Page 21 - Donald Trump

An unreasonable Bill: Tariffs on Russian oil importers make no sense

A proposed US Bill targeting buyers of Russian oil could disrupt India's energy security and trade, even as West Asia tensions threaten global oil supplies

China, Xi seen more favourably than US, Trump in many nations: Survey

The world has largely viewed the US more favourably than China for years, but those opinions have flipped in Beijing's favour this year, according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center, a remarkable shift driven in part by tensions between the Trump administration and US allies. More people have favourable views of China than the US in 25 out of the 36 countries and territories that were surveyed, including Canada and Mexico. The poll was conducted from February to May, a period when the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran. In only six countries do people still see the US more positively than China, according to the findings released Wednesday. Views in 22 out of the 36 countries and territories also are more favourable of Chinese leader Xi Jinping than US President Donald Trump, including in Canada, Mexico and major European powers including France, Germany and the UK However, people in many of the countries have low confidence in both men. It marks the first t

US Mint begins producing $1 Trump coin that will be available in fall

The US Mint has begun producing a new USD 1 coin bearing President Donald Trump's face that will be released in the fall, the Treasury Department said Wednesday. The final design for the commemorative coin to help celebrate America's 250th birthday was approved earlier this year by the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by Trump. But the finished product unveiled Wednesday differs from that version in a few aspects, including that it is not made of gold but rather has a gold finish. The coin is intended "to honour the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X. "Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all." Trump, a Republican, has a penchant for putting his name and likeness in the historical record, following his renaming of the US Institute of Peace, the Kennedy Center performing arts ven

More than half of House Democrats vote to cut Israel aid in growing split

More than half the House Democrats have voted to strip USD 3.3 billion in US aid from Israel, the most substantial signal yet that once rock-solid bipartisan support for the country is disintegrating in the aftermath of its war in Gaza that has killed thousands of Palestinians. Wednesday's vote tally, 104-314, was not enough to attach the amendment to a broader national security spending bill, but stands as a stark accounting of the shifting attitudes that are dividing the Democratic Party and the nation over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war strategy, now approaching its third year. The House's Democratic leadership split over the issue in what was largely seen as a test vote ahead of the US midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. More than 100 Democrats voted for the amendment to strip the foreign military aid money, and almost as many voted against. Most Republicans voted to preserve the Israel aid. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who ...

NYT files motion to quash DOJ subpoenas over Air Force One coverage

The New York Times has filed a motion to quash subpoenas that the Justice Department served on journalists who reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, teeing up a significant court fight over press freedom and the government's ability to force reporters to identify sources. "As we set out in our motion, these subpoenas are brought in bad faith to punish The Times for its coverage. They violate the constitutional rights of The Times and its journalists. We are going to court to defend our journalists' rights to report freely on the administration and to provide the public with stories that matter," David McCraw, the newspaper's senior vice president and deputy general counsel, said in a statement on Wednesday. The filing was made under seal in the Southern District of New York, where the journalists were summoned in subpoenas delivered last Friday to testify before a federal grand jury. The subpoenas, some of which were delivered to reporters at

Fed's Warsh says he has repeatedly told Donald Trump he is independent

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh said President Donald Trump has not tried to influence monetary policy and reaffirmed his commitment to the central bank's independence

India at risk of 100% US tariff for purchases of Russian crude oil

A revised bipartisan US Senate bill proposes a 100 per cent tariff on imports from the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India, while allowing presidential waivers

US military to leave Iraq by end of September, ending 23-year presence

The US military will leave Iraq by the end of September, American and Iraqi officials have said, following a 23-year presence that started with the 2003 invasion against Saddam Hussein and ended with much smaller operations against the Islamic State group. President Donald Trump, standing alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House on Tuesday, said "we don't think we need the military there anymore" and noted Iraq's growing relationships with oil companies. "The relationship is a whole big relationship where we don't need the military," Trump said. "We're there to help them. We're there to protect them if need be. But we don't think that's going to be necessary." Speaking through an interpreter, al-Zaidi said "US forces will be out of Iraq" by Sept. 30, "while US companies will be inside Iraq." The Pentagon said in a subsequent statement that it was reaffirming a 2024 agreement with Iraq to end its mission against IS fighters. Many of the US troops still serving

Trump threatens to strike Iran power plants, bridges next week if no deal

Trump said US would target Iran's power plants and bridges next week unless Tehran resumes negotiations

US cuts India tariff threat from 500% to 100% under Russia sanctions bill

The revised US Senate bill cuts tariffs on buyers of Russian oil-India, China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan-from 500% to 100%, while expanding sanctions on Russia

In Iran, Trump has encountered an opponent he cannot easily dominate

The president is accustomed to forcing other countries to bend to his will, but he is struggling to come up with a strategy to extract Iranian concessions as the cease-fire he brokered collapses

Trump admin orders ICE to suspend most vehicle stops after deadly shootings

Trump administration officials have told Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to suspend most vehicle stops after two deadly shootings in little over a week, according to a person familiar with the matter. The order came a day after an ICE officer shot and killed a Colombian man in Maine, renewing criticism of the agency's tactics during enforcement operations. The suspension is not absolute and there's room for exceptions when executing a criminal warrant or working with partner agencies, according to a person who spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive law enforcement operations. The Department of Homeland Security said an ICE officer, "fearing for public safety," shot and killed the man Monday in the city of Biddeford while officers were watching the home of someone they believed was in the U.S. illegally and had a final order of removal from the country. Hundreds of people protested in Maine on Tuesday over the killing of a Colombian man by an ...

Trump steps back from proposal for Hormuz fees in favour of Gulf deals

Donald Trump abandoned plans to impose a 20 per cent fee on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, saying he would instead seek trade and investment deals with Gulf states

US-Iran tensions flare up again: Is peace slipping away?

Just weeks after the US and Iran signed a ceasefire, fresh military strikes have pushed the agreement to the brink. The biggest flashpoint is the Strait of Hormuz,

Trump's proposed 20% Hormuz fee could cost each oil supertanker $30 mn

Trump's proposed 20% fee on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz could add about $30 million to a fully loaded oil supertanker, raising fresh concerns across global shipping markets

Iran sneaking out tankers via Strait of Hormuz as Trump amps up threats

Iran has continued moving sanctioned oil tankers through Hormuz with transponders switched off, even as the US prepares to reimpose a blockade and tensions in the strategic waterway intensify

Hormuz blockade only for Iran and anybody doing business with them: Trump

Trump announced a renewed naval blockade targeting Iran and vowed more military strikes, as the US resumed operations around the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with Tehran

Iran blockade reinstated, US to charge 20% on Strait of Hormuz cargo: Trump

Donald Trump said the United States would reinstate a naval blockade on Iran and impose a 20 per cent charge on cargo moving through the Strait of Hormuz

Donald Trump says Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic

Trump's comment came even as the US and Iran continue to exchange attacks that have raised concerns about safety

Trump admin subpoenas New York Times reporters after Air Force One stories

The Department of Justice has subpoenaed New York Times journalists after they reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, marking a dramatic escalation of President Donald Trump's campaign against the media that has drawn condemnation for eroding a fundamental freedom of American democracy. The new jet, a present from the US ally that the administration spent USD 400 million on to retrofit and upgrade, entered service last week. But Trump used an older model Air Force One jet to leave a NATO summit in Turkey and later referenced threats against him made by Iran. The subpoenas seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan next week, the Times said, adding that federal agents delivered some subpoenas to the reporters at their homes. They were issued after FBI Director Kash Patel and other Justice Department officials met at the White House on Friday to talk about the matter, according to a person familiar with the ..