Top 5 US news stories
May 18 2026
Iran War Drags Trump Approval to Second-Term Low
Cassidy Ouster Shows Trump's Strong Grip on GOP Base
Global Demand Strains US Energy Supply, Lifts Pump Prices
TSA to Pilot Off-Site Screening for Boston Logan
WHO Declares Ebola Emergency in Congo and Uganda
Iran War Drags Trump Approval to Second-Term Low
A new New York Times/Siena poll found most voters believe President Trump made the wrong decision to go to war with Iran, leaving the Republican Party on shaky ground heading into the midterm elections. Trump's approval in the poll has fallen to a second-term low of 37 percent, while the RealClearPolitics average puts him at 40.1 percent. About two-thirds of voters said the war was the wrong call, including roughly three in four independents, and fewer than a quarter said the conflict had been worth the costs. Majorities also expressed deeply pessimistic views of the economy. A president's approval rating has historically been one of the strongest predictors of his party's performance in midterm elections.
NYT
Cassidy Ouster Shows Trump's Strong Grip on GOP Base
Sen. Bill Cassidy was defeated in Louisiana's Republican Senate primary on Saturday, with the two-term incumbent expected to finish third and fail to qualify for the summer runoff. The Associated Press projected Rep. Julia Letlow, who carried Trump's endorsement, and state Treasurer John Fleming as the top two finishers. Cassidy is the first Republican senator to lose a primary this election cycle, more than five years after his vote to convict Trump at the second impeachment trial following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump had repeatedly called for Cassidy's ouster, reiterating his endorsement of Letlow ahead of the vote and labeling Cassidy a "disloyal disaster." The outcome shows the president's continued sway over Republican primaries despite his slipping approval ratings and voter anxiety over the Iran war and the cost of living.
WSJ
Global Demand Strains US Energy Supply, Lifts Pump Prices
Three Northeast ports — New York, Philadelphia and Albany — shipped 174,000 barrels a day of gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products last month, ten times what they moved in the same period a year ago, according to Kpler data. The pace has accelerated through the first half of May to more than 200,000 barrels a day, the highest monthly figure Kpler has recorded since 2017. The surge reflects intensified overseas demand for American fuel as buyers cut off from Middle Eastern suppliers turn to the United States. U.S. exports hit 14.2 million barrels a day of crude and products late last month, roughly equivalent to one out of every seven barrels consumed worldwide in normal times. Crude settled Friday at $105.42 a barrel, down more than $7 from last month's high, but commercial stocks outside the Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by 4.3 million barrels in the week ended May 8.
The Trump administration has waived restrictions on shipping between U.S. ports and released oil from strategic stockpiles to ease domestic prices, and the president said last week he supports suspending the federal gasoline tax. Gasoline averaged $4.51 a gallon nationally on Sunday and could continue rising into Memorial Day weekend. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC last week that the administration views energy exports as central to the country's economic future and would not impose a ban. Domestic producers are barely lifting output, refineries are operating at full capacity, and inventories at Cushing, Okla. — where the U.S. benchmark is priced — could drop to levels that complicate operations within two months, some analysts warn. "What you're seeing is a liquidation of inventory," said Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston, adding that overseas buyers have driven the pattern for two months.
WSJ
TSA to Pilot Off-Site Screening for Boston Logan
Beginning next month, travelers booked on morning flights from Boston Logan International Airport will be able to clear Transportation Security Administration screening at a remote facility in Framingham, Mass., about 25 miles west of the airport. Shuttle buses will then carry screened passengers to Logan and drop them off beyond the security checkpoint, bypassing curbside congestion and check-in queues. The pilot will initially be limited to Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways flights, with travelers able to check in and drop bags at a newly built temporary terminal in Framingham. Landline, a company that already buses passengers between smaller airports and major hubs, will staff the check-in counters and operate the shuttles, while TSA personnel handle screening. Landline Chief Executive David Sunde said major hub airports need new ways to absorb passenger volume as air travel demand grows.
WSJ
WHO Declares Ebola Emergency in Congo and Uganda
The World Health Organization on Saturday declared the spread of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a global health emergency, a day after Africa's leading public health authority linked an outbreak in northeastern Congo to dozens of suspected deaths. Cases have now been confirmed in Kampala, Uganda's capital. Health authorities in Congo's Ituri province, where the outbreak began, have logged 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths linked to the virus, but laboratory testing has so far confirmed only eight infections. There is no approved vaccine or therapeutic for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola behind the outbreak. Ebola spreads less efficiently through populations than COVID-19, in part because of its severity and visible symptoms, which limit chains of transmission.
NYT
MAY 18, 2012: FACEBOOK RAISES $16 BILLION IN LARGEST TECH IPO IN U.S. HISTORY
The social network’s initial public offering valued the company at $104 billion, with around 900 million users worldwide. Despite intense hype, Facebook’s stock price closed only slightly above its $38 IPO price, disappointing many investors.
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