Trump's China Trip, Reflecting Pool Costs, SCOTUS Rules on AL Districts and more

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Good morning, everyone. I'm Kate Baldwin. It's Tuesday, May 12. Here are your five things. Number one, the China trip. President Trump leaves for China this afternoon for what may end up being his most important trip of the year. When the leaders of the world's two largest economies hold their first face-to-face talks in more than six months, it also marks the first state visit to China from a year, US president since 2017 when Trump was first in office. The trip was initially postponed, you'll remember, because of the war with Iran, and also now risks being overshadowed by it. The stated focus of the talks and the meat, trade, and the trade war between the two countries that's been somewhat put on ice, I guess you could say, while they try to work it out, but

there's also Taiwan, yes, the Iran war, and, yes, artificial intelligence looming over the upcoming meeting. On Iran, President Trump now says that the ceasefire is in its worst spot yet on massive life support, is how Trump described it. Sources TELCNA and the president is now more seriously considering renewing military action against Iran, although no decisions are expected

until after this Beijing trip. You know, a lot of people said, well, does you have a plan? Yeah, of course they do have the best plan ever. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. They think that, well, I'll get tired of this, or I'll get bored, or I'll have some pressure, but there's no pressure, there's no pressure, pressure at all, we're going to have a complete victory.

Ramping of pressure further, the U.S. government just announced new sanctions against three people and nine companies for aiding Iran's shipment of oil to China. Number two, the Alabama map. The U.S. Supreme Court just handed down another decision that could have another big impact on the midterm elections. This time, it's about Alabama.

All passengers are now off the cruise ship that's been caught at the center of this outbreak. Now, the M. V. Hondias has set sail again and is headed to the Netherlands. That is where the 25 remaining crew members and two medical personnel will disembark. At the body of one of the three people who died of the virus will also be removed from the ship. Then the ship undergoes a deep clean and sanitation. Yesterday, health officials confirmed a Spanish passenger tested positive after getting off. That means there are now nine total confirmed and suspected cases from the cruise. In the U.S., one of the 16 people now staying at that specialized quarantine facility in Nebraska

shared a selfie from inside his room. Doctors and officials gave a press conference yesterday, saying that while passengers not showing symptoms can go home, they're strongly recommending that they all stay for the duration of the monitoring period. They still have something like 40 days to go. We also do have testing capability here on our campus, which is unusual. And so that's another asset that we would highly encourage individuals to stay here for a prolonged period of time. Two people in Maryland are also being monitored after they were briefly on a flight with one of the passengers who tested positive for the rare virus. At least 11 other people are being monitored across seven U.S. states.

Number four, the cost overruns, plural. It's not just the White House ballroom now. It turns out that the Trump administration's renovation of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool is also going to cost more than the president promised. He decided to repaint the basin of the pool a color that he calls American flag blue instead of the gray color from the original design. Last night, the president said it's going to cost about $3 million. That's more than a million, more than his first estimate.

And federal records, though, now show that the no-bid test. contract actually puts it at a, puts it at a $13 million price tag for the project. The White House is explaining it to say more workers needed to be hired to get it done in time for the country's 250th celebrations. As I read in the New York Times, we just gave it a little paint job. This is not paint. This is highly sophisticated stuff. But I said, get me the heavy duty industrialized and it's thick.

Amazing, actually amazing stuff. It'll be good for 50 years, probably. Just yesterday, a nonprofit filed a lawsuit over this, asking a judge to halt the project, arguing that it didn't follow the required historical review. A similar argument has been made in lawsuits brought against Trump's White House ballroom project. The head of the Secret Service is set to brief Congress today, actually,

on why they need $1 billion from taxpayers to secure that facility. More right after this. Back to school starts now. Get long-lasting battery life on the Dell XPS laptop, powered by Series 3 Intel Core, so you can work from anywhere. Now starting at $6.99, with exclusive student pricing starting at $5.99. Complete your setup with savings on select monitors and must have electronics and accessories. Limited time deals and free shipping on PCs and more await you at Dell.com slash deals.

That's Dell.com slash deals. One last thing. It was quite the late night set off. Stephen Colbert got a boost from his friends and fellow late night hosts as he is preparing for his final show next week. Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Myers, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon, all on set with Stephen last night, reuniting what they had dubbed as the Strike Force Five during COVID. The five of us being here right now, obviously it's dangerous because we represent so much of later. John Stewart is designated Survivor.

Someone has to survive for the president to be mad at. And do our eulogies. Would that be great if John had to do all of our eulogies? I hope I don't get stuck in last place on that way. one, too.

CBS canceled Stephen Colbert months ago, citing financial reasons. But many fans, media watchers, and Stephen Colbert himself believe there were other considerations to making this major change, namely his clashes with President Trump. Jimmy Kimmel also announced before

last night's appearance that he will not air a new episode of his show on May 21st in honor of Stephen Colbert's final episode. He did the same, actually. In 2015, when David Letterman took his final bow. Quite a night. I'm Kate Baldwin. Those are your five things.

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