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Nov. 9 (UPI) — The U.S. Senate on Sunday night voted to advance a proposal that, if passed by Congress, would fund the federal government through the end of January, marking an important step toward ending the nation’s longest shutdown.

The Senate advanced the continuing appropriations bill in a 60-40 vote, with eight Democrats joining their Republican colleagues, after the Democratic caucus had maintained a strong resistance to passing a bill to reopen the government during 14 previous votes.

The bill was advanced as the 40-day government shutdown strained the United States, with many airports facing significant delays and flight reductions due to worker shortages and the food supplies of low-income households threatened by a lack of federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, who was among those who voted in favor of the resolution, said in a statement Sunday that the bill is not the same as the one Democrats rejected 14 previous times.

“Republicans finally woke up and realized their Groundhog Day needed to end. This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt,” he said on X.

“Not only would it fully fund SNAP for the year ahead, but it would reverse the mass firings the Trump administration ordered throughout the shutdown.”

Along with Durbin, the other Democrats who voted in favor of the bill are: Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen of Nevada.

Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine but who caucuses with the Democrats, also voted “yes” to the resolution.

Explaining his vote, King said the bill will “alleviate the crisis that is now occurring in SNAP, in food insecurity across the country.”

“Food pantries can’t do it by themselves,” he said in a video message published late Sunday to his X account.

The resolution still needs to be debated and passed by the Senate and House and then be signed by President Donald Trump for the government shutdown to end.

The resolution included a “minibus” package of legislation, which, if it is approved by the Senate, would then be amended to include a full year of government funding.

The deal also includes a vote on extending tax credits for people who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act — agreement on which has been the linchpin in the 40-day federal government shutdown.

Durbin, in his statement, said it was now up to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to schedule the promised vote on the ACA tax credits for next month.

“And we will see to it that he makes good on his word for the millions of Americans worried they won’t be able to afford healthcare in January,” he said.

The resolution was advanced after it was reported Sunday afternoon that the Republicans had secured enough Democratic votes to advance it.

Some lawmakers had expressed hope that they might be able to end the shutdown after Senators discussed three bills that would fund the government for a full year.

Programs for veterans affairs and agriculture subsidies were released early Sunday, and a more complete funding measure for the legislative branch was released later in the day.

The extended shutdown has put SNAP benefits on hold and snarled air traffic at the nation’s busiest airports amid the ongoing impasse, which has stretched well into its second month.

Staffing shortages and flight cancellations have caused travel disruptions and forced many air traffic controllers to work without pay.

Senate Democrats have been holding out for a one-year extension of Biden-era subsidies for health insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on the federal Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act.

The shutdown also prompted the Trump administration to cancel scheduled military flyovers at a handful of NFL games, including at the Washington, D.C., area stadium that hosts the Washington Commanders, where Trump attended the game Sunday between the Commanders and Detroit Lions.

Trump has expressed wishes to have the Commanders rename the stadium after him. ESPN reported that it would be discussed between the president and team ownership during the contest.

Nov. 9 (UPI) — A medical helicopter crashed in Middle Tennessee over the weekend, leaving a nurse dead and its two other crew members seriously injured, according to officials.

Vanderbilt LifeFlight, operator of the aircraft identified the deceased victim Sunday evening in a statement as Alan Williams, a registered nurse and flight nurse and paramedic. One of the two victims hospitalized was identified as Andrew “Andy” Sikes, critical care flight paramedic. The identity of the aircraft’s pilot was not made public out of respect for the pilot’s family, Vanderbilt LifeFlight said.

The two injured crew members were receiving care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

“Our hearts and deepest sympathies are with our Vanderbilt LifeFlight colleagues, their families and loved ones during this difficult time,” the company said in a statement.

No patient was aboard the flight when it crashed Saturday in the 7100 block of Cairo Bend Road in Lebanon, Tenn., located about 31 miles east of Nashville.

The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, where the crash occurred, said in a statement that the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were taking over the investigation into the crash.

The NTSB confirmed it was investigating. It identified the aircraft in a statement as an Airbus Helicopter EC130T2.

Nov. 9 (UPI) — The Senate was poised to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history Sunday night as Democrats and Republicans said the two sides have reached a tentative budget agreement.

Axios and The Hill reported on Sunday afternoon that 10 Senate Democrats are expected to vote in favor of the House bill to fund and reopen the government through January. Politico reported Sunday night that there are “more than enough” votes for passage.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who said that the Senate would remain in session until the impasse is resolved, said earlier Sunday that he expected a 15th vote on the bill Sunday night.

The vote would include a “minibus” package of legislation, which, if it is approved by the Senate, would then be amended to include a full year of government funding.

The deal also includes a vote, on a date established in the package, on extending tax credits for people who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act — agreement on which has been the linchpin in the 40-day federal government shutdown.

Democrats are set for a caucus meeting tonight, CBS News reported.

Some lawmakers expressed hope that they may be able to end the shutdown after Senators discussed three bills that would fund the government for a full year.

Programs for veterans affairs and agriculture subsidies were released early Sunday, and a more complete funding measure for the legislative branch was released later in the day.

The extended shutdown has put SNAP benefits on hold and snarled air traffic at the nation’s busiest airports amid the ongoing impasse, which has stretched well into its second month.

Staffing shortages and flight cancellations have caused travel disruptions and forced many air traffic controllers to work without pay.

Senate Democrats have been holding out for a one year extension of Biden-era subsidies for health insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on the federal Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act. Thune promised Democrats a vote on extending the subsides in December as part of the agreement.

The shutdown also prompted the Trump administration to cancel scheduled military flyovers at a handful of NFL games, including at the Washington, D.C, area stadium that hosts the Washington Commanders, where President Donald Trump attended the game Sunday between the Commanders and Detroit Lions.

Trump has expressed wishes to have the Commanders name the stadium after him. ESPN reported that it would be discussed between the president and team ownership during the contest.

Nov. 9 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Sunday rejoiced in the abrupt resignations of the BBC’s director-general Tim Davie and news head Deborah Turness after allegations that one of its program’s misleadingly edited a he made on Jan. 6, 2021.

“The top people in the BBC, including Tim Davie, the boss, are all quitting/fired, because they were caught ‘doctoring’ my very good (perfect!) speech of Jan. 6. Thank you to The Telegraph for exposing these corrupt ‘journalists,'” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Davie and Turness are reported to have resigned by the BBC and there has not been evidence to suggest that they were fired.

“These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a presidential election,” Trump said. “On top of everything else, they are from a foreign country, one that many consider our number one ally. What a terrible thing for democracy!”

BBC News published a statement from Davie after his resignation, in which he said he would be working with the public broadcaster’s board to “allow for an orderly transition” to a successor over the coming months.

“Like all public organizations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable. While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision,” Davie said in his statement.

“Overall, the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director-general I have to take ultimate responsibility.”

Samir Shah, the chairman of the BBC, called the dual resignations a “sad day” for the broadcaster and thanked Davie and Turness for their “unwavering service and commitment.”

The controversy stems from a report by the British newspaper The Telegraph, which leaked an internal BBC memo in which a former external ethics adviser allegedly suggested that a BBC Panorama documentary cut together parts of Trump’s speech to make it appear as if he explicitly directed the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Nov. 9 (UPI) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Sunday that Thanksgiving air travel would slow considerably.

Amid the continued federal government shutdown and upcoming travel season, he also said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered military reserves of air traffic controllers to help mitigate the shutdown-linked staffing shortage.

As of early Sunday morning, more than 1,100 flights had been canceled, which follows more than 1,500 that were cancelled and 6,4000 that were delayed, ABC reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered airlines to cut flights by 10% by Nov. 14 to mitigate air safety concerns amid the shortage of air traffic controllers.

Duffy said in an interview with “Fox News Sunday” that Hegseth texted him Saturday with the offer, but that he did not know if the air traffic controllers could be deployed.

“But he’ll step in and try to provide some relief in the skies,” Duffy said. “We’re trying to minimize the pain for the American people.”

Duffy said that he anticipated “very few” air traffic controllers showing up for work over the holiday, choosing to be with their families as they continue to work unpaid.

The federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1 has entered its sixth week, becoming the longest in U.S. history, as lawmakers in Washington remain at an impasse over funding for the new fiscal year.

The stalemate is over expiring healthcare tax credits from the Affordable Care Act. Democrats want to extend these subsidies before reopening the government, while Republicans refuse to discuss policy until a funding bill passes.

The funding lapse has led to the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal employees and is forcing many others, including military personnel and air traffic controllers, to work without pay. But many air traffic controllers have chosen not to appear for work.

Disruptions have deepened nationwide, including slowdowns at airports, closures of national parks and cultural institutions and growing uncertainty over food assistance programs for millions of Americans.

“I think we have to be honest about where this is going,” Duffy said. “It doesn’t get better, it gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.”

Nov. 9 (UPI) — The Trump administration has ordered states to stop distributing benefits to 42 million food insecure Americans, including critical nutrition and aid to the Women, Infants and Children program.

The move follows an order last week by two federal judges that ordered the administration to provide the benefits that hungry children rely on.

A memo from the U.S.D.A. Food and Nutrition Service directs states to “immediately undo any steps taken to issue” full payments to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

The Administration has called on states to issue partial payments, about 65% of a typical monthly SNAP benefit, to recipients.

The memo threatens states with total cuts in federal funding they need to pay SNAP administrative costs if they don’t heed the warning.

As of Sunday morning, officials in many states said they were unsure how the USDA order will affect their aid, the fate of which has been uncertain as courts and the Trump administration volley back and forth over the amount to be distributed, if any.

Washington funds SNAP, but the federal government and states share the administrative costs of distributing the benefits to recipients.

Friday night, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson blocked a Rhode Island judge’s order that, earlier in the week, directed the Trump administration to issue full SNAP benefits for the month of November.

The Trump administration said Friday that it was working to distribute the aid, and it appealed to the Supreme Court to block the Rhode Island judge’s order.

The SNAP program provides aid to more than 42 million Americans, including elderly people, children and low-income families.

It has been at the center of the historically long government shutdown, as recipients have been unsure, often on a day-to-day basis, whether they are going to receive the funds they need to buy food they need to survive.

Nov. 9 (UPI) — China’s Commerce Ministry announced Sunday that it would suspend a ban on the export of some rare earth metals to the United States as trade tensions ease.

The affected metals include gallium and germanium, which are used to make advanced semiconductors for computing, as well as antimony, which is used to make explosives, and super-hard metals such as tungsten, which is used in armor-piercing ammunition. The fifth metal covered by the suspension of the ban is graphite.

China’s Commerce Ministry had announced the export ban in December 2024 ahead of the second administration of President Donald Trump, “in order to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation.”

It said in a statement Sunday that the ban on the five metals would be suspended until Nov. 27, 2026.

The move comes after Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea last month ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

The suspension is part of a broader economic deal struck during that meeting, which both governments described as a step toward stabilizing bilateral trade relations after several years of heightened tensions.

According to a White House fact sheet, China agreed to effectively eliminate its export controls on rare earth elements and other critical minerals, while issuing “general licenses” that allow shipments of gallium, germanium, antimony, tungsten and graphite to continue flowing to U.S. manufacturers and their suppliers.

The White House said the agreement would help ensure American companies have reliable access to essential materials used in advanced technologies, while Beijing would benefit from renewed purchases of agricultural goods and other exports.

The deal also included Chinese commitments to halt the export of fentanyl precursors, ease restrictions on U.S. semiconductor firms, and expand purchases of U.S. farm products.

China’s statement on Sunday did not reference the broader trade framework or the general licenses described by the White House. Instead, it said only that the suspension of the 2024 export ban would last for one year — marking a discrepancy in American and Chinese framing of the deal.

China controls the vast majority of the world’s supply of each of the five rare earth metals, and analysts have warned that prolonged export restrictions could disrupt global manufacturing tied to them.

Nov. 8 (UPI) — A federal judge issued a permanent injunction that prevents the deployment of the National Guard in Portland, Ore., saying Donald Trump “exceeded the President’s authority.”

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, in a 106-page decision Friday, wrote in all caps: “THIS PERMANENT INJUNCTION ORDER IS IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT.”

She issued a temporary restraining order on Oct. 4 blocking the deployment of the Oregon National Guard to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. One day later a second order blocked deployment of National Guard troops from other states to Portland streets.

“The evidence demonstrates that these deployments, which were objected to by Oregon’s governor and not requested by the federal officials in charge of protection of the ICE building, exceeded the president’s authority,” the judge, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, wrote.

Immergut, who made the decision after the three-day trial, said the troops were not needed to quell protests against Trump’s immigration policies.

“This Court arrives at the necessary conclusion that there was neither ‘a rebellion or danger of a rebellion’ nor was the President ‘unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States’ in Oregon when he ordered the federalization and deployment of the National Guard,” Immergut wrote.

She said a stay of federalization of Oregon troops will last 14 days that “preserves the status quo in which National Guard members have been federalized but not deployed.”

Starting in early June, there were daily demonstrations outside ICE’s building in Portland. They have been small and peaceful and dispersed when federal agents in riot gear came to the scene, The New York Times reported.

Sometimes federal officers used tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray balls.

Immergut said she expects the decision to be appealed with the White House not responding to a request for comment Friday night.

“The ‘precise standard’ to demarcate the line past which conditions would satisfy the statutory standard to deploy the military in the streets of American cities is ultimately a question for a higher court to decide,” she wrote.

During the trial, federal lawyers said they intended to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco.

On Sept. 27, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he planned to use “full force” to protect “war-ravaged Portland.”

The next day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to activate 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to protect federal property. Kotek refused and Trump federalized the troops.

Under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, a president may use the National Guard on U.S. soil in only three situations: a foreign invasion; a rebellion or threat of a rebellion; or laws of the nation cannot be enforced with existing resources.

The Trump administration argued the last two conditions were met. The judge disagreed.

“Oregon National Guard members have been away from their jobs and families for 38 days,” Kotek, a Democrat, said after the ruling on the lawsuit by the state and city. ” The California National Guard has been here for just over one month. Based on this ruling, I am renewing my call to the Trump Administration to send all troops home now.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the decision involving his state’s troops “a win for the rule of law, for the constitutional values that govern our democracy, and for the American people.”

Trump has sought to send troops into Democrat-run cities. Another judge has blocked troops from Chicago after a lawsuit and that decision has been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Troops have been sent to the District of Columbia, Los Angeles and Memphis, Tenn., to assist ICE and/or reduce crime.

Nov. 9 (UPI) — On this date in history:

In 1872, a fire which began in the basement of a warehouse in downtown Boston raged for 12 hours, consuming 65 acres and leaving 776 buildings in ruins. The Great Boston Fire killed at least 30 people.

In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt traveled to Panama to observe the progress being made on the construction of the canal. He was the first sitting president of the United States to embark on an official trip outside the country. The canal opened in 1914 under operation by the U.S. War Department.

In 1918, Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated as World War I drew to a close.

In 1938, mobs of Germans attacked Jewish businesses and homes throughout Germany in what became known as Kristallnacht, or Crystal Night.

In 1953, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Major League Baseball isn’t within the scope of federal antitrust laws.

File Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI

In 1965, a massive power failure left more than 30 million people in the dark in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada.

In 1985, Gary Kasparov, 22, became the youngest world chess champion, ending the 10-year reign of Anatoly Karpov in Moscow.

In 1989, East Germany announced free passage for its citizens through border checkpoints. The announcement rendered the Berlin Wall, the most reviled symbol of the Cold War, virtually irrelevant 28 years after its construction.

In 1995, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat visited Israel for the first time to offer personal condolences to the wife of slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

In 2008, three men were executed by firing squad for 2002 bombings in Bali that killed 202 people, mostly tourists.

File Photo by Brian Richards/UPI

In 2011, a burgeoning child sexual-abuse scandal at Penn State University involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky claimed its legendary football coach when the school’s board of trustees fired Joe Paterno.

In 2012, CIA Director David Petraeus resigned, citing an extramarital affair.

In 2015, the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended that Russia be banned from international sporting events due to systematic doping by athletes. Of the 389 athletes submitted for competition in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 111 were prohibited in stringent doping tests required of all Russian athletes.

In 2021, Arlington National Cemetery opened the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Plaza to the public for the first time in nearly 100 years.

In 2023, the Screen Actors Guilt and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists reached a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture Television Producers, ending a 118-day strike that brought Hollywood to a halt.

In 2024, Beyoncé earned 11 nominations for the 67th annual Grammy Awards, making her the most nominated artist in Grammy history, with a lifetime total of 99 nods. As of 2025, she has won 35 of the awards.

File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI

Nov. 8 (UPI) — Federal officials on Saturday canceled more than 800 flights at airports across the United States as the federal government shutdown entered its record-long 39th day on Saturday.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford jointly announced a temporary 10% reduction in flights at 40 high-traffic airports.

They said the reduction in flights is necessary to ensure safety and ease the strain on air traffic controllers, who are working without pay.

“My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety,” Duffy said.

“It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”

More than 1,700 flights have been canceled through Sunday — and more than 800 were cancelled on Saturday alone — as commercial airlines reduced their respective flights by 4% at the nation’s busiest airports, according to CNN.

Washington’s Reagan National Airport is affected the most by the flight reductions, with 151 flights canceled among 869 initially scheduled there for a reduction of 17.4%, The New York Times reported.

Louisville, Ky., has an 8% reduction with 12 canceled among 150 flights, followed by Cincinnati, 7.2% and 18 canceled flights among 250 scheduled.

Houston Hobby has 20 of 336 flights canceled for a 6% reduction, followed by Indianapolis, with 17 of 297 flights canceled for a 5.7% reduction, to round out the five most impacted airports.

The flight reductions come after many air traffic controllers and other essential airport staff have called in sick due to increased stress, to work other jobs and to care for their children, among other reasons.

They have missed one paycheck and will again next week if the federal government is not funded and reopened by then, according to CNBC.

The reduced staffing levels are putting more pressure on commercial air operations, especially at the nation’s busiest airports.

“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” Bedford said.

“The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations, and we will not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe.”

Nov. 8 (UPI) — No military-sponsored events, including flyovers, will take place at this week’s Veterans Day “Salute to Service” NFL games, because they have fallen victim to the federal government shutdown.

But there will be a veteran commemoration planned Sunday in Northern Virginia as will be President Donald Trump on hand for the game between the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions.

Veterans Day is Tuesday, and unlike previous years, there will not be honor guards and military service members unveiling American flags, in addition to the lack of a flyover, at the 13 NFL games on Sunday and Monday.

Before the shutdown, there was a flyover at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on September 11 between the Packers and the Commanders as F-35 Lightning II jets from the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing flew over the stadium.

The campaign with the NFL began in 2011, according to Fox News.

The Pentagon’s press office said service members and Defense Department personnel are “prohibited from participating in official outreach activities.”

Those events are paid from the Pentagon’s annual budget, Fox News reported.

“Service members are permitted to wear military uniforms at Veterans Day events, in a personal capacity, as long as it follows their service-specific guidelines, and no official endorsement or involvement is implied by the Department,” the Pentagon said in a statement to The Washington Post on Thursday.

A guidance document by the Post said there will be no “jet and jump demonstration teams, bands and ceremonial unit appearances, port visits, service weeks and nonprofit and corporate leader outreach.”

In 2015, a flyover was estimated to cost $80,000 by then-Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby.

“There is a minimal expense involved with the flyover,” he said during a Defense Department briefing on Jan. 30, 2015, noting aircraft fly from nearby bases with maintenance personnel at the site.

“It’s not an exorbitant cost, and I would, you know, obviously remind you that you know, we stand to gain the benefit. And there’s an exposure benefit from having the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over, a well-known, famous team, and that certainly helps us in terms of keeping our exposure out there for the American people,” he said.

Last year when Joe Biden was president, there were about a dozen flyover events at NFL games throughout November.

“While Salute to Service comes to life on-field each November — as it will again this year, starting this weekend — our long-standing efforts to support the military community continue throughout the year,” said Anna Isaacson, the NFL’s senior vice president of social responsibility said in a statement to the Post.

Trump will fly from Palm Beach County on Sunday to attend the game against the Detroit Lions at Northwest Field in Landover, Md.

He is expected to join owner Josh Harris in his suite for the game, as well as a halftime ceremony. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. EST.

“We are honored to welcome President Trump to the game as we celebrate those who have served and continue to serve our country. The entire Commanders organization is proud to participate in the NFL’s league-wide Salute to Service initiative, recognizing the dedication and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans, active-duty service members, and their families this Sunday,” the Commanders said in a statement.

Trump said he has opposed calling the team the Commanders after they changed their name from the Redskins, and often refers to them as the “Washington Whatevers.”

The last time Trump was at a football game was Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.

Nov. 8 (UPI) — One or more people fired shots at Customs and Border Protection agents, who were carrying out law enforcement activities in a southwestern Chicago neighborhood on Saturday.

The agents were in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood as part of the Operation Midway Blitz operation to enforce federal immigration laws in the sanctuary city when an unidentified male in a black Jeep fired shots at the agents and then fled in his vehicle.

The number of shots fired was not announced.

“This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of violence and obstruction,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a post on X.

“Over the past two months, we’ve seen an increase in assaults and obstruction targeting federal law enforcement during operations,” the post continued.

“These confrontations highlight the dangers our agents face daily and the escalating aggression toward law enforcement. The violence must end.”

The incident occurred near 26th Street and Kedzie Avenue when agents detained a young woman, which drew the attention of protesters who demanded CBP release her, according to WLS-TV.

As protesters followed the CBP caravan in which the woman was detained, the man in the black Jeep fired shots at the agents.

Some protesters also threw bricks and a paint can at the agents’ vehicles, CBS News reported.

The Chicago Police Department arrived on the scene to clear it and restore order.

No arrests have been made, but federal law enforcement is continuing to search for the driver of the black Jeep.

Chicago Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez said the CBP agents “came out of their vehicles pointing their weapons” and “used tear gas on people,” WLS-TV reported.

After Chicago police arrived, one police officer was struck by a vehicle and taken to a local hospital for treatment. His condition was not reported.

The Chicago Police Department said there were no reports of anyone being struck by gunfire.

CBP agents continued their law enforcement activities near 26th and Pulaski and deployed tear gas to fend off protesters as they detained another person.

Many protesters used whistles and car horns to warn others of the CBP activities during an afternoon attempt to detain a man and his niece near 25th and Sawyers.

The incident also required the attention of the Chicago Police Department after someone used a vehicle to ram a CBP vehicle.

Nov. 8 (UPI) — Wendy’s is closing about 300 locations over the next year as the fast-food chain seeks to revitalize its business model and become more profitable.

Interim Chief Executive Officer Ken Cook announced the pending closings on Friday and said they represent a small fraction of the popular restaurant chain’s 6,000 locations in the United States, CNN reported.

Cook told analysts that “consistently underperforming” locations will be closed so that they won’t reflect poorly on the Wendy’s brand.

“These actions will strengthen the system and enable franchisees to invest more capital and resources in their remaining restaurants,” Cook explained.

“Closures of underperforming units are expected to boost sales and profitability at nearby locations.”

The restaurant closures will start this year and continue through next year.

The fast-food chain last year closed 140 restaurants for similar reasons, but it still reported a 4.7% decline in sales during the third quarter of 2025.

Meanwhile, Burger King, McDonald’s and Shake Shack reported revenue increases during the quarter.

Among the thousands of remaining Wendy’s locations, Cook said many will benefit from improved equipment and technology, and several also will be transferred to new owners, according to USA Today.

Wendy’s has not posted a list of locations targeted for closure or indicated how many in each respective state.

Nov. 8 (UPI) — The federal government will extend its record-long close to 40 days after the Senate adjourned with no vote held on a possible budget deal on Saturday.

A small number of centrist Democratic Party senators have been negotiating with Republicans behind closed doors to try to craft a funding measure that would reopen the federal government, CNN reported.

They are making progress but said there disagreement remains over Democrats’ demand to extend Affordable Care Act credits that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

Senate Republicans are meeting at 12:30 p.m. EST on Sunday before resuming session.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., earlier said the Senate will work through the weekend to try to end the budget impasse and reopen the federal government, which shut down when the 2026 fiscal year started without a budget in place in Oct. 1.

Thune also said the Senate will continue to meet until a budget deal is approved.

The Senate was scheduled to be in recess around Veterans Day, which is Tuesday.

Instead, it convened after noon in a rare Saturday session, which was the fourth this year.

The last Sunday session was on Feb. 11, 2024, for a vote on emergency national security appropriations.

With the government closed for more than a month, around 900,000 workers are furloughed and another 700,000 are working without pay — a number that includes air traffic controllers, which has resulted in staffing issues and forced flight cancellations.

Food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was paused for this month, although the Supreme Court is set to decide a case on whether the Trump administration is legally required to fund the program.

The issue holding up an end to the shutdown is an extension of subsidies available for some Americans who purchase health insurance through an Affordable Care Act exchange. The ACA is also referred to as Obamacare.

Republicans want a clean funding bill with health insurance to be considered later, while Democrats want the government’s subsidies to be extended into next year as part of a funding bill.

A record 24.3 million have purchased insurance through one of the exchanges, with nine out of 10 receiving some sort of financial assistance.

Open enrollment began on Nov. 1 for most policyholders, one month after the shutdown began.

Rates will rise 26% on average next year, according to a KFF analysis — not including the end of the subsidies. In all, costs will more than double, according to a separate KFF analysis of data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Thune, of South Dakota, said both sides negotiated overnight on a possible short-term spending bill, while bipartisan negotiations also have been ongoing but not fruitful.

“I’m frustrated like everybody is,” GOP Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas told reporters on Saturday. “Every American is frustrated. Nobody wins in a shutdown, especially one that is this long.

Asked whether there could be a deal, he responded, “None. None at all. I’m almost speechless. What has not been said?”

Thune said a 15th vote on advancing the House-passed continuing resolution is not currently scheduled, but could come up later in the day.

In past votes, a few Democrats have approved the bill but 60 votes are needed. The Republicans have a 53-47 edge in the chamber.

“There’s still only one path out — it’s a clean funding extension,” Thune said on the Senate floor Saturday.

Senators have been told they will be given 24 hours to read the text of an agreement, a GOP aide told CNN.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma told reporters that consensus has emerged in the Republican conference around a Jan. 30 funding end date.

GOP senators have pushed for the funding with the goal of including longer-term appropriations bills and extending the deadline for funding, in exchange for a future vote on healthcare.

“The question is whether we can have everything ready to go,” Thune told reporters. “We’re getting close to having it ready. Ideally, it’d be great to set it up so we could vote today, but we have to … have the votes to actually pass it.”

On Friday, Republicans shot down a Democratic push toward a deal featuring a one-year tax credit extension on health insurance. Thune said the tax extension would be considered after the shutdown ends.

“That’s what we’re going to negotiate once the government opens up,” Thune said Friday.

Minor Leader Chuck Schumer of New York criticized Republicans for rejecting the idea.

“Yesterday, we offered Republicans a perfectly reasonable compromise to get out of this horrible shutdown that they installed on the American people,” Schumer said on the House floor. “We offered three things: we all vote to reopen the government, we all approve a one-time temporary extension of current ACA premium tax credits, and then after we reopen we negotiate.”

“I know many Republicans stormed out the gate to dismiss this offer, but that’s a terrible mistake,” he added.

Schumer said it doesn’t need to be negotiated because the idea “is not a new policy, this is not negotiating a shutdown.”

Thune has been adamant that he can’t guarantee Democrats a tax extension process.

President Donald Trump, who is at his estate in South Florida, has been pressing to end the filibuster rule and instead have bills pass by a majority of the 100 senators. Most Republicans are opposed to this “nuclear” option, fearing Democrats will do that when they are in power.

“Democrats are cracking like dogs on the Shutdown because they are deathly afraid that I am making progress with the Republicans on TERMINATING THE FILIBUSTER!,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday afternoon. “Whether we make a Deal or not, THE REPUBLICANS MUST ‘BLOW UP’ THE FILIBUSTER, AND APPROVE HUNDREDS OF LONG SOUGHT, BUT NEVER GOTTEN, POLICY WINS LIKE, AS JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE, VOTER ID (IDENTIFICATION). Only a LOSER would not agree to doing this!”

End Obamacare?

Trump also told Republicans to end Obamacare, something he has attempted to do since he first became president in 2017.

He called it the “worst Healthcare anywhere in the World.”

On Saturday morning in a post on Truth Social, he said money used for the program should be sent directly to the public instead of “money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare.

“In other words, take it from the BIG, BAD Insurance Companies, give it to the people.”

Medicare, mainly for seniors, has Part A and B that don’t go through insurance companies and are run by the U.S. government’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, an ally of Trump, touted the proposal.

“We’re not going to extend this program for a year because that would be unfair to the taxpayer,” Graham said on the Senate floor. “That would continue a healthcare system that’s out of control. It would enrich health insurance companies even more. We’re not going to do that. We’re going to replace this broken system with something that is actually better for the consumer to meet the goal of lowering health care costs.”

Graham said he spoke with Trump on Saturday morning and that the president told him he would “like to sit down and see if we can come up with a better solution. I know we can, but we’re not going to do it while the government’s shut down.”

Graham also urged Democrats to “end this madness.”

“To my Democratic colleagues, let’s open up the government and act like adults and see if we can get this problem in a better spot. We’ll never do it with the government shut down,” he said.

Nov. 8 (UPI) — President Donald Trump said the United States will not participate in the upcoming G20 conference in South Africa due to that nation’s alleged racial policies and killings of Afrikaners.

The G20 is scheduled Nov. 22 and 23 at the NASREC Expo Centre in Johannesburg, but the president cited the treatment of Dutch, French and German settlers and migrants as a cause for boycotting the event.

“It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday.

“Afrikaners … are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated,” the president said. “No U.S. government official will attend as long as these human rights abuses continue.”

Afrikaners have experienced rising hostility from some politicians and others in South Africa, including those who encourage violence and land confiscation.

The nation’s Expropriation Act of 2024 enables the South African government to confiscate land for public use, and without paying in some instances, in order to address matters involving equity, according to Fox News.

Many view the act as a mechanism to target white South African farmers and take their land without compensation, and Trump has accused South Africa of engaging in genocide.

The South African foreign ministry denied any racial oppression had occurred in a prepared statement shared with the BBC.

“The South African government wishes to state, for the record, that the characterization of Afrikaners as an exclusively white group is ahistorical,” the foreign ministry said.

“Furthermore, the claim that this community faces persecution is not substantiated by fact.”

When South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Trump at the White House in May, the president raised the matter of genocide against Caucasians in South Africa.

Ramaphosa denied any genocide has occurred and cited prior oppression of South Africans.

“We cannot equate what is alleged to be genocide to what we went through in the struggle because people were killed because of the oppression that was taking place in our country,” Ramaphosa told the president.

Trump then played a video that allegedly showed white crosses placed along a South African highway to mark where the bodies of white farmers are buried, Fox News reported.

Ramaphosa asked where the white crosses were located and said he never had seen the alleged video evidence.

Trump has granted refugee status to Afrikaners despite the South African government earlier saying claims of genocide are “widely discredited and unsupported by reliable evidence,” the BBC reported.

The G20 is a collection of 19 nations, plus the European Union, and was formed in 1999 to promote global economic stability in the wake of Asian financial troubles.

The G20 collectively represents 85% of the world’s economic output and two-thirds of its population and meets annually to discuss matters affecting member states and the world.

The United States is scheduled to host the annual event next year in Miami.

Nov. 5 (UPI) — The crash of a UPS plane in Louisville, Ky., has disrupted the shipper’s air cargo headquarters, delaying some deliveries.

UPS Worldport halted processing of packages on Tuesday night after the crash.

The first flights resumed about 24 hours after the crash. CNN reported 10 flights took off within 30 minutes just before 5 p.m. CST.

The Louisville site serves as UPS’ main processing location in the United States. Planes arrive from throughout the nation. The packages are sorted and then they go on other planes to their destinations.

The air cargo operations are also connected to the ground network.

On a typical day, more than 300 UPS flights depart from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport with about 2 million packages.

They are processed at the 5.2 million-square-foot facility, according to UPS.

Each hour, more than 400,000 packages are sorted with 20,000 workers at the site.

A spokesperson told The New York Times that the company’s goal is to be back to normal Thursday morning.

On Wednesday morning, the carrier said its Second Day Air shipping service was canceled for the day.

Later Wednesday, UPS said delivery commitments were pushed back.

The money-back guarantee “is suspended for all packages either shipped from or delivered to the United States until further notice,” UPS said.

UPS said contingency plans are in place “to help ensure that shipments arrive at their final destinations as quickly as conditions permit.” The plans weren’t explained.

The company has regional hubs in Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia and Rockford, Ill. In past disruptions, including bad weather, flights were rerouted to other facilities, the Lexington Herald Tribune reported.

“UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, our customers and the communities we serve,” the carrier said. “This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers. Everyone in our company is deeply saddened by this horrible aircraft accident and our airline’s first duty is to recovery, aid and victim support.”

The U.S. Post Office and Amazon use UPS for some of their shipments.

The disruption occurred ahead of the busy holiday shipping season.

The other main carrier, FedEx, has a hub in Memphis, Tenn., with 484,000 packages handled each day. Last October, the company unveiled a new automated sorting facility that spans 1.3 million square feet, including handling bulky, non-conveyable shipments.

Nov. 7 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Friday pardoned former baseball star Darryl Strawberry, and former Republican Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his chief of staff, Cade Cothren.

The two politicians were sentenced in September after federal corruption convictions.

Strawberry, 63, pleaded guilty in 1995 to tax fraud and served 11 months in a Florida state prison. Strawberry was ordered to pay $350,000 in restitution.

He played 17 seasons with the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants as an outfielder and designated hitter. He won four World Series — three with the Yankees and one with the Mets.

“President Trump has approved a pardon for Darryl Strawberry,” a White House official told The New York Post. “Mr. Strawberry served time and paid back taxes after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion.”

He also had three years’ probation.

“Following his career, Mr. Strawberry found faith in Christianity and has been sober for over a decade — he has become active in ministry and started a recovery center which still operates today,” the official also told CNBC.

Strawberry was suspended from Major League Baseball in 2000 after failing a drug test.

Casada, 66, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison after being convicted on 17 charges that include wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Cothren, 38, was sentenced to 30 months after being found guilty on all 19 charges.

The sentences were lower than what was possible.

“Yes, the president called me today and granted me a full pardon,” Casada told NBC News. “I am grateful of his trust and his full confidence in my innocence through this whole ordeal.”

The investigation into the Tennessee lawmakers began when Trump was first president. Raids of both men’s homes took place in January 2021. They were arrested in August 2022 and convicted in May 2024, shortly after Trump began his second term.

“The Biden Department of Justice significantly over-prosecuted these individuals for a minor issue involving constituent mailers — which were billed at competitive prices, never received a complaint from legislators, and resulted in a net profit loss of less than $5,000,” a White House official told NBC News. “The Biden DOJ responded with an armed raid, perp walk, and suggested sentences exceeding 10 years — penalties normally reserved for multimillion-dollar fraudsters.

District Judge Eli Richardson, who oversaw the case and issued the sentence was appointed by Trump.

Casada and Cothren used Phoenix Solutions to illegally funnel money to themselves for campaign and government-funded work, the Justice Department said. That included a $52,000 mail program for state legislators.

A false name, Matthew Phoenix, was used to run the company.

Casada resigned as speaker in 2019 after a no-confidence vote amid another scandal involving the two men. They were accused of exchanging sexually explicit messages about a woman.

Casada said in an apology that the texts were “not the person I am.”

Prominent Republican and country music star John Rich called for Trump to pardon them.

Cothren’s biography on X reads: “by Biden’s DOJ for standing with Trump. Convicted for refusing to break. Redeemed by grace – and not done yet.”

Trump has issued more than 1,700 pardons and commutations in both terms. That includes around 1,500 people involved in the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.

Among Trump’s pardons during his second term are politicians: Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and Republicans: former Tennessee state Sen. Brian Kelsey, former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm of New York, and former Las Vegas City Council member Michele Fiore. Also, he commuted the sentence of former U.S. Rep. George Santos, also a Republican, for time served of three months.

Like Blagojevich, Strawberry appeared on Trump’s TV show, The Celebrity Apprentice. In 2010, he competed to win money for his foundation.

Nov. 7 (UPI) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited the White House Friday for a summit with President Donald Trump and lavished praise on the president while disparaging former President Joe Biden.

“The reason why we are here, to open a new chapter between the bilateral relation between the United States and Hungary basically because during the Democrat administration everything was rigged,” Orbán said, according to The Hill.

“Everything was basically broke, ruined, cancelled. A lot of harm done by the previous administration,” he said. “You’ve improved the bilateral relationship. You repaired what was done badly by the previous administration, so now we are in quite a good position to open up a new chapter. Let’s say a golden age between the United States and Hungary.”

Orbán wants Trump to come to Budapest and to meet with Russia President Vladimir Putin about the Ukraine war. Trump has already canceled one meeting, saying he didn’t want to “have a waste of time.”

Orbán also came to the White House to ask Trump to give Hungary an exception to the sanctions on buying Russian oil. The president said he might exempt Hungary from those sanctions.

He also called on European leaders to be more respectful of Orbán, who has faced battles with them over migration, democracy and rule of law.

“I think they should respect Hungary and respect this leader very, very strongly because he’s been right on immigration,” Trump said.

Hungary claims it must buy Russian oil because it has no other viable source.

“We’re looking at it because it’s very difficult for him to get the oil and gas from other areas,” Trump said. “It’s a big country, but they don’t have sea. They don’t have the ports. And so they have a difficult problem.”

He also accused other European countries of buying Russian oil and gas. They “don’t have those problems, and they buy a lot of oil and gas from Russia. And, as they know, I’m very disturbed by that.”

Trump and Orbán are both conservative leaders who share similar values, including a dislike of immigration.

“Look what’s happened to Europe with the immigration. They have people flooding Europe,” Trump said. “You go to some of the countries, they’re unrecognizable now because of what they’ve done. And Hungary is very recognizable.”

Orbán defended his migration policies, blaming Europe.

“This is the absurd world we are living in now in Europe,” Orbán said. “We are the only government in Europe which considers itself as a Christian government. All the other governments in Europe are basically liberal leftist governments.”

In September, Trump lifted travel restrictions against Hungarians, readmitting them to the Visa Waiver program. Biden had added restrictions against Hungarians when he learned that Budapest was granting Hungarian citizenship without adequate security measures.

The Guardian reported that at Friday’s meeting, Orbán was expected to try to set up another meeting between the two leaders not only to broker peace in Ukraine, but to also boost his own standing as a statesman.

Citing insiders, the news outlet said the far-right leader is facing stiff opposition ahead of April’s parliamentary elections, and a visit from Trump would potentially boost support among conservatives.

“Orbán wants Trump to come to Budapest before the elections,” an unnamed source working in the Hungarian government told The Guardian. “This is a top priority. They will discuss the Russian gas issue, but the thing Orbán cares about the most is the elections.”

In a post on X on Thursday, Orbán said Trump’s first 10 months back in office have repaired the relationship between the United States and Hungary. He said the Biden administration damaged that relationship through “politically motivated sanctions.”

“Our goal is to establish a strategic partnership that includes energy cooperation, investments, defense collaboration, and discussions on the post-war landscape following the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Orbán wrote.

“We are working on an agreement based on mutual benefits — one that serves the interests of every Hungarian citizen.”

Trump told reporters last week that Orbán wants an exemption from the oil and gas sanctions.

“We haven’t granted one, but he has asked,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “He’s a friend of mine. He’s asked for an exemption.”

Nov. 7 (UPI) — Cornell University on Friday reached an agreement with the Trump administration to allocate $60 million that would end government investigations and restore several hundred million dollars in research funding for the private school.

Cornell has now joined four other elite universities in making deals.

The allegations stem from accusations of anti-Semitism and admissions discrimination. Cornell, located in Ithaca, N.Y., settled after Brown University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia.

Cornell reached the deal with the Department of Justice, Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services that “will protect Cornell’s students from violations of federal civil rights laws, including from discrimination based on race, sex, or national origin, and promote America’s hardworking farming and rural communities,” according to a DOJ news release.

The Ivy League school agreed to pay a $30 million fine and to invest another $30 million for programs to improve efficiency and lower costs in agriculture and farming. Cornell is a land-grant school that conducts agricultural research. The money will be spread out over three years.

The Trump administration froze more than $1 billion in research funding at the school.

Cornell’s president, Michael Kotlikoff, during his State of the University address in September, said officials didn’t know how the government reached that figure.

He said Cornell had accounted for “nearly $250 million in canceled or unpaid research funds.”

Kotlikoff had said he didn’t want the government to “dictate our institution’s policies.”

“The months of stop-work orders, grant terminations and funding freezes have stalled cutting-edge research, upended lives and careers, and threatened the future of academic programs at Cornell,” he said in a statement to the Cornell community.

“With this resolution. Cornell looks forward to resuming the long and fruitful partnership with the federal government that has yielded, for so many years, so much progress and well-being for our nation and our world.”

The five-page document reads: “This agreement is not an admission in whole or in part by either party. Cornell denies liability with respect to the subject matter of the Investigations.” The deal goes through Dec. 31, 2028.

“Both parties affirm the importance of and their support for academic freedom,” the agreement said. “The United States does not aim to dictate the content of academic speech or curricula, and no provision of this agreement, individually or taken together, shall be construed as giving the United States authority to dictate the content of academic speech or curricula.”

In the agreement, the school and government “affirm the importance of and their support for civil rights, and Cornell has a “commitment to complying with federal civil rights laws and agrees to include the Department of Justice’s ‘Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination.”

Cornell agreed to provide discrimination training to faculty and staff members.

“The Trump administration has secured another transformative commitment from an Ivy League institution to end divisive DEl policies,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said.

“Thanks to this deal with Cornell and the ongoing work of DOJ, HHS, and the team at ED, U.S. universities are refocusing their attention on merit, rigor, and truth seeking — not ideology. These reforms are a huge win in the fight to restore excellence to American higher education and make our schools the greatest in the world.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi also praised the deal, saying, “Recipients of federal funding must fully adhere to federal civil rights laws and ensure that harmful DEI policies [diversity, equity and inclusion] do not discriminate against students.

“Today’s deal is a positive outcome that illustrates the value of universities working with this administration — we are grateful to Cornell for working toward this agreement.”

“The Trump Administration is actively dismantling the ability of elite universities to discriminate based on race or religion,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “The DOJ’s agreement with Cornell strengthens protections for students against anti-Semitism and all other forms of discrimination.”

The investigations into Cornell centered on campus demonstrations against Israel in the war with Hamas that began on Oct. 7, 2023, and demands to diversify from weapons manufacturers that supplied the Israeli military.

McMahon had said the protests “severely disrupted campus life” and Jewish students were fearful on campus.

Despite a nearly $12 billion endowment, university officials warned about layoffs and “a comprehensive review of programs and head count across the university.”

In the other deals, Penn and Virginia had no financial penalties, while Columbia agreed to a $200 million fine and Brown committed to spend $50 million on workforce development programs.

Harvard hasn’t reached a deal and individually sued in April. The federal government said it would freeze more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts after Harvard refused to agree to demands, including eliminating DEI programs.

Also, another $1 billion in federal health research contracts to Harvard could be withheld. The IRS is considering rescinding the tax-exempt status of the university. And the administration has threatened Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students.

A Justice Department lawyer told a federal judge Thursday that the University of California system wasn’t close to reaching an agreement. The schools include UCLA.

Nov. 7 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Friday wants the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the meatpacking industry for possible price fixing and collusion.

Trump posted about the situation on Truth Social while flying to South Florida for the weekend and after he met in the White House with three Republican senators from beef-producing states, who are opposed to importing beef from Argentina.

“I have asked the DOJ to immediately begin an investigation into the meatpacking companies, who are driving up the price of beef through illicit collusion, price fixing, and price manipulation,” Trump posted.

“We will always protect our American Ranchers, and they are being blamed for what is being done by a majority of foreign-owned meatpackers, who artificially inflate prices and jeopardize the security of our Nation’s food supply.

“Action must be taken immediately to protect consumers, combat Illegal monopolies, and ensure these corporations are not criminally profiting at the expense of the American people. I am asking the DOJ to act expeditiously.”

A short time later, he posted: “Cattle prices have dropped substantially, the price of boxed beef has gone up — therefore, you know that something is ‘fishy.’ We will get to the bottom of it very quickly. If there is criminality, those people responsible will pay a steep price!”

After the messages, Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X: “Our investigation is underway! My Antitrust Division led by @AAGSlater has taken the lead in partnership with our friend @SecRollins at @USDA.”

Brooke Rollins is the agriculture secretary and Abigail “Gail” Slater leads the DOJ’s Antitrust Division.

The top four meatpackers control more than about 85% of the U.S. market — American companies Tyson and Cargill with JBS and National subsidiaries of Brazilian companies.

“This consolidation allows them to suppress prices paid to ranchers while keeping consumer prices high,” Farm Action said. “Importing more beef into this rigged system will not lower costs for families or restore fair markets for producers.

Three of the companies have been sued.

In October, Cargill and Tyson agreed to pay $87.5 million to settle a case alleging price fixing for beef while also denying any wrongdoing.

Earlier this year, JBS agreed to pay $83.5 million for its portion of a separate suit over alleged cattle price fixing.

Trump was taking aim on meatpacking instead of cattle raising, which has been affected by drought, smaller herds, labor shortages and lingering COVID-19 effects, Axios reported.

Trump has said overall grocery prices are going down but concedes beef costs are rising.

A CNN fact check pointed out in September that they were 1.4% higher than in January, when Trump returned to office, according to the Consumer Price Index.

There was a 0.6% increase in average grocery prices from July 2025 to August 2025, the biggest month-to-month jump in three years

Beef is up 13% in one year — the highest over most food items — according to the CPI.

Trump has attempted to increase the nation’s beef supply with increased imports.

The cattle industry and legislators, including Republicans, have opposed this move.

“President Trump’s plan to buy beef from Argentina is a betrayal of the American rancher,” Farm Action said.

“Those of us who raise cattle have finally started to see what profit looks like after facing years of high input costs and market manipulation by the meatpacking monopoly.

“After crashing the soybean market and gifting Argentina our largest export buyer, he’s now poised to do the same to the cattle market. Importing Argentinian beef would send U.S. cattle prices plummeting -and with the meatpacking industry as consolidated as it is, consumers may not see lower beef prices either. Washington should be focused on fixing our broken cattle market, not rewarding foreign competitors.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, opposes the imports.

“This isn’t the way to do it,” Thune told Semafor in October. “It’s created a lot of uncertainty in that market. So I’m hoping that the White House has gotten the message.”

Trump met with some Republican senators from beef-producing states: Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Tim Sheehy of Montana and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.

Hyde-Smith is a Republican from Mississippi whose family raises cattle. She is opposed to the imports.

In October, he announced plans to quadruple the tariff quota for imported Argentine beef from 20,000 to 80,000 metric tons. Any imports above this new quota with no tariff would still be subject to a higher 26.4% tariff.

In October, Trump authorized $20 billion loan to Argentina’s government and another $20 billion in financing from private lenders and sovereign wealth funds. It has been described as a bailout to Argentine President Javier Milei.