Trump signs tax and spending cut bill at White House July 4 picnic
Flanked by Republican legislators and members of his cabinet, Mr Trump signed the multi-trillion dollar legislation outside the White House, and then banged down the gavel that house speaker Mike Johnson gifted him that was used during the bill's final passage on Thursday.
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Against odds that at times seemed improbable, Mr Trump achieved his goal of celebrating a historic and divisive legislative victory in time for the nation's birthday.
Fighter jets and a stealth bomber streaked through the sky over the annual White House Fourth of July picnic as Mr Trump and first lady Melania Trump stepped out onto the White House balcony.
'America's winning, winning, winning like never before,' Mr Trump said, noting last month's bombing campaign against Iran's nuclear programme, which he said the flyover was meant to honour.
'Promises made, promises kept and we've kept them.'
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The White House was hung with red, white and blue bunting for the regular Fourth of July festivities.
The United States Marine Band played patriotic marches — and, in a typical Trumpian touch, tunes by 1980s pop icons Chaka Khan and Huey Lewis.
The two separate flyovers bookended Mr Trump's appearance and the band playing the national anthem.
Democrats assailed the package as a giveaway to the rich that will rob millions more lower-income people of their health insurance, food assistance and financial stability.
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'I never thought that I'd be on the House floor saying that this is a crime scene,' Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said during a record-breaking speech that delayed the bill's passage by eight-plus hours.
'It's a crime scene, going after the health, and the safety, and the well-being of the American people.'
A B-2 bomber and two F-22 fighters conduct a flyover during a Fourth of July celebration at the White House (Evan Vucci/AP)
The legislation extends Mr Trump's 2017 multitrillion-dollar tax cuts and cuts Medicaid and food stamps by 1.2 trillion dollars. It provides for a massive increase in immigration enforcement.
Congress' non-partisan scorekeeper projects that nearly 12 million more people will lose health insurance under the law.
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The legislation passed the House on a largely party-line vote on Thursday.
It passed by a single vote in the Senate, where North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis announced he would not run for re-election after incurring Mr Trump's wrath in opposing it.
Vice president JD Vance had to cast the tie-breaking vote.
The legislation amounts to a repudiation of the agendas of the past two Democratic presidents, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, in rolling back Mr Obama's Medicaid expansion under his signature health law and Mr Biden's tax credits for renewable energy.
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The Congressional Budget Office estimates the package will add 3.3 trillion dollars to the deficit over the decade and 11.8 million more people will go without health coverage.
Mr Trump exulted in his political victory on Thursday night in Iowa, where he attended a kick-off of events celebrating the country's 250th birthday next year.
'I want to thank Republican congressmen and women, because what they did is incredible,' he said.
The president complained that Democrats voted against the bill because 'they hate Trump — but I hate them, too'.
The package is certain to be a flashpoint in next year's mid-term elections, and Democrats are making ambitious plans for rallies, voter registration drives, attack ads, bus tours and even a multi-day vigil, all intended to highlight the most controversial elements.
Upon his return to Washington early Friday, Mr Trump described the package as 'very popular' though polling suggests that public opinion is mixed at best.
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The Guardian
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The Guardian
25 minutes ago
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The Guardian
30 minutes ago
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Summer without cherry pie? Michigan's signature crop faces battery of threats
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Lake Michigan's sandy soils and cool breezes are ideal for cherry production, but warmer temperatures cause trees to break dormancy earlier, making them more susceptible to late brief cold spells, such as what happened this year. A prime example of the weather volatility happened in late April when a cold snap damaged the fruit-producing flower buds. Farmers will start picking cherries in mid-July, and Dr Nikki Rothwell, extension specialist and Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center coordinator at MSU, estimates north-west Michigan will harvest 30m pounds, versus 100m last year. Climate change is causing other adverse weather events. Rothwell says the late-April temperatures weren't typically cold enough to harm buds, but wind accompanied the cold, which caused unexpected damage since previously scientists didn't think wind chill harmed trees. A rare hailstorm in June also caused some damage. Rothwell says an unusually dry fall may have left cherry trees susceptible as well. 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Ortega says producers and other stakeholders have seen how Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids make some workers afraid to show up because of deportation fears. Without enough agricultural workers, many of Michigan's specialty crops could spoil. Specialty crop farmers rely on shared equipment, facilities and workers, and this interdependency means the loss of one crop has a domino effect. Unlike farmers who grow annual crops such as grains, cherry trees can produce for nearly 30 years and farmers need to continually care for trees even when they lose money. Estimates by MSU show the land, operational and harvest costs for productive farmers is about 44 cents a pound, but last year the average farmer received 11 cents a pound for cherries. Tariffs are a double-edged sword for Michigan farmers, Ortega says. Farmers will pay more for imported fertilizer or equipment, and tariff uncertainty makes it harder to plan. However, farmers may see a slight benefit from tariffs if it raises the costs of imported cherries, as the food industry relies on imports to meet year-round consumer demand, he adds. Local retailers also work with farmers. Bob Sutherland, founder of Cherry Republic, a regional, 37-year-old cherry-focused snack and gift retailer, works exclusively with local farmers and other suppliers to promote the area's bounty. The firm's longstanding relationships means Cherry Republic can acquire enough local cherries to ensure a year-round supply. Still, the destination-retailer has allowed some cranberries and blueberries as part of their line of more than 200 products out of necessity because of climate change's unpredictability, he adds. Michigan's farmers are facing stiff odds, but Rothwell says despite all the hardships, farmers remain optimistic. 'Every spring they're like, 'this is it. This our year. We're gonna do it.' They always remain optimistic,' she says.
