Trump's weird weapon: Bad news  —  Call it the Trump Law of Inverse Reactions: Everything that would seem to hurt the former president only makes him stronger. … - This dynamic is similar to the stunning election of 2016.  —  Former President Trump, in the past few months, has:

Read the new gag order muzzling Trump in his hush-money case  — A New York state judge muzzled Trump with a social media gag order in his hush-money indictment.  — Judge Juan Merchan, whom Trump has railed against on Truth Social, issued the order on Monday.

Senate Judiciary Committee asks GOP megadonor for full accounting of gifts to Thomas  —  Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats have asked GOP megadonor Harlan Crow to provide a list of gifts and trips he gave Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as scrutiny grows over their friendship.

Melania fully behind Trump's 2024 campaign, says it would be a ‘privilege’ to serve as first lady again  —  Melania Trump would focus on ‘Be Best’ initiatives focused on children if first lady for a second term  —  EXCLUSIVE: Melania Trump supports her husband's re-election campaign …

DeSantis takes major step ahead of expected presidential bid  —  It comes as DeSantis ratchets up plans to start stumping for his 2024 run.  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis severed his connection to his long-standing state political committee and the tens of millions …

Imran Khan, ex-Pakistani PM, is arrested, his party says  —  Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested Tuesday as he appeared in a court in the country's capital, Islamabad, to face charges in multiple graft cases.  Security agents dragged Khan outside and shoved him into an armored car before whisking him away.

Cheney launches New Hampshire TV ad slashing Trump  —  First on NBC News: The former House member previously said she would do everything in her power to prevent Trump from becoming president again.  —  MANCHESTER, N.H. — Liz Cheney isn't a presidential candidate — at least not yet.

Elon Musk's obsession with anti-white bias  —  On May 1, Jordan Neely, an unhoused subway busker and Michael Jackson impersonator with a history of mental illness, was killed on the F train in New York City.  At about 2:30 in the afternoon, Neely entered a subway car and began screaming that he was hungry and thirsty.

What E. Jean Carroll has to prove to win her case against Donald Trump  —  New York CNN —  A jury is expected to begin deliberations Tuesday in E. Jean Carroll's civil battery and defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump.  —  The panel in a Manhattan federal courtroom …

Far-right faction pushes to oust ‘traitors’ from Georgia GOP  —  A far-right faction that has gained clout in the Georgia GOP wants to give the state party new powers to block candidates from qualifying to run as Republicans if they're deemed to be insufficiently conservative or a “traitor” to the party.

Biden Administration Announces Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine  —  Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced a new security assistance package to reaffirm the steadfast U.S. support for Ukraine, including to bolster its air defenses and sustain its artillery ammunition needs.

Florida lawmakers want to use radioactive material to pave roads  —  Roads in Florida could soon include phosphogypsum — a radioactive waste material from the fertilizer industry — under a bill lawmakers have sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis.  —  Conservation groups are urging DeSantis to veto the bill …

Maddow highlights the Nazi speakers welcomed to Trump Doral Miami event this week  —  MSNBC host Rachel Maddow began her Monday show with a list of pro-Nazi speakers that are being welcomed to the Trump Hotel in Miami for an event where a number of former White House officials will also be speaking.

Sister of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer enters New York congressional race  —  Liz Gereghty, a small-business founder and sister of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), announced a Democratic bid Tuesday for a New York congressional seat that Democrats narrowly lost last year and see as one of their …

Most U.S. adults say the abortion pill mifepristone should stay on the market, Post-ABC poll finds  —  The survey finds that 66 percent of U.S. adults say mifepristone should remain on the market, while 24 percent say it should be taken off the market  —  Two-thirds of Americans …

Incel nation  —  One problem I have with the whole “mental illness” frame for talking about mass shooters, is that the “mental illness” often appears to be garden variety authoritarian ethno-nationalist misogyny, with the misogyny being the really critical ideological lynchpin (h/t commenter Karen from Texas):

McConnell Predicts Congress Will Keep Funding Ukraine's Defense  —  Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell predicted US funding to support Ukraine's military will continue to flow despite growing calls from isolationist members of his own party to reduce or end aid to Kyiv.

Biden to be first sitting president to visit Papua New Guinea  —  President Biden will visit Papua New Guinea later this month, a trip that will make him the first sitting U.S. president to travel to the Pacific Island country.  —  The president will stop in Papua New Guinea while he is traveling …

DOJ disrupts Russian-controlled global malware network  —  The operation is codenamed “MEDUSA.”  —  The Justice Department on Tuesday announced the dismantling of a global network of computers infected by malware that Russia's state security services have allegedly used for nearly 20 years …

Italy Intends to Exit China Belt and Road Pact as Relations Sour  —  Italy has signaled to the US that it intends to pull out of a controversial investment pact with China before the end of the year.  —  Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reassured US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during …

Texas Shooter's ‘White Power’ Social Media Posts Revealed After Right-Wing Pundits Cast Doubt on White Supremacist Links  —  The gunman who killed eight people at an Allen, Texas shopping mall over the weekend posted to a social media account discovered by the New York Times, which included …

Americans Lack Confidence in Major Economic Leaders  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the U.S. facing a deadline to increase the nation's debt limit and the threat of an economic recession looming, Americans lack confidence in a variety of key U.S. leaders on economic matters.

J6 Jackals Circle Trump  —  The verdicts and rhetoric surrounding J6 trials are leading to one goal: the arrest and prosecution of Donald Trump.  —  In 2002, David Frum, chief speechwriter for President George W. Bush, coined the phrase “axis of evil” to describe the despotic regimes of North Korea …

Timothy McVeigh's Dreams Are Coming True  —  This column has been updated to reflect news developments.  —  Timothy McVeigh, the right-wing terrorist who killed 168 people in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, cared about one issue above all others: guns.  To him, guns were synonymous with freedom …