WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
🗣 JD Vance headlined a TPUSA event. The vice president made waves by speaking with Erika Kirk at the University of Mississippi, taking answers from the crowd for over an hour. Vance spoke about the need for immigrants to assimilate and defended the Trump administration’s bombing of Iran earlier this year.
🏥 John Thune ruled out any votes on healthcare before the government reopens. The Senate Majority Leader told Democrats that he would consider allowing a vote on an extension for Obamacare subsidies, but only after the government reopens.
❌ A judge blocked Trump from firing workers during the shutdown. The administration had fired over 4,000 individuals — a plurality from Health and Human Services — but a district judge said the moves were likely illegal. The Trump administration may appeal.
🪖 The National Guard will stay in Washington into 2026. Although President Trump’s control of the DC police has long expired, his ability to keep the National Guard in the nation’s capital has no expiration date. The guardsmen will be there at least through February, though there is an option to extend that date even further.
INSIDER RADAR
Ted Cruz chirping at Marjorie Taylor Greene
Insiders behind the paywall: Ted Cruz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, John Bolton, Bill Ferguson, and Nick Langworthy.
THE MAIN STORY
Biden’s “Arctic Frost” secretly targeted hundreds of Republicans
_WHAT’S HAPPENING_
Whistleblower files show Jack Smith’s team issued 197 subpoenas to 34 individuals and 163 businesses.
From donors to senators to media outlets, the scale of Arctic Frost’s surveillance shows a coordinated effort to gather intelligence on Republicans rather than investigate specific crimes…
Exclusive analysis and uncensored facts behind the paywall: Details on Arctic Frost, who was targeted, why they were targeted, and the secretive aspects of the investigation.
MEDIA BIAS SPOTTER
How left and right outlets frame the Arctic Frost investigation
Mentioned behind the paywall: Axios, CBS News, The Washington Times, and The New York Post.
_THE DAILY DEBATE_
📊 Should Republicans uncover more on Arctic Frost or focus on other matters?
POLLS RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY
Should Trump send federal troops into cities despite local leaders’ objections?
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 👍 Yes (1,053)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 👎 No (92)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 Unsure (82)
👍 Yes: “Protecting innocent citizens is the first responsibility of government. If local or state governments abdicate this responsibility, it's time for the federal government to step in.” — BB
👎 No: “This is a dangerous precedent and should not be taken lightly. Federal takeovers of cities are something that could be abused by later presidents.” — KG
🤔 Unsure: “Let chaos happen. Citizens voted for their leaders.” — DS
_POP QUIZ_
A plurality of Trump admin. firings are from which department?
Today’s newsletter was written by Brandon Goldman, Anthony Constantini, and Ariel David. We scoured 100s of sources to bring you stories and insights you won’t find in the mainstream media.
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