Former US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to the militant group Hamas and launched a fresh verbal assault on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell during a high-profile meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida.
Mar-a-Lago Meeting and Mutual Admiration
The gathering at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort on Monday was marked by a significant announcement from the Israeli leader. Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that Donald Trump would be awarded the Israel Prize, the nation's most prestigious civilian honour. This marks the first time since the award's creation in the 1950s that it will be bestowed upon a non-Israeli individual.
During a press conference, Trump turned his focus to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, offering robust support for Netanyahu. He declared that Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it failed to disarm. This meeting occurred as officials in Washington are reportedly pushing for Israeli concessions to advance the second phase of a Gaza peace plan, which halted a devastating two-year war in October.
Trump's Economic Grievances and Legal Threats
Shifting from foreign policy to economic matters, Trump used the platform to reiterate his long-standing criticism of the US central bank. He labelled Jerome Powell a "fool" and suggested he would like to dismiss him, despite having originally appointed Powell to the role in 2018. Trump also repeated unverified claims about the cost of renovating the Federal Reserve's headquarters.
In a notable escalation, the former president told reporters he was considering filing a lawsuit against Powell for "gross incompetence." This threat came as Trump boasted about the state of the US economy, which he claimed was strong despite the Fed's leadership.
Other Key Developments from the Day
The meeting with Netanyahu was just one part of a busy news cycle for the Trump administration. In other remarks, Trump claimed, without providing details, that US forces had struck a "big facility" in Venezuela. The White House has not commented further on this assertion.
Meanwhile, a new Guardian/Harris poll delivered worrying news for the White House, indicating that nearly half of Americans believe their financial security is worsening, with many blaming the administration. In a separate development, the US pledged $2 billion in humanitarian aid for 2025, part of a new UN delivery model established after major foreign aid cuts by the Trump administration.
On the political front, outgoing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene stated in an interview that she had been "naive" for believing Trump was a man of the people. Elsewhere, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted Democrats would retake the chamber's majority in the 2026 midterm elections.
