Here are today's featured stories, posted by DU members and curated by the Administrators. More news items can be found in our Latest Breaking News forum, and for all the most up-to-the-minute stories that are being talked about by DU members, visit the Latest Discussions page.
October 23, 2025
'We have rarely faced a more serious moment' than the one now facing Supreme Court: expert
(Raw Story) Should the conservative majority Supreme Court hand Donald Trump the freedom to deploy the National Guard whenever and wherever he chooses, the president’s “power grab’ will be complete and nothing will ever stop him again. That is according to former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance, who wrote on her Substack platform, that two cases coming before the court are part of his “drive to make the executive more powerful and to have that power come at the expense of the courts, Congress, and the people.”
Go to discussionTrump officials refer Biden-era FEMA staff to DOJ for potential criminal charges
(The Hill) The Trump administration has sent a referral to the Department of Justice recommending Biden-era Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff face criminal charges, alleging politicization of emergency funding. However, the effort to claim officials at the disaster agency considered politics when performing their duties has apparently turned up only a handful of instances of FEMA employees mentioning political figures during former President Biden’s time in office.
Go to discussionSNAP benefits won't be issued in November
(WGME) Officials say Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not be issued for November due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has notified every state that November funding for SNAP, the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, will not be issued. Nationwide, approximately 42 million people receive SNAP benefits, including 169,812 in Maine, according to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
Go to discussionTrump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here's What Never Arrived.
(ProPublica) In the spring, the Trump administration abruptly cut $500 million in deliveries from a program that sends U.S.-produced meat, dairy, eggs and produce to food banks and other organizations across the country — about a quarter of the funding the program received in 2024. The items that were delivered through The Emergency Food Assistance Program were some of the healthiest, most expensive items that organizations distribute.
Go to discussionUS says shutdown ended lawmaker ICE facility visit requirement
(Roll Call) The Trump administration has claimed the partial government shutdown also means the end of a requirement that Immigration and Customs Enforcement give congressional access to detention facilities for oversight visits. The government made the argument in a legal clash with Democratic lawmakers, who had filed a lawsuit against ICE over access to real-time inspections of the facilities and new department guidance that requires at least seven days’ advance notice of a visit.
Go to discussionHotel operators say they're bleeding cash in the hundreds of millions and need the government shutdown to end now
(Business Insider) US hotel operators said they are losing millions of dollars because of the government shutdown ahead of their busiest season of the year. In a Wednesday press release, the American Hotel and Lodging Association said that the shutdown has cost the hotel industry about $650 million to date and has had a "devastating impact" on the travel and hospitality sectors. Business Insider could not independently verify this figure.
Go to discussionDemocrats Want Simple Majority Vote on Health Care
(Political Wire) Semafor: “Thune said talks with Democrats are quiet after he broached guaranteeing them a vote to extend expiring health care subsidies after the shutdown ends. In their most recent backchannel conversations, rank-and-file Democrats asked for a vote to extend the subsidies at a 50-vote threshold rather than at 60, making passage much more likely. Thune said his conference would not accept that, and that Trump is ‘sincerely’ willing to meet with Democrats about health care once the government opens up.”
Go to discussionAs shutdown becomes 2nd longest ever, Johnson hints at changes to GOP's strategy
(ABC News) On Day 22 of the government shutdown on Wednesday, even as House Speaker Mike Johnson rehashed talking points he’s repeated for a month – putting the onus on Democrats to reopen the government -- he acknowledged the GOP’s messaging is getting "old" and a change in strategy might be necessary. Johnson was pressed on Texas Republican Rep. Beth Van Duyne’s remarks on a earlier GOP conference call, during which she reportedly requested that Johnson call the House back to Washington. "No, that's not what she said ...," Johnson argued. "She said, 'The message is feeling old,' and I said, 'You know what, Beth? You're right' -- because we come out here and say the same thing over and over every day."
Go to discussionOz says Trump has a plan to replace Obamacare -- but offers no specifics
(NBC News) Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, suggested Wednesday that President Donald Trump has a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act — but provided no specifics about the proposal. “I fully believe the president has a plan,” Oz told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker. “We’ve been talking about it quite a bit. There’s all kinds of ideas.” “The issue, Kristen, is which specific parts of the plan do you prioritize, which are the ones you want to focus on,” he added. When pressed for specifics about Trump’s plan, Oz said, “The plans that were originally offered during the One Big Beautiful Bill fell out, which is fine.”
Go to discussionTrump to demolish entire East Wing of White House for ballroom
(CNBC) The White House will demolish the entire East Wing to make room for the new ballroom that is being built at the behest of President Donald Trump, a senior administration official told The New York Times on Wednesday. The demolition work should be completed by this weekend, the official told the Times. Images showing the demolition of part of the East Wing triggered public anger this week. The demolition work has raised questions about who is footing the bill for the planned $250 million, 90,000-square-foot building.
Go to discussion