Written by Dan Quagliana

Trump meets Zelenskyy at the White House

Last Friday, President Trump and Vice President Vance met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenkyy at the White House, where Zelenskyy pled his case to get more funding and help from the US in Ukraine’s war against Russia. Trump has been seen as much less willing to give as much aid to Ukraine as his predecessor Joe Biden did, as Trump campaigned on an “America First” platform, where he promised sending less funding abroad. Trump and Vance insisted that Zelenskyy should have more gratitude for the US, with Trump saying, “You don’t have the cards right now.” He also said, “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.” Zelenskyy left the White House without a security guarantee from the US, something he has said is necessary to protect his country. The two countries also failed to reach an agreement regarding a rare minerals deal. Republican Senator Lindsay Graham had brokered a deal where Ukraine would give fifty percent of future oil, gas and mineral revenue into a joint fund with the United States, but that deal now appears to be dead. According to TIME, “Vance said it was ‘disrespectful’ for Zelensky to sit in the Oval Office and ‘try to litigate this in front of the American media.’ He said that Ukraine has ‘manpower problems’ in the war and should be thanking Trump for working to bring an end to the fighting.”

Cuomo announces run for NYC Mayor

Yesterday, former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he would be running for Mayor of New York City against incumbent Democrat Eric Adams, whose mayoral term has been mired by controversy. Cuomo has remained out of the political spotlight since resigning as governor due to sexual harassment allegations, which he denies. Cuomo said during his campaign debut yesterday, “We are here because we love New York and we know New York City is in trouble. You feel it when you walk down the street and you see the mentally ill homeless people. You feel it when you walk down into the subway and you feel the anxiety rise up in your chest. You hear it when you hear the scream of the police sirens.” Since even before he announced his candidacy, Cuomo has enjoyed a wide lead in the polls, but due to his past allegations, he is expected to face intense scrutiny during the campaign season.

Trump to give first address to Congress

Tomorrow night at 9 p.m. Eastern, President Trump will give his first address to a joint session of Congress. According to NPR, Trump is likely to reiterate his support for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, which has continued with mass layoffs throughout the federal government. The president is also expected to talk about immigration. Also according to NPR, “The White House has sought to portray the crackdown on illegal immigration as a wholesale success, but critics say that the administration’s hard-line policy is feeding into misperceptions about immigrants and crime.” Trump’s plans for the Gaza Strip and his proposed tariffs are also expected to be discussed.