Trump’s 14th Week: Peace Pushes, Pentagon Drama, and a Papal Farewell

President Donald Trump is barreling toward his 100-day mark, and his 14th week in office hasn’t exactly been a snooze-fest. In true Trump fashion, the week unfolded with high-stakes diplomacy, Pentagon controversy, and even a somber trip to Rome.

The president welcomed Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store to the White House on Thursday, pushing forward talks on a Russia-Ukraine peace deal. Trump insisted he’s working on his own timeline but made it clear that the pressure is on. "I have my own deadline," he told reporters, adding that NATO allies are eager to see a resolution. Details about that deadline, though, remain tightly under wraps.

Vice President JD Vance revealed that there’s already a proposal on the table, but time is running out. If neither side agrees soon, the U.S. is prepared to step away from the negotiations. The deal reportedly asks both Russia and Ukraine to give up some territory, with new borders staying pretty close to current lines. That’s one way to define compromise, I guess.

Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth became the center of fresh controversy. Reports surfaced that Hegseth shared information about a March airstrike against the Houthis via a Signal group chat—including his wife, brother, and personal lawyer. And because nothing says “national security” like a group chat, lawmakers are now calling for his resignation. Despite the uproar, the White House has thrown its weight behind Hegseth, dismissing the backlash as resistance to “monumental change” at the Pentagon. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down, declaring the president’s full support and pointing to Hegseth’s results so far.

This week also saw a somber moment as Trump and First Lady Melania traveled to Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral. The pope passed away Monday at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, and Trump paid tribute on social media, wishing peace and blessings to the late pontiff. Vice President Vance, a recent Catholic convert, had met with Pope Francis just hours before his passing—talk about timing.

Trump ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Pope Francis, covering every corner from embassies to naval bases worldwide. Former President Joe Biden and his wife Jill are also expected at the funeral.

Back home, Trump signed a flurry of executive orders on education. Seven new orders include moves to weave artificial intelligence into K-12 curricula, update school discipline and accreditation, and tighten rules around foreign funding disclosures for schools. The Education Department also announced it would resume collections on defaulted federal student loans in May—the first time since the COVID-19 pause in March 2020. Officials warned that the pause has ballooned the loan portfolio, with record numbers of borrowers now at risk of delinquency or default.

All in all, week 14 kept the White House spinning, with no shortage of headlines—just the way this administration seems to like it.