News On Tap For Monday, May 18, 2026

Finding Clarity Amid The News Storm

Today’s “News On Tap” is swirling with confusion, & it’s almost overflowing. We’ll start with the story mainstream news is too cowardly to focus on: The Fight for Democracy, & the Christian Nationalist war against democracy. We’ve also got updates on the Gerrymandering Wars, & the efforts to kill Citizens United, Trump’s failures are piling up too, as his Iran War drags on, Trumponomics is failing, and his ballroom just got knicked in Congress. TrumpLand’s corruption is massively overflowing today, even more than usual, as all political eyes are on Thomas Massie’s election in Kentucky, even as the next terrifying pandemic may already be loose in the world. On a more positive note, we’ve got Music & Movie news, and Sports Entertainment news too. And Brooklyn Dad Defiant will join us tonight to go through all of it with you. Read up, get informed, & we’l see you here tonight!

First Round - The New American Uncivil War

Fighting For Democracy

• Thousands Attend Protests In Selma And Montgomery For Voting Rights’

• Protests Ripple Across The South As Racist Republican-Run States Race To Eliminate Black Seats From Congress

• Alan Elrod: Elected Democrats Need To Realize What Time It Is: On Revolutionary Moments & The Next American Republic

Holy Hypocrites & Authoritarian Traitors

• Trump’s “Christian’ Nationalist Allies Lead Thousands In Prayer On National Mall To ‘Rededicate’ America, Insisting Nation Was Founded On Christianity

• Trump Ditches His Own White House Faith Event For Round Of Golf At His Club In Virginia

• Fact Check: The U.S. Constitution Does NOT Include The Word “God, And Explicitly Forbids Any “Establishment Of Religion”

• The 1797 Treaty Of Tripoli: “The Government Of The United States Of America Is Not In Any Sense Founded On The Christian Religion”

• Tim Alberta: The Only Thing More Dangerous Than Secular Authoritarianism Is Authoritarian-Infused Christian Nationalism [Gift Link]

• Valerie Schultz: What Would The U.S. Look Like If We Were Actually A Christian Nation? Not How Christian Nationalists Think It Should.

The Fight To Vote

• U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Virginia Democrats’ Attempt To Revive New Democratic-Favorable Congressional Map

• Trump Is Still Seeking Passage Of The ‘SAVE America Act’ But Having House Repubs Jam It In The Housing & FISA Bills

• NYTimes/Sienna Poll: New 37 Percent Approval Rating Suggests Republicans Are Facing Big Midterm Problems Despite Recent Redistricting Gains

• Jim Sakas: How Democrats Can Get Even, Or Even Pull Ahead, In The Gerrymandering Wars

Killing Citizens United

• New Hawaii Law Effectively Bans Citizens United, Getting Money Out Of Politics

• Addressing Questions Surrounding Hawaii’s Bold Move To Undo Citizens United

• As Buttigieg Advocates Montana Plan At Rally In Butte, Organizers Say They’re Halfway To Signatures Required To Get The Initiative On The November Ballot

Second Round - Trump's Failures Are Piling Up

The Iran War Drags On

• Trump Admin Official: Iran’s New Offer To End The War Is Insufficient, Risks War Resumption

• Matt Egan: Trump Has Only One Real Option To Slash Gas Prices: End The Iran War & Reopen The Strait Of Hormuz

Trumponomics Is Failing

• Mortgage Rates Surge Above 6% As Iran War Ripples Through Housing Markets

• Trump Regime’s Immigration Crackdown Could Cost Govt. Up To $479B In Lost Taxes Over Next 10 Years

• Trump’s Recent Callous Remarks On Americans’ Economic Pain Reveal A Billionaire Out Of Touch [Gift Link]

• Doubling Down: Trump Defends Saying He Isn’t Thinking About Americans’ Finances Amid Iran Talks

Projects In Failure

• Senate Parliamentarian Deals Blow To Trump, Rejecting Ballroom Funding

• Trade Union Warns Workers Racing To Turn Reflecting Pool Blue For Trump May Be At Risk For Injury; Project May Not Be Completed On Time

Third Round - Laws & Disorder

Corruption Land

• Trump DOJ Sets Up Illegal $1.7B ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund As Part Of So-Called “Settlement” After Trump Drops $10B IRS Lawsuit

• House Democrats’ Litigation Task Force Files To Block Trump’s Self-Dealing Settlement

• Trump’s More Than 3,700 Stock Trades, Released In His Latest Required Financial Disclosures, Astonish Wall Street Insiders

• Judd Legum: The Smoking Guns In Trump’s New Financial Disclosure

• Will Bunch: The E-Trade Presidency - Trump Trades Stocks While America Burns

Justice & Injustice

• Key Evidence Excluded From Luigi Mangione’s New York Murder Trial; Gun & Manifesto To Be Allowed As Evidence

• At Least Five Insurrectionists Pardoned By Trump For Jan 6 Capitol Attack Accused Of New Crimes

• Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Grants Clemency To Pro-Trump Election Denier Tina Peters

• Rep. Lauren Boebert Says Trump Withheld Federal Funding For Clean Drinking Water From Colorado In Order To Get Gov. Polis To Commute Sentence Of Tina Peters

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Politics & Elections

• Sen. Bill Cassidy Loses Republican Primary In Louisiana As Two Rivals Advance To Runoff

• Rep. Thomas Massie’s Primary This Tuesday Will Test Donald Trump’s Grip On The Republican Party

• Thomas Massie Unfazed By Bill Cassidy’s Defeat In Louisiana

• In Highly Unethical Appearance, Sec. Of Defense Pete Hegseth To Campaign In Kentucky Against Rep. Thomas Massie

The Next Potential Pandemic?

• WHO Declares Global Health Emergency Over Massive Ebola Outbreak In Congo And Uganda

• Ebola Outbreak: Americans In Congo Believed To Have Had Exposure To Suspected Cases

• Experts Confirm U.S. Not Ready For Another Pandemic, As Nation Severely Lags On Pandemic Preparedness After Covid

Other Foreign Affairs

• Ukrainian Drones Kill Four In Russia, Moscow Faces Biggest Attack In Over A Year

• French Judge Opens Inquiry Into Khashoggi Killing

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media Matters

• New York Magazine Reviewing Work Of Writer Ross Barkan, Now Facing Plagiarism Allegations

• Harvey Weinstein Rape Case Ends In Mistrial As Jury Unable To Reach Verdict

Music, Movies, & More

• New Artist Ella Langley Sweeps ACM Awards With Seven Wins; Cody Johnson Wins His First Entertainer Of The Year Prize

• Shakira Acquitted Of Tax Fraud In Spain, In Line For $70 Million Payout

• ‘Death Becomes Her’ To End Broadway Run

• The Smashing Pumpkins Announce Their 2926 ‘Rats In A Cage’ Tour

Sports Entertainment

• NBA Playoffs: Cleveland Cavaliers Rout The Detroit Pistons 125-94 In Game 7 To Reach The Eastern Conference Finals

• NHL Playoffs: Topsy-Turvy Sabres-Canadiens Playoff Series To Be Decided Tonight With Game 7 At Buffalo

• Washington Nationals Give Lifetime Ban To Man Who Rolled Out White Nationalist Banner At Home Game

• Aaron Rai Runs Away With The PGA Championship, First English-Born Winner In More Than A Century

Today’s Special Guest

Brooklyn Dad Defiant, AKA Majid M. Padellan, is a author, activist, blogger, and host/co-host of TWO online shows – ‘The Defiant Weekly’ on Wednesdays, and ‘The JoJo & BDD Show’ with Jo Carducci on Thursdays. Tonight, we’ll talk about the fight for democracy, the failures & corruption of TrumpLand, and what entertainment was distracting BDD this weekend. Grab a drink & join us tonight!

---

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

• WCPT AM 820 – Chicago

• AM 950 - Minneapolis/St. Paul

• Georgia Now Radio - Atlanta

• Detour Talk Radio - Tri-Cities Area Of Tennessee

• Progressive Voices Radio - Worldwide, Via Tune In