China Retaliates, Trump Reacts – China announced they would retaliate against tariffs on Chinese goods in the form of tariffs on $75 billion on US exports to China. US market futures dropped dramatically on the news. In a series of tweets, President Trump slammed China for taking advantage of good faith negotiations by the US and the US Federal Reserve for not cutting interest rates as per his recommendations. Trump called on US companies to find an alternative to China and said he would respond to the new tariffs on Friday afternoon.
Trump Cancels Denmark Trip – President Trump said he was cancelling his planned trip to Denmark after their Prime Minister rebuffed Trump’s interest in buying Greenland, a territory owned by Denmark. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark called Trump’s idea to buy Greenland a ridiculous idea and that the territory was not for sale. In a press gaggle, President Trump said the Danish PM had been “nasty” in her response. Trump also tweeted that Denmark was not meeting their obligations to NATO.
Trump Backs Off Gun Control – After the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, President Trump said he would be looking to increase gun control measures to prevent future massacres. But after speaking to National Rifle Association officials, President Trump seems to have backed off on making any major changes, although he still says he would like to expand background checks.
NYPD Fires Officer – The New York Police Department finally fired officer Daniel Pantaleo, years after his chokehold killed Eric Garner, causing a national uproar. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio came under fire during the last debate over why Pantaleo had not yet been fired. Many believe this put pressure on him and NYPD officials to finally end his tenure.
Two Democrats Drop Out – The Democratic field of 2020 candidates shrunk after two contenders announced they would be dropping out of the race. Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington, said he would be dropping out after polls showed him to be struggling to gain supporters. Inslee made fighting climate change the hallmark of his campaign, an issue that didn’t resonate with primary voters. Seth Moulton, a representative from Massachusetts, also said he would be ending his campaign, after he too failed to garner much support in polls. Moulton ran as a centrist relative to the other Democratic candidates, but voters seem to be interested in a candidate with more radical policies.