The Weekly Primer is a ‘pop-up’ newsletter that highlights the latest developments from the Trump White House with a view into the deeper agenda underway. This edition is being sent following Columbus Day.
What’s ahead on the Trump 2.5 Agenda?
The Angle – President Trump is revelling in the campaign season, focusing on incendiary broadsides at rallies rather than mobilizing around the substance of his term’s accomplishments.
Notably, the MAHA and America First messaging that dominated the 2024 election has completely disappeared along with many of the messengers of that era.
Coming up this week
Campaign Moves into Higher Gear | With rallies this week in Ohio, Alaska, Kansas, and Georgia, the president is going deep into GOP territory to try and stem potential losses in Congress.
Public Execution Plans Facing Pushback | After a euphoric announcement of a plan to stream the execution of a convicted terrorist, senior officials have cautioned that this has yet to be approved.
Mamdani Sees Opposition within Own Ranks | New York’s mayor saw protesters accuse him of complicity in genocide on the anniversary of October 7.
AI Discussions Continuing in Congress | Despite an informal accord already agreed by leading companies, a bipartisan push is continuing on the Hill to create more regulatory oversight of AI.
Bergen Group Plans to Meet in Poland | The so-called Bergen Group convened by Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby is planning to meet in Poland later this month.
You may have missed
Ilhan Omar Under Investigation | Investigators raided the Minnesota congresswoman’s home as a criminal probe into her background picks up pace.
Riyadh Airport Attack Raises New Fears | A missile launched by Yemen’s Houthis left a dozen civilians dead in Saudi Arabia, leading to fears a wider war may break out in the region.
Talarico Evades GOP Crosshairs | The Democratic candidate for Senate was falsely reported to have checked into a mental institution, leading to blowback for his GOP accusers.
Guilfoyle Asked to Resign | The American ambassador to Greece, and former fiancé of Donald Trump Jr., was told to step aside after startling allegations of corruption came to light.
Diesel Deal Reached with Russia | Following a significant rise in fuel prices, the president announced that the United States was buying diesel from Russia, despite the continuing war and sanctions.
Readings & Viewings
Snapshots from around the media from the past week.
Department of State | Rubio Remarks at Acropolis
White House | “A New Golden Age Summit.”
AP | First White House Press Briefing by Katie Zacharia
“The ability to discern fact from fiction is becoming extremely difficult. The hype cycle involves multiple accounts echoing the same story so that it appears singularly powerful, even if the underlying sourcing is thin. Without investigating beyond the headlines, the audience risks missing more significant developments and context.”
- p. 10 “Up Front” | Trump 2.5: A Primer (2025)