Top Items:
Alex Rogers / Financial Times:
Donald Trump and sons to be ‘forever’ exempt from tax audits — Justice department deal comes day after government set up $1.8bn fund to pay president's allies hit by alleged ‘lawfare’ — US tax authorities will be barred from pursuing claims against Donald Trump, his eldest sons …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Free Press, Raw Story and Patterico's Pontifications
RELATED:
Ryan J. Reilly / NBC News:
DOJ official told GOP ally that big payouts were coming for Jan. 6 defendants — Months before the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund was announced, Ed Martin predicted Capitol rioters would get millions, even if it took until 2028, two people told NBC News.
Discussion:
CBS News, The Independent and The Atlantic
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
Justice Department expands Trump settlement to cover his tax audits … The waiver specifically encompasses “tax returns filed before the effective date” of the settlement, which was Monday. — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed the addendum, dated Tuesday.
New York Times:
I.R.S. to Drop Audits of Trump and Family — As part of the Justice Department's compensation fund deal, officials vowed not to pursue any matters, including those involving President Trump's tax returns, that are pending. — The Justice Department has granted President Trump …
Discussion:
Axios, Associated Press, Forbes and Robert Reich
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Trump's Angry Jan. 6 Tirade Accidentally Hands Dems Midterm Weapon — Now that Donald Trump has created his very own political slush fund with $1.8 billion in taxpayer money to hand out to allies, the very least that Democrats can do right now is this: Do everything possible to force Republicans to vote on it—over and over again.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Nation, Staff Stories, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, nomination notes, NewsMax.com, Truthout, UPI, HuffPost, Roll Call, TMZ.com, Los Angeles Times and Tangle
Ryan J. Reilly / NBC News:
John Adams quote projected on DOJ building in protest of $1.8B fund — “A government of laws, not of men,” reads the phrase that lit up the side of the Justice Department on Tuesday. — WASHINGTON — Opponents of a $1.776 billion taxpayer-backed “anti-weaponization” fund projected a quote …
New York Times:
I.R.S. Prohibited From Pursuing Audits of Trump and His Family — As part of the Justice Department's compensation fund deal, officials vowed not to pursue any matters, including those involving President Trump's tax returns, that are pending. — The Justice Department on Tuesday expanded …
Politico:
Trump's $1.8 billion ‘lawfare’ fund is making Republicans nervous … “There is no level below which these folks will not go,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I) said in an interview. “It is just disgusting, having come off Law Enforcement Week, to have set up a slush fund to pay off people who attack police officers.”
Discussion:
Associated Press, Reuters, The Hill, Raw Story, NOTUS, Scripps News, CBS News, U.S. Home, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Examiner, twitchy.com, The Daily Signal, Newsweek, KTFT and Truthout
Arika Herron / Axios:
Scoop: Pence says Jan. 6 defendants shouldn't get access to public dollars
Scoop: Pence says Jan. 6 defendants shouldn't get access to public dollars
Discussion:
New York Times, MS NOW, Time, twitchy.com, Mediaite and Staff Stories
CNN:
New settlement term bars IRS from investigating Trump, his family for past tax issues
New settlement term bars IRS from investigating Trump, his family for past tax issues
Discussion:
Straight Arrow and Associated Press
Torrie Herrington / NOTUS:
IRS ‘Forever Barred’ From Investigating Trump After DOJ Expands Settlement
IRS ‘Forever Barred’ From Investigating Trump After DOJ Expands Settlement
Jenna Monnin / NOTUS:
Trump's Anti-Weaponization Fund Gets Its First Applicant
Trump's Anti-Weaponization Fund Gets Its First Applicant
Discussion:
Raw Story
Stephen Groves / Associated Press:
Senate advances bill aimed at ending Iran war as Cassidy, after primary loss, flips to support it — The Senate advanced legislation Tuesday that seeks to force President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Iran war, as a growing number of Republicans defied the president's wishes.
Discussion:
New York Post, Bloomberg, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, E&E News, The Hill, Washington Times, The Guardian, Washington Examiner, MS NOW, Raw Story and Politico
RELATED:
Sarah Fortinsky / The Hill:
Trump scores major victory with Massie's primary defeat in Kentucky — Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is projected to lose his Kentucky House primary race to President Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein, according to Decision Desk HQ, a major victory for the president in his bid to oust Republican lawmakers who openly defy him.
Minnah Arshad / Zeteo:
BREAKING: Thomas Massie Loses Primary in Big Win for Trump and AIPAC — Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie lost his bid for re-election on Tuesday, falling to a Trump-backed challenger after pro-Israel donors poured millions into the race to depose the seven-term MAGA defector, making it the most expensive House primary on record.
New York Times:
Republican Senators Are Livid at Trump's Endorsement of Paxton
Discussion:
The Hill, Associated Press, New Republic, Politico, Axios, Christian Science Monitor, FOX 7 Austin, Mediaite, Semafor, Washington Post, NewsMax.com, New York Magazine, Washington Examiner, Democracy Docket, Breitbart, Wall Street Journal, Straight Arrow, Staff Stories, WWL-TV, New York Post, MS NOW, The Daily Caller and Lone Star Left
Lisa Kashinsky / Politico:
Trump picks off Massie in Kentucky
Trump picks off Massie in Kentucky
Discussion:
The Message Box, NBC News, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Talking Points Memo, ABC News, twitchy.com, The Korea Herald, The Free Press, NOTUS, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, The Daily Signal, Reason, MS NOW, Forbes, Raw Story, The Daily Wire, U.S. Home, Townhall, The Gateway Pundit, Al Jazeera and Washington Examiner
Politico:
Senate GOP could ditch Secret Service funding tied to White House ballroom
Senate GOP could ditch Secret Service funding tied to White House ballroom
Discussion:
Punchbowl News, Raw Story, Washington Times and Sean Hannity
Kaia Hubbard / CBS News:
Senate advances resolution to limit Trump's Iran war powers for first time, after 4 Republicans defect
Senate advances resolution to limit Trump's Iran war powers for first time, after 4 Republicans defect
Discussion:
Breitbart and The Gateway Pundit
Alec Hernandez / Politico:
Another Trump enemy falls as Brad Raffensperger loses Georgia primary
Another Trump enemy falls as Brad Raffensperger loses Georgia primary
Discussion:
The Daily Wire, The Gateway Pundit, Al Jazeera, New York Times, The Daily Caller, NPR, New York Post, Washington Examiner, Fox News, NewsMax.com and The Hill
Wall Street Journal:
Why Trump Bucked His Party and Made a Risky Bet on Ken Paxton
Why Trump Bucked His Party and Made a Risky Bet on Ken Paxton
Discussion:
New York Times, CNN, CNBC, MS NOW, New York Magazine, MeidasTouch, NewsMax.com and Mediaite
Ken Thomas / Wall Street Journal:
Trump's Endorsement Machine Steamrolls Republican Dissent
Trump's Endorsement Machine Steamrolls Republican Dissent
Discussion:
Washington Post, Townhall, MS NOW, Mediaite, New York Times, Axios and CBS News
Layla A. Jones / Talking Points Memo:
Raffensperger, Who Wouldn't Steal Election For Trump, Loses Governor Race to Two Election Denialists
Raffensperger, Who Wouldn't Steal Election For Trump, Loses Governor Race to Two Election Denialists
Discussion:
The Hill, Democracy Docket, RedState and New York Times
Bloomberg:
US Senate Signals Rising Opposition to Trump's War in Iran
US Senate Signals Rising Opposition to Trump's War in Iran
Discussion:
Bloomberg Government, National Review, Reuters and CNBC
Erin Doherty / Politico:
Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Democratic nomination for governor in Georgia
Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Democratic nomination for governor in Georgia
Discussion:
Associated Press, CBS News, Scripps News, Newsweek, NBC News, The Hill, Washington Examiner, IJR, TheGrio, New York Times, The Independent, KTVZ-TV and The Guardian
Punchbowl News:
5/20/26☀️ AM: … With less than 24 weeks until Election Day …
5/20/26☀️ AM: … With less than 24 weeks until Election Day …
Discussion:
Politico, The Hill and NewsMax.com
Henry J. Gomez / NBC News:
Trump-backed Andy Barr wins GOP nomination for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat in Kentucky
Trump-backed Andy Barr wins GOP nomination for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat in Kentucky
Connor O'Brien / Politico:
Senate advances anti-Iran war measure in surprise blow to Trump
Senate advances anti-Iran war measure in surprise blow to Trump
Discussion:
UPI, Newsweek and The American Conservative
Gabby Birenbaum / The Texas Tribune:
Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Senate GOP runoff
Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Senate GOP runoff
Discussion:
ProPublica, NOTUS, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, NewsMax.com, The Hill, National Review, The Bulwark, El Paso Times, Washington Examiner, American Greatness, HotAir, Esquire, Roll Call, Sean Hannity, New York Times, Reuters, Rolling Stone, One America News Network, NPR, New Republic, Raw Story, KVUE-TV and The Daily Signal
The Colorado Sun:
Jared Polis says his Tina Peters decision “will be remembered fondly,” despite growing outrage — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday said he doesn't regret his decision to commute the prison sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, despite widespread condemnation from Democrats …
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Google Search as you know it is over — The era of the “ten blue links” is officially over. — Google unveiled on Tuesday an AI-powered overhaul of Search centered around a reimagined “intelligent search box” — what the company describes as the biggest change to this entry point …
New York Times:
Early War Goal Was to Install Hard Line Former President as Iran's Leader — An Israeli strike designed to free Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from house arrest in Tehran, U.S. officials said, was part of an effort to bring about regime change and put him in power. — Days after Israeli strikes …
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, The Times of Israel, Phillips's Newsletter and Mediaite
Shannon Butler / WFTV:
Former ‘gay cure’ ministry leader Alan Chambers charged in underage sex sting — DEPUTIES SAY ALAN CHAMBERS COMMUNICATED FOR MONTHS WITH SOMEONE HE BELIEVED WAS A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY — ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A former leader of an Orlando-based ministry that claimed for years it could cure homosexuality …
Ben Berkowitz / Axios:
All 50 states top $4 a gallon gas as Iran impacts linger — All 50 states have average gas prices above $4 a gallon, AAA said Wednesday, with seven now topping $5 a gallon. … - California is the nation's high, at $6.15 per gallon, while Georgia is the lowest at $4.01 a gallon.
Patrick McNeil / nomination notes:
Eight Democrats vote to confirm a lifetime judge who wouldn't say Biden won in 2020 — The Senate on Tuesday afternoon voted (52-38) to confirm the nomination of Sheria Clarke to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. Eight Democrats voted in favor of confirmation.
Discussion:
Mediaite

