2 h. ago Department of Education braced amid reports of imminent Trump order to close it – US politics live

Trump order to Linda McMahon expected to claim that department has failed ‘children, teachers and families’, ABC News reportsThe Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has said that Republicans cannot meet their own budget target to pass Donald Trump’s legislative priorities without imposing cuts on Medicare or Medicaid.The House Republican budget blueprint envisions the House Energy and Commerce Committee will cut spending by $880bn, however, when its spending on Medicare and Medicaid are excluded from its spend, it only has $581bn of expenditure with which to make the savings.This letter from CBO confirms what we’ve been saying all along: the math doesn’t work without devastating Medicaid cuts. Republicans know their spin is a lie, and the truth is they have no problem taking health care away from millions of Americans so that the rich can get richer. Continue reading...

Politics

12 h. ago Senate Democrats condemn Russia over Ukraine war and dare Republicans to object – live

Democrats introduce resolutions on Senate floor, as Trump veterans affairs chief defends plans to cut 80,000 staffDonald Trump and Justin Trudeau will speak today, Reuters reports, citing a source with knowledge of the matter.The Canadian prime minister condemned Trump’s imposition of levies on his country yesterday, saying he was looking to make its economy collapse as part of a plan to incorporate it into the United States. Trump responded with insults, and a warning that he may tighten levies further next month. Continue reading...

Politics

16 h. ago Trump’s veterans affairs chief defends ‘extraordinarily difficult’ plans to cut 80,000 staff – US politics live

Doug Collins says cuts are personally difficult for him as move could undo expansion in agency’s healthcare services implemented by Joe BidenDonald Trump and Justin Trudeau will speak today, Reuters reports, citing a source with knowledge of the matter.The Canadian prime minister condemned Trump’s imposition of levies on his country yesterday, saying he was looking to make its economy collapse as part of a plan to incorporate it into the United States. Trump responded with insults, and a warning that he may tighten levies further next month. Continue reading...

Politics

22 h. ago US supreme court upholds order requiring USAid to pay foreign aid groups – live

The decision saw the three liberal justices join with conservatives John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett in the majorityDonald Trump and Justin Trudeau will speak today, Reuters reports, citing a source with knowledge of the matter.The Canadian prime minister condemned Trump’s imposition of levies on his country yesterday, saying he was looking to make its economy collapse as part of a plan to incorporate it into the United States. Trump responded with insults, and a warning that he may tighten levies further next month. Continue reading...

Events

24 h. ago IRS workforce ‘could halve’ after Trump hails cuts to federal staffing in marathon Congress speech – US politics live

Federal agencies have until 13 March to formulate staff reduction plans as allies and critics react to Trump’s marathon Congress speechDemocrats panned Donald Trump’s first prime-time speech to Congress since returning to the White House as reaction to the address revealed a country still deeply split on political lines and an opposition party unsure of how to deal with his radical agenda.The Democrats’ exclusion from the corridors of powers – Democrats are in the minority in both the Senate and House of Representatives – has left them with limited options on how to effectively respond to Trump’s hardline 1hr 40min oration that amounted to a celebration of his purported achievements during his six weeks back in office. Continue reading...

Politics

44 h. ago Trudeau calls Trump tariffs on Canada ‘a very dumb thing to do’ – live

Trudeau also says that he doesn’t believe Trump’s insistence that tariffs were imposed in retaliation for Canada’s failure to combat fentanyl traffickingUS consumers warned to brace for higher pricesChina and Canada retaliate against Trump tariffsDonald Trump has threatened to cut off funding to universities that allow “illegal protests”, and expel or deport students involved.Writing on Truth Social, the president said:All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.This is absurdly dishonest.I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond.But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately o...

Politics

44 h. ago Mexico president vows response to Trump tariffs; US official acknowledges prices may increase in short term – live

Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum says country will respond Sunday; commerce secretary defends Trump tariffs while acknowledging price increasesUS consumers warned to brace for higher pricesChina and Canada retaliate against Trump tariffsDonald Trump has threatened to cut off funding to universities that allow “illegal protests”, and expel or deport students involved.Writing on Truth Social, the president said:All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.This is absurdly dishonest.I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond.But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publi...

Politics

46 h. ago Major US retailers warn Americans will pay more because of Trump’s trade war with top partners, report says – live

CEOs of Best Buy and Target say shoppers are likely to see rising prices, CNBC reports, after Trump tariffs hit Canada, Mexico and ChinaChina and Canada retaliate after Trump trade tariffs take effectDonald Trump has threatened to cut off funding to universities that allow “illegal protests”, and expel or deport students involved.Writing on Truth Social, the president said:All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.This is absurdly dishonest.I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond.But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battle...

Events

47 h. ago Tariffs can help US workers. But Trump’s doing them all wrong

Trump’s levies won’t bring factories home. But combined with infrastructure investment, protectionism can be a progressive boonIn the run-up to the 2024 election, a lot of people were ringing alarms about Donald Trump’s tariffs. Kamala Harris called Trump’s policies a “tax on the American people” and warned of sky-high prices. According to the Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, they are “very bad for America and for the world”. His fellow Nobel laureate Paul Krugman called them “small, ugly, and stupid” (seemingly unaware that he was invoking that joke in Annie Hall about the food being bad and the portions too small). More recently, the whirlwind tariff drama of the past two months – first a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada, then a 30-day “pause” on that policy, a plan to raise tariffs on steel, aluminum and agricultural goods, plus an across the board tariff hike on China – has generated yet more frenzied debate about the danger of tariffs.Observers aren’t wrong to crit...

Politics

47 h. ago Tariffs can help US workers. But Trump’s doing them all wrong | Dustin Guastella

Trump’s levies won’t bring factories home. But combined with infrastructure investment, protectionism can be a progressive boonIn the run-up to the 2024 election, a lot of people were ringing alarms about Donald Trump’s tariffs. Kamala Harris called Trump’s policies a “tax on the American people” and warned of sky-high prices. According to the Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, they are “very bad for America and for the world”. His fellow Nobel laureate Paul Krugman called them “small, ugly, and stupid”. More recently, the whirlwind tariff drama of the past two months – first a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada, then a 30-day “pause” on that policy, a plan to raise tariffs on steel, aluminum and agricultural goods, plus an across the board tariff hike on China – has generated yet more frenzied debate about the danger of tariffs.Observers aren’t wrong to criticize the US president’s policies. His proposed tariffs seem unlikely to improve what ails the US economy. Worse, app...

Politics

50 h. ago Trump to address Congress as policy decisions divide nation – US politics live

President expected to ask for more money for immigration crackdown as Democrats invite fired federal workers to speechSome US government workers with top security clearances fired in mass layoffs overseen by Elon Musk in recent weeks were not given standard exit briefings and advised on what to do if approached by foreign adversaries, four sources told Reuters.The lack of so-called “read outs” for workers with clearances dismissed by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency in February could raise security risks as they dealt with secret information on everything from managing nuclear weapons to protecting the power grid from influence by adversaries and ensuring the safety of US international development staffers, former security officials said.The Trump administration has suspended delivery of all US military aid to Ukraine, blocking billions in crucial shipments as the White House piles pressure on Ukraine to sue for peace with Vladimir Putin. The decision affects deliveries of...

Politics