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The European Union has decided to suspend retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods that were set to take effect Monday, in a bid to reach a trade agreement with the Trump administration by the end of the month. “This is now the time for negotiations,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels on Sunday, following a letter from President Donald Trump announcing new U.S. tariffs of 30% on goods from the EU and Mexico, effective August 1. The EU, the United States’ largest trading partner and the world’s biggest trading bloc, had planned to implement “countermeasures” starting Monday at midnight Brussels time (6 p.m. EDT). Trade negotiations on behalf of the EU’s 27 member states are handled by the European Commission. Von der Leyen said the EU would delay implementing those measures until August 1, noting that Trump's letter “shows that we have until the first of August” to strike a deal. European leaders have been urging both sides to allow more time for negotiations. Trump plans to hike tariffs on Canadian goods to 35% “We have always been clear that we prefer a negotiated solution,” she said. “If no deal is reached, we will continue to prepare countermeasures so we are fully prepared.” Speaking alongside Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, von der Leyen also emphasized the need to diversify the EU’s trade relationships, citing ongoing tensions with the U.S. Trump has argued that global tariffs are essential to address a U.S. trade deficit he considers a national security threat. The EU-U.S. trade relationship was valued at €1.7 trillion ($2 trillion) in 2024, according to Eurostat, with major European exports including pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments, and wine and spirits. EU trade ministers are set to meet Monday to review trade ties with the U.S. and China.

President Donald Trump on Sunday will attend the FIFA Club World Cup final, a match that will offer Trump a preview of the globe’s premier soccer tournament that North America will host next year. Trump and first lady Melania Trump will travel from their golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to East Rutherford 40 miles (64 kilometers) away to watch the final match of the U.S.-hosted tournament between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea at MetLife Stadium. Trump’s trip Sunday falls on the first anniversary of the assassination attempt he survived in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning for president. Trump administration sanctions UN investigator probing Gaza abuses The president did not have any public plans to mark the date beyond participating in a taped Fox News Channel interview with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump that aired Saturday night. Sporting events have made up the bulk of Trump’s trips in the U.S. since taking office this year. In addition to his visit this weekend to the soccer tournament, he’s attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Florida, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, and the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia. The president, who has a warm relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, has said he plans to attend multiple matches of the World Cup tournament next year.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday announced 30% tariffs on imports from the European Union and Mexico, effective August 1, targeting two of the country's largest trade partners. The announcement came through letters Trump posted on his social media account, where he outlined the reasoning behind the move. In his message to Mexico’s president, Trump acknowledged the country’s efforts in helping to curb undocumented migration and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. However, he criticized Mexico for not doing enough to prevent the region from becoming what he called a “Narco-Trafficking Playground.” In a separate letter addressed to European Union leaders, Trump described the U.S. trade deficit as a threat to national security. “We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and we have concluded we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent, Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies, and Trade Barriers,” Trump wrote. “Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal.” Judge blocks Trump administration from random immigration raids, arrests in California The move is part of a broader campaign effort by Trump, who has been ramping up announcements of new tariffs as a central theme of his 2024 re-election bid. He claims these measures will restore fairness to the U.S. economy, which he says has been exploited by foreign powers for decades. By introducing these reciprocal tariffs, Trump is effectively challenging the global trade framework established under the Uruguay Round of negotiations, which set tariff rates under a “most favored nation” principle — ensuring no country was treated less favorably than others. With Saturday’s letters, Trump has now imposed tariff conditions on 24 countries and the 27-member European Union.

The US State Department has begun dismissing more than 1,300 employees as part of a sweeping reorganization under the Trump administration’s plan to downsize the federal government. According to CNN said the layoffs include 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers. Employees are being notified via email, with many placed on administrative leave—foreign service staff for 120 days and most civil servants for 60 days—before termination. “Nearly 3,000 members of the workforce will depart as part of the reorganization,” the notice said, including both involuntary and voluntary departures. “In connection with the Departmental reorganization first announced by the Secretary of State on April 22, 2025, the Department is streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,” the notice read. It said reductions target “non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices,” and those where “considerable efficiencies” can be gained through consolidation.   Trump plans to hike tariffs on Canadian goods to 35% Secretary of State Marco Rubio, currently returning from Malaysia, said the overhaul was being carried out “probably in the most deliberate way of anyone that’s done one.” A senior official said the changes are “personnel agnostic,” focusing on functions no longer aligned with department goals. While overseas posts remain unaffected, many in Washington, DC, will be impacted. Thomas Yazdgerdi, president of the American Foreign Service Association, called the timing troubling. “There are horrible things that are happening in the world that require a tried-and-true diplomatic workforce,” he said, pointing to crises in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran. Yazdgerdi warned the cuts could damage morale, recruitment, and retention. “We’re like the military,” he said. “If you’re going to RIF an office, we’re not tied to that office.”

President Donald Trump is set to visit flood-ravaged areas of Texas on Friday, even as questions grow over his administration’s pledge to shutter the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The trip comes after catastrophic flooding left at least 120 people dead and over 170 missing. Despite earlier promises to shift disaster response to states, Trump has focused on the tragedy’s human toll. “It's a horrible thing,” he said Friday. Speaking to NBC News, he described it as “a once-in-every-200-year deal.” Trump approved Texas’ request to expand the federal disaster declaration to eight additional counties, enabling direct financial assistance. He will tour the damage by air and meet with first responders and victims’ families, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, Governor Greg Abbott, and Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Trump administration sanctions UN investigator probing Gaza abuses Trump has used past disaster tours to attack political opponents but has stayed silent this time on FEMA’s future. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Whether that assistance comes from states or the federal government, that is a policy discussion that will continue.” OMB Director Russell Vought also avoided clarifying FEMA’s fate but said the agency has “billions” in reserves. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem noted, “We’re cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA. Streamlining it, much like your vision.” Local officials in Texas face criticism over preparedness, but some residents, like Darrin Potter of Kerr County, urged understanding, saying evacuation could have been more dangerous.

President Donald Trump has announced plans to raise tariffs on a wide range of Canadian imports to 35%, intensifying a growing rift between the two long-time North American allies. In a letter sent Thursday to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said the new tariffs—set to take effect on August 1—would replace the existing 25% duties that were imposed in March. The move is part of Trump’s ongoing pressure campaign on Canada, which he accuses of not doing enough to prevent fentanyl trafficking into the United States, despite data showing that Canada is not a major source of the drug. Trump also reiterated concerns over the U.S. trade deficit with Canada, which is largely driven by American oil imports. “The flow of fentanyl is hardly the only challenge we face with Canada, which maintains many tariff and non-tariff barriers,” Trump wrote in the letter. The announcement rattled global markets, with stock futures falling early Friday. Although recent gains in the S&P 500 had reflected investor optimism that Trump might scale back the tariff hike, the letter appears to have renewed economic uncertainty. Responding to the move, Prime Minister Carney said Canada remains committed to negotiating a fair trade deal with the U.S. and highlighted his government's efforts to combat fentanyl. “Through the current trade negotiations with the United States, the Canadian government has steadfastly defended our workers and businesses,” he posted on social media. Trump administration sanctions UN investigator probing Gaza abuses Carney, who became prime minister in April, campaigned on a promise to adopt a tougher stance in defending Canadian interests. He has since sought to diversify Canada’s trade ties, strengthening partnerships with the European Union and the United Kingdom. Just hours before Trump’s letter was released, Carney shared a photo with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on social media, writing, “In the face of global trade challenges, the world is turning to reliable economic partners like Canada”—a veiled criticism of the U.S.'s unpredictable trade policies under Trump. While several countries have received similar tariff notices from the U.S. in recent days, Canada—America’s second-largest trading partner after Mexico—has become a focal point of Trump’s trade crackdown. Canada has responded with retaliatory tariffs and rejected Trump's past remarks suggesting it should become the 51st U.S. state. When Carney went to the White House in May, the public portion of their meeting was cordial. But Trump said there was nothing the Canadian leader could tell him to remove the tariffs, saying, “Just the way it is.” Daniel Beland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, said Trump's latest move will make it more difficult for Canada and the U.S. to reach a trade deal, Beland said. “It doesn’t mean a new trade deal between Canada and the United States is impossible, but it shows how hard it is for the Canadian government to negotiate with a U.S. president who regularly utters threats and doesn’t appear to be a reliable and truthful interlocutor,” he said. Trump has sent a series of tariff letters to 23 countries. Those form letters became increasingly personal with Canada as well as a Wednesday note that put a 50% tariff on Brazil for the ongoing trial of its former President Jair Bolsonaro for trying to stay in office after his 2022 election loss. Trump was similarly indicted for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump administration officials have said that Trump was seeking to isolate its geopolitical rival China with the tariffs, but the latest tariffs have undermined that message. Brazil's largest trading partner is China, not the U.S., and Chinese government officials have framed his import taxes as a form of bullying. Trump threatens Brazil with steep tariff, demands end to Bolsonaro trial “Sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs are important principles of the U.N. Charter and basic norms governing international relations," said Mao Ning, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman. “Tariffs should not be used as a tool for coercion, bullying and interference in the internal affairs of other countries.” The letters reflect the inability of Trump to finalize the dozens of trade frameworks that he claimed would be easy to negotiate. Shortly after unveiling his April 2 “Liberation Day” tariffs, a financial market selloff caused Trump to announce a 90-day negotiating period during which a 10% baseline tariff would be charged on most imported goods. But Trump has indicated that the 10% tariff rates are largely disappearing as he resets the rates with his letters. “We’re just going to say all of the remaining countries are going to pay, whether it’s 20% or 15%,” Trump said in a phone interview with NBC News. Trump has announced trade frameworks with the U.K. and Vietnam, as well as a separate deal with China to enable continued trade talks. Trump jacked up import taxes on Chinese goods to as much as 145%, but after talks he has said China faces total tariffs of 55%. In June, Trump said he was suspending trade talks with Canada over its plans to continue its digital services tax, which would hit U.S. technology companies. A few days later, talks resumed when Carney rescinded the tax. Under the current tariff structure, the 2020 United States Mexico Canada Agreement has protected eligible goods from Trump's tariffs. But a review of the pact is scheduled for 2026.

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, who is leading an investigation into alleged human rights violations in the Palestinian territories — marking the latest US effort to target critics of Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. This move follows a failed US campaign to pressure the United Nations into removing Albanese from her post. The sanctions come during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington for talks with President Trump and other senior officials, primarily focused on the 21-month conflict in Gaza. It remains unclear what tangible impact the sanctions will have or whether Albanese will be able to travel to the United States under diplomatic immunity. 5 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza while strikes kill 51 Palestinians Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Malaysia, confirmed that the US and Russia have exchanged fresh ideas aimed at reviving peace talks on Ukraine. After a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Rubio said the discussions offered a “new and different approach,” although no concrete breakthroughs were disclosed. The Kremlin, for its part, stated that renewed US arms deliveries to Ukraine and President Trump’s stronger rhetoric would not derail potential peace negotiations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated Moscow’s preference for diplomatic solutions but confirmed military operations would continue unless Kyiv agrees to resume direct talks. Source: Agency 

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP/UNB) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart will meet Thursday in Malaysia for what could be a testy conversation as tensions between the countries rise over Moscow’s increasing attacks on Ukraine and questions about whether Russia's leader is serious about a peace deal. Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are to see each other in Kuala Lumpur, where both men are attending the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, which brings together all 10 ASEAN members and their most important diplomatic partners, including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, the Europeans and the U.S. The meeting is set to take place shortly after the U.S. resumed some shipments of defensive weapons to Ukraine following a pause — ostensibly for the Pentagon to review domestic munitions stocks — that was cheered in Moscow. The resumption comes as Russia fires escalating air attacks on Ukraine and as President Donald Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Putin is not, he’s not treating human beings right,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, explaining the pause’s reversal. “It’s killing too many people. So we’re sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I’ve approved that.” A US diplomatic push could be overshadowed by tariff threats Rubio will also see other foreign ministers, including many whose countries face tariffs set to be imposed on Aug. 1. That threat could overshadow the top diplomat’s first official trip to Asia, just as the U.S. seeks to boost relations with Indo-Pacific nations to counter China’s growing influence in the region. Trump notified several countries on Monday and Wednesday that they will face higher tariffs if they don’t make trade deals with the U.S. Among them are eight of ASEAN's 10 members. State Department officials said tariffs and trade will not be Rubio’s focus during the meetings, which Trump’s Republican administration hopes will prioritize maritime safety and security in the South China Sea, where China has become increasingly aggressive toward its small neighbors, as well as combating transnational crime. But Rubio may be hard-pressed to avoid the tariff issue that has vexed some of America’s closest allies and partners in Asia, including Japan and South Korea and most members of ASEAN, which Trump says would face 25% tariffs if there is no deal. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has warned that global trade is being weaponized as U.S. tariffs loom over Southeast Asia. Speaking at an ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting on Wednesday, Anwar urged the bloc to strengthen regional trade and reduce reliance on external powers. Rubio’s “talking points on the China threat will not resonate with officials whose industries are being battered by 30-40% tariffs,” said Danny Russel, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific during the Obama administration. When Anwar said "ASEAN will approach challenges ‘as a united bloc’ — he wasn’t talking about Chinese coercion but about U.S. tariffs,” Russel noted. 8 of ASEAN's 10 members face major tariff hikes Among ASEAN states, Trump has so far announced tariffs on almost all of the 10 members of the bloc, which would face a 25% tariff that could specifically hit its electronics and electrical product exports to the United States. Trade Minister Zafrul Aziz said Wednesday that while Malaysia is ready to resume tariff negotiations, it would not cross its red lines, including U.S. requests for changes to government procurement, halal certification, medical standards and digital taxes. Trump sent tariff letters to two more ASEAN members Wednesday: Brunei, whose imports would be taxed at 25%, and the Philippines at 20%. Others hit this week include Cambodia at 36%, Indonesia at 32%, Laos at 40%, Malaysia at 25%, Myanmar at 40% and Thailand at 36%. Vietnam recently agreed to a trade deal for a 20% tariffs on its imports, while Singapore still faces a 10% tariff that was imposed in April. The Trump administration has courted most Southeast Asian nations in a bid to blunt or at least temper China’s push to dominate the region. In Kuala Lumpur, Rubio also will likely come face-to-face with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his brief visit of roughly 36 hours. Russel noted that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is a veteran of such gatherings and “fluent in ASEAN principles and conventions,” while Rubio “is a rookie trying to sell an ‘America First’ message to a deeply skeptical audience.” Issues with China, including on trade, human rights, the militarization of the South China Sea and China's support for Russia in Ukraine, remain substantial. U.S. officials continue to accuse China of resupplying and revamping Russia’s military industrial sector, allowing it to produce additional weapons that it can use attack Ukraine.    

US President Donald Trump has warned he will impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, intensifying tensions with the South American nation. The proposed hike was outlined in a letter shared on social media, where Trump accused Brazil of targeting American tech companies and persecuting former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently on trial over an alleged coup attempt following the 2022 election. In the letter, Trump denounced what he described as Brazil's “attacks” on US tech firms and referred to Bolsonaro's prosecution as a “witch hunt.” Reacting on social media, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva vowed to retaliate if tariffs are raised and rejected any outside pressure on the country's judiciary. “No one is above the law,” Lula said earlier this week, adding that Brazil “would not accept interference from anyone.” Trump also announced Wednesday that a previously declared 50% tariff on copper imports would take effect on August 1, citing national security reasons. The move is part of a broader campaign, with Trump sending tariff notifications to 22 countries this week, including key trade partners like Japan, South Korea, and Sri Lanka. Most of these actions revive earlier proposals delayed due to financial market concerns. However, Trump’s message to Brazil was notably more pointed, escalating from the previously proposed 10% tariff. He labeled the 50% rate “necessary... to rectify the grave injustices of the current regime,” and called for a Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s digital trade policies—an approach the US has used before to justify punitive tariffs. Trump also accused the Brazilian government of undermining free speech and democratic norms, pointing to rulings that targeted US social media companies like his own Trump Media. The criticism comes as Brazil’s courts have clashed with tech platforms, including Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), over content related to the 2022 election. Brazil’s Supreme Court recently ruled that platforms could be held liable for content shared by users. In the letter, Trump expressed support for Bolsonaro, saying he “respected him greatly” and describing his ongoing legal troubles as “an international disgrace.” The two had a warm relationship during their overlapping presidencies and shared similar political styles. Bolsonaro has denied any role in the January 2023 riots that saw his supporters storm Brazil's government buildings following Lula’s election win. Earlier this week, Trump compared Bolsonaro’s legal challenges to his own: “This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a Political Opponent - Something I know much about!” Bolsonaro responded by thanking Trump for his solidarity. Trump also took aim at the recent Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro, calling the group—which includes Brazil—“anti-American” and vowing to impose an additional 10% tariff on those nations. In response, Lula criticized Trump's posture, saying, “He needs to know that the world has changed. We don’t want an emperor.”   

A Turkish court has ordered a ban on access to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok, developed by his company xAI, after it allegedly disseminated offensive content targeting Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other prominent figures. The court order, issued on Wednesday, follows reports that Grok posted vulgar remarks about President Erdogan, his late mother, and other personalities in response to user prompts on the X social media platform, according to the pro-government A Haber news channel. Additional media reports stated that the chatbot also made derogatory comments about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey. In reaction, members of the public in Ankara sought legal action under Turkey’s internet law, arguing that the chatbot’s responses posed a threat to public order. A criminal court approved the request and instructed the country’s telecommunications authority to enforce the ban. Elon Musk intensifies criticism of Trump’s tax bill as Senate GOP races to pass it The controversy stems from a recent update to Grok, which has been criticized for producing increasingly unfiltered and “politically incorrect” responses. Amid growing criticism, social media platform X issued a statement saying it had acted swiftly to remove the offensive material. “Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X,” the company stated. “xAI is training only truth-seeking, and thanks to the millions of users on X, we are able to quickly identify and update the model where training could be improved,” the statement added. Grok’s restriction in Turkey highlights ongoing tensions between AI content regulation and national sensitivities, particularly concerning political figures and historical leaders.