The second Trump administration is now in its fifth week, facing several significant challenges. In Washington, budget negotiations are set to start, but Elon Musk’s Doge team is significantly cutting government agencies.

Republicans need unity within their divided caucus or support from outraged Democrats to avoid a government shutdown, particularly concerning social programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP. Meanwhile, Trump officials are headed to Saudi Arabia for peace talks about Russia-Ukraine, while concerns about U.S. support for Ukraine linger.

European leaders are preparing for an emergency security summit in Paris after Vice President J.D. Vance's visit raised more questions regarding U.S. foreign policy. In New York, we await a federal judge's decision on the Justice Department's motion to dismiss the corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams, which led to several DOJ prosecutors' resignations.