Wednesday morning news: May 20, 2026

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Iran latest » President Trump says another military strike on Iran could be just days away if a peace deal does not come together with Teheran quickly.

He said he called off strikes that had been set for yesterday—after Gulf state leaders appealed for more time to negotiate.

TRUMP: They called me over the last two days to say they made a lot of progress, because we have them negotiating with us and primarily Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait a little bit, and Bahrain and some of the others, and we have them negotiating...

He says they're all working together as a team in an effort to end the war. 

Trump has said Iranian leaders insist that they do want a deal—but then drag their feet.

TRUMP: I hope we don't have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit. We may have to give them another big hit. I'm not sure yet.

An Iranian official says Tehran will respond firmly to any new American attack.

Vice President JD Vance told White House reporters:

VANCE: I will not say with confidence that we're gonna reach a deal until we're actually signing a negotiated settlement here, and I think that it's ultimately up to the Iranians whether they're willing to meet us.

The Senate on Tuesday advanced a Democratic-led resolution that seeks to force Trump to end the war. It advanced on a vote of 50-to-47 after Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana switched sides following his recent primary loss.

Drones that struck UAE nuclear site came from Iraq » Meantime, investigators have traced Sunday's drone attack on a nuclear plant in the United Arab Emirates to Iraq—and likely to an Iran-backed militia. 

WORLD’s Kristen Flavin reports.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: The Barakah plant is the Arab world's only nuclear power station—and it powers a quarter of the UAE.

No one was hurt in the strike and no radiation leaked.

The UAE Defense Ministry says all three drones came from Iraq. Saudi Arabia has since intercepted three more from the same airspace.

No group has claimed the attack, but Iran and its proxies were suspected from the start.

Sunday's strike is the latest in a string of attacks on the UAE during the war. Iran-backed forces have targeted the Emirates because it's a close U.S. ally—and hosts Israeli air defenses and personnel.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Blanche testimony » On Capitol Hill, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended a new $1.7 billion compensation fund at his first Senate hearing on Tuesday.

Blanche calls it an "Anti-Weaponization Fund" for victims of political targeting by the government.

But Democrats describe it differently, deride it as a “self-dealing: political “slush fund.”

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen grilled Blanche:

VAN HOLLEN: Will individuals who assaulted Capitol Hill police officers be eligible for this fund?

BLANCHE: Well, as it makes plain, anybody …

VAN HOLLEN: Will they be eli- just let me know if they're eligible for the fund…

BLANCHE: As, as, as was made plain yesterday, anybody in this country is eligible to apply if they believe they're a victim of weaponization.

Blache said furthermore the fund will not be limited only to those who feel they were targeted by the Biden Justice Department, but will be open to anyone with a credible claim.

A five-member commission will decide what defines a ‘credible claim’—and set the rules for who gets paid and how much. But the members of that panel have not yet been appointed.

New York rail strike ends » Long Island Rail Road trains are running again this morning along the country’s busiest commuter rail system—after a three-day strike ended at the bargaining table.

A new four-year deal gives workers raises totaling about 14 percent, plus a $3,000 lump-sum payment.

Kevin Sexton is vice president of the engineers' union:

SEXTON: We're pleased to announce that the parties have reached an agreement. Due to the nature of the negotiations, we cannot discuss the specifics. What I can say is we are looking forward to our members getting back to work.

Limited service started at noon on Tuesday—with a full schedule back by evening rush.

Long Island Rail Road president Rob Free:

FREE: The deal was a fair deal for the employees, but it also ensured that we maintained our financial stability, that we're not going to put a burden on our riders or the taxpayers. So it's a good deal, we're happy with it, and we're happy to run trains.

Union members still have to officially sign off on the deal in the coming days.

Election results: Kentucky » An big upset in a GOP primary election in Kentucky, as eight-term incumbent Thomas Massie conceded his U.S. House seat to President Trump’s handpicked challenger. 

WORLD’s Travis Kircher reports now from the congressman's official watch party in Kentucky.

AUDIO: Massie! Massie! Massie!

TRAVIS KIRCHER: Hundreds of Massie supporters packed the Cincinnati Airport Marriott here in Hebron, Kentucky, Tuesday night to await the results of a hotly contested U.S. House race. 

But it soon became apparent that the eight term congressman would be surrendering his seat.

MASSIE: I did get the call through though, I have called and conceded the race. We've been honorable the whole time, and we're going to stay that way.

KIRCHER: He lost to Ed Gallrein, a former U.S. Navy SEAL who had President Trump’s full support.

The president had criticized Massie, first for voting against what Trump called his “Big Beautiful Bill” —Massie said it added trillions to the national debt—and for forcing a vote on a bill requiring the release of the so-called Epstein files.

I spoke with many Massie supporters who say they saw him as a Republican who kept President Trump accountable to his campaign promises.

HILGER: I don't support that whatsoever, although I do support Mr. Trump's policies. I wish he would get back into the MAGA line and do what he said that he told everybody he was going to do. The fraud that Mr. Massie talked about, the national debt that he talked about, the corruption in Washington, D.C.

KIRCHER: Ed Gallrein, for his part, told the GOP faithful that he intends to help the president fulfill those promises.

GALLREIN: I will serve this district, my party, and my nation with that same audacity to make a difference for them, their families, our district, our party, our nation. God bless America, thank y'all!

KIRCHER: Reporting for WORLD, I’m Travis Kircher in Hebron, Kentucky.

Georgia election » Meantime in Georgia, Congressman Mike Collins was the leading vote-getter in a Republican Senate primary race as the GOP vies to unseat incumbent Democrat, Sen. Jon Ossoff.

But Collins did not top 50% of the vote and by Georgia law that means he’ll head to a runoff election on June 16th. 

As of early this morning, it was still unclear who Collins will face in that runoff, as the race for second place was still too close to call.

I'm Kent Covington.

And coming up, Hunter Baker is standing by for Washington Wednesday. And later, Janie B. Cheaney on the generational swing from resilience to reliance.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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