Trump Warns GOP Over Ballroom Funding, Trump Gives Iran More Time, Castro Charged

[00:02] President Trump is furious that Congress might not give him the money he wants for his ballroom. That's because several Republicans don't want to, including an incumbent he targeted in the primaries. Are his efforts to get rid of some Republicans in Congress backfiring? I'm Leila Faldin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. [00:22] Israel is pushing the U.S. to resume the war on Iran. Gulf allies are pushing for the opposite. There was a contentious call between President Trump and Israel's prime minister. For now, Trump says he's willing to give Iran more time. And federal prosecutors indict former Cuban President Raul Castro. They say he ordered planes to be shot down 30 years ago, killing four U.S. nationals. Castro is 94 years old and not in U.S. custody. [00:49] one way or another. Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day. [00:54] you [00:59] This message is from AT&T with your summer essential, the iPhone 17 Pro. Its center stage front camera auto adjusts the frame to fit everyone into group selfies. Right now at AT&T, ask how you can get iPhone 17 Pro on them with eligible trade-in. Requires eligible plan. Terms and restrictions apply subject to change. Visit att.com slash iPhone for details. [01:25] Support for NPR comes from IBM. On Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell explores how organizations are using technology to solve complex challenges. I spoke with Sergi Ghosh, Heineken's chief AI officer. If you can connect all the different applications, all the platforms, remove fragmentation, scale very quick, that's what we call the best connected drawer. That's where IBM is really partnering with us.

[01:55] podcasts. [01:56] This message comes from Ali. Thinking more about gut health lately? Ali offers a range of science-backed supplements designed to support you and your family's daily wellness. From probiotics that help support digestive and immune health to fiber gummies made with kids in mind, Ali makes it easier to build simple habits into your routine. With options for different needs and lifestyles, finding the right fit can feel more manageable. Explore the full lineup at O-L-L-Y dot com. [02:26] Republicans in Congress are racing to approve billions of dollars for immigration enforcement. But President Trump is fuming about what may not be in that package, money for the White House ballroom. That's after several Republicans said they would oppose it. They include Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. He just lost his primary after Trump supported someone else. And it's all fueling questions about whether Trump's efforts to target GOP incumbents are backfiring. [02:56] Sam Greenglass. So Sam, Layla just mentioned what may not be in that package. What actually is in the funding package? Yeah, Republicans want to fund ICE and Border Patrol for the rest of Trump's term. We're talking about approving $72 billion using a tool known as budget reconciliation. That maneuver allows Republicans to circumvent Democrats who oppose more money for these agencies without reforms to limit the tactics of their officers. That is in part because Republicans

[03:26] $75 billion last year with very few strings attached. So what you just said, what does that have to do with the ballroom? So after the White House correspondence dinner, some Republicans began pushing to tack on a billion dollars for the Secret Service and include in that roughly $220 million for the ballroom. But lawmakers can't just pass anything through reconciliation, and over the weekend, the nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian nixed that funding. Though even [03:56] not clear there would have been enough Republican votes to pass it. All right, so how is the president reacting? Well, he pressed Senate Majority Leader John Thune to fire the parliamentarian and kill the filibuster, a demand Trump has made in the past and Thune has resisted. Trump also wrote on social media, get smart and tough Republicans or you'll all be looking for a job much sooner than you thought. Okay, clearly frustrated with his own party. This week, [04:26] He also endorsed a primary challenger for Senator John Cornyn in Texas. What could that mean for the dynamics in Congress? Well, so far, Cassidy has come out against the ballroom money and provided the critical vote to advance an Iran war powers resolution after previously opposing it. He joined three other Republicans, including Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, one of the few Republican senators who has regularly broken with Trump. [04:51] This president is going to have to continue to deal and work with and partner with or battle with

[05:00] this group of lawmakers. Even though Bill Cassidy lost his primary, he is still a voting member of the Senate until January. [05:09] Murkowski said Trump may have forgotten that he needs Congress and said targeting incumbent Republicans like Cornyn could jeopardize seats in November. House Speaker Mike Johnson, though, said Trump knows what's at stake, but added this. We need people here who are not trying to carve out their own lane and do something that's destructive or counterproductive, I think, to the agenda. That's the message. [05:31] So, Sam, I mean, that's not so subtle of a message there from the speaker. Yeah, I mean, this spring, Trump has vanquished a lot of foes, not just Cassidy, also state senators in Indiana, a longtime House Republican, Thomas Massey. So while lawmakers like Cassidy could shake things up on their way out the door, others who want to survive may be less likely to step out of line, even amid warning signs for the party ahead of the midterms. [05:55] That's NPR congressional reporter Sam Greenglass. Sam, thank you very much. You're welcome. [06:00] *music* [06:05] President Trump says he's willing to wait a little longer for an agreement with Iran before deciding whether to strike the country again. Iran says it's ready for either scenario, peace or more war. It comes as Israel pushes for the war to resume and several Arab countries push back. Joining us to discuss the latest from the Gulf is NPR international correspondent Ayah Batraoui in Dubai.

[06:36] But how much longer is Trump willing to wait? Well, Trump told reporters yesterday the U.S. is dealing with impressive and talented Iranian negotiators now and that it could be several more days before he makes a decision. But he wouldn't commit to a timeline. Hopefully those people will make a deal that's going to be great for everybody. But I don't know. I don't know. Do I get what? I never get tired. But what I like to do, if I can save war... [07:03] by waiting a couple of days. And I can say... [07:06] people being killed by waiting a couple of days, I think it's a great thing to do. Now, Iran's position is that they are negotiating the terms of a permanent ceasefire in good faith through mediators like Pakistan, but that they also have suspicion, given that the last two times they were in the midst of talks with the Trump administration, the U.S. and Israel launched war. Now, Iran says it prefers diplomacy, but its armed commanders are threatening an even wider war if Iran is attacked again. Do Gulf Arab states have much leverage with President Trump right now? [07:36] These countries were not consulted before this war was launched by the U.S. and Israel back in February. Some only got a short notice to prepare their air defenses while others got no warning at all. But the thing is, they have borne the brunt of Iran's counterattacks in this war, and countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar want to see this war end. But Trump has also been speaking regularly with Israel's prime minister, and just this week they had a tense and contentious call. A person familiar with the matter, not authorized to speak publicly, told NPR,

[08:06] that Trump told him he would continue to pursue a deal that prevents Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, but that Iran needs to show flexibility. Now, another factor A to consider here is that Saudi Arabia is hosting 2 million Muslims from around the world for the annual Hajj pilgrimage next week. And Saudi Arabia's foreign minister publicly thanked Trump yesterday for granting more time for talks with Iran. Now, right now, hundreds of ships are not able to get through the Strait of Hormuz. So what can you tell us about Iran's continued control there? [08:33] All right. So this really is Iran's most important point of leverage right now. And it has driven up oil and food prices globally, as we know. And the U.S. has in turn blocked Iranian ships from exporting its oil out at sea. But Iran has established a new body to collect tolls and coordinate the transit of ships through the strait. They're calling it the Persian Gulf Strait Authority. [09:03] This sets a dangerous precedent. [09:19] Once you accept [09:21] that a single country [09:23] can hold the world's most important waterway hostage. Now, again, Gulf countries have borne the brunt of these attacks, and the UAE says drones from Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias are active, were launched at its nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. It sparked a fire. It hit an electric generator. But, you know, attacks like this show that even in a ceasefire, Gulf countries, especially the UAE because of its close ties with Israel, remain very vulnerable.

[09:53] Thanks a lot. [10:01] Raul Castro, the former president of Cuba and the brother of the late Fidel Castro, is facing a criminal indictment in the United States. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the charges in Miami on Wednesday. The case stems from the 1996 downing of two aircraft operated by a group of Cuban exiles based in Miami. NPR Justice correspondent Ryan Lucas is covering this. [10:24] 1996. Look, in the 1990s, this exile group called Brothers to the Rescue was operating flights, small aircraft over the Strait of Florida to rescue or guide Cuban migrants at sea. The group was also dropping pro-democracy leaflets from the air that would reach Cuba. Now, the indictment says that on February 24th of 1996, Cuban fighter jets shot down two small planes that were operated by Brothers to the Rescue. Four U.S. nationals were killed. That [10:54] minister at the time. And the indictment alleges that he authorized those planes to be shot down. It also says the aircraft were in international waters at the time. So now Castro is charged with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of aircraft, and murder. And there are also five co-defendants in this case who were Cuban pilots allegedly involved in the operation. How did the DOJ announce this indictment? Well, the department rolled this out at a splashy press conference at Freedom Tower in Miami,

[11:24] was packed with members of the Cuban-American community. Many Cuban-Americans want to see members of the Castro regime face justice. And the crowd cheered and gave standing ovations a couple of times, which you just don't see at press conferences announcing criminal charges. Blanche said that he's met with members of the community, that he's heard their stories of heartbreak and pain. And he added this. Today's indictment, while it does not bring back the murdered victims, it makes a statement. The United States government has not forgotten [11:54] these innocent men [11:56] who were shot out of the sky. Now, the U.S. attorney in Miami also spoke. He said his mother spent her first night in that very building after fleeing Cuba. And he said he made reviving this case a priority when he took office last year. Okay, so how is Cuba responding? Well, Cuba's president in a post on X called this indictment a political move. He says there's no legal basis for it. And he accused the U.S. of trying to fabricate things to justify a military move against Cuba. [12:26] Cuba acted in legitimate self-defense after repeated violations of its airspace. And he also says the U.S. government at the time had been warned about those violations, but ignored them and allowed these flights to continue. The Trump administration has had a pressure campaign running against Cuba. So how does this fit into that? Right. The administration has been ramping up pressure on Cuba since early January, after the successful U.S. military operation to capture Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, and bring him to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism charges.

[12:56] The administration has ordered a blockade of Cuba. That's cut off fuel shipments. Cuba's economy is in freefall. The CIA director just visited the island for talks. And now we have this Castro indictment. Now, Castro is 94 years old. He's not in U.S. custody. But of course, the shadow of that Maduro raid hangs over all of this. Blanche was asked yesterday how far the U.S. would go to get its hands on Castro. He said there's a warrant out for his arrest. He expects Castro will show up on his own, or as Blanche put it, by another way. [13:30] And that's Up First for Thursday, May 21st. I'm E. Martinez. And I'm Leila Faldil. Today's episode of Up First was edited by Kelsey Snell, Tina Kraya, Krishnadev Kalamer, Mohamed El-Bardisi, and Adam Bearn. It was produced by Ziad Butch and Nia Dumas. Our director is Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Zoe Vangenhoven. Our technical director is Carly Strange. And our deputy executive producer is Kelly Dickens. Join us again tomorrow. [13:56] Bye. [14:00] you [14:13] This message comes from IXL. IXL is designed to help students strengthen core skills and build confidence before the new school year begins. [14:21] The adaptive platform provides personalized learning for pre-K through 12th grade and is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the United States.

[14:30] One hour of tutoring can cost more than an entire month of IXL. Receive an exclusive 20% discount on an IXL membership at IXL.com slash NPR. [14:42] Support for NPR and the following message come from Washington Wise. Decisions made in Washington can affect your portfolio every day. Washington Wise from Charles Schwab is an original podcast that unpacks the stories making news and how they may affect your finances and portfolio. Host Mike Townsend and his guests explore policy initiatives for retirement savings, taxes, trade, and more. Download the latest episode and follow at schwab.com slash Washington Wise or wherever you listen. [15:12] This message comes from Integrative Therapeutics, makers of Cortisol Manager, named Best Overall Ashwagandha Supplement by Vogue. Use code STRESS2026 for 20% off of Cortisol Manager on Amazon.com.