oral health care. Potential for significant policy changes in the Trump administration, enabling federal involvement in local water practices. Introduction Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent declaration to remove fluoride from the nation’s drinking water , which President-elect Donald Trump has called "possible," signals potential upheaval in longstanding public health policies. Although fluoridation has been widely credited with enhancing oral health since its inception, growing concerns around its effect…
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Trump Wins 2024 Presidential Election
AI-generated illustration Key Takeaways Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, according to an Associated Press race call early Wednesday, November 6, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump becomes the second president, after Grover Cleveland, to win two nonconsecutive terms. Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate, flipping Democratic-held seats in Ohio and Montana. Harris conceded on Wednesday afternoon, and world leaders from Europe to the Middle East congratulated the president-elect. Former President Donald Trump has been elected to a second term in the White House, according to a race call by the Associated Press early Wednesday, completing a political comeback four years after his 2020 defeat. Trump, the Republican nominee, beat Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid in July. He becomes only the second president in U.S. history to serve two nonconsecutive terms, after Grover Cleveland in t…
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Alleged White Supremacist Charged in Nashville Drone Plot
AI-generated illustration Key Takeaways Suspect Skyler Philippi, 24, linked to white nationalist groups Charges Attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted destruction of an energy facility Method Allegedly planned to use a drone equipped with explosives to target Nashville power station Motivation Prosecutors allege he sought to disrupt the U.S. power grid and spread white supremacist ideology Outcome Arrested by FBI during what prosecutors describe as an attempted attack Federal authorities have arrested Skyler Philippi, a 24-year-old Tennessee resident allegedly associated with white nationalist groups, who is accused of attempting to deploy an explosives-laden drone to destroy a Nashville power station, the Justice Department announced . Details of the Alleged Plot According to an unsealed criminal complaint , Philippi allegedly discussed plans with undercover FBI sources to blow up multiple energy facilities to create a nationwide power grid collapse. The plan involved not only a…
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Harris and Trump Make Final Push Before Election Day
AI-generated illustration Harris and Trump Make Final Campaign Pushes on Eve of Election Day Topic Details Final Campaign Events Harris and Trump make closing appeals in battleground states. Polling Update Harris holds a narrow national lead of 51% to Trump’s 47% among likely voters, with tight margins in key states. Early Voting Trends Over 77 million Americans voted early; Republicans increased early voting from 2020 levels. Closing Messages Trump focuses on economic and national security; Harris emphasizes unity and opportunity. Advertising Surge About $2.6 billion spent on general-election presidential ads, with battlegrounds like Pennsylvania and Michigan seeing high ad investments. Celebrity Endorsements Prominent figures like Oprah and Lady Gaga support Harris in final rallies. Final Campaign Push in Key States with Tight Polling Margins As Election Day looms, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump concentrated their final campaign efforts in key battleground states…
