
Biden's new inflation scapegoat: oil giants racking up profits amid record gas prices
CNN
In his latest attempt to stem raging inflation affecting almost every American, President Joe Biden has a new target -- oil giants that are banking high profits even as gasoline prices at the pump hit record levels.
Biden rebuked the wealthy sector after he announced a trip to Saudi Arabia, which he blasted as a "pariah" nation but is expected to ask to pump more oil to alleviate some of the pressure on Americans as inflation pummels his own approval ratings and the prospects of Democrats in midterm elections. His moves coincide with an expected aggressive interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday, which could help cool the overheating economy but is part of a strategy that also risks tipping it into a recession.
"At a time of war, refinery profit margins well above normal being passed directly onto American families are not acceptable," the President wrote in a letter dated Tuesday to Marathon Petroleum, Valero Energy, ExxonMobil, Phillips 66, Chevron, BP and Shell.

Dolls, pencils, backyard chickens and ‘a piece of broccoli’: The Trump team’s awkward austerity talk
Amid the European debt crisis in the early 2010s, a Fox News pundit named Donald Trump warned about a backlash against leaders asking people to tighten their belts.

Tensions flare in Minneapolis after federal agent shoots and injures man who allegedly assaulted him
Law enforcement and demonstrators clashed last night near where a federal agent shot and injured a man after he allegedly assaulted the agent. The city is reeling over last week’s fatal shooting by an ICE agent of Renee Good sparked nationwide protests. Follow for live news updates.

The Trump administration is preparing to use private military contractors to protect oil and energy assets in Venezuela rather than deploying US troops, according to two sources familiar with the plans, setting up a potential boon for security firms with experience in the region and ties to the administration.

Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, arrives in Washington this week for high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump on the future of Venezuela following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. The meeting comes after Trump surprised many by allowing Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to assume control, dashing opposition hopes for a new democratic era.









