Page 9 - Donald Trump Administration

EU hits pause on US trade deal after Trump announces 15% global tariff

Frustrated European officials pushed Monday for clarification on how US President Donald Trump's declaration of a 15 per cent global tax on imports would affect the trade deal they struck with Trump this summer as EU legislators hit pause on the deal's ratification until they get clarity. The European Parliament's trade committee postponed a committee vote on ratification after Trump said he would impose the new tariff, after the US Supreme Court struck down his use of an emergency powers law to set new import taxes. Trump then turned to another section of trade law to justify his imposition of the 15 per cent global rate, which take effect Tuesday. The EU position is expressed in five words: "A deal is a deal," said commission spokesman Olof Gill. "So now we are simply saying to the US, it is up to you to clearly show to us what path you are taking to honor the agreement." The US-EU deal called for a 15 per cent cap on tariffs on most European goods imports, while tariffs on US ...

US sheds light on its allegation of Chinese nuclear test, fear of arms race

A US official focusing on arms control on Monday provided what he called new, declassified details of a Chinese underground nuclear test nearly six years ago and urged countries to press China and Russia to do more on nuclear disarmament. Christopher Yeaw, assistant secretary of state for the bureau of arms control and nonproliferation, spoke to a UN-backed body after the last nuclear arms pact between the United States and Russia expired this month. That has ended limits on the arsenals of the world's biggest nuclear powers and raised concerns about a possible new arms race. Yeaw called for greater transparency from China and pointed to some shortcomings of the New START treaty, such as that it didn't address Russia's large arsenal of nonstrategic nuclear weapons - which counts up to 2,000 warheads. "But perhaps its greatest flaw was that New START did not account for the unprecedented, deliberate, rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup by China," he told the UN-backed Conference

Three killed as US military strikes alleged drug boat in Caribbean Sea

The US military said it killed three people Monday in a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea as part of the Trump administration's months-long campaign against alleged traffickers. Monday's attack brought the death toll to at least 151 people since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls "narcoterrorists" in small vessels in early September. As with most of the military's statements on the more than 40 known strikes, US Southern Command said it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs but posted a video on X that showed a small boat with outboard engines being destroyed. "Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," Southern Command stated in a post on X. "Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action." President Donald Trump

Iran prepares nuclear counterproposal as Trump weighs military strikes

Iranian FM did not give specific timing for when Iran would deliver its counterproposal to Witkoff and Kushner but said a diplomatic deal could be achieved 'in a very short period of time'

For Europe Inc, US tariff relief brings unexpected trade uncertainty

Many firms cautioned that Trump could pursue other avenues to impose similar tariffs, reducing the benefit of lower levies, while tariff refunds are likely to be difficult to obtain

US military strikes another alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific, killing 3

The US military said Friday that it has carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. US Southern Command said on social media that the boat "was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations." It said the strike killed three people. A video linked to the post shows a boat floating in the water before bursting into flames. Friday's attack raises the death toll from the Trump administration's strikes on alleged drug boats to at least 148 people in at least 43 attacks carried out since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. President Donald Trump has said the US is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing "narcoterrorists." Critics have questioned the overa

Mexico, Canada secure exemption from 10% US levy, but USMCA risks remain

Mexican and Canadian officials know that even if using IEEPA is out, the Trump administration is ready to employ other tactics to gain an edge over them

US revokes visas for Chilean minister, two officials over China cable plan

The rare move comes less than a month before the inauguration of right-wing President-elect Jose Antonio Kast, a close White House ally

Trump invokes 1974 trade law to impose 10% global tariff after SC setback

US President invokes Section 122 to impose 150-day import surcharge from February 24, citing a widening balance-of-payments deficit after Supreme Court strikes down reciprocal tariffs

New US govt order could lead to detention of thousands of legal refugees

The Trump administration has issued a sweeping new order that could lead to the arrest of tens of thousands of refugees who are lawfully in the United States but do not yet have permanent residency, overturning years of legal and immigration safeguards. A memo filed by the Department of Homeland Security ahead of a Thursday federal court hearing in Minnesota says refugees applying for green cards must return to federal custody one year after they were admitted to the US for review of their applications. DHS "may maintain custody for the duration of the inspection and examination process," said the memo, which was filed Wednesday. Advocacy and resettlement groups slammed the order, which will likely face legal challenges and could sow confusion and fear among the nearly 200,000 refugees who came to the United States during the Biden administration. The order is the latest in a series of immigration restrictions by the Trump administration, which has upended longstanding policies tow

Would love to have China, Russia on Gaza Board of Peace, says Trump

Both Russia and China have received the invitation from Trump, but have not announced any decision about joining the board

US pays $160 million of $4 billion it owes to UN, Trump promises more funds

The United States has paid about USD 160 million of the nearly USD 4 billion it owes the United Nations, the UN said Thursday, and President Donald Trump promised more money to the financially strapped world organization. The Trump administration's payment last week is earmarked for the UN's regular operating budget, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told The Associated Press. The UN has said the United States owes USD 2.19 billion to its regular budget, including USD 767 million for this year, as well as USD 1.8 billion to a separate budget for the far-flung UN peacekeeping operations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned late last month that the world body faces "imminent financial collapse" unless its financial rules are overhauled or all 193 member nations pay their dues, a message clearly directed at the United States. He said in a letter to all member nations that cash for the regular budget could run out by July, which could dramatically affect UN operations. U.N. ...

DC mayor declares emergency, asks Trump for help over Potomac sewage spill

Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser declared an emergency on Wednesday and requested that President Donald Trump provide federal resources to help the city fight a sewage system leak that dumped 250 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River in its early stages. "Our number one priority is the district, and that we're going to utilize all resources, local, federal, and regional, or otherwise, to support operations of the district and what's best for district residents," said DC Deputy Mayor Lindsey Appiah in a press call announcing the mayor's action. The local declaration is asking the president to issue a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration. It seeks full reimbursement for the money the city and local utility DC Water are spending on repairs. Among actions, the declaration would "direct FEMA to establish a regular interagency coordination calls among federal agencies, affected states, and the District to maintain shared situational awareness and align federal ...

Trump asks UK PM Starmer not to 'give away Diego Garcia' amid Iran threat

Trump said that the US might use Diego Garcia to eradicate a potential attack by Iran in case it does not agree to a nuclear deal following the talks in Geneva

Trump to chair Board of Peace meeting today, discuss security in Gaza

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that member states of the newly formed Board of Peace have pledged over $5 billion towards humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Gaza

Epstein donated to Harvard-linked student group for years after conviction

From 2013 until his death, Epstein donated at least $375,000 to the organisation, the Justice Department documents show

Trump admin's top sanctions official set to leave after Bessent tension

Hurley's expected departure as Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence follows months of internal tension over the tactics and targets of US sanctions policy

Only 'small' security force to stay in Minnesota, says Trump's border czar

White House border czar Tom Homan said Sunday that more than 1,000 immigration agents have left Minnesota's Twin Cities area and hundreds more will depart in the days ahead as part of the Trump administration's drawdown of its immigration enforcement surge. A "small" security force will stay for a short period to protect remaining immigration agents and will respond "when our agents are out and they get surrounded by agitators and things got out of control," Homan told CBS' "Face the Nation." He did not define "small". He also said agents will keep investigating fraud allegations as well as the anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a church service. "We already removed well over 1,000 people, and as of Monday, Tuesday, we'll remove several hundred more," Homan said. "We'll get back to the original footprint." Thousands of officers were sent to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's "Operation Metro Surge." The ...

US DOJ sues Harvard for failing to provide data on race in admissions probe

The university said it has complied with civil rights law under a 2023 Supreme Court decision, which effectively barred universities from using race as a factor in university admissions

Ford CEO discusses China-US carmaking JV framework with Trump officials

The discussion took place days after President Donald Trump indicated that he'd be open to allowing Chinese automakers into the US if they built plants and hired Americans