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12:50 PM ET, May 15, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Jeff Stein / Washington Post:
GOP tax bill on track to add more than $2.5 trillion to U.S. deficit  —  The figure is expected to intensify a national debate over spending and tax levels as President Donald Trump tries to push the legislation through Congress.  —  The Republican tax proposal emerging in the House …
RELATED:
Bloomberg:
GOP Tax Bill Seen Masking More Than $1 Trillion US Debt Hit  —  The cost of Republican lawmakers' draft plan for sweeping tax cuts weighed in at $3.8 trillion over the next 10 years in one official estimate.  The reality is likely much higher, thanks to the use of budget and political tools designed …
Benjamin Guggenheim / Politico:
GOP tax chief hopes for bipartisan tax bill before year's end
Discussion: NBC News and Axios
Jessica Blake / Inside Higher Ed:   How House Lawmakers Could Reshape Higher Ed
Jennifer Scholtes / Politico:
Perks now, pain later: 12 ways Trump's megabill pushes tradeoffs beyond Election Day
Discussion: The Hill and ABC News
Jeremy Bogaisky / Forbes:
Why The Qataris Are Happy To Dump Their 747 On Trump  —  The Qatari 747 that President Donald Trump would like to make the next Air Force One.  —  The president may be thirsting for a new four-engine jumbo jet, but many governments and royal families are unloading their fuel-guzzling palaces in the sky.
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The Atlantic:
The MAGA-World Rift Over Trump's Qatari Jet  —  As Air Force One glided into Doha today, it was easy to imagine President Donald Trump having a case of jet envy.  —  Hamad International Airport, in Qatar's capital, is sometimes home to the $400 million “palace in the sky,” a luxury liner that Trump is eyeing.
ProPublica:
The Trump Administration Leaned on African Countries.  The Goal: Get Business for Elon Musk.  —  The State Department has intervened on behalf of Musk's satellite internet company in five developing nations.  In Gambia, U.S. diplomats have lobbied and browbeat at least seven government ministers …
Will Sommer / The Bulwark:
Trump White House Sharpens Its Knives for Politico's Owner  —  A Different Type of Playbook  —  THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS SENDING aggressive signals about launching a potential federal investigation into the company that owns Politico and Business Insider as retaliation …
Discussion: Breitbart
RELATED:
Just Security:
Another Reason Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order is Unlawful  —  On his first day in office, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14,160 (the EO), which denies birthright citizenship to any child born in the United States who does not have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Discussion: USA Today and Mother Jones
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Abbie VanSickle / New York Times:
At Supreme Court, a Once-Fringe Birthright Citizenship Theory Takes the Spotlight
Abbie VanSickle / New York Times:
In Birthright Citizenship Case, Supreme Court Examines the Power of District Judges
Molly Quell / Associated Press:
Trump's sanctions on ICC prosecutor have halted tribunal's work  —  The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor has lost access to his email, and his bank accounts have been frozen.  The Hague-based court's American staffers have been told that if they travel to the U.S. they risk arrest.
Discussion: Reuters
Sarah Nassauer / Wall Street Journal:
Walmart Plans to Raise Prices Because of Tariffs  —  Retailer has weathered the trade war but says the full impact of tariffs on consumers has yet to come  —  Higher prices are coming to Walmart's shelves.  —  The retailer said Thursday that it plans to raise prices this month and early this summer …
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Steven Lee Myers / New York Times:
Trump Administration Cancels Scores of Grants to Study Online Misinformation … Lisa K. Fazio, an associate professor at Vanderbilt University, whose federal grant to study how repetition of lies reinforced them was canceled.Houston Cofield for The New York Times
Discussion: The Independent
Katie Langford / Denver Post:
Denver airport air traffic control went out for 6 minutes on Monday, report says  —  Up to 20 pilots were unable to talk to controllers, Denver7 reports  —  Pilots flying into Denver International Airport on Monday couldn't communicate with air traffic controllers for about six minutes …
Discussion: Forbes and Associated Press
S.V. Date / HuffPost:
‘Most Transparent’ White House In History Keeps Majority Of Trump's Remarks Secret  —  Trump's aides released just 20% of the transcripts of his speeches and interactions with the press over his first 100 days, excluding many of his most unhinged comments  —  WASHINGTON — If you're interested …
Reuters:
Trump, US Army birthday bash plans include 25 Abrams tanks  —  Twin celebrations of U.S. President Donald Trump's birthday and the Army's 250th anniversary will include as many as 25 tanks rolling through Washington in a celebration that will cost $25 million to $45 million, U.S. officials told Reuters on Wednesday.
RELATED:
USA Today:
Tanks, cannons and soldiers sleeping in DC offices: Inside Trump birthday military parade
Discussion: New York Magazine
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
Trump Wants His Corruption to Be Public  —  Programming note at the jump: Tonight, The Bulwark will host an emergency briefing on the major changes to our nation's health care system that Trump and his Republican allies are trying to push forward this week.  Our own Jonathan Cohn …
Discussion: New Republic and Mediaite
Maggie Astor / New York Times:
Top Sexual Assault Hotline Drops Resources After Trump Orders  —  Fearing funding cuts, the anti-sexual-violence organization RAINN barred referring callers to resources for L.G.B.T.Q. people, immigrants and other marginalized groups.  —  Fearing the loss of federal funding …
Bloomberg:
JD Vance Plans Return to Vatican for Pope Leo's Inaugural Mass  —  Vice President JD Vance will attend the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV following the pontiff's historic election as the first American leader of the Roman Catholic Church.  —  Vance, the highest-ranking Catholic in the US government …
RELATED:
Richard Engel / NBC News:
Top Iranian official says Tehran would forgo highly enriched uranium in nuclear deal with Trump  —  The comments from a member of the supreme leader's inner circle appear to be the clearest public statements yet on Iran's willingness to reach an agreement with the U.S.
Spencer S. Hsu / Washington Post:
Ed Martin publicizes ethics probe he says was wrongly disclosed  —  Former D.C. U.S. attorney nominee revealed he faces a legal disciplinary review in an all-office goodbye email, while claiming his confidentiality was violated  —  Justice Department official Ed Martin …
Discussion: Reuters
Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Trump-Kushner Hotel Project in Serbia Hits a Snag: Alleged Forgery  —  Serbian authorities say an official admitted to forging a document allowing a protected site in Belgrade to be demolished and replaced with a Trump hotel.  —  The Trump family's $500 million luxury hotel project in Serbia …
Discussion: The Independent, Bloomberg and Mediaite
Washington Post:
Democrats rattled again by fresh claims that Biden aides hid his frailty  —  A new book and Biden's public appearances are potential distractions as the party seeks to focus on Trump.  —  A growing number of Democrats are publicly second-guessing their party's handling of the last election …
Discussion: NH Journal and New York Magazine
ProPublica:
U.S. AG Pam Bondi Sold More than $1 Million in Trump Media Stock the Day Trump Announced Sweeping Tariffs  —  Attorney General Pam Bondi sold between $1 million and $5 million worth of shares of Trump Media the same day that President Donald Trump unveiled bruising new tariffs that caused …
Discussion: The Independent and CBS News
Julia Ornedo / The Daily Beast:
Now ICE Barbie Wants Her Own Brand New $50M Private Jet  —  MY TURN  —  The Coast Guard put in a last-minute addition to its budget for the Homeland Security secretary.  —  Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears to have taken her cue from President Donald Trump with a new request for her own private jet.
Dan De Luce / NBC News:
Gabbard fires intel officials who oversaw memo contradicting White House claims on Venezuelan gang  —  Democratic lawmakers criticized the firings, suggesting they were punishment for providing information that didn't support the administration's agenda.  —  Director of National Intelligence …
Louis Casiano / Fox News:
El Chapo's family members cross US border in apparent deal with Trump administration  —  Ex-wife of imprisoned kingpin El Chapo among 17 family members entering through San Diego border crossing  —  Join Fox News for access to this content  —  Mexican officials said Wednesday …
Reuters:
Exclusive: Musk took leased cars back so Tesla could use them as “robotaxis.”  Instead, Tesla sold them  —  Tesla last November ended an unusual policy that prohibited U.S. leasing customers from buying their cars at lease-end.  —  The policy started in 2019, when Tesla announced that customers …
Discussion: Electrek and The Daily Wire
New York Times:
D.H.S. Requests 20,000 National Guard Members to Help With Immigration Crackdown  —  The Defense Department is reviewing the request.  If approved, one official said, it would be the first time National Guard troops were used to help enforce an immigration crackdown in the country.
Discussion: Breitbart
Kalyeena Makortoff / The Guardian:
US reportedly plans to slash bank rules imposed to prevent 2008-style crash  —  Watchdogs could cut capital rules as Trump's deregulation drive opens door to rollback of post-crisis protections  —  US watchdogs are reportedly planning to slash capital rules for banks designed …
The Economist:
Crypto has become the ultimate swamp asset  —  An industry that dreamed of being above politics has become synonymous with self-dealing  —  When offered a Boeing 747 by the government of Qatar to replace Air Force One, President Donald Trump responded: why not?  Only someone dumb would turn down free money.
Steven Hale / timesfreepress.com:
Less than half of nearly 200 arrested in Nashville ICE operation had criminal history  —  The federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on Tuesday trumpeted the results of the recent operation that incited outrage, panic and confusion around Nashville.
Harrison Ray / Media Matters for America:
Fox anchor Bret Baier said media should “100%” scrutinize Trump's family the same as Biden's.  He hasn't come close.  —  Despite advocating for equal scrutiny of presidents' family corruption, Baier's Special Report has hardly reported on alleged influence peddling by Donald Trump's sons …
Paul Krugman:
Lessons From the Newark Debacle  —  Maybe government does something useful  —  I did something either brave or foolish last week.  I was booked on a flight from Amsterdam to Newark, and decided to ignore advice from friends urging me to rebook on a plane heading someplace else.
Discussion: Mises Institute and The Hill
Tom Schaller / Public Notice:
The white rural reckoning  —  This article is co-authored by Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman.  Their book “White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy” will be released in paperback later this month.  Schaller is professor of political science at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
City Journal:
Inside Harvard's Discrimination Machine  —  The university has adopted race-conscious hiring policies, potentially in violation of civil rights law.  —  / Eye on the News / Education, Politics and Law  —  The Trump administration has escalated its battle with Harvard University …
 
 
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 More Items: 
Stuart A. Thompson / New York Times:
Here's What Elon Musk Sees When He Opens X
Discussion: PinkNews
Giovanna Coi / Politico:
Replacing US military support in Europe would cost $1T
Jeremy Scahill / Drop Site News:
As Trump Declares “Golden Era” in the Arab Gulf, Gaza Burns and Netanyahu Threatens to Wipe Palestinians Off the Map
Discussion: CBS News
Ed Pilkington / The Guardian:
Ben & Jerry's co-founder arrested for protesting Gaza blockade at US Senate hearing
Elena Schneider / Politico:
Dems aren't shying away from talking about 2028 presidential bids
Discussion: Fox News
Patrick Marley / Washington Post:
Wisconsin judge pleads not guilty to obstructing ICE arrest
Associated Press:
Americans are divided over DEI programs on college campuses, an AP-NORC poll finds
Oliver O'Connell / The Independent:
‘Deeply creepy’: Enormous brooding banner of Trump now hangs next to Lincoln outside Department of Agriculture
 Earlier Items: 
Punchbowl News:
Inside Trump's fixation on diplomatic nominees
Discussion: Washington Examiner
Kelly Kasulis Cho / Washington Post:
She covered human rights for VOA in Azerbaijan. Now she's in jail.
New York Times:
Live Updates: Trump to Visit U.A.E. in Last Stop of Middle East Tour
New York Times:
The Road to Trump's Embrace of White South Africans
 

 
From Techmeme:

John Liu / CNN:
Experts say China's new national internet ID, currently voluntary, to sign in across social media apps and sites could further erode already limited freedoms

George Hammond / Financial Times:
An interview with computational linguist Emily Bender, who coined the term “stochastic parrot”, on her AI skepticism, co-writing the book The AI Con, and more

Maisie Grice / Financial Times:
Fidelity: ~50% of UK investors trust social media, finfluencers, and AI tools for financial decisions; only ~33% used a qualified adviser in the past two years

 
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