Trump pauses Mexico and Canada tariffs for one month in trade for tighter border safety: Live updates

Justin Trudeau tells Canadians to forgo Florida orange juice and Kentucky bourbon after Trump’s aggressive tariff moves

Donald Trump has agreed to suspend his aggressive tariff hike against Mexico and Canada by one month after speaking to his counterparts who both agreed to dispatch 10,000 additional troops to the borders between their countries and the U.S. in order to police illegal drug trafficking.

On Mexico, Trump wrote on Truth Social, that he had had a “very friendly” conversation with Sheinbaum and that the soldiers “will be specifically designated to stop the flow of fentanyl, and illegal migrants into our Country”.

Regarding Canada, the president said the country agreed to appoint a “fentanyl czar” and signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl backed by $200 million.

Trump said he was “very pleased” with the outcome and touted that the deal will protect Americans.

The deals successfully avoid what was expected to be a costly trade war. After initially announcing the tariffs, Mexico and Canada announced retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. in response to the new administration’s trade aggression.

U.S. stock markets were down on Monday morning as traders reacted to the prospect of a developing trade war.

Bill Gates says Elon Musk has been ‘mean’ to him

Bill Gates has opened up about his relationship with Elon Musk, saying that despite their differences he hopes to collaborate with his fellow billionaire.

“He’s been nice to me at times, and mean to me at times,” the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist told The Independent. “I will try and work with him because he’s brilliant, he’s rich, he’s influential.”

However, they have also sparred in public, with Musk criticizing Gates for taking a short position on Tesla stock. He has also said Gates’s understanding of AI is “limited.”

Speaking to The Independent ahead of the publication of his memoir Source Code, Gates said he admired Musk for many reasons. “I’m in awe of the great work he did at SpaceX and Tesla,” said Gates. “The fact that Tesla kind of forced the car industry to do great EVs is a gigantic contribution.”

Kevin E G Perry4 February 2025 01:00

What is USAID? The government agency Elon Musk said needs to ‘die’

Until a few days ago, most Americans might have gone their entire lives without hearing of the US Agency for International Development, the little-known government organization.

But for millions in poverty living around the world, the agency that Elon Musk has been attacking has been a crucial lifeline by providing needed humanitarian aid and other assistance — and for the United States, it has been a key element of soft power that has helped it counter the ambitions of authoritarian regimes for decades.

Read more here:

Andrew Feinberg4 February 2025 00:00

Susan Collins says she will vote to confirm Tulsi Gabbard

Sen. Susan Collins, a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, announced that she would vote to confirm Tulsi Gabbard to be President Donald Trump’s director of National Intelligence.

In a statement Monday, Collins explained her rationale, saying specifically that Gabbard had answered Collins’s questions about Edward Snowden, who leaked information to the press about US surveillance programs.

“In response to my questions during our discussion in my office and at the open hearing, as well as through her explanation at the closed hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden. I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security,” she said in a statement.

During her confirmation hearing, Gabbard cited how Collins led to the creation of ODNI. Collins had expressed reservations about Gabbard’s views on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the US government to gather intelligence on non-Americans outside the United States.

But in the statement, she said Gabbard had answered her concerns.

Eric Garcia3 February 2025 23:30

Rubio delegates Peter Marocco to lead USAID

Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed leaders in Congress that he delegated Peter Marocco to oversee the U.S Agency for International Development

Marocco is a Trump appointee who served at USAID during the first Trump administration.

Ariana Baio3 February 2025 23:00

Democratic lawmakers blocked from USAID offices as they protest Elon Musk efforts to dismantle it

Members of the House and Senate rallied in front of the Ronald Reagan Building which houses USAID.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen told reporters that he and other Democrats were not allowed into the building. He said he would work with Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii to block State Department nominees as long as USAID is in danger.

Eric Garcia3 February 2025 22:30

Trump expresses doubt over Gaza ceasefire deal

President Donald Trump expressed some skepticism over whether or not the Israel–Gaza ceasefire deal would hold saying there ‘no assurance’ it will.

“There’s no assurances that it will hold,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. “Nobody’s ever seen anything like it. I have no guarantees that the peace is going to hold.”

Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. Ceasefire and hostage exchange talks are expected to be one of the main talking points.

Ariana Baio3 February 2025 22:00

Trump pauses Canada tariffs for 30 days

President Trump paused sweeping 25 percent tariffs that were set to hit Canada for 30 days in exchange for Canada increasing its border security, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on X.

Striking a similar deal as Trump did with Mexico, Trudeau said Canada will be deploying 10,000 personnel to the U.S. – Canada border and will also appoint a “Fentanyl Czar”.

Among the other changes, they will launch a joint task force with the U.S. to tackle fentanyl and money laundering problems and list cartels as terrorists.

Ariana Baio3 February 2025 21:54

Trump says he could make a deal with Canada on tariffs

After striking a deal with Mexico that prevents sweeping tariffs from enacting, President Donald Trump said a similar deal could be made with Canada.

Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said he spoke with outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the U.S.–Canada relationship.

The two specifically spoke about banking in Canada. Though U.S. banks do operate in Canada with lending and commercial investments. But U.S. banks are subject to stricter regulations.

“Canada is very tough. You know, we’re not treated well by Canada,” Trump said.

The president once again floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state.

“We’ll see what happens. What I’d like to see Canada become our 51st state,” he added.

Ariana Baio3 February 2025 21:32

ACLU files lawsuit Trump’s asylum executive order

Several immigration advocacy groups, including the ACLU and National Immigrant Justice Center, have filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump’s administration for his executive order aimed at shutting down asylum entry at the border.

The lawsuit, filed in Washington D.C., accuses the administration of bypassing congressional and court authorizations on asylum seeking.

““This is the latest flagrantly illegal attempt by the executive branch to end humanitarian protection at the U.S.-Mexico border,” Richard Caldarone, senior litigation attorney at the National Immigrant Justice Center said in a press release.

“The immigration laws do not give the president autocratic power to override Congress and brazenly violate U.S. treaty obligations related to the protection of refugees. This latest attempt to do so will make thousands of people vulnerable to persecution, torture, and death,” Caldarone added.

It the latest in a series of lawsuits that have been filed against the Trump administration for it’s immigration orders.

Ariana Baio3 February 2025 21:05

Trump to sit down with Fox’s Bret Baier for Super Bowl pregame interview amid slew of controversies

The traditional pregame Super Bowl presidential interview is back on — and it’s almost certainly because it’s Fox’s turn to host the big game.

Justin Baragona reports:

Justin Baragona3 February 2025 20:35

Source: independent.co.uk