After months of promises to overhaul or eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency, President Donald Trump is touting a fast and robust federal response to the devastating Texas floods. One former agency leader says it鈥檚 鈥渁 defining event that can help them realize that a Federal Emergency Management Agency is essential.鈥
Trump also teased that he鈥檒l declare more tariffs against U.S. trading partners ahead of . The 27-member European Union hopes to seal a trade deal ahead of that date, and meanwhile is preparing retaliatory measures against American products, from beef to Boeing jets.
The Latest:
Israeli leader sees a 鈥榞ood chance鈥 for a ceasefire shortly with Hamas in Gaza
He made that comment Wednesday in an interview with Fox Business鈥 Mornings with Maria.
A new U.S.-backed proposal would pause Israel鈥檚 21-month war against Hamas, free Israeli hostages and send much-needed aid flooding into Gaza. It also aims to open broader talks about ending the conflict.
Israel and the U.S. since late May have been backing a substitute food-delivery system that leading aid organizations condemn for allegedly operating outside humanitarian principles. The U.N. and others say hundreds of Palestinians have been killed trying to reach the Israeli-backed aid sites.
Asked whether he would allow the U.N. to again take charge of humanitarian deliveries as part of a ceasefire, Netanyahu said 鈥淚 think it鈥檒l probably end up for the 60 days with both.鈥
Israeli Prime Minister arrives at Pentagon as ceasefire talks continue
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greeted Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday. They were accompanied by their wives, Sara Netanyahu and Jennifer Hegseth, and paused at the entrance of the Pentagon while their national anthems were performed.
The defense secretary did not address a shouted question as to whether he regretted pausing weapons shipments to Ukraine, amid reports that he froze the military aid without consulting Trump, catching the White House by surprise. On Monday Trump said the aid would resume.
Senate committee advances Susan Monarez to be Trump鈥檚 CDC director
The Senate鈥檚 health committee鈥檚 approval on Wednesday of Susan Monarez to be Trump鈥檚 director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention takes her one step closer to confirmation.
, 50, was named acting director and then nominee after Trump his first choice, David Weldon. She holds a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Wisconsin, and her postdoctoral training was in microbiology and immunology at Stanford University.
The CDC has been hit by widespread staff cuts, resignations and controversy over CDC being upended by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The committee voted 12-11 鈥 all Republicans in favor, all Democrats opposed 鈥 to advance her nomination to the full Senate.
鈥淯nfortunately, Dr. Monarez 鈥 who has served as Trump鈥檚 acting CDC director 鈥 has done nothing to stand in the way鈥 of Kennedy鈥檚 actions, Sen. Bernie Sanders said Wednesday.
鈻 Read more about
The US is having its worst year for measles in more than three decades
The U.S. has now had 1,288 cases nationally just six months into the year as the spreads, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. Three people have died 鈥 two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico 鈥 and dozens of people have been hospitalized.
The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles after two doses, and widespread vaccination enabled the World Health Organization to declare in 2000 that measles had been eliminated from the U.S.
Now the U.S. could lose that status this year, if the virus continues to spread .
SNAP cuts will disproportionately harm children, advocates say
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program faces under Trump鈥檚 budget law. It will, for the first time, require parents to work to qualify for the benefit if their children are 14 or older. But even households with younger children could feel the impact.
The law kicks some immigrants with legal status off food assistance, and makes qualifying more difficult by changing how it considers utility bills. States will now have to shoulder some of federal burden, and may make it even more difficult for people to qualify, or exit the program altogether, said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
鈥淲hen young children lose access to that healthy nutrition, it impacts them for the rest of their lives,鈥 Bergh said. 鈥淭his bill fundamentally walks away from a long-standing nationwide commitment to making sure that low-income children in every state can receive the food assistance that they need.鈥
Former President Joe Biden鈥檚 physician refuses to answer House questions
President Joe Biden鈥檚 former White House physician is refusing answer questions as part of the House Republican investigation into Biden鈥檚 health in office.
Dr. Kevin O鈥機onnor invoked doctor-client privilege and his rights under the Fifth Amendment during an appearance Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee. That鈥檚 according to the doctor鈥檚 attorneys.
Republicans are conducting a sweeping investigation into Biden鈥檚 actions in office and questioning whether the Democratic president鈥檚 use of an autopen may have been invalid. Biden has strongly denied that he was not in a right state of mind at any point while in office, calling the claims 鈥渞idiculous and false.鈥
Medicaid cuts could add to strains on families
Over 10 million Americans for health care. About 40% of births are covered by Medicaid. Newborns, too, qualify for it when their mothers have it. Pediatricians say the cuts 13 will be felt broadly, even by those who do not use Medicaid, since the financial strain will force health care providers to cut their least profitable services, which are often pediatrics.
The ripple effects could exacerbate an existing shortage of pediatricians and hospital beds for children, said Lisa Costello, a West Virginia pediatrician who chairs the federal policy committee for the American Association of Pediatrics.
And if parents lose their health insurance due to the bureaucratic barriers imposed by having to document work requirements, they鈥檒l be less likely to take their kids to the doctor, advocates say.
Here鈥檚 how Trump鈥檚 massive budget law could impact the youngest Americans
The bill Trump will impact infants and toddlers, who are particularly vulnerable to cuts to the federal social safety net.
Many middle-class and wealthy families will see benefits from , but programs that help low-income families keep babies healthy have been cut back. To pay for tax cuts and border security, the law cuts Medicaid and which poor households with children rely on 鈥 by more than $1 trillion.
The legislation increases tax deductions to $2,200 per child, and introduces for newborns dubbed 鈥淭rump Accounts,鈥 each seeded with $1,000.
Still, advocates say they do not make up for what children are likely to lose under the new law. And they fear what comes next, as the next Trump budget proposes more cuts to programs that help parents and babies.
鈻 Read more about
Trump administration calls for a review of Harvard鈥檚 accreditation
Trump鈥檚 departments of Education and Health and Human Services urged the New England Commission of Higher Education to examine whether Harvard no longer meets its standards for accreditation, now that the Trump administration has determined that .
Accreditors work on behalf of the federal government to decide which colleges can accept federal financial aid. Without an accreditor鈥檚 seal of approval, Harvard could no longer accept students鈥 federal grants or loans. The Trump administration made a similar move against Columbia University to its accreditor.
Harvard said it strongly disagrees with the government鈥檚 findings and is committed to fighting bias as the White House presses universities to accept its demands.
The commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Malaysia draws 鈥榬ed lines鈥 in trade talks with US
Malaysia will not compromise on its national interest or sovereignty in tariff talks with the U.S., Trade Minister Zafrul Aziz said Wednesday.
Trump raised his threatened tariffs against Malaysia to 25% from 24% this week, but Zafrul said Malaysia won鈥檛 cross 鈥渟pecific red lines鈥 involving U.S. requests in policy and laws in areas such as government procurement, halal certification, medical standards and digital taxes.
Zafrul said he and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would meet with Rubio to discuss the tariff issue. Malaysia鈥檚 offer includes a pledge by Malaysia Airlines to buy 30 Boeing jets, as well as deals on semiconductors and other technology, but he said that 鈥渋f the deal does not benefit Malaysia, we should not have a deal.鈥
Europe is hoping to seal a deal 鈥 and preparing to retaliate if not
The 27-nation bloc is hoping to strike a deal with Trump soon, but is preparing retaliatory measures on hundreds of American products from beef to beer to Boeing jets if talks aren鈥檛 successful.
鈥淲e stick to our principles. We defend our interests. We continue to work in good faith and we get ready for all scenarios,鈥 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at an EU meeting in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday.
She said the American imposition of 70% tariffs on trade from the EU is 鈥渦nprecedented鈥 and requires that 鈥渙ur line has to be very clear. We will be firm. We do prefer a negotiated solution.鈥
Sweeping tariffs may overshadow Rubio鈥檚 security goals in Asia
Trump鈥檚 latest threat of higher tariffs to countries including if they don鈥檛 make trade deals with the U.S. came just a day before departed for the security conference in Malaysia on Thursday and Friday.
Rubio鈥檚 鈥渢alking points on the China threat will not resonate with officials whose industries are being ,鈥 said Danny Russel, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific during the Obama administration.
Compared to China鈥檚 representative, Rubio 鈥渋s a rookie trying to sell an 鈥楢merica First鈥 message to a deeply skeptical audience,鈥 Russell said.
鈻 Read more about
Trump hosting West African leaders as USAID cuts threaten millions of deaths
The agenda of Trump鈥檚 鈥渕ultilateral lunch鈥 Wednesday with the leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau includes economic development, security, infrastructure and democracy, according to a statement from the Liberian presidency. The White House has not provided further details.
The surprise meeting comes as Trump takes radical steps to reshape the U.S. relationship with Africa, dissolving and shifting from what the administration calls 鈥渁 charity-based foreign aid model鈥 to partnerships with nations that have 鈥渢he ability and willingness to help themselves.鈥
A projects Trump鈥檚 shift will lead to more than 14 million additional deaths globally by 2030, including 4.5 million children.
West Africa possesses untapped resources. They鈥檙e also among countries that might fall under
鈻 Read more about
Russia says threat of US tariffs against BRICS violate free trade principles
Russia鈥檚 Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. Wednesday of hinting at potential tariffs against the trade alliance of Brazil, Russia, India and China as a form of political pressure.
Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said unilaterally applying such tariffs would destroy the existing architecture for international economic cooperation. She accused Washington of 鈥渉iding鈥 behind principles such as fair competition and national security.
Trump鈥檚 threat 鈥済rossly violates the rules of the WTO and the principles of free trade, which, until recently, Washington insisted on as a universal truth,鈥 Zakharova told journalists.
Trump teases more letters on trade being sent to US trading partners Wednesday
鈥淲e will be releasing a minimum of 7 Countries having to do with trade, tomorrow morning, with an additional number of Countries being released in the afternoon,鈥 the president said Tuesday night in a post on his social platform.
Trump has for several days teased letters listing tariffs that the administration plans to impose on different countries 鈥 even as it also continues to negotiate trade deals. So far, Trump鈥檚 trade blitz has produced lots of uncertainty but deals with just two countries 鈥 the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
鈻 Read more
Trump avoids talk of scrapping FEMA after more than 100 killed in Texas flash flood
has avoided talking about his plan to after the in Texas that killed more than 100 people, including children attending a girls-only camp.
Asked shortly after the disaster whether he still intended to phase out the , Trump said it wasn鈥檛 the right time to talk about it. Nor did he mention such plans during a nearly two-hour meeting with his Cabinet on Tuesday.
Instead Trump opened the meeting by having Homeland Security Secretary talk about her visit to Kerrville, Texas, a day after floodwaters swept away riverside campers and homeowners in the wee hours of the Fourth of July holiday.
鈻 Read more about
