New York Times: “Europe could face shortages of jet fuel if ships are not allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz soon, an association of airports warned top European Union officials on Thursday.”
Vatican Meeting at Pentagon Was ‘Unusual’
Washington Post: “Through the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, tensions between his administration and the Vatican — now with the first U.S.-born pope — had simmered.”
“Days after the one-year mark of Trump returning to office, an unusual meeting between the two sides took place that has now turned up the temperature of the public discussion about the relationship. Following expressions of concern by Pope Leo XIV and Vatican officials over the administration’s actions in Venezuela, Minneapolis and elsewhere, Pentagon officials on Jan. 22 hosted a top Vatican diplomat, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, then the Holy See’s ambassador to the United States, for a rare visit.”
“It is not typical for a church official to meet with the Defense Department instead of the State Department or White House.”
What’s Behind Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon Purge
Julia Ioffe looks at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s attempt to make life difficult for Army Secretary Dan Driscoll — during the middle of a war, no less.
“Driscoll, as I’ve reported, has been Hegseth’s enemy number one at the Pentagon for almost as long as he’s been in his role. In part, that’s because Driscoll became an early fixture in coverage of the administration—getting overwhelmingly positive press as the walking embodiment of affable competence. Between his boyish looks; his aw-shucks, nice-guy attitude; and his headline-grabbing attempts to transform the Army into a futuristic force, it was easy to see why Driscoll was getting far kinder treatment than the ragey, abrasive Hegseth. (That, and his staff worked hard for it.) By the fall, much of Washington was abuzz with the rumor that Hegseth was not long for the top job and Driscoll would be taking his place.”
“This, of course, is said to have infuriated Hegseth. But Driscoll had top cover that made him unfireable: He was a close friend of J.D. Vance, his pal from Yale Law. Usha Vance occasionally swung by the Pentagon for lunch with him. So Hegseth quickly learned how to make Driscoll’s life miserable without firing him outright: He would dismantle Driscoll’s inner circle and replace them with his own people.”
Exchange of the Day
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel spoke to Kristen Welker of NBC News:
WELKER: Are you afraid for yourself, for your family? Or are you prepared to, as you say, make the ultimate sacrifice if you are attacked?
DIAZ-CANEL: I have no fear. I am willing to give my life for the revolution. Of course, I wouldn’t like that to be the attitude of the U.S. government. I think the American people is a sensitive people. And they wouldn’t allow or they wouldn’t see with good eyes that their government, the country would invade a very small island that does not pose any concern in terms of national security for the United States.
White House Tried — and Failed — to Push Candidate Out
NBC News: “Over several days in February before the deadline for primary candidates to withdraw, White House officials peppered Alexandra Wilson with phone calls, text messages and voicemails that she recorded and shared exclusively with NBC News.”
“In the calls, White House aides first tried to entice her to leave the race with possible job options. On another call, they later warned her about the money and attacks that would follow if she didn’t.”
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Consumer Confidence Hits Record Low
“Consumer confidence plunged to a record low in April as fears mounted over rising energy prices and the broader impact of the Iran war, according to a University of Michigan survey Friday,” CNBC reports.
“The university’s headline index of consumer sentiment tumbled to 47.6, down 10.7% from March to its lowest on record. Current conditions and expectations indexes also saw double-digit monthly declines.”
Trump Posts Cryptic Message
President Trump posted this on Truth Social this morning: “WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL RESET!!!”
U.S. Seeks Release of Americans Detained in Iran
Washington Post: “The Trump administration intends to request the release of Americans detained in Iran as part of upcoming negotiations aimed at ending the U.S.-Israeli war there.”
Iran War Drives Deeper Oil Shock Than Prices Reveal
New York Times: “Google the price of oil, and you’ll most likely find two widely quoted prices for the commodity, one in the United States, the other in Europe.”
“These prices, which are constantly changing on electronic markets, suggest that although the war with Iran has made energy a lot more expensive, things are not nearly as bad as they were four years ago, after Russia invaded Ukraine.”
“But if you needed an actual tanker full of oil — and quickly — it would cost you dearly.”
Inflation Spiked Last Month
CNBC: “Consumer prices spiked in March as the Iran war sent energy costs soaring and took the Federal Reserve further from its inflation target, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. Underlying inflation, however, was relatively tame.”
“The consumer price index increased a seasonally adjusted 0.9% for the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 3.3%, pushed by a 10.9% surge in energy costs.”
Roger Stone Saved Tulsi Gabbard
President Trump’s longtime friend Roger Stone may have saved National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard from dismissal, after the president polled advisers on whether he should replace her, Axios reports.
Said a source: “Roger sealed the deal. He saved Tulsi.”
Americans Still Think Taxes Are Too High
Semafor: “Nearly six in 10 Americans think they pay too much in taxes, despite the tax bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last year.”
“The share of US adults who told Gallup that their taxes are too high has remained consistent since 2023 during Joe Biden’s presidency; just 37% now say their taxes are about right, according to the March poll. And 47% say the income tax they face this year is fair, near the record low from 1999.”
Trump Blindsided by Melania’s Press Conference
President Trump told MS NOW he was not aware of beforehand that his wife, Melania, was going to hold a press conference denying any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Hunter Biden Challenges Trump Brothers to Cage Fight
Hunter Biden challenged Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. to a cage match, Reuters reports.
“It is unclear if or when this match would happen. The White House plans to host a similar event — but with actual UFC fighters — on June 14 as part of a series of events celebrating the semiquincentennial of the United States.”
Jeff Van Drew Suddenly Looks Vulnerable
“New Jersey and national Democrats had almost grudgingly accepted that Rep. Jeff Van Drew, the states’ most prominent Trump loyalist, was untouchable,” Politico reports.
“But with President Donald Trump’s popularity plummeting, sharp swings toward Democrats in special elections around the country and Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s landslide 2025 election — along with an unpopular new artificial intelligence data center in the heart of Van Drew’s district — that may be starting to change.”
Iran Warns Ceasefire Talks Must Include Lebanon
“Iran warned they won’t attend crucial peace talks with the U.S. in Pakistan tomorrow if the ceasefire doesn’t expand to Lebanon,” Politico reports.
CBS News: “The U.S. is convening hastily arranged diplomatic talks next week in Washington, D.C., in an effort to craft a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israeli troops have been pounding Iranian-backed Hezbollah targets with airstrikes and also killing Lebanese civilians.”
Bonus Quote of the Day
“There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait — They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!”
— President Trump, on Truth Social.
