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09/06/2026

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is celebrating her tenure as her government becomes the longest-serving in the history of the Italian Republic.

Meloni stated: “This stability is not the merit of a single person. It is the result of a united coalition, which has governed for four years with a shared vision and which has chosen to stay together not against someone, but to realize a project for Italy.”

Leaders from around the world have joined Meloni in the celebrations — although, as of today, US President Donald Trump, at one time one of Meloni’s strongest suppoerters, has not sent any public message.

NATO’s Mark Rutte: “Many thanks to Italy for being a great Ally in NATO.”

Japan’s Sanae Takaichi: “I sincerely express my profound respect for Giorgia’s tireless efforts in addressing various challenges on behalf of the Italian people.”

India’s Narendra Modi: “This milestone is a reflection of the trust and confidence of the Italian people in her leadership.”

Turkey’s Recep Erdoğan: “I wholeheartedly believe that our cooperation and solidarity [...] will grow stronger with each passing day.”

Argentina’s Javier Milei: “A milestone—it’s a recognition of the conviction, courage, and determination with which you have defended your ideas and led Italy. In times when holding a steady course demands resolve, these four years demonstrate that a clear vision, a solid coalition, and political leadership can restore stability and confidence to a country.”

Many other world leaders have congratulated Meloni so far, including Andrej Plenković of Croatia, Abiy Ahmed Ali of Ethiopia, Nicușor Dan of Romania, Robert Fico of Slovakia, Janez Janša of Slovenia, Qasym-Jomart Toqayev of Kazakhstan, Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus, Karol Nawrocki of Poland, Daniel Chapo of Mozambique, Andrej Babiš of the Czech Republic, Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Bart De Wever of Belgium, Edi Rama of Albania, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE, and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar.

09/05/2026

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his staff have “held influencer-only press briefings, hired a host of new communications staffers, and created a network of influencers and content creators who push out his messages to their followers,” according to a new report, titled “Mapping New York City influencers and funding of public messaging,” published by Columbia Journalism School’s Tow Center for Digital Journalism and the Initiative for Policy Dialogue at Columbia University.

The report identified two types of initiatives: 1) pilot programs aimed at using influencers on Instagram and TikTok to promote city services and initiatives including immigration rights, public budgeting processes, and tenants’ rights; and 2) preexisting campaigns providing information about voting and healthcare.

The Mayor also runs a newly created Signal group, similar to a traditional press list, but just for influencers — managed by Emilia Rowland, the director of new media and cultural communications at the NYC Office of the Mayor — to send daily updates, talking points, and clips to use in their posts. Creators are also invited to events and offered interviews with city officials.

Columbia University compiled a list of 189 influencers with ties to the Mamdani administration, a de-facto map of NYC influence ecosystem in the age of content creators. 

Sari Beth Rosenberg, a public school US history teacher and one of the two hundred influencers invited by the Democratic National Committee to attend the 2024 convention, told Columbia: “This is the Wild West right now, and people are coming up with the rules themselves. I truly believe there need to be standards and federal policy around this. There are so many loopholes.” 

Despite the fact that taxpayer money is being spent on campaigns involving influencers, information about these relationships is closely guarded. New York City agency employees told Columbia that the going pay rate is five thousand to twenty thousand dollars per influencer campaign. 

Columbia’s report comes amids speculations that the US Department of War [Defense] has hired creators as political staffers at the Pentagon.

09/04/2026

At the White House first press briefing following the departure of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt—one of US President Donald Trump’s closest aide—Vice President JD Vance praised her legacy, which he said transformed the briefing room and the relationship between the White House and the press corps. 

Vance, who many see as a top candidate to lead the Republican ticket for the 2028 presidential election, said Leavitt “is an amazing person, an amazing mom, was an amazing colleague here at the White House, and was not just a person who stood up here and answered your questions—and I think did so admirably—but was also just an amazing part of the the very cohesive team that we had working here in the West Wing. Just an amazing person.”

The VP added: “Caroline, if you’re watching, which hopefully you’re not, but if you’re watching, thank you for your service, thank you for your friendship, and thanks for doing a great job.”

Vance continued: “One of her legacies, one of her many legacies I would say, is that she opened up this room to non-legacy media. And why does that matter? I mean, if you look at one of the biggest transformations that have existed in this country over the last 20-30 years, it’s the rise of digital technology. Now, that means a lot of different things for a lot of different people, but for this industry, what it’s meant is that a lot of people have been able to get access to information, have been get been able to get access to telling stories to the American people, not because they have a credential or not because they have a connection, but because they have something interesting to say.”

Vance said: “Not to brag on my boss too much, but I I do think the President has set us about to be the most transparent administration in history. And we have done that with flying colors.”

The Vice President’s comments come as Fox abruptly fired Maria Bartiromo.

09/03/2026

The recent actions by Russian President Vladimir Putin mark “a new escalation on European soil, directly attributed to Russia. [...] Europeans are faced with a hard truth that this is the new normal.”

That is what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday as she met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels, Belgium to discuss “Russia’s attack in Leipzig,” Germany, “using military-grade material.”

Von der Leyen said: “The German government has identified Russia as behind an attempt to attack cargo planes at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Had this attack succeeded, this would have resulted in enormous damage and possibly even loss of life.”

She continued: “If the intention was to make us think twice about supporting Ukraine, I can tell you, it has only strengthened my resolve. Intimidation will not work.”

Rutte, the head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and a strong ally to US President Donald Trump, said in his statement: “Russia has grown increasingly reckless. [...] The dangers Russia poses are clear, and we are working around the clock to ensure that we are prepared to keep our people safe. If Russia thinks we will be divided by the threat, or if they think we will be deterred from supporting Ukraine, they are mistaken.”

Von der Leyen, the EU chief, mirrored Rutte’d words: “We are united. Europe and NATO will not just maintain our pressure on Russia. We will increase it. And we will not stop. Not until Russia stops bombing and killing innocent children, men and women in Ukraine.”

Rutte continued: “Our unity is unshaken. Our support to Ukraine is clear.”

09/02/2026

“Stop doing memes, stop throwing shade, and stop trying to be tough.”

That was the message from Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney to US President Donald Trump yesterday as the trade war between the United States and Canada continues to intensify.

While Canadian leaders, including at the State level, are pushing back against the latest wave of attacks from Trump following the breakdown of tariff negotiations last month, the US president and several of his top aides have repeatedly taunted their northern neighbor.

Last week Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, a move since adopted by the American tech giants Apple and Google on their maps services. Meanwhile, US Secretary of War [Defense] Pete Hegseth mocked the Canadian military on social media, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Canada could not go “tit for tat” with an economy 13 times its size.

Carney commented: “It’s not constructive, but that’s their democracy.”

Trump — who mount his rhetoric against Canada, most notably repeating suggestions that it should become the 51st American State — has implemented high tariffs on Canadian goods, including alcohol, wood products and clothes, with further hikes on steel, cars, and car parts to be introduced in January.

In response, the Canadian government applied counter-tariffs that will come into force on September 8. They include duties on several hundred products, including steel and appliances. Everyday items like seafood, cheese, clothing, cosmetics and toilet paper will also be impacted.

09/01/2026

According to the Washington Post, US Secretary of War [Defense] and the Pentagon have secretly installed several conservative military and political content creators in government roles to amplify the Deparment’s messages and defend the Administration and US President Donald Trump.

At least some of the influencers—most of them veterans—have been assigned to civilian roles that could lead to meaningful policy changes. Those roles have never been disclosed. 

The paper identified some of the content creators, including Rob Maness, a retired Air Force colonel, and Kurt Schlichter and Thomas Anderson, both retired Army colonel. These influencers served for decades in uniform and, since retiring, have turned to conservative commentary, with hundreds of thousands of followers across different platforms. Anderson is an attorney who writes on social media under the pen name Cynical Publius.

According to The Bulwark, another creator is Jennica Pounds—whose online pen name is DataRepublican. Since July, she has been a temporary “special government employee” for the Pentagon. Pounds went viral last month after accusing Sarah Rogers, the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy at the US Department of State, of attempting to entrap her into publishing government secrets.

The Bulwark wrote last week: “Hegseth has gone to great lengths to limit and muzzle many members of the traditional Pentagon press corps. But secretly employing a shadowy, rabidly online personality for the apparent purpose of going after your enemies is a remarkable illustration of the kind of steps Hegseth appears willing to take to fight internecine political wars.”

These new revelations come as the Pentagon announced that US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down from his post.

Driscoll, the youngest Army secretary in United States history, was well-liked in the military and regarded as a Trump 2.0 power player who took on a diplomatic role in talks to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Hegseth never warmed to Driscoll, but the latter’s friendship with Vice President JD Vance offered him some protection. 

08/31/2026

The Obama Presidential Center opened earlier this summer with a celebratory dedication in Chicago, Illinois, attended by dignitaries from around the world. 

Former President Barack Obama’s influence in his presidential museum runs deep, from the location on Chicago’s South Side to textured stone adorning its dramatic tower to striped reading chairs that resemble ones in his own home. The new Center also shows the differences with US President Donald Trump, who followed him as the 45th President — and now he’s in his second term as 47th President. 

The roughly $850 million project covers the political and personal realms of the nation’s first Black president. Campaign memorabilia and presidential artifacts are displayed in the admission-based museum tower while public spaces of the sprawling campus feature other things important to Obama: a new library, basketball court, and picnic area with grills.

Josh Harris, the Obama Foundation’s vice president of public engagement, said: “This is a safe space for people to come and, yes, reflect on the historic moments of this presidency and the campaigns, but also to come together as a community to think about what change you can bring to your own neighborhood.”  

Obama’s presidential museum will be the first fully digital museum of its kind. There will be no official papers on display. Instead, visitors will experience high-tech and hands-on exhibits spanning the campaigns, key moments of Obama’s presidency and life at the White House.

One of the largest attractions is a life-sized replica of the Oval Office, where the top drawer of the Resolute Desk replica holds a copy of a handwritten letter from his predecessor, President George W. Bush, and Obama’s beloved BlackBerry phone.

Obama’s Oval Office was much simpler and streamlined coniare to Trump’s Oval Office today — the two Presidents sat right next to each other in the Oval in 2016 after Trump became the President-elect.

08/30/2026

Rob Jetten, the youngest-ever and the first openly-gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands, has received the Attitude Pride Award, after hosting World Pride in Amsterdam last month.

Jetten, who’s engaged to his long-time partner, Argentinian athlete Nico Keenan, warned that acceptance of LGBTQ+ rights among young people is “under huge pressure,” including online and on social media, as his country marks 25 years since becoming the first in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.

His advice to young LGBTQ+ people is: “Don’t be afraid. Be yourself. Live your life.”

The Dutch Prime Minister said: “When I was 15 years old or so, I knew that I was attracted to boys, but I was so afraid to open up about it. And now at 39, being the youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands, I wish I could tell that young boy to not be afraid, to be yourself and to live your life. And that is something that we should tell each and every one around the world that is struggling with their identity at the moment.”

He added: There’s a lot of work to be done. Of course, over the past decades, we’ve achieved great things. […] We’ve also been lazy over the past few years.”

Jetten pointed out: “We can win this fight by teaming up as q***r community all around the world to support activists in countries where the pressure is the highest. We can team up to make sure that there are role models and inspirational approaches all around the world that we actually share and make sure that we don’t have to re-invent the wheel in every country.”

08/29/2026

French presidential hopeful Gabriel Attal, a former Prime Minister of France under President Emmanuel Macron, would move into the Elysée Palace with his life partner, Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Industry, SMEs and the Single Market since 2024.

Attal, who was France’s youngest and first ever openly-gay Prime Minister, stated during an interview: “We live together. But again, we each have our paths, our trajectories. We have no intention of changing that.”

Attal and Séjourné’s relationship poses a potential conflict of interest given the latter’s job in the European Union. Séjourné swore an oath upon taking office to prioritize EU interests over national matters, and his term runs beyond the French presidential election in April 2027.

Attal, who leads Macron’s centrist party Renaissance, did not address — nor was he questioned in the interview — that potential conflict.

He said: “We have always separated our careers. We are two public figures, but we don’t put ourselves on show together [...] we each follow our own paths separately.”

The pair were in a civil partnership from 2017 to 2022, while Attal held several ministerial positions and Séjourné was an adviser to Macron — including Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs — before becoming a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). They then broke up for two years, before rekindling their relationship in 2024.

Recent polls show Attal trailing both front-runner and leader of the far-right National Rally Marine Le Pen and his main ideological rival, former Prime Minister and centrist contender Edouard Philippe, in the presidential race.

08/28/2026

Yesterday was Karoline Leavitt’s last day at the White House as President Donald Trump’s Press Secretary. She appeared at the podium of the Briefing Room with her husband, Nicholas Riccio, and their two kids.

On her last day, Leavitt — who just came back to the role after giving birth to her second child and will stay as Trump’s outside advisor — said there’s “definitely a list” of who could be her successor but that no decisions have been made yet. Trump himself as previously mentioned Republican pundit Scott Jennings and Margo Martin, Special Assistant and Communications Advisor to the President, as in the running. 

Leavitt stated: “As for who the president chooses next, it is a decision that is entirely up to him. Obviously, whoever takes this job, you spend a lot of time with the president, has to be someone he wholeheartedly trusts and believes in.”

The outgoing Press Secretary, one of Trump’s most loyal advisors who he called “an influential voice within the Republican Party,” mentioned she’ll offer her “advice and counsel” on whomever President Trump will pick to replace her.

She said: “It is a blessing, a privilege, and an honor to stand behind the White House podium. So, whoever gets the job next is a very lucky person to work for this president at this moment in history, and I’ll be here to help every step of the way.”

Leavitt confirmed last week that she is set to work at Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC.

How would you rate her term as Trump’s chief spokesperson?

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