The Latest: Trump will undergo a 'semiannual physical' by doctors

White House aides have declined to explain why Trump is getting another checkup Friday. Trump told reporters Thursday he thinks he’s in great shape. Trump plans to return to the White House after the visit.

The latest:

First lady says Ukrainian children have been reunited with families after her outreach to Putin

First lady Melania Trump says eight Ukrainian children have been reunited with their families after ongoing talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Melania Trump in August wrote a letter to Putin and had her husband hand-deliver it during his meeting with the Russian president in Alaska.

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in Russia taking Ukrainian children out of their country so that they can be raised as Russian.

Trump suggests calling off upcoming meeting with Xi

Trump says “there seems to be no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of an upcoming trip to South Korea after China has restricted exports of rare earths needed for American industry.

Trump suggested that he was looking at a “massive increase” of import taxes on Chinese products in response to Xi’s moves.

“One of the Policies that we are calculating at this moment is a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States of America,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “There are many other countermeasures that are, likewise, under serious consideration.”

Trump to make announcement on lowering prescription drugs

The White House says the president’s Friday afternoon announcement in the Oval Office is aimed at reducing drug prices, but has provided few details.

It follows Trump announcing late last month that his administration had reached an agreement with Pfizer aiming to reduce the prices of its U.S. prescription drugs to be similar to the lowest prices paid by other developed nations.

Advocates saw Trump’s Pfizer announcement as positive, but said they worried it put the onus too heavily on the drug company to cut prices, rather than attempting to spell the move out as part of larger U.S. policy.

White House: Nobel committee placed ‘politics over peace’

White House says Nobel Committee “proved they place politics over peace,” Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, wrote on X as he reacted to Trump being passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday despite jockeying from his fellow Republicans, various world leaders and — most vocally — himself.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado received the award.

Cheung did not comment on Machado’s recognition but said Trump “has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.”

The Venezuelan opposition leader said in a statement that she wanted to dedicate the award to the U.S. president for support of her cause, along with dedicating it to the people of her country.

“We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy,” Machado said in a statement on X.

Johnson says House won’t hold votes until Senate Democrats ‘turn the lights back on.’

Speaker Mike Johnson is making clear he won’t be bringing House lawmakers back to Washington until the Senate passes a government funding bill.

The House has not held votes for about three weeks. It could take up other issues besides a government funding bill, and Democrats have described the situation as House Republicans going on vacation.

But Johnson said members are working diligently in their districts to help constituents.

“We will come back here and get back to legislative session as soon as the Senate Democrats turn the lights back on,” Johnson said.

Republicans highlight the toll of a shutdown for federal workforce

Speaker Mike Johnson is highlighting the prospect of 1.3 million military service members missing a paycheck next week as the federal government shutdown continued Friday.

Also, the next paycheck for civilian workers will be a partial one.

He’s blaming Democratic lawmakers for that scenario during a press conference and emphasizing that Republicans have voted multiple times to keep the government funded temporarily.

“You’ve got millions of American families who will now have to figure out how to make their mortgage, how to cover the rent, pay the car note, keep food on the table because Democrats, Chuck Schumer and his colleagues in the Senate are here playing games,” Johnson said.

Additionally, the nation’s third shutdown in 12 years is once again raising anxiety levels among service members and their families because those in uniform are working without pay.

While they would receive back pay once the impasse ends, many military families live paycheck to paycheck. During previous shutdowns, Congress passed legislation to ensure that troops kept earning their salaries, but time is running out before they miss their first paycheck in less than a week.

National Guard troops seen patrolling in Memphis

National Guard troops have been seen patrolling in Memphis for the first time, as part of Trump’s federal task force.

The deployment comes a day after a federal judge in Illinois blocked the deployment of troops in the Chicago area for at least two weeks.

It was unclear Friday how many Guard members were on the ground in Memphis or were expected to arrive later.

Trump is pushing to deploy the National Guard to several U.S. cities. His administration claims crime in those cities is rampant, despite statistics not always supporting that. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee supports the deployment.

Absence of Congress members creates dilemma for House speaker

House members’ absence during the government shutdown is creating a political dilemma for Republican Speaker Mike Johnson and is testing his leadership. '

The Louisiana congressman sent members home three weeks ago, and they haven’t been back in working session since.

In the intervening weeks, the government has shut down. Trump threatened a mass firing of federal workers. And Democrat Adelita Grijalva won a special congressional election in Arizona but has not been sworn in.

Johnson says the House already did its job, passing a bill to fund the government. Johnson blames Democrats in the Senate, which is also controlled by Republicans. Democrats want health care funds for insurance subsidies that are set to expire.

White House responds after Trump is passed over for Nobel Prize

The White House is responding bitterly to President Donald Trump being passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize despite efforts from Republicans and world leaders.

A White House spokesman said Friday members of “the Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace” because they didn’t recognize Trump. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado received the award for her work promoting democratic rights.

Trump has long desired the prize, claiming credit for ending global conflicts. Although the Republican president received nominations, many came after the deadline. The Nobel Peace Prize aims to encourage peace efforts, with past winners including three sitting U.S. presidents. Critics argue Trump’s nominations are more about manipulation than merit.

National Guard expected to patrol in Memphis

National Guard troops are expected to begin patrolling in Memphis.

The patrols are expected Friday after a federal judge in Illinois ruled Thursday to block a deployment in the Chicago-area for at least two weeks.

Trump is pushing to deploy the National Guard to several U.S. cities. His administration claims crime in those cities is rampant, despite statistics not always backing that up.

Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee supports the deployment. A president can dispatch active duty military in states that fail to put down an insurrection or defy federal law. The judge in Illinois says she found no substantial evidence of rebellion.