WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States and China have a deal that would keep TikTok operating in the United States, transferring its U.S. assets to U.S. owners from China&#8217;s ByteDance, potentially resolving a saga that has lingered for nearly a year.
A deal on the popular social media app, which counts 170 million U.S. users, stands as a breakthrough in months-long talks between the world&#8217;s No. 1 and No. 2 economies that have sought to defuse a wide-ranging trade war that has unnerved global markets.
&#8220;We have a deal on TikTok &#8230; We have a group of very big companies that want to buy it,&#8221; Trump said.
He lauded the trade deal reached with China, calling it an upgrade for both countries, and said it would preserve tens of billions of dollars of value.
&#8220;The kids want it so badly, I have parents calling me up. They don&#8217;t want it for themselves. They want it for their kids,&#8221; Trump said.
Any agreement could require approval by the Republican-controlled Congress, which passed a law in 2024 during the Biden Administration that required divestiture due to fears that TikTok&#8217;s U.S. user data could be accessed by the Chinese government, allowing Beijing to spy on Americans or conduct influence operations through the app.
The Trump administration has repeatedly declined to enforce a law requiring the app to shut down due to worries it would anger users and disrupt political communications, instead extending the divestiture deadline on three separate occasions.
Trump has credited the app with helping him win re-election last year, and his personal account has 15 million followers. The White House launched an official TikTok account last month.
CNBC reported Tuesday that the deal is expected to be closed within the next 30 to 45 days, and that the agreement will include existing investors in TikTok&#8217;s China-based parent ByteDance and new investors.
Reuters has not independently verified CNBC&#8217;s report. However, the details are in line with Reuters&#8217; reporting in April that the deal would spin off TikTok&#8217;s U.S. operations into a new company based in the U.S. and majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors.
Tariffs And TikTok
A deal for TikTok had been in the works in the spring, but was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump&#8217;s announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
Washington has maintained that TikTok&#8217;s ownership by ByteDance makes it beholden to the Chinese government, and Beijing could use the app to collect data on Americans.
The company has said U.S. officials have misstated its ties to China, arguing its content recommendation engine and user data are stored in the U.S. on cloud servers operated by Oracle, while content moderation decisions that affect American users are also made in the U.S.
CNBC also reported on Tuesday that Oracle will keep its cloud deal with TikTok as part of the agreement. Reuters reported earlier this year that the White House was working on a plan to tap Oracle, along with a group of outside investors, to take control of the app&#8217;s operations.
As part of the plan, Oracle would have been responsible for addressing national security issues, Reuters had then reported.
Shares of Oracle pared some gains on Tuesday following the news on TikTok and were last up nearly 3%.
A framework agreement was reached by officials from both countries on Monday, marking a breakthrough after months of intense talks. The White House has been involved to an unprecedented level in the closely watched deal talks.
Amid escalating trade tensions, U.S. and China delegations discussed the divestment as part of broader disputes over tariffs and tech export control regulations.
A final confirmation on the deal is expected on Friday in a call between Trump and President Xi Jinping.
Several suitors, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, a startup run by OnlyFans founder, and Amazon, had expressed interest in the fast-growing business that analysts estimate could be worth as much as $50 billion.
(Reporting By Andrea Shalal and Jarrett Renshaw, Deborah Sophia, Jaspreet Singh; Editing by Anil D&#8217;Silva)

Trump Says U.S. Has A Buyer For TikTok

ByteDance

China

Donald Trump

TikTok

Xi Jinping

MADRID (Reuters) &#8211; The United States and China have reached a framework agreement to switch short-video app TikTok to U.S.-controlled ownership, top U.S. officials said on Monday, with President Donald Trump set to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced the agreement after a meeting between senior U.S. and Chinese officials in Madrid, but declined to give any of the commercial terms of the agreement.
Bessent told reporters that further details would wait to be determined in a call on Friday between Trump and Xi.
Trump said on Monday that trade talks with China had gone very well and hinted that a deal had been reached to resolve issues the U.S. has over TikTok ownership.
&#8220;The big Trade Meeting in Europe between The United States of America, and China, has gone VERY WELL! It will be concluding shortly,&#8221; Trump wrote on his TruthSocial platform.
&#8220;A deal was also reached on a “certain” company that young people in our Country very much wanted to save. They will be very happy! I will be speaking to President Xi on Friday. The relationship remains a very strong one!!!&#8221;
Earlier on Monday a U.S. official with knowledge of the negotiations had said that the U.S. would press ahead with a ban on TikTok if China didn&#8217;t drop its demands for reduced tariffs and technological restrictions as part of a divestiture deal.
U.S. and China delegations met to discuss the divestment from TikTok by Chinese owner Bytedance as part of a round of broader talks on tariffs and economic policy taking place in Madrid. TikTok faces being shut down as early as September 17 in the U.S. unless it moves to U.S. ownership.
Speaking to reporters earlier, Bessent and Greer said China wanted concessions on trade and technology in exchange for agreeing to divest from the popular social media app.
&#8220;Our Chinese counterparts have come with a very aggressive ask,&#8221; Bessent said, adding: &#8220;We are not willing to sacrifice national security for a social media app.&#8221;
POOR TIMING
The U.S.-China negotiations at the Spanish foreign ministry&#8217;s baroque Palacio de Santa Cruz, which began on Sunday, were the fourth round of talks in four months to address strained trade ties and a looming divestiture deadline for TikTok.
They took place as Washington demands that its allies place tariffs on imports from China over Chinese purchases of Russian oil, which Beijing on Monday said was an attempt at coercion.
Beijing separately announced on Monday that a preliminary investigation of Nvidia had found the U.S. chip giant had violated its anti-monopoly law. Bessent said the announcement on Nvidia was poor timing.
The probe is widely seen as a retaliatory shot against Washington&#8217;s curbs on the Chinese chip sector.
(Reporting by David Lawder, Pietro Lombardi and Ethan Wang,; Additional reporting by Brendan O&#8217;Brien and Doina Chiacu in Washington; Writing by Charlie Devereux; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Clarence Fernandez and Susan Fenton)

U.S. and China delegations visit Spain

Trump, Xi To Speak Friday After U.S.–China Reach Framework On TikTok

Communist China

Politics

Social Issues

Closing arguments were finally <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/27/asia/jimmy-lai-hong-kong-trial-intl-hnk">completed</a> at the end of August in the National Security Law trial of Hong Kong businessman Jimmy Lai. Mr. Lai stands accused of colluding with foreign powers and faces life in prison. In all likelihood, the court will find Jimmy Lai guilty and sentence him to prison. 
While we await the final verdict, the West should make a plan to help free Jimmy Lai.
To say Jimmy Lai has lived a remarkable life is an understatement. Born in mainland China, the now 77-year-old Lai moved to British Hong Kong when he was 12, where he believed he would have a better future. Starting out working in a factory, Lai worked his way up, eventually owning his own factory before starting the world-famous fashion brand, Giordano. As a billionaire with homes in London, Paris, and New York, Lai could have easily rested on his laurels and enjoyed a quiet retirement. However, Lai had a great appreciation for the political and economic system that allowed him to build his wealth.
As a British colony, Hong Kong enjoyed the rule of law and free market economics that allowed it to thrive. However, the handover of the city back to communist China loomed large. In an effort to fight for the values that made Hong Kong great, Jimmy Lai founded the Apple Daily newspaper. Becoming one of the largest pro-democracy newspapers in Hong Kong, Apple Daily and its founder fell in the crosshairs of the communists in mainland China through its pro-liberty content. Lai himself drew attention through his annual commemoration of the Tiananmen Massacre, a huge sore spot for Beijing.
While <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/hong-kong-freedoms-democracy-protests-china-crackdown">promised</a> a degree of autonomy for 50 years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has gradually encroached on the freedoms of Hong Kong, a city of 7.4 million people. The Basic Law, Hong Kong’s constitution, promises freedom of speech and rule of law; the past few decades, however, have seen a gradual erosion of these rights. For example, millions of Hong Kongers took to the streets to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49340717">protest</a> a proposed law that would allow Hong Kongers to be extradited for trials in mainland China. While this law was retracted, it wasn’t long before something similar was implemented to take its place.
That brings us to the <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/03/what-is-hong-kongs-article-23-law-10-things-you-need-to-know/">National Security Law</a> (NSL), which came into effect in 2020. Essentially, the NSL criminalizes any speech or behavior that the government sees as threatening its authority. For Jimmy Lai and other pro-democracy activists, this put them in danger. As was feared, the NSL has resulted in the arrest of hundreds of people. In a city once famous for its independent courts, the NSL has seen a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/29/china/hong-kong-47-verdict-intl-hnk">conviction rate</a> near 100%.
It was shortly after the implementation of the NSL that Jimmy Lai found himself in legal trouble. In August 2020, Lai was <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/08/10/900758905/prominent-hong-kong-publisher-arrested-under-new-national-security-law">arrested</a> and paraded through Apple Daily’s office, allegedly for colluding with foreign powers. The truth, however, was that Lai objects to the authoritarianism of the CCP and wants to fight to preserve the freedoms that made Hong Kong great.
<div id="attachment_971739" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-971739" class="size-large wp-image-971739" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1227987205-866x576.jpg" alt="HONG KONG, CHINA - AUGUST 10: A handout photo from Apple Daily showing Hong Kong business tycoon Jimmy Lai led by police officers during a search at the headquarters of Apple Daily after Lai, was arrested at his home on August 10, 2020 in Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong police arrested seven people, including business tycoon Jimmy Lai on Monday on charges of violating the territory's new national security law. Police officers raided the pro-democracy newspapers headquarter while leading Mr. Lai and the company's chief executive, Cheung Kim-hung, through the offices in handcuffs. (Photo by Handout/Getty Images)" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1227987205-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1227987205-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1227987205-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1227987205.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />Handout/Getty Images</div>
It isn’t just the cause that makes Jimmy Lai a hero: Lai didn’t need to face the risk of arrest. In addition to his various homes around the world, Lai is a British passport holder. He could have fled Hong Kong at any time after the NSL became law. Many Hong Kongers already have. Running, however, is not in Jimmy Lai’s nature. As he <a href="https://www.hoover.org/research/jimmy-lai-and-fight-freedom-hong-kong-1">put it</a>, “I am one of the troublemakers. I cannot cause trouble and then leave.” Lai risked everything by fighting for liberty and again risked it by staying when he could have left.
Even while he waits for a verdict, Lai faces terrible <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2025/09/04/jimmy-lais-life-at-serious-and-immediate-risk-in-detention/">prison conditions</a>. He is being held in solitary confinement, 23 hours a day. He has significant health problems but is being denied proper care. There is a good possibility that Lai could die in prison simply due to the conditions of his imprisonment, which is why the West must act quickly.
What can be done? For starters, political figures across the West should continue calling for Lai’s release. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/13/china/trump-jimmy-lai-closing-arguments-intl-hnk">President Trump</a> has joined the chorus of <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/the-dissident-beijing-cant-break-jimmy-lai-hong-kong">international voices</a> calling for Lai’s freedom. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer needs to fulfill his country’s obligation to stand up for Hong Kong’s autonomy. Lai is a British passport holder and therefore he is Starmer’s responsibility. In addition to public pressure, Starmer must also pause the construction of a new <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c864w2942vdo">Chinese mega embassy</a> in London. China should not be allowed a larger presence in the British capital while it actively persecutes dissidents.
Western governments can also sanction those involved in the administration of NSL trials. The U.S. has already <a href="https://www.state.gov/u-s-sanctions-six-individuals-for-undermining-hong-kongs-autonomy">sanctioned</a> several Hong Kong officials, but it can expand them to include senior HK officials such as Chief Executive John Lee, as well as the judges involved in these trials. The “One Country, Two Systems” framework promises Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy, something the NSL interferes with.
Finally, other economic tools can also be applied. Legislatures should consider efforts such as tariffs on Chinese goods as a way to put pressure on Beijing. Restricting the flow of advanced microchips into China would hit the Chinese government where it hurts and impose a cost for its oppression of Hong Kongers like Jimmy Lai.
The Chinese will, of course, counter by saying this is foreign interference in an internal matter. The problem with that argument is that China’s promises to Hong Kong are recorded in a legally binding international treaty, the <a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8616/">Sino-British Joint Declaration</a>. Sanctions are an appropriate response to breaking that treaty.
So, why should the West care about what happens to Jimmy Lai? First, what happens in Hong Kong doesn’t necessarily stay there. The Chinese government already has an extensive network set up to threaten dissidents living abroad. The construction of the mega embassy means these efforts will only continue and affect more British citizens. Second, Lai represents a voice for liberty in Hong Kong and China as a whole. If we want freedom to thrive, the world needs people like Jimmy Lai.
The clock is ticking for Jimmy Lai. Any day now, the judges hearing his case could sentence him to life in prison. His health and prison conditions mean his stay behind bars could quickly lead to his death. If the West wants to preserve its own freedom and that of Hong Kong’s, it needs to act to save Jimmy Lai.
* * *
<a href="https://www.joinyv.org/talent/matthew-cookson">Matt Cookson</a> is an alumnus of the Young Voices Contributor Program and was a Middle East History and Policy Fellow with Young Voices. He also works in the supply chain for a U.S. Defense Contractor. His commentary has appeared in the Mises Institute, Real Clear Politics, the National Interest, Providence Magazine, China Source, and the Idaho Freedom Foundation. You can follow him on X @<a href="https://x.com/MattCookson95">MattCookson95</a> and Substack @<a href="https://substack.com/@thewaythecookiecrumbles?utm_source=user-menu">thewaythecookiecrumbles</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

China Imposes National Security Law In Hong Kong

The Clock Is Ticking For Jimmy Lai. Time For The West To Act.

Democracy

Free Speech

Great Britain

Hong Kong

Jimmy Lai

Opinion

<div>
LeBron James, the NBA’s self-anointed “King,” has once again traded American values for Communist applause — this time by authoring a fawning op-ed in People’s Daily, the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship propaganda paper.
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<div>
James fawned over China’s basketball culture and praised the “friendliness” of his “Chinese friends,” all while the NBA attempts to reopen its lucrative market in the authoritarian state fully, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/lebron-james-china-nba-build-bridges-rcna230007">reported</a>.
</div>
<div>
“Basketball is not just a sport. It’s a bridge that connects us,” James wrote, as if quoting directly from the CCP’s global harmony playbook.
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<div>
James is the first NBA player ever to publish in People’s Daily — a paper infamous for rubber-stamping CCP talking points and suppressing political dissent.
</div>
<div>
Now 40 and entering his record-breaking 23rd NBA season, James did not use the platform to speak about democracy, freedom, or the Uyghur genocide, but to wax poetic about China’s “passion,” “friendliness,” and “impressive basketball atmosphere.” He gushed about how “moved” he is by China’s support and vowed to “give his all” in every game — as if his performance on the court were a debt owed to Beijing.
</div>
<div>
This isn’t new behavior for LeBron. Back in 2019, when then-Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey dared to speak up for democracy in Hong Kong, James didn’t stand for freedom — he attacked it. Calling Morey “misinformed,” LeBron <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/14/us/lebron-james-nba-china-intl-hnk-scli">warned</a> about the supposed “ramifications” of exercising free speech. He stated:
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<div>
<blockquote>We all talk about this freedom of speech. Yes, we all do have freedom of speech, but at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you&#8217;re not thinking about others, and you&#8217;re only thinking about yourself. I don&#8217;t want to get into a word or sentence feud with Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn&#8217;t educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke. And so many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically, emotionally, spiritually. </blockquote>
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<div>
In other words: speak up for liberty, and you might hurt LeBron’s brand deals.
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<div>
James later said Morey’s pro-Hong Kong tweet could have caused harm “financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually.” But the only real harm? A dent in NBA profits from China.
</div>
<div>
LeBron’s lifetime Nike deal is <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/lebron-james-nike-deal-bilion-maverick-carter">reportedly worth</a> $1 billion. His signature shoes? Among the top sellers in China.
</div>
<div>
The NBA has billions at stake in China. In 2019, the league signed a <a href="https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Global/2019/07/29/Tencent-NBA/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">$1.5 billion streaming contract</a> with Chinese tech giant Tencent and has <a href="https://www.isportconnect.com/cctv-agrees-new-deal-with-nba-china/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">business ties</a> to state-run CCTV, which famously <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/08/china-state-tv-suspends-nba-broadcasts-after-morey-hong-kong-tweet.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">yanked NBA games</a> after the Morey incident.
</div>
<div>
Actor James Woods may have said it best during the 2020 NBA playoff protests, when LeBron first threatened to boycott, then backed off. Woods tweeted: “His China handlers didn’t like the optics?”
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<div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
His China handlers didn’t like the optics? <a href="https://t.co/PsbhIXHd9E">https://t.co/PsbhIXHd9E</a>
&mdash; James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealJamesWoods/status/1299356993061179394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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The NBA is preparing to play its first preseason games in China since 2019.
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When does a basketball player stop being just an athlete and start becoming a mouthpiece for a regime that crushes freedom?
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<div>
Apparently, when the checks are big enough.
</div>

NBA Star LeBron James 2025 China Tour In Chengdu

LeBron James Pens Love Letter to China, Waxes Poetic About ‘Impressive Basketball Atmosphere’

LeBron James

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said India and Russia seem to have been &#8220;lost&#8221; to China after their leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, highlighting his split from New Delhi and Moscow as Beijing pushes a new world order.
&#8220;Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!&#8221; Trump wrote in a social media post accompanying a photo of the three other world leaders together at Xi&#8217;s summit in China.
Asked about Trump&#8217;s post, the Indian foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters in New Delhi that he had no comment.
Representatives for Beijing and Moscow could not be immediately reached for comment on Trump&#8217;s post on his Truth Social platform.
Xi hosted more than 20 leaders of non-Western countries for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Chinese port city of Tianjin, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Putin and Modi were see holding hands at the summit as they walked toward Xi before all three men stood side by side.
Modi&#8217;s warming ties with China comes as Trump has chilled U.S.-India ties amid trade tensions and other disputes. Trump earlier this week said he was &#8220;very disappointed&#8221; in Putin but not worried about growing Russia-China ties.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey; additional reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi Editing by Kevin Liffey and Doina Chiacu)

U.S. President Donald Trump makes announcement at the White House

Trump: India And Russia Sell Out To Communist China

Executive

Global Politics

India

Russia

The Justice Department announced Wednesday a “first-of-its-kind” indictment against 22 Chinese nationals and three Americans for allegedly engaging in an international drug trafficking scheme targeting the United States. 
An indictment handed down Wednesday from a federal grand jury in Ohio takes aim at dozens of defendants and four Chinese companies for a plot to ship drug-cutting agents, used to dilute the product and increase its volume to boost profits, from China into America. All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally.
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. 
Prosecutors say that the companies used a number of Chinese nationals “located overseas” to negotiate for payments for illegal cutting agents to drug traffickers in Ohio. Cutting agents are often added to illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, and meth. 
The Chinese companies targeted include Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Guangzhou Wanjiang Biotechnology Company, Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Company, and Hebei Feilaimi Technology Company. 
The Americans charged in the operation include 39-year-old Eric Michael Payne of Ohio and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Auriyon Tresan Rayford. Ciandrea Bryne Davis of Atlanta was also charged for her alleged role in using cryptocurrency to pay Chinese nationals associated with companies for the drug-cutting agents. 
Payne is accused of purchasing several kilogram shipments of cutting agents from Chinese companies posing as legitimate pharmacies. He and the other Americans allegedly purchased at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl agents since 2022 that could be used in up to 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture sold on the streets. 
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
The Chinese defendants were listed as Lihui Zhao, [name unknown], Shanhong Jiang, Yan Yang, Fengdi Zhang, Dehui Xia, Xing Wu Chen, Qing Lin Wang, Xiaojun Huang, Meixiang Yao, Zhanpeng Huang, Yuqing Feng, Dongjing Sun, Chengqi Nong, Tiduo Wei, Zhisong Nie, Jichao Zhu, Zhengzhe Yin, Changgen Du, Hongfei Wang, Huatao Yao, and Xuening Gao.

Press conference at White House

22 Chinese Nationals Charged In International Drug Trafficking Scheme

Department of Justice

Drugs

Fentanyl

kash patel

Ohio

The China-based retailer Shein faced backlash after using images of a man resembling accused murderer Luigi Mangione modeling its clothing.
The images went viral on social media, prompting users to question the company’s advertising decision. Shein blamed the blunder on “a third-party vendor” and quickly removed the ads.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Luigi Mangione Appears to Model Clothes for Shein <a href="https://t.co/BMMTK89Tde">https://t.co/BMMTK89Tde</a> <a href="https://t.co/CvrrhMYU9c">pic.twitter.com/CvrrhMYU9c</a>
— TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1963046791542178026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and was removed immediately upon discovery. We have stringent standards for all listings on our platform. We are conducting a thorough investigation, strengthening our monitoring processes, and will take appropriate action against the vendor in line with our policies,” a Shein rep said in a statement, per <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/luigi-mangione-shein-shirt-listing-viral-2123622">Newsweek</a>.
Shein is a fast fashion retailer known for its massive, constantly updated selection of trendy clothing and accessories at ultra-low prices. It’s extremely popular with younger shoppers, but has faced growing criticism over sustainability, labor practices, and intellectual property issues.
Mangione pleaded “not guilty” to federal murder charges following the December 2024 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. 
According to authorities, Mangione shot Thompson, a father of two young children, in a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination” as an act of “political violence.”
Thompson was gunned down in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, leading to a five-day manhunt that ended with Mangione’s arrest in Pennsylvania.
Mangione’s alleged targeting of Thompson appears meticulously planned, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-pleads-not-guilty-as-doj-seeks-death-penalty?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Luigi+Mangione+Pleads+Not+Guilty+As+DOJ+Seeks+Death+Penalty">reported</a>. Three 9mm shell casings bearing the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” were recovered from the crime scene, which was believed to be a reference to a 2010 book criticizing health insurance industry tactics.
The Department of Justice is seeking the death penalty.
The case has sparked considerable public attention and led to a surprising show of support for Mangione. Former Washington Post and New York Times tech reporter Taylor Lorenz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-lorenz-refuses-to-condemn-luigi-mangione-gosh-youre-gonna-ask-if-i-condemn-hamas-next?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Taylor+Lorenz+Refuses+To+Condemn+Luigi+Mangione%3A+%E2%80%98Gosh%2C+You%E2%80%99re+Gonna+Ask+If+I+Condemn+Hamas+Next%E2%80%99">said</a> during an April interview with CNN that the accused murderer was seen as a “revolutionary, who’s famous, who’s handsome, who’s young, who’s smart. He’s a person who seems like he’s this morally good man, which is hard to find.”

Luigi Mangione

Fast-Fashion Retailer Slammed For Using Luigi Mangione’s Likeness To Sell Clothes

Fast-Fashion Retailer Slammed For Using Luigi Mangione's Likeness To Sell Clothes

Business

News

President Donald Trump said Tuesday night that China was conspiring with North Korea and Russia as it conducted a massive military parade. 
China’s military parade, to celebrate Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II, was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. In a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115137717177283585">post</a>, Trump said the three were working to “conspire” against the United States and pondered whether China would recognize America’s World War II contributions. 
“The big question to be answered is whether or not President Xi of China will mention the massive amount of support and ‘blood’ that The United States of America gave to China in order to help it to secure its FREEDOM from a very unfriendly foreign invader,” Trump wrote. “Many Americans died in China’s quest for Victory and Glory. I hope that they are rightfully Honored and Remembered for their Bravery and Sacrifice! May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
During the parade, China <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-military-parade-world-war-xi-jinping-ed1f7b3e245882dd91b597df24eafbea">showcased</a> a wide array of military equipment and capabilities, including an underwater drone, hypersonic missiles, an intercontinental ballistic missile, and fighter jets. 
“The Chinese people are a people that are not afraid of violence and are self-reliant and strong,” Chinese President Xi Jinping <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-military-parade-world-war-xi-jinping-ed1f7b3e245882dd91b597df24eafbea">said</a>, according to the Associated Press. “The Chinese people’s rejuvenation cannot be blocked, and the noble goal of the peaceful development of human civilization must triumph.”
Russia pushed back on Trump’s conspiracy allegations. 
“Let’s hope that it was meant in some figurative sense,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09/03/us/trump-news/ca4818c8-0044-558f-aa96-b2e849102cc4?smid=url-share">said</a> Putin spokesman Dmitri Peskov. “No one is plotting any conspiracies — no one has the desire or the time for this.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6aGNqrwmHY">said</a> that he didn’t think the military parade was a “challenge” to the United States. 
“China needs us and I have a very good relationship with President Xi as you know. But China needs us much more than we need them,” Trump said. “I had, actually, a very good meeting with President Putin a couple of weeks ago. We’ll see if anything comes of it. If it doesn’t, we’ll take a different stance.”
The Trump administration is currently working to negotiate a trade deal with China after months of back-and-forth tariffs. Last month, Trump signed a 90-day pause on higher tariffs on China as the two sides continue to work out a deal.

CHINA-DEFENCE-ANNIVERSARY-WWII-PARADE

Trump Accuses China Of Plotting Against US As Xi Flexes Military Power Alongside Putin

Kim Jong Un

North Korea

Vladimir Putin

Thanks to China, the use of fentanyl at the workplace in America is soaring.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fentanyl-china-joni-ernst-intentionally-poisoning-americans/">said</a> back in February 2023 that China was conducting warfare against the United States by intentionally flooding the country with fentanyl, declaring, “The Chinese are selling these precursor chemicals into Mexico. Then the Mexican cartels are working on making the fentanyl and distributing up into the United States. I think that the Chinese are intentionally poisoning America.”
A National Drug Threat Assessment from the DEA <a href="https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/DIR-008-21%202020%20National%20Drug%20Threat%20Assessment_WEB.pdf">said</a> that the Mexican drug cartels “use a combination of methods to obtain chemicals used for fentanyl production in Mexico, primarily from sources originating in China, including purchases made on the open market, smuggling chemicals hidden in legitimate commercial shipments, mislabeling shipments to avoid controls and the attention of law enforcement, and diversion from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.”
“In randomized workplace drug tests, the presence of the <a href="https://archive.is/o/AIYI4/https:/www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/what-is-fentanyl-drug-opioid-health-safety-explained-11658341650">synthetic opioid fentanyl</a> was 1.13% in 2024. That is up from 0.91% in 2023 and double the rate in 2020, according to a recent analysis of more than eight million drug tests by Quest Diagnostics,” The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/fentanyl-work-drug-test-increase-0f0b1eff">reported</a>, adding, “Surprise random tests are a clearer indication of opioid use among workers than pre-employment screening, which subjects can prepare for ahead of time and even game to achieve negative results. &#8230; The opioid epidemic has been a persistent concern for workplaces, especially in occupations in the construction, mining and transportation industries.”
Peter Schweizer, author of “Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-the-senior-partner-directing-the-fentanyl-crisis-killing-americans-author-peter-schweizer-says">said</a> the fentanyl trade starts in China, asserting, “They’re the senior partner. The drug cartels are really the junior partner in the fentanyl trade.” He continued, “The Mexican drug cartels now launder their money in Chinese state-owned banks, and, according to our government, they use Chinese students in the United States on education visas to do this.”
In April 2024, former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-barr-blasts-china-during-fentanyl-hearing-solely-responsible-for-mass-slaughter-in-u-s">told</a> the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, “The [People’s Republic of China] is the source of the fentanyl that is slaughtering Americans. China produces nearly all the illicit fentanyl precursors used and the fentanyl introduced into the United States. These are the indispensable ingredients that drive the fentanyl trade. There is no practical alternative for anywhere near the volume of precursors necessary to fuel this trade. Simply put, without China’s production and export of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors, there would be no fentanyl crisis in the United States and the mass slaughter would effectively stop.”

Fentanyl Crisis Escalates In U.S. Workplaces As China Fuels Supply Chain

Crime

Mexico

World

President Donald Trump warned Monday that countries imposing digital taxes on American tech companies will face significant tariffs if they don&#8217;t remove them.
Without naming a specific country, Trump said that some nations had given a “complete pass” to China’s tech companies while penalizing American competitors. Some countries, like Canada and India, have already backed away from digital taxes after pressure from the Trump administration. 
“As the President of the United States, I will stand up to Countries that attack our incredible American Tech Companies. Digital Taxes, Digital Services Legislation, and Digital Markets Regulations are all designed to harm, or discriminate against, American Technology,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 
“This must end, and end NOW! With this TRUTH, I put all Countries with Digital Taxes, Legislation, Rules, or Regulations, on notice that unless these discriminatory actions are removed, I, as President of the United States, will impose substantial additional Tariffs on that Country&#8217;s Exports to the U.S.A., and institute Export restrictions on our Highly Protected Technology and Chips,” he added. “America, and American Technology Companies, are neither the ‘piggy bank’ nor the ‘doormat’ of the World any longer. Show respect to America and our amazing Tech Companies or, consider the consequences!”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
In June, Canada <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/canada-caves-digital-tax-on-u-s-tech-scrapped-after-trump-pressure">rescinded</a> its Digital Service Tax as part of ongoing trade negotiations with the United States. The tax would have hit American tech companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Apple hard, and could have cost American businesses up to $2.3 billion annually. 
India also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-proposes-remove-equalisation-levy-digital-services-government-source-says-2025-03-25/">backed away</a> from a 6% digital advertising tax in April after pressure from American officials. 
Many European countries, like France and Switzerland, have <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/eu/digital-services-taxes-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">implemented</a> digital taxes, while others, like Belgium and the Netherlands, are considering implementing them. France taxes major tech companies 3% on revenue from digital services and targeted advertising. 
In the trade deal between the European Union and the United States, both entities agreed to address “unjustified digital trade barriers.” 
“In that respect, The European Union confirms that it will not adopt or maintain network usage fees,” the framework said. “The United States and the European Union will not impose customs duties on electronic transmissions.”
It is unclear if the agreement will address digital service taxes.

President Trump Signs Executive Orders In The Oval Office Of The White House

Trump To Foreign Governments: Drop Taxes On Big Tech Or Face ‘Consequences’

Trump To Foreign Governments: Drop Taxes On Big Tech Or Face 'Consequences'

Economy

European Union

Tariffs

Taxes

Technology

Trade War

President Donald Trump recently announced a trade deal with the European Union that will be a major victory for America.
While the deal was rightly widely celebrated, one of the key pillars with massive economic implications was largely overlooked in the media’s coverage: addressing “unjustified digital trade barriers.”
Europe is deliberately siphoning revenue from American tech and telecommunication companies while shielding its own firms from meaningful competition. They are also turning these tech platforms into <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/22/state-department-attacks-europe-free-speech-00468916" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tools of censorship</a> that punish their own constituents and undermine our shared belief in the open exchange of ideas.
My colleagues and I exposed Europe’s attack on the American digital services industry in a new <a href="https://publicpolicysolutionsusa.org/new-report-public-policy-solutions-exposes-europes-attack-on-the-american-digital-services-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>. We examined the tools the EU and its constituent countries have used to build a web of protectionist policies and targeted regulations and fees to tip the scales in favor of European business and attempt to end American leadership of the digital economy.
While our open market allows competition among competitors, this European system is curtailing American companies’ growth in Europe. As we write in the report: “Despite the fact that American companies are by far the biggest players in this sector globally, EU digital service exports to the U.S. rose by more than $8 billion from 2013-2023, while the U.S. digital services exports to the EU rose by only $5 billion in the same time period.”
Addressing these targeted fees was a significant, hard-fought win for the Trump administration. When American tech and telecom companies are unfairly targeted with exorbitant fees — in some cases more than double than fees assessed to Chinese competitors — it crushes their ability to be leaders in innovation and creates uncertainty that is bad for business and consumers.
That’s why for months <a href="https://x.com/WarMachineRR/status/1938657885870837898" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Trump</a>, Treasury Secretary <a href="https://x.com/WarMachineRR/status/1932878263048941779" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scott Bessent</a>, Commerce Secretary <a href="https://x.com/howardlutnick/status/1939640588883861625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Howard Lutnick</a>, National Economic Council Director <a href="https://x.com/WarMachineRR/status/1939700859052405063" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Hasset</a>, and more members of the administration have called our allies to the carpet for their unfair treatment of American tech and telecom companies. The administration said addressing this egregious non-tariff barrier would be part of any trade deal and they delivered on that promise.
But even after President Trump declared victory on the issue, commentators <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/07/28/scant-details-on-digital-service-tax-in-u-s-eu-trade-deal.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised questions</a> about the details of how the deal would address the Europeans’ predatory digital tax and regulatory regime. In fact, unnamed EU officials have <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/trade-deal-us-attacks-eu-tech-rules-donald-trump-digital-competition-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asserted</a> that their digital regulation scheme was not sacrificed.
In his first <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/a6h6nTPoKTk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public appearance</a> after the trade deal was announced, Bessent doubled down on the Trump administration’s strong stance against the EU regulatory regime.
“They [Europeans] have just given up. It is a regulatory morass,” he said. “The EU internally taxes themselves 100% on services and 50% on goods. The EU was supposed get rid of economic friction, whether it is in finance, whether it is in technology, whether it was in energy. All the EU wants to do is overregulate.” 
At the same time, Lutnick hammered home President Trump’s position reiterating that the EU’s “attack on our tech companies” was “going to be on the table.”
The unnamed EU officials claiming they’d made “absolutely no commitment on digital regulation, nor on digital taxes” might want to check back with their bosses. Ditto those EU constituent countries already looking for backdoors to impose network usage fees on American companies — explicitly taken off the table in the trade deal — through new and creative regulatory schemes.
But President Trump has made clear his expectations, and he maintains significant leverage. After Canada announced it was putting a digital service tax on American technologies, President Trump proclaimed on <a href="https://x.com/WarMachineRR/status/1938657885870837898/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a>, &#8220;They are obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us.&#8221;
At his promise of reciprocal tariffs, Canada quickly reversed course.
While the EU tries to muddy the waters and cast doubt on President Trump’s deal, one thing that is not in doubt is the president’s negotiating prowess. Whether through their own firsthand experience or the short-lived episode with Canada, the EU would be wise not to backtrack or try to weasel out of commitments to end the targeting of American companies.
President Trump has made it clear he is fighting for a fair relationship that no longer punishes American innovation, emboldens Chinese influence, or weakens America’s relationship with Europe. Our European allies must stick to their end of the deal.
Joe Grogan served as Assistant to President Donald Trump for Domestic Policy from 2019-2020 and Associate Director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2017-2019.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

FILE PHOTO: European Union leaders summit in Brussels

Europe Should Think Twice About Trade Deal Backpedaling

The following is an edited excerpt from a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-250810-member-exclusive?elementPosition=3&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Morning+Wire&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">Morning Wire Weekend Edition interview</a> where Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley sat down with U.S. Navy retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. They discussed his recent trip to Taiwan, where he had meetings with senior officials, including the president and senior military leadership. Here are five key takeaways. 

* * *
<h3>1. America Is Taiwan’s Primary Key Ally</h3>
First, they&#8217;re very appreciative of the United States. They understand the United States is their key ally and they make that very clear. No one else sells them weapons. No one else stands by them when they&#8217;re threatened by the Chinese. That doesn&#8217;t mean they don&#8217;t get some rhetorical support from the Australians or the Japanese on occasion or from European countries. But when it comes to ship movements, aircraft movements, it&#8217;s us. So number one, they get that.
<h3>2. Taiwan Will Increase Defense Spending — But Only Buys From America</h3>
Number two, Taiwan understands that we expect them to spend more on their defense. So they&#8217;re taking their defense spending from about 2.5% this year to 3% next year. Then, I think, they&#8217;ll go to 4% and eventually 5%. The irony is, to get the spending up that high, they can only buy the weapons from us. We&#8217;re the only country who sells to them.
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-threats-we-face-how-we-win/id1576594336?i=1000721366067" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h3>3. America’s Foreign Military Sales Program Is A “Dumpster Fire”</h3>
I say this gently, our foreign military sales program is a dumpster fire. As a result, it takes seven years to get them javelin missiles; eight years to get them stinger, man-portable air missiles. These should take two, three years. So, part of the problem is U.S. foreign military sales and delivery. But the Taiwanese are going to do everything they can to get themselves to three, four, and eventually 5% [Defense spending] by the end of the Trump administration. So that&#8217;s a big deal. 
<h3>4. It Could Take Nine Years For American Weapons To Arrive In Taiwan</h3>
Our foreign military sales overseas are hampered by a bureaucratic process inside the Department of Defense and Department of State. They have to work together. They don&#8217;t do a great job. It&#8217;s also hampered by how we integrate with the weapons providers, like Raytheon or Lockheed Martin, and the back and forth with the host country. For example, we recently did a harpoon sale with Taiwan, an anti-ship cruise missile that&#8217;s really critical to the fight. The sale was locked and first approved in 2020. And I&#8217;d say the delivery is going to be completed by 2029, if we&#8217;re lucky. That should take two, three, four years max — not nine years. So, for military sales, we have a backed up docket with Taiwan alone of $12 billion – it was $18 billion just four years ago. This is way too much. Countries cannot rely on us for timely delivery of weapons if it takes five, seven, or nine years to get weapons.
<div id="attachment_960047" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-960047" class="size-large wp-image-960047" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2224992177-864x576.jpg" alt="KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN - JULY 14: Taiwan President, Lai Ching-te, inspects the Han Kuang 41 exercise - Naval defensive mine-laying drill on July 14, 2025 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Taiwan. Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military exercise kicked off July 9 as the island steps up preparations against a potential invasion by China. Touted as the largest and longest iteration to date, this year’s drill will span around 10 days—roughly double the length of last year’s exercise. (Photo by Annabelle Chih/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2224992177-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2224992177-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2224992177-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2224992177.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Annabelle Chih/Getty Images</div>
<h3>5. Taiwan Must Prepare For Non-Military Attacks</h3>
Taiwan really understands that, in addition to preparing for the most likely, most dangerous scenario of a cross-strait invasion, they also have to prepare for another most likely scenario  — China attacking their societal resilience, their financial systems, their communication systems, their energy systems with diplomatic, economic, cyber and influence operations, not military attacks. While the CCP would hope to break the societal resilience of Taiwan. Taiwan has to fight that. They need to make a lot of investments in that kind of domestic resilience. And then the United States can help as well.
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<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-250810-member-exclusive?elementPosition=3&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Morning+Wire&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">Catch the full interview with retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery on Morning Wire.</a></h3>

Taiwan Holds Defense Drills

‘Nine Years To Get Weapons’: An American Admiral On Defending Taiwan From China

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