Skip next section Trump to travel to Saudi ArabiaMarch 7, 2025
Trump to travel to Saudi ArabiaDonald Trump has said his first trip abroad will likely be to Saudi Arabia. The US president said he wanted to seal an agreement for Riyadh to invest upwards of $1 trillion in the US economy, which would include major purchases of military equipment.
Trump reminded reporters that his first overseas trip of his first term in 2017 was to Saudi Arabia, to announce Saudi investments estimated then to be worth $350 billion.
“This time, they’ve gotten richer, we’ve all gotten older,” said Trump.
“I have a great relationship with them, and they’ve been very nice,” Trump said.
Trump’s Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff said the Saudis will also host a US-Ukraine meeting next week to discuss a ceasefire in the Ukraine war.
US, Russia envoys Rubio, Lavrov discuss Ukraine in RiyadhTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
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Skip next section Over 200,000 Ukrainians could be sent home as fighting continues there — reportMarch 7, 2025
Over 200,000 Ukrainians could be sent home as fighting continues there — reportUS President Donald Trump said he would soon decide whether to revoke temporary legal status for some 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia, Reuters reported.
If Trump says yes, the move would be a stunning reversal of the welcome Ukrainians received under President Joe Biden’s administration.
“We’re not looking to hurt anybody, we’re certainly not looking to hurt them, and I’m looking at that,” Trump told reporters.
“There were some people that think that’s appropriate, and some people don’t, and I’ll be making the decision pretty soon,” he added.
The move would be part of a broader Trump administration effort to strip legal status from more than 1.8 million migrants allowed to enter the US under temporary humanitarian parole programs launched under the Biden administration, a senior Trump official and three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rTyp
Skip next section White House mulls abolishing Education DepartmentMarch 6, 2025
White House mulls abolishing Education DepartmentPresident Donald Trump said he wants US schools to be run by each state, as his administration eyes the potential abolishment of the Department of Education.
Trump previously said he wants his cabinet secretary for education, Linda McMahon, to “put herself out of a job” and close her department.
Even tho McMahon was confirmed by the Senate on Monday, an executive order that would end the education department could be signed this week.
McMahon has said it was the department’s “final mission” to eliminate bureaucratic bloat and turn over the agency’s authority to states
But eliminating the department altogether would not be easy and would likely require an act of Congress.
Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has already begun cutting dozens of contracts at the education department that it dismissed as “woke” and wasteful.
The agency’s main role is financial, as it distributes billions in federal money to colleges and schools annually. It also manages the federal student loan portfolio.
The department plays an important regulatory role in services for students, ranging from those with disabilities to low-income and homeless kids.
Trump said on Thursday that he thinks student loans can be handled by the Treasury Department, the Small Business Administration or the Commerce Department.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rTyb
Skip next section US House censures Democratic lawmakerMarch 6, 2025
US House censures Democratic lawmakerThe US House of Representatives censured Democratic member Al Green on Thursday in retaliation for his disruption of Donald Trump’s address to congress the night before.
During the speech, Green stood up and waved his cane to heckle Trump, refusing to sit down despite being warned. He was later removed from the chamber by security.
Republican Congressman Dan Newhouse introduced the resolution to subject Green to a formal reprimand.
“Decorum and order are the institutional grounds for the way we do business in the United States Congress, and the sheer disregard for that standard during President Trump’s address by the gentleman from Texas is unacceptable,” Newhouse said in a statement.
Prior to the vote, Green told reporters he was happy to “suffer the consequences” of his actions.
US Democrats protest, heckle Trump during speech to CongressTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
“I stood up for those who need Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security,” he posted on X. “Democrats will never abandon the fight to make sure every American has a safe, healthy, and financially secure life.”
Censure votes on the House floor used to be rare, but in the recent years, they have been used by both parties more frequently, as relationships between members has soured.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rTwC
Skip next section Trump delays all tariffs on USCMA-compliant goods for a monthMarch 6, 2025
Trump delays all tariffs on USCMA-compliant goods for a monthIn the latest turnaround in President Trump’s trade war, he announced that all Canadian and Mexican goods that fall under the USMCA rules would be exempt from tariffs until April 2.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was signed during Trump’s first term in 2018 after he expressed dissatisfaction with the previous North American trade deal, also known as NAFTA.
On Thursday, Trump also said that auto tariffs, delayed yesterday for a month, would not be postponed a second time.
Earlier this week, Trump imposed 25% import duties on goods coming from the US’ two neighbors and key trading partners.
Trump’s rollercoaster financial maneuvers have sent US stock markets tumbling and business leaders scrambling to keep up.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rTwq
Skip next section Trump makes first move to rein in MuskMarch 6, 2025
Trump makes first move to rein in MuskPresident Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social network that Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), should start using a “scalpel” rather than the “hatchet” when it comes to making government cuts.
The statement marks Trump’s first public reaction to mounting criticism that DOGE is slashing tens of thousands of government jobs, and putting critical services at risk before it has carried out any real budget assessments. Many of its decisions have already been blocked by courts over questions of legality.
Trump is also convening a cabinet meeting later on Thursday to address concerns from secretaries that Musk is trying to run their departments over their heads.
There has been widespread outrage, also from conservatives, that US-South African tech billionaire Musk is exercising far too much power for someone who is neither an elected official nor a cabinet minister.
However, Trump also wrote that “DOGE has been an incredible success, and now that we have my Cabinet in place, I have instructed the Secretaries and Leadership to work with DOGE on Cost Cutting measures and Staffing.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4rTwg
Skip next section Judge extends block of Trump’s federal aid freezeMarch 6, 2025
Judge extends block of Trump’s federal aid freezeUS District Court Judge John McConnell in the US state of Rhode Island blocked the White House from freezing federal grants and loans potentially totaling trillions of dollars, saying that only US Congress had the power to do so.
The latest ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by nearly two dozen Democratic states. The court case was launched over the Trump administration’s plan for a sweeping pause on federal spending.
McConnell ruled that the executive branch was trying to put itself above Congress and said this “undermines the distinct constitutional roles of each branch of our government.”
“The Executive has not pointed to any constitutional or statutory authority that would allow them to impose this type of categorical freeze,” McConnel wrote.
“The Court is not limiting the Executive’s discretion or micromanaging the administration of federal funds. Rather, consistent with the Constitution, statutes, and caselaw, the Court is simply holding that the Executive’s discretion to impose its own policy preferences on appropriated funds can be exercised only if it is authorized by the congressionally approved appropriations statutes,” he added.
The White House did not immediately respond the rulling, but it is expected to appeal the decision.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rTvW
Skip next section Sheinbaum says US and Mexico to curb flow of fentanyl, gunsMarch 6, 2025
Sheinbaum says US and Mexico to curb flow of fentanyl, gunsMexican president Claudia Sheinbaum said the US and Mexico would continue working together to tackle the illicit opioid fentanyl trade from Mexico into the US.
The Trump administration had pointed to drug trafficking as a key point of contention in negotiations over Washington’s 25% tariffs on Mexican imports.
“We had an excellent and respectful call in which we agreed that our work and collaboration have yielded unprecedented results, within the framework of respect for our sovereignties,” Sheinbaum said in a post on X.
Sheinbaum said that the two countries would also work to curb the flow of guns from the US to Mexico.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rToa
Skip next section Trudeau: No end in sight for US-Canada trade warMarch 6, 2025
Trudeau: No end in sight for US-Canada trade warCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country would continue to be in a trade war with the United States for “the foreseeable future” even if there are “breaks for certain sectors,” referring to a possible new pause in recently imposed tariffs.
“Our goal remains to get these tariffs, all tariffs removed,” Trudeau said
The remarks came one day after an urgent call with US President Donald Trump to try to end what Trudeau called an “unjustified” trade war.
Discussions with the Trump administration were ongoing, the Canadian prime minister added. But so far, the two sides appear to not have reached a deal for a pause.
“As I’ve said a number of times, we will not be backing down from our response tariffs until such a time as the unjustified American tariffs on Canadian goods are lifted,” Trudeau added.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rTlg
Skip next section Trump delays most tariffs on Mexico until AprilMarch 6, 2025
Trump delays most tariffs on Mexico until AprilUS President Donald Trump announced that he would pause tariffs he recently imposed on Mexican imports.
It comes after he held talks with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Sheinbaum said the call with Trump was “excellent and respectful,” adding that it had led to “unprecedented results.”
Trump said in particular that tariffs would not apply to trade falling under the USMCA (formerly known as NAFTA) trade deal between the US, Mexico and Canada for now.
“This Agreement is until April 2nd,” he added in a social media post.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rTik
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