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🇺🇸 Trump Calls Government Shutdown an Extortion
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Happy Wednesday, Patriots,
President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that his legal team is in talks with the Department of Justice over possible compensation for what he called the “years of politically motivated investigations” that targeted him before returning to office.
Asked about reports that his lawyers are seeking $230 million in damages, Trump said any award would be donated to charity.
“All I know is they owe me a lot of money — but I’m not looking for money,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.
The potential settlement would cover alleged violations stemming from the Mueller probe, the Mar-a-Lago raid, and other investigations Trump has long described as “illegal and un-American witch hunts.”
Keep reading with us for the rest of today’s top Trump news!
—Nick
In today’s email:
🔔 Trump Calls Government Shutdown an Extortion
✈ Trump Cancels Meeting with Putin
🏛 Trump Celebrates White House Ballroom Construction
💰 Trump Faces GOP Pushback Over Argentina Beef Import
📚 Trump Reaches Deal on Student Loan Forgiveness
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✅TRACKING TRUMP✅
Curated by Mike Luso
President Trump is calling out Democrats for holding the American people hostage with the Schumer Shutdown as it stretches into its third week. The president met with Republican senators at the White House to rally support while Democrats continue blocking every attempt to reopen the government. As the stalemate drags on, more than 42 million Americans who rely on food stamps face the threat of delayed November benefits due to insufficient funding.
Meanwhile, the left has launched an outrage campaign over Trump's privately-funded White House ballroom construction, with critics like Hillary Clinton drawing their line in the sand over modernizing the executive residence. Trump is also facing pushback from some Republicans over his proposal to import Argentine beef to help lower grocery prices, with lawmakers from cattle country expressing concerns about the impact on American ranchers. The tensions in Washington continue to escalate despite the government being shut down, and Americans are waiting to see whether any resolution is on the horizon.
Check out all the latest developments and more below!
✈ Trump Cancels Putin Meeting
President Trump has no plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future, a senior White House official confirmed, just days after Trump had announced plans to meet with Putin in Budapest, Hungary. The cancellation came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a productive phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, making an additional in-person meeting unnecessary according to the official. Trump had previously indicated the Rubio-Lavrov meeting would serve as a stepping stone toward a top-level summit following his Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During a lunch at the White House with Republican lawmakers, Trump emphasized that he had won peace in eight conflicts since taking office and is currently working on number nine. Zelenskyy had asked Trump to supply Tomahawk missiles and other top-level defense weapons to Ukraine, sophisticated weaponry that could reach far beyond Moscow and potentially change Ukraine's ability to target Russia's military complex and oil industry that funds its war chest.
🏛 Trump Celebrates White House Ballroom Construction
President Trump's privately funded $200 million White House ballroom project has sparked viral images of East Wing demolition and swift criticism from leftists, but the administration is defending it as a continuation of presidential upgrades dating back more than a century. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that nearly every president has made modernizations and renovations, and that presidents for decades have joked about wishing for a larger event space than the current East Room and State Dining Room. Trump confirmed the project on Truth Social, explaining that the ballroom will be completely separate from the White House itself and will involve a full modernization of the East Wing at zero cost to the American taxpayer. The president noted during a Rose Garden event that the East Room currently holds about 88 people and is little more than "a cocktail area," calling the construction sound "music to my ears" because it reminds him of money. Trump credited "many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and yours truly" for funding the build, stating that for more than 150 years every president has dreamt about having a ballroom and he is honored to be the first to get this much-needed project underway.
💰 Trump Faces GOP Pushback Over Argentina Beef Import
A group of House Republicans led by Rep. Julie Fedorchak of North Dakota is raising concerns about President Trump's proposal to import beef from Argentina, warning the plan has rattled the multibillion-dollar American ranching industry. The eight GOP lawmakers sent a letter to Trump noting that the cattle industry supports thousands of jobs across their districts and contributes $112 billion to rural economies nationwide, and they are seeking clarity on safety standards and how the policy aligns with the administration's commitment to strengthening American agriculture. Trump suggested aboard Air Force One that buying beef from Argentina could help lower prices for Americans at home, explaining that groceries and energy prices are down but beef has remained elevated. The president said it would not be "that much" but argued it would help Argentina, a U.S. ally, while bringing down domestic beef prices. House Republicans questioned whether imported beef would be held to the same food safety and animal health requirements as U.S. beef, which they called "the gold standard," and warned that introducing beef from countries with inconsistent safety or inspection records could undermine confidence that American ranchers have worked decades to earn.
📚 Trump Reaches Deal on Student Loan Forgiveness
The Trump administration reached an agreement with the American Federation of Teachers to reinstate student loan forgiveness plans after partially blocking them during litigation, according to a joint filing. Under the agreement, the Department of Education will begin canceling student loans for borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans, which calculate monthly payments based on salary and family size and allow forgiveness after a certain number of payments. The AFT had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in March, accusing the Department of Education of blocking borrowers from using repayment and forgiveness programs that were active when they first borrowed funds. The new agreement applies to all borrowers enrolled in income-based repayment, income-contingent repayment, pay-as-you-earn payment plans, and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The Trump administration also agreed to provide refunds to borrowers who made additional payments beyond their date of eligibility for cancellation, and confirmed that borrowers who become eligible for student loan forgiveness in 2025 will not owe federal taxes on the relief, protecting them from potential tax bills caused by processing delays from the government shutdown or ongoing court battles.
President Trump speaks during a lunch with Republican senators in the Rose Garden of the White House on Tuesday.
🔔 Trump Calls Government Shutdown an Extortion 🔔
President Trump stood firm in the Rose Garden with Republican senators, declaring that Democrats are holding the entire federal government hostage and vowing "we will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs." The government shutdown has now reached its 21st day, making it the longest full shutdown in history, and Trump made clear that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his caucus are solely responsible for the crisis. Trump described Schumer as a politician in deep trouble who is losing in the polls, even trailing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by three points, and argued that Democrats are obstructing because his administration is performing so well on the world stage.
Republicans have attempted to pass a clean continuing resolution 11 times, only to be blocked repeatedly by Senate Democrats who are demanding extensions to expiring Obamacare subsidies and reversal of provisions that prevent noncitizens from receiving taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits. Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasized that Republicans remain unified in their strategy to keep voting to reopen the government, noting that Democrats want $1.5 trillion in new spending and free healthcare for noncitizens, which he called "a flat nonstarter." While Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries requested a meeting with Trump "any time, any place," Thune indicated the president would only meet after Democrats unlock the votes needed to end the shutdown.
Trump projected his administration will have secured $20 trillion in investments into the United States before the first year of his second term concludes, and he criticized Democrats for essentially going on strike during what he called "the greatest moment in the history of our country, in terms of wealth, in terms of job creation and in terms of investment coming in." The president invoked his budget director Russell Vought, who some call "Darth Vader," noting that Vought is cutting Democrat priorities that will never be restored. As the political battle intensifies, the human cost of the shutdown becomes increasingly severe for millions of vulnerable Americans.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture sent a letter to regional SNAP directors warning that there will be insufficient funds to pay full November food stamp benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the nation if the shutdown continues. The agency has instructed all states to hold off on sending November benefit files to electronic benefit transfer vendors until further notice, and officials warn they may not have the flexibility to issue benefits early as they did during previous funding lapses. For families already struggling with elevated prices for groceries, gas, and rent, any interruption in SNAP benefits could prove devastating, as these benefits often represent the difference between putting food on the table and going hungry.
Trump focused on the stakes by stating "the public understands what they're doing" and insisted Republicans must win the midterms to prevent what he called a communist takeover in cities like New York. The president's message was simple and direct: Democrats need to vote for the clean, bipartisan continuing resolution and reopen the government right now, before the damage to ordinary Americans becomes irreversible.
🍟 Quick Bite News 🍟
🗳 President Trump warned that New York City appears headed toward electing "a communist" mayor, referring to democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, and suggested he would prefer a Democrat over a communist. Trump suggested that if Republican Curtis Sliwa dropped out of the race, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo might have a slim chance but noted Mamdani's lead appears big enough to secure victory. The president said he would be willing to meet with Mamdani if elected, stating "I have an obligation to speak to him," but lamented the city's decline under progressive leadership and noted that communism "has been done many times," and "it's never worked once."
🏛 San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie rejected President Trump's plan to deploy the National Guard to the city, arguing that the Guard does not have authority to arrest drug dealers and therefore their presence would do nothing to get fentanyl off the streets or make the city safer. Lurie claimed that violent crime is down and the city is moving in the right direction with support from local law enforcement and appropriate federal partners. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded that America's once great cities have descended into chaos and crime as a result of Democrat policies that put criminals first, and urged San Francisco Democrats to welcome the president in to clean up their city.
🚨 FBI Director Kash Patel claimed the agency is "on the verge" of unmasking the funding and command structure behind Antifa, stating the FBI is following the money and finding indications that support for anti-American radical groups is coming from America's enemies overseas and U.S. nonprofits with IRS tax exemptions. Patel explained the effort has become so important that the FBI created an entire new program and division dedicated to rooting out the money funding these operations, whether U.S. based or internationally. He praised President Trump for designating Antifa a domestic terror organization and said the agency is mapping out the money and using social media and influencers that took part in an Antifa roundtable event at the White House.
⚖ Sen. Eric Schmitt announced he will hold a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on left-wing political violence titled "Politically Violent Attacks: A Threat to Our Constitutional Order" to examine the origins of political violence and extremism following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Schmitt said the tragic assassination was the latest in a long list of examples of left-wing political violence, many occurring while Americans are exercising constitutionally protected core political speech. The hearing will examine the intersection of the First Amendment and political violence, with conservative commentator Michael Knowles confirmed as a witness, and is scheduled for Oct. 28.
🔥 A North Carolina man says he was shot at by an angry motorist who tore down a Trump banner in his mother's front yard, reflecting what he believes is the nation's growing political hostility. Mark Thomas said Benjamin Michael Campbell, a 38-year-old Atlanta-based accountant, was speeding before abruptly stopping to remove the banner while wearing what Thomas described as an "Antifa-style mask." Thomas fired two warning shots into the air before Campbell allegedly opened fire through his sunroof, then fled and returned moments later to fire several more shots that struck a refrigerator inside the home. Campbell faces charges including felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and Thomas said he was stunned to learn the suspect was a professional in his late 30s, stating "some of these people, they just see a Trump sign, and they just snap."
🎥Trending Politics Video Of The Day🎥 - Mike Johnson SHUTS DOWN Democrats Ridiculous Demands To Open Up The Government
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