Thursday, May 7 | By Cate Martel
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It’s Thursday. I can’t scroll on social media for very long without seeing a reference to the Vineyard Gazette job opening that comes with a furnished home on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. I wonder how many job applications the newspaper is now getting.
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Rubio meets with the pope
Iran reviews latest U.S. peace proposal
Trump hosts Brazil’s leader at the White House
Jet fuel prices reportedly worrying Trump advisers
Longtime MAGA influencer turns on the movement
LIV Golf tournament begins at Trump’s Virginia course
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Could this lead to a come-to-Jesus moment of sorts?: |
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met privately with Pope Leo XIV this morning to hash things out amid the tensions between the U.S. and the Vatican.
Namely: The pope’s opposition to the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran, but also the Trump administration’s immigration policies. President Trump and the pope have had several public clashes recently.
Just a few days ago: Trump bashed the pope to conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt on Monday, accusing the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people” with his public opposition to the war in Iran. Rubio agrees with Trump, telling reporters on Tuesday that he doesn’t understand why the pope thinks “it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon.”
How did today’s meeting go?: The two chatted in the pope’s private library, according to The New York Times. It lasted for roughly 2½ hours, per Reuters.
📸 Photos from the pope-Rubio meeting 📸 More photos
While Rubio is in town: He also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state of the Holy See. He will also meet with senior Italian officials, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
💡Rubio was an interesting pick for this meeting: Rubio is a devout Catholic. He is also seen as one of the top contenders to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028 to succeed President Trump. But so is Vice President Vance, who converted to Catholicism a few years ago.
💬 Follow today’s live blog
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What does Iran think of this new peace plan?: |
Iran is reviewing the latest U.S. peace proposal to end the war between the nations.
What’s in this new peace plan?: Several news outlets report that this proposal would require Iran to commit to ending nuclear enrichment in exchange for the administration lifting sanctions and releasing billions in frozen Iranian funds. It would also reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Plus, a source told NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer that it would establish framework for talks on Iran’s nuclear program.
Read more: What’s in the US’s 1-page proposal for Iran peace deal?
Trump threw in a little threat: Trump threatened that if Iran does not agree to this peace plan, the “bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”
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WHAT IS WORRYING TRUMP’S ADVISERS: |
Surging jet fuel prices. The Wall Street Journal published reporting today about the Republican fears over spiking jet fuel prices as the war in Iran continues.
“Administration officials have gotten the message. Privately, President Trump’s advisers are increasingly worried that Republicans will pay a political price for the rising fuel costs, according to people familiar with the matter. Many of those advisers are eager to end the war in hopes that prices will begin moderating before November’s midterm elections.”
Where jet fuel prices stand: “Jet-fuel prices roughly doubled in a matter of weeks after the war began, and they have remained high. Airlines have said that will add billions of dollars of additional expenses this year, squeezing profit margins. … Carriers have been raising ticket prices, hoping to pass the cost along to consumers, and they are culling flights that will no longer make money at higher price levels.”
Read more: ‘Jet-Fuel Prices Are Spiking and Trump’s Advisers Are Worried’
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➤ HOW DESTRUCTIVE HAVE IRANIAN STRIKES BEEN TOWARD THE U.S.?: |
More destructive than previously reported, according to satellite images analyzed by The Washington Post.
Specifically: “Iranian airstrikes have damaged or destroyed at least 228 structures or pieces of equipment at U.S. military sites across the Middle East since the war began, hitting hangars, barracks, fuel depots, aircraft and key radar, communications and air defense equipment. … The threat of air attacks rendered some of the U.S. bases in the region too dangerous to staff at normal levels, and commanders moved most of the personnel from these sites out of the range of Iranian fire at the start of the war, officials have said.”
Read more — and see the satellite images: ‘Iran has hit far more U.S. military assets than reported, satellite images show’
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➤ MEANWHILE AT THE WHITE HOUSE: |
President Trump is hosting Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the White House.
Remember, Trump and Brazil’s former leader, Jair Bolsonaro, were close. Bolsonaro, the right-wing leader, was sentenced to 27 years in prison after staging a coup to stay in power after losing his 2022 election.
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➤ CONGRATULATIONS, KAROLINE!: |
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had her baby! She announced this morning that she welcomed Viviana on May 1. They call her “Vivi.” 📸 Photo
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The Wall Street Journal: How the Trump Administration Became an Activist Investor: The president’s reach for government stakes in private companies has business leaders scrambling
CNN: Fact check: No, Trump doesn’t have a 100% approval rating among Republicans
The Hill: The billionaire candidate boom
The New Yorker: The Life and Times of an American Tween: In some ways, the world is cooked. But being a twelve-year-old still kind of eats.
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The House and Senate are out. President Trump is at the White House. (All times EDT)
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3 p.m. Trump holds an Oval Office policy meeting.
4 p.m. Trump signs executive orders.
5 p.m. Trump holds more policy meetings.
Today – Sunday LIV Golf holds a tournament at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. Details
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🍗 Celebrate: Today is National Roast Leg of Lamb Day.
Best cities for new grads: Many of the “hiring hot spots” for recent college graduates are in the south, according to an analysis from The Wall Street Journal. Birmingham, Ala.; Tampa, Fla.; and Raleigh, N.C., are high on the list. Read more: ‘These Are the Hiring Hot Spots Where College Grads Are Landing Good Jobs’
🐘 A MAGA influencer turned on the movement: Ashley St. Clair, who is the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, was a longtime MAGA influencer. Well, she has recently turned on the right-wing movement and now posts scathing videos about Trump World. The posts are fascinating. In one video, she says “there is no free thinking here,” referring to the MAGA movement. “They are waiting to get marching orders and a direct deposit.” Read The Washington Post’s reporting: ‘Inside a MAGA influencer’s turn against the right-wing machine’
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