☕️ Saudi crown prince to visit White House

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Axios is reporting that Texas Senator Ted Cruz is “setting the groundwork” for a 2028 presidential bid. According to reports, Cruz is “leaning into his feud” with fellow conservative Tucker Carlson in the hopes of shoring up support ahead of a potential run.

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Some headlines from this morning:

• President Donald Trump called for the release of the Epstein files on Sunday, reversing his previous opposition. Trump had directed Republicans to vote against releasing the documents about the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, but faced backlash over questions about his own relationship with Epstein. In a statement, Trump said he "did not care about the files" and urged Republicans to "get back on point, which is the economy." Congress is expected to vote on releasing the files this week.

• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced flight restrictions imposed during the government shutdown will be lifted today. The Federal Aviation Administration had reduced air traffic by up to 10% due to staffing shortages at control centers worsened by the record-long shutdown. "Today's decision to rescind the order reflects the steady decline in staffing concerns," the FAA head said. The country still faces a shortage of over 3,000 air traffic controllers despite the lifting of restrictions.

• New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd was shot in the stomach at a Manhattan restaurant early Sunday, the team confirmed. The 29-year-old was dining when shots were fired, striking him in the abdomen. Police said the investigation is ongoing and no suspect has been apprehended. Boyd remains in critical condition at a New York hospital. The shooting marks the latest incident of gun violence involving a professional athlete in the U.S.

• Protests led by Gen Z demonstrators in Mexico City turned violent Saturday, leaving 120 people injured. Thousands gathered outside the National Palace to protest the murder of Mayor Carlos Manzo, an advocate against organized crime. Demonstrators clashed with police, injuring 20 civilians and 100 officers. The movement describes itself as "not for any party" but "for Mexico." Police arrested 20 protesters on charges of violent acts.

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The White House will host Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).

President Donald Trump will meet the prince in person, who is set to inherit the Saudi throne after his father, King Salman, dies.

The White House expects to discuss defense and oil deals with MBS, who has not been to the U.S. since the CIA linked him to the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

The visit

The Prince will visit the White House on Tuesday, where he will be greeted on the South Lawn, participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, and have dinner in the East Wing.

President Trump signaled his focus would be to get Saudi Arabia to sign onto the Abraham Accords, whose signatories are Arab states that enter into a peace and trade pact with Israel.

Saudi Arabia is seeking a defense deal with the U.S., where, in exchange for protection, the U.S. receives more favorable oil prices.

Mohammad Bin Salman

Despite his 89-year-old father’s title, MBS has amassed significant power in Saudi Arabia and is now the key decision-maker.

His reign has seen Saudi Arabia modernize, including the prince’s ‘Vision 2030 plan’, which aims to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy by developing nuclear energy and AI capabilities.

The CIA also found MBS likely directed the killing of Khashoggi, who was a vocal critic of MBS and the Saudi Royal family.

Trump and the Saudis

President Trump has built much of his economic policy on the promise of large Saudi investments in the U.S. He made his first state visit of his second term to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis promised to invest $600 billion in the U.S. during that visit, the details of which have not been announced.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has removed tariffs on more than 200 food products, including beef and coffee, amid concerns about persistently high grocery prices nationwide.

The tariff rollback took effect over the weekend and marks a sharp reversal for Trump, who has long insisted that the sweeping import duties he imposed earlier this year are not fueling inflation. Here's what you need to know.

Context

In April 2025, Trump announced widespread tariffs, including a blanket 10% levy imposed on all trade entering the U.S.

A tariff is a tax on imports paid by the importer when foreign-made goods enter another country. The goal is to encourage companies and citizens to buy locally-produced goods, boosting industrial activity.

Trump has claimed trading partners had "ripped off" America, but the tariffs have contributed to rising grocery costs. Ground beef reached $6.32 per pound in September, up 13% from last year. Raw steaks averaged $12.26 per pound, up 11%. Banana prices were about 7% higher.

The tariffs

Trump signed an executive order on Friday (local time) removing the 10% baseline tariff on beef, coffee, tea, tropical fruit, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and other goods.

The order applies to all countries affected by the baseline tariff, though total duties will still vary between nations.

The White House said it was reversing tariffs on products the U.S. doesn't grow or produce "in sufficient quantities."

Political pressure

Democrats have won recent elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City, where affordability and high food prices were key concerns.

The top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, Richard Neal, said the Trump administration was "putting out a fire that they started and claiming it as progress."

"The Trump Administration is finally admitting publicly what we've all known from the start: Trump's Trade War is hiking costs on people," Neal said.

Trump’s response

Trump said that, overall, the U.S. has "virtually no inflation."

The President also told reporters he would move forward with a $2,000 payment to lower- and middle-income Americans funded by tariff revenues next year. "The tariffs allow us to give a dividend if we want to do that. Now we're going to do a dividend and we're also reducing debt," he said.

Asked if further tariff changes were planned, Trump said, "I don't think it'll be necessary."

What’s next?

The Trump administration announced framework trade deals on Thursday that, once finalized, will eliminate tariffs on certain foods and other imports from Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala, and El Salvador, with U.S. officials eyeing additional agreements before year's end.

Economists warn that grocery prices could continue to rise next year as companies begin passing along the full impact of remaining import duties.

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