ALT So when Trump says “We’re making a freaking fortune,” what he really means is that his policies are taking more than half a trillion dollars at an annual rate out of the pockets of ordinary Americans, and giving that money to the oil industry (which gave 88 percent of its 2024 campaign contributions to Republicans.) Some people might consider this a bad thing, but by his own account he “doesn’t give a damn.” Remind me again why people call Trump a “populist”?

ALT [NYT hed and dek] Grand Jury Declines to Bring Charges Against Cassidy Hutchinson The rejection of the indictment was the latest extraordinary setback in President Trump’s wide-ranging campaign to go after his political opponents.

ALT Stacked bar chart from Data for Progress titled “Majorities of Voters Say Trump Hasn’t Kept Many of His Campaign Promises,” from an October 9–13, 2026 survey of 1,155 U.S. likely voters. For each promise, the share saying he has not kept it, then the shares saying fully kept and partly kept: Gas below $2: 70% not kept (8% fully, 10% partly). No more wars: 65% (9%, 14%). End inflation on day one: 63% (9%, 17%). End Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours: 62% (9%, 15%). Cut energy prices in half: 60% (10%, 17%). Cut cost of a new home in half: 57% (9%, 17%). End veterans’ homelessness: 55% (10%, 16%). Cap credit card interest at 10%: 53% (11%, 15%). Dismantle the deep state: 51% (11%, 23%). Drive out government waste and fraud: 50% (13%, 23%). Tariffs a cost to other countries, not you: 46% (17%, 25%). Not touch Medicare or Social Security: 45% (21%, 18%). No taxes on tips: 31% (26%, 22%). Largest deportation operation: 23% (34%, 30%).