• President Trump commemorates Memorial Day: Donald Trump commemorated Memorial Day 2025 as only he could. He began the day with an unfortunate post on Truth Social about “THE MONSTERS WHO WANT OUR COUNTRY TO GO TO HELL” before pivoting to more traditional presidential activities. At Arlington National Cemetery, he paid tribute to fallen service members alongside Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. “We salute them in their eternal and everlasting glory,” Trump said, recounting stories like that of Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, a mother of two children under three years old who was killed in a suicide bombing. Trump brought up his plans for America’s 250th anniversary celebration in 2026, giving God credit for his ability to preside over that event.

• U.S. Steel merger cleared: On Friday, Donald Trump announced that a deal for a merger of U.S. Steel and Japanese-owned Nippon Steel had been cleared. On social media, Trump described the “partnership” as one that “will create at least 70,000 jobs, and add $14 billion Dollars to the U.S. Economy.” Joe Biden had blocked Nippon’s effort to purchase U.S. Steel due to supposed national security concerns. However, Trump ordered a review of the proposed acquisition last month. News of the merger sent U.S. Steel stock prices surging, with the company’s shares jumping 20% in value after Trump’s announcement. According to the deal, U.S. Steel headquarters will remain in Pittsburgh.

• U.S./EU tariff negotiations continue: On April 2, “Liberation Day,” Donald Trump unilaterally imposed tariffs on most of the world; thereafter, he backed off, offering the EU, among other nations, 90 days to negotiate a better trade deal. The 90-day mark would be July 9, meaning the EU still has plenty of time to negotiate, but on Friday, Trump threatened 50% tariffs from June 1, citing negotiations that were “going nowhere.” On Sunday, Trump announced that he had spoken to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and that he would grant an “extension” back to the original date of July 9. The EU as a bloc is the U.S.‘s largest trading partner, ahead of Mexico. Trump’s June tariff threat seems to have been another attempt to use his bully pulpit to earn concessions from a stubborn negotiator. Apparently, he was satisfied with the results.

• Trump blasts Putin as “absolutely crazy”: Vladimir Putin’s means of supposedly advancing peace talks seem anything but, as Russian forces launched another barrage of rocket attacks against Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, as well as other urban areas. Donald Trump is “not happy,” he told reporters on Sunday. “He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin.” The Russian leader “has gone absolutely CRAZY!” he added on Truth Social. Significantly, Putin, whose country can can produce 300-400 drones per day, is flying hundreds of them in to attack zones in Ukraine to help keep Russian soldiers out of harm’s way. Attacks are being ramped up precisely because he can do so remotely. Perhaps it’s time for Trump to impose new sanctions on Russian oil.

• James Comey calls GOP “white supremacy adjacent”: In an interview with MSNBC host and former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, disgraced former FBI Director James Comey effectively called Republicans a bunch of racists. “Is the law enforcement system and the legal system equipped to deal with what we are seeing now?” Psaki asked about Trump’s efforts. Comey said the problem was more of a cultural one, answering, “Let’s say you work in the FBI; you know that one of the two political parties is — let me put it nicely — white supremacist adjacent, at a minimum. And so why would you wanna throw your career on that side of the line and be summoned to Capitol Hill to be asked why you’re pursuing these innocent groups?” The irony here is that current FBI Director Kash Patel, nominated by Donald Trump, is the first ethnic minority to head the Bureau.

• Charlie Kirk unfazed by SPLC “Hate Map” addition: Turning Point USA, founded by Charlie Kirk, has been added to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Hate Map.” The SPLC called TPUSA an “anti-government extremist group.” You may know TPUSA for the videos of Charlie Kirk freely and respectfully debating any student who approaches the microphone on college campuses. You may know the SPLC, which has outlived its usefulness by several decades, for its increasingly desperate bids to remain relevant. Kirk appropriately called the SPLC’s hate towards him “a badge of honor.” Conservatives have long known that the “Hate Map” is a smear the SPLC uses to try to silence anyone its haters don’t like. Kirk put it best: “Keep crying, SPLC — America’s done with your scam.”

• Terror in the UK: More than 50 people were injured, 27 were taken to a hospital, and 20 were treated on the scene after a driver rammed into a crowd of soccer fans in Liverpool, England, on Monday. No fatalities have been reported. For once, details of the driver were released quickly: a 53-year-old white Liverpool local perpetrated this horrific attack. After the van was stopped, the crowd was ready to inflict immediate justice upon the driver, but police quickly arrived, kept the crowd back, and arrested the “suspect.” Fans were celebrating Liverpool Football Club’s victory in the English Premier League. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanked police and emergency services for their swift response to the incident, though the only person they protected was the driver.

• Nothing says “independence” like an old monarch opening Parliament: On Monday, British monarch King Charles III arrived in Ottawa, Canada, to open the nation’s Parliament session. He will give a speech to Parliament today to reinforce the message that Canada is “not for sale.” This all comes due to Donald Trump’s trolling of Canada as the “51st state.” Ralph Goodale, Canada’s high commissioner to the UK, obtusely stated, “The king, as head of state, will reinforce the power and the strength of that message, and it is, as I said before, captured in our anthem. We are the 'true north strong and free,’ and we will stay that way.” So, what part of being under the authority of another nation’s king makes one “free”? The bigger issue facing Canada is not Trump’s trolling but the dissatisfaction of its western provinces with the national government. Alberta is considering holding a referendum on separation from Canada.

Headlines

• Ordering the reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Whitehouse.gov)

• Trump grants pardon to ex-Virginia sheriff convicted of taking $75K in bribes in “cash-for-badges” scheme (NY Post)

• NPR sues Trump White House over executive order targeting public media (Fox News)

• Trump to yank all remaining federal funds to Harvard (NY Post)

• Unpaid student loans are destroying credit scores (Morning Brew)

• Seattle mayor condemns Christians after their worship service gets attacked by antifa (Not the Bee)

• Macron gets shoved in the face by his wife on camera (Daily Wire)

• Satire: ChatGPT announced as Harvard valedictorian (Babylon Bee)

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