Divorce, adultery allegations against Paxton jolt Senate race in Texas
The race, seen as one of the biggest GOP primaries of the midterms, was already dramatic, with a longtime incumbent, John Cornyn, fighting for his political life against Paxton, the state attorney general styling himself as more loyal to President Donald Trump. Now, Cornyn and his allies are bringing up the filing as they run against Paxton, and some Paxton backers are rethinking their support.
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Brazil scrambles as U.S. tariff deadline looms, talks stall
By Luciana Magalhaes, Lisandra Paraguassu, Bernardo Caram and Ana Mano SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazil is scrambling to avert punishing 50% U.S. tariffs in a week's time, but high level talks are stalled and U.S. companies are reluctant to confront U.S. President Donald Trump over the issue, officials and industry leaders say. Trump linked the tariffs, which he has said would come into effect on Aug. 1, to Brazil's treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial over charges of plotting a coup to stop President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office. Lula has called the threatened duty "unacceptable blackmail." No new diplomatic talks have occurred since last month, and a Brazilian counter-proposal sent in May went unanswered, two diplomats with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin told reporters on Thursday that he reiterated the country's willingness to negotiate in a Saturday discussion with U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick. The lack of communication has left Brazil with dwindling options as the deadline approaches. "If he wanted to talk, he would pick up the phone and call me," Lula said of Trump at an event on Thursday. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Negotiations are complicated by U.S. concerns over the prosecution of Bolsonaro, a Trump ally, one diplomat said, calling it a major roadblock. Trump announced the proposed 50% tariffs on Brazil on July 9 despite a U.S. trade surplus with the country - lining it up for one of the world's very highest such levies, close to China's 55% rate. In a series of 18 meetings, Alckmin has urged representatives from U.S. firms including General Motors, John Deere and Alphabet Inc to press Washington on the issue. However, the companies are reluctant to confront Trump for fear of retaliation, according to a government official and Ricardo Alban, president of Brazil's main industry lobby, CNI. "Things are very tense," Alban told reporters on Thursday. Also on Thursday, a group of Democratic senators condemned the tariffs on Brazil as a "clear abuse of power" in a letter to Trump. The tariffs could have a severe economic impact. The CNI estimates over 100,000 Brazilian jobs could be lost, potentially trimming 0.2% from the country's gross domestic product. The country's powerful agribusiness lobby, CNA, projects the value of its U.S. exports could fall by half. Alban said the potential blow to exporters could be worse than the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that business leaders are asking the government for aid, suggesting new credit lines. In response, some companies are already adjusting their trade strategies. Motor maker WEG is considering a plan to use its plants in Mexico and India to supply the U.S., its chief financial officer told analysts. Meat exporter Naturafrig Alimentos has begun redirecting shipments to other countries, according to commercial director Fabrizzio Capuci. Other companies are turning to the courts. Orange juice producer Johanna Foods, for example, has sued the Trump administration over the proposed tariffs. Companies in sectors ranging from steel to chemicals are also facing export contract cancellations, according to one advisor who asked not to be named. Abiquim, an association that represents chemical companies in Brazil, confirmed cancellations due to the threat of tariffs, without naming the companies affected. A lobby group representing steel companies declined to comment.
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Trump says US may not have a negotiated trade deal with Canada
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States may not reach a negotiated trade deal with Canada, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday, suggesting his administration could set a tariff rate unilaterally. Trump, speaking to reporters as he left the White House for a trip to Scotland, said, "We haven't really had a lot of luck with Canada. I think Canada could be one where there's just a tariff, not really a negotiation." The two nations are trying to work out a trade deal before August 1, when Washington is threatening to impose 35% tariffs on all Canadian goods not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Carney's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Canadian officials have increasingly made clear that the chances of a deal by August 1 are unlikely. Dominic LeBlanc, the federal cabinet minister in charge of U.S.-Canada trade, told reporters in Washington on Thursday after two days of talks that "we've made progress, but we have a lot of work in front of us." LeBlanc said Canada would take the time necessary to get the best deal possible. Carney indicated last week that Canada might not be able to persuade the United States to lift all its sanctions.
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Gastonia resident and RNC Chair Michael Whatley expected to launch bid for Tillis' seat
Michael Whatley, a Gastonia resident and the chair of the Republican National Party, is expected to seek the seat held by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced he would not seek re-election voting against advancing President Donald Trump's " big, beautiful bill," Republicans' massive domestic policy legislation. Whatley, one of the driving forces in the GOP today, would likely face former Gov. Roy Cooper in the race. The Democrat, whose final term as governor was bookended by the COVID-19 pandemic and Tropical Storm Helene, is expected to soon launch a campaign, according to reporting from Axios. Whatley began his climb in the GOP more than 2 decades ago. He served as chair of the Gaston County Republican Party from 1999-2001. In 2019 he was to picked to lead the North Carolina Republican Party, and in 2024 he became chair of the Republican National Committee. He has served as a senior official in the George W. Bush administration, and as chief of staff for former Sen. Elizabeth Dole. Politico reported this week that Whatley has the backing of Trump, whose daughter-in-law Lara Trump had also been rumored to be considering a bid. In a July 24 social media post, Lara Trump confirmed she would not be seeking the Senate seat. 'I am deeply grateful for the encouragement and support I have received from the people of my home state whom I love so much,' she wrote. Whatley did not respond to a July 24 request for comment from the Asheville Citizen Times. A White House spokesperson also did not respond to a request for comment on the president's reported endorsement. On the Democratic side, Axios first reported Cooper's intentions July 23. When reached by the Citizen Times, Morgan Jackson, a longtime political adviser to Cooper, declined to confirm Axios' reporting, but said the former governor 'would be making his intentions known in the coming days.' Cooper, who served two terms as North Carolina's governor, is a likely frontrunner to win his party's primary. Former Congressman Wiley Nickel is also vying for the seat, currently held by Tillis, who annnounced in June that he would not seek a third term in office. A matchup between Cooper and Whatley will likely be a high-stakes, expensive election that could determine whether Republicans can maintain control of the Senate. The race could prove to be 'as close to a toss-up as exists in American politics,' Chris Cooper, a professor of political science and public affairs at Western Carolina University, told the Citizen Times on July 24. Cooper, who is not related to the former governor, said both are 'heavyweight candidates with access to deep pockets and networks.' But neither Roy Cooper, nor Whatley, have outsized personalities that have often dominated politics in recent years. 'I think people who are expecting a barn-burner campaign driven by candidate narratives may be surprised,' Cooper said. Sarah Honosky contributed reporting. Jacob Biba is the Helene recovery reporter at the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jbiba@ This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gastonia resident and RNC chair Michael Whatley may campaign for Tillis' seat
