US President Donald Trump stepped up his wave of chaotic pronouncements with threats of a global trade war and warnings over the future of international aid funding
Donald Trump questioned on possible UK and EU tariffs
Donald Trump’s first two weeks in the White House have seen him fire off a wave of deeply troubling policies, make damaging comments and cause chaos around the world.
Over the weekend, the US President sparked fears of a global trade war after saying he would slap eye-watering tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China. And last night Mr Trump threatened to impose taxes on more countries – including the UK. Countries that will be hit with tariffs have threatened retaliatory action.
The shameful row over Mr Trump’s response to a plane crash in Washington DC that killed 67 people on Wednesday continued over the weekend. The MAGA leader was widely criticised after suggesting that diversity recruitment programmes were to blame for the tragic crash.
Here’s a quick catch up on some of the wild things Mr Trump did on his 14th day back in the White House.
1. Fuelled global trade war fears with threats to UK and EU
Mr Trump is increasingly fuelling fears of a global trade war after making further threats to slap tariffs on countries around the world.
Over the weekend Mr Trump announced he will impose 25% trade taxes on goods coming from America’s nearest neighbours and largest trade partners – Canada and Mexico – as well as a 10% levy on Chinese goods. All three nations have vowed to respond in kind to Mr Trump’s actions, sparking fears of a global trade war. All three nations have vowed to respond in kind to Mr Trump’s actions, sparking fears of a global trade war.
In comments overnight, Donald Trump suggested he is poised to impose tariffs on the UK and EU. The US president said tariffs will “definitely” be placed on goods from the EU, saying America’s trade deficit with the bloc is “an atrocity” that means “they take almost nothing and we take everything from them”.
He claimed the UK is “out of line” when he was asked about slapping tariffs on Britain. But he suggested the situation “can be worked out” with Mr Starmer, who he called “very nice”.
2. Wants aid agency run by ‘lunatics’ to be shut down
In dismal news for the world, Mr Trump wants the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to be “shut down” – according to his right-hand man Elon Musk.
The US is the world’s biggest funder of international aid – spending $68bn on it in 2023 – according to government figures. The money goes towards helping international crises – from HIV/AIDS to access to clean water.
Mr Trump and Mr Musk, who is the US president’s government efficiency tsar, have been attacking the US’s aid agency since coming to power. On Sunday night, Mr Trump said USAID, which manages foreign aid and development assistance, was being run by “a bunch of lunatics”. And Mr Musk has said the agency should “die”.
Early on Monday, Mr Musk said in a Twitter/X Spaces discussion that he went over the “USAID stuff” with Mr Trump “in detail” and that “he agreed that we should shut it down”, CNN reported. There has been swirling rumours about the future of the government agency after its funding was frozen and dozens of employees were put on leave. It comes after a leaked internal memo revealed the US State Department had issued a 90-day pause to nearly all foreign aid around the world.
BLUESKY: Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here – Lizzy Buchan, Jason Beattie, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke, Ashley Cowburn, Mikey Smith
POLITICS WHATSAPP: Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
NEWSLETTER: Or sign up here to the Mirror’s Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox.
PODCAST: And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday.
3. Threatened to cut off all future US funding to South Africa
The US President fired off a warning that future funding to South Africa could be cut over allegations that it was confiscating land. On Sunday, Mr Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: “I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”
He later told journalists that South Africa’s “leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things”. The row centres on a controversial bill allowing land seizures by the state without compensation.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday: “South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African government has not confiscated any land.”
4. Renewed his threat to ‘take back’ the Panama Canal
Mr Trump doubled down on his rhetoric over the Panama Canal, saying he would “take back” the vital waterway after claiming it’s being run by China. The US President sparked alarm in his inaugural address by vowing to retake control of the 51-mile (82km) Panama Canal, which is the main link between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
Tensions appeared to be easing when Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Panama’s President Raúl Mulino. But on Sunday Mr Trump told reporters: “China is running the Panama Canal that was not given to China, that was given to Panama foolishly, but they violated the agreement, and we’re going to take it back, or something very powerful is going to happen.”
5. FBI employees put on notice over investigation into Capitol attack
Thousands of FBI agents and employees are being asked by the Justice Department to fill out a survey detailing their roles in probing the violent insurrection at the US Capitol Building on January 6 2021. According to Politico, leaders and agents are braced for a purge of those involved.
Mr Trump has signed pardons for more than 1,500 January 6th insurrectionists and a group of prosecutors from the Justice Department have already been fired for their involvement in criminal cases. The FBI has been historically independent from the White House so any mass firings would mark a significant escalation in Mr Trump’s efforts to seize control of law enforcement.
