President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky met on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome on Saturday. By the looks of it, they had an impromptu face-to-face right there at St. Peter’s Basilica and in the ornate surroundings of the Vatican, also as confirmed by Zelensky himself in a social media post.

Zelensky called it a “good meeting” where “a lot” was discussed and that he’s hoping for results. This comes after Trump recently said a “final offer” is on the table regarding achieving ceasefire in the war.

Zelensky wrote on X, “Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”

This was the first such meeting since the explosive Oval Office shouting match also involving Vice President JD Vance on February 28.

“President Trump and President Zelenskyy met privately today and had a very productive discussion,” White House communications director Steven Cheung later confirmed.

As for length of the meeting, Axios reports: “Trump and Zelensky first huddled for a few minutes with French President Macron and British Prime Minister Starmer, then set down for a 15-minute one-on-one meeting inside the St. Peter’s Basilica.”

Zelensky has made clear over the last few days that he’s not on board with Trump’s strategy, which has featured offering recognition of Russian ownership of Crimea as a key concession. This has unleashed fresh tension, including Trump complaining that agreement on the rare earths deal is also “three weeks too late”.

Footage of Trump, Zelensky and Macron meeting at the Vatican. pic.twitter.com/ZTi6InYzki

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 26, 2025

As of yet it’s unknown precisely what was communicated in the quick Vatican sit-down, but Trump is unlikely to back down from his demands at this point, given the US holds all of the leverage (also in terms of supplying arms and intelligence).

Trump earlier this week asked by reporters whether the US might (again) cut weapons to Kiev and intelligence-sharing, and Trump responded, “Let’s see what happens; I think we’re going to make a deal; ask that question in two weeks.”

This week Vice President JD Vance reiterated the Trump Administration’s position that “walking away from Ukraine” and the peace negotiations after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded that Crimea be “liberated” as part of the terms.  Zelensky argued that the “war against the entire free Europe” began with Crimea and must end with the return of Crimea. 

Vance’s frustration with Zelensky is understandable. As he noted, Ukraine is in no position to demand anything given their precarious position on the battlefield.  Russia’s attrition tactics have been highly effective in countering western arms and intel support on the eastern front while also whittling down Ukrainian troop strength.  They have also retaken almost all of the gains made by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region while they amass troops to take Sumy to the south. 

Furthermore, Vladimir Putin’s latest missile salvo on Kyiv proves that the Kremlin has actually been holding back, and heavy bombardment of the capital is entirely possible.  Ukraine does not have the ability to defend against such an attack should it occur.

At bottom, Ukraine has no options.  They need to settle now, give up the Donbas and Crimea, or lose everything.  A deal would probably have been secured by now if it weren’t for interference from the European establishment.

The Europeans have once again organized a peace talks event, this time in London, as a means to make the situation about them rather than make it about achieving a legitimate end to the war.  Russia is, yet again, not included in the talks which makes the event nothing more than irrelevant pomp for the media.  This is likely the real reason why Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cancelled his attendance at the meeting and the European elites are left to jabber in their echo chamber.  Nothing is going to be accomplished anyway.

European political leaders seem intent on keeping the war going for as long as possible while threatening to deploy troops to Ukraine and escalate the conflict, possibly triggering WWIII.  The ongoing narrative is that Ukraine is the “first domino” in a series of dominoes that could come crashing down across Europe if the Russians are allowed any form of victory.  In other words, it’s the Vietnam argument all over again – If the Russians get the Donbas, then they will want all of Ukraine, and then they will want all of Europe and the world.

The economic and military weakness shown by European governments in the past year might very well tempt such an invasion, but it’s highly unlikely that Russia is interested nor has Putin ever made such a threat.  

The greater question is, should the US remain involved?  Are JD Vance and Trump correct in their position that walking away might be the superior option?  Or is this simply a negotiation tactic to force Ukraine to accept a realistic settlement?

It’s clear that no matter what the US does the Europeans are going to do everything in their power to sabotage a formal peace agreement.  It was Europe (Boris Johnson and others) that reportedly convinced Zelensky to avoid diplomatic options and continue fighting.  Ukraine’s leverage has degraded to nothing since then and it’s impossible to know for now how many tens-of-thousands (or hundreds-of-thousands) have died.  It’s Europe that is currently giving Zelensky false hope that troop deployments are coming and that they will make a difference in the end.

Ukraine is never getting the Donbas back and there is no scenario in which military victory is viable, for Europe or Ukraine.  But, if the goal is to start a World War, then it makes sense to continue pushing for liberation of Russian holdings like Crimea.  Trump is continually criticized for pointing out the obvious: That Ukraine has lost the war and needs to make concessions.  Peace negotiations must take the facts on the ground into account. 

In any case, the US avoiding involvement sounds like the smart option.  Unless Trump can find a way to keep European interference out of the equation there is little hope for an end to the fighting.  On the bright side, reopening talks with Russia could help ease the greater global instability that is simmering.  And, leaving Ukraine to their own devices for a time might help them to realize European globalists do not have their best interests at heart.  Then again, not being involved means those same globalists will have free rein to influence the war as they please.

Via Remix News,

As EU leaders rally for a prolonged conflict in Ukraine and push the idea of a European military no longer dependent on America, the Netherlands’ monarch has joined the chorus. 

“We may have taken it a bit too much for granted that we would always have freedom and peace,” King Willem-Alexander said at the Lieutenant General Best Barracks, writes De Telegraaf. 

“Unfortunately, Ukraine and other conflicts prove that this is no longer the case. And that we really have to prepare ourselves to continue living in peace and security. If you are not prepared, then you are not doing well,” he said.

Such a rearmament means the Netherlands must rebuild its defense industry, the monarch continued, adding, “It really needs to be able to start producing for a conflict again.”

The country, he said, must “arm itself to the teeth” to remain safe.

Following talks with military personnel and weapons manufacturers, the country will focus on producing better drones to take on enemy drones, given their dominance on the battlefield. Of key concern is making drones capable of say, securing the upcoming June NATO summit at The Hague

King Willem-Alexander himself served in the military, and as a reservist for the Air Force held the title of air commodore. 

He also was a commodore as a reservist in the navy and a brigadier general as a reservist in the army. 

After testing out a Dutch-made drone Ukraine used to detect mines, the king explained: “The operator must also be able to do very complicated work,” like mapping a minefield.

Soldiers also demonstrated weapons capable of disrupting the operation of a drone to take it out of the air, including taking over its controls, although even the king was not told how this is done.

Read more here…

At least 500 people were injured after a massive explosion rocked Iran’s largest and most strategically significant maritime hub in the southern Hormozgan Province on the Strait of Hormuz. 

Iranian state media outlet Tasnim reported that the blast occurred on Saturday at the Shahid Rajaee Port. The outlet said, “The port remains in a state of chaos,” and many buildings have been destroyed. 

#Iran Emergency Department spokesperson: The number of injured from Shahid Rajaee Port explosion reaches 516. https://t.co/h0FIYU3eaR pic.twitter.com/OL7HWMqrOD

— Iran Nuances (@IranNuances) April 26, 2025

Visual confirmation that the explosion at Rajaiee port of #BandarAbbas took place in a previously known depot of Bana Gostar company which the #IRGC Quds Force had often stored ammunition and explosive material in containers prior to be exported to its proxies from #Iran. https://t.co/3FQTdWvrjI pic.twitter.com/4WG9bSO6QC

— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) April 26, 2025

Tasnim reported that a fuel tank had “exploded for an unknown reason,” and port operations had been shuttered. A report from the state media outlet IRIB stated that the explosion occurred in the port’s chemical and sulfur area. 

Footage shows the moment a powerful blast struck Iran’s Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas.

Follow our live blog for the latest updates on the explosion at Iran’s southern port:https://t.co/oNw2zJ2IAl pic.twitter.com/TguPLizIbB

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) April 26, 2025

BREAKING | A massive explosion has been reported at the Port of Shahid Rajaee, one of two sections within the Port of Bandar Abbas, located on the north shore of the Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran.

According to Mehr News Agency, a fuel tank in the port exploded due to unknown… pic.twitter.com/vN8r4yHyCT

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) April 26, 2025

Designated as a Special Economic Zone, Shahid Rajaee Port handles about 85% of Iran’s total port cargo operations. Its annual capacity is about 70 million tons, including 6 million TEUs of containerized cargo. The port spans 2,400 hectares and features 40 berths and 19 hectares of warehouses.

The port also serves as a critical node for Iran’s oil exports, equipped with docks that can accommodate large tankers. These facilities enable the annual export of around 34 million tons of oil products, including gasoline, naphtha, gas condensate, marine fuel, and mazut. 

At the same time, Iran and U.S. officials began the third round of negotiations in Oman’s capital of Muscat about the fate of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Here’s more color on the second round.

The negotiations aim to suppress Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the U.S. lifting some economic sanctions it has imposed on the Islamic Republic. 

President Trump has threatened to launch airstrikes targeting Iran’s critical infrastructure if a deal is not reached. 

Last month, the U.S. began deploying stealth bombers to Diego Garcia—often referred to as Washington’s “unsinkable aircraft carrier”—located between Africa and Indonesia, about 1,000 miles south of India. The island serves as a critical launch point for stealth bombers in the event of a war with Iran. Staging the bombers on the island, well within striking distance, has made Tehran deeply uncomfortable.

Let’s take a step back to an October op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, penned by David Asher—a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former U.S. State Department official who worked on counterterrorism operations in the Middle East—who advocated for neutering the Iranian regime’s “oil-export capacity to deprive the regime of its financial lifeblood.” 

Any event on the critical maritime chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz—such as an explosion at a major port—could spark uncertainty among energy traders and push Brent crude futures higher on Sunday evening.

On Friday there’s been more public, out in the open tension on display between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump once again chastised the Ukrainian leader for apparently refusing to sign the controversial rare earths deal. 

US administration officials had last week previewed that they expected it to be signed this week, which generated many anticipatory headlines, but there’s as yet nothing to show for it, and the reports proved premature.

“Ukraine, headed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not signed the final papers on the very important Rare Earths Deal with the United States. It is at least three weeks late,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The statement was issued while he was en route to Rome aboard Air Force One for the pope’s funeral. Trump emphasized, “Hopefully, it will be signed IMMEDIATELY.“

“Work on the overall Peace Deal between Russia and Ukraine is going smoothly. SUCCESS seems to be in the future,” Trump added.

Ukraine has been hoping that agreeing with the deal would allow it to secure more specific and lasting security guarantees in the face of the Russian threat. Washington has so far agreed that the country should be able to forcibly defend itself if Moscow violates any future peace pact.

But clearly this week’s sparring between Kiev and Washington over Crimea has helped further deal a minerals deal. The White House wants Ukraine to be ready to give up Crimea permanently, and is ready to recognize Russian sovereignty over it.

However, Zelensky reiterated to reporters on Friday, “Our position is unchanged. The constitution of Ukraine says that all the temporarily occupied territories… belong to Ukraine.”

Crimea should be the easiest concession for Zelensky to make because:
1) it’s been part of Russia for the last decade.
2) the vast majority of its population are ethnic Russians who (as western polling shows) want to be part of Russia.
3) Ukraine has no military way to retake it.… pic.twitter.com/XwQYlc7cMc

— David Sacks (@DavidSacks) April 23, 2025

To review, Ukraine says that some 5% of the world’s “critical raw materials” are in the country. They include:

…some 19m tonnes of proven reserves of graphite, which the Ukrainian Geological Survey state agency says makes the nation “one of the top five leading countries” for the supply of the mineral. Graphite is used to make batteries for electric vehicles.

Ukraine has 7% of Europe’s supplies of titanium, a lightweight metal used in the construction of everything from aeroplanes to power stations.

It is also home to a third of all European lithium deposits, the key component in current batteries.

Other elements found in Ukraine include beryllium and uranium, which are both crucial for nuclear weapons and reactors.

Deposits of copper, lead, zinc, silver, nickel, cobalt and manganese are also significant.

Trump’s impatience could also stem from the fact that a little over a week ago Ukraine signed a memorandum of intent, paving the way for an “economic partnership agreement” with the US. But apparently not much has happened since then, and the White House fears Kiev is just stalling.

Via Eurasianet.org,

• The US Embassy in Armenia has indicated that the United States is working to secure a deal for Westinghouse Nuclear to build Armenia’s next nuclear reactor.

• Armenia is seeking to replace its aging Metsamor nuclear facility and has been exploring expanded civil nuclear energy cooperation with the United States since mid-2024.

• Russia’s Rosatom, which currently operates the Metsamor facility, is likely to compete with Westinghouse for the contract to build Armenia’s next nuclear plant.

A somewhat cryptic social media post by the US Embassy in Armenia indicates the United States is maneuvering to build the Caucasus state’s next nuclear reactor.

The awkwardly phrased information snippet appearing on the embassy’s official Facebook and Twitter (X) pages April 22 states Ambassador Kristina Kvien “met Westinghouse to discuss Armenia’s nuclear energy sector,” adding only that “U.S. companies have deep expertise and innovative technology that will benefit both Armenia and the United States.”

A photo of the smiling ambassador posing with four unidentified, suit-clad individuals, apparently Westinghouse executives, accompanies the brief text.

No other information has been disclosed about the Westinghouse delegation’s visit, including how long company executives were in Armenia, who they met with besides the ambassador and the outcome of any discussions with Armenian political and business leaders.

What is known is that Armenia is interested in replacing its aging Metsamor nuclear facility, which recently underwent refurbishment to extend its lifecycle until 2036. What is also known is that Westinghouse Nuclear has developed a “Gen III+ AP1000” reactor, featuring a “compact footprint” and modular design that, in the company’s words, “has set the new industry standard for PWR [pressurized water reactors] thanks to our simplified, innovative, and effective approach to safety.”

Armenia and the United States have been exploring ways to expand civil nuclear energy cooperation since mid-2024. As part of a strategic partnership agreement signed in January during the final days of the Biden administration, the two countries agreed to negotiate what is known as a 123 agreement, which would allow for the transfer of nuclear technologies from the United States to Armenia.

Whether Westinghouse Nuclear ultimately gets the contract to build a nuclear plant in Armenia remains anyone’s guess. Rosatom, Russia’s nuclear agency, operates the Metsamor facility and the Kremlin is unlikely to surrender a lucrative business opportunity to build Metsamor’s replacement without a fight.

Armenia has deemphasized the country’s historically strong relationship with Russia and has cultivated closer economic and political ties with the US and European Union since Yerevan’s defeat in the Second Karabakh War in 2023. Armenian officials blame the Kremlin for Karabakh’s loss, saying Moscow failed to uphold security commitments to maintain Armenian sovereignty. In recent weeks, however, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government has softened its stance toward Russia, apparently hoping that Moscow’s influence can prove useful in getting Azerbaijan to sign a peace treaty with Armenia.

All is quiet on the American front as the week comes to a close, even as Korea JoongAng Daily reports that a high-ranking Chinese trade official from the Ministry of Finance was spotted at the U.S. Treasury Department headquarters in Washington, D.C. earlier today. The meeting between Chinese and U.S. officials comes on the eve of a trade war shock now ripping across the Pacific, with the Port of Los Angeles set to be the first hit. High-frequency data suggests the impact will begin at some point next week and intensify with each passing week.

On the eve of a trade war shock, data from Port Optimizer—a tracking system used by vessel operators—shows that scheduled import volumes into the Port of Los Angeles are set to begin plunging next week and could collapse by mid-month.

Goldman analyst Jacob Malmstrom has a few charts for us to end the week:

Geopolitical tensions easing leading markets higher for the week but where the effective tariff rate currently is the highest it’s been in 100 years.

With globalisation the trade growth has grown substantially in the last 60 year but looking at current U.S. imports from Europe they have hovered around 15% in recent decades.

World trade growth has increased dramatically in the period of globalisation

In markets, Malmstrom warned:

Difficult to come up with a fundamental bull-case from here longer term. Still need to see any of these four conditions met for a sustainable recovery: 1) Attractive valuations ,2) Extreme positioning easing, 3) Policy Support, 4) Sense that the second derivative of growth is improving. When looking at valuations in the U.S. they look more justified when comparing to ROE. Banks sold-off in the beginning of the year but has rebounded whereas Mega-cap tech has continued its decline. Finally earnings so far has been in-line with the historical average. 

Our coverage details the events that have unfolded this month in trigger the trade war shock—one that’s already hitting China and is now set to wash ashore momentarily in the U.S.: 

• Amazon Cancels Orders, Walmart Pulls Forecast As Tariffs Take Hold

• Are China Road Traffic Indicators Set To Collapse As Tariff War Cancels Factory Orders

• Chinese Sellers On Amazon Panic After Trump’s Tariff Bazooka

• Liberation Day Fallout: China’s Port Volumes Sink After Trump’s Tariff Blitz

• Chinese Plastics Factories Face Mass Closure As U.S. Ethane Supply Evaporates

• “Our Export Orders Disappeared”: Chinese Factories Shutting Down, Laying Off Workers, FT Finds

• First Tariff Shock Set To Hit Port Of Los Angeles, With Ripple Effects Across The Broader Economy

• Walmart Opens Channel For Battered Chinese Exporters To “Quickly Expand” In Domestic Market

• Trade War Shock Looms For Port Of Los Angeles As Goldman Identifies Most-Impacted Products

High-frequency data from the Port of Los Angeles suggests a substantial impact on Chinese exports to the U.S. will begin next week, mainly due to the lag between factory shutdowns or halted shipments in China—triggered by the 145% tariffs—and the time it takes for containerized freight to cross the Pacific on massive cargo ships.

The bulleted list above outlines what might come next: downward pressure across the trucking industry in Southern California and the Empire Inland warehouse district. As Goldman noted earlier, inventories for many companies are in the 2–3 month range but could be depleted quickly if panic buying sets in once consumers become aware of Port of Los Angeles disruptions. There could even be a short-term spike in inflation this summer, though it would likely prove transitory. 

Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent victim, Virginia Giuffre, died by suicide on Thursday according to her family – weeks after she said she had ‘days to live’ and was in renal failure following a collision with a bus.

The 41-year-old died in Neergabby, Australia, where she had been living for several years.

“It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia,” he family said in a statement to NBC News. “She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.“

“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors,” the statement continues. “In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight.”

Giuffre was one of the earliest Epstein abuse survivors to come out publicly and call for criminal charges against the convicted pedophile, who himself died while in custody awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges – while cameras were mysteriously malfunctioning and guards had ‘fallen asleep.’

Six years ago, Giuffre proclaimed “I am making it publicy known that in no way, shape or form am I sucidal,” adding “If something happens to me- in the sake of my family do not let this go away and help me to protect them.”

I am making it publicy known that in no way, shape or form am I sucidal. I have made this known to my therapist and GP- If something happens to me- in the sake of my family do not let this go away and help me to protect them. Too many evil people want to see me quiteted 🦋 https://t.co/8463mPR6YU

— Virginia Giuffre (@VRSVirginia) December 11, 2019

Raised in Florida, Giuffre said she was sexually abused by a family friend, and was eventually groomed by Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Giuffre was abused by Epstein and pals between 1999 and 2002, when she was trafficked to Epstein’s powerful friends, including Prince Andrew and French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel. 

Giuffre took legal action against Epstein in 2015, claiming that she was sex trafficked at the age of 16 at various locations – including Epstein’s Little St. James island (aka Pedo Island), his New Mexico compound, and Maxwell’s home in London, where a notorious photo of her was taken with Prince Andrew – which the Andrew and supporters claim was fabricated.

Maxwell – a former British socialite whose father was a suspected agent for Mossad, was found guilty on five counts of sex trafficking in 2021 for her role in recruiting girls to be abused by Epstein and his network.

Giuffre isn’t the first deceased Epstein victim:

REPORT: Epstein Victim Who Testified Against Ghislaine Maxwell Found Dead..

MEDIA SILENT..

Carolyn Andriano, a key witness in the case against Jeffrey Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, has passed away.

Her death occurred earlier this year, and it WAS NOT marked by an… pic.twitter.com/5u22velaPC

— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) November 21, 2023

Giuffre sued Prince Andrew in 2021, alleging that he sexually abused her when she was 17. Andrew agreed to settle the case for an undisclosed amount in 2022, and denied all allegations.

Brunel, meanwhile, was charged with sexual harassment and rape of a minor in December of 2020. He ‘died by suicide’ in his jail cell in February 2022 – months after Giuffre appeared in court to advocate for Brunel’s victims.

“I wanted Brunel to know that he no longer has the power over me,” Giuffre said, adding “that I am a grown woman now and I’ve decided to hold him accountable for what he did to me and so many others.”

Giuffre moved to Australia with her husband before Epstein’s 2019 arrest. The couple has three children.

Her brother, Danny Wilson, told NBC News she “pushed so hard to snuff the evil out” of the world.

“Her biggest push was, ‘If I don’t do this, nobody’s going to do it,‘” he said, regarding her advocacy. “She was in real physical pain — suffered from renal failure. But I think that the mental pain was worse.” -NBC News

And for Epstein’s network of abusers who are still running around uncharged, another loose end has been tied up.

*  *  *

Psst! – click here for a sneak peek at new offerings at ZeroHedge Store ahead of our official announcement…

The Trump Administration’s efforts to finally put controls on the illegal immigration crisis made a substantial impact, but many conservatives feel the process is still not moving fast enough.  ICE has arrested and deported an estimated 100,000 -150,000 illegals in the past four months.  This is a far cry from the President’s call for 1 million deportations in 2025. 

The true success story has been the southern border – Illegal crossing have plummeted 95% since 2024 and many migrants have chosen to self deport rather than be arrested.  Border encounters are currently at 8000 per month, which Border Patrol officials say is the lowest number since records began in the year 2000 and might be the lowest since 1968.

The true scale of self-deportations, however, is not clear.  This leaves an estimated 17 million illegals still in the US (probably more given Biden’s border blitzkrieg since 2021).  A vast majority of these people reside in Democrat run sanctuary states and sanctuary cities where welfare programs are plentiful and protection from federal authorities is assumed.  Without state and federal coordination the ability of the White House to achieve 1 million deportations per year is limited.  

That said, rumors are swirling that Elon Musk and DOGE are building a “Master Database” to track and remove migrants from the country using correlated data obtained from multiple agencies from the IRS to the Health Department to Social Security and beyond.  CNN recently claimed they have multiple sources familiar with the plans, though these sources are not named.    

“If they are designing a deportation machine, they will be able to do that,” a former senior IRS employee with knowledge of the plans told CNN.

The database would also make it easier for the Trump Administration to block illegals from access to public housing and other public programs, which would take away incentives and compel migrants to exit the country.

The idea of data tracking for illegals seems to have a number of Democrats worried.  Democratic lawmakers have slammed the plan, claiming DOGE is “rapidly, haphazardly, and unlawfully” exploiting Americans’ personal data.  But the concept of mass tracking of citizens (rather than illegal migrants) didn’t bother Democrats during the pandemic scare.  They fought for years to create a database to track the vaccination status of all Americans.  Why are they suddenly bothered by the notion of a database to track people that are in the country illegally?

It’s obvious that the open border policies of the Biden Administration were at least partially intended to secure a voting majority in the near future; expanding the Democrat base by paying off illegal migrants with government subsidies and eventual amnesty.  A number of blue cities and counties have tried to institute voting rights for illegal residents, despite the fact that the media calls immigrant voting a “conspiracy theory”.  By extension, the mere presence of millions of illegals in blue states adds to their census numbers, which then translates to more seats in Congress.  

Remove the illegals efficiently and in large enough numbers and the Democratic Party loses leverage in the House.  Is this the reason why activist judges have been obstructing DOGE access to agency data at nearly every turn?  

One could make a case for a “slippery slope” if data collected on a meta-scale was used against legal US citizens (as if this has not already been happening); we all saw how Democrats pushed for such a precedent during Covid and the results would have been disastrous had they gotten what they wanted.  But it’s hard to make a case for similar privacy protections for migrants who have broken the law and are, by every measure, foreign invaders.  

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi is in Oman preparing for the next round of nuclear talks with the United States, which will mark the third direct engagement, after President Trump just made an unexpected overture. Trump in a newly published Time interview says he is open to meeting Iran’s supreme leader or president, as the two sides have made clear they are open to achieving peace on the question of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

“I think we’re going to make a deal with Iran,” Trump said to Time. The US president was then questioned over whether he is open to meeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei or President Masoud Pezeshkian, to which he responded: “Sure”.

Officials involved in the Iran dialogue have presented that “very good progress” has been made. This comes after last month Trump warned that Tehran can choose inking a peace deal or possibly face American bombs. 

“Ultimately I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped,” Trump described in the interview. “We can make a deal without the attack. I hope we can.”

There have been recent reports and fears that Prime Minister Netanyahu is seeking to drag the White House into waging preemptive attack on Iran’s nuclear sites.

But Trump has said he’s not worried that Israel would drag him into war. But that’s when he warned that, “I may go in very willingly if we can’t get a deal. If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack.”

Below is the key section of the Time interview transcript regarding Israel, Iran and US policy:

You reportedly stopped Israel from attacking Iran’s nuclear sites. 

Trump: That’s not right. 

It’s not right?

No, it’s not right. I didn’t stop them. But I didn’t make it comfortable for them, because I think we can make a deal without the attack. I hope we can. It’s possible we’ll have to attack because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. But I didn’t make it comfortable for them, but I didn’t say no. Ultimately I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped.

Are you worried Netanyahu will drag you into a war? 

No. 

Let’s talk about some of the issues with universities—

By the way, he may go into a war. But we’re not getting dragged in. 

The U.S. will stay out of it if Israel goes into it? 

No, I didn’t say that. You asked if he’d drag me in, like I’d go in unwillingly. No, I may go in very willingly if we can’t get a deal. If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack. 

We detailed before that within the administration there is an emerging divide on Iran between the hawks and those that want a peaceful resolution. It seems Trump has been favoring the doves, also given the obvious negatives of the US getting bogged down in another Middle East quagmire.

On the eve of the 3rd round of US-Iran talks, Trump says negotiations have been “very successful,” with a “very positive decision” possible—one that “could save many lives.”

To Time: “We’ll make a deal with Iran. No one else could’ve done this.”

Meet Iran’s leader? “Absolutely” pic.twitter.com/nokJXeOlY0

— Sina Toossi (@SinaToossi) April 25, 2025

A fresh nuclear deal might also east the pressure facing US naval forces in the Red Sea, amid the ongoing anti-Houthi campaign, given the Houthis have long been considered Tehran’s proxies. Better US-Iran relations could serve to silence the missiles and drones over the Red Sea.