Top Items:
Hans Nichols / Axios:
Republicans are sweating about the White House ballroom project … But it is in doubt. … - GOP senators were unmoved by a line-item lobbying effort from Secret Service director Sean Curran in a closed-door lunch on Tuesday, first reported by Axios. — “One of the biggest concerns …
Discussion:
Politico, HuffPost, Washington Examiner, Mediaite, The Hill and New Republic
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Punchbowl News:
5/13/26☀️ AM: … On issue after issue, both in Washington and in state capitals around the country, Republicans are giving Trump the stiff arm. They're ignoring his policy demands and overlooking his diatribes, even as they continue pledging allegiance to Trump politically.
Politico:
Why Republicans can't get traction on affordability legislation
Discussion:
The Hill, Punchbowl News, Axios, Military.com, Bloomberg, New York Times and NewsMax.com
Politico:
Capitol agenda: House eyes summer for another party-line bill
Capitol agenda: House eyes summer for another party-line bill
Discussion:
The Hill, E&E News and Florida Politics
Meredith Lee Hill / Politico:
House Budget chair wants more information about ballroom funding
House Budget chair wants more information about ballroom funding
Discussion:
The Hill, Newsweek, The Daily Signal, KEYT-TV and Raw Story
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
10,000 rulings: The courts' overwhelming rebuke of Trump's ICE policies … Trump's unprecedented detention policy, which is almost certainly headed to the Supreme Court, infuriated lower courts in ways no other modern issue has. It ruptured the relationship between the Justice Department and the judiciary …
Discussion:
Slate
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Aaron Pellish / Politico:
Trump administration elevates former private prison company exec to lead ICE
Discussion:
Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, NewsMax.com, Wall Street Journal, NPR, Raw Story, CBS News, Fox News, KEYT-TV, The Hill, Washington Examiner and twitchy.com
New York Times:
Justice Dept. Officials Consider Settling Trump Suit Against I.R.S. — One of the settlement terms under review is for the I.R.S. to drop any audits of the president, his family members and businesses. — The Justice Department is holding internal discussions about settling President Trump's lawsuit …
Discussion:
The Independent, Raw Story, Mediaite, Lawyers, Guns & Money and E&E News
New York Times:
U.S. Intelligence Shows Iran Retains Substantial Missile Capabilities — Secret new assessments say Iran has operational access to 30 of its 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that its military remains far stronger than President Trump has asserted.
Discussion:
Phillips's Newsletter, Mediaite, NewsMax.com, Real Patriotism …, The Times of Israel, U.S. Home, Fox News, Wonkette, Jewish Insider and Semafor
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Ana Swanson / New York Times:
Trump's Shrinking Ambitions on China — The president came into office planning harsher trade moves on China than on the rest of the world. Here's why he's had to scale them back. — When President Trump campaigned in 2024, he promised a trade agenda that would hit China harder …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Reuters, CSIS, Al Jazeera, Asia Times, Semafor, Washington Examiner and NPR
RELATED:
Joshua Keating / Vox:
Trump's China policy is nearly the exact opposite of what everyone expected
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, Forbes, Foreign Affairs, Bloomberg and The Spectator
Colin Demarest / Axios:
Drills, deals and doubts in the Pacific as Trump visits China
Erin Cox / Washington Post:
Takeaways from the Nebraska election where a winner plans to quit — Democrats knew they couldn't unseat a GOP senator, so they backed an independent and fielded a candidate who promised to drop out if she won. Then it got complicated. — Summary — The long-shot path to unseating …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Talking Points Memo, Newsweek, Nebraska Public Media, New York Times, The Daily Caller, NPR, USA Today, MS NOW, New Republic, Washington Examiner and NBC News
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Bridget Bowman / NBC News:
Democrats pick Nebraska Senate nominee who could drop out and back independent Dan Osborn
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, New York Times, CNN, The Downballot, Decision Desk HQ, NewsMax.com, Newsweek, New York Post, Fox News, The Hill, Deseret News, Blaze Media, Political Wire, Bloomberg, The Guardian, GV Wire and CBS News
Andrew Howard / Politico:
Nebraska Dem who will drop out and support Dan Osborn wins Senate primary
Nebraska Dem who will drop out and support Dan Osborn wins Senate primary
Discussion:
NBC News, The Hill and The Downballot
Aaron Pellish / Politico:
GOP scores another gerrymandering victory with Missouri Supreme Court win … It's the latest in a series of redistricting victories won by Republicans through the courts. The Supreme Court ruled last month to weaken the Voting Rights Act, clearing the way for several Republican-controlled states …
Discussion:
The Post Millennial, Compact, NOTUS, RedState and Democracy Docket
RELATED:
Ben Kamisar / NBC News:
Louisiana GOP lawmakers advance map eliminating one Democratic House district
Discussion:
New York Times, WVUE-TV, IJR, This Week in Statehouse Action, WWL-TV, Democracy Docket, Fox News, CBS News and Washington Examiner
Politico:
South Carolina Republicans tank redistricting, for now
South Carolina Republicans tank redistricting, for now
Discussion:
NBC News, Greenville News, New York Times, The Hill, The Fucking News, Washington Post, Newsweek, UPI, Democracy Docket, Associated Press, Roll Call, The Independent, New York Post, The Guardian, Townhall, The Daily Signal, Bloomberg, KEYT-TV, Raw Story, Mediaite, Daily Caller News Foundation, NPR, Washington Examiner, Blaze Media, The Gateway Pundit, Ace of Spades HQ and The Moderate Voice
Wall Street Journal:
Watchdog Probes Kristi Noem's Warehouse Purchases for ICE Detention Centers — The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general is investigating a $38 billion program championed by Noem — WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general has launched a probe …
Discussion:
New York Post and Raw Story
Wall Street Journal:
Inside Marty Makary's Downfall at the FDA — Senior administration officials concluded the commissioner was out of step with President Trump's priorities — In the end, Dr. Marty Makary had just about run out of allies. — The chorus calling for the Food and Drug Administration commissioner …
RELATED:
Adriel Bettelheim / Axios:
Makary's exit creates new uncertainty at FDA
Makary's exit creates new uncertainty at FDA
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Breitbart, Raw Story, Bloomberg, The Hill and CNN
Richard Luscombe / The Guardian:
Epstein survivors give tearful testimony in House field hearing in Palm Beach — Oversight panel Democrats hold event at ‘the scene of the crime’ in Florida and ask Trump to not pardon Maxwell — Democrats tore into government's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein abuse scandal on Tuesday …
Discussion:
The Epstein Files and New Republic
RELATED:
Financial Times:
Donald Trump's plan to discuss Taiwan arms sales with Xi Jinping rattles Asian allies — Negotiations with Beijing on weapons exports to Taipei would break long US precedent
Discussion:
CBS News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, Christian Science Monitor, Fox News, UnHerd, New York Times, MS NOW and CNBC
RELATED:
Emily Hallas / Washington Examiner:
Concerns about sexual violence in Israel-Gaza conflict renewed amid NYT controversy — Accusations that Israel has fomented a culture of sexual violence against Palestinians triggered intense controversy this week, deepening the divide between the Jewish nation and its critics.
Heather Cox Richardson / Letters from an American:
The biggest story in the country, today and always, is that the president of the United States is mentally unwell. — Over the course of three hours last night, he posted on social media fifty-five times. Those posts accused a number of those Trump considers his personal enemies …
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News and Raw Story
Jose Pagliery / NOTUS:
FBI Created ‘Payback Squad’ to Handle Political Cases, Sources Say — Investigators are eyeing cases similar to the recent criminal prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey, one current government official told NOTUS. — Copy — The FBI now has a team of special agents that's …
Greg Bluestein / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Brian Kemp signs law making many metro Atlanta races nonpartisan — The law applies to most local government races in Democratic-dominated areas. A court challenge is expected.
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
FCC's Brendan Carr picks a fight with The View ... PN is supported by paid subscribers. Become one ⬇️ — 📡 Subscribe to PN 📡 — With so many cartoon villains in the Trump administration, it's hard for an upstart evildoer to break through the news cycle.
Discussion:
New York Sun
Politico:
Michigan Senate hopeful El-Sayed calls himself a ‘physician’ but has little history treating patients … But according to a review of Michigan and New York state medical records, he's never been granted a medical license in those states. El-Sayed's hands-on experience treating patients appears …
Discussion:
Detroit Free Press, American Prospect, Townhall, Mondoweiss, Washington Examiner, Raw Story and Breitbart
Oliver Darcy / Status:
Döpfner's MAGA Dance — The Axel Springer chief has been quietly pursuing closer ties to Donald Trump through a series of off-the-record efforts, including a planned Washington dinner and a trek to the Middle East, Status has learned. — Earlier this year, Axel Springer quietly reached …
Associated Press:
Gunfire breaks out in Philippine Senate where authorities have tried to arrest a senator — Watch a live view from the Senate in the Philippines after gunshots were heard. — A burst of gunfire rang out Wednesday night in the Philippine Senate, where authorities have tried to arrest …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, Reuters, KEYT-TV, Associated Press, The Diplomat and Asia Times
Washington Post:
White House to host 9-hour prayer festival focused on Christian roots of U.S. — Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio and Mike Johnson will speak at the event, which centers on the idea that the founders wanted the U.S. to be explicitly Christian. — Summary — The Trump administration is hosting …
Discussion:
The Guardian and RNS
CNN:
Exclusive: CIA escalates secret war on cartels with deadly operations inside Mexico — Federal agencies Mexico National security Donald Trump — Earlier this spring, a mysterious explosion blew up a car carrying an alleged cartel operative in broad daylight on one of Mexico's busiest highways just outside of its capital city.
Discussion:
El País, Al Jazeera, New York Times, Breitbart, Reuters and Semafor
