Russia, Ukraine launch drone attacks after talks with Trump: Unbiased Updates, May 20, 2025
President Donald Trump asked Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call when “the bloodshed” was going to stop in Ukraine. Also, chaos outside an ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, resulted in criminal charges against a Democratic lawmaker. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
Russia and Ukraine launch drone attacks after talks with Trump
With a ceasefire still elusive, both Russia and Ukraine conducted drone attacks overnight. Ukraine’s military reported that Russia launched over 100 drones but claimed its air force shot down 93 of them.
The attacks occurred shortly after President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a nearly two-hour phone conversation. The call was part of Trump’s continuous effort to negotiate a ceasefire in the war that has now entered its fourth year.
There was no breakthrough, but Trump said via Truth Social that ceasefire talks should begin “immediately” following his calls with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump acknowledged the complexity of the negotiations but insisted that progress is still possible.
“I think something will happen. It’s very big ego involved, I’ll tell you. Big egos involved,” Trump said. “But I think something is going to happen, and if it doesn’t, I’ll just back away, and they’re going to have to keep going. Again, this is a European situation. It should have remained a European situation.”
Trump also said he pressed Putin directly during their call, asking when the war and bloodshed were going to end.
“I’ve known him for a long time now. I said, ‘When are we gonna end this bloodshed, this blood bath?’ It’s a blood bath. And I do believe he wants to end it,” Trump said.
The president also informed reporters that the Vatican has shown interest in hosting negotiations, although there has been no official confirmation of talks to date. Despite his repeated promises and efforts to swiftly end the war, the path forward remains uncertain, with no concrete agreements in place as of yet.
Trump to push for ‘big, beautiful bill’ on Capitol Hill
Trump travels to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, May 20, to negotiate what he calls his “big beautiful bill.” However, House Republicans continue to face significant divisions, complicating the president’s efforts. This situation arises at a critical juncture for Trump’s key tax and spending proposal.
The $3 trillion package includes sweeping tax cuts, Medicaid work requirements and large rollbacks to clean energy incentives.
However, it also faces criticism from all sides.
Hardline conservatives argue that the cuts do not go far enough, while moderates oppose proposals that would slash food aid and health benefits. Speaker Mike Johnson aims to find a compromise, but time is running out.
A key committee will vote in the early hours of the morning, at 1 a.m. ET on Wednesday, May 21. A full House vote could happen as early as Wednesday afternoon. Trump will travel to Capitol Hill to rally the GOP conference this morning, urging them to “stop stalling and get it done.”
Democratic lawmaker charged with assault over ICE incident
The U.S. Department of Justice has brought federal charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., accusing her of assaulting law enforcement officers during a recent visit to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Newark, New Jersey.
Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba announced the charges Monday on X, stating that McIver is accused of “assaulting, impeding and interfering” with ICE officers earlier this month.
McIver responded in a statement, calling the charges “purely political.” She said the truth will come out in court.
Last month, authorities arrested the lawmaker along with fellow Democrat Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who is currently campaigning for governor.
The two visited the detention center as part of what they described as official federal oversight, arriving while protests occurred outside. Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against Baraka. He has since stated that he expects McIver will also be vindicated. McIver asserts that ICE agents acted aggressively and that they assaulted members of the Democratic delegation during the visit.
The House Judiciary Committee’s oversight subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing on Tuesday on the broader incident at Delaney Hall. As the case unfolds, additional legal or congressional actions remain possible.
Supreme Court allows Trump administration to remove TPS protections for 350k Venezuelans
The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an estimated 350,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. Civil rights groups stated that the decision put thousands of people at risk of deportation, many of whom fled economic collapse and political unrest in Venezuela.
The Biden administration extended TPS for Venezuelans in 2023, citing dangerous conditions in their home country. The high court’s unsigned order overturns a lower court ruling that had temporarily blocked the rollback.
The federal judge had allowed TPS protections to remain in place, at least until a broader legal challenge played out. TPS allows people already in the U.S. to live and work legally if their home country is deemed unsafe due to natural disasters, conflict or humanitarian crises.
In Venezuela’s case, the country remains trapped in skyrocketing inflation, political crackdowns and what international observers claimed was a fraudulent election in 2024.
The Trump administration has been actively trying to deport members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua over the past few months, sending hundreds of suspected members to a prison in El Salvador. Their flights back to Venezuela, however, have been tied up in court.
‘Original Sin’ hits bookstores Tuesday
Just a few days after the country learned about former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis, the book “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Decision to Run Again” hit store shelves on Tuesday morning, May 20. The authors, CNN’s Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson from Axios, claimed that there were two versions of Biden: one that the public saw and the other that was “non-functioning” behind closed doors.
NPR reported that Biden’s aides attempted to shield his cognitive decline from the press and the public by limiting access and avoiding tough questions. The book cites an unnamed Democrat as saying that even before the 2020 Democratic National Convention, it was “like watching grandpa who shouldn’t be driving.”
The book also argues that the media did not press hard enough, especially as signs of decline became increasingly visible.
Some Republicans are now calling it a cover-up.
According to the Los Angeles Times review, Biden was one of five staffers running the country, described as a symbolic senior figure. The authors wrote that the “original sin” was Biden’s efforts to run for re-election in 2024 while trying to conceal his decline.
NBA Western Conference Finals begin Tuesday
With no LeBron James for the Lakers and no Steph Curry for the Warriors, who will emerge as the key superstar to lead his team to the NBA title this year? Americans are about to find out.
The conference finals begin Tuesday night as the Oklahoma City Thunder, who defeated the Nuggets on Sunday, May 18, face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
On the other side of the bracket, the New York Knicks will face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, May 21. The Knicks have become the talk of the town in the Big Apple after defeating the Boston Celtics.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
