The briefing for Tuesday, May 19.

President Trump announced Monday he has called off a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday at the request of Gulf state leaders who say 'serious negotiations' are underway. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates asked him to pause the attack because they believe a deal is close. He warned the U.S. military remains ready to 'go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice' if no acceptable agreement is reached.

The announcement represents the latest in a series of shifting deadlines from Trump, who has repeatedly threatened military action only to back off as talks continue. According to the AP, Trump had not previously disclosed he was planning a strike for Tuesday. He spoke at the White House Monday evening, saying 'there seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out' and that he would be 'very happy' to avoid military action. The president credited conversations with Gulf allies, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Major sticking points remain between Washington and Tehran despite the pause. According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iranian demands include an immediate end to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, a halt to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, guarantees of no further attacks, compensation for war damage, and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran continues to effectively close the strait, a vital waterway for 20% of the world's oil and gas shipments, while the U.S. has redirected 85 commercial vessels since mid-April. Fars news agency reports Washington's conditions include Iran keeping only one nuclear site operational and transferring highly enriched uranium to the U.S. A fragile ceasefire agreed in April has largely held despite occasional exchanges of fire, but Trump's approval rating has slumped as polls show 64% of voters believe going to war with Iran was the wrong decision.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has escalated sharply to 513 suspected cases and 131 deaths, the health ministry announced Tuesday, as details emerged about delayed response efforts that allowed the virus to spread undetected for weeks. The numbers mark a sharp increase from Monday's report of 300 suspected cases. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he is 'deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic' as the agency convened its emergency committee Tuesday.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has no approved vaccines or therapeutics. According to the AP, false negative test results delayed the response by weeks. Samples from Bunia were initially tested only for the more common Zaire strain and came back negative, leading local authorities to assume it was not Ebola. The first person died on April 24, but the outbreak wasn't confirmed until May 14. WHO was not alerted to deaths in Mongbwalu until May 5. Dr. Anne Ancia of WHO told the BBC that investigations reveal cases have spread to multiple provinces and across the border to Uganda.

Cases have been confirmed in Bunia, North Kivu's rebel-held capital of Goma with 850,000 people, Mongbwalu, Butembo, and Nyakunde. An American doctor, Peter Stafford, is among the confirmed cases in Bunia and is being evacuated to Germany along with six other Americans. The outbreak's expansion is complicated by insecurity in eastern Congo, where armed groups control territory and populations move frequently. Modelling from London's MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis suggests the true number of cases could exceed 1,000. Although more than 20 Ebola outbreaks have occurred in Congo and Uganda, this is only the third time the Bundibugyo variant has been detected.

The Justice Department announced Monday the creation of a $1.776 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' to compensate allies of President Trump who claim they were unfairly investigated by the Biden administration. The fund was unveiled 'in exchange' for Trump dropping his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns, according to the department. The lawsuit's plaintiffs, including Trump's sons and the Trump Organization, will receive an apology but no monetary compensation. However, pardoned January 6 rioters and others claiming partisan targeting can submit claims to the fund.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the fund will provide 'a systematic process to hear and redress claims of those who suffered under weaponization and lawfare.' The fund will be overseen by a five-member commission, with four members appointed by the attorney general. A spokesperson for Trump's legal team said the president was 'entering into this settlement squarely for the benefit of the American people.' The announcement came two days before a deadline for both sides to address whether a legitimate legal dispute existed, given Trump now oversees the IRS through his administration.

The settlement drew immediate criticism from Democrats. More than 90 House Democrats filed a motion to block it, with Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin calling it a 'slush fund' for Trump's 'private militia of insurrectionists, rioters, and white supremacists.' Brandon DeBot of NYU's Tax Law Center called the agreement a 'breathtaking abuse of the tax and legal system.' The original lawsuit centered on Charles Littlejohn, a former IRS contractor who pleaded guilty in 2023 to stealing Trump's tax data and information from thousands of wealthy Americans. The New York Times published an investigation based on the data in September 2020 revealing Trump paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and nothing in 10 of the previous 15 years. Littlejohn was sentenced to five years in prison in 2024.

The Pentagon announced Monday it is pausing U.S. participation in the Permanent Joint Board on Defense with Canada, a continental defense partnership dating to World War II. Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby said in posts on X that the decision reflects Canada's failure 'to make credible progress on its defense commitments,' adding 'we can no longer avoid the gaps between rhetoric and reality.' The U.S. will assess how the board 'benefits shared North American defense.'

The board was established in 1940 by President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Mackenzie King, providing a framework for continental defense during WWII and the Cold War. According to the Congressional Research Service, the board advised on the implementation of NORAD, the joint command formed in the 1950s to detect enemy attacks during tensions with the Soviet Union. It also guided the setup of early warning radar systems and advised on building the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The decision marks further strain in U.S.-Canada relations during Trump's second term. Tensions have been simmering over tariffs, an expiring North American trade pact, and a feud between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Last week, the Pentagon canceled troop deployments to Poland and Germany after Trump criticized NATO members for lack of support in the Iran war. European allies and Canada have been investing heavily in their armed forces since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with NATO countries including Canada pledging last year to spend 5% of GDP on defense by 2035. Carney said last year Canada would meet the previous 2% target for this year. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska criticized the decision, posting on X that 'cooler & wiser brains are needed to preserve a close alliance w/ our neighbor.'

The South Carolina House launched debate Monday on congressional redistricting that could give Republicans a clean sweep of the state's seven U.S. House seats by targeting the district long held by Rep. Jim Clyburn, the only Democrat in the delegation. The effort is part of a nationwide Republican push following a recent Supreme Court ruling that weakened Voting Rights Act protections for minority districts. Gov. Henry McMaster called the special session, saying it's important to send as many Republicans to Washington as possible to prevent Democrats from taking control of the House.

According to the AP, Republicans believe they could gain as many as 15 House seats nationally from new maps in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and now potentially South Carolina. Democrats think they could gain six seats from new maps in California and Utah, though litigation is ongoing in several states. Tense debates have already played out in Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana as Republicans leverage the Supreme Court ruling to redraw districts with large Black populations that previously elected Democrats.

Rep. Clyburn told reporters in Washington he has no intention of retiring regardless of how his district changes, noting he has addresses in Columbia, Charleston, and Santee. 'I live in three districts. I'll decide which one to run in,' he said, adding 'this isn't about voting. This is about turning the clock back to Jim Crow 2.0.' Some Republicans have expressed concern that drawing a 7-0 Republican map could spread GOP voters too thin, potentially making existing Republican-held districts vulnerable to Democratic victories. Legislation pending in the House would also move U.S. House primaries to August. Early voting for South Carolina's statewide primaries is scheduled to begin May 26, with primaries on June 9.