Page 18 - Donald Trump

US national debt crosses record $40 trn, five months after it hit $39 trn

The national debt surpassed a record USD 40 trillion on Wednesday, a staggering milestone as defense costs, social programs like Social Security and Medicare and interest on the burgeoning deficit to make up an enormous share of federal spending. The milestone figure was recorded just five months after the US hit a record USD 39 trillion debt in March. It reached USD 38 trillion five months before that, in October. The unprecedented USD 40 trillion figure highlights competing administration priorities, from boosting the defense spending that the US relies on to carry out President Donald Trump's almost-6-month-old Iran war to lowering the cost of gas and groceries. Kush Desai, a White House spokesman, said the Trump administration "has been focused on slashing waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending while accelerating economic growth to get America's debt-to-GDP ratio trending in the right direction." However, experts say the exploding debt and the latest record milestone is ..

Trump warns Iran of 'draconian' sanctions, claims Hormuz blockade holds

US President Donald Trump said Washington could impose further sanctions on Iran, while claiming the Strait of Hormuz remains open and the naval blockade has been 100% effective

Trump claims over 24,000 noncitizens voted illegally in 2020 US election

His remarks came after his endorsement of the proposed SAVE America Act, introduced in Congress on January 29, which aims to overhaul federal voting standards in US

South Korean, US militaries shorten drills after Trump ordered reduction

The South Korean and US militaries have agreed to shorten their drills at the US's request, South Korean officials said Wednesday, days after President Donald Trump ordered cuts to the exercises. The allies' summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises began Monday morning for an 11-day run, just after Trump ordered his Pentagon chief to "substantially reduce" them. Trump cited what he said was a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's refusal to join the US war against Iran. South Korea's military said in a statement the ongoing drills with the US would end Friday, not Aug. 27 as initially planned. It said the allies also agreed to downsize some joint field training exercises. Many experts say Trump's move threatens to hurt combined US-South Korean readiness and eventually weaken their decades-long alliance. Ulchi Freedom Shield is largely a computer-simulated command post exercise meant to hone the allies' ability to deal with potential regional ...

US, Canada reach deal to delay 50% tariffs on Canadian imports: Trump

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was delaying the 50 per cent US tariffs on USD 20 billion worth of Canadian imports after the two countries reached a last-minute deal hours before the sanctions were to go into effect. The announcement, which Trump made on his social media platform, buys time for more negotiations and avoids, for now, another strain in already tense relations between the historic allies. "I have paused the 50 per cent Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the USA., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!" Trump posted on Truth Social less than two hours before the 12.01 am. Wednesday deadline. Trump's import taxes would have hit about 5 per cent of what Canada ships to the United States every year, including products ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. But the political impact would likely have been bigger than the economic one. Canada had .

Threatening friends and courting enemies in Trump's 'upside-down world'

The president's hostility to allies like Oman, Canada, South Korea, and his affection for adversaries like North Korea, may still shock some. But it comes as little surprise after a decade of upheaval

Trump says no talks are taking place with Iran and none are scheduled

There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Trump said

Trump cites India's electoral system to push for SAVE America Act

India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar recently asked the US administration how elections in America can be held without a valid photo identification card, President Donald Trump said, making a case for mandatory photo IDs for every US voter to curb "electoral fraud". Trump, in a post on Truth Social, further said less than one per cent of voters in India used postal ballots in the recent general elections, and every voter had a valid photo identity document. The US president made these remarks to drum up support for the SAVE America Act which would require Americans to show proof of citizenship to register to vote, impose a nationwide voter identification requirement and severely limit voting by mail. "Earlier this month, India's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration - How can you have Elections in the US without a valid Photo ID," Trump wrote. "India's last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than one per cent voted by mail, and every ..

Is the American dream losing its allure for Asia's brightest students?

In July, the White House issued a rule that eliminates the system that allowed foreign pupils to remain in the country, as long as they maintained their student status

Facing quagmire in Iran, Trump turns to familiar face Kim Jong-un

Seven years ago, President Trump failed to disarm North Korea and walked away. Could the same thing happen with Iran?

Trump threatens Oman as it works with Iran on Strait of Hormuz deal

US President Donald Trump has again threatened Oman as Iran says it is working with the Gulf Arab country on a plan to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the 60-day negotiating period to find a peace deal between the US and Iran is expiring, with no word of an extension and both sides seemingly as far apart as they were at the start. Here's a look at the latest developments in the Iran war: Finalising deal with Oman on Strait of Hormuz: Iran ------------------------------------------------------------- Iran said it has reached an agreement with Oman over a plan for ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz, which runs between the two countries, and they are now working to finalise details for a joint statement. Iran foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that "an understanding has been reached regarding the map of the transit route." He did not elaborate, but details that have previously emerged suggest the deal would reopen the s

US Supreme Court again rebuffs Trump in $5 million E Jean Carroll case

Trump denied Carroll's claims and asserted that she lied both in 2019 and again in 2022, while he was out of office

UK PM Burnham exchanged messages with impersonator posing as Trump's aide

Andy Burnham communicated with someone posing as White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, an incident on which Downing Street has declined to comment

Big, bold step: Trump welcomes Saudi-Turkey-Pak defence pact amid Iran war

US President Donald Trump has termed the Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Pakistan defence agreement a "big, bold and important first step" towards defending themselves in a "more meaningful way". Trump's remarks on Sunday came days after the three nations signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement -- holding any armed offensive against any of the three countries an attack against all of them. "Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. It shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Congratulations to the Great Leadership of the three Nations mentioned. THIS IS A BIG, BOLD, AND IMPORTANT FIRST STEP - WOW," Trump wrote. The agreement was signed August 7 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. India said

Trump orders Pentagon to scale back US-South Korea joint military drills

President Donald Trump on Sunday ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea after he said it declined to help denuclearise Iran. The announcement comes days before one of two scheduled large-scale joint annual exercises between South Korean and US troops are set to begin this week . It also comes just days after North Korea resumed ballistic missile testing activities that are banned by the UN. The allies have said the 11-day exercises are meant to strengthen their readiness against threats from North Korea, and reiterated that they are defensive in nature.

Trump weighs more economic pressure on Iran: What are his options?

Recent measures have targeted Iran's shadow oil fleet; shipping insurers; freezing an estimated $500 billion in ‌Iran-linked cryptocurrency

German firms cut US investment to 3-yr low amid Trump's uncertain policies

First-half direct investments plunged by ‌nearly two-thirds year-on-year to €4.3 billion ($5 billion), the ​lowest level since 2023, according to ​calculations by the German Economic Institute

Trump's Iran war pulls US carrier from Pacific as China steps up pressure

President Donald Trump's war against Iran is stretching the limits of US aircraft carriers and leaving the western Pacific without one of the key American warships as China shows more signs of aggression. The USS George Washington is departing the Pacific and expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East amid growing concerns about mental health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed carrier. The Lincoln has had its time at sea extended from its original May return date to support operations against Iran. The lack of a US carrier in the Pacific may be short-lived if the Navy deploys another in the next couple of months. But it shows how the open-ended operations with Iran are running some American sailors ragged, analysts say, while the Trump administration further retreats from the Asia-Pacific region and focuses on the Western Hemisphere. "The administration says that the Pacific is supposed to be the most important behind the Western Hemisphere," said Greg ..

Trump dismisses concerns over USS Abraham Lincoln crew's long deployment

Families of sailors and Marines aboard the aircraft carrier have raised concerns over food shortages, contaminated water and poor living conditions as its West Asia deployment nears nine months

Will declare Strait of Hormuz 'US territory' after defeating Iran: Trump

Trump had earlier claimed that the US exercised "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and that he "will keep it" amid stalled negotiations with Iran regarding the reopening of the strategic route