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🇺🇸 Trump Will Meet with Putin to End Ukraine War

🇺🇸 Trump Will Meet with Putin to End Ukraine War

October 17, 2025

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Happy Friday, Patriots,

President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday that he will hold a second summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, this time in Europe, as part of an effort to negotiate a formal peace deal in the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

The announcement follows a two-hour call between Trump and Putin in which both leaders agreed to begin high-level talks next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the U.S. delegation.

Trump said Putin congratulated him on his “Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East” and expressed optimism that success there could help end the war in Ukraine.

The new summit is set to take place in Budapest, Hungary, following Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday.

Finish up the week with today’s must-see Trump news below!

—Nick

In today’s email:
🔔 Trump Will Meet with Putin to End Ukraine War
🏛️ Trump Eliminates Office of Population Affairs
🔥 Trump Issues New Ultimatum to Hamas
💥 Trump's Military Strikes Another Caribbean Drug Vessel
⚖️ Former Trump Advisor John Bolton Indicted

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✅TRACKING TRUMP✅

Curated by Mike Luso

President Trump has announced separate meetings with both Putin and Zelenskyy to continue negotiations for ending the war in Ukraine, building momentum from his successful ceasefire agreement in the Middle East. Trump is wasting no time in seeking a resolution to the conflict, with high-level advisors set to meet next week before his historic sit-down with Putin in Budapest.

Meanwhile, the administration is using the Democrat-led government shutdown as an opportunity to eliminate unnecessary spending on bloated programs that have wasted taxpayer dollars for years. With drug cartels and trafficking posing an ongoing threat to American citizens, the president has intensified operations to neutralize these dangers at their source. As another remarkable week comes to a close, the administration continues delivering victories in the pursuit of peace and security both at home and across the globe.

Check out all the latest developments and more below!

🏛️ Trump Eliminates Office of Population Affairs
The Trump administration laid off numerous Office of Population Affairs employees during the Democrat-led government shutdown, effectively decimating an agency overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services. Almost everyone in the OPA was locked out of their government emails and computers, with staff who inquired about their employment status being told by human resources they were being laid off through a reduction in force. HHS Press Secretary Emily Hilliard confirmed that all HHS employees who received reduction-in-force notices were designated non-essential by their respective divisions. The OPA, which has existed for more than 50 years and dealt with reproductive and adolescent health issues, was notably used by the previous Biden administration to promote abortions through its Title X family planning program. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that programs within the OPA will continue, with the Trump administration instructing the office to focus on infertility issues to combat the declining birthrate in the United States.

🔥 Trump Issues New Ultimatum to Hamas
President Trump demanded that Hamas stop killing people in Gaza or face military action from his administration, issuing the ultimatum shortly after concluding a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump warned that if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not part of the deal, his administration will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Reuters reported, citing a Palestinian security source, that Hamas had killed over 30 gang members in Gaza City, prompting Trump's forceful response. Trump's tough rhetoric toward Hamas echoes his tone from earlier in the week when he called for the group to disarm, saying they will disarm and if they don't, the administration will disarm them quickly and perhaps violently. Hamas has stated it needs specialist equipment to find the remaining 19 Israeli bodies, an announcement that was met with frustration from the families of hostages who are calling on the Israeli government to halt the next phase of the ceasefire until all remains are returned.

💥 Trump's Military Strikes Another Caribbean Drug Vessel
A U.S. military drone strike in the Caribbean on a drug smuggling vessel left two to three survivors, marking at least the sixth known incident in an intensifying military campaign targeting drug boats. The partially submerged vessel, described by a U.S. official as large, was operating in international waters when it was hit by the drone-fired strike. The U.S. military launched search and rescue assets, including a rescue helicopter, though it remains unclear if any of the survivors were rescued or the extent of their injuries. The operation is connected to President Trump's broader push to dismantle transnational cartels by force, representing the first known instance of survivors since U.S. forces began its campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug boats last month.

⚖️ Former Trump Advisor John Bolton Indicted
Former Trump national security advisor John Bolton was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of mishandling classified information, including eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information. Bolton, who served in the advisor role between April 2018 and September 2019, allegedly knowingly transmitted sensitive national security documents through his personal email account to two unauthorized individuals who never held security clearances. The indictment states that Bolton shared more than a thousand pages of information classified up to the TOP SECRET/SCI level through commercial non-governmental messaging applications and personal email accounts hosted by AOL and Google. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that there is one tier of justice for all Americans and that anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes national security will be held accountable. When asked about the indictment, Trump stated that he thinks Bolton is a bad person and a bad guy, while FBI Director Kash Patel said the case was based on meticulous work from dedicated career professionals who followed the facts without fear or favor.

🔔 Trump to Meet with Putin in Budapest 🔔

Following a productive phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Trump announced that the two leaders will meet in Budapest, Hungary, to pursue an end to the war in Ukraine. The agreement came after what Trump described as a lengthy and productive conversation, in which Putin congratulated him on securing the ceasefire in the Middle East, something Putin said had been needed for centuries. Trump expressed his belief that the success in the Middle East will help negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, demonstrating how his diplomatic momentum is building across multiple fronts.

The two leaders agreed that high-level advisors will meet next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the United States delegation, before Trump and Putin hold their face-to-face meeting in Budapest. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with Trump in the Oval Office, where they will discuss Trump's conversation with Putin along with other critical matters. The meeting between Trump and Putin will mark the first time the Russian leader has traveled to the European Union since the war began in 2022, signaling a potentially significant diplomatic breakthrough.

During their phone call, Trump and Putin spent considerable time discussing trade opportunities between Russia and the United States once the war concludes, indicating both leaders are looking beyond the immediate conflict. Putin also thanked First Lady Melania Trump for her involvement with children, expressing appreciation that Trump said would continue. The announcement comes as Trump has been pressuring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop buying Russian oil, seeking to cut off funding sources for Putin's war effort while simultaneously pursuing diplomatic solutions.

Trump has been weighing whether to arm Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, sophisticated weaponry that can strike targets up to 1,000 miles away, including Moscow itself. Acquiring these missiles is a top priority for Zelenskyy, as they would enable Ukraine to reach far beyond Moscow and target Russia's military complex and oil industry, which largely funds its war chest. Trump told reporters earlier that he would need to speak with Putin about whether Russia wants "to have the Tomahawks going in their direction," using the threat as leverage in peace negotiations.

The announcement followed Russian missile and drone strikes that pounded Ukrainian cities and energy sites, with Zelenskyy reporting more than 300 drones and 37 missiles, including a significant number of ballistics, struck across the country. Zelenskyy noted that Russians are using double terror tactics by targeting firefighters and energy workers with cluster munitions after initial strikes. Despite Trump's frustration that Putin has not stopped his war ambitions, the president remains committed to negotiating an end to the conflict while maintaining pressure on Russia through potential military aid to Ukraine.

Experts agree that the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine differ significantly, particularly in the relative power balance between adversaries, as Russia is a nuclear power larger and more powerful than Ukraine. While the Middle East ceasefire provided a framework where Israel received significant concessions, Putin has consistently refused to accept a ceasefire unless Ukraine first capitulates to non-starter demands, including barring Ukraine from ever joining NATO and territorial concessions. The White House maintains that Russia should urgently pursue a deal to end the war, which has done significant damage to Russia's reputation, with Trump remaining optimistic that he can get both sides to stop the killing and secure a lasting peace agreement.

John Bolton, who served as President Trump's national security adviser before becoming a vocal critic of the president, has been criminally indicted on federal charges.

🍟 Quick Bite News 🍟

⚠️ China threatened retaliation if President Trump pressures Beijing to stop buying Russian oil, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian insisting China's oil imports from Russia are legitimate and lawful. Lin accused the United States of typical unilateral bullying and economic coercion that will severely disrupt international economic and trade rules, warning that China will take countermeasures to defend its sovereignty, security, and development interests if its legitimate rights are harmed. China currently buys 47 percent of Russia's crude oil exports, making it Russia's top customer.

💰 The Department of Homeland Security announced that migrants paroled in the U.S. will face a new $1,000 immigration fee to institute accountability and prevent rampant fraud of the parole system. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that the Biden Administration abused America's immigration system and turned parole into a de facto amnesty program, allowing millions of unvetted illegal aliens into the country to the detriment of all Americans. The fees will be triggered once the grant is effective and may be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index.

👶 President Trump announced efforts to expand access to in vitro fertilization by making treatments more affordable through a partnership with EMD Serono, the largest fertility drug manufacturer in the world. The deal will decrease the cost of drugs for a standard IVF cycle between 42 and 79 percent for families depending on the patient's income, with EMD Serono providing an 84 percent discount off list prices for its leading IVF therapies. Trump noted that a single round of IVF in the United States can cost up to $25,000, with many couples requiring multiple rounds for a successful pregnancy.

🚇 President Trump terminated billions of federal dollars for New Jersey's Gateway Project, which funds a new train tunnel under the Hudson River connecting New Jersey and New York. Democratic nominee Rep. Mikie Sherrill held a news conference calling the project critical to the economy and noting that delays would cost $1 million per day, while taking aim at Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli, who has Trump's backing in the race. Trump made the announcement as he blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York for the government shutdown, with the president telling reporters that the project Schumer has worked 20 years to build is now terminated.

🚨 Memphis-area Rep. David Kustoff is eyeing a permanent federal law enforcement presence in southwest Tennessee after spending time with Trump's Memphis Safe Task Force, suggesting the initiative should serve as a blueprint for other U.S. cities dealing with high crime. Kustoff told reporters that because local law enforcement numbers are down, it makes sense to have a stronger federal presence. Since its creation, the task force has recovered 45 missing children and made over 900 arrests, with Kustoff arguing that any mayor or governor with crime problems in their communities would welcome such an effort.

God bless,

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