Trump News for Friday, May 15, 2026

Musk v. Altman week 3: Musk and Altman traded blows over each other’s credibility. Now the jury will pick a side.

Michelle Kim, MIT Technology Review

In the final week of the Musk v. Altman trial, lawyers traded blows over Elon Musk’s and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s credibility. Altman was grilled on his alleged history of lying and self-dealing involving companies that do business with OpenAI. But he fired ba…

Arcade Cabinets For A Satirical Trump RPG Have Appeared In Washington D.C.

Kenneth Shepard, Kotaku

Operation Epic Furious: Strait To Hell is also playable on browsers

Trump’s brazen plan for a $1.7 billion slush fund

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump may have found a new way to rep…

Trump’s Latest Gaffes Could Hurt the GOP

David A. Graham, The Atlantic

The president won’t face voters again, but Republican midterm candidates will have to deal with the consequences of his latest comments.

Possible US indictment of former Cuban president Raul Castro in coming days: Sources

Katherine Faulders, Abcnews.com

The U.S. could announce a possible criminal indictment of former Cuban president Raul Castro in the coming days, sources familiar with the matter said.

Trump says 20-year nuclear programme suspension by Iran is enough

BBC News

The US president says Tehran has to show "real" commitment to removing nuclear fuel and stopping uranium enrichment.

Mahmoud Khalil calls for deportation to be halted in light of new evidence

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Lawyers say new evidence suggests Trump admin 'engineered' outcome of case against pro-Palestine Columbia student.

Datacenters slurping up so much juice they boosted prices 75% in largest US energy market

Brandon Vigliarolo, Theregister.com

BYO power for AI bit barns may be the best way to ease the problem, says energy watchdog

Colorado's Democratic governor will let Trump ally Tina Peters out of prison early

Bente Birkeland, NPR

Gov. Jared Polis' controversial commutation follows a pressure campaign by the Trump administration to free Tina Peters, an ex-county official who was convicted of tampering with election equipment.

What did Trump and Xi discuss during the China summit?

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump concluded a two-day summit in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

James Walker, The National

US tech surveillance firm Palantir has hired 32 senior UK government and public sector officials since 2012, it has been reported ...

Trump’s More Than 3,700 Trades Astonish Wall Street Insiders

Bill Allison and Jessica Menton, Yahoo Entertainment

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump’s latest financial disclosures show that he or his investment advisers made more than 3,700 trades in the first quarter...

Trump calls journalist’s Iran reporting ‘treasonous’

Al Jazeera English

Trump called New York Times journalist reporting on the Iran war as “treasonous” while claiming a 'victory'.

Is the US dialling down its support for Taiwan?

Al Jazeera English

Donald Trump does not commit to arms sale during China visit.

Trump says China to buy 200 Boeing planes, much lower than expected

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Neither the Chinese government nor Boeing issued statements confirming the purchase agreement.

Trump Says He Discussed ‘Standard’ AI Safety Guardrails With Xi. There’s No Such Thing

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

Maybe there should be.

Zelenskyy vows response after Russian strike kills 24 in Kyiv

Daniel Khalili-Tari, Al Jazeera English

Ukraine’s air force says the attack on Thursday was part of the largest aerial assault since the war began.

FBI director's secret "VIP snorkel" at Pearl Harbor raises fascinating judgment questions

Jason Weisberger, Boing Boing

Nothing says "serious law enforcement leadership" like a secret VIP snorkel at Pearl Harbor The FBI was reportedly very keen to emphasize that Kash Patel's Hawaii trip was absolutely, definitely official business. This begs the question of how the FBI forgot …

Appeals Court Upholds Block Of ICE’s BS ‘Seven Day Notice’ Detention Center Inspection Policy

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Something that never was a problem for years suddenly became a thing after Trump’s return to office. As his administration ramped up its cruelty towards non-white people, Democratic leaders suddenly became much more interested in seeing how ICE was handling t…

The History Wars and America at 250, with the Historian Jill Lepore

The New Yorker

Three prominent historians discuss a national milestone arriving in the midst of a politically charged conflict over how Americans see the past. It’s a “goat rodeo,” Lepore says.

WATCH: Jury set to deliberate in landmark tech case

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Elon Musk was an early investor in OpenAI and is suing its CEO, Sam Altman, and his top deputy, accusing them of betraying plans to keep the artificial intelligence company as a nonprofit.

Trump departs China touting deals, but little clarity on Iran or Taiwan

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Trump tells reporters he is still deciding fate of new Taiwan weapons package, says not "asking for any favors" on Iran.

Hantavirus Response Official Is a Right-Wing Penile Implant Expert

Nikkimccannramirez, Rolling Stone

Dr. Brian Christine, a prominent figure in the American hantavirus response, is a surgical urologist with little background in public health.

California Is Exploring High-Speed Buses That Connect LA and San Francisco in Just Over 3 Hours

Bruce Gil, Gizmodo.com

The buses would do 140 MPH on the freeway.

Takeaways from Trump's trip to China: Taiwan, a new framework for relationship and flattery for Xi

WILL WEISSERT, AAMER MADHANI, KANIS LEUNG, SIMINA MISTREANU, DARLENE SUPERVILLE and HUIZHONG WU, Yahoo Entertainment

For three days in China, President Donald Trump was unusually quiet, not speaking to reporters much and even mostly staying off social media. Trump's trip...

What’s the AI Endgame?

Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic

Chris Hayes on anxiety, automation, and how to emotionally survive the AI boom

Israel kills seven in Lebanon as direct talks continue in US for second day

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Delegations meet in Washington as Lebanon demands an end to Israeli attacks and occupation of its territory.

Trump-Xi summit Day 2 takeaways: ANALYSIS

Selina Wang, Abcnews.com

After days of pomp and carefully choreographed diplomacy, there were no major breakthroughs from Trump's high-stakes trip to China.

Trump’s $10 Billion IRS Lawsuit May Become a $1.7 Billion Slush Fund for MAGA’s Self-Proclaimed Victims

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

The saga of Trump suing his own IRS for $10 billion just got weirder. What started as a brazenly corrupt attempt to personally pocket $10 billion in taxpayer money has now morphed into something arguably worse: a $1.7 billion patronage slush fund — unappropri…

Splinter: Trump's Oil Inflation Is More Class Warfare

Jacob Weindling, Jezebel

It is not at all hyperbolic to state that some capitalists are setting the world ablaze for profit, then looting modern-day Rome while it burns.

‘Incredible Guy’ Xi Jinping Softens Trump Up With Chinese Pageantry

Ryan Bort, Rolling Stone

Donald Trump lauded China and Xi Jinping while brushing off contentious issues like trade, cybersecurity, and China's support for Iran.

Trump is Trying to Distract in the Loudest Way Possible: the Biggest Fireworks Display in Human History

Mabel Kabani, Jezebel

Like Trump, it promises to big, loud, gold-plated, televised and flashy—and not concerned with whether anyone actually asked for it.

Trump White House Uses Drake’s ‘Iceman’ Release to Push MAGA Agenda

Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone

The White House took time out from the Iran war celebrate the arrival of Drake’s 'Iceman' with a controversy-seeking social media post.

Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen ending campaign after redraw of his Memphis district

STEPHEN GROVES, Yahoo Entertainment

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee on Friday announced that he is ending his bid for reelection, his career upended by the redistricting battles that...

Smoke 'em if you've got 'em: Florida's Ron DeSantis celebrates cigars

Jim Rosica, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida, USA Today

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is featured on the cover of Cigar Aficionado.

The Trump Admin’s Hantavirus Guy is an Anti-Vax, Anti-Abortion ‘Doc’ Who Used to Stuff Dicks for a Living

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Dr. Brian Christine is one of the administration’s officials in charge of updating the nation on hantavirus—and just like the rest of the administration, he’s got quite the dizzying list of disqualifications.

Can the NFL's Rooney Rule survive the DEI backlash?

Andrea Hsu, NPR

Florida's attorney general says the NFL's Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for top jobs, is discriminatory. Trump's EEOC has challenged such policies elsewhere.

Why Democrats are panicking about losing California

BBC News

Has America’s largest state become ungovernable?

Trump says he discussed Taiwan arms sale with China’s Xi Jinping

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump said he discussed US arms sales to Taiwan with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

WATCH: The Rolling Stones embrace AI in new music video

ABC News, Abcnews.com

The Rolling Stones released a music video for “In the Stars” featuring de-aged digital versions of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood resembling the band decades ago.

Araghchi: Iran doubts US ‘seriousness’ about talks amid nuclear deadlock

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Iran's FM Abbas Araghchi spoke at a BRICS meeting in India about his "distrust" of the US regarding war negotiations.

‘I Feel Terrified’: Trump Admin Sued Over VA’s National Abortion Ban

Danielle Han, Jezebel

“VA’s ban on abortion care and counseling is a direct threat to my health and my ability to parent my existing children and a betrayal of the sacrifices I have made for my country,” one VA member told Jezebel in a statement.

Apple Slashes iPhone 17 Prices in China for Annual 618 Festival

Tim Hardwick, MacRumors

Apple has slashed prices on the iPhone 17 Pro series in China by 1,000 yuan (around $138) in anticipation of the annual 618 shopping festival, one of the country's largest mid-year online retail events. The cuts went live on Friday on JD.com and Tmall, …

Powell ends term as Fed chair: Takeaways from his tenure

Max Zahn, Abcnews.com

Powell faced a pandemic, an acute bout of inflation and a criminal probe.

Trump-Xi summit: China, US disagree on what they agreed on

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

US touted trade deals; China said it warned Washington over Taiwan. Neither side confirmed the other's claims.

Anthropic urges Uncle Sam to kneecap China's AI ambitions before 2028

Dan Robinson, Theregister.com

Claude maker warns authoritarian regimes could set the rules unless Washington tightens chip and model controls

X is fighting Andrew Tate’s attempt to unmask his critics

Lauren Feiner, The Verge

X is fighting for its users' right to anonymity against the far-right influencers and accused human traffickers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are seeking to unmask their online critics. The Tate brothers filed suit against the owners of more than a dozen socia…

Why the ATF revoked fewer gun dealer licenses in 2025 | The Excerpt

Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, USA Today

The ATF revoked fewer gun dealer licenses in 2025. Is it fairer enforcement, or a weakening of oversight?

Watch: What did we learn from Trump's visit to China?

BBC News

President Trump has concluded a two-day visit to Beijing at a high-stakes summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

WATCH: Trump calls Beijing talks ‘great' as Xi warns US over Taiwan

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Former U.S. diplomat and FGS Global consulting partner William Klein assesses the Beijing summit, Xi’s warning on Taiwan and questions over U.S.–China leverage on trade and Iran policy.

WATCH: K-beauty trend reshaping views of masculinity

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Fueled by K-pop stars like BTS and viral Korean skincare trends, K-beauty is growing in popularity among men worldwide and challenging traditional ideas of masculinity.

Bari Weiss Let Benjamin Netanyahu Pick His Own Softball Interviewer

Karl Bode, Techdirt

What’s left of CBS News recently landed an interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It’s a bit of a doozy (transcript, video). There’s a part where Netanyahu tries to blame foreign social media bot farms for the rise in people disgusted by hi…

We Granted 250 Pardons from Pop-Culture Jail

Claire Guinan, Jezebel

In honor of the Trump administration’s plan to issue 250 presidential pardons in celebration of America’s big 250th, Jezebel would like to throw 250 pardon suggestions into the mix.

WATCH: 2 dead after small plane crashes into Ohio home

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Officials say a couple and their two children were home when a plane crashed into their residence in Akron, Ohio.

Jensen Huang made a very Jensen Huang pit stop during Trump's China trip

Robert Scammell, Business Insider

The Nvidia CEO was spotted enjoying some noodles in Beijing after joining Trump's China trip.

The Last Stop in the Deportation Pipeline

Caitlin Dickerson, The Atlantic

At the airport in La Lima, Honduras, planeloads of migrants arrive every day—many without their children.

10 Friday AM Reads

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

My end-of-week morning train WFH reads: • Miami got NYC’s billionaires. Will it get their businesses? The fact is, high earners who were formerly geographically tethered to their companies can now work remotely. They are optimising their domicile for taxes, w…

Trump and Xi move towards business-first relationship after Beijing summit

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The two leaders did not resolve differences on key issues like Iran and Taiwan, despite push to extend truce.

WATCH: Man who faced execution 3 times is released on bond

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Former Oklahoma death row prisoner Richard Glossip has been released from incarceration for the first time in nearly 30 years after posting bond while awaiting retrial in a 1997 murder case.

A third of the Congressional Black Caucus could lose seats amid redistricting fight

Juhi Doshi, Hannah Demissie, Abcnews.com

As many as 19 members of the Congressional Black Caucus -- almost a third of its membership -- are at risk of losing their seats through the 2028 cycle.

Global shares drop as bond yields jump on inflation worries

By Sophie Kiderlin, Yahoo Entertainment

By Sophie Kiderlin LONDON, May 15 (Reuters) - Global shares tumbled on Friday as investor euphoria over tech stocks gave way to inflation fears, sending bond...

How Xi-Trump summit failed to yield Iran war breakthrough

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

US officials have nudged China to do more on the blocked Hormuz strait. President Xi doesn't appear to have budged.

Which Trump cabinet member has a new reality show? The quiz knows

Holly J. Morris, NPR

This week, in Warshington, D.C., the Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve and we wrote a quiz question about his name. Enjoy that, and the other nine, too.

Xi praises US ‘milestone’ visit and relationship, offers Trump roses

Al Jazeera English

Xi praised the new 'constructive and strategic' relationship with the US, before Trump concluded his China trip.

Morning news brief

Michel Martin, NPR

Trump returns to U.S. after trip to China, Supreme Court decides to maintain abortion pill access, U.K. prime minister faces challenges from his own party.

US seeks indictment of former Cuban leader Raul Castro

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The potential charges relate to Cuba's 1996 downing of humanitarian planes, US media outlets report.

Iran war day 77: Trump, Xi discuss Hormuz as Tehran rallies BRICS

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The US and Chinese leaders agreed during talks that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open to ensure global supplies.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Raul Castro's grandson in Havana, US and Cuban officials say

The Associated Press, NPR

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Cuban officials including Raúl Castro's grandson during a high-level visit to the island Thursday, Cuban and U.S. officials said.

Trump and Xi hold high-stakes talks in Beijing

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are meeting for a second day in Beijing.

Tensions flare near Strait of Hormuz as a ship is seized and another is sunk

The Associated Press, NPR

Tensions are escalating again near the Strait of Hormuz after a ship anchored off the United Arab Emirates was seized and taken toward Iran and another was attacked and sank near the coast of Oman.

Anthropic outlines how the US could gain a 1-2 year AI lead on China

Aditi Bharade, Business Insider

Anthropic said that "the window of opportunity to lock in that lead will not necessarily remain open for long."

WATCH: How a new drug could lengthen lives of pancreatic cancer patients

ABC News, Abcnews.com

ABC News’ Linsey Davis explains the numbers behind a new pancreatic cancer treatment that almost doubles the prognosis for patients, and speaks to Dr. Brandon Huffman, whose team is behind the drug.

HHS Is A Chaos Engine: Marty Makary Out At FDA

Timothy Geigner, Techdirt

We’ve complained a great deal about RFK Jr.’s stint running HHS and its effects on the health of Americans in the short and long term because, well, there’s a lot to complain about. His anti-vaxxer stances have begun infecting national vaccine policy, of cour…

After Trump’s pledge to ‘open up’ China, low expectations for summit deal

John Power, Al Jazeera English

Washington and Beijing expected to extend trade truce, but analysts see only modest breakthrough in strained ties.

The Latest: Trump wraps up China visit and holds private meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping

The Associated Press, Yahoo Entertainment

U.S. President Donald Trump wraps up his visit to Beijing on Friday with a private meeting at Chinese leader Xi Jinping's official residence before he...

Trump blames Biden for US ‘declining’ after Xi comments on ‘Thucydides trap’

Elliott Davis, The Hill

President Trump late Thursday invoked his predecessor in attempting to explain comments by Chinese President Xi Jinping as the two leaders meet during a high...

Trump responds to Xi's 'Thucydides Trap' comment about America's decline

Fritz Farrow, Justin Fishel, Abcnews.com

Xi appeared to reference the political theory that a dominant power's fear of a rising power could lead to war.

Access to frontier AI will soon be limited by economic and security constraints

Anton Leicht, Antonleicht.me

Soon, access to frontier AI will be scarce and selective

CIA Director John Ratcliffe meets with top Cuban officials in Havana

ABC NEWS, Abcnews.com

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with top Cuban officials in Havana on Thursday, a CIA official said.

Trump and Xi set to hold 2nd round of talks ahead of high-stakes summit's conclusion

ABC NEWS, Abcnews.com

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to hold a second round of talks before Trump returns to the U.S.

Hochul latest Dem governor to accept Trump school choice program

Yahoo Entertainment

Exclusive: NIH ousts infectious-disease leaders as COVID scientists face US charges

Max Kozlov, Nature.com

Eight of the top ten officials at the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have now been pushed out since President Donald Trump took office.

US biology lab locked down for more than a week amid smuggling inquiry

Dan Garisto, Nature.com

The Trump administration has spent months investigating the lab after a Chinese postdoc was charged with smuggling biological material into the country.