President Donald Trump is delaying the deadline on tariff negotiations to August 1 as the U.S. attempts to cement trade deals with dozens of other nations.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump would sign an executive order Monday to push the July 9 deadline back.
The 90-day negotiating period on trade was set to expire on July 9, causing tariffs to increase from the baseline 10 percent rate to the higher levels set by Trump on April 2.
The administration previously claimed it would land “90 deals in 90 days.”
Japan and South Korea received letters Monday from the president informing them of a 25 percent import tax on all goods from their countries starting August 1. Leavitt said approximately 12 other countries will receive letters imminently.
Meanwhile, Trump earlier reignited the feud with Elon Musk, his former friend, ally and patron, over his threat to set up a third political party in the United States.
In a lengthy Truth Social tirade on Sunday, Trump said Musk has gone “off the rails” in recent weeks and become a “trainwreck.”
Elsewhere, Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for dinner at the White House on Monday evening.
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Key Points
- Trump to sign executive order delaying tariff deadline to August 1
- President sends letters to leaders of Malaysia, South Africa, Laos, Myanmar and Kazakhstan
- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu returning to White House for Gaza peace talks
- Donald Trump reignites feud with ‘trainwreck’ Elon Musk
- Jeffrey Epstein client list 'doesn’t exist,' feds say, despite Musk’s claim that Trump is on it
World leaders are 'begging' Trump to make a deal, Leavitt claims
19:40
,
Rhian Lubin
Karoline Leavitt claimed world leaders are “begging” President Donald Trump to make a trade deal after he pushed the negotiation deadline back by nearly three weeks.
Leavitt was asked at Monday’s briefing if Trump was “at all concerned” that countries receiving the letters “won’t take them seriously because the deadline seems to have shifted already and may shift again.”
“They will take the letters seriously because they have taken the president seriously,” Leavitt responded.
“That’s why the president’s phone rings off the hook from world leaders all the time, who are begging him to come to a deal.”
New: Trump posts letters to leaders of Malaysia, Laos, South Africa, Kazakhstan & Myanmar
19:24
,
Rhian Lubin
President Donald Trump has posted copies of the letters sent to the leaders of Malaysia, Laos, South Africa, Kazakhstan and Myanmar informing them of the tariffs he will impose on imports to the U.S.
The tariffs range from 25 – 40 percent.
The president shared the letters on Truth Social Monday afternoon.
Tariff deadline pushed back again despite '90 deals in 90 days' pledge
19:00
,
Rhian Lubin, AP
President Donald Trump is signing an executive order on Monday to delay that tariff increase deadline by roughly three weeks to Aug. 1, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the news briefing.
The 90-day negotiating period on trade was set to expire on July 9, causing tariffs to increase from the baseline 10% rate to the generally higher levels set by Trump on April 2. But the order would allow the new rates being announced by Trump on Monday and Tuesday to be imposed starting on Aug 1.
Trump posted letters to the leaders of South Korea and Japan saying imports of their goods will be taxed at 25 percent. Leavitt said approximately a dozen other countries will receive letters.
Leavitt is quizzed about Epstein files
18:49
,
Rhian Lubin
Leavitt was quizzed about the DOJ and FBI’s newly-released memo about the Epstein files, which said its investigation found that the disgraced financier did not have a “client list.”
The DOJ and FBI also said they would not be making any further charges in the case.
MAGA has responded with fury. Leavitt was asked what the administration has to say to MAGA supporters “who want anyone involved in Epstein’s crimes to be held accountable.”
“This administration is committed to truth and transparency, that’s why the Attorney General and FBI director pledged to do an exhaustive review of Epstein’s crimes,” Leavitt said.
She explained that there was material the law enforcement agencies did not release “because it was incredibly graphic and not appropriate for public consumption.”
“They committed to an investigation” and “delivered,” she claimed. “That’s transparency.”
'Keep your eyes on Truth Social' for more details of tariffs, Leavitt says
18:39
,
Rhian Lubin
When asked by a reporter which countries would receive the next batch of letters from the president about the tariffs, Leavitt said she would leave the reveal to Trump.
“Keep your eyes on Truth Social,” she said.
Trump will sign an executive order delaying July 9 tariff deadline
18:36
,
Rhian Lubin
Turning to trade deals, President Donald Trump will sign an executive order delaying the July 9 deadline on trade tariffs to August 1, Karoline Leavitt said.
Letters are going out to countries where trade deals are not yet in place.
Leavitt touts Trump's 'many, many wins' during first six months in office
18:32
,
Rhian Lubin
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt starts the briefing by touting the president’s “many, many wins” over the last six months, including ushering in the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” the U.S. trade deal with Vietnam, and taking credit for low gas prices.
She is now taking questions from the press.
White House briefing expected imminently
18:19
,
Rhian Lubin
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is due to hold a briefing in the next few minutes.
Follow along at the link below.
Trump: Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro victim of a 'witch hunt'
17:45
,
Rhian Lubin, Reuters
Trump has not said anything further about the feud with Elon Musk, and instead turned his attention to how Brazil “is doing a terrible thing” to former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Trump defended Bolsonaro on Truth Social and said his former ally was the victim of a “witch hunt,” a term Trump has used to describe his own treatment by political opponents.
Bolsonaro, who was friendly with Trump when they were both in office, is on trial in Brazil on charges of plotting a coup to stop Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in January 2023.
Musk posts memes mocking the Trump administration's handling of Epstein files
17:22
,
Rhian Lubin
Elon Musk lashed out at the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files after the DOJ and FBI said the disgraced financier had “no client list” to “blackmail” individuals.
The law enforcement agencies said no further charges would be brought against anyone else.
Musk responded by sharing several memes on X.
Analysis: How Musk can hurt Trump
16:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
In his feud with the president, the world’s richest person has the distinct disadvantage of not possessing nukes.
But that doesn’t mean he has no cards to play, writes Io Dodds.
Trump cabinet’s tariff cheerleading met with scepticism
16:10
,
Joe Sommerlad
Scott Bessent and Peter Navarro have been back out in front of the cameras hyping the president’s latest tariff announcements but neither Fox News pundit Jessica Tarlov nor CNBC seem convinced based on what they’ve heard from the administration so far.
On August 1st, they will extend the deadline again—just wait. https://t.co/3cfpiTtovH
— Jessica Tarlov (@JessicaTarlov) July 7, 2025
QUINTANILLA: I wanted to ask you about your comment on April when you said '90 days were possible in 90 days.' We're almost up. Was your thinking at the time that it was an aspirational number, or are you disappointed in two deals for now?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 7, 2025
PETER NAVARRO: I'm happy with the… pic.twitter.com/EWjcUwCV0I
Elon Musk calls DOJ findings of no Epstein ‘client list’ the ‘final straw’
15:50
,
Joe Sommerlad
The world’s richest man has launched a fresh attack on the federal government, slamming the Department of Justice’s newly-released findings that the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein had no “client list” as “the final straw.”
Rhian Lubin has the very latest.
Trump’s border czar to Zohran Mamdani: ‘Good luck’
15:40
,
Joe Sommerlad
Professional tough guy Tom Homan has been speaking to the media this morning and scoffs at the idea that the New York City mayoral candidate would succeed in standing up to the might of ICE.
Q: "Zohran Mamdani, the likely next mayor of New York City, has promised not to cooperate with you or with ICE…How are you going to handle that?"
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 7, 2025
Tom Homan: "Good luck on that because we're going to be in New York City..." pic.twitter.com/zr9JJy14ci
Almost in the same breath, he’s pleading for an end to the criticism of his agents, famed for their own sensitivity.
.@RealTomHoman: "The attack on ICE officers... is up nearly 700% now... We have Senators, we have Congresspeople that compare ICE to the Nazis... The rhetoric has to stop or it's a matter of time before one of the ICE officers goes down." pic.twitter.com/dkPVYqeG4N
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 7, 2025
Trump taken to court over deportations of pro-Palestinian student protesters
15:21
,
Joe Sommerlad
Groups representing U.S. university professors seeking to protect international students and faculty who engage in pro-Palestinian advocacy from being deported after taking the Trump administration to court.
A two-week non-jury trial scheduled to kick off on Monday in Boston marks a rarity in the hundreds of lawsuits that have been filed nationally challenging Trump’s hardline immigration agenda to carry out mass deportations, slash spending and reshape the federal government.
In many of those cases, judges have issued quick rulings early on in the proceedings without any witnesses being called to testify.
But U.S. District Judge William Young, in keeping with his long-standing practice, instead ordered a trial in the professors’ case, saying it was the “best way to get at the truth.”
Voices: The big risk to Trump from his ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ won’t come from Musk
14:55
,
Joe Sommerlad
The president’s mega-legislation will add an eye-watering $3 trillion to the U.S. deficit – allowing tax cuts for the rich and cuts to benefits and healthcare for some of America’s poorest, writes Jon Sopel.
Trump may be reigning supreme for now – but there are dangers ahead.
Analysis: What are the challenges to launching Musk’s new ‘America Party’?
14:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
He’s built rockets and electric vehicles, but some experts are skeptical as to whether the world’s richest person can successfully build a new political party.
Kelly Rissman takes a look at the obstacles in his path.
Andy Beshear confirms he’s eyeing possible 2028 run for president
14:05
,
Joe Sommerlad
Kentucky’s Democratic Governor appeared on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday and told Dana Bash he is considering challenging for the White House in three years’ time.
“If you’d asked me this question a couple years ago, I would have said no. My family’s been through a lot, but I do not want to leave a broken country to my kids, or anyone else’s,” he said.
“So what I think is most important for a candidate for 2028 is a candidate that can heal this country, that can bring people back together. So when I sit down, I’m going to think about whether I’m that candidate, or whether someone else is that candidate.”
John Bowden has more.
Grok uses climate stats to explain Trump’s post about Texas floods
13:40
,
Joe Sommerlad
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence bot on X summarized a post from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt over the weekend about the devastating Texas floods by providing information on how global warming increases the likelihood of extreme weather.
On Saturday, Leavitt re-posted a Truth Social message from President Donald Trump acknowledging the intense flooding that has killed at least 82 people and informing the public that the administration is working with local Texas officials to assist.
When asked to summarize the post, Grok provided background information on how climate change is making flooding worse, a point unlikely to be appreciated by Trump who has called the issue a “hoax.”
Ariana Baio has more.
Republican-led states considering ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ knock-offs
13:20
,
Joe Sommerlad
With the opening of the MAGA-approved “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center in the Florida Everglades imminent, other states with Republican leadership have reportedly been in touch with the White House about opening equivalent facilities on their own turf.
Here’s more.
ICE continued Los Angeles raids over Fourth of July weekend
13:00
,
Joe Sommerlad
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained several people in the Los Angeles area on Independence Day.
The agency has detained more than 1,600 people in the region in recent months, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Among those arrested on the Fourth of July were two car wash workers who had been employed there for decades and a beloved food vendor who runs a birria stand, the outlet reports.
Here’s the latest from Katie Hawkinson.
Breaking: Jeffrey Epstein client list 'doesn’t exist,' feds say, despite Musk’s claim that Trump is on it
12:41
,
Joe Sommerlad
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI have ruled that there is no “client list” belonging to the late billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, just a month after Elon Musk accused the president of being on it.
The disgraced financier also died by taking his own life in a New York City jail cell in August 2019 and was not murdered, the DOJ and FBI determine in a two-page memo seen by Axios.
Epstein has been the subject of conspiracy theories ever since his death, with many alleging that he kept a private list of wealthy and well-known public figures whom he trafficked underage girls to for sex.
There has also been long-standing speculation that he was assassinated under orders from one of his powerful former clients so as to prevent his revealing their involvement in his crimes.
The memo in question also reveals that the Trump administration is planning to release CCTV footage from the Manhattan prison in which Epstein spent his final days, in both “raw” and “enhanced” versions, in the hope of definitively establishing that no one else was involved in his death.
Here’s the latest.
Analysis: Putin may be mocking Trump over Ukraine – but US president won’t do anything about it
12:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
European leaders have redoubled their efforts to prise Donald Trump away from Russia by warning that the U.S. president is being “mocked” by Vladimir Putin, alleging that Moscow is using chemical weapons in Ukraine and demanding that the U.S. restore weapons supplies to Kyiv.
Here’s the latest from Sam Kiley.
Voices: Musk’s latest Trump spat could end the MAGA saga for good
12:10
,
Joe Sommerlad
If the “trainwreck” Tesla boss goes through with launching his new “America Party,” bankrolling a new presidential candidate with his almost limitless wealth, it could do much more than just derail Trump’s second term, says Sean O’Grady.
Trump’s tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest two-way trade relationship
11:50
,
Joe Sommerlad
America’s largest trade partner, the European Union, is among the entities awaiting word Monday on whether U.S. President Donald Trump really will impose punishing tariffs on their goods, a move economists have warned would have repercussions for companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Trump imposed a 20 percent import tax on all E.U.-made products in early April as part of a set of tariffs targeting countries with which the United States has a trade imbalance. Hours after the nation-specific duties took effect, he put them on hold until July 9 at a standard rate of 10 percent to quiet financial markets and allow time for negotiations. He has since extended that pause to August 1.
Expressing displeasure, the E.U.'s stance in trade talks, however, the president said he would jack up the tariff rate for European exports to 50 percent. A rate that high could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals much more expensive in the U.S.
Here are important things to know about trade between the United States and the European Union.
Ex-Treasury secretary pans Congress for passing ‘shameful’ Trump megabill he says will hurt economy
11:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
One of Bessent’s predecessors in the job, Larry Summers, was also interviewed on the Sunday shows and hit out angrily at the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which was forced through the House of Representatives last week and threatens to slash welfare and hike up the national debt to pay for defense spending and tax breaks.
“In my 70 years, I’ve never been as embarrassed for my country on July 4th,” Summers told George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s This Week.
“These higher interest rates, these cutbacks in subsidies to electricity, these reductions in the availability of housing, the fact that hospitals are going to have to take care of these people and pass on the costs to everybody else, and that’s going to mean more inflation, more risk that the Fed has to raise interest rates and run the risk of recession, more stagflation, that’s the risk facing every middle-class family in our country because of this bill.
“And for what? A million dollars over 10 years to the top tenth of a percent of our population? Is that the highest priority use of federal money right now? I don't think so. This is a shameful act by our Congress and by our president that is going to set our country back.”
John Bowden was watching.
Bessent spars with CNN over whether Trump’s tariffs count as deals
11:10
,
Joe Sommerlad
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent got into a row with Dana Bash on Sunday over the administration’s claim that it would be announcing 90 deals in 90 days in response to its tough tariff policy.
“The president has a reputation, a self-described dealmaker, so why haven't we seen the kind of deals that he promised in the last 90 days?” Bash asked.
Bessent, rightly, pointed out that it was trade adviser Peter Navarro who had made that ill-advised claim, not Trump, and continued: “When we send out the 100 letters to these countries, that will set their tariff rate. So we're going to have 100 done in the next few days.”
Bash responded: “But that’s not a deal. That’s a threat.”
“No, that’s the level,” Bessent insisted. “That’s the deal.”
He continued: “President Trump’s going to be sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that if you don’t move things along, then on August 1, you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level.”
John Bowden has more.
Trump set to visit Texas this week to console victims of flash flooding tragedy
10:50
,
Joe Sommerlad
With at least 82 people dead and 10 girls still missing in the Lone Star State after torrential rain caused the Guadalupe River to burst its banks over the weekend, the president has issued a major disaster declaration and pledged to visit bereaved families and exhausted rescue workers later this week, most likely on Friday.
GOD BLESS ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH, AND GOD BLESS THE STATE OF TEXAS! pic.twitter.com/zgtG35vwht
— Unofficial Trump on X (@trump_repost) July 6, 2025
— Unofficial Trump on X (@trump_repost) July 6, 2025
You can follow all the latest updates on the recovery effort with James Liddell right here.
A blame game has meanwhile already erupted over the tragedy, with some officials claiming the Trump administration’s cuts to the National Weather Service meant it could not deliver sufficient forecasts warning of the imminent danger.
Here’s the latest from Katie Hawkinson and Erin Keller.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu returning to White House for Gaza peace talks
10:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday for pivotal talks about delivering an end to the 21-month war in Gaza.
Israel has already accepted a U.S.-brokered framework on a 60-day truce.
On Friday, Trump was equivocal on Hamas’s acceptance of the deal, which, sources have told The Independent, hinges on whether or not it will lead to further negotiations for a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Below, The Independent’s chief international correspondent Bel Trew looks at the main sticking points to the deal for both sides and whether Netanyahu’s third visit to Trump’s White House in six months will finally mark the beginning of the end of the war.
Trump to issue tariff updates and threatens new hike to punish 'anti-American' traders
10:10
,
Joe Sommerlad
After announcing a further delay to the introduction of his new “Liberation Day” tariffs, first announced on April 2 and then hastily retracted (they’re now being implemented on Friday August 1), the president has promised some fresh announcements today, also threatening countries with an additional 10 percent rate hike if they adopt “anti-American policies” in their trading.
I am pleased to announce that the UNITED STATES TARIFF Letters, and/or Deals, with various Countries from around the World, will be delivered starting 12:00 P.M. (Eastern), Monday, July 7th. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP, President of The United…
— Unofficial Trump on X (@trump_repost) July 7, 2025
Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
— Unofficial Trump on X (@trump_repost) July 7, 2025
So far, only the U.K., China and Vietnam have agreed tailored deals with the Trump administration to sidestep the blanket “reciprocal” levies he unveiled in the spring.
Before the latest extension of the pause was announced, Trump’s original 90-day halt was due to expire on Wednesday July 9.
Speaking at Morristown Municipal Airport yesterday evening, the president gave a bungled answer to a reporter who asked him to clarify once and for all when the tariff rates would be introduced.
Perhaps not hearing clearly over the roar of Air Force One nearby, Trump leaned in and asked the journalist to repeat her question. He then proceeded not to answer it anyway.
“They’re going to be tariffs. The tariffs are going to be the tariffs. I think we'll have most countries done by July 9. Either a letter or a deal,” he said.
Here’s more from Kelly Rissman.
Donald Trump reignites feud with ‘trainwreck’ Elon Musk
09:50
,
Joe Sommerlad
President Donald Trump has reignited his feud with Elon Musk, his former friend, ally and patron, over his threat to set up a third political party in the United States.
In a lengthy Truth Social tirade on Sunday, Trump said Musk has gone “off the rails” in recent weeks and become a “trainwreck”, again claiming that his opposition to the president’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” – signed into law on Friday – stemmed from its elimination of incentives beneficial to electric vehicle manufacturer’s like Musk’s company Tesla.
“When Elon gave me his total and unquestioned endorsement, I asked him whether or not he knew that I was going to terminate the EV Mandate – It was in every speech I made,” Trump wrote.
“He said he had no problems with that – I was very surprised!”
I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely "off the rails," essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks. He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States - The System seems not designed for…
— Unofficial Trump on X (@trump_repost) July 6, 2025
Earlier in the day, Trump had branded the world’s richest man “ridiculous” for threatening to found a new party to challenge Republicans and Democrats.
The billionaire has since retaliated by again taunting the president over his friendship with deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
What’s the time? Oh look, it’s no-one-has-been-arrested-o’clock again … pic.twitter.com/CO9xJz68Tf
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2025
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2025
“What the heck was the point of @DOGE if he’s just going to increase the debt by $5 trillion??” Musk asked in another post on X, reposting a sympathetic response from a fellow user who suggested Trump had behaved ungratefully to the tech boss after accepting $288m from him in campaign donations last year.
I would be livid if I was Elon. Imagine you go all-in, receive tons of death threats, your companies are under fire, but you keep your head on the mission to cut costs thinking you’re doing your part to save our country. You bring in the best and brightest young minds,… https://t.co/oD5zlFWXa4
— Dave Lee (@heydave7) July 6, 2025
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