Friday, November 14 | By Cate Martel |
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Happy Friday! For anyone in the Washington, D.C., area, have you seen Capital Weather Gang's prediction for a cold-than-usual winter? But they're not expecting much snow. |
The FBI's feisty new social media account Trump orders Bondi to investigate Dems' Epstein ties The president's affordability problem White House considers tariff exemptions for food Lawmakers brace for a potential winter shutdown GLP-1s linked to lower colon cancer death rates
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This new FBI account is feisty: |
Have you seen the FBI's new rapid response account on social platform X? The agency launched it on Thursday and it's getting a lot of attention. It's approaching 20,000 followers within its first 24 hours. The account has been replying to users' posts in real time, including clashing with conservative media figure Tucker Carlson about Trump's would-be assassin in Butler, Pa., and defending the FBI's Jan. 6 pipe bomb investigation. It also reshared a post from Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino criticizing Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) for lobbing "BS bombs" online. Why were they defending the pipe bomb investigation?: Bongino and other FBI officials have pushed back hard on a recent report from The Blaze raising questions about the probe. The deputy FBI director posted, without naming the outlet, that "some of the media reporting regarding prior persons of interest is grossly inaccurate and serves only to mislead the public." Why did the FBI launch this account?: The account's first post said it is meant to combat "an avalanche of lies, smears, and falsehoods from the fake news and others seeking to undermine our work and national security." Read its full reasoning What makes this particularly notable: FBI Director Kash Patel has been under scrutiny for his social media use. Critics argue he has rushed to post some information prematurely. (Remember the conflicting information put out on the day of Charlie Kirk's assassination?) The Wall Street Journal reports that Patel also ticked off his bosses by posting about thwarting a potential terrorist attack in Michigan a few weeks ago before any charges had been filed. Friends of the alleged terrorists then moved up their plans to flee. If you haven't read the Journal report on Patel, it's worth your time: 'Kash Patel's 'Effin Wild' Ride as FBI Director' |
Trump's latest effort to distance himself from the Epstein saga: |
President Trump said today he will ask Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate high-profile business leaders and Democratic opponents' ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump is doing everything in his power to tie the saga to Democrats, despite mentions of his name coming up in new Epstein emails released this week. 'Epstein Hoax' is Trump's new tagline for the scandal: His Truth Social account includes long message after long message talking about the "Epstein Hoax." In one post today, he insisted the issue is Democrats' problem. "Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat's problem, not the Republican's problem!" Trump posted. from the Epstein saga: "Ask Bill Clinton, Reid Hoffman, and Larry Summers about Epstein, they know all about him, don't waste your time with Trump. I have a Country to run!" he added. |
It's an expensive time to be alive: |
The Trump administration is under increasing pressure to lower costs for Americans. Last week's elections confirmed this is a huge problem for Republicans. What are they doing about it?: The White House is considering exempting some tariffs to alleviate rising food prices, according to The New York Times. There's no final decision on what products would be exempted, but beef and citrus are under consideration. The administration also announced four more trade deals on Thursday (Argentina, El Salvador, Ecuador and Guatemala) to lower tariffs on goods, such as coffee and bananas. The trade agreements are expected to be finalized and signed in the next few weeks. What we know about the deals: "A senior administration official told reporters that a baseline tariff rate of 10 percent will remain in place on goods from Argentina, El Salvador and Guatemala, and a 15 percent tariff rate will remain in place on Ecuador. But the framework agreements will allow for tariffs to be lowered or dropped on certain goods, such as bananas, coffee and cocoa, the official said." (The Hill) Trump thinks it's a messaging issue: The president insists that prices are "tumbling," despite government data showing consumer prices increasing significantly since he took office. But the president blames Republican messaging. In a recent Fox News interview, Trump said he thinks the "biggest problem is that Republicans don't talk about the word affordability." However, his approval rating has taken a hit, according to Decision Desk HQ's polling average. His approval stands at nearly 42 percent while his disapproval hovers around 55 percent. 💬 Follow today's live blog | Soo, what are the odds of another shutdown in January? *nervous laugh*: |
The Hill's Mike Lillis reports that some lawmakers are already bracing for another shutdown in early 2026. This week's deal funds the government through Jan. 30, but a growing number of liberals on Capitol Hill are already urging their Democratic colleagues to fight again to extend the ObamaCare subsidies. Republicans also expect this fight to be fierce, so that very well could end in another shutdown. Read Lillis's reporting: 'Another shutdown in January? Some lawmakers are already bracing for it' |
— A new study found that GLP-1 medications, like Ozempic, may lower death rates for colon cancer patients. — Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was hospitalized on Thursday for facial injuries after falling during a walk near his home in Pennsylvania. — George Santos and Anna Delvey were spotted posing for a photo at a Veteran's Day party in Washington, D.C. 📸 Photos from Page Six — The Washington Post's editorial board published a scathing piece about Dulles International Airport's people movers. Excerpt: "They're slow, uncomfortable and occasionally dangerous, as illustrated by this week's accident that injured at least 18 people. Yet bureaucratic inertia and years of political timidity mean they're unlikely to go away anytime soon." Read: 'Dulles people movers cannot go away fast enough' — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mounted a new sign at the Pentagon that reads "DEPARTMENT OF WAR." 📹 Watch Hegseth screw it in place |
The New York Times: In Matt Gaetz Scandal, Circumstances Left Teen Vulnerable to Exploitation The Washington Post: How the FBI's massive search for the D.C. pipe bomber stalled Op-ed in The Wall Street Journal: Is 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' Real?: No therapist would render such a derogatory and partisan diagnosis, but I've seen it in my practice. NOTUS: A New Litmus Test For Republicans Running for Senate: Ending The Filibuster |
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The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST) |
6 p.m. Trump leaves for Palm Beach, Fla. Nov. 20: Former Vice President Dick Cheney's funeral at Washington National Cathedral. Details |
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🥒 Celebrate: Today is National Pickle Day! And so you can plan your weekend accordingly, Saturday is National Bundt Cake Day, which means I must remind you there's a hole in the cake. 🎸 What Taylor Swift thinks is her best work: Taylor Swift submitted her nomination to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. As part of her application, she chose five songs. It includes the 10-minute version of "All Too Well." 📝 The 5 songs Swift chose 🪙 Rest in peace to the penny: The Treasury minted its last pennies on Wednesday. The New York Times published what can only be described as a proper obituary. Excerpt: "The American penny died on Wednesday in Philadelphia. It was 232. The cause was irrelevance and expensiveness, the Treasury Department said. Nothing could be bought any more with a penny, not even penny candy. Moreover, the cost to mint the penny had risen to more than 3 cents, a financial absurdity that doomed the coin." |
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