Japan's Akazawa Says Would Support Ishiba in Another LDP Race
'I'm honored to be a lieutenant to commander-in-chief Ishiba,' said Ryosei Akazawa Wednesday in a TV program. If he decides to run, 'I'll support him,' he said.
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32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs live updates: Trade partners grow restless; retail earnings to put tariffs' impact in focus; Trump says semiconductor tariffs coming soon
The US trade partners that believed they had worked out agreements with President Trump to avoid the harshest tariffs — such as the exemption for UK steel — are still waiting for their "deals" to be sealed, Bloomberg reports. And they're growing impatient as the tariffs' impact are beginning to have economic consequences. 'We're continuing to see damage — the bleeding hasn't stopped,' Japan's chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said Friday in a reference to the country's car industry. 'We want the US to sign the executive order as soon as possible.' In other news, several major retailers will report earnings in the coming week, which may give a first glimpse into how President Trump's tariffs have affected their bottom lines. The list includes Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Home Depot (HD), Lowe's Companies (LOW) TJ Maxx parent TJX Companies (TJX) and Ross Stores (ROST). During Walmart's first-quarter earnings call, CEO Doug McMillon said the tariffs would result in higher prices, but didn't elaborate. A few days later, Trump posted to Truth Social that the company should "eat the tariffs" and not blame them for raising prices. This week's earnings reports should show how much Walmart and the other retailers have fared. On Friday, Trump said he would unveil tariffs on semiconductor imports over the next couple of weeks as he prepares to expand his tariff agenda to different sectors. "I'll be setting tariffs next week and the week after on ... chips — chips and semiconductors," he told reporters. 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. Tariffs have 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 the Producer Price Index report — perhaps most notably in next month's Consumer Price Index. 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. US trade partners still waiting on Trump to seal their 'deals' US trade partners that worked out exemptions to President Trump's tariffs — like the UK's deal to reduce tariffs on its steel to zero — are still waiting for the agreements to be finalized months later, Bloomberg reports, and are growing frustrated. Read more here. Candidates at Iowa State Fair hear from voters about Trump tariffs (Bloomberg) — Republican Representative Zach Nunn is making an Iowa State Fair video about President Donald Trump's tax law, shot on a John Deere tractor under the blazing August sun. In it, Nunn, one of the nation's most vulnerable incumbents, talks to constituent Sarah Curry about how the expanded child tax credit will help with the cost of one child's speech therapy. Nunn is also planning to use the state fair as the backdrop for more videos selling the bill's provisions temporarily cutting taxes on tips and overtime. Economic issues — namely, Trump's tax package and his tariff war with countries that buy much of Iowa's agricultural products — will be front and center in Nunn's race, and he's eager to get a jumpstart defining the issues. So, too, are Democrats, who see Iowa's two swing districts as must-wins in their push to take back the House majority. Democrat Jennifer Konfrst, who is working to unseat Nunn, said she approaches Iowans at the fair asking them what keeps them up at night and the answer is usually 'costs.' Read more here. Tariffs' impact on Walmart, other retailers' earnings about to come into focus Several major retailers will report earnings this week, which may give a first glimpse into how President Trump's tariffs have affected their bottom lines. The list includes Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Home Depot (HD), Lowe's Companies (LOW) TJ Maxx parent TJX Companies (TJX) and Ross Stores (ROST). The Trump administration has urged retailers not to raise prices for consumers to offset the tariffs' impact, with a particular focus on Walmart, The Street reminds us: Read more here. Trump's trade war not likely to cause recession, Moody's economist says Economist Justin Begley of Moody's Analytics tells USA Today that President Trump's economic policies won't cause a recession or stagflation, but will likely slow growth and push up inflation. The economy isn't in stagflation yet, Begley said, "but it's edging that way," he adds: Read more here. Commerce department applies 50% steel, aluminum tariffs to more products (Reuters) -The Trump administration widened the reach of its 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports by adding hundreds of derivative products to the list of goods subject to the levies. In a Federal Register notice late on Friday, the Commerce Department said the Bureau of Industry and Security was adding 407 product codes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that identify the goods to be hit with the additional duties on the steel and aluminum content of those products. The non-steel and non-aluminum content will be subject to the tariff rates President Donald Trump has imposed on the goods originating from specific countries, the notice said. The levies on the goods on the expanded list go into effect on August 18. Read more here. Consumers' inflation expectations rise amid Trump tariffs Inflation expectations rose from July to August, indicating that consumers remain uncertain about President Trump's trade policies. Year-ahead inflation expectations increased to 4.9% from 4.5% last month, according to the University of Michigan's survey of consumers. Long-run inflation expectations also rose to 3.9% in August from 3.4% in July. "Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April when reciprocal tariffs were announced and then paused," Joanne Hsu, the university's Surveys of Consumers director, wrote. "However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future." Consumer sentiment also deteriorated month over month, falling for the first time in four months. The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 58.6 from 61.7 a month ago. Read more here. US import prices rebound in July on higher consumer goods costs US import prices rebounded in July in the latest sign that inflation is set to pick up because of tariffs. Reuters 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. 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. US trade partners still waiting on Trump to seal their 'deals' US trade partners that worked out exemptions to President Trump's tariffs — like the UK's deal to reduce tariffs on its steel to zero — are still waiting for the agreements to be finalized months later, Bloomberg reports, and are growing frustrated. Read more here. US trade partners that worked out exemptions to President Trump's tariffs — like the UK's deal to reduce tariffs on its steel to zero — are still waiting for the agreements to be finalized months later, Bloomberg reports, and are growing frustrated. Read more here. Candidates at Iowa State Fair hear from voters about Trump tariffs (Bloomberg) — Republican Representative Zach Nunn is making an Iowa State Fair video about President Donald Trump's tax law, shot on a John Deere tractor under the blazing August sun. In it, Nunn, one of the nation's most vulnerable incumbents, talks to constituent Sarah Curry about how the expanded child tax credit will help with the cost of one child's speech therapy. Nunn is also planning to use the state fair as the backdrop for more videos selling the bill's provisions temporarily cutting taxes on tips and overtime. Economic issues — namely, Trump's tax package and his tariff war with countries that buy much of Iowa's agricultural products — will be front and center in Nunn's race, and he's eager to get a jumpstart defining the issues. So, too, are Democrats, who see Iowa's two swing districts as must-wins in their push to take back the House majority. Democrat Jennifer Konfrst, who is working to unseat Nunn, said she approaches Iowans at the fair asking them what keeps them up at night and the answer is usually 'costs.' Read more here. (Bloomberg) — Republican Representative Zach Nunn is making an Iowa State Fair video about President Donald Trump's tax law, shot on a John Deere tractor under the blazing August sun. In it, Nunn, one of the nation's most vulnerable incumbents, talks to constituent Sarah Curry about how the expanded child tax credit will help with the cost of one child's speech therapy. Nunn is also planning to use the state fair as the backdrop for more videos selling the bill's provisions temporarily cutting taxes on tips and overtime. Economic issues — namely, Trump's tax package and his tariff war with countries that buy much of Iowa's agricultural products — will be front and center in Nunn's race, and he's eager to get a jumpstart defining the issues. So, too, are Democrats, who see Iowa's two swing districts as must-wins in their push to take back the House majority. Democrat Jennifer Konfrst, who is working to unseat Nunn, said she approaches Iowans at the fair asking them what keeps them up at night and the answer is usually 'costs.' Read more here. Tariffs' impact on Walmart, other retailers' earnings about to come into focus Several major retailers will report earnings this week, which may give a first glimpse into how President Trump's tariffs have affected their bottom lines. The list includes Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Home Depot (HD), Lowe's Companies (LOW) TJ Maxx parent TJX Companies (TJX) and Ross Stores (ROST). The Trump administration has urged retailers not to raise prices for consumers to offset the tariffs' impact, with a particular focus on Walmart, The Street reminds us: Read more here. Several major retailers will report earnings this week, which may give a first glimpse into how President Trump's tariffs have affected their bottom lines. The list includes Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Home Depot (HD), Lowe's Companies (LOW) TJ Maxx parent TJX Companies (TJX) and Ross Stores (ROST). The Trump administration has urged retailers not to raise prices for consumers to offset the tariffs' impact, with a particular focus on Walmart, The Street reminds us: Read more here. Trump's trade war not likely to cause recession, Moody's economist says Economist Justin Begley of Moody's Analytics tells USA Today that President Trump's economic policies won't cause a recession or stagflation, but will likely slow growth and push up inflation. The economy isn't in stagflation yet, Begley said, "but it's edging that way," he adds: Read more here. Economist Justin Begley of Moody's Analytics tells USA Today that President Trump's economic policies won't cause a recession or stagflation, but will likely slow growth and push up inflation. The economy isn't in stagflation yet, Begley said, "but it's edging that way," he adds: Read more here. Commerce department applies 50% steel, aluminum tariffs to more products (Reuters) -The Trump administration widened the reach of its 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports by adding hundreds of derivative products to the list of goods subject to the levies. In a Federal Register notice late on Friday, the Commerce Department said the Bureau of Industry and Security was adding 407 product codes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that identify the goods to be hit with the additional duties on the steel and aluminum content of those products. The non-steel and non-aluminum content will be subject to the tariff rates President Donald Trump has imposed on the goods originating from specific countries, the notice said. The levies on the goods on the expanded list go into effect on August 18. Read more here. (Reuters) -The Trump administration widened the reach of its 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports by adding hundreds of derivative products to the list of goods subject to the levies. In a Federal Register notice late on Friday, the Commerce Department said the Bureau of Industry and Security was adding 407 product codes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that identify the goods to be hit with the additional duties on the steel and aluminum content of those products. The non-steel and non-aluminum content will be subject to the tariff rates President Donald Trump has imposed on the goods originating from specific countries, the notice said. The levies on the goods on the expanded list go into effect on August 18. Read more here. Consumers' inflation expectations rise amid Trump tariffs Inflation expectations rose from July to August, indicating that consumers remain uncertain about President Trump's trade policies. Year-ahead inflation expectations increased to 4.9% from 4.5% last month, according to the University of Michigan's survey of consumers. Long-run inflation expectations also rose to 3.9% in August from 3.4% in July. "Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April when reciprocal tariffs were announced and then paused," Joanne Hsu, the university's Surveys of Consumers director, wrote. "However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future." Consumer sentiment also deteriorated month over month, falling for the first time in four months. The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 58.6 from 61.7 a month ago. Read more here. Inflation expectations rose from July to August, indicating that consumers remain uncertain about President Trump's trade policies. Year-ahead inflation expectations increased to 4.9% from 4.5% last month, according to the University of Michigan's survey of consumers. Long-run inflation expectations also rose to 3.9% in August from 3.4% in July. "Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April when reciprocal tariffs were announced and then paused," Joanne Hsu, the university's Surveys of Consumers director, wrote. "However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future." Consumer sentiment also deteriorated month over month, falling for the first time in four months. The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 58.6 from 61.7 a month ago. Read more here. US import prices rebound in July on higher consumer goods costs US import prices rebounded in July in the latest sign that inflation is set to pick up because of tariffs. Reuters reports: Read more here. US import prices rebounded in July in the latest sign that inflation is set to pick up because of tariffs. Reuters 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. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump Circles Drop F-Bomb After ‘Failure' Putin Summit: Wolff
President Donald Trump has tried to put a positive spin on his 'failure' of a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but things are not as rosy behind the scenes. Longtime Trump biographer Michael Wolff tells The Daily Beast Podcast that a member of the president's inner circle texted him bluntly on Friday: 'F--ked.' The insider did not elaborate. However, Wolff noted that it is clear that Trump left Alaska as the loser, and those in the president's camp surely know it, too. 'Trump got f---ed,' he said, agreeing with The Washington Post's assessment that the summit was more pomp than substance. 'We got nothing out of this. This is, you know, this is really, really a loss for Trump, and potentially a loss for Ukraine.' Trump, 79, raised eyebrows from the moment he arrived in Anchorage, starting with his team ordering U.S. airmen to roll out a red carpet to welcome Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his alleged role in the abduction of Ukrainian children. Trump, after meandering his way to a meeting point, applauded Putin as he approached. F-35 fighter jets and a B-2 bomber completed a flyover. The men shook hands, smiled, and Trump invited the former KGB officer to take a ride inside the 'Beast,' his presidential limo. Once inside, they smiled and waved. It was a grand welcome for a leader who invaded a U.S. ally, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, and the displacement of millions more. And what, exactly, did Trump gain by offering this extravagant PR gift to the Kremlin? Practically nothing, Wolff says. 'It was a failure,' he stated. 'There is nothing that [Trump] could say. So he decided to, and remember, he threatened, 'If we don't get a deal, I'm going to walk away. I'm going to do tariffs. I'm going to do, you know, all of this.' No, he did not do that. Instead, he basically embraced Vladimir Putin.' Critics of the president noted that he appeared 'defeated' after his meeting with Putin. The two leaders briefly sat for what was billed as a 'press conference,' but no questions were answered. Podcast co-host and Daily Beast Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles said that Trump's relative silence at the news conference was particularly telling given that he is usually not one to pass up answering questions from shouting reporters. She added of Trump's cuddling up to Putin: 'It's embarrassing and it's dirty.' Ultimately, though, Trump had not received assurances of a ceasefire, which is what he said he sought to achieve by scheduling the high-profile meeting. With his original objective dashed, Trump moved the goalposts. He claimed the summit was a success and that he no longer wants a ceasefire agreement, as they 'oftentimes do not hold up.' That is likely unwelcome news to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been adamant that a peace deal cannot be reached until a ceasefire is put in place. Sources told Axios that Trump called Zelensky to break the bad news while making the 3,500-mile trek home from Alaska on Air Force One, where Trump also sat for an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. Trump and Zelensky spoke for an hour and a half in what Axios' source described as a 'difficult' conversation. Other European leaders joined the call in its final half hour, but their reactions were not recorded in the report. Zelensky is due to travel to Washington, D.C., to meet Trump on Monday to discuss his country's increasingly dire situation. By then, it will have been six months since his last visit, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance chastised him in an Oval Office ambush that famously went off the rails. In the meantime, the world is talking about Trump and Putin instead of Trump and the convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein, which Wolff and Coles speculated may have been a deliberate move by the White House. Still, Wolff cautioned Trump that fervor regarding his association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein is not going anywhere—no matter what sort of distractions may crop up. Trump has faced backlash from his supporters after his administration concluded Epstein died by suicide in prison, rather than being murdered, and no 'client list' of wealthy co-conspirators exists—the subject of whirling conspiracies among his base. 'That's the thing about the Epstein [scandal],' Wolff said. 'You just can't shake it off. It sticks.' Reached for comment, the White House provided a statement it has previously sent to the Daily Beast regarding Wolff. 'Michael Wolff is a lying sack of s--t and has been proven to be a fraud,' said Communications Director Steven Cheung. 'He routinely fabricates stories originating from his sick and warped imagination, only possible because he has a severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his peanut-sized brain.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Byelection day in Alberta nears for vote with 214 candidates, including Poilievre
EDMONTON — Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and 213 others vying for a seat in the House of Commons will be in the spotlight Monday, as voters in a rural Alberta riding head to the polls. Two political science professors say Poilievre is expected to handily win the byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot, a sprawling eastern Alberta riding stretching from Edmonton to Calgary. The riding and its previous incarnations have been a Tory stronghold for a century. They say the only question is: by how much? "In every election from 2004 to 2025, the vote share garnered by the Conservatives' winning candidate has been at least 80 per cent," said Julie Simmons with the University of Guelph in Ontario. The one exception was in 2021, when Conservative incumbent Damien Kurek got 71 per cent of the vote, largely due to the right-wing People's Party of Canada eating up some of his votes, Simmons said. "This is just certainly an exceptionally strong riding for the Conservative Party," she said. Lori Williams, a political science professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, said Poilievre needs to not only win the riding but do it "decisively," so electors can trust he'll be a good Opposition leader and pass his January leadership review. "He absolutely needs to sail over this hurdle," she said. "But if he clears this one, he's then got to clear the, 'How am I going to be an effective Opposition leader in this climate? How can I be pro-Canadian and critical of the government?'" The byelection was called in June after Kurek, who won the seat again in the April general election with 83 per cent of votes, stepped down to allow Poilievre to run. Poilievre lost his long-held Ottawa-area seat to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy. Simmons said if Poilievre sees less than the average percentage of votes Conservatives have received in the last few elections, it could be because of vocal challengers like Independent candidate Bonnie Critchley. The military veteran has described Poilievre as a parachute candidate who only wants to represent the riding to progress his political career. Poilievre was born and raised in Calgary but has lived in Ottawa for the last two decades. A majority of the candidates on the ballot are part of the Longest Ballot Committee, a protest group calling for various changes to Canada's election system. They could also put a dent in Poilievre's vote share, Simmons said. "For some people, this might be a protest vote against the Conservative Party," she said. Other candidates include Darcy Spady, from the energy sector, for the Liberals. The NDP's Katherine Swampy is a former band councillor for Samson Cree Nation. Also running for the seat is Libertarian Party candidate Michael Harris, who wants to win so a referendum over whether Alberta should separate from the rest of Canada can make headway. Thick coil-bound, 32-page laminated booklets listing the record 214 candidates are to be available at voting stations. Elections Canada has said, for the first time ever in Canadian history, it's using a blank ballot because there are too many candidates to put on the piece of paper. Voters won't be marking a box with an X. Instead, they must hand write the name of their preferred candidate in a blank space. If a voter misspells a candidate's name, Elections Canada said it will still be counted. More than 14,000 people out of almost 86,000 registered voters cast votes in advance polls. A spokesperson for Poilievre's campaign has said the party leader plans to be in Camrose, the riding's largest municipality, on Monday Elections Canada said counting on election night is expected to take longer than usual. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2025. — With files from Lisa Johnson Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press
