Vance contends with headwinds in Iowa

It’s Friday. An early g’mar chatima tovah to those fasting for Yom Kippur.

Programming note : Hello! We are Steff Danielle Thomas and Colin Meyn filling in for Cate. Please send your tips, comments and story ideas to sthomas@thehill.com or cmeyn@thehill.com .

© The Associated Press | Mark Schiefelbein

Rep. Ashley Hinson , the Iowa Republican locked in a tight Senate race, won’t be sharing the stage when Vice President Vance stumps in Council Bluffs this afternoon.

Her campaign says she had previously scheduled events. This profile in The New York Times today points to another reason why her campaign isn’t eager to shift schedule: President Trump ’s policies are not popular in the reliably red state.

Hinson notably broke with Trump over his plan to import beef from South America to lower prices, a move that will hit cattle ranchers hard. Trump’s tariffs and inflation caused by the Iran war are also making life more difficult in the rural state.

📺 Watch : Hinson’s latest campaign ad, focused on her bipartisan bona fides, gives a sense of the mood in Iowa.

Zach Lahn , the GOP nominee for governor, is planning to join Vance — underlining the different approaches Republicans are taking to the Trump conundrum. Lahn is trailing his Democratic opponent, State Auditor Rob Sand , while Hinson has a slight edge in her race, according to most polls.

Notable votes: Hinson isn’t the only Republican seeking to create some distance with the Trump administration.

Two Iowa Republicans backed an Iran war powers resolution in the House this week, breaking from their past opposition to similar resolutions.

Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn were among seven GOP members who joined Democrats in passing the resolution.

“Iowa has already paid a devastating price, including two service members killed by an Iranian drone in Kuwait. Congress owes them, their families, and every American in uniform clear objectives and constitutional oversight,” Nunn wrote in a post on social platform X.

“I will not vote to keep our soldiers in an open-ended war, with Iowans paying too much at the pump,” Miller-Meeks said in her post.

Trump is giving his initiative to lower drug prices a boost Friday, with a new effort to bring “most favored nation” pricing to some Medicaid drugs across all 50 states.

It’s the latest step in an effort that already includes TrumpRx, the Trump administration’s platform for finding discounts on certain prescriptions.

The move comes as Republicans look to make affordability a central message heading into the midterm elections. The White House says the plan could save more than $64 billion, though it hasn’t explained how it arrived at that figure.

Here’s the idea: The model would use pricing in other countries as a benchmark, with participating states getting supplemental rebates from drugmakers to bring their costs down.

The catch: Medicaid already gets significant discounts on prescription medications, leaving questions about how much additional savings the model will produce — and what it could mean for everyday prices.

The president launched TrumpRX in February and has since added hundreds of generic drugs.

👓 Learn more here from The Hill’s Nathaniel Weixel .

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday headlined a conference for Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group he once led, telling the crowd it has a “strong and steadfast friend at the White House.”

He also explained that Trump tasked him with investigating whether childhood vaccines contribute to chronic disease — and vowed to look into “chemtrails” and electromagnetic fields.

Meanwhile, Kennedy named eight new members to a key preventive health panel, bringing specialists in areas including oncology, cardiology and gastroenterology into the mix.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ’s plan to screen troops for testosterone deficiency is back, with the Pentagon now requiring male service members older than 30 years to undergo testing.

The administration temporarily pulled its previous guidance earlier this month before issuing the new rules Thursday, which lay out a path for treatment, including hormone replacement therapy.

Hegseth framed the effort as a way to keep warfighters on the “leading edge of lethality,” while the department says it will strengthen performance and force readiness.

📰 The Hill’s Filip Timotija breaks it all down .

Senators left a closed-door briefing Thursday frustrated by what they described as a lack of clear answers on the Iran war .

The Senate Armed Services Committee convened to hear from Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby on the Trump administration’s National Defense Strategy. But Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said the ongoing conflict with the Islamic Republic was the main focus.

The briefing also started on an unusual note, with Colby opening the floor to questions without giving an opening statement. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) called it “very peculiar” and said there were “a lot more questions than answers.” Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) noted she was “very disappointed.”

The bipartisan frustration adds to mounting congressional exasperation over the conflict, which is nearing the seven-month mark.

Trump on Thursday said he’s facing a “big decision” on whether to “annihilate” the Iranian regime.

The teaser comes as the president is expected to meet with the leaders of six Persian Gulf nations next week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are also sending energy prices higher, with gas prices jumping this week. The national average hit $4.43 per gallon this week, though Trump has brushed off the surge as “a very inexpensive price to pay” to keep nuclear weapons from Tehran.

💬 The president had another chat about the Iran war with NewsNation’s Robert Sherman this morning.

🏒 NHL star Alex Ovechkin faced reporters for the first time on Thursday since controversy began to swirl around his appearance in a campaign spot for Russian leader Vladimir Putin ’s political party. Ovechkin claimed he wants “peace and love” and is not “political,” remarks that did little to blunt the backlash .

💻 Artificial intelligence fears sent Congress into a tailspin this week as lawmakers scramble to respond to the technology’s rapid development. Insiders can click here to learn more about key players to watch on AI policy from The Hill’s Miranda Nazzaro .

🕵️ Intelligence officials are pushing Congress to get moving on FISA’s Section 702 before Thanksgiving, warning they need time to keep the surveillance program running. The law has been in limbo since Congress failed to renew it over the summer.

💰 Generation Z is making its views on taxing the rich clear, with 69 percent saying they favor candidates who support raising taxes on high-income Americans. That puts tax hikes on the wealthy in focus as Democrats and Republicans look to win over younger voters. 📖 Read more in “The Feed” here .

💼 Warren Buffett is stepping down as Berkshire Hathaway’s chair after more than 60 years at the helm. The 96-year-old billionaire will remain on the board as chair emeritus, with his son Howard “Howie” Buffett taking the reins .

The Washington Post : String of daring Russian plots is testing Washington’s restraint

CBS News : Patrick Clancy’s wife: ‘I don’t understand how the story’s been so twisted’

The Wall Street Journal : The Super Donor Quarterbacking Michigan Sports — Larry Ellison’s Wife

Axios : HHS launches PPE demand forecast

The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST)

1 p.m. : Vance rallies GOP voters in Council Bluffs, Iowa. 1:30 p.m.: Trump greets the Million Dollar Pitch Competition finalists.

2:30 p.m. : The president makes a healthcare announcement.

Friday evening: The president participates in a MAGA Inc. meeting and dinner in Sterling, Va.

🍔 Celebrate : Today is National Cheeseburger Day. You cheddar believe it! Here is a fun list from the Food Network of all the special freebies and discounts for this special event.

Our journey to the weekend is almost complete. But like our turtle friend here , we have to keep moving!

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