Good morning, everyone. I hope your Friday is off to a strong start. Today, I’m tracking two major stories.
First, the fallout from the Comey indictment. At least one federal prosecutor has already resigned in protest, and the President himself is actively undermining the case with public attacks.
Second, the looming government shutdown. We’re less than five days away, and this time the consequences are severe. Federal agencies are preparing for mass firings if Congress doesn’t act.
This is not politics as usual. This is an inflection point for our country. Let me be blunt: if they can do this to Comey, they can do it to anyone. And don’t think for a second that some in positions of influence—even inside the White House—wouldn’t prefer I be silenced next. Or worse.
But we are not stopping.
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With that, here’s the news:
Former FBI director James Comey, indicted on charges of making a false statement and obstructing a congressional proceeding, responded defiantly in a video declaring “I’m innocent” and expressing faith in the judicial system, while criticizing Trump’s pressure-driven attacks; the indictment, tied to 2020 testimony about media leaks, follows Trump’s public demands for Comey and other opponents to be charged and the ouster of a U.S. attorney replaced by Trump’s former personal lawyer.
On Truth Social, Trump launched a series of personal attacks on former FBI director James Comey, labeling him “corrupt” and a “dirty cop.” He claimed Comey had told a clear, deliberate lie with no room for misinterpretation, arguing that it was a “serious and far-reaching” falsehood that warrants severe consequences. Trump also complained that Comey’s case had been assigned to a “Crooked Joe Biden appointed Judge,” suggesting bias, and described Comey as a long-time destroyer of lives who “must pay a very big price.”
The ACLU condemned James Comey’s indictment as “a grotesque abuse of presidential power,” accusing Trump of corrupting the justice system by installing loyalists to pursue politically motivated charges.
The Trump administration is preparing for a government shutdown, signaling no plans to negotiate with Democrats and instructing agencies to ready mass layoff plans; White House officials say Democrats “will pay a huge price,” while Trump dismisses their demands as “ridiculous,” but Democrats insist Republicans will be blamed since they control government and warn any funding deal requires bipartisan cooperation in the Senate.
Donald Trump announced steep new tariffs effective October 1, including 100% on imported branded drugs, 25% on heavy-duty trucks, 50% on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, and 30% on upholstered furniture—moves critics warn will drive up consumer prices, harm healthcare access, and add uncertainty to the economy.
The House Oversight Committee received unredacted calendars, call logs, and cash ledgers from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, marking the third tranche of documents turned over; the panel plans to release redacted versions publicly, while a bipartisan discharge petition led by Reps. Massie and Khanna pushes for a full DOJ file release as pressure builds in Congress.
A Washington Post–Ipsos poll found that 76% of Americans believe Donald Trump does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.
New data showed U.S. consumer spending rose 0.6% in August (0.4% adjusted for inflation), while the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge hit a six-month high at 2.7% annually, driven by higher energy and food costs — partly linked to Trump’s tariffs — underscoring persistent price pressures even as markets reacted positively.
Trump claimed South Korea will provide $350bn in “upfront” US investments like Japan’s $550bn deal, but Seoul warned it cannot agree without safeguards, saying such demands risk plunging its economy into crisis.
Newly released ICE data show that immigrants with no criminal record now make up the largest share of people in U.S. immigration detention under Trump’s mass deportation drive — 16,523 detainees without criminal history versus 15,725 with records and 13,767 with pending charges.
Deaths in U.S. ICE custody have climbed to at least 16 since Trump returned to office in January, nearly doubling the monthly death rate seen under Biden; advocates and lawmakers cite “horrendous” detention conditions as mass detentions hit record highs of over 60,000 people, while ICE and DHS insist facilities remain safe and provide comprehensive medical care.
The parents of a girl still missing after July’s Texas floods condemned Camp Mystic’s plan to partially reopen next summer, saying it deepens their grief and ignores accountability for safety failures; while camp officials pledged a memorial and compliance with new state safety laws, families argue reopening without full reckoning dishonors the 27 victims, including their daughter.
A coalition of Disney investors, including lawyers tied to the American Federation of Teachers and Reporters Without Borders, demanded internal board documents on the company’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, alleging the move damaged Disney’s stock, fueled boycotts, and suggested complicity in government-driven media censorship, potentially amounting to board mismanagement and breach of fiduciary duty.
Dozens of delegates walked out of the UN General Assembly as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu began his speech, highlighting growing global condemnation of Israel’s Gaza assault after the Hamas-led October 7 attacks.
A newly reconstructed 940,000–1.1 million-year-old skull from Hubei, China, dubbed Yunxian 2, has been identified as belonging to an early branch of a hominin lineage linked to Denisovans and Homo longi rather than Homo erectus; researchers say its unique mix of features and large brain size challenges existing timelines, suggesting human lineages diverged earlier than thought and offering a key “window” into human evolution around one million years ago.
An Arizona jury convicted Cleophus Cooksey Jr., 43, of eight murders committed during a three-week shooting spree in late 2017 that claimed random victims as well as his own mother and stepfather; Cooksey, already a convicted felon, also faces convictions for kidnapping, sexual assault, and armed robbery, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty at his upcoming sentencing.
Good news:
At 106, WWII Navy Nurse Alice Beck Darrow donated to the Pearl Harbor Memorial the bullet once lodged in her husband’s heart during the 1941 attack, a relic she kept for decades as a symbol of survival and love after caring for and marrying him in 1942—her gift now preserving their story of sacrifice and resilience for future generations.
At 65, Martine Barons, dubbed “Britain’s strongest grandmother,” has broken four world records and won multiple European and World powerlifting titles just 18 months after taking up the sport by chance, lifting extraordinary weights and inspiring others with her late-found athletic talent and determination.
Scientists at Northwestern University have developed lipid nanoparticle spherical nucleic acids (LNP-SNAs) that make CRISPR gene-editing tools three times more effective at entering cells, while reducing toxicity and boosting DNA repair precision. Published in PNAS, the breakthrough combines nanotechnology and CRISPR to enhance delivery, potentially revolutionizing treatment for genetic diseases.
Italy’s Lake Como soccer team, newly promoted back to Serie A under manager Cesc Fàbregas, announced that it will donate all proceeds from its Italian Cup match against Sassuolo to flood relief efforts, after devastating storms caused landslides and widespread damage in the region. The gesture highlights the club’s deep community ties, resilience after years of financial struggles, and commitment to supporting the town often associated with George Clooney’s retreat.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
