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What Happened Today – May 5, 2026

Attorney and politician Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ignored established medical practice today and discouraged Americans from taking antidepressants.

He and Donald Trump ran the same play when they said taking Tylenol during pregnancy causes autism. And while no serious doctor will tell you flavored vapes are safe, Kennedy’s FDA also approved four fruit flavored vapes today after Trump pressured the commissioner. Then the very same agency killed safety research on shingles and COVID vaccines, not for the first time, because the findings didn’t fit their politics.

Kennedy’s so-called Make America Healthy Again movement keeps doing the harm it promised to stop. Talk to your doctor before you change any medication, no matter what Kennedy said today. And don’t give these charlatans more power in November.

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🚨 GovBrief Intensity Score 180
Extreme. History will remember.
Volume: Normal (17)
Severity: High (2.65)
Defining Moments: 0
Previous 5 Days
🚨170|🟠121|🟡85|🟠120|🚨188
100 = normal day. Volume is headline count. Stories weighted by significance. Defining Moments are the ones history remembers.
Today's Quote
Now we are actually removing people to countries that I didn’t even know existed.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons speaking at a border security conference in Phoenix on May 5, 2026
Yesterday's Most Read

DHS used 1930s customs law to demand Google hand over a Canadian man's location and activity after he criticized ICE killings online.

Today’s GovBrief News


Dissent 1 of 17

Arlington, VA prosecutor declines to charge retired peace studies professor over Stephen Miller address fliers, citing First Amendment and chilling-effect risk.

FBI executed warrant on misdemeanor case

Source: The Washington Post

May 5, 2026

Foreign Relations 2 of 17

Rubio unveils joint UN Security Council resolution with Gulf allies threatening Iran with sanctions over Strait of Hormuz attacks.

45 vessel attacks since February

Source: Newsweek

May 5, 2026

War 3 of 17

Trump pauses two-day-old Project Freedom in Strait of Hormuz as Rubio declares Operation Epic Fury combat campaign over.

600+ attacks on US Iraq facilities

Source: CNN

May 5, 2026

Health 4 of 17

FDA approves four flavored vapes from Glas Inc. days after Trump reprimanded Commissioner Makary for moving too slowly.

SCOTUS upheld flavored vape ban last year

Source: The Hill

May 5, 2026

Health 5 of 17

FDA withdraws publication of COVID and shingles vaccine safety studies, citing conclusions HHS says exceeded the data.

Pattern of blocking pro-vaccine science

Source: ABC News

May 5, 2026

Health 6 of 17

Kennedy launches federal push to taper patients off antidepressants, repeating debunked claim that quitting is harder than heroin.

CMS billing code rewards tapering patients

Source: Ars Technica

May 5, 2026

DEI 7 of 17

EEOC sues New York Times for passing over white male editor, alleging illegal DEI hiring violated Title VII.

Trump separately suing paper for $15 billion

Source: Reuters

May 5, 2026

Voting Rights 8 of 17

South Carolina joins Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana in mid-decade redistricting push targeting Black-majority districts after SCOTUS Voting Rights Act ruling.

8 states have redrawn since Texas

Source: The Associated Press

May 5, 2026

Courts 9 of 17

Federal judge accuses DHS of dangerous misconduct for hiding Dominican murder warrant and issuing inflammatory press release attacking her.

DHS press release branded judge "activist"

Source: The Providence Journal

May 5, 2026

Criminal Justice 10 of 17

Federal grand jury indicts Cole Allen on four counts including new federal officer assault charge for shotgun blast hitting Secret Service agent.

Single new charge added to indictment

Source: CBS News

May 5, 2026

Immigration 11 of 17

Border Czar Homan threatens to flood New York with "more ICE agents than you've ever seen before" over sanctuary expansion bills.

Hochul: "Trump said only if I ask"

Source: WNYW

May 5, 2026

Immigration 12 of 17

DHS shuts down immigration detention ombudsman office and blames Congress, but the cited funding bill never mentions the watchdog.

49 detainee deaths in Trump 2nd term

Source: NOTUS

May 5, 2026

Federal Personnel 13 of 17

VA opened internal investigations into employees who attended vigils for Border Patrol shooting victim Alex Pretti, including union leader photographed in news coverage.

Investigator emailed photo with face circled

Source: CNN

May 5, 2026

Religion 14 of 17

Trump says Pope Leo endangers Catholics by tolerating Iran nuclear weapon, ahead of Rubio's Vatican visit this week.

Pope cited Trump's "delusion of omnipotence"

Source: The Independent

May 5, 2026

Grift 15 of 17

Palm Beach County approves licensing deal giving Trump Organization vendor pre-approval, audit rights, and trademark control of renamed airport.

$5.5 million taxpayer rebranding cost

Source: The Florida Phoenix

May 5, 2026

Grift 16 of 17

Senate GOP attaches $1 billion in taxpayer money for Trump ballroom security to immigration reconciliation bill, contradicting "not one penny" pledge.

Project pitched as private gift to nation

Source: UPI

May 5, 2026

Fighting Back 17 of 17

Illinois State Police investigates ICE killing of Silverio Villegas González eight months later, after damning Pritzker commission report.

Single father shot in back of neck

Source: The Chicago Sun-Times

May 5, 2026

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