Morning Brief: Trump’s EU Trade Deal, Ghislaine Maxwell’s Interview & California’s FireAid Meltdown

President Donald Trump finalizes a historic trade deal with the European Union and brokers a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. The Department of Justice questions Ghislaine Maxwell for the first time, as FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino issues a cryptic warning about government weaponization. And Trump slams California Governor Gavin Newsom after nearly $100 million in celebrity-raised wildfire aid reportedly fails to reach victims.

It’s Monday, July 28, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.

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Trump Strikes EU Trade Deal, Brokers Ceasefire

Topline: President Trump secured a historic trade agreement with the European Union over the weekend and successfully brokered a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia.

On Sunday, President Trump finalized a massive trade deal with the EU just four days before his August 1 deadline. Under the terms of the agreement, the United States will set a baseline tariff of 15% on most European goods, while the EU will open its markets to American products at a zero-percent tariff. The EU also agreed to purchase $750 billion in energy and defense products from the United States. Collectively, the nations in the EU bloc are America’s largest trading partner.

Announcing the deal, Trump said, “It’s great that we made a deal today instead of playing games.” The agreement is a significant win for the White House, as the EU had initially proposed a lower 10% tariff rate.

The deal capped off a weekend of foreign policy wins for the president. After a long-disputed border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into a firefight that killed at least 35 people, Trump intervened. The president threatened both nations with 36% tariffs if they did not immediately begin peace talks. Within hours, the two countries agreed to negotiations, which are set to take place on Monday.

With the deadline just days away, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick issued a firm warning to other trading partners that have not yet reached an agreement with the United States. “No extensions, no more grace periods — August 1st, the tariffs are set,” he said.

DOJ Questions Ghislaine Maxwell For The First Time

Topline: The Department of Justice has interviewed Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell for the first time, a development that legal experts find remarkable, as FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino issued a cryptic warning about government corruption.

The DOJ met with Maxwell last week, with her attorney David Oscar Markus confirming that prosecutors questioned her about “100 different people.” Markus noted that it was the “first opportunity she’s ever been given to answer questions about what happened.” George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley called the development remarkable, expressing shock on Fox News that Maxwell, “the one who knows the most,” had been an untapped resource for so long.

It’s very likely that Maxwell hopes to trade her testimony for clemency – she’s currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. President Trump has not ruled out a pardon for Maxwell, but her attorney stated that there have been no discussions on this point. Maxwell was reportedly offered limited immunity for the interviews.

As the DOJ began questioning Maxwell, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino released a statement on X regarding his discovery of political corruption within the government. Bongino said that the information he has seen relating to government weaponization “shocked [him] down to [his] core” and that he would “never be the same after learning what I’ve learned.” He urged patience and promised answers would come after a full investigation is completed “by the book and in accordance with the law.”

California Wildfire Aid Reportedly ‘Disappears’

Topline: President Trump is criticizing California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom after nearly $100 million in aid raised by the “FireAid” celebrity concert reportedly failed to reach the wildfire victims it was intended to help.

The “FireAid” concert, featuring A-list artists like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, raised money for residents impacted by the devastating Pacific Palisades and Altadena wildfires earlier this year. Celebrity spokespeople, including actors Miles Teller and Samuel L. Jackson, assured the public that “All the money raised will go directly to people who need it.” However, victims on the ground say they have not received any of the money.

President Trump took to social media to blast the situation, calling it “A TOTAL DISASTER” and “ANOTHER DEMOCRAT INSPIRED SCAM.” He also slammed Newsom’s forest management, which he said allowed the fires to happen in the first place. FireAid has since issued a statement claiming the plan was never to make direct payments to individuals, but to work through local non-profits.

An investigation by local news editor Sue Pascoe, who lost her home in the Palisades fire, found that some of these nonprofits appear to be using the funds for their own social and political causes. One group promised to use the money to “cultivate egalitarian relationships based on trust and respect,” while another said it would work to build “a more humane and democratic society.” Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) is now pushing for an investigation into where the funds went.