The Paper Trail: November 4, 2025

Delivered Tuesdays, The Paper Trail is a curated collection of the government news you need to know. Sign up to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox.

Editor’s Note

There will be no Paper Trail on Tuesday, November 11.

Announcements

Issue Focus: Making the Most of Your Resources: Databases and Other Sources, POGO’s virtual training on how to write a request letter, will be held on Friday, November 14, at 12 noon ET. This event is only open to staff in Congress, GAO, and CRS. Register HERE.

Top stories for November 4, 2025

Trump administration agrees to partially fund SNAP benefits: After losses in federal court last week, the Trump administration on Monday agreed to tap an emergency pot of money to partially fund the SNAP anti-hunger program. But the administration refused to use additional sources of funding that could provide full payments to the nearly 42 million SNAP beneficiaries. (Inae Oh, Mother Jones)

🔎 See Also: USDA tells grocery stores: No special discounts for SNAP recipients (Max Rego, The Hill)

🔎 See Also: Food aid program for low-income women and children gets more temporary funding (Linda Qiu, New York Times)

ICE and Border Patrol’s use of tear gas injures, sickens and tests the law: Video footage from Chicago shows Border Patrol and ICE officers using chemical irritants to disperse protesters in ways that violate policing norms and test the boundaries of use-of-force laws. (Marianne LeVine and Robert Klemko, Washington Post)

🔎 See Also: CBP searched a record number of phones at the U.S. border over the past year (Matt Burgess and Dell Cameron, Wired)

🔎 See Also: ICE and CBP agents are scanning peoples’ faces on the street to verify citizenship (Joseph Cox, 404 Media)

USDA transfers $13B into “slush fund” for future tariff relief: The Agriculture Department moved $13 billion from an account designed to support farmers into another designed to provide emergency relief from President Trump’s tariffs. The transfer raised concerns because USDA didn't notify Congress, and it left some farmer aid programs with not enough funds to continue. (Eric Katz, Government Executive)

After Fannie Mae fired more than 100 for fraud, dozens say they are innocent: Federal Housing Finance Agency director and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Chairman Bill Pulte in April fired more than 100 Fannie Mae employees for alleged fraud and unethical conduct. Those former employees, who are suing Fannie Mae for discrimination, say they still have no information about why they lost their jobs. (Rachel Siegel, Washington Post)

Bisignano draws scrutiny as his former company falters: Just months after Social Security Commissioner and IRS CEO Frank Bisignano divested nearly $600 million in his former company’s stock, the stock value plummeted more than 40% on the news that Bisignano had issued overly rosy earnings guidance. The divestiture helped Bisignano avoid $300 million in losses. (Erich Wagner, Government Executive)

Sanctions lifted on a Putin-backed autocrat after lobbying by Trump allies: The Trump administration lifted sanctions against Milorad Dodik, a Serbian politician accused of running a “corrupt patronage network,” after the intervention of well-connected lobbyists and prominent figures in Trump’s orbit including Rudy Giuliani, Michael Flynn, and Laura Loomer. (Kenneth P. Vogel, New York Times)

Government Shutdown

Report: Government shutdown will cost the economy up to $14 billion: According to the Congressional Budget Office, the U.S. economy will lose between $7 billion and $14 billion due to the government shutdown. (Riley Beggin, Washington Post)

Airports seeing spike in shutdown impacts as TSA screeners and air traffic controllers call out: Air travelers are increasingly facing long lines and flight delays as the shutdown approaches record length, with air traffic controller absences spiking and causing strained staffing levels at multiple airports. (Eric Katz, Government Executive)

🔎 See Also: Travel industry sounds alarm over government shutdown (Siobhan Hughes, Wall Street Journal)

Head Start programs in danger after government shutdown funding lapse: More than 100 Head Start programs are in danger of closing soon or are already shuttering some operations after funding didn’t come on a Saturday deadline. (Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill)

Other Shutdown News:

→ Shutdown layoffs indefinitely blocked following new court injunction

→ ICE quietly furloughed its congressional relations team during shutdown

→ House employees get help ahead of first missed paycheck of shutdown

→ VA tech glitch halts GI Bill payments to thousands, advocates say

White House Ballroom

Trump’s team offers to keep some ballroom donors incognito: Among the donors not disclosed on the list released last month are chip-making giant Nvidia, global asset management company BlackRock, health care companies Vantive and Extremity Care, and Jeff Yass, a major investor in TikTok’s parent company. (Kenneth P. Vogel, New York Times)

Donors to Trump’s White House ballroom have $279 billion in federal contracts: According to a new report by Public Citizen, more than half of the companies that donated are facing or have recently faced federal enforcement actions involving allegations of unfair labor practices, deceiving consumers, and harming the environment. The report found the donors received $279 billion in government contracts over the past five years and spent $1.6 billion in political contributions and lobbying fees during that time. (Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post)

🔎 See Also: Democrats ramp up probes into Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom (Dan Diamond and Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post)

Trump’s swift demolition of East Wing may have launched asbestos plumes: The speedy demolition of the East Wing has health advocates and Democratic lawmakers seeking answers about what efforts were taken to keep workers and passersby safe from potential plumes of asbestos. (Beth Mole, Ars Technica)

White House fires arts commission expected to review Trump construction projects: The White House last week fired all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts, an independent federal agency tasked with reviewing some of President Trump’s construction projects, including his planned triumphal arch and White House ballroom. (Dan Diamond, Washington Post)

Weaponization of the Government

Trump escalates demands for 2020 election investigations and prosecutions: President Trump is pressuring the DOJ to freshly scrutinize ballots from the 2020 election. Administration officials and allies have asked to inspect voting equipment in Colorado and Missouri. Others are seeking mail ballots from Atlanta. (Isaac Arnsdorf, Patrick Marley, and Perry Stein, Washington Post)

States and cities challenge Trump policy overhauling public service loan forgiveness: More than 20 states are challenging a new Education Department policy that will make it harder for employees of nonprofit organizations that work with undocumented immigrants, provide gender transition care for minors, or engage in public protests to get their federal student loans forgiven. (Collin Binkley, Associated Press)

Justice Dept. defends Lindsey Halligan against unlawful-appointment criticism: The DOJ argued in court filings that even if Lindsey Halligan’s appointment as U.S. attorney is ruled invalid, her new title of “special attorney” allows her to continue overseeing cases against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. In recent weeks, three Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys have been disqualified by federal judges on the ground that their appointments were illegal. (Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post)

🔎 See Also: Federal judge disqualifies Trump-backed prosecutor in Los Angeles (Danny Hakim, New York Times)

The War on “Narcoterrorists”

Trump administration is planning new mission in Mexico against cartels, current and former U.S. officials say: The administration began detailed planning and training for a new mission to send American troops and intelligence officers into Mexico to target drug cartels, although sources say deployment isn’t imminent. The operation will involve troops mostly from Joint Special Operations Command and CIA officers. (Courtney Kube, Dan De Luce, and Gordon Lubold, NBC News)

War powers law does not apply to Trump’s boat strikes, administration says: T. Elliot Gaiser, who heads the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel, told Congress last week that President Trump could lawfully continue military strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean notwithstanding the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which sets a 60-day time limit for congressionally unauthorized deployments of armed forces. (Charlie Savage and Julian E. Barnes, New York Times)

DOD can’t say who it killed in military strikes against drug smugglers: According to Democratic lawmakers who attended a classified House briefing, DOD officials said they don’t know precisely who they’ve killed in military strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean. The officials “said that they do not need to positively identify individuals on these vessels to do the strikes, they just need to prove a connection to a designated terrorist organization or affiliate,” according to Rep. Sara Jacobs. (Leo Shane III, Politico)

🔎 See Also: White House, U.S. lawmakers offer conflicting claims on military intervention in Caribbean (Nick Mordowanec, Military.com)

🔎 See Also: Billboards outside U.S. Southern Command urge troops not to “break the law” in Caribbean strikes (Patty Nieberg, Task & Purpose)

U.S. military officials required to sign NDAs tied to Latin America mission, sources say: The move to require military officials involved with the mission to sign non-disclosure agreements is highly unusual given that they’re already required to shield national security secrets from the public. (Phil Stewart, Reuters)

Epstein Files

Following Epstein’s money: Emails reveal money laundering probe in sex case: In 2007, federal prosecutors expanded their probe into Jeffrey Epstein's sex crimes to include potential money laundering, according to communications from Epstein’s personal Yahoo account. The revelation puts a spotlight on Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney who signed off on Epstein’s 2008 plea deal. Acosta told Congress last month that he didn’t recall any discussion of financial crimes as part of his office’s investigation. (Jason Leopold et al., Bloomberg)

JP Morgan warned U.S. of $1billion in Epstein transactions possibly related to human trafficking: Just weeks after Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell, JP Morgan warned the U.S. government about more than $1 billion in suspicious transactions linked to Epstein and reports of human trafficking. JP Morgan’s alert identified transactions with Apollo Global Management co-founder Leon Black, hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, lawyer Alan Dershowitz, and retail tycoon Leslie Wexner. (Emine Sinmaz, The Guardian)

Supreme Court Ethics

Alito’s oil investments pollute contractor accountability case: Justice Samuel Alito has a financial stake in a pending Supreme Court case that could have far-reaching implications on whether states can hold federal contractors accountable for environmental damage and other corporate malfeasance. Alito, who owns stock in an oil company that could be directly impacted by the outcome, has so far ignored calls to recuse himself from the case. (Freddy Brewster, The Lever)

Insurrection

Two U.S. prosecutors suspended after describing Jan. 6 attack as carried out by a “mob”: The DOJ placed Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White on leave after they filed a court document that referred to the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.” (Jeremy Roebuck and Emily Davies, Washington Post)

Reproductive Freedom

The quiet collapse of America’s reproductive health safety net: HHS’s Office of Population Affairs has been effectively shut down. At the same time, Medicaid cuts, the potential lapse of Affordable Care Act subsidies, as well as cuts across programs in the Health Resources and Services Administration and CDC are eroding the reproductive care safety net. (Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News)

Police Misconduct

An obscure military program helps local cops buy armored cars and spyware. It might balloon under Trump: Local cops have gotten tens of millions of dollars’ worth of military gear under the federal 1122 and 1033 programs. Experts expect the floodgates to open now that President Trump has revoked a Biden-era executive order meant to tamp down the "warrior cop" trend. (Matt Sledge, The Intercept)

“I don’t feel safe”: Black Memphis residents report harassment by Trump’s police task force: President Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force, made up of the National Guard and 30 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, promised to focus on violent criminals. But residents say they’re being racially profiled and harassed. (Wendi C. Thomas and Katherine Burgess, ProPublica)

Defense and Veterans Affairs

Pentagon orders states’ national guards to form “quick reaction forces” for “crowd control”: A top military official ordered the national guards of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories to form “quick reaction forces” trained in “riot control.” The order sets size thresholds for each state, with most states required to train 500 Guard members, for a total of 23,500 troops nationwide. (Aaron Glantz, The Guardian)

Pentagon moves to fire civilian personnel with “speed and conviction”: New Pentagon guidelines removed key protections for civilian workers and direct managers to move with “speed and conviction” to fire employees with “unacceptable” performance reviews. Critics warn the guidelines, issued by Undersecretary of Defense Anthony Tata, could make it easier to fire anyone who doesn’t rubber stamp the administration’s policies. (Tara Copp, Washington Post)

Navy replaces admiral leading naval research with former DOGE staffer: Rear Adm. Kurt. Rothenhaus, who had served as chief of naval research since June 2023, was replaced by Rachel Riley, who most recently worked at HHS as part of DOGE and was previously a partner at the controversial consulting firm McKinsey & Co. (Riley Ceder, Navy Times)

🔎 See Also: Army 3-star general retires early from Pentagon role as shake-ups continue (Jeff Schogol, Task & Purpose)

Inside Trump’s Golden Dome: High-stakes debate over missile-defense shield: The White House and Pentagon have revealed scant details of the Golden Dome project, which experts say is likely to take at least a decade to complete, cost a trillion dollars or more, and still not come close to providing the kind of protection Trump says it will. (Christian Davenport, William Neff, and Aaron Steckelberg, Washington Post)

🔎 See Also: Elon Musk’s SpaceX set to win $2 billion Pentagon satellite deal (Drew FitzGerald and Micah Maidenberg, Wall Street Journal)

Citing Trump order on “biological truth,” VA makes it harder for male veterans with breast cancer to get coverage: For male veterans diagnosed with breast cancer, the path to getting health care coverage will now be significantly harder under a new VA policy. (Eric Umansky, ProPublica)

Business and Finance

“A big positive”: How one company plans to profit from Medicaid cuts: Equifax has, for years, dominated the business of verifying Americans’ incomes. New Medicaid rules passed this summer are about to make the company’s services even more lucrative. (Sarah Kliff, Margot Sanger-Katz, and Asmaa Elkeurti, New York Times)

Tech

Waymo’s driverless vehicles coming to 3 more American cities: Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, touts its vehicles as safer than human drivers, even though they have been involved in crashes. (Sergio Robles, The Hill)

Health Care

HHS IG nominee pledges to support Trump’s initiatives: HHS inspector general nominee Thomas March Bell has pledged to “support the initiatives” of President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — an unusual move by a nominee for a role that's supposed to be independent and policy-neutral. (Justin Doubleday, Federal News Network)

Support for measles vaccination drops amid growing confusion about the disease, U.S. poll shows: Support among U.S. adults for the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine has dropped from 90% to 82% in just a few months, amid confusion and uncertainty over HHS recommendations regarding childhood vaccinations. (Jim Wappes, Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy)

FDA restricts use of kids’ fluoride supplements citing emerging health risks: The FDA said fluoride supplements have limited benefits for children’s teeth and may be linked to emerging safety concerns, including intestinal issues, weight gain, and cognition. Those claims have been disputed by the American Dental Association, and dentists warn that restricting fluoride supplements may result in more cavities and dental problems in rural communities. (Matthew Perrone, Associated Press)

12 hours in the smoke: Wildfire fighters nationwide are getting sick and dying at young ages. The federal government acknowledges that the job is linked to lung disease, heart damage, and more than a dozen kinds of cancer. But the U.S. Forest Service has for decades ignored recommendations from its own scientists to monitor the conditions at the fire line and limit shifts. (Hannah Dreier and Eli Murray, New York Times)

Target shooting could be causing brain injuries. We measured the danger: Every day, thousands of people use indoor gun ranges that are designed to limit the hazards of target shooting. But shooting indoors poses another hazard that has been almost entirely overlooked: concussive blast waves that can damage the brain. (Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Dave Philipps, and Jeremy White, New York Times)

Searching “weight” can bring up Ozempic in results. It’s a drug advertising loophole: Drug companies have to follow strict rules when it comes to advertising their products in magazines or TV commercials, but paid online sponsored search results are less regulated. (Sydney Lupkin, NPR)

ICYMI

Immigration and Border Security:

→ More than 100 judges have ruled against the Trump admin’s mandatory detention policy

→ ICE plans cash rewards for private bounty hunters to locate and track immigrants

→ We checked DHS’s videos of chaos and protests. Here’s what they leave out

→ DOJ charges House candidate Kat Abughazaleh with conspiracy for protesting ICE

→ ICE kidnapped my neighbor in broad daylight. The aftermath left me reeling

→ Hospitals hope for exemption from Trump administration’s new $100,000 H-1B visa fee: “We cannot afford that”

Other News:

→ Federal judge blocks National Guard deployment to Portland through Friday

→ Trump push to restart nuclear tests could take years, cost millions, experts say

→ White House restricts media access in the West Wing

→ Laura Loomer is now credentialed to cover the Pentagon

→ Trump on crypto mogul he pardoned: “I don’t know who he is”

→ Inside the billionaire network shaping MAGA’s post-Trump future

→ Meet the Senate aide with a $44,000 taxpayer-funded commute

Upcoming Events

📌 The Shadow President: A conversation about ProPublica’s yearlong investigation into Russell Vought, the Project 2025 architect and Trump budget guru. ProPublica. Wednesday, November 5, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET.

📌 Preparing for the Federal Domestic Terrorism Apparatus. National Lawyers Guild. Monday, November 10, 8:00 p.m. ET.

Hot Docs

🔥📃 Costs of War Project: What You Need to Know about Pentagon and Military-Related Spending in H.R. 1. October 23, 2025 (PDF)

🔥📃 More Perfect Union / Sludge: Trump's Corporate Colluders: A searchable database of the top corporate donors to President Trump. October 28, 2025

Nominations & Appointments

Nominations

• Vice Adm. Thomas Allan - Vice Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard
• Vice Adm. Nathan Moore - Deputy Commandant of Operations, U.S. Coast Guard
• Rear Adm. Douglas Schofield - Chief of Staff, U.S. Coast Guard
• Michael Selig - Commissioner, Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Withdrawals

• Bryce McFerran - First Vice President, U.S. Export-Import Bank
• Joel Rayburn - Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs)