Welcome back, Wake Up Right fam! We’re kicking off the week in peak “Are you tired of winning yet” mode. The latest:

• President Trump is in the Middle East to usher in a new era of peace in the Middle East

• We’re once again celebrating Christopher Columbus

• Tomorrow, Charlie Kirk will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

…and I’m feeling especially cheerful because our baby slept like a rock, meaning mom and dad got 6+ hours of sleep around feedings. Wins all around.

• ⚓️ The Navy was founded 250 years ago today

• ⛵️ Happy Christopher Columbus Day!

• 📈 TPUSA has 350K new registrants since Charlie's assassination

^{Sources: History, n/a, Benny Johnson}

Hamas releases all hostages

All remaining hostages were released by Hamas this morning, and a ceasefire went into effect – ending a nightmare for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and handing President Donald Trump a major diplomatic victory.

The details: Hamas released all 20 living hostages on Monday morning, as Israel began released over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners – including some 250 alleged terrorists.

• The exchange kicked off at roughly 8 a.m. local time, coordinated with Red Cross convoys ensuring safe movement of hostages back to Israel.

• Hostages returned to Israel have been reunited with loved ones and entered medical care.

• Hamas is expected to hand over the bodies of 28 deceased captives soon.

Zoom out: Chants of "Thank you, Trump" rang out in Tel Aviv as the hostages arrived home. Late last week, Gazans took to the streets chanting “Donald Trump! Donald Trump!” after news of the ceasefire was announced.

Quote: President Trump addressed the Knesset in Israel, saying: “This is the beginning of the age of faith & hope… this is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”

What happens next? Later today, Trump will visit Egypt to participate in a Middle East peace ceremony.

[Source: Fox News]

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Trump slaps China with 100% tariffs

President Donald Trump slapped China with sweeping new trade measures on Friday – after Beijing unveiled new restrictions on rare earth exports critical to global supply chains.

The details: The trade measures will go into effect on Nov. 1 with 100% tariffs on Chinese imports and tightening export controls on U.S. tech software.

• Let's do some math: Existing tariffs on China were already at 57%, so this would bring the new rate above 150%.

What set Trump off? China’s Ministry of Commerce announced export restrictions on rare earth elements, lithium batteries, and processing technologies, requiring licenses for any product containing even 0.1% Chinese rare earth content. Trump explained on Truth Social:

• “Some very strange things are happening in China! They are becoming very hostile, and sending letters to Countries throughout the World, that they want to impose Export Controls on each and every element of production having to do with Rare Earths, and virtually anything else they can think of, even if it’s not manufactured in China. Nobody has ever seen anything like this but, essentially, it would “clog” the Markets, and make life difficult for virtually every Country in the World, especially for China.”

The numbers: China dominates the world's rare earth metal industry, processing roughly 90% of global supply.

What’s the big deal? These rare earth metals are necessary for everything from AI chips to electronics and defense manufacturing. The phone or computer you’re reading this on could not be made without rare earths.

China responds: China's Ministry of Commerce responded, saying: “If the U.S. insists on going the wrong way, China will surely take resolute measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests."

Escalatory ladder: Trump gave clues about how he would respond, saying: “For every Element that they have been able to monopolize, we have two. I never thought it would come to this but perhaps, as with all things, the time has come. Ultimately, though potentially painful, it will be a very good thing, in the end, for the U.S.A. One of the Policies that we are calculating at this moment is a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States of America. There are many other countermeasures that are, likewise, under serious consideration.”

Reshuffling the deck: Since taking office, Trump has prioritized reducing dependence on China for these minerals. He invoked emergency powers to fast-track domestic rare earth mining and processing projects, streamlining permits and channeling federal funds into new U.S. facilities.

What happens next: Trump was set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC summit later this month, but says “now there seems to be no reason to do so.”

[Source: Truth Social, Breitbart]

✅ President Trump says he has directed the War Department to use "all available funds" to ensure U.S. troops are paid on Wednesday despite the government shutdown. Read more.

🚨 Joe Biden has begun radiation and hormone therapy for prostate cancer, his spokesperson said, marking a new phase in his treatment after earlier routine monitoring. Read more.

👁️ JP Morgan Chase will force staff at its New York headquarters to share biometric data [fingerprints and retina scan] to enter the building. Read more.

🇶🇦 The U.S. will host a new Qatari Air Force facility at a base in Idaho, War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced. Read more. Wut..?

🔫 California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new gun control law banning most Glock pistols starting July 2026, targeting models that can be easily modified into automatic weapons. Read more.

🇮🇱 The National Education Association, representing millions of U.S. teachers, emailed its members a map that erased Israel and labeled the entire area as “Palestine.” Read more.

🐊 Ronald Exantus, the animal who killed a 6-year-old in a 2015 Kentucky home invasion and was freed last week, was rearrested in Florida for parole violations and failing to register as a felon. Read more.

💰️ Zohran Mamdani's New York mayoral campaign reportedly accepted nearly $13,000 in potentially illegal foreign contributions. Read more.

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🎥 ABC News elf gets triggered by VP Vance's response and disrespectfully cuts away. Watch.

🎥 Pigs fly: Hillary Clinton commends President Trump for Israel-Gaza peace. Watch.

🎥 CNN's Abby Phillip actually calls out Obama for not crediting Trump for peace deal. Watch.

🎥 First Lady Melania says Putin helped her reunite Ukrainian children with their families. Watch.

🎥 This is what propaganda looks like: Two Democrat influencers saying the exact same lines. Watch.

🎥 Nobel Peace Prize winner dedicates her award to President Trump. Watch.

🎥 Former CNN host Don Lemon gets called out for LYING during interview. Watch.

🎥 ICE agents aren't playing! This man[woman?] tried to block their van and instantly regrets it. Watch.

🎥 ICE agents in Portland are treating ANTIFA like the terrorists they are. Watch.

📸 Former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau was spotted getting cozy with singer Katy Perry. See it.

🎙️ In honor of Columbus Day, listen to Michael Knowles debunk the left’s slander of the Italian explorer. Listen.

🎥 Go long: Kai Trump interviews her grandpa while they play golf. Watch.

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