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Happy Thursday. I have some good news! Fall drinks at Starbucks are buy-one-get-one free today! You go try that pumpkin spice latte *and* an apple crisp oat milk macchiato. Here are some highlights in today’s edition:

• Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) dished on his Senate colleagues in a forthcoming book by McKay Coppins. The excerpts below are fascinating.
• Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) dropped an f-bomb while venting about GOP members.
• A Georgia judge rejected the prosecutor’s request to try all the Trump Georgia defendants together next month.
• NASA’s UFO team held a briefing this morning about its unidentified anomalous phenomena report.

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-stage.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.  

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2024.

In his words: “I have spent my last 25 years in public service of one kind or another. At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid-eighties. Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders.”

Watch Romney’s retirement announcement

Writer McKay Coppins published a fascinating excerpt of his forthcoming book on the retiring senator. (The Atlantic)

Coppins posted: “For two years, I met with Mitt Romney in his DC townhome as he grappled with what his party—and his country—were becoming. The stories he told me from inside the Senate were extraordinary and damning … Some nights he vented; other nights he dished. I got the feeling he liked the company—our conversations sometimes stretched for hours.” 

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) gave Romney some salmon fillets: “He didn’t especially like salmon but found that if he put it on a hamburger bun and smothered it in ketchup, it made for a serviceable meal.” I’m sorry, did you say he smothers his salmon in ketchup? No, no, no, no, no.

Romney texted McConnell four days before Jan. 6, 2021, to ask about security plans: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) never responded. How it went down

Getting a lil’ competitive in the Senate gym: Romney noticed that Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) walked on the treadmill in his suit pants and loafers. And Romney noticed the *slower* treadmill speeds of two other senators. Read that excerpt

Romney equated the weekly caucus luncheons to high school: “Romney had come to dread the GOP caucus meetings. They had a certain high-school-cafeteria quality that made him feel ill at ease.” From Romney: “You don’t want to be the only one sitting at the table and no one wants to sit with you.”

Because I’m nosey: Following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, Romney said he has been paying $5,000 *a day* for private security for his family.

I could go on all day about interesting parts, but you really should just read it for yourself. (The Atlantic)

A judge ruled this morning that the 19 co-defendants in the Georgia 2020 election interference trial will *not* be tried together in October, marking a major blow to District Attorney Fani Willis (D).

Meaning: Former President Trump and 16 others will not be tried next month alongside defendants Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, who invoked their right to a speedy trial.

So, when is Trump’s trial?: The judge did not set a trial date for Trump, but there’s a Dec. 1 deadline for a motion that would happen before any eventual trial. Trump has tried delaying all four of his trials.

Happening in October: “[Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee] also determined that defendants Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell — the two lawyers who last month invoked their right to a speedy trial, expediting their cases — will be tried together, having “not satisfied their burden” to show severance is necessary.” (The Hill)

During a closed-door meeting this morning, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) dropped an f-bomb while venting frustrations about the hardline conservatives who are holding appropriations.

What McCarthy said, according to Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.): “If you want to file a motion to vacate, then file the f‑‑‑ing motion.”

What we know about the meeting, according to The Hill’s Emily Brooks and Mychael Schnell

“GOP threats to Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) leadership from Republicans unhappy about his commitment to spending cuts are coming into sharper focus, with critics signaling the opening of an impeachment inquiry into President Biden won’t necessarily save him.”

Are Republicans looking to oust McCarthy as speaker?: Fiscal conservative Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) said a push to oust McCarthy is “definitely” something he is “willing to entertain.” (The Hill)

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who was diagnosed with a blood cancer last month, has returned.

Photo from Politico’s Olivia Beavers

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took at least six undisclosed trips on private jets and accepted lodging and dining in late 2018, according to flight manifests, tracking data and other documents obtained by The Washington Post that reflect his proclivity for luxury travel and leisure time with wealthy donors.”

For example: “DeSantis traveled to the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club on a plane owned by Mori Hosseini, a major home builder who supplied a golf simulator in the governor’s mansion…”

What we know: “DeSantis did not report the flights or accommodations as gifts or campaign contributions and it’s unclear whether he used a separate legal option to personally reimburse for the flights at the cost of coach airfare. A DeSantis spokesman said he complied with regulations but declined to specify how the costs of the trips were paid or how they met ethics and disclosure requirements.”

Read the full report from The Washington Post’s Isaac Arnsdorf and Josh Dawsey

🍝 Ah, the classic spaghetti and deviled egg lunch: The Messenger’s Stephanie Murray reports that GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy discussed 2024 voters over a lunch of spaghetti and deviled eggs. (Tweet)

^ All I can think of is Michael Scott carb loading pasta right before running a 5K race in The Office.

🎤 Who has qualified for the next debate?: At least six GOP presidential candidates have qualified so far —Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Chris Christie and Tim Scott. It’s unclear whether former President Trump would qualify, given that he has not signed the party’s pledge. (The New York Times)

💬 ‘GOP, kneecapped on abortion politics, struggles to find a message’: (The Hill)

The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Washington, D.C., and Vice President Harris is in Newport News, Va., and New York today.

• 1:05 p.m.: Harris kicks off her national “Fight for Our Freedoms” college tour at Hampton University in Newport News. 📺 Livestream
• 1:30 p.m.: House votes. Last House votes of the day are expected around 3 p.m. Today’s agenda
• 2:45 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks on “Bidenomics” at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Md. 📺 Livestream
• 6:15 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks to commemorate the Jewish high holidays.
  

(All times Eastern)

🍩 Celebrate: Today is National Cream-Filled Doughnut Day!

👯 Two first ladies: The Wall Street Journal’s Annie Linskey posted a photo of first lady Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the White House for an event. Check out Clinton’s face when they passed a portrait of her husband. Photo

🐶 Do with this link what you will: I’m just leaving it here because I’ve seen this Washington Post article shared a lot. “Washington is full of rats. These dogs are happy to help with that: On certain nights, behind some of your favorite restaurants, roving groups of dog owners set their posse of pooches loose on urban rodents.” Click it or don’t click it — I won’t take it personally if you don’t.

🐀 I promise I didn’t intend to have a rodent section, but: Disney’s New York headquarters has a … wait for it … mice infestation. *Insert jokes here* (Page Six)

🏈 Spotted on Capitol Hill: Football star Rob Gronkowski. Photo

🎃 Today’s a good day for a coffee date with a work friend: Starbucks’s fall drink menu is buy-one-get-one free today. (NBC’s ‘Today’)

And to leave you on a good note, here’s a little girl doing her weekly errands. Nothing to see here!