Trump mired in Epstein controversy as Wall Street Journal reports on 2003 letter
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. Trump denied writing the letter, calling it 'false, malicious, and defamatory.'
It came after Trump in recent days has berated as 'weaklings' supporters vying for more records from the Epstein probe, after years of courting political support from those who have stoked claims of a coverup in the case to protect wealthy friends of Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 awaiting trial on federal charges of trafficking of underage girls.
Trump has also shielded his attorney general from being questioned about the case after she walked back claims of the existence of a 'client list' of elites who participated in Epstein's crimes, and has even taken to claiming without evidence that files were doctored by Democrats.
In an administration that prides itself on changing the narrative on negative storylines, the Epstein saga has had remarkable staying power, thanks in part to infighting at high levels of government, Trump's blistering criticism of his own base and the head-scratching mystery of why documents his own administration promised to unlock will remain buried — seemingly for good.
Thursday's disclosure — coupled with frustration from Trump-allied lawmakers on Capitol Hill — pushed Trump to abruptly reverse course and direct Attorney General Pam Bondi to try to make some of the documents in the case public.
Bondi said she would seek court permission Friday to release grand jury information, but it would require a judge's approval, and she and Trump were silent on the additional evidence collected by federal law enforcement in the sprawling investigation that Bondi last week announced she would not release.
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Business Standard
25 minutes ago
- Business Standard
EU, US set new steps to cut tariffs and boost transatlantic trade
The US and European Union took the next steps to formalize their trade pact, detailing plans that could reduce tariffs on European automobiles within weeks while opening the door to new potential discounts for steel and aluminum. The joint statement issued Thursday advances the preliminary deal announced a month ago, by including specific benchmarks for the EU to secure its promised sectoral tariff discounts on cars, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, as well as new commitments to cooperate on economic security matters, food standards and digital trade. President Donald Trump has repeatedly praised the sweeping US-EU trade framework, extolling it as 'a big deal' in a Monday White House meeting with foreign leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The deal provides predictability and 'delivers for our citizens & companies, and strengthens transatlantic relations,' von der Leyen said in a post on the social-media platform X. The development underscores the nature of trade talks under Trump, with some initial, broad pronouncements of deals giving way to weeks or more of work to hammer out detailed agreements. Many of them are also tied to sweeping policy changes that could take time to materialize. For example, Trump already imposed a flat 15 per cent rate on most European goods — half the 30 per cent he'd previously threatened. But the US promise to extend that lower levy to autos and auto parts now hinges on the EU formally introducing a legislative proposal to eliminate a host of its own tariffs on US industrial goods and provide 'preferential market access' for some US seafood and agricultural products. Car Relief The statement outlines choreographed action on both sides of the Atlantic, with the US codifying reduced auto tariffs once the EU 'formally introduces the necessary legislative proposal to enact' its own promised tariff reductions. The discounted 15 per cent tariffs on European auto imports — down from the current 27.5 per cent — would be effective from the start of the same month that legislation is advanced. They could be in place within weeks, said a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters on the initiative. The shift has been anxiously anticipated by some EU member states, particularly Germany, which exported $34.9 billion of new cars and auto parts to the US in 2024. The legislative trigger is designed to help ensure the EU delivers on its promised tariff reductions — and ensure the 27-nation bloc has sufficient pressure to obtain the political mandate needed to make the changes, the administration official said. The US is committing to apply lower most-favored-nation, or MFN, tariffs to a slew of other European products — including aircraft and aircraft parts, generic pharmaceuticals and their ingredients and some natural resources such as cork. More carve-outs could be added in future, the statement says, but for now the EU has not succeeded in receiving the same treatment for wines, spirits and medical devices. The US is also renewing its commitment to cap future sectoral tariffs on European pharmaceutical products, semiconductors and lumber at 15 per cent. Metals Quotas It's also opening the prospect for discounted rates on some steel, aluminum and derivative products under a quota system. That's a shift from the White House's stated plans in July, when the Trump administration insisted those metal tariffs would remain at 50 per cent, helping to lower trade deficits with the EU and bring revenue to US coffers. On steel and aluminum, the EU and US now assert they 'intend to consider the possibility to cooperate on ring-fencing their respective domestic markets from overcapacity, while ensuring secure supply chains between each other,' according to the joint statement. Under the terms agreed by the two sides, the EU faces a 15 per cent tariff on most of its exports. The US clarified in an executive order last month that the EU's rate would function as a ceiling, while other exporters' universal duty is currently in addition to existing MFN duties. Goods covered by the order that faced MFN levies above 15 per cent will continue to do so, but separate sectoral tariffs do not stack on top of each other or on top of the universal rates, said some of the people. QuickTake: EU-US Trade Deal - What Has and Hasn't Been Agreed? The document leaves unanswered major questions about how the EU might fulfill its promise to invest $600 billion in the US or purchase some $750 billion in US energy resources — including liquefied natural gas, oil and nuclear power products — through 2028. Private sector investments by European companies would be expected across strategic sectors in the US, including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, the senior administration official said. Meanwhile, the EU plans to substantially increase procurement of military and defense equipment from the US, according to the statement, and intends to buy at least $40 billion worth of US artificial intelligence chips. According to the joint statement, the EU intends to provide preferential market access for a range of seafood and non-sensitive agricultural goods imported from the US, including tree nuts, certain dairy products, fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, processed foods, planting seeds, soybean oil, pork and bison meat. Digital Trade In recent weeks, deliberations over the EU's digital services regulations and potential relief for some goods — including wine and spirits - were seen prolonging talks. The EU didn't secure lower rates for alcohol in the joint statement. The US and EU are pledging to address some of what the joint statement calls 'unjustified digital trade barriers,' with the bloc confirming that it will 'not adopt or maintain network usage fees.' A question-and-answer paper released Thursday by Brussels said it made no commitment on digital services regulation. 'The Joint Statement does not include any commitment on EU digital regulations,' it said. The EU has committed to work toward providing more 'flexibilities' in its levy on carbon-intensive imports set to kick in next year, the statement said, and it will seek to ensure its corporate sustainability due diligence and reporting requirements don't pose 'undue restrictions on transatlantic trade.' Potential changes could include eased compliance requirements for small- and medium-sized businesses, according to the statement.
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First Post
25 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump, Putin can make a deal but they can't sell it to Ukrainians and Europeans: Mearsheimer
Political scientist John Mearsheimer asserts the Russia-Ukraine war will be settled on the battlefield, not by Trump's diplomacy as Moscow and Kyiv remain deeply divided over security guarantees. This handout photograph taken by the Ukrainian Emergency Service and released on August 21, 2025, shows a Ukrainian emergency workers using water hoses on a fire following a Russian air attack, in Lviv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Image- AFP Prominent American political scientist John Mearsheimer, known for his stark forecasts on the Russia-Ukraine war said that despite high-level diplomatic manoeuvring, the conflict will ultimately be decided on the battlefield rather than at the negotiating table. Mearsheimer argued that US President Donald Trump who has opened channels with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will find himself unable to bridge the gulf between Moscow and Kyiv. 'The two countries are poles apart and no compromise acceptable to both sides is in sight,' he said, stressing that Trump's personal diplomacy cannot substitute for hard military realities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His remarks follow fresh attempts by Trump to position Washington as a guarantor of Ukraine's security. Recently, Trump's public commitment at a White House summit to some form of security guarantee for Ukraine was welcomed by European leaders and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte even hailed it as a 'breakthrough,' though officials acknowledged that the details of such guarantees remain . Russia says Ukraine 'not interested' in long-term peace Russia, meanwhile, dismissed Ukraine's pursuit of security guarantees as proof it was not interested in a long-term settlement. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Kyiv's demands were 'absolutely unacceptable' and warned that any presence of European troops in Ukraine would be treated as direct foreign intervention. 'The Ukrainian regime and its representatives comment on the current situation in a very specific way, directly showing that they are not interested in a sustainable, fair, long-term settlement,' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference. Lavrov also said any presence of European troops in Ukraine would be 'absolutely unacceptable', as Kyiv's allies worked on security guarantees for the country. 'This would be absolutely unacceptable for the Russian Federation,' Lavrov said in response to a journalist's question about security guarantees for Ukraine, calling them 'foreign intervention in some part of Ukrainian territory." Ukrainian President Zelensky countered by accusing Moscow of dodging serious negotiations. In his nightly address, he said Russia was 'trying to avoid the necessity to meet' and did not want to bring the war to an end. Mearsheimer's analysis cuts through these competing narratives. Even if Trump and Putin could arrive at a deal, he argued, such an agreement would face insurmountable resistance among Ukrainians unwilling to cede sovereignty and among Europeans deeply wary of rewarding Russian aggression. 'Any deal struck over their heads would be politically impossible to sell,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zelenskyy says Russia trying to avoid leaders meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday accused Russia of avoiding the 'necessity' of holding a meeting between the two countries' leaders despite US-led efforts to arrange such summit to try to end the war. 'Current signals from Russia are, to be honest, indecent. They're trying to avoid the necessity to meet. They don't want to end this war,' Zelensky said in his evening address published on social media. With both sides entrenched and outside powers divided over how far to go in underwriting Kyiv's security, the war appears set to grind on. For Mearsheimer, the trajectory is clear: the final settlement will be determined not by summits or security pledges but by the balance of forces on the battlefield. With inputs from agencies
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First Post
25 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump to patrol Washington streets with police, National Guard in crime crackdown
'I'm going to be going out tonight I think with the police and with the military of course… We're going to be doing a job,' Trump said during an interview with Newsmax, a right-wing media outlet US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he plans to patrol the streets of Washington, DC, alongside police and National Guard troops, as part of what he claims is a crackdown on crime in the nation's capital. 'I'm going to be going out tonight I think with the police and with the military of course… We're going to be doing a job,' AFP quoted Trump as saying during an interview with Newsmax, a right-wing media outlet. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The National Guard is great. They've done a fantastic job,' he added. It is unclear whether Trump has formal clearance or coordination with law enforcement or military officials for such an appearance. According to The Hill report, citing a White House official, the details of what Trump would be doing were forthcoming. The Trump administration has intensified its federal law enforcement presence in Washington, D.C., this month, citing what it calls an 'unacceptable' level of crime, despite data showing violent crime has declined in both 2024 and 2025. Last week, President Trump took federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed hundreds of National Guard troops across the city. According to the White House, over 600 arrests have been made since federal deployments began on August 7, including 251 undocumented immigrants. Critics argue the crackdown is politically motivated and unnecessary, pointing to falling crime rates and widespread opposition. A Washington Post–Schar School poll released Wednesday found 65% of D.C. residents believe Trump's actions won't make the city safer, while nearly 80% oppose his executive order to federalize the police. Despite the backlash, White House officials insist statistics don't reflect what they call the city's 'real state of decay.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited National Guard troops at Union Station on Wednesday to show support. The visit was met with protests, which Miller dismissed mockingly. 'We're going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old,' The Hill quoted Miller as saying. 'And we're going to get back to the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C,' he added. With inputs from agencies
