ACTUAL NEWS Briefing: May 14th 2025

Olga Nesterova
3 minutes ago
13 min read

QUICK HITS

Trump in Saudi Arabia

First, accommodations:

Mobile McDonald’s to accommodate President Trump's dietary wishes

Tea that he refused to drink

Trump began by saluting all Saudi officials… twice.

When it came to the official ceremony, he appeared to be falling asleep.

The speech contained Trump’s “greatest hits” — from his “win in all swing states” to his “booming economy thanks to the tariffs.” At one point, he complimented America for being a “hot country” and quickly corrected himself by mentioning Saudi Arabia:

“With the exception of your country,” he said. “You’re hotter. At least as long as I’m up here, you’re hotter.”

Musk and other tech CEOs were in attendance, seated by the Saudi officials.

These are the CEOs who went with Trump to Saudi Arabia:

The Trump quotes, sent to the press by the White House, were as follows:

“This great transformation has not come from Western interventionists … giving you lectures on how to live or how to govern your own affairs. No, the gleaming marvels of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were not created by the so-called ‘nation-builders,’ ‘neo-cons,’ or ‘liberal non-profits,’ like those who spent trillions failing to develop Kabul and Baghdad, so many other cities. Instead, the birth of a modern Middle East has been brought about by the people of the region themselves … developing your own sovereign countries, pursuing your own unique visions, and charting your own destinies.”
“I am here today not merely to condemn the past chaos of Iran’s leaders, but to offer them a new path and a much better path toward a far better and more hopeful future.”
“As I have shown repeatedly, I am willing to end past conflicts and forge new partnerships for a better and more stable world, even if our differences may be very profound.”
“In recent years, far too many American presidents have been afflicted with the notion that it’s our job to look into the souls of foreign leaders and use U.S. policy to dispense justice for their sins … I believe it is God’s job to sit in judgement — my job [is] to defend America and to promote the fundamental interests of stability, prosperity, and peace.”

Once Trump finished his speech in Saudi Arabia, YMCA started blasting through the loudspeakers…

Saudi Arabia authorized the use of Starlink for aviation and maritime shipping as part of a $600B U.S. investment. Musk displayed Optimus robots doing the “Trump YMCA dance” for President Trump and the Crown Prince, pitched Tesla robotaxis and Boring Co. tunnels as his "vision to improve life in Saudi Arabia."

In addition, the U.S. has agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142B, per the White House. Described as the "largest defense cooperation agreement" in history, the package includes deals with more than a dozen American defense companies in sectors including air and missile defense.

Trump surprised many by announcing that he was removing U.S. sanctions on Syria in order, he said, to give the country “a chance at greatness.”

Crowds of people gathered in the Syrian capital, Damascus, to celebrate the news that U.S. sanctions will be lifted. Trump briefly met Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on the sidelines of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting that the U.S. president attended later this morning in Riyadh. Trump urged al-Sharaa to normalize ties with Israel after years of tensions. Israel has opposed granting Syria sanctions relief and escalated its military presence in the country in recent months. Syria’s support for Palestinian statehood amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war appears to have blocked any such move for now.

After the GCC meeting with leaders and representatives from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, Trump departed for the Qatari capital, Doha, on the second leg of his three-country tour.

In Qatar, aside from accepting a $400M jet as a “gift,” he attended the state dinner and state visit.

Trump to the Emir of Qatar:

“I just want to thank you for everything and maybe in particular our friendship. It’s been a loyal, great, beautiful friendship. The job you’ve done is second to none.”

Opinion: The White House's Qatar "Fact Sheet on $1.2T Investment" Is Just Gaslighting

The White House recently released a so-called “fact sheet” on U.S.–Qatar relations, and at first glance, it reads like a straightforward list of economic and defense accomplishments. But scratch the surface, and it becomes clear: this is less an informative document and more a carefully crafted piece of political spin.

The fact sheet highlights a handful of major contracts, such as Boeing receiving a $96 billion order from Qatar Airways and Parsons securing $97 billion in projects. These cherry-picked deals are framed as proof that the administration is “securing U.S. jobs,” but this narrative glosses over the broader reality. What the document doesn’t say is just as important as what it does: these contracts signal a growing dependence on a single foreign country—Qatar—as a primary source of capital for major American industries.

This isn’t just about jobs. It’s about long-term economic leverage and vulnerability. When multi-billion dollar deals start flowing from one government-linked foreign source, we should be asking: At what cost?

Even more concerning is the vague language around military cooperation. The White House touts “burden-sharing at Al Udeid Air Base” and “future defense capabilities related to air defense and maritime security.” Al Udeid is not just any installation—it is the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, housing 10,000 American personnel and significant air power. If there is a new arrangement to “share” this base with Qatar, where is the transparency? Was Congress consulted or given the opportunity to approve such a strategic shift? So far, there's no public record that suggests so.

The fact sheet ends with this triumphalist claim:

“As the dealmaker in chief, President Trump’s latest achievement in Qatar is another win for America.”

But how exactly is this a win? Our military footprint may be compromised, our economic pillars are leaning on a single regime, and the American public is left in the dark.

This isn't dealmaking. It's dependency disguised as diplomacy.

Iran has proposed the creation of a joint nuclear enrichment venture involving Arab countries and U.S. investments as an alternative to dismantling its nuclear program, The New York Times reported.

According to the report, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the proposal to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff during talks in Oman on Sunday, citing four unnamed Iranian officials.

The development comes as President Donald Trump appeared to extend an olive branch to Iran during his visit to Saudi Arabia, stating he would be “very happy” to strike a deal with Tehran.

A Chinese company owned by same people that own TikTok just bought $300,000,000 of $TRUMP Coin.

Trump’s Business Endeavors

At least $2 billion has flowed into Trump-owned ventures over the past month. The funding spans real estate projects, a cryptocurrency initiative, and a private club in Washington, D.C., which plans to charge a $500,000 membership fee.

Through an investment firm, the United Arab Emirates invested $2 billion into the Trump family’s new cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial. Led by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., the company is expected to earn tens of millions of dollars annually from the deal.

Qatar is helping finance a $5.5 billion Trump-branded beachside golf and luxury villa project. While the exact amount contributed is unknown, the Trump family will earn millions in licensing and management fees.

A Saudi Arabian real estate firm, closely tied to the government, invested $1 billion in the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Dubai. The same firm plans to build more Trump-branded hotels, golf courses, and luxury towers in Saudi Arabia and Oman, generating millions in branding fees for the Trumps.

In Serbia, President Aleksandar Vučić is leasing former Defense Ministry land—bombed by NATO during the Balkan wars—to Jared Kushner, who plans to build a Trump hotel. The $1 billion project will be funded largely by Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds via Kushner’s private equity firm.

Speaker Mike Johnson: "The reason many people refer to the Bidens as the 'Biden crime family' is because they were doing all this stuff behind curtains...Whatever President Trump is doing is out in the open. They're not trying to conceal anything...Trump has had nothing to hide."

TODAY IN HISTORY

1607: The first permanent British settlement in North America was established at Jamestown, Virginia.

1643: Four-year-old Louis XIV ascended to the throne of France.

1796: Edward Jenner administered the first vaccination against smallpox, a milestone in medical history.

1804: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out from the American Midwest on their famed expedition to explore the Pacific coast of North America.

1948: On the eve of the expiration of the British mandate in Palestine, David Ben-Gurion and the Jewish People's Council declared the establishment of the State of Israel, triggering the first Arab-Israeli war.

1973: Skylab, the first U.S. space station, was successfully launched into orbit.

QUICK ACTUAL NEWS

NATIONAL

Project 2025 mastermind Russell Vought replaces Elon Musk as the head of DOGE.
Harvard expanded its lawsuit against the Trump administration just hours after the government slashed an additional $450 million in its research funding.
White House aides have floated proposals aimed at keeping more parents at home, including a potential plan to eliminate federal tax credits for day care.
A House hearing on proposed Medicaid cuts turned chaotic, with protesters shouting and lawmakers arguing.

Josh Hawley: "The right thing to do is not to cut Medicaid ... it ought to be just a basic foundational principle: It is wrong to cut healthcare for the working poor. And that's what we're talking about here. My state is a Medicaid expansion state."
Congressional Republicans advanced key parts of President Trump's sweeping budget plan on Wednesday, following an all-night session. A key committee approved significant tax cuts, which analysts say could add trillions to the national debt.
A federal judge removed Rikers Island from New York City’s control, ordering the appointment of an independent official to oversee major decisions at the troubled jail.

A hotline connecting the Pentagon and air traffic controllers at Reagan Washington National Airport has been down since March 2022, an FAA official testified before a Senate committee on Wednesday.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions that he is open to working with Democrats to reduce prescription drug prices.
The Trump administration has moved to repeal a Biden-era rule that lowered fees for renewable energy projects on federal land, arguing the regulation unfairly favored solar and wind development.
CFTC Commissioner Summer Mersinger announced Wednesday that she will step down at the end of May after three years on the job.
The U.S. Navy and Congress are pushing back against the Trump administration’s delays in awarding the contract for its next-generation fighter jet, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Some U.S. biotech companies are considering moving early-stage drug trials overseas due to concerns that staffing cuts and policy changes at the FDA under the Trump administration could delay regulatory approvals, executives and industry insiders told Reuters.

GLOBAL

Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani is set to meet with President Trump and the Emir of Qatar in Doha on Wednesday, two sources told Reuters, as his company Reliance Industries seeks to strengthen ties with both nations.

Legal confusion surrounding new military zones on the U.S.-Mexico border has stalled several migrant cases. Lawyers and a U.S. senator voiced concerns on Wednesday that individuals may be unaware they are entering restricted areas.

President Trump, whose family holds significant business interests in the Gulf region, told reporters that during his meetings in Saudi Arabia—concluded on Wednesday—there was "no talk of building a Trump Tower in Syria or golf."

The U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions related to Iran on Wednesday, targeting individuals and entities in China and Iran, according to the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Israel’s right-wing government has remained diplomatically silent this week, even as President Trump made a series of unexpected announcements that have unsettled assumptions about Israel’s standing with its most important ally.

Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh issued a call to international investors on Wednesday, urging them to consider doing business in Syria after Trump’s surprise decision to lift all U.S. sanctions on the country.

U.S. energy officials are reassessing the security risks posed by Chinese-made components in renewable energy infrastructure, after hidden communication devices were reportedly discovered inside some equipment, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Argentina discovered thousands of Nazi-era documents stored beneath its Supreme Court. Originally impounded during World War II, the materials may offer new insights into Nazi operations and presence in Argentina during and after the war.

Israel intensifies Gaza strikes. Israel bombarded the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis yesterday in an effort to kill senior Hamas official Mohammed Sinwar, unnamed Israeli officials told the New York Times. Around the same time, Gaza’s health ministry said at least six people were killed in a strike on a hospital. Israeli strikes today killed at least seventy people across Gaza, local health authorities said.

Egypt cuts canal fees. Large ships will get a 15 percent discount on passage fees for the Suez Canal for ninety days, the canal authority said yesterday. The move is intended to encourage more traffic given the relative stability in the Red Sea region after the United States and Yemen’s Houthi rebels reached a truce. Monthly revenue from the Suez Canal has dropped by more than half since the Houthis’ current campaign against international ships began in late 2023.

Taiwan’s nuclear power plants. Taiwan’s legislature amended its nuclear regulations to allow nuclear power plants to apply for licenses to operate twenty years beyond the previous forty-year limit. The re-embrace of nuclear power comes the same month that the country is closing its last functioning reactor; concerns about energy independence and rising demand prompted the switch.

Uruguay remembers Mujica. Former President José Mujica died yesterday at the age of eighty-nine. A left-wing guerrilla in his youth, Mujica oversaw the decriminalization of abortion and the legalization of both same-sex marriage and marijuana—the latter being a step that Uruguay took before any other country in the world. He is also remembered for promoting civil democratic debate.

Uganda’s push to empower military courts. The government introduced a bill in the legislature yesterday that would allow military courts to try civilians, even after Uganda’s top court ruled that would be unconstitutional. Such trials would occur in cases such as illegal possession of military equipment. Human rights groups have long said that the current Yoweri Museveni administration uses military courts to politically target opponents.

Brazil-China agreements. The two countries signed more than thirty bilateral agreements during Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s visit to Beijing, which concluded yesterday. China said it would invest more than $4 billion across Brazilian industries such as cars, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors. In a meeting with Latin American and Caribbean countries yesterday, Beijing also announced $9 billion in new credit to the region.

India, Pakistan expel diplomats. Pakistan declared an Indian diplomatic staffer persona non grata yesterday after India expelled a Pakistani diplomat earlier in the day. India said the diplomat was engaged in “activities not in keeping with his official status,” and unnamed Indian foreign ministry officials quoted in Indian Express said he was linked with recent arrests in India’s border region with Pakistan. Pakistan accused the Indian diplomat of espionage.

France’s nuclear umbrella. Paris is open to discussing the deployment of its nuclear weapons elsewhere in Europe, President Emmanual Macron told broadcaster TF1 yesterday. He said that France would not pay for other countries’ security, and that the French presidency would retain decision-making power over bomb usage. U.S. nuclear warheads are currently stationed across Europe, but Trump has said he wants European countries to take more responsibility for their own security.

U.S. Tourism Faces Major Decline Amid Global Pullback and Political Tensions

The U.S. is projected to lose $12.5 billion in travel revenue in 2025—a 7% drop from last year and a 22.5% decline from the 2019 peak. It's the only country among 184 tracked by the WTTC facing a tourism revenue decline. International arrivals are down sharply, especially from the UK, South Korea, Germany, Spain, and Ireland. Since international travelers spend much more than domestic ones, this slump significantly impacts the U.S. economy.

New York is especially affected, with a projected 17% drop in tourism—mainly due to a sharp decline in Canadian visitors, influenced by political tensions.

In fact, I took these pictures on a sunny afternoon in May in Times Square, NYC — a place where, not long ago, walking the streets was almost impossible due to the crowds.

Canadian travel to the U.S. is down 30%, and some New York regions near the border report a steep fall in bookings. Analysts warn the situation could worsen if trade tensions and anti-American sentiment persist.

Ukraine-Russia Talks in Turkey

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced plans to fly to Ankara to meet with Turkish President Erdoğan on Thursday. If Russian President Putin agrees to attend, he could join the talks in Istanbul, with Trump expressing interest in participating as well. Zelenskyy supports the idea but emphasized that the talks would only be productive if Putin attends in person, rather than Foreign Minister Lavrov.

Witkoff, speaking to the media, outlined Russia’s proposed "starting points" for the talks, which include seizing occupied territory, granting Russia control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, and prohibiting Ukraine from joining NATO. These conditions are viewed by many as non-starters.

As for the Russian Foreign Ministry’s proposals for the Istanbul talks tomorrow, Laki Miroshnyk outlined the following points:

Troop Limitation: Russia proposes reducing the Ukrainian army to 85,000 troops.
Neutrality: Ukraine should agree to remain neutral, refraining from joining NATO or hosting foreign troops and infrastructure.
Crimea and Donbas: Russia suggests resolving the Crimea issue through negotiations over the next 10–15 years, without force, and that the status of Donbas (Russian-occupied territories in eastern Ukraine) should be discussed at the presidential level.
Arms Ban: Ukraine would be banned from deploying foreign weapons, including missiles, on its territory.

These demands would essentially force Ukraine to accept a diminished position in terms of both security and territorial integrity, surrender key aspects of its independence and defense. Another non-starter.

NEW: President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is still considering whether to attend peace talks on the war in Ukraine, scheduled for Thursday in Turkey, but added he is unsure whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will be present.

French Intelligence Report on Russian Threats

A new 16-page report from French intelligence titled "Russian Threats and Actions Against France" outlines extensive Russian espionage, cyberattacks, sabotage, and influence operations, describing them as part of a broader hybrid war against Europe and NATO.

Key findings include:

Missile Development: Russia is reportedly helping Iran develop missiles capable of reaching France.
Espionage: Russian spies have targeted defense-related institutions, especially those working on laser technologies; equipment has been stolen during engineers' foreign travel.
Diplomatic Cover: Russian intelligence officers under diplomatic status are working to gather political intelligence and influence European discourse.
Cyberattacks: In 2023–2024, Russian hackers breached French Defense Ministry accounts, and in April 2024, they attacked the Coulandon hydroelectric plant.
Olympics Threat: A Russian was accused of plotting a terrorist attack at the July 2024 Paris Olympics.
Defense Industry Hacked: In 2023, hackers breached KNDS France, stealing communications about CAESAR artillery systems destined for Ukraine.
Viasat Sabotage: On February 24, 2022—hours before invading Ukraine—Russia disabled 40,000 Viasat modems, disrupting French emergency services.
GPS Tampering: Russian operatives attempted to disorient French aircraft by falsifying GPS data.
Disinformation Campaigns: Russia is deploying AI-generated fake news and propaganda to discredit France internationally.
Nuclear Risk: Following missile strikes in Ukraine, French intelligence warns that Russia’s potential use of nuclear weapons is a real threat.

The report underscores France's growing concern that Russia is escalating its covert and hybrid aggression against Western democracies.

ICYMI

Inflation rose 2.3% in April, less than expected, though it may not fully reflect the impact of tariffs.

United Airlines introduced an ultra-premium seat featuring noise-canceling headphones, caviar service, and “luxe jammies,” per The Wall Street Journal.

Microsoft is laying off 6,000 employees (3% of its workforce) to streamline management.

Airbnb now offers users the option to hire on-site professionals like chefs, massage therapists, and personal trainers.

TGI Fridays revamped 85% of its menu, adding items like three flavors of mozzarella sticks.

COMING UP

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began the first state visit of his current term in Indonesia.
NATO defense chiefs met in Brussels.
Tomorrow, South Korea will host a ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group.
Next on President Trump's agenda - the visit to the UAE.

That's all from me for now. Thank you for reading.

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