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President Donald Trump said Friday that Stephen Miller was replacing Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, mere days after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections.Miller, long a key member of Trump's inner circle, is a key architect of the administration's hard-line immigration policies. He is one of Trump's closest and longest-serving advisers, jumping on board during his long shot 2016 presidential campaign as a speechwriter. He currently serves as White House deputy chief of staff.Miller is a former aide to hard-liner former Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., who served as Trump's first attorney general.Wiles gave Trump her resignation on Thursday night, a person familiar with the events said, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe the private conversation. On his social media site, Trump praised Wiles and said she'd continue to work for his political organization.“I am pleased to announce that Mr. Stephen Miller, the current Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, and one of my most trusted advisors, will become the Chief of Staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Susie Wiles, who has done an outstanding job, will be moving over to the Trump Political Operation. I want to thank her for her service as Chief of Staff — She has done a great job!”Wiles also released a social media statement Friday.“Today is my last day as White House Chief of Staff,” Wiles wrote on X. “Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honor of a lifetime. I'm so proud to have been a part of what we've accomplished together from securing our border and cutting taxes to strengthening our economy and putting America First.“More than anything, I'm grateful for the extraordinary people I've had the privilege of working alongside. While my role may be changing, my commitment to the President and the mission never will.”Wiles, the steely political operator and longtime adviser to Trump, was the first woman to ever serve in that post.Wiles’ departure comes almost immediately after the GOP’s midterm thrashing on Tuesday.The departure also came months after Wiles indicated she no longer showed evidence of breast cancer after she underwent months of treatment for the disease, a diagnosis she went public with in March 2026.Wiles brought order to Trump's campaignThe veteran Florida operative joined Trump's team during his 2016 presidential bid to run the campaign in his adopted home state. She performed the same role again in 2020 before overseeing the entire 50-state effort in 2024. She is the second woman to lead Trump's presidential campaign to victory, although she never embraced the formal title of campaign manager.Wiles, 69, has been credited with steering the most disciplined of his three presidential bids, and Trump himself has said he was often told that Wiles led his "best-run campaign." Often called the "ice maiden" by the president, she was seen as the no-brainer choice to serve as White House chief of staff at the start of his second term.She cut her reputation as someone who brought discipline to the president's chaotic style and shunned the spotlight, so much so that at Trump's 2024 election night victory party, she repeatedly shook her head and avoided the microphone as Trump tried to coax her to speak to the crowd. White House Mar 16 White House chief of staff Susie Wiles diagnosed with breast cancer Donald Trump Nov 8, 2024 What does White House Chief of Staff do, and who is Susie Wiles? A look at Trump's pick Wiles showed unusual candor in an interviewBut in December 2025, nearing the end of Trump's first year back as president, Wiles became the headline when Vanity Fair magazine published a series of interviews with her and other top Trump administration officials conducted by the author Chris Whipple, an expert on White House chiefs of staff.The Wiles interviews stuck out for their candor, which is unusual for a sitting White House chief of staff. She said Trump has an "alcoholic's personality," although the president does not drink, and said then-Attorney General Pam Bondi had "whiffed" in her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files while remarking that Vice President JD Vance has been a "conspiracy theorist for about a decade."Trump and other administration aides rushed to defend Wiles, who in turn disparaged Vanity Fair for publishing what she called a "disingenuously framed hit piece," although she did not deny making the comments that were attributed to her.In the interviews, which were conducted over a period of several months, Wiles also revealed a bit of her management style, saying she was "not an enabler.""I try to be thoughtful about what I even engage in," Wiles said. "I guess time will tell whether I've been effective."Trump grinded through four chiefs of staff in his first term: Reince Priebus, who Trump fired after just six months; John Kelly, who served the longest at 17 months; Mick Mulvaney, who held the role for a little over a year in an "acting" capacity; and Mark Meadows, who served as gatekeeper for the 10 months before Trump left office.Wiles overcomes personal health struggleAfter Wiles revealed she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, she juggled surgery and treatments alongside her demanding job.Six months later, she said she was "cancer-free," indicating she no longer showed evidence of cancer after her pathology results came back clear. On social media, she thanked her family, friends, doctors and "everyone who prayed for me, checked in, and supported me along the way" and gave special thanks to Trump for his "unwavering support.""She's tough," Trump said of his chief of staff in an October 2026 event at the White House. "She's a tremendous fighter."In a rare October 2026 interview, Wiles told Fox News Digital that she hadn't been planning on getting the mammogram that ultimately detected her cancer, because she wasn't due for one for several more months. Her doctor suggested she do the exam anyway, because a mammogram machine was available that day and her schedule was too busy and unpredictable."Had he not encouraged me to do it that day, I would have gone back to work and probably not thought about it again until July," Wiles told the outlet. "We would be having a very different conversation in that case. Four months may not sound like a long time, but with cancer, early detection matters. I will always be grateful to my doctor for knowing me well enough to insist."Wiles is a seasoned political operativeIn addition to Trump, Wiles also ran incumbent Sen. Rick Scott's 2010 campaign for Florida governor and briefly served as manager of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman's 2012 presidential campaign. She spearheaded Ron DeSantis' successful run for governor in 2018, but DeSantis would eventually urge the Trump campaign in 2020 to cut ties with Wiles, creating a rift that led to a particularly vicious effort by those in Trump's orbit to mock DeSantis throughout his failed run for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump in 2024.Wiles, the daughter of the late NFL player-turned-broadcaster Pat Summerall, also worked in the offices of former Jacksonville mayors John Delaney and John Peyton. Her first White House job was as a scheduler for President Ronald Reagan.In addition to her government and campaign positions, Wiles has worked as a lobbyist. She was a partner at Florida-based Ballard Partners, which rose to prominence in Washington during Trump's time in the White House. Her varying list of clients included General Motors, a trade group for children's hospitals, homebuilders, and the city of Jacksonville.She was also registered as a lobbyist for the Venezuelan television network Globovisión, which was owned by businessperson Raúl Gorrín, who was charged in Miami with money laundering. The firm later called its work for Gorrín a mistake and said Wiles had almost no role in managing the relationship with Gorrín.___AP writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

Trump replaces Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff

Tesla's Cybertruck, the hulking, stainless-steel pickup that inspired devotion and derision with its science-fiction looks, will cease production next year.CEO Elon Musk announced the model's demise Friday with a curt post on X, his social media site, simply noting production of the vehicle "will be winding down" around the middle of 2027 at its facility outside Austin, Texas. Musk said the move was to allow increased production of its Cybercab robotaxi.For the Cybertruck, a pet project of Musk who insisted it was Tesla's best product, it marks an unceremonious end to one of the auto industry's most ballyhooed debuts."Few vehicles in history have generated as much attention," said Armen Hareyan, whose Torque News site covers autos. "The Cybertruck became a cultural symbol – loved, mocked and impossible to ignore."The Cybertruck rolled onto the scene in a dramatic unveiling in 2019, when a Tesla designer hurled a metal ball at the vehicle to demonstrate its supposedly unbreakable glass, only to see it shatter. He repeated the stunt on another window of the truck only to shatter that one, too.Even as some critics scoffed, Musk was steadfast."I just wanted to make a futuristic battle tank — something that looks like it could come out of 'Blade Runner' or 'Aliens' or something like that but was also highly functional," he told Automotive News. He called it "a better sports car than a Porsche 911" and "a better truck than an F-150."It struck some as the perfect vehicular reflection of the brash, convention-busting Musk."A really controversial vehicle unveiled by a controversial individual into a market where none of the electric trucks have been able to really capture demand," said Spencer Penn, a former Tesla executive who left the company before the Cybertruck's launch and now heads software developer LightSource.Penn remembered watching the unveiling and feeling initially revolted by the sight of the Cybertruck, calling its appearance "madness." But the more he looked at it, the more his opinion changed. He signed up for a pre-sale reservation, though ended up not getting a Cybertruck when Musk's promises of a price tag under $40,000 went unmet and the first trucks sold for double or more. Penn called the Cybertruck part of Tesla's adventurous spirit that drives innovation."Some of these bets work and some of these bets don't," he said.While the decision to end Cybertruck production may be driven by sales realities, it’s also a reflection of Tesla's shift to autonomous vehicles, on which Musk is betting the company's future.Musk once forecast he'd make 250,000 Cybertrucks a year. Kelley Blue Book estimated Tesla sold just 20,237 of the vehicles last year, down about half from the year prior. Sales through the end of September this year were down another 28%, according to Kelley Blue Book.If the imposing, sharp-angled, dystopian appearance of the Cybertruck weren't enough to turn many potential buyers away, Musk did so himself by allying with a panoply of right-wing figures, most notably U.S. President Donald Trump. He alienated some customers as his image morphed from eccentric innovator to polarizing force trading his billions for political influence.Once-passionate Tesla drivers rushed to sell off their cars, or slapped stickers on the bumper declaring, "I bought this before Elon went crazy." Organizers staged demonstrations outside Tesla showrooms and urged investors to dump shares of the company's stock. Anger spilled into violence, with Molotov cocktails hurled at Tesla vehicles, charging stations set ablaze, and dealerships covered in graffiti.Lovers of the Cybertruck became targets, too, subjected to shouts of "Nazi!" and extended middle fingers.Ross Blankenship is one of them. When he first laid eyes on the Cybertruck, he felt transported to a world from his childhood, when he would play "Halo," the sci-fi video game. He had to have it."I had that sort of child in me wanting to be part of something cool that would change the future of automotive," Blankenship said in a call from his Cybertruck as he drove through Sunnyside, Colorado. Even as Blankenship found he agreed with Musk on politics, he hated seeing a vehicle he loved turned into a political symbol. "I never bought it for any other reason than the fascination with the future technology of trucks … so that was a little heartbreaking."He would buy another Cybertruck again in a heartbeat, calling its end "a sad moment."

IRS unveils 2027 tax brackets, child tax credit and standard deduction changes

New limits on federal student loans filled Chloe Frabotta with anxiety as she began studying in New York City to become a physician assistant.The changes that took effect this fall include caps on loans for particular programs as well as limits on the amount parents can borrow to pay for their children's schooling. Up until weeks before Frabotta, 25, started her program, it was up in the air whether it would count as a "professional" program with higher loan limits.Amid the uncertainty, she borrowed around $6,000 in federal loans for her first trimester, taking out private loans for the rest with her mother as a cosigner. "At least in my circles a lot of people were like, 'I guess that's what I'm going to have to do, and I'm going to try to make it work,'" Frabotta said. Students have been turning to private lenders to make up the difference between the cost of their educational programs and the amount they can borrow from the federal government, which offers more flexible repayment terms, the possibility of forgiveness after 10 years in public service, and — for many — lower interest rates. It’s showing up in banks’ bottom lines. Private lender SoFi reported in late October that student loan originations hit $2.9 billion in the third quarter, nearly doubling from a year earlier. Days earlier, Sallie Mae, which controls more than half of the private student loan market, said graduate loans were up 119% year-over-year. Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' put new caps on student loansPresident Donald Trump’s "Big Beautiful Bill" slashed the amount new graduate students can borrow. Programs designated as professional degrees face federal student loan caps of $200,000, while other graduate programs are capped at $100,000. Previously, graduate students had been able to take out federal loans up to the full cost of their degree.For new borrowers, the changes include an overall lifetime borrowing cap of $257,500 and limits to the amount parents can borrow to pay for their children's schooling. When all the changes are fully phased in, more than half a million borrowers are going to need to borrow an extra $20,000 a year from somewhere other than the federal loan program, estimated Jordan Matsudaira, the director of the Postsecondary Education & Economics Research Center at American University. The hardest-hit students are in expensive programs like medicine, law and dentistry and states with a high cost of living, an analysis by the center found. The Trump administration has argued the new limits will curb "excessive borrowing" and force schools to evaluate their costs, describing uncapped access to federal student loans as a driver of the soaring cost of college. Since the loan caps took effect, at least 40 schools have cut the cost of at least some of their programs, according to the conservative American Enterprise Institute. But critics say most colleges cannot afford to lower tuition and have raised concerns that the changes will add new hurdles for students from poor families in particular. Colleges are stepping in to helpAt South Carolina Student Loan, graduate student borrowing increased 400% this year as it rolled out more options to help students. Some schools, like the law school at the University of Kansas, got into the lending game, too. So far, it has approved eight loans, with more in process.Steven Freedman, associate dean of admissions at the University of Kansas School of Law, said the loans are important to help provide access to all students."Now, frankly, private banks get to choose who goes to law school," he said.At Lewis & Clark College, a private liberal arts school in Portland, Oregon, the student aid office has been seeing more private student loans. Its graduate school of education and counseling also began offering a new scholarship this fall for students in financial need because of the loan caps.Anastacia Dillon, associate vice president for financial aid, described the changes as "really disruptive."At the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx, more first-year students are relying on private loans, even as the school boosted aid to students in financial need. The private loan market boomed in the 1990s and early 2000s during an era of loan limits. After Graduate PLUS, a federal program, extended how much students could borrow up to the full cost of attendance, private lending began to collapse. But critics argue that Graduate PLUS ushered in new problems, contributing to high default rates because students were borrowing more than they could repay.Some groups predicted the new loan caps could lead to large numbers of borrowers being denied loans from traditional lenders. But students on the whole appear to be finding ways to finance their education, even if they are turning more to private lenders, said Marc Schoonover, general manager of the lender ELFI. "What we're hearing and seeing now is that the number of students who truly can't find an option is a lot smaller than many initially feared," Schoonover said during a media call organized by the National Council of Higher Education Resources.Students struggle to understand changesA legal fight over which graduate programs would be deemed professional — and therefore eligible for larger loans — extended until just days before the new rule was set to take effect. Ultimately, students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy and several other fields were deemed eligible to take out higher federal student loan amounts — at least for now — after a federal judge blocked part of a Trump administration rule that held them to lower limits.But that slowed software updates needed to process loans, said Kristina Ortiz Donohue, vice president for strategic enrollment and retention at the University of Mount Saint Vincent. The last-minute changes also caused schools to delay delivering financial aid packages, Jon Witter, the CEO of Sallie Mae, said on an earnings call with investors. He said the peak lending season extended into October as a result. Dr. Robert Harrington, dean of Weill Cornell Medicine and provost for medical affairs of Cornell University, said the school received dozens of calls from confused students and their families.Frabotta's physician assistant program was ultimately deemed professional and eligible for up to $50,000 annually in federal loans. But she decided to borrow just a fraction of that from the federal loan program, fearful of other changes that might be in store. Before returning to school, she earned a bachelor's degree from Boston College and worked as a medical assistant in a dermatology practice."This is what I want to do, so if this is the means of how I get there, then if I have to sacrifice at some point," she said.Madison Jessen, another first-year Weill Cornell Medicine physician assistant student, said the uncertainty around loan caps prompted her to use most of her savings to pay for her first semester out of pocket. Jessen said she has several younger friends who had planned to go to PA school but pivoted when the loan caps took effect.That’s Harrington’s biggest fear. "What we don't want to see,” said Harrington, himself a first-generation college graduate, “is our programs just becoming the purview of people whose family can afford to pay that bill." ___Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas.

Yella Beezy murder trial adjourns on eighth day as prosecution continues to call witnesses

WARNING: This article contains descriptive or legal details regarding child sexual abuse that may be disturbing to readers.The estranged father of Meghan Markle was arrested Friday morning in Lakeland, Florida, over allegations he possessed child sexual abuse material, including “sexually explicit photos of himself with prepubescent girls,” the Justice Department announced.Thomas Markle Sr. was arrested in Lakeland and is charged with one count of possession of child pornography, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.The federal complaint alleges the 82-year-old kept child sexual abuse material, including sexually explicit photographs of himself with prepubescent girls, in two Los Angeles-area storage units he rented for nearly two decades.Federal agents seized approximately 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books that contained suspected child sex abuse material. The affidavit describes disturbing images that investigators said appear to show Markle with children in various stages of undress, including one with “a nude prepubescent girl.”"These allegations are extremely serious, and we will prosecute Mr. Markle to the fullest extent of federal law,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement."Mr. Markle allegedly targeted innocent children and sought to steal their innocence through his criminal actions,” said FBI Director Kash Patel, adding the agency “will use every single resource at our disposal to protect innocent kids – any predator who targets children will have zero safe haven in this country or anywhere they try to hide.” Markle Sr. is expected to appear in court in Tampa, Florida on Friday. If convicted, he faces 20 years in federal prison. It was not immediately known if he has an attorney who can respond to the allegations.A spokesperson for Meghan and Prince Harry said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not commenting on the arrest at this time.The arrest comes nearly two weeks after The Sun newspaper, a British tabloid, reported that Thomas Markle was being investigated over claims he kept child sexual abuse videos and images at his home in the Philippines. Authorities in the country later said they had recovered thousands of photos featuring "underage male and females,” NBC News reported.The report said Markle Sr.’s son had informed police after he said he found "hundreds, if not thousands" of child sex abuse images in boxes at his father's home. The 82-year-old denied the reported allegations, calling them "sick lies" in a statement to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper. He added they were "the worst thing anyone could accuse me of."Meghan said last month she was "deeply distressed" by the report and revealed that she was informed by police of "disturbing allegations" against him in 2018."The breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine," Meghan said at the time. She has in recent years had a limited and fraught relationship with her father. He did not attend her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, drawing widespread media scrutiny.If you or someone you know is a victim of child abuse or sexual exploitation, free and confidential support is available 24/7 through the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: Call or text 1-800-422-4453 or visit Childhelp. You can also report online child sexual exploitation, abuse material, or trafficking via the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)

Investigation underway after man shot in the face in Port Richmond, police say

WARNING: This article contains descriptive or legal details regarding child sexual abuse that may be disturbing to readers.The estranged father of Meghan Markle was arrested Friday morning in Lakeland, Florida, over allegations he possessed child sexual abuse material, including “sexually explicit photos of himself with prepubescent girls,” the Justice Department announced.Thomas Markle Sr. was arrested in Lakeland and is charged with one count of possession of child pornography, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.The federal complaint alleges the 82-year-old kept child sexual abuse material, including sexually explicit photographs of himself with prepubescent girls, in two Los Angeles-area storage units he rented for nearly two decades.Federal agents seized approximately 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books that contained suspected child sex abuse material. The affidavit describes disturbing images that investigators said appear to show Markle with children in various stages of undress, including one with “a nude prepubescent girl.”"These allegations are extremely serious, and we will prosecute Mr. Markle to the fullest extent of federal law,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement."Mr. Markle allegedly targeted innocent children and sought to steal their innocence through his criminal actions,” said FBI Director Kash Patel, adding the agency “will use every single resource at our disposal to protect innocent kids – any predator who targets children will have zero safe haven in this country or anywhere they try to hide.” Markle Sr. is expected to appear in court in Tampa, Florida on Friday. If convicted, he faces 20 years in federal prison. It was not immediately known if he has an attorney who can respond to the allegations.A spokesperson for Meghan and Prince Harry said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not commenting on the arrest at this time.The arrest comes nearly two weeks after The Sun newspaper, a British tabloid, reported that Thomas Markle was being investigated over claims he kept child sexual abuse videos and images at his home in the Philippines. Authorities in the country later said they had recovered thousands of photos featuring "underage male and females,” NBC News reported.The report said Markle Sr.’s son had informed police after he said he found "hundreds, if not thousands" of child sex abuse images in boxes at his father's home. The 82-year-old denied the reported allegations, calling them "sick lies" in a statement to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper. He added they were "the worst thing anyone could accuse me of."Meghan said last month she was "deeply distressed" by the report and revealed that she was informed by police of "disturbing allegations" against him in 2018."The breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine," Meghan said at the time. She has in recent years had a limited and fraught relationship with her father. He did not attend her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, drawing widespread media scrutiny.If you or someone you know is a victim of child abuse or sexual exploitation, free and confidential support is available 24/7 through the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: Call or text 1-800-422-4453 or visit Childhelp. You can also report online child sexual exploitation, abuse material, or trafficking via the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)

Stephen Miller, architect of Trump's immigration crackdown, to become White House chief of staff

US president confirms Susie Wiles, current chief of staff and first woman to serve in the role, will step downUS politics live – latest updatesStephen Miller, Donald Trump's most controversial aide and the architect of his sweeping immigration crackdown, will become his new White House chief of staff days after Republicans lost control of the US Congress in US midterm elections.The president announced the extraordinary appointment on Friday, confirming that Susie Wiles – his current chief of staff, and the first woman to serve in the role – had been ousted. Continue reading...

Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown avoids jail time as part of plea deal after Miami shooting

Tesla's Cybertruck, the hulking, stainless-steel pickup that inspired devotion and derision with its science-fiction looks, will cease production next year.CEO Elon Musk announced the model's demise Friday with a curt post on X, his social media site, simply noting production of the vehicle "will be winding down" around the middle of 2027 at its facility outside Austin, Texas. Musk said the move was to allow increased production of its Cybercab robotaxi.For the Cybertruck, a pet project of Musk who insisted it was Tesla's best product, it marks an unceremonious end to one of the auto industry's most ballyhooed debuts."Few vehicles in history have generated as much attention," said Armen Hareyan, whose Torque News site covers autos. "The Cybertruck became a cultural symbol – loved, mocked and impossible to ignore."The Cybertruck rolled onto the scene in a dramatic unveiling in 2019, when a Tesla designer hurled a metal ball at the vehicle to demonstrate its supposedly unbreakable glass, only to see it shatter. He repeated the stunt on another window of the truck only to shatter that one, too.Even as some critics scoffed, Musk was steadfast."I just wanted to make a futuristic battle tank — something that looks like it could come out of 'Blade Runner' or 'Aliens' or something like that but was also highly functional," he told Automotive News. He called it "a better sports car than a Porsche 911" and "a better truck than an F-150."It struck some as the perfect vehicular reflection of the brash, convention-busting Musk."A really controversial vehicle unveiled by a controversial individual into a market where none of the electric trucks have been able to really capture demand," said Spencer Penn, a former Tesla executive who left the company before the Cybertruck's launch and now heads software developer LightSource.Penn remembered watching the unveiling and feeling initially revolted by the sight of the Cybertruck, calling its appearance "madness." But the more he looked at it, the more his opinion changed. He signed up for a pre-sale reservation, though ended up not getting a Cybertruck when Musk's promises of a price tag under $40,000 went unmet and the first trucks sold for double or more. Penn called the Cybertruck part of Tesla's adventurous spirit that drives innovation."Some of these bets work and some of these bets don't," he said.While the decision to end Cybertruck production may be driven by sales realities, it’s also a reflection of Tesla's shift to autonomous vehicles, on which Musk is betting the company's future.Musk once forecast he'd make 250,000 Cybertrucks a year. Kelley Blue Book estimated Tesla sold just 20,237 of the vehicles last year, down about half from the year prior. Sales through the end of September this year were down another 28%, according to Kelley Blue Book.If the imposing, sharp-angled, dystopian appearance of the Cybertruck weren't enough to turn many potential buyers away, Musk did so himself by allying with a panoply of right-wing figures, most notably U.S. President Donald Trump. He alienated some customers as his image morphed from eccentric innovator to polarizing force trading his billions for political influence.Once-passionate Tesla drivers rushed to sell off their cars, or slapped stickers on the bumper declaring, "I bought this before Elon went crazy." Organizers staged demonstrations outside Tesla showrooms and urged investors to dump shares of the company's stock. Anger spilled into violence, with Molotov cocktails hurled at Tesla vehicles, charging stations set ablaze, and dealerships covered in graffiti.Lovers of the Cybertruck became targets, too, subjected to shouts of "Nazi!" and extended middle fingers.Ross Blankenship is one of them. When he first laid eyes on the Cybertruck, he felt transported to a world from his childhood, when he would play "Halo," the sci-fi video game. He had to have it."I had that sort of child in me wanting to be part of something cool that would change the future of automotive," Blankenship said in a call from his Cybertruck as he drove through Sunnyside, Colorado. Even as Blankenship found he agreed with Musk on politics, he hated seeing a vehicle he loved turned into a political symbol. "I never bought it for any other reason than the fascination with the future technology of trucks … so that was a little heartbreaking."He would buy another Cybertruck again in a heartbeat, calling its end "a sad moment."

Democrats blast Trump's decision to appoint Stephen Miller as chief of staff in wake of Republican midterm rout – live

Chuck Schumer says the move to promote the controversial immigration hardliner shows that Donald Trump 'learned nothing from his historic defeat' in the midtermsStephen Miller, architect of Trump's immigration crackdown, to become White House chief of staffSign up for Breaking News US emailDonald Trump will begin the day in Washington today. He has closed door meetings for much of the day, and will take part in a Diwali celebration at the White House at 1:30pm ET. While that's currently not open to the press we'll let you know if that opens up. Continue reading...

'A global political awakening': how gen Z protests are sweeping the world

From Serbia to Bangladesh and India to France, young people are pushing back against authoritarianism and reshaping political landscapesIn Brazil, they rallied online by the millions, sharing videos and spreading memes. In Serbia, they cycled across Europe and ran ultramarathons to make their voices heard.Both movements burst into international public view last month as they became central during election campaigns to the pushback against authoritarianism. What they also offered, however, was a window into a wider phenomenon playing out across the globe, as youth-led movements reshape political landscapes. Continue reading...

Recap: Democrats win control of the House and Senate

Tesla's Cybertruck, the hulking, stainless-steel pickup that inspired devotion and derision with its science-fiction looks, will cease production next year.CEO Elon Musk announced the model's demise Friday with a curt post on X, his social media site, simply noting production of the vehicle "will be winding down" around the middle of 2027 at its facility outside Austin, Texas. Musk said the move was to allow increased production of its Cybercab robotaxi.For the Cybertruck, a pet project of Musk who insisted it was Tesla's best product, it marks an unceremonious end to one of the auto industry's most ballyhooed debuts."Few vehicles in history have generated as much attention," said Armen Hareyan, whose Torque News site covers autos. "The Cybertruck became a cultural symbol – loved, mocked and impossible to ignore."The Cybertruck rolled onto the scene in a dramatic unveiling in 2019, when a Tesla designer hurled a metal ball at the vehicle to demonstrate its supposedly unbreakable glass, only to see it shatter. He repeated the stunt on another window of the truck only to shatter that one, too.Even as some critics scoffed, Musk was steadfast."I just wanted to make a futuristic battle tank — something that looks like it could come out of 'Blade Runner' or 'Aliens' or something like that but was also highly functional," he told Automotive News. He called it "a better sports car than a Porsche 911" and "a better truck than an F-150."It struck some as the perfect vehicular reflection of the brash, convention-busting Musk."A really controversial vehicle unveiled by a controversial individual into a market where none of the electric trucks have been able to really capture demand," said Spencer Penn, a former Tesla executive who left the company before the Cybertruck's launch and now heads software developer LightSource.Penn remembered watching the unveiling and feeling initially revolted by the sight of the Cybertruck, calling its appearance "madness." But the more he looked at it, the more his opinion changed. He signed up for a pre-sale reservation, though ended up not getting a Cybertruck when Musk's promises of a price tag under $40,000 went unmet and the first trucks sold for double or more. Penn called the Cybertruck part of Tesla's adventurous spirit that drives innovation."Some of these bets work and some of these bets don't," he said.While the decision to end Cybertruck production may be driven by sales realities, it’s also a reflection of Tesla's shift to autonomous vehicles, on which Musk is betting the company's future.Musk once forecast he'd make 250,000 Cybertrucks a year. Kelley Blue Book estimated Tesla sold just 20,237 of the vehicles last year, down about half from the year prior. Sales through the end of September this year were down another 28%, according to Kelley Blue Book.If the imposing, sharp-angled, dystopian appearance of the Cybertruck weren't enough to turn many potential buyers away, Musk did so himself by allying with a panoply of right-wing figures, most notably U.S. President Donald Trump. He alienated some customers as his image morphed from eccentric innovator to polarizing force trading his billions for political influence.Once-passionate Tesla drivers rushed to sell off their cars, or slapped stickers on the bumper declaring, "I bought this before Elon went crazy." Organizers staged demonstrations outside Tesla showrooms and urged investors to dump shares of the company's stock. Anger spilled into violence, with Molotov cocktails hurled at Tesla vehicles, charging stations set ablaze, and dealerships covered in graffiti.Lovers of the Cybertruck became targets, too, subjected to shouts of "Nazi!" and extended middle fingers.Ross Blankenship is one of them. When he first laid eyes on the Cybertruck, he felt transported to a world from his childhood, when he would play "Halo," the sci-fi video game. He had to have it."I had that sort of child in me wanting to be part of something cool that would change the future of automotive," Blankenship said in a call from his Cybertruck as he drove through Sunnyside, Colorado. Even as Blankenship found he agreed with Musk on politics, he hated seeing a vehicle he loved turned into a political symbol. "I never bought it for any other reason than the fascination with the future technology of trucks … so that was a little heartbreaking."He would buy another Cybertruck again in a heartbeat, calling its end "a sad moment."

Friday, November 6.