It was one of those weeks where everything seemed to break at once: a surprise Melania Trump statement that raised more questions than it answered, a fragile ceasefire in Iran that no one quite trusts, fresh talk of impeachment, NATO back in President Trump’s blast radius — metaphorically, for now — and budget fights from Washington to Trenton.
Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends. They break it down with Star-Ledger editor Enrique Lavín moderating.
Q: The two-week ceasefire in Iran is being framed as evidence that President Trump’s worrying pressure tactics. What should we make of this short‑term calm that followed the president’s threats to wipe out Iran’s “civilization?” Are we on a path to war’s end or should we brace for more?
MIke: I am hopeful we are heading toward the war’s end; but we are still far from it I fear, as both sides are claiming victory in the peace.
Julie: Before this war began, Iran did not control the Strait of Hormuz, their economy was on the verge of collapse and their nuclear program was all but dead in the medium term. Trump just made the Iranian regime great again, while raising prices for Americans. Heck of a job, Brownie.
Q: The Pope has issued his strongest rebuke yet of Trump’s war threats. In a state with a large Catholic population, does that kind of moral intervention still resonate politically — or has foreign policy become immune to that pressure?
Mike: It does. The first American Pope will have standing with the flock in the US.
Julie: The Pentagon is threatening the Pope. Let that sink in.
Q: High-profile Democrats are once again calling for the president’s removal (invoking 25th Amendment), reviving internal debates over accountability as the Iran conflict and broader foreign‑policy fallout continue. Does impeachment talk help or hurt Democrats politically right now? And will that go anywhere?
Mike: Impeachment talk hurts. Did the Democrats not learn anything trying to prosecute him.
Julie: I disagree. It will energize the Democratic base.
Q: After a tense April 8 meeting with NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte, Trump escalated attacks on the alliance, accusing it of abandoning the U.S. during the Strait of Hormuz crisis and openly floating the idea of withdrawing from NATO. The clash has been compounded by renewed Trump administration rhetoric about U.S. control of Greenland, further alarming European allies and raising fresh questions about the durability of the trans‑Atlantic alliance. What are we looking at here?
Mike: The president has doubted NATO’s usefulness from the beginning. My guess is NATO survives this moment.
Julie: Trump cannot unilaterally pull the United States out of NATO. It just has to survive until he leaves office.
Q: Trump’s 2026 budget proposal ignited an immediate fight by calling for the largest military spending increase as a share of GDP in modern history while slashing domestic programs to help pay for it. The plan would impose historic cuts on WIC, K–12 education, literacy programs and agencies like the NIH. The next showdown is imminent. What’s going to make voters happy?
Mike: He promised his voters increases in military spending, and now he has a war to pay for.
Julie: He may have promised his voters this but he also promised to make their lives more affordable. This war does neither.
Q: Melania Trump delivered a rare White House statement denying any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, rejecting what she called “false smears” and saying Epstein did not introduce her to Donald Trump. She also urged Congress to hold a public hearing centered on Epstein’s survivors, calling for sworn testimony so their accounts can be formally entered into the Congressional Record. Why now? What do you make of this surprise announcement?
Mike: I don’t know why she made this announcement now, and it seems I’m not alone and not knowing why. But I’m glad she did distance herself from Epstein, and I’m also happy that she expressed support for the victims, which is important coming from the White House
Julie: This is hilarious. No one was talking about this until she brought it up. This would be akin to your saying, “I don’t have five bodies buried in my backyard. Why do you think I have five bodies buried in my backyard?” Obviously, something is about to drop.
Q: Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not comply with a House Oversight subpoena to testify next week about her handling of the Epstein files, with the Justice Department saying she was subpoenaed in her official capacity and is no longer in office. Lawmakers from both parties say her testimony is central to their investigation, and some Democrats are now threatening contempt proceedings as the committee explores next steps. How will this play out?
Mike: Eventually, Bondi will comply and testify.
Julie: The statute of limitations on most federal crimes is five years. That means the next attorney general can hold Bondi and others accountable for all this. Tick, tock.
Q: Some Democrats weighing future White House runs, including New Jersey’s Cory Booker, are embracing sweeping tax-cut proposals for working and middle-class Americans while calling for higher taxes on the wealthy, triggering a sharp intra-party fight over economic policy. Supporters say the approach directly tackles voters’ cost-of-living anxiety, while critics warn it drains revenue for social programs and marks a populist turn that could reshape the Democratic primary ahead of 2028. What’s your take?
Mike: Democrats should have learned that no one likes tax increases. And when Democrats say “tax the rich,” every person with a job grabs their wallet.
Julie: In this day and age, it’s less about policy and more about how you frame your message. So whichever side of this divide you fall on, if you are effective in making people feel like you are on their side, they will follow you.
Q: In an interview last week, former Gov. Chris Christie said derided congressional Republicans as “lemmings” and argued Democrats should coast into the midterms, saying, “If I were running the DCCC right now, I would take every Democratic candidate incumbent challenger, and send them to Turks and Caicos until November. Say nothing. Do nothing. Shut up.” Do you agree with the advice?
Mike: Good advice given the president poor polling numbers right now.
Julie: If Gov. Christie wants to pay to send me to Turks and Caicos for a few months, I will gladly file to run for something just to take him up on it.
Q: Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s first budget has ignited a fierce fight in Trenton as New Jersey confronts a $3 billion structural deficit following the end of federal pandemic aid. Her $60.7 billion proposal avoids income‑tax hikes while protecting expensive property‑tax relief programs, putting her on a collision course with lawmakers over roughly $2 billion in cuts to local projects. What’s the play here?
Mike: The governor will need to use the bully pulpit to convince legislators to comply. If this is simply an inside game in Trenton, the Legislature has the advantage of experience.
Julie: The governor needs to come out of this looking like she won this battle, if, in fact, it is going to be a battle. The first budget really sets the tone for the rest of a gubernatorial term.
Q: The Sherrill administration lifted New Jersey’s four‑decade de facto ban on new nuclear power plants Thursday, clearing the way for technologies like small modular reactors as part of an aggressive shift in energy policy. State leaders say the move is aimed at lowering utility costs and boosting long‑term energy independence, while environmental groups are warning of legal fights ahead. See any hurdles or issues with this?
Mike: New nuclear power is a great idea. It is reliable carbon-free clean energy. We are long past the time to build new plants and secure our own reliable energy supply.
Julie: The governor promised to lower energy bills when she was running. I don’t think voters much care how she does it, as long as she does it.
She's a Dem. He's GOP. And they're friends
- Trump’s damage to our economy will outlive Iran mess. In N.J., Sherrill flying high | Friendly Fire
- Trump is an bind with Iran; ‘No Kings’ shows Americans are fed up; N.J. GOP is in trouble this November | Friendly Fire
- The higher the price of Iran war, the more Trump’s base will sour | Friendly Fire
Editor’s note: Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we prove it every week with this “Friendly Fire” conversation.
Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends. Can Americans still have a sensible and...
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