President Trump declared “there will be a trade deal, 100%” with Europe before a meeting Thursday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the first European leader to visit the White House since he paused planned tariffs last week. The meeting comes just days after both the European Union and Trump paused respective tariffs for 90 days to allow time for negotiations. The Italian Prime Minister has been dubbed the “Trump Whisperer” by the media, meeting with Trump before even EU Commission leader Ursula von der Leyen, who Trump has yet to schedule a meeting with 88 days into his presidency. “I’m sure we can make a deal, and I am here to help with that,” Meloni said to the media prior to her lunch with Trump. “I cannot lock this deal in the name of the European Union,” she added, per the New York Post. “My goal would be to invite President Trump to pay an official visit to Italy and understand if there’s a possibility when it comes to organizing such a meeting with Europe.” The White House sees Meloni as a possible bridge between Trump and the 27-member European bloc, who Trump has accused of trying “screw” the United States on trade, establishing what officials describe as a “bespoke” trade deal. Aside from trade, another issue likely to be addressed in the meeting is NATO, with Trump likely to prod Meloni on Italy’s failure to hit the requisite 2% of GDP on defense spending agreed to decades ago. Italy is currently one of eight countries failing to hit that benchmark, at only 1.5%, per The New York Times. Meloni addressed this point, saying, “Europe, as you know, is committed to do more, is working on tools to allow and help the [NATO] member states in increasing the defense spending. And we are convinced that everyone has to do more.” Administration officials indicated Trump will also pitch having Italy import more American energy as part of his broader goal to “unleash American energy exports to the rest of the world.” In 2024, the United States trade deficit with the European Union stood at approximately $236 billion, with American manufacturers often competing against European products while facing higher tariffs and more restrictive regulations when exporting to EU markets. Trump’s approach seeks to address these disparities through bilateral negotiations with key European partners. Meloni’s visit carries particular significance as both leaders share common ground as populist conservatives who have emphasized national sovereignty and border security. The Italian Prime Minister rose to power in 2022 as the country’s first female leader, campaigning on a platform that resonated with conservative voters concerned about immigration and traditional values. The “Liberation Day” tariffs that Trump temporarily suspended included a 25% tariff on European luxury cars, steel, and aluminum, and a 20% levy on billions of dollars of European goods ranging from food products to machinery. Following their discussions, Trump and Meloni are scheduled to hold a joint press conference in the Rose Garden, where further details about potential trade agreements and bilateral cooperation may be announced.

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville ripped into newly-elected Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg, referring to the younger activist as a “contemptible little twerp” and even advising the DNC to sue him. Carville, who made an appearance on NewsNation on Wednesday, told anchor Chris Cuomo that his particular complaint was Hogg’s recent announcement regarding plans to direct millions of dollars toward primaries against incumbent Democrats. Hogg, who also serves as president of an organization called Leaders We Deserve, said that the group planned to funnel some $20 million into challenging incumbent Democrats — and Carville took issue with Hogg for what he said looked as though he was putting more effort into attacking his own party than helping expand it into a broader coalition. WATCH: In which James Carville calls DNC Vice Chair David Hogg "a contemptible little twerp" for reportedly supporting efforts to primary sitting Democrats "I don't know if I have standing, but I might give the DNC $10 to sue him. He's a contemptible little twerp if you ask me." pic.twitter.com/D0TrZT59g0 — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 17, 2025 “Why doesn’t somebody sue David Hogg? He’s an officer of the Democratic National Committee. He is the vice chairman of the Democrat National Committee, and he’s running against other Democrats. I would like to know, and you went to law school, does he have a fiduciary duty to Democrats?” Carville asked. “If I work for, if you work for NewsNation, you can’t promote CNN. That’s if you worked for somebody else,” Carville continued. “You have a fiduciary duty to your employer, which anybody can understand. He’s being paid to run against other Democrats. I think it’s an outrage. I don’t know if I have standing, but I might give the DNC $10 and sue him. He is a contemptible little twerp, if you ask me.” Carville also took aim at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) over their tour protesting “oligarchy,” saying that they were cut from the same cloth as Hogg. “Let me make a point about Bernie and AOC. Bernie’s run for president twice. He’s lost twice. AOC and her kind, and this guy, David Hogg, they want to run against other Democrats. They don’t run against Republicans,” Carville added. “When you beat a Republican, come back and see me, and I will be impressed!”

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Britain’s Supreme Court will be stunned and pleased to know they’ve acquired a bachelor’s degree in biology overnight

The Supreme Court agreed Thursday to consider the Trump administration’s request to implement its restrictions on birthright citizenship while litigation continues. While the justices delayed deciding the Trump administration’s request to block lower court orders preventing the president’s executive order from taking effect, they scheduled oral arguments to consider the issue for May 15. The Trump administration […]

'I’m sorry'

It's a roll of the dice

A beloved Michigan bookstore recently received a helping hand from the community when a human chain formed to pass its entire inventory from the store’s old location to the new one. One wonders how many times a neighbor asked another whether they had “read this one?” or what drivers must have thought passing by the […] The post Hundreds of Volunteers Form a Human Chain to Get 9,000 Books to New Location for Indie Bookstore appeared first on Good News Network.