Former President Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis Leads Political Headlines

The political world is off to a busy start this week with former President Joe Biden stealing a bulk of the headlines. Here is a look at what has happened in political news over the last few days.

Joe Biden Diagnosed with Advanced Prostate Cancer

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an advanced form of prostate cancer. The news was revealed in an official statement from his office on Sunday. The 82-year-old was told the news on Friday after seeking treatment for the increasing prevalence of urinary symptoms. Biden's office said that the cancer has metastasized to the bones, however, its hormone-sensitive nature makes it more likely to respond favorably to treatment.

The president spoke out on Monday for the first time since the diagnosis through a post on X. Biden said that he was thankful for all of the support he has received since the diagnosis. The Biden family is also preparing to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of Beau Biden from brain cancer on May 30.

President Trump Speaks with President Putin on Phone

The big news on Monday coming out of the White House was a two-hour phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. While both parties confirmed the call, Trump appeared more confident about the progress made toward negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine when compared to Putin's response.

The call from the Oval Office is the third time on record that the two leaders have spoken since Trump returned for his second term in January. The American president has been noticeably more frustrated with the slow pace of the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in recent weeks. Kremlin presidential aide Yury Ushakov also said that Putin and Trump used the time on the phone to discuss a proposed swap between nine prisoners.

Also on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country will not back down from the Russians. Zelensky confirmed that he will not withdraw his military from serving in the parts of Ukraine now under the control of Russian troops.

First Self-Deportation Flight Leaves the U.S.

The first self-deportation flight left the U.S. on Monday, bound for Honduras and then Colombia. A new plan rolled out by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides free flights and a $1,000 stipend to migrants who voluntarily leave the U.S. to return to their native countries. Honduran Deputy Foreign Minister Antonio García confirmed that 38 Hondurans touched down at Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport on Monday afternoon. Of this number, 19 of the passengers were children. Four of these minors were born in the U.S., making them American citizens. However, they chose to leave the U.S. so that they could remain with their families during this time of uncertainty.

DHS said that dozens more passengers were then taken to Colombia on the same flight. The self-deportation program from DHS was first announced on May 5. Migrants who want to participate are encouraged to use an app to inform the U.S. government of their intentions and to register for the program.

Trump Wraps Up Trip to the Middle East

President Trump returned to the U.S. on Friday after spending the majority of last week in the Middle East. Trump wrapped up his trip on Thursday with visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). After hosting a business roundtable on Thursday morning in Qatar, the president stopped by the largest American military base in the Middle East to visit with the troops.

Trump then went on to the UAE, touring the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. The host country rolled out the welcome mat for Trump, greeting him with a grand ceremony with music and a full military honor guard.

Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Birthright Citizenship Case

A flurry of Supreme Court decisions is expected in the next few weeks as the court nears the end of the current term in June. On Thursday, the highest court in the land listened to more than two hours of arguments about the intentions of the Trump administration to enforce its birthright citizenship policy. The justices have not yet made a ruling in this case, which could drastically change the landscape of automatic citizenship in the U.S.

Although this is an emergency case, judicial experts do not believe that a formal ruling will be issued until the end of the term. The justices have been holding their early opinions close to the vest thus far. Some of the justices have signaled that they may be amenable to reviewing the constitutionality of Trump's order despite lower courts repeatedly saying that it is unconstitutional.

In other news from the Supreme Court, Trump cleared a major hurdle on Monday when the court issued a brief and unsigned order allowing the administration to go forward with its intentions to end Temporary Protected Status. This humanitarian relief status has historically offered protection to immigrants against deportation. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only member of the court to formally note her dissent.

Advocates for immigrant rights came out in opposition to the Monday decision immediately, saying that it will make immigrants more vulnerable to being unlawfully deported.

House Republicans Scramble to Pass Trump Legislation

House Republicans are working overtime to hammer out the details of their tax and spending cuts package. The goal is to push the legislation through the House this week before sending it to the Senate for a vote.

Billed by President Trump as his own "big, beautiful bill," the controversial piece of legislation would drastically cut spending and investment in a number of safety net programs, including food stamps and Medicaid. The bill would also extend the trillions of dollars of income tax breaks that were signed into law with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The bill would additionally cut taxes on tips and overtime pay temporarily.

Former FBI Director James Comey in Hot Water After Social Media Post

U.S. Secret Service agents interviewed former FBI Director James Comey on Friday afternoon after an alleged threat that he posted toward President Trump on Thursday. Comey was accompanied by the federal agents to the Washington Field Office for questioning in connection to a social media post that could have been construed as a threat against the president.

The post in question showed seashells at the beach spelling out the numbers "86 47," allegedly indicating that Trump should get the "ax". The number 86 is traditionally used to indicate "getting the ax," while the number 47 represents Trump's place as the nation's 47th president. The Secret Service confirmed that Comey went in for questioning voluntarily and was not held in custody.

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