May 2019

Middle East

• US troop move to Middle East ‘extremely dangerous’: Zarif (Al Jazeera)
• US-Iran tensions: Iraqis fear involvement in dispute by Rob Matheson (Al Jazeera)
• Trump defies Congress to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia by Luke Barnes (ThinkProgress)
• Trump approves $8bn Saudi weapons sale over Iran tensions (BBC)
• Trump Defies Congress, Moves Forward With Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia by Daniel Politi (Slate)

Japan

• Trump visits Japan as first state guest for new emperor (Al Jazeera)
• Trump opens state visit to Japan with jab at trade imbalance (Al Jazeera)
• President Trump Arrives In Japan For Inaugural State Visit Under New Emperor by Shannon Van Sant (NPR)

Immigration / Border Wall

• Federal Judge Blocks Part of Trump’s Border Wall Construction by Edwin Rios (Mother Jones)
• Judge Blocks Trump From Using Defense Department Funds to Build Border Wall by Daniel Politi (Slate)

Other News

• Jon Voight Calls Trump ‘Greatest President Since Abraham Lincoln’ by Amy Russo (Huffington Post)

Barr Probe

• Trump orders new powers for Attorney General’s surveillance probe (BBC)
• Trump grants William Barr full access to state secrets for review of Russian interference investigation by Devlin Barrett, Carol Leonnig, Roberta Costa, Colby Itkowitz (Independent)
• Trump orders intelligence community to comply with Barr’s investigation into origins of Russia probe by Cody Fenwick (Salon)
• Barr Is Investigating The Investigators: Will He Find Wrongdoing Or Political Fuel? by Philip Ewing (NPR)
• Barr’s Newfound Power Could Prompt Clash Between Justice Dept. and C.I.A. by David E. Sanger (NY Times)

Transgender Patients / LGBTQ Protections

• Trump Administration Proposes Rule To Reverse Protections For Transgender Patients by Alison Kodjak, Carmel Wroth (NPR)
• Trump administration rolls back health care protections for transgender patients by Dan Diamond, Rachana, Pradhan (Politico)
• Trump Administration Rule Would Reverse HHS Protections for Transgender People by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar (TIME)
• Trump just dismantled one of the last major protections keeping transgender people safe by Zack Ford (ThinkProgress)
• Trump administration to make it easier for adoption agencies to reject same-sex couples: report by John Bowden (The Hill)
• Doctors May Soon Be Legally Able to Refuse to Treat Trans People by Diana Tourjée (VICE)
• Why Trump Is Rolling Back LGBTQ Health-Care Protections by Emma Green (The Atlantic)
• The Trump Administration Releases Its Plan to Let Health Care Providers Refuse to Treat Transgender People by Mark Joseph Stern (Slate)

Abortion Bans

• ACLU and Planned Parenthood file lawsuit against Alabama abortion ban by Erin Durkin (The Guardian)
• Alabama’s abortion ban is being challenged in court by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood by Anna North (Vox)
• Missouri governor signs ban on abortions after eight weeks by Avery Anapol, Jessie Hellmann (The Hill)

Middle East

• Trump will send 1,500 troops to Middle East (Reuters)
• Kushner’s Middle East peace plan is aimed at forcing Palestinians to abandon their rights by Omar Baddar (ThinkProgress)
• Officials say White House plans to send 1,500 troops to Middle East amid Iran tensions by AP (Politico)
• Trump to send 1,500 troops to Middle East to counter Iran by Ellen Mitchell, Jordan Fabian (The Hill)
• Trump Orders An Additional 1,500 Troops To The Middle East by Sasha Ingber (NPR)
• US to send more troops to the Middle East (Al Jazeera)
• Trump Wants to Leave the Middle East. He’s Not Getting His Wish. by Kathy Gilsinan (The Atlantic)
• Weapons worth $8B headed to Middle East over Congress’ objections by David Brown (Politico)

China / Trade / Farmers

• Trump Unveils $16 Billion Bailout For Farmers Hurt By Trade War With China by Nick Visser (Huffington Post)
• Trump says Huawei could be part of trade deal (BBC)
• The Forever Trade War by Richard Fontaine (The Atlantic)

Disaster Aid

• U.S. House fails to pass disaster aid bill; second attempt likely next month (Reuters)
• US senate approves £15bn disaster aid bill, ignoring Trump’s border funding by Jeff Stein, Mike DeBonis (Independent)
• GOP Rep. causes $19.1 billion disaster aid bill to stall in House by Jennifer Schutt (Roll Call)

Immigration / Border Wall

• Trump signs memo requiring immigrants’ sponsors to pay back the government for welfare by Rebekah Entralgo (ThinkProgress)
• Judge Blocks Trump Use Of Emergency Power To Build Border Barrier With Military Funds by Joel Rose, Barbara Campbell (NPR)
• Trump blocked from using emergency funds to build Mexico border wall sections by federal judge by Colin Drury (Independent)

Other News

• IRS could be forced to release Trump’s taxes in the heat of 2020 by Brian Faler (Politico)
• Trump appeals ruling allowing banks to hand his financial records to Congress by Brendan Pierson (Reuters)
• Trump to have banquet with queen and will meet PM May on UK state visit (Reuters)
• Trump campaign views healthcare as a 2020 campaign weapon by Ginger Gibson, James Oliphant (Reuters)
• Trump Has a Big Head Start on Facebook Messaging, and Democrats Are Worried by Pema Levy (Mother Jones)
• Trump’s interest in pardoning troops accused of war crimes, explained by Aaron Rupar (Vox)
• Trump says he feels badly for Theresa May after her resignation announcement by Brett Samuels (The Hill)
• Facebook refuses to delete fake Pelosi video spread by Trump supporters by Jim Waterson (Guardian)

Analysis

• The Democrats Are Overthinking Trump’s Impeachment. Naturally. by Matt Ford (The New Republic)
• Behind Trump’s reversal of an explosive plan to move migrants to Florida by Anita Kumar And Matt Dixon (Politico)
• Assange’s indictment escalates Trump’s attacks on free speech, experts say by Tom McCarthy (Guardian)
• Trump Jumps Into Impeachment Fray With Both Feet by Peter Baker (NY Times)

Opinion

• Indicting a journalist? What the new charges against Julian Assange mean for free speech by Julian Borger (Guardian)

Trade / China / Farmers

• U.S., China exchange barbs over Huawei as trade tensions flare by Doina Chiacu, Stella Qiu (Reuters)
• New tariffs on Chinese goods to cost typical U.S. household $831 a year: NY Fed research (Reuters)
• Trump administration announces $16 billion farm aid plan to offset trade war losses by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters)
• Why Trump’s new farmer bailout could hurt agriculture by Catherine Bodreau (Politico)
• White House To Announce $16 Billion In Aid To Farmers Hurt By Trade War With China by Bobby Allyn (NPR)
• Trump Announces New Plan to Retain the Farm Vote by Kevin Drum (Mother Jones)
• Trump administration announces $16B aid package for farmers hurt by trade war with China by Jordan Fabian (The Hill)
• Trump planning more restrictions on tech exports to China by Adam Behsudi (Politico)
• I, for One, Am Displeased About Having to Pay for Trump’s New $16 Billion Farmer Bailout by Jordan Weissmann (Slate)
• China denounces U.S. ‘rumors’ and ‘lies’ about Huawei ties to Beijing by Michael Martina (Reuters)

Tillerson

• Trump Attacks “Dumb as a Rock” Rex Tillerson, Whom He Once Praised for His “Vast Experience” by Inae Oh (Mother Jones)
• Tillerson: Trump Was Unprepared for First Meeting with Putin by Molly Olmstead (Slate)
• Trump fires back at ‘dumb as a rock’ Tillerson on Putin by Brett Samuels (The Hill)
• Donald Trump’s former secretary of state claims Vladimir Putin outmaneuvered the president by Matthew Rozsa (Salon)

Impeachment

• Pelosi: Move to impeach Trump now would be premature, ‘divisive’ (Al Jazeera)
• Nancy Pelosi Keeps Saying Trump’s Acts Are ‘Impeachable,’ But Doesn’t Want To Impeach by Matt Fuller (Huffington Post)
• 30 House Members Have Called For Congress To Start Trump Impeachment Proceedings by Paul Blumenthal (Huffington Post)

Immigration / Border

• Trump Dumped Thousands of Immigrants in San Antonio. The City’s Response Was a Lesson in Kindness. by Fernanda Echavarri (Mother Jones)
• Outcry after Trump officials reveal sixth migrant child died in US custody by Oliver Laughland (The Guardian)
• ‘He always brings them up’: Trump tries to steer border wall deal to North Dakota firm by Nick Miroff and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post)
• Trump Reportedly Keeps Pushing GOP Donor’s Construction Firm for Billion-Dollar Contract to Build Border Wall by Elliot Hannon (Slate)

Barr Probe

• Trump orders intel agencies to cooperate with Barr probe into ‘spying’ on 2016 campaign by Morgan Chalfant (The Hill)
• Trump orders intel community to cooperate with Barr probe into 2016 campaign surveillance by Matthew Choi (Politico)
• Trump Gives William Barr Wide Declassification Authority In ‘Spying’ Probe by Ryan J. Reilly, Nick Visser (Huffington Post)

Other News

• House Speaker Pelosi urges Trump family ‘intervention’ with president by Richard Cowan, Susan Cornwell (Reuters)
• Trump’s EPA is ‘cooking the books’ to justify its attack on clean air rules by Kyla Mandel (ThinkProgress)
• CEO of small Florida bank loaned Trump millions in 2018, then got Federal Reserve post by Igor Derysh (Salon)
• New indictment says Manafort’s banker tried to bribe his way into Trump administration by Casey Michel (ThinkProgress)
• Mueller’s Illegitimate Hoax Investigation Somehow Just Led to Another Indictment Involving the Trump Campaign by Ben Mathis-Lilley (Slate)
• Outrage as Trump delays putting Harriet Tubman on $20 bill until 2026 by Erin Durkin (The Guardian)
• Trump makes unannounced visit to Arlington National Cemetery by Quint Forgey (Politico)
• Iran vows no surrender – even if bombed by ‘enemies’ (Al Jazeera)
• Judges fast track court fight over Trump financial records by Darren Samuelsohn (Politico)
• Trump may sidestep Congress on Saudi arms deal, drawing fresh warnings from Republicans and Democrats by Karoun Demirjian and Missy Ryan (Washington Post)
• Donald Trump’s golf outings have reportedly cost taxpayers more than $100 million by Kelly McLaughlin (Business Insider)
• Trump wants everyone to know he is extremely calm and Pelosi is the “crazy” one by Ella Nilsen (Vox)
• One of Trump’s Attorneys Also Represents the Accused War Criminal He Might Pardon by Ben Mathis-Lilley (Slate)

Analysis

• How Trump Breaks With Clinton And Nixon On Governing While Under Investigation by Ron Elving (NPR)

Opinion

• Mnuchin’s excuse for delaying the Harriet Tubman $20 bill is insulting by the Editorial Board (Washington Post)

Subpoenas / Financial Records / Tax Returns

• US House intel panel delays subpoena against Barr after DOJ offer (Al Jazeera)
• U.S. Treasury’s Mnuchin: No discussion with White House on Trump’s taxes by Jason Lange (Reuters)
• Mnuchin dismisses IRS memo saying Congress must be given Trump’s tax returns by Toby Eckert (Politico)
• Mnuchin Says He Has ‘Not Yet’ Reviewed Memo Mandating IRS Turn Over Trump Tax Returns by Brian Naylor (NPR)
• Trump lawyers to appear in court over subpoenas for financial records by Victoria Bekiempis (The Guardian)
• House Intelligence Committee, DOJ Strike Deal Over Mueller Documents by Nina Golgowski (Huffington Post)
• Mnuchin denies that an IRS memo contradicts his position on Trump’s taxes. Spoiler: It does. by Aaron Rupar (Vox)
• Steve Mnuchin’s Nonsensical Excuse for Hiding Trump’s Tax Returns Just Got More Nonsensical by Jay Willis (GQ)
• Judge sides with Democrats in Trump bank subpoena fight by Zachary Warmbrodt (Politico)
• Judge delivers second blow to Trump over financial records by Jacqueline Thomsen (The Hill)
• Congress Will Likely Soon Have Its Hands on a Trove of Trump Financial Documents by Mark Joseph Stern (Slate)
• Judge rules against Trump, paves way for banks to provide his business records to Congress by Brendan Pierson (Reuters)
• New York Just Passed a Bill that Will Let Congress See Trump’s Taxes by Hannah Levintova (Mother Jones)
• Key House committee obtains subpoenaed Trump financial documents from two banks: report by Zack Budryk (The Hill)

Infrastructure Meeting / Trump Response to Investigations

• Trump blasts Pelosi ‘cover-up’ accusation, balks on infrastructure by Steve Holland, Jeff Mason, Richard Cowan (Reuters)
• Trump blows up White House meeting over nasty feud with Pelosi by Quint Forgey, Burgess Everett, John Bresnahan (Politico)
• Trump Walks Out of Infrastructure Meeting With Pelosi and Schumer by Inae Oh (Mother Jones)
• Trump, Democrats Trade Blame As Infrastructure Talks Crumble Over Investigations by Philip Ewing (NPR)
• Trump cuts off talks with Dems after Pelosi accuses him of cover-up by Jordan Fabian (The Hill)
• ‘We Can’t Do It.’ Trump Says He Refuses to Talk Policy With Democrats Unless They Stop Investigation by Lisa Mascaro, Mary Clare Jalonick (TIME)
• Trump refuses to work with Democrats until they end probes (Al Jazeera)
• Trump, Who Is Definitely Not Covering Anything Up, Announces He Won’t Speak to Democrats Until They Stop Investigating Him by Ben Mathis-Lilley (Slate)

2020

• How Winning The White House Could Cost Democrats The Senate (At Least Temporarily) by Geoffrey Skelley (FiveThirtyEight)
• Who White Democrats Vote For In 2020 Could Be Shaped By Why They Think Clinton Lost by Pavielle Haines, Seth Masket (FiveThirtyEight)
• The Key to Covering the 2020 Election: More Women by Jordan Gass-Poore (Mother Jones)

China / Trade

• US-China trade war: Shoe giants urge Trump to end tariffs (BBC)
• Trump administration considers blacklisting another major Chinese technology firm, further inflaming trade conflict by David J Lynch, Ellen Nakashima (Independent)

Iran

• What To Know About The Sudden Talk Of War With Iran by Mark Katkov, Larry Kaplow (NPR)
• The US-Iran standoff may be cooling off by Alex Ward (Vox)

Other News

• Trump’s Golf Costs: $102 Million And Counting, With Taxpayers Picking Up The Tab by S.V. Date (Huffington Post)
• Trump’s Proposed Census Citizenship Question Bucks Centuries Of Precedent by Hansi Lo Wang (NPR)
• Hungary’s Far-Right Government Has Been Getting a Boost from President Trump Ahead of E.U. Elections by Vivienne Walt (TIME)
• Nancy Pelosi Tries To Tamp Down Impeachment Fever by Matt Fuller, Arthur Delaney (Huffington Post)
• Trump border wall: $1.5bn of funding has provided just 1.7 miles of fence, federal judge told by Chris Riotta (Independent)
• Trump impeachment considered ‘inevitable’ by growing number of House Democrats, congressman says by Clark Mindock (Independent)
• North Korea Endorses Trump’s Re-Election with Savage Biden Takedown by Eric Lutz (Vanity Fair)
• New York just made it harder for President Trump to abuse his pardon power by Matthew Rozsa (Salon)
• Russia condemns ‘US ultimatum’ to Turkey over S-400 missile deal (Al Jazeera)
• Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels ex-lawyer, charged with defrauding her (BBC)
• In an Odd Move, Trump Shifts His Banking Business to a Small Firm in Florida by Russ Choma (Mother Jones)
• Trump administration delays Harriet Tubman’s appearance on $20 bill by Matthew Rozsa (Salon)
• Retired Navy SEAL who oversaw the 2011 Osama bin Laden raid says Trump ‘needs to be very careful’ about pardoning several accused war criminals by David Choi (Business Insider)
• USDA relocates economists whose work challenges Trump policies by Liz Crampton (Politico)
• A Sixth Migrant Child Has Now Died in U.S. Government Custody by Elliot Hannon (Slate)
• Trump Administration Halts Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Redesign Set for Next Year. Hmm… by Elliot Hannon (Slate)
• Pentagon ‘mulls sending thousands more troops’ to Middle East (Al Jazeera)

Analysis

• Pelosi Pushes Go-Slow Strategy on Impeachment as She Goads Trump by Glenn Thrush (NY Times)

Impeachment

• Ocasio-Cortez: ‘We have to move forward’ with impeachment by Jessica Campisi (The Hill)
• Democrats’ Impeachment Divide Tests Pelosi by Susan Davis, Kelsey Snell (NPR)
• House Democrat Announces Plan to (Deep Breath) Introduce Inquiry Into Investigating Whether to Consider Impeachment by Ben Mathis-Lilley (Slate)

Huawei

• Tech stocks lead rally on Wall Street after Huawei breather by Shreyashi Sanyal (Reuters)
• Huawei vs. Trump: all the news about the Chinese phone maker’s messy relationship with the US (The Verge)
• Honor 20: Huawei Android phone launch defies Donald Trump by Samuel Gibbs (The Guardian)
• Huawei: ARM memo tells staff to stop working with China’s tech giant by David Lee (BBC)
• The Trump Administration’s Approach to Huawei Risks Repeating China’s Mistakes by Samm Sacks, Graham Webster (Slate)

Financial Records

• Trump appeals ruling allowing Congress to see his financial records (Reuters)
• Trump appeals ruling allowing Congress to see financial records (Al Jazeera)
• Trump appeals ruling clearing House to receive his financial records by Josh Gerstein (Politico)
• Confidential draft IRS memo says tax returns must be given to Congress unless president invokes executive privilege by Jeff Stein and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post)
• IRS Says It’s Required to Turn Over Trump’s Tax Returns to Congress by Kevin Drum (Mother Jones)

Iran

• Iran’s president says Trump has stepped back from threats against Tehran (Reuters)
• Iranian threats ‘put on hold’, says US defence chief (BBC)
• Iran refuses Trump’s offer of talks unless US shows ‘respect’ by Frederik Pleitgen, Sheena McKenzie (CNN)
• Zarif: US playing ‘dangerous game’ in Gulf showdown (Al Jazeera)
• US Democrats raise alarm over Trump’s increasing threats to Iran by William Roberts (Al Jazeera)

Immigration

• Trump expected to tap Cuccinelli for new immigration post: reports by Jordan Fabian (The Hill)
• Trump eying Cuccinelli for senior immigration post by Andrew Restuccia, Anita Kumar (Politico)
• Trump warns of ‘response’ to Mexico for failing to adequately stop migrants by Brett Samuels (The Hill)
• Trump’s potential ‘immigration czar’ demanded ’24-hour jet access and Oval Office walk-in privileges’ by Clark Mindock (Independent)
• ICE Has A Record-Breaking 52,000 Immigrants In Detention, Report Says by Dominique Mosbergen (Huffington Post)

Subpoenas

• As ex-White House counsel defies subpoena, U.S. House Democrats weigh response by Sarah N. Lynch, Jan Wolfe (Reuters)
• Nadler subpoenas Hope Hicks and McGahn’s former aide for testimony by Olivia Beavers and Morgan Chalfant (The Hill)
• Opinion: McGahn ignored a congressional subpoena. A legal mess will follow. by Harry Litman (Washington Post)
• House Judiciary Committee Subpoenas Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson by Dan Friedman (Mother Jones)
• US House Dems subpoena more Trump ex-aides after latest rebuff (Al Jazeera)

Other News

• Why some Palestinians are backing Trump’s peace push by Nahal Toosi (Politico)
• The Memo: Trump faces steep climb to reelection by Niall Stanage (The Hill)
• Who pays Trump’s tariffs, China or U.S. customers and companies? (Reuters)
• Election security bills in the Senate are hitting one big roadblock: Mitch McConnell by Li Zhou (Vox)
• Trump’s trade war with China is an attack on Biden by Dylan Scott (Vox)
• Trump’s troubling response to “lock them up!” chants during his Pennsylvania rally by Aaron Rupar (Vox)
• Betsy DeVos used her private email account for government work, internal probe finds by Matthew Rozsa (Salon)
• Trump Reveals His Two Great Fears: Joe Biden, and Losing Fox News by Tina Nguyen (Vanity Fair)
• Trump threatens swift but vague action against Mexico by Katie Galioto (Politico)
• DOJ renews counteroffer to Schiff over unredacted Mueller report by Natasha Bertrant (Politico)
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Just Convinced Ben Carson That HUD’s Drug Policies Should Be Changed by Nathalie Baptiste (Mother Jones)
• Trump attacks Fox News for inviting 2020 Democratic candidates to participate in town hall events by Matthew Rozsa (Salon)
• New York Lawmakers Take Aim At Potential Trump Pardons by Antonia Blumberg (Huffington Post)
• Trump Is Considering Deputizing the Military as a Civilian Police Force. That Is Terrifying. by Elizabeth Goitein (Slate)
• Two dozen states, municipalities, sue over Trump’s ‘conscience’ rule by Amy Goldstein (Washington Post)

Analysis

• I Watched 20 Hours of Robert Mueller Testifying. Here’s What Congress Would Be In For. by Darren Samuelsohn (Politico)
• When Donald Trump Touched the Magic Orb by James Parker (The Atlantic)
• A conservative activist’s behind-the-scenes campaign to remake the nation’s courts by Robert O’Harrow Jr. and Shawn Boburg (Washington Post)

Deutsche Bank

• Trump rejects New York Times report on Deutsche Bank transactions (Reuters)
• Trump Denies Report That Deutsche Bank Ignored Suspicious Transactions: “I Don’t Need Banks” by Inae Oh (Mother Jones)
• Trump responds to reports of suspicious transactions by rewriting his financial history by Zack Ford (ThinkProgress)
• Trump Addresses NYT Deutsche Bank Story In Series Of Tweets by AP (Huffington Post)
• Deutsche Bank says money-laundering reports not waived for Trump (Al Jazeera)
• Trump lashes out after report bank found suspicious transactions by Caitlin Oprysko (Politico)
• Deutsche Bank was aware of suspicious activity in accounts of Donald Trump and Jared Kushner: report by Matthew Rozsa (Salon)

Iran

• US president says war would be ‘end’ of Iran as tensions rise (BBC)
• Trump threatens Iran’s ‘end’ if it seeks fight with the US (Al Jazeera)
• President Trump Warns Iran Not to Threaten U.S. Or it Will Face its ‘Official End’ by AP (TIME)
• Iran slams ‘genocidal taunts’ by US, increases uranium stockpiles (Al Jazeera)

Subpoena / Financial Records

• Judge sides with Congress in subpoena fight over Trump records by Todd Ruger (Roll Call)
• Accountants Must Turn Over Trump’s Financial Records, Lower-Court Judge Rules by Charlie Savage (NY Times)
• Trump Instructs McGahn to Defy Subpoena and Skip House Testimony by Nicholas Fandos, Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman (NY Times)
• Trump loses lawsuit challenging subpoena for financial records (Al Jazeera)
• Federal Judge Rejects Trump Attempt to Block Congress From Subpoenaing His Financial Records by Mark Joseph Stern (Slate)
• Trump Administration Formally Instructs Former White House Counsel to Disobey Congressional Subpoena to Testify by Elliot Hannon (Slate)
• Judge upholds Dem subpoena for Trump financial records by Andrew Desidero, Kyle Cheney (Politico)

Cohen

• House panel releases Michael Cohen transcripts by Morgan Chalfant and Olivia Beavers (The Hill)
• Cohen told lawmakers Trump attorney Jay Sekulow encouraged him to falsely claim Moscow project ended in January 2016 by Tom Hamburger, Ellen Nakashima and Karoun Demirjian (Washington Post)
• Michael Cohen Testified Under Oath That Trump Lawyer Jay Sekulow Instructed Him to Lie to Congress by Elliot Hannon (Slate)
• Michael Cohen Told Congress A Trump Lawyer Urged Him To Lie About Moscow Project by Nick Visser (Huffington Post)

Other News

• After Trump Ban, Huawei Phones Will Lose Access To Google Software by Matthew S. Schwartz (NPR)
• Trump May Pardon Navy SEAL Charged With War Crimes by Mary Papenfuss (Huffington Post)
• President Who Employed Undocumented Workers Now Says Undocumented Labor Might Be OK Sometimes by Ben Mathis-Lilley (Slate)
• Trump scrambles to reverse Rust Belt slide by Alex Isenstadt (Politico)
• Trump plans to pardon war criminals: In a horrible way, it makes sense by Heather Digby Parton (Salon)
• Trump touts farmers’ access to Mexico, Canada: ‘Please make sure that you are treated fairly’ by Owen Daugherty (The Hill)
• Trump reelection launch planned for June: report by Avery Anapol (The Hill)
• Fifth child dies in US custody after being detained at the border (Al Jazeera)
• Trump’s Allies Don’t Seem to Realize He Wants to Pardon War Criminals Because He Thinks War Crimes Are Good by Ben Mathis-Lilley (Slate)
• Trump rallies in Pennsylvania ‘deep state’ territory by Ben Schreckinger (Politico)

Analysis

• Where all 24 House Judiciary Democrats stand on impeachment by Lindsay McPherson (Roll Call)

Opinion

• Trump’s New Plan Would Require Immigrants to Pass a Test. Here’s What Happened When the U.S. Tried That Before by Abigail Abrahams (TIME)
• Trump’s Position on the Mueller Report is Legally Ridiculous — and Dangerous by Ryan Goodman (NY Times)
• The House Now Has a Constitutional Duty to Impeach Trump by Robert Reich (The American Prospect)

Deutsche Bank

• Bank staff highlighted ‘suspicious activity’ in Trump-, Kushner-controlled accounts: report by Rachel Frazin (The Hill)
• Deutsche Bank Staff Saw Suspicious Activity in Trump and Kushner Accounts by David Enrich (NY Times)
• Report: Deutsche Bank Employees Flagged Suspicious Activity in Accounts Linked to Trump and Jared Kushner by Kanyakrit Vongkiatkajorn (Mother Jones)
• Deutsche Bank staffers flagged suspicious transfers from Jared Kushner’s companies to Russians by Josh Israel (ThinkProgress)
• Deutsche Bank Staff Reportedly Saw Transfers From Kushner’s Companies to Russia as Suspicious by Daniel Politi (Slate)

Other News

• Trump breaks silence amid Alabama abortion ban row (BBC)
• ‘Strongly pro-life’ Trump tweets on abortion by David Cohen (Politico)
• Trump, Europe increasingly at odds on Iran by Rebecca Kheel (The Hill)
• Trump expected to pardon US war criminals who killed unarmed civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan by Elham Khatami (ThinkProgress)
• NYT: Trump Appears Ready to Pardon Several Americans Accused of War Crimes by Daniel Politi (Slate)
• BP pushed for Arctic drilling rights after Trump’s election by Rob Davies (The Guardian)
• Justin Amash becomes the first Republican in Congress to call Trump’s conduct impeachable by Tara Golshan (Vox)
• President Trump’s Golf Scores Hacked On U.S. Golf Association Account by Samantha Raphelson (NPR)

Opinion

• No holds Barred: Trump and his troops push for imperial presidency by David Smith Guardian)

News

• Attorney general Barr is ‘sliming his own department,’ says former FBI director Comey by Adam Forrest (Independent)
• Trump administration ignores federal law that gives Congress access to the president’s tax returns by Tara Culp-Ressler (ThinkProgress)
• Iran dismisses possibility of conflict, says does not want war (Reuters)
• Iran-US tensions: ‘There will be no war’, says Zarif (BBC)
• Michigan GOP congressman says Trump conduct is ‘impeachable’ by Darlene Superville (AP)
• Trump Shows Signs He Will Pardon Servicemen Accused or Convicted of War Crimes by Dave Phillips (NY Times)
• Trump’s Insistence on Staying at His Own Resorts Just Blew Up in His Face by Noah Lanard (Mother Jones)
• Another Court Has Ruled Against Trump’s Attempt to End Protections for Dreamers by Noah Lanard (Mother Jones)

Analysis

• ‘This is the endgame’: how Trump has helped turn the tide against abortion by Sabrina Saddiqui (Guardian)

Opinion

• Congress can seek justice for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. It’s clear Trump won’t. by The Editorial Board (Washington Post)

Immigration

• Trump plans to make immigrants learn English and pass civics exam for ‘merit-based’ system by Samuel Osborne (Independent)
• Trump says ‘good chance’ Democrats will back immigration, border plan (Reuters)
• Trump taunts Democrats with his immigration plan by Caitlin Oprysko (Politico)
• Trump to release hundreds of migrants in South Florida: report by John Bowden (The Hill)
• House urges judge to block Trump’s border wall spending by Todd Ruger (Roll Call)
• 4th Circuit rules rescission of DACA was arbitrary and capricious by Debra Cassens Weiss (ABA Journal)
• Court hears 2 cases against Trump’s plan for border wall by Daisy Nguyen and Elliot Spagat (AP)
• Trump Unveils New Immigration Policy Proposals That Could Hurt Low-Income Immigrant Workers by Lucy Diavolo (Teen Vogue)

Farmers / Trade War

• Trump asking farmers to make ‘patriotic’ sacrifices in his trade war by Gabby Orr (Politico)
• Farmers are losing patience with Trump’s trade war by Alexia Fernández Campbell (Vox)
• Aid To Farmers Battered By Trump’s Trade War Could Balloon To $20 Billion by Mary Papenfuss (Huffington Post)
• U.S. Will Lift Tariffs On Steel And Aluminum From Canada And Mexico by Bill Chappell (NPR)

Other News

• Trump administration asked Congress to pay for Taliban travel expenses and food by Samuel Osborn (Independent)
• Trump takes war on abortion worldwide as policy cuts off funds by Sarah Boseley (The Guardian)
• Trump says campaign was ‘conclusively spied on,’ calls it ‘treason’ by John Bowden (The Hill)
• Barr considering possible rule changes at DOJ in wake of Russia investigation: report by John Bowden (The Hill)
• Trump Delays Auto Tariffs For 6 Months by Avie Schneider (NPR)
• Pentagon knew peace-talks fund would ‘likely’ benefit Taliban by John M. Donnelly (Roll Call)
• Steven Mnuchin Refuses to Comply With Subpoena for Trump’s Tax Return by Alan Rappeport and Nicholas Fandos (NY Times)
• The Senate Is Giving Trump Loyalist Judges to Shield Him From the Law by Dahlia Lithwick (Slate)

Opinion

• Conservatives’ junk science is having real consequences by Dana Milbank (Washington Post)

Immigration

• Trump’s New Immigration Plan Doesn’t Address Undocumented Immigrants by Tamara Keith (NPR)
• Five things to watch for in Trump’s immigration address by Jordan Fabian, Brett Samuels (The Hill)
• Trump proposes new immigration plan favouring skills over family (Al Jazeera)
• President Trump Announces Campaign Talking Points on Immigration by Kevin Drum (Mother Jones)
• Trump’s ‘merit-based’ immigration plan declared ‘dead on arrival’ by opponents by David Smith (The Guardian)
• Trump Unveils A New Immigration Plan That Is Going Nowhere by Roque Planas, Angelina Chapin (Huffington Post)
• Trump’s pick for ICE director: I can tell which migrant children will become gang members by looking into their eyes by Ted Hesson (Politico)
• Trump’s new immigration plan may be DOA — but it’s really about 2020 by Anita Kumar (Politico)
• The Memo: Trump’s new immigration plan finds few friends by Niall Stanage (The Hill)
• Trump wants his border barrier to be painted black with spikes. He has other ideas, too. by Nick Miroff and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post)
• Trump’s Immigration Plan Won’t Pass Congress. But It Could Be the Future of the GOP by Abigail Abrams, Alana Abramson (TIME)
• Republican senators meet with Jared Kushner on immigration, conclude he’s clueless by Igor Derysh (Salon)

Telecoms /Huawei

• Trump Takes Aim At Huawei, Paves Way For Ban Of Foreign Telecom Equipment by Richard Gonzales (NPR)
• China slams U.S. blacklisting of Huawei as trade tensions rise by Yawen Chen, Se Young Lee (Reuters)
• Huawei hits back over Trump’s national emergency on telecoms ‘threat’ by Lily Kuo, Sabrina Siddiqui (The Guardian)
• Donald Trump Cranks His Trade War to 11, Moves to Kneecap China’s Biggest Smartphone-Maker by Jordan Weisman (Slate)

Iran

• Iran Slams U.S. Sanctions as ‘Unacceptable’ as Tensions Mount by Aya Batrawy, Maari Yamaguchi (TIME)
• Trump frustrated with advisers over Iran, wants to speak to leaders in Tehran: report by Tal Axelrod (The Hill)
• Donald Trump On War With Iran: ‘Hope Not’ by Reuters (Huffington Post)
• Trump tries to tamp down talk of war with Iran by Deb Riechmann and Matthew Lee (AP)

Pardons

• Trump pardons billionaire fraudster who wrote glowing book about him by Aaron Rupar (Vox)
• Trump Pardons His Friend Conrad Black, Who Wrote Glowing Trump Biography Last Year by Laurel Wamsley (NPR)
• Trump pardons media tycoon, former GOP leader of California State Assembly by Chris Mills Rodrigo (The Hill)
• Trump Pardoned Someone for Fraud and Obstruction of Justice, and It Wasn’t “Himself” by Ben Mathis-Lilley (Slate)

Financial Disclosure

• President Trump Will Provide a Rare Look Into His Finances With His Disclosure Report by Bernard Condon (TIME)
• Donald Trump’s Latest Financial Disclosure Was Just Released by Russ Choma (Mother Jones)
• Trump Financial Disclosures Show Drop In Mar-A-Lago Income by Danielle Kurtzleben (NPR)
• Trump’s financial report shows earnings and losses but misses tax return details by Sabrina Siddiqui (The Guardian)
• Trump releases financial disclosure statements, revealing he made $479 million in 2018 by Victoria Gagliardo-Silver (Independent)
• Trump’s Financial Disclosure Shows Mixed Results for His Businesses in 2018 by Steve Eder, Eric Lipton and Agustin Armendariz (NY Times)

Mueller / Flynn

• William Barr Says He Isn’t Blocking Robert Mueller From Testifying by Hayley Miller (Huffington Post)
• Flynn gave info on attempts to obstruct Mueller probe: court filing by Nathan Layne (Reuters)
• Mike Flynn Contacted Multiple Times by Trump Allies Trying to Influence His Cooperation With Russia Investigation by Elliot Hannon (Slate)
• Michael Flynn: People Tied To Trump, Congress Tried To Sway What He Told Mueller by Nick Visser (Huffington Post)
• Judge Orders Transcript of Obstruction-of-Justice Phone Call by May 31 by Kevin Drum (Mother Jones)

Other News

• Trump to visit South Korea in June for talks with Moon (Al Jazeera)
• Trump to meet with Swiss president amid tensions between US, Iran by Brett Samuels (The Hill)
• Trump Judge Who Endorsed Theory Abortion Causes Cancer Confirmed By Senate by Bess Levin (Vanity Fair)
• Trump Administration Wants To Cut Funding For Public Housing Repairs by Pam Fessler (NPR)
• Trump Already Owed More Money Than Any President in History—and Borrowed Millions More in 2018 by Russ Choma (Mother Jones)
• Interior head: ‘I Haven’t Lost Any Sleep’ over record carbon levels by Jacob Holzman (Roll Call)

Analysis

• Trump’s Trade War Is Making Mexico Great by Zachary Karabell (Politico)

Opinion

• The World Wants to Fight Online Hate. Why Doesn’t President Trump? by Charlie Warzel (NY Times)