US and EU agree trade deal, says Donald Trump
It follows a brief meeting between the US president and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland on Sunday.
A White House deadline was days away for imposing punishing import taxes on the 27-member EU, which is America's leading global trading partner.
Instead, the US will impose 15% tariffs on EU goods entering America, after Trump had threatened a 30% levy.
'It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it's going to be great for both parties,' Trump said.
The make-or-break talks were meant to head off trade penalties - and promised retaliation from Europe - that could have sent shockwaves through economies around the world.
Trump and von der Leyen held private talks at one of Trump's golf courses in Scotland, then emerged a short time later saying they had reached an 'across the board' agreement.
In remarks before the session, Trump pledged to change what he characterised as 'a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States.'
'I think the main sticking point is fairness,' he said while also noting, 'We've had a hard time with trade with Europe, a very hard time.'
Von der Leyen had said the US and EU combined have the world's largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars. Trump said the stakes involved meant of making a deal, 'We should give it a shot.'
Von der Leyen said Trump was 'known as a tough negotiator and dealmaker', which caused the president to interject with 'but fair." She said that, if they are successful, 'I think it would be the biggest deal each of us has ever struck.'
Their meeting came after Trump played golf for the second straight day at his Turnberry course, this time with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr. The president's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name.
A small group of protesters at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticising British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby.On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course.
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South Wales Guardian
6 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Trump and von der Leyen agree EU-US deal on US President's Scotland visit
The bloc will face 15% tariffs on most of its goods including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals entering America rather than a 30% levy previously threatened by the US President. President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the agreement would provide 'certainty in uncertain times' for citizens and businesses, while Mr Trump hailed what he described as the 'biggest deal ever made'. They also agreed 'zero for zero' tariffs on a number of products including aircraft, some agricultural goods and certain chemicals, Ms von der Leyen said. The two leaders met at the US President's Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire on Sunday to hammer out the broad terms of the agreement, the detail of which is due to be fleshed out in the coming weeks. Before their bilateral talks, which lasted around an hour, Mr Trump had said there was a '50-50' chance of the deal being reached as a number of the sticking points remained. Following the meeting, he said: 'I think it's great that we made a deal today instead of playing games and maybe not making a deal at all … I think it's the biggest deal ever made.' Ms von der Leyen said: 'Today's deal creates certainty in uncertain times, it delivers stability and predictability for citizens on both sides of the Atlantic.' Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin welcomed the 'clarity' the agreement brought to the transatlantic trade relationship and said the implications for exports from Ireland would be studied in the coming days. Together, the EU and the US are a market of 800 million people. And nearly 44 percent of global GDP. It's the biggest trade deal ever ↓ — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 27, 2025 'That is good for businesses, investors and consumers. It will help protect many jobs in Ireland,' he said. 'The negotiations to get us to this point have been long and complex, and I would like to thank both teams for their patient work. 'We will now study the detail of what has been agreed, including its implications for businesses exporting from Ireland to the US, and for different sectors operating here.' The development on Sunday evening looks to have averted the prospect of transatlantic trade war amid concerns that US tariff rates could damage the world economy. However, uncertainty remains over American levies on steel, which Mr Trump has suggested remains subject to a rate of 50%.
The Independent
6 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rough deal: Social media roasts Trump's golf game after clip appears to show alleged cheating in Scotland
Social media users pounced on a clip that appears to show Donald Trump cheating on the golf course during his ongoing trip to Scotland, the latest in a long line of accusations that the president cheats on the fairway. In the video circulated by liberal commentators, a caddy appears to walk ahead of the golf-loving president in his golf cart and drop a ball behind him as the president approaches. 'Trump working hard to bring down grocery prices,' the caption says, making a satirical reference to the president's campaign promises to tackle inflation and costs 'For the morons that think Trump doesn't cheat at golf and wins all those club championships fair and square….watch his caddie here,' another account wrote. The phrase 'commander in cheat' was soon trending on the social media site. 'The video of Trump's caddy doing an Oddjob Slazenger drop isn't a big deal; cheating at golf isn't nearly the worst thing about Trump,' wrote The Atlantic 's Tom Nichols. 'But watching the cult of personality try to explain it away is really some creepy North Korean level stuff.' The Independent has requested comment from the White House. The president has faced a long list of accusations that he doesn't play fair from figures ranging from actor Samuel Jackson to LPGA player Suzann Pettersen. Trump's alleged cheating, which has always denied, is even the subject of a book: Rick Reilly's Commander in Cheat. 'At Winged Foot, where Trump is a member, the caddies got so used to seeing him kick his ball back onto the fairway they came up with a nickname for him: Pele,' Reilly writes in the book. Controversy has always followed Trump, an avid golfer and developer of golf resorts, when he hits the 18 holes. The president has golfed at least 45 days out of his 189 days in office this year, or roughly 24 percent of his second term thus far. In April, the president faced criticism for attending an event from Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf while missing the return ceremony for the remains of four dead American soldiers. Others have criticized the president's promotion of his business interests on his own properties. During the Scotland trip, Trump met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his Turnberry golf course to announce an EU trade deal, and the president plans to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday for a new course in Aberdeenshire. The White House described the Scotland tour as a 'working trip' while touting that Trump 'has built the best and most beautiful world-class golf courses anywhere in the world, which is why they continue to be used for prestigious tournaments and by the most elite players in the sport.' The president's Mar-a-Lago club and estate in Florida, near one his golf courses, has also emerged as a key hub for lobbying and fundraising, home to visits from tech billionaires and $1-million-per-head fundraising dinners. In the Middle East, meanwhile, the president's family company, the Trump Organization, recently struck a deal to build a golf resort in Qatar, weeks before the nation announced the gift of a $400 million Boeing 747 plane to be used for the new Air Force One. Despite the administration's insistence on cutting government spending, the president has also reportedly drained taxpayers of over $10 million in costs related to his many golf trips, while the Secret Service has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for the use of golf carts and port-a-potties at Trump's New Jersey golf club. Since retaking office, Trump and his family businesses have taken in hundreds of millions of dollars on business ventures including cryptocurrency, real estate, and branded merchandise. 'He is president and is supposed to be working in the public's interest,' James Thurber, an emeritus professor at American University, told The Associated Press last month. 'Instead, he is helping his own personal interest to grow his wealth. It's totally not normal.'
Scottish Sun
7 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
I'm a top UK cop-turned UFO hunter – here's why Donald Trump is running out of time to ‘come clean' about alien secrets
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DONALD Trump should come clean on UFOs before a "catastrophic event", a former British detective has warned. Gary Heseltine believes the US president should disclose the truth before a sighting causes mass panic. 8 President Donald Trump has teased the release of documents relating to UFOs Credit: Getty 8 Chilling UFO footage allegedly showing a US warship facing off with 'Tic Tac' aircraft in 2023 Credit: Twitter/@JeremyCorbell 8 Former British cop Gary Heseltine now runs a UFO agency Credit: Gary Heseltine Gary, who probed the 7/7 London bombings for the British Transport Police, is now a leading UFO detective, giving lectures around the world. The 65-year-old, who took early retirement in 2013 to launch his own UFO magazine after 24 years in the force, says it's only a matter of time before an incident would go viral over the internet sparking alarm. And he believes the pressure is growing to reveal the truth after several whistleblowers have come forward to give evidence before the US Congress and a new documentary featuring 34 high level military and government officials - including Senator Marco Rubio - has been released. He said: "With the arrival of President Trump for a second term in the White House many people wondered if he would become the 'Disclosure' President. "This was after many others who would go on to become senior officials in the administration had openly and publicly stated their views on the need for transparency on the UAP issue prior to taking office. "People like Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, Kash Patel, the Director of the FBI and John Ratcliffe, the Director of the CIA. "These people have openly advocated UAP transparency but in the first four months of the administration they have said nothing on the issue publicly. Why not?" With wars waging in Ukraine and the Middle East, Gary believes now would be the right time to admit we are being visited by non human intelligence (NHI) to unite the planet. He adds: "While the new President has walked into several major world issues like the Ukraine/Russia conflict and tensions in the Middle-East with the war with Israel/Palestine and further activity in Yemen, Iran, Syria and Lebanon etc., some might argue that it might be an appropriate time to announce Disclosure. "Such a revelation might galvanise nations away from the polarisation we see currently. Area 51 at risk as huge fire creeps closer to base with black smoke filling air sparking wild UFO conspiracy theories "This may sound fanciful but no-one doubts that as and when Disclosure occurs, that it will be the most profound moment in human history. "UAP are the Elephant in the room, no-one is talking about Non Human Intelligence because there hasn't been a Disclosure announcement, yet, we know from fast developing events in the U.S. that it is seemingly just around the corner. "Whether it is this year or next, the reality is that such an announcement is likely to occur soon and when it does and the reality of NHI sinks in, nothing in politics, the military and life in general will ever quite be the same. "We know that the Five Eyes countries (U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand) have been briefed on UAP activity in May 2023 and perhaps several more countries have been too, but the question is to what level are our military and political leaders informed. While the new President has walked into several major world issues like the Ukraine/Russia conflict and tensions in the Middle-East with the war with Israel/Palestine and further activity in Yemen, Iran, Syria and Lebanon etc., some might argue that it might be an appropriate time to announce Disclosure. Such a revelation might galvanise nations away from the polarisation we see currently. Gary Heseltine "It remains a big question, just how much do our political leaders know about the reality of UAP? "I fear that they are vastly under informed and under prepared for an NHI Disclosure world." Gary, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, who edits UFO Truth Magazine, is hopeful about a new documentary called Age Of Disclosure - featuring dozens of top officials including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - could bring about "a new dawn in mankind's history." The retired cop said: "After giving it much thought I think 2025 could be a crucial year for the Disclosure issue. Trump vows to release new Pentagon UFO videos if he wins after admitting there 'could be life on other planets' By Sayan Bose DONALD Trump vowed last year to reveal exclusive UFO footage if he was elected back to the White House. The Republican presidential candidate said he would push the Pentagon to declassify the alleged UFO sighting videos in a sensational interview. Trump, who went on to trounce Democratic rival Kamla Harris in the presidential elections in November 2024, is known to have a decade-long fascination with aliens and unexplainable sightings. He told popular American podcaster Lex Fridman that he would "surely" make secret footage of alleged UFO sightings public. During the chat, Fridman asked Trump: "Will you help push the Pentagon to release more footage, which a lot of people claim is available?" To which Trump readily agreed and said: "Oh yeah, sure, I'll do that. I would do that. I'd love to do that. I have to do that." The Republican leader also claimed he had faced pressure to declassify previous records of alien encounters as he admitted "there could be life on other planets". He added: "People begged me not to do it but I'll be doing that very early on." "Clearly the Trump administration is not going anywhere near the NHI topic at the moment, so when will the issue be broached? It's a good question. "The Federal Secrets Task Force under the stewardship of Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna was given only a six-month mandate to look at the likes of the JFK, RFK assassinations etc, but it was also supposed to look at UFO/UAP/USOs yet, the latter dates to discuss that have been put back until no-one knows. "If things don't develop soon on that front, then the six months mandate may soon expire. What then? "Approximately two months ago a major new UAP documentary film, 'The Age of Disclosure' premiered at a mid-west film festival and it received very favourable reviews in the mainstream media yet, the roll-out of the film nationwide/worldwide did not follow and has been put on hold. "Why? My guess it is all about timing. "I suspect the volatile situations in Europe and the Middle-East have put paid to addressing the UAP issue for the time being. "I think it will be interesting to see when the film is released, and indeed how it is rolled out. "Some people think it may get a national cinema run which would be very interesting if that occurs. "I believe the documentary may hold the key to a 'Disclosure' moment as it is meant to usher in a new dawn in mankind's history. "Senator Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State for the United States is featured in the film and he is seen as third only to the President and the Vice President in terms of his place in the administration. 8 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio features on a new UFO documentary Credit: Reuters 8 FBI Director Kash Patel Credit: AP 8 CIA director John Ratcliffe Credit: AP "His appearance in the film is bound to be a major talking point for the media. "Whilst I have not seen the film the excellent trailer states that 34 key people appear in it, including several current politicians. "In the film trailer, Jay Stratton, the former head of the UAP Task Force states openly that he has seen NHI craft and Non-Human bodies. That in itself is highly noteworthy. He's never said anything like that publicly before. "In recent months two eminent scientists involved in UAP research for decades have finally revealed things in public for the very first time. "Hal Puthoff, arguably the most important scientist ever to work on the UAP issue, said recently on the Joe Rogan podcast, that the U.S. has 10 NHI craft in its possession. "And only in just the last few weeks, Eric Davis, a scientist who has worked with Puthoff for many years said at a UAP Disclosure Fund event in Congress, that there are four different types of NHI, the Greys, Reptilians, Mantids and Nordics! "What has long been suspected has now been confirmed by one of the world's leading scientists on the UAP issue. His public statement is something of a wow moment for me." 'PHOENIX LIGHTS' Back in March 1997, thousands of people, including Hollywood actor Kurt Russell and a former US governor, witnessed the so-called Phoenix Lights. Some people managed to film the lights using camcorders as camera phones were not available. But smartphones are everywhere now and Gary believes another major event could not be easily hushed up or dismissed by the powers that be like they did before. He said: "I think we are truly at a crossroads on the Disclosure issue. "There is a real chance this year that things will come together and the film 'Age of Disclosure' will be used to support an announcement by President Trump of the reality of NHI. "However, if that does not happen this year then the moment we have all hoped for so long may have been lost for who knows how long and the prospect of 'Catastrophic Disclosure', a term coined by Colonel Karl Nell, may be the only way that the NHI story finally breaks into the mainstream world. What were the Phoenix Lights? The Phoenix Lights were a series of widely sighted unidentified flying objects (UFOs) observed over Arizona and Nevada on March 13, 1997. Thousands of people reported seeing a V-shaped formation of lights moving silently across the sky, and stationary lights in the Phoenix area. While some believe it was a UFO sighting, the official explanation is that they were flares dropped during military exercises. The lights were observed between 7.30 pm and 10.30pm MST, spanning a distance of about 300 miles, from the Nevada border through Phoenix to Tucson. The Air Force stated the lights were flares dropped during military exercises at the Barry M. Goldwater Range near Phoenix. Despite the official explanation, many people believe the lights were a genuine UFO sighting, and the incident has become a significant event in UFO lore. The Phoenix Lights remain a subject of debate and fascination, with many still questioning the official explanation. "Yet 'Catastrophic Disclosure' should be a last resort measure because of the uncertainty such an event may cause. "For decades the forces that have controlled the UAP narrative have risked such an event but were half prepared to combat such a scenario, the risk for panic and alarm is now much higher because of the internet, new technology and the use of social media. "Think about it, everyone carries a smartphone with high quality video cameras and applications that offer immediate 'live streaming'. "I've been saying it for several years that if the 1997 Phoenix Lights event took place now that it would likely cause a 'Catastrophic Disclosure' moment. "Back then the authorities were able to cast doubt on grainy poor quality videos of lights in the sky above the city and they just about managed to 'control' of the media and officials but it was a close shave. "But here is the kicker, I believe that if that same event happened today and was seen by over 50,000 people, and was captured in 4k, 8k video and 'live streamed' within minutes of it occurring the authorities would not have time to contain it. "Such an event would likely go viral across the world on social media in minutes …. and the cat would be out of the bag. "A mile wide craft of unknown origin captured in stark reality over the city of Phoenix and with it 'Catastrophic Disclosure' on an unprepared world. "So this is a choice for our political leaders. I would urge President Trump to inform the world about the reality of NHI soon or risk causing major public panic with a 'Catastrophic Disclosure' event. "The clock is ticking like never before." Do you know more? Email 8 Gary says it's time for the truth Credit: Gary Heseltine
