APPLENEWS - STORY ADD

Trump admin live updates: Trump, Schumer trade barbs over Senate nominations

The Senate voted on some of Trump's nominations before the August recess.

The Senate on Saturday considered some of President Donald Trump's nominations before the August recess.

Earlier this week, Trump issued an executive order slapping tariffs on many of America's trading partners but the new duties are set to go into effect in seven days.

Trump also continues to face questions over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and his relationship with the accused sex trafficker.


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Johnson says he and Trump are pushing for Epstein files release

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday he is “pushing for aggressively” a full release of the Epstein files during a CNN interview on Wednesday.

“And by the way, so is the president. He has said the same thing. We're using every mechanism within our power to do that and to do it as quickly as possible,” he said during an interview with CNN while standing in front of a crowd at an event in Louisiana.

“I want everything to come out about the Epstein evils that is possible to be released, because the people that were involved in those unspeakable evil acts should be punished with the great severity of the law, and it should have happened a long time ago. So, I'm fully in favor of that. We have to do it in a responsible manner,” he added.

Johnson pushed back on Rep. Thomas Massie’s bipartisan effort to force a House vote on releasing the Epstein files.

“I have no interest in getting into the back and forth with Thomas Massie. He's doing what he's doing. Everybody can judge the motivation for themselves. I don't know what he's talking about,” Johnson said.

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller


Trump to impose 50% copper tariff effective Aug. 1

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday to put a 50% tariff on copper into effect on Aug. 1.

"The Proclamation imposes universal 50% tariffs on imports of semi-finished copper products (such as copper pipes, wires, rods, sheets, and tubes) and copper-intensive derivative products (such as pipe fittings, cables, connectors, and electrical components), effective August 1," according to the White House.

Trump previously announced this tariff would go into effect, but made it official on Wednesday with the signing of this proclamation.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart


White House's Hassett celebrates new GDP data: 'One of the best'

The White House’s top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, celebrated Wednesday's report that U.S. gross domestic product increased at a 3% annualized rate over three months ending in June.

“It's really one of the best GDP announcements or releases that you could imagine, because there's blockbuster growth way above expectation, and there's also a real, real, almost collapse in inflation,” Hassett said.

“It went down by about a percent and a half, all the way down to 2.1% which is the Fed's target. And so to have high growth with low inflation and also high income growth, personal income growth was 3% that's just like about a sweet spot for a GDP release," Hassett continued.

The GDP reading amounted to sturdy economic growth, suggesting the economy has continued to avert a significant tariff-induced cooldown. A boost in consumer spending helped propel the economic surge, the U.S. Commerce Department said. Read more about Wednesday's economic data here.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie and Max Zahn


Trump announces 25% tariff rate on India starting Aug. 1

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday morning that India will be paying a tariff of 25% starting on Aug. 1.

"Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country," Trump wrote on his conservative social media platform.

"Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST," Trump continued.

If Trump does follow through on his tariff plan for India, it would likely impact the generic drugs that Americans use. For drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and antibiotics, the U.S. relies on producers in countries such as India, which is one of the largest producers and exporters of generic drugs.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie