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3:40 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.
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.
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 and Raw Story
Associated Press:
Trump Administration Live Updates: Deal on Compensation Fund Blocks I.R.S. Claims Against President and His Family  —  Senate Appropriations Committee, via Associated Press  —  Senate Appropriations Committee, via Associated Press  —  Senate Appropriations Committee, via Associated Press
Discussion: Raw Story and New Republic
Zachary Basu / Axios:
Trumpworld's presidential gold rush  —  Democrats erupted Monday over President Trump's $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund for MAGA allies who claim political persecution, vowing to investigate what they called textbook corruption. … - The taxpayer-backed fund will be overseen …
Andrew Duehren / New York Times:
Top Treasury Lawyer Resigns After Creation of ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’  —  Brian Morrissey, the department's general counsel, stepped down hours after the Trump administration announced the $1.8 billion fund.  —  The top lawyer at the Treasury Department stepped down on Monday in the wake …
Jay Willis / Balls and Strikes:
The Trump IRS Lawsuit Settlement Will Use Your Tax Dollars to Make January 6ers Rich
Rebecca Beitsch / The Hill:
Senators put Blanche on defense over $1.776B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
Scott MacFarlane Reports:
“DAY AHEAD” - Senators Launch Probes of Justice Dept after Trump Establishes Fund for Convicted Criminals
Discussion: New Republic
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
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!
RELATED:
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 …
Kate Riga / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Finally Endorses Paxton over Cornyn in Texas Senate Primary
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 …
RELATED:
Tamara Keith / NPR:
These men voted for President Trump.  They have very different views of how he's doing  —  Gerald and Wally are Black men who live in the suburbs of Atlanta.  Both grew up voting for Democrats and voted for President Joe Biden in 2020.  Then in 2024, they switched to voting for President Trump.
Discussion: Bloomberg and Raw Story
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% …
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.
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
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 …
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 »
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 …
Lauren McGaughy / New York Times:
A Single Donation Could Upend the G.O.P. Primary for Texas Attorney General  —  One donor's contribution of $2.75 million could help propel Representative Chip Roy in his clash with a self-funded state senator, Mayes Middleton.  —  In the fight to be the next Texas attorney general, Chip Roy has been on the ropes.
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 …
Courtney Tanner / Salt Lake Tribune:
After Sharon McMahon controversy, Utah colleges must now vote on commencement speakers  —  When author and educator Sharon McMahon was initially named this year's Utah Valley University commencement speaker, there was no official vote or debate where members of the public could weigh in.
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 …
Amy B Wang / Washington Post:
NAACP calls for college sports boycott in states targeting Black voting power  —  The group urges Black athletes to withhold commitments to athletic programs in eight states over redistricting, and it also asks fans to stop buying tickets.  —  Summary  —  The NAACP is calling on Black athletes …
Gwynne Hogan / The City:
Immigrant Detained in Court A Day After Judge Barred Most ICE Arrests  —  A Honduran man was arrested after a hearing inside 26 Federal Plaza a day after a judge barred most arrests inside New York City immigration courts.  —  Court observers and advocates were shocked Tuesday morning …
Discussion: Mercury News and The Independent
Sarah N. Lynch / CBS News:
Federal prosecutors open new criminal probe into Maduro, sources say  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  Federal prosecutors in Miami were ordered to open a new criminal investigation targeting detained former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro amid some concerns that the pending prosecution …
 
 
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 More Items: 
Katie Drummond / Wired:
Tom Steyer Wants to Save California From Billionaires. But Also Doesn't Want Them to Leave
Discussion: Los Angeles Times
Julia Manchester / The Hill:
Trump to appear in campaign-style event with vulnerable Mike Lawler
Discussion: Bloomberg and NewsMax.com
Andrew Pantazi / Axios:
Ghislaine Maxwell will not get pardon recommendation, Blanche says
 Earlier Items: 
Samantha Michaels / Mother Jones:
Memphis Is “Under Full-Blown Occupation” by ICE. Here's Why You May Not Know That.
Discussion: Reason
Brian Krebs / Krebs on Security:
CISA Admin Leaked AWS GovCloud Keys on Github
Kenny Stancil / Talking Points Memo:
Democrats Shouldn't Let Russell Vought Fly Under the Radar
Ronda Kaysen / New York Times:
Trump's Deportations Are Costing Americans Jobs
Paul Waldman / Public Notice:
No one is coming to bail Trump out of his disastrous war
Bill Scher / Washington Monthly:
Democrats Have the Biggest Midterm Election Lead in May, by any Party, in 20 Years
Discussion: Sabato's Crystal Ball
 

 
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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