> ## 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. # Trump panics, the Gaza genocide at three years, and the Pentagon plans a live-streamed execution - URL: https://www.fromthefifth.com/trump-panics-the-gaza-genocide-at-three-years-and-the-pentagon-plans-a-live-streamed-execution/ - Published: 2026-10-12T00:43:57.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-12T00:43:57.000Z - Author: Huma Razvi - Tags: Weekly Newsletter Here are the news stories that deserve your attention for the week October 4, 2026: 1) War on Iran *The war on Iran remains at an impasse. There is now “talk” about talks, and President Trump said this week that the US will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections. But, as we’ve seen before, this doesn't mean anything, really. Trump is unreliable, if not an outright liar, and motivated by political expediency, not peace. So, nothing is promised, and nothing is what it seems.* *Meanwhile, regional fighting is escalating, wounded soldiers are speaking out about shoddy medical care, the Pentagon has disclosed that two more service members have died while deployed, and the USS Abraham Lincoln has returned home after a record-long deployment. Democrats are sounding the alarm that the Trump administration is hiding the true impact of the war.* - **Talks.** Russian President Vladimir Putin relayed a message to Trump from Iran during a phone call on Friday, Iranian state media [Mehr News](https://en.mehrnews.com/news/248467/Putin-relays-Iran-s-terms-for-ending-war-to-Trump?ref=fromthefifth.com) and Russian news agency Interfax [report](https://www.interfax.kz/ru/social-and-political-news/180454?ref=fromthefifth.com). The details haven’t been reported publicly, but the message concerned Iran’s terms for ending the war. Putin recently met with Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, at a summit in Turkmenistan, where he “[expressed](https://www.interfax.kz/ru/social-and-political-news/180454?ref=fromthefifth.com) his readiness to mediate in order to reach a settlement that would end the war.” - **Trump’s “Promise.”** In a [Truth Social post](https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/42202?ref=fromthefifth.com) on Thursday, Trump said that while the US blockade on Iran’s ports will continue (itself an act of war), the US “will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections….” Trump was apparently responding to [several](https://www.axios.com/2026/10/07/trump-us-central-command-iran-israel-war-elections?ref=fromthefifth.com) [outlets](https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/10/trump-iran-strike-midterms/688910/?ref=fromthefifth.com) citing US sources who reported that Trump was planning to attack Iran before the midterms. This is a shift from what Trump [said](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-says-iran-war-will-end-right-after-us-midterm-elections-2026-09-09/?ref=fromthefifth.com) just weeks ago, when he claimed that the war would end just *after* the midterm elections. Now, he seems to be implying that things will remain relatively calm *until* then. - **Days later, Israeli media** [**reported**](https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/artc-report-us-pressed-israel-to-strike-iran-ahead-of-elections?ref=fromthefifth.com) **that Trump "pressed"** Israel to strike Iran unilaterally before the US midterms so he won’t have to do it himself and risk looking like the bad guy. Citing Israeli journalist Ben Caspit, Israel's i24 News says "that Washington wanted Israel to assume the political risk of renewed fighting ahead of the American elections. US officials believed Israel might favor a strike before its own vote, while direct American involvement could carry a political cost for President Donald Trump." - **On Netanyahu, Caspit writes in** [**Al-Monitor**](https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/10/deal-or-war-israel-fears-fallout-trumps-next-move-iran?ref=fromthefifth.com)**:** “A renewed attack on Iran could help him pull ahead through a ‘rally ’round the flag’ effect or lead to a postponement of the elections, extending his tenure as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. Support for Netanyahu rose, for instance, after Operation Shield and Arrow in Gaza in May 2023 and Operation Rising Lion against Iran in July 2025.” - **Reminder:** A third aircraft carrier has been [dispatched](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/02/us-third-aircraft-carrier-middle-east-iran?ref=fromthefifth.com) to the region and is expected to arrive in late November. - **Strait of Hormuz.** The Trump administration loves to say that the US controls the key strait and that everything is under control there. But attacks on oil tankers are at a record high, [CNBC reports](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/09/iran-war-strait-hormuz-tanker-attack-oil.html?ref=fromthefifth.com). At least nine sailors have died in attacks since July. “This is not a sustainable new normal,” said Richard Meade, editor in chief of the shipping industry trade journal *Lloyd’s List*. - **Thoughts.** There appears to be a swirl of misinformation, disinformation, and confusion about what’s going on, who is saying what to whom, and what’s being leaked and why. I’ve stopped trying to make sense of it because, under Trump, the US has twice attacked Iran while the two countries were engaged in talks to avoid war: in June 2025 and in February, when this latest war began. Each time, the reporting, leaks, and rumors never made any sense related to the outcome. This pattern, combined with Trump’s penchant for lying and his desperate attempts to sway the November elections in his favor by stifling public resentment over his decision to start an illegal, unnecessary war, makes him erratic, unreliable, and untrustworthy. He’s also hella confused and might, like Netanyahu, do anything to avoid defeat or, at the very least, postpone it. For these reasons – and more – *I'm (nervously) holding on to see what happens between now and October 27 and leading up to November 3*. **RELATED:** - **At least 13 people were killed and 300 injured after Yemen’s Houthi rebels, formally known as Ansar Allah, attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday**, [Reuters reports](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/yemens-houthis-renew-warning-over-saudi-airports-after-deadly-riyadh-attack-2026-10-11/?ref=fromthefifth.com). It was the third attack on the airport this week; four people were killed in the two earlier attacks. The airport is closed for now. Ansar Allah says it considers Saudi airports fair game after Saudi Arabia [attacked](https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2109128950286864671?ref=fromthefifth.com) Yemen’s Sanaa International Airport in July. - **Reminder:** Saudi Arabia – a US ally – supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government that has been fighting Ansar Allah, which is aligned with Iran. SA has repeatedly asked Trump for help in fighting them, which he has refused. Trump told reporters Saturday that he was reconsidering his decision. Türkiye and Pakistan have [entered](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/5/mecca-alliance-agrees-to-activate-collective-deterrence-measures?ref=fromthefifth.com) into an agreement with Saudi Arabia to defend it against Houthi attacks. - **The Wall Street Journal** [**reports**](https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-backed-houthis-hit-saudi-capitals-airport-in-damaging-new-attack-d4c12236?ref=fromthefifth.com)**: "**Still, Saudi leaders are growing more worried that the conflict with the Iran-backed Yemeni militants will damage the economy, people familiar with the matter said. They also are concerned about [tight supplies of missile interceptors](https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/the-u-s-is-burning-through-its-supply-of-interceptors-to-counter-irans-attacks-f42c5ecd?mod=article%5Finline&ref=fromthefifth.com) needed to fend off attacks, they said." - **The heavy attacks may be timed to the fact** that Saudi Arabia is [scheduled to hold](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/major-saudi-conferences-proceed-organisers-say-despite-deadly-airport-attack-2026-10-10/?ref=fromthefifth.com) two major conferences this month, one focused on energy and the other on investment – both important to their economy. US executives, including JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon, are scheduled to attend the latter, the Future Investment Initiative, commonly referred to as “Davos in the Desert.” Organizers say the conference is still on. - **Soldiers wounded in an Iranian attack on Port Shuaiba in Kuwait in March say** the military had been warned that their location was vulnerable, backing up reporting by [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/07/12/survivors-iranian-attack-that-killed-6-us-troops-say-generals-ignored-warnings/?ref=fromthefifth.com) earlier this year. The [AP spoke](https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-port-shuaiba-drone-strike-takeaways-77203e36ceaf49c798e18219f0e3506a?ref=fromthefifth.com) to 13 soldiers with knowledge of the incident who said the Pentagon “did not take Iranian threats seriously enough….” - **In addition to the security failures,** the military was not prepared to handle a mass-casualty event – which would include treating wounded soldiers – sources say. - *“Soldiers who still had their phones intact used Google to locate the nearest medical facilities. The wounded would later recount that their serious injuries were not treated promptly or adequately in the weeks that followed the strike. Army officials said that the medical care was appropriate… Several soldiers said it took weeks before they were diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and able to start receiving specialized care.”* Experts say diagnosing brain injuries like this can often take time, however. - **The widow of one service member killed in the attack, Tina Marzan,** [**told the AP**](https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-port-shuaiba-attack-soldiers-29f34587c6361261f6e803aff6791e8f?ref=fromthefifth.com): *“We have the right to know what really happened… If somebody messed up, those people need to be held responsible.”* - **Two more deaths have been added to the Pentagon’s casualty database, bringing the total number to 21\. The two service members died of non-combat-related causes**, according to [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/10/10/pentagon-raises-official-toll-troops-killed-during-war-with-iran-21/?ref=fromthefifth.com) and [Defense Scoop](https://defensescoop.com/2026/10/09/dcas-defense-casualty-analysis-system-changes/?ref=fromthefifth.com). The Post had [previously reported](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/09/18/more-us-troops-have-died-amid-iran-war-than-pentagon-has-disclosed-publicly/?ref=fromthefifth.com), citing five sources, that the Defense Department was undercounting troop deaths related to the war. - **Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)** [**says**](https://thehill.com/policy/defense/6132165-murphy-qatar-iran-war-pentagon/?ref=fromthefifth.com) **the Pentagon denied him access to a US base in Qatar, which, as a member of Congress, he is entitled to visit and conduct oversight of.** He accused the administration of hiding the damage Iran has caused. *For more on the administration’s efforts to hide damage, see* [*this issue of The Fifth*](https://www.fromthefifth.com/trumps-midterm-bribe-iran-war-explained/) *(search for “Bahrain”).* - **A seventh man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism and released on bail in connection with a security incident at RAF Fairford**, a UK air force base used by the US in the war on Iran, [CBS News reports](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uk-police-release-arrest-raf-fairford-incident/?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **The USS Abraham Lincoln, with roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard,** [**returned**](https://apnews.com/article/uss-lincoln-san-diego-iran-war-6ddd8cc3f634f9863bd718683df21ba7?ref=fromthefifth.com) **to San Diego this week** after a record-breaking 321-day deployment. The ship went a [record](https://www.npr.org/2026/10/08/nx-s1-5995911/the-long-deployed-uss-lincoln-returns-home-to-san-diego-bay?ref=fromthefifth.com) 265 days without a port stop. At least eight service members attempted suicide while deployed. On board were [122 new dads](https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/10/09/daddys-home-122-sailors-aboard-the-abraham-lincoln-meet-their-children-for-the-first-time/?ref=fromthefifth.com) who hadn’t yet met their newborn children. 🥹 2) Gaza Genocide *Wednesday marked the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas-led attacks, which killed an estimated 1,195 people, including at least 800 civilians. Since then, Israel has killed more than 74,000 people in Gaza, including more than 21,000 children.* *Friday marked the one-year anniversary of the ceasefire agreed to by Israel and Hamas. Israel has broken it nearly every day since, killing Palestinians and depriving those who remain of the basic supplies needed to sustain life.* - **On the one-year ceasefire anniversary, more than 100 humanitarian and human rights organizations issued a** [**joint statement**](https://www.nrc.no/news/2026/norwegian-aid-budget-fails-to-meet-target-as-revenues-rise/gaza-ceasefire-exists-in-name-only-say-more-than-100-organizations?ref=fromthefifth.com) **saying the ceasefire exists in “name only.”** Israel has [violated](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/7/three-years-of-israels-genocide-in-gaza-in-numbers?ref=fromthefifth.com) it on a near-daily basis, killing more than 1,460 people, [including](https://www.nrc.no/news/2026/norwegian-aid-budget-fails-to-meet-target-as-revenues-rise/gaza-ceasefire-exists-in-name-only-say-more-than-100-organizations?ref=fromthefifth.com) 327 children, since it began. - **Human Rights Watch** [**says**](https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/10/10/gaza-ceasefire-anniversary-marks-year-of-failed-promises?ref=fromthefifth.com) **that** “aid volumes remain far below required levels, critical humanitarian access routes have been repeatedly obstructed, and reconstruction has not yet begun.” Adding: *"With winter approaching, families are facing an Israel-engineered shelter crisis that threatens their lives and basic human rights, including the rights to housing, health, and education. According to a survey of nearly 2,000 households across Gaza by the Palestine Shelter Cluster, 94% of Gaza’s population lacks adequate shelter. Nearly two-thirds of housing units have been destroyed, and many of those still standing are damaged and unsafe. More than half of the households surveyed are living in tents.*" - **Doctors Without Borders, whose international staff have been banned from Gaza since February**, [says](https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/our-response-israel-gaza-war?ref=fromthefifth.com) it is working with local Palestinian staff to provide medical assistance. The organization says Israel's blockade of critical medical supplies, including medication, makes it “impossible to meet basic needs.” **RELATED:** - **In the illegally occupied West Bank:** - **It’s olive harvest season but it’s also a period of peak violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers and the Israeli military.** On Friday, at least 19 attacks and pogroms by Israeli settlers were recorded. Settler terrorists uprooted trees, stole crops and livestock, set fire to groves, and assaulted Palestinians, [Al Jazeera reports](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/9/israeli-settler-attacks-target-palestinian-olive-harvest-in-west-bank?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **In an attack on Tuesday, Israeli settler terrorists shot a Palestinian man in the foot and attacked and fired at two Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists** who were reporting on the scene. One reporter said the Israelis beat him with the butt of their rifles. Both journalists said Israeli military personnel were nearby but did not intervene. The Israeli military says the incident is under review, of course, [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/10/06/israeli-settlers-beat-afp-photographer-covering-violence-west-bank/?ref=fromthefifth.com) reports. - **At least** [**76 Palestinians**](https://palestine.un.org/en/320840-alakbarov-west-bank-breaking-point-and-settler-violence-has-reached-unprecedented-levels?ref=fromthefifth.com) **have been killed** by Israeli settlers or the Israeli military this year. ****RESOURCES:** 📖 **Gaza changed after three years of Israel’s genocidal war* \[[Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/7/how-three-years-of-israels-genocidal-war-have-changed-gaza?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 📖 **Captured alive, but killed in captivity: The 40 hostages who never made it back home alive – and why* \[[CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/08/middleeast/october-7-israel-hostages-netanyahu-vis-intl?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 📖 **How Many Israelis Were Killed BY ISRAEL on October 7th?* \[[Video by Zeteo on Israel’s Hannibal Directive](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BFIvRQJDDA&ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 📖 **One year on, Trump's Gaza plan has not stopped Israeli fire or disarmed Hamas* \[[Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/one-year-trumps-gaza-plan-has-not-stopped-israeli-fire-or-disarmed-hamas-2026-10-06/?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] ****KEY STATS: GAZA GENOCIDE 2023 - Present** 📍 ****74,250+ dead**, including 21,976 children and 1,125 infants \[Gaza Media Office (GMO)\] **\* These numbers are widely considered conservative by* [**The Lancet*](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X%2825%2900522-4/fulltext?ref=fromthefifth.com)**, a prestigious global medical journal.* 📍 ****175,000 wounded**, or 1 in 13 people \[[Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/7/three-years-of-israels-genocidal-war-in-gaza-in-numbers?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 📍 ****94%** of hospitals and clinics damaged or destroyed \[[Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/7/how-three-years-of-israels-genocidal-war-have-changed-gaza?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 📍 ****97%** of schools damaged or destroyed \[GMO\] 📍 ****87%** of agricultural land destroyed \[GMO\] 📍 ****76.6%** of structures destroyed \[[Medecins Sans Frontieres](https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/our-response-israel-gaza-war?ref=fromthefifth.com) (MSF)\] 📍 ****2,200** health and aid workers killed, including 15 MSF/Doctors Without Borders staff \[[MSF](https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/our-response-israel-gaza-war?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 📍 ****262** journalists killed \[GMO\] 📍 ****62,247** children who at least one parent \[GMO\] 📍 ****2,774** children who lost both parents \[GMO\] 📍 ****4,000** child amputees \[[IRC](https://www.rescue.org/press-release/children-gaza-need-protection-hunger-and-injuries-surge-irc-data-shows?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 📍 ****6,020** families with only one family member remaining \[GMO\] 📍 ****12,000** miscarriages caused by lack of food and healthcare \[GMO\] 📍 ****21,000** people waiting for medical evacuation \[GMO\] 📍 ****2,027** people died waiting for medical evacuation \[GMO\] **RELATED:** - **The Nobel Peace Prize was** [**awarded**](https://x.com/NobelPrize/status/2108483034265555179?ref=fromthefifth.com) **to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a human rights lawyer, for her work as a judge at the International Criminal Court** and, previously, at the UN’s International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which prosecuted the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Most recently, she led the UN inquiry that found that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. She is 85! *Naturally, Trump* [*had*](https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/42220?ref=fromthefifth.com) *a temper tantrum about it.* - **David Milstein, a key aide to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, “repeatedly suppressed or significantly revised” messages from the US embassy in Israel to US officials** to “present the Netanyahu government in a favorable light,” [*The New York Times* reports](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/08/world/middleeast/israel-embassy-milstein-huckabee.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.HlE.GiD3.3wwLtY66cVvO&smid=url-share&ref=fromthefifth.com). 🎁 The newspaper cited interviews with 15 people who have worked with Milstein in Jerusalem and the US since he began the job in April 2025, as well as a review of dozens of documents. - **Milstein removed information** suggesting that the Israeli government was failing to curb settler terrorist violence and blocked information about investigations into the murders of American citizens. Huckabee worked with Milstein in some cases to suppress or remove information. Both Milstein and Huckabee declined to speak to the Times. - **Last month, Politico Playbook** [**reported**](https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2026/09/21/huckabees-walking-counterintel-red-flag-01085994?ref=fromthefifth.com) **tha**t Milstein had offered guests a QR code to send cash gifts for his upcoming wedding, which some people found strange. Two sources characterized him as a liability. “The two people told Playbook that people are afraid of Milstein because of his stepdad: conservative radio host and Fox News personality Mark Levin, who is close with President Donald Trump, and whose name Milstein frequently drops to protect himself, according to the people.” 3) Midterm Election News *With just over three weeks until the midterm elections, the chances of Democrats retaking the House are high, and control of the Senate appears within reach for now. Democrats are benefiting from high gas prices, a war that was supposed to last just a few weeks but is now in its eighth month, and a president so politically toxic that even some Republican candidates are distancing themselves from him. The midterms are Democrats’ to lose.* *And... It wouldn’t be entirely surprising if they fumbled everything at the last second or Republicans pull several rabbits out of hats. The results will ultimately hinge on Democrats' ability to hold on to the gains they’ve made, turn out voters, and raise enough money in the final weeks to pay for campaign ads, polling, and get-out-the-vote efforts. Oh, and not say or do anything wildly stupid.* - **The Cook Political Report – known for ranking races based on which party is likely to win them – moved 18 House races in favor of Democrats winning this week.** Despite heavy ad spending, Republicans have been unable to "move the needle," in those races [Erin Covey writes](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/house-overview/eighteen-more-house-race-ratings-move-democrats-favor?ref=fromthefifth.com). Four of the 18 races have GOP incumbents running. Three of those Republicans won by less than two points in 2024\. Covey adds that "the most likely outcome is now that Democrats will pick up nine to 19 seats. That would give them 224 seats on the lower end and 234 on the upper end." - **Democrats need 218 seats to win control of the House** – that's four more than they have [now](https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown?ref=fromthefifth.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/10/CleanShot-2026-10-11-at-6.13.49-PM.png) - **Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate to Democrats' 45 plus two Independents who caucus with them. Democrats need to win four seats to effectively take control.** Here's the current state of play in the Senate – which shows at least seven Senate seats listed in the "*Toss Up*" category which means either party could win. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/10/CleanShot-2026-10-11-at-6.37.48-PM.png) ****Solid**: These races are not considered competitive and are not likely to become closely contested. ****Likely**: These races are not considered competitive at this point but have the potential to become engaged. ****Lean**: These races are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage. ****Toss Up**: These races are the most competitive; either party has a good chance of winning. - **Here are some key Senate races to watch:** - **Texas.** Good 'ole, solid, red Texas... Democrat James Talarico holds a narrow **lead** over Republican Ken Paxton, whom Trump endorsed over longtime favorite and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the primary. If Talarico wins, it would be the **first time in 32 years** that Democrats have won a statewide election in Texas — “their longest active drought in any state,” [The Texas Tribune points out](https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/08/texas-senate-james-talarico-flu-ken-paxton-debate-trump/?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **After refusing to donate to Paxton’s campaign** because they were angry at Trump for choosing him over Cornyn, Republican donors are now racing to pour money into the race, worried Republicans could lose.“The change underscores the perilous state of the GOP, which finds itself confronting a darkening map where ‘the fires are everywhere’ and which possibly portends the loss of multiple Senate races in states Trump won by double digits two years ago,” [Politico writes](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/10/get-in-line-donors-strike-new-tone-about-helping-paxton-01114384?ref=fromthefifth.com). *Will it be too little, too late?* Trump won Texas by 13 points in 2024\. This week, Trump made his [third visit to Texas](https://apnews.com/article/trump-texas-paxton-senate-protesters-cd12a03fd2a900699459678c3a77dd22?ref=fromthefifth.com) to campaign for Paxton in less than a month. - **More Tea:** “Ken Paxton’s fourth leaked recording is likely to do even more damage than the first three.” [MS NOW](https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/paxton-leak-audio-recordings-texas-senate-social-security-medicare-medicaid?ref=fromthefifth.com) - **Michigan.** Former President Barack Obama will [campaign](https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2026/10/06/obama-is-appear-with-el-sayed-detroit-ex-president-gets-more-involved-midterms/?ref=fromthefifth.com) for Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on October 24, as well as for Jocelyn Benson, who is running for governor. If El-Sayed wins, he’ll become the first Muslim senator. Trump [attacked](https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/42196?ref=fromthefifth.com) El-Sayed online this week calling him a "RADICAL Extremist, Terrorist Sympathizer..." *which is not true and very racist*. - **South Carolina.** Trump repeatedly [used](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117390404347091382?ref=fromthefifth.com) an anti-trans slur against pediatrician Annie Andrews, the Democratic candidate for South Carolina’s Senate seat. She’s running against Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham. Andrews largely ignored the insult, saying in a statement first shared [with NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/trump-anti-trans-slur-annie-andrews-south-carolina-democrat-senate-rcna601767?ref=fromthefifth.com) that she will “work with anyone to put South Carolina first.” This is also a seat that Republicans thought they weren't going to have to spend a lot of time and resources on – until Sen. Graham died unexpectedly in July. - **Trump is not on the ballot, but the midterms are always a referendum on the president and his party. So, it's *NO BUENO* that Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 30%** in the [latest Pew Research poll](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/10/08/with-americans-in-a-sour-mood-democratic-voters-are-more-engaged-in-midterms/?ref=fromthefifth.com), down from 34% in July and the lowest of his second term in Pew’s polling. He began the term with 47% approval. - *“Since taking office in January 2025, support for Trump has fallen across every major demographic group, including double-digit drops among Hispanics, men, rural and suburban voters, people without college degrees and evangelical Christians,"* [Reuters writes](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-voters-are-not-pumped-about-voting-midterms-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2026-10-08/?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **Eighty-four percent of voters say** the economy is their top concern, followed by the “future of democracy” at 73%. *Safe to say, these aren't Trump's strong suits right now.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/10/strongeconomy_tops_voters_list_of_election_issues_this_yearstrong.png) [Pew Research](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/10/08/economy-ranks-as-top-issue-in-midterms-for-all-voters-but-partisans-differ-over-the-importance-of-other-issues/?ref=fromthefifth.com) - **A** [**new Reuters/Ipsos poll**](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-voters-are-not-pumped-about-voting-midterms-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2026-10-08/?ref=fromthefifth.com) **puts Trump's approval at 32%** – a record second-term low in that poll. - **The poll also shows that far more Democrats than Republicans are enthusiastic about voting this year.** And, men — who are shifting more toward Democrats — are more enthusiastic about voting than women, which Reuters says is good news for Democrats. Trump [won men by 12 points](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-voters-are-not-pumped-about-voting-midterms-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2026-10-08/?ref=fromthefifth.com) in 2024. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/63/83/6383311e-f1a6-4711-9ae5-f7e74bbdc4bd/content/images/2026/10/Trump-voters-are-not-pumped-about-voting-in-the-midterms--ReutersIpsos.png) - **In both the Pew and Reuters polls, voters were more enthusiastic about voting *against* Trump** than about voting *for* Democrats. - **More bad signs: Republicans are pulling money from races they no longer think they can win** and redirecting it to races in once-solid states that are now in trouble, [Politico reports](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/07/republicans-shift-further-into-defensive-posture-as-midterms-loom-01109703?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **Now that his attempts to manipulate voting methods, stifle turnout, and disenfranchise millions of voters have largely failed,** Trump is resorting to desperate measures, which include: - **Race-Baiting.** Trump has escalated his anti-Somali and anti-Muslim rhetoric, targeting Somali Minnesotans in an online attack [posted](https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/42205?ref=fromthefifth.com) to his social media account. - **Reminder:** *"Trump has in the past repeatedly invoked a scandal in Minnesota that dates to 2020 in which scores of people were accused of defrauding millions of ​dollars from a state-run, federally funded child nutrition program. Many of the defendants in that case were Somali Americans. In May, ​Aimee Bock, who is not a Somali immigrant and led the Minnesota non-profit group involved in the scandal, was sentenced to 41 years in prison after she was convicted last year of being the ringleader of the scheme,"* [Reuters reports](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-online-burst-anti-somali-anti-muslim-rhetoric-2026-10-09/?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **Payouts.** Trump is spending $2.35 billion on payments to Americans in the weeks leading up to the election, [Reuters reports](https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/trump-doles-out-billions-voters-ahead-midterm-elections-2026-10-07/?ref=fromthefifth.com) - **Last week, we mentioned the one-time $90 checks** being sent to some 20.8 million Medicare Part B enrollees to help pay their premiums, which the Trump administration increased by 10%, to more than $200\. He’s also sending $500 to some people enrolled in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Those premiums skyrocketed this year because *Republicans* failed to extend subsidies to help pay for them. Along with the checks, the government has mailed letters falsely accusing the Biden administration of overcharging recipients, [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/05/politics/trump-taxpayer-money-midterms?ref=fromthefifth.com) reports. - **This week, Trump also** [**renewed**](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/04/trump-5000-checks-cash-payments-midterms.html?ref=fromthefifth.com) **his bribe — *sorry, I mean BRIBE* — of $5,000 to Americans if Republicans win in November**. That would amount to $1.2 trillion, with no funding source identified, and would require congressional approval. - **On the same day that JD Vance was campaigning in Alaska for Sen. Dan Sullivan**, the Trump administration [approved](https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-announce-150-million-alaska-power-lines-vance-campaigns-senate-battleground-2026-10-05/?ref=fromthefifth.com) $150 million in new funding for power lines in the state. - **Mail-in Voting U-Turn.** After spending months trying to shut down mail-in voting by falsely claiming it is rife with fraud, Trump is now encouraging Republicans to vote by mail — something he also frequently does, [Newsweek](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-urges-republicans-to-vote-by-mail-despite-past-attacks-12521324?ref=fromthefifth.com) reports. - **Poaching.** Worried that Republicans will be unable to win new Senate seats or confidently hold on to the ones Republicans already have, Trump is renewing his overtures to Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania to switch parties and become a Republican. “He does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat,” Trump [said](https://apnews.com/article/trump-fetterman-senate-majority-republican-4d16303349a8e9594ecddbf152d4c2e8?ref=fromthefifth.com). Fetterman has previously rejected Trump's invitations. - **Lying.** Trump is so desperate to appear popular that he’s [cropping photos](https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/42167?ref=fromthefifth.com) to hide the empty rows at his venues and accusing people of lying about attendance at his events. - **The New York Times' Katie Rogers** [**writes**](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/us/politics/trump-rallies-midterms-rituals.html?ref=fromthefifth.com)**:** *“The rallies are, in fact, more modest — and at times more sedate — than they used to be... In Alabama, the same state where 30,000 people attended a Trump rally in a 30,000-person stadium in August 2015, there were swaths of empty seats at the 10,000-capacity athletic center where Mr. Trump spoke on Friday. In Ohio a day later, several areas of an upper deck were empty by the time Mr. Trump finished speaking at a 4,500-capacity high school student activity center.”* - **In one social media post, Trump** [**said**](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117389593495407380?ref=fromthefifth.com)The New York Times should be arrested for reporting that there were empty seats at his Ohio rally. - [Seth Meyers debunks Trump’s claims](https://mashable.com/entertainment/seth-meyers-trump-rally-crowd-size?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **Taxpayer-Funded Campaign Ads.** After spending $10 million in taxpayer funds on campaign-style ads to make him look good, Trump says he won’t reimburse the government. - *“Officials in both parties have criticized the ads, which are being aired amid a heated midterm campaign. And some have said they could violate federal laws for using taxpayer funds for ‘publicity or propaganda purposes.’ One of the ads included footage that had originally appeared in a 2024 Trump campaign video,”* [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/us/politics/trump-taxpayer-funded-ads.html?ref=fromthefifth.com) reports. - **Trump now** [**says**](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117390649505706640?ref=fromthefifth.com) **the super PAC MAGA Inc. will pay** to run the ads. But it’s illegal for a sitting politician to direct how a super PAC spends its money. ****READING:** 📍 **Democrats Project a Party Milestone in Congress: 100 Women in the House* \[[The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/05/us/politics/democrats-congress-women-house.html?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 📍 **US House Races to Watch* \[[AP](https://apnews.com/projects/2026-us-elections-house-key-races-to-watch/?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] 4) ICE AGGRESSION ICE agents shot a man in a residential area of New York City on Thursday while he was in a car with his 5-year-old son. Here’s what we know: - **DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin claims the man, Oscar Belgal, used his car to ram federal agents’ vehicles, prompting them to open fire. He says the agents didn’t know the child was in the car,** [The Washington Post reports](https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/10/09/mullin-says-ice-didnt-know-5-year-old-boy-was-car-when-officer-fired/?ref=fromthefifth.com). “He knew he had a child in the car and chose to accelerate at a high-rate of speed,” Mullin said. “He’s a criminal, a thug, a gangbanger. The outrage should be with him endangering a 5-year-old.” - **Mullin claimed Belgal was part of a gang allegedly involved in the shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer last year,** the Post reports. But when a judge asked about the basis for Belgal’s arrest in court, a government lawyer said he didn’t have information about why Belgal was wanted, beyond his “criminal history.” - **One witness said she saw Belgal walking down the street with his young son while talking on the phone.** She overheard him saying he thought he was being followed before he got into his car. She said she did not see Belgal ram any vehicles before agents started shooting. - **New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani** and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch [said](https://time.com/article/2026/10/09/mamdani-trump-ice-shooting-new-york-dhs-oscar-belgal/?ref=fromthefifth.com) the ICE officers were in plain clothes. Mamdani said the agents endangered public safety and that he would call on Trump to withdraw ICE from New York City. Mamdani supports abolishing ICE. Trump said he would release Belgal to local authorities if they promised to prosecute him. Mamdani said no. - **Belgal’s Lawyer Harold Solis** [**said**](https://abc7ny.com/post/ice-officer-shoots-man-vehicle-marble-hill-nyc/19924201/?ref=fromthefifth.com)**:** *“Regardless of whether or not someone has a criminal history, it is not lawful and it is not okay to shoot a father in an afternoon with his son in the back seat. That is not how we resolve legal disputes in this country. We resolve them in buildings like these.”* - **A federal judge has barred the government from deporting Belgal,** who still has a bullet lodged in his shoulder. The child was unharmed and is now with his mother, [ABC New York reports](https://abc7ny.com/post/ice-officer-shoots-man-vehicle-marble-hill-nyc/19924201/?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **As we’ve seen in the cases of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both of whom were shot and killed by federal agents in incidents caught on camera, federal agents have repeatedly lied about the circumstances** of such shootings and have not been held accountable. Since July, ICE agents have shot and killed at least two other immigrants in their cars. **RELATED:** - **An FBI whistleblower says the Trump administration pushed the agency to investigate anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles even though they hadn’t done anything wrong.** Jill Fields, a former FBI supervisory intelligence analyst, filed a [whistleblower complaint](https://www.padilla.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/10.5.26-Senate-Whistleblower-DISCLOSURE-DOJ-FBI.pdf?ref=fromthefifth.com) that was sent to the [office of Sen. Alex Padilla](https://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-announces-troubling-new-fbi-whistleblower-disclosure-white-house-allegedly-directed-kash-patel-to-investigate-la-protesters-exercising-1st-amendment-rights/?ref=fromthefifth.com) (D-CA). Fields alleges that the investigations would violate protesters’ First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly. - **In one incident described in the complaint,** Fields alleges that Trump saw video of protesters in Alhambra, California, using megaphones to alert people to ICE activity in the area. Trump was reportedly “angry” and called for the protesters to be “investigated and arrested,” even though FBI agents concluded that their actions posed no threat and did not warrant arrest. - **In other incidents,** Fields says FBI Director Kash Patel and Emil Bove, then the acting deputy attorney general, wanted protesters investigated without any evidence of wrongdoing. - **Fields says supervisors were told** not to put anything in writing, acknowledged that some of their activities were unconstitutional, and diverted resources from serious, legitimate investigations to these sham investigations, [NBC reports](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/fbi-whistleblower-says-white-house-pushed-unconstitutional-probe-prote-rcna601599?ref=fromthefifth.com). The FBI hasn’t commented. --- 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.* ### Live Federal Execution? Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon [say](https://www.instagram.com/p/DeP53fcvgCb/?ref=fromthefifth.com) will LIVESTREAM the December 3 military execution, by firing squad, of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, who shot and killed 13 people — including 12 service members — at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009\. It would be the first public execution in the US since 1936\. Federal regulations bar recording an execution without a judge’s order. One of my Instagram followers whose father was killed in those attacks said the family was not notified or consulted about the decision; they heard it via the media. Vice President JD Vance [suggested](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/vance-nidal-hasan-execution-livestream-hegseth-rcna602551?ref=fromthefifth.com) it won’t be livestreamed, contradicting Hegseth. Trump [said](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-execution-fort-hood-livestream-rcna602672?ref=fromthefifth.com) he’ll make the final decision. The plan is drawing criticism from both parties. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) [called it](https://x.com/SenThomTillis/status/2108378850770014334?ref=fromthefifth.com) “beyond disgusting,” adding, “Public executions are what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do.” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) called it “medieval.” Pope Leo XIV used the announcement to [speak out](https://x.com/Pontifex/status/2108882737792745846?ref=fromthefifth.com) against the death penalty, saying “the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment...” This has to be one of the grossest things we could do as a country. Republicans ban books — and certain genders from certain bathrooms — *because THE KIDS!* And now they’re proposing to broadcast the live execution of someone publicly, for children to see. --- WATCHING *Stories that could escalate into something more problematic or are waiting for major decisions that could decide its trajectory in the short-term. These are also stories that, while important, do not affect a large cross-section of people or communities, yet.* - **I don't know what else to call this but a war on foreigners...** A series of developments this week: - **The government suspended eight major tech companies, including Microsoft and Adobe, from the PERM program, a process employers use to sponsor foreign workers for employment-based green cards that grant permanent residency in the US.** The administration has also launched investigations into nine American universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and MIT, over alleged visa abuses. - “*Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has pursued a broad effort to reduce the number of foreign-born people in the US and curtail their pathway to residence and citizenship. Thursday's twin actions mark the broadest strike yet against skilled-worker immigration programs — potentially cutting off a common path to permanent residency for foreign tech workers — while putting some of the country's top research universities on notice,”* [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/business/us-suspending-permanent-residency-program-for-microsoft-vance-says-2026-10-08/?ref=fromthefifth.com) reports. - **Vice President JD Vance** [accused](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/10/vance-microsoft-h1b-layoffs-visa-data.html?ref=fromthefifth.com) **Microsoft** of laying off 6,000 American workers in 2025 while hiring more than 6,000 foreign workers on H-1B visas, which allow temporary employment in the US. But the program the government suspended Microsoft from, PERM, is separate from H-1B. And according to CNBC, roughly two-thirds of Microsoft's H-1B approvals were renewals for existing employees, not new hires. The numbers alone don't establish that Microsoft replaced the American workers it laid off with H-1B workers. And: "Data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services' H-1B Employer Data Hub shows that Amazon and Meta were among the biggest sponsors of H-1B visas, yet neither was suspended." Jeff Bezos, who founded Amazon and remains its executive chairman, and Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, are both major Trump supporters. - **Meanwhile, DHS** [**wants**](https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/10/07/dhs-proposes-fees-foreign-student-work-program-protect-american-jobs?ref=fromthefifth.com) **to dramatically increase the fee universities must pay for international students to obtain temporary work authorization**, from $470 to $70,000, plus another $30,000 for renewals. The department says the increase is intended “to reduce the flow of cheap labor into the United States and make it easier for American citizens to compete in the job market.” - **According to the** [**American Immigration Council**](https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/trump-stem-opt-fee-post-graduate-international-students/?ref=fromthefifth.com)**, “The rule could increase tuition for American students by reducing the overall number of international students,** who generally pay higher tuition and help subsidize attendance for domestic students.” - **Citizenship.** The Justice Department has [filed lawsuits](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-moves-strip-citizenship-40-criminals-largest-single-period?ref=fromthefifth.com) seeking to revoke the citizenship of 40 naturalized citizens, alleging that they lied to obtain it. - **Because denaturalization is a lengthy and costly process, the federal government rarely pursues these cases.** The US pursued just 305 cases between 1990 and 2017, or an average of 11 per year, [according to *The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/23/us/politics/justice-dept-citizens-denaturalization.html?ref=fromthefifth.com). The Trump administration has set a goal of 250 cases per month, or 3,000 per year, [according to Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/10/06/doj-strip-citizenship-denaturalization-cases-40-people?ref=fromthefifth.com). - **And, get this:** FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, speaking at the press conference with JD Vance announcing the work visa program suspensions, praising Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Andrea Lucas: “*On every issue that previous EEOCs refused to touch: protecting white American men from discrimination, protecting American citizens from national origin discrimination ... she has led the EEOC headlong to defend Americans from these abusive practices.*” \[[Huffington Post](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ftc-chair-says-hes-proud-of-efforts-to-protect-white-american-men-from-discrimination%5Fn%5F6ac7be6fe4b01d1704f7fa1e?ref=fromthefifth.com)\] - **The US government is now charging former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with torture,** in addition to the drug-trafficking charges that led to his abduction in January, [the AP reports](https://www.npr.org/2026/10/08/nx-s1-5995360/venezuela-nicolas-maduro-torture-charges?ref=fromthefifth.com) - **Trump** [**named**](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117382616783706638?ref=fromthefifth.com) **Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to lead the country's new artificial intelligence task force, c**alled the “Super Intelligence Force.” - **Trump’s requirements for the job included a** [**request**](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117298821562014906?ref=fromthefifth.com) **that** “Only High I.Q. individuals need apply!” Clayton, who [has said](https://www.npr.org/2026/10/04/nx-s1-5990781/jay-clayton-ai-czar-trump?ref=fromthefifth.com) he doesn't think the US should pause AI development, will report to Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. - **The task force has 120 days to produce a report with** recommendations on what to do about AI. Researchers and experts have warned about the rapid development of AI, saying it could endanger humans if it isn't regulated quickly. - **Trump** [**says**](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117406176604364910?ref=fromthefifth.com) **anyone who doesn't refer to AI as “SI,**” for superintelligence, will be an “enemy” of the US. *I will continue using AI.* - **Trump's US ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, who was previously engaged to Donald Trump Jr., allegedly tried to get businessman Eric Deters to pay a $100,000 American Express bill in exchange for favors**, including getting the IRS to drop an investigation into his business. [*The Wall Street Journal* ](https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/guilfoyle-amex-donor-100-000-0e02cdc3?st=1MPk3X&reflink=desktopwebshare%5Fpermalink&ref=fromthefifth.com)🎁. - **Trump claims the Secret Service wants to use his West Palm Beach property as a new Camp David because it's so awesome and secure.** He says future presidents would get complimentary golf memberships.Trump claims he would pay for the construction, which is questionable because he says that about a lot of things. Take the proposed $600 million White House ballroom, for example, for which taxpayers are likely to foot some of the bill. [*The Washington Post*](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/10/07/trump-wants-new-camp-david-his-own-golf-club/?ref=fromthefifth.com) - **Conservative commentator and Trump Media adviser Katie Zacharia will succeed Karoline Leavitt as the White House's next press secretary,** [Trump announced](https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/42217?ref=fromthefifth.com) on his social media platform. Zacharia previously worked at DHS during Trump's second term. Leavitt has been hired by Fox News. - **Arlington County, Virginia, home to the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, has filed a lawsuit against Trump's proposed 250-foot arch**, arguing that the project bypassed a legally mandated review of its environmental impact. [*The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/08/us/politics/arlington-county-lawsuit-trump-arch.html?ref=fromthefifth.com) - **The Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing the pilot of a FlyDubai plane was planning to hijack it and crash it into the passenger terminal at Israel's Ben Gurion Airpor**t, according to officials in the UAE investigating the incident, [Reuters reports](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/uae-says-omani-flydubai-co-pilot-planned-suicide-attack-tel-aviv-flight-2026-10-09/?ref=fromthefifth.com). Preliminary evidence [suggests](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/middle-east/flydubai-copilot-acted-alone-rcna601436?ref=fromthefifth.com) the suspect acted alone. - **The US military says it struck another boat allegedly trafficking drugs in the Caribbean, killing four people.** There is no evidence to support the military's claims. That brings the death toll from such strikes to 235 people across at least 70 attacks. The UN and experts say the strikes are extrajudicial and could constitute crimes against humanity. [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/5/latest-us-military-strike-on-alleged-drug-boat-kills-four-in-caribbean?ref=fromthefifth.com) THe military has not provided evidence - **The Supreme Court began its** [**new term**](https://www.oyez.org/cases/2026?ref=fromthefifth.com) on Monday. - **Trump has asked the Court to let him pursue a lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and former Justice Department officials, alleging they conspired to undermine his 2016 presidential campaign by accusing him of having ties to Russia,** [CNN reports](https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/09/politics/trump-supreme-court-hillary-clinton-lawsuit?ref=fromthefifth.com) - **Lower courts have barred Trump from pursuing the lawsuit, in part because he filed it after the statute of limitations had expired**. To counter that argument, Trump's lawyers told the Court: “Faced with this conspiracy during his term, President Trump concluded that any private civil lawsuit would consume substantial time and energy and that any civil suit should therefore be postponed until after his term.” - **The Supreme Court will have to decide** whether that argument holds up. - **Justice Samuel Alito** [**told**](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/samuel-alito-supreme-court-justice-interview-dobbs-same-sex-marriage-not-retiring/?ref=fromthefifth.com) **CBS News that a few months ago he considered retiring this year but has decided against it, for now**. The 76-year-old justice said, “It's something I think that somebody at my age has to think about every term.” He added, “I think I can still make a contribution.” - **If Alito chooses to retire in the next two years, Trump would pick his successor.** But if Democrats win control of the Senate, that nominee could face an [uphill battle](https://www.semafor.com/article/10/05/2026/democratic-controlled-senate-would-confirm-very-few-trump-nominees?ref=fromthefifth.com) to confirmation. - **A bill to end daylight saving time is effectively dead in the Senate, for now**, as lawmakers adjourned for recess before the clocks change on November 1\. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Politico there is “no clear path forward” or “consensus” on the bill, which passed the House in July. [Politico](https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/10/05/congress/john-thune-daylight-saving-clocks-01107875?ref=fromthefifth.com) - **DHS bought five aircraft at twice their market price from a political donor to Kristi Noem while she was leading the agency,** [*The New York Times* reports](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/us/politics/kristi-noem-planes-donor.html?ref=fromthefifth.com). Noem declined to answer specific questions about the contracts. The company's owner said the sale reflected market prices. --- *And now, I'm out of breath! If you read this far and appreciated all the details, hit the thumbs up icon below! I'm trying to get a gauge on how many make it this far and where I need to cut!* *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.