Trump ratchets up the chaos in an October barrage
President Trump is carrying his insatiable appetite for controversy into the most unforgiving stretch of the electoral calendar, fortified by a decade of political survival. "Bottom line, it's gonna all work out. You know why? It always does," Trump told reporters this week. Why it matters: Gone are the days of a single "October surprise," swallowed by a familiar barrage of scandals, provocations…
In a relentless push for controversy, President Trump intensified his campaign activities in October, building on a decade of political endurance. "You know why it works out?" Trump told reporters this week, "It always does." This year's electoral period is marked by a nonstop barrage of scandals, provocations, and broken conventions that have defined the final weeks of his final midterm election.
Axios has documented Trump's continuous erosion of presidential norms throughout his second term, from the transition phase to his first 100 days and first year in office. Even the threat of losing Congress—critical to his agenda over the next two years—has failed to dampen Trump's pace or boldness. In just the first 15 days of October, a series of controversies threatened to undermine a more traditional presidency.
Federal agents raided Rep. Ilhan Omar's home in Minnesota, seizing her phone as part of an investigation into her potential deportation. Trump declared that officials leaking sensitive military information should be "shot," invoking a darker era. He eased sanctions on Russian diesel, pressured Ukraine to remove President Zelensky, and waived new Russia sanctions under a Graham-signed bipartisan law.
Trump also spent millions on taxpayer-funded political ads, which were halted by a federal judge, before directing his super PAC to finance future spots. The Justice Department launched an antitrust investigation into major news networks after they suspended White House pool coverage over Trump's ban on three news organizations.
He pledged to give every American a $5,000 check if Republicans held Congress, directly tying the funds to the midterms. The DOJ sued California to block 20,000 potentially fraudulent ballots, further escalating attempts to influence elections. Trump's inflammatory social-media posts included footage of a tiger attack, followed by an AI-generated video of him wrestling the animal.
Additionally, $333 million in donations were earmarked for his White House ballroom, with some donors benefiting from government contracts.
Three episodes in October forced Trump into rare retreats. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to livestream a convicted murderer's execution was scrapped due to bipartisan outrage. Kimberly Guilfoyle, engaged to Trump's son for four years, resigned as ambassador to Greece after reports of soliciting money from a political donor.
Trump had to replace his press secretary, Katie Zacharia, amid scrutiny of her legal credentials. The White House spokesperson, Allison Schuster, defended Trump's actions, stating that he remains committed to his campaign promises of national security, law and order, and affordable life. However, a Fox News poll revealed Trump's approval rating at 36%, the lowest in either of his presidencies, with concerns about inflation and government corruption reaching record highs.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
