Trump's abrupt U-turn on a plan to re-open the Strait of Hormuz came after backlash from allies  —  Saudi Arabia, a key Gulf ally, suspended the U.S. military's ability to use its bases and airspace to carry out the operation, sources say.  The White House said the administration notified Middle East allies in advance.

Chief Justice John Roberts says American public wrongly views the justices as ‘political actors’  —  In remarks at a judicial conference, Roberts bemoaned what he characterized as the American public's misconceptions about the Supreme Court.  —  HERSHEY, Pa. — Chief Justice John Roberts …

Exclusive: How Trump's Minneapolis immigration blitz hobbled federal crime fighting  —  The Trump administration blitz that flooded Minnesota with immigration agents also dramatically slowed other federal investigations and prosecutions into an array of serious crimes, a Reuters review of federal court records found.

Kash Patel's Personalized Bourbon Stash  —  One of J. Edgar Hoover's greatest reforms at the FBI was his embrace of fingerprinting.  During the 1930s, visitors to the FBI offices in Washington, D.C., received souvenir fingerprint cards featuring his name.  The men who succeeded him as FBI director …

Affordability Concerns Rise as Trump, GOP's Biggest Headache Grows  —  The issue that plagued Biden is now threatening to drag down Trump and the GOP … Costs Uncontrolled  —  Republicans have an affordability problem — and it's threatening to get worse.

Jet-Fuel Prices Are Spiking and Trump's Advisers Are Worried  —  Administration officials have spoken to the airline industry, which has voiced concerns about the rising costs  —  Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu delivered a warning to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a recent visit …

Purported Epstein Suicide Note Is Released  —  A federal judge released the note on Wednesday, which Jeffrey Epstein's former cellmate said he found in a graphic novel.  The New York Times has not authenticated that Mr. Epstein wrote it.  —  A federal judge has released a suicide note purportedly written …

Grand Theft Oil Futures  —  Source: CNBC, Financial Times, BBC, Reuters  —  At this point it's almost routine: Almost every time Donald Trump makes a major announcement about the Iran War, that announcement is preceded — sometimes by only a few minutes — by huge and hugely profitable bets in the oil market.

Which Democrat could repair the damage Trump did?  — 7 min Click here to listen to this article  —  Democrats have a huge opportunity to make a huge difference.  But whether they'll grab it is a huge question.  —  In 2020, I wrote that voters were “weary, anxious and looking for salve” after President Trump's first term.

Trump's Corruption Is Going to Sink Him  —  DID YOU CATCH THE STORY ABOUT Trump trying to raid the Treasury to the tune of $10 billion?  Last week, a judge paused it, but Trump, in his personal capacity, is suing the IRS for that staggering sum.  It's the latest in a string of grasping …

At Least 79 Kids Have Been Harmed by Tear Gas or Pepper Spray During Trump's Immigration Crackdown  —  The children were walking to school in Broadview, Illinois, or leaving a shopping center in Columbus, Ohio.  They were at home in Minneapolis, or sitting in a stroller in Chicago …

Campaign staffers tell NPR they make ‘thousands’ betting on their own candidates  —  It was a tight race, so a campaign staffer doubted the results of an unreleased poll showing their candidate up — by a lot.  —  The tip about the outside poll didn't match up with the campaign's internal numbers.

Susan Collins Says She Has Long Had a Benign Tremor  —  The Republican senator from Maine, running for re-election at age 73 in one of this year's top Senate races, made the disclosure after mounting online scrutiny on the left.  —  Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a Republican seeking re-election …

ICE Keeps Detaining the Same US Citizen Again, and Again, and Again.  He's Fighting Back.  —  “I only wish to live my life in peace,” Leonardo Garcia Venegas said in a declaration.  —  On the morning of May 2, Leonardo Garcia Venegas was driving home from a convenience store run in Silverhill …

Why So Few Babies?  We Might Have Overlooked the Biggest Reason of All.  —  Raleigh Rivera and her husband had spent five years fine-tuning their parenthood plan: In 2025, they would move from Los Angeles, where they have been living since 2023, back to Ms. Rivera's hometown, Minneapolis …

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles announces surprise resignation 6 months after reelection  —  Longtime Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles plans to step down less than halfway through her latest term leading the nation's 14th-largest city.  —  The five-term Democrat will resign June 30, spokesperson LaToya Evans said in a statement.

The U.S. Ices Out Canada in Major Trade Pact Negotiations  —  Advocates want to extend the USMCA, though uncertainty remains with America's northern neighbor.  — Copy  —  Business and political leaders are bracing for another Trump administration-style trade showdown as efforts stumble …

Israeli attack kills son of Hamas leader negotiating with Trump-led board  —  An Israeli air strike has killed the son of Hamas' chief negotiator in U.S.-mediated talks over Gaza's future, a senior Hamas official said on Thursday, as leaders of the militant group held talks in Cairo aimed at safeguarding their truce with Israel.

The Confederacy rises again  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  🧠 Subscribe to PN 🧠  —  When the Supreme Court smashed the last meaningful vestiges of the Voting Rights Act last week, it took literally a matter of hours …

Trump pardon recipients face congressional investigation over “pay-to-play” questions  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  Senate and House Democrats have launched an investigation into whether pardons and commutations issued by President Trump were driven by “pay-to-play dynamics,” according to letters obtained by CBS News.

Another Well-Timed Oil Trade Ahead of Iran News Raises Eyebrows  —  Market watchers are drawing attention to yet another move in oil futures that came just before a big development in the U.S. war with Iran.  —  This time, a burst of selling preceded a Wednesday report from Axios …

The Roberts Court Takes a Page from Plessy v. Ferguson  —  In destroying the Voting Rights Act, the justices echo the court's darkest and most racist days.  —  Nothing is new and history repeats.  When the Supreme Court delivered a death blow to the 1965 Voting Rights Act last month …

New York's $268 Billion Budget Deal Includes New Second-Home Tax  —  Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a handshake budget deal with state lawmakers that also seeks to push back federal immigration enforcement in the state.  —  New York State leaders have reached a handshake agreement …

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt gives birth to second child  —  Leavitt is the first White House press secretary to give birth while serving in the role. … She is the first person to give birth while serving in her position. … “On May 1st, Viviana aka ‘Vivi’ joined our family …

Kamala Harris wants the DNC to release its autopsy report of the 2024 campaign  —  Amid turmoil over the Democratic Party's future, Harris has been privately sounding out confidants about her own prospects. … As former Vice President Kamala Harris considers another run for president …

Trump calls for Jeffries to be charged with ‘inciting violence’ in social media post … Trump called the seven-term lawmaker “Hakeem ‘Low IQ’ Jeffries” on Thursday.  —  When asked for comment, Jeffries' office referred POLITICO to a post from the minority leader on X on Thursday.

‘HELLO BOSS’: Inside the Chinese Realtime Deepfake Software Powering Scams Around the World … “Oh my god.  Oh my god,” I yelled as I looked at my own face on someone else's body.  It was all there: my five o'clock shadow, my goofy grin, even the bags under my eyes.

Rubio and Pope Leo meet at the Vatican to discuss Middle East after weeks of tension  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pope Leo XIV met Thursday at the Vatican to discuss the situation in the Middle East and other matters, a meeting that came after weeks …