
Karoline Leavitt details Trump's secret for delivering 'record-breaking' results in 200 days
And his top deputy is insisting that it has been more productive than his whirlwind first 100 days milestone.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Daily Mail that the president was only exceeding his efforts in office after settling into his groove on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The secret to Trump's success, Leavitt said, was that he 'actually kept his word' to American voters, 'delivered on every single major campaign promise' from his presidential campaign.
One of the president's signature achievements was his promise on the campaign trail to deliver tax cuts to Americans.
Trump signed his signature 'Big, Beautiful Bill' into law on Independence Day. It extended his 2017 tax cuts and cut taxes on tips, overtime pay and social security.
The law also enacted work requirements for Medicare coverage, expanded funding for border security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
And a popular provision included $1,000 MAGA baby accounts that will help Americans start investing in their kids' futures.
She listed off other promises, including 'securing the border to defeating Biden's inflation crisis.'
The first 100 days milestone is frequently marked as the most important time period of a president's leadership, as it signals how quickly he will secure his political agenda.
But Trump's second 100 days featured the passage of major legislation and significant foreign policy achievements.
The president's most significant domestic achievement was the administration's wrangling with Republican members of Congress who used a slim minority to pass his signature Big Beautiful Bill to enact many of his campaign promises.
'Thanks to President Trump's relentless efforts and record-breaking achievements, the Golden Age of America is officially upon us,' Leavitt concluded.
'I think I have more power now, I do,' Trump boasted in July, when asked by reporters about his successes in his second term. 'More gravitas. More power.'
President Trump also launched one of the biggest and most successful air strikes in modern history on several Iranian nuclear sites in June.
The airstrike involved 125 aircraft including seven B-2 stealth bombers, some of them tasked with hitting the three different nuclear sites.
Seventy-five 'precision-guided weapons' were dropped on Iranian targets and 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordinance Penetrators (MOPs) were dropped to destroy the facilities.
The president also convinced NATO members to raise defense spending to 5 percent of their GDP, culminating in a summit in June.
The president also signed the GENIUS Act into law, establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins and promoting the use and growth of the cryptocurrency industry in the United States.
The president successfully reached a record low in illegal crossings at the border as only 4,399 apprehensions took place in July with zero releases into the United States.
A White House official said to the Daily Mail that the administration had also located and rescued more than 13,000 migrant children who crossed the border without their parents.
Trump's trade agenda also moved forward after setting tough deadlines with some of America's trade partners to encourage them to negotiate with his administration.
So far the president has secured deals with South Korea, Pakistan, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam.
Trump also traveled to Scotland in July to announce significant negotiated deals with the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Despite some economic volatility from the president's tariffs, the stock market reached an all-time record high on July 25, after five consecutive days of new closing highs. The results of the president's expanded tariffs enacted on Thursday remain unclear.
Other second 100-day milestone successes flagged by the Trump administration included killing federal regulations at 10-1 rate and terminating Biden-era permitting for wind farms, which the president continues to criticize as an inefficient method of generating electricity.
The president also secured commitments from several prominent hospitals to stop providing sex change surgeries and puberty blockers for children under the age of 18.
The White House also celebrated the news that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has banned men from competing in women's sports, after the president made it a priority in his campaign and first six months of his administration.
Gas prices remained low throughout the president's second term as the national average was well below the four dollars a gallon highs that frequently took place during former President Joe Biden's first term.
The president also signed an executive order rolling back Biden era restrictions on the development of Artificial Intelligence and developing a strategy for the path forward.
The president also publicly threatened to end funding for several universities, prompting them to cancel their DEI policies.
The vice president's office also celebrated the 200th day milestone in a statement to the Daily Mail.
'The Trump administration has accomplished more since inauguration day than most administration's accomplish in four years,' a spokesman for Vice President JD Vance said in a statement.
'Americans are better off thanks to the tireless work of President Trump and Vice President Vance.'
The president, however still has work to do as he is still working on his promises to end the war in Ukraine as well as solving the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
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The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Russian nationalists have long demanded the return of Alaska. Now Trump has invited ICC-indicted Putin to the state
President Donald Trump is set to meet with Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week, the state that Russia once laid claim to and nationalists want to take back. Trump announced Friday that a meeting has been set with the Russian leader on August 15 in the Last Frontier state to discuss the war in Ukraine, which the president claimed he would end 'on Day One.' Despite facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, the meeting would mark the first time in a decade that Putin has set foot on U.S. soil. 'The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska,' Trump declared on Truth Social. Critics pointed out that Russia once laid claim to the state of Alaska at the beginning of the 1770s—where they mercilessly exploited Alaskan natives to hunt fur for the Russians—and nationalists have long wanted to take it back. Alaska was purchased from the Russians by the U.S. for a sum of $7.2 million in 1867—the equivalent of between $129 million and $153.5 million today. 'Trump has chosen to host Putin in a part of the former Russian Empire. Wonder if he knows that Russian nationalists claim that losing Alaska, like Ukraine, was a raw deal for Moscow that needs to be corrected,' said Michael McFaul, a professor of political science at Stanford University and former. U.S. ambassador to Russia. 'Let's all hope that Putin doesn't ask to take Alaska home with him as a souvenir, or Trump might give that away too,' political commentator David Frum said in a post on X. 'Trump inviting war criminal Putin to America is nauseating enough, but hosting him in Alaska — while Putin's pet propagandists routinely demand it back from the US on state TV — is beyond the pale,' author and commentator Julia Davis wrote on X. 'Unless Putin is arrested upon arrival, there's no excuse.' She posted a series of clips and screenshots of pro-Putin Russian commentators suggesting that Alaska should be part of their country once again. Trump's former national security adviser-turned foe, John Bolton, said the move reminded him of a blunder the president allegedly nearly made in his first term. 'This is not quite as bad as Trump inviting the Taliban to Camp David to talk about the peace negotiations in Afghanistan,' Bolton told CNN's Kaitlan Collins. 'But it certainly reminds one of that.' 'The only better place for Putin than Alaska would be if the summit were being held in Moscow,' Bolton added. 'So the initial setup, I think, is a great victory for Putin.' GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said that she was 'deeply wary' of Putin as she reacted to the news that the summit would take place in her home state. 'This is another opportunity for the Arctic to serve as a venue that brings together world leaders to forge meaningful agreements,' Murkowski said in a post on X Friday. 'While I remain deeply wary of Putin and his regime, I hope these discussions lead to genuine progress and help end the war on equitable terms.' Putin is wanted by the ICC on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine during the conflict triggered by Moscow's invasion of its neighbor. At least 19,000 Ukrainian children are thought to have been kidnapped and taken to Russia since the invasion began in February 2022, although Ukrainian officials say the total is probably far higher. Putin's children's rights commissioner, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, is also charged over the same alleged offenses. Putin has traveled overseas since the warrant was issued, including to ICC member state Mongolia. He's also traveled to China and North Korea, which are not court members. During the 2024 presidential election campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to end the war between Russia and Ukraine on 'Day One,' but later claimed he said it 'in jest.' Negotiations on peace talks have been slow moving and, at times, fraught. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will not be at next week's summit, was ambushed in the Oval Office earlier this year by Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The vice president attacked Zelensky for not saying thank you enough for U.S. financial and military support and accused him of being 'disrespectful.' Trump has made numerous pro-Putin statements in the past, and said gets along with the dictator 'very well.' His tone changed this month, when he said he was 'disappointed' with Putin as peace talks continued to drag and violence in Europe continued. The most famous meeting between the two presidents took place in Helsinki, Finland, in July 2018, during Trump's first term as president. Following the meeting, Trump publicly contradicted U.S. intelligence agencies and appeared to take Putin's word over their findings regarding Russian election interference. The remarks caused bipartisan outrage in Washington, with many accusing Trump of having 'sided with the enemy.'


Sky News
25 minutes ago
- Sky News
It's been four years since a US president met Putin - and Trump will have a lot of ice to break
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will meet where their countries brush shoulders. But why Alaska and why now? A US-Russia summit in Alaska is geography as metaphor and message. Alaska physically bridges both countries across the polar expanse. Choosing this location signals strategic parity - the US and Russian leaders face to face in a place where their interests literally meet. Alaska has surged in geopolitical importance due to its untapped fossil fuels. Trump has aggressively pushed for more control in the Arctic, plans for Greenland and oil access. Holding talks there centres the conversation where global energy and territorial stakes are high, and the US president thrives on spectacle. A dramatic summit in the rugged frontier of Alaska plays into his flair for the theatrical. It is brand Trump - a stage that frames him as bold, unorthodox and in command. It was 2021 when a US president last came face-to-face with a Russian president. The leaders of the two countries haven't met since Russia invaded Ukraine. But Trump is in touch with all sides - Russia, Ukraine and European leaders - and says they all, including Putin, want "to see peace". He's even talking up the potential shape of any deal and how it might involve the "swapping of territory". Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly insisted he will not concede territory annexed by Russia. Moscow has sent the White House a list of demands in return for a ceasefire. 0:23 Trump is attempting to secure buy-in from Zelenskyy and other European leaders. He styles himself as "peacemaker-in-chief" and claims credit for ending six wars since he returned to office 200 days ago. There's much ice to break if he's to secure a coveted seventh one in Alaska.


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Trump & Putin to meet in ALASKA next Friday, Don says as Ukraine & Russia will have to ‘swap land' for peace deal
Juliana Cruz Lima Sayan Bose Georgie English Published: Invalid Date, DONALD Trump and Vladimir Putin will officially meet face-to-face next Friday in Alaska to discuss a crunch peace deal. The US President says the Ukraine war is "very close" to ending but believes both nations will have to agree to "swap territories" if they want to end the bloodshed. 8 8 8 Trump had teased the exact location of the talks earlier in the day as he vowed to reveal the "popular" destination soon. But just an hour after finalising a White House meeting with Azerbaijan and Armenia's leaders, Trump announced the meeting would be held on US soil. He posted on Truth Social saying: "The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska." Washington and Moscow are said to be eyeing a deal to put an end to the bloody conflict in Ukraine - but it may not be all good news for Kyiv. Read more on Ukraine war DON'S CHALLENGE Trump will meet Putin even if he & Zelensky don't agree to showdown TRIPLE THREAT Who holds all the cards out of Vlad, Trump & Zel? Everything you need to know Trump told reporters in The White House that Zelensky is "going to have to get ready to sign something" in order to bring peace to his nation. Top diplomats from the US and Russia and currently working on an agreement to finalise post-war territories, senior officials told Bloomberg. Sources said Trump's team is trying to get Ukraine and its European allies on board to get a peace deal that would see Kyiv make some concessions. It comes as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk suggested that a "freeze" in the conflict is close. Most read in The US Sun SCAM BY ME Oasis Wembley gig in security breach after fans were sneaked in for cash MOTORWAY CHAOS Major motorway shuts after horror motorcyclist crash leaving severe delays AIRPORT HORROR Tragedy as man falls to his death from roof of car park at major UK airport HAPPY NEWS Emmerdale star reveals she's pregnant with third child in emotional post The peace deal will be the main topic of conversation when Putin and Trump sit down together next week. One major sticking point which remains centers around Putin's long-term demands, which include the annexation of Ukrainian territory. Everything you need to know about a Trump, Putin, Zelensky showdown summit – and who has the upper hand He is reportedly demanding that Ukraine cede its entire eastern Donbas area to Russia, as well as Crimea - which Moscow annexed in 2014. This means Ukrainian troops will need to withdraw from the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk - the regions still being held by Kyiv. In return, Moscow would stop its offensive in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine along the current battlelines, according to the officials. Zelensky has been adamant that Ukraine will not accept any annexation of Ukraine's land. But it could be a take-it-or-leave-it offer during the high-stakes meeting, which Kyiv risks being presented. Trump announced today that the only way to resolve the issues is for both sides to accept losses of land. He said: "It's complicated, actually. Nothing is easy. It's very complicated. "We're going to get some switched. There'll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both." 8 8 8 Igor Novikov, Zelensky's ex-adviser, spoke to The Sun about the Putin and Trump meet up on US soil. He said: "Trump understands that he needs to put enough sanction pressure and military pressure on Russia for them to consider ending this war. "But at the same time, Putin tries to manipulate and charm him, massage his ego into a position where Russia wins time and the US moves further away from helping Ukraine. "Whatever they decide upon. It won't be taken for granted by the Ukrainian people." It is still unclear if Zelensky will be invited to take part in the meeting after he has constantly asked to sit down with Putin in person. Putin has said he's ready to meet Trump - calling the summit a "mutual" goal. But he signalled reluctance on meeting Zelensky directly, saying: "I have nothing against it in general… But certain conditions must be created for this. "But unfortunately, we are still far from creating such conditions." Who has the upper hand? by Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter RIGHT now, everything hangs in the balance - and the power dynamic could shift in a heartbeat. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, former British Army officer and military analyst, said the fact the summit is even happening is a win in itself. But as for who's calling the shots? That's where things get complicated. Noting the Russian leader still believes he's making ground in Ukraine, the expert told The Sun: 'Until fairly recently, it's been pretty clear that President Putin has absolutely no desire for peace. 'His aim at the beginning of his special military operation over three and a half years ago was to subjugate the whole of Ukraine.' According to de Bretton-Gordon, Trump has only recently woken up to the fact that he's being played. 'It would appear that Trump has had a bit of an epiphany, a bit of a change of mind, and has now realised that Putin has been playing him.' And now, Don is bringing the businessman in him and threatening to hit Russia where it hurts most: the wallet. 'If Trump follows through with his sanctions and tariffs… then this is the reason I think that Putin has come to the table,' de Bretton-Gordon explained. 'Economic and financial analysts who really know about these things believe that the Russian economy would peter out pretty quickly without the massive amounts of money and resources it gets from oil.' In other words, Trump holds the economic sledgehammer — if he's willing to swing it. But Putin isn't out of the game. His forces are still advancing, still hammering Ukrainian cities, and still killing civilians. 'Russia seems to be moving forward slowly,' de Bretton-Gordon warned. 'Attacking civilian targets in Ukraine at an unbelievable scale.' Zelensky, meanwhile, remains the wild card. 'The people who are most important here are the Ukrainians,' he said. 'A bad deal for Ukraine is worse than no deal at all.' And that's the real risk. Trump might be chasing headlines, not justice. 'I think Trump probably just wants to get a deal of some description,' the former army officer said. 'One just hopes that Trump doesn't try and do some sort of backhand deal with Putin, just so that he can claim that there is now peace in Ukraine, because the short-term peace is no good to anybody.' So who has the upper hand? Right now, it's still up for grabs. But if Trump sticks to his economic guns, and if Putin starts to feel the heat on the home front, the balance might just tip. The US president also dismissed claims that next week's historic summit hinges on a three-way meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky. Asked if Putin needed to meet Zelensky in order to meet him, Trump clarified: "No, he doesn't." Despite that, the White House is preparing for the possible bilateral or trilateral summit. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed: "The White House is working through the details of these potential meetings… details will be provided at the appropriate time." Zelensky, meanwhile, has been working the phones with European leaders, wary of being sidelined in a direct US-Russia deal. A meeting with Putin and Trump will come after weeks of constant barbs being fired at the Russian tyrant by America's leader. Trump has expressed frustration with Putin, questioning whether the Russian leader really wants peace with Ukraine. Putin has snubbed peace for months and is instead steadily increasing his overnight bombing raids - which could soon hit 1,000 drones and missiles a day. Just days ago, 31 people died including five children after the Russians fired an Iskander missile into a residential tower block in Kyiv. Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said over the weekend that he wants peace but that his demands for ending his invasion were "unchanged". In response, Trump imposed a 50-day deadline on Russia to agree to a deal before he cut it down even further last week. The White House demanded "progress" from Moscow or face being hit with secondary sanctions targeting Russia's oil lifeline and key allies like India and China. The Republican strongman previously posted on Truth Social: "These two Nations have been at War for many years… Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to 'TRUMP'." 8 8 Topics Global politics Nuclear Weapons Ukraine war Donald Trump Vladimir Putin Moscow North America Russia The White House Ukraine United States Washington DC YOU MIGHT LIKE RECOMMENDED FOR YOU MORE FOR YOU More from The Sun Exclusive SCAM BY ME Oasis Wembley gig in security breach after fans were sneaked in for cash MOTORWAY CHAOS Major motorway shuts after horror motorcyclist crash leaving severe delays AIRPORT HORROR Tragedy as man falls to his death from roof of car park at major UK airport HAPPY NEWS Emmerdale star reveals she's pregnant with third child in emotional post