ACTUAL NEWS Briefing: May 16th 2025

Olga Nesterova
2 days ago
12 min read

QUICK HITS

President Trump hosted a defense conference in Qatar where he spoke about drones in Ukraine, knocked out trees and… Sean Duffy (?)

As to Duffy, his profile says that “he started log rolling at age five and speed climbing (sprinting up 60- and 90-foot poles) at 13. He holds two speed-climbing titles.”

Then, Trump addressed the US troops at the Al Udeid Air Base where first he danced.

Top of the Agenda

President Donald Trump capped off a high-stakes Middle East tour today with a stop in Abu Dhabi, where the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced $200 billion in agreements. According to the White House, the deals include plans for U.S. technology to power a new Emirati artificial intelligence (AI) campus. Trump also used the trip to weigh in on diplomatic flashpoints, urging Russian and Ukrainian officials to attend peace talks that began today in Istanbul following delays.

Middle East Chip Access

While U.S. tech CEOs expressed strong interest in expanding business across Gulf nations, the prospect has sparked concerns among current and former American officials, multiple outlets reported. Critics warn that the expansion could risk national security.

During the Biden administration, the U.S. limited chip sales and investments in Middle Eastern data centers over fears that such technology could be diverted to China, which maintains growing influence in the region. There were also concerns that increased investment could shift high-tech jobs overseas.

Pushing back, some—including White House AI advisor David Sacks—argued that selling advanced technologies to Gulf nations could help establish U.S. standards in global AI markets and prevent China from filling the gap.

Trump confirmed today that the UAE would purchase some of the most advanced American chips. Bloomberg reported that new U.S. AI agreements with both the UAE and Saudi Arabia include specific clauses barring Chinese access.

Trump's special representative Steve Witkoff: "If Trump brings Iran and the Arab nations together, the Middle East could outpace the EU economically." He adds, "The Gulf is highly undervalued. Europe is dysfunctional. A united Gulf could overtake Europe.”

Also, the World Bank has confirmed that as of today, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have paid off Syria's outstanding debt.

DEEP-DIVE: What happened in Ankara?

President Trump commented on Russia-Ukraine talks before departing the UAE.

To that reporter claiming Zelenskyy didn’t show up - ARE YOU OK? I’m worried for you since you seem to be hallucinating.

As to the investments, last night it was $10T, this morning already $13T in investments "promised" by Trump.

In reality, investments officially announced by the White House are:

$600B Saudi Arabia
$1.2T Qatar
$200B UAE

White House even re-confirmed it TODAY.

Today, Trump, while in UAE, hosted the US-UAE Business Council Breakfast Roundtable, toured the Abrahamic Family House and departed UAE to return to the White House.

Today, President Zelenskyy met with EU leaders and requested increased pressure on Russia and adoption of new sanctions. He discussed Ukraine's EU accession and steps taken to progress the negotiation process.

Meanwhile, Secretary Rubio signaled peace with Russia being unlikely - but not impossible: "If Trump sits down with Putin, there’s still a narrow path forward. I think heʼs right. NATO countries will be above 2%, many reaching 4% of GDP contributions. And Iranʼs close to having a nuke. No one wants that."

Russian media: “Next time, it’ll be six regions.”

At Istanbul talks, Russia threatened to seize 6 Ukrainian regions if Kyiv doesn’t yield 4 “annexed” ones.

Medinsky earlier boasted of demanding 8 regions.

Europe reacts to Putin’s semantics

President Zelenskyy arrived at the Meeting of the European Political Community in Tirana, Albania.

Albanian PM’s welcome for Italian PM Meloni was even more dramatic…pls watch.

At the EU summit in Albania — they showed an AI-generated video where European leaders were portrayed as toddlers welcoming all to Albania.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas: “Everyone wants peace – except Russia. Sanctions and political isolation are essential to keep up the pressure on Russia. That’s why unity matters more than ever.”

PM of Poland Donald Tusk: "The information was clear: the Russian side did not show goodwill, the Russian side was not willing to negotiate. The Russian side set absolutely unacceptable conditions again, not only for Ukraine, but also for all of us."

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Radek Sikorski: “Putin has woken a giant. He has yet no idea of how costly this is going to be for him. We, the EU, are a 19 trillion dollar economy. Together with Canada, since President Trump first came to power, we’ve doubled our defense spending. Now we will double it again and spend it better than in the past. Russia is a 2 trillion dollar economy. As Europe we are spending 2,5 times more than Russia on a peace footing than Russia is spending on a war footing. All it takes is to spend the money better.”

Russian propagandist Solovyev called for a strike on Europe in retaliation for the 17th package of anti-Russian sanctions: "So let's hit the places where decisions are made in Europe today and say it has nothing to do with the meeting in Istanbul, shall we? This is just retaliation for the 17th package of sanctions. The Élysée Palace, it's long outdated, there's absolutely nothing to do there. We can bomb the Reich Chancellery out of habit. Just out of habit."

Trump on possibly calling Putin: “I may. We have to meet. 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, it’ll be very interesting.”

TODAY IN HISTORY

Historical Events on May 16

1770: 14-year-old Marie Antoinette married 15-year-old Louis-Auguste, the future King Louis XVI of France.

1868: U.S. President Andrew Johnson was acquitted in his impeachment trial by one vote in the Senate.

1929: The first Academy Awards ceremony took place in Hollywood, with "Wings" winning Best Picture.

1943: The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising ended as Nazi forces crushed the Jewish resistance and destroyed the Great Synagogue.

1960: Physicist Theodore Maiman operated the first functional laser at Hughes Research Laboratories in California.

1966: The Chinese Communist Party issued the "May 16 Notification," marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.

1975: Japanese climber Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

1997: U.S. President Bill Clinton formally apologized for the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, a 40-year unethical medical experiment.

2018: Michigan State University agreed to a $500 million settlement with victims of former sports doctor Larry Nassar.

2022: The U.S. COVID-19 death toll reached 1 million.

Notable Birthdays on May 16

1905: Henry Fonda, American actor known for films like "The Grapes of Wrath" and "12 Angry Men."

1953: Pierce Brosnan, Irish-American actor famed for portraying James Bond.

1966: Janet Jackson, American singer, songwriter, and actress.

1973: Tori Spelling, American actress known for her role in "Beverly Hills, 90210."

QUICK ACTUAL NEWS

NATIONAL

Supreme Court Blocks Use of Wartime Law for Deportations

The U.S. Supreme Court extended a freeze on the Trump administration's attempt to deport a group of Venezuelan detainees under the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act, allowing litigation to proceed in lower courts.

High Court Reviews National Injunction Powers

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could determine whether lower courts can continue to issue nationwide injunctions—like those that blocked Trump’s January order banning birthright citizenship.

Several justices questioned the constitutionality of the executive order.
The court appeared divided over whether sweeping national injunctions should be permitted.
A ruling is expected by June.

Trump’s Tax Bill Faces Setback in Congress

President Trump’s sweeping tax reform bill failed to clear a key procedural vote on Friday, as hardline Republicans demanded deeper spending cuts, marking a rare defeat for the president in Congress.

Kristi Noem Plans Citizenship Reality Show

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is developing a reality TV show called The American, in collaboration with producer Rob Worsoff.

Immigrants will compete in challenges across the U.S.
The prize: a fast-tracked path to American citizenship.
More details here

FDA Approves First Blood Test for Alzheimer’s

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a blood test from Fujirebio Diagnostics for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease—the first of its kind to gain FDA clearance.

Trump Administration Asks SCOTUS to Allow Federal Workforce Cuts

On Friday, the Trump administration petitioned the Supreme Court to lift a lower court's injunction blocking sweeping federal agency restructuring and staffing cuts.

U.S.–China Trade Pause May Boost Freight Sector

A 90-day tariff truce between the U.S. and China could offer temporary relief for the U.S. freight industry, with importers rushing to secure shipments ahead of the back-to-school season.

Boeing Nears DOJ Deal Over 737 MAX Crashes

Boeing is reportedly finalizing a nonprosecution agreement with the Department of Justice over fraud charges linked to two fatal 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people.

FCC Approves Verizon’s $20B Acquisition—with a Catch

The FCC approved Verizon’s $20 billion deal to acquire Frontier Communications' fiber-optic assets—contingent on Verizon ending its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Ambassador Bridget Brink, who served as ambassador to Ukraine from May 2022 until her departure last month, outlined the reasons for her departure for the first time in an op-ed published on Friday by the Detroit Free Press.

I was U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. I resigned because of Trump's foreign policy.

I have proudly served five presidents ― to make sure the United States is the strongest, greatest country that the world has ever known.

I respect the president’s right and responsibility to determine U.S. foreign policy ― with proper checks and balances by U.S. Congress. It is the role of America’s Foreign Service to execute that policy.

Unfortunately, the policy since the beginning of the Trump administration has been to put pressure on the victim, Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia.

As such, I could no longer in good faith carry out the administration’s policy and felt it was my duty to step down. After nearly three decades serving our country, I resigned as our ambassador to Ukraine.

I cannot stand by while a country is invaded, a democracy bombarded, and children killed with impunity. I believe that the only way to secure U.S. interests is to stand up for democracies and to stand against autocrats.

Peace at any price is not peace at all ― it is appeasement. And history has taught us time and again that appeasement does not lead to safety, security or prosperity. It leads to more war and suffering.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, it has done what can only be described as pure evil: killed thousands of civilians, including 700 children, with missiles and drones that hit their homes and apartments in the dead of night

It has committed over 150,000 war crimes, abducted 20,000 children from their families, and forced millions of men, women and children to flee into Europe and elsewhere.

For three years I heard the stories, saw the brutality, and felt the pain of families whose sons and daughters were killed and wounded by Russian missiles and drones that hit playgrounds, churches and schools.

Over a career spent in conflict zones, I’ve seen mass atrocities and wanton destruction first-hand but we have never seen violence so systematic, so widespread and so horrifying in Europe since World War II.

Why does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine matter to the United States?

It matters because how we handle this war will speak volumes to our friends as well as our foes. If we allow Putin to redraw borders by force, he won’t stop with Ukraine.

Taken at his word, Putin’s ambition is to resurrect an imperial past ― and he can’t do that without threatening the security of our NATO allies.

And if Putin succeeds, it sends signals to China that will undermine the security balance in Asia and throughout the world. That will have profound implications for America’s safety, security, and prosperity.

Russia’s war is about more than foreign policy or economics. It’s about who we are.

The America I love, the one our grandparents served, would never stand by and let such horrors happen.

Trump Accuses Comey of Assassination Threat Over Instagram Post Featuring “8647”

President Donald Trump has accused former FBI Director James Comey of inciting his assassination through a cryptic Instagram post showing seashells arranged as “8647.” Trump and his supporters interpreted the number as a coded call to “86” (slang for eliminate) the 47th president—Trump himself. Comey deleted the post following the backlash, stating it was a “cool shell formation” with no political intent, and claimed he was unaware of any violent connotation. However, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and others have dismissed his explanation, citing the use of “8647” in anti-Trump rhetoric. The Secret Service has launched an investigation into the matter.

GLOBAL

BREAKING: The Trump administration is reportedly working on a plan to permanently relocate up to 1 million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya, according to five sources cited by NBC News.

This would mark one of the most controversial population transfers in recent history, raising serious legal, ethical, and geopolitical questions.

U.S. to Begin Troop Reduction Talks With Europe

The United States will begin discussions with European allies later this year to reduce U.S. troop presence in Europe, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on Friday. When asked about reports that the Trump administration is considering a significant withdrawal, Whitaker responded that “nothing has been determined.”

Trump Says Iran Has U.S. Proposal, Tehran Denies It

President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran had received a U.S. proposal regarding its nuclear program and knows it must act quickly to resolve the long-running dispute. However, Iranian officials denied receiving any formal proposal from Washington.

Canada–Mexico Relations

🇨🇦 Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with 🇲🇽 President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday. Both leaders directed senior officials to immediately explore ways to deepen bilateral cooperation and agreed to remain in close contact going forward.

First Mexican National Indicted for Supporting Terrorist-Linked Cartel

A 39-year-old woman became the first Mexican national indicted in the United States on charges of providing material support to a cartel designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed the indictment on Friday, citing filings from a federal court in Texas.

Senators Renew Russia Sanctions Push Amid Stalled Ceasefire Talks

U.S. senators renewed their push on Friday for Congress to pass additional sanctions against Russia following slow progress in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine. Despite bipartisan calls, no votes have yet been scheduled on the sanction bills introduced six weeks ago.

India’s Post-Attack Diplomacy

India’s foreign minister held a call with the acting foreign minister of Afghanistan—the first minister-level contact since the Taliban takeover in 2021. India thanked Afghanistan for condemning the April 22 attacks in Kashmir, which New Delhi blames on Pakistan. Separately, India revoked the security clearance of a Turkish logistics firm after Ankara issued a statement sympathetic to Pakistan. A top Pakistani official said the current truce between India and Pakistan will extend through Sunday.

Asia Trade Meeting

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group expects exports in the region to grow only 0.4 percent this year, a sharp decline from 5.7 percent last year, amid rising trade tensions. The forecast was released at a meeting in South Korea that began yesterday. On the sidelines, the U.S. trade representative held separate talks with Chinese and South Korean officials.

UK Seeks Expulsion Agreements

The United Kingdom is pursuing agreements with third countries to accept failed asylum seekers, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said during a visit to Albania. Starmer did not name the countries under consideration, but Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed his country is not among them. Albania is currently negotiating a similar agreement with Italy.

Hungary’s Foreign Funding Bill

Media organizations and civil society groups issued an open letter yesterday opposing a Hungarian bill that would track—and potentially restrict—groups receiving foreign funding. The signatories called the bill “an authoritarian attempt to cling to power,” while Hungary’s government said the measure was necessary for “cleaning house.” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces a growing challenge from a new opposition party ahead of the 2026 elections.

Israel Intensifies Gaza Strikes

At least ninety-three people were killed today in Israeli strikes on Gaza, according to the Associated Press. President Donald Trump told reporters his administration is engaged in talks over Gaza, but said he is uncertain whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will agree to a hostage deal.

Unrest in Libya

A ceasefire announced Wednesday in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, appeared to be mostly holding yesterday after the city experienced some of its worst fighting in years. Clashes between forces loyal to and opposed to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah left at least six people dead. While previous unrest often stemmed from a split between eastern and western factions, tensions had cooled following last year’s resource-sharing agreements over oil and banking.

MOMENT OF THE WEEK

First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska: “After the situation in the Oval Office, I called him [Zelenskyy] and asked: "How are you?", he replied: "Everything is fine. We are working. That's it, goodbye." Of course, it was a difficult emotional challenge for him. But everything is fine. He is resilient.”

COMING UP

Saturday: The Arab League holds a summit in Baghdad.

Sunday: Elections across Europe:

Poland holds a first-round presidential election.

Romania holds a presidential runoff.
Portugal holds a snap general election.

Vatican: U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Senator Marco Rubio attend Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass.

President Trump returns to the White House tonight.

MORE DEEP-DIVES

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

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