Trump announces a 35% tariff on Canada; judge pauses president's birthright citizenship order
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and said Russia is offering a "new and different approach" to ending the war in Ukraine.
Highlights from July 10, 2025
- BLANKET TARIFFS: President Donald Trump told NBC News today that he plans to impose across-the-board tariffs of 15% or 20% on most trade partners while dismissing concerns that his policies could end up stoking inflation. He later threatened 35% duties on imports from Canada.
- BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER: A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's effort to restrict birthright citizenship across the country and granted class-action status to infants who would be affected by Trump's order.
- A FRESH TARIFF ON CANADA: Trump said that the United States will impose a 35% tariff on Canadian imports starting in August.
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Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson expresses concern for the 'state of our democracy'
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson told attendees at a discussion at the Indianapolis Bar Association today that the "state of our democracy" keeps her up at night.
Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the court, was answering a question from U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson, who moderated the event and asked her directly, "What keeps you up a night?"
“I would say the state of our democracy," Jackson answered. "I am really very interested in getting people to focus and to invest and to pay attention to what is happening in our country and in our government.”
Jackson in recent weeks has expressed concerns over the increasingly consolidated power of the executive branch, issuing dissents that warn of the administration's ability to act at times without constraints.
Last month, in response to a Supreme Court ruling that limited federal judges’ ability to pause Trump’s executive orders nationwide, Jackson called the court's decision "profoundly dangerous, since it gives the Executive the go-ahead to sometimes wield the kind of unchecked, arbitrary power the Founders crafted our Constitution to eradicate."
"I have no doubt that, if judges must allow the Executive to act unlawfully in some circumstances, as the Court concludes today, executive lawlessness will flourish, and from there, it is not difficult to predict how this all ends," she said in her dissent. "Eventually, executive power will become completely uncontainable, and our beloved constitutional Republic will be no more."
Trump says he will hit Canadian imports with a 35% tariff in major escalation of trade war
Trump announced today that the U.S. would apply a 35% tariff to all imports from Canada beginning next month, reviving tensions with a major trade partner that had largely dissipated in recent weeks.
“Instead of working with the United States, Canada retaliated with its own Tariffs,” Trump wrote in the letter shared on Truth Social. “Starting August 1, 2025, we will charge Canada a Tariff of 35% on Canadian products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.”
Until this escalation, Canadian imports that did not fall under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, which Trump negotiated in his first term, faced a tariff of 25%. Energy imports from Canada faced tariffs of 10%.
Trump told NBC News in an interview earlier today that he would announce a new tariff rate for Canada before the end of the week.
EXCLUSIVE: Trump readies blanket tariffs as he brushes off inflation worries
Trump said today he plans to impose blanket tariffs of 15% or 20% on most trade partners, dismissing concerns that further tariffs could negatively affect the stock market or drive inflation.
“We’re just going to say all of the remaining countries are going to pay, whether it’s 20% or 15%. We’ll work that out now,” Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker in a phone call. Blanket tariffs are currently set at 10%.
“I think the tariffs have been very well-received. The stock market hit a new high today,” he added.
The S&P 500 closed at a record high today, but that comes after a tumultuous few months for the U.S. stock market. After Trump announced his first wave of global tariffs on April 2, the S&P 500 experienced one of its fastest 20% drops on record over the following days.
Trump urges Senate to defund NPR and PBS, threatening that Republicans who oppose him will lose his support
Trump urged the Senate to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which partly funds NPR and PBS, threatening on social media that Republicans who opposed him would lose his support.
"It is very important that all Republicans adhere to my Recissions Bill and, in particular, DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR)," Trump wrote on Truth Social tonight. "Any Republican that votes to allow this monstrosity to continue broadcasting will not have my support or Endorsement. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
The package would cut $8.3 billion in foreign aid and $1.1 billion from the CPB.
It passed the House last month in a 214-212 vote. Some Senate Republicans have indicated they want to make adjustments to it, which would send it back to the House as Congress faces a July 18 deadline to get it to Trump's desk.
U.S. diplomats brace for layoffs after months in limbo
U.S. diplomats in Washington are bracing for cuts to the State Department workforce, with dismissal notices expected to hit inboxes as soon as tomorrow, according to three State Department officials with knowledge of the plans. The layoffs are part of a mass reorganization of the federal agency, including the dissolution or merging of more than 300 bureaus and offices and a 15% reduction in employees.
“In April, the Secretary announced the largest reorganization of the Department in decades,” Deputy Secretary of State for Management Michael Rigas wrote in an email sent to all agency employees this evening. “The objective from the start was clear: focus resources on policy priorities and eliminate redundant functions, empowering our people while increasing accountability.”
Rigas said the terminations would be issued to affected employees soon, adding, “First and foremost, we want to thank them for their dedication and service to the United States.”
The restructuring has been in the works for months, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio notifying Congress in late May that as many as 1,800 U.S.-based workers would be cut from the approximately 19,000 employed by the State Department. More than 1,500 additional employees at the department took the Trump administration’s offer of deferred resignations, which will carry their salaries and health care benefits through September.
Fight over new FBI headquarters site stalls government funding bill
A fight over where to relocate the FBI’s headquarters ground the Senate appropriations process to a halt today — a setback for lawmakers working to avert a government shutdown by the Sept. 30 deadline.
The Senate Appropriations Committee had been scheduled to pass one of its 12 appropriations bills and send it to the full Senate. But Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, was forced to recess the committee meeting after a Democratic amendment to block the Trump administration from moving the FBI headquarters to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington surprisingly passed.
The amendment, offered by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., would bar the administration from using federal dollars to move the FBI’s headquarters in downtown Washington to a site other than in Greenbelt, Maryland, in the suburbs just outside Washington.
The Appropriations Committee passed the amendment during a markup of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriation bill in a 15-14 vote, with just one Republican — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — crossing the aisle and joining all Democrats in voting yes.
GOP Senate fundraising arm criticizes Cornyn's primary challenger Ken Paxton amid divorce
The National Republican Senatorial Committee sharply criticized Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who mounted a primary challenge in April against Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, amid a public divorce from his wife — state Sen. Angela Paxton.
"What Ken Paxton has put his family through is truly repulsive and disgusting," NRSC spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez wrote on X. "No one should have to endure what Angela Paxton has, and we pray for her as she chooses to stand up for herself and her family during this difficult time.”
The Paxtons faced scrutiny following a state Senate-led impeachment trial against Ken Paxton two years ago. Angela Paxton announced earlier today that she had filed for divorce.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., met with Trump at the White House last night to discuss Senate races, including Cornyn’s bid for another term. Cornyn was first elected to the Senate in 2002. Paxton was first elected state attorney general in 2014.
Trump hasn’t yet endorsed Cornyn in the race against Paxton.
Paxton's campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump nominates self-described ‘alpha male’ influencer Nick Adams to be ambassador to Malaysia
Trump nominated a right-wing influencer known for his bombastic posts about his devotion to Trump and tips on being an “alpha male” to be the next U.S. ambassador to Malaysia.
The White House announced Nick Adams’ nomination yesterday, and Adams confirmed it in a video on social media today.
“Today, duty has called me to serve my country overseas, not in the uniform of combat, but armed with the pen of diplomacy,” Adams, 40, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Australia, said in a three-minute-long video on X. “Our president has extended the hand of friendship to old allies and new across the world. It is nothing short of a lifetime’s honor to take the president’s goodwill and spread it to the great people of Malaysia.”
The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment. Adams didn’t immediately respond to a request for further comment.
White House budget director Russ Vought presses Fed Chair Powell on headquarters overhaul
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought is pressing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell about an overhaul of the Fed's Washington headquarters.
He said said on X that Powell "has grossly mismanaged the Fed" and that it's "way over budget on the renovation of its headquarters."
"Now up to $2.5 billion, roughly $700 million over its initial cost," he said. "These renovations include terrace rooftop gardens, water features, VIP elevators, and premium marble. The cost per square foot is $1,923--double the cost for renovating an ordinary historic federal building. The Palace of Versailles would have cost $3 billion in today’s dollars!"
Vought added, "Powell’s recent testimony to Congress has led to serious questions that now require additional oversight from OMB, in conjunction with the National Capital Planning Commission."
In an attached letter to Powell, Vought said Trump is “extremely troubled” by his management of the Federal Reserve System and asked him a series of questions about the overhaul.
Trump has strongly disparaged Powell and has repeatedly threatened to fire him.
The Fed declined to comment.
Trump administration returns to trade, tariff chaos — and no new deals
After its tax cut and spending bill passed last week, the Trump administration promised more trade deals.
Instead, it has been a return to chaos.
So far this week, Trump has warned he plans to impose 50% tariffs on copper-based goods by Aug. 1, his new deadline for countries to come to the table and negotiate. That sent copper prices to all-time highs. He also said pharmaceutical products could face duties as high as 200%, though firms would have as long as 18 months to prepare.
Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton files for divorce from husband, state AG Ken Paxton
Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton today said she filed for divorce from her husband, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is mounting a GOP primary challenge against Sen. John Cornyn.
Angela Paxton wrote on X, "Today, after 38 years of marriage, I filed for divorce on biblical grounds," adding that she made her decision "in light of recent discoveries."
The Paxtons' marriage faced scrutiny during Ken Paxton's impeachment trial in the state Senate two years ago. He faced allegations of corruption and was acquitted, but the impeachment trial also often touched on allegations of infidelity, with his chief of staff saying that an alleged affair caused tension in the office.
Ken Paxton wrote on X shortly after his wife, "After facing the pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny, Angela and I have decided to start a new chapter in our lives."
"I could not be any more proud or grateful for the incredible family that God has blessed us with, and I remain committed to supporting our amazing children and grandchildren. I ask for your prayers and privacy at this time," he said.
Trump’s immigration enforcement record so far: High arrests, low deportations
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents last month arrested the most people in at least five years, but deportations are still lagging far behind what Trump has promised — and even behind those in the Obama administration, according to data obtained by NBC News.
The discrepancy between arrests and deportations highlights the challenges the Trump administration faces to make good on Trump’s Inauguration Day vow to deport “millions and millions” of immigrants.
Liberians confused and angry after Trump’s praise for Boakai’s ‘beautiful English’
There was confusion and anger in Liberia today after Trump praised the English skills of President Joseph Boakai.
“Such good English,” Trump told Boakai, with visible surprise. “Such beautiful English.”
“Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” he continued as Boakai murmured a response. “Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?”
The exchange took place during a meeting in the White House between Trump and five West African leaders yesterday amid a pivot from aid to trade in U.S. foreign policy.
English has been the West African nation’s official language since the 1800s, and the country has had deep ties with the United States for centuries, as it was established with the aim of relocating freed slaves from the United States.
NYC mayor defends free airline upgrades: I just wanted 'more legroom'
New York Mayor Eric Adams told NBC New York he'd sought the airline upgrades that helped lead to the now-scuttled federal charges against him because he wanted "more legroom."
"Yes, I did ask for more legroom in my flights," Adams told Jonathan Dienst in an interview.
"When I flew Turkish Airlines and other airlines — since I was a kid — when I walked into a plane, I asked for upgrades, what many New Yorkers and Americans do, asking for more legroom in premium class," Adams said. "At no time did I feel that action was breaking the law."
Prosecutors charged Adams last year with receiving more than $100,000 worth of free plane tickets, upgrades and vastly discounted luxury hotel stays from wealthy Turkish nationals and at least one government official.
Asked why he didn't disclose the perks as gifts on his financial disclosure forms, Adams suggested it was a simple paperwork mistake. "You get fined for doing that. You don’t go to jail for 33 years for doing that," he said.
He also pushed back against suggestions that he's beholden to Trump after the Justice Department dropped the charges against him.
"I thought those charges were lawfare. President Biden said his Justice Department was politicized when he pardoned his son. The president, Donald Trump, said it was politicized. Something happened in our Justice Department under the Biden administration that was wrong," Adams said.
Judge blocks Trump’s order restricting birthright citizenship
A federal judge in New Hampshire granted class-action status today to a lawsuit seeking to protect babies who would be denied birthright citizenship by the Trump administration and granted a temporary block of the president’s order restricting birthright citizenship from going into effect throughout the country.
The suit was brought on behalf of a pregnant immigrant, immigrant parents and their infants and had sought class-action status for all babies and their parents around the country who would be affected by the executive order.
After Texas floods, questions about FEMA’s future loom large
The devastating Texas flooding that has killed nearly 120 people is the first high-profile disaster the Federal Emergency Management Agency has faced during the current Trump administration.
But while the loss of life has been catastrophic, former and current FEMA officials told NBC News that the relatively small geographic area affected means it’s not a true test of what the agency, whose full-time staff has been shrunk by a third, is capable of doing in the wake of a disaster.
The real tryout could come later this summer, they say, when there is always the threat that a hurricane could hit several states.
Amy Klobuchar heads to New Hampshire
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who notched a third-place finish in New Hampshire's 2020 Democratic presidential primary, is returning to the state tomorrow to campaign alongside Rep. Chris Pappas, who is running for Senate.
Although the 2028 presidential race is still years away, many ambitious Democrats are starting to ramp up travel to traditional early-voting states. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker spoke at a Democratic Party event in New Hampshire in April, and a handful of Democratic governors and members of Congress are traveling to South Carolina this month.
Mike Pence weighs in on Trump's newfound criticisms of Putin
Former Vice President Mike Pence seems to approve of Trump's newfound criticisms of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Pence, a Russia hawk, said in an interview today on CNN, "My hope is that the president's starting to recognize that Vladimir Putin doesn't want peace, Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine."
Trump's open exasperation with Putin is a change from his staunch criticism of Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which has included his false claim that Ukraine started the war with Russia.
Discussing what might have prompted Trump's shift in rhetoric, Pence said he believed Republican isolationists who spoke against the U.S. strikes on Iran "may have lost some of their footing with the president."
"I think some of those isolationist voices may have literally lost some credibility with the president," Pence said. "But whatever the cause, I welcome it, because I do believe the time has come for us to renew our military support for Ukraine."
GOP Sen. Thom Tillis says Hegseth is ‘out of his depth’ as defense secretary
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., strongly criticized Pete Hegseth in a new interview, saying that the defense secretary is “out of his depth” in his role overseeing the nation’s military and that his decision to halt weapons shipments to Ukraine was “amateurish.”
The Republican senator, who recently announced he won’t run for re-election next year after opposing the sweeping GOP domestic policy bill, spoke to CNN on Wednesday about his decision in January to support Hegseth’s nomination after a contentious confirmation process involving allegations of alcohol abuse and a sexual assault claim against Hegseth.
Tillis said he decided to vote to confirm Hegseth despite having initial reservations about the allegations because there was “never an example of an eyewitness-corroborated account.” Hegseth denied any wrongdoing and was confirmed 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance having to break the tie.
“Now, with the passing of time, I think it’s clear he’s out of his depth as a manager of a large, complex organization,” he said in the interview.
Secret Service suspended six personnel without pay following Trump assassination attempt
The Secret Service suspended six people without pay after the assassination attempt on Trump last July, an official with the agency told NBC News.
Following an investigation into the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which a gunman’s bullet grazed Trump’s ear, the agency issued the suspensions, which included both people in supervisory roles and line-level agents. The suspensions ranged from 10 to 42 days without pay. It is unclear when the agents were formally suspended.
New documents from DOJ whistleblower shed light on internal Abrego Garcia deliberations
New documents obtained by NBC News shed light on early internal Trump administration deliberations about the court battle over deportations under the Alien Enemies Act and the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported to El Salvador in March.
The documents were provided by fired Justice Department prosecutor Erez Reuveni to Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering a judgeship nomination for Emil Bove. Reuveni accused Bove, the third-highest-ranked official at the Justice Department, of floating the possibility that DOJ lawyers could ignore court orders blocking deportations. Bove has denied any wrongdoing.
One text between Reuveni and a colleague refers to a “F--- You,” comment, which is what Reuveni says Bove told DOJ lawyers they might have to say to judges who try to impede deportations. But the text does not make clear that the correspondents are referring to Bove.
There are also some colorful exchanges in the documents that speak to Reuveni’s growing frustration with how he believed the Trump administration officials were defying the courts, including: “At this point why don’t we just submit an emoji of a middle finger as our filing.”
The Judiciary Committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, said in a statement that the documents “can only lead to one conclusion: Emil Bove belongs nowhere near the federal bench. This vote will be a litmus test for Senate Judiciary Republicans. This is about more than a random f-bomb. This is a declaration of defiance of our courts at the highest level of our government by a man who now seeks a lifetime appointment to one of the highest courts in our land.”
NBC News reached out to the DOJ for a response.
In a post on X, Attorney General Pam Bondi said, "We support legitimate whistleblowers, but this disgruntled employee is not a whistleblower — he’s a leaker asserting false claims seeking five minutes of fame, conveniently timed just before a confirmation hearing and a committee vote."
The records also show that while Trump, Bondi and others were publicly insisting that Abrego Garcia would never return to the U.S., officials at the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security were having conversations among themselves — and, it appears based on these emails, officials from the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador — about bringing him back.
In one exchange, acting DHS General Counsel Joseph Mazzara wrote, “We want to make sure everyone knows this gentleman is alright if it takes us time to get el sal to send him back."
In another email, an unnamed State Department official wrote to State, DHS, DOJ officials and litigators, “I agree he should be brought back to the US if El Sal will release him back to us, and we should take steps to help ensure his safety in the meantime.”
Rubio says he's engaged with Congress on Russia sanctions, urges Europe to send Ukraine missiles
Rubio told reporters that the administration has been "engaging with Congress" on a bill to implement further sanctions on Russia.
Trump "has talked about that as being a real option," Rubio said, adding that "we’ve been engaging with the Senate in particular over the last week on what that bill will look like."
The secretary of state also urged European countries to provide Ukraine with more Patriot missile batteries, which can help defend against incoming Russian attacks.
"There are Patriot batteries available in multiple countries in Europe, yet no one wants to part with them," Rubio said. "So I hope that will change."
Rubio says he's 'hopeful' about a potential Gaza ceasefire
Rubio told reporters that he is "hopeful" that Israel and Hamas can reach an agreement in the next few days to end the war in Gaza.
"We're hoping they'll move to proximity talks," Rubio said. "It appears that generally, the terms have been agreed to, but obviously now you need to have talks about how you implement those terms."
The secretary of state said he spoke yesterday with special envoy Steve Witkoff, who was "optimistic that proximity talks will begin fairly soon."
"I think we're closer, and I think perhaps we're closer than we've been in quite a while, and we're hopeful," Rubio said. "But we also recognize there are still some challenges in the way."
Rubio says Russia presented a 'new and different approach' on Ukraine
Rubio told reporters after his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Russia had presented "a new and a different approach" to ending the war in Ukraine.
Rubio emphasized that he wouldn’t characterize Russia's proposal "as something that guarantees a peace, but it’s a concept that I’ll take back to the president today and here as soon as I as I finish with you."
The secretary added that he remained frustrated by the lack of progress in talks about a ceasefire.
"I don't want to overpromise," he added, pointing to the "acceleration" of Russian attacks on Ukraine.
"We understand that these things take time and patience, but obviously we're also frustrated that more progress has not been made, and hopefully we, based on today and in the days to come, will have more clarity about what exactly the Russian position and priorities are in this regard, and can begin to make some progress," Rubio said.
"But it's been difficult, as you've seen," he noted.
In a statement on the meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry said "a substantive and frank exchange of views took place concerning the Ukraine settlement, the situation in Iran and Syria," noting that the two officials shared "a mutual commitment to finding peaceful solutions to conflict situations."
Trump’s push to claw back funding ignites a fight that threatens a government shutdown
Trump’s push for Republicans to bypass Democrats and claw back $9.4 billion in approved spending has ignited a new fight in Congress that could upend the normally bipartisan government funding process.
Ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to prevent a shutdown, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is laying down a marker by warning that Democrats won’t sign off on an agreement if the GOP follows through with Trump’s request.
Trump hits Brazil with 50% tariff, in part due to trial of ally Jair Bolsonaro
Trump announced yesterday that he planned to hit Brazil with a 50% tariff, in part because of the treatment of its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, his political ally.
In a letter on his Truth Social social media network, Trump told current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — known as Lula — that “the way Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro ... is an international disgrace.”
Cory Booker posts record fundraising haul after marathon speech
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., raked in millions of dollars in campaign funds during the second fundraising quarter, his biggest haul ever, after his marathon speech on the Senate floor.
Booker’s Senate campaign and an affiliated joint fundraising committee raised $10 million from April through June, according to fundraising figures shared first with NBC News. It’s the most money Booker has ever raised in a single quarter, including when he was running for president in 2019.
Marco Rubio to meet with Russian foreign minister
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, a senior State Department official confirmed to NBC News.
It will be their first meeting since February in Saudi Arabia as the Trump administration continues its push for direct talks for a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump has been more critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin amid unsuccessful attempts at a deal, saying this week that he was “not happy” with Putin.
During a Cabinet meeting earlier this week, Trump also said of Putin, “He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”
Trump also said he had approved sending U.S. defensive weapons to Ukraine, saying Putin was “killing too many people,” after the Pentagon said it would pause some shipments.
