News & Brews May 30, 2025
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Behind the ‘GOP pressure campaign to flip Trump on Nippon Steel’
POLITICO investigates how Republican lawmakers influenced President Trump to change his mind on the U.S. Steel / Nippon Steel deal. “The group of roughly a half-dozen GOP lawmakers from Pennsylvania and other states with U.S. Steel operations launched a series of meetings and group text chains shortly after Trump’s November election victory, developing a plan to pitch his top economic officials on the merits of the sale…. Eventually, and somewhat unexpectedly, they got an audience with the president himself.” From the president’s perspective, “A White House official declined to say how much the lawmakers influenced Trump’s decision but said, ‘The president certainly appreciates the insight from lawmakers and members of Congress whom he respects.’”
‘Hispanic moderates’ big swing right’
The Liberal Patriot looks at the mass defection of Hispanics from the Democrat party in recent years. Providing multiple data points, the piece notes that “Hispanic moderates increasingly resemble white moderates politically. They are voting their ideology and political views not their group identity.”
DHS calls out Pa. cities
The Department of Homeland Security has published a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions defying federal immigration law.” These cities, per DHS, “protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril.” Five Pennsylvania cities—Pittsburgh, Philly, Gettysburg, State College, and York—are on the list, along with 11 Pa. counties. DHS announced, “Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance with Federal statutes. DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens.”
Allegheny GOP in court over upcoming election
WESA reports that Republicans in Allegheny County “are fighting in court to prevent an election for Allegheny County Council from taking place this fall.” The issue stems from the resignation of former Republican Council Member Sam DeMarco to work for U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick. Republicans argue that their interim candidate should not have to run in November to fill the remainder of DeMarco’s term. The county argues the opposite.
Shapiro’s secrecy problem
From covering up scandal to negotiating in secret with campaign donors, Gov. Shapiro seems to suffer from a secrecy problem. Self-described “centrist” Oliver Bateman, who voted for Shapiro, gives a run down of some of the secrets Shapiro has kept during his administration. Bateman concludes, “We deserve to see both sides of his face, not just the carefully managed public persona of a one-eyed jack.”