Maine’s Uno Reverse Card

Good afternoon. This is the Afternoon Sun newsletter for Oct. 23, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Donald Trump said he was the one to tell the federal government to sue Alaska elections officials as part of an attempt to prepare to challenge the state’s results should Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan lose his race.

The U.S. will exempt some Canadian products from tariffs, Sen. Susan Collins announced, in a bid to help the Maine senator and other Republicans facing tight races. The Wall Street Journal first reported the reductions.

THE ADMINISTRATION

The White House says first lady Melania Trump has secured a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in a small, front-line southern city.

Trump said he is no longer looking into Chris LaCivita and James Blair’s outside consulting work with the pro-Russian nationalist government in Bosnia-Herzegovina after the pair donated to his presidential library.

The federal government has stopped sharing evidence with Minnesota authorities who are investigating immigration officers’ killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, state officials said in recent court filings.

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Pete Buttigieg endorsed Montana’s independent Senate candidate, Seth Bodnar, over Democrat Alani Bankhead.

Trump continued to defend Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, telling reporters that he didn’t know “anything” about the stepfather who was accused of sexually abusing Acton when she was a child.

THE HILL

Democrats are preparing a broad oversight agenda if the party nabs control of one or both chambers in January, signaling they will investigate Trump and those close to him amid a string of reports of corruption.

• Operatives are warning lawmakers to not lose sight of the election’s main focus: inflation and high costs.

TRAILBLAZER

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