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On July 4th, Americans will celebrate the 250th birthday of our great nation. For two-and-a-half centuries, the United States has been a beacon to people everywhere seeking freedom – of religion, speech, assembly and others enumerated in the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to our Constitution.

The allure of America, and those promised rights, has never faded. Our country attracts millions of people each year who hope to live under that umbrella of freedom, and who want a shot at the American Dream.

What is the American Dream? The term was first coined in 1931 by historian James Truslow Adams, who wrote in his book "The Epic of America" about a society in which each person, no matter their parentage or origin, is free to pursue their dreams and ambitions, bound only by their own capabilities. That promise, articulated at the height of the Great Depression, when faith in the country was at rock bottom, was as true and uplifting then as it is now.

I have met hundreds of people who embody that promise: a cab driver from Egypt who arrived penniless in our country, but whose son is getting a master’s degree in engineering, or our doorman from China who barely speaks English, but whose daughter just became a doctor. I’ve talked to new immigrants from Cuba and Yemen and other repressive nations who delight in their newfound freedom, and who cannot understand how so many Americans don’t value the opportunities offered by our country.

AMERICA 250 EVENTS TAKING PLACE THIS SUMMER CALLED 'ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME' TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES

Those (mostly young) people have been persuaded by politicians on the left that the American Dream is dead. Progressive Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and his ideological sidekicks would have you believe that it is impossible to get ahead in the U.S. because the deck is stacked against you. On his 2025 "Oligarchy Tour," Bernie claimed the American Dream has "turned into a nightmare" and that "billionaires have rigged the system to avoid being accountable to us."

Democratic Socialist New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, accompanying Bernie on the stump, goes to the same dark place, telling audiences that the "right wing's entire political agenda …[involves] a politics that involves lying to and screwing over working and middle class Americans so that they can steal from our healthcare, Social Security, and veterans' benefits to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest and bailouts for their crypto billionaire friends."

Bernie and his cynical followers are having an impact. A recent Gallup poll commissioned by the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream found only 46% of Americans either "strongly agree" or "somewhat agree" with the idea that "everyone in this country has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream," down from 51% in 2024.

AOC’S BILLIONAIRE ATTACK SELLS GEN Z A SMALLER, SADDER AMERICAN DREAM

This is tragic, because it is that sense of boundless opportunity that has inspired the great entrepreneurs and innovations that continue to put the United States ahead of other countries. Elon Musk came to the United States from his native South Africa, by way of Canada, because he saw this country as the best place to build an electric vehicle business, and to reimagine space travel. 

Sergey Mikhailovich Brin, co-founder of Google, came to the U.S. at the age of 6 from Russia because his father, a mathematics professor, feared growing antisemitism there. Sergey, who went to a public high school and then to the University of Maryland, is now an extremely wealthy man, having helped build the world’s foremost search engine.

There are countless examples of people with extraordinary talents coming to the U.S. with empty pockets and climbing to greatness. But there are also many, many ordinary people in our country who work hard to educate their children and to provide for their families and who also achieve the American Dream. Some of those inspiring stories are being published each day in the New York Post, at the behest of the Milken Institute.

KELSEY GRAMMER SHARES THE KEY TO ACHIEVING THE 'AMERICAN DREAM'

One remarkable story comes from a Hasbro executive, Matt Proulx, who was one of 13 kids, 11 of whom were adopted. His parents took in foster children – 250 over the years – many of whom were rescued from dire situations. His folks, even as his dad was dying, adopted three more children who were about to be split up and sent to different families; according to Matt, despite their rough childhood, "they’re actually thriving." As to the American Dream? "I live it every day. I literally had nothing. Came from dirt … but the house was always full of love."

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Does everyone have a shot at the Dream? Not entirely. If education is critical to unleashing the power of every individual, the failures of our schools gravely restrict the goal of universal opportunity. When more than half of Black kids in New York don’t learn how to read, that group will struggle to access the American Dream. Such shortcomings should cause universal outrage, but Democrat politicians sacrifice the wellbeing of – especially – minority kids they claim to care about in exchange for tens of millions of campaign dollars every year. Shame on them.

Why does the left want to undermine confidence in the American Dream? Because they want power, and they know that building and then overseeing a giant welfare state catering to those who have given up, grants them power. A nation of self-directed, independent and successful people will not turn to Bernie Sanders or the government for help, but a nation of people without hope will be content to feed at the trough of Uncle Sam.

Will the United States endure for another 250 years? Only if we fight for our nation’s original compact, where everyone works hard, helps grow the economy and supplies the funds to support those who legitimately cannot provide for themselves, whom former President Ronald Reagan called "the truly needy."

As we celebrate America’s birth with fireworks and bike parades, let us celebrate the values that have made her the envy of the world and that will guarantee her future, for another 250 years.

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The Democrats are lurching to the left. 

And having a fine time doing it. 

Socialism is no longer a dirty word. 

In fact, it's becoming the party’s calling card.

MAMDANI'S POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE ROCKS DEMOCRATS, DIVIDING PARTY ON PATH FORWARD

The atmosphere changed when Zohran Mamdani came out of nowhere to trounce Andrew Cuomo and wind up in New York's Gracie Mansion. 

Not only is he the city's first Muslim mayor and anti-Israel, but he is a self-proclaimed socialist.

Here's the problem: While that might be an asset in blue cities, it's a huge albatross in a national or statewide election.

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MAYORAL NOMINEE CREATES GROWING HEADACHE FOR VULNERABLE NEW YORK DEMOCRATS

Most voters in these contests are not willing to march under the socialist banner. 

In these broader elections, what helps in a Democratic primary is a poison pill. 

So how did this come about?

THE FAR LEFT HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM, AND IT’S TURNING VOTERS OFF

Turns out that liberal and independent voters are fed up with the Democratic establishment. They feel it's a party of elitists playing the same old rhetorical game and not delivering for the working class. They resent the empty promises and the obsession with pronouns, "pregnant people" and trans men playing women's sports. They feel abandoned. 

But in intra-party contests, the secret ingredient seems to be charisma. Mamdani won over New Yorkers by campaigning his heart out. 

After promising such benefits as free buses and government-run grocery stores, he has run smack into reality, where he needs help from Albany to achieve even a fraction of his goals.

SOCIALIST SURGE: MAMDANI FLEXES GROWING POLITICAL MUSCLE AS HE TAKES ON DEMOCRATIC PARTY ESTABLISHMENT

And while Mamdani made no secret of being anti-Israel and tried to mend fences with Jewish voters, he worked against Democratic incumbents in pushing pro-Palestinian candidates for Congress. 

He's not alone. In Washington, voters elected Janeese Lewis George, who is also a proud socialist. (Winning the Democratic primary here is tantamount to election.) She promised government help for child care and tougher regulation of utilities. So D.C. has its own Mamdani. 

And Seattle elected as mayor Katie Wilson, co-founder of the Transit Riders Union. She promised affordable housing, reduced homelessness and to "Trump-proof Seattle," especially on being a sanctuary city.

FETTERMAN CALLS OUT 'ABSOLUTE SOCIALIST' SEATTLE MAYOR AND 'AVOWED COMMUNIST' GRAHAM PLATNER

AOC was the first ultra-liberal to capitalize on this, defeating a longtime incumbent and now so famous from social media that she's flirting with a presidential run. 

Another case study is Maine's Graham Platner, a Marine veteran who has survived a series of scandals (Nazi tattoo, sexting other women) that would have knocked out most candidates. In the primary, he trounced the state's 78-year-old governor, and many liberals are willing to overlook his admittedly checkered past. 

Platner has acknowledged having problems with alcohol, PTSD, and being a bad boyfriend after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

LEFT, LEFTER AND LEFTIST: DEMOCRATS COULD BE DEFINED BY RADICAL, BIG CITY MAYORS 

The defining characteristics of these new-wave socialists: They tend to be younger and generate excitement on the trail. 

The MAGA coalition has been broader, at least until the Iran war, soaring prices and the never-ending warfare over the Jeffrey Epstein files. 

But that required Donald Trump first getting elected and then bending the Republican Party to his will. His retribution against GOP candidates who defied him, knocking them off in primaries, has sent an unmistakable message to Republicans that dissent leads to political death.

But it's hard to see the capital-S socialists prevailing in a general election. Most voters still recoil from anything that reeks of socialism, however well it may play in New York, Washington and Seattle. 

The Dems are leaderless at the moment, though that may change after the midterms. But for now, the new-wave socialists look to be clobbered in almost any general election contest. Even given Trump's current unpopularity, they can swim in blue waters but not in the larger green ocean of voters who head the other way from the turbulent tide of socialism. 

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In 1979, American indecision and the abandonment of a loyal ally helped pave the way for the rise of Islamist terrorism and the loss of pro-Western Iran to the Soviet camp. In 2026, the same reluctance to support Iran's pro-democracy opposition and its recognized leadership has once again strengthened Islamist forces, leaving America humiliated and strategically diminished while the struggle between radical Islamism and Iranian nationalism continues beneath the surface.

Many Iranians view 1979’s revolt as the beginning of a regime built on violence and terrorism. During the uprising, Trump voiced support for the Iranians while continuing to pursue a deal with Tehran. Yet many regime opponents later thanked Trump and Netanyahu for confronting Ali Khamenei, whom they regarded as the principal symbol of repression and bloodshed in Iran.

Reasonable people can support or oppose the agreement. Yet several realities should not be ignored. Throughout history, dictators and terrorist movements have not changed their nature simply because others chose to negotiate with them. A dictator does not become a friend of freedom overnight, and a terrorist organization does not suddenly begin handing flowers and chocolates to the very people it has oppressed and humiliated.

The belief that Iran's barbaric ruling system can fundamentally change without dismantling its destructive ideological foundations and propaganda machinery is unrealistic. The structure remains intact. The institutions that sustain the regime remain in place. Eliminating a few commanders or military assets does not dismantle a deeply entrenched junta and ideological system.

TRUMP IRAN FRAMEWORK GAMBLES ON DIPLOMACY DESPITE WARNING TEHRAN WILL 'LIE AND CHEAT'

The elimination of Qassem Soleimani and Ali Khamenei dealt a significant blow to the regime's prestige and morale. Yet because the broader structure survived, those who inherited power are now seeking survival and time. They offer promises that may appeal to Trump, but many Iranians do not believe them.

As a result, Trump, once viewed by many Iranians as a hero for confronting Tehran’s dictator, is now seen by many of those same people as having abandoned their cause in favor of another deal with the regime. Many opponents of the regime believe that another agreement has come at the expense of those who lost their lives during the uprising.

One of Trump's most significant achievements during his first term was the elimination of Soleimani, the architect of Iran's regional terror network. If the deaths of Imad Mughniyeh and Osama bin Laden were major milestones in the fight against Islamic terrorism, then the elimination of Soleimani was arguably even more consequential.

IRAN ADMITS EXTRAORDINARY NEW DETAIL IN KHAMENEI STRIKE, TRUMP 'OFFERED WAY OUT': EXPERT

Yet Soleimani's demise did not destroy the structure he helped build. Ahmad Vahidi, now one of the most influential figures in the post-Khamenei order, remained part of the system. The overseas terrorist apparatus of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Quds Force continues to exist.

Soleimani's end did not wreck the structure he built. The terrorist network survived. As a result, many fear that the agreement, much like previous diplomatic openings with Tehran, will encourage a renewed sense of impunity within the regime's security establishment.

Another important development was the weakening of Tehran's proxy network and the reduction of its regional influence. When Israel perceived an existential threat to its survival, Mossad — under the leadership of Yossi Cohen and later David Barnea — succeeded in significantly damaging the Islamic Republic's transnational terror network throughout the so-called Shiite Crescent.

WATCH: CRUZ SOUNDS ALARM ON TRUMP IRAN DEAL, WARNS AGAINST HANDING BILLIONS TO 'THEOCRATIC LUNATICS'

Yet the network has not disappeared. The regime's "4H" axis — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iraq's Hashd al-Shaabi militias — remains intact, and Tehran continues to rely on these groups to create pressure on Israel whenever necessary.

A third important factor was Trump's support for Israel in the face of direct Iranian missile and drone attacks. The threats made by Khamenei against Israel and the Jewish people echoed rhetoric previously associated with some of the most notorious dictators of the modern era. Factually, Khamenei was one of the principal figures behind the forces responsible for the atrocities of October 7, 2023.

For decades, the regime relied on proxy groups to confront Israel. Yet it eventually crossed a historic threshold by launching direct missile and drone attacks against the Jewish state. In the eyes of many opponents of the regime, this demonstrated the true nature of Tehran's ambitions.

JD VANCE CLARIFIES FROZEN IRANIAN ASSETS, US STANCE ON RELEASE CONDITIONS

Many Iranians welcomed efforts by Israel and the United States to weaken the Islamic Republic and the IRGC, hoping that increased pressure on the regime would bring Iran closer to freedom and democracy. From that perspective, President Trump's support for Israel remains one of the most significant and commendable aspects of his Middle East policy.

Yet the greatest danger remains. If the regime is given an opportunity to rebuild, neither its terrorist infrastructure nor its ambitions of regional domination will disappear. Within the ideological framework established by Khomeini, hostility toward the United States and Israel remains a central principle. The regime may change its tactics for survival, but it does not abandon its long-term objectives.

If Tehran succeeds in buying time and recovering its strength, the same network of Islamist terrorism will reemerge. The regime's "4H" axis — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hashd al-Shaabi — will remain in place alongside other terrorist organizations linked to Tehran's regional strategy. Many Iranians believe the previous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) strengthened the regime's terrorist infrastructure rather than benefiting ordinary citizens. Critics fear new financial relief will produce the same result.

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Ultimately, the issue is not whether an agreement is signed or rejected. The real issue is preventing the reconstruction of the transnational terrorist infrastructure that could once again threaten American interests, U.S. allies and regional stability.

Ironically and regrettably, President Trump's willingness to reach another agreement with Tehran demonstrates that there is no genuine desire in Washington to pursue regime change in Iran. Critics argue that peaceful coexistence with this cancerous regime in the heart of the Middle East is simply not possible. In actuality, the regime may change its tactics, but it cannot change its nature.

The regime also faces a growing internal crisis, and the forces that fueled the uprising have not disappeared. Many Iranians believe that the aspirations of the protest movement were ultimately ignored and that the current agreement has diverted attention from the central struggle inside Iran.

Iran’s future will ultimately be determined not by agreements signed abroad, but by the continuing struggle between a regime fighting for survival and a society demanding political change.

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Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he will resign following a mounting revolt inside the Labour Party after devastating local election losses, the resignation of government ministers and growing pressure from senior members of his own cabinet.

Starmer said he would step down as prime minister and Labour leader after concluding he could no longer unite the party, but is expected to remain in office until a successor is chosen.

The resignation follows weeks of turmoil inside Britain’s ruling party after Labour lost roughly 1,500 council seats and control of more than 25 councils in local elections last month, according to reporting from U.K. outlets. The losses were fueled by major gains from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in Labour’s traditional strongholds and by Green Party advances in urban areas.

FARAGE'S REFORM UK BEATS OUT ESTABLISHMENT PARTIES IN 'EARTHQUAKE' ELECTIONS

Starmer’s domestic troubles deepened after a damaging dispute with President Donald Trump over the Iran conflict earlier this year. The British prime minister initially resisted U.S. requests to use British bases during military operations against Iran, prompting Trump to criticize him publicly, saying: "This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with," on March 3.

But after initially drawing a hard line, Starmer later approved limited defensive cooperation with the U.S., angering anti-war lawmakers inside his own party while still failing to satisfy critics who accused him of indecision and weak leadership.

Public frustration over the episode surfaced in YouGov focus groups and polling commentary, where voters described Starmer as "weak," "indecisive" and overly reactive to Washington.

AS EPSTEIN-LINKED APPOINTMENT SPARKS BACKLASH, UK PM STARMER FACES PARTY REVOLT AMID RESIGNATION CALLS

The crisis escalated days after the local election results after two Labour ministers resigned publicly and called for a leadership transition.

Jess Phillips resigned from her government role after Starmer reportedly refused to step aside during a cabinet meeting. Phillips said Labour needed leadership with more "gusto" and warned the government was failing to deliver the change voters expected, according to The Guardian.

Miatta Fahnbulleh also resigned and called for what she described as an "orderly transition," according to U.K. media reports Tuesday.

More than 80 Labour MPs publicly called for Starmer to resign, Steven Swinford, political editor at The Times, wrote on X, "What is striking is the fact that they hail from all wings of the party," adding that roughly a third were centrists, while others came from Labour’s soft-left and hard-left factions.

Senior cabinet ministers were also reportedly pressuring Starmer privately to establish a timetable for his departure. Senior Labour figures, including Yvette Cooper and Ed Miliband, had urged Starmer to consider stepping aside to avoid further political damage, The Guardian reported. 

John Healey defended Starmer publicly before the resignation announcement, saying, "More instability is not in Britain’s interest. Our full focus must be on security."

UK TO RELEASE FILES RELATED TO FORMER AMBASSADOR'S JEFFREY EPSTEIN TIES

The political crisis also intensified scrutiny over Starmer’s broader leadership and decision-making.

His government faced criticism over Britain’s handling of the ongoing U.S.-Iran crisis, with opponents accusing him of appearing indecisive after reports that the U.K. initially resisted some American military requests before partially backtracking. Public frustration over the issue has surfaced in recent polling and voter focus groups published by YouGov.

Starmer also faced criticism over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, reviving media scrutiny surrounding Mandelson’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Attention now turns to a potentially divisive Labour leadership contest.

Wes Streeting is viewed as a leading contender from the party’s centrist wing, while Andy Burnham remains popular among Labour’s grassroots having recently won a seat in Parliament. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is also expected to play a major role in shaping the succession battle.

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Donald Trump has had a falling out with the Italian prime minister. 

In fact, as you may have heard, the entire country is angry with the president. 

Giorgia Meloni hit back hard, accusing Trump of fabricating a story about her. 

Trump had said: "She begged me to take a picture with her. She wanted a picture with me so ​badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her."

TRUMP SAYS MELONI 'WANTS TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN' AFTER ITALY REFUSED TO HELP US AMID IRAN WAR

"Donald Trump’s statements are completely made up," said the prime minister, who has been an ally. "I am frankly astonished. I don’t ‌know why ⁠the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies: it is not the first time, moreover...

"There is one thing he should remember: Neither I nor Italy ever beg."

The flap, which prompted Italy's foreign minister to cancel a planned U.S. visit, underscores how Trump's policies, here and abroad, are driven by personal relationships.

TRUMP BLASTS CLOSE ALLY MELONI, SAYS SHE’S FAILING US ON IRAN

 What we might view as a harmless bit of embellishment managed to insult an entire country, and alienate one of the few European leaders who has backed the U.S.  

In the wake of Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran, which has been fiercely criticized by Republicans as well as Democrats for making too many concessions, he is taking flak from another ally as well. 

Israel's top newspaper, owned by billionaire donor Miriam Adelson, denounced the president.

TRUMP DEFENDS WAR DEAL IN MARATHON PRESSER, USING SEMANTICS ON WHY IRAN IS GETTING $300 BILLION

The headline: "You could have been the greatest president of all, but you failed."

In Israel Hayom, Danny Zaken wrote that Trump "may be remembered forever as the president who brought about America’s humiliation."

He added: "You made a colossal mistake. You failed by signing a surrender agreement with a murderous and cruel terror regime...

ISRAEL FEARS TRUMP WEARY OF ‘HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS’ NETANYAHU AND COULD 'FLIP' AMID IRAN DEAL: ANALYST

"We feel betrayed, nothing less, because your heart was, it seemed, in the right place, with all your flaws."

Adelson, an Israeli-American doctor, is the widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. Trump awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018, and she has donated massive sums to pro-Trump groups and campaigns. 

Trump has been furious with Bibi Netanyahu for continuing to mount attacks in Lebanon, and made sure everyone knew it, with JD Vance joining in publicly scolding Israel. Netanyahu's continued assault on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon prompted the mullahs to cancel Friday's planned agreement signing with the vice president in Switzerland.

CONSERVATIVES RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY GOES OFF THE RAILS: 'ABSOLUTE DUMBA--'

Perhaps the most dramatic, live-action clash with another foreign leader came last year when Trump unloaded on Volodymyr Zelenskyy, canceled their planned lunch and booted him out of the White House. Zelenskyy, who was also lectured by Vance, didn't help things by taking the bait and responding back in prickly fashion.

The president was more resistant after that to aiding Ukraine in the war against the invading Russians, though his strong relationship with Vladimir Putin was likely a significant factor as well. Trump and Zelenskyy have since repaired their relationship, and met at the G-7 summit in France. 

By contrast, charming the president can also be effective. When Zohran Mamdani was running for New York mayor, Trump constantly attacked him, threatening to withhold federal funds and deploy federal troops if the Muslim socialist was elected.

DAVID MARCUS: MR. MAMDANI GOES TO WASHINGTON BETWEEN ROCK AND HARD PLACE

He called Mamdani a "communist lunatic" who hates the police and Jewish people, declaring "we're not going to ruin one of our great cities… We will clean up the crime in about 30 days."

But when Mamdani came to the White House after the election, the tone was strikingly positive.  

"I met with a man who's a very rational person. I met with a man who wants to see – really wants to see – New York be great again," Trump said. "I'll be cheering for him."

MAMDANI, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVE BEEN TEXTING AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK — AS UNLIKELY BROMANCE BLOSSOMS: SOURCES

The president added: 

"We agree on a lot more than I would have thought I want him to do a great job, and we'll help him do a great job."

Mamdani, who had previously called Trump a "fascist" and "despot," also praised their conversation.

TOP DEMS WHO EXCHANGE TRASH-TALK WITH TRUMP PUBLICLY TURN SURPRISINGLY FRIENDLY IN PRIVATE MEETINGS

 At a second meeting, the mayor pitched the president on a massive housing project in Queens, where Trump grew up and which Mamdani represented as an assemblyman.  

Mamdani gave Trump a fake New York Daily News front page that depicted the president as a champion builder who could make a lasting difference in New York.

They have since clashed on several issues but have quietly been texting each other.

For Trump, there is no line between policy and personality. When vowing to use military force if necessary to seize Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, he threatened to impose a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark and seven other European countries opposing the effort. This was partly a result of the Danish prime minister insisting she would not be blackmailed.

As for the feud between Trump and Giorgia Meloni, both sides escalated their rhetoric over the weekend: The president posted: 

"She wouldn’t even let us use Italy’s landing strips or runways, a great logistical inconvenience, and this despite the fact the U.S. contributes hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year to protect Italy, and other ‘so-called’ NATO Allies. Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up.’ No thanks!!!"

TRUMP ‘RIGHT TO BE OUTRAGED’ BY EUROPE’S BETRAYAL ON IRAN, SAYS FORMER THATCHER ADVISOR

 Meloni called the president’s attacks "senseless," saying: "As for my popularity, being your friend has certainly not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you… I suggest you focus on yours."

It’s like a schoolyard fight in which both brawlers want the last word.

All politics, of course, turns on relationships to some degree. When a candidate is seeking an endorsement or a lawmaker is courting colleagues on a bill, a backslapping approach definitely helps.  

But with Donald Trump, it's the driving force in how he does business, period, and those who anger or irritate him quickly learn there are negative consequences.  

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The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people — including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.

This week's quiz highlights sunscreen shakeups, coastal curiosity — and much more.

Can you get all 8 questions right?

Give it a try and see how you do!

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To try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here. 

Also, to take our latest News Quiz — published every Friday — click here.

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Vice President JD Vance landed in Switzerland early Sunday to help launch a new round of negotiations with Iran, as the Trump administration pushes for a lasting agreement following a recently signed ceasefire.

Vance arrived shortly before 6 a.m. local time and is expected to join White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, for the talks.

Swiss officials confirmed Saturday that the Iranian delegation had arrived and was traveling to Bürgenstock, where the discussions are expected to take place.

The talks were initially scheduled for Friday, but Switzerland's foreign ministry announced that planned negotiations involving the U.S., Iran, Qatar and Pakistan had been postponed.

ISRAEL–HEZBOLLAH CEASEFIRE BECOMES FIRST TEST OF TRUMP IRAN FRAMEWORK AFTER TALKS DELAY

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also expected to participate in the talks, according to Axios.

The negotiations come days after Trump signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran following the G7 summit at the Palace of Versailles. The agreement established a 60-day ceasefire and outlined a framework for broader negotiations between the two countries aimed at ending the conflict.

In a Truth Social post Saturday, Trump warned that the United States could impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz if negotiations fail to produce a lasting agreement before the ceasefire expires.

TRUMP’S IRAN CEASEFIRE ROCKED WITHIN HOURS AMID REPORTED MISSILE, DRONE ATTACKS

Before departing from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Vance said a successful trip would involve establishing the framework for future negotiations.

"I think number one, just getting things set up in the right way and getting the actual structure of the negotiations in place," he said.

"The way that we're going to do this, we're going to have a principal level of political leadership at the top," he continued. "And then obviously the technical team is going to stay on the ground."

JD VANCE REVEALS DETAILS OF US-IRAN DEAL, ADDRESSES WHETHER TAXPAYER MONEY WILL GO TO TEHRAN

Vance said he expected to remain in Switzerland for a day or two.

The vice president also previewed some of the issues expected to be discussed during the negotiations.

"I think we're hopefully making progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue," he said.

VANCE TOUTS DESTRUCTION OF IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM AS TRUMP ANNOUNCES ISRAEL-IRAN CEASEFIRE

"Those are the two big things that I think we're going to be focused on," he continued. "I'm sure the Iranians are going to have issues they'd like to discuss as well."

Vance said conditions in Lebanon had improved despite renewed clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.

"Despite the headlines, things are actually getting better there," he said, while acknowledging that sporadic violence remains a challenge in the region.

NOT BLUFFING: STEPHEN MILLER SAYS TRUMP IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED, 'HOLDS ALL THE CARDS' IN IRAN NEGOTIATIONS

The vice president said the goal is to prevent further escalation and preserve the ceasefire.

"The big problem is that somebody will shoot and then somebody will respond," Vance said. "You've just got to stop the shooting for long enough to get the ceasefire to hold."

Pakistan also announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir would participate in technical-level discussions in Switzerland.

Fox News Digital's Brittany Miller contributed to this report.

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