US President Donald Trump answered over a thousand questions from journalists during the first month of his second term, according to a new report. This count is nearly seven times more than former president Joe Biden in the same period.
According to an analysis published by National Journal on Tuesday (Feb 25), Trump responded to 1,009 questions from journalists, much more than previous presidents.
Biden answered 141 questions in his first month, while Obama took 161 queries during the same period of his first term in 2009.
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Trump has also surpassed his own record of answering 199 questions during his first month of his first term in 2017.
&ldquo;These numbers speak for themselves. They probably don&rsquo;t need a lot of analysis,&rdquo; said David Greenberg, professor of history and of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It clearly shows a comfort level with being his own spokesman,&rdquo; he added, as cited by the report. &ldquo;He enjoys it. He thinks of himself as a persuasive personality, or he enjoys the attention&mdash;or both. And he may not be wrong. He has demonstrated that he can command a following for the way he puts his ideas.&rdquo;
<h2>Oval Office events</h2>
The president meets with the press during his Oval Office events and signs executive orders nearly every day. These appearances can also occur multiple times in a day, and reporters often ask four to five questions each.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-introduces-gold-card-visa-offers-citizenship-pathway-for-indian-graduates-and-investors-8761490">&lsquo;US companies can now hire Indians&rsquo;: Donald Trump on &lsquo;gold card&rsquo; visa</a>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s definitely a case of presidential learning,&rdquo; political scientist and author Martha Kumar told National Journal.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s using the Oval Office. People stop when they see a president in the Oval Office talking on their television. They want to know what he&rsquo;s saying.&rdquo;
Kumar is a professor emerita of political science at Towson University and the leading scholar on White House press operations. She highlighted that Trump more frequently phoned into friendly television programmes to give formal speeches during the start of his first term.
&ldquo;He learned that that didn&rsquo;t get him anything. He was just talking to the choir, and he needed to get to a broader public,&rdquo; Kumar said.
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A lot of the recent exchanges of Trump with the media have generated significant news.
<h2>Trump&rsquo;s 1000th question</h2>
The US president&rsquo;s 1000th question was asked by Fox News producer Caroline McKee inside the press cabin of Air Force One on February 19.
She asked Trump, &ldquo;Do you think DC should govern itself, or do you think that governing of District of Columbia should go back to Congress?&rdquo;
&ldquo;I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,&rdquo; Trump replied. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s so important, the DC situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful. And I think we should take over Washington, DC.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Trending | Biden answered 141 questions in his first month, while Obama took 161 queries in the same period of his first term. Trump has also surpassed his own record of answering 199 questions in the first month of his first term in 2017.

US President Donald Trump answered over a thousand questions from journalists during the first month of his second term, according to a new report. This count is nearly seven times more than former president Joe Biden in the same period. According to an analysis published by National Journal on Tuesday (Feb 25), Trump responded to 1,009 questions from journalists, much more than previous presidents. Biden answered 141 questions in his first month, while Obama took 161 queries during the same period of his first term in 2009. Also read | Andrew, Tristan Tate fly to US on private jet: Did Trump admin pressure Romania to lift their travel ban? Trump has also surpassed his own record of answering 199 questions during his first month of his first term in 2017. “These numbers speak for themselves. They probably don’t need a lot of analysis,” said David Greenberg, professor of history and of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University. “It clearly shows a comfort level with being his own spokesman,” he added, as cited by the report. “He enjoys it. He thinks of himself as a persuasive personality, or he enjoys the attention—or both. And he may not be wrong. He has demonstrated that he can command a following for the way he puts his ideas.” Oval Office events The president meets with the press during his Oval Office events and signs executive orders nearly every day. These appearances can also occur multiple times in a day, and reporters often ask four to five questions each. Also read | ‘US companies can now hire Indians’: Donald Trump on ‘gold card’ visa “It’s definitely a case of presidential learning,” political scientist and author Martha Kumar told National Journal. “He’s using the Oval Office. People stop when they see a president in the Oval Office talking on their television. They want to know what he’s saying.” Kumar is a professor emerita of political science at Towson University and the leading scholar on White House press operations. She highlighted that Trump more frequently phoned into friendly television programmes to give formal speeches during the start of his first term. “He learned that that didn’t get him anything. He was just talking to the choir, and he needed to get to a broader public,” Kumar said. Also read | Did Biden leave NASA astronauts in space for 'political reasons'? Musk, Trump claim in joint interview A lot of the recent exchanges of Trump with the media have generated significant news. Trump’s 1000th question The US president’s 1000th question was asked by Fox News producer Caroline McKee inside the press cabin of Air Force One on February 19. She asked Trump, “Do you think DC should govern itself, or do you think that governing of District of Columbia should go back to Congress?” “I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump replied. “It’s so important, the DC situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful. And I think we should take over Washington, DC.” (With inputs from agencies)

‘His own spokesman’: Trump answered over 1,000 questions in his first month, 7 times more than Biden

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday noted that American companies can now hire Indian graduates from US universities under the newly proposed &lsquo;gold card&rsquo; citizenship initiative.
The move follows Trump's unveiling of the &lsquo;gold card&rsquo; on Wednesday&mdash;a pathway to US citizenship for wealthy foreign investors willing to invest $5 million. It is also seen as a significant boost for Indian students.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Gold cards would &lsquo;sell like crazy&rsquo;</h2>
Donald Trump, during his first Cabinet meeting, said he hoped the gold cards would &ldquo;sell like crazy&rdquo;.
"A person comes from India, China, Japan &ndash; lots of different places and they go to Harvard, the Wharton School of Finance, they go to Yale they go to all great schools, and they graduate number one in their class, and they are made job offers, but the offers are immediately rescinded because you have no idea whether or not that person can stay in the country," news agency ANI quoted Donald Trump as saying.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Trumps wants &lsquo;productive&rsquo; people in US</h2>
Trump said that he introduced the gold card system to tackle the issue. He said that a company can buy a gold card and use it for this recruitment matter.
"I want to be able to have that person stay in the country, these companies can go and buy a gold card, and they can use it as a matter of recruitment. At the same time, the company is using that money to pay down debt we are going to. We are going to pay down a lot of debt with that, and I think the gold card is going to be used not only for that. I mean, they will be used by companies," Trump said.
When asked about the gold card plan, Trump jokingly remarked, "I hope you liked it."
Trump said he wanted "productive" people in the US, and those USD 5 million would create jobs and pay off the US debt. Trump further said that many of these 'productive' graduates return to their home countries and become successful entrepreneurs. "They go back to India, or they go back to the country where they came from, and they open up a company, and they become billionaires. They're employing thousands of people," he said. 
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Discover how President Trump's new 'gold card' initiative aims to bridge the talent gap by enabling US firms to hire skilled Indian graduates from American universities.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday noted that American companies can now hire Indian graduates from US universities under the newly proposed ‘gold card’ citizenship initiative. The move follows Trump's unveiling of the ‘gold card’ on Wednesday—a pathway to US citizenship for wealthy foreign investors willing to invest $5 million. It is also seen as a significant boost for Indian students. Also read | Hamas says Israel has 'no choice but to start' ceasefire 2nd phase negotiations Gold cards would ‘sell like crazy’ Donald Trump, during his first Cabinet meeting, said he hoped the gold cards would “sell like crazy”. "A person comes from India, China, Japan – lots of different places and they go to Harvard, the Wharton School of Finance, they go to Yale they go to all great schools, and they graduate number one in their class, and they are made job offers, but the offers are immediately rescinded because you have no idea whether or not that person can stay in the country," news agency ANI quoted Donald Trump as saying. Also read | Trump's Gaza 'Riviera' video slammed by Democrats as 'absolutely ridiculous and insulting' Trumps wants ‘productive’ people in US Trump said that he introduced the gold card system to tackle the issue. He said that a company can buy a gold card and use it for this recruitment matter. "I want to be able to have that person stay in the country, these companies can go and buy a gold card, and they can use it as a matter of recruitment. At the same time, the company is using that money to pay down debt we are going to. We are going to pay down a lot of debt with that, and I think the gold card is going to be used not only for that. I mean, they will be used by companies," Trump said. When asked about the gold card plan, Trump jokingly remarked, "I hope you liked it." Trump said he wanted "productive" people in the US, and those USD 5 million would create jobs and pay off the US debt. Trump further said that many of these 'productive' graduates return to their home countries and become successful entrepreneurs. "They go back to India, or they go back to the country where they came from, and they open up a company, and they become billionaires. They're employing thousands of people," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

‘US companies can now hire Indians’: Donald Trump on ‘gold card’ visa

US President Donald Trump has called for the return of billions of dollars worth of military equipment left behind in Afghanistan after the 2021 US withdrawal. Watch this report for more details!

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US President Donald Trump convened the first official Cabinet meeting of his second term on Wednesday and ordered federal agencies to implement more large-scale layoffs.

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US President Donald Trump has declared that Ukraine can "forget about joining NATO," refusing to offer security guarantees. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to visit the White House on Friday, pushing for security assurances.

Donald Trump says Ukraine can ‘forget about’ joining NATO

Asian stocks seemed directionless as investors parsed the latest tariff announcements from the US. President Donald trump and earnings from Nvidia failed to impress markets. This comes after most regional stock markets posted solid gains on Wednesday. The broader cues in global markets point to safety first approach as the 'tariff man' flexed his muscles again.

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In a notable policy shift, the Trump administration has authorized $397 million to support Pakistan's F-16 fighter jet fleet. This funding aims to ensure the aircraft are used exclusively for counterterrorism operations.

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Donald Trump's first cabinet meet: Trump, Musk set stage for large-scale cuts

During the first Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday (Feb 28), US President Donald Trump and his close aide Elon Musk defended the email sent to federal employees, demanding what they have done in their job recently.
When asked by a reporter whether federal workers who did not respond to the email risk being fired, Musk said that he wants to keep everyone who is doing well, otherwise, they should not be on the public payroll.
The billionaire said that Trump authorised the email. He added that another one is coming.
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&ldquo;We want to keep everyone who is essential and doing their job well, otherwise they should not be on the public payroll,&rdquo; he said.
Musk added that anyone who does not respond to the email &ldquo;is presumed dead&rdquo; or is &ldquo;a fraudster&rdquo;.
<h2>&lsquo;Maybe they don't exist&rsquo;</h2>
While Trump said, &ldquo;Maybe they don't exist&rdquo;, referring to more than a million federal employees who have not responded to the email yet.
Trump said during the meeting that those who haven&rsquo;t responded are &ldquo;on the bubble&rdquo;, adding that &ldquo;maybe they&rsquo;re going to be gone.&rdquo;
He also slammed former president Joe Biden, suggesting that his administration did not track their own workforce properly.
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&ldquo;We're trying to figure out who those people are who haven't responded. We're being a little more surgical in situations where people are doing classified stuff,&rdquo; Trump said.
Trump called on the cabinet members, urging them to &ldquo;do their own DOGE&rdquo; at their respective agencies. He also suggested the Environmental Protection Agency should shrink its workforce by up to 65 per cent.
A day earlier, the White House stated that over one million federal employees had responded to the email.
<h2>Musk&rsquo;s email</h2>
Federal workers were sent an email by Musk&rsquo;s team asking workers, &ldquo;What did you do last week?&rdquo; Musk warned that failing to reply to the email would be taken as their resignation, sparking confusion among the employees.&nbsp;
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However, FBI Director Kash Patel instructed the staff in his agency to &ldquo;please pause any responses&rdquo;, making clear that &ldquo;no employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The US Office of Personnel Management also directed agencies that responses to the email were optional.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | When asked by a reporter about whether federal workers who did not respond to the email risk being fired, Musk said that he wants to keep everyone who is doing well, otherwise, they should not be on the public payroll.

During the first Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday (Feb 28), US President Donald Trump and his close aide Elon Musk defended the email sent to federal employees, demanding what they have done in their job recently. When asked by a reporter whether federal workers who did not respond to the email risk being fired, Musk said that he wants to keep everyone who is doing well, otherwise, they should not be on the public payroll. The billionaire said that Trump authorised the email. He added that another one is coming. Also read | 'Is anybody unhappy with Elon? We’ll throw you out: Trump Jokes about firing cabinet members “We want to keep everyone who is essential and doing their job well, otherwise they should not be on the public payroll,” he said. Musk added that anyone who does not respond to the email “is presumed dead” or is “a fraudster”. ‘Maybe they don't exist’ While Trump said, “Maybe they don't exist”, referring to more than a million federal employees who have not responded to the email yet. Trump said during the meeting that those who haven’t responded are “on the bubble”, adding that “maybe they’re going to be gone.” He also slammed former president Joe Biden, suggesting that his administration did not track their own workforce properly. Also read | Confidence in nation at 'all-time high': 10 key takeaways from Trump's first official cabinet meeting “We're trying to figure out who those people are who haven't responded. We're being a little more surgical in situations where people are doing classified stuff,” Trump said. Trump called on the cabinet members, urging them to “do their own DOGE” at their respective agencies. He also suggested the Environmental Protection Agency should shrink its workforce by up to 65 per cent. A day earlier, the White House stated that over one million federal employees had responded to the email. Musk’s email Federal workers were sent an email by Musk’s team asking workers, “What did you do last week?” Musk warned that failing to reply to the email would be taken as their resignation, sparking confusion among the employees. Also read | Trump administration orders federal agencies to prepare for job cuts However, FBI Director Kash Patel instructed the staff in his agency to “please pause any responses”, making clear that “no employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command.” The US Office of Personnel Management also directed agencies that responses to the email were optional. (With inputs from agencies)

US federal employees who don’t respond to email are ‘presumed dead’, says Musk

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Feb 26) confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House on Friday this week.
"We&rsquo;re doing very well with Russia-Ukraine. President Zelensky is going to be coming on Friday. It&rsquo;s now confirmed, and we&rsquo;re going to be signing an agreement,&rdquo; Trump said.&nbsp;
Without giving much details, Trump, while addressing his first official Cabinet meeting, said that "it will be a very big agreement", referring to the minerals deal.&nbsp;
Zelensky said on Wednesday (Feb 26) that he hoped to visit Washington on Friday to meet President Donald Trump and discuss striking a minerals deal with the United States.
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<h2>1. 'Will get our money back'</h2>
The US president added that the deal would allow the US to "get our money back". "And we're going to get a lot of money in the future, and I think that's appropriate because we have taxpayers that shouldn't be footing the bill," he says. "It's all been worked out."
A peace deal could follow afterward, Trump added.&nbsp;
US President Donald Trump is holding his first official Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with his closest ally and billionaire Elon Musk present during the meeting.&nbsp;
Musk arrived at the White House in all-black attire and his signature black "Make America Great Again" cap.&nbsp;
Trump said that one of the things he was elected to do was balance the budgets and "getting our budget back into shape".
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<h2>2. 'Musk getting a lot of praise'</h2>
He then asked Musk to speak first at the meeting, saying, "Musk is sacrificing a lot... and getting a lot of praise, but he's also getting hit."
Musk stood up and said that the overall goal of the DOGE team is to "help address the enormous deficit". "We simply cannot sustain it," he says, "if this continues the country will become de facto bankrupt."
<h2>3. 'Best cabinet ever'</h2>
The billionaire then praised Trump's cabinet, saying, "It is the best cabinet ever, literally."
Earlier in the day, Trump said that "all cabinet members are extremely happy" with Elon Musk's work.
Trump interrupted Musk in the middle and asked the cabinet, "Is anybody unhappy with Elon? If you are, we will throw you out of here." He said as he joked and laughed.&nbsp;
Trump reiterated his belief that the cabinet is behind the tech billionaire and invited Musk to answer.
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<h2>4. 'Gold card plan will sell like crazy'</h2>
Trump predicted that his "gold card" plan to replace the EB5 visa programme is going to "sell like crazy" as his administration takes steps towards monetising the US immigration system.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I want to be able to have that person stay in the country. These companies can go and buy a gold card, and they can use it as a matter of recruitment. At the same time, the company is using that money to pay down debt. We&rsquo;re going to, we&rsquo;re going to pay down a lot of debt with that,&rdquo; Trump said.
<h2>5. Tariffs on EU</h2>
The US president said that he will not be stopping tariffs on Canada or Mexico and will be announcing tariffs on the European Union soon.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;ll be 25% generally speaking,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;And that&rsquo;ll be on cars and all other things.&rdquo;
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<h2>6. 'Will not be making security guarantees to Ukraine'</h2>
The US president said that he will not be making &ldquo;security guarantees to Ukraine beyond very much,&rdquo; suggesting European nations take that responsibility because of geographical proximity.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much. We&rsquo;re going to have Europe do that because it&rsquo;s in, you know &mdash; we&rsquo;re talking about, Europe is their next-door neighbour, but we&rsquo;re going to make sure everything goes well. And as you know, we&rsquo;ll be making a&mdash; we&rsquo;ll be really partnering with Ukraine, in terms of rare earth. We very much need rare earth. They have great rare earth,&rdquo; Trump said.&nbsp;
He added that his Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright would be &ldquo;working on that together.&rdquo;
<h2>7. 'I never comment on that', Trump on China</h2>
While highlighting on China-Taiwan row, Trump declined to say if his administration would move to prevent China from taking Taiwan by force.&nbsp;
"I never comment on that &mdash; I don&rsquo;t comment on anything, because I don&rsquo;t want to ever put myself in that position," he said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And if I said it, I certainly wouldn&rsquo;t be saying it to you. I&rsquo;d be saying it to other people, maybe people around this table, very specific people around this table,&rdquo; Trump added.
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<h2>8. 'Not going to touch' entitlement programmes</h2>
Trump promised that his administration will not make cuts to entitlement programmes like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security&mdash;a promise that comes after House Republicans passed a budget blueprint that includes plans to slash $880 billion over a decade from federal health and energy programmes.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re not going to touch it,&rdquo; Trump said when pressed on whether he could guarantee Medicare, Medicare, and Social Security would not be touched.
He suggested, however, that the cuts could come from rooting out fraud.
<h2>9. Putin a 'cunning and smart guy'</h2>
Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "cunning" and "very smart guy", adding that he thinks "we are going to have a deal&rdquo; regarding the war in Ukraine and said that Putin will &ldquo;have to&rdquo; make concessions.
Trump also said that he has &ldquo;great respect&rdquo; for the fighters in Ukraine, and called them &ldquo;great fighters&rdquo;.
&ldquo;But without our equipment, that war would have been over, like people said, in a very short period of time,&rdquo; he added.
He further said that NATO was "probably the reason" the war started in the first place.
<h2>10. 'EU was formed to screw the US'</h2>
The US president described the EU, whose creation was encouraged for decades by Washington, as rooted in an attempt to counter the United States.
"Look, let's be honest, the European Union was formed in order to screw the United States," Trump said at a cabinet meeting.
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

World: Without giving much details, Trump, while addressing his first official Cabinet meeting, said that "it will be a very big agreement", referring to the minerals deal.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Feb 26) confirmed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House on Friday this week. "We’re doing very well with Russia-Ukraine. President Zelensky is going to be coming on Friday. It’s now confirmed, and we’re going to be signing an agreement,” Trump said. Without giving much details, Trump, while addressing his first official Cabinet meeting, said that "it will be a very big agreement", referring to the minerals deal. Zelensky said on Wednesday (Feb 26) that he hoped to visit Washington on Friday to meet President Donald Trump and discuss striking a minerals deal with the United States. Also read: 'It can be a big success': Zelensky hopes to meet Trump in US this Friday 1. 'Will get our money back' The US president added that the deal would allow the US to "get our money back". "And we're going to get a lot of money in the future, and I think that's appropriate because we have taxpayers that shouldn't be footing the bill," he says. "It's all been worked out." A peace deal could follow afterward, Trump added. US President Donald Trump is holding his first official Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with his closest ally and billionaire Elon Musk present during the meeting. Musk arrived at the White House in all-black attire and his signature black "Make America Great Again" cap. Trump said that one of the things he was elected to do was balance the budgets and "getting our budget back into shape". Also read: Trump administration orders federal agencies to prepare for job cuts 2. 'Musk getting a lot of praise' He then asked Musk to speak first at the meeting, saying, "Musk is sacrificing a lot... and getting a lot of praise, but he's also getting hit." Musk stood up and said that the overall goal of the DOGE team is to "help address the enormous deficit". "We simply cannot sustain it," he says, "if this continues the country will become de facto bankrupt." 3. 'Best cabinet ever' The billionaire then praised Trump's cabinet, saying, "It is the best cabinet ever, literally." Earlier in the day, Trump said that "all cabinet members are extremely happy" with Elon Musk's work. Trump interrupted Musk in the middle and asked the cabinet, "Is anybody unhappy with Elon? If you are, we will throw you out of here." He said as he joked and laughed. Trump reiterated his belief that the cabinet is behind the tech billionaire and invited Musk to answer. Also read: Not Elon Musk but Amy Gleason now leads Trump's DOGE. Who is she? 4. 'Gold card plan will sell like crazy' Trump predicted that his "gold card" plan to replace the EB5 visa programme is going to "sell like crazy" as his administration takes steps towards monetising the US immigration system. “I want to be able to have that person stay in the country. These companies can go and buy a gold card, and they can use it as a matter of recruitment. At the same time, the company is using that money to pay down debt. We’re going to, we’re going to pay down a lot of debt with that,” Trump said. 5. Tariffs on EU The US president said that he will not be stopping tariffs on Canada or Mexico and will be announcing tariffs on the European Union soon. “It’ll be 25% generally speaking,” Trump said. “And that’ll be on cars and all other things.” Also read: 'Wow': Musk reacts as Tulsi Gabbard says over 100 intelligence officers fired over sexually explicit NSA chats 6. 'Will not be making security guarantees to Ukraine' The US president said that he will not be making “security guarantees to Ukraine beyond very much,” suggesting European nations take that responsibility because of geographical proximity. “I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much. We’re going to have Europe do that because it’s in, you know — we’re talking about, Europe is their next-door neighbour, but we’re going to make sure everything goes well. And as you know, we’ll be making a— we’ll be really partnering with Ukraine, in terms of rare earth. We very much need rare earth. They have great rare earth,” Trump said. He added that his Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright would be “working on that together.” 7. 'I never comment on that', Trump on China While highlighting on China-Taiwan row, Trump declined to say if his administration would move to prevent China from taking Taiwan by force. "I never comment on that — I don’t comment on anything, because I don’t want to ever put myself in that position," he said. “And if I said it, I certainly wouldn’t be saying it to you. I’d be saying it to other people, maybe people around this table, very specific people around this table,” Trump added. Also read: AI video of Donald Trump sucking Elon Musk's feet plays on govt office screens - WATCH 8. 'Not going to touch' entitlement programmes Trump promised that his administration will not make cuts to entitlement programmes like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—a promise that comes after House Republicans passed a budget blueprint that includes plans to slash $880 billion over a decade from federal health and energy programmes. “We’re not going to touch it,” Trump said when pressed on whether he could guarantee Medicare, Medicare, and Social Security would not be touched. He suggested, however, that the cuts could come from rooting out fraud. 9. Putin a 'cunning and smart guy' Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "cunning" and "very smart guy", adding that he thinks "we are going to have a deal” regarding the war in Ukraine and said that Putin will “have to” make concessions. Trump also said that he has “great respect” for the fighters in Ukraine, and called them “great fighters”. “But without our equipment, that war would have been over, like people said, in a very short period of time,” he added. He further said that NATO was "probably the reason" the war started in the first place. 10. 'EU was formed to screw the US' The US president described the EU, whose creation was encouraged for decades by Washington, as rooted in an attempt to counter the United States. "Look, let's be honest, the European Union was formed in order to screw the United States," Trump said at a cabinet meeting. (With inputs from agencies)

Confidence in nation at 'all-time high': 10 key takeaways from Trump's first official cabinet meeting

Elon Musk, one of the closest aides and biggest donors of Donald Trump, has been consistently present in the Oval Office alongside the US president. However, their relationship has not always been this cordial, reveals a Politico report.
The report citing a person in the meeting details the first encounter of the two men at the White House in 2020 during Trump&rsquo;s first term in office, where the billionaire called the president a &ldquo;f***ing moron&rdquo;.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gold-card-vs-green-card-all-you-need-to-know-about-trumps-new-residency-permit-8759516">Gold Card vs Green Card: All you need to know about Trump&rsquo;s new residency permit</a>
<h2>What happened at the White House?</h2>
In 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump learned about Musk&rsquo;s plans to build a Tesla factory in Mexico instead of Texas and invited him to the White House to discuss the matter.
However, a source told Politico that Musk called Trump a &ldquo;f***ing moron&rdquo; behind his back in the White House before the meeting.
&ldquo;We walk into the Oval, and he kind of looks around, and he&rsquo;s looking around,&rdquo; this person in the room said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s like, &lsquo;Gosh, I tell you. I mean, I was just in China and man, their palaces just make the White House kind of look more like an outhouse.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-elon-musk-but-amy-gleason-now-leads-trumps-doge-who-is-she-8759221">Not Elon Musk but Amy Gleason now leads Trump's DOGE. Who is she?</a>
Reportedly, Trump fumed following the remark as National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow and four of his staffers stood by silently.
<h2>Past clashes between Trump and Musk</h2>
This incident was not the only one where Trump and Musk seemed to have a rocky relationship.&nbsp;
In 2017, when Trump announced the withdrawing of the US from the Paris Climate Accords, Musk, who served on three Trump advisory councils at the time, distanced himself from the president.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-threatens-to-sue-dishonest-authors-media-outlets-using-anonymous-sources-8759459">Trump threatens to sue 'dishonest' authors, media outlets using 'anonymous sources'</a>
&ldquo;Am departing presidential councils,&rdquo; he posted on X. &ldquo;Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.&rdquo;
The tensions were sparked again in 2022 when Musk was seeking his controversial deal to buy Twitter (now X) and said that he thinks former President Donald Trump should, &ldquo;hang up his hat &amp; sail into the sunset.&rdquo;
Trump hit back at the billionaire, taking it to his Truth Social where he said, &ldquo;When Elon Musk came to the White House asking me for help on all of his many subsidized projects, whether it&rsquo;s electric cars that don&rsquo;t drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he&rsquo;d be worthless, and telling me how he was a big Trump fan and Republican, I could have said, &ldquo;drop to your knees and beg,&rdquo; and he would have done it&hellip;&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wow-musk-reacts-as-tulsi-gabbard-says-over-100-intelligence-officers-fired-over-sexually-explicit-nsa-chats-8758988">'Wow': Musk reacts as Tulsi Gabbard says over 100 intelligence officers fired over sexually explicit NSA chats</a>
Despite the past differences, Musk has now become Trump&rsquo;s one of the biggest supporters and donors, investing nearly $300 million in his campaign. He is also among the closest advisors to the president currently.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Trending | The report citing a person in the meeting details the first encounter of the two men at the White House in 2020 during Trump’s first term in office, where the billionaire called the president a “f***ing moron”.

Elon Musk, one of the closest aides and biggest donors of Donald Trump, has been consistently present in the Oval Office alongside the US president. However, their relationship has not always been this cordial, reveals a Politico report. The report citing a person in the meeting details the first encounter of the two men at the White House in 2020 during Trump’s first term in office, where the billionaire called the president a “f***ing moron”. Also read | Gold Card vs Green Card: All you need to know about Trump’s new residency permit What happened at the White House? In 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump learned about Musk’s plans to build a Tesla factory in Mexico instead of Texas and invited him to the White House to discuss the matter. However, a source told Politico that Musk called Trump a “f***ing moron” behind his back in the White House before the meeting. “We walk into the Oval, and he kind of looks around, and he’s looking around,” this person in the room said. “He’s like, ‘Gosh, I tell you. I mean, I was just in China and man, their palaces just make the White House kind of look more like an outhouse.’” Also read | Not Elon Musk but Amy Gleason now leads Trump's DOGE. Who is she? Reportedly, Trump fumed following the remark as National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow and four of his staffers stood by silently. Past clashes between Trump and Musk This incident was not the only one where Trump and Musk seemed to have a rocky relationship. In 2017, when Trump announced the withdrawing of the US from the Paris Climate Accords, Musk, who served on three Trump advisory councils at the time, distanced himself from the president. Also read | Trump threatens to sue 'dishonest' authors, media outlets using 'anonymous sources' “Am departing presidential councils,” he posted on X. “Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.” The tensions were sparked again in 2022 when Musk was seeking his controversial deal to buy Twitter (now X) and said that he thinks former President Donald Trump should, “hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.” Trump hit back at the billionaire, taking it to his Truth Social where he said, “When Elon Musk came to the White House asking me for help on all of his many subsidized projects, whether it’s electric cars that don’t drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he’d be worthless, and telling me how he was a big Trump fan and Republican, I could have said, “drop to your knees and beg,” and he would have done it…” Also read | 'Wow': Musk reacts as Tulsi Gabbard says over 100 intelligence officers fired over sexually explicit NSA chats Despite the past differences, Musk has now become Trump’s one of the biggest supporters and donors, investing nearly $300 million in his campaign. He is also among the closest advisors to the president currently. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump’s closest aide Elon Musk once called him a ‘f***ing moron’: Report

US President Donald Trump's closest adviser, is pushing for expelling Canada out of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance as POTUS presses in on the pressure on Ottawa, a country he wishes to turn into the 51st American state. Watch this report for more details!

Trump adviser pushes for expelling Canada from five eyes alliance: Report

President Trump announced Tuesday that the US government will soon begin selling $5 million “gold cards” that convey both green-card residency status and a path to American citizenship to foreigners. Watch this report for more details!

Trump: US will sell $5 million 'gold cards' to foreigners

French President Emmanuel Macron has said a truce between Ukraine and Russia could be agreed in the coming weeks. This comes after talks with Donald Trump at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion.

Macron suggests Ukraine truce could be weeks away

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged Tuesday to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of the economy by 2027, as uncertainty reigns over US President Donald Trump's commitment to European security.
Starmer expressed an intent to eventually reach three per cent, a rise of 0.7 per cent from current spending that would mark the biggest increase since the end of the Cold War.
His announcement comes ahead of key talks on Ukraine with Trump in Washington on Thursday.
It will be seen as an attempt to appease the US president, who has demanded that European powers pay more for their own security.
The UK spent 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence in 2023/24.
Starmer's Labour government had previously committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5 percent, but had not set a timeline.
The prime minister told parliament the increase would be funded by cutting overseas development aid from 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI) to 0.3 per cent.
Starmer added he hopes to hike spending to three per cent of GDP in the next parliament, which would fall during a five-year period after elections expected in 2029.
The initial rise of 0.2 per cent would cost the government &pound;13.4 billion ($16.9 billion) more every year from 2027, said Starmer.
That will mean some "extremely difficult and painful choices", he told lawmakers, but added it would contribute to the "biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War".
The government would "set a clear ambition for defence spending to rise to 3 per cent of GDP in the next parliament," he added.
Trump has demanded that NATO allies more than double their defence spending targets to five percent of economic output.
<h2>'Modernise'&nbsp;</h2>
The United States currently spends around 3.3 per cent on defence.
When he meets Trump, Starmer faces a difficult balancing act between backing Ukraine while not annoying the US leader.
He has indicated he will reaffirm support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky and insist that Kyiv is at the heart of negotiations for a truce with Russia.
Trump has opened discussions with Moscow to bring an end to the war,&nbsp;
Starmer will hope that his announcement helps to convince Trump to provide security guarantees for any European peacekeepers sent to Ukraine to monitor any ceasefire that is agreed.
The UK premier and France's President Emmanuel Macron have said they are willing to send British and French troops to Ukraine, but they would require a US backup.
Security guarantees would likely take the form of air cover, intelligence and logistics.
"The nature of warfare has changed significantly. That is clear from the battlefield in Ukraine, and so we must modernise and reform our capabilities as we invest," Starmer said.
"This investment means that the UK will strengthen its position as a leader in NATO and in the collective defence of our continent, and we should welcome that role."
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.

World: It will be seen as UK PM Keir Starmer's attempt to appease US President Donald Trump, who has demanded that European powers pay more for their own security.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged Tuesday to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of the economy by 2027, as uncertainty reigns over US President Donald Trump's commitment to European security. Starmer expressed an intent to eventually reach three per cent, a rise of 0.7 per cent from current spending that would mark the biggest increase since the end of the Cold War. His announcement comes ahead of key talks on Ukraine with Trump in Washington on Thursday. It will be seen as an attempt to appease the US president, who has demanded that European powers pay more for their own security. The UK spent 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence in 2023/24. Starmer's Labour government had previously committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5 percent, but had not set a timeline. The prime minister told parliament the increase would be funded by cutting overseas development aid from 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI) to 0.3 per cent. Starmer added he hopes to hike spending to three per cent of GDP in the next parliament, which would fall during a five-year period after elections expected in 2029. The initial rise of 0.2 per cent would cost the government £13.4 billion ($16.9 billion) more every year from 2027, said Starmer. That will mean some "extremely difficult and painful choices", he told lawmakers, but added it would contribute to the "biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War". The government would "set a clear ambition for defence spending to rise to 3 per cent of GDP in the next parliament," he added. Trump has demanded that NATO allies more than double their defence spending targets to five percent of economic output. 'Modernise' The United States currently spends around 3.3 per cent on defence. When he meets Trump, Starmer faces a difficult balancing act between backing Ukraine while not annoying the US leader. He has indicated he will reaffirm support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky and insist that Kyiv is at the heart of negotiations for a truce with Russia. Trump has opened discussions with Moscow to bring an end to the war, Starmer will hope that his announcement helps to convince Trump to provide security guarantees for any European peacekeepers sent to Ukraine to monitor any ceasefire that is agreed. The UK premier and France's President Emmanuel Macron have said they are willing to send British and French troops to Ukraine, but they would require a US backup. Security guarantees would likely take the form of air cover, intelligence and logistics. "The nature of warfare has changed significantly. That is clear from the battlefield in Ukraine, and so we must modernise and reform our capabilities as we invest," Starmer said. "This investment means that the UK will strengthen its position as a leader in NATO and in the collective defence of our continent, and we should welcome that role." 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.

UK PM pledges to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2027

Super Bowl LIX winners Philadelphia Eagles have clarified their official stance on whether or not they'll be going to the White House. The team, on Monday (Feb 24), informed reporters following a meeting that they'd be happy to visit the President in the White House if invited.
The White House or President Donald Trump, however, have not extended any such invitation yet. The Eagles, meanwhile, are looking forward to it.
"The Eagles would be honored to visit The White House, team sources say. It&rsquo;s one of the aspects of winning they are excited about and look forward to receiving the invitation," reported NFL's Ian Rapoport.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl/super-bowl-lix-how-eagles-hurts-chiefs-three-peat-hopes-8708606">Super Bowl LIX - How Eagles Hurt(s) Chiefs three-peat hopes</a>
Any Championship winning sports team usually visits the White House to meet the sitting president to celebrate the victory. The tradition, however, was interrupted during the first term of President Trump when the Eagles, among other teams, refused to visit the White House in 2018.
An invitation was given to the Eagles following their 2018 Super Bowl victory, but after many players refused to go, the White House took down the invitation.
As for the current Super Bowl, Trump had made his support pretty clear for the Chiefs, whom the Eagles beat in Super Bowl LIX on Feb 8 earlier this month.
<h2>Eagles annihilate Chiefs in Super Bowl</h2>
The Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Eagles wasn't much to talk about as Philadelphia crushed the two-time defending champions Kansas City 40-22.
The Chiefs, chasing a historic three-peat, were below par on a night when Eales QB Jalen Hurts was at his best. Hurts won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the game for his 17 of 22 passes attempted for a total of 221 yards, including two touchdowns. He also threw an interception, but that didn't matter in the final score.
With the win, the Eagles exacted their revenge for having lost to the Chiefs 35-28 in Super Bowl LVII in 2023 in a closely fought game.
&nbsp;

The White House or President Donald Trump, however, have not extended any such invitation yet. The Eagles, meanwhile, are looking forward to it. Sports

Super Bowl LIX winners Philadelphia Eagles have clarified their official stance on whether or not they'll be going to the White House. The team, on Monday (Feb 24), informed reporters following a meeting that they'd be happy to visit the President in the White House if invited. The White House or President Donald Trump, however, have not extended any such invitation yet. The Eagles, meanwhile, are looking forward to it. "The Eagles would be honored to visit The White House, team sources say. It’s one of the aspects of winning they are excited about and look forward to receiving the invitation," reported NFL's Ian Rapoport. Also Read: Super Bowl LIX - How Eagles Hurt(s) Chiefs three-peat hopes Any Championship winning sports team usually visits the White House to meet the sitting president to celebrate the victory. The tradition, however, was interrupted during the first term of President Trump when the Eagles, among other teams, refused to visit the White House in 2018. An invitation was given to the Eagles following their 2018 Super Bowl victory, but after many players refused to go, the White House took down the invitation. As for the current Super Bowl, Trump had made his support pretty clear for the Chiefs, whom the Eagles beat in Super Bowl LIX on Feb 8 earlier this month. Eagles annihilate Chiefs in Super Bowl The Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Eagles wasn't much to talk about as Philadelphia crushed the two-time defending champions Kansas City 40-22. The Chiefs, chasing a historic three-peat, were below par on a night when Eales QB Jalen Hurts was at his best. Hurts won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the game for his 17 of 22 passes attempted for a total of 221 yards, including two touchdowns. He also threw an interception, but that didn't matter in the final score. With the win, the Eagles exacted their revenge for having lost to the Chiefs 35-28 in Super Bowl LVII in 2023 in a closely fought game.

Super Bowl LIX winners Eagles clarify stance on visiting White House and President Donald Trump

As the US and Russia have been mending their relationship, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasised that Russia and the US have a long way to go to restore trust after all the difficulties in the past few years, TASS reported.&nbsp;
When asked about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin trusts the Americans, Peskov responded, "We trust ourselves. In order to say if we trust the Americans or not, we need to go a long way."
He stressed that we will have to develop measures to restore and strengthen mutual trust.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-years-of-russia-ukraine-war-who-started-it-kremlin-or-kyiv-8741215" rel="dofollow">Three years of Russia-Ukraine war: Who started it - Kremlin or Kyiv?</a>
"We&rsquo;ll have to take numerous small steps towards each other, which will help create and restore the atmosphere of trust," he added.&nbsp;
Noting that much damage was done in the past four years and much was destroyed, the Kremlin spokesman said, "Much damage was done in the past four years and much was destroyed. It&rsquo;s impossible to rebuild it all in an instant. We have a lot to do."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-stunning-shift-of-policy-as-us-sides-with-russia-to-vote-against-un-resolution-8753792" rel="dofollow">Ukraine war: Stunning shift in policy as US sides with Russia to vote against UN resolution</a>
<h2>Kremlin praises US for siding with Russia in UN</h2>
Earlier on Tuesday, the Kremlin praised Washington's "balanced position" after the US voted with Russia at the United Nations to avoid condemnation of Moscow's campaign against Ukraine.
Making a shift in its support, the US sided with Russia in two votes on Monday as US President Donald Trump makes a new position on Ukraine.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-putin-presented-with-sword-shield-on-third-anniversary-of-ukraine-war-8753083">Russian President Putin presented with sword, shield on third anniversary of Ukraine war</a>
&ldquo;The US is taking a much more balanced position which is really aimed at trying to resolve the Ukraine conflict. We welcome this," the Kremlin spokesman told reporters.
Peskov said comments from European leaders &ldquo;do not signal balance", adding, &ldquo;But, perhaps, as a result of contacts between the Europeans and the Americans, somehow Europe will gravitate towards greater balance".
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-warns-russia-ukraine-war-could-trigger-world-war-iii-says-talks-with-putin-proceeding-very-well-8753751" rel="dofollow">Trump meets Macron, warns Russia-Ukraine crisis could trigger World War III</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: When asked about whether Putin trusts the Americans, Peskov said, "We trust ourselves. In order to say if we trust the Americans or not, we need to go a long way."

As the US and Russia have been mending their relationship, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasised that Russia and the US have a long way to go to restore trust after all the difficulties in the past few years, TASS reported. When asked about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin trusts the Americans, Peskov responded, "We trust ourselves. In order to say if we trust the Americans or not, we need to go a long way." He stressed that we will have to develop measures to restore and strengthen mutual trust. Also read: Three years of Russia-Ukraine war: Who started it - Kremlin or Kyiv? "We’ll have to take numerous small steps towards each other, which will help create and restore the atmosphere of trust," he added. Noting that much damage was done in the past four years and much was destroyed, the Kremlin spokesman said, "Much damage was done in the past four years and much was destroyed. It’s impossible to rebuild it all in an instant. We have a lot to do." Also read: Ukraine war: Stunning shift in policy as US sides with Russia to vote against UN resolution Kremlin praises US for siding with Russia in UN Earlier on Tuesday, the Kremlin praised Washington's "balanced position" after the US voted with Russia at the United Nations to avoid condemnation of Moscow's campaign against Ukraine. Making a shift in its support, the US sided with Russia in two votes on Monday as US President Donald Trump makes a new position on Ukraine. Also read: Russian President Putin presented with sword, shield on third anniversary of Ukraine war “The US is taking a much more balanced position which is really aimed at trying to resolve the Ukraine conflict. We welcome this," the Kremlin spokesman told reporters. Peskov said comments from European leaders “do not signal balance", adding, “But, perhaps, as a result of contacts between the Europeans and the Americans, somehow Europe will gravitate towards greater balance". Also read: Trump meets Macron, warns Russia-Ukraine crisis could trigger World War III (With inputs from agencies)

‘Need to go a long way’: Kremlin warns of long road to rebuilding US-Russia trust

US President Donald Trump hosted French leader Emmanuel Macron at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Both leaders discussed the 'progress' made between countries on peace talks concerning the Russia-Ukraine war.

Macron meets Trump on third anniversary of Russian invasion

The power dynamic between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron was on full display on Monday (Feb 24) as the US and the French Presidents met in Washington. Trump appeared to be trying to humiliate Macron, as on multiple occasions, he supposedly on purpose put the visiting leader in an awkward position.
<h2>What happened?</h2>
Right off the bat, Trump sought to show Macron down as he sent a White House employee to greet the French President instead of welcoming him to the White House himself. Videos and photos of the moment show the French leader pulling up in a black car before being welcomed into the West Wing by Abigail Jones, the Acting White House Chief.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-could-end-within-weeks-says-french-preident-emmanuel-macron-after-meeting-donald-trump-trump-macron-meet-8753734">Russia-Ukraine war could end 'within weeks,' says Macron after meeting Trump</a>&nbsp;
Conventionally, as part of diplomatic tradition, foreign dignitaries are welcomed into the White House by the President of the United States.
This was followed by another subtle indignity as the French head of state was forced to perch on the edge of the Oval Office desk while Trump himself sat in the middle during a Zoom conference call with G7 leaders.
<h2>A handshake for the books?</h2>
Also in the spotlight was their handshake, a symbolic moment that, this time, lasted ten seconds&mdash;far from the 29-second forceful grip Macron had previously used in 2017 to assert dominance during Trump&rsquo;s first term.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-warns-russia-ukraine-war-could-trigger-world-war-iii-says-talks-with-putin-proceeding-very-well-8753751">Trump warns Russia-Ukraine war could trigger World War III, says talks with Putin 'proceeding very well'</a>
However, netizens were quick to spot that Macron emulated Trump&rsquo;s signature Yank handshake before the US president could. &ldquo;He went on the offence and yanked Donald Trump's tiny hand first,&rdquo; commented one user on X, posting a video of the two leaders.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m7jxit6w-uiuj68mk-uy53pamu">
France's President Emmanuel Macron wasn't gonna let that weakling Donald Trump try to yank him with his weird handshake. He went on the offense and yanked Donald Trump's tiny hand first. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/9gRZT2gh2u">pic.twitter.com/9gRZT2gh2u</a>
&mdash; Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtCandee/status/1894079542257394120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-discussing-major-economic-deals-with-putin-8753536">Macron, Trump vow to work together on Ukraine, despite differences</a>
Another weird moment between the two leaders saw Macron purportedly trying to remove Trump&rsquo;s hand from his knee.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m7jxiqo7-jluxa63n-pq80no8a">
LMAOOO, look at President Macron prying trump's tiny little mitt off of his knee. WTF is even happening here?<a href="https://t.co/8WoPK2GhPN">pic.twitter.com/8WoPK2GhPN</a>
&mdash; BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mmpadellan/status/1894136578479358364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
At one point, Macron was seen touching Trump&rsquo;s elbow as he stopped and corrected the US President&rsquo;s claims that European aid to Ukraine was structured as a loan.
&ldquo;No, in fact, to be frank, we paid sixty per cent of the total effort, and it was loans, guarantees, grants, and we provided real money, to be clear. We have 230 billion of frozen assets in Europe, Russian assets, but it is not as a collateral of a loan because it is not our belonging, so they are frozen,&rdquo; said Macron.
Trump, who recently made news by pulling the chair for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, was seen purposefully moving to stand at one side as Macron seated himself to sign MoUs with the US.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m7jxr4kx-ntys6v67-pscd0s51">
Trump &agrave; Macron : &laquo;&nbsp;Assied-toi l&agrave; et signe et &agrave; partir de maintenant tu vas la fermer sur l&rsquo;Ukraine&nbsp;&raquo; 😂 <a href="https://t.co/3KMVsdpD1y">pic.twitter.com/3KMVsdpD1y</a>
&mdash; Camille Moscow 🇷🇺 🌿 ☦️ (@camille_moscow) <a href="https://twitter.com/camille_moscow/status/1894129500549476553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
(With inputs from agencies)

Trending and World News | Discover the subtle power play as Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron meet at the White House. Watch the video of the awkward moments here.

The power dynamic between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron was on full display on Monday (Feb 24) as the US and the French Presidents met in Washington. Trump appeared to be trying to humiliate Macron, as on multiple occasions, he supposedly on purpose put the visiting leader in an awkward position. What happened? Right off the bat, Trump sought to show Macron down as he sent a White House employee to greet the French President instead of welcoming him to the White House himself. Videos and photos of the moment show the French leader pulling up in a black car before being welcomed into the West Wing by Abigail Jones, the Acting White House Chief. Also read | Russia-Ukraine war could end 'within weeks,' says Macron after meeting Trump Conventionally, as part of diplomatic tradition, foreign dignitaries are welcomed into the White House by the President of the United States. This was followed by another subtle indignity as the French head of state was forced to perch on the edge of the Oval Office desk while Trump himself sat in the middle during a Zoom conference call with G7 leaders. A handshake for the books? Also in the spotlight was their handshake, a symbolic moment that, this time, lasted ten seconds—far from the 29-second forceful grip Macron had previously used in 2017 to assert dominance during Trump’s first term. Also read | Trump warns Russia-Ukraine war could trigger World War III, says talks with Putin 'proceeding very well' However, netizens were quick to spot that Macron emulated Trump’s signature Yank handshake before the US president could. “He went on the offence and yanked Donald Trump's tiny hand first,” commented one user on X, posting a video of the two leaders. France's President Emmanuel Macron wasn't gonna let that weakling Donald Trump try to yank him with his weird handshake. He went on the offense and yanked Donald Trump's tiny hand first. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/9gRZT2gh2u — Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) February 24, 2025 Also read | Macron, Trump vow to work together on Ukraine, despite differences Another weird moment between the two leaders saw Macron purportedly trying to remove Trump’s hand from his knee. LMAOOO, look at President Macron prying trump's tiny little mitt off of his knee. WTF is even happening here?pic.twitter.com/8WoPK2GhPN — BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) February 24, 2025 At one point, Macron was seen touching Trump’s elbow as he stopped and corrected the US President’s claims that European aid to Ukraine was structured as a loan. “No, in fact, to be frank, we paid sixty per cent of the total effort, and it was loans, guarantees, grants, and we provided real money, to be clear. We have 230 billion of frozen assets in Europe, Russian assets, but it is not as a collateral of a loan because it is not our belonging, so they are frozen,” said Macron. Trump, who recently made news by pulling the chair for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, was seen purposefully moving to stand at one side as Macron seated himself to sign MoUs with the US. Trump à Macron : « Assied-toi là et signe et à partir de maintenant tu vas la fermer sur l’Ukraine » 😂 pic.twitter.com/3KMVsdpD1y — Camille Moscow 🇷🇺 🌿 ☦️ (@camille_moscow) February 24, 2025 (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | Trump 'humiliates' Macron: Snubs, tense handshakes and more from White House meet

The Trump administration announced on Sunday that it would place most personnel at the USAID on paid administrative leave, eliminating approximately 1,600 positions within the United States.

Trump administration cuts 2,000 USAID jobs, puts thousands on leave

US business activity nearly stalled in February, with the S&P global composite PMI falling to 50.4, its lowest level in 17 months. The slowdown was driven by the services sector, which contracted for the first time in over a year. This has raised concerns over the future of the US economy under Trump's 'tariffs' regime.

Trump’s trade policies rattle businesses & consumers

Donald Trump marked his first month as President with a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference. During his speech, Trump highlighted the actions his administration has taken since coming into power. Watch in for more details!

US President Donald Trump celebrates first month in office at CPAC

US President Donald Trump has completed his first month in office. Watch this report to know what Americans think about his decisions so far.

Americans rate Donald Trump's first month in office

Elon Musk's recent directive to federal employees has sparked significant controversy. He demanded that employees &ldquo;justify their work&rdquo; from the previous week within 48 hours or face automatic resignation. His move faced an unexpected backlash from within the Trump administration on Sunday in what is seen as an early sign of power struggles to come.&nbsp;
The pushback came from Kash Patel, who took over as the ninth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Saturday.
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<h2 dir="ltr">&lsquo;Pause any responses&rsquo;</h2>
Reportedly, Patel has asked all FBI employees to "pause any responses" to Musk's email ultimatum to federal workers that he sent as part of his supposedly unofficial role as the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
"FBI personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information. The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses," Patel told his staff in an email, according to an NBC report.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Musk&rsquo;s ultimatum</h2>
Hours after US President Donald Trump pushed him to be "more aggressive" in slashing government spending, Elon Musk, the billionaire advisor to the president, said that all US federal employees must justify their work or lose their jobs.
"All federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation," Musk wrote.
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According to an AFP report, federal workers were asked to submit "approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week."
The email came from the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), with the subject line "What did you do last week?". The deadline to reply was 11:59 pm Monday, though the message did not say failure to do so would lead to termination.
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World: Elon Musk's latest directive to federal employees demands weekly work justification within hours, or they risk automatic resignation, causing widespread debate.

Elon Musk's recent directive to federal employees has sparked significant controversy. He demanded that employees “justify their work” from the previous week within 48 hours or face automatic resignation. His move faced an unexpected backlash from within the Trump administration on Sunday in what is seen as an early sign of power struggles to come. The pushback came from Kash Patel, who took over as the ninth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Saturday. Also read | Donald Trump recruited by Moscow in the 1980s? Ex-KGB officer makes bold claim ‘Pause any responses’ Reportedly, Patel has asked all FBI employees to "pause any responses" to Musk's email ultimatum to federal workers that he sent as part of his supposedly unofficial role as the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). "FBI personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information. The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses," Patel told his staff in an email, according to an NBC report. Also read | Pennsylvania hospital shooting: Cop killed, 5 others injured. What we know so far Musk’s ultimatum Hours after US President Donald Trump pushed him to be "more aggressive" in slashing government spending, Elon Musk, the billionaire advisor to the president, said that all US federal employees must justify their work or lose their jobs. "All federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation," Musk wrote. Also read | 'Pray for me,' says Pope in message from hospital as he undergoes treatment for double pneumonia According to an AFP report, federal workers were asked to submit "approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week." The email came from the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), with the subject line "What did you do last week?". The deadline to reply was 11:59 pm Monday, though the message did not say failure to do so would lead to termination. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Pause any responses’: Kash Patel asks FBI employees to ignore Musk’s ‘Justify your job’ directive

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday defended her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi as she slammed the "double standards" of the global political Left. Meloni said that leaders like herself, PM Modi, US President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei are creating and leading a new global conservative movement.&nbsp;
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-the-puck-trudeau-in-an-apparent-dig-at-trump-celebrates-canadas-3-2-win-over-us-says-you-cant-take-our-country-8747866" rel="noopener" target="_blank">What the 'puck'? Trudeau, in an apparent dig at Trump, celebrates Canada's 3-2 win over US, says 'You can&rsquo;t take our country</a>
While speaking virtually at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, Meloni said that people across the world are rejecting the Left's "lies", hence, the conservative leaders are rising.&nbsp;
Meloni, the head of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, said that nationalist leaders are labeled as threats to democracy, whereas leftist leaders were celebrated as visionaries when they established international networks in the past.&nbsp;
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"When Bill Clinton and Tony Blair created the global leftist liberal network in the 90s, they were called statesmen. Today, when Trump, Meloni, (Javier) Milei, or maybe (Narendra) Modi talk, they are called a threat to democracy. This is the Left's double standard, but we are used to it," she said.&nbsp;
She further spoke about why people continue to vote for them. "And the good news is people no longer believe in their lies. Despite all the mud they throw at us, citizens keep voting for us," she added.&nbsp;
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hamas-murdered-10-month-old-kfir-and-4-year-old-ariel-bibas-with-bare-hands-alleges-israel-family-says-yet-to-receive-official-info-8747053" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Hamas murdered young hostages? Israel claims 'terrorists' killed 10-month-old Kfir and 4-year-old Ariel Bibas with 'bare hands'</a>&nbsp;
"They are worried as conservative leaders around the world are winning and collaborating on global issues," she further added.&nbsp;
"We defend freedom. We love our nations. We want secure borders. We preserve businesses and citizens. We defend family and life. We fight against wokeism. We protect the sacred right to our faith and our free speech. And we stand for common sense," Meloni noted.&nbsp;
<h2>Italy's ties with the US&nbsp;</h2>
Meloni told American conservatives that the United States and Europe would remain close under Donald Trump amid rising tensions between the allies including over the fate of Ukraine.&nbsp;
In the first weeks of Trump's 2.0 reign, ties between staunch allies Europe and the US have been strained. Trump has reached out to Russia and warned of a shift away from Europe, raising fears of America's commitment to the NATO alliance.
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Meloni insisted Europe was not "lost", as she blamed "ruling classes" and "mainstream media".&nbsp;
"Our adversaries hope that President Trump will move away from us (Europe)," Meloni said. But, "knowing him as a strong and effective leader I bet that those who hope for divisions will be proven wrong."&nbsp;
As the sole European Union leader to attend Trump's inauguration in January, Meloni has been positioned by her supporters as a possible mediator between the US president and the EU.&nbsp;
However, since then, the nationalist leader has mostly been silent over Trump's barrage of policies and remarks.
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

World | Trending News | Meloni emphasizes the rise of global conservative leaders as a response to the Left's narratives, gaining voter support despite criticism.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday defended her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi as she slammed the "double standards" of the global political Left. Meloni said that leaders like herself, PM Modi, US President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei are creating and leading a new global conservative movement. Also read: What the 'puck'? Trudeau, in an apparent dig at Trump, celebrates Canada's 3-2 win over US, says 'You can’t take our country While speaking virtually at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, Meloni said that people across the world are rejecting the Left's "lies", hence, the conservative leaders are rising. Meloni, the head of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, said that nationalist leaders are labeled as threats to democracy, whereas leftist leaders were celebrated as visionaries when they established international networks in the past. Also read: Stockholm Syndrome? Israeli hostage seen kissing Hamas militants on head after release. Watch video "When Bill Clinton and Tony Blair created the global leftist liberal network in the 90s, they were called statesmen. Today, when Trump, Meloni, (Javier) Milei, or maybe (Narendra) Modi talk, they are called a threat to democracy. This is the Left's double standard, but we are used to it," she said. She further spoke about why people continue to vote for them. "And the good news is people no longer believe in their lies. Despite all the mud they throw at us, citizens keep voting for us," she added. Also read: Hamas murdered young hostages? Israel claims 'terrorists' killed 10-month-old Kfir and 4-year-old Ariel Bibas with 'bare hands' "They are worried as conservative leaders around the world are winning and collaborating on global issues," she further added. "We defend freedom. We love our nations. We want secure borders. We preserve businesses and citizens. We defend family and life. We fight against wokeism. We protect the sacred right to our faith and our free speech. And we stand for common sense," Meloni noted. Italy's ties with the US Meloni told American conservatives that the United States and Europe would remain close under Donald Trump amid rising tensions between the allies including over the fate of Ukraine. In the first weeks of Trump's 2.0 reign, ties between staunch allies Europe and the US have been strained. Trump has reached out to Russia and warned of a shift away from Europe, raising fears of America's commitment to the NATO alliance. Also read: Bus travelling from Mata Vaishno Devi to Delhi skids off-road near Jammu; driver dead, 17 injured Meloni insisted Europe was not "lost", as she blamed "ruling classes" and "mainstream media". "Our adversaries hope that President Trump will move away from us (Europe)," Meloni said. But, "knowing him as a strong and effective leader I bet that those who hope for divisions will be proven wrong." As the sole European Union leader to attend Trump's inauguration in January, Meloni has been positioned by her supporters as a possible mediator between the US president and the EU. However, since then, the nationalist leader has mostly been silent over Trump's barrage of policies and remarks. (With inputs from agencies)

Italian PM Meloni defends PM Modi, slams Left's 'double standards': 'Despite all the mud...'

<div>The director of a controversial movie about US President Donald Trump's younger years apologized Saturday after admitting to an "over-familiar" gesture towards an actor who later complained of being groped.</div>
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<div></div>
<div>ca, a Danish-Iranian filmmaker, said on X that he was "truly sorry" for his behaviour at a party that followed the Golden Globes awards ceremony in Los Angeles in January.</div>
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<div>Abbasi's biopic "The Apprentice," released weeks before last year's US election, caused a stir with its unflattering representation of Trump, portraying him suffering erectile dysfunction and undergoing surgery for hair loss.</div>
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<div>"I fully understand that my action made someone uncomfortable, regardless of my intent, and for that, I am truly sorry," Abbasi wrote on social media of the groping incident.</div>
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<div>He said that he "made an over-familiar gesture -- a slap on the rear" to a male acquaintance with whom he considered he had a friendly relationship, but said it was "intended as playful and not in any sexual way whatsoever."</div>
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<div>"I quickly realized I had misjudged the situation. I apologized to him on the spot, and the following day I made sure my apology was reiterated through my representatives," Abbasi said.</div>
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<div>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kanye-west-reportedly-will-do-whatever-he-can-to-save-his-marriage-to-bianca-censori-8747685">Kanye West will do 'whatever he can' to save his marriage to Bianca Censori</a></div>
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<div>The director refuted an account in The Hollywood Reporter that his talent agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), had dropped him due to the allegation against him.&nbsp;</div>
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<div>"My decision to part ways was a long-term career decision that was not shaped by short-term motivations," he said.</div>
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<div>"The Apprentice" is competing for Oscars in the categories of Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.&nbsp;</div>
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<div>It was released in US cinemas by indie studio Briarcliff Entertainment, as no major Hollywood studios were willing to risk distributing the polarizing movie.</div>
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<div>The most talked-about scene shows Trump raping his first wife, Ivana, after she belittles him for growing overweight and bald.</div>
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<div>In real life, Ivana accused Trump of raping her during divorce proceedings but later rescinded the allegation. She died in 2022.</div>
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An apology was made by the director of a Trump biopic after acknowledging an incident where an actor accused him of an overly familiar and unwanted gesture.

The director of a controversial movie about US President Donald Trump's younger years apologized Saturday after admitting to an "over-familiar" gesture towards an actor who later complained of being groped. Also Read: DC fans can expect more jokes in James Gunn's Superman ca, a Danish-Iranian filmmaker, said on X that he was "truly sorry" for his behaviour at a party that followed the Golden Globes awards ceremony in Los Angeles in January. Abbasi's biopic "The Apprentice," released weeks before last year's US election, caused a stir with its unflattering representation of Trump, portraying him suffering erectile dysfunction and undergoing surgery for hair loss. Also Read: Robert Pattinson's Batman not part of DCU, insider says "I fully understand that my action made someone uncomfortable, regardless of my intent, and for that, I am truly sorry," Abbasi wrote on social media of the groping incident. He said that he "made an over-familiar gesture -- a slap on the rear" to a male acquaintance with whom he considered he had a friendly relationship, but said it was "intended as playful and not in any sexual way whatsoever." "I quickly realized I had misjudged the situation. I apologized to him on the spot, and the following day I made sure my apology was reiterated through my representatives," Abbasi said. Also Read: Kanye West will do 'whatever he can' to save his marriage to Bianca Censori The director refuted an account in The Hollywood Reporter that his talent agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), had dropped him due to the allegation against him. "My decision to part ways was a long-term career decision that was not shaped by short-term motivations," he said. "The Apprentice" is competing for Oscars in the categories of Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. It was released in US cinemas by indie studio Briarcliff Entertainment, as no major Hollywood studios were willing to risk distributing the polarizing movie. The most talked-about scene shows Trump raping his first wife, Ivana, after she belittles him for growing overweight and bald. In real life, Ivana accused Trump of raping her during divorce proceedings but later rescinded the allegation. She died in 2022. Also Read: Sean 'Diddy' Combs' attorney steps down from federal case: 'Under no circumstances can I continue ...'

The Apprentice director issues apology after groping accusation

US President Donald Trump has again questioned the $21 million USAID fund for boosting voter turnout in India, suggesting it was meant to influence elections. 
Trump's administration cancelled the fund, citing concerns over foreign interference in domestic elections.
&ldquo;USD 21 million going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter turnout. We are giving $21 million for voter turnout in India, what about us? I want voter turnout too, Governor&hellip;$29 million to strengthen political landscape in Bangladesh went to a firm that nobody ever heard of,&rdquo; the US President told governors in a video shared by National Desk.
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This is the third straight remark by Trump on the $21 million fund controversy.
<h2 dir="ltr">&ldquo;Kickback scheme&rdquo;</h2>
Earlier Donald Trump on Friday criticised USAID funding to India, labeling the $21 million allocated for "voter turnout" as "a kickback scheme". Trump didn't provide evidence or clarify who benefited from the alleged scheme.
"$21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India turnout? We got enough problems... it's a kickback scheme, you know. In many cases, many of these cases actually, you have no idea what we&rsquo;re talking about. That means there's a kickback because nobody has any idea what's going on," Trump said at a Republican Governors' conference.
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Friday&rsquo;s remark comes a day after he questioned a move by former president Joe Biden's administration to provide $21 million to India for "voter turnout" and questioned if they were "trying to get somebody else elected".
"USD 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they (the Biden administration) were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian government... This is a total breakthrough," he said.
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<h2 dir="ltr">India's response</h2>
The Indian government is looking into reports of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding election-related activities, with the external affairs ministry on Friday describing the matter as &ldquo;deeply troubling&rdquo; since it relates to foreign interference in internal affairs.
"Relevant departments and authorities are looking into the information put out by the American administration regarding certain US activities and funding. We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain US activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling,&rdquo; Jaiswal told a regular media briefing.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: US President Donald Trump questions the $million USAID fund aimed at boosting voter turnout in India, suggesting potential influence on the electoral process.

US President Donald Trump has again questioned the $21 million USAID fund for boosting voter turnout in India, suggesting it was meant to influence elections. Trump's administration cancelled the fund, citing concerns over foreign interference in domestic elections. “USD 21 million going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter turnout. We are giving $21 million for voter turnout in India, what about us? I want voter turnout too, Governor…$29 million to strengthen political landscape in Bangladesh went to a firm that nobody ever heard of,” the US President told governors in a video shared by National Desk. Also read | Zelensky backing down on minerals deal? Ukrainian Prez's video suggests Trump may have won this round of negotiations This is the third straight remark by Trump on the $21 million fund controversy. “Kickback scheme” Earlier Donald Trump on Friday criticised USAID funding to India, labeling the $21 million allocated for "voter turnout" as "a kickback scheme". Trump didn't provide evidence or clarify who benefited from the alleged scheme. "$21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India turnout? We got enough problems... it's a kickback scheme, you know. In many cases, many of these cases actually, you have no idea what we’re talking about. That means there's a kickback because nobody has any idea what's going on," Trump said at a Republican Governors' conference. Also read | 'False and fabricated': Why was Indian-American Ruby Dhalla disqualified from Canada PM race? Friday’s remark comes a day after he questioned a move by former president Joe Biden's administration to provide $21 million to India for "voter turnout" and questioned if they were "trying to get somebody else elected". "USD 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they (the Biden administration) were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian government... This is a total breakthrough," he said. Also read | Who are six Israeli hostages released in latest phase of Gaza truce? Know all about them here India's response The Indian government is looking into reports of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding election-related activities, with the external affairs ministry on Friday describing the matter as “deeply troubling” since it relates to foreign interference in internal affairs. "Relevant departments and authorities are looking into the information put out by the American administration regarding certain US activities and funding. We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain US activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling,” Jaiswal told a regular media briefing. (With inputs from agencies)

'$21 mn going to my friend PM Modi for voter turnout’ Trump’s third swipe on USAID

US special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg on Friday (Feb 21) called his talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "extensive and positive".&nbsp;
US envoy Kellogg met with Ukrainian leader on Thursday in Kyiv as the American diplomat is on a three-day visit to the war-torn country.
&ldquo;A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with @ZelenskyyUa, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war, and his talented national security team,&rdquo; he said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-envoy-keith-kellogg-cancels-press-conference-in-ukraines-kyiv-after-meeting-with-volodymyr-zelensky-as-both-nations-engage-in-war-of-words-8741256" rel="dofollow">Zelensky says had 'productive meeting' with Keith Kellogg after Trump envoy cancels press conference</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZelenskyyUa</a>, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war and his talented national security team. <a href="https://t.co/kLu9roZ5z1">https://t.co/kLu9roZ5z1</a>
&mdash; Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) <a href="https://twitter.com/generalkellogg/status/1892928578641162487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
This comes amid US President Donald Trump and Zelensky entangled in a war of words, over the Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp;
The US envoy's remarks came a day after his meeting with Zelensky, after which the US side cancelled the joint press conference meeting with the Ukrainian president.&nbsp;
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Trump accused Zelensky of being a "dictator" and blamed him for the Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp;
While the Ukrainian president said that Trump was living in a Russian "disinformation bubble".&nbsp;
<h2>'No alternative but to work with Trump'</h2>
Polish president Andrzej Duda on Friday posted on X, saying that he had a phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-picks-gen-keith-kellogg-for-ukraine-envoy-to-end-war-how-will-he-do-it-779767" rel="dofollow">Will Trump's pick for Ukraine envoy Gen Keith Kellogg end war?</a>
Duda, who has been a supporter of Trump, told Zelensky in a "candid conversation" that "there is no other way to stop the bloodshed and achieve lasting peace in Ukraine except with the support of the United States.&rdquo;
&ldquo;For this reason, I suggested to President Zelenskyy to remain committed to the course of calm and constructive cooperation with @POTUS Donald Trump,&rdquo; he said. &nbsp;
Polish President Duda said that he trusted that "goodwill and honesty form the foundation of the US negotiation strategy,&rdquo; and had &ldquo;no doubt&rdquo; that Trump was &ldquo;guided by a deep sense of responsibility for global stability and peace.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tone-it-down-us-security-adviser-urges-zelenskyy-as-tensions-escalate-with-trump-administration-8742761" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Tone it down&rsquo;, US security adviser urges Zelensky as tensions escalate with Trump administration</a>
The Polish president&rsquo;s comments are one of the most supportive from any head of state or government in Europe after Trump&rsquo;s recent criticism of Zelenskyy and Ukraine.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: US envoy Keith Kellogg met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday in Kyiv as the American diplomat is on a three-day visit to the war-torn country.

US special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg on Friday (Feb 21) called his talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "extensive and positive". US envoy Kellogg met with Ukrainian leader on Thursday in Kyiv as the American diplomat is on a three-day visit to the war-torn country. “A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with @ZelenskyyUa, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war, and his talented national security team,” he said. Also read: Zelensky says had 'productive meeting' with Keith Kellogg after Trump envoy cancels press conference A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with @ZelenskyyUa, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war and his talented national security team. https://t.co/kLu9roZ5z1 — Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) February 21, 2025 This comes amid US President Donald Trump and Zelensky entangled in a war of words, over the Russia-Ukraine war. The US envoy's remarks came a day after his meeting with Zelensky, after which the US side cancelled the joint press conference meeting with the Ukrainian president. Also read: Ukraine 'may be Russian someday', says Trump ahead of envoy Keith Kellogg's meeting with Zelensky Trump accused Zelensky of being a "dictator" and blamed him for the Russia-Ukraine war. While the Ukrainian president said that Trump was living in a Russian "disinformation bubble". 'No alternative but to work with Trump' Polish president Andrzej Duda on Friday posted on X, saying that he had a phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky. Also read: Will Trump's pick for Ukraine envoy Gen Keith Kellogg end war? Duda, who has been a supporter of Trump, told Zelensky in a "candid conversation" that "there is no other way to stop the bloodshed and achieve lasting peace in Ukraine except with the support of the United States.” “For this reason, I suggested to President Zelenskyy to remain committed to the course of calm and constructive cooperation with @POTUS Donald Trump,” he said. Polish President Duda said that he trusted that "goodwill and honesty form the foundation of the US negotiation strategy,” and had “no doubt” that Trump was “guided by a deep sense of responsibility for global stability and peace.” Also read: ‘Tone it down’, US security adviser urges Zelensky as tensions escalate with Trump administration The Polish president’s comments are one of the most supportive from any head of state or government in Europe after Trump’s recent criticism of Zelenskyy and Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

'Extensive and productive': US envoy Kellogg praises talks with 'courageous leader' Zelensky

From Tulsi Gabbard to Kash Patel, US President Donald Trump's administration features a number of high-profile names that brag an India connect. Since Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025, New Delhi has taken a number of steps to improve the US-India relations. In what may be perceived as the Republican president's affection towards the South Asian nation and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his cabinet features multiple individuals, including Kashyap 'Kash' Patel - the first Indian-origin and openly Hindu person to be appointed as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director - that have their roots in India, or deep connection with Hindusim, like Gabbard.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-american-kash-patel-confirmed-as-fbi-director-donald-trump-senate-confirmation-vote-8741481">'You will regret this to your&nbsp;grave': Indian-American Kash Patel confirmed as FBI director</a>
<h2>Trump's cabinet:</h2>
Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler - confirmed&nbsp; Attorney General Pam Bondi - confirmed&nbsp; Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John Ratcliffe - confirmed&nbsp; Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard - confirmed&nbsp; Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright - confirrmed&nbsp; Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F Kennedy, Jr - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer&nbsp; Secretary of State, Marco Rubio - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy - confirmed&nbsp; Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent - confirmed&nbsp; United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Elise Stefanik United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer
Let's take a look at Donald Trump's 2.0 cabinet and its India connect:
<h2>Kash Patel's Indian values</h2>
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-lands-in-us-for-a-2-day-visit-meets-us-intelligence-chief-tulsi-gabbard-8715830">PM Modi lands in US, meets US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard</a>
Patel recently won the hearts on the internet after he was seen touching the feets of his parents and embracing his Indian roots at his confirmation hearing to head the department on January 31. Speaking at the event, Patel greeted his parents with "Jai Shri Krishna", a gesture mostly used in the Indian state of Gujarat.&nbsp;
In the viral video circulated on social media, Patel said, "I'd like to welcome my father, Pramod, and my mother, Anjana, who is sitting here today. They travelled here from India. My sister, Nisha, is also here. She also travelled across the ocean just to be with me. It means the world that you guys are here. Jai Shri Krishna.&rdquo;
He has also voiced support for Ayodhya Ram Mandir, an important project of Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kash-patel-new-fbi-director-with-roots-in-india-everything-to-know-8742319">Kash Patel, the new FBI Director with roots in India. Everything to know</a>
The newly confirmed FBI director has long-been an advocate of the India-US ties and has been known to be vocal in support of Hindu sentiments.&nbsp;
During the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Patel spoke against the mainstream American media which presented the situation in the context of Hindu nationalism. He slammed the media outlets for ignoring the cultural and historical significance of the site.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-pam-bondi-trumps-next-attorney-general-778179">Who is Pam Bondi, Trump's next attorney general pick?</a>
<h2>Tulsi Gabbard's compassion for Hindus&nbsp;</h2>
Tulsi Gabbard is the first Hindu Congresswoman in the history of America. In 2021, Gabbard introduced a resolution in the US Congress for protection of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. She even slammed the Pakistan army for its atrocities against Hindus in 1971.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/maga-miga-mega-pm-modi-shares-vision-for-indo-us-ties-8719313">MAGA + MIGA = 'MEGA': PM Modi shares vision for India-US ties</a>
<h2>Harmeet K Dhillon's support for Indian farmers&nbsp;</h2>
In 2020, Dillon showed her support for the protesting Indian farmers against the farm bill. Through a post on the microblogging site X, she urged the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "hear them" and meet the farmers. She shared the post with hashtag #IStandWithFarmers.
<h2>Sriram Krishnan - Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI)</h2>
After his appointment as the Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Sriram Krishnan faced major backlash from several far-right Americans who accused him of removing all caps on green cards so foreign students can come to the United States and take up jobs that should instead go to Americans.
<h2>Jay Bhattacharya - Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)</h2>
Jay Bhattacharya is an India-American scientist and economist who hails from the Indian state of West Bengal.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

WORLD | INDIA NEWS | Kashyap 'Kash' Patel became the first Indian-origin and openly Hindu person to be appointed as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director on Thursday (Feb 20).

From Tulsi Gabbard to Kash Patel, US President Donald Trump's administration features a number of high-profile names that brag an India connect. Since Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025, New Delhi has taken a number of steps to improve the US-India relations. In what may be perceived as the Republican president's affection towards the South Asian nation and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his cabinet features multiple individuals, including Kashyap 'Kash' Patel - the first Indian-origin and openly Hindu person to be appointed as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director - that have their roots in India, or deep connection with Hindusim, like Gabbard. Also read: 'You will regret this to your grave': Indian-American Kash Patel confirmed as FBI director Trump's cabinet: Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler - confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi - confirmed Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John Ratcliffe - confirmed Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard - confirmed Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought - confirmed Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins - confirmed Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick - confirmed Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth - confirmed Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright - confirrmed Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F Kennedy, Jr - confirmed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem - confirmed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner - confirmed Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum - confirmed Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer Secretary of State, Marco Rubio - confirmed Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins - confirmed Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy - confirmed Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent - confirmed United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Elise Stefanik United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer Let's take a look at Donald Trump's 2.0 cabinet and its India connect: Kash Patel's Indian values Also read: PM Modi lands in US, meets US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard Patel recently won the hearts on the internet after he was seen touching the feets of his parents and embracing his Indian roots at his confirmation hearing to head the department on January 31. Speaking at the event, Patel greeted his parents with "Jai Shri Krishna", a gesture mostly used in the Indian state of Gujarat. In the viral video circulated on social media, Patel said, "I'd like to welcome my father, Pramod, and my mother, Anjana, who is sitting here today. They travelled here from India. My sister, Nisha, is also here. She also travelled across the ocean just to be with me. It means the world that you guys are here. Jai Shri Krishna.” He has also voiced support for Ayodhya Ram Mandir, an important project of Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Also read: Kash Patel, the new FBI Director with roots in India. Everything to know The newly confirmed FBI director has long-been an advocate of the India-US ties and has been known to be vocal in support of Hindu sentiments. During the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Patel spoke against the mainstream American media which presented the situation in the context of Hindu nationalism. He slammed the media outlets for ignoring the cultural and historical significance of the site. Also read: Who is Pam Bondi, Trump's next attorney general pick? Tulsi Gabbard's compassion for Hindus Tulsi Gabbard is the first Hindu Congresswoman in the history of America. In 2021, Gabbard introduced a resolution in the US Congress for protection of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. She even slammed the Pakistan army for its atrocities against Hindus in 1971. Also read: MAGA + MIGA = 'MEGA': PM Modi shares vision for India-US ties Harmeet K Dhillon's support for Indian farmers In 2020, Dillon showed her support for the protesting Indian farmers against the farm bill. Through a post on the microblogging site X, she urged the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "hear them" and meet the farmers. She shared the post with hashtag #IStandWithFarmers. Sriram Krishnan - Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI) After his appointment as the Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Sriram Krishnan faced major backlash from several far-right Americans who accused him of removing all caps on green cards so foreign students can come to the United States and take up jobs that should instead go to Americans. Jay Bhattacharya - Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Jay Bhattacharya is an India-American scientist and economist who hails from the Indian state of West Bengal. (With inputs from agencies)

India connect of Team Trump: Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, several Indian-Americans hold key posts in Donald Trump's administration

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