Trump

President Donald Trump has set a Fourth of July deadline for the European Union to ratify its trade agreement with the United States, warning that failure to do so will trigger "much higher" tariffs after European officials stopped short of finalising the pact. Mr Trump said he had spoken with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and "agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels." This year's Fourth of July marks 250 years since the American…

A fragile diplomatic opening emerged on Wednesday as Iran said it was reviewing a fresh US proposal, after sources indicated Washington and Tehran were nearing a one-page memorandum that could halt the war in the Gulf while postponing the hardest disputes, including Iran's nuclear programme. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, quoted by Iran's ISNA news agency, said Tehran would soon send its response through Pakistan, the host of the war's only peace talks and, since then, the main channel for messages between the two…

Sareen HabeshianFriday May 1, 2026 President Donald Trump has informed Congress that US hostilities with Iran have "terminated" because a ceasefire remains in place, while insisting he did not need lawmakers' approval to carry out the conflict. "There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026," the president wrote to congressional leaders. "The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026 have terminated." It came on the 60th day since he formally notified Congress of strikes…

A promised rollback of US tariffs on Scotch whisky has raised hopes — and fresh uncertainty — for Irish distillers, as the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) called for a broader return to duty-free spirits trade across the Atlantic. In a statement, the IWA, which represents whiskey producers across the island of Ireland, said it welcomed "any move towards restoration of tariff-free transatlantic spirits trade" after US President Donald Trump announced he would remove tariffs on Scotch Whisky imports. The group said it shares…

Scottish whisky is set for a major boost after US President Donald Trump said he will scrap tariffs on the industry, crediting the move in part to this week's White House visit by Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla. Trump pointed to the long-standing ties between Scotch makers and the American bourbon sector, as well as the effect of the royal visit, in announcing the change. Many Scotch distillers rely on casks sourced from the United States. The president said that although "people have wanted to do this for a long…

With oil markets on edge and diplomacy stalled, US President Donald Trump has been weighing how to cushion the fallout from a potential months-long US blockade of Iran's ports, according to a White House official, while pressing Tehran to “get smart soon” and agree to a deal. The discussion with US oil executives yesterday came after several days of impasse in efforts to end the conflict, which has prompted the United States to squeeze Iran’s oil exports through a naval blockade in an attempt to force Tehran to reopen the…

President Donald Trump has revived pressure on Germany and its NATO partners, saying his administration is weighing a cut to the US military presence in Germany after accusing allies of failing to do more, including in efforts to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. "The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time," Mr Trump said on Truth Social. Earlier this month, a senior White House official told Reuters that Mr Trump…

President Donald Trump said his administration plans to make public as much information as possible about UFOs in the coming weeks, signaling a broader release of material tied to one of the government’s most closely watched mysteries. Trump made the remarks at the White House during a meeting with the crew of the Artemis II mission. "I think we're going to be releasing as much as we can in the near future," Mr Trump said. "We're going to be releasing a lot of things… that we haven't," he said. In February, he ordered US…

James Comey is facing new criminal charges after a North Carolina grand jury indicted the former FBI director on allegations he threatened US President Donald Trump, reviving a legal fight that returns just five months after an earlier case against the longtime Trump critic was dismissed. The indictment centres on an Instagram post Mr Comey, 65, shared in May last year showing the numbers "86 47" arranged in seashells. In an interview with Fox News at the time, Mr Trump said "86" was slang for kill and that "47" referred to…

A new indictment has thrust former FBI director James Comey back into the legal and political spotlight, accusing him of threatening US President Donald Trump’s life just five months after an earlier case against the longtime Trump critic was dismissed. Handed up by a grand jury in North Carolina, the indictment centers on an Instagram post Mr Comey, 65, shared in May last year showing the numbers "86 47" arranged in seashells. At the time, Mr Trump told Fox News that "86" was slang for kill and that "47" pointed to his…