Top Items:
Justin Papp / CNBC:
Democrats blast Trump over ‘slush fund’ in possible IRS lawsuit settlement … Democratic lawmakers on Friday slammed the Trump administration over reports that President Donald Trump would drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service in an exchange for what some called a $1.7 billion “slush fund.”
Discussion:
ABC News, U.S. Home, Straight Arrow News, Forbes, Raw Story, MS NOW, Techdirt, Talking Points Memo, Mock Paper Scissors, Asia Times, BizPac Review, New Republic, Mediaite, Althouse and The Gateway Pundit
RELATED:
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Trump's $10 Billion Shakedown of IRS Takes Unnervingly Corrupt Turn — Would it be legal for President Donald Trump to effectively order a major U.S. government agency to hand over huge piles of taxpayer money to a group of his political allies? We may be about to find out.
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, Slate, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Raw Story, HuffPost and WLT Report
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
You're Getting Robbed. By Trump. In Broad Daylight.
Discussion:
Forbes, NewsMax.com and mfa.gov.cn
Arthur Delaney / HuffPost:
Trump's Rumored Payout Scheme For Political Allies Mirrors Proposed J6 Compensation Fund
Trump's Rumored Payout Scheme For Political Allies Mirrors Proposed J6 Compensation Fund
Discussion:
Staff Stories
Bente Birkeland / NPR:
Colorado's Democratic governor will let Trump ally Tina Peters out of prison early — DENVER — Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis has reduced the state prison sentence of Tina Peters, a former county clerk convicted of tampering with election equipment, allowing her to be eligible for parole on June 1.
Discussion:
Scripps News
RELATED:
Denver Post:
Gov. Jared Polis reduces Tina Peters' sentence, says she will be released June 1 — Former Mesa County clerk's 9 years for election data breach was focus of Trump pressure campaign — Gov. Jared Polis will reduce Tina Peters' sentence by half, he confirmed Friday, appearing to bend …
Discussion:
New York Times and CNN
Andrew Kaczynski / CNN:
Penile implant specialist with history of far-right comments led Hantavirus presser — Vaccines Media Donald Trump Abortion rights — As the Trump administration sought to reassure Americans this week that a hantavirus outbreak posed little risk to the public, Dr. Brian Christine …
Discussion:
Staff Stories, New York Magazine, New Republic and Mediaite
RELATED:
Nikki McCann Ramirez / Rolling Stone:
Hantavirus Response Official Is a Right-Wing Penile Implant Expert
Associated Press:
Live updates: Trump says he hasn't determined whether to go forward on arms package for Taiwan — EDITED BY BRIAN P. D. HANNON, SIDDHARTH KARTHIKEYAN AND BRIDGET BROWN — Trump says summit yielded a new Boeing deal for hundreds of planes — Trump told reporters on Air Force One that China …
RELATED:
Dave Lawler / Axios:
Trump waffles on Taiwan arms deal after Xi talks — President Trump said Friday he's unsure whether he would greenlight a planned $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan after discussing arms sales in “great detail” with Chinese President Xi Jinping. … - “The last thing we need right …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, New York Post, Fox News, New York Times, Raw Story, The Diplomat, The Hill, CNBC, Politico, Associated Press, Newsweek, NOTUS, Bloomberg, Grabien, Truthout and Stars & Stripes
CNN:
GOP congressman is under doctor's care, his father says amid mysterious absence from Washington — Top House Republicans have grown increasingly concerned by Rep. Tom Kean Jr.'s mysterious absence from the chamber. — Now his father, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr. …
Discussion:
New York Magazine, The Hill, Washington Examiner, IJR, Mediaite and New York Times
RELATED:
New York Times:
Judge Declares Mistrial in Weinstein Rape Trial — This was the third time Harvey Weinstein was on trial accused of raping an aspiring actress at a hotel in Manhattan in 2013. — A judge in Manhattan declared a mistrial on Friday after the jury in Harvey Weinstein's rape trial was unable …
RELATED:
Connor O'Brien / Politico:
‘Slap in the face’: Republicans skewer Pentagon over Poland move … The move is the latest in a rift between the Trump administration and Republicans on Capitol Hill who have been at odds over U.S. security interests in Europe. Lawmakers enacted limits on troop withdrawals from Europe …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com, New Republic and The Independent
RELATED:
New York Times:
Back From China, Trump Faces Decision on Whether to Resume Strikes on Iran — Top aides have drafted battle plans as peace negotiations have stalled. — President Trump returned from China on Friday facing major decisions on Iran, as his top aides have drafted plans for a return …
Discussion:
The American Conservative
RELATED:
Kevin Breuninger / CNBC:
Trump went big on tech stocks in first quarter of 2026, new filings show … President Donald Trump reported thousands of financial transactions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars — including large purchases and sales of tech giants Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta …
Discussion:
Financial Times, Forbes, Reuters, NewsMax.com and The Independent
RELATED:
Mike Hixenbaugh / NBC News:
Families caring for disabled relatives face unthinkable choices as Medicaid cuts loom — President Trump's “big, beautiful bill,” state budget turmoil and new attacks on paid family caregiving have people fearing financial ruin as they fight to keep loved ones out of institutions.
Ryan Mancini / The Hill:
Eric Trump says he'll sue Jen Psaki, MS NOW over report on China trip — President Trump's son Eric Trump on Friday said he will sue MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, and one of its hosts Jen Psaki after a monologue on her show questioned whether his business interests, combined with traveling …
Discussion:
twitchy.com, Mediaite and RedState
Tiago Rogero / The Guardian:
13 men killed by US military boat strikes identified: ‘These were flesh-and-blood people’ — All victims of US strikes in eastern Pacific and the Caribbean identified so far came from extremely poor communities — A five-month investigation has named 13 previously unidentified victims …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Lawrence Hurley / NBC News:
Justice Alito pushes back on calls to recuse in a major Supreme Court climate case — The conservative justice has no financial conflict that would require him to step aside from the case, a court spokeswoman told NBC News — WASHINGTON — Facing calls to step aside in a major upcoming …
Discussion:
E&E News and The Guardian
US Department of Justice:
Iraqi National Arrested and Charged with Providing Material Support to Iranian-Backed Terrorist Organizations and Directing Attacks Targeting U.S. Citizens and Interests — For Immediate Release — The Justice Department announced today the arrest of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi …
Associated Press:
Texas high court rejects removal of Democratic lawmakers who led quorum break over redistricting — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday refused to declare that Democratic lawmakers who briefly fled the state in 2025 to block a vote on new congressional voting maps pushed by President Donald Trump had vacated their office.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Hill, Bloomberg Law, Townhall, UPI, The Texas Tribune, Democracy Docket, The Independent and Newsweek
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
You can't gerrymander a bad approval rating — Strength In Numbers is a reader-supported newsletter that covers politics, polling, and public opinion from a data-driven perspective. If you want clear-eyed analysis of what the numbers say about American democracy today, consider a paid subscription.
Discussion:
Forbes
Stephen Groves / Associated Press:
Rep. Steve Cohen ending campaign in Tennessee after redraw of his Memphis district — Democratic Rep. Steven Cohen of Tennessee on Friday announced that he is ending his bid for reelection, his career upended by the redistricting battles that are sweeping the country after last month's Supreme Court decision.
Discussion:
New York Times, The Tennessean, CBS News, ABC News, Roll Call, Townhall, NBC News, NOTUS, New York Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, RedState, Associated Press, Washington Times, WPLN News, The Hill, E&E News, Daily Caller News Foundation, The Gateway Pundit, The Independent, Jewish Insider, The Daily Wire, Washington Examiner, twitchy.com, Newsweek, WLT Report, New Republic, The Post Millennial, Fox News and Bloomberg
Megan Mineiro / New York Times:
Republicans Waited to Challenge Trump on the Iran War. Now It May Be Too Late. — Having deferred to the president for months, G.O.P. lawmakers missed crucial milestones to try to limit his war powers. That has tied their hands in seeking parameters and exit criteria.
Texas Attorney General:
Attorney General Paxton Makes History by Securing a Landmark Healthcare Fraud Settlement that Creates the Nation's First-Ever Detransition Clinic and Secures $10 Million from Texas Children's Hospital for “Transitioning” Kids — Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a historic settlement …
Axios:
Demonstrations to sweep the South over voting rights and redistricting — A wave of voting rights battles and GOP redistricting fights is triggering a coordinated response across the South, with organizers preparing a “Summer of Action” campaign with marches that start this weekend.
Discussion:
Weekend Reading, NewsMax.com, TheGrio and Capital B News
New York Times:
Executions Surge in Iran Since Cease-Fire, Rights Groups Say — Many were detained during January's mass protests, according to a rights group, amid concerns the authorities are trying to intimidate Iranians from returning to the streets. — Iran has executed four prisoners this week …
Jose Olivares / Drop Site News:
U.S. Agencies Will Operate From Surveillance Tower in Chihuahua, Despite Recent Unauthorized CIA Presence in the Mexican State — Chihuahua officials will share intelligence data from surveillance cameras, license-plate readers, drones, and helicopters with U.S. agencies.
Discussion:
New York Times
Axios:
House Ethics wants reinforcements as misconduct probes pile up … - “He has had a great challenge, the chairman of Ethics Committee, that committee is very busy right now,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Axios on Friday. … But top lawmakers say the panel tasked with investigating those claims needs more resources to keep up.
Anita Komuves / Reuters:
Orban's media empire crumbles after Hungary election defeat — The media empire built by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government, a key pillar of the nationalist leader's 16 years in power, is swiftly unravelling following an election last month that abruptly ended his rule.
Discussion:
Bloomberg
NBC News:
Speaker Mike Johnson responds to domestic abuse allegations against a GOP congressman: 'He's got to work that out' — Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, has vehemently denied the allegations of his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of a U.S. senator, and has sued her alleging defamation.
Discussion:
Wonkette, Associated Press, New York Post, Roll Call, The Hill, Washington Examiner and Politico
Washington Post:
Parents of teens who break curfew in D.C. will be prosecuted, DOJ says — The Justice Department's crackdown on crime comes ahead of 250th anniversary events in the nation's capital. — The Justice Department will prosecute the parents of teenagers who break curfew as part of a crackdown …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, RedState, Washington Times, CBS News, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, WTTG-TV and Bearing Arms
Jamie Paige / New York Post:
LA mayoral hopeful Nithya Raman proposes backyard BBQ ban — Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Nithya Raman wanted to ban backyard barbecues for residents during certain high fire danger days across the city. — Raman introduced a motion Wednesday directing city officials to examine emergency restrictions …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, HotAir, Ace of Spades HQ, twitchy.com, Breitbart, RedState, Townhall and Louder With Crowder
