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Newsweek
07-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Hundreds of Thousands of Women Are Leaving the Labor Force—Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new labor market analysis based on June 2025 data revealed that a significant number of women have left the U.S. labor force this year. According to the National Women's Law Center (NWLC) review of monthly releases from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 103,000 women aged 20 and over exited the labor force in June, while 163,000 men in the same age group entered. The data indicate that since January, a net 338,000 women have left the labor force, compared to a net gain of 183,000 men joining it during the same period. These trends unfolded as the national unemployment rate remained steady at 4.1 percent, with job gains primarily noted in the state government and healthcare sectors, and continued losses in federal government positions. Why It Matters The exodus of women from the labor force carries significant economic and societal implications, particularly as U.S. workforce participation rates have long served as key indicators of the nation's financial health. The NWLC pointed out that the June labor force changes were entirely attributable to male workers entering the job market, even as women continued to opt out. Compounding these gender disparities, Black men and women experienced heightened volatility in employment figures. While the unemployment rate for Black men aged 20 and over surged from 5.2 percent in May to 6.9 percent in June, the rate for Black women declined from 6.2 percent to 5.8 percent, yet remained markedly elevated compared to their white counterparts. The upward trend in Black women's unemployment since March 2023, following a post-pandemic low of 4.2 percent, signals deeper systemic challenges. Federal sector job cuts and broader labor market pressures appear to be accelerating the disparities. File photo of a woman working in an office. File photo of a woman working in an office. ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images What To Know The BLS data showed that all labor force gains in June were among men over the age of 20, with 163,000 joining compared to the 103,000 women who left. The overall labor force participation rate stood little changed at 62.3 percent. Since January, men have gained 183,000 positions in the labor force while 338,000 women have collectively left their jobs. Michael Ryan, a finance expert and founder of attributed the exodus of female workers to the broader child care crisis in America. "It's about economic structures failing, not gender roles," Ryan told Newsweek. "I'd argue we're seeing the real cost of treating child care as a luxury rather than infrastructure. The economy's basically telling half its talent to stay home." Racial disparities were also visible in the June report. The unemployment rate for Black adults rose to 6.8 percent overall, driven in part by a dramatic increase for Black men, whose rate jumped from 5.2 percent to 6.9 percent in one month. Black women experienced a slight decline in the unemployment rate, falling from 6.2 percent in May to 5.8 percent in June; however, this remains notably higher than the rates for white women (3.1 percent) and white men (3.4 percent). Despite this drop, the unemployment trend for Black women has moved upward since spring 2023, exceeding pre-pandemic lows. Roughly 7,000 federal government jobs were lost in June, amounting to a cumulative 69,000 positions eliminated in the federal workforce since January. Notably, BLS labor force data does not count people on administrative leave or those receiving severance pay as unemployed, so the real impact of layoffs, particularly those reportedly initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), may be underestimated in the official numbers. The October 2020 analysis by the National Women's Law Center highlighted that at the pandemic's peak, women departed the workforce at four times the rate of men, a phenomenon largely attributed to caregiving burdens and heightened uncertainty in female-dominated sectors, such as hospitality, education and health care. In just one month in 2020, over 800,000 women aged 20 and over exited the workforce, compared to 216,000 men. This longstanding dynamic continues to influence today's labor trends. "There's been a renewed push, particularly from the current administration, toward traditional family values. This includes the idea that men should be the primary breadwinners while women stay home to raise children," Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. "But there's also a practical, economic factor: the cost of child care. For many families, especially those with multiple children, it's actually more cost-effective for one parent—typically the mother—to stay home rather than pay for expensive child care services." The 2025 data suggest that, even as traditionally women-populated sectors, such as health care, continue to post job gains, these have not offset broader structural barriers and job losses, particularly in the federal sector. Deep cuts in departments with historically higher employment of Black women, such as Education, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, have eliminated positions that once provided job security and pay equity. What People Are Saying Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek: "The numbers don't lie. It's about child care costs and impossible choices. Just look at the countries that have subsidized child care. They all have high levels of female labor force participation. "The system's forcing women out, not pulling them. In my view, we're watching educated, skilled women get priced out of working because nobody's solved the childcare equation." Jasmine Tucker, vice president for research at the National Women's Law Center, told Newsweek: "Costs are continuing to rise and the possibility of an upcoming recession is looming on the horizon. Couple that with rising child care prices, with the average family needing to make $180k/year to reasonably afford infant care, and the administration's attacks on the federal child care program Head Start, it's no surprise that women are leaving the labor force." Keith Spencer, a career expert at FlexJobs, told Newsweek: "Many women are still navigating job markets that lack the flexibility, wages, or caregiving support needed to remain consistently employed long term. The increase in men joining the labor force could reflect growth in male-dominated sectors like construction or manufacturing. Over time, without broader workplace shifts and more flexible work options, we risk reinforcing gender gaps in labor force participation." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "When families are financially penalized for both parents working, it discourages labor force participation. At the same time, we're seeing an increase in male labor force participation, driven in part by the deportation of migrant labor. Many of these roles, especially in physical labor and agriculture, are now being filled by domestic workers, often young men." What Happens Next The next Employment Situation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled for release on August 1 at 8:30 a.m. EST, which may provide additional clarity on the trajectory of women's labor force participation and ongoing trends in unemployment. However, if child care does not become more readily accessible to everyday families, the trends could persist in the coming months. "We're not just talking about fairness anymore; we're talking about economic suicide," Ryan said. "In my opinion, we're voluntarily shrinking our labor pool during a worker shortage, which is about as economically sensible as burning money for heat."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How women have been impacted by Musk-led federal layoffs
The federal government is the largest employer in the country — and has historically been a stable one. But then tech billionaire Elon Musk mounted a push to slash agency jobs across the executive branch, driving nearly half of all layoffs across in the United States so far in 2025, according to one jobs report from this month. But women and people of color are among those most affected by cuts to certain agencies, according to a new analysis from the National Women's Law Center (NWLC). The layoffs and buyouts have shaken the government employee base, which has more built-in protections and benefits than many positions in the private sector. 'The elimination of all these federal jobs passes these female workers into a market that does discriminate on the basis of sex,' said Jacqueline Simon, policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees, a union that represents over 750,000 federal workers. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order terminating any federal programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) — a sweeping and vague mandate that put even marginally related initiatives on the chopping block. Coupled with that was Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which had unprecedented and far-reaching authority to dictate agency reductions and closures. Women made up the majority of workers in departments — including Veterans Affairs, Education, Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development — targeted for these larger-scale layoffs. Women also make up the majority of employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Voice of America, which are among other agencies that have been or are expected to be gutted or shuttered altogether. This has pulled out the 'explicit' career ladders on which women federal employees could rely, according to Simon. 'You can't find yourself in a situation that says, 'You're doing really great work, but sorry, we don't have room for any promotions,'' Simon said. 'Promotions were sort of built in — it was and is a positive attribute of federal employment for any group that experiences discrimination when it comes to career advancement.' Media organizations and watchdog groups don't have exact numbers on the roughly 280,000 federal employees who have been impacted in some way by the second Trump-era cuts and buyouts. Current data does not suggest that women have been disproportionately or specifically targeted for mass terminations. But an overt lack of transparency means experts cannot meaningfully dissect the cuts and buyouts. The White House recently removed current and historic diversity data from public government websites, further obscuring the effects of mass layoffs. Numbers like those in the NWLC report are so far the closest to approximating the populations that have been most affected by Musk's reduction efforts. However, the series of layoffs illuminates the diversity in the federal government's 2.3 million workers, 47 percent of whom were women as of September 2024. While the stereotype of an older White man in government might be true for leadership and supervisory positions, she said the report shows how many women and people of color have found a path to the middle class through stable government jobs, which carried predictable schedules, raises and union representation. They are also supposed to be protected from arbitrary firings. 'The federal government creates such great opportunities and has such quality jobs that we don't always see in the private industry,' said Sarah Javaid, the report's author. 'It is a huge attraction to people, and it is far more diverse than we initially thought. It's so clear why people come to these jobs.' 'All those things are rare in the private sector, and now they're being obliterated,' said Liz Morris, co-director of the Center for WorkLife Law. The California-based advocacy organization focuses on gender and racial equity, and opened a hotline for laid-off workers in April to help connect them with legal help. Morris said that before this year's layoffs, they had never received so many calls from federal workers. Outside of layoffs, she said caregivers and pregnant workers have endured the deepest impact from the changes to federal employee standards, including orders earlier this year to return to work in-person and a lack of reasonable accommodations. Attempts to address these concerns can go unanswered when human resources departments within these same agencies have also been gutted, Morris added. 'People who are expecting a baby … a time when a stable income is absolutely critical — people are being terminated, having their termination reversed by a court order, then they're being terminated again — all the while they have a baby on the way,' she said. She added that other factors like economic strain, losing health insurance or job searching while pregnant compound the fear many workers feel right now. She said she has even heard from employees who have returned from parental leave only to be fired and asked to pay back the leave they just took. 'In the past, the federal government was an excellent employer,' Morris said. 'Any employer can make missteps, but generally, federal employees could count on civil service protections… That security has been shattered.' The post How women have been impacted by Musk-led federal layoffs appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
CNN
24-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
April 23, 2025 – Donald Trump presidency news
Update: Date: 24 min ago Title: Content: Our live coverage of Donald Trump's presidency has ended for the day. Follow the latest updates or read through the posts below. Update: Date: 32 min ago Title: Trump signs executive order that could make it harder to challenge discriminatory practices Content: President Donald Trump signed an executive order today that could make it harder to challenge discriminatory practices. The order aims to eliminate use of disparate-impact liability, which allows legal challenges based on discriminatory effect, even if the practices were not motivated by an intent to discriminate. Trump, in the order, argues that such claims have forced 'businesses to consider race' and prevented them 'from making hiring and other employment decisions based on merit and skill.' 'Disparate-impact liability imperils the effectiveness of civil rights laws by mandating, rather than proscribing, discrimination,' the executive order says. The order also revoked past presidential approvals of regulations that apply disparate-impact liability under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and directs the federal government to deprioritize and review enforcement actions and regulations. The order instructs the attorney general to work with agencies to identify and repeal or amend any such regulations and requires the investigation of ongoing lawsuits based on disparate-impact ideas. The executive order could significantly change civil rights enforcement by reducing the government's role in addressing statistical disparities in employment, housing, education and finance. The National Women's Law Center condemned the executive order, calling it an effort to 'rewrite regulations that have protected the rights of all people for decades.' 'This order is part of Donald Trump's ongoing efforts to dismantle our freedoms and roll back our rights. He hates that civil rights laws give us the power to stand up to bullies like him,' Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the NWLC, said in a statement. 'But a president does not have the power take away core civil right protections from the people of this country with a flick of his wrist.' Update: Date: 1 hr 30 min ago Title: Bessent says US and Ukraine should sign economic partnership 'as soon as possible' Content: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Minister of Finance Sergii Marchenko today and stressed that the two countries should sign an economic partnership 'as soon as possible,' according to a Treasury Department readout of the meeting. 'Secretary Bessent emphasized the need to conclude technical talks and sign the economic partnership between the United States and Ukraine as soon as possible,' the readout said. Bessent, according to the readout, also discussed the Ukraine-Russia war and 'reaffirmed the United States' support for Ukrainian sovereignty.' The secretary also 'emphasized the United States' dedication to secure a lasting, durable peace for the people of both Ukraine and Russia.' Update: Date: 2 hr 26 min ago Title: Judge pauses expedited fact-finding process in Kilmar Abrego Garcia case Content: The judge overseeing the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia has paused the expedited fact-finding process that had been underway for her to determine what the Trump administration has been doing to 'facilitate' his return from El Salvador after he was mistakenly deported. In a brief, two-sentence order issued tonight, US District Judge Paula Xinis said she was pausing the discovery process for a week at 'the agreement of the parties.' It's unclear exactly why the judge is pumping the brakes on the discovery process. The Trump administration, in a sealed court filing, asked the judge earlier today to pause the process for one week, as well as another order from her that required the government to provide daily updates on what it was doing to execute her order that it work to secure Abrego Garcia's return. Abrego Garcia's attorneys submitted a sealed response opposing that request later today. But the judge's terse order tonight suggests that his lawyers later consented to the request. Xinis' order comes a day after she excoriated the Trump administration for not acting in 'good faith' so far during the discovery process, accusing the Justice Department of intentional noncompliance with their obligation to produce information in the matter. As part of that ruling, she also directed the department to submit by this evening more 'specific legal and factual bases' for why the government was invoking various privileges in order to avoid providing some written discovery Abrego Garcia's attorneys have been seeking and respond to some outstanding discovery requests. Update: Date: 2 hr 2 min ago Title: Trump to travel to Michigan next week for rally celebrating first 100 days, press secretary says Content: President Donald Trump is planning to travel to Macomb County, Michigan, on April 29 for a rally marking the first 100 days of his second term, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media tonight. 'President Trump is excited to return to the great state of Michigan next Tuesday, where he will rally in Macomb County to celebrate the FIRST 100 DAYS!' the press secretary wrote in a post on X. The trip will mark the president's first visit to Michigan since winning the battleground state in November. Update: Date: 3 hr 47 min ago Title: Harvard president says the university had no choice but to fight back on federal funding freeze threats Content: Harvard University had no choice but to sue the Trump administration and fight back against recent demands that the university give the federal government access to all university reports on antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias made since October 2023, Harvard President Alan Garber told NBC's Lester Holt. The Ivy League university sued the Trump administration on Monday, ramping up an ongoing clash that could result in a $2.2 billion federal funding freeze at the school amid a broader push by the White House to bring elite US colleges in line with its political ideology. When asked if Harvard can win the fight against the federal government, Garber told NBC today, 'I don't know the answer to this question, but the stakes are so high that we have no choice.' 'What we do know is that we cannot compromise on basic principles like defense of our First Amendment rights,' he said. Gerber said the Trump administration's recent actions are an overreach of the government's role in university operations, noting that antisemitism — while a real problem — has nothing to do with university research. 'I would say that at Harvard, we have a real problem with antisemitism. We take it very seriously, and we're trying to address it,' Garber said. 'We don't really see the relationship to research funding at Harvard and other universities. They are two different issues.' Who Harvard hires — and why — is something the government would like to know, Garber said. That kind of regulation could have implications on what political and social views can be expressed on Harvard's campus and campuses across the country, he said. Update: Date: 4 hr 33 min ago Title: Trump says administration officials are talking to China 'every day' Content: President Donald Trump said Wednesday that there are direct talks between the US and China 'every day' as the two countries negotiate on trade. 'Yeah, of course, every day,' the president said when asked about direct contact between the US and China. As a tit-for-tat trade war escalated dramatically over the past couple months, Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports to at least 145%, alarming Wall Street and economists alike. Many major banks predicted the massive tariffs — as well as China's major retaliatory tariffs on US goods — would plunge the US and global economies into a recession. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday at a private investment conference hosted by JP Morgan Chase acknowledged that the trade war with China is unsustainable and he expects the battle to de-escalate in the very near future, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN. He said the tariffs are effectively embargoes on each nation, preventing business from taking place. Trump echoed that sentiment in an Oval Office executive action signing ceremony Wednesday. 'It's 145%. That's very high,' Trump said. 'But I haven't brought it down. It basically means China is not doing any business with us, essentially, because it's a very high number.' Although he has said the significant tariffs would come down soon, Bessent predicted they wouldn't be eliminated — a notion Trump echoed. Stocks surged after Bessent's remarks Tuesday and continued to rise Wednesday. Trump also called trade with China 'very one-sided' but said he gets 'along very well with President Xi.' 'I have to hope we can make a deal, otherwise we'll set a price,' he added. Update: Date: 5 hr 12 min ago Title: It's 'demeaning to Indians' to erase sport teams' Native American names, Trump says Content: President Donald Trump told reporters today that it's 'demeaning' and 'degrading' to the Indian population to 'erase' a Native American name from sports teams and logos. 'I think it's degrading to the Indian population, and it's a great population, and they like when they're, you know, called by various names,' Trump said when asked about the Washington football team changing its name to the Washington Commanders from the previous Washington Redskins. 'I can tell you that I spoke to people of Indian heritage that love that name,' Trump said, referring to the Washington team. 'I think it's a superior name to what they have right now.' The president also mentioned other teams who have a history of controversy due to Native American-themed names. Earlier this week, Trump directed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to help a Long Island school fight a court order that says it must give up the name Massapequa Chiefs. 'I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the Massapequa Chiefs logo on their Teams and School. Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population,' Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Monday afternoon. Update: Date: 5 hr 1 min ago Title: Trump says he'll announce who's traveling to Rome for pope's funeral 'probably this evening or tomorrow' Content: President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Wednesday that the administration has 'a couple of people' traveling to Rome over the weekend to attend the funeral services of Pope Francis. 'We have a couple of people coming — we will announce it probably this evening or tomorrow,' Trump said. 'The First Lady's going, and some people are coming with me from staff, but we'll have a number of people going.' The comments could signal that Trump does not plan to bring past presidents to the funeral in Rome. In 2005, then-president George W. Bush invited former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush to join him for the funeral of Pope John Paul II. The president also declined to say if he'd meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — who'll be on hand for the funeral — telling reporters, 'I don't know — I don't know that he's going to the funeral or not.' Trump first announced his plans to attend the funeral in a post to his Truth Social platform Monday, writing: 'Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!' The president, who had sparred with the pope from afar on issues like immigration and the environment, also ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the pontiff's death. Update: Date: 5 hr 6 min ago Title: Trump declines to say if he wants Ukraine to recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea Content: President Donald Trump declined to say if a proposed ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine would include a provision forcing Kyiv to recognize Moscow's ownership of Crimea, telling reporters in the Oval Office: 'I just want to see the war end.' 'Well, everything is good. I just want to see the war end, I don't care,' Trump said today. 'If they're both happy, they both sign an agreement, I have no favorites. I don't want to have any favorites. I want to have a deal done.' The president's comments come on the heels of a meeting today with the Ukrainians in London, led by Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg. Asked how the London talks went, Trump told reporters, 'I think they went well.' He added: 'We've got to get two people, two strong people, two smart people, to agree. And soon as they agree, the killing will stop,' apparently referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. And Trump lamented the high financial toll of the war in Ukraine, repeating again that his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, 'should never have let that war happen.' Some context: A US proposal that has caused deadlock in peace negotiations includes recognizing Russia's control of Crimea, the southern Ukrainian peninsula illegally annexed by Moscow, an official familiar with the framework told CNN. It would also put a ceasefire in place along the front lines of the war, the official said. Any move to recognize Russia's control of Crimea would reverse a decade of US policy. Update: Date: 5 hr 2 min ago Title: Musk stepping back "about this time" from White House role was expected, Trump says Content: President Donald Trump said Elon Musk's announcement that he's preparing to step away from the White House and go back to Tesla was expected to happen around this time in his second term. During remarks in the Oval Office today after signing executive orders, the president praised Musk's businesses, including Tesla and Starlink. 'And we have to, at some point, let him go and do that,' Trump said of Musk running his companies. 'And we expected to be doing it (at) about this time. But I'll talk to Elon about it.' Musk told investors last night, after a report showed a major drop in earnings for Tesla, that he would step back from his role running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) next month, spending only one or two days a week there. He said he would spend the freed up time running Tesla. The White House has said he is a 'special government employee,' which means he is only supposed to work for the US government for 130 days in a 365-day period. 'He's just an incredible person, and he's a friend of mine. And he's a nice person, too. He's a very nice person. He really helped the country, saved us a lot of money,' Trump said. Update: Date: 5 hr ago Title: Trump says future increase to Canada auto tariffs is possible Content: President Donald Trump said there is a potential that auto tariffs in Canada could increase 'at some point.' 'No, we're not considering it now, but at some point it could go up, yeah, because — again, we don't really want Canada to make cars for us, to put it bluntly. We want to make our own cars, and we're now equipped to do that,' Trump said when asked by a reporter today if there would be any changes made to auto tariffs in Canada. Update: Date: 4 hr 59 min ago Title: Trump suggests he will meet with Putin shortly after his trip to Saudi Arabia next month Content: President Donald Trump suggested today that he will meet with Russia President Vladimir Putin shortly after his trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next month. 'It's possible, but most likely not. I think we'll meet with him shortly thereafter,' the president said when asked if he would meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has hosted talks between Russia and Ukraine as the two nations discuss a potential ceasefire. The Middle East swing, planned for May 13 to 16, will mark the second foreign trip of Trump's second term, following his planned visit to Rome this weekend for the pope's funeral. CNN's Donald Judd contributed to this report Update: Date: 4 hr 54 min ago Title: Trump signs executive orders aimed at restructuring education Content: President Donald Trump signed several executive orders this afternoon aimed at restructuring and reconfiguring the Education Department the week after his administration announced a sweeping $2.2 billion funding freeze on Harvard University, setting up a major clash over academic freedom, federal funding and campus oversight. Here's a breakdown of the executive orders signed: CNN's Betsy Klein contributed to this report. Update: Date: 4 hr 53 min ago Title: Trump signs executive order to boost AI in US education Content: President Donald Trump today signed an executive order to ensure schools train students in the use of artificial intelligence. 'That's a big deal,' Trump said while signing the order. 'We have literally trillions of dollars being invested in AI,' he added. The executive order ensures that institutions properly train children and young Americans in AI tools so that they can be competitive in the economy as AI becomes more dominant, White House staff secretary Will Scharf said ahead of the signing ceremony. 'Somebody today, very smart person, said that AI is the way to the future. I don't know if that's right or not, but certainly, very smart people are investing in it,' Trump said. Update: Date: 7 hr 5 min ago Title: "Emotions have run high today," Zelensky says after Ukraine talks in London Content: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 'emotions have run high today' after talks on the ongoing war in his country were held in London. Representatives from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States met for the talks. Negotiations have stuttered recently, causing the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to warn the US could 'move on' if progress is not made towards ending the war. 'The sides expressed their views and respectfully received each other's positions. It's important that each side was not just a participant but contributed meaningfully,' Zelensky said on X, noting that 'the American side shared its vision' alongside Ukraine and the other European nations. In what seemed to be an indirect response to US President Donald Trump's criticism of Zelensky being unwilling to recognize Russian control of Crimea, Zelensky vowed Ukraine would abide by its constitution. He also shared a screenshot of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's 2018 Crimea Declaration which rejected Russia's occupation of the peninsula. 'Ukraine will always act in accordance with its Constitution and we are absolutely sure that our partners — in particular the USA — will act in line with its strong decisions,' he said. UK response: A spokesperson from the United Kingdom's foreign office said the talks were 'productive and successful and significant progress was made on reaching a common position on next steps,' according to a statement. Update: Date: 7 hr 29 min ago Title: Trump will target college accreditation process in new executive order, official says Content: President Donald Trump is set to take aim at the college accreditation process with a new executive order today, a White House official said, his latest move to exact control over America's higher education institutions. The order, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, targets the federal government's process for deciding what colleges and universities can access billions of dollars in federal student loans and Pell Grants — a significant source of indirect revenue for many of those institutions. What it does: The action was spearheaded by Trump's Domestic Policy Council as part of ongoing efforts by deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and others to advance the president's agenda on higher education, according to the official. It comes a week after the Trump administration announced a sweeping $2.2 billion funding freeze on Harvard University, setting up a major clash over academic freedom, federal funding and campus oversight. Education Sec. Linda McMahon will be present in the Oval Office for the 5 p.m. bill signing, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Update: Date: 7 hr 42 min ago Title: Chinese official: US should "stop threatening China" if it truly wants a solution on trade Content: As President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have struck a more optimistic tone on hashing out a trade deal with China in recent days, a Chinese government spokesperson suggested the American approach needs to change. 'Our doors are open, if the US wants to talk. If a negotiated solution is truly what the U.S. wants, it should stop threatening and blackmailing China and seek dialogue based on equality, respect and mutual benefit,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters today, according to a transcript posted online by the Chinese government. 'To keep asking for a deal while exerting extreme pressure is not the right way to deal with China and simply will not work,' he added. Yesterday, Trump said US tariffs on Chinese goods 'will come down substantially but it won't be zero.' He added, 'we're going to be very nice' with China. Update: Date: 8 hr 18 min ago Title: White House cites "healthy debate process" when asked about Musk-Bessent shouting match Content: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not deny reports that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Elon Musk shouted at each other in the West Wing last week, responding to a question about the alleged incident by pointing to a 'healthy debate process' among President Donald Trump's advisers. Bessent and Musk shouted expletives at each other within earshot of fellow staffers, according to a person familiar with what transpired. The blowup was sparked over leadership questions at the Internal Revenue Service, according to Axios, which first reported the incident. 'Look, there are disagreements amongst the president's staff and Cabinet sometimes, but we think that's part of a healthy debate process and everybody knows that ultimately President Trump is the decision-maker,' Leavitt told reporters. Trump had initially named Gary Shapley acting commissioner of the IRS, with the support of Musk. But Bessent's office had reservations, and the Treasury chief was out of the country when Trump appointed Shapley. Days later, after Bessent intervened, the White House said Shapley would no longer serve in the role. Instead, Michael Faulkender, the deputy secretary of the Treasury, would be taking on the position. Update: Date: 6 hr 57 min ago Title: Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff expected to meet with Putin in Russia on Friday, US official says Content: Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, is expected to meet with Russian President Vladmir Putin in Russia on Friday as the administration continues efforts to end the Ukraine war, a US official said. Witkoff's meetings come on the heels of a meeting with the Ukrainians in London, which was led by Trump's Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg. Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided not to attend. More on the London talks: The Trump administration did not feel that they were at a decisive point in the ongoing talks with Ukraine which led to Rubio canceling his participation today, according to a separate US official and two European diplomats familiar with the matter. Given the expectation that the US, Ukranians and Russians were not on the verge of agreeing to a framework to drive an end to the conflict, Rubio did not feel it was a productive use of his time to engage in the talks, the sources said. 'It was better to let talks play out than create the illusion that a breakthrough was imminent,' said one source. Asked about Kellogg leading the delegation to London by himself and Witkoff being expected to go to Russia later this week, a US official said: 'the Russians are the ones we need to move.' Despite no apparent imminent deal, US officials see this as decision time for Ukraine and Russia, with negotiators trying to get them on the same page if a deal is going to be made. Update: Date: 8 hr 32 min ago Title: Trump did not give Zelensky an ultimatum to accept peace deal by 'end of the day,' White House says Content: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that President Donald Trump has given an ultimatum to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a standing peace offer 'by the end of the day,' or risk the US walking away from peace talks. 'Not by the end of the day today,' Leavitt told CNN's Jeff Zeleny, contradicting some media reports. However, Leavitt maintained that Trump is growing more frustrated and 'he needs to see this thing come to an end.' She added that the Ukrainian president is moving in 'the wrong direction' when it comes to peace talks and that Zelensky 'has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press, and that's unacceptable to the president.' 'His patience is running very thin,' the press secretary added, referring to Trump. Earlier today, Trump accused Zelensky of prolonging the war through 'inflammatory statements,' after the Ukrainian president said his nation 'will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea.' That is one provision in the peace deal that the US helped negotiate, CNN has reported. Update: Date: 8 hr 41 min ago Title: Businesses are stalling hiring and feeling pessimistic, Federal Reserve survey shows Content: American businesses are grappling with President Donald Trump's significant policy changes, which in many cases are affecting hiring plans, travel bookings and consumer demand. That's according to the Federal Reserve's periodic survey of businesses across the country, released today. The report showed that overall 'economic activity was little changed' over the past two months, but that 'uncertainty around international trade policy was pervasive.' 'Uncertainty' was a key word that showed up several times throughout the report, across industries. One manufacturer in the Boston Fed's district said it 'shortened the duration of its price quotes to 30 days in anticipation of the need to adjust prices rapidly.' Commercial real estate businesses in that district also said 'uncertainty had put a damper on decision-making.' 'A bourbon distillery indicated that planning ahead felt almost impossible when trade rules kept changing,' the Fed noted. Businesses in leisure and hospitality across the country also reported fewer Canadian tourists, likely in response to Trump's trade spat with the country. A New York City hotel owner reported 'a falloff in international reservations,' and contacts in upstate New York near the border saw 'declining visits from Canadians.' On hiring, the Fed said 'firms were taking a wait-and-see approach to employment, pausing or slowing hiring until there is more clarity on economic conditions.' A business in the Kansas City Fed's district said that 'this is not the time to commit to adding labor,' citing heightened uncertainty. Update: Date: 8 hr 54 min ago Title: GOP senator says he has faith in Hegseth but the defense secretary "is going to need some help around him" Content: Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer told CNN he still fully supports Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid a second Signal chat controversy, while also suggesting that the Pentagon chief needs more expert help around him. 'I'm confident that Pete Hegseth can still be and will be a great secretary of defense,' Cramer told CNN's Dana Bash. 'He's going to need some help around him. I think one of the things he has lacked in the early days … is some real expertise, institutional expertise in the building.' Asked who he thinks should be advising Hegseth, Cramer said that he believes it's important to have those with institutional knowledge of the department and its inner workings, to help 'maneuver the place, to be able to navigate the landmines and some of the rich traditions, some of which serve us well and some of which have not served us well.' He added: 'And I think we should not resist so quickly people who you know, who have been part of the establishment, if you will, for a long time; it takes a mix.' Cramer said that he voiced his support for Hegseth to the president earlier today. 'But at the same time, the world is on fire, and it demands American leadership in a big way. And I think that he could use some of that help. And so my commitment to the president was that,' he said. Update: Date: 9 hr 18 min ago Title: US pushing for Russia-Ukraine peace deal to happen within Trump's first 100 days, European official says Content: The United States is looking to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal within the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's administration, a European official told CNN. It comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio is skipping a key meeting in London aimed to end the war. 'There are a lot of moving parts currently, but one thing is clear, the feeling that the US are pushing for that deal within 100 days,' the official said. A US proposal to end the war includes recognizing Russia's control of Crimea, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he wouldn't do. 'It is difficult to see (Crimea) in any deal other than it remains as it is now. But it is clearly difficult for Zelensky,' the official told CNN. Trump said today that Zelensky is prolonging the war through 'inflammatory statements' on Crimea. The 100th day of Trump's second term falls on Tuesday. Update: Date: 10 hr 1 min ago Title: Treasury secretary warns it could take 2 to 3 years to fully rebalance trade with China Content: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cautioned today that it could take considerable time to rebalance trade between the United States and China. There is a '2- to 3-year timeline for the full rebalancing,' Bessent told a group of reporters after delivering a speech at an event hosted by the Institute of International Finance, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN. The comments, previously reported by Bloomberg News and CNBC, underscore how obstacles remain even as investors are eager for trade agreements and CEOs seek clarity on tariffs. Bessent noted that it took 10 years for trade with Japan to rebalance. 'That's why we are saying to the Chinese that now is the time for what could be a joint rebalancing,' Bessent said. During his speech earlier today, Bessent called for sweeping change to China's system. 'China's current economic model is built on exporting its way out of its economic troubles. It's an unsustainable model that is not only harming China but the entire world. China needs to change,' Bessent said. Bessent added that 'there is an opportunity for a big deal.' President Donald Trump later told reporters the administration is actively speaking with Chinese government officials on trade, without specifying more. Overall, he said trade negotiations with other countries 'are going very well.' Update: Date: 9 hr 32 min ago Title: Trump accuses Zelensky of prolonging the war in Ukraine through "inflammatory statements" Content: President Donald Trump said today that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has 'no cards to play' and is prolonging the war through 'inflammatory statements' as the US works on negotiations to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Zelensky said yesterday that Ukraine would not 'legally recognize the occupation of Crimea,' which the Trump administration had included as one provision in its proposal to end the conflict, an official familiar with the framework told CNN over the weekend. 'The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the 'killing field,' and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with 'no cards to play' should now, finally, GET IT DONE,' Trump posted on Truth Social, putting the onus on Zelensky. Trump also wrote that Zelensky's statement is 'very harmful' to peace negotiations and added that 'Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion. Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn't they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?' Trump went on to accuse Zelensky of making it difficult to settle the war in his post. 'The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,' Trump wrote. CNN reported earlier today that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is skipping a major meeting in London aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war, and Vice President JD Vance has threatened to abandon negotiations if both sides don't agree to the latest proposal. Update: Date: 10 hr 38 min ago Title: Trump's approval rating slumps as he nears the 100-day mark, Pew poll finds Content: President Donald Trump's approval rating has slumped to 40% as he nears the 100-day mark for his second term in the White House, according to a Pew Research Center survey released today. The poll finds Trump's approval rating down 7 percentage points since early February, a shift that brings him back in line to the numbers he saw at this point in his first term. The decline comes across most demographic subgroups, the survey finds, but it's particularly pronounced among Trump's 'less enthusiastic' 2024 backers (75% of his voters who didn't 'strongly' support him now approve, down from 88% in February) and among those who did not cast a ballot in last year's election (31% approve, down from 44%). Less than half of the public now expresses confidence in Trump's ability to handle a broad range of issues. Here's what the numbers show: Some background: The Pew Research Center poll surveyed 3,589 adults online and by telephone from April 7-13, using the nationally representative American Trends Panel. Results among the full sample have a margin of error of +/- 1.8 percentage points. Update: Date: 11 hr 18 min ago Title: The administration is actively talking with China to get a "fair deal," Trump says Content: President Donald Trump told reporters today that his administration will get a 'fair deal' with China on trade, adding more broadly that negotiations with countries 'are going very well.' When Trump was asked in an impromptu gaggle outside the White House if he was talking to China actively, Trump responded: 'Actively. Everything's active.' 'Every country wants to partake, even countries that have ripped us off for many, many years. China is an example, but it's not just China, European Union. They ripped us off for many, many years, and those days are over,' he added. 'We'll be able to lower taxes substantially,' he added. More on trade war with China: Trump yesterday signaled a potential U-turn on his trade war with China amid continued market volatility, saying the high tariffs on Chinese goods will 'come down substantially, but it won't be zero.' Trump's remarks appear to mark a rhetorical climbdown after weeks of tough posturing and tit-for-tat retaliation that sent tariffs on China beyond a staggering 145%. CNN's Nectar Gan and Alejandra Jaramillo contributed to this report. Update: Date: 11 hr 53 min ago Title: Trump plans to install and pay for two 100-foot flagpoles at White House Content: President Donald Trump said today that he plans to pay for and install a pair of new flagpoles on both sides of the White House. 'We're putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side, and another one on the other side. Two flags — top of the line,' Trump told reporters moments after surveying the north grounds of the White House with a small contingent of staff, including Dale Haney, the longtime superintendent of the White House grounds. The president said they would be 'paid for by Trump' and will arrive 'in about a week or so.' Remember: Trump is no stranger to large-scale flagpole installations. Back in 2006, he violated Palm Beach town ordinances when he put an 80-foot flagpole on the grounds of his Mar-a-Lago club, according to the Palm Beach Post. Per the Post, Trump sued the town for $10 million 'over repeated demands that he withdraw the pole. He later increased the damage demand to $25 million. The town began fining Trump $1,250 a day on Jan. 6, 2007, for the code violations.' Trump and the town ultimately settled, and he installed a 70-foot flagpole further inland and agreed to make donations to charity groups related to veterans or the US flag. Update: Date: 11 hr 59 min ago Title: Bessent on China: "There is an opportunity for a big deal" Content: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previewed his hopes for a trade agreement with China on Wednesday. 'There is an opportunity for a big deal,' Bessent said at an event hosted by the Institute of International Finance. He leveled criticism with regard to China's alleged non-tariff trade barriers, including currency manipulation. President Donald Trump said that one of the main impetuses for levying 'reciprocal' tariffs on China was to correct such perceived discrepancies. Now, most goods coming from China are currently subject to a 145% tariff, while most American goods shipped there are subject to a minimum 125% tariff. Trump told reporters on Wednesday his administration is 'actively' speaking with Chinese government officials, without specifying. Last week he declined to share whether he's spoken directly with President Xi Jinping. Broadly, trade negotiations with other countries 'are going very well,' he said. Update: Date: 12 hr 37 min ago Title: American global economic policy does not mean "America alone," treasury secretary says Content: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that an 'America First' economic policy does not mean 'America alone,' during remarks about the state of global financial institutions today. Bessent said that his goal today was to outline a blueprint to restore 'equilibrium to the global financial system and the institutions designed to uphold it.' Bessent said that in order to achieve this goal they need to 'reconnect' the International Monetary Fund and World Bank with their 'founding missions.' He invited his international counterparts to help work toward the goals outlined in his speech. 'On this point I want to be clear: America First does not mean America alone. To the contrary, it is a call for deeper collaboration and mutual respect among trade partners,' Bessent said. 'Far from stepping back, America First seeks to expand US leadership in international institutions like the IMF and World Bank by embracing a stronger leadership role, America First seeks to restore fairness to the international economic system.' He ended his remarks by adding, 'America First means we are doubling down on our engagement with the international economic system, including at the IMF and the World Bank. A more sustainable international economic system will be one that better serves the interests of the United States and all other participants in the system.' Update: Date: 12 hr 17 min ago Title: "We must make the IMF the IMF again," treasury secretary says Content: The International Monetary Fund has become 'an institution more dedicated to preserving the status quo than answering the hard questions,' Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a speech Wednesday. Bessent said he believed the fund has lost focus of its mission and is instead devoting 'disproportionate time and resources to work on climate change, gender and social issues. These issues are not the IMF's mission,' he said speaking at an event hosted by the Institute of International Finance. 'We must make the IMF the IMF again,' he said. 'Today's IMF has been whistling past the graveyard.' Update: Date: 13 hr 2 min ago Title: Bessent: "China, in particular, is in need of a rebalancing" Content: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday it's crucial for China to change its economic structure. He called out the nation in remarks delivered at the Institute of International Finance, saying that 'China, in particular, is in need of a rebalancing.' 'The country knows it needs to change,' he added. Of concern to Bessent is China's 'export overcapacity.' China relies on selling a large portion of its goods to the United States, which Bessent said 'is resulting in an evermore unbalanced global economy.' His comments come one day after he said he expects de-escalation with regard to the trade war with China. Speaking in Washington, DC, on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's semiannual meeting, he said, 'Treating China, the second-largest country in the world, as a developing country is absurd,' in an apparent swipe at how he believes the two institutions characterize China. Officially, though, neither considers China a developing economy. Update: Date: 13 hr 6 min ago Title: Happening now: Treasury Secretary Bessent speaks at conference after saying de-escalation with China imminent Content: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to speak at a fireside chat hosted by the Institute of International Finance on Wednesday. His remarks will come one day after he said at a closed-door banking event that he expects a de-escalation in the near future of the unsustainable trade war with China. Those comments helped buoy markets yesterday after a massive sell-off last week. Update: Date: 13 hr 21 min ago Title: Top retail CEOs warn Trump that tariff policy could lead to "empty" shelves Content: President Donald Trump's notable shift in tone toward Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and China came a day after he met privately in the Oval Office with chief executives of four major US retail companies, who conveyed concerns about rising economic fallout from Trump's tariff policy and the uncertainty it has created for financial markets. The CEOs of Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Lowe's — all of whom delivered a blunt message about interruptions in the supply chain and its effects on consumers — were invited to the White House as part of an ongoing internal campaign to make the case to Trump about the real-world impact of his policies, administration officials said. Trump's tariffs have placed significant pressure on the retail sector. The business leaders warned that store shelves across America could 'soon be empty,' two people familiar with the meeting said, as they presented a dire economic picture that could come into sharper view within weeks. Doug McMillon, the CEO of Walmart — who has developed a cordial relationship with Trump through meetings at Mar-a-Lago and several mutual friends — bluntly told Trump that the trade war with China had already started to disrupt the supply chain, officials said, and would only intensify by summer. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who has emerged as one of the leading Cabinet officials whose words have calmed financial markets, played a key role in arranging the meeting of CEOs, officials said, as part of an effort to show Trump how serious the economic challenges facing the administration have become. Axios first reported the fallout from the president's meeting with CEOs. Update: Date: 14 hr 42 min ago Title: Trump's softer tone on Fed chair came after warnings from advisers of legal and financial turmoil Content: President Donald Trump's recent attacks on Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell caused alarm among some of his top advisers, who warned him that any attempt to remove the head of the central bank could cause as much market turmoil as his ongoing trade war, according to people familiar with the conversations. The warnings — and the markets' own volatility this week – seemed to have broken through. Trump backed off his threats to try removing Powell from the job on Tuesday, telling reporters in the Oval Office: 'I have no intention to fire him.' That prompted sighs of relief — not only among investors, but also among top administration officials, who had become unnerved by the heated rhetoric and wary of a prolonged legal battle should Trump attempt to unseat Powell. Many Trump advisers did not ultimately believe the president would attempt to fire Powell, given the warnings he'd been receiving from his economic team — including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – stretching back several months. Trump had seemed to absorb the notes of caution. But his amped-up rhetoric over the past week had caused fresh uncertainty about his intentions — in particular, his message on social media that Powell's 'termination cannot come fast enough!' Afterward, his top economic adviser Kevin Hassett told reporters the White House was studying whether Trump could fire Powell, and said a potential 'new legal analysis' might ease market concerns. In reality, White House officials had long determined that firing Powell would spark legal challenges and market tumult. And if any study was actually underway, Trump suggested Tuesday it wasn't necessary. He said in the Oval Office he 'never did' have any intention of removing Powell from the job. Update: Date: 15 hr 14 min ago Title: Russia-Ukraine peace proposal involves freezing lines "somewhere close" to current location, Vance says Content: An agreement to freeze territorial lines 'somewhere close' to where they are today is one of the final steps in reaching peace between Ukraine and Russia, Vice President JD Vance said today. 'We're going to see if the Europeans, the Russians and the Ukrainians are ultimately able to get this thing over the finish line,' said Vance, who is currently visiting India. 'I feel pretty optimistic about it. I think everybody has been negotiating in good faith,' he told reporters. Asked to clarify about whether the United States' proposal includes freezing the territorial lines where they are, Vance replied: 'No, I didn't say that. What I said is the current line, somewhere close to them is where you're ultimately, I think, going to draw the new lines in the conflict. Now of course, that means the Ukrainians and the Russians are both going to have to give up some of the territory they currently own. There's gonna have to be some territorial swaps. I wouldn't say the exact lines, but we want the killing to stop.' Vance echoed comments from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said last week that the United States would have to abandon its efforts to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to a close if no progress is made. Update: Date: 15 hr 38 min ago Title: Trump signals an offramp for the US-China trade war. Here's the latest on tariffs Content: US President Donald Trump has signaled a potential U-turn on his trade war with China, saying the high tariffs on Chinese goods will 'come down substantially, but it won't be zero.' Trump's remarks yesterday appear to mark a rhetorical climbdown after weeks of tough posturing and tit-for-tat retaliation that sent tariffs on China beyond a staggering 145%. '145% is very high and it won't be that high,' Trump said. 'It won't be anywhere near that high. It'll come down substantially. But it won't be zero.' Here are the latest developments: Update: Date: 15 hr 39 min ago Title: European stock markets and US futures tick higher on Trump's potential U-turns on trade war and Fed chair Content: European stock markets were higher in early trade Wednesday after US President Donald Trump signaled a potential U-turn on his trade war with China, as well as saying he had no plans to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Germany's DAX index was 2.1% higher, while France's CAC and London's FTSE 100 were trading 1.4% and 1% up, respectively. US futures were also pointing higher. The Dow was set to open 1.2% up, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq and the S&P 500 were on track for a 1.9% and 1.6% rise, respectively. On Tuesday, Trump said tariffs on Chinese goods — currently set around 145% — will 'come down substantially, but it won't be zero.' The president also said he had 'no intention of firing' Powell despite last week saying that the Fed chair's 'termination cannot come fast enough.' Trump has recently kept up the pressure on Powell to lower interest rates — an action the Fed chair recently said he would not rush into or take lightly. Update: Date: 15 hr 39 min ago Title: Downgraded Ukraine war talks resume today. Here's what we know Content: A major meeting in London aimed at bringing about an end to Russia's war in Ukraine has been downgraded after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would skip the summit. Last week, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested they may soon abandon attempts to broker an end to the war if Moscow and Kyiv resisted their efforts. Vice President JD Vance said today: 'We've issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and Ukrainians, and it's time for them to either say yes or for the US to walk away from this process. We've engaged in an extraordinary amount of diplomacy, of on the ground work.' Here's the latest:
