Jul 18 Trump’s pivot to ‘trade not aid’ leaves African nations wary as they face tariffs and uncertainty By Farai Mutsaka, Associated Press President Donald Trump’s new Africa strategy shifts from aid to trade under a “commercial diplomacy” push, urging ambassadors to broker business deals rather than manage aid programs. Continue reading
Jul 18 Watch 9:08 Trump on defensive as MAGA base questions his Epstein connections and investigation By John Yang, Ali Schmitz Nearly six years after he died, Jeffrey Epstein is still at the center of controversy. Part of President Trump's political base is angry over the handling of the files from the investigation into Epstein's sex crimes and his death in… Continue watching
Jul 18 Watch 10:14 Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s Epstein files fallout and public broadcasting funding cuts By John Yang, Ian Couzens New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join John Yang to discuss the week in politics, including the MAGA debate over releasing the Epstein files intensifies and congressional Republicans deliver Trump a win by… Continue watching
Jul 18 Most U.S. adults think the GOP tax bill will help the wealthy and harm the poor, AP-NORC poll finds By Leah Askarinam, Linley Sanders, Associated Press About two-thirds of U.S. adults expect the new tax law will help the rich, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Most — about 6 in 10 — think it will do more to… Continue reading
Jul 18 WATCH: Trump signs law creating regulations for dollar-linked ‘stablecoin’ cryptocurrencies By Seung Min Kim, Alan Suderman, Associated Press The GENIUS Act sets initial guardrails and consumer protections for stablecoins, which are tied to assets like the U.S. dollar to reduce price volatility compared with other forms of cryptocurrency. It passed both the House and Senate with wide bipartisan… Continue reading
Jul 18 Trump appointees pushed more marble in Federal Reserve building renovation White House now attacks By Christopher Rugaber, Josh Boak, Associated Press The Fed's architects said the central bank had wanted glass walls to reflect the Fed as a transparent institution, but three Trump appointees to a local commission felt marble best fit the building's historic character. Continue reading
Jul 18 Men deported by U.S. to Eswatini in Africa will be held in solitary confinement for undetermined time By Gerald Imray, Associated Press The Trump administration has sent hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama, and deported eight men earlier this month to South Sudan, also an African country. Continue reading
Jul 18 Trump mired in Epstein controversy as Wall Street Journal reports on 2003 letter By Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press Trump promised a lawsuit after The Wall Street Journal described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper says bore Trump’s name and was included in a 2003 album for Epstein’s 50th birthday. Continue reading
Jul 18 Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ canceled by CBS, ends May 2026 By Alicia Rancilio, Andrew Dalton, Associated Press The most recent ratings from Nielsen show Colbert gaining viewers so far this year and winning his timeslot among broadcasters, with about 2.417 million viewers across 41 new episodes. Continue reading
Jul 18 House gives final approval to Trump’s $9 billion cut to public broadcasting and foreign aid By Kevin Freking, Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press The vote marked the first time in decades that a president has successfully submitted such a rescissions request to Congress, and the White House suggested it won't be the last. Continue reading