Topic: El Sisi

The Washington Post reported on a secret investigation into whether Donald Trump received a $10 million cash bribe from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in 2017. The hosts dismiss the story as a "smoke screen" for current Democratic fundraising scandals, noting that Attorney General Bill Barr eventually closed the case due to a lack of evidence. The term "spirited" is highlighted as a loaded word used by the media to imply illicit activity.

The European Union finalized a 7.4 billion euro aid package for Egypt intended to stabilize the country's economy and curb illegal migration to Europe. European leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, traveled to Cairo to sign the agreement with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Human rights groups have criticized the deal for providing financial backing to an autocratic regime without specific guarantees for the treatment of asylum seekers.

Egyptians voted on constitutional amendments to extend President el-Sisi's term until 2030. In Hungary, the State Opera bypassed casting requirements for "Porgy and Bess" by having white performers sign affidavits self-identifying as African American, a move linked to the Orban government's policies.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt visits the White House, marking the first such visit by an Egyptian leader in eight years. The hosts note that this gap coincides exactly with the Obama presidency and play clips of Sisi praising Trump's "unique personality."

Thousands of protesters gathered in Cairo and Giza to oppose President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. The Egyptian government claims the islands of Tiran and Sanafir belong to the Saudis, but demonstrators view the transfer as a violation of national sovereignty. Security forces used tear gas and detained over 100 people during the unrest.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for a United Nations coalition to intervene in Libya following the execution of Egyptian citizens. Conversely, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir warned that military violence alone would breed more extremism and claimed that the CIA and Mossad are the actual entities behind groups like Boko Haram and ISIS. Bashir emphasized the need for ideological engagement rather than just kinetic warfare.

Egypt announces an $8.4 billion project to dig a second Suez Canal to boost its economy and reduce shipping wait times. This is contrasted with a report from USA Today stating that the US government's tracking website, usaspending.gov, cannot account for $619 billion in agency spending from 2012.