Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that President Donald Trump should turn down the gift of a $400 million jet from the royal family of Qatar, citing national security concerns. "Qatar has a long history of playing both sides," Pence said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press." "The very idea that we would accept an Air Force One from Qatar I think is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs ... I think it's just a bad idea, and my hope is the president will think better of it." Trump's plan to accept the lavish Qatari jumbo jet, a Boeing 747-8, and convert it to be used as Air Force One has sparked fierce controversy over the legality, ethics and national security implications of what would be the largest foreign gift ever received by the U.S. government. Trump previously said any acceptance of the aircraft would be due to delays at U.S. manufacturer Boeing. "My hope is the president reconsiders it. I think if Qatar wants to make a gift to the United States, they ought to take that $400 million and plow it into infrastructure on our military base." Experts have warned that converting such a jet into Air Force One could take years to complete and could cost U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over time, NBC previously reported. Once Trump ends his second term as president, the ownership of the gift is expected to be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation. "This highly respected country is donating the plane to the United States Air Force/ Defense Department, AND NOT TO ME," Trump said in a post on Truth Social Sunday. "By so doing, they are saving our country, and the American Taxpayer, hundreds of millions of dollars." We want to hear from you. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox

With President Donald Trump's private dinner for top meme coin holders less than a week away, the leaderboard is awash with crypto wallets that are effectively anonymous. On May 22, the top 220 $TRUMP holders are invited to a dinner with the president at his Virginia golf club outside of Washington, D.C. Documents from blockchain analytics firm Inca Digital that were reviewed by CNBC show where the top 275 $TRUMP token holders send and receive the token. Many are heavily tied to international exchanges like Binance that don't service U.S. customers, an indication that they're likely not U.S. citizens. An analysis by Bloomberg revealed that 19 of the top 25 wallets are almost certainly owned by individuals operating outside the U.S. Justin Sun, who openly shared that he bought $75 million worth of the Trump family's World Liberty Financial token — a digital coin where 75% of proceeds go to Trump-related entities — is believed to be at the top of the $TRUMP meme token leaderboard. A wallet called Sun currently holds more than $18 million worth of $TRUMP, with $4.5 million bought after the dinner contest announcement, according to Bloomberg. A representative for Sun didn't respond to CNBC's request for comment or confirm whether Sun is the wallet owner. MemeCore, a Singapore-based crypto network that was vocal in its quest to secure a spot at the Trump dinner, landed in second place with an investment of $18 million. An Australian crypto entrepreneur also reportedly made the cut. Inca Digital told CNBC that while 560,376 wallets have made a combined $5.2 billion in realized gains on the $TRUMP token, an even larger number — 592,962 wallets — have collectively lost $3.9 billion. Freight Technologies, a Houston-based logistics firm that trades on the Nasdaq and has a market cap of just over $2.3 million, bought $2 million worth of the $TRUMP tokens to influence U.S.-Mexico trade policy, according to a release. CEO Javier Selgas described the move as a strategic push to "champion fair and free trade" across the U.S.-Mexico border. This self-driving car technology stock could pop by more than 400%, say three analysts Bernstein tech analyst's best idea for 2024 is to short Tesla Morgan Stanley picks 'alpha' opportunities in China tech - giving one 52% upside The meme coin debuted in January just ahead of the inauguration and soared to a $15 billion market cap almost instantly, fueled by President Trump's posts on Truth Social and X declaring, "It's time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING!" But within days, the token lost most of its value. A brief revival in April saw it surge 50% on news of the dinner, pushing its market cap to $2.7 billion, before it again dropped. The White House told CNBC that Trump's assets are held in a trust managed by his children, and there are "no conflicts of interest." WATCH: Eric Trump on family's expanding crypto ambitions Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox

Pope Leo XIV, history's first American pope, vowed Sunday to work for unity so that the Catholic Church becomes a sign of peace in the world, offering a message of communion during an inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square before tens of thousands of people, presidents, patriarchs and princes. Leo officially opened his pontificate by taking his first popemobile tour through the piazza, a rite of passage that has become synonymous with the papacy's global reach and mediatic draw. He turned his hand to look at the ring and seal and then clasped his hands in front of him in prayer. Security was tight as civil protection crews in neon uniforms funneled pilgrims into quadrants in the piazza and up and down the boulevard that leads to it for the ceremony blending ancient ritual, evocative symbols and a dose of modern-day celebrity. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, one of the last foreign officials to see Pope Francis before he died, led the U.S. delegation honoring the Chicago-born Leo after paying his respects at the Argentine pope's tomb upon arriving in Rome late Saturday. "In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalises the poorest." Leo's May 8 election, after a remarkably quick 24-hour conclave, has appeared at the outset to have pleased conservative Catholics who seem to appreciate his more disciplined, traditional style and Augustinian background, emphasizing core truths of Catholic doctrine. "Let us build a church founded on God's love, a sign of unity, a missionary church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made restless by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity," he said, referencing some of the themes of Francis' pontificate as well. Strict diplomatic protocol dictated the seating arrangements at his inaugural Mass, with both the United States and Peru getting front-row seats thanks to Leo's dual citizenship. Vance, a Catholic convert who tangled with Francis over the Trump administration's mass migrant deportation plans, is being joined by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in Rome ahead of time to try to advance Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Peruvian President Dina Boluarte is one of around a dozen heads of state attending, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Russia is being represented by the culture minister, Olga Liubimova. Diplomatic protocol also dictated the dress code: While most wore black, the handful of Catholic queens and princesses — Charlene of Monaco and Letizia of Spain among others — wore white in a special privilege allowed them. Three dozen of the world's other Christian churches sent their own delegations, the Jewish community had a 13-member delegation, half of them rabbis. Other representatives headed Buddhist, Muslim, Zoroastrian, Hindu, Sikh and Jain delegations. Security was tight, as it was for Francis' funeral on April 26, which drew an estimated 250,000 people. Rome authorities are planning for another 250,000 on Sunday. The piazza and main boulevard leading to it, and two nearby piazzas were set up with giant television screens, and dozens of portable toilets have been erected in a nearby park. U.S. seminarian Ethan Menning, 21, from Omaha, Nebraska, wrapped himself in an American flag, purchased at a truck stop in Iowa, to celebrate. "Rome always felt like home for a Catholic, but now coming here and seeing one of our own on the throne of Peter ... it almost makes Jesus himself more accessible," he said. Kalen Hill, a pilgrim from the U.S., got to St. Peter's soon after the gates opened at dawn Sunday morning and said he never expected an American would lead the 1.4-billion strong church. "I would say all the Americans are emotional about it," he said. "It is really powerful for American Catholics who sometimes feel separated from the world church to be brought in and included in this community through Pope Leo." Gregory and Susan Hudak, who lived for 40 years in the Chicago area, found themselves in Rome after booking a trip in February, with just a faint hope of perhaps glimpsing the pope. Seeing the popemobile pass by in front of them, with the Chicago-born Leo on board, was even better than watching Michael Jordan play, said Gary Hudak, a former altar boy wearing a Chicago Bears hat. And this was a treasure, simple as that." We want to hear from you. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox

At least five companies from mainland China or Hong Kong are planning IPOs, dual listings, or share placements in Singapore in the next 12 to 18 months, four sources said, as Chinese firms look to expand in Southeast Asia amid global trade tensions. The listings would give a boost to Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX),which, despite being a popular venue for yield plays such as real estate investment trusts, has been struggling to attract mega listings and bolster trading volumes. SGX hosted just four initial public offerings in 2024, according to its website. That compares with 71 new company listings recorded by its rival regional bourse Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd. Chinese companies are looking to tap the Singaporean bourse as they look to enter, or expand business in, Southeast Asia amid a trade war with the United States, Jason Saw, investment banking group head at CGS International Securities, said. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of 145% on imports of Chinese goods, and China in turn raised tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%, before the two sides agreed a 90-day pause last weekend. Enquiries about listings on SGX "shot through the roof" after Trump ramped up his trade actions against China, Saw said. "For the next years and decades, gateways from China to the world are going to be more important," said Pol de Win, senior managing director and head of global sales and origination at SGX. "Singapore is an important gateway, whether it's trade (or) business activity from China to the outside world, and a listing in Singapore is an important component of that." CGS International, a unit of state-owned brokerage China Galaxy Securities, is working with at least two China-based companies to list on the SGX as early as this year, according to Saw. Some of the mainland Chinese and Hong Kong companies could raise around $100 million via primary listings in Singapore, said one of the sources. SGX is usually not the first choice for Chinese companies eyeing an offshore market debut. Most of them prefer Hong Kong due to Beijing's support and a large pool of institutional and retail investors more familiar with Chinese brands. Beijing's efforts to boost ties with Southeast Asia, amid escalating tension with Washington, have, however, encouraged some Chinese companies to increase their presence in the region, capital market advisers said. The listing plans in Singapore come after the city-state in February announced measures to strengthen its equities market, which included a 20% tax rebate for primary listings, and vowed to unveil a next set of measures in the second half of 2025. The initiatives are set to boost interest in the local IPO market, said Ringo Choi, EY's Asia Pacific IPO Leader, adding that Singapore's "political stability and neutral stance" on geopolitical matters should appeal to companies. Not many, however, see Singapore closing its gap with Hong Kong in equity listings in the near future, due to factors including Singapore's relatively conservative investors and stricter listing requirements. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox

China on Sunday announced anti-dumping duties as high as 74.9% on imports of POM copolymers, a type of engineering plastic, from the United States, the European Union, Japan and Taiwan. The commerce ministry's findings conclude a probe launched in May 2024, shortly after the U.S. sharply increased tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, computer chips and other imports. POM copolymers can partially replace metals such as copper and zinc and have various applications including in auto parts, electronics and medical equipment, the ministry has said. In January, the ministry said initial investigations had determined that dumping was taking place, and implemented preliminary anti-dumping measures in the form of a deposit starting from January 24. According to Sunday's announcement, the highest anti-dumping rates of 74.9% were levied on imports from the United States, while European shipments will face 34.5% duties. China slapped 35.5% duties on Japanese imports, except for Asahi Kasei Corp, which received a company-specific rate of 24.5%. General duties of 32.6% were placed on imports from Taiwan, while Formosa Plastics received a 4% tariff and Polyplastics Taiwan 3.8%. Hopes have risen that the U.S.-China trade war is easing after the two sides said on Monday they had agreed to slash reciprocal tariffs in a 90-day truce, a deal that state mouthpiece the Global Times said on Friday should be extended. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group of nations warned of "fundamental challenges" facing the global trading system in a communique on Friday after a meeting in South Korea. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox

Poles vote on Sunday in a presidential election that will decide whether Warsaw follows the pro-European path set by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, or takes a step towards bringing back nationalist admirers of U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump's return to power has energised eurosceptics across Europe, and Sunday's ballot will be the sternest test of Tusk's pro-European vision since he came to power in 2023, ousting the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party. The election pits Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, from Tusk's Civic Coalition (KO), against conservative historian Karol Nawrocki, who is backed by PiS. Trzaskowski has been cast as the frontrunner, likely to face Nawrocki in a run-off, due on June 1 if no candidate wins over 50%. Media blackout laws forbid the publication of opinion poll results from Saturday morning until voting ends on Sunday. The Polish first round vote takes place on the same day as a second round presidential run-off in Romania, where George Simion, a nationalist who campaigns to "Make Romania Great Again", faces centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan. A victory for two eurosceptic candidates would send shockwaves through the EU at a time when it is grappling with the twin challenges of Russia's invasion of Poland's eastern neighbour Ukraine and Trump's tariffs. The Polish president has limited executive powers but can veto legislation. That has allowed outgoing President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, to stymie efforts by Tusk to undo judicial changes put in place under the PiS, which Tusk says hamper democracy. Trzaskowski has pledged to cement Poland's role as a major player at the heart of European policymaking and work with the government to roll back PiS's judicial changes. "I would definitely strengthen relations with our partners... within NATO and the EU," he told state broadcaster TVP Info on Friday. Nawrocki's campaign was rocked by allegations, which he denies, that he deceived an elderly man into selling him a flat in return for a promise of care he did not provide. But Trump showed support by meeting Nawrocki in the White House. Nawrocki casts the election as a chance to stop Tusk achieving unchecked power and push back against liberal values represented by Trzaskowski, who as Warsaw mayor patronised LGBT marches and took down Christian crosses from public buildings. "The cross that my opponent took down in Warsaw... 1,000 years of heritage of the Polish state, is our strength, is our energy," he told a rally in the eastern city of Lublin. Unlike some other eurosceptics in central Europe, Nawrocki supports military aid to help Ukraine fend off Russia. He has said Polish citizens should get priority in public services and criticised Kyiv's attitude to exhumations of the remains of Poles killed by Ukrainian nationalists during World War Two. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox

Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Americas+1 212 318 2000 EMEA+44 20 7330 7500 Asia Pacific+65 6212 1000 Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Americas+1 212 318 2000 EMEA+44 20 7330 7500 Asia Pacific+65 6212 1000 Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks global trade. Sign up here. Canada's finance minister said the government kept 25% retaliatory tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in US goods, disputing a report from a research firm that suggested it had paused the vast majority of those levies.