What to know today
- President Donald Trump, who is flying back to the U.S., ended his Middle East trip after inking a massive AI data center project with the United Arab Emirates. Before departing, Trump said the U.S. has submitted a nuclear proposal to Iran, without offering details, while Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said there is "no scenario" in which Tehran would abandon its nuclear program.
- Conservatives on the House Budget Committee rejected a sweeping budget package aimed at advancing Trump's agenda in a setback for Republican leadership. The panel will take up the bill again on Sunday at 10 p.m. ET.
- The Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision, said the Trump administration must give Venezuelans it claims are gang members more time to raise legal obligations before deporting them to El Salvador.
- Moody's Ratings slashed the United States' credit rating to Aa1 from the highest triple A, citing the budgetary burden the government faces amid high interest rates.
Audio of interview confirms Biden memory lapses
Newly released audio of a special counsel interviewing then-President Joe Biden confirms memory lapses that White House officials denied at the time, including a president clearly struggling to remember the year his oldest son died.
Even after the transcript was released, Biden aides, including then White House spokesman Ian Sams, insisted that the president did not forget the year that his son, Beau, died of brain cancer. The audio shows that Biden struggled to remember the year and had to be prompted by his lawyers, who were sitting in the interview with him.
The recording of the interview was first released by Axios.
Sams did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
White House points to Biden administration after Moody’s downgrades United States’ credit rating
The White House today laid blame on the Biden administration in response to Moody’s Ratings downgrading the United States’ sovereign credit rating.
"The Trump administration and Republicans are focused on fixing Biden’s mess by slashing the waste, fraud, and abuse in government and passing The One, Big, Beautiful Bill to get our house back in order," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement today regarding the downgrade. “If Moody’s had any credibility, they would not have stayed silent as the fiscal disaster of the past four years unfolded.”
The ratings agency today lowered the U.S. credit rating from Aaa to Aa1 on its 21-notch rating scale.
The agency attributed the downgrade in a statement to "the increase over more than a decade in government debt and interest payment ratios to levels" that it said were "significantly higher" than sovereigns with similar ratings.
Moody’s initially signaled concerns in 2023, when it changed the U.S. credit rating outlook from stable to negative over the deficit and political polarization.
Trump attorneys draw judge’s ire by saying ‘state secrets’ keep them from sharing details on Abrego Garcia’s return
Reporting from Greenbelt, Md.
In a contentious court hearing today, Trump administration attorneys argued before a federal judge in Maryland that they should be allowed to withhold information regarding efforts to facilitate the return of a Salvadoran man to the United States.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains in the Salvadoran prison system despite orders from a federal judge and the Supreme Court calling for the government to facilitate his return to the United States.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said the government’s refusal to provide certain information in the case has been “an exercise in utter frustration.” In a back-and-forth that has continued for weeks, Xinis has ordered the administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release and provide documentation on what steps it has taken, if any, to comply with that order.
Government lawyers said the administration has not been able to answer questions about Abrego Garcia’s case because that information would be considered protected under “state secrets” or “deliberative process” privileges that should not be shared with the public.
Trump calls nuclear war 'the N word' when talking about India-Pakistan conflict
During remarks on last week's ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Trump said that the two countries were headed toward a nuclear war, which he called “the N word.”
“Those are major nuclear powers … And the next phase was probably, did you see where it was getting?” Trump asked Bret Baier during a taped interview with Fox News that aired tonight. “The next one is going to be, you know what the N word? You know the N word is, right?”
“Nuclear,” Baier responded. “Thank you for the clarification.”
“It’s the N word. It’s a very nasty word, right? In a lot of ways, the N word used in a nuclear sense, that’s the worst thing that can happen,” Trump said.
Secret Service interviewing former FBI Director James Comey tonight
Former FBI Director James Comey was interviewed by the Secret Service tonight, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
A law enforcement official told NBC News ahead the interview that the discussion was taking place at a Secret Service field office.
Noem, who’s agency oversees the Secret Service, said that interview focused on a now-deleted Instagram post by Comey that several U.S. officials condemned as a threat to Trump.
“I will continue to take all measures necessary to ensure the protection of @POTUS Trump. This is an ongoing investigation,” Noem wrote on X.
Comey’s attorney — David Kelley — declined to comment earlier this evening.
Comey's Instagram post, which depicted seashells arranged to form "8647" had been interpreted by some Trump allies as calling for someone to "eighty-six," or "get rid of," Trump, the 47th president. Comey has denied the accusation and said he thought the phrase was a "political message."
Democrats and Republicans have previously used the phrase "eighty-six" in a political context, including Trump's one-time attorney general pick Matt Gaetz.
A spokesperson for the Secret Service said yesterday the agency “vigorously investigates anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees.”
Moody’s downgrades U.S. credit rating due to increase in government debt
Moody’s Ratings slashed the United State’s credit rating down a notch to Aa1 from the highest triple A today, citing the budgetary burden the government faces amid high interest rates.
“This one-notch downgrade on our 21-notch rating scale reflects the increase over more than a decade in government debt and interest payment ratios to levels that are significantly higher than similarly rated sovereigns,” the ratings agency said in a statement.
The U.S. is running a massive budget deficit as interest costs for Treasury debt continued to rise due to a combination of higher interest rates and more debt to finance. The fiscal deficit totaled $1.05 trillion year to date, 13% higher than a year ago. The influx in tariffs helped shave some of the imbalance last month, however.
Moody’s had been a holdout in keeping U.S. sovereign debt at the highest credit rating possible, and brings the 116-year-old agency into line with its rivals. Standard & Poor’s downgraded the U.S. to AA+ from AAA in August 2011, and Fitch Ratings also cut the U.S. rating to AA+ from AAA, in August 2023.
Supreme Court rules administration must give Venezuelans more time to challenge deportation under Alien Enemies Act
The Supreme Court today dealt a blow against the Trump administration’s attempt to send Venezuelans it says are gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador, saying the detainees must have a proper chance to raise legal objections.
The 7-2 decision, which grants a request made by a group of Venezuelans, clarified an unusual order issued by the justices in the early hours of April 19 that hit pause on any government plans to deport people held in northern Texas.
The justices in the latest unsigned decision faulted the administration for only giving the detainees 24 hours to launch legal challenges.
“Under these circumstances, notice roughly 24 hours before removal, devoid of information about how to exercise due process rights to contest that removal, surely does not pass muster,” the ruling said.
Trump administration working on plan to move 1 million Palestinians to Libya
The Trump administration is working on a plan to permanently relocate up to 1 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Libya, five people with knowledge of the effort told NBC News.
The plan is under serious enough consideration that the administration has discussed it with Libya’s leadership, two people with direct knowledge of the plans and a former U.S. official said.
In exchange for the resettling of Palestinians, the administration would potentially release to Libya billions of dollars of funds that the U.S. froze more than a decade ago, those three people said.
No final agreement has been reached, and Israel has been kept informed of the administration’s discussions, the same three sources said.
The State Department and the National Security Council did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Mike Pence says it is a ‘bad idea’ for Trump to accept a Qatari jet for use as Air Force One
Former Vice President Mike Pence said today that President Donald Trump should not accept a luxury jet from Qatar to use as the next Air Force One, telling NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker that the move would raise security and constitutional concerns.
The Trump administration plans to accept the Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the Qatari royal family to be used as a new Air Force One for Trump’s travel, with the plane then slated to be transferred to Trump’s presidential library after he leaves office. The plan to accept the jet has drawn criticism, including from some of Trump’s GOP allies.
“First, we’ve got to remember who Qatar is. We’ve got a military base there. I have members of our immediate family that have deployed to the region,” said Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president during his first term.
“But Qatar has a long history of playing both sides,” Pence said in the exclusive interview at his home in Indiana. “They support Hamas. They supported Al Qaeda. Qatar has actually financed pro-Hamas protests on American campuses across the United States.”
Pence added that accepting the plane as the next Air Force One “is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs. And my hope is the president reconsiders it.”
Government Accountability Office confirms that DOGE is seeking to look into the agency
The Department of Government Efficiency is looking to assign a team to review the congressional watchdog known as the Government Accountability Office, a GAO spokesperson confirmed.
“I can confirm that GAO has been contacted by DOGE staffers seeking to assign a team to GAO," the spokesperson said.
"As a legislative branch agency, GAO is not subject to Executive Orders and has therefore declined any requests to have a DOGE team assigned to GAO,” the spokesperson said.
GAO is the only government entity that is currently auditing DOGE’s work. Much of the audit requests from Congress have been rolled up into a few larger ongoing audits. GAO audit results are not expected for months.
GAO is currently reviewing possible violations of the Impoundment Act which could pit the agency against DOGE.
The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 requires the president to report to Congress on withholdings of budget authority and to adhere to Congress' impoundment review process.
Judge in Signal case indicates he's not close to a decision
The judge presiding over a case seeking to make sure that messages high-level Cabinet members have been trading over the encrypted messaging app Signal are preserved suggested at a hearing today that he's not close to a ruling on the issue.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg told attorneys for the Trump administration and the nonprofit watchdog seeking to make sure the records are preserved that the case presents "some tricky legal issues."
"I'm going to try to figure this out," Boasberg said at the conclusion of the hearing on American Oversight's bid for a preliminary injunction declaring that Signal chat records should be preserved under the Presidential Records Act.
The case was sparked after Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly included in a Signal chat in March with top Trump officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was discussing attack plans on Yemen.
The government argued it already preserved the records the group first sued over, and that it already has policies in place to make sure the records are preserved. American Oversight said reports of additional chats since then show those policies aren't strong enough, and that agency heads have been ignoring them.
Trump administration kills 'nearly all' grants to Harvard's public health school
The Trump administration has terminated “nearly all” of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s active research grants, the school’s leadership stated in letters to faculty this week, and they expect the ones not yet canceled to be axed “in the coming weeks.”
According to two letters obtained by NBC News, Harvard deans said the “mass wave” of federal grant cancellations currently unfolding will limit their ability to hire and purchase equipment, and will force the school to dramatically recalibrate how it operates going forward.
“This is a painful blow to our research impact, our capacity to sustain our teams, and the health and well-being of populations across the U.S. and around the world,” Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, dean of the faculty at Harvard‘s public health school, wrote in a letter to faculty Thursday.
The government has cut over $2 billion in research funding to Harvard this year amid a showdown in which the university has refused to comply with a set of demands from the Trump administration on how the school hires staff and admits students. This week, the administration moved to cut another $450 million, as the university announced it is creating a $250 million fund to try to address the unprecedented government sanctions.
Multiple federal agencies are investigating Harvard for potential civil rights violations, but none have issued findings yet, which are typically required before the government can punish a school.
Last week, Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a letter to Harvard telling it that the university should “no longer seek GRANTS from the federal government since none will be provided.”
Federal research funding varies across the different schools within Harvard University, but the Chan School is more reliant than any other on government support, according to Harvard financial documents.
The public health school has scrambled to address funding cuts, warning faculty in town halls in recent weeks that there will likely be layoffs and that they will be cutting back on simple supplies like printers and desktop phones, trying to find cost savings wherever they can, NBC News previously reported.
The school has also shuttered its magazine, reduced the number of students admitted to its Ph.D. programs and canceled a summer study program open to high school students, a spokesperson said Friday. They also no longer serve coffee in the faculty lounge.
House Budget Committee to reconvene Sunday night after failed vote on reconciliation bill
The House Budget Committee announced that it plans to reconvene on Sunday at 10 p.m. ET to vote on the GOP's reconciliation package after the panel failed today to advance the bill.
When asked if Trump needs to get involved for passage out of committee, Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, said no because he’s been “clear” on the timeline.
“You know, he wants this done, and he wants it done at the earliest, practical time, and the commitment has been ... by Memorial Day, and we’ve been on pace, or ahead of schedule to accomplish that. Now I could have played the game of just holding off on the boat,” Arrington said. “I just don’t believe in that. I believe you give it plenty of time to debate and you make all the compelling arguments you can as the chairman.”
Path clears for Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor's race
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has suspended his campaign for his state's Republican nomination for governor.
The decision, which Yost announced this afternoon in an email to supporters, came a week after the Ohio Republican Party followed Trump's lead in endorsing Vivek Ramaswamy for the job.
In his email, Yost wrote that it was "apparent that a steep climb to the nomination for governor has become a vertical cliff."
He added: "I do not wish to divide my political party or my state with a quixotic battle over the small differences between my vision and that of my opponent. I am simply not that important."
Yost was Ramaswamy's only well-established competitor in the May 2026 primary, and his exit makes the biotech entrepreneur's path much clearer — at least for the moment.
Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, a former Ohio State football coach and ally of term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, acknowledged last week that he is considering a run. But Tressel's announcement, released on the eve of the Ohio GOP endorsement meeting, did not stop the state party from backing Ramaswamy in overwhelming fashion.
Dr. Amy Acton is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, but former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost a re-election campaign last year, and former Rep. Tim Ryan also are weighing primary bids.
Yost warned of a Brown comeback attempt in his Friday email.
"Columbus needs re-engineering, not demolition," Yost wrote, referring to the state capital. "Sherrod Brown and the risky progressive ideas of his party will unwind all of the good that the last 15 years of Republican leadership has brought.
"This is a time to protect Ohio, not a time for a family squabble."
Trump asks Supreme Court to allow large-scale reorganizations and firings at 21 government agencies
The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to block a federal judge’s ruling from last week that temporarily blocked plans for reductions in force and reorganizations of 21 government departments.
In a new filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the “far-reaching order bars almost the entire executive branch from formulating and implementing plans to reduce the size of the federal workforce and requires disclosure of sensitive and deliberative agency documents.”
The ruling, he added, was “based on the extraordinary view that the president lacks authority to direct executive agencies how to exercise their statutory powers to conduct large-scale personnel actions within the executive branch.”
In her ruling, California-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston wrote that while the president can seek to make changes, “he must do so in lawful ways” and, in the case of major reorganizations, “with the cooperation of the legislative branch.”
There are now emergency applications pending at the Supreme Court involving seven different Trump policies.
Judge in AEA case orders government to answer more questions
The judge presiding over the Alien Enemies Act case today ordered the Trump administration to answer some more questions as he works to get to the bottom of who exactly has “constructive custody” of detainees the U.S. sent to a prison in El Salvador under the rarely used wartime act.
In a brief ruling, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg signed off on a request by the plaintiffs that the administration answer questions about its efforts "to request or secure the return of Petitioners to the United States," as well as measures officials have taken to "pursue the return" of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported the same day but under a different statute.
The judge noted he was granting both sides "a partial victory" by siding with the administration in rejecting some of the plaintiffs' other questions, including one about the identities of everyone who was deported to El Salvador on March 15.
He said the government should provide responses — and any claims of privilege — by May 23, with the plaintiffs filing any response by May 26.
Iran's foreign minister says there is 'no scenario' in which Tehran would dismantle its nuclear program
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X today that there is "no scenario" in which Tehran would abandon its nuclear program to reach a deal with the U.S. to end sanctions.
"Iran has not received any written proposal from the United States, whether directly or indirectly," he wrote. "In the meantime, the messaging we—and the world—continue to receive is confusing and contradictory. Iran nonetheless remains determined and straightforward: Respect our rights and terminate your sanctions, and we have a deal."
Araghchi said there is "no scenario" in which Iran "abandons its hard-earned right to enrichment for peaceful purposes."
"The Great Iranian Nation has shown its Power and Fortitude in the face of those who have attempted imposition," he said. "We ALWAYS welcome dialogue based on mutual respect and ALWAYS reject any diktat."
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One today on its way back to Washington, Trump said that the U.S. had offered Tehran a proposal, but he was vague about the details. "They have the proposal. But more importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad, something bad is going to happen," said Trump, who during his first term dismantled the Iranian nuclear deal that the Obama administration negotiated.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
House Budget Committee rejects Trump agenda bill in major setback for GOP leaders
The GOP-led House Budget Committee voted to reject a sweeping package for President Donald Trump’s agenda on Friday, dealing an embarrassing setback for Republican leaders.
The vote in the Budget Committee was 16-21, with five conservative hard-liners joining all Democrats in voting against the multitrillion-dollar legislation. After the vote tally was read, Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, the committee chair, adjourned the hearing and told members they would not be meeting again this weekend.
Negotiations with the GOP holdouts will continue in the coming days and Republicans on the panel will try to regroup as soon as Monday.
Republican leaders concede the massive bill isn’t ready for prime time, and that critical changes will need to be made in the coming days to tax and Medicaid provisions to win over recalcitrant members.
Photos: Trump tours synagogue in Abu Dhabi
Trump visited a synagogue today at the Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith complex that is home to Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque, Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue and St. Francis Church.
New Zealand increases funds for foreign filmmakers after Trump tariff threat
New Zealand is increasing financial incentives for foreign studios to film movies in the country after Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on films produced outside the U.S.
The government is allocating an additional 577 million New Zealand dollars ($341 million) to support its International Screen Production Rebate, which provides a 20% cash rebate for eligible productions with costs over NZ$15 million for films and NZ$4 million for TV shows.
“We are sending a clear message to the world: New Zealand is the best place in the world to make movies. Bring your productions here to take advantage of our talent and locations,” Finance Minister Nicola Willis said in a statement.
New Zealand is best known as the main filming location for the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” series.
Trump proposed the tariff earlier this month, saying Hollywood was dying a "very fast death" as filmmakers are lured by lower costs overseas. It has met with alarm in the entertainment industry, which says such a tariff would hurt business and be difficult to implement.
White House officials have since clarified that “no final decisions” have been made and that they are “exploring all options.”
California’s homeless crisis could be Gavin Newsom’s political albatross
Gov. Gavin Newsom told California cities this week that there “were no more excuses” for homeless encampments, a message he has repeated often over the years with little success.
Visible signs of homelessness still line sidewalks and freeway underpasses from Sacramento to Los Angeles, an entrenched crisis rooted in a tight and unaffordable housing market that grew worse in January when more than 12,000 homes burned to the ground in Los Angeles County.
Newsom, widely considered a Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential race, appears to be toughening his stance on issues likely to follow him on the campaign trail.
Zelenskyy says Trump spoke with him and the leaders of France, Germany, the U.K. and Poland
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X this morning that he spoke with Trump this morning along with European leaders who have been central players in the negotiations to try to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy posted a photo of himself sitting around a phone with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
A White House official confirmed to NBC News that the call took place.
"We discussed the meeting in Istanbul," Zelenskyy said about the talks he participated in yesterday that Russian President Vladimir Putin didn't attend.
"Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps to bring real peace, and it is important that the world holds a strong stance," he wrote. "Our position — if the Russians reject a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings, tough sanctions must follow. Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war."
Zelenskyy expressed disappointment in another post with the group of negotiators sent from Russia to Turkey. "Everyone could see that the Russian delegation in Istanbul was of a very low level. None of them were people who actually make decisions in Russia."
He also wrote in a follow-up post on X, "President Trump wants to end this war. We need to keep working closely with him and stay as coordinated as possible. Long-term U.S. support is also essential. An American backstop is needed. It’s important that we all work together, on every level, to make that happen. I thank everyone who is helping."
Trump on Comey’s deleted post: 'He knew exactly what that meant'
Trump reacted yesterday to former FBI Director James Comey’s now-deleted Instagram post, which he took down after he received backlash over it.
Comey, who was fired by Trump as FBI director during the first administration, shared a photo of what he said was a “shell formation” on a beach that formed the numbers “8647.”
“He knew exactly what that meant,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier. “A child knows what that meant. If you’re the FBI director and you don’t know what ... that meant assassination.”
Asked what he wants to see happen, Trump said: “I don’t want to take a position on it because that’s going to be up to Pam and all of the great people ... if he had a clean history, he doesn’t. He’s a dirty cop. He’s a dirty cop. And if he had a clean history, I could, I could understand if there was a leniency. But I’m going to let them make that decision.”
The Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service said they are investigating the social media post.
Trump returns to Washington with investment agreements but no major peace deals
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Trump is returning to Washington today after a diplomatic tour of the Middle East, where he pitched American business and secured investment pledges but failed to reach long-promised peace deals in Gaza and Ukraine.
Marked by high-level talks and lavish displays of regional hospitality, the trip showcased Trump’s self-styled role as a dealmaker and peacemaker. Still, his loftiest targets — resolving the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine — remain elusive.
Trump says that he and Putin ‘will meet’ to discuss end to war in Ukraine
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One prior to takeoff, Trump said he has to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for negotiations over an end to the war in Ukraine to progress.
“We have to meet," Trump said. "He and I will meet. I think we’ll solve it, or maybe not, but at least we’ll know, and if we don’t solve it, be very interesting.”
Trump made similar comments yesterday during his visit to the United Arab Emirates.
Trump didn’t provide additional details on when a meeting with Putin might take place.
Trump says he doesn’t want Apple building products in India: ‘I had a little problem with Tim Cook’
Trump said yesterday that he told Apple CEO Tim Cook he doesn’t want the tech giant to build its products in India, taking shots at the company’s moves to diversify production away from China and urging him to pivot stateside.
“I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump said. “I said to him, ‘Tim, you’re my friend, I’ve treated you very good. You’re coming here with $500 billion, but now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India.’”
New Jersey Transit engineers strike, stranding potentially 350,000 commuters
Members of the railroad engineers union for New Jersey Transit went on strike at 12:01 a.m. today, crippling a system that around 350,000 people rely on, officials said.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said that its around 450 members in New Jersey Transit were walking off the job right after midnight in a dispute over pay.
In a haze of confusion, Ukraine and Russia finally begin direct talks after false start
ISTANBUL — A diplomatic frenzy consumed Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace today, as Russia and Ukraine sat down to hold their first direct peace talks since the early months of this three-year war.
Amid repeatedly changing plans, diplomats from Russia, Ukraine, the United States, Britain, France and Germany were attempting to navigate the chaos and confusion ahead of what could either be a historic moment — or a looming anti-climax.
Before the talks even began, Trump predicted there would be no progress unless he and Russian President Vladimir Putin were involved.
Trump says U.S. has submitted nuclear proposal to Iran
Trump told reporters on Air Force One before his flight back to the U.S. that his special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has submitted a formal proposal for a nuclear deal with Iran.
Trump said Iran knows it needs to act on the proposal “quickly, or something bad” would happen.
The president said yesterday that the U.S. was “getting close” to securing a nuclear deal, and a top Iranian official said this week that Tehran would sign an agreement with the U.S. in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
In remarks earlier this week, Trump warned the U.S. would impose harsh sanctions on the country if it refused to move forward with an agreement.
“If I can make a deal with Iran, I’ll be very happy,” Trump said in a speech at a U.S.-Saudi investment forum Tuesday, adding that “if Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure.”
India disputes Trump's claim that it offered zero tariffs
India is still in trade talks with the Trump administration, its foreign minister said, disputing Trump’s claim that New Delhi has agreed to rescind all tariffs on U.S. imports.
The U.S. has imposed a 26% tariff on India, which Trump describes as “one of the highest-tariff nations in the world.” Speaking in Qatar yesterday, he said India had offered the U.S. a deal in which “they’re willing to literally charge us no tariff.”
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said “intricate” negotiations were still ongoing. “Nothing is decided till … everything is,” he said, adding that any deal had to work for both India and the U.S., which is India’s largest trading partner.
“Until that is done, I think any judgment on it would be premature,” he said.
‘Unpredictable’ New Jersey primary hits final stretch with Mikie Sherrill atop a bunched-up field
New Jersey Democrats’ primary for governor is coming down to the final month. And while the race is still hotly contested, some candidates are signaling that they view Rep. Mikie Sherrill as the one to beat.
Five of the six Democratic contenders will face off in a 2 ½-hour debate Sunday, following a heated encounter earlier this week that offered a preview of the attacks that could be coming at Sherrill. Both Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka aimed barbs at the congresswoman and cast her as inexperienced and moderate, implying that they view her as an obstacle.
But the race remains very fluid. Limited public polling has shown Sherrill leading the pack, with the candidates largely clustered together and within the surveys’ margins of error.
Trump and UAE ink huge AI data center project
Reporting from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Trump has agreed to a deal with the United Arab Emirates to build a massive data center complex focused on artificial intelligence. It's one of several AI deals announced during the president’s Middle East trip.
Set to eventually be powered by 5 gigawatts of energy and span 10 square miles, the facility will use nuclear, solar and gas power to minimize emissions, according to the Commerce Department. It will be operated in partnership with U.S. companies.
It will also offer the Gulf nation better access to advanced chips, and while the announcement did not name any U.S. companies, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang was among the CEOs spotted with the president at Qasr Al Watan on Thursday.
In remarks, Trump alluded to Huang’s involvement, adding, “I think it’s going to be something very special — it’s a massive project.”
Huang has said his company would spend hundreds of billions of dollars on chips and electronics manufactured in the U.S. over the next four years. He recently met with the president at Mar-a-Lago, NBC News reported.
In a statement describing the deal as “historic,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said it would advance considerable investment in advanced semiconductors and data centers across both nations. American companies will operate the data centers in the UAE and offer American-managed cloud services across the region.
The project will be the largest AI campus outside the United States.
Trump to sign proclamation honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month
Reporting from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Trump is set to sign a presidential proclamation today celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
The proclamation, which Trump will sign aboard Air Force One, marks a continuation of his administration’s recognition of the contributions of more than 20 million Americans of AAPI descent and comes as he returns from a diplomatic tour of the Middle East. During his first term, Trump issued similar proclamations highlighting the diverse heritage and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
This year’s recognition carries added significance with the historic appointment of Steven Cheung, who is Chinese American, as the first AAPI White House communications director. Cheung’s position marks a milestone in AAPI representation at the highest levels of government.
Joining Cheung are other prominent AAPI figures in Trump's sphere, including second lady Usha Vance, a Yale law graduate and trial lawyer; Walt Nauta, a Navy veteran, longtime aide to Trump, and former military valet in the White House who was born on the island of Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific, and White House deputy press secretary Kush Desai, who is Indian American.
Trump says U.S. will tell countries their tariff rate if it’s ‘not possible’ to meet
It is “not possible” to meet with every country that wants to make a deal on trade, Trump said, so in the coming weeks his administration will simply tell them how much their tariff rate will be.
In the “next two to three weeks,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent “will be sending letters out, essentially telling people — it would be very fair — but we’ll be telling people what they’ll be paying to do business in the United States,” Trump told reporters in Abu Dhabi today.
Trump said last month that he was pausing some of his sweeping global tariffs for 90 days to give his administration time to reach trade deals with 75 countries he said had reached out to the White House to offer concessions. Experts say that’s an unrealistic timeline.
“I guess you could say they could appeal it, but for the most part, I think we’re going to be very fair,” Trump said. “But it’s not possible to meet the number of people that want to see us.”
Trump says he and Putin will meet 'as soon as we can set it up'
Reporting from Abu Dhabi
Asked when he might meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump told reporters it would happen “as soon as we can set it up.”
“I would actually leave here and go,” Trump said, adding that he was instead returning home to the U.S. where his daughter Tiffany Trump yesterday announced the birth of her first child, Trump’s 11th grandchild, whom he wants to see.
High-stakes peace talks between Russia and Ukraine were postponed until today after Putin, who had called for the negotiations in Turkey, did not attend them yesterday. Trump said Putin would not attend the talks unless he did and that nothing would happen “until Putin and I get together.”
Trump meets with business leaders in Abu Dhabi
Reporting from Abu Dhabi
Meeting with business leaders this morning at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi’s presidential palace, Trump mused about his role as a “cheerleader” for the U.S. as he toured exhibits showcasing energy, health care, aviation and other investments.
One of several large screens read “Making Energy Great Again.”
“I’m just thinking we have a president of the United States doing the selling,” Trump said. “You think Biden would be doing this? I don’t think so.”
Accompanying Trump were Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Bruce Springsteen calls Trump ‘unfit’ for office at U.K. concert
Bruce Springsteen delivered stinging criticism of the Trump administration at the opening show of his British tour, accusing its officials of authoritarianism, rolling back civil rights and illegal deportations.
Springsteen, 75, a prominent liberal who has long supported Democratic presidential candidates including former Vice President Kamala Harris, made the remarks at a concert in Manchester, England, on Wednesday that was the first in his “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour.
“The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock ’n’ roll in dangerous times,” he said to roars from the crowd.
“In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration.”
Trump says he doesn’t want Apple building iPhones in India
President Donald Trump yesterday said he told Apple CEO Tim Cook that he doesn’t want the tech giant to build its products in India, taking shots at the company’s moves to diversify production away from China and urging him to pivot stateside.
“I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump said. “I said to him, ‘Tim, you’re my friend, I’ve treated you very good. You’re coming here with $500 billion, but now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India.’”
Trump was referencing Apple’s commitment of a $500 billion investment in the U.S. which was announced in February.
Apple has been ramping up production in India with the aim of making around 25% of global iPhones in the country in the next few years, as it looks to reduce reliance on China, where around 90% of its flagship smartphones are currently assembled.