Three nuclear leaders to meet in Shenzhen next week

Shenzhen, China, will host the heads of state from the United States, China, and Russia on Thursday. The meeting is scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

The White House confirmed the plans for the three-way summit on Friday. This gathering brings together the leaders of the world's three largest nuclear powers in a single room. It is the first time these three specific leaders have been arranged to meet under these conditions.

Analysts described the upcoming talks as having low expectations for major policy breakthroughs. They noted that the event will carry more symbolic weight than practical substance. The timing coincides with a complicated period in relations between the three countries.

In related news, the Supreme Court agreed Friday to review President Trump's executive order suspending asylum access at the southern border. The administration is asking the justices to overturn lower court decisions that found the ban illegal. The executive order characterized the situation at the border as an invasion. Federal law currently allows people to seek asylum if they fear persecution in their home countries, regardless of how they arrived in the United States.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered a public critique of the Commerce Department on Friday. He expressed frustration that the department delayed placing restrictions on Nvidia chip exports. Bessent said his department, along with State, Defense, and the U.S. Trade Representative, favored adding Singapore-based Megaspeed International to an export control list for months. He stated that Commerce held the pen on the matter and that his deputy has been pushing for action for months. This comment served as an unusually public rebuke of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that further U.S. military action against Iran is unnecessary. He argued that the economic pain inflicted on the Iranian government is already severe. His remarks came after the U.S. military intercepted two Iranian attack drones headed toward Bahrain. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed it struck a U.S. early warning radar system in the kingdom. Iran also reported that a tanker struck a naval mine while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The next scheduled event is the three-way summit in Shenzhen on Thursday. The leaders are expected to begin their discussions then.