Today in one sentence: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to fully fund November SNAP benefits by Friday for about 42 million people; U.S. employers laid off 153,074 people in October, the highest for any October since 2003; Trump called Democrats’ “affordability” message “DEAD,” claiming prices had fallen under his presidency even as inflation has stayed at 3%; the Congressional Budget Office was hacked by a suspected foreign actor; the Senate will vote Friday on a plan to end the 37-day government shutdown; hundreds of U.S. flights were canceled after the FAA ordered airlines to begin cutting traffic at 40 major airports because of the government shutdown; a D.C. jury acquitted the "sandwich guy" who threw a Subway sandwich at a federal agent during Trump’s declared “crime emergency” in Washington; Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as House speaker, said she will not seek re-election and retire when her term ends in early 2027; and the Supreme Court allowed Trump to enforce a policy requiring that sex markers on U.S. passports match birth certificates while litigation continues.

1/ A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to fully fund November SNAP benefits by Friday for about 42 million people. Judge John McConnell Jr. said the administration violated his earlier order by pursuing partial payments and pointed to Trump’s social media post – that SNAP benefits “will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” – as an intent to defy the court. “People have gone without for too long,” McConnell said, directing officials to use available funds to make full payments and calling USDA’s refusal to use other sources “arbitrary and capricious.” The Trump administration, meanwhile, appealed the ruling to provide food benefits to millions of Americans. (Associated Press / Politico / New York Times / CNBC / CBS News / Washington Post)

2/ U.S. employers laid off 153,074 people in October, the highest for any October since 2003 and up 183% from September and 175% from a year ago. Year to date, companies have announced about 1.1 million cuts, a 65% increase from 2024 and the most through October since 2020. Cost-cutting and artificial intelligence were the top reasons for the reductions. With government data halted by the shutdown, ADP reported private employers added 42,000 jobs in October. (CNBC / Reuters / Axios / Bloomberg / NBC News / CBS News / Washington Post / CNN / Wall Street Journal)

3/ Trump called Democrats’ “affordability” message “DEAD,” claiming prices had fallen under his presidency even as inflation has stayed at 3%. He pointed to Walmart’s advertised Thanksgiving meal prices as proof that costs had fallen under his presidency, writing “2025 Thanksgiving dinner under Trump is 25% lower than 2024 Thanksgiving dinner under Biden.” Trump also claimed, “My cost are lower than the Democrats on everything.” However, Democrats’ election wins in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York this week centered on cost-of-living concerns, with exit polls showing most voters felt they were “holding steady” or “falling behind” financially and 61% saying Trump’s policies had worsened economic conditions. Federal data also show prices are still rising at roughly the same rate as under Biden, with gas averaging more than $3 a gallon. White House aides, nevertheless, said Trump would now focus on “prices and cost of living,” insisting “all the fundamentals are there” for an economic turnaround. (The Hill / NBC News / Politico / The Guardian / CNN / USA Today)

4/ The Congressional Budget Office was hacked by a suspected foreign actor and said it took “immediate action to contain” the breach while it investigates the “security incident.” Officials are reviewing whether internal emails and communications with congressional offices were accessed. The CBO produces the budget analyses and debt projections that lawmakers use to write and score legislation. The Senate Rules Committee was briefed on the intrusion, and neither the FBI nor the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed whether they are involved. (Washington Post / Politico)

5/ The Senate will vote Friday on a plan to end the 37-day government shutdown. The proposal would amend the House-passed stopgap bill to extend funding into January and attach three appropriations measures covering agriculture, military construction, and legislative operations. Democrats are expected to oppose the Republican plan unless it includes an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, which Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring to a House vote, saying “I’m not promising anybody anything.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans would guarantee Democrats “a process” on the subsidies, not an outcome, and leaders prepared to keep the Senate in through the weekend. (Politico / The Hill / New York Times / CBS News)

6/ Hundreds of U.S. flights were canceled after the FAA ordered airlines to begin cutting traffic at 40 major airports because of the government shutdown. The reductions, starting at 4% Friday and rising to 10%, will hit major hubs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta as air traffic controllers continue working without pay. The FAA hasn’t issued a formal order outlining the cuts, and officials haven’t said when normal operations might resume. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, however, called the move “proactive.” It’s the first time a shutdown has forced a nationwide reduction in air travel. (Politico / ABC News / New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)

7/ ✨ Well, that’s fantastic: A D.C. jury acquitted the “sandwich guy” who threw a Subway sandwich at a federal agent during Trump’s declared “crime emergency” in Washington. Prosecutors first sought a felony assault charge, but jurors decided the “Felony Footlong” wasn’t a crime. “I’m relieved, and I’m looking forward to moving on with my life,” Sean Dunn said after the verdict. (NBC News / Washington Post / Associated Press)

8/ Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as House speaker, said she will not seek re-election and retire when her term ends in early 2027, opening up her San Francisco seat for the first time in nearly 40 years. She announced the decision in a video, saying, “I will not be seeking re-election to Congress,” and telling constituents, “San Francisco, know your power.” Trump, meanwhile, called her retirement “a great thing for America” and said she was “evil” and “corrupt.” (New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News)

9/ The Supreme Court allowed Trump to enforce a policy requiring that sex markers on U.S. passports match birth certificates while litigation continues. In a 6-3 unsigned emergency order, the court said, “Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth.” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented that the government showed “no evidence that it will suffer any harm” from a pause, while plaintiffs face “immediate, concrete injury.” The order revives Trump’s Inauguration Day directive and lets the State Department drop the “X” marker and self-selection options adopted under Biden, despite a lower court’s earlier injunction. (Politico / Washington Post / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / CNN / NBC News)

⏭️ Notably Next: Your government has been shut down for 37 days; the 2026 midterms are in 362 days.

Five years ago today: Day 1387: "I don't like losers."
Six years ago today: Day 1021: A clear understanding.
Seven years ago today: Day 656: Setting a tone.
Eight years ago today: Day 291: Bad conduct.