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TDFP News Roundup 9/23/26

Writer: Yossi S
Yossi S
4 hours ago
6 min read


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Trump hails ‘a lot of momentum’ for peace after Iran shuttle talks at UNGA:

President Trump said U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had a “very productive” mediated session with Iran on the U.N. General Assembly sidelines — the first such contacts since an interim ceasefire collapsed in July — and claimed “a lot of momentum” for a deal. The shuttle talks came hours after Trump’s UNGA threat to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic and focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

China’s Xi set to arrive for high-stakes Trump summit as AI supremacy battle looms:

Chinese President Xi Jinping is due in Washington Wednesday evening for a two-day White House summit with President Trump centered on artificial intelligence, tariffs on non-strategic goods, rare-earth exports, and fentanyl precursors. Trump will roll out a State Arrival Ceremony Thursday and a tech-heavy state dinner featuring Musk, Altman, Huang, Bezos, and others, after boasting at UNGA that America leads China in “superintelligence.”

Jordan report puts Jack Smith back in hot seat over lawmaker phone-records probe:

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan released a 57-page report and criminal referral alleging former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team “ran roughshod” over constitutional protections while obtaining toll records and texts from as many as 44 members of Congress. The report says DOJ’s Public Integrity Section flagged Speech or Debate Clause “litigation risk,” then approved gagged subpoenas anyway, and Jordan accuses Smith of trying to “sway” the 2024 election.

DOJ urges judge to keep Trump’s White House media ban in place:

The Justice Department urged a federal judge to uphold President Trump’s ban barring CNN, Politico, and MSNOW from White House grounds, arguing access is a “privilege” and the outlets failed standards including by “publishing sensitive or classified information.” The outlets sued after Trump’s Truth Social ban; the case is before Judge Tim Kelly, who previously sided with CNN in a first-term credential fight.

Mamdani fires back at Netanyahu, calls Israeli leader ‘architect of horrific genocide’:

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “shame on you” video accusing him of supporting Hamas and inciting unrest against New York Jews, calling Netanyahu’s claims untrue. Mamdani cited the ICC arrest warrant and branded Netanyahu the “architect of horrific genocide against Palestinians” ahead of the Israeli leader’s abbreviated UNGA visit.

IDF eliminates Hamas finance chief Muhammad Abu Alwan in Khan Yunis:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday the IDF killed Muhammad Abu Alwan, head of Hamas’s finance department, in a strike in Khan Yunis. They praised the IDF and Shin Bet and vowed to keep hunting Hamas commanders, funding sources, and infrastructure “until Hamas no longer exists in Gaza.”

FBI investigates after ShinyHunters claim theft of agents’ personal data:

The FBI confirmed it is investigating unauthorized activity that took down FBIjobs.gov Tuesday, with the site still offline Wednesday morning, after the ShinyHunters extortion group claimed it stole data on nearly all FBI agents and applicants. A sample shared with Reuters reportedly included names, home addresses, Social Security numbers, assignments, and some family names; the group said it retaliated for an FBI PSA warning victims not to pay ransoms.

China lays out ‘red lines’ for Trump-Xi meeting as Wicker blasts ‘lavish welcome’:

China’s ambassador Xie Feng wrote that Beijing’s four “red lines” — Taiwan, democracy and human rights, development paths, and development rights — “cannot be challenged” during Xi Jinping’s state visit. Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker blasted the “lavish welcome,” including Trump’s rare tarmac greeting at Joint Base Andrews, calling Xi a “brutal, unelected and oppressive dictator.”

Trump warns Canada ‘destroying itself’ with large-scale migration:

President Trump posted Wednesday that Canada is “destroying itself by allowing millions and millions of people into the Country, essentially unchecked and unvetted,” calling it a “Liberal takeover that will end very badly” and citing rising unemployment. The blast lands amid an ongoing U.S.–Canada trade row after near-deal talks collapsed earlier this year.

Bruce Blakeman within single digits of Kathy Hochul in NY governor’s race: poll:

A new Siena University survey of likely voters finds Republican Bruce Blakeman trailing Gov. Kathy Hochul 50%–41% — nine points — with six weeks until Nov. 3, closer than Lee Zeldin’s deficit at the same point in 2022. About half of voters view a Trump endorsement as a negative for Blakeman, while half see Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s endorsement as a positive for Hochul.

Trump embraced a socialist he’s told voters to fear; Republicans aren’t thrilled:

Some GOP strategists say President Trump is “stepping on the message” by warmly praising socialist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani after warning Republicans of a “communist” takeover of the Democratic Party less than two weeks ago. With midterms six weeks out, anonymous consultants called the Gracie Mansion praise “self-inflicted” and “off-message,” while Laura Loomer said the MAGA base felt “demoralized.”

Ossoff challenged to return Epstein-linked Reid Hoffman donation or drop ‘Epstein class’ attack:

Sen. Jon Ossoff’s Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins demanded Ossoff return a maximum $7,000 donation from billionaire Reid Hoffman — who has admitted staying overnight on Jeffrey Epstein’s island — or stop railing against an “Epstein class.” Hoffman also gave $1 million to an Ossoff-linked PAC that spent nearly $500,000 opposing Collins; Hoffman has apologized for the Epstein association and has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez dishes on her ‘historic meeting’ with Trump:

Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez detailed a pull-aside with President Trump at a Lotte Palace Hotel reception on the UNGA sidelines — their first sit-down since U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro in January. She said they discussed energy, mining, and security cooperation; Trump was joined by Rubio, Bessent, Susie Wiles, and Stephen Miller as Rodríguez brought oil and PDVSA officials.

World leaders put Israel at center of UN General Assembly as criticism mounts:

Jerusalem Post coverage of UNGA’s opening general debate catalogues a cascade of attacks on Israel from Erdogan, King Abdullah, Qatar’s emir, Macron, Britain’s Andy Burnham, and Brazil’s Lula, after Guterres warned of West Bank “ethnic cleansing” fears. Erdogan called Gaza “the most inhumane and shameful concentration camp of our time,” prompting the Israeli delegation to walk out; Israel rejects genocide allegations and says it targets Hamas under the laws of war.

Cargo vessel hit by unknown projectile in Strait of Hormuz; two casualties reported:

UK Maritime Trade Operations reported Wednesday that a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile, caught fire, and was left adrift after the crew evacuated, with two casualties reported. Authorities were investigating with no reported environmental impact, as oil markets watched Hormuz diplomacy and Gulf supply recovery.

Rosie O’Donnell says ABC hit pause on Trump-mocking skit amid FCC lawsuit prep:

Rosie O’Donnell claimed ABC forced her to shelve a “Donny Boy” Trump-mocking sketch on her first night guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live!, then learned the network was preparing its lawsuit against the FCC over early license reviews. The skit aired later that week; O’Donnell also said an Epstein-survivors closing segment was steered to YouTube instead.

Harvey Weinstein to learn fate for NYC sex attack on ex-‘Project Runway’ staffer:

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein faced sentencing Wednesday in Manhattan for first-degree criminal sex act against former Project Runway production assistant Miriam “Mimi” Haley, with prosecutors seeking 20 years and a maximum of 25. Weinstein, 74, was convicted in a 2025 retrial after his 2020 conviction was overturned; he is already serving 23 years on a separate California sexual-assault sentence.

Congressional Black Caucus holds ‘Stop the Lynchings’ panel, demands DEI in forensic medicine:

A CBC Foundation conference panel titled “Stop the Lynchings” claimed suspicious Black hanging deaths are under-investigated and pushed DEI in forensic medicine, even as the Mississippi hanging case of Tasia Fortune has a Black suspect charged and the last KKK lynching dates to 1981. Panelists including Rev. Jamal Bryant compared unrelated deaths to Emmett Till despite grand-jury findings of no foul play in at least one cited case.

Newsom blocks early release of meth-and-heroin driver who killed two rescue workers:

Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected a parole board grant that would have freed Joseph Tidwell under California’s Elderly Parole Program after Tidwell served 22 years of a 45-year sentence for a 2004 DUI crash that killed rescue volunteers Scott Johnston and Phil Calvert. Newsom cited recent prison misconduct and past parole violations, saying Tidwell “must do additional work” before he can be safely released.



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