Donald Trump has hailed what he called “a powerful deal” on tariffs with the European Union to avert a damaging transatlantic trade war after months of tough negotiations between the two sides.
“It solves a lot of stuff and was a great decision,” the US president said of the agreement after meeting the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, in Scotland. The “important” partnership involved the EU agreeing to spend tens of billions of dollars more on US energy products, Trump said.
US House speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, said he would have “great pause” about granting a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell while another House Republican said it should be considered as part of an effort to obtain more information about Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.
Here’s more on this and the day’s other key Trump administration stories:
Trump and von der Leyen announce US-EU trade deal
Donald Trump has announced a tariff deal with the European Union to end months of difficult negotiations between Washington and Brussels after meeting the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland.
“This is really the biggest trading partnership in the world so we should give it a shot,” the president said before the private meeting started.
Von der Leyen described it as “a huge deal” that would bring “stability” and “predictability” to both sides.
Mike Johnson would have ‘great pause’ about a Ghislaine Maxwell pardon
US House speaker Mike Johnson said he would have “great pause” about granting a pardon or commutation to Ghislaine Maxwell while Kentucky Republican representative Thomas Massie said a pardon should be on the table for the jailed Epstein confidante if she were to give helpful information around the Epstein case.
On Sunday – after deputy attorney general Todd Blanche met with Maxwell last week –Johnson was asked on NBC about the possibility of a pardon and said: “I think she should have a life sentence at least … That she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing. So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would.”
Top medical body concerned at RFK Jr’s reported plans to cut preventive health panel
A top US medical body has expressed “deep concern” to Robert F Kennedy Jr over news reports that the health secretary plans to overhaul a panel that determines which preventive health measures, including cancer screenings, should be covered by insurance companies.
The letter from the the American Medical Association comes after the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Kennedy plans to overhaul the 40-year old US preventive services task force because he regards it as too “woke”, according to sources.
What else happened today:
Thai and Cambodian leaders will meet on Monday for talks to end hostilities, Thailand said, after pressure from Donald Trump to end a deadly border dispute.
UK prime minster Keir Starmer will recall his cabinet from their summer break for an emergency meeting on the Gaza crisis this week as cross-party MPs warned his talks with Donald Trump provided a critical juncture in helping to resolve the conflict.
Catching up? Here’s what happened on 26 July.