The Epoch Times

An Epoch Times staff member who planned on traveling with the White House press corps to cover U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China this week was denied a visa to enter the country. Travis Gillmore, White House reporter for The Epoch Times, applied for a visa on April 10, filling out a lengthy application that requests information about family members and employers. The status of the application remained “pending review” and was never updated. Staff members of NTD, a sister outlet of The Epoch Times, including White House correspondent Mari Otsu and cameraman Lei Chen, were also denied visas. Otsu received treatment similar to Gillmore’s, while Chinese American Lei was immediately rejected. This was the second time Epoch Media Group staff were denied visas for Trump’s trip, which was initially planned for late March. Because of the schedule change, they had to submit their visa applications twice. Trump landed in Beijing on May 13 at 7:50 p.m. local time (7:50 a.m. ET) for meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. This is his first state visit to China since 2017. The Chinese communist regime also denied visa applications for other members of the White House press corps. According to a source familiar with the travel plans, at least 20 individuals who planned to cover the trip did not receive visa approval.

The U.S. military carried out “self-defense” strikes on Monday in southern Iran against targets including boats attempting to lay mines and missile launch sites, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The strikes were designed “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” CENTCOM spokesman Navy Captain Tim Hawkins said. This is a breaking story and will be updated. Read more (no sign up necessary): theepochtim.es/jt1occ

Tour Bus Hit Head-On by Careening Corvette A packed tour bus is hit head-on by a careening Corvette, and it's all caught on camera.

𝟮 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘀 Two Chinese nationals, Zhen Ruhuan and Wu Hongce, have been charged with conspiracy to launder money linked to the Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa cartels. They allegedly laundered substantial narcotics proceeds, including from cocaine and fentanyl, from November 2016 to April 2025 by working with co-conspirators across multiple countries and using methods such as mirror transfers, foreign bank accounts, encrypted apps, serial-number verification, and trade-based laundering. The pair remains at large after their April 2025 indictment in Virginia and faces up to 20 years in prison. The U.S. Treasury's 2026 National Money Laundering Risk Assessment noted Chinese networks have become the dominant professional laundering groups for drug trafficking organizations, driven by efforts to bypass China's currency controls. These networks use money mules and platforms like WeChat, with over 137,000 suspicious activity reports involving $312 billion filed between 2020 and 2024. FinCEN advisories highlighted cartel preferences for such networks due to their speed and risk tolerance, along with recent cases of Chinese nationals charged in fentanyl-related and money laundering activities.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom submitted a request to the federal government for an emergency declaration to support response efforts to a compromised chemical tank in Garden Grove that may explode. The move aims to help with costs for evacuations, medical support, sheltering, and operations for around 50,000 residents under evacuation orders in Orange County. Newsom stressed acting early to protect lives, with state and local teams already taking a proactive posture. Officials discovered a crack in the tank containing methyl methacrylate, which lowered the risk of a cataclysmic explosion but left the danger of a possible blast intact, with no leaks reported so far. The facility is owned by GKN Aerospace, and EPA head Lee Zeldin noted the potential for scenarios where the tank failure could trigger explosions in others, prompting the large evacuation. Nearby Disneyland parks were not under orders but are monitoring the situation.

Truck Gets Stuck in Wet Concrete Officials say a driver ignored a "Road Closed" sign, then found out the hard way why it was there.

A California attorney was sanctioned $1,000 for three nonexistent cases referred to in a court filing that indicated possible use of artificial intelligence that hallucinated. U.S. magistrate judge Thomas S. Hixson wrote that the court does not prohibit AI in legal advocacy so long as counsel verifies accuracy. The sanctioned attorney, Jessica R. Barsotti, represents plaintiff Karl Gregoire in a case against BART for firing a fare inspection officer who rejected the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds. Barsotti filed the document after missing deadlines due to a relapse of a pre-existing medical condition following stressful events, leading to a 75-day treatment facility stay. She cited four cases arguing the plaintiff’s interest should not be affected by counsel’s failures, but three were nonexistent. The judge warned of striking the filing and ordered additional sanctions including informing the plaintiff and attending AI ethics education, while notifying the State Bar of California. More than 1,000 U.S. legal cases with AI hallucinated content have been detected since Q2 2023, and experts note recurring problems with nonexistent cases or false holdings from AI.

Bodycam footage shows an officer darting into a flooded roadway to save a baby trapped inside a car.

Pope Leo Warns AI Could Put World on Path to Endless War Pope Leo warns in his first encyclical that AI spreads Misinformation, prioritizes conflict and risks leading the world down a path of unending war.

In a unanimous vote, the Senate passed the Stop Stealing Our Chips Act to halt the smuggling of American-made semiconductor chips to China. The bipartisan Senate bill, introduced by Sens. Mike Rounds and Mark Warner, strengthens export control enforcement at the Bureau of Industry and Security through a whistleblower incentive program funded by violation fines. It requires a secure public portal for reports, mandates investigations within 60 days, guarantees confidentiality, and protects whistleblowers from retaliation such as firing or harassment. Eligible whistleblowers providing original information leading to fines would receive 10 to 30 percent of amounts collected, modeled after the SEC program, though federal employees acting in their duties are excluded. A companion House bill has advanced out of committee, with sponsors emphasizing protection of U.S. technological edge against adversaries. Recent prosecutions involved smuggling networks targeting AI chips and Nvidia GPUs to China.

Rubio Says US Will Give Diplomacy 'Every Chance To Succeed' In Iran Negotiations Speaking to reporters in the Indian capital New Delhi before boarding a flight to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said talks with Iran remain a “work in progress,” expressing cautious optimism about a potential agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear negotiations. Read more (no sign up necessary): theepochtim.es/86mp8a

Decorating graves, flags at half-staff, red poppies, virtual tours, and a moment of silence are ways to honor the fallen and to find our own way. Read more (no sign up necessary): theepochtim.es/kzrxp6

Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson got married over Memorial Day weekend. Anderson shared the news on May 23 with a black and white photo of the couple holding hands and showing their wedding rings. The photo said “Forever yours Forever mine” with a heart. Soon after, she posted a quote that read, “The whole point is to marry your best friend.” Their marriage date was May 21, 2026, based on papers filed in Florida. The couple held a small celebration in the Bahamas with family. Trump Jr.’s brother and sisters shared hints about the trip on social media, like photos of the beach and ocean. This is Trump Jr.’s second marriage. President Trump could not go to the wedding because he had to stay in Washington to finish a peace deal with Iran. He said on Truth Social that he wanted to be there but had to focus on the country’s important work.

The Main Facts About the Ebola Virus Ebola has always been dangerous, but how worried should you be? Read more (no sign up necessary): theepochtim.es/fyb5rc

Some exciting news! My new show, 𝘛𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 @TMtonightNTD will premiere May 26th at 8pm ET on NTD.

Japan’s Strategic Awakening The convergence of Japan’s defense industrial base growth and U.S. procurement reforms has the potential to reshape the allied defense ecosystem. This might lead to a more resilient and responsive allied defense industrial base," writes @TamuzItai. Read more (no sign up necessary): theepochtim.es/mw8cda

𝗖𝗗𝗖 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗘𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗮 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 The CDC has expanded its 30-day ban on entry to the United States for green card holders and foreign nationals who have been in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the last 21 days amid the Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak. This restriction remains in effect until June 17, allowing acting Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to evaluate and establish appropriate ongoing travel policies. U.S. citizens and nationals can still return but must undergo enhanced public health screening at designated airports, though such measures cannot identify individuals who are infected yet asymptomatic, given that Ebola symptoms may emerge up to 21 days after exposure. The agency utilizes a comprehensive strategy that incorporates overseas exit screening, airline reporting, post-arrival monitoring, and automated text messages reminding travelers to watch for symptoms. State and local health departments receive lists of arrivals for additional follow-up support. This action operates under Title 42 authority, the same used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current outbreak includes 88 confirmed cases, 750 suspected cases, 10 confirmed deaths, and 176 suspected deaths, originating from a nurse in Congo’s Ituri Province and spreading to Uganda. Bundibugyo ebolavirus generally shows lower fatality rates than the Zaire strain but is still highly dangerous, with documented outbreaks in 2007 and 2012.

Early look at the front page of The Epoch Times. Tap and hold the image to load in 4K.