Trump is giving Putin more money, more leverage, and more room to wage war on Ukraine because he is desperate to save himself politically. He lifted sanctions on Russian diesel, which the NYTimes’ estimates will send $4 billion into its economy. And now he’s considering relaxing sanctions on the ships that have moved sanctioned oil from countries like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. REMINDER: Russia is not our friend, and Ukraine is not our enemy. So why is Trump doing this? Because his unauthorized war in Iran sent oil prices through the roof, and now he’s scrambling for ways to bring them down before the midterms. Trump created this mess. Ukraine should not have to pay for it, and Putin sure as hell shouldn’t be rewarded for it. reuters.com/legal/government…

Funny how Republicans have spent months telling you how great their tax cuts are, but suddenly the IRS data showing who actually benefited is months late. This information was supposed to be released in July. But here we are, three weeks out from an election and the Trump Administration still won’t release it. If the numbers are really as great as they keep telling us, why won’t they release them? Oh wait, I know. Because they know exactly what it shows: the tax cuts disproportionately benefited BILLIONAIRES and GIANT CORPORATIONS, not you. And Republicans paid for them by ripping away healthcare and food assistance from hungry families and exploding the deficit. That was not a tax cut for working people. It was a giveaway to the wealthiest people in the country, paid for by everyone else. politico.com/news/2026/10/14…

Today, I joined Orange County Fire Chief McGovern and @KatrinaFoley to survey the damage from the Norte Fire. Seeing the devastation firsthand is heartbreaking, especially for the families who lost their homes or were forced to evacuate. My own family was among those evacuated, and I know how grateful our community is for the extraordinary work of our firefighters and first responders. Their heroic efforts prevented this fire from being far worse. As recovery efforts continue and crews prepare for potential rain and debris flows, we remain committed to helping those impacted. To every firefighter, first responder, and local official who helped protect our community: thank you.

This is exactly why we need a constitutional amendment limiting the president’s pardon power that includes a hard ban on self-pardons. That goes for all presidents, regardless of political parties. The President of the United States answers to the American people and to the law. If a president can just pardon themselves, then there is zero accountability and no consequence for abusing power. That is a king, not a democracy.

Trump keeps finding ways to make Putin stronger while asking Ukraine to fight with one hand tied behind its back.   Russia is not our friend. Ukraine is not our enemy.   You do not make America stronger by making Vladimir Putin stronger.

Americans: Everything costs too much. The President of the United States: “I love the inflation.” You know who doesn't love it? The AMERICAN PEOPLE who are getting CRUSHED by it. You're the President. It's literally your JOB to do something about it.

Trump’s DOJ is trying to block thousands of California ballots less than three weeks before Election Day. This is political intimidation, plain and simple. The DOJ is making outrageous demands of California election officials without providing credible evidence to substantiate its claims. This is not about protecting our elections. It is a calculated political effort to intimidate voters, undermine public confidence in our elections, and lay the groundwork to challenge results the President doesn’t like. This is the same Trump conspiracy playbook we’ve seen before. Every eligible American deserves to cast their ballot without fear of intimidation, and no president gets to decide which lawful votes count. Trump has spent years deliberately lying about our elections because he needs you to doubt them. He needs you to lose faith in your own vote, because the moment that you do, he stops being accountable to anyone. Don’t give him that. Make sure you have a plan to vote. apnews.com/article/californi…

We suspected this was the reason Ukraine’s access to Starshield was restricted. But to see it from senior officials in this reporting is still utterly unconscionable. Let’s be absolutely clear about what this means. The Trump Administration deliberately restricted technology Ukraine relies on to intercept Russian drones and ballistic missiles. It made it harder for Ukraine to defend itself and easier for Russia to carry out its deadly attacks against Ukrainian civilians. They knew exactly what was at stake. They knew that more Russian drones and missiles would get through, allowing Russia to kill even more Ukrainians. And yet they went ahead anyway. This is a deliberate weaking of Ukraine’s defenses that only Russia will benefit from. It is a betrayal of our ally that this Administration cannot wash its hands of. The American people deserve to know who made this decision, why they made it, and how they can possibly justify putting more innocent Ukrainian lives in the crosshairs of Putin’s war machine. reuters.com/world/europe/ord…

The donor list for Trump's ballroom is finally public, and it blows the lid off a huge can of worms. There’s a LOT here, so let’s break it down: 1) Surprise, surprise...a ton of the donors conveniently got things they wanted after donating, and several of them asked to remain anonymous. Makes you wonder why. 2) Roughly HALF of the money for the ballroom came from companies or executives whose firms have had federal contracts under Trump. 3) Julio Herrera Velutini, an international banker indicted on bribery charges, was pardoned after his daughter gave $3.5 million to Trump’s PAC and pledged another $2.5 million for the ballroom. Trump pardoned him after the first check for the ballroom hit. 4) Charles Ergen, a telecoms exec whose company was being investigated by the FCC, had a closed-door meeting with Trump and the Chair of the FCC. That meeting reportedly involved talks about his political donations. The Administration dropped the investigation, and Ergen donated a total of $25 million. 5) Rocket, a housing fintech company, needed federal approval of a major acquisition. The deal raised a ton of questions from lawmakers about potential anticompetitive business practices. The Trump Administration gave the company the green light, and three weeks later, a Rocket subsidiary donated $10 million to the ballroom. 6) Salesforce committed a total of $3 million in three installments. Between those payments, the Army awarded the company a $5.6 billion contract, the largest public government contract in the company's history. 7) ServiceNow committed $5 million just one month after the federal government announced a deal to make their AI software available across federal agencies. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Trump has created a system where the people who need something from his government know exactly how to get his attention. These companies and executives are foaming at the mouth to shower him with money, because he’s made it clear that he’ll help them in exchange. There is no honest word for that other than corruption. washingtonpost.com/investiga…

New Norte Fire Update.

Norte Fire Update.

To the firefighters, sheriff's deputies, and every first responder right now in South Orange County, thank you. You're working through rough conditions to protect our families and homes, and we owe you more than we can say. My heart breaks for those who lost their homes. Like so many of our neighbors, our family evacuated as the fire moved toward our community. If you're under an evacuation order, please leave right away and stay out until officials say it's safe. Sign up for Orange County emergency alerts and check on neighbors who may need help getting out. The County has set up a hotline at (714) 628-7085 if you have been impacted and need more information. My office is here for anyone who needs help. This community always shows up for one another. Please reach out.

If you or your family have been impacted by the Norte Fire in San Clemente, please do not hesitate to call the hotline at (714) 628-7085.

If you are in an evacuation zone for the Norte Fire in San Clemente, please leave right away. You can find the evacuation zone map here [ocpw.maps.arcgis.com/apps/in…]. Evacuation centers are open at San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino de Avion, San Juan Capistrano San Clemente Community Center, 100 Calle Seville, San Clemente I-5 is closed due to the fire, so check Caltrans QuickMap [quickmap.dot.ca.gov/] before you drive. Keep an eye on Alert OC and local emergency officials for the latest evacuation information, and visit CAL FIRE's Norte Fire page for updates [fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/1…]. Please look out for your neighbors, especially older residents and anyone who may need help getting out. I am in touch with local firefighters who are doing everything they can to get resources to the area, and I'm deeply grateful to them and to every first responder on the ground right now. My team and I will keep sharing updates as we learn more. Stay safe, everyone.

Evacuation shelters for those affected by the Norte Fire are available at the following locations: San Juan Capistrano Community Center - 25925 Camino del Avion, San Juan Capistrano. San Clemente Community Center - 100 Calle Seville, San Clemente.

The following evacuation orders have been issued for the Norte Fire in San Clemente: SCL12, SCL13, SJC04, SJC05, and SJC10. Check if you are in an evacuation zone here: ocpw.maps.arcgis.com/apps/in…

My office is continuing to monitor the Henderson Fire on Camp Pendleton, the Scales Fire just south of the San Onofre scales/checkpoint, and the Norte Fire in San Clemente. We will continue to provide updates as the situation develops.   Interstate 5 is currently closed in both directions from Vandergrift Blvd to Basilone Road.   If you are in the area, please follow all guidance from local fire authorities, Camp Pendleton, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP).