Russia launched its largest drone attack of the war overnight Sunday into Monday, firing nearly 500 drones and 20 missiles into Ukraine in response to Ukraine&#8217;s major drone offensive on Russian airfields earlier this month.
Ukraine claims that it intercepted 277 drones and 19 missiles, adding that only 10 Russian missiles or drones hit their targets, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-drones-attack-air-force-a1b092efaaad6886659a9230109a48db">the Associated Press</a>. The Ukrainian air force said the Russians targeted the central and western areas of Ukraine, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/09/world-news/russia-launches-biggest-drone-attack-on-ukraine-since-start-of-war-with-almost-500-individual-strikes/">damaging</a> a military airfield in Dubno, which is just 40 miles from Ukraine&#8217;s border with Poland. Russia also said on Monday that its forces took more territory in Ukraine&#8217;s east-central region of Dnipropetrovsk, giving Putin&#8217;s army a &#8220;buffer zone,&#8221; Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-takes-more-territory-east-central-ukraine-creating-buffer-zone-2025-06-09/">reported</a>.
“Russia is escalating the war and has no intention of stopping it. Any escalation can only be stopped by force,” said Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The attack comes as the three-year-long war has intensified despite the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to work out a peace deal between the two countries. U.S. officials <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-believes-russia-response-ukraine-drone-attack-not-over-yet-expects-multi-2025-06-07/">warned</a> over the weekend that Russia would conduct multiple strikes on Ukraine in response to Ukraine&#8217;s surprise drone attack that knocked out numerous Russian bombers. The first round of Russia&#8217;s response came on Friday when it launched a missile and drone barrage on Kyiv, an attack that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/05/europe/russia-launches-retaliatory-strike-on-kyiv-latam-hnk-intl">said</a> involved 400 drones and 40 missiles.
President Donald Trump, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone last week, said that Putin &#8220;strongly&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-holds-75-minute-call-with-putin-not-a-conversation-that-will-lead-to-immediate-peace?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Holds+75-Minute+Call+With+Putin%3A+%E2%80%98Not+A+Conversation+That+Will+Lead+To+Immediate+Peace%E2%80%99">insisted</a> that Russia “will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”
“We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace,&#8221; Trump added.
Trump later told reporters that he urged Putin to avoid further escalation in the war, but added that &#8220;it&#8217;s probably not going to be pretty.&#8221;
&#8220;I said: &#8216;Don&#8217;t do it. You shouldn&#8217;t do it. You should stop it,'&#8221; Trump said of his conversation with Putin. &#8220;But, again, there&#8217;s a lot of hatred.&#8221;
While little progress has been made in negotiating a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, the two countries have agreed to multiple rounds of prisoner swaps, with the latest swap beginning on Monday, according to Zelensky.
&#8220;Today, an exchange began, which will continue in several stages over the coming days,&#8221; the Ukrainian president <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-ukraine-war-prisoner-swap-drone-strikes-front-lines-latest/">said</a>. &#8220;Among those we are bringing back now are the wounded, the severely wounded, and those under the age of 25,&#8221; he added.

Russian troops target Zaporizhzhia with guided bombs

Russia Launches Massive Drone Attack On Ukraine As War Intensifies

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Russia

Trump Administration

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

World

President Donald Trump revealed that he had an hour-and-fifteen-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, but said that the discussion was not one &#8220;that will lead to immediate peace.&#8221;
Trump said the two leaders discussed Ukraine&#8217;s recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-ukraine-pulled-off-its-massive-drone-strike-inside-russia">drone attack</a> on Russia, which reportedly decimated Russia&#8217;s fleet of bombers that are capable of carrying nuclear payloads. The president said that Putin &#8220;strongly&#8221; told him that Russia &#8220;will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.&#8221;
&#8220;I just finished speaking, by telephone, with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia. The call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114626383407680212">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.&#8221;
On the Iran front, however, Trump said he came to an &#8220;agreement&#8221; with Putin, reiterating &#8220;that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.&#8221; Iran and Russia — two nations that are outspoken in their rejection of Western values — have grown close in their economic and military ties, with Iran <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/iran-sends-russia-hundreds-ballistic-missiles-sources-say-2024-02-21/">reportedly</a> sending Russia hundreds of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles last year.
&#8220;President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;It is my opinion that Iran has been slowwalking their decision on this very important matter, and we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time!&#8221;
Russia and Ukraine have taken turns escalating the three-year-long war in recent weeks as the Trump administration continues to push the countries toward a peace deal. Trump last spoke to Putin on May 19 and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-makes-big-announcement-following-very-frank-two-hour-call-with-putin">said</a> that Russia and Ukraine would &#8220;immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War.&#8221; But as Russia&#8217;s aggression continued, Trump said a week later that he was “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-eyes-stinging-russia-sanctions-bipartisan-proposal-bring-pain">absolutely</a>” considering imposing new sanctions on the country. He also blasted Putin as &#8220;CRAZY,&#8221; saying that he was “needlessly killing a lot of people.”
Trump then warned that if Putin pushed for taking &#8220;ALL of Ukraine,&#8221; it would &#8220;lead to the downfall of Russia.&#8221;

Putin/Trump

Trump Holds 75-Minute Call With Putin: ‘Not A Conversation That Will Lead To Immediate Peace’

Iran

U.S.

Backlash to liberal immigration policies fuels yet another shift to the Right in Europe. The fallout from the Colorado terror attack continues as more details emerge about the victims and the illegal immigrant suspect. And, the Trump administration pauses most operations at the Department of Labor’s highly controversial Job Corps. 
It’s Tuesday, June 3, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Europe Updates</h2>
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Topline: As Ukraine and Russia meet this week for peace talks, a growing list of European countries have elected right-wing leaders amid growing anti-immigration sentiment.
In the last 24 hours, we’ve learned more about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-ukraine-pulled-off-its-massive-drone-strike-inside-russia">Ukraine’s surprise attack</a> on Russia last weekend. The Ukrainians managed to smuggle scores of attack drones across the border, where they were launched from wooden sheds mounted on the backs of large moving trucks. Because those drones originated within Russian territory, they were able to bypass Putin’s extensive air defense systems, targeting five separate air bases and knocking out dozens of the country’s most important planes. According to some estimates, Ukraine successfully destroyed up to one-third of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet. 
The strikes came at a crucial time, as the two countries began meeting Monday in Istanbul for formal peace talks. Those talks concluded after just 90 minutes, and little progress had been made. Moscow finally presented its terms for peace: Ukraine must recognize all of Russia’s territorial gains, shrink the size of its military, change its official language to Russian, agree to long-term neutrality, and forfeit the right to join NATO.
Meanwhile, Poland elected right-winger Karol Narwocki to the presidency. Many have compared the 42-year-old Narwocki, who had no prior political experience, to Donald Trump, who openly supported Narwocki’s campaign. Narwocki even adopted a similar campaign slogan: “Poland First.&#8221; Among other things, he campaigned on a promise to withdraw from the European Union’s Migration Pact, which he said flooded the continent with illegal immigrants. He’s staunchly pro-life, against same-sex marriage, and has called for a return of Christian values to public life in his country. 
Narwocki has signed a pledge to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO — and like Trump, he’s accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of not showing enough gratitude for the support his country has given Ukraine for its war effort. 
In the last year, conservatives have made historic gains across the continent — largely by promising to crack down on illegal immigration from Africa and the Middle East. In Austria, the country’s right-wing Freedom Party won control of parliament — the first time a hardline Conservative Party had won since World War II. Then, conservatives made historic gains in Germany, with the right-wing AfD party surging. And last week, Portugal’s right-wing Chega party scored a number of victories to become the country’s leading opposition party. 
In Paris this week, we’ve seen mass rioting following a big soccer victory – sparking conversations about law and order and immigration policies in France.
Some left-wing politicians have even adopted a more conservative tone. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for example, has promised to “significantly” cut down on immigration over the next four years, restrict new visas for skilled labor, and penalize companies that hire foreign labor.
“The experiment is over,” Starmer <a href="https://x.com/addicted2newz/status/1929076924392903007">said</a>. “We will deliver what you’ve asked for time and again. And we will take back control of our borders.”
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<h2>Boulder Terror Suspect Charged With Multiple Felonies</h2>
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Topline: The man suspected of attacking a Colorado demonstration in support of Israeli hostages has been hit with multiple charges, including a federal hate crime.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman is being held in Boulder County Jail on a $10 million bond.  At the state level, he’s facing felony <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colorado-hits-egyptian-anti-israel-terror-suspect-with-charges-including-murder">charges</a> for first-degree assault and “extreme indifference” to criminal use of an incendiary device – as well as crimes against the elderly. Federal prosecutors have charged Soliman with a hate crime. The special agent in charge at the FBI’s Denver office, Mark Michalek, said the bureau is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.
None of the people injured in the attack has died. Soliman himself was treated for burn injuries before he was booked. Police say Soliman received those injuries using a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to attack demonstrators.
Soliman is an Egyptian national. He entered the United States in 2022 on a visa that then expired the next year. He was able to obtain a temporary work permit from the Biden administration, but that, too, expired in March this year. Trump said in a social media post on Monday that Soliman “came in through Biden’s ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly.” The president went on to say: “This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland.”
In an interview with the FBI, Soliman said that he wanted to kill “Zionists.” Law enforcement also says he screamed “free Palestine” during his assault. The demonstration targeted in the attack was a weekly march in support of the hostages held by terrorists in Gaza. The FBI said that Soliman had planned this attack for at least a year and targeted what he called a “Zionist group.” Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis called it a “targeted attack on the Jewish community.”
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<h2>Department Of Labor &#8220;Pauses&#8221; Job Corps Program</h2>
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Topline: The Department of Labor last week said it was “pausing” most operations at the Job Corps, a $1.7 billion program that trains high school dropouts on residential campuses across the country.
Job Corps was spending an average of $80,000 a year per student, training them to go on to earn an average of $16,000 a year. That’s more than Harvard charges for tuition to essentially get them minimum wage. At one campus run by ODLE Management Group LLC, the cost was $764,000 per graduate.
The Job Corps operates about 130 campuses across the country, where troubled young adults are paid $1,200, plus living expenses, to take classes towards their GED or training in the trades. Most campuses are run by companies whose staff are paid bonuses based on how many people they recruit, and how many get a job afterwards. Reports found that contractors were faking job statistics to make it look like the training worked, and were looking the other way at criminal behavior on campus, because if they expelled students, they’d get less revenue.
“The Trump administration has terminated all contracts with companies,” Daily Wire Investigative Reporter Luke Rosiak told Morning Wire. “About one-fifth of campuses are operated by the Department of Agriculture, and those will remain open. So this is really targeted towards preventing contractors from abusing the taxpayer and using at-risk youth as a cash cow.”
Other forms of exploitation were also common. Discipline data from the Job Corps campuses show that there were 500 sex assaults and 5,000 violent assaults in the last three years. That includes a 16-year old transgender runaway who was ordered to live with a 23-year-old man who was later arrested for raping her. &#8220;One-third of students are expelled, one-third abscond, and one-third graduate,” Rosiak said. “To enroll, you’re required to be on welfare, a refugee, a high school dropout, illiterate, or a victim of sex trafficking.”
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MRN 6.3.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Ukraine’s Major Drone Op & Charges For Colorado’s Illegal Alien Terrorist

Colorado

Department of Labor

Europe

illegal alien

illegal immigrant

Media

Morning Wire

Politics

terrorist attack

Over the weekend, Ukraine launched a devastating surprise attack deep inside Russian territory, damaging dozens of nuclear capable strategic bombers. The attack was launched after a series of Russian aerial bombardments of Ukrainian territory, and shortly before Ukrainian and Russian delegations were scheduled to meet in Istanbul to continue peace negotiations.
“Operation Spider’s Web” involved 117 first person-view drones, which were smuggled into Russian territory by Ukrainian operatives and positioned near key military installations across Russia, including 5 air bases in 5 separate oblasts, spread across 5 different time zones. The drones were positioned under false roofs of portable sheds, which were transported via truck and parked just outside the perimeter of their target bases, before they were launched simultaneously on Sunday.
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbITsi4jZYY">Aerial footage</a> from the attacking drones shows several Russian bombers in flames – Ukrainian officials claim that the attack hit 41 Russian aircraft, including roughly ⅓ of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers, and inflicted $7 billion in damages. Many air bases, including some operated by the United States, are <a href="https://www.twz.com/air/lack-of-hardened-aircraft-shelters-leaves-u-s-airbases-vulnerable-to-china-new-report-warns">not hardened</a> against small scale drone attacks, and many of the bombers targeted by Ukraine were sitting out in the open when they were hit.
The most severe damage was dealt to Olenya Air Base in Murmansk, located in the Arctic Circle near Russia’s borders with Finland and Norway, and Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk, located in Eastern Siberia. Explosions were reported at Dyagilevo and Ivanovo Air Bases, near Moscow, but the extent of the damage is far less certain. Further east, the Ukrainka air base in Amur was targeted but unscathed, as the truck carrying the Ukrainian FPVs reportedly exploded.
<div id="attachment_928207" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-928207" class="size-large wp-image-928207" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-1024x551.png" alt="" width="1024" height="551" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-1024x551.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-300x162.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-768x414.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-1536x827.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-02-at-1.45.24%E2%80%AFPM-2048x1103.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(Photo via Wikimedia Commons)</div>
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the operation was planned over the course of a year and a half. In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/02/world-news/how-ukraine-pulled-off-its-stunning-pearl-harbor-attack-against-russia/">praised</a> the “absolutely brilliant outcome” of Ukraine’s “longest-range operation,” adding that “Ukraine is defending itself, and rightly so — we are doing everything to make Russia feel the need to end this war.”
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In a cheeky dig at the failure of Russian intelligence services to spot or stop the attack, Zelenskyy noted, &#8220;The most interesting thing &#8211; and we can already say this publicly &#8211; is that the &#8216;office&#8217; of our operation on Russian territory was located right next to the FSB [Federal Security Service] of Russia in one of their regions.&#8221; The Ukrainian operatives who prepared the attack were reportedly evacuated shortly before the drones were launched.
Russia’s strategic bombing fleet is a major part of its nuclear triad, alongside its nuclear-armed submarines and ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. Even before the strike, Russian aerial capabilities were significantly degraded due to interrupted supply chains and the loss of airframes during the war. According to a report by <a href="https://www.dagens.com/war/aging-aircraft-and-low-production-russian-air-force-in-crisis/">Dagens</a>, in 2022 and 2023, only a few dozen new aircraft were delivered to the Russian military, and almost half of Russia’s ~1200 military aircraft were nearing the end of their service lives. Many Soviet Era designs, including the Tu-95s and Tu-22M3, no longer have active production lines and are effectively irreplaceable.
“Today will later be called a black day for Russian long-range aviation,” a Telegram channel thought to be run by Capt. Ilya Tumanov of the Russian Army <a href="https://t.me/fighter_bomber/21277">wrote</a> in the aftermath of the attack.
Russia launched a massive retaliatory strike on Sunday night, sending <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ld7ppre9vo">472</a> drones and ballistic missiles into Ukrainian airspace, which killed at least 12 Ukrainian servicemen and wounded dozens more. Some voices within Russia are calling for even harsher measures.
“We can expect a great deal of sound and fury from Moscow,” Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow with the London-based think-tank Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia program, told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/ukraines-massive-drone-attack-deep-russia-lays-bare-putins-vulnerabili-rcna210300">NBC News</a>. “[Russia] will be working hard on convincing the United States to attempt to rein Ukraine in, in order to prevent any further damage to Russia’s means of bombarding Ukrainian cities with long range missiles… In a way, the more important question is how the United States reacts.”
President Trump was not informed of the attack before it took place. Trump ran on ending the war as quickly as possible and has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-putin-has-gone-absolutely-crazy-risks-the-downfall-of-russia">condemned</a> both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin for prolonging the conflict &#8212; last month, Trump said Putin had &#8220;gone absolutely CRAZY&#8221; and Zelenskyy was doing Ukraine &#8220;no favors&#8230; Everything out of his mouth causes problems.&#8221; 
Trump has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-eyes-stinging-russia-sanctions-bipartisan-proposal-bring-pain">floated</a> the possibility of increasing economic sanctions on Russia if they don’t agree to a ceasefire. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have recently co-sponsored a bill that would impose a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products. When asked on Friday if he’d support the bill, Trump <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/01/europe/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-trump-latam-intl">told</a> reporters, “I don’t know… I’ll take a look at it.”
It’s unclear what impact the exchange of aerial strikes will have on peace talks, which are still scheduled to begin on Monday in Istanbul, Turkey. According to Reuters, documents outlining Ukraine’s roadmap for peace include demands for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, prisoner exchanges between the two countries, and the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. Ukraine has dropped its demand for reparations, but will not formally recognize the annexation of de facto Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, and has so far rejected any restrictions on its military strength.
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The Russians have yet to submit a formal proposal, but have consistently demanded that Ukraine renounce any plans to join NATO. Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and has since claimed 4 oblasts in Eastern Ukraine: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian forces still control portions of all 4 disputed territories: Russia has demanded withdrawal from these territories as a precondition for peace, whereas Ukraine wants to start negotiations at the current line of control.
The attack could provoke further Russian assaults, but it could also shift the perceived balance of power and make a continuation of hostilities less attractive to Moscow.
“At a time when Putin seems to think that he is winning on the battlefield, this demonstrates that his forces are in fact very vulnerable,” said Sven Biscop, a director at the Egmont Institute, a think tank in Brussels, told NBC. “This may not change the course of the war, but it does mean that every gain Russia makes will be at high cost.”

UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR

How Ukraine Pulled Off Its Massive Drone Strike Inside Russia

Ahead of high-stakes peace talks in Istanbul, Ukraine says it carried out an audacious drone attack that destroyed over 40 Russian military planes at airfields, including Belaya air base in Russia’s Irkutsk region.
Planned for over a year and overseen by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the operation involved drones smuggled deep into Russia via truck containers, a Ukrainian security official <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-sumy-region-18966d4b286ffb6f4e764b94a6afaf61" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Associated Press. Also noted by the news outlet, Russia conducted its own attack with 472 drones and several missiles, killing at least 12 Ukrainian service members and injuring over 60 others, according to Ukraine&#8217;s air force.
The assaults, which happened before Monday’s planned negotiations in Turkey, underscore the fragile prospects for peace.
Zelensky, <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1929145331696239049" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posting</a> on X, outlined Ukraine’s demands: &#8220;First — a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second — the release of prisoners. Third — the return of abducted children.&#8221; He added: &#8220;And in order to establish a reliable and lasting peace and ensure security, preparation of the meeting at the highest level. The key issues can only be resolved by the leaders. On Monday, our delegation will be led by Rustem Umerov.&#8221;
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Russia’s state-run TASS <a href="https://x.com/tassagency_en/status/1929182444097327484" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quoted</a> envoy Rodion Miroshnik accusing Kyiv of &#8220;destabilizing the situation&#8221; ahead of the talks.
President Donald Trump, a vocal critic of the war’s escalation, has taken to Truth Social to lambast both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky.
&#8220;I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!&#8221; Trump said in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent</a> post on Truth Social.
&#8220;Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and [former President Joe] Biden’s War, not &#8216;Trump’s,&#8217; I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.&#8221;

Drone operators perform combat tasks in Zaporizhzhia direction

Ukraine Says It Obliterated 40 Russian Military Planes In Drone Attack

Drones

President Donald Trump imposes a deadline on Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Democratic Party loses ground with young people and men, and controversy continues to swirl around WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
It’s Friday, May 30, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here: 
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<h2>Trump&#8217;s Red Line</h2>
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Topline: In a flurry of activity, the president appeared to give Russian President Vladimir Putin an ultimatum this week, and vowed to push ahead with tariffs despite a roadblock in the courts.
After a recent barrage of Russian airstrikes against Ukrainian cities, Trump has become far more critical of his counterpart in Moscow, accusing Putin of intentionally stalling on peace negotiations. Putin promised last week to deliver a peace proposal to progress formal talks, but so far, no such progress has been made. The Kremlin will only say that its proposal is in its “final stages.”
“We’ll find out whether or not he’s tapping us along or not and if he is, we’ll respond a little bit differently,” Trump said in an apparent ultimatum. “But it will take about a week and a half to two weeks.” Last weekend, the president <a href="https://x.com/Mylovanov/status/1927808946187759920">said</a> he was strongly considering new retaliatory sanctions on Moscow, but in recent days, he’s walked back that idea, saying he didn’t want to hinder a potential peace agreement.
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Meanwhile, on Wednesday night, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of International Trade struck down dozens of President Trump’s tariffs on countries worldwide. Trump invoked the Emergency Economic Powers Act to implement those tariffs, arguing fentanyl trafficking and trade deficits constituted a national emergency, but the court ruled that Trump “exceed[ed] any authority granted to the President” by the act. On Thursday morning, a second federal court in D.C. issued a similar ruling, saying Trump’s tariffs were unlawful.
The first ruling was put on hold by a federal appeals court on Thursday afternoon, which ruled in Trump’s favor — it said all tariffs can remain in place while the court reviews the case. The Trump administration says it won’t be slowed down, referring to the rulings as a hiccup — and it is confident the decision will be overturned on appeal and won’t impact ongoing trade talks.
And, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this week that the administration would work to “aggressively revoke” the visas of Chinese exchange students with ties to the Communist Party, along with those studying in “critical fields.” Chinese students account for 20% of all student visas — the State Department has for years warned that many of these students work with the CCP to smuggle sensitive research data and other intellectual property back to Beijing.
<h2>Democrats Hit Rock Bottom</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-927093" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_20_17.Still002.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_20_17.Still002.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_20_17.Still002-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: Democrats are struggling to connect with American men, a demographic that played a crucial role in putting Trump back in the White House. A recent report leaked to The New York Times highlights the party’s $20 million plan to win them back.
Democrats are facing a crisis of perception and policy — the party’s approval rating has plummeted to 27%, the lowest since 1990. Young men in particular have shifted rightward, with many feeling alienated by the Democratic Party’s messaging and drawn to the GOP’s bold, unapologetic style, exemplified by the head of the party himself — Trump. A focus group cited in the Times report found that voters see Democrats as “tortoises” or “sloths” — slow and passive — compared to Republicans, who are viewed as aggressive “apex predators.”
Working-class counties with lower median incomes have seen young men gravitate toward the GOP, which they perceive as the better choice for addressing their economic concerns, like job security and cost of living. Young white men, particularly those without college degrees, feel that the Democrats’ focus on social issues — like gender identity or systemic racism — demonizes them. Many resented the Biden administration’s heavy push for DEI policies. Meanwhile, the GOP’s presence on platforms like YouTube and popular podcasts like Joe Rogan has created a cultural pull that Democrats are struggling to counter.
In response, the Democrats have a $20 million initiative called “American Men: A Strategic Plan&#8221; that will &#8220;study the syntax, language and content that gains attention and virality in these spaces&#8221; of male voters. The focus is on digital outreach, emphasizing platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and podcasts.
“[There’s been] a huge shift in the way the media landscape work[s],” pollster Carly Cooperman told The Daily Wire. “I think we saw Democrats wary of going on some of these podcasts that lean culturally conservative, or where Republicans were going on, but that is the shifting landscape, and that is where people are reaching men, and particularly younger men.”
<h2>WNBA Race Bait</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-927091" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_17_05.Still003.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_17_05.Still003.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_17_05.Still003-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: Caitlin Clark continues to draw strong ratings for the WNBA, while the league finds itself engulfed in racial controversy.
The WNBA is just two weeks into the 2025 season, but it only took one game for the league to investigate accusations of racism. Caitlin Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, played the Chicago Sky on May 17, and Clark was called for a flagrant foul following a physical interaction with her rival, Angel Reese. After the foul, Reese began to come after Clark and taunt her. Clark’s team went on to win in a total blowout.
Neither team mentioned any fan remarks in the postgame news conferences afterward, but allegations of “hateful” remarks supposedly directed at Reese, who is black, quickly became a topic on social media. The WNBA announced within a few hours that it would investigate those claims.
“Obviously, there’s no place in this league for that,” Reese said. “I think the WNBA and our team and our organization has done a great job supporting me. … Going through this whole process, if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”
After about a week of trying to find any evidence of racist fan behavior against Reese, the league announced that it found none. “We have investigated the report of racist fan behavior in the vicinity of the court during the May 17, 2025, Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever game. Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated it.” The league went on to ensure everyone knows it is committed to “fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone” and that it would “continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct.”
Many across the country are calling out the league for giving credence to baseless social media claims. Others have blasted Reese for playing the victim despite the lack of any evidence. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) wrote on <a href="https://x.com/Jim_Banks/status/1927498571806367843">X</a>, &#8220;Angel Reese owes Indiana fans an apology.”

MRN 053025 Thumbnail_V1

Morning Brief: Trump Draws Red Line For Russia & Dems Hit Rock Bottom

Democratic Party

Sports

WNBA

Tensions between Russia and the United States rise as Trump and Putin escalate their war of words, NPR follows Harvard in suing the Trump administration in order to retain public funding, and MAHA has set its sights on regulating pesticides, but it’s causing a rift among Republicans.
It’s Wednesday, May 28, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here: 
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<h2>NATO Readies For War</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-926063" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_22_06.Still002.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_22_06.Still002.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_22_06.Still002-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: The U.S. reinforces Europe’s northern front as Russia ramps up its assault on Ukraine.
President Trump took public shots this weekend at Vladimir Putin, calling him “crazy” after he launched an unprecedented aerial barrage on Ukraine. The Kremlin responded by issuing a sarcastic statement, saying, “We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process…This is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions.&#8221;
That clearly angered Trump, who issued a new statement on Tuesday with a clear threat. “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!”
A number of reports from the White House suggest the president could roll out new sanctions on Moscow as early as this week. Trump is reportedly concerned that sanctions could drive Putin even further from a ceasefire and prolong the war, but the reality is that, barring increased military support for Ukraine, he doesn’t have many other options for exerting pressure.
Because existing sanctions have essentially cut off all trade between the U.S. and Russia, new sanctions would have to target countries doing business with Moscow and theoretically isolate them from the global economy. One proposal would impose a 500% import tariff on any nation that continues to purchase Russian oil, natural gas, and petroleum. Leaders in Congress have told the White House they would approve new sanctions with overwhelming bipartisan support.
However, some experts believe the Russian war machine is robust enough to weather further Western sanctions.
“The Russian economy is relatively stable,” Rebekah Koffler, a former defense intelligence analyst and author of Putin’s Playbook, told The Daily Wire. “Russia produces in three months more military hardware than the entire NATO Alliance produces in one year. … Putin transitioned his military and economy on a wartime footing a decade ago in 2015. They&#8217;re even more adequate right now after three years than before.”
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<h2>Trump Vs Harvard</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-926069" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_16.Still003.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_16.Still003.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_16.Still003-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: NPR joins Harvard in suing the Trump administration – in an attempt to cling to their taxpayer funding.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration directed federal agencies to terminate $100 million in remaining contracts with Harvard, citing its failure to address antisemitism and promote national interests. This is the latest development in an ongoing feud between the White House and America’s oldest university, which in the span of about a month has included attempts to cut billions of dollars in federal grants to Harvard and restrict its ability to admit foreign students.
Last Friday, a federal judge in Boston issued a temporary restraining order, stopping the Trump administration’s attempt to block the enrollment of Harvard’s international students. The policy would impact more than 7,000 foreign visa holders, about 30% of Harvard’s student body. Harvard argues that the move by the Trump administration is a direct response to the university&#8217;s refusal to comply with demands to have race-blind admissions, end DEI programs, and screen international students for alleged ties to terrorism or antisemitism. Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, told NPR that these actions threaten not just the university, but critical research.
“They see this as a message,” Garber said. “If you don’t comply with what we are demanding these will be the consequences.”
Trump says he’s considering directing Harvard’s funding to trade schools to develop the American workforce instead.
“We give them billions of dollars, which is ridiculous,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1926773697458712841">said</a> on Sunday. “I&#8217;m not going to have a problem with foreign students, but it shouldn&#8217;t be 31%. It&#8217;s too much, because we have Americans that want to go there and other places, and they can&#8217;t go there … No foreign government contributes money to Harvard. We do.”
Meanwhile, NPR, along with three Colorado public radio stations, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging President Trump’s May 1 executive order to cut all federal funding to NPR and PBS, which totals more than $500 million annually. The lawsuit argues the order violates the First Amendment’s protections of free speech and the press. NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, called it “retaliatory, viewpoint-based discrimination,” accusing the administration of punishing NPR for its reporting.
<h2>MAHA Eyes Pesticides</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-926067" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_10.Still004.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_10.Still004.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_10.Still004-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: A push to regulate pesticides is causing a rift within the GOP.
At the federal and state levels, there’s a looming battle within the Republican Party over potential pesticide regulations. Some Republicans and the broader MAHA coalition of activists want to see pesticides that have been banned in other countries, which are similarly prohibited in the United States. Others within the Republican Party say they’re worried about farmers in their districts who rely on pesticides like glyphosate, which has caught the eye of HHS, and there have been reports about concerns from within the White House that abrupt regulatory action could trigger supply chain issues.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spoken out against pesticides for years, claiming that they’re poisoning American children. He’s not backing down from that, but his department has so far toed the line between these two camps in the GOP. For example, top Kennedy advisor Calley Means signaled earlier this month that while HHS will state the “truth” about pesticides, the department has no desire for “nanny state” regulatory measures on these chemicals.
“We ingest 25% of the world’s pesticides in the United States,” Means said at an Axios event. “Other countries across the world have chosen to phase [many leading American pesticides] out or ban them, calling them carcinogenic and disruptive to kids. … The policy solutions from this are not obvious. Pesticides are deeply ingrained into the U.S. agricultural system and it would be a disaster to phase them out tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, there’s legislation in more than a dozen states to shield Bayer – a German multinational chemical company that purchased the American agricultural giant Monsanto in 2018 – from forthcoming legal action over its “failure to warn” about potential harms associated with its products. GOP-led states <a href="https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-features/2025/05/19/823734.htm#:~:text=A%20new%20first%2Dof%2Dits,weedkiller%20Roundup%20could%20cause%20cancer.">North Dakota</a> and <a href="https://hpj.com/2025/05/27/georgia-shields-bayer-from-roundup-lawsuits/">Georgia</a> have both passed laws to shield Bayer. Other states, including Iowa, Idaho, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, have similar pending legislation. There have been n<a href="https://lacykatzen.com/blog/roundup-loss-in-the-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-is-a-victory-for-consumers-injured-by-the-dangerous-weedkiller/">early 200,000 lawsuits</a> filed against Bayer, connecting it to the development of cancer and other diseases.
“I think it’s atrocious to believe that any company – any company in America or anywhere – should get any form of blanket immunity for the products that they’re putting in the stream of commerce,” Missouri Republican state Senator Nick Schroer told The Daily Wire. Schroer said that state Republicans were divided over support for the bill, partially because of lobbying by Bayer, but also because many farmers are concerned that they may lose access to herbicides and pesticides if Bayer goes under.

MRN 5.28.25 Thumbnail_V1

Morning Brief: Trump-Putin Faceoff, NPR Sues Trump, & GOP Pesticide War

Harvard University

National Public Radio (NPR)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

President Donald Trump signaled over the weekend that he is seriously weighing tougher sanctions on Russia over its years-long war against Ukraine, a potential move backed by a bipartisan Senate supermajority eager to force Moscow’s hand, as peace negotiations falter.
In a Sunday exchange with reporters, Trump <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1926772105401549062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he is “absolutely” considering new sanctions on Russia. Hours later, he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media, calling him “CRAZY” for “needlessly killing a lot of people” with continued fighting between soldiers, as well as missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. &#8220;I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!&#8221; he added.
The rebuke stretched into Tuesday, with Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114580564427808609" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warning</a> that Putin is “playing with fire” and claiming that “really bad things” would have already struck Russia without his restraint.
A coalition of 81 senators, led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), has rallied behind a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1241/text?s=1&amp;r=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> to slam Russia with fresh sanctions if Moscow refuses genuine peace talks with Ukraine or launches new attacks threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty post-agreement. The legislation also <a href="https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3D495158-CF7D-4833-A2DB-9E5558843F1B" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposes</a> a 500% tariff on goods from nations buying Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other commodities.
&#8220;While we yearn for peace, it is increasingly clear to us – and a supermajority of the Senate – that Putin is playing games,&#8221; Graham and Blumenthal declared in a joint <a href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-grahams-hard-hitting-sanctions-bill-has-over-80-cosponsors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> last week. &#8220;The United States Senate stands ready to act if these games continue.&#8221;
The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-putin-has-gone-absolutely-crazy-risks-the-downfall-of-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that after a two-hour call with Putin last week, Trump declared that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would &#8220;immediately start,&#8221; only for the Kremlin to deny any such plans. The week prior, Putin snubbed scheduled talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey, prompting Trump to insist that “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.&#8221;
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Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a co-signer of the Graham-Blumenthal bill, argued Tuesday that sanctions are now critical. &#8220;I believe president trump was sincere when he thought his friendship w Putin wld end the war,&#8221; Grassley <a href="https://x.com/ChuckGrassley/status/1927369150529171572" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. &#8220;Now that being the case ITS TIME FOR SANCTIONS STRONG ENUF SO PUTIN KNOWS &#8216;game over.'&#8221;
Trump also took aim at Zelensky and former President Joe Biden.
&#8220;President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social over the weekend. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.&#8221;

Trump and Senate Republicans

Trump Eyes Stinging Russia Sanctions. This Bipartisan Proposal Could Bring The Pain.

Chuck Grassley

Congress

Lindsey Graham

Sanctions

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump fires back at Vladimir Putin following Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukraine, the Treasury Department reveals a new approach to combating drug cartels, and Hollywood enjoys a record-breaking box office over Memorial Day weekend. 
It’s Tuesday, May 27, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Russia Strikes Ukraine</h2>
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Topline: President Trump rails against Russian President Vladimir Putin after he launches another aerial attack on Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Russia launched a series of air assaults on Ukrainian cities, deploying hundreds of attack drones and dozens of missiles. Those strikes killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more — many civilians — in what Ukraine <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russian-drone-fragments-set-kyiv-apartment-building-ablaze-official-says-2025-05-24/">called</a> the most extensive aerial bombardment of the three-year war. 
In recent months, there had been hopes that a peace deal was within reach, but Putin appears to be making clear that he’s pushing ahead, despite increased threats of sanctions from the West. Ukrainian intelligence <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/russias-casualties-war-against-ukraine-095937828.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM3atsZc41kCSRMKSfurjA_lU-16DhBVMjma8L5udzrwkvFa0KgXegrcgN4PLiL5kMS7G5o-tI97OUCDDVv0q_D28ERp7U8aWOO1ONbadwbiQg0sOb-32woFiDBFhUNANBcGjAoYOUBI1FcOyeD46QfZpkI09tXrEb_Zwy9CY8KJ">reportedly</a> shows that Moscow is gathering forces near the front line in preparation for a summer offensive. 
In response to those attacks, President Trump offered his <a href="https://x.com/yashar/status/1926775198956572815">strongest condemnation</a> of Putin to date. “I don&#8217;t know what the hell happened to Putin. I&#8217;ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he&#8217;s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don&#8217;t like it at all. Okay, we&#8217;re in the middle of talking and he&#8217;s shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities.“ Later, on social media, the president appeared to make a veiled threat against Putin, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390">writing,</a> “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right. But if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” 
However, this new anti-Putin rhetoric hasn’t exactly led to friendlier relations with Ukraine. Trump also said over the weekend that “Zelensky is doing his country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems.” 
Meanwhile, on Friday, Trump accused the Europeans of being “difficult to deal with” during trade negotiations, saying “discussions are going nowhere.”  The president threatened a 50% tariff that would kick in on June 1. That seemingly got their attention, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the White House over the weekend to say “Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively.” As a result of that new willingness to make a deal, Trump agreed to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-delays-50-tariffs-eu-leader-blinks?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+Delays+50%25+Tariffs+On+EU+After+Its+Leader+Blinks">pause</a> his tariff hike until July 9 so an agreement could be reached. 
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<h2>Freezing Cartel Funds</h2>
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Topline:  Trump enlists the Treasury Department in his sweeping crackdown on drug cartels.
President Trump promised a “whole of government” approach to combating drug cartels. While the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Border Patrol have obvious roles to play, the Treasury Department is taking steps to crack down on money laundering.
“One of the most important things that the president did upon coming into office was to declare a number of the narco groups terrorist organizations,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender told The Daily Wire. “[That] unleashes additional authorities at Treasury for us to better target some of the financial activities that these cartels are engaging in. It&#8217;s one thing to have our partners at DHS work on stopping the flow of people and drugs, but we can also use our financial tools to go after the money – because if the money is not flowing back south, then there&#8217;s less of an incentive to bring the drugs and the guns and some of the illicit activity up to the north.”
Among other things, Faulkender explained why Brinks Global was fined $37 million. “There is a statute called the Bank Secrecy Act that requires that if you&#8217;re going to facilitate transfers of monetary sums, that you need to know who the party is that is receiving this money, that is engaging in this transaction. And so what we did is our Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which is called FinCEN, they launched an investigation into how this money was flowing south of the border – and found that Brinks had facilitated some of these money transfers without knowing who the parties were that were participating in this transaction.”
For the full interview, check out the Morning Wire podcast.
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<h2>Box Office Bonanza</h2>
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Topline: The box office for the holiday weekend blew away expectations. Disney’s live-action &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; and Paramount’s &#8220;Mission: Impossible 8&#8221; set records to kick off the summer blockbuster season.
&#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; and &#8220;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8221; provide a much-needed shot in the arm for theaters nationwide. According to studio estimates, &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; grossed a staggering $183 million domestically. That’s an all-time Disney record for this time frame. Its global haul was $342 million. Meanwhile, &#8220;Mission: Impossible&#8221; brought in a franchise-best $77 million domestically and $190 million worldwide. Taken together, Hollywood hopes this is a game-changer for an industry that’s been fighting to regain that pre-pandemic momentum.
Social media buzz for &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch,&#8221; especially from younger women and parents, has been off the charts with an “A” CinemaScore signaling strong word-of-mouth. Posts on X captured the excitement, with fans showing up in Stitch merch and plushies, turning screenings into events. This kind of cultural resonance is exactly what Disney banks on with its IP-driven strategy – sometimes successfully, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-bombs-with-one-of-disneys-lowest-opening-weekends-for-a-remake">sometimes not</a>.
While it didn’t reach the heights of &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch,&#8221; &#8220;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8221; is unquestionably a triumph for Tom Cruise. The film’s opening beat the previous franchise record set by &#8220;Mission: Impossible – Fallout&#8221; in 2018 by $14 million, not adjusted for inflation.
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MRN 05.27.25 Tue Thumbnail

Morning Brief: Trump Blasts Putin, Cartel Crackdowns & Box Office Bonanza

Cartels

Disney

Drug Cartels

Mission Impossible

Paramount

Tom Cruise

Treasury Department

President Donald Trump announced on Friday morning that Ukraine and Russia were completing a &#8220;major&#8221; prisoner exchange as the United States continues to seek peace between the two nations.
The deal, which was agreed to last week, swaps 1,000 prisoners each between Ukraine and Russia, making it the largest prisoner exchange of the war, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Trump congratulated the countries on the agreement and hinted that it &#8220;could lead to something big.&#8221;
&#8220;A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. It will go into effect shortly,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114556494480941887" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social early Friday morning. &#8220;Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???&#8221;
Earlier this week, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine, adding that the talks could be held at the Vatican. Trump <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made the announcement</a> after a two-hour phone call with the Russian despot.
“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,” Trump said on Monday. “The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.”
While Trump administration officials have met with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the two leaders have yet to negotiate with each other. Last week, Zelensky met with Russian officials in Turkey as Putin skipped the meeting. Trump said last Friday that he understood why Putin didn&#8217;t attend the meeting, adding that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/after-putin-blows-off-peace-talks-trump-gives-timeline-for-meeting-with-russian-prez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planned</a> to meet with the Russian president &#8220;as soon as possible.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
During the talks in Turkey, Ukraine and Russia agreed to the prisoner swap, but Russian officials <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/world/europe/russia-ukraine-peace-talks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said they would not agree to a ceasefire unless Ukraine withdraws from four regions in eastern Ukraine that Russian forces took over in 2022.
&#8220;The agreement to release 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity became perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Turkey,” Zelensky said following the meeting. “We are working to ensure this result is delivered.”
Ending the war in Ukraine has been a top foreign policy goal for President Trump, who promised on the campaign trail that the conflict would end by his first day back in the White House. Peace talks between the countries, however, have hit multiple roadblocks, and the Trump administration has suggested that it is willing to walk away from further negotiations if Ukraine and Russia don&#8217;t make progress soon.
Trump, however, remains optimistic that he can work out a deal between Putin and Zelensky to end the bloodshed, saying last week that &#8220;in two or three weeks we could have it be a much, much safer place.&#8221;

Ukraine/Russia War

‘Lead To Something Big?’: Trump Touts ‘Major’ Prisoner Swap Between Ukraine And Russia

Prisoners

After a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, President Donald Trump announced that ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would begin immediately.
In a statement following the call, Trump said he believes the call &#8220;went very well&#8221; and that the &#8220;tone and spirit of the conversation was excellent.&#8221;
&#8220;Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114535693441367601">said</a>. &#8220;The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.&#8221;
Trump added that once the &#8220;bloodbath&#8221; ends, there will be opportunities for Russia to do &#8220;largescale&#8221; trade with the United States and have &#8220;tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth.&#8221;
Trump said he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, of Germany, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb immediately after his call with Putin.
Trump said that the Vatican, &#8220;as represented by&#8221; Pope Leo XIV, &#8220;has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations.&#8221;
After the call, Putin spoke to reporters on-camera and described the call as “very frank” and very useful.”
“The US president expressed his position on the cessation of hostilities, ceasefire, and from my end, I have emphasized that Russia stands for peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis,&#8221; Putin said. &#8220;We just need to outline the most effective routes of moving towards peace.&#8221;
Ahead of the call, Russia launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine with exploding drones and decoys, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-call-putin-bid-end-russias-bloodbath-war-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News reported</a>. Eighty-eight drones were reportedly intercepted, and 128 were lost in the attack on the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk regions.
Trump has supported a ceasefire between the two sides, though Russia has pushed for an agreement to end the war with Ukraine making concessions. Trump has grown frustrated with both Putin and Zelensky in his efforts to bring the war to an end.
“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday before the call. “He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-confronts-zelensky-on-christian-persecution-and-conscription-in-exclusive-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BEN SHAPIRO CONFRONTS ZELENSKY ON CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION AND CONSCRIPTION IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW</a>
Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-and-vance-clash-with-zelensky-in-fiery-white-house-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Vance</a> said there has been “a bit of an impasse” in the talks and that the United States is “more than willing to walk away.”
“President Putin…he doesn’t quite know how to get out of the war,” Vance said. “There is fundamental mistrust between Russia and the West. It’s one of the things that the president thinks is frankly stupid that we should be able to move beyond the stakes that have been made in the past. But it takes two to tango. I know the president is willing to do that but if Russia is not willing to do that, then eventually we will have to say ‘this is not our war.’”
Trump announced the call on Saturday, stating that he planned to talk about “stopping the ‘bloodbath’ that is on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week.”
“Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;God bless us all!!!&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Last week, Zelensky <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-lands-in-turkey-as-putin-skips-meeting-russia-calls-him-a-clown-and-loser?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Lands+In+Turkey+As+Putin+Skips+Meeting%2C+Russia+Calls+Him+A+%E2%80%98Clown+and+Loser%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traveled to Turkey</a> in the hopes of having a face-to-face conversation with Putin. When Putin did not show up, the two leaders&#8217; underlings met and successfully negotiated a prisoner swap of 1,000 people from each side, though no agreement on peace was made, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/19/trump-putin-call-ceasefire-agreement?utm_campaign=editorial&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Axios</a>. The meeting was the first direct negotiations between the two sides since March 2022.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-tells-ben-shapiro-hes-open-to-an-audit-on-how-ukraine-spends-u-s-taxpayer-dollars?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Tells+Ben+Shapiro+He%E2%80%99s+Open+To+An+Audit+On+How+Ukraine+Spends+U.S.+Taxpayer+Dollars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ZELENSKY TELLS BEN SHAPIRO HE’S OPEN TO AN AUDIT ON HOW UKRAINE SPENDS U.S. TAXPAYER DOLLARS</a>
On Sunday, leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy urged Trump to sanction Putin if he doesn’t agree to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, Axios reported.
Trump has said that the war “has to stop.”
“We spent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-lands-in-turkey-as-putin-skips-meeting-russia-calls-him-a-clown-and-loser">$350 billion there</a> — just handed,” he said. “Nobody even knows where the money is. There’s no accounting.”
Trump added that Zelensky is the “greatest salesman, maybe in history” because “every time he came to the United States, he’d walk away with $100 billion.”
“That’s a good salesman, right?” Trump added. “Last time he didn’t do as well. He only got $60 billion.”

Argentina G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 – Day 1 Of Sessions

Trump Makes Big Announcement Following  ‘Very Frank’ Two-Hour Call With Putin

President Donald Trump said Friday that he would like to set up a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin &#8220;as soon&#8221; as possible.
Trump made the comments in Abu Dhabi as he prepared to return home to the United States at the end of his Middle East tour. He had previously floated a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin in Turkey, but the Russian president refused to attend.
&#8220;They all said Putin was going and Zelensky was going. And I said, If I don&#8217;t go, I guarantee Putin is not going, and he didn&#8217;t go,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And I understand that, but we&#8217;re going to get it we&#8217;re going to get it done. We&#8217;ve got to get it done. Five thousand young people are being killed every single week on average, and we&#8217;re going to get it done.&#8221;
While Ukrainian and Russian officials are meeting in Turkey on Friday, Trump said he believed he would have to meet with Putin to make real progress toward ending the war.
Trump said that he plans to meet Putin &#8220;as soon as we can get it set up,&#8221; noting that he had planned to meet with Putin and Zelensky after wrapping up his visit to the United Arab Emirates. He added that he wanted to go back to America to see his new grandson, whom his daughter, Tiffany, gave birth to on Thursday.
&#8220;I do want to see my beautiful grandson, a son, and we&#8217;ll be doing that, but I will, I will tell you that the world is a much safer place right now,&#8221; Trump told reporters. &#8220;And I think in two or three weeks we could have it be a much, much safer place. We&#8217;re going to handle a couple of situations that you have here. We have some very serious situations.”
Zelensky and Ukrainian negotiators are meeting in Istanbul with Putin&#8217;s representatives for talks supervised by Turkish Defense Minister Hakan Fidan. While it will be the first talks between the warring nations since 2022, American officials don&#8217;t expect much to come from the meeting.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t have high expectations of what will happen tomorrow. And frankly, at this point, I think it&#8217;s abundantly clear that the only way we&#8217;re going to have a breakthrough here is between President Trump and President Putin,&#8221; Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

U.S. President Donald Trump in Abu Dhabi

After Putin Blows Off Peace Talks, Trump Gives Timeline For Meeting With Russian Prez

Turkey

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