12:30 Report is The Hill’s midday newsletter. Subscribe here or using the box below:
Happy Friday! What a perfect weekend coming up to do all the fall activities. My sourdough journey is in full force, so I’m planning to bake several loaves.
In today’s issue:
• Trump foe John Bolton pleads not guilty
• Zelensky’s next Trump one-on-one
• Who signed the Pentagon restrictions
• Smucker sues Trader Joe’s
• Thousands expected at ‘No Kings’ protests
🏛️ NEWS THIS MORNING
John Bolton’s day in court:
Former national security adviser John Bolton made his first court appearance this morning after officially becoming the third political foe of President Trump to face federal charges. Bolton has pleaded not guilty.
What we know: Bolton was indicted on Thursday for illegally sharing and storing classified information. Federal prosecutors say Bolton sent more than a thousand pages of “diary-like entries” containing top secret information to two relatives outlining his day-to-day as national security adviser during Trump’s first term. Prosecutors also say he retained documents related to national security.
This case began under the Biden administration and is seen as having key differences from other recent cases targeting Trump foes that have drawn significant scrutiny, including the amount of alleged evidence involved and the fact that career prosecutors are the ones bringing this case.
Bolton’s charges: Bolton faces 18 charges — eight counts of transmitting national defense information and 10 counts of retaining national defense information. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Read more: 5 takeaways of Bolton’s indictment
Did we know this was coming?: It’s not a surprise. The FBI raided Bolton’s home in August.
How does this compare to the classified documents case against Trump?: There are a lot of similarities in the charges. However, only Trump was charged with obstruction and only Bolton has faced transmission charges. Read Charlie Savage’s explainer in The New York Times
➤ REACTIONS:
The Wall Street Journal ripped Trump: “There’s little doubt that the underlying motivation for this prosecution is retribution,” The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board wrote in a scathing editorial. “The President has targeted Mr. Bolton at least since 2020 when Mr. Trump called for his prosecution after Mr. Bolton wrote his book.” Read the op-ed
Ty Cobb argues this is not revenge: Cobb told CNN the case has legal merit, arguing it is “clearly not” only based on revenge.
➤ TRUMP’S POLITICAL FOES:
⚖️ Bolton is the latest Trump foe to be indicted, joining New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey.
🔎 Who could be next?: Trump called former special counsel Jack Smith “deranged” and a “criminal” earlier this week.
Plus, the Department of Justice is investigating Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who has denied any wrongdoing.
📝 Who else could be targered by the administration
IN THE WHITE HOUSE
I’m always so anxious watching a Trump-Zelensky meetup:
^ They have come a long way after their meeting in February that ended early in an explosive argument. 😅
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to arrive at the White House around 1 p.m. to meet with President Trump.
What’s top of mind?: Zelensky really wants U.S. Tomahawk missiles so his country can reach more Russian territory.
Read more: ‘Would Tomahawk cruise missiles be a game changer for Ukraine?’
Timing: Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. The two agreed to meet in Hungary soon to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
What is Putin’s strategy?: “Lots of Flattery, and Talk of Business Deals,” write The New York Times’s Anton Troianovski and Nataliya Vasilyeva. “The tactic has helped Mr. Putin head off repeated deadlines and sanction threats by the American president without curtailing Russia’s war effort.” Read the analysis
Meet your new on-site Pentagon press corps:
The Washington Post obtained a list of the 15 journalists who agreed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new restrictions. They include two journalists from One America News, one from the Federalist and one from Epoch Times.
The remaining signers: “A reporter for the Turkish newspaper Akşam signed the agreement, as did three individuals from the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency and two Turkish freelancers. Other signers included a reporter for the Australian, a News Corp-owned Australian paper; an Afghan freelancer; and three lesser-known operations, AWPS News, the India Globe and a blog called USA Journal Korea.”
^ Ope, minus one: The Australian has backtracked, revoking its signature, according to The Guardian.
Nearly every major news outlet cleared out its Pentagon workspace and turned in its badges this week. Reporters will continue to do their jobs but will not be on-site at the Pentagon.
OTHER NEWS
What is keeping GOP senators up at night:
“Republican senators have questions and concerns about how President Trump is managing to pay more than 1 million military service members during the government shutdown and are seeking more information about what funds he is dipping into to achieve his political ends,” reports The Hill’s Alexander Bolton.
On one hand: “Republican lawmakers are glad that active members of the military and their families around the country didn’t miss their first paychecks of the shutdown on Oct. 15.”
But on the other hand: “[They’re] frustrated that Trump once again appears to be trampling on Congress’s power of the purse.” Usually, the White House would send a request to Congress, which would then handle it.
Read Bolton’s reporting: ‘GOP senators worry about Trump, Hegseth shutdown moves’
➤ THUNE’S NEXT STRATEGIC MOVE:
Force Democrats to vote on paying the troops during the shutdown. Expect that vote to happen next week, per Politico.
➤ QUICK HITS:
— President Trump has refiled his defamation lawsuit against The New York Times after the original lawsuit was struck down.
— Trump was caught in a hot mic moment in Egypt. His son Eric Trump tried to clarify what Trump and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto discussed when it happened.
— Two people are facing terrorism charges in Texas — the first-ever terrorism charges linked to antifa.
➤ MORE READS:
The Bulwark: Every Politician Is an Influencer Now
The Hill: Young Republicans group chat poses dilemma for GOP
The Washington Post: GOP tries to brand anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protests as un-American
The Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Middle East Peace Plan Hits an Early Snag in Gaza
The Hill: 5 takeaways from the Virginia attorney general debate
COMING UP
The House and Senate are out. President Trump is at the White House and is leaving for Palm Beach, Fla., later today. (All times EST)
1 p.m. Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
1:15 p.m. Trump and Zelensky have lunch together.
3 p.m. Zelensky speaks with reporters after his meeting with Trump. 💻 Livestream
3 p.m. Trump leaves for his Mar-a-Lago resort, arriving around 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: “No Kings” protests around the U.S. What to know
INTERNET BUZZ
🍝 Celebrate: Today is National Pasta Day.
🥪 Smucker is suing Joe: Smucker is suing Trader Joe’s, claiming its new PB&J sandwiches are too similar to Uncrustables.
^ Side note: Trader Joe’s really missed an opportunity by not naming these “Everything but the Crust.” But I digress …
AND FINALLY…
If you’re scared easily, watch out. This costume is spooooooky.
