Page 7 - White House

Federal Reserve leaves interest rates unchanged even as Trump demands cuts

The Federal Reserve left its key short-term interest rate unchanged for the fifth time this year, brushing off repeated calls from President Donald Trump for a cut. The Fed's decision Wednesday leaves its key short-term rate at about 4.3 per cent, where it has stood after the central bank reduced it three times last year. Chair Jerome Powell has said the Fed would likely have cut rates already if not for Trump's sweeping tariffs. Powell and other Fed officials say they want to see how Trump's duties on imports will impact inflation and the broader economy. So far the duties have lifted costs of some goods, such as appliances, furniture, and toys, and overall inflation has risen a bit, though less than many economists had expected. There were some signs of splits in the Fed's ranks: Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman voted to reduce borrowing costs, while 9 officials, including Powell, favoured standing pat. It is the first time in more than three decades that two of t

Harvard to submit staff employment forms amid federal scrutiny drive

Harvard said it won't share records for students employed in roles only available to students and that it's evaluating whether such a request complies with privacy protection obligations

Trump struggles to shake off Epstein scandal once stoked by his own allies

Despite the sun bearing down on him and the sweat beading across his face, President Donald Trump still lingered with reporters lined up outside the White House on Friday. He was leaving on a trip to Scotland, where he would visit his golf courses, and he wanted to talk about how his administration just finished the best six months ever. But over and over, the journalists kept asking Trump about the Jeffrey Epstein case and whether he would pardon the disgraced financier's imprisoned accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. People should really focus on how well the country is doing, Trump insisted. He shut down another question by saying, I don't want to talk about that. It was another example of how the Epstein saga and his administration's disjointed approach to it has shadowed Trump when he's otherwise at the height of his influence. He's enacted a vast legislative agenda, reached trade deals with key countries and tightened his grip across the federal government. Yet he's struggled t

Bondi told Trump in May his name appeared multiple times in Epstein files

Trump was briefed in May on his name appearing in Epstein files. During the meeting, Bondi also told Trump that names of several other high-profile individuals had been mentioned in the files

White House to launch plan to boost US AI globally, limit foreign curbs

The plan will 'focus on empowering American workers through AI-enabled job creation and industry breakthroughs'

WHCA slams White House for excluding WSJ from Scotland trip over coverage

The press pool, made up of journalists from multiple outlets who travel with the President and report for the wider White House press corps, is facing growing pressure from the Trump administration

Trump 'caught off guard' by Israeli strikes in Syria, Gaza: White House

President Donald Trump was caught off guard by the recent Israeli strikes in Syria and on a Catholic church in Gaza, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday. Her comments were a rare suggestion of daylight between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who have often been aligned on politics and foreign policy, particularly with the recent attacks on Iran's nuclear programme. However, Trump is pushing for an end to the war in Gaza and trying to support the new Syrian government as the country emerges from years of civil war, and Israeli military operations have threatened to complicate those initiatives. An Israeli attack last week hit the Gaza Strip's only Catholic church, killing three people and stirring outrage. In addition, Israel intervened during the latest outbreak of sectarian violence in Syria, even bombing the capital, Damascus. Leavitt told reporters that Trump has a good working relationship with Netanyahu but he was caught off guard by t

Trump diagnosed with CVI: What it means and signs to never ignore

Chronic venous insufficiency affects blood flow in the legs and may lead to clots, ulcers, and skin changes - experts urge timely screening after Trump's recent diagnosis

Trump checked for lower leg swelling, diagnosed with common vein condition

President Donald Trump recently underwent a medical checkup after noticing "mild swelling" in his lower legs and was found to have a condition common in older adults that causes blood to pool in his veins, the White House has said. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that tests by the White House medical unit showed that Trump has chronic venous insufficiency, which occurs when little valves inside the veins that normally help move blood against gravity gradually lose the ability to work properly. Leavitt also addressed bruising on the back of Trump's hand, seen in recent photos covered by makeup that was not an exact match to his skin tone. She said the bruising was "consistent" with irritation from his "frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin". Trump takes aspirin to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. She said during her press briefing that her disclosure of Trump's medical checkup was meant to dispel recent speculation about the 79-year-old president's

Trump proposed reopening Alcatraz for migrant detainees: White House

Leavitt, while addressing the weekly press briefing, said that following through Trump's suggestion, the two went to recce the site, which may also house illegal immigrants awaiting deportation

Trump still supports Syria's pathway to peaceful country: White House

In a weekly White House Press briefing on Thursday (local time), Leavitt said that after the US' intervention, the clashes are de-escalating in the region

White House denies reports of Trump's planned visit to Pak in September

White House denies Trump's visit to Pakistan, TV channels withdraw false reports; Trump set to visit UK in September

Trump hosts Gulf leaders as Israel-Syria violence clouds peace efforts

President Donald Trump is hosting a pair of Arab Gulf leaders at the White House on Wednesday as violence between Israel and Syria renewed doubts about his pledge to impose peace in the Middle East. Trump held a meeting in the Oval Office with Bahrain's crown prince and was set to have dinner with Qatar's prime minister. The Republican president has lavished attention on the Gulf, a wealthy region where members of his family have extensive business relationships. He has already visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the first foreign policy trip of his second term. With little progress to share on the region's most intractable problems, including the war in Gaza, Trump was more focused Wednesday on promoting diplomatic ties as a vehicle for economic growth. Anything they needed, we helped them, Trump said in the Oval Office while meeting with Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. And anything we needed, they helped us. Meeting with Bahrain's crown

2024: Could the US presidential election have gone any other way?

The authors end up arguing that things were not so fated, but reading what they have to report, I couldn't help feeling those political insiders had a point

White House ups pressure on Fed chair by targeting central bank renovation

President Donald Trump is escalating his pressure campaign to get the Federal Reserve chairman to either lower interest rates or quit his post by targeting the expensive renovation at the central bank's headquarters. The latest step came Thursday when Russ Vought, Trump's top budget adviser, sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell saying the president is extremely troubled that plans may have violated government building rules with an ostentatious overhaul. Trump also named two close aides to an obscure commission who plan to review the Federal Reserve building plans another avenue to increase scrutiny on Powell, whose eight-year term formally ends next May. This follows a near-daily drumbeat of criticism that Trump has leveled at Powell, whom he has disparaged as a very stupid person who should resign immediately. It's an unprecedented attempt to reshape the Federal Reserve's traditional role as an autonomous arbiter of US monetary policy. If successful in getting

Donald Trump's birthright citizenship limits blocked again by judge

A preliminary injunction was granted Thursday by US Judge Joseph Laplante in New Hampshire, restricting enforcement of Trump's order while the case proceeds

Jeffrey Epstein 'client list' does not exist, says Justice Department

Jeffrey Epstein did not maintain a client list, the Justice Department acknowledged Monday as it said no more files related to the wealthy financier's sex trafficking investigation would be made public despite promises from Attorney General Pam Bondi that had raised the expectations of conservative influencers and conspiracy theorists. The acknowledgment that the well-connected Epstein did not have a list of clients to whom underage girls were trafficked represents a public walk-back of a theory that the Trump administration had helped promote, with Bondi suggesting in a Fox News interview earlier this year that such a document was sitting on my desk for review. Even as it released video from inside a New York jail meant to definitively prove that Epstein killed himself, the department also said in a memo that it was refusing to disclose other evidence investigators had collected. Bondi for weeks had suggested more material was going to be revealed "It's a new administration and ...

Trump believes Brics seeking to 'undermine' US interests: White House

While addressing a press briefing on Monday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump will take any necessary action to prevent nations from taking 'advantage of the US' and its people

MEA denies claims of White House rejecting Jaishankar's bid to meet Trump

The rebuttal from Ministry of External Affairs came in response to a post on social media platform X alleging that Trump declined to meet Jaishankar due to scheduling constraints

Trump to celebrate 250 years of independence with UFC fight at White House

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he's thinking of staging a UFC match on the White House grounds with upwards 20,000 spectators to celebrate 250 years of American independence. We have a lot of land there, said Trump, a UFC enthusiast who has attended several of its mixed martial arts matches in recent months and is close friends with Dana White, the league's president. Trump announced his plan in Iowa during the kickoff for a year's worth of festivities to celebrate America's 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. The Republican president also announced a culminating festival on the National Mall in Washington, and a separate athletic competition featuring high school athletes from across the country. So every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honour of America 250. And I even think we're going to have a UFC fight," Trump said. "Think of this on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there," he said, ad