What we covered here today
• White House meeting: President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky were split over the future of the war in Ukraine following their meeting today in Washington.
• The divide: Zelensky came to the US hoping to receive long-range missiles to bolster the fight against Russia. But after what several people described as an at times “uncomfortable” discussion, Trump declared tonight that both sides should stop fighting and accept the current battle line, a position the Ukrainian president has rejected in the past.
• Shutdown drags on: Meanwhile, lawmakers appear no closer to a funding bill as the GOP Senate leader digs in on his demand that Democrats vote to reopen the government before taking action on health care subsidies. Is the shutdown affecting you? Tell us about it.
Our live coverage of news from the Trump administration, including today’s meeting between the US president and his Ukrainian counterpart, has concluded for the day. Please scroll through the posts below for all of Friday’s developments.
European leaders vow "unwavering commitment" to Ukraine following Trump-Zelensky meeting
European leaders reiterated their steadfast support for Ukraine in a virtual call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after his meeting today with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
The European leaders gave “their unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression,” the UK’s Downing Street said in a statement.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “A just and lasting peace for Ukraine was the only way to stop the killing for good, they agreed.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also took part in the call, the spokesperson said.
“Further discussions about how they could support Ukraine in the lead up to, and following, a ceasefire would continue this week, including in a Coalition of the Willing call on Friday, the leaders agreed,” the spokesperson added.
Trump declines to give Ukraine long-range missiles as he and Zelensky are split over future of war
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were split over the future of the war in Ukraine following their third sit down at the White House Friday.
Trump and Zelensky met for several hours alongside their top aides Friday in what was described to CNN by several people familiar as a tense, frank and, at times, “uncomfortable” discussion.
Trump made clear to Zelensky in a “direct and honest” conversation that — for now — the Ukrainian leader would not receive the long-range missiles that can reach far into Russia that he was seeking. One official said Trump was under the impression that Ukraine is seeking to escalate and prolong the conflict and is worried about potential losses during an upcoming harsh winter.
Shortly after the meeting ended, Trump pushed for a ceasefire along the current battle lines and called for an end to the killing.
He told those around him that was due to the “realities of where the conflict stands,” arguing there was too much devastation and too much killing, according to one official.
“Both sides need to make a deal,” another official said, arguing the conditions are only going to get worse.
Zelensky cast the meeting as a “pointed conversation” in a post to social media, but said its outcome “can really help bring this war closer to an end.”
Majority of invited universities reject the Trump admin's demands for expanded access to federal funding
Earlier this month, the Trump administration invited nine major universities to sign onto a series of demands in return for expanded access to federal funding. A majority of those nine schools have now declined, underscoring the challenging tightrope higher education is facing in a broader battle with the White House over academic freedom, federal funding, and campus oversight.
On Friday afternoon, after four schools had rejected the offer, Trump officials convened eight universities to discuss the compact, which would potentially give preferential funding in exchange for a list of changes to school policy.
According to a White House official, the Friday meeting included representatives from the remaining five schools (Vanderbilt University, Dartmouth College, University of Texas at Austin, University of Arizona, and University of Virginia), plus three new schools: Arizona State University, University of Kansas, and Washington University in St. Louis.
Hours after the meeting, UVA announced it would not be signing on.
“We believe that the best path toward real and durable progress lies in an open and collaborative conversation. We look forward to working together to develop alternative, lasting approaches to improving higher education,” interim UVA president Paul Mahoney wrote in a letter to Trump officials including Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
The White House cast Friday’s conversation as “productive” and said it is now up to the schools to decide.
“They now have the baton to consider, discuss, and propose meaningful reforms, including their form and implementation, to ensure college campuses serve as laboratories of American greatness,” White House spokesperson Liz Huston said.
She added: “These leaders are working steadfastly to improve higher education and have been invited to the table to share ideas with the Administration.”
CNN has reached out to the remaining seven schools for comment.
Trump says Russia and Ukraine should stop the war and "go by the battle line"
President Donald Trump on Friday called on Russia and Ukraine to stop the war “at the battle line.”
“In my opinion, they should stop the war immediately. You go by the battle line, wherever it is. Otherwise, it’s too complicated. You’ll never be able to figure it out. You stop at the battle line,” Trump told reporters upon landing in West Palm Beach, Florida.
His latest comments on the war come hours after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House and after a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
“And both sides should go home, go to their families, stop the killing. And that should be it,” Trump added, saying that he’d communicated that sentiment to both foreign leaders.
President Donald Trump posted a message to Truth Social calling on Russia and Ukraine to end the war “where they are” shortly after concluding his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, who in turn suggested he was unable to secure a commitment for Tomahawk missiles from the US.
Trump blasts Democrats over shutdown before attending $1 million-per-plate fundraiser
President Donald Trump cast blame on Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown Friday as he prepared to attend a $1 million-per-plate political fundraising dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
“The shutdown continues. It’s a Democrat shutdown. It’s a (Chuck) Schumer shutdown, because his career has failed and it’s over,” Trump told reporters upon landing in West Palm Beach, Florida, referring to the Senate minority leader.
Trump will be the keynote speaker at a “candlelight dinner” for the Trump-aligned super PAC, MAGA Inc., according to an invitation obtained by CNN.
The invitation notes that Trump is only a featured speaker and “is not asking for funds or donations.”
CNN’s Kristen Holmes contributed.
Air traffic control staffing shortages during the shutdown, by the numbers
Short staffing of air traffic controllers was reported 150 times at Federal Aviation Administration facilities since the start of the current government shutdown, according to a CNN review of publicly available operations plans.
The “staffing triggers” mean actions must be taken so the airspace can remain safe, which can include delaying planes or rerouting flights to other areas where there are more workers.
To put that into context:
- The figure is a nearly five times increase over the 30 staffing shortages reported on the same dates in 2024.
- During the current shutdown, the largest number of air traffic control facilities being understaffed came on the last two Friday evenings into Saturday mornings. There were 25 reported from October 3 to 4 and 30 last Friday and Saturday.
These airports saw the most issues:
- The facility which handles flights into Newark Liberty International Airport had the most staffing issues, with 21 over the past 17 days.
- The Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center, which often handles flights enroute at high altitude, saw staffing issues on 12 occasions.
- Indianapolis and the Washington Center in Virginia both came in next with nine staffing issues reported.
“No Kings” protests are expected in all 50 states tomorrow. Here’s what we know so far
Millions of people are expected to rally in all 50 states tomorrow to protest President Donald Trump’s “authoritarian” agenda, according to organizers.
It’s part of the second round of “No Kings” protests, which is expected to be more widespread than the first round in June.
Here’s what to know to get up to speed:
- Scope of protests: There are more than 2,500 demonstrations planned tomorrow. That’s about 450 more events than the first “No Kings” day in June, when 5 million people took to the streets to protest Trump’s administration as he held a military parade in Washington.
- Key political context: This weekend’s protests follow weeks of other demonstrations regarding Trump’s immigration policies. Over the summer, the administration carried out mass ICE raids, deployed federal troops in Democratic-led cities, and went after the president’s adversaries via the Justice Department, further angering demonstrators.
- Security: US Department of Homeland Security officials are warning about the potential for certain events to become violent, according to an intelligence report sent to US law enforcement agencies Thursday. However, it did not indicate officials were aware of any specific and credible threats, nor did it identify any planned protests by name.
- What’s the chatter: The nonprofit organizer Indivisible Project has emphasized “nonviolent action,” aimed at providing a clear contrast to the administration’s recent show of force. Meantime, Trump on Fox Business Network yesterday rejected the characterization: “You know, they’re saying, they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not.”
CNN’s Lauren Mascarenhas and Josh Campbell contributed reporting to this post.
7 FAA facilities reported short-staffing today
Air traffic control staffing shortages were reported at seven Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control facilities today, a number not exceeded since last weekend.
According to a 6 p.m. update from the FAA, the full complement of controllers are not working in the center that controls high altitude traffic around Atlanta, as well as controllers who deal with flights approaching and departing Newark, Chicago and Las Vegas.
Earlier in the day short staffing was reported in the Boston center as well as two parts of the Albuquerque center.
The cause of the staffing problems is not immediately clear, but Transportation secretary Sean Duffy said this week some workers are taking unscheduled time off to protest not currently being paid for the time they are working while the government is closed.
How this stacks up: This week, the number of facilities reporting shortages was noticeably down from the first part of the shutdown, but still well above what was reported during the same time last year.
Zelensky just gave a recap and took questions about his meeting today with Trump. Here’s what to know
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was at the White House for about 2 .5 hours today. He and his team met President Donald Trump and several US Cabinet officials.
After the meeting, Zelensky briefed European leaders virtually and then spoke to the press.
Here’s what he said:
What they talked about: Zelensky said the two leaders had a “productive” meeting and spoke about a wide range of topics, including long-range weapons. But he said he wouldn’t comment further on the topic of Tomahawk missiles, which Kyiv is seeking, because the US “doesn’t want escalation.” Asked by a reporter whether he was optimistic about the US agreeing to provide the weapons, he said he was “realistic.”
On trust: Asked whether he still trusts that Trump is serious about taking action against Russia, he said Ukraine trusts the United States. “We trust the president that he wants to finish this war,” he said. “We think that it was also difficult to manage the situation in the Middle East, and the president was successful in it. I hope that he will manage this situation.”
A Truth social post emerges: As Zelensky spoke, Trump posted on the social media platform, saying the war in Ukraine should end now, along its current lines, with both sides being allowed to claim victory. Zelensky said that Trump understands that negotiations about Ukrainian territory will be the “most difficult” part of halting Russia’s war. And responding to a question about Trump’s suggestion, Zelensky said, “We have to stop where we are. This is important, to stop where we are, and then to speak.”
CNN’s Kit Maher, Sophie Tanno, Billy Stockwell, Jennifer Hansler and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
Zelensky says Trump understands negotiations about Ukrainian territory will be "most difficult"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that US President Donald Trump understands that negotiations about Ukrainian territory will be the “most difficult” part of halting Russia’s war.
Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly offered to halt the war in Ukraine in exchange for significant territorial concessions by Kyiv, including the entire eastern Donbas region, according to US officials.
At the time, Zelensky vowed not to concede eastern Ukrainian land as it would open the door for Putin to “start a third war” in Ukraine.
Asked today about the idea of territorial concessions, the Ukrainian leader said that he’s “not sure that Russia changed their position. I’m not sure because we didn’t have any kind of meetings to understand positions of both sides.”
“Nobody can finish this without Ukraine,” he added.
After Friday’s meeting, Trump said the war in Ukraine should end now, along its current lines, with both sides being allowed to claim victory.
Zelensky says Russia is "afraid" of US-made Tomahawk missiles
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today that Russia is “afraid” of long-range Tomahawk missiles because they are a “strong weapon.”
Regarding Ukraine’s push to receive American Tomahawks from the US, Zelensky suggested there had been no movement on this issue but reiterated Ukraine’s stance: “We need them.”
Asked by a reporter outside the White House whether he was optimistic about the US agreeing to provide the weapons, he said he was “realistic.”
Zelensky said that he also discussed working on drones with Trump’s team. He suggested Kyiv could supply the US with Ukrainian-made drones in exchange for Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Earlier, the Ukrainian leader said that he spoke with US President Donald Trump about long-range weapons; but said he wouldn’t comment further because the US “doesn’t want escalation.”
Zelensky says war must stop so sides can speak, responding to Trump's post
Responding in nearly real time to US President Donald Trump’s comments on Truth Social, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the war must stop now in order to engage in meaningful dialogue for peace.
Trump said in a post that the war in Ukraine should end now, along its current lines, with both sides being allowed to claim victory.
“Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are,” Trump wrote.
It is unclear if Zelensky meant Ukraine would be willing to freeze the lines of conflict or if he was referencing a ceasefire.
“I agree with president, yes, both sides have to stop, but between us, it’s about Putin because we didn’t begin this war,” Zelensky said. He would be open to both bilateral or trilateral meetings with the US and Russia to figure out steps to “lasting peace.”
Trump signs proclamation paving way for higher tariffs on trucks and buses
President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation to enact higher tariffs on medium- and heavy-duty trucks and parts as well as buses starting November 1.
The tariff for trucks and truck parts will be 25% tariff; for buses, which includes school buses and public transit buses, the rate will be 10%.
The president previously announced his intent to impose most of these tariffs in a Truth Social post earlier this month. Exceptions to the new tariffs will be granted for products coming from Mexico and Canada if they comply with the terms of the trade agreement known as USMCA, brokered under Trump’s first term.
Senior administration officials told reporters Friday that any already-agreed-upon tariff rates with other trading partners, such as the European Union and Japan, will apply to the truck and bus levies.
Meanwhile, senators are seeking to force a vote on blocking potential use of armed forces in Venezuela
A group of senators, led by Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff and GOP Sen. Rand Paul, are seeking to block the potential use of US Armed Forces in Venezuela without congressional approval, and are expected to force a vote on advancing a war powers resolution in the coming weeks.
These senators most recently forced a vote on a separate resolution aimed at blocking armed forces from striking more alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean without congressional approval. This failed after it did not garner enough GOP support, despite senators in both parties acknowledging their concern about the escalating actions.
In this case, as well as with Venezuela, the senators argue that Congress must exercise its constitutional right of oversight over the use of force, however at this point it is unclear if there would be enough votes to advance the Venezuela resolution, or if it would face the same uphill battle as the last measure.
The resolution that they have introduced clarifies that this measure, if adopted, would not “prevent the United States from defending itself from an armed attack or threat of an imminent armed attack.”
Trump says Russia and Ukraine should end war "where they are"
President Donald Trump said Friday that the war in Ukraine should end now, along its current lines, with both sides being allowed to claim victory.
“Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are,” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after concluding a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Let both claim Victory, let History decide! No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent.”
Describing his meeting Friday with Ukraine’s president as “very interesting” and “cordial,” Trump said he conveyed a similar message to Zelensky as he told Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier.
“I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!” he wrote.
Trump decried the “thousands of people being slaughtered each and every week” and concluded: “NO MORE, GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILIES IN PEACE!”
In the meeting earlier, Trump stopped short of offering a view on whether Ukraine would need to cede territory as part of a peace settlement with Russia, the latest in a series of shifting opinions on the matter.
“You never know,” he said. “War is very interesting. You never know. You just never know with war, war and peace, but you never know.”
Trump has taken divergent stances on the issue. Ahead of his meeting with Putin in August, he said “land swaps” would be necessary for the war to end.
Later, he changed his mind, saying he believed Ukraine could win back all the territory now occupied by Russia.
"We trust the United States," Zelensky says
Asked whether he still trusts that US President Donald Trump is serious about taking action against Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy told reporters outside the White House; “We trust the United States. We trust the president that he wants to finish this war.”
Zelensky added, “We think that it was also difficult to manage the situation in the Middle East, and the president was successful in it. I hope that he will manage this situation.”
Zelensky says he spoke with Trump about long-range weapons
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke with US President Donald Trump about long-range weapons; but said he wouldn’t comment further because the US “doesn’t want escalation.”
The Ukrainian leader added that he spoke about bilateral security guarantees with Trump.
“One of the topic, what we discussed with President Trump, was about security guarantees. We want United States be a part of security,” he said.
Zelensky says he had "productive" meeting with Trump
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is now delivering a statement to the press outside the White House, following his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Zelensky said the two leaders had a “productive” meeting and spoke about a wide range of topics including Ukraine’s air defenses.
Zelensky is briefing European leaders after Trump meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is briefing European leaders virtually after his meeting with President Donald Trump, a Ukrainian official said Friday.
The two met for more than two hours, the official said, and Zelensky showed Trump several maps.
