us-politics-and-policy6.53 min read
Leavitt’s exit leaves Trump with a high-stakes press secretary vacancy
12 days ago•Source: Financial Times
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4.745 min•14 days ago
Progressive surge puts Francesca Hong on track for Wisconsin governor's race
Francesca Hong, a Democratic socialist and Wisconsin state legislator, leads the Democratic primary for governor with a solid polling edge, signaling a rise of progressive candidates even as party figures worry her platform—abolishing the police and prisons—may complicate a general-election bid against Republican Tom Tiffany; her candidacy has drawn scrutiny over past social posts, but she remains the front-runner heading into Tuesday's primary in a swing state.
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Trump renews push to remove Fed's Lisa Cook, challenging central-bank independence
Financial Times•18 days ago
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Khanna: Trump-era policy worsened US chip shortage
Financial Times•1 month ago
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Trump threatens fresh EU tariffs amid Brussels tech-fines row
President Trump announced on Truth Social that the US will launch a new tariff probe into the European Union in retaliation for fines on U.S. tech firms, a move that could sharpen transatlantic tensions after Brussels fined Google €890 million and had previously penalised Apple, Meta and Amazon under digital-regulation rules.
Trump Aide Warns Left-Wing Extremism Threatens Civilisation at Global Summit
White House adviser Stephen Miller told a state department–hosted international summit that left-wing extremism is a 'fatal cancer to civilisation' and warned it has been a blind spot in counterterrorism. The administration says left-wing violence has risen in the US since 2016 and has framed left-wing groups as anti-American or anarchist in its domestic strategy, while critics warn the focus could erode civil liberties and enable political targeting. Rubio called left-wing terrorism a 'distinctive and unique evil'; the administration has designated European left-wing groups as foreign terrorist organisations, and CSIS analyses show left-wing violence rising but still less lethal than right-wing or jihadi violence. Democrats and the ACLU have pressed for data and cautioned about potential abuses of domestic counterterrorism powers.
Trump clears path for $4.5B Gordie Howe Bridge linking Windsor and Detroit
Trump dropped his objections to the Gordie Howe International Bridge, clearing a $4.5 billion link between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan that is now set to open on July 27. Canada and the US agreed on toll governance measures and a 15-year economic development fund tied to bridge profits. Officials say the project will boost cross-border trade and regional economic activity for generations, though ties to donors and rival toll routes have colored the broader political backdrop.
Trump pressures retailers to slash prices as inflation lingers
Trump is piling pressure on US companies to cut prices as inflation remains elevated (about 4.2% in May). He has touted Walmart’s price reductions and urged others to follow, signaling increased government involvement in free markets ahead of the 2026 midterms. Analysts warn the approach risks longer‑term market distortions, even as some supply‑side actions show short‑term relief.
Trump backs light-touch AI oversight, adviser says
Outgoing Trump adviser Sriram Krishnan says there will be no centralized AI regulator or FDA-style licensing regime under Trump, advocating light-touch, industry-led oversight and a voluntary framework to avoid slowing innovation. The stance comes as the White House has used emergency powers to pause ultra‑advanced models (notably Anthropic’s Mythos and OpenAI’s 5.6), and ahead of a 30‑day model-review window established by a recent executive order. Krishnan also argues the AI backlash is fueled by industry messaging and that regular people should see tangible benefits from AI, not just a few powerful firms.
America’s 250th birthday: a founding ideal hijacked by politics
Edward Luce argues that America’s semiquincentennial celebrations have been hijacked by Donald Trump, transforming a milestone into a partisan spectacle; he contrasts today’s moment with Ford’s more principled 1976 celebration and warns that the current alignment between Trump, the Supreme Court and big donors threatens the system’s checks and balances as Americans debate what they stand for.
Hegseth's shakeup sidelines Europe’s top US Army commander
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has forced out General CD Donahue, the top US Army officer in Europe, who will retire early amid a broader purge of senior officers and a planned reorganization of Europe command; Donahue is known for his role in Ukraine support and as the last US soldier to leave Afghanistan, and his removal comes after the earlier firing of Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, signaling a sweeping shake-up under Hegseth.
Trump reins in new tariffs push after court blocks emergency levies
Trump’s aides are re-launching a broad tariff drive using older laws after the Supreme Court blocked emergency levies, proposing 25% duties on Brazil, a Vietnam probe, and 10–12.5% duties on more than 60 countries over forced-labor rules, plus investigations into industrial overcapacity and subsidies and a China policy board inviting input. The plan aims for durability under Section 122/301 rules, with a late‑July deadline to keep Levies in place, though it faces potential legal challenges; some relief is offered by cutting farm‑equipment tariffs to 15% from 25% as inflation and midterm politics loom.
Trump floats US government stakes in AI firms to share AI gains
Donald Trump suggested the US could take equity stakes in AI companies like OpenAI as part of a government partnership to let Americans benefit from AI-driven growth, a move aligned with his America-first policy and coming as Bernie Sanders campaigns for a windfall tax to fund a US sovereign wealth fund. The idea has sparked debate among industry leaders and Republican lawmakers amid concerns about nationalization of AI and ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, with several AI firms possibly going public in the near term.
States sue over $1B payout to TotalEnergies to quit offshore wind
A coalition of seven Northeastern states led by New York is suing the Trump administration over its nearly $1 billion payment to TotalEnergies to exit offshore wind leases, arguing the deal refunds $928 million and redirects funds to fossil-fuel investments, unlawfully pressuring a foreign company and hindering climate goals; the cancellation would affect NY’s Attentive Energy One and NJ’s Attentive Energy Two offshore wind projects, potentially powering hundreds of thousands of homes.