That Noisy Trump
Day 445

Thursday, 9 April 2026

10 events

Key Events (10)

1
Foreign Policy

Trump criticized NATO and its secretary general Mark Rutte, describing the alliance as "very disappointing" after Rutte refused to commit allied support for military action against Iran. Rutte characterized their talks as "very frank" but declined to confirm whether Trump threatened withdrawal from the alliance.

2
Foreign Policy

A two-week US-Iran ceasefire took effect, but its stability was immediately threatened by ongoing Israeli military strikes on Lebanon and disagreements over whether Lebanon should be included in the truce. The UK, Australia, and other nations called for Lebanon's inclusion, while Trump said he asked Israel to scale back operations.

3
Social

First Lady Melania Trump issued a public statement denying any knowledge of or association with Jeffrey Epstein, calling allegations against her "smears." She called for a congressional hearing with survivors of Epstein's abuse, reintroducing the topic into political discourse.

4
Legal

The Trump administration increased pressure on immigration judges to approve deportations, with judges ordering unprecedented numbers of people deported after facing pressure to approve cases or risk losing their positions.

5
Domestic

The Trump administration launched an effort to deploy counterterrorism tools against far-left groups, despite providing limited evidence that these organizations present a significant terror threat.

6
Foreign Policy

European nations signaled a shift away from appeasing the Trump administration, with leaders including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly disagreeing with administration positions on the Iran conflict and Israel's military operations in Lebanon.

7
Domestic

Vice President JD Vance headlined a campaign rally for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of Sunday's elections, though fact-checkers disputed some of his claims about EU treatment of Hungary.

8
Domestic

A climate change denial conference held near the White House drew hundreds of attendees who rejected the scientific consensus on climate change, reflecting a resurgence of climate denial messaging in the Trump administration.

9
Domestic

The Democratic National Committee rejected a resolution condemning the influence of pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC, disappointing progressives unhappy with the group's involvement in Democratic contests.

10
Legal

A US federal judge ruled that the Pentagon violated his previous order in a press access case, granting the New York Times' motion to force implementation of an earlier ruling that gutted a restrictive Pentagon media policy.

Day 445 — Thursday, 9 April 2026 | That Noisy Trump