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The Insider’s Track

Is there anything more American than the new pope having an internet-poisoned Boomer brother who spends his time calling Nancy Pelosi slurs on Facebook? Popes, they’re just like us.

There is nothing I say here that is a more consistent source of hate mail than when I bring up Joe Biden. Four days after calling out his disastrous appearance on The View, I’m still getting emails telling me I am “ageist” … and worse. So I will respond here, briefly.

We must get over this idea that the president of the United States is above reproach. Not only are these people not your friends, they work for you. When elected officials screw up, as Biden did in epic fashion last year, they should be punished by voters, not rehabilitated. Unfortunately, Biden is about to be back in the news because of a new book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, which just leaked this morning. And it’s bad. The excerpts so far include a discussion among his aides about putting him in a wheelchair if he was somehow re-elected. The book also has David Plouffe, the mastermind behind Obama’s 2008 win drafted by Harris’ team, on the record saying of Biden: “He totally fu**** us.”

Anyway, I will not apologize for being “mean” to Joe Biden, any more than I’d apologize for being “mean” to Trump. I will try to restrain myself from re-litigating the election, though, unless the former prez decides he needs to keep popping up in the media to defend himself.

With that, I also want to clarify what I wrote yesterday about this “deal” we made with China over the tariffs. Some of you said I was giving the White House too much credit. It’s like, if you’re driving us toward the Grand Canyon at 100 mph, Thelma & Louise style, but you slam on the brakes just before we plunge over the rim, should I give you credit for saving my life?

The point was not that we struck some big deal with China—whatever agreement we made involves no concessions, it just goes back to how things were before the “Liberation Day” nonsense and said we’ll keep talking. It’s the definition of face-saving. Generally, when one side starts a fight, it needs to extract something before it can call a pause in the fight a “win.”

My point was that the capitulation to the Chinese was a win for America, in that it proved a couple theses we’ve been discussing here:

1.The first rule of being president is and remains: Never, ever destabilize the economy on purpose.
2. In a capitalist society, the market always wins.
3. The market has been reassured that Scott Bessent has sway over Trump, and that Trump’s word on tariffs is not final.

This last one is very important. One of the scarier parts of the last few weeks has been this idea that Trump has become totally unbound, even from the few things that kept him on the rails in the first term, such as public opinion and the stock market. But now we see that Trump 2.0 can be reasoned with and the admin’s adults, like Bessent, are in positions of authority over the admin’s wackier voices, like Peter Navarro. That’s why the Nasdaq reentered bull market territory and the Dow exited correction territory yesterday.

Meanwhile, Trump is in Riyadh this morning for his first big overseas swing of the new admin. The Saudis are really playing to his ego with the pomp and circumstance so far. I am remaining optimistic, perhaps foolishly so, that this trip will give us some kind of diplomatic surprise in terms of Gaza or Iran.

On that note, isn’t it remarkable how few elected Republicans have come out against the president taking a $400M plane from the Qataris. The figure on the right who has been most public about what a bad idea it is? None other than Laura Loomer, a conspiracy loon who believes Bush did 9/11 and, for whatever reason, has particular sway in the West Wing. Loomer having more ethical clarity than sitting members of Congress. It would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.

The Rundown

Gulf Leaders Court Trump With Big Deals as Skeptics Question Motives

When U.S. presidents embark on their first overseas trip after taking office, it is often seen as a statement of intent—a defining signal of foreign policy priorities for the next four years.

For Donald Trump, the path is a familiar one.

As he did during his first term, he’s chosen the Persian Gulf for his first official overseas trip—returning Tuesday to a region where he aims to do what he claims no one does better: strike big deals.

Far from a traditional diplomatic tour, Trump’s second-term kickoff is saturated with real estate contracts, defense procurements, and eye-popping investment pledges.

Trump will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—three of the richest nations in the world—to ink what he hopes will amount to over $1 trillion in investment and trade agreements. Read more from Newsweek’s Jesus Mesa.

Also happening:

  • South African refugees arrive: The first group of white South Africans arrived in the U.S. after President Donald Trump granted them refugee status, with senior administration officials personally welcoming them at Dulles International Airport on Monday. The decision to admit the Afrikaners, who are a minority in their country, came despite the administration’s crackdown on admissions of other asylum seekers. Read more.
  • Cracks in Trump-Netanyahu ties: Amid President Donald Trump’s Middle East tour, signs of disagreements have emerged between the U.S. leader and one of the men who most enthusiastically welcomed his return to office. Trump’s decision to skip Israel on his tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates comes as the president appeared to sideline Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on several key issues related to the regional conflict that has emerged over the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Read the story.

This is a preview of The 1600—Tap here to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.