What Price Hormuz?
Donald Trump has three primary objectives in the Persian Gulf: unwind the Iranian nuclear program, permanently reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and not be the president blamed for having "lost" Taiwan to China. The bad news for the US president is that he can achieve at most two of these ...
Simon Johnson / Project Syndicate | Fri, 29 May 2026 16:19:41
Oil prices fall after Trump says he will make final determination on Iran deal
Oil prices fell Friday after President Donald Trump said he is meeting in the White House Situation Room to make a final determination about a deal with Iran.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 15:31:18
Trump lays out Iran deal demands, says he's about to make 'final determination'
Trump's Truth Social statement left unclear which of his conditions are already part of a deal that negotiators are working on to pause the U.S.-Iran war.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 15:30:05
Trump's $1.8bn fund blocked by judge
In legal challenge, plaintiffs allege the money 'rewards and incentivises unlawful behaviour'
FT | Fri, 29 May 2026 15:24:26
Trump’s Hormuz 'deal sheet' drops: No nukes, no tolls
Seeking Alpha | Fri, 29 May 2026 15:12:34
Trump DOJ 'lawfare' fund temporarily blocked by judge as suit proceeds
The DOJ has face strong criticism for the creation of a $1.8 Anti-Weaponization Fund which could compensate allies of President Donald Trump.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 15:10:21
Bondi defends handling of Epstein files to House panel
President Donald Trump fired Pam Bondi in April after being displeased with her handling of DOJ files about sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 15:02:32
US judge freezes Trump 'slush fund' for allies
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from moving ahead with a US$1.8 billion compensation package that critics have denounced as a "slush fund" for President Donald Trump's political allies. US District Judge Leonie Brinkema barred the administration from taking any further action to create or operate ...
Agence France-Presse / South China Morning Post | Fri, 29 May 2026 14:50:30
Trump Clears Way for Companies to Avoid Taxes in Havens Including Malta and Cyprus
U.S. companies skirted at least $40 billion in taxes since the beginning of 2025 thanks to schemes in places like Malta, Bermuda and Cyprus.
Jesse Drucker and Dylan Freedman / NY Times | Fri, 29 May 2026 14:49:50
Not dying yet, the Quad even with Trump has a vital role to play
Analysts have tried to make sense of US President Donald Trump's second term with countless, sometimes contradictory, labels. He's isolationist and transactional. He's a populist. Or, more recently, a neoconservative. One way to make sense of both him and the broader state of geopolitics at the moment is to understand ...
Jared Mondschein / Asia Times | Fri, 29 May 2026 14:33:03
Treasury Prepares to Make Trump the Face of a New $250 Bill
Treasury Secretary Bessent backed the idea, which would require legislation allowing a living person to appear on currency.
Alan Rappeport / NY Times | Fri, 29 May 2026 14:11:29
Of Course It's a War
Trump's legal evasion regarding Iran reveals the rotten state of constitutional war powers.
Benjamin Farley / Foreign Policy | Fri, 29 May 2026 14:10:36
Donald Trump Has Turned Into Jimmy Carter
Matt Bai: "No president really wants to be compared to Jimmy Carter (rest his soul), but in Donald Trump's case, the parallels now are hard to ignore. Carter's presidency was overtaken by a hostage crisis in Iran, where in 1979 followers of the Ayatollah Khomeini seized 66 Americans and held ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 14:07:45
Weekend reading & MB media appearances
International Reading: Donald Trump $250 bill would violate 1866 Congress law on sitting presidents - The Mirror Fox Business reporter delivers gut check on Trump economy: 'Inflation is wiping out wages' - Raw Story The Mother Of All Corruption: Why Trump isn't bothering to hide his corruption - The Guardian ...
Unconventional Economist / MacroBusiness | Fri, 29 May 2026 14:01:14
FBI Interviews Election Workers in Wisconsin
Washington Post: "The FBI in recent weeks has interviewed current and former election officials about the 2020 election in Milwaukee, ramping up wide-ranging reviews of voting in the swing states that President Donald Trump lost that year." "Election officials are cautiously watching the developments in Milwaukee to see if agents ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 13:55:00
Judge Blocks Payouts from Fund
A federal judge has temporarily blocked any payouts from the Trump administration's $1.8 billion settlement fund, the Associated Press reports.
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 13:51:42
Musicians Keep Bailing from Trump's Concert
Mediaite: "The musical lineup for President Donald Trump's 'Freedom 250' concert series, marketed as the 'Great American State Fair,' has been remarkably hard to keep up-to-date." "Just one day after it was announced, two-thirds of the musical acts have dropped out - some even saying they had no idea they ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 13:50:00
Good News Friday: Employees Win Millions After Vaccine Mandate Firings + Nuclear Recycling Breakthrough
Today's Digest covers health vaccine mandate payouts and detransition settlement, lithium/nuclear energy breakthroughs, AI data center complaints and whale detection tech, plus Hawaii deepfake law defeat, Trump mail-in order, and Canada Aboriginal title ruling.
Ivor / Peak Prosperity | Fri, 29 May 2026 13:49:27
Michael Dell courted Trump early. His company has reaped rewards
The dynamic is emblematic of how business is seeking to sow favor with the president in his second term, and has departed from the norms of big business philanthropy.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 13:35:44
Trump's Great American State Fair Is Already Going Sideways
Donald Trump's " Great American State Fair " is on the verge of having no live music at all. As of Friday, six of the nine original headliners have dropped out of the concert series intended to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Martina McBride, Young MC, Milli Vanilli, The Commodores, Morris ...
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling / New Republic | Fri, 29 May 2026 13:24:39
Former US attorney general Pam Bondi testifies in congressional Epstein probe
The testimony comes about a month after America's top prosecutor was ousted by US President Donald Trump.
BBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 13:17:19
Becerra's Nonprofit Network and the Deportation Debate
Xavier Becerra, the frontrunner in the race for California governor, has frequently drawn a line between deporting illegal migrants with criminal records and those without - at least in theory. Even as the Trump administration has softened its deportation rhetoric in recent months, Becerra has continued to hit immigration officials ...
Susan Crabtree / Real Clear Politics | Fri, 29 May 2026 12:45:33
[David Post] The Art of the Deal, cont'd
Thirty-five retired federal judges ask the court to re-open Trump's case against the IRS because the dismissal of the claims constitutes, put simply, a fraud.
David Post / Volokh Conspiracy | Fri, 29 May 2026 12:32:54
Iran peace deal, Dell shares surge, Trump Accounts and more in Morning Squawk
Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 12:28:18
What's Behind the EU-Mexico Trade Deal?
With USMCA on ice, Mexico City is looking across the Atlantic for new partners.
Catherine Osborn / Foreign Policy | Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:17
The Rise and Fall of the House Freedom Caucus Leaders
NOTUS: "The group of roughly three dozen far-right lawmakers rose to prominence by derailing legislation and helping to force out GOP speakers. Their relationship with Trump has been complicated over the years, but their power has waned significantly as Trump's power has grown."
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:00
Trump's Boat Strikes Have Failed to Curb Cocaine Flow
New York Times: "With deadly precision, the Trump administration has launched dozens of attacks on small boats in the waters off South America, killing nearly 200 people in a campaign U.S. officials say is meant to curb the flow of illicit drugs to the United States." "But almost nine months ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 11:55:00
White House Pushed Loan for Company Tied to Don Jr.
White House adviser Peter Navarro asked the Pentagon to loan $620 million to a company linked to Donald Trump Jr., ProPublica reports.
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 11:51:21
White House Whipsaws Once Again on Iran
Wall Street Journal: "The White House is offering two, seemingly contradictory messages when it comes to Iran. Some officials, including Trump at times, are acting with urgency to suggest a deal is within reach that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz." "But then Trump has said that he's in no ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 11:50:00
Why Democrats Can't Learn Much from the 2024 Election
G. Elliot Morris: "Donald Trump won the 'tipping-point' state (the one whose electoral votes push the winner past 270, if you order the states by vote margin) by just 1.7 percentage points in 2024. Trump defeated Kamala Harris by just 120,000 votes in Pennsylvania. The excess electoral votes he won ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 11:41:15
Trump Responds to Jill Biden
President Trump commented on former first lady Jill Biden's remarks that she feared her husband was having a stroke or was drugged during his 2024 debate with Trump. Said Trump: "Jill Biden is now out there finally admitting that she did NOT know what went wrong with Sleepy Joe during ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 11:34:05
Trump's Iran Ceasefire Plan Faces Resistance From Israel Hawks
Trump is now openly using normalization with Israel as leverage in Iran negotiations, putting the 2020 Abraham Accords back in the spotlight. But today, the region doesn't look the same as it did six years ago. And Gulf leaders no longer view Washington, or Israel, in the same light. The ...
Editorial Dept / Oil Price | Fri, 29 May 2026 11:30:00
When the President Takes a Cut
When it comes to the government's relationship with business, Donald Trump is the most activist president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. He has wielded tariffs, the government's purchasing power, and the threat of regulatory action to bend companies to his will. Over the past year, the president has even made the ...
James Surowiecki / The Atlantic | Fri, 29 May 2026 11:00:00
Oil drops 20% from 2026 peak on optimism over U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks
Global oil prices have retreated sharply amid hopes that a lasting Middle East ceasefire can unlock the Strait of Hormuz.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 10:51:33
Washington nearing deal to extend Iran ceasefire, US officials say
Trump administration's hopes that an agreement is imminent come after both sides exchanged fire
FT | Fri, 29 May 2026 10:43:35
If It Quacks Like a Lame Duck....
Jonathan Lemire and Michael Scherer: "Even though Trump's power over his party appears at its pinnacle, many Republicans believe that the president has actually accelerated his own political decline." "Many of those primary winners may struggle in November, darkening the GOP's prospects for keeping control of Congress. And at least ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 10:41:48
Republicans Still Stuck on Party-Line Immigration Bill
Semafor: "Senate Republicans are still seeking reassurances from the White House on guardrails for President Donald Trump's $1.8 billion fund to compensate people allegedly victimized by the government - and they can't advance their immigration enforcement bill without an answer."
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 10:37:04
Iowa Could Be Big for Democrats in 2026
Punchbowl News: "Iowa Democrats are dreaming big in 2026, aiming to flip the governor's mansion, a Senate seat and three House districts." "It's a very tall task given that President Donald Trump carried the Hawkeye State by 13 points in 2024, while Republicans swept all four House seats. Iowa has ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 10:30:01
The art of the deal: how Beijing pushed Trump to 'arrest' the trend on Taiwan arms sales
When US President Donald Trump returned from Beijing earlier this month, he hailed his visit as a historic breakthrough, trumpeting "fantastic trade deals" he sealed and boasting about his close ties with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. But on the margins, Beijing had sought to extract a price by pushing Washington ...
Dewey Sim / South China Morning Post | Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:21
Infighting, court battles could put long-hyped air taxi breakthrough in jeopardy
Trump's eVTOL pilot program is giving the air taxi industry its validation, but legal battles have put investor sentiment on hold.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:01
Why trust charters brought crypto companies into the fold
Cryptocurrency companies have rushed to apply for national trust charters from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency during the second Trump administration after remaining on the sidelines for years. Experts say the trust charters offer them scale, Fed access and legitimacy without the full regulatory burden of traditional ...
Ebrima Santos Sanneh / American Banker | Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:00
Trump's Iran Approach Sows Confusion
"Three months after President Trump launched war on Iran, his seemingly haphazard approach to the conflict is bewildering allies at home and abroad as he veers between diplomatic dealing, military strikes and increasingly far-fetched ideas," the New York Times reports.
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Fri, 29 May 2026 09:41:39
Poll: Trump's economic message isn't breaking through
New results from The POLITICO Poll underscore the challenge facing the president and Republicans, who are eager to channel voters' cost of living concerns into a winning midterm message.
Erin Doherty / Politico | Fri, 29 May 2026 09:40:21
Near My Home, the Most Intense ICE Protests Since Minneapolis Are Unfolding. It's Not Hard to See Why.
In Newark, we call it the "sacrifice zone."
Aymann Ismail / Moneybox | Fri, 29 May 2026 09:40:00
Top federal prosecutor in Chicago denies investigation into Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll
A person familiar with the matter clarified that the probe's actual focus was on a non-profit that had helped fund Carroll's civil litigation against Trump.
Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker / Sydney Morning Herald | Fri, 29 May 2026 09:30:00
Trump's Disney Shakedown
Disney must've read the polls or the First Amendment or just remembered what kind of lawyers it can hire.
Lizzie O'Leary / Moneybox | Fri, 29 May 2026 09:20:00
US and Iran 'very close' to deal but 'not there yet', Vance says
US officials earlier told the BBC that the framework of a ceasefire extension deal had been agreed, pending the approval of Trump and Iran's leadership.
BBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 09:17:35
Trump White House Teased An 'Aliens' Announcement And The Reveal Was 'Disgraceful'
Lee Moran / Huffington Post | Fri, 29 May 2026 09:13:07
If It Quacks Like a Lame Duck....
President Trump has never really cared about the Republican Party per se. He basks in its adulation, and it's beneficial to him when the GOP controls Congress. But he's never adhered to its orthodoxies or honored its heroes. Neither has he been willing to brook internal dissent in the name ...
Michael Scherer / The Atlantic | Fri, 29 May 2026 09:00:00
Trump's Oman outburst throws 'Switzerland of the Middle East' into the spotlight
The Trump administration has threatened sanctions and military action against Oman, a longtime ally and close security partner.
CNBC | Fri, 29 May 2026 08:58:55
I downloaded the Trump Accounts app for my newborn - here's how it worked, and why I decided to go for it
I had my daughter in January 2026, so she is eligible for a Trump Accounts app with $1,000 in it. I downloaded the Trump Accounts app to get started.
Mia de Graaf / Business Insider | Fri, 29 May 2026 08:34:50
How Trump's war on Iran is jeopardising Asia's remittance lifeline
There seems to be no end to the harm arising from US President Donald Trump's madcap war on Iran. Go beyond the direct tragic impact across Iran itself, the collateral damage from Tehran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and its ad hoc assaults on US allies in the ...
David Dodwell / South China Morning Post | Fri, 29 May 2026 08:30:05
Donald Trump wants new $250 banknote to feature his arrest mugshot
Donald Trump wants the new $250 banknote to feature his arrest mugshot. Under existing federal law, depicting living individuals on American currency is prohibited, a rule that has been in place since the 19th century. However, Republican allies of the President have put forward a bill that would carve out ...
Ed Griffiths / GB News | Fri, 29 May 2026 08:26:14
Trump administration defends sending Americans exposed to Ebola to Kenya
It's about expediting care, not politics, officials said.
Carmen Paun, Cheyenne Haslett / Politico | Fri, 29 May 2026 08:18:31
Treasury Prepares to Put Trump on a $250 Bill-if Congress Allows It
The move, to mark the U.S. Semiquincentennial with a commemorative note featuring the President, would require legislation to allow for a living person to appear on paper currency.
Miranda Jeyaretnam / Time | Fri, 29 May 2026 08:15:00
Australia news as it happened: Abbott elected Liberal president, calls for 'people's revolt' and 'patriot party'; Erin Patterson's appeal date locked in; Bezos' rocket explodes on launchpad
Follow along as we bring you the latest live news updates from Australia and beyond.
Emily Kaine, Alexander Darling / Sydney Morning Herald | Fri, 29 May 2026 08:00:51
'Sad Irony' To Trump's Current Tough Spot Amid Iran Negotiations, Ex-US Ambassador Warns
Kate Nicholson / Huffington Post | Fri, 29 May 2026 07:41:01
How Indian PM Modi's efforts to isolate Pakistan 'backfired'
Pakistan finds itself in a diplomatic sweet spot, wooed by Trump and China. Indian missteps are to blame, say analysts
Al Jazeera | Fri, 29 May 2026 07:22:06
Trump's misfire: The electric car takeover is now unstoppable
The old car world order is facing demolition and the US president has helped accelerate the process.
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard / Sydney Morning Herald | Fri, 29 May 2026 07:10:00
Bank of Japan squeezed by Takaichi, Trump and Iran war inflation
Speaking on Wednesday (May 27), Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda cautioned that central banks must prevent this year's oil‑driven inflation surge from hardening into a lasting global problem. "If inflation expectations are already high and wages are accelerating, the risk of second‑round effects is large," he said, adding that ...
William Pesek / Asia Times | Fri, 29 May 2026 06:39:51
Australia news LIVE: Abbott elected Liberal president, calls for 'people's revolt' and 'patriot party'; Erin Patterson's appeal date locked in; Bezos' rocket explodes on launchpad
Follow along as we bring you the latest live news updates from Australia and beyond.
Emily Kaine, Alexander Darling / Sydney Morning Herald | Fri, 29 May 2026 06:17:06
Donald Trump Is Following Notorious Dictator's Playbook With World Cup, Expert Warns
Ben Blanchet / Huffington Post | Fri, 29 May 2026 05:46:34
Deal or no deal? Trump searches for Iran off-ramp to end 'hurting stalemate'
While Operation Epic Fury was militarily successful, securing a settlement, peace deal or even just a framework agreement has been less of a triumph.
Michael Koziol / Sydney Morning Herald | Fri, 29 May 2026 05:09:29