Part of the law enforcement squad protecting Vice President JD Vance was accidentally hit by an artillery shell during a military display marking the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California, police said Sunday.
The big picture: The California Highway Patrol said no one was injured in Saturday's incident, which occurred during a live-fire military demonstration at the base, on the edge of San Diego County. A CHP vehicle was damaged. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said the White House had been "reckless."
President Trump insisted Sunday he wasn't out to destroy China, even as he defended waging a trade war against the world's second-largest economy.
The big picture: The last 10 days have been a series of escalations and de-escalations, as Trump threatened higher tariffs and top aides questioned China's trustworthiness, only for the president to then praise Chinese leader Xi Jinping and promise things would work out in the end.
The U.S. economy will be left struggling if the Supreme Court strikes down most of the tariffs imposed this year, President Trump said in a Fox News interview Sunday.
Why it matters: Trump and other cabinet members have framed the tariff case in apocalyptic terms, saying it would "literally destroy the United States" if the high court finds the president overstepped his authority.
Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) said Sunday he found out that President Trump had commuted his sentence from a news story playing on a prison television.
The big picture: Trump's commutation of Santos' seven-year sentence for charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft sparked a flood of criticism, including fromfellow New York Republicans.
The U.K.'s top finance official tells Axios that there is a "shared agenda" with Trump administration counterparts — one that is strengthening its relationship with the U.S. at a perilous moment for the global economy.
Why it matters: While the U.K.'s Labour government has had setbacks at home, abroad, it has shown how to navigate President Trump at a time of geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
Nine months into Donald Trump's presidency, young people in a Pennsylvania focus group were apathetic about the midterm elections and didn't display much enthusiasm for the Democratic Party.
Why it matters: Young people helped power Democratic victories in 2018 by turning out in historic numbers. But in 2024, the bedrock constituency of the Democratic Party turned to the right — an erosion that Democrats must stop next year to win.
Nearly 7 million protesters gathered across the U.S. on Saturday to take part in rallies against President Trump and his administration.
Why it matters: This latest round of protests comes as the government shutdown approaches its third week and opposition to Trump's military crackdown on Democratic-led cities grows.
Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Israel this week as part of a push by the Trump administration for the implementation of the agreement to end the Gaza war, four Israeli officials and one U.S. officialwith knowledge of the plan said.
Why it matters: The implementation of the first phase of the deal was mostly successful with the release of 20 live Israeli hostages, close to 2000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees released, an initial Israeli withdrawal from large parts of Gaza and a ceasefire.
No Kings protest organizers expect millions to gather across the nation on Saturday, Oct. 18 in an event Republicanlawmakers decry as "a hate America rally."
Why it matters: The latest round of protests comes amid growing frustration about the ongoing government shutdown and widespread opposition to President Trump's military crackdown on Democratic-led cities across America.
A coalition led by Martin Luther King III and a Latino group has launched a new campaign to boost civic engagement of Black and Hispanic voters in important states.
The big picture: The initiative comes as the Supreme Court takes up a crucial case that could gut a key piece of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which has historically preserved the political power of people of color.
The White House is using the government shutdown as an opportunity to fire thousands of people — furthering the aims of Elon Musk's DOGE effort earlier this year.
Why it matters: This time the stated focus isn't efficiency or eliminating fraud. It's all about shrinking the federal government — and doing away with programs that run counter to the administration's ideologies.
Maine oyster farmer Graham Platner's Senate campaign is in crisis after reports of offensive online messages over many years.
Why it matters: Many national Democrats seized on Platner as a solution to the party's problems with young men and working-class voters in the wake of their embarrassing losses in 2024.
Rebutting shutdown critics, President Trump's budget office sent Congress a memo Friday arguing that history shows he has the right to move money around to pay the troops.
The memo cites presidents from George Washington in the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion to John F. Kennedy in creating the Peace Corps in 1961.
Why it matters: By paying the military while other federal workers go without, Trump is eliminating a major pressure point on him to negotiate.
