Brief'd

The Trump-Xi summit wrapped with Xi issuing his sharpest warning yet on Taiwan while the joint statement avoided the issue entirely. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed by Iran's blockade despite both leaders calling for it to reopen, leaving thousands of mariners stranded. A federal judge blocked DOJ subpoenas for medical records and accused attorneys of deception, part of a widening...

Trump and Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People as Xi warned that Taiwan could create a dangerous situation if mishandled, while the leaders agreed the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and discussed U.S. energy sales to China. Kevin Warsh was confirmed as the next Federal Reserve chair in the most partisan vote in history, taking office tomorrow with plans to shrink the Fed's balance she...

President Trump arrived in China today for his first summit with Xi Jinping in nearly a decade, with three towering issues on the table: Iran leverage, trade truce extension, and Taiwan arms sales. Back home, the FDA lost its commissioner after clashing over e-cigarette approvals, inflation surged to nearly 4 percent as energy costs spike, and the White House is now considering its own AI safety r...

President Trump arrives in China for the most consequential U.S.-China summit in nearly a decade, with 16 CEOs in tow and a new trade framework on the table. But his rejection of Iran's peace proposal is already pushing energy costs higher, with April inflation expected to approach 4 percent. The Federal Reserve held rates steady in its most divided vote since 1992, signaling no relief for years t...

A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the Iran war began, but Trump rejected Tehran's ceasefire counter-proposal as unacceptable. In Hungary, voters delivered a landslide defeat to Viktor Orbán, with Péter Magyar's party winning 141 of 199 parliamentary seats. Plus Kevin Warsh heads toward Senate confirmation as Federal Reserve chair wit...

Gunfire erupted in the Strait of Hormuz as three U.S. Navy destroyers came under attack, testing a fragile ceasefire while diplomats negotiate over how long Iran's uranium enrichment must pause. The April jobs report came in nearly double expectations with warehousing surging ahead of tariff deadlines. Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine's three-day ceasefire is underway with a prisoner exchange, and Ga...

Iran attacked three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz with missiles and drones; the U.S. struck back as nuclear talks stall over enrichment timelines. President Trump brokered a three-day Ukraine ceasefire that's already seeing violations on both sides. A landmark decade-long study found a common knee surgery may actually harm patients, and the UAE's surprise exit from OPEC signals a maj...

Iran dismissed a U.S. peace proposal as an American wish-list while President Trump threatened military strikes, sending oil markets whipsawing. Jerome Powell held rates steady in the Fed's most divided vote in over 30 years and announced he'll stay on the board after stepping down as chair—a deliberate block on Trump's appointees. Plus court rulings against Trump's tariff authority, AI safety reg...

The U.S. and Iran are negotiating a memorandum to formally end hostilities and begin nuclear talks, with stock markets surging and oil prices falling on the news. Russia threatened massive missile strikes on Kyiv ahead of Victory Day while Ukraine struck deep into Moscow. Plus the fallout from a Supreme Court voting rights ruling is reshaping congressional maps across the South, and a large study...

The U.S. military operation escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz lasted barely a day before President Trump announced a pause, though over 1,500 commercial vessels remain stranded and shots continue to be exchanged with Iranian forces. A legal battle in Colorado over AI regulation has drawn the first-ever federal intervention to challenge a state AI law, signaling how Washington may preemp...

Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at UAE targets including a major oil facility, marking the first strike since the ceasefire began and pushing the region closer to open conflict. Oil prices surged and Treasury yields hit their highest level since July, with major banks now betting the Fed could raise rates instead of cutting them. Plus: Trump pushes sweeping election changes as courts b...

The U.S. military is launching "Project Freedom" to open shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran's military says it will fire on any American forces that enter those waters. The Federal Reserve reported four dissents—the most in decades—with officials warning of stagflation as energy costs surge from the escalating Middle East crisis. Plus GameStop's audacious $56 billion unsolicited...

Iran's 14-point peace proposal was rejected by Trump, with no agreement on whether to address nuclear issues or sanctions first—and oil prices and food costs keep rising across Asia. The Pentagon announced 5,000 troops leaving Germany, but Trump signaled cuts will go much deeper, scrapping a missile deployment agreement and alarming Congress. Plus: the Supreme Court's voting rights ruling triggers...

The Trump administration authorized secondary sanctions targeting foreign banks and companies doing business with Cuba, marking the most aggressive economic isolation in decades as the island faces rolling blackouts. The Federal Reserve held rates steady but split 8-4, its widest dissent in 30 years, and shifted language on inflation. The EU approved a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine after Hungar...

Gasoline prices jumped to nearly $4.40 a gallon as the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded, marking the largest oil supply disruption in history. The economy grew 2 percent in Q1 but the gains mask a split picture: AI investment surged while consumers faced rising inflation. Meanwhile, China's DeepSeek released a massive AI model optimized for homegrown chips, signaling a push toward independence f...

President Trump doubled down on a naval blockade of Iran, rejecting a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and demanding permanent nuclear restrictions first. Oil prices surged to four-year highs as ship traffic collapsed, pushing California gas above $5.90 a gallon. The Senate Banking Committee voted along strict party lines to advance Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair—the first fully parti...

Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft report earnings this evening with investors focused on whether their $600 billion AI spending bet is paying off. Inflation hit 3.3 percent in March driven by surging oil costs, freezing the Fed in place as the Iran conflict ripples through markets. The UAE is leaving OPEC after nearly 60 years, reshaping the oil cartel's power just as global energy disruption...

Diplomatic efforts to end the Strait of Hormuz blockade have broken down after Trump pulled envoys from talks, leaving about 2,000 ships stranded and oil prices soaring. The Federal Reserve held rates steady for a third straight meeting, boxed in by inflation driven partly by the energy crisis. Plus: former FBI Director James Comey faces federal charges over an Instagram post showing seashells arr...

Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft report quarterly results tonight, revealing whether their record $600 billion AI infrastructure spending is actually driving revenue growth. The Senate advanced Kevin Warsh's nomination for Fed chair as the Fed held rates steady with inflation climbing from the Iran conflict. Plus Iran's currency crashes to record lows, King Charles makes a pointed case for NA...

The United Arab Emirates is leaving OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1, removing a major oil producer from the cartel as the Hormuz strait remains choked and oil prices surge past $113 a barrel. The Justice Department authorized seeking death sentences against 44 defendants and approved firing squad as a federal execution method for the first time. Plus: James Comey faces a second indictment over a se...

The U.S.–Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz is deepening with talks stalled and a dual blockade cutting commercial shipping by over 90 percent, sending Brent crude to $111 a barrel. The Justice Department formally reclassified medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a historic first that allows tax deductions for cannabis businesses but leaves recreational use untouched. Mali exper...

Secretary of State Rubio rejected Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a power grab. Brent crude surged past $111 a barrel as commercial traffic collapsed. The EU formally approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine after Hungary's election removed its veto, with two-thirds earmarked for defense and repayment contingent on Russian war reparations.

Iran proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war while deferring nuclear talks, but the Trump administration rejected the deal, saying it won't separate the two issues. Oil prices are climbing toward $108 a barrel as shipping traffic remains blocked. Also: new details on the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting suspect's manifesto, a federal court ruling that weakens DACA pro...

A gunman armed with a shotgun and knives charged a Secret Service checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner last night but was stopped immediately with no civilian injuries. Ukraine conducted its deepest drone strike into Russia's interior, hitting industrial targets 1,800 kilometers from the border. Plus the Justice Department intervened to block Colorado's AI regulation law, and...

Iran requested a second round of direct talks with the U.S., sending both sides back to Pakistan after negotiations collapsed earlier this week. A federal appeals court ruled President Trump exceeded his authority trying to strip asylum protections at the border. Plus the Justice Department has shed over 4,000 law enforcement employees since 2024, with prosecutions dropping to historic lows.