Key China-Iran infrastructure exposes critical hole in Trump’s war strategy
The U.S. is trying to choke off Iran’s economy at sea, but a growing China-linked rail corridor is giving Tehran a workaround that Washington cannot easily shut down without risking a wider conflict. As freight traffic between China and Iran increases along an overland route beyond the reach of American warships, the dynamic is exposing a core limitation in the U.S. strategy: maritime pressure is powerful, but it doesn’t fully extend across Eurasia. According to Bloomberg, cargo trains running from central China to Iran have jumped from roughly one per week before the blockade to one every three or four days, highlighting a growing alternative channel as Tehran looks to blunt maritime pressure. The corridor runs through multiple sovereign countries, including Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, making it far more complex to disrupt than shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf. CHINA-LINKED ROUTE EXPOSED AFTER US SEIZES IRAN-BOUND SHIP WITH SUSPECTED DUAL-USE CARGO Directly targeting that overland network would risk widening the conflict and escalating tensions with Beijing, which has spent years investing in trade routes designed to bypass maritime choke points dominated by the U.S. Navy. That combination of geography, diplomacy and escalation risk helps explain why Washington has focused overwhelmingly on maritime interdiction rather than attempting to shut down overland trade routes. Experts say the rail corridor remains limited in its ability to offset Iran’s main oil exports. “There’s no substitute for a very large crude carrier,” Isaac Kardon, a senior fellow focused on Chinese strategy and maritime security, told Fox News Digital. Kardon estimated that “maybe like 1% of the exports that Iran would typically be pushing out through Hormuz could go over land.” Max Meizlish, a former Treasury official focused on sanctions policy, similarly described the rail corridor as “a drop in the bucket compared to Iran’s traditional oil exports over maritime transit routes.” TRUMP WARNS CHINA OF ‘STAGGERING’ 50% TARIFF IF CAUGHT SUPPLYING MILITARY AID TO IRAN Still, analysts warn the route carries strategic risks beyond its limited scale. Meizlish said the rail network “provides a pathway for China to supply Iran with critical dual use goods or just military logistical infrastructure” beyond the reach of U.S. naval enforcement. Kardon pointed to similar concerns, including the potential movement of “parts for drones” and “missile precursor chemicals.” Even so, Kardon emphasized the corridor cannot sustain large-scale economic or military flows. “It’s a flow question,” he said. “Can you sustain the Iranian war-fighting effort solely with cargoes from China or from its other Eurasian neighbors? And I think the answer is really no.” Taken together, the rail corridor is not an economic lifeline for Iran, but it underscores a broader shift as China builds trade networks designed to blunt U.S. pressure at sea and test the limits of how far Washington is willing to go to enforce its strategy. The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump wraps widely-watched trip to China, departing on Air Force One after high-stakes Xi meeting
Air Force One lifted off after U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up his visit to China where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. The president spoke to the press aboard Air Force One, calling Xi “an incredible guy.” Trump said Xi “feels very strongly” on the Taiwan issue, but noted, “I made no commitment either way.” “But, you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles away,” Trump later opined. Trump indicated that Xi asked him whether he’d defend Taiwan. “I said, I don’t talk about that,” the U.S. president noted. TRUMP SAYS CHINA’S XI JINPING OFFERED TO HELP END IRAN CONFLICT Trump said that Xi “told me that would be a tough one,” regarding the possibility of releasing prisoner Jimmy Lai. “He said he’s gonna strongly consider the pastor,” Trump said, apparently referring to imprisoned Pastor Ezra Jin. During a state dinner in Beijing, Trump publicly invited Xi and his wife to visit the White House on September 24. Aboard Air Force One the next day, Trump said the visit could take place September 24 or September 26. This was Trump’s first trip to China during his current term. He had previously visited the foreign nation during his first administration. Here are some notable moments from his trip: China literally rolled out a red carpet for President Donald Trump’s arrival at the Beijing Capital International Airport. Chinese Vice Presdient President H.E. Han Zheng was among those who greeted Trump. Trump and Xi appeared together outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi and Trump met for a bilateral meeting at the Great Hall. Leaders from some of America’s biggest businesses joined part of the meeting according to a White House readout. TRUMP REVEALS XI’S STANCE ON ARMING IRAN AS HORMUZ TENSIONS RATTLE MARKETS Trump’s China visit came amid the ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran. “On Iran, it’s very interesting, he feels strongly they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said of Xi during the gaggle aboard Air Force One while flying back to the U.S. While speaking at a banquet, President Donald Trump invited Xi and his wife to visit him at the White House later this year. “And tonight it is my honor to extend an invitation to you and Madame Peng to visit us at the White House this September 24th, and we look forward to it,” he said. Trump added, “I’d now like to raise a glass and propose a toast to the rich and enduring ties between the American and Chinese people. It’s a very special relationship,” he said. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
GOP can’t agree on key part of Trump’s housing affordability push as infighting continues
President Donald Trump is leaning on Congress to tee up an affordability win ahead of November’s midterm elections, but entrenched GOP disagreement on a sweeping housing proposal threatens to derail it. Trump on Monday called on the House to swiftly approve Senate-passed legislation aimed at easing housing affordability that has languished in the lower chamber for several months. House Republicans, however, have balked at that request and are pitching a rival plan. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., teased earlier in the week that Republicans and Democrats would come together to bring a “bipartisan, bicameral bill to the president’s desk.” “I think everybody feels like it’s important, so we’re just working out some nuances,” Johnson said. TRUMP-BACKED AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERHAUL CLEARS SENATE, WHILE HOUSE GOP RAISES RED FLAGS Senior House lawmakers on Thursday unveiled a modified version of the Senate’s 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which is expected to receive a vote in the lower chamber as early as next week. Any changes to the Senate’s proposal would force the upper chamber to consider the measure again, prolonging the timeline lawmakers can send legislation to Trump’s desk. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., one of the chief architects of the Senate’s bill, declined to say whether she was speaking with her counterparts in the House about tweaks to the bill, and argued that lawmakers were running out of time to do something. “There’s a housing crisis out there,” Warren said. “This bill can pass today if the House would just put it on the floor and vote on it. We need to get started, and if the House has more ideas than they’d like to add, start another bill.” Some GOP lawmakers are not sweating the wait. “We cannot take the Senate bill to the floor,” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital in an interview earlier this week. The political dynamics are much different in the Senate, however. And the housing bill passed with fewer than a dozen defectors in March — a rare feat in such a hyper-partisan Congress. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., argued that the easiest route to putting the legislation on Trump’s desk is passing the Senate’s version. “It’s been sitting over there for a while and the president’s weighed in on it. I think, you know, the White House made it clear, they would like to see the House pick up and pass the Senate bill,” Thune said. “We’ve done what we can do. It’s in the court of the House now.” The House product struck out a controversial provision taking aim at the build-to-rent market that drew the opposition of conservatives, who argued the language amounted to excessive government interference in the housing market. The clause in the Senate’s proposal would have specifically required some developers to sell single-family homes built for the purpose of renting within seven years after construction. The build-to-rent industry and opponents of the provision argued their properties provide a more affordable option for some Americans priced out of the housing market and could imperil the supply of rentals across the country. “We’ve got to make sure we do it in a right way that continues to keep free markets,” Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, said, adding that the clause in the Senate bill could make it “impossible” for some people to access housing. FOREIGNERS ARE SNAPPING UP US HOMES AND STEALING THE AMERICAN DREAM OUT FROM UNDER FAMILIES The proposal, however, would also weaken a ban on large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes — a priority of the Trump administration. The House’s rival housing bill notably preserves a ban on central bank digital currencies (CBDC) through 2030 that was included in the Senate’s legislation. House conservatives raged at the Senate bill for stopping short of enacting a permanent CBDC ban — a top priority of GOP privacy hawks, who have sought to add the language to various legislative vehicles. “It has to be permanent,” Cloud said. “We’ve got to put the nail in the coffin on it.” House Financial Services Chairman French Hill, R-Ark., a co-author of the House’s rival housing package, said he shared Trump’s goal of expanding access to affordable homeownership in a statement Thursday. “It cuts unnecessary barriers to new home construction, modernizes HUD programs, and allows banks to more freely deploy funding into their communities,” Hill said regarding the lower chamber’s proposal. “We must get this right — and I am committed to working hard to do that.” Not everyone in the Senate is upset by the House’s decision to modify the bill. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., was one of the few lawmakers to vote against the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, and told Fox News Digital that housing affordability isn’t something that’s dictated by the federal government. “If you wanted to actually reduce housing costs, it’s local governments who are gonna have to allow more houses to be built,” Scott said. The legislative standoff comes as a recent Fox News poll found that nearly 80% of voters said housing costs were a problem for them or their family. The same survey also found that Democrats hold a lead over Republicans on inflation and the economy.
Israel, Jews targeted worldwide as well-funded leftist, Islamist groups join for ‘Nakba 78’ protests
A global network of anti-Israel activist groups is mobilizing coordinated “Nakba 78” protests across the United States and around the world today, with organizers using the anniversary of Israel’s founding to challenge the Jewish state’s right to exist. A Fox News Digital investigation found that about 425 organizations — including communist groups, Muslim advocacy organizations and anti-Israel activist coalitions attributed with blatant antisemitism — are working together in a coordinated transnational protest network with a combined funding footprint of about $1 billion in annual revenues. The groups have organized an estimated 736 events across 39 countries this weekend in locations including New York , Chicago, Los Angeles, London and Sydney, according to an analysis of protests listed at a website organizing actions against Israel. Organizers describe the demonstrations as marking the “Nakba,” an Arabic word for “catastrophe” used by Palestinians to describe the founding of Israel on May 14, 1948, the displacement of Palestinians and their historical grievance. The “Nakba 78” protests reflect a “sinful marriage between the radical left and radical Islamism, the groups that hate Western liberal democracies and desire to destroy them,” Dalia Ziada, a Middle East scholar and Washington, D.C.-based coordinator at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, told Fox News Digital. 500 GROUPS WITH $3B IN REVENUES ARE BEHIND THE #NOKINGS PROTESTS AND COMMUNIST CALL FOR ‘REVOLUTION’ Critics say that the coordinated organizing of the mass protests reveals a global antisemitic movement that presents itself as humanitarian while mainstreaming rhetoric that denies Jewish self-determination and the right of Israel to exist as a state. SHANGHAI SABOTAGE: INSIDE SINGHAM’S SECRET STRATEGY TO DEMONIZE AMERICA In New York City yesterday, the People’s Forum, a pro-communist activist hub and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, funded by a Marxist tech mogul, Neville Roy Singham, made signs at an “art build” for a protest today against the “ongoing Nakba.” Their Marxist comrades within the Party for Socialism and Liberation are fanning out across the country to rail against Israel’s existence. ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS CLASH WITH NYPD OFFICERS NEAR SYNAGOGUE Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., a member of the Senate Judiciary and Finance Committees, told Fox News Digital that she is very concerned about the Chinese Communist Party and its sympathizers using the U.S. nonprofit industry to create an infrastructure to pull people together to undermine the United States. “One of the things we know about the Singham group and about the Chinese Communist Party is they are going to look for a fellow bad actor… and they’re going to try to partner with them in causing chaos in our cities,” Blackburn said. CHINA’S AMERICAN MAO: INSIDE SINGHAM’S BLUEPRINT TO ‘WAGE WAR’ FOR A ‘NEW WORLD ORDER’ Blackburn added that such efforts are part of a broader strategy. “There is no limit to what the Chinese Communist Party will do to create chaos in the United States,”: she said. POWER COUPLE OF CHAOS: HOW A TYCOON AND ACTIVIST BUILT A ‘REVOLUTIONARY BASE’ AT THE HOUSE OF SINGHAM Over almost a decade, Singham has funneled $278 million into a network of nonprofits, including the People’s Forum, CodePink and BreakThrough BT Media, which have organized a steady wave of anti-Israel protests in the United States, particularly after the brutal Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of Israelis by Hamas militants, and they are now supporting this year’s “Nakba 78” protests. A Fox News Digital investigation identified the flow of Singham’s money into nonprofits promoting the propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party, and U.S. Treasury, Justice, State Department officials are investigating their funding structures and operations in the U.S. Lawmakers in the House Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means committees are also investigating the Singham network and the nonprofits it supports for possibly violating laws that require agents of foreign interests to register with the Justice Department, as well as other possible improprieties. ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS TERRORIZE AMERICANS: SEE 2024’S MOST EXTREME MOMENTS A Fox News Digital investigation of mobilization materials, social media posts, event graphics, coalition lists and public announcements found that the “Nakba 78” campaign isn’t about a ceasefire to conflicts or a two-state solution, but the dismantling of the state of Israel itself. The U.S. is the No. 1 hub for events with 187 events, followed by the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Canada, Spain, France, Ireland and Australia, all countries with organized Muslim and Palestinian diaspora communities. Organizers say they are standing against “genocide,” “apartheid’ and U.S. “imperialism.” MAY DAY PROTESTS ACROSS EUROPE AND ASIA TURN INTO ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-ISRAEL POLITICAL BATTLEGROUNDS In the San Francisco Bay Area, University of California, Berkeley lecturer Hatem Bazian is slated to speak at a three-day “Islam, Memory and the Nakba” conference in Burlingame, Oakland and Los Gatos. In Brooklyn, activists with the Palestinian Youth Movement, Al-Awda and Within Our Lifetime are continuing a “Nakba Week of Action” that included violent protests directed at Jews at Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue and Brooklyn’s Young Israel of Midwood earlier this week. In London, police are preparing for a major “Nakba 78” march amid warnings about hate speech and public disorder. In Sydney, activists are calling demonstrators to town hall for a protest declaring, “Stop the Genocide! Free Palestine!” FIRST ON FOX: POWERFUL HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS CHAIR THROWS HAMMER DOWN ON ‘FOREIGN-ALIGNED INFLUENCE NETWORK’ Fox News Digital used a large-language model to analyze scores of “Nakba 78” protest literature and found that 85% of the protest language repeatedly parrots the language of U.S. adversaries, framing the United States as a “fascist” and “imperialist” nation and Israel as a “genocidal settler state,” a “Zionist entity,” a “Zionist project” and part of a “grand settler-colonial design,” erasing any use of the country’s name. The other 15% frame the protests as “solidarity with Palestine.” The organizers’ materials call for “Unity, Liberation, Return,” an arms embargo and end to U.S. aid to Israel and the “right of return” for millions of Palestinian in the diaspora, in a demand Israel’s defenders argue would demographically end Israel as a Jewish state. The chants on social media
This Midwestern state leads the nation in home foreclosures as US filings jump by 26%
Home foreclosures in the U.S. are up 26% from last year as inflation rates and rising costs are catching up with homeowners. Indiana was hit hardest and logged one foreclosure filing for every 739 housing units in the first quarter of 2026, according to findings from property data firm ATTOM. This is nearly two-thirds higher than the nationwide rate of one in every 1,211 house facing foreclosure in that same period. The latest data released in April shows that red states are being hit the hardest by the sweeping affordability crisis — and with the 2026 midterm elections approaching, economic woes are at the top of mind for many voters and policymakers. WHITE HOUSE TEASES MAJOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PLAN AS PRICES SQUEEZE AMERICANS The top three states with the worst foreclosure rates at the start of 2026 all voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. South Carolina came in second behind Indiana with one in every 743 properties with foreclosure filings in the first quarter of the year, and Florida was in third with one in every 750 housing units facing the same fate. While foreclosure activity is on the rise across the U.S., it remains well below levels seen during the 2008 housing crisis. But that isn’t stopping Democrats from pouncing on the issue, and using affordability, inflation and rising housing costs as their candidates’ leading messaging ahead of the November elections. A total of 118,727 U.S. properties had a foreclosure filing in the first quarter of 2026, up 6% from the previous quarter and 26% from a year ago. Foreclosure filings came in for 45,921 properties for March alone, increasing 18% from February and 28% from March of last year. THE PRICE OF BUILDING A HOME KEEPS CLIMBING — AND UNCERTAINTY ISN’T HELPING Looking more closely at the data, more homes are entering the foreclosure process, a potential sign of future distress. A total of 82,631 properties started foreclosure processes in the first quarter of 2026, up 20% from the year prior, while lenders repossessed 14,020 properties, marking a 45% annual increase. Blue states like Delaware and Illinois are also facing high foreclosure rates — showcasing that the issue crosses party lines. Among major metro areas, cities like Cleveland, Ohio; Jacksonville, Florida; and Indianapolis, Indiana ranked among the highest for foreclosure rates. The revelation of spiking foreclosure rates comes as the U.S. grapples with a slew of housing challenges that have helped contribute to today’s crisis. Against that backdrop, experts say rising mortgage rates, higher living costs and other homeownership expenses are putting increasing pressure on some homeowners, pushing up monthly payments and making it harder to keep up with housing costs. THE TOP 3 REASONS HOUSING HAS BECOME SO UNAFFORDABLE IN THE US MARKET The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 6.37% for the week ending May 7, up from 5.98% in late February. Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, said that while foreclosure levels remain below those seen during the housing crisis, the recent uptick suggests more homeowners may be coming under financial strain. Taken together, the data points to a housing market that remains stable overall, even as affordability challenges persist for some homeowners.
Trump touts ‘fantastic trade deals’ in final Xi meeting amid tariff standoff
President Donald Trump held his final meeting with Chinese President Xi touting a big win on one of the central focuses orf the high-stakes summit after the two leaders held a bilateral tea at the Zhongnanhai compound. “This has been an incredible visit,” Trump said to reporters. “I think a lot of good has come of it, and we’ve made some fantastic trade deals. Great for both countries.” The announcement comes against the backdrop of a yearslong tariff standoff between the U.S. and China, with Trump arguing aggressive duties are needed to force fairer trade terms while Beijing has repeatedly pushed back. While it is unclear which deals were reached, it was shared that China agreed to order 200 Boeing jets. TRUMP MEETS US AMBASSADOR TO CHINA AS TENSIONS FLARE AHEAD OF XI SHOWDOWN U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer were present for the meeting. America’s top business leaders traveled with Trump to Beijing and met with Premier Li Qiang Thursday to discuss U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation. “China is willing to work with the United States to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strive for more positive outcomes, achieve mutual success and promote common prosperity, and better benefit the people of both countries and the world,” reads a press release about the meeting from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. TRUMP AND CHINA CLOSE IN ON TRADE DEAL AFTER PRODUCTIVE TALKS, BESSENT SAYS The ministry stressed that both countries should “meet each other halfway” and “safeguard bilateral economic and trade relations.” The White House and Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on the matter. During an interview Thursday with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump said China was interested in investing “hundreds of billions of dollars” alongside the American business leaders visiting Beijing. “Those business people are here to make deals and to bring back jobs,” Trump said. TRUMP PUSHES XI ON TRADE AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING DENTS KEY CHINA PRESSURE TOOL A major piece of Trump’s “America First” agenda has focused on leveling the global trade playing field by holding other countries accountable for trade deficits. One of his first moves after returning to office was rolling out the “Liberation Day” tariffs in April 2025, which were designed to serve as leverage in trade negotiations while also generating new revenue. Tariffs have been at the center of Trump’s China strategy since his first term, when he imposed duties on Chinese imports and Beijing retaliated with tariffs of its own. The fight has remained one of the defining pressure points in the relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Trump’s first visit in 2017 produced more than $250 billion in announced commercial deals and cooperation pledges, but it did not prevent trade relations from deteriorating in 2018. Most notably, Trump announced a $12 billion deal for cellphone chips from Qualcomm and $37 billion for Boeing commercial jets, AP reported at the time. Trump said that Xi and his wife will visit the U.S. in September.
Trump says Xi agreed US became a ‘declining nation’ during Biden years
President Donald Trump turned Chinese President Xi Jinping’s reported swipe at the West during the U.S. and China’s high-stakes meetings in Beijing into a political attack on former President Joe Biden Thursday. “When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that score, he was 100% correct,” Trump wrote on Truth Social ahead of the second day of talks between the U.S. and China. After the U.S. delegation was greeted with pomp and circumstance at an opening ceremony Wednesday night, Xi invoked the so-called “Thucydides Trap” during opening remarks, asking whether China and the United States could avoid the historical pattern of conflict between a rising power and an established one. TRUMP-XI’S CHINA SUMMIT IS A DEFINING TEST FOR AMERICA IN THE NEW COLD WAR The line echoed Beijing’s broader view of a shifting global balance of power, though it is unclear if Xi explicitly called the U.S. or the West a “declining nation.” “President Xi was not referring to the incredible rise that the United States has displayed to the world during the 16 spectacular months of the Trump Administration, which includes all-time high stock markets and 401K’s, military victory and thriving relationship in Venezuela, the military decimation of Iran (to be continued!),” Trump added in his post. “The United States is the hottest Nation anywhere in the world, and hopefully our relationship with China will be stronger and better than ever before!” Trump continued. BEHIND SUMMIT SMILES, XI GIVES BLUNT WARNING TO TRUMP OF ‘CLASHES’ AND ‘CONFLICTS’ Trump went on to say that the United States “suffered immeasurably” under Biden-era policies like open borders, increased taxes, DEI, “transgender for everybody,” and sanctuary city ordinances. He agreed that “two years ago” the nation was “in decline.” Fox News Digital reached out to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the White House for comment. A White House spokesperson referred Fox News Digital back to the president’s Truth Social post, but a Chinese Embassy spokesperson said in a statement that “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand.” However, the Chinese embassy spokesperson did not respond to inquiries asking for more context about Xi’s reported comments. Xi’s “Thucydides Trap” reference was not a direct statement that the United States or the West is declining, but it invoked a geopolitical theory about the danger of conflict when a rising power challenges an established one and came as the Chinese president raised the prospect of a future U.S.-China clash over Taiwan. The phrase has been used in U.S.–China policy circles to describe fears that China’s rise could put it on a collision course with Washington. “On a welcoming banquet for President Trump, President Xi pointed out that this year marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development. The over 1.4 billion people of China, drawing on the rich heritage of our over-5,000-year civilization, are advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development. This year is also the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. The over 300 million American people are reinvigorating the spirit of patriotism, innovation and enterprise, and ushering in a new journey for the development of the United States,” the spokesperson said in their statement to Fox News Digital. “The peoples of China and the United States are both great peoples. Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand. We can help each other succeed and advance the well-being of the whole world. President Xi and President Trump also agreed to build a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, and bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world.” Former President Biden’s personal history with Xi dates back to both their tenures as vice presidents. But as president, Biden’s relationship with Xi was one that involved an ongoing strategic rivalry, with the two leaders meeting in Bali in 2022 and California in 2023 as Washington and Beijing tried to stabilize ties amid disputes over Taiwan, a spy balloon caught over the United States, fentanyl and other disputes. Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s representatives for comment, but did not immediately hear back in time for publication. “We should be partners, not rivals,” Xi told Trump during opening remarks that followed the welcome ceremony in front of Great Hall of the People in Beijing. “We should help each other succeed and prosper together and find the right way for major countries to get along well with each other in the new era.”
US moving to indict former Cuban leader Raúl Castro: source
The United States is moving to indict Raúl Castro, the former Cuban president, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to Fox News Digital. The potential charges against Castro, 94, come after CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Thursday with counterparts from Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior during a high-level visit to the island nation. CBS News first reported on the potential charges. CUBA SAYS CIA CHIEF RATCLIFFE MET WITH OFFICIALS IN HAVANA AMID US TENSIONS Raúl Castro is the younger brother of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died in 2016. Castro is reportedly being indicted in connection with the downing of planes 30 years ago, U.S. officials familiar with the matter told CBS News. The indictment, which would require approval from a grand jury, would center on Cuba’s deadly 1996 shootdown of planes operated by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue, according to the report. During his meeting Thursday, Ratcliffe met with Cuban officials including Raulito Rodriguez Castro, Interior Minister Lazaro Alvarez Casas and the head of Cuban intelligence services in Havana to “personally deliver President Trump’s message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes.” TRUMP TEASES US WILL BE ‘TAKING OVER’ CUBA ‘ALMOST IMMEDIATELY’ IN FLORIDA SPEECH A CIA official told Fox News that Ratcliffe and Cuban officials discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and security issues, all against the backdrop that Cuba can no longer be a safe haven for adversaries in the Western Hemisphere. Ratcliffe also stressed that the Trump administration was offering a genuine opportunity for cooperation and that Trump should be taken seriously, sources said. Earlier this month, Trump joked during remarks at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches in Florida that the U.S. would be “taking over” Cuba “almost immediately.” DESANTIS REVEALS WHICH DICTATORSHIP SHOULD BE ‘PUT OUT TO PASTURE’ NEXT “Cuba’s got problems. We’ll finish one first. I like to finish a job.” The Trump administration has recently expanded sanctions targeting countries and companies that do business with Cuba, particularly oil suppliers, increasing pressure on Havana amid fuel shortages and widespread power outages. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment. This is a developing story, check back for updates. Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch and Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report.
McMaster revives Trump-backed push to oust Biden kingmaker from Congress
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a top Trump ally and fellow Republican, announced Thursday that he is convening the state legislature in Columbia, South Carolina, starting Friday for a special session to “address the state budget and congressional districts” in his largely Republican state. “I have issued an Executive Order calling the General Assembly back for an extra legislative session to address the state budget and congressional districts beginning Friday, May 15, at 11:00 AM,” McMaster wrote on X. The move comes amid intraparty Republican tensions over the Trump-backed effort to redraw the state’s congressional map — a push that could threaten the tenure of longtime Democratic Rep. James Clyburn, the man credited with reviving former President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, and four other senators earlier this week joined Democrats to defeat a proposal that would have allowed the chamber to vote on redistricting after the South Carolina legislative session closed Thursday. The roadblock came hours after President Donald Trump warned he is “watching closely” the redistricting effort. Trump’s message came a week after five Indiana Republican state senators who in December helped sink congressional redistricting in the solidly red Midwestern state were ousted by Trump-backed challengers in GOP primaries. Proponents of the South Carolina redraw hope that the new map will ultimately rid the state’s congressional delegation of its lone Democrat, while advising lawmakers to move the primary for House members to August. SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP, TANK REDISTRICTING, FOR NOW Clyburn, the octogenarian Orangeburg, South Carolina, lawmaker considered a kingmaker in Palmetto State Democratic politics — and credited with reviving then-candidate Biden’s floundering campaign with his endorsement in 2020 — may not be long for Capitol Hill, as a redraw would almost certainly redistribute the state’s heavy Republican advantage across its seven districts. Clyburn said he remains confident he can win re-election even under a new map. “I don’t know why people think I could not get re-elected if they redistrict South Carolina,” Clyburn said in a CNN interview. “I have a district that’s about 45 percent African American. I have no idea what the number will be after the legislature finishes, but whatever that number is, I will be running on my record and America’s promise.” Massey argued in a floor speech that following Trump’s lead on redistricting would run counter to the interests of the Palmetto State. “South Carolina has always punched above their weight,” Massey said. “Doing this will diminish that influence.” But he also acknowledged that he will likely face political payback from Trump and the president’s allies. TRUMP TARGETS RED STATE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IN PUSH FOR CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING “There are likely consequences for me, personally, taking the position that I am right now,” Massey said. “I’m comfortable with that. I may not like it, but I’m comfortable with it. … My conscience is clear on this one.” The recent Callais decision at the Supreme Court — which eliminated Louisiana’s race-conscious map that provided for two largely minority-heavy Democratic strongholds — has already spurred action in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, and with Clyburn’s district itself reportedly the product of a George H.W. Bush Justice Department request regarding racial makeup, its days may be numbered. The DOJ in 1992 recommended creating a majority-Black district in South Carolina, and Clyburn swiftly won the seat upon the retirement of fellow Democratic Rep. Robin Mooneyhan Tallon of Hemingway, according to a Government Printing Office publication on Black Americans in Congress. Clyburn is also reportedly a relative of the previous Black South Carolina congressman, Republican George Washington Murray, who served in the 1890s. The 85-year-old recently signed documents to make his run for re-election official, quipping that he is in good health and simply celebrating the 47th anniversary of his 39th birthday soon. If redistricting fails and Clyburn is able to run again, he will join a growing list of octogenarian — and some nonagenarian — lawmakers who remain bullish about their political prospects. The oldest sitting member is Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, who is 92, while elderly lawmakers facing re-election in 2026 besides Clyburn include Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., who is 88, and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., who is 87. Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, is 83 and running for re-election, which would make him 89 at the end of his next term. Four of the leading South Carolina Republicans running for governor this year, Lt. Gov. Pam Evette, Attorney Gen. Alan Wilson, and Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, earlier this week criticized the redistricting setback in the state Senate. Evette called McMaster’s move “a critical step for President Trump and the people of South Carolina.” And Wilson said, “South Carolina has the opportunity to lead, and lawmakers should move quickly to pass new maps before the June primary.” Alabama convened a special session earlier in May that House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, correctly predicted would force the courts to rule on the validity of a special-case redistricting referendum there. Tennessee successfully redrew its map, which is likely to result in the ouster of longtime Shelby County Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, while Mississippi hit a snag in its own efforts after Gov. Tate Reeves pumped the brakes on a Callais-spurred effort to boot former House Jan. 6 Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson in the Delta. Republican state senators in Louisiana on Thursday advanced a plan to eliminate one of the state’s two majority-Black congressional seats ahead of the midterms. Louisiana’s state House will likely vote on the map next week. The state holds its primary on Saturday, but the state’s congressional primaries are being postponed until November.
China cozies up as Trump touts delegation of richest business heavyweights at Xi summit
As details emerge from President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a key reality is coming into focus: China still wants U.S. business and Trump may have the upper hand. Trump’s high-profile business delegation highlights the economic balancing act the two nations are seeking to strike. Xi wants investment and continued access to American corporate power, while Trump is positioning himself to use trade pressure and market access as leverage with Beijing. The heavyweight lineup alongside Trump for the trip includes tech executives like Apple’s Tim Cook, Tesla and SpaceX’s Elon Musk, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Micron’s Sanjay Mehrotra and Meta’s Dina Powell McCormick. The overlap between politics and business was clear even before the meetings began. Huang was reportedly added to Trump’s trip at the last minute. He even secured a seat on Air Force One — a sign of Nvidia’s central role in the global chip race and broader U.S.-China tech tensions. TRUMP GETS RED-CARPET WELCOME IN CHINA, BUT PAST BEIJING TRIP SHOWS PAGEANTRY ONLY GOES SO FAR Also on the trip were Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, Citigroup’s Jane Fraser and Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon. Many joining the president rank among the world’s wealthiest business leaders. Musk, for example, is the richest person in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, while Schwarzman and Huang have amassed fortunes in the tens of billions. Together, the group represents trillions in corporate power with deep business ties to China despite years of trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Their companies still rely heavily on Chinese consumers, manufacturing and supply chains, even as Washington and Beijing clash over tariffs, technology and national security. That influence is already showing up in the talks. Both sides discussed expanding access for U.S. companies into Chinese markets, a top priority for executives on the trip. Xi said his opportunities in his country “will only open wider and wider,” according to Chinese state media. ‘INTENSE STANDOFF’ ERUPTS BETWEEN SECRET SERVICE, CHINESE OFFICIALS DURING TRUMP-XI EVENT: REPORT At the same time, Washington is weighing steps that directly affect those firms. The U.S. could allow Nvidia to sell its H200 chips, a step below its most advanced semiconductors, to a limited number of Chinese companies, according to Reuters, even as broader disputes over artificial intelligence and export controls remain unresolved. They also discussed increased Chinese investment in the U.S. and purchases of American goods, including beef, soybeans and Boeing aircraft, long-standing trade pressure points. But the cooperative tone was also laced with threats. Xi warned against a potential clash between the U.S. and China and delivered a blunt message on Taiwan, a key flashpoint and hub for advanced semiconductor production. That mix of outreach and tension is where Trump sees an opening. If U.S. companies are still seeking access and Beijing is signaling it wants them there, Trump can argue economic pressure is working — strengthening his case for tariffs, export controls and tougher trade terms. Executives are pushing for greater access and stability in China while navigating a U.S. strategy built on economic pressure and national security concerns — underscoring both the importance of the market and the leverage Washington believes it holds. Trump has already invited Xi to visit the White House in September, signaling more talks ahead. For now, Beijing’s message is clear: China still wants American business.