Trump Threatens 200% Tariff on Champagne and Wine From Europe
By Jeanna Smialek and Ana Swanson President Trump escalated his trade war with the European Union on Thursday, threatening 200 percent tariffs on European wine and champagne that deepened anxiety among businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. Mr. Trump’s announcement, in which he called the European Union “hostile and abusive,” came a day after the bloc’s leaders unveiled plans to retaliate against a batch of U.S. tariffs that took effect this week by imposing 50 percent tariffs on imports of U.S. whiskey and several other American products. “If this tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200 percent
EPA head announces sweeping plan to revoke dozens of environmental regulations
By Matthew Daly In what he called the “most consequential day of deregulation in American history,” the head of the Environmental Protection Agency announced a series of actions Wednesday to roll back landmark environmental regulations, including rules on pollution from coal-fired power plants, climate change and electric vehicles. “We are driving a dagger through the heart of climate-change religion and ushering in America’s Golden Age,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in an essay in The Wall Street Journal. If approved after a lengthy process that includes public comment, the Trump administration’s actions will eliminate trillions of dollars in regulatory costs and “hidden taxes,” Zeldin
Secretary of state says 83% of USAID programs are being canceled
By Caroline Lenton Secretary of State Marco Rubio said early Monday that 83% of programs funded by U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID , are being canceled, in the latest for the beleaguered agency that provides humanitarian aid overseas and has become the target for the Elon Musk-helmed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE . Rubio said on his personal X account that the cancellations come after a six-week review, and that “the 5200 contracts that are now cancelled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the
Democratic Attorneys General Sue Over Gutting of Education Department
By Hurubie Meko and Troy Closson A coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration on Thursday, two days after the Education Department fired more than 1,300 workers, purging people who administer grants and track student achievement across America. The group, led by New York’s Letitia James, sued the administration in a Massachusetts federal court, saying that the dismissals were “illegal and unconstitutional.” “Firing half of the Department of Education’s work force will hurt students throughout New York and the nation, especially low-income students and those with disabilities who rely on federal funding,” Ms. James said in a news release. “This
Schumer Says Enough Democrats Will Vote to Avert Government Shutdown
By Carl Hulse Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, broke with his party on Thursday and lined up enough Democrats to advance a Republican-written bill to keep federal funding flowing past a midnight Friday deadline, arguing that Democrats could not allow a government shutdown that many of them have demanded. During a private luncheon with Democrats, Mr. Schumer stunned many of his colleagues by announcing that he planned to vote to allow the G.O.P. bill to move forward, and indicated that he had enough votes to help Republicans break any filibuster by his own party against the
Trump pledges to match EU and Canada’s retaliatory tariffs
By Natalie Sherman US President Donald Trump has pledged to impose more tariffs after his latest move to introduce import taxes on steel and aluminium entering the US prompted retaliation from the European Union (EU) and Canada. Trump said that “of course” he would respond to the countermeasures, repeating his warning to reveal “reciprocal” tariffs next month on countries around the world. “Whatever they charge us with, we’re charging them,” he said. The threat marked a further escalation of a trade war which has rattled financial markets amid concerns over the impact on the economies and consumers in many countries
Trump Promised Americans Booming Wealth. Now He’s Changing His Tune.
By Tyler Pager As a presidential candidate, Donald J. Trump promised an economic “boom like no other.” But eight weeks into his presidency, Mr. Trump is refusing to rule out a recession — a striking change in tone and message for a man who rode widespread economic dissatisfaction to the White House by promising to “make America affordable again.” His comments come as the stock market is tumbling — the S&P 500 fell 2.7 percent Monday after falling 3.1 percent last week — and business leaders are spooked about the uncertainty over his tariffs. Even some Republicans, who fear retribution if they
Federal judge orders Trump administration to pay ‘unlawfully’ restricted USAID funds
By Breanne Deppisch A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to pay the remainder of foreign aid owed to contractors for completed work, noting in a new court ruling that the administration likely violated the separation of powers doctrine by “unlawfully impounding” nearly $2 billion in funds appropriated by Congress. U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali, a Biden appointee, said in the ruling that the Trump administration likely exceeded its constitutional authority in attempting to block the payments owed by the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to grant recipients and foreign aid contractors. “Here, the
US Senate Democrats debate path forward on government funding bill
By Richard Cowen U.S. Senate Democrats were wrestling on Wednesday with how to respond to a stopgap funding bill passed by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, choosing between voting for a bill many of them oppose or allowing a government shutdown. President Donald Trump’s Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, but would need the support of at least some Democrats to meet the chamber’s 60-vote threshold to pass most legislation. It could vote on the measure as soon as Wednesday, depending on Democrats’ plans, a source familiar with the Senate Republican discussions said. “There’s a lot of discussion,” said Senator Angus King, an independent
Trump says GOP Rep. Thomas Massie ‘SHOULD BE PRIMARIED’ for opposing measure to avert government shutdown
By Victor Nava President Trump on Monday called for a fellow Republican to challenge Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) in a primary election over the congressman’s opposition to a continuing resolution that would keep the government from shutting down. Massie, a hardline conservative, has pledged to vote against a Trump-backed measure that would increase defense spending while decreasing most non-defense spending below 2024 levels through the end of September. The bill, which cleared the House Rules Committee on Monday, has earned the support of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and would avert a government shutdown from taking place at midnight Friday if it passes