This Morning's Political News: 4‑Minute Read

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May 15, 2026

Friday, May 15, 2026 · 8:00 a.m. ET

Federal Level

Trump Leaves Beijing With Few Wins but Warm Words

President Trump concluded his two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and departed Beijing on Friday morning, claiming progress on stabilizing U.S.-China relations. The most tangible deliverable was China’s commitment to purchase approximately 200 Boeing jets, well short of the 500 planes markets had anticipated. On Iran, Trump said Xi expressed willingness to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and pledged not to supply military equipment to Iran. No comprehensive trade deal was reached, and Xi’s blunt Taiwan warning went unaddressed in the U.S. readout. ^{1, 2, 3}

House Ties 212-212, Again Blocks Iran War Powers Vote

The House of Representatives on Thursday deadlocked 212-212 on a war powers resolution that would have required President Trump to seek congressional authorization to continue military operations against Iran. The tie vote effectively defeated the measure and marked the 10th failed attempt across both chambers since the war began in late February. Two vulnerable Republicans broke ranks to support the resolution, reflecting growing unease within the GOP as the conflict and its costs continue to mount. ^{4, 5}

Senate Unanimously Votes to Withhold Own Pay in Shutdowns

The Senate on Thursday passed, by unanimous voice vote, a resolution introduced by Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) that would suspend senators’ salaries during any future government shutdown. The measure takes effect after the November midterm elections to comply with the 27th Amendment, and applies only to senators, not House members. The vote comes after Congress was paid in full during the 119 days of government shutdowns between October 2025 and May 2026. ^{6, 7}

Senate Parliamentarian Deals Blow to GOP Immigration Bill

The Senate parliamentarian on Thursday ruled that key provisions of Republicans’ $72 billion immigration enforcement reconciliation bill do not comply with budget rules, requiring the GOP to rewrite portions of the legislation or face a 60-vote threshold on those sections. Republicans said they are already working on revised language, while Democrats called the ruling a meaningful setback for the party-line bill intended to fund ICE and Border Patrol operations through 2029. ^{8, 9}

Vance Takes Medicaid Fraud Fight to Maine, Freezes $1.3B in California

Vice President JD Vance traveled to Bangor, Maine on Thursday, accusing Democratic Governor Janet Mills of allowing Medicaid fraud to flourish and warning that federal funding could be pulled unless states cooperate with anti-fraud efforts. Vance cited a federal audit finding $45.6 million in improper Maine Medicaid payments and announced the administration has deferred $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California. Mills fired back, saying Vance was trying to distract from soaring gas prices caused by the Iran war. The administration also sent letters to all 50 state Medicaid programs warning of potential funding cutoffs. ^{10, 11}

State Level

S.C. Governor Formally Calls Redistricting Special Session

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster on Thursday formally issued an executive order calling the state legislature back for a special session beginning Friday, May 15, to address redistricting. McMaster stopped short of directing lawmakers to draw a map that would sweep all seven congressional seats for Republicans, as President Trump has demanded. The move revives a push to eliminate the state’s only Democratic congressional district, held by Rep. Jim Clyburn, after the state Senate rejected a redistricting resolution earlier this week. ^{12, 13}

Connecticut GOP’s Top Governor Candidate Quits Over Fraud

Connecticut’s leading Republican gubernatorial candidate, Erin Stewart, suspended her campaign on Thursday after investigators found she spent $207,000 on a government-issued credit card during her 12 years as mayor of New Britain without proper documentation. Expenses included Amazon orders, Costco runs, Instacart deliveries, and membership fees at a private Hartford social club, some of which were delivered to her home. Stewart pulled out just two days before a state party convention at which she was the frontrunner. A Republican has not won a statewide race in Connecticut in more than 20 years. ^{14, 15}

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