Trump using tariffs 'as geopolitical leverage'
Terry Haines, founder of the Washington DC-based consultancy Pangaea Policy, says President Trump is using the threat of tariffs on Canada and Mexico for 'geopolitical purposes' and may not impose the full 25 percent levy if he gets some concessions.
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NBC News
27 minutes ago
- NBC News
Trump-backed Jack Ciattarelli wins GOP primary for New Jersey governor
Former state legislator Jack Ciattarelli has won the Republican primary for governor in New Jersey with the backing of President Donald Trump, NBC News projects. Ciattarelli defeated four other Republicans for the nomination, taking advantage of the president's endorsement as he made his case to GOP voters that he is the Trump ally best positioned to win the Democratic-leaning state in November. Ciattarelli came close to defeating Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021. This year, Murphy cannot run for re-election due to term limits. NBC News has not yet projected a winner of the crowded Democratic primary, though Rep. Mikie Sherill has staked out an early lead with approximately one-fifth of the votes tallied. Ciattarelli faced former radio host Bill Spadea, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and contractor Justin Barbera in the Republican primary. Trump hosted a tele-rally as early voting kicked off this month, telling supporters that Ciattarelli is 'going to help us with a win this November and send a powerful message to the entire country that New Jersey is turning red.' Ciattarelli said during a debate last month that Trump endorsed him 'because he knows I'm the only person that can unify our party. He endorsed me because of the energy I bring to the campaign. He endorsed me because of the money we're able to raise to deliver a win. He endorsed me because of the coattails. He endorsed me because I'm the only person who can beat the Democrats in November and the goal is to win.' But Ciattarelli did have to overcome attacks from Spadea, his chief competitor in the primary, who highlighted Ciattarelli's past criticisms of the president as proof Ciattarelli was not sufficiently pro-Trump. Ciattarelli sharply criticized then-candidate Trump in 2015, calling him a 'charlatan' and unfit to be president, and he notably did not campaign with Trump when he ran for governor in 2021. Trump knocked Ciattarelli for failing to do so in an appearance on Spadea's radio show last year. Trump ultimately backed Ciattarelli about a month before the primary, writing on Truth Social that Ciattarelli is now '100%' MAGA and is best positioned to win in November. It remains to be seen if Ciattarelli will put some distance between him and the president in the Democratic-leaning state, but Ciattarelli has said he would campaign with Trump this year. Trump significantly narrowed the presidential margins in New Jersey last year, losing the state by 6 points after losing it by 16 points in 2020. Ciattarelli has already previewed how he might push back against Democrats who try to tie him to Trump, often noting that the next governor must address four crises facing the state on affordability, public safety, education and overdevelopment. 'Last time I checked, this was a race for governor,' Ciattarelli said at a recent campaign stop. 'And so what is it that President Trump has to do with those windmills of our Jersey Shore? What does he have to do with the fact that we have the highest property tax in the nation? What does he have to do with the failure of our public school system which just slipped from two to 12 on the national report card? What does he have to do with the overdevelopment of our suburbs?' 'They broke it, they own it,' Ciattarelli said of Democrats in charge of the state government. 'And we're not going to let anybody forget it over the next five months.'
Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Blue-haired Democrat snaps during showdown with Pete Hegseth... just days after her furious tirade at RFK Jr
In a dramatic moment on Capitol Hill Democratic congresswoman Rosa DeLauro abruptly cut off Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, raising her voice as he outlined his department's ambitious plans to ramp up submarine production. On Tuesday, Hegseth testified before the House Appropriations Committee in Washington DC, where lawmakers pressed him about the defense department's 2026 budget. The administration's $1 trillion plan includes major investments to boost Navy submarine construction in Connecticut. Among the committee members was blue-haired, Connecticut Rep Rosa DeLauro, who became visibly agitated as she demanded Hegseth clarify his plans. 'Well first of all I want to thank this committee for the flexibility alongside fiscal year 2025 and the continuing resolution,' Hegseth began, seconds before the hearing took a chaotic turn. Without letting him to finish his sentence DeLauro swiftly interrupted, snapping: 'Well I would hope that you would thank this committee for the funding that it had made'. 'We have made a serious investment, so your first statement is inaccurate,' she added. 'We have focused squarely on submarines and now we want to know where that is going and what your plan is for the continued investments to reach production levels and make sure that that is an area that is covered for our national security.' When DeLauro accused Hegseth of lacking details in his plan, he quickly fired back, acknowledging that the investment was indeed earmarked for shipbuilding and submarine production. When DeLauro accused Hegseth of lacking details in his plan he quickly fired back, acknowledging that the investment was indeed earmarked for shipbuilding The 45-year-old Defense Secretary claimed that former President Joe Biden had recklessly wasted much of the previous funding. At the mere mention of Biden, DeLauro cut in once again, snapping at Hegseth, 'Please - I want your plan!' 'I've had difficulty with the prior administration and I don't mind calling them out,' she shouted. 'What is your plan for the future?' 'Can we get that in writing and on paper so that we know where you're going? Because we don't have anything today! We have zip, nada, in knowing where you're going,' she continued, angrily raising her voice with each word. 'You can talk percentages. You can talk about whatever you want. But unless this committee sees dollars and cents and where you're going and what your plan is, then we can reconsider what you're planning to do to go forward. Give us the details!' Yet the irate congresswoman abruptly cut off the exchange, denying Hegseth any chance to respond. The fiery exchange unfolded just weeks after DeLauro found herself locked in another explosive match - this time with RFK Jr. Last month, the US Secretary of Health faced tough questions from both Republicans and Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee about his specific department's 2026 budget. During the hearing, DeLauro accused RFK Jr of breaking the law by cutting funding already approved by Congress - specifically targeting money allocated to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as reported by WSHU. When DeLauro pressed him on whether he would commit to spending the funds allocated in the 2024 budget, RFK Jr replied, 'As I said, Ranking Member, if you appropriate the money, I'm going to spend that money.' 'The money has been appropriated,' DeLauro snapped. 'If you're not willing to accept the funds that have been lawfully voted by members of the House and Senate, on the money for the National Institutes of Health.' 'Well, I'm going to hold you to your word that that funding is there; it should be transferred from 2024 to 2025,' she continued, speaking with her hands and aggressively pointing her finger in his direction. 'You've cut, already, $20 billion. Let's get that money back. You have an obligation to carry out the law and to implement what Congress has done.' Before moving on to the next topic of discussion, DeLauro angrily shuffled her papers around while repeating, 'Unbelievable. Unbelievable'. The discussion then moved to the department's plans to improve the healthiness of school lunches for children. Kennedy began calmly describing updated federal nutrition guidelines that will tell people to 'eat whole food', before getting visibly animated. 'I've been touring these Head Start facilities, and everything they eat is in a package. It's loaded with sugar and with chemicals,' he told Rep John Moolenaar of Michigan. 'We're poisoning this generation… the poorest kids in our country, and we're starting them out with this count against them.' Head Start, a federal early education program for low-income families with kids under 5, faces elimination under Trump's latest budget proposal, which would cut school funding for over 500,000 pregnant women, babies, and children. 'If anybody thinks that we did gold standard medicine in this country from these institutions, look at our children! They're the sickest children in the world,' Kennedy exclaimed. Kennedy then turned to DeLauro, who has authored legislation, written to Congress, worked with advocacy groups and pressured the industry to remove dyes and additives from food for decades. 'Congresswoman DeLauro, you say you've worked for 20 years on getting food dye out,' RFK said. 'Give me credit! I got it out in 100 days.' In April, RFK and fellow federal health officials announced they had come to 'an understanding' with food manufacturers on a proposal to phase out the use of Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3 by the end of 2026, and begin using natural alternatives. Foods still contain dyes and additives. 'Let's work together and do something that we all believe in, which is to have healthy kids in our country for God's sake,' RFK said.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Lutnick says US-China trade framework should resolve rare earth issue
LONDON, June 11 (Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Wednesday that a trade framework and implementation plan agreed with China in London should result in restrictions on rare earths and magents being resolved. Lutnick told reporters the U.S. negotiating team would take the framework back to President Donald Trump to get his approval, and then hope to implement the new agreement.
