KANSAS CITY —A second person has died from injuries that occurred just before 1:30a.m. October 19, in Kansas City Missouri.

A gray Chevrolet Malibu was southbound on Paseo at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. At 16th and Paseo, the car went into a broad slide, continued over the curb through the grass and struck a large tree.

EMS transported the unrestrained driver to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff.

The front seat passenger and left rear seat passenger were both transported to local hospitals with critical injuries. 

On Tuesday authorities were notified by the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office that the front seat passenger had been pronounced deceased by hospital staff on Oct. 19,&nbsp; at 3:31 a.m.&nbsp;

The right rear seat passenger was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. . The left rear seat passenger was reported in serious condition and the right rear seat passenger was in stable condition.&nbsp; Police did not release names of those involved.

This is fatality #56 compared to #80 at this time last year.

KANSAS CITY —A second person has died from injuries that occurred just before 1:30a.m. October 19, in Kansas City Missouri.A gray Chevrolet Malibu was southbound on Paseo at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. At 16th and Paseo, the car went into a broad slide, continued over the curb through the grass and struck a large tree.EMS transported the unrestrained driver to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff.The front seat passenger and left rear seat passenger were both transported to local hospitals with critical injuries. On Tuesday authorities were notified by the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office that the front seat passenger had been pronounced deceased by hospital staff on Oct. 19,&nbsp; at 3:31 a.m.&nbsp;The right rear seat passenger was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. . The left rear seat passenger was reported in serious condition and the right rear seat passenger was in stable condition.&nbsp; Police did not release names of those involved.This is fatality #56 compared to #80 at this time last year.

KCPD: 2nd person dies after violent crash into a tree

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matthew-daly">MATTHEW DALY</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-funk">JOSH FUNK</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rio-yamat">RIO YAMAT</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-aviation-administration">The Federal Aviation Administration</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that it will reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets beginning Friday morning to maintain safety during the ongoing government shutdown.

The reduction stands to impact thousands of flights nationwide.

The FAA is confronting staffing shortages among air traffic controllers who have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1, with some calling out of work, resulting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-duffy-delays-9afedfa9e5000510c77465808404c830">in delays across the country</a>.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency would not for a crisis to act, citing growing staffing pressures caused by the shutdown.

Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said they will meet later Wednesday with airline executives to determine how to safely implement the reduction in flights.

“The early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating,” Bedford said.

Both Bedford and Duffy declined at a news conference Wednesday to name the affected markets until they speak with the airlines first. Bedford said a list would be released Thursday.

“If the pressures continue to build even after we take these measures," he said, "we’ll come back and take additional measures.”

There have already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flight-delays-cancellations-government-shutdown-5034216cb5bb41bd40e27bb7861b2dd3">numerous delays</a>&nbsp;at airports across the country — sometimes hours long — because the FAA slows down or stops traffic temporarily anytime it is short on controllers. Last weekend saw some of the worst staffing shortages, and on Sunday, flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were delayed for several hours.

Major airlines, aviation unions and the wider travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium says flight data showed a “broader slowdown” last Thursday across the nation’s aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began, suggesting staffing-related disruptions were starting to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flight-delays-cancellations-government-shutdown-5034216cb5bb41bd40e27bb7861b2dd3">become more widespread</a>. That came days after controllers missed their first full paychecks.

Earlier this week, Duffy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-duffy-delays-9afedfa9e5000510c77465808404c830">warned</a>&nbsp;there could be chaos in the skies next week if the shutdown drags on long enough to keep air traffic controllers from getting their next paychecks on Tuesday.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matthew-daly">MATTHEW DALY</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-funk">JOSH FUNK</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rio-yamat">RIO YAMAT</a>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-aviation-administration">The Federal Aviation Administration</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that it will reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets beginning Friday morning to maintain safety during the ongoing government shutdown.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My number one priority is the safety of the American people. <a href="https://t.co/lOi3Q2rpZ7">https://t.co/lOi3Q2rpZ7</a>&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1986189054568767782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">There may be flight delays or cancellations. Our top priority is that when Americans fly, they will make it to their destination safely because <a href="https://twitter.com/USDOT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDOT</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/FAANews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FAANews</a> have done their work. <a href="https://t.co/1uDsFr5HDL">pic.twitter.com/1uDsFr5HDL</a>&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1986194251143590306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The reduction stands to impact thousands of flights nationwide.The FAA is confronting staffing shortages among air traffic controllers who have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1, with some calling out of work, resulting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-duffy-delays-9afedfa9e5000510c77465808404c830">in delays across the country</a>.FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency would not for a crisis to act, citing growing staffing pressures caused by the shutdown.“We can’t ignore it,” he said.Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said they will meet later Wednesday with airline executives to determine how to safely implement the reduction in flights.“The early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating,” Bedford said.Both Bedford and Duffy declined at a news conference Wednesday to name the affected markets until they speak with the airlines first. Bedford said a list would be released Thursday.“If the pressures continue to build even after we take these measures," he said, "we’ll come back and take additional measures.”There have already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flight-delays-cancellations-government-shutdown-5034216cb5bb41bd40e27bb7861b2dd3">numerous delays</a>&nbsp;at airports across the country — sometimes hours long — because the FAA slows down or stops traffic temporarily anytime it is short on controllers. Last weekend saw some of the worst staffing shortages, and on Sunday, flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were delayed for several hours.Major airlines, aviation unions and the wider travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown.Aviation analytics firm Cirium says flight data showed a “broader slowdown” last Thursday across the nation’s aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began, suggesting staffing-related disruptions were starting to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flight-delays-cancellations-government-shutdown-5034216cb5bb41bd40e27bb7861b2dd3">become more widespread</a>. That came days after controllers missed their first full paychecks.Earlier this week, Duffy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-duffy-delays-9afedfa9e5000510c77465808404c830">warned</a>&nbsp;there could be chaos in the skies next week if the shutdown drags on long enough to keep air traffic controllers from getting their next paychecks on Tuesday.

🎥Government shutdown: FAA reducing air traffic in ‘high-volume’ markets

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach today announced his office filed election fraud charges against Jose Ceballos, the mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, according to a statement form Kobach's office. Ceballos last night was re-elected.

&nbsp;“In Kansas, it is against the law to vote if you are not a U.S. citizen. We allege that Mr. Ceballos did it multiple times,” Kobach said.

&nbsp;Officials from the attorney general’s office filed the charges in Comanche County. Ceballos faces three counts of voting without being qualified and three counts of election perjury. The charges are nonperson felonies, and Ceballos could face more than 5 years in prison.

<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/24666/638979462743160827" target="_blank">Click here to read the complaint&nbsp;</a>

The Coldwater City Council were called in for a Special Meeting by Mayor Joe Ceballos at 12:40p.m. Wednesday to discuss the charges filed by the Kansas Attorney Generals Office.

"At this time, our focus remains on ensuring that city operations continue to run smoothly and that the needs of our community are met. While the recent allegations involving the mayor are understandably concerning, we will allow the proper legal process to take its course before making any further comments. It’s important that we respect both due process and the integrity of our local government,"&nbsp; wrote Britt Lenertz, President Coldwater City Council on the city's social media page/

&nbsp;“I’ve worked with Attorney General Kobach for years on proof of citizenship as a useful tool to root out election crimes. During my time as House Elections Chair, then Secretary Kobach and I fought to pass a proof of citizenship requirement. Instead, we’re left relying on individuals’ word when it comes to verifying citizenship,” Schwab said. “I’m grateful that President Trump implemented the SAVE program to help states and to prevent situations like this.”

&nbsp;When he was Secretary of State, Kobach led the charge to stop noncitizens from voting illegally in Kansas elections. A federal court struck down the Kansas proof-of-citizenship law in 2018. Eight states, including Kansas, have passed laws requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in at least some cases, but the laws have only been implemented in four of those states, including Arizona, New Hampshire, Ohio and Wyoming.

&nbsp;“Voting by noncitizens, including both legal and illegal aliens, is a very real problem. It happens. Every time a noncitizen votes, it effectively cancels out a U.S. citizen’s vote.” Kobach said.

&nbsp;State law generally requires that candidates for elected city office must be a qualified elector, or eligible to vote, and be a resident of the city. However, cities have home rule power. It will be up to the city attorney to decide whether Ceballos is eligible to continue in his role as mayor.

&nbsp;Special Agent Nate Humble and Special Agent in Charge Matt Simpson are investigating the Ceballos case. First Assistant Attorney General Stacy Edwards is prosecuting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762377337825.png" alt="​Joe Ceballos-photo City of Colwater" />
 <figcaption>​Joe Ceballos-photo City of Colwater</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach today announced his office filed election fraud charges against Jose Ceballos, the mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, according to a statement form Kobach's office. Ceballos last night was re-elected.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKrisKobach1787%2Fvideos%2F1721924125162262%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>&nbsp;“In Kansas, it is against the law to vote if you are not a U.S. citizen. We allege that Mr. Ceballos did it multiple times,” Kobach said.&nbsp;Officials from the attorney general’s office filed the charges in Comanche County. Ceballos faces three counts of voting without being qualified and three counts of election perjury. The charges are nonperson felonies, and Ceballos could face more than 5 years in prison.<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/24666/638979462743160827" target="_blank">Click here to read the complaint&nbsp;</a>The Coldwater City Council were called in for a Special Meeting by Mayor Joe Ceballos at 12:40p.m. Wednesday to discuss the charges filed by the Kansas Attorney Generals Office."At this time, our focus remains on ensuring that city operations continue to run smoothly and that the needs of our community are met. While the recent allegations involving the mayor are understandably concerning, we will allow the proper legal process to take its course before making any further comments. It’s important that we respect both due process and the integrity of our local government,"&nbsp; wrote Britt Lenertz, President Coldwater City Council on the city's social media page/&nbsp;“I’ve worked with Attorney General Kobach for years on proof of citizenship as a useful tool to root out election crimes. During my time as House Elections Chair, then Secretary Kobach and I fought to pass a proof of citizenship requirement. Instead, we’re left relying on individuals’ word when it comes to verifying citizenship,” Schwab said. “I’m grateful that President Trump implemented the SAVE program to help states and to prevent situations like this.”&nbsp;When he was Secretary of State, Kobach led the charge to stop noncitizens from voting illegally in Kansas elections. A federal court struck down the Kansas proof-of-citizenship law in 2018. Eight states, including Kansas, have passed laws requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in at least some cases, but the laws have only been implemented in four of those states, including Arizona, New Hampshire, Ohio and Wyoming.&nbsp;“Voting by noncitizens, including both legal and illegal aliens, is a very real problem. It happens. Every time a noncitizen votes, it effectively cancels out a U.S. citizen’s vote.” Kobach said.&nbsp;State law generally requires that candidates for elected city office must be a qualified elector, or eligible to vote, and be a resident of the city. However, cities have home rule power. It will be up to the city attorney to decide whether Ceballos is eligible to continue in his role as mayor.&nbsp;Special Agent Nate Humble and Special Agent in Charge Matt Simpson are investigating the Ceballos case. First Assistant Attorney General Stacy Edwards is prosecuting.

🎥Mayor in Kan. charged with election fraud after his re-election

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-boak">JOSH BOAK</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;got a serious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-new-jersey-trump-election-democrat-republican-fad109893cfd4be5b49a5bb1b0138d8d">warning from voters</a>&nbsp;that he’s out of touch with their fears about a deteriorating U.S. economy.

Democrats cruised in key races across the country on Tuesday by harnessing some of the same populist fervor that helped get Trump reelected a year ago — but also by focusing on the kitchen table issues the Republican had vowed to fix. Now, as the incumbent, fears about the economy have made Trump the face of much of the public’s discontent.

“We learned a lot.” Trump acknowledged on Wednesday. He later posted online that, “Affordability is our goal.”

That followed voters in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-first-female-governor-earlesears-spanberger-01f9854a94fdab6e5719096664ee9be1">Virginia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mikie-sherrill-jack-ciattarelli-new-jersey-governor-44af948914dd2c6fbe7bb0687c54f99d">New Jersey</a>&nbsp;governor races, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mamdani-new-york-city-86c90b81acdb062de35fd93958fdd4a8">New York City mayoral contest</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-prop-50-gavin-newsom-839193bfc2a817086acca7365315f26f">California ballot proposition</a>&nbsp;all citing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-issues-exit-poll-election-2025-ccd2cab49e6f7d6b310173d70ce570f8">economic concerns</a>&nbsp;as the top issue. Democrats swept those elections, and it was difficult to point to any major race, anywhere, where Republicans had a key victory.

The reversal of fortune from a year ago was stark.

Back then, voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">returned Trump to the White House</a>&nbsp;on the promise that he could quickly bring down inflation, jump-start factory hiring and shower the country in newfound wealth from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">steep tariffs</a>&nbsp;he imposed on U.S. allies the world over.

Instead, voters now are expressing concerns that high prices for groceries, electricity bills and housing are draining their bank accounts. Trump has been defiant in insisting that he’s strengthened the economy, so — his early reactions aside — it’s not clear he’ll internalize the need to take on the same inflationary challenges that became a drag for his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

The elections were largely in areas that have recently favored Democrats, so there are limits to interpreting what the results could mean for next year’s broader midterm races. But the size of Democratic margins indicated the degree of frustration with economic conditions under Trump.

There are few signs that the public is putting much confidence in Trump’s claims about an American “golden age,” nor his assertion that inflation has been tamped down into submission. Recently pressed on Americans still worried about high grocery prices, Trump pointed to the stock market.

“Look, 401(k)s. People have 401(k)s,” the president said in an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” that was broadcast on Sunday. Trump said grocery prices are falling, but the most recent inflation report shows they’re up 2.7% from a year ago.

Overall consumer prices have risen 3% over the past 12 months, which is higher than the rate going into Trump’s 2024 election win. The Federal Reserve targets inflation at 2%.

‘I don’t think it was good for Republicans’

While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-401k-what-to-do-bb0663da4643e8c3dbe08a4092482aa5">the stock market is surging</a>&nbsp;and life looks good for tech executives with artificial intelligence investments, hiring slowed sharply this summer in the wake of Trump rolling out his tariffs.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-issues-exit-poll-election-2025-ccd2cab49e6f7d6b310173d70ce570f8">AP Voter Poll</a>&nbsp;showed that anxiety about the economy helped the Democrats on Tuesday.

Roughly half of Virginia voters said “the economy” was the top issue, and about 6 in 10 of these voters picked Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-first-female-governor-earlesears-spanberger-01f9854a94fdab6e5719096664ee9be1">Abigail Spanberger</a>&nbsp;for governor, powering her to a decisive win.

In New Jersey, Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mikie-sherrill-jack-ciattarelli-new-jersey-governor-44af948914dd2c6fbe7bb0687c54f99d">Mikie Sherrill</a>&nbsp;won about two-thirds of voters who called “the economy” the top issue facing the state. Republican Jack Ciattarelli secured about 6 in 10 New Jersey voters who said the top issue was “taxes.”

More than half of New York City voters said the cost of living was the top issue facing the city, and Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mamdani-cuomo-sliwa-nyc-mayor-af8b9790e7cb4e023d0984a0207cbcca">Zohran Mamdani</a>&nbsp;won about two-thirds of this group.

Slightly fewer than half of California voters said “the economy” was the top issue facing the state, and roughly two-thirds of those voters backed Prop 50. The measure’s approval allows Democrats to redraw congressional maps more favorable to their party in the nation’s largest state and keep up with Republicans who have moved to add potential new red House seats in Texas and elsewhere.

In the run-up to Tuesday’s elections, Trump focused his messaging on mass deportations of immigrants in the country illegally and a push to reduce crime by deploying National Guard troops to cities with Democratic leadership. But the AP Voter Poll found that few of those casting their ballots considered crime or immigration a top priority.

Trump did not actively campaign for his party ahead of Election Day 2025. With votes still being counted, he was already ducking blame, posting that he “WASN’T ON THE BALLOT.”

The morning after, while hosting Senate Republicans at the White House, Trump was more reflective. “Last night, it was not expected to be a victory,” he said.

“I don’t think it was good for Republicans,” Trump said. “I’m not sure it was good for anybody, but we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot.”

Later, while traveling to Florida, to lay out what he deems to be his economic successes for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-florida-731bf48a2f3e95cd76fdf9534701bb50">an audience of business leaders and athletes</a>, the president posted another message in which he seemed to reacting to the election’s results.

While insisting “Our Economy is BOOMING” he added, “Affordability is our goal.”

Then, speaking to business leaders in Miami, Trump said, “We have the greatest economy right now. A lot of people don’t see that.”

He suggested his supporters simply needed to talk more about favorable economic statistics and voters would see the economy as improving. That strategy is similar to what the Biden administration deployed without ever turning around public sentiment.

“It’s really easy to win elections when you talk about the facts,” Trump said.

Instead of offering new ideas, however, Trump hit the familiar themes of combating crime, opposing transgender rights and imposing tough immigration policies in his Miami speech. He even added, “We lost a little bit of sovereignty last night in New York” because of Mamdani’s victory.

Reprising his political greatest hits despite Tuesday’s results wasn’t consistent with what Vice President JD Vance suggested might be coming post-election. “We’re going to keep on working to make a decent life affordable in this country, and that’s the metric by which we’ll ultimately be judged in 2026 and beyond,” Vance posted on X.

Offering similar — and so far largely unheeded — advice to his own party was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vivek-ramaswamy">Vivek Ramaswamy</a>, a former Republican presidential candidate and Trump ally now running for Ohio governor in 2026.

“Our side needs to focus on affordability,” Ramaswamy said in a video posted online. “Make the American dream affordable. Bring down costs, electric costs, grocery costs, health care costs and housing costs. And lay out how we’re going to do it.”

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-boak">JOSH BOAK</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-weissert">WILL WEISSERT</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;got a serious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-new-jersey-trump-election-democrat-republican-fad109893cfd4be5b49a5bb1b0138d8d">warning from voters</a>&nbsp;that he’s out of touch with their fears about a deteriorating U.S. economy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762313365173.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Democrats cruised in key races across the country on Tuesday by harnessing some of the same populist fervor that helped get Trump reelected a year ago — but also by focusing on the kitchen table issues the Republican had vowed to fix. Now, as the incumbent, fears about the economy have made Trump the face of much of the public’s discontent.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump on election results: &quot;I don&#39;t think it was good for Republicans...I&#39;m not sure it was good for anybody, but we had an interesting evening and we learned a lot.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nxlo7VdzX0">pic.twitter.com/nxlo7VdzX0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1986141422437724342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We learned a lot.” Trump acknowledged on Wednesday. He later posted online that, “Affordability is our goal.”That followed voters in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-first-female-governor-earlesears-spanberger-01f9854a94fdab6e5719096664ee9be1">Virginia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mikie-sherrill-jack-ciattarelli-new-jersey-governor-44af948914dd2c6fbe7bb0687c54f99d">New Jersey</a>&nbsp;governor races, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mamdani-new-york-city-86c90b81acdb062de35fd93958fdd4a8">New York City mayoral contest</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-prop-50-gavin-newsom-839193bfc2a817086acca7365315f26f">California ballot proposition</a>&nbsp;all citing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-issues-exit-poll-election-2025-ccd2cab49e6f7d6b310173d70ce570f8">economic concerns</a>&nbsp;as the top issue. Democrats swept those elections, and it was difficult to point to any major race, anywhere, where Republicans had a key victory.The reversal of fortune from a year ago was stark.Back then, voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">returned Trump to the White House</a>&nbsp;on the promise that he could quickly bring down inflation, jump-start factory hiring and shower the country in newfound wealth from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">steep tariffs</a>&nbsp;he imposed on U.S. allies the world over.Instead, voters now are expressing concerns that high prices for groceries, electricity bills and housing are draining their bank accounts. Trump has been defiant in insisting that he’s strengthened the economy, so — his early reactions aside — it’s not clear he’ll internalize the need to take on the same inflationary challenges that became a drag for his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.The elections were largely in areas that have recently favored Democrats, so there are limits to interpreting what the results could mean for next year’s broader midterm races. But the size of Democratic margins indicated the degree of frustration with economic conditions under Trump.<h2>‘People have 401(k)s’</h2>There are few signs that the public is putting much confidence in Trump’s claims about an American “golden age,” nor his assertion that inflation has been tamped down into submission. Recently pressed on Americans still worried about high grocery prices, Trump pointed to the stock market.“Look, 401(k)s. People have 401(k)s,” the president said in an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” that was broadcast on Sunday. Trump said grocery prices are falling, but the most recent inflation report shows they’re up 2.7% from a year ago.Overall consumer prices have risen 3% over the past 12 months, which is higher than the rate going into Trump’s 2024 election win. The Federal Reserve targets inflation at 2%.<h2>‘I don’t think it was good for Republicans’</h2>While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-401k-what-to-do-bb0663da4643e8c3dbe08a4092482aa5">the stock market is surging</a>&nbsp;and life looks good for tech executives with artificial intelligence investments, hiring slowed sharply this summer in the wake of Trump rolling out his tariffs.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-issues-exit-poll-election-2025-ccd2cab49e6f7d6b310173d70ce570f8">AP Voter Poll</a>&nbsp;showed that anxiety about the economy helped the Democrats on Tuesday.Roughly half of Virginia voters said “the economy” was the top issue, and about 6 in 10 of these voters picked Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-first-female-governor-earlesears-spanberger-01f9854a94fdab6e5719096664ee9be1">Abigail Spanberger</a>&nbsp;for governor, powering her to a decisive win.In New Jersey, Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mikie-sherrill-jack-ciattarelli-new-jersey-governor-44af948914dd2c6fbe7bb0687c54f99d">Mikie Sherrill</a>&nbsp;won about two-thirds of voters who called “the economy” the top issue facing the state. Republican Jack Ciattarelli secured about 6 in 10 New Jersey voters who said the top issue was “taxes.”More than half of New York City voters said the cost of living was the top issue facing the city, and Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mamdani-cuomo-sliwa-nyc-mayor-af8b9790e7cb4e023d0984a0207cbcca">Zohran Mamdani</a>&nbsp;won about two-thirds of this group.Slightly fewer than half of California voters said “the economy” was the top issue facing the state, and roughly two-thirds of those voters backed Prop 50. The measure’s approval allows Democrats to redraw congressional maps more favorable to their party in the nation’s largest state and keep up with Republicans who have moved to add potential new red House seats in Texas and elsewhere.In the run-up to Tuesday’s elections, Trump focused his messaging on mass deportations of immigrants in the country illegally and a push to reduce crime by deploying National Guard troops to cities with Democratic leadership. But the AP Voter Poll found that few of those casting their ballots considered crime or immigration a top priority.Trump did not actively campaign for his party ahead of Election Day 2025. With votes still being counted, he was already ducking blame, posting that he “WASN’T ON THE BALLOT.”The morning after, while hosting Senate Republicans at the White House, Trump was more reflective. “Last night, it was not expected to be a victory,” he said.“I don’t think it was good for Republicans,” Trump said. “I’m not sure it was good for anybody, but we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot.”Later, while traveling to Florida, to lay out what he deems to be his economic successes for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-florida-731bf48a2f3e95cd76fdf9534701bb50">an audience of business leaders and athletes</a>, the president posted another message in which he seemed to reacting to the election’s results.While insisting “Our Economy is BOOMING” he added, “Affordability is our goal.”Then, speaking to business leaders in Miami, Trump said, “We have the greatest economy right now. A lot of people don’t see that.”He suggested his supporters simply needed to talk more about favorable economic statistics and voters would see the economy as improving. That strategy is similar to what the Biden administration deployed without ever turning around public sentiment.“It’s really easy to win elections when you talk about the facts,” Trump said.Instead of offering new ideas, however, Trump hit the familiar themes of combating crime, opposing transgender rights and imposing tough immigration policies in his Miami speech. He even added, “We lost a little bit of sovereignty last night in New York” because of Mamdani’s victory.Reprising his political greatest hits despite Tuesday’s results wasn’t consistent with what Vice President JD Vance suggested might be coming post-election. “We’re going to keep on working to make a decent life affordable in this country, and that’s the metric by which we’ll ultimately be judged in 2026 and beyond,” Vance posted on X.Offering similar — and so far largely unheeded — advice to his own party was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vivek-ramaswamy">Vivek Ramaswamy</a>, a former Republican presidential candidate and Trump ally now running for Ohio governor in 2026.“Our side needs to focus on affordability,” Ramaswamy said in a video posted online. “Make the American dream affordable. Bring down costs, electric costs, grocery costs, health care costs and housing costs. And lay out how we’re going to do it.”

What President Trump said about the election results

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/tom-murphy">TOM MURPHY</a>

The fall COVID-19 vaccine season is starting slowly for Pfizer, with U.S. sales of its Comirnaty shots sinking 25% after federal regulators narrowed recommendations on who should get them.

Approval of updated shots also came several weeks later than usual, and Pfizer said Tuesday that hurt sales as well.

Many Americans get vaccinations in the fall, to protect against any disease surges in the coming winter. Experts say interest in COVID-19 shots has been declining, and that trend could pick up this fall due to anti-vaccine sentiment and confusion about whether the shots are necessary.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-vaccines-covid19-shots-b0183766e56b5d0e948904172193c891">stopped recommending</a>&nbsp;COVID-19 shots for anyone, instead leaving the choice up to patients. The government agency said it was adopting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-advisers-vaccines-hepatitis-b-covid19-a1fb61ef7e29d93d2828618d890cceb3">recommendations made</a>&nbsp;by advisers picked by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Before this year, U.S. health officials — following the advice of infectious disease experts — recommended annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older. The idea was to update protection as the coronavirus evolves.

But that sentiment started to shift earlier this year when Kennedy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-senate-cdc-3a5a090fc9d9f547377203fe5c61ffa2">who has questioned the safety of COVID-19 vaccines</a>, said they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-pregnant-women-children-70c358cad726e57d680234c3ecdec926">were no longer recommended</a>&nbsp;for healthy children and pregnant women.

Dr. Amesh Adalja said vaccine rates have been “suboptimal” in recent years even for people considered a high risk for catching a bad case of COVID-19.

“That’s only going to fall off more this season,” the senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said recently.

The shifting guidance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-access-limitations-645d64cee13664840fc9a39ff2d309c0">caused some confusion</a>&nbsp;in September, once updated shots began arriving at drugstores, the main place Americans go to get vaccinated. Some locations required prescriptions or started asking customers if they had a condition that made them susceptible to a bad case of COVID-19.

The change in government guidance also created questions about whether insurance coverage would continue. A major industry group, America’s Health Insurance Plans, has since clarified that its members will cover the shots.

CVS Health announced earlier this month that it will not require prescriptions at its stores and clinics.

Pharmacy owner Theresa Tolle says this fall has probably been one of the more confusing seasons for her customers. Tolle runs the independent Bay Street Pharmacy in Sebastian, Florida.

She said her COVID-19 vaccine business has been busy because she has an older patient population. Many still want the shots. But she’s also had more customers tell her this year that they don’t want them.

“There’s just so many messages out there, they don’t know who to believe,” she said. “I’ve had people tell me they are afraid of it when they’ve had it many times.”

Pfizer saw U.S. Comirnaty sales drop to $870 million in the recently completed third quarter from $1.16 billion in the same time frame last year. That came after vaccine sales rose the first two quarters of the year.

Pfizer also said Tuesday that sales of its COVID-19 treatment, Paxlovid, dropped more than 50% in the quarter both in the U.S. and internationally due to lower infection rates.

Wall Street analysts also expect sales of the COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax from Moderna to tumble about 50% in the third quarter, according to the data firm FactSet.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654204351724.jpg" alt="Photo PIxaby" />
 <figcaption>Photo PIxaby</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/tom-murphy">TOM MURPHY</a>The fall COVID-19 vaccine season is starting slowly for Pfizer, with U.S. sales of its Comirnaty shots sinking 25% after federal regulators narrowed recommendations on who should get them.Approval of updated shots also came several weeks later than usual, and Pfizer said Tuesday that hurt sales as well.Many Americans get vaccinations in the fall, to protect against any disease surges in the coming winter. Experts say interest in COVID-19 shots has been declining, and that trend could pick up this fall due to anti-vaccine sentiment and confusion about whether the shots are necessary.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-vaccines-covid19-shots-b0183766e56b5d0e948904172193c891">stopped recommending</a>&nbsp;COVID-19 shots for anyone, instead leaving the choice up to patients. The government agency said it was adopting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-advisers-vaccines-hepatitis-b-covid19-a1fb61ef7e29d93d2828618d890cceb3">recommendations made</a>&nbsp;by advisers picked by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Before this year, U.S. health officials — following the advice of infectious disease experts — recommended annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older. The idea was to update protection as the coronavirus evolves.But that sentiment started to shift earlier this year when Kennedy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-senate-cdc-3a5a090fc9d9f547377203fe5c61ffa2">who has questioned the safety of COVID-19 vaccines</a>, said they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-pregnant-women-children-70c358cad726e57d680234c3ecdec926">were no longer recommended</a>&nbsp;for healthy children and pregnant women.Dr. Amesh Adalja said vaccine rates have been “suboptimal” in recent years even for people considered a high risk for catching a bad case of COVID-19.“That’s only going to fall off more this season,” the senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said recently.The shifting guidance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-access-limitations-645d64cee13664840fc9a39ff2d309c0">caused some confusion</a>&nbsp;in September, once updated shots began arriving at drugstores, the main place Americans go to get vaccinated. Some locations required prescriptions or started asking customers if they had a condition that made them susceptible to a bad case of COVID-19.The change in government guidance also created questions about whether insurance coverage would continue. A major industry group, America’s Health Insurance Plans, has since clarified that its members will cover the shots.CVS Health announced earlier this month that it will not require prescriptions at its stores and clinics.Pharmacy owner Theresa Tolle says this fall has probably been one of the more confusing seasons for her customers. Tolle runs the independent Bay Street Pharmacy in Sebastian, Florida.She said her COVID-19 vaccine business has been busy because she has an older patient population. Many still want the shots. But she’s also had more customers tell her this year that they don’t want them.“There’s just so many messages out there, they don’t know who to believe,” she said. “I’ve had people tell me they are afraid of it when they’ve had it many times.”Pfizer saw U.S. Comirnaty sales drop to $870 million in the recently completed third quarter from $1.16 billion in the same time frame last year. That came after vaccine sales rose the first two quarters of the year.Pfizer also said Tuesday that sales of its COVID-19 treatment, Paxlovid, dropped more than 50% in the quarter both in the U.S. and internationally due to lower infection rates.Wall Street analysts also expect sales of the COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax from Moderna to tumble about 50% in the third quarter, according to the data firm FactSet.

 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine sales tumble after gov't guidance on the shots narrows

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House's top Republican on Tuesday dropped efforts to force a redraw of U.S. House districts that would have thrust the state into a widening national&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymandering-voting-maps-congress-trump-2ba53ae1f492f8e293f0fa261604e8c6">battle for partisan advantage</a>&nbsp;in the 2026 elections.

On social media, Kansas Democrat Congresswoman Sharice Davids, the target of the redistricting effort, responded to the news.

The announcement by House Speaker Dan Hawkins ended a weekslong push by GOP lawmakers to circumvent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and call themselves into a special session on redistricting, which would have convened Friday.

A session would have targeted four-term U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the only Democrat in the state’s four-person House delegation.

Republicans still could draw a map designed to oust her after the GOP-supermajority Legislature convenes its next regular annual session in January. Indeed, state Senate President Ty Masterson promised immediately after Hawkins' announcement that redistricting would be “a top priority” early next year.

Kansas Republicans were trying to answer President Donald Trump's call for states to redraw their maps to give the GOP more winnable seats ahead of the 2026 midterms so the party stands a better chance of keeping its slim House majority.

The Kansas constitution allowed Republicans to bypass Kelly’s refusal to call a special session by having two-thirds of the members of both chambers sign a petition. The GOP has the necessary supermajorities in both chambers, and enough GOP senators were on board, but a few House Republicans would not sign.

Some GOP critics opposed a mid-decade redistricting, while others feared that changes could make the three other Republican-held districts more competitive for Democrats.

“Planning a Special Session is always going to be an uphill battle with multiple agendas, scheduling conflicts and many unseen factors at play,” Hawkins said in a statement.

Davids conceded that the fight over a new Kansas map isn't over.

“We've won the first round in this fight against gerrymandering,” she said in a statement.

Kansas lawmakers haven’t done a mid-decade congressional redistricting since 1965, following federal court rulings requiring congressional and legislative districts to be as nearly equal in population as possible as a matter of fairness to all voters.

Most of Davids' district is in the Kansas City area, dominated by Johnson County, the state's most populous county. It is highly likely that Republicans would have to split Johnson County between at least two districts to hurt Davids enough for her to lose in 2026 — and that could alienate voters there.

Laurel Burchfield, advocacy director for the Mainstream Coalition, which opposes a mid-decade redistricting, said Kansas residents want GOP lawmakers to focus on economic issues and lowering costs for families.

“Changing the maps mid-decade to rig the system in their favor is wrong,” Burchfield said in a statement texted to The Associated Press.

GOP lawmakers in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-texas-elections-2026-trump-5e67fa8cccda52c4c4af22178db6a2de">Texas,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-trump-missouri-936e8daecadb32556fcfbd2eb9f7457b">Missouri</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-congress-redistricting-trump-5dccfdf94253efb56c59bbb3d3e3a6d8">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;have heeded the president's call for new maps, creating seven additional Republican seats among them.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barack-obama-california-redistricting-proposal-ad-c3961c1de1c93a57904e7b8df9a1a3fb">California</a>&nbsp;countered with an initiative on Tuesday's ballot to pick up five Democratic seats there.

In Maryland, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore announced Tuesday that he has formed a commission to consider mid-cycle redistricting despite the state Senate president saying last week that his chamber would not move forward with redistricting. Democrats hold seven of eight House seats there.

In Kansas, it would have been only the second time in the state's 164-year history that lawmakers bypassed the governor for a special session. The only previous time was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-religion-eadf501664c90e87c9949d6a3adecc0f">in 2021,</a>&nbsp;when Republicans sought to challenge federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates. GOP leaders circulated this year's petition for weeks.

Hawkins' statement was titled, “Countdown to January 12th,” the date lawmakers open their next annual session. Hawkins said in his statement that most Republicans “wish to have a conversation about redistricting.”

GOP lawmakers would still have time to get a new map into law. The state's candidate filing deadline isn't until June 1, and the primary election is Aug. 4.

Davids has said she expects to challenge a new congressional map in court. She also is considering a run for the U.S. Senate next year against incumbent Republican Roger Marshall if her district is redrawn.

“Every option is on the table, including a statewide race,” Davids said during a recent Zoom news conference.

Associated Press journalist Brian Witte contributed reporting from Annapolis, Maryland.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House's top Republican on Tuesday dropped efforts to force a redraw of U.S. House districts that would have thrust the state into a widening national&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymandering-voting-maps-congress-trump-2ba53ae1f492f8e293f0fa261604e8c6">battle for partisan advantage</a>&nbsp;in the 2026 elections.On social media, Kansas Democrat Congresswoman Sharice Davids, the target of the redistricting effort, responded to the news.<div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">(2/2) They’ve made it clear they’ll do anything to hold onto power, but I’ve been just as clear: voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around. <a href="https://t.co/W1rUi5aOH2">https://t.co/W1rUi5aOH2</a>&mdash; Sharice Davids (@sharicedavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/sharicedavids/status/1985925636956045804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The announcement by House Speaker Dan Hawkins ended a weekslong push by GOP lawmakers to circumvent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and call themselves into a special session on redistricting, which would have convened Friday.A session would have targeted four-term U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the only Democrat in the state’s four-person House delegation.Republicans still could draw a map designed to oust her after the GOP-supermajority Legislature convenes its next regular annual session in January. Indeed, state Senate President Ty Masterson promised immediately after Hawkins' announcement that redistricting would be “a top priority” early next year.Kansas Republicans were trying to answer President Donald Trump's call for states to redraw their maps to give the GOP more winnable seats ahead of the 2026 midterms so the party stands a better chance of keeping its slim House majority.The Kansas constitution allowed Republicans to bypass Kelly’s refusal to call a special session by having two-thirds of the members of both chambers sign a petition. The GOP has the necessary supermajorities in both chambers, and enough GOP senators were on board, but a few House Republicans would not sign.Some GOP critics opposed a mid-decade redistricting, while others feared that changes could make the three other Republican-held districts more competitive for Democrats.“Planning a Special Session is always going to be an uphill battle with multiple agendas, scheduling conflicts and many unseen factors at play,” Hawkins said in a statement.Davids conceded that the fight over a new Kansas map isn't over.“We've won the first round in this fight against gerrymandering,” she said in a statement.Kansas lawmakers haven’t done a mid-decade congressional redistricting since 1965, following federal court rulings requiring congressional and legislative districts to be as nearly equal in population as possible as a matter of fairness to all voters.Most of Davids' district is in the Kansas City area, dominated by Johnson County, the state's most populous county. It is highly likely that Republicans would have to split Johnson County between at least two districts to hurt Davids enough for her to lose in 2026 — and that could alienate voters there.Laurel Burchfield, advocacy director for the Mainstream Coalition, which opposes a mid-decade redistricting, said Kansas residents want GOP lawmakers to focus on economic issues and lowering costs for families.“Changing the maps mid-decade to rig the system in their favor is wrong,” Burchfield said in a statement texted to The Associated Press.GOP lawmakers in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-texas-elections-2026-trump-5e67fa8cccda52c4c4af22178db6a2de">Texas,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-trump-missouri-936e8daecadb32556fcfbd2eb9f7457b">Missouri</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-congress-redistricting-trump-5dccfdf94253efb56c59bbb3d3e3a6d8">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;have heeded the president's call for new maps, creating seven additional Republican seats among them.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barack-obama-california-redistricting-proposal-ad-c3961c1de1c93a57904e7b8df9a1a3fb">California</a>&nbsp;countered with an initiative on Tuesday's ballot to pick up five Democratic seats there.In Maryland, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore announced Tuesday that he has formed a commission to consider mid-cycle redistricting despite the state Senate president saying last week that his chamber would not move forward with redistricting. Democrats hold seven of eight House seats there.In Kansas, it would have been only the second time in the state's 164-year history that lawmakers bypassed the governor for a special session. The only previous time was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-religion-eadf501664c90e87c9949d6a3adecc0f">in 2021,</a>&nbsp;when Republicans sought to challenge federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates. GOP leaders circulated this year's petition for weeks.Hawkins' statement was titled, “Countdown to January 12th,” the date lawmakers open their next annual session. Hawkins said in his statement that most Republicans “wish to have a conversation about redistricting.”GOP lawmakers would still have time to get a new map into law. The state's candidate filing deadline isn't until June 1, and the primary election is Aug. 4.Davids has said she expects to challenge a new congressional map in court. She also is considering a run for the U.S. Senate next year against incumbent Republican Roger Marshall if her district is redrawn.“Every option is on the table, including a statewide race,” Davids said during a recent Zoom news conference.___Associated Press journalist Brian Witte contributed reporting from Annapolis, Maryland.

Kan. Congresswoman responds after Kan. GOP abandons special session on redistricting 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced yet&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-strike-drug-smugglers-caribbean-44e98087294f015dc77e17025ecbb5e8">another deadly strike on a boat</a>&nbsp;accused of ferrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, coming the same day an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-hegseth-drugs-boat-strikes-6c3316b2852723e26c39dc701bba9d52">aircraft carrier began heading to the region</a>&nbsp;in a new expansion of military firepower.

The attack Tuesday killed two people aboard the vessel, Hegseth said,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">bringing the death toll</a>&nbsp;from the Trump administration’s campaign in South American waters up to at least 66 people in at least 16 strikes.

President Donald Trump has justified the strikes by saying the United States is in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>&nbsp;and claiming the boats are operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-foreign-terrorist-organizations-eb35567b69fc66f13f7f79fb90906a50">foreign terror organizations</a>. The administration has not provided evidence or more details.

“We will find and terminate EVERY vessel with the intention of trafficking drugs to America to poison our citizens,” Hegseth posted while on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-south-korea-hegseth-military-1ab1d56e81073bde4661ea72959885f2">trip to Asia</a>.

Lawmakers from both parties have pressed the Trump administration for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-boat-strikes-trump-cartels-democrats-briefing-40cd5b30897ba97de824af7b76f22b46">more information on who is being targeted</a>&nbsp;and the legal justification for the strikes given that Congress has not authorized military action. United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-us-military-strikes-south-america-ed0ce092af5ad2c64b34ed51f8ab59cc">called for the U.S. to halt the attacks</a>&nbsp;and “prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats.”

The latest strike comes as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carriers-trump-venezuela-middle-east-a458b9c4f1a5690e19d7c532dd6b7fd7">USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier</a>&nbsp;has left the Mediterranean Sea on its way to the Caribbean after Hegseth ordered it to the region more than a week ago. It will join an already robust buildup of American planes, ships and thousands of troops in Latin America.

A defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ship movements, confirmed that the Ford and the destroyer USS Bainbridge crossed through the Straits of Gibraltar and into the Atlantic on Tuesday.

The Ford originally deployed with five destroyers, but it’s not clear if all of them will go to the Caribbean. Two of the other destroyers in the Ford’s strike group, the USS Winston Churchill and the USS Mahan, are in the Mediterranean now, with the Mahan in port at Rota, Spain.

The other two destroyers, the USS Forrest Sherman and the USS Mitchener, are in the Red Sea, the official said.

With the strikes and military assets in the region expanding, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the United States, has said the U.S. government is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-warship-maduro-uss-gerald-ford-21cc3ac03f755a657c0541667246c007">“fabricating” a war</a>&nbsp;against him.

During a interview that aired Sunday on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Trump was asked if the U.S. was going to war with Venezuela. He responded: “I doubt it. I don’t think so. But they’ve been treating us very badly, not only on drugs.”

Norah O’Donnell, in the interview conducted Friday, also asked Trump if Maduro’s days were numbered.

“I would say yeah. I think so, yeah,” the president said. Trump would not say whether or not he would order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-peacemaker-wars-legacy-7017f99ef27c15aac727928395c853c1">land strikes in Venezuela</a>.

In the latest strike, a video Hegseth posted to social media has a gray box obscuring a boat that appears in the water before it’s blown up. The footage then cuts to the vessel engulfed by flames.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced yet&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-strike-drug-smugglers-caribbean-44e98087294f015dc77e17025ecbb5e8">another deadly strike on a boat</a>&nbsp;accused of ferrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, coming the same day an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-hegseth-drugs-boat-strikes-6c3316b2852723e26c39dc701bba9d52">aircraft carrier began heading to the region</a>&nbsp;in a new expansion of military firepower.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO). Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known… <a href="https://t.co/OsQuHrYLMp">pic.twitter.com/OsQuHrYLMp</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1985863010376642677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The attack Tuesday killed two people aboard the vessel, Hegseth said,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">bringing the death toll</a>&nbsp;from the Trump administration’s campaign in South American waters up to at least 66 people in at least 16 strikes.President Donald Trump has justified the strikes by saying the United States is in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">“armed conflict” with drug cartels</a>&nbsp;and claiming the boats are operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-foreign-terrorist-organizations-eb35567b69fc66f13f7f79fb90906a50">foreign terror organizations</a>. The administration has not provided evidence or more details.“We will find and terminate EVERY vessel with the intention of trafficking drugs to America to poison our citizens,” Hegseth posted while on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-south-korea-hegseth-military-1ab1d56e81073bde4661ea72959885f2">trip to Asia</a>.Lawmakers from both parties have pressed the Trump administration for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-boat-strikes-trump-cartels-democrats-briefing-40cd5b30897ba97de824af7b76f22b46">more information on who is being targeted</a>&nbsp;and the legal justification for the strikes given that Congress has not authorized military action. United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-us-military-strikes-south-america-ed0ce092af5ad2c64b34ed51f8ab59cc">called for the U.S. to halt the attacks</a>&nbsp;and “prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats.”The latest strike comes as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carriers-trump-venezuela-middle-east-a458b9c4f1a5690e19d7c532dd6b7fd7">USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier</a>&nbsp;has left the Mediterranean Sea on its way to the Caribbean after Hegseth ordered it to the region more than a week ago. It will join an already robust buildup of American planes, ships and thousands of troops in Latin America.A defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ship movements, confirmed that the Ford and the destroyer USS Bainbridge crossed through the Straits of Gibraltar and into the Atlantic on Tuesday.The Ford originally deployed with five destroyers, but it’s not clear if all of them will go to the Caribbean. Two of the other destroyers in the Ford’s strike group, the USS Winston Churchill and the USS Mahan, are in the Mediterranean now, with the Mahan in port at Rota, Spain.The other two destroyers, the USS Forrest Sherman and the USS Mitchener, are in the Red Sea, the official said.With the strikes and military assets in the region expanding, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-indictments-armed-forces-united-states-miami-d82797206561db03851e47df125c243f">charged with narcoterrorism</a>&nbsp;in the United States, has said the U.S. government is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-warship-maduro-uss-gerald-ford-21cc3ac03f755a657c0541667246c007">“fabricating” a war</a>&nbsp;against him.During a interview that aired Sunday on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Trump was asked if the U.S. was going to war with Venezuela. He responded: “I doubt it. I don’t think so. But they’ve been treating us very badly, not only on drugs.”Norah O’Donnell, in the interview conducted Friday, also asked Trump if Maduro’s days were numbered.“I would say yeah. I think so, yeah,” the president said. Trump would not say whether or not he would order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-peacemaker-wars-legacy-7017f99ef27c15aac727928395c853c1">land strikes in Venezuela</a>.In the latest strike, a video Hegseth posted to social media has a gray box obscuring a boat that appears in the water before it’s blown up. The footage then cuts to the vessel engulfed by flames.

🎥US military kills 2 in new strike on drug-running boat

By TIM CARPENTER Kansas Reflector&nbsp;

TOPEKA — The former CEO and founder of the Beneficient investment firm that was granted a unique bank charter on orders of the Kansas Legislature was arrested and jailed Tuesday following indictment for an alleged scheme to loot more than $150 million from a company forced into bankruptcy.

Brad Heppner, who was taken into custody at his home by the Irving Police Department in Texas, was indicted in federal court in New York on counts of securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud, making false statements to auditors, and falsification of records. Prosecutors say he misled investors and auditors, and they said he obstructed an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

He has for years been at the center of a flurry of civil lawsuits alleging financial misconduct. The criminal case was worked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the SEC.

“Heppner abused his role as a public company executive to loot the company and to funnel money into his own pockets,” said Jay Clayton, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. “When executives like Heppner lie and cheat to enrich themselves at the expense of everyday investors, they corrupt the integrity of our public markets.”

Interest in Heppner’s business activities has been relevant to Kansans because Beneficient, the company he founded, has held a Kansas banking license since 2021.

Heppner was accused in the indictment, unsealed Tuesday, of misappropriating at least $150 million from the publicly traded, now-bankrupt GWG Holdings through a series of self-serving transactions tied to Beneficient and Highland Consolidated Limited Partnership. He was simultaneously chairman of GWG and Beneficient, and secretly controlled HCLP, according to the indictment.

“Though Heppner repeatedly described HCLP as an independent entity, it was, in fact, a shell company controlled by Heppner and operated for his benefit,” the indictment said. “Once Heppner exhausted his ability to siphon GWG’s assets for himself, he separated himself from GWG. GWG filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter, causing losses exceeding $1 billion to thousands of investors and bondholders.”

Financial damage resulting from the catastrophe at GWG primarily fell on retail investors, “many of them retirees,” the indictment says.

The indictment says Heppner used the money for personal expenses, including $40 million for renovation of a Dallas mansion and a ranch in Montalba, Texas. He allegedly spent $10 million on upkeep, expansion and IT services on those properties as well as $10 million to cover credit card debt and private aviation expenditures. He purportedly used $20 million to pay tax expenses and bought jewelry valued at more than $500,000.

The indictment seeks to force Heppner to surrender ill-gotten cash as well as the properties in Dallas and Montalba.

Heppner, 59, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on the fraud, false statement and false record counts. The conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

In June, Heppner resigned from Dallas-headquartered Beneficient rather than cooperate with an audit committee looking into financial irregularities. In 2021, Heppner left GWG and structurally separated Beneficient from GWG. GWG filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022.

Dan Callahan, a spokesperson representing Beneficient, issued a company statement in wake of the indictment: “Beneficient parted ways with Mr. Heppner earlier this year, immediately after learning facts related to his alleged fraud on the company and others. Beneficient will continue to pursue its own claims against Mr. Heppner on behalf of its shareholders. Beneficient has and continues to cooperate with the government’s investigation of Mr. Heppner.”

Heppner was the face of Beneficient before and after it landed a Kansas banking charter for a Beneficient subsidiary. Legislation that guaranteed Beneficient received the charter was championed by Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican now in the midst of a campaign for governor. Masterson made the motion in support of the charter during a 2021 interim legislative committee hearing. The legislation was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

While lobbying Kansas legislators in pursuit of a bank charter, Heppner allegedly continued with the covert effort to hide the funneling of $150 million from GWG to Beneficient and to HCLP.

Beneficient made financial contributions to the campaigns of Republicans and Democrats in Kansas. It’s unclear whether those donations were made with cash Heppner allegedly transferred from GWG.

David Herndon, the Kansas state banking commissioner, opposed the charter for Beneficient and repeatedly urged the Legislature to repeal the law allowing Beneficient to anchor its asset-swap business to Kansas.

The business linked to the state charter was designed to allow Beneficient to work with investors to cash out or trade for stock their illiquid assets, including venture capital and private equity. To entice Kansas to deliver the charter, Beneficient agreed to funnel money into a Kansas foundation that was to help revitalize Hesston and support economic development in other rural communities. Heppner grew up in Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762351195715.jpeg" alt="Brad Heppner, former CEO of Beneficient in Texas, is arrested and indicted in Texas on securities and wire fraud, making false statements and falsification of records. (Photo by Irving Police Department)" />
 <figcaption>Brad Heppner, former CEO of Beneficient in Texas, is arrested and indicted in Texas on securities and wire fraud, making false statements and falsification of records. (Photo by Irving Police Department)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER Kansas Reflector&nbsp;TOPEKA — The former CEO and founder of the Beneficient investment firm that was granted a unique bank charter on orders of the Kansas Legislature was arrested and jailed Tuesday following indictment for an alleged scheme to loot more than $150 million from a company forced into bankruptcy.Brad Heppner, who was taken into custody at his home by the Irving Police Department in Texas, was indicted in federal court in New York on counts of securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud, making false statements to auditors, and falsification of records. Prosecutors say he misled investors and auditors, and they said he obstructed an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.He has for years been at the center of a flurry of civil lawsuits alleging financial misconduct. The criminal case was worked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the SEC.“Heppner abused his role as a public company executive to loot the company and to funnel money into his own pockets,” said Jay Clayton, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. “When executives like Heppner lie and cheat to enrich themselves at the expense of everyday investors, they corrupt the integrity of our public markets.”Interest in Heppner’s business activities has been relevant to Kansans because Beneficient, the company he founded, has held a Kansas banking license since 2021.Heppner was accused in the indictment, unsealed Tuesday, of misappropriating at least $150 million from the publicly traded, now-bankrupt GWG Holdings through a series of self-serving transactions tied to Beneficient and Highland Consolidated Limited Partnership. He was simultaneously chairman of GWG and Beneficient, and secretly controlled HCLP, according to the indictment.“Though Heppner repeatedly described HCLP as an independent entity, it was, in fact, a shell company controlled by Heppner and operated for his benefit,” the indictment said. “Once Heppner exhausted his ability to siphon GWG’s assets for himself, he separated himself from GWG. GWG filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter, causing losses exceeding $1 billion to thousands of investors and bondholders.”Financial damage resulting from the catastrophe at GWG primarily fell on retail investors, “many of them retirees,” the indictment says.The indictment says Heppner used the money for personal expenses, including $40 million for renovation of a Dallas mansion and a ranch in Montalba, Texas. He allegedly spent $10 million on upkeep, expansion and IT services on those properties as well as $10 million to cover credit card debt and private aviation expenditures. He purportedly used $20 million to pay tax expenses and bought jewelry valued at more than $500,000.The indictment seeks to force Heppner to surrender ill-gotten cash as well as the properties in Dallas and Montalba.Heppner, 59, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on the fraud, false statement and false record counts. The conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.In June, Heppner resigned from Dallas-headquartered Beneficient rather than cooperate with an audit committee looking into financial irregularities. In 2021, Heppner left GWG and structurally separated Beneficient from GWG. GWG filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022.Dan Callahan, a spokesperson representing Beneficient, issued a company statement in wake of the indictment: “Beneficient parted ways with Mr. Heppner earlier this year, immediately after learning facts related to his alleged fraud on the company and others. Beneficient will continue to pursue its own claims against Mr. Heppner on behalf of its shareholders. Beneficient has and continues to cooperate with the government’s investigation of Mr. Heppner.”Heppner was the face of Beneficient before and after it landed a Kansas banking charter for a Beneficient subsidiary. Legislation that guaranteed Beneficient received the charter was championed by Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican now in the midst of a campaign for governor. Masterson made the motion in support of the charter during a 2021 interim legislative committee hearing. The legislation was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.While lobbying Kansas legislators in pursuit of a bank charter, Heppner allegedly continued with the covert effort to hide the funneling of $150 million from GWG to Beneficient and to HCLP.Beneficient made financial contributions to the campaigns of Republicans and Democrats in Kansas. It’s unclear whether those donations were made with cash Heppner allegedly transferred from GWG.David Herndon, the Kansas state banking commissioner, opposed the charter for Beneficient and repeatedly urged the Legislature to repeal the law allowing Beneficient to anchor its asset-swap business to Kansas.The business linked to the state charter was designed to allow Beneficient to work with investors to cash out or trade for stock their illiquid assets, including venture capital and private equity. To entice Kansas to deliver the charter, Beneficient agreed to funnel money into a Kansas foundation that was to help revitalize Hesston and support economic development in other rural communities. Heppner grew up in Kansas.

Former CEO who acquired unique Kansas bank charter indicted on fraud charges

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;power to unilaterally impose far-reaching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;was before the Supreme Court on Wednesday in a pivotal test of executive power with trillion-dollar implications for the global economy.

The Republican administration is trying to defend the tariffs central to Trump’s economic agenda after lower courts ruled the emergency law he invoked doesn’t give him near-limitless power to set and change duties on imports.

The Constitution says Congress has the power to levy tariffs. But the Trump administration argues that in emergency situations the president can regulate importation taxes like tariffs. Trump has called the case one of the most important in the country’s history and said a ruling against him would be “catastrophic” for the economy.

The challengers argue the 1977 emergency-powers law Trump used doesn’t even mention tariffs, and no president before has used it to impose them. A collection of small businesses say the uncertainty is driving them to the brink of bankruptcy.

The case centers on two sets of tariffs. The first came in February on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/carney-canada-trump-tariff-ad-81450969892ac525d4ce21942f3fe973">imports from Canada</a>, China and Mexico after Trump declared a national emergency over drug trafficking. The second involves the sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs on most countries that Trump announced in April.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed over the tariffs, and the court will hear suits filed by Democratic-leaning states and small businesses focused on everything from plumbing supplies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-terry-cycling-lawsui-supreme-court-b3215d8ca2edfb40b58ad374bd580d1f">women’s cycling apparel.</a>

Lower courts have struck down the bulk of his tariffs as an illegal use of emergency power, but the nation’s highest court may see it differently.

Trump helped shape the conservative-majority court, naming three of the justices in his first term. The justices have so far been reluctant to check his extraordinary flex of executive power, handing him a series of wins on its emergency docket.

Still, those have been short-term orders — little of Trump’s wide-ranging conservative agenda has been fully argued before the nation’s highest court. That means the outcome could set the tone for wider legal pushback against his policies.

The justices have been skeptical of executive power claims before, such as when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tariffs-7c44eedbf32bec35fc638e9953db2aeb">then-President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;tried to forgive $400 billion in student loans under a different law dealing with national emergencies. The Supreme Court found the law didn’t clearly give him the power to enact a program with such a big economic impact, a legal principle known as the major questions doctrine.

The challengers say Trump’s tariffs should get the same treatment, since they’ll have a much greater economic effect, raising some $3 trillion over the next decade. The government, on the other hand, says the tariffs are different because they’re a major part of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-foreign-policy-21337d2c11e629da3f187cdeb381d58b">approach to foreign affairs</a>, an area where the courts should not be second-guessing the president.

The challengers are also trying to channel the conservative justices’ skepticism about whether the Constitution allows other parts of the government to use powers reserved for Congress, a concept known as the nondelegation doctrine. Trump’s interpretation of the law could mean anyone who can “regulate” can also impose taxes, they say.

The Justice Department counters that legal principle is for governmental agencies, not for the president.

If he eventually loses at the high court, Trump could impose tariffs under other laws, but those have more limitations on the speed and severity with which he could act. The aftermath of a ruling against him also could be complicated, if the government must issue refunds for the tariffs that had collected $195 billion in revenue as of September.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743626000304.png" alt="White House photo" />
 <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;power to unilaterally impose far-reaching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;was before the Supreme Court on Wednesday in a pivotal test of executive power with trillion-dollar implications for the global economy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Justice Sotomayor asks about tariffs being a kind of tax on Americans and compares President Trump&#39;s emergency tariff Executive Orders to President Biden&#39;s student loan forgiveness policy and a hypothetical climate emergency. <a href="https://t.co/nD0MYgVjv3">pic.twitter.com/nD0MYgVjv3</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1986099084961227180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Justice Barrett asks if &quot;Regulate&quot; means power to tariff. While U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer responds, Justice Sotomayor: &quot;Could you just answer the justice&#39;s question?&quot; Barrett: &quot;Can you identify any statute that used that phrase...?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SOMhHSGZBm">pic.twitter.com/SOMhHSGZBm</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1986101612272640338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Justice Gorsuch: &quot;What&#39;s the reason to accept the notion that Congress can hand off the power to declare war to the president?&quot; U.S. Solicitor General Sauer: &quot;Well, we don&#39;t contend that.&quot; Gorsuch: &quot;You do, you say it&#39;s unreviewable…you&#39;ve backed off that position?&quot; Sauer:… <a href="https://t.co/tuPdf7295s">pic.twitter.com/tuPdf7295s</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1986105831675371866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Justice Barrett asks about refunding tariff revenue should President Trump lose the case: &quot;If you win, tell me how the reimbursement process would work. Would it be a complete mess?&quot; Neal Katyal: &quot;We don&#39;t deny that it&#39;s difficult.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/WsiVGTyBO9">pic.twitter.com/WsiVGTyBO9</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1986124253369147787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Justice Kavanaugh asks why the president may not be able to issue tariffs but can set trade embargoes, which sets off a debate among the justices and a series of questions about presidential power. <a href="https://t.co/tLDMi2MPm6">pic.twitter.com/tLDMi2MPm6</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1986131942094319755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Republican administration is trying to defend the tariffs central to Trump’s economic agenda after lower courts ruled the emergency law he invoked doesn’t give him near-limitless power to set and change duties on imports.The Constitution says Congress has the power to levy tariffs. But the Trump administration argues that in emergency situations the president can regulate importation taxes like tariffs. Trump has called the case one of the most important in the country’s history and said a ruling against him would be “catastrophic” for the economy.The challengers argue the 1977 emergency-powers law Trump used doesn’t even mention tariffs, and no president before has used it to impose them. A collection of small businesses say the uncertainty is driving them to the brink of bankruptcy.The case centers on two sets of tariffs. The first came in February on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/carney-canada-trump-tariff-ad-81450969892ac525d4ce21942f3fe973">imports from Canada</a>, China and Mexico after Trump declared a national emergency over drug trafficking. The second involves the sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs on most countries that Trump announced in April.Multiple lawsuits have been filed over the tariffs, and the court will hear suits filed by Democratic-leaning states and small businesses focused on everything from plumbing supplies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-terry-cycling-lawsui-supreme-court-b3215d8ca2edfb40b58ad374bd580d1f">women’s cycling apparel.</a>Lower courts have struck down the bulk of his tariffs as an illegal use of emergency power, but the nation’s highest court may see it differently.Trump helped shape the conservative-majority court, naming three of the justices in his first term. The justices have so far been reluctant to check his extraordinary flex of executive power, handing him a series of wins on its emergency docket.Still, those have been short-term orders — little of Trump’s wide-ranging conservative agenda has been fully argued before the nation’s highest court. That means the outcome could set the tone for wider legal pushback against his policies.The justices have been skeptical of executive power claims before, such as when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tariffs-7c44eedbf32bec35fc638e9953db2aeb">then-President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;tried to forgive $400 billion in student loans under a different law dealing with national emergencies. The Supreme Court found the law didn’t clearly give him the power to enact a program with such a big economic impact, a legal principle known as the major questions doctrine.The challengers say Trump’s tariffs should get the same treatment, since they’ll have a much greater economic effect, raising some $3 trillion over the next decade. The government, on the other hand, says the tariffs are different because they’re a major part of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-foreign-policy-21337d2c11e629da3f187cdeb381d58b">approach to foreign affairs</a>, an area where the courts should not be second-guessing the president.The challengers are also trying to channel the conservative justices’ skepticism about whether the Constitution allows other parts of the government to use powers reserved for Congress, a concept known as the nondelegation doctrine. Trump’s interpretation of the law could mean anyone who can “regulate” can also impose taxes, they say.The Justice Department counters that legal principle is for governmental agencies, not for the president.If he eventually loses at the high court, Trump could impose tariffs under other laws, but those have more limitations on the speed and severity with which he could act. The aftermath of a ruling against him also could be complicated, if the government must issue refunds for the tariffs that had collected $195 billion in revenue as of September.

🎧History: Supreme Court oral arguments on Trump tariffs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;has entered its 36th day, breaking the record as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-longest-trump-democrats-senate-filibuster-1f147746aab58daffd8a8cb578df0b81">longest ever</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/government-shutdown-photos-trump-congress-fa2b017fa487ec2e7e732319087092cd">disrupting the lives</a>&nbsp;of millions of Americans with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-aid-snap-health-care-government-shutdown-41f4bb2b838c738e0d56e620bf396c8f">federal program cuts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-flights-delays-shutdown-538fcee7931eefed1acc50b104a67d1f">flight delays</a>&nbsp;and federal workers nationwide left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/furlough-federal-workers-unemployment-government-shutdown-e0c73357aab61c7a6162cfb26c659c03">without paychecks</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has refused to negotiate with Democrats over their demands to salvage expiring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">health insurance subsidies</a>&nbsp;until they agree to reopen the government. But skeptical Democrats question whether the Republican president will keep his word, particularly after the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-government-shutdown-court-order-b354aa0b596dcb8bfc6dc59a3382e811">restricted SNAP food aid</a>, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">court orders</a>&nbsp;to ensure funds are available to prevent hunger.

Trump, whose first term at the White House set the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">previous government shutdown record</a>, is set to meet early Wednesday for breakfast with GOP senators. But no talks have been scheduled with the Democrats.

“Why is this happening? We’re in a shutdown because our colleagues are unwilling to come to the table to talk about one simple thing: health care premiums,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in a late evening speech.

“Stop this mess, come to the table, negotiate it,” she said.

With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-government-business-normal-cebf7f8d2ff64a98328460d4a0a8deb3">Trump largely on the sidelines</a>, talks have intensified among a loose coalition of centrist senators trying to negotiate an end to the stalemate. Expectations are high that the logjam would break once election results were fully tallied in Tuesday’s off-year races that were widely watched as a gauge of voter sentiment over Trump’s second term in the White House. Democrats swept key contests for governor in Virginia and New Jersey, and New York City mayor, certain to shake up the political assessments.

But earlier in the afternoon, Senate Democrats left an hours-long private meeting stone-faced, with no certain path forward.

“We’re exploring all the options,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;said afterward.

Trump’s approach to this shutdown stands in marked contrast to his first term, when the government was partially closed for 35 days over his demands for funds to build&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-ap-top-news-2cb11c3652bb4f18a760216bf53b58ed">the U.S.-Mexico border wall</a>. At that time, he met publicly and negotiated with congressional leaders, but unable to secure the funds, he relented in 2019.

This time, it’s not just Trump declining to engage in talks. The congressional leaders are at a standoff and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson,</a>&nbsp;R-La., sent lawmakers home in September after they approved their own funding bill, refusing further negotiations.

In the meantime, food aid,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">child care funds</a>&nbsp;and countless other government services are being seriously interrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or expected to come to work without pay.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted there could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-duffy-delays-9afedfa9e5000510c77465808404c830">chaos in the skies</a>&nbsp;next week if air traffic controllers miss another paycheck. Labor unions put pressure on lawmakers to reopen the government.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said this has been not only the longest shutdown but also “the most severe shutdown on record.”

The Republican leader has urged the Democrats to accept his overtures to vote on the health care issue and keep negotiating a solution once the government reopens, arguing that no one wins politically from the standoff.

Central to any endgame will be a series of agreements that would need to be upheld not only by the Senate, but also the House, and the White House, which is not at all certain in Washington.

First of all, senators from both parties, particularly the powerful members of the Appropriations Committee, are pushing to ensure the normal government funding process in Congress can be put back on track.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., along with several Democrats, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Chris Coons of Delaware, are among those working behind the scenes.

“The pace of talks have increased,” said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who has been involved in conversations.

Among the goals is guaranteeing upcoming votes on a smaller package of bills where there is already widespread bipartisan agreement to fund various aspects of government, like agricultural programs and military construction projects at bases.

“I certainly think that three-bill package is primed to do a lot of good things for the American people,” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who has also been in talks.

More difficult, a substantial number of senators also want some resolution to the standoff over the funding for the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at year’s end.

With insurance premium notices being sent, millions of Americans are experiencing sticker shock on skyrocketing prices. The loss of enhanced federal subsidies, which were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and come in the form of tax credits, are expected to leave many people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aca-credits-health-care-subsidies-government-shutdown-7f7a3609bf78dd7e43be9a041a090220">unable to buy health insurance.</a>

Republicans are reluctant to fund the health care program, also known as Obamacare, without reforms, but negotiating a compromise with Democrats is expected to take time, if a deal can be reached at all.

Thune has promised Democrats at least a vote on their preferred health care proposal, on a date certain, as part of any deal to reopen government. But that’s not enough for some senators, who see the health care deadlock as part of their broader concerns with Trump’s direction for the country.

The White House says its position remains unchanged and that Democrats must vote to fund the government before talks over health care can begin. White House officials are in close contact with GOP senators who have been quietly speaking with key Senate Democrats, according to a senior White House official. The official was granted anonymity to discuss administration strategy.

Trump’s demands to end the filibuster fall flat

The president has been pushing the senators to nuke the filibuster — the Senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation — as a way to reopen the government.

The GOP senators have panned Trump’s demands to end the filibuster, in a rare public break with the president. Thune and others argue the Senate rule, while infuriating at times, ensures the minority party can be a check on the administration, which is important when power shifts in Washington.

But in the current Senate, where Republicans hold a slim majority, 53-47, Democrats have been able to block the House-passed bill that would fund the government, having voted more than a dozen times against.

Trump has said that doing away with the filibuster would be one way the Republicans could bypass the Democrats and end the shutdown on their own. Republican senators are trying to avoid that outcome.

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Seung Min Kim and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315687610.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;has entered its 36th day, breaking the record as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-longest-trump-democrats-senate-filibuster-1f147746aab58daffd8a8cb578df0b81">longest ever</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/government-shutdown-photos-trump-congress-fa2b017fa487ec2e7e732319087092cd">disrupting the lives</a>&nbsp;of millions of Americans with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-aid-snap-health-care-government-shutdown-41f4bb2b838c738e0d56e620bf396c8f">federal program cuts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-flights-delays-shutdown-538fcee7931eefed1acc50b104a67d1f">flight delays</a>&nbsp;and federal workers nationwide left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/furlough-federal-workers-unemployment-government-shutdown-e0c73357aab61c7a6162cfb26c659c03">without paychecks</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has refused to negotiate with Democrats over their demands to salvage expiring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">health insurance subsidies</a>&nbsp;until they agree to reopen the government. But skeptical Democrats question whether the Republican president will keep his word, particularly after the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-government-shutdown-court-order-b354aa0b596dcb8bfc6dc59a3382e811">restricted SNAP food aid</a>, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">court orders</a>&nbsp;to ensure funds are available to prevent hunger.Trump, whose first term at the White House set the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">previous government shutdown record</a>, is set to meet early Wednesday for breakfast with GOP senators. But no talks have been scheduled with the Democrats.“Why is this happening? We’re in a shutdown because our colleagues are unwilling to come to the table to talk about one simple thing: health care premiums,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in a late evening speech.“Stop this mess, come to the table, negotiate it,” she said.With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-government-business-normal-cebf7f8d2ff64a98328460d4a0a8deb3">Trump largely on the sidelines</a>, talks have intensified among a loose coalition of centrist senators trying to negotiate an end to the stalemate. Expectations are high that the logjam would break once election results were fully tallied in Tuesday’s off-year races that were widely watched as a gauge of voter sentiment over Trump’s second term in the White House. Democrats swept key contests for governor in Virginia and New Jersey, and New York City mayor, certain to shake up the political assessments.But earlier in the afternoon, Senate Democrats left an hours-long private meeting stone-faced, with no certain path forward.“We’re exploring all the options,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;said afterward.<h2>Trump sets another shutdown record</h2>Trump’s approach to this shutdown stands in marked contrast to his first term, when the government was partially closed for 35 days over his demands for funds to build&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-ap-top-news-2cb11c3652bb4f18a760216bf53b58ed">the U.S.-Mexico border wall</a>. At that time, he met publicly and negotiated with congressional leaders, but unable to secure the funds, he relented in 2019.This time, it’s not just Trump declining to engage in talks. The congressional leaders are at a standoff and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson,</a>&nbsp;R-La., sent lawmakers home in September after they approved their own funding bill, refusing further negotiations.In the meantime, food aid,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">child care funds</a>&nbsp;and countless other government services are being seriously interrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or expected to come to work without pay.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted there could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-duffy-delays-9afedfa9e5000510c77465808404c830">chaos in the skies</a>&nbsp;next week if air traffic controllers miss another paycheck. Labor unions put pressure on lawmakers to reopen the government.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said this has been not only the longest shutdown but also “the most severe shutdown on record.”The Republican leader has urged the Democrats to accept his overtures to vote on the health care issue and keep negotiating a solution once the government reopens, arguing that no one wins politically from the standoff.“Shutdowns are stupid,” Thune said.<h2>Senators search for potential deal</h2>Central to any endgame will be a series of agreements that would need to be upheld not only by the Senate, but also the House, and the White House, which is not at all certain in Washington.First of all, senators from both parties, particularly the powerful members of the Appropriations Committee, are pushing to ensure the normal government funding process in Congress can be put back on track.Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., along with several Democrats, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Chris Coons of Delaware, are among those working behind the scenes.“The pace of talks have increased,” said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who has been involved in conversations.Among the goals is guaranteeing upcoming votes on a smaller package of bills where there is already widespread bipartisan agreement to fund various aspects of government, like agricultural programs and military construction projects at bases.“I certainly think that three-bill package is primed to do a lot of good things for the American people,” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who has also been in talks.<h2>Health care costs skyrocket for millions</h2>More difficult, a substantial number of senators also want some resolution to the standoff over the funding for the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at year’s end.With insurance premium notices being sent, millions of Americans are experiencing sticker shock on skyrocketing prices. The loss of enhanced federal subsidies, which were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and come in the form of tax credits, are expected to leave many people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aca-credits-health-care-subsidies-government-shutdown-7f7a3609bf78dd7e43be9a041a090220">unable to buy health insurance.</a>Republicans are reluctant to fund the health care program, also known as Obamacare, without reforms, but negotiating a compromise with Democrats is expected to take time, if a deal can be reached at all.Thune has promised Democrats at least a vote on their preferred health care proposal, on a date certain, as part of any deal to reopen government. But that’s not enough for some senators, who see the health care deadlock as part of their broader concerns with Trump’s direction for the country.The White House says its position remains unchanged and that Democrats must vote to fund the government before talks over health care can begin. White House officials are in close contact with GOP senators who have been quietly speaking with key Senate Democrats, according to a senior White House official. The official was granted anonymity to discuss administration strategy.<h2>Trump’s demands to end the filibuster fall flat</h2>The president has been pushing the senators to nuke the filibuster — the Senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation — as a way to reopen the government.The GOP senators have panned Trump’s demands to end the filibuster, in a rare public break with the president. Thune and others argue the Senate rule, while infuriating at times, ensures the minority party can be a check on the administration, which is important when power shifts in Washington.But in the current Senate, where Republicans hold a slim majority, 53-47, Democrats have been able to block the House-passed bill that would fund the government, having voted more than a dozen times against.Trump has said that doing away with the filibuster would be one way the Republicans could bypass the Democrats and end the shutdown on their own. Republican senators are trying to avoid that outcome.___Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Seung Min Kim and Matt Brown contributed to this report.