Flagship

Trump voices doubt over NATO pledge

US President Donald Trump cast doubt on whether he would uphold NATO’s collective-security pact, unnerving a Europe already reeling from his rapid shifting of American foreign-policy priorities. “If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them,” Trump said, reiterating earlier complaints over European nations’ underinvestment in security. Many are now spending more, but “it’s not enough.” The remarks came as NBC reported he was considering changing US participation in the alliance to offer greater support for those who spend above a certain threshold. Not unrelatedly, Germany, France, and the UK have in recent weeks upped defense allocations or proposed sending troops to Ukraine — but the continent remains hugely dependent on the US.

Russia hammers Ukraine

Russia launched an aerial barrage against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The attack involved nearly 200 drones and dozens of missiles, Kyiv said, and came with the country under pressure from Washington’s pivot toward a rapprochement with Moscow. Though US-Ukraine relations appear to have recovered somewhat following a disastrous Oval Office meeting between the two countries’ presidents, the Trump administration has nevertheless suspended intelligence cooperation, sought to tie a revived minerals deal to a ceasefire, and is considering revoking temporary legal status for 240,000 Ukrainians who fled Russia’s 2022 invasion. “Any corresponding pressure the US has been putting on Moscow to make concessions,” the BBC noted, “has not been made public.”

India, China see upside in Trump

US President Donald Trump’s protectionist and transactional policies will drive a shift to a multipolar world that ultimately benefits India and China, officials and analysts from both countries said. Washington was “moving towards multipolarity” that sees less power concentrated in the US, India’s foreign minister told London’s Chatham House think tank, “and that… suits India.” And in the South China Morning Post, a prominent Beijing-based expert argued that “the unipolar era has ended,” and that “China could take a leading role” in world affairs. Yet the US’ conception of how a multipolar world would look diverges from China’s: Washington wants to peel Russia from China’s orbit, while Beijing aims to lure Europe.

Rubio: Influencer or follower?

The US intends to use artificial intelligence to review the visas of foreign nationals in order to determine whether they support designated terrorist groups such as Hamas. The plans — combined with proposals to shut European consulates and slash the State Department workforce — raised questions over Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s role in the shakeup: As Semafor’s politics team put it, “Is he a Trump ‘influencer’ or follower?” Growing numbers of Senate Democrats who confirmed Rubio to his post, believing their former colleague to hold traditionally Republican views on national security, are now voicing frustration. One thought he “would be a voice of reason. And he’s disappointed me.”

Mexico reviews China imports

Mexico said it would review tariffs on Chinese imports following pressure from the US. President Claudia Sheinbaum’s announcement came after US President Donald Trump announced tariff reprieves for Mexico following an “excellent” call in which he called for a “Fortress North America” against Chinese goods. Sheinbaum’s handling of Trump has won praise at home, boosting her approval rating above 80%. Although Mexico stands to lose more from an acrimonious relationship with its northern neighbor — tariffs could wipe as much as 2% off the country’s GDP — her popularity and her party’s controversial judicial reforms put her in a strong position. “Is it hyperbole to say Sheinbaum is the most powerful woman on Earth right now?” a Bloomberg columnist asked.

Pope speaks from hospital

The Pope released an audio message to his supporters, the first time his voice has been heard publicly since he was hospitalized three weeks ago. Francis, 88, offered thanks and blessings in what CNN called a “breathless” voice: He has suffered bronchitis and double pneumonia on top of longstanding respiratory issues, including having part of one lung removed as a young man. The Vatican said his prognosis was uncertain, but that he had not suffered respiratory failure since Monday and was engaged in work. The liberal Francis is a divisive figure — he has restricted the use of Latin in Mass, and expressed support for civil partnerships and blessings for LGBTQ+ couples, angering traditionalists, although he has not changed Catholic doctrine on marriage or sexuality.

Clash with Assad supporters in Syria

Syrian forces clashed with supporters of the deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad. The clashes, which left dozens dead, underscore the challenge interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces in uniting a country that is deeply divided after years of civil war and decades of oppressive rule to say nothing of the mammoth economic difficulties confronting Syrians. Tensions within Islamist groups over what they see as the government’s betrayal of fundamental religious values have led to speculation that al-Sharaa could soon be deposed or assassinated by a hardline ally. “Little wonder Syria’s president is said to be sleeping just two hours a night,” The Economist wrote.

This week, Mixed Signals goes inside the world of independent creators with a two-part conversation: First, Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie on the platform’s appeal for the resistance on the left, their move into video, and why they turned down Elon Musk’s offer to buy them. Then, former Mixed Signals co-host Nayeema Raza joins to talk about her foray into the new media landscape, what she’s learned about the space, and why her new show isn’t on Substack.

Sudan launches UAE case

Sudan launched a legal case against the United Arab Emirates, blaming the Gulf nation for arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the country’s civil war. The case, filed to the International Court of Justice, claims the UAE armed the group responsible ethnic-based attacks in Darfur that the US said amounted to genocide. The lawsuit underscores how the conflict has become a proxy war, and that Gulf nations “view the conflict as an opportunity to cement their hegemonic status in the Middle East,” an expert wrote in 2023. The war has led to the gravest displacement crisis in the world, and prompted the first global declaration of famine in decades.

Starship test ends in explosion

SpaceX’s giant Starship rocket exploded midflight on its eighth test, the second failure in a row. Ground control lost contact with the world’s most powerful launch system after about 10 minutes. The explosion was visible over the Caribbean and several Florida-bound flights were delayed for risk of debris. It was a rare bad day for the private space industry, after Intuitive Machines said its Athena moon lander appeared to have fallen over on the lunar surface, as its first attempt did last year. More happily, the European Space Agency’s new Ariane 6 rocket successfully carried a satellite to orbit, reviving Europe’s independent space capacity: Europe has relied on US rockets because the invasion of Ukraine made using Russian facilities impossible.

Robot arm controlled by brain

A paralyzed patient used a robotic arm controlled by his thoughts. The prosthetic uses a brain-computer interface (BCI) which converts commands into motion: Similar devices have been used before, but only for a couple of days, because the patterns of brain activity involved shift location subtly, so the sensors lost accuracy. The BCI relies on artificial intelligence which adapts to those changes, meaning the device remained functional for seven months: The patient is able to move objects by imagining the actions, although doing so took weeks of practice using a virtual arm. The researchers hope to make the actions faster and more fluid, and to deploy the system outside the laboratory.

• New data on US unemployment is set to be published.
• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation holds an emergency meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on the reconstruction of Gaza.
• Multiple events are held to mark 60 years since peaceful demonstrations against discrimination in Selma, in the US state of Alabama, ahead of an anniversary march on Sunday.

The increase in the cost of the average British home between 1995/96 and 2015/2016, adjusted for inflation. The UK’s housing shortage means that homeownership rates among 25- to 34-year-olds fell by half in that time, Derek Thompson noted in The Atlantic, arguing that the crisis is driven by postwar zoning rules which “effectively prohibited new development without special permission from the state.” Similarly strict regulations make it difficult to build energy and transit infrastructure. These restrictions, he said, are behind Britain’s “ongoing productivity slump” and a 16-year lack of wage growth.

Suspect by Gina Tron. Tron was a bullied teen in the 1990s who left a death threat on a car belonging to one of her bullies shortly after the Columbine shootings, thereby sparking a panic. This memoir of “a time when difference was treated as suspect” captures the period “without sentimentality, and with a very clear lens,” according to The Rumpus: It’s an “incredibly relatable” story of “trying to fit in and failing.” Buy Suspect from your local bookstore.

Even cryptocurrency backers haven’t fully bought into US President Donald Trump’s “strategic reserve” plan, Semafor’s Eleanor Mueller reported.

“I don’t mind the concept. I just don’t know what utility it serves,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Semafor. Though Trump’s announcement exposes it to criticism, the crypto industry maintains strong bipartisan backing in congress, and is well within reach of fulfilling its legislative wishlist.