Threat Of 2030s Lunar War Has NASA, Elon Musk Racing To Build Major Moon Base

NASA unveiled plans earlier this week for a lunar base as the U.S. finds itself locked in a multi-domain race with China, one that stretches across energy, compute, weapons, drones, trade, rare earths, shipbuilding, and now the Moon.

The next front with Beijing is no longer just about returning humans to the lunar surface. It is about establishing permanent infrastructure, securing access to lunar resources, and eventually determining whether the U.S. or China will set the rules for space in the 2030s and beyond. 

Elon Musk commented on NASA's X release about the new lunar base, saying, "Time to build a major base on the Moon!"

Time to build major base on the Moon! https://t.co/frVoXiV0tn

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 26, 2026

So why the sudden urgency for NASA to establish a lunar base?

A new Mitchell Institute policy report says the U.S. Space Force should prepare to put active-duty Guardians on space stations and eventually on the Moon to counter China's military-led space ambitions.

The paper noted: "With a potential 'in-person' lunar conflict with China as the contextual touchstone, the U.S. must begin a pragmatic, multi-decade effort, leveraging its Space Test Course (STC), as well as partnerships with NASA and commercial space companies, to deliver the skills, tools, and concepts needed for future Title 10 activities to enforce U.S. spacepower-enabling norms and standards." It added, "These efforts will require additional funding from Congress for both U.S. Space Force human spaceflight opportunities and residencies at commercial space stations."

The 22-page policy report frames the Moon as the next great-power battleground, warning that competition over lunar resources, territory, logistics routes, and future space infrastructure could eventually turn into conflict.

"Competition for control of lunar resources and territory will likely reach a tipping point, at which time the modern-day space race could turn into conflict. The anarchic nature of the Moon combined with China's record of belligerent use of hard power yields a predictable future where United States lunar interests are put at risk," the paper warned.

The think tank noted, "U.S. national security, strength, and prosperity are dependent on securing space dominance in ways that require Title 10 authorities, to include space and lunar habitation." 

In other words, astronauts and commercial crews would not have the training, legal authority, or warfighting mandate needed to defend U.S. lunar interests. 

From spy-movie parody Austin Powers ... 

Lunar wars in the 2030s? 

Tyler Durden Thu, 05/28/2026 - 22:10

Judge Declines To Block Trump's Order On Mail-In Voting

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times,

A federal judge on May 28 allowed President Donald Trump's administration to implement an executive order imposing restrictions on mail-in voting.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, based in Washington, rejected a request from Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), for an injunction against the order.

US President Donald Trump walks towards the Rose Garden for a "Rose Garden Club" dinner in honor of Police Week at the White House in Washington, DC, on May 11, 2026. Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images

Absent an injunction, the federal government would compile lists of U.S. citizens and would coerce states into only allowing people on the lists to register to vote and vote in elections, even though the sources for the list are known to be deficient, plaintiffs argued in court filings.

Nichols disagreed, writing in a 26-page decision that while the order directed federal officials to compile the lists, it "does not mandate any action by a State once a List has been transmitted to it, and in any event, no infrastructure for compilation or transmission of the Lists has been established."

The situation may change if the U.S. Postal Service issues a final rule affecting plaintiffs, or if the government develops lists that erroneously omit certain individuals, the judge said.

"Plaintiffs may, of course, renew their motions if and when those future actions occur," he wrote. "Until then, however, Plaintiffs cannot show that preliminary injunctive relief is warranted."

The development means Trump and the federal government can implement the order, but the case will continue.

Trump signed the order on March 31. It states that only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections and that new measures were necessary to "enhance election integrity" for mail-in ballots, which have become increasingly used in recent years.

It directed the secretary of homeland security to compile lists of adult citizens living in each state and to transmit the lists to each state. It also said that the U.S. Postal Service shall propose new rules specifying that all ballots must be mailed in envelopes marked for elections, and that the service "shall not transmit mail-in or absentee ballots from any individual unless those individuals" are on the citizenship lists.

"The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It's horrible what has been going on," Trump said when signing the order. "If you don't have honest voting, you can't have, really, a nation."

Democrats said the order exceeded a president's authority and disrupted state oversight of elections.

"President Trump has tried again and again to rewrite election rules for his own perceived partisan advantage," their complaint said, noting that a similar order from Trump, signed in 2025, has been blocked by courts.

Government lawyers told Nichols in a recent filing that the litigation was premature, given that agencies had not taken any steps to implement the order.

A woman casts her mail-in vote at an official ballot drop box in Washington on Nov. 5, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times Tyler Durden Thu, 05/28/2026 - 21:45

Visualizing The Beef-Margin Bloodbath Behind Tyson CEO's Exit

Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King is stepping down after five years at the helm of the nation's largest meatpacker, with the stock having languished under his tenure as the company battled some of the worst cattle-market conditions in a generation.

Jeff Schomburger, a long-time Tyson board member, will become president and CEO on October 4. King, a 43-year Tyson veteran, will remain on the board and help with the transition beginning in July.

"The board and I are confident in Jeff Schomburger's ability to lead Tyson Foods into its next chapter of growth," said John Tyson, Chairman of the Board of Tyson Foods.

He added, "The Board looks forward to working with Jeff to drive sustainable growth, enhance shareholder value, and build on the strong momentum Tyson Foods has established."

"Donnie King's long tenure at Tyson Foods, including his leadership as CEO, has strengthened our business and shaped our culture," Tyson said. "We are grateful for his steady guidance and look forward to continuing to leverage his expertise within the Board."

Shares of Tyson have severely underperformed under King's tenure, down around 18% as of Wednesday's close.

King's exit comes after Tyson navigated one of the tightest U.S. cattle markets in decades, which pressured its beef business and contributed to losses in the segment.

There is some good news for Schomburger: The U.S. cattle herd rebuilding phase is underway, as initial 2026 data show a higher year-over-year heifer retention rate, according to Rabobank analysts.

Tyler Durden Thu, 05/28/2026 - 21:20

Treasury Appointees Push To Put Trump's Face On A Brand-New $250 Bill

Two political appointees at the Treasury Department spent months pressing Bureau of Engraving and Printing staff to develop prototypes for a $250 bill bearing Donald Trump's portrait, even as bureau officials repeatedly warned them the project had no legal foundation and could take nearly a decade to execute properly, the Washington Post reports.

U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach and senior adviser Mike Brown, both political appointees, began pushing bureau staff last year to prepare designs for the note. Beach handed over mock-up materials in August and September, including a design placing Trump's face at the center of the bill, flanked by Trump's and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's signatures. The effort would mark the first time a living person appeared on U.S. currency since 1866, and current employees, speaking anonymously out of fear of retaliation, claim the internal pressure was real.

The artist behind the designs, British painter Iain Alexander, said he discussed the project directly with Trump and received feedback on specifics. "He likes to call me his favorite British artist," Alexander said.

Trump reportedly pushed for American flag colors and a "250" logo tied to the nation's semiquincentennial, and Alexander said Trump "absolutely loved" the proposed reverse side of the note, which would feature a women's liberation theme with Betsy Ross.

Bureau director Patricia "Patty" Solimene, a 24-year Army veteran and the first woman to lead the bureau, told Beach and Brown plainly that the project was unauthorized. One employee described her position this way: "She had told them we're not authorized to do this. We can't progress any further, and all the stakeholders have not even met to discuss the next steps." The same employee noted that "currency often takes six to eight years to produce a new bill, particularly one of such high value."

Solimene was reassigned from her position on April 27. The following day, she sent a farewell email to staff that read, in part, "The buck stopped here," and acknowledged the move was "not my choice." Brown subsequently became the bureau's acting director. Treasury declined to comment on the circumstances of Solimene's reassignment, and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Legally, the proposed bill faces several obstacles. Federal law restricts living individuals from appearing on U.S. currency, a rule that has been on the books for over 150 years. Beyond the portrait question, the bureau is authorized to produce only specific denominations, and $250 is not among them. Former bureau director Larry R. Felix explained that "a $250 note is not statutorily authorized" without congressional action, adding, "The secretary has to be given authority to do that." Alexander said he, too, had been told legislation was necessary.

And it is unlikely that Congress would approve it. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) previously introduced a bill in February 2025 directing the Treasury to issue $250 Federal Reserve notes featuring Trump's image, tied to the 250th anniversary celebrations beginning in July. The bill stalled in the House Financial Services Committee and did not receive a hearing.

A department spokesperson said the bureau is "conducting appropriate planning and due diligence" and would proceed with a commemorative $250 note only if Congress passes the required legislation. Treasury also said Beach has "never asked staff to print the bill before congressional passage." At the same time, the department confirmed Bessent would recognize Trump's "historic achievements" by adding his signature to existing currency, noting no law prohibits a sitting president's signature on bills. Solimene and her staff had separately agreed to print $100 bills featuring Trump's signature, which employees said were already in production at the bureau's Washington facility.

What's next?

Tyler Durden Thu, 05/28/2026 - 17:20