Trump battles Democrats over ‘affordability’

12:30 Report is The Hill's midday newsletter. Subscribe here.

Happy Thursday. Thanksgiving is three weeks from today! But don’t forget that it’s late this year.

In today's issue:

• Trump negotiates weight loss drug price cut

• President battles Dems over ‘affordability’

• Pelosi to retire after nearly 40 years

• Layoffs skyrocket in October

• FAA to start cutting flights during shutdown

• John Mulaney spotted at Supreme Court

💊 IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Weight loss drugs are now on sale! (Well, for some people):

President Trump just announced a negotiated deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cut the price of weight loss drugs.

The two manufacturers have agreed to sell their GLP-1 weight loss injectables for a monthly price of $245 for people on Medicare and Medicaid.

This price will also apply to people who use the “TrumpRX” platform, which is expected to launch next year. Plus, oral GLP-1s will cost $149 per month under the same criteria.

From HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: "President Trump is a friend of the forgotten American,” Kennedy said. “Obesity is a disease of poverty...and these drugs have only been available for people who have health.”

💻 Watch the announcement

Lowering prescription drug prices has been a priority: Trump has already announced two deals to lower prices for Medicaid patients and those who buy directly from the government. He has made agreements with Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

The president really needs this win: A string of bad economic data, including high inflation and rising prices, has plagued the administration. And members of both parties are increasingly homing in on the issue of affordability ahead of next year’s midterms.

Affordability was a major issue for voters in the 2024 election and again this year. Consumer prices rose 0.3 percent in September and 3 percent over the past year. Democrats view the issue as key to their decisive wins Tuesday.

But Trump is racing to rebut that narrative.

This morning, he declared that Democrats’ “‘affordability’ issue is DEAD.’” And despite data showing rising prices, he claimed on Wednesday that prices have come down since he took office. He touted Walmart’s Thanksgiving dinner price this year, noting the cost of the holiday meal is estimated to be lower this month than in 2024.

Trump argues that Republicans don’t talk about affordability enough. And that’s a message Vice President Vance is emphasizing for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms, saying in a post this week that “working to make a decent life affordable” will be critical next year.

💬 Follow today’s live blog

➤ MEANWHILE — ELI LILLY IS WORKING ON ANOTHER WEIGHT LOSS DRUG:

The drugmaker said it’s ready to start late-stage trials of a new obesity drug that may help with weight loss while maintaining muscle mass. This new drug would slow digestion and suppress hunger, per NBC News. A mid-stage trial showed it helped patients lose up to 20 percent of their weight.

➤ SPOTTED OUTSIDE THE OVAL OFFICE:

Reporters spotted a new gold script sign that reads “The Oval Office.” It’s next to the entrance to the White House room near the Rose Garden. The photos appear to show the sign made of paper. 📹 See for yourself

✈️ GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Dems meeting to discuss possible deal:

It’s Day 37 of the government shutdown and even more Americans are feeling the pain of the impasse, which threatens to disrupt travel plans.

Senate Democrats are meeting this afternoon to discuss a potential deal to reopen the government, The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports. Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) is hosting a lunch for the closed-door talks.

The schedule today: “Democrats will hold the meeting in the Capitol ahead of a 5 p.m. vote on a resolution sponsored by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to block U.S. armed forces from engaging in hostilities within or against Venezuela.”

“The late afternoon vote will give Democratic senators time to decide whether they are close enough to a deal to work through the weekend to reopen the government.”

Will senators work through the weekend?: Senators have been told to remain “flexible” this weekend. Senate GOP Leader John Thune (S.D.) says the Senate will stay in session this weekend only if there’s a clear path to ending the shutdown. That seems fairly unlikely at this point, though.

Republicans are trying to sweeten the deal: Republicans just made a new offer to Senate Democrats to sweeten the government shutdown negotiations, according to Politico. Republicans are offering to reverse some of the federal government layoffs that have happened during the shutdown.

Airports to cut back operations:

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it is cutting operations by 10 percent at 40 “high-traffic” areas due to the ongoing funding lapse.

A source briefed on the matter told NewsNation that 4 percent of flights at 40 major airports will be canceled starting Friday. It will then ramp up to 10 percent of flights canceled. But the sourced stressed this plan is not final.

Why?: Air traffic controller shortages due to the government shutdown have strained the system, officials say, so this effort is meant to relieve some of the pressure in high-traffic areas.

Which airports are impacted?: Here’s a preliminary list of the 40 affected airports, which include Boston, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc.

What should you do if your flight is delayed or canceled?: Stay in contact with the airline. It will usually rebook you on a later flight. If you no longer want to want to fly, you are legally owed a refund but not other compensation. What to do if your flight’s canceled

If this continues through Thanksgiving, holiday travel will be a nightmare. Expect the pressure to build.

➤ SENATE REPUBLICANS WARMING TO NIXING FILIBUSTER:

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports there is growing momentum among Senate Republicans to nix the filibuster after Trump urged them to do so again during the White House breakfast Wednesday.

GOP leadership is still uncomfortable about triggering the “nuclear option,” though. While Republicans would benefit in the short term, a future Democratic-led chamber could make decisions with a simple majority.

Meanwhile, Democrats are feeling emboldened: Bolton reports that Democrats’ confidence in their shutdown strategy has soared after Tuesday’s election sweep.

➤ HOW MUCH ARE PEOPLE GETTING PAID THROUGH SNAP?:

Two judges ordered the Trump administration to use emergency funds to pay food stamp benefits in November, but there isn’t enough to pay out the benefits fully.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says people should expect roughly 50 percent of their usual monthly benefit. 📝 List of the maximum benefit in November, by household size

➤ TIDBIT:

When Secretary of State Marco Rubio walked through the Capitol, a reporter asked him if he could stop and talk with journalists. He responded, "I didn’t talk to you guys when I worked here, why would I talk to you now?" 📹 Watch the back and forth

AP’s Seung Min Kim reposted the video and added, “What? Rubio talked all the time! He wasn’t always thrilled about it but he never ignored reporters.”

NOTE: Yesterday’s newsletter pointed out Sen. Brian Schatz’s (D-Hawaii) blue wave cover photo. Schatz had that photo before the election but posted a fresh big blue wave Tuesday.

🌉 OTHER NEWS

The end of an era — Nancy Pelosi is officially retiring:

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House and a decades-long leader of the Democratic Party, is retiring at the end of her term in 2027.

She made her announcement in a video addressed to her constituents: “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. And now we must continue to do so by remaining full participants in our democracy and fighting for the American ideals we hold dear.” 📹 Watch her announcement video

Pelosi stepped down from House leadership in 2023, seeking to usher in a new crop of leaders, but decided to stay in Congress as a rank-and-file lawmaker.

The end of an era: Pelosi joins former Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), another powerful force on Capitol Hill, in planning to retire in 2027.

➤ TRUMP WAS THRILLED TO HEAR THIS NEWS:

The president described Pelosi’s retirement as a “great thing for America,” according to Fox News’s Peter Doocy. He described her as “evil” and “corrupt.”

October was a big month for layoffs:

Layoffs skyrocketed in October, marking the highest number of job cuts in that month since 2003, according to a new report today from analyst Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

The numbers: Employers cut 153,074 jobs in October, marking a 174 percent increase from this time last year.

Oof — the chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray & Christmas noted: “This is the highest total for October in over 20 years, and the highest total for a single month in the fourth quarter since 2008,” Andy Challenger said in a statement.

A senator accused another of snooping on staff’s cars:

A routine Senate Commerce hearing devolved into a verbal fight between Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), with Rosen accusing Moreno of spying on her staff.

OK, what happened?: Moreno mentioned that he obtained the vehicle identification numbers (VIN) of his Democratic colleagues’ cars. He said that was to confirm they do not have additional driver assistance technologies (a fact he used to undercut Democrats’ push to mandate that technology).

Well, Rosen jumped in and asked for clarification on how he obtained that information. She noted she does not have a car in Washington and that was her staffer’s car. Rosen was visibly angry, accusing Moreno of being “creepy” for obtaining the information.

📹 It’s worth watching this argument

➤ QUICK HITS:

— Comedian John Mulaney was spotted at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, watching the hearing about Trump’s tariffs. He 📸posted a hand-drawn image of the room, captioning it, “cheap seats but a great show.”

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) says she no longer believes in QAnon, the conspiracy theory she has supported and promoted for years. And in an interview on NewsNation on Wednesday night, she hit back at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) while dismissing as false a report that said she’s talked about wanting to run for president.

➤ MORE READS:

The New York Times: Two Signs That Democrats Flipped Trump Supporters on Tuesday

The Hill: Tucker Carlson becomes litmus test in conservative civil war

The Bulwark: Kash Patel’s Private Jet Problem Is Even Worse Than It Looks

COMING UP

The House is out. The Senate is in. President Trump is at the White House. (All times EST)

5 p.m. The Senate holds a vote on Venezuela. 📆Today’s agenda

6 p.m. Trump participates in multilateral meetings with Central Asian countries.

7 p.m. Trump participates in a dinner in the East Room with Central Asian countries.

INTERNET BUZZ

🧀 Celebrate: Today is National Nachos Day.

✈️ Now this is helpful advice, assuming our flights aren’t canceled due to the shutdown: Team USA’s doctor gave some tips for how to not get sick while flying. The gist: Choose a seat in the middle of the plane, sanitize your tray table and direct the air nozzle between you and the person next to you.

AND FINALLY...

Because you made it this far, here’s a suggestion for your next vacuum cleaner. It may not be economical, but it’s cute.