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Days until Election Day (11/4/2025) - 14
Days to the start of the 2026 Utah Legislature (1/20/2026) - 91
Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) - 378
Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028) - 1,113
📰 The Lead
Utah Attorney General Derek Brown joined 15 state AGs in backing President Trump's military strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean that have killed at least 32 people—strikes that some experts say may violate international law.
The letter, led by Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr, commends President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for their "direct and decisive actions to protect the United States and its citizens" from drug cartels.
"Without question, there is no greater duty placed upon government than the protection of its citizenry. We believe that our Constitution empowers the President as the Commander in Chief of our armed forces to protect our homeland, and we applaud your recent proper exercise of this authority to protect against violent cartels that are flooding our country with deadly and illegal drugs. If necessary, however, we would urge Congress to confirm what we believe the Constitution says,” the letter reads.
The Trump administration justifies these strikes as self-defense in a war against Venezuelan narcoterrorists. However, experts say most fentanyl entering the U.S. comes from Mexican cartels, not Venezuela.
Trump has made the dubious claim that every strike on a suspected drug boat stops enough fentanyl from coming into the U.S. to save 25,000 lives.
The letter from the Attorneys General praises the Trump administration for efforts to prevent fentanyl from coming into the country, but makes no mention of Venezuela.
“In FY 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized nearly 22,000 lbs. of cartel-smuggled fentanyl crossing into the United States. That is enough fentanyl to kill the entire American population fourteen times over. If any other foreign adversary threatened this much destruction, we would go to war. In fact, the number of Americans who have died from fentanyl is now comparable to the total U.S. casualties in World War II,” the Attorneys General write.
Tuesday morning's headlines
Utah and the West
Utah's congressional Republicans silent after Trump posts video of himself dropping poop on protesters. [Utah Political Watch]
Utah lawmakers and plaintiffs accuse each other of gerrymandering with dueling redistricting experts. [Utah News Dispatch]
Too many bills? Utah lawmaker proposes a limit. [Fox 13]
ACLU suing feds over detention of immigrant living in Utah, "illegal and discriminatory" behavior. [KSL]
Zions Bank seeks to calm jitters after stock sees huge one-day plunge. [Salt Lake Tribune]
Nation
Some Republican Senators say they're open to nuking the filibuster to end the government shutdown. [NOTUS]
Congressional Republican leaders map out potential Obamacare extension as hard-liners warm to health talks. [Politico]
White House begins demolishing East Wing facade to build Trump's ballroom. [Washington Post]
Republican Senators are lining up to oppose Paul Ingrassia, Trump's nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, after it was revealed he made racist comments and said he has "a Nazi streak" in a leaked group chat. [NOTUS]
A pardoned Capitol rioter was charged with allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. [CBS News]
A Chicago judge ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers can be arrested if they attempt to arrest migrants at courthouses without a warrant. [Breitbart News]
President Trump is considering commuting the sentence of Sean "Diddy" Combs. [TMZ]
World
Argentine peso weakens to fresh low despite Trump's $40 billion bailout. [Financial Times]
President Trump suggests the U.S. will buy Argentine beef to bring down prices for American consumers. [Associated Press]
Economy
Lower-income Americans are missing car payments. [New York Times]
Media
Disney+, Hulu cancellation rates doubled amid Jimmy Kimmel suspension and price hikes–but signups also increased. [Variety]