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President Trump said in a radio interview on Friday that the U.S. struck “a big plant or a big facility where the [alleged drug trafficking] ships come from” in Venezuela. (NYT.) The New York Times later reported that “people briefed on the operation” say the attack was a drone strike conducted by the C.I.A. on a port facility, and it is the first known U.S. operation inside Venezuela since the beginning of the boat strikes. (NYT.)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz on Monday announced that states will receive a larger share of rural healthcare funding if they adopt certain “Make America Healthy Again” policies. (WSJ.)
Jack Goldsmith spoke with Chris Mirasola about the President’s “protective power” to use the regular armed forces or the National Guard in the domestic sphere for the protection of federal property and functions. (Executive Functions.)
Nancy Gertner discussed two Supreme Court precedents that make it difficult to hold immigration officials accountable for violations of constitutional rights. (The Atlantic.)
Michael Vandergriff argued that designating European “Antifa-linked” groups as foreign terrorist organizations risks infringing on civil liberties by providing a “foreign nexus” that allows the government to use expanded counterterrorism and surveillance powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act against domestic critics. (Lawfare.)
Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court
Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.
Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. The Court set argument for January 21, 2026, and both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19.