News blog about US politics
After cancellations by musicians: Trump backs down
Updated on May 30, 2026 – 11:52 p.mReading time: 19 minutes
Before the World Cup, the US economy fears massive damage to the country’s reputation. Donald Trump consults – and makes no decision on Iran. All developments in the news blog.
After cancellations by musicians: Trump backs down
After several musicians canceled, US President Donald Trump is considering a change of plans for the celebrations surrounding the 250th anniversary of US independence. Instead of the originally planned concerts in the capital Washington, Trump said on Saturday on his Truth Social online service that he could imagine a rally with himself as the main speaker.
After all, he is “the biggest attraction in the world, the one who draws far larger crowds than Elvis in his heyday, and without a guitar.” He could take the place of “these third-rate artists” on stage, Trump wrote. He is therefore checking whether a rally with the title “America is back” can be organized on Wednesday. Trump left it open which Wednesday he meant and which events might be canceled in favor of the rally.
US attacks ship en route to Iran
The US Army says it has attacked a ship flying the Gambia flag in the Gulf of Oman. The cargo ship “Lian Star” attempted to call at an Iranian port despite the blockade imposed by the USA, the US Central Command (Centcom) responsible for the Gulf region said on Saturday. The crew ignored more than 20 warnings. A fighter jet then fired a missile into the ship’s engine room. The US Army provided information about possible injuries on board.
Hegseth threatens Europe
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has once again threatened European allies with consequences if defense spending is too low. “Allies who refuse to take greater responsibility and contribute to our common defense will have to deal with a significant change in our approach,” Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore. At the same time, the Pentagon chief called on Western European countries in particular to refrain from “moral sermons” if they disagree with the USA.
“For too long, polite requests to our European allies to spend more on their own defense have fallen on deaf ears,” Hegseth said. Meanwhile, the allies were “finally catching up.” At the same time, he accused European states of promoting “empty globalist rhetoric about a rules-based international order” while “opening their borders wide and hollowing out their armies.” Last year, NATO member states pledged to increase their defense spending to 3.5 percent of their respective gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035 and to spend a further 1.5 percent on defense-related expenses. However, despite increased efforts, many states said they may not be able to meet this five percent target.
