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Five key takeaways as Donald Trump hosts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer

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Five key takeaways as Donald Trump hosts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer

United States President Donald Trump has hosted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the first time at the White House for talks about Ukraine’s security, trade relations and the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

But Thursday’s meeting hinted at simmering tensions between the US and its allies, as Starmer attempted to tip-toe around points of divergence with the notoriously prickly Trump.

At various points in their public appearances, Starmer offered views that conflicted with Trump’s own – though he was careful never to contradict Trump directly.

The US president seemed to acknowledge the pushback with a joke in his opening remarks at an afternoon news conference.

“You’ve been terrific in our discussions. You’re a very tough negotiator, however. I’m not sure I like that,” Trump quipped.

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At times, however, the atmosphere turned brusque. When asked about Trump’s demand that Canada become a US state, Starmer started to press back on the question, only to be abruptly interrupted.

“I think you’re trying to find a divide between us that doesn’t exist,” Starmer began to say. “We’re the closest of nations, and we had very good discussions today, but we didn’t —.”

It was at that point Trump jumped in: “That’s enough. That’s enough. Thank you.”

Here are key takeaways from their get-together at the White House.

President Donald Trump greets British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he enters the White House [Brian Snyder/Reuters]

An invitation from the king

From the start, there was scrutiny over how Starmer – a former human rights lawyer from the centre-left Labour Party – would interact with the far-right Republican Trump.

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But at their initial sit-down inside the Oval Office, Starmer offered an olive branch: a signed invitation from King Charles III to visit the UK.

Trump immediately accepted the offer. Typically, it is rare for US presidents to have two state visits with the British monarch. Trump’s last state visit came in 2019, under the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Starmer also addressed the differences in his and Trump’s backgrounds directly.

“It’s no secret we’re from different political traditions. But there’s a lot that we have in common,” Starmer said, embracing Trump’s populist streak. “ What counts is winning. If you don’t win, you don’t deliver.”

Trump revealed that he and Starmer had discussed trade behind the scenes, with the commerce between their two countries worth an estimated $148bn as of 2024. The Republican leader appeared hopeful that a deal could be struck “shortly”.

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“ We’re gonna have a great trade agreement one way or the other. We’re going to end up with a very good trade agreement for both countries, and we’re working on that as we speak,” he said.

A close-up of King Charles's letter to Donald Trump
President Donald Trump holds a letter from the UK’s King Charles III [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

Starmer offers gentle pushback on trade

But Trump’s repeated assertions that US-UK trade relations were unfair earned a gentle rebuke from Starmer.

“Our trading relationship is not just strong. It’s fair, balanced and reciprocal,” the Labour leader said.

Trump, meanwhile, gave space during the meeting for US Vice President JD Vance to revisit his criticism of free speech rights in the UK. Vance had previously irked tensions when – on February 14 at the Munich Security Conference – he blasted the UK and European countries for alleged democratic backsliding.

“I said what I said,” Vance replied on Thursday, as he reflected on his Munich remarks.

“We do have, of course, a special relationship with our friends in the UK and also with some of our European allies. But we also know that there have been infringements on free speech that actually affect not just the British.”

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Starmer piped up in response, defending his country’s commitment to democratic ideals.

“We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time,” Starmer said. “ In relation to free speech in the UK, I’m very proud of our history there.”

Keir Starmer and Donald Trump at podiums at the White House
President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attend a news conference on February 27 [Brian Snyder/Reuters]

Trump commits to NATO mutual defence pact

Trump’s unconventional and sometimes disruptive approach to diplomatic relations, however, has fuelled fears that the Republican leader may withdraw the US from key alliances.

Chief among them is the NATO alliance, which has historically served as a bulwark against aggression from Russia and the Soviet Union before it.

Trump was asked directly if he still supported Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty, which requires all members to come to the aid of one another in case of a military attack.

“ I support it,” Trump replied, before adding: “I don’t think we’re going to have any reason for it.”

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Starmer, meanwhile, appealed to history to shore up the US-UK alliance, one of the closest diplomatic bonds either country has. He noted that he and Trump would soon celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, when allied forces brought World War II’s European front to a close.

“ We remain each other’s first partner in defence. Ready to come to the other’s aid, to counter threats wherever and whenever they may arise,” Starmer said. “No two militaries are more intertwined than ours. No two countries have done more together to keep people safe.”

Still, he echoed Trump’s calls for European countries to invest more in NATO. Trump has pushed NATO allies to invest at least 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) in bolstering their militaries.

The US, however, puts about 3.4 percent of its GDP into military spending, for a total of about $967bn.

“ I think it’s important for European countries, including the United Kingdom, to step up and do more in the defence and security of Europe and our continent,” Starmer said.

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The press surround Keir Starmer, Donald Trump and other officials in the Oval Office.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer [Carl Court/Pool via AP Photo]

Pushing for peace that does not reward ‘the aggressor’

Key among the security negotiations was the question of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Three years ago, in February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the Eastern European country, expanding beyond the territories it had already seized in regions like Crimea and Donetsk.

The international community largely condemned the invasion. But in recent weeks, Trump has surprised political observers by blaming Ukraine for the war and denouncing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” for not holding wartime elections.

Trump’s administration has also held peace negotiations directly with Russia, leaving European leaders feeling sidelined.

Starmer broached the deal by first lavishing the US president with praise for pushing peace negotiations forward.

“ You’ve created a moment of tremendous opportunity to reach a historic peace deal, a deal that I think would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world,” Starmer said, before pivoting to a warning.

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“That is the prize, but we have to get it right,” he continued. “It can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor or that gives encouragement to regimes like Iran.”

“History must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader. So the stakes, they couldn’t be higher, and we determined to work together to deliver a good deal.”

Trump is set to meet with Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, where the two leaders are expected to hammer out a deal that would give the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals at Trump’s behest.

It is unclear what security guarantees Ukraine would receive in return. But Trump on Thursday repeatedly described a future where Americans would be “dig-dig-digging” on Ukrainian soil to harvest minerals.

He also justified his negotiations with Russia, emphasising it was important to engage “both sides” of the conflict.

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“I think we’re going to have a very successful peace, and I think it’s going to be a long-lasting peace, and I think it’s going to happen hopefully quickly,” Trump said. “If it doesn’t happen quickly, it may not happen at all.”

Keir Starmer pushes his glasses up his nose at podium.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer touches his glasses during a news conference on February 27 [Brian Snyder/Reuters]

Starmer reaffirms commitment to two-state solution

Another global conflict was briefly raised as well: Israel’s war in Gaza.

Since January, a delicate ceasefire has taken hold in the Palestinian enclave, which had been battered by 15 months of Israeli bombing, as well as a ground offensive.

More than 48,365 Palestinians have died, though the Gaza Government Media Office puts the estimate as high as 61,709, counting the bodies still buried under the rubble.

A United Nations special committee found that Israel has employed tactics in Gaza that were “consistent with genocide”. Even with the ceasefire, Palestinians continue to die as freezing temperatures ravage the territory, which has few structures left to shelter residents from the cold.

Trump prompted international outcry earlier this month when he announced the US would “take over” Gaza, permanently displacing its residents in favour of building a riviera-style resort.

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While Trump posted an AI-generated video this week featuring a rendering of what that resort would look like, he has since backed away from his proposal to “own” Gaza, framing it as a suggestion.

On Thursday, Trump avoided saying anything as incendiary, speaking instead in broad terms.

“We’re working very hard in the Middle East and Gaza and all of the problems. And it’s been going on for years and years and centuries and centuries,” Trump said. “It’s a tough neighbourhood, but it could be a very beautiful neighbourhood, and I think we’re going to come up with some pretty good solutions.”

By contrast, Starmer offered firm support for a two-state solution, one that would acknowledge and guarantee Palestinian sovereignty.

“We have to do everything we can to ensure that the ceasefire continues so that more hostages can be returned, so that aid can be brought in that’s desperately needed. We need to allow Palestinians to return and to rebuild their lives, and we must all support them in doing that,” Starmer said.

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“And yes, I believe that the two-state solution is ultimately the only way for a lasting peace in the region.”

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Sabrina Carpenter Sings Two F-Words Uncensored on ‘SNL’ While Performing ‘Nobody’s Son’

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Sabrina Carpenter Sings Two F-Words Uncensored on ‘SNL’ While Performing ‘Nobody’s Son’

Sabrina Carpenter delivered an NSFW performance on the Oct. 18 episode of “Saturday Night Live,” when she sang her “Man’s Best Friend” track “Nobody’s Song” and didn’t self-censor the lyrics “He sure fucked me up” on two occasions.

There was likely some miscommunication with NBC censors, as the profanity wasn’t muted or bleeped either time, causing it to go live uncensored on both the East Coast network broadcast and the Peacock simulcast. Some viewers on the West Coast noted that the broadcast seemed to be on a slight delay and had the audio go silent in their feed during the two F-words.

Carpenter served as both the host and musical guest of the show, and the “Nobody’s Song” performance, with a martial arts stage setup, happened near the end of the show. Earlier in the evening, she sang “Manchild” as her first musical number.

Carpenter recently used some surprise profanity on television during the 2025 VMAs while accepting the Best Album Award, where she said, “This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity. So to get to be a part of something so often, more than not, that is something that can bring you light, make you smile, make you dance and make you feel like the world is your fucking oyster, I am so grateful, so grateful to do that.”

Off-the-cuff profanity has been much-discussed during “Saturday Night Live” history, with it being an open secret that NBC and creator Lorne Michaels don’t appreciate the show being opened up to potential FCC fines. Hosts like Kristen Stewart, Sam Rockwell and Ariana Grande have all dropped uncensored profanity during their monologues or sketches. Cast members such as Norm Macdonald and Jenny Slate have as well. The rock band the Replacements also dropped an F-bomb while performing in 1986.

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Meanwhile, the show has hosted plenty of controversial musical performances, such as NBC removing upside-down American flags from Rage Against the Machine’s amps in 1996 to Ashlee Simpson’s botched vocal performance in 2004.

Carpenter was not the only one to stir controversy by dropping the F-word in a high-profile setting in the last week. President Donald J. Trump used the word on Friday during a live news conference, saying that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro “doesn’t want to fuck around with the United States.” Rather than shrink back from the rough language, the official White House X account and the administration’s rapid response team account both posted video of the president’s tough talk.

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Louvre museum closed after robbery, French official says

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Louvre museum closed after robbery, French official says

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Thieves broke into the Louvre museum in Paris and stole priceless jewelry before escaping on motorbikes, French officials said Sunday.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called the heist a “major robbery” that “lasted seven minutes.” Speaking to France Inter, he said the thieves “entered from the outside using a basket lift” and “a disc cutter” to slice through glass panes containing precious jewels.

“The investigation has begun, and a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled,” the ministry said in a statement. “Beyond their market value, these items have inestimable heritage and historical value.”

The museum posted on X it would remain closed for the day for “exceptional reasons,” though it did not immediately provide details. No injuries were reported.

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EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS SCRAMBLE TO RECOVER ANCIENT PAINTING STOLEN FROM ‘CURSED’ TOMB AMID RECENT THEFTS

Police officers stand near the pyramid of the Louvre museum after reports of a robbery, in Paris, France, Oct.19, 2025. (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)

According to French daily Le Parisien, the thieves entered through a section of the museum under construction along the Seine River. 

The crew reportedly used a freight elevator to access a room in the Apollo Gallery, which houses part of the French Crown Jewels.

TOURISM SAFETY FEARS RISE AFTER MUSEUM THIEF STEALS PHARAOH’S PRICELESS BRACELET: 4 THINGS TO KNOW

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Forensic police officers arrive at the Louvre

Forensic police officers arrive at the Louvre museum after reports of a robbery, in Paris, France, Oct. 19, 2025. (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)

The crew stole “nine pieces from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress,” including a crown believed to have belonged to Empress Eugénie, the newspaper reported. The crown was later found broken outside the museum, the report said.

People walk outside the Louvre museum

FILE – People walk outside the Louvre museum, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

The Louvre houses over 33,000 works spanning antiquities, sculpture, and painting – from Mesopotamian artifacts and Egyptian relics to masterpieces by European artists. Its iconic treasures include the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Why UK’s Prince Andrew lost his royal title

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Why UK’s Prince Andrew lost his royal title

The United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew on Friday announced that he would give up the title of the Duke of York days before the publication of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who had accused him of raping her after being trafficked by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Effective immediately, Prince Andrew will no longer sign off as the “Duke of York” or append “KG” – denoting Knight of the Garter – after his name. And the other titles will become inactive as well, like the His Royal Highness (HRH) honorific.

Giuffre, who died by suicide in April at the age of 41, had accused Andrew of forcing her to have sex on three occasions, including when she was underage. Though the disgraced UK prince denied Giuffre’s claims, he paid millions of dollars to settle a civil sexual assault case with her in 2022.

The 65-year-old was stripped of most of his titles and removed from royal duties in 2022 due to his connections to Epstein, who died by suicide in a United States prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His title decision came as he hit the headlines again in the wake of new revelations about his links to Epstein.

So, why has he “given up” his titles? What does it mean for the UK’s Royal Family? And what are his ties with US child sex offender Epstein?

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FILE PHOTO: UK’s Prince Andrew speaks with King Charles as they leave Westminster Cathedral at the end of the Requiem Mass, on the day of the funeral of Britain’s Katharine, Duchess of Kent, in London, UK, September 16, 2025 [Toby Melville/Reuters]

What has the disgraced prince said?

“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life,” Andrew added in the statement.

“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” he said, adding that the continued accusations against him “distracted” the royal family.

He also used the statement, released via the Royal Family’s channels, to “vigorously deny the accusations” against him, as he has maintained.

What difference does it make to him?

Andrew had moved back to a largely private life in recent years, even though he remains part of the family, even if ceremonially, as brother of King Charles and uncle to Prince William and Prince Harry.

He has been shunned from using other titles given to him on his wedding day – the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh. Theoretically, Andrew will retain the dukedom – that can only be removed by an act of parliament – but he will not use it.

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Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Andrew’s ex-wife, would also not use her title. The titles of their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will remain unaffected.

The couple will continue to live in the 30-room Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor, a Grade II-listed property.

However, the property has been leased from the Crown Estate, meaning he cannot sell it – as he did with Sunninghill Park home in 2007 for 15 million pounds ($20m) to Timor Kulibayev, the son-in-law of the then-president of Kazakhstan.

The 12-bedroom house near Windsor Castle was given to the disgraced prince as a wedding present from Queen Elizabeth.

What to know about Andrew?

Prince Andrew, earlier the Duke of York, is the second son and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip – making him the younger brother of King Charles III.

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Born in 1960, he was once one of the more popular members of the British royal family, known for his military service as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot during the Falklands War in 1982.

But in recent years, Andrew has largely withdrawn from public life following intense scrutiny over frequent scandals. His ties to the convicted sex offender Epstein – which pushed him to step down from his royal duties in 2019 – has resurfaced after the release of new Epstein files in September.

Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages in 2022 after a US judge allowed a civil sexual abuse case against him to move to trial. He was also stripped of his role as the Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, one of the oldest regiments in the British army, by the queen.

Widely believed to be the late queen’s “favourite” child, other titles held by the disgraced royal will be rendered dormant – leaving “prince” as his only remaining title, one that cannot be stripped since he was born the son of a queen.

andrew
FILE PHOTO: UK’s Prince Andrew stands next to Prince William and his wife Catherine, princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Cathedral at the end of the Requiem Mass, on the day of the funeral of Britain’s Katharine, Duchess of Kent, in London, UK, September 16, 2025 [Toby Melville/Reuters]

What are the accusations against Andrew?

In 2021, Giuffre, one of the most prominent accusers of Epstein, filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in a US court, alleging that he had sexually abused her on multiple occasions, including when she was 17 years old – a minor under US law.

She claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite, and forced to have sex with the prince in London, New York, and the US Virgin Islands.

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Prince Andrew has denied all allegations – even insisting that a now-infamous photograph that appeared to show them together was doctored.

The case was settled out of court in early 2022, with Andrew reportedly paying about 12 million pounds ($16m) – then causing widespread backlash over whether UK taxpayers’ money was used for the payout.

In April this year, Giuffre was found dead at her home near Perth, Australia. Her family confirmed the death as a suicide, attributing it to the emotional toll of her past abuse and ongoing personal struggles.

Last Friday, the US House Oversight Committee also released documents from Epstein’s estate showing “Prince Andrew” listed as a passenger on the convicted sex offender’s private jet, the Lolita Express, from Luton to Edinburgh in 2006.

What does Giuffre’s posthumous memoir say?

On Tuesday, Giuffre’s posthumous memoir goes on sale, where she details her time with the prince and Epstein. In the excerpts published by several media organisations, Giuffre wrote that Andrew believed sex with her was his “birthright”.

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In the book, Nobody’s Girl, Giuffre describes her meetings with the prince – and also recounts what unfolded in London during their meet-up.

“Back at the house, [Ghislaine] Maxwell and Epstein said goodnight and headed upstairs, signalling it was time that I take care of the prince. In the years since, I’ve thought a lot about how he behaved. He was friendly enough, but still entitled – as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.

“He seemed in a rush to have intercourse. Afterward, he said thank you in his clipped British accent. In my memory, the whole thing lasted less than half an hour,” she writes in her memoir.

“The next morning, Maxwell told me: ‘You did well. The prince had fun.’ Epstein would give me $15,000 for servicing the man the tabloids called ‘Randy Andy’.”

Giuffre’s family has lauded the decision of Andrew being forced to relinquish his titles as “vindication for Virginia”.

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“We, the family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, believe that Prince Andrew’s decision to give up his titles is vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere,” they said in a statement.

“Further, we believe it is appropriate for King Charles to remove the title of Prince.”

Trump/Epstein
From L: Melania Trump, Prince Andrew, Gwendolyn Beck and Jeffrey Epstein at a party at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida, February 12, 2000 (Photo by Davidoff Studios/Getty Images)

What were Andrew’s ties with US sex offender Epstein?

Prince Andrew is reported to have had a longstanding association with Epstein, a convicted child sex offender and financier from the US.

The relationship reportedly began in the 1990s, with Andrew socialising with Epstein in elite social circles in both the UK and the US. He is reported to have stayed at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, his private Caribbean island, and flown on Epstein’s private jet on multiple occasions. Andrew was also listed on another flight to West Palm Beach, Florida, in 2000.

Epstein’s close associate, British socialite Maxwell, facilitated introductions between Andrew and other prominent figures, drawing him further into Epstein’s network. Maxwell is serving 20 years in prison for sex trafficking.

The association came to public scrutiny after Giuffre in 2021 accused Andrew of sexual abuse.

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In an infamous 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight, Andrew said he broke off his friendship with Epstein in December 2010.

But the release of new documents last month shows Andrew reportedly sent a mail three months after the interview. In the email, Andrew appeared to tell Epstein “we are in this together” after the two men were photographed together strolling in New York.

In 2008, Epstein had pleaded guilty to charges of solicitation of prostitution and of solicitation of prostitution with a minor, for which he served 13 months in jail.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019, awaiting a trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

Has the prince been part of other scandals?

Andrew has been mired in a number of other scandals, including an instance of his “close confidant” being banned from the UK over allegations he was a Chinese spy.

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Andrew reportedly held meetings in 2018 and 2019 with Cai Qi, a member of China’s ruling political bureau.

Cai was suspected by the UK government of being the recipient of sensitive information allegedly passed to China by two British nationals accused of spying for Beijing.

andrew
Sarah Ferguson (L) and Britain’s Prince Andrew, Duke of York, react as they leave St George’s Chapel, in Windsor Castle, after attending the Easter Mattins Service, on March 31, 2024 (Photo by Hollie Adams / POOL / AFP)
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