Trump tariffs live updates: Trump says semiconductor tariffs coming soon, could reach 300%
"I'll be setting tariffs next week and the week after on ... chips — chips and semiconductors," he told reporters Friday.
Trump has already suggested he could set tariffs on chip imports around 100%. On Friday, he floated an even bigger number. "I'm going to have a rate that is going to be 200%, 300%," he said.
The president has also promised duties on pharmaceutical imports in the near future.
Meanwhile, tariffs are starting to show up in economic data for the first time in a significant way. Wholesale inflation surged in July, rising by its fastest pace in around three years and stunning market observers.
So far, inflation data has shown little impact since Trump began rolling out sweeping duties in the spring. But as the tariffs become more engrained in the US economy, economists expect more data points to align with this week's Producer Price Index report — perhaps most notably in next month's Consumer Price Index.
So far, stock markets haven't been phased. US stock indexes hit all-time highs this week as the world adapts. New data this week also showed that tariffs have brought in billions in revenue, though economists say a portion of that is already coming in the form of price increases on consumers.
On the negotiations front, Trump signed an executive order extending the tariff truce between the US and China for another 90 days, pushing trade negotiations out to November. Average US tariff rates on Chinese goods are currently around 55%, according to Bloomberg.
Earlier this month, Trump unveiled "reciprocal" tariffs on dozens of US trade partners (which you can see in the graphic below).
The next negotiations to watch are Canada, Mexico, and China in the coming months.
The tariffs are also facing legal limbo. Multiple challenges to Trump's tariffs are pending in US federal courts. The one garnering the most attention is a case heard by an appeals court in July. The Court could nullify or uphold the duties at any time.
Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet
Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world.
Trump says semiconductor tariffs could reach 300%
President Trump said Friday he is planning on unveiling tariffs on semiconductor imports over the next two weeks, hinting that those duties could reach as high as 300%.
From Bloomberg:
Read more here.
Applied Materials' shares sink on weak China demand, tariff risks
Shares in Applied Materials (AMAT) sank 14% before the bell on Friday after the chip equipment maker issued weak fourth-quarter forecasts on sluggish China demand, fueling concerns over tariff-related risks.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
China's economy lags in July under pressure from tariffs and a weak property market
China's economy lagged in July as factory output and retails sales slowed and house prices dropped, according to data released on Friday. President Trump's tariffs have added to uncertainty on exports and are looming over the world's second-largest economy. Concerns linger despite Trump extending a pause in sharp hikes in import duties for 90 days, beginning Monday, following a 90-day pause that began in May.
AP reports:
Read more here.
Taiwan lifts 2025 growth forecast, defying US tariff worries
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
These tariffs are bananas
An interesting spot from this week's inflation data: Prices for the reliable, potassium-heavy banana have jumped to their highest price ever recorded.
Banana prices peaked around $0.64 per pound in the post-COVID inflation wave and then went on a slow downward trajectory. That is, until April 2025, when President Trump announced his first wave of sweeping tariffs. Prices are now hovering near $0.66 per pound.
As the Yale Budget Lab chief Ernie Tedeschi noted on X, the average tariff rate on banana imports went from virtually nothing to very much something as Trump imposed tariffs on most US trading partners.
That's nuts!
Tapestry forecasts annual profit below estimates on tariff pain
Tapestry (TPR) stock fell 8% before the bell on Thursday after the Coach handbag maker forecast annual profit below estimates. The company cited higher costs due to tariffs that have hit its margins.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Tariff confusion drives record volume at Los Angeles Port
(Bloomberg) — The Port of Los Angeles said it handled the highest container volume in its 117-year history last month, as uncertainty over President Donald Trump's tariffs drives shippers to front-load cargoes.
Already the busiest port in the country, LA moved more than 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, an 8.5% increase from a year ago, the operator said on Wednesday. That includes containers entering and exiting its terminals, with loaded imports rising by a similar percentage to nearly 544,000 TEUs. The total volume handled was 14.2% higher than in June.
Read more here.
Pharma tariffs are likely weeks away, Reuters reports
US tariffs on pharmaceutical imports are coming but not imminent, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. Trump has previously warned duties on the drug industry could reach as much as 250%.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Brazil's Lula announces $5.5 billion in credits for exporters hit by US tariffs
Brazilinan President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced a plan that includes $5 billion in credit to help local exporters handle tariffs .
Associated Press reports:
Read more here.
Swiss say tariffs could raise costs for US F-35A jets
The original price of the 36 fighter jets Switzerland is buying from the United States could go up by more than $1 billion due to the impacts of tariffs.
Reuters reports:
Read more from Reuters here.
AI boom could help manufacturers adapt to global tariff landscape
Mark Bendeich of Reuters details how the confluence of supply chain disruption from Trump's tariff policy and the rise of AI software solutions is leading to increased innovation among manufacturers.
Richard Howells, SAP vice president and supply chain specialist, emphasized that the uncertainty surrouding Trump's trade policy is driving the technology push.
"That's how it was during the financial crisis, Brexit and COVID," Howells stated. "And it's what we're seeing now."
Read more here.
GE Appliances to invest over $3B in US, moving from China and Mexico
GE Appliances will move production of its refrigerators, gas ranges and water heaters from China and Mexico, investing over $3 billion to expand plans in five US states.
AP News reports:
Read more here.
Bessent dismisses China investing in US as part of a trade deal
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out Chinese investments as part of a US trade deal.
When asked if China would offer a multi-billion dollar pleadges like Japan, South Korea and the EU, Bessent said no.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Tariffs bring in record $27.7 billion in July as Trump calls haul 'incredible for our country'
Yahoo Finance's Brett LoGiurato and Ben Werschkul report:
Xi takes aim at US 'protectionism' in phone call with Lula
Leaders of the BRICS nations seem to be in talks. Brazilian President Lula spoke with China's leader Xi after meeting with India and Russia. This outreach comes after President Trump pulled Brazil into his trade war. During the call, China's Xi urged for coordinated efforts against US protectionism.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Soybean futures fall after Trump extends trade truce with China
Soybean (ZS=F) prices fell back below $10 a bushel on Tuesday, after news of the US-China trade truce extension. Traders saw this truce as likely delaying major grain-purchasing deals between the two nations until later this year.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
European Union awaits US follow-up on trade deal promises
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union could not say when a joint statement on tariffs with the United States would be ready, nor when the White House would issue an executive order on European car import duties, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The EU and U.S. reached a framework trade agreement at the end of July but only the 15% baseline tariff on European exports had so far come into effect, as of last week. EU officials previously said a joint statement would follow the deal "very soon" along with executive orders from U.S. President Donald Trump on key carve-outs.
"It is an agreement that we believe is strong and the best we could have ... Of course, we expect the U.S. to take further steps that are part of this agreement but I don't believe at this stage we can put a timeline on these engagements," the European Commission spokesperson said.
Read more here.
'Climate of uncertainty' remains after China-US trade extension
Zhou Mi, an expert at the Ministry of Commerce-backed Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told Bloomberg that there remains a "climate of uncertainty" despite the latest 90-day pause on additional tariffs enacted by the US on Monday.
The Trump administration 'frequently sends out a range of signals, often through its negotiation tactics and public statements — some of which even contradict each other,' Zhou told Bloomberg.
'This creates a climate of uncertainty that makes businesses and markets increasingly concerned about the stability and outlook for economic and trade policies between China and the US, as well as the US and other countries."
Average US tariffs on good imported from China currently sit at 55%.
Read more here.
Swiss precious metals group wants 'a formal and binding decision' on Trump gold tariff promise
Not everyone is fully satisfied with President Donald Trump's social media statement on not putting tariffs on gold after uncertainty in the bullion market in recent days.
"President Trump's statement is an encouraging signal for trade stability," Christoph Wild, president of the the the Swiss precious metals association ASFCMP, stated on Tuesday. "However, only a formal and binding decision will provide the certainty the gold sector and its partners require."
Read more here.
China urges firms not to use Nvidia H20 chips in new guidance
China has told local companies to avoid using Nvidia (NVDA) H20 processors, especially for government work. This makes it harder for Nvidia to recover billions in lost sales in China and affects the US government's plan to benefit from those sales.
This latest move by China appears to be in response to the deal Nvidia and AMD (AMD) made with the US government over the weekend to pay the US 15% of the revenue for AI-related chip sales to China, adding a monetization layer to the Trump administration's tariff policy that has reoriented global trade relationships.
In recent weeks, Chinese officials warned several firms against using these less advanced chips. The strongest advice was to keep J20 processors out of government national security projects, both for state-owned and private companies.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Trump says semiconductor tariffs could reach 300%
President Trump said Friday he is planning on unveiling tariffs on semiconductor imports over the next two weeks, hinting that those duties could reach as high as 300%.
From Bloomberg:
Read more here.
President Trump said Friday he is planning on unveiling tariffs on semiconductor imports over the next two weeks, hinting that those duties could reach as high as 300%.
From Bloomberg:
Read more here.
Applied Materials' shares sink on weak China demand, tariff risks
Shares in Applied Materials (AMAT) sank 14% before the bell on Friday after the chip equipment maker issued weak fourth-quarter forecasts on sluggish China demand, fueling concerns over tariff-related risks.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Shares in Applied Materials (AMAT) sank 14% before the bell on Friday after the chip equipment maker issued weak fourth-quarter forecasts on sluggish China demand, fueling concerns over tariff-related risks.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
China's economy lags in July under pressure from tariffs and a weak property market
China's economy lagged in July as factory output and retails sales slowed and house prices dropped, according to data released on Friday. President Trump's tariffs have added to uncertainty on exports and are looming over the world's second-largest economy. Concerns linger despite Trump extending a pause in sharp hikes in import duties for 90 days, beginning Monday, following a 90-day pause that began in May.
AP reports:
Read more here.
China's economy lagged in July as factory output and retails sales slowed and house prices dropped, according to data released on Friday. President Trump's tariffs have added to uncertainty on exports and are looming over the world's second-largest economy. Concerns linger despite Trump extending a pause in sharp hikes in import duties for 90 days, beginning Monday, following a 90-day pause that began in May.
AP reports:
Read more here.
Taiwan lifts 2025 growth forecast, defying US tariff worries
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
These tariffs are bananas
An interesting spot from this week's inflation data: Prices for the reliable, potassium-heavy banana have jumped to their highest price ever recorded.
Banana prices peaked around $0.64 per pound in the post-COVID inflation wave and then went on a slow downward trajectory. That is, until April 2025, when President Trump announced his first wave of sweeping tariffs. Prices are now hovering near $0.66 per pound.
As the Yale Budget Lab chief Ernie Tedeschi noted on X, the average tariff rate on banana imports went from virtually nothing to very much something as Trump imposed tariffs on most US trading partners.
That's nuts!
An interesting spot from this week's inflation data: Prices for the reliable, potassium-heavy banana have jumped to their highest price ever recorded.
Banana prices peaked around $0.64 per pound in the post-COVID inflation wave and then went on a slow downward trajectory. That is, until April 2025, when President Trump announced his first wave of sweeping tariffs. Prices are now hovering near $0.66 per pound.
As the Yale Budget Lab chief Ernie Tedeschi noted on X, the average tariff rate on banana imports went from virtually nothing to very much something as Trump imposed tariffs on most US trading partners.
That's nuts!
Tapestry forecasts annual profit below estimates on tariff pain
Tapestry (TPR) stock fell 8% before the bell on Thursday after the Coach handbag maker forecast annual profit below estimates. The company cited higher costs due to tariffs that have hit its margins.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Tapestry (TPR) stock fell 8% before the bell on Thursday after the Coach handbag maker forecast annual profit below estimates. The company cited higher costs due to tariffs that have hit its margins.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Tariff confusion drives record volume at Los Angeles Port
(Bloomberg) — The Port of Los Angeles said it handled the highest container volume in its 117-year history last month, as uncertainty over President Donald Trump's tariffs drives shippers to front-load cargoes.
Already the busiest port in the country, LA moved more than 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, an 8.5% increase from a year ago, the operator said on Wednesday. That includes containers entering and exiting its terminals, with loaded imports rising by a similar percentage to nearly 544,000 TEUs. The total volume handled was 14.2% higher than in June.
Read more here.
(Bloomberg) — The Port of Los Angeles said it handled the highest container volume in its 117-year history last month, as uncertainty over President Donald Trump's tariffs drives shippers to front-load cargoes.
Already the busiest port in the country, LA moved more than 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, an 8.5% increase from a year ago, the operator said on Wednesday. That includes containers entering and exiting its terminals, with loaded imports rising by a similar percentage to nearly 544,000 TEUs. The total volume handled was 14.2% higher than in June.
Read more here.
Pharma tariffs are likely weeks away, Reuters reports
US tariffs on pharmaceutical imports are coming but not imminent, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. Trump has previously warned duties on the drug industry could reach as much as 250%.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
US tariffs on pharmaceutical imports are coming but not imminent, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. Trump has previously warned duties on the drug industry could reach as much as 250%.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Brazil's Lula announces $5.5 billion in credits for exporters hit by US tariffs
Brazilinan President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced a plan that includes $5 billion in credit to help local exporters handle tariffs .
Associated Press reports:
Read more here.
Brazilinan President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced a plan that includes $5 billion in credit to help local exporters handle tariffs .
Associated Press reports:
Read more here.
Swiss say tariffs could raise costs for US F-35A jets
The original price of the 36 fighter jets Switzerland is buying from the United States could go up by more than $1 billion due to the impacts of tariffs.
Reuters reports:
Read more from Reuters here.
The original price of the 36 fighter jets Switzerland is buying from the United States could go up by more than $1 billion due to the impacts of tariffs.
Reuters reports:
Read more from Reuters here.
AI boom could help manufacturers adapt to global tariff landscape
Mark Bendeich of Reuters details how the confluence of supply chain disruption from Trump's tariff policy and the rise of AI software solutions is leading to increased innovation among manufacturers.
Richard Howells, SAP vice president and supply chain specialist, emphasized that the uncertainty surrouding Trump's trade policy is driving the technology push.
"That's how it was during the financial crisis, Brexit and COVID," Howells stated. "And it's what we're seeing now."
Read more here.
Mark Bendeich of Reuters details how the confluence of supply chain disruption from Trump's tariff policy and the rise of AI software solutions is leading to increased innovation among manufacturers.
Richard Howells, SAP vice president and supply chain specialist, emphasized that the uncertainty surrouding Trump's trade policy is driving the technology push.
"That's how it was during the financial crisis, Brexit and COVID," Howells stated. "And it's what we're seeing now."
Read more here.
GE Appliances to invest over $3B in US, moving from China and Mexico
GE Appliances will move production of its refrigerators, gas ranges and water heaters from China and Mexico, investing over $3 billion to expand plans in five US states.
AP News reports:
Read more here.
GE Appliances will move production of its refrigerators, gas ranges and water heaters from China and Mexico, investing over $3 billion to expand plans in five US states.
AP News reports:
Read more here.
Bessent dismisses China investing in US as part of a trade deal
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out Chinese investments as part of a US trade deal.
When asked if China would offer a multi-billion dollar pleadges like Japan, South Korea and the EU, Bessent said no.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out Chinese investments as part of a US trade deal.
When asked if China would offer a multi-billion dollar pleadges like Japan, South Korea and the EU, Bessent said no.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Tariffs bring in record $27.7 billion in July as Trump calls haul 'incredible for our country'
Yahoo Finance's Brett LoGiurato and Ben Werschkul report:
Yahoo Finance's Brett LoGiurato and Ben Werschkul report:
Xi takes aim at US 'protectionism' in phone call with Lula
Leaders of the BRICS nations seem to be in talks. Brazilian President Lula spoke with China's leader Xi after meeting with India and Russia. This outreach comes after President Trump pulled Brazil into his trade war. During the call, China's Xi urged for coordinated efforts against US protectionism.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Leaders of the BRICS nations seem to be in talks. Brazilian President Lula spoke with China's leader Xi after meeting with India and Russia. This outreach comes after President Trump pulled Brazil into his trade war. During the call, China's Xi urged for coordinated efforts against US protectionism.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Soybean futures fall after Trump extends trade truce with China
Soybean (ZS=F) prices fell back below $10 a bushel on Tuesday, after news of the US-China trade truce extension. Traders saw this truce as likely delaying major grain-purchasing deals between the two nations until later this year.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Soybean (ZS=F) prices fell back below $10 a bushel on Tuesday, after news of the US-China trade truce extension. Traders saw this truce as likely delaying major grain-purchasing deals between the two nations until later this year.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
European Union awaits US follow-up on trade deal promises
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union could not say when a joint statement on tariffs with the United States would be ready, nor when the White House would issue an executive order on European car import duties, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The EU and U.S. reached a framework trade agreement at the end of July but only the 15% baseline tariff on European exports had so far come into effect, as of last week. EU officials previously said a joint statement would follow the deal "very soon" along with executive orders from U.S. President Donald Trump on key carve-outs.
"It is an agreement that we believe is strong and the best we could have ... Of course, we expect the U.S. to take further steps that are part of this agreement but I don't believe at this stage we can put a timeline on these engagements," the European Commission spokesperson said.
Read more here.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union could not say when a joint statement on tariffs with the United States would be ready, nor when the White House would issue an executive order on European car import duties, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The EU and U.S. reached a framework trade agreement at the end of July but only the 15% baseline tariff on European exports had so far come into effect, as of last week. EU officials previously said a joint statement would follow the deal "very soon" along with executive orders from U.S. President Donald Trump on key carve-outs.
"It is an agreement that we believe is strong and the best we could have ... Of course, we expect the U.S. to take further steps that are part of this agreement but I don't believe at this stage we can put a timeline on these engagements," the European Commission spokesperson said.
Read more here.
'Climate of uncertainty' remains after China-US trade extension
Zhou Mi, an expert at the Ministry of Commerce-backed Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told Bloomberg that there remains a "climate of uncertainty" despite the latest 90-day pause on additional tariffs enacted by the US on Monday.
The Trump administration 'frequently sends out a range of signals, often through its negotiation tactics and public statements — some of which even contradict each other,' Zhou told Bloomberg.
'This creates a climate of uncertainty that makes businesses and markets increasingly concerned about the stability and outlook for economic and trade policies between China and the US, as well as the US and other countries."
Average US tariffs on good imported from China currently sit at 55%.
Read more here.
Zhou Mi, an expert at the Ministry of Commerce-backed Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told Bloomberg that there remains a "climate of uncertainty" despite the latest 90-day pause on additional tariffs enacted by the US on Monday.
The Trump administration 'frequently sends out a range of signals, often through its negotiation tactics and public statements — some of which even contradict each other,' Zhou told Bloomberg.
'This creates a climate of uncertainty that makes businesses and markets increasingly concerned about the stability and outlook for economic and trade policies between China and the US, as well as the US and other countries."
Average US tariffs on good imported from China currently sit at 55%.
Read more here.
Swiss precious metals group wants 'a formal and binding decision' on Trump gold tariff promise
Not everyone is fully satisfied with President Donald Trump's social media statement on not putting tariffs on gold after uncertainty in the bullion market in recent days.
"President Trump's statement is an encouraging signal for trade stability," Christoph Wild, president of the the the Swiss precious metals association ASFCMP, stated on Tuesday. "However, only a formal and binding decision will provide the certainty the gold sector and its partners require."
Read more here.
Not everyone is fully satisfied with President Donald Trump's social media statement on not putting tariffs on gold after uncertainty in the bullion market in recent days.
"President Trump's statement is an encouraging signal for trade stability," Christoph Wild, president of the the the Swiss precious metals association ASFCMP, stated on Tuesday. "However, only a formal and binding decision will provide the certainty the gold sector and its partners require."
Read more here.
China urges firms not to use Nvidia H20 chips in new guidance
China has told local companies to avoid using Nvidia (NVDA) H20 processors, especially for government work. This makes it harder for Nvidia to recover billions in lost sales in China and affects the US government's plan to benefit from those sales.
This latest move by China appears to be in response to the deal Nvidia and AMD (AMD) made with the US government over the weekend to pay the US 15% of the revenue for AI-related chip sales to China, adding a monetization layer to the Trump administration's tariff policy that has reoriented global trade relationships.
In recent weeks, Chinese officials warned several firms against using these less advanced chips. The strongest advice was to keep J20 processors out of government national security projects, both for state-owned and private companies.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
China has told local companies to avoid using Nvidia (NVDA) H20 processors, especially for government work. This makes it harder for Nvidia to recover billions in lost sales in China and affects the US government's plan to benefit from those sales.
This latest move by China appears to be in response to the deal Nvidia and AMD (AMD) made with the US government over the weekend to pay the US 15% of the revenue for AI-related chip sales to China, adding a monetization layer to the Trump administration's tariff policy that has reoriented global trade relationships.
In recent weeks, Chinese officials warned several firms against using these less advanced chips. The strongest advice was to keep J20 processors out of government national security projects, both for state-owned and private companies.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Boston Globe
15 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Why Trump continues to lie about the 2020 presidential election
The right results were given in 2020. Trump lost. But nearly five years later, whenever Trump speaks, the question isn't whether he'll find a way to switch the conversation to the 2020 election but when. Given his tendency to babble about inconsequential subjects, it's tempting to dismiss Trump's off-script ramblings. But don't overlook the method behind the madness here. Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up From Trump's Advertisement That's what he's doing every time he repeats the Big Lie about 2020. He upholds it as an example of a dishonest election stolen from the people despite no evidence of widespread fraud in that presidential contest. Trump lost because American voters had enough of him. Advertisement The president's motives are clear. He needs Republicans to hold on to the House in 2026 because he knows that if Democrats regain control they'll start impeachment hearings against him as soon as possible. For all his big talk about big wins in his second term, Trump knows that voters, For years, Trump undermined election integrity. As the 2016 presidential contest entered its final weeks, he falsely claimed that the election was This was Trump's hedge against a possible defeat: He could only lose an election if it was rigged against him. Of course, all of his machinations after he lost in 2020 supercharged his baseless allegations, culminating in the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when he attempted to overthrow the outcome of the presidential election. But despite Trump's impeachment for incitement, he hasn't stopped promoting the antidemocratic lie that he was robbed and that election integrity must be restored, while he's doing everything to destroy it. That includes Trump's latest attempt to end mail-in voting by Advertisement Mail-in balloting garnered widespread use during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. According to a Trump remains unswayed. He Seven months into his Trump uses 2020 as a phony example of a crooked election. That's why he brings it up as often as possible and usually in places where he receives no pushback. But the voters he's targeting should also remember 2020 as the year when a historic number of people, despite a pandemic, cast their ballots and tossed this tyrant out of power. Renée Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at


The Hill
15 minutes ago
- The Hill
Zelensky gives Trump a golf putter
President Trump is putting a new flat stick in his golf bag, courtesy of a Ukrainian soldier who shares his love for the game and delivered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky presented Trump with a new blade-style putter during his visit to The White House on Monday. The Ukrainian leader told the president that the club was given to him by Kostiantyn Kartavtsev, a junior sergeant in Ukraine's Armed Forces. The solider lost a leg in the first months of Russia's full-scale invasion, according to the Ukrainian government, noting golf became part of Kartavtsev's rehabilitation and helped him regain balance 'both physically and mentally.' Trump recorded a video for the Ukrainian fighter thanking him for the gift. 'I just watched you swing, I know a lot about golf, and your swing is great. You're going to be a very good golfer soon,' he told the soldier in the clip making the rounds online with Ukrainian subtitles. 'I want to thank you for this putter … is made with real love from you.' The president encouraged the Ukrainian soldier to keep playing golf and said he and Zelensky are working 'very, very hard to bring your country back to health.' 'The putter is beautiful, thank you. Every time I sink a putt I'll be thinking about you,' he quipped. Zelensky traveled to Washington to meet with Trump and European leaders as the U.S. helps to facilitate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia amid the ongoing war in Eastern Europe. An avid golfer who owns courses and resorts around the world, Trump was in Scotland earlier this month for the grand opening of his newest property at Turnberry. The PGA Tour also announced Tuesday that it would return to the president's Doral resort in Florida next May, marking the first time the sport's premier league has held an event at a Trump property since 2016.


The Hill
15 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump floats air support for Ukraine as part of security guarantees
President Trump is floating providing U.S. pilots and war planes as part of security guarantees for post-war Ukraine as he pushes for an end to Russia's war against the country. Trump has said the U.S. will help Europe craft security guarantees for Ukraine to backstop any peace deal reached with Russia, in lieu of Ukraine joining NATO, a red line for Russia. 'When it comes to security, they are willing to put people on the ground,' Trump said in an interview with Fox News aired Monday evening, referring to Europe. 'We're willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air because nobody has stuff we have.' White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that Trump has tasked his national security team to 'come up with a framework for these security guarantees that can be acceptable to help ensure a lasting peace and end this war.' 'I won't, certainly, rule out anything as far as military options that the president has at his disposal, I'll let him do that,' she said, but added that the president has 'definitively' ruled out boots on the ground. NATO chief Mark Rutte on Monday said Trump's willingness to involve the U.S. in security gaurantees for Ukraine was a 'breakthrough' in the peace process, though details on America's potential role remain scarce. Trump's floating the possibility for air support could mean American pilots engaged in defensive operations, guarding against Russian missiles, or simply providing support for other aircraft – such as air-to-air refueling or for transportation of military equipment. Defensive operations could risk a confrontation between the U.S. and Russia, a scenario that both Trump and former President Biden before him have been anxious to avoid. Biden turned down Ukraine's requests for no-fly zone following Russia's invasion, over concerns it could escalate the conflict and lead to a direct confrontation between nuclear powers.