This is the Tangle Sunday Edition, a brief roundup of our independent politics coverage plus some extra features for your Sunday morning reading.
What the left is doodling.
Mike Luckovich | Creators Syndicate
What the right is doodling.
Steve Kelley | Creators Syndicate
Suspension of the Rules.
Aliens, antisemitism, GOP infighting, and some scorn for nature: This week, Isaac, Ari, and Kmele chopped it up about the latest primary results, the UAP disclosures (proof of aliens), a scary Democrat in Texas, and Trump’s new anti-weaponization fund — plus, wild deer, noisy birds, and aggressive turkeys. This one’s got something for everyone to love (or hate).
The Trump–Xi summit. On Friday, May 15, President Donald Trump departed China after a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which the leaders discussed trade deals, diplomatic relations, the Iran war, and other issues. Trump and Xi each spoke favorably about the other and emphasized their interest in a mutually beneficial relationship between the countries, though the two sides did not mutually announce any major commitments. Trump’s state trip to China was the first U.S. presidential visit to the country since Trump’s 2017 visit during his first term.
Our take: “Taiwan, mutual espionage, trade, and even China’s domestic practices are all fraught elements of the U.S.–China relationship. With the war in Iran, Trump doesn’t have a lot of leverage to change the relationship’s dynamic. Considering that, it’s not too surprising that nothing really happened at the summit.”
Reader Survey:
Tuesday, May 19.
The Department of Justice’s anti-weaponization fund. On Monday, May 18, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that, as part of the settlement agreement in President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service, it would create a new fund that could “issue formal apologies and monetary relief” to individuals and entities who claim to have suffered from lawfare and DOJ weaponization. The anti-weaponization fund will receive $1.776 billion from the federal government’s judgment fund used to settle and pay other cases. Five people, appointed by the Attorney General, will oversee the new fund; one of the five must be chosen in consultation with congressional leadership.
Our take: “This fund is another overt example of corrupt self-dealing by the Trump White House. Yes, Democrats have been using settlement payouts to advance their agenda for years, but this is different in several key ways. All of this could be legal, but Congress should step in and stop it.”
Reader Survey:
Wednesday, May 20.
The 2026 midterm primary races. The midterm primaries officially began on March 3, and on Tuesday, May 19, primaries were held in states across the country.
In Kentucky, Trump-backed candidate and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein decisively defeated incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie in the primary for the state’s 4th congressional district by 9.8 percentage points.
In Georgia, Rep. Mike Collins finished first in the Republican Senate primary but did not secure 50% of the vote. Collins will now advance to a runoff with former football coach Derek Dooley. Elsewhere in Georgia, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and healthcare executive Rick Jackson are also headed to a runoff in the Republican gubernatorial primary.
In Alabama, Rep. Barry Moore (R) — who was endorsed by Trump — placed first in a crowded primary race for Senate, which is now headed to a runoff with Moore and former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson.
In Texas, President Trump officially endorsed state Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican Senate primary against Sen. John Cornyn ahead of their runoff on May 26.
Our take: “This was another cycle putting to bed questions of whether Trump has lost control of the party. I’m curious to see what the outgoing Republicans will do now. For Democrats, I wonder who will emerge as the presidential candidate to wrangle their broadening coalition.”
Reader Survey:
Thursday, May 21.
The latest on the Russia–Ukraine war. On May 8, President Donald Trump announced Russia and Ukraine agreed to a three-day ceasefire. Both sides accused the other of violating the truce, and heightened strikes resumed when it ended on May 11. Over the weekend of May 15, Ukraine conducted an overnight drone attack on Russia, including strikes in Moscow, killing at least four and injuring 12, according to local officials. The Ukrainian military launched over 1,300 drones in the attack, which Russian state media called the worst in a year. The offensive followed last week’s large-scale Russian bombardment that killed at least 24 Ukrainians and injured dozens more.
Our take: “The war in Ukraine has been deadlier than most people can comprehend, and it won’t end any time soon. Ukraine has been forced to adapt its tactics in order to survive. Their adaptation towards small and AI-assisted drone warfare is simply stunning, and I shudder to think of its effect on future conflicts.”
Reader Survey:
Friday, May 22.
Executive Editor Isaac Saul has been open about his criticisms of the second Trump administration — but that doesn’t mean the president hasn’t had some accomplishments. In this week’s Friday piece, Isaac explores the things President Trump has gotten right. You can read the piece here.
What just happened.
Here’s a rundown of the major stories that have broken since our newsletter on Thursday.
On Thursday, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) released an incomplete report on the 2024 election, which explores the party’s mistakes in the presidential and down-ballot races. DNC Chairman Ken Martin had previously opposed releasing the report, calling it a distraction ahead of the midterms, but said withholding it created an even larger distraction. (The release)
On Thursday, the Commission of Fine Arts approved President Donald Trump’s plan for a 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., clearing a preliminary hurdle in the project. The Federal Aviation Administration is still reviewing the plan, and the National Capital Planning Commission will next take up its own review. (The approval)
On Thursday, President Trump announced that the Environmental Protection Agency will roll back two regulations imposed under the Biden administration that aimed to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons in refrigeration and cooling, which are potent greenhouse gases. Trump said the deregulatory move will lower costs, but some industry groups contested his claim. (The announcement)
On Thursday, Republican leadership delayed until June planned votes in the House and Senate on a war powers resolution that would limit President Trump’s ability to continue military action in Iran. The Congressional GOP leaders reportedly lacked confidence that they had sufficient votes to defeat the measure, particularly after four Republican senators voted to advance it to a final vote earlier this week. (The delay)
On Thursday, a judge sentenced Aimee Bock to 41.5 years in prison for her role in a scheme to steal approximately $240 million from a pandemic-era federal meals program for children. The case drew national attention and scrutiny of Minnesota’s handling of fraud cases. (The sentence)
On Friday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard resigned, saying that she would step away from public service to support her husband, who was recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Her last day will be June 30. (The resignation)
On Friday, Kevin Warsh was sworn in as the new chair of the Federal Reserve. (The swearing in)
On Saturday, President Trump said that the framework of a deal to end the war in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is close to agreement, writing on Truth Social, “An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Details of the potential deal have not been released. (The announcement)
On Saturday, the Secret Service cleared the White House’s North Lawn in response to apparent gunshots. Reporters outside the White House were told to evacuate to the White House Press Briefing Room. (The incident)
Reader essay.
Custom art by Veronica Post
Late last December, we published a post by guest writer A.M. Hickman about his experiences with homelessness. The post sparked a lot of discussion and reactions, including from Canadian comic artist Veronica Post, who was reminded of her own experiences with drifting. Today, Veronica shares her experience in a first of its kind post for Tangle: a custom digital graphic novel.
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