NTD Good Morning

U.S. and EU Reach Trade Deal, Tariff Rate Halved; Extreme Heat to Affect 130 Million Americans | NTD Good Morning (July 28)

The Trump administration is holding talks with the UK and China on Monday after announcing a deal with the EU over the weekend. The agreement comes just days before the U.S. tariffs were due to spike. The EU deal cuts the proposed tariffs in half, and will bring hundreds of billions of dollars in European investment to the United States. President Donald Trump announced the deal from his resort in Scotland, calling it “good news for everybody.”

More than 130 million people are under heat alerts as dangerous temperatures grip much of the country. Tampa has hit 100 degrees for the first time in recorded history, with heat indexes expected to top 110 through the week. Meanwhile, severe storms are expected across the Northern Plains, with damaging winds and the possibility of tornadoes.

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to a cease-fire starting at midnight on Monday local time, pausing five days of their deadliest clashes in over a decade. The breakthrough came during peace talks in Malaysia after President Trump pressured both sides over the weekend. Both Thailand and Cambodia accuse the other of starting the fighting last week. The conflict soon escalated to clashes with heavy artillery at multiple locations along their 500-mile land border.

President Donald Trump is heading to Scotland on Friday for a trip that blends golf with diplomacy. He’ll first visit his Turnberry resort on Scotland’s west coast, where he’s set to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday for talks to advance the U.S.–UK trade deal. Trump will then travel 200 miles east to his Aberdeen property to open a second 18-hole course, which is named after his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod. She was born on a Scottish island before immigrating to the United States.

Trump paid a rare visit to the Federal Reserve headquarters on Thursday, ramping up pressure on Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates. The two also clashed over a controversial Fed renovation project that's slated to cost billions of dollars. Powell defended the renovation costs, saying the building requires significant structural repairs.

Lawmakers have subpoenaed the CEOs of two of America's biggest financial institutions, J.P. Morgan and Bank of America. They're under scrutiny for their roles in the initial public offering of Chinese battery giant, CATL. The company is flagged by the Defense Department as a Chinese military company. The chairman of the select committee on the CCP said that "Wall Street shouldn’t be underwriting Chinese military companies—and the American people deserve transparency."

Columbia University Agrees to $200M Settlement; Trump Unveils New AI Action Plan | NTD Good Morning

Columbia University will pay more than $200 million to settle federal claims that it failed to protect Jewish students and staff from harassment. The deal restores access to billions in funding and follows months of protests and suspended grants. Columbia continues to deny wrongdoing, but has agreed to major policy changes, including tougher discipline, new civil rights training, and updating its definition of anti-Semitism. The school has also agreed to abide by laws banning race-based hiring and admissions.

President Donald Trump signed three executive orders on Wednesday, while also unveiling a White House action plan to boost the American artificial intelligence (AI) industry. He vowed to stop adversaries like China from using AI to push opposing values, and said that the United States is currently leading China in AI “very substantially.” The plan includes around 90 recommendations, including a crackdown on state laws deemed too restrictive and fast-tracking the construction of datacenters.

Bryan Kohberger, who confessed to the first-degree murder in 2022 of four University of Idaho students, has been sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison, without parole. Before his sentencing, family members of the victims spoke emotionally about the anguish they have suffered. Kohberger showed no emotion during the statements and declined the opportunity to speak. In addition to the prison time, Kohberger was also ordered to pay $200,000 in fines and $20,000 in civil penalties to the families.

U.S. Makes 'Largest Trade Deal in History' With Japan; Habba Removed as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey | NTD Good Morning

President Donald Trump is hailing a new trade deal with Japan as the largest in history, opening Japanese markets to more U.S. goods and lowering tariffs on Japanese cars. Japan is also planning to invest $550 billion in the United States and to launch a joint LNG project in Alaska. The announcement sparked a rally in Japanese stocks. The United States also reached trade deals with the Philippines and Indonesia on Tuesday, whereby Filipino goods will be charged a 19 percent tariff, but American goods zero percent.

A panel of federal judges in New Jersey refused to extend the appointment of Alina Habba as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, instead naming her deputy as a replacement. Department of Justice officials said Habba was pushed out for political reasons, as she is a former lawyer to President Donald Trump. The DOJ removed her deputy hours later. It remains unclear who will now take up the role.

On Capitol Hill on Wednesday, two former ambassadors to Japan and Australia will discuss how they can better cooperate with the United States to counter the CCP's economic coercion. The three nations are working to try to reshape global trade to lessen reliance on China and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific. The navies of the three countries recently signed a new logistics deal to streamline cooperation should a conflict break out in the Pacific. Meanwhile, the United States is pursuing trade negotiations with China next week in Sweden to discuss tariff deadlines.

Philippines' Marcos to Meet Trump for Trade Talks; High Temps Expected Across South and Midwest | NTD Good Morning

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House on Tuesday for talks centered on security and trade. Marcos met with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on Monday, and will be the first Southeast Asian leader to visit Trump since his return to office in January. The Philippines’ delegation is hoping to negotiate a more favorable trade deal before the August 1 tariff deadline.

A heat dome is settling over much of the United States, with temperatures and humidity expected to soar. The system is spreading from the South to the Midwest, and soon to the Northeast. Heat indexes could top 100 degrees in many cities on top of stifling humidity, with dew points in the upper 70s and low 80s expected in the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. Relief may arrive for many by Saturday, when the heat dome is expected to weaken and more typical July temperatures should return.

The Chinese Communist Party is blocking a U.S. government employee from leaving China. The State Department says the worker was visiting the country in a personal capacity. In a separate case, a Wells Fargo executive from Atlanta has also been barred from leaving China, with the ban tied to an alleged criminal probe. Both incidents come amid a series of detentions and exit bans targeting foreign nationals in China.

Harvard and Trump Administration Head to Court; Delta Passenger Jet Avoids Crash With B-52 Bomber | NTD Good Morning

Harvard University and the Trump administration will present their oral arguments before a federal judge on Monday, after the federal government cut billions in federal funding to the school over allegations of the continuation of DEI programs and anti-Semitism on campus. Harvard alleges that freezing the funds had nothing to do with anti-Semitism. Harvard’s lawsuit says that the school’s research leads to medical and scientific advancements that benefit society.

A Delta Air Lines regional flight had a close call while approaching to land in Minot, North Dakota, on Friday. The pilot said a B-52 bomber appeared in his flight path without warning, forcing him to take evasive action. The incident occurred less than six months after a deadly midair collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter near Washington killed 67 people.

An off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer was shot in a New York City park during an attempted robbery late on Saturday night. Authorities say the alleged shooter, an illegal immigrant with a criminal history, hit the off-duty officer in the face and arm. The officer returned fire before two suspects fled. Police say one is in custody, while the other is still at large.

Congress Clears $9B in Rescissions Package Cuts; Trump Creates New Roles to Carry Out Policy Agenda | NTD Good Morning

The Senate passed a $9 billion spending-cuts package early on Thursday morning in a 51–48 vote. The bill would revoke funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting that Congress had already approved. Senators Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) were the only Republicans that opposed it. The package is now headed to the House.

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake off Alaska's southern coast prompted tsunami alerts and evacuations for coastal communities on Wednesday. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck just after 12:30 p.m. local time. The tsunami warning was downgraded within an hour, and fully canceled just before 2:45 p.m. At least 40 aftershocks were recorded within a matter of hours, though no injuries or major damage was reported.

President Donald Trump signed a measure into law on Wednesday, classifying fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs and toughening sentences for traffickers. Trump also called out China's role in the fentanyl crisis. China remains the largest source for fentanyl precursors, which are then used to make fentanyl products in Mexico before they end up in the United States. Fentanyl has become the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45.

Senate Advances Rescission Bill with $9B in DOGE Cuts; Trump Unveils $90 Billion AI Investment | NTD Good Morning

Flash Flood Emergencies Sweep Across Northeast; Trump Says NATO to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine | NTD Good Morning