2018 Day 643: Packages containing "potential explosive devices" were sent to Obama and Hillary Clinton; a similar device was sent to CNN; Trump called the packages "despicable acts"; the Saudi crown prince called the killing of Jamal Khashoggi a "heinous crime"; while Trump called it "a total fiasco"; and the S&P 500 and Dow erased all of their gains for 2018. Oct 24, 2018
2019 Day 1008: House Democrats could take impeachment inquiry public as soon as mid-November; the White House's trade representative withdrew Ukraine's trade privileges as Trump was withholding $391 million in military aid and security assistance; Trump's top envoy to Ukraine testified that the U.S. ambassador to the E.U. not only knew of a quid pro quo, but had also communicated the threat to Ukraine; An inspector general report revealed that a Veterans Affairs office designed to protect whistleblowers instead was used to stifle claims and retaliate against employees; and the White House said Trump would veto a bill requiring federal election campaigns to report "illicit offers" of campaign assistance from foreign governments. Oct 24, 2019
2022 Day 643: Fourth- and eighth-graders in most states and across almost all demographic groups fell behind in reading and had the largest ever decline in math in the first National Assessment of Educational Progress since the pandemic began; a federal appeals court temporarily blocked Biden's student loan forgiveness plan; Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas temporarily blocked Lindsey Graham from having to testify before a Georgia grand jury investigating efforts to overturn Trump’s election loss; the Jan. 6 committee formally subpoenaed Trump; classified documents recovered by the FBI from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home included U.S. secrets about Iran and China; and 80% of Americans believe that their opposing political party poses a threat that, if not stopped, will destroy America. Oct 24, 2022
2023 Day 1008: The Biden administration is reportedly worried that Israel lacks "achievable military objectives" ahead of its anticipated ground offensive in Gaza, but will refrain from “dictating terms” for Israel; Tom Emmer dropped out of the speaker's race four hours after House Republicans selected him as their nominee; a fourth Trump co-defendant pleaded guilty to illegally conspiring to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia; and Trump – seeking to toss federal charges that he conspired to defraud the U.S. – argued that his actions were protected by the First Amendment and that he can't be tried again after being acquitted by the Senate during his second impeachment. Oct 24, 2023
2024 Day 1374: Kamala Harris called Trump a fascist, saying "the American people deserve better, and they deserve a president who is focused on solutions, not sitting in the Oval Office plotting their revenge and retribution"; Trump vowed to "fire" Special Counsel Jack Smith – who brought two federal indictments against him – "within two seconds” of taking office; a former model accused Trump of groping her in 1993 at Trump Tower after Jeffrey Epstein introduced them; the 60-year-old man suspected of shooting at an Arizona Democratic National Committee office three times over the last two months had over 120 guns, over 250,000 rounds of ammunition, and a grenade launcher in his home; and the world is on course for a “catastrophic” temperature rise of more than 3C above pre-industrial levels – twice the goal set by the Paris agreement. Oct 24, 2024