Eight years ago, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was a 28-year-old bartender, virtually unknown outside the Queens borough of New York. Today, at 36, the woman nearly every American knows as AOC leads the prediction and betting markets for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination – and is quietly beginning to distance herself from some of the slogans that made her the defining symbol of the progressive left.
Iranian missile and drone attacks on a US Navy base in Bahrain on the first day of the war knocked out a vital logistics hub. The Pentagon was forced to shift its supply chain to Diego Garcia, some 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) from the combat zone in the Gulf of Oman, contributing to shortages and deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Meanwhile, the Navy is considering a multibillion-dollar redesign of its Ford-class carriers at Trump’s request.
Rabbi Jonathan Leener, who met with Zohran Mamdani, warned that harsh rhetoric against Israel could spill over into hostility toward New York Jews. Leener said the mayor engaged in a sincere discussion, but should speak less frequently about Israel and increase security around Jewish institutions.
US President Donald Trump praised Leavitt, saying she was leaving to spend more time with her family: “She has done a phenomenal job." Leavitt, the youngest White House press secretary in US history, will continue as a senior outside adviser.
US Justice Department sends formal letter to Devorah Halberstam, mother of Ari Halberstam, the teenager murdered in the Brooklyn Bridge attack, saying that if the shooting occurred today it would be investigated as a federal hate crime and civil rights violation. Former US Attorney Jay Clayton says the legal framework is different today and directed the office's civil rights and national security units to preserve the case file.
Hasan Piker broadcasts eight hours a day to millions and has gone from internet celebrity to one of the most powerful voices on the Democratic left. Along the way, he has called Zionism a “mental illness,” said Hezbollah’s flag was his favorite and cast doubt on accounts of sexual violence on Oct. 7. Britain has already barred him from entering, but Bernie Sanders and other prominent Democrats are standing behind him.
President boarded jet in full view of cameras, but minutes later was transferred by catering truck to an alternate military aircraft. Air Force One took off without him and served as a decoy as journalists and White House staff believed Trump was flying with them.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the US president is preparing to declare victory if Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz, even without a nuclear agreement. Tehran, however, is demanding billions of dollars, the withdrawal of US forces from the region and an end to the naval blockade.
The Washington Post reports US ammunition stocks are dwindling, as the Pentagon gives defense companies 21 days to submit plans for expanding production capacity.
With about three months to go before the midterms, the most likely scenario is a divided Congress that would make it harder for the president to advance his agenda. • The Epstein affair, tariffs and the war with Iran have sent the president’s approval ratings to new lows, while The Democratic Party is divided between a moderate establishment and an anti-Israel progressive wing, making the election a crucial battle for Israel.
