A clear majority of voters believe President Donald Trump is underperforming both domestically and internationally, according to a new AP-NORC poll. The findings signal that many Americans are seeking significant change in the upcoming midterm elections, creating a serious warning for Republicans at a pivotal point.
House Democrats are assembling an ambitious first-100-days agenda centered on fulfilling campaign promises, lowering the cost of living and carrying out sweeping oversight of the Trump administration if voters return them to the majority in the Nov. 3 elections. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is expected to become House speaker, said the party would be united “right out of the gate.”
Meanwhile, questions are growing about the background and résumé of Trump’s new press secretary as she begins her tenure. Katie Zacharia has for years identified herself as a lawyer, but neither she nor the White House has provided evidence that she passed a bar examination.
The latest developments:
Protests in Albania target development project linked to Kushner
Student protesters clashed with Albanian police in the capital, Tirana, on Thursday for a third consecutive day. The demonstrations are part of a broader anti-government movement opposing a major development project promoted by President Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Young people protesting Albania’s long-serving Socialist government threw rocks at a police line outside the Education Ministry. Riot police responded with tear gas and water cannons. The previous day’s unrest included attacks on government buildings, banks and businesses, leaving 89 people injured, including 61 police officers, according to the Health Ministry.
Student organizations demanding education reforms have joined the so-called flamingo movement, named for the birds found in the nature reserve where the luxury tourism project is planned. The movement is calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign over allegations of widespread corruption and is opposing the Kushner-linked development.
U.S. jobless claims remain historically low, below 200,000
Applications for unemployment benefits in the United States edged higher last week, but layoffs remain historically low and most American workers continue to enjoy considerable job security.
Initial claims for the week ending Oct. 10 rose by 1,000 to 199,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week average, which reduces the effect of weekly fluctuations, increased by 250 to 198,500.
Unemployment claims are widely viewed as a measure of layoffs, making them an important indicator of the labor market’s direction. So far this year, weekly claims have remained at historically low levels, below 220,000.
The number of people continuing to receive unemployment benefits for the week ending Oct. 3 declined by 4,000 to 1.71 million, another historically healthy reading.
Wholesale inflation posts its biggest increase in four years as fuel prices surge
Wholesale prices rose faster than expected last month as fuel costs jumped, underscoring the persistent inflation challenge facing consumers and creating a political liability for Republicans as voting begins.
The Labor Department said Thursday that its producer price index, which measures inflation before it reaches consumers, climbed 6.3% in September from a year earlier. That was up from a 5.6% increase in August and marked the largest rise since December 2022.
The report added to concerns raised by the better-known consumer price index, released Wednesday, which also showed inflation accelerating in September as gasoline prices rose. A wide range of goods and services became more expensive as well. Together, the reports are increasing pressure on Federal Reserve officials to raise their benchmark interest rate. Inflation has remained above the central bank’s 2% target for five and a half years.
Phone seized and relatives subpoenaed in criminal investigation involving Rep. Ilhan Omar, AP source says
Federal authorities investigating Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar have seized the Democratic lawmaker’s phone and issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including subpoenas to several of her relatives, according to a person briefed on the investigation.
The subpoenas were issued by a Minnesota grand jury gathering evidence as federal officials examine possible fraud involving Omar’s immigration paperwork, said the person, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing case. The investigation prompted federal agents to search Omar’s Washington, D.C., home on Monday, just weeks before the November midterm elections in which she is seeking reelection.
The scope of the investigation into Omar is unclear, though Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has suggested that authorities were examining potential crimes related to her family’s immigration paperwork. Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 when she was 17 years old, five years after she arrived with her family after obtaining asylum in the United States.
The search of Omar’s home so close to next month’s midterm contests was swiftly condemned by Democrats, who accused the administration of targeting the Democrat for political purposes. Omar, in a statement on X, called the search an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.”
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AP-NORC Poll: Trump’s numbers on the economy and costs remain weak
Voters are deeply frustrated with Trump’s leadership on the issues they say matter most, the new poll found.
The economy and the cost of living are high priorities for voters on both sides of the aisle. The survey found that the vast majority of Republican and Democratic voters say both issues are among the most important for the upcoming election.
But about 8 in 10 registered voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living and about three-quarters disapprove of his performance on the economy.
Even among Republican voters, only 44% approve of Trump’s performance on the cost of living, while 54% approve of his leadership on the economy. That’s a sharp contrast with other issues, like crime, where Republican approval is much higher.
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AP-NORC Poll: The vast majority of voters want change
One thing is crystal clear on the eve of the 2026 midterms: Voters want change.
About half of voters say they want “substantial change” in how the country is run, according to the new AP-NORC poll. Roughly 3 in 10 want “complete and total upheaval.”
Democrats and independents are much likelier than Republicans to want a full overhaul of the country’s direction. But even Republican voters are still looking for something different. Slightly fewer than half, 45%, want substantial change, while 13% want upheaval.
“I’m kind of tired of sending people there, and nothing gets done,” Krista Kohles, a 70-year-old Republican told the AP. “Nothing’s changing.”
AP-NORC Poll: Democrats are more enthusiastic about voting than Republicans
Democratic voters are more enthused than Republican voters about casting a ballot, according to a new AP-NORC poll conducted weeks before the midterm elections.
The survey finds that registered voters who identify as Democrats are more enthusiastic than Republican voters about voting, and more voters want Democrats to win control of Congress. The Democratic advantage is small in some cases, but taken together, the findings paint a challenging picture for Republicans.
Overall, about two-thirds of registered voters say it’s “extremely” important to vote in the upcoming election, while about 2 in 10 say it’s “very” important. But about three-quarters of Democratic voters say this is “extremely” important, compared to roughly 6 in 10 Republicans.
Alaska U.S. House candidates highlight contrasting priorities, style in debate
Clear contrasts were on display during a statewide debate between Alaska’s top two U.S. House candidates, starting with their attire.
Republican Rep. Nick Begich donned a suit and tie. Independent Bill Hill, a commercial fisherman, wore jeans, a dress shirt and zip-up vest and a cap with a fishing company logo.
Begich said he’s been effective. He expressed support for Trump, the president’s use of tariffs and the war in Iran. He said he wants to continue seeing expanded oil development in Alaska.
Hill asked Alaskans to look at their grocery bills and health care costs and ask if they’re better off than they were two years ago. He said many Alaskans are upset about U.S. involvement in “never-ending” wars.
The debate came a day after Trump held a rally in Wasilla in support of Begich and U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Alaska House candidate says that as an independent, his vote would be ‘greatest piece of leverage’
Alaska independent U.S. House candidate Bill Hill is challenging Republican Rep. Nick Begich for Alaska’s only House seat. Hill faced criticism early on for declining to say which party he would caucus with were he to win next month’s election. He has been endorsed by the state Democratic Party.
During a debate Wednesday, Hill said he’d like to caucus with people who are “tired of this party-line partisanship” and who would support addressing issues like health care costs and pushing back against an overreaching executive branch.
Begich, an ally of Trump, said Hill is “too progressive” for Alaska and that it’s clear who he’d caucus with. Hill, meanwhile, accused Begich of being a rubber stamp for Trump.
Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia faces scrutiny over claims she’s a lawyer
The new White House press secretary is facing mounting questions about her background and resume as she transitions into her role as the public face of the Trump administration.
Katie Zacharia has long described herself as a lawyer as she has worked to establish herself as a commentator for conservative outlets like Fox News and Newsmax. But so far, she and the White House have offered no evidence that she passed the bar exam in any state or in China, where she worked for a large law firm years ago.
The questions add to the confusion surrounding Trump’s decision to hire Zacharia, who had worked for his social media company for only a few months when he announced her appointment and whose debut at the podium on Tuesday has been widely panned.
Afterward, the president was asked by reporters where Zacharia had passed the bar exam, following a report by the independent outlet Popular Information that she did not appear to be licensed in any state.
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House Democrats plan a first 100-days agenda if they sweep to power in midterm elections
House Democrats are preparing an ambitious 100-days agenda focused on delivering their campaign promises — making life more affordable and conducting vast oversight of the Trump administration — if the party seizes majority control in next month’s elections.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become House speaker if the party wins power, said the Democrats will be united “right out of the gate” on reinstating Affordable Care Act tax breaks, reversing Republican Medicaid cuts, holding votes against the Iran war and undoing President Donald Trump’s tariff regime.
They expect to launch the agenda in the first 100 hours, once the new Congress is seated in January.
“Fighting for an affordable America — that’s what unites Democrats all across the country,” Jeffries said recently at the party campaign headquarters in Washington.
“That’s our commitment to the American people, because the cost of living is way too high and far too many people who are working hard, playing by the rules, can’t thrive and can barely survive — and are drowning — in the Trump economy.”
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