Trump Threatens More Tariffs – President Trump has threatened to slap tariffs on another $200 billion of Chinese imports. The threat came after Trump expressed doubts regarding trade talks between the US and China. The Trump administration is considering imposing tariffs between 10% and 25% in the new round of targeted goods. If the new tariffs are implemented, the US will have tariffs on roughly half of all Chinese goods entering the United States.
Papadopoulos Sentenced – Former Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos was sentenced to 14 days in prison and one year of supervised release for lying to FBI investigators inquiring about political dirt on Hillary Clinton that the Russians allegedly obtained. Papadopoulos also tweeted his willingness to testify before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence regarding suspicious encounters he had with various shady characters during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Manafort Cooperating – Prosecutors say that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has agreed to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference during the 2016 presidential campaign. Manafort agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with Mueller in exchange for the resolving of a host of charges he faces. It is unclear whether Manafort has agreed to testify against Donald Trump. If he does, he would be a significant witness in a possible case against the President of the United States.
US Shuts PLO Office – The US has ordered the closure of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) offices in Washington, DC. National Security Advisor John Bolton said the United States will “always stand with our friend and ally, Israel”. Bolton said the closure was in retaliation of Palestinian attempts to prompt an International Criminal Court investigation into Israel for war crimes. Bolton also expressed his dislike for the ICC in general, saying that it “has been ineffective, unaccountable, and indeed, outright dangerous”.
US Discussed Venezuela Coup – The New York Times reported that rebellious Venezuelan military members met US officials to discuss a possible plot to overthrow dictator Nicolas Maduro. President Trump last year made mention of a possible “military option” in regards to Venezuela. The oil-rich nation has in recent years watched its economy collapse and its currency become virtually worthless. Over 2 million Venezuelans have fled the country as basic needs are not met and crime rates soar.
Trump Claims Conspiracy – In a Thursday morning tweet, President Trump disputed official government numbers showing that nearly 3000 Americans died after Hurricane Maria slammed Puerto Rico, saying that it was nothing more than a plot by Democrats to make him look bad. The tweet was met with widespread outrage, as the President once again seems to be siding with conspiracy theorists over official government sources.