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What Happened Today – October 15, 2025

 They govern by dismissing whatever gets in their way or doesn’t serve them.

The Young Republicans who wrote praising Hitler were “kids being kids” while Rep. Grijalva still hasn’t been sworn in after being elected on September 23. And to needle Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Trump casually announced that the transportation project serving hundreds of thousands of commuters was simply “terminated.”

Americans need leaders who hold dear the same things that we do: our votes matter, our tax dollars are used to improve our lives, and Hitler and Nazism were evil. Praising them disqualifies you from a seat at the table. Add your voice to millions saying the same thing this Saturday at a No Kings rally near you.

Don’t leave truth to the algorithm. Our free and private nightly email arms you with images, data, and quotes so you can see it all for yourself. Add your email at govbrief dot today or on Substack at Gov Brief Today.

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🔴 GovBrief Intensity Score 135
High intensity. Big news cycle.
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Today's Quote
But the reality is that kids do stupid things. Especially young boys, they tell edgy, offensive jokes, like that’s what kids do. And I really don’t want us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke, telling a very offensive, stupid joke is cause to ruin their life.

JD Vance speaking on the October 15th episode of The Charlie Kirk Show podcast about racist and misogynistic texts from young Republican officials.
Yesterday's Most Read

Trump calls Time magazine cover photo worst of all time in Truth Social post, criticizing low angle that made hair disappear and created floating crown effect.

Today’s GovBrief News


Extremism 1 of 25

Vice President JD Vance dismisses racist texts from Republican officials ages 24 to 35, including "I love Hitler" and calling rape "epic," as "what kids do."

Organization for ages 18-40

Source: The Guardian

October 15, 2025

Foreign Relations 2 of 25

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says U.S. is working to provide $20 billion in additional financing for Argentina to help Trump ally Javier Milei before Oct. 26 midterms, bringing total aid to $40 billion.

Argentina filling former US soybean orders

Source: Politico

October 15, 2025

Foreign Relations 3 of 25

Trump publicly confirms he authorized CIA lethal covert action in Venezuela and refuses to rule out targeting President Nicolás Maduro, an unprecedented acknowledgment of typically secret operations.

Military drawing up land strike options

Source: NBC News

October 15, 2025

Health 4 of 25

15 Democratic governors form public health alliance breaking with Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after federal vaccine guidance changes alarmed medical experts.

17 states not following vaccination guidelines

Source: Stateline

October 15, 2025

Health 5 of 25

Trump administration rushes Medicare Advantage provider directory to launch for open enrollment despite frequent errors and contradictory information that could mislead seniors about which doctors accept their insurance.

34 million enrolled Medicare Advantage

Source: The Washington Post

October 15, 2025

Health 6 of 25

Trump administration targets Office of Population Affairs for mass layoffs, threatening $300 million Title X family planning program that provides contraception and health services to millions of low-income women.

Program existed 50+ years

Source: The New York Times

October 15, 2025

Voting Rights 7 of 25

Pennsylvania's Fulton County faces over $1 million in fines after Republican commissioners allowed third-party access to voting machines to aid Trump's stolen election claims, including after state Supreme Court barred such access.

12%+ of county budget

Source: Spotlight PA

October 15, 2025

Censorship 8 of 25

Brown University rejects Trump administration compact requiring five-year tuition freeze and 15% cap on international students, citing restrictions on academic freedom and research funding based on political criteria.

2nd of 9 to reject offer

Source: The Brown Daily Herald

October 15, 2025

Military 9 of 25

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plane broadcasts emergency signal and makes unscheduled landing in the UK after cracked windshield 30 minutes into flight from NATO meeting.

Air Force C-32 Boeing 757-200

Source: Stars and Stripes

October 15, 2025

Courts 10 of 25

Federal judge blocks Texas law restricting campus protests, saying court cannot trust universities to enforce policies constitutionally, after law banned non-students from demonstrations and imposed 10 pm to 8 am curfew.

Mass arrests at UT last year

Source: Fox 7 Austin

October 15, 2025

Courts 11 of 25

Top Cook County judge bars civil arrests at courthouses after at least nine people arrested by federal immigration agents since July and clients began avoiding court out of fear.

At least 9 arrests since July

Source: The Chicago Sun-Times

October 15, 2025

Criminal Justice 12 of 25

Two Maryland teenagers who attacked ex-DOGE staffer Edward Coristine, giving him a concussion and broken nose in attempted carjacking, sentenced to probation with no jail time after pleading guilty to simple assault.

Only 2 of 10 attackers caught

Source: Mediaite

October 15, 2025

Immigration 13 of 25

ICE detains parents of U.S. Marine at Camp Pendleton gate while visiting pregnant daughter who lives on base with her Marine husband, then deports father despite pending green card application.

Father in U.S. 30+ years

Source: NBC San Diego

October 15, 2025

Education 14 of 25

Oklahoma's new School Superintendent reverses predecessor's mandate requiring Bibles in every classroom and biblical instruction, saying he has "no plans to distribute Bibles" and will dismiss lawsuit.

55,000 Bibles purchase blocked

Source: The Oklahoma Voice

October 15, 2025

Congress 15 of 25

House Democrats march to Speaker Mike Johnson's office demanding he swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva while keeping Congress out of session during shutdown.

Won election Sept. 23

Source: Axios

October 15, 2025

Congress 16 of 25

House Speaker Mike Johnson calls Rep. Cory Mills a "faithful colleague" after judge grants restraining order barring Mills from coming within 500 feet of ex-girlfriend and finds his testimony untruthful.

Also under Ethics investigation

Source: The Orlando Sentinel

October 15, 2025

Federal Personnel 17 of 25

Federal judge blocks Trump from firing workers during shutdown, calling cuts politically motivated and carried out with "very much ready, fire, aim" approach that "has a human cost."

10,000+ potential layoffs

Source: CBS News

October 15, 2025

Transportation 18 of 25

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy withholds $40 million from California over English language enforcement for truckers despite state conducting 34,000 inspections that found only one English violation.

$160 million more threatened

Source: The Associated Press

October 15, 2025

Transportation 19 of 25

Trump says Gateway Tunnel funding Schumer "worked 20 years to get" is "terminated," along with Second Avenue Subway extension, targeting billions in NY area infrastructure projects.

Hundreds of thousands of daily passengers

Source: WABC New York

October 15, 2025

Propaganda 20 of 25

Trump threatens to move World Cup matches from Boston eight months before tournament, claiming parts of city "taken over" by unrest and criticizing Mayor Michelle Wu.

Host city for 7 matches

Source: USA Today

October 15, 2025

Grift 21 of 25

NY man convicted of illegal straw donor scheme after recruiting people to donate to Trump's 2019 campaign then reimbursing them with cash to secure Mar-a-Lago photo op tickets.

$25,000 fundraising goal

Source: Newsday

October 15, 2025

Grift 22 of 25

SC Election Commission chairman says fired director Howard Knapp falsified documents and misrepresented $32 million ballot scanner contract as $28 million, now under SLED investigation for wiretapping and misconduct.

$4 million discrepancy

Source: The South Carolina Daily Gazette

October 15, 2025

Grift 23 of 25

Trump administration plans to install allies at IRS to pursue criminal inquiries of left-leaning groups and major Democratic donors including George Soros, who Trump wants charged under RICO, Wall Street Journal reports.

6 different IRS commissioners this year

Source: Mediaite

October 15, 2025

Grift 24 of 25

Trump hosts dinner at the White House for wealthy donors funding his $200 million ballroom and refuses to release attendee list.

$200 million, 90,000 square feet

Source: UPI

October 15, 2025

Fighting Back 25 of 25

Pentagon press corps walks out after refusing to sign Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's guidelines that would allow retaliation against journalists for asking sources for information.

Only 1 outlet signed

Source: The Columbia Journalism Review

October 15, 2025