Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of NATO's Military Committee, stated that European allies are progressing toward the 5% GDP defense spending target demanded by the US, citing NATO's structured planning process. He noted stable military-to-military relations with the Pentagon and cautioned against overreacting to Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace. The remarks follow US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's criticism of Europe at the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he urged allies to take more responsibility. Several NATO members, including Germany, have increased spending ahead of the upcoming summit in Ankara.

An Axios analysis of U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates found that more than 600 incorporated places of 20,000 or more lost residents between April 2020 and July 2025. The fastest-declining cities are disproportionately majority-Black communities in the Deep South, working-class Mexican American and Native American cities in the Southwest, and legacy industrial towns in the Midwest. Big Spring, Texas, lost 15.3% of its population, the steepest drop, followed by Greenville, Mississippi, at 10.6%. The analysis highlights a structural crisis of concentrated poverty, aging infrastructure, and limited job growth, contrasting with booming exurbs that attract federal investment.

The Trump administration has imposed stringent travel restrictions on travelers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries affected by an Ebola outbreak, ignoring WHO guidance that such measures are unscientific and counterproductive. The U.S. is diverting exposed Americans to Europe for quarantine and care, and a Kenyan court has temporarily halted a planned U.S. quarantine facility in Kenya. More than a dozen other countries have also imposed restrictions, highlighting a split between national political imperatives and global health recommendations. Experts argue the bans are politically motivated and unlikely to prevent spread, as Ebola is far less contagious than COVID-19.

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, accused US President Donald Trump of betraying diplomacy for the third time by continuing a naval blockade on Iran and making excessive demands in negotiations. This marks a new escalation in US-Iran tensions.

Background: Iran's economy has been battered by war, US naval blockade, and soaring inflation, with the rial losing over half its value and food inflation exceeding 115%. Today: The fragile ceasefire has left Iranians exhausted and uncertain, with many fearing the regime has been emboldened. The anti-government protests that began in December were met with a deadly crackdown, with thousands killed and over 50,000 arrested; at least 226 people have been executed this year. The regime has intensified crackdowns on dissent, setting up military training booths in Tehran to teach civilians how to operate Kalashnikovs, and pro-government rallies with machine-gun-mounted Jeeps have been widely shared on social media. Children and teenagers have been seen holding machine guns on state TV, raising concerns among child rights activists. Soaring prices for groceries and essential medication, along with the loss of livelihoods from the nearly 90-day internet blackout, have left many struggling to meet basic needs. A cafe owner in Tehran fears the 'worst is yet to come' and predicts that economic desperation will drive people back to the streets. Videos of destroyed homes, shops, and music schools have circulated, including one of a Tehran resident who lost 12 family members in a strike. A musician condemned the US and Israeli attacks, saying they bombed schools, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure, deepening poverty and inflation. Many Iranians now question the cost of US intervention, with some feeling humiliated by the ongoing crisis.

Background: Iran has asserted the Strait of Hormuz is an exclusively Omani-Iranian waterway and is coordinating with Oman on future management, including plans to impose fees on commercial shipping. Today, a proposed preliminary understanding between Iran and the United States would leave Iran's authority over the Strait of Hormuz unchanged, with the main change being a gradual restoration of shipping traffic to pre-war levels over 30 days. The deal also requires the complete lifting of the US naval blockade within 30 days, and disagreements over one or two clauses remain unresolved.

AAFS Infrastructure and Energy, a company with ties to Donald Trump via lawyer Jesse Binnall and Michael Flynn's brother Joe Flynn, is on the verge of winning contracts worth over $1 billion to build a gas pipeline across the Balkans. The project aims to replace Russian gas with US-shipped fossil gas, bypassing competitive tender and raising corruption concerns. The Trump administration has supported the deal and lifted sanctions on Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, a key figure who could block the project. This development highlights the blurring of government policy and private enrichment under the Trump presidency, with potential implications for regional stability and the 1995 Dayton peace accords.

A 23-year-old South American woman, identified as Ana María, agreed to be deported back to her home country after experiencing what she describes as humiliating and harsh conditions in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention. She was shuttled between at least six facilities over three months, shackled during transfers, and subjected to inadequate food and medical care. Her case highlights ongoing concerns about conditions in US immigration detention centers under the Trump administration's enforcement policies.

Police used tear gas and horses to disperse protesters outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, after nights of demonstrations over conditions inside. The state governor placed state police in charge and established protected protest zones.

A Kenyan High Court temporarily blocked a US plan to establish an Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base for American citizens exposed in the DRC outbreak, following a legal challenge by Katiba Institute and Kenya Law Society. The US State Department publicly responded for the first time, stating it is engaging Kenyan authorities and remains optimistic that objections can be resolved. Kenya's Health Ministry defended the country's role in global health security, emphasizing that any international cooperation would follow Kenyan law and biosafety standards, and reported enhanced screening of over 55,000 travelers with no confirmed Ebola cases in Kenya. Opposition figures, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, criticized the facility, and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union called for full transparency over any agreements.

Public health advocates and independent experts warn that US garbage incinerators are largely failing to eliminate PFAS 'forever chemicals' from air emissions, putting low-income neighborhoods at risk. An industry report from the Minnesota Resources Recovery Association (MRRA) claiming 99.6% reduction in PFAS emissions from Minnesota incinerators is criticized for using incomplete data, flawed assumptions, and failing to test for many PFAS compounds. A Zero Burn Coalition analysis highlights that incinerators likely still emit dangerous levels of PFAS and other pollutants, disproportionately affecting low-income communities. The debate underscores ongoing environmental justice concerns and regulatory gaps, as the EPA has expressed low confidence in incineration as a reliable PFAS control technology.

Federal wildlife inspectors found multiple critical violations of the Animal Welfare Act at Zoological Wildlife Foundation in Miami, owned by convicted drug trafficker Mario Tabraue, who appeared in the Netflix series Tiger King. Violations include a clouded leopard that required leg amputation after a botched breeding attempt and a capybara killed during mating. The USDA cited dilapidated housing, filthy cages, and contaminated food and water. Animal welfare groups, including PETA, renewed calls for closure, citing a pattern of injuries to animals and humans.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, praised Pakistan's military and civilian leadership for their role in peace negotiations related to the Iran conflict, describing a 'true friendship' emerging between Washington and Islamabad. He also credited President Trump's role in brokering peace between India and Pakistan last year. Despite the praise, Hegseth reaffirmed India's importance as a 'critical anchor' for US strategy in the Indo-Pacific and committed to co-producing weapons with India.

As part of ongoing Project Flytrap exercises in Lithuania, the US Army has been testing drone swarm tactics and counter-UAS defenses with nearly 1,000 personnel. On 14 May 2026, an M-SHORAD Stryker (Sergeant Stout) from the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment engaged aerial targets with its 30mm cannon at Pabradė Training Area, demonstrating the integration of short-range air defense into the exercise. The live-fire test focused on countering low, slow, and small drone threats, a capability highlighted by the war in Ukraine. The vehicle, an M1265A1, used its XM914 30mm cannon to engage these targets; the M-SHORAD system also carries Stinger missiles and an M240 7.62mm machine gun, providing layered engagement capabilities. Project Flytrap runs from 27 April to 31 May 2026 and is conducted by US and allied forces alongside exercises Sword 26, Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response.

The last A-10 Thunderbolt II engine was built at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, ending a 50-year maintenance mission. The milestone reflects the broader drawdown of the A-10 fleet, with the final pilot class graduating in April 2026 and depot maintenance closed. Congress mandated a minimum of 103 A-10s through September 2026, and the type continues operational deployments.

Kataeb Hezbollah, an influential Iraqi armed group, has pledged to continue its armed activities despite US pressure on Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed factions. The group's security chief stated they would not discuss disarmament while foreign forces remain in Iraq's Kurdistan region, and offered to supervise weapons transfers from other groups. This defiance underscores the challenge facing Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's efforts to centralize state authority and restrict weapons to state institutions, amid ongoing US-Israeli tensions with Iran.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Tom Barrack will step down as Special Envoy for Syria, but will continue to lead US policy on Syria, Iraq, and Turkey. Barrack, a billionaire real estate investor and Trump confidant, also serves as US ambassador to Turkey. He oversaw Washington's pivot to the post-Assad government and the easing of sanctions on Damascus.

Senior US and Cuban military officials held a rare face-to-face meeting near the perimeter of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on May 30, 2026. US Marine Corps Gen. Francis Donovan, head of U.S. Southern Command, met with Cuban Army Corps Gen. Roberto Legra Sotolongo and other senior Cuban military leaders to discuss operational security and force protection. Both sides described the talks as positive and agreed to maintain communication between their commands. The meeting follows a CIA director visit to Havana earlier in May and comes amid heightened US pressure on Cuba, including an oil embargo, warship deployments, and federal charges against former President Raul Castro.

Background: Direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon opened in Washington on May 14, with Israel demanding 'total peace' conditional on Hezbollah's dismantlement, while Lebanese President Joseph Aoun pushed for a return to the 1949 armistice and PM Nawaf Salam signaled openness to peace within the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative framework. On May 29, the Pentagon hosted military delegations from Israel and Lebanon to support peace negotiations. On May 30, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met to discuss the US-hosted military talks with Israel, reaffirming commitment to a ceasefire. They addressed preparations for the next round of negotiations scheduled for the following Tuesday and Wednesday, and reviewed the security situation, including the daily monitoring of displaced persons. Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed over 3,350 people across Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The United States criticized a Greek court's decision to conditionally release Alexandros Giotopoulos, the convicted leader of the defunct terrorist group 17 November, which killed four US government employees among others. The US State Department urged Greek authorities to return him to prison, citing lack of remorse and the severity of his crimes. Giotopoulos, 82, was released from an Athens prison earlier in May 2026 after a judicial panel approved his release due to advanced age. Greece's deputy supreme court prosecutor filed an appeal on May 25 seeking to annul the decision.

Background: Putin previously warned Armenia to choose between EU and EAEU membership, and raised the issue at the EAEU summit in Kazakhstan. Today: At the EAEU summit in Astana on 29 May, Putin warned Armenia could face a 'Ukrainian scenario' over its EU integration, drawing a parallel with Ukraine's pre-war EU aspirations, and threatened to 'raze to the ground' anyone attacking Russian bases in Kaliningrad, responding to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys' remarks about NATO's capability to destroy such bases. The US deepened ties with Armenia: Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a strategic partnership charter, a critical minerals memorandum, and a framework for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), which includes a 43-kilometer road and rail corridor through southern Armenia linking Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan, with a US-backed company holding a 74% stake for 49 years. President Donald Trump endorsed Pashinyan ahead of the 7 June parliamentary election, calling him 'a great friend and Leader' and pledging to break ground on the corridor. Pashinyan skipped the summit, delegating Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan due to election campaigning.

U.S. Southern Command commander Gen. Frank Donovan previously outlined the establishment of the Autonomous Warfare Command to integrate drones and autonomous systems for strategic effects in the Western Hemisphere. In a Q&A during SOF Week, he elaborated on the command's focus on open architecture, data-centric networks, and scalable production, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between joint force requirements and service acquisition. He also expressed concern about attracting quality recruits and retaining senior non-commissioned officers, suggesting pay increases for E-7 to E-9 ranks. Additionally, Donovan discussed the importance of training leaders to delegate authority in communications-denied environments and fostering trust in autonomous systems through realistic training ranges.