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What Happened Today – May 28, 2026

Michael Dell gave $6.25 billion to Donald Trump’s signature children’s accounts, and now the Pentagon has handed Dell a $9.7 billion contract.

Trump personally told the country to go out and buy Dell, so the contract looks less like a competition than an order being filled. It is not the only one. ProPublica reported today that the White House steered a $620 million Pentagon loan to a startup partly owned by the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr.

The Pentagon insists both deals were won on the merits and that no company gets special treatment. But one of its own officials says the White House made the call, and a second loan for one of Don Jr.’s companies is already in the queue. Use 5 Calls or Resistbot to tell your representatives to investigate both.

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🟠 GovBrief Intensity Score 120
Elevated Activity. Watch for distractions.
Volume: Normal (16)
Severity: Moderate (1.88)
Defining Moments: 0
Previous 5 Days
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Today's Quote
Well, again, as treasury secretary, I have two mandates for U.S. Currency. At present, no living person can be on U.S. currency, and the currency must say, “In God we trust.” So right now, there’s proposed legislation in front of the house, in front of the senate, to change the first requirement so that a living person, Donald J. Trump, could be on the $250 bill. So it’s all in the hands of, it’s all up on Capitol Hill.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaking to reporters on May 28, 2026
Yesterday's Most Read

Labor Department urges employees to report colleagues for past DEI work, citing a three-year window that reaches back before Trump took office.

Today’s GovBrief News


War 1 of 16

U.S. and Iran reach tentative 60-day ceasefire extension pending Trump's approval as the two sides keep trading strikes.

Would also open talks on nuclear program

Source: CBS News

May 28, 2026

Voting Rights 2 of 16

Federal judge declines to block Trump's order directing DHS and Social Security to build citizen lists that decide who gets a mail ballot.

States, not president, set election rules

Source: UPI

May 28, 2026

Voting Rights 3 of 16

Louisiana House votes 66-35 to cut majority-Black congressional districts from two to one, sending the map back to the Senate before a June 1 deadline.

Follows Supreme Court racial-gerrymander ruling

Source: WAFB Baton Rouge

May 28, 2026

Economy 4 of 16

Treasury launches a Trump Accounts mobile app offering financial-literacy modules ahead of the July 4 rollout of $1,000 seeded savings accounts for children.

Seed money only for 2025-2028 births

Source: USA Today

May 28, 2026

Military 5 of 16

Caribbean and Pacific drug-boat strikes have killed at least 199 since September after survivors of recent attacks were never found, the U.S. military says.

22 survivors attacked again or died at sea

Source: The Associated Press

May 28, 2026

Justice Dept 6 of 16

Chicago U.S. attorney denies investigating E. Jean Carroll, who won $88 million from Trump, saying the inquiry targets the donor who funded her suit.

Money-laundering theory, donor Reid Hoffman targeted

Source: The Guardian

May 28, 2026

Justice Dept 7 of 16

Justice Department sues Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington for refusing to issue undercover license plates to ICE agents.

Immigration is civil, not criminal

Source: The Hill

May 28, 2026

Courts 8 of 16

Trump refiles his $10 billion defamation suit against the Wall Street Journal over its report on a lewd Epstein birthday letter bearing his name, a month after a judge dismissed it.

Judge found no plausible actual malice

Source: CNN

May 28, 2026

Criminal Justice 9 of 16

Police field a swatting call falsely reporting gunshots at Supreme Court Justice Barrett's Virginia home, the latest threat against the justices.

Pizza, bomb threats also targeted family

Source: The Hill

May 28, 2026

Immigration 10 of 16

ICE arrests six protesters outside Newark's Delaney Hall as detainees report being pepper-sprayed and beaten inside during a 300-person hunger strike.

Sherrill says inspectors denied full access

Source: WKXW Trenton

May 28, 2026

Oversight 11 of 16

Treasury prepares to issue a new $250 bill featuring Trump's face, pending congressional approval to put a living person on U.S. currency.

Signature on bills, gold coins, warships already named

Source: NBC News

May 28, 2026

Culture 12 of 16

Country singer Martina McBride becomes the fifth act to quit Trump's Freedom 250 concert series after being told the event was nonpartisan.

Vanilla Ice, Flo Rida still booked

Source: Deadline

May 28, 2026

Grift 13 of 16

Dell wins a $9.7 billion Pentagon software contract after CEO Michael Dell pledged $6.25 billion to Trump's signature children's investment accounts.

Trump told shoppers to buy Dell

Source: CNBC

May 28, 2026

Grift 14 of 16

National Park Service awards a $5 million no-bid contract to coat four Lincoln Memorial bronze horses in gold leaf by July 4, part of $95 million in rushed DC beautification deals.

23.75-karat gold, six-day bid window

Source: NOTUS

May 28, 2026

Grift 15 of 16

White House adviser Navarro pushed the Pentagon to fast-track a $620 million loan to Vulcan Elements, a rare-earth firm Trump Jr.'s venture fund had quietly invested in months earlier.

Source: ProPublica

May 28, 2026

Fighting Back 16 of 16

Tom Morello announces a 'Power to the People' protest festival on October 3 near Washington, with Springsteen, Foo Fighters, and Dave Matthews headlining.

Proceeds benefit voter-ID group VoteRiders

Source: Variety

May 28, 2026

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