That Noisy Trump
Day 482

Saturday, 16 May 2026

10 events

Key Events (10)

1
Foreign Policy

President Trump concluded his China summit with President Xi Jinping, calling him a 'friend,' but departed without concrete breakthroughs or swift resolutions on major issues including the Iran war and Taiwan's future. The visit featured extensive pageantry and talks but produced only vague outlines of commercial deals, highlighting the limited results of Trump's personality-driven foreign policy approach.

2
Foreign Policy

Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a 'very good negotiating chip' in dealings with China during a Fox News interview, heightening anxieties in Taiwan over U.S. commitment to the island and raising questions about the reliability of American support.

3
Legal

At least five people pardoned by Trump for their involvement in the Capitol attack have been accused of new crimes since their release, including Ryan Nichols, who allegedly brandished a gun during an argument.

4
Domestic

Trump reportedly may settle his lawsuit against the IRS for a $1.7 billion fund to compensate himself and his allies, which would involve the use of billions of taxpayer dollars in what critics describe as an unprecedented self-dealing maneuver.

5
Domestic

Representative Lauren Boebert suggested that Trump may have withheld federal clean drinking water funds from Colorado in connection with the prosecution of election denier Tina Peters, whose sentence was recently commuted by the Colorado governor.

6
Foreign Policy

Trump announced that Abu Bilal al-Minuki, said to be the Islamic State's second-ranking leader, was killed in a U.S.-Nigerian joint helicopter-borne mission on Friday night, according to U.S. officials.

7
Foreign Policy

China's Ministry of Commerce indicated that tariff reductions were discussed at the Trump-Xi summit and claimed a preliminary agreement was struck, seemingly contradicting statements by President Trump about the extent of agreements reached.

8
Domestic

Trump backed Republican Julia Letlow in Louisiana's Senate primary against incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy, who drew the president's ire for voting to impeach Trump after January 6, setting up a significant test of Trump's political influence.

9
Domestic

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, once a vocal China hawk as a senator, has adopted a softer tone toward China and emphasized cooperation to align with Trump's approach following the Beijing summit.

10
Domestic

A federal court agreement allowed Catholic clergy to minister within an ICE facility in Illinois after advocacy groups sued the Trump administration, arguing they had been unlawfully denied access to detainees.

Day 482 — Saturday, 16 May 2026 | That Noisy Trump