Top 5 US stories, October 19, 2026: $8 billion in farm fuel aid and more

Monday, October 19, 2026: farm fuel aid, two new Supreme Court cases, a golf course hearing in Washington, President Trump's criticism of Ukraine's president, and a Pentagon trip to Israel.

Trump announces $8 billion in fuel aid for farmers

At a campaign rally in Park City, Kansas, President Trump said the Agriculture Department will start a Harvest Fuel Relief Program with $8 billion to help farmers pay for diesel this harvest. One-time payments will follow a formula meant to cover part of expected 2026 crop losses, according to the Texas Farm Bureau.

Farmers do not need crop insurance to qualify. Specialty crop growers and fishermen, whose products are not Title I commodities, are asked to send USDA their fuel cost data.

USDA expects to post Title I payment rates in November and has not said when money will go out. Trump spoke while campaigning for Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, who faces Democrat Adam Hamilton on November 3.

Supreme Court takes up home distilling ban and a school admissions case

The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide whether Congress could ban making spirits at home, under an 1868 law carrying up to five years in prison. The justices also accepted a case brought by Asian American parents over race and admissions at selective Maryland middle schools, and refused to revive Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's withdrawn plea deal.

Hobby distillers say Congress went beyond its taxing power, and the Fifth Circuit agreed with them. The Justice Department says the ban keeps producers from dodging federal excise taxes. Mohammed, accused in the 9/11 attacks, and two others now face an expected military trial in 2028, PBS NewsHour reported.

Arguments in the distilling case are likely early next year, with a ruling expected by summer, The Hill reports.

Judge signals she will keep blocking tree removal at a D.C. golf course

At a hearing on Monday, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said she plans to extend her order against more tree cutting at East Potomac Golf Links, where over 400 trees came down over the Columbus Day weekend. Officials tie the cutting to a 2019 report on restoring the course's historic layout; Reyes said there was "no universe" in which the timing was a coincidence.

Thousands of golfers, cyclists and joggers use the public course each day. The D.C. Preservation League and individual golfers sued to stop the overhaul, calling it unlawful. The administration says the court has no role because the plan is not final.

Trump has said the course will close on November 15 for a renovation. In court, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said, "There is no plan to close the course." Reyes, who on Sunday refused a Justice Department request to step aside, said she was not yet ready to "stop the plan altogether."

Trump presses Zelenskyy as Russian strikes hit Kyiv

Trump said Monday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not want to end the war and that "somebody else" should negotiate for Ukraine. The same day, Russian drones and missiles struck Kyiv without warning, damaging homes, a shopping mall and a school.

Ukraine says U.S. speed caps on SpaceX systems are cutting links to its drones, and Zelenskyy said U.S. intelligence sharing was blocked for a time. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied any restriction, saying, "There's been no pause." Ukraine's deputy ambassador, Denys Sienik, told PBS NewsHour that Russia needs more pressure to stop the war.

Zelenskyy is due to meet U.S. negotiators this week. Trump said he may meet Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping next month to discuss arms control.

Hegseth meets Netanyahu on an unannounced Israel trip

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Israel on Monday and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, CBS News reported, citing a senior U.S. military official. Hegseth later said he went to see U.S. troops and spoke with the prime minister; the Pentagon declined to comment.

The visit comes as the U.S. and Iran have largely held off on strikes against each other, and Trump weighs a deal with Iran's leaders or military action. The administration has also urged Israel to curb settler violence in the West Bank.

Israel votes on October 27, and Netanyahu has said he does not plan new strikes on Iran before then. Trump has said his decision on Iran could come after the U.S. midterm elections in November.

Quick answers

What is the Harvest Fuel Relief Program?

It is an $8 billion USDA program of one-time payments to help farmers with higher diesel costs, which Trump announced in Kansas on October 19, 2026. Payment rates for Title I commodities are expected in November.

Is it illegal to distill spirits at home in the US?

Yes. Under an 1868 federal law, it is a crime that carries up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The Supreme Court agreed to decide whether Congress had the power to pass it.

What happened in the East Potomac golf course case?

Judge Ana Reyes signaled she will extend her order blocking more tree removal at the course. She has not issued a final ruling on the renovation plan.