Trump visits Saudi Arabia for talks on first international trip
President Donald Trump receives a royal welcome in Saudi Arabia as he participates in a state visit. Also, the federal government requests the Supreme Court’s authorization to deport suspected members of Tren de Aragua. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
Trump in Saudi Arabia to kick off his first international trip of the new term
President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, May 13, with a fighter jet escort, marking the first leg of the first international trip of his new term. He gave a fist pump as he exited Air Force One.
The president will also visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates during the four-day trip.
On Tuesday, Trump met with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for talks on U.S. efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, end the war in Gaza and hold down oil prices — among other global issues. Trump has already arrived at the Saudi royal palace for some events of the day. American flags line the streets of Riyadh in honor of the visit.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have also joined the president on this trip to the Middle East as the administration looks to “strengthen ties between the United States and Gulf partners.”
Trump has suggested he might detour to Turkey on Thursday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to meet in person in Istanbul to discuss ending the war between their countries.
China looks to strengthen ties with Latin America amid Trump tariff uncertainty
As the Trump administration and China entered a truce in their trade war and made significant reductions in reciprocal tariffs, China works to strengthen its alliances with other countries.
On Tuesday, May 13, Beijing hosted leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean as China positions itself as a reliable trade and development partner amid the uncertainty stemming from Trump’s tariff hikes, which include a 90-day negotiating period.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said China is ready to “join hands” with Latin countries “in the face of seething undercurrents of pure political and bloc confrontation and the surging tide of unilateralism and protectionism.”
“There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars. Bullying or hegemonism only leads to self-isolation,” Xi said.
During the event, Xi announced five programs aimed at building closer ties between China and Latin American nations. He promised to boost imports from the region and encourage Chinese companies to increase their investments there, along with a new $9 billion credit line to support financing in Latin America and the Caribbean.
China also plans to expand cooperation in clean energy, 5G telecommunications, the digital economy, artificial intelligence and global security.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court’s permission to deport 176 Venezuelan migrants
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court for permission to deport nearly 200 Venezuelan migrants detained in Texas. It requested that the nation’s highest court lift the injunction it had issued in April. The high court temporarily blocked the deportation of the suspected illegal immigrants, whom the administration believed were violent gang members, under the Alien Enemies Act.
In a filing on Monday, May 12, the Trump administration said the 176 alleged members of Tren de Aragua “have proven to be especially dangerous to maintain in prolonged detention.”
According to the filing, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said a group of 23 migrants “threatened to take hostages and injure staff and ICE officers.”
The solicitor general argued in the filing that the Supreme Court should not block the removal of detainees “who have been endangering others while in detention.” He said the migrants have received “adequate notice” and plenty of time to challenge their detentions.
Senate blocks bill regulating cryptocurrency amid concerns over Trump dealings
On Capitol Hill, a bill that would have regulated cryptocurrency has failed. The vote was close, with two Senate Republicans joining Democrats to defeat the GENIUS Act of 2025, 49-48. The measure focused on “stablecoins,” digital currencies tied to the value of the U.S. dollar.
While most lawmakers agree that regulation of cryptocurrency is necessary, opponents of this particular measure seek modifications.
They wrote, “The bill, as it currently stands, still has numerous issues that must be addressed, including adding stronger provisions on anti-money laundering, foreign issuers, national security, preserving the safety and soundness of our financial system, and accountability of those who don’t meet the act’s requirements.”
Meanwhile, the Trump family’s cryptocurrency portfolio continues to expand.
American Bitcoin, co-founded by Eric Trump, the president’s son, merged with a publicly traded digital mining company in which Donald Trump Jr. was involved. The new larger firm was listed on the Nasdaq.
President Donald Trump has vowed to make the U.S. a global leader in Bitcoin mining. Miners are, in essence, experts in Bitcoin numbers.
CBS News reported that the Trump family’s Bitcoin ventures have boosted the family’s net worth by nearly $3 billion. The White House has insisted there is no conflict of interest and that the president’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children.
FAA launches emergency task force over issues at Newark airport
The Federal Aviation Administration launched an emergency task force in response to recent issues at Newark’s Liberty International Airport, as announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Monday, May 12. He also mentioned that the FAA considered temporarily reducing the number of flights into and out of the busy airport near New York City, along with some system upgrades.
Duffy added a new software update that prevented a third radar outage in the last two weeks, which occurred when a telecommunications line failed over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the delays continue at Newark Airport not only due to technical issues but also because of a shortage of air traffic controllers, worsened by several going on 45-day trauma leave after the first radar outage.
Mavericks hit Cooper Flagg jackpot, win NBA lottery despite 1.8% chance
Conspiracy theories have abounded after last night’s NBA lottery, with fans, sports experts and even players taking to social media to question whether the association rigged the outcome, following the Dallas Mavericks’ victory.
The Mavericks now have the top pick in the draft and could use it to select college player of the year Cooper Flagg in June.
Straight Arrow News sports reporter Chris Francis explains what this means for the upcoming draft here.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
