Afternoon Sun: Fit Happens

Good afternoon. This is the Afternoon Sun newsletter for Oct. 8, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Scoop: The White House is floating Russ Vought’s deputy, Eric Ueland, to lead the Government Accountability Office. The OMB deputy director has presided over massive federal workforce shakeups that Congress’ watchdog arm has deemed detrimental.

Cut him some slacks? Donald Trump’s former tailor spoke with The Washington Sun’s Jenna Monnin about the online frenzy stirred up by the president’s Jos. A. Bank suit — a budget-friendly change of pace for the man who usually gets luxury tailoring.

THE ADMINISTRATION

Trump made 517 personal trades of stocks, bonds or other financial funds in August, including purchases between $1 million and $5 million each in Microsoft, McDonald’s and Comcast stock.

The administration is blocking Microsoft and Adobe from giving foreign workers temporarily living and working in the U.S. a pathway to permanent residency, accusing the companies of fraud.

Democrats are calling for the firing of Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, after a bombshell report that she sought $100,000 from a Trump donor while offering access to administration officials.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and her daughter have separately met with senior figures from Bosnia’s pro-Russian Serb nationalist leadership in recent weeks, photos circulating online this week show.

THE HILL

Mike Johnson floated a potential pivot after the midterms: “If we lose this majority or whatever, I don’t know what my next chapter of life is,” the House speaker told Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie today. “If God moves on our hearts and says we should, you know, go back to my hometown of Shreveport and start a lawn business, I’ll do that with equal fervor.”

• “We’re going to need every dollar” of the estimated $450 million raised by the party last quarter, Johnson told reporters while stumping for House candidate Derek Merrin in Ohio. “It’s an all-time record, but it’s an expensive cycle.”

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) told reporters he confronted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s emir during a Middle East trip this week over Trump’s “corruption of foreign policy,” including Saudi investments in Jared Kushner’s private equity fund and Qatar’s gift of a luxury jet.

• Murphy said both leaders defended their dealings as legitimate business, The Sun’s Joe Gould reports. But the senator warned bin Salman that a Democratic takeover of Congress after the midterms could bring “serious investigations.”

Saving College Sports, a pro-Protect College Sports Act group led by Cody Campbell, sent a memo warning that four ACC schools — including Florida State University and the University of Miami — are organizing to tank the bill’s chances in the House over a conference cap provision.

THE CAMPAIGN TRAILRepublican Mark Teixeira, who is poised to win a House seat in Texas, is vying for a seat on the powerful House Financial Services Committee — leaning on his ties as an ex-Yankee and Texan.

Pennsylvania Democrat Janelle Stelson says DHS wrongly accused her campaign of employing an undocumented immigrant who was arrested for indecent exposure and disorderly conduct.

Senate Leadership Fund is shifting $1.85 million initially allocated for broadcast ads in Georgia to South Carolina, per AdImpact. John Thune’s super PAC already shifted $5 million to Sen. Darline Graham earlier this week.

• Two new Texas Senate digital media buys just dropped: An affiliate of Chuck Schumer’s super PAC disclosed $3.7 million, while an SLF affiliate disclosed $5.1 million.

THE COURTS

A U.S. district judge temporarily extended White House access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico following a hearing today on Trump’s media ban. The Sun has signed ontoan amicus brief filed in this case in support of the news outlets.

The Supreme Court once again quickly stepped into a legal clash regarding the rules governing the price of political television ads ahead of the midterms.

The NFL wants state regulators, not the federal government, to oversee and regulate prediction markets such as Kalshi, the league wrote in a Supreme Court filing today.

WHEN’S THE ALBUM DROPPING?

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Kelly Poe and Erik Schutz. If you liked it, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at newsletters@washsun.com.