US President Donald Trump has dismissed the accidental inclusion of a journalist in a group chat about Yemen air strikes as a minor mistake, describing it as a "glitch". Despite the incident, he continues to back his senior national security officials.
The situation has brought fresh scrutiny to Trump&rsquo;s administration after a report by The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, revealed details of a conversation on the Signal messaging app involving key government figures.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/best-place-to-hide-a-body-elon-musk-donald-trump-mock-the-atlantic-over-embarrassing-war-plans-leak-8889207">&lsquo;Best place to hide a body&rsquo;: Elon Musk, Donald Trump mock The Atlantic over embarrassing war plans leak</a>
The group chat focused on planned air strikes against Iran-backed Huthi rebels and included high-ranking officials such as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
<h2>'Waltz learned a lesson, and he&rsquo;s a good man'</h2>
Speaking to NBC in a phone interview, Trump said, &ldquo;It was the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one.&rdquo; He defended Waltz, saying, &ldquo;He&rsquo;s learned a lesson, and he&rsquo;s a good man.&rdquo;
Goldberg stated that he had received a connection request on Signal from someone appearing to be Michael Waltz. However, Trump clarified, &ldquo;It was one of Michael&rsquo;s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/mike-waltz-in-hot-water-journalist-reveals-trumps-national-advisor-follows-gay-porn-account-waltz-leaked-yemen-war-plans-8887613">Mike Waltz in hot water: Journalist reveals Trump's National Advisor follows gay porn account</a>
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later posted on X that there were no discussions of &ldquo;war plans&rdquo; and &ldquo;no classified material was sent to the thread.&rdquo;
Nevertheless, top Democrats have strongly criticised the breach, arguing that it may have been illegal. They are calling for a formal investigation into why such sensitive discussions were taking place on a public messaging app.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/who-is-jeffrey-goldberg-the-journalist-accidentally-sent-classified-yemen-war-plan-8887509">Who is Jeffrey Goldberg? The journalist accidentally sent classified Yemen war plan</a>
Trump had publicly announced the strikes on Yemen&rsquo;s Huthis on 15 March, but according to Goldberg, he was added to the chat two days prior. He also received messages from senior officials naming individuals who would be involved in the operation.
Although the leak had the potential to cause serious damage had Goldberg revealed the information, he chose not to make the details public.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/didnt-think-it-could-be-real-us-journalist-ends-up-in-classified-war-plan-group-chat-with-hegseth-vance-8886952">&lsquo;Didn&rsquo;t think it could be real&rsquo;: US journalist ends up in classified war plan 'group chat' with Hegseth, Vance</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Trump said, “It was the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one.” He defended Waltz, saying, “He’s learned a lesson, and he’s a good man.”

US President Donald Trump has dismissed the accidental inclusion of a journalist in a group chat about Yemen air strikes as a minor mistake, describing it as a "glitch". Despite the incident, he continues to back his senior national security officials. The situation has brought fresh scrutiny to Trump’s administration after a report by The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, revealed details of a conversation on the Signal messaging app involving key government figures. Also read: ‘Best place to hide a body’: Elon Musk, Donald Trump mock The Atlantic over embarrassing war plans leak The group chat focused on planned air strikes against Iran-backed Huthi rebels and included high-ranking officials such as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. 'Waltz learned a lesson, and he’s a good man' Speaking to NBC in a phone interview, Trump said, “It was the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one.” He defended Waltz, saying, “He’s learned a lesson, and he’s a good man.” Goldberg stated that he had received a connection request on Signal from someone appearing to be Michael Waltz. However, Trump clarified, “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there.” Also read: Mike Waltz in hot water: Journalist reveals Trump's National Advisor follows gay porn account Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later posted on X that there were no discussions of “war plans” and “no classified material was sent to the thread.” Nevertheless, top Democrats have strongly criticised the breach, arguing that it may have been illegal. They are calling for a formal investigation into why such sensitive discussions were taking place on a public messaging app. Also read: Who is Jeffrey Goldberg? The journalist accidentally sent classified Yemen war plan Trump had publicly announced the strikes on Yemen’s Huthis on 15 March, but according to Goldberg, he was added to the chat two days prior. He also received messages from senior officials naming individuals who would be involved in the operation. Although the leak had the potential to cause serious damage had Goldberg revealed the information, he chose not to make the details public. Also read: ‘Didn’t think it could be real’: US journalist ends up in classified war plan 'group chat' with Hegseth, Vance (With inputs from agencies)

Trump downplays US war plan leak as 'unserious glitch,' defends advisor: 'Waltz learned a lesson'

President Donald Trump was quick to share a post from Elon Musk mocking The Atlantic after the magazine revealed that its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a top-secret group chat involving US national security officials. The chat included discussions about planned military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
Musk took to X on Monday afternoon to make a jab at the publication, writing, &ldquo;Best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of The Atlantic magazine, because no one ever goes there.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-fing-idiot-trump-to-fire-nsa-mike-waltz-over-adding-journalist-in-top-secret-war-chat-says-report-8888913">'A f***ing idiot': Trump to fire NSA Mike Waltz for adding journalist in top secret war chat, says report</a>
SpaceX's boss also reposted a satirical article from The Babylon Bee, titled, &ldquo;4D Chess: Genius Trump Leaks War Plans To &lsquo;The Atlantic&rsquo; Where No One Will Ever See Them.&rdquo;
<h2>'I&rsquo;m not a big fan of The Atlantic'</h2>
Trump shared Musk&rsquo;s post on his Truth Social account, also including a link to the satirical piece.
Although Trump himself claimed not to know about the situation, he didn&rsquo;t hold back when asked about it during a White House briefing.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know anything about it,&rdquo; he told reporters. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not a big fan of The Atlantic,&rdquo; he added.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nazis-got-better-treatment-than-venezuelans-under-alien-enemies-act-us-court-8887341">'Nazis got better treatment than Venezuelans' under Alien Enemies Act by Trump administration, says US court</a>
&ldquo;To me, it&rsquo;s a magazine that&rsquo;s going out of business. I think it&rsquo;s not much of a magazine, but I know nothing about it,&rdquo; he added. When a reporter explained the nature of the messages, Trump asked, &ldquo;Having to do with what? What were they talking about?&rdquo;
According to The Atlantic, the National Security Council confirmed the chat&rsquo;s authenticity. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes said.
&ldquo;This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/didnt-think-it-could-be-real-us-journalist-ends-up-in-classified-war-plan-group-chat-with-hegseth-vance-8886952">&lsquo;Didn&rsquo;t think it could be real&rsquo;: US journalist ends up in classified war plan 'group chat' with Hegseth, Vance</a>
&ldquo;The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security,&rdquo; Hughes added.
Despite the embarrassing leak, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump remained confident in his national security team.
&ldquo;As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective. President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz,&rdquo; she said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/who-is-jeffrey-goldberg-the-journalist-accidentally-sent-classified-yemen-war-plan-8887509">Who is Jeffrey Goldberg? The journalist accidentally sent classified Yemen war plan</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Musk took to X on Monday afternoon to make a jab at the publication, writing, “Best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of The Atlantic magazine, because no one ever goes there.”

President Donald Trump was quick to share a post from Elon Musk mocking The Atlantic after the magazine revealed that its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a top-secret group chat involving US national security officials. The chat included discussions about planned military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. Musk took to X on Monday afternoon to make a jab at the publication, writing, “Best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of The Atlantic magazine, because no one ever goes there.” Also read: 'A f***ing idiot': Trump to fire NSA Mike Waltz for adding journalist in top secret war chat, says report SpaceX's boss also reposted a satirical article from The Babylon Bee, titled, “4D Chess: Genius Trump Leaks War Plans To ‘The Atlantic’ Where No One Will Ever See Them.” 'I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic' Trump shared Musk’s post on his Truth Social account, also including a link to the satirical piece. Although Trump himself claimed not to know about the situation, he didn’t hold back when asked about it during a White House briefing. “I don’t know anything about it,” he told reporters. “I’m not a big fan of The Atlantic,” he added. Also read: 'Nazis got better treatment than Venezuelans' under Alien Enemies Act by Trump administration, says US court “To me, it’s a magazine that’s going out of business. I think it’s not much of a magazine, but I know nothing about it,” he added. When a reporter explained the nature of the messages, Trump asked, “Having to do with what? What were they talking about?” According to The Atlantic, the National Security Council confirmed the chat’s authenticity. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes said. “This appears to be an authentic message chain, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.” Also read: ‘Didn’t think it could be real’: US journalist ends up in classified war plan 'group chat' with Hegseth, Vance “The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to troops or national security,” Hughes added. Despite the embarrassing leak, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump remained confident in his national security team. “As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective. President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz,” she said. Also read: Who is Jeffrey Goldberg? The journalist accidentally sent classified Yemen war plan (With inputs from agencies)

‘Best place to hide a body’: Elon Musk, Donald Trump mock The Atlantic over embarrassing war plans leak

During a White House meeting, President Donald Trump indicated new automobile tariffs are imminent yet made it clear that these levies will not be fully applied on April 2 since different countries may get special exemptions. Market investors reacted positively to these reassurances which resulted in increased U.S. stock values following persistent trade-related market instability. &nbsp;
During his White House address, Trump indicated his intention to let multiple countries escape from being taxed but offered minimal details about which ones would benefit from his decision. Multiple sources at the White House indicated that payments on autos alongside pharmaceuticals and semiconductor chips would operate under undefined timelines which Trump could execute whenever he deemed necessary. &nbsp;
While showing some signs of flexibility the administration kept stress on the fact that powerful import taxes remained forthcoming. The president has decided to proceed with backdroped reciprocal import taxes which he intends to make very strong. The official declared that people can expect such measures to happen as planned. &nbsp;
The Wall Street Journal alongside Bloomberg released information indicating that the administration was steering its tariff policy in a specific direction which led to postponing targeted levies thus relieving concerns about extensive tax implementations. &nbsp;
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-signs-order-to-eliminate-us-education-department-8874844">Donald Trump signs order to 'eliminate' US Education Department</a>
The S&amp;P 500 reached its highest point in more than two weeks upon the positive market reaction to the expected less severe level of upcoming tariffs. Wall Street investors strengthened their performance by gaining nearly 1.8% during this period. &nbsp;
Trump imposed a 25% secondary tariff on oil and gas purchases from Venezuela thus leading to increased petroleum prices. &nbsp;
Trump declared plans to enforce immediate tariffs on automobiles and pharmaceuticals and aluminum which served national security requirements. The president stated after lumber and semiconductor tariffs would hit the market in the upcoming days. &nbsp;
During a cabinet meeting Trump stated that every country had taken advantage of the United States which led him to believe that these "astronomical" revenues would enable lower taxes. &nbsp;
In a separate announcement, Trump revealed that South Korea&rsquo;s Hyundai Motor Group plans to invest USD 21 billion in the U.S., including a USD 5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana. The news was shared at the White House alongside Hyundai Chairman Euisun Chung and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.

Autonews | The Wall Street Journal alongside Bloomberg released information indicating that the administration was steering its tariff policy in a specific direction.

During a White House meeting, President Donald Trump indicated new automobile tariffs are imminent yet made it clear that these levies will not be fully applied on April 2 since different countries may get special exemptions. Market investors reacted positively to these reassurances which resulted in increased U.S. stock values following persistent trade-related market instability. During his White House address, Trump indicated his intention to let multiple countries escape from being taxed but offered minimal details about which ones would benefit from his decision. Multiple sources at the White House indicated that payments on autos alongside pharmaceuticals and semiconductor chips would operate under undefined timelines which Trump could execute whenever he deemed necessary. While showing some signs of flexibility the administration kept stress on the fact that powerful import taxes remained forthcoming. The president has decided to proceed with backdroped reciprocal import taxes which he intends to make very strong. The official declared that people can expect such measures to happen as planned. The Wall Street Journal alongside Bloomberg released information indicating that the administration was steering its tariff policy in a specific direction which led to postponing targeted levies thus relieving concerns about extensive tax implementations. Also Read | Donald Trump signs order to 'eliminate' US Education Department The S&P 500 reached its highest point in more than two weeks upon the positive market reaction to the expected less severe level of upcoming tariffs. Wall Street investors strengthened their performance by gaining nearly 1.8% during this period. Trump imposed a 25% secondary tariff on oil and gas purchases from Venezuela thus leading to increased petroleum prices. Trump declared plans to enforce immediate tariffs on automobiles and pharmaceuticals and aluminum which served national security requirements. The president stated after lumber and semiconductor tariffs would hit the market in the upcoming days. During a cabinet meeting Trump stated that every country had taken advantage of the United States which led him to believe that these "astronomical" revenues would enable lower taxes. In a separate announcement, Trump revealed that South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group plans to invest USD 21 billion in the U.S., including a USD 5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana. The news was shared at the White House alongside Hyundai Chairman Euisun Chung and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.

Trump signals flexibility on auto tariffs, markets rally

A court in the United States slammed the Trump administration's deportation of the alleged Venezuelan gang members saying that Nazis got "better treatment" from the US during the World War II than what these people are getting.
Judge Patricia Millett, who was appointed by former US president Barack Obama, said on Monday (March 24), "Nazis got better treatment under the Alien Enemies Act."&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-researcher-badar-khan-suri-legally-living-in-us-faces-deportation-for-allegedly-spreading-hamas-propaganda-8871820">India researcher legally living in US faces deportation for allegedly 'spreading Hamas propaganda'</a>
"They had hearing boards before people were removed," she added.&nbsp;
"People on those planes on that Saturday had no opportunity to challenge their removal under the AEA. Y'all could have picked me up on Saturday and thrown me on a plane thinking I'm a member of Tren de Aragua and given me no chance to protest it," the judge said.&nbsp;
<h2>Alien Enemies Act (AEA)&nbsp;</h2>
On March 15, US President Donald Trump mass deported Venezuelan migrants and transported them using two aircrafts to a prison in El Salvador using a controversial wartime legislation - the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA).
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alien-enemies-act-the-18th-century-wartime-law-trump-used-for-deportation-but-failed-explained-8858793">Alien Enemies Act: The 18th-century wartime law Trump used for deportation but failed, explained</a>
<h2>Deported for their tattoos?&nbsp;</h2>
While arguing in the court, the legal representatives of some of the deported Venezuelans said that their clients were not the members of any gang and had no criminal records. The prosecutors said that they were solely targeted for their tattoos.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-confident-of-winning-court-battle-over-deportations-8863415">White House &lsquo;confident&rsquo; of winning court battle over deportations</a>
Judge Justin Walker, who was appointed by Trump, acknowledged that there was a need of court hearings - but said there was a judicial interference with presidential powers. This was in reference to James Boasberg, chief judge of the US District Court in Washington, who tried blocking the deportation of the Venezuelans.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/very-hostile-trump-vows-25-tariff-on-countries-buying-oil-from-venezuela-8886461">'Very hostile': Trump vows 25% tariff on countries buying oil from Venezuela</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

WORLD | Judge Patricia Millett. who was appointed by former US president Barack Obama, said on Monday (March 24), "Nazis got better treatment under the Alien Enemies Act."

A court in the United States slammed the Trump administration's deportation of the alleged Venezuelan gang members saying that Nazis got "better treatment" from the US during the World War II than what these people are getting. Judge Patricia Millett, who was appointed by former US president Barack Obama, said on Monday (March 24), "Nazis got better treatment under the Alien Enemies Act." Also read: India researcher legally living in US faces deportation for allegedly 'spreading Hamas propaganda' "They had hearing boards before people were removed," she added. "People on those planes on that Saturday had no opportunity to challenge their removal under the AEA. Y'all could have picked me up on Saturday and thrown me on a plane thinking I'm a member of Tren de Aragua and given me no chance to protest it," the judge said. Alien Enemies Act (AEA) On March 15, US President Donald Trump mass deported Venezuelan migrants and transported them using two aircrafts to a prison in El Salvador using a controversial wartime legislation - the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (AEA). Also read: Alien Enemies Act: The 18th-century wartime law Trump used for deportation but failed, explained Deported for their tattoos? While arguing in the court, the legal representatives of some of the deported Venezuelans said that their clients were not the members of any gang and had no criminal records. The prosecutors said that they were solely targeted for their tattoos. Also read: White House ‘confident’ of winning court battle over deportations Judge Justin Walker, who was appointed by Trump, acknowledged that there was a need of court hearings - but said there was a judicial interference with presidential powers. This was in reference to James Boasberg, chief judge of the US District Court in Washington, who tried blocking the deportation of the Venezuelans. Also read: 'Very hostile': Trump vows 25% tariff on countries buying oil from Venezuela (With inputs from agencies)

'Nazis got better treatment than Venezuelans' under Alien Enemies Act by Trump administration, says US court

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he reiterated his invitation for US Vice President JD Vance to visit Ukraine during a recent telephone conversation, according to an interview published in Time magazine.
During a tense argument at the White House on his US visit on February 28, Zelensky had invited Vance to visit his country to see the consequences of war with Russia with his own eyes. However, Vance responded that he &ldquo;had seen the stories&rdquo; and was aware of the situation on the ground.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-being-a-good-ally-jd-vances-remarks-on-denmark-resurface-as-second-lady-set-to-visit-greenland-8886141">&lsquo;Not being a good ally&rsquo;: JD Vance&rsquo;s remarks on Denmark resurface as Second Lady set to visit Greenland</a>
The US vice president said that he refused to visit Ukraine because Zelensky&rsquo;s government allegedly organises &ldquo;propaganda tours&rdquo;, showing destruction in the nation caused by Russia.
According to The Kyiv Independent report, Zelensky told Vance during the recent phone call, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re still waiting for you.&rdquo; The American official, however, did not reply.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/usha-vance-to-visit-greenland-with-delegation-including-mike-waltz-only-purpose-is-to-show-8884160">Usha&nbsp;Vance to visit Greenland with delegation including Mike Waltz: 'Only purpose is to show...'</a>
Vance has time and again criticised Ukraine and Zelensky in the past, reiterating Kremlin&rsquo;s take at times. He also said that he &ldquo;doesn&rsquo;t care about Ukraine&rdquo; on multiple occasions, including days after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/10-hours-3-breaks-high-stakes-us-russia-talks-on-ukraine-ceasefire-drag-on-behind-closed-doors-in-saudi-8886864">10 hours, 3 breaks: High-stakes US-Russia talks on Ukraine ceasefire drag on behind closed doors in Saudi</a>
<h2>Ceasefire discussions</h2>
Washington and Kyiv had earlier backed a 30-day ceasefire to halt ground operations, but Moscow refused to accept it unless it included a suspension of foreign military support for Ukraine and other terms that would weaken Ukraine&rsquo;s defences.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-wants-to-restore-black-sea-grain-deal-with-ukraine-what-is-it-and-why-did-moscow-back-out-the-first-time-8885784">Russia wants to restore 'Black Sea Grain deal' with Ukraine: What is it and why did Moscow back out the first time?</a>
Meanwhile, Russia and the US began talks on a ceasefire in Riyadh on Monday (Mar 24). The discussions are aimed at a ceasefire in the Black Sea and broader truce negotiations, according to Reuters. A day earlier, the US and Ukraine officials held talks in Saudi Arabia.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | The US vice president said that he refused to visit Ukraine because Zelensky’s government allegedly organises “propaganda tours”, showing destruction in the nation caused by Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he reiterated his invitation for US Vice President JD Vance to visit Ukraine during a recent telephone conversation, according to an interview published in Time magazine. During a tense argument at the White House on his US visit on February 28, Zelensky had invited Vance to visit his country to see the consequences of war with Russia with his own eyes. However, Vance responded that he “had seen the stories” and was aware of the situation on the ground. Also read | ‘Not being a good ally’: JD Vance’s remarks on Denmark resurface as Second Lady set to visit Greenland The US vice president said that he refused to visit Ukraine because Zelensky’s government allegedly organises “propaganda tours”, showing destruction in the nation caused by Russia. According to The Kyiv Independent report, Zelensky told Vance during the recent phone call, “We’re still waiting for you.” The American official, however, did not reply. Also read | Usha Vance to visit Greenland with delegation including Mike Waltz: 'Only purpose is to show...' Vance has time and again criticised Ukraine and Zelensky in the past, reiterating Kremlin’s take at times. He also said that he “doesn’t care about Ukraine” on multiple occasions, including days after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. Also read | 10 hours, 3 breaks: High-stakes US-Russia talks on Ukraine ceasefire drag on behind closed doors in Saudi Ceasefire discussions Washington and Kyiv had earlier backed a 30-day ceasefire to halt ground operations, but Moscow refused to accept it unless it included a suspension of foreign military support for Ukraine and other terms that would weaken Ukraine’s defences. Also read | Russia wants to restore 'Black Sea Grain deal' with Ukraine: What is it and why did Moscow back out the first time? Meanwhile, Russia and the US began talks on a ceasefire in Riyadh on Monday (Mar 24). The discussions are aimed at a ceasefire in the Black Sea and broader truce negotiations, according to Reuters. A day earlier, the US and Ukraine officials held talks in Saudi Arabia. (With inputs from agencies)

‘We’re still waiting for you’: Zelensky says he invited JD Vance again to visit Ukraine

US and Russian officials have begun talks in Saudi Arabia marking another step in US President Donald Trump's attempts to negotiate a limited ceasefire in Ukraine, a move Washington hopes could be the first step towards lasting peace.
Following talks with both Ukrainian and Russian leaders last week, Trump helped secure an agreement in principle for a one-month halt to attacks on energy infrastructure. 
However, questions remain over when the ceasefire will begin and whether it will cover more than just power plants, such as hospitals, bridges, and other key services.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-ukraine-hold-talks-in-riyadh-as-us-envoy-expresses-optimism-on-ending-war-before-russia-meeting-8883474">US-Ukraine hold talks in Riyadh as US envoy expresses optimism on ending war before Russia meeting</a>
<h2>US-Ukraine meet</h2>
The initial meeting between US and Ukrainian officials took place on Sunday evening, with American delegates holding separate talks with Russian representatives on Monday. 
US officials are expected to move between the two delegations to finalise the agreement, and also discuss separate arrangements for securing shipping routes in the Black Sea. 
&ldquo;The ultimate goal is a 30-day ceasefire, during which time we discuss a permanent ceasefire. We&rsquo;re not far away from that,&rdquo; said US special envoy Steve Witkoff in an interview with far-right commentator Tucker Carlson over the weekend.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-shuttlecock-diplomacy-and-why-is-the-us-using-it-to-broker-ceasefire-between-russia-and-ukraine-8883063">What is 'shuttlecock diplomacy', and why is the US using it to broker ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine?</a>
Ukraine&rsquo;s defence minister confirmed that the talks included proposals aimed at protecting the country&rsquo;s energy and critical infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the Sunday meeting as &ldquo;quite useful,&rdquo; and said Ukraine&rsquo;s delegation was working in &ldquo;a completely constructive manner.&rdquo;
Zelenskyy also said that he had given the United States a list of energy facilities that should be off-limits to Russian attacks. Additional meetings between Ukrainian and American officials could take place on Monday. 
&ldquo;We are implementing the President of Ukraine&rsquo;s directive to bring a just peace closer and to strengthen security,&rdquo; said Rustem Umerov, Ukraine&rsquo;s defence minister, in a Facebook post.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/preposterous-trump-envoy-witkoff-dismisses-starmers-ukraine-plan-as-zelensky-urges-new-pressure-on-russia-8882862">&lsquo;Preposterous&rsquo;: Trump envoy Witkoff dismisses Starmer&rsquo;s Ukraine plan as Zelensky urges 'new pressure' on Russia</a>
<h2>Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine</h2>
Meanwhile, Russia appears to be intensifying its attacks before any agreement is reached. Over the weekend, a large-scale drone assault on Kyiv killed at least three people, highlighting the continuing danger on the ground.
Moscow continues to demand conditions that Kyiv and its allies have rejected outright, such as ending all foreign military aid, reducing the size of Ukraine&rsquo;s armed forces, and recognising Russia&rsquo;s annexation of the four occupied regions.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/difficult-negotiations-ahead-russia-downplays-ukraine-peace-talks-before-us-meeting-8882678">&lsquo;Difficult negotiations&rsquo; ahead: Russia downplays Ukraine peace talks before US meeting</a>
The Kremlin has also made it clear that it would not tolerate any presence of Western troops in Ukraine, while Kyiv sees such forces as essential for ensuring lasting security.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Following talks with both Ukrainian and Russian leaders last week, Trump helped secure an agreement in principle for a one-month halt to attacks on energy infrastructure.

US and Russian officials have begun talks in Saudi Arabia marking another step in US President Donald Trump's attempts to negotiate a limited ceasefire in Ukraine, a move Washington hopes could be the first step towards lasting peace. Following talks with both Ukrainian and Russian leaders last week, Trump helped secure an agreement in principle for a one-month halt to attacks on energy infrastructure. However, questions remain over when the ceasefire will begin and whether it will cover more than just power plants, such as hospitals, bridges, and other key services. Also read: US-Ukraine hold talks in Riyadh as US envoy expresses optimism on ending war before Russia meeting US-Ukraine meet The initial meeting between US and Ukrainian officials took place on Sunday evening, with American delegates holding separate talks with Russian representatives on Monday. US officials are expected to move between the two delegations to finalise the agreement, and also discuss separate arrangements for securing shipping routes in the Black Sea. “The ultimate goal is a 30-day ceasefire, during which time we discuss a permanent ceasefire. We’re not far away from that,” said US special envoy Steve Witkoff in an interview with far-right commentator Tucker Carlson over the weekend. Also read: What is 'shuttlecock diplomacy', and why is the US using it to broker ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine? Ukraine’s defence minister confirmed that the talks included proposals aimed at protecting the country’s energy and critical infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the Sunday meeting as “quite useful,” and said Ukraine’s delegation was working in “a completely constructive manner.” Zelenskyy also said that he had given the United States a list of energy facilities that should be off-limits to Russian attacks. Additional meetings between Ukrainian and American officials could take place on Monday. “We are implementing the President of Ukraine’s directive to bring a just peace closer and to strengthen security,” said Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s defence minister, in a Facebook post. Also read: ‘Preposterous’: Trump envoy Witkoff dismisses Starmer’s Ukraine plan as Zelensky urges 'new pressure' on Russia Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine Meanwhile, Russia appears to be intensifying its attacks before any agreement is reached. Over the weekend, a large-scale drone assault on Kyiv killed at least three people, highlighting the continuing danger on the ground. Moscow continues to demand conditions that Kyiv and its allies have rejected outright, such as ending all foreign military aid, reducing the size of Ukraine’s armed forces, and recognising Russia’s annexation of the four occupied regions. Also read: ‘Difficult negotiations’ ahead: Russia downplays Ukraine peace talks before US meeting The Kremlin has also made it clear that it would not tolerate any presence of Western troops in Ukraine, while Kyiv sees such forces as essential for ensuring lasting security. (With inputs from agencies)

US and Russia talks on Ukraine peace deal underway in Saudi Arabia: Trump-brokered ceasefire in sight?

Tiger Woods has confirmed he is dating Vanessa Trump - the ex-daughter-in-law of the US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;
Making an official announcement on Sunday (March 23) on the social media platform X, Woods said, &ldquo;Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together."&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/usa-usa-trump-receives-cheerful-welcome-by-fans-that-biden-would-never-8883718">'USA! USA!': Trump receives cheerful welcome by 'fans' that Biden 'would never'</a>
"At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts," the American golfer wrote to his 6.4 millions followers.&nbsp;
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Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together. At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts. <a href="https://t.co/ETONf1pUmI">pic.twitter.com/ETONf1pUmI</a>
&mdash; Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) <a href="https://twitter.com/TigerWoods/status/1903951000781701415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
It is unknown so far what prompted Woods, who likes to keep his private life to himself, announce his relationship on social media.
<h2>Who is Vanessa?&nbsp;</h2>
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/so-america-can-own-us-canadian-pm-carney-accuses-trump-of-trying-to-break-canada-8883415">'So America can own us': Canadian PM Carney accuses Trump of trying to 'break Canada'</a>
Vanessa is the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. They share five children: Kai, Donald III, Tristan, Spencer, and Chloe.
All five children are aware that Vanessa was dating Woods, DailyMail reported.
<h2>Her dating life&nbsp;</h2>
Vanessa and Trump Jr were married in 2005 at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida. They had five kids in their 13 years of marriage.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/starmer-faced-pressure-from-us-to-slam-zelensky-after-oval-office-clash-with-trump-report-8883070">Starmer faced pressure from US to slam Zelensky after Oval Office clash with Trump: Report</a>
In March 2018, Vanessa filed for an uncontested divorce in New York which was finalised by the end of the year.
Before marrying Trump Jr, Vanessa was romantically linked to Saudi Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud.
She has also dated Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio and had a relationship with local street gangster Valentin Rivera during her teenage years.
<h2>Woods and Donald Trump&nbsp;</h2>
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-european-nations-canada-warns-citizens-travelling-to-us-amid-trumps-immigration-crackdown-8883018">After European nations, Canada warns citizens travelling to US amid Trump's immigration crackdown</a>
Woods has played golf with Donald Trump several times. In 2019, the US president even awarded Woods with the presidential medal of freedom.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

WORLD | SPORTS | Woods has played golf with Donald Trump several times. In 2019, the US president even awarded Woods with the presidential medal of freedom.

Tiger Woods has confirmed he is dating Vanessa Trump - the ex-daughter-in-law of the US President Donald Trump. Making an official announcement on Sunday (March 23) on the social media platform X, Woods said, “Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together." Also read: 'USA! USA!': Trump receives cheerful welcome by 'fans' that Biden 'would never' "At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts," the American golfer wrote to his 6.4 millions followers. Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together. At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts. pic.twitter.com/ETONf1pUmI — Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 23, 2025 It is unknown so far what prompted Woods, who likes to keep his private life to himself, announce his relationship on social media. Who is Vanessa? Also read: 'So America can own us': Canadian PM Carney accuses Trump of trying to 'break Canada' Vanessa is the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. They share five children: Kai, Donald III, Tristan, Spencer, and Chloe. All five children are aware that Vanessa was dating Woods, DailyMail reported. Her dating life Vanessa and Trump Jr were married in 2005 at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida. They had five kids in their 13 years of marriage. Also read: Starmer faced pressure from US to slam Zelensky after Oval Office clash with Trump: Report In March 2018, Vanessa filed for an uncontested divorce in New York which was finalised by the end of the year. Before marrying Trump Jr, Vanessa was romantically linked to Saudi Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud. She has also dated Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio and had a relationship with local street gangster Valentin Rivera during her teenage years. Woods and Donald Trump Also read: After European nations, Canada warns citizens travelling to US amid Trump's immigration crackdown Woods has played golf with Donald Trump several times. In 2019, the US president even awarded Woods with the presidential medal of freedom. (With inputs from agencies)

'Love is in the air': Tiger Woods confirms relationship with Donald Trump's ex daughter-in-law

US President Donald Trump attended the final rounds of the 2024-25 NCAA wrestling championships at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Saturday (March 22). But what's more interesting was Trump's "fans" present there who were seen cheering for the president and chanting "USA! USA!"&nbsp;
People were seen cheering and approaching Trump for a handshake while recording the moment as the US president entered the gathering.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/so-america-can-own-us-canadian-pm-carney-accuses-trump-of-trying-to-break-canada-8883415">'So America can own us': Canadian PM Carney accuses Trump of trying to 'break Canada'</a>
Trump - who was wearing a black overcoat - was seen responding with equal enthusiasm to his admirers and waving at them.&nbsp;
Markwayne Mullin - the Oklahoma Republican senator who interacted with Trump at the event- said that the cheering was the "respect" people hold for the US president.&nbsp;
"They respect a fighter. That's right at President Trump's base," Mullin told Fox News.&nbsp;
"He couldn't have been more at home in that crowd than myself or any other wrestler that was participating there," he added.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-new-pm-mark-carney-calls-snap-election-on-april-28-amid-donald-trump-tariff-threat-8883347">Canada&rsquo;s new PM Mark Carney calls April 28 snap election, says &lsquo;We needed to act because of Trump&rsquo;s tariffs&rsquo;</a>
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BREAKING :President Donald Trump stuns America by coming to the NCAA Wrestling Championship 🇺🇸 THOUSANDS of people erupt the moment they all see Donald Trump walk into the Arena Everybody loves Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCAAWrestling?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NCAAWrestling</a> <a href="https://t.co/f8L3bu2G8j">pic.twitter.com/f8L3bu2G8j</a>
&mdash; Ape𝕏 (@CubanOnlyTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/CubanOnlyTrump/status/1903606777695863045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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🚨HOLY COW: Just look at how many tens of thousands in this crowd just went WILD for President Trump at the NCAA D1 Wrestling Championship. PENNSYLVANIA IS TRUMP COUNTRY! <a href="https://t.co/dNGxekfzcj">pic.twitter.com/dNGxekfzcj</a>
&mdash; Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) <a href="https://twitter.com/BoLoudon/status/1903604549685751959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After completing one of the biggest upsets in NCAA wrestling history, Wyatt Hendrickson drapes himself in the American flag, salutes Donald Trump, and goes over to shake the president&rsquo;s hand. America is back. <a href="https://t.co/5ZyR8ctFBA">pic.twitter.com/5ZyR8ctFBA</a>
&mdash; The Right Answer (@theright_answer) <a href="https://twitter.com/theright_answer/status/1903634778672230466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
At the event, Trump's allies such as Elon Musk, Jim Jordan were also present at the event along with the former WWE executive and current education secretary Linda McMahon.&nbsp;
<h2>'They absolutely love me here, don't they?'</h2>
Mullin talked about Trump's reaction on people cheering at him.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-getting-whatever-elon-wants-how-musks-300-million-bet-on-trump-could-make-him-billions-8883168">&lsquo;Elon getting whatever Elon wants&rsquo;: How Musk&rsquo;s $300 million bet on Trump could make him billions</a>
"He said, 'They absolutely love me here, don't they?' I said, 'Sir, they do.' He said, 'Why do you think that?' And I told him, 'Sir, every male in this building, and I'd say a lot of the females, have been punched in the face. We're wrestling fans&hellip; they respect a fighter, and they respect you,'" Mullin told the news agency.&nbsp;
<h2>'If Joe Biden walked in that room...'</h2>
Mullin then criticised the former US president Joe Biden saying that he would never receive such welcome by people.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-european-nations-canada-warns-citizens-travelling-to-us-amid-trumps-immigration-crackdown-8883018">After European nations, Canada warns citizens travelling to US amid Trump's immigration crackdown</a>
"If Joe Biden walked in that room, they wouldn't be chanting 'USA.' They'd be chanting something else," Mullin stated, Fox News reported.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

WORLD | People were seen cheering and approaching Trump for a handshake while recording the moment as the US president entered the gathering.

US President Donald Trump attended the final rounds of the 2024-25 NCAA wrestling championships at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Saturday (March 22). But what's more interesting was Trump's "fans" present there who were seen cheering for the president and chanting "USA! USA!" People were seen cheering and approaching Trump for a handshake while recording the moment as the US president entered the gathering. Also read: 'So America can own us': Canadian PM Carney accuses Trump of trying to 'break Canada' Trump - who was wearing a black overcoat - was seen responding with equal enthusiasm to his admirers and waving at them. Markwayne Mullin - the Oklahoma Republican senator who interacted with Trump at the event- said that the cheering was the "respect" people hold for the US president. "They respect a fighter. That's right at President Trump's base," Mullin told Fox News. "He couldn't have been more at home in that crowd than myself or any other wrestler that was participating there," he added. Also read: Canada’s new PM Mark Carney calls April 28 snap election, says ‘We needed to act because of Trump’s tariffs’ BREAKING :President Donald Trump stuns America by coming to the NCAA Wrestling Championship 🇺🇸 THOUSANDS of people erupt the moment they all see Donald Trump walk into the Arena Everybody loves Trump 🇺🇸 #NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/f8L3bu2G8j — Ape𝕏 (@CubanOnlyTrump) March 23, 2025 🚨HOLY COW: Just look at how many tens of thousands in this crowd just went WILD for President Trump at the NCAA D1 Wrestling Championship. PENNSYLVANIA IS TRUMP COUNTRY! pic.twitter.com/dNGxekfzcj — Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) March 23, 2025 After completing one of the biggest upsets in NCAA wrestling history, Wyatt Hendrickson drapes himself in the American flag, salutes Donald Trump, and goes over to shake the president’s hand. America is back. pic.twitter.com/5ZyR8ctFBA — The Right Answer (@theright_answer) March 23, 2025 At the event, Trump's allies such as Elon Musk, Jim Jordan were also present at the event along with the former WWE executive and current education secretary Linda McMahon. 'They absolutely love me here, don't they?' Mullin talked about Trump's reaction on people cheering at him. Also read: ‘Elon getting whatever Elon wants’: How Musk’s $300 million bet on Trump could make him billions "He said, 'They absolutely love me here, don't they?' I said, 'Sir, they do.' He said, 'Why do you think that?' And I told him, 'Sir, every male in this building, and I'd say a lot of the females, have been punched in the face. We're wrestling fans… they respect a fighter, and they respect you,'" Mullin told the news agency. 'If Joe Biden walked in that room...' Mullin then criticised the former US president Joe Biden saying that he would never receive such welcome by people. Also read: After European nations, Canada warns citizens travelling to US amid Trump's immigration crackdown "If Joe Biden walked in that room, they wouldn't be chanting 'USA.' They'd be chanting something else," Mullin stated, Fox News reported. (With inputs from agencies)

'USA! USA!': Trump receives cheerful welcome by 'fans' that Biden 'would never'

Elon Musk is once again drawing criticism for offering money to voters, this time in a close contest over control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
America PAC, a super PAC supported by Musk, announced on X that it is offering $100 to individuals who sign its &ldquo;Petition in Opposition to Activist Judges.&rdquo; 
The petition states, &ldquo;Judges should interpret laws as written, not rewrite them to fit their personal or political agendas.&rdquo; It continues, &ldquo;By signing below, I&rsquo;m rejecting the actions of activist judges who impose their own views and demanding a judiciary that respects its role&mdash;interpreting, not legislating.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-makes-rare-admission-on-musks-conflicts-of-interest-says-certainly-you-wouldnt-show-the-businessman-china-war-plans-8878296">Trump makes rare admission on Musk&rsquo;s conflicts of interest, says 'wouldn&rsquo;t show' businessman China war plans</a>
Critics have slammed the tactic as an attempt to buy votes. The move appears designed to identify conservative-leaning voters and encourage them to turn out at the polls.
<h2>Trump backs Brad Schimel</h2>
US President Donald Trump has thrown his full support behind Brad Schimel. &ldquo;There is a very important Election for State Supreme Court on April 1st, and Early Voting is now underway,&rdquo; wrote US President Donald Trump on Truth Social.
&ldquo;Brad Schimel is running against Radical Left Liberal Susan Crawford, who has repeatedly given child molesters, rapists, women beaters, and domestic abusers &lsquo;light&rsquo; sentences. She is the handpicked voice of the Leftists who are out to destroy your State, and our Country &mdash; And if she wins, the Movement to restore our Nation will bypass Wisconsin. All Voters who believe in Common Sense should GET OUT TO VOTE EARLY for Brad Schimel,&rdquo; Trump added.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/these-are-terrorists-trump-defends-musk-says-tesla-attacks-worse-than-jan-6-capitol-riot-8878054">'These are terrorists': Trump defends Musk, says Tesla attacks worse than Jan. 6 Capitol riot</a>
This is not the first time Musk and America PAC have offered cash in the political sphere. Before the last presidential election, the group promised $47 to anyone who persuaded a registered voter to sign a petition in favour of free speech and gun rights. 
<h2>Why is the Wisconsin Supreme Court race crucial?</h2>
The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court race is being closely watched, as it will decide the court's ideological balance. Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general backed by Republicans, is up against Susan Crawford, a Dane County judge supported by Democrats. Crawford has previously represented Planned Parenthood and other progressive clients in private practice.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-war-or-doge-cuts-inside-elon-musks-controversial-pentagon-visit-that-trump-hegseth-rushed-to-defend-8877941">China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk&rsquo;s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend</a>
In February, Tesla filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin challenging a state law that prevents the company from opening its own dealerships. America PAC, along with another Musk-funded group, Building America&rsquo;s Future, has spent over $13 million on the election so far, according to the Associated Press.
&ldquo;Elon Musk has now resorted to trying to buy votes because he wants Schimel to rule in favour of his company&rsquo;s lawsuit,&rdquo; Crawford posted on X on Friday. &ldquo;Wisconsinites don&rsquo;t want a slimy billionaire like Musk or a corrupt politician like Schimel controlling the Supreme Court,&rdquo; she added.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-get-jailed-in-el-salvador-prisons-trump-threatens-terrorists-harming-musk-tesla-with-20-year-jail-term-8877058">&lsquo;Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons&rsquo;: Trump threatens &lsquo;terrorists&rsquo; harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year&nbsp;jail</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: America PAC, a super PAC supported by Musk, announced on X that it is offering $100 to individuals who sign its “Petition in Opposition to Activist Judges.”

Elon Musk is once again drawing criticism for offering money to voters, this time in a close contest over control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. America PAC, a super PAC supported by Musk, announced on X that it is offering $100 to individuals who sign its “Petition in Opposition to Activist Judges.” The petition states, “Judges should interpret laws as written, not rewrite them to fit their personal or political agendas.” It continues, “By signing below, I’m rejecting the actions of activist judges who impose their own views and demanding a judiciary that respects its role—interpreting, not legislating.” Also read: Trump makes rare admission on Musk’s conflicts of interest, says 'wouldn’t show' businessman China war plans Critics have slammed the tactic as an attempt to buy votes. The move appears designed to identify conservative-leaning voters and encourage them to turn out at the polls. Trump backs Brad Schimel US President Donald Trump has thrown his full support behind Brad Schimel. “There is a very important Election for State Supreme Court on April 1st, and Early Voting is now underway,” wrote US President Donald Trump on Truth Social. “Brad Schimel is running against Radical Left Liberal Susan Crawford, who has repeatedly given child molesters, rapists, women beaters, and domestic abusers ‘light’ sentences. She is the handpicked voice of the Leftists who are out to destroy your State, and our Country — And if she wins, the Movement to restore our Nation will bypass Wisconsin. All Voters who believe in Common Sense should GET OUT TO VOTE EARLY for Brad Schimel,” Trump added. Also read: 'These are terrorists': Trump defends Musk, says Tesla attacks worse than Jan. 6 Capitol riot This is not the first time Musk and America PAC have offered cash in the political sphere. Before the last presidential election, the group promised $47 to anyone who persuaded a registered voter to sign a petition in favour of free speech and gun rights. Why is the Wisconsin Supreme Court race crucial? The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court race is being closely watched, as it will decide the court's ideological balance. Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general backed by Republicans, is up against Susan Crawford, a Dane County judge supported by Democrats. Crawford has previously represented Planned Parenthood and other progressive clients in private practice. Also read: China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk’s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend In February, Tesla filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin challenging a state law that prevents the company from opening its own dealerships. America PAC, along with another Musk-funded group, Building America’s Future, has spent over $13 million on the election so far, according to the Associated Press. “Elon Musk has now resorted to trying to buy votes because he wants Schimel to rule in favour of his company’s lawsuit,” Crawford posted on X on Friday. “Wisconsinites don’t want a slimy billionaire like Musk or a corrupt politician like Schimel controlling the Supreme Court,” she added. Also read: ‘Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons’: Trump threatens ‘terrorists’ harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year jail (With inputs from agencies)

'Slimy billionaire': Elon Musk blasted for ‘buying votes’ in Wisconsin court election as Trump backs Brad Schimel

President Donald Trump has instructed the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to impose penalties on lawyers and law firms involved in what he described as &ldquo;frivolous, unreasonable and vexatious&rdquo; legal action against the US government.
In a memo released by the White House on Friday, Trump said, &ldquo;Lawyers and law firms that engage in actions that violate the laws of the United States or rules governing attorney conduct must be efficiently and effectively held accountable. Accountability is especially important when misconduct by lawyers and law firms threatens our national security, homeland security, public safety, or election integrity.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-signs-order-to-eliminate-us-education-department-8874844">Donald Trump signs order to 'eliminate' US Education Department</a>
<h2>Immigration lawyers in the spotlight</h2>
The directive, titled Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court, particularly targeted immigration lawyers. Trump claimed they &ldquo;frequently coach clients to conceal their past or lie about their circumstances when asserting their asylum claims, all in an attempt to circumvent immigration policies enacted to protect our national security and deceive the immigration authorities and courts into granting them undeserved relief.&rdquo;
He ordered acting Attorney General Bondi to investigate the behaviour of lawyers and firms that have filed lawsuits against the federal government over the last eight years. Trump also called on both Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to prioritise enforcement of rules around attorney conduct and discipline.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-hails-good-relations-with-india-points-out-the-only-problem-8874597">Donald Trump hails 'good relations' with India, points out 'the only problem'</a>
<h2>Targeting prominent law firms</h2>
In recent weeks, Trump has taken executive actions against major legal firms he associates with his political opponents, including efforts to revoke their government contracts and security clearances.
One of the firms singled out was Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &amp; Garrison LLP. Trump had initially demanded a review of their contracts and clearances but withdrew the order after the firm agreed to provide pro bono legal work for the administration.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-strips-joe-biden-kamala-harris-hillary-clinton-and-other-former-officials-of-security-clearances-8878938">Trump breaks precedent, strips Biden, Harris, and others of security clearances</a>
Another firm, Perkins Coie, previously linked to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, launched legal action after Trump issued an order banning its lawyers from entering federal buildings. US District Judge Beryl Howell, appointed by former President Barack Obama, temporarily blocked part of that order.
Covington &amp; Burling, which offers legal services to former special counsel Jack Smith in a personal capacity, was also targeted by the president.
<h2>Trump defends his actions</h2>
Defending his actions on Friday, Trump told reporters, &ldquo;Well, the law firms all want to make deals. You mean the law firms that we&rsquo;re going after, that went after me for four years ruthlessly, violently, illegally? Are those the law firms you&rsquo;re talking about?&rdquo;
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re not babies. They&rsquo;re very sophisticated people,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Those law firms did bad things. Bad things. They went after me for years.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alien-enemies-act-the-18th-century-wartime-law-trump-used-for-deportation-but-failed-explained-8858793">Alien Enemies Act: The 18th-century wartime law Trump used for deportation but failed, explained</a>
<h2>Frustration over court orders</h2>
According to sources close to the matter, Trump has been frustrated in recent days by a series of temporary court orders that have slowed his political agenda. One such case challenged the legality of Elon Musk&rsquo;s cost-cutting efforts, branding them as potentially unconstitutional.
However, the case causing the most frustration for the White House involves Trump&rsquo;s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport suspected Venezuelan gang members without court proceedings.
In that case, US District Judge James Boasberg ordered that any ongoing deportation flights be recalled and temporarily halted further removals under the Act.
The administration failed to return two flights, arguing the judge&rsquo;s instructions were not issued in writing. This prompted Boasberg to question whether the government had ignored a court order.
&ldquo;You felt that you could disregard it because it wasn&rsquo;t in the written order. That&rsquo;s your first argument?&rdquo; Boasberg asked during a recent hearing. &ldquo;The idea that because my written order was pithier so it could be disregarded, that&rsquo;s one heck of a stretch,&rdquo; Boasberg added.
The White House insists it did not break the law. At the core of the dispute is the administration&rsquo;s view that the judge had no authority to hear the case, a position that overlooks the established role of federal courts in reviewing how laws are applied.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Trump has taken executive actions against major legal firms he associates with his political opponents, including efforts to revoke their government contracts and security clearances.

President Donald Trump has instructed the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to impose penalties on lawyers and law firms involved in what he described as “frivolous, unreasonable and vexatious” legal action against the US government. In a memo released by the White House on Friday, Trump said, “Lawyers and law firms that engage in actions that violate the laws of the United States or rules governing attorney conduct must be efficiently and effectively held accountable. Accountability is especially important when misconduct by lawyers and law firms threatens our national security, homeland security, public safety, or election integrity.” Also read: Donald Trump signs order to 'eliminate' US Education Department Immigration lawyers in the spotlight The directive, titled Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court, particularly targeted immigration lawyers. Trump claimed they “frequently coach clients to conceal their past or lie about their circumstances when asserting their asylum claims, all in an attempt to circumvent immigration policies enacted to protect our national security and deceive the immigration authorities and courts into granting them undeserved relief.” He ordered acting Attorney General Bondi to investigate the behaviour of lawyers and firms that have filed lawsuits against the federal government over the last eight years. Trump also called on both Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to prioritise enforcement of rules around attorney conduct and discipline. Also read: Donald Trump hails 'good relations' with India, points out 'the only problem' Targeting prominent law firms In recent weeks, Trump has taken executive actions against major legal firms he associates with his political opponents, including efforts to revoke their government contracts and security clearances. One of the firms singled out was Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Trump had initially demanded a review of their contracts and clearances but withdrew the order after the firm agreed to provide pro bono legal work for the administration. Also read: Trump breaks precedent, strips Biden, Harris, and others of security clearances Another firm, Perkins Coie, previously linked to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, launched legal action after Trump issued an order banning its lawyers from entering federal buildings. US District Judge Beryl Howell, appointed by former President Barack Obama, temporarily blocked part of that order. Covington & Burling, which offers legal services to former special counsel Jack Smith in a personal capacity, was also targeted by the president. Trump defends his actions Defending his actions on Friday, Trump told reporters, “Well, the law firms all want to make deals. You mean the law firms that we’re going after, that went after me for four years ruthlessly, violently, illegally? Are those the law firms you’re talking about?” “They’re not babies. They’re very sophisticated people,” he added. “Those law firms did bad things. Bad things. They went after me for years.” Also read: Alien Enemies Act: The 18th-century wartime law Trump used for deportation but failed, explained Frustration over court orders According to sources close to the matter, Trump has been frustrated in recent days by a series of temporary court orders that have slowed his political agenda. One such case challenged the legality of Elon Musk’s cost-cutting efforts, branding them as potentially unconstitutional. However, the case causing the most frustration for the White House involves Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport suspected Venezuelan gang members without court proceedings. In that case, US District Judge James Boasberg ordered that any ongoing deportation flights be recalled and temporarily halted further removals under the Act. The administration failed to return two flights, arguing the judge’s instructions were not issued in writing. This prompted Boasberg to question whether the government had ignored a court order. “You felt that you could disregard it because it wasn’t in the written order. That’s your first argument?” Boasberg asked during a recent hearing. “The idea that because my written order was pithier so it could be disregarded, that’s one heck of a stretch,” Boasberg added. The White House insists it did not break the law. At the core of the dispute is the administration’s view that the judge had no authority to hear the case, a position that overlooks the established role of federal courts in reviewing how laws are applied. (With inputs from agencies)

'Unreasonable and vexatious': Trump targets immigration lawyers with new DOJ crackdown on ‘frivolous’ lawsuits

DOGE head Elon Musk&rsquo;s visit to the Pentagon on Friday (March 21) sparked widespread speculation, particularly after reports suggested that he would be briefed on possible US military plans in the event of a conflict with China.
However, both Musk and US officials, including President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, strongly denied those claims.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-taps-boeing-for-f-47-fighter-jet-trump-says-enemies-wont-know-what-hit-them-8877846">Boeing to build sixth-gen fighter jet F-47, Trump says enemies &lsquo;won&rsquo;t know what hit them&rsquo;</a>
<h2>Musk's 80-minute meeting with Hegseth</h2>
Musk, who is currently heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump&rsquo;s administration, held an 80-minute meeting with Hegseth at the Pentagon. &ldquo;If there&rsquo;s anything I can do to be helpful, I would like us to have a good outcome here,&rdquo; Musk said as he left.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-no-longer-safe-for-tourists-uk-germany-issue-travel-warnings-after-woman-detained-like-hannibal-trump-immigration-crackdown-8876514">US no longer safe for tourists? UK, Germany issue travel warnings after woman detained &lsquo;like Hannibal&rsquo;</a>
<h2>'He&rsquo;s there for DOGE, not for China'</h2>
Speaking from the White House later in the day, Trump dismissed reports that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO had been shown any military strategy. &ldquo;They made that up because it&rsquo;s a good story to make up. They&rsquo;re very dishonest people,&rdquo; he said, referring to The New York Times, which initially reported on the alleged China briefing.
&ldquo;I called up Pete [Hegseth] and I said, &lsquo;Is there any truth to that?&rsquo; Absolutely not. He&rsquo;s there for DOGE, not there for China. And if you ever mentioned China, I think he&rsquo;d walk out of the room,&rdquo; Trump added.
Earlier, The New York Times cited anonymous sources claiming Musk was to be briefed on secret war plans concerning China. Other outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, published follow-ups citing their unnamed officials. Despite this, both Trump and Hegseth remained firm in their denials.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-get-jailed-in-el-salvador-prisons-trump-threatens-terrorists-harming-musk-tesla-with-20-year-jail-term-8877058">&lsquo;Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons&rsquo;: Trump threatens &lsquo;terrorists&rsquo; harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year&nbsp;jail</a>
<h2>'Meeting about innovation, efficiencies and smarter production'</h2>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an informal meeting about innovation, efficiencies [and] smarter production. Gonna be great!,&rdquo; Hegseth posted on X (formerly Twitter) ahead of the meeting.
Musk also took to X to respond, calling the reports &ldquo;pure propaganda.&rdquo; He added, &ldquo;I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information. They will be found.&rdquo;
Questions about Musk&rsquo;s involvement in any military plans have raised eyebrows due to his business ties in China. As the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, both of which have US government contracts, his potential access to sensitive information caused concern among critics.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-thrashes-report-claiming-pentagon-would-brief-musk-on-potential-war-with-china-calls-it-fake-news-8875389">Trump trashes report claiming Pentagon would brief Musk on potential war with China, calls it &lsquo;Fake News&rsquo;</a>
<h2>'No war plans'</h2>
When asked directly about the meeting, Trump said, &ldquo;You know, Elon has businesses in China, and he would be susceptible, perhaps, to that, but it was such a fake story.&rdquo;
Hegseth added, &ldquo;Elon Musk is a patriot. Elon Musk is an innovator. Elon Musk provides a lot of capabilities our government and our military rely on, and I&rsquo;m grateful for that.&rdquo;
He continued, &ldquo;We welcomed him today to the Pentagon to talk about DOGE, to talk about efficiencies, to talk about innovations. It was a great informal conversation. The rest of that reporting was fake. There was no war plans. There was no Chinese war plans. There was no secret plans. That&rsquo;s not what we were doing at the Pentagon.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Musk, who is currently heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s administration, held an 80-minute meeting with Hegseth at the Pentagon.

DOGE head Elon Musk’s visit to the Pentagon on Friday (March 21) sparked widespread speculation, particularly after reports suggested that he would be briefed on possible US military plans in the event of a conflict with China. However, both Musk and US officials, including President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, strongly denied those claims. Also read: Boeing to build sixth-gen fighter jet F-47, Trump says enemies ‘won’t know what hit them’ Musk's 80-minute meeting with Hegseth Musk, who is currently heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump’s administration, held an 80-minute meeting with Hegseth at the Pentagon. “If there’s anything I can do to be helpful, I would like us to have a good outcome here,” Musk said as he left. Also read: US no longer safe for tourists? UK, Germany issue travel warnings after woman detained ‘like Hannibal’ 'He’s there for DOGE, not for China' Speaking from the White House later in the day, Trump dismissed reports that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO had been shown any military strategy. “They made that up because it’s a good story to make up. They’re very dishonest people,” he said, referring to The New York Times, which initially reported on the alleged China briefing. “I called up Pete [Hegseth] and I said, ‘Is there any truth to that?’ Absolutely not. He’s there for DOGE, not there for China. And if you ever mentioned China, I think he’d walk out of the room,” Trump added. Earlier, The New York Times cited anonymous sources claiming Musk was to be briefed on secret war plans concerning China. Other outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, published follow-ups citing their unnamed officials. Despite this, both Trump and Hegseth remained firm in their denials. Also read: ‘Could get jailed in El Salvador prisons’: Trump threatens ‘terrorists’ harming Musk, Tesla with 20-year jail 'Meeting about innovation, efficiencies and smarter production' “It’s an informal meeting about innovation, efficiencies [and] smarter production. Gonna be great!,” Hegseth posted on X (formerly Twitter) ahead of the meeting. Musk also took to X to respond, calling the reports “pure propaganda.” He added, “I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information. They will be found.” Questions about Musk’s involvement in any military plans have raised eyebrows due to his business ties in China. As the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, both of which have US government contracts, his potential access to sensitive information caused concern among critics. Also read: Trump trashes report claiming Pentagon would brief Musk on potential war with China, calls it ‘Fake News’ 'No war plans' When asked directly about the meeting, Trump said, “You know, Elon has businesses in China, and he would be susceptible, perhaps, to that, but it was such a fake story.” Hegseth added, “Elon Musk is a patriot. Elon Musk is an innovator. Elon Musk provides a lot of capabilities our government and our military rely on, and I’m grateful for that.” He continued, “We welcomed him today to the Pentagon to talk about DOGE, to talk about efficiencies, to talk about innovations. It was a great informal conversation. The rest of that reporting was fake. There was no war plans. There was no Chinese war plans. There was no secret plans. That’s not what we were doing at the Pentagon.” (With inputs from agencies)

China war or DOGE cuts? Inside Musk’s controversial Pentagon visit that Trump, Hegseth rushed to defend

President Trump's executive order for removing barriers to energy development in Alaska led Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to make public plans for extensive oil and gas drilling expansions across Alaska.
The Trump administration aims to establish drilling rights throughout 82 percent of the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska and permit oil and gas exploration across the 1.56 million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The removal of restrictions from Trans-Alaska Pipeline Corridor and Dalton Highway land permits construction of the Ambler Road and Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline projects.
According to Secretary Burgum "It&rsquo;s time for the U.S. to embrace Alaska&rsquo;s extensive untapped resources as they create national wealth growth that benefits both America and its Alaska natives."
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-backs-musk-amid-protests-says-sabotaging-teslas-would-lead-to-jail-for-up-to-twenty-years-8876612">Trump backs Musk amid protests, says sabotaging Teslas would lead to jail for up to twenty years</a>
The decision to explore ANWR has generated persistent controversy as Alaska legislators together with tribal corporate partners push for development while environmental organizations backed by Democratic administrations fight for ecological protection. The current lease auction organized by the Biden administration failed to attract any offers from energy corporations.
The Biden administration denied permission for the Ambler Road Project which would construct a 211-mile road linking to a mining district that contained rare earth minerals. Governor Mike Dunleavy from Alaska's Republican Party together with the state's congressional representatives continue their steadfast support for these policy changes.
Certain indigenous groups from Alaska endorse both ANWR and National Petroleum Reserve development and have approved of the federal administration's policy changes. Kaktovik I&ntilde;upiat Corporation President Charles Lampe expressed his organization's praise of DOI's recent policy decision under Secretary Burgum's leadership.
The oil industry views this situation with caution because they see high risks coupled with the potential that a new administration could change existing policies. Environmental organizations oppose the action due to concerns about its threat to the sensitive Arctic environment and native animals such as caribou, polar bears and migratory birds.
"Expanding oil drilling across public lands in the Arctic is risky, harmful to the health and well-being of people who reside nearby, devastating to wildlife and bad for the climate,&rdquo; said Carole Holley, Managing Attorney in Earthjustice&rsquo;s Alaska Regional Office.
The decision sets the stage for a renewed debate over balancing energy development with environmental protection in Alaska.

Autonews | Certain indigenous groups from Alaska endorse both ANWR and National Petroleum Reserve development and have approved of policy changes.

President Trump's executive order for removing barriers to energy development in Alaska led Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to make public plans for extensive oil and gas drilling expansions across Alaska. The Trump administration aims to establish drilling rights throughout 82 percent of the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska and permit oil and gas exploration across the 1.56 million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The removal of restrictions from Trans-Alaska Pipeline Corridor and Dalton Highway land permits construction of the Ambler Road and Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline projects. According to Secretary Burgum "It’s time for the U.S. to embrace Alaska’s extensive untapped resources as they create national wealth growth that benefits both America and its Alaska natives." Also Read | Trump backs Musk amid protests, says sabotaging Teslas would lead to jail for up to twenty years The decision to explore ANWR has generated persistent controversy as Alaska legislators together with tribal corporate partners push for development while environmental organizations backed by Democratic administrations fight for ecological protection. The current lease auction organized by the Biden administration failed to attract any offers from energy corporations. The Biden administration denied permission for the Ambler Road Project which would construct a 211-mile road linking to a mining district that contained rare earth minerals. Governor Mike Dunleavy from Alaska's Republican Party together with the state's congressional representatives continue their steadfast support for these policy changes. Certain indigenous groups from Alaska endorse both ANWR and National Petroleum Reserve development and have approved of the federal administration's policy changes. Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation President Charles Lampe expressed his organization's praise of DOI's recent policy decision under Secretary Burgum's leadership. The oil industry views this situation with caution because they see high risks coupled with the potential that a new administration could change existing policies. Environmental organizations oppose the action due to concerns about its threat to the sensitive Arctic environment and native animals such as caribou, polar bears and migratory birds. "Expanding oil drilling across public lands in the Arctic is risky, harmful to the health and well-being of people who reside nearby, devastating to wildlife and bad for the climate,” said Carole Holley, Managing Attorney in Earthjustice’s Alaska Regional Office. The decision sets the stage for a renewed debate over balancing energy development with environmental protection in Alaska.

Trump administration moves to expand oil and gas drilling in Alaska

Donald Trump promised a new "Golden Age" for America. In the Oval Office, at least, he has lived up to his promise with a blingy makeover.
The Republican has decked out the inner sanctum of the US presidency with gilded trophies and gold-plated, Trump-branded coasters, and filled almost every available inch of wall space with portraits of his predecessors.
Almost every day seems to bring something new. This week Trump unveiled a copy of the Declaration of Independence -- the historic document triggering America's freedom from the British monarchy 250 years ago.
Far more than during his first term, it's as if the 78-year-old former reality TV star and billionaire property mogul is creating something that is part-studio and part-exclusive real estate.
"President Trump is very good at playing the role of Donald Trump," Peter Loge, director of George Washington University's School of Media, told AFP.
"The show is the point. Part of the show is the bling. It would be surprising if Trump did not remake the Oval Office into a TV set that reflected his brand."
<h2>Presidential portraits</h2>
But there's also a serious political message behind Trump's frenetic redecoration.
The Oval Office is the most potent symbol of American power, a backdrop to his frequent news conferences and televised meetings with foreign dignitaries -- including a recent meltdown between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
It was, therefore, no coincidence when the gallery of presidential portraits got a new addition: the 19th-century president James Polk.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-hails-good-relations-with-india-points-out-the-only-problem-8874597">Donald Trump hails 'good relations' with India, points out 'the only problem'</a>
Under Polk, the 11th US president, the United States saw its biggest period of territorial expansion by taking in huge swaths of the west coast, the southwest and Texas.&nbsp;
It was a clear piece of political symbolism at a time that Trump is alarming allies by openly talking about annexing Greenland, reclaiming the Panama Canal and taking over Gaza.
<h2>'Would Biden do this?'</h2>
Each president picks most of their decor from similar sources including the White House art collection, but they still manage to stamp a very personal touch on the Oval.
The difference from Trump's Democratic predecessor Joe Biden could hardly be greater -- as the 47th president himself is well aware.
"Do you think Joe Biden would do this? I don't think so," Trump said Tuesday as he pulled back light-protecting drapes on the Declaration of Independence in an interview with Fox News Channel's "The Ingraham Angle."
Trump also pointed out gold cherubs newly installed above the doorways. "They say angels bring good luck," he said.
Biden's Oval was a relative model of restraint with five portraits around the famed fireplace, including wartime president Franklin D. Roosevelt's directly above the hearth.
Trump has nine -- and that doesn't count others near his desk, including Republican icon Ronald Reagan's.
While Biden had a sprawling Swedish ivy plant that reputedly dated back to John F. Kennedy on the mantelpiece, Trump has seven ornate gilded vessels, some of which are more than 200 years old.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-why-donald-trump-didnt-invite-sunita-williams-to-white-house-8870155">Here's why Donald Trump didn't invite Sunita Williams to White House</a>
And while both Trump and Biden had a bust of civil rights leader Martin Luther King on display, Trump has brought back the bust of Britain's World War II prime minister Winston Churchill that he had during his first term.
<h2>Framed mugshot</h2>
The ostentatious display should probably not come as a surprise for a man who announced his first presidential run by descending on a golden escalator at Trump Tower in New York.&nbsp;
The billionaire has long branded everything he can with his name, from buildings to bibles.
And Trump's makeover rarely shies away from promoting both his own brand and an image of strength that has been central to his political career.
Recently, one item that has been on permanent display is a large map identifying the "Gulf of America," which the Trump administration has renamed from the Gulf of Mexico.
Trump is even planning to pave over the famed Rose Garden that the Oval Office overlooks, to give it the patio-like feel of his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
"The grass just doesn't work," Trump told Fox, adding that it gets "soaking wet."
One of Trump's proudest touches, though, is a very unconventional portrait that hangs near those of his illustrious forebears.
Right outside the Oval Office in a gold frame hangs a photo of Trump -- his 2023 mugshot, as featured on the cover of a tabloid newspaper, from when he was booked in Georgia for alleged attempts to interfere with the 2020 election.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Trending | World | Each president picks most of their decor from similar sources including the White House art collection, but they still manage to stamp a very personal touch on the Oval.

Donald Trump promised a new "Golden Age" for America. In the Oval Office, at least, he has lived up to his promise with a blingy makeover. The Republican has decked out the inner sanctum of the US presidency with gilded trophies and gold-plated, Trump-branded coasters, and filled almost every available inch of wall space with portraits of his predecessors. Almost every day seems to bring something new. This week Trump unveiled a copy of the Declaration of Independence -- the historic document triggering America's freedom from the British monarchy 250 years ago. Far more than during his first term, it's as if the 78-year-old former reality TV star and billionaire property mogul is creating something that is part-studio and part-exclusive real estate. "President Trump is very good at playing the role of Donald Trump," Peter Loge, director of George Washington University's School of Media, told AFP. "The show is the point. Part of the show is the bling. It would be surprising if Trump did not remake the Oval Office into a TV set that reflected his brand." Presidential portraits But there's also a serious political message behind Trump's frenetic redecoration. The Oval Office is the most potent symbol of American power, a backdrop to his frequent news conferences and televised meetings with foreign dignitaries -- including a recent meltdown between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It was, therefore, no coincidence when the gallery of presidential portraits got a new addition: the 19th-century president James Polk. Also read | Donald Trump hails 'good relations' with India, points out 'the only problem' Under Polk, the 11th US president, the United States saw its biggest period of territorial expansion by taking in huge swaths of the west coast, the southwest and Texas. It was a clear piece of political symbolism at a time that Trump is alarming allies by openly talking about annexing Greenland, reclaiming the Panama Canal and taking over Gaza. 'Would Biden do this?' Each president picks most of their decor from similar sources including the White House art collection, but they still manage to stamp a very personal touch on the Oval. The difference from Trump's Democratic predecessor Joe Biden could hardly be greater -- as the 47th president himself is well aware. "Do you think Joe Biden would do this? I don't think so," Trump said Tuesday as he pulled back light-protecting drapes on the Declaration of Independence in an interview with Fox News Channel's "The Ingraham Angle." Trump also pointed out gold cherubs newly installed above the doorways. "They say angels bring good luck," he said. Biden's Oval was a relative model of restraint with five portraits around the famed fireplace, including wartime president Franklin D. Roosevelt's directly above the hearth. Trump has nine -- and that doesn't count others near his desk, including Republican icon Ronald Reagan's. While Biden had a sprawling Swedish ivy plant that reputedly dated back to John F. Kennedy on the mantelpiece, Trump has seven ornate gilded vessels, some of which are more than 200 years old. Also read | Here's why Donald Trump didn't invite Sunita Williams to White House And while both Trump and Biden had a bust of civil rights leader Martin Luther King on display, Trump has brought back the bust of Britain's World War II prime minister Winston Churchill that he had during his first term. Framed mugshot The ostentatious display should probably not come as a surprise for a man who announced his first presidential run by descending on a golden escalator at Trump Tower in New York. The billionaire has long branded everything he can with his name, from buildings to bibles. And Trump's makeover rarely shies away from promoting both his own brand and an image of strength that has been central to his political career. Recently, one item that has been on permanent display is a large map identifying the "Gulf of America," which the Trump administration has renamed from the Gulf of Mexico. Trump is even planning to pave over the famed Rose Garden that the Oval Office overlooks, to give it the patio-like feel of his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. "The grass just doesn't work," Trump told Fox, adding that it gets "soaking wet." One of Trump's proudest touches, though, is a very unconventional portrait that hangs near those of his illustrious forebears. Right outside the Oval Office in a gold frame hangs a photo of Trump -- his 2023 mugshot, as featured on the cover of a tabloid newspaper, from when he was booked in Georgia for alleged attempts to interfere with the 2020 election. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Trump brings ‘Golden Age’ to Oval Office with gold-plated makeover

Elon Musk and Tesla are facing a &ldquo;brand tornado crisis moment&rdquo; and the electric vehicle company's CEO needs to cut back his work for US President Donald Trump to control the damage, one of the biggest supporters of the company said.&nbsp;This comes as Tesla announced the recalling of 46,000 Cybertrucks in the US on Thursday (Mar 20) to fix an exterior panel.
According to The Guardian, Dan Ives, the managing director at the US financial firm Wedbush and a self-described Tesla &ldquo;core bull&rdquo;, said that Musk&rsquo;s role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was damaging the billionaire&rsquo;s reputation and his business.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/they-want-to-kill-me-musk-claims-bad-people-want-to-assassinate-him-hurt-tesla-8869679">&lsquo;They want to kill me&rsquo;: Musk claims &lsquo;bad people&rsquo; want to assassinate him, &lsquo;hurt&rsquo; Tesla</a>
&ldquo;The brand damage started off as limited in our view based on our initial survey work &hellip; but now has spread globally over the last few weeks into what we would characterise as a brand tornado crisis moment for Musk and Tesla,&rdquo; Ives wrote in a note to investors, as per The Guardian report.
As Musk&rsquo;s DOGE has been on a crackdown to cut federal jobs and spending, a US judge on Tuesday (Mar 18) ruled that shutting down the Agency for International Development has likely violated the constitution.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/autonews/toronto-excludes-tesla-from-ev-incentives-amid-us-trade-tensions-8865743">Toronto excludes Tesla from EV incentives amid US trade tensions</a>
<h2>Tesla&rsquo;s dropping shares amid protests</h2>
Tesla shares have significantly suffered, losing a third of their value over the last month as several investors have raised concerns amid the widespread protests and vandalism incidents at the company&rsquo;s showrooms across the country.
Ives said the protests are evidence of a &ldquo;massive overhang for Tesla&rsquo;s stock&rdquo;, adding that Musk faced a &ldquo;moment of truth&rdquo; and needed to act.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trans-woman-who-spray-painted-tesla-dealership-with-fk-musk-has-emotional-problems-8854981">Trans woman who spray-painted 'f**k Musk' on Tesla dealership has 'emotional problems'</a>
&ldquo;Tesla and Musk are facing a defining chapter in their future and how Musk handles this next few months will be pivotal to the long term growth trajectory of Tesla in our view. Tesla is Musk and Musk is Tesla &hellip; they are synonymous and attached together and cannot be separated,&rdquo; he wrote.
To stop the crisis, Ives said that Musk needed to officially announce that he was going to balance running DOGE while being Tesla&rsquo;s CEO to &ldquo;dissipate&rdquo; the heat around the company and ensure the damage is not permanent.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tesla-likely-to-get-affected-by-trumps-retaliatory-tariffs-amid-trade-war-says-could-harm-ev-companies-8853564">'Should not harm EV companies': Musk's Tesla raises concern as it might get affected by Trump's retaliatory tariffs</a>
&ldquo;Investors need to see Musk take a step back and balance his DOGE and Tesla CEO roles,&rdquo; he said.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Tesla shares have significantly suffered, losing a third of their value over the last month as several investors have raised concerns amid the widespread protests and vandalising incidents at the company’s showrooms across the country.

Elon Musk and Tesla are facing a “brand tornado crisis moment” and the electric vehicle company's CEO needs to cut back his work for US President Donald Trump to control the damage, one of the biggest supporters of the company said. This comes as Tesla announced the recalling of 46,000 Cybertrucks in the US on Thursday (Mar 20) to fix an exterior panel. According to The Guardian, Dan Ives, the managing director at the US financial firm Wedbush and a self-described Tesla “core bull”, said that Musk’s role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was damaging the billionaire’s reputation and his business. Also read | ‘They want to kill me’: Musk claims ‘bad people’ want to assassinate him, ‘hurt’ Tesla “The brand damage started off as limited in our view based on our initial survey work … but now has spread globally over the last few weeks into what we would characterise as a brand tornado crisis moment for Musk and Tesla,” Ives wrote in a note to investors, as per The Guardian report. As Musk’s DOGE has been on a crackdown to cut federal jobs and spending, a US judge on Tuesday (Mar 18) ruled that shutting down the Agency for International Development has likely violated the constitution. Also read | Toronto excludes Tesla from EV incentives amid US trade tensions Tesla’s dropping shares amid protests Tesla shares have significantly suffered, losing a third of their value over the last month as several investors have raised concerns amid the widespread protests and vandalism incidents at the company’s showrooms across the country. Ives said the protests are evidence of a “massive overhang for Tesla’s stock”, adding that Musk faced a “moment of truth” and needed to act. Also read | Trans woman who spray-painted 'f**k Musk' on Tesla dealership has 'emotional problems' “Tesla and Musk are facing a defining chapter in their future and how Musk handles this next few months will be pivotal to the long term growth trajectory of Tesla in our view. Tesla is Musk and Musk is Tesla … they are synonymous and attached together and cannot be separated,” he wrote. To stop the crisis, Ives said that Musk needed to officially announce that he was going to balance running DOGE while being Tesla’s CEO to “dissipate” the heat around the company and ensure the damage is not permanent. Also read | 'Should not harm EV companies': Musk's Tesla raises concern as it might get affected by Trump's retaliatory tariffs “Investors need to see Musk take a step back and balance his DOGE and Tesla CEO roles,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Musk needs to step back’: Tesla backer says CEO must reduce Trump work amid protests, dropping shares

Indian researcher Badar Khan Suri has been detained in the US by immigration officers and faces deportation. This comes amid the crackdown on immigrants by US President Donald Trump. Suri, who was teaching and studying at Georgetown University, was arrested from his residence in Virginia on Monday night (Mar 17).
Suri was arrested by masked agents who said they were from the Department of Homeland Security; his lawsuit mentioned that he was told the government had revoked his visa. According to Suri's court papers, he has no criminal record. The postdoctoral fellow's lawyer, Hassan Ahmad, in his petition, highlighted that Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, who has Palestinian lineage, is the reason for the arrest. As reported by news outlet Politico, Ahmad argued, 'the government suspects that he and his wife oppose US foreign policy toward Israel.' Earlier, Saleh was accused of having alleged &ldquo;ties with Hamas&rdquo;.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-set-to-sign-order-to-dismantle-us-department-of-education-report-8871534">Trump set to sign order to dismantle US Education Department: Report</a>
Tricia McLaughlin,&nbsp; Assistant Secretary, Department of Homeland Security, confirmed that Suri was 'a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.'
In her statement on X, McLaughlin added, "Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025, that Suri&rsquo;s activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable under INA section 237(a)(4)(C)(i),"
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Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media. Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/gU02gLAlX1">https://t.co/gU02gLAlX1</a>
&mdash; Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) <a href="https://twitter.com/TriciaOhio/status/1902524674291966261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
Georgetown University released a statement: &ldquo;Dr Khan Suri is an Indian national who was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention."
"We support our community members' rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly,&rdquo; it added.

Indian researcher Badar Khan Suri has been detained in the US by immigration officers and faces deportation. This comes amid the crackdown on immigrants by US President Donald Trump. World

Indian researcher Badar Khan Suri has been detained in the US by immigration officers and faces deportation. This comes amid the crackdown on immigrants by US President Donald Trump. Suri, who was teaching and studying at Georgetown University, was arrested from his residence in Virginia on Monday night (Mar 17). Suri was arrested by masked agents who said they were from the Department of Homeland Security; his lawsuit mentioned that he was told the government had revoked his visa. According to Suri's court papers, he has no criminal record. The postdoctoral fellow's lawyer, Hassan Ahmad, in his petition, highlighted that Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, who has Palestinian lineage, is the reason for the arrest. As reported by news outlet Politico, Ahmad argued, 'the government suspects that he and his wife oppose US foreign policy toward Israel.' Earlier, Saleh was accused of having alleged “ties with Hamas”. Also read: Trump set to sign order to dismantle US Education Department: Report Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary, Department of Homeland Security, confirmed that Suri was 'a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.' In her statement on X, McLaughlin added, "Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025, that Suri’s activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable under INA section 237(a)(4)(C)(i)," Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media. Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a… https://t.co/gU02gLAlX1 — Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) March 20, 2025 Georgetown University released a statement: “Dr Khan Suri is an Indian national who was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention." "We support our community members' rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly,” it added.

India researcher legally living in US faces deportation for allegedly 'spreading Hamas propaganda'

Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly made US President Donald Trump wait for an hour for the phone call, after which they eventually agreed on a limited ceasefire in Ukraine, according to a report.&nbsp;
Just before the call with Trump on Tuesday (Mar 18), Putin was at an annual event with businessmen in Moscow. The call was arranged between 4 PM and 6 PM Russian time. &nbsp;
After some time, the host of the event reminded Putin that he was getting late for the call with the US president, said the report.
Putin was captured staring and smirking, according to the report.&nbsp;
Eventually, he reached late at the Kremlin for the call.
This alleged 'delay tactic' incident went viral on social media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Making leaders wait is an old Putin power play. But, this is a pretty brutal. Putin is publicly mocking Trump. <a href="https://t.co/FK1ahLbxQI">https://t.co/FK1ahLbxQI</a>
&mdash; Brett Bruen (@BrettBruen) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrettBruen/status/1901992757012357127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>

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Also, read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/vladimir-putin-showing-signs-of-mini-stroke-claims-his-former-speechwriter-is-the-russian-president-sick-8868431">Vladimir Putin showing signs of 'mini-stroke,' claims his former speechwriter. Is the Russian president sick?</a>
The two presidents ultimately talked for more than an hour over phone.
Putin rejected a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that the US president and his team had asked for, according to a Bloomberg report. Still, he agreed to limit the attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Also, read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-federal-judge-suspends-ban-on-transgender-people-in-military-says-trump-ban-soaked-in-animus-8867641">US federal judge suspends ban on transgender people in the military, says Trump ban 'soaked in animus'</a>
<h2>Internet reaction: Deliberate power move by Putin?</h2>
The footage is creating quite a buzz on social media, with many commenting it was a deliberate &ldquo;power move&rdquo; of Putin. One user wrote, "Putin also has a Masters in theatrics. He is from an old Soviet school. Brutal indeed!"
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Putin also has a Masters in theatrics . He is from old Soviet school . Brutal indeed !
&mdash; News &amp; Views (@Shalimartowns) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shalimartowns/status/1902228771811553357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2025</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;Making leaders wait is an old Putin power play. But this is pretty brutal,&rdquo; another X user commented.
Some called it a psychological warfare. &ldquo;This is KGB-level psychological warfare&mdash;Putin knows Trump is desperate for his approval, so he makes him wait like an obedient lapdog,&rdquo; wrote one X user.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING TRUMP: PUTIN JUST HUMILIATED TRUMP&mdash;LEFT HIM WAITING LIKE A DOG 🚨 While speaking to a room full of Russian oligarchs, Putin was asked if he&rsquo;d be late to meet Trump. He just laughed. This is KGB-level psychological warfare&mdash;Putin knows Trump is desperate for his&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/hbKHYN4fyX">pic.twitter.com/hbKHYN4fyX</a>
&mdash; Mario 🇺🇸🇵🇱🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@PawlowskiMario) <a href="https://twitter.com/PawlowskiMario/status/1902014933727850781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>

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World: Trending: Discover the buzz as Russian President Putin allegedly keeps Trump waiting over an hour, sparking rumors of a classic power play, making headlines worldwide.

Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly made US President Donald Trump wait for an hour for the phone call, after which they eventually agreed on a limited ceasefire in Ukraine, according to a report. Just before the call with Trump on Tuesday (Mar 18), Putin was at an annual event with businessmen in Moscow. The call was arranged between 4 PM and 6 PM Russian time. After some time, the host of the event reminded Putin that he was getting late for the call with the US president, said the report. Putin was captured staring and smirking, according to the report. Eventually, he reached late at the Kremlin for the call. This alleged 'delay tactic' incident went viral on social media. Making leaders wait is an old Putin power play. But, this is a pretty brutal. Putin is publicly mocking Trump. https://t.co/FK1ahLbxQI — Brett Bruen (@BrettBruen) March 18, 2025 Also, read | Vladimir Putin showing signs of 'mini-stroke,' claims his former speechwriter. Is the Russian president sick? The two presidents ultimately talked for more than an hour over phone. Putin rejected a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that the US president and his team had asked for, according to a Bloomberg report. Still, he agreed to limit the attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Also, read | US federal judge suspends ban on transgender people in the military, says Trump ban 'soaked in animus' Internet reaction: Deliberate power move by Putin? The footage is creating quite a buzz on social media, with many commenting it was a deliberate “power move” of Putin. One user wrote, "Putin also has a Masters in theatrics. He is from an old Soviet school. Brutal indeed!" Putin also has a Masters in theatrics . He is from old Soviet school . Brutal indeed ! — News & Views (@Shalimartowns) March 19, 2025 “Making leaders wait is an old Putin power play. But this is pretty brutal,” another X user commented. Some called it a psychological warfare. “This is KGB-level psychological warfare—Putin knows Trump is desperate for his approval, so he makes him wait like an obedient lapdog,” wrote one X user. BREAKING TRUMP: PUTIN JUST HUMILIATED TRUMP—LEFT HIM WAITING LIKE A DOG 🚨 While speaking to a room full of Russian oligarchs, Putin was asked if he’d be late to meet Trump. He just laughed. This is KGB-level psychological warfare—Putin knows Trump is desperate for his… pic.twitter.com/hbKHYN4fyX — Mario 🇺🇸🇵🇱🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@PawlowskiMario) March 18, 2025

Did Putin mock Trump'? Russian president kept him waiting for phone call for over an hour - Report

Donald Trump has his plans ready for the Kennedy Center where he reportedly intends to make several structural and stylistic changes. According to the New York Times, the president, during the first meeting of the centre&rsquo;s board of directors on Monday (March 17), talked about the "tremendous despair" the centre was in and that he would seek funds from Congress to &ldquo;bring it back.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The Times obtained an audio recording of the meeting where he made some personal remarks about the Kennedy Center, the changes it needs and the kind of shows it should be hosting. A person who was present at the meeting confirmed that it was authentic.
Trump talked about his vision for the centre and said that he intends to bring back several Broadway shows that have attracted a lot of audiences to the Kennedy Center.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-threatens-houthis-to-be-annihilated-warns-iran-to-stop-aid-8870943" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Houthis, warns Iran to stop aid</a>
The US president, and the chairman of the centre, spoke eloquently about the time he attended Andrew Lloyd Webber&rsquo;s "Cats".&nbsp;
<h2>Trump recalls seeing 'Cats' at the Kennedy Center</h2>
He attended the show decades ago and reminisced that he was there with "somebody I should not have been there with". He recalled how he was treated as a "young star for whatever reason". Seated in the fourth row, Trump says he was first taken aback by seeing all those "bodies" lying onstage. Trump said he wanted to leave, but then he "noticed those bodies were gorgeous".
Also Read: <a title="Post View" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-why-donald-trump-didnt-invite-sunita-williams-to-white-house-8870155" target="_blank" rel="dofollow noopener">Here's why Donald Trump didn't invite Sunita Williams to White House</a>
"They had silk tights on, and they were all ballerinas and women from Broadway. And men.&rdquo; About the men, he added: &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t find those particular bodies as attractive to be honest."&nbsp;
About the kind of shows that would be hosted, one of the participants said that the change at the centre &ldquo;opens us up for a whole bunch of more options as well as a lot more money" after a board member enquired about new musicals that were not &ldquo;totally woke."
<h2>He wants to stop celebrating "radical left lunatics"</h2>
Trump also raised the topic of artists honoured at the centre, saying that the centre had been celebrating &ldquo;radical left lunatics&rdquo;. Notably, during his first term, several of those honoured criticised Trump, so the president at the time boycotted the ceremonies.
He instead suggested honouring people from fields like sports, politics, and business, and honouring Luciano Pavarotti, Elvis Presley, and Babe Ruth posthumously.
<h2>Trump wants to host the ceremony</h2>
He even wants to host the annual Kennedy Center Honors, but clarified, "Believe me, I don&rsquo;t want to do it, I don&rsquo;t want to do it. I have enough publicity.&rdquo; &nbsp;
Calling the previous hosts "terrible", Trump said, "They&rsquo;ll say, &lsquo;Trump wants to be the host.&rsquo; I don&rsquo;t want to. But I want this thing to be successful." He also called himself &ldquo;the king of ratings.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Trump also has grand plans for the building itself. He wants to cover the "I-beams with some incredible stone&mdash;probably marble." Marble and granite columns are a signature feature of Trump's buildings.

Trump wants to bring back musicals like Cats to the Kennedy Center. A leaked audio clip from the meeting revealed this and his other plans for the place. World Trending

Donald Trump has his plans ready for the Kennedy Center where he reportedly intends to make several structural and stylistic changes. According to the New York Times, the president, during the first meeting of the centre’s board of directors on Monday (March 17), talked about the "tremendous despair" the centre was in and that he would seek funds from Congress to “bring it back.” The Times obtained an audio recording of the meeting where he made some personal remarks about the Kennedy Center, the changes it needs and the kind of shows it should be hosting. A person who was present at the meeting confirmed that it was authentic. Trump talked about his vision for the centre and said that he intends to bring back several Broadway shows that have attracted a lot of audiences to the Kennedy Center. Also Read: Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Houthis, warns Iran to stop aid The US president, and the chairman of the centre, spoke eloquently about the time he attended Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "Cats". Trump recalls seeing 'Cats' at the Kennedy Center He attended the show decades ago and reminisced that he was there with "somebody I should not have been there with". He recalled how he was treated as a "young star for whatever reason". Seated in the fourth row, Trump says he was first taken aback by seeing all those "bodies" lying onstage. Trump said he wanted to leave, but then he "noticed those bodies were gorgeous". Also Read: Here's why Donald Trump didn't invite Sunita Williams to White House "They had silk tights on, and they were all ballerinas and women from Broadway. And men.” About the men, he added: “I didn’t find those particular bodies as attractive to be honest." About the kind of shows that would be hosted, one of the participants said that the change at the centre “opens us up for a whole bunch of more options as well as a lot more money" after a board member enquired about new musicals that were not “totally woke." He wants to stop celebrating "radical left lunatics" Trump also raised the topic of artists honoured at the centre, saying that the centre had been celebrating “radical left lunatics”. Notably, during his first term, several of those honoured criticised Trump, so the president at the time boycotted the ceremonies. He instead suggested honouring people from fields like sports, politics, and business, and honouring Luciano Pavarotti, Elvis Presley, and Babe Ruth posthumously. Trump wants to host the ceremony He even wants to host the annual Kennedy Center Honors, but clarified, "Believe me, I don’t want to do it, I don’t want to do it. I have enough publicity.” Calling the previous hosts "terrible", Trump said, "They’ll say, ‘Trump wants to be the host.’ I don’t want to. But I want this thing to be successful." He also called himself “the king of ratings.” Trump also has grand plans for the building itself. He wants to cover the "I-beams with some incredible stone—probably marble." Marble and granite columns are a signature feature of Trump's buildings.

'Gorgeous women, men not so attractive': Trump recalls watching Cats at Kennedy Center in leaked audio

White House on Wednesday (Mar 19) confirmed that US &ldquo;intelligence sharing in terms of defence of Ukraine will continue to be shared.&rdquo; This comes following an hour-long &ldquo;fantastic phone conversation&rdquo; between the two leaders.
The conversation between the two nations has moved &ldquo;beyond the economic minerals deal&rdquo; with a focus on &ldquo;partial ceasefire, and we are moving towards a full ceasefire and a longstanding peace in this conflict,&rdquo; said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Referring to earlier discussion between the two leaders, Leavitt said, &ldquo;The Ukrainian president, at the time, wasn&rsquo;t talking about a greater peace deal. We are now at that place where we are talking about that.&rdquo; she said.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-align-russia-ukraine-on-their-requests-trump-zelensky-hold-phone-call-to-discuss-putins-call-8870704">'Ukraine agrees to limited energy, infrastructure ceasefire': Zelensky says after 'frank conversation' with Trump</a>
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework, and we&rsquo;re looking at a lasting ceasefire, right now a partial ceasefire. But again, the president is sending his highly skilled, intelligent and experienced team to Saudi Arabia later this week to creating peace in this conflict, and I would just reiterate one more time, we have been closer to peace than we are today,&rdquo; she said.
<h2>&lsquo;Working together for lasting peace&rsquo;</h2>
Leavitt said that Trump &ldquo;fully briefed&rdquo; Zelensky on his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that &ldquo;They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defence staffs as the battlefield situation evolved.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-not-expected-to-participate-in-riyadh-us-russia-talks-says-zelenskys-aide-8870758">Ukraine not expected to participate in Riyadh, US, Russia talks, says Zelensky&rsquo;s aide</a>
&ldquo;The leaders agreed Ukraine and America will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war and that lasting peace under President Trump&rsquo;s leadership can be achieved,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;
Leavitt said that Zelensky thanked Trump for the US support, especially the Javelin missiles, which the US president provided in his efforts towards peace.
The White House spokesperson said that the US was finding &ldquo;what was available, particularly in Europe&rdquo;, when asked for additional air defence systems by Zelensky to protect Ukrainian civilians.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-threatens-houthis-to-be-annihilated-warns-iran-to-stop-aid-8870943">Trump threatens Houthis to be 'annihilated,' warns Iran to stop aid</a>
The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy, she said.
<h2>&lsquo;The first step&rsquo;</h2>
The White House said that technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia soon to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire, which could be the first step &ldquo;toward the full end of the war and ensuring security.&rdquo; &ldquo;President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President&rsquo;s leadership in this effort, and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire,&rdquo; Leavitt said.
&ldquo;President Trump also discussed Ukraine&rsquo;s electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,&rdquo; she added.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-zelensky-hold-phone-call-after-russia-attacks-kyiv-with-drones-live-updates-8870513">'Very much on track': Trump praises 'good' phone call with Zelensky that lasted for almost an hour</a>
The White House spokesperson added that Zelensky thanked Trump for continuing to push humanitarian concerns, including the exchange of prisoners of war.&nbsp;
President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children, who had gone missing from Ukraine during the war, could return home.
&ldquo;They agreed all parties must continue the effort to make a ceasefire work,&rdquo; she added.
&ldquo;The presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible,&rdquo; Leavitt said, adding that they &ldquo;emphasized that in furthering the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World | Leavitt said that Zelensky thanked Trump for the US support, especially the Javelin missiles, which the US president provided in his efforts towards peace.

White House on Wednesday (Mar 19) confirmed that US “intelligence sharing in terms of defence of Ukraine will continue to be shared.” This comes following an hour-long “fantastic phone conversation” between the two leaders. The conversation between the two nations has moved “beyond the economic minerals deal” with a focus on “partial ceasefire, and we are moving towards a full ceasefire and a longstanding peace in this conflict,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Referring to earlier discussion between the two leaders, Leavitt said, “The Ukrainian president, at the time, wasn’t talking about a greater peace deal. We are now at that place where we are talking about that.” she said. Also read | 'Ukraine agrees to limited energy, infrastructure ceasefire': Zelensky says after 'frank conversation' with Trump “We’ve moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework, and we’re looking at a lasting ceasefire, right now a partial ceasefire. But again, the president is sending his highly skilled, intelligent and experienced team to Saudi Arabia later this week to creating peace in this conflict, and I would just reiterate one more time, we have been closer to peace than we are today,” she said. ‘Working together for lasting peace’ Leavitt said that Trump “fully briefed” Zelensky on his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that “They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defence staffs as the battlefield situation evolved.” Also read | Ukraine not expected to participate in Riyadh, US, Russia talks, says Zelensky’s aide “The leaders agreed Ukraine and America will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war and that lasting peace under President Trump’s leadership can be achieved,” she said. Leavitt said that Zelensky thanked Trump for the US support, especially the Javelin missiles, which the US president provided in his efforts towards peace. The White House spokesperson said that the US was finding “what was available, particularly in Europe”, when asked for additional air defence systems by Zelensky to protect Ukrainian civilians. Also read | Trump threatens Houthis to be 'annihilated,' warns Iran to stop aid The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy, she said. ‘The first step’ The White House said that technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia soon to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire, which could be the first step “toward the full end of the war and ensuring security.” “President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President’s leadership in this effort, and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire,” Leavitt said. “President Trump also discussed Ukraine’s electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,” she added. Also read | 'Very much on track': Trump praises 'good' phone call with Zelensky that lasted for almost an hour The White House spokesperson added that Zelensky thanked Trump for continuing to push humanitarian concerns, including the exchange of prisoners of war. President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children, who had gone missing from Ukraine during the war, could return home. “They agreed all parties must continue the effort to make a ceasefire work,” she added. “The presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible,” Leavitt said, adding that they “emphasized that in furthering the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security.” (With inputs from agencies)

'In defence of Ukraine': US to continue sharing intelligence with Kyiv as talks move beyond minerals deal

A Florida man was arrested for allegedly making &ldquo;very concerning&rdquo; threats against US President Donald Trump on social media. Kendal Aaron Todd, 42, was detained by police and charged in St. Lucie County on Monday (Mar 19) after he threatened to kill and do bodily harm to the president.
Todd even challenged Trump to &ldquo;fight me naked to the death&rdquo;, according to authorities in an 80-second rant video against the president. He also declared himself the US president.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-why-donald-trump-didnt-invite-sunita-williams-to-white-house-8870155">Here's why Donald Trump didn't invite Sunita Williams to White House</a>
&ldquo;Because of Donald Trump, every single person in the world is cursed,&rdquo; Todd said in the clip, which has now been deleted, according to the New York Post.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Donald Trump has personally made business decisions which have hurt so many different reincarnated Jesuses,&rdquo; he added.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/first-trump-branded-office-trump-world-centre-to-be-built-in-pune-8870115">First Trump-branded office: Trump World Centre to be built in India's Pune</a>
<h2>Threats flagged to Secret Service</h2>
According to St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Torro, his threats were quickly flagged to the Secret Service.
&ldquo;He just kept escalating his behaviour,&rdquo; Del Toro said. &ldquo;He got the attention obviously of the United States Secret Service &mdash; and that got our attention.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-and-trump-trust-each-other-want-to-normalise-ties-kremlin-8869590">Russia, US set to decide on dates for future talks, Kremlin says Putin and Trump want to normalise ties</a>
Del Torro said that authorities had been keeping a watch on Todd over mental health concerns.&nbsp;
The sheriff added that a SWAT team was sent to apprehend him after he posted the sickening video online. It is not clear which social media the video was posted on.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-admin-targeting-me-for-political-beliefs-mahmoud-khalil-decries-arrest-in-his-first-public-statement-8869784">Trump admin targeting me for 'political beliefs': Mahmoud Khalil decries arrest in his first public statement</a>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just very concerning for us,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Some of the things that have happened in the past to our president. We want to make sure we&rsquo;re not leaving anything to chance.&rdquo;
Todd has been charged with a written threat to kill or do bodily harm, with a bond set at $500,000. The investigation into the matter is ongoing.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Trending | The sheriff said a SWAT team was sent to apprehend him after he posted the sickening video online. It is not clear which social media the video was posted on.

A Florida man was arrested for allegedly making “very concerning” threats against US President Donald Trump on social media. Kendal Aaron Todd, 42, was detained by police and charged in St. Lucie County on Monday (Mar 19) after he threatened to kill and do bodily harm to the president. Todd even challenged Trump to “fight me naked to the death”, according to authorities in an 80-second rant video against the president. He also declared himself the US president. Also read | Here's why Donald Trump didn't invite Sunita Williams to White House “Because of Donald Trump, every single person in the world is cursed,” Todd said in the clip, which has now been deleted, according to the New York Post. “Donald Trump has personally made business decisions which have hurt so many different reincarnated Jesuses,” he added. Also read | First Trump-branded office: Trump World Centre to be built in India's Pune Threats flagged to Secret Service According to St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Torro, his threats were quickly flagged to the Secret Service. “He just kept escalating his behaviour,” Del Toro said. “He got the attention obviously of the United States Secret Service — and that got our attention.” Also read | Russia, US set to decide on dates for future talks, Kremlin says Putin and Trump want to normalise ties Del Torro said that authorities had been keeping a watch on Todd over mental health concerns. The sheriff added that a SWAT team was sent to apprehend him after he posted the sickening video online. It is not clear which social media the video was posted on. Also read | Trump admin targeting me for 'political beliefs': Mahmoud Khalil decries arrest in his first public statement “It’s just very concerning for us,” he said. “Some of the things that have happened in the past to our president. We want to make sure we’re not leaving anything to chance.” Todd has been charged with a written threat to kill or do bodily harm, with a bond set at $500,000. The investigation into the matter is ongoing. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Fight me n*ked to death’: Florida man arrested for making threats against Trump in rant video online

The United States government has started releasing documents on the assassination of President John F Kennedy that had been kept a secret till now citing national security. This comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January ordering that unredacted files in the case be made public.
While historians do not think a major bombshell might drop after these papers are made public, there is one thing that stands out. According to the Geller Report, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr, or JFK Jr, the son of 35th US President John F Kennedy, once called former president Joe Biden a "traitor".
It mentions a letter by JFK Jr. where he wrote, "Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor..."&nbsp;
The documents carry a letter by JFK Jr delivered by a special agent to Joe Biden on Sep 8, 1994, who was a senator at the time. The letter has been addressed to "Sen. Joseph Biden (D.-Delaware), US Capitol Building, US Senate, Washington DC 20515".
The document further reads, "Accompanying handwritten /hand printed letter dated 8/26/94, beginning "Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor..." and bearing the signature "John F. Kennedy Jr."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/donald-trump-releases-final-batch-of-jfk-assassination-files-after-60-years-wait-smoking-gun-and-bombshell-heres-what-new-documents-revealed-8867781" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">JFK assassination files out after 60 years wait; Did Trump release a 'smoking gun'? Here's what new documents reveal</a>
No further details about the accusation are known yet.
Hundreds of thousands of JFK documents had previously been released but some had been kept private for national security reasons. It is not clear how much information released in the new tranche is new as experts some of it had been released in partially redacted form.&nbsp;
A news release on March 18 stated, "In accordance with President Donald Trump&rsquo;s directive of March 17, 2025, all records previously withheld for classification that are part of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection are released."
"You got a lot of reading," Trump told reporters on Monday. "I don't believe we're going to redact anything."
US media reported that many of the passages in the files released were not blacked out, however, some were faded and hard to read.
<h2>US President John F Kennedy's assassination</h2>
John F Kennedy was shot during a visit to Dallas, Texas, on 22 November, 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald, a Marine veteran and self-described Marxist. While a government commission investigation determined that Oswald was the culprit, several Americans do not believe he acted alone.
Another document in the papers states that the CIA had been watching President Kennedy&rsquo;s killer Oswald before the assassination.&nbsp;

JFK Jr, the son of 35th US President John F Kennedy, once called former president Joe Biden a "traitor", as per the last trove of JFK assassination files released. World Trending

The United States government has started releasing documents on the assassination of President John F Kennedy that had been kept a secret till now citing national security. This comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January ordering that unredacted files in the case be made public. While historians do not think a major bombshell might drop after these papers are made public, there is one thing that stands out. According to the Geller Report, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr, or JFK Jr, the son of 35th US President John F Kennedy, once called former president Joe Biden a "traitor". It mentions a letter by JFK Jr. where he wrote, "Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor..." The documents carry a letter by JFK Jr delivered by a special agent to Joe Biden on Sep 8, 1994, who was a senator at the time. The letter has been addressed to "Sen. Joseph Biden (D.-Delaware), US Capitol Building, US Senate, Washington DC 20515". The document further reads, "Accompanying handwritten /hand printed letter dated 8/26/94, beginning "Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor..." and bearing the signature "John F. Kennedy Jr." Also Read: JFK assassination files out after 60 years wait; Did Trump release a 'smoking gun'? Here's what new documents reveal No further details about the accusation are known yet. Hundreds of thousands of JFK documents had previously been released but some had been kept private for national security reasons. It is not clear how much information released in the new tranche is new as experts some of it had been released in partially redacted form. A news release on March 18 stated, "In accordance with President Donald Trump’s directive of March 17, 2025, all records previously withheld for classification that are part of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection are released." "You got a lot of reading," Trump told reporters on Monday. "I don't believe we're going to redact anything." US media reported that many of the passages in the files released were not blacked out, however, some were faded and hard to read. US President John F Kennedy's assassination John F Kennedy was shot during a visit to Dallas, Texas, on 22 November, 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald, a Marine veteran and self-described Marxist. While a government commission investigation determined that Oswald was the culprit, several Americans do not believe he acted alone. Another document in the papers states that the CIA had been watching President Kennedy’s killer Oswald before the assassination.

JFK Files: When JFK Jr called ex-president Joe Biden a 'traitor'. 'Dear Sen. Biden: You are...'

JFK assassination files are out. US President Donald Trump's administration has kept its promise and has released the final set of files related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a case that over six decades later continues to fuel conspiracy theories.
The long-awaited "full disclosure" follows an executive order issued by Trump that called for the unredacted release of remaining files linked to the assassinations of Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. &nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-declassify-all-of-jfk-assassination-files-including-80000-unredacted-pages-today-kennedy-files-john-f-kennedy-assassination-files-8863900">Trump to declassify 'all of' JFK assassination files, including 80,000 unredacted pages TODAY</a>
"In accordance with President Donald Trump's directive... all records previously withheld for classification that are part of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection are released," said the US National Archives in a statement late Tuesday. &nbsp;
<h2>What new information has been released?</h2>
While historians and assassination researchers will take time to comb through the newly released 1,123 documents, early indications suggest that they contain little to indicate any sinister plot.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-discovers-2400-hidden-jfk-assassination-files-61-years-after-his-killing-all-thanks-to-donald-trumps-order-8709938">FBI 'discovers' 2,400 hidden JFK assassination files 61 years after his killing</a>
CNN, citing Tom Samoluk, a former deputy director of the Assassination Records Review Board, reports that there's no indication that the newly released files contain any bombshell.
"The collection of records that we reviewed, the vast majority of which were released &mdash; some were kept classified in whole or in part &mdash; if that's what we're talking about, then there is no smoking gun," he said.
While millions of pages of records have already been made public over the years, thousands of documents have remained classified at the request of the CIA and FBI over national security concerns. &nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nothing-heroic-about-it-jfks-grandson-slams-trumps-decision-to-declassify-assassination-records-8650450">'Nothing heroic about it': JFK's grandson slams Trump's decision to declassify assassination records</a>
The Warren Commission, which investigated Kennedy&rsquo;s assassination, concluded that a lone gunman&mdash;Lee Harvey Oswald&mdash;carried out the shooting. Oswald himself was gunned down just two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby, further fuelling theories that the full story was being covered up.
Over the years, books, documentaries, and films&mdash;including Oliver Stone&rsquo;s 1991 movie "JFK"&mdash;have kept speculation alive, with theories implicating the Mafia, the Soviet Union, Cuba, and even Kennedy's vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson. &nbsp;
The slow trickle of declassified files, rather than closing the case, has instead continued to feed the belief that key information remains hidden.
(With inputs from agencies)

Trending | World | Discover the latest revelations as Trump releases the final JFK assassination files, fulfilling a long-awaited promise and reigniting interest.

JFK assassination files are out. US President Donald Trump's administration has kept its promise and has released the final set of files related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a case that over six decades later continues to fuel conspiracy theories. The long-awaited "full disclosure" follows an executive order issued by Trump that called for the unredacted release of remaining files linked to the assassinations of Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Also read | Trump to declassify 'all of' JFK assassination files, including 80,000 unredacted pages TODAY "In accordance with President Donald Trump's directive... all records previously withheld for classification that are part of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection are released," said the US National Archives in a statement late Tuesday. What new information has been released? While historians and assassination researchers will take time to comb through the newly released 1,123 documents, early indications suggest that they contain little to indicate any sinister plot. Also read | FBI 'discovers' 2,400 hidden JFK assassination files 61 years after his killing CNN, citing Tom Samoluk, a former deputy director of the Assassination Records Review Board, reports that there's no indication that the newly released files contain any bombshell. "The collection of records that we reviewed, the vast majority of which were released — some were kept classified in whole or in part — if that's what we're talking about, then there is no smoking gun," he said. While millions of pages of records have already been made public over the years, thousands of documents have remained classified at the request of the CIA and FBI over national security concerns. Also read | 'Nothing heroic about it': JFK's grandson slams Trump's decision to declassify assassination records The Warren Commission, which investigated Kennedy’s assassination, concluded that a lone gunman—Lee Harvey Oswald—carried out the shooting. Oswald himself was gunned down just two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby, further fuelling theories that the full story was being covered up. Over the years, books, documentaries, and films—including Oliver Stone’s 1991 movie "JFK"—have kept speculation alive, with theories implicating the Mafia, the Soviet Union, Cuba, and even Kennedy's vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson. The slow trickle of declassified files, rather than closing the case, has instead continued to feed the belief that key information remains hidden. (With inputs from agencies)

JFK assassination files out after 60 years wait; Did Trump release a 'smoking gun'? Here's what new documents reveal

The phone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a potential ceasefire in Ukraine has ended, both the Kremlin and the White House confirmed on Tuesday.
The discussion, which began at 1400 GMT, lasted for more than two hours. White House deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, had earlier shared an update on X while the conversation was still ongoing. "The call is going well, and still in progress," he wrote at the time.
<h2>Ukraine pushes for ceasefire</h2>
Before the call took place, Ukraine urged Russia to accept a proposed 30-day ceasefire backed by both Kyiv and Washington. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga emphasised the importance of Russia&rsquo;s response.
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"It is time for Russia to show whether it really wants peace," Sybiga said on Tuesday.
"Ukraine supported the U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire for 30 days. We expect the Russian side to unconditionally agree to this proposal," he added.
<h2>Trump&rsquo;s agenda for the call</h2>
On Sunday, Trump outlined the key topics he planned to discuss with Putin, including the potential division of certain "assets" between Russia and Ukraine.
"We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," Trump stated.
"I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about that, dividing up certain assets," he added.
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(With inputs from agencies)

World: The call, which started at 1400 GMT, had already lasted nearly an hour, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino confirmed earlier on X. "The call is going well, and still in progress," he said.

The phone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a potential ceasefire in Ukraine has ended, both the Kremlin and the White House confirmed on Tuesday. The discussion, which began at 1400 GMT, lasted for more than two hours. White House deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, had earlier shared an update on X while the conversation was still ongoing. "The call is going well, and still in progress," he wrote at the time. Ukraine pushes for ceasefire Before the call took place, Ukraine urged Russia to accept a proposed 30-day ceasefire backed by both Kyiv and Washington. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga emphasised the importance of Russia’s response. Also read: Trump’s Ukraine ‘peace’ plan isn’t about peace. It’s a PR stunt "It is time for Russia to show whether it really wants peace," Sybiga said on Tuesday. "Ukraine supported the U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire for 30 days. We expect the Russian side to unconditionally agree to this proposal," he added. Trump’s agenda for the call On Sunday, Trump outlined the key topics he planned to discuss with Putin, including the potential division of certain "assets" between Russia and Ukraine. "We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," Trump stated. "I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about that, dividing up certain assets," he added. Also read: Who is Judge James Boasberg? The Obama-appointed judge Trump wants impeached (With inputs from agencies)

Trump-Putin call ends after over two hours, White House and Kremlin confirm | Key HIGHLIGHTS

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) delivered an ominous report about the negative effects President Donald Trump's trade policies will have on Canadian, Mexican and U.S. economic growth and inflation levels. President Trump confirmed the implementation of fresh tariffs during early April while he continued to enforce current steel and aluminum trade barriers.
The OECD predicts U.S. households must bear significant direct expenses from new import taxes as the economic slowdown caused by these taxes will generate lower revenue compared to the original targets. The OECD predicts that global growth will experience a gradual reduction starting from 2024 until reaching 3.1% in 2025 and 3.0% in 2026 as the organization revises downward its initial projections.
According to OECD estimates the United States will face economic expansion at rates of 2.2% this year and 1.6% next year. International analysts predict that Mexico will face the most drastic economic downturn this year followed by next year when its economy dips 1.3% then 0.6%. The Canadian economic growth projection stands at 0.7% for the next two years.x
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The forecasts about Trump's trade policies show clear evidence of how these measures hurt North American economic expansion as well as diminish both individual and business optimism. The recent data collected by the University of Michigan and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York confirms consumer sentiment has dropped markedly while residents increasingly expect higher inflation.
The tariff declarations made by Trump specifically targeting Chinese imports and threatening restrictions on both Mexican and Canadian goods have generated substantial market instability. Trump executed 25% steel tariffs and aluminum duties while making additional promises to create automobile trade restrictions.
Global stock markets have experienced turmoil because of recent developments that coincided with Canadian officials becoming increasingly dissatisfied with how the Trump administration handles trade discussions. The imposed tariffs are also inconsistent with the USMCA, according to Canadian officials.
&ldquo;We're looking at significant tariffs inconsistent with the USMCA (U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade) being imposed willy nilly, without regard for the commitments that we have negotiated with the United States," Colin Bird, Consul General of Canada in Detroit, said at an event in the Motor City on Monday. "That is a problem for the United States, not only in its economic relationship with Canada, that's a problem for its credibility in negotiating with the world.&rdquo;

Autonews | The forecasts about Trump's trade policies show clear evidence of how these measures hurt North American economic expansion and diminish business optimism.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) delivered an ominous report about the negative effects President Donald Trump's trade policies will have on Canadian, Mexican and U.S. economic growth and inflation levels. President Trump confirmed the implementation of fresh tariffs during early April while he continued to enforce current steel and aluminum trade barriers. The OECD predicts U.S. households must bear significant direct expenses from new import taxes as the economic slowdown caused by these taxes will generate lower revenue compared to the original targets. The OECD predicts that global growth will experience a gradual reduction starting from 2024 until reaching 3.1% in 2025 and 3.0% in 2026 as the organization revises downward its initial projections. According to OECD estimates the United States will face economic expansion at rates of 2.2% this year and 1.6% next year. International analysts predict that Mexico will face the most drastic economic downturn this year followed by next year when its economy dips 1.3% then 0.6%. The Canadian economic growth projection stands at 0.7% for the next two years.x Also Read | Trump warns Iran as Houthis claim third attack on US ships in 48 hours The forecasts about Trump's trade policies show clear evidence of how these measures hurt North American economic expansion as well as diminish both individual and business optimism. The recent data collected by the University of Michigan and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York confirms consumer sentiment has dropped markedly while residents increasingly expect higher inflation. The tariff declarations made by Trump specifically targeting Chinese imports and threatening restrictions on both Mexican and Canadian goods have generated substantial market instability. Trump executed 25% steel tariffs and aluminum duties while making additional promises to create automobile trade restrictions. Global stock markets have experienced turmoil because of recent developments that coincided with Canadian officials becoming increasingly dissatisfied with how the Trump administration handles trade discussions. The imposed tariffs are also inconsistent with the USMCA, according to Canadian officials. “We're looking at significant tariffs inconsistent with the USMCA (U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade) being imposed willy nilly, without regard for the commitments that we have negotiated with the United States," Colin Bird, Consul General of Canada in Detroit, said at an event in the Motor City on Monday. "That is a problem for the United States, not only in its economic relationship with Canada, that's a problem for its credibility in negotiating with the world.”

OECD warns Trump's tariffs will hinder growth, fuel inflation in North America

While announcing her return to Earth, US President Donald Trump called NASA astronaut Sunita Williams the "woman with wild hair".&nbsp;Trump cracked a joke when asked about his message to NASA's "astronauts stuck in space," and said while addressing the rescue mission, "We love you, and we're coming up to get you, and you shouldn't have been up there so long."&nbsp;
"I see the woman with the wild hair, good, solid head of hair she&rsquo;s got. There&rsquo;s no kidding, there&rsquo;s no games with her hair," Trump added.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasa-sunita-williams-astronaut-homecoming-mission-returns-to-earth-live-updates-check-return-date-time-latest-news-spacex-8864227">NASA Sunita Williams Live: Sunita Williams, Crew-9's return begins. Know everything</a>
While the comment swiftly sparked memes online, it also highlighted something much more interesting - why people with long hair, generally women, don't tie their hair in space?&nbsp;
Last week, Williams was seen in an interview from her spacecraft pushing her hair back time to time while speaking. Internet users even posted the photos and videos of it on social media platform X wondering why the NASA astronaut did not not tie her hair.
Well, there're very well-justified scientific reasons behind it. Let's explore them. Hint - "No water, no gravity, no problem'. &nbsp;
<h2>Microgravity Effects&nbsp;</h2>
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Hair does not behave in space as they do on Earth. The situation is quite opposite. Since there is an absence of gravity there, hair spreads in all the directions without falling down, which makes tying them less necessary as they do not cause inconvenience, like they do on Earth.&nbsp;
<h2>Air Circulation and Cooling</h2>
Most of the times, astronauts are wearing helmets or some sort of headgears which blocks air circulation on their scalp. Leaving hair untied makes it comfortable for scalp to breathe and stay cool.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/when-and-where-will-sunita-williams-splashdown-check-out-full-schedule-of-crew-9s-return-to-earth-8863988">When and where will Sunita Williams splashdown? Check out full schedule of Crew-9's return to Earth</a>
<h2>No Gravity-Induced Tangles</h2>
Moreover, due to gravity on Earth, hair gets tangled very easily. But in space, there is no such problem. Hair floats freely and is less likely to knot, reducing the need for constant brushing or tying.
<h2>Aesthetic and Fun Factor </h2>
Well, if you go to space and do not enjoy the unique environment of it then what's the point? Astronauts love to leave their hair float in air to experience the microgravity and also, to take some super cool pictures.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/what-is-baby-feet-nasas-sunita-williams-and-butch-wilmore-to-face-after-returning-to-earth-8857975">What is 'Baby Feet,' NASA's Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore likely to experience after returning to Earth?</a>

SCIENCE & TECH | World | Since there is an absence of gravity there, hair spreads in all the directions without falling down, which makes tying them less necessary as they do not cause inconvenience , like they do on Earth.

While announcing her return to Earth, US President Donald Trump called NASA astronaut Sunita Williams the "woman with wild hair". Trump cracked a joke when asked about his message to NASA's "astronauts stuck in space," and said while addressing the rescue mission, "We love you, and we're coming up to get you, and you shouldn't have been up there so long." "I see the woman with the wild hair, good, solid head of hair she’s got. There’s no kidding, there’s no games with her hair," Trump added. Also read: NASA Sunita Williams Live: Sunita Williams, Crew-9's return begins. Know everything While the comment swiftly sparked memes online, it also highlighted something much more interesting - why people with long hair, generally women, don't tie their hair in space? Last week, Williams was seen in an interview from her spacecraft pushing her hair back time to time while speaking. Internet users even posted the photos and videos of it on social media platform X wondering why the NASA astronaut did not not tie her hair. Well, there're very well-justified scientific reasons behind it. Let's explore them. Hint - "No water, no gravity, no problem'. Microgravity Effects Also read: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore to return home after 286 days as Dragon departs International Space Station Hair does not behave in space as they do on Earth. The situation is quite opposite. Since there is an absence of gravity there, hair spreads in all the directions without falling down, which makes tying them less necessary as they do not cause inconvenience, like they do on Earth. Air Circulation and Cooling Most of the times, astronauts are wearing helmets or some sort of headgears which blocks air circulation on their scalp. Leaving hair untied makes it comfortable for scalp to breathe and stay cool. Also read: When and where will Sunita Williams splashdown? Check out full schedule of Crew-9's return to Earth No Gravity-Induced Tangles Moreover, due to gravity on Earth, hair gets tangled very easily. But in space, there is no such problem. Hair floats freely and is less likely to knot, reducing the need for constant brushing or tying. Aesthetic and Fun Factor Well, if you go to space and do not enjoy the unique environment of it then what's the point? Astronauts love to leave their hair float in air to experience the microgravity and also, to take some super cool pictures. Also read: What is 'Baby Feet,' NASA's Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore likely to experience after returning to Earth?

'Woman with wild hair': Here's why astronauts like NASA's Sunita Williams don't tie their hair?

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will be having a phone call on Tuesday (March 18) to discuss a ceasefire on Ukraine war. Speaking to reporters while flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening, the US president said "a lot of work&rsquo;s been done over the weekend" and in the Tuesday discussions, he would "see" if the war (ongoing for over three years now) could be brought to an end.&nbsp;
Trump hinted that there is a "very good chance" that he would have "something to announce".&nbsp;
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<h2>Putin 'dragging his feet'</h2>
Last week, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to a 30-day ceasefire after talks with US officials in Jeddah but Putin simply rejected it.&nbsp;
The Russian president said he would agree to end the war but warned he had "serious questions" about how the ceasefire would be implemented. He had said he wanted to discuss this with Trump.&nbsp;
"There is such a conversation being prepared for Tuesday," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-set-for-talks-with-russian-president-vladimir-putin-on-ending-ukraine-war-witkoff-says-8859381">&lsquo;Positive discussion this week&rsquo;: Trump set for talks with Putin on ending Ukraine war, Witkoff says</a>
Putin's rejection of the ceasefire drew criticism Ukraine, accusing him of "dragging his feet" rather than ending the conflict.&nbsp;
Zelensky even said that Putin does not want to end the war.&nbsp;
<h2>'Dividing up certain assets'</h2>
Trump said on Sunday that in the scheduled call with Putin, he would discuss to divide some "assets" between the two nations.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,&rdquo; Trump said.&nbsp;
"I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about that, dividing up certain assets," he said. &nbsp;
This was possibly in the context of Moscow-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in south Ukraine.
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However, Zelensky has consistently rejected the idea of giving up land, and some European leaders have expressed concerns that making such concessions would effectively reward Russia for its invasion.
<h2>Europe's largest nuclear power plant</h2>
The power plant at the centre of discussion is Europe's largest nuclear plant. It has six units with a capacity of 1 gigawatt each. It was shut down in 2022 after some hostilities&nbsp; near it. Now, the units are maintained with power from Ukraine.&nbsp;
Ukraine has claimed the real state of the power plant is unknown, but if the Russia occupies it, Ukraine would face "serious disaster".&nbsp;
Apart from the power plant, Ukraine has lost generation capacity from gas-fired, coal-fired and hydroelectric plants.&nbsp; 
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<h2>Trump's eye on gas storage facilities</h2>
A large part of Europe's underground gas storage facilities are located in Ukraine. The country has even offered various European and American companies access to utilise one-third of the storage facilities to store their gas.&nbsp;
Now, these facilities are in focus, especially after Trump came back to power.&nbsp;
<h2>Putin, Trump want 'land expansion'&nbsp;</h2>
Monica Duffy Toft, a professor of international politics at Tufts University, wrote in Foreign Affairs recently, &ldquo;Today&rsquo;s geopolitical landscape particularly resembles the close of World War II&rdquo; because &ldquo;major powers are seeking to negotiate a new global order primarily with each other, much as Allied leaders did when they redrew the world map&rdquo; at Yalta.
In an interview with The New York Times, Toft said that land expansion &ldquo;is what Putin wants, and it&rsquo;s obviously what Trump wants &mdash; just look at Greenland and Panama and Canada.&rdquo;
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&ldquo;This is what these leaders think they need to do to make their countries great again," she added.&nbsp;
In a nutshell, she said, there are big chances that Putin will get what he wants.
And that raises questions in the context China's territorial ambitions, according to he
"What will happen if Xi Jinping decides he wants to take Taiwan?" she asked.
(With inputs from agencies)

WORLD | The Russian president said he would agree to end the war but warned he had "serious questions" about how the ceasefire would be implemented. He had said he want to discuss this with Trump.

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will be having a phone call on Tuesday (March 18) to discuss a ceasefire on Ukraine war. Speaking to reporters while flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening, the US president said "a lot of work’s been done over the weekend" and in the Tuesday discussions, he would "see" if the war (ongoing for over three years now) could be brought to an end. Trump hinted that there is a "very good chance" that he would have "something to announce". Also read: Trump and Putin to have a phone call on Tuesday to 'bring that war to an end' Putin 'dragging his feet' Last week, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to a 30-day ceasefire after talks with US officials in Jeddah but Putin simply rejected it. The Russian president said he would agree to end the war but warned he had "serious questions" about how the ceasefire would be implemented. He had said he wanted to discuss this with Trump. "There is such a conversation being prepared for Tuesday," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Also read: ‘Positive discussion this week’: Trump set for talks with Putin on ending Ukraine war, Witkoff says Putin's rejection of the ceasefire drew criticism Ukraine, accusing him of "dragging his feet" rather than ending the conflict. Zelensky even said that Putin does not want to end the war. 'Dividing up certain assets' Trump said on Sunday that in the scheduled call with Putin, he would discuss to divide some "assets" between the two nations. “We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,” Trump said. "I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about that, dividing up certain assets," he said. This was possibly in the context of Moscow-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in south Ukraine. Also read: 'A combat guy': Zelensky replaces army chief of general staff to 'increase efficiency of management' However, Zelensky has consistently rejected the idea of giving up land, and some European leaders have expressed concerns that making such concessions would effectively reward Russia for its invasion. Europe's largest nuclear power plant The power plant at the centre of discussion is Europe's largest nuclear plant. It has six units with a capacity of 1 gigawatt each. It was shut down in 2022 after some hostilities near it. Now, the units are maintained with power from Ukraine. Ukraine has claimed the real state of the power plant is unknown, but if the Russia occupies it, Ukraine would face "serious disaster". Apart from the power plant, Ukraine has lost generation capacity from gas-fired, coal-fired and hydroelectric plants. Also read: ‘Putin is lying to everyone’: Zelensky demands ‘strong pressure’ on Russia, blasts Moscow’s ‘delaying tactics’ Trump's eye on gas storage facilities A large part of Europe's underground gas storage facilities are located in Ukraine. The country has even offered various European and American companies access to utilise one-third of the storage facilities to store their gas. Now, these facilities are in focus, especially after Trump came back to power. Putin, Trump want 'land expansion' Monica Duffy Toft, a professor of international politics at Tufts University, wrote in Foreign Affairs recently, “Today’s geopolitical landscape particularly resembles the close of World War II” because “major powers are seeking to negotiate a new global order primarily with each other, much as Allied leaders did when they redrew the world map” at Yalta. In an interview with The New York Times, Toft said that land expansion “is what Putin wants, and it’s obviously what Trump wants — just look at Greenland and Panama and Canada.” Also read: Trump says he instructed Elon Musk to bring ‘abandoned’ astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back “This is what these leaders think they need to do to make their countries great again," she added. In a nutshell, she said, there are big chances that Putin will get what he wants. And that raises questions in the context China's territorial ambitions, according to he "What will happen if Xi Jinping decides he wants to take Taiwan?" she asked. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump and Putin to discuss 'asset division’ – What’s at stake on Ukraine war?

Hours after US President Donald Trump's warning, Houthi media reported fresh US air strikes on Monday (March 17). As per a report by the news agency AFP, the US targeted rebel-held Hodeida on Yemen's western coast.
"A strike by the American aggression targeted the region of Bajel in the Hodeida governorate," while others targeted a steel factory in the Al-Salif region in the same governorate, according to the Houthi's Saba press agency.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-claims-bidens-jan-6-panel-pardons-are-void-over-autopen-use-does-he-have-a-case-8863438">Trump claims Biden&rsquo;s Jan. 6 panel pardons are &lsquo;void&rsquo; over autopen use: Does he have a case?</a>
The US strike comes after Trump warned that "any further attack or retaliation by the &ldquo;Houthis&rdquo; will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there."
Trump also claimed that Iran was behind every airstrike and attack by Houthi rebels, saying, "Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by IRAN."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-trump-says-iran-will-be-held-responsible-for-houthi-strikes-warns-of-dire-consequences-8863104">Trump says Iran &lsquo;will be held responsible&rsquo; for Houthi strikes, warns of &lsquo;dire consequences&rsquo;</a>
Earlier on Monday, Yemen&rsquo;s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for attacking a US aircraft carrier group twice within 24 hours.&nbsp;
A spokesperson for the Houthis, posting on Telegram, said that the strikes were carried out in response to &ldquo;the continued American aggression against our country.&rdquo;
According to Yemen&rsquo;s Houthi-controlled health ministry, American airstrikes on Saturday resulted in 53 deaths, including women and children, while 98 others sustained injuries.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/russia-ukraine-war-trumps-ukraine-peace-plan-isnt-about-peace-its-a-pr-stunt-8862762">Trump&rsquo;s Ukraine &lsquo;peace&rsquo; plan isn&rsquo;t about peace. It&rsquo;s a PR stunt</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: "A strike by the American aggression targeted the region of Bajel in the Hodeida governorate," while others targeted a steel factory in the Al-Salif region in the same governorate, according to the Houthi's Saba press agency.

Hours after US President Donald Trump's warning, Houthi media reported fresh US air strikes on Monday (March 17). As per a report by the news agency AFP, the US targeted rebel-held Hodeida on Yemen's western coast. "A strike by the American aggression targeted the region of Bajel in the Hodeida governorate," while others targeted a steel factory in the Al-Salif region in the same governorate, according to the Houthi's Saba press agency. Also read: Trump claims Biden’s Jan. 6 panel pardons are ‘void’ over autopen use: Does he have a case? The US strike comes after Trump warned that "any further attack or retaliation by the “Houthis” will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there." Trump also claimed that Iran was behind every airstrike and attack by Houthi rebels, saying, "Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by IRAN." Also read: Trump says Iran ‘will be held responsible’ for Houthi strikes, warns of ‘dire consequences’ Earlier on Monday, Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for attacking a US aircraft carrier group twice within 24 hours. A spokesperson for the Houthis, posting on Telegram, said that the strikes were carried out in response to “the continued American aggression against our country.” According to Yemen’s Houthi-controlled health ministry, American airstrikes on Saturday resulted in 53 deaths, including women and children, while 98 others sustained injuries. Also read: Trump’s Ukraine ‘peace’ plan isn’t about peace. It’s a PR stunt (With inputs from agencies)

US strikes Houthi-held city in Yemen after Trump warns of ‘great force’ against retaliation

Donald Trump has claimed, without providing any evidence, that pardons issued by Joe Biden are &ldquo;void, vacant and of no further force and effect&rdquo; because they were signed using an autopen rather than personally by the president.
<h2>What happened?</h2>
On 20 January, Biden&rsquo;s final day in office, he issued pre-emptive pardons to family members and all members of the House committee that investigated the 6 January attack on Congress. The riot was incited by Trump as part of his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Trump has frequently threatened members of the committee with legal action or imprisonment.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/russia-ukraine-war-trumps-ukraine-peace-plan-isnt-about-peace-its-a-pr-stunt-8862762">Trump&rsquo;s Ukraine &lsquo;peace&rsquo; plan isn&rsquo;t about peace. It&rsquo;s a PR stunt</a>
Trump made his claim in a post on his social media platform, saying, &ldquo;The &lsquo;Pardons&rsquo; that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!&rdquo;
He added that committee members should &ldquo;fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level.&rdquo;
<h2>Trump's autopen allegations</h2>
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump repeated his claim, saying, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not my decision &ndash; that&rsquo;ll be up to a court &ndash; but I would say that they&rsquo;re null and void, because I&rsquo;m sure Biden didn&rsquo;t have any idea that it was taking place, and somebody was using an autopen to sign off and to give pardons.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-trump-says-iran-will-be-held-responsible-for-houthi-strikes-warns-of-dire-consequences-8863104">Trump says Iran &lsquo;will be held responsible&rsquo; for Houthi strikes, warns of &lsquo;dire consequences&rsquo;</a>
He further claimed, again without proof, that committee members, including former Representative Liz Cheney, were &ldquo;probably responsible for the documents that were signed on their behalf&rdquo; without Biden&rsquo;s knowledge.
<h2>What is an autopen?</h2>
An autopen is a device used to create automatic or remote signatures and has been utilised by public figures for decades.
Former President Barack Obama faced scrutiny in 2011 for allowing an aide to use an autopen to extend the Patriot Act, marking the first time a president had authorised such a signature. In 2013, he also used an autopen while on holiday in Hawaii to sign a bill preventing a financial crisis.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-trump-airlines-to-trump-vodka-us-president-donald-trumps-biggest-business-flops-8862734">From Trump Airlines to Trump Vodka: US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s biggest business flops</a>
<h2>Are autopen signatures valid?</h2>
A 2005 legal opinion from the Justice Department&rsquo;s Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush confirmed that a president may direct a subordinate to &ldquo;affix the President&rsquo;s signature&rdquo; to a document.
<h2>Did Biden use an autopen?</h2>
Biden has used an autopen in the past, but Trump has not provided any evidence that the pardons in question were signed without Biden&rsquo;s involvement.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/they-spied-they-lied-but-they-failed-trump-says-biden-turned-doj-into-department-of-injustice-8855032">'They Spied, They Lied, But They Failed': Trump says Biden turned DOJ into 'Department of Injustice'</a>
Trump&rsquo;s claims follow a report from the Heritage Foundation, a pro-Trump think tank, which suggested that &ldquo;whoever controlled the autopen controlled the presidency.&rdquo; However, Newsweek has reported that there is photographic evidence of Biden personally signing several documents that the Heritage Foundation claims were signed by an autopen.
<h2>Could Trump overturn the pardons in court?</h2>
Legal precedent suggests Trump&rsquo;s argument would not hold up in court. In 1929, the US Justice Department ruled that the president has full discretion over how a pardon is issued. More recently, a federal appeals court ruled that presidential pardons do not even need to be in writing.
<h2>Committee members respond</h2>
Bennie Thompson, the former chair of the January 6 committee, dismissed Trump&rsquo;s claim, telling Axios, &ldquo;I am not afraid of Trump&rsquo;s latest midnight rant that has no basis in reality.&rdquo;
Meanwhile, Adam Kinzinger posted on X, &ldquo;Please! You guys have been threatening this forever! Bring it on, it&rsquo;s getting boring waiting.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: On 20 January, Biden’s final day in office, he issued pre-emptive pardons to all members of the House committee that investigated the 6 January attack on Congress.

Donald Trump has claimed, without providing any evidence, that pardons issued by Joe Biden are “void, vacant and of no further force and effect” because they were signed using an autopen rather than personally by the president. What happened? On 20 January, Biden’s final day in office, he issued pre-emptive pardons to family members and all members of the House committee that investigated the 6 January attack on Congress. The riot was incited by Trump as part of his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Trump has frequently threatened members of the committee with legal action or imprisonment. Also read: Trump’s Ukraine ‘peace’ plan isn’t about peace. It’s a PR stunt Trump made his claim in a post on his social media platform, saying, “The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!” He added that committee members should “fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level.” Trump's autopen allegations Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump repeated his claim, saying, “It’s not my decision – that’ll be up to a court – but I would say that they’re null and void, because I’m sure Biden didn’t have any idea that it was taking place, and somebody was using an autopen to sign off and to give pardons.” Also read: Trump says Iran ‘will be held responsible’ for Houthi strikes, warns of ‘dire consequences’ He further claimed, again without proof, that committee members, including former Representative Liz Cheney, were “probably responsible for the documents that were signed on their behalf” without Biden’s knowledge. What is an autopen? An autopen is a device used to create automatic or remote signatures and has been utilised by public figures for decades. Former President Barack Obama faced scrutiny in 2011 for allowing an aide to use an autopen to extend the Patriot Act, marking the first time a president had authorised such a signature. In 2013, he also used an autopen while on holiday in Hawaii to sign a bill preventing a financial crisis. Also read: From Trump Airlines to Trump Vodka: US President Donald Trump’s biggest business flops Are autopen signatures valid? A 2005 legal opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush confirmed that a president may direct a subordinate to “affix the President’s signature” to a document. Did Biden use an autopen? Biden has used an autopen in the past, but Trump has not provided any evidence that the pardons in question were signed without Biden’s involvement. Also read: 'They Spied, They Lied, But They Failed': Trump says Biden turned DOJ into 'Department of Injustice' Trump’s claims follow a report from the Heritage Foundation, a pro-Trump think tank, which suggested that “whoever controlled the autopen controlled the presidency.” However, Newsweek has reported that there is photographic evidence of Biden personally signing several documents that the Heritage Foundation claims were signed by an autopen. Could Trump overturn the pardons in court? Legal precedent suggests Trump’s argument would not hold up in court. In 1929, the US Justice Department ruled that the president has full discretion over how a pardon is issued. More recently, a federal appeals court ruled that presidential pardons do not even need to be in writing. Committee members respond Bennie Thompson, the former chair of the January 6 committee, dismissed Trump’s claim, telling Axios, “I am not afraid of Trump’s latest midnight rant that has no basis in reality.” Meanwhile, Adam Kinzinger posted on X, “Please! You guys have been threatening this forever! Bring it on, it’s getting boring waiting.” (With inputs from agencies)

Trump claims Biden’s Jan. 6 panel pardons are ‘void’ over autopen use: Does he have a case?

US President Donald Trump on Monday (March 17) blamed Iran for the Houthi attacks on American ships, warning that any further aggression would be met with "great force."
He said that any assault by the Houthis would be treated as an act directed by Iran&rsquo;s leadership, warning Tehran of severe repercussions.
<h2>'IRAN will be held responsible'</h2>
"Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN. Any further attack or retaliation by the &lsquo;Houthis&rsquo; will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/russia-ukraine-war-trumps-ukraine-peace-plan-isnt-about-peace-its-a-pr-stunt-8862762">Trump&rsquo;s Ukraine &lsquo;peace&rsquo; plan isn&rsquo;t about peace. It&rsquo;s a PR stunt</a>
He went on to say, "Iran has played &lsquo;the innocent victim&rsquo; of rogue terrorists from which they&rsquo;ve lost control, but they haven&rsquo;t lost control. They&rsquo;re dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, &lsquo;Intelligence.&rsquo;"
"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!" he warned.
<h2>US-Houthi tensions on rise</h2>
Meanwhile, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed on Monday to have attacked an American aircraft carrier group twice within 24 hours. They described the assault as retaliation for US airstrikes that left dozens dead.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-response-to-us-aggression-yemens-huthis-attack-us-aircraft-carrier-after-deadly-trump-airstrikes-8859770">Yemen&rsquo;s Houthis attack US aircraft carrier after Trump airstrikes kill 53</a>
The Houthis initially stated they had fired 18 missiles and a drone at the USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships in the Red Sea. A few hours later, they claimed to have launched a second attack.
A Houthi spokesperson, posting on Telegram, called the strikes a response to "the continued American aggression against our country."
The US has vowed to continue its strikes on Yemen until the Houthis stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping.
According to the Houthi health ministry, US strikes on Saturday killed 53 people, including women and children, and wounded 98 others.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Trump said that any assault by the Houthis would be treated as an act directed by Iran’s leadership, warning Tehran of severe repercussions.

US President Donald Trump on Monday (March 17) blamed Iran for the Houthi attacks on American ships, warning that any further aggression would be met with "great force." He said that any assault by the Houthis would be treated as an act directed by Iran’s leadership, warning Tehran of severe repercussions. 'IRAN will be held responsible' "Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN. Any further attack or retaliation by the ‘Houthis’ will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. Also read: Trump’s Ukraine ‘peace’ plan isn’t about peace. It’s a PR stunt He went on to say, "Iran has played ‘the innocent victim’ of rogue terrorists from which they’ve lost control, but they haven’t lost control. They’re dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, ‘Intelligence.’" "Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!" he warned. US-Houthi tensions on rise Meanwhile, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed on Monday to have attacked an American aircraft carrier group twice within 24 hours. They described the assault as retaliation for US airstrikes that left dozens dead. Also read: Yemen’s Houthis attack US aircraft carrier after Trump airstrikes kill 53 The Houthis initially stated they had fired 18 missiles and a drone at the USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships in the Red Sea. A few hours later, they claimed to have launched a second attack. A Houthi spokesperson, posting on Telegram, called the strikes a response to "the continued American aggression against our country." The US has vowed to continue its strikes on Yemen until the Houthis stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping. According to the Houthi health ministry, US strikes on Saturday killed 53 people, including women and children, and wounded 98 others. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump says Iran ‘will be held responsible’ for Houthi strikes, warns of ‘dire consequences’

US President Donald Trump is not one to mince words, but his warnings to Russia and Ukraine, growing more serious and meaner by the day, carry a tone of urgency. And while we are being assured that the US President is a &ldquo;great guy&rdquo; and could be &ldquo;on his way to the Nobel Peace Prize&rdquo; (as his Secretary of State Marco Rubio said) for his peace efforts in Ukraine, it&rsquo;s not that simple.
Trump has much to gain if he can broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
In the past few months, his administration has accelerated efforts to negotiate a ceasefire, whether through talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump&rsquo;s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, or by meetings between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations in Riyadh. It&rsquo;s an all-hands-on-deck situation that raises a key question: Why?
<h2>Why does Trump want to end the war in Ukraine? </h2>
It&rsquo;s&nbsp;definitely not for peace. As a businessman who prides himself on mastering the &ldquo;art of the deal&rdquo;, doing something for nothing in return is simply not his style.
During his re-election campaign, Trump claimed he would &ldquo;have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled&rdquo; even before he arrives in the Oval Office. He repeated that promise later, saying, &ldquo;If I&rsquo;m president-elect, I&rsquo;ll get it done before even becoming president.&rdquo;
Things are different now. He is the 47th President of the United States, yet the war is nowhere close to ending. Russian attacks have escalated. Perhaps the dealmaker from New York City thought it would be easy, only to realise it&rsquo;s much harder than expected. That hasn&rsquo;t deterred him&mdash;if anything, he&rsquo;s trying even harder. But again, why?
In Trump&rsquo;s mind, it&rsquo;s the perfect move. He has spent years branding himself as the ultimate dealmaker, a man who can walk into a room, slap an agreement on the table, and force world leaders to fall in line. Whether the deals themselves hold up to scrutiny has never been the point. Ending the Ukraine war would be the ultimate validation of his image, proof (he would argue) that his leadership alone can solve problems that others and NATO could not.
The optics would be even better if he could do it within the first 100 days of his presidency. This period is crucial for setting an administration&rsquo;s tone, when presidents push their biggest policies, capitalise on momentum, and build their legacy. Historically, some of the biggest moves in US politics have occurred in this window. The first 100 days define how history remembers a president&rsquo;s term. They serve as a report card, and every administration seeks early high-profile victories. Franklin D. Roosevelt launched the New Deal. Ronald Reagan pushed through sweeping tax cuts. Barack Obama passed an economic stimulus package after the Great Recession.
If Trump forces Ukraine into a quick deal (that may mean surrendering territory to Russia), he gets a massive talking point. He&rsquo;ll frame himself as the man who cut through globalist bureaucracy and fixed what other leaders couldn&rsquo;t.
But this will come at a cost and it is Ukraine that would be forced to pay the price. There is no scenario in which Trump brokers a fair and lasting peace. He has said so himself, &ldquo;Ukraine will have to compromise.&rdquo;
Trump&rsquo;s rhetoric provides all the clues necessary to predict what his version of an &ldquo;end&rdquo; to the war would look like. He has repeatedly vowed to cut off aid to Ukraine and even did so temporarily until U.S. and Ukrainian delegations negotiated in Riyadh.
He knows &ldquo;aid&rdquo; is leverage, cutting it off would leave Ukraine militarily crippled, with little choice but to negotiate on Russian terms. The result would be an imposed settlement in which Ukraine is expected to cede territory, something Putin has demanded as a non-negotiable condition for a ceasefire. Trump would claim victory, but the reality would be concession.
Yet for Trump, the immediate rewards would be enormous. Trump would present his &ldquo;peace deal&rdquo; as an America First decision, no more taxpayer money wasted on a &ldquo;foreign war.&rdquo; To the world, he would posture as a leader so formidable before whom even Putin backed down.
Of course, Putin would not have backed down at all. He would have won, securing Ukrainian land without further resistance and strengthening his strategic position in Europe.
NATO would be humiliated and in a weaker position than it already is. European nations would be left questioning whether the United States remains a reliable ally at all, something they have started wondering after Trump&rsquo;s Vice President JD Vance&rsquo;s eye-opening speech at the Munich Security Conference.
Trump, unconcerned with the long-term consequences, would move on, basking in the temporary glow of his self-proclaimed win.
(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Why does Trump want to end the war in Ukraine? It’s definitely not for peace. As a businessman doing something for nothing in return is simply not his style. Opinions & Blogs World

US President Donald Trump is not one to mince words, but his warnings to Russia and Ukraine, growing more serious and meaner by the day, carry a tone of urgency. And while we are being assured that the US President is a “great guy” and could be “on his way to the Nobel Peace Prize” (as his Secretary of State Marco Rubio said) for his peace efforts in Ukraine, it’s not that simple. Trump has much to gain if he can broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. In the past few months, his administration has accelerated efforts to negotiate a ceasefire, whether through talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, or by meetings between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations in Riyadh. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation that raises a key question: Why? Why does Trump want to end the war in Ukraine? It’s definitely not for peace. As a businessman who prides himself on mastering the “art of the deal”, doing something for nothing in return is simply not his style. During his re-election campaign, Trump claimed he would “have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled” even before he arrives in the Oval Office. He repeated that promise later, saying, “If I’m president-elect, I’ll get it done before even becoming president.” Things are different now. He is the 47th President of the United States, yet the war is nowhere close to ending. Russian attacks have escalated. Perhaps the dealmaker from New York City thought it would be easy, only to realise it’s much harder than expected. That hasn’t deterred him—if anything, he’s trying even harder. But again, why? In Trump’s mind, it’s the perfect move. He has spent years branding himself as the ultimate dealmaker, a man who can walk into a room, slap an agreement on the table, and force world leaders to fall in line. Whether the deals themselves hold up to scrutiny has never been the point. Ending the Ukraine war would be the ultimate validation of his image, proof (he would argue) that his leadership alone can solve problems that others and NATO could not. The optics would be even better if he could do it within the first 100 days of his presidency. This period is crucial for setting an administration’s tone, when presidents push their biggest policies, capitalise on momentum, and build their legacy. Historically, some of the biggest moves in US politics have occurred in this window. The first 100 days define how history remembers a president’s term. They serve as a report card, and every administration seeks early high-profile victories. Franklin D. Roosevelt launched the New Deal. Ronald Reagan pushed through sweeping tax cuts. Barack Obama passed an economic stimulus package after the Great Recession. If Trump forces Ukraine into a quick deal (that may mean surrendering territory to Russia), he gets a massive talking point. He’ll frame himself as the man who cut through globalist bureaucracy and fixed what other leaders couldn’t. But this will come at a cost and it is Ukraine that would be forced to pay the price. There is no scenario in which Trump brokers a fair and lasting peace. He has said so himself, “Ukraine will have to compromise.” Trump’s rhetoric provides all the clues necessary to predict what his version of an “end” to the war would look like. He has repeatedly vowed to cut off aid to Ukraine and even did so temporarily until U.S. and Ukrainian delegations negotiated in Riyadh. He knows “aid” is leverage, cutting it off would leave Ukraine militarily crippled, with little choice but to negotiate on Russian terms. The result would be an imposed settlement in which Ukraine is expected to cede territory, something Putin has demanded as a non-negotiable condition for a ceasefire. Trump would claim victory, but the reality would be concession. Yet for Trump, the immediate rewards would be enormous. Trump would present his “peace deal” as an America First decision, no more taxpayer money wasted on a “foreign war.” To the world, he would posture as a leader so formidable before whom even Putin backed down. Of course, Putin would not have backed down at all. He would have won, securing Ukrainian land without further resistance and strengthening his strategic position in Europe. NATO would be humiliated and in a weaker position than it already is. European nations would be left questioning whether the United States remains a reliable ally at all, something they have started wondering after Trump’s Vice President JD Vance’s eye-opening speech at the Munich Security Conference. Trump, unconcerned with the long-term consequences, would move on, basking in the temporary glow of his self-proclaimed win. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Trump’s Ukraine ‘peace’ plan isn’t about peace. It’s a PR stunt

The Houthi rebels in Yemen announced on Sunday (March 16) that they had launched an attack on a United States aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. This came just hours after the US carried out airstrikes against the Iran-backed group, resulting in at least 53 casualties.
&ldquo;In response to this (US) aggression, the armed forces conducted a military operation... targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships,&rdquo; the rebels stated. According to their claim, they fired 18 missiles and a drone in the attack.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-warns-of-decisive-response-after-trump-orders-strikes-on-houthis-russia-urges-us-to-not-use-force-in-yemen-8858857">Iran warns of &lsquo;decisive&rsquo; response after Trump orders strikes on Houthis; Russia urges US to not use force in Yemen</a>
<h2>Deadly US strikes target Houthi leaders</h2>
The US airstrikes carried out on Saturday, marked the first direct action against the rebel group since President Donald Trump returned to office in January. The White House confirmed that several Houthi leaders had been killed in the operation.
According to the Yemeni rebels&rsquo; health ministry, the strikes left at least 53 people dead.
US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz told ABC News that the strikes &ldquo;actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out.&rdquo; He also stressed that the US would hold both the Houthis and their Iranian backers accountable.
&ldquo;If that means their targeting ships that they have put in to help, their Iranian trainers... other things that they have put in to help the Houthis attack the global economy, those targets will be on the table too,&rdquo; he stated. Speaking separately on Fox News, Waltz said the strikes served as a clear warning to Iran, declaring that &ldquo;enough is enough.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-puts-iran-on-notice-after-us-strike-on-yemen-kills-multiple-houthi-leaders-8859305">&lsquo;Enough is enough&rsquo;: White House puts Iran &lsquo;on notice&rsquo; after US strike kills multiple Houthi leaders</a>
<h2>Trump issues stern warning</h2>
Following the attacks, President Trump made a forceful statement on Truth Social, warning Houthi leaders, &ldquo;YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON&rsquo;T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!&rdquo;
He also directed a warning at Iran, saying &ldquo;To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won&rsquo;t be nice about it!&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: “In response to this (US) aggression, the armed forces conducted a military operation... targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships,” the rebels said.

The Houthi rebels in Yemen announced on Sunday (March 16) that they had launched an attack on a United States aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. This came just hours after the US carried out airstrikes against the Iran-backed group, resulting in at least 53 casualties. “In response to this (US) aggression, the armed forces conducted a military operation... targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships,” the rebels stated. According to their claim, they fired 18 missiles and a drone in the attack. Also read: Iran warns of ‘decisive’ response after Trump orders strikes on Houthis; Russia urges US to not use force in Yemen Deadly US strikes target Houthi leaders The US airstrikes carried out on Saturday, marked the first direct action against the rebel group since President Donald Trump returned to office in January. The White House confirmed that several Houthi leaders had been killed in the operation. According to the Yemeni rebels’ health ministry, the strikes left at least 53 people dead. US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz told ABC News that the strikes “actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out.” He also stressed that the US would hold both the Houthis and their Iranian backers accountable. “If that means their targeting ships that they have put in to help, their Iranian trainers... other things that they have put in to help the Houthis attack the global economy, those targets will be on the table too,” he stated. Speaking separately on Fox News, Waltz said the strikes served as a clear warning to Iran, declaring that “enough is enough.” Also read: ‘Enough is enough’: White House puts Iran ‘on notice’ after US strike kills multiple Houthi leaders Trump issues stern warning Following the attacks, President Trump made a forceful statement on Truth Social, warning Houthi leaders, “YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!” He also directed a warning at Iran, saying “To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!” (With inputs from agencies)

Yemen’s Houthis attack US aircraft carrier after Trump airstrikes kill 53

US President Donald Trump is expected to hold discussions this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine intensify. Trump&rsquo;s foreign envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed the likely conversation on Sunday (16 March).
&ldquo;I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week,&rdquo; Witkoff told CNN during a televised interview. He also expressed optimism that a ceasefire agreement could be reached within weeks.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-coalition-of-the-willing-uk-keir-starmer-france-emmanuel-macron-nato-unite-to-push-russia-into-ceasefire-as-putin-stalls-8856438">'Will build Ukraine&rsquo;s own defences': UK, France, NATO unite to push Russia into ceasefire as Putin 'stalls'</a>
The anticipated call comes after a late-night meeting in Moscow last week between Witkoff and Putin. Describing the discussions as &ldquo;solution-based,&rdquo; Witkoff did not disclose specific conditions set by Putin for a ceasefire but admitted that Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine would be central to the negotiations.
The question of ceding land remains a key obstacle in the negotiations. While US officials have suggested Ukraine may need to surrender territory to secure peace, Putin has made it a prerequisite for any ceasefire.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently rejected the idea of giving up land, and some European leaders have expressed concerns that making such concessions would effectively reward Russia for its invasion.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/trumps-strategic-twist-in-the-russia-ukraine-war-a-path-to-resolution-or-new-challenges-for-stakeholders-8858594">Trump's strategic twist in the Russia-Ukraine war: A path to resolution or new challenges for stakeholders?</a>
<h2>Putin 'accepts the philosophy of President Trump'</h2>
Witkoff said that Putin &ldquo;accepts the philosophy of President Trump&rdquo; in wanting to bring the conflict to an end, adding that he was confident a halt in fighting could be achieved soon.
On Friday, Trump called the Moscow meeting between Putin and Witkoff &ldquo;very productive&rdquo; and said&nbsp;that signs for a resolution looked &ldquo;very good&rdquo; following Witkoff&rsquo;s discussions in Russia.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-warns-of-decisive-response-after-trump-orders-strikes-on-houthis-russia-urges-us-to-not-use-force-in-yemen-8858857">Iran warns of &lsquo;decisive&rsquo; response after Trump orders strikes on Houthis; Russia urges US to not use force in Yemen</a>
"We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end &mdash; BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: “I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week,” Witkoff told CNN during a televised interview.

US President Donald Trump is expected to hold discussions this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine intensify. Trump’s foreign envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed the likely conversation on Sunday (16 March). “I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week,” Witkoff told CNN during a televised interview. He also expressed optimism that a ceasefire agreement could be reached within weeks. Also read: 'Will build Ukraine’s own defences': UK, France, NATO unite to push Russia into ceasefire as Putin 'stalls' The anticipated call comes after a late-night meeting in Moscow last week between Witkoff and Putin. Describing the discussions as “solution-based,” Witkoff did not disclose specific conditions set by Putin for a ceasefire but admitted that Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine would be central to the negotiations. The question of ceding land remains a key obstacle in the negotiations. While US officials have suggested Ukraine may need to surrender territory to secure peace, Putin has made it a prerequisite for any ceasefire. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently rejected the idea of giving up land, and some European leaders have expressed concerns that making such concessions would effectively reward Russia for its invasion. Also read: Trump's strategic twist in the Russia-Ukraine war: A path to resolution or new challenges for stakeholders? Putin 'accepts the philosophy of President Trump' Witkoff said that Putin “accepts the philosophy of President Trump” in wanting to bring the conflict to an end, adding that he was confident a halt in fighting could be achieved soon. On Friday, Trump called the Moscow meeting between Putin and Witkoff “very productive” and said that signs for a resolution looked “very good” following Witkoff’s discussions in Russia. Also read: Iran warns of ‘decisive’ response after Trump orders strikes on Houthis; Russia urges US to not use force in Yemen "We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Positive discussion this week’: Trump set for talks with Putin on ending Ukraine war, Witkoff says

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