The Latest:
US officials will meet with Chinese counterparts amid trade war
Top U.S. officials are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland, the administration announced Tuesday.
It’s the first major talks between the two nations since Trump sparked a trade war between the two powers with stiff tariffs on imports.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and trade representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their counterparts in Geneva in the most-senior known conversations between the countries in months. It comes amid growing U.S. market worry over the impact of the tariffs on the prices and supply of consumer goods.
Trump had claimed previously that the U.S. and China were holding negotiations on lowering tariffs, which Beijing has denied, saying Trump must first lower his stiff tariffs.
Officials say visitors to the US are welcome during the World Cup – at least to a point
Vice President JD Vance appeared with Trump and other top administration officials at a White House event trumpeting the U.S. co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.
After Trump suggested foreigners traveling to the U.S. would “have a seamless experience during every part of their visit,” Vance added, “Of course everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event.”
But then the vice president added, “I know we’ll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries. We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game. But, when the time is up, they’ll have to go home. Otherwise, they’ll have to talk to Secretary Noem.”
That was a reference to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who also attended the event and has led the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added, “Go on a road trip, see America, don’t overstay your visa.”
Treasury secretary to meet with Swiss officials
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will travel to Switzerland Thursday for meetings with Swiss officials, according to a Treasury statement.
Treasury states that Bessent will also meet with China’s lead representative on economic matters. Earlier in the day he testified on Capitol Hill to a House committee that the U.S. had not yet begun negotiations on tariffs with China.
“I look forward to productive talks as we work towards rebalancing the international economic system towards better serving the interests of the United States,” Bessent said.
Trump displays little awareness of possible trade deal with UK
Asked about reports that Trump’s team was reaching a deal that would limit the tariffs on goods from the United Kingdom, the president showed no awareness of the potential terms.
“They’re offering us concessions?” Trump told reporters. “I hope so. ... They do want to make a deal very badly.”
Trump has previously said that his leverage in talks would be U.S. consumers, but he also appeared to suggest on Tuesday that foreign countries would also start buying more American-made goods.
“I think that the United Kingdom, like every other country, they want to, they want to be, go shopping in the United States of America.”
Trump said he hopes fighting between India and Pakistan ‘ends very quickly’
When asked about the airstrikes India launched in Pakistani-controlled territory, Trump said he'd just heard about it an said, "It's a shame."
“I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past,” Trump said. “They’ve been fighting for a long time. They’ve been fighting for many, many decades. And centuries, actually, if you really think about it.”
He added: “I just hope it ends very quickly.”
Trump says 3 hostages held by Hamas have died, leaving only 21 believed to be alive
“As of today, it’s 21, three have died,” Trump said of the hostages being held by Hamas. He added, “There’s 21 plus a lot of dead bodies” and that authorities were working to recover the remains of the deceased.
The president's comments came as Israel approved plans on Monday to seize the Gaza Strip and to stay in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time.
If implemented, the move would vastly expand Israel's operations there and likely draw fierce international opposition.
Costs racked up for now-halted US operation against Houthis
The costs of the U.S. munitions used against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen since March 15 totaled more than $750 million, a U.S. official said.
The Trump administration has dropped more than 2,000 munitions on more than 1,000 targets, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details on the strikes.
Trump said earlier Tuesday that he’s ordering a halt to the U.S. airstrikes.
The total is only a fraction of the overall price of the operation. It doesn’t account for the costs of operating two aircraft carriers, their accompanying warships or the flight hours of the aircraft.
It also doesn’t include the Houthis destroying seven U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones, at a cost of more than $30 million apiece, or the loss of an F/A-18 fighter jet and tug from the carrier USS Harry S. Truman when it maneuvered to avoid a Houthi missile and the jet fell off the carrier.
___
Associated Press reporter Tara Copp contributed.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff sworn in
President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance participated in an Oval Office swearing-in ceremony for Witkoff, who is a senior adviser and special envoy for the president.
Witkoff, a lawyer and friend of Trump's, was initially brought in to help the administration on Middle East matters. But Witkoff's portfolio has expanded to helping end the Russia-Ukraine war as well as negotiating the release of hostages in Gaza and the return of a detained American.
Trump calls removing Russia from the G7 ‘foolish,’ but says he won’t push to restore its membership
Trump is noting that the G7, a group of the world’s leading industrialized democracies, used to be the G8 before Russia’s membership was revoked.
Trump was asked by reporters whether he might want to invite Russia to rejoin when the U.S. hosts the gathering later in his presidency. Trump referenced Russia’s previous involvement in the group, and added that then-President Barack Obama was among the world leaders who pushed to remove the country.
Trump said he thought that decision was “very foolish” because “it’s a group of people sitting around a table. I‘ve done it many times with them and you get to know it.”
He even suggested that excluding Russia helped sparked its invasion of Ukraine, saying, “because of that, maybe, millions of people are dying.”
But when asked if the U.S. would push to invite Russia when it hots the G7, Trump responded, “No, it’s not good timing.” The U.S. is due to host the gathering in 2027.
Trump says he isn’t calling the new Canadian prime minister a ‘governor’
Trump says he has yet to give Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney the same “governor” nickname that he placed on Justin Trudeau, Carney’s predecessor. The nickname was a slight meant to imply that Canada’s leader would eventually be just one of many U.S. governors.
“As far as calling him Gov. Carney, no, I haven’t done that yet, and maybe I won’t,” Trump said. “I did have a lot of fun with Trudeau. But I think this is, this is a big step. It’s a good step up for Canada.”
Trump added that the Tuesday meeting with Carney had been “great” and that he thought the ongoing relationship would be “strong.”
Senators troubled over delivery of health care to Native Americans and Alaska Natives
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the bipartisan trio of Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, expressed "deep concerns" over "federal actions that diminish the quality of and access to health care" at the Indian Health Service.
The senators said that while the IHS was itself exempt from a federal hiring freeze, it has impacted other positions that help the service provide health care and “continues to exacerbate existing clinical staffing issues.” Last month, President Trump extended the hiring freeze to July.
The group also said it seems HHS was not taking substantial input from tribes on its actions, including the shifting of staff and services.
The three lawmakers called on Kennedy to “reevaluate all actions that jeopardize delivery of any health care services for American Indians and Alaska Natives.”
Kennedy met with tribal leaders last month and called the service “a top priority.”
Trump says overseas visitors coming for the World Cup will have a ‘seamless experience’ in the US
Trump says fans traveling from abroad for the World Cup will have a “seamless experience,” despite skepticism from some around the globe that they may not be welcome in the U.S.
The president said his government will ensure that “those traveling to America to watch the competition have a seamless experience during every part of their visit.” Some overseas travelers have scrapped plans to come to the U.S. given the Trump administration’s aggressive policies toward its allies and other nations.
But Trump insisted during a White House event celebrating the 2026 World Cup — which will be played in the U.S., Canada and Mexico — that officials were working “to make the World Cup an unprecedented success.”
He added that the 2026 World Cup will be “the best-run soccer tournament the world has ever seen.”
US business group opposes the White House possibly ending tax treaty with China
The U.S.-China Business Council wrote to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to express its deep concern over the White House’s plan to review whether to suspend or end a tax treaty with China that has prevented double taxation on U.S. companies.
Should the tax treaty be terminated, U.S. companies doing business in China could face potentially higher tax rates and greater compliance burden in China, lessening or eliminating profits, the council wrote in the letter dated May 1. Ending the tax treaty also would disadvantage U.S. companies competing with others in the Chinese market, the council wrote.
A Feb. 21 White House memo said the U.S. would “use all necessary legal instruments to further deter United States persons from investing in” China’s military-industrial sector.
Declassified intelligence memo contradicts Trump’s claims linking gang to Venezuelan government
A newly declassified U.S. intelligence assessment finds no evidence of coordination between the Tren de Aragua gang and senior Venezuelan officials.
The redacted memo contradicts statements that the Trump administration has used to justify invoking the Alien Enemies Act and deporting Venezuelan immigrants it has labeled gang members.
“While Venezuela’s permissive environment enables TDA to operate, the Maduro regime probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and is not directing TDA movement to and operations in the United States,” the memo says.
A spokesperson for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard rejected suggestions that the assessment contradicted Trump and noted the assessment did find links between the gang and mid- to lower-level Venezuelan officials.
▶ Read the full memo here
Carney describes meeting with Trump as constructive, but it’s just a start
Carney says he feels better about his country’s relations with the United States after meeting with Trump, but he didn’t see one meeting resolving the issues set off by Trump’s tariff hikes.
“I wouldn’t have expected white smoke coming out of this meeting,” Carney told reporters after the Tuesday meeting, referencing the signal that a new pope has been selected.
Asked whether Carney had asked Trump to stop calling Canada the 51st U.S. state, Carney replied, “Yes, today.” As to whether Trump would stop the rhetoric, Carney said, “I don’t know. He’s the president. He’s his own person.”
Trump is set to participate in a FIFA task force meeting
President Trump created the task force to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will bring the globe's premier soccer tournament to North America at a time when his on-again, off-again tariffs have ratcheted up tensions across the continent.
The task force, which Trump will chair, will coordinate the federal government’s security and planning for the tournament, which is expected to draw millions of tourists to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The 48-team tournament will pose challenges to the federal government when it comes to awarding visas to the players, officials and more than a million fans expected to visit.
Carney acknowledges uncomfortable body language with Trump
Asked about his at-times-uncomfortable body language during his meeting with Trump, Carney said: “I’m glad that you couldn’t tell what was going through my mind.”
Carney at times appeared to be looking at the floor and occasionally struggled to get a word in during his Oval Office meeting with Trump — even sometimes raising his hand.
Asked about that by reporters afterward, the prime minister said, “I’ve been careful always to distinguish between wish and reality.”
Carney noted that Trump again referenced the idea that Canada could somehow become the 51st U.S. state. Carney said afterward he personally made it clear Canada wasn’t for sale and said it was “never going to happen.”
“I look forward and not back, and I think we established a good basis today,” Carney said.
Carney calls talks with Trump ‘wide-ranging and very constructive’
In comments to reporters at the Canadian embassy in Washington after the closed-door meetings, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday’s talks “marked the end of the beginning of the U.S. and Canada redefining” their joint cooperative relationship.
The prime minister said “now is the time to build” both at home and overseas, including with the U.S.
Judge bars Trump administration from shrinking 3 agencies
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the administration from dramatically shrinking the agencies, which fund libraries across the U.S., settle labor disputes with public sector workers and support state business contracting programs.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island said Trump cannot unilaterally end the funding and programs for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. All three agencies were established by Congress.
Trump's March 14 executive order directing them to cut as many staffers and programs as legally possible was "arbitrary and capricious," McConnell wrote in Tuesday's order.
“It also disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government; specifically, it ignores the unshakable principles that Congress makes the law and appropriates funds, and the Executive implements the law Congress enacted and spends the funds Congress appropriated.”
Twenty-one states sued over the executive order.
Trump Pentagon nominee under scrutiny in hearing for partisan comments
A retired U.S. brigadier general who failed to get through the confirmation process in the first Trump administration got renewed scrutiny for his political and anti-Islamic social media posts during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday.
Anthony Tata, a staunch supporter of the president, has been nominated to become the defense undersecretary for personnel. He was criticized for tweets in 2018 calling Islam the “most oppressive violent religion I know of,” and calling former President Barack Obama a “terrorist leader” and referring to him as Muslim. The tweets were later taken down.
▶ Read more about the hearing
Senate confirms Wall Street veteran to lead Social Security Administration
Frank Bisignano will be taking over at a turbulent time for the agency, which provides benefits to more than 70 million Americans. He was confirmed in a 53-47 vote.
Bisignano's confirmation came after a monthslong series of announcements at the SSA of mass federal worker layoffs, cuts to programs, office closures and a planned cut to nationwide Social Security phone services, which were eventually walked back.
Many of the changes are driven by the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by billionaire adviser Elon Musk, who said this week that he is preparing to wind down his role with the administration.
The upheaval has made Social Security a major focus of Democrats, including former President Joe Biden, who said in his first public speech since leaving office that Trump has "taken a hatchet" to the program.
State Department disbanding the Office of Palestinian Affairs at the US Embassy in Jerusalem
The State Department said the office will be folded back into the broader diplomatic mission.
The move will restore the Palestinian Affairs Unit at the embassy that President Trump created during his first term after moving the embassy from Tel Aviv and then closing down the consulate in Jerusalem, which had served as the main U.S. point of outreach to the Palestinians.
The Palestinian Affairs Unit reported directly to the U.S. ambassador to Israel, a move that was reversed in President Joe Biden’s administration, which formalized it into an office that stepped up engagement with the Palestinians and reported directly to State Department headquarters in Washington.
“The United States remains committed to its historic relationship with Israel, bolstering Israel’s security and securing peace to create a better life for the entire region,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. She did not mention how the change would affect relations with the Palestinian Authority.
As Trump battles elite colleges, House GOP looks to hike endowment tax by tenfold or more
The president's feud with America’s elite universities is lending momentum to Republicans on Capitol Hill who want to increase a tax on wealthy college endowments by tenfold or more.
House Republicans already were considering a hike in the tax on college endowments' earnings from 1.4% to 14% as part of Trump's tax bill. As the president raises the stakes in his fight with Harvard, Columbia and other Ivy League schools, lawmakers are floating raising the rate as high as 21% in line with the corporate tax rate. It appears no decisions have been made.
▶ Read more about college endowments
White House confirms review of Smithsonian museums has begun
The White House confirmed in a statement that a review of Smithsonian properties is underway after an executive order calling for the removal of “improper ideology.”
“We are undertaking a comprehensive review of the Smithsonian museums to assess alignment with the directives outlined in the executive order,” Lindsey Halligan, a special assistant to the president, said in a statement. “We are committed to transparency and will share updates as the review progresses.”
Officials did not elaborate on the details of how the review is being carried out.
A pastor and veteran of the Civil Rights movement who loaned books to the museum told The Associated Press that his items would be reviewed by a panel to determine whether they will remain at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Supreme Court allows Trump ban on transgender members of the military to take effect, for now
The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed President Donald Trump's administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military, while legal challenges proceed.
The court acted in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service.
The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.
Just after beginning his second term in January, Trump moved aggressively to roll back the rights of transgender people. Among the Republican president's actions was an executive order that claims the sexual identity of transgender service members "conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life," and is harmful to military readiness.
Critic of drug industry and COVID-19 measures to lead FDA vaccine program
Dr. Vinay Prasad, a prominent critic of the pharmaceutical industry and the Food and Drug Administration, has been named to oversee the health agency’s program for vaccines and biotech drugs.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced the appointment Tuesday in a message to agency staff, praising Prasad’s “long and distinguished history in medicine.”
Prasad is the latest in a series of medical contrarians and critics of COVID-19 measures to join the federal government under President Trump.
Unlike political roles such as FDA commissioner, the job Prasad is stepping into has traditionally been held by an FDA career scientist. His appointment raises new questions about whether vaccines and other new therapies will face additional scrutiny from regulators.
Prasad replaces Dr. Peter Marks, FDA's longtime vaccine chief who resigned in March after clashing with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over concerns about the safety of vaccinations.
Rwanda says it’s talking with the US about taking in third-country deportees. Here’s why
Rwanda drew international attention, and some outrage, by agreeing to take in Britain's rejected asylum-seekers in a plan that collapsed last year. Now Rwanda says it is talking with the Trump administration about a similar idea — and it might find more success.
The negotiations mark an expansion in U.S. efforts to deport people to countries other than their own. It has sent hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama but has yet to announce any major deals with governments in Africa, Asia or Europe.
Rwanda has argued that despite being one of Africa's most densely populated countries, it has space to help alleviate what many countries in Europe — and the United States — consider to be a growing problem with unwanted migrants.
▶ Read more about Rwanda and third-country deportees
US trade deficit hits record high as businesses, consumers try to get ahead of Trump tariffs
The U.S. trade deficit soared to a record $140.5 billion in March as consumers and businesses alike tried to get ahead of the president's latest and most sweeping tariffs, with federal data showing an enormous stockpiling of pharmaceutical products.
The deficit — which measures the gap between the value of goods and services the U.S. sells abroad against what it buys — has roughly doubled over the last year. In March 2024, Commerce Department records show, that gap was just under $68.6 billion.
According to federal data released Tuesday, exports for goods and services totaled about $278.5 billion in March, while imports climbed to nearly $419 billion. That’s up $0.5 billion and $17.8 billion, respectively, from February trade.
Consumer goods led the imports surge — increasing by $22.5 billion in March. And pharma products in particular climbed $20.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis noted, signaling fears about future levies.
Key Republican says he won’t back Trump’s pick for top DC prosecutor because of Jan. 6 ties
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis says he has told the White House he will not support Ed Martin, Trump's pickfor top federal prosecutor in Washington, stalling the nomination in the Senate weeks before the temporary appointment expires.
The North Carolina Republican told reporters Tuesday that he met with Martin and opposes the nomination because of his defense of rioters who breached the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Martin, a leading figure in Trump's campaign to overturn the 2020 election, spoke at a rally on the eve of the violent riot and represented defendants who were prosecuted for the attack.
“We have to be very, very clear that what happened on Jan. 6th was wrong,” Tillis said. “It was not prompted. It was not prompted or created by other people to put those people in trouble. They made a stupid decision, and they disgraced the United States by absolutely destroying the Capitol.”
Disabled workers have faced prejudice. Now they face DOGE firings
For decades the federal government has positioned itself as committed to inclusive hiring and long-term retention across agencies. But as mass layoffs ripple through the federal workforce under President Trump’s administration, disabled employees are among those being let go.
Amid the firings, rollbacks of accommodation guidance for businesses and skepticism of disability inclusion practices, advocates and experts wonder if the government's status as a "model employer" will hold true.
Trump has said he ended diversity, equity and inclusion programs because people should be hired based on work quality and merit alone.
However, under Schedule A, candidates already have to be qualified for the position with or without an accommodation. They don’t get a job solely because they have a disability.
Disability advocates point to a slew of statements from Trump administration officials that indicate they view disabled workers as a liability.
▶ Read more about disabled workers in government
Second judge rules that Trump’s use of 18th century wartime act was improper
Trump used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 for only the fourth time in history, declaring that a Venezuelan gang had invaded the United States and its alleged members could be deported without regular legal process.
A Trump-appointed judge in Texas last week ruled the act can’t be used against a gang. On Tuesday, District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein in New York came to the same conclusion.
The gang, Hellerstein wrote, “may well be engaged in narcotics trafficking, but that is a criminal matter, not an invasion or predatory incursion.”
The media is dismissed as Carney’s White House visit continues
The appearance with Carney grew increasingly uncomfortable as it continued, with Trump repeatedly asserting that the United States has been “subsidizing Canada.”
But the meeting never devolved like an earlier encounter with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“We had another little blow up with someone else,” Trump said. This is a very friendly conversation.”
Trump digs at Democrats during his meeting with Carney
Trump, a former real estate developer, offered during the meeting with Carney to help former President Barack Obama build his presidential library.
Obama left office in 2017. His library is under construction in Chicago. Trump said it’s taking too long and that, in and of itself, is “bad for the presidency.”
“If he wanted help, I’d give him help,” Trump said of Obama. “I’m a really good builder.”
Trump also criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom over a project to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco by rail, calling it “the worst cost overrun I’ve ever seen.”
___
This entry has been updated to correct the year Obama left office to 2017, not 2009.
Carney finally gets a word in
As Trump went on a long aside about former President Barack Obama’s presidential library and California water issues before veering back to trade, Carney kept trying to get a word in, raising his hand about half a dozen times to try to interject.
Trump kept talking as reporters fired questions, holding forth with extended answers.
When the Canadian leader finally got to speak, he addressed Trump’s repeated needling about making Canada a 51st U.S. state and said, “Respectfully, Canadians’ view on this is not going to change.”
Trump talks more on tariffs
Trump continued his tough talk on tariffs, saying other countries need to deal with the United States.
“They want a piece of our market,” he said. “We don’t care about their market.”
He also said that other nations “think of us as a super luxury store, a store that has the goods.”
Trump also said that China wants to meet for trade talks. He didn’t offer details but asserted that the Chinese are not doing business and that ships full of goods from China are turning around the Pacific Ocean.
Friendly vibe shrouds Trump’s meeting with Canada’s new leader
Trump had a lot of praise for Carney, despite the president’s desire to make Canada the 51st state in the U.S.
He complimented Carney on winning election and said Carney had helped himself with the debate.
“I think Canada chose a very talented person, a very good person,” Trump said.
At another point, when asked concessions he wants from Canada, Trump replied, “friendship.”
And at still another point in the Oval Office meeting, Trump said: “I love Canada.”
Carney rebuffs Trump’s Oval Office push for 51st state, says Canada ‘won’t be for sale, ever’
Trump said he was still interested in making Canada the 51st state, although he admitted “it takes two to tango.”
“It would really be a wonderful marriage,” the president said.
Carney responded by telling Trump that “as you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale.”
The White House and Buckingham Palace aren’t, he said, and Canada is “not for sale, it won’t be for sale, ever.”
“Never say never,” Trump said. Carney smiled and mouthed “never, never, never.”
Trump teases a ‘very, very big announcement’
The president told reporters that he will make his mystery announcement Thursday or Friday before his trip to the Middle East next week, though it wasn’t clear if the announcement was related to the trip.
Trump wouldn’t say what the announcement was about but said it will be “one of the most important announcements” that have been made in many years “about a certain subject.”
Trump says US is halting airstrikes on Houthis rebels in Yemen
Trump says he’s calling off any more air strikes against Yemen’s Houthis, saying the rebel faction has ‘capitulated’ and doesn’t want to fight anymore.
In March, Trump's administration launched strikes against Houthis rebels. But he told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, "We will stop the bombings. They have capitulated but more importantly, we will take their word."
The president added, “I think that’s very positive. They were knocking out a lot of ships.”
Meeting between Trump and Carney begins
Trump graciously welcomed Carney to the Oval Office, praising him as “a very talented person, a very good person.”
The U.S. leader said Carney’s comeback victory in Canada’s recent election was “maybe even greater than mine.”
Trump also gestured to the upgrades that he’s made to the Oval Office, saying it was renovated with “great love and 24 karat gold — that always helps too.”
Carney opened by saying, “Mr. President, I’m on the edge of my seat.”
Canada’s new prime minister arrives at the White House for Trump meeting
Carney received a handshake and a couple of shoulder pats from the U.S. president.
Trump then turned toward the news media and did a fist pump, which Carney then emulated with a fist pump of his own.
The two leaders then entered the White House without exchanging any words for the gathered reporters.
Before Carney’s arrival, Trump expressed doubts on social media about the benefits of an economic relationship with Canada.
It’s a position that defies the underlying economic data as the United States depends on oil produced in Canada, in addition to an array of other goods that cross border trade makes more affordable in ways that benefit growth.
Just before Canadian PM arrives at White House, Trump says US doesn’t need Canada
Just before meeting Carney, Trump posted on social media that the U.S. doesn’t need autos, energy, lumber or “ANYTHING” from the United States’ northern neighbor.
“I very much want to work with him, but cannot understand one simple TRUTH — Why is America subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection, and many other things?” Trump posted on Truth Social.
While Trump said he still welcomes Canada’s friendship and hopes to maintain it, he’s indicating despite economic data to the contrary that the United States would be fine without Canada.
“The Prime Minister will be arriving shortly and that will be, most likely, my only question of consequence,” Trump posted.
Homeland Security secretary says ‘people will be allowed to fly’ even without REAL ID
Kristi Noem told a Congressional panel Tuesday that travelers who miss Wednesday's deadline to get the more secure ID cards should be prepared for extra scrutiny, but "we will make sure it's as seamless as possible."
Noem said 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply, and passports and tribal identification will be accepted at checkpoints.
Travelers who aren't REAL ID compliant "may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step," she said.
Implementation of the REAL ID, a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card, has been repeatedly delayed since it was recommended by the 9/11 Commission and signed into law in 2005.
Treasury secretary says the United States ‘will not default’
Scott Bessent is testifying on the Hill this morning for the first time since his confirmation in January.
On the table for questions are tariffs, taxes, layoffs at the IRS, Department of Government Efficiency access to IRS data, national finances and more.
Bessent said the U.S. and China “have not engaged in negotiations” but “as early as this week” the U.S. will be announcing trade deals with some of the U.S.′ largest trading partners.
Bessent also spoke about America’s upcoming default date — what officials are calling the “X-date.”
“Just as an outfielder running for a fly ball, we are on the warning track. When you’re on the warning track, it means the wall is not that far away,” he said. He added, however, that the U.S. “will not default.”
Republican member of Congress praises program cut by Trump administration
A Republican member of Congress says there's "strong bipartisan support" for a program designed to help communities protect against natural disasters and climate change.
The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program was eliminated by the Trump administration in April.
Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma told Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a hearing Tuesday that the BRIC program has been “extraordinarily helpful.” He said he wants to know more about the department’s plans to “reform those grants.”
US stocks sink again as more companies detail damage from Trump’s trade war
Artificial intelligence mania is losing more steam and more companies are scrubbing forecasts amid Trump's tariffs uncertainty.
The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite were down more than 1% in morning trading. Palantir Technologies, which offers an AI platform for customers, was falling 13.5%, and Nvidia was down 2.4%.
House speaker responds to Trump’s ‘fewer dolls’ statement
Reporters caught up with Mike Johnson in a Capitol hallway on Monday, and one asked about Trump saying that some kids may have fewer dolls or pencils and stroller prices may go up as a result of his tariffs policy.
“Is that the message that you want to send to the American public?” the Republican leader was asked.
“We had to disrupt the system and we’re gonna have the desired results,” Johnson responded. “So whatever short term of disruption there is or or discomfort, I think what he’s trying to say there, I think, is that it will well pay off in the long run and I think that will happen sooner than many people anticipate.”
Trump isn’t backing down against media coverage of Kilmar Abrego Garcia deportation
Despicable. Unpatriotic. All wrong. No credibility. Sensationalistic. Disgusting.
All labels that Trump or his loyalists have used to describe media coverage of his administration’s deportation of the asylum-seeker in Maryland to a Salvadoran prison.
With media covering Abrego Garcia’s removal as a test case about the absence of due process, the White House has attacked the man’s character and said he shouldn’t be allowed to stay, said Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of Hofstra University’s communication school.
“The song is the same,” said former CNN Washington bureau chief Frank Sesno, “but the volume is a lot louder.
▶ Read more about media coverage of the White House
One of Trump’s golf courses in Scotland to host a European tour event
Trump International Golf Links Scotland will stage the Scottish Championship from Aug. 7-10 after being added to the 2025 schedule by the tour on Tuesday. The course also will return as a seniors tour host.
Trump Organization vice president Eric Trump called these back-to-back events a “significant milestone.” The course has a panoramic view of offshore wind turbines that Trump has criticized as “unsightly” view-spoilers for his luxury guests.
The other course, Trump Turnberry, hasn’t staged a British Open since 2009, despite Trump’s lobbying.
Carney said he’ll fight for Canada ahead of Trump meeting. Some said he should have stayed home
These Oval Office meetings have been challenging for world leaders. The United Kingdom's prime minister, Keir Starmer, engaged in a charm offensive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was met by Trump with anger.
“We’ve seen what he does. We saw what he did with Zelenskyy,” said Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto. “He would sure as hell try to do the same with Carney. It’s not in Carney’s interest. It’s not in Canada’s interest.”
Carney said ahead of Tuesday’s Oval Office encounter that he was elected specifically to “stand up” to the U.S. president, and that he expected they’ll have “difficult” but “constructive” conversations at their White House lunch.
A bipartisan group of Trump critics launches the ‘Cost Coalition’
According to preliminary plans shared with The Associated Press, the coalition’s messaging will include paid advertising, social media, press interviews and on-the-ground events with small business leaders, veterans and the faith community ahead of key elections.
Republican Terry Holt and Democrat Andrew Bates, both former presidential spokespersons, will lead communications. The nonprofit with a hybrid political action committee won’t have to publicly disclose all its funding sources.
“In 100 days, Donald Trump put the best-performing economy in the world on a crash course toward recession. Trump’s tariffs — the biggest middle class tax hike in modern history — are making everyday prices skyrocket and wreaking havoc for businesses large and small,” Holt and Bates said in a joint statement. “Next up are grossly inflationary tax cuts for the wealthy that will only saddle future generations with staggering debt.”
▶ Read more about the Cost Coalition
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP