Washington Today (5-28-26): Report of possible U.S.-Iran deal to reopen Strait, launch nuclear talks

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:04]Welcome to Washington today on C-PAN radio for Thursday, May 28th, 2026.

[00:00:08]Reports of a possible agreement between the US and Iran to extend the ceasefire and start negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, while a new inflation report shows higher oil prices from the Iran war has led to the highest inflation level in 3 years. We'll hear from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant.

[00:00:24]Secretary Bessant also asked today about an effort to put President Donald Trump's portrait on a new $250 bill and about the 1.776 anti-weaponization fund that has already postponed legislation in the Senate because of concerns from some Republican senators about it. Vice President JD Vance giving the commencement address at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado tells the cadetses it's okay to use artificial intelligence in warfare, but never submit to it. that if the warfare of the future is to live up to the moral values of our ancestors, decisions over life and death must be made by humans and not machines. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visiting New York City calls for increasing the economic and diplomatic distance between his country and the US, what he calls strategic autonomy, which he says will make both countries stronger. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she will not run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028. Plus, former Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, speaks to graduates of his alma mater, Harvard Business School. And New York City Mayor Zora Mandani is asked whether he would sit with President Trump if the president attends an NBA Finals game in Madison Square Garden. Axios writes that US and Iranian negotiators have reached an agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire and launch negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, but President Trump has yet to give his final approval. Two US officials and a regional source involved in the mediation efforts tell Axios Iran has also not confirmed its acceptance.

[00:01:55]And from CNN, high gas prices pushed up inflation again last month while adding to Americans financial strain.

[00:02:01]Households are saving at the lowest rate in nearly four years. A new report showed Thursday the Iran War's oil price shock lifted the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge to 3.8% 8% in April from 3.5% the month before according to Commerce Department data that was from CNN. The Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was asked about this at a White House news conference.

[00:02:25]>> We're starting to see the disruption of the oil supply and through the straightforward moves affect economic data. Um you know first is there a deal on the table uh for a 60-day ceasefire to continue that? And then second, um, how fast could inflation then recede or retreat or is inflation sticky because the PCE was, uh, at a three-year high?

[00:02:46]>> Uh, well, f first of all, P PCE today month over month was 2, which was we're we're looking at decimal points, but the estimate was.3. So, one month doesn't a trend make. And you what we've seen is actually oil prices are down about 10% in May. there almost 2,000 ships waiting to come out of the Gulf and I think the oil market is going to be very well supplied on the other side of this and that we could see prices come down very quickly. We saw the UAE the leave OPEC so I I would expect on the other side of this that gasoline prices will follow agreement on the table.

[00:03:25]>> Sorry, >> is there an agreement with Iran on the table? Uh the the teams have been going back and forth and President Trump has made it very clear. He talked about it at the cabinet meeting that he he has several red lines and Iran has to turn over their highly enriched uranium. They cannot pursue a nuclear weapon and the straight of Hermouth back to your question on energy has to free transit navigation of the seas has to be free and open as it was before. So he's not going to take a bad deal. is going to make a great deal for the American people.

[00:04:01]>> Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at today's White House news conference. He is filling in for the White House press secretary Caroline Levit while she is on maternity leave. And a Reuters article has this headline. Iran state TV says draft deal with US would reopen Hormuse shipping and naval blockade. The Treasury Secretary also posting on X.

[00:04:22]The Treasury Department continues our economic fury campaign against the Iranian regime. Their troops are not getting paid. The police are not reporting for work. And Kar Island is shut down. The Iranian economy and currency are in freefall. Iran's Persian Gulf Strait authority is a joke. And today, Treasury has sanctioned it. We have warned any corporate or state entities against paying tolls or hiding them as aid payments, forming a wall of steel. The US naval blockade has ensured a record low amount of Iranian crude on the water. We will also be shutting down both Iranian airlines access to landing spots, refueling and ticket sales. Only a satisfactory outcome in negotiations will end the downward spiral. That was the post on X from the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant.

[00:05:09]Wall Street today, the Dow up 24, NASDAQ up 242 and S&P up 43. Both the S&P 500 and NASDAQ closed at new records. The Iranian ambassador to the United Nations Amir say Ivani spoke about Iran's view of the war with US and Israel and who should control the critical straight of Hamuz. Today at the UN security council debate on how to make the UN more effective.

[00:05:34]>> Iran was subjected to unlawful act of aggression by United States and Israeli regime in a blatant violation of UN chartered international law and the international humanitarian law. The aggressors deliberately targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure, causing numerous civilian casualties, including women and children and killing more than 168 students and teachers in a missile strike against a girl's school in Minab. These attacks inflicted severe humanitarian suffering and extensive economic damage. Regrettably, the security council was remained silent and indifferent in the face of such heinous war crimes and grave violation of international humanitarian law. Mr. President, aggression must not be condemned regardless of the perpetrators. Violation of international humanitarian law must be addressed in partiality. The security council must not be instrumentalized to advance narrow political gender agendas or shield certain a state from accountability.

[00:06:42]No member, regardless of its political or military power, should be permitted to place itself above the law, abuse its position to shield unlawful act from accountability or exploit international institutions or to legitimize violation of the charter and international law.

[00:07:01]Mr. President during the first day of discussions certain speakers have ignored the root causes of the current situation in the region and around the state of Hormos while seeking to deflect responsibility and unfairly shift the blame onto Iran. They have also disregarded their own role in assisting and enabling aggression against Iran by placing their territory airspace and facilities at the disposal of aggressors. We reject these unfounded claims. Iran's actions are lawful and consistent with international law. Iran could not allow such a critical waterway to be used as a corridor for hostile action and military aggression against it sovereignty, territory, and vital interest.

[00:07:44]>> Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Sedraani, at today's UN Security Council meeting, it wasn't specifically on the war, instead an open debate on ways to make the UN more effective. New York Times writing that Israel widened its offensive in Lebanon on Thursday, striking Beirut for the first time in almost a month and pushing deeper into the country's south as its escalating conflict with Hezbollah threatens negotiations to end the USIsraeli war in Iran. That was from the New York Times. The UN Security Council also met today specifically on the war between Russia and Ukraine. It was called by Ukraine following the large-scale Russian air strikes on Kev and threats from Russia of Moore. Russia says it's in retaliation for Ukrainian attack that hit a student dorm in a Russian controlled part of eastern Ukraine. US deputy ambassador to the UN Tammy Bruce represented the United States.

[00:08:37]>> The latest mass strikes against Keev by Russia over the weekend, including the deployment of the Orishnik hypersonic ballistic missiles are an inexplicable, dangerous, and barbaric escalation.

[00:08:53]They are another example of why the Russia Ukraine war must end immediately and permanently.

[00:09:00]Once again, as you've heard from your colleagues, civilians were killed and more than 100 injured.

[00:09:08]Museums, public transportation infrastructure, residential buildings, and more were destroyed or damaged.

[00:09:16]Deliberate attacks against civilians are obscene and unacceptable.

[00:09:21]The United States extends its deepest sympathies to all those affected.

[00:09:27]We caution Russia not to mount so-called systematic strikes against Keev which risk further civilian casualties and setting back the prospect of peace.

[00:09:43]We note too with serious concern Russia's apparent disregard for the protections afforded to diplomatic facilities and personnel under under international law. We remind Russia in clear terms of its legal obligations and we add diplomacy and negotiation are the only path forward towards lasting peace.

[00:10:12]Threats and incendiary rhetoric are clearly not part of that path.

[00:10:18]>> Tammy Bruce, US Deputy Ambassador to the UN at today's UN Security Council meeting on the war between Russia and Ukraine. Now, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasilia Netsia, focused on the allegations that Ukraine deliberately struck a student dorm in eastern Ukraine that Russia is occupying. You're going to hear him through an interpreter.

[00:10:37]>> On the night of May 22nd, the cave regime again shown its terrorist nature by inflicting a barbaric targeted strike on the Starabelisk Pedagogical College and Dormatory using 16 UAVs.

[00:10:51]This tragedy claimed the lives of 21 people, primarily young girls, and 44 people were injured.

[00:11:00]If someone in this hall still doubts or is not familiar with the consequences of the strike on Stellisk, well, we recommend that you watch the video that we showed during the press conference on the 26th of May.

[00:11:17]uh the those uh 50 journalists from 19 countries who arrived at the scene uh of the tragedy at the invitation of Russian side were personally convinced of the reliability of the information. No matter how hard KF tries to justify itself, no matter how hard the mainstream western media tried to turn a blind eye to what happened, what did happen on the night of May 22nd is a cynical act of terror. The cruelty with which the KV regime dealt with children can only be compared with the actions of the Nazis and their accompllices during World War II when they ruthlessly exterminated civilian populations.

[00:11:54]>> The Russian ambassador to the UN through an interpreter, Vaselina Bedsia, at a UN Security Council meeting on the war between Russia and Ukraine. United 24 media, a site that's owned and operated by the office of the Ukrainian president, writes, "US Senator Richard Bumthal, Democrat of Connecticut, has expressed optimism that the American government will provide a favorable response to a formal request from President Vladimir Zalinski regarding the critical shortage of air defense systems in Ukraine." Senator Blumenthal is in a delegation visiting the capital Kev. This is Washington today from KKTV, Colorado Springs, Colorado. On Thursday morning, Vice President JD Vance joked about the day's cloudy weather and exhorted US Air Force Academy graduates to learn from the teachers and loved ones that showed them patience and grace they didn't deserve. He highlighted the choice of a new graduate for a summer internship in his office, asking the cadet to raise a hand and joking, "Consider this your first meeting with a new boss. Congratulations. Don't screw it up." He addressed families of graduates directly, saying, "We will never forget that the nation's airmen and guardians were your sons and daughters long before they were ours.

[00:13:03]The administration will always have your back, just as these new officers have ours." Reporting from KK TV, near the end of Vice President JD Vance's speech, he said that he had something to say about warfare and AI. This is the only commencement speech that I'm giving this year. And so I've watched a few highlights of graduation speeches where this or that corporate leader will discuss artificial intelligence AI and be met with literal booze.

[00:13:35]Now you can't boo me. I'm the vice president of United States.

[00:13:41]But your fellow Americans are understandably they're worried about AI, about how it will affect the labor market, how it will distribute resources, and how it is fundamentally changed how we interact with one another, our social lives.

[00:13:58]But the thing I worry about most with AI is how it will change warfare.

[00:14:04]Now, Pope Leo I 14th in a recent document encouraged us as human beings not to outsource the most important moral decisions to digital technology.

[00:14:17]And I want to endorse that sentiment and make it more specific to each and every one of you.

[00:14:25]AI will inevitably change warfare. And of course, as you've learned over the last four years, it already has.

[00:14:33]But one of the things that makes Americans unique, that makes you as war fighters unique, is that we wage war justly.

[00:14:44]But when I say that we, all of us wage war justly, I mean fundamentally that you must do so because you are the ones who execute.

[00:14:57]You are the ones who lead on the battlefield. You are the ones who ensure that our lethality in war, which is amazing and necessary, it also coexists with our heart and with our conscience.

[00:15:11]It is an incredible burden to put on your shoulders, but it is one that we entrust to you with full confidence. And if the warfare of the future is to live up to the moral values of our ancestors, decisions over life and death must be made by humans and not machines.

[00:15:42]So, as AI transforms the battlefield, in some ways positively, in some ways not, I ask that you be jealous and selfish about your role as the decision maker in warfare. Use technology to make you better, but never submit to it. Vice President JD Vance giving the commencement address at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

[00:16:08]He was also originally scheduled to hold an event at a trailer part store in the Denver area, but that was cancelled. No explanation from his office as to why.

[00:16:17]About AI, there's a headline at Politico, factions inside the Trump administration wrestle over how to handle AI. And the sub headline, Trump's abandoned AI order emerged from weeks of NDA bound talks with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. You can read that article at politico.com.

[00:16:36]Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney begins a Reuters article called for a new partnership with the United States to help make America great again. In a speech delivered in New York on Thursday, Carney said that while the world is undergoing a rupture as the US transforms its commercial relationships, working closely with Canada in specific sectors including aluminum, automobiles, and critical minerals would strengthen both countries. Reporting from Reuters, Prime Minister Carney was at the Economic Club of New York in New York City.

[00:17:05]>> In a crisis, fortune always favors the bold. Canada got this early. We understood the world's change. We understand that nostalgia is not a strategy. So, we're focused on what we can control. And that means weaving a dense web of international partnerships abroad. That's making us a much stronger, more resilient, more independent country.

[00:17:31]Above all, as you would expect, we're focused on things that are good for Canada. This is good for all Canadians, but it's also good for the United States because a stronger Canada is a better ally. And we know we know that while Canada and the United States had differences over the centuries, we have always worked and eventually work through them because we share values and our common interests run deep.

[00:18:06]They run through our economies. Canada is America's largest customer. We buy more goods from America than China, Japan, and Germany combined.

[00:18:15]Those common interests run through our supply chains where 70% of Canadian exports are inputs to American cars, homes, aircraft, machinery, finished goods, creating hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars of US value ad. They run through our energy partnership where at a time of a global energy crisis, Canada provides the United States with reliable power with critical minerals that help fuel American growth, 99% of US natural gas imports, 85% of electricity imports, 60% 60% of crude oil imports. That is mutual strength.

[00:18:56]Let's be absolutely clear. Canada strong will help make America great again.

[00:19:03]Examples of where that's true are Legion, where we should work together and compete with the world together. And to those ends, we have made specical proposals to the US administration.

[00:19:17]Consider aluminum.

[00:19:20]It's basically electricity in an ingot.

[00:19:23]and Canadian exports to the United States are the energy equivalent of 10 Hoover dams. With America's growing energy needs because of the incredible transformation here, does it really make sense to build the gigawatts here needed to replace Canada on automobiles? Canada is far and away America's biggest customer and an integrated North American market for production is the best and most durable way to confront intense truly intense global competition.

[00:19:54]>> The Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney today at the Economic Club of New York in New York City. More from the Reuters article on his appearance. Amid an ongoing trade war with the US, Carney has vowed to double Canadian exports to other markets in the next decade and signed more than 20 economic and security deals in the last year. As Carney spoke in New York, US trade officials were in Mexico City in talks with officials there about overhauling the US Mexico Canada agreement on trade.

[00:20:21]The discussions for now exclude Canada.

[00:20:24]That was from Reuters. Also a story from the New York Times. After repeatedly vowing to reduce Canada's military spending with the United States, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday that the Royal Canadian Air Force will buy a fleet of Swedish military surveillance aircraft. This is Washington today. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer writes NBC News on Thursday said that she does not plan to run for president 2028, rebuffing assumptions that she would join was expected to be a crowded Democratic primary race. Whitmer's remarks come as she nears the end of her second term, which will wrap up at the end of this year. Because of term limit, she cannot run for a third term as governor. That was from NBC News. Today, Governor Whitmer spoke with Fox 2 Detroit. But I'm also looking forward to taking a little bit of a break and and thinking about it, not jumping right into something as I've gotten counsel from people who've made the transition, whether it was my friend Gina Roondo, who I sat with last night for a little bit, Pete Buddha Judge, or Paul Ryan, who I have chatted with a fair amount.

[00:21:22]Um, that's the the advice everyone says, take a little bit of time. And so that's what I'm going to do.

[00:21:26]>> There's time until 2028. Yes, >> there of course there's time. Um, I think there will be a robust group of people running for president. I will not be one of them in 2028. I can tell you that.

[00:21:38]>> Well, thank you so much, Governor. I appreciate it.

[00:21:40]>> Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, interviewed on Fox 2 Detroit TV. There's a new Emerson College poll on potential Democratic and Republican presidential nominees surveying US likely voters. On the Democratic side, former Secretary of Transportation Pets with 18%, then California Governor Gavin Newsome at 16%. Congresswoman Alexandria Okasso Cortez of New York at 11%, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro at 10%, former Vice President Kla Harris at 10% and Kentucky Governor Andy Basher at 9%. On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance is 36% and Secretary of State Mar Rubio right behind at 35%.

[00:22:19]The Democratic National Committee's Rules and bylaws Committee continued its meeting today in Washington to hear from the second half of a dozen states invited to pitch why their states deserve to be one of the few authorized to hold a presidential primary in 2028 before Super Tuesday when a lot of states will be holding theirs. New Mexico is one of those states that made an presentation today and Governor Michelle Luhan Gisham was there in person. A DNC committee member asked about a unique feature of New Mexico among the 12 states.

[00:22:50]>> Andre Triber, Texas. Um, and being from Texas is what this question is going to come from. So, y'all mentioned on a slide that you were the only border state to apply, but we got through that slide in all of about 20 seconds. So, I wanted to open it up to hear more about what it means to be the only state on the border. I'm sure you all have a lot of shared frustrations. We do hearing from people over a thousand miles away about what it's like to be a border state. Um, so I would just love to hear y'all talk more about what it means to be a border state, how border policy affects campaigns in your state. You know, what you would hope would come of it having presidential campaigns have to come and campaign in border communities.

[00:23:28]>> The governor, >> they're so they're chickens. Uh, I actually bristle not at Texas. Well, not for this reason. Um, you need to stop emitting methane right at my border. I need to talk to your governor.

[00:23:43]Um, not every Thank you, that guy. Not every state is a border state. This notion that we've allowed this messaging to be that every state is affected by border policies in the same way is false. And when we let a false narrative occur, it's a problem for the southwestern border states. Everyone in my state, including me, is interested in border security. Everyone in my state, and I believe in every border state, it wants competent, trained, sufficient staff at the border and across the border to assist people in migrating to the United States. Everyone in our states is completely dedicated bipartisan, although they won't do it in Congress because they're chickens, to do real um immigration reform. There isn't anybody in my state, not a single Democrat really, that is talking about things like open borders, this national rhetoric rhetoric that makes no sense.

[00:24:42]There isn't anyone in my state really that believes that those jobs are being taken by people who come over.

[00:24:49]We have to reown the narrative at the border. there is a public safety issue and in New Mexico in particular that's different from Texas is the intersection between I40 and I25 in New Mexico while we had a surge in many administrations and that is a difficult aspect to manage. That's not the big issue with the public safety concern which is fentanyl which comes from everywhere across the border, China, Russia, you name it, it's coming over.

[00:25:22]it's that they can move it through larger, less complicated areas to cross, which is Arizona, and then it traffics in. And so people are tired and they want a cohesive approach to public safety, border security, and fair support. Also, last thing, nobody in New Mexico, and I said it during the campaign, they don't want mass deportation. Nobody understood voters, they didn't think it would really happen. Well, it is happening. and this indiscriminate, unjust, unconstitutional deportation efforts. While we have not been a target state, both parties are unhappy in this situation. And it's enough to get solid Republican voters to vote in a general election for a Democrat.

[00:26:09]Governor Michelle Luhan Gisham, Democrat from New Mexico, at today's Democratic National Committee Rules and bylaws Committee meeting in Washington to decide which states will be allowed to go first in the 2028 presidential primary season.

[00:26:24]Bipartisanship was discussed today at the annual Meno Policy Conference on Meno Island, Michigan. The 2026 theme is a quest for common ground. One panel included former US Senator John Tester, Democrat of Montana, and former Governor Chris Cenounu, Republican from New Hampshire, introduced as moderates.

[00:26:44]Senator, let's start with you. How do you build trust with colleagues from the other party when right now there is such intense pressure not to?

[00:26:55]>> Well, you got to find the folks that are willing to resist that pressure. Um I I was one of the the 10 folks who worked on the infrastructure bill with folks like uh you know Mitt Romney and there were five Republicans, five Democrats, Lisa Marowsky and others. We did not agree on everything by any stretch of the imagination, but we all wanted to get an infrastructure bill that worked for the country done. And so we were all willing to give something up to get a bill that would work for the country that may not be perfect in our eyes, but but would be a hell of a lot better than doing nothing. And um and we met enough where you got to know these folks. That's that's one of the problems with DC right now. Everybody expects you to be back in your home state every weekend. And so most people do that. darn few people stick around to meet and socialize and meet the family and and and get the kids together and all that stuff. And so you don't have that opportunity to build trust. We met so much, the 10 of us met so much that in the end if you would have walked into that room, you would have not known who was a Republican and who was a Democrat. I was fighting with Mark Warner and agreeing with Mitt Romney for God's sakes. And and and in the end, we ended up with a pretty good bill that was paid for that worked for the country. And I don't know what this administration's done with this since since I left. But the truth is largest investment infrastructure since the year I was born, which was 1956.

[00:28:20]So it was it was the right thing to do and it was a bunch of people that went to a room that wanted to get something done.

[00:28:29]And we could have picked nine other people that I guarantee you we would have walked in and got nothing done whatsoever. And by the way, there were moments in time on that whole negotiations where all of us wanted to walk out of the room and never see one another again.

[00:28:41]But the truth is we kept at it.

[00:28:44]>> So I I'll just say I'll give you an example. I have the largest or I had I'm not governor anymore. Largest legislature in the country 400 members in the New Hampshire House of Representing >> at my last term I had 201 Republicans and 199 Democrats. And under that under the the national model, you'd say, well, nothing would ever get done. I got my budget passed. First vote unanimous.

[00:29:06]First vote unanimous. And I had 109. So how do you do that? Just what the senator said. You give a little to get a lot. And what you you said you used the word pressure, the pressure, >> right? There's a complete fallacy driven by political consultants and fundraisers and activists that you need to play to one side to raise the money to get reelected. And it's false. It is a complete falsehood. You get elected when you get stuff done and you show the success. And so the I was literally on the phone this morning with folks in Washington. and I do something with trade association and and that's the mentality. We need to get our base behind us. Stop worrying about that. If you get stuff done, everybody gets behind you. And the other thing, we talked about this a little bit too. Show some appreciation. So, for example, in my last budget, I got my tax cuts. I got school choice. I got all these things that I really wanted done. And what did I give in return? Well, they the Democrats wanted something done for the unions over here, which was sensible.

[00:30:02]And I didn't really completely agree with it, but that's okay. We can do a little bit there. And then they wanted something done uh over here with a kind of a different part of education so I could get my school choice. And you know what I did afterwards? I went out I did a press conference with the Democrats saying, "You know what? These guys had a really good idea with this union stuff and I just want to thank them. They worked really hard. Guess what? They would work with me on anything after that cuz what does any politician want?

[00:30:26]What does any any of us want in life? A little appreciation and thanks." Former governor of New Hampshire Chris Anunnu a Republican and former senator from Montana, John Tester, a Democrat at the annual Meno Policy Conference in Michigan. Cenounu is now CEO of Airlines for America trade group. And Tester is back running his family farm in Big Sandy, Montana. And he also co-hosts a weekly current events podcast called Grounded with John Tester. Another speaker today at the conference was Cornell West, author and professor at Union Theological Seminary. And part of our challenge and this is part of the crisis of uh of America the these days.

[00:31:03]You see there's been 70 empires in the history of the species. United States number 68. Thomas Jefferson called us an empire of liberty. Well that's fascinating formulation.

[00:31:15]>> Yeah >> because it's magnificent in terms of the anti-colonial struggle against the British Empire. But you got indigenous peoples here their land. You got enslaved Africans here. the labor, the precondition of the democracy. You see, so you had to have a dialectical read.

[00:31:33]You keep track of the magnificent breakthrough. You keep track of the under side of it.

[00:31:39]>> Yeah.

[00:31:39]>> And when you keep track of both of those, it means then that cloud of witnesses, that great tradition of people who never caved in, never gave up, never sold out, tried to be the best that they could be in their respective context and in their lanes. No one of us should be imitating and imitating each other all.

[00:31:58]>> I know I'm not a politician. Well, I ran for for office. I shouldn't say that too loudly, but I know that I'm not a politician. I have a calling.

[00:32:07]>> You ran for president.

[00:32:08]>> Yeah, I did run for I was running for Jesus and justice. It just spilled over.

[00:32:14]And it's true.

[00:32:16]It just spilled over cuz I I wanted the younger generation for them to see a campaign that was really trying to tell the full truth. The condition of truth is to allow suffering to speak.

[00:32:29]Everybody's suffering. So we had to have a discussion on poverty. We had a discussion on mass incarceration. We had to have a discussion on drones dropping bombs on innocent people of whatever parties and so forth and so on. So we didn't get locked into partisanship. We got locked into the quest for truth and beauty and goodness and as a Christian holy too.

[00:32:49]>> And young folk need to see this because they are so overwhelmingly disenchanted with the narrowness, the truncated quality of the discourse. They're looking for people who in the language of the great Ashford and Simpson team, this is Nick, this is Val, ain't nothing like >> the real thing. That's Detroit.

[00:33:14]That's Detroit.

[00:33:16]That's Detroit. They They come out of White Rock Baptist Church of Harlem, but they recorded it in Mottown.

[00:33:23]Oh yes. Ain't nothing like the real thing.

[00:33:26]>> Cornell West, author and professor at Union Theological Seminary at the Meno Policy Conference. In conversation with Devin Skiillian, journalist, author, and musician. The conference is hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber at the historic Grand Hotel on Meno Island, Michigan, and has been held since 1981.

[00:33:45]Washington Today continues in a moment.

[00:33:47]Friday on C-SPAN Ceasefire, retired US Army Brigadier General Mark Kimid and former State Department spokesperson Naara Huck join our host Dasha Burns for a foreign policy conversation about the challenges facing the country and the world. Watch Ceasefire Friday at 700 p.m. and 1000 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, only on C-SPAN.

[00:34:11]You can also listen to Ceasefire on demand anytime as a podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

[00:34:22]>> Welcome back to Washington today, available as a podcast on the free C-SPAN mobile app and wherever you get your podcasts. W USA9 TV in DC writes, "The federal government is putting $465 million towards repairs and upgrades at Union Station. Transportation Secretary Shawn Duffy announced Thursday during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the restored Columbus Circle. Estimated cost of the circle project, according to federal records, is 11.8 million as part of the upgrades. The three fountains outside of Union Station are now running, including the 15 foot Christopher Columbus monument that has not been functional since 2007. Part of the reporting from W USA 9 Interior Secretary Doug Bergam, who was also at today's ribbon cutting for the Columbus Circle project, posted this produced video incorporating some of his remarks there. President Trump is basically laid out a blueprint for the renewal of any city in America.

[00:35:19]This fountain sat broken for nearly two decades. This grand entrance to the capital was a symbol of neglect versus one of inspiration. President Trump understands something important, which is great countries build great things.

[00:35:31]But a choice was made about restoration over deterioration. And a choice was made about beauty over blight.

[00:35:39]Together, we're restoring a capital city that reflects the strength, the beauty, and most importantly, it represents the promise of the United States of America.

[00:35:52]>> That produced video with Interior Secretary Doug Bergam. notice.com writes that four massive bronze horses positioned along the roads surrounding the Lincoln Memorial still shine in the sun from their first restoration in the 1970s, but their gold toned coating is fading and patchy and their heavy stone bases are cracked and dirty. The Trump administration wants them glittering with a fresh coat of gold in time for America's 250th anniversary on July 4th.

[00:36:18]So in midappril, the National Park Service handed a $5 billion contract to a gilding studio in Maryland to repair the statues and cover them with a thick layer of 23.75 karat gold leaf. It award the project without a full competition, according to MPS documents reviewed by notice. Trump administration officials have pressed the office responsible for printing the nation's money, writes the Washington Post, designed a $250 bill featuring the president's portrait. according to four current and former employees in what would be the first appearance of a living person on US currency in more than 150 years. The article notes that current federal law only allows deceased people to appear on bills. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson said at a White House briefing today that the preparation is just that, preparation to be ready if a bill passes Congress that changes that law.

[00:37:11]>> You said that it's up to Congress. the president's face is on a $250 bill, but it is actually the Washington Post that's reporting two political appointees from the Treasury Department who have asked agencies to be ready to to do that. Do you think politically it's a good idea to put his face on a $250 bill when people are struggling to afford gas?

[00:37:28]>> You know, I I don't really understand this Washington Post article that who hears from the Post. Yep. terribly written, terribly edited because basically what what it says is that Treas Treasury is following the law and that we've created the bill and that it's up to Congress, but that we follow the bill and it's up to I didn't really understand what the story was aren't involved in that two of your political appointees.

[00:37:52]>> Yeah, of course. But we we prepare for everything if it gets passed. Ju just like we we were ready 6 months in advance for the one big beautiful bill for tax guidance that so we have to prepare in advance. You you you can't draw something up the day before >> politically. Do you think it's a good a good idea though when people are struggling to afford gas and groceries?

[00:38:11]>> Look, I think it has I I that it's bifurcated that Do you think we should have a 250th anniversary via celebration?

[00:38:20]>> Well, that's happening anyway, but putting the president No, no, no. But but Kaitlin, it's not happening anyway. It's happening because it's being funded the by private citizens, by the federal government, by state governments, by municipal governments to celebrate our country.

[00:38:34]And I I don't think that the there's anything unourred about having the president of the United States that the person who was president of the United States on the 250th anniversary bill.

[00:38:46]>> Treasury Secretary Scott Besson taking reporters questions today in the White House briefing room. He is one of a rotating cast of Trump administration officials who'll be doing the press conferences while the press secretary Caroline Levit is on maternity leave.

[00:38:59]Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, posted a video today about this idea of the $250 bill with portrait of President Trump.

[00:39:07]>> If you've been to the grocery store recently, you've seen prices are up. If you go to the gas station, gas is now $450 a gallon. If you're trying to buy a house, mortgage rates are up. And you know what your president's doing to fix this? His new idea today is to create a new $250 bill with his face on it. Now, that is illegal. You cannot print money in America that has a living person on it. So, the person in the Treasury got moved aside. But how much more evidence before we all realize that Donald Trump doesn't care about affordability. He doesn't care about your family. He cares about self arrandisement, whether it's ballroom, slush funds, his face on money illegally. Remember, stand up, speak up, fight back. American people deserve better and we're better people than this. Senator Mark Warner, Democrat from Virginia, posting that video. The House and Senate are on a district work period this week. From CBS News, a group of 35 former federal judges asked a court Wednesday to reopen a legal dispute between President Trump and the federal government that was settled by creating a controversial $ 1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund, calling the deal potentially fraudulent. The attempt to reopen the case follows more than a week of controversy generated by the settlement deal and that fund.

[00:40:16]Congressional Democrats have cast it as a slush fund that could funnel money to Mr. Trump's allies. And a growing number of Republicans have expressed public and private qualms about the fund, including whether it could be used to pay out convicted January 6 riers who were pardoned by Mr. Trump last year. That was from CBS News. Back to the White House briefing. The Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asked about this. A lot of people talking about the IRS settlement and uh which has been rolled over now into this weaponization fund over at DOJ. Wanted to get your comment on the decision process as much as you can tell how that settlement came to be, how it was rolled over to DOJ, and then the process for uh how for those funds now as it's played out.

[00:41:00]>> Good. So, thank you. Thank you for the question. Uh this is going to be the only question I'll take on this matter today. So there's ongoing litigation. So it'd be inappropriate for me to comment.

[00:41:10]Uh President Trump is a great American who has endured more than 10 years 10 years of non-stop harassment and weaponization from the federal and state government actors. The a bad actor at the IRS leaked more than 400,000 tax returns including the Trump family, all the employees, and that's how we got here now. No American should be targeted for political reasons and every citizen deserves fair treatment, full protection of the law. The Department of Justice represented Treasury and the IRS in this matter and I'm going to have to refer any questions to acting attorney general to Todd Blanch. So, >> Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the White House briefing room answering reporters questions. Again, he's filling in for the White House press secretary Caroline Levit who's on maternity leave.

[00:41:59]Story from MS Now. President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans are headed for a showdown over the administration's $ 1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund with no clear resolution in sight. When the Senate skipped town last week and punted on an immigration enforcement reconciliation bill, a major reason for the delay was the deep GOP discontent with the fund and concerns that Republicans would support Democratic amendments to block the proposal. Now, as senators prepare to return next week, it's unclear how President Trump or Senate Republican leaders plan to navigate the reconciliation bill and a slate of amendments that could be adopted to effectively neuter the fund.

[00:42:37]That was from MS Now. Senator Ron Johnson, Republican of Wisconsin, was asked about this by CBS News's Major Garrett in a podcast Wednesday.

[00:42:47]>> There was a lot of conversation, as you well know, Senator, last week in the Republican conference about the proposed weaponization fund. Are you net net a supporter of that fund? And how do you regard the answers that you and your Senate Republican colleagues got from the acting attorney general Todd Blanch?

[00:43:03]>> Well, as I understand it, this would just be an extension of the judgment fund part of the Treasury that's been around for literally decades. Obama used it, Biden used it, now Trump will use it. I'm I'm fully supportive of I know that the B administration weaponized government against good people like Judge Troopus here in Wisconsin. Uh Lawfair has destroyed that man. couple million dollars worth of legal fees because of that weaponization. So, I think the government in in all administrations abuses American citizens and they ought to have some fund that they can be compensated out of. So, I'm basically supportive of that. The timing was awful. Uh hopefully we can get back in in, you know, next week and do the reconciliation bill to fund CBP and ICE because Democrats refused to do so and have an overriding amendment that will put guard rails on that so nobody have a problem with it.

[00:43:50]>> What kind of guard rails do you want, Senator? Well, you know, obviously we we don't want people who uh committed acts of violence against anybody against police uh people who uh you know now convicted rapists, whatever. You know, we don't want those people accessing the fund. You know, there needs to be a process that can be vetted properly. Um just the way the judgment fund has been used in prior administrations, often times on a partisan basis, but sometimes people are viewed on a partisan basis.

[00:44:16]Senator Ron Johnson, Republican from Wisconsin on the Takeout podcast hosted by CBS News Chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett posted Wednesday. The day before Tuesday, Congressman Mike Flood, Republican from Nebraska, heard from a constituent at a town hall meeting in Norfolk, Nebraska about the anti-weaponization fund.

[00:44:36]>> My name is Michelle Moser. I'm from Norfolk, Nebraska. I'm a retired attorney with the IRS estate and gift tax division. And I asked you the Doge question in Columbus. So, my question today is Trump sued the IRS for $10 billion.

[00:44:49]Um, the IRS chief counsel's office prepared a memo in defense of the Internal Revenue Service, which was suppressed. One of the items brought up in that memo was a statute of limitation had expired, which indeed it has.

[00:45:02]Todd Blanch, the acting attorney general, settled that case for $1.776 billion with an anti- um weaponization fund, which allows all those people on January 6 who broke into the capital to benefit from that fund. It also gives the president the right to go after that money. Last year, you talked about con fiscal conservatism. How is that fiscally conservative?

[00:45:30]Well, first of all, thanks for being here, Michelle. Uh, and thank you for your career at the IRS. I know the kind of work you did, and I know, uh, the firm that one of the firms you started in, and you are super capable and highly respected. What I would say to your question about this fund that came to light last week from the Department of Justice is that I have never approved that. I do not think one penny of any fund should ever go to any January 6 insurrectionist that was in the capital on January 6, 2021. I want to be very clear. I want to be very clear. I do not think I do not think we should be uh creating a fund for people that commit physical violence against law enforcement.

[00:46:11]Here's what I would say. As I understand it, and this comes from some of my colleagues in the Senate, the Senate is opening a oversight effort and we in the House uh have to determine whether we do the same in the Judiciary Committee or in the oversight committee. Uh I clearly think Congress needs to have an oversight role in this uh before I can sign off or support this. But listen, this is less than a week old, so I am I am going to be back in Washington on Tuesday. I will say this though, I do not want $1 of that going to anybody who physically assaulted police officers.

[00:46:47]Period. Congressman Mike Flood, Republican from Nebraska, at a town hall meeting in Norfol, Nebraska earlier this week. House and Senate are in a district work period this week. House is back for legislative business Tuesday, June 2nd.

[00:47:00]The Senate the day before Monday, June 1st. Governor Gavin Newsome, Democrat from California, said he has an idea about how to approach people who might get a payout from this. He spoke at a news conference in Sacramento yesterday.

[00:47:14]>> SL fund that you mentioned. Um, are you looking to take any action on? Is there anything you can do about that?

[00:47:20]>> Well, I've been thinking a lot. I I'm not in Congress. I was out there in Washington DC trying to make a case a new um some good meetings with EPA. Lee Zeldon's a I want to get him fired. Uh but um you know there his team's working hard um to see what we can do to to help the victims of last year's fires in Los Angeles. And you know so I was up there around the time when legislative leaders were all you know discussing what the options were. And so I've been thinking a lot about it in my flight back. And one thing that I think we're going to try to do with your support is uh tax 100%. Anyone from California that receives any of those funds, uh we want to tax 100% of those proceeds. And that's an action the state of California can take. It's an action we look forward to taking.

[00:48:11]>> California Governor Gavin Newsome, a Democrat, at a news conference in Sacramento on Wednesday. This is Washington today. From the Desireette News, former Senator Mitt Romney told Harvard Business School graduates on Wednesday to prioritize people over careers, recognize the role of luck in their success and strive to excel in their roles at home. He said at a speech at Harvard Business School Class Day, a 30-year tradition that reflects on the impact the graduates are preparing to make in the world. The true measure of wealth in life is the people you love and your friends. Romney graduated from Harvard Business School in 1974 after completing a joint degree program. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a JD from Harvard Law School.

[00:48:52]That was from the Desireette News. Mitt Romney was also the Republican nominee for president in 2012, losing to the Democratic incumbent Barack Obama. And during his speech, he referenced a quality of a good president. Choose good people.

[00:49:08]If you're comparing opportunities and one is led by someone you admire, choose that one.

[00:49:15]One of the lessons of my life has been to see how great is the influence of a leader.

[00:49:22]I served for some years on the board of Marriott International.

[00:49:27]In a customer survey, Marriott associates were graded by the customers as showing more care for their guests than were those of our competitors. I I wondered how that could possibly come about. One day, I accompanied Bill Marriott on a visit to one of his hotels, this one in Western Massachusetts.

[00:49:47]Rather than secluding himself with the general manager in his office, he went into the kitchen, into the laundry, the back office, he shook hands with the associates, looked into their eyes, asked them what their ambitions were.

[00:50:03]His genuine concern for the people who worked at his properties had somehow helped shape the culture of an entire company of 170,000 people.

[00:50:18]If you become a leader, surround yourself with good people, people you admire, and also with people smarter or more able than yourself.

[00:50:29]Bob Gates served as Secretary of Defense under two presidents. one a Democrat, one a Republican. He was asked, "What's the single most important quality of a president?"

[00:50:40]His answer was not at all what I expected.

[00:50:43]He said, "The single most important quality of a president of the United States is to recognize that you're not the smartest person in the room."

[00:50:54]Now, my success in business and later in politics was in large measure due to the qualities of the people around me.

[00:51:02]Yes. Over time, I discovered my strengths and weaknesses, but the abilities and wisdom of my colleagues made all the difference.

[00:51:12]Choose to hire and work with good people. Former US Senator and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney giving the Harvard Business School class day speech on Wednesday in Boston. It's tradition to celebrate graduates a day before the commencement. President Donald Trump says he plans to attend an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden when the New York Knicks will take on either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder. That series is still underway. And New York City Mayor Zora Mandani was asked whether he would sit with the president at that game first.

[00:51:46]Here's President Trump at his White House cabinet meeting Wednesday.

[00:51:49]>> President the next game next week.

[00:51:52]>> No, I I was invited to the I was going to go on Wednesday, but they closed it out very quickly. Great. And Jim Dolan's great guy. He's uh as you know, owns and in charge of Madison Square Garden. He's having a good year.

[00:52:05]>> Uh boy, what a team. They win all their games. They really they have some great players. Uh I think I'll be going to one of the games. Yeah, I was invited by uh numerous people and Jim and I think I'll be going. It's great. Great to see you.

[00:52:19]Knicks. The Knicks have the Knicks have really they've really suffered for years.

[00:52:25]What's your prediction?

[00:52:26]>> They're doing right. They're doing right now.

[00:52:29]>> President Donald Trump at a White House cabinet meeting on Wednesday. James Dolan is the owner of the New York Knicks NBA franchise. Today, New York City mayors or Mandani, a Democrat, was asked at a news conference about the president coming to town for a game.

[00:52:42]>> Another question about uh President Trump. So, if he comes to the championship game, since you and he have this in common that you want them to win, you agree on that, would you sit with President Trump? And can you explain your answer?

[00:52:56]>> Uh, you know, if if the president comes to watch the Knicks, I'll leave the president to watch the Knicks. Um, as he wants to watch the Knicks. You know, I've I've been lucky enough to go to a few games this season. Uh, recently I was at a game with the public advocate.

[00:53:14]It was lovely to be in the nosebleleeds and we'll see where I end up in the future, but I'll be sure to let you know once I know.

[00:53:20]>> New city mayors Mandani. There was a follow-up question at this news conference in the city from a reporter about whether President Trump's attendance would help or hurt.

[00:53:29]>> I also want to ask you follow up to Trump going to the Knicks game. Do you believe that he's actually a fan and do you think that he might be a bad luck charm for the team?

[00:53:39]>> Um, you know, I I'm not going to to do any analysis of the president's fandom.

[00:53:46]Uh, I will say that anyone who wants to come and watch the Knicks and pray that Landry keeps making those threes and we see Captain Clutch out there on the court, I think everybody should be welcome there. Um, I can tell you that it feels like the thing that's on everybody's minds across the five burrows and we're incredibly excited for, you know, we we hope for to to to run 1999 back with a different result.

[00:54:11]Let's see how it goes with uh with the Spurs and OKC. New York City Mayor Zaran Mandani. ESPN writing that President Trump will be the first sitting United States president to attend an NBA Finals game. He has attended multiple high-profile sporting events in recent years, including Super Bowl 59 last year in New Orleans and the College Football Playoff National Championship game earlier this year in Miami. That was some ESPN. Thanks for listening to Washington today. Remember, for the latest news headlines, tune in to C-SPAN radio at the top of each hour during the day when we bring you an Associated Press news update. Also, there's a new C-SPAN ceasefire program airing Friday at 7:00 p.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. This week, host Asha Burns joined by a foreign policy panel of retired US Army Brigadier General Mark Kimit, former US assistant secretary of state for political military affairs during the George W. Bush administration and Naara Huck, former senior director of cabinet affairs during the Obama administration and former State Department spokesperson. C-SPANs Ceasefire, Friday at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, also available as a podcast. Have a good night.