President Donald Trump criticized European leaders as 'weak' and the continent as 'decaying' in an exclusive interview with Politico's Dasha Burns published over the past hour on Dec. 9, 2025, stating he would back candidates aligned with his vision, according to Politico posts. The interview, which also covered Trump's influence on Europe, U.S. policy challenges, immigration and Ukraine, was released with a full video on YouTube and a complete transcript, as shared by Politico on X at approximately 12:15 p.m. UTC. Politico ranked Trump as the most powerful person shaping Europe atop its annual POLITICO28 list for 2026. Separately, CIA Director John Ratcliffe is expected to attend a Gang of 8 briefing this afternoon, joining Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, per CNN's Zachary Cohen citing two people with knowledge. The House Ways and Means Committee will mark up bills extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and Haiti trade programs on Wednesday morning, with bipartisan interest noted in a notice to members, according to reporter Laura Weiss.
