President Trump's top aides offered sharply different explanations this weekend of his Russian diesel deal amid a barrage of bipartisan criticism calling the move a gift to Russia.
Why it matters:Oil, gas and petroleum products help finance Russia's war on Ukraine, and Trump's moves are bringing rifts within the GOP just ahead of midterm elections.
President Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, just nine days before Israel's Oct. 27 elections.
Why it matters: Trump's decision to weigh in nine days ahead of the election could give Netanyahu a boost at a critical moment in the Israeli leader's fight for political survival, with most polls showing his coalition falling short of the 61 seats needed to form a government.
Former President Barack Obama issued a forceful denunciation of the Trump administration's legal pursuit of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar over suspicions she fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship decades ago, an allegation the Minnesota lawmaker has called "disgusting lies."
Why it matters: Obama — who faced false claims for years from Donald Trump that he wasn't an American citizen — is selective about when he weighs in on political issues or the president. His decision to speak out reflects his view that the DOJ raid on Omar's home last week was a betrayal of American values.
Democrats are running surprisingly competitive races in traditionally Republican territory across the country this midterm election cycle, and it's putting GOP winning streaks at risk that stretch as far back as the 1930s.
Why it matters: Democrats hope ending political droughts in states such as Kansas, Texas and South Carolina will help make inroads in what has long been off-limits territory.
In red states and blue, unconventional candidates are downplaying — or even disowning — party labels to tap into voters' deep disdain for Washington.
Why it matters: They might not all win, but the sheer number of political outsiders connecting with voters tells us something about the electorate: It's angry and willing to take risks.
California and Louisiana have something surprising in common: Both have among the nation's highest poverty rates when the cost of living is factored in, according to Census Bureau data.
Why it matters: Southern states dominate America's traditional poverty rankings. But that familiar geographic divide starts to disappear when more of a family's financial realities are taken into account.
Some people don't like to make small talk. Others — especially youngerAmericans— say they simply don't know how to do it.
Why it matters: A communication-skills app is betting that a baptism by fire in small talk can help rebuild social confidence — and it's hiring people to approach strangers to put that theory to the test.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine's use of the Elon Musk-owned SpaceX satellite system remains partially restricted, despite earlier signs this week that it had been fully restored.
Why it matters: The current restrictions limit the Ukrainian military from using drones to intercept Russian attack drones and from using its drones to send supplies to soldiers on the front lines, Zelensky said.
Top Republicans and Democrats alike lined up Saturday to condemn President Trump's decision to waive recent sanctions on Russia, calling it "irresponsible" and "a deal with the devil."
Why it matters: Trump already faces a bipartisan effort to overturn his Russian diesel deal when Congress returns after the election.
President Trump waived new sanctions on Russia late Friday night, saying it was in the "national interests" to hold off on the sweeping levies under the Graham Act that he signed just last month.
Why it matters: Trump is easing American pressure on Russia despite a bipartisan chorus calling for him to do the exact opposite.
President Trump is carrying his insatiable appetite for controversy into the most unforgiving stretch of the electoral calendar, fortified by a decade of political survival.
"Bottom line, it's gonna all work out. You know why? It always does," Trump told reporters this week.
Why it matters: Gone are the days of a single "October surprise," swallowed by a familiar barrage of scandals, provocations and shattered conventions that have persisted in the closing weeks of Trump's final midterm election.
Elon Musk tells biographer Walter Isaacson in a new podcast interview that the fizzled DOGE experiment, which the SpaceX and Tesla CEO once headed, proved there's "no way we were gonna solve the deficit from within the government."
"The only way we're going to solve the national debt is with AI and robots," Musk tells the author for a new podcast series, "The Builders with Walter Isaacson," premiering Tuesday. "We're not gonna solve it by trying to save our way there."
Why it matters: Musk's comments to Isaacson — author of the definitive 2023 biography, "Elon Musk" — admit that DOGE was a flop, but point to the chance that some future administration will take a new stab at the problem using ever-more-capable AI.
Black voters may determine whether Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) can build on breakthroughs in the 2026 elections.
Why it matters: This year's primaries showed that DSA's path runs through older Black voters who wield enormous influence in Democratic primaries — particularly in the South — but have been slower to embrace insurgent candidates.
White House press secretary Katie Zacharia was ousted Friday after just five days on the job, according to two senior Trump administration officials.
Why it matters: Zacharia will be the shortest-tenured press secretary in modern history, with her first and only week in the White House marked by speculation about her legal credentials and criticism of her first press briefing.
