GovBrief Today header

What Happened Today – May 15, 2026

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis freed Tina Peters today and called it sentencing reform.

He may even have believed it. Peters is an election denier who helped Mike Lindell’s people copy a Colorado county’s voting machines. She is part of the coup attempt that ran for weeks after Trump lost the 2020 election. Trump couldn’t pardon her because she was convicted of state, not federal, crimes. So he spent more than a year punishing Colorado instead.

Calling Polis a “scumbag” who should “rot in hell,” Trump denied disaster aid to the state and moved U.S. Space Command out of Colorado. Polis folded. Within minutes Trump posted “FREE TINA!” Other governors are watching. Use 5 Calls or Resistbot to tell your governor to refuse to cave in when Trump pressures them.

I’ve emailed 7,427 stories over 470 straight nights, free and without ads. The algorithm can’t show them all to you. Add your name at govbrief.today and I will.

#GovBriefToday #Resist

🔴 GovBrief Intensity Score 132
High Intensity. They're flooding the zone.
Volume: Normal (15)
Severity: Moderate (2.2)
Defining Moments: 0
Previous 5 Days
🚨164|🚨184|🟠124|🔴145|🟢61
100 = normal day. Volume is headline count. Stories weighted by significance. Defining Moments are the ones history remembers.
Today's Quote
It’s very simple. When people hear me say it, everybody agrees, short-term pain. It’s gonna be short-term pain. But the pain is much less than people thought… And that question was a fake question, and they didn’t put my full answer. I totally care.
Donald Trump to Fox News Channel on May 15, 2026, about his comments that affordability doesn't influence his war position
Yesterday's Most Read

Hawaii's governor signs law redefining corporations to bar election spending, taking aim at Citizens United through novel state-level strategy.

Today’s GovBrief News


War 1 of 15

Energy Secretary Wright predicts Strait of Hormuz reopens "this summer at the latest," threatens U.S. military will force it open if Iran refuses a deal.

National gas average hits $4.53

Source: The Hill

May 15, 2026

War 2 of 15

Trump claims U.S. controls Strait of Hormuz and "wiped out" Iran's military as Iran's foreign minister calls Tehran the war's "victor."

CENTCOM: 90% of naval mines destroyed

Source: CBS News

May 15, 2026

Health 3 of 15

FDA drug center head Tracy Beth Hoeg fired days after Commissioner Makary's exit as White House faction purges his appointees from agency.

5th FDA drug chief in 15 months

Source: Reuters

May 15, 2026

Human Rights 4 of 15

Texas AG Paxton forces Texas Children's Hospital to open nation's first 'detransition clinic,' pay $10 million, and fire five doctors over gender-affirming care.

Hospital says it followed all laws

Source: The Texas Tribune

May 15, 2026

DEI 5 of 15

EEOC asks White House to scrap all five demographic data reporting requirements including the EEO-1, executing a Project 2025 plan that workplace civil rights enforcement depends on.

Public comment period to follow

Source: HR Dive

May 15, 2026

Voting Rights 6 of 15

Colorado Gov. Polis commutes election-tampering sentence of Tina Peters, making her eligible for parole next month after Trump pressured the state for over a year.

Polis has refused similar requests previously

Source: KUSA Denver

May 15, 2026

Voting Rights 7 of 15

Supreme Court refuses to revive Virginia's new Democratic-drawn congressional map after state court invalidated the underlying constitutional amendment.

Order issued without public dissents

Source: SCOTUS blog

May 15, 2026

Voting Rights 8 of 15

Tennessee's lone Democratic congressman Steve Cohen retires after state Republicans split his majority-Black Memphis district three ways, the first such House retirement after Louisiana v. Callais.

22nd House Democrat to skip reelection

Source: ABC News

May 15, 2026

Military 9 of 15

Trump announces U.S. and Nigerian forces killed alleged ISIS second-in-command Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second strike on militants Trump frames as persecuting Christians.

Nigeria rejected Trump's Christian-persecution framing

Source: CNN

May 15, 2026

Military 10 of 15

U.S. military aircraft conducted 26 surveillance flights within 80 miles of Cuba since February, now encircling the island instead of passing by as in 2025

P-8 Poseidon, RC-135, Triton drone, AWACS all flown

Source: USA Today

May 15, 2026

Transportation 11 of 15

Five unions strike Long Island Rail Road early Saturday, halting North America's busiest commuter system and 250,000 weekday rides into New York City.

MTA negotiator: gap is "not unbridgeable"

Source: NBC News

May 15, 2026

Culture 12 of 15

Trump announces plan to fill West Potomac Park with 250 statues for 'National Garden of American Heroes,' the latest unilateral remake of D.C. landmarks.

WH silent on Congress' participation

Source: UPI

May 15, 2026

Grift 13 of 15

FBI Director Patel refuses to say who paid for $35,000-$50,000 luxury suite at George Strait concert he attended last year with girlfriend via government jet.

He attacked Wray for using jets

Source: Mediaite

May 15, 2026

Grift 14 of 15

Trump fined $200 for late disclosure of $220 million in stock trades through major U.S. companies while serving as president, his second such fine in a year.

Source: The Hill

May 15, 2026

Fighting Back 15 of 15

Texas Supreme Court rejects Gov. Abbott's bid to oust House Democratic leader Gene Wu and 12 others over August redistricting quorum break.

Former Abbott aide writes majority opinion

Source: The Texas Tribune

May 15, 2026

Share this brief:

Get the daily brief in your inbox

Subscribe Free