President has announcing that citizens of 12 countries would be banned from visiting the United States and those from seven others would face restrictions.
Meanwhile, Germany鈥檚 new leader, Chancellor , is meeting Trump in Washington on Thursday as he works to keep the U.S. on board with Western support , help defuse trade tensions that pose a risk to Europe鈥檚 biggest economy and further bolster his country鈥檚 long-criticized military spending.
Here's the latest:
Trump says it鈥檚 鈥榓n honor鈥� to have foreign students studying in the US
Trump said, 鈥渨e want to have foreign students come,鈥� though he signed an executive order Wednesday night to block nearly all such students from coming to study at Harvard.
It鈥檚 part of the Republican president鈥檚 ongoing fight with the Ivy League school.
Trump鈥檚 order cites national security as a reason to block Harvard from continuing to host foreign students on its campus in Massachusetts.
Under Biden, Trump says 鈥榳hoever used the autopen was the president鈥�
Trump has again decried former President Joe Biden鈥檚 use of an autopen to sign pardons and other documents.
In the Oval Office, Trump called the usage 鈥渧ery dangerous鈥� and 鈥渋nappropriate,鈥� saying he can tell 鈥渆asily鈥� when an autopen is being used.
On Wednesday, Trump to investigate Biden鈥檚 actions as president, casting doubts on the legitimacy of his to sign pardons and other documents.
In a statement, Biden has called any suggestion that he didn鈥檛 make such decisions 鈥渞idiculous and false.鈥�
Trump says he and Xi have 鈥榮traightened out any complexity鈥�
Following his discussion with Xi earlier Thursday, Trump told reporters he thinks the U.S. is 鈥渋n very good shape with China and the trade deal,鈥� but he didn鈥檛 offer any specifics.
He said the U.S. has a deal with China but is sending a team for more trade talks to 鈥渕ake sure that everybody understands what the deal is.鈥�
Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump will be going to China to accept Xi鈥檚 invitation to visit 鈥渁t a certain point.鈥�
Trump calls Merz 鈥榙ifficult鈥� 鈥� but says that鈥檚 a good thing
Trump says Merz is 鈥渁 very good man to deal with鈥� and a great representative of Germany.
But he went on to say that he鈥檚 also 鈥渄ifficult,鈥� suggesting it as a compliment.
鈥淵ou wouldn鈥檛 want me to say that you鈥檙e easy,鈥� Trump said, turning to Merz, who smiled.
Trump says travel ban 鈥榗an鈥檛 come soon enough鈥�
Asked about his travel ban proposal as he and Merz sat in the Oval Office, Trump said 鈥渋t can鈥檛 come soon enough.鈥�
Turning to Merz, Trump said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not your fault.鈥� Of migration under Merz鈥檚 predecessor, former Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump added: 鈥淚 told her it shouldn鈥檛 have happened.鈥�
Merz is the current leader of Merkel鈥檚 party but has diverged from her in several ways, notably including cutting irregular migration as one of his focuses.
Merz says it鈥檚 his first time at the White House since 1982
Ronald Reagan was in office during Merz鈥檚 last visit to the Oval Office, he said.
鈥淚鈥檓 very happy to be here again and offer our close cooperation with the United States of America,鈥� he told Trump.
Merz said Germans 鈥渙we the Americans a lot鈥� and 鈥渨e will never forget about that.鈥�
The chancellor also noted Trump鈥檚 German background and said it鈥檚 was a 鈥済ood basis鈥� for consultation. Trump鈥檚 grandfather was born in Germany.
Merz presents Trump with his grandfather鈥檚 birth certificate
The German leader met with the president in the Oval Office and presented him with a gilded gift 鈥� a framed copy of Trump鈥檚 grandfather鈥檚 birth certificate.
Trump鈥檚 grandfather Friedrich Trump immigrated to America from Germany.
The birth certificate was in a gold frame, reflecting Trump鈥檚 favorite hue which he鈥檚 used to ornament his White House office.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrives at the White House
A U.S. military Honor Guard lined the driveway entrance as the chancellor arrived, shaking hands with Trump and walking inside.
Asked by reporters to delineate a message to the people of Germany, Trump responded, 鈥淲e love the people of Germany,鈥� following up by saying his call with Xi earlier in the day 鈥渨ent very well.鈥�
Merz as he works to keep the U.S. on board with Western support , help defuse trade tensions that pose a risk to Europe鈥檚 biggest economy and further bolster his country鈥檚 long-criticized military spending.
Trump and Merz are slated to have lunch following a meeting in the Oval Office.
Chinese president says Trump is welcome to visit China again
In turn, Trump expressed 鈥渟incere thanks,鈥� according to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua. However, no state visit is confirmed.
In his post, Trump said he 鈥渞eciprocated鈥� the invitation. 鈥淎s Presidents of two Great Nations, this is something that we both look forward to doing,鈥� Trump wrote.
Trump, during his first term, . Trump earlier in 2017 hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago.
There was no state visit by either Chinese or U.S. leader to each other鈥檚 country during the Biden administration, but the two leaders met in 2023 when the U.S. was hosting the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, a grouping of 21 economies.
Trump says his conversation with Xi had a 鈥榲ery positive conclusion鈥�
鈥淥ur respective teams will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined,鈥� Trump wrote on his social media platform.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will represent the U.S. side in negotiations.
The Republican president also said Xi 鈥済raciously鈥� invited him and first lady Melania Trump to China, and Trump reciprocated with his own invitation for Xi to visit the United States.
The Chinese foreign ministry said Trump initiated the call between the leaders of the world鈥檚 two largest economies.
China and US agree to more tariff talks amid trade standoff, Trump says after call with Xi
and Chinese leader spoke Thursday at a time when stalled tariff negotiations between their two countries have roiled global trade.
The conversation was confirmed by the Chinese foreign ministry, which said Trump initiated the call. The White House did not immediately comment.
Trump had declared one day earlier that it was difficult to reach a deal with Xi.
鈥極ur country is better than this,鈥� Democratic senator says of Trump鈥檚 travel ban
Sen. Alex Padilla of California said the 鈥渟enseless, prejudicial policy鈥� is not only an abuse of power but it targets U.S. citizen relatives of the countries.
鈥淲e cannot allow this Administration to continue scapegoating individuals based on religion or nationality,鈥� he said in a statement.
Trade deficit plunged in April as tariffs kicked in
The U.S. trade deficit narrowed dramatically in April as imports plummeted in the aftermath of the sweeping imposed by Trump April 2.
The sharp fall reversed a surge in imports in March that were brought in by companies rushing to get ahead of the duties.
The trade deficit 鈥� the gap between what the U.S. imports and what it sends overseas 鈥� dropped from a record high of nearly $140 billion in March to just $61.6 billion in April. Goods imports fell nearly 20% in April compared to the previous month. Trump announced on nearly 60 nations April 2, including top trading partners such as China and the European Union, only a week later for 90 days.
The sharp swings in imports are distorting the broadest measure of the U.S. economy, gross domestic product, which in the first three months of this year.
No breakthroughs expected on trade, Merz says
Merz said Thursday before meeting Trump that 鈥渨e will have to talk about trade policy鈥� but said he didn鈥檛 anticipate any major breakthroughs on the issue.
鈥淕ermany is one of the very big investors in America,鈥� Merz said in a meeting with German reporters. 鈥淥nly a few countries invest more than Germany in the USA. We are in third place in terms of foreign direct investment.鈥�
Merz added 鈥淚 am looking forward to the talks, but I do not expect there to be any breakthroughs in the three major areas mentioned.鈥�
He had earlier identified NATO spending, the Ukraine war, and the tariff conflicts between the U.S. and the EU as the most important topics.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz previews meeting with Trump
Ahead of his meeting with Trump on Thursday at the White House, Merz told reporters 鈥渢he meeting has been well prepared on all sides.鈥�
Merz said important issues he would like to talk about with the president include such issues as the war in Ukraine and how to bring an end to it, disputed tariffs, and NATO spending.
鈥淲e will have to talk about NATO 鈥� we changed the constitution in Germany so that we can spend the means that need to be spend,鈥� Merz said, adding 鈥渨e want to become the strongest conventional army in the European Union.鈥�
The chancellor is referring to the move from his coalition to push through parliament plans to enable higher defense spending by loosening strict rules on incurring debt.
Usha Vance launching effort to encourage children to read
In a rare interview, the second lady told Fox 蜜桃视频app Channel鈥檚 鈥淔ox & Friends鈥� on Thursday that the White House she launched aims to combat reading loss and improve literacy rates among children.
The program for children in kindergarten through eighth grade rewards kids who report reading 12 books this summer with a certificate, a small prize and an entrance into a drawing to win a trip to Washington.
Vance said in the interview that the summer reading challenge is not the 鈥渆nd all, be all鈥� to address declining reading scores among kids but a 鈥減roof of concept.鈥�
鈥淢y goal is to try to come up with small ways in which I can use my platform to counteract some of those issues,鈥� she said.
David Jolly, a Trump critic and former GOP congressman, to run for Florida governor as a Democrat
The vocal critic of Trump is seeking to become governor in the president鈥檚 adopted home state.
Jolly formally announced his bid Thursday, becoming the latest party convert hoping to wrest back control of what had been that in recent years has made a hard . Under state law, term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis can鈥檛 run for reelection in 2026.
Even as Florida serves as a place for the Trump administration to and , Jolly says he鈥檚 confident that issues such as affordability, funding public schools, and strengthening campaign finance and ethics laws will resonate with all voters in 2026. He predicts elections next year will herald nationwide change.
鈥淚 actually think Republicans in Tallahassee have gone too far in dividing us. I think we should get politicians out of the classrooms, out of the doctor鈥檚 offices,鈥� Jolly said.
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Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have spoken amid stalled talks over tariffs
The discussion Thursday followed Trump suggesting it was tough to reach a deal with Xi.
鈥淚 like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!,鈥� Trump posted Wednesday on his social media site.
Trade negotiations between the United States and China stalled shortly after a May 12 agreement between both countries to reduce their tariff rates in order to have talks. Behind the gridlock has been the continued competition for an economic edge.
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How is the new travel ban different from Trump鈥檚 2017 ban?
During his first term, Trump issued in January 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travelers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after they landed. They included students and faculty, as well as business people, tourists and people visiting friends and family.
The order, often referred to as the 鈥淢uslim ban鈥� or the 鈥渢ravel ban,鈥� was retooled amid legal challenges until a version was in 2018.
The ban affected various categories of travelers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families.
Reactions to Trump鈥檚 travel ban
International aid groups and refugee resettlement organizations roundly condemned the new ban.
鈥淭his policy is not about national security 鈥� it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,鈥� said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America.
The African Union Commission expressed concern Thursday about the 鈥渢he potential negative impact鈥� of the ban on educational exchanges, business ties and broader diplomatic relations.
鈥淭he African Union Commission respectfully calls upon the U.S. administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned,鈥� the commission said in a statement.
European Central Bank cuts benchmark interest rate as Trump tariffs threaten economy
The ECB cut its benchmark interest rate for an eighth time, aiming to support businesses and consumers with more affordable borrowing as Trump鈥檚 threatens to slow already tepid growth.
The bank鈥檚 rate-setting council cut interest rates by a quarter of a point Thursday at the bank鈥檚 skyscraper headquarters in Frankfurt. Analysts expected a cut, given the gloomier outlook for growth since Trump announced a slew of new tariffs April 2 and subsequently threatened to impose a crushing 50% tariff, or import tax, on European goods.
The bigger question remains how far the bank will go at subsequent meetings. Bank President Christine Lagarde鈥檚 remarks at a post-decision news conference will be scrutinized for hints about the bank鈥檚 outlook.
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How Trump justified the travel ban
Since returning to the White House, Trump has launched an unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement that has and .
The travel ban results from a Jan. 20 executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on 鈥渉ostile attitudes鈥� toward the U.S.
In a video released on social media, Trump tied the new ban to , saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors . The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump鈥檚 restricted list. The Department of Homeland Security says he overstayed a tourist visa.
Trump鈥檚 Thursday schedule, according to the White House
1. 11:30 a.m. 鈥� Trump will greet German Chancellor
2. 11:45 a.m. 鈥� The two will have a meeting in the Oval Office
3. 12:25 p.m. 鈥� Trump and Merz will have lunch
4. 4:00 p.m. 鈥� Trump will participate in a roundtable discussion with the Fraternal Order of Police
Thune鈥檚 first big test as Senate leader has arrived with Trump鈥檚 tax bill
Only six months into the job, Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces a massive challenge as he tries to quickly push President Trump鈥檚 sprawling to passage with the support of a divided GOP conference.
While most Republican senators are inclined to vote for the bill, Thune can stand to lose only four votes in the face of united Democratic opposition 鈥� and many more Republicans than that are critical of the version sent over by the House.
To get it done by July 4 鈥� Trump鈥檚 deadline 鈥� Thune has to figure out how to balance emerging from his members. And he has to do it in a way that doesn鈥檛 endanger Republican support in the House, which passed the legislation by only one vote last month after weeks of contentious negotiations.
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New German leader plans to discuss Ukraine and trade with Trump in Oval Office visit
Germany鈥檚 new leader is meeting with Trump Washington on Thursday as he works to keep the U.S. on board with Western support , help defuse trade tensions that pose a risk to Europe鈥檚 biggest economy and further bolster his country鈥檚 long-criticized military spending.
Trump and Chancellor have spoken several times by phone, either bilaterally or with other European leaders, since Merz took office on May 6. German officials say the two leaders have started to build a 鈥渄ecent鈥� relationship, with Merz wanting to avoid the antagonism that defined Trump鈥檚 relationship with one of his predecessors, , in the Republican president鈥檚 first term.
The 69-year-old Merz is a conservative former rival of Merkel鈥檚 who took over her party after she retired from politics. Merz also comes to office with an extensive business background 鈥� something that could align him with Trump.
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Trump moves to block US entry for foreign students planning to study at Harvard University
Trump is moving to block nearly all foreign students from entering the country to attend Harvard University, his to choke the Ivy League school from an international pipeline that accounts for a quarter of the student body.
In an executive order signed Wednesday, Trump declared that it would jeopardize national security to allow Harvard to continue hosting foreign students on its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
It鈥檚 a further escalation in the White House鈥檚 fight with the nation鈥檚 oldest and wealthiest university. A federal court in Boston the Department of Homeland Security from barring international students at Harvard last week. Trump鈥檚 order invokes a different legal authority.
In a statement Wednesday night, Harvard said it will 鈥渃ontinue to protect its international students.鈥�
鈥淭his is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard鈥檚 First Amendment rights,鈥� university officials said.
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Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries set to go into effect Monday
Trump on Wednesday resurrected a hallmark policy of his first term, announcing that citizens of 12 countries would be banned from visiting the United States and those from seven others would face restrictions.
The ban takes effect Monday at 12:01 a.m., a cushion that may avoid the chaos that unfolded at airports nationwide when a similar measure took effect with virtually no notice in 2017. Trump, who signaled plans for a new ban upon taking office in January, appears to be on firmer ground this time after the Supreme Court sided with him.
Some, but not all, 12 countries also appeared on the list of banned countries in Trump鈥檚 first term. The new ban includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
There will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
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The Associated Press
