Trump Signs Order Expediting Drugs for Mental Health Treatment
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday that he said “directs the FDA to expedite their review of certain psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs.” A primary objective of the order is to speed treatment for veterans.
“The executive order I’m signing, we’re actually signing the executive order today, is really a moment,” Trump said. “These treatments are currently in the advanced stages of clinical trials to ensure that they’re both safe and effective for the American patients.”
The president said the executive order would implement “historic reforms to dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs.” Citing the elevated veteran suicide rate, the president added: “In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression, including our cherished veterans.”
“And the nice part is we’re actually doing this early, but it has been going on. Research has been going on for quite some time. But, you know, usually with things like this, nothing ever happens, no matter how the research ends up, but we’re changing that. This order will clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitate fast rescheduling of any psychedelic drugs that become FDA approved,” Trump continued.
The president said “in 2024, a study from Stanford University, 30 special operation veterans with traumatic brain injuries underwent — it’s called ibogaine treatment — ibogaine, remember the name,” noting that they “experienced an 80 to 90% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month.”
“In Texas, Republican leaders have already committed $50 million to the ibogaine research. And today, the federal government is making a $50 million research investment in its own. And so that was just approved just last night,” Trump announced.
“We’re also opening a pathway for ibogaine to be administered to desperately ill patients under the right to try law,” Trump said.
“Today’s order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to reclaim their lives and lead a happier life, just lead a happier life,” he added.
Two weeks ago, Trump signed a sweeping executive order aimed at tightening federal oversight of election integrity, directing multiple agencies to expand voter eligibility verification and impose new controls on mail-in ballots.
The order, titled “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” outlines a series of measures that would increase coordination between federal agencies and state election officials, while also establishing new procedures for how ballots are distributed and tracked through the mail system.
At the core of the directive is a requirement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working with the Social Security Administration (SSA), compile and transmit lists of individuals confirmed to be U.S. citizens to state election authorities. These “State Citizenship Lists” would be generated using federal databases, including immigration and Social Security records, and updated regularly ahead of federal elections.
According to the order, the lists are intended to help states verify voter eligibility, though inclusion on the list would not automatically register an individual to vote. State laws and procedures would still govern registration requirements.
The order also calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prioritize investigations and potential prosecutions related to election law violations. This includes cases involving the distribution of ballots to individuals deemed ineligible to vote, as well as any actors—public or private—who may be involved in producing or sending such ballots.
In a significant expansion of federal involvement in mail voting procedures, the directive instructs the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to develop new rules governing the handling of mail-in and absentee ballots. Within 60 days, the Postmaster General is required to initiate a rulemaking process that would standardize ballot tracking and verification measures nationwide.
Under the proposed framework, all mail-in ballots would be required to use specially marked envelopes designated as official election mail. These envelopes must include unique tracking barcodes and meet specific design standards set by USPS to ensure compatibility with automated processing systems.
Trump Says He’s in No Hurry to Make Deal With Iran
The president gave an update on negotiations between Washington and Tehran in a weekend interview.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on March 26, 2026 in Washington. This is Trump's second Cabinet meeting of 2026 and the first since the United States and Israel began attacking Iran on Feb. 28, 2026. Chip Somodevilla/Getty U.S. President Donald Trump, in an interview published on May 30, said that he is in no hurry to make a deal with Iran to end the war, saying that neither Washington nor Tehran has signed an agreement yet.
“I’d like to say I’m in a hurry because gasoline prices are going to come tumbling down, but if you’re going to be in a hurry, you’re not going to make a good deal,” Trump told Fox News. “And slowly but surely we’re getting, I think, what we want, and if we don’t get what we want, we’re going to end it a different way.”
For weeks, the United States and Iran have been working to come to an agreement that would end the war, which started in February, as the conflict remains in a ceasefire. On May 29, Trump released the terms of a deal with Tehran and said he would be making a final decision soon.
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Along with demanding that Iran not obtain a nuclear weapon, Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz must be opened “in both directions” and that Tehran must “complete the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines that are left.”
Since the start of the conflict, the strait has effectively remained shut down, sending oil and gas prices surging, as the strait allows for the transit of about a fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas. As of May 31, gas prices in the United States averaged $4.34 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association.
A White House official told The Epoch Times on May 29 that a White House meeting in the Situation Room on Iran lasted approximately two hours. No details were provided.
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Iran on May 31 claimed that the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) shot down a U.S. military drone that entered its airspace, in comments carried by state-run Tasnim News. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has not publicly commented on the incident.
A top Iranian official, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also said on May 31 that Tehran’s military force is “pushing back the enemy in a great and history-making war,” referring to the United States, according to state-run media. He also claimed that the United States has retreated from the conflict while pushing a narrative of unity in the Iranian regime.
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In his May 29 post on Truth Social, Trump also wrote that mines would be removed from the strait and that ships trapped there may start to go home.
“Say HELLO to your wives, husbands, parents, and families from me, your favorite President!” he said.
On May 30, War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States would restart attacks against Iran if no deal can be reached and that the military’s ammunition stockpiles are being replenished.
“Our ability to recommence if necessary ... we are more than capable,” Hegseth told reporters in Singapore. “Our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe, so we’re in a very good place.”
The Pentagon head said that Trump was “patient” and that the president wants to make a “great deal” that ensures that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Reuters contributed to this report.
SAD NEWS: He’s DONE – Senate QUITING Decision… Trump Rocked
Nebraska Lawmakers Consider Historic Expulsion of Senator Accused of Inappropriate Conduct
On the opening day of Nebraska’s 2026 legislative session, lawmakers were asked Wednesday to consider expelling a fellow senator accused of making a sexually charged remark to a legislative staffer and touching her inappropriately at a party last year.
If lawmakers vote next week to remove Republican Sen. Dan McKeon, 59, it would mark the first time in the state’s history that the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature has expelled one of its own members, The New York Post reported.
The push for expulsion stems from a complaint filed by a legislative staffer who alleged McKeon told her she should “get laid” during an upcoming vacation and later patted her buttocks at a May 29 end-of-session party held at the Lincoln Country Club. The event was attended by state lawmakers, legislative staffers and lobbyists.
The complaint prompted an investigation by an outside law firm hired by the Legislature’s Executive Board. The report, released Wednesday, concluded that while McKeon’s conduct did not rise to the level of sexual harassment or retaliation under state or federal discrimination law, it violated the Legislature’s workplace harassment policy.
The report stated that McKeon has “a reputation for making jokes” and that some of those jokes are “unprofessional and/or inappropriate for the workplace.” It said lawmakers may, at their discretion, censure, reprimand or expel him for his conduct.
According to the report, the staffer, McKeon and another staffer were discussing vacation plans when McKeon allegedly asked whether the woman was “going to Hawaii to get laid.” McKeon later described the remark as a joke, saying he had been referring to receiving a Hawaiian lei. The report noted that the woman was not vacationing in Hawaii, making the comment inconsistent with the discussion.
The staffer also alleged McKeon patted her on the buttocks. McKeon initially denied touching her, the report said, but later stated he may have touched her back, lower back or “even rear end,” though he maintained the contact was not sexual in nature.
Following the complaint, McKeon was instructed on June 2 by Sen. Ben Hansen, chairman of the Legislature’s Executive Board, not to attend social gatherings where staffers would be present. Despite that instruction, McKeon attended another party that same evening where staffers, including the complainant, were present, according to the report.
Nearly a month later, Hansen urged McKeon to accept responsibility for the allegations. McKeon subsequently sent the woman a handwritten note encouraging her to forgive him “because that is what the Bible instructs people to do,” the report said.
In August, McKeon texted another staffer who shared an office with the complainant, stating that the woman “seems to be difficult to work with,” according to the report.
A separate investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol resulted in McKeon being charged with one misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace. He has pleaded not guilty.
McKeon attended Wednesday’s opening session but declined to comment directly on the report. When asked about the allegations and the potential expulsion, he referenced religion, noting that his name, Daniel, means “just” in Hebrew and saying, “We’re all sinners,” when questioned about claims that he frequently made inappropriate jokes.
He said he does not plan to resign, despite calls from Republican leaders, including Gov. Jim Pillen, for him to step down. McKeon said he expects any vote on expulsion to be close.
“It is what it is,” he said. “I’m not going to cry about it or anything.”
The Legislature’s Executive Board is scheduled to hold a hearing Monday on the expulsion resolution. If approved by the committee, the full Legislature could debate the measure as soon as Tuesday. Expulsion would require 33 votes.
Since 2017, when The Associated Press began tracking allegations amid the #MeToo movement, at least 156 state lawmakers in 44 states have been accused of sexual harassment or misconduct.
Senate to Hold Floor Vote on Popular House-Passed Voter ID Bill
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday that the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, known as the SAVE Act, will receive a floor vote in the coming weeks, marking a major step in Republicans’ push to establish proof-of-citizenship requirements for federal elections.
The bill, which passed the House in April, would require individuals registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. Acceptable forms include a passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate or other government-issued documents verifying citizenship.
The measure also directs states to use federal databases, including those from the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security, to verify the citizenship status of registered voters. It requires states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls if identified and imposes penalties on election officials who knowingly process voter registration applications without proper documentation.
Thune confirmed that the Senate will move the bill to the floor after additional technical changes are made, including language that clarifies acceptable forms of identification. He said the chamber would vote “at some point soon” but did not provide a specific date.
The SAVE Act cleared the House on April 10 by a vote of 220-208. Four Democrats—Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Ed Case of Hawaii, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and Henry Cuellar of Texas—joined Republicans in supporting the legislation.
The bill faces a steep path in the Senate, where Republicans hold a majority. It would need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster and advance to final passage. Even so, Senate Republicans have pressed for the vote to place Democrats on record ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The legislation has also been at the center of an internal standoff between House and Senate Republicans. In December, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida led a coalition of House conservatives who pledged to block unrelated bills from advancing to the Senate until the SAVE Act received a vote. Luna and others have described the measure as a test of Congress’s commitment to election security.
The SAVE Act is designed to create a uniform federal standard for verifying voter eligibility. Under current law, individuals registering to vote for federal elections are required to attest, under penalty of perjury, that they are U.S. citizens, but they are not required to present documentation. Supporters of the bill argue that this system leaves states vulnerable to administrative errors and, in rare cases, non-citizen registrations.
Opponents say the legislation is unnecessary and could lead to the disenfranchisement of eligible voters who may have difficulty obtaining the required documents. Civil rights organizations have warned that stricter requirements could disproportionately affect elderly, low-income and rural voters, as well as those born outside traditional hospital systems who may lack official birth certificates.
Democrats have largely dismissed the bill as redundant, citing a lack of evidence that non-citizen voting is a widespread problem. The Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan policy institute that tracks election integrity issues, found that cases of non-citizen voting account for “a fraction of a fraction of a percent” of total ballots cast nationwide.
Republicans counter that the absence of strong verification requirements undermines public confidence in elections, pointing to polling that shows broad public support for voter ID laws. A recent survey by Quantus Insights found that 74 percent of respondents supported requiring proof of citizenship to vote, while only 16 percent opposed such measures.
The Trump administration has made election security a top priority, and President Donald Trump has repeatedly endorsed the SAVE Act, saying it would strengthen faith in the democratic process and ensure that only citizens are voting in federal elections.
Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, have said they will oppose the measure, calling it a solution in search of a problem. Schumer said the Senate will continue to focus on expanding access to the ballot rather than imposing new restrictions.
Even if the bill fails in the Senate, Republicans say they plan to continue pushing for voter ID and citizenship verification laws at the state level. Similar measures are already under consideration in several Republican-led legislatures, including Texas, Florida, and Arizona.
