Without any hint of irony, Trump has just published an Executive Order entitled: "RESTORING INTEGRITY TO AMERICA'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM". It targets "non-work authorized populations" and threatens to root out...tax evasion by people who hire them. Also today: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/u...

Big deal, this. Republicans briefly finding a bit of spine, on a day the Trump infuriated them by endorsing the clownish Ken Paxton in Texas instead of incumbent Senator John Cornyn...a move that ultimately could deliver the Lone Star State to the Democrats in November. www.cnbc.com/2026/05/19/s...

Signed by the Acting Attorney General who just happens to be Trump's former personal lawyer.

Staggering. Yet another stunner in a day that still hasn’t ended.

⬇️

In remarks at the White House building site, Trump makes it clear that his "ballroom", is a sprawling military fortress, six storeys deep. It will include a military hospital, what he calls a "research facility", anti-drone and anti-sniper technology, and 360 degree surveillance of the city....

Trouble in paradise.

Trump proposes to funnel $1.776 billion in taxpayer funds to his mates to settle "lawfare" claims. And why tonight is a big test of the President's continuing grip over MAGA...in Kentucky. Mine with @mrjamesob.bsky.social earlier today on @lbc.co.uk 🎧: audioboom.com/posts/890535...

As Trump's continues to try and purge the Republican Party of lawmakers who have crossed him, can he win in November even if he loses? My latest for @theipaper.com 📰: inews.co.uk/news/world/t...

Exactly. Especially #2.

Trump returns from Beijing, indicating possible shift in US support for Taiwan. Mine with Matt Frei on LBC: audioboom.com/posts/890439...

A reminder that if you're a radio purist, you can listen to "American Week". But if you really want to rock your world, the visualised version can be found weekly via the @lbc.co.uk official YouTube channel. No charge for looking.... 📺: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdE...

Nice river you’ve got there. Let me sell you down it….

My "American Week" for @tomswarbrick.bsky.social's programme on @lbc.co.uk. This week: Trump takes top CEOs to China where Xi draws a Taiwanese line in the sand. Listen live every Friday at 5.50pm on LBC or find it here on-demand afterwards. 🎧: audioboom.com/posts/890422...

Merz doubling down. www.thedailybeast.com/top-ally-ger...

Voluntary.

“Butters up”. Another NYT contortionist triumph.

As the late Derek Jameson used to put it: “Do they mean us??? They surely do!!”

First Bari Weiss's CBS failed to do any prep work, so Tony Dokoupil was unable to broadcast from Beijing. Now he's been kicked out of his Taipei hotel for broadcasting without their permission. www.status.news/p/tony-dokou...

Waking up in DC to some solid gold material from Beijing for tomorrow’s “American Week”. Friday, 5.50, @lbc.co.uk

Claude, confessing to me after a very frustrating day: "When presented with a problem, I generate solutions quickly. That's how I'm built. The risk is that "quickly" and "correctly" are not the same thing, and I don't always distinguish between them as carefully as I should". What can go wrong?

We're at the stage of the hantavirus story where CNN brings on Dr. Deborah Birx...the disease specialist who completely discredited herself by accommodating Trump's madness during his first term in office. Up next, no doubt: H.R. McMaster.

Mine for @theipaper.com inews.co.uk/news/world/s...

Trump rejects Iran's response to his one-page peace plan. What now? Mine with Nick Abbot on the UK's @lbc.co.uk 🎧: audioboom.com/posts/890178...

Blimey. Thanks, all. For the uninitiated: 📻: plinkhq.com/i/1111788303

Here’s an idea for Labour: take a vow to come off Elon Musk’s cesspool, rather than give it the imprimatur of respectability by playing out the Party’s internecine drama on it. Something we could all get behind.

That must have been a wild 3 minutes.

How long will it before Trump delivers his verdict on Starmer's humiliation in the UK's elections...the latest on Iran and the President's upcoming visit to Beijing...plus is "Little Marco" now the man to watch for '28? My chat w/Matt Frei on the UK's @lbc.co.uk. 🎧: audioboom.com/posts/890147...

It begins: Trump Administration Targets 12 Immigrants to Revoke Citizenship www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/u...

Just a fast note...due to the pace of news in the UK today, there will be no "American Week" on @lbc.co.uk. Back as usual next Friday.

This is a massive deal. And a huge setback for Democrats ahead of the November midterms.

They just can’t bring themselves to say it. The old tiptoe routine must be just exhausting.

Big scoop by NBC. www.nbcnews.com/politics/whi...

Shocker.

Such specious nonsense.

It's a work in progress, but I have engaged in a complete overhaul of my YouTube channel, which hopefully now makes a bit more organisational sense: www.youtube.com/@SimonMarksR... Next up: the cutlery drawer....

A one-pager memo is mooted as the way to secure peace in Iran. My take for @tomswarbrick.bsky.social's programme on @lbc.co.uk 🎧: audioboom.com/posts/890020...

So we're going to solve the Iran crisis with....a one-pager?

On target as always….

Word salad.

Sure. At this point, whatever....

More front than Harrods. Rubio at this briefing confirming they've changed the name in order to evade the need to seek Congressional authority for the ongoing war. Orwell spinning in his grave.

Why is Donald Trump twisting himself into a pretzel to pretend the ceasefire in Iran is holding? Mine for "Tonight with Andrew Marr" on @lbc.co.uk 🎧: audioboom.com/posts/889955...

"This is a separate and distinct project". Also known as a feint to avoid Congressional oversight for another 60 days.

My chat earlier with @mrjamesob.bsky.social on @lbc.co.uk, dissecting whether the Trump administration can't win in Iran for losing. And Trump's own goal with regard to the UK's trading relationship with America. 🎧: audioboom.com/posts/889939...

The USA is now hurtling headlong towards an electoral and constitutional crisis in mid-November and beyond. You can even pop it in your diary.

Ya think?

Trump putting the world on notice that after last week’s Supreme Court decision, he is going to dispute and litigate the outcome of November’s midterms wherever Republicans lose. Much more on this in my “American Week” here: audioboom.com/posts/889810...

My latest dispatch for @theipaper.com 📰: inews.co.uk/news/world/s...