Free speech advocates are urging Congress to take action to protect Americans from the European Union’s “censorship regime.” 
The House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony on Wednesday about the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which empowers the European Commission to impose significant financial penalties on tech companies they say are not doing enough to combat so-called disinformation. In some circumstances, American tech companies could be fined up to six percent of their global revenue if they violate certain conditions. 
“Europe wants to be the global leader in censorship,” wrote the Alliance Defending Freedom International’s Lorcán Price in written testimony shared with The Daily Wire. “Its obsession with harmonization and regulation is at odds with the values of free speech and a free press. Those are universal human freedoms as well as traditional European values, but increasingly they are treated by some as a social ill that should be purged from enlightened society.”
Price’s written testimony noted that the Digital Services Act empowered private organizations to be used to monitor speech rules and that the steep fines would lead to companies proactively censoring content. 
“When 6% of your global revenue is at stake, complying with speech codes is never voluntary. And now that the DSA is mandatory and additional add-ons are coming, American companies will be, at best, forced to stop innovating and start policing speech,” Price wrote. 
Others who will testify before the House Judiciary Committee include British Member of Parliament Nigel Farage and App Association President Morgan Reed. 
Alliance Defending Freedom lawyer Jeremy Tedesco said on a background call on the hearing that Congress should try to create incentives to encourage companies to promote and protect free speech. He also praised the committee for drawing attention to the issue of European censorship. 
“Our speech could be deleted without you knowing it, and certainly, without you understanding the reasons for it. I mean, most of the censorship under the DSA happens behind the veil,” Tedesco told The Daily Wire. 
During COVID, he noted that the European Union was a major force pressuring companies to restrict speech critical of masking and other COVID measures, leading to hundreds of thousands of posts being deleted and accounts suspended. 
Just months before the 2024 presidential election, EU industry chief Thierry Breton threatened Elon Musk before he interviewed President Donald Trump on X. Breton told Musk that he must comply with regulations put in place by the Digital Services Act.

Handcuff on the flag of European Union. Close-up, copy space

Congress Faces Pressure As Europe’s ‘Censorship Regime’ Threatens American Free Speech

Congress Urged To Take Action As Europe's 'Censorship Regime' Threatens American Speech

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Censorship

European Union

Free Speech

House Judiciary Committee

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'

China

Donald Trump

Economy

Executive

Politics

Tariffs

Taxes

Technology

Trade War

The European Union will move to end all tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and invest billions of dollars in the American economy as part of a wide-ranging trade deal, according to a framework of the agreement released Thursday. 
More details of the trade deal first agreed to last month were outlined in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/08/joint-statement-on-a-united-states-european-union-framework-on-an-agreement-on-reciprocal-fair-and-balanced-trade/">joint statement</a> from the White House and the European Union. The plan stipulates that the European Union will “eliminate tariffs” on all American industrial goods and give preferential market access to seafood and agricultural products from the United States. The deal will set the total tariff rate for most European goods coming into the United States at 15%, including pharmaceuticals, lumber, and semiconductors. 
“This Framework Agreement will put our trade and investment relationship – one of the largest in the world — on a solid footing and will reinvigorate our economies’ reindustrialization,” the statement said. “It reflects acknowledgement by the European Union of the concerns of the United States and our joint determination to resolve our trade imbalances and unleash the full potential of our combined economic power.”
The joint statement comes after President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-secures-biggest-of-all-trade-deals-with-eu">announced</a> that they had negotiated a trade deal last month in Scotland. 
The agreement adds that the European Union will also buy around $750 billion of American liquified natural gas, oil, and nuclear energy products through 2028 and buy $40 billion in American AI chips for its computing centers. Additionally, European companies are expected to invest another $600 billion into the American economy through 2028.
<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>
“This investment reflects the European Union’s strong commitment to the transatlantic partnership and its recognition of the United States as the most secure and innovative destination for foreign investment,” the framework said. 
The United States will reduce tariffs on European cars and autoparts once Europe takes concrete steps to end tariffs on American industrial goods. Tariffs on European cars are currently set at 27.5%. 
Europe will also agree to “substantially increase procurement of military and defense equipment from the United States, with the support and facilitation of the U.S. government” to strengthen NATO and transatlantic defense cooperation. 
Von der Leyen <a href="https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1958485259407786268">said</a> the framework would bring “predictability for our companies &amp; consumers,” “stability in the largest trading partnership in the world,” and “security for European jobs &amp; economic growth in the long-term.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also praised the trade agreement, calling it “historic.”
“The America First Trade Agenda has secured the most important trading partner creating a major win for American workers, U.S. industries, and our national security,” he posted on X. “Tariffs should be one of America’s favorite words.”

TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-SCOTLAND-US-EU-TRUMP

White House Unveils Details Of ‘Historic’ Trade Deal With European Union

Free Trade

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

Among his many promises along the campaign trail, President Trump vowed to take down what he and others have described as the “censorship industrial complex,” a global network of ideologically aligned governmental, nonprofit, media, tech, finance, and academic institutions that are colluding to censor vast swaths of legally protected speech by weaponizing terms like “hate” and “disinformation.”
From early in his presidency, President Trump’s actions have consistently aligned with his campaign promises. From Day One — beginning with executive orders that led to the dismantling of the Global Engagement Center, to Vice President JD Vance’s public condemnation of widespread censorship across the U.K. and Europe — restoring free speech has clearly been a top priority for the administration.
As Trump has landed a massive trade deal with the E.U., he has also taken multiple steps to combat global censorship. That includes zeroing in on the censorship regime in Brazil via a 50% <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1946349695221043669">tariff</a> and an <a href="https://x.com/secrubio/status/1946349695221043669?s=46">order</a> to revoke visas for Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes and other members of the nation’s high court. In 2024, Moraes <a href="https://adfinternational.org/campaign/open-letter-x-brazil">ordered</a> X to block accounts of journalists and political figures under the pretext of “misinformation.” As Trump highlighted in his letter announcing the tariff, X still faces millions of dollars in fines and a permanent ban from the country.
Brazil’s disregard for free speech is paralleled in the E.U. by the “Digital Services Act.” Threatening what it designates as “Very Large Online Platforms” such as X, Meta, Amazon, and Google with crippling fines for noncompliance, the DSA weaponizes vague terms like “hate speech” and “disinformation” to purge the digital landscape of views they deem offensive, inconvenient, or a threat to their power. The DSA also formalizes the kind of public-private collusion exemplified by the censorship industrial complex, empowering private organizations as “trusted flaggers” whose censorship demands platforms are required to prioritize — or face penalties. 
Like Brazil’s Supreme Court, the DSA’s censorship directly impacts American citizens, whose accounts are subject to cancellation right along with our European cousins. We’ve already seen Americans censored under the DSA, as well as under the vague censorship policies that comprise it. These are the same policies at the heart of discriminatory debanking and financial surveillance that have targeted U.S.-based <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/banking/article-12417653/Debanking-row-breaks-Bank-America-shuts-account-ultra-conservative-Christian-charity-serves-impoverished-Ugandans.html">overseas missions</a> and <a href="https://adflegal.org/press-release/revealed-fed-govt-flagged-adf-domestic-terrorist-threat-target-surveillance-major/">conservative groups</a> like Alliance Defending Freedom, where I work.
They’re also the same policies that ruled the digital public square during Covid, when — often at the behest of the Biden administration and third party “flaggers” — major platforms censored and canceled users over views on public health, lab leak “theories” (since proven true), immigration, the Hunter Biden laptop <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/02/blowing-the-lid-off-the-coverup-of-hunter-bidens-cushy-plea-deal/">story</a>, gender ideology, and more. The DSA simply imposes this censorship regime on a global scale.
To the E.U. commissioners behind the DSA, the more governments work in lockstep to intimidate dissenting citizens into quiet compliance, the better. Just over a year ago, Canadian citizen “Billboard Chris” Elston <a href="https://adfinternational.org/news/free-speech-victory-in-australia-for-billboard-chris-as-x-post-censorship-overturned">posted</a> his objections to a controversial WHO appointee on X, linking to a UK Daily Mail article. The Australian government then demanded that X censor the post under its DSA-style “Online Safety Act,” using the law to classify Elston’s speech as “cyber abuse.”
With ADF International’s help, Billboard Chris took on the Australian government at the nation’s high court and won. But even that victory is unlikely to faze a technocratic cabal so committed to global censorship that it would enlist Australia to censor a Canadian speaking on an American platform and citing a British newspaper article.
Again, this multinational crackdown is a feature — not a bug — to those behind the DSA.
And that’s no surprise when you consider the actions and stated positions of DSA architects like Thierry Breton and Henna Virkkunen. It was Breton who, last summer, famously <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/eus-breton-says-musk-must-comply-with-eu-law-ahead-trump-interview-2024-08-12/">demanded</a> that Elon Musk censor then-candidate Donald J. Trump prior to the duo’s X live interview.
That incident apparently left Breton with enough egg on his face to <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/09/16/business/eu-official-thierry-breton-who-clashed-with-elon-musk-resigns/">resign</a> from his post as an E.U. Commissioner, but it wasn’t enough to change Virkkunen’s mind. Virkkunen recently <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-tech-tariffs-us-brussels-trade-commissioner-maros-sefovic/">defended</a> the DSA as “based on our European values” — a claim that evidently refers to the Brussels elites rather than the everyday Europeans who face <a href="https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2025/04/27/why-has-there-been-a-crack-down-on-free-speech-in-the-uk/">steep fines</a>, years-long <a href="https://adfinternational.org/cases/paivi">court proceedings</a>, and even <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/europe-crackdown-free-speech-26d021b1">jail time</a> for their online speech.
Fittingly enough, Virkkunen made those comments when she was asked if the DSA was on the negotiating table in ongoing trade talks with the U.S. With the DSA off the table, Virkkunen’s comrades in Brussels may have been negotiating with one hand tied behind their backs.
If that’s the case, it was a high price to pay for censoring peaceable citizens across the world, including in the U.S.
* * *
Jeremy Tedesco (@Jeremy_Tedesco) is senior counsel, senior vice president of corporate engagement at <a href="http://www.adflegal.org/?utm_source=wallstreetjournal&amp;utm_medium=oped">Alliance Defending Freedom</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/ADFLegal">@ADFLegal</a>).
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Supporters Mobilize Following Bolsonaro Case

How Trump’s Tariffs Can Strike A Major Blow To Global Censorship

Brazil

Jair Bolsonaro

Marco Rubio

President Trump

Social Media Censorship

Twitter

President Donald Trump clarified details about the new trade deals with the European Union (EU) and China in an interview on Tuesday, including floating the possibility of 35% tariffs on EU goods and stating that he intends to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Goods from the EU <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-art-of-the-trade-deal-here-are-the-countries-that-have-reached-agreements-with-america">initially</a> faced 30% tariffs under Trump&#8217;s Liberation Day tariff plan, but – after reaching an agreement in late July – an agreement was made for 15% on exports such as vehicles and medicine, among other products.
Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1952733095259472349">explained</a> on CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Squawk Box&#8221; that EU exports would be slapped with 35% tariffs if the Union did not follow through with the terms of the agreement. Critics have objected to the trade deal, which they say lacked the &#8220;teeth&#8221; to enforce the agreement.
Included in the trade agreement, the European Union committed to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy from the United States and investing an additional $600 billion in the U.S. economy. Trump added that &#8220;They gave me $600 billion and that&#8217;s a gift. … They gave us $600 billion that we can invest in anything we want.&#8221;
Trump also floated plans to re-shore <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/05/trump-says-pharma-tariffs-could-eventually-reach-up-to-250percent.html">pharmaceutical</a> manufacturing from countries like China and Ireland to the United States by increasing tariff rates to 250% over a few years, which is one of the most dramatic moves to address the lack of domestic production of necessary medicines. 
Trump&#8217;s deal with the EU is still in the final stages of completion. On Tuesday, the EU announced that it would be suspending its retaliatory tariffs in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/e-u-to-suspend-retaliatory-tariff-on-u-s-for-six-months-as-massive-trade-deal-is-finalized?author=Reuters&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=E.U.+To+Suspend+Retaliatory+Tariff+On+U.S.+For+Six+Months+As+Massive+Trade+Deal+Is+Finalized">statement</a>.
A spokesperson said, &#8220;The EU continues to work with the U.S. to finalize a Joint Statement, as agreed on 27 July. … With these objectives in mind, the Commission will take the necessary steps to suspend by 6 months the EU&#8217;s countermeasures against the U.S., which were due to enter into force on 7 August.&#8221;
The president also clarified his plans to meet with Chinese President Xi. He said he intends to meet with Xi only after China and the US agree on the terms of a trade deal.
&#8220;I&#8217;ll end up having a meeting before the end of the year, most likely, if we make a deal,&#8221; Trump said in the interview. &#8220;But we&#8217;re getting very close to a deal. We&#8217;re getting along with China very well.&#8221;
Many questions arose about Trump&#8217;s plans to finalize the deal with China after multiple news outlets <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/trump-xi-aides-discussed-autumn-us-china-leaders-meeting-sources-say-2025-07-20/">reported</a> that Trump was pushing for a meeting with Xi. Trump insisted on TruthSocial and in interviews that he had no plans to reach out to Xi for a meeting because, as he said, &#8220;China is very reliant on the United States.&#8221;
Although Trump continues to move around the deadlines for other countries to reach a trade deal, consumer sentiment continues to increase, according to a report by the University of Michigan, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/consumer-confidence-climbs-as-trump-pushes-ahead-with-tariffs?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Consumer+Confidence+Climbs+As+Trump+Pushes+Ahead+With+Tariffs">reported</a>.
&#8220;Perceptions of this month&#8217;s economic developments were similar across the political spectrum; Republicans, Independents, and Democrats all saw some minor increases in sentiment this month,&#8221; the University of Michigan stated.
Trump&#8217;s tariff rollout, which lays a baseline of 10% on all countries with a trade deficit with the U.S. and a varying percentage on others that have struck a deal, will go into effect on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-drops-new-tariff-plan-on-eve-of-trumps-trade-deadline?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=White+House+Drops+New+Tariff+Plan+On+Eve+Of+Trump%E2%80%99s+Trade+Deadline">August 7</a>.

Trump Reveals Trade Plans With China, EU Following Massive Deals

Trump Outlines Next Steps In Trade Plans With China, EU Following Massive Deals

News

trade

Trump Administration

BRUSSELS (Reuters) — The European Union will suspend its two packages of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs for six months following a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump, a Commission spokesperson said on Monday.
The E.U.-U.S. agreement leaves many questions open, including tariff rates on spirits, and Trump&#8217;s executive order last week setting tariffs on most E.U. goods at 15%, which did not include carve-outs such as for cars and car parts.
E.U. officials have said they expect more executive orders to follow soon.
&#8220;The E.U. continues to work with the U.S. to finalize a Joint Statement, as agreed on 27 July,&#8221; the spokesperson said in a statement.
&#8220;With these objectives in mind, the Commission will take the necessary steps to suspend by 6 months the E.U.’s countermeasures against the U.S., which were due to enter into force on 7 August.&#8221;
The retaliatory tariffs are in two parts: one in response to U.S. steel and aluminium duties, and the other to Trump&#8217;s baseline and car tariffs.
(Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Toby Chopra)

Donald Trump/Ursula von der Leyen

E.U. To Suspend Retaliatory Tariff On U.S. For Six Months As Massive Trade Deal Is Finalized

U.S.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) responded to the second quarter economic numbers by attempting to gaslight other members of the deliberative body and effectively telling them they weren&#8217;t really seeing what they were seeing.
Schumer took to the Senate floor on Wednesday, where he reacted to the news that the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States was up 3.0% in the second quarter — surpassing the predicted 2.3% and reversing a 0.5% decline from the first quarter.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Schumer confronts GDP report: Labels strong numbers a “mirage.&#8221;
“If Donald Trump keeps up the chaos, the dangers for the economy will continue to get worse.&#8221;
The collapse they want so badly is always riiiight around the corner. <a href="https://t.co/dxZWlD56eE">pic.twitter.com/dxZWlD56eE</a>
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WesternLensman/status/1950569645062197428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;And while the Trump administration will try to wave rosy headlines about the Q2 numbers, today&#8217;s GDP number is, in fact, a mirage,&#8221; Schumer claimed, warning, &#8220;Some ominous numbers lurk under the hood.&#8221;
&#8220;Business investment plunged in the second quarter,&#8221; he said, claiming that Trump&#8217;s economy was so unstable that businesses were afraid to deploy capital. &#8220;Businesses are worried about growing their operations, worried about hiring more workers, worried about trading with their international partners, and worried in general about the future.&#8221;
Schumer went on to blame President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariffs for the whole scenario — which he continued to insist was far gloomier than it looked, warning, &#8220;And if Donald Trump keeps up the chaos, the dangers for the economy will continue to get worse.&#8221;
During his remarks from the Senate floor, Schumer also panned Trump&#8217;s historic trade deal with the European Union — inked during his trip to Scotland over the weekend — and tried to claim that it would be bad for the United States.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨Chuck Schumer is wailing about President Trump&#8217;s historic trade deal with the EU — which has been universally praised as a HUGE WIN for America.
&#8220;Donald Trump is, as usual, trying to hype up, exaggerate, and LIE about his accomplishment!&#8221;
&#8220;Donald Trump ALWAYS LIES — almost… <a href="https://t.co/0G9TCkhqUC">pic.twitter.com/0G9TCkhqUC</a>
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1949923028868927752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Using air quotes around the word &#8220;deal,&#8221; Schumer offered no evidence as he claimed, &#8220;It will result in a $90 billion per year tax hike on American families. When you raise tariffs, the American families pay for it. $90 billion tax on American families in the tariff deal with the European Union.&#8221;
&#8220;Donald Trump is, as usual, trying to hype up, exaggerate, and lie about his accomplishment!&#8221; he claimed, and then lost his place and had to check his notes for the right insult as he continued: &#8220;He — Donald Trump always lies — almost always lies — about his accomplishments — and this is no — exception.&#8221;

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Chuck Schumer Gaslights Senate With His Take On Q2 Numbers: You Don’t See What You See

Chuck Schumer Gaslights Senate With His Take On Q2 Numbers: You Don't See What You See

Chuck Schumer

Congress

U.S. Senate

President Trump showed European allies the ‘art of the deal’ this week as his own luxury resort in Scotland played host to negotiations for one of the largest trade deals in history.
Accompanied by bagpipes, the President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/europe-laughed-at-trump-now-theyre-going-to-cut-a-big-energy-check">shook hands</a> with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and heralded a major new US-EU trade pact — encompassing a 15% tariff rate on European imports.
But while Scotland was hosting talks on open markets, its own government continues to close off a core tenet of liberal democracy: the freedom to speak — even, in some cases, to silently pray.
In April 2024, Scotland enacted the Hate Crime and Public Order Act, which criminalizes words that amount to subjectively “stirring up hatred” based on a wide range of characteristics, such as someone’s “gender identity.” One may be found guilty of using the wrong words even if offence was only taken, but not intended. The consequences include up to seven years in prison.
Legal scholars, writers, and civil liberties groups have raised serious concerns. The law invites the state to police not just conduct but private expression — even within a family home. What was once a proud tradition of robust, even unpopular debate, is being eroded in favor of subjective standards of offense.
Meanwhile, new legislation in Scotland has imposed “buffer zones” around hospitals, vaguely criminalizing “influence” on the matter of abortion within 200 meters of the building. That radius can encompass private homes. <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/26/praying-at-home-a-crime-depending-on-who-is-passing-window/">According</a> to the law’s own architect, Gillian Mackay MSP, a person praying silently near a window in their home could be guilty of a crime, “depending on who’s passing the window.”
One recent case under a similar “buffer zones” law across the English border drew international attention: Livia Tossici-Bolt, aged 62-years-old, was arrested simply for standing with a sign reading “Here to talk, if you want.” She was not disruptive. She was not loud. She simply offered consensual conversation to other adults.
The U.S. State Department <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/03/31/free-speech-row-threatens-starmers-us-trade-deal/">took notice</a>. A senior official confirmed “concern” about the state of free speech in the UK, adding, “It is important that the UK respect and protect freedom of expression.”
Vice President JD Vance raised similar concerns in his landmark speech at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, even highlighting Scotland’ notorious prayer problem, noting, “free speech, I fear, is in retreat.” Who can blame him? In the UK, police are <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2025/05/15/britains-police-are-restricting-speech-in-worrying-ways">arresting</a> over 30 people per day for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-the-people-around-the-world-on-trial-for-a-tweet?author=Lois+McLatchie+Miller&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Meet+The+People+Around+The+World+On+Trial+For+A+Tweet%C2%A0">online posts</a> deemed offensive.
Such statements reflect a growing discomfort with what appears to be a widening values gap between the U.K. and its allies. Free societies are built not just on GDP and diplomatic summits, but on the intangible infrastructure of liberty — the right to live and speak freely, according to one’s own conscience. Trade flows best when rooted in mutual trust, shared principles, and the confidence that citizens on both sides of the Atlantic are protected by the same basic freedoms.
The U.K. cannot credibly advocate for open markets while tolerating closed discourse. A nation cannot speak loudly on the world stage while silencing its citizens at home. If Britain wishes to remain a trusted partner in the transatlantic alliance — not just economically but morally — it must reaffirm its commitment to the freedoms that define liberal democracy.
No ally is perfect. But the U.K. must meet the standards it helped to set. Free trade among free nations requires more than signed agreements. It requires trust in mutual political courage to protect liberty where it is most easily lost: quietly, at home.
 * * * 
Lois McLatchie Miller is a Scottish commentator on free speech, and a senior legal communications officer for ADF International.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Visits US President Donald Trump in Scotland

The U.K. Can’t Champion Free Trade While Abandoning Free Speech

Abortion

Prayer

Pro-Life Movement

Scotland

United Kingdom

President Trump secures a massive trade deal with the E.U. and brokers a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. A possible motive emerges for the New York City mass shooting that left four dead. A decline in the U.S. birthrate spells trouble for the country and the economy. 
It’s Wednesday, July 30, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump Trade Triumph &amp; Manhattan Mass Shooting" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g0E7P_iNmnk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trump-trade-triumph-manhattan-mass-shooting-7-30-25/id1576594336?i=1000719767468" 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>
<h2>Trump Touts Trade and Peace Deal Triumphs</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-954101" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: President Trump returned to the White House on Tuesday night following a successful trip to the United Kingdom, where he finalized a massive trade deal with the European Union and brokered a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. 
The White House is calling the trip a “winning streak” for the president. Under the terms of the trade agreement, the European Union will remove significant tariffs on American goods and purchase $750 billion of United States energy exports during the president’s term in office. The E.U. will also invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the same period. The deal is expected to provide American farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers with unprecedented market access to Europe. 
President Trump also announced on Monday that Thailand and Cambodia had reached a ceasefire after he warned them that continued conflict would jeopardize any potential trade deals with the U.S. The president has now brokered approximately one peace deal or ceasefire per month since taking office. 
Meanwhile, a third round of trade negotiations between the U.S. and China concluded in Sweden without a specific agreement. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the talks as &#8220;constructive,&#8221; suggesting that Trump’s recent deals with Japan and the E.U. have given the U.S. leverage, putting China in &#8220;more of a mood for a wide ranging discussion.&#8221; 
<h2>Motive Emerges In Midtown Manhattan Mass Shooting</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-954103" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH2-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH2.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Four people are dead, including an NYPD officer, after a gunman opened fire in a midtown Manhattan office building on Monday in New York&#8217;s deadliest mass shooting in 25 years.
The 27-year-old shooter stormed the lobby of the skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue, killing four people before taking his own life. According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a suicide note found on the gunman suggests he was targeting the NFL headquarters located in the building. The shooter, who had a history of mental health problems, claimed in the note that he was suffering from CTE, a brain disease linked to head trauma, from playing football. However, he only played in high school.
The shooter was armed with an M-4 rifle, a style of weapon that is banned under New York’s strict gun laws. Following the attack, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) called for a nationwide ban on semi-automatic rifles.
The shooting came as officials in Cincinnati gave an update on a separate, brutal street brawl that went viral over the weekend. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge blamed social media and journalists for misrepresenting the incident and making the investigation more difficult. The city&#8217;s Democratic mayor, Aftab Pureval, accused the Trump administration&#8217;s Department of Justice of politicizing the attack by investigating it for potential hate crime charges. 
<h2>U.S. Faces a ‘Birth Dearth’</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-954105" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH3-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.30.25-SH3.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: The U.S. birthrate fell to an all-time low in 2024, according to a new CDC report, prompting concerns about the future of the nation&#8217;s culture and economy. 
The CDC’s annual report revealed that the U.S. fertility rate dropped to 1.59 children per woman last year, a 19% decline in the last 20 years. This is significantly below the 2.1 rate needed for a generation to replace itself, and it means fewer babies were born in America in 2024 than in 1964, when the population was nearly half its current size. 
The decline is attributed to several factors. Socially, women are waiting longer to have children, with the average age of a first-time mother now at 27.5, up from 22 in 1980. Biologically, fertility rates have also fallen. The average man&#8217;s sperm count has dropped 62% since 1970, a decline linked to rising obesity rates and exposure to &#8220;forever chemicals&#8221; like PFAs. 
The Trump administration views the trend as a crisis. Vice President JD Vance has called the low birthrate an &#8220;existential threat to America.&#8221; The administration has responded with executive actions to reduce the cost of in-vitro fertilization, expand the Child Tax Credit, and has proposed a &#8220;Baby Bonus&#8221; that would provide a $5,000 cash payment to parents for each new child.

MRN 7.30.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Trade Tour De Force, Midtown Tower Attack, U.S. Birth Rates Hit Record Low

Birth Rates

Communist China

Manhattan

Mass Shooting

World

Flashback to September 2018.
That’s when President Donald Trump stood before the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-nations">United Nations</a> and warned Germany about the dangers of becoming addicted to Russian energy.
In response, the <a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/white-house-event/germans-laugh-after-trump-warns-of-reliance-on-foreign-oil/5029974">German delegation laughed</a> in his face. They scoffed. The global press rolled their eyes. Trump, they said, didn’t understand how the world worked.
Fast forward to 2025: those same European leaders are preparing to cut a <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/energy/eu-ditch-russia-agrees-purchase-750b-american-energy-supplies">$750 billion check</a> for American energy – as a result of President Trump’s deal-making.
Who’s laughing now?
The energy investment is a centerpiece of <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-the-united-states-and-european-union-reach-massive-trade-deal/">the trade agreement</a> reached between Washington and Brussels on Sunday. The deal isn’t just a seismic shift in European policy — it’s a vindication of Trump’s America First vision. It is also a humiliating rebuke of the Biden administration’s energy failures. While Biden spent four years kneecapping American producers and begging hostile foreign actors for help, Trump was laying the groundwork for energy dominance.
Now, the world is willing to pay for it — literally.
<h3>Biden Begged For Foreign Oil</h3>
Let’s not forget the image that defined Biden’s energy policy: the President of the United States traveling to Saudi Arabia, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jul/18/oil-price-rises-joe-biden-saudi-output-petrol-diesel-prices">fist-bumping the crown prince</a>, and pleading for more oil. Not only did the Saudis say no, they mocked him by cutting production just months later.
Even worse, Biden’s administration reportedly <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/13/biden-admin-asked-saudi-arabia-to-postpone-opec-cut-by-a-month-saudis-say.html">begged the Saudis</a> to delay that production cut until after the 2022 midterms — because keeping gas prices low wasn’t about helping Americans, it was about helping Democrats stay in power.
All Biden had to do was unleash American energy. But he couldn’t. His green agenda wouldn’t allow it. He blocked drilling, shut down pipelines, and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/biden-pauses-approval-new-lng-export-projects-win-climate-activists-2024-01-26/">froze LNG exports</a>. He made it harder to produce energy here, so we had to buy it from over there.
President Trump’s deal flips the script. Instead of American dollars flowing to foreign regimes, European money is now flowing to the U.S. This isn’t diplomacy through weakness — it’s dominance through strength. President Trump didn’t have to beg because he knows how to lead.
<h3>A Boon To The American Economy</h3>
This $750 billion deal is more than just a geopolitical win — it’s rocket fuel for the American economy. More domestic energy production means more high-paying jobs, more local prosperity, and more opportunities in towns that the Biden economy left behind.
While Biden shut down LNG export projects, Trump is cranking the valves wide open. American energy workers aren’t waiting for a government subsidy — they’re producing real energy the world needs.
Let’s also not ignore Europe’s glaring hypocrisy. In 2024, the European Union spent nearly <a href="https://energyandcleanair.org/publication/eu-imports-of-russian-fossil-fuels-in-third-year-of-invasion-surpass-financial-aid-sent-to-ukraine/">€22 billion on Russian energy</a> — more than the €18.7 billion they gave Ukraine in aid. So, while they waved Ukrainian flags and tried to shame America, they were still funding Putin’s war machine. Now, thanks to President Trump, those Euros will come to American producers instead of Moscow’s war chest. It&#8217;s not just an energy shift — it&#8217;s a moral one.
<h3>Fueling The Fight Against The Deficit</h3>
There’s another upside Biden’s team never understood: when America produces energy, America generates revenue. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the federal government <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-103676">took in over $16 billion</a> in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-federal-energy-revenue-falls-10-2024-still-among-biggest-years-ever-2024-11-08/">just one year</a> from oil and gas leases and royalties.
Trump’s deal promises to supercharge those numbers. More production means more revenue — without raising taxes on a single American family. It’s simple math: energy made here, sold abroad, grows our economy and shrinks our deficit. No gimmicks. No IRS expansion. Just common sense.
Perhaps the most staggering contrast between Biden and President Trump’s EU deal comes down to this: where the money is going.
Under Biden, the federal government <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/08/11/biden-regrets-calling-spending-bill-inflation-reduction-act/">dumped $369 billion </a>of your tax dollars into green energy pipe dreams — Chinese solar panels, offshore wind disasters, and EV charger projects that never got built.
Under Trump? He just secured more than double that amount — $750 billion — in foreign investment in American energy. No taxpayer gimmicks. No dependence on Beijing. Just American energy, made by American workers, powering the world again.
Yes, it’s safe to say the German delegation isn’t laughing anymore. But thanks to Donald Trump, they’ll have plenty of American natural gas to keep them warm through the winter.
* * *
Larry Behrens is an energy expert and the Communications Director for Power The Future. He has appeared on Fox News, ZeroHedge, and NewsMax speaking in defense of American energy workers. You can follow him on X/Twitter @larrybehrens.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

U.S. President Donald Trump Visits Scotland For Golfing Getaway

Europe Laughed At Trump. Now They’re Going To Cut A Big Energy Check.

Energy

Joe Biden

Oil and Gas

Opinion

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. 
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump’s EU Trade Win &amp; Ghislaine Maxwell Questioned" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DrYwQjirTxM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumps-eu-trade-win-ghislaine-maxwell-questioned-7-28-25/id1576594336?i=1000719469521" 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>
&nbsp;
<h2>Trump Strikes EU Trade Deal, Brokers Ceasefire</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-952873" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS0-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS0-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS0-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS0-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS0-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADERS0.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
&nbsp;
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&#8217;s largest trading partner.
Announcing the deal, Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1949527667478319115">said</a>, “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 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/very-good-conversation-trump-says-peace-between-cambodia-and-thailand-imminent-after-phone-calls">border conflict</a> 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. &#8220;No extensions, no more grace periods — August 1st, the tariffs are set,&#8221; he said. 
<div class="source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted"></div>
&nbsp;
<h2></h2>
<h2>DOJ Questions Ghislaine Maxwell For The First Time</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-952871" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-2jpg0-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-2jpg0-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-2jpg0-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-2jpg0-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-2jpg0-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-2jpg0.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
&nbsp;
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 &#8220;100 different people.&#8221; Markus noted that it was the &#8220;first opportunity she&#8217;s ever been given to answer questions about what happened.&#8221; George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley called the development remarkable, expressing shock on Fox News that Maxwell, &#8220;the one who knows the most,&#8221; had been an untapped resource for so long. 
It&#8217;s very likely that Maxwell hopes to trade her testimony for clemency &#8211; she&#8217;s currently serving a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ghislaine-maxwell-sentenced-20-years-prison-conspiring-jeffrey-epstein-sexually-abuse">20-year sentence</a> for her role in Epstein&#8217;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 &#8220;shocked [him] down to [his] core&#8221; and that he would &#8220;never be the same after learning what I’ve learned.&#8221; He urged patience and promised answers would come after a full investigation is completed &#8220;by the book and in accordance with the law.&#8221; 
<div class="source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted"></div>
<div class="source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted"></div>
&nbsp;
<h2></h2>
<h2>California Wildfire Aid Reportedly ‘Disappears’</h2>
&nbsp;
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-952875" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-30-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-30-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-30-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-30-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-30-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/SEGMENT-HEADER-30.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: President Trump is criticizing California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom after nearly $100 million in aid raised by the &#8220;FireAid&#8221; celebrity concert reportedly failed to reach the wildfire victims it was intended to help. 
The &#8220;FireAid&#8221; 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 &#8220;All the money raised will go directly to people who need it.&#8221; 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 &#8220;A TOTAL DISASTER&#8221; and &#8220;ANOTHER DEMOCRAT INSPIRED SCAM.&#8221; 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 &#8220;cultivate egalitarian relationships based on trust and respect,&#8221; while another said it would work to build &#8220;a more humane and democratic society.&#8221; Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) is now pushing for an investigation into where the funds went.

MRN 7.28.25 Thumbnail V1

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

Menu