Drag shows, 'trophy wives,' and Al Capone: Trump's rambling West Point commencement left many confused
From Al Capone to drag shows to 'trophy wives,' Donald Trump's rambling commencement address to graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point covered an unlikely combination of topics. The Weekend: Primetime's Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell, and Antonia Hylton discuss the bizarre speech and the broader implications for the U.S. military.
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34 minutes ago
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What the Trump travel ban means for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games
GENEVA (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump often says the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are among the events he is most excited about in his second term. Yet there is significant uncertainty regarding visa policies for foreign visitors planning trips to the U.S. for the two biggest events in sports. Trump's latest travel ban on citizens from 12 countries added new questions about the impact on the World Cup and the Summer Olympics, which depend on hosts opening their doors to the world. Here's a look at the potential effects of the travel ban on those events. What is the travel ban policy? When Sunday ticks over to Monday, citizens of 12 countries should be banned from entering the U.S. They are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Tighter restrictions will apply to visitors from seven more: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Trump said some countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting processes or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. How does it affect the World Cup and Olympics? Iran, a soccer power in Asia, is the only targeted country to qualify so far for the World Cup being co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico in one year's time. Cuba, Haiti and Sudan are in contention. Sierra Leone might stay involved through multiple playoff games. Burundi, Equatorial Guinea and Libya have very outside shots. But all should be able to send teams to the World Cup if they qualify because the new policy makes exceptions for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.' About 200 countries could send athletes to the Summer Games, including those targeted by the latest travel restrictions. The exceptions should apply to them as well if the ban is still in place in its current form. What about fans? The travel ban doesn't mention any exceptions for fans from the targeted countries wishing to travel to the U.S. for the World Cup or Olympics. Even before the travel ban, fans of the Iran soccer team living in that country already had issues about getting a visa for a World Cup visit. Still, national team supporters often profile differently to fans of club teams who go abroad for games in international competitions like the UEFA Champions League. For many countries, fans traveling to the World Cup — an expensive travel plan with hiked flight and hotel prices — are often from the diaspora, wealthier, and could have different passport options. A World Cup visitor is broadly higher-spending and lower-risk for host nation security planning. Visitors to an Olympics are often even higher-end clients, though tourism for a Summer Games is significantly less than at a World Cup, with fewer still from most of the 19 countries now targeted. How is the U.S. working with FIFA, Olympic officials? FIFA President Gianni Infantino has publicly built close ties since 2018 to Trump — too close according to some. He has cited the need to ensure FIFA's smooth operations at a tournament that will earn a big majority of the soccer body's expected $13 billion revenue from 2023-26. Infantino sat next to Trump at the White House task force meeting on May 6 which prominently included Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. FIFA's top delegate on the task force is Infantino ally Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs partner whose two-year run as U.S. Soccer Federation president ended in controversy in 2020. Any visa and security issues FIFA faces — including at the 32-team Club World Cup that kicks off next week in Miami — can help LA Olympics organizers finesse their plans. 'I don't anticipate any, any problems from any countries to come and participate,' LA Games chairman Casey Wasserman told International Olympic Committee officials in March. He revealed then, at an IOC meeting in Greece, two discreet meetings with Trump and noted the State Department has a 'fully staffed desk' to help prepare for short-notice visa processing in the summer of 2028 — albeit with a focus on teams rather than fans. 'Irrespective of politics today,' Wasserman said in March, 'America will be open and accepting to all 209 countries for the Olympics.' FIFA and the IOC didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about the new Trump travel ban. What have other host nations done? The 2018 World Cup host Russia let fans enter the country with a game ticket doubling as their visa. So did Qatar four years later. Both governments, however, also performed background checks on all visitors coming to the month-long soccer tournaments. Governments have refused entry to unwelcome visitors. For the 2012 London Olympics, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko — who is still its authoritarian leader today — was denied a visa despite also leading its national Olympic body. The IOC also suspended him from the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021. ___ AP soccer: and AP Olympics at
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
China says Trump and Xi hold telephone call amid tariffs spat
US President Donald Trump has spoken by telephone with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, China's state news agency Xinhua said on Thursday. No specific details about the content of the conversation have been disclosed but it comes amid the ongoing trade spat between the two countries. The White House has yet to confirm the phone call. On Wednesday, Trump stated on his online platform Truth Social: "I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!" This is the first known phone call between the two presidents since Trump took office again in January. In recent months, Trump has been non-committal when asked about any potential conversations with Xi, leaving open the possibility of direct exchanges that may not have been disclosed. But typically, governments publicly announce such calls between heads of state. Since retaking office, Trump has pursued a hard-line trade policy against China, significantly escalating the long-standing dispute. The US president has imposed punitive tariffs on Chinese imports, raising them in several steps to a 145%. Beijing has responded with counter-tariffs. Although both sides agreed in mid-May to pause the escalation and temporarily lower some tariffs, tensions have recently flared again, and the underlying disagreements remain unresolved. Meanwhile, the US Senate is preparing a new sanctions package against Russia, which, according to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, is aimed at countries that continue to purchase Russian oil, gas, and other energy products. China would be particularly affected by the proposed measures, which come after Moscow failed to stop its over three-year war on Ukraine.
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump holds call with China's Xi amid trade tensions
(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on the phone Thursday amid rising tensions over trade disputes, according to Chinese state media. The conversation came at the 'request' of Trump, media outlet Xinhua said. The White House has not yet confirmed or commented on the talk. Earlier this week, the White House confirmed the pair would soon speak directly. Trump said on social media that it has been difficult to negotiate with Xi. 'I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!' Trump wrote on Wednesday. Trump, Germany's new leader to talk Ukraine aid and trade Both countries have accused the other of violating trade agreements amid tense tariff negotiations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused China of disrupting the supply chains of India and Europe, and Trump accused China of 'totally' violating their 90-day agreement reached in May. The deal slashed Trump's sky-high tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, while Beijing dropped its own from 125% to 10%. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said his country has 'responsibly and faithfully' upheld its end of the agreement. 'Without any factual basis, the U.S. falsely accuses and smears China, and has taken extreme suppression measures against China such as new chip export controls, blocking EDA sales, and announcing plans to revoke Chinese students' visas,' spokesperson Lin Jian's statement reads in part. NewsNation's Robert Sherman contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
