Thursday, October 22, 2026
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Joseph Zeballos-Roig: Motor city
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Shortly after starting his second term, President Donald Trump urged the American auto industry to help realize his dream of a domestic manufacturing revival.
He began by promising untold riches from tariffs on foreign automakers.
“Congratulations, if you make your car in the United States, you’re going to make a lot of money,” Trump told NBC News in March 2025. “If you don’t, you’re going to have to probably come to the United States, because if you make your car in the United States, there is no tariff.”
Trump cast himself as a friend to American carmakers. But it didn’t take long for him to show how unpredictable that friendship could be — and how much it could threaten their bottom line.
In less than two years, three major policy decisions from the Trump administration have left the American auto industry in a worse position than it had been in 2024, struggling to keep pace with Chinese electric-vehicle makers, paying more for materials and facing weaker demand for traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
Read joseph Zeballos-Roig’s analysis here.
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Do you think the Supreme Court should be expanded?
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In a recent podcast episode, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Democrats should “seriously consider” expanding the Supreme Court from the current nine to 13 justices — one for each judicial circuit.
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Here are some more highlights of the president’s actions over the past seven days:
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- Said, again, that he is “allowed to do a self-pardon,” a proposition that has never been tested legally
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- Praised an attendee at a rally in South Carolina who punched a protester on the floor, comparing him to retired boxer Evander Holyfield
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- Faced questions about the pardon of a Venezuelan Italian banker after his daughter made campaign contributions to Trump’s super PAC
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The news can feel overwhelming. But each week, we pause to highlight a person, organization or movement sticking up for their principles or their fellow Americans. This week’s challenger is the BBC.
Trump is suing the British public broadcaster for $10 billion over a documentary that edited together clips from his Jan. 6, 2021, speech. The BBC acknowledged and apologized for the edit, but denied that it defamed him. Now, it is standing its ground, insisting that Trump answer questions under oath in the case he brought. That might include questions about his state of mind and what he was thinking on Jan. 6, just before the attack on the Capitol — topics he would likely rather avoid. After Trump’s lawyers canceled an agreed deposition date, the BBC asked a federal judge to set a firm deadline. The judge has ordered Trump to sit for a deposition by Dec. 11 or risk sanctions, including dismissal of his lawsuit. The legal fight is far from over, but the BBC has secured a basic demand: If the president wants to pursue his case, he has to testify.
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The wallets of some of the wealthiest Americans are opening wide in the final days of the election. Mike Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City and the owner of a namesake financial media company, announced he will spend $80 million to support Democratic candidates. It's an enormous amount but about a fifth of the $369 million (and counting) that the world's richest man, Elon Musk, is spending largely in support of Republicans and get out the vote. Not to be left out, Trump declared on Truth Social this week that he will spend $400 million by Election Day, “the Most Important Midterm Elections in our Country’s History.” His MAGA super PAC reportedly has collected around $470 million since its creation, largely from tech billionaires and other donors. Spending this election is breaking records, especially for Republicans, but despite that, will it ultimately sway the outcome? We’ll know more in less than two weeks.
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This week on “Clock It,” Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels are joined by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who has presided over a resurgence in public safety in the city he grew up in. Listen now and subscribe to MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts for ad-free listening and bonus content.
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