May 22

Tulsi Gabbard Resigns as Director of National Intelligence

Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation as Director of National Intelligence on May 22, 2026, effective June 30, citing her husband Abraham Williams's diagnosis with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. A Reuters source reported the White House had forced her out, though Trump publicly praised her work. Principal Deputy DNI Aaron Lukas, a 20-year CIA veteran, will serve as acting director without undergoing Senate confirmation. Gabbard's 16-month tenure was defined by sidelining from consequential decisions: Trump publicly contradicted her Iran nuclear assessment days before ordering strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, and National Security Council staff informally designated her meeting invitations as do-not-invite on both Iran and Venezuela deliberations.

Tennessee Governor Signs Memphis-Shelby County Schools State Takeover

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed House Bill 662 on May 22, 2026, creating a nine-member Educational Oversight Board with sweeping authority over Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the state's largest district serving more than 110,000 students. All nine board members are appointed exclusively by three Republican state officials — the governor, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, and Senate Speaker Randy McNally — with no seats for elected local representatives and no accountability to Memphis or Shelby County voters. The board controls the district's operating budget, superintendent contract, curriculum reviews, and teacher evaluations, and can veto the Shelby County Commission's budget approvals until the board grants consent. Lee announced his first five appointees the same day, and the law took effect weeks after Memphis voters cast ballots in the 2026 school board primary.

FTC Fines Cox Media Group $880K for Fake AI Surveillance Ad Service

On May 22, 2026, the FTC announced settlements requiring Cox Media Group, MindSift LLC, and 1010 Digital Works LLC to pay a combined $930,000 for selling an "Active Listening" ad service they falsely claimed used AI to eavesdrop on consumers' smart devices. The service collected no voice data; the companies resold data-broker email lists at a markup and delivered generic targeted ads. The FTC also ruled that accepting mandatory app terms of service does not constitute opt-in consent to voice data collection, establishing a binding standard for the ad-tech industry.

Report says Lutnick donated $5 million to House GOP super PAC before Epstein testimony

A report said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick donated 5 million dollars to a House Republican super PAC weeks before closed-door House Oversight testimony about his Epstein contacts. The report raised questions from Democrats about influence, access, and whether witnesses in the probe were being handled evenly.

UK police broaden Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor inquiry and renew witness appeal

UK police broadened their inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and renewed an appeal for witnesses. The investigation grew out of Epstein-related document releases and questions about Andrew conduct while serving as a public envoy.

Top TRUMP memecoin holders win access to Trump dinner at his Virginia club

On May 22, 2025, top TRUMP memecoin holders attended a private dinner with President Donald Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. CNBC reported the contest drew about $148 million in global token purchases and that many top wallets appeared tied to offshore exchanges.

House passes Financial Innovation and Technology Act with bipartisan support

The House passed the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) by a vote of 279-136, with 71 Democrats joining Republicans. The bill established a framework dividing crypto oversight between the SEC and CFTC based on whether a digital asset was sufficiently decentralized. FIT21 died in the Senate but laid the groundwork for the CLARITY Act introduced in the next Congress.

Trump meets Netanyahu in Israel and signals anti-Iran alignment

During his Israel visit, Trump indicated he wanted Israel to make peace with the Palestinians as part of a broader anti-Iran coalition. This cemented Iran as the shared top priority between the US and Israel.