US close to several trade deals, announcements to be made in next days, Bessent says
Bessent told CNN's 'State of the Union' program that the Trump administration would also send out letters to 100 smaller countries with whom the US doesn't have much trade, notifying them that they would face higher tariff rates first set on April 2 and then suspended until July 9.
'President Trump's going to be sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that, if you don't move things along, then on August 1, you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level. So I think we're going to see a lot of deals very quickly,' Bessent said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
New hampshire judge to hear arguments on class action against Trump's birthright citizenship order
A federal judge in New Hampshire will hear arguments Thursday on whether to certify a class-action lawsuit that would include every baby affected by President Donald Trump's restrictions on birthright citizenship. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a pregnant woman, two parents, and their infants, is among numerous cases challenging Trump's January order denying citizenship to those born to parents living in the US illegally or temporarily. Represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and others, the plaintiffs are seeking to have their case certified as a class action and to block implementation of the order while litigation continues. Tens of thousands of babies and their parents may be exposed to the order's myriad harms in just weeks and need an injunction now, lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote in court documents filed Tuesday. At issue is the Constitution's 14th Amendment, which states: 'All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.' The Trump administration says the phrase 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof' means the US can deny citizenship to babies born to women in the country illegally, ending what has been seen as an intrinsic part of US law for more than a century. Prior misimpressions of the citizenship clause have created a perverse incentive for illegal immigration that has negatively impacted this country's sovereignty, national security, and economic stability, government lawyers wrote in the New Hampshire case. 'The Constitution does not harbor a windfall clause granting American citizenship to … the children of those who have circumvented (or outright defied) federal immigration laws.' Legal battles continue in multiple states. Several federal judges have issued nationwide injunctions stopping Trump's order from taking effect, but the US Supreme Court limited those injunctions in a June 27 ruling that gave lower courts 30 days to act. With that time frame in mind, opponents of the change quickly returned to court to try to block it. New Jersey and the more than a dozen states joining its case in Massachusetts federal court have asked the judge to determine if the nationwide injunction in their case could still apply under the high court's ruling. The judge has scheduled a hearing for July 18. 'Everybody knows there's a 30-day clock, so our hope is that we get an answer prior to the end of the 30-day clock,' New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin told The Associated Press in a recent interview. In a Washington state case before the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, the judges have asked the parties to write briefs explaining the effect of the Supreme Court's ruling. Washington and the other states in that lawsuit have asked the appeals court to return the case to the lower court judge. As in New Hampshire, the plaintiff in Maryland seeks to organize a class-action lawsuit that includes every person who would be affected by the order. The judge set a Wednesday deadline for written legal arguments as she considers the request for another nationwide injunction from CASA, a nonprofit immigrant rights organization. Ama Frimpong, legal director at CASA, said the group has been stressing to its members and clients that it is not time to panic. 'No one has to move states right this instant,' she said. 'There's different avenues through which we are all fighting again to make sure that this executive order never actually sees the light of day.' The New Hampshire plaintiffs, referred to only by pseudonyms, include a woman from Honduras who has a pending asylum application and is due to give birth to her fourth child in October. She told the court the family came to the US after being targeted by gangs. 'I do not want my child to live in fear and hiding. I do not want my child to be a target for immigration enforcement,' she wrote. 'I fear our family could be at risk of separation.' Another plaintiff, a man from Brazil, has lived with his wife in Florida for five years. Their first child was born in March, and they are in the process of applying for lawful permanent status based on family ties – his wife's father is a US citizen. 'My baby has the right to citizenship and a future in the United States,' he wrote.
Saudi Gazette
3 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Trump praises ‘good English' of Liberian president, prompting criticism across Africa
MONROVIA — US President Donald Trump praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for his strong grasp of the English language on Wednesday. But the African leader was educated in Liberia, where English is the official language. As he hosted five African leaders at the White House, Trump asked Boakai: 'Such good English, it's beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?' Boakai informed Trump of his place of education, prompting Trump to express his curiosity. 'That's very interesting,' he said, 'I have people at this table who can't speak nearly as well.' Liberia was founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society whose goal was to resettle freed slaves in Africa. The country declared independence from the American Colonization Society in 1847, and a variety of languages are spoken in the country today, with English being the official language. Several Liberians voiced their offense over Trump's comment to Boakai, given the US president's past remarks on African countries and the colonial legacy left by the US organization in Liberia. 'I felt insulted because our country is an English-speaking country,' Archie Tamel Harris, a Liberian youth advocate, told CNN. 'For him to ask that question, I don't see it as a compliment. I feel that the US president and people in the west still see Africans as people in villages who are not educated.' A Liberian diplomat who asked not to be named told CNN that they felt the comment 'was not appropriate.' The diplomat added that 'it was a bit condescending to an African president who's from an English-speaking nation.' Veronica Mente, a South African politician, questioned on X: 'what stops [Boakai] from standing up and leav[ing]?' The White House Press Office defended Trump's statement on Wednesday. 'I was in the meeting and everyone was deeply appreciative of the President's time and effort. The continent of Africa has never had such a friend in the White House as they do in President Trump,' Massad Boulos, the Trump administration's senior advisor for Africa, said in a statement to CNN. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said that Trump's comment was a 'heartfelt compliment' and that 'reporters should recognize that President Trump has already done more to restore global stability and uplift countries in Africa and around the world than Joe Biden did in four years.' Liberia's Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti told CNN that 'there was no offense' from the Liberian president's perspective and that 'many people do not understand the linguistic borders or linguistic demography of the African continent.' 'What President Trump heard distinctly was the American influence on our English in Liberia, and the Liberian president is not offended by that,' Nyanti said. 'We know that English has different accents and forms, and so him picking up the distinct intonation that has its roots in American English for us was just recognizing a familiar English version,' she continued. Trump has previously applauded the English language abilities of other leaders during diplomatic meetings. During a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump complimented his 'good English' and asked if it was as good as his German. Merz laughed and noted that he tries to 'understand almost everything' and said he makes an effort 'to speak as good as I can.' The US president has centered the English language as part of this 'America First' platform. During a 2015 presidential debate, Trump asserted that the US is 'a country where we speak English.' In March, he signed an executive order making English the official language of the US. Trump has previously landed in hot water for things he has said about the African nations. In 2018, the president referred to migrants from African countries and other nations as coming from 'shithole countries.' In May, he lectured South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on false claims that White South African farmers are the victims of a genocide. Trump struck a different tone on Wednesday as he met with the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal, praising their countries as 'all very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, great oil deposits, and wonderful people.' In turn, he was met with approval from the African leaders, who heaped praise on the president as they urged him to invest in their countries and develop their plentiful natural resources. Boakai even remarked that Liberia '(believes) in the policy of making America great again.' — CNN
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Suns sign Devin Booker to 2-year, $145 million max extension through 2029-30, AP sources say
The Phoenix Suns have signed star guard Devin Booker to a two-year $145 million maximum contract extension through the 2029-30 season, two people with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The people spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. The 28-year-old Booker has been one of the NBA's best shooting guards, earning four All-Star appearances in 10 NBA seasons. The two-time all-NBA player has averaged 24.4 points since Phoenix took him out of Kentucky with the 13th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Booker averaged 25.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the floor during a disappointing 2024-25 season for the Suns. Phoenix failed to make the playoffs despite a roster that included Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal. The Suns fired coach Mike Budenholzer after one season with the high-priced roster, replacing him with Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott. Phoenix also fired general manager James Jones and promoted Brian Gregory. The new leadership group quickly started reshaping the roster, sending Durant to Houston in a blockbuster seven-team deal that brought Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to the desert. The Suns also could move Beal this offseason, leaving Booker as the anchor to the franchise.
