Democrats ramp up pressure on Mike Johnson to swear in lawmaker who would vote to release Epstein files – live

10.06pm BST Trump says ‘we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East’ Donald Trump was just handed a note by the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, during his live roundtable on antifascism, read it and had a brief whispered exchange. The president then interrupted the discussion to say: “I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’re going to need me pretty quickly.” “So we’ll take a couple of more questions”, he added, and turned back to the press. 9.49pm BST Trump's 'antifa roundtable' airs grievances of partisan conservative influencers So far, all of the fact witnesses contributing testimony at the White House “antifa roundtable” hosted by Donald Trump are self-described independent journalists or partisan conservative social media influencers who cover leftwing protests in a highly political manner, more akin to opposition research than nonpartisan reporting. Several of them have described being assaulted in the course of their work by leftwing protesters they uniformly refer to as “antifa members” without evidence. What the conservative new media figures have not mentioned is that several of them work by confronting leftwing protesters and filming the angry responses they provoke. Others go undercover, disguised as leftwing protesters in black clothing, and then selectively edit the video they gather, ignoring peaceful protests to focus only on any instances of violence or conflict they witness. One of the witnesses, Katie Daviscourt, whose coverage of protests outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) field office in Portland, Oregon, has been featured on Fox News, described being given a black eye recently when she was struck with a protester’s flag pole. Shortly before that incident, a Portland police officer reported (in an email made public through the state of Oregon’s federal lawsuit to block Trump’s deployment of troops) that Daviscourt was one of three conservative influencers at the facility who appeared to be acting as “counter-protesters”. “These 3 counter-protesters continue to be a chronic source of police and medical calls,” the officer wrote on 20 September. “Despite repeated advice from officers to stay away from the ICE crowd, they constantly return and antagonize the protesters until they are assaulted or pepper sprayed. They refuse or are reluctant to walk away from these confrontations, even when police are in the area trying to meet with them. They even engage in the same trespassing behavior on federal … property as the main protesters.” Another witness, the conservative influencer Nick Sortor, complained of being arrested recently by the Portland police after a skirmish. However, video of the incident showed that Sortor initiated the conflict by trying to force his way through a protest encampment on a sidewalk near the Ice facility. He was then involved in a scuffle over an American flag he had previously taken from a protester who was trying to burn it. The charges against Sortor were later dropped after an outcry in the conservative media prompted the head of the civil rights division of the Department of Justice, Harmeet Dhillon, to threaten an investigation of the Portland police bureau over supposed anti-conservative bias. The two women Sortor was arrested for fighting with still face charges. The event is still going on. Updated at 10.06pm BST 8.56pm BST Sortor is now speaking at the roundtable, and is chastising the Portland police for arresting him, and baselessly claiming that local officials are “willing to sacrifice their own citizens just to appease these Antifa terrorists”. 8.50pm BST Pam Bondi just mentioned the arrest of rightwing influencer Nick Sortor, who was arrested by police in Portland, Oregon, last week while covering the ongoing protests outside an immigration facility. Bondi said that Sortor was “protecting himself against Antifa”. “He was pushed down and assaulted, yet the local police arrested Nick, not the Antifa thugs who did this to him,” Bondi added. Trump, who has spent his time in politics denigrating the mainstream press, has spent this roundtable heralding the conservative “independent journalists” as heroes. Updated at 9.21pm BST 8.44pm BST The attorney general is now speaking at the roundtable event: This is not activism, it’s anarchy. We can’t and we will not let masked terrorists burn our buildings, attack our law enforcement and intimidate our communities. Updated at 9.20pm BST 8.42pm BST Trump congratulates Bondi on combative Senate hearing The president just congratulated attorney general Pam Bondi, who is sitting to his right, on the way she handled her oversight hearing before the Senate judiciary committee this week. “It was amazing, and she just did it from the heart and the brain, because she’s very smart in all fairness,” Trump said. “She did an incredible, and everybody was talking about it.” Updated at 9.20pm BST 8.39pm BST Donald Trump is now holding a roundtable on Antifa, the disparate left-wing movement that he designated as a “domestic terrorist organization” recently. He’s now listing examples of attacks against federal agents which he’s attributed to Antifa, and also suggested that the man charged with shooting Charlie Kirk was a member of the group. A reminder that law enforcement officials have not established a link between Tyler Robinson and any specific group. “The epidemic of left wing violence and Antifa inspired terror has been escalating for nearly a decade,” Trump said. Updated at 8.58pm BST 8.25pm BST IRS to furlough more than 34,000 workers as government shutdown continues The Internal Revenue Service will furlough more than 34,000 employees according to a statement. It accounts for almost half of the agency’s workforce. The treasury department’s new contingency plan means that due to the “lapse in appropriations” an agency-wide furlough began on 8 October “for everyone except already-identified excepted and exempt employees”. According to the plan, while tax-filing preparations will stay in place, many taxpayer services will stop. 7.37pm BST Democratic lawmakers say that vote on Epstein files is reason behind delay to swear in Arizona congresswoman Per my earlier post, at today’s press conference Jeffries also added to the ongoing chorus of Democratic lawmakers calling on House speaker Mike Johsnon to swear in representative-elect Adelita Grijalva. “There is no dispute or controversy relative to her election. And so many of us are asking the question, ‘why the delay Mike?’,” the minority leader said. “Does it have anything to do with Republicans, continuing effort to hide the Epstein files from the American people? Inquiring minds want to know.” A reminder, Grijalva would provide the 218th signature needed on the bipartisan discharge petition to force a House vote on the release of the Epstein files. 7.27pm BST Jeffries says Democrats will meet 'anytime, anyplace, anywhere' to negotiate on funding bill Hakeem Jeffries, the House’s top Democrat, has said that members of his party are willing to “anytime, anyplace, anywhere” to negotiate a short term funding bill that includes several health care points they are pushing for. “These extremists don’t even want to show up to work when they’re requiring hard working federal employees to show up to work without pay because of the Republican shutdown,” Jeffries added, referring to Republican speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to cancel votes, and keep the House out of session until the Senate passes a funding extension to reopen the government. 7.16pm BST 'Stop covering up for the pedophiles': senator chides Johnson's decision to delay swearing in Arizona lawmaker In the halls of Congress, Mike Johnson, the House speaker, spoke to Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, both Democratic senators, about his decision to push swearing in Adelita Grijalva, the representative-elect, until the House returns to session. When Gallego said that Johnson was staving off the oath because Grijalva would be the final vote needed to force a House vote on the release of the Epstein files, the House speaker called the claim “absurd” and a “publicity stunt”. “Get your people in, and stop covering up for the pedophiles,” Gallego told Johnson. For his part, the speaker said that he is not “blocking” Grijalva from being sworn in, but forcing Senate Democrats’ hand to advance the House-passed funding bill and reopen the government. “They need to go and vote to reopen the government. The House has done its work,” Johnson said. Updated at 8.31pm BST 6.57pm BST Angus King, an independent senator of Maine, issued a new statement about his decision to vote for the House-passed funding bill. King caucuses with the Democrats, who have made healthcare provisions – particularly the extension of expiring ACA subsidies – a key part of their pushback against Republicans. “As serious as the health insurance crisis is, I believe the shutdown itself and the additional powers it conveys to Donald Trump and his henchmen, is the greater risk. The greatest challenge our country faces right now is the accelerating slide toward authoritarianism,” King said. He added that the decision to break from the party was not easy: “I have determined that preserving our democracy has to be the highest priority. I hope I’m wrong about this risk, but the stakes are too high to take that chance.” Updated at 7.19pm BST 6.34pm BST Senate fails again to pass short term funding bill as government shutdown enters eighth day The Senate has rejected a House-passed funding bill that would keep the government funded until 21 November. This is the sixth attempt to pass an extension, as the shutdown enters its eighth day. With a vote of 54-45, lawmakers in the upper chamber failed to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the bill. Again, the same three lawmakers broke ranks with the Democratic party and voted “yes” on the continuing resolution written by Republicans. Only one GOP senator, Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted “no”. The Senate also rejected the Democrats’ version of the funding patch, which includes several health care provisions. Failing to pass the dueling bills leaves Washington in gridlock. 5.58pm BST Joaquin Castro, a Democratic representative of Texas, has urged the Senate to vote on a resolution introduced by California’s Senator Adam Schiff and Virginia’s Senator Tim Kaine to halt the US military from attacking vessels near Venezuela. In a statement on Wednesday, Castro said: “Over the last few months, the Trump administration has pursued illegal military action in the Caribbean and are preparing for what looks like a regime change military operation in Venezuela. Without a vote and without public debate. Later today, the Senate will have the opportunity to vote for @SenAdamSchiff and @SenTimKaine‘s resolution to prevent Trump from taking us into yet another endless war. I urge Senators to vote yes.” The resolution, which was introduced under the War Powers Act, would stop US military strikes against vessels in the area which Donald Trump has accused of being illegal drug-trafficking boats. On Saturday, US forces struck another alleged drug boat off the coast of Venezuela, marking the latest attack in at least four strikes in the Caribbean against such suspected vessels. Updated at 7.23pm BST 5.22pm BST The US supreme court is hearing arguments in a lawsuit challenging an Illinois law governing how the state counts mailed-in absentee ballots received after election day. Arguments center on who has standing to challenge the law, not whether the practice itself is constitutionally valid. Republicans have been eager to challenge mail-in ballots, with Donald Trump centering it in his attacks on the electoral process. Mike Bost, a Republican representative from Illinois, filed the suit to argue that the Illinois law allowing ballots to be counted up to two weeks after election day if they are postmarked by the deadline unconstitutionally allows an extension of the election period. Lower courts threw Bost’s suit out, ruling that the conservative congressman in his fifth term did not suffer an injury and had no standing to sue. The appeal argues that the cost of staffing a campaign past election day is a financial injury giving him sufficient standing to challenge the law. “[C]andidates have standing to challenge the rules that govern their elections,” the appeal argues, “especially when … the challenged rule produces an inaccurate final tally.” For the full story, click here: Related: US supreme court hears arguments in lawsuit over Illinois mail-in ballots 4.56pm BST Donald Trump has placed dozens of people with ties to the fossil fuel sector in his administration, including more than 40 who have directly worked for oil, gas or coal companies, according to a new analysis. The report from Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy and ethics non-profit that has been critical of the Trump administration, alongside the Revolving Door Project, a corporate watchdog, analyzed the backgrounds of nominees and appointees within the White House and eight agencies dictating energy, environmental and climate policy. That includes the Environmental Protection Agency, the interior and energy departments and others. The analysis comes as Trump wages broad attacks on climate and energy policies and on renewable energy. The president’s so-called one big beautiful act, for instance, opened swaths of federal land to drilling and mining and enshrined the rapid phaseout of incentives for renewable energy. For the full story, click here: Related: More than 40 Trump administration picks tied directly to oil, gas and coal, analysis shows 4.19pm BST Johnson says federal workers should receive back pay, despite White House mixed messaging Mike Johnson, the House speaker, said today that he does believe furloughed federal workers should and will get paid, despite mixed messaging from the White House which has suggested that employees might not be guaranteed to back pay. “There is some other legal analysis that’s floating around, I have yet had time to dig into and read that. But it has always been the case that is tradition, and I think it is statutory law that federal employees be paid,” Johnson said. He went on to further chastise congressional Democrats, saying that their decision to hold out on passing the Republican-written continuing resolution, leaves them responsible for certain groups of federal workers not getting paid. “They voted that they did not want the troops to be paid. They did not want TSA agents to be paid. They did not want air traffic controllers, border patrol agents and all the rest. They live with that vote. They made that decision,” Johnson said. “The House is done. The ball is now in the Senate’s court. It does us no good to be here dithering on show votes. We did it. We sent the product over. It is clean.” Updated at 7.24pm BST 4.00pm BST 'This madness needs to end' say House Republicans, as shutdown enters eighth day At a press conference, several House Republicans spoke to reporters as the government shutdown enters its eighth day. “This madness can end. This madness needs to end with sanity finally emerging,” said Steve Scalise, the majority leader, while continuing to blame Senate Democrats for not passing a House-passed funding bill. “Chuck Schumer, if you can’t do the right thing because you’re so afraid of your political job, think about the jobs of millions of families out there who don’t want to have that suffering inflicted on them.” Throughout the conference, a number of lawmakers continued to push misleading claims that Democrats are “fighting to give illegals health care”. Undocumented immigrants remain ineligible for federally funded healthcare, except for emergency Medicaid – which is required under federal law. Updated at 7.24pm BST 3.46pm BST The arraignment of James Comey is now over, according to reporters in the courtroom. The former FBI director’s lawyers are also moving to dismiss the case, arguing that the federal prosecutor who brought the charges against Comey, Lindsey Halligan, was unlawfully appointed. A reminder that Trump installed Halligan after he pressured her predecessor, Erik Siebert, to resign. The former US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia had said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Comey and other political adversaries of the president. 3.35pm BST Outside the courthouse today, a small group of demonstrators gathered ahead of Comey’s appearance in court to protest against the criminal charges brought against the former FBI director. 3.25pm BST Judge Nachmanoff has set a trial date for 5 January 2026, according to reporters in the courtroom. 3.07pm BST James Comey pleads 'not guilty' at arraignment James Comey, the former FBI director, has pleaded “not guilty” during his arraignment at a federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia. His attorneys have also requested a trial by jury. Judge Michael S Nachmanoff read Comey the charges he’s facing: one count of making a false statement and one count of obstruction of a congressional proceeding. Both are in relation to his testimony before the Senate judiciary committee in 2020. Updated at 7.26pm BST 2.45pm BST Senate to hold sixth vote on stopgap funding bills amid government shutdown The US Senate will hold its sixth vote on the dueling short-terms spending bills to reopen the government at 12pm EST today. Both bills are set to fail, yet again, as lawmakers continue to dig their heels in and trade barbs, blaming the other party for the shutdown, which has now lasted a full week. A reminder that on Monday, only three senators broke ranks with the Democratic party, and voted “yes” on the House-passed continuing resolution to maintain government funding until 21 November. This still leaves Republicans nowhere near the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the bill. GOP leaders in congress have continued to say that the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, is being pressured by the progressive arm of his party into rejecting the funding extension, which mirrors the bill that he signed back in March. Democrats, meanwhile, say that their colleagues across the aisle have avoided any negotiations about their proposal, which includes several healthcare provisions – including an extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year and could increase insurance premiums for millions of Americans. Updated at 7.26pm BST 2.16pm BST As we prepare to you bring you the latest from James Comey’s arraignment in less than an hour, it’s worth noting the last time that a former FBI director was criminally charged was in 1978. When L. Patrick Gray, who actually served as the acting head of the bureau during the Watergate scandal, was indicted for conspiring to violate Americans’ constitutional protections by allowing unauthorized federal raids – as agents searched for members of Weather Underground, the left-wing militant group. The charges against Gray were dropped. 1.30pm BST Trump says Chicago mayor ‘should be in jail’ for not protecting Ice officers The president is already posting on Truth Social. As Texas national guard troops descend on Chicago today, Trump wrote that the mayor – Brandon Johnson – “should be in jail” for “failing” to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents. Johnson signed an executive order this week, that stops federal immigration agents from using city property. In his post, the president added that Illinois governor JB Pritzker should also be in jail. A federal judge has set a hearing for Thursday, regarding the lawsuit that city and state officials in Illinois filed against the administration, to block the deployment of the military. Updated at 2.36pm BST 1.08pm BST Donald Trump has few public engagements on his schedule today. But we’ll hear from him at around 3pm EST, when he attends a round table on Antifa at the White House. We’ll bring you the latest lines as we get them. A reminder that the president designated the left-wing activist group a “domestic terrorist organization” last month, following the murder of his ally and conservative activist, Charlie Kirk. Notably, officials haven’t established a link between Tyler Robinson, the man charged with killing Kirk, and Antifa. 1.00pm BST Rubio to attend Paris meeting on Gaza transition - report US secretary of state Marco Rubio is expected to attend a ministerial meeting to be held on Thursday in Paris with European, Arab and other states to discuss the post-Gaza transition, three diplomatic sources told Reuters. The meeting, which will happen in parallel to negotiations between Israel, Hamas and mediators in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, aims to discuss how to implement a plan proposed by Donald Trump and assess collective commitments from countries. The US embassy in Paris was not immediately available for comment. Updated at 1.15pm BST 12.43pm BST National guard troops are outside Chicago and could be in Memphis soon National guard troops are positioned outside Chicago and they could be in Memphis by Friday, the Associated Press reports, as the Trump administration pushes ahead with an aggressive policy toward big-city crime whether local leaders support it or not.National guard members from Texas had settled in at an Army Reserve center in Illinois by early Wednesday, despite a lawsuit and vigorous opposition from Democratic elected leaders. Their exact mission was not clear, though the Trump administration has an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city, and protesters have frequently rallied at an immigration building outside Chicago in Broadview. The president has called Chicago a “hell hole” of crime, although police statistics show significant drops in most crimes, including homicides.In Memphis, Tennessee, police Chief Cerelyn Davis said a small group of commanders were already in the city, planning for the arrival of guard troops.Republican governor Bill Lee has said troops will be deputized by the US Marshals Service to “play a critical support role” for local law enforcement, though that role hasn’t been precisely defined yet. Updated at 12.46pm BST 12.22pm BST Democrats introduce bill to help federal workers cover childcare costs during shutdown Congressional Democrats are introducing a bill that would provide childcare relief to federal workers affected by the shutdown of the federal government, as it drags on through a second week. Parents would be reimbursed for fees paid to childcare facilities during the shutdown under plans initiated by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Any federal employee who has been furloughed, or remains working through the shutdown without pay, would be entitled to support under the Federal Worker Childcare Protection Act of 2025. The bill authorizes the General Services Administration to receive official documentation for childcare expenses from federal workers to apply for reimbursement. “When you talk to federal workers right now, a lot of them are exhausted. They’re proud of what they do, but they’re tired of being treated like their lives are expendable,” Omar said in a statement on the bill. “This administration has made it clear it’s not interested in standing up for workers – but I am,” she added. “As a working parent, I know the importance of having reliable childcare. This bill is a small but necessary way to show that their work and their families matter.” About 100 childcare centers previously operated in GSA-managed federal spaces, providing childcare for thousands of children daily, but the so-called “department of government efficiency” eliminated the GSA office that managed these facilities earlier this year. Co-sponsors of the bill include the congressional Democratic representatives Pramila Jayapal, Summer Lee, Gregory Meeks, Jerry Nadler, and Rashida Tlaib. Related: Democrats introduce bill to help federal workers cover childcare costs during shutdown 12.17pm BST Six former US surgeons general – the top medical posting in Washington – warned in an opinion column published on Tuesday that policy changes enacted by the health and human services (HHS) secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, are “endangering the health of the nation”. The surgeons general – Jerome Adams, Richard Carmona, Joycelyn Elders, Vivek Murthy, Antonia Novello and David Satcher – who served under both Republican and Democrat administrations, identified changes in vaccine policy, medical research funding, a shift in priorities from rationality to ideology, plunging morale, and changes to staffing as areas of concern. Referring to their oaths of office, both Hippocratic as physicians and as public servants, the former officials wrote in the Washington Post that they felt “compelled to speak with one voice to say that the actions of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are endangering the health of the nation”. “Never before have we issued a joint public warning like this. But the profound, immediate and unprecedented threat that Kennedy’s policies and positions pose to the nation’s health cannot be ignored,” they said, adding that they could not ignore the “profound, immediate and unprecedented threat” of his policies. Under a “Make America Healthy Again” (Maha) agenda, Kennedy has accelerated vaccine policy changes despite opposition from scientists, including narrowing eligibility for Covid-19 vaccine shots and dismissing members of a vaccine advisory panel. He has cut federal funding for mRNA vaccine research for respiratory illnesses and instituted a review of vaccine recommendations. Kennedy also sought the dismissal of Dr Susan Monarez, former head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Monarez testified before Congress last month that her firing by Donald Trump came after refusing a request from Kennedy to dismiss CDC vaccine experts “without cause”. Related: Six former US surgeons general warn RFK Jr is ‘endangering nation’s health’ 12.12pm BST A series of “violent” texts sent by a Democrat seeking to become Virginia’s attorney general has shaken up the state’s governor’s race, with Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears seizing on the controversy to try to reverse her opponent’s double-digit polling lead. Earle-Sears has released new campaign advertisements condemning Democratic former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, her opponenent in the governor’s race, for continuing to support Jay Jones, whose private texts three years ago speculated about a senior state Republican getting “two bullets to the head” and “breeding little fascists”. Jones, a former state lawmaker, has apologized, and Spanberger distanced herself from his remarks, insisting in a statement: “I will always condemn violent language in our politics.” But Earle-Sears, who trailed her opponent by 12 points in a poll for November’s election taken before the texts emerged, said Spanberger and Jones both needed to drop out of their respective races, a view echoed by Donald Trump. The president called Spanberger “weak and ineffective” in a post to his Truth Social platform. “Spanberger’s continuing support for Jay Jones is disqualifying for higher office,” Earle-Sears said at a weekend press conference. “She and her party’s irresponsible behavior have brought us to this point.” Related: Virginia governor’s race shaken up by ‘violent’ texts sent by ally of Democratic candidate 12.01pm BST The White House’s office of management and budget (OMB) is arguing that federal workers who are furloughed amid the ongoing government shutdown are not entitled to back pay. In a draft memo first obtained by Axios, OMB argued that an amendment to the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA) of 2019 would not guarantee furloughed workers back pay and that said funds must be set aside by Congress. “The legislation that ends the current lapse in appropriations must include express language appropriating funds for back pay for furloughed employees, or such payments cannot be made,” said Mark Paoletta, OMB’s general counsel, in a draft addressed to White House budget director Russell Vought, the Washington Post reported. The OMB previously revised a shutdown guidance document on Friday to remove reference to the GEFTA Act, reported Government Executive, a media site reporting on the US executive branch. Donald Trump previously signed GEFTA into law after the 2019 government shutdown, which lasted for 35 days. While many understood the law to automatically guarantee pay for federal workers, the White House’s OMB is arguing against that interpretation, suggesting that the law only created the conditions for back pay. Related: White House says furloughed federal workers not entitled to back pay amid shutdown 11.46am BST Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, toured the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) facility in Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday, getting a first-hand look at a small protest outside, which is entirely unlike the fiery “siege” Donald Trump claims is taking place there. Noem, whose department has produced increasingly belligerent social media content of federal officers conducting immigration raids and firing teargas at protesters, was accompanied by a trio of conservative influencers who were whisked from the airport to the facility in her motorcade. Portland police cleared the street outside the Ice office in the city’s south waterfront neighborhood before the secretary’s arrival, keeping a handful of protesters, one dressed as a chicken and another as a baby shark, at a distance. A country-style song, with the refrain, “Trump is in the Epstein files, yes he is”, blared from a protest encampment down the street from the facility and one protester shouted to a government videographer filming from the roof: “Did we rename the Department of Homeland Security the ministry of propaganda?” Reporters from nonpartisan news outlets were also held behind the police line outside, as the partisan influencers in Noem’s entourage, Benny Johnson, Nick Sortor and David Medina, shared social media updates of the secretary leading federal officers in prayer inside, giving a pep talk and telling a member of the Oregon national guard to: “Get ready.” Related: Kristi Noem tours Portland Ice facility with Maga influencers in tow 11.34am BST The New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday evening attended a vigil in Manhattan convened by Israelis for Peace, an anti-occupation group of Israelis in New York who have rallied weekly since 2023 to call for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. Sitting in Union Square alongside New York City comptroller Brad Lander, his one-time rival for the Democratic nomination who has been campaigning for him, Mamdani listened as speakers at the event – which marked the two-year anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel – called for an end to the killing and to Israel’s occupation, and for equal rights for Palestinians. Earlier in the day, Mamdani drew ire from Israel over his statement on the anniversary in which he commemorated both the Israeli victims from that day and Palestinian victims from Israel’s ensuing war on Gaza. “Two years ago today, Hamas carried out a horrific war crime, killing more than 1,100 Israelis and kidnapping 250 more. I mourn these lives and pray for the safe return of every hostage still held and for every family whose lives were torn apart by these atrocities,” Mamdani said in the statement on Tuesday. He denounced Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his government for launching a “genocidal war” in Gaza as well. He also accused the US government of being “complicit”. “A death toll that now far exceeds 67,000; with the Israeli military bombing homes, hospitals, and schools into rubble,” Mamdani wrote. “Every day in Gaza has become a place where grief itself has run out of language. I mourn these lives and pray for the families that have been shattered.” He said the last two years had “demonstrated the very worst of humanity” and called for an end to Israeli “occupation and apartheid”. Related: Mamdani attends Israelis for Peace vigil after his 7 October statement draws ire from Israel 11.26am BST Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner in governor Bill Lee’s administration who was endorsed by president Donald Trump, and Democratic state representative Aftyn Behn won their primary races on Tuesday and will face off in December in a special election to replace a GOP congressman who left office this summer. Van Epps clinched victory with the presidential endorsement that came after in-person early voting ended. Eleven Republicans were on the ballot for the seat vacated by former US representative Mark Green. In a victory speech, the Republican nominee said the endorsement “made the difference, and I will never forget it.” He pledged to work with Trump on issues ranging from illegal immigration enforcement to providing care for veterans. “In Congress I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump to advance our America First agenda,” Van Epps said. Behn, a social worker and community organizer, said her win proved that “authenticity, energy, organizing power consistently outperformed corporate money and poll-tested messaging.” “Tonight, Tennessee sent a message,” Behn told a room of supporters. “And that message is: Women still fight. Organizers can still win. And Democrats in the Deep South aren’t done yet.” 11.16am BST Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli will go head-to-head on Wednesday in their final debate for New Jersey governor, as the federal government shutdown, Sherrill’s military records and the high cost of living have become major issues in the closely watched race. New Jersey is one of two states, along with Virginia, electing governors this fall — contests that are being viewed as a measure of how voters feel about president Donald Trump’s second term and how Democrats are responding. The hour-long debate gives the candidates a chance to cement their pitches to voters, who have already begun mailing in ballots ahead of the 4 November election. Updated at 11.17am BST 11.02am BST The nominee to be the Pentagon’s senior official for the Indo-Pacific region said on Tuesday he strongly supported president Donald Trump in saying that Taiwan should spend up to 10% of its GDP on defense. Taiwan’s proposed defense budget for next year will reach 3.32% of GDP, and President Lai Ching-te said in August the goal was to hit 5% by 2030, as the democratically-governed island seeks to bolster its deterrence against giant neighbor China, Reuters reports. John Noh told his confirmation hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee that Taiwan’s current moves to increase its defense spending were “all promising.” “It was president Trump who said that Taiwan, which is an island that faces an existential threat from the People’s Liberation Army, from the Chinese military, that Taiwan should spend upwards to 10% of its GDP on defense. I strongly support that,” he added. Pushed by the United States, Taiwan has been working to transform its armed forces to be able to wage “asymmetric warfare”, developing more mobile and lethal weapons including missiles, as well as cheaper systems like drones that can be used for surveillance as well as on attack missions. 10.47am BST Pope Leo tells US bishops to address Trump's immigration crackdown Pope Leo told US bishops visiting him at the Vatican on Wednesday that they should firmly address how immigrants are being treated by President Donald Trump’s hardline policies, attendees said, in the latest push by the pontiff on the issue. Leo, the first US pope, was handed dozens of letters from immigrants describing their fears of deportation under the Trump administration’s policies during the meeting, which included bishops and social workers from the US-Mexico border. “It means a lot to all of us to know of his personal desire that we continue to speak out,” El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, who took part in the meeting, told Reuters. The Vatican did not immediately comment on the pope’s meeting. 10.33am BST The case against former FBI director James Comey comes as attorney general Pam Bondi was questioned in the Senate yesterday over claims that the justice department is being weaponised to pursue Trump’s enemies. Throughout the five-hour hearing, Bondi declined to talk about many of the administration’s controversial decisions, despite persistent questioning from the Democrats. When pressed, she personally attacked several senators from the minority or invoked the ongoing government shutdown to depict them as negligent. “You voted to shut down the government, and you’re sitting here. Our law enforcement officers aren’t being paid,” Bondi replied when the committee’s top Democratic senator, Dick Durbin of Illinois, questioned the Trump administration’s rationale for sending the national guard into Chicago. “I wish you love Chicago as much as you hate President Trump,” she continued, adding: “If you’re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will.” In his opening statement, Durbin described Bondi as doing lasting damage to the department tasked with enforcing federal law. “What has taken place since January 20, 2025, would make even President Nixon recoil,” he said.. “This is your legacy, Attorney General Bondi. In eight short months, you have fundamentally transformed the justice department and left an enormous stain in American history. It will take decades to recover.” Of particular concern to Democrats were the charges against Comey, which came after Trump publicly called on Bondi to indict his enemies and fired a veteran prosecutor who refused to bring the case. The attorney general avoided talking about the indictment, saying it was a “pending case”, but argued it was approved by “one of the most liberal grand juries in the country”. Related: Pam Bondi and Senate Democrats spar amid Trump’s troop deployments 10.23am BST Ex-FBI director James Comey to appear in court on lying to Congress charge Good morning and welcome to our coverage of US politics with former FBI Director James Comey set to make his first court appearance in a Justice Department criminal case accusing him of having lied to Congress five years ago.The arraignment is expected to be brief, according to Associated Press, but the moment is nonetheless loaded with historical significance given that the case has amplified concerns that the Justice Department is being weaponized in pursuit of Donald Trump’s political enemies.Comey is expected to plead not guilty at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, and defense lawyers will almost certainly move to get the indictment dismissed before trial, possibly by arguing that the case amounts to a selective or vindictive prosecution.The two-count indictment alleges that Comey made a false statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee on 30 September 2020, by denying he had authorized an associate to serve as an anonymous source to the news media, and that he obstructed a congressional proceeding. Comey has denied any wrongdoing and has said he was looking forward to a trial. The indictment does not identify the associate or say what information may have been discussed with the media.Though an indictment is typically just the start of a protracted court process, the Justice Department has trumpeted the development itself as something of a win. Trump administration officials are likely to point to any conviction as proof the case was well-justified, but an acquittal or even dismissal may also be held up as further support for their long-running contention that the criminal justice system is stacked against them.The judge randomly assigned to the case, Michael Nachmanoff, is a Biden administration appointee. Known for methodical preparation and a cool temperament, the judge and his background have already drawn the president’s attention, with Trump deriding him as a “Crooked Joe Biden appointed Judge.” You can read our report here and stay with us to see how it plays out: Related: Ex-FBI director James Comey to appear in court on lying to Congress charge We’ll also be covering all the developments amid the national guard arriving in Chicago and the ongoing government shutdown. In the White House, Trump is due to receive an intelligence briefing at 11am EST and taking part in a round table on Antifa at 3pm. And in Egypt, a US delegation has joined the indirect talks taking place between Hamas and Israel on Trump’s Gaza plan with the latest news that hostage and prisoner lists have been exchanged. In other developments: Donald Trump met the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, and jokingly pushed him to agree to “a merger” of their two countries. He also declined to rule out invoking the insurrection act to put troops on the streets of the US, which might have made the prospect of joining the union even less appealing. Trump suggested that he might not follow a law mandating that furloughed government workers will get backpay after the government shutdown ends. In a tense hearing before the Senate judiciary committee on Tuesday, the US attorney general, Pam Bondi, stood accused by Democrats of weaponizing the US Department of Justice, “fundamentally transforming” the department, and leaving “an enormous stain on American history” that it will take “decades to recover [from]”. Bondi criticized Democratic lawmakers in personal terms as she faced questions over the department’s enforcement efforts in Democratic-led cities. House speaker Mike Johnson said that his decision to stave off swearing in representative-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona has “nothing to do” with the fact that she would be the 218th signature on the bipartisan discharge petition – to compel a House vote on the full release of the Epstein files. Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, visited the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) facility in Portland, Oregon accompanied by conservative influencers. Portland police cleared the street outside ahead of Noem’s arrival, keeping a handful of protesters, one dressed as a chicken and another as a baby shark, at distance. Updated at 12.37pm BST