Daily Recap: Politics — 23 October 2026

Election-season politics dominate the day, with disputes over voting rules, campaign money and presidential norms colliding with fresh legal scrutiny of public officials. At the same time, North American leaders navigate trade and foreign-policy pressures, while a major South Kor...

Elon Musk pours roughly $445 million into the U.S. midterm elections, giving Republicans one of the largest late-cycle financial boosts in the country. The spending flows to candidates and outside groups as both parties intensify their final push, with Republicans leaning on major donors while Democrats still hold broader fundraising advantages in some races.

The Supreme Court allows New Hampshire to block student IDs as valid voter identification for the upcoming midterms. In an unsigned order, the justices pause lower-court rulings that had prevented the state from enforcing the restriction, meaning the tighter identification standard will be in place for this election cycle.

Donald Trump again says he believes he could seek a third presidential term in 2028, reviving a claim that runs against the two-term limit set by the Constitution. He makes the remarks at a rally in Iowa and elsewhere, keeping attention on a provocative idea he has raised repeatedly.

Two former senior FBI officials face charges of lying to Congress about their roles in investigations tied to Hunter Biden’s laptop. Prosecutors say Nikki Cole Floris and Bradley Benavides gave false testimony about whether the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force was involved in those inquiries during the 2020 election period.

The Trump administration plans to exempt some Canadian exports from U.S. tariffs, signaling a narrower adjustment rather than a full rollback. Senator Susan Collins says the changes are targeted, though the precise products affected are not yet fully defined, leaving businesses to await details on the scope of relief.

Trump renews his attacks on Representative Ilhan Omar, calling for her resignation over allegations involving a “fake name.” He repeats the charge in a Truth Social post and at political events, returning to older claims about Omar’s personal life and pushing them back into the campaign conversation.

A Seoul appeals court acquits Mayor Oh Se-hoon in a political funds case, overturning a lower-court conviction tied to opinion polls before the 2021 mayoral by-election. The ruling removes a serious threat to his hold on office, reversing penalties that had included a fine and forfeiture order.

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada’s effort to deepen engagement with Turkey does not amount to endorsing Turkey’s domestic policies on LGBTQ2S+ rights. He argues that bilateral cooperation can proceed despite disagreements over rights issues, addressing criticism of closer ties with Ankara.