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The Hill
4 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump faces bipartisan warnings over Gaza
In today's issue: ▪ Turning tides on Israel, Gaza ▪ President raises more Epstein questions ▪ Booker says Dems 'complicit' with Trump ▪ The US-China AI race heats up The worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza is testing President Trump 's Middle East policy, as the president faces pressure from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and the international community amid reports of famine in the besieged enclave. Trump notably disagreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,acknowledging Monday that 'real starvation' is happening. A United Nations-affiliated organization that tracks food security worldwide this week issued a dire alert confirming a 'worst-case' famine scenario is unfolding across Gaza. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said the crisis in Gaza 'could be' a political problem for Trump, The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports. 'I think that the American people at the end of the day are a kind people. They don't like seeing suffering, nor do I think the president does,' Tillis said. 'If you see starvation, you try to fix it.' Trump told reporters Tuesday while capping his trip to Scotland that he was 'trying to get things straightened out' with Netanyahu and Gaza. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee pushed back on the idea the president's remarks this week represent a break in their relationship. 'Let me assure you that there is no break between the prime minister of Israel and the president,' Huckabee said Tuesday on Fox News. 'Their relationship, I think, [is] stronger than it's ever been, and I think the relationship between the U.S. and Israel is as strong as it's ever been.' Images of starving children — and reports of Israeli attacks on civilians lining up for humanitarian aid — have led some members of Trump's base to speak out about the unfolding crisis in Gaza, adding to pressure on the administration to intervene. Trump has said the U.S. will partner with Israel to run additional food centers. The increasing unease among some of Trump's staunchest supporters puts a spotlight on the administration's close ties with Israel and raises additional questions about what exactly Trump will do to get aid into Gaza. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) and MAGA-friendly podcast host Theo Von are among those in Trump's orbit who have expressed alarm at the situation. Greene on Tuesday referred to the Israeli campaign in Gaza as 'genocide.' Similar criticism has so far been confined to the left, where academics and activists in pro-Palestinian spaces have accused the Israeli government of 'ethnic cleansing.' The White House earlier this year cracked down on pro-Palestine protests on university campuses, accusing schools of enabling antisemitism and pledging to screen international students' social media accounts for anti-Israel sentiment in their visa applications. The U.N. estimates nearly 1 in 3 people in Gaza are going without food for days at a time. At least 24 children younger than 5 have died from hunger-related causes in July, according to the World Health Organization. 'Immediate, unimpeded' humanitarian access into Gaza is the only way to stop rapidly rising 'starvation and death,' the leading international authority on food crisis said this week. ▪ The Hill: U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday his country will recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza. ▪ Bloomberg News: Netanyahu and Trump criticized Starmer's pledge to recognize the state of Palestine, saying it would reward Hamas. ▪ NPR: His name is Mohammad Al-Motawaq. He is 18 months old. And he is starving in Gaza. ▪ The Atlantic: The bargain behind Gaza's catastrophe. A new Gallup poll measures Americans' approval of Israel's military action in Gaza at 32 percent, the lowest point recorded since the question was first asked in November 2023. While a majority of surveyed Republicans approve of Israel's military actions in Gaza, the wide divergence among political parties is viewed as threatening the longstanding bipartisan support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. Democrats are stepping up pressure on the administration while criticizing Netanyahu's largely passive stance in response to the unfolding crisis in Gaza. A group of 40 Democrats wrote a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff urging the Trump administration to replace the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an American non-profit established to deliver food aid, and work with experienced multilateral groups. Progressives have been the most critical of Israel's conduct in its war against Hamas, which followed the militant group's Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks. Twenty-one months later, Israeli hostages remain in Gaza and the death toll of Palestinians in the enclave has eclipsed 60,000. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) broke with many Democrats on Monday when he announced he would not support any additional aid to Israel until the humanitarian crisis is addressed in a meaningful way. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) is warning that Netanyahu has done 'irreparable damage' to Israel's relationship with Democrats. ▪ The Hill: A group of prominent Jewish Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Sen. Adam Schiff (Calif.), are leading an effort to press the Trump administration to secure a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. King warned that Israel's harsh tactics in Gaza are 'disastrous' for its support among global leaders and its standing among Americans. 'They're losing the support of a whole generation of Americans. These young people who are protesting 10 or 15 years from now are going to be in Congress. It's a self-inflicted wound, it's unnecessary,' King said in a statement, adding he thinks this sentiment is shared by colleagues on both sides of the aisle. 'I think everybody is concerned about this,' he said. 'The president made a pretty straightforward statement.' Smart Take with Blake Burman Texas Democratic state Rep. James Talarico is gaining national attention after appearing on Joe Rogan 's podcast, with Rogan at one point even suggesting a presidential run for the 36-year-old from Austin. However, a run for Senate is what could come next. Talarico told me he will make a decision soon, after Texas's legislative session ends in August. 'I am looking at the U.S. Senate seat, and so I'm hoping to focus on that after I get through my current job,' Talarico said. Turning Texas blue is a dream for Democrats. It sounds like we will know later this summer if former Rep. Colin Allred (D), who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz (R) last cycle and is running again, has a new primary challenger or not. Burman hosts 'The Hill' weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. 3 Things to Know Today Hawaii came away largely unscathed after an overnight tsunami warning prompted evacuations following a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake in the Pacific. President Trump urged people in the affected areas to 'STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!' More details are emerging about the gunman who killed four people, including a New York City police officer, in a shooting at a Manhattan office building on Monday. The Food and Drug Administration 's top vaccine and gene therapy regulator was ousted Tuesday. Vinay Prasad, who had been in the role since May, was a prominent critic of pandemic-era vaccine policy. Leading the Day TRUMP TALKS EPSTEIN: The president offered new details — and raised more questions — about his history with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday that the disgraced financier 'stole' employees from the spa at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort and that's what led to their falling-out years ago. 'People were taken out of the spa hired by him … when I heard about it, I told him, I said, 'Listen, we don't want you taking our people, whether it was spa or not spa. I don't want you taking people,'' Trump said. 'And then not too long after that, he did it again. And I said, 'Out of here.'' The administration has faced weeks of mounting pressure to produce more information about the Epstein case, which has long been the subject of conspiracy theories. The DOJ and FBI's insistence earlier this month that Epstein died by suicide and kept no 'client list' has fallen flat among many of Trump's supporters while Democrats also demand more info. Trump's latest revelations come as the Justice Department (DOJ) and members of Congress have sought more information from Epstein's ex-girlfriend and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving 20 years behind bars for her role in the sex trafficking scheme. Maxwell's attorney has said she would only speak with the GOP-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee if granted immunity for her testimony, an idea the panel swiftly rejected Tuesday. ▪ ABC News: Trump says Epstein 'stole' Virginia Giuffre and other young women from Mar-a-Lago spa. ▪ The Hill: Trump says Wall Street Journal wants to settle defamation lawsuit. FED UP: The Federal Reserve will set interest rates Wednesday and is expected to keep rates steady, following an aggressive pressure campaign from Trump to lower rates. Up next: The latest inflation figures come out Thursday, and the July jobs report will come out Friday. HELPING HANDOUT: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wants to give $600 'tariff rebates' to almost all Americans and their dependent children — a proposal that could translate to a $2,400 boost for a family of four. But Hawley insists it's not aimed at relieving Americans from Trump's tariffs — it's about former President Biden. 'Americans deserve a tax rebate after four years of Biden policies that have devastated families' savings and livelihoods,' Hawley said in a statement. 'Like President Trump proposed, my legislation would allow hard-working Americans to benefit from the wealth that Trump's tariffs are returning to this country.' The Trump administration's dramatic tariff hikes this year have generated nearly $130 billion in federal revenue, which will grow by the end of the year — depending on where rates stick as the administration tries to hash out deals with additional countries. ON THOSE TRADE DEALS: The clock is ticking on Trump's Friday deadline for countries to reach agreements or face the hefty 'reciprocal tariff' rates the White House rolled out, and then delayed, earlier this year. 'I think the trade deals are working out well,' Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday during his return from Scotland. 'Hopefully, for everybody, but for the United States, they're very, very good.' CHINA: U.S. and Chinese negotiators left their latest meeting without finalizing an agreement to extend a temporary tariff truce past Aug. 12, but Trump denied reports that he is seeking a one-on-one with Chinese President Xi Jinping to work out a deal with Beijing. 'The Fake News is reporting that I am SEEKING a 'Summit' with President Xi of China. This is not correct, I am not SEEKING anything!' Trump posted to Truth Social. ' I may go to China, but it would only be at the invitation of President Xi, which has been extended. Otherwise, no interest! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' INDIA: While speaking to reporters on Air Force One, the president warned that tariffs on India could go as high as 25 percent. 'India has charged basically more tariffs than almost any other country. You know that, right? Over the years,' Trump said. 'But now I'm in charge, and you just can't do that.' ▪ Axios: The global economy is surviving Trump's trade wars with stronger-than-expected growth, according to the International Monetary Fund. ▪ The Associated Press: Employers posted 7.4 million job vacancies last month, a sign that the American job market continues to cool. ▪ The New York Times: The president's vision for reshaping global trade is falling into place, but he is embarking on an experiment that economists say could still produce damaging results. Where and When The president will participate in a bill signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room at 1:30 p.m. At 4 p.m., he will speak about 'Making Health Technology Great Again' in the East Room. The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. The House is in recess and resumes work in Washington on Sept. 2. Zoom In APPROPRIATIONS RACE: Senate Republicans are moving swiftly to clear key hurdles in order to pass the first tranche of spending bills by the start of the August recess and get the ball moving toward avoiding a government shutdown in two months. The Hill's Al Weaver and Aris Folley write that appropriators are crafting a three-bill package that covers full-year funding for the departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Justice, the Food and Drug Administration, rural development, military construction and science agencies — a decision that came after much hemming and hawing across the chamber. Republicans took a major step on Tuesday by clearing two key holds on the package, giving them a clear path on their side as they await word from Democrats in what they hope will keep up a bipartisan effort to get the measure across the finish line in the coming days. '[We] have essentially resolved the holds that have to do with appropriations,' Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters, lauding the 'great progress.' WHISTLEBLOWER: The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Emil Bove to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, launching Trump's former personal lawyer to a lifetime appointment on the bench amid a series of whistleblower complaints about his conduct. His nomination was confirmed with a 50-49 vote, with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Collins crossing the aisle to join all Democrats in opposing his nomination. 'They reward a man, credibly accused of wanting to lie to judges, with a black robe and gavel of his own,' Schumer said on the floor after the vote. 'And they're confirming him for one reason only: Mr. Bove is loyal to Donald Trump, therefore Donald Trump wants him on the bench. The calculus is as simple as that.' Bove, currently in the No. 3 role at the Justice Department, is the subject of three different complaints in recent weeks, with two alleging he suggested violating court orders and a third saying he reportedly misled Congress on the dropping of bribery charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams (D). ▪ The Hill: Democrats on the Senate Health Committee launched an investigation on Tuesday into Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 's firing of all members of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisory panel. ▪ The Hill: The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Susan Monarez, a longtime government scientist, to lead the CDC. FLOOR FIGHT: Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.) blew up at fellow Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) in a heated back-and-forth on the Senate floor Tuesday, accusing members of his party of being 'willing to be complicit' with Trump. Booker, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, said the Democratic Party needs a 'wake-up call' and that some colleagues who are elected to defend the Constitution are willing to 'look the other way' and let some blue states suffer as long as their states don't get dinged as well. CAMPAIGN: Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) called it a 'five-alarm fire.' As Texas Republicans move forward with a highly unusual plan to redraw congressional lines in the middle of the decade, Lone Star State Democrats see it as an effort to shut them out of federal power. There's clear precedent: A questionably legal campaign of mid-decade redistricting in 2003 is a big part of the reason why Texas's state government is both utterly red and its politics so thoroughly polarized. GOP efforts that year shifted Texas' congressional delegation from a solid Democratic majority to one that has been 2-to-1 Republican ever since. Now as Democrats make gains in formerly Republican suburbs, the state GOP — with a strong push from Trump — is racing to lock in their dominance by destroying at least four or five Democratic districts. ▪ The Hill: Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper 's (D) Senate campaign announced it raised more than $3.4 million in the 24 hours since launching Monday. ▪ CNN: Cooper gave Democrats a top Senate recruit in North Carolina. Now they're trying to find more. ▪ The 19th: Michigan has been a pipeline for women in power. Will that continue in 2026? Elsewhere TECHY SUBJECTS: Artificial intelligence (AI) could become more prevalent in schools, but questions remain about the best ways to encourage students' use of the powerful technology. Trump unveiled multiple AI plans, including for K-12 schools, last week — a move advocates say could either be a turning point or fleeting fascination. The Hill's Lexi Lonas Cochran reports that the next steps will depend on private market buy-in, addressing ethical and data concerns and ensuring educators have the proper training with AI. 'This is really the first time the U.S. government has explicitly positioned AI education as a national security issue, and it's really a long time coming,' said Alex Kotran, co-founder and CEO of the AI Education Project. Kotran noted that China — not the U.S. — has been leading AI in education since 2017. HOW THE WHITE HOUSE SEES IT: The Trump administration's view that the U.S. is locked in a fierce battle with China over AI dominance has permeated the administration's major policies on the powerful technology. 'The United States is in a race to achieve global dominance in artificial intelligence,' an introduction to the plan from several key Trump officials reads. 'Whoever has the largest AI ecosystem will set global AI standards and reap broad economic and military benefits.' ▪ The Wall Street Journal: AI Is wrecking an already fragile job market for college graduates. ▪ TechCrunch: OpenAI launches Study Mode in ChatGPT. ▪ The New York Post: 21 states warn JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon, BlackRock's Larry Fink to scrap 'woke' environmental goals. Opinion The Trump presidency takes a better turn, by columnist Bret Stephens, The New York Times. Hamas will never surrender, by columnist William A. Galston, The Wall Street Journal. The Closer And finally … 🌎 It's a bird, it's a plane — it's a new radar satellite, built by NASA and India's space agency! The NASA-ISRO Aperture Radar mission, or NISAR, set to launch this morning, will take flight from Satish Dhawan Space Center on India's southeastern coast. The satellite's mission? To precisely map nearly all of Earth's land and ice regions, down to the inch. Because NISAR uses radar signals, it can sense deformations in Earth's surface and could provide early warning of impending natural disasters — including volcanic eruptions and landslides. The satellite will also track ice sheets and flood zones, helping rescue teams in impacted areas.
Washington Post
5 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Live updates: Trump to unveil initiative to ease access to medical records
President Donald Trump is expected to announce an initiative at the White House on Wednesday to ease Americans' access to medical records, tapping the help of technology and health care companies. The White House has advertised an afternoon speech in the East Room on 'Making Health Technology Great Again.' Trump, who returned from a four-day trip to Scotland on Tuesday, also plans to sign legislation Wednesday. He is continuing to face fallout from his administration's decision to limit the release of files from the Jeffrey Epstein case, but White House officials believe the uproar from Trump's political base has calmed. Three weeks ago, White House officials were battling a frenzy from President Donald Trump's supporters over the Jeffrey Epstein case. But the flurry of criticisms from within the 'Make America Great Again' movement have quieted, and Trump officials say they are plotting steps to try to shape the public narrative to their advantage. The Senate voted Tuesday night to confirm Emil Bove as a federal appeals court judge, ending a contentious confirmation in which the top Justice Department official and former attorney for Donald Trump was the target of three whistleblower complaints alleging he put the president's agenda above legal principles. The 50-49 vote giving Bove a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit was mostly along party lines. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's team on Tuesday denounced the Pentagon's internal review of his actions in the 'Signalgate' affair, calling the independent inquiry 'clearly a political witch hunt' and asserting without evidence that details of the nonpartisan review were leaked to the news media by 'Biden administration holdovers.' The Trump administration on Tuesday temporarily halted all funding for science research issued by the National Institutes of Health before releasing the funds later in the day, according to emails obtained by The Washington Post and more than a half-dozen federal officials familiar with the matter. The halt stemmed from a footnote in an Office of Management and Budget document, according to an email sent to NIH staff Tuesday afternoon by the NIH's associate director for budget, Neil Shapiro.
Fox News
5 minutes ago
- Fox News
President Trump's Approach To Trade Negotiations
While President Trump has faced significant pushback for his trading tactics, on Sunday, he announced a deal with the European Union (EU), sparking further controversy. Editor-at-large of The Wall Street Journal, Gerry Baker, shares his piece covering the impact of President Trump's tariffs on the U.S. economy and foreign relations. Gerry suggests that the economy has continued to grow without signs of a recession despite strong opposition against tariffs before President Trump's 'Liberation Day' announcement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
