Good afternoon. I’m interrupting our normal schedule because today Donald Trump confirmed something far more disturbing than the spin we’ve heard: Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t pushed out for ratings or money. He admitted, on Air Force One, that networks are not allowed to cover him negatively — and that if they do, they should be punished. The exact words are below. They read like something from an authoritarian playbook, not from the leader of a nation that claims to value a free press.
When I warn that the First Amendment is under attack in ways we haven’t seen before, I don’t say it lightly. It is now genuinely frightening to be a journalist. These presidential remarks don’t just underscore that threat — they confirm it.
Here’s my promise: I am independent because I refuse to answer to powerful donors, corporate interests, or political pressure. I answer to you — the reader and subscriber — and your support funds this work. No one tells me what to investigate, who to challenge, or how to report. I will continue to call out abuses of power, defend press freedom, and pursue the truth without fear or favor. Subscribe today and support my continued work.
With that, here’s what you missed:
Donald Trump just finished speaking with the press on Air Force One, and he made stunning remarks about the future of networks, admitting that networks are not allowed to cover him in a negative light. And, if they do, then they could see their license revoked. Here’s all the quotes from the plane:
On the media and broadcast licenses:
"They're 97% against, they give me wholly bad publicity...I mean, they're getting a license, I would think maybe their license should be taken away."
"When you have a network and you have evening shows and all they do is hit Trump, that’s all they do...They’re licensed. They’re not allowed to do that."
"They're getting a license. I think maybe their license should be taken away."
On FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr: "It will be up to Brendan Carr. I think Brendan Carr is outstanding. He's a patriot. He loves our country, and he's a tough guy." / "I think Brendan Carr is doing a great job."
On wind energy and appliances: Birds immediately get "fried," he says. "You don't need a stove."
On Rep. Ilhan Omar: She "should be impeached."
Closing remark on Air Force One to the journalists: "Fly safely. You know why I say that? Because I'm on the flight ... otherwise I wouldn't care."
Jimmy Kimmel’s indefinite suspension from ABC after FCC chairman Brendan Carr’s complaints has sparked growing boycott calls against Disney, Nexstar, and Sinclair, with critics calling it “state-sanctioned censorship” and “authoritarianism.” Advocacy groups, free speech organizations, and Democratic lawmakers have condemned the move, while Trump celebrated the cancellation as a victory.
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, more than three dozen educators and staff have been fired or forced out over social media posts mocking his death, sparking a national free speech battle as GOP officials push punishments, critics warn of “McCarthyism,” and civil liberties groups say the crackdown creates a chilling effect on dissent.
Pentagon officials are weighing a recruitment campaign invoking Charlie Kirk’s legacy — with slogans like “Charlie has awakened a generation of warriors” and potential use of Turning Point USA chapters as recruitment hubs — though some leaders warn it risks appearing as if the military is exploiting his assassination amid broader concerns over looming recruiting shortfalls.
Erika Kirk has been unanimously named CEO and board chair of Turning Point USA following her husband Charlie Kirk’s assassination, pledging to expand the conservative youth organization and carry on his mission with events, campus tours, and media projects.
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to let the president fire Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, citing disputed fraud allegations; the unprecedented move challenges the Fed’s historic independence, with economists warning it could destabilize global markets if Trump succeeds.
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on November 5 over Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, after a lower court ruled he exceeded his authority by invoking emergency powers under the 1977 IEEPA law; the case could reshape presidential power over trade, slash tariff rates, and potentially force repayment of tens of billions collected.
President Trump’s U.K. state visit combined royal pageantry with politics as he met Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, signing a major tech deal and stressing U.S.-U.K. unity while clashing mildly over Gaza and Palestinian statehood, aligning on Ukraine, and facing protests, Epstein-related controversy, and mixed public opinion.
New satellite images reveal mass displacement in Gaza City, where entire tent encampments in Sheik Radwan emptied out as Israeli forces launched a ground offensive and bombing campaign, forcing hundreds of thousands south into dire humanitarian conditions with little food, medicine, or shelter.
Los Angeles police searched a Hollywood Hills home linked to singer D4vd after his abandoned Tesla was found with the decomposed remains of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas in the trunk, intensifying a death investigation as authorities seek digital evidence while the artist says he is cooperating.
In her upcoming memoir 107 Days, Kamala Harris recalls being dismayed as Tim Walz “fumbled” a key vice-presidential debate answer against JD Vance, admits Walz was not her first choice for running mate (favoring Pete Buttigieg instead), and reflects on the political risks of her ticket while noting the episode had little impact on the election outcome.
Federal judges dealt the Trump administration a double blow on immigration: blocking the deportation of Guatemalan unaccompanied children after a rushed removal attempt, and rejecting efforts to strip Temporary Protected Status from 600,000 Venezuelans, rulings that safeguard vulnerable migrants while sharply rebuking the government’s justifications.
A Los Angeles jury acquitted protester Brayan Ramos-Brito of assaulting a border patrol agent after video evidence contradicted officials’ claims, exposing discrepancies and past misconduct by border patrol chief Gregory Bovino; the case highlights credibility issues in Trump-era prosecutions of immigration protesters and raises doubts about the government’s handling of similar charges.
A 24-year-old suspect, Matthew James Ruth, who was being sought on stalking charges, killed three police officers and wounded two others in a York County, Pennsylvania shootout before being killed himself, marking one of the state’s deadliest days for law enforcement in years and leaving the community in mourning as officials decried rising violence against police.
The FTC and seven states have sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation, alleging they coordinated with ticket brokers to inflate resale prices and misled consumers with deceptive fees, intensifying long-running scrutiny of the companies after the Taylor Swift “Eras” Tour fiasco and raising new questions about monopolistic practices in live entertainment.
The UN is bracing for a $500m budget cut and at least 20% staff reductions after a sharp drop in U.S. funding under the Trump administration, forcing thousands of job losses, program streamlining, and potential agency mergers; aid leaders warn the cuts will cripple humanitarian relief and signal a wider assault on the UN’s legitimacy and global role.
Louisiana has reopened the notorious Angola prison’s “Camp J,” rebranded as “Camp 57,” to detain immigrants under Trump’s crackdown; critics warn its brutal history, ties to slavery, and prison-like conditions are being exploited to conflate immigration detention with criminal incarceration, reinforcing stigma while denying detainees rights afforded to prisoners.
Deivy Aleman, a Cuban father who lived in the U.S. for seven years under an ICE supervision order, self-deported after being told he’d face a permanent ban if he stayed; now separated from his U.S. citizen wife and 2-year-old daughter with a severe heart condition, he hopes for a humanitarian visa to return and care for her.
Nvidia announced a $5B investment in Intel and a joint chipmaking partnership, boosting Intel’s stock and positioning it back into the AI race after years of decline, with analysts calling it a “game changer” that strengthens U.S. competitiveness against China amid heavy government backing of the semiconductor industry.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
