NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor and On Balance host Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He gives you an early look at tonight’s 7 p.m. ET show. Subscribe to War Notes here.  

Cabinet notes: Matt Gaetz is out — questions about him sleeping with the 17-year-old twice (and one of those times with another woman) ended things. 

• Remember all the MAGA types who told us that “he is the BEST pick for AG” — where are they now? Does this mean the next attorney general pick won’t be the best?
  • Best reaction: “Holy s—, I didn’t see this happening,” said John Fetterman after finding out Gaetz withdrew.
• Maybe it was 4D chess: Who knows if Gaetz will go back into Congress or run for governor?
  • Chris Cillizza writes about the real 4D chess moves, and it wasn’t from Team Trump.
  • 🪨 Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense is on the rocks.
    • As we told you a week ago, there was more coming on both, and we will say it again: the Hegseth rape allegation police report isn’t the end of this. 

Watch tonight: Trump confidant Peter Navarro on whether Trump should expand his “Cabinet criteria” beyond just loyal, MAGA and good on television.

Easy question: Why can’t all of Trump’s picks be like Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz and Mike Huckabee?    

INCOMING!

BREAKING from the AP: “Putin warns Russia could use its new missiles against countries allowing Ukraine to fire their missiles at Russia.”

• Earlier: Putin used the country’s new “Frontier missiles” to strike Ukraine.
  • They have a 3,600-mile range
  • Can carry nuclear or conventional warheads
  • Are very difficult to intercept
  • Watch the strikes on Ukraine here
    

Nearly six months after dropping out of the presidential race because he found finishing complete thoughts difficult, President Joe Biden is spending the last sixty days of his presidency isolated and escalating the war in Ukraine. 

• He approved the transfer of American antipersonnel mines to Ukraine.
• Lifted ban on use of U.S. long-range weapons to strike Russian territory.
  • Just a few months ago, the White House said the restrictions were important because giving Ukraine these weapons would escalate war.  
• Allowed U.S. military contractors into the country.
• Vowed to commit $7 billion in military assistance by the time the president leaves office.

• This week: The Department of Defense announced a new tranche of $275 million for Ukraine that would include more drones, artillery ammunition and mortars.
• The Biden administration is trying to relieve $4.6 billion in Ukraine debt.

Where is Biden?!? No, really, where is he, and what is he doing? Why haven’t we heard from him? 

• Russia is threatening nuclear war, and our president won’t even explain why it’s worth risking. 
• In fact, the president who talked all the time about “norms” and press access didn’t talk to the press once during his overseas trip.
  • He hasn’t done a solo press conference in weeks, maybe months.
    • Biden’s last solo press conference was on July 11th.
    • Since then, the closest thing to a press conference he has done was appearing at the press briefing on October 4th.
      • Earlier this week during his trip to Brazil, the president delivered remarks and went viral for appearing to wander into the Amazon rainforest afterward. 
• This is much different than any lame-duck (transition) president in history.
  • Can you imagine Obama launching massive airstrikes on Syria before Trump came into office?
  • What about Carter starting a war with Iran after Reagan won? 
  • What about George H. W. Bush reinvading Iraq before handing power to Clinton?
• This isn’t normal behavior — what’s worse, there are serious questions as to the mental facilities of the president. 
• Biden’s condition — as we all saw during the debate — does not get better with time. It gets worse.
  • Nobody noted he turned 82 yesterday. 

Nate Silver says Biden should resign.

• Noteworthy because Silver made a similar statement about the presidential race at the start of the year. 
• Obvious question: Would Vice President Kamala Harris be any better? She’s already vacationing in Hawaii …
  • Not really the point.

Warning bells: From U.S. Pacific Command: We don’t have enough weapons for ourselves or to defend Taiwan. From the AP:

• “Head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Adm. Samuel Paparo cautioned Tuesday that the U.S. providing or selling billions of dollars worth of air defenses to both Ukraine and Israel is now impeding his ability to respond in the Indo-Pacific, such as if China invades Taiwan.”

A different time: During the 2000 transition, the biggest scandal was Clinton staffers removing the “W” from the White House computer keyboards. Times have changed.

NO consequences

“I pay your salary you dumb b—-,” said an angry parent to a school resource officer in Volusia County, Florida. The video is pretty stunning. 

• Here is the video.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood posted on X:

• “If you’re wondering why some kids show no fear of consequences in today’s society, look no further than these parents. I’m glad they’re locked up & I look forward to them being held fully accountable for this blatant attack on our deputy just doing her job.”

Jorge Rivera and his wife Dagmarie Aponte Iturrino are both in custody at the Volusia County Branch Jail.

Sheriff Chitwood joins us tonight with his tough-love approach to out-of-control violence in schools. 

Death Penalty

Perhaps no person in recent memory is more deserving of the death penalty than Laken Riley’s killer. 

• The illegal immigrant stalked and killed her.
• She fought for her life for 18 minutes.
• Watch the prosecutor’s opening statement here.
• Watch her stepfather read one of Laken’s last journal entries.

The open-and-shut case against the killer of Laken Riley ended with her killer getting life in prison — not the death penalty.

• When I heard that, it didn’t make sense to me.
• Turns out the district attorney in Athens, Georgia, said in 2020 she wouldn’t seek the death penalty no matter the circumstances. 

Watch tonight: Georgia State Senator Colton Moore, who’s asking the state’s attorney general to take the case over and seek a capital sentence. 

Tune into “On Balance with Leland Vittert” weeknights at 7/6C on NewsNation. Find your channel here. 

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation.