## Trump’s economy officially passes Biden’s for worst consumer sentiment in recorded history

Authored by fortune.com

American consumers are more pessimistic about the economy than at any time in recorded history.

The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 47.6 in preliminary April 2026 readings released Friday—a 10.7% drop from March’s 53.3 and the lowest reading in the survey’s 74-year history.

Three of the lowest consumer sentiment readings ever recorded have now occurred within the past nine months of Trump’s second term.

During Biden’s worst stretch, sentiment eventually recovered as inflation cooled and the Fed’s rate hikes took hold.

Still, it’s worth posing a question that gets asked far too rarely: How good is consumer sentiment, actually, at measuring economic reality?

By nearly every traditional yardstick, the economy has been performing better than sentiment suggests—and economists have been struggling to explain the gap ever since.

Another data point worth bearing in mind: Consumer sentiment hit an all-time high of 112 in January 2000—six months before the dotcom bubble burst and the economy began shedding jobs. »

### Justice Department moves to toss seditious conspiracy convictions of Oath Keepers and Proud Boys

Authored by apnews.com

Trump commuted the prison sentences of several Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders last January in a sweeping act of clemency for all 1,500-plus defendants charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack.

The request by the Justice Department would go a step further and erase all the convictions for extremist group leaders, including Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who didn’t receive pardons last January.

Nordean’s attorney, Nicholas Smith, said they are grateful to the Justice Department for its “wise decision” in seeking dismissal of the convictions. »

### US edges closer to popular vote deciding winner of presidential elections

Authored by theguardian.com

Under the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, states would assign their presidential electors to the winner of the popular vote, regardless of the results within the state.

The compact takes effect when states representing a majority of electoral votes – 270 of 538 – pass the legislation and thus would determine the winner of the presidential contest.

Supporters of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact argue that the delegation of electors is a state power, not a federal power. »

### Dad of three suffers burns to 90% of his body after ‘bursting into flames’ near California mall

Authored by the-independent.com

A father of three suffered third-degree burns on 90 percent of his body after becoming engulfed in flames at a shopping center in California last month.

Video shared with Victor Valley News showed a large fire burning near an electrical box that was surrounded by bushes.

open image in gallery A father of three suffered third-degree burns over 90 percent of his body after becoming engulfed in flames near a shopping center in California last month ( GoFundMe ). »

### Israel is building a buffer zone inside Lebanon

Authored by npr.org

Israel is creating a large buffer zone in southern Lebanon for a prolonged military occupation, with low expectations that direct talks with Lebanon will lead to quick action on disarming Hezbollah.

DANIEL ESTRIN, BYLINE: Soldiers cheered crossing the border from northern Israel into southern Lebanon a few weeks ago.

Buffer zones in Lebanon and also in Gaza are part of Israel's new defense doctrine after it was surprised by Hamas' attack in 2023. »

## In pictures

## Also in the news

#### ICE detention of US citizen in Minnesota investigated as kidnapping, false arrest

#### RFK Jr cut off dead raccoon's penis on family vacation 'to study later'

#### Meanwhile, Zohran Is Just Getting Things Done

#### Trump eyes fresh Greenland takeover bid with secret talks

#### Vietnam elects Communist Party chief as president, echoing China’s power structure