President Donald Trump on Monday used his luxury golf course on Scotland’s southeastern coast to host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, mixing critical discussions on the deepening food crisis in Gaza, Russia’s war in Ukraine and tariff rates with boasts about the property’s opulence.
Trump suggested a major recalibration of U.S. policy toward Gaza. He said Israel “has a lot of responsibility” for what’s happening but is hampered by what its actions might mean for the prospects of Israeli hostages Hamas has been holding since it attacked Israel in 2023.
“I think Israel can do a lot,” Trump said. He added that when next speaking to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he’d insist, “I want them to make sure they get the food.”Other news we’re following today:
1. Trump shortens the deadline for Russia to end the war in Ukraine: Trump had said on July 14 that he would implement “severe tariffs” on Russia unless a peace deal is reached by early September. On Monday, Trump said he would now give Russian President Vladimir Putin 10 to 12 days, meaning he wants peace efforts to make progress by Aug. 7-9.
2. Judge blocks Trump from defunding Planned Parenthood: A federal judge on Monday ruled Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide must continue to be reimbursed for Medicaid funding as the nation’s largest abortion provider fights the Trump administration over a provision in the latest tax bill.
3. US reaches a trade deal with the EU: The United States and the European Union agreed to a trade frameworkthat sets a 15% tariff on most goods, staving off — at least for now — far higher imports on both sides that might have sent shockwaves through economies around the globe. The announcement came Sunday after Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met briefly at Trump’s golf course.
Here's the latest:
Senate majority leader accuses Democrats of ‘historic level of obstruction’
The push for speedy Senate confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominees is coming to a head this week, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune started it off with a fiery floor speech aimed at his Democratic colleagues.
The South Dakota Republican threatened to keep senators in Washington for confirmation votes beyond the end of the week, when they are scheduled to start a monthlong recess.
He said Democrats “can continue with this historic and unprecedented levels of obstructionism or they can work with us to get some of these things, some of them done.”
Thune is caught between demands from Trump that the Senate quickly confirm nominees, particularly many ambassadors who are personal friends of the president, and Senate Democrats who have sought to show their resistance to the Trump administration by objecting to quick confirmations, even for nominees who are relatively uncontroversial.
NASA expects to lose a fifth of its workforce to voluntary separation programs
Nearly 4,000 employees are set to leave the space agency by the start of next year, NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner said in a statement.
She said the agency is streamlining as it works toward goals like exploring the moon and Mars, keeping safety a top priority.
About 3,000 employees opted into a new round of deferred resignation, early retirement and voluntary separation programs offered this summer. About 870 accepted deferred resignations offered earlier this year.
While the numbers are subject to change, the agency projects its workforce will be downsized to about 14,000 employees.
Last week, more than 300 current and former NASA employees signed a letter objecting to changes at the agency, including cuts to research and staffing.
Ghislaine Maxwell urges the Supreme Court to take up her criminal case
Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell filed a final written brief urging the Supreme Court to take up her criminal case, though the justices aren’t scheduled to review the appeal before late September.
Maxwell is the former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy and well-connected financier who killed himself in 2019 as he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. She was convicted in 2021 on charges that she helped Epstein sexually abuse underage girls and is serving a long prison sentence.
Maxwell is appealing her conviction, based on the government’s pledge years ago that any potential Epstein co-conspirators would not be charged. Epstein struck a deal with federal prosecutors in 2008 that shifted his case to Florida state court, where he pleaded guilty to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
In a statement, her lawyer David Oscar Markus said Maxwell was appealing not only to the Supreme Court but to Trump to “recognize how profoundly unjust it is to scapegoat Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s crimes, especially when the government promised she would not be prosecuted.”
Senate Democrats call for release of Ghislaine Maxwell interviews
The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, is calling on the Department of Justice to release transcripts and recordings of the interviews it conducted last week with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein.
Although Democrats on the committee have no power to force the release of the interviews, they are trying to keep the pressure on Trump’s administration to disclose more information.
The issue has become a wedge in Trump’s political base, sparking some of his supporters to criticize how the administration has reneged on promises for complete disclosure of the investigation into Epstein for sex trafficking.
In the letter, which was also signed by Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the senators call last week’s interviews “another tactic to distract from DOJ’s failure to fulfill Attorney General Bondi’s commitment that the American people would see ‘the full Epstein files.’”
They are noting that it was unusual and concerning to have Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conduct the interviews, rather than prosecutors versed in the case. They also asked the Justice Department to pledge it would not offer Maxwell a pardon for her participation in the interviews.
Vance says Trump wants ‘full transparency’ in Epstein case
Asked about Epstein during an appearance in his home state of Ohio, Vice President JD Vance said the government isn’t hiding the files.
Vance said Trump asked the attorney general to release all “credible information,” but the process “takes time.”
The Justice Department recently said it wouldn’t release any more information in the case but, at Trump’s direction, has for grand jury transcripts to be made public. One judge has denied that request while a second judge has yet to rule.
Vance said Trump, who was an acquaintance of Epstein before they had a falling out, wants “full transparency” in the case. Vance alleged that prior administrations went “easy on this guy.”
Judge blocks Trump administration’s efforts to defund Planned Parenthood
A federal judge on Monday said Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide must continue to be reimbursed for Medicaid funding as the nation’s largest abortion provider fights Trump’s administration over efforts to defund the organization in his signature tax legislation.
The new order replaces a previous edict handed down by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston last week.
Talwani initially granted a preliminary injunction specifically blocking the government from cutting Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood members that didn’t provide abortion care or didn’t meet a threshold of at least $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in a given year.
Trump praises en
vironmentalist King Charles III
Trump said he’s a “big fan” of the king, who will be his host at Windsor Castle during a state visit to the U.K. in September.
On a visit to golf courses the Trump family owns in Scotland, Trump praised the beauty of the country where his mother was born. But he said there was one blot on the landscape: the turbines of Britain’s burgeoning wind power industry, which Trump called “ugly monsters.”
The king is a champion of renewable energy — and, as monarch, owns some of the seabed around Britain on which offshore turbines stand.
Trump said the king “is an environmentalist … He wants clean air, clean water,” adding that, “I’m all for it.”
Trump says he doesn’t draw — except for charity
Questions from reporters prompted an extended digression into the Jeffrey Epstein case as Starmer sat quietly at Trump’s side.
Asked about a Wall Street Journal report that said he allegedly drew a picture in a birthday letter for Jeffrey Epstein years ago, Trump said, “I don’t do drawings, I’m not a drawing person.”
He said he would make exceptions for charity — sketching buildings — but insisted, “I don’t do drawings of women.”
The Journal report says the letter signed by Trump included a provocative drawing of a woman.
Trump dismisses the idea of meeting with Putin
When asked by a reporter about a proposed in-person meeting with Putin, Trump said, “I’m not so interested in talking anymore.”
“He talks with such nice conversation, such respectful and nice conversations,” Trump said. “And then, people die the following night with a missile going into a town and hitting.”
Trump dials back criticism of Fed
Although he’s left no doubt that he wants lower interest rates, Trump’s criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell lacked some of his recent vitriol.
“I’m not going to say anything bad,” he said. “We’re doing so well, even without the rate cut.”
Trump met Powell at the Fed headquarters last week, where he criticized the cost of renovations. The president has used the issue as a political cudgel as he pushes for lower rates.
“A smart person would cut,” Trump said, adding that Powell “leaves very soon.” Powell’s term ends next May.
Trump looking forward to September state visit to UK
The president reflected on how his unprecedented second state visit, scheduled for later this year, has never been done and reminisced about his last state visit in 2019 during his first term.
“It was one of the most beautiful evenings I’ve ever seen,” Trump said of his first visit.
As he spoke about the pomp and ceremony of the evening, he said to Starmer, “Nobody does it like you people.”
Starmer, too, pointed out how the nation had never invited a U.S. president for a second state visit.
“You can imagine just how special that’s going to be,” Starmer said.
US-China trade talks have begun in Stockholm, China’s state media says
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is leading the U.S. team in the negotiations, while Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng is leading the Chinese delegation.
The two sides earlier agreed to a truce in the trade war, and this time are expected to work toward a more lasting deal that may address the trade imbalance and possibly prepare for a summit between their presidents.
Trump suggests Israel has responsibility for improving humanitarian aid in Gaza
He said that Israel “has a lot of responsibility” for what is happening, but said the country is hampered by considerations of the remaining hostages it wants to see kept alive and freed.
“I think Israel can do a lot,” Trump said, without offering more information.
Trump says US will boost aid to Gaza
There was little in the way of specifics, but Trump said during a meeting with Starmer that “we’re going to set up food centers.”
He said, “We want to help,” and “we have to get the kids fed.”
Earlier in the day, Trump expressed annoyance that the U.S. hadn’t received more credit for previous rounds of humanitarian aid.
Trump says he’s only going to give Russia 10 to 12 more days to reach peace
The president was asked to clarify after he said earlier Monday that he would shorten his 50-day window for Russia to reach peace with Ukraine.
Trump said there was “no reason in waiting.”
“We just don’t see any progress being made,” he added.
Trump says he will shorten deadline for Russia to reach peace in Ukraine
Two weeks ago, the president said he would give Russia and Ukraine just 50 days to make a deal to end the war. Now, Trump said, he’s going to reduce that time to a “lesser number.”
“I think I already know the answer, what’s going to happen,” he said, expressing skepticism that Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to reach an agreement.
Trump repeated his criticism of Putin for talking about ending the war, only to continue bombarding Ukraine.
“And I say, that’s not the way to do it,” Trump said. He added that “I’m disappointed in President Putin.”
Trump disagrees with Israeli leader’s claim that there’s ‘no starvation in Gaza’
The president, when asked if he agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks about hunger in Gaza, said, “I don’t know. I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry.”
Netanyahu on Sunday said, “There is no policy of starvation in Gaza and there is no starvation in Gaza.”
Starmer, standing next to Trump, said, “We’ve got to get that ceasefire” in Gaza and called it “a desperate situation.”
Trump said the two will talk about the humanitarian situation in Gaza when they meet inside.
The Associated Press
