The GOP's scramble on diesel prices

Plus, the Republican who called out Trump's state dinner |

Thursday, October 01, 2026 Elizabeth Maline: Selling diesel Washington takes time to explain itself. It can take months for a new law to filter out from the Capitol to the rest of the country through news coverage, town halls, social media posts, constituent emails and the slow rollout of a policy. But there are only five weeks until Election Day. And Republicans facing competitive races are scrambling to throw out proposals that would address the rising cost of diesel. On the campaign trail, GOP candidates have pitched a grab bag of easy to understand ideas: pausing diesel exports, suspending the gas tax, reviving incentives for biodiesel and offering relief for farmers and truckers. Whether any of those ideas will work is another question. There is simply not enough time for Congress to act: The House is not scheduled to return for votes until after the election. Candidates can promise a future fix, but they can’t point to any actual relief at the pump yet. At the same time, many Republicans have focused on treating the price spike rather than confronting one of its central causes. Read Elizabeth Maline’s analysis here.   TODAY’S QUESTION Will you use the new America.gov chatbot? The Trump administration introduced America.gov, an artificial intelligence chatbot that provides plain English answers to common questions, such as how to renew a passport, based on tens of thousands of government websites.  VOTE HERE TRUMP’S WEEK IN REVIEW Here are some more highlights of the president’s actions over the past seven days: Launched a new government chatbot that gave responses that contradict his claims about voter fraud, tariffs and his signature domestic policy bill Began holding rallies in heavily Republican areas despite having said before that he would only campaign in competitive races Canceled nearly $1 billion in congressionally approved spending, using a rare and contested presidential power Used taxpayer money to air a 30-second campaign-style TV ad characterized as a “public service announcement”   THE CHALLENGERS 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 Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker.  Wicker is a conservative Republican and a dependable Trump ally. But when the White House rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping last week — complete with a state dinner — Wicker went to the Senate floor to say Trump should not have invited him. “Had the White House asked me for advice,” Wicker said in a speech, “I would have suggested the president not invite Xi Jinping to Washington for such a lavish welcome.” Instead of flattering Xi, Wicker argued, Trump should have confronted him about China’s military buildup, its support for Iran, its threats to Taiwan and its human rights abuses against Uyghurs, Christians and other religious minorities. It was a modest but meaningful critique, notable because Wicker is chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. NUMBER OF THE WEEK 13.2 million After seven months of war, oil exports from the Middle East are approaching pre-war levels. That doesn’t mean, however, that prices will fall any time soon. “Even though the numbers are getting close to normal, it’s not like the strait is back to normal,” said Matt Smith, director of commodity research at Kpler, a firm that tracks oil shipments. His firm estimated that’s an average of 13.2 million barrels a day moved through the strait over the past week. Analysts at JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs also estimated that oil exports are near pre-war levels. Yet oil prices are still above $100 because the cost to hire and insure an oil tanker still costs more because of the risk of attacks by Iran. “It’s very expensive and that’s reflected in the prices in the U.S. and the price at the pump,” Smith said. As more tankers make it through the strait, some believe it could be a sign Iran is losing control of the waterway. That might not be good news. It’s been Iran’s biggest leverage in negotiations with the United States. If it loses that, some worry it could escalate attacks there and beyond. The oil is flowing, but it still comes at a cost. — Stephanie Ruhle, host of “Money, Power, Politics with Stephanie Ruhle” TOP STORIES Felicia Schwartz and David Rohde Trump signals a post-midterm Iran war escalation — these problems could hinder those efforts Zeeshan Aleem Trump has a crippling blind spot — and he doesn’t seem to realize it  Julianne McShane and Lisa Rubin DOJ files judicial misconduct claim against Minnesota judges after New York Times interviews Reynold Verret Trump’s student loan deadline raises an urgent question about the value of a college degree MORE FROM MS NOW This week on “The Best People,” Nicolle Wallace is joined by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to discuss how the moment we’re in is a “make-or-break” moment in American politics, and what he’d like to see if Democrats take control of the government after the midterms. Subscribe to MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts for early access, ad-free listening, and bonus content. 229 West 43rd St. New York, NY 10036 UNSUBSCRIBE | PRIVACY | CONTACT | VIEW IN BROWSER UNSUBSCRIBE | PRIVACY | CONTACT | VIEW IN BROWSER

The White House’s taxpayer-financed election ads were shaped by Trump personally

The president offered his first real defense for the publicly funded campaign propaganda. It did not go especially well.

Thursday, October 01, 2026 TODAY'S TOP MADDOWBLOG POSTS The White House’s taxpayer-financed election ads were shaped by Trump personally The White House’s taxpayer-financed election ads were shaped by Trump personally The president offered his first real defense for the publicly funded campaign propaganda. It did not go especially well. MORE Trump hedges when asked about using the Insurrection Act ahead of midterms In light of his track record, it’s tough to shrug when he dodges a question about possibly declaring a state of emergency ahead of the elections. MORE Trump hedges when asked about using the Insurrection Act ahead of midterms In light of his track record, it’s tough to shrug when he dodges a question about possibly declaring a state of emergency ahead of the elections. MORE Decades later, Trump’s DOJ to review whether Nixon was mistreated during Watergate scandal The Justice Department is taking a fresh look at whether Nixon was some kind of victim — developments that would’ve seemed unthinkable a half-century ago. MORE Decades later, Trump’s DOJ to review whether Nixon was mistreated during Watergate scandal The Justice Department is taking a fresh look at whether Nixon was some kind of victim — developments that would’ve seemed unthinkable a half-century ago. MORE Marsha Blackburn’s new lawsuit against Jack Smith has a fatal flaw A year after Republicans pushed “Arctic Frost” hysterics to the fore, the Tennessean filed a civil suit that’s all but certain to fail. MORE Marsha Blackburn’s new lawsuit against Jack Smith has a fatal flaw A year after Republicans pushed “Arctic Frost” hysterics to the fore, the Tennessean filed a civil suit that’s all but certain to fail. MORE MORE FROM THE MADDOWBLOG Trump says he regrets appointing Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett When Trump boasts about donating his presidential salary, be sure to read the fine print Hegseth taps Musk and Gingrich to help lead ‘Project Meridian’ FCC’s Carr brushes off concerns about Trump’s taxpayer-paid election ads Thursday’s Campaign Round-Up, 10.1.26: Paxton’s jet-setting lifestyle draws new scrutiny HOLY MOLY, RACHEL IS ALL OVER THE PLACE Rachel spent the full hour with Symone and Eugene on Clock It.   Rachel Maddow to Republicans: "All the CRIMES are going to be ANSWERED FOR" We're a month out from the most consequential midterm elections of the 21st century. With momentum on its side, the Democratic party is hoping that big wins in November will lead to a dredging of the entire federal government – one that's continued an ICE surge with impunity, that's failed to stem a worsening affordability crisis, and that's started wars after promising to end them. As the countdown to the elections winds down, Symone and Eugene invite the one-and-only Rachel Maddow back into the groupchat to share their hope that the Democratic party will rise to the occasion and start cleaning up the political mess we’re in. They also get into how her new true crime documentary – Kill, Bury, Print – reflects local communities fighting back against corrupt forces in government. “This is not a smoke detector moment. This is a flames in the kitchen moment,” says Rachel, who has not given up. “Even their own people are repulsed by the worst things they're doing. And that to me is a healthy sign.” OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR "Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and the attorneys general in Arkansas and Alabama filed a lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. Supreme Court, suing California, Massachusetts and New York to invalidate the so-called “shield laws” that have allowed providers in those states to send abortion medication to people in states with abortion bans." (Stateline) "The crypto firm that runs President Donald Trump’s meme coin is promising to hold “the most exclusive dinner in the world,” raising new ethics concerns about the president’s personal financial entanglements." Want Dinner With the President? Buy His Meme Coin. (Washington Sun) "Now the value of those $TRUMP coins has crashed, the U.S. crypto reserve President Donald Trump promised hasn’t amounted to much, and the enthusiasm for Trump in comments and message boards has turned into disappointment and animosity." Trump loses favor with crypto fans who call him out for cashing in (Washington Post) "Democratic efforts to revamp the Supreme Court gained momentum Thursday as an influential center-left think tank released a plan to limit justices’ terms and misconduct." (Politico) "This event is the worst we’ve seen and unlike any other botched execution in the modern era,” said Robin Maher, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. “There is no precedent.” Tennessee Fails to Execute Woman After 2 Doses of Lethal Injection (New York Times) Most blame President Trump for higher prices and are unhappy with how he is handling the economy (AP/NORC) "The US State Department has waived human rights conditions for more than $300 million of military aid to Egypt in light of Cairo's "helpful role" since the launch of the US ‌war with Iran, according to a letter to US lawmakers obtained by Reuters." (Reuters) "At the same time Jared Kushner has acted as a key negotiator in the war in Gaza, his private equity company, Affinity Partners, has held the largest stake in an Israeli firm backing businesses involved in Israel’s military campaigns, a CNN investigation has found." (CNN) Follow Rachel on Bluesky here. ASK MADDOW ANYTHING Go behind the scenes with Rachel Maddow every Monday at noon ET as she answers your questions ahead of her weekly broadcast.   WATCH THIS WEEK'S EDITION   Want to ask Rachel a question live on video? Participants will need to complete a short pre-interview and be available from 11:30a-12:30p ET on Monday. If interested, please fill out this form by Thursday. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up to follow it yourself or send this sign-up link to someone you know would appreciate it. NEWS TIPS? SEND IT TO RACHEL FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM RACHEL MADDOW ON BLUESKY 229 West 43rd St. New York, NY 10036 UNSUBSCRIBE | PRIVACY | CONTACT | VIEW IN BROWSER UNSUBSCRIBE | PRIVACY | CONTACT | VIEW IN BROWSER