Following the launch of several rockets last night from the Gaza Strip towards Ashdod and Ashkelon in the south of Israel, Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz has instructed the IDF to “continue with and expand” its operations against Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza. Katz added, “For every piece of shrapnel that hits a resident of Ashkelon, the Hamas murderers will pay a very heavy price.”

Only hours before markets open in the United States, U.S. President Trump calls for the “slow moving Fed” to cut interest rates, while adding that “there is NO INFLATION.”

President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen has said that the EU has offered “zero-for-zero” tariffs on industrial goods to the U.S., saying they are “prepared to negotiate.” Should the U.S. be unwilling to negotiate on tariffs, the EU Commission’s president said that “countermeasures” would be employed. Both Ursula von der Leyen and other top EU officials have declined to expand on what said countermeasures would entail outside of the “gradual” implementation of them.

However, other nations, most notably Vietnam, have reportedly offered such concessions and were shot down.

It should be noted that there is a noticeable lack of synchronization in the messaging coming from Trump administration officials and advisors on what nations need to do to avoid the new tariffs imposed.

According to Bloomberg editor Joe Weisenthal, the S&P 500 has just experienced its worst three-day performance since October 1987.

#HM #HMIntelligence

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has now announced that in retaliation to the Chinese retaliatory tariffs of 34% on U.S. goods, the U.S. will now impose an additional tariff of 50% on Chinese goods. China has until tomorrow, April 8, 2025, to rescind the tariffs, or the additional U.S. 50% tariffs will go into effect the next day, April 9, 2025.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff before his planned meeting with U.S. President Donald J. Trump (@BarakRavid).
The two decision-makers talked Gaza and negotiations surrounding the ongoing conflict in the local region.

The White House has announced that the press conference today with U.S. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, has been cancelled.

According to Axios’ Barak Ravid, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes that the chances of a nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran is extremely low, he will present U.S. President Trump with what “a good deal should look like” during today’s meeting in the Oval Office. Adding that Israel seeks the “Libya Model” which includes the total denuclearization of Iran.

According to White House officials, U.S. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu will instead take questions from a small group of reporters following their meeting in the Oval Office.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House.

In a notable development, France and Denmark have signed a “strategic partnership” agreement that reaffirms French support for Danish territorial integrity. The agreement comes against the backdrop of the ongoing Danish-American spat involving Greenland. In the release from the French government, Greenland is specifically mentioned, as is an apparent openness to increased U.S. involvement in the Danish autonomous territory. However, the excerpt stressed that any such increase must be done “through dialogue with Danish authorities.”

Prior to the meeting with Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald J. Trump held a phone call with French President Macron, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, and Jordanian King Abdullah II. This comes mere hours after France, Jordan, and Egypt released a joint communique calling for the “immediate return to the ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip. The three leaders met at a summit today in Cairo, Egypt.

The United States’ military representative to the NATO Military Committee (USMILREP), Vice Admiral Shoshana S. Chatfield has reportedly been removed from her position today by U.S. President Trump, as his Administration’s purge of military officials appointed by President Biden or deemed to not be “loyal” continues.

Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office following his meeting with U.S. President Donald J. Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other officials; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu states, “I can tell you that we will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States - intend to do it very quickly, we think it's the right thing to do. We will also eliminate trade barriers.”

U.S. President Donald J. Trump announces from the Oval Office following his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that the United States will begin direct talks with Iran on Saturday, adding that he hopes they will be successful and that it’s in Iran’s “best interest” that the talks are successful.

Looks like we are going to “kick the can” that is Iran’s nuclear program a little further on down the road, let’s not forget how well that went with North Korea.

The White House is now denying reports from several media outlets about planning for a “grand military parade” in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 14 2025, for the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army as well as 79th birthday of President Trump. This is despite defense officials as well as city officials in both Arlington, Virginia and Washington, D.C. confirming that planning for the parade is ongoing, this includes D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser who states that she was told the parade would begin at the Pentagon.