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Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US will never default on its debt, claims Trump's Treasury Secretary
The US will never default on its debts, Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary has claimed, as he sought to downplay growing concerns over the state of the country's public finances. Scott Bessent told CBS news on Sunday that the US was 'on the warning track' but insisted it would not run out of cash despite approaching the so-called debt ceiling – the legal limit that the US government is permitted to borrow. He said: 'I will say the United States of America is never going to default. That is never going to happen. We are on the warning track and we will never hit the wall.' Economists have warned that Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful' spending bill will add trillions to the US's $37 trillion (£27.4 trillion) federal deficit over the next decade. The bill, which was approved by the US's House of Representatives last month, proposes raising the US debt ceiling by $4 trillion. It promises increased spending on the US military and a clampdown on illegal immigration alongside cuts to food aid, clean energy tax credits and Medicare, America's healthcare programme for poorer households. The US was downgraded by the credit ratings agency Moody's in May, in part owing to concerns over Mr Trump's policies and slowing economic growth across the Atlantic. In early May, Mr Bessent said there was a 'reasonable probability' that the US could run out of money by August without lifting the debt ceiling. Mr Bessent's comments come after Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan, warned last Friday that Donald Trump's financial plans could 'crack' the American bond market. Investors have become increasingly worried over the impact of Mr Trump's borrowing plans on US Treasuries. Mr Dimon said: 'I just don't know if it's going to be a crisis in six months or six years, and I'm hoping that we change both the trajectory of the debt and the ability of market makers to make markets.' Mr Bessent hit back at Mr Dimon, saying: 'I've known Jamie for a long time, and for his entire career he's made predictions like this. Fortunately none of them have come true. That's why he's a great banker. He tries to look around the corner. 'We are going to bring the deficit down slowly. This has been a long process, so the goal is to bring it down over the next four years.' He argued that the US was taking in a 'substantial tariff income' that could net the US government as much as $2 trillion, and pointed to plans for a clampdown on prescription drug prices. He said: '[The] president has a prescription drug plan with the pharmaceutical companies that could substantially push down costs for prescription drugs, and that could be another trillion.' Mr Bessent also said he was confident that Donald Trump and the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, would 'iron out' their difficulties in a call soon – following accusations from Mr Trump last week that Beijing had violated a truce on tariffs agreed in May. He said: '[Mr Trump] is going to have a wonderful conversation about the trade negotiations this week with President Xi. That's our expectation.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. 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
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Plagued by legal woes, alleged Shapiro attacker espoused murky political views
Cody Balmer enters the courthouse where he was arraigned Monday, April 14, 2025, on charges he firebombed Gov. Josh Shapiro's official residence early Sunday morning. (Ian Karbal/Capital-Star) The Harrisburg man charged with setting fire to Gov. Josh Shapiro's official residence Sunday had a turbulent life marked by other legal troubles, public records show. Cody Balmer, 38, was originally scheduled to appear in court this week to answer simple assault charges stemming from a 2023 domestic assault. It involved an altercation with his former wife and stepson after Balmer had attempted suicide by taking a bottle of pills, he told police according to court records. Although the latest accusations against Balmer bear the hallmarks of a religiously motivated crime, an expert on extremism said the man's online footprint shows no immediate indication of ties to extremist groups or ideology. 'One definitely has to consider that he firebombed a Jewish governor's residence on Passover. I don't think that can be ignored,' said Luke Baumgartner, research fellow at the George Washington University Program on Extremism. 'Until more robust reporting or more detailed court documents come forward, nothing is really off the table right now.' Balmer is charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, terrorism, aggravated assault and related offenses. He was arraigned in district court Monday afternoon where he pleaded not guilty and District Judge Dale Klein denied Balmer's attorney's request for reasonable bail, citing a danger to the community if he were released. Authorities said Balmer scaled the fence at the governor's residence in downtown Harrisburg shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday and evaded state troopers on Shapiro's security detail after he was detected on the grounds. State police allege Balmer broke a window and threw a Molotov cocktail into the ground floor of the residence before breaking a second window and entering the ceremonial dining room, where he used a second incendiary to set it ablaze. Balmer escaped after starting the fire, but turned himself in at state police headquarters later Sunday. He told investigators he harbored hatred toward Shapiro and that if Balmer had encountered Shapiro inside the home he would have attacked the governor with a hammer he carried. In a news conference Sunday afternoon, Shapiro noted he had celebrated the first night of Passover with his family and guests in that room hours before they were awakened by a trooper and directed to evacuate. A steely voiced Shapiro vowed the act of violence would not deter him from doing his job to represent Pennsylvanians or to proudly observe his Jewish faith. Balmer's Facebook profile shows he's a father who worked as an auto mechanic, although a former employer distanced itself from Balmer in a social media post saying he had not worked there in more than two years. His mother Christie Balmer told CBS news that her son struggled with mental illness and had not been taking his psychiatric medication. Balmer said in court Monday that he had been living with his parents for the past year. 'This would have never happened if I could have gotten some help the middle of last week because I tried to get him picked up [by police] … and I went through four police departments and I couldn't get anybody to help,' she said. 'So he was mentally ill, went off his meds, and this is what happened,' she said. Balmer said in court that he had been off his medication because it 'led me to different types of behavior,' but he did not elaborate. Attempts by the Capital-Star to reach Christie Balmer and other relatives at numbers listed in public records were unsuccessful. Although Balmer denied being mentally ill during his court appearance, Dauphin County court records suggest Balmer had experienced mental health issues several years prior. In a criminal complaint from January 2023, police said they were called to Balmer's home in Penbrook, outside Harrisburg, by a child who reported his stepfather was beating his mother. When police arrived, Balmer's wife Adrian Jones was outside the home crying and yelling about Balmer having assaulted her. He told police he had taken a bottle full of pills in an attempt to kill himself and an argument between himself and his wife escalated to the point that his stepson attempted to intervene. Balmer admitted shoving his son and a physical altercation between all three followed. Jones said Balmer struck her in the face, bit her hand and struck their 13- and 10-year-old sons. He was charged with three misdemeanor counts of simple assault and was scheduled to appear Wednesday at a plea hearing in Harrisburg, court records say. Balmer was also charged in 2015 after attempting to cash a forged paycheck for $3,560 at two separate M&T Bank branches on the same day. He pleaded guilty to forgery and was sentenced to 18 months of probation. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Court records show Balmer's former home in Penbrook was subject to foreclosure proceedings and a sheriff's sale in 2023. He and Jones also reached an agreement in 2023 for the custody of their daughters in which Balmer received primary physical custody. Balmer's Facebook posts delve into politics, but provide no clear evidence of his allegiances. Dauphin County voter registration records show he chose not to be affiliated with any party. Baumgartner, the extremism researcher at George Washington University, said social media is often used to assess ideological leanings of a suspect in a high profile crime, but cautioned that the initial readings don't give a full picture. He noted that Thomas Matthew Crooks, whom the FBI identified as the gunman who fired at now-President Donald Trump during a July campaign rally, killing a supporter and injuring two others, initially appeared to have no extreme ideological leanings. The FBI later said a social media account believed to belong to Crooks espoused political violence and anti-immigrant and anti-semitic sentiments. Many of Balmer's more recent posts are marked private or have been deleted and no posts more recent than the summer of 2023 were visible Sunday. Those that are available include videos from conservative former Hawaii U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, now director of National Intelligence in the Trump administration, and former Libertarian U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. His posts express opposition to former President Joe Biden, President Donald Trump, the GOP and the Democratic Party. He also posted memes critical of the COVID-19 pandemic response, suggesting that the media and government overreacted and taking pride in disobeying lockdown orders. Other posts suggest an inclination toward political violence or crime. One post from 2022 shows a needlepoint hoop with a flaming Molotov cocktail and the words 'Be the light you want to see in the world.' Another theme among his posts are memes with misogynistic and degrading messages about women and male erasure. 'Toxic women destroy good men too, but we barely talk about that,' one post says. There was also at least one post praising a man who was arrested after allegedly hitting dozens of women and another depicting former comedian Bill Cosby suggesting that women he was convicted (and later cleared) of assaulting were promiscuous before he allegedly drugged them. Baumgartner said misogyny is often an underlying motivation in far-right extremism, but Balmer doesn't appear to fit neatly into any ideological category and seems to draw from several. He also expressed opposition to racism and endorsed many traditionally liberal values. 'I didn't see anything that is indicative of any extremist ideology,' Baumgartner said. 'For the most part, it was just sort of run-of-the-mill, 'I don't like either party' content.'' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
CBS News
13-03-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
When does tornado season start in North Texas? What you need to know before the storms hit
Local News North Texas enters into tornado season every March. The season lasts through early June. CBS news Texas wants to make sure you are prepared. Welcome to First Alert: Severe Weather Survival Guide. This is your one stop shop for all things severe weather. Everything from tornadoes to hail and even flash flooding. © 2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Hill
17-02-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Marco Rubio destroys Margaret Brennan for saying free speech helped Nazis—Robby Soave
Robby Soave delivers radar on CBS news's Margaret Brennan's tussle with Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Vice President JD Vance's speech in Munich. JD Vance rips European leaders in Munich over migration, free speech Robby Soave and Niall Stanage discuss Vice President JD Vance's speech in Munich, Germany. Trump's Napoleon post ignites social media: 'He who saves his country violates no law' Robby Soave and Niall Stanage react to President Trump's Truth Social post that is sending shockwaves throughout the internet. Is democracy in America really in decline? Rising interview Steven Levitsky, Professor, Harvard University and Senior Fellow for Democracy at the Council on Foreign Relations talks about the anxiety left is facing over authoritarianism in the United States. Eric Adams refuses to resign after Dems call for his ouster Robby Soave and Niall Stanage discuss New York City Mayor, Eric Adams's political and prosecutorial future. Lawmakers admit they banned TikTok to silence criticism of Israel: Ken Klippenstein Journalist Ken Klippenstein reveals the real reason for the TikTok ban in the US. Kid Rock stuns Bill Maher over Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl comments Robby Soave and Niall Stanage react to Kid Rock's comments about Kendrick Lamar's half-time super bowl performance. Trump mugshot now hangs outside Oval Office Robby Soave and Niall Stanage discuss President Trump's popular mug shot that now hangs outside the Oval office.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Everything we know so far about the American Airlines jet that crashed into a Black Hawk helicopter
President Donald Trump has questioned why a helicopter which crashed into a commercial flight didn't change its course, after the two collided and plunged more than 60 people into the Potomac River in Washington D.C. Both aircraft were likely fitted with collision avoidance systems—and experts are asking why they failed. There are now more than 300 responders now on the scene of the "highly complex" operation. Rescue teams are desperately searching for bodies in dark, murky, icy water after an American Airlines flight carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter over Washington D.C. Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport—where the plane was attempting to land— at approximately 9pm on January 29. There are now more than 300 responders now on the scene of the "highly complex" operation. At least 19 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage, law enforcement officials told CBS news. Washington officials say they believe no one survived. President Donald Trump released an official statement saying he had been briefed on the "terrible accident" and thanked first responders. But he later took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to question why the helicopter carrying three people had not changed course. "The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport," the Commander-in-Chief wrote. "The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn. "Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!" American Airlines has confirmed flight 5342 was en route from Wichita, Kansas to Washington, D.C. when the accident occurred. The flight was being operated by regional carrier PSA Airlines which is a subsidiary of American Airlines. The plane was a CRJ-700, a smaller regional jet which can carry up to 70 people seated in rows of three or four, separated by an aisle. Among the passengers were Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, former ice skating world champions turned coaches, according to Russian state media reports. The married duo won the pairs championship in 1994 and moved to the States four years later, where they have lived ever since. One man—who did not share his name—told British media outlet Sky News that his daughter's best friend and her mother had been on board flight 5342, and had travelled from their home in Kansas to D.C. for an athletics trip. "I haven't heard much. I got off work and came straight here to be with my friends," the man added. "She was a nice kid." The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). American Airlines CEO, Robert Isom, said the business was cooperating fully with the NTSB and would continue to provide as much information as possible. "That work will take time but anything we can do now, we're doing," Isom said—before adding he was en route to Washington D.C. himself. The carrier added: "If you believe you may have loved ones on board Flight 5342, call American Airlines toll-free at 800-679-8215. Those calling from outside the U.S. can visit for additional phone numbers. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands can call 800-679-8215 directly." Last night D.C. fire chief John Donnelly was asked if there were any survivors: "We don't know yet, but we're working," he responded. "It's a highly complex operation, the conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders. It's cold, they're dealing with relatively windy conditions—the wind is hard out there on the river," Donnelly explained. He added divers and boat teams are searching in a "large black spot" due to a lack of overhead lighting. The river is 8 feet deep at the search site and littered with chunks of ice. The FAA has confirmed that the military helicopter which collided with the jet was a Black Hawk Sikorsky H-60. According to manufacturers Lockheed Martin the Black Hawk is used for missions from air assault to emergency response. Used by 36 nations across the planet, Lockheed Martin says the Black Hawk has spent more than 15 million hours in the air with more than five million of those in combat. The aircraft has also been trusted to carry the likes of the President, operated by the HMX-1 'Nighthawks' squadron which have flown a fleet of Sikorsky VH-3D Sea Kings and VH-60N Black Hawks—a specification within the wider H-60 Black Hawk family. Audio obtained by Reuters appears to provide some insight into the communications between air traffic control and the craft before the collision. The audio—recorded on to capture air traffic control asking the Black Hawk if it can see the passenger jet crossing its path, and maneuver behind it. Using the call sign for the helicopter, the operator can be heard saying: "PAT 2-5 do you have the CRJ [passenger jet] in sight?" "PAT 2-5 pass behind the CRJ," the operator then adds. Exclamations are then heard before a controller adds—presumably to the airport base: "I don't know if you caught earlier what happened, but there was a collision on the approaching 3-3." The audio could not be verified by Fortune. Geoffrey Thomas, an aviation consultant, told the BBC that the U.S. has the safest airline system in the world: "These sorts of things don't happen in the United States anymore." He added collision avoidance systems are fitted in the vast majority of crafts across the commercial and military sector, and as such "technically [the crash] should never have happened. It's perplexing and tragic." According to delays monitoring website Flightstats, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport currently has the highest ranking of 5 in terms of delays. A statement on the airport's website adds: "Mutual aid from neighboring agencies were called to assist, and takeoffs and landings at the airport were halted for the remainder of the evening. We will continue to post information as it becomes available. "We are not expecting flights to resume until at least 11 a.m. today, January 30. Please check back for updates, and contact your airline directly for schedule updates." On plane tracking website Flightradar24, the only craft in the sky in the area around Ronald Reagan airport is a U.S. Park Police helicopter circling the Potomac River. Clusters of planes can also be seen at the nearby Dulles International Airport and Baltimore Washington International Airport. This story was originally featured on
