Germany's Chancellor Merz on his reforms:

The majority of the population does not reject reforms per se.

They are ready to go along with such reforms, to accept them... But anyone who demands changes from the people — and we are doing that — must state openly what is changing, why it has to change, and who will be affected by it.

It must be fair and everyone must make their contribution.

Zelensky:

Every pure heart in the world expects only one thing from Ukraine: that we defeat this Russian scum.

And we certainly will. We will defend our state.

Zelensky:

Despite having fewer means, despite having fewer resources, Ukrainians have achieved greater, more tangible, and more inspiring results.

Most importantly, they have every right to be proud of themselves—rightfully so—because they are defending what is their own.

For this, Ukrainians are respected by the entire world.

Trump:

Has anyone ever seen a Happy Dumocrat?

Germany's Chancellor Merz on pension reform:

We have decided to get a very comprehensive pension reform underway now... possibly the most difficult reform project of our time, at least the most difficult reform project in social policy.

There will no longer be this trend — ever higher contributions, ever lower benefits. It will be reversed.

We do not make politics for one electoral term.

We make politics, especially in old-age security, for the next generation.

Germany's Chancellor Merz:

We are on the way back to a lean, efficient state.

Yes, I'll go one step further: We are on the way back to the principle of trust.

That is why we are abolishing bureaucracy, that is why we want to give people back personal responsibility.

We want to move from a state legislation of mistrust to a state legislation of trust.

Von der Leyen Condemns Israeli Settlement Expansion

The European Commission president has intensified pressure on EU member states to vote on suspending trade preferences with Israel as she condemned West Bank settlement expansion.

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Scriptural Diplomacy

Iran paired foreign delegations at Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral with politically targeted Quranic verses, confronting rivals like Saudi Arabia and rallying regional allies like Hezbollah and Hamas with tailored scriptural messages.

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DoJ Defies Federal Court Order on Epstein Files

U.S. Department of Justice is refusing to comply with a federal court order to hand over redacted Jeffrey Epstein investigative files.

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European Parliament Moves to Ban Far-Right German AfD Party's EU Coalition

The Parliament is considering a move that could deregister the AfD-led Europe of Sovereign Nations party and strip it of EU funding for alleged violations of core values.

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Trump told Axios that Netanyahu requested a White House meeting, which could happen as soon as next week.

Trump said the two leaders have a good relationship, adding: "We get along very good. [Netanyahu] knows who the boss is."

Source: Axios

Trump said the U.S. could strike Iran's leadership gathered for Ali Khamenei's funeral but won't because it wants to preserve nuclear negotiations.

"One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with."

Source: Axios

Trump said he was surprised to see Iranians crying at Ali Khamenei's funeral, saying he thought people hated the former supreme leader and suggesting the displays of grief might not be genuine.

"I was surprised to see some Iranians crying. I thought people hated Khamenei... Maybe it's fake tears."

Source: Axios

Trump claimed Iran is "begging to make a deal" but said both sides agreed to pause nuclear talks for a week until events surrounding Ali Khamenei's funeral conclude.

He added that neither side would attack the other during the pause.

Source: Axios

U.S. official to Axios:

Many of Trump's closest advisers think that Bibi Netanyahu was wrong about everything.

At Ali Khamenei's funeral, a handwritten sign read:

"We will kill Trump."

Iran to Offer China Favorable Rates for Hormuz

Tehran plans to grant China and other friendly states preferential rates on incoming transit fees for the Strait of Hormuz.

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JD Vance:

You will hear a couple small but loud voices today speak obsessively not of our national greatness but of our national imperfections.

They will speak of the powerless and the dispossessed. They will tell you that America is just another country where the weak struggle against the strong.

And if they acknowledge that there is anything to be proud of in our history, they'll say it's the fact that sometimes the powerless have won a zero-sum battle. They're wrong.

They'll talk about America's sins with the anger and zeal of a brimstone preacher, but without any of the grace or forgiveness that must be present in the Christian faith. These people misunderstand the essence of America.

From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Kaiser, they misunderstand that we all have moments of great power despite those very real imperfections. That there are victims and heroes who live inside of each of us.

From the most ambitious leaders and builders to steel welders like my grandfather, people who had their own role to play in turning this dangerous wilderness into the proudest civilization in history. So, what I'd ask you to do, my fellow Americans, on our 250th birthday, is to reject the two-dimensional view of your fellow citizens and reject the two-dimensional view of your country.

Reject that America is a place for zero-sum thinking because it is not. Our history is one of people carving a great civilization out of the wilderness.

Reject the view of your nation that sees only its sins but not its grace and its greatness. Everything that we have done, everything that we have done as a country, we have done together. Not as citizens divided against each other, but as a common people working toward a common future.

JD Vance:

1776 was not an accident. The patriots of that era understood themselves to be heirs to an older civilization who would carry it forward.

German Watchdog Warns Planned Information Law Shake-Up Will Abolish Transparency

Federal commissioner warned that ruling coalition's proposed amendments to Freedom of Information Act effectively amount to total abolition of governmental transparency.

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