[🇺🇸] USA News/Views

[Saif]

United States to change military command structure in Japan

United States defense secretary Lloyd Austin was set to announce Sunday an upgrade to US command structures in Japan, as Washington and Tokyo overhaul military cooperation in the face of an increasingly assertive China...

www.newagebd.net

United States to change military command structure in Japan
Agence France-Presse . Tokyo, Japan 28 July, 2024, 10:53

United States defense secretary Lloyd Austin was set to announce Sunday an upgrade to US command structures in Japan, as Washington and Tokyo overhaul military cooperation in the face of an increasingly assertive China.

The United States has around 54,000 military personnel in Japan who currently report back to Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, around 6,500 kilometres away and 19 hours behind.

But Austin, who on Sunday joined US secretary of State Antony Blinken for '2+2' talks with their counterparts in Tokyo, will announce a new Joint Force Headquarters headed by a three-star commander, a US military official said.

This will serve as a counterpart to Japan's planned Joint Operations Command for all its armed forces, making the two militaries more nimble in the case of a crisis over Taiwan or the Korean peninsula.

Prompted by unease about China and alarm about North Korea, Japan has in recent years been shedding its strict pacifist stance, ramping up defence spending and moving to obtain 'counterstrike' capabilities.

In April president Joe Biden and prime minister Fumio Kishida announced a 'new era' in cooperation at a summit at the White House.

This month Japan and the Philippines — Blinken and Austin's next stop for a '2+2'— signed a defence pact that will allow the deployment of troops on each other's territory.

This followed the first trilateral summit in April between the leaders of Japan, the Philippines and the United States in Washington.

As with Manila, Japan and South Korea have also moved to bury the hatchet over World War II with Biden hosting both countries' leaders at Camp David in last August.

Ahead of the Japan-US '2+2' meeting, Austin and Japanese defence minister Minoru Kihara held trilateral talks with Shin Won-sik, the first South Korean defence minister to visit Japan in 15 years.

They signed a memorandum of cooperation to further tighten ties, including on information sharing and trilateral exercises.

'Trilateral cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea has become stronger and unshakable even under various changes in the international situation,' Kihara told reporters after the meeting.

The discussions between Japan and the US were also set to cover enhancing Washington's 'extended deterrence' commitment to use its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to protect Japan.

China's military modernisation, North Korea's nuclear and missile work, and nuclear sabre-rattling in the Ukraine war have unsettled Japan, said Naoko Aoki, political scientist at the RAND think-tank.

'It is important for the United States to reassure Japan of its commitment and signal to potential adversaries that the alliance remains strong and that the United States is committed to using nuclear weapons if necessary to defend Japan,' she told AFP.

On Monday, Blinken and Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa will meet S Jaishankar and Penny Wong, their Indian and Australian counterparts in the Quad, an alliance seen as a bulwark against Beijing.

In Laos on Saturday Blinken and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi sparred over what the top US diplomat had criticised as Beijing's 'escalatory and unlawful actions' in the South China Sea.

The US should 'refrain from fanning the flames, stirring up trouble and undermining stability at sea', Wang said at the meeting, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Blinken also raised 'US concerns about provocative actions' by China, including a simulated blockade of Taiwan following the May inauguration of president Lai Ching-te.

China claims the democratic island as its territory and slammed Lai's inauguration speech as a 'confession of independence'.

Blinken also raised US concerns over China's support for Russia as it wages war in Ukraine.​

 

[Saif]

Japan pays about $10 billion per year for the US forces to do sentry duty in Japan. Its chump change for Japan. No problem.......The Japanese are super smart on avoiding conflict with both Russia and China.

Will Japan go nuclear to maintain balance of power with China and Russia?

 

[Lulldapull]

Will Japan go nuclear to maintain balance of power with China and Russia?

It’s the same ambiguity like Iran or Israel on nukes. Japan can go nuclear tonight…..but using nukes today is like committing suicide.

I’ve mentioned this before that nukes are suicide weapons. Anybody thinks they can use them and get away with the consequences is like they admitting that suicide is an option.

WW2 era legacy weapons got no place in the modern world.

And everyday now we are reminded that neither are airplanes nor tanks nor warships!

 

[Lulldapull]

Check this out guys......kinna budtameez hae ga Trump:

Harris Has low IQ, Trump Says - Other Media news - Tasnim News Agency

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Former US president Donald Trump has said his rival for the November election, Vice President Kamala Harris, is a “low-IQ individual.”

www.tasnimnews.com

Oh bhaaaaaaannnnccchhhhh.........

 

[Saif]

Judge to sentence Trump before inauguration

The New York judge presiding over president-elect Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday set sentencing for 10 days before his January 20 inauguration and said he was not inclined to impose jail time.

www.newagebd.net

Judge to sentence Trump before inauguration
Agence France-Presse . New York, United States 05 January, 2025, 00:50

Donald Trump

The New York judge presiding over president-elect Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday set sentencing for 10 days before his January 20 inauguration and said he was not inclined to impose jail time.

Judge Juan Merchan said Trump, the first former president ever convicted of a crime, can appear either in person or virtually at his January 10 sentencing.

In an 18-page decision, Merchan upheld Trump’s conviction by a New York jury, rejecting various motions from Trump’s lawyers seeking to have it thrown out.

The judge said that instead of incarceration he was leaning towards an unconditional discharge—meaning the real estate tycoon would not be subject to any conditions.

The sentence would nevertheless see Trump entering the White House as a convicted felon.

The 78-year-old Trump potentially faced up to four years in prison but legal experts—even before he won the November presidential election—did not expect Merchan to send the former president to jail.

‘It seems proper at this juncture to make known the court’s inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration,’ the judge said, noting that prosecutors also did not believe a jail term was a ‘practicable recommendation’.

Trump, who is expected to lodge an appeal that could potentially delay his sentencing, denounced the decision late Friday.

‘This illegitimate political attack is nothing but a Rigged Charade,’ he wrote on his platform Truth Social.

Calling Merchan a ‘radical partisan’, Trump added that the order was ‘knowingly unlawful, goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the presidency as we know it.’

Trump was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter.

Trump’s attorneys had sought to have the case dismissed on multiple grounds, including the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling last year that former US presidents have sweeping immunity from prosecution for a range of official acts committed while in office.

Merchan rejected that argument but he noted that Trump will be immune from prosecution once he is sworn in as president.

‘Finding no legal impediment to sentencing and recognising that presidential immunity will likely attach once defendant takes his oath of office, it is incumbent upon this court to set this matter down for imposition of sentence prior to January 20, 2025,’ the judge said.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung denounced Merchan’s decision to set sentencing for the former president, calling it a ‘direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence.’

‘This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed,’ Cheung said in a statement.

‘President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts,’ he said.

‘There should be no sentencing, and president Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead,’ Cheung added.

Trump also faced two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith, but both were dropped under a long-standing justice department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president.

In those cases, Trump was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House.

Trump also faces racketeering charges in Georgia over his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in the White House.​

 

[Saif]

Biden says he could have defeated Trump

Joe Biden thinks he could have won reelection if he had stayed in the White House race, he said in an interview published Wednesday -- while conceding he was unsure if he would have served another full term.

www.thedailystar.net

Biden says he could have defeated Trump

Joe Biden thinks he could have won reelection if he had stayed in the White House race, he said in an interview published Wednesday -- while conceding he was unsure if he would have served another full term.

The 82-year-old Democrat, who leaves office on January 20, was asked by USA Today if he believed victory over Republican Donald Trump was a realistic prospect last November, and he pointed to unspecified polling and said: "I think yes."

"I really thought I had the best chance of beating him. But I also wasn't looking to be president when I was 85 years old, 86 years old. And so I did talk about passing the baton," Biden said.

"But I don't know. Who the hell knows? So far, so good. But who knows what I'm going to be when I'm 86 years old?"​

 

[Saif]

Trump sentenced to 'unconditional discharge' for hush money conviction

A judge sentenced Donald Trump to an unconditional discharge Friday for covering up hush money payments to a porn star despite the US president-elect's last-ditch efforts to avoid becoming the first felon in the White House

www.thedailystar.net

Trump sentenced to 'unconditional discharge' for hush money conviction

US President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on December 16. Photo: AFP

A judge sentenced Donald Trump to an unconditional discharge Friday for covering up hush money payments to a porn star despite the US president-elect's last-ditch efforts to avoid becoming the first felon in the White House.

The judge spared Trump prison or a fine even though the 34 counts of falsifying business records on which he was convicted in May 2024 carried potential jail time.

Instead, New York judge Juan Merchan handed down the mildest criminal sanction available, an unconditional discharge -- a relatively uncommon measure.

"Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances," said Merchan.

"The only lawful sentence that permits entry of a judgment of conviction without encroaching on the highest office of the land is an unconditional discharge."

Trump attended his sentencing virtually, with the judge, lawyers and media packed into the scruffy Manhattan courtroom that was the backdrop to the trial's high drama, legal wrangling and vitriolic personal attacks by the divisive Republican.

"This has been a very terrible experience. I think it's been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system," Trump said before the discharge was passed.

"It was done to damage my reputation, so I would lose the election."

The former president appeared on screens in the courtroom with two large US flags behind him, wearing a red tie with white stripes and looking on impatiently as the brief proceeding unfolded.

Ahead of the sentencing, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said Trump had been convicted of a "premeditated and continuous deception."

"The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected," he said.

The trial saw Trump forced to look on as a string of witnesses testified that he had fraudulently covered up illicit payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in an effort to stop her disclosing their tryst ahead of the 2016 presidential election, which he ultimately won.

Trump had sought a suspension of the criminal proceedings after a New York State appeals court dismissed his effort to have the hearing delayed.

But the Supreme Court ruled that the sentencing could proceed.

Prosecutors opposed the effort to stave off sentencing, 10 days before Trump is due to be sworn in for a second term, arguing it was wrong for the apex court to hear the case when the mogul still had avenues of appeal to pursue in New York.

FIRST PRESIDENTIAL CONVICTION

An unconditional discharge is a measure without any sanctions or restriction that nonetheless upholds the jury's guilty verdict -- and Trump's infamy as the first former president to be convicted of a felony.

The 78-year-old Trump had potentially faced up to four years in prison.

"He's sticking his middle finger at the judge, the jury, the system of justice, and laughing," said Pace University law professor and former prosecutor Bennett Gershman ahead of the sentencing.

Outside the courthouse, Trump supporters held a giant banner emblazoned with their idol's name that was buffeted by high winds. There was also a small vigil of anti-Trump demonstrators behind a hoarding reading "Trump is guilty."

Trump's counsel had argued sentencing should have been postponed while the Republican appealed his conviction, but New York state Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer rejected that on Tuesday.

Trump repeatedly called the prosecution a "witch hunt" which Steinglass said was "designed to have a chilling effect."

"This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system," the career prosecutor said.

Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche said he "very, very much disagree with much of what the (prosecution) just said."

Trump was certified as the winner of the 2024 presidential election on Monday, four years after his supporters rioted at the US Capitol as he sought to overturn his 2020 defeat.​

 

[Saif]

How Trump’s resurgence could affect the global order

Will Trump pressure Gulf states to sever ties with China, risking economic fallout?

www.thedailystar.net

How Trump’s resurgence could affect the global order

US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 14, 2017. FILE PHOTO: AFP

As Donald Trump prepares to assume office as the 47th president of the United States, the world braces for a seismic shift in global politics. His second term, bolstered by a stronger electoral mandate and full Republican control of both chambers of Congress and the Supreme Court, is poised to challenge the fragile framework of the so-called "rules-based international order." This order, long championed by Western democracies, particularly the US, may be heading toward an uncertain future under Trump's leadership. His unpredictable and transactional approach to both domestic and foreign policy suggests that the US' global role could be radically redefined, with profound consequences for geopolitics.

A mandate for disruption

First, Trump's return to power is unlike his first term. He steps into the Oval Office now with fewer constraints. Republican dominance in Congress and a conservative Supreme Court majority effectively give him an open field to enact his agenda. However, this concentration of power doesn't guarantee smooth sailing. Trump's presidency is likely to encounter internal divisions, public backlash, and global resistance.

On the other hand, Trump's hardline rhetoric and actions signal that he will govern with an iron fist. His renewed pledge to implement aggressive immigration policies foreshadows a crackdown on undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. His appointed border chief has already hinted at mass deportations, even involving naturalised citizens. The suggested approaches will undoubtedly devastate countless families but may also backfire due to labour shortages in key industries like agriculture and construction, exacerbating inflationary pressures in an already fragile economy.

The high-tech sector also stands at a crossroads. Trump's protectionist trade policies, including a proposed 25 percent levy on Canadian and Mexican imports and punitive measures against China, threaten to ignite trade wars. While such policies may appeal to nationalist sentiments, they risk crippling supply chains and driving up consumer prices. Even Trump's behind-the-scenes adviser, Elon Musk, has warned that the US' economic future depends on attracting skilled labour—a policy area seemingly at odds with Trump's restrictive immigration stance.

The UN and the decline of multilateralism

Perhaps the most telling indicator of Trump's global stance will be his treatment of international institutions. His disdain for multilateral organisations like the United Nations is well-documented. During his first term, Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization, signalling his disregard for collective global action.

This time, Trump may go further. If the UN condemns US or Israeli actions, Trump could threaten to slash funding or even withdraw from the organisation altogether. His administration is likely to disregard international law when it clashes with US interests. Ironically, Trump's blatant dismissal of global norms might expose the hypocrisy of a system that enforces international law selectively—harshly penalising adversaries while excusing allies.

Foreign policy: Isolationism or neo-imperialism?

In foreign policy, Trump's intentions are murkier but no less concerning. His approach to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war will be a litmus test for his broader global strategy. During his first term, Trump dismissed the conflict as irrelevant to US interests. Now, he may attempt to position himself as a peacemaker by engaging Russian President Vladimir Putin in back-channel diplomacy. However, such a move could fracture NATO and undermine the Atlantic alliance that has underpinned Western security since World War II.

Biden's strategy of militarily containing Russia has left Ukraine devastated and Europe on edge. Trump's potential pivot toward conciliation with Russia could force European allies to reconsider their security postures. Yet, this rapprochement might also embolden Moscow, accelerating the erosion of the post-Cold War order. The US could face a painful choice: accept strategic setbacks or escalate forcefully to reassert dominance.

In the Middle East, Trump's policies are expected to be even more aggressive than during his first term. His unwavering support for Israel is likely to deepen, potentially encouraging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue further annexation of the occupied West Bank and continue military aggression in Gaza. Trump's disregard for Palestinian rights, coupled with his administration's readiness to recognise illegal settlements, could permanently extinguish hopes for a two-state solution.

The possibility of Trump launching strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities or pushing for regime change in Tehran raises the spectre of a wider regional conflict. His "maximum pressure" campaign, marked by the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani during the first Trump administration, failed to curb Iran's influence. Still, Trump appears undeterred and may double down on the confrontational strategy. Such actions could inflame anti-American sentiment, destabilise the Gulf region and strain relationships with traditional allies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump's relationship with Gulf monarchies, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will likely be in the spotlight. His first foreign trip as President in his first term was to Riyadh, underscoring the strategic importance he places on these alliances. But gulf nations have been diversifying their alliances, deepening ties with China and even engaging diplomatically with Iran. Saudi Arabia's growing relationship with Beijing—joining BRICS and partnering in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization—poses a potential conflict with Trump's "America First" agenda. Will Trump pressure Gulf states to sever ties with China, risking economic fallout? Or will he tolerate these relationships to maintain regional stability?

The Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states, could also expand under Trump. Saudi Arabia remains hesitant to formally recognise Israel without progress on Palestinian statehood. Israel's intransigence makes such normalisation unlikely, potentially stalling Trump's ambitions for deeper Israeli-Arab integration.

Trump's second term could take the US down one of two distinct paths. A return to isolationism would accelerate the decline of US global dominance, creating space for a multipolar world led by rising powers like China. Alternatively, Trump might adopt a neo-imperialist model, blending nationalist rhetoric with aggressive military and economic strategies. This approach could drag the US into more direct confrontations, resembling the Cold War but with more fragmented battle lines.

Unlike the 20th century, today's geopolitical tensions are not centered in Europe. While Trump may focus on Russia-Ukraine and Middle Eastern conflicts, South Asia might remain relatively untouched—at least during the early years of his presidency. This selective engagement could leave critical regions vulnerable to Chinese and Russian influence.

On the other hand, Trump's authoritarian tendencies, evident during his first term, are likely to intensify. His admiration for strongmen like Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un reveals his comfort with autocratic governance. Trump has openly mused about having dictatorial powers, raising concerns about democratic backsliding in the US.

Trump's second presidency is set to redefine global politics in unpredictable ways. His leadership could either bolster the US' waning dominance or accelerate its decline. Trump's actions could reshape alliances, provoke conflicts, and challenge the very foundations of the global system as we know it now. While a lot remains to be seen, one thing is for certain: the world is entering uncharted territory. And with Trump at the helm, the journey ahead will be anything but predictable.

Dr Rakib Al Hasan is a physician, author, activist and international award-winning youth leader of Bangladesh. He is the founder and executive director of the Centre for Partnership Initiative.​

 

[Saif]

Key Trump executive orders signed on day one

On his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders, including rescinding Biden-era executive actions and withdrawing the US from the Paris climate accord...Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity during his campaign that he would be a d

www.thedailystar.net

Key Trump executive orders signed on day one

Photo: AFP

On his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders, including rescinding Biden-era executive actions and withdrawing the US from the Paris climate accord.

Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity during his campaign that he would be a dictator only on "day one" and use his presidential powers to close the southern border with Mexico and expand oil drilling.

"After that, I'm not a dictator," he said.

As executive orders rolled in on Monday, the accelerated pace amounted to a shock-and-awe campaign. Trump promised in his inaugural speech that these orders would amount to a "complete restoration of America".

So far, here's what we know about the most significant executive orders and actions Trump signed on Monday.

ENDING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

The order: Along with a slew of immigration-focused orders, Trump is targeting automatic citizenship for US-born children of immigrants in the country illegally, to begin 30 days from January 30.

What Trump said: The order specifies that it would limit birthright citizenship if a person's "mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person's birth", or "when that person's mother's presence in the United States at the time of said person's birth was lawful but temporary".

What it means: Birthright citizenship, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born on US soil, is protected by the 14th amendment and any attempt to revoke it will likely bring immediate legal challenges. The order attempts to deny documents recognising US citizenship for individuals who meet that criteria and are born in the US 30 days after the order was signed.

LEAVING THE WHO

The order: Trump signed an order to have the US exit the World Health Organization (WHO).

What Trump said: "World Health ripped us off, everybody rips off the United States. It's not going to happen anymore," Trump said at the signing. He accused the WHO of mishandling the Covid-19 pandemic and other international health crises.

What it means: The US will leave the WHO in 12 months' time and stop all financial contributions to its work. The US is the biggest financial backer to the United Nations health agency.

RENAMING THE GULF OF MEXICO

The order: Trump ordered two name changes: the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska's Mount Denali.

What Trump said: "President Trump is bringing common sense to government and renewing the pillars of American Civilization," the executive order said in part.

What it means: Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the "Gulf of America", something he promised earlier this month at a press conference. He will rechristen Alaska's Mount Denali as Mount McKinley, a change first made by former president Barack Obama in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents.

It will have no bearing on what namespreferences are used internationally.

REVOKING ELECTRIC VEHICLE TARGETS

The order: Trump revoked a non-binding executive order signed by Biden aimed at making half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 electric.

What Trump said: "The United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity," Trump said on Monday afternoon.

What it means: Part of an effort to repeal Biden's environmental protections, Trump has also promised to roll back auto pollution standards finalized by Biden's administration last spring.

RECLASSIFYING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, MAKING THEM EASIER TO FIRE

The order: Trump's executive order reclassified thousands of federal employees as political hires, making it much easier for them to be fired.

What Trump said: Aides to the president have long heralded mass government firings as part of an attack on the so-called "administrative" or "deep" state.

What it means: Trump effectively reinstates "Schedule F", an executive order he signed in the last year of his first term, seeking to reclassify tens of thousands of federal workers. (Biden rescinded the order.)

Key aides to Trump have called for mass government firings. Project 2025 made attacks on the deep or administrative state a core part of Trump's second term. The rightwing playbook called for civil servants deemed politically unreliable to be fired and replaced by conservatives.

DECLARING A NATIONAL ENERGY EMERGENCY

The order: Trump declared a national energy emergency as part of a barrage of pro-fossil fuel actions and efforts to "unleash" already booming US energy production that included also rolling back restrictions in drilling in Alaska and undoing a pause on gas exports.

What Trump said: The order means "you can do whatever you have to do to get out of that problem and we do have that kind of emergency," Trump said at the White House late on Monday.

What it means: The declaration would allow his administration to fast-track permits for new fossil fuel infrastructure. It is likely that the order, part of a broader effort to roll back climate policy, will face legal challenges.

CREATING A POLICY RECOGNISING ONLY TWO GENDERS

The order: Trump signed an order to remove "gender ideology guidance" from federal government communication, policies and forms. The order makes it official policy that there are "only two genders, male and female".

What Trump said: "Agencies will cease pretending that men can be women and women can be men when enforcing laws that protect against sex discrimination," the order states.

What it means: The order reverses a Biden-era executive action on the acceptance of gender identity.

PAUSING THE TIKTOK BAN

The order: Trump signed an executive order temporarily delaying the enforcement of a federal ban on TikTok for at least 75 days.

What Trump said: "I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I didn't have originally," Trump said at the White House, as he signed executive orders according to the New York Times.

What it means: Trump ordered his attorney general to not enforce the law requiring TikTok's sale. Trump says the pause allows for time to chart an "appropriate course forward" to protect national security and not abruptly shut down the popular app. In his first term, Trump favored a TikTok ban, but has since changed his position due to factors including his own popularity on the app.

RESCINDING 78 BIDEN-ERA EXECUTIVE ACTIONS

The order: Trump ordered 78 Biden-era executive actions to be rescinded, including at least a dozen measures supporting racial equity and combating discrimination against gay and transgender people.

What Trump said: "I'll revoke nearly 80 destructive and radical executive actions of the previous administration," Trump told a crowd in Washington after his inaugural speech. He also said he would end policy "trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life" and push for a "colour blind and merit-based" society.

What it means: The orders signal a reversal of Biden-era policy that prioritized implementing diversity measures across the federal government. Trump repealed orders signed by Biden advancing racial equity for underserved communities and the aforementioned order combating discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

DECLARING A NATIONAL BORDER EMERGENCY

The order: Trump signed an order at the White House declaring an emergency at the southern US border, along with several other immigration-related policies.

What Trump said: "All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came," Trump said in his inauguration speech.

What it means: The executive action paves the way to send US troops to the southern border and makes good on campaign promises to implement hardline immigration policies. There are limited details about how the administration planned to execute its sprawling set of immigration actions that were all but certain to face legal and logistical challenges.

Immigrant communities across the country are bracing for Trump's promise to carry out the "largest deportation program in American history", beginning as early as Tuesday morning.

ISSUING PARDONS FOR JANUARY 6 DEFENDANTS

The order: Trump issued pardons for offenders and commutations related to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. He will direct the Department of Justice to dismiss cases currently in progress.

What Trump said: "I'm going to be signing on the J6 hostages, pardons, to get them out," Trump said during his rally speech. "We'll be signing pardons for a lot of people, a lot of people." Trump said he has pardoned about 1,500 defendants charged in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and issued six commutations.

What it means: Trump made his pledge to issue pardons for those with convictions related to the January 6 Capitol attack a core part of his re-election campaign. On the campaign trail, Trump often featured the national anthem sung by prisoners in a Washington DC jail. There are more than 1,500 people federally charged with associated charges.

With Trump back in the White House, justice department investigations into January 6 crimes are expected to cease.

WITHDRAWING FROM THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT

The order: Trump issued executive action withdrawing the US from the 2015 Paris agreement, along with a letter informing the United Nations of the decision.

What Trump said: "I am immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris Climate Accord rip off" Trump said during a rally at the Capital One Arena. In his inaugural speech, Trump said he would use executive action to "end the Green New Deal".

What it means: In 2017, Trump exited the Paris agreement. Upon taking office in 2021, Biden rejoined. Monday's order makes good on a Trump election promise to withdraw from the 2015 global treaty seeking to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

Exiting the Paris agreement is part of Trump's broader efforts to roll back climate protections and policy. Trump has described Biden's efforts to grow the US's clean energy sector as "the green new scam".

Source: The Guardian​

 

[Saif]

Trump’s foreign policy moves on day one

Donald Trump said he planned to impose 25% tariffs on both Canada and Mexico and withdrew from a signature international climate treaty during an impromptu, wide-ranging news conference from the Oval Office where he tackled topics from trade wars to TikTok and said he was “not confident” that th

www.thedailystar.net

Trump’s foreign policy moves on day one

Photo: AFP A photo illustration shows the front pages of some of Britain's national newspapers, dominated by the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America, in London on January 21, 2025.

Donald Trump said he planned to impose 25% tariffs on both Canada and Mexico and withdrew from a signature international climate treaty during an impromptu, wide-ranging news conference from the Oval Office where he tackled topics from trade wars to TikTok and said he was "not confident" that the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel would hold.

The offhand remarks came as Trump signed a flurry of executive orders on domestic and international politics, including a decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organisation, which analysts have warned could hamper efforts to fight future pandemics.

The US was withdrawing from the organisation, the order said, due to "the organisation's mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states." The US is the largest funder of the Geneva-headquartered organisation.

Trump also signed an executive order on Monday evening declaring a 90-day pause in the disbursement of US foreign development assistance, effectively leaving millions of dollars in aid in limbo, dependent on a decision by Marco Rubio, who was confirmed as secretary of state by the Senate as the first cabinet member of the new Trump administration.

Trump also reversed Biden administration sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in a concession to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid a crucial ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The decisions came fast and furious in the first hours of Trump's presidency and indicated how US foreign policy would take a sharp and idiosyncratic turn under the new president's vision of an "America first" foreign policy that values US interests above all.

On trade, the US president punted on a campaign pledge to issue tariffs on Canada and Mexico on day one of his new administration. However, he said he would issue the new tariffs on the North American neighbours on 1 February in what would mark an extraordinary about-face in US trade policy that would considerably raise prices for American consumers.

"We are thinking in terms of 25% on Mexico and Canada because they're allowing vast numbers of people … to come in, and fentanyl to come in," Trump said. "I think we'll do it Feb 1."

Mexico was the US's largest trading partner in 2023 with a total two-way goods trade of $807bn, an amount that surpassed US trade with China, according to the US State Department.

At the same time, Trump made news in breezy remarks on topics from a ban on TikTok to his discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the three-year-old war in Ukraine.

Asked about the war in Ukraine, Trump said he would meet Putin "very soon" and said that his Russian counterpart was "destroying Russia" by refusing to negotiate a ceasefire with Ukraine.

On whether he could broker a ceasefire, he said: "I have to speak to President Putin, we're gonna have to find out. He can't be thrilled. He's not doing so well. I mean, he's grinding it out."

He was confident that he could convince Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, a signature policy of his previous administration.

But when asked whether he could maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, he said he was "not confident. That's not our war, that's their war."

"I think they're very weakened on the other side," he said, referring to Gaza and the militant group Hamas. "I looked at a picture of Gaza. Gaza is like a massive demolition site. That place has really got to be rebuilt in a different way."

Asked whether he was ready to help Gaza rebuild, he said "maybe," and then launched into an offhand discussion that harkened back to his days as a real estate developer.

"You know Gaza is interesting it's a phenomenal location," he said. "On the sea, best weather… some beautiful things could be done with it."

Source: The Guardian​

 

[Lulldapull]

He'll turn Gaza next into a fukking Jurassic park themed 'Great Adventure' Disneyland location from the sounds of it.

Irans watching all his moves and will play spoiler.

 

[Saif]

Produce in US or pay tariffs

US President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to global elites in a video message to the World Economic Forum yesterday: Make your product in the United States or pay tariffs.

www.thedailystar.net

Produce in US or pay tariffs
Trump tells Davos elites

​

• Federal judge blocks Trump's bid to restrict birthright citizenship​
• Saudi crown prince promises Trump $600b trade, investment boost​

US President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to global elites in a video message to the World Economic Forum yesterday: Make your product in the United States or pay tariffs.

Beamed on a giant screen in the Swiss Alpine village of Davos, Trump received a loud round of applause from political and business A-listers who had eagerly awaited his appearance all week.

Speaking from the White House, Trump touted his plans to cut taxes, deregulate industries and crack down on illegal immigration.

But he also had a tough message.

"Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on earth," Trump said.

"But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff."

In his wide-ranging speech, Trump made a link between the war in Ukraine and oil prices.

Trump said he would ask Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to bring down crude prices.

"If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately," he said.

The US leader then fielded question from the top executives of Bank of America, Blackstone investment firm, Spanish group Banco Santander and French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies.

Trump is always a top draw in Davos, making waves at two previous in-person appearances during his first term in 2018 and 2020.

But showing up this year was tougher as the forum happened to start on the day of his inauguration in Washington on Monday.

Scores stood in line to hear him speak. Some in the audience included European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Trump already gave Davos a taste of what is to come since his inauguration on Monday.

He has threatened tariffs on China, the European Union, Mexico and Canada, pulled the United States from the Paris climate pact and renewed his claim the Panama Canal, just to name a few.

His plans to cut taxes, reduce the size of the US federal government and deregulate industries likely found a sympathetic ear amongst many businesses, though economists warn the policies could rekindle inflation.

US trade partners and rivals already had a chance to react in Davos earlier this week, as they brace for a second round of his America First policies.

Without invoking Trump's name, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang warned: "There are no winners in a trade war."

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels was ready to negotiate with Trump.

But she also underscored the European Union's diverging policy with him on climate, saying the bloc would stick by the Paris accord.

World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on cooler heads to prevail during a WEF panel discussion on tariffs on Thursday, warning that tit-for-tat levies would be "catastrophic" for the world economy.

Meanwhile, a federal judge in the United States put a temporary block on Trump's attempt to restrict birthright citizenship.

The ruling imposes a 14-day halt on the enforcement of one of the most controversial executive orders Trump signed hours after being sworn into office for a second term.

It comes after a flurry of lawsuits were filed by a total of 22 states, two cities and numerous civil rights groups.

"This is a blatantly unconstitutional order," senior US District Judge John Coughenour was reported as saying during the hearing in Washington state.

"I've been on the bench for over four decades, I can't remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is," said Coughenour, who was appointed to the bench by a Republican president, Ronald Reagan.

Birthright citizenship is fundamental to America's national identity, with the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution decreeing that anyone born on US soil is a citizen.

It says, in part: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

Trump's order was premised on the idea that anyone in the US illegally, or on a visa, was not "subject to the jurisdiction" of the country, and therefore excluded from this category.​

 

[Saif]

Rubio says Trump serious about buying Greenland

US president Donald Trump is serious about seeking to buy Greenland, secretary of state Marco Rubio said Thursday, after Denmark was rattled by his threats to take over the autonomous Danish territory.

www.newagebd.net

Rubio says Trump serious about buying Greenland
Agence France-Presse . Washington 31 January, 2025, 22:35

Marco Rubio

US president Donald Trump is serious about seeking to buy Greenland, secretary of state Marco Rubio said Thursday, after Denmark was rattled by his threats to take over the autonomous Danish territory.

In an interview, Rubio played down the threat of the United States using military force against Denmark, a NATO ally, but said of Trump’s remarks on Greenland, ‘This is not a joke.’

‘President Trump’s put out there what he intends to do, which is to purchase it,’ Rubio told SiriusXM Radio.

‘This is not about acquiring land for the purpose of acquiring land. This is in our national interest and it needs to be solved,’ Rubio said.

Referring to NATO guarantees to Denmark, Rubio said: ‘We have a defence ag Residents chant slogas while holding banners during a protest against the Congolese government and expressing support for the M23 armed group in Goma on Friday. reement with them to protect Greenland if it becomes under assault.’

‘If we’re already on the hook for having to do that, then we might as well have more control over what happens there,’ he said.

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has rallied European allies over the threats from Trump, with whom she was said to have had a tense telephone conversation.

Rubio said that while he was not on the phone call with Frederiksen, Trump ‘just speaks bluntly and frankly with people.’

‘And ultimately I think diplomacy in many cases works better when you’re straightforward as opposed to using platitudes and language that translates to nothing,’ Rubio said.

Rubio voiced concern that rival China, looking for Arctic access, would gain ground in Greenland through state-run companies.

‘It is completely realistic to believe that the Chinese will eventually, maybe even in the short term, try to do in Greenland what they have done at the Panama Canal and in other places,’ Rubio said.​

 

[Saif]

Trump set to order steep tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, China

US President Donald Trump is expected to sign an order on Saturday imposing hefty new tariffs of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% on imports from China, threatening to ignite a trade war that could disrupt more than $2.1 trillion of annual trade. Trump, who is working from his Mar-a

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Trump set to order steep tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, China
REUTERS
Published :
Feb 01, 2025 23:53
Updated :
Feb 01, 2025 23:53

US President Donald Trump is expected to sign an order on Saturday imposing hefty new tariffs of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% on imports from China, threatening to ignite a trade war that could disrupt more than $2.1 trillion of annual trade.

Trump, who is working from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida this weekend, said on Friday that there was little that the top three US trading partners could do to forestall the tariffs.

Just 12 days into his second term, Trump is upending the norms of how the United States is governed and interacts with the wider world. On Friday, he pledged to proceed with the levies despite acknowledging they could cause disruption and hardship for American households.

A model gauging the economic impact of Trump's tariff plan from EY Chief Economist Greg Daco suggests it would reduce US growth by 1.5 percentage points this year, throw Canada and Mexico into recession and usher in "stagflation" at home.

"We have stressed that steep tariff increases against US trading partners could create a stagflationary shock - a negative economic hit combined with an inflationary impulse - while also triggering financial market volatility," Daco wrote on Saturday.

That volatility was evident on Friday, when the Mexican peso and Canadian dollar both slumped after Trump vowed to fulfil his threats. US stock prices also fell and Treasury bond yields rose.

Trump set the Feb 1 deadline to press for strong action to halt the flow of the opiate fentanyl and precursor chemicals into the US from China via Mexico and Canada, as well as to stop illegal immigrants crossing US borders.

But during a lengthy White House exchange with reporters, Trump brushed aside the notion that his threats were merely bargaining tools:

"No, it's not ... we have big (trade) deficits with, as you know, with all three of them."

He also said revenue was a factor and the tariffs may be increased, adding: "But it's a lot of money coming to the United States."

Trump did, however, mention a potential carve-out for oil from Canada, saying that tariff rate would be 10%. But he indicated that wider tariffs on oil and natural gas would be coming in mid-February, remarks that sent oil prices higher.

At nearly $100 billion in 2023, imports of crude oil accounted for roughly a quarter of all US imports from Canada, according to US Census Bureau data.

HIGHER COSTS

Trump acknowledged that higher costs could be passed on to consumers and that his actions may cause short-term disruptions, but said he was not concerned about their impact on financial markets.

Jake Colvin, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, which represents major US companies, said imposing tariffs on key trading partners "could impact the cost and availability of everything from avocados to air conditioners to cars and risks shifting the focus of our relationships away from constructive dialogue."

Although Trump speaks of "charging" other nations for tariffs, they are paid by importing companies, and sometimes passed on to consumers.

Automakers would be particularly hard hit, through tariffs on vehicles assembled in Canada and Mexico. Their vast regional supply chain, where components can cross borders several times before final assembly, would further exacerbate these costs.

And Trump said import taxes were also being considered on European goods, as well as on steel, aluminum and copper, and on drugs and semiconductors.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the tariffs would be implemented immediately, and details would be published on Saturday. It typically takes weeks for tariffs to take practical effect.

RETALIATION EXPECTED

Trump's move is expected to draw retaliatory tariffs, potentially disrupting more than $2.1 trillion in annual two-way US trade with its top three trading partners.

Canada has drawn up detailed targets for immediate retaliation, including duties on Florida orange juice, a source familiar with the plan said.

Its broader list of targets could cover C$150 billion ($103 billion) worth of US imports, but it will hold public consultations before acting, the source said.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also threatened retaliation, but said she would "wait with a cool head" for Trump's decision and was prepared to continue a border dialogue with him.

China has been more circumspect, but vowed to defend its trade interests.

A spokesperson for Beijing's embassy in Washington said: "There is no winner in a trade war or tariff war, which serves the interests of neither side nor the world."​

 

[Saif]

End China’s influence of canal or face US action

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday warned Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino that Washington will “take measures necessary” if Panama does not immediately take steps to end what President Donald Trump sees as China’s influence and control over the Panama Canal.

www.thedailystar.net

End China’s influence of canal or face US action
US top diplomat Rubio warns Panama

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday warned Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino that Washington will "take measures necessary" if Panama does not immediately take steps to end what President Donald Trump sees as China's influence and control over the Panama Canal.

Mulino, after the talks with the top US diplomat in Panama City, signaled he would review agreements involving China and Chinese businesses, and announced further cooperation with the US on migration, but reiterated that his country's sovereignty over the world's second busiest waterway is not up for discussion.

Rubio delivered a message from Trump that China's presence - through a Hong Kong-based company operating two ports near the canal's entrances - was a threat to the waterway and a violation of the US-Panama treaty, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

"Secretary Rubio made clear that this status quo is unacceptable and that absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty," Bruce said.

Rubio did not spell out exactly what steps Panama must take or what US retaliation would look like.

Upon returning to office, Trump threatened to take control of the Panama Canal, built by the United States in the early 20th century and handed over to Panama in 1999, claiming the canal is being operated by Beijing.

He has refused to rule out use of military force over Panama, drawing criticism from Washington's Latin American friends and foes alike. On Sunday, Trump said that he did not think troops would be necessary, but that Panama had violated the agreement and the United States would take back the canal.​