Shutdown forcing airport capacity cuts

Morning Report is The Hill’s a.m. newsletter. Subscribe here.

In today’s issue:

▪ Airports cutting capacity due to shutdown

▪ Trump meeting with Hungary’s Orbán

▪ ‘Sandwich guy’ acquitted

▪ Uncertainty on Trump nuclear tests

Many of the country’s largest airports are set to operate at reduced capacity starting Friday as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) takes steps to maintain airline safety amid the government shutdown.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters on Tuesday the air travel system will experience “mass chaos” if the shutdown doesn’t end by Nov. 11, featuring flight delays, cancellations and the possible closing of certain parts of the U.S. airspace. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the next day that the agency would reduce flights by 10 percent at 40 “high-volume markets” throughout the country to ensure safety.

The rollbacks come as the agency faces staffing shortages amid the lapse in government funding. Air traffic controllers have been working without pay for more than a month since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, and many have been required to work six days per week as part of mandatory overtime.

Absences have increased over these past weeks, causing disruptions to the country’s air travel system. Staffing issues plagued air-traffic controllers long before the shutdown began.

“We’re not going to wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself when the early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating,” Bedford said at a press conference Wednesday.

A preliminary list of airports included in the reduction features almost every major air travel hub, from New York City to Washington, D.C., to Chicago to Los Angeles.

A source briefed on the matter told NewsNation that the reductions will start at 4 percent on Friday before increasing to 10 percent. They said this is the “preliminary understanding,” but the aviation industry is waiting for the final word.

The Associated Press reported that up to 1,800 flights and 268,000 seats could be affected.

Delays and cancellations have already been an issue for weeks amid the shutdown, but this rollback would mark a major step up in travelers’ struggles. This will become more pronounced if the shutdown lingers closer toward Thanksgiving at the end of the month.

Momentum seemed to be increasing toward the parties reaching a deal as the shutdown reached record length this week. But widespread Democratic wins on Election Day and Democrats’ distrust of President Trump have stalled those talks.

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that six Democrats are willing to reopen the government if they receive promises from Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) that the president will stop freezing federal funds approved by Congress, but a lack of concessions from Trump directly is preventing a clear path to end the shutdown from forming.

Bipartisan talks are continuing, but Senate Republicans’ inability to secure commitments from Trump or Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) are limiting progress, Bolton reports.

But Thune has scheduled a vote for Friday with the hope of ending the funding gap. The vote will be on the House-passed continuing resolution, which has failed to advance 14 times, but Thune is adding a three-bill spending package that has been part of negotiations with Democrats, a Senate GOP aide said.

The bill would also push back the funding window’s end date from Nov. 21, which is rapidly approaching, to January. The package will likely take days to clear because of objections, potentially from members of both sides of the aisle.

Democrats weren’t clear about whether they were on board following a caucus lunch on Thursday.

“We’ll find out how serious the Democrats are or not,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said after lunch.

▪ The Hill: Federal judge orders administration to provide full food stamps benefits.

▪ The Hill: Staffers running Capitol Hill left without pay.

Smart Take with Blake Burman

If you’re flying anytime soon, prepare yourself. Airlines are announcing massive flight cancellations across the country, as they comply with the FAA’s order to reduce traffic at 40 airports. The Trump administration says the scale-backs are necessary to keep the skies safe as the government shutdown strains staffing levels in air traffic control towers. 

Former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt told me that whenever a funding deal is struck to reopen the government, which would lead to air traffic controllers getting their paychecks, it still could take a few days after that to get the country’s airspace back to full service.

“They’re going to have to get everybody spun back up, get people back to work, and I think it’s going to take several days, and then the carriers are going to have to restore their scheduling of aircraft, their crews,” Babbitt told me. “You’re going to run into compounding problems if this continues.”

Air travel issues helped pressure Congress to end the last extended government shutdown in the first Trump administration. However, there’s no sign, at least yet, that it will be the catalyst to end this shutdown.

3 Things to Know Today

1. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) entered the New York gubernatorial race on Friday against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). Stefanik shifted toward a gubernatorial run after Trump withdrew her nomination as United Nations ambassador earlier this year.

2. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed it had been hacked in a “security incident.” A spokesperson said the CBO immediately acted to contain the fallout and is investigating the matter.

3. House Democrats are requesting a transcribed interview with Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, about his knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s actions.

Leading the Day

ORBÁN AT WHITE HOUSE: Trump will meet with his ally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, at the White House Friday as the president presses him to increase his distance from President Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Orbán’s priority at the meeting will be to convince Trump to permit Hungary to continue importing Russian oil without U.S. sanctions, The Hill’s Laura Kelly reports. Trump has made pushing the U.S.’s European allies and other countries to cut off their purchases of Russian oil a priority as the war between Russia and Ukraine has continued.

Orbán had been a strong opponent of Russia’s influence on Hungary during the Cold War, but he has shifted over the past decade to become Russia’s strongest advocate within the European Union, The Associated Press reported. He’s been facing pressure from Hungary’s allies to end his country’s reliance on Russian oil, which is viewed as contributing funding for the war.

At the same time, Orbán is an ideological ally to Trump, to such an extent that critics and supporters alike often compare each leader to the other. The Hungarian prime minister is hoping that his closeness to the president could help him during the Friday meeting, the first one between Trump and Orbán since the president returned to office.

Orbán is just the latest in a string of world leaders whom Trump has greeted at the White House recently. In the past few months, he’s hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, among others.

He’s also set to meet with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Monday, the first ever visit between a U.S. and Syrian president at the White House.

▪ Bloomberg: Senators press Hungary over Russian oil ahead of Orbán meeting.

▪ Time: “How Russian oil could undo the Trump-Orbán bromance.”

PELOSI RETIREMENT: Members of both parties are recognizing Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the former Speaker, following her announcement that she will retire from office at the end of her current term after nearly 40 years serving in Congress.

Pelosi, the first female Speaker in the House’s history, revealed her decision in a video posted on social media Thursday, emphasizing her affection for her constituents in San Francisco. She said “to stand on the House floor and say I speak for the people of San Francisco” has been her greatest honor.

“I will not be seeking reelection to Congress. With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative,” she said. “As we go forward, my message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power. We have made history, we have made progress, we have always led the way.”

Pelosi has been one of the most influential Democrats in Washington for decades, including during her time as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, as minority leader, as Speaker and as Speaker emerita. She’s considered one of the most powerful and effective Speakers in the House’s history, and Democrats called her the greatest ever.

“Nancy D’Alesandro Pelosi is an iconic, heroic, trailblazing, legendary and transformational leader. She is the greatest Speaker of all time,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Pelosi’s successor leading the Democratic caucus, said in a statement.

Former President Obama, whom Pelosi worked with on his key initiatives like the Affordable Care Act, said the congresswoman “made us proud to be Democrats.”

Pelosi also received praise from some members on the other side of the aisle. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she’s “very impressed” with Pelosi’s ability to “get things done.”

“I will praise Nancy Pelosi. She had an incredible career for her party,” Greene said on CNN’s “The Situation Room.”

But she received no kind words from Trump, with whom she had a contentious relationship and often clashed, particularly after the 2020 presidential election and Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

“I think she’s an evil woman. I’m glad she’s retiring. I think she did the country a great service by retiring,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked for his reaction to Pelosi’s retirement, calling her a “tremendous liability” for the country.

That comment came days after Pelosi told CNN that she believes Trump is “the worst thing on the face of the earth.”

Pelosi had said she would wait to announce her decision on whether to seek another term until after Tuesday’s elections, which included a vote on California’s Proposition 50. Voters in the state overwhelmingly approved the measure to allow the state Legislature to redraw its congressional lines and potentially help Democrats pick up five additional House seats.

▪ The Hill: 5 memorable moments from Pelosi’s career.

▪ The Hill: “Who’s most likely to succeed Pelosi in the House?”

VENEZUELA VOTE FAILS: A joint resolution directing the Trump administration to withdraw armed forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela failed in the Senate by a 51-49 vote.

The vote was mostly symbolic and unlikely to go into effect even if it passed the chamber. But it’s still notable as members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have expressed frustration with a lack of answers surrounding the administration’s repeated strikes on boats in the Caribbean and East Pacific.

The administration has said the boats were attempting to smuggle drugs into the U.S., but members of Congress have raised questions about the evidence the administration has to prove it and the legal basis for the strikes lacking congressional authorization.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth conducted another briefing with lawmakers on the strikes on Wednesday, but it didn’t mitigate the concerns of at least some of the Democrats in attendance as they demand more information.

The strikes have come as tensions have risen with Venezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro, as the administration has accused him of being involved in smuggling drugs into the U.S. The administration has sent its largest aircraft carrier into the region.

People who attended the Wednesday meeting told The Washington Post that Rubio and Hegseth didn’t indicate the administration plans to strike Venezuela or that it had a legal backing to do so.

But the resolution would have declared that the administration must receive congressional authorization before conducting any strikes. All Democrats and two Republicans — Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) — voted for the resolution, which fell just short of passing.

▪ CNN: Top Democrat calls for more transparency on boat strikes.

▪ The New York Times: “Tracking U.S. military killings in boat attacks.”

‘SANDWICH GUY’ ACQUITTED: The man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent following Trump’s deployment of the National Guard into Washington, D.C., has been found not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of assault Thursday.

Becoming known as “sandwich guy,” Sean Dunn is a former Justice Department employee who threw a hoagie at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent after confronting a group of officers patrolling the city. Dunn’s acquittal is an embarrassing blow for federal prosecutors, who sought the misdemeanor charge after a grand jury refused to indict Dunn on a felony assault charge.

The case took three days, and the jury deliberated on Wednesday and Thursday before delivering their verdict.

“I’m relieved, and I’m looking forward to moving on with my life,” Dunn said after the verdict was announced, according to The Associated Press.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the charge, Dunn has become a folk hero of sorts, with tokens of appreciation appearing such as art depicting the sandwich throw, protest signs with sandwich imagery and merchandise from T-shirts to stickers on the online marketplace Etsy.

TESLA APPROVES MUSK PACKAGE: Tesla shareholders have approved a pay package for Elon Musk that could make him the world’s first trillionaire.

More than 75 percent of shareholders agreed to the package that grants Musk about 423 million shares in Tesla, which would be worth almost $1 trillion if the company reaches certain milestones set out by the agreement. Musk is already the richest person in the world.

The package’s approval is a big win for Musk, who had threatened to leave Tesla if it wasn’t approved. He has faced some criticism for his management of the company, but most shareholders ultimately backed him, and the board of directors argued the package was necessary to incentivize Musk to focus on Tesla.

UZBEK TRADE DEAL: Trump announced late Thursday that the U.S. has reached a trade deal with Uzbekistan following a visit from its leader and other Central Asian leaders to the U.S.

“Over the next three years, Uzbekistan will be purchasing and investing almost $35 Billion Dollars and, in the next 10 years, over $100 Billion Dollars, in key American Sectors, including Critical Minerals, Aviation, Automotive Parts, Infrastructure, Agriculture, Energy & Chemicals, Information Technology, and others,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Trump thanked Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and said he looks forward to a “long and productive relationship” for the two countries.

The president’s meeting with the Central Asian countries focused on rare earth metals needed for high-tech devices. Trump has prioritized ensuring U.S. access to these materials in response to restrictions that China had placed on their export.

When and Where

The president will greet Orbán at 11:30 a.m. and then participate in a bilateral lunch with him. He will later depart from the White House to travel to Palm Beach, Fla., at 3:30 p.m.

The Senate will meet at noon.

The House will convene at 2 p.m. for a pro forma session.

Zoom In

President Trump speaks to the America Business Forum Miami, at the Kaseya Center, Nov. 5, 2025, in Miami. (Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press)

NUCLEAR AMBIGUITY: The federal government’s plans for possibly resuming nuclear tests seems uncertain following a Trump Cabinet official’s statement that it wouldn’t explode actual nuclear weapons.

Trump first called for a resumption of nuclear tests just ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. If tests resume, it would mark the end of a moratorium that’s lasted more than 30 years, since just after the end of the Cold War.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright downplayed the announcement somewhat, telling Fox News on Sunday that the tests wouldn’t include nuclear explosions.

“I think the tests we’re talking about right now are system tests. These are not nuclear explosions. These are what we call noncritical explosions,” Wright said.

But Trump seemed to go against those comments in his interview on “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, alleging that other countries were conducting secret underground testing and suggesting the U.S. would do the same.

“I’m saying that we’re going to test nuclear weapons like other countries do, yes,” Trump said, pointing to Russia, China, North Korea and Pakistan.

But North Korea conducted the world’s last known public nuclear test in 2017, though there have been some accusations that Russia and China have carried out low-yield nuclear tests in secret.

The Hill’s Colin Meyn reports that Trump’s seeming calls for a return to full-yield tests like those carried out in Nevada during the Cold War have raised debate about whether the U.S. should keep the status quo or flex its nuclear muscle.

Regardless of whether the U.S. goes through with Trump’s plans, it seems to have already caused somewhat of an escalation. Putin directed Russian officials to analyze Washington’s intentions and submit proposals for possibly resuming nuclear tests, though he said Russia would only do so if the U.S. did first.

Democrats have raised alarms about Trump’s comments, particularly Democrats from Nevada, which was the site of hundreds of tests for decades. It’s also considered to currently be the most likely site where tests could resume.

Nevada Sens. Jacky Rosen (D) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D) introduced legislation on Wednesday along with their Western Senate colleagues to declare that no president can unilaterally resume nuclear testing.

“Nevadans are still dealing with the fallout of explosive nuclear testing conducted during the Cold War era and the radiation unleashed in our state. Donald Trump’s directive to resume nuclear testing is reckless, unnecessary, and dangerous,” Rosen said in a release.

▪ CNN: How nuclear testing scarred the Marshall Islands.

CHICAGO INJUNCTION: A federal judge has issued an injunction against immigration officers’ use of force against protesters and members of the media, issuing an injunction against federal law enforcement’s use of constraints.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis pointed to officers’ repeated use of tear gas and pepper balls on demonstrators who weren’t resisting or threatening them in her ruling, saying the “use of force shocks our conscience.”

Trump has ordered an increased law enforcement presence in Chicago, including the deployment of National Guard troops, though that has been blocked while legal battles proceed. Officers patrolling the city have been met with large protests, and many Democrats have pushed back on federal officials’ presence in the city.

Ellis reportedly said her order is designed to prevent a “chilling” of First Amendment rights.

▪ San Antonio Express-News: Texas troops still deployed in Chicago.

Elsewhere

Hezbollah fighters and supporters raise their fists and chant slogans as they march in the funeral procession of five comrades killed in Israeli strikes in recent days, in the southern town of Nabatieh, Lebanon, Nov. 2, 2025. (Mohammad Zaatari, Associated Press)

ISRAEL STRIKES HEZBOLLAH: Israel conducted airstrikes on towns in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah after the militant group urged the Lebanese government not to enter into negotiations.

The Israeli military said it targeted military infrastructure for Hezbollah, including “weapons storage facilities” constructed in civilian areas. Israel warned residents in several towns to flee ahead of the strikes.

Israel alleged that Hezbollah is rebuilding its capabilities following the brief war that took place last year. Hezbollah launched strikes on Israel following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.

Israel’s strikes in response and subsequent invasion of southern Lebanon eliminated several of the group’s top leaders and severely damaged its capabilities. A ceasefire has been in place, but Israel has continued to occupy certain parts of Lebanon.

“We will not allow Hezbollah to rearm themselves, to recover, build back up its strength to threaten the state of Israel,” Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said at a briefing Thursday.

The strikes took place as Lebanese government officials met to discuss plans to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state militant groups. The attacks by Israel are the latest escalation but are part of near-daily strikes.

“Nearly a year has passed since the ceasefire came into effect, and during that time, Israel has spared no effort to demonstrate its rejection of any negotiated settlement between the two countries,” Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said. “Your message has been received.”

▪ The Times of Israel: Israel, Hamas fear Gaza will become Lebanon.

ABRAHAM ACCORDS ADDITION: Trump welcomed the Central Asian country Kazakhstan into the Abraham Accords with Israel, adding another country to the agreement years after it was first initiated.

The accords were created in 2020 and established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

What Kazakhstan joining the accords tangibly means is unclear, as Astana has had diplomatic relations with Israel for more than 30 years. But it provides a forum for greater cooperation on economic and security issues.

It also draws renewed attention to the agreement as Trump has prioritized establishing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which would mark a major development in Middle Eastern relations.

▪ BBC: Israel says Hamas returned body of Tanzanian hostage.

END OF AN ERA: The Old Farmers’ Almanac will cease publication with its 2026 edition, bringing an end to more than two centuries of guidelines to assist farmers throughout the year.

First published in 1818, the almanac detailed various information useful for farmers from sunrise and sunset times to moon phases to optimal times to go fishing. It also gained a following among history-lovers who collected the yearly almanacs.

The publishers of the almanac reportedly cited rising financial pressures and the struggles of operating in the current “chaotic media environment.” The almanac’s online presence will also end in December.

“We’re grateful to have been part of your life and trust that you’ll help keep the spirit of the Almanac alive,” the current and former editor of the almanac wrote. “We are incredibly proud of the legacy we leave behind and are filled with gratitude. We appreciate and thank our loyal readers, contributors, and partners who have supported us through the years.”

“Though the Almanac will no longer be available in print or online, it lives on within you,” they concluded. “So go ahead—plant your peas when the daffodils bloom. Watch for a red sky at night. Tell the kids how granddad always swore by the Almanac. That’s how our story stays alive.”

Opinion

Inklings of a growing Democratic coalition in 2025 vote, writes The Hill’s Chris Stirewalt.

The great GOP migration has begun, writes former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) in The Washington Post.

Closer

New York City Mayor Ed Koch is interviewed by reporters outside the White House, March 22, 1982 in Washington after he met with President Regan in the Oval Office. (Charles Tasnadi, Associated Press file)

And finally … 👏👏👏 Congrats to this week’s Morning Report quiz winners! The quiz may have been a bit too difficult this week, as there were only three responses that were perfect. But many got all but one correct, showing off their niche knowledge about the elections that took place Tuesday and the history behind them!

🧩 Here’s who went 4/4: Stan Wasser, Ned Sauthoff and Robert Bradley.

Ed Koch defeated Mario Cuomo, Andrew Cuomo’s father, to win the 1977 New York City mayoral race. This was the first of three terms Koch served in office. Mario Cuomo would eventually be elected governor of New York for three terms in the 1980s and 1990s.

Dale Caldwell will be New Jersey’s first male lieutenant governor. The office of lieutenant governor was only created in 2010 after years of the state being one of the only ones in the country to not have it. Each of New Jersey’s first three lieutenant governors have been women, including two who are Black.

There have been 10 previous gubernatorial elections between two women in U.S. history, according to the Center for American Women and Politics. The first one happened in 1986 in Nebraska.

The last time that Democrats won a statewide election for state office in Georgia was 2006, when the party won a few offices, including attorney general.