Trump Administration Weighs Executive Order on Vaccines and Autism Research 
US Expands Social Media Vetting to Foreign Journalists Seeking Visas 
Canada, US Hold Constructive Trade Talks as Tariff Negotiations Continue 
Taiwan Tests Penghu Defense, Mobile Internet Limits in War Drills 
Trump Unveils $3 Billion U.S. Critical Minerals Push 
Myanmar Rejects ASEAN Special Envoy, Challenges Regional Peace Plan 
ICE to Complete Nationwide Body Camera Rollout by End of August 
Houthi Attack on Yemen’s Mocha Port Kills Seven, Injures 30 
Trump Orders Probe Into Pentagon Munitions Stockpile Leaks After Iran Conflict 
US Expects Iran-Oman Hormuz Shipping Deal Soon 
North Korea May Deploy 120 Missiles to Russia 
Ukraine Agrees to Protect Kazakhstan Oil Exports via Black Sea 
New Zealand MMP Electoral System Faces Fresh Referendum Debate 
Trump Faces Tough Choices as Iran War Drags On 
Russian Strikes Kill Six in Eastern and Northern Ukraine, Dozens Injured 
Bezalel Smotrich Faces Election Battle as Israel’s Far-Right Vote Fractures 
Senate Majority Leader John Thune Moves to Advance Crypto Clarity Act 
More revelations about the presidency of Donald Trump were made as of late, following the tell-all memoir of former Pentagon chief Mark Esper. In one part of the book, Esper revealed that Trump was especially proud of installing Ric Grenell as his acting Director of National Intelligence to force the Senate Republicans to confirm his DNI nominee.
Esper wrote in his book that there were people in the Trump administration who were willing to do Trump’s bidding, including dictates that would be considered extreme. The former Defense Secretary noted that Grenell was among such people.
Trump would later brag about his strategy to install Grenell as the acting DNI to force the Senate Republicans to confirm his DNI nominee John Ratcliffe.
Grenell was installed as the acting DNI when Trump fired John Maguire, who warned the House Intelligence Committee that Russia is already attempting to interfere in the 2020 elections.
“The president often bragged about installing Grenell as the acting DNI. In an Oval Office meeting once, as a few of us sat across from him, Trump leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands behind his head, and with a huge smile on his face said that ‘installing Ric as DNI was one of the best personnel moves I’ve ever made,’” Esper wrote.
“As his chair tilted forward again toward the Resolute desk, the president added that members of Congress ‘are so concerned about what he will do, they’re now jumping at the chance to quickly get him out of the DNI office.’ It’s crazy, he said. ‘They used to have concerns about John Ratcliffe,’ he said. ‘Now they don’t,’ as he leaned back into his chair again, entertaining the small group with his legerdemain,” said Esper.
Trump is currently facing several legal battles, including his court battle against New York Attorney General Letitia James. The New York Times reported Wednesday that New York federal judge Arthur Engeron lifted the contempt order he imposed on the former president and ordered Trump to pay his fine of $110,000 and comply with James’s subpoena to turn over the documents James is seeking.
The former president has until May 20 to pay the fine and turn over the documents.
