Trump News for Friday, May 22, 2026
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Ken Paxton Wanted To Crack Down On Forum Shopping. Now Lawyers Say He’s Improperly Seeking Out Favorable Courts.
Zach Despart and Misty Harris, Techdirt
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. In October, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued pharmaceutical companies tied to Tylenol in state court, repeating claims made a month earlier by Health and Hum…
May 22, 2026, 10:55 PM
Trump admin says new green card enforcement likely won't apply to those who provide an 'economic benefit'
Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert, Business Insider
A USCIS official said immigrants who provide an "economic benefit" are likely able to apply for a green card without returning to their home country.
May 22, 2026, 10:52 PM
Trump had ‘many’ concerns about AI draft policy order
Dasha Burns, Gabby Miller and Cheyenne Haslett, Politico
The artificial intelligence order pulled Thursday could still be rewritten.
May 22, 2026, 9:39 PM
Judge dismisses human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
Travis Loller, Associated Press
A human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia in Tennessee has been dismissed without a trial. Abrego Garcia's mistaken deportation to El Salvador last year became an embarrassment for President Donald Trump’s administration when it was ordered to retur…
May 22, 2026, 9:19 PM
Tulsi Gabbard Takes the Exit Ramp
Shane Harris, The Atlantic
Excluded from Trump’s inner circle, she sought the president’s approval by spreading baseless claims.
May 22, 2026, 9:19 PM
Federal judge dismisses criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR
U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw accused the Justice Department of conducting a vindictive prosecution against the Salvadoran man.
May 22, 2026, 9:13 PM
Here’s the Executive Order on AI That Gave Trump Cold Feet
Bruce Gil, Gizmodo.com
Earlier this week, Trump's coterie of big tech execs was supposed to join him to sign it. Then it got called off.
May 22, 2026, 9:10 PM
Mahmoud Khalil to appeal US deportation case to Supreme Court
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Pro-Palestine advocate takes claim that Trump administration targeted him for protected free speech to top US court.
May 22, 2026, 9:08 PM
US judge dismisses indictment against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Judge says the human smuggling probe was reopened after Salvadoran national filed his lawsuit against his deportation.
May 22, 2026, 8:43 PM
Appeals court rejects Mahmoud Khalil's request for rehearing in detention case
Laura Romero, Abcnews.com
The decision means Khalil must pursue his constitutional claims through the immigration appeals process after a final removal order.
May 22, 2026, 8:32 PM
★ The Fonts of the U.S. Federal Courts
John Gruber, Daringfireball.net
The Supreme Court’s typographic style has been stunningly consistent for — no pun intended — well over a century.
May 22, 2026, 8:30 PM
The Ahmadinejad Option
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic
The idea that Israel and the United States might back Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a coup has drawn guffaws from several different groups.
May 22, 2026, 8:10 PM
Trump Mobile confirms that it exposed customer data
Vlad, GSMArena.com
The Trump Mobile saga continues in the worst way possible. The company's first smartphone, by all accounts a rebranded HTC U24 Pro, which is a device launched in 2024, was first supposed to start shipping in August or September of last year. Obviously, that d…
May 22, 2026, 8:07 PM
Trump's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' faces 2nd federal lawsuit
Peter Charalambous, Mike Levine, Abcnews.com
President Trump's attempt to create a compensation fund for those who claim they were targeted by the Biden administration is now at the center of two federal lawsuits.
May 22, 2026, 7:53 PM
Slovenia’s parliament approves right-wing Janez Jansa as prime minister
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Approval of populist former leader is a shift for the EU country recently run by a liberal government.
May 22, 2026, 7:42 PM
Federal judge dismisses human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
Laura Romero, Abcnews.com
A federal judge has dismissed the criminal human smuggling case brought by the Department of Justice against Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
May 22, 2026, 7:24 PM
Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ hit with another legal challenge
Devan Cole, CNN, CNN
The Trump administration’s newly created nearly $1.8 billion fund for allies of President Donald Trump who say they were wrongly targeted by the government...
May 22, 2026, 7:16 PM
Pakistan’s army chief in Iran as US’s Rubio says ‘slight progress’ in talks
Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English
Pakistan’s Asim Munir is in Tehran as part of mediation efforts, as EU moves to sanction Iran over the Hormuz blockade.
May 22, 2026, 7:11 PM
Canada’s Carney says Alberta is ‘essential’ as province mulls separation
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Alberta's Premier Danielle Smith announces referendum on whether to hold a referendum on leaving Canada.
May 22, 2026, 7:08 PM
Why has the US arms delay rattled Taiwan?
Al Jazeera English
Taiwan fears a US pause on a $14bn arms package could weaken its defences and shake confidence in Washington’s support.
May 22, 2026, 6:54 PM
Trump Mobile Leaks Customers’ Data and the Phone Isn’t Even Out Yet
Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com
Maybe the least surprising development in history.
May 22, 2026, 6:45 PM
US says temporary visa holders should leave to apply for Green Cards
Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English
Authorities say Green Cards from inside US are discretionary, not automatic rights.
May 22, 2026, 6:37 PM
Trump is putting pressure on Cuba - why and to what end?
BBC News
The US has warned that a peaceful agreement with Cuba is unlikely, Havana insists this is a "fraudulent case" designed to justify military intervention.
May 22, 2026, 6:33 PM
Gabbard resigns as national intelligence director citing husband's cancer diagnosis
Franco Ordoñez, NPR
Gabbard is the latest in a series of Cabinet officials to leave the Trump administration.
May 22, 2026, 6:25 PM
Trump says he won't attend Don Jr.'s wedding, will remain at the White House
Emily Chang, Michelle Stoddart, Isabella Murray, Abcnews.com
President Trump said he won't be traveling to his son Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding this weekend, and that he will remain at the White House instead.
May 22, 2026, 6:12 PM
Journalists Identify Murder Victims Of Trump’s Boat Strike Program
Tim Cushing, Techdirt
It’s hard to believe we once were shocked to hear a government figure proudly declare that we kill people based on metadata. What’s happening now is even more disturbing. We’re killing people simply because they happen to be in boats spotted exiting certain s…
May 22, 2026, 5:59 PM
How Trump’s Culture War Derailed a New Smithsonian Museum
Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic
Republicans wanted to narrow the scope of the Women’s History Museum and give the president power over its location. The attempt failed.
May 22, 2026, 5:53 PM
Administration issues directive requiring green card applicants to apply outside US
Laura Romero, Abcnews.com
The administration has issued a directive requiring most temporary visa holders living in the U.S. to return to their home country to finish their green card application.
May 22, 2026, 5:52 PM
The Ninth Circuit Appeal Ruling in ‘Epic v. Apple’ That Apple Is Seeking to Overturn at the Supreme Court (PDF)
John Gruber, Uscourts.gov
May 22, 2026, 5:39 PM
Todd Blanche Humiliated Yet Again as Judge Dismisses Criminal Charges Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
Jim Vorel, Jezebel
A judge found the obvious: Trump administration went after Kilmar Abrego Garcia because they were embarrassed by his accidental deportation.
May 22, 2026, 4:36 PM
Lawmakers Demand Answers as CISA Tries to Contain Data Leak
BrianKrebs, Krebs on Security
Lawmakers in both houses of Congress are demanding answers from the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) after KrebsOnSecurity reported this week that a CISA contractor intentionally published AWS GovCloud keys and a vast trove of other …
May 22, 2026, 4:34 PM
We're Finally Testing the Trump Mobile Phone. Follow Along (Live Updates)
Corinne Reichert, CNET
The golden Trump phone is here, and we're putting it through its paces to see how it matches up with other foreign-made phones on the market.
May 22, 2026, 4:32 PM
‘How We Grieve’ Trailer: PBS Doc Series Produced by Rachel Bloom Preps Us for Our Turn in the Urn
Ben Travers, IndieWire
Exclusive: Filmmakers and siblings Meghan and Justin Ross' latest project explores how people process their fear of the end and why we avoid talking about it — particularly in an Arab family like theirs.
May 22, 2026, 4:30 PM
Kevin Warsh sworn in as new US Fed chair
Andy Hickman, Al Jazeera English
Warsh will lead the central bank at a time when its independence has come under scrutiny amid political pressure.
May 22, 2026, 4:15 PM
Economic confidence plummets in US amid Iran war, poll shows
Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English
As petrol prices rise, new survey suggests economic confidence in the US is at -45, the worst since 2022.
May 22, 2026, 3:44 PM
Trump lashes out at Republicans amid revolt over $1.8B 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'
Michelle Stoddart, Nicholas Kerr, Abcnews.com
President Trump attacked GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, calling him a "RINO" and a "quitter" as he appeared to acknowledge the ongoing revolt among some in his own party.
May 22, 2026, 3:41 PM
Good Riddance to Jared Polis, America's Worst Elected Democrat
Jacob Weindling, Jezebel
Yes, there is someone actually worse than John Fetterman—Colorado's doofus governor.
May 22, 2026, 3:30 PM
The Republican Senate Candidate Who Could Lose Texas
Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic
Ken Paxton won Trump’s endorsement, but may struggle in a general election.
May 22, 2026, 2:59 PM
Why is Trump deploying 5,000 troops to Poland?
Caolán Magee, Al Jazeera English
Poland's right-wing president has welcomed Trump's announcement.
May 22, 2026, 2:44 PM
Marco Rubio visits India: What’s at stake with Trump-Modi ties strained?
Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English
Rubio is taking an extended trip ahead of next week's Quad meeting of foreign ministers.
May 22, 2026, 2:41 PM
The GOP’s Obsession With Erasing Trans People—and Bowing to Trump—Just Sunk a Landmark Women’s History Museum
Danielle Han, Jezebel
“A museum about women, fought for and supported by women, should not be controlled by one man,” a group of Reps. said in response to the changes to H.R. 1329.
May 22, 2026, 2:38 PM
Donald Trump Will Give His Son the Greatest Gift of All: Skipping His Wedding
Jim Vorel, Jezebel
Donald Trump Jr. will no doubt be intensely relieved if this means his father the POTUS is nowhere near the dance floor at the event.
May 22, 2026, 2:20 PM
Trump Celebrates the End of Colbert’s ‘Late Show’: ‘Thank Goodness He’s Finally Gone!’
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone
Donald Trump celebrated the final 'Late Show' Thursday amid his years-long campaign to cancel late-night shows that are critical of his administration.
May 22, 2026, 1:54 PM
Ukrainian protesters in Kyiv urge veto of a bill families fear could declare missing soldiers dead
DAN BASHAKOV and HANNA ARHIROVA, Yahoo Entertainment
Hundreds of Ukrainians marched through the capital on Friday, demanding that the government veto a bill that families of missing soldiers say could lead to...
May 22, 2026, 1:52 PM
Trump not committing to attending son's wedding: "not good timing for me"
Rob Beschizza, Boing Boing
President Trump will "try" to attend his son Donald Jr.'s wedding to socialite Bettina Anderson, but the timing is "not good" for him. Responding to a reporter at the White House, he pointed out that the Iran war "and other things" are already on the schedule…
May 22, 2026, 1:50 PM
The post-search Google era begins
David Pierce, The Verge
Google is many things, but most of the time it's a verb: It is what it is to search the internet for information. But what if it's an AI agent doing the searching? And it's doing it proactively? Without even telling you about it? In the world Google imagines,…
May 22, 2026, 1:47 PM
Planned Parenthood Launches Advance-Order Abortion Pills Program in Two States
Danielle Han, Jezebel
Through “Just in Case Abortion Pills,” people in Hawaii and Washington can order medication abortions—including mifepristone and misoprostol—ahead of an unwanted pregnancy.
May 22, 2026, 1:31 PM
"Arc de Trump" design approved for Washington DC
Ben Dreith, Dezeen
A monumental triumphal arch with a neoclassical structure devised by Atlanta-based studio Harrison Design has been approved for Washington DC, USA, by the Commission of Fine Arts. The US Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), which reviews projects in the capital cit…
May 22, 2026, 1:28 PM
Fox News AI Newsletter: AI girlfriend dumps Hollywood filmmaker
Fox News
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Paul Schrader says his artificial intelligence girlfriend dumped him, plus more stories in the Fox News AI Newsletter.
May 22, 2026, 12:54 PM
Amazon Gets Into The AI Podcast Slop Business
Karl Bode, Techdirt
Late last year we wrote about a new startup that was flooding the internet with AI-generated podcast slop. Featuring fake hosts having fake discussions, the startup proudly stated it was creating about 3,000 new AI-generated podcasts every single week. The ow…
May 22, 2026, 12:32 PM
Pentagon releases more declassified UFO files
Christopher Godburn, Luis Martinez, Abcnews.com
The Pentagon unveiled another batch of its so-called UFO files on Friday, part of a rolling release of once-classified material ordered by President Donald Trump.
May 22, 2026, 12:11 PM
Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile: Can it be safely transferred?
Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English
Reports say Khamenei issued a directive that Iran's enriched uranium should not be sent abroad.
May 22, 2026, 12:00 PM
GOP senators delay immigration funding. And, what to expect this hurricane season
Brittney Melton, NPR
Congressional Republicans left for recess without passing Trump's top immigration enforcement package. And, forecasters are predicting fewer storms than average for the 2026 hurricane season.
May 22, 2026, 11:49 AM
There's No Good Way to Execute a Person
Jim Vorel, Jezebel
Criminal executions are botched with such frequency, in a process is so cruel and clumsy that they become hard to justify in any scenario.
May 22, 2026, 11:30 AM
Gang violence kills at least 25 in Honduras
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
The attacks by gunmen come as the government continues a drive to crack down on organised crime.
May 22, 2026, 11:30 AM
Can Venezuelan oil save India amid the Hormuz energy crisis?
Caolán Magee, Al Jazeera English
Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez is expected to travel to India next week to discuss oil sales.
May 22, 2026, 11:11 AM
‘Something big taking place’: Why has Russia sent more nukes to Belarus?
Mansur Mirovalev, Al Jazeera English
Russia's ally participated in joint drills for the first time. Analysts say it was a risky move for Minsk.
May 22, 2026, 11:06 AM
10 Friday AM Reads
Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com
My end-of-week morning train WFH reads: • What’s the Sticker Price of Exorbitant Privilege? A clean Substack walk-through of the dollar’s “exorbitant privilege” — what reserve status earns the US, what it costs, and what would actually shake it. The de-dollar…
May 22, 2026, 10:30 AM
What is E15 fuel? Why higher-ethanol gasoline could raise summer smog levels
Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American
In an effort to reduce prices at the pump, an EPA wavier allows the sale of fuel with 15 percent ethanol content
May 22, 2026, 10:30 AM
Trump immunity from IRS audit shocks experts, who warn it could undermine trust in tax system
BERNARD CONDON and FATIMA HUSSEIN, Yahoo Entertainment
Remember Donald Trump’s response in the 2016 presidential debate, when Hillary Clinton blasted him for paying virtually no federal taxes? On Tuesday, the...
May 22, 2026, 10:06 AM
Trump won over more Latino voters in 2024. Can he keep them?
REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press, Abcnews.com
President Donald Trump made inroads with Latino voters in 2024, earning support that helped propel him to a second term in the White House
May 22, 2026, 9:50 AM
Dems demand answers from Treasury secretary on Trump's IRS settlement
Allison Pecorin, Abcnews.com
Democrats are demanding answers from the Treasury and IRS over Trump's settlement and "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
May 22, 2026, 9:19 AM
As voters prioritize cost of living, focus on abortion evolves in midterm elections
Elena Moore, NPR
There's been a shift in attention in the party ahead of the midterms as voters rank affordability the top issue. That raises questions about what an evolving message on reproductive rights looks like.
May 22, 2026, 9:00 AM
Anti-Abortion Extremists Could Get Taxpayer-Funded Payouts Under Trump’s New Fund
Wren Woodson, Jezebel
The fine print of the Anti-Weaponization Fund specifically invites anti-abortion extremists prosecuted during the Biden administration to file claims—including those convicted of invading and blockading abortion clinics to temporarily shut them down.
May 22, 2026, 8:59 AM
US deepens European uncertainty with deployment of 5,000 troops to Poland
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
Erratic US policy moves leave European NATO partners increasingly unclear about which areas they should prioritise.
May 22, 2026, 8:51 AM
Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' ends with a swan song and a giant wormhole
Mandalit del Barco, NPR
With a dash of sci-fi, Colbert ended his CBS late-night show with a powerful musical sendoff featuring Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello and Jon Batiste.
May 22, 2026, 8:50 AM
Iran war day 84: US-Iran talks advance amid mediation push
Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English
US and Iran continue mediated talks, exchanging draft proposals aimed at reaching a formal agreement.
May 22, 2026, 6:55 AM
Trump says he's sending 5,000 more troops to Poland
The Associated Press, NPR
President Trump's announcement stirred confusion in Europe following weeks of changing statements from his administration about reducing the American military footprint in Europe.
May 22, 2026, 5:48 AM
Republicans call off vote on Iran war resolution that was on the verge of passing
The Associated Press, NPR
Republicans struggled Thursday to find the votes to dismiss legislation that would compel President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, delaying planned votes on the matter into June.
May 22, 2026, 5:32 AM
US pausing $14bn arms sale to Taiwan due to Iran war, navy chief says
Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao's remarks come as US President Donald Trump gives mixed signals on the sale.
May 22, 2026, 3:45 AM
The T1 Trump Phone Is the Same Color as Scrooge McDuck's Gold Coins
Patrick Holland, CNET
The T1 phone has a gold back with two Trump Mobile logos, one of which kind of resembles the American flag.
May 22, 2026, 3:07 AM
From reality star to LA mayoral candidate: The evolution of Spencer Pratt
Mason Leib, Emily Chang, Abcnews.com
From 'The Hills,' to fatherhood to politics, Spencer Pratt has evolved into a candidate for mayor in Los Angeles.
May 22, 2026, 3:04 AM
Post Loss Clarity: Bill Cassidy Rediscovers His Spine As A Lame Duck Senator
Timothy Geigner, Techdirt
Just a few days ago, I wrote a post about how Bill Cassidy had been primaried out of returning as a senator for Louisiana and how all of this bootlicking of the Trump administration obviously didn’t do the job he hoped it would do. As a result, he has been le…
May 22, 2026, 3:02 AM
Democrats don’t need an autopsy to know what they did wrong
Andrew Prokop, Vox
If you’re looking for insights into why Democrats lost in 2024, you won’t find many in the DNC’s disavowed “autopsy,” which was released after much pressure Thursday. The incomplete and error-ridden report, written by a friend of DNC chair Ken Martin, offers …
May 22, 2026, 2:29 AM
In apparent reversal, Trump says he's sending 5,000 troops to Poland
Steve Beynon, Luis Martinez, Michelle Stoddart, Emily Chang, Chris Boccia, Abcnews.com
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is sending 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland -- appearing to reverse a move announced last week.
May 22, 2026, 2:08 AM
US to send 5,000 more troops to Poland, Trump says
BBC News
The announcement comes a week after the Pentagon cancelled a planned deployment of 4,000 troops to the country.
May 22, 2026, 1:01 AM
Trump allies, Jan. 6 defendants lining up to apply for $1.7 billion fund
Laura Romero, Peter Charalambous, Abcnews.com
Jan. 6 defendants and allies of President Trump are lining up to seek their share of the DOJ's $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" announced this week.
May 22, 2026, 12:48 AM
US Senate pushes back against Trump’s $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponisation’ fund
Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English
The Senate delayed a vote on immigration enforcement funds in a rare show of dissent ahead of its Memorial Day recess.
May 22, 2026, 12:26 AM
Will Trump invade Cuba?
BBC News
The US charges Cuba’s 94-year-old former president Raul Castro with murder.
May 22, 2026, 12:08 AM