Connect with us

Published

on

Sign up for The Decision, a newsletter featuring our 2024 election coverage.

We were reminded yet again this past weekend that Joe Biden might be in deep electoral trouble. Once again, hands were wrung.

This latest bout of alarm was occasioned by a New York Times/Siena College poll showing that only 23 percent of Democratic-primary voters said they are enthusiastic about President Bidens candidacy. Forty-five percent said Biden should not be the partys nominee. And Donald Trump led by five points in a head-to-head matchup.

Yes, voters overwhelmingly believe that Biden is too old to be running for another term. He looks old, walks old, and seems not as sharp as he once was. This is not a new story. The premise has been challenged vigorously by the White Houseto no avail.

But there might be more to voters acrimony toward Biden than just his age. In speaking with Democrats about the presidents reelection chances, I often pick up a sharp tone that goes beyond resignation. It sounds more like rage.

Senior citizens are not unpopular, per se. Biden himself was relatively well liked into his 70s, even among those who were not eager to vote for him. Some Democrats might have preferred Barack Obama or Bernie Sanders in past elections, but Biden still inspired a certain fondness.

Helen Lewis: Bidens age is now unavoidable

Democrats were grateful that he was willing to run against, and able to defeat, Trump in 2020. Its not at all clear that the likes of Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, or Pete Buttigieg could have pulled that off. Many voters appreciated the relative normalcy Biden brought to the White House after the bedlam of Trump. This gratitude was reflected in the sturdy approval ratings Biden received in the first six months of his term.

But those numbers have since plummeted. From the high 50s (in early 2021) to the low 40s (in much of 2022 and 2023) to the 30s (36 percent in the Times/Siena poll). Bidens team has expressed bewilderment over this decline, which has coincided with an improved economy. Many pollsters pin the reversal on the bloody U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. But that does not account for Bidens steadily falling fortunes long afterward.

As a general rule, voters tend not to appreciate late-career politicians when theyre trying to stick around. Hillary Clinton was among the most admired leaders in America when she left her post as secretary of state, in early 2013. That esteem eroded considerably when she started seeking a promotion in 2015. Perhaps Bidens turnabout owes to a similar phenomenon: Voters preferred his presidency as a farewell tour more than an endurance run.

Even many of Bidens biggest defenders say privately that they didnt expect him to run again. Biden himself suggested as much. Look, I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else, Biden said at a March 2020 campaign rally in Detroit. He called himself a transition candidate. Sarah Longwell, the Bulwark publisher who has conducted focus groups across the political spectrum, told me last September: It seems pretty implicit in the way voters talk that they didnt expect him to be a two-term president.

Read: So much for Biden the bridge president

Im struck when I speak with exasperated Biden voters by how often they bring up the bridge quote and the transition candidate line. This suggests that they viewed their past support for Biden as an emergency propositionand that his ongoing presence violates an implied bargain. Sure, politicians are always trying to keep their options open. But you can understand how voters might feel bait-and-switched by Bidens refusal to go away.

Its easy to sympathize with an old-timer reluctant to give up something he loves. In Bidens case, though, the stakes are potentially catastrophic. By running againdespite his age, despite his low approval ratings, despite his poor showing in the polls against TrumpBiden could be engaging in one of the most selfish, hubristic, and potentially destructive acts ever undertaken by an American president. If he winds up losing, thats all anyone will remember him for. Bill Maher has said Biden could go down as the Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the presidency. Or of democracy.

Large majorities of Americans dont want to see Trump back in the White House. Many are terrified at the prospectwith extremely good reason. Biden has put them in an incredibly dangerous position. But the more unpopular Biden becomes, the more stubborn he appears.

Jonathan V. Last: Biden is still the Democrats best bet for November

Many of Bidens defenders say its too late to do anything about this predicament. Democrats are increasingly getting very, very vocal in their defense of Biden, the Brookings Institutions Elaine Kamarck, a member of the Democratic National Committee, told The New York Times recently. The guys a good guy. Hes not senile. Hes made good choices. The economys the best economy in the world. I mean, shut up. Lets get behind this guy.

Im no political-messaging expert, but the shut-up-and-get-behind-this-guy approach seems a tad off-putting. Maybe it is too late to do anything. Or is it, really? The persistence of the question signals an enduring market for a better option. At the very least, voters seem less than thrilled with this situation. A lot of them blame Biden for it.

The plane has taken off. It is clearly sputtering. The pilot is not saying much. When he does, he sounds shaky. He is not inspiring confidence. A solid majority of passengers would much rather someone else were at the controls. They have voiced this concern repeatedly. (For the record, the Federal Aviation Administrations compulsory retirement age for commercial pilots is 65.)

But the flight attendants keep telling us its too late. The planes already in the air. And this is the only captain we have available. Trust us, in private hes in peak form. Hes not senile.

Please remain seated, and keep your seat belts fastened.

Continue Reading

UK

US-UK trade deal ‘done’, says Trump as he meets Starmer at G7

Published

on

By

US-UK trade deal 'done', says Trump as he meets Starmer at G7

The UK-US trade deal has been signed and is “done”, US President Donald Trump has said as he met Sir Keir Starmer at the G7 summit.

The US president told reporters in Canada: “We signed it, and it’s done. It’s a fair deal for both. It’ll produce a lot of jobs, a lot of income.”

Sir Keir said the document “implements” the deal to cut tariffs on cars and aerospace, describing it as a “really important agreement”.

“So this is a very good day for both of our countries – a real sign of strength,” the prime minister added.

Mr Trump added that the UK was “very well protected” against any future tariffs, saying: “You know why? Because I like them”.

However, he did not say whether levies on British steel exports to the US would be set to 0%, saying “we’re gonna let you have that information in a little while”.

What exactly does trade deal being ‘done’ mean?

The government says the US “has committed” to removing tariffs (taxes on imported goods) on UK aerospace goods, such as engines and aircraft parts, which currently stand at 10%.

That is “expected to come into force by the end of the month”.

Tariffs on car imports will drop from 27.5% to 10%, the government says, which “saves car manufacturers hundreds of millions a year, and protects tens of thousands of jobs”.

The White House says there will be a quote of 100,000 cars eligible for import at that level each year.

But on steel, the story is a little more complicated.

The UK is the only country exempted from the global 50% tariff rate on steel – which means the UK rate remains at the original level of 25%.

That tariff was expected to be lifted entirely, but the government now says it will “continue to go further and make progress towards 0% tariffs on core steel products as agreed”.

The White House says the US will “promptly construct a quota at most-favoured-nation rates for steel and aluminium articles”.

Other key parts of the deal include import and export quotas for beef – and the government is keen to emphasise that “any US imports will need to meet UK food safety standards”.

There is no change to tariffs on pharmaceuticals for the moment, and the government says “work will continue to protect industry from any further tariffs imposed”.

The White House says they “committed to negotiate significantly preferential treatment outcomes”.

Mr Trump also praised Sir Keir as a “great” prime minister, adding: “We’ve been talking about this deal for six years, and he’s done what they haven’t been able to do.”

He added: “We’re very longtime partners and allies and friends and we’ve become friends in a short period of time.

“He’s slightly more liberal than me to put it mildly… but we get along.”

Sir Keir added that “we make it work”.

As the pair exited a mountain lodge in the Canadian Rockies where the summit is being held, Mr Trump held up a physical copy of the trade agreement to show reporters.

Several leaves of paper fell from the binding, and Sir Keir quickly stooped to pick them up, saying: “A very important document.”

Sir Keir Starmer picks up paper from the UK-US trade deal after Donald Trump dropped it at the G7 summit. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Sir Keir Starmer picks up paper from the UK-US trade deal after Donald Trump dropped it at the G7 summit. Pic: Reuters

The US president also appeared to mistakenly refer to a “trade agreement with the European Union” at one point as he stood alongside the British prime minister.

Mr Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs on countries in April. At the time, he announced 10% “reciprocal” rates on all UK exports – as well as separately announced 25% levies on cars and steel.

Read more:
G7 summit ‘all about the Donald’ – analysis
Scrambled G7 agenda as leaders race to de-escalate Israel-Iran conflict

In a joint televised phone call in May, Sir Keir and Mr Trump announced the UK and US had agreed on a trade deal – but added the details were being finalised.

Ahead of the G7 summit, the prime minister said he would meet Mr Trump for “one-on-one” talks, and added the agreement “really matters for the vital sectors that are safeguarded under our deal, and we’ve got to implement that”.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Doctor to plead guilty to giving Matthew Perry ketamine before Friends star suffered fatal overdose

Published

on

By

Doctor to plead guilty to giving Matthew Perry ketamine before Friends star suffered fatal overdose

A doctor in the US has agreed to plead guilty to giving Friends actor Matthew Perry ketamine in the lead up to his death from a fatal overdose, prosecutors have said.

Dr Salvador Plasencia, who will admit to four counts of distribution of ketamine, faces up to a maximum of 40 years in prison.

He is among five people charged in connection with the death of Friends star Perry, who was found dead in his hot tub by his assistant in October 2023.

The medical examiner ruled that ketamine and other factors caused him to lose consciousness and drown.

The actor, 54, had been using the drug through his regular doctor in a legal treatment for depression, but had begun seeking more ketamine than his doctor would give him.

Plasencia is accused of supplying the bulk of Perry’s ketamine in his final weeks. He and three other defendants, including another doctor, agreed to plead guilty in exchange for their cooperation.

Jasmine Sangha, who prosecutors allege was a major ketamine dealer, is alleged to have provided the dose that killed the actor and is the only defendant who has pleaded not guilty.

More on Matthew Perry

About a month before the actor’s death, Perry found Plasencia, a doctor who allegedly asked another doctor, Mark Chavez, to obtain the drug for him, according to court filings in the Chavez case.

“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Plasencia texted Chavez, according to court filings from prosecutors.

The pair who practised in California met up the same day and exchanged at least four vials of ketamine, the filings said.

After selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500 (£3,314), Plasencia allegedly asked Chavez if he could keep supplying them so they could become Perry’s “go-to” prosecutors said.

Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on Friends, when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing.

He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.

Continue Reading

Technology

OpenAI wins $200 million U.S. defense contract

Published

on

By

OpenAI wins 0 million U.S. defense contract

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the Snowflake Summit in San Francisco on June 2, 2025.

Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images

OpenAI has been awarded a $200 million contract to provide the U.S. Defense Department with artificial intelligence tools.

The department announced the one-year contract on Monday, months after OpenAI said it would collaborate with defense technology startup Anduril to deploy advanced AI systems for “national security missions.”

“Under this award, the performer will develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains,” the Defense Department said. It’s the first contract with OpenAI listed on the Department of Defense’s website.

Anduril received a $100 million defense contract in December. Weeks earlier, OpenAI rival Anthropic said it would work with Palantir and Amazon to supply its AI models to U.S. defense and intelligence agencies.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s co-founder and CEO, said in a discussion with OpenAI board member and former National Security Agency leader Paul Nakasone at a Vanderbilt University event in April that “we have to and are proud to and really want to engage in national security areas.”

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Defense Department specified that the contract is with OpenAI Public Sector LLC, and that the work will mostly occur in the National Capital Region, which encompasses Washington, D.C., and several nearby counties in Maryland and Virginia.

Meanwhile, OpenAI is working to build additional computing power in the U.S. In January, Altman appeared alongside President Donald Trump at the White House to announce the $500 billion Stargate project to build AI infrastructure in the U.S.

The new contract will represent a small portion of revenue at OpenAI, which is generating over $10 billion in annualized sales. In March, the company announced a $40 billion financing round at a $300 billion valuation.

In April, Microsoft, which supplies cloud infrastructure to OpenAI, said the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency has authorized the use of the Azure OpenAI service with secret classified information. 

WATCH: OpenAI hits $10 billion in annual recurring revenue

OpenAI hits $10 billion in annual recurring revenue

Continue Reading

Trending