Ex-federal prosecutor: Jack Smith charges ‘last thing' Trump would want
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) confirmed this weekend that it is investigating Smith, the former special counsel who brought two criminal cases against Trump, on allegations that he engaged in political activity through his investigations of the president.
Weissmann stressed in an interview on MSNBC that the OSC is probing alleged violations of the Hatch Act, a civil statue, not looking into potential criminal charges.
'If they were actually to bring a case, this is the last thing that you would think the Trump administration and Trump, himself, would want,' Weissmann said on MSNBC.
Weissmann, who served on former special counsel Robert Mueller's team investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, said he thinks Trump would take steps to avoid any public trial.
'He spent years trying to avoid, and largely being successful, avoiding any of these cases going to trial,' Weissmann said about Trump.
'And if he's going to have a trial here, that's going to be a forum for Jack Smith and people to put on the evidence that he has tried, for so long, to avoid,' Weissmann said.
Former Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith in November 2022 by to oversee the investigations into Trump. Smith brought charges against Trump over his efforts to subvert the 2020 election and over his handling of classified documents after leaving office. The cases have since been dismissed.
Weissmann said he's not surprised the OSC opened an investigation into Smith but said he doesn't think the investigation will yield any results. He noted that judges had previously rejected allegations of selective prosecutions in Trump cases.
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Trump tariffs live updates: US outlines new tariff guidance as India calls Trump's warning ‘unjustified'
The Trump administration has clarified that its new tariffs won't apply to goods already on ships heading to the US before 12:01 am New York time on Thursday, according to report from Bloomberg. The updated rules outline how higher tariffs will roll out and some goods won't be affected by the new US tariffs. These include products under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, alongside items like food, clothes and medicine meant for aid. But the US has warned it will slap a 40% tariff on goods that are shipped through other countries in order to dodge specific tariffs. Meanwhile, India has called out President Trump after he threatened to "substantially raise" tariffs on India exports over its Russian oil purchases, slamming the move as unjustified. New Delhi said it would take all necessary steps to protect its economic interests, a move which could escalate tensions between the two countries. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," Trump alleged on Truth Social. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine." Trump has trained his ire on both India and China over its purchases of Russian oil. China called the demand a key hurdle in trade talks, while India hasn't committed to stopping purchases and is urging citizens to support local goods. India is facing 25% tariffs on its exports to the US under plans Trump moved into action last week. Trump signed an order to hike tariffs on Canada to 35%, while setting rates from 10% to 40% on dozens of partners. Those duties are set to come into full effect this week as Trump looks set to dramatically change the US trade landscape. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that the latest round of tariffs is "pretty much set" and unlikely to change. Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul has more details on the latest orders. You can see the new rates Trump is set to levy in the graphic below: In the past several days, Trump has unleashed a flurry of deals and trade moves leading up to his self-imposed deadline: Trump granted Mexico, the US's largest trading partner, a 90-day reprieve on higher tariffs. The US agreed to a trade deal with South Korea. The agreement includes a 15% tariff rate on imports from the country, while the US will not be charged a tariff on its exports, Trump said. Trump imposed 50% tariffs on semi-finished copper products starting Aug. 1. The president signed an order to end the de minimis exemption on low-value imports under $800, thereby applying tariffs from Aug. 29. Trump signed another order to impose a total of 50% tariffs on many goods from Brazil. However, it exempts key US imports like orange juice and aircraft parts that benefit Embraer (ERJ). The US and EU agreed to a trade deal that imposes 15% tariffs on EU goods. The nations are still working on finalizing many terms of the deal. 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. Rolex, luxury watchmakers brace for Trump's tariffs on Swiss imports Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian reports: Read more here. Trump says he will 'substantially' raise tariffs on India President Trump said on Monday he will "substantially" raise tariffs on India. Stocks still remained in rally mode following Friday's sell-off. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," wrote Trump on Monday morning. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he added. President Trump's sweeping tariffs are set to come into full effect later this week. Last week, Trump announced a 25% tariff on goods from India, plus an additional import tax because of the country's purchasing of Russian oil. Swiss prepare 'more attractive offer' to US to avert 39% tariff Bloomberg reports: Read more here. EU to suspend US tariff countermeasures for 6 months The European Union announced on Monday that it would suspend its two packages of US tariff countermeasures for 6 months. This follows the trade deal the US and EU reached last week Sunday. Reuters reports: Read more here. Swiss gold trading takes spotlight in trade talks with Trump President Trump's tariffs on Switzerland were prompted by the country being the world's largest hub for gold refining. Gold flows in from places like South America, Africa and gets processed in Switzerland and then exported to countries like the US. This gold trade makes Switzerland's exports to the US look large and the refiners don't get to keep most of the profits. Bloomberg News: Read more here. Greer says US-China talks 'about halfway there' on rare earths US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday that rare earths were a key focus in last week's Stockholm talks. He told CBS the US had secured supply commitments from China but noted the two sides are "about halfway there." Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Swatch CEO calls on Swiss president to meet Trump to solve tariff dispute Swiss stocks took a hit on Monday as the market reopened after a holiday. Worries about the impact of President Trump's 39% export tariffs and a push for drugmakers to lower prices have caused tension in the market. In addition, Swatch Group ( Chief Executive Nick Hayek called on Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter to meet President Trump in Washington to negotiate a better deal than the 39% tariffs announced on Swiss imports into the United States. Hayek told Reuters on Monday he was confident an agreement could still be reached before the tariffs, which were announced on Friday, went into effect on Aug. 7. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Malaysia agrees to boost tech, LNG purchases from US as part of trade deal Reuters reports: Read more here. Trump presses India, China to halt Russian oil buys as trade talks roll on The US and China are making progress on a trade deal, but a major sticking point remains: Washington wants Beijing to stop buying oil from Iran and Russia. China has pushed back, saying it will secure energy based on its own national interests. 'China will always ensure its energy supply in ways that serve our national interests,' China's Foreign Ministry posted on X on Wednesday following two days of trade negotiations in Stockholm, responding to the U.S. threat of a 100% tariff. 'Coercion and pressuring will not achieve anything. China will firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests," the ministry said. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rejected pressure from President Trump, encouraging people to buy local goods. India has not told its oil refiners to stop purchasing Russian oil, and those decisions remain up to each company. 'The world economy is going through many apprehensions — there is an atmosphere of instability,' Modi said at a rally in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. 'Now, whatever we buy, there should be only one scale: we will buy those things which have been made by the sweat of an Indian.' Japan PM: Win-win trade deal with US may be hard to implement Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Trump tariff policy leaves some partners losers but few winners WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's tariff onslaught left a lot of losers — from small, poor countries like Laos and Algeria to wealthy U.S. trading partners like Canada and Switzerland. They're now facing especially hefty taxes – tariffs – on the products they export to the United States starting Aug. 7. The closest thing to winners may be the countries that caved to Trump's demands — and avoided even more pain. But it's unclear whether anyone will be able to claim victory in the long run — even the United States, the intended beneficiary of Trump's protectionist policies. 'In many respects, everybody's a loser here,'' said Barry Appleton, co-director of the Center for International Law at the New York Law School. Barely six months after he returned to the White House, Trump has demolished the old global economic order. Gone is one built on agreed-upon rules. In its place is a system in which Trump himself sets the rules, using America's enormous economic power to punish countries that won't agree to one-sided trade deals and extracting huge concessions from the ones that do. Read more here. Switzerland business minister says it could revise tariffs offer ZURICH (Reuters) -The Swiss government is open to revising its offer to the United States in response to planned heavy tariffs, Business Minister Guy Parmelin said, as experts warned the 39% import duties announced by President Donald Trump could trigger a recession in Switzerland. Switzerland was left stunned on Friday after Trump hit the country with one of the highest tariffs in his global trade reset, with industry associations warning of tens of thousands of jobs being put at risk. The country's cabinet will hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss its next steps, with Parmelin telling broadcaster RTS that the government would move quickly before the U.S. tariffs are imposed on August 7. "We need to fully understand what happened, why the U.S. president made this decision. Once we have that on the table, we can decide how to proceed," Parmelin said. Read more here. Greer: Latest tariffs 'pretty much set' and unlikely to change (Reuters) -The tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump imposed last week on scores of countries are likely to stay in place rather than be cut as part of continuing negotiations, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday. Ahead of a Friday deadline, Trump set rates including a 35% duty on many goods from Canada, 50% for Brazil, 25% for India, 20% for Taiwan and 39% for Switzerland, according to a presidential executive order. In trade talks since Trump returned to office, the White House has lowered some rates from levels initially announced, including halving import duties set last week as part of a deal with the European Union. Greer told CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday, however, that this would not be the case on the most recent round of tariffs. "A lot of these are set rates pursuant to deals. Some of these deals are announced, some are not, others depend on the level of the trade deficit or surplus we may have with the country," he said. "These tariff rates are pretty much set." Read more here. Trump introduces tiers for trade partners in latest approach to tariffs President Trump is moving forward on a new suite of tariff rates with an approach increasingly focused on grouping countries into tiers, as opposed to a previous approach of simply looking at the trade balance. The new approach remains heavily influenced by either a trade surplus or a deficit but has grown more complex — some might say more subjective — leading to some consolidation in rate levels and the lowering of rates for many countries to a key new standard of 15%. The new landscape was reflected in Thursday night's executive action announcing rates, which centered around the 15% rate set to be in place next week in about 40 countries. Countries facing that rate include major trading partners that recently struck deals, such as Europe and Japan, as well as smaller nations, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. More than 100 countries were excluded altogether from this week's announcement, meaning their rate will stay at 10%. Meanwhile, a third group of about 30 countries will see higher rates ranging from 18% to 50%. Trump and his team are taking an approach that could simplify future negotiations and be more in line with global trade dynamics. Read more here. Berkshire's consumer goods companies feel the sting of Trump's tariffs Not even the Oracle of Omaha can avoid the pinch of President Trump's trade war, it seems. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway said Saturday its consumer goods businesses felt the impact of Trump's trade policy, which raised tariffs on imported goods, Reuters reported: Read more here. US has 'makings of a deal' with China, Bessent says Treasury Secretary said on X that the US has "makings of a deal" with China. Reuters reports: Read more here. Nike, Deckers, On Running among footwear stocks under pressure as Trump outlines latest tariff plans Footwear companies like Deckers (DECK), Nike (NKE), and On Holding (ONON) are under pressure from President Trump's tariff plans, including new rates released Thursday evening that range from 10% to 40%. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Stocks sink after Trump's latest tariff blitz Stocks came under pressure Friday after President Trump unveiled his plan for sweeping tariffs on almost all trading partners. Also weighing on sentiment were further signs of cracks in the labor market, punctuated by a weaker-than-expected jobs report released Friday morning. You can check out the latest action and updates in our markets live blog. Trump's 40% penalty for tariff dodging missing key details President Trump's tariff surprises are far from over. The US president has threatened to slap an extra 40% tariff on any product that Washington determines to be transshipped via another country. Its believed that this may be punishment, aimed at stopping goods mainly from China dodging US duties. The penalty for transshipping, which is when goods are moved from one type of transport to another, while on the way to where they're going, was included within the White house announcement on Thursday. But countries still do not have all the details. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Trump unleashes massive tariffs on Swiss watches, pharma firms Switzerland's exporters are bracing for financial fallout from President Trump's 39% tariffs, one of the steepest rates globally in his escalating trade war. From watch makers to pharmaceutical companies the knock on effect of Trump's new tariffs will be felt. The new tariffs on Switzerland are part of a broader package announced by Trump on Thursday. But Swiss manufacturers warned on Friday that tens of thousands of jobs are at risk due to Trump's tariff hit. Trump's 39% tariffs on Swiss exports do exclude the country's drug sector, but pharmaceutical companies Novartis AG (NVS) and Roche Holding (RHHBY) were one of the 17 global pharma firms to receive a letter from Trump demanding lower prices. "It's a massive shock for the export industry and for the whole country. We are really stunned," said Jean-Philippe Kohl, deputy director of Swissmem, representing the mechanical and electrical engineering industries. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Rolex, luxury watchmakers brace for Trump's tariffs on Swiss imports Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian reports: Read more here. Trump says he will 'substantially' raise tariffs on India President Trump said on Monday he will "substantially" raise tariffs on India. Stocks still remained in rally mode following Friday's sell-off. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," wrote Trump on Monday morning. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he added. President Trump's sweeping tariffs are set to come into full effect later this week. Last week, Trump announced a 25% tariff on goods from India, plus an additional import tax because of the country's purchasing of Russian oil. President Trump said on Monday he will "substantially" raise tariffs on India. Stocks still remained in rally mode following Friday's sell-off. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," wrote Trump on Monday morning. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he added. President Trump's sweeping tariffs are set to come into full effect later this week. Last week, Trump announced a 25% tariff on goods from India, plus an additional import tax because of the country's purchasing of Russian oil. Swiss prepare 'more attractive offer' to US to avert 39% tariff Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. EU to suspend US tariff countermeasures for 6 months The European Union announced on Monday that it would suspend its two packages of US tariff countermeasures for 6 months. This follows the trade deal the US and EU reached last week Sunday. Reuters reports: Read more here. The European Union announced on Monday that it would suspend its two packages of US tariff countermeasures for 6 months. This follows the trade deal the US and EU reached last week Sunday. Reuters reports: Read more here. Swiss gold trading takes spotlight in trade talks with Trump President Trump's tariffs on Switzerland were prompted by the country being the world's largest hub for gold refining. Gold flows in from places like South America, Africa and gets processed in Switzerland and then exported to countries like the US. This gold trade makes Switzerland's exports to the US look large and the refiners don't get to keep most of the profits. Bloomberg News: Read more here. President Trump's tariffs on Switzerland were prompted by the country being the world's largest hub for gold refining. Gold flows in from places like South America, Africa and gets processed in Switzerland and then exported to countries like the US. This gold trade makes Switzerland's exports to the US look large and the refiners don't get to keep most of the profits. Bloomberg News: Read more here. Greer says US-China talks 'about halfway there' on rare earths US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday that rare earths were a key focus in last week's Stockholm talks. He told CBS the US had secured supply commitments from China but noted the two sides are "about halfway there." Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday that rare earths were a key focus in last week's Stockholm talks. He told CBS the US had secured supply commitments from China but noted the two sides are "about halfway there." Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Swatch CEO calls on Swiss president to meet Trump to solve tariff dispute Swiss stocks took a hit on Monday as the market reopened after a holiday. Worries about the impact of President Trump's 39% export tariffs and a push for drugmakers to lower prices have caused tension in the market. In addition, Swatch Group ( Chief Executive Nick Hayek called on Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter to meet President Trump in Washington to negotiate a better deal than the 39% tariffs announced on Swiss imports into the United States. Hayek told Reuters on Monday he was confident an agreement could still be reached before the tariffs, which were announced on Friday, went into effect on Aug. 7. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Swiss stocks took a hit on Monday as the market reopened after a holiday. Worries about the impact of President Trump's 39% export tariffs and a push for drugmakers to lower prices have caused tension in the market. In addition, Swatch Group ( Chief Executive Nick Hayek called on Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter to meet President Trump in Washington to negotiate a better deal than the 39% tariffs announced on Swiss imports into the United States. Hayek told Reuters on Monday he was confident an agreement could still be reached before the tariffs, which were announced on Friday, went into effect on Aug. 7. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Malaysia agrees to boost tech, LNG purchases from US as part of trade deal Reuters reports: Read more here. Reuters reports: Read more here. Trump presses India, China to halt Russian oil buys as trade talks roll on The US and China are making progress on a trade deal, but a major sticking point remains: Washington wants Beijing to stop buying oil from Iran and Russia. China has pushed back, saying it will secure energy based on its own national interests. 'China will always ensure its energy supply in ways that serve our national interests,' China's Foreign Ministry posted on X on Wednesday following two days of trade negotiations in Stockholm, responding to the U.S. threat of a 100% tariff. 'Coercion and pressuring will not achieve anything. China will firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests," the ministry said. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rejected pressure from President Trump, encouraging people to buy local goods. India has not told its oil refiners to stop purchasing Russian oil, and those decisions remain up to each company. 'The world economy is going through many apprehensions — there is an atmosphere of instability,' Modi said at a rally in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. 'Now, whatever we buy, there should be only one scale: we will buy those things which have been made by the sweat of an Indian.' The US and China are making progress on a trade deal, but a major sticking point remains: Washington wants Beijing to stop buying oil from Iran and Russia. China has pushed back, saying it will secure energy based on its own national interests. 'China will always ensure its energy supply in ways that serve our national interests,' China's Foreign Ministry posted on X on Wednesday following two days of trade negotiations in Stockholm, responding to the U.S. threat of a 100% tariff. 'Coercion and pressuring will not achieve anything. China will firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests," the ministry said. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rejected pressure from President Trump, encouraging people to buy local goods. India has not told its oil refiners to stop purchasing Russian oil, and those decisions remain up to each company. 'The world economy is going through many apprehensions — there is an atmosphere of instability,' Modi said at a rally in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. 'Now, whatever we buy, there should be only one scale: we will buy those things which have been made by the sweat of an Indian.' Japan PM: Win-win trade deal with US may be hard to implement Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Trump tariff policy leaves some partners losers but few winners WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's tariff onslaught left a lot of losers — from small, poor countries like Laos and Algeria to wealthy U.S. trading partners like Canada and Switzerland. They're now facing especially hefty taxes – tariffs – on the products they export to the United States starting Aug. 7. The closest thing to winners may be the countries that caved to Trump's demands — and avoided even more pain. But it's unclear whether anyone will be able to claim victory in the long run — even the United States, the intended beneficiary of Trump's protectionist policies. 'In many respects, everybody's a loser here,'' said Barry Appleton, co-director of the Center for International Law at the New York Law School. Barely six months after he returned to the White House, Trump has demolished the old global economic order. Gone is one built on agreed-upon rules. In its place is a system in which Trump himself sets the rules, using America's enormous economic power to punish countries that won't agree to one-sided trade deals and extracting huge concessions from the ones that do. Read more here. WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's tariff onslaught left a lot of losers — from small, poor countries like Laos and Algeria to wealthy U.S. trading partners like Canada and Switzerland. They're now facing especially hefty taxes – tariffs – on the products they export to the United States starting Aug. 7. The closest thing to winners may be the countries that caved to Trump's demands — and avoided even more pain. But it's unclear whether anyone will be able to claim victory in the long run — even the United States, the intended beneficiary of Trump's protectionist policies. 'In many respects, everybody's a loser here,'' said Barry Appleton, co-director of the Center for International Law at the New York Law School. Barely six months after he returned to the White House, Trump has demolished the old global economic order. Gone is one built on agreed-upon rules. In its place is a system in which Trump himself sets the rules, using America's enormous economic power to punish countries that won't agree to one-sided trade deals and extracting huge concessions from the ones that do. Read more here. Switzerland business minister says it could revise tariffs offer ZURICH (Reuters) -The Swiss government is open to revising its offer to the United States in response to planned heavy tariffs, Business Minister Guy Parmelin said, as experts warned the 39% import duties announced by President Donald Trump could trigger a recession in Switzerland. Switzerland was left stunned on Friday after Trump hit the country with one of the highest tariffs in his global trade reset, with industry associations warning of tens of thousands of jobs being put at risk. The country's cabinet will hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss its next steps, with Parmelin telling broadcaster RTS that the government would move quickly before the U.S. tariffs are imposed on August 7. "We need to fully understand what happened, why the U.S. president made this decision. Once we have that on the table, we can decide how to proceed," Parmelin said. Read more here. ZURICH (Reuters) -The Swiss government is open to revising its offer to the United States in response to planned heavy tariffs, Business Minister Guy Parmelin said, as experts warned the 39% import duties announced by President Donald Trump could trigger a recession in Switzerland. Switzerland was left stunned on Friday after Trump hit the country with one of the highest tariffs in his global trade reset, with industry associations warning of tens of thousands of jobs being put at risk. The country's cabinet will hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss its next steps, with Parmelin telling broadcaster RTS that the government would move quickly before the U.S. tariffs are imposed on August 7. "We need to fully understand what happened, why the U.S. president made this decision. Once we have that on the table, we can decide how to proceed," Parmelin said. Read more here. Greer: Latest tariffs 'pretty much set' and unlikely to change (Reuters) -The tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump imposed last week on scores of countries are likely to stay in place rather than be cut as part of continuing negotiations, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday. Ahead of a Friday deadline, Trump set rates including a 35% duty on many goods from Canada, 50% for Brazil, 25% for India, 20% for Taiwan and 39% for Switzerland, according to a presidential executive order. In trade talks since Trump returned to office, the White House has lowered some rates from levels initially announced, including halving import duties set last week as part of a deal with the European Union. Greer told CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday, however, that this would not be the case on the most recent round of tariffs. "A lot of these are set rates pursuant to deals. Some of these deals are announced, some are not, others depend on the level of the trade deficit or surplus we may have with the country," he said. "These tariff rates are pretty much set." Read more here. (Reuters) -The tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump imposed last week on scores of countries are likely to stay in place rather than be cut as part of continuing negotiations, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday. Ahead of a Friday deadline, Trump set rates including a 35% duty on many goods from Canada, 50% for Brazil, 25% for India, 20% for Taiwan and 39% for Switzerland, according to a presidential executive order. In trade talks since Trump returned to office, the White House has lowered some rates from levels initially announced, including halving import duties set last week as part of a deal with the European Union. Greer told CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday, however, that this would not be the case on the most recent round of tariffs. "A lot of these are set rates pursuant to deals. Some of these deals are announced, some are not, others depend on the level of the trade deficit or surplus we may have with the country," he said. "These tariff rates are pretty much set." Read more here. Trump introduces tiers for trade partners in latest approach to tariffs President Trump is moving forward on a new suite of tariff rates with an approach increasingly focused on grouping countries into tiers, as opposed to a previous approach of simply looking at the trade balance. The new approach remains heavily influenced by either a trade surplus or a deficit but has grown more complex — some might say more subjective — leading to some consolidation in rate levels and the lowering of rates for many countries to a key new standard of 15%. The new landscape was reflected in Thursday night's executive action announcing rates, which centered around the 15% rate set to be in place next week in about 40 countries. Countries facing that rate include major trading partners that recently struck deals, such as Europe and Japan, as well as smaller nations, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. More than 100 countries were excluded altogether from this week's announcement, meaning their rate will stay at 10%. Meanwhile, a third group of about 30 countries will see higher rates ranging from 18% to 50%. Trump and his team are taking an approach that could simplify future negotiations and be more in line with global trade dynamics. Read more here. President Trump is moving forward on a new suite of tariff rates with an approach increasingly focused on grouping countries into tiers, as opposed to a previous approach of simply looking at the trade balance. The new approach remains heavily influenced by either a trade surplus or a deficit but has grown more complex — some might say more subjective — leading to some consolidation in rate levels and the lowering of rates for many countries to a key new standard of 15%. The new landscape was reflected in Thursday night's executive action announcing rates, which centered around the 15% rate set to be in place next week in about 40 countries. Countries facing that rate include major trading partners that recently struck deals, such as Europe and Japan, as well as smaller nations, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. More than 100 countries were excluded altogether from this week's announcement, meaning their rate will stay at 10%. Meanwhile, a third group of about 30 countries will see higher rates ranging from 18% to 50%. Trump and his team are taking an approach that could simplify future negotiations and be more in line with global trade dynamics. Read more here. Berkshire's consumer goods companies feel the sting of Trump's tariffs Not even the Oracle of Omaha can avoid the pinch of President Trump's trade war, it seems. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway said Saturday its consumer goods businesses felt the impact of Trump's trade policy, which raised tariffs on imported goods, Reuters reported: Read more here. Not even the Oracle of Omaha can avoid the pinch of President Trump's trade war, it seems. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway said Saturday its consumer goods businesses felt the impact of Trump's trade policy, which raised tariffs on imported goods, Reuters reported: Read more here. US has 'makings of a deal' with China, Bessent says Treasury Secretary said on X that the US has "makings of a deal" with China. Reuters reports: Read more here. Treasury Secretary said on X that the US has "makings of a deal" with China. Reuters reports: Read more here. Nike, Deckers, On Running among footwear stocks under pressure as Trump outlines latest tariff plans Footwear companies like Deckers (DECK), Nike (NKE), and On Holding (ONON) are under pressure from President Trump's tariff plans, including new rates released Thursday evening that range from 10% to 40%. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Footwear companies like Deckers (DECK), Nike (NKE), and On Holding (ONON) are under pressure from President Trump's tariff plans, including new rates released Thursday evening that range from 10% to 40%. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Stocks sink after Trump's latest tariff blitz Stocks came under pressure Friday after President Trump unveiled his plan for sweeping tariffs on almost all trading partners. Also weighing on sentiment were further signs of cracks in the labor market, punctuated by a weaker-than-expected jobs report released Friday morning. You can check out the latest action and updates in our markets live blog. Stocks came under pressure Friday after President Trump unveiled his plan for sweeping tariffs on almost all trading partners. Also weighing on sentiment were further signs of cracks in the labor market, punctuated by a weaker-than-expected jobs report released Friday morning. You can check out the latest action and updates in our markets live blog. Trump's 40% penalty for tariff dodging missing key details President Trump's tariff surprises are far from over. The US president has threatened to slap an extra 40% tariff on any product that Washington determines to be transshipped via another country. Its believed that this may be punishment, aimed at stopping goods mainly from China dodging US duties. The penalty for transshipping, which is when goods are moved from one type of transport to another, while on the way to where they're going, was included within the White house announcement on Thursday. But countries still do not have all the details. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. President Trump's tariff surprises are far from over. The US president has threatened to slap an extra 40% tariff on any product that Washington determines to be transshipped via another country. Its believed that this may be punishment, aimed at stopping goods mainly from China dodging US duties. The penalty for transshipping, which is when goods are moved from one type of transport to another, while on the way to where they're going, was included within the White house announcement on Thursday. But countries still do not have all the details. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Trump unleashes massive tariffs on Swiss watches, pharma firms Switzerland's exporters are bracing for financial fallout from President Trump's 39% tariffs, one of the steepest rates globally in his escalating trade war. From watch makers to pharmaceutical companies the knock on effect of Trump's new tariffs will be felt. The new tariffs on Switzerland are part of a broader package announced by Trump on Thursday. But Swiss manufacturers warned on Friday that tens of thousands of jobs are at risk due to Trump's tariff hit. Trump's 39% tariffs on Swiss exports do exclude the country's drug sector, but pharmaceutical companies Novartis AG (NVS) and Roche Holding (RHHBY) were one of the 17 global pharma firms to receive a letter from Trump demanding lower prices. "It's a massive shock for the export industry and for the whole country. We are really stunned," said Jean-Philippe Kohl, deputy director of Swissmem, representing the mechanical and electrical engineering industries. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Switzerland's exporters are bracing for financial fallout from President Trump's 39% tariffs, one of the steepest rates globally in his escalating trade war. From watch makers to pharmaceutical companies the knock on effect of Trump's new tariffs will be felt. The new tariffs on Switzerland are part of a broader package announced by Trump on Thursday. But Swiss manufacturers warned on Friday that tens of thousands of jobs are at risk due to Trump's tariff hit. Trump's 39% tariffs on Swiss exports do exclude the country's drug sector, but pharmaceutical companies Novartis AG (NVS) and Roche Holding (RHHBY) were one of the 17 global pharma firms to receive a letter from Trump demanding lower prices. "It's a massive shock for the export industry and for the whole country. We are really stunned," said Jean-Philippe Kohl, deputy director of Swissmem, representing the mechanical and electrical engineering industries. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Boston Globe
38 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
A legal win for immigrant protections — but the clock is still ticking
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up The program allows people whose home countries have experienced natural disasters, war, or civil strife to live in the United States and apply for work permits. Ending the protections is supposed to be based on whether it's safe to return, but the Trump administration seems intent on revoking it out of racism and spite. Related : 'The freedom to live fearlessly, the opportunity of liberty, and the American dream,' Thompson wrote. 'That is all Plaintiffs seek. Instead, they are told to atone for their race, leave because of their names, and purify their blood. The Court disagrees.' One of the plaintiffs is Maria Elena Hernandez, a Nicaraguan immigrant who arrived in the United States nearly three decades ago. She was visiting her brothers in Florida when 'We are not criminals, we are not illegal, we are not undocumented, and we work legally with the permit that TPS gives us,' Hernandez, 67, told me in an interview. She has worked as a janitor in a Florida university for the past 18 years. 'We contribute economically because we have always paid our taxes. We have always respected the laws of this country and have always lived with the promise that if our countries are not safe, they will protect us here.' Jackey Baiza, who came to the United States from Honduras at age 2, spoke during a rally in solidarity with TPS holders from Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua during a vigil on July 29 in Boston. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Thompson's ruling also acknowledges the broader consequences of terminating Temporary Protected Status. Many of the plaintiffs, she noted, are 'long-standing employees' who have built lives and livelihoods over decades in the US. 'Termination of TPS for Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua will result in a $1.4 billion loss to the United States economy,' the federal judge wrote. Hernandez said she decided to join the lawsuit because she wanted to fight the Trump administration's unjust attempts to end the program. 'It would be very devastating for me' to move back to Nicaragua, she told me, 'not only because it would separate me from my family, but also because I would lose my Social Security, to which I have contributed for so many years, and my health insurance, which I need so much because I have chronic asthma and a heart condition.' Advertisement Lest we forget, the US government itself The fight to preserve the protections is far from over, but the reality is grim. The Trump administration seems intent in decimating the program, which as of Sept. 30 was protecting Still, for Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy organization based in Southern California, it is vital to highlight Thompson's ruling as a powerful affirmation that 'our communities matter,' she said in an interview. Indeed, Thompson's ruling offers a clear-eyed assessment of what's really driving the push to end temporary protections: It isn't national security; it's racialized fear. Unless Congress steps in with a permanent solution (here's hoping against hope) decades of contribution and belonging can still be wiped out with the stroke of a pen. Advertisement Marcela García is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
an hour ago
Texas and California joust for political advantage, with Trump power and US House majority in play
AUSTIN, Texas -- The nation's two most populous states — California and Texas — grappled for political advantage in advance of 2026 elections that could reorder the balance of power in Washington and threaten President Donald Trump's agenda at the midpoint of his second term. In Texas, Democrats on Monday prevented their state's House of Representatives from moving forward, at least for now, with a redrawn congressional map sought by Trump to shore up Republicans' 2026 midterm prospects as his political standing falters. In California, Democrats encouraged by Gov. Gavin Newsom are considering new political maps that could slash five Republican-held House seats in the liberal-leaning state while bolstering Democratic incumbents in other battleground districts. The move is intended to undercut any GOP gains in Texas, potentially swinging House control and giving Democrats a counterweight to Trump on Capitol Hill. A draft plan aims to boost the Democratic margin in California to 48 of 52 congressional seats, according to a source familiar with the plan who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. That's up from the 43 seats the party now holds. It would need approval from lawmakers and voters, who may be skeptical to give it after handing redistricting power to an independent commission years ago. The rivalry puts a spotlight on two states that for years have dueled over jobs, innovation, prestige — even sports — with the backdrop of clashing political visions — one progressive, one conservative. After dozens of Democrats left Texas, the Republican-dominated House was unable to establish the quorum of lawmakers required to do business. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has made threats about removing members who are absent from their seats. Democrats counter that Abbott is using 'smoke and mirrors' to assert legal authority he does not have. The House quickly issued civil arrest warrants for absent Democrats and Abbott ordered state troopers to help find and arrest them, but lawmakers physically outside Texas are beyond the jurisdiction of state authorities. 'If you continue to go down this road, there will be consequences," House Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows said from the chamber floor, later telling reporters that includes fines. Democrats' revolt and Abbott's threats intensified a fight over congressional maps that began in Texas but now includes Democratic governors who have pitched redrawing their district maps in retaliation — even if their options are limited. The dispute also reflects Trump's aggressive view of presidential power and his grip on the Republican Party nationally, while testing the longstanding balance of powers between the federal government and individual states. The impasse centers on Trump's effort to get five more GOP-leaning congressional seats in Texas, at Democrats' expense, before the midterms. That would bolster his party's chances of preserving its fragile U.S. House majority, something Republicans were unable to do in the 2018 midterms during Trump's first presidency. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas' 38 seats. That's nearly a 2-to-1 advantage and already a wider partisan gap than the 2024 presidential results: Trump won 56.1% of Texas ballots, while Democrat Kamala Harris received 42.5%. According to the tentative California proposal, districts now held by Republican Reps. Ken Calvert, Darrell Issa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao and Doug LaMalfa would see right-leaning voters shaved and Democratic voters boosted in a shift that would make it likely a left-leaning candidate would prevail in each race. In battleground districts held by Democratic Reps. Dave Min, Mike Levin and Derek Tran, the party's edge would be boosted to strengthen their hold on the seats, the source said. Democratic members of California's congressional delegation were briefed on the new map on Monday, according to a person familiar with the meeting who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. The proposal is being circulated at the same time that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he wants to advance partisan redistricting. He says he won't move ahead if Texas pauses its efforts. Newsom said he'd call a special election for the first week of November. Voters would weigh a new congressional map drawn by the Democratic-controlled Legislature. 'California will not sit by idly and watch this democracy waste away,' Newsom said Monday. More than 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) from Austin, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared with Texas Democrats and argued their cause is national. 'We're not going to tolerate our democracy being stolen in a modern-day stagecoach heist by a bunch of law-breaking cowboys,' Hochul said Monday. 'If Republicans are willing to rewrite rules to give themselves an advantage, then they're leaving us with no choice: We must do the same. You have to fight fire with fire.' In Texas, legislators who left the state declined to say how long they'll hold out. 'We recognized when we got on the plane that we're in this for the long haul,' said Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer while in Illinois. Texas House Democratic Caucus leader Gene Wu said members 'will do whatever it takes' but added, 'What that looks like, we don't know.' Legislative walkouts often only delay passage of a bill, like in 2021, when many Democrats left Texas for 38 days to protest proposed voting restrictions. Once they returned, Republicans passed that measure. Lawmakers cannot pass bills in the 150-member House without two-thirds of members present. Democrats hold 62 seats in the majority-Republican chamber, and at least 51 left the state, according to a Democratic aide. The Texas Supreme Court held in 2021 that House leaders could 'physically compel the attendance' of missing members, but no Democrats were forcibly brought back to the state after warrants were served. Republicans answered by adopting $500 daily fines for lawmakers who don't show. Abbott, meanwhile, continues to make unsubstantiated claims that some lawmakers have committed felonies by soliciting money to pay for potential fines for leaving Texas during the session. ___
