China's Rare Earth Grip Holds Despite Trump-Xi Talks
Donald Trump returned from Beijing calling his two-day summit with Xi Jinping a but the rare earth market is less convinced. Despite closely watched talks on May 14-15, no formal agreement emerged on China's export controls, and shipments of the critical heavy minerals that power everything from F-35 fighters to ...
Michael Kern / Oil Price | Tue, 26 May 2026 17:00:00
Trump, near 80, has third medical exam amid questions on health: 'maybe junk food is good'
US President Donald Trump's health was under scrutiny once again on Tuesday as he had his annual medical examination just days before his 80th birthday. The oldest US president ever sworn into office, Republican Trump has repeatedly boasted of his mental and physical vigour compared to Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. ...
Agence France-Presse / South China Morning Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 16:54:31
US strikes a 'gross violation' of ceasefire: Iran
Iran's foreign ministry said the US had violated a ceasefire in place for nearly seven weeks, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expected negotiations over a deal to "take a few days".
Michael Koziol, Konstantin Toropin / Sydney Morning Herald | Tue, 26 May 2026 16:34:21
"No One Asked You, Bro": White House Lashes Out at GOP Over Iran Deal
The Iran war continues to divide Donald Trump's social media cultists. After reports that the Trump administration was finally getting around to ending their incredibly expensive and pointless military campaign, Republican Senator Ted Cruz criticized the peacemaking on X. "I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an ...
Finn Hartnett / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 15:46:02
Bonus Quote of the Day
"I didn't expect the corruption to be quite as widespread as it has been. The self-dealing, the lining of his and his family's pockets. It's shocking... You look across the board at the Trump family, I've never seen a family get so rich off the presidency." - Megyn Kelly, on ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 15:30:59
Trump's Iran Signals Send Oil Markets Into Chaos
Oil prices whipsawed after reports of a possible U.S.-Iran framework deal briefly sent Brent plunging, only for fresh U.S. strikes on Iran to push crude back toward $100. Probable Super Niño Adds Insult to Injury for LNG Buyers - The arrival of a powerful El Niño this year, potentially even ...
Tom Kool / Oil Price | Tue, 26 May 2026 15:23:00
Trump moves to punish US government workers who leak information to reporters
US President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday proposed asking federal employees to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDA) with the goal of preventing them from sharing confidential information with journalists. The Office of Personnel Management, the human resources office for the US government, released a draft NDA designed for federal agencies to ...
Reuters / South China Morning Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 15:17:28
Micron hits a $1 trillion market cap after UBS - and Trump - praise it
Praise from analysts at a top bank and a shoutout from Trump on Friday helped boost Micron stock into the trillion-dollar club on Tuesday.
Jennifer Sor / Business Insider | Tue, 26 May 2026 15:14:56
Trump Proposes Expansive NDAs for All Federal Workers
"The Trump administration is planning a government-wide nondisclosure agreement that bars federal workers from sharing a wide array of 'confidential government information,'" the Washington Post reports. "The draft notice, which will be published Wednesday and be open for a 30-day public comment period, uses an expansive definition of privileged information, ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 15:14:18
Whatever Trump Does Is Corrupt, but the Slush Fund Is the Worst of All
Donald Trump and his partner in crime, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, have constructed what may be the most brazen arrangement in the history of American government. And to be clear about who is on the short end of both sticks: It's the American public, you and me. We're the ...
Harry Litman / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 15:02:45
Thomas Massie Warns More Epstein Retribution Is Coming
Republican Representative Thomas Massie has vowed to go scorched earth on the Trump administration-by unveiling previously unmentioned names related to the Epstein files. The rogue Kentucky lawmaker pointed fingers at Donald and Melania Trump during an interview with NBC News's Meet the Press Sunday, claiming that the first lady is ...
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 15:00:31
Live markets: bitcoin on sidelines as markets surge on Iran peace hopes
Oil prices and bond yields have opened the week sharply lower following President Trump's weekend announcement of an imminent Middle East agreement.
Olivier Acuna / CoinDesk | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:43:53
Trump Judges Block Alabama Republicans' Map for Being Too Racist
A federal court in Alabama has struck down Republicans' attempt to redraw the state's congressional map, on the grounds that it intentionally discriminates against Black voters. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court ruled that the state could not switch to its 2023 congressional map, which had ...
Hafiz Rashid / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:42:05
Trump to Make Rare Trip to Camp David
New York Post: "President Trump will make a rare trip to Camp David on Wednesday to hold a cabinet meeting as peace talks with Iran near crunch time." "All cabinet members - including outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard - are expected to join Trump at the presidential retreat ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:38:31
Trump to host Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Wednesday as Iran talks continue
Trump and his top officials will make the rare trip to the woodsy Maryland retreat to discuss issues both foreign and domestic, a White House official said.
CNBC | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:35:33
Trump is seeing doctors for his annual physical. What the public finds out is up to him
President Trump is getting a medical exam on Tuesday, putting his health under renewed public scrutiny after he has worked to dismiss concerns over his age and stamina.
Associated Press / Stats | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:32:51
Trump Gives Away Game for Why He Backed Ken Paxton in Texas Primary
To be a Donald Trump-endorsed political candidate, you must possess many qualities: integrity. Empathy. Intelligence. A love of the United States and all who inhabit it. Just kidding! You don't have to have any of those things. You just have to suck up to him more than the other guy. ...
Finn Hartnett / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:31:21
Trump Goes on Weird Posting Spree Ahead of Third Medical Check-Up
President Trump went on yet another Truth Social posting spree over the holiday weekend, sharing Facebook-style memes into the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday. This comes as he is set to get his third medical check up in 13 months at Walter Reed Medical Center on Tuesday. He ...
Malcolm Ferguson / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:22:45
Trump's Abraham Accords Fantasy Will Only Cause More Suffering
Jeet Heer Any expansion of the alleged peace agreement would lock the Middle East into endless apartheid, despotism, and militarism. The post Trump's Abraham Accords Fantasy Will Only Cause More Suffering appeared first on The Nation .
Jeet Heer / The Nation | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:15:56
Global Oil Prices Rise as Fresh U.S. Strikes on Iran Cast Shadow Over Trump's Promised Peace Deal
The fresh strikes from the U.S., and the warning Iran issued in return, have brought renewed instability to the markets.
Tiago Ventura / Time | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:03:48
The UFC Moves From the Fringes to the White House
Time: "On June 14, Flag Day and Trump's 80th birthday, the UFC is staging an event on the South Lawn of the White House, a spectacle that will also serve as the unofficial opening of a summerlong celebration of America's 250th anniversary... It also serves as a career capstone for ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:33
Armenia, US sign framework agreement for cooperation on Trump Route project
The document was signed by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Tass | Tue, 26 May 2026 13:59:07
New Week, Same BS
By TF 3 Comments | 1 Like Let's see....here's how it goes. Trump tweets on Saturday that a peace deal is near. PMs rally on the news. But there is no actual peace deal. PMs fall on the news. At least, if anything, all of my concerns regarding a weekend ...
TF Metals Report / TF Metals Report | Tue, 26 May 2026 13:52:33
Trump Sure Picked the Worst Time Imaginable to Bomb Iran
The U.S. bombed several Iranian targets Monday, breaking their own ceasefire in the process. American forces destroyed Iranian boats and missile launch sites, according to U.S. Central Command. The boats were reportedly attempting to lay more mines along the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway between Iran and Oman. But ...
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 13:38:05
Iran: 'shot down Reaper drone' after US launched new strikes
The Iranian military said early Tuesday that it shot down an American Reaper drone after theTrump what it characterized as "self-defense strikes" on southern Iran, further complicating efforts to secure a diplomatic resolution to the illegal US-Israeli war. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement, carried by ...
Jake Johnson and Brett Wilkins / Asia Times | Tue, 26 May 2026 13:14:42
U.S. conducts 'self-defense strikes' in Iran as Trump pushes for peace deal
Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines.
CNBC | Tue, 26 May 2026 13:07:52
Investors 'afraid' to take position on oil, data chiefs say as tankers face potential Hormuz fees
Oil markets fear Iran may impose fees on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz as part of any peace deal with the U.S.
CNBC | Tue, 26 May 2026 13:02:10
America Descends Into a Flattery-Failure Doom Loop
Paul Krugman: "Outside the MAGA bubble, Americans are increasingly seeing Trump as the loser he is. He has failed on every front. Manufacturing employment is down, inflation is outpacing wages, consumer sentiment is at a record low, mortgage rates are up. Trump's war of choice has led to utter humiliation. ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 13:00:57
I Wonder What Happened Here
I'm sure most of the psychos around Trump are always pushing for more violence. United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said a potential deal to end the US-Israel war on Iran could "take a few days" to be agreed, after US forces claimed to have struck Iranian missile ...
Atrios / Eschaton | Tue, 26 May 2026 13:00:00
Brent oil price jumps 3% after Iran vows to retaliate for U.S. strikes
Donald Trump had said negotiations with Iran were "proceeding nicely," while warning that the U.S. could resume military action if discussions were to collapse.
CNBC | Tue, 26 May 2026 12:55:29
The Leftward Lurch That Wasn't
The conventional wisdom about Democrats in the Trump era is that the party has lurched hard to the left - and, in the process, pushed away the more moderate voters it needs to win. But the data doesn't really support that story. Join now to continue reading. Members get exclusive ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 12:46:32
John Bolton Reveals Exactly How Iran Is Playing 'Palpably Desperate' Trump In Negotiations
Ben Blanchet / Huffington Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 12:41:59
Trump Is Doing Xi's Job for Him
Whether consciously or not, President Trump's actions in multiple ways appear to be helping President Xi, China and the CCP weaken America. Xi sees America as a flailing giant, an empire in decline. Trump is accelerating this decline. First of all, Trump has damaged all our alliances, particularly with NATO ...
ROBERT A. LEVINE, TMV Columnist / Moderate Voice | Tue, 26 May 2026 12:41:07
Trump makes everything worse but he didn't start it
While cleaning my basement, I found an old copy of Foreign Affairs dated September/October 2014. If you didn't look at the publication date but only its table of contents, you would have thought it was a recent edition. Titled "See America: Land of Decay & Dysfunction", the edition's front cover ...
Alex Lo / South China Morning Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 12:30:04
Why US and Canadian conservatives backed Trump's China trip but slammed Carney's
When Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing in January, US conservative podcaster Alex Jones accused him of bowing to China's leadership. In Canada, the opposition Conservative Party was no less scathing in its criticism. Party leader Pierre Poilievre questioned how Carney went "from saying China was Canada's 'biggest security ...
Dulue Mbachu / South China Morning Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 12:00:05
Trump Remains Deeply Unpopular
A new Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll finds 37% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's job performance with 60% disapproving. On the generic congressional ballot, Democrats lead Republicans 51% to 43% among registered voters - an 8-point margin - and 51% to 41% among all adults. Democrats have led the generic ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:50:58
Quote of the Day
"I think we're on the verge of something that ultimately history will decide was a catastrophic loss for the United States." - Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, talking to CNN about the Iran war.
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:44:07
Reviewing the Trump Phone
CNET: "My first thought on opening the box was: This is not the shade of matte gold I would have chosen for my flagship phone. It was kind of giving dehydrated pee vibes."
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:38:27
An Analysis of Trump's Cabinet Meetings
New York Times: "On average, at least one of every six sentences either flattered Mr. Trump, gave him credit or criticized his political opponents."
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:32:38
An Election Denier is the GOP Front-Runner in Georgia
New York Times: "Burt Jones, the Republican front-runner in the Georgia governor's race, presents his considerable efforts to overturn Donald Trump's election loss in 2020 as a badge of honor." "On the stump, he even boasts about it." Said Jones: "You've got to think back to who was standing up ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:26:38
Trump Heads to the Doctor Again
Wall Street Journal: "The president is scheduled to have physical and dental exams Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Trump's health has been under growing scrutiny in the past year, and he turns 80 next month." "What information the White House decides to disclose about the president's health ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:24:33
Where Are America's Ambassadors?
The United States is fighting, in some form or another, with almost everyone. America's in a hot war with Iran and a cold war with China and Russia (even if President Trump hasn't figured that out). Trump has ignited various trade wars, and keeps talking up a possible conflict with ...
Tom Nichols / The Atlantic | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:18:42
Putin and Trump don't have the cards
The wars Russia and America have waged in Ukraine and Iran are case studies in geopolitical self-harm
FT | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:10:33
American Decline on Display
Donald Trump's state visit to Beijing has further demonstrated the relative weakness of the United States and the West vis- -vis the People's Republic of China and the Global South. While Chinese President Xi Jinping is surely happy with the outcome, Europe now has even more reasons to worry about ...
Joschka Fischer / Project Syndicate | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:05:13
Republican Congress Faces Major Pileup Before Midterms
Semafor: "Republicans are running into a sudden new problem after punting on their immigration enforcement bill: time." "It's not clear how Republicans will handle opposition to the Trump administration's $1.8 billion fund when they return in June; some think they may need to rethink how the bill is devised given ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:03:46
What to Know About the Abraham Accords as Trump Pushes Mideast Nations to Recognize Israel as Part of Iran Deal
Trump said he would be "mandatorily requesting" several Muslim nations sign the Abraham Accords and recognize Israel as part of any peace deal with Iran.
Miranda Jeyaretnam / Time | Tue, 26 May 2026 11:00:00
"If It Wasn't for Us, You'd Be Speaking French" King Charles Toasts 250 Years of Side-Eye
From Diaper Diplomacy via YouTube, April 29:King Charles stood at a White House dinner with President Donald Trump and delivered a toast that somehow managed to be diplomatic, historically accurate, and one powdered wig away from becoming a diss track.After joking about the White House's East Wing Charles reminded the ...
climateer / Climateer Investing | Tue, 26 May 2026 10:49:21
Why everyone is talking about the Antichrist
In case you didn't notice, the Antichrist is back. All right, forgive the hyperbole - this biblical agent of Satan hasn't actually returned to lead a rebellion against God before Christ's second coming. But in the year of our Lord 2026, a curious surge in chatter about this herald of ...
Christian Paz / Vox | Tue, 26 May 2026 10:30:00
Transcript: Trump Tirades Take Weird Turn as Poll Collapse Rattles GOP
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the May 26 episode of the Daily Blast podcast. Listen to it here . After we recorded, The New York Times posted a piece reporting at length that Trump's ballroom, slush fund, and overall (translation: deranged megalomania) have "alarmed" Republicans about the ...
The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 10:12:03
Trump's Revenge Tour Heads to Texas
"President Donald Trump is poised to welcome yet another victory on his revenge tour today despite the risk it could have on his Capitol Hill priorities," Politico reports. "Ken Paxton has emerged as the clear front-runner against Sen. John Cornyn in the final days of the Texas Senate runoff after ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 10:10:27
Federal Prosecutors Struggle With Grand Juries
"Grand juries are the heart of the criminal justice system, the inner sanctum where prosecutors, working unchecked and in secret, have enormous power to indict their fellow citizens," the New York Times reports. "But under President Trump, the Justice Department has had serious difficulties presenting cases to grand juries, running ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Tue, 26 May 2026 10:03:00
Trump's big move hits Indians: Over 7 lakh green card seekers face uncertainty; top challenges explained
Data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shows that nearly 540,000 family-sponsored green card applications and about 170,000 employment-based applications are currently pending.
TOI Business Desk / Times of India | Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:50
Truck drivers say 'racism' behind Trump administration's license restrictions on immigrants
Rule prevents many immigrant truckers from renewing driver's license - even if they've driven legally for years Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Nearly 200,000 US truck drivers are at risk of losing their commercial driver's licenses after the US Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a new ...
Michael Sainato / Guardian | Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:49
Donald Trump Is Going Nuclear
1. At 27 years old, with a baby face and a receding hairline, Isaiah Taylor looks like nothing so much as a very large cherub. After dropping out of high school, he launched into entrepreneurship; he has described himself in his professional bio as a "self-taught engineer and 3x founder." ...
Colin Jones / New Republic | Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:00
The fog of war is now clearing. America has lost the war in Iran
As the interminable stop-start ceasefires and negotiations between the USA and Iran drag on, it has become increasingly clear to me that Trump's military is not winning the war, and his political cabal in the White House is desperately seeking a way out of the morass in which they find ...
Lt Col Stuart Crawford / GB News | Tue, 26 May 2026 09:46:25
The world may or may not be entering 'Beijing time'
In recent weeks, the back-to-back state visits to Beijing by Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump have put China in the global spotlight. For some international analysts, the summits showcased China as a "stabilising force capable of hosting two major rivals within days", a "broker between the ...
Czeslaw Tubilewicz / Asia Times | Tue, 26 May 2026 09:46:09
Trump's immigration crackdown is contributing to a summer lifeguard shortage
Seasonal summer businesses depend on foreign student workers to fill roles. Applicants are down, however, as the US tightens its immigration rules.
Lauren Edmonds / Money Game | Tue, 26 May 2026 09:11:01
Lawmakers Ask DOJ Watchdog to Investigate Alleged Drugs-for-Votes Scheme After ProPublica Report
The post Lawmakers Ask DOJ Watchdog to Investigate Alleged Drugs-for-Votes Scheme After ProPublica Report appeared first on ProPublica .
Raquel Rutledge / ProPublica | Tue, 26 May 2026 09:00:00
In Beijing, the US and China tiptoed around tech and critical minerals
The Xi-Trump summit in Beijing unfolded much more cordially than the tense truce in Busan. In the six months since the leaders met in the South Korean city, America's bargaining position has weakened considerably from developments both domestic and international. From a reluctant respite in tensions, US-China relations have evolved ...
Winston Mok / South China Morning Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 08:30:06
STAT+: How Kyle Diamantas defied expectations as he rose to lead the FDA
WASHINGTON - People in the food world didn't know what to expect when the Trump administration appointed a little-known Florida attorney as the FDA's top food official in 2025. They...
Lizzy Lawrence / Stats | Tue, 26 May 2026 08:30:00
Russia tells Marco Rubio U.S. citizens should leave Kyiv ahead of 'systematic' strikes on Ukrainian capital
Moscow said it would be launching "systematic and consistent strikes" on the city of Kyiv.
CNBC | Tue, 26 May 2026 08:11:14
A football World Cup is a global cultural exchange. How will that work in Trump's America?
Chuka Onwumechili of Howard University writes that football world cup is a global cultural exchange. But how will it work in Trump's AMerica which is anti all such exchanges: The US is a strong location for such cultural exchange. The country has historically accepted the largest number of migrants in ...
Amol Agrawal / Mostly Economics | Tue, 26 May 2026 08:06:10
Trump pushes countries involved in Iran talks to join Abraham Accords
Seeking Alpha | Tue, 26 May 2026 07:45:34
As Trump woos China, the Quad grouping drifts towards irrelevance
As Washington shifts military focus away from Asia, analysts say the Quad is struggling to define its purpose.
Al Jazeera | Tue, 26 May 2026 07:27:03
Morgan McSweeney on voters and discontent
With two hugely consequential months ahead in British politics, Sam and Anne look beneath the headlines and Westminster drama to ask what really comes next. As US President Donald Trump escalates tensions in the Middle East once again, the duo examine the pressure on Whitehall. Would any prime minister, whoever ...
Anne McElvoy, Sam Coates / Politico | Tue, 26 May 2026 07:15:15
Arab Leaders Left In 'Stunned Silence' By Trump's Demands Over Iran, BBC Expert Says
Kate Nicholson / Huffington Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 07:12:10
Joe Hockey says he is nervous about AUKUS - and wants Albanese to cold-call Trump
The former ambassador urged Anthony Albanese to make a habit of calling Donald Trump to deepen his relationship with the US president.
Matthew Knott / Sydney Morning Herald | Tue, 26 May 2026 07:05:42
White House Comms Chief's F-Bomb Attack On Former Trump Official Draws Backlash Online
Lee Moran / Huffington Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 06:39:03
Donald Trump Shares Provocative Iran Map Amid Deal Talks
Lee Moran / Huffington Post | Tue, 26 May 2026 06:35:46
