CNN's Jim Acosta set to talk Trump and media in Wexford
Former CNN reporter Jim Acosta hit the headlines in November 2018 when Donald Trump lost his temper after he was quizzed about the outcome of the US mid-term elections, in which the Republican Party lost support. Donald Trump. Pic: Getty Images
Mr Acosta will be a guest speaker at the Kennedy Summer School in New Ross. He will be in conversation with Dr Stacey Connaughton of Purdue University Indiana about the challenges facing journalism in the US, American politics and the state of democracy in the modern world.
The event is in St Michael's Theatre on August 30. Larry Donnelly, a director of the Kennedy Summer School and commentator on US affairs, said: 'We're absolutely delighted to have Jim Acosta… He held Donald Trump to account without fear or favour..' Pic: MANDEL NGAN / AFP)MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
He added: 'Trump… attracts clicks, he attracts eyeballs. The American media is responsive to all those things. That would be one of the things I would expect Jim Acosta to consider.'
Mr Acosta's verbal row with Trump resulted in him being banned for two weeks from entering the White House. The Kennedy Summer School takes place from August 28 to 30.
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Irish Examiner
3 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Trump's global tariff agenda puts Ireland's pharmaceutical industry at serious risk
The whole world is in thrall to the whims of Donald Trump's tariff agenda, as it has been since the 47th president of the United States' swearing-in last January. We've learned a few uncomfortable truths along the way. Much of the early outcry from America's allies and trading partners surrounded the lack of economic logic to the imposition of tariffs – which are effectively a tax for Americans on foreign products, in theory making them less attractive to US consumers and heightening the allure of their own domestic suppliers. Critics said that the new regime would disrupt the world economy needlessly and perhaps bring about a global recession. That may well come to pass. The problem is that in this stand-off America has the greater wherewithal in terms of raw economic power. It holds the cards as Trump himself might say. And nations worldwide are beginning to fall into line, the EU just the latest after agreeing to a blanket 15% tariff on goods and services going forward. After President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump agreed the trade deal, the spin is that the pain of those tariffs is worth it in order to avoid a global trade war. Also, 15% is better than 30% or worse, is the thinking. Photo:The spin is that the pain of those tariffs is worth it in order to avoid a global trade war. Also, 15% is better than 30% or worse, is the thinking. Whether that represents capitulation in the face of bullyboy tactics, given that little or nothing has been asked of the US in return, is a separate conversation. Ireland's pharmaceutical industry Here in Ireland we have a bigger problem though, and that problem is the pharmaceutical industry. That industry contributes massively to the economy here via billions of euro in corporation tax contributions, with about 90 companies employing 50,000 people in highly-paid roles. A total 30,000 of those jobs are with American firms. Should foreign pharmaceutical concerns exit Ireland the impact on the country would be catastrophic. The industry globally had pleaded with Trump for it to be exempted from any tariff regime, ostensibly for altruistic reasons – that lifesaving medicines shouldn't be subject to capricious taxation. At an EU level, the industry asked that the bloc not apply reciprocal tariffs, one wish that has at least been granted. Pfizer is one of the massive American pharmaceutical companies holding bases in Ireland, in this case Cork. File picture: Dan Linehan Oddly enough, in Trump's world of permanent grievance where everyone has been making a sucker of the United States for decades, the outsize presence the US pharmaceutical industry holds in Ireland is one situation on which he indisputably has a legitimate point. Drug prices in the US can retail for as much as five times what an EU citizen would pay. Meanwhile, American pharma firms make a pretty penny avoiding American tax by basing themselves here. Trump's protectionist agenda demands that those jobs and companies should return home. The Government has been worrying about and planning for a worst-case scenario in terms of tariffs on pharmaceuticals for months. Reaction from the pharma companies But what of the pharma industry itself? The official line from the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), the industry's lobby group here, is that it is reviewing the announcements coming out of Washington as and when they happen 'as key implications for the pharmaceutical sector remain uncertain'. A stance it's hard to argue with given the whole world has grown used to the haphazard nature of the Trump administration's demands. The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) notes that tariffs are 'a blunt instrument that will disrupt supply chains, impact on investment in research and development, and ultimately harm patient access to medicines on both sides of the Atlantic'. It added that if the goal is to rebalance trade and ensure a 'fairer distribution' of how pharmaceutical innovation is financed, then 'there are more effective means than tariffs that would help'. Impact on pharma in Ireland The IDA, the body with prime responsibility for attracting foreign investment to Irish shores, says of the pharma implications that it 'welcomes' the deal made between Europe and the US, arguing it provides 'much-needed certainty for Irish, European and American businesses who together represent the most integrated trading relationship in the world'. 'We are very much reliant (on the US market), there's no arguing with that,' says one industry insider. Last year a massive €44bn in pharmaceutical products were exported directly from Ireland to the US. 'But when you stand back €100bn was exported globally. So half went to America, but it's not like all business went there, though it is certainly the biggest partner,' says the source. That doesn't mean that those massive American companies holding bases here – MSD, Pfizer, ELI Lilly, Johnson and Johnson etc – are about to up sticks on the back of the new tariff regime. 'They are not going to leave today or tomorrow, no. But it could definitely impact future investment decisions,' the source says. One of the problems is that a great deal of uncertainty still surrounds the 15% tariff agreement, particularly with regard to pharma. One of the Eli Lilly production buildings at its state-of-the-art facility in Dunderrow, Kinsale, Co Cork. For starters, most people concerned thought that the pharmaceutical industry wasn't to be included in the deal. Then about two hours after the deal was agreed European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said it would be included, a point Trump appeared to back up. The following day the White House produced a 'fact sheet' describing how the new regime would work, and affirming the 15% rate for pharma. Except that the same sheet stated that the European Union would pay the tariff – which isn't how tariffs work. Then there is the Section 232 investigation which the US Department of Commerce initiated into the pharma industry in April – aiming to establish if how the pharmaceutical system worldwide currently functions impacts negatively on the US from a national security standpoint. Should the answer arrived at be a 'yes', then additional tariffs on pharma may well follow (such investigations typically take a minimum of six months to conclude, so we'll probably get an answer sometime towards the end of the year). 'Pharma plans in the long-term,' says Aidan Meagher, tax partner specialising in life sciences with consultants EY, noting that most pharma manufacturers will have been planning for this scenario for months and will have frontloaded stock into the American market, thus negating immediate impacts in the near term. He says that companies will be likely looking at 'dual sourcing' initiatives, supplying the American market from within the US itself and using Irish operations for its trade around the rest of the globe. 'Ireland needs to up its game' But Meagher says that it would be 'remiss' of Ireland, and the pharma industry here, to take a 'wait and see' approach, perhaps with the supposition that Trump's policies will last for the remaining three-and-a-half years of his term, and no longer. 'It is all about the next investment. A lot of these drugs only have patent protection for a certain life or longevity. Ireland needs to maintain investment and to incentivise the right kind of activity in terms of attracting that innovation,' he says. That means thinking outside the box in terms of tax credits for research and development, and improvements to infrastructure, particularly housing, Meagher says, areas in which we are notably lagging behind in terms of international competition. But he argues that the situation is far from a doomsday scenario. 'It's not as simple as that, it's a whole range of business factors that need to be considered – it's all about impacts for specific companies,' he says. 'It's not all necessarily doom and gloom. Companies have had plenty of time to consider this. And pharma companies are long-term thinkers. Ireland has had just two issues with the FDA (the US food and drug administration, responsible for approving new drugs) in its history. "The country has a strong reputation. These countries have invested significantly and Ireland is the owner of a lot of valuable intellectual property.' But it's certainly not a time to be complacent, Meagher argues. 'We have dropped down the competitiveness radar, and our competitors now aren't in the EU – they're in Switzerland, Singapore and the US itself. We need to be a top competitor for inward investment, and R&D and infrastructure will be critical. That is where Ireland needs to up its game.'
The Journal
2 hours ago
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US to deploy two nuclear submarines in response to 'highly provocative' comments from Russia
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The UK has said it will proceed unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire. Canada has tied its decision to democratic reforms by the Palestinian Authority, including elections in the West Bank that exclude Hamas. Israel and the United States have strongly opposed the announcements, arguing they 'reward Hamas' and undermine ceasefire efforts. US President Donald Trump warned Canada that its decision could threaten a future trade deal. Palestinian statehood has long been recognised by much of the Global South, as well as by key G20 members including China, India, Brazil and South Africa. In Europe, support has grown steadily over the past year. Ireland, Spain and Norway formally recognised Palestine in May 2024 in a joint move, and Slovenia, Malta and others are signalling similar intentions. Ireland is among 15 nations that have called for the world to recognise a Palestinian state and reiterated commitment for a two-state solution at the High-level International Conference which took place in New York this week. The joint foreign ministers statement expressed the call for a ceasefire, concern over the high number of civilian casualties and humanitarian situation in Gaza, and calls on countries across the world to recognise the state of Palestine. France's minister for foreign affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, posted the letter to his X account alongside the message: 'In New York, along with 14 other countries, France is launching a collective appeal: we express our desire to recognise the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us.' Advertisement The statement is backed by Ireland, Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, and Spain. Palestine state recognition Palestine currently holds non-member observer status at the United Nations. In 2024, a US veto at the Security Council blocked an attempt to grant full UN membership, despite 12 countries voting in favour. Proponents of recognition argue that statehood is essential for advancing a credible two-state solution. As one senior Egyptian official told the New York Times, 'The Israelis used to claim they had no partner for peace. The problem now is that there is no partner for peace in Israel.' What does recognition mean? Palestine exists, and does not. It has embassies, Olympic teams, and wide international support, but lacks the basic features of a fully functioning state: borders, sovereignty and control of its territory. The Palestinian Authority has limited authority in parts of the West Bank under Israeli occupation. In Gaza, also considered occupied, Israel is waging devastating attacks. Palestinians continue to demand East Jerusalem as their capital, while Israel maintains control across the region. In practical terms, recognising a Palestinian state changes little on the ground. But symbolically, it matters. After decades of stalled diplomacy, expanding Israeli settlements and cycles of violence, many now see recognition as a long-overdue statement, not a solution in itself, but a step towards one. If the UK and France recognise a Palestinian state, it also means that four out of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (France, the UK, Russia and China) will speak with a single voice on the issue. This would effectively isolate the US and their support for Israel, in theory. Lastly, there could be implications for the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued warrants for the arrest of Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November for 'crimes against humanity and war crimes' in Gaza. Netanyahu has called the charges 'outrageous' and the international court an 'enemy of humanity.' Experts say the recognition of Palestine could have legal consequences in the context of the ICC jurisdiction. However, France has said it would not arrest Netanyahu and Gallant because it would be incompatible with international legal obligations concerning immunities granted to states not party to the ICC, such as Israel. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
