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What is the state of play with Trump's tariffs?
With sweeping tariffs on friend and foe, US President Donald Trump has roiled financial markets and sparked a surge in economic uncertainty -- and tensions are mounting days before a fresh volley of higher duties are due to kick in.Here is a rundown of what Trump has implemented in his second presidency, with levies on dozens of economies set to bounce from 10 percent to a range between 11 percent and 50 percent on Wednesday.- Global tariffs -While Trump imposed a 10 percent tariff on most US trading partners in April, the rate is set to rise for dozens of economies including the European Union and Japan come Wednesday.To avoid higher levies, countries have been rushing to strike deals with Washington.So far, the UK and Vietnam have struck pacts with the United States, while China has managed to temporarily lower tit-for-tat duties.There are notable exceptions to the duty.Immediate US neighbors Canada and Mexico, which were separately targeted over illegal immigration and fentanyl, are not affected by the 10 percent global tariff.Also off the hook are copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber -- although these are sectors that Trump is mulling levies on. Gold and silver, as well as energy commodities, are excluded too.- China focus -China has borne the brunt of Trump's levies. The world's two biggest economies engaged in an escalating tariffs war this year before a temporary pullback.Both sides imposed triple-digit tariffs on each other's goods at one point, a level effectively described as a trade embargo.After high level talks, Washington agreed to lower its levies on Chinese goods to 30 percent and Beijing slashed its own to 10 percent.The US level is higher as it includes a 20 percent tariff imposed over China's alleged role in the global fentanyl trade.- Autos, metals -Trump has also targeted individual business sectors in his second term.In March, he imposed a 25 percent levy on steel and aluminum imports and last month doubled them to 50 percent.He has also rolled out a 25 percent tariff on imported autos, although those imported under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) can qualify for a lower levy.Trump's auto tariffs impact vehicle parts too, while the president has issued rules to ensure automakers paying vehicle tariffs will not also be charged for certain other duties.- Canada, Mexico -Canadian and Mexican products were initially hard hit by 25 percent US tariffs, with a lower rate for Canadian energy.Trump targeted both neighbors saying they did not do enough on illegal immigration and the flow of illicit drugs across borders.But he eventually announced exemptions for goods entering his country under the USMCA, covering large swaths of products. Potash, used as fertilizer, got a lower rate as well.- Other threats -Beyond expansive tariffs on Chinese products, Trump ordered the closure of a duty-free exemption for low-value parcels from the country. This adds to the cost of importing items like clothing and small electronics.Trump has also opened the door for 25 percent tariffs on goods from countries importing Venezuelan oil. He has threatened similar "secondary tariffs" involving Russian oil.And he has ordered investigations into imports of copper, lumber, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and critical minerals that could eventually bring new duties.- Legal challenges -Trump's sweeping tariffs on countries have faced legal challenges. The US Court of International Trade ruled in May that Trump had overstepped his authority with across-the-board global levies.It blocked many of the duties from going into effect, prompting the Trump administration's challenge, and a US federal appeals court has since allowed the duties to remain while it considers the case.
France unveils mural throwing shade at America for July 4th
The U.S. Independence Day holiday motivated a new mural in France that shames America. While France was once a key ally in the Revolutionary War against Britain, it is now shaming the U.S. with a massive mural of Lady Liberty covering her eyes with mortification. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France after the U.S. Civil War, recalled the National Parks Service. The mural is titled "The Statue of Liberty's Silent Protest" and was created by Dutch artist Judith de Leeuw. In an interview, Leeuw revealed to Storyful that it is meant to reflect shame for the United States over President Donald Trump's immigration policies, a USA Today video said. A bronze plaque inside the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty reads, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," from the sonnet "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus. "With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand. A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame; Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name; Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command. The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame," it continues. Her poem was meant to help raise money to construct the pedestal for the statue. Lazarus was involved in helping bring Jewish refugees fleeing antisemitic pogroms from Eastern Europe to the U.S. at the time and she saw the Statue of Liberty as an inspiration for migrants fleeing to the welcoming arms of the United States. In a post on Instagram, Leeuw explained that the Statue of Liberty was a "celebration of friendship, and given in the name of Independence Day — a day meant to honor the right to freedom for all.""But today, that freedom feels out of reach. Not for everyone. Not for migrants. Not for those pushed to the margins, silenced, or unseen," she continued. "In Roubaix — a city with one of France’s largest migrant populations — I painted her covering her eyes, because the weight of the world has become too heavy to witness. What was once a shining symbol of liberty now carries the sorrow of lost meaning. The project was finished on July 4th — Independence Day. A quiet reminder of what freedom should be."The mural took six days to complete and was unveiled the day before the United States' Independence Day. However, the artist called the unveiling on July 3, a "meaningful coincidence." See the mural in the video from the artist below or at the link here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by judith de leeuw (@jdlstreetart)
Hegseth 'blindsided' State Dept. with weapons claim: NBC
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly the one responsible for halting aid to Ukraine, blindsiding the U.S. State Department. According to NBC News, no one, including members of Congress, officials in Kyiv, and allies in Europe, knew that the allocated aid was going to be paused, officials said. Hegseth claimed that sending Ukraine U.S. stockpiles was putting the military at risk of having fewer weapons in the event of war.Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), however, called the claim disingenuous. “We are not at any lower point, stockpile-wise, than we’ve been in the 3½ years of the Ukraine conflict,” said Smith, who is the ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee. He explained that his staff has "seen the numbers" and that there was no evidence of a shortage that would stop the aid shipments. President Donald Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday morning. However, three congressional aids and one former U.S. official said that was a "unilateral" decision from Hegseth. “We can’t give weapons to everybody all around the world,” said Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell on Wednesday. “Part of our job is to give the president a framework that he can use to evaluate how many munitions we have where we’re sending them. And that review process is happening right now and is ongoing.”The weaponry was already in Europe and had been loaded onto trucks aimed for Kyiv when Hegseth stopped it at the last minute, two sources told NBC. Read the full report here.
UNAids chief ‘shaken and disgusted’ by US cuts that will mean millions more deaths
Winnie Byanyima tells the Guardian she considered resigning when Donald Trump cancelled Pepfar fundingThe head of the global agency tackling Aids says she expects HIV rates to soar and deaths to multiply in the next four years as a direct impact of the “seismic” US cuts to aid spending.Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAids, said that if the funding permanently disappeared, the world faced an additional 6 million HIV infections and 4 million Aids-related deaths by 2029. Continue reading...
'Why does he look so well?' Salvadoran leader disputes migrant's 'torture' claim
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador pushed back on claims made by Kilmar Abrego Garcia through his lawyers that he was tortured while he was housed in the country's infamous CECOT prison. In a court filing on Wednesday, Abrego Garcia claimed that he was physically abused, mentally tortured, and sleep deprived while he stayed at CECOT. His lawyers said they are working with him to file a more detailed account of his stay. The story Abrego Garcia's lawyers are telling didn't sit well with Bukele. The president posted on X a more than three-minute video clip with pictures of Abrego Garcia at CECOT. "If he’d been tortured, sleep-deprived, and starved, why does he look so well in every picture? Why would he gain weight? Why are there no bruises, or even dark circles under his eyes?" Bukele wrote in the post. Some of the photos in Bukele's montage appear to show Abrego Garcia in a lower-security facility. When Abrego Garcia met with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in April, he told the senator that he was not being held in a low-security part of the prison. The filing that his lawyers put together also suggests that Abrego Garcia was kept in the maximum-security wing with known gang members. Bukele took issue with these assertions in his post. "Apparently, anything a criminal claims is accepted as truth by the mainstream media and the crumbling Western judiciary," Bukele wrote. "But the man wasn’t tortured, nor did he lose weight. In fact, photos show he gained weight while in detention. There’s plenty of footage from different days, including his meeting with Senator Van Hollen, who himself confirmed the man seemed fine," his post continued.
Taliban praise Russia’s ‘brave decision’ to recognise their rule in Afghanistan
Islamic leaders, in power since 2021, announce development after talks with Russian ambassador in KabulAfghanistan’s government has said that Russia had become the first country to officially recognise its rule, calling it a “brave decision”.The Taliban swept back to power in 2021 after ousting the foreign-backed government and have imposed an austere version of Islamic law. Continue reading...
'Murder fatwa against Trump' after president's 'unhinged' comment: ex-operative
There is reportedly a fatwa, or religious edict, against Donald Trump.Trump recently ratchetted up the language against Iranian officials on his social media, leading to a "murder fatwa" against him, according to an ex-insider. In 1989, Iran's Supreme Leader issued a fatwa against author Salman Rushdie.Lev Parnas, a former "trusted operative" of Trump, flagged the news over the weekend.In a post called "BREAKING: U.S. Intelligence Intercepts Iran’s Private Response to Strike — Fatwa Issued Against Trump," Parnas says, "After Trump’s latest unhinged Truth Social post attacking Ayatollah Khomeini, a second Grand Ayatollah — Noori Hamedani — issued an official murder fatwa against Donald Trump."He highlights the following quote:“Any insult to the Ayatollah Khamenei is an insult to the foundations of Islam. Any individual or state threatening or striking him or aiding in such a crime is Mohareb — an enemy of Allah.""This is unprecedented," he said. "The geopolitical fallout from Trump’s actions isn’t just theoretical — it’s personal, global, and explosive."Parnas continued:"At the same time, Putin and Trump’s carefully choreographed theater from last week is unraveling, just as I warned. And now Trump is teasing a 'major announcement' related to Russia tomorrow — a cryptic post that has my sources working overtime. I’m hearing this could involve a shift on sanctions, an energy deal, or even an announcement tied to Ukraine."Parnas isn't the only one reporting the news. Tehran Times also Sunday published similar claims in a story, "Fatwas draw a red line: No tolerance for threats against Ayatollah Khamenei."Read more here.
'Nonsense!' Leavitt melts down as leaked Iranian call disputes Trump bomb claim
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly disputed details from an intercepted Iranian call that suggested damage to the country's nuclear program was not as extensive as President Donald Trump has claimed.On Sunday, The Washington Post first reported the existence of signals intelligence, which included Iranian government officials discussing the recent U.S. attack on nuclear facilities. "The communication, intended to be private, included Iranian government officials speculating as to why the strikes directed by President Donald Trump were not as destructive and extensive as they anticipated, these people said," the Post noted.For his part, Trump has claimed that Iran's nuclear program was "completely and totally obliterated."Leavitt did not deny that the call had been intercepted but disagreed with conclusions suggesting Trump's statements were wrong."It's shameful that The Washington Post is helping people commit felonies by publishing out-of-context leaks," she told the paper. "The notion that unnamed Iranian officials know what happened under hundreds of feet of rubble is nonsense. Their nuclear weapons program is over."A senior U.S. intelligence official also told the Post that "one slice of signals intelligence on its own does not reflect the full intelligence picture.""A single phone call between unnamed Iranians is not the same as an intelligence assessment, which takes into account a body of evidence, with multiple sources and methods," the person insisted.
'Brain is peanut butter': Trump mocked for calling Japanese leader 'Mr. Japan'
President Donald Trump was brutally mocked over the weekend after he referred to Japan's leader as "Mr. Japan."The president made the statement during an interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo about tariffs. As his July 9 deadline for tariff deals approached, Trump said he would rather send a letter to countries instead of negotiating."But I'd rather just send them a letter, a very fair letter, saying, congratulations, whether it will allow you to trade in the United States of America," Trump told Bartiromo. "You're going to pay a 25% tariff, or 20% or 40% or 50%. I would rather do that.""We'll send a letter and we'll say we would consider it a great honor, and this is what you'll have to do to shop in the United States," he opined. "We're like a department store to shop in the United States, and you'll pay a 25% tariff, or we wish you a lot of luck, and that's the end of the trade deal.""I could send one to Japan. Dear Mr. Japan, here's the story. You're going to pay a 25% tariff on your cars."Trump's statement was met with mockery online."His brain is peanut butter," commenter Leslie Jones wrote."If President Biden started a sentence with 'Dear Mr. Japan,' Republicans would never shut up about it and '25th Amendment' is all they'd be talking about," another commenter said. "This is f—ing INSANE.""Paging Jake Tapper," D. Villella joked."If Biden said that Maria would have leaped into the air to wave the DEMENTED flag on air," one person noted.Watch the video below from Fox News.
CNN's Tapper schooled by Dem senator over Trump's Iran attack
CNN host Jake Tapper did not get the answer he expected from Sen. Mark Warner when he pressed the Virginia Democrat over the success of Donald Trump surprise attack on Iran over a week ago.During his appearance on CNN's 'State of the Union," the chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence was asked by the CNN host, "So we still don't know the degree of the damage, but let me just ask you this as a basic just calling balls and strikes here: isn't the world safer today because of these strikes than it was nine days ago?" "If we don't end up seeing Iran attacking us through cyber or through proxies, if they --," Warner began before Tapper interrupted him."They were doing that," Tapper interjected as Warner continued, "If the ceasefire, if the ceasefire stays between Israel and Iran and Iran's program is set back for whatever period of time...""I just mean as of today," the CNN host interrupted again. "I'm not saying you're saying this for the rest of your life and you know, whatever, but as of today, we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. but as of today, isn't the world safe?" "I am glad that these capabilities have been cut back," Warner conceded before cautioning, "Do we know what Iran's next step is going to be? Do we? Are we going to be saying the same thing if Iran now tries to race to a bomb in the trunk of a car, because we don't have any inspectors on the ground, are we going to be say that as well if Iran launches major cyber attacks against us, when this administration has literally cut half of the folks who do cyber security at the federal government level?""So I think it's too early to tell, okay" he continued before adding, "Am I glad to see some of this capabilities taken out? Absolutely."You can watch below or at the link. - YouTube youtu.be
'Unprecedented': Ex-Trump insider says president just issued a 'veiled threat'
Donald Trump just "threatened Israel" on Saturday, according to a former associate of the president.Lev Parnas, a former "trusted operative" of the president, over the weekend reported on a secretive global power shift involving Trump and other world leaders.After that report, Trump came out with a comment about Israel."It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu. He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran," Trump wrote. "Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back. How is it possible that the Prime Minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a Courtroom all day long, over NOTHING (Cigars, Bugs Bunny Doll, etc.)."Trump also said, "The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this."That's the part that stood out for Parnas, who highlighted those two sentences."BREAKING: Donald Trump is threatening Israel, demanding they halt the criminal proceedings against Prime Minister Netanyahu—or face consequences," Parnas wrote on Saturday. "This is an unprecedented intrusion into a sovereign legal process."Parnas went even further in a Substack post, writing, "Trump issued a thinly veiled threat to a sovereign democracy—Israel—for daring to hold its own Prime Minister accountable."He added that Trump's comment was "as if American aid to Israel should come with personal immunity for Bibi Netanyahu.""Let me be clear: Donald Trump is using U.S. foreign aid as a political weapon to protect fellow authoritarians. He did it with Ukraine and now he’s doing it with Israel," Parnas said. "This is a man actively undermining our global alliances for his personal power network."Read the Substack post right here.
'Insanity': Trump goes on rampage over trial that 'tarnishes' his 'victory'
Donald Trump on Saturday again went to bat for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the foreign leader's trial.The president took to Truth Social over the weekend to vent his concerns."It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu. He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran," Trump wrote. "Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back. How is it possible that the Prime Minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a Courtroom all day long, over NOTHING (Cigars, Bugs Bunny Doll, etc.)."Trump then continued:"It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure. This travesty of 'Justice' will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations. In other words, it is INSANITY doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu."Trump added, "The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel.""We are not going to stand for this. We just had a Great Victory with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the helm — And this greatly tarnishes our Victory," Trump concluded. "LET BIBI GO, HE’S GOT A BIG JOB TO DO!"Read it here.
Jul 9, 2025