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5:00 PM ET, May 19, 2026

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 Top Items: 
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.
Discussion: CNBC, New Republic, MS NOW and Wonkette
RELATED:
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.
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 …
Andrew Duehren / New York Times:
The I.R.S. Thought It Could Fight Trump's Lawsuit, but It Struck a Deal Anyway  —  Officials wrote a memo outlining ways to challenge President Trump's suit against the Internal Revenue Service.  The administration is instead creating an “anti-weaponization” fund.
Paul Krugman:
The Looting of America  —  So the Trump administration is creating a $1.776 billion slush fund — 1776, get it? — to pay off victims of “lawfare and weaponization.”  Just to be clear, if you're a U.S. taxpayer, this action means that almost $1.8 billion of your money will be handed …
Discussion: Wall Street Journal
Fatima Hussein / Associated Press:
US government agrees to drop tax claims against Trump in broadening of IRS lawsuit settlement  —  The U.S. government will permanently drop tax claims against President Donald Trump, according to a settlement document that is part of a deal to resolve Trump's $10 billion lawsuit …
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.”
Rebecca Beitsch / The Hill:
Senators put Blanche on defense over $1.776B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
Josephine Walker / Axios:
DOJ settlement prevents future tax investigations of Trump
Discussion: American Greatness
Andrew Duehren / New York Times:
Top Treasury Lawyer Resigns After Creation of ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’
Torrie Herrington / NOTUS:
IRS ‘Forever Barred’ From Investigating Trump After DOJ Expands Settlement
Scott MacFarlane Reports:
“DAY AHEAD” - Senators Launch Probes of Justice Dept after Trump Establishes Fund for Convicted Criminals
Discussion: New Republic
New York Times:
Republican Senators Are Livid at Trump's Endorsement of Paxton  —  News that President Trump had snubbed Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the four-term incumbent, was met with shock, anger and fear that the G.O.P. could lose his seat.  —  Republican senators reacted angrily on Tuesday …
RELATED:
Gabby Birenbaum / The Texas Tribune:
Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Senate GOP runoff  —  The development, coming partway through early voting, is a searing blow for John Cornyn, who finished first in the March runoff but was unable to convince Trump to endorse him.  —  TAKE OUR CONTENT — PLEASE!
Kate Riga / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Finally Endorses Paxton over Cornyn in Texas Senate Primary  —  President Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) over Sen. John Cornyn (R) in the Texas Senate primary runoff Tuesday after months of waffling.  —  “Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas …
Nia Prater / New York Magazine:
What We Know About the Motives of the San Diego Mosque Shooters  —  A California community has been left reeling after a pair of teenage gunmen opened fire at the San Diego Islamic Center Monday morning, killing three people in an attack that is currently being investigated as a hate crime.
RELATED:
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Five dead, including two teenage suspects, at San Diego mosque shooting
Julie Watson / Associated Press:
Teenage gunmen open fire on San Diego mosque, killing 3 men and then themselves
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
Independents and 2024 non-voters have swung back left  —  The big story in the new NYT/Siena poll isn't Trump's 37% approval (although that's very bad) — it's a 24-point swing among persuadable voters  —  I received six emails from major news outlets on Monday asking me to comment …
Discussion: MS NOW
RELATED:
Tamara Keith / NPR:
These men voted for President Trump. They have very different views of how he's doing
Discussion: Bloomberg and Raw Story
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Book on Truth in the Age of A.I. Contains Quotes Made Up by A.I.  —  Steven Rosenbaum, author of “The Future of Truth,” said he had started his own investigation after The New York Times asked about the fake quotes.  —  The author of a nonfiction book about the effects of artificial intelligence …
more at Mediagazer »
Fox News:
Unearthed posts show Dem Senate hopeful praising vulgar graffiti, making crude porta potty admission  —  GOP strategist calls the yearslong trail of posts a ‘character issue’ ahead of a potential race against Susan Collins  —  Editor's note: This story contains graphic language.
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 …
John Towfighi / CNN:
30-year US Treasury yield hits highest level in 19 years  —  Investing The Middle East Interest rates  —  A bond rout is deepening as inflation fears take hold of the Treasury market, threatening to raise borrowing costs across the US economy.  —  The 30-year US Treasury yield just hit 5.2% …
Discussion: Bloomberg, Breitbart, NewsMax.com, UPI and CNBC
Dan Diamond / Washington Post:
Trump shows off White House ballroom construction as funding stalls in Congress  —  The president offered journalists the closest look yet at the construction project, where photographers captured images of the work in progress and Trump touted security measures.  —  Summary
RELATED:
Demetri Sevastopulo / Financial Times:
Xi Jinping told Donald Trump that Putin might ‘regret’ invasion of Ukraine  —  US president also suggested they should co-operate with Russian leader against the International Criminal Court  —  Xi Jinping told Donald Trump during their talks last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin might end …
New York Times:
G.O.P. Supporters Back Trump, but a Third Seek a New Direction for the Party  —  While President Trump remains overwhelmingly popular within the Republican coalition, a New York Times/Siena poll found, a sizable share wants the party's next nominee to take a different approach.
RELATED:
Nate Cohn / New York Times:   A Generational Fracture Emerges for Republicans Over Foreign Policy
Associated Press:
Federal agents can't make arrests in N.Y. immigration courts, judge rules  —  The decision halts a Trump administration practice that enabled agents to take into custody individuals who follow requirements to appear before immigration judges.  —  Federal agents can no longer …
New York Times:
Trump's Special Envoy to Greenland Receives a Cold Welcome From Locals  —  After President Trump's threats to seize the island, Gov. Jeff Landry's offers of MAGA hats and chocolate chip cookies fall flat.  —  President Trump's special envoy to Greenland, Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana …
Jen Rice / Democracy Docket:
Hakeem Jeffries: At least 7 blue states could redistrict by 2028  —  President Donald Trump's national redistricting war is far from over, but Democrats are ready to redraw congressional maps in seven more states ahead of the 2028 election, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday.
Discussion: Washington Examiner
NBC News:
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley says he favors a stock-trading ban that applies to presidents  —  Hawley is a co-author of bipartisan legislation that would ban members of Congress, the president and vice president from trading individual stocks. … WASHINGTON — Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. …
Olivia Reingold / The Free Press:
Meet the Mangione Press Corps  —  They include a ‘Hot Girls for Zohran’ influencer and a Fulbright scholar turned sex video game creator.  —  Upgrade to Listen  —  On Monday, reporters lingered outside a courthouse in downtown Manhattan, waiting to see whether Luigi Mangione's defense team …
Edward Luce / Financial Times:
America's ailing one-trick pony  —  Trump's excessive faith in military power is squarely within the US tradition  —  Count the obliterated targets.  Tally the corpses of senior leaders.  Behold America's military prowess.  By any measure, Iran has taken a pummelling.
Wall Street Journal:
Russia's War Is Going Badly—on the Ground and in the Air  —  Putin shows no signs he is rethinking his aims  —  KYIV—Ukraine's military has wrestled Russia's much-larger army almost to a halt in recent months, having gained a tactical and technological edge.
Wall Street Journal:
The American Rebellion Against AI Is Gaining Steam  —  Booed commencement speakers, blocked data centers, plummeting poll numbers: Fast-growing industry has a faster-growing crisis  —  The only thing growing faster than the artificial-intelligence industry may be Americans' negative feelings about it …
 
 
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 More Items: 
New York Times:
Manager at Trump's N.J. Golf Club Helped Plan Reflecting Pool Repairs
Discussion: New Republic
Reuters:
Vance says ‘a lot of progress’ made in Iran talks
Carl Campanile / New York Post:
AFT boss Randi Weingarten tapped union resources worth over $1.4M to write ‘manifesto’ book
Discussion: Breitbart and twitchy.com
Sarah N. Lynch / CBS News:
Federal prosecutors open new criminal probe into Maduro, sources say
Katie Drummond / Wired:
Tom Steyer Wants to Save California From Billionaires. But Also Doesn't Want Them to Leave
Discussion: Los Angeles Times
 Earlier Items: 
Lauren McGaughy / New York Times:
A Single Donation Could Upend the G.O.P. Primary for Texas Attorney General
Discussion: NewsMax.com and The Texas Tribune
Gwynne Hogan / The City:
Immigrant Detained in Court a Day After Judge Barred Most ICE Arrests
Discussion: Mercury News
Samantha Michaels / Mother Jones:
Memphis Is “Under Full-Blown Occupation” by ICE. Here's Why You May Not Know That.
Discussion: Reason
Courtney Tanner / Salt Lake Tribune:
After Sharon McMahon controversy, Utah colleges must now vote on commencement speakers
 

 
From Mediagazer:

CNN:
Haberman-Swan book: Trump wanted to make Fox News “beg” for a presidential interview, he almost settled for $3M with ABC instead of $16M, and more

Borys Kit / The Hollywood Reporter:
Netflix wins rights to the Sesame Street movie; Rideback, the production company behind live-action Lilo & Stitch and Aladdin movies, will produce the feature

Andrew Cohen / InvestmentNews:
Robinhood plans to shutter the Sherwood News site in favor of newsletters and the Robinhood app; at least three reporters were cut in company layoffs this week
 
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