Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days

Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days JOSH BOAK July 31, 2025 at 9:15 AM 1 / 6APTOPIX TrumpPresident Donald Trump arrives to sign the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act into law in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, Wednesday, July 30, ...

- - Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days

JOSH BOAK July 31, 2025 at 9:15 AM

1 / 6APTOPIX TrumpPresident Donald Trump arrives to sign the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act into law in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that set new tariffs on a wide swath of U.S. trading partners to go into effect on Aug. 7 — the next step in his trade agenda that will test the global economy and sturdiness of American alliances built up over decades.

The order was issued shortly after 7 p.m. on Thursday. It came after a flurry of tariff-related activity in the last several days, as the White House announced agreements with various nations and blocs ahead of the president's self-imposed Friday deadline. The tariffs are being implemented at a later date in order for the rates schedule to be harmonized, according to a senior administration official who spoke to reporters on a call on the condition of anonymity.

After initially threatening the African nation of Lesotho with a 50% tariff, the country's goods will now be taxed at 15%. Taiwan will have tariffs set at 20%, Pakistan at 19% and Israel, Iceland, Norway, Fiji, Ghana, Guyana and Ecuador among the countries with imported goods taxed at 15%. Switzerland would be tariffed at 39%.

Trump had announced a 50% tariff on goods from Brazil, but the order was only 10% as the other 40% were part of a separate measure approved by Trump on Wednesday.

The order capped off a hectic Thursday as nations sought to continue negotiating with Trump. It set the rates for 68 countries and the 27-member European Union, with a baseline 10% rate to be charged on countries not listed in the order. The senior administration official said the rates were based on trade imbalance with the U.S. and regional economic profiles.

On Thursday morning, Trump engaged in a phone conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on trade. As a result of the conversation, the U.S. president said he would enter into a 90-day negotiating period with Mexico, one of the nation's largest trading partners. The current 25% tariff rates are staying in place, down from the 30% he had threatened earlier.

"We avoided the tariff increase announced for tomorrow and we got 90 days to build a long-term agreement through dialogue," Sheinbaum wrote on X after a call with Trump that he referred to as "very successful" in terms of the leaders getting to know each other better.

The unknowns created a sense of drama that has defined Trump's rollout of tariffs over several months. However, the one consistency is his desire to levy the import taxes that most economists say will ultimately be borne to some degree by U.S. consumers and businesses.

"We have made a few deals today that are excellent deals for the country," Trump told reporters on Thursday afternoon, without detailing the terms of those agreements or the nations involved. The senior administration official declined to reveal the nations that have new deals during the call with reporters.

Trump said that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had called ahead of 35% tariffs being imposed on many of his nation's goods, but "we haven't spoken to Canada today." Trump separately on Thursday amended a previous order to raise the fentanyl-related tariff on Canada from 25% to 35%.

Trump imposed the Friday deadline after his previous "Liberation Day" tariffs in April resulted in a stock market panic. His unusually high tariff rates, unveiled in April, led to recession fears — prompting Trump to impose a 90-day negotiating period. When he was unable to create enough trade deals with other countries, he extended the timeline and sent out letters to world leaders that simply listed rates, prompting a slew of hasty deals.

Trump reached a deal with South Korea on Wednesday, and earlier with the European Union, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. His commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, said on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" that there were agreements with Cambodia and Thailand after they had agreed to a ceasefire to their border conflict.

Going into Thursday, wealthy Switzerland and Norway were still uncertain about their tariff rates. EU officials were waiting to complete a crucial document outlining how the framework to tax imported autos and other goods from the 27-member state bloc would operate. Trump had announced a deal on Sunday while he was in Scotland.

Trump said as part of the agreement with Mexico that goods imported into the U.S. would continue to face a 25% tariff that he has ostensibly linked to fentanyl trafficking. He said autos would face a 25% tariff, while copper, aluminum and steel would be taxed at 50% during the negotiating period.

He said Mexico would end its "Non Tariff Trade Barriers," but he didn't provide specifics.

Some goods continue to be protected from the tariffs by the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, which Trump negotiated during his first term.

But Trump appeared to have soured on that deal, which is up for renegotiation next year. One of his first significant moves as president was to impose tariffs on goods from both Mexico and Canada earlier this year.

U.S. Census Bureau figures show that the U.S. ran a $171.5 billion trade deficit with Mexico last year. That means the U.S. bought more goods from Mexico than it sold to the country.

The imbalance with Mexico has grown in the aftermath of the USMCA, as it was only $63.3 billion in 2016, the year before Trump started his first term in office.

___

writers Lorne Cook in Brussels and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

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Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days

Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days JOSH BOAK July 31...

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GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policy

GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policy Betul Tuncer, Eric Bradner, CNNJuly 31, 2025 at 7:49 PM Protesters with signs gather outside the venue for Rep. Bryan Steil's town hall in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, on Thursday, Juyl 31.

- - GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policy

Betul Tuncer, Eric Bradner, CNNJuly 31, 2025 at 7:49 PM

Protesters with signs gather outside the venue for Rep. Bryan Steil's town hall in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, on Thursday, Juyl 31. - WTMJ

Republican Rep. Bryan Steil faced a rowdy crowd at a town hall-style event in Wisconsin on Thursday, with attendees angrily confronting him over a wide range of topics, including tariffs, President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," the war in Gaza and immigration policy.

Audience members frequently interrupted Steil as he spoke, often drowning him out with boos and yelling, though there were also moments where the congressman's remarks were met with applause.

The event, which the congressman's office described as a "listening session," comes as House members have returned to their districts for a weekslong work period that will last throughout August.

It featured a number of critical questions from the audience over the treatment of immigrants under the Trump administration. At one point, an audience member started chanting, "We are all immigrants," as the congressman discussed border security.

"It's not politics, it's morality," one audience member told Steil, saying, "I care about people, and what I see happening to our immigrant population embarrasses me, and you have not raised a voice to complain about it. Where do I see your leadership? I see no leadership, I see following Trump 100% of the time."

A different attendee told the congressman, "I am so disappointed. I am so disappointed in how you represent us as the citizens of Walworth County. Southeast Wisconsin has not been represented by you. President Trump seems to run Southeast Wisconsin through you."

Another audience member said that his "main concern" is tariffs.

"I was under the impression that Congress was responsible for issuing tariffs," he said. "I really feel that this is a terrible tax that's going to be placed on the citizens of the United States."

The congressman began to respond, by saying, "This really at its core needs to be an opportunity to make sure that other countries are treating the United States fairly," a remark that was met with booing.

"What we need to do is work with our allies, put trade agreements in place," he said as he was repeatedly interrupted by yelling from the crowd.

"I think part of this is what gives Trump the authority to put in place the tariffs. The authority that he's operating under is, as it relates to the imbalance of trade," Steil said. "There's a court case that's going on right now where there'll be more clarity provided on this, but that's the authority that he's operating under."

The event's moderator had to interject on multiple occasions in an effort to get the crowd to quiet down. At one point, moderator interrupted a yelling outburst by jokingly asking if the crowd would"rather the congressman go to lunch and you get to shout for the next 45 minutes?" and called out a specific audience member as "very obnoxious and very disrespectful."

The congressman said, "The civil discourse that is a cornerstone of our democracy is challenged right now."

Not long after, he said, "I don't support anybody denigrating anyone else. People have a right of free speech. But a lot of our discourse, writ large, is really challenged. It's challenged on all sides. So I think we have a real opportunity to improve our discourse a little bit. I'd say the overwhelming majority of people here want to learn and understand my perspective, want to hear the questions, and then there's a small group of people that are challenging and are booing and yelling at each other. The same occurs in Washington. I share the frustration."

On Trump's sweeping tax and spending law known as the "big, beautiful bill," one person asked what is being done to protect individuals who are not wealthy, raising concerns that tax breaks under the legislation will only accrue to higher-earners.

The congressman responded, "In part, I would disagree with the way you framed it. As I look at the provisions of the bill, and what was in large part done, was keeping the 2017 tax reforms in place, that's the bulk of the bill," but was soon interrupted by shouting from the crowd.

He added, "It builds onto that additional tax reforms for hard-working families."

Towards the end of the event, a man jumped up from his seat to question Steil on the war in Gaza.

"Two million people in Gaza are starving – what do you have to say about that?" the man shouted, then stood up and waved his arms in the air. A police officer approached the man, who then sat back down. The officer appeared to say something to the man and then walked away.

Shortly after the outburst, a different audience member pressed the congressman to answer the earlier question.

"To me, the easy answer to address this crisis is for Hamas to surrender and release the hostages. That ends the war tomorrow," Steil said. "Israel was unfairly, unjustly attacked, their civilians were killed and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists."

Steil said, "Israel has a right to defend itself," but paused amid shouting from the crowd. Soon after, amid continued disruptions from the audience, the moderator moved to conclude the event, saying "We're gonna close it off here because there's no point in continuing."

Pocan calls Van Orden 'missing in action' at town hall in GOP congressman's hometown

Separately, Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat, told a crowd at a different event Thursday night he knew it was "a little douchey" to hold a town hall in the Wisconsin congressional district – and hometown – of neighboring Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden.

But Van Orden is "missing in action," refusing to hold town halls of his own, and Democrats need to push back harder against the GOP's massive tax and domestic policy bill, Pocan said.

"I think doing, bluntly, town halls in Republican districts where they refuse to do them is one of the best things we can do," Pocan said. He called himself an "early adopter" of the tactic and said other progressive lawmakers are following suit.

"I think this is what we need to do. I mean, is this in your face. Is this a little douchey? Yes," he said. "But you know what? Taking away your health care and taking away your education funding and adding $4 trillion to the national debt so that the richest people are getting a tax cut is enough that we need to push back."

Pocan told CNN after the town hall that he'd come to Prairie du Chien to goad Van Orden into publicly defending the GOP bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4.

"Come on down the road, Derrick," he said. "If you really think this bill's as good as you've been saying it is, not in front of people, let's have an actual debate. Let's talk about the various parts of it. The fact he won't doesn't pass the Wisconsin smell test."

Pocan's hour-long town hall, in front of an audience of about 50 people in the town of about 5,000 was a friendly one with none of the fiery exchanges that other town halls across the nation have featured.

Pocan was asked questions largely from the left, about ways Democrats can be more aggressive in taking on Trump. He was also asked about immigration policies, the sustainability of Social Security and Medicare, and about whether he fears Trump will declare martial law and cancel upcoming elections.

He focused most of his comments on railing against Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill" — but peppered the entire hour with jabs at Van Orden for failing to host town halls.

Van Orden's office did not respond to CNN's request for comment on Pocan's town hall.

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GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policy

GOP lawmaker faces raucous crowd in Wisconsin, critical questions over tariffs and immigration policy Betul Tuncer, Eri...

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2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris out

2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris out MICHAEL R. BLOOD July 31, 2025 at 4:02 PM FILE U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra speaks at the Linen Building in Boise, Idaho, June 26, 2024.

- - 2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris out

MICHAEL R. BLOOD July 31, 2025 at 4:02 PM

FILE - U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra speaks at the Linen Building in Boise, Idaho, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Kyle Green, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After months of uncertainty, the race to become California's next governor started Thursday.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris' decision Wednesday to bypass the 2026 contest pushed the campaign into a new phase, lacking its biggest potential star and the presumptive early favorite. Harris' formal exit opens the door for additional candidates to venture in, while scrambling a crowded field with no dominant candidate.

Democrats remain favored to hold the seat now occupied by term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a state where Republicans have not won a statewide election in nearly two decades. Democrats hold a nearly 2-to-1 advantage over registered Republicans statewide.

"The starting gun just popped," said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta, calling it the first truly wide-open governor's race in over a quarter-century. "The race is on."

Other Democrats work to position themselves

Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter moved quickly to establish herself as a leading contender, as her campaign pleaded for donations to "solidify Katie as the Democratic front-runner." Former Biden administration health secretary Xavier Becerra sought to position himself as an heir to the Harris legacy: They both previously served as California attorneys general.

"The vice president and I have been together in this fight to restore the American Dream for a long time," Becerra said in a statement. ""I'm proud of our shared record — expanding health care for millions of Americans, bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, tackling our country's mental health crisis and defending reproductive freedom."

Harris' decision "reshapes this race for governor, but not the stakes," he added.

Because of Harris' potential candidacy, the contest had been in a slow-walk for months. Now, following her decision, campaigns will be chasing her supporters while reevaluating a field in which Harris will not be taking part. Fundraising emails jammed inboxes.

Democratic consultant Michael Trujillo, a former aide to Democratic candidate and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, said voters loyal to Harris are going to have to rethink their choices while looking at candidates they might not know much about in a large and growing field.

"I think everyone is picking up points from Kamala's voters now that she is not an option," Trujillo said. "There now is more oxygen for everyone else."

California is known as the epicenter of the so-called Trump resistance. The race will unfold with President Donald Trump dominating daily headlines as his administration battles the liberal-leaning state over health care funding for lower-income residents, immigration and environmental protection.

More than half of voters think the state is headed in the wrong direction, with many households vexed by inflation, notorious taxes and some of the nation's highest utility bills. Soaring rents and housing prices are driving residents to other, more affordable states. The state budget is expected to be in the red in coming years. And billions in spending on homelessness has done little to check the crisis.

But the primary election is not until June 2, so it is impossible to know what will be motivating voters in 10 months.

Republicans see glimmers of hope

Long-suffering Republicans in the state have been heartened by last year's elections, in which the heavily Democratic state displayed a slight rightward shift. While Harris — a former San Francisco prosecutor, state attorney general and U.S. senator — won the state in a landslide, she fell well short of former President Joe Biden's vote totals in 2020 while Trump picked off a string of counties that eluded him four years earlier.

Among the candidates, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a statement that Harris realized "the status quo is impossible to defend." And conservative commentator Steve Hilton welcomed Harris' decision and said "after 15 years of one-party Democrat rule, everyone can see it's time for change in California."

As is the case in high-profile races for governor, a long list of candidates — some known, others not — fills out the ballot. California has what is known as a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same primary ballot regardless of political party, but only the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party.

Other Democrats in the mix include Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis; former state controller Betty Yee; former state Senate leader Toni Atkins; state schools superintendent Tony Thurmond; and real estate developer Stephen Cloobeck.

Rich outsider could shake up race

In California, home to some of the nation's richest Americans, it is always possible a wealthy outsider could shake up the race. That was the case in 2010, when billionaire Republican Meg Whitman spent nearly $180 million, much of it her own money, but lost to Democrat Jerry Brown, a former governor.

Newsom — who has not endorsed a successor — was asked Thursday what he thought of the possibility that he and Harris, old friends from the San Francisco Bay Area, might meet again in the 2028 presidential race. Harris has not ruled out another run for the presidency after falling short in 2020 and 2024. Newsom is widely seen as positioning himself for a run in 2028 though he has veered away from speculating about his political future.

"We'll see where fate brings all of us," Newsom told reporters. "I'm looking forward to what she does next."

___

writer Tran Nguyen in Sacramento contributed.

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2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris out

2026 race for California governor goes into new gear and directions with Kamala Harris out MICHAEL R. BLOOD July 31, 20...

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Donald Trump says he 'didn't know' why Jeffrey Epstein was poaching his spa workers

Donald Trump says he 'didn't know' why Jeffrey Epstein was poaching his spa workers Joey Garrison, USA TODAY July 31, 2025 at 5:12 PM WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump says he didn't know at the time why disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein poached workers from his MaraLago resort'...

- - Donald Trump says he 'didn't know' why Jeffrey Epstein was poaching his spa workers

Joey Garrison, USA TODAY July 31, 2025 at 5:12 PM

WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump says he didn't know at the time why disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein poached workers from his Mar-a-Lago resort's spa.

"No, I didn't know," Trump told reporters on July 31 when asked if he knew why Epstein was taking his workers more than two decades ago. "I said, if he's taking anybody from Mar-a-Lago ‒ if he's hiring, or whatever he's doing ‒ I didn't like it. And we threw him out."

Trump earlier this week said he cut ties with Epstein, a longtime friend of Trump during the 1990s and early 2000s, because he "stole people that worked for me."

More: Trump says poached Mar-a-Lago spa staff included Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre

He later confirmed on July 29 that the poached workers included Virginia Giuffre, an outspoken Epstein victim who has said Epstein's procurer and former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell recruited her into Epstein's circle she was a 16-year-old Mar-a-Lago locker room assistant. Giuffre died by suicide in April of this year.

In a July 30 statement, Giuffre's family demanded answers over why Trump said Epstein "stole" Giuffre from his Mar-a-Lago spa. The family also called for Maxwell to remain in prison as her attorney pushes Trump for a pardon.

"It makes us ask if he was aware of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal actions, especially given his statement two years later that his good friend Jeffrey 'likes women on the younger side," the family' statement provided to USA TODAY reads. "We and the public are asking for answers; survivors deserve this."

More: Epstein accuser's family wants answers from Trump after recent comments

President Donald Trump speaks during an executive order signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 31, 2025 in Washington, DC.

The family's statement comes as Trump has faced a weeks-long backlash over his administration's refusal to release all documents in the government's investigation of Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 in a federal prison.

Trump did not say when his split with Epstein began. His account contradicts a recent statement from the White House claiming that Trump "kicked (Epstein) out of his club for being a creep."

Epstein was first indicted in 2006 on state of Florida solicitation of prostitution charges. Two years later, prosecutors in Florida agreed in 2008 to a controversial plea deal with Epstein that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution on sex trafficking charges despite a draft indictment outlining 60 criminal counts against Epstein. Epstein was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges one month before his death.

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says he 'didn't know' why Epstein was poached Mar-a-Lago workers

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Donald Trump says he 'didn't know' why Jeffrey Epstein was poaching his spa workers

Donald Trump says he 'didn't know' why Jeffrey Epstein was poaching his spa workers Joey Garrison, USA TOD...

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren falls on Senate floor as Republicans offer bipartisan assistance during Israel vote

Sen. Elizabeth Warren falls on Senate floor as Republicans offer bipartisan assistance during Israel vote Louis CasianoJuly 31, 2025 at 2:49 PM Sen. Elizabeth Warren, DMass., took a tumble on the Senate floor Wednesday during a vote.

- - Sen. Elizabeth Warren falls on Senate floor as Republicans offer bipartisan assistance during Israel vote

Louis CasianoJuly 31, 2025 at 2:49 PM

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., took a tumble on the Senate floor Wednesday during a vote.

Footage showed Warren attempting to sit on a desk when she fell backwards, tipping over the desk and falling to the floor.

In a rare showing of bipartisanship, her Republican colleagues, including Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Susan Collins of Maine, rushed to help her up.

Bernie Sanders To Force Senate Vote On Blocking Arms Sales To Israel

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., fell on the Senate floor this week. during a vote.

Warren got up as Cruz gave her his hand.

Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and John Barrasso of Wyoming were seen walking over to offer assistance.

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The fall happened as the Senate was taking a vote on two resolutions to block military sales to Israel, which Warren voted in favor of.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Warren's office.

Senate Fails To Reject Trump's National Emergency On Tariffs, As Republicans Splinter

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks during a town hall meeting.

The resolutions were proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a harsh critic of Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Every Republican voted against it.

Former President Joe Biden had several slips and falls while in the White House. In 2023, he tumbled to the ground during the commencement ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Then-President Joe Biden is helped up after falling during the graduation ceremony at the United States Air Force Academy, just north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, on June 1, 2023.

In 2024, he slipped while walking down the stairs after exiting Air Force One in Michigan.

Original article source: Sen. Elizabeth Warren falls on Senate floor as Republicans offer bipartisan assistance during Israel vote

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren falls on Senate floor as Republicans offer bipartisan assistance during Israel vote

Sen. Elizabeth Warren falls on Senate floor as Republicans offer bipartisan assistance during Israel vote Louis Casiano...

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