Thousands of Palestinians had reportedly gathered near the aid centre when Israeli tanks opened fire on the crowd.
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Political News Compilation - Weekend Updates - May 31 & June 1, 2025
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Trump pardons drive a big, burgeoning business for lobbyists
By Matt Dixon, Ryan J. Reilly, Peter Nicholas and Katherine DoyleMay 31, 2025, 12:06 PM CDT
Seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump has become big business for lobbying and consulting firms close to the administration, with wealthy hopefuls willing to spend millions of dollars for help getting their case in front of the right people.
“From a lobbying perspective, pardons have gotten profitable,” said one lobbyist whose firm has received such calls.
There’s no set rate for pardon help. But two people directly familiar with proposals to lobbying firms said they knew of a client’s offer of $5 million to help get a case to Trump. These people, like others, were granted anonymity to speak candidly. And while such high numbers do not seem to be standard, they speak to a burgeoning pardon economy.
A $5 million figure is higher than numbers The New York Times reported Trump allies receiving for pardon help in his first term. In 2021, the outlet reported that Brett Tolman, a former federal prosecutor who advised the White House on pardons, was receiving five-figure amounts for the work, according to filings and a client. The Times also reported that John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer convicted of disclosing classified information, was told that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump ally, could help secure him a pardon for $2 million; Giuliani disputed that account. ...
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Judge blocks Trump administration from revoking protected status for thousands of Venezuelans
The decision comes after the Supreme Court allowed the administration to remove protected status for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans.
www.nbcnews.com
Joni Ernst’s ‘Well, we all are going to die,’ and the GOP’s flippant defenses of Trump’s agenda | CNN Politics
One of the reasons politicians don’t often engage in massive overhauls of the American economy is that it’s very difficult to defend a massive overhaul of the American economy. However good any given plan is, it often produces losers and – even in the best of cases – some short-term pain.
www.cnn.com
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in South Carolina remarks, calls on Democrats 'to be a little meaner'
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has keynoted the Democratic state conventions in South Carolina. The party’s 2024 vice presidential nominee is working to keep up the high national profile he gained when Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate.
apnews.com
New German leader Friedrich Merz will meet Trump next week at the White House
Merz's office said the new German leader, who took the helm of Europe's biggest economy on May 6, will meet Trump on Thursday — the first in-person meeting between the two.
www.cbsnews.com
Musk put a spotlight on federal spending, but cut less than he wanted
Billionaire Elon Musk is expected to fall far short of even his most modest goal of shaving $150 billion from the federal deficit, having publicly opined last year that he could identify $2 trillion, roughly the size of the federal deficit.
apnews.com
See what's in the Republicans' massive policy bill: AI, veterans, Pell Grants and more
Trump's massive policy bill would extend income tax cuts, add restrictions to Medicaid and food stamps, pour funds into deportation efforts and more.
www.usatoday.com
Analysis: Trump’s foreign policy frustrations are piling up | CNN
World leaders are pursuing their own versions of national interest on different historical and actual timelines than the transactional aspirations of American presidents.
www.cnn.com
Wes Moore, Tim Walz urge for a fiercer Democratic party at famed Jim Clyburn Fish Fry
Both governors have denied any plans of seeking the presidential nomination.
abcnews.go.com
At least 21 Palestinians killed while heading to Gaza aid hub, hospital says
At least 21 people were killed as they went to receive aid from an Israeli-backed foundation, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHP), in the Gaza Strip, according to a nearby hospital run by the Red Cross.
apnews.com
Short-staffed NWS enters hurricane season in "uncharted territory." Meteorologists share their concerns.
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season begins during a tumultuous period at the National Weather Service, following significant cuts at the country's forecasting agency.
www.cbsnews.com
Trump officials are visiting Alaska to discuss a gas pipeline and oil drilling
The Trump administration is sending three Cabinet members to Alaska this week as it pursues oil drilling in the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and reinvigorating a natural gas project that’s languished for years.
apnews.com
Hegseth reassures allies that US will support them against Chinese aggression
Pete Hegseth reaffirmed in a speech in Singapore that the U.S. does not seek conflict with China, but to deter China the U.S. "is preparing for war, to deter war."
abcnews.go.com
The fallout from Trump's war on Harvard will outlast his term
The US president's ramped-up threats are seen by many as an attempt to reshape a stronghold of the left. Could he succeed?
www.bbc.com
US court won't lift judge's block on Trump's government overhaul
The decision means that, for now, the Trump administration cannot proceed with plans to shed tens of thousands of federal jobs.
www.usatoday.com
Army estimates that Trump's military parade could cost $16 million in damage to Washington streets
The repair costs are part of the estimated $45 million price tag for the upcoming parade.
www.nbcnews.com
'American hero' or 'failure': Elon Musk's DOGE departure divides Capitol Hill
Elon Musk's departure from the Department of Government Efficiency draws praise from Republicans and criticism from Democrats, highlighting political divides.
www.foxnews.com
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TRUMP SMACKS DOWN NBC REPORTER'S SUGGESTION OF A RUBIO-MUSK CLASH, CALLS HIM A 'TROUBLEMAKER'...
Continue reading...The video, filmed in March, appears to show the 53-year-old tech mogul balancing spoons at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
"Watch the video—even the Secret Service looks embarrassed," the account wrote in the post.
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TRUMP SMACKS DOWN NBC REPORTER'S SUGGESTION OF A RUBIO-MUSK CLASH, CALLS HIM A 'TROUBLEMAKER'...
George Wendt’s mistaken jabs at John Boehner link 'Cheers' and Ohio politics
There was no mistake when the beloved but forlorn accountant Norm Peterson chugged his way into the fictional TV bar "Cheers."
"Norm!!!" hollered the regulars in unison, ranging from mail carrier Cliff Clavin to "Mayday" Sam Malone, the former Major League pitcher-turned barkeep.
If only former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, or late Rep. Buz Lukens, R-Ohio, had been as recognizable to George Wendt, the actor who played Norm on the sitcom.
REMEMBERING REP. CHARLIE RANGEL — AND A VOICEMAIL I'LL NEVER FORGET
Wendt died last week at age 76. The...
Continue reading..."Norm!!!" hollered the regulars in unison, ranging from mail carrier Cliff Clavin to "Mayday" Sam Malone, the former Major League pitcher-turned barkeep.
If only former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, or late Rep. Buz Lukens, R-Ohio, had been as recognizable to George Wendt, the actor who played Norm on the sitcom.
REMEMBERING REP. CHARLIE RANGEL — AND A VOICEMAIL I'LL NEVER FORGET
Wendt died last week at age 76. The...
Trump warns Rand Paul he's playing into 'hands of the Democrats' with 'Big, Beautiful Bill' opposition
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"Rand will be playing right into the hands of the Democrats, and the GREAT people of Kentucky will never...
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"Rand will be playing right into the hands of the Democrats, and the GREAT people of Kentucky will never...
What to know about Trump's flurry of pardons
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