> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.fromthefifth.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Democrats Won. Now Comes the Really Hard Part. - URL: https://www.fromthefifth.com/democrats-midterms-pete-hegseth/ - Published: 2026-11-09T01:38:32.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-09T01:38:32.000Z - Author: Huma Razvi - Tags: Weekly Newsletter ****THIS WEEK IN BRIEF:** ▶️ First order of business after the midterm upset: impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. A Republican is forcing the vote, and GOP leaders are bracing for enough defections to pass it -- unless, of course, Hegseth resigns first. ▶️ Democrats wiped out MAGA Republicans across the country, taking the House, the Senate, most governorships and six new state legislatures, and flipping seats in Texas, Kansas and South Carolina that Republicans have held for decades. ▶️ Trump is weighing whether to restart the Iran war. Hegseth and Netanyahu are pushing him to, Vance is pushing him not to, and U.S. strikes on Iranian targets haven’t stopped. ▶️ Trump made Stephen Miller his chief of staff, then ordered the DOJ to investigate Democrats for planning to investigate him. ▶️ Will Netanyahu be out of a job soon? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/11/CleanShot-2026-11-04-at-12.23.29-AM@2x.png) **Even if you’ve spent the last two years hiding under the covers** *(and no one would blame you)* **,** Tuesday night was worth peeking out for. Democrats won more than **enough seats to take control of both the House and the Senate**, along with a majority of governorships. That’s **promising news for the millions of Americans** who have suffered through the Trump administration’s reckless policies, violence, grift, corruption and peculiar obsession with real estate and interior decorating. People online have been joking that their **doomscrolling has turned into hopescrolling.** But this optimism should be **cautious,** the kind that asks: *What now?* For Democrats - and at least one outgoing Republican – the **answer** [**starts**](https://www.wsj.com/politics/house-democrats-target-hegseth-for-impeachment-push-e851feb5?st=1f5XoD&reflink=desktopwebshare%5Fpermalink&ref=fromthefifth.com) **with Pete Hegseth**, which is why he's our #1 story this week. 1) Hegseth Impeachment \*\*NEW\*\* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/11/CleanShot-2026-11-07-at-5.26.39-PM.png) Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who lost his primary earlier this year and will leave the House in January, says he will again introduce the [**articles of impeachment**](https://massie.house.gov/uploadedfiles/articles%5Fof%5Fimpeachment%5Fsec.%5Fhegseth.pdf?ref=fromthefifth.com)against Hegseth this week — [as early](https://x.com/liz%5Felkind/status/2118401724943880698?ref=fromthefifth.com) as Monday. He will introduce it as a **“**[**privileged**](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/98-411?ref=fromthefifth.com)**” resolution**, which means the House **must take it up within two legislative days.** Massie [introduced](https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395853&ref=fromthefifth.com) the same measure in September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) **canceled votes and sent the House home early** for recess before a vote could be taken. Now, **“House Republican leaders are bracing for enough GOP defections to impeach” Hegseth,** [Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/11/08/pete-hegseth-impeachment-house-republicans-massie?ref=fromthefifth.com) reports. Liz Elkind of **Fox News** [**reports**](https://x.com/liz%5Felkind/status/2118398616461053996?ref=fromthefifth.com): > *“House Rs tell me a combo of post-midterm frustration & attendance issues from people who lost races Tuesday could seal his fate. ‘He's screwed,’ one GOP lawmaker told me.”* House Minority Leader **Hakeem Jeffries** [told](https://abcnews.com/Politics/im-hard-hakeem-jeffries-announces-support-hegseth-impeachment/story?id=137952235&ref=fromthefifth.com) ABC on Sunday: > *“I'm a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution. The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security, and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe… Pete Hegseth has got to go.”* Rep. Massie will **force the House to vote** on [**eight specific charges**](https://massie.house.gov/uploadedfiles/articles%5Fof%5Fimpeachment%5Fsec.%5Fhegseth.pdf?ref=fromthefifth.com) against the defense secretary. I've summarized them here: 📍 ****I–III:** Waged the Iran war without authorization, kept it going after Congress ordered troops out, and ignored the War Powers Act deadlines 📍 ****IV:** Ignored laws meant to limit civilian casualties. The deadliest single strike of the war hit an elementary school in Minab, Iran, killing at least 155 people, most of them children. 📍 ****V**: Extrajudicial killings of at least 221 people in boat strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean 📍 ****VI:** Retaliated against Sen. Mark Kelly, moving to cut his military rank and pension, after he joined five other lawmakers in a video telling service members they can and must refuse illegal orders 📍 ****VII:** Seized Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores in Venezuela without legal authority 📍 ****VIII**: Launched an unauthorized war in Yemen **Hegseth posted a defiant** [**video**](https://x.com/SecWar/status/2118433945746366605?ref=fromthefifth.com) **to X** on Thursday defending his record and the “War Department,” citing accomplishments under his tenure like getting rid of the “weird” and “woke.” He accused Democrats of being “obsessed” with him, called the impeachment efforts a **“sham” and “political theater,”** and blamed former President Joe Biden and former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for leaving the country and the department “in a terrible place.” He also said the people in boats he claims are **narco-terrorists should be killed** and “not be caught and released.” Of course, the U.N.’s top human rights official has [said](https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166234?ref=fromthefifth.com) the Trump administration's [boat strikes](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/29/us/us-caribbean-pacific-boat-strikes.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.PFE.AAIf.jWVTKPnDsh8v&smid=url-share&ref=fromthefifth.com) 🎁 in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean amount to extrajudicial killings that **violate international law.** **Not helping his situation, Hegseth is strongly disliked inside the Pentagon**, The Intercept [reports](https://theintercept.com/2026/11/05/midterms-hegseth-impeach-pressure-massie-military/?ref=fromthefifth.com): > *“Derided in the Pentagon and the ranks by a variety of monikers such as ‘No Tab Pete,’ a reference to his lack of prestigious military qualification patches such as the Ranger tab; ‘Whiskey Pete’; and ‘Dumb McNamara,’ a reference to the Vietnam War-era Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, responsible for unfathomable death and suffering; Hegseth has been excoriated within his department for unhinged behavior — especially his relentless purge of top brass and high-ranking officials, which insiders see as an attempt to root out dissenting viewpoints, racial minorities, and women...* > > *Several officials drew connections between Hegseth’s fixation on manliness and testosterone with his childish fixation on ‘lethality,’ his glorification of violence, and bloodlust.”* One rumor that had been circulating amidst the impeachment talk: if Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) won her bid to be Tennessee’s governor, she **might appoint** **Hegseth to fill her Senate seat**, freeing him from the impeachment cloud and landing him a new job. Hegseth is from Minnesota, but his family has [lived](https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-senate-seat-tennessee-bfe5baf0dd3f26ddf0ca9b844400515d?ref=fromthefifth.com) in Tennessee since 2022\. Blackburn won on Tuesday night. But one source [told the AP](https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-senate-seat-tennessee-bfe5baf0dd3f26ddf0ca9b844400515d?ref=fromthefifth.com) that Hegseth **is not under consideration**. “The person said Blackburn is focused on her transition to the governorship and dismissed the speculation about appointing Hegseth to the Senate seat as baseless chatter.” Two sources [told](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/11/05/hegseth-not-under-consideration-tennessee-senate-appointment/?ref=fromthefifth.com) The Washington Post that Trump has **not brought up the issue** with Blackburn, and a Republican source told the Post that Blackburn is not considering it either. *None of this, of course, means it couldn't happen.* Blackburn has said she will not resign from the Senate until she’s sworn in as governor in January. Whoever she appoints will hold the seat until a special election in November 2028\. Trump has publicly [said](https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-intention-hegseth/story?id=137874670&ref=fromthefifth.com) he has “every intention” of keeping Hegseth, but he has **talked to friends and advisers about Hegseth’s performance,** the Post reports, citing two unnamed sources. *(That's code for: Trump is weighing replacing him).* **Only two cabinet secretaries have ever been impeached**: President Ulysses S. Grant’s Secretary of War **William Belknap,** [**in**](https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/impeachment/impeachment-belknap.htm?ref=fromthefifth.com) **1876**, for alleged corruption; and President Joe Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary **Alejandro Mayorkas,** [**in**](https://guides.loc.gov/federal-impeachment/alejandro-mayorkas?ref=fromthefifth.com) **2024**, for allegedly failing to secure the border. Belknap, who resigned before the House vote, was acquitted by the Senate, and the Senate dismissed the charges against Mayorkas without a trial. 📖 ****READING:** [****Pentagon Officials Float Names of Hegseth’s Replacement**](https://theintercept.com/2026/11/06/pentagon-hegseth-replacement-desantis-waltz/?ref=fromthefifth.com) \[The Intercept\] #### RELATED: - **Attorney General Todd Blanche** [**told**](https://www.foxnews.com/video/6408102230112?ref=fromthefifth.com) **Fox News that he’ll defend anyone** in government that the Democrats go after: - *“If that's what these new incoming leadership wants to do, we are ready. And, if you work in this administration, you have a lawyer. It's me. We will defend you."* - **Trump said he has ordered the Blanche DOJ to investigate Democrats for “threatening” Republicans with investigations and impeachment claiming it's just because they’re Republican.** In Truth Social [posts](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117576401180733840?ref=fromthefifth.com) [over](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117576637813209602?ref=fromthefifth.com) the weekend, Trump said: “This is extortion at the highest level, and they should be held accountable for this." But, that's **not accurate.** Politico [*reports*](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/07/trump-calls-for-doj-investigation-into-democratic-oversight-01155242?ref=fromthefifth.com)*:* - *“Trump’s characterization of the Democrats’ actions and statements as ‘extortion’ misrepresents what lawmakers have actually said. In the run-up to the next Congress, Democrats have stated that they are preparing to use their congressional oversight powers — including issuing subpoenas and holding hearings — to investigate what they have characterized as misconduct by administration officials… And while Democratic leaders have not ruled out impeachment, they have emphasized investigations over immediately pursuing impeachment proceedings."* - **And Democrats aren't only focused on current government officials.** Politico also [reports](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/04/democrats-congress-midterms-oversight-01147291?ref=fromthefifth.com): - *“According to interviews with more than a dozen lawmakers, aides and attorneys, Democrats plan to use their new subpoena power and agenda-setting authority to target possible corruption among members of President Donald Trump’s family, Elon Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency and the Department of Homeland Security’s aggressive immigration enforcement tactics."* - **Meanwhile, Democrats say they’ll also focus on voters’ top concerns.** Before the election, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) — who could be the next Democratic whip — [explained the reasoning](https://x.com/TheArenaCNN/status/2113379840120221987?ref=fromthefifth.com) CNN: - *“If we want to be more aspirational, if we want to make more bold policy changes … that's for 2028\. Right now it's about stabilizing the country itself.”* - **In the short term,** Democrats want to restore healthcare subsidies, reverse Medicaid and SNAP cuts, and try to end the war on Iran, [NPR reports](https://www.npr.org/2026/11/05/nx-s1-6029331/democrats-have-a-long-to-do-list-when-they-take-over-congress-next-year?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **But, Certain lawmakers also have some pet projects. In the HOUSE:** - **Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD),** who is expected to chair the House Judiciary Committee when Democrats take control, told MS NOW that law firms that gave in to Trump by ending DEI programs and pro bono work to help immigrants should expect to be subpoenaed. Raskin [said](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/jamie-raskin-subpoenas-coming-law-024757080.html?ref=fromthefifth.com): - *“There are major law firms in America, including Paul, Weiss, that have capitulated to these coercive tactics from Donald Trump and have basically surrendered and made all sorts of outrageous concessions."* - **Congressional, legal and business sources** [**told**](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/11/06/after-courting-trump-corporate-america-faces-democratic-reckoning/?ref=fromthefifth.com) **The Washington Post:** - *"The House is laying the groundwork to investigate President Donald Trump’s use of Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, to plan the military operation and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro… Lawmakers are also eyeing Apple over its hosting of tracking apps used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Meta over its demands that local governments sign nondisclosure agreements related to data center development... Those possibilities have prompted a flurry of activity in Washington, where corporate lawyers are hosting emergency online meetings, gatherings in co-working spaces and intimate bar conversations to dispense advice to founders and C-suite executives on how to prepare for the highly public investigations about to rain down on firms with ties to the Trump administration.”* - **Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA),** who will likely lead the House Oversight Committee, [said](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/democrats-eye-musk-miller-probes-after-midterm-rout-2026-11-08/?ref=fromthefifth.com) he’ll focus on Musk and his work at DOGE, specifically the firing of thousands of federal workers, as well as Miller’s “horrific” and “unjust” immigration policies. - **In the SENATE:** - **Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) has his sights on Amazon**. Politico [reports](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/04/democrats-congress-midterms-oversight-01147291?ref=fromthefifth.com) Schiff said: - *“If federal contracting decisions are made not because a vendor has the best product or is offering it for the best price, but because, in the case of Amazon, it was willing to pay $40 million for a crappy movie about Melania, is that resulting in Amazon getting an advantage in cloud computing contracts or other defense contracts — that’s the kind of thing that costs taxpayers money, costs consumers more money, and there have been so many business payoffs of one sort or another."* - **Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) wants to know who is bankrolling Trump’s presidential “library,”** which is expected to raise at least $950 million, CBS [reports](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-library-democratic-congress/?ref=fromthefifth.com). Trump has hinted that it could even become a hotel — something he would profit from after he leaves office. Warren said: - *“Giant corporations and foreign governments should not be able to buy influence in Washington with donations to the president's library."* - **Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton (D-KS) says he wants to focus on affordability by ending the war on Iran and addressing Trump’s tariffs.** Hamilton [told](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-adam-hamilton-disappointed-democrats-trump-investigations-schumer-rcna608088?ref=fromthefifth.com) NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday: - *“If I spent the next two years — my first two years in the Senate — in investigations, I’d be deeply disappointed. I want to get to work helping the people in my state and helping the people across the country."* - **And elsewhere, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose state stands to have more than 500,000 people lose healthcare and another 143,000 lose SNAP benefits because of Trump’s cuts,** [**argues**](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/gov-josh-shapiro-urges-democrats-prioritize-healthcare-food-assistance-rcna608060?ref=fromthefifth.com) **Congress should leave room for both.** “I hope one of the first things that the Congress does is to stop these Medicaid cuts, stop the SNAP cuts, roll back the cuts, the effective cuts in the Affordable Care Act,” he said, but added that “Congress needs to be responsive to where voters are on corruption, and there has to be real accountability for this administration.” --- 2) DEMOCRATS TAKE CONGRESS \*\*NEW\*\* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/11/CleanShot-2026-11-07-at-6.03.37-PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/11/CleanShot-2026-11-07-at-6.03.27-PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/11/CleanShot-2026-11-07-at-6.03.17-PM.png) Source: AP election results **First, in addition to Democrats taking control of both chambers of Congress, there was more good news for people**: there were no widespread voting problems, government interference, or “immigration-enforcement” activities at polling places or elsewhere on Tuesday *(at least, that we know of).* Votebeat notes [that](https://www.votebeat.org/national/2026/11/04/trump-midterm-election-interference-threats-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com): > *“... the extraordinary federal intervention that many election officials had spent months preparing for never came. By the end of the night, no major statewide or national Republican figure had disputed the results, and the process of certifying the election and preparing for a transfer of power appeared to be proceeding without major resistance. President Donald Trump himself* [*told*](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/03/us/politics/trump-midterm-election-results.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.O1E.bPi2.CB7okm-WZJCn&smid=url-share&ref=fromthefifth.com) *🎁 The New York Times he would accept the election results.”* *That doesn’t mean something shady won’t happen down the road.* **Second, let’s look at the results.** As of Sunday afternoon, according [to the AP](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/?ref=fromthefifth.com): #### IN THE HOUSE: - **Democrats lead with 254 seats to Republicans’ 162**; 19 House seats have not been called yet. - **Democrats flipped 44 House seats** from Republican to Democrat; Republicans flipped two from Democrat to Republican. Republicans’ net loss — and Democrats’ net gain — was 42 seats. - **Democrats gained a huge number of seats despite Republican gerrymandering before the elections.** For [example,](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/national/national-politics/post-election-analysis-annihilation-trump-coalition?ref=fromthefifth.com) Republicans redrew Alabama’s 2nd District into one Trump would have won by 14 points. Instead, it reelected Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures by more than 7 points. #### IN THE SENATE: - **Democrats will control the chamber with at least 54 seats to Republicans’ 44.** - **The MISSISSIPPI and ALASKA Senate races have not yet been called.** Democrats lead by small margins in both races right now against the Republican incumbents. - **Democrats flipped seven seats to take the majority,** including key Republican seats in **Texas** and **South Carolina**. James Talarico (D) will be the first Democrat to [win](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/james-talarico-becomes-first-democrat-win-statewide-texas-since-1994-2026-11-04/?ref=fromthefifth.com) statewide office in Texas since 1994\. He won by [12 points](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/texas-us-senate-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com)! \_In Texas! \_Annie Andrews (D) [ousted](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/south-carolina-us-senate-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com) Sen. Darline Graham, the late Lindsey Graham’s sister. Roy Cooper will be the first Democrat to win a [**North Carolina**](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/north-carolina-us-senate-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com) Senate race since 2008\. Adam Hamilton is the [first](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/adam-hamilton-becomes-first-democrat-elected-us-senate-kansas-94-years-2026-11-04/?ref=fromthefifth.com) Democrat [**Kansas**](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/kansas-us-senate-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com) has elected to the Senate in 94 years. Democrats also flipped seats in [**Iowa**](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/iowa-us-senate-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com)**,** [**Maine**](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/maine-us-senate-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com) (ousting Susan Collins after 30 years!) and[**Ohio**](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/ohio-us-senate-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com)**.** 💡 The Constitution requires that the new 120th Congress convene on January 3, 2027, at noon, unless Congress sets another date by law. Since the 3rd is a Sunday, that might be a possibility. #### GOVERNORSHIPS: - **Democrats will hold governorships in 28 states,** compared to 20 for Republicans. The AP has not yet called the Alaska and Kansas gubernatorial races. - **Democrats flipped five governorships**: Nevada, Texas, Georgia, Iowa and Ohio. #### STATE HOUSES: - **Voters in six states gave Democrats full control of the legislature,** The Wall Street Journal [reports](https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/see-democrats-historic-statehouse-wins-and-their-new-trifectas-aff55a0c?ref=fromthefifth.com): Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. - **Democrats also picked up control of the House in Texas and Georgia** after more than 20 years. - **The Journal reminds us why this matters:** > *“The party’s banner day, its best in more than four decades, carries immense practical impact. With Congress often gridlocked and court rulings returning more authority to the states, legislatures play an increasing role in Americans’ daily lives, setting policy in areas such as education, healthcare, labor, abortion and gun laws, to name a few.”* #### RECORDS SET: - **Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI)** will become the country’s [first](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/abdul-el-sayed-becomes-first-muslim-elected-us-senate-2026-11-04/?ref=fromthefifth.com) Muslim senator. - **Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D)** will become the first Native American female US senator — and if Alaska’s Mary Peltola holds her lead, she’ll have company. - **Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH)** will become the country's [first](https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/chris-pappas-senator-historic-interview?ref=fromthefifth.com) openly gay male senator. - **Georgia’s Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms (D)** [will be](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/keisha-lance-bottoms-wins-georgia-race-becomes-first-black-woman-elected-2026-11-04/?ref=fromthefifth.com) the first Black woman governor in US history and Georgia’s first governor who is a woman or a person of color. - **New Mexico’s Gov.-elect Deb Haaland** **(D)** will be the [first](https://sourcenm.com/2026/11/03/ap-declares-democrat-deb-haaland-as-first-female-native-american-governor-in-us-by-joshua-bowling/?ref=fromthefifth.com) Native American female governor in the US. - **Gina Hinojosa (D)** will be Texas’ [first](https://www.texastribune.org/2026/11/03/texas-governor-greg-abbott-gina-hinojosa-election/?ref=fromthefifth.com) Latina governor. - **Byron Daniels (R)** will become Florida’s [first](https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/byron-donalds-on-being-the-first-black-governor-in-florida-273098309702?ref=fromthefifth.com) Black governor. 💡 More here: [****The historic firsts of the 2026 election**](https://www.cnn.com/2026/11/04/politics/historic-firsts-2026-election?ref=fromthefifth.com "CNN") \[CNN\] ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/11/CleanShot-2026-11-07-at-6.01.45-PM.png) Source: AP #### WHAT VOTERS SAID: - **JD Vance on X** [**blamed the war with Iran**](https://x.com/JDVance/status/2118004988433641835?ref=fromthefifth.com) **for the losses.** “The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026… the real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone. Another pollster—one of the smartest people I know in politics, told me yesterday we’d lose the generic ballot by 13 points… He asked those voters who had abandoned us what would cause them to come back on our team. The top four answers, accounting for nearly all of the responses were: 1. End the war 2. Focus on cost of living/inflation 3. Put America First 4. Change our relationship to Israel” - **Latinos ditched Trump and swung toward Democrats this cycle,** The 19th [reports](https://19thnews.org/2026/11/latina-voters-midterms-republicans-democrats/?ref=fromthefifth.com). > *“The swing didn’t come out of the blue — pun intended. Interviews with voters, as well as with experts who track Latinos, suggest that their shift to the left was fueled by intense disillusionment with Republicans, who didn’t fix the money problems that trouble them and spent the past two years rounding up their friends, neighbors and employees in immigration raids.”* - **Gen Z men, ages 18-29, who once supported Trump broke for Democrats,** too, The Hill [reports](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6202692-gen-z-swung-midterm-results/?ref=fromthefifth.com). > *“The number one force driving young men to vote for Trump and Republicans in 2024 were promises about an improved economy. Most Americans, including Gen Z men, feel that the economy is now worse,” said Tyler Daniel, an assistant professor of political science at Roanoke College.* 📊 ****You can see more exit polling data** [****here**](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-elections/exit-polls?ref=fromthefifth.com)****.** #### DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/11/CleanShot-2026-11-04-at-12.23.01-AM@2x.png) - **House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY) is the person most likely to become Speaker**, but people are emailing and calling Democrats urging them not to elevate him to the top job, Axios [reports](https://www.axios.com/2026/11/06/jeffries-speaker-democrats-house-calls-petition?ref=fromthefifth.com). One House staffer told Axios many want Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) for the job. “Raskin (D-Md.) has often been floated as a more progressive alternative to Jeffries, whose associations with pro-Israel groups and corporate PACs have long been a sore spot for the left... Raskin has expressed no interest in mounting a bid. A spokesperson for his office declined to comment.” Much of the movement stems from a post by actor Mark Ruffalo [urging](https://x.com/MarkRuffalo/status/2118174249903161722?ref=fromthefifth.com) his followers to sign [a petition](https://www.change.org/p/house-democrats-choose-a-new-speaker?ref=fromthefifth.com) to pick someone other than Jeffries. - **In the Senate, many Democrats — including incoming senators Abdul El-Sayed (MI), Annie Andrews (SC) and James Talarico (TX) — don’t want Sen. Chuck Schumer to take the Majority Leader job**, The Guardian [reports](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/06/chuck-schumer-majority-leader-incoming-democratic-senators?ref=fromthefifth.com). “But Schumer did not appear worried about his bid for Senate majority leader, telling reporters on Wednesday: ‘I’ll be re-elected as majority leader.’” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (MD) would be a better alternative, some Democrats say, but he’s not interested in the job, The Hill [reports](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/6202343-van-hollen-not-challenging-schumer/?ref=fromthefifth.com). Van Hollen is [considering](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2028-election/senator-chris-van-hollen-2028-presidential-race-rcna593986?ref=fromthefifth.com) a 2028 presidential run. - **House Speaker Mike Johnson (R)** [**said**](https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/11/04/congress/mike-johnson-steps-aside-01148698?ref=fromthefifth.com) **he will not run** to be the chamber’s minority leader. --- 3) STEPHEN MILLER, CHIEF OF STAFF \*\*NEW\*\* **Days before the election,** Trump [said](https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/trump-mr-veto-democrats-take-congress/?ref=fromthefifth.com) that if Democrats won Congress, “I guess I’ll become Mr. Veto. I’m not going to let them through.” On Tuesday night, once it became clear Democrats had swept the elections, **Trump was ornery,** [claiming](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117556082339815131?ref=fromthefifth.com) his party “would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” if he’d been on the ballot. **He was also defiant,** [posting](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117556328694376584?ref=fromthefifth.com) an image of a hat bearing the word “VETO,” signaling his unwillingness to work with Democrats. But by Wednesday morning, Trump [seemed](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-democrats-did-a-good-job-blames-republican-candidates-for-midterm-losses?ref=fromthefifth.com) — **oddly and eerily** — to be OK with the results, saying Democrats “did a good job.” For a millisecond, some might have allowed themselves to believe that Trump’s erratic, violent, corrupt second term might go out with a whimper. Instead, on Friday, Trump did something that suggests he plans to **double down** on the policies and actions that led to a stunning rebuke of his party and his presidency: He [announced](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117571000109141399?ref=fromthefifth.com) that he was **promoting Stephen Miller to chief of staff,** while moving Susie Wiles, who has held the job since January 2025, to the “Trump Political Operation” in an unspecified role. Incapable of taking responsibility for his decisions, **Trump blames Wiles**, in part, for Tuesday’s election drubbing. The New York Times [reports](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/06/us/politics/susie-wiles-chief-of-staff-trump.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.OVE.QzGE.Qj8hEG3k6-YF&ref=fromthefifth.com) 🎁 that Trump: > *“... has not accepted blame for the election results. Instead, he repeatedly blasted Ms. Wiles and his other political advisers, insisting he was poorly served in the lead-up to the midterms. He criticized Ms. Wiles in front of several people at an East Room election watch party Tuesday night, according to people with knowledge of the incident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal conversations.”* **Wiles** [**said**](https://x.com/SusieWiles47/status/2118780628258730072?ref=fromthefifth.com) **on X that Friday was her last day**: “While my role may be changing, my commitment to the President and the mission never will.” **Miller** [**posted**](https://x.com/StephenM/status/2118816530951544838?ref=fromthefifth.com) **on X that he was “honored beyond words,”** adding, “The mission now is more clear than ever: Fight with all of our soul to support our President and defend this magnificent Republic.” The [chief of staff](https://presidentialtransition.org/position%5Fdescription/chief-of-staff-2/?ref=fromthefifth.com) knows more about what’s going on than the president. Typically, this person [**controls**](https://presidentialtransition.org/position%5Fdescription/chief-of-staff-2/?ref=fromthefifth.com) **who gets access to the president and what information and decisions reach his desk.** The chief of staff also manages White House staff, runs the president’s daily schedule and often serves as the president’s point person with Congress. But **Miller’s influence has already extended well beyond the traditional boundaries** of his role as deputy chief of staff. The Wall Street Journal [reports](https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/stephen-miller-trump-chief-of-staff-56917f0a?st=iorA7L&ref=fromthefifth.com) that some staffers at cabinet agencies report directly to Miller, effectively bypassing cabinet secretaries. His portfolio has expanded across multiple areas of domestic policy, giving him influence over decisions and operations throughout the federal government. His promotion to chief of staff now puts him in an even **more powerful position,** giving him formal authority over the White House operation in addition to the influence he has already accumulated across the administration. Wiles was often [characterized](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/susie-wiles-donald-trump-rise-2020?ref=fromthefifth.com) as the “adult in the room” — someone who put “guardrails” around **Trump’s worst impulses** and made sure he **understood the risks** of his decisions. Whether that characterization was accurate is debatable, but it was certainly her public image and it served her well. The Wall Street Journal [writes](https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-names-stephen-miller-his-new-chief-of-staff-2f835632?ref=fromthefifth.com) that Wiles: > *“... lasted longer than any of Trump’s first-term chiefs of staff — he went through four in four years. She stood out for her steely and even-tempered demeanor in a White House crowded with talkative men with large egos.”* Miller, on the other hand, was a **major force behind some of Trump’s worst moves:** the first-term Muslim ban; the incendiary speech [he helped write](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/14/us/politics/stephen-miller-january-6-committee.html?ref=fromthefifth.com) for Trump to deliver to supporters before they stormed the Capitol on January 6; and his [demand](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/29/trump-ice-arrest-quota?ref=fromthefifth.com) that immigration agents make 3,000 arrests a day, which fueled the violence that killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti. He is often characterized as a **racist and** [**white nationalist**](https://www.npr.org/2019/11/19/780552636/stephen-miller-and-the-camp-of-the-saints-a-white-nationalist-reference?ref=fromthefifth.com). During Trump’s first term, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights [wrote](https://civilrights.org/resource/letter-to-the-white-house-civil-rights-groups-call-for-stephen-millers-removal/?ref=fromthefifth.com) to the president, demanding that Miller, then a senior adviser, **be fired:** > *“Supporters of white supremacists and neo-Nazis should not be allowed to serve at any level of government, let alone in the White House. Stephen Miller has stoked bigotry, hate, and division with his extreme political rhetoric and policies throughout his career.”* **Even Republicans are “fuming”** over Miller’s new job, Fox News [reports](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-gop-erupts-stephen-miller-trump-elevates-him-after-midterm-massacre-megalomaniac?ref=fromthefifth.com). They **blame Miller** — not Wiles — for the midterm losses, including the party’s declining support among Latino voters, who swung toward Trump in 2024 but voted against Republicans this time around. > *“Multiple House Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital just moments before his promotion said Miller, who spearheads Trump’s immigration policy, should be fired. When later asked about his promotion, one House Republican who said Miller should be fired replied simply with a facepalm emoji.”* 💬 “Please tell me you’re lying to me right now, just to get a reaction,” one House Republican said upon hearing of Miller’s promotion, Politico [reports](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/06/gop-reckoning-trump-midterms-stephen-miller-01154760?ref=fromthefifth.com). Politico also [reports](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/06/how-katie-miller-helped-make-her-husband-become-chief-of-staff-01154997?ref=fromthefifth.com) that Miller’s wife, Katie, **lobbied for her husband to get the job**. > *“The people familiar with Katie Miller’s outreach said she never advocated for ousting Wiles and her latest round of calls this week came only after it was clear Trump was ready for a new chief of staff.”* Wiles is the **latest woman to be forced out** of a senior position inside the Trump administration. The New York Times [notes](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/06/us/politics/susie-wiles-trump-women.html?ref=fromthefifth.com): > *“Four of Mr. Trump’s eight female cabinet-level officials resigned or were fired earlier this year: Attorney General Pam Bondi; Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the labor secretary; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem; and Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence. Like Ms. Wiles, all four were replaced by men,” .* Democratic leaders were quick to **condemn the appointment**. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) [called](https://x.com/RepJeffries/status/2118795008379908136?ref=fromthefifth.com) Miller “a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands.” Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) [said](https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2118791130695258315?ref=fromthefifth.com) Trump “learned nothing from his historic defeat,” adding that Miller “is the architect of the most barbaric, inhumane policies of this administration.” But perhaps the most **revealing indications** of what Miller’s appointment means for the administration’s next two years comes from how people close to Trump **describe the president’s expectations and Miller's own goals**. The Atlantic [reports](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/11/stephen-miller-susie-wiles-white-house/689331/?gift=SCYx-5scVta3-cr%5FIlgTySSaNlgrXhJ68bkFouMP2dc&ref=fromthefifth.com) 🎁: > *“One person familiar with Trump’s decision to elevate Miller told us that the president wants somebody who ‘will crack skulls,’ adding that Trump ‘doesn’t want to be reined in.’ Another described Miller as someone with significant Capitol Hill experience who could manage the coming clashes with Democrats… But another person familiar with Trump’s thinking said there was no need for a chief of staff who could work the Hill to pass legislation, because nothing was going to get done. ‘The next two years are going to be nonstop political warfare,’ this person told us — and Miller can be the face of that fight.”* The New York Times r[eports](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/06/us/politics/susie-wiles-chief-of-staff-trump.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.OVE.QzGE.Qj8hEG3k6-YF&ref=fromthefifth.com): > *“People close to Mr. Miller said he had shown no interest in compromising with congressional Democrats and was ready for a fight over subpoenas and investigations that are expected to emanate from the Hill. His top priority, they said, is rebuilding the fractured MAGA coalition and pursuing policies that will energize the voters who elected Mr. Trump in 2024."* And The Wall Street Journal [writes](https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/stephen-miller-trump-chief-of-staff-56917f0a?st=iorA7L&ref=fromthefifth.com): > *“An early test for Miller, according to associates of the president, is whether he can satisfy Trump’s desire to punish his perceived political enemies. One of Trump’s biggest frustrations with Wiles, according to administration officials, is that she and the Justice Department weren’t doing enough to go after people seen as leaking classified material, to jail reporters who publish such material and to prosecute his opponents."* And there's a **second troubling sign about Trump's intentions**: Trump [posted](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117576618491350292?ref=fromthefifth.com) to Truth Social on Saturday that he had offered the press secretary job to **Dana White**, “a violent Fighter and Warrior.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/11/CleanShot-2026-11-07-at-6.11.41-PM.png) **Violent?* Didn’t realize that was a good quality for a WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY.* White is the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. CNN [reports](https://www.cnn.com/2026/11/07/politics/dana-white-trump-press-secretary?ref=fromthefifth.com) that White **declined Trump’s offer**, but The Wall Street Journal [reports](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/ufc-chief-dana-white-to-meet-with-trump-to-discuss-press-secretary-job-af0cb2e4?ref=fromthefifth.com) that Trump has now invited White to the White House on Monday to talk about the job. The paper also notes that: > *“Trump’s affiliation with UFC and White goes back to the early 2000s, when the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City hosted mixed martial arts events. The organization at the time was unwelcome in many venues because of the brutality of the combat... The president has attended several UFC events as a candidate and president, which helped him attract support from younger male voters.”* *The same demographic Republicans lost traction with in this midterm cycle.* 📰 ****READING:** [****Trump Signals Combative Next Two Years With Elevation of Stephen Miller**](https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/stephen-miller-trump-chief-of-staff-56917f0a?st=ToLpDb&reflink=desktopwebshare%5Fpermalink&ref=fromthefifth.com) \[The Wall Street Journal\] 🎁 [****In Elevating Stephen Miller, Trump Doubles Down on Hard-Line Agenda**](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/06/us/politics/susie-wiles-chief-of-staff-trump.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.O1E.wwkL.K-2uySV7gogg&smid=url-share&ref=fromthefifth.com) \[The New York Times\] 🎁 [****The Miller Doctrine: Trump's "wartime consigliere"**](https://www.axios.com/2026/11/07/stephen-miller-trump-chief-of-staff-style?ref=fromthefifth.com) \[Axios\] 💡 ****OTHER INS AND OUTS:** ❓****Secretary of State Marco Rubio**, ****who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, is weighing whether to resign,** Bloomberg [reports](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-11-05/rubio-considers-leaving-administration-after-gop-s-midterm-loss?ref=fromthefifth.com), citing “people familiar with the matter.” He hasn’t made a decision yet. Rubio is widely rumored to be considering a 2028 presidential run, and resigning could be a way to distance himself from Trump’s policies and sinking approval ratings. Bloomberg adds: “Newly empowered Democrats in Congress plan to investigate a number of White House initiatives, including those in which Rubio was involved, such as attacks on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea. Any Trump nominee would be expected to get even greater scrutiny.” Rubio, however, [told](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/05/us/politics/marco-rubio-2028.html?ref=fromthefifth.com) The New York Times that he has no plans to leave and intends to stay until Trump’s term ends. ❌ ****Harmeet Dhillon, who led the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, resigned** on Thursday. In a [post](https://x.com/AAGDhillon/status/2118416422397505721?ref=fromthefifth.com) on X, Dhillon wrote: “We ushered in the downfall of illegal DEI, we fought to protect women and girls’ sports, and so much more.” Her division was responsible for the lawsuits against states demanding that they turn over voter registration lists. The lawsuits [lost](https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/what-harmeet-dhillon-left-out-of-her-resignation-letter/?ref=fromthefifth.com) all 27 cases that have been decided. Her office also declined to open an investigation into the January shooting death of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minnesota, prompting at least six senior DOJ officials to [resign](https://www.ms.now/news/doj-civil-rights-division-officials-quit-harmeet-dhillon?ref=fromthefifth.com) in protest. “Dhillon had told administration colleagues before the midterm elections that she intended to leave, and she had grown increasingly frustrated that she had not been promoted to deputy attorney general or another higher post as she expected, multiple sources [told](https://www.ms.now/news/justice-department-civil-rights-division-chief-harmeet-dhillon-resigns?ref=fromthefifth.com) MS NOW.” ❌ ****John Eisenberg, the assistant attorney general for national security, also resigned,** Politico [reports](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/06/john-eisenberg-jason-quinones-doj-01153945?ref=fromthefifth.com). Eisenberg “oversaw prosecutions of terrorism, leak investigations and espionage cases, and his division was part of the prosecution of former national security adviser John Bolton for illegally retaining classified information from his tenure in the first Trump White House.” ❌ ****The prosecutor appointed to investigate an alleged “grand conspiracy” against Trump has also** [****resigned**](https://x.com/USAReding/status/2118716093501939951?ref=fromthefifth.com)****, Attorney General Todd Blanche** [****shared on X**](https://x.com/agtoddblanche/status/2118712800230977822?ref=fromthefifth.com)****.** U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones submitted his resignation following Republicans’ midterm losses. The “grand conspiracy” is a MAGA theory that investigations into Trump — including the investigation into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the case involving classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate — were part of a plot to violate his civil rights. 📖 ****More here:** [****Trump Administration’s Post-Midterm Resignations Grow: Full List**](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-first-post-midterm-resignation-harmeet-dhillon-exits-12672270?ref=fromthefifth.com) --- ESCALATING *Stories that are new and on the bubble, appear to be escalating quickly with major developments and decision making points in the very near term.* ### WAR ON IRAN **Iran is threatening to “rain down hell” if the US resumes military attacks on them,** Al Jazeera [reports](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/8/iran-threatens-to-rain-down-hell-if-us-escalates-war?ref=fromthefifth.com). In an interview with CNN “Trump warned that US forces have three aircraft carriers stationed in the region ‘fully locked and loaded’, ready to continue strikes if need be. He also said that the US has 38 bridges in Iran’s crosshairs that US forces ‘can knock down in literally one hour.'" But Trump also [said](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-suggests-blasts-are-not-us-attacks-both-sides-report-ships-hit-2026-11-08/?ref=fromthefifth.com) he thinks it’s **“highly unlikely”** that it will be “necessary.” Behind the scenes, The Wall Street Journal [reports](https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/trumps-clashing-advisers-press-him-to-make-iran-war-decision-758c1e55?ref=fromthefifth.com) that while some, like Vice President JD Vance, are **encouraging Trump to wind down the war,** others, like Hegseth and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu *(shocker),* want Trump to **“reignite it.”** > *“The disagreements and conflicting counsel have made a difficult decision all the more wrenching for Trump, whom officials said has toggled since Tuesday’s returns between dismissing the electoral rebuke and feeling chastened by it. Trump has yet to definitively signal what he will do, often expressing a desire for diplomacy and fresh attacks in the same breath.”* In the meantime, the US is **still bombing targets** after accusing Iran of hitting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera [reports](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/7/qeshm-island-and-hormuz-hit-as-mediators-try-to-prevent-us-iran-escalation?ref=fromthefifth.com). The US is also **hitting Qeshm Island**, where Iran has air defenses and rocket launchers. Iran has **responded to the US attacks**, saying it destroyed an MQ-9 drone and an MQ-1 aircraft. Also, the AP [reports](https://apnews.com/article/mideast-news-november-7-2026-c26759ac66e6c022a3256adeae40c965?ref=fromthefifth.com): > *Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it has lifted a self-imposed limit of 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) on the range of its ballistic missiles, suggesting the country may seek to develop missiles capable of reaching more distant targets as fears of renewed all-out war rise...* > > *Iran is not known to have missiles that can go beyond the 2,000-kilometer (1,200-mile) limit. However, U.S. officials have said technology from Iran’s space program can be repurposed to build intercontinental ballistic missiles.”* --- WATCHING *Stories that could escalate into something bigger or more problematic or are waiting for major decisions that could decide its trajectory in the short-term.* - **Heavy rains and flooding are endangering tens of thousands of Palestinians living in makeshift shelters and tents in Gaza,** Al Jazeera [reports](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/8/floods-in-gaza-leave-tens-of-thousands-without-shelter?ref=fromthefifth.com). - “Ahmad Alhendawi, regional director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe at Save the Children International, said the situation was ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘entirely foreseeable’… ‘This is not simply the result of bad weather. Tents, shelter kits and fuel are waiting at Gaza’s borders while children sleep in floodwater, because the Israeli authorities are blocking their entry. This is a choice, and children are paying the price,’ he added.” - **The Gaza media office** [**said**](https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/heavy-rain-floods-tents-housing-gaza-displaced-people-aid-shortages-hamper-2026-11-07/?ref=fromthefifth.com) **70,000 tents were flooded over a 12-hour period on Saturday**. Israel has banned most of the construction equipment and materials needed to build adequate shelter, despite agreeing to allow them in under the October 2025 ceasefire agreement with Hamas. “We have no resources, no tarpaulins, no tents and no one is checking on us,” said displaced Gaza resident Rafiq Ghattas, standing barefoot in the middle of a large pool of rainwater." - **Israeli President Isaac Herzog has asked Gadi Eisenkot, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main rival, to form the country’s next government after Netanyahu’s bloc fell short of a majority** in the October 27 election. Eisenkot will have about six weeks to build a coalition, which could push Netanyahu out of office, CNN [reports](https://www.cnn.com/2026/11/07/middleeast/eisenkot-israel-government-latam-intl?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **Houston Mayor John Whitmire (D) says the city will begin limiting its cooperation with ICE after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) lost his reelection bid**, The New York Times [reports](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/06/us/houston-mayor-john-whitmire-immigration-ice-cooperation.html?ref=fromthefifth.com). Abbott had threatened city officials with public safety funding cuts unless they cooperated with ICE, including notifying the agency any time officers made contact with unauthorized migrants during nonviolent incidents like traffic stops. During one such stop in July, ICE agents fatally [shot](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/us/houston-ice-shooting.html?ref=fromthefifth.com) Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. - “‘The fact that a person is, or is suspected to be, subject to immigration enforcement shall not, by itself, be a basis to contact ICE,’ according to the order, reviewed by The Times. ‘If a person is not otherwise going to jail on new charges or other warrants, Department personnel shall not contact ICE regarding that person.’” *Do other cities use the same reasoning to follow suit?* - **The White House is considering labeling some nonprofit groups as terrorist organizations, claiming some are “exploiting” their tax-exempt status to enable violence,** The Wall Street Journal [reports](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-executive-order-irs-nonprofit-status-bf7e1735?ref=fromthefifth.com). - “Such an executive order would use an untested tax code section and escalate the administration’s scrutiny of tax-exempt groups, possibly targeting some of Trump’s antagonists and political opponents. Applying the terrorist label would impose much more immediate consequences on groups than the slower procedures typically used by the Internal Revenue Service to examine and penalize tax-exempt organizations for legal violations.” - **Two days after the election, the White House Office of Public Liaison sent a memo to at least 3,000 conservative groups telling them it was “monitoring” their “statements, press release and media engagement,”** The Wall Street Journal [reports](https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/white-house-warns-conservative-groups-it-is-monitoring-their-statements-087b07d0?ref=fromthefifth.com). - “The memo came after Republican leaders and well-known conservatives publicly blamed Trump’s policies for the election outcome. A White House official said the memo was meant to keep the conservative coalition unified during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.” The White House claimed it “wasn’t a threat,” the WSJ adds. - “Previous emails from the liaison’s office reviewed by The Wall Street Journal encourage grassroots organizations to share their pro-Trump messaging with the White House, but don’t include language about monitoring the groups’ statements.” - **Trump ally Laura Loomer, a racist, xenophobic liar, may have been paid to post political tweets on X without disclosing the payments**, [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/11/07/trump-ally-laura-loomer-paid-thousands-political-tweets-people-familiar-say/?pwapi%5Ftoken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzk0MDI3NjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzk1NDA5OTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3OTQwMjc2MDAsImp0aSI6IjYxYmI4NmQ3LTU3OWEtNDRkZS05YTc5LTJlYTA0MGU5MTQwMyIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9idXNpbmVzcy8yMDI2LzExLzA3L3RydW1wLWFsbHktbGF1cmEtbG9vbWVyLXBhaWQtdGhvdXNhbmRzLXBvbGl0aWNhbC10d2VldHMtcGVvcGxlLWZhbWlsaWFyLXNheS8ifQ.YQs6ySP-JWrvBrfMLAfZ15XeDDwPJNilcbXTX2upgp4&ref=fromthefifth.com) reports. - **The State Department has awarded a controversial group $1 million to study whether crimes are being committed against South Africa’s white population,** ProPublica [reports](https://www.propublica.org/article/afriforum-grant-trump-white-south-africans?ref=fromthefifth.com). - “The new award comes from a State Department bureau tasked with promoting democracy and human rights internationally. Until last year, those funds were mainly spent in poor and authoritarian nations — to fight corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, or combat child exploitation and sexual abuse in Afghanistan. Since Trump returned to office, his appointees have transformed the bureau, gutting its staff, canceling programs and reorienting some of its funding toward conservative causes in Europe.” - **A federal judge said she will appoint a lawyer to investigate whether the Trump administration misled the court about its renovation of an affordable DC golf course into a ritzy, championship-level course.** The court had ordered the government to notify it of any major renovations. Instead, the Trump administration chopped down hundreds of trees without notifying the court. [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/07/trump-special-master-investigation-jessie-liu-golf-01155175?ref=fromthefifth.com) --- RESOLVED-ISH *Stories that seem to be resolved, at the moment, decisions that appear final.* - **Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) has been discharged from the hospital after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke** last weekend. He is expected to make a full recovery but [says](https://x.com/LauraEWeiss16/status/2118783655892193518?ref=fromthefifth.com) he will spend several weeks at a rehabilitation center. --- *Have suggestions, feedback, questions? Email me at huma@fromthefifth.com* ## Get The Fifth Helping you make sense of the news, with one email a week. Subscribe Free Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.