Melania Trump negotiated a localized cease-fire in Oleshky starting Oct. 29, 2026, to help evacuate up to 2,000 residents and deliver aid.
Page A223From§Eachthe afternoon edition — 26 October 2026
Trump likens Senate candidate to Flight 93 hijackers; his commentariat reviews the delivery as pedal to the metal
As it ran on the front
Let me start with the standings, because the standings are the part the press keeps walking past. Michigan is close. In a close race a President campaigns, and campaigning means saying which candidate he likes. He likes Mike Rogers. He has been clear about the other one.
The record starts in early October. The Hill carried the post on October 8: Mohammed El-Sayed is a terrible Candidate for the Dumocrats. The man's full name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, so the middle name is a name he has, and I am not going to apologize for accuracy. I have not once heard this President reach past a candidate's first name when the middle name was Edward. Strike that. I meant the question has not come up, because the question has not come up.…
…(cont) Then came the debate. October 9, The Hill again: the President posted that Mike Rogers, the great American Patriot and Republican Candidate for the U.S. Senate, completely obliterated Mohammed El-Sayed. Count the honorifics in that sentence. One man gets patriot. One man gets a middle name he did not run under. That is a style choice, and style is not policy.
Which brings us to the newest remarks, where the President called El-Sayed a jihadist, said people like him should never be allowed in the Senate, and said the Senate would want a metal detector for him. A metal detector is a routine security measure, and a routine security measure applies to everyone who walks through it, which is the whole principle of a detector — it does not have a name field. Did I say that? That doesn't sound like me.
And then he compared the man to the hijackers who took United Flight 93. El-Sayed answered. Senator Sanders answered. A supporter who was with us in 2024 answered. Three answers, which the press is calling backlash and I am calling engagement.
So on Sunday a Washington Examiner columnist went on Fox's weekend show and delivered the assessment. Pedal to the metal. His words. Pedal to the metal, as far as painting El-Sayed as a danger to the Senate. Painting. That is the defense the movement filed — not that the comparison is true, but that the pace is good. That is the official line, and the official line is that it is working.
“The defense here isn't that El-Sayed is dangerous — it's that calling him dangerous is working, which means a man's religion is being run as a campaign plank in a close Senate race. The President won't use the name the guy is on the ballot under, he reaches past it for the middle one, and his own commentariat grades the hijacker comparison on tempo, like footwork. Michigan is about to tell every campaign in this country whether that pays.”
“Look, a metal detector is a neutral security device, it applies to everyone who walks through — did I say that? What I'm saying is the President used the man's actual middle name, which is accuracy, and accuracy is not an attack. And our columnist said pedal to the metal, which is a compliment about effort, not about the Flight 93 part, and I'd point out he never defended the Flight 93 part. I'm not nervous. You're nervous.”
Earlier in this story
- White House credits Ukraine's third ceasefire of the month to the Russia sanctions it waived the week before By Chip · the evening edition, 25 October 2026
The receipts
First lady Melania Trump's office says she secured a localized ceasefire for the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky.
Delano D'Souza is pleased to welcome Peter Zalmayev, Founder and Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, LIVE from Kyiv. As Zelensky declares Ukraine "done" with Trump's self-declared energy ceasefire and resumes strikes on Russian oil refineries, Zalmayev warns: "When you talk about the energy ceasefire, it presupposes two to be…
Trump called El-Sayed a “jihadist” and said people like him should never be allowed in the Senate.
"I'll meet with Putin. I'll meet with Zelensky... And within 24 hours, that war will be settled" - Trump, 10 May 2023; CNN counted 53 such promises CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Witkoff lauds 'humanitarian' Putin as Russia releases detained AmericanPresident Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff landed in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Wednesday morning, a Kremlin aide confirmed.
Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired US schoolteacher in Russian custody since 2022, was freed from prison today and taken to St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport, President of Russia Vladimir Putin said.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Wednesday that Russia was 'in principle, ready to resume' the talks in mid-November, following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in Saint Petersburg. Ukraine quickly backed the proposal.
Trump promised to settle the Ukraine war within 24 hours of meeting Putin and Zelensky - CNN counted 53 separate times he made that promise CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Peter Zalmayev: 'Ukraine was showing all sorts of cards that Trump took away and gave to Putin'Angela Diffley is pleased to welcome Peter Zalmayev, Founder and Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, LIVE from Kyiv. And he warns, "I'm seeing, I'm smelling a Yalta II. I'm smelling another Munich (1938), where we're seeing appeasement of the aggressor." Ukraine faces the possibility that its sovereignty and security could…
Trump promised to personally settle the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours - on 53 separate occasions CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Melania Trump brokers localized Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, White House saysFirst lady Melania Trump has secured a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the front-line city of Oleshky, the White House said in a press release Friday morning. The ceasefire will begin Thursday with both nations agreeing to temporarily stop all military action in the city “to allow for humanitarian aid to enter and...
Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha discusses President Donald Trump comparing Abdul el Sayed to the hijackers who took over United Flight 93 during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. “He’s going pedal to the metal at this point,”
"I'll meet with Putin. I'll meet with Zelensky... And within 24 hours, that war will be settled" - Trump, CNN town hall, 10 May 2023. CNN counted 53 separate occasions he promised it. CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
War in Ukraine: Europe stands united behind Kyiv but must revisit how to finance its supportInvited to the European leaders' summit in Brussels on Friday, Volodymyr Zelensky, weakened by what he called the 'betrayal' of Donald Trump, asked his allies for an additional €70 billion in aid for the year 2027.
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has said that US President Donald Trump's decision to waive Russian sanctions only "rewards" Vladimir Putin.
"I'll meet with Putin. I'll meet with Zelensky... within 24 hours, that war will be settled" - Trump promised this 53 separate times, CNN counted CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Melania Trump says she’s secured ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in OleshkyFirst lady Melania Trump said Friday that she helped broker a temporary ceasefire on one front of the war between Russia and Ukraine. The limited break in fighting will begin Thursday, according to the White House, and will be limited to the region of Olenshky in southern Ukraine. Both Ukraine and Russia have agreed to […]
Experts say Russia is trying to destroy energy infrastructure before winter and US ‘appeasement and flattery’ will not achieve peace Russia has carried out a massive “demonstrative” attack on Ukraine, bombarding Kyiv with ballistic missiles just hours after Vladimir Putin said he had agreed to resume trilateral negotiations after talks…
The Democrat himself has hit back, as has Senator Bernie Sanders and a key Trump supporter from 2024.
Trump promised to settle the Ukraine war within 24 hours - CNN counted 53 separate occasions he said it CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
White House says Melania Trump brokered truce for Ukraine city 'on brink of disaster'Ukraine and Russia confirm the truce in Russian-occupied Oleshky, where residents have had to eat garden weeds to survive.
Trump promised 53 separate times he'd settle the Ukraine war within 24 hours CNN fact check, 25 April 2025 (all 53 instances)
Trump’s diesel deal derailed Ukraine-Russia peace progress, says Czech presidentCzech President Petr Pavel on Tuesday said President Trump's diesel deal with Russia derailed peace talks between the Kremlin and Ukraine, saying both sides were "so close" to a ceasefire. "It will be much harder now," Pavel told the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which includes Politico. "Russia uses this momentum to get out…
· Trump rips El-Sayed after Michigan Senate debate from the morgue, 9 Oct 2026
· Schumer blasts Trump's 'bigoted bulls‑‑‑' on El-Sayed from the morgue, 8 Oct 2026
· Trump calls El-Sayed a 'terrible candidate' from the morgue, 8 Oct 2026
· Trump announces immediate ‘energy ceasefire’ between Russia and Ukraine from the morgue, 11 Oct 2026
· Zelenskyy blindsided after Trump announces ‘energy ceasefire’ in Ukraine war from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Russia still hitting Ukrainian energy sites despite Trump claim of ceasefire, Zelensky says from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Trump calls Ukraine’s renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries a ‘disgrace’ from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· Zelenskyy vows to retaliate if Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power grid continue from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Zelensky unleashes on Trump as Russia diesel deal rallies Ukraine’s supporters from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Zelensky unleashes on Trump over Russia diesel deal from the morgue, 13 Oct 2026
· Zelensky shrugs off Trump’s call for him to be replaced from the morgue, 11 Oct 2026
· US gave us no warning of Russian strikes on Kyiv power plants, Zelenskyy says from the morgue, 19 Oct 2026
· Putin orders release of jailed American as he meets Trump envoy for Ukraine talks from the morgue, 22 Oct 2026
· Former U.S. ambassador says Putin is a war criminal, calls Witkoff's comment "fatuous" from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Russia frees US citizen Stephen Hubbard, state media reports from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· The Guardian view on Trump and Putin: Ukraine’s future is not theirs to bargain away from the morgue, 19 Oct 2026
· Putin proposing summit with Trump, Xi in push to end Ukraine war: WSJ from the morgue, 19 Oct 2026
· Witkoff says he hopes Ukraine included in U.S., Russia talks from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Zelensky says he'd be open to freezing front lines to end Russia war from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Democrats call for investigation into Musk over reported Starlink slowdown order from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Ukraine's Zelenskyy open to freezing front lines in ceasefire with Russia from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Putin agrees to trilateral talks with Ukraine, US to end war from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Ukraine’s Zelensky says he’d accept peace deal with Russia that ‘freezes’ front lines: ‘Real way to end war’ from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Trump says Ukraine and Russia have agreed to energy target ceasefire from the morgue, 14 Sep 2026
· Rep. Turner calls for congressional probe into Starlink slowdown that disrupted Ukraine drones from the morgue, 18 Oct 2026
· Throttling of Ukraine's Starlink Access Heightens Concerns Over Government Reliance on Elon Musk from the morgue, 14 Oct 2026
· Russia Releases American Stephen Hubbard From Prison, State Media Reports from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Witkoff blasted for calling Putin a "humanitarian" from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Witkoff calling Putin a humanitarian is "cringeworthy," former U.S. ambassador says from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Witkoff faces backlash after calling Putin a 'humanitarian' from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Trump envoy Steve Witkoff praises Putin as ‘humanitarian’ as Ukraine peace talks hang in the balance from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Stephen Hubbard released by Russia after years in prison from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Editor Daily Rundown: Russia Releases American Prisoner Without A Swap from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Who Is Stephen James Hubbard, the American Released From Russian Jail? from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Live updates: Trump lauds Russia's release of American; Vance to campaign with Ramaswamy in Ohio from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· American Stephen Hubbard released by Russia, Trump confirms from the morgue, 22 Oct 2026
· Trump: Implementing Russia sanctions would have halted Stephen Hubbard release talks from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Pence calls on Trump to restore sanctions, scrap Russia diesel deal from the morgue, 18 Oct 2026
· Sen. Graham on Trump waiving Russia sanctions: ‘I look forward to talking to him’ from the morgue, 18 Oct 2026
· Trump and Putin held call over Witkoff-Kushner meeting and state of Ukraine war, Russia says from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Trump Offers Putin Economic Relief in Hopes That Russia Will Return the Favor from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Graham Breaks With Trump Over Russia Sanctions Law Her Brother Championed from the morgue, 18 Oct 2026
· Easing sanctions on Russia only helps fund Putin’s killing machine from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Massie offers rare praise for Trump on waiving Lindsey Graham’s Russia sanctions from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· U.S. Floats Lifeline to Russia: Allowing More Gas Sales to Europe from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Schumer: 'Trump just gave Putin the best birthday gift he’ll get this year' from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Trump signs Russia sanctions bill named after Lindsey Graham from the morgue, 19 Sep 2026
· Tillis says Trump's Russia deal 'is tarnishing Lindsey Graham's efforts' at sanctions from the morgue, 11 Oct 2026
· Zelensky says US-Russia diesel deal is a 'birthday gift' to Putin to 'kill us, kill our children' from the morgue, 11 Oct 2026
· Zelensky on Trump waiving Russia sanctions: 'This Act could have helped enormously' from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Zelensky blasts ‘unfortunate’ decision to pause Russia sanctions as Moscow hits power plants from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· GOP lawmakers bash Trump's decision to waive Russia sanctions: 'Beyond irresponsible' from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Trump waives several Russia sanctions as row with Zelensky intensifies from the morgue, 18 Oct 2026
· Lawmakers in bipartisan statement push back on Trump over Russian oil from the morgue, 11 Oct 2026
· Zelensky bashes Trump over diesel deal with Russia from the morgue, 10 Oct 2026
· Trump rips Zelensky amid Russia diesel deal feud: 'I suggest they get a new leader' from the morgue, 10 Oct 2026
· Europe blasts Russian finance minister's attendance at Asheville G20 from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Trump Signs Order Exempting Russia From Sanctions Legislation from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Trump waives tariffs on largest buyers of Russian oil from the morgue, 18 Oct 2026
· Trump waives Russia sanctions ordered by law named for Lindsey Graham from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold amid deepening row with Ukraine from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Trump doubles down after waiving new Russia sanctions, calling it a ‘very good decision’ from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Trump says Russia will export diesel, lifts sanctions from the morgue, 9 Oct 2026
· Trump rips into Volodymyr Zelensky — insisting it’s time for Ukraine to ‘get a new president’ from the morgue, 10 Oct 2026
· Ukraine hit by deadly Russian strikes as ‘thanks’ for Trump diesel deal, Zelenskyy says from the morgue, 10 Oct 2026
· Trump calls for Ukraine to replace Zelenskyy after clash over Russia diesel deal: 'Get a new president' from the morgue, 10 Oct 2026
· Rebuking Ukraine Over Oil Strikes, Trump Says It Should ‘Get a New President’ from the morgue, 10 Oct 2026
· 'Time for Ukraine to get new president,' says Trump after Zelensky condemns diesel deal from the morgue, 11 Oct 2026
· Trump says Ukraine needs new president, blames Zelenskyy for diesel prices from the morgue, 11 Oct 2026
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front. The byline is a pen name for a column drafted by a machine and checked by the editor: how this is made.