May 22, 2026
Senate Stalemate, Cuba, and Notes
Good morning, everyone!
A programming note: Everything Briefing will not be published on Monday in observance of the Memorial Day holiday and will return on Tuesday.
Over the weekend, be sure to stay up to date on my Notes page.
I think of the page as a museum wall, where you will find historical events, archival footage, and notable quotes.
I will see you there.
Today, we will look at President Donald Trump’s grip on Senate Republicans, the situation in Cuba, and other news spanning the globe.
Let’s get to it.
United States
-Senate Republicans canceled a planned vote on funding immigration enforcement yesterday amid internal disagreements over President Donald Trump’s new “anti-weaponization” fund, and will instead recess until next month.
The Department of Justice announced this week that the $1.776 billion fund would be used to compensate those it deems to be victims of what Trump calls weaponization of the justice system against his political allies.
Several Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns over the initiative, with congressional Democrats calling it a slush fund to reward Trump’s staunchest supporters. Amid the backlash, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche briefed Republican senators yesterday on Capitol Hill, where a contentious clash reportedly ensued.
Another obstacle for the spending package is Trump’s $1 billion request to build a grand ballroom at the White House, which also has received pushback from Republican lawmakers.
In an interview with Bloomberg yesterday, West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito, the fourth-ranking Senate Republican, said there was “a lot of uncertainty” in the Republican conference related to Trump’s demands.
View the interview here:
With lawmakers departing Washington, D.C., for Memorial Day, the June 1 deadline Trump set for the Republican Congress to approve funding for immigration enforcement is certain to pass.
Meanwhile, Semafor reports that Trump’s support among Senate Republicans has plummeted since he successfully backed a challenge to Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, locking him out of the state’s Republican primary last week.
The lawmakers have also expressed anger over Trump’s endorsement of Ken Paxton over Senator John Cornyn in Texas’ Republican primary runoff election.
When asked about whether the pushback on Trump’s agenda was related to the campaign politics, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, “You can’t disconnect those things.”
Meanwhile, when asked about the backlash yesterday, Trump said, “I don’t know,” adding, “I only do what’s right.”
View his full response here:
-Over a third of potential Republican voters say that the party should “move in a new direction” from Trump, according to a New York Times/Siena poll.
-The average U.S. gas price stood at $4.56 yesterday amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, approaching an all-time high.
Recent polls have shown that a majority of Americans blame Trump’s policies for the rise in gas.
In a new Fox News poll, just 34% of voters said they believe his policies are helping the U.S. in the long run.
-The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved Trump’s plan to build a 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, which will sit across the Potomac River opposite the Lincoln Memorial.
-Democratic Party Chairman Ken Martin released the party’s 2024 election “autopsy” report yesterday after a long delay and growing calls for him to do so.
Read it here.
-Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic candidate to challenge Maine Senator Susan Collins, is featured on the latest issue of TIME magazine, with the headline, “Party Crasher.”
According to a new poll, Graham holds a 7-point lead over the five-term Republican incumbent.
-The House Oversight Committee interviewed Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime personal assistant yesterday.
-The House of Representatives passed a housing bill in a sweeping 396 to 13 bipartisan vote.
-The Supreme Court dismissed Alabama’s effort to execute a man on death row who was found by lower courts to have an intellectual disability.
-Trump postponed signing an executive order on artificial intelligence amid industry objections.
-California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order aimed at exploring safeguards to combat mass layoffs due to AI.
-Mortgage rates reached a nine-month high this week.
-Mike Duggan, the former mayor of Detroit, dropped his independent bid for Michigan governor.
-Space X has filed to go public, a move that could make Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire.
-The series finale of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert aired last night.
View his final monologue here:
Today, CBS News Radio will sign off for the final time.
-On this day in 1802, Martha Washington, the widow of George Washington and the country’s former First Lady, died at the age of 70.
In 1856, Southern Congressman Preston Brooks brutally beat Northern Senator Charles Sumner with his cane inside the Senate Chamber as tensions flared over the expansion of slavery.
In 1992, Johnny Carson made his final appearance as host of The Tonight Show.
Other Links:
McConnell calls DOJ Trump fund ‘utterly stupid, morally wrong’ after Blanche meeting - CNBC
Trump faces growing risk of losing key Iran war vote in Congress - Axios
Trump eases refrigerant rule in a bid to address surging grocery costs - AP
Absent congressmember Tom Kean Jr. starts working the phone - Politico
Trump says he’ll ‘try’ to attend son’s wedding this weekend but it’s ‘not good timing’ - NBC
Mayor Mamdani announces $50 World Cup tickets will be available for NYC residents through lottery - CBS
Africa
-The African Union and India canceled a planned summit meeting slated for next week in New Delhi amid the latest outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in neighboring Uganda.
The meeting would be the fourth of its kind, which aims to deepen cooperation and economic ties between India and the 54-member bloc of nations.
Last week, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency over the rise in cases of the deadly disease in the Congo.
On Wednesday, the global health authority said there were 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths recorded from the outbreak that emerged two months ago.
-Sierra Leone received its first group of West Africans deported from the United States yesterday, as the Trump administration seeks to accelerate removals of African nationals.
-On this day in 1962, President John F. Kennedy hosted Ivory Coast President Félix Houphouët-Boigny at the White House for a state dinner.
In 2000, President Bill Clinton hosted South African President Thabo Mbeki at the White House for a state visit.
The year before, Mbeki succeeded Nelson Mandela, becoming the second president of the country following the end of apartheid.
Other Links:
Ebola outbreak in DR Congo: Angry crowd sets Rwampara hospital tents on fire - BBC
Congo Ebola outbreak cases are ‘top of the iceberg’, coalition says - Reuters
Kenya cuts fuel prices after deadly protests - Semafor
Kenya court ends teen sex prosecutions - Africa News
Egypt’s central bank holds key interest rates - Reuters
Americas and the Caribbean
-Russia said yesterday that it would ramp up support to Cuba while accusing the United States of tightening a “sanctions noose” around the island nation.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, accusing him of ordering down civilian planes operated by Miami-based exiles in 1996.
The 94-year-old former leader ruled the country following the retirement of his older brother, Fidel Castro, in 2008. In 2018, he stepped down, but maintained overarching authority over the government in Havana.
Havana has said the indictment, along with a months-long pressure campaign, is a prelude to a U.S. military invasion.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned earlier this week that U.S. intervention against the Communist-run government would cause a “bloodbath” and that it “poses no threat” to Washington.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday the likelihood of a negotiated settlement between the two countries is “not high.”
View his full remarks here:
The Trump administration ramped up its pressure campaign on the country in January after President Trump ordered an operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Cuba’s main regional ally.
Washington said it had carried out the mission to enforce federal drug trafficking charges against the Venezuelan leader and his wife.
-60 Minutes republished an interview Dan Rather conducted with Fidel Castro in 1996 this week.
View it here:
-Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz said this week that he would reshuffle his cabinet amid violent anti-government protests angry over austerity measures.
-Alberta will hold a referendum on whether to remain in Canada.
-Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has reportedly told members of her ruling Morena party that they should resign if they are involved in corruption.
-Flavio Bolsonaro, a Brazilian senator and presidential candidate, is reportedly seeking a meeting with President Trump at the White House next week.
-Colombia’s largest rebel groups have agreed to separate ceasefire deals with the government ahead of this month’s presidential election.
-The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a U.S.-owned port business could sue over assets seized by Cuba following the country’s revolution.
-The European Union-Mexico Summit will commence today in Mexico City, where European and Mexican leaders are expected to ink agreements to strengthen ties.
-On this day in 1942, Mexico entered World War II, declaring war on the Axis powers.
Other Links:
US and Mexico pledge ongoing joint security efforts during DHS Secretary Mullin visit - AP
Argentina’s Economy Picked Up Much More Than Expected in March - Bloomberg
Argentina secures $1 billion in IMF disbursement - Reuters
Moody’s cuts Mexico’s credit rating to the lowest investment-grade level - Mexico News Daily
Chile’s Kast names new security minister in cabinet shuffle - Reuters
Asia/Indo-Pacific
-President Trump has said at least two times this week that he would welcome a phone call with Taiwanese President William Lai, a move that would be a major break from protocol and likely anger China.
Responding to the remarks, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said Lai would be “happy” to speak to Trump.
Since 1979, American presidents have withheld direct contact with the self-governing island’s leadership in recognition of the “One China” policy. However, Washington has remained a critical partner to Taipei, maintaining a policy of “strategic ambiguity,” in which the United States withholds a definitive commitment on whether it would intervene to prevent a forcible military takeover of the island by China.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a renegade province and has pledged to bring it under its control by force if necessary.
In 2016, then-President-elect Trump broke protocol and spoke by phone to Taiwan’s then-President Tsai Ing-wen, marking the first direct communication between U.S. and Taiwanese leaders since formal diplomatic ties were severed.
-Chinese President Xi Jinping could visit North Korea as early as next week, according to South Korean media.
Reports indicate that Xi would seek to position himself as a mediator between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
-On this day in 2014, Thailand’s government was toppled by General Prayut Chan-o-cha of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, marking the 19th successful military coup in the Southeast Asian nation’s history.
Other Links:
Russia and China condemn US over indictment of former Cuban leader - BBC
Asia markets mostly rise as Trump says negotiations between Iran and the U.S. are in ‘final stage’ - CNBC
South Korea, US held talks on revising management of fortified North Korea border - Reuters
Philippine justice chief orders arrest of senator wanted by the ICC over Duterte-era killings - AP
UN expresses grave concern over new Taliban decree that includes provision on child marriage - AP
Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s condition worsens after multiple infections, royal palace says - Reuters
Europe
-Russia denied a report alleging that China secretly trained its troops to prepare them for battle in Ukraine, calling it “false information.”
Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Beijing has claimed neutrality between the countries and has sought to position itself as a mediator.
However, on the eve of the invasion, Russian leader Vladimir Putin traveled to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the two leaders declared a “no limits” strategic partnership between their two countries.
Earlier this week, Xi again hosted Putin in Beijing, just days after the departure of President Trump, where the autocratic leaders denounced U.S. global leadership and Washington’s war against Iran.
-In an apparent reversal, President Trump said yesterday that he was sending an additional 5,000 troops to Poland.
The abrupt move came after Trump indicated he would reduce U.S. troop deployments to Europe.
-A senior opposition figure in Georgia was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for urging a “peaceful revolution” last year.
-Cyprus will hold legislative elections on Sunday.
Heading into the vote, the center-right Democratic Rally is the largest party in the House of Representatives, holding 17 of the chamber’s 56 seats.
In the vote, all of the chamber’s seats are at stake.
Democracy tracker Freedom House rates the country high for its respect for “political rights” and “civil liberties,” although it notes the political divide with Turkey on the island nation, stating, “the government controls only the southern, largely Greek-speaking part of the island, as the northern area is ruled by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey.”
-On this day in 1939, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini signed the Pact of Steel, formalizing the military and political alliance between Germany and Italy.
In 1972, President Richard Nixon arrived in Moscow, marking the first visit by an American president to the Soviet Union.
During the nine-day trip, Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed a slew of landmark agreements, including the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I), marking the first time the superpowers agreed to limit their vast nuclear arsenals.
Other Links:
European stocks volatile on Thursday as Iran Supreme Leader orders uranium to stay in country - CNBC
Ukraine says its drones hit another refinery deep inside Russia as long-range strikes escalate - AP
Russia says “nuclear munitions,” missile tests part of military drills with Belarus, as Ukraine ups security - CBS
Lukashenko says Belarus will not be dragged into Ukraine war, but will defend itself with Russia - Reuters
Starmer says he will campaign for Burnham in Makerfield - BBC
Documents show Queen Elizabeth was eager for ex-Prince Andrew to become trade envoy - AP
Protest in Athens after Israel intercepts international flotilla carrying Gaza activists - AP
Middle East
-Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly issued an order stating that the country’s near-bomb grade uranium must not be sent abroad.
The removal of the material is a key sticking point in ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran to end their months-long conflict.
President Trump has demanded the removal of the materials and has suggested that he could deploy troops to Iran to remove it by force if necessary.
Despite the new demand by Khamenei, both countries reported progress in negotiations.
-On this day in 1990, North and South Yemen were unified after 150 years of separation.
Other Links:
Iran rebuilding military industrial base faster than expected, already producing drones, according to US intel - CNN
UN council urged to use ‘every means at its disposal’ to press Hamas to disarm - AP
Iran’s parliament to vote on bill offering €50 million reward for killing Trump, Netanyahu - The Jerusalem Post
As U.S. war redraws Middle East, Turkey braces for rivalry with Israel - The Washington Post
Turkish Court Ruling Means New Trouble for Erdogan’s Foes - The New York Times
That’s all for today. See you next week.
Going through your posts, reminds me of times past, when the United States actually stood for good things. When honourable people dedicated their lives to achieving good things for America, For the world.. like my father’s stories. Of living through WWII, as a boy and youth. And his gratitude to the United States of America as he sat by his dying father in a hospital room, and they watched plane after American plane, loaded with foods and medicines, land in Berlin. Thank you!
WOWerful curation, Jacob. So much news. Have a blessèd Decoration day, dir.
B.L.U.F. (bottom-line up-front): thank you for the morale booster-shot about the prospects of democracy around the world.
1st, delighted by Kenyan High Court's ruling against thinly veiled sex-&-power abuse of minors with current, now disqualified, law punishing the victim.
2nd, had no idea that Alberta is so close to a secession referendum, with as much as ten per cent of the adult population signing up for such a special vote.
3rd, found out that Cyprus, an island riven by religious tensions has a strong democracy.
PLUS many other items; this service has proven a money-saver for me as I can drop multiple subscriptions including 'The Economist'.