NuseReal

Trump & Co Watch May 2026

Trump administration signals to GOP congressional leaders it will drop $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund (LINK) — 1 June 2026

— CNN: President Donald Trump has not committed publicly to terminating the controversial pot of money, and a third source familiar with the discussions indicated the administration was merely pausing efforts to pursue the fund — not dropping those plans altogether.

Trump floats replacing 250th anniversary concert with massive MAGA rally after artists pull out (LINK) — 30 May 2026

— "We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Federal judge orders President Trump to respond to "grievous" accusations that his settlement with the IRS, which led to the creation of his anti-weaponization fund, was "premised on deception" (LINK) — 29 May 2026

— Axios: The order comes the same day a separate judge placed a temporary hold on the $1.776 billion pot of money, another potential hurdle to the administration's controversial settlement plan.

A US federal judge has ordered that President Donald Trump cannot rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, nor may he close it for what the Trump administration said were two years of renovations. (LINK) — 29 May 2026

FBI Director Kash Patel's girlfriend sues MS NOW: alleges that a report falsely asserted that she demanded, and Patel ordered, agents to escort an intoxicated friend home (LINK) — 29 May 2026

US calls for Nicaragua to free Miskito leader Brooklyn Rivera, imprisoned since Sept. 29, 2023, after hospital photos (LINK) — ground.news: 15 media reports (LINK) — 29 May 2026

— A Wednesday 27 May report from Presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo described Rivera in a "delicate" state connected to a mechanical ventilator with multiple organ failure. Photos showed an emaciated Rivera hooked up to multiple tubes.

Fox News: Former Attorney General Pam Bondi refuses to answer lawmakers' questions about Trump's involvement in Epstein files release (LINK) — 29 May 2026

— Democratic lawmakers said that Bondi told them she could decline those questions because she agreed to appear before the committee voluntarily.

Trump administration grants rare TPS (Temporary Protected Status) reprieve, extending protections for 11,000 Lebanese for 6 months (LINK) — ground.news: 21 media reports (LINK) — 28 May 2026

Trump backs crypto market structure bill ahead of Senate fight: says his administration will codify a "future-proof" framework for digital assets (LINK) — 28 May 2026

Justice Department opens criminal perjury probe involving E. Jean Carroll testimony in Trump sexual abuse lawsuit (LINK) — 28 May 2026

ProPublica: The White House intervened to get a $620 million deal for a small North Carolina startup tied to Donald Trump Jr. (LINK) — 28 May 2026

— Interviews and Defense Department records reviewed by ProPublica show that the request to loan hundreds of millions of dollars to the firm linked to Trump Jr. was made by Peter Navarro, a White House adviser to President Donald Trump and a friend of Trump Jr.'s. Of the dozens of companies the Pentagon was considering funding at the time, Vulcan's was the only deal initiated by a top aide to the president, said an official at the Pentagon who was not authorized to speak publicly. The president's eldest son said through a spokesperson that he wasn't involved. The Pentagon said Trump Jr. played no role in the record-setting deal. And the startup's founder told reporters that his company, Vulcan Elements, received no political favoritism.

FBI creates new "anti-tech extremism" category to monitor AI critics (LINK) — ground.news: 22 media reports (LINK) — 27 May 2026

US has deported thousands of Cubans and Venezuelans to danger in Mexico, Human Rights Watch says (LINK) — 27 May 2026

US: Contractor earning $850,000 more than usual on no-bid Trump deal to fix Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, report says: nearly twice the typical profits (LINK) — 27 May 2026

Former US Attorney General Pam Bondi diagnosed with thyroid cancer and recovering from treatment (LINK) — 27 May 2026

— President Donald Trump fired Bondi as attorney general in early April and Todd Blanche is now serving as acting attorney general.

Nasa selects Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin for first of three uncrewsed lunar missions (LINK) — 26 May 2026

— Three lunar landings are planned for this year in preparation for the construction of a $20bn moon bases

Trump-backed Ken Paxton ousts John Cornyn in heated Texas primary after scandal-plagued campaign (LINK) — 26 May 2026

White House gunman had previous run-ins with Secret Service, court documents show: previously obstructed a White House entry lane in June of 2025 and told Secret Service agents he was Jesus Christ. He was sent for a mental evaluation after that incident (LINK) — 25 May 2026

Barron Trump as well as Donald skips Don Jr's wedding as Melania Trump keeps their distance: reports (LINK) — 23 May 2026

— Melania Trump went so far as to pointedly not invite Don Jr., Ivanka or Eric Trump to Barron's 20th birthday party in March, entertainment writer and Naughty But Nice Substack author Rob Shuter reported.

CNN: Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson's luxurious, tropical wedding weekend — (LINK)

— The wedding celebration took place at the luxe Little Pipe Cay, a hyper-exclusive 38-acre private island for the mega-wealthy that is part of the archipelago of the Bahamas. Little Pipe Cay boasts beaches, five "luxurious cottage estates" with 11 bedrooms, butler service, spa, and even a private chapel. Catering to elite clientele, the cay is accessible by "a short 30-minute seaplane or helicopter ride" from Nassau or a private flight to nearby Staniel Cay, its website says. Some of the guests stayed on another island nearby, given the private Little Pipe Cay estate only hosts 22 people, a person familiar with the details of the wedding weekend told CNN. sThe management company, LUX Hospitality, does not publicly list nightly rates for accommodations, though luxury real estate broker Amanda Lynn Estates put it at "$75,000 to $95,000 per night, varying with the seasons." The couple selected the location after previously visiting the small island in the Exuma Islands, the person familiar with the details of the weekend said.

Trump Media moves to sell Bitcoin as losses reach $455 million (LINK) — 22 May 2026

Petition lodged in Switzerland against Starlink antennas (LINK) — 22 May 2026

— Opponents have submitted a petition with 14,550 signatures in Bern urging the Swiss government to stop the project to build 40 Starlink satellite antennas in Leuk, canton Valais.

US green card applicants will now have to return to home countries to apply, DHS says, in a move criticized by aid groups, policy analysts and immigration attorneys (LINK) — 22 May 2026

Judge dismisses charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man the Trump administration deported to El Salvador last year despite a judge's order barring his removal to the country, saying now-acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spurred a 'tainted investigation' (LINK) — 22 May 2026

Sidelined Tulsi Gabbard resigns as US director of national intelligence from 30 June: husband, Abraham, "has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer". (LINK) — 22 May 2026

Trump says he's sending 5,000 troops to Poland, deepening confusion over US military deployments to Europe (LINK) — 21 May 2026

CBS ends The Late Show after 33 years: 11 years host, Stephen Colbert weighs next move: Filmmaker Peter Jackson announced on March 25 that Colbert is co-writing a script for a new 'The Lord of the Rings' movie adapting six early chapters from J.R.R. Tolkien's first book (LINK) — ground.news: 15 media reports (LINK) — 21 May 2026

ZeroHedge: Colbert blames Trump, but massive profit losses killed his show: "from 2019 to 2025 The Late Show lost approximately 25% of its peak viewership" — (LINK)

Townhall: the numbers that ended The Late Show: $100m budget, $40m loss, 2.7m viewers — (LINK)

turi2 (German): Stephen Colbert reaches record rating with the final Late Show: 6.74m viewers — (LINK)

Trump Mobile website loophole exposes customers' personal data (LINK) — 21 May 2026

USA Today: Trump's $1.776 billion settlement fund is ripe for abuse: The fund will be administered by a five-person panel appointed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, whose members can ultimately be removed by President Trump himself (LINK) — 21 May 2026

Mother Jones: US foreign aid cuts are threatening the survival of the world's most vulnerable populations (LINK) — 20 May 2026

Ex-DoJ prosecutor charged with sending sealed Jack Smith Trump report to personal email: Carmen Mercedes Lineberger accused of hiding files related to Trump documents investigation as bundt cake recipe (LINK) — 20 May 2026

Alibaba unveils AI model after China bans Nvidia chip during Trump visit (LINK) — 20 May 2026

US President Trump, family granted immunity from pending tax audits (LINK) — 19 May 2026

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushes for 'leaner' UN in call with Guterres (LINK) — 19 May 2026

— Rubio advanced President Donald Trump's vision for a "back-to-basics" United Nations that is "leaner and more accountable," including supporting a candidate proposed by Washington to lead the UN World Food Programme. Rubio stated that new leadership would bring "greater transparency and results-oriented management" while preserving the United States' "historic commitment to global food security." Rubio also discussed halting Iran's "unlawful mining and tolling of the Strait of Hormuz", claiming a draft UN Security Council resolution has "overwhelming support". The two leaders additionally reviewed coordinated US responses to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

We tested the Trump Mobile phone. It was 9 months late and no longer 'Made in the USA'. The phone comes pre-loaded with Truth Social and bears an American flag on the back with 11 stripes (LINK) — 19 May 2026

US: Trump administration unveils $1.7bn fund to compensate his allies who allege they were unfairly investigated by the Biden administration as he drops tax lawsuit (LINK) — 18 May 2026

— BBC: Democrats criticised the settlement as a "slush fund" paid out of taxpayer money for Trump and his cronies from a federal agency overseen by him. The lawsuit's plaintiffs, which include Trump's elder sons and the Trump Organization, will receive an apology, but no monetary compensation, the department said.

Trump drops 'unprecedented' $10 billion lawsuit against IRS over leaked tax records (LINK) — 18 May 2026

Trump administration ends civil, criminal cases against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani over alleged violations of Iran-related sanctions tied to LPG imports after $10 billion investment promise (LINK) — ground.news: 86 media reports (LINK) — 18 May 2026

Scott Bessent issues 30-day Russian oil license to 'stabilize' crude market, move will reroute oil to 'countries most in need' (LINK) — 18 May 2026

Al Jazeera: Trump holds prayer rally to 'rededicate' US as 'one nation under God': Critics have denounced the event as a blurring of the separation of church and state mandated by the US Constitution (LINK) — 17 May 2026

Federal funding for Trump ballroom in trouble after Senate ruling (LINK) — 16 May 2026

— Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled on Saturday that the proposed funding, as written in a spending bill, does not comply with the chamber's budget rules, a Democratic lawmaker said. Republicans seek to use taxpayer money for security upgrades linked to President Donald Trump's planned White House ballroom.

China throws major roadblock at US' Iran Resolution; Trump team left stunned at UN (LINK) — 16 May 2026

— Beijing openly opposed a U.S.-backed resolution demanding Iran halt attacks and mining operations in the waterway. Chinese UN Ambassador Fu Cong said the "timing and content" of the proposal were inappropriate and warned that passing it would not help ease tensions. Reports suggest both China and Russia could veto the resolution if it reaches a vote at the UN Security Council.

Politifact: How are people doing economically? (LINK) — 15 May 2026

— "For the majority of Americans the economy is close to stagnant — little hiring (or firing), real wages nearly flat, sustained inflation, and little optimism that things will change."

• Prices for key goods and services have increased: from 3.2% for groceries to 8.7% for electricity
• Six key consumer costs have risen: today's per gallon gasoline price has been exceeded only for eight weeks in 2022
• Inflation is now close to eating away all wage gains under Trump
• By one metric, consumer sentiment is near its all-time low

Trump-Xi summit: China, US disagree on what they agreed on: US touted trade deals; China said it warned Washington over Taiwan. Neither side confirmed the other's claims (LINK) — 15 May 2026

Trump and Xi conclude 'very successful' talks but no deals confirmed (LINK) — 15 May 2026

PBS: Analysts break down Trump-Xi meeting and calls for stability and cooperation (LINK) — 14 May 2026

Five takeaways from the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing so far: Xi reserved his sharpest language for Taiwan, calling it "the most important issue in U.S.-China relations" (LINK) — 14 May 2026

US planning to criminally indict ex-Cuban leader Raúl Castro, 94, over the shooting down of two aircraft three decades ago (LINK) — 16 May 2026

NY Times: With possible Raúl Castro indictment, U.S. eyes Venezuela playbook — (LINK)

Trump bought up to $5 million of Nvidia stock, then OK'd AI export deals that sent shares soaring (LINK) — 15 May 2026

President Trump discloses Coinbase, Robinhood and Bitcoin mining stock trades among more than 3,000 securities trades (LINK) — 15 May 2026

— Decrypt.co: According to the filing, the president was assessed and paid a late fee for the more than 100 pages reported, which detail more than 3,000 securities trades. Although specific trade amounts are not indicated, the ranges highlighted show trade ranges from $1,001-$15,000 to those between $1 million and $5 million. While President Trump and his family have drawn scrutiny for their crypto ties, which reportedly led to more than $1 billion in crypto profits by October 2025, a spokesperson for the Trump Organization said that neither the president nor his family has any say in the trades reported on the ethics filings.

Colorado's Democratic governor will let Trump ally Tina Peters out of prison early (LINK) — 15 May 2026

— NPR: Peters was convicted for her role in facilitating a security breach of Mesa County's voting machines when she was clerk and recorder. The incident occurred six months after the 2020 election, as part of her effort to prove Trump's baseless claims of a rigged election. In April, a state appeals court upheld Peters' 2024 conviction but ruled that she should be re-sentenced, saying that the trial court judge who issued her nearly nine-year sentence improperly factored in her protected speech. She was sentenced on Oct. 3, 2024, so that means on June 1, she will have spent more than 600 days incarcerated. Trump issued a pardon to Peters in December that was considered symbolic, because a president doesn't have jurisdiction over state-level crimes.

US: Supreme Court rejects Virginia's bid to restore congressional map favouring Democrats (LINK) — 15 May 2026

— AP: In recent days, the justices have sided with Republicans in Alabama and Louisiana who hope to redo their congressional maps to produce more GOP-leaning seats following the court's voting rights decision. It stemmed from a 4-3 ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court that struck down a constitutional amendment that voters narrowly passed just last month. The state court found that the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly began the process of placing the amendment on the ballot after early voting had begun in Virginia's general election last fall.

Trump's $499 gold phone ships after months of delays (LINK) — 14 May 2026

Natalie Harp, executive assistant behind Trump's late-night posting sprees — and what takes place (LINK) — 13 May 2026

— AlterNet: Each evening, Harp arrives with stacks of printed-out draft posts—material she and other advisers believe will appeal to the president. These proposed messages often recycle content from fringe social media accounts, partisan commentators, and anonymous users across X and other platforms. Once Trump approves the selections, Harp logs into the president's account—often during late-night and early-morning hours when most White House staff have gone home. She then posts batches of messages in rapid succession. On a single night in December, Trump's account posted nearly 160 times between 8:17 p.m. and midnight. Unlike typical White House operations, she does not share draft posts with the chief of staff's office, communications aides, or national security officials before they are posted.

US deportations to El Salvador double to 5,033 in first 2026 quarter as Bukele aligns himself with Trump agenda (LINK) — ground.news: 21 media reports (LINK) — 12 May 2026

Heather Cox Richardson: The president of the United States is mentally unwell (LINK) — 12 May 2026

Trump administration elevates former private prison company exec to lead ICE (LINK) — 12 May 2026

Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center to close as soon as June, sources say (LINK) — 12 May 2026

US appeals court spares Trump from paying $83 million defamation award to E. Jean Carroll — for now (LINK) — 12 May 2026

Trump shares AI image of Obama, Biden and Pelosi bathing in feces (LINK) — 12 May 2026

— The post was among several the president shared that referenced his controversial decision to repaint the Lincoln Memorial's Reflecting Pool.

Rwanda-backed rebels accuse the US of falling short as a peace mediator in Congo's conflict — (LINK) — ground.news: 12 media reports — 9 May 2026 (LINK)

Trump, frustrated by courts, sees his 10% tariffs take new hit — 9 May 2026 (LINK)

— The three-judge tribunal under the U.S. Court of International Trade called the tariffs "unauthorized by law". The proposed tariffs replaced global tariffs that the Supreme Court outlawed in February. On Thursday, Trump threatened to raise tariffs on the European Union if they do not comply with their part of a U.S.-EU trade deal by July 4th. And last week he increased tariffs on cars and trucks coming from the European Union by 25 percent.

US Supreme Court's Voting Rights Act ruling cited misleading data from DoJ — 8 May 2026 (LINK)

Utah Supreme Court justice resigns amid probe into alleged relationship with redistricting attorney — (LINK) — ground.news: 60 media reports — 8 May 2026 (LINK)

Trump Media and Technology Group lost $406m in first three months of 2026: generated only $870,000 even as net sales were up 6% — 8 May 2026 (LINK)

US isn't looking at imminent military action in Cuba despite Trump threats: AP News: has offered Cuba tens of millions in humanitarian aid and two years of free Starlink internet access, conditional on releasing political prisoners and ending political and religious repression — (LINK) — ground.news: 68 media reports — 8 May 2026 (LINK)

US Dept of State: U.S. sanctions target Cuba's military regime, elites — 7 May 2026 (LINK)

U.S. and Iran closing in on one-page memo to end war, officials say — 6 May 2026 (LINK)

Trump candidates oust incumbents in Indiana primaries after rejected redistricting push — 6 May 2026 (LINK)

— At least five incumbent GOP state legislators lost against Trump-backed candidates in Indiana after they failed to launch a mid-decade redistricting push.

Roger Stone paid $50k/month to lobby for Myanmar junta — (LINK) — ground.news: 32 media reports — 5 May 2026 (LINK)

US supreme court expedites Voting Rights Act ruling so Louisiana Republicans can redraw maps for midterms — 4 May 2026 (LINK)

Trump family's crypto firm sues investor Justin Sun, escalating feud — 4 May 2026 (LINK)

US: Judge mulls contempt over DHS' 'patently false' allegation in deportation case, posting an allegation that she knowingly released an ICE detainee with an international warrant for murder — 4 May 2026 (LINK)

AP: Trump administration defies dozens of court orders in second term: at least 31 lawsuits, with more than 250 additional violations flagged in individual immigration petitions — 3s May 2026 (LINK)

— Examples of noncompliance include deporting alleged gang members to a dangerous El Salvador prison despite court orders, withholding billions in foreign aid, and limiting mental health grant funding to schools despite an injunction

US to cut troop levels in Germany by 5,000 amid Trump spat with Merz — 2 May 2026 (LINK)

— The decision comes a day after Trump criticised Merz, who suggested the US had been "humiliated" by Iranian negotiators.

Trump's latest purge — of the entire National Science Foundation Board — could bring major risks, experts say — 1 May 2026 (LINK)

Judge decides DOJ can use a military lawyer to prosecute civilians in landmark ruling — 1 May 2026 (LINK)

— The case centered on Paul Johnson, a Minnesota resident charged with assaulting a Customs and Border Protection agent. Defence lawyers for contended that using JAG attorneys to prosecute civilians in cases without a military connection violated the Posse Comitatus Act, an 1878 law generally prohibiting military involvement in civilian law enforcement, as well as Department of Defense regulations. However, judge sided with the government, finding that Congress had created exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act through two other laws.