Donald Trump’s White House warned more than 3,000 conservative groups on Thursday that it is watching them.
The memo went out two days after voters handed both chambers of Congress to Democrats, while Ted Cruz called the loss a Watergate-level repudiation and Ron DeSantis blamed Trump by name. It came from the White House office that works with friendly outside groups, and one sentence was highlighted in yellow: “As always, we are monitoring statements, press releases, and media engagements from your organizations.”
A White House spokeswoman said it wasn’t a threat and that the office had used similar language before. The Wall Street Journal checked earlier emails, and not one of them said anything about monitoring.
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Billionaire Leon Black sues House Oversight’s top Democrat, Robert Garcia, for defamation over Epstein comments, a day after midterms made Garcia likely next chair.
Today’s GovBrief News
Rubio says Venezuela elections should “ideally” come next year but won’t guarantee a vote before Trump leaves office, 10 months after the US seized Maduro.
Source: The New York Times [gift link]
November 5, 2026Details
State Department plans nearly $1 million human rights grant for AfriForum, which pushes disputed claims that white South African farmers are targeted, ProPublica reports.
Source: ProPublica
November 5, 2026Details
Trump says a “big, beautiful” deal with Putin is close and may involve “all of Europe,” after privately meeting Russia’s envoy but not Ukraine’s.
Source: The Washington Post
November 5, 2026Details
Newborns missing vitamin K shots more than double since 2017, to 6.8%, a JAMA study finds, and face over double the brain-bleed risk.
Source: ABC News
November 5, 2026Details
Wisconsin infant dies of measles, the state’s first such death in 35-plus years, as officials urge shots for babies as young as six months.
Source: Wisconsin Public Radio
November 5, 2026Details
Iowa Department of Natural Resources skips swim warnings on 27 beach E. coli tests over the state limit, citing its own beach risk ratings.
Source: The Iowa Capital Dispatch
November 5, 2026Details
Republican committee candidate in Stony Point, New York, surrenders on 12 felony forgery and false-filing charges from June’s local GOP primary.
Source: The Rockland News
November 5, 2026Details
White House warns 3,000-plus conservative groups it is “monitoring” their statements as Republicans including Texas Sen. Cruz blame Trump for the midterm losses.
Source: The Wall Street Journal [gift link]
November 5, 2026Details
Five federal agencies warn hackers are targeting refrigeration systems worldwide, after suspected Iran-linked attacks hit freezers at military base grocery stores.
Source: NextGov
November 5, 2026Details
Pentagon adds Humvees, police cars, and boats to DC National Guard mission as a DC Council member asks five governors-elect to withdraw their troops.
Source: WJLA Washington
November 5, 2026Details
DC US Attorney Pirro’s office takes the 2022 Supreme Court abortion draft leak to a grand jury, though no federal law specifically bans such leaks.
Source: The Independent
November 5, 2026Details
Justice Department civil rights chief Harmeet Dhillon resigns two days after Democrats win Congress, the first senior department official to leave, Axios reports.
Source: Axios
November 5, 2026Details
Federal judge blocks construction of Trump’s 250-foot arch for 14 days, within an hour of the National Capital Planning Commission’s 8-4 final approval.
Source: CNN
November 5, 2026Details
Franklin County judge strikes remaining parts of the law behind Ohio’s already-blocked six-week abortion ban, provisions that could still have jailed doctors.
Source: The Ohio Capital Journal
November 5, 2026Details
California Gov. Newsom moves to commute all 548 death sentences, needing state Supreme Court approval for many before he leaves office Jan. 3.
Source: The Sacramento Bee
November 5, 2026Details
Unsealed court records show Trump administration talked with Iran during the war about deporting Iranians, a move a federal judge said risks “certain death.”
Source: CBS News
November 5, 2026Details
Justice Department sues Penn State, saying in-state tuition for undocumented students discriminates against out-of-state citizens, its 27th such suit.
Source: WTAJ Altoona
November 5, 2026Details
Trump declares Oval Office and Cabinet Room a national monument to bar future presidents’ major changes without Congress, two days after Republicans lose both chambers.
Source: NBC News
November 5, 2026Details
League City, Texas, covers all 55 Flock license plate cameras before election results are certified, after 54% of voters reject them.
Source: KPRC Houston
November 5, 2026Details
Nashville HIV/AIDS services nonprofit wins extended block on Tennessee’s immigration checks for patients in a federally funded care program.
Source: The Tennessee Lookout
November 5, 2026Details