US Moves Third Carrier to Region as Ballots Pass 21 Million

A third U.S. aircraft carrier is headed for the Middle East while nearly 21 million Americans have already voted in the midterm elections, according to the University of Florida's Election Lab. The early vote count grew by about 2 million in one day, Saige Miller of NPR reported, adding that participation in key battleground states is running above the pace of the last midterm cycle. Election Day falls more than a week from now on Nov. 3.

The military moves come as U.S. and Israeli planners prepare a possible strike on Iran after the election, a person briefed on their war planning told NPR. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently traveled to Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Greg Myre of NPR said President Trump is likely to consider action after Nov. 3 to avoid an oil price jump before voters go to the polls. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country is prepared for diplomacy or war. Myre said Iran has shown no sign of major concessions and instead demands formal control of the Strait of Hormuz and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the region.

Voting patterns show Democrats casting ballots early at higher rates than Republicans, with unaffiliated voters also participating. Republicans tend to turn out on Election Day itself. Miller cautioned that early figures do not predict final results. A federal judge in California has restricted pre-election field operations by the Department of Homeland Security, which said the work aimed to identify noncitizens who allegedly voted illegally in nine states.

Grocery prices remain a pressure point. Ground beef reached $6.79 per pound last month, up 85% over a decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Eggs fell to $2.27 per dozen after hitting a record $6.23 in March 2025. Butter averaged $3.96 in September, down 17.3% from a year earlier on oversupply. Coffee stands 44% higher than two years ago even after tariffs on it were removed.

A federal magistrate judge ruled that Trump must sit for a deposition in his $10 billion defamation case against the BBC and must follow court rules or face sanctions. The suit concerns a Panorama broadcast from late October 2024 that edited his Jan. 6 speech in a way that made it appear he incited the siege of Congress. Trump has called the broadcast false, misleading and defamatory under Florida law.

David Folkenflik of NPR said it is unclear whether Trump will appear, since he previously canceled a deposition citing "matters of national importance" and proposed January instead. The BBC, which apologized for the editing, wants to understand his state of mind during the speech and whether he intended to encourage violence. BBC attorneys say more than 200 Jan. 6 defendants have said the speech motivated them. The network also seeks details on how Trump has profited since returning to the White House.