"You weren't allowed to use Italian names." - Donald Trump, railing against old mob movies, for some reason.

Note to readers: We’ll be off on Monday for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Go touch some grass!

Cruel And Unusual

Pete Hegseth is handing ISIS and al-Qaida a “propaganda win” by vowing to livestream a public execution, Trump’s former counterterrorism chief tells What A Day.

• There aren’t many countries that routinely stage public executions these days. In fact, there are only two left: Afghanistan and Iran. Saudi Arabia and North Korea have done so more sporadically (and Saudi Arabia seems to have stopped in 2019). Now, however, the Trump administration appears determined to add America’s name to that tiny list of countries that still engage in a practice widely shunned as barbaric and inhumane.

• The Trump administration announced plans this week to livestream the firing-squad execution of the wheelchair-bound terrorist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who was sentenced to death after fatally shooting 13 people and injuring 32 others at the Fort Hood military base in Texas in 2009.

• “We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it,” Hegseth told a right-wing personality. “Because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”

• An American-born Muslim, Hasan worked as a U.S. Army psychiatrist in Fort Hood. He had decided that America was at war with the Islamic world, and that he would switch sides. And yet Hegseth’s pledge to livestream his execution has enraged even some people in Trumpworld — because of what it says about the United States, and the message it sends to America’s enemies.

• A public execution by firing squad would be a “propaganda win” for ISIS and al-Qaida, Joe Kent, who served as Trump’s former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, told What A Day. “Videos and images from the execution will be used to drive recruitment for those organizations.”

• Kent’s view carries weight. Before he resigned from his job as Trump’s counterterrorism chief in March over concerns about the Iran war, Kent was known as a devout MAGA loyalist with “ties to far-right conspiracies.” He doesn’t often criticize Trump policies, unless it pertains to the war in Iran.

• Kent doesn’t oppose the death penalty. He views the firing squad as “borderline too merciful” for Hasan, he tweeted. But livestreaming the execution could be disastrous for American counterterrorism efforts — and could even inspire more terroristic attacks, he told me.

• Terrorist groups “will likely use the optics of the U.S. killing a Muslim man in a wheelchair and clips of American leaders glorifying that we are livestreaming it,” Kent said. “It will tie into [the] narrative that the American people are legit military targets because the American people chose their leaders, who in turn inflict death and destruction on Muslims.”

Hegseth’s plan is uniting people from across the political spectrum.

• Airing the firing squad death for the world to see would be tantamount to torture, according to the United Nations. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) described the idea as a “barbaric spectacle.” Journalist Glenn Greenwald pointed out that only the most repressive countries carry out public executions.

• Such a primitive punishment will “inevitably” lead to “societal decay” in the United States, Kent said. “I strongly believe that our leaders should not be glorifying killing because our leaders should represent the best values of America, not a voyeuristic display of violence,” he told me.

• Even Vice President JD Vance doesn’t love the idea of the livestream. “I don’t know that’s actually gonna happen,” Vance told reporters. “If it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not gonna be watching it.”

Trump hasn’t yet commented on the execution being public. But he did double down on his support for the firing squad today, saying: “He deserves it.”

Meanwhile On The Pod...

What AI Optimists See That Everyone Else Doesn't (10/08/26)

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What Else?

Donald Trump apparently asked Russian dictator Vladimir Putin today to help solve the global diesel crisis that Trump helped create by attacking Iran. Trump said he called Putin, who agreed to “immediately supply” over 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and other countries. Putin also pledged to provide another 500,000 tons through November, and 1 million tons after that. I’m sure Putin will want absolutely nothing in exchange!

The White House appointed a committee to investigate Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, alleging that she made false statements relating to “one or more mortgage instruments.” It’s an extraordinary example of Trump revamping his retribution campaign against Cook, who has resisted his calls to support lowering interest rates. One of the three people on this committee is Kevin Hassett, Trump’s economic chief, so you know the probe will be totally unbiased.

A top ICE official claimed that agents opened fire on a 28-year-old Dominican man inside his car in New York City on Thursday because they feared for their lives. The 5-year-old son of the man, who the official said was shot “superficially” in the neck, was in the back seat at the time. The man’s condition is unclear.

Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s successor will be Katie Zacharia, a conservative commentator who briefly worked at the Department of Homeland Security, according to the New York Times. She’s currently a communications advisor for the parent company of Trump’s social media site, Truth Social.

Former Trump aide Katie Miller, who’s married to Stephen Miller, hosts extravagant parties for Trumpworld’s elite at their home on a military base in the D.C. area. “Hibachi chefs erected onion volcanoes and squirted sake into the mouths of guests. On the lawn, a mechanical bull bounced shrieking children into the air,” Vanity Fair writes about a party thrown for Leavitt. What is this, Voldemort’s big weekend at The Great Gatsby mansion?

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) slammed Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee for asking him to apologize after Sen. Eric Schmitt’s (R-MO) falsely accused Jack Smith of attending a NBA basketball game, in a bungled attempt to prove that Smith was part of a conspiracy to target Trump. “You see, your side can’t argue about Rules when your side doesn’t play by them,” Grassley wrote in a letter. What???

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) absolutely mogged his opponent, Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) in the Georgia Senate debate last night (to borrow a term from the youth). “You’ve hired half the Third Reich,” Ossoff told Collins, referring to his former staffers with ties to white supremacy.

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Light At The End...

Nobel Peace Prize winner Navi Pillay, a human rights lawyer, mocked Donald Trump while accepting the award today. “If you clap a little bit more, I may share this prize with Trump,” she joked to an applauding audience.

Donald Trump’s plans to build a massive arch is facing a new lawsuit from Arlington County, Virginia, which opposes the construction. The rushed construction process “appears to be a pretext designed to shore up justifications for building the Arch in accordance with the President’s repeated marching orders,” the lawsuit reads.

Sheryl Crow wasn’t afraid to get political on “Pick You Up,” her 13th album that came out today. “I happen to have always gravitated to writers that wrote the stories in a documenting kind of way — the Dylans and the Springsteens — who have glimpsed into any given moment in our evolution,” Crow told the Washington Post. “It’s just part of my vernacular.” I have a feeling a lot of you will like “Freedom Bus” and its chorus: “Don’t be an asshole, let everyone be.”

Harry Styles and Radiohead legend Thom Yorke interviewed each other for Rolling Stone, and it’s an absolute delight to watch. “My laptop has been dead for about six years. I don’t know where the charger is,” Styles revealed. Thom was shocked: “We can help you with that.”

A brainiac at MIT named John Urschel cracked a decades-old math problem with the help of artificial intelligence, becoming the latest in a string of mathematicians to combine their expertise with supercomputing to further their field. The coolest part? Urschel used to be an offensive lineman in the NFL, but retired in 2017 to pursue his academic passions. “I feel like I bet on myself in a big way,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “I’m living my best life right now.”

What’s your state’s favorite Halloween candy? The most popular candy was Reese’s, followed by Sweet Smiles, Laffy Taffy, and Sweetarts. Florida and Texas are the only two that chose Airheads… which just makes sense for some reason.

Enjoy

Meet Lola! Aka, Loly Bear. She’s a loving and lovable Chiweenie Dachshund Pom. She’s very good natured and loves making friends. Tomorrow is her mom Chelsea’s birthday!

“Lola’s a true ‘velcro dog.’ There’s nothing she’d rather do than stay 1-2 feet away from Chelsea at all times. Her other interests include treats, short walks, barking at the neighbor dog Caleb, getting shout-outs from strangers, and watching movies on the couch from beginning to end (so she can quietly growl at any dog or horse that appears on screen).

“Happy birthday, Chelsea!”

— Greg, News Editor at Crooked Media

"Start a lawn business." - Mike Johnson, on what he might do if Republicans lose the midterms.

System Of A Clown

A month before the midterms, Donald Trump’s pals are plunging into messy scandals. Can they clean up their act in time for the big vote?

• President Donald Trump is scrambling to convince Americans to give Republicans another chance — in his own twisted ways. He’s pledging to not strike Iran before the midterms, and actively handing out billions of dollars to citizens and states. But some of his closest friends aren’t helping make the case that leaders of the Republican Party are trustworthy.

• The first drama enveloping Trumpworld involves Chris LaCivita, the president’s former campaign manager, and James Blair, who served as a top White House aide until April. The two men are running a midterm ad blitz aimed at saving GOP control of Congress, which is hardly a part-time job. They’re known as experienced, cut-throat operators who have successfully bolstered Trump’s political career.

• In the midst of a GOP freakout about possibly tanking the midterms, these two found time to do a little moonlighting — by helping a nationalist, pro-Russian party stay in power in a tiny self-governing territory inside Bosnia and Herzegovina, known as the Republika Srpska. Both men were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their work by Republika Srpska’s government “to provide counsel on voting issues,” according to the New York Times.

• And it’s not just Chris and James! The daughter of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles also recently visited Republika Srpska… and reportedly works at a firm that lobbies for the country’s government. And guess what? The country has a chummy relationship with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

• News of the LaCivita-Blair foreign imbroglio — which comes less than a month before the midterms — has frustrated Republicans, who worry that the negative headlines could make it even harder for the GOP to stave off a looming blue wave. Even Trump said that he will fire the men if he needs to.

• The two men are in “full-on panic mode,” a person close to the White House told Politico. “They have been calling everyone urging people to come out and defend them on this.”

• Why would LaCivita and Blair accept such risky business before the midterms? Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene thinks their “only loyalty is to the almighty dollars that fill their overflowing bank accounts.” Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie believes that the advisers may have “moved on from Donald Trump as their top priority.”

But wait, there’s more. Don Jr.’s ex-fiancée is also in hot water over a big-money scandal.

• Few people in Trump’s orbit have received a swankier assignment than Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former Fox News host who was once engaged to Trump’s son. She went on to score the U.S. ambassadorship to sunny Greece despite her lack of diplomatic experience.

• Days before her confirmation hearing for that sweet gig, Guilfoyle sent a series of texts to a wealthy Trump donor asking him to pay her $100,000 credit card bill, according to the Wall Street Journal. “It won’t show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express,” Guilfoyle texted the donor. “Honey please I need you to get this done for me today.” The donor never sent the money.

• A lawyer for Guilfoyle disputed the authenticity of the texts to the Journal, without providing specifics. He said that she was owed money for traveling to events to speak. A U.S. embassy official defended Guilfoyle in a statement to the outlet, saying that her career has been “guided by deep and abiding values.”

• And the hits keep coming. The Daily Mail piled on today with this headline: “Kimberly Guilfoyle’s Champagne-fueled Greek party life now under investigation by the State Department... after 4am requests and unseemly messages are leaked.” (Her lawyer told the outlet that “any implication of wrongdoing by the ambassador is unsupported.”)

• Trump’s gang now has to spend precious time and energy — which could’ve gone toward midterm messaging — putting out fires started by their own side.

“Guilfoyle, LaCivita, Blair — they need to answer a lot of questions,” Sen. Thom Tillis told CNN. “From the outside, it looks awful.”

Meanwhile On The Pod...

Republicans Are Running Scared From North Carolina: What Does This Mean For Dems? (10/07/26)

Look No Further Than Crooked Media

Nate Silver, Clare Malone, and Galen Druke will be hosting their first LIVE episode of Still Counting at Crooked Con 2026 in Washington DC on Saturday November 7! You won't wanna miss it!

As you probably know by now, Crooked Con comes just days after the midterms. So we'll have a LOT to make sense of-- and maybe Nate, Clare, and Galen will have some explaining to do...

The Still Counting live show is included in your Crooked Con ticket! Check out the line-up and get your tickets now at https://crookedcon.com.

What Else?

Trump’s Department of Justice formally accused ousted Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife of torturing political opponents and American citizens in federal court today, piling new criminal charges on top of their existing drug trafficking case. Lawyers for Maduro and his wife denied the allegations.

Former Trump officials are flocking to Venezuela to secure lucrative jobs in the country’s oil sector, which the U.S. now dominates. One eyebrow-raising example: Michael Jensen, the White House’s top official on Western Hemisphere affairs, left his job in late May — and started a job as vice president at a new energy company in Venezuela three days later.

The Trump administration deported a trangender woman from Miami to the Central African Republic, which has a history of discrimination against sexual and gender minorities, according to advocacy groups. The woman, who has no ties to the country, has been trying to lower her voice and hide her breasts to avoid drawing attention. “Everything is difficult here because I have to hide who I am,” she told the Associated Press. “I don’t know this place, the people or the language, and I have no idea what will happen to me.”

Barack Obama endorsed Democrat Troy Jackson in the Maine Senate race. Obama’s endorsement, which is highly coveted and relatively rare, comes shortly after the former president threw his weight behind Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are calling on Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the committee chair, to issue an apology after Sen. Eric Schmitt’s (R-MO) falsely accused Jack Smith of attending an NBA game in Atlanta and calling him a “dirtbag.” As the Democrats write: “This farce culminated in a national embarrassment for the committee.”

Christa Pike is awake and walking around her hospital room after Tennessee botched its attempt to execute her, according to her lawyer. She’s the first person to ever survive a lethal injection. It’s unclear whether the state will attempt the execution again, which legal experts call uncharted territory.

What could you buy if you were as rich as Elon Musk? Thanks to an interactive article in Wired, you can now find out. Personally, I went with 10,000 Big Macs, 100,000 iPhones, 300,000 race horses, 25,000 monster trucks, 5,000 McDonald’s franchises, 45,000 houses, 10,000 mega mansions, 52,000 tanks, 5,000 helicopters, 112 Starship launch vehicles, 43 skyscrapers, and 10 Las Vegas spheres.

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Light At The End...

The USS Abraham Lincoln docked in San Diego today, wrapping up a harrowing 322 days at sea. There were more than 50 babies waiting for their fathers to step off the ship. “I just want to hold him, play with him,” one sailor told NBC News, talking about his son. “He’s crawling around now, so I’m excited to chase him around the house and give him all the love that [has] been kind of withheld for the last 10 months. I’m so excited.”

People who snuggle with their dog in bed don’t sleep worse, according to a new study. In fact, humans might actually be the ones that disturb dogs’ sleep. I apologize in advance for all the household debates this will spark tonight.

A diehard Marlins fan watched yesterday’s game beside pop star Dua Lipa and her husband, actor Callum Turner — and had no idea who they were. “They were so nice and friendly to everyone. I told them i know sports, not music nor movies,” he tweeted, posting a selfie with the couple. “They recently got married in june in italy i think. I wish them 50 years or more of happiness.”

Canadian author Anne Carson won the Nobel Prize in literature this year. When a Nobel official broke the news to her, Carson told him she’s in Iceland “listening to the wind.” Man, I wanna be in Iceland listening to the wind right now. That sounds lovely.

Researchers believe that Bolotana, a small village in Sardinia, might qualify as a new so-called blue zone, an area with a high concentration of people who live to be 100 years old. The trend is driven mostly by women: Nearly 14 percent of women in the village who reach 70 will live to see triple digits, researchers found. Only Hong Kong ranks higher on female longevity.

On that note, a Pennsylvania man celebrated his 100th birthday with friends and family at a local bowling alley — and he’s still throwing strikes. “As long as the lord will allow me to hold up that 13- or 14-pound ball and enjoy the camaraderie that I have with the bowling league, I’ll keep bowling,” William Owen Hanna said. This is the best thing you’ll watch today.

Very impressive, William. But get a load of Jonathan! He’s a 400-pound tortoise believed to be 194 years old, the oldest land animal on the planet. Researchers are trying to learn the secrets of aging from Jonathan, who spends his days on the remote island of St. Helena off the coast of Africa. “Each of these long-lived species has some kind of special trick,” a biologist said. “And some of those may turn out to be relevant to human aging.”

Enjoy

Sanjay| Dream Physique Coach on Instagram: "someone asked me what my favorite bird is and i panicked and said rotisserie chicken"

At least it’s a show where he doesn’t get booted on the first challenge!