United States President Donald Trump has appointed himself troller-in-chief during a US government shutdown, mocking rival Democrats with sometimes racially tinged memes and hoping they take the blame. From ambushing top Democrats with “Trump 2028” hats in the Oval Office to an AI-generated video of US House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries in a sombrero, the social media onslaught has been extreme even by the Republican’s standards. But there is a serious strategy behind the socials — don’t negotiate, threaten mass layoffs and hope the Democrats cave in. As the clock ticked down to the deadline for a first shutdown in nearly seven years, Trump seemed more interested in trolling than dealmaking. Hours before the deadline on Tuesday, Trump posted three pictures on his Truth Social network of his meeting a day earlier with Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Jeffries. In the foreground? Red “Trump 2028” hats placed on the iconic Resolute Desk, referring to a constitutionally banned third Trump pr...
Bitcoin started October on a strong note by rallying to $118,200. That clears the path for BTC to chase new all-time highs. Which altcoins could follow? Key points: Bitcoin has broken above the $117,500 resistance, opening the gates for a retest of the all-time high at $124,474. Several altcoins have started a strong relief rally, signaling solid buying at lower levels. Read more
In addition to restrictions on enforcement actions and ongoing litigation, the agency will likely stop reviewing crypto ETF applications. Members of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began shutting down operations on Wednesday under a lapse in government funding, with most staff directed to secure their work and prepare for what could be a days-long pause in operations. According to a Wednesday notice on X, about nine hours after US lawmakers were unable to pass a bill to continue funding the government, the SEC was operating in accordance with a plan set up in August. The plan stated that the agency would have an “extremely limited number of staff” and many of its systems would operate “under modified conditions.” “On the first workday of a lapse in appropriations, non-excepted staff will engage in activities to shut down their respective operations, to secure their workstations and work materials, and to prepare for the rapid restart of operations when funding is renewed,” said the SEC. Read m...