Monday, October 12 | By Elliott Davis and Steff Danielle Thomas
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It’s Monday. And with all the news so far today, it certainly feels like we’re in the middle of a roughly three-week sprint until Election Day. Let’s get right to it.
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Programming note: Hello! We are Elliott Davis and Steff Danielle Thomas filling in for Cate. Please send your tips, comments and story ideas to edavis@thehill.com or sthomas@thehill.com.
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The Associated Press | Mark Schiefelbein and J. Scott Applewhite
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Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), long a target of President Trump’s ire, had her Washington, D.C., home searched by federal agents on Monday amid a criminal investigation by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
Homeland Security Investigations, ICE’s investigative unit, carried out the raid. White House border czar Tom Homan had previously confirmed a federal criminal investigation involving the Minnesota lawmaker.
💬Follow today’s live blog.
The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch notes that the Justice Department does not typically carry out major actions against political candidates within 60 days of an election. Omar is seeking another term, and the midterm elections are about three weeks away.
Trump and Omar’s history: The president has called the Minnesota Democrat “garbage” and a “scammer.” He has repeatedly spread a baseless conspiracy theory that she married her brother to become an American citizen. Some of Trump’s supporters have called for Omar, who was born in Somalia, to be deported.
Omar came to the U.S. as a child with her family as they sought asylum amid the Somali civil war that spurred widespread displacement. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000.
She is a fierce critic of Trump and his administration. During the president’s State of the Union address in February, she heckled him and called him a liar in response to his comments about Somali immigrants in Minnesota.
Another political enemy targeted: While the federal investigation of Omar had already been underway, Monday’s escalation marks the latest instance of the administration targeting the president’s political enemies. The Justice Department has attempted to charge or brought charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), former FBI Director James Comey and former national security adviser John Bolton.
Omar said in a Monday statement to social platform X that she “will not be silenced.”
“I’m ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement," she wrote. "For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation."
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Trump’s Russia diesel deal fuels a firestorm: |
Trump’s deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease soaring diesel prices is running into resistance on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers in both parties are questioning why the U.S. is easing sanctions on Moscow while its war in Ukraine rages on.
The president announced Friday that Russia would immediately release 300,000 tons of diesel into the U.S. and global markets, with larger shipments to follow. The move is aimed at easing surging fuel costs amid the U.S. conflict in Iran and Russia’s war with Ukraine.
A quick U-turn: Just weeks ago, Trump signed legislation aimed at tightening sanctions on Russia. Now, the Treasury Department is lifting restrictions to allow Russian diesel sales.
Critics speak up: A bipartisan group of senators, including Republicans Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and John Curtis (Utah), demanded the Trump administration to reverse course, warning against giving Putin a "financial lifeline" for the war in Eastern Europe.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called it a "deal with the devil," while Tillis argued the move undermines the sanctions law championed by the late former Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Not all Republicans are opposed, however. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) defended the agreement as another tool to pressure Putin, while House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) praised Trump for "thinking out of the box."
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has repeatedly clashed with Trump, in a rare move backed the deal Sunday, arguing that sanctions on Russian energy have driven up prices for Americans.
Running on empty?: Energy analyst Andy Lipow also told The Hill that he's skeptical Russia can deliver the promised fuel, casting doubt on how much the deal could actually lower prices.
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Meanwhile, Zelensky throws cold water on energy ceasefire: |
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cast doubt on a newly announced energy ceasefire with Russia, accusing Moscow of continuing its attacks despite Trump’s declaration that both sides had agreed to halt strikes.
What to know: Trump announced Sunday that both countries agreed to immediately stop targeting each other's energy facilities. But that message caught Zelensky off guard, with the Ukrainian leader saying he learned about it through news reports.
Zelensky later expressed support for the proposal but made clear that Ukraine would only halt strikes on Russian oil refineries only if Moscow stopped attacking its energy grid.
Fast-forward to Monday: The Ukrainian president said Russia struck a thermal power plant in Kharkiv and other energy facilities, casting doubt on whether the ceasefire had actually taken hold.
"It is clear that Putin does not read Truth Social," he quipped, adding that Russian drones appear to be following different instructions.
The tension: Zelensky also slammed the diesel deal as a "birthday gift" to the Russian leader that would help fund the Kremlin's war. Trump fired back over the weekend, suggesting Ukraine needed a new leader willing to negotiate.
In a post Monday on X, Zelensky decried that Kyiv held its attacks while Russia did not.
“I think it was Putin’s answer to President Trump,” he continued. “And the message from Russia was very clear — they don't know anything about the energy ceasefire."
“It's a pity, because they always find reasons not to stop this war. Which is why I think we need more pressure on Russia,” the leader added.
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The next stop on Trump’s midterm campaign tour? The Buckeye State.
The president is set to deliver remarks in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday night alongside Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), who is facing a tough reelection race against former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).
The Hill’s Julia Mueller spoke with experts who say Republicans are concerned about the state turning blue. Democrats currently have the polling advantage in the Ohio governor’s race, where Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy are vying to succeed GOP Gov. Mike DeWine.
Trump’s Monday visit comes after Vice President Vance made a stop in Lima, Ohio, on Friday.
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Speaker Mike Johnson is signaling he plans to stick around in House GOP leadership, even if Republicans lose their majority in November.
But a shift in power could set off a leadership shake-up, raising questions about whether his colleagues would back him for another term.
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— 👀 Kimberly Guilfoyle’s job as U.S. ambassador to Greece could be on the chopping block. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are reportedly considering firing her amid allegations of misconduct, with a decision possible as soon as this week.
— ⚖️ The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is overwhelming the Justice Department office tasked with defending his policies in court. Internal figures obtained by The Hill show a loss of nearly 80 attorneys while the workload has surged 63 percent. Insiders can read more here.
— 📺 Schumer is demanding more transparency after a judge blocked taxpayer-funded ads promoting Trump. The New York Democrat called the recent ruling a win but warned it’s “only the beginning.”
— 🎤 There will be a new face behind the White House briefing room podium starting tomorrow. Katie Zacharia, Trump’s new press secretary, will hold her first news conference Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. EDT, taking over the role previously held by Karoline Leavitt.
— 🏈 Republicans are calling in some star power as they fight to hold on to Congress. Trump and GOP candidates are leaning on big names in sports, including Roger Clemens and Jaxson Dart, to drum up excitement on the campaign trail ahead of the midterms. Insiders can click here to read Keeping Score.
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The New York Times: Inside Elon Musk’s $276 Million Midterm Rescue Mission for Republicans
Politico: AI agents are going rogue — and the law can’t keep up
The Wall Street Journal: Minnesota Is a Republican Punchline. Amy Klobuchar Says She Can Fix It.
Axios: U.S. economists win Nobel for work on managing economic shocks
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The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington and Ohio. (All times EDT)
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7 p.m.: Trump attends a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio.
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🍲 Celebrate: Today is National Gumbo Day. It is starting to get cooler outside, which means it is time for comfort food! Gumbo sounds pretty great. What is your favorite thing to eat when you are looking to warm up?
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Please keep these clumsy pandas in your thoughts. Like so many of us, they appear to be having a case of the Mondays.
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