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It’s Monday, September 22. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today’s issue includes: a religious revival spurred by Charlie Kirk’s death, the Americans who are claiming asylum in Canada, Amnesty International can’t bring itself to publish its report on the October 7, 2023 attacks, and much more.
But first: A sit-down with Utah governor Spencer Cox . . .
In the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Utah governor Spencer Cox told us that America faces a crossroads: Would this mark “the end of a dark chapter in our history or the beginning of a darker chapter?”
Cox’s own response over the past days—calm, sober, unifying—seemed to offer a model of how we can make sure it’s the former. But given how rare that kind of politician is in our country these days, I wondered what he thinks America will actually choose.
So I flew to Salt Lake City to sit down with him to ask him about that—and so much else.
We spoke in his office, festooned with a guitar and an electric bass and a college basketball jersey—emblems of a life that now feels very far away.
—Peter Savodnik
People gather for a pro-Palestinian protest at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2025. (Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Portugal formally recognized a Palestinian state yesterday. Leaders of those nations said they hoped the move would encourage a two-state solution, while Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted it as a “prize” to Hamas. “It will not happen,” he added.
President Trump signed an executive order on Friday imposing a $100,000 application fee for new H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers. He also unveiled the “Trump Gold Card,” which will allow foreigners to live and work in the U.S. for $1 million—or $2 million for corporations sponsoring employees.
In a since-deleted Truth Social post, President Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute his Democratic rivals, including former FBI director James Comey, Senator Adam Schiff, and New York attorney general Letitia James. Addressing his post to “Pam,” Trump wrote: “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. . . . JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” In a post an hour later, he commended Bondi for “doing a GREAT job.”
The United Nations General Assembly begins today in New York City, where Palestinian statehood will be the focus of a conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. President Trump will speak at the UN on Tuesday. His administration has denied visas to Palestinian leaders to travel to the General Assembly.
Last year, the FBI recorded Tom Homan, now the border czar, accepting $50,000 in cash from undercover agents posing as business executives after telling them he could help them win government contracts, MSNBC reported. The FBI and the Justice Department wanted to see if Homan would follow through once he joined the administration, but Trump appointees shut down the investigation, calling it “baseless” and a “deep state” probe. The New York Times reported that the cash was handed over inside a bag from the restaurant chain Cava.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent letters last week warning that California, New York, and Illinois would face federal legal action if they did not comply with thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers, CBS News reported. The detainers are requests by ICE for local jails and prisons to hold and notify ICE about wanted individuals. Illinois and New York have formally declined to cooperate, according to DHS.
Journalists who cover the Pentagon will risk losing their press credentials if they publish information that has not been authorized for release, including unclassified information, the Department of Defense announced on Friday. The agency has been plagued with leaks, and earlier this year, the Pentagon restricted the movement of journalists inside the building.
On Friday, President Trump confirmed a third airstrike on a “narcotrafficking” vessel in international waters, killing three people. Trump has said that the attacks targeted boats affiliated with Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Venezuela accused the U.S. of waging an “undeclared war.”
Americans will control TikTok’s algorithm plus six out of seven TikTok board seats, the White House said on Saturday. Trump said on Sunday that technology and media titans Larry Ellison, Michael Dell, Rupert Murdoch, and his son Lachlan Murdoch will be part of the group that will take over the algorithm. A deal hasn’t been announced yet.
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By Bari WeissIt’s Monday, September 22. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today’s issue includes: a religious revival spurred by Charlie Kirk’s death, the Americans who are claiming asylum in Canada, Amnesty International can’t bring itself to publish its report on the October 7, 2023 attacks, and much more.
But first: A sit-down with Utah governor Spencer Cox . . .
In the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Utah governor Spencer Cox told us that America faces a crossroads: Would this mark “the end of a dark chapter in our history or the beginning of a darker chapter?”
Cox’s own response over the past days—calm, sober, unifying—seemed to offer a model of how we can make sure it’s the former. But given how rare that kind of politician is in our country these days, I wondered what he thinks America will actually choose.
So I flew to Salt Lake City to sit down with him to ask him about that—and so much else.
We spoke in his office, festooned with a guitar and an electric bass and a college basketball jersey—emblems of a life that now feels very far away.
—Peter Savodnik
People gather for a pro-Palestinian protest at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2025. (Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Portugal formally recognized a Palestinian state yesterday. Leaders of those nations said they hoped the move would encourage a two-state solution, while Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted it as a “prize” to Hamas. “It will not happen,” he added.
President Trump signed an executive order on Friday imposing a $100,000 application fee for new H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers. He also unveiled the “Trump Gold Card,” which will allow foreigners to live and work in the U.S. for $1 million—or $2 million for corporations sponsoring employees.
In a since-deleted Truth Social post, President Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute his Democratic rivals, including former FBI director James Comey, Senator Adam Schiff, and New York attorney general Letitia James. Addressing his post to “Pam,” Trump wrote: “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. . . . JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” In a post an hour later, he commended Bondi for “doing a GREAT job.”
The United Nations General Assembly begins today in New York City, where Palestinian statehood will be the focus of a conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. President Trump will speak at the UN on Tuesday. His administration has denied visas to Palestinian leaders to travel to the General Assembly.
Last year, the FBI recorded Tom Homan, now the border czar, accepting $50,000 in cash from undercover agents posing as business executives after telling them he could help them win government contracts, MSNBC reported. The FBI and the Justice Department wanted to see if Homan would follow through once he joined the administration, but Trump appointees shut down the investigation, calling it “baseless” and a “deep state” probe. The New York Times reported that the cash was handed over inside a bag from the restaurant chain Cava.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent letters last week warning that California, New York, and Illinois would face federal legal action if they did not comply with thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers, CBS News reported. The detainers are requests by ICE for local jails and prisons to hold and notify ICE about wanted individuals. Illinois and New York have formally declined to cooperate, according to DHS.
Journalists who cover the Pentagon will risk losing their press credentials if they publish information that has not been authorized for release, including unclassified information, the Department of Defense announced on Friday. The agency has been plagued with leaks, and earlier this year, the Pentagon restricted the movement of journalists inside the building.
On Friday, President Trump confirmed a third airstrike on a “narcotrafficking” vessel in international waters, killing three people. Trump has said that the attacks targeted boats affiliated with Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Venezuela accused the U.S. of waging an “undeclared war.”
Americans will control TikTok’s algorithm plus six out of seven TikTok board seats, the White House said on Saturday. Trump said on Sunday that technology and media titans Larry Ellison, Michael Dell, Rupert Murdoch, and his son Lachlan Murdoch will be part of the group that will take over the algorithm. A deal hasn’t been announced yet.