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The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Trump offers Putin an ultimatum, as pressure builds on Russia
"We're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days," Trump said on July 14 in the Oval Office. "Tariffs at about 100%, you'd call them secondary tariffs." Trump's latest threat against Russia and a related decision to send Ukraine weapons that are made in America, and paid for by European allies, runs parallel to a Senate-led effort to pass crippling sanctions that would hit countries with hefty tariffs if they purchase Russian energy. The bipartisan bill authored by Sens. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, has attracted 85 backers. It would put a 500% tariff on any country that buys or sells Russian oil, gas or petroleum, if Moscow refuses to make peace with Ukraine. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been eager to move forward with the bill that GOP leaders in the Senate and House were aiming to bring to the floor before Congress begins an extended recess at the beginning of August. Trump has indicated he is open to the legislation, but wants to control when the sanctions are triggered. The demand has put the president at odds with some Democratic sponsors of the bill. The legislation that had been gaining momentum was back in limbo on July 14 after Trump's tariffs announcement. Putin is making a 'horrible mistake' James Risch, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said last week that negotiations were taking place between the Senate and the White House on timing and the bill had been adjusted to offer Trump more flexibility. Of the Russian leader, the Idaho Republican said, "I think Putin is making an absolutely horrible mistake. The president gave him every reasonable opportunity to do something, and it's patently obvious that he doesn't want to." Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a July 9 floor speech that senators had made "substantial progress" on the bill that would "enhance President Trump's leverage at the negotiating table and help end the bloodshed in Ukraine." He said then that the Senate would work with the House and the White House to get the bill through Congress. Punishing Putin: Trump escalates criticism of Putin, rearms Ukraine, as Russia's war plows on House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said he would also bring the bill for a vote, declaring on Fox News on July 13, "I think there's a big appetite for that in the House, as well." But when Trump notified Putin that "severe tariffs" were on the way the following day, Thune suggested the Senate would hold off. "It sounds like right now the president is going to attempt to do some of this on his own," Thune told reporters. "If at some point the president concludes that it makes sense and adds value and leverage that he needs in those negotiations to move the bill, then we'll do it. We'll be ready to go." Trump says sanctions bill 'could be very useful' Trump said earlier in the day, as he set a deadline for talks, that he was not sure the legislation was necessary. He said his secondary tariffs of 100% would essentially serve the same function as the 500% that senators have proposed. "They've actually crafted a pretty good piece of legislation, it's probably going to pass very easily, and that includes Democrats," he said. "I don't want to say I don't need it, because I don't want them to waste their time, it could be very useful, we'll have to see." He previously called it an "optional bill" and said it "lets the president do whatever he wants." Graham indicated in a CBS interview over the weekend that Congress was considering changes that would give Trump the ability to "dial it up or down." "The benefit of our approach is that it blends congressional authorization of tariffs and sanctions with flexibility for presidential implementation, making it rock solid legally and politically," Graham and Blumenthal said in a joint statement after Trump's tariff announcement. Lifeline for Ukraine: Trump to send Ukraine weapons through NATO, threatens secondary tariffs on Russia The legislation gives Trump the ability to grant one-time waivers of up to 180 days to countries and goods, if the president deems it in the national security interest of the United States. China, India, Turkey and Brazil are among the countries that purchase Russian energy and would be most affected by the sanctions. In 2024, U.S. imports from Russia were down to just $3 billion, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast told USA TODAY in a July 14 interview shortly after Trump's announcement that neither the House nor the Trump administration had reached a consensus on the bill that Graham introduced in April. But he said the aim of putting secondary tariffs on countries that are indirectly funding Putin's war has been a long time coming and countries such as India and China should not be surprised they're in the works. "I don't know every detail of what all will be covered yet," the Florida Republican said of Trump's secondary tariff threat. "But the biggest cash cow that is allowing Russia to continue to prosecute this war is the oil and the gas sales." Democrats are hopeful Trump will move on sanctions Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top-ranking Democrat on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee and an original co-sponsor of the Senate bill, told USA TODAY on July 10 she thought there was a "good chance" the legislation would make it through Congress. "There's a needle to thread so that on the one hand, the president - any president - retains the ability to engage in foreign policy negotiations, and on the other hand, on a matter of whim, can crawl straight into bed with our adversaries and shut down congressionally-established sanctions policy," she said. Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat who sometimes sides with Trump on policy, said that same day that he fully supported the "most severe kind of sanctions that can pass here in the Senate." The Pennsylvania senator said it is "truly heartbreaking and appalling" the way Russia is hitting Ukraine with drones and killing civilians. "The things that the president has said have given me the first hope since his election that we could actually address the appalling situation around Ukraine," Fetterman said.
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Trump offers Putin an ultimatum, as Senate pressure builds to sanction Russia
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump gave Russian President Vladimir Putin an ultimatum when he took office: Settle the war with Ukraine or brace for painful tariffs and ruinous sanctions. Six months and a half dozen fruitless conversations later, Trump says he's ready to move forward. If a peace agreement has not been reached in 50 days, the U.S. president says he'll impose devastating economic punishments on Russia and its trading partners, as he turns his attention to resolving the war. 'We're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days,' Trump said on July 14 in the Oval Office. 'Tariffs at about 100%, you'd call them secondary tariffs." Trump's latest threat against Russia and a related decision to send Ukraine weapons that are made in America, and paid for by European allies, runs parallel to a Senate-led effort to pass crippling sanctions that would hit countries with hefty tariffs if they purchase Russian energy. The bipartisan bill authored by Sens. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, has attracted 85 backers. It would put a 500% tariff on any country that buys or sells Russian oil, gas or petroleum, if Moscow refuses to make peace with Ukraine. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been eager to move forward with the bill that GOP leaders in the Senate and House were aiming to bring to the floor before Congress begins an extended recess at the beginning of August. Trump has indicated he is open to the legislation, but wants to control when the sanctions are triggered. The demand has put the president at odds with some Democratic sponsors of the bill. The legislation that had been gaining momentum was back in limbo on July 14 after Trump's tariffs announcement. Putin is making a 'horrible mistake' James Risch, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said last week that negotiations were taking place between the Senate and the White House on timing and the bill had been adjusted to offer Trump more flexibility. Of the Russian leader, the Idaho Republican said, 'I think Putin is making an absolutely horrible mistake. The president gave him every reasonable opportunity to do something, and it's patently obvious that he doesn't want to.' Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a July 9 floor speech that senators had made 'substantial progress' on the bill that would 'enhance President Trump's leverage at the negotiating table and help end the bloodshed in Ukraine." He said then that the Senate would work with the House and the White House to get the bill through Congress. Punishing Putin: Trump escalates criticism of Putin, rearms Ukraine, as Russia's war plows on House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said he would also bring the bill for a vote, declaring on Fox News on July 13, "I think there's a big appetite for that in the House, as well." But when Trump notified Putin that "severe tariffs" were on the way the following day, Thune suggested the Senate would hold off. 'It sounds like right now the president is going to attempt to do some of this on his own,' Thune told reporters. 'If at some point the president concludes that it makes sense and adds value and leverage that he needs in those negotiations to move the bill, then we'll do it. We'll be ready to go.' Trump says sanctions bill 'could be very useful' Trump said earlier in the day, as he set a deadline for talks, that he was not sure the legislation was necessary. He said his secondary tariffs of 100% would essentially serve the same function as the 500% that senators have proposed. "They've actually crafted a pretty good piece of legislation, it's probably going to pass very easily, and that includes Democrats," he said. "I don't want to say I don't need it, because I don't want them to waste their time, it could be very useful, we'll have to see." He previously called it an "optional bill" and said it "lets the president do whatever he wants." Graham indicated in a CBS interview over the weekend that Congress was considering changes that would give Trump the ability to "dial it up or down." "The benefit of our approach is that it blends congressional authorization of tariffs and sanctions with flexibility for presidential implementation, making it rock solid legally and politically," Graham and Blumenthal said in a joint statement after Trump's tariff announcement. Lifeline for Ukraine: Trump to send Ukraine weapons through NATO, threatens secondary tariffs on Russia The legislation gives Trump the ability to grant one-time waivers of up to 180 days to countries and goods, if the president deems it in the national security interest of the United States. China, India, Turkey and Brazil are among the countries that purchase Russian energy and would be most affected by the sanctions. In 2024, U.S. imports from Russia were down to just $3 billion, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast told USA TODAY in a July 14 interview shortly after Trump's announcement that neither the House nor the Trump administration had reached a consensus on the bill that Graham introduced in April. But he said the aim of putting secondary tariffs on countries that are indirectly funding Putin's war has been a long time coming and countries such as India and China should not be surprised they're in the works. "I don't know every detail of what all will be covered yet," the Florida Republican said of Trump's secondary tariff threat. "But the biggest cash cow that is allowing Russia to continue to prosecute this war is the oil and the gas sales." Democrats are hopeful Trump will move on sanctions Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top-ranking Democrat on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee and an original co-sponsor of the Senate bill, told USA TODAY on July 10 she thought there was a 'good chance' the legislation would make it through Congress. 'There's a needle to thread so that on the one hand, the president – any president – retains the ability to engage in foreign policy negotiations, and on the other hand, on a matter of whim, can crawl straight into bed with our adversaries and shut down congressionally-established sanctions policy," she said. Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat who sometimes sides with Trump on policy, said that same day that he fully supported the 'most severe kind of sanctions that can pass here in the Senate.' The Pennsylvania senator said it is 'truly heartbreaking and appalling' the way Russia is hitting Ukraine with drones and killing civilians. 'The things that the president has said have given me the first hope since his election that we could actually address the appalling situation around Ukraine,' Fetterman said.
NBC News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton files for divorce from husband, state AG Ken Paxton
Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton on Thursday said she filed for divorce from her husband, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in a Republican primary. 'Today, after 38 years of marriage, I filed for divorce on biblical grounds,' Angela Paxton said in a post on X. She added that she made her decision 'in light of recent discoveries.' The state senator did not immediately respond to a request for comment for additional details. Ken Paxton's office and campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Ken Paxton said in a post on X shortly after his wife's announcement that he and his wife had "decided to start a new chapter in our lives," following what he described as "countless political attacks." 'I could not be any more proud or grateful for the incredible family that God has blessed us with, and I remain committed to supporting our amazing children and grandchildren. I ask for your prayers and privacy at this time,' he added. The Paxtons faced scrutiny following a state Senate-led impeachment trial against Ken Paxton in 2023. He faced allegations of corruption and was eventually acquitted, but the trial also touched on allegations of infidelity. The attorney general's former chief of staff — Katherine Cary — said that an alleged affair with another woman caused office tension, according to Austin-based KUT News. Ken Paxton did not testify at his impeachment trial. Cary, however, testified that the attorney general admitted to the affair, according to the Texas Tribune. On Thursday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee criticized Ken Paxton, who was first elected state attorney general in 2014, and said in April that he would challenge Cornyn for his Senate seat. 'What Ken Paxton has put his family through is truly repulsive and disgusting,' NRSC spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez posted on X. 'No one should have to endure what Angela Paxton has, and we pray for her as she chooses to stand up for herself and her family during this difficult time." Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday to discuss Senate races. Thune told NBC News on Thursday that the meeting "covered a whole range of races around the country." A senior Republican strategist working on Senate races confirmed to NBC News on Tuesday that Texas was slated for discussion. Asked whether he had a preference in the Texas race, Thune said: "We need an electable candidate that can win not just a primary, but a general, and we believe there's a path there for Cornyn to win both." Cornyn was first elected to the Senate in 2002.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Can Trump fire Jerome Powell? Here's when Fed chair's term ends
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated his call for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to resign, saying the central bank leader should do so immediately. President Donald Trump has previously expressed frustration with Powell's rate hikes.(REUTERS) Powell, who was nominated by Trump to lead the Fed during his first administration, has been facing pressure from Trump to vacate his position following his reported disagreements with the President over the Fed's inflation policies Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump after the 2020 Presidential Election, nominated him for a second term. Trump has previously expressed frustration with Powell's rate hikes and has hinted at replacing him with someone more aligned with his economic outlook. Amid repeated calls by Donald Trump for Jerome Powell's resignation, the question arises whether the US President has the power to fire the Federal Reserve Chairman. Here's the answer. Can Trump fire the Federal Reserve Chairman? The question of whether a U.S. president can fire a Federal Reserve chair has resurfaced amid speculation about Donald Trump's potential efforts to challenge Jerome Powell's leadership. However, in one of his previous press conferences, Powell asserted that the law does not permit a president to dismiss a Fed chair without justification, emphasising his refusal to resign if pressured. Legal experts like Russel Morgan of The Morgan Legal Group note the ambiguity in statutes governing Fed leadership removal. Under the 1913 Federal Reserve Act, the central bank operates independently from political interference, with officials protected from dismissal over policy disagreements. A 1930s Supreme Court ruling adds that removing a Fed chair would require proof of 'inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance.' Morgan explained that any attempt to oust Powell would likely involve a lengthy process, including a Senate-led investigation to establish valid grounds, as per Barron's report.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats heap scrutiny on Trump jet gift: ‘It is gross, it is reckless, it is corrupt'
Democrats are planning to put as much scrutiny as they can on President Trump's plan to accept the gift of a plane from Qatar to serve as Air Force One, arguing the ethical and national security lapses in accepting the jet will resonate with the public. They also want to cast the Department of Justice under Trump as no longer standing for U.S. values, saying that under Attorney General Pam Bondi, it has instead been transformed into a legal entity solely set up to protect the president. That effort began in earnest Tuesday, as multiple Democrats took to the floor to highlight what they argue isn't just the blurring of the lines between a public act and personal gain, but total erasure of them. Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), who have been among the leading voices in opposition, rolled out a resolution condemning 'any acceptance of Presidential aircraft, or any other substantial gift, from a foreign government.' The aircraft is valued at roughly $400 million. 'It really should go without saying, but no president should be accepting a $400 million gift from a foreign country,' Schatz said on the floor Tuesday afternoon. 'It is gross, it is reckless, it is corrupt, and the outrage and the condemnation, especially on the Republican side, should be universal. There is no excuse or justification for this. It is wrong, and that is the end of the story.' 'This is the most blatant, obvious, ridiculous, gross corruption that I've ever seen in my entire life. By dollar amount, by symbolism, by violating constitutional and statutory law,' he continued. 'You don't have to be … a lawyer. You don't have to be all fancy-pants to understand how ridiculous it is that a foreign government is going to say, 'Hey, we'll take care of Air Force One for you.'' Schatz attempted to pass the resolution via unanimous consent after the remarks, but Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) blocked that request, arguing Democrats are 'losing their minds' over a still-unfinished deal. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) followed up immediately with an attempt to pass a resolution of his own that would authorize a Senate-led lawsuit to enforce the Emoluments Clause. The constitutional clause prohibits lawmakers from accepting gifts from foreign countries without approval from Congress. Tuberville blocked that effort as well. But Democrats are not deterred, plotting other moves in the coming weeks, with members citing the anger they are hearing from constituents and the uneasiness they sense from their GOP colleagues over Trump's potential acceptance of the gift. 'It is extreme,' Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told The Hill about the level of anger on the Democratic side. 'It feeds a corruption narrative about this administration and it feeds a second narrative: Trump gets a gift of a plane at the same time he's telling little kids they have to carve their Christmas gifts down?' 'The anger is very, very palpable,' he continued. Kaine said he plans to sign onto a privileged motion to challenge security assistance and weapons transfers to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which Trump is set to roll out in each country as part of his Middle East trip in the coming days. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) has vowed to force votes aimed at blocking those arms sales, which he sees as attempts to curry favor with the Trump administration. 'I expect in the next couple of weeks, we're going to have more of these corrupt deals coming from the president that will add to the fury and deep disappointment that a lot of us are feeling over how the office of the president has been corrupted,' Blumenthal said. 'It will be seen in the context of the crypto corruption, the real estate deals that will potentially be detailed during the president's trip and other misuses of the presidency.' In addition, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Tuesday that he is placing a hold on all political nominees for the Justice Department, the first such move by him during his tenure atop the conference On top of the hold, the Democratic leader pressed the Department of Justice's Foreign Agents Registration Act unit to 'disclose all activities by Qatari foreign agents inside the U.S. that could benefit' from the president or his business interests. He also laid out a number of other questions, including the state of readiness of the jet, numerous safety considerations he and some Republicans have raised, what it means for the contract between the U.S. government and Boeing and who in the Justice Department signed off on allowing such a deal to move forward and pass legal muster. 'This is not just naked corruption, it is also a grave national security threat,' Schumer said in his Tuesday floor remarks. 'Until the American people learn the truth about this deal, I will do my part to block the galling and truly breathtaking politicization at the Department of Justice.' '[Bondi] must testify before both the House and Senate to explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the Emoluments Clause — which requires congressional approval — or any other ethics laws,' Schumer added. The hold could affect dozens of nominees ultimately, but few in the immediate term. Very few Republicans outside of Tuberville have given Trump full-throated support for the move and have instead been tepid in their reactions, even though they understand his frustration with Boeing's lengthy delay and budget overruns that have held back two new aircraft from being completed as part of a contract to replace Air Force One. Multiple members signaled concerns, including on the security and potential espionage side, while others said they are worried about the appearance of a quid pro quo and what the expectations will be on Qatar's moving forward if this deal is complete. 'What's their expectation with the contribution? My sense is people want to support Donald Trump around the world because he's engaged with them. I don't know that that's a bad thing as long as there's no quid pro quo attached to it, or an expectation that you're going to get preferential treatment of some sort,' Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said, adding that some gifts have been a positive for the U.S. 'We have a Statue of Liberty from France for crying out loud,' he added. But what Democrats are certain of is that if the shoe was on the other foot, Republicans would be apoplectic at such a deal. 'They'd be shooting the plane down before it made it to the ground,' Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said. 'And rightly so.' 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