Trump praises new Syrian leader; RFK Jr. testifies on Capitol Hill
by TheHill.com -
President Trump is in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday after a swing through Saudi Arabia that saw him securing billions in economic and military investments between Washington and Riyadh.
In a signal of thawing tensions, Trump met and also praised the new Syrian president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, ahead of a Gulf Corporation Council meeting alongside the Saudi crown prince and the Turkish president, who joined by phone.
He’s a “young, attractive guy,” Trump said. “Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
Trump also said he thought al-Sharaa has “got a real shot at holding it together.”
Trump announced on Tuesday that he would suspend U.S. sanctions on Syria in order to help the war-torn country in the aftermath of the toppling of former President Bashar a-Assad.
“I felt very strongly that this would give them a chance,” Trump said. “Gives them a good, strong chance…it was my honor to do so.”
Trump’s trip to Qatar is also overshadowed by a cascade of criticism over his potential accepting of a $400 million Boeing 747-8 luxury jet from Qatar that reports suggest could replace Air Force One.
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The aerospace company has had a contract with the U.S. government to replace the fleet of presidential planes but has been faced with years of delays.
Another announcement being anticipated involves a deal between Qatar and Boeing for a fleet of planes for Qatar Airways, the country’s flag carrier that flies to hundreds of destinations around the world.
In Washington, House Republicans worked through the night on the arduous task of marking up the Medicaid and taxes portion of Trump’s key domestic agenda. The House Ways and Means Committee advanced its portion of the bill Wednesday morning, but the Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to go through the day.
And Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is slated to appear before House and Senate panels today to discuss the budget proposal for his agency, which includes massive cuts.
Follow below for live updates.
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a minute ago
Democrats troll Trump over 'Qatar-a-lago'
Ashleigh Fields
Democrats are planning to fly a banner that reads “Qatar-a-lago” over President Trump’s Florida estate on Wednesday after the leader said he would accept a $400 million jet from the Qatari government.
Democratic lawmakers and operatives — and even some Republicans — have questioned the safety and ethics of the president accepting a foreign gift, which he plans to use for Air Force One and keep for his presidential library once he leaves office.
“His corruption is a slap in the face to the millions of Americans who are struggling to get by and put food on the table,” Ken Martin, Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair said in a Wednesday statement.
Read the full story here.
6 minutes ago
RFK Jr.: US health costs can't be fixed by 'throwing more money at it'
Joseph Choi
In his opening remarks, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the steep cuts the Trump administration is requesting for his department, arguing the rise of healthcare costs won’t be fixed by “throwing more money at it.”
“Healthcare costs are steadily increasing at a rate 2 percent greater than the economy. If we don’t staunch this unsustainable hemorrhage, we will ransom our children to bankruptcy, servitude and disastrous health consequences,” Kennedy said. “Yes, an exploding debt is a social determinant of health. We won’t solve this problem by throwing more money at it. We must spend smarter.”
Among the cuts Kennedy laid out for HHS were getting rid of “gain-of-function experiments and research based upon radical gender ideology” as well as “DEI funding.”
8 minutes ago
Energy and Commerce hits the 20-hour mark
Nathaniel Weixel
The Energy and Commerce Committee’s meeting to debate and advance its portion of President Trump’s legislative agenda has hit the 20-hour mark.
The committee began its markup at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Republicans have already advanced titles related to energy, environment and communications, but have been debating the health care provisions since the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Medicaid is a major part of the bill and has emerged as a central issue in Republicans’ attempts to pass Trump’s priorities.
Democrats have introduced amendments to eliminate provisions of the GOP plan including Medicaid work requirements, a plan to limit state-levied taxes on providers, and a provision that would stop Planned Parenthood from getting Medicaid funds.
10 minutes ago
DeLauro blasts RFK Jr.'s 'quackery,' HHS budget request
Joseph Choi
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, condemned the Trump administration’s budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services, accusing it of promoting “quackery” for the sake of tax cuts.
“Yourself and President Trump and Elon Musk are attacking health programs to pay for tax cuts for billionaires,” DeLauro said in her opening remarks. “By promoting quackery, we are endangering the health of the American people with pseudoscience, fear mongering and misinformation. Governments should fight for the middle class, the working class and the vulnerable, not the interests of billionaires like Elon Musk.”
12 minutes ago
RFK Jr. testifying on Capitol Hill about steep cuts proposed at HHS
Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is testifying before the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday morning.
He is appearing to defend President Trump’s budget request, which proposes steep cuts to HHS.
The 2026 proposal seeks to cut $33.3 billion in discretionary funding for HHS, representing a 26.2 percent reduction compared to the fiscal 2025 budget.
This includes a $3.6 billion reduction in discretionary funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an $18 billion reduction for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a $674 million reduction for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Program Management and a $240 million reduction for Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Hospital Preparedness Program.
27 minutes ago
Johnson says he, SALT Republicans may need until weekend to reach deal
Mychael Schnell
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday said he and blue-state moderate Republicans may need until the weekend to reach a deal on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap.
Johnson on Tuesday had said he anticipated a deal Wednesday. Still, on his way into a Wednesday morning meeting of the House GOP conference, he said he was optimistic they would reach an agreement.
SALT has emerged as one of the biggest sticking points in Republicans’ attempt to pass President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”
an hour ago
Trump praises new Syrian leader
Alex Gangitano
Trump told reporters that his meeting with new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia went “great.”
He is a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter,” Trump said.
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together. I spoke with President Erdoğan, who is very friendly with him. He feels she’s got a shot of doing a good job. It’s a torn up country,” he added.
Trump and al-Sharaa, joined in-person by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and via phone by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, met for just over a half an hour on Wednesday morning.
Trump encouraged him to sign the Abraham Accords with Israel during the call and later told reporters that he thought Syria would join at some point.
“I think they have to get themselves straightened up. I told him, ‘I hope you’re going to join when it’s straightened out.’ He said, ‘Yes.’ But they have a lot of work to do,” Trump said.
an hour ago
House panel advances tax portion of Trump agenda bill after marathon meeting
Mychael Schnell
Tobias Burns
The House Ways and Means Committee advanced a slew of President Trump’s top tax priorities, Wednesday morning, setting the stage for a high-stakes sprint to get the provisions through the GOP’s razor-thin majority.
The panel advanced the legislation — which is part of the party’s package containing Trump’s legislative agenda — in a party-line 26-19 vote following an hours-long, overnight meeting that featured heated debate, scores of Democratic-led amendments, all of which were rejected, and ample estimates of the impact of the proposed policy.
The tax bill now heads to the House Budget Committee, which is tasked with combining all the portions of the Trump agenda bill into one package in advance of its consideration in the entire chamber.
The tax legislation, which spans 389 pages, makes the 2017 income tax rates permanent — a top priority for Trump and congressional Republicans — implements some of the president’s campaign promises including no tax on tips or overtime through 2028, and temporarily increases the child tax credit, among several other provisions.
Read more here.
2 hours ago
Qatar Emir calls Trump ‘man of peace’
Alex Gangitano
Trump sat down with Emir of Qatar Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani, during which he called on the president to bring peace to the Middle East.
“We are very excited,” the Emir said. “Mr President, I’ve known you for many year. I know that you are a man of peace. I know that you want to bring peace to this region. I hope that this time we can do the right thing and bring peace here in the region.”
Trump looked at the architecture at Amiri Diwan, calling it “so beautiful,” and remarked about the camels he saw when he arrived.
“We’ve liked each other and worked with each other,” Trump told the Emir. “And now we can work in the highest capacity.”
2 hours ago
Trump denies trip is a snub to Israel
Alex Gangitano
Trump addressed criticism that his trip to the Middle East, which does not include a trip to Israel on his itinerary, is a snub.
“This is good for Israel, having a relationship like I have with these countries — Middle Eastern countries, essentially all of them. I think it’s very good for Israel,” Trump said when questioned about if his trip sidelines Israel.
The Israel-Hamas war has waged on alongside the the Israeli military continuing to conduct airstrikes on civilians in the West Bank. It is also blocking humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip.
Also this week, Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage held by Hamas was released on Monday.
2 hours ago
Trump arrives in Qatar
rrahman
President Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani take part in an official welcoming ceremony at the Amiri Diwan in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon
2 hours ago
Trump compares Statue of Liberty to luxury jet gift from Qatar
Alex Gangitano
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, addressed the controversy over Qatar gifting him a plane that could replace Air Force One, comparing the Statue of Liberty to the gift of a luxury jet.
A user shared the image of the State of Liberty with a sign, “gift from a foreign nation.”
The Statue of Liberty, which is part of New York City’s iconic landscape, was a gift from France to the U.S. in 1886.
Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have insisted Trump needs approval from Congress to accept a major gift from a foreign government.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) also pointed to the Statue of Liberty as an example, noting that former President Grant signed a joint-Congressional resolution to accept the gift from France.
Trump is under scrutiny from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for potentially accepting a $400 million jet from Qatar, a move that the president has defended. He argued it would be a gift to the Defense Department, which will move to his future presidential library after he leaves office.
3 hours ago
Trump arrives in Qatar
Alex Gangitano
Trump landed at Hamad International Airport in Qatar on Wednesday afternoon, local time, and four Qatari fight jets appeared to the side of Air Force One to escort it in.
The president, who pumped his fist before walking down the steps, was greeted with a red carpet by Amir of Qatar Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani.
Ambassador of the U.S. to Qatar, Timmy Davis, also greeted the president.
3 hours ago
Ways and Means markup continues into morning
Mychael Schnell
The House Ways and Means Committee’s markup ran through the night, with Democrats introducing a number of amendments that Republicans rejected. The hearing began at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
We’re more than 16 hours into the Ways and Means markup — and it’s showing, especially during an exchange amid debate over Rep. Gwen Moore’s (D-Wis.) amendment to make an exemption to the excise tax on colleges and universities.
“Mr. Chairman, don’t go to sleep on me, I’m begging you to work with me on this,” Moore said, referencing House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.).
“How could I ever go to sleep with your lovely voice,” Smith responded.
It remains unclear how many amendment Democrats plan to introduce and debate.
3 hours ago
Mychael Schnell
GOP rejects amendment to close ‘carried interest loophole’
Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee just rejected an amendment from Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) to close the so-called carried interest loophole — which Trump wanted to include in the bill, but it didn’t make it in.
During debate, Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-Ind.) asked Beyer about closing the carried interest loophole not making it into the American Rescue Plan or the Inflation Reduction Act, which were the two packages Democrats passed under budget reconciliation when they had full control of Washington.
Beyer said the House passed it in the Inflation Reduction Act, but then-Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) stripped it out. Beyer asked if that sequence of events would foreshadow what will happen with the Trump agenda bill — Senate Republicans are signaling that they will likely change parts of the House bill which, depending on the changes, could be an issue for Speaker Johnson.
“So just to be very clear, when you had the House the Senate and the presidency you were not able to get that through?” Yakym said.
“Are you trying to foreshadow what’s going to happen with this bill in the Senate?” Beyer responded.
3 hours ago
Trump says if he doesn't go to Turkey, Putin may not show up for Russia-Ukraine talks
Alex Gangitano
Trump said he doesn’t think Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the Russia-Ukraine talks planned in Turkey this week if he doesn’t go himself.
When questioned on what happens if Putin doesn’t show up, the president replied, “I don’t know if he’s showing up. I know he would like me to be there. And that’s a possibility, if we could end the war, I’d be thinking about that.”
“Now tomorrow, we’re all booked out, you understand that. We’re all set. We’re going to UAE tomorrow. So we have a very full situation. Now that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it to save a lot of lives and come back. But yeah, I think they’re thinking about something. I don’t know that he would be there if I’m not there. We’re going to find out,” he added.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said he wouldn’t talk with a Russian leader other than Putin in Turkey.
The president on Monday had floated the possibility of flying to Turkey later this week to join the talks.
3 hours ago
Saudi, Turkey included in Syrian president meeting
rrahman
Trump’s meeting with the Syrian president lasted just over an hour.
Reporters traveling with the president in Riyadh said it occurred ahead of Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in which Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman joined in person and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan joined by phone.
“We are currently exploring normalizing with Syria’s new government,” Trump said after the meeting.
“I’ve seen such progress,” he added. “The whole world is watching the Middle East.”
4 hours ago
Trump meets Syrian president
rrahman
In a signal of thawing tensions, President Trump met with new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during his stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
It comes one day after Trump said he would lift sanctions on the country, which has been devastated by civil war for more than a decade.
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