Bannon’s WarRoom
@Bannons_WarRoom
CAROLINE WREN: In the last 72 hours, Senate Republicans told Trump: no Save America Act, no nuking the filibuster, no funding the ballroom, no weaponization fund, and no firing the parliamentarian.
They've already been obstructing his agenda so the president just said, “Screw you guys,” and endorsed Paxton.
@CarolineWren
https://x.com/Bannons_WarRoom/status/2057103983873827327?s=20
==Nesbitt calls on DOJ to investigate Whitmer following nonprofit fraud scandal
Trevor King==
Mon, May 18, 2026 at 12:58 PM
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice, calling on it to open an investigation into Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her administration after a Detroit-area business leader allegedly used a $20 million state grant for her own expenses.
In early May, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced 16 felony charges against Fay Beydoun, including a 20-year felony for conducting a criminal enterprise.She has also been charged with seven counts of uttering and publishing, a 14-year felony; one count of forgery, a 14-year felony; one count of larceny by conversion, more than $20,000, a 10-year felony; and six counts of larceny by conversion, $1,000 to $20,000, a 5-year felony.
Beydoun received a $20 million Michigan enhancement grant from the state Legislature for the nonprofit Global Link International, which aimed to bring Middle Eastern start-ups to Michigan.
Investigators say that instead of using the $20 million to bring startup businesses to the state, Beydoun used it for personal expenses and for her $550,000 annual salary.
The funds, appropriated by the state Legislature in 2022, were administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.A few years prior, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had appointed Beydoun to the MEDC’s Executive Committee. Whitmer had also appointed Beydoun to the Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs and served as the executive director of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce.
Michigan businesswoman charged with 16 felonies, accused of misusing $20M in state funds
In the letter sent to the DOJ,Nesbitt says that “Michigan faces a unique crisis of oversight” due to Nessel and Whitmer’s “well-documented personal friendship and political alliance.”
“This relationship creates an inherent conflict of interest that calls into question whether the Michigan attorney general can impartially investigate the governor,” the letter reads.
Nesbitt claims that Beydoun donated over $16,000 to Whitmer and “hosted high
dollar fundraisers” at the same time the grant funding was being negotiated.
He also says that Internal “WhatsApp messages” from February of 2021 show Beydoun claiming she spoke with Whitmer to secure funding as a “budget line item.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/nesbitt-calls-doj-investigate-whitmer-165822088.html
Collin Rugg
@CollinRugg
NEW: Man with a life sentence who was granted clemency by Trump in 2021, has turned his life around and is graduating from SMU.
Chris Young is graduating with degrees in economics and public policy.
Young spent a decade in prison after being arrested for the third time for drugs.
He was handed two life sentences with no possibility of parole under the "three strikes and you’re out" sentencing law.
Just five years after being granted clemency by President Trump, Young is set to graduate college.
https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/2057116937147019565?s=20
U.S. crude oil falls below $100 per barrel after Trump says Iran talks in final stages
PUBLISHED WED, MAY 20 2026
KEY POINTS
• President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that the administration is in the “final stages” of negotiations with Iran, according to a pool report.
• Trump has repeatedly made optimistic statements about reaching a deal with Iran and a quick end to the war, only for tensions to escalate again.
U.S. crude oil prices fell below $100 per barrel on Wednesday after President Donald Trump said talks with Iran are in the final stages.
West Texas Intermediate
futures fellmore than 6% to $97.74 per barrelby 12:58 p.m. ET. International benchmark Brent futures also lost nearly 6% to $104.62 per barrel.
Trump said earlier this week that he called off renewed military strikes against Iran to give more time for diplomacy at the request of Gulf Arab allies. He told reporters Wednesday that the administration is in the “final stages” of negotiations with Iran, according to a pool report.
Trump has repeatedly made optimistic statements about reaching a deal with Iran and a quick end to the war, only for tensions to escalate again between Washington and Tehran.
Iran and the U.S. have been in a stalemate for weeks now as Tehran blockades the Strait of Hormuz and Washington blockades Iranian ports. Hormuz is one of the world’s most important trade routes for oil and gas supplies.
Citibank warned Tuesday that the market is underpricing the risk of a long disruption to oil supplies in Hormuz. It expects Brent to trade up to $120 per barrel in the near term.
“It appears increasingly likely, in our view, that the Iranian regime will disrupt SoH flows for some time,” Citi analysts told clients.
Oil prices could approach $200 per barrel in a worst-case scenario where Hormuz remains closed through the end of the year, according to an analysis published by Wood Mackenzie on Wednesday.
However, prices would sharply fall if the U.S. and Iran reach a quick peace deal that opens Hormuz by June, according to Wood Mackenzie. Spot Brent prices would ease to around $80 per barrel by the end of 2026 in this scenario, the consulting firm said.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/20/oil-price-today-iran-war-strait-hormuz-trump.html
The UAE and others are telling Iran take the opportunity Trump is given you!
Nancy Vu
@Vu_Reports
Since losing his primary three days ago:
==- Cassidy stated he'd vote against the $1B ballroom project
-defended his vote to convict Trump back in 2021 -signaled he'd look to hold RFK Jr. "accountable"==
==-called Paxton a "felon" after Trump endorsed him
and has now voted in support of Dems' war powers resolution on Iran==
The senator is entering his "Cassidy Unchained" era
Quote
Anthony Adragna
@AnthonyAdragna
·
21h
🔥🚨@BillCassidy votes AYE in war powers
Cassidy has NO idea what is heading his way! Arrogant little turd
5:43 PM · May 19, 2026
·
638.7K
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New Iran peace proposal triggers tense Trump-Netanyahu call
President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a new effort to reach a deal with Iran in a difficult call on Tuesday, three sources said,with one source saying Netanyahu's "hair was on fire" after the call.
Why it matters: A revised peace memo was drafted by Qatar and Pakistan with input from the other regional mediators to try to bridge the gaps between the U.S. and Iran, the sources said. It comes with Trump vacillating over ordering a massive strike on Iran and holding out for a deal.
Netanyahu is highly skeptical about the negotiations and wants to resume the war to further degrade Iran's military capabilities and weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure.
Trump continues to say he thinks a deal can be reached, but that he's ready to resume the war if it isn't.
"The only question is do we go and finish it up or are they gonna be signing a document. Let's see what happens," he said on Wednesday at the Coast Guard Academy.
Trump also said Netanyahu "will do whatever I want him to do" on Iran, though he also said they had a good relationship.The two leaders have had temporary disagreements on Iran before but have remained closely coordinated throughout the war.
Iran has confirmed it's reviewing an updated proposal, but has not yet shown any signs of flexibility.
Zoom in:==Pakistan, Qatar and the other mediators — Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt — have been working over the last several days to refine the proposal to bridge the gaps, the three sources say.
According to two Arab officials and an Israeli source, Qatar recently presented the U.S. and Iran with a new draft. A fourth source said there is no separate Qatari draft, but that Qatar is just trying to bridge the gaps from the previous Pakistani proposal.==
One Arab officialsaid the Qataris sent a delegation to Tehran earlier this week for talks with the Iraniansabout the latest draft.
•=Iran's foreign ministry said Wednesday that negotiations were ongoing "based on Iran's 14-point proposal==," and that Pakistan's interior minister was in Tehran to help the mediation. That's the second visit by the interior minister in less than a week.
The goal of the new effort is to get more tangible commitments from the Iranians over steps regarding their nuclear program, and more specifics from the U.S.as to how frozen Iranian funds will be gradually released, an Arab official said.
All three sources stressed it's unclear whether the Iranians will agreeto the new draft or to shift their positions significantly.
"As stated previously, Qatar has been and continues to support the Pakistan led mediation efforts, we have beenconsistently advocating for de-escalation for the sake of the region and its people," a Qatari diplomat said.
Behind the scenes: On Tuesday evening,Trump held a lengthy and "difficult" call with Netanyahu.
Trump told Netanyahu that the mediators were working on a "letter of intent" that both the U.S. and Iran would sign to formally end the war and launch a 30-day period of negotiations on issues like Iran's nuclear program and opening of the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. source briefed on the call said.
Two Israeli sources said the two leaders were in disagreement about the way forward, while the U.S. source briefed on the call said "Bibi's hair was on fire after the call."
The source said Israel's ambassador to Washington hadinformed U.S. lawmakers that Netanyahu was concerned about the call. An embassy spokesperson denied that characterization and said "the ambassador does not comment on private conversations."
Two sources noted that Netanyahu has been highly worried at previous stages of the negotiations, even as deals failed to materialize. "Bibi is always concerned," one source said.
What they're saying: Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said that in order for talks to succeed, the U.S would have to end its "piracy" against Iranian ships and agree to release frozen funds, while Israel would have to end its war in Lebanon.
The White House and Israeli prime minister's office both declined to comment for this story.
What to watch:An Israeli source said Netanyahu wants to come to Washington in the coming weeks for a meeting with Trump.(Trump don’t let Bibi come, he started this war and all wars. I told you Bibi wants unending war with everyone. Bibi is pissed that Israel wasn’t mentioned in the Iran war in the news)
https://archive.ph/CHQ6i
Fox News
@FoxNews
Rep. Ilhan Omar stays silent when pressed about her alleged ties to Minnesota’s massive fraud scandal.
Fox News Digital repeatedly asked Omar about individuals connected to the “Feeding Our Future” case andwhether she had concerns about fraud tied to pandemic-era programs in her state.
She refused to answer and walked away without responding.
The scandal — described by federal prosecutors as one of the largest COVID fraud schemes in the country — allegedly involved hundreds of millions in taxpayer money meant to feed children.
In a statement Rep. Omar wrote, “Any claim that I had knowledge of this scheme is flat-out false. The MEALS Act was signed into law by President Trump and passed with bipartisan support as part of a broader legislative package.”
(Any normal accountant could point out the fraud without even looking. Government investigatorsalready know her lies and thefts. They are just stringing her along in fear)
https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2057124901798936972?s=20
Secretary Marco Rubio Delivers a Message to the People of Cuba
May 20, 2026 | Sundance |
Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivers a message to the Cuban People on their Independence Day. The remarks from Secretary Rubio are broadcast simultaneously with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announcing in Miami, Florida, an ¹indictment against former Cuban President Raúl Castro.
Secretary Rubio outlined how thehardships of the Cuban people are driven by the corrupt actions of their governmentand went into detail about the systems of control currently in place to keep the Cuban people under extreme control systems of communism.
…”In the U.S. we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our people and our countries. And currently, the only thing standing in the way of a better future,are those who control your country.” ~ Secretary Marco Rubio
¹Four American men were killed in 1996 when their private airplanes were shot down by the Cuban military over international waters. The military was led by Raul Castro at the time who gave the order. Raul Castro, now 94, stepped down as president in 2018, but is considered by the U.S. to still be the effective leader of the country.
Secretary Rubio Message to the Cuban People on Their Independence Day
Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity.On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President's foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
5:14
https://youtu.be/JFFS7os5CCs
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/05/20/secretary-marco-rubio-delivers-a-message-to-the-people-of-cuba/
(I know many believe Vance will be the next President but I think it should be Rubio.)
Have to say that was cool Marco speaking in Cuba, you’d never know he speaks perfect English too! American Pro Cuba People have a way out if the government can be totally defeated! Excellente Rubio
Interesting comments I found on a comment board
May 20, 2026 2:45 pm
CLEAN SWEEP ☙ Wednesday, May 20, 2026 ☙ C&C NEWS 🦠
Primary voters purge Massie, Raffensperger, and McConnell’s protégé in a once-in-40-years GOP earthquake — while the DOJ sweeps from Skid Row to Mexico to Madrid to Havana. Something’s happening.
Jeff Childers
May 20, 2026
“…So what do we make of all these indictments, fines, cases, and arrests?All coming so fast, too.
Now ask yourself— what if, rather than a bunch of unrelated DHS and DOJ cases,this is all a single operation?What if snatching Maduro was only the beginning of a vast law enforcement operation sweeping up corrupt communists all over the Western Hemisphere, from Central and South America to southern Europe?A sweep that reaches the top levels of foreign governments and power structures, from Sinaloan governors to former Spanish presidents to Cuban strongmen to Colombian billionaires?
As usual, and perfectly appropriately, we don’t yet know what is going on.But it is perfectly obvious now that something is happening, and whatever it is, it’s bigIt covers countries and continents. It spans throne rooms and boardrooms. It is making a whole lot of leftists feel more anxious than a blind cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
Media, of course, connects none of the dots, leaving us grasping for clues about the breathtaking scale and ambition of Trump’s plan to remake the new American hemisphere…”
Trump doesn’t sleep because he’s flooded with great ideas and pieces them altogether in one strategy!
AAG Todd Blanche Announces Indictment Against Raul Casto and Five Cuban Officials for 1996 Murders(exceptional Americans Never Forget!)
May 20, 2026 | Sundance1/2
This afternoon, federal and state officials from Florida unsealed an indictment against Raul Castro which was returned in federal court in Miami on April 23,and charges him with one count of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of destruction of aircraft. Five other people are also named as defendants in the case.
U.S. AttorneyTodd Blanche made the announcement in Florida to a packed audience of Cuban-Americans. Reuters:“The charges stemmed from a 1996 incident in which Cuban jets shot down planes operated by a group of Cuban exiles,U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at an event in downtown Miamion Wednesday to honor victims of the incident. “My message today is clear: The United States and PresidentTrump does not and will not forget its citizens,” Blanche said to applause in a packed auditorium of government officials and Cuban Americans in Miami.”
For those not familiar with the sensitivity of the issues in the South Florida area, it is difficult to imagine the impact of this announcement. There are hundreds of thousands of first- and second-generation Cubans who fled the brutality of the communist regime when Fidel Castro took power. This is a very close and personal issue for the Cuban people within Miami-Dade.
Everyone in/around Miami knows an immediate family member or close family friend who was victimized by the Castro regime. As noted by The Hill:
[…] In indicting Castro, the U.S. is laying a similar groundwork that led to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was also indicted in a U.S. court before armed forces seized him from his compound.
It’s unclear what action may await Castro and Cuba, but CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with officials on the island last week to convey that the window for negotiations will not be open indefinitely. (source)
Dept of Justice – The U.S. Department of Justice today announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, 94, of Holguin, Cuba; along with Lorenzo Alberto Perez‑Perez of Las Tunas, Cuba; Emilio José Palacio Blanco; José Fidel Gual Barzaga; Raul Simanca Cardenas; and Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez, for their alleged roles in the Feb. 24, 1996 shoot‑down of two unarmed U.S. civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR), also known as Hermanos al Rescate, over international waters.
“Over three decades later, we are committed to holding those accountable for the murders of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “For the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens. President Trump and this Justice Department are committed to restoring a simple principle: if you kill Americans, we will pursue you. No matter who you are. No matter what title you hold.”
“Today’s superseding indictment of Raul Castro and five Castro regime co-defendants is a major step toward accountability in the 1996 murders of four Brothers to the Rescue members– including three U.S citizens – Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandro Jr, Mario de la Pena, and Pablo Morales,” saidFBI Director Kash Patel. “For 30 years these families have waited for answers – and this FBI never forgot. We will continue working with our Justice Department partners to bring to justice those who attacked our civilians.”
“For 30 years, the families of these men have waited. The Miami community has waited. Our country has waited. Today is a step toward accountability,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This passage of time does not erase murder. It does not diminish the value of these lives. And it does not weaken our commitment to the rule of law.”
BTTR was an organization based in Miami that conducted humanitarian flight operations across the Florida Straits to search for Cuban migrants in distress. As alleged, beginning in the early 1990s,Cuban intelligence agents infiltrated the organization and relayed detailed information about its flight operations back to the Cuban government. These reports were allegedly used by military leadership in planning the Feb. 24, 1996 operation.
The superseding indictment charges conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder.” (MORE)
BREAKING: DOJ details charges against Cuba's Raul Castro
41:17
https://youtu.be/82w89MQRyiw
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/05/20/aag-todd-blanche-announces-indictment-against-raul-casto-and-five-cuban-officials-for-1996-murders/