The Fifth

Trump says Senate should scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown President Donald Trump is calling on the Senate to scrap the filibuster. That's so the Republican majority can bypass Democrats and reopen the shutdown federal government.

“We are holding food over the heads of poor people so that we can take away their health care,” said Rev. Ryan Stoess, during a prayer with religious leaders at the U.S. Capitol. “God help us,” he said, “when the cruelty is the point.” apnews.com/article/gove...

Trump’s Latest Grift, White House Demolition & a Pretend Ceasefire Plus: More U.S. troops head to South America in an escalation that looks more like regime change than drug control

Trump’s Latest Grift, White House Demolition & a Pretend Ceasefire
www.fromthefifth.com/trumps-lates...

Vance seeks to bolster fragile Gaza ceasefire on trip to Israel Vice President JD Vance traveled to Israel as the U.S. tries to show that it will enforce a Gaza ceasefire deal that is off to a shaky start.

After Israel violated the ceasefire dozens of times since Day 1, Trump's worried Netanyahu--not Hamas-- will torpedo it entirely. One official calls Vance's trip to Israel "Bibisitting." shorturl.at/riE3J

Trump Said to Demand Justice Dept. Pay Him $230 Million for Past Cases

Trump's latest grift: demanding his own DOJ approve $230M in taxpayer funds as compensation for allegedly violating his rights during past government investigations. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...

Eleven killed after Israel hits bus in Gaza, Hamas-run civil defence says The Israeli military said it had fired at a "suspicious vehicle" it said had crossed the line demarcating the area occupied by its forces.

Israel killed 11 members of the same family in Gaza because they crossed an imaginary line. This is not a ceasefire. shorturl.at/kQEts

While millions are returning home from protesting against Trump's authoritarian regime, his government is working to undermine the ceasefire -- which Israel has violated dozens of times already -- by claiming Hamas was/is about to attack Palestinians. Suddenly, Palestinian lives matter?

The Rule of Law is the Only King We Need As millions prepare to march against authoritarianism, the Supreme Court weighs gutting the Voting Rights Act, Israel violates the ceasefire, and Trump tests the limits of presidential power.

As millions prepare to march against authoritarianism, the Supreme Court weighs gutting the Voting Rights Act, Israel violates the ceasefire, and Trump tests the limits of presidential power. The latest in The Fifth: www.fromthefifth.com/the-rule-of-...

‘Locked up for 24 years’: release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees sparks joy and sorrow Nearly 2,000 people, including about 1,700 seized from Gaza and held without charge, set free from Israeli jails

This needs more attention: Nearly one-third of the 11,056 Palestinians Israel held as of Monday were never charged with a crime. Only a quarter were "classified as fighters" -- whatever that means? Kids with rocks?https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/13/palestinian-prisoners-return-home

There is ZERO evidence, effort or support to make Sharia into law anywhere... Muslims account for less than 1% of the US population & couldn't make it law even IF they wanted to. These men have no business serving in Congress. Fine is up for re-election & Tuberville is running for AL gov next year.

Who are the Palestinian captives Israel released? Israel is releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinians, political prisoners and detainees. Here's a look at who they are.

What you're not hearing enough of today: FIVE children are among the Palestinian hostages and prisoners released by Israel today... and 77 Palestinians disappeared after 10/7 died in Israeli prisons. www.aljazeera.com/features/202...

Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal. A reminder that the "first phase" has never been the problem—it's the second phase when Israel has to engage in negotiations to end its occupation. Last time, Israel broke the ceasefire before getting to this phase.

Are we finally on the verge of a ceasefire in Gaza? Plus, Republicans are lying through their teeth about why the government shut down.

This week's newsletter: www.fromthefifth.com/are-we-final...

Reports that Israel is torturing activist Greta Thunberg after illegally detaining her in international waters for trying to deliver life-saving aid to Palestinians. Google her name, and this is the first thing that comes up:

Le Monde enters Gaza City, an ocean of ruins emptied of its people Le Monde's Jerusalem correspondent entered the Palestinian urban area for a few hours on Friday, October 3, under escort from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The territory, largely destroyed by airst...

On Friday, a group of journalists was permitted into Gaza under IDF control and censorship. Le Monde: "What was visible testified to Gaza's annihilation – there was no other word for it." www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...

Yes, thank you for clarifying

Yes- "excuse" is the right word. Thanks.

Ha. This is true. Sadly.

Yup. It's ridiculous. And un-American.

The U.S. government is shut down because Republicans don’t want 0.4% of Medicaid funds to cover emergency care-- that medical professionals are legally and ethically bound to provide-- for “illegal aliens.” That's it. That's the reason.

This is true. He does not care about drug smuggling.

Stop the Lying, Trump and Republicans Own This Government Shutdown Recent US government shutdowns stem from a common root cause: the extremism of the modern MAGA Republican Party.

Why Dems took a gamble: "Facing a rogue administration that menaces democracy itself, and lacking the power of a House or Senate majority, Democrats hold no good options. But with a choice between nothing or something, they’ve chosen to do something, consequences unknown." 🤌🏼 shorturl.at/hkcIm

Trump says US is in 'armed conflict' with drug cartels after ordering strikes in the Caribbean President Donald Trump has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and says the United States is now in an “armed conflict."

After bombing 3 boats in int'l waters claiming they were carrying drugs to the US, Trump now says we're at war w/drug cartels. But the Pentagon couldn't name 1 terrorist org in a letter to Congress, "a major source of frustration for some of the lawmakers who were briefed..." shorturl.at/NBBGC

Trump administration cuts nearly $8B in clean energy projects in states that backed Harris The Trump administration has announced the cancellation of $7.6 billion intended for clean energy projects across 16 states.

The govt cancelled $7.6 billion in clean energy grants—in 16 states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. The EPA "has proposed overturning a 2009 finding that climate change threatens public health. Many climate scientists have criticized the EPA effort as biased and misleading.” shorturl.at/DDOLt

The AAUP-Penn Executive Committee said it warned the school when it sold out to Trump once before that it would "simply embolden" them "to come back for more." aaup-penn.org/statement-by...

Trump asks 9 colleges to commit to his political agenda and get favorable access to federal money The White House is asking nine major universities to commit to President Donald Trump’s political priorities in exchange for more favorable access to federal money.

The Trump Administration is threatening to cut funding, student visa approvals & more unless these schools adopt the government's bigoted agenda. apnews.com/article/trum...

Trump's Revenge, Shutdown Showdown & Microsoft Breaks with Israel With former FBI Director James Comey indicted and new DOJ directives targeting “domestic terrorism,” the president is checking boxes on a vendetta list years in the making.

www.fromthefifth.com/trumps-reven...

Trump's Latest Meme Gives Civil War Vibes Plus: another grim jobs report, “new” but not new Epstein documents, Israel’s Gaza ethnic cleansing plan, and why even Republicans are turning on HHS Secretary RFK Jr.

Trump’s 30-day takeover of DC, under the Home Rule Act, expires Wednesday unless Congress extends it—which they're unlikely to do. While the National Guard may linger, Trump will lose control of the DC PD. He needs a new target—and toy. Enter Chicago. www.fromthefifth.com/trumps-lates...

Netanyahu: UN making up 'excuses' about not being able to deliver aid to Gaza Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday accused the U.N. of “making excuses and lies about the State of Israel,” as concerns over hunger in the Gaza Strip mount.

Netanyahu to Israelis: We "have" to allow "minimal" aid into Gaza. apnews.com/video/netany...

No Proof Hamas Routinely Stole U.N. Aid, Israeli Military Officials Say

NYT: Israel NEVER found proof that Hamas "systematically" stole aid, according to FOUR Israeli sources. The UN system, "which Israel derided and undermined, was largely effective," according to their findings. (gift link) shorturl.at/qr5JV

Opinion | Gazans Are Finished With Hamas My Popular Forces control significant parts of eastern Rafah and we are ready to build a new future.

The gang leader Israel funded to steal aid in Gaza -- which Israel then blamed on Hamas -- has a byline… in the Wall Street Journal. Wild. shorturl.at/zH7KY