The Supreme Court on Friday ruled 7-2 against the Trump administration&#8217;s attempt to swiftly deport Venezuelan gang members under the Alien Enemies Act, requiring officials to provide more than 24 hours for detainees to challenge their removal.
&#8220;Under these circumstances, notice roughly 24 hours before removal, devoid of information about how to exercise due process rights to contest that removal, surely does not pass muster,&#8221; the majority wrote.
The unsigned <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1007_g2bh.pdf">decision</a> clarified that the Court was only ruling on the notice requirement and not whether the Trump administration can use the Alien Enemies Act itself.
&#8220;To be clear, we decide today only that the detainees are entitled to more notice than was given on April 18,&#8221; the Court stated in its ruling, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-trump-administration-venezuelans-alien-enemies-act-rcna202094">reported</a>.
The Alien Enemies Act, enacted in 1798, allows the president to apprehend and deport citizens of a hostile nation during wartime or invasion.
Administration officials argued that Venezuela&#8217;s government has used Tren de Aragua as a proxy force, effectively weaponizing the gang to destabilize the United States through criminal activity and drug trafficking.
Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, with Alito writing there were no grounds for the Court to intervene &#8220;at such an early stage of the litigation.&#8221;
&#8220;The Court&#8217;s failure to defer to the Executive Branch in immigration matters in which national security is at stake represents an extraordinary departure from our precedents,&#8221; Alito wrote.
The Court did acknowledge it was &#8220;far removed from the circumstances on the ground&#8221; and was not best positioned to determine the exact deportation process that should be followed.
The case has been sent back to an appeals court to establish appropriate due process procedures for the detainees in yet another legal impediment to Trump’s immigration agenda.
President Trump on Friday accused the high court of &#8220;being played by the radical left,&#8221; who only succeed through &#8220;intimidation of the court.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
THE SUPREME COURT IS BEING PLAYED BY THE RADICAL LEFT LOSERS, WHO HAVE NO SUPPORT, THE PUBLIC HATES THEM, AND THEIR ONLY HOPE IS THE INTIMIDATION OF THE COURT, ITSELF. WE CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN TO OUR COUNTRY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1923432648103333919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Today’s ruling effectively extends the temporary freeze that the justices put on Alien Enemies Act removals from the Northern District of Texas back on April 19,” <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/16/politics/supreme-court-alien-enemies-act">said</a> Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown Law.
“Because lower courts have blocked use of the act in every other district in which the president has sought to invoke it, that means it’s effectively pausing all removals under the act until the 5th Circuit – and, presumably, the Supreme Court itself – conclusively resolves whether they’re legal and how much process is due if so.”

Multiple Storms Dump Snow From Midwest To East Coast This Week

SCOTUS Blocks Trump’s Bid To Resume Swift Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

Deportations

Illegal Immigration

Supreme Court

Tren De Aragua

Trump Administration

U.S.

Venezuela

Self-described &#8220;working class&#8221; Democrat congressional hopeful Hanna Trudo was exposed after conservative podcast hosts discovered her Ferrari ownership and membership on a millionaire dating site.
Trudo, a former journalist for The Daily Beast, Politico, and The Hill, announced her potential congressional run for New Hampshire&#8217;s first district in early May, <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2025/05/05/trade-deal-done-00326237">claiming</a> that she grew up in a &#8220;working-class&#8221; family that received heating assistance.
&#8220;Like many families, we received heating assistance at times to get through our freezing winters. While my mom was not able to go to college or buy a home due to the high cost of living, she worked tirelessly as a public school Title 1 reading aide,&#8221; Trudo <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14717429/hanna-trudo-new-hampshire-congress-ruthless-podcast.html">wrote</a> in her campaign announcement, according to the Daily Mail.
The hosts of the conservative &#8220;Ruthless&#8221; podcast began investigating Trudo&#8217;s background after she initially offered to appear on their show, but then reportedly ghosted producers for several weeks.
Their <a href="https://youtu.be/Xg9OTcuYbWU?si=O8vPlLnmNjj-Y49y&amp;t=1855">investigation</a> uncovered a profile on Luxy, an exclusive dating website that requires users to have a &#8220;verified annual income&#8221; exceeding $200,000 and describes itself as a platform where &#8220;only sophisticated, successful and people of quality join.&#8221;
According to Luxy’s <a href="https://www.onluxy.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooVjVCVtawXcSGEs8w38DpBCssuc0XIFQsH59HEaCS03pUnFnFI">website</a>, “60% of our members have a verified annual income of more than €200,000,” or $223,000, and “41% verified income greater than €1 million,” or $1.1 million.
On the dating profile featuring her name and photo, Trudo described herself as a &#8220;senior political correspondent, splitting my time between DC (weekdays), NYC, &amp; Miami (for fun).&#8221;
The podcast team also discovered that Trudo had posted an image of a Ferrari on social media, offering it for sale.
Trudo responded to the Daily Mail article on X, writing: “Sorry gentlemen, I like fashion AND Medicare for All! $15 minimum wage.”
“You can try and shame me into not running for NH1 because you hate progressives, but not for being a fabulous woman.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sorry gentlemen, I like fashion AND Medicare for All! $15 minimum wage.
You can try and shame me into not running for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NH1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NH1</a> because you hate progressives, but not for being a fabulous woman
Live Free or Die <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nhpolitics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nhpolitics</a> <a href="https://t.co/7NxPKLSEAB">https://t.co/7NxPKLSEAB</a>
— Hanna Trudo (@HCTrudo) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCTrudo/status/1923397715305631775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trudo initially announced her interest in running for Congress with messaging focused heavily on working-class advocacy.
&#8220;I&#8217;m simply writing with the same fire I&#8217;ve spit for the past decade: Democrats must be better,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-administration-nfl-draft-tariffs-immigration-doge-live-updates-rcna204587/rcrd78355?canonicalCard=true">wrote</a> in her campaign memo, per NBC News.
&#8220;Under Donald Trump’s off-brand of authoritarian politics, we are no longer free. Our First Amendment freedoms are being cruelly ripped away by Trump, Elon Musk and other obscenely rich, unelected tech lackeys who have contempt for us.&#8221;
She specifically cited Senator Bernie Sanders&#8217; (I-VT) failed presidential campaign as her inspiration to explore a run for office, <a href="https://x.com/HCTrudo/status/1915107197010272501">emphasizing</a> that &#8220;new blood matters alongside a working class agenda.&#8221;
Her announcement was met with amusement from conservative media outlets, who pointed to her candidacy as more evidence that many Washington, D.C., journalists harbor partisan Democratic leanings while claiming journalistic objectivity.
The Washington Free Beacon combed through Trudo’s tweets, revealing a “left-wing activist feed” convinced that America was &#8220;no longer free&#8221; under President Donald, in addition to less-than-objective headlines like “Sanders steps back into role as anti-oligarch crusader.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Hanna Trudo, a journalist who covered the Democratic Party for The Hill, is &#8220;exploring&#8221; a run for Congress in New Hampshire.
It seems redundant to mention that Trudo would be running as a Democrat, but there you have it.<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewStilesUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AndrewStilesUSA</a> has reviewed Trudo’s social media… <a href="https://t.co/FPemlT9kKa">pic.twitter.com/FPemlT9kKa</a>
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) <a href="https://twitter.com/FreeBeacon/status/1919770960292429989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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New Hampshire&#8217;s first congressional district is currently represented by Democrat Rep. Chris Pappas, who announced that he is running for Senate in 2026.

US dollars

Dem Congressional Hopeful’s ‘Working Class’ Persona Crumbles After Lavish Lifestyle Exposed

2026 Midterms

Bernie Sanders

Democratic Party

Elections

Media Bias

New Hampshire

Politics

Dozens of commercial aircraft were left virtually flying blind after a Monday outage at Denver airport’s air traffic control left pilots unable to communicate with controllers for 90 seconds.
The incident occurred Monday afternoon at the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center in Longmont, which oversees aircraft movement across nine states.
Between 15 and 20 commercial aircraft approaching Denver International Airport lost all communication with controllers when multiple radio transmitters failed.
While initial reports indicated an outage of up to six minutes, the FAA has since clarified that the outage was approximately 90 seconds, and that it is &#8220;investigating&#8221; the cause.
According to ABC7, controllers were already <a href="https://www.denver7.com/news/investigations/outage-leaves-up-to-20-pilots-headed-to-denver-airport-unable-to-contact-air-traffic-control-on-monday">operating</a> on a backup fifth frequency when the system crashed, as four of the other frequencies had already crashed.
When the final frequency went down, a controller eventually reached one pilot using a seldom-used distress channel, who then relayed instructions to other aircraft.
David Riley, a retired air traffic controller with 32 years of experience, said this incident was a sign that the FAA’s equipment was “getting old” and is no longer a risk that should be tolerated.
“The biggest risk is you have airplanes that you&#8217;re not talking to. And then, therefore, the pilots have to try to figure it out themselves,” Riley said. &#8220;They still had radar coverage, but that&#8217;s like watching a car crash happen and not be able to do anything about it.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s not acceptable. And the biggest problem is the fact that the FAA does not have stable funding to replace this equipment and maintain it in an appropriate fashion.&#8221;
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently acknowledged the outdated infrastructure problem.
“We should be using fiber, but it&#8217;s copper. We use radar from the 1970s. Some of them are from the 80s, but most of them are from the 70s,” Duffy said. “So, this technology is 50 years old that our controllers use to scan the skies and keep airplanes separated from one another.”
The Transportation Department now <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/08/us-news/transportation-secretary-sean-duffy-calls-for-multi-billion-dollar-overhaul-of-failing-air-traffic-control-system-by-2028/">plans</a> to ask Congress for billions to overhaul the system, including replacing 618 radars and upgrading all FAA computers that controllers use.
The FAA has experienced severe staffing shortages, with Newark Liberty International Airport recently <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/business/newark-airport-delays-staffing-shortage.html">operating</a> with just three controllers when 14 were needed.
In a statement to Fox Business on Thursday, the FAA <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/denver-air-traffic-controllers-temporarily-lose-radio-communications-aircraft">admitted</a> that the Denver outage was partially due to how the &#8220;antiquated air traffic control system is affecting our workforce.&#8221;
The incident comes amid growing concerns about air safety following several high-profile aviation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/small-plane-crashes-on-busy-florida-road-killing-all-three-on-board?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Small+Plane+Crashes+On+Busy+Florida+Road%2C+Killing+All+Three+On+Board">accidents</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/passengers-forced-to-evacuate-after-delta-jet-bursts-into-flames?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Passengers+Forced+To+Evacuate+After+Delta+Jet+Bursts+Into+Flames">near-misses</a> across the United States in recent months.

US-AVIATION-FAA-TRAVEL

Denver Air Traffic Goes Dark, Leaving Nearly 20 Planes Stranded Mid-Air In Latest Scare

Airplane

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

General

Sean Duffy

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod called the recently revealed details of President Biden&#8217;s cognitive decline &#8220;stunning&#8221; in a Wednesday interview, and called Biden&#8217;s decision to seek re-election &#8220;irresponsible&#8221; on the part of both the former president and his family.
Speaking on NPR&#8217;s Morning Edition, Axelrod laid into Biden’s inner circle and top Democrats for adapting the former president’s schedule to accommodate his &#8220;declining condition,&#8221; while simultaneously arguing to voters that he was fit to serve another term.
&#8220;What is clear is that they did everything they could to adapt his public appearances and adapt his schedule to his declining condition,&#8221; Axelrod said, adding that &#8220;it was an irresponsible decision on his part, and I have to say, on his family&#8217;s part.&#8221;
The former Obama strategist&#8217;s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/05/14/nx-s1-5397210/biden-trump-election-original-sin-book">comments</a> were in response to revelations from excerpts of &#8220;Original Sin: President Biden&#8217;s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,&#8221; a forthcoming book by CNN&#8217;s Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson.
The senior CNN political commentator pointed to one of the most “troubling” incidents detailed in the excerpt, in which Biden reportedly failed to recognize actor George Clooney, a donor and friend of two decades, at a California fundraiser.
“The details behind it were troubling. The thing that I was struck by was the reporting on his schedule before this event, and the rigors of what he was up to, and people dismissing his kind of being vacant, not being able to identify George Clooney, a friend of two decades, when he saw him, dismissed it as a function of jet lag and fatigue.”
Axelrod later points to Biden’s inner circle dismissing incidents like these as a symptom of a &#8220;deeper issue&#8221; within Biden&#8217;s circle that enabled his continued candidacy despite clear signs of decline.
“What struck me was that when you are president of the United States. Fatigue and strain is your daily existence. The presidency is relentless. And this is why I said in 2022 that it was going to be hard to make the case that he should be president for four more years.”
Tapper and Thompson&#8217;s book <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/how-joe-biden-handed-the-presidency-to-donald-trump?fbclid=IwY2xjawKR0X9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFOYXJLc0lmZEVrbjVHZ2UxAR5goe6iYyOhoScB-4DQYuQYLkTkOruNaz_AWLHo8Qd0BMU2lJ8BLLGoiWcoqw_aem_OAsqiqfGfha4zoH5cuj5kw">paints</a> a picture of a widespread effort within Biden&#8217;s inner circle to conceal his deteriorating condition from public view, with insiders pursuing &#8220;aggressive efforts to hide his cognitive diminishment.&#8221;
Axelrod avoided labeling this effort from Biden’s team as “lying,” as “they were motivated by a belief in him, by a desire to see him continue,” instead putting most of the blame squarely on Biden and his family for putting staff in that position in the first place.
Biden’s 2024 bid was “an irresponsible decision on his part, and I have to say, on his family&#8217;s part,” Axelrod said.
When asked about Biden&#8217;s recent media appearances, including his appearance on &#8220;The View,&#8221; where viewers noticed him trailing off mid-sentence, Axelrod suggested the former president was continuing to receive poor counsel from the same advisers who encouraged his reelection bid.
&#8220;All he&#8217;s doing is making the story larger,&#8221; Axelrod said. &#8220;If he&#8217;s concerned about President Trump and some of the things that President Trump is doing, then he should want the Democratic Party to be in a position to move on and do well in the midterm elections.&#8221;
Biden&#8217;s office continues to defend his legacy. A spokesperson said that the former president &#8220;was a very effective president&#8221; and challenged critics to provide evidence of instances where &#8220;national security was threatened or where he was unable to do his job.&#8221;
“Original Sin” is set to release in late May.

The 2017 Concordia Annual Summit – Day 1

Axelrod: Biden’s Reelection Bid Was ‘Irresponsible,’ Details Of Cognitive Decline ‘Stunning’

2024 Election

Biden Admin

David Axelrod

Jill Biden

Joe Biden

Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday called on cities to ban homeless encampments from public property, using billions in state funding as leverage.
The guidance from Newsom, an early contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, would prohibit people from placing tents on public property, including sidewalks, parks, and bike paths, while also banning individuals from sleeping on streets with sleeping bags or blankets for more than three consecutive days.
&#8220;There&#8217;s nothing compassionate about letting people die on the streets. Local leaders asked for resources — we delivered the largest state investment in history. They asked for legal clarity — the courts delivered,&#8221; Newsom <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/12/us-news/newsom-calls-to-ban-homeless-encampments-on-public-property/">said</a> in a statement, per the New York Post.
Enabled by last year&#8217;s Supreme Court <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/28/us/politics/supreme-court-homelessness.html">ruling</a> that upheld an Oregon law banning camping on public property, the guidance represents a notable shift in Newsom&#8217;s approach to managing homelessness.
&#8220;Now, we&#8217;re giving them a model they can put to work immediately, with urgency and with humanity, to resolve encampments and connect people to shelter, housing, and care. The time for inaction is over. There are no more excuses.&#8221;
However, Newsom&#8217;s ordinance specifies that no one &#8220;should face criminal punishment for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go,&#8221; and further requires city officials to &#8220;make every reasonable effort to identify and offer shelter&#8221; and services to encampment residents.
Newsom is unable to compel municipalities to implement the ban, but he has pledged approximately $3.3 billion in state funding to cities that adopt his guidance.
The model ordinance would allow for enforcement that officials hope could begin to reshape California&#8217;s urban landscape without running afoul of legal precedent, encouraged by California voters approving a Newsom-backed measure imposing strict requirements on counties to spend on housing and drug treatment programs to address homelessness.
A 2024 statewide audit <a href="https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2024/04/california-homelessness-spending/">found</a> that Newsom’s government had spent $24 billion to address homelessness since 2019, only for the state to have a record homeless <a href="https://www.ppic.org/blog/homelessness-hits-record-high-in-california-jumps-dramatically-in-rest-of-us/">population</a> of 187,000, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
Newsom&#8217;s rightward shift on homelessness has faced backlash from many progressives in the lead-up to the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, with the progressive Current Affairs magazine deeming Newsom &#8220;not a progressive.&#8221;
<div class="css-175oi2r">
<div class="css-175oi2r r-1s2bzr4">
<div id="id__nyh2uch1rqd" class="css-146c3p1 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-37j5jr r-1inkyih r-16dba41 r-bnwqim r-135wba7" dir="auto" lang="en" data-testid="tweetText">&#8220;Gavin Newsom isn’t fighting homelessness, he’s fighting homeless people. Banning encampments won’t fix the housing crisis, but it will make life more miserable for those with nowhere to go,&#8221; the magazine <a href="https://x.com/curaffairs/status/1921959173295591437">wrote</a> on X.</div>
</div>
</div>

California Governor Newsom Announces New Funding For Los Angeles Communities Affected By Wildfires

Newsom Calls On Cities To Clear Homeless Encampments Ahead Of 2028

California

Gavin Newsom

Homelessness

Los Angeles

San Francisco

Social Issues

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday announced a major immigration overhaul that doubles the residency requirement for citizenship and imposes stricter English language requirements, declaring settlement in Britain &#8220;a privilege, not a right.&#8221;
The new policy increases the residency requirement from five to ten years before migrants can apply for citizenship, with exceptions for those making a &#8220;high contribution&#8221; to the island nation.
The overhaul is being <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/new-english-language-and-british-citizenship-requirements-for-migrants-13365884">spearheaded</a> by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, promising English language requirements across every visa route, extending to adult dependents for the first time.
&#8220;We will create a migration system that is controlled, selective, and fair &#8211; a clean break from the past,&#8221; Starmer said at a press conference on Monday, per <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw5oI3qJmFA">Sky News</a>. “When people come to our country, they should also commit to integration and to learning our language.&#8221;
The reforms come as net migration to the U.K. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg4vlyly0l2o">reached</a> record levels, climbing to 906,000 in June 2023 and standing at 728,000 last year, according to the BBC.
&#8220;That is what this White Paper will deliver: lower net migration, higher skills and backing British workers,&#8221; with the reforms estimated to cut migrant numbers by 50,000 annually.
Starmer accused industries of being &#8220;almost addicted to importing cheap labour&#8221; instead of &#8220;investing in the skills of people here and want a good job in their community.&#8221; He singled out engineering as a sector &#8220;where visas have rocketed while apprenticeships have plummeted.&#8221;
The government&#8217;s immigration White Paper reflects months of research and comes after Reform U.K. made significant gains in local elections, applying political pressure on Labour to address migration concerns.
While previously critical of Conservative immigration policies, Starmer now finds himself implementing restrictions that in some ways go beyond those proposed by his conservative predecessors.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
If you want to live in the UK, you should speak English. That’s common sense.
So we’re raising English language requirements across every main immigration route.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1921872765428109714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Conservative critics remain skeptical of Labour&#8217;s commitment to immigration control, as <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/ce810e3z6dkt?post=asset%3Ae2d3062c-3d44-4892-8559-94757c56adaa#post">polls</a> show increasing popular support for reduced immigration.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissed the proposal, saying the idea that Starmer &#8220;is tough on immigration is a joke&#8221; and promised to push Parliament to introduce a binding cap on migration, which Starmer has declined to implement thus far.
Labour Party MP Sarah Owen, who chairs the Women and Equalities Committee in Parliament, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/ce810e3z6dkt?post=asset%3A9a4b165e-3442-46ba-a81f-b0ea797d5317#post">slammed</a> Starmer from the Left, writing on Bluesky that the PM is &#8220;chasing the tail of the right&#8221; and is putting the U.K. on &#8220;a very dark path.&#8221;
Starmer <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/12/uk-risks-becoming-island-of-strangers-without-more-immigration-curbs-starmer-says">warned</a> that without &#8220;fair rules,&#8221; Britain risked becoming &#8220;an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.&#8221;

PM Keir Starmer Holds Press Conference On Immigration

‘Island Of Strangers’: U.K. Raises English Proficiency Requirements In Sweeping Immigration Overhaul

English

Global Politics

Great Britain

Immigration

Keir Starmer

Labour Party

U.K.

United Kingdom

World

China’s President Xi Jinping sent his top security official to Switzerland on Friday for critical trade talks with the U.S., underscoring Beijing&#8217;s recognition of the fentanyl crisis as a key issue amid ongoing tariff tensions with the Trump administration.
The Chinese delegation, led by Vice Premier He Lifeng, includes Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, who is considered &#8220;the point person in Beijing’s recent discussions with Washington over how to address President Trump’s concerns about China’s role in the fentanyl trade,&#8221; <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-sends-xis-security-czar-to-trade-talks-with-u-s-a763826d?mod=hp_lead_pos1">according</a> to The Wall Street Journal. They will meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Switzerland on Saturday and Sunday.
The meeting will be aimed at addressing China&#8217;s role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis and tariff policies, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.
Previously, Chinese officials had accused the U.S. of using the fentanyl problem as a pretext to escalate tariffs.
Now, the Chinese government appears to recognize that it must present cooperative gestures in response to significant American concerns about the fentanyl crisis, as shown by Wang Xiaohong&#8217;s anticipated presence.
“Wang’s presence means one thing: Fentanyl is not only on the table, but also a key piece in the U.S.-China trade talks at this stage,” said Yun Sun, China program director at the D.C. Stimson Center, per the WSJ. “How willing China is to cooperate will illustrate how eager they are to make the trade deal.”
Sources close to the discussions told the Wall Street Journal that the Chinese delegation has been given a clear list outlining steps the Trump administration expects Beijing to take on fentanyl.
These recommendations reportedly include stricter law enforcement measures targeting domestic suppliers of fentanyl precursor chemicals and harsher penalties for criminal organizations involved in narcotics trafficking.
President Donald Trump, who imposed 145% tariffs on Chinese goods in part due to China&#8217;s connection with the fentanyl crisis — which claims tens of thousands of American lives each year — posted Friday on Truth Social that he is open to lowering tariffs to 80%, placing the decision in the hands of Treasury Secretary Bessent.
“CHINA SHOULD OPEN UP ITS MARKET TO USA — WOULD BE SO GOOD FOR THEM!!! CLOSED MARKETS DON’T WORK ANYMORE!!!” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114477610338144415">posted</a> on Truth Social Friday morning.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-calls-for-china-to-open-its-markets-floats-major-tariff-reduction">Trump Calls For China To Open Its Markets, Floats Major Tariff Reduction</a>

CHINA-US-DIPLOMACY

China Dispatches Top Security Chief To Face Trump Team Over Fentanyl Crisis, Tariffs

China

Fentanyl

Switzerland

Tariffs

Trade War

Xi Jinping

High-ranking U.S. intelligence officials directed agencies to gather information on Greenland last week as part of President Trump&#8217;s determined effort to acquire the mineral-rich Arctic island.
Several high-ranking officials under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued a classified &#8220;collection emphasis message&#8221; to intelligence agency heads last week, instructing them to acquire intel regarding Greenland&#8217;s independence movement and identify people supportive of U.S. objectives, top officials <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/greenland-spying-us-intelligence-809c4ef2?mod=hp_lead_pos1">told</a> The Wall Street Journal.
A &#8220;collection emphasis message&#8221; indicates a high priority objective for intelligence agencies, whose collection resources include surveillance satellites, intercepting electronic communications, and even agents on the ground.
Gabbard gave tacit confirmation of the directive’s existence in a statement admonishing the WSJ, writing: “The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicizing and leaking classified information. They are breaking the law and undermining our nation’s security and democracy.&#8221;
The classified directive, sent to the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, and National Security Agency, marks one of the first tangible moves toward carrying out President Trump&#8217;s desire to acquire the mineral-rich, geopolitically significant territory.
National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt declined to comment on the leaked intelligence, but did state, “The president has been very clear that the U.S. is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic.”
&#8220;We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we&#8217;re working with everybody involved to try and get it,&#8221; President Trump stated during a March joint address to Congress. &#8220;One way or the other, we&#8217;re going to get it.&#8221;
Vice President JD Vance, then-National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright traveled to Greenland in March, prompting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/greenlanders-are-angry-and-confused-over-unwanted-u-s-visit-87e701c2">complain</a> of &#8220;completely unacceptable pressure on Greenland.&#8221;
The approximately 836,000 square mile territory is <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/11/24/781598549/greenland-is-not-for-sale-but-it-has-the-rare-earth-minerals-america-wants">estimated</a> to hold roughly a quarter of the world’s rare-earth minerals necessary for various technologies, along <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/greenland-suspends-oil-exploration-because-of-climate-change">with</a> an estimated 17.5 billion undiscovered barrels of oil and 148 trillion cubic feet of natural gas that could strengthen American energy independence.
The intelligence directive comes as the Arctic has become an increasingly <a href="https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/new-cold-war-china-declares-near-arctic-state/">contested</a> geopolitical arena, with China declaring itself a &#8220;near-Arctic state&#8221; and Russia expanding its military presence in the region.
Moscow has reopened Soviet-era Arctic bases and deployed nuclear-capable missiles to its northern territories, while Beijing has invested billions in Arctic infrastructure projects, including <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-pentagon-countered-chinas-designs-on-greenland-11549812296">attempts</a> to finance airports in Greenland that were ultimately blocked by Denmark with U.S. support.
Danish officials have repeatedly rebuffed Trump&#8217;s interest in acquiring the island, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/denmark-pm-repeats-that-greenland-is-not-sale-2025-02-03/">saying</a> in February: &#8220;Greenland is today a part of the kingdom of Denmark. It is part of our territory, and it&#8217;s not for sale.&#8221;
However, some Greenlandic independence advocates have expressed increasing openness to stronger ties with the United States in recent months.
One resident told the New York Post in March, “I think we need change here in Greenland. We are tired of the Danish colonialism,” <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/27/us-news/trumps-greenlandic-supporters-lean-away-from-denmark-aim-to-build-us-ties-make-greenland-great-again/">said</a> Lars Kleist, a Greenlandic Inuit who said he lost his job in 2020 because of his pro-independence views. “When you enter the town, everything is ruled by the Danish,” who are only 10% of the population.
As such, the intelligence directive specifically instructed agencies to assess Greenland&#8217;s political landscape and identify local leaders who might be receptive to American overtures, according to sources familiar with the order.

Senate Intelligence Cmte Holds Confirmation Hearing For DNI Nominee Tulsi Gabbard

U.S. Intelligence Agencies Directed To Spy On Greenland As Trump Mulls Takeover

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Columbia University laid off nearly 180 staff members on Tuesday due to the Trump administration&#8217;s decision to cut $400 million in federal funding over what officials described as the school&#8217;s “continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”
&#8220;We understand this news will be hard,&#8221; Claire Shipman, Columbia University&#8217;s acting president, <a href="https://president.columbia.edu/news/preserving-columbias-critical-research-capabilities">wrote</a> in a statement with other top officials, citing &#8220;intense strain on Columbia&#8217;s finances and research mission&#8221; as a result of Trump&#8217;s cuts to federal funding.
The funding <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-slashes-columbia-funding-citing-inaction-on-anti-semitic-harassment-on-campus">cuts</a> came in early March after Trump’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism determined the Ivy League institution had failed to adequately protect Jewish students from harassment.
“Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses — only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/doj-hhs-ed-and-gsa-announce-initial-cancelation-of-grants-and-contracts-columbia-university-worth-400-million">said</a> in a statement at the time.
According to The New York Times, more than 300 multi-year research grants have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/06/us/politics/columbia-layoffs-trump-research-cuts.html?smid=url-share">slashed</a>, shrinking their approximately $1.3 billion in federal research funds in 2023 to practically nothing.
Among the cut grants was a project examining &#8220;the consequences of structural racism on substance use risk in Puerto Rican adolescents,” as the Times puts it, with a researcher lamenting that it was &#8220;very disheartening to see the wheels of science kind of grinding to a halt in certain ways.&#8221;
Columbia had been temporarily paying the salaries of some affected researchers while departments developed plans to navigate the cuts, although Tuesday&#8217;s layoffs signal an apparent end to this approach.
The layoffs <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbia-university-cuts-180-staffers-funded-federal-grants-revoked-tr-rcna205080">affect</a> roughly 20% of research staff &#8220;who have been working, in whole or in part, on impacted federal grants.&#8221;
&#8220;Columbia’s leadership continues discussions with the federal government in support of resuming activity on these research awards and additional other awards that have remained active, but unpaid,&#8221; the Tuesday statement reads. &#8220;We are working on and planning for every eventuality, but the strain in the meantime, financially and on our research mission, is intense.&#8221;
Moving forward, scientists at the university can apply for limited grants to complete their research and support graduate students who would otherwise be terminated, although the university added that it would be &#8220;running lighter footprints of research infrastructure.&#8221;
Columbia has <a href="https://president.columbia.edu/content/fulfilling-our-commitments">attempted</a> to comply with the administration&#8217;s first round of demands, but negotiations to restore the funding remain ongoing.
&#8220;In the coming weeks and months, we will need to continue to take actions that preserve our financial flexibility and allow us to invest in areas that drive us forward,&#8221; officials said.
The cuts are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration targeting universities over allegations of anti-Semitism, with dozens of other institutions facing similar scrutiny.

Pro-Palestinian Protests Continue At Columbia University In New York City

Columbia Axes 180 Staff After Trump Cuts $400 Million In Federal Funding

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CNN faced widespread mockery on social media over the weekend after interviewing a masked Sinaloa Cartel gangster who, rather than criticizing President Trump&#8217;s terrorist designation as seemingly expected, expressed “respect” for the commander-in-chief for &#8220;looking out for his people.&#8221;
The interview, aired Saturday, featured CNN correspondent Isobel Yeung questioning a heavily disguised cartel member in an undisclosed hideout in Mexico, according to the New York Post.
“According to the Trump administration, you are a terrorist. … What do you make of that?” Yeung asked.
Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/designating-cartels-and-other-organizations-as-foreign-terrorist-organizations-and-specially-designated-global-terrorists/">designated</a> the Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in a January 20 executive order, with the State Department <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels/">writing</a> that the cartel is “one of the largest producers and traffickers of fentanyl and other illicit drugs to the United States.”
The masked gangster, wearing sunglasses and latex gloves to conceal his identity, initially <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/05/us-news/cnn-roasted-for-interviewing-sinaloa-cartel-gangster-asking-how-he-felt-about-trump-labeling-him-a-terrorist/">responded</a>, &#8220;Well, the situation is ugly, but we have to eat.&#8221;
When asked what he would say directly to Trump, the cartel member didn’t take the bait.
&#8220;My respect. According to him, he&#8217;s looking out for his people,&#8221; the gangster stated, adding, &#8220;But the problem is the consumers are in the United States. If there weren&#8217;t any consumers, we would stop.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
CNN is now sitting down with foreign terrorist drug traffickers to ask how they feel about Trump’s policies and being labeled terrorists. UNREAL. <a href="https://t.co/xNlMTtPZg7">pic.twitter.com/xNlMTtPZg7</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1919084379009163745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
Social media erupted with mockery of CNN&#8217;s apparent attempt to elicit anti-Trump commentary from a member of a violent drug trafficking organization.
&#8220;CNN tried to create a scandal and accidentally gave Trump a campaign ad. You can’t script this kind of desperation,&#8221; one user <a href="https://x.com/wakeninq2/status/1918538833303408845">remarked</a>.
&#8220;Unbelievably, CNN gives Sinaloa cartel member a chance to throw a pity party about being labeled a terrorist, but the cartel member tells them President Trump is just rightly &#8216;looking after his people,'&#8221; another social media user <a href="https://x.com/dotconnectinga/status/1919241365700931675">pointed out</a>.
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) <a href="https://x.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1919247712173670591">suggested</a>, &#8220;Let them [CNN] live under the rule of foreign terrorist drug traffickers for a few months. And then tell us how they feel.&#8221;
A February 20 State Department <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels/">fact sheet</a> on the terrorist designation for the cartel writes that it uses “violence to murder, kidnap, and intimidate civilians, government officials, and journalists.”
A Foreign Terrorist Organization classification expands federal authorities&#8217; ability to combat these criminal enterprises through financial sanctions, enhanced prosecutions, and immigration restrictions.

CNN Ruthlessly Mocked After Interview With Cartel Member Backfires

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The Army confirmed on Friday that a massive military parade featuring 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles, and 50 helicopters will be held on President Donald Trump&#8217;s 79th birthday as part of the service&#8217;s 250th anniversary celebration.
The parade will follow a route from Arlington, Virginia, to the National Mall and has been submitted for classification as a &#8220;national special security event,&#8221; bringing additional federal resources to secure the area, PBS <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/army-confirms-military-parade-for-its-250th-anniversary-will-be-held-on-trumps-birthday">reported</a>.
White House officials confirmed the commemorative parade would be one of the first events to kick off a yearlong celebration of the nation&#8217;s 250th anniversary planned through July 4, 2026.
&#8220;The Army is celebrating its 250th Birthday with multiple events leading up to June 14,&#8221; the Army <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/7000-troops-tanks-parachute-jumps-military-parade-coinciding/story?id=121410722">said</a> in a statement Friday evening. &#8220;The national level celebration will include a spectacular fireworks display, a parade, and a day-long festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The festival will feature displays of Army equipment, military demonstrations, musical performances, and a fitness competition.&#8221;
&#8220;Parade planning is actively underway, and we anticipate approximately 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft, and 6,600 Soldiers to highlight the Army’s 250 years of service to the nation,&#8221; it added.
President Trump has advocated for a military parade since witnessing France&#8217;s Bastille Day celebration in 2017, with White House-Pentagon discussions for this event beginning just two months ago. The parade fulfills Trump&#8217;s vision that was previously unrealized when a similar plan during his first term was reportedly cancelled.
According to military planning documents <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-army-military-parade-birthday-2f5cd12c8ccd4efddc29bfa3cf8f2705">obtained</a> by the AP, the massive display will include soldiers from at least 11 corps and divisions nationwide, and Stryker vehicles, tanks, Bradley vehicles, Paladin artillery, and Howitzers are expected in a display of American military power.
Army spokesman Steve Warren stated the Army is looking at options &#8220;to make the celebration even bigger, with more capability demonstrations, additional displays of equipment, and more engagement with the community.&#8221; The late afternoon parade will be followed by a parachute jump by the Golden Knights, a concert, and a &#8220;spectacular fireworks display.&#8221;
Beyond military units, the parade is expected to include civilian participation with historical vehicles, aircraft, representatives from veterans groups, military colleges, and historical reenactor organizations.

The Inauguration Of Donald J. Trump As The 47th President

Army Announces Massive 250th Anniversary Parade To Be Held On Trump’s Birthday

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President Trump blasted the courts early Saturday after a federal judge blocked his administration from using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan gang members.
&#8220;Can it be so that Judges aren&#8217;t allowing the USA to Deport Criminals, including Murderers, out of our Country and back to where they came from?&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114442321106427795">wrote</a> on Truth Social.
&#8220;If this is so, our Country, as we know it, is finished! Americans will have to get used to a very different, crime filled, LIFE. This is not what our Founders had in mind!!!&#8221; he added.
The ruling came from U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., who determined Thursday that the 18th-century law can only be used when an &#8220;organized, armed force&#8221; threatens the United States, a standard he did not apply to multinational South American gangs.
Rodriguez rejected the administration&#8217;s argument that the law could target alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang in his 36-page decision.
“The Proclamation makes no reference to and in no manner suggests that a threat exists of an organized, armed group of individuals entering the United States at the direction of Venezuela to conquer the country or assume control over a portion of the nation,” the judge wrote.
“Thus, the Proclamation’s language cannot be read as describing conduct that falls within the meaning of ‘invasion’ for purposes of the AEA,” he added.
The Alien Enemies Act, part of the four Alien and Sedition Acts signed by President John Adams in 1798, has rarely been invoked in modern times. Trump&#8217;s proclamation <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/invocation-of-the-alien-enemies-act-regarding-the-invasion-of-the-united-states-by-tren-de-aragua/">activating</a> the centuries-old law in March represented a significant shift in immigration enforcement strategy, specifically targeting what the administration describes as transnational criminal organizations.
The administration deported more than 100 men to a high-security prison in El Salvador using the AEA, citing their tattoos and other evidence as proof of gang affiliation.
Continuing Trump&#8217;s aggressive immigration agenda, the administration has <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5280834-donald-trump-judge-alien-enemies-act-ruling/">asked</a> the Supreme Court to end deportation protections for over 600,000 Venezuelans currently covered under Temporary Protected Status, per the Hill.
The case was brought by several Venezuelan nationals who claimed they were wrongfully targeted for deportation. Their attorneys argued that tattoos alone were insufficient evidence of gang affiliation and that many individuals were denied the opportunity to contest the allegations against them.
White House officials confirmed that the Justice Department plans to appeal Rodriguez&#8217;s ruling while exploring other legal options to continue the deportation of individuals they identify as gang members. The administration has maintained that aggressive immigration enforcement remains central to its public safety agenda.

President Trump Delivers Speech In Michigan To Mark 100 Days Of His Presidency

Trump Rips Judiciary After Judge Nixes Mass Deportation Plan

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Nathan Gay