Trump met with boos at Game 3 of NBA Finals in New York
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will face City Council member Nithya Raman in a runoff election for Bass’ job in November, NBC News projects. Raman ran ahead of Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican.
What to know today
- NBA FINALS: President Donald Trump attended tonight's NBA Finals game in New York between the Knicks, his hometown team, and the San Antonio Spurs. His presence led to heightened security measures at Madison Square Garden, where he was met with boos. Follow live updates from the game here.
- CALIFORNIA PRIMARIES UPDATE: Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman, a Democrat, will advance to take on Mayor Karen Bass in the fall, NBC News projects. Raman bested former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican. In the governor's race, Republican Steve Hilton is in second place vying for the other general election slot to take on Democrat Xavier Becerra.
- TRUMP’S ‘MEET THE PRESS’ INTERVIEW: Trump did not rule out the government's paying people who were charged with assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and contended without evidence that recent California elections were “rigged” in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
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Vance refers Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota attorney general to DOJ for fraud investigation
Vice President JD Vance announced today that he is referring Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison — both Democrats — to the Justice Department for a criminal fraud investigation involving social services programs.
“Minnesota state officials are not above the law, and if they facilitated fraud, lied under oath about what they knew, or harassed and intimated whistleblowers, they must face justice,” Vance wrote on X, adding that his referral was prompted by a letter and a report from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee.
The committee’s report, published today, alleged that Minnesota state officials, including Walz and Ellison, were “aware of widespread taxpayer fraud in federally funded social programs for years” and did not take steps to stop it.
Walz’s and Ellison’s offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment tonight on the criminal referral, but their spokespeople were dismissive of the GOP report in statements to other news outlets earlier today.
Trump booed at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of NBA Finals
Trump attended Madison Square Garden tonight for Game 3 of the NBA Finals to cheer on his hometown team — but many of his fellow fans didn't appear thrilled to have him there.
As Trump was shown on the jumbotron here during the national anthem, the crowd erupted in loud booing. Trump smiled as he saluted through the song.
The jeers were followed by raucous cheers as the camera panned to Knicks star Jalen Brunson on the court.
Trump was standing in Knicks owner Jim Dolan’s box, accompanied by a slew of administration officials, who included Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Trump arrives in Knicks owner's box
President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York today. Al Bello / Getty Images
Trump has arrived for tonight's game, standing alongside Knicks owner Jim Dolan in his box.
Several administration officials set to join Trump at tonight's NBA Finals game
A variety of administration officials are in the box at Madison Square Garden where Trump will be watching Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Among them are Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and special envoy Jared Kushner, who is also the president’s son-in-law.
Kai Trump, the president’s granddaughter, is also there.
Nithya Raman advances over Spencer Pratt to face L.A. Mayor Karen Bass in a runoff
Nithya Raman; Mayor Karen Bass. AFP via Getty Images; Getty Images
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will face City Council member Nithya Raman in a runoff election for Bass’ job in November, NBC News projects, teeing up a one-on-one matchup between two Democrats.
Bass and Raman, who is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, emerged from a crowded all-party primary field that included former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican who ran an insurgent campaign focused on criticizing Bass for her response to the Los Angeles wildfires last year.
Pockets of protesters greet Trump’s motorcade to Madison Square Garden
Trump's motorcade to Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden passed by groups of people protesting his arrival.
A handful of people in midtown Manhattan gave the middle finger to the motorcade, while a smaller crowd chanted “F--- Trump.”
Outside Madison Square Garden, a group held signs reading “Trump must go.” Other signs read “Nobody wants you here” and “Impeach. Convict. Remove.”
Trump-backed super PAC to host a $1M-per-person fundraiser the day before the White House UFC fights
The top super PAC backed by Trump is set to hold a $1 million-per-person fundraiser Saturday, the day before he hosts Ultimate Fighting Championship matches on the White House grounds.
The seven-figure fundraising event will take place at Trump’s golf club in the Washington suburbs, in Northern Virginia, according to four people familiar with the matter.
Money raised at the fundraiser will benefit MAGA Inc., which has collected $342 million this election cycle and is expected to play a major role in key races in the upcoming midterm congressional elections.
Chuck Schumer bashes Trump for not ruling out payments to Jan. 6 rioters
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized Trump today for not ruling out payments to Jan. 6 defendants through the administration's “anti-weaponization" fund.
Trump declined to rule out payouts to defendants in a “Meet the Press” interview that aired yesterday.
“What they deserve, the only thing Jan. 6th insurrectionists deserve for maiming police officers is to sit in a prison cell, but Donald Trump and Senate Republicans think the rioters deserve a cut of Americans’ paychecks,” Schumer said, slamming Senate Republicans for opting “not to outlaw” the fund.
The $1.8 billion has faced bipartisan blowback, with debate over the fund last week threatening passage of a Republican bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies through the end of Trump’s term. An amendment that would prohibit payments from the fund to Jan. 6 rioters failed in the Senate last week, falling short of the 60 votes needed for adoption, but it picked up eight GOP votes along the way.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told House lawmakers last week that the administration wouldn't proceed with the fund. But Trump later said he wasn't sure whether the fund was dead or just on hold.
Trump today formally nominated Blanche to be attorney general.
Bernie Sanders doubles down on support for Graham Platner after recent allegations
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., re-iterated his support for embattled Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner ahead of tomorrow's primary in his remarks at the National Press Club in Washington.
"I’m going to do everything I can to make sure Graham Platner is the next senator from the state of Maine," Sanders said when he was asked whether he still stands with Platner in light of recent news reports that Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee, had exchanged sexually explicit texts with women at the beginning of his marriage and allegations of disturbing behavior from women who had relationships with him before he was married.
"I don't know what is true or not true" about the allegations, but "what I do know is that there are people in the United States Senate right now who are not saints," Sanders said, adding that Platner had struggled with PTSD following his time in the military but "has gotten his life together."
"To my mind right now we need allies in the United States Senate who have the guts to take on the big money that is dominating this country," he said. "I'm supporting Graham Platner."
Platner has denied ever having been physically threatening while acknowledging making mistakes early in his marriage.
Pentagon updates proposed list of faith classifications
The Pentagon today released an updated list of proposed faith classifications after some backlash from several lawmakers that the initial list last week didn't characterize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a Christian denomination.
"Last week, a proposed list of simplified faith codes was released to the media. The Pentagon list included redundant and unnecessary labeling, and the mistake has been fixed," the Defense Department said in a statement today.
The Pentagon said it consolidated the classifications "to simplify a previously out-of-control 'belief' coding system that had ballooned to over 200 codes." It now includes only 30 codes.
"The Pentagon’s job is not to adjudicate theological debates, but instead to ensure sincerely-held faith is respected and encouraged in our ranks," it said.
When the Pentagon announced its decision to reduce the list last week, spokesman Sean Parnell said on X that the move was "not designed to make any claims on the legitimacy of any faith or religious belief, nor is it intended to provide a list of 'officially approved' religions."
"Rather, it is designed to allow chaplains to quickly look at the religious composition of their units and determine how they structure resources to best provide for warfighters of all faith groups," he said.
Trump increasingly focused on D.C. renovation projects
Watching Trump’s public events last week, it is clear his various renovations are top of mind as he increasingly spends time and energy discussing and praising the projects around Washington.
Trump held up visual aids depicting the renovations in Washington at all three of his public events last week. He spoke about the topic for more than six minutes without interruption at two of them.
On Wednesday, he began an executive order signing event talking about the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, holding up a series of printouts. Then he summoned his aide Natalie Harp to bring out a poster comparing the size of the Reflecting Pool with other large landmarks, with the text “Our Pool is Bigger than Skyscrapers.”
Visitors walk past the partly filled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as renovation work continues on the National Mall in Washington yesterday. Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images
He went on to speak about the Reflecting Pool and his renovations of other fountains across the city for over seven minutes, taking up all of his opening remarks of the less than 45-minute event, before he pivoted to have the other administration officials present speak about the executive orders he was about to sign.
On Thursday, Trump opened his Oval Office announcement about coal by suggesting we “start where we left off yesterday.” A laptop was set up in front of him on the Resolute Desk, showing a video of water beginning to pour into the newly finished Reflecting Pool. Trump again held up the poster comparing the pool’s size with that of skyscrapers.
President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
He spoke for only a few minutes about his projects at the top but eventually circled back in the midst of talking about his administration’s announcement of $700 million of investments in coal, saying, “This brings the total number of coal plants that we’ve saved during my administration, just like when we said we saved 25 water fountains."
He later circled back again to speak about his “triumphal arch” before he announced another planned project — a pedestrian “promenade” connecting the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.
Then, Friday, Trump held an agriculture roundtable at a farm in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, where he spent roughly seven minutes of his 45-minute opening remarks on his projects in Washington. He held up printouts of before-and-after views of the fountain in Columbus Circle and the Reflecting Pool — which most of the hundreds of Wisconsin farmers in the barn could not see.
Trump also posted on Truth Social about his Washington renovations over 15 times last week.
Trump to attend NBA Finals Game 3 tonight
Trump is set to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals tonight, prompting enhanced security measures at Madison Square Garden in New York.
New York Knicks fans and New York police officers gather outside Madison Square Garden today. Charly Triballeau / AFP via Getty Images
Ticketholders will be subject to a strict no-bag policy and TSA-style screening before the game. And no watch party will be held outside MSG, a decision that prompted backlash among some fans, as the New York Police Department and the Secret Service cited “heightened security requirements associated with President Trump’s attendance.”
Trump will be attending the New York Knicks’ return home as they carry a 2-0 lead and a 13-game consecutive win streak. If Trump goes to the game as planned, he will become the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.
Trump officially nominates Todd Blanche to be attorney general
Trump officially nominated acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the position permanently, according to the White House website.
Trump announced his decision to nominate Blanche last week.
Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer, has been acting attorney general since Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi in April. Under Bondi, Blanche was deputy attorney general.
Blanche will need to be confirmed by the Senate.
Judge blocks Trump administration's $100,000 visa fee
A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked the Trump administration from imposing a $100,000 payment requirement for employers submitting petitions for new H-1B visas for their employees, finding the policy imposes a tax on H-1B petitions “without the requisite delegation by Congress.”
“The substance and application of the $100,000 payment reveal that it is a tax, regardless of what the payment is called,” U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin wrote.
“Defendants’ miscellaneous arguments that the President has the authority to impose the $100,000 tax based on his 'immigration and commerce powers' are nowhere to be found in the authorities they cite.”
Scott Pelley speaks out on ‘political influence’ at CBS News
Veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley called CBS leadership incompetent and inexperienced in an emotional interview after he was fired from the storied broadcast. Pelley alleges Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss directed his team to make protesters against Immigration and Customs Enforcement look more violent, saying, “There was a thumb on the scale for the president’s version of events that I felt was a level of political influence that I have never seen in 37 years at CBS News.” The three remaining correspondents, Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim, issued a joint statement saying they’re staying with the program. NBC’s Erin McLaughlin reports for "TODAY."
Knicks watch party outside Madison Square Garden won’t be held due to Trump’s attendance
New York Knicks fans can cheer on their beloved team pretty much anywhere in the city’s five boroughs tonight — except outside Madison Square Garden.
A watch party outside the team’s home court won’t be held for Game 3 of the NBA Finals because Trump plans to attend.
A spokesperson for the NYPD said yesterday that the decision was made in coordination with the Secret Service.
“There will be watch parties at other locations,” the department said. “We are currently determining where they will be.”
Kennedy Center removes 'Trump Kennedy Center' branding from its website after judge's decision
The Kennedy Center has removed "Trump Kennedy Center" branding from its website to comply with a federal judge's decision last month ordering it to do so.
The performing arts center's lawyers directed staff to remove the president's name from signage least week. This morning, the website's header was reverted to "The Kennedy Center."
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper decided May 29 that the center's board, which was appointed by Trump after he ousted the previous members, did not have the authority to add the president's name to signage. Only Congress had that authority, the judge wrote.
The webpage had read “The Trump Kennedy Center” since December, when the center’s board voted to change the center's name.
Spencer Pratt drops to third place in L.A. mayoral primary
Votes are still being counted in the closely-watched primary races in California, including for mayor of Los Angeles. Conservative reality TV star Spencer Pratt has dropped to third place behind current democratic Mayor Karen Bass, who is heading to the runoff, and progressive City Councilwoman Nithya Raman. NBC’s Liz Kreutz reports for the "TODAY" show.
Conservative lawyer Larry Klayman faces Supreme Court disbarment
Conservative lawyer Larry Klayman, who over several decades was involved in various politically tinged cases, has been provisionally suspended from practicing law at the Supreme Court.
The court order issued this morning says Klayman has 40 days "to show cause why he should not be disbarred from the practice of law in this court."
The Supreme Court order does not say why Klayman is being disciplined, but he has faced similar proceedings in jurisdictions where he is licensed to practice law, including Florida and the District of Columbia.
In Florida, he was suspended from practicing law for two years in November over various actions in cases he has been involved in, including his handling of a sexual harassment lawsuit. He was suspended in the District of Columbia for similar reasons.
Why did Trump end his interview with NBC News' 'Meet the Press'?
Trump abruptly ended his weekend interview with "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker after the nearly hourlong discussion was repeatedly interrupted by rain and a technical issue, and after he became visibly frustrated during a back-and-forth in which he was pressed to support his baseless claims of election fraud in California’s primary races. The president also defended his administration’s controversial $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund. NBC’s Garrett Haake reports for the "TODAY" show.
As Trump has usurped power, a weak Congress has diminished its own relevance
Trump made a revealing admission about how he views Congress when touting one of his executive actions at what he thought was a private White House event.
Trump says Fed chair should ‘do whatever he wants’ but criticizes possible interest rate hikes
Trump criticized the possibility of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates, but said in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he wants Fed Chair Kevin Warsh “to do whatever he wants.”
“Kevin is fantastic, and I want him to do whatever he wants,” Trump told moderator Kristen Welker. “I don’t want to have a big influence on him. But we had a great report. We’re doing great, and it’s unfair that whenever you do great, they want to raise interest rates.”
Federal lawsuit aims to stop UFC event on the White House South Lawn
A lawsuit filed Saturday against the federal government asks a judge to stop the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House lawn.
The suit, which the Public Integrity Project, a watchdog group, filed on behalf of two plaintiffs, is another incident in which private citizens or activist groups have tried to stymie projects championed by Trump.
The event, a fight night purportedly in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary, is scheduled for June 14, Trump’s birthday.
Nithya Raman leaps past Spencer Pratt in tight race to make L.A. mayoral runoff
Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman, a Democrat, has taken a narrow lead for second place over former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican, in the race to take on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a runoff this fall.
NBC News projected Bass’ advancing to the runoff last week, but the outstanding question, as the city and the state continue counting ballots, is whom she will face and what kind of matchup that will be. NBC News hasn’t projected the winner of the other spot in the runoff.
Fact-checking Trump’s interview with NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press’
Trump sat for an interview with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker on Friday, discussing topics including the war with Iran, gas prices and the “anti-weaponization” fund.
Throughout the interview, which aired yesterday, Trump made a series of false, misleading or exaggerated comments, including on the Iran war, gas prices, the Jan. 6 riot and California's primary elections.
NBC News reporters dug into some of the president’s remarks. Here are the facts behind the claims.
Trump doesn’t rule out giving Jan. 6 rioters who attacked police payouts from the ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
Trump did not rule out the government paying people who were charged with assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and he also contended without evidence that recent California elections were “rigged,” in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
Trump defended what his administration has dubbed an “anti-weaponization” fund, saying the protesters who breached the Capitol as Congress prepared to certify Joe Biden’s election victory on Jan. 6, 2021, were unfairly targeted by prosecutors and deserved compensation.
