Tuesday, 22 July 2025

Trump accused former President Obama of 'treason' in the Oval Office, a charge Obama's office called 'ridiculous' and 'weak.' Obama's team also characterized the accusation as an 'attempt at distraction' amid other controversies.

The Department of Justice plans to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex trafficker serving 20 years for her role in Jeffrey Epstein's operation. Congress has also moved to subpoena Maxwell as scrutiny of Trump's handling of the Epstein controversy intensifies.

Trump announced a trade deal with the Philippines that will maintain a 19 percent tariff in place, though full details were not immediately disclosed. The deal comes as the administration continues to leverage tariff negotiations with various trading partners.

Trump pulled the United States out of UNESCO, citing the organization's focus on 'divisive social and cultural causes.' This marks another U.S. withdrawal from a global body, following the U.S. rejoining UNESCO under the Biden administration two years earlier.

Trump banned the Wall Street Journal from his Scotland press pool, citing 'fake and defamatory conduct' related to the publication's reporting on Epstein. The New York Times and other news organizations condemned the ban as 'simple retribution' that threatens free speech.

General Motors reported that Trump tariffs reduced its operating income by $1.1 billion in the last quarter, with a 32 percent decline in core profit. The company expects tariff impacts to worsen further in the third quarter.

Trump's border czar vowed to 'flood the zone' with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in U.S. sanctuary cities, escalating immigration enforcement efforts. The statement came after an off-duty ICE officer was allegedly shot by an undocumented person in New York City.

Health experts warned that Trump administration cuts to the CDC could undermine overdose prevention efforts, noting the withholding of $140 million from CDC overdose prevention initiatives. Experts called the cuts 'a step backwards' in combating the opioid crisis.

Coca-Cola announced plans to launch Coke with cane sugar in the United States following a Trump social media post on the topic, though health experts say switching from corn syrup to cane sugar does not make the drink healthier.

Trump was reportedly caught off guard by Israeli strikes on Syria last week, according to the White House. Trump subsequently called Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to 'rectify' the situation following clashes in the city of Sweida.