A journalist made headlines earlier this month after White House officials responded “your mom” to one of his questions — now, he’s revealed an even more brutal message from White House Communications Director Steven Cheung. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung. When Dáte responded and asked if he’d ever insulted Cheung, the White House communications director accused him of being a “moron,” according to the NYT. When asked if Cheung's responses were considered appropriate, a White House official told The Independent, "YES." Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement Advertisement"WE CALL IT LIKE WE SEE IT," the White House official wrote.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGWASHINGTON — The Trump administration has found creative ways to cover military pay during the ongoing government shutdown, but says it can’t do the same for federal food benefits. During the last shutdown, in 2019, the Trump administration made extra effort to distribute SNAP benefits as a funding standoff entered its second month. In a striking reversal, the Trump administration now says its hands are tied. As a result, next month, more than 20 million households representing 42 million people will miss out on SNAP benefits averaging about $350 per household. (In 2013, the USDA implemented an across-the-board reduction in SNAP benefits without any technical problems coming to public attention.)

Shirish V. Dáte education and career: From Pune to HuffPost White House correspondentEarly life and educationEarly journalism career in FloridaTransition to Washington and White House reportingBooks and authorshipPersonal life and notable experiencesCareer philosophy and approachShirish V. Dáte, HuffPost’s veteran White House correspondent, recently made headlines when a question he asked about the US–Russia diplomatic meeting drew juvenile responses from Trump’s press secretary and communications director. Across these organisations, he became known for rigorous, accountability-driven reporting that prioritised FOIA requests, public records, and thorough investigation.Eventually joining HuffPost, Dáte took on the White House beat. His work exemplifies a consistent focus on political accountability and professional integrity in Washington journalism.Dáte is also an accomplished author. He now resides in Northern Virginia with his wife and two sons and continues to anchor HuffPost’s White House coverage.Known for his methodical, old-school approach, Dáte emphasises professionalism and accountability. His work exemplifies sustained dedication to investigative reporting, national politics, and the principles of accountability journalism.

(Photo by Andrew Leyden/NurPhoto via AP)When White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to own a reporter with a “your mom” diss two weeks ago, his employer, HuffPost, spun the punchline into profit that boosted memberships by 66 percent — in just one day. The exchange began on Oct. 17 when HuffPost correspondent Shirish Dáte asked who had recommended Budapest as the site for President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement Advertisement“Your mom did,” Leavitt texted back. “Serious questions deserve better than middle school humor.”Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement Advertisement“I was kind of like, this is a serious war that’s going on that has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainians in their homes,” Dáte told Times’ media reporter Erik Wemple. In tweets after the Times profile went live on Wednesday, he shared some even more snippy exchanges with White House comms staffers.

AdvertisementSo far, Democrats are not faltering in their health care demands. “We don’t want to pit health care and food. Democrats tried to turn the tables on Republicans on Wednesday by introducing a bill to fund SNAP benefits only. Advertisement“The senator from New Mexico is absolutely right: SNAP recipients shouldn’t go without food,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) Most Democrats insisted they were not prioritizing health care over nutrition as the shutdown drags on.

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AdvertisementTrump noted Wednesday that South Korea had agreed to pay $350 billion to the U.S. in exchange for tariffs to be lowered. “A great trip, with a great President of South Korea!” Trump touted. Trump and Japan’s leaders had also previously announced a similar deal that included a $550 billion investment in the U.S. South Korea and Japan’s approaches point to the strategies that countries are employing to gain Trump’s support in order to avoid policies like steeper tariffs. Because Truth Still Matters Your Support Fuels Our Mission Your Support Fuels Our Mission Your Support Fuels Our Reporting In a time of misinformation and noise, HuffPost stays grounded in facts and empathy.

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Become a HuffPost Member When power gathers under golden ceilings, real journalism stands outside, asking the questions that matter. Join HuffPost Membership and keep independent reporting strong for everyone. We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves. Thank you again for your support along the way. Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times.

LOADING ERROR LOADING“I also had one of the worst days I’ve ever had on a film set,” Farrell recalled, adding: “It was my birthday on May 31st, and we were shooting, and I begged production — who did I think I was? Advertisement“Now listen, it’s not cool, because two years later I went to rehab, right?” Farrell told Colbert’s audience. He then revealed just how long it took him to get the line right, recalling, “It took 46 takes.”Advertisement“Tom wasn’t very happy with me,” he said. By becoming a member, you support a newsroom that asks the tough questions, no matter who’s in charge. Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGActor William Daniels is expressing his distaste for President Donald Trump’s controversial updates to the White House with a poignant throwback. Advertisement“We performed ‘1776’ in the beautiful East Room when Nixon was in the White House. Archive Photos via Getty ImagesThe 98-year-old’s post was a pointed dig at Trump’s plans for a 90,000-square-foot, $300 million ballroom adjacent to the White House. However, Trump has cited the relatively small size of the East Room, which has a capacity of about 200 people, in outlining his vision for the ballroom, now set to reportedly accommodate 999. He suggested last week that the ballroom could be connected to the East Room.

Christine Faltz Grassman has worked in the Education Department since 2019. Grassman, who is blind, helps oversee a federal program that offers government contracting opportunities to blind vendors. Her two other co-workers who oversee the Randolph-Sheppard vending program at the Education Department also received “reduction-in-force,” or RIF, notices, she attested in a court declaration. AdvertisementThe Education Department did not answer questions from HuffPost about the layoffs. An automatic reply from the agency said its press team was furloughed during the shutdown, which the message blamed on Democrats.

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Keep Our Voice StrongStand With Free Press.The need for a free and fearless press has never been greater. As corporate media cave to this administration’s pressure, we remain steadfast in our commitment to remain free and fair. Become a member today and support independent news at oAlready a member? Log in to hide these messages.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGWASHINGTON ― The Donald Trump administration insists food benefits can’t go out next month because of a government shutdown initiated by Democrats. That shutdown started in December 2018, presenting no problem for January’s SNAP benefits. “The Trump administration has pulled a complete 180,” David Super, an administrative procedure expert at Georgetown University Law School, told HuffPost. AdvertisementThe shutdown started earlier this month after Senate Democrats demanded a government funding bill include an extension of expiring health insurance subsidies. The Trump administration has found ways to fund salaries for members of the military and certain federal workers, but has said it can’t do the SNAP benefits ― and Democrats are to blame.