The October heat check
President Trump is leaning all the way into his signature chaos as we hit the final stretch of the midterms. While a normal president might be sweating the possibility of losing Congress, Trump is doubling down on a month of intense controversy. He remains unbothered, telling reporters, "Bottom line, it's gonna all work out. You know why? It always does."
The headlines
The last 15 days have been an absolute fever dream. From a raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home to calls for shooting military leakers, the plot thickens daily. He’s also been busy with global diplomacy, easing sanctions on Russian diesel and pressuring Ukraine to stop hitting Russian oil refineries.
Back home, it’s giving total mayhem. The DOJ is taking on major news networks, and Trump spent millions in taxpayer cash on campaign-style ads until a judge hit the brakes. He’s also promised every adult American a $5,000 check if the GOP keeps Congress—a lowkey massive play for votes. Meanwhile, the DOJ is suing California to stop 20,000 ballots they claim belong to noncitizens. And the social media content? It’s been… a lot, including AI-generated videos of himself wrestling tigers.
The rare Ls
It hasn't been a perfect month for the White House. Trump had to scrap a plan to livestream a firing-squad execution after the internet collectively decided the vibes were off. He also forced ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign following reports she allegedly asked a donor to pay off her personal credit cards. Plus, he had to fire his new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, after finding out she wasn't actually a licensed attorney.
Why it matters
Trump is playing this like business as usual, but the numbers aren't exactly vibing with his confidence. A recent Fox News poll has his approval rating at a dismal 36%, with inflation and government corruption topping the list of voter concerns. He’s betting that the same instincts that kept him in power for a decade will carry him through this latest storm, but the public confidence crisis is real talk.
