Today in Politics, Bulletin 379. 5/14/26

… After bombshell revelations that he paid sex workers for years during international trips, Kristi Noem’s Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks announced his resignation today.

… Daily Beast: “The head of Border Patrol allegedly bragged for years about paying for sex, but two internal probes into the matter were killed by the DHS. The accusations span more than a decade, originating when Banks worked as a supervisory field agent in Nogales, AZ, where he openly discussed paying for sex workers with colleagues and allegedly invited some to accompany him on trips to Colombia and Thailand.”

… One of 6 current and former agents to the Washington Examiner: “I don’t know how he became the chief of the Border Patrol with his character. He’s going to third-world countries to take advantage of poor fucking women, which disgusts the hell out of me.”

… Second source: “He would tell people that’s why he was going on these trips—he would go there to engage in activities with prostitutes. So I think those stories are out everywhere, and you can’t put them away or not give it attention because he was the one telling people about these trips.”

… Anna Giaritelli, who broke the story: “A second bombshell report on Banks is said to be coming out today, which prompted DHS Sec. Mullin to meet with BP’s union chief yesterday, hours before Banks announced he’s leaving. We reported weeks ago that Banks had traveled abroad to have sex with prostitutes while an agent. One source said Banks has been on thin ice since then. Banks was part of the Noem/Lewandowski/Bovino/Perez cohort.”

… “A Border Patrol sector chief called me this afternoon. He choked up talking about how horrible his experience was working under Mike Banks. (To have a senior federal law enforcement agent this upset about a boss goes to show just how bad it was.) ‘Every field chief, I'm texting probably 10 this morning, it's like Christmas for everybody,’ the official said.”

… WSJ: “Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned Trump that any mishandling of Taiwan could lead to ‘an extremely dangerous situation,’ directly raising a point of tension that has loomed over what the US president said at the start could be ‘the best summit ever.’ Xi’s remarks, while in line with China’s longstanding position, threatened to dim the mood of a visit both countries hoped would stabilize ties.”

… “The meetings began Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Those topics were indeed raised, including discussions of trade ties, US access to the Chinese market, Beijing’s investment in US industries and its purchases of American agricultural products. Xi, however, aims to weaken the US commitment to Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that Beijing seeks to bring under its control.”

… Xi: “Handled well, relations between the two countries can maintain overall stability. If handled poorly, the two countries will collide or even clash, putting the entire US-China relationship in an extremely dangerous situation. Taiwan independence and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water.”

… China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement after the meeting: “President Xi stressed to President Trump that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations. If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy.”

… After the meeting, Trump was asked about Taiwan and dodged the question: Q - “How were you talks, sir? Trump: Great. Great place. Incredible. Q: Did you talk about Taiwan, Mr President? Trump: China is beautiful.”

… Scott Bessent on CNBC: Q - “Will Xi ask Trump to change the longstanding strategic ambiguity policy or limit arms sales to Taiwan? Bessent: I’m confident President Trump understands the issues around that and is very resolute in his answers. Q: Would Trump give concessions to XI? Bessent: I’m not gonna get ahead of the president.”

… From Trump’s speech in front of Xi:

• “Chinese restaurants in America today outnumber the 5 largest fast food chains in the United States all combined. That’s a pretty big statement.”

• Trump to Xi: “You’re a great leader—I say it to everybody. Sometimes people don’t like me saying it. I say it anyway because it’s true. I always say the truth.”

• On the children China had on hand to cheer Trump: “I was particularly impressed by those children. They were happy, they were beautiful. Those children were amazing.”

… Trump to Sean Hannity after: Q - “Did you discuss China's support for Iran with Xi?
Trump: We discussed it. Uhhhh. I mean, when you say 'support,' they're not fighting a war with us or anything. He said he's not gonna give military equipment. That's a big statement. But at the same time he said they buy a lot of their oil there, and they'd like to keep doing that.”

… TACO Trump.

… Hannity wasn’t looking great without the lighting and cameras in his Fox studio.

… Phillips O’Brien, Prof of Strategic Studies at St. Andrews Univ: “The tone of the Xi-Trump summit is already revealing. China is telling the US what it wants the US to do about Taiwan, while Trump is sucking up to Xi as if his life depended on it. What we are seeing in China is clear and unmistakable signs of US decline. The US is praising Xi, refusing to defend Taiwan and desperate for Chinese help - and the Chinese know it and love it. This summit might be remembered in history as the end of the US Era.”

… Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham was on Fox threatening China: “The allies of China - they’re all dirtbags. They’re buying oil cheaply from Iran. If China stopped buying Iranian oil, the war will be over. All I’m asking China to do is help us open the Strait of Hormuz. If you help us, I will be very grateful. If you don’t help us, I will put tariffs on you.”

… Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) was asked on Newsmax if Trump was going to get China to buy more from US farmers: “We trust in Trump. He’s over there making a great deal for us. Nobody has done more for American agriculture and rural America than Trump and a Republican-only Congress.”

… ABC: “Grocery prices in the US soared faster in April than any month in nearly 4 years, driving up the cost of everything from frankfurters to tomatoes to cupcakes. Fresh vegetables cost 11.5% more than they did a year ago. Seafood prices are up 6.2% over that time, according to the data from the BLS.”

… “The jump in food prices stems in part from a historic oil shock set off by the Iran war, which increased diesel costs. Diesel is the lifeblood of the food supply chain, fueling trucks and ships. Higher fuel costs for suppliers mean price hikes in grocery aisles as the increased costs are passed down the supply chain.”

… “Prices for fresh fruits and vegetables soared 2.3% in April from March. Over the past year, fresh produce prices have jumped 6.5%, more than double the rise in overall food prices. A rise in dairy prices also spotlights the impact on perishable goods. Dairy products surged 0.8% in April.”

… WaPo: “A confidential US intelligence analysis details how China is exploiting the war in Iran to maximize its advantage over the US across military, economic, diplomatic and other fields. The assessment was produced this week for Gen. Dan Caine, and has raised alarm within the Pentagon about the geopolitical costs of Washington’s standoff with Tehran.”

… “The report, produced by the Joint Staff’s intelligence directorate, uses what’s known as a ‘DIME’ framework - a reference to 4 key instruments of state power - to assess China’s response to the Iran conflict: diplomatic, informational, military and economic. Since the US and Israel initiated the Iran war, China has sold weapons to Persian Gulf allies of the US as they struggled to defend their military bases and oil infrastructure from Iranian missile and drone attacks, the report says.”

… “Beijing has also assisted countries around the world struggling to meet their energy needs after the US-Israeli attacks prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor for the transport of one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas.”

… “The war has also drained the US of massive stocks of munitions that would be critical in a potential standoff with China over the fate of Taiwan, the report notes. The Iran conflict, which has resulted in the damage or destruction of US military hardware and facilities throughout the Middle East, has allowed Beijing to observe how the US fights wars and learn how to plan its own future operations.”

… HUD Secretary Scott Turner testified before the Senate today. Here is his exchange with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). This is exactly what he said word for word:

Turner: The point in time in the report in the Biden admin HUD said he had 770,000 people in America that were homeless. And this was with record funding.

Gillibrand: So what is your record? You’ve had this job for well over a year. I just want to know, did you get the number down? Do we still have 700,000 homeless or is it a million? Or 1.5 million? I get you want to do things differently, but where’s the results? Your report is delayed over a year. I don’t want to just hear about what you don’t like about the Biden admin. You are in charge. You have a vision. So let’s see it. Let’s see the results.

Turner: Good. And you know, I do. I thank God that I’m in charge so that we can do stuff different because the plays that were ran before I got here - they failed. (He’s a former NFL player). I have been in over a year. But you all had during the Biden admin 4 years.

Gillibrand: Stop talking about Biden! Talk about your record! This does not help this committee do our job.

Turner: The point in time report would be out by now if we didn’t have an unprecedented govt shutdown. We have a great team and we move very expeditiously. The shutdown helps us not be able to work. Irregardless of all that, during the Biden admin —

Gillibrand: Oh my God! This is like two children saying ‘I didn’t do it, my brother did it.’ Stop with the excuses! Just explain your record.

Turner: If after I’m gone if it’s still record homelessness —

Gillibrand: After your gone is too late for the families are suffering today!

… Sen. Patty Murray: “Your budget cuts housing. Can you help more families with housing with $84 billion or $73.5 billion? Turner: Here’s what I’ll say. In the previous 4 years-- Murray: Ok. This is the go-to answer for every secretary is to go back to Biden. I’m asking you about your admin. Turner: Inflation was up. Regulatory environment was crippling. MURRAY: It’s your go-to answer.”

… Education Secretary Linda McMahon testified before the House. She was asked about the new rule to cap student loans: Rep. Joe Countney (D-CT): “We have a nursing shortage, and you’re worsening it with this rule. What do you say to nurses who asked for your consideration that you brushed aside? McMahon: Nurses are an incredibly respected profession. Courney: Well your rule certainly doesn’t show that.”

… Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX): “For the $1 billion we’re being asked to spend on Trump’s ballroom, we could fund 217 million free school lunches and 15,000 more teachers. As secretary of education, which do you think helps our nation more? McMahon: I think those are incredibly weird comparisons.”

… AP: “When Kash Patel visited Hawaii last summer, the FBI took pains to note the director was not on vacation, highlighting his walking tour of the bureau’s Honolulu field office and meetings with local law enforcement.”

… “Left out of the FBI’s news releases was an exclusive excursion that Patel took days later when he participated in what govt officials described as a ‘VIP snorkel’ around the USS Arizona in an outing coordinated by the military. The FBI did not disclose the snorkeling session or that Patel had returned to Hawaii for two days after his initial stopover on the island.”

Yesterday on Uncovered we talked about Republicans trying to deal with Trump’s statement on not caring about prices, abusing female reporters, Kash’s melt down in the senate hearing, Hegseth’s lies about the war, the upcoming ballroom funding vote, the Reflecting Pool lawsuit, Burgum getting roasted on renewables in a hearing, RFK Jr’s sperm obsession, and several other things. A link to the show is here.

Thank you to everyone who reads, shares and subscribes. If you missed the last Bulletin, you can find it here.

… MS NOW: “Kash Patel boasted of the bureau almost doubling its number of arrests under his tenure, and of capturing the world’s ‘Ten Most Wanted’ villains at a record clip. He sounded a familiar refrain as he seeks to protect his job, waving a large placard that he said carried statistical proof that his leadership of the world’s premier law enforcement agency has been stellar.”

… “But Patel’s FBI has imposed new policies that inflate these numbers and overstate the bureau’s progress in stemming crime. For example, the FBI began counting