Trump again threatens to fire Fed Chairman Jerome Powell

President Trump is again threatening to fire the Fed’s Jerome Powell if he doesn’t leave after his chairmanship expires next month. If Powell decides to stay on the central bank’s governing board after his term as chair expires, then the president says he’ll “have to fire him.” During a Fox Business interview, Donald Trump also refused to end a criminal investigation into a renovation project at the Fed’s headquarters. The investigation faces bipartisan opposition in Congress and has delayed Senate consideration of the president’s nominee to replace Powell when his term ends on May 15th.

President Trump says the war in Iran is”very close to over”

As the ceasefire holds, President Trump says the war against Iran may end soon. The president told Fox Business that the war in Iran was “very close to over” even though Iran has refused to meet U-S demands about ending its nuclear weapons program. He also claimed that China has agreed not to provide weapons to Iran amid reports that Beijing has considered transferring arms. Meanwhile, U-S Central Command says the blockade of Iranian ports, which began Monday, has been “fully implemented.”

Vance admits many young voters “don’t love” Iran war

Vice President Vance admits that many young Americans don’t support the U-S-led war against Iran. Addressing a Turning Point USA event in Georgia, the vice president said he understands why “a lot of young voters don’t love” the Trump administration’s Middle East policy. But he urged conservative activists who disagree with the president on the war to avoid becoming “disengaged.” He also said Donald Trump wants the U-S to reach a “grand bargain with Iran. The development of Iran’s nuclear program remains a key sticking point.

DOJ asks court to throw out Proud Boys, Oath Keepers 1/6 convictions

The Trump administration wants to throw out the January 6 seditious conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders. Juries convicted those groups’ leaders of orchestrating the violent riot at the U-S Capitol in January 2021. Last year, President Trump commuted the sentences of 12 Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Now, the Justice Department has asked a federal appeals court to throw out the convictions — erasing them from the record altogether. The move comes more than five years after the attack on the Capitol and with the president still claiming the 2020 election was stolen.

House Speaker Johnson urged Trump to remove Jesus meme

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he asked President Trump to remove the controversial Jesus meme from his social media site. The speaker said he talked to the president as soon as he saw the AI image that depicted Donald Trump as Jesus. Johnson, who is a devout Christian, said taking down the image “was the right thing to do.” He also told reporters that he didn’t think the president thought the image was sacrilegious. The meme sparked controversy, especially among the president’s religious supporters, many of whom viewed the image as offensive and blasphemous.

Trump hints at 2nd round of peace talks with Iran

President Trump is hinting at another round of peace talks with Iran. In a phone call with The New York Post, the president said a second round of talks with Iran “could be happening over the next two days.” He initially told the newspaper they would likely be held somewhere in Europe, but later suggested that they could be held again in Pakistan’s capital. Last weekend’s initial round of talks ended without an agreement on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which the Trump administration says is a central sticking point.

Two congressional resignations could shift power in U.S. House

The announced resignation of two members of Congress this week could affect the balance of power in the House of Representatives. California Democrat Eric Swalwell said he will leave Congress after facing sexual misconduct allegations. And a short time later on Monday evening, Republican Tony Gonzales of Texas announced his retirement after recently admitting to an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide. Given the razor-thin GOP majority in the House, the timing of the Swalwell and Gonzales departures and who wins the special elections could shift the balance of power.

Democrat Swalwell to resign from Congress amid assault allegations

Trump says Iran wants deal “very badly” despite failed talks

U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports begins

President Trump says the American military blockade of Iranian ports has begun. The blockade is underway as part of the president’s effort to force Iran to open the strait of Hormuz. All of this comes following a failure over the weekend by the U-S and Iran to reach an agreement to end the war that has gone on for more than six weeks. In the meantime, a fragile ceasefire remains in place.

Trump removes post of AI image depicting him as Jesus

President Trump’s social media site has removed an AI-generated image depicting the president as Jesus Christ. In the image, the president is shown in a long white robe with a burst of light emitting from one of his hands. The other hand is placed on the forehead of an ailing man. After the social media post was taken down, the president told reporters it was supposed to be him as a doctor because he makes people “a lot better.” He accused the press of causing the controversy, but conservative Christians and other Republican allies of the president had denounced the image as offensive and blasphemous.

Judge dismisses Trump $10B lawsuit against Wall Street Journal

President Trump’s 10-billion dollar defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal has been dismissed by a federal judge. The president filed a lawsuit last summer against the newspaper and owner Rupert Murdoch over a story connecting him to Jeffrey Epstein. The article described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper said bore Donald Trump’s signature. In turning away the lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Florida wrote that the president had failed to make the argument that the article was published with the intent to be malicious, but gave him a chance to file an amended complaint.

U.S. military to blockade all Iranian ports after failed ceasefire talks

The U-S military will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports starting Monday morning. After ceasefire talks with Iran over the weekend ended without an agreement, President Trump said the U-S Navy would enforce the blockade. According to U-S Central Command, the blockade will involve all Iranian ports. However, ships traveling between non-Iranian ports could still use the Strait of Hormuz. The president wants to weaken Iran’s key leverage in the war after demanding that it reopen the strait. Two Iranian news agencies reported that any military vessels in the strait would get a “forceful response.”

Trump unleashes long tirade against Pope Leo the 14th

President Trump has unleashed a long tirade against Pope Leo the 14th. In a lengthy social media post, the president lashed out at the American-born pope after the Catholic Church leader criticized the U-S war against Iran. Donald Trump said he didn’t think Pope Leo was “doing a very good job,” that he caters to the “radical left,” and that the pope is in no position to criticize a president who was, in Trump’s words, “doing exactly” what he was elected to do. He later told reporters that the only reason Leo was chosen to be the pope was because Donald Trump was the president.

Trump’s anger toward NATO raises questions about its future

President Trump is angry with NATO allies over the Iran war and the future of the military alliance is in question. The president’s uneasy relationship with NATO took a turn for the worse during the conflict with Iran when allies refused to assist in the U-S and Israeli-led war. On Wednesday, Donald Trump met privately with NATO’s secretary-general in the Oval Office. No media coverage of the White House visit was allowed, unlike previous visits. Afterwards, the president was still fuming, writing on social media that “NATO wasn’t there when we needed them and they won’t be there when we need them again.”

Kamala Harris “thinking” about 2028 presidential bid

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is thinking about running for the presidency in 2028. Appearing at the National Action Network’s annual convention, Harris said she “might” consider another presidential bid. Asked directly by the Rev. Al Sharpton, she said “I am thinking about it.” Harris received a standing ovation. However, some in her party are looking to a new generation of Democratic leaders. More than a half-dozen potential candidates appeared at Sharpton’s event this week hoping to make inroads among Black voters and jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded 2028 field.

Vance warns Iran not to “play us” ahead of weekend talks

Vice President Vance is warning Iran not to “play” the U.S. in this weekend’s negotiations aimed at ending their war. As he departed Washington for the talks in Pakistan, the vice president said the U-S is willing to extend an open hand “if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith.” But he said the U-S delegation would not be receptive if Iran tries to “play us.” The vice president, who has long been skeptical of foreign military interventions, told reporters that President Trump provided “some pretty clear guidelines” on how the talks should go.

Vance-led U.S. delegation heads to weekend talks with Iran

Vice President Vance will lead the U-S delegation in peace talks with Iran this weekend. The vice president, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner are heading to Pakistan for Saturday talks aimed at finding a permanent end to the war. The round of negotiations comes just a few days after an announced ceasefire between the U-S and Iran, although disputes over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz have threatened to derail the two-week truce.

Melania Trump denies ties to Epstein, knowledge of his crimes

First Lady Melania Trump says she had any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. In a surprising and extraordinary White House event, the first lady denied any association with Epstein. Melania Trump asserted that she was not friends with Epstein or his former girlfriend, but that they were in overlapping social circles. She said she and her attorneys were fighting back against allegations connecting her to the convicted sex offender.

Trump: U.S. forces to stay near Iran until “real agreement” is reached

President Trump says American warships and troops will remain around Iran until a “real agreement” to end the war is reached. With a 14-day ceasefire in place, the president said U-S armed forces won’t be returning home immediately. Writing on social media, he said America’s military presence will remain until both sides reach a “real agreement” — a deal he said would prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons and keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The president went on to warn that if the U-S and Iran cannot permanently end the war, then, in his words, “the Shootin’ Starts, bigger and better” than before.

Lebanon and Hormuz disputes threaten ceasefire with Iran

Disputes over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz are threatening the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.ran  Iinsisted that an end to the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire deal, but Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump said the truce did not cover Lebanon. Meanwhile, the United States is demanding that the Strait of Hormuz remain open to shipping traffic. The White House said Wednesday’s closure was “completely unacceptable.”

White House defends Trump’s threat to kill Iran’s civilization

The White House is defending President Trump’s threat to wipe out Iran’s civilization. Asked about the unusually harsh language from an American president, press secretary Karoline Leavitt stood by the president’s remarks. Some conservatives, including Tucker Carlson, influential podcasters, and Republican members of Congress, took issue with the president’s chilling rhetoric, denouncing it as evil and disgusting.

VP Vance to lead U.S. delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iran

The U-S and Iran will hold peace talks this weekend aimed at finding a permanent end to the war. With a two-week ceasefire underway, the United States will participate in peace negotiations in Pakistan. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says Vance will lead the delegation, which includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.

White House claims victory in Iran war, calls truce “fragile”

The White House is claiming victory in the war against Iran, but says the two-week ceasefire is “fragile.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claims the United States achieved its core military goals in Iran. But the White House is also being cautious, noting that the ceasefire is a “fragile truce.” Leavitt says Vice President Vance will lead the U-S negotiating team this weekend in Pakistan talks aimed at finding a permanent end to the war.