This was treason: Trump accuses Obama of rigging US presidential elections
Trump said, "It's there, he's guilty. This was treason. The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold ... They tried to rig the election and they got caught — and there should be very severe consequences for that."RUSSIA TRIED TO INFLUENCE US ELECTIONAccording to news agency Reuters, US intelligence reports found that Russia tried to influence the 2016 election to help Trump and harm Democrat Hillary Clinton. But these reports said the impact was limited and showed no proof Russia changed votes.A Senate report in 2020 said Russia worked with people like Paul Manafort to interfere with the election to support Trump's campaign.Trump often calls these investigations a "hoax" and recently shared a fake video showing Obama being arrested. Democrats say the claims are false and politically motivated. Congressman Jim Himes wrote, "This is a lie... there was no evidence of politicisation in the intelligence community's actions."TRUMP TARGETS OBAMA AND EPSTEINTrump, who is under pressure from his supporters, has been urging to release files on Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges. When asked about Epstein, Trump quickly turned to criticise Obama.He said, "The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold... There should be very severe consequences for that."Trump warned that action might be taken against Obama and his officials, calling the Russia probe a "treasonous act" and accusing Obama of "trying to lead a coup."Obama has often been a target of Trump's attacks. In 2011, Trump claimed Obama was not born in the US, which led Obama to release his birth certificate.In response to Trump's accusations, a spokesperson from Barack Obama's office said that nothing in the documents released last week changes the key conclusion: Russia attempted to interfere in the 2016 US election but did not succeed in altering any votes. - EndsWith inputs from ReutersTune InMust Watch
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
26 minutes ago
- Business Standard
India reacts with outrage to Trump's tariff hike, 'dead' economy remarks
India is hardly alone in facing Trump's trade wrath - and not the subject to the very highest rates - but the news left business and political leaders wondering how to cope with the fallout Bloomberg By Satviki Sanjay and Swati Gupta Shock, dismay and angst swept across India as businesses, policymakers and citizens digested US President Donald Trump's sharp remarks and a surprise 25 per cent tariff rate earlier this week. While Indian government officials weighed a response and business groups tallied the cost of the trade barrier, the local social media flared up with users protesting Trump's comments and criticizing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not speaking up. It started with Trump saying that India's trade barriers were the 'most strenuous and obnoxious,' in a Truth Social post July 30. He added the US may also impose a penalty for New Delhi's purchase of Russian weapons and energy. Less than a day later, he ripped into India again for aligning with Russia, calling them 'dead economies' in another post. I don't think any head of state has insulted India as Trump does. I don't know how @narendramodi calls him a friend and doesn't speak up. Tariffs, penalties, and saying 'I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. — Maheshwer Peri (@maheshperi) July 31, 2025 With no imminent trade deal, the 25 per cent tariffs kicked in as of Friday. India is hardly alone in facing Trump's trade wrath — and not the subject to the very highest rates — but the news left business and political leaders wondering how to cope with the fallout. 'Blunt-Force' Message 'Overnight, the US-India trade equation shifted from tense to turbulent,' said Akshat Garg, assistant vice president at Choice Wealth, a Mumbai based financial services firm. The levies 'feel less like structured policy and more like a blunt-force political message.' Complicating the narrative around the India trade deal — or the lack of it — was the US pact with its traditional rival Pakistan that came through on the same day. As the US released rates across the world on Aug. 1, India's relative disadvantage to competitor exporting countries became more apparent, dampening moods and stoking tempers further. 'The biggest blow is that Pakistan and Bangladesh got a better rate than us,' V. Elangovan, managing director at SNQS Internationals, an apparel maker in the south Indian manufacturing hub of Tirupur, told Bloomberg News. 'We were expecting something in the 15 to 20 per cent range.' India's annoyance can be traced back in part to Trump declaring himself the peacemaker that helped broker a ceasefire in the armed conflict between India and Pakistan in May. The move was seen as an effort to upstage Modi and put the two South Asian neighbors on an equal footing, despite India's larger military and economy. The events of this week have cemented that impression further in the eyes of some Indian observers. India has hoped it could do a fair deal with US. But succumbing to bullying is not part of the deal. At the end of the day, a trade deal has to be fair, and it must ensure that lives of Indians become better, not worse. Trump too shall pass. US tariffs are not the end of the… — sushant sareen (@sushantsareen) July 30, 2025 When the tariff rate news first dropped in late Wednesday evening in India, Ashish Kanodia recalls being 'very disturbed.' A director at Kanodia Global, a closely held exporter that gets over 40 per cent of its revenue from the US selling home fabrics to toys, the entrepreneur already has two of its largest US customers seeking discounts to make up for the levy. 'The next six months are going to be difficult for everyone,' Kanodia said, adding that profit margins will be squeezed. If the pain continues for 'months and months,' he said he'll have to start cutting his workforce. The US is India's largest trading partner, with the two-way trade between them at an estimated $129.2 billion in 2024. Compared with India's 25 per cent, Bangladesh was subjected to a 20 per cent tariff, Vietnam got a 20 per cent levy and Indonesia and Pakistan each received 19 per cent duties. 'We know that we have got a deal that is worse than other countries,' said Sabyasachi Ray, executive director at The Gem and Jewelry Export Promotion Council. 'We will take it up with the government.' Quite the unravelling of the Delhi - Washington relationship over the past 48 hours... ???????????????? > Trump announces 25% tariffs against India > Trump announces oil deal with Pakistan > US imposes sanctions against Indian petrochem companies for trading with Iran — Kabir Taneja (@KabirTaneja) July 31, 2025 Trump's actions mark a 180-degree turn for New Delhi's hopes of preferential treatment over regional peers. It was among the first to engage Washington in trade talks in February, confident of hammering out a deal sooner than others. Trump had called India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'my friend' in a Feb. 14 post on X and the bond between the two countries 'special.' India is now weighing options to placate the White House, including boosting US imports, Bloomberg News reported citing people familiar with the matter, and many hope that the bilateral relationship and the tariff rate can still be improved. 'It is a storm in the India-US relationship at this moment but I think there's a good chance that it will go away,' Vivek Mishra, deputy director of the Strategic Studies Programme at Delhi based Observer Researcher Foundation, told Bloomberg News. Indian business and trade groups are supporting the government's stance on the deal as the negotiations for a US-India trade deal continue. Negotiating Tactic Jewelry businesses 'are worried but they are not panicking' because they hope a more favorable deal can be worked out, said Ray of the gems export body. 'The negotiation that should be happening should be a win-win, not a win-lose.' The abrupt announcement by Trump over social media when negotiations with India were ongoing 'seems like a knee-jerk reaction,' according to Rohit Kumar, founding partner at public policy research firm The Quantum Hub. 'This appears to be a negotiating tactic aimed at unresolved discussion points,' Kumar said.
Mint
26 minutes ago
- Mint
India-US trade deal: Top five roadblocks that may arise after Trump's tariffs on India
India-US trade deal: Despite strong strategic ties, a comprehensive India-US trade deal remains elusive. The probability of getting it inked in the near term looks dicey after the imposition of Trump's tariffs on India. In retaliation, the Indian government is also considering levying a digital tax on US companies like Microsoft, Google, Meta, Amazon, etc. However, both countries, especially US President Donald Trump, remain committed to continuing talks for a possible India-US trade deal. According to experts, Trump's tariff on India is expected to hit Indian exports by $33 billion. The Indian government may compensate by imposing reciprocal taxes on US imports. They said the Indian government may think of reimposing digital tax on US companies after removing it from 1st April 2025. However, they maintained that after Trump's tariffs on India, the Narendra Modi government may go tough on the negotiations, especially on the US government's demand to provide Access to the Indian dairy and agriculture segment. They said that penalties on Russian crude oil imports, an unpredictable trade negotiation environment, mutual mistrust, etc., are some other roadblocks that may arise in the India-US trade deal after Trump's tariffs on India. Speaking on the roadblocks in the India-US trade deal, especially after Trump's tariffs on India, Utsav Verma, Head of Research — Institutional Equities at Choice Broking, said, "India-US trade negotiations are less about tariffs and more about reconciling fundamentally divergent policy philosophies. For any forward movement, establishing a permanent consultative mechanism, calibrated concessions in sensitive sectors, and depoliticized trade diplomacy are prerequisites." Verma said that future progress will likely depend on the outcome of upcoming leadership cycles, alignment on digital trade rules, and a reimagining of economic partnership beyond WTO-era thinking. "Biggest roadblock in the India-US trade deal post-imposition of Trump's tariffs on India is India's loss of around $33 billion in exports. To compensate for those losses, the Indian government may develop reciprocal taxes, which may become a roadblock in the India-US deal. The Indian government may go tough on the US demand for Access to the dairy and agriculture segment. At the same time, the US may not comply with the Indian demands on the Russian crude oil imports," said Avinash Gorakshkar, a SEBI-registered fundamental analyst. On the reciprocal taxes India may levy on the US, Avinash Gorakshkar said, "The way the US government has raised tariffs on Indian imports, the Indian government may also raise tariffs on US imports. They may also think of reimposing the digital tax on income from online digital advertisements from US companies. If they do so, it would be highly detrimental for US tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, Alphabet, Google, Amazon, etc." Experts said the most-awaited deal may face some major roadblocks, including mutual mistrust, an unpredictable negotiation environment, US demand for Access to the dairy and agriculture segment, strategic autonomy against geopolitical alignment, and a penalty on Russian crude oil imports. 1] Mutual mistrust: "India-US trade tensions have been shaped by over 90 WTO disputes since 1995 (WTO, 2024). The 2019 end of GSP benefits affected $5.6 billion in Indian exports (USTR, 2020). In 2024, the US reported a $27.4 billion trade deficit with India (US Census Bureau), fueling calls for better Access. India, however, sees these demands as imbalanced. A 2023 Brookings survey found only 41% of Indian policymakers viewed US trade policy as mutually beneficial. Still, trust has grown in defence, pharma, and tech. During COVID-19, both nations collaborated, and US FDI in India reached $8.3 billion in FY23 (DPIIT)," said Utsav Verma of Choice Broking. 2] Russian crude oil imports: "Even though Trump's tariffs have left Indo-Russian crude oil business untouched, the uncertainty around the implementation of penalties due to the import of Russian crude persists. Already, Indian refineries have started to reduce imports, which can increase the cost of crude and impact currency and inflation," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments. 3] Unpredictable negotiation environment: "US policy shifts—from Obama to Biden—have made trade negotiations volatile. Tariffs on steel (25%) and aluminium (10%), renewed in 2025, worsened uncertainty. Talks during 2023–25 were delayed thrice due to political cycles. Unlike the EU or ASEAN, India and the US lack a formal negotiation council. Utsav Verma said the Trade Policy Uncertainty Index rose 32% for India-US trade post-2022, compared to 18% for EU-US (EPU Project, 2024). 4] Access to dairy, agriculture segment: "Agriculture supports 58% of India's rural workforce (NABARD, 2023). Opening dairy markets could expose smallholders to subsidized US imports. The US seeks entry for poultry, corn, ethanol, and hormone-treated dairy, raising safety and religious concerns. India's average agri-tariffs stand at 39.5%, with bound rates at 113.1%, against the US's 5.4% (WTO, 2024). A NITI Aayog-CRISIL study shows a 10% US dairy entry could cut Indian prices by 17%. India exported $4.3 billion in agri-products to the US in FY24 but imported only $860 million (APEDA, 2024). Still, partnerships in agritech and sustainable farming—like joint ethanol blending and improved standards —suggest opportunities, said Verma. 5] Geopolitical divergence: Pointing towards the strategic autonomy against the geopolitical alignment, Utsav Verma of Choice Broking, said, "India's $10 billion defence ties with Russia challenge US alignment goals (SIPRI, 2024). India resists being cast solely as a counterweight to China and maintains sovereignty—as seen in its completion of the S-400 deal despite CAATSA threats. Defence trade with the US reached $20 billion in 2024 (US DoD), yet digital cooperation lags due to India's focus on data sovereignty. With elections looming (India in 2029, US in 2028), nationalism may complicate compromise. Nonetheless, shared interests in Indo-Pacific security, climate tech, and resilient supply chains provide buffers that keep strategic engagement intact." Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
NDTV
26 minutes ago
- NDTV
Who Rules Under Oceans? US vs Russia Submarine Strength
The US is moving two nuclear submarines to strategic positions, in a Cold War-era tactic that followed former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev's response to President Donald Trump's "dead economy" jibe. Trump ordered the deployment to counter Moscow's defiance after his threats of tariffs and sanctions fell flat. The directive came last night after Medvedev warned Trump of the 'dead hand' tactic, referring to a Cold War-era automatic or semi-automatic nuclear weapons control system capable of launching a nuclear counterstrike even if the country's leadership had been wiped out. Kremlin hasn't responded to the threat yet. But a senior lawmaker, Viktor Vodolatsky, warned that they have more nuclear submarines in the world's oceans to tackle those ordered to move near Russia. "The number of Russian nuclear submarines in the world's oceans is significantly higher than the American ones, and the subs that US President Donald Trump ordered to be redirected to the appropriate regions have long been under their control," he said. Here's a look at the submarine fleets of the US and Russia: The American Navy's Ohio-class Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs) are known for their stealth capability and precise delivery of nuclear warheads. Called boomers, at least 14 of these are currently in service. Designed for extended deterrent patrols, these can operate for 15 years between major overhauls. These can carry up to 20 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Its primary weapon is Trident || D5 SLBMs. American Fast Attack Submarines The US operates three classes of nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN): Virginia-class, Seawolf-class, and Los Angeles-class (also known as 688 class). Equipped with Tomahawk missiles, Harpoon missiles, and MK-48 torpedoes, these attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy vessels. They can also carry out intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations, and engage in mine warfare. The US has 24 Virginia-class SSNs (pic above), including USS Hawaii, USS North Carolina, USS Missouri, etc. It is the US Navy's newest undersea warfare platform that incorporates several innovations. It has special features to support special operation forces and has a lock-in/lock-out chamber for divers. There are three Seawolf-class submarines in the US fleet, the first - USS Seawolf - being commissioned in 1997. The Seawolf-class lacks a vertical launch mechanism. The SSN has eight torpedo tubes, and its torpedo room can hold up to 50 weapons. The 688-class builds the backbone of the US submarine force. At least 24 of these are in service. Built in 1976 to counter Soviet threats, these have proved highly effective with an effective speed and stealth. The Los Angeles-class will be replaced by the Virginia-class when they retire. Russian Ballistic Missile Submarines Russia has one of the world's largest submarine fleets, comprising around 64 vessels. About 14 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) are central to its strategic mechanism. These include the Borei-class and Delta IV-class. The Russian Navy has eight Borei-class SSBNs, equipped with 16 Bulava SLBMs and six 533mm torpedo launchers. It can also fire anti-submarine rockets and bottom mines. Its crew comprises over a hundred seamen. The Boreis will replace the Delta IV-class submarines, which were built alongside the Typhoon-class. At least six of the Deltas are in service currently. Armed with 16 Sineva SLBMs, these serve as the backbone of Russia's nuclear deterrent in the sea. The Russian Navy has four Yasen-class nuclear attack submarines, shorter and requiring a smaller crew than their predecessors. The submarines of this class can hold either up to five 3M54-1 Kalibr missiles or four P-800 32-40 Oniks missiles, providing these submarines with long-range land attack and anti-ship capabilities. The Akula-class, of which about five are in service, is the Russian Navy's silent killing machine, also known as the Shark (akula in Russian translates to shark). A counter to the US Los Angeles-class, these Russian submarines can operate Kalibr, Oniks, or Granit missiles and torpedoes.
