Donald Trump is certainly a busy man. He is currently with America's first lady, Melania Trump, and on their way aboard Air Force One to attend Pope Francis' funeral in Rome at Vatican City. 

While Trump is there, he seems to be planning on meeting with the assembled world leaders for as many one-on-ones as possible. I think he is looking to strike some deals on trade and tariffs, which he has made a focal point in his first 100 days in office.

My colleague Ward Clark wrote this earlier on Friday, on what Trump talked about with Jacqui Heinrich of Fox--his interview with Time Magazine--before he left for Italy. President Trump Spoke to Time Magazine, and I Have Some Thoughts

Trump revealed he spoke to Chinese President Xi, and here was Ward's take on that...

The president is playing his cards very close to his chest here, and that's prudent. China is a big economic problem in addition to being a big geopolitical and military problem. Trump is maintaining a rhetorical upper hand while noting that he has apparently spoken to Chairman Xi. That's a veiled sign that there are talks in the works. The trade issues with China are not only a major source of news right now, they are causing a lot of consternation in the stock markets; if you value your blood pressure, this isn't the time to be checking your 401 (k) every couple of hours. But this is the first indication I'm aware of that President Xi has personally reached out. There's also a "face" thing involved here; President Trump made a point of indicating that Chairman Xi called him, and not the other way around. There can be little doubt that this was deliberate.

While I have not seen whether or not a Chinese delegation plans to be in Rome for the funeral, being that China has been the focus of a lot of the tariff ire from Trump and the United States delegation. But there won't be a lack of leaders there to possibly settle deals with.

The president talked about it for a moment before he and the first lady left the White House aboard Marine One, which you can watch here. Trump video of leaving the White House for Italy

I wrote about a slightly happy story earlier on Friday, about an economist who thinks the U.S. will avoid a recession Amid Main Stream Media Doom and Gloom on the Economy, One Economist Sees Growth and I'll Take It

Thus, when I came across this article from the hometown paper, the Detroit News, I was thrilled. Momentarily.

An economist with the University of Michigan says he believes there's still a path to U.S. economic growth in 2025, even as risks of recession rise from tariffs.

The new import taxes imposed by President Donald Trump have contributed to declines in consumer sentiment indexes and fears that the United States' economy could shrink. But Gabriel Ehrlich, director of the Ann Arbor university's Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics that produces U.S. and Michigan economic forecasts, says underlying metrics have held up, particularly in the labor market.

I'm one of those people watching anxiously, wondering if import taxes are super duper bad and will sink the economy.

"The economic uncertainty confronting the business community, nonprofit organizations and government leaders is a headwind to growth," Ehrlich said Thursday at Washtenaw Community College. "I continue to believe that there's a path to the economy to keep growing this year, but I do acknowledge that the risk of a recession has risen."

Awww crap, I'm sunk.

These are all "warning signs," Ehrlich said, but they're not a flashing alarm: "The economy came into 2025, and there's a lot of momentum."

Hooray. I'm saved, lol.

However, I also worry that tariffs could slow the economy down, as they have throughout world history. I also partially covered that in a previous article on Canada, called  Opinion: Canadian Prime Minister Carney Responds to American Tariffs From Trump, and So It Begins

Prime Minister Carney is allegedly meeting with Canadian ministers today to discuss this, but did offer a brief response to the president's announcement yesterday at the White House HERE:

Canada will be exempt from the sweeping reciprocal tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump is implementing on most other countries, though 25 per cent tariffs on some Canadian goods remain in place, and 25 per cent tariffs on all foreign-made automobiles are coming into effect as of midnight.

Prime Minister Mark Carney — who put his election campaign on pause to meet with his Canada-U.S. Relations Council and cabinet to craft a response to the tariffs — told reporters on Parliament Hill the federal government will “act with purpose and with force” during this crisis.

Trump laid out the details of his long-anticipated reciprocal-tariff regime in the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday afternoon.

As I’m sure most of you have seen, the back and forth on tariffs has tossed the stock market back and forth, which is slightly concerning. 

I am most concerned about the fact that no budget has yet been passed from a Republican-ed House of Representatives and Senate, something that President Trump can sign into law. 

Until we have actual legislation signed and know what types of incentives businesses have been given to invest in the U.S, or to come back here, we're in a holding pattern.

The quicker that part gets done, along with what Elon Musk and the department of government efficiency (DOGE) are doing to cut waste and spending, the sooner this country iwill be n a better position moving forward.

Happy Trails, Mr President. I know you will represent the nation well and pay the United States of America's respects to the late pontiff. I hope you can also strike some trade deals to start putting our economy on the right path.

Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.  

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