USA News

President Trump is set to award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission on 28 August at Joint Reserve Base Ellington, Houston. The astronauts, including Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch, completed a historic 10-day lunar mission, returning safely on 10 April.

Liberia received its first group of “third country” deportees from the U.S. on Thursday, comprising around 20 migrants from Latin America. A small number of deportees resisted disembarkation, leading to their eventual return to the plane, with their current status unknown. Liberia plans to accept up to 1,200 deportees over the next year.

Donald Trump announced a temporary 90-day suspension of certain tariffs less than a day after they came into effect. Many see it as the president backing down from his policy after US government bonds were being sold off, and the president likely under pressure from his rich and powerful friends (Elon Musk).

Whilst he came back from the brink for most countries he had hit, all countries (interestingly, Russia was not hit with tariffs) still face a blanket 10% tariff.

The administration intensified its stance on China by elevating tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%, underscoring a complex and strained U.S.- China trade relationship.

China responded firmly to the increased tariffs, maintaining a resolute position and implementing retaliatory measures. The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced an 84% tariff on all U.S. goods, signaling Beijing’s unwillingness to yield to U.S. pressure. This escalation has heightened concerns about a prolonged trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies.

The financial markets have reacted with notable volatility to these developments. Following the announcement of the tariff suspension, global markets experienced a relief rally. However, this optimism is tempered by underlying uncertainties, as analysts caution that the fundamental issues driving the trade tensions remain unresolved. The bond market, in particular, has exhibited signs of distress, with the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield climbing from under 4% to 4.5%, reflecting diminished confidence in U.S. fiscal stability.

Amid these economic fluctuations, there have been murmurs of potential market manipulation.

The current trajectory of U.S. trade policy, characterized by abrupt shifts and escalating tariffs, has prompted warnings from economic leaders. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon cautioned that the ongoing trade war could precipitate a U.S. recession this year.

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