New: The WH uses GTA, Wii sports & SpongeBob clips to memeify Iran war Trump aides says the clips have people focused on military wins. Others see a "disturbing" trend “It’s fucking bullshit,” a former top military official said. “Nobody thinks this is a good idea" www.nbcnews.com/politics/whi...

The only topics surveyed in the new NBC News poll that were less popular than AI? The Democratic Party and Iran www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol... by @allansmith.bsky.social

NEW: The coming potential AI-fueled white-collar job displacement could have a massive effect on politics Some leaders are taking notice “We’re looking at a massive collapse of the middle class,” Sen. Hawley said. “We simply cannot allow that to happen” www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

SCOOP from @allansmith.bsky.social: Unions are privately urging Schumer and the DSCC to stop backing Janet Mills in the Maine Senate primary. UAW head Shawn Fain called Schumer recently and spoke to him about it, and an IBEW leader sent a letter to the DSCC. www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Scoop: Pro-Platner unions, including the UAW and IBEW, are privately advocating for Dem leaders to end their support for Gov. Mills in ME Senate UAW president Shawn Fain discussed the race w/ Schumer earlier this month. The IBEW sent DSCC a letter Monday www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Scoop: Josh Shapiro to unveil a set of principles for the data center boom in PA during his budget address today Will say developers must pay for their own power, hire locally, and meet transparency + water-conservation standards to qualify for benefits www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

New: Josh Shapiro grapples with one big factor separating him from other possible 2028 Dems: A divided state Legislature that necessitates tricky compromises “He’s right, it’s very hard,” a PA Dem said. "It’s certainly different than a Wes Moore or a [Gavin] Newsom" www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

New: The battle for young men has been a defining political fight of 2025. And it is intensifying. www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

SCOOP: Trump DOJ weighs novel hate crimes charge against Charlie Kirk's assassin, which could require them to equate Christianity with anti-trans views. A theoretical federal case could impact what looks like a slam dunk state case. With @allansmith.bsky.social: www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

New: DOJ weighs a novel hate crimes case against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer “They are trying to shove a square peg into a round hole,” said a person familiar w/ the probe Meanwhile, a change was just made atop the Utah US Attorney’s office W/ @ryanjreilly.com www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

New: Trump/Mamdani voters are at the center of a surprise relationship between the president & new mayor Mamdani brought up exit polling w/ Trump showing how many had supported both in NYC. Voters who backed both told me they're not "joking or trolling." www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

New: AI is becoming a wedge issue within both parties As the tech rapidly advances while the Trump admin favors few guardrails, the issue may define 26 + 28 DeSantis, AOC, Newsom, Shapiro, Vance + more pave lanes w/ @henryjgomez.bsky.social @jonallendc.bsky.social www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

"And yet the Pirates were primed to spend more than twice that on Josh Naylor before he re-upped with Seattle for five years and $92.5 million ... and they're considering other possibilities to supplement Paul Skenes" www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/...

President Donald Trump has 38 months left in office and — as his occasional pining about an unconstitutional third term attests — is loath to be a lame duck anytime soon. But the quacking from others has begun. w/ @allansmith.bsky.social www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

NEW: Trump defends his MAGA bona fides as right-wing base criticizes him on the economy, China and H-1B visas “America First is experiencing a hijacking right now," said Paul Dans. "[Trump’s] getting bad advice & is being kept in a bubble.” w/ Matt Dixon www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Next 30-something candidate in New York City just announced www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

The new batch of Epstein emails comes as Trump is already facing headwinds from MAGA over a host of other policy moves www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

John Fetterman details in his new book his falling out with Gov. Josh Shapiro, pointing to disagreements on the pardon board and saying the governor is driven by "political ambition." As I reported last year, there's more to the story www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

NEW: Affordability + infighting mark the early race to succeed Trump & define the right “I think urgency in the WH is just starting to set in,” Steve Bannon told me of the challenges facing the GOP. “Less so sure it’s fully set in” w/ @henryjgomez.bsky.social www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

NEW: Sen. Bernie Moreno hoped to influence Trump on Colombia policy at a WH lunch So he brought a policy memo. It included a fake image of Petro in an orange jumpsuit Now, the image is making waves in Colombia. And the Trump admin moved forward w/ key suggestions www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Graham Platner insists he won't be like John Fetterman — but he gets the concern. www.nbcnews.com/politics/202... by @allansmith.bsky.social @sahilkapur.bsky.social

Today @allansmith.bsky.social interviewed Zohran Mamdani about Trump, Schumer, ICE, the World Cup — and then Mamdani asks Allan if he's single www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

New: I interviewed Zohran — He explained how he would handle ICE raids — Declined to express confidence in Schumer's leadership — On hiring DSA members: "I will hire people no matter who they are members of" — Asked about 'singles tax' + World Cup, too www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Question at Zohran Mamdani's influencer briefing “In your time as mayor, are you planning on providing bisexual girlfriends to everyone in New York City?” Fun piece from @allansmith.bsky.social who attended: www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Inside Zohran Mamdani's private influencer briefing @allansmith.bsky.social: www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

New: Data centers demand a ton of power. As electricity bills rise, their spread is becoming a political issue in VA/NJ w/ midterms on the horizon “People are now looking at this, going, ‘What the hell is going on?’” GOP Virginia Sen. Richard Stuart said www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

New: NYC's mayoral race surfaces a divide bubbling for years: A split between NYC lifers and recent transplants Bill de Blasio: “it is unprecedented in the last quarter century or so ... to have [young professionals] attached to one candidate so deeply" www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

"An all-star lineup of podcasters & YouTube impresarios has taken Trump to task in recent months on everything from immigration & Israel to free speech & Jeffrey Epstein. The list includes Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Andrew Schulz & Shawn Ryan ..." www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

"It is an intensification that Democrats welcome at a moment when they lack party leadership, even as some say his trademark caution is still getting the better of him." via @natashakorecki.bsky.social @jonallendc.bsky.social and @carolelee.bsky.social www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

"U.S. companies shed 32,000 jobs in September, according to the payroll processing company ADP, a surprising decline that adds to growing concerns about the rapidly weakening labor market." www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...

"A WH official said it’ll be hard for Democrats to defend why they’re not agreeing to a “clean” funding bill to keep the government open. A 2nd WH official noted Trump held two health care-related events Tuesday, related to drug prices & pediatric cancer" www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

Federal employees are told to brace for a shutdown — and blame Democrats The memo is unsigned www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

"The scenes at the Ryder Cup were unrecognizable from golf’s genteel archetype ... the Bethpage Black Course descended this weekend into a bearpit of personal insults, vulgar chanting & — in one instance — a beer thrown at the wife of star Rory McIlroy" www.nbcnews.com/sports/golf/...

Pirates players had a request denied to repaint the batters eye to see the ball better. They lamented a lack of game planning resources available to other teams “We laugh at all of this [expletive] behind closed doors,” one player said www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirat...

NEW: Economic anxiety grows, creating new political liability for Trump/GOP Job market is shrinking. Prices rise. Dems see opportunity to unify a fractured party. But Repubs are confident sentiment will soon swing w/ @sahilkapur.bsky.social + @spettypi.bsky.social www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

BREAKING: DOJ indicts former FBI Director James Comey, charging him with false statements and obstruction. www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

The Trump-nominated federal prosecutor in charge of pursuing mortgage fraud allegations against NYAG Letitia James resigned Friday after President Donald Trump called for his ouster. More >>> www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

In recent weeks: — U.S. strikes 3 boats in the Caribbean the Trump admin says were smuggling drugs — U.S. military build up in the region — Trump demands Venezuela "immediately accept" the return of Venezuelans in the U.S. "OR THE PRICE YOU PAY WILL BE INCALCULABLE!" www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/u...

New: The federal probe of Charlie Kirk’s killing has yet to find a link between Tyler Robinson & LW groups, per 3 sources familiar “Every indication so far is that this was one guy who did one really bad thing because he found Kirk’s ideology personally offensive” www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

A must-read on Trump spending more time enjoying the fun parts of being president this term He's attending far more sporting events, keyed in on presidential decor & remaking the White House Meanwhile, Vance's portfolio grows www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

New: Trump admin's effort to target left-wing groups faces hurdles w/ @jonallendc.bsky.social + @ryanjreilly.com www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

"What’s at stake is nothing less than control of the highest court in the most important swing state in the country." www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/u...

“It should have been one or the other,” Florio said. “At this point, the league should tell him he has to resign from Fox or sell his interest in the Raiders.” www.nbcnews.com/sports/nfl/t...

Shapiro called out "some from the dark corners of the internet all the way to the Oval Office" who "want to cherry-pick" political violence to condemn + he told @newsjul.bsky.social DJT "needs to stop" using Kirk's death to "undermine people's constitutional rights" www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

From a CBS News poll on the NYC mayoral race Mamdani is +51 with voters who moved to NYC within the last 10 years Mamdani is +19 with voters who moved to NYC more than 10 years ago And Mamdani is +7 with voters who were born in NYC

New: How Charlie Kirk went from a teenage activist to MAGA's "five-tool player" With insights from both allies and critics www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

NEW: Spencer Cox steps into a national healing role after Charlie Kirk's assassination A senior WH official told @nbcnews.com they felt Cox has done a “tremendously good job” w/ @natashakorecki.bsky.social, Matt Dixon + @jonallendc.bsky.social www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

“It’s either me or him,” Bessent said to Malik. “You tell me who’s getting the fuck out of here.” “Or,” he added, “we could go outside.” “To do what?” asked Pulte. “To talk?” “No,” Bessent replied. “I’m going to fucking beat your ass.” www.politico.com/news/magazin...

On Tammany Trump and the messy effort to consolidate New York's mayoral race www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

DOJ says names of two associates Epstein wired $100k and $250k to should stay secret "The Justice Department request came after NBC News asked a federal judge to unseal the names of two people Epstein paid and helped protect from prosecution." www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...