Trump Announces Trade Deal with Indonesia Amid Tariff Threats
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States (U.S.) has reached a trade agreement with Indonesia, though he did not disclose any details regarding the terms of the deal.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote: 'A great deal for all, just struck with Indonesia. I dealt directly with their respected President. Details coming soon!'
According to U.S. news outlet "Axios", this marks the first agreement reached with a country that received one of Trump's letters last week, which warned of potential tariffs ranging from 20% to 30%.
The letter sent to Indonesia specifically threatened the imposition of a 32% tariff on Indonesian goods, effective August 1st.
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Egypt Independent
25 minutes ago
- Egypt Independent
Trump's angry, erratic behavior explains his lowball poll numbers
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It might also be the riskiest power grab yet of Trump's expansive second term, since it would traumatize markets by obliterating an assumption that made the US the world's most powerful economy — that presidents don't emulate developing world dictators by cooking the books for political gain. Trump later insisted it was 'highly unlikely' he'd dismiss Powell after markets shuddered. But given his volatile nature and obvious desire to exact revenge on an official who has refused to bow to his autocratic impulses, few will take such assurances to the (central) bank. Meanwhile, in an extraordinary outburst on Truth Social, Trump blasted some of the most vocal MAGA personalities as 'weaklings' over their criticism of his administration's refusal to throw open files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 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As with his obsession with tariffs, which similarly affronts economic orthodoxy, Trump is itching to implement a risky pet theory that many experts predict would court disaster. US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference in Washington, DC, on May 7. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters This is more in keeping with the whims of a king than a conventional president who respects democratic norms. After all, Powell is praised by many economists for doing the impossible — taming the worst inflation crisis in 40 years without setting off a recession or surging unemployment. But unlike the Fed chief, whom he appointed in his first term, Trump acts on hunches. If he gets this wrong and ignites contagion in the financial markets, the savings and livelihoods of millions could be on the line. The Epstein case is extraordinary in its own way, since Trump, the most prolific spinner of conspiracy theories in modern politics, is now trapped in a firestorm of innuendo and falsehoods that he helped to create. He's getting payback for long seeding extreme distrust for government in his movement — which he's exploited to build a personal power base on a foundation of voter grievance. His failure to quell the Epstein storyline is a warning of what happens to a democracy when facts and truth are trashed and the legitimacy of government is destroyed because a substantial community doubts everything it's told. The president's dramatics obscure some political wins As often happens, Trumpian cacophony obscured some more significant victories for the president, including his expanding demolition job on the federal government — a core campaign goal. The White House on Wednesday was still celebrating a Supreme Court ruling that will allow it to push ahead with the gutting of the Education Department with mass firings. Dismantling the agency has been an elusive GOP priority going back to Ronald Reagan. Trump also made progress on another longtime goal that other Republican presidents couldn't get done as a bill withdrawing federal funding for public broadcasting moved closer to a vote. At the White House, Trump also signed the HALT Fentanyl Act, which passed Congress with bipartisan majorities. The measure strengthens penalties for traffickers, although critics warn it could counterproductively lead to the incarceration of addicts. President Donald Trump displays the signed HALT Fentanyl Act during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on president presided over a ceremony that featured relatives of Americans who tragically died after taking the drug. The compassion he showed underscored why he's so loved among his grassroots base. The plague of fentanyl is especially resonant with Trump's supporters in rural areas of red states, which have paid a terrible price in the opioid epidemic. The president recognized the pain such drugs are causing for droves of American families by putting it at the center of his campaigns — probably more than any other politician. The flow of fentanyl across the southern border means this issue intersects with another primary Trump cause that is popular with his voters — hardline immigration policy. His attentiveness to public opinion in this area helped unify and expand the working-class coalition that twice won the White House. These voters believe they have a president who listens to them. A new CNN poll sheds light on Trump's tempestuous presidency Trump's frenetic day helps explain some of the findings of a new CNN/SSRS poll released on Wednesday. His willingness to take huge risks with the economy, his obsession with sideshows like the Epstein case, and his habit of acting for a minority of the country means he's put a ceiling on his own poll numbers. In the CNN poll, Trump's approval rating was largely unchanged from the spring, at 42 percent. But less than a year after an election that turned in part on frustration about the cost of groceries and housing, only 37 percent of those polled say Trump is concentrating on the right issues — down 6 points from March. Neither a MAGA freakout around Epstein nor a melodrama over Powell was at the top of voters' concerns in 2024. More worryingly for Trump, he's underwater on many of the current questions most voters worry about. Normally, this would be a sign of a presidency in deep trouble. Second-term presidents who dip this low typically endure rough years leading up to their White House exit. Trump is a unique case, however. 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And MAGA podcasters keen to monetize the fury of activists will keep fanning the flames of the Epstein controversy. But there is clearly still massive support for Trump among tens of millions of grassroots Republicans across the country.
Egypt Independent
25 minutes ago
- Egypt Independent
After powerful Israeli strikes on Damascus, Syria withdraws troops from Suwayda city to avoid ‘open war'
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Khalil Ashawi/Reuters Israel defends military action Israel, which has been carrying out strikes on Syria since the fall of the Assad regime last December, says it is attacking Syria to protect the Druze, an Arab minority at the center of clashes with government loyalists. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz shared the footage of the attacks on Damascus, saying 'the painful blows have begun.' In a press briefing held by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), a military official confirmed Israel had targeted the ministry and an area near the presidential palace. However, another incentive behind Israel's decision to strike could be related to its opposition of the current Syrian government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously referred to the new leaders of the country as an 'extremist Islamic regime' and a threat to the state of Israel. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Wednesday that his country wants to 'maintain the status quo in southern Syria – an area near our border – and prevent the emergence of threats against Israel in that space.' United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed alarm over the continued escalation of violence in Suwayda in a statement on Wednesday. He condemned all violence against civilians, including reports of arbitrary killings and acts that exacerbate sectarian tensions in the country. Guterres also condemned 'Israel's escalatory airstrikes on Suwayda, Daraa and in the center of Damascus,' calling for 'an immediate cessation of all violations of Syria's sovereignty.' Several countries in the region, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, condemned the Israeli strikes in Syria. Iran – which fought its own war with Israel last month – condemned the Israeli strikes on Syria as 'unhinged aggression.' Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, said he is 'very concerned by the Israeli strikes on Damascus,' calling for respect for Syria's sovereignty in a post on X on Wednesday. Talks of a ceasefire The Druze, an Arab sect of roughly one million people who primarily live in Syria, Lebanon and Israel, practice an offshoot of Islam which permits no converts – either to or from the religion – and no intermarriage. The Druze are made up of a network of groups with multiple figureheads. Syria's new President Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged inclusion and vowed to protect all of Syria's diverse communities, but Sunni extremist forces loyal to him have continued to violently confront religious minorities. Violence broke out over the weekend between Druze forces and Bedouin tribes in the southern Syrian city of Suwayda, prompting an intervention by the Syrian government. The Syrian government claimed a new ceasefire agreement was reached on Wednesday, but a key figure from the religious minority group denied that a truce was reached. An earlier ceasefire collapsed within hours. A statement published by the Syrian government said that, under the new ceasefire, there will be a complete halt to military operations, a monitoring committee will be formed with the Druze leaders and members of the community will be leading security in the province. A Druze spiritual leader representing one of the factions in Suwayda, Youssef Jarbou, confirmed an agreement was reached for a 'complete and immediate halt to all military operations and de-escalation from all sides, with the army returning to its barracks.' However, Hikmat al-Hijri – a prominent Druze figure who had asked for international protection on Wednesday – rejected the ceasefire, calling on his supporters to continue fighting. A 'dire' situation Clashes continued into Wednesday and Fadi Hamdan, a carpenter from Suwayda, told CNN that 'the situation inside the city is dire.' 'Electricity has been out since yesterday (Tuesday) morning. Mobile service is extremely weak, and the internet barely works,' Hamdan said. 'Landlines are completely down. Water was also cut off yesterday, though it returned briefly this morning.' Hamdan said that the current Syrian interim government 'bears full responsibility for what's happening in Suwayda.' Syria's health ministry said 'dozens of bodies were found in Suwayda National Hospital after the withdrawal of the outlawed groups.' The ministry said those bodies 'belong to Syrian security personnel and civilians,' but without providing further details. People walk among debris from the airstrikes in Damascus on Wednesday. Khalil Ashawi/Reuters In Syria, the Druze community is concentrated around three main provinces close to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in the south of the country, and form a majority in the Suwayda province. More than 20,000 Druze also live in the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau that Israel seized from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967, before formally annexing it in 1981. Hundreds of people from the Druze community have seemingly crossed over from the Golan Heights into Syria in recent days. It's unclear when the crossings happened, but separate videos circulating on social media Tuesday and Wednesday showed people carrying Druze flags crossing a border fence allegedly from the Golan Heights into Syria. They were apparently responding to pleas from Druze leaders to support their community in the ongoing clashes. Addressing the Druze community in Israel and the Golan Heights Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called on them not to cross over the border. 'I have one request for you: You are citizens of Israel. Do not cross the border,' he said. This story has been updated with developments.
Al-Ahram Weekly
an hour ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
France court orders release of Lebanese militant after four decades in prison - Region
A French appeals court Thursday ordered the release of pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, who has been imprisoned for 40 years for the 1982 killings of two foreign diplomats. Abdallah, 74, was sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for his involvement in the murders of US military attache Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov. The Paris Appeals Court ordered he be freed from a prison in the south of France next week, on Friday, July 25, on the condition that he leave French territory and never return. Abdallah is one of the longest serving prisoners in France, as most convicts serving life sentences are freed after less than 30 years. The United States, a civil party to the case, has consistently opposed his release but Lebanese authorities have repeatedly said he should be freed from jail. In November last year, a French court ordered his release conditional on Abdallah leaving France. But France's anti-terror prosecutors, arguing that he had not changed his political views, appealed the decision, which was consequently suspended. Abdallah has always insisted he is a "fighter" who battled for the rights of Palestinians and not a "criminal". Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
