President Trump stated he is examining a 14-point Iranian proposal transmitted through Pakistan to end the ongoing war, though he expressed doubt about its viability. Trump made the comments Saturday before boarding Air Force One at West Palm Beach, Florida. A three-week ceasefire remains in place as diplomatic discussions continue, despite Trump's rejection of an earlier Iranian proposal earlier in the week. The health condition of imprisoned Iranian rights lawyer Narges Mohammadi has deteriorated to a high-risk level, according to her family, while Iran has executed two men it convicted of spying for Israel.
The Trump administration declined to provide taxpayer funding for Spirit Airlines, allowing the discount carrier to cease operations Saturday. Earlier in the week, Trump had suggested his administration was considering a government stake in the airline "if it's a good deal," but no bailout materialized. The decision represents a departure from Trump's recent willingness to have the government take stakes in private companies—his administration had previously invested in Intel and U.S. Steel. Lawmakers from both parties and members of Trump's own administration had criticized using taxpayer dollars to sustain the struggling ultra-low-cost airline.
Several major U.S. carriers announced they will assist Spirit customers. Travelers affected by Spirit's closure should look for reduced-price "rescue fares" from American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Frontier Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. Customers are advised to save all documentation and request refunds immediately.
Trump escalated tensions with Germany's leadership by announcing the United States will reduce its military presence there "a lot further" than the initially planned withdrawal of 5,000 troops. The move signals a broader effort to scale back America's security commitment in Europe. Germany's defense minister Boris Pistorius said the announced drawdown was expected and stressed that European nations must assume greater responsibility for their own defense.
In legal matters, the Trump administration has faced unprecedented judicial scrutiny. The Associated Press found at least 31 lawsuits since last February in which judges determined the administration violated court orders on a broad range of issues. These cases exceed 250 violations judges identified in individual immigration petitions. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson countered that district court judges issued unlawful rulings, many of which were later overturned by higher courts.
Separately, two manufacturers of the abortion pill mifepristone asked the Supreme Court to block a lower court ruling that cut off mail-order access to the medication following a federal appeals court decision earlier in the week.
