United News of Bangladesh

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.

Just weeks ago, President Donald Trump announced plans to begin “phasing out” the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after this hurricane season, aiming to “wean off of FEMA” and “bring it down to the state level.” However, in response to the devastating floods in Texas, Trump and his administration are now emphasizing a fast and robust federal response, aligning more closely with the traditional federal disaster model rather than the dramatic reform the president previously proposed. Trump approved Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s request for a major disaster declaration just one day after submission, activating FEMA resources and unlocking aid for survivors and local governments. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Trump during a presidential Cabinet meeting Tuesday morning that FEMA was quickly deploying funding and resources. “We’re cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA, streamlining it, much like your vision of how FEMA should operate,” Noem said. Noem noted that the rapid delivery of funds to Texas resembled the “state block grants” model Trump has promoted, which would replace FEMA’s current system of reimbursing states for response and recovery expenses at a cost-share of at least 75%. Former FEMA officials, however, say it remains unclear how this response differs from FEMA’s typical role, which is to support states through coordination and funding. They emphasize that the vigorous federal response underscores the difficulty states would face if FEMA were dismantled. “This is a defining event that can help them realize that a Federal Emergency Management Agency is essential,” said Michael Coen, FEMA chief of staff during the Obama and Biden administrations. “Imagine if an event like this happened a year from now, after FEMA is eliminated. What would the president or secretary (Noem) offer to the governor of Texas if there is no FEMA?” The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA did not immediately respond to questions about Noem’s remarks, including whether FEMA was doing anything different in how it moved money to Texas or why the process resembled a block-grant system. While Noem and Trump emphasize that Texas is leading the response and recovery efforts, this has always been FEMA’s role, said Justin Knighten, the agency's director of external affairs during the Biden administration. “The state is in the lead. FEMA is invited into the state to support,” Knighten explained. He added that even experienced state emergency management offices face disasters that overwhelm their capacity: “When there’s capacity challenges and resource need, that’s where FEMA steps in.” FEMA’s primary responsibilities include coordinating resources from other federal agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers, Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Trump signs tax and spending cut bill at White House The agency also manages first-responder support like nationwide search-and-rescue teams and reimburses their costs. Additionally, FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program and supports survivors through programs offering temporary housing and home repair assistance. Disaster recovery centers have opened to help affected households apply for aid, according to Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. The Public Assistance program reimburses state and local governments for infrastructure repair costs. Experts warn that states would struggle to replace FEMA. “It’s true that Texas is very capable, but I think it’s something that people forget that FEMA pays for a lot of state and local emergency capacity,” said Maddie Sloan, director of the disaster recovery and fair housing project at Texas Appleseed. She noted that much of the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s $2 billion budget comes from federal grants. “If a state like Texas asks for federal assistance within two days, the smaller states that are less capable don’t stand a chance,” said Jeremy Edwards, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs during the Biden administration. States would need to establish their own recovery programs and coordinate with multiple federal agencies if given block grants in place of FEMA involvement. “Without FEMA, a governor or a state has to be calling around and have a Rolodex of the whole federal government to call and try and figure out what support they can get,” Coen said. While reforms could improve FEMA’s reimbursement process and support to survivors, experts warn that eliminating the agency risks large gaps in recovery. “We have spent a lot of time encouraging FEMA to be better, but if FEMA goes away, there is no help for individual families,” Sloan said. Trump has deflected questions on what the Texas response means for FEMA’s future. A 12-member review council established by the president to propose FEMA reforms is scheduled to meet for the second time Wednesday. Abbott and Kidd are members of the council. At the first meeting, Abbott described FEMA as “slow and clunky” and called for reforms to “streamline the effort.” He has praised Trump’s rapid disaster declaration in Texas. Though no major reforms have been enacted yet, smaller policy changes could affect Texas’ recovery. This spring, the administration ended FEMA’s practice of door-to-door canvassing to help households enroll for assistance, calling it “wasteful and ineffective.” Many impacted areas in Kerr County and beyond still lack power and accessible roads, complicating aid applications. Abbott’s request for hazard mitigation funding — a program that helps communities rebuild with resilience — is still pending. Trump has not approved any hazard mitigation assistance since February.

As extreme weather events grow more frequent and intense across the United States, experts warn that government preparedness and public awareness are failing to keep pace, putting lives and infrastructure increasingly at risk. Climate scientists and disaster researchers say climate change is turning rare events into regular occurrences, yet many Americans still underestimate the threat. The consequences have been devastating — as seen in this month’s deadly flash floods in central Texas that killed over 100 people, despite the region’s long history of floods. Michael Oppenheimer, a climate scientist at Princeton University, explained how the nature of weather extremes is evolving. “What happens with climate change is that what used to be extreme becomes average, typical, and what used to never occur in a human lifetime or maybe even in a thousand years becomes the new extreme,” he said. “We start to experience things that just basically never happened before.” According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the 10-year summer average of its Climate Extreme Index — which tracks hurricanes, droughts, rainfall, and temperature extremes — is now 58% higher than it was in the 1980s. Despite the growing threat, experts argue that both public and institutional responses remain alarmingly inadequate. “There’s plenty of evidence that we sit there and do absolutely nothing while these risks are coming right at us like a moving railroad train and we’re standing in the tracks. And then all of a sudden, bam,” Oppenheimer said. Part of the problem lies in how people perceive disaster risk. Many base their decisions on past experiences, assuming similar outcomes. “That is flash flood alley. We know that floods happen in that region all the time... I’ve already seen normalcy bias statements by people in the regions saying, well, we get flooding all the time,” said Marshall Shepherd, a meteorology professor at the University of Georgia. Experts warn that outdated thinking is leaving people vulnerable, especially as disasters become more severe in previously unaffected regions. “The message needs to be, if you’re used to some degree of nuisance flooding, every so often, look at what happened in Texas and realize that this is a shifting baseline,” said Kim Klockow McClain, a social scientist who studies extreme weather communication. Flash floods kill over 80 in Texas; dozens still missing Psychological denial is another factor. People often believe disasters won’t happen to them — until they do. “It’s sort of a psychological mechanism to protect us that it can’t happen to me,” said Susan Cutter, co-director of the Hazards Vulnerability & Resilience Institute at the University of South Carolina. “Just because I’ve lived through a fire or a flood or a hurricane or a tornado, that does not mean that the next time is going to look like the last time,” added Lori Peek, director of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado. As climate threats intensify, aging infrastructure and population growth in vulnerable areas compound the risks. Peek warned that the U.S. is unprepared for the scale of future disasters. “As our population has continued to rise, it’s not only that we have more people in the country, it’s also that we have more people living in particularly hazardous areas like our coastal areas,” she said. Experts also criticized recent government decisions, including staff cuts to key federal agencies under the Trump administration, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Weather Service, NOAA, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These agencies play crucial roles in disaster response and climate research. “We’re destroying the capability we have that we’re going to need more and more in the future,” Oppenheimer warned. Looking ahead, Peek urged a shift in strategy: “This is our future. It’s obvious that we’re living into a future where there are going to be more fires and floods and heat waves.”

The State Department is warning US diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a US senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. “The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently investigating the matter,” it said. “The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department’s cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents.” It declined to comment further due to “security reasons” and the ongoing investigation. It’s the latest instance of a high-level Trump administration figure targeted by an impersonator, with a similar incident revealed in May involving President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The misuse of AI to deceive people is likely to grow as the technology improves and becomes more widely available, and the FBI warned this past spring about “malicious actors” impersonating senior U.S. government officials in a text and voice messaging campaign. The hoaxes involving Rubio had been unsuccessful and “not very sophisticated,” one of the officials said. Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it “prudent” to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. “There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised,” the cable said. Trump pushes for trade deals before Wednesday, hints at more time The FBI has warned in a public service announcement about a “malicious” campaign relying on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior US official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim’s associates and contacts. This is not the first time that Rubio has been impersonated in a deepfake. This spring, someone created a bogus video of him saying he wanted to cut off Ukraine’s access to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service. Ukraine’s government later rebutted the false claim. Several potential solutions have been put forward in recent years to the growing misuse of AI for deception, including criminal penalties and improved media literacy. Concerns about deepfakes have also led to a flood of new apps and AI systems designed to spot phonies that could easily fool a human. The tech companies working on these systems are now in competition against those who would use AI to deceive, according to Siwei Lyu, a professor and computer scientist at the University at Buffalo. He said he’s seen an increase in the number of deepfakes portraying celebrities, politicians and business leaders as the technology improves. Just a few years ago, fakes contained easy-to-spot flaws — inhuman voices or mistakes like extra fingers — but now the AI is so good, it’s much harder for a human to spot, giving deepfake makers an advantage. “The level of realism and quality is increasing,” Lyu said. “It’s an arms race, and right now the generators are getting the upper hand.” The Rubio hoax comes after text messages and phone calls went to elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles’ personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by AI, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles’ number, the report said. The government was investigating.

The Trump administration is stepping up pressure on trading partners to quickly make new deals before a Wednesday deadline, with plans for the United States to start sending letters Monday warning countries that higher tariffs could kick in Aug. 1. That furthers the uncertainty for businesses, consumers and America’s trading partners, and questions remain about which countries will be notified, whether anything will change in the days ahead and whether President Donald Trump will once more push off imposing the rates. Trump and his top trade advisers say he could extend the time for dealmaking but they insist the administration is applying maximum pressure on other nations. Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that Trump would decide when it was time to give up on negotiations. “The United States is always willing to talk to everybody about everything,” Hassett said. “There are deadlines, and there are things that are close, so maybe things will push back past the deadline or maybe they won’t. In the end the president is going to make that judgment.” Stephen Miran, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, likewise said countries negotiating in good faith and making concessions could “sort of, get the date rolled.” The steeper tariffs that Trump announced April 2 threatened to overhaul the global economy and lead to broader trade wars. A week later, after the financial markets had panicked, his administration suspended for 90 days most of the higher taxes on imports just as they were to take effect. The negotiating window until July 9 has led to announced deals only with the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Trump imposed elevated tariff rates on dozens of nations that run meaningful trade surpluses with the U.S., and a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries in response to what he called an economic emergency. There are separate 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum and a 25% tariff on autos. Since April, few foreign governments have set new trade terms with Washington as the Republican president demanded. Trump told reporters Friday that his administration might be sending out letters as early as Saturday to countries spelling out their tariff rates if they did not reach a deal, but that the U.S. would not start collecting those taxes until Aug. 1. On Sunday, he said he would send out letters starting Monday — “could be 12, could be 15” — to foreign governments reflecting planned tariffs for each. “We’ve made deals also,” Trump told reporters before heading back to the White House from his home in New Jersey. “So we’ll get to have a combination of letters, and some deals have been made.” He and his advisers have declined to say which countries would receive the letters. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rejected the idea that Aug. 1 was a new deadline and declined to say what might happen Wednesday. “We’ll see,” Bessent said on CNN’s State of the Union. “I’m not going to give away the playbook.” He said the U.S. was “close to several deals,” and predicted several big announcements over the next few days. He gave no details. “I think we’re going to see a lot of deals very quickly,” Bessent said. Later Sunday, Trump vowed to impose more tariffs against the BRICS bloc of developing nations, which had condemned tariffs increases at its summit in Brazil. Trump said in a post on his social media platform that any country aligning itself with what he termed “the Anti-American policies of BRICS” would be levied an added 10% tariff. Trump has announced a deal with Vietnam that would allow U.S. goods to enter the country duty-free, while Vietnamese exports to the U.S. would face a 20% levy. That was a decline from the 46% tax on Vietnamese imports he proposed in April — one of his so-called reciprocal tariffs targeting dozens of countries with which the U.S. runs a trade deficit. Asked if he expected to reach deals with the European Union or India, Trump said Friday that “letters are better for us” because there are so many countries involved. “We have India coming up and with Vietnam, we did it, but much easier to send a letter saying, ’Listen, we know we have a certain deficit, or in some cases a surplus, but not too many. And this is what you’re going to have to pay if you want to do business in the United States.” Canada, however, will not be one of the countries receiving letters, Trump’s ambassador, Pete Hoekstra, said Friday after trade talks between the two countries recently resumed. “Canada is one of our biggest trading partners,” Hoekstra told CTV News in an interview in Ottawa. “We’re going to have a deal that’s articulated.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he wants a new deal in place by July 21 or Canada will increase trade countermeasures. Hoekstra would not commit to a date for a trade agreement and said even with a deal, Canada could still face some tariffs. But “we’re not going to send Canada just a letter,” he said.

Elon Musk has announced the creation of a new political party, the "America Party," following his fallout with President Donald Trump over the administration’s sweeping tax cuts. Musk, who previously maintained close ties with Trump while leading the Department of Government Efficiency, publicly broke ranks after the president signed the controversial tax bill into law on Friday. During the bill’s passage through Congress, Musk had warned that he would launch the America Party if what he called “this insane spending bill” was approved. “We don’t live in a democracy when it comes to bankrupting the country with waste and corruption — it’s a one-party system,” Musk posted Saturday on X, the social media platform he owns. “Today, the America Party is formed to return freedom to the people.” President Trump dismissed Musk's announcement on Sunday while speaking to reporters before returning to Washington from his New Jersey residence. Calling the idea “ridiculous,” Trump emphasized his confidence in the Republican Party's success and criticized third-party efforts. “The Democrats have lost their way, but America has always been a two-party system,” Trump said. “Starting a third party just creates confusion — history shows they never work.” Though new political parties often struggle to gain traction against the Republican and Democratic establishments, Musk’s significant financial resources could shake up the 2026 congressional elections. The billionaire, who contributed at least $250 million to Trump's 2024 campaign, could influence key races if he invests heavily in his new party. Trump signs tax and spending cut bill at White House However, the move may carry risks for Musk, whose business empire depends on government contracts, while shares of Tesla — one of his flagship companies — have already been affected by recent political controversies. It remains unclear whether Musk has formally completed the legal process to establish the America Party. On Sunday, reporters found several new entities registered with the Federal Election Commission containing variations of “America Party,” “DOGE,” or “X,” some listing Musk's name. Throughout Sunday, Musk actively engaged with X users, seeking feedback on the party's direction and hinting at plans to participate in the 2026 midterm elections.