El-Sayed vs. Rogers gets nasty in Michigan

▪ Trump says no Iran strikes before midterms

The Michigan Senate debate between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers on Thursday night quickly got personal as the candidates sparred over not just their political differences but their personal backgrounds.

The debate, hosted by Nexstar affiliate WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids and NewsNation, is the first of two debates they will take part in before Election Day; the next one will take place on Oct. 21. Nexstar also owns The Hill.

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, and Rogers, a former congressman, repeatedly interrupted each other during the hourlong debate. The event was so contentious that the candidates’ arguments continued even during the brief commercial break.

“I n 30 years of doing debates, I’ve never seen it continue during the commercial, but it did,” said moderator Rick Albin .

El-Sayed’s attacks on Rogers largely focused on accusations that he would be a “rubber stamp” for President Trump and corporate interests and was carpetbagging with his Senate bid.

“I’ve been absolutely clear. I want our tax dollars spent here to provide schools here, and by here, I mean Michigan, not Florida,” El-Sayed said.

Rogers had lived in Michigan for years and represented the state during his time in the House but had moved to Florida before his first unsuccessful Senate run in 2024.

The Republican nominee’s attacks on El-Sayed ranged from accusations that he was misrepresenting himself as a medical professional to baselessly alleging that he could have terrorist family members.

El-Sayed has received a medical degree from Columbia University and a doctorate in public health from Oxford University but had received scrutiny for calling himself a “physician” despite not practicing medicine.

When Rogers was asked about his position on guardrails surrounding Flock cameras, he said they were important in catching people suspected of terrorism.

“And why would that bother you? Well, if you have someone in your family that might be on —” he said, before El-Sayed cut in.

“Go ahead and say it,” El-Sayed said. “You’ve been tiptoeing around it the whole time, just say it.”

Other major Senate debates taking place simultaneously also got into testy territory with personal swipes.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Maine Democratic nominee Troy Jackson demanded apologies from each other after Jackson claimed that she and her husband have profited from the Iran war. Jackson didn’t offer specific evidence for his claim. Reporting from The Maine Independent has revealed that Collins’s husband owns stock in defense contractors.

“I mean, Senator Collins and her husband [are] making money, more, off of this war, and so is a whole bunch of other people, and that’s why this doesn’t, doesn’t stop,” Jackson said.

“That is absolutely outrageous, and you owe me an apology,” the senator shot back.

“No, you owe me an apology,” Jackson responded.

Personal accusations also flew in the Georgia Senate debate , with Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) denouncing GOP nominee Rep. Mike Collins (Ga.) as a “bigot.”

“If John Lewis were marching today from Selma to Montgomery, Mike Collins would be grabbing a billy club,” Ossoff said, referencing past social media posts from Collins.

One such post included a video from the University of Mississippi in 2024 in which a Black woman is surrounded by white students who mimic ape-like motions and make monkey sounds.

“Ole Miss taking care of business,” Collins wrote at the time.

Ossoff also accused Collins of promoting “neo-Nazi” propaganda. Collins responded that he condemns racism, antisemitism and hate.

The congressman hit back at Ossoff, calling him a “trust fund kid” who doesn’t understand the financial struggles that average people are dealing with.

“You know the problem is, and Jon Ossoff won’t understand this because he doesn’t have to worry about health care,” Collins said. “He doesn’t have to worry about trying to buy health care insurance for his family. He never will.”

Ossoff responded that Collins “inherited” his seat in Congress, as the congressman’s father was Mac Collins , who served in the House for 12 years.

▪ The Hill : Trump to campaign in Alaska amid campaign blitz.

▪ The Hill : The hard part is coming for Democrats.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and wounded a man Thursday in New York City. Officials told NewsNation that the man is an immigrant who entered the country illegally and has a criminal record. The man was transported to a local hospital .

The USS Abraham Lincoln docked in San Diego Thursday after a grueling 322-day deployment to the Middle East , marked by dwindling food supplies and concerns over service members’ mental health. The deployment, expected to end in the summer, was extended to support the Iran war.

The Trump administration unveiled new charges against deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, accusing them of ordering the torture of Americans and political opponents. The duo previously pleaded not guilty to charges related to narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay speaks at a media briefing in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

NOBEL WIN : The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to former United Nations human rights chief Navanethem “Navi” Pillay on Friday, recognizing her efforts to promote peace and international law.

Pillay, 85, is a judge on the International Court of Justice. She led the U.N. human rights commission for six years, from 2008 to 2014, and previously served as the president of the international tribunal on the Rwandan genocide for four years.

In remarks to colleagues after receiving the award, she noted that her most recent work was a report naming Israel’s war in Gaza as a genocide.

Jørgen Watne Frydnes , the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said Pillay’s work is a “source of hope and inspiration to all those who seek to bring about a more peaceful world.”

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the prize.

It comes a year after Trump and some of his allies launched a concerted campaign for him to be awarded the prize, pointing to his efforts for peace in various international conflicts. This year, the president’s camp was relatively quiet, though he was asked about whether he deserved the prize earlier this week.

“I settled eight wars. Another one is coming. I got all the hostages back,” he said. “I did things that nobody else has ever done. I’m not bragging. I’m just telling you the facts.”

Last year’s winner, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado , gave her prize to Trump soon after the U.S. operation that ousted former dictator Nicolás Maduro in January. But the committee has said the award can’t be transferred.

Pillay nodded to the exchange in her comments on Friday.

“If you clap a little bit more, I may share this prize with Trump,” she said to laughs.

▪ The Washington Post : Trump’s Nobel ambitions fade, but Norway fears his wrath.

▪ The Guardian : Nobel in medicine awarded for research into brain’s mysteries.

OFF THE TABLE: Trump said Thursday the U.S. military would not launch any attacks on Iran before the midterm elections after reporting that the president was weighing whether to resume major combat operations before Election Day.

“I want to make it clear to everybody that, while Iran is in very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily, and while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, with Oil flowing in Record Numbers of Barrels through the Hormuz Strait (22 Million Barrels, last night alone, with not one barrel coming from, or going to, Iran!), we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Oil prices rose earlier Thursday following reporting from The Atlantic that the White House asked the Pentagon to develop strike options against Iranian targets that could be exercised before the midterms. U.S. officials also told Axios that U.S. Central Command was instructed to finalize its preparations to resume combat operations in Iran, but that no final decisions had been made.

Asked about the reporting earlier Thursday, a White House official told The Hill that Trump “has all options available at any time.”

“Iran has been decimated, and things will go one of two ways; the easy way or the hard way. President Trump holds all the cards and will do whatever is best for the United States,” the official said.

▪ The Washington Post : Iran scales up Hormuz attacks

▪ The Hill : Army identifies systemic breakdowns that led to DC midair collision.

▪ Politico : How Iran’s drones hit America’s Achilles heel.

VISA CRACKDOWN : Vice President Vance announced new efforts to crack down on alleged fraud and abuse in work visa programs, including a probe into nine universities over their use of the J-1 visa program and the suspension of Microsoft and other tech companies from an employer-based program that allows foreign workers to apply for permanent resident status.

“Elite universities bring in foreigners to undercut the wages of American residents,” Vance said at a press conference yesterday, noting American graduate students make roughly $20,000 more than their foreign counterparts. He accused the nine universities of using J-1 visa holders for federally funded research at a rate of 61 percent, compared with a national average of 38 percent.

Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito said “subpoenas have been served” to the nine schools, which include Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, Brown University, the University of Pittsburgh, Arizona State University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the California Institute of Technology and the University of California, Davis.

The vice president separately announced that Microsoft has been suspended from the permanent labor certification program, accusing the tech giant of relying heavily on foreign workers while laying off thousands of Americans. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys and several other IT firms were also suspended from the program.

Microsoft pushed back, saying the “vast majority” of its U.S. employees are Americans.

▪ The Hill : Cornell defendant fights Letitia James appointment as special prosecutor.

▪ The Hill : Minnesota demands answers in Medicaid fraud fight with Trump.

STAND BY : A federal judge temporarily extended a pause Thursday on the White House’s ban of three media outlets from covering the president as he considers a longer block against the move.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly , a Trump appointee, said his initial 14-day order, which was set to expire just before midnight, will be extended another two business days. A ruling is expected by Tuesday.

Kelly didn’t address the arguments from CNN, MS NOW and Politico that the ban violates their First Amendment rights, as Trump said he barred them from the White House grounds because of cumulative negative coverage. Instead, he found the ban likely violates their constitutional due process rights.

CNN and Politico have since been blocked from traveling on Air Force One as part of press pool duties, adding another front in the standoff.

▪ The Hill : John Roberts halts deadline for FCC to rule on TV ad rate challenge.

NO COMMENT : Secretary of State Marco Rubio deflected on questions about The Wall Street Journal report that U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle solicited cash from a GOP donor to pay off debts during her confirmation process.

“Our job is not to respond every time someone decides to give the media something without any advance warning, without having any chance to look at it and see what’s in there,” he said.

The outlet reported on messages sent on Signal in which Guilfoyle asked Eric Deters to send her $100,000 to pay off debts to American Express in a way that wouldn’t leave a paper trail.

Guilfoyle reportedly asked Deters to wire her the money in July 2025, six days before her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Deters ultimately turned her down.

“Your needing $100,000 urgent unfortunately is not going to work,” Deters reportedly wrote to Guilfoyle. “I can’t do this without getting a divorce.”

▪ The Hill : Deters blasts Trump’s sons, Jared Kushner .

The president will host a Columbus Day celebration at 11 a.m. He will participate in a swearing-in ceremony for Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling at 2 p.m. He will travel to Syracuse, N.Y., to deliver remarks at 7:30 p.m. and then return to the White House.

The House will convene at 12:30 p.m. for a pro forma session.

The Senate will meet at 1:30 p.m. for a pro forma session.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., arrives on stage at the inaugural Make America Healthy Again summit, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Rod Lamkey, Jr., Associated Press file)

MAHA BACKLASH : Frustration is growing among Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) activists over what some see as serious betrayals by Republican officials they helped put in office, raising concerns for the GOP just weeks away from the midterms, The Hill’s Rachel Frazin and Nathaniel Weixel report .

The latest rift between MAHA supporters and certain GOP allies is over the farm bill, which is supported by Republicans who purport to support the movement. But activists are taking issue with cuts in the bill to certain conservation programs and with a provision to delay a deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency to re-review the health impacts of pesticides that are already on the market.

MAHA supporters have rallied around opposition to vaccine mandates and concerns about the influence of chemical and agricultural companies on public health policy, leaving some activists torn over whom to support in the midterms.

“Do we vote for someone who supports vaccine mandates … or do we vote for someone who is actively supporting pesticides and poison in our foods that our babies and children eat on a daily basis?” Zen Honeycutt , founder of Moms Across America, told Frazin and Weixel. “It’s an impossible decision, and this is why many of our moms are saying they’re going to stay home, or vote independent, write somebody in.”

Another tension point came at the MAHA Summit last week, when Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — the face of the MAHA movement — and other administration officials mingled with executives from drug developers, insurers, AI companies and retailers like Walmart.

“The people who built this movement were promised an end to … Washington influence-peddling, not a MAHA-branded version of it,” Robert Malone , a former vice chair of Kennedy’s vaccine advisory committee, wrote in a scathing blog post titled “The Capture of MAHA.”

▪ The Hill : HHS launches NIH clinic to study vaccine injuries.

▪ The Hill : Top House Democrat unveils surprise medical billing overhaul.

Flowers, candles and farewell messages are placed at a memorial in Madrid, Spain, to honor the memory of Maria del Carmen Abascal, 87, whose eviction from her home sparked nationwide protests, Oct. 8, 2026. (Manu Fernandez, Associated Press)

SYMBOL OF THE MOVEMENT : The death of an 87-year-old Spanish woman whose eviction sparked national protests in Spain is renewing the social movement demanding action on the country’s housing crisis.

María del Carmen Abascal , who became widely known as “Maricarmen,” died Wednesday in a hospital , two weeks after she was evicted from her home where she had lived for decades before her rent spiked. Her lawyer didn’t reveal her cause of death.

Spaniards have been increasingly frustrated by rising housing costs for months, but the televised images of Maricarmen being carried on a stretcher from her home provoked fierce backlash. She had used a wheelchair.

The incident spurred thousands of demonstrators to protest in Madrid and other major cities in Spain. Protesters in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square held a minute of silence in Maricarmen’s honor upon learning of her death.

Her situation helped ignite a social movement that has effectively spurred an early general election scheduled for Nov. 29, eight months earlier than originally expected, as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez hopes to seize the momentum to win a new mandate.

Sánchez took a defeat last week as right-wing opposition parties were able to defeat emergency measures introduced by his government to address evictions and the difficult real estate market.

His gambit risks providing a path to victory for a right-wing coalition made up of conservatives and the far-right Vox party.

“All my love to Maricarmen’s family and loved ones,” Sánchez said in a post on the social platform X. “A hug as well to all of us who feel this loss as our own today. Rest in peace.”

Labor unions have meanwhile called for a general strike in the two weeks leading up to the election.

“Your death won’t be in vain. We will continue the struggle,” one of the messages on Maricarmen’s door reads.

▪ The Associated Press : Spain approves 21 urgent housing measures.

▪ Reuters : Thousands march to mark death of Maricarmen.

A rare healthcare issue both parties agree on: A solution to Alzheimer’s that can’t wait , Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) write in The Hill.

Is AI a threat? Yes — it is already emptying Americans’ bank accounts , JB Branch and Richard Fiesta write in The Hill.

A national library employee shows the gold Nobel Prize medal awarded to the late novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez in Bogota, Colombia, April 17, 2015. (Fernando Vergara, Associated Press file)

And finally … 👏👏👏 Congrats to this week’s Morning Report quiz winners ! They earned a noble prize for trivial knowledge (aka a newsletter shout-out) for their answers about the Nobel Prizes.

Here’s who went 4/4: Richard Baznik, Carmine Petracca, Rick Schmidtke, Sari Wisch, Ned Sauthoff, Jess Elger, Peter Sprofera, Chuck Schoenenberger, Harry Strulovici, Neil Bergsman, M. Whitehouse, Keven Murphy, Jenessa Wagner, Daniel Beierman, Michael Salanik, Brendan Smith, Mark Ryan, William Chittam, David P. Bader, Robert Bradley, Luther Berg, Steve Comer, Mark R. Williamson, Linda L. Field and Pam Manges .

Mathematics is the listed category that does not have a Nobel Prize. Alfred Nobel’s will established prizes in physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, literature and peace. A prize in economics was later added.

Woodrow Wilson won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work to establish the League of Nations after World War I.

The United States has by far won the most Nobel Prizes, with more than 400 . The United Kingdom follows in second, then Germany and France.

The last year that none of the Nobel categories gave out awards was 1942 amid World War II. Certain awards have skipped a couple years periodically since then, but not all of them at once.