John Bolton, who served in Trump’s first administration, faces charges of mishandling and transmitting classified information. Key US politics stories from Thursday 16 October at a glance John Bolton, a former national security adviser in Donald Trump’s first administration, has vowed to defend his “lawful conduct” after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of mishandling and transmitting classified information. The indictment, filed in Maryland, appears to ultimately have been signed off on from prosecutors in the US attorney’s office despite initial reluctance to bring a case before the end of the year. Continue reading...

The head of the U.S. military's Southern Command will retire this year, a high-profile departure as the Trump administration strikes alleged drug boats and pressures Venezuela.

Refiled complaint, after judge tossed initial suit last month, also targets individual reporters and book publisher After a federal judge tossed Donald Trump’s $15bn defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, book publisher Penguin Random House and two Times reporters last month, the US president filed a 40-page amended complaint on Thursday. US district court judge Steven Merryday in Florida gave Trump 28 days to refile and amend the action he threw out on 19 September. Continue reading...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a swarm of Russian drones attacked his hometown in Ukraine on the eve of his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker reported a gambling windfall of $1.4 million on his federal tax return this week.

It is unknown whether the US military rendered aid to survivors after attack on suspected ‘narcoterrorist’ vessel The US military carried out a new strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew, a US official told Reuters. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not offer additional details about the incident, which has not been previously reported. But it raises new questions, including whether the US military rendered aid to the survivors and whether they are now in US military custody. Continue reading...

During the New York City mayoral debate, candidates Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa sparred over Israel-Gaza positions. Silwa scolded Cuomo and Mamdani for not crediting Trump for the ceasefire plan while Mamdani said “of course” Hamas should lay down its arms and Cuomo said he “hopes the peace holds.”

The latest lucky ducks to learn they’ll be illegally paid during the GOP’s government shutdown are those terrorizing immigrants. Hey there, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, come on down! HuffPost obtained an internal Department of Homeland Security memo showing that despite the federal funding lapse, the White House has ordered the agency to pay officers at ICE, Border Patrol, and Customs and Border Protection.  The memo appears to be light on details like “Where is this money coming from?” and “What is the legal justification for this?” Nonetheless, DHS is ensuring them “full and timely payments” for the entirety of the shutdown. In fact, just so the most fascistic federal employees don’t miss a cent, they’ve been promised the money (and back pay) no later than Oct. 22.  If you want any better symbol of how only President Donald Trump’s favorite employees are getting paid, the DHS staff required to cut checks will not be paid for their efforts until after the shutdown ends, according to one HuffPost source.  Well, maybe they get paid. The administration is plotting a way to ignore the law that requires furloughed federal workers to be paid when a shutdown ends. In other words, all those DHS payroll folks might get the privilege of working pro bono during the shutdown.  But who cares about them, right? America’s masked fascists at ICE and CBP will now join military troops, including the Coast Guard, in getting paid during the shutdown.  Is this illegal?  A protester is arrested by police and federal officers outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon, on Oct. 6. Folks, it is so illegal, and it is all just vibes. Trump has ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget to “use for the purpose of pay and allowances any funds appropriated by the Congress that remain available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026 to accomplish the scheduled disbursement of military pay and allowances.” So, the president is directing the defense secretary to use whatever funds he feels like to pay the troops, regardless of the fact that Congress may have appropriated those funds for other things—and, of course, regardless of the fact there is a government shutdown and funding has lapsed.  The New York Times headline writers are not meeting the moment at all, reporting this as Trump “expanding his authority” to spend federal money without Congress. This is not a thing. The president doesn’t have this authority. There’s nothing for him to expand. This is just sheer lawlessness where Trump is singlehandedly deciding how all tax dollars are spent. It’s from the same playbook as his idea of taking the revenue he got from singlehandedly imposing illegal tariffs, and illegally shuffling it over to farmers, who are being hurt by … his illegal tariffs. Gotta keep them voting Republican!  It’s the same impulse behind DHS demanding that airports show Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s little propaganda video, in which she attacks Democrats for the GOP’s shutdown. The administration wants to tie shutdown pain to Democrats while saving its favored groups from any pain at all.   In another new and ominous development, Trump is claiming a “very wealthy” person offered to pick up the tab and pay troops during the shutdown.  Arguably, this is worse than Trump decreeing he can ignore congressional appropriations and the funding lapse, and use money however he wants. Linking the payment of the military to the purported largesse of some unnamed donor is some end-of-empire shit. The military should not be beholden to the whims of a random billionaire—but it’s something Trump is now discussing, even if he’s saying it won’t happen.  All of these are moves to consolidate the loyalty of the military and other favored groups under Trump. He, Trump, is the one who stood up for them, who made sure they got paid, all while the Democrats kept the government shut down. He, Trump, kept money in their pockets and food on their table and a roof over their family’s heads while the Democrats kept the government shut down.  What wouldn’t you do for a guy like that?

The U.S. military carried out a strike against an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel boat in the Caribbean Sea and there were survivors, according to a U.S. official. 

Nancy Chen reports on the indictment of John Bolton, and a possible meeting between President Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Two weeks into the government shutdown, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer are talking at each other through the media — but not to each other. Why it matters: Both see President Trump as the key to eventually unlocking real negotiations on health care. --- * "I don't think Schumer's negotiating on any of this," Thune (R-S.D.) said in a sit-down interview Thursday with Axios. "He's in a box. He's got all these groups coming in this weekend and a base that's unhappy and wants to see him fight Trump." * Thune explained he didn't speak directly to Schumer to offer to vote by a certain day on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies — nor did he pitch his counterpart on passing a package of bipartisan funding bills. * Schumer has held firm and repeatedly slammed Thune for being unwilling to negotiate. The two have not spoken this week, sources familiar with the matter tell us. Zoom in: Thune — who described himself as optimistic and "winsome and hopeful" on MSNBC — still sees a path to ending the shutdown through rank-and-file Democrats. * "There's a group of Democrats ... who've been meeting and communicating with members on our side," Thune told Axios, not naming names. "There have been several, sort of, offers exchanged." * One such offer was for a vote guarantee on extending the ACA subsidies. Thune said he can't guarantee Democrats an outcome, but "you want a vote by date certain? We can do that." * "I'm trying to do whatever I can to make it clear to them that if they want to vote on something, some proposal, we would be happy to make that happen," he said. Between the lines: Democrats insist they are justified in wanting assurances from the GOP that a health insurance bill will actually pass, not just receive a floor vote. And even Thune knows it will be a tough sell in his conference. * "The people who think these were COVID-era policies that ought to expire is the majority," Thune said of his Senate GOP conference. * "But there is a sufficient number of Republicans who, I think, would — with reforms — be supportive of at least doing something for some amount of time." What to watch: Democrats have been demanding guarantees from Trump on health care, and Thune expects the president to eventually enter the conversation. * "The key to all this will be what the White House decides they want to do," he said, but he said he does not expect that to happen until after the government is reopened. * "I don't think the president or his team are, you know, are ready to enter into that conversation until the hostage-taking ends," he said. * The White House's political operation is telling congressional Republicans to hold firm on the government shutdown, citing internal and external polling that show Democrats' numbers are eroding, Axios' Marc Caputo reported. Thune has had direct conversations with the White House that another rescissions package might not be necessary if the new GOP-controlled Congress sends Trump the kind of appropriations packages he'd support. * "If we're actually passing appropriations bills that both sides have had input into ... and that the president's willing to sign, you pretty much do away with the need for rescissions," he said. * When asked about OMB Director Russ Vought's repeated threats to continue to claw back funds — as has already been done — Thune laughed. "I think everybody knows Russ Vought wants to do rescissions." * "I just think the President makes a call on that, and I know his view on it," Thune said. "I think that the pocket rescissions issue is something ... they want to get a legal opinion on." Axios' Stephen Neukam contributed reporting.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) accused Speaker Mike Johnson of "hypocrisy" for brushing off questions about a protective order issued against Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.). Why it matters: It's the latest example of a pattern that has defined Greene's time in Congress: supporting leaders when it suits her political agenda and scorching them when it doesn't. --- * Greene leveled the hypocrisy jab at Johnson (R-La.) during an interview with Axios on Thursday. * She was referring to Johnson telling reporters a day earlier that he would prefer to "talk about something serious" than address the protective order issued against Mills for allegedly threatening to release sexually explicit photos and videos of his ex-girlfriend. Driving the news: "They expelled George Santos, Mike Johnson did. He was Speaker and oversaw George Santos being expelled. Why isn't he doing anything about Cory Mills?" Greene told Axios. * "There's clearly proof behind her accusations that a judge is issuing a restraining order. So I would say to Speaker Johnson, this is a serious matter, and it needs to be taken seriously." * Mills has previously denied the allegations. The other side: Johnson did not vote in favor of expelling former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from Congress and warned at the time about the dangerous precedent it would set to expel a member before they are convicted of a crime. * He called the House vote on expelling Santos "a regrettable day." * "Our party believes in the rule of law and due process, and we're deeply concerned about preserving those things," Johnson said on "Fox and Friends." "And, you know, maybe he will be convicted by a jury of his peers, but that hasn't happened yet. And that's why we had reservations about it." * Santos subsequently pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud and is serving an 87-month prison sentence. Between the lines: Greene's willingness to tangle with fellow Republicans extends beyond Johnson. * She was one of only four Republicans to sign Rep. Thomas Massie's (R-Ky.) discharge petition to unseal files related to the government's Jeffrey Epstein probe — a move she says most GOP colleagues avoided out of fear of getting "yelled at by the president" or being "iced out by leadership." * Greene said she plans to read a list of names from Epstein's victims on the House floor soon and has only gotten a description of who the people are so far. * "These are people that, if they get exposed, they got a lot to lose. And when people are in that position, that makes you concerned," she said. Greene predicted that the discharge petition could ultimately get 400 votes in the House. What's next: Greene signaled she plans to seek reelection in 2026 but ruled out any Senate or gubernatorial bids, calling the Senate "the land of frustration." * "I don't want to serve in a place more frustrating than the House," she said. The bottom line: Her latest criticism of Johnson adds to a long list of internal clashes. * She stunned colleagues when she sided with Democrats on extending expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies and has publicly cast doubt on Johnson's government shutdown strategy. * "If me saying those things are considered breaking with my party, then what is the Republican Party?" she said Thursday.

The Trump administration is working on doubling the United States' financial aid to Argentina to approximately $40 billion. That's angering some Iowa farmers as China buys soybeans from the South American country instead of the U.S. due to the president's trade war. Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand, also a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, joins "The Takeout" to discuss.

The U.S. military carried out a strike against an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel boat today in international waters in the Caribbean, and for the first time there were survivors, according to a U.S. official

In an exclusive story on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported on the Trump administration’s plans to weaponize the IRS, much as he has weaponized the Department of Justice, against his perceived enemies. “Sweeping changes” are planned, the Journal reported, citing anonymous sources, “that would allow the agency to pursue criminal inquiries of left-leaning groups […]

Half a dozen House Democrats who are 70 or older were beaten by their younger primary rivals in fundraising between July and September, an Axios analysis has found. Why it matters: The statistic highlights an unusually large number of credible Democratic primary challenges this election cycle as younger party members mount a major push for generational change. --- * In addition to the six septuagenarian Democratic incumbents who raised less than their challengers, several others only barely edged out well-funded insurgents. * Beyond that, there are dozens of older House Democrats facing primary challengers who have filed with the Federal Election Commission or publicly announced their bids but haven't raised competitive sums. Data: Axios research; Note: Candidates with "N/A" either launched their campaigns after Q3 2025 or have not filed with the FEC; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios Driving the news: Some incumbents were bested by orders of magnitude, with Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), 70, raising just about $61,000 compared to the nearly $143,000 brought in by attorney Patrick Roath, 38, over the same period. * Former venture capitalist Eric Jones, 34, raised a stunning $1.5 million compared to about $612,000 raised by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), 74. * Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), 73, raised just about $109,000, compared to $228,003 raised by state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, 42. * Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) also raised less than half of what his opponent, former Biden White House official Jake Levine, did. Zoom in: The largest gap, proportionally speaking, was in the race to be D.C.'s nonvoting delegate to Congress: 88-year-old incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) raised just $3,227 between July and September. * By contrast, former DNC official Kinney Zalesne, 59, the first major challenger to jump into the race against Norton, brought in $435,000. * Several more candidates have launched since the filing deadline, including city councilwoman Brooke Pinto, 33, whose campaign said she raised $300,000 on her first day. * Norton has faced persistent calls to retire this year from allies on Capitol Hill and throughout Washington, though she has repeatedly maintained she is running for reelection. Data: Axios research; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios The intrigue: Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) outraised his primary opponent, state Rep. Donavan McKinney, but only by a technicality. * McKinney brought in $220,000 this quarter, while on paper Thanedar raised nearly $500,000. * A closer look reveals, however, that a small fraction of Thanedar's quarterly receipts came from donations — $42,000 — while the rest came from profit by investing his campaign cash in cryptocurrency. What they're saying: "Incumbency used to guarantee a fundraising advantage — that's no longer true, and that's a big flashing warning sign for the establishment," Run for Something founder Amanda Litman told Axios. * Added Litman, who has been one of the most outspoken public advocates for generational turnover in Congress: "Democrats are signaling with their checks what they're looking for — change!" * Jones, the former venture capitalist, said there is a clear anti-incumbency sentiment among voters and donors he's spoken to: "You ask them what their number one issue is, and you ask them whether they think that issue is being handled well by Washington, they're going to say 'no.'" * "It's kind of hard to find someone who's happy with what's going on," he added. The other side: Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), 76, told Axios he is not worried about the supercharged fundraising of his new challenger, state Rep. Justin Pearson, 30, a high-profile member of the "Tennessee Three." * Pearson's campaign said he raised $200,000 in the 36 hours since launching his campaign last week, while Cohen reported raising $41,151 in the three months since June. * "My fundraising isn't about the amount I raised in the third quarter but about what I have in the bank," said Cohen, telling Axios he has "conservatively managed" his $1.8 million in cash-on-hand. * "I haven't fundraised over the internet and I've not had a major fundraiser in Memphis in two decades cause I haven't needed it other than for DCCC dues, and I didn't ask my constituents for money when I didn't need it," he added, "but I will ask in the forthcoming quarters." * Sherman told Axios in a statement he is "confident that we will have the resources we need to run a winning campaign." Axios' Cuneyt Dil contributed reporting for this story.

During the New York City mayoral debate, candidates Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa detailed what they would say on their first phone call to President Donald Trump.

A federal judge overturned a Homeland Security decision to cut anti-terrorism funding for New York City. The ruling comes as the Trump administration faces lawsuits from Democratic governors over similar cuts. Nicole Sganga has more.

The Trump administration has offered nine major universities preferential access to federal funds in exchange for an agreement to a list of administration demands

Russia risks losing control over 40% of its territory as China and North Korea expand their spheres of influence in the Far East.

John Bolton—once President Donald Trump’s national security adviser and now one of his fiercest critics—has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland, according to CNN. Bolton, who’s expected to turn himself in as early as Friday, is just the latest in a string of criminal cases involving figures who’ve crossed paths with Trump and landed in his political crosshairs. The FBI raided Bolton’s home and Washington-based office two months ago, seizing several folders labeled “confidential” and documents that reportedly referenced weapons of mass destruction, according to Politico.  John Bolton It’s still unclear whether the charges prosecutors are pursuing stem directly from what agents found. CNN also reports that Bolton allegedly shared highly classified information with his wife and daughter over email. Bolton, a former U.N. ambassador and longtime foreign policy hawk, has been one of Trump’s most outspoken detractors since leaving the administration. He called Trump unfit for office in his tell-all memoir and routinely blasted his handling of global affairs—making him a favorite target of the president’s wrath. Trump didn’t wait long to respond to the raid, calling Bolton a “sleazebag” and comparing the search to his own Mar-a-Lago ordeal. “It’s not a good feeling,” Trump told reporters. But his animosity toward Bolton isn’t new. Back in 2020, Trump told Fox News, “I believe that he’s a criminal, and I believe, frankly, he should go to jail” for allegedly mishandling classified information. Bolton’s legal team has rejected those claims. Attorney Abbe Lowell has said that Bolton committed no wrongdoing and that the seized materials were “ordinary records” for a former official to have. The timing of this case is hard to ignore, as it comes just weeks after the Justice Department brought charges against two other high-profile Trump foes: former FBI Director James Comey, who once ran the investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who went after the Trump Organization in a civil fraud case. Both have denied any wrongdoing, and critics argue that the wave of indictments points to a broader campaign of retribution. Former FBI Director James Comey According to ABC News, Bolton’s case is being run out of the U.S. attorney’s office in Maryland—unlike the Comey and James cases, which a Trump-appointed prosecutor is leading in Virginia. Reuters has also reported that some career prosecutors initially resisted moving forward, saying that more investigation was needed, but senior DOJ officials ultimately pressed ahead. The political stakes are obvious. Trump built his comeback campaign around punishing his perceived enemies, often leaning on the DOJ to act. Earlier this year, he even removed a federal prosecutor who he thought wasn’t acting fast enough against his opponents. Bolton, meanwhile, has already paid a price for speaking out. In January, Trump stripped him of his security clearance and Secret Service protection—a move widely seen as retaliation. The indictment is almost guaranteed to spark a fierce fight over whether the DOJ is upholding the law or caving to political pressure.  And for Bolton, it marks yet another collision course with the president he once served—a reminder of just how personal Trump’s pursuit of his critics has become.

Trump's new coziness with Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is causing turbulence with everyone from top military brass to Trump’s closest Capitol Hill allies.

The U.S. military struck a sixth boat in the Caribbean Sea on Thursday, and there were survivors aboard the vessel, a U.S. official told CBS News.

President Trump announced that he will meet again with Russian President Vladimir Putin for talks to end the war in Ukraine. It comes after his phone call with Putin today. NBC News’ Peter Alexander reports.

In the Oval Office on Thursday, several Cabinet members and advocates for in vitro fertilization (IVF) gathered to claim that President Donald Trump was delivering on his campaign trail pledge to radically expand access to the popular but expensive process for getting pregnant. In reality, Thursday’s announcement falls far short of Trump’s prior promise to […]